After a solid 2020, the tech sector has had a mixed year in 2021.

Many tech companies benefited at the start of pandemic as people adjusted to new ways of living – working from home, shopping online, paying for things over time without paying interest.

While many of these trends continued in 2021, there just wasn’t the same growth as happened last year. Tech has also been hit by fears of rising inflation, which typically deflates high-risk assets.

The average tech stock is up a modest 2% and the ASX 200 Tech Index is unchanged in 2021. This is well under the ASX 200 benchmark of 10%.

Sector Return 2021
XTJ Communications 26%
XDJ Discretionary 21%
XFJ Financials 16%
XRE Real Estate 15%
ASX 200 benchmark 10%
XNJ Industrial 8.65%
XHJ Health 9%
XSJ Staples 7%
XMJ Materials 0.08%
XIJ Tech 0%
XEJ Energy -0.49%
XUJ Utilities -2%
Wordpress Table Plugin

 

Tech IPOs in 2021

Code Company Price % Return since Market Cap
FLX Felix Group 0.28 12 $ 30,542,615.60
NNG Nexion Group 0.15 -25 $ 12,036,900.90
EPX Ept Global Limited 0.13 -35 $ 20,771,999.04
X2M X2M Connect Limited 0.19 -24 $ 13,431,167.07
ATV Activeportgroupltd 0.145 -28 $ 12,263,366.25
W2V Way2Vatltd 0.17 -15 $ 23,402,567.20
XPN Xpon Technologies 0.22 10 $ 31,404,940.35
GFN Gefen Int 0.525 -48 $ 31,065,216.90
ATA Atturralimited 0.62 24 $ 124,341,278.38
RWL Rubicon Water 1.42 42 $ 240,639,145.60
Wordpress Table Plugin

The tech IPO space was particularly disappointing with only ten floats and the majority underwater.

Despite being off its all time highs Rubicon Water (ASX:RWL) takes the cake as the best tech IPO of the year.

This company has irrigation automation technology that aims to help with water scarcity and improve the supply of water to farmers.

Another was IT services company Atturra (ASX:ATA) which only listed on Wednesday. Arguably what helped it was a trading update on its opening day which depicted that the company was on track to meet its prospectus forecasts.

 

