ETF NEWS - ULTUMUS

Modern Platform

Written by Bernie Thurston | 10 May 2019

USA

WisdomTree lists modern platform ETF

In what seems like an interesting spin on a popular area of product development, WisdomTree is listing a new “modern platform” ETF. The WisdomTree Modern Tech Platforms Fund (MDPL) will invest in companies that make good dollar from websites and the tech and backend functions that support them. Of particular interest are businesses in payments, social media, video games, content and communications.

MDPL will track an equal weighted self-index of European and North American platform companies. Companies must meet certain basic size and liquidity requirements to be eligible. Eligible companies in the platform ecosystem are then included or excluded based on WisdomTree’s assessment of their:

  1. business model; 
  2. customer or participant relationship; 
  3. revenue source. 

The index is reconstituted and rebalanced annually.

Nancy Davis changes her mind

We reported on the launch of the Quadratic Interest Rate Volatility and Inflation Hedge ETF in December last year. The fund appeared to be a joint venture between Nancy Davis, the famed trader and Goldman Sachs alum, with ETF Series Solutions, a US Bancorp-backed trust.

However that arrangement appears to have gone up in smoke at the last minute. Under a newly written prospectus the fund will now be partnered with KraneShares, the China ETF specialist. And trade under a different ticker: IVOL.