ETF News You Missed This Week - August 31 - September 4, 2026

ETF Launches

Active Equity Expands Across International, Dividend and Income Strategies

PGIM has launched two actively managed equity ETFs subadvised by Jennison. The PGIM Jennison International Core Equity ETF (PJIN) invests primarily in non-U.S. companies, including emerging markets, using bottom-up fundamental research and active stock selection, and carries a 0.23% net expense ratio. The PGIM Jennison Small-Mid Cap Core Equity ETF (PJSM) invests at least 80% of investable assets in small- and mid-cap equities, combining fundamental research with quantitative portfolio construction and managing risk relative to the Russell 2500 Index without tracking it.

Raub Brock Capital Management has launched the Raub Brock Dividend Growth ETF (HQDG), targeting large-cap companies with strong quality characteristics and sustainable dividend growth. Viking Fund Management and Exchange Traded Concepts also launched the Integrity Dividend Harvest ETF (DIVH), which focuses on companies with at least 10 consecutive years of dividend increases and applies additional screens for yield, earnings growth, valuation and financial strength.

XFUNDS has launched the XFUNDS Large Cap Income ETF (VOOY), combining U.S. large-cap equity exposure with options strategies designed to generate additional income. The fund can use call and put spreads, short calls and cash-secured puts, alongside Treasury bills and money market instruments.

From Israel to AI, Thematic Exposure Broadens

Defiance ETFs and KSM of The Phoenix Investment House have launched the Defiance KSM Israel 120 ETF (ISRL), providing exposure to the 120 largest Israeli companies listed on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange. The fund tracks the Israeli 120 iNDEX from TMX VettaFi and carries a 0.59% expense ratio.

Yorkville America has launched the MANGOS Plus Index ETF (FRUT), a rules-based strategy spanning AI platforms, semiconductors and infrastructure. The portfolio includes companies such as Meta, NVIDIA, Alphabet, AMD and Broadcom and also seeks exposure to private companies including OpenAI, Anthropic and SpaceX.

Leveraged and Macro Strategies Push Further Into Tactical Territory

Leverage Shares has launched the 2x Short SK Hynix Daily ETF (SKHQ) on Cboe. The ETF seeks -200% of the daily performance of SK Hynix stock before fees and expenses and carries a 0.99% expense ratio.

Mast Investments has launched the Mast HedgeIndex Managed Futures Strategy ETF (HXF), an actively managed fund taking long and short positions across equities, fixed income, commodities and currencies. The strategy may use significant leverage and can gain up to 10% net asset exposure to crypto assets.

Fixed Income and Endowment-Inspired Strategies Join the Lineup

T. Rowe Price has launched the Securitized Income ETF (TSCZ), an actively managed strategy focused primarily on U.S. investment-grade securitized debt. The fund has no maturity restrictions and can use the TBA mortgage market, short sales and derivatives to manage portfolio exposures.

State Street Investment Management has launched the SPDR UC Investments 90/10 Endowment Strategy Index ETF (UCBG) with a $2.5 billion anchor investment from UC Investments. The fund allocates 90% to the S&P 500 and 10% to short-duration investment-grade corporate bonds, making it the largest-ever launch of a U.S.-listed ETF excluding conversions.

ETF Filings

AI and the Analog Economy Take Opposite Sides of the Thematic Trade

Wedbush has filed for the Wedbush Analog Economy ETF, which will track the Solactive Analog Economy Index of roughly 50 U.S.-listed companies dependent on human labor, physical assets and tangible output. The strategy targets areas such as construction, machinery, manufacturing and commercial services while excluding businesses primarily tied to AI, semiconductors, data centers and power infrastructure.

Harbor Capital has filed for the Harbor Capital China AI Labs Ecosystem ETF, an actively managed fund investing across China’s AI ecosystem, including model developers, semiconductors, cloud infrastructure, robotics and connected vehicles. Wedbush separately filed for the Dan IVES Wedbush 2x Daily AI Revolution ETF, which will seek twice the daily return of an AI-focused Solactive index based on companies featured in the Dan Ives AI 30 Research Report.

Private Markets and Global Equity Strategies Move Into the Pipeline

Defiance has filed for the Defiance Pre-IPO Leaders ETF, an actively managed strategy targeting leading private companies primarily through swaps linked to perpetual futures, with up to 15% of net assets permitted in private securities or single-asset SPVs.

GQG Partners has filed for the GQG Global Equity ETF (GQGG), expected to hold roughly 35 to 100 companies across at least five countries and normally invest at least 40% of assets outside the U.S. Haven Private also filed for an actively managed U.S. equity ETF using quantitative ratings across valuation, profitability, earnings quality, growth, leverage, momentum and volatility to emphasize downside management.

Nicholas Wealth has filed for the Fitz-Gerald Must Have Dividend Portfolio® ETF (DITZ), which will hold roughly 20 to 40 dividend-paying stocks selected using a “true shareholder yield” framework incorporating dividends, buybacks and debt reduction.

VanEck Builds State-Specific Muni Ladders

VanEck has filed for four municipal bond ladder ETFs spanning California and New York. The New York 0-5 Year Muni Ladder ETF (NYV) and New York 0-10 Year Muni Ladder ETF (NYX) will hold investment-grade New York municipal bonds across five- and 10-year maturity ladders, respectively.

The California 0-5 Year Muni Ladder ETF (CAV) and California 0-10 Year Muni Ladder ETF (CAX) will follow the same structure for California municipal debt. All four underlying indexes use equal-weighted maturity rungs that roll monthly and exclude housing and tobacco bonds.

