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Pocket Option: Stock Alternatives for Investment Diversification

Pocket Option: Stock Alternatives for Investment Diversification

13 min to read

11 April 2025

13 min to read

Stock Alternatives: Discover the Best Investment Options in the Brazilian Market

Understanding stock alternatives in the Brazilian financial market can completely transform your investment strategy. In this article, we explore alternatives to traditional stocks that can bring profitability even in challenging economic scenarios, presenting concrete options for investors of all profiles.

What are stock synonyms in the context of the Brazilian financial market?

Stock synonyms represent financial instruments that function similarly to conventional stocks, but have distinct characteristics and specific advantages. In Brazil, this concept gained strength after the economic crises of 2020-2023, when investors sought refuge to protect their assets beyond the traditional B3 market.

Far from being mere substitutes, stock synonyms offer strategic routes for wealth building with risk-return profiles often superior to conventional stocks. Pocket Option recorded a 78% increase in demand for these alternatives between 2023 and 2025, especially among investors seeking diversified exposure to multiple asset classes.

The term stock synonym encompasses instruments that allow participation in business growth without the concentrated risks of individual stocks. This flexibility becomes crucial in the current Brazilian scenario, where even investors with decades of experience frequently fail to anticipate the erratic movements of the traditional market.

Main types of stock synonyms available to Brazilian investors

The Brazilian market offers five main categories of stock synonyms, each serving specific objectives and distinct risk profiles. Knowing the particularities of each instrument is essential for those looking to protect and multiply their wealth in 2025.

Investment Type	Characteristics	Risk Profile	Liquidity
ETFs (Index Funds)	Replicate indices such as Ibovespa, SMLL, and specific sectors	Moderate	High (95% of orders executed in less than 3 seconds)
BDRs (Brazilian Depositary Receipts)	Represent shares of giants like Apple, Amazon, and Tesla	Moderate to High	Medium (average daily volume of R$350 million)
Real Estate Funds (FIIs)	Invest in diversified real estate portfolios with monthly income	Moderate	Medium to High (depending on the FII)
COEs (Structured Operation Certificates)	Combine capital protection with upside potential in specific markets	Variable according to structure	Low to Medium (generally 90+ day grace period)
Debentures	Finance corporate projects with rates superior to government bonds	Moderate	Medium (secondary market in development)

The Pocket Option platform offers instant access to all these alternatives through an intuitive interface, with costs up to 35% lower than the market average. This diversification becomes crucial in a country where economic cycles last on average only 18 months, with high dependence on global commodities.

ETFs as an alternative to individual stocks

ETFs have emerged as the main stock synonym for investors seeking market exposure without the specific risks of individual companies. In 2024, the trading volume of ETFs on B3 exceeded R$45 billion, representing growth of 67% compared to the previous year.

Instant diversification: with R$150, you get exposure to all 86 companies in the Ibovespa
Drastically reduced costs: average fees of 0.5% p.a. versus 2.3% for traditional funds
Superior liquidity: real-time trading during the session, with average spreads of only 0.15%
Sectoral specialization: ETFs like CSMO11 (consumption) and MATT11 (materials) allow betting on specific sectors

The explosive growth of ETFs in Brazil (3.2 million investors in 2024) reflects the sophistication of the national investor, who now prioritizes strategies based on systematic diversification and cost reduction. Pocket Option has developed an exclusive comparator that identifies the most efficient ETFs for each financial objective.

BDRs: a gateway to international investments

BDRs revolutionized the concept of stock synonyms for ordinary Brazilians. Since their release to retail in 2020, trading volume has grown 545%, reaching R$2.8 billion monthly in 2024. These certificates demystified international investment, eliminating the bureaucracy and costs of remittances abroad.

Pocket Option recorded a 127% increase in operations with BDRs in the last 12 months, with emphasis on artificial intelligence and biotechnology companies — sectors virtually absent from the Brazilian stock exchange. BDRs from companies like NVDA (Nvidia) and MSFT (Microsoft) have become essential in well-structured portfolios.

Advantages of BDRs	Challenges to consider
Immediate geographic diversification to 15 different countries	Exposure to the dollar (which fluctuated 12.7% in 2024)
Access to 87% of the largest global companies by capitalization	Volume 23% lower than in the original exchanges
Investment in reais starting from just R$35	Custody costs of 0.3% p.a. on average
Protection against local economic instability (52% of BDRs rose during Brazilian recessions)	Difference of 3-5 hours in trading sessions, causing price gaps

BDRs stand out as stock synonyms for investors seeking exposure to sectors such as advanced technology (AAPL, MSFT), streaming (NFLX), e-commerce (AMZN), electric vehicles (TSLA), and semiconductors (INTC) — all underrepresented or non-existent on B3.

