YODA, HACK, ROBO, HODL, GERM all have one thing in common. They are catchy tickers for ETFs.

But is a flashy ticker enough to ensure the success of the product? Hardly.

Then why is so much attention given to the ticker name if it is nothing more than bubble gum marketing? Well, we guess one could argue that humans are simple folks at heart and anything eye catching is always going to grab our attention. Plus, its low-cost marketing, so why not.

However, does it have a negative impact on the industry and convey a sense of immaturity? We suppose the answer to that is subjective, but if you look at the world’s most successful ETF manager, BlackRock, it is rare, if ever for them to adopt such a strategy and that kind of speaks volumes.

Fund Launches and Updates

 

 

EUROPE

 

ETC Group has unveiled a new crypto ETP in Europe providing directly backed, staked exposure to ether, the native token of the Ethereum blockchain. The ETC Group Ethereum Staking ETP has been listed on Deutsche Börse Xetra in euros (ET32 GY) and US dollars (ET33 GY).

HSBC has expanded its thematic range with the launch of an India tech ETF. The HSBC S&P India Tech UCITS ETF (HITC) is listed on the London Stock Exchange, Euronext Italia and Deutsche Boerse with a total expense ratio (TER) of 0.65%.

ARK Invest Europe will launch three active ETFs in April including its flagship $7.5bn ARK Innovation ETF (ARKK).

Figment Europe have launched Its first ETFs in Europe. The Figment Ethereum Plus Staking Rewards ETP (ETHF) and the Figment Solana Plus Staking Rewards ETP (SOLF) will list on the Six Swiss Exchange with a total expense ratio (TER) of 1.50%.

Valour has expanded its range of ETPs with the launch of an ETP tracking ‘blue chip’ digital assets. The 1Valour STOXX Bitcoin Suisse Digital Asset Blue Chip ETP (BCXI) is listed on the Deutsche Boerse with a total expense ratio (TER) of 1.90%.

Amundi is extending its climate ETF range with the launch of a US-dollar Paris-Aligned Benchmark (PAB) corporate bond ETF. The Amundi Corporate Bond PAB Net Zero Ambition UCITS ETF (USIC) lists on the London Stock Exchange and Borsa Italiana with a total expense ratio (TER) of 0.14%

Multi-asset investment platform eToro has partnered with BlackRock for the launch of five portfolios that provide European retail investors with access to the US asset manager’s iShares exchange traded funds.

The platform says its new “core investing solutions” will give retail investors access to “active asset allocation” provided by the world’s largest fund house. The portfolios will initially be made available to eToro users in countries such as the UK, Germany, France, Italy, Ireland and Sweden.

The French government is to allow actively managed ETFs to list on the Euronext Paris exchange for the first time.

 

AMERICAS

 

Horizon ETFs in Canada have been rebranded as Global X.

Grayscale has introduced a new fund that stakes cryptocurrencies to earn income. The Grayscale Dynamic Income Fund (GDIF), initially will own assets for nine blockchains: Aptos (APT), Celestia (TIA), Coinbase Staked Ethereum (CBETH), Cosmos (ATOM), Near (NEAR), Osmosis (OSMO), Polkadot (DOT), SEI Network (SEI), and Solana (SOL).The fund is actively managed.

Roundhill Investments has launched the Roundhill S&P® 500 0DTE Covered Call Strategy ETF (XDTE) and the Roundhill N-100 0DTE Covered Call Strategy ETF (QDTE). These ETFs are the world’s first ETFs to leverage the potential benefits of selling zero-days-to-expiry (“0DTE”) options.

Nuveen has rolled out four new actively managed funds, with three targeting slices of the fixed income space and the fourth taking a sustainable approach to equities.

All four funds list on the Nasdaq stock exchange. The Nuveen Core Plus Bond ETF (NCPB), The Nuveen Preferred and Income ETF (NPFI), The Nuveen Ultra Short Income ETF (NUSB), The Nuveen Sustainable Core ETF (NSCR).

Simplify Asset Management has launched an actively managed equity ETF that seeks to tap into the investment opportunity presented by India’s dynamic economic growth and youthful demographics. The Simplify Tara India Opportunities ETF (IOPP US) has been listed on NYSE Arca with an expense ratio of 0.70%.

