VanEck Launches Robotics ETF (IBOT)

IBOT offers global exposure to the rise of the robotics industry, which is projected to grow to over $90B by 2026.¹ IBOT joins VanEck’s forward-looking thematic ETFs lineup, providing a way for investors to invest in the technologies shaping our future.

VanEck today announced the launch of the VanEck Robotics ETF (IBOT), a thematic equity ETF offering exposure to the leading global companies that are driving and benefiting from the growth of the robotics industry. As economic environments rapidly shift, labor shortages grow, and the world trends toward deglobalization, the need to introduce more automation and greater efficiency across a range of industries is increasing.

“Industrial robotics are experiencing the twin tailwinds of increasing demand and declining costs, and the global marketplace for these machines is expected to double in just the next five years,” said Michael Cohick, Director of Product Management at VanEck. “For investors looking to participate in this growing trend, a global approach is key, as is ensuring exposure across the main sub-sectors of the robotics industry, given the range of use cases and the pace of innovation that are emerging across so many sectors of the global economy.”

IBOT seeks to track the performance, before fees and expenses, of MarketVector Index’s BlueStar Robotics Index. The Index is designed to provide pure play exposure to the robotics space, so to be eligible for inclusion, companies must generate at least 50% of their revenues from one of the sub-themes identified by VanEck and MarketVector, which include:

• Robots and manufacturing/industrial automation systems
• Robotic surgical systems
• Additive manufacturing (i.e. 3D printing)
• Robotics or manufacturing computer aided design
• Semiconductor manufacturing systems
• Machine vision

Additionally, companies must have a full market cap of $500M, and a 3-month average-daily-trading volume of at least $1M. Companies will be cap weighted at 5% and the Index also implements a fixed tier modified float-adjusted market cap weighting scheme, with robotics/manufacturing at 50% weight, machine vision and robotics software at 25%, and embedded chips, robotic surgical systems and semiconductor manufacturing also at 25%.

“We are proud to announce the licensing of the BlueStar Robotics Index to VanEck to underlie an ETF,” said Thomas Kettner, COO of MarketVector Indexes. “Being involved in the robotics industry has proven to be a pioneering business model. The robotics market has been steadily growing since the index’s inception, transforming multiple industries. This is an exciting expansion of products linked to MarketVector’s thematic index family.”

IBOT joins a thematic equity lineup that includes VanEck Video Gaming and eSports ETF (ESPO), VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH), and VanEck Biotech ETF (BBH).

About VanEck

VanEck has a history of looking beyond the financial markets to identify trends that are likely to create impactful investment opportunities. We were one of the first U.S. asset managers to offer investors access to international markets. This set the tone for the firm’s drive to identify asset classes and trends – including gold investing in 1968, emerging markets in 1993, and exchange traded funds in 2006 – that subsequently shaped the investment management industry.

Today, VanEck offers active and passive strategies with compelling exposures supported by well-designed investment processes. As of February 28, 2023, VanEck managed approximately $71B in assets, including mutual funds, ETFs and institutional accounts. The firm’s capabilities range from core investment opportunities to more specialized exposures to enhance portfolio diversification. Our actively managed strategies are fueled by in-depth, bottom-up research and security selection from portfolio managers with direct experience in the sectors and regions in which they invest. Investability, liquidity, diversity, and transparency are key to the experienced decision-making around market and index selection underlying VanEck’s passive strategies.

Since our founding in 1955, putting our clients’ interests first, in all market environments, has been at the heart of the firm’s mission.

Important Disclosures

This is not an offer to buy or sell, or a solicitation of any offer to buy or sell any of the securities mentioned herein. The information presented does not involve the rendering of personalized investment, financial, legal, or tax advice. Certain statements contained herein may constitute projections, forecasts and other forward looking statements, which do not reflect actual results. Information provided by third-party sources are believed to be reliable and have not been independently verified for accuracy or completeness and cannot be guaranteed. Any opinions, projections, forecasts, and forward-looking statements presented herein are valid as of the date of this communication and are subject to change without notice. The information herein represents the opinion of the author(s), but not necessarily those of VanEck.

BlueStar^® Robotics Index (BRBTNTR): seeks to track the overall performance of companies involved in robotics.

