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Shorting a stock means profiting when its price falls. The simplest way to short in 2026 is through inverse ETFs — exchange-traded funds that rise when a stock, index, or sector declines. You buy them on any brokerage like a regular stock, with no margin account or borrowing required.
There are three main methods: inverse ETFs (easiest), traditional short selling (requires a margin account), and put options (requires options approval). For most investors, inverse ETFs are the fastest and lowest-friction path.
Complete guide: How to short a stock →The most widely traded inverse ETFs cover major indices and individual stocks. SQQQ provides 3x inverse exposure to the NASDAQ-100 — when the NASDAQ falls 1%, SQQQ aims to rise 3%. SPXU does the same for the S&P 500. For single stocks, TSLS shorts Tesla and BITI shorts Bitcoin futures.
Browse all 50+ inverse ETFs →For broad U.S. market shorts, start with index short ETFs. For specific queries, use SDS for 2x short S&P 500, DOG for 1x short Dow Jones, FAZ for 3x short financials, and SVXY/SVIX for short VIX futures exposure.
Open the short ETF calculator →Leveraged inverse ETFs (2x, 3x) reset their exposure daily. This daily rebalancing causes value erosion over time — even if the underlying index moves in your favor. A 3x inverse ETF held for weeks in a volatile, sideways market can lose significant value despite no net move in the index. These products are designed for short-term trading, not long-term holds.
Understanding leverage decay →