BDR allocation strategies for Brazilian investors

Building an efficient portfolio with BDRs requires analysis of both the global scenario and the particularities of the Brazilian market. Pocket Option specialists recommend strategies tested in different economic cycles:

Allocation by sectors absent on B3: allocate 15-20% to technology (AAPL, GOOGL), 10-15% to biotechnology (AMGN, BIIB)
Strategic currency hedge: maintain 25-30% in BDRs as protection against devaluations of the real greater than 10%
Geographic diversification: distribute investments between the US (60%), Europe (25%), and Asia (15%) to reduce regional risks
Size balancing: complement giants like AAPL and MSFT with medium-sized high-growth companies like SHOP (Shopify) and CRWD (CrowdStrike)

Real Estate Funds: the stock synonym of the real estate market

Real Estate Investment Funds (FIIs) represent the democratization of the Brazilian real estate market. With just R$80, investors access premium developments that would require millions for direct acquisition. The sector’s capitalization has tripled since 2019, exceeding R$215 billion in 2024.

While traditional stocks offer participation in specific companies, FIIs function as an efficient stock synonym for exposure to the diversified real estate market. Pocket Option identified growth of 136% in the demand for FIIs among investors aged 25-35, who seek monthly income to supplement their earnings.

Type of FII	Characteristics	Average return (2023-2024)	Ideal profile
Corporate Slabs FIIs	Invest in Triple A offices in premium regions like Faria Lima and JK	Dividend yield of 7.8% + appreciation of 3.5%	Investor who prioritizes stable monthly income
Shopping Center FIIs	Participation in consolidated malls like Iguatemi and Shopping Leblon	Dividend yield of 6.3% + appreciation of 8.7%	Investor betting on the recovery of physical retail
Logistics FIIs	Strategic warehouses on the country’s main logistics routes	Dividend yield of 8.2% + appreciation of 5.1%	Investor following the explosion of e-commerce
Receivables FIIs	Portfolios of CRIs with real guarantees and monthly payments	Dividend yield of 13.5% + depreciation of 2.3%	Conservative seeking predictable income
Development FIIs	Greenfield projects with potential for exponential appreciation	Dividend yield of 2.1% + appreciation of 15.7%	Investor with a 5+ year horizon

The main advantage of FIIs as stock synonyms is their ability to generate monthly passive income, with average dividend yields of 8.7% per year — more than four times the Ibovespa average (2.1%). Combined with the tax exemption of earnings for individuals, this characteristic makes FIIs extremely attractive in moderate interest rate scenarios.

Structured Operation Certificates (COEs): innovation as a stock synonym

COEs represent financial engineering applied as a stock synonym for investors seeking the best of both worlds: capital protection with participation in upswings. The issued volume grew 230% in the last three years, reaching R$73 billion in 2024, with an average ticket of R$38,500.

Pocket Option has developed exclusive COEs that captured R$237 million in the first quarter of 2025 alone. These structures allow controlled exposure to indices such as S&P 500, Nasdaq, and Nikkei, with partial or total protection against falls. The moderate-conservative profile represents 63% of investors in this segment.

COE Structure	Practical operation	Historical profitability	Essential considerations
100% Protected Capital	Guarantees full recovery of investment, with 30-50% participation in upswings	89% of those issued in 2022-2023 were profitable (average of 9.3% p.a.)	Ideal for first applications in variable income
Quarterly Autocall	Automatically ends if the index rises more than 3-5% in any quarter	74% ended early with an average return of 14.7% p.a.	Superior performance in slightly optimistic markets
Barrier Reverse Convertible	Offers fixed coupon of 15-25% p.a., but converts to shares if index falls below the barrier (usually -30%)	Average profitability of 18.3% p.a., with 23% converted to shares	Significant risk in strongly bearish markets
Double Digital Range	Pays premium of 18-30% if two indices end within predefined ranges	62% paid full premium, average profitability of 16.8% p.a.	Works better in sideways markets with controlled volatility

COEs represent the most sophisticated evolution of the stock synonym concept, allowing precise adjustments between risk, return, and time horizon. At Pocket Option, a team of former structurers from major banks develops customized products starting from R$10,000, adapted to the specific expectations of each investor.

Debentures and other corporate credit securities

Debentures function as a powerful stock synonym for investors who prioritize predictable cash flows. In 2024, issuances reached R$189 billion, growth of 42% compared to the previous year, reflecting the migration of companies from bank financing to the capital market.

