2025’s most actively traded stocks on Stake AUS

DroneShield ($DRO)

DroneShield spent 2025 swinging between euphoria and fear. After rallying to fresh highs mid-year on the back of booming global demand for counter-drone technology, the stock unwound much of those gains as short interest climbed and investors questioned valuation froth. Sentiment soured in November when CEO Oleg Vornik sold more than $49M of shares. In the same month, the company withdrew recent U.S. military deal announcements and its U.S. CEO Matt McCrann resigned. $DRO's share price fell over 70% from its October high to December.

Pilbara Minerals ($PLS)

After spending much of the year battling the same headwinds facing the broader lithium sector, Pilbara Minerals closed 2025 on a bullish note. Between June and December the stock price surged over 200% as lithium market sentiment improved and EV demand lifted. Industry-wide production cuts also helped stabilise lithium prices by mid-2025, setting the stage for a rebound. As of December, the $PLS share price is up over 80% since the start of the year. It's a welcome end to a tough stretch that began in late 2023.

Commonwealth Bank ($CBA)

Australia's biggest bank ended the year flat, despite a June surge that pushed the stock more than 30% higher. CBA stock stumbled in November after earnings results missed expectations, with the bank blaming growing competition, higher technology costs and lower interest rates on shrinking margins. Shares dropped almost 12% over the month, nearly wiping out the year's gains and underperforming rivals ANZ, Westpac and NAB. Despite challenges, CBA lifted its total paid dividend in 2025 to $4.85.

BHP Group ($BHP)

BHP had a stop-start year as softer iron-ore and coal prices weighed on earnings, dragging underlying profit down 26% to June 2025. The miner grabbed headlines with takeover talks involving mining company Anglo American before ultimately walking away, reassuring investors the company would stick to its organic growth strategy. Strength in copper, a metal central to the global electrification push, along with bolstered iron ore prices, helped offset some of the weakness. By year-end, BHP's share price was recovering alongside improving commodity sentiment.

Fortescue Ltd ($FMG)

Fortescue moved in near lockstep with the iron-ore market in 2025, dipping early in the year before recovering on revived steel demand out of China. Investors continued to grapple with the company's transition away from its green-energy ambitions after a series of executive departures in late 2024. Still, impressive earnings results and the prospect of another sizable dividend helped support the stock, and $FMG finished the year in better shape than where it started. In 2025, it paid an annual dividend of $1.10.

CSL Ltd ($CSL)

It was a bruising year for CSL shareholders. Despite posting higher underlying profit, investors recoiled at plans to spin out its vaccine arm and cut more than 3,000 jobs globally. Concerns over the restructuring weighed heavily on the stock, which slid more than 30% across the year. CSL argued the overhaul would sharpen its focus on high-growth plasma therapies, but the market remained cautious. Shares only faced further pressure after the firm downgraded FY26 revenue and profit guidance in late October.

Zip Co ($ZIP)

Zip staged somewhat of a comeback in 2025 after years of heavy losses and restructuring. Its FY25 results beat expectations, with cash earnings up an incredible 147% year-on-year and total income hitting a record $1B. Its U.S. business led the way, lifting revenue 46% in FY25, even as its ANZ arm remained flat. Still, it's been a volatile year for shareholders. A mid-year rally saw the stock jump 300%, before falling more than 30% from its October peak to end the year roughly where it started.

Mineral Resources ($MIN)

Mineral Resources navigated a choppy year as lithium and iron-ore markets swung sharply. Weak lithium prices dragged on early earnings, but the firm's diversified operations, particularly mining services and iron ore, helped cushion the blow. A series of asset updates and project ramp-ups triggered bursts of optimism, though the share price ultimately remained tied to lithium sentiment. That dynamic paid off in the second half when lithium prices staged an impressive rebound after two years of pressure. By year-end, $MIN hit a new 52-week high, up 50% over 12 months.

Woodside Energy ($WDS)

Woodside spent much of 2025 under pressure as falling LNG prices hit revenue and large capital-spending commitments raised questions about its long-term returns. The company pushed ahead on major gas projects, including Scarborough, while fending off concerns about rising project costs. A rebound in the crude oil price from October helped the share price recover and despite the volatility, stocks ended the year higher than where they began. Woodside paid two dividends in 2025 totalling $1.60 per share.

WiseTech Global ($WTC)

WiseTech delivered another year of strong revenue and earnings growth, but the share price was overshadowed by noise around governance, CEO succession and regulatory scrutiny. The stock plunged in February after several executives exited the company citing differences in views with co-founder Richard White. Then a mid-year recovery was interrupted by allegations of insider trading and an ASIC/Australian Federal Police investigation into internal practices. Still, CargoWise, its flagship logistics platform, continued to power ahead, bolstering earnings results and helping to restore some confidence. WiseTech closed the year as a classic 'growth stock with baggage': impressive numbers, but plenty of narrative risk. $WTC is currently down over 40% since January.