Active Credit and Risk-Control Strategies Broaden

American Beacon Advisors has filed for the American Beacon CIFC Active CLO ETF (MEZZ), an actively managed fund focused primarily on CLO debt ranging from AA/Aa through BB+/Ba1 tranches. The strategy can allocate up to 25% to European CLOs and shift toward AAA/Aaa debt defensively.

Tidal Financial has filed for six actively managed equity ETFs spanning emerging markets, international stocks, U.S. equities and domestic and international small caps. Three would rotate monthly among factor-based “Alpha Regimes” and use an “Alpha Guard” credit-stress signal capable of moving up to 50% into cash and short-term securities, while the two small-cap strategies would rely on bottom-up, credit-focused stock selection.

Suncoast has filed for the Sector Rotation Long/Short ETF (DRFT), which will use systematic signals to rotate among U.S. equity sectors with net exposure ranging from 100% long to 100% short. The strategy may use ETFs, individual stocks, swaps and options.

iShares Adds Another Screened U.S. Equity Strategy

iShares has filed for the iShares MSCI USA Select Screened ETF, which will track the MSCI USA Select Screens Index. The index excludes companies tied to areas including fossil-fuel reserves, controversial weapons, certain civilian firearms and specified nuclear-weapons activities, while also applying climate, business-involvement and UN Global Compact screens.

Direxion Targets Trillion-Dollar Stocks, SK Hynix and Rare Earths

Direxion has filed for the Direxion Trillions ETF (TRLL), Direxion Daily Trillions Bull 2X ETF (TRIU) and Daily Trillions Bear 2X ETF (TRID). The trio is tied to the Bloomberg Trillions Index of publicly listed companies valued at $1 trillion or more, offering unleveraged, 2X daily bullish and -2X daily bearish exposure.

Direxion has also filed for the Daily SK Hynix Bear 2X ETF (SKHS), targeting -200% of the daily performance of SK hynix’s U.S.-listed ADRs, as well as the Direxion Daily REMX Bull 2X ETF (REML) and Direxion Daily REMX Bear 2X ETF (REMS), which will provide leveraged long and inverse exposure to the VanEck Rare Earth and Strategic Metals ETF.

Leverage Shares Lines Up ByteDance, Canva and SB Energy Trades

Leverage Shares has filed for three daily ETFs tied to ByteDance: the 2X Long ByteDance Daily ETF, 2X Short ByteDance Daily ETF and 1X Short ByteDance Daily ETF. The funds would provide 200%, -200% and -100% daily exposure, respectively.

Leverage Shares has also filed for the 2X Long SBE Daily ETF and 2X Short SBE Daily ETF, targeting amplified daily exposure to SB Energy, as well as three Canva strategies: the 2X Long Canva Daily ETF, a proposed 2X Short Canva fund and a proposed 1X Short Canva fund. The supplied material did not provide complete names for the two short Canva ETFs.

Other Updates

Closures, Mergers and Adviser Changes

The Beacon Tactical Risk ETF (BTR) will stop trading September 23 and liquidate around September 30, while the Defiance Daily Target 2X Long MP ETF (MPL) is expected to liquidate around September 8 after already ceasing regular trading.

The Fairlead Tactical Sector ETF is expected to reorganize into the Amplify Fairlead Tactical Sector ETF in December, with Fairlead remaining subadviser. The Guru Favorite Stocks ETF (GFGF) is also set to merge into the lower-cost Alpha Architect US Equity ETF (AAUS) on October 23.

Russell Investments ETF shareholders are expected to vote around November 24 on new advisory agreements ahead of the firm’s planned acquisition by a B Capital-led consortium including CalPERS.

Rebrands, Index Changes and Strategy Updates

Grayscale will rename its Bitcoin and Ethereum Covered Call ETFs as the Grayscale Bitcoin High Income ETF and Grayscale Ethereum High Income ETF, respectively, around September 17.

BlackRock has renamed the iShares Government/Credit Bond ETF (GBF) as the iShares 1-10 Year U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF (AGGM), while the iShares Morningstar U.S. Equity ETF (ILCB) and iShares Morningstar Small-Cap ETF (ISCB) are expected to become the iShares MSCI USA ETF (MLRG) and iShares MSCI USA Small-Cap ETF (MSML) around October 5.

PlanRock Alternative Growth ETF (PRAE) will become the PlanRock Equity Plus Alternatives ETF on September 14, while Advisorshares Ranger Equity Bear ETF (HDGE) has become the AdvisorShares Active Bear ETF with portfolio management moving in-house. Simplify has also added swap flexibility to the Simplify Managed Futures Strategy ETF (CTA) and Simplify Commodities Strategy No K-1 ETF (HARD).

Fees, Splits and Portfolio Changes

Defiance cut management fees on AIHY, HOOX and DRAL to 0.35%, 0.65% and 0.69%, respectively. Tradr will conduct reverse splits for LITZ, NBIZ, AXTX, CRMX, ONDU, SMU, QBTX and QUBX, while UNX will undergo a 4-for-1 forward split on September 22.

The Hashdex Nasdaq CME Crypto Index ETF (NCIQ) added Hyperliquid (HYPE) at a 3.36% weight, while KraneShares completed Japan registration for the Photonic and Optical ETF (LUMA), expanding local access to its AI-focused ETF lineup.

Index and Benchmark Developments

S&P Dow Jones Indices will add Bloom Energy, Illumina and Everpure to the S&P 500 on September 21, prompting corresponding index-fund rebalancing. S&P DJI and Kaiko also combined their crypto benchmark businesses into the S&P Kaiko Digital Asset Indices, a suite covering more than 4,000 rates and indices.

Please note this article is for information purposes only and does not in any way constitute investment advice. It is essential that you seek advice from a registered financial professional prior to making any investment decision.