Here’s a list of all ASX tech stocks in 2021

Scroll or swipe to reveal table. Click headings to sort. Best viewed on a laptop

Code Company Price ReturnYRoll% MktCap$
NVX Novonix Limited 8.22 714 $ 4,069,227,387.33
360 Life360 Inc. 9.65 159 $ 1,749,108,845.25
RVS Revasum 0.6 143 $ 62,490,825.86
JAN Janison Edu Group 1.29 137 $ 302,746,057.83
JCS Jcurve Solutions 0.059 136 $ 18,058,889.15
CGO CPT Global Limited 0.645 130 $ 27,227,957.46
PPS Praemium Limited 1.44 123 $ 731,245,468.32
IOD Iodm Limited 0.35 119 $ 189,548,979.51
AXE Archer Materials 1.105 108 $ 276,037,435.81
MSL MSL Solutions Ltd. 0.25 108 $ 87,364,636.80
BRN Brainchip Ltd 0.66 103 $ 1,126,002,700.76
PRO Prophecy Internation 1.325 99 $ 97,875,942.22
WTC WiseTech Global Ltd 58.63 92 $ 19,651,438,316.36
RDY Readytech Holdings 3.78 89 $ 392,608,870.98
AMO Ambertech Limited 0.345 77 $ 31,618,238.46
IXU Ixup Limited 0.135 75 $ 121,780,264.19
DTZ Dotz Nano Ltd 0.415 73 $ 178,015,728.64
SLX Silex Systems 1.185 72 $ 248,528,236.64
XF1 Xref Limited 0.63 70 $ 114,883,699.18
RUL Rpmglobal Hldgs Ltd 2.15 70 $ 510,688,840.20
FGO Fargo Enterprises 0.005 67 $ 1,185,755.54
SPA Spacetalk Ltd 0.175 67 $ 36,681,452.33
DUB Dubber Corp Ltd 2.73 65 $ 825,843,612.00
TNE Technology One 12.88 55 $ 4,145,575,919.28
RD1 Registry Direct 0.027 53 $ 10,239,786.14
8CO 8Common Limited 0.18 50 $ 39,880,756.08
SYM Symbio Holdings Ltd 6.72 48 $ 572,351,076.00
SPZ Smart Parking Ltd 0.235 47 $ 84,148,731.62
OCL Objective Corp 18.98 46 $ 1,820,120,480.46
CL1 Class Limited 2.68 45 $ 328,477,923.84
DDR Dicker Data Limited 14.56 44 $ 2,506,827,628.00
HSN Hansen Technologies 5.26 41 $ 1,060,744,489.03
DTI DTI Group Ltd 0.03 40 $ 12,559,439.59
WBT Weebit Nano Ltd 2.8 40 $ 436,737,825.95
GTK Gentrack Group Ltd 1.865 39 $ 185,932,229.04
VGL Vista Group Int Ltd 2.13 38 $ 474,012,264.75
TZL TZ Limited 0.125 37 $ 29,800,657.89
DSE Dropsuite Ltd 0.205 37 $ 143,192,298.06
SMN Structural Monitor. 0.58 36 $ 71,207,429.98
CPU Computershare Ltd 19.63 36 $ 11,845,169,572.32
FZO Family Zone Cyber 0.57 34 $ 397,078,518.48
CRO Cirralto Ltd 0.0465 33 $ 134,977,950.74
MP1 Megaport Limited 18.63 31 $ 2,921,303,741.16
PTG Proptech Group 0.51 31 $ 67,062,573.88
CF1 Complii Fintech Ltd 0.063 29 $ 22,158,000.13
ALU Altium Limited 43.87 28 $ 5,714,960,559.84
NOV Novatti Group Ltd 0.305 27 $ 98,594,656.20
ADA Adacel Technologies 1.16 27 $ 88,730,961.34
OTW Over The Wire Ltd 5.37 26 $ 322,319,100.72
FCL Fineos Corp Hold PLC 4.38 24 $ 1,390,546,842.32
IRE IRESS Limited 12.86 23 $ 2,458,466,445.60
RKN Reckon Limited 0.935 23 $ 104,797,719.60
SKO Serko 6.35 20 $ 750,702,937.22
PIL Peppermint Inv Ltd 0.013 18 $ 25,541,262.63
AD8 Audinate Group Ltd 8.87 17 $ 683,282,540.16
LVH Livehire Limited 0.325 14 $ 100,573,617.38