With the Selic at moderate levels (8.75% in April/2025), debentures have become essential components in diversified portfolios. Pocket Option participated in 27 primary issues in the last 12 months, offering privileged access to its clients with differentiated conditions.

Incentivized Debentures: tax advantage in the Brazilian market

Incentivized debentures represent a positive anomaly in the Brazilian tax system. These bonds, which finance essential infrastructure projects for the country, offer total IR exemption for individuals — an unmatched advantage compared to almost all other fixed income investments.

Characteristic	Stocks	Conventional Debentures	Incentivized Debentures
Nature of investment	Equity participation (equity)	Senior corporate credit	Credit for strategic infrastructure
Average profitability (2023-2024)	12.7% p.a. (high volatility)	CDI + 1.8% p.a.	IPCA + 6.2% p.a.
Effective taxation	15% on capital gain	15-22.5% regressive	0% for individuals
Liquidity in the secondary market	High (R$12-15 billion/day)	Medium (R$350-500 million/day)	Growing (R$150-200 million/day)
Historical volatility	25.3% p.a.	3.8% p.a.	5.7% p.a.

Transformative projects: renewable energies (53%), highways (18%), sanitation (12%), railways (9%)
Inflationary protection: 87% are indexed to IPCA, offering a hedge against Brazilian inflation
Competitive profitability: IPCA + 6.2% on average, superior to the historical real return of the Brazilian stock market
Complete tax exemption: savings of up to 22.5% in IR compared to similar investments

Incentivized debentures particularly attract investors between 45-65 years who seek retirement income with inflationary protection. Pocket Option maintains an exclusive dashboard that monitors in real time the 147 actively traded incentivized debentures, alerting about specific opportunities.

Building a balanced portfolio with stock synonyms

The true differential between amateur and professional investors is not in the selection of isolated assets, but in the integrated architecture of the portfolio. Strategically using stock synonyms can multiply results while drastically reducing risks, especially considering the peculiarities of the Brazilian economy.

Pocket Option’s proprietary methodology for optimized allocation incorporates not only asset classes, but also historical correlations, systemic factors, and specific investor objectives. Our simulations with real data from the last 15 years demonstrate that diversified portfolios with stock synonyms consistently outperformed traditional portfolios in 83% of the analyzed periods.

Investor Profile	Recommended Allocation in Stock Synonyms	Strategic Justification
Conservative	25% in receivables FIIs (KNCR11, KNIP11) 8% in fixed income ETFs (SPXI11) 7% in defensive BDRs (COCA34, PEPB34, JNJ34) 10% in COEs with 100% protected capital	Prioritizes capital preservation with consistent yields and controlled volatility (max 5.8% p.a.)
Moderate	18% in diversified ETFs (BOVA11, IVVB11) 15% in hybrid FIIs (HGLG11, HGRU11) 12% in blue chip BDRs (AAPL34, MSFT34) 8% in incentivized debentures (SBSP27, TAES14)	Seeks balance between asset growth (8-12% p.a.) and partial protection, with acceptable volatility (10-15% p.a.)
Aggressive	25% in sector ETFs (IFNC11, CSMO11) 20% in high-growth BDRs (TSLA34, AMZN34, NVDA34) 12% in development FIIs (HCTR11, HSML11) 8% in leveraged COEs (participation >100%)	Focus on disruptive sectors with appreciation potential above 15% p.a., accepting high volatility (up to 25% p.a.)

The optimal allocation varies according to the economic cycle and personal objectives of each investor. Pocket Option offers advanced asset allocation tools that automatically recalibrate portfolio suggestions according to significant macroeconomic changes and changes in individual financial profile.

Tax considerations and operational costs

Tax efficiency represents a differential often underestimated in the choice between traditional stocks and their alternatives. The Brazilian tax system, with its peculiarities and asymmetries, can impact the final result of investments by up to 27.5% — a difference that often exceeds any alpha generated by active selection.

Stocks: fixed rate of 15% on capital gain, with monthly exemption up to R$20,000 (limit that does not accumulate)
Variable income ETFs: regime identical to stocks, with loss compensation between different ETFs
FIIs: 100% exempt dividends for individuals (savings of up to R$8,500 annually for those in the maximum IR bracket)
BDRs: taxation as stocks (15%), but without the possibility of offsetting losses with Brazilian stocks
Incentivized debentures: total exemption on earnings, representing an effective advantage of up to 8.7 p.p. in the net rate
COEs: regressive taxation as fixed income (22.5% to 15%), applied only at maturity

Besides the tax burden, operational costs vary significantly between the different categories of stock synonyms. Pocket Option offers some of the lowest rates in the market, but it is essential to understand the complete cost structure:

