Notable ETF Filings and Launches Recap: January 2025

Notable ETF Filings

Raymond James, a prominent financial services firm known for its wealth management and investment banking expertise, is now entering the ETF space with a lineup of actively managed funds.

Notably, the RJ Chartwell Premium Income ETF is shaping up to be a direct competitor to the wildly popular JP Morgan Equity Premium Income ETF

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While both funds share a similar objective—targeting above-average income while delivering lower volatility—the Raymond James offering takes a more concentrated approach.

It plans to hold a portfolio of 30-40 large-cap stocks, writing covered calls on individual holdings rather than using index options or via equity-linked notes (ELNs).

Additionally, the fund will employ a unique strategy of writing long-term options, with expirations of up to 12 months, using out-of-the-money or at-the-money covered calls, and incorporating FLEX options when necessary.

Defiance ETFs, a trailblazer in single-stock ETFs, is continuing its expansion into the bear side of the market. The firm is now rolling out daily 2x inverse ETFs providing exposure to individual stocks like Eli Lilly, Riot Platforms, and Super Micro Computer.

This complements their existing lineup of leveraged single-stock ETFs and underscores the growing demand for tactical trading tools.

Another notable filing comes from ProShares, one of the largest providers of leveraged ETFs. The firm is making waves in the crypto ETF space by filing for funds tied to Solana (SOL) and XRP, two prominent cryptocurrencies.

Similar to the early iterations of Bitcoin ETFs prior to spot ETF approval, these new funds will utilize futures and swaps to gain exposure. ProShares is also preparing companion funds that will provide daily -1x inverse exposure as well as 2x long and short leveraged options for both Solana and XRP.

Notable ETF Launches

Charles Schwab is stepping into the core-plus bond ETF segment to compete directly with Vanguard by launching the actively managed Schwab Core Bond ETF (SCCR).

This fund, set to debut on February 5, will offer broad exposure to corporate bonds, taxable municipal bonds, mortgage pass-through securities, commercial mortgage-backed securities, asset-backed securities, U.S. Treasuries, and other government-related bonds.

What sets this ETF apart is its ultra-competitive 0.16% expense ratio, which is more than half the industry average of 0.4%. This reflects a growing trend of active fixed-income strategies becoming significantly cheaper in the ETF wrapper.

Capital Group is also expanding its active ETF lineup with the launch of the Capital Group U.S. Small and Mid Cap ETF

. With a 0.51% expense ratio, this ETF complements Capital Group’s existing lineup of large-cap-focused funds, providing a natural extension for investors seeking broader market coverage.

Simplify, known for its sophisticated derivative-based strategies, is now venturing into the Chinese equity ETF space to capitalize on growing demand for access to hard-to-reach A-shares listed on mainland exchanges.

The newly launched Simplify China A Shares PLUS Income ETF

provides efficient exposure to A-shares through swaps while using short-term options spreads to generate income and manage volatility.

Finally, YieldMax, famous for its lineup of synthetic options-based ETFs offering double-digit yields, has debuted the aptly named YieldMax Crypto Industry & Tech Portfolio Option Income ETF

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This ETF, which currently offers a jaw-dropping 17.97% distribution rate, is one of the few ETFs that pays distributions on a weekly basis. Its portfolio consists of 15-30 crypto-focused companies, including notable names like MicroStrategy, Coinbase, and even the iShares Bitcoin ETF Trust

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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.