Ramen and crypto: The 10 wildest Future Fund investments

Australia’s $225bn taxpayer-owned wealth fund has some wild investments on its books.

The Future Fund is meant to pay retirement benefits for public servants, who numbered more than 170,000 in 2024.

From US oil firms and mines in Africa to Chinese banks and Brazilian rental car companies, the fund its fingers in hundreds of proverbial pies.

It even holds a multi-billion dollar stake in social media platform Snapchat.

In November, Treasurer Jim Chalmers slightly altered the fund’s mandate, tasking the board to consider national priorities like housing, and renewable energy in its investments, while maintaining the returns target of 4 per cent above inflation.

However are the investments duds, or will the rocket to the moon and make Australia rich?

Here are 10 of our wildest bets.

The stock picks are taken from the Fund’s latest holdings report from June 30, 2024, and the units held and value of the holdings reflect the June 30 date.

The next investment report is expected on December 31.

1. Cryptocurrencies – Coinbase Global

The Fund holds a position in Coinbase Global, a publicly traded company listed on America’s tech-heavy Nasdaq index.

The $120bn company operates a cryptocurrency exchange platform, where customers can buy and sell Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin and other crypto assets.

Australia owned 14,091 units of the company as of June 30, valued at $4,688,842.

Cryptocurrency, or non-fiat currency, is a radical new proposal, and Australia’s Future Fund managers are betting it will deliver handsome returns for Australians into the future.

2. Ramen noodles – Toyo Suisan

Australians hold stock in the $13bn ramen noodle behemoth Toyo Suisan, which manufactures instant noodle bags and cups, raw ramen, boiled noodles, roasted buckwheat noodles and other products.

The Fund held 2000 units in the Japanese company, valued at $179,353.

3. Chinese energy drinks – Eastroc Beverage

Australians own a very small part of a Chinese energy drink company called Eastroc Beverage.

The drinks company is listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange with a market capitalisation of about $24bn.

The brand produces Eastroc Super Drink, Citrus Lemon Tea, Tangerine Peel Super Drink and packaged drinking water, according to the Financial Times.

The Fund held 16,400 units valued at $725,675.

4. Poker and punting – Flutter Entertainment

Gambling is a controversial issue in Australia and the federal government has proposed bans on gambling advertisements during sporting fixtures.

But the political brawl over the issue hasn’t stopped the Fund from taking a substantial punt on one of America’s leading betting companies – Flutter Entertainment.

The $78bn giant is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and boasts the Sportsbet, Betfair, Paddy Power and PokerStars brands in its stable.

The Fund held 10,527 units valued at $2,882,210.

5. The English Channel – Getlink

Australians have a stake in the busy underground Channel Tunnel crossing linking Britain and France.

That’s because the Fund has bet on Getlink, the French company that manages the crossing.

The European-exchange listed company boasts a market cap of $13.7bn.

The company also manages ferry crossings and freight transportation services between France and the UK.

The Fund held 21,926 units valued at $543,629.

6. Comic books and manga – WEBTOON

Comic books and Japanese manga might not be the first option that comes to mind when hunting for a return, but the Fund has a very small bet on WEBTOON Entertainment, a Nasdaq-listed company that styles itself as the world’s largest “webcomic platform”.

The company’s website states that its mission is to “provide opportunities for everyone to create their own stories and share them with others”.

“We believe that everyone has a story to tell and we provide an end-to-end creator technology toolkit so that anyone can become a creator on WEBTOON, regardless of their background or professional training.”

The Fund held 84 units valued at $2871.

7. Second-hand bookstores – Bookoff Group Holdings

The Fund has a small bet on a Japanese second-hand book store company.

Bookoff Group sells used books, CDs, DVDs and games.

It is also moving into used apparel, sporting goods, jewellery and other household items.

The Fund held 1900 units valued at $25,370.

8. Elegant booze – Davide-Campari Milano

Put away your goon bags and cheap beer.

The Fund bets on higher-class European liquor, specifically legendary Italian drinks company Davide-Campari Milano, the owner of the classic Campari, Aperol and Wild Turkey brands.

The company has a market cap of $11.7bn.

The Fund held 38,918 units valued at $551,000.

9. Space debris – Astroscale Holdings

Australia’s presence in space is limited but we boast a radical investment in a Japanese space company that specialises in “orbital removal”.

The company defines its mission to “develop innovative technologies, advance business cases and inform international policies that reduce orbital debris and support long-term, sustainable use of space.”

The Fund held 1600 units valued at $14,685.

10. Controversial technology companies – Snap

The federal government has taken a jab at the US tech giants with its newly passed age limits for social media, but the Fund is still betting America’s tech behemoths will deliver healthy returns with a bet of Snap, the California-headquartered social messaging platform.

Snap has a $33bn market capitalisation, which puts its well behind trillion-dollar plus companies like Meta, Amazon and Google, but the platform was included in the sweeping age limit legislation.

The Fund held 82,153 units valued at $2,043,215.