SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Reality Shares Nasdaq NexGen Economy ETF (Nasdaq: BLCN), the first passively managed exchange-traded fund (ETF) that seeks to invest in leading global companies creating and implementing blockchain solutions, hit $100 million in assets under management (AUM).
BLCN debuted on Jan. 17, 2018 to fanfare and investor interest. As a result, the fund traded more than 1.5 million shares in less than 48 hours after launch and accumulated $86 million AUM within a week of trading.
It hit the critical $100 million AUM threshold only 10 days after its debut.
“We’ve been very pleased with investor appetite for BLCN so far,” said Eric Ervin, CEO of Reality Shares. “We’re proud investors have realized the growth potential of the dynamic blockchain industry, which we believe is poised to disrupt and change the world like the way the Internet did in the 1990s. We’re looking forward to continuing to work with our partners – Nasdaq and our experienced blockchain advisory board – to harness the exciting investment opportunity presented by blockchain technology.”
BLCN is comprised of companies committing material resources to developing, researching, supporting, innovating or utilizing blockchain technology for their proprietary use or for use by others.
“Reality Shares sought a partner that shared our belief in an index-based approach to investing in the blockchain economy, and we are proud that Nasdaq answered the call,” Ervin said. “By harnessing the Nasdaq blockchain team’s already deep entrenchment in this space and our advisory board’s experience in the blockchain and cryptocurrency markets, we constructed a product that utilizes a data-driven algorithm that seeks to offer investors a less volatile, less concentrated and more diversified way to invest in this sector.”
In order to qualify for inclusion in the underlying index and BLCN, companies must receive a high Blockchain Score™ based on the following characteristics: role in the blockchain ecosystem, blockchain product stage, blockchain economic impact, Blockchain Institute membership, research and development expenditure, company filings and innovation.
More information can be found at www.investinthechain.com or by calling 855-595-0240.
About Reality Shares
Reality Shares is an innovative asset management firm, ETF issuer and index provider. Reality Shares' goal is to democratize the world's best investing ideas, using systematic quantitative methods to deliver products and solutions that support a wide range of investing objectives, such as diversification, lower correlation, risk mitigation or unique market exposures.
For more information, visit www.realityshares.com.
Definitions
Reality Shares Nasdaq Blockchain Economy Index: The Index is comprised of global companies that seek to capitalize upon transformational blockchain technology that may potentially disrupt the markets in which they operate.
Correlation: The degree to which two securities or assets move in relation to each other.
Disclaimer
Carefully consider the investment objective, risks, charges and expenses before investing in Reality Shares ETFs. This and other important information can be found in the Fund’s prospectus, which may be obtained by calling 855-595-0240 or by visiting us at investinthechain.com. Please read the prospectus carefully before investing.
Investing involves risks, including possible loss of principal. Shares are not FDIC insured and may lose value. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
For BLCN, there is no guarantee or assurance the methodology used to create the respective Benchmark Index will result in the Fund achieving positive returns. The Fund may be more susceptible to a single adverse economic or other occurrence and may therefore be more volatile than a more diversified fund. Each Benchmark Index is constructed using a rules-based methodology based on quantitative models developed by Reality Shares. These quantitative models may be incomplete, flawed or based on inaccurate assumptions and, therefore, may lead to the selection of assets that produce inferior investment returns or provide exposure to greater risk of loss. Principal risks for the Fund include Authorized Participant Concentration Risk, Blockchain Technology Risk, Depositary Receipt Risk, Emerging Markets Risk, Equity Risk, ETF Trading Risk, Foreign Issuer Exposure Risk, Geographic Concentration Risk, Non-Blockchain Technology Business Line Risk, Index Performance Risk, Index Tracking Error Risk, Sector Risk, Industry Concentration Risk, Market Risk, and Non-Diversification Risk. See prospectus for full description of risks, which may negatively impact the Fund’s investment strategy and could cause the Fund to lose money.
Please review the prospectus for important risks regarding the Fund, as each of these factors could cause the value of an investment in the Fund to decline over short-and long-term periods.
Blockchain technology is a new and developing technology protocol developed by companies in a manner for optimizing business practices. Blockchain technology is not a product or service with an individually attributable revenue stream. Blockchain technology may never develop optimized transactional processes that lead to increased economic returns to any company in which the Fund invests. There can be no assurance that blockchain technology will affect the primary lines of business in the Fund’s portfolio companies to have a positive impact on a company’s financial condition.
The Benchmark Index was created and is maintained through a collaboration between Reality Shares and Nasdaq, and the Fund is listed on the Nasdaq exchange. The BLCN Fund is new and has limited trading history.
ETF shares are not individually redeemable. Investors buy and sell shares of the Fund on a secondary market. Only market makers or ‘authorized participants’ may trade directly with the Fund, typically in blocks of 25,000 shares. Brokerage commissions will reduce returns. Market Price is based on the midpoint of the bid/ask spread at the close of the market and does not represent the returns an investor would receive if shares were traded at other times.
Reality Shares Advisors, LLC is the Investment Advisor. ALPS Distributors, Inc. is the Distributor for the Fund. ALPS Distributors, Inc. is not affiliated with Reality Shares Advisors, LLC.
RLT000975 Exp. 12/31/2018.