SP3 Specturltd 0.085 13 $ 9,035,948.80
EVS Envirosuite Ltd 0.2 12 $ 250,892,508.00
ERD Eroad Limited 5.2 11 $ 573,761,692.40
VR1 Vection Technologies 0.1275 11 $ 143,263,158.22
SNS Sensen Networks Ltd 0.135 8 $ 80,047,245.46
DCC Digitalx Limited 0.09 6 $ 63,107,743.32
CLT Cellnet Group 0.075 6 $ 17,295,219.01
DTL Data#3 Limited 5.765 5 $ 893,681,781.15
NXT Nextdc Limited 12.51 2 $ 5,648,815,459.91
ISX Isignthis Ltd 1.07 0 $ 1,177,847,566.26
BCT Bluechiip Limited 0.046 0 $ 27,502,503.09
BIQ Buildingiq Inc 0.016 0 $ 16,889,284.51
VIG Victor Group Hldgs 0.03 0 $ 17,166,800.16
SYT Syntonic Limited 0.001 0 $ 5,735,609.39
LNK Link Admin Hldg 5.52 -1 $ 2,826,561,020.31
SMP Smartpay Holdings 0.675 -1 $ 159,650,925.21
CWL Consol Financial Hld 0.037 -3 $ 4,655,628.53
EOL Energy One Limited 6 -3 $ 164,297,740.74
CV1 Cv Check Ltd 0.155 -3 $ 65,181,474.15
CNW Cirrus Net Hold Ltd 0.03 -3 $ 27,900,191.55
XRO Xero Ltd 142.01 -3 $ 21,306,689,898.75
CIO Connected Io Ltd 0.045 -4 $ 14,306,375.93
CCA Change Financial Ltd 0.11 -4 $ 44,303,008.20
SBW Shekel Brainweigh 0.195 -5 $ 29,103,250.00
KNO Knosys Limited 0.15 -6 $ 32,420,804.70
HSC HSC Technology Group 0.015 -6 $ 29,591,090.06
RC1 Redcastle Resources 0.021 -8 $ 6,001,467.26
BTH Bigtincan Hldgs Ltd 0.995 -9 $ 547,007,104.00
VOR Vortiv Ltd 0.029 -10 $ 4,075,206.53
CAG Caperangeltd 0.215 -10 $ 20,879,826.22
TYR Tyro Payments 2.74 -11 $ 1,423,614,767.52
CXZ Connexion Telematics 0.013 -13 $ 11,447,129.80
ODA Orcoda Limited 0.155 -14 $ 21,718,281.32
WRK Wrkr Ltd 0.024 -14 $ 31,809,543.25
ELS Elsight Ltd 0.36 -14 $ 48,038,969.52
YOJ Yojee Limited 0.165 -15 $ 191,709,661.30
CDA Codan Limited 9.36 -16 $ 1,656,896,844.60
MOQ MOQ Limited 0.14 -18 $ 28,583,462.25
3DP Pointerra Limited 0.395 -18 $ 264,344,419.56
CAT Catapult Grp Int Ltd 1.5 -19 $ 349,046,769.82
KYK Kyckr Limited 0.062 -19 $ 33,331,190.64
PVS Pivotal Systems 0.78 -20 $ 100,259,301.48
SEN Senetas Corporation 0.048 -20 $ 51,946,400.59
SOV Sovereign Cloud Hldg 0.75 -20 $ 93,810,130.07
IKE Ikegps Group Ltd 0.83 -20 $ 134,600,743.75
EML EML Payments Ltd 3.205 -20 $ 1,213,684,465.50
UBN Urbanise.Com Ltd 0.845 -21 $ 48,036,967.15
OPL Opyl Limited 0.115 -21 $ 6,254,319.28
AHI Adv Human Imag Ltd 0.94 -21 $ 147,559,068.64
BVS Bravura Solution Ltd 2.48 -22 $ 623,368,545.02
IFM Infomedia Ltd 1.485 -22 $ 559,885,888.09
NTO Nitro Software Ltd 2.405 -23 $ 571,589,539.36
OAK Oakridge 0.23 -23 $ 3,783,049.38
SCL Schrole Group Ltd 0.013 -24 $ 20,751,323.88
K2F K2Fly Ltd 0.275 -24 $ 37,286,200.26
ELO Elmo Software 5.03 -24 $ 459,126,005.70
APT Afterpay Limited 85.34 -25 $ 25,964,245,705.97
IS3 I Synergy Group Ltd 0.045 -25 $ 8,266,751.46
TYM Tymlez Group 0.033 -25 $ 29,605,545.69
AVA AVA Risk Group Ltd 0.4 -26 $ 97,171,066.80
