485BPOS11/6/20200001742912false00017429122020-11-092020-11-090001742912ck0001742912:S000069980Memberck0001742912:C000222846Member2020-11-092020-11-090001742912ck0001742912:S000069980Member2020-11-092020-11-09xbrli:pureiso4217:USD


AS FILED WITH THE U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION ON NOVEMBER 9, 2020

1933 Act Registration File No.: 333-227298
1940 Act File No.: 811-23377

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM N-1A
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 x
Pre‑Effective Amendment No. ___
o
Post‑Effective Amendment No. 34 x
and/or
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940 x
Amendment No. 35 x

TIDAL ETF TRUST
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

898 North Broadway, Suite 2
Massapequa, New York 11758
(Address of Principal Executive Offices, Zip Code)

(Registrant’s Telephone Number, including Area Code) (844) 986-7676

The Corporation Trust Company
1209 Orange Street
Corporation Trust Center
Wilmington, DE 19801
(Name and Address of Agent for Service)

Copies to:
Eric W. Falkeis
Tidal ETF Services LLC
898 North Broadway, Suite 2
Massapequa, New York 11758
Christopher M. Cahlamer
Godfrey & Kahn, S.C.
833 East Michigan Street, Suite 1800
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202

It is proposed that this filing will become effective (check appropriate box):
x immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b)
o on (date) pursuant to paragraph (b)
o 60 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)
o on (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)
o 75 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(2)
o on (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(2) of rule 485
Explanatory Note: This Post-Effective Amendment No. 34 to the registration statement of Tidal ETF Trust (the "Trust") is being filed to respond to Staff comments with respect to the registration of the Gotham Enhanced 500 ETF as a new series of the Trust and to make other permissible changes under Rule 485(b).




(GSPY) Gotham Enhanced 500 ETF
Listed on NYSE Arca, Inc.
PROSPECTUS
November 9, 2020
Beginning on January 1, 2021, as permitted by regulations adopted by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), paper copies of the Gotham Enhanced 500 ETF’s (the “Fund”) annual and semi-annual shareholder reports will no longer be sent by mail, unless you specifically request paper copies of Fund shareholder reports from your financial intermediary, such as a broker-dealer or bank. Instead, the shareholder reports will be made available on the Fund’s website at www.GothamETFs.com/GSPY, and you will be notified by mail each time a report is posted and provided with a website link to access the report.
If you have already elected to receive shareholder reports electronically, you will not be affected by this change and you need not take any action. Please contact your financial intermediary to elect to receive shareholder reports and other Fund communications electronically.
You may elect to receive all future Fund reports in paper free of charge. Please contact your financial intermediary to inform them that you wish to continue receiving paper copies of Fund shareholder reports and for details about whether your election to receive reports in paper will apply to all funds held with your financial intermediary.
The SEC has not approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the accuracy or adequacy of this Prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.





TABLE OF CONTENTS

Gotham Enhanced 500 ETF - Fund Summary
1
Additional Information About the Fund
4
Portfolio Holdings Information
7
Management
7
How to Buy and Sell Shares
9
Dividends, Distributions, and Taxes
10
Distribution
13
Premium/Discount Information
13
Additional Notices
13
Financial Highlights
13



Gotham Enhanced 500 ETF – FUND SUMMARY

Investment Objective
The Gotham Enhanced 500 ETF (the “Fund”) seeks long-term capital appreciation.
Fees and Expenses of the Fund
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold, and sell shares of the Fund (“Shares”). You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and example below.
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Management Fees
0.65%
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees
0.00%
Other Expenses1
0.00%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses 0.65%
Less Fee Waiver (0.15)%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver2
0.50%
1 Estimated for the current fiscal year.
2 The Fund’s investment adviser, Toroso Investments, LLC (the “Adviser”), has agreed to a reduced unitary management fee of 0.50% for the Fund until at least December 31, 2023 so that Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses after Fee Waiver do not exceed 0.50% during this period. This agreement may be terminated only by, or with the consent of, the Fund’s Board of Trustees, on behalf of the Fund, upon sixty (60) days’ written notice to the Adviser. This Agreement may not be terminated by the Adviser without the consent of the Board of Trustees.
Expense Example
This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your Shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same. The Example does not take into account brokerage commissions that you may pay on your purchases and sales of Shares. The management fee waiver discussed in the table above is reflected only through December 31, 2023. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
1 Year 3 Years
$51 $160
Portfolio Turnover
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in total annual fund operating expenses or in the expense example above, affect the Fund’s performance. Because the Fund is newly organized, portfolio turnover information is not yet available.
Principal Investment Strategies
The Fund is an actively-managed exchange-traded fund (“ETF”) that seeks to achieve its investment objective by generally investing in securities of issuers included in the S&P 500® Index (the “Index”). The Fund is not a passive index fund, but instead utilizes an “enhanced” strategy implemented by Gotham Asset Management, LLC, the Fund’s investment sub-adviser (“Gotham” or the “Sub-Adviser”), to invest in the securities in the Index and weight those securities based on the Sub-Adviser’s assessment of value and each security’s weight in the Index.
The Sub-Adviser seeks to capitalize on pricing inefficiencies in the market by employing a systematic, bottom-up, valuation approach based on the Sub-Adviser’s proprietary analytical framework to identify companies included in the Index that appear to be undervalued or overvalued on both an absolute and relative basis. This approach consists of:
1


• Researching and analyzing each company in the Sub-Adviser’s coverage universe according to a methodology that emphasizes fundamentals such as recurring earnings, cash flows, capital efficiency, capital structure, and valuation;
• Identifying and excluding companies that do not conform to the Sub-Adviser’s valuation methodology or companies judged by the Sub-Adviser to have questionable financial reporting;
• Updating the analysis for earning releases, annual (Form 10-K), and quarterly (Form 10-Q) reports and other corporate filings; and
• Recording analysis in a centralized database enabling the Sub-Adviser to compare companies and identify securities to purchase long based on the Sub-Adviser’s assessment of value.
The Fund’s strategy may result in the active and frequent trading of the Fund’s investments, which may result in high portfolio turnover.
Principal Investment Risks
The principal risks of investing in the Fund are summarized below. As with any investment, there is a risk that you could lose all or a portion of your investment in the Fund. Some or all of these risks may adversely affect the Fund’s net asset value per share (“NAV”), trading price, yield, total return, and/or ability to meet its objective. For more information about the risks of investing in the Fund, see the section in the Fund’s Prospectus titled “Additional Information About the Fund - Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund.”
Equity Market Risk. The equity securities held in the Fund’s portfolio may experience sudden, unpredictable drops in value or long periods of decline in value. This may occur because of factors that affect securities markets generally or factors affecting specific issuers, industries, or sectors in which the Fund invests. Common stocks, such as those held by the Fund, are generally exposed to greater risk than other types of securities, such as preferred stock and debt obligations, because common stockholders generally have inferior rights to receive payment from issuers. Securities in the Fund’s portfolio may underperform in comparison to securities in the general financial markets, a particular financial market, or other asset classes, due to a number of factors. Factors that could impact the market value of an equity security include a company’s business performance, investor perceptions, stock market trends and general economic conditions.
General Market Risk. The Fund is subject to market risk — the risk that securities markets and individual securities will increase or decrease in value. Security prices may fluctuate widely over short or extended periods in response to market or economic news and conditions, and securities markets also tend to move in cycles. If there is a general decline in the securities markets, it is possible your investment may lose value regardless of the individual results of the companies in which the Fund invests. The magnitude of up and down price or market fluctuations over time is sometimes referred to as “volatility”, and it can be significant. In addition, different asset classes and geographic markets may experience periods of significant correlation with each other. As a result of this correlation, the securities and markets in which the Fund invests may experience volatility due to market, economic, political or social events and conditions that may not readily appear to directly relate to such securities, the securities’ issuer or the markets in which they trade.
Value Style Risk. The Sub-Adviser intends to buy securities, on behalf of the Fund, that it believes are undervalued. Investing in “value” stocks presents the risk that the stocks may never reach what the Sub-Adviser believes are their full market values, either because the market fails to recognize what the Sub-Adviser considers to be the companies’ true business values or because the Sub-Adviser misjudges those values. In addition, value stocks may fall out of favor with investors and underperform other stocks (such as growth stocks) during given periods.
Risks Related to Database Errors. The investment strategy used by the Sub-Adviser relies on proprietary databases and third-party data sources. Data entries made by the Sub-Adviser’s team of financial analysts or third parties may contain errors, as may the database system used to store such data. Any errors in the underlying data sources, data entry or database may result in the Fund acquiring or selling investments based on incorrect information.
Systems Risk. The Fund depends on the Sub-Adviser to develop and implement appropriate systems for its activities. The Sub-Adviser relies extensively on computer programs and systems to implement and monitor the Fund’s investment strategy. As a result, there is a risk of human or technological errors affecting the portfolio construction process and order origination, including errors in programming (e.g., “bugs” and classic coding errors), modeling, design, translational errors and compatibility issues with data sets and among systems. There can be no guarantee that such defects or issues will be identified in time to avoid a material adverse effect on the Fund.
High Portfolio Turnover Risk. The Fund may actively and frequently trade all or a significant portion of the securities in its portfolio. A high portfolio turnover rate increases transaction costs, which may increase the Fund’s expenses. Frequent trading may also cause adverse tax consequences for investors in the Fund due to an increase in short-term capital gains.
2


Large-Capitalization Investing Risk. The securities of large-capitalization companies may be relatively mature compared to smaller companies and therefore subject to slower growth during times of economic expansion. Large-capitalization companies may also be unable to respond quickly to new competitive challenges, such as changes in technology and consumer tastes.
Management Risk. The Fund is actively-managed and may not meet its investment objective based on the Sub-Adviser’s success or failure to implement investment strategies for the Fund. In addition as an actively-managed fund, the Fund’s investment exposure to individual securities will not match those of the Index and the Fund’s performance may not correlate with the performance of the Index.
New Fund Risk. The Fund is a recently organized management investment company with no operating history. As a result, prospective investors do not have a track record or history on which to base their investment decisions.
Recent Market Events. U.S. and international markets have experienced significant periods of volatility in recent years and months due to a number of economic, political and global macro factors including the impact of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) as a global pandemic, which has resulted in public health issues, growth concerns in the U.S. and overseas, layoffs, rising unemployment, and reduced consumer spending. The effects of COVID-19 may lead to a substantial economic downturn or recession in the U.S. and global economies, the recovery from which is uncertain and may last for an extended period of time.
ETF Risks.
Authorized Participants, Market Makers, and Liquidity Providers Concentration Risk. The Fund has a limited number of financial institutions that are authorized to purchase and redeem Shares directly from the Fund (known as “Authorized Participants” or “APs”). In addition, there may be a limited number of market makers and/or liquidity providers in the marketplace. To the extent either of the following events occur, Shares may trade at a material discount to NAV and possibly face delisting: (i) APs exit the business or otherwise become unable to process creation and/or redemption orders and no other APs step forward to perform these services; or (ii) market makers and/or liquidity providers exit the business or significantly reduce their business activities and no other entities step forward to perform their functions.
Costs of Buying or Selling Shares. Due to the costs of buying or selling Shares, including brokerage commissions imposed by brokers and bid-ask spreads, frequent trading of Shares may significantly reduce investment results and an investment in Shares may not be advisable for investors who anticipate regularly making small investments.
Shares May Trade at Prices Other Than NAV. As with all ETFs, Shares may be bought and sold in the secondary market at market prices. Although it is expected that the market price of Shares will approximate the Fund’s NAV, there may be times when the market price of Shares is more than the NAV intra-day (premium) or less than the NAV intra-day (discount) due to supply and demand of Shares or during periods of market volatility. This risk is heightened in times of market volatility, periods of steep market declines, and periods when there is limited trading activity for Shares in the secondary market, in which case such premiums or discounts may be significant.
Trading. Although Shares are listed on a national securities exchange, such as the NYSE Arca, Inc. (the “Exchange”), and may be traded on U.S. exchanges other than the Exchange, there can be no assurance that Shares will trade with any volume, or at all, on any stock exchange. In stressed market conditions, the liquidity of Shares may begin to mirror the liquidity of the Fund’s underlying portfolio holdings, which can be significantly less liquid than Shares.
Performance
Performance information for the Fund is not included because the Fund has not completed a full calendar year of operations as of the date of this Prospectus. When such information is included, this section will provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund’s performance history from year to year and showing how the Fund’s average annual total returns compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Although past performance of the Fund is no guarantee of how it will perform in the future, historical performance may give you some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. Updated performance information will be available on the Fund’s website at www.GothamETFs.com/GSPY.
3