Sprott Asset Management has launched a global equities ETF providing pure-play exposure to copper mining companies from across the market cap spectrum. The Sprott Copper Miners ETF (COPP US) has been listed on Nasdaq with an expense ratio of 0.65%.

 

ASIA

 

The head of South Korea’s Financial Supervisory Service says the watchdog is in discussion for permitting spot bitcoin exchange-traded funds in the country, Reuters reports.

VanEck has seen growing interest from Australian financial advisors and brokers for an upcoming listing of the first spot bitcoin ETF on the Australian Securities Exchange, according to the firm’s local CEO.

Phillip Capital Management has joined forces with China Universal Asset Management to launch an ETF investing in mainland Chinese securities that will be sold via the master-feeder ETF link-up that connects the Singapore and Shanghai stock exchanges. The Phillip-China Universal MSCI China A 50 Connect ETF is to be listed on the SGX on March 20.

 

Our newest podcast where we explore the stories behind companies who have achieved success in the ETF ecosystem, trying to uncover what led to that success.

This week we speak with Martijn Rozemuller, CEO of VanEck Europe. Listen what Martijn has to say clicking HERE.

 

Flows

 

Worldwide ETPs with digital assets as underlying collateral have reached a record $80.5 billion in AUM, a 55% increase from $52 billion during February, according to Fineqia International.

 

Noteworthy

 

BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) has crossed $10 billion in assets under management (AUM) in just over seven weeks — a figure that took the first U.S. gold-backed ETF more than two years to achieve.

The SEC has delayed its decision to approve or reject BlackRock and Fidelity’s spot Ether again.

The SEC can delay its decision up to three times before making a final decision. The delay hasn’t come as a surprise, with market commentators and ETF analysts long speculating that the SEC will only decide to approve or deny the ETFs once the first final deadline arrives in May.

The Bitcoin bulls are roaring as the CEO of asset manager ARK Invest predicts Bitcoin will hit $1 million sooner than 2030 and Institutions representing “trillions of dollars in assets” are preparing to buy into spot Bitcoin by the end of June according to Bitwise.

EY and PWC are like London buses when it comes to releasing ETF reports. You wait for one and then 2 come along together.

This week it’s the turn of PWC that released a report titled “ETFs 2028: Shaping the future”. In it, they state European ETF issuers see gaining access to broker-dealer platforms as one of the biggest distribution challenge and that distribution is the most significant factor in the success of an ETF business.

Hardly surprising news there.

 

Movers and Shakers

 

Fabrizio Arusa has been appointed Head of ETF for Italy at Invesco.

HANetf has appointed Michael Geister as director of DACH sales from Deutsche Digital Assets.Geister will be responsible for distribution across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.

Andre Voinea, formerly head of DACH sales, has been promoted to head of sales for Europe following the departure of Simon Dale last month.

Yuki Kurogi has joined J.P. Morgan Asset Management as Head of Japan ETF from BlackRock.

From behind the Desk

 

Are you doing what you do, because that’s what you have always done?

Whenever we speak to a candidate who has just lost their job, the first thing they think about is trying to secure a replacement as quickly as possible. This tends to be the case regardless of age.

For younger people,we get it, but for the older folk it tends to be due to habit –  “this is what I have always done“, or “I don’t know how to do anything else” type of thinking.

The exact same thing happens when one loses a job. Maybe it takes time but after much thought we realise that “we don’t what to do this job anymore, there is more than one way to earn a living out there“.

And there absolutely is. It’s never too late to reinvent yourself. In fact, we kind of think that it’s unnatural to do the same thing forever.

Humans are capable of a lot one than we think. You get out of your own way and see what you can do.

 

About us

 

Blackwater is a leading global ETF Consulting, Recruiting, PR and Content Creation firm.

We are specialists in helping companies find the best strategy to enter and navigate the ETF marketplace, enhance their reputation, craft innovative and engaging targeted ETF content and source the very best of talent across the ecosystem.

If you would like to discuss any of the above then please reach out at mike@blackwatersearch.com