$4.6 Billion Flowed Into This Uranium ETF Last Year. The Nuclear Boom Is Real.

For over 35 seasons, The Simpsons has become the longest running American TV show in history. A number of the most amusing storylines deal with Homer Simpson’s job at the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant and the lack of security and safety precautions taken there. The satire makes humorous fun at what are potentially disastrous accidents that could expose deadly radiation to people, creatures, and even the atmosphere itself. 

Thankfully, the real-life nuclear energy industry has proven itself to be vastly improved in its safety measures since such disasters as Chernobyl or Fukushima. In fact, nuclear energy has become the biggest new source of emission-free energy, and investors have taken notice. With over $3.8 billion of inflows in 2025 and over $7 billion net assets to date at the time of this writing, the Global X Uranium ETF (NYSE: URA) shows that nuclear energy is here to stay, and that it just may be the answer to satisfy both the huge power demands of AI data centers and the green energy advocates who are trying to cut carbon emissions.

Global X Uranium ETF

The Global X Uranium ETF has 52 different stocks involved in the nuclear energy sector and has gained over +156% in the past year.

Launched in November, 2010, URA’s price was mired in the teens from 2015 until 2022, when it started breaking into the 20s, then into the 30s in 2024. 2025 saw the breakout, and is posting a 1-year return of +156.14%. The range of nuclear stocks are global, and reflect activity in various aspects of the industry, including power generation, reactor manufacturing, isotopes, logistics, and various other areas. 

Top 10 holdings:

• Cameco Corp – 22.84%
• Oklo, Inc. – 6.75%
• Nexgen Energy, Ltd. – 6.36%
• Uranium Energy Corp – 5.83%
• NAC Kazatomprim JSC-GDR Regs – 4.86%
• Sprott Physical Uranium TR – 4.34%
• Energy Fuels Inc. – 4.04%
• Paladin Energy Ltd. – 3.91%
• Daewoo Engineering – 3.34%
• Hyundai Engineering – 3.33%

Case For Nuclear

Smaller reactors, more efficient and safer sourcing of nuyclear fuel, and the ability to generate maximum power at 92% of the time are major factors in the revived excitement over nuclear energy and its proliferation.

Both government and private sector parties acknowledge the strides made in the nuclear energy industry, as well as the changing demand landscape that makes its proliferation and deployment even more crucial for both the present, as well as the future.

• Investing News Network reported in January, 2024 that global nuclear reactor demand in 2023 was 65,650 MT in 2023 and current growth rates would see it roughly doubled to 130,000 MT by 2040. 
• The escalated demand for reliable and efficient power by AI data centers has relegated solar and wind to backup status, while nuclear’s 92% consistent maximum output has drawn significant interest in the sector.
• Gen IV reactor designs cannot melt down, making them significantly safer than past iterations.
• Advanced fuel technology, such as TRISO particles, and smaller, efficient reactors handle heat issues much better than in the past.
• New reactor designs can process and operate on used fuel, thus reducing nuclear waste management concerns. 
• US government incentives include: 

1. The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022, which provides $15/MWh tax credits for nuclear power production and $25/MWh credits for new power plants.
2. Dept. of Energy High-Assay Low-Enriched Uranium (HALEU) programs for fuel supply chains and loan guarantees of up to 80% for advanced nuclear reactor costs.
3. Extension of the Price-Anderson Act to provide nuclear liability protection, which has bolstered investor confidence.