Management
Investment Adviser
Toroso Investments, LLC (“Toroso” or the “Adviser”) serves as investment adviser to the Fund.
Investment Sub-Adviser
Gotham Asset Management, LLC (“Gotham” or the “Sub-Adviser”) serves as investment sub-adviser to the Fund.
Portfolio Managers
Joel Greenblatt, Managing Principal and Co-Chief Investment Officer for the Sub-Adviser, has been a portfolio manager of the Fund since its inception in 2020.
Robert Goldstein, Managing Principal and Co-Chief Investment Officer for the Sub-Adviser, has been a portfolio manager of the Fund since its inception in 2020.
Michael Venuto, Chief Investment Officer for the Adviser, has been a portfolio manager of the Fund since its inception in 2020.
Charles A. Ragauss, CFA, Portfolio Manager for the Adviser, has been a portfolio manager of the Fund since its inception in 2020.
Purchase and Sale of Shares
The Fund issues and redeems Shares at NAV only in large blocks known as “Creation Units,” which only APs (typically, broker-dealers) may purchase or redeem. The Fund generally issues and redeems Creation Units in exchange for a portfolio of securities (the “Deposit Securities”) and/or a designated amount of U.S. cash.
Shares are listed on a national securities exchange, such as the Exchange, and individual Shares may only be bought and sold in the secondary market through brokers at market prices, rather than NAV. Because Shares trade at market prices rather than NAV, Shares may trade at a price greater than NAV (premium) or less than NAV (discount).
An investor may incur costs attributable to the difference between the highest price a buyer is willing to pay to purchase Shares (the “bid” price) and the lowest price a seller is willing to accept for Shares (the “ask” price) when buying or selling Shares in the secondary market. This difference in bid and ask prices is often referred to as the “bid-ask spread.”
When available, information regarding the Fund’s NAV, market price, how often Shares traded on the Exchange at a premium or discount, and bid-ask spreads can be found on the Fund’s website at www.GothamETFs.com/GSPY.
Tax Information
Fund distributions are generally taxable as ordinary income, qualified dividend income, or capital gains (or a combination), unless your investment is in an individual retirement account (“IRA”) or other tax-advantaged account. Distributions on investments made through tax-deferred arrangements may be taxed later upon withdrawal of assets from those accounts.
Financial Intermediary Compensation
If you purchase Shares through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank) (an “Intermediary”), the Adviser, the Sub-Adviser, or their affiliates may pay Intermediaries for certain activities related to the Fund, including participation in activities that are designed to make Intermediaries more knowledgeable about exchange-traded products, including the Fund, or for other activities, such as marketing, educational training, or other initiatives related to the sale or promotion of Shares. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the Intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Any such arrangements do not result in increased Fund expenses. Ask your salesperson or visit the Intermediary’s website for more information.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUND
Investment Objective
The Gotham Enhanced 500 ETF (the “Fund”) seeks long-term capital appreciation.
An investment objective is fundamental if it cannot be changed without the consent of the holders of a majority of the outstanding Shares. The Fund’s investment objective has not been adopted as a fundamental investment policy and therefore may be changed without the consent of the Fund’s shareholders upon written notice to shareholders.
4


Principal Investment Strategies
The following information is in addition to, and should be read along with, the description of the Fund’s principal investment strategies in the section titled “Fund Summary—Principal Investment Strategies” above.
Temporary Defensive Strategies
For temporary defensive purposes during adverse market, economic, political or other conditions, the Fund may invest in cash or cash equivalents or short-term instruments such as commercial paper, money market mutual funds, or short-term U.S. government securities. Taking a temporary defensive position may result in the Fund not achieving its investment objective.
Manager of Managers Structure
The Fund and the Adviser have received exemptive relief from the SEC permitting the Adviser (subject to certain conditions and the approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees (the “Board”)) to change or select new unaffiliated sub-advisers without obtaining shareholder approval. The relief also permits the Adviser to materially amend the terms of agreements with an unaffiliated sub-adviser (including an increase in the fee paid by the Adviser to the unaffiliated sub-adviser (and not paid by the Fund)) or to continue the employment of an unaffiliated sub-adviser after an event that would otherwise cause the automatic termination of services with Board approval, but without shareholder approval. Shareholders will be notified of any unaffiliated sub-adviser changes.
Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund
There can be no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. The following information is in addition to, and should be read along with, the description of the Fund’s principal investment risks in the section titled “Fund Summary—Principal Investment Risks” above. Each risk summarized below is considered a “principal risk” of investing in the Fund, regardless of the order in which it appears.
Equity Market Risk. The equity securities held in the Fund’s portfolio may experience sudden, unpredictable drops in value or long periods of decline in value. This may occur because of factors that affect securities markets generally or factors affecting specific issuers, industries, or sectors in which the Fund invests. Common stocks, such as those held by the Fund, are generally exposed to greater risk than other types of securities, such as preferred stock and debt obligations, because common stockholders generally have inferior rights to receive payment from issuers. Securities in the Fund’s portfolio may underperform in comparison to securities in the general financial markets, a particular financial market, or other asset classes, due to a number of factors. Factors that could impact the market value of an equity security include a company’s business performance, investor perceptions, stock market trends and general economic conditions.
General Market Risk. The Fund is subject to market risk — the risk that securities markets and individual securities will increase or decrease in value. Security prices may fluctuate widely over short or extended periods in response to market or economic news and conditions, and securities markets also tend to move in cycles. If there is a general decline in the securities markets, it is possible your investment may lose value regardless of the individual results of the companies in which the Fund invests. The magnitude of up and down price or market fluctuations over time is sometimes referred to as “volatility”, and it can be significant. In addition, different asset classes and geographic markets may experience periods of significant correlation with each other. As a result of this correlation, the securities and markets in which the Fund invests may experience volatility due to market, economic, political or social events and conditions that may not readily appear to directly relate to such securities, the securities’ issuer or the markets in which they trade.
Value Style Risk. The Sub-Adviser intends to buy securities, on behalf of the Fund, that it believes are undervalued. Investing in “value” stocks presents the risk that the stocks may never reach what the Sub-Adviser believes are their full market values, either because the market fails to recognize what the Sub-Adviser considers to be the companies’ true business values or because the Sub-Adviser misjudges those values. In addition, value stocks may fall out of favor with investors and underperform other stocks (such as growth stocks) during given periods.
Risks Related to Database Errors. The investment strategy used by the Sub-Adviser relies on proprietary databases and third-party data sources. Data entries made by the Sub-Adviser’s team of financial analysts or third-parties may contain errors, as may the database system used to store such data. Any errors in the underlying data sources, data entry or database may result in the Fund acquiring or selling investments based on incorrect information. When data proves to be incorrect, misleading, flawed or incomplete, any decisions made in reliance thereon expose the Fund to potential risks. For example, by relying on such data the Sub-Adviser may be induced to buy or sell certain investments it would not have if the data was correct. As a result, the Fund could incur losses or miss out on gains on such investments before the errors are identified and corrected.
5


Systems Risk. The Fund depends on the Sub-Adviser to develop and implement appropriate systems for its activities. The Sub-Adviser relies extensively on computer programs and systems to implement and monitor the Fund’s investment strategy. The development, implementation and maintenance of these systems is complex and involves substantial research and modeling (which is then generally translated into computer code and manual and automated processes) and the retrieval, filtering, processing, translation and analysis of large amounts of financial and other corporate data. As a result, there is a risk of human or technological errors affecting the portfolio construction process and order origination, including errors in programming (e.g., “bugs” and classic coding errors), modeling, design, translational errors and compatibility issues with data sets and among systems. Similarly, with regard to trading and other systems or equipment that the Sub-Adviser utilizes, any or all of the following events may occur: (i) failures or interruptions in access to or the operations of such systems or equipment; (ii) loss of functionality; (iii) corruption; (iv) compromises in security; (v) loss of power; and (vi) other situations that adversely affect such systems or equipment. There can be no guarantee that such defects or issues will be identified in time to avoid a material adverse effect on the Fund. For example, such failures could cause the Sub-Adviser to be induced to buy or sell certain investments it would not have if the failure had not occurred.
High Portfolio Turnover Risk. The Fund may actively and frequently trade all or a significant portion of the securities in its portfolio. A high portfolio turnover rate increases transaction costs, which may increase the Fund’s expenses. Frequent trading may also cause adverse tax consequences for investors in the Fund due to an increase in short-term capital gains.
Large-Capitalization Investing Risk. The securities of large-capitalization companies may be relatively mature compared to smaller companies and therefore subject to slower growth during times of economic expansion. Large-capitalization companies may also be unable to respond quickly to new competitive challenges, such as changes in technology and consumer tastes.
Management Risk. The Fund is actively-managed and may not meet its investment objective based on the Sub-Adviser’s success or failure to implement investment strategies for the Fund. In addition as an actively-managed fund, the Fund’s investment exposure to individual securities will not match those of the Index and the Fund’s performance may not correlate with the performance of the Index.
New Fund Risk. The Fund is a recently organized management investment company with no operating history. As a result, prospective investors do not have a track record or history on which to base their investment decisions. There can be no assurance that the Fund will grow to or maintain an economically viable size.
Recent Market Events. U.S. and international markets have experienced significant periods of volatility in recent years and months due to a number of economic, political and global macro factors including the impact of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) as a global pandemic and related public health issues, growth concerns in the U.S. and overseas, uncertainties regarding interest rates, trade tensions, and the threat of tariffs imposed by the U.S. and other countries. In particular, the spread of COVID-19 worldwide has resulted in disruptions to supply chains and customer activity, stress on the global healthcare system, temporary and permanent layoffs in the private sector, and rising unemployment claims, reduced consumer spending, quarantines, cancellations, market declines, the closing of borders, restrictions on travel, and widespread concern and uncertainty, all of which may lead to a substantial economic downturn or recession in the U.S. and global economies. The recovery from the effects of COVID-19 is uncertain and may last for an extended period of time. Health crises and related political, social and economic disruptions caused by the spread of COVID-19 may also exacerbate other pre-existing political, social and economic risks in certain countries. These developments as well as other events, such as the U.S. presidential election, could result in further market volatility and negatively affect financial asset prices, the liquidity of certain securities and the normal operations of securities exchanges and other markets, despite government efforts to address market disruptions. In addition, the Fund may face challenges with respect to its day-to-day operations if key personnel of the Adviser or Sub-Adviser or other service providers are unavailable due to quarantines and restrictions on travel related to COVID-19. As a result, the risk environment remains elevated. The Adviser and the Sub-Adviser will monitor developments and seek to manage the Fund in a manner consistent with achieving the Fund’s investment objective, but there can be no assurance that they will be successful in doing so.
ETF Risks.
APs, Market Makers, and Liquidity Providers Concentration Risk. The Fund has a limited number of financial institutions that may act as APs. In addition, there may be a limited number of market makers and/or liquidity providers in the marketplace. To the extent either of the following events occur, Shares may trade at a material discount to NAV and possibly face delisting: (i) APs exit the business or otherwise become unable to process creation and/or redemption orders and no other APs step forward to perform these services; or (ii) market makers and/or liquidity providers exit the business or significantly reduce their business activities and no other entities step forward to perform their functions.
6


