Cryptocurrency has faced significant challenges this year. After hitting a high of over $122,000 late last year, Bitcoin has dropped to $73,986. It has decreased by 15.3% year-to-date and fell below $64,000 just last month.
While Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies hold potential, my skepticism about them has only grown, more than a decade after the inception of Bitcoin in 2008. Although they can offer substantial returns, their high volatility means those gains can quickly disappear.
Instead, I favor companies that have a clear and tangible impact on the global economy, which in turn benefits their shareholders.
A prime example is ASML (ASML 3.62%). This Dutch firm is located in a small, unassuming town called Veldhoven, yet its products are essential in our daily lives, often without us realizing it.
ASML is fundamentally critical to the tech industry, functioning as a silent monopolist and the only supplier of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography machines.
Dynamite with a laser beam
ASML’s EUV lithography machines are remarkable feats of technology. Each machine resembles the size of a bus, costs over $400 million, and can require seven Boeing 747s or 25 trucks to deliver.
Modern semiconductor chips are extraordinarily miniaturized, with the most advanced measuring just 7 nanometers (nm), roughly 1/10,000th the diameter of a human hair.
To manufacture these chips, ASML’s EUV machines deploy an exceptionally accurate and powerful laser to etch the required patterns onto the chips.
While other companies also produce lithography machines, ASML stands alone in the EUV market. Competitors like Canon cannot produce the 7nm or smaller chips necessary for today’s technology.
An invitation you can’t decline
ASML is well-positioned to sustain its leadership role as demand for semiconductor chips continues to surge.
The company spent 20 years cultivating its EUV technology, with its first prototype introduced in 2006. In that time, no one has successfully duplicated ASML’s machines.
Notably, the modern iterations of that prototype are significantly more sophisticated than the original.
According to Deloitte, global semiconductor sales are expected to surpass $975 billion this year, with projections reaching $2 trillion by 2036. ASML will indirectly benefit from every advanced semiconductor sold, regardless of the manufacturer or its application.
Guaranteed to blow your mind
ASML’s financial health reflects its monopoly over such vital technology.
For 2025, the company reported net sales of 32.6 billion euros, a 15% increase from 2024, with basic earnings per share rising to 24.73 euros, marking a gain of 28.4% over the previous year. Moreover, ASML boasts a net profit margin of 29.4%.
Impressively, the company’s new machine bookings more than doubled, jumping from 5,399 in Q3 2025 to 13,158 in Q4 2025.
This clearly indicates rising demand. With semiconductor needs at an all-time peak, the demand for ASML’s lithography machines is poised for growth.
Consider purchasing a few shares; currently, for the price of one Bitcoin, you could acquire about 53 shares of ASML.