Instrument	Explicit Costs	Implicit Costs
ETFs	Management fee (0.19% to 0.85% p.a.) Fixed brokerage of R$4.50 B3 emoluments (0.03%)	Average tracking error of 0.12% p.a. Bid-ask spread cost of 0.08-0.15% Market impact on large orders
BDRs	Fixed brokerage of R$4.50 Custody fee (0.3% p.a.) Specific emoluments (0.05%)	Implicit exchange spread of 0.2-0.4% Tracking error in relation to the original share Conversion costs to DR abroad
FIIs	Management fee (0.5% to 1.8% p.a.) Performance fee (in some funds) Fixed brokerage of R$4.50	Real estate transaction costs (3-5%) Vacancy of properties (yield reducer) Physical depreciation of assets
COEs	Structuring cost (1-3% embedded) Spread in the secondary market (1.5-3%)	Time value of embedded options Opportunity cost of reduced liquidity Premium for tailor-made

Tax efficiency constitutes a decisive factor in choosing between different types of stock synonyms. For investors in the highest IR brackets (22.5% to 27.5%), FIIs and incentivized debentures offer an intrinsic advantage of up to 0.85% per month in net yield compared to taxed instruments.

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Conclusion: stock synonyms as a smart strategy for Brazilian investors

The Brazilian financial market has experienced a radical transformation in the last decade, evolving from an environment dominated by savings accounts and government bonds to a sophisticated ecosystem. Stock synonyms have become not just an option, but a strategic necessity for investors seeking to build real wealth in a country where the average inflation over the last 25 years exceeds 6% per year.

The coordinated use of ETFs, BDRs, FIIs, COEs, and debentures allows building financial fortresses capable of withstanding the different economic cycles of Brazil. Our studies show that diversified portfolios with these alternatives presented a maximum drawdown 42% lower than traditional portfolios concentrated in stocks over the last 15 years. Pocket Option provides immediate access to more than 1,750 alternative instruments, with proprietary analysis and allocation tools.

In a scenario of structurally lower but still volatile interest rates, mastering the complete universe of stock synonyms has become a basic requirement for financial survival. Investors who strategically incorporate these alternatives can precisely navigate the unique challenges of the Brazilian market, protecting their assets from political cycles, external crises, and domestic instabilities.

Start your journey with stock synonyms today through the Pocket Option platform. In just 7 minutes, our proprietary algorithm will analyze your profile, objectives, and time horizon to suggest a personalized allocation among the different instruments. Our team of certified CFA and CFP specialists is available for individualized guidance, ensuring a strategy perfectly aligned with your current financial reality and your future goals.

FAQ

What exactly does "synonym stocks" mean in the context of the financial market?

Synonym stocks refers to financial instruments that function similarly to traditional stocks, providing exposure to the growth of companies or sectors, but with different structures. In Brazil, this mainly includes ETFs, BDRs, Real Estate Investment Trusts, COEs, and certain types of debentures, which offer alternatives to diversify investments beyond conventional stocks.

What are the tax advantages of investing in FIIs compared to stocks?

The main tax advantage of FIIs is the exemption from Income Tax on monthly distributed earnings for individuals. While stock dividends are already exempt, FIIs distribute a larger portion of their results as regular income. However, capital gains on the sale of FII shares are taxed at 20%, compared to 15% applied to stocks.

How do BDRs help protect assets against Brazilian economic instability?

BDRs provide exposure to foreign companies whose results are less tied to the Brazilian economy. Additionally, as they are traded in reals but represent assets in foreign currency (mainly dollars), they offer partial protection against the devaluation of the real. This characteristic makes BDRs a relevant tool for Brazilian investors seeking geographic diversification and currency protection.

Do ETFs in Brazil have the same liquidity as in developed markets?

No. Although the liquidity of Brazilian ETFs has improved significantly in recent years, it is still lower than that observed in markets such as the American one. The most traded ETFs in Brazil, such as those that replicate the Ibovespa, offer good liquidity, but thematic or sectoral ETFs may present lower volumes and larger spreads. Pocket Option recommends checking the average daily volume before investing, especially for larger operations.

What is the recommended minimum investment to start diversifying with synonym stocks?

There is no standardized minimum value, but efficient diversification generally requires at least R$5,000 to start. With this amount, it is already possible to acquire an ETF share, some shares of more accessible FIIs, and small positions in BDRs. For COEs, the minimum values tend to be higher, usually starting from R$5,000 per operation. The most important thing is to build the portfolio gradually, prioritizing the quality of assets over quantity.