Costs of Buying or Selling Shares. Investors buying or selling Shares in the secondary market will pay brokerage commissions or other charges imposed by brokers, as determined by that broker. Brokerage commissions are often a fixed amount and may be a significant proportional cost for investors seeking to buy or sell relatively small amounts of Shares. In addition, secondary market investors will also incur the cost of the bid-ask spread. The bid-ask spread varies over time for Shares based on trading volume and market liquidity, and is generally lower if Shares have more trading volume and market liquidity and higher if Shares have little trading volume and market liquidity. Further, a relatively small investor base in the Fund, asset swings in the Fund and/or increased market volatility may cause increased bid-ask spreads. Due to the costs of buying or selling Shares, including bid-ask spreads, frequent trading of Shares may significantly reduce investment results and an investment in Shares may not be advisable for investors who anticipate regularly making small investments.
Shares May Trade at Prices Other Than NAV. As with all ETFs, Shares may be bought and sold in the secondary market at market prices. Although it is expected that the market price of the Shares will approximate the Fund’s NAV, there may be times when the market price of Shares is more than the NAV intra-day (premium) or less than the NAV intra-day (discount) due to supply and demand of the Shares or during periods of market volatility. This risk is heightened in times of market volatility or periods of steep market declines. The market price of Shares during the trading day, like the price of any exchange-traded security, includes a “bid-ask” spread charged by the exchange specialist, market makers, or other participants that trade the Shares. In times of severe market disruption, the bid-ask spread can increase significantly. At those times, Shares are most likely to be traded at a discount to NAV, and the discount is likely to be greatest when the price of Shares is falling fastest, which may be the time that you most want to sell your Shares. The Adviser believes that, under normal market conditions, large market price discounts or premiums to NAV will not be sustained because of arbitrage opportunities.
Trading. Although Shares are listed for trading on the Exchange and may be listed or traded on U.S. and non-U.S. stock exchanges other than the Exchange, there can be no assurance that an active trading market for such Shares will develop or be maintained. Trading in Shares may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the Exchange, make trading in Shares inadvisable. In addition, trading in Shares on the Exchange is subject to trading halts caused by extraordinary market volatility pursuant to Exchange “circuit breaker” rules, which temporarily halt trading on the Exchange when a decline in the S&P 500® Index during a single day reaches certain thresholds (e.g., 7%, 13%, and 20%). Additional rules applicable to the Exchange may halt trading in Shares when extraordinary volatility causes sudden, significant swings in the market price of Shares. There can be no assurance that Shares will trade with any volume, or at all, on any stock exchange. In stressed market conditions, the liquidity of Shares may begin to mirror the liquidity of the Fund’s underlying portfolio holdings, which can be significantly less liquid than Shares.
PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS INFORMATION
Information about the Fund’s daily portfolio holdings will be available on the Fund’s website at www.GothamETFs.com/GSPY. A complete description of the Fund’s policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the Fund’s portfolio holdings is available in the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”).
MANAGEMENT
Investment Adviser
Toroso Investments, LLC, 898 N. Broadway, Suite 2, Massapequa, New York 11758, serves as investment adviser to the Fund and has overall responsibility for the general management and administration of the Fund pursuant to an investment advisory agreement with the Trust, on behalf of the Fund (the “Advisory Agreement”). The Adviser also arranges for sub-advisory, transfer agency, custody, fund administration, and all other related services necessary for the Fund to operate. Toroso is a Delaware limited liability company founded in March 2012 that is dedicated to understanding, researching and managing assets within the expanding ETF universe. As of August 31, 2020 Toroso had assets under management of $1.93 billion.
The Adviser provides oversight of the Sub-Adviser and review of the Sub-Adviser’s performance and also oversees the trading of portfolio securities for the Fund. For the services provided to the Fund, the Fund pays the Adviser a unified management fee, which is calculated daily and paid monthly, at an annual rate of 0.65% of the Fund’s average daily net assets.
The Adviser has agreed to a reduced unitary management fee of 0.50% for the Fund until at least December 31, 2023 so that Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses after Fee Waiver do not exceed 0.50% during this period. This agreement may be
7


terminated only by, or with the consent of, the Fund’s Board of Trustees, on behalf of the Fund, upon sixty (60) days’ written notice to the Adviser. This Agreement may not be terminated by the Adviser without the consent of the Board of Trustees.
Under the Advisory Agreement, the Adviser has agreed to pay all expenses incurred by the Fund except for interest charges on any borrowings, dividends and other expenses on securities sold short, taxes, brokerage commissions, and other expenses incurred in placing orders for the purchase and sale of securities and other investment instruments, acquired fund fees and expenses, accrued deferred tax liability, extraordinary expenses, distribution fees, and expenses paid by the Fund under any distribution plan adopted pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act, and the unified management fee payable to the Adviser (collectively, the “Excluded Expenses”).
Sub-Adviser
Gotham Asset Management, LLC, a registered investment adviser located at 535 Madison Avenue, 30th Floor, New York, New York 10022, serves as investment sub-adviser to the Fund pursuant to a sub-advisory agreement between the Adviser and Sub-Adviser (the “Sub-Advisory Agreement”). Gotham is responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund’s portfolio, including determining the securities purchased and sold by the Fund, subject to the supervision of the Adviser and the Board. Gotham will also be responsible for trading portfolio securities for the Fund, including selecting broker-dealers to execute purchase and sale transactions, or directing such trading to be effected by the Adviser. Gotham provides portfolio management services to mutual funds, private funds, separately managed accounts and the Fund. For its services, Gotham is paid a fee by the Adviser, which is calculated daily and paid monthly, at an annual rate of 0.50% of the Fund’s average daily net assets. The Sub-Adviser has agreed to assume the Adviser’s obligation to pay all expenses incurred by the Fund, except for the sub-advisory fee payable to the Sub-Adviser and Excluded Expenses. Such expenses incurred by the Fund and paid by the Sub-Adviser include fees charged by Tidal ETF Services, LLC, the Fund’s administrator and an affiliate of the Adviser. See the section of the SAI titled “Administrator” for additional information about the Fund’s administrator.
A discussion regarding the basis for the Board’s approval of the Fund’s Advisory Agreement and Sub-Advisory Agreement will be available in the Fund’s first annual or semi-annual report to shareholders.
Portfolio Managers
The following individuals (each, a “Portfolio Manager”) have served as portfolio managers of the Fund since its inception. Joel Greenblatt and Robert Goldstein are jointly and primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund, and Mr. Venuto and Mr. Ragauss oversee trading and execution for the Fund.
Joel Greenblatt, Managing Principal and Co-Chief Investment Officer for the Sub-Adviser
Mr. Greenblatt serves as a Managing Principal and Co-Chief Investment Officer of Gotham, the successor to the investment advisory business of Gotham Capital, an investment firm he founded in 1985. Since 1996, he has been a professor on the adjunct faculty of Columbia Business School where he teaches “Value and Special Situation Investing.” Mr. Greenblatt is a director of Pzena Investment Management, Inc., a global investment management firm. He formerly served on the Investment Boards of the University of Pennsylvania and the UJA Federation. Mr. Greenblatt is the author of You Can Be A Stock Market Genius (Simon & Schuster, 1997), The Little Book that Beats the Market (Wiley, 2005), The Little Book that Still Beats the Market (Wiley, 2010), and The Big Secret for the Small Investor (Random House, 2011). He was the Chairman of the Board (1994 – 1995) and a board member (1994 – 2000) of Alliant Techsystems, a NYSE-listed aerospace and defense contractor. He holds a BS (1979), summa cum laude, and an MBA (1980) from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He has been a Portfolio Manager to the Fund since its inception in 2020.
Robert Goldstein, Managing Principal and Co-Chief Investment Officer for the Sub-Adviser
Mr. Goldstein serves as a Managing Principal and Co-Chief Investment Officer of Gotham, the successor to the investment advisory business of Gotham Capital, which he joined in 1989. Mr. Goldstein also founded and served as Managing Partner (1989 – 1997) of Metropolis Partners, a value and special situation investment partnership managing capital on behalf of institutions and wealthy individuals before returning capital to outside investors at the end of 1997. Mr. Goldstein currently serves on the Board of Trustees of the Museum of the City of New York. He holds a BA (1988), magna cum laude, from Tufts University. He has been a Portfolio Manager to the Fund since its inception in 2020.
Michael Venuto, Chief Investment Officer for the Adviser
Mr. Venuto is a co-founder and has been the Chief Investment Officer of the Adviser since 2012. Mr. Venuto is an ETF industry veteran with over a decade of experience in the design and implementation of ETF-based investment strategies. Previously, he was Head of Investments at Global X Funds where he provided portfolio optimization services to institutional clients. Before that, he was Senior Vice President at Horizon Kinetics where his responsibilities included new business
8


