Led by the ROBO Global Robotics & Automation Index ETF (NYSEArca: ROBO), the original ETF dedicated to robotics investing, ETFs focusing on the artificial intelligence and robotics themes are taking off in the U.S.
That is the case in some international markets, too.
“ETF Securities’ Global Robotics and Automation ETF (ROBO) has scooped up $100 million in assets, becoming the first Australian thematic ETF to reach the nine-digit milestone,” reports ETF Stream.
The Australia-listed ETF Securities fund tracks the ROBO Global Index, the same benchmark used by the ROBO Global Robotics & Automation Index ETF. That benchmark launched in 2013 and had over $3.7 billion, on a global basis, allocated to it as of January 2018, according to ROBO Global.
Big Opportunities for ROBO, Robotics
ROBO provides exposure to global companies engaged in the business of robotics-related or automation-related industries. Robotics- or automation-related products and services include any technology, service or device that supports, aids or contributes to any type of robot, robotic action or automation system process, software or management.
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The ROBO “index is also passive in that it takes a rules-based approach to weighting companies. Its rules overweight small and mid caps, reflecting the view that smaller companies are more innovative than large bureaucratised multi-nationals. It then ensures diversification by bringing constituents into near-equal weight,” according to ETF Stream.
The US-listed ROBO ETF had $2.21 billion in assets under management as of June 20, making its Australia-listed counterpart seem small by comparison. However, Australia’s ETF market is far smaller than the U.S. and thematic ETFs are just starting to attract investors’ attention down under, indicating the ETF Securities Global Robotics and Automation ETF ascent to $100 million in assets is a noteworthy accomplishment.
An ETF tracking the ROBO Global Index that trades in London has over $1.2 billion in assets.
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