Ethereum was a key focus of ETF launches this week, with the CI Galaxy Ethereum fund now trading on TSX allowing investors to invest directly in ether using the Bloomberg Galaxy Ethereum Index, and Coinshares teaming with 3iQ to launch the 3iQ CoinShares Ether ETF, providing exposure to the daily price movements of the USD price of ether. ESG investing remains popular, with UBS listing the UBS ETF (LU) Bloomberg Barclays MSCI Euro Area Liquid Corporates Sustainable UCITS ETF (EUR) A-acc giving investors access to the performance of euro-denominated, fixed-rate corporate bonds from the eurozone with an improved ESG profile. Elsewhere, Russian ETF provider FinEx launched the FinEx Developed Markets ex-USA UCITS fund tracking the Solactive GBS Developed Markets ex United States 200 USD Index, and Lyxor listed its first ETF on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange, the Lyxor Robotics & AI UCITS ETF. Finally, in a nod to a post-Covid economic recovery as lockdowns ease, AdvisorShares listed two ETFs with dedicated exposure to the hotel and restaurant and food service industry, the AdvisorShares Hotel ETF (BEDZ) and the AdvisorShares Restaurant ETF (EATZ).

Digital asset-focused ETFs stole the show again this week, with CoinShares launching the CoinShares Physical XRP (XRPL) providing investors with passive exposure to XRP, the native token unit on the Ripple network. The first WisdomTree Bitcoin ETN is now trading on Xetra, tracking the performance of bitcoin, and Horizons ETFs debuted the BetaPro Bitcoin ETF (HBIT) and the BetaPro Inverse Bitcoin ETF (BITI) on TSX, providing long and inverse exposure to the Horizons Bitcoin Front Month Rolling Futures Index. ETC Group also listed the first Litecoin ETP on Xetra, giving investors access to the performance of Litecoin without having to set up crypto wallets. Elsewhere, several industry-specific ETFs were listed this week, with HANetf debuting a new UCITS ETF tracking the performance of global stocks deriving revenue from online retail. Global X launched the Clean Water Industry ETF providing investors with access to companies active in clean water provision, and TD Asset Management launched a new ETF giving investors exposure to the global healthcare market. Lastly, sustainability remained a key theme of the week, with Evolve filing a preliminary prospectus for the world’s first ETFs to bring carbon neutrality to traditional indices, and Global Palladium Fund listing GBP share classes for physically-backed metal ETCs on the LSE giving investors exposure to metals with a key role in the transition to a net zero carbon economy. 

Moonfare is launching the Moonfare Growth Equity Portfolio, a new portfolio of technology funds that gives individual investors access to the most exciting strategies in private equity.

Pacific Asset Management (PAM) has expanded its portfolio service with the launch of five additional multi-asset model portfolios developed exclusively with global asset manager, BlackRock.  

This was a big week for European digital asset investment house CoinShares - which partnered with 3iQ to launch the 3iQ CoinShares Bitcoin ETF on the TSX, and also launched the CoinShares Physical Litecoin (LITE), bringing the company's total of investment products to seven. Following the digital assets trend, SEBA Bank AG listed a suite of digital assets-based ETPs on SIX Swiss Exchange, consisting of bitcoin and ether Tracker Certificates and the first CHF currency-hedged bitcoin tracker in the market. Space returned as a theme this week, with Harvest debuting the Harvest Space Innovation Index ETF on TSX, providing Canadian investors with access to the growing space industry sector. Other newcomers include TrueMark's new structured outcome ETF APRZ providing investors with exposure to the S&P 500 Index, and Vanguard’s first actively managed Ultra-Short Bond ETF, offering low-cost diversified options for investors seeking income and limited price volatility.

Sustainability was once again the theme of the week, with the listing of two new ETFs focussed on the hydrogen sector: the VanEck Vectors Hydrogen Economy UCITS ETF on the London Stock Exchange, and the Direxion Hydrogen ETF (HJEN) giving exposure to clean hydrogen economy companies. UBS Asset Management launched a suite of equity ETFs aligned with the standards of the Paris Climate Agreement, and Amundi listed two new ETFs with an ESG focus on Xetra. Blackrock also expanded its iShares fixed income ETF range with two new funds providing exposure to green bonds, and GraniteShares launched the world’s first leveraged single stock ETPs on NIO, an electric vehicle maker known as the ‘Chinese Tesla’. Elsewhere, ARK turned its attention to the skies with its Space Exploration & Innovation ETF (ARKX) focussing on companies engaged in space exploration and innovation. Finally, crypto remains key with a new VanEck ETN listed on Xetra and Borse Frankfurt that provides investors with access to ether without having to set up a crypto wallet.  

This week’s launches include a raft of ESG focused ETFs. UBS Asset Management debuted a climate neutral UCITS fund applying sustainability criteria to the S&P 500 equity universe, and Invesco launched the first ETF tracking the new FTSE All Share ESG Climate index. FlexShares and Lyxor International Asset Management both listed two new ESG ETFs on Xetra and Borse Frankfurt. Elsewhere, VanEck expanded its global offering into the Latam market with a new ETF in Peru – the Fondo Bursátil VanEck El Dorado Perú ETF. Another newcomer in the US was the Hartford Fund’s HLGE ETF, providing access to the 'longevity economy'.  

Cryptocurrency funds were the main theme of the week, with a new bitcoin fund, the CI Galaxy Bitcoin ETF, now trading on the TSX. ETC group meanwhile, listed an ether ETP, and 21Shares launched ETPs tracking both ether and bitcoin. Other newcomers include the first US-listed hydrogen ETF from Defiance ETFs, plus Europe’s first carbon avoidance solutions and 5G digital infrastructure ETFs from HanETF on the Swiss Stock Exchange. Elsewhere, two fund sponsors turned their attention to Asia, with new funds from Xtrackers and Invesco offering access to emerging Asian markets and Chinese companies, respectively. 

The big news in terms of launches this week is the debut of Northern Trust's FlexShares ETFs in Europe with the launch of two climate focused funds. Staying with the green theme, UBS GAM's latest offering is a low CO2 emissions ETF, while Invesco launched a Global Clean Energy fund as well as the first China All Shares ETF. Elsewhere, Invesco added an international equities fund to it's multi-factor suite, and Alger debuted its first active ETF, focused on 40 mid-cap growth stocks.

A real mixed bag of new ETF launches includes several new bond funds, including a new WisdomTree offering focused on EU bonds dedicated to financing the bloc's coronavirus recovery efforts. Elsewhere, L&G debuted a new ETF providing access to green bonds, while the latest offerings from BNP Paribas Easy focus on sustainable eurozone bonds and emerging markets bonds.