development, investment strategy and client and strategic initiatives. He has been a Portfolio Manager to the Fund since its inception in 2020.
Charles A. Ragauss, CFA, Portfolio Manager for the Adviser
Mr. Ragauss serves as Portfolio Manager at the Adviser, having joined the Adviser in September 2020. Through the Adviser, Mr. Ragauss also provides support services to CSat Investment Advisory, L.P., doing business as Exponential ETFs (“Exponential”). Mr. Ragauss previously served as Chief Operating Officer and in other roles at Exponential from April 2016 to September 2020. Previously, Mr. Ragauss was Assistant Vice President at Huntington National Bank (“Huntington”), where he was Product Manager for the Huntington Funds and Huntington Strategy Shares ETFs, a combined fund complex of almost $4 billion in assets under management. At Huntington, he led ETF development bringing to market some of the first actively managed ETFs. Mr. Ragauss joined Huntington in 2010. Mr. Ragauss attended Grand Valley State University where he received his Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance and International Business, as well as a minor in French. He is a member of both the National and West Michigan CFA societies and holds the CFA designation. He has been a Portfolio Manager to the Fund since its inception in 2020.
CFA® is a registered trademark owned by the CFA Institute.
The Fund’s SAI provides additional information about each Portfolio Manager’s compensation structure, other accounts that each Portfolio Manager manages, and each Portfolio Manager’s ownership of Shares.
HOW TO BUY AND SELL SHARES
The Fund issues and redeems Shares only in Creation Units at the NAV per share next determined after receipt of an order from an AP. Only APs may acquire Shares directly from the Fund, and only APs may tender their Shares for redemption directly to the Fund, at NAV. APs must be a member or participant of a clearing agency registered with the SEC and must execute a Participant Agreement that has been agreed to by the Distributor (defined below), and that has been accepted by the Fund’s transfer agent, with respect to purchases and redemptions of Creation Units. Once created, Shares trade in the secondary market in quantities less than a Creation Unit.
Most investors buy and sell Shares in secondary market transactions through brokers. Individual Shares are listed for trading on the secondary market on the Exchange and can be bought and sold throughout the trading day like other publicly traded securities.
When buying or selling Shares through a broker, you will incur customary brokerage commissions and charges, and you may pay some or all of the spread between the bid and the offer price in the secondary market on each leg of a round trip (purchase and sale) transaction. In addition, because secondary market transactions occur at market prices, you may pay more than NAV when you buy Shares, and receive less than NAV when you sell those Shares.
Book Entry
Shares are held in book-entry form, which means that no stock certificates are issued. Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) or its nominee is the record owner of all outstanding Shares.
Investors owning Shares are beneficial owners as shown on the records of DTC or its participants. DTC serves as the securities depository for all Shares. DTC’s participants include securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and other institutions that directly or indirectly maintain a custodial relationship with DTC. As a beneficial owner of Shares, you are not entitled to receive physical delivery of stock certificates or to have Shares registered in your name, and you are not considered a registered owner of Shares. Therefore, to exercise any right as an owner of Shares, you must rely upon the procedures of DTC and its participants. These procedures are the same as those that apply to any other securities that you hold in book-entry or “street name” through your brokerage account.
Frequent Purchases and Redemptions of Shares
The Fund imposes no restrictions on the frequency of purchases and redemptions of Shares. In determining not to approve a written, established policy, the Board evaluated the risks of market timing activities by Fund shareholders. Purchases and redemptions by APs, who are the only parties that may purchase or redeem Shares directly with the Fund, are an essential part of the ETF process and help keep Share trading prices in line with NAV. As such, the Fund accommodates frequent purchases and redemptions by APs. However, the Board has also determined that frequent purchases and redemptions for cash may increase tracking error and portfolio transaction costs and may lead to the realization of capital gains. To minimize these potential consequences of frequent purchases and redemptions, the Fund employs fair value pricing and may impose transaction fees on purchases and redemptions of Creation Units to cover the custodial and other costs incurred by the Fund in effecting trades. In addition, the Fund and the Adviser reserve the right to reject any purchase order at any time.
9


Determination of Net Asset Value
The Fund’s NAV is calculated as of the scheduled close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”), generally 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time, each day the NYSE is open for business. The NAV for the Fund is calculated by dividing the Fund’s net assets by its Shares outstanding.
In calculating its NAV, the Fund generally values its assets on the basis of market quotations, last sale prices, or estimates of value furnished by a pricing service or brokers who make markets in such instruments. If such information is not available for a security held by the Fund or is determined to be unreliable, the security will be valued at fair value estimates under guidelines established by the Board (as described below).
Fair Value Pricing
The Board has adopted procedures and methodologies to fair value Fund securities whose market prices are not “readily available” or are deemed to be unreliable. For example, such circumstances may arise when: (i) a security has been delisted or has had its trading halted or suspended; (ii) a security’s primary pricing source is unable or unwilling to provide a price; (iii) a security’s primary trading market is closed during regular market hours; or (iv) a security’s value is materially affected by events occurring after the close of the security’s primary trading market. Generally, when fair valuing a security, the Fund will take into account all reasonably available information that may be relevant to a particular valuation including, but not limited to, fundamental analytical data regarding the issuer, information relating to the issuer’s business, recent trades or offers of the security, general and/or specific market conditions, and the specific facts giving rise to the need to fair value the security. Fair value determinations are made in good faith and in accordance with the fair value methodologies included in the Board-adopted valuation procedures. Due to the subjective and variable nature of fair value pricing, there can be no assurance that the Adviser or the Sub-Adviser will be able to obtain the fair value assigned to the security upon the sale of such security.
Investments by Registered Investment Companies
Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act restricts investments by registered investment companies in the securities of other investment companies, including Shares. Registered investment companies are permitted to invest in the Fund beyond the limits set forth in section 12(d)(1), subject to certain terms and conditions set forth in an SEC exemptive order issued to the Trust or rule under the 1940 Act, including that such investment companies enter into an agreement with the Fund.
Delivery of Shareholder Documents – Householding
Householding is an option available to certain investors of the Fund. Householding is a method of delivery, based on the preference of the individual investor, in which a single copy of certain shareholder documents can be delivered to investors who share the same address, even if their accounts are registered under different names. Householding for the Fund is available through certain broker-dealers. If you are interested in enrolling in householding and receiving a single copy of prospectuses and other shareholder documents, please contact your broker-dealer. If you are currently enrolled in householding and wish to change your householding status, please contact your broker-dealer.
DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS, AND TAXES
Dividends and Distributions
The Fund intends to pay out dividends and interest income, if any, annually, and distribute any net realized capital gains to its shareholders at least annually. The Fund will declare and pay capital gain distributions, if any, in cash. Distributions in cash may be reinvested automatically in additional whole Shares only if the broker through whom you purchased Shares makes such option available. Your broker is responsible for distributing the income and capital gain distributions to you.
Taxes
The following discussion is a summary of some important U.S. federal income tax considerations generally applicable to investments in the Fund. Your investment in the Fund may have other tax implications. Please consult your tax advisor about the tax consequences of an investment in Shares, including the possible application of foreign, state, and local tax laws.
The Fund intends to qualify each year for treatment as a regulated investment company (a “RIC”) under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. If it meets certain minimum distribution requirements, a RIC is not subject to tax at the fund level on income and gains from investments that are timely distributed to shareholders. However, the Fund’s failure to qualify as a RIC or to meet minimum distribution requirements would result (if certain relief provisions were not available) in fund-level taxation and, consequently, a reduction in income available for distribution to shareholders.
10


Unless your investment in Shares is made through a tax-exempt entity or tax-advantaged account, such as an IRA plan, you need to be aware of the possible tax consequences when the Fund makes distributions, when you sell your Shares listed on the Exchange, and when you purchase or redeem Creation Units (institutional investors only).
The tax legislation commonly referred to as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the “Tax Act”) made significant changes to the U.S. federal income tax rules for taxation of individuals and corporations, generally effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017. Many of the changes applicable to individuals are temporary and would apply only to taxable years before January 1, 2026. There were only minor changes with respect to the specific rules only applicable to RICs, such as the Fund. The Tax Act, however, also made numerous other changes to the tax rules that may affect shareholders and the Fund. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (the “CARES ACT”) modified certain changes to the U.S. federal income tax rules made by the Tax Act which may, in addition, affect shareholders and the Fund. You are urged to consult with your own tax advisor regarding how this legislation affects your investment in the Fund.
Taxes on Distributions
For federal income tax purposes, distributions of net investment income are generally taxable as ordinary income or qualified dividend income. Taxes on distributions of net capital gains (if any) are determined by how long the Fund owned the investments that generated them, rather than how long a shareholder has owned their Shares. Sales of assets held by the Fund for more than one year generally result in long-term capital gains and losses, and sales of assets held by the Fund for one year or less generally result in short-term capital gains and losses. Distributions of the Fund’s net capital gain (the excess of net long-term capital gains over net short-term capital losses) that are reported by the Fund as capital gain dividends (“Capital Gain Dividends”) will be taxable as long-term capital gains. Distributions of short-term capital gain will generally be taxable as ordinary income. Dividends and distributions are generally taxable to you whether you receive them in cash or reinvest them in additional shares.
Distributions reported by the Fund as “qualified dividend income” are generally taxed to non-corporate shareholders at rates applicable to long-term capital gains, provided certain holding period and other requirements are met. “Qualified dividend income” generally is income derived from dividends paid by U.S. corporations or certain foreign corporations that are either incorporated in a U.S. possession or eligible for tax benefits under certain U.S. income tax treaties. In addition, dividends that the Fund receives in respect of stock of certain foreign corporations may be qualified dividend income if that stock is readily tradable on an established U.S. securities market. Corporate shareholders may be entitled to a dividends-received deduction for the portion of dividends they receive from the Fund that are attributable to dividends received by the Fund from U.S. corporations, subject to certain limitations.
Shortly after the close of each calendar year, you will be informed of the character of any distributions received from the Fund.
In addition to the federal income tax, certain individuals, trusts, and estates may be subject to a Net Investment Income (“NII”) tax of 3.8%. The NII tax is imposed on the lesser of: (i) a taxpayer’s investment income, net of deductions properly allocable to such income; or (ii) the amount by which such taxpayer’s modified adjusted gross income exceeds certain thresholds ($250,000 for married individuals filing jointly, $200,000 for unmarried individuals and $125,000 for married individuals filing separately). The Fund’s distributions are includable in a shareholder’s investment income for purposes of this NII tax. In addition, any capital gain realized by a shareholder upon a sale, exchange, or redemption of Fund shares is includable in such shareholder’s investment income for purposes of this NII tax.
In general, your distributions are subject to federal income tax for the year in which they are paid. Certain distributions paid in January, however, may be treated as paid on December 31 of the prior year. Distributions are generally taxable even if they are paid from income or gains earned by the Fund before your investment (and thus were included in the Shares’ NAV when you purchased your Shares).
You may wish to avoid investing in the Fund shortly before a dividend or other distribution, because such a distribution will generally be taxable even though it may economically represent a return of a portion of your investment.
If you are neither a resident nor a citizen of the United States or if you are a foreign entity, distributions (other than Capital Gain Dividends) paid to you by the Fund will generally be subject to a U.S. withholding tax at the rate of 30%, unless a lower treaty rate applies. The Fund may, under certain circumstances, report all or a portion of a dividend as an “interest-related dividend” or a “short-term capital gain dividend,” which would generally be exempt from this 30% U.S. withholding tax, provided certain other requirements are met.
Under the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (“FATCA”), the Fund may be required to withhold a generally nonrefundable 30% tax on (i) distributions of investment company taxable income and (ii) distributions of net capital gain and the gross proceeds of a sale or redemption of Fund shares paid to (A) certain “foreign financial institutions” unless such
11


