ETF News You Missed This Week - May 25 - May 29, 2026

ETF Launches

Thematic Funds Target Emerging Technologies and Structural Trends

Tuttle Capital launched the Tuttle Capital Pure Play Photonics ETF (FOTO), an actively managed ETF focused on companies whose businesses are closely tied to photonics technologies, including optical communications, lasers, LiDAR, imaging, and optoelectronics. The fund is expected to emphasize smaller companies operating across the technology, semiconductor, industrial, and defense sectors.

XFUNDS by Nicholas Wealth launched the Fitz-Gerald Must Have Portfolio ETF (FITZ), an actively managed strategy based on investor Keith Fitz-Gerald's "Must Have Portfolio" framework. The ETF invests in a concentrated portfolio of 20 to 30 stocks selected through Fitz-Gerald's proprietary "5D's" methodology, which focuses on digitalization, defense, distribution, dislocation, and diffusion.

Active Managers Roll Out New Alpha-Oriented Equity Strategies

Hedgeye Asset Management launched the Hedgeye Index Adds ETF (ADDS), an actively managed ETF that uses proprietary machine learning models to identify companies likely to be added to major U.S. equity benchmarks, including the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100, before index inclusion occurs.

Baron Capital launched the Baron Risk Optimized Large Cap ETF (BROL), an actively managed large-cap growth ETF managed by Michael Lippert. The strategy combines Baron Capital's fundamental stock selection process with a portfolio construction approach focused on risk management and consistency.

Leveraged ETFs Continue Their Rapid Expansion

Direxion launched four new funds providing two times daily exposure to major digital assets and precious metals: the Direxion Daily Bitcoin Bull 2X ETF (BTCU), Direxion Daily Ether Bull 2X ETF (EVMU), Direxion Daily Gold Bull 2X ETF (UGLD), and Direxion Daily Silver Bull 2X ETF (USLV).

Defiance ETFs introduced the Defiance Daily Target 2X Long OSS ETF (OSSL), the first leveraged ETF tied to One Stop Systems, a company focused on high-performance computing and AI infrastructure solutions.

REX Shares and Tuttle Capital Management launched the T-REX 2X Long TE Daily Target ETF (TEUP), providing leveraged exposure to T1 Energy, a U.S.-based solar and battery manufacturing company.

Tradr ETFs launched the Tradr 2X Long CBRS Daily ETF (CBRX) and Tradr 2X Short CBRS Daily ETF (CBRZ), offering leveraged long and short exposure to Cerebras Systems.

The issuer also expanded its semiconductor lineup with the Tradr 2X Long MCH Daily ETF (MCHU), Tradr 2X Long NXP Daily ETF (NXPX), and Tradr 2X Long ON Daily ETF (ONX), which target Microchip Technology, NXP Semiconductors, and ON Semiconductor, respectively.

Structured Income Strategies Gain New Single-Stock Offerings

GraniteShares expanded its autocallable ETF platform with the launch of the GraniteShares Autocallable SMCI ETF (SCA) and GraniteShares Autocallable MARA ETF (MRA). The funds invest in portfolios of autocallable instruments linked to Super Micro Computer and MARA Holdings, providing exchange-traded access to structured income strategies tied to two highly volatile stocks.

Fixed Income Innovation Moves Beyond Traditional Bond Exposure

American Century launched the American Century Securitized Credit ETF (ASEC), an actively managed fixed income ETF investing primarily in investment-grade securitized debt. The portfolio includes exposure to a range of asset-backed sectors, including aircraft leases, equipment financing, consumer loans, digital infrastructure, mortgage-backed securities, and collateralized loan obligations.

Digital Asset ETF Lineup Expands With Spot BNB Exposure

VanEck launched the VanEck BNB ETF (VBNB), becoming the first U.S.-listed spot ETF to provide direct exposure to BNB, the native token of the BNB Chain ecosystem. The fund is physically backed by BNB held in cold storage and offers investors access to one of the largest blockchain ecosystems through an ETF structure.

Alternative Strategies Enter the ETF Wrapper

J.P. Morgan Asset Management launched the JPMorgan Managed Futures Plus ETF (JPFP), an actively managed strategy that combines managed futures trading with broad U.S. equity exposure. The ETF uses futures, swaps, options, and other derivatives to establish long and short positions across equities, fixed income, commodities, and currencies while maintaining exposure to U.S. large-cap stocks.