COS Cosol Limited 0.57 -26 $ 80,782,006.26
CPT Cipherpoint Limited 0.032 -27 $ 11,234,320.96
HIL Hills Ltd 0.12 -27 $ 27,838,263.12
SMX Security Matters 0.285 -28 $ 48,139,688.83
PPH Pushpay Holdings Ltd 1.23 -28 $ 1,414,320,444.96
AO1 Assetowl Limited 0.005 -29 $ 4,081,025.53
NEA Nearmap Ltd 1.515 -30 $ 773,165,210.75
AV1 Adveritas Ltd 0.125 -31 $ 55,107,313.25
GTI Gratifii 0.029 -31 $ 18,046,556.48
COO Corum Group Limited 0.062 -31 $ 35,805,407.34
PYG Paygroup Limited 0.375 -33 $ 44,327,316.00
ID8 Identitii Limited 0.099 -33 $ 18,843,411.41
SIS Simble Solutions 0.02 -33 $ 6,799,433.84
DLT Delta Drone Intl Ltd 0.024 -33 $ 6,897,384.90
ZMM Zimi Ltd 0.012 -33 $ 11,657,427.28
HTG Harvest Tech Grp Ltd 0.21 -35 $ 111,288,376.50
NOR Norwood Systems Ltd. 0.016 -36 $ 4,248,072.96
JXT Jaxstaltd 0.055 -39 $ 18,156,644.55
CCR Credit Clear 0.415 -42 $ 80,848,166.93
ESK Etherstack PLC 0.37 -42 $ 48,366,215.74
WSP Whispir Limited 1.845 -43 $ 216,000,334.59
DC2 Dctwo 0.14 -43 $ 7,392,335.02
MOB Mobilicom Ltd 0.048 -43 $ 16,418,772.52
RCW Rightcrowd 0.2225 -43 $ 63,973,361.45
AR9 Archtis Limited 0.1825 -43 $ 49,766,933.51
DXN DXN Limited 0.009 -44 $ 12,506,176.11
NVU Nanoveu Limited 0.03 -44 $ 6,272,134.20
SKF Skyfii Ltd 0.1 -49 $ 40,220,729.50
4DS 4Ds Memory Limited 0.06 -50 $ 81,036,191.15
TNT Tesserent Limited 0.1625 -51 $ 194,153,062.56
SZL Sezzle Inc. 3 -51 $ 594,777,123.00
DUG DUG Tech 0.54 -52 $ 67,330,330.02
HYD Hydrix Limited 0.12 -53 $ 20,188,013.60
FTC Fintech Chain Ltd 0.049 -53 $ 32,538,479.40
IHR intelliHR Limited 0.2 -55 $ 67,773,309.40
PX1 Plexure Group 0.45 -55 $ 158,885,571.15
ICE Icetana Limited 0.08 -56 $ 10,369,677.50
APX Appen Limited 10.88 -56 $ 1,336,593,587.76
FCT Firstwave Cloud Tech 0.071 -58 $ 62,741,965.03
FGL Frugl Group Limited 0.017 -59 $ 2,700,000.00
OLL Openlearning 0.099 -59 $ 18,156,963.60
DOU Douugh Limited 0.068 -60 $ 36,576,681.96
LNU Linius Tech Limited 0.02 -60 $ 35,593,375.86
IRI Integrated Research 1.1875 -60 $ 202,594,750.20
99L 99 Loyalty Ltd. 0.037 -61 $ 42,908,262.12
BLG Bluglass Limited 0.032 -61 $ 30,156,153.75
9SP 9 Spokes Int Limited 0.008 -62 $ 11,946,697.86
RCL Readcloud 0.255 -63 $ 30,540,054.86
NUH Nuheara Limited 0.016 -63 $ 32,809,734.77
LVT Livetiles Limited 0.085 -65 $ 78,984,191.04
LME Limeade Inc. 0.485 -67 $ 118,664,719.22
APV Appsvill 0.041 -67 $ 4,516,627.42
NET Netlinkz Limited 0.015 -72 $ 48,752,404.86
NXL Nuix Limited 2.2 -73 $ 698,092,546.80
DTC Damstra Holdings 0.34 -76 $ 78,962,640.24
BID Bill Identity Ltd 0.235 -79 $ 37,638,647.39
SPT Splitit 0.23 -80 $ 105,609,251.93
CT1 Constellation Tech 0.007 -80 $ 10,298,402.59
LBY Laybuy Group Holding 0.2225 -83 $ 55,981,684.22
SE1 Sensera Ltd 0.016 -83 $ 6,623,943.09
Wordpress Table Plugin