MarketVector Indexes GmbH develops, monitors and markets a focused selection of pure-play and investable indices designed to underlie financial products. They cover several asset classes including hard assets and the internal equity markets as well as fixed income markets. MarketVector Indexes is the index business of VanEck, a U.S. based investment management firm and provider of VanEck ETFs.

MarketVector Indexes does not sponsor, endorse, sell, promote or manage any investment fund or other investment vehicle that is offered by third parties and that seeks to provide and investment return based on the performance of any index. MarketVector Indexes makes no assurance that investment products based on the index will accurately track index performance or provide positive investment returns. MarketVector Indexes is not an investment advisor, and it makes no representation regarding the advisability of investing in any such investment fund or other investment vehicle. A decision to invest in any such investment fund or other investment vehicle should not be made in reliance on any of the statements set forth in this document.

An investment in the VanEck Robotics ETF (IBOT) may be subject to risks which include, among others, investing in the robotics industry, information technology sector, industrials sector, equity securities, medium-capitalization companies, Japanese issuers, foreign securities, semiconductor industry, depositary receipts, market, operational, index tracking, authorized participant concentration, new fund, no guarantee of active trading market, trading issues, passive management, fund shares trading, premium/discount and liquidity of fund shares, non-diversified and concentration risk, all of which may adversely affect the Fund. Medium-capitalization companies may be subject to elevated risks.

An investment in the VanEck Video Gaming and eSports ETF (ESPO) may be subject to risks which include, among others, risks related to investing in video gaming and eSports companies, software industry, internet software & services industry, semiconductor industry, equity securities, communication services sector, information technology sector, depositary receipts, small- and medium-capitalization companies, issuer-specific changes, special risk considerations of investing in Asian, Chinese and Japanese issuers, emerging markets issuers, foreign securities, foreign currency, market, operational, cash transactions, index tracking, authorized participant concentration, no guarantee of active trading market, trading issues, passive management, fund shares trading, premium/discount risk and liquidity of fund shares, non-diversified, and industry concentration risks, all of which may adversely affect the Fund. Emerging market issuers and foreign securities may be subject to securities markets, political and economic, investment and repatriation restrictions, different rules and regulations, less publicly available financial information, foreign currency and exchange rates, operational and settlement, and corporate and securities laws risks. Small- and medium-capitalization companies may be subject to elevated risks.

An investment in the VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH) may be subject to risks which include, among others, risks related to investing in the semiconductor industry, equity securities, special risk considerations of investing in Asian, European and Taiwanese issuers, foreign securities, emerging market issuers, foreign currency, depositary receipts, medium-capitalization companies, issuer-specific changes, market, operational, index tracking, authorized participant concentration, no guarantee of active trading market, trading issues, passive management, fund shares trading, premium/discount risk and liquidity of fund shares, non-diversified, and industry concentration risks, all of which may adversely affect the Fund. Emerging market issuers and foreign securities may be subject to securities markets, political and economic, investment and repatriation restrictions, different rules and regulations, less publicly available financial information, foreign currency and exchange rates, operational and settlement, and corporate and securities laws risks. Medium-capitalization companies may be subject to elevated risks.

An investment in the VanEck Biotech ETF (BBH) may be subject to risks which include, among others, risks related to investing in the biotechnology industry, equity securities, life sciences tools and services industry, depositary receipts, medium-capitalization companies, issuer-specific changes, market, operational, index tracking, authorized participant concentration, no guarantee of active trading market, trading issues, passive management, fund shares trading, premium/discount risk and liquidity of fund shares, non-diversified, and industry concentration risks, all of which may adversely affect the Fund. Medium-capitalization companies may be subject to elevated risks.

Investing involves substantial risk and high volatility, including possible loss of principal. An investor should consider the investment objective, risks, charges and expenses of the Fund carefully before investing. To obtain a prospectus and summary prospectus, which contains this and other information, call 800.826.2333 or visit vaneck.com. Please read the prospectus and summary prospectus carefully before investing.

Van Eck Securities Corporation, Distributor, a wholly owned subsidiary of Van Eck Associates Corporation

666 Third Avenue,

New York, NY 10017

800.826.2333

¹ BCC Publishing, 2022

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