ETF Filings

AI and Robotics Themes Continue to Dominate New ETF Filings

SoFi filed for three thematic ETFs focused on key segments of the AI ecosystem. The SoFi Robotaxi and Autonomous Vehicles ETF (CAB) would target companies involved in autonomous transportation, including robotaxi operators, self-driving software developers, sensor manufacturers, and fleet management providers. The SoFi Blockchain Infrastructure ETF (SETL) would focus on businesses supporting blockchain-based financial infrastructure, while the SoFi AI Power Grid ETF (AMPZ) would invest in companies supplying the power generation, cooling systems, and electrical infrastructure needed to support AI data centers.

BlackRock filed for the iShares Future Robotics and Related Technologies Active ETF, an actively managed strategy targeting companies across the global robotics and automation value chain, including semiconductors, industrial machinery, software, aerospace, and automation technologies.

Defiance filed the Defiance China Robotics ETF, which would track companies benefiting from China's growing humanoid robotics industry, while xETFs filed for both the xETFs Korea AI Semiconductor ETF and the xETFs 2x Long Daily Korea AI Semiconductor ETF, targeting South Korean companies involved in AI chips, semiconductor equipment, materials, and packaging.

EMQQ also entered the AI race with the Emerging Markets AI ETF, an actively managed strategy investing across the AI value chain in emerging markets, including semiconductors, energy infrastructure, data centers, and AI applications.

GraniteShares Builds a Broad Suite of AI-Themed ETFs

GraniteShares filed a series of actively managed ETFs targeting different segments of the AI economy.

The proposed lineup includes the GraniteShares Defense AI ETF, GraniteShares Dragon AI ETF, GraniteShares Orbital AI ETF, GraniteShares AI Energy ETF, GraniteShares K-AI ETF, and GraniteShares Speed of Light AI ETF. Together, the funds would provide exposure to areas including defense technology, Asian AI supply chains, space infrastructure, energy systems powering AI data centers, South Korean technology leaders, and optical networking technologies that enable high-speed AI computing.

REX Shares also joined the trend with the proposed REX Photonics ETF, targeting companies involved in photonics, optical networking, lasers, sensors, and advanced communications infrastructure used in AI data centers.

Leveraged ETF Innovation Pushes Into Private Markets and AI Infrastructure

Leverage Shares filed a group of 3x leveraged ETFs tied to SpaceX, Anthropic, and OpenAI, along with additional 2x leveraged products targeting Crusoe, VAST Data, MiniMax, Hanmi Semiconductor, SK Square, Siemens, BE Semiconductor, and several other AI and semiconductor-related companies. The issuer also proposed a 2x leveraged ETF tied to the Corgi Lithography & Semiconductor Photonics ETF (EUV).

ProShares filed leveraged ETFs linked to Oura and SB Energy, while also proposing 2x leveraged funds targeting IPO-bound AI infrastructure companies Crusoe, Nscale, and VAST Data.

REX Shares filed seven new leveraged products, including six 2x long ETFs targeting companies such as Ambarella, MACOM Technology Solutions, and Modine Manufacturing, as well as a 2x inverse ETF on Micron Technology. Defiance similarly filed a new lineup of 2x leveraged single-stock ETFs covering companies across semiconductors, cloud computing, AI infrastructure, and industrial technology. Defiance also proposed a 3x leveraged ETF tied to SpaceX.

ETF Issuers Explore New Ways to Access Computing Power

Volatility Shares filed a suite of ETFs designed to provide long, inverse, and leveraged exposure to GPU compute futures, creating direct exposure to AI computing power pricing. ProShares similarly proposed inverse products linked to GPU compute futures, while Leverage Shares filed both unleveraged and leveraged computing power ETFs built around GPU compute contracts.

Alternative Income Strategies Move Beyond Treasury Bills

XFUNDS filed for the XFUNDS 1-3 Month BOX ETF, which would seek Treasury bill-like returns through options-based box spread strategies rather than direct fixed income investments. GraniteShares proposed a similar strategy through the GraniteShares Short Term LockBox ETF, which would use box spreads on broad equity indexes to capture short-term interest-rate-driven returns.

Fixed Income Issuers Expand Laddered and Municipal Bond Offerings

Northern Trust filed four Inflation-Linked Distributing Ladder ETFs: the Northern Trust 2031 Inflation-Linked Distributing Ladder ETF (TIPE), Northern Trust 2036 Inflation-Linked Distributing Ladder ETF (TIPF), Northern Trust 2046 Inflation-Linked Distributing Ladder ETF (TIPG), and Northern Trust 2056 Inflation-Linked Distributing Ladder ETF (TIPH). The funds would invest primarily in Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities and distribute proceeds as bonds mature.