foreign financial institution agrees to verify, monitor, and report to the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) the identity of certain of its account-holders, among other items (or unless such entity is otherwise deemed compliant under the terms of an intergovernmental agreement between the United States and the foreign financial institution’s country of residence), and (B) certain “non-financial foreign entities” unless such entity certifies to the Fund that it does not have any substantial U.S. owners or provides the name, address, and taxpayer identification number of each substantial U.S. owner, among other items. In December 2018, the IRS and Treasury Department released proposed Treasury Regulations that would eliminate FATCA withholding on Fund distributions of net capital gain and the gross proceeds from a sale or redemption of Fund shares. Although taxpayers are entitled to rely on these proposed Treasury Regulations until final Treasury Regulations are issued, these proposed Treasury Regulations have not been finalized, may not be finalized in their proposed form, and are potentially subject to change. This FATCA withholding tax could also affect the Fund’s return on its investments in foreign securities or affect a shareholder’s return if the shareholder holds its Fund shares through a foreign intermediary. You are urged to consult your tax adviser regarding the application of this FATCA withholding tax to your investment in the Fund and the potential certification, compliance, due diligence, reporting, and withholding obligations to which you may become subject in order to avoid this withholding tax.
The Fund (or a financial intermediary, such as a broker, through which a shareholder owns Shares) generally is required to withhold and remit to the U.S. Treasury a percentage of the taxable distributions and sale or redemption proceeds paid to any shareholder who fails to properly furnish a correct taxpayer identification number, who has underreported dividend or interest income, or who fails to certify that they are not subject to such withholding.
Taxes When Shares are Sold on the Exchange
Any capital gain or loss realized upon a sale of Shares generally is treated as a long-term capital gain or loss if Shares have been held for more than one year and as a short-term capital gain or loss if Shares have been held for one year or less. However, any capital loss on a sale of Shares held for six months or less is treated as long-term capital loss to the extent of Capital Gain Dividends paid with respect to such Shares. Any loss realized on a sale will be disallowed to the extent Shares are acquired, including through reinvestment of dividends, within a 61-day period beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after the sale of Shares.
Taxes on Purchases and Redemptions of Creation Units
An AP having the U.S. dollar as its functional currency for U.S. federal income tax purposes who exchanges securities for Creation Units generally recognizes a gain or a loss. The gain or loss will be equal to the difference between the value of the Creation Units at the time of the exchange and the exchanging AP’s aggregate basis in the securities delivered plus the amount of any cash paid for the Creation Units. An AP who exchanges Creation Units for securities will generally recognize a gain or loss equal to the difference between the exchanging AP’s basis in the Creation Units and the aggregate U.S. dollar market value of the securities received, plus any cash received for such Creation Units. The IRS may assert, however, that a loss that is realized upon an exchange of securities for Creation Units may not be currently deducted under the rules governing “wash sales” (for an AP who does not mark-to-market their holdings) or on the basis that there has been no significant change in economic position. Persons exchanging securities should consult their own tax advisor with respect to whether wash sale rules apply and when a loss might be deductible.
Any capital gain or loss realized upon redemption of Creation Units is generally treated as long-term capital gain or loss if Shares comprising the Creation Units have been held for more than one year and as a short-term capital gain or loss if such Shares have been held for one year or less.
The Fund may include a payment of cash in addition to, or in place of, the delivery of a basket of securities upon the redemption of Creation Units. The Fund may sell portfolio securities to obtain the cash needed to distribute redemption proceeds. This may cause the Fund to recognize investment income and/or capital gains or losses that it might not have recognized if it had completely satisfied the redemption in-kind. As a result, the Fund may be less tax efficient if it includes such a cash payment in the proceeds paid upon the redemption of Creation Units.
The foregoing discussion summarizes some of the possible consequences under current federal tax law of an investment in the Fund. It is not a substitute for personal tax advice. You also may be subject to foreign, state, and local tax on Fund distributions and sales of Shares. Consult your personal tax advisor about the potential tax consequences of an investment in Shares under all applicable tax laws. For more information, please see the section entitled “Federal Income Taxes” in the SAI.
12


DISTRIBUTION
Foreside Fund Services, LLC (the “Distributor”), the Fund’s distributor, is a broker-dealer registered with the SEC. The Distributor distributes Creation Units for the Fund on an agency basis and does not maintain a secondary market in Shares. The Distributor has no role in determining the policies of the Fund or the securities that are purchased or sold by the Fund. The Distributor’s principal address is Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, Maine 04101.
The Board has adopted a Distribution (Rule 12b-1) Plan (the “Plan”) pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act. In accordance with the Plan, the Fund is authorized to pay an amount up to 0.25% of its average daily net assets each year for certain distribution-related activities and shareholder services.
No Rule 12b-1 fees are currently paid by the Fund, and there are no plans to impose these fees. However, in the event Rule 12b-1 fees are charged in the future, because the fees are paid out of Fund assets on an ongoing basis, over time these fees will increase the cost of your investment and may cost you more than certain other types of sales charges.
PREMIUM/DISCOUNT INFORMATION
When available, information regarding how often Shares traded on the Exchange at a price above (i.e., at a premium) or below (i.e., at a discount) the NAV of the Fund can be found on the Fund’s website at www.GothamETFs.com/GSPY.
ADDITIONAL NOTICES
Shares are not sponsored, endorsed, or promoted by the Exchange. The Exchange is not responsible for, nor has it participated in the determination of, the timing, prices, or quantities of Shares to be issued, nor in the determination or calculation of the equation by which Shares are redeemable. The Exchange has no obligation or liability to owners of Shares in connection with the administration, marketing, or trading of Shares.
Without limiting any of the foregoing, in no event shall the Exchange have any liability for any lost profits or indirect, punitive, special, or consequential damages even if notified of the possibility thereof.
The Adviser, the Sub-Adviser, and the Fund make no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of Shares or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in the Fund particularly.
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
This section would ordinarily include Financial Highlights. The Financial Highlights table is intended to help you understand the Fund’s performance for the Fund’s periods of operations. Because the Fund has not yet commenced operations as of the date of this Prospectus, no Financial Highlights are shown.
13


Adviser
Toroso Investments, LLC
898 N. Broadway, Suite 2
Massapequa, New York 11758
Administrator
Tidal ETF Services LLC
898 N. Broadway, Suite 2
Massapequa, New York 11758
Sub-Adviser
Gotham Asset Management, LLC
535 Madison Avenue, 30th Floor
New York, New York 10022
Sub-Administrator, Fund Accountant, and Transfer Agent
U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC,
doing business as U.S. Bank Global Fund Services
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202
Distributor

Foreside Fund Services, LLC
Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100
Portland, Maine 04101
Custodian
U.S. Bank National Association
1555 N. Rivercenter Dr.
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53212
Legal Counsel
Godfrey & Kahn, S.C.
833 East Michigan Street, Suite 1800
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202
Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
Tait, Weller & Baker LLP
Two Liberty Place
50 S. 16th Street, 29th Floor
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19102
Investors may find more information about the Fund in the following documents:
Statement of Additional Information: The Fund’s SAI provides additional details about the investments of the Fund and certain other additional information. A current SAI dated November 9, 2020, as supplemented from time to time, is on file with the SEC and is herein incorporated by reference into this Prospectus. It is legally considered a part of this Prospectus.
Annual/Semi-Annual Reports: Additional information about the Fund’s investments will be available in the Fund’s annual and semi-annual reports to shareholders. In the annual report you will find a discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund’s performance after the first fiscal year the Fund is in operation.
You can obtain free copies of these documents, when available, request other information or make general inquiries about the Fund by contacting the Fund at Gotham Enhanced 500 ETF, c/o U.S. Bank Global Fund Services, P.O. Box 701, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53201-0701 or calling 855-998-4779.
Shareholder reports, the Fund’s current Prospectus and SAI and other information about the Fund will also be available:
Free of charge from the SEC’s EDGAR database on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov; or
Free of charge from the Fund’s Internet website at www.GothamETFs.com/GSPY; or
For a duplicating fee, by e-mail request to publicinfo@sec.gov.


(SEC Investment Company Act File No. 811-23377)





(GSPY) Gotham Enhanced 500 ETF
a series of Tidal ETF Trust
Listed on NYSE Arca, Inc.

STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
November 9, 2020
This Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) is not a prospectus and should be read in conjunction with the Prospectus for the Gotham Enhanced 500 ETF (the “Fund”), a series of Tidal ETF Trust (the “Trust”), dated November 9, 2020, as may be supplemented from time to time (the “Prospectus”). Capitalized terms used in this SAI that are not defined have the same meaning as in the Prospectus, unless otherwise noted. A copy of the Prospectus may be obtained without charge, by calling the Fund at 855-998-4779, visiting www.GothamETFs.com/GSPY, or writing to the Fund, c/o U.S. Bank Global Fund Services, P.O. Box 701, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53201-0701.
The Fund’s audited financial statements for the most recent fiscal year (when available) will be incorporated into this SAI by reference to the Fund’s most recent Annual Report to Shareholders (File No. 811-23377). When available, a copy of the Fund’s Annual Report to Shareholders may be obtained at no charge by contacting the Fund at the address or phone number noted above.



TABLE OF CONTENTS

General Information About the Trust
1
Additional Information about Investment Objectives, Policies, and Related Risks
1
Description of Permitted Investments
2
Investment Restrictions
11
Exchange Listing and Trading
12
Management of the Trust
12
Principal Shareholders, Control Persons, and Management Ownership
18
Codes of Ethics
19
Proxy Voting Policies
19
Investment Adviser
19
Investment Sub-Adviser
20
Portfolio Managers
20
Distributor
22
Administrator
23
Sub-Administrator and Transfer Agent
23
Custodian
24
Compliance Services Administrator
24
Legal Counsel
24
Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
24
Portfolio Holdings Disclosure Policies and Procedures
24
Description of Shares
24
Limitation of Trustees’ Liability
25
Brokerage Transactions
25
Portfolio Turnover Rate
27
Book Entry Only System
27
Purchase and Redemption of Shares in Creation Units
28
Determination of NAV
32
Dividends and Distributions
33
Federal Income Taxes
33
Financial Statements
39
Appendix A
A-1