Looking to the rest of the market, there are 11 companies that gained over 100% throughout the year but only one company went over 200%.

 

 

Best ASX tech stocks in 2021

Novonix (ASX:NVX) was the top tech stock, gaining 714% in 2021.

This company is in the lithium space but sits in the tech sector because it is a battery manufacturer selling to clients including Panasonic, Bosch and Samsung.

Its key achievements in 2021 included winning a US$5.6 million grant from the US Department of Energy, wooing Phillips 66 to invest US$150 million for a 16% stake in the company.

It plans to produce 10,000 tonnes of graphite by 2023, 40,000 tonnes by 2025 and 150,000 tonnes by 2030.

In second spot with a 159% gain is a company which at the start of the year wasn’t even sure if it wanted to be listed.

US tech stock Life360 (ASX:360) listed on the ASX at $4.79 a share in May 2019 and after stagnating for several months hinted at leaving the US either by listing in the US or being acquired.

But it has surged as its revenue, users and app features have expanded and it has undertaken acquisitions. It now has 33.8 million monthly active users, 1.1 million of which are paying users.

The company’s flagship product is a smartphone app that provides information such as where families members are, details on their driving performance including how fast and how quickly they brake, and even how close they might be to a crime scene.

Another US listee, Revasum (ASX:RVS) is in third sport with a 143% gain.

This company is still trading at a discount to its IPO price but, after a board clean out and with the semiconductor industry beginning to shrug off US-China tensions, it has begun to turn things around.

While Janison (ASX:JAN) is not the only edtech on the ASX that gained in 2020, it is one of the few to maintain momentum into 2021 with a 137% gain.

This company provides online school assessments and it has excited investors with acquisitions in the back end of the year.

 

Worst ASX tech stocks in 2021

The worst ASX tech stock in 2021 is IoT sensor tech company Sensera (ASX:SE1), down a whopping 83%.

In 2020 it had a poor start after it reported the loss or deferral of several orders but it appeared to have turned things around after the March market crash, recording solid revenue growth and winning a major contract with US tech firm Triton Systems to utilise its technology.

But it has been a horror year, especially in the last quarter, losing one of its most major customers which led to a poor quarterly report. At the end of November it unveiled a plan to sell its sole operating business.

With the company admitting this would inevitably lead to its ASX suspension for some months with entry only possible if and when it found a new business, more shareholders dashed for the exits.

After a solid 2020 the BNPL sector has retreated. Almost all companies are down with the worst Laybuy (ASX:LBY) shedding 83%.

Even Afterpay (ASX:APT) is down 25% despite being about to be acquired by the Jack Dorsey-led payments giant Block.

Investors in other companies have been spooked by that deal, as well as big financial players (banks and payments companies) all entering the space making it more crowded and difficult to stand out.

While fintech Douugh (ASX:DOU) is still more than double the price it reverse listed at in 2020, it is well down from its all time high of 36 cents in November last year.

Its financial wellness app launched first in the USA but is planning a launch in Australia soon.

Data analytics software Nuix (ASX:NXL) begun the year at $8.25 and went over $11 in January having listed at just over $5 per share.

But it has been a horror year for the company after repeated profit downgrades which sparked allegations that it inflated forecasts in its prospectus, and with it, two class actions and multiple ASIC probes.

The dramas sparked the departure of CEO Rod Vawdrey, CFO Stephen Doyle and co-founder Anthony Castagna.

On top of all this the company’s sales were hit by the extended transition of government in the US and COVID-19 impacts on its customers.