The firm also filed the Northern Trust 2031 Tax-Exempt Distributing Ladder ETF (MUNJ), Northern Trust 2036 Tax-Exempt Distributing Ladder ETF (MUNF), Northern Trust 2046 Tax-Exempt Distributing Ladder ETF (MUNG), and Northern Trust 2056 Tax-Exempt Distributing Ladder ETF (MUNH), alongside proposed California and New York municipal bond ETFs.

Meanwhile, Putnam sought shareholder approval to convert the Putnam Mortgage Opportunities Fund into an actively managed ETF with a broader multi-sector bond mandate.

Crypto ETF Filings Expand Beyond Bitcoin and Ethereum

Defiance filed the Defiance CoinDesk 5 Equal Weight ETF, which would provide diversified exposure across Bitcoin, Ethereum, BNB, XRP, and Solana through derivatives and crypto-linked investment products rather than direct token ownership.

New Equity ETFs Target Energy, Israel and Long-Term Thematic Investing

Harbor filed the Munificent Seven ETF, an actively managed strategy centered on seven global energy giants including ExxonMobil, Chevron, Shell, and BP, while also investing in companies tied to AI-driven power demand and energy infrastructure.

Defiance filed the Defiance KSM Israel 120 ETF, which would track the 120 largest companies listed on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange. State Street filed the SPDR UC Investments 90/10 Endowment Strategy Index ETF, designed to replicate UC Investments' 90/10 allocation between U.S. equities and short-duration investment-grade corporate bonds.

Sequoia Financial Group rounded out the filing activity with five actively managed ETFs: the Sequoia Select Global Equity ETF (SFGS), Sequoia Select SMID ETF (SFSM), Sequoia Select Large Growth ETF (SFLG), Sequoia Select Large Core ETF (SFLC), and Sequoia Select Equity Income ETF (SFEI). Each strategy uses a thematic framework focused on trends such as artificial intelligence, defense, energy transition, and digital transformation.

Other Updates

ETF Issuers Update Strategies, Branding and Fee Structures

Several issuers announced changes to existing ETFs through strategy updates, rebrands, ticker changes, and fee reductions.

Simplify renamed the Simplify Gold Strategy PLUS Income ETF (YGLD) to the Simplify Gold Strategy ETF while expanding the types of instruments it can use to gain gold exposure, including physically backed gold ETPs and gold-focused ETFs. KraneShares also broadened the scope of its emerging markets technology strategy, renaming the KraneShares Emerging Markets Consumer Technology Index ETF to the KraneShares Public-Private Emerging Markets Internet and Technology ETF and introducing a private-market allocation of up to 10%.

BlackRock repositioned its metals strategy by renaming the iShares Transition-Enabling Metals ETF (TMET) to the iShares Strategic Metals ETF (ISTM). The fund will adopt a new benchmark focused on metals tied to themes such as AI infrastructure, industrial reshoring, manufacturing, energy systems, and national security.

Elsewhere, Franklin Templeton proposed changes to the industry concentration policy of the Franklin Intelligent Machines ETF, subject to shareholder approval, while TappAlpha reduced the expense ratio of the TappAlpha S&P 500 Growth & Daily Income ETF (TSPY) from 0.77% to 0.71%.

Several ticker changes were also announced. Strive Asset Management will change the ticker of the Strive 500 ETF from STRV to STXF, while Leverage Shares will update the ticker of its Leverage Shares 2X Long NXPI Daily ETF from NPXG to NXPG.

Fund Closures Continue Across Income, Leveraged and Crypto ETFs

A number of issuers also announced ETF closures as they continue to rationalize product lineups.

State Street Global Advisors and DoubleLine will liquidate the State Street DoubleLine Emerging Markets Fixed Income ETF. YieldMax plans to close four funds, including the ABNB Option Income Strategy ETF (ABNY), DIS Option Income Strategy ETF (DISO), Dorsey Wright Featured 5 Income ETF (FEAT), and Dorsey Wright Hybrid 5 Income ETF (FIVY).

Defiance ETFs will shut down the Defiance Daily Target 2X Long B ETF (BU) and Defiance Daily Target 2X Long CVNA ETF (CVNX), while REX Shares and Osprey will liquidate the REX-Osprey ETH + Staking ETF (ESK), citing limited asset growth prospects and rising operating costs.

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.