1


GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE TRUST
The Trust is an open-end management investment company consisting of multiple series, including the Fund. This SAI relates to the Fund. The Trust was organized as a Delaware statutory trust on June 4, 2018. The Trust is registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (together with the rules and regulations adopted thereunder, as amended, the “1940 Act”), as an open-end management investment company and the offering of the Fund’s shares (“Shares”) is registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). The Trust is governed by its Board of Trustees (the “Board”). Toroso Investments, LLC (“Toroso” or the “Adviser”) serves as investment adviser to the Fund. Gotham Asset Management, LLC (“Gotham” or the “Sub-Adviser”) serves as investment sub-adviser to the Fund.
The Fund offers and issues Shares at their net asset value (“NAV”) only in aggregations of a specified number of Shares (each, a “Creation Unit”). The Fund generally offers and issues Shares in exchange for a basket of securities (“Deposit Securities”) together with the deposit of a specified cash payment (“Cash Component”). The Trust reserves the right to permit or require the substitution of a “cash in lieu” amount (“Deposit Cash”) to be added to the Cash Component to replace any Deposit Security. Shares are listed on NYSE Arca, Inc. (the “Exchange”). Shares trade on the Exchange at market prices that may differ from the Shares’ NAV. Shares are also redeemable only in Creation Unit aggregations, primarily for a basket of Deposit Securities together with a Cash Component. As a practical matter, only institutions or large investors, known as “Authorized Participants” or “APs,” purchase or redeem Creation Units. Except when aggregated in Creation Units, Shares are not individually redeemable.
Shares may be issued in advance of receipt of Deposit Securities subject to various conditions, including a requirement to maintain on deposit with the Trust cash at least equal to a specified percentage of the value of the missing Deposit Securities, as set forth in the Participant Agreement (as defined below). The Trust may impose a transaction fee for each creation or redemption. In all cases, such fees will be limited in accordance with the requirements of the SEC applicable to management investment companies offering redeemable securities. As in the case of other publicly traded securities, brokers’ commissions on transactions in the secondary market will be based on negotiated commission rates at customary levels.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES, POLICIES, AND RELATED RISKS
The Fund’s investment objective and principal investment strategies are described in the Prospectus. The following information supplements, and should be read in conjunction with, the Prospectus. For a description of certain permitted investments, see “Description of Permitted Investments” in this SAI.
With respect to the Fund’s investments, unless otherwise noted, if a percentage limitation on investment is adhered to at the time of investment or contract, a subsequent increase or decrease as a result of market movement or redemption will not result in a violation of such investment limitation.
Diversification
The Fund is “diversified” within the meaning of the 1940 Act. Under applicable federal laws, to qualify as a diversified fund, the Fund, with respect to 75% of its total assets, may not invest greater than 5% of its total assets in any one issuer and may not hold greater than 10% of the securities of one issuer, other than investments in cash and cash items (including receivables), U.S. government securities, and securities of other investment companies. The remaining 25% of the Fund’s total assets does not need to be “diversified” and may be invested in securities of a single issuer, subject to other applicable laws. The diversification of the Fund’s holdings is measured at the time the Fund purchases a security. However, if the Fund purchases a security and holds it for a period of time, the security may become a larger percentage of the Fund’s total assets due to movements in the financial markets. If the market affects several securities held by the Fund, the Fund may have a greater percentage of its assets invested in securities of fewer issuers.
General Risks
The value of the Fund’s portfolio securities may fluctuate with changes in the financial condition of an issuer or counterparty, changes in specific economic or political conditions that affect a particular security or issuer, and changes in general economic or political conditions. An investor in the Fund could lose money over short or long periods of time.
There can be no guarantee that a liquid market for the securities held by the Fund will be maintained. The existence of a liquid trading market for certain securities may depend on whether dealers will make a market in such securities. There can be no assurance that a market will be made or maintained or that any such market will be or remain liquid. The price at which securities may be sold and the value of Shares will be adversely affected if trading markets for the Fund’s portfolio securities are limited or absent, or if bid-ask spreads are wide.
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Cyber Security Risk. Investment companies, such as the Fund, and their service providers may be subject to operational and information security risks resulting from cyber attacks. Cyber attacks include, among other behaviors, stealing or corrupting data maintained online or digitally, denial of service attacks on websites, the unauthorized release of confidential information or various other forms of cyber security breaches. Cyber attacks affecting the Fund or the Adviser, the Sub-Adviser, Custodian (defined below), Transfer Agent (defined below), intermediaries, and other third-party service providers may adversely impact the Fund. For instance, cyber attacks may interfere with the processing of shareholder transactions, impact the Fund’s ability to calculate its NAV, cause the release of private shareholder information or confidential company information, impede trading, subject the Fund to regulatory fines or financial losses, and cause reputational damage. The Fund may also incur additional costs for cyber security risk management purposes. Similar types of cyber security risks are also present for issuers of securities in which the Fund invests, which could result in material adverse consequences for such issuers, and may cause the Fund’s investment in such portfolio companies to lose value.
DESCRIPTION OF PERMITTED INVESTMENTS
The following are descriptions of the permitted investments and investment practices and the associated risk factors. The Fund will only invest in any of the following instruments or engage in any of the following investment practices if such investment or activity is consistent with the Fund’s investment objective and permitted by the Fund’s stated investment policies. In addition, certain of the techniques and investments discussed in this SAI are not principal strategies of the Fund as disclosed in the Prospectus, and while such techniques and investments are permissible for the Fund to utilize, the Fund is not required to utilize such non-principal techniques or investments.
Borrowing
Although the Fund does not intend to borrow money, the Fund may do so to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act. Under the 1940 Act, the Fund may borrow up to one-third (1/3) of its total assets. The Fund will borrow money only for short-term or emergency purposes. Such borrowing is not for investment purposes and will be repaid by the Fund promptly. Borrowing will tend to exaggerate the effect on NAV of any increase or decrease in the market value of the Fund’s portfolio. Money borrowed will be subject to interest costs that may or may not be recovered by earnings on the securities purchased. The Fund also may be required to maintain minimum average balances in connection with a borrowing or to pay a commitment or other fee to maintain a line of credit; either of these requirements would increase the cost of borrowing over the stated interest rate.
Debt Securities
In general, a debt security represents a loan of money to the issuer by the purchaser of the security. A debt security typically has a fixed payment schedule that obligates the issuer to pay interest to the lender and to return the lender’s money over a certain time period. A company typically meets its payment obligations associated with its outstanding debt securities before it declares and pays any dividend to holders of its equity securities. Bonds, notes and commercial paper are examples of debt securities and differ in the length of the issuer’s principal repayment schedule, with bonds carrying the longest repayment schedule and commercial paper the shortest.
Debt securities are all generally subject to interest rate, credit, income and prepayment risks and, like all investments, are subject to liquidity and market risks to varying degrees depending upon the specific terms and type of security. The Sub-Adviser attempts to reduce credit and market risk through diversification of the Fund’s portfolio and ongoing credit analysis of each issuer, as well as by monitoring economic developments, but there can be no assurance that it will be successful at doing so.
Credit risk. Debt securities are subject to the risk of an issuer’s (or other party’s) failure or inability to meet its obligations under the security. Multiple parties may have obligations under a debt security. An issuer or borrower may fail to pay principal and interest when due. A guarantor, insurer or credit support provider may fail to provide the agreed upon protection. A counterparty to a transaction may fail to perform its side of the bargain. An intermediary or agent interposed between the investor and other parties may fail to perform the terms of its service. Also, performance under a debt security may be linked to the obligations of other persons who may fail to meet their obligations. The credit risk associated with a debt security could increase to the extent that the Fund’s ability to benefit fully from its investment in the security depends on the performance by multiple parties of their respective contractual or other obligations. The market value of a debt security is also affected by the market’s perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer.
The Fund may incur substantial losses on debt securities that are inaccurately perceived to present a different amount of credit risk than they actually do by the market, the Sub-Adviser or the rating agencies. Credit risk is generally greater where less information is publicly available, where fewer covenants safeguard the investors’ interests, where collateral may be impaired or inadequate, where little legal redress or regulatory protection is available, or where a party’s ability to meet
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obligations is speculative. Additionally, any inaccuracy in the information used by the Fund to evaluate credit risk may affect the value of securities held by the Fund.
Obligations under debt securities held by the Fund may never be satisfied or, if satisfied, only satisfied in part.
Some securities are subject to risks as a result of a credit downgrade or default by a government, or its agencies or, instrumentalities. Credit risk is a greater concern for high-yield debt securities and debt securities of issuers whose ability to pay interest and principal may be considered speculative. Debt securities are typically classified as investment grade-quality (medium to highest credit quality) or below investment grade-quality (commonly referred to as high-yield or junk bonds). Many individual debt securities are rated by a third party source, such as Moody’s Investors Service (“Moody’s”) or Standard & Poor’s Financial Services (“S&P®”), to help describe the creditworthiness of the issuer.
Uncertain Tax Treatment Risk. Investments in debt securities rated below investment grade instruments may present special tax issues for the Fund. U.S. federal income tax rules are not entirely clear about issues such as when the Fund may cease accruing interest, OID or market discount, when and to what extent deductions may be taken for bad debts or worthless instruments, how payments received on obligations in default should be allocated between principal and income and whether exchanges of debt obligations in a bankruptcy or workout context are taxable. These and other issues will be addressed by the Fund to the extent necessary to seek to ensure that it distributes sufficient income that the Fund does not become subject to U.S. federal income or excise tax.
Credit ratings risk. The Sub-Adviser may perform its own independent investment analysis of securities being considered for the Fund’s portfolio, which includes consideration of, among other things, the issuer’s financial resources, its sensitivity to economic conditions and trends, its operating history, the quality of the issuer’s management and regulatory matters. The Sub-Adviser also may consider the ratings assigned by various investment services and independent rating agencies, such as Moody’s and S&P, that publish ratings based upon their assessment of the relative creditworthiness of the rated debt securities. Generally, a lower rating indicates higher credit risk. Higher yields are ordinarily available from debt securities in the lower rating categories.
Using credit ratings to evaluate debt securities can involve certain risks. For example, ratings assigned by the rating agencies are based upon an analysis completed at the time of the rating of the obligor’s ability to pay interest and repay principal. Rating agencies typically rely to a large extent on historical data which may not accurately represent present or future circumstances. Ratings do not purport to reflect the risk of fluctuations in market value of the debt security and are not absolute standards of quality and only express the rating agency’s current opinion of an obligor’s overall financial capacity to pay its financial obligations. A credit rating is not a statement of fact or a recommendation to purchase, sell or hold a debt obligation. Also, credit quality can change suddenly and unexpectedly, and credit ratings may not reflect the issuer’s current financial condition or events since the security was last rated. Rating agencies may have a financial interest in generating business, including from the arranger or issuer of the security that normally pays for that rating, and providing a low rating might affect the rating agency’s prospects for future business. While rating agencies have policies and procedures to address this potential conflict of interest, there is a risk that these policies will fail to prevent a conflict of interest from impacting the rating.
Extension risk. The Fund is subject to extension risk, which is the risk that the market value of some debt securities, particularly mortgage securities and certain asset-backed securities, may be adversely affected when bond calls or prepayments on underlying mortgages or other assets are less or slower than anticipated. Extension risk may result from, for example, rising interest rates or unexpected developments in the markets for the underlying assets or mortgages. As a consequence, the security’s effective maturity will be extended, resulting in an increase in interest rate sensitivity to that of a longer-term instrument. Extension risk generally increases as interest rates rise. This is because, in a rising interest rate environment, the rate of prepayment and exercise of call or buy-back rights generally falls and the rate of default and delayed payment generally rises. When the maturity of an investment is extended in a rising interest rate environment, a below-market interest rate is usually locked-in and the value of the security reduced. This risk is greater for fixed-rate than variable-rate debt securities.
Income risk. The Fund is subject to income risk, which is the risk that the Fund’s income will decline during periods of falling interest rates or when the Fund experiences defaults on debt securities it holds. The Fund’s income declines when interest rates fall because, as the Fund’s higher-yielding debt securities mature or are prepaid, the Fund must re-invest the proceeds in debt securities that have lower, prevailing interest rates. The amount and rate of distributions that the Fund’s shareholders receive are affected by the income that the Fund receives from its portfolio holdings. If the income is reduced, distributions by the Fund to shareholders may be less.
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Fluctuations in income paid to the Fund are generally greater for variable rate debt securities. The Fund will be deemed to receive taxable income on certain securities which pay no cash payments until maturity, such as zero-coupon securities. The Fund may be required to sell portfolio securities that it would otherwise continue to hold in order to obtain sufficient cash to make the distribution to shareholders required for U.S. tax purposes.
Inflation risk. The market price of debt securities generally falls as inflation increases because the purchasing power of the future income and repaid principal is expected to be worth less when received by the Fund. Debt securities that pay a fixed rather than variable interest rate are especially vulnerable to inflation risk because variable-rate debt securities may be able to participate, over the long term, in rising interest rates which have historically corresponded with long-term inflationary trends.
Interest rate risk. The market value of debt securities generally varies in response to changes in prevailing interest rates. Interest rate changes can be sudden and unpredictable. In addition, short-term and long-term rates are not necessarily correlated to each other as short-term rates tend to be influenced by government monetary policy while long-term rates are market driven and may be influenced by macroeconomic events (such as economic expansion or contraction), inflation expectations, as well as supply and demand. During periods of declining interest rates, the market value of debt securities generally increases. Conversely, during periods of rising interest rates, the market value of debt securities generally declines. This occurs because new debt securities are likely to be issued with higher interest rates as interest rates increase, making the old or outstanding debt securities less attractive. In general, the market prices of long-term debt securities or securities that make little (or no) interest payments are more sensitive to interest rate fluctuations than shorter-term debt securities. The longer the Fund’s average weighted portfolio duration, the greater the potential impact a change in interest rates will have on its share price. Also, certain segments of the fixed income markets, such as high quality bonds, tend to be more sensitive to interest rate changes than other segments, such as lower-quality bonds.
Prepayment risk. Debt securities, especially bonds that are subject to “calls,” such as asset-backed or mortgage-backed securities, are subject to prepayment risk if their terms allow the payment of principal and other amounts due before their stated maturity. Amounts invested in a debt security that has been “called” or “prepaid” will be returned to an investor holding that security before expected by the investor. In such circumstances, the investor may be required to re-invest the proceeds it receives from the called or prepaid security in a new security which, in periods of declining interest rates, will typically have a lower interest rate. Prepayment risk is especially prevalent in periods of declining interest rates and will result for other reasons, including unexpected developments in the markets for the underlying assets or mortgages. For example, a decline in mortgage interest rates typically initiates a period of mortgage refinancings. When homeowners refinance their mortgages, the investor in the underlying pool of mortgage-backed securities (such as a fund) receives its principal back sooner than expected, and must reinvest at lower, prevailing rates.
Securities subject to prepayment risk are often called during a declining interest rate environment and generally offer less potential for gains and greater price volatility than other income-bearing securities of comparable maturity.
Call risk is similar to prepayment risk and results from the ability of an issuer to call, or prepay, a debt security early. If interest rates decline enough, the debt security’s issuer can save money by repaying its callable debt securities and issuing new debt securities at lower interest rates.
Derivative Instruments
Generally, derivatives are financial instruments whose value depends on or is derived from, the value of one or more underlying assets (a “reference instrument”), such as stocks or indices. Derivative instruments, such as swaps, can provide an efficient means to gain or reduce exposure to the value of a reference instrument without actually owning or selling the instrument. The successful use of derivative instruments is not assured and will depend upon, among other factors, the Sub-Adviser’s ability to gauge relevant market movements. The Fund’s use of derivative instruments may be limited from time to time by policies adopted by the Board, the Adviser, or the Sub-Adviser.
Because some derivative instruments used by the Fund may oblige the Fund to make payments or incur additional obligations in the future, the SEC requires investment companies to “cover” or segregate liquid assets equal to the potential exposure created by such derivatives.
Swaps. Generally, swap agreements are contracts between the Fund and another party (the swap counterparty) involving the exchange of payments on specified terms over periods ranging from a few days to multiple years. A swap agreement may be negotiated bilaterally and traded over the counter between the two parties (for an uncleared swap) or, in some instances, must be transacted through a futures commission merchant and cleared through a clearinghouse that serves as a central counterparty (for a cleared swap). In a basic swap transaction, the Fund agrees with the swap counterparty to exchange the returns (or differentials in rates of return) and/or cash flows earned or realized on a particular “notional amount” or value of
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predetermined underlying reference instruments. The notional amount is the set dollar or other value selected by the parties to use as the basis on which to calculate the obligations that the parties to a swap agreement have agreed to exchange. The parties typically do not actually exchange the notional amount. Instead they agree to exchange the returns that would be earned or realized if the notional amount were invested in given investments or at given interest rates. Examples of returns that may be exchanged in a swap agreement are those of a particular security or a “basket” of securities representing a particular index.
If the Fund engages in a swap, the Fund will generally enter into swap agreements on a net basis, which means that the two payment streams that are to be made by the Fund and its counterparty with respect to a particular swap agreement are netted out, with the Fund receiving or paying, as the case may be, only the net difference in the two payments. The Fund’s obligations (or rights) under a swap agreement that is entered into on a net basis will generally be the net amount to be paid or received under the agreement based on the relative values of the obligations of each party upon termination of the agreement or at set valuation dates. The Fund will accrue its obligations under a swap agreement daily (offset by any amounts the counterparty owes the Fund). If the swap agreement does not provide for that type of netting, the full amount of the Fund’s obligations will be accrued on a daily basis.
Risks of swaps generally. The use of swap transactions is a highly specialized activity, which involves investment techniques and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions. Whether the Fund will be successful in using swap agreements to achieve its investment goal depends on the ability of the Sub-Adviser to correctly predict which types of investments are likely to produce greater returns. If the Sub-Adviser, in using swap agreements, is incorrect in its forecasts of market values, interest rates, inflation, currency exchange rates or other applicable factors, the investment performance of the Fund will be less than its performance would have been if it had not used the swap agreements.
The risk of loss to the Fund for swap transactions that are entered into on a net basis depends on which party is obligated to pay the net amount to the other party. If the counterparty is obligated to pay the net amount to the Fund, the risk of loss to the Fund is loss of the entire amount that the Fund is entitled to receive. If the Fund is obligated to pay the net amount, the Fund’s risk of loss is generally limited to that net amount. If the swap agreement involves the exchange of the entire principal value of a security, the entire principal value of that security is subject to the risk that the other party to the swap will default on its contractual delivery obligations. In addition, the Fund’s risk of loss also includes any margin at risk in the event of default by the counterparty (in an uncleared swap) or the central counterparty or futures commission merchant (in a cleared swap), plus any transaction costs.
Rules adopted under the Dodd-Frank Act require centralized reporting of detailed information about many swaps, whether cleared or uncleared. This information is available to regulators and also, to a more limited extent and on an anonymous basis, to the public. Reporting of swap data is intended to result in greater market transparency. This may be beneficial to funds that use swaps in their trading strategies. However, public reporting imposes additional recordkeeping burdens on these funds, and the safeguards established to protect anonymity are not yet tested and may not provide protection of the funds’ identities as intended.
Certain U.S. Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) positions may limit the Fund’s ability to use swap agreements in a desired tax strategy. It is possible that developments in the swap markets and/or the laws relating to swap agreements, including potential government regulation, could adversely affect the Fund’s ability to benefit from using swap agreements, or could have adverse tax consequences.
Equity Securities
Equity securities, such as the common stocks of an issuer, are subject to stock market fluctuations and therefore may experience volatile changes in value as market conditions, consumer sentiment, or the financial condition of the issuers change. A decrease in value of the equity securities in the Fund’s portfolio may also cause the value of Shares to decline.
An investment in the Fund should be made with an understanding of the risks inherent in an investment in equity securities, including the risk that the financial condition of issuers may become impaired or that the general condition of the stock market may deteriorate (either of which may cause a decrease in the value of the Fund’s portfolio securities and therefore a decrease in the value of Shares). Common stocks are susceptible to general stock market fluctuations and to volatile increases and decreases in value as market confidence and perceptions change. These investor perceptions are based on various and unpredictable factors, including expectations regarding government, economic, monetary and fiscal policies; inflation and interest rates; economic expansion or contraction; and global or regional political, economic, or banking crises.
Holders of common stocks incur more risk than holders of preferred stocks and debt obligations because common stockholders, as owners of the issuer, generally have inferior rights to receive payments from the issuer in comparison with the rights of creditors or holders of debt obligations or preferred stocks. Further, unlike debt securities, which typically have a
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stated principal amount payable at maturity (whose value, however, is subject to market fluctuations prior thereto), or preferred stocks, which typically have a liquidation preference and which may have stated optional or mandatory redemption provisions, common stocks have neither a fixed principal amount nor a maturity. Common stock values are subject to market fluctuations as long as the common stock remains outstanding.
When-Issued SecuritiesA when-issued security is one whose terms are available and for which a market exists, but which has not been issued. When the Fund engages in when-issued transactions, it relies on the other party to complete the sale. If the other party fails to complete the sale, the Fund may miss the opportunity to obtain the security at a favorable price or yield.
When purchasing a security on a when-issued basis, the Fund assumes the rights and risks of ownership of the security, including the risk of price and yield changes. At the time of settlement, the value of the security may be more or less than the purchase price. The yield available in the market when the delivery takes place also may be higher than those obtained in the transaction itself. Because the Fund does not pay for the security until the delivery date, these risks are in addition to the risks associated with its other investments.
Decisions to enter into “when-issued” transactions will be considered on a case-by-case basis when necessary to maintain continuity in a company’s index membership. The Fund will segregate cash or liquid securities equal in value to commitments for the when-issued transactions. The Fund will segregate additional liquid assets daily so that the value of such assets is equal to the amount of the commitments.
Types of Equity Securities:
Common Stocks — Common stocks represent units of ownership in a company. Common stocks usually carry voting rights and earn dividends. Unlike preferred stocks, which are described below, dividends on common stocks are not fixed but are declared at the discretion of the company’s board of directors.
Preferred Stocks — Preferred stocks are also units of ownership in a company. Preferred stocks normally have preference over common stock in the payment of dividends and the liquidation of the company. However, in all other respects, preferred stocks are subordinated to the liabilities of the issuer. Unlike common stocks, preferred stocks are generally not entitled to vote on corporate matters. Types of preferred stocks include adjustable-rate preferred stock, fixed dividend preferred stock, perpetual preferred stock, and sinking fund preferred stock.
Generally, the market values of preferred stock with a fixed dividend rate and no conversion element vary inversely with interest rates and perceived credit risk.
Rights and Warrants — A right is a privilege granted to existing shareholders of a corporation to subscribe to shares of a new issue of common stock before it is issued. Rights normally have a short life of usually two to four weeks, are freely transferable and entitle the holder to buy the new common stock at a lower price than the public offering price. Warrants are securities that are usually issued together with a debt security or preferred stock and that give the holder the right to buy a proportionate amount of common stock at a specified price. Warrants are freely transferable, and are traded on major exchanges. Unlike rights, warrants normally have a life that is measured in years and entitles the holder to buy common stock of a company at a price that is usually higher than the market price at the time the warrant is issued. Corporations often issue warrants to make the accompanying debt security more attractive.
An investment in warrants and rights may entail greater risks than certain other types of investments. Generally, rights and warrants do not carry the right to receive dividends or exercise voting rights with respect to the underlying securities, and they do not represent any rights in the assets of the issuer. In addition, their value does not necessarily change with the value of the underlying securities, and they cease to have value if they are not exercised on or before their expiration date. Investing in rights and warrants increases the potential profit or loss to be realized from the investment as compared with investing the same amount in the underlying securities.
Real Estate Investment Trusts (“REITs”) — A REIT is a corporation or business trust (that would otherwise be taxed as a corporation) which meets the definitional requirements of the Code. The Code permits a qualifying REIT to deduct from taxable income the dividends paid, thereby effectively eliminating corporate level federal income tax. To meet the definitional requirements of the Code, a REIT must, among other things: invest substantially all of its assets in interests in real estate (including mortgages and other REITs), cash and government securities; derive most of its income from rents from real property or interest on loans secured by mortgages on real property; and, in general, distribute annually 90% or more of its taxable income (other than net capital gains) to shareholders.
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REITs are sometimes informally characterized as Equity REITs and Mortgage REITs. An Equity REIT invests primarily in the fee ownership or leasehold ownership of land and buildings (e.g., commercial equity REITs and residential equity REITs); a Mortgage REIT invests primarily in mortgages on real property, which may secure construction, development or long-term loans.
REITs may be affected by changes in underlying real estate values, which may have an exaggerated effect to the extent that REITs in which the Fund invests may concentrate investments in particular geographic regions or property types. Additionally, rising interest rates may cause investors in REITs to demand a higher annual yield from future distributions, which may in turn decrease market prices for equity securities issued by REITs. Rising interest rates also generally increase the costs of obtaining financing, which could cause the value of the Fund’s investments to decline. During periods of declining interest rates, certain Mortgage REITs may hold mortgages that the mortgagors elect to prepay, which prepayment may diminish the yield on securities issued by such Mortgage REITs. In addition, Mortgage REITs may be affected by the ability of borrowers to repay when due the debt extended by the REIT and Equity REITs may be affected by the ability of tenants to pay rent.
Certain REITs have relatively small market capitalization, which may tend to increase the volatility of the market price of securities issued by such REITs. Furthermore, REITs are dependent upon specialized management skills, have limited diversification and are, therefore, subject to risks inherent in operating and financing a limited number of projects. By investing in REITs indirectly through the Fund, a shareholder will bear not only his or her proportionate share of the expenses of the Fund, but also, indirectly, similar expenses of the REITs. REITs depend generally on their ability to generate cash flow to make distributions to shareholders.
In addition to these risks, Equity REITs may be affected by changes in the value of the underlying property owned by the trusts, while Mortgage REITs may be affected by the quality of any credit extended. Further, Equity and Mortgage REITs are dependent upon management skills and generally may not be diversified. Equity and Mortgage REITs are also subject to heavy cash flow dependency defaults by borrowers and self-liquidation. In addition, Equity and Mortgage REITs could possibly fail to qualify for the favorable U.S. federal income tax treatment generally available to REITs under the Code or fail to maintain their exemptions from registration under the 1940 Act. The above factors may also adversely affect a borrower’s or a lessee’s ability to meet its obligations to the REIT. In the event of default by a borrower or lessee, the REIT may experience delays in enforcing its rights as a mortgagee or lessor and may incur substantial costs associated with protecting its investments.
Smaller Companies — The securities of small- and mid-capitalization companies may be more vulnerable to adverse issuer, market, political, or economic developments than securities of larger-capitalization companies. The securities of small- and mid-capitalization companies generally trade in lower volumes and are subject to greater and more unpredictable price changes than larger capitalization stocks or the stock market as a whole. Some small- or mid-capitalization companies have limited product lines, markets, and financial and managerial resources and tend to concentrate on fewer geographical markets relative to larger capitalization companies. There is typically less publicly available information concerning small- and mid-capitalization companies than for larger, more established companies. Small- and mid-capitalization companies also may be particularly sensitive to changes in interest rates, government regulation, borrowing costs, and earnings.
Tracking Stocks — The Fund may invest in tracking stocks. A tracking stock is a separate class of common stock whose value is linked to a specific business unit or operating division within a larger company and which is designed to “track” the performance of such business unit or division. The tracking stock may pay dividends to shareholders independent of the parent company. The parent company, rather than the business unit or division, generally is the issuer of tracking stock. However, holders of the tracking stock may not have the same rights as holders of the company’s common stock.
Illiquid Securities
The Fund may invest in illiquid securities (i.e., securities that are not readily marketable). Illiquid securities include, but are not limited to, restricted securities (securities the disposition of which is restricted under the federal securities laws); securities that may only be resold pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act, but that are deemed to be illiquid; and repurchase agreements with maturities in excess of seven days. However, the Fund will not acquire illiquid securities if, immediately after the acquisition, such securities would comprise more than 15% of the value of the Fund’s net assets. Determinations of liquidity are made pursuant to guidelines contained in the liquidity risk management program of the Trust applicable to the Fund. The Adviser determines and monitors the liquidity of the portfolio securities and reports periodically on its decisions to the Board. In making such determinations it takes into account a number of factors in reaching liquidity decisions, including but not limited to: (1) the frequency of trades and quotations for the security; (2) the number of dealers willing to purchase or sell the security and the number of other potential buyers; (3) the willingness of dealers to undertake to make a market in the security; and (4) the nature of the marketplace trades, including the time needed to dispose of the
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security, the method of soliciting offers and the mechanics of the transfer. The term “illiquid security” is defined as a security that the Fund reasonably expects cannot be sold or disposed of in current market conditions in seven calendar days or less without the sale or disposition significantly changing the market value of the security.
An institutional market has developed for certain restricted securities. Accordingly, contractual or legal restrictions on the resale of a security may not be indicative of the liquidity of the security. If such securities are eligible for purchase by institutional buyers in accordance with Rule 144A under the Securities Act or other exemptions, the Adviser may determine that the securities are liquid.
Restricted securities may be sold only in privately negotiated transactions or in a public offering with respect to which a registration statement is in effect under the Securities Act. Where registration is required, the Fund may be obligated to pay all or part of the registration expenses and a considerable period may elapse between the time of the decision to sell and the time the Fund may be permitted to sell a security under an effective registration statement. If, during such a period, adverse market conditions were to develop, the Fund might obtain a less favorable price than that which prevailed when it decided to sell.
Illiquid securities will be priced at fair value as determined in good faith under procedures adopted by the Board. If, through the appreciation of illiquid securities or the depreciation of liquid securities, the Fund should be in a position where more than 15% of the value of its net assets are invested in illiquid securities, including restricted securities which are not readily marketable, the Fund will take such steps as set forth in its procedures as adopted by the Board.
Investment Company Securities
The Fund may invest in the securities of other investment companies, including money market funds and ETFs, subject to applicable limitations under Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act. Investing in another pooled vehicle exposes the Fund to all the risks of that pooled vehicle. Pursuant to Section 12(d)(1), the Fund may invest in the securities of another investment company (the “acquired company”) provided that the Fund, immediately after such purchase or acquisition, does not own in the aggregate: (1) more than 3% of the total outstanding voting stock of the acquired company; (2) securities issued by the acquired company having an aggregate value in excess of 5% of the value of the total assets of the Fund; or (3) securities issued by the acquired company and all other investment companies (other than treasury stock of the Fund) having an aggregate value in excess of 10% of the value of the total assets of the Fund. To the extent allowed by law or regulation, the Fund may invest its assets in securities of investment companies that are money market funds in excess of the limits discussed above.
If the Fund invests in and, thus, is a shareholder of another investment company, the Fund’s shareholders will indirectly bear the Fund’s proportionate share of the fees and expenses paid by such other investment company, including advisory fees, in addition to both the management fees payable directly by the Fund to the Adviser and the other expenses that the Fund bears directly in connection with the Fund’s own operations.
Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act restricts investments by registered investment companies in securities of other registered investment companies, including the Fund. The acquisition of Shares by registered investment companies is subject to the restrictions of Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act, except as may be permitted by exemptive order issued to the Trust or rule under the 1940 Act or as may at some future time be permitted by an exemptive order that permits registered investment companies to invest in the Fund beyond the limits of Section 12(d)(1), subject to certain terms and conditions, including that the registered investment company enter into an agreement with the Fund regarding the terms of the investment.
The Fund may rely on Section 12(d)(1)(F) and Rule 12d1-3 of the 1940 Act, which provide an exemption from Section 12(d)(1) that allows the Fund to invest all of its assets in other registered funds, including ETFs, if, among other conditions: (1) the Fund, together with its affiliates, acquires no more than three percent of the outstanding voting stock of any acquired fund; and (2) the sales load charged on Shares is no greater than the limits set forth in Rule 2830 of the Conduct Rules of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”). The Fund may also rely on Rule 12d1-4 of the 1940 Act (once the Rule is effective), which provides an exemption from Section 12(d)(1) that allows the Fund to invest all of its assets in other registered funds, including ETFs, if the Fund satisfies certain conditions specified in the Rule, including, among other conditions, that the Fund and its advisory group will not control (individually or in the aggregate) an acquired fund (e.g., hold more than 25% of the outstanding voting securities of an acquired fund that is a registered open-end management investment company). Additionally, the Fund may rely on exemptive relief issued by the SEC to other registered funds, including ETFs, to invest in such other funds in excess of the limits of Section 12(d)(1) if the Fund complies with the terms and conditions of such exemptive relief.
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Master Limited Partnerships (“MLPs”)
MLPs are limited partnerships in which the ownership units are publicly traded. MLP units are registered with the SEC and are freely traded on a securities exchange or in the OTC market. MLPs often own several properties or businesses (or own interests) that are related to real estate development and oil and gas industries, but they also may finance motion pictures, research and development and other projects. Generally, a MLP is operated under the supervision of one or more managing general partners. Limited partners are not involved in the day-to-day management of the partnership.
The risks of investing in a MLP are generally those involved in investing in a partnership as opposed to a corporation. For example, state law governing partnerships is often less restrictive than state law governing corporations. Accordingly, there may be fewer protections afforded investors in a MLP than investors in a corporation. Additional risks involved with investing in a MLP are risks associated with the specific industry or industries in which the partnership invests, such as the risks of investing in real estate, or oil and gas industries.
MLPs are generally treated as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes. When the Fund invests in the equity securities of a MLP or any other entity that is treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes, the Fund will be treated as a partner in the entity for tax purposes. Accordingly, in calculating the Fund’s taxable income, it will be required to take into account its allocable share of the income, gains, losses, deductions, and credits recognized by each such entity, regardless of whether the entity distributes cash to the Fund. Distributions from such an entity to the Fund are not generally taxable unless the cash amount (or, in certain cases, the fair market value of marketable securities) distributed to the Fund exceeds the Fund’s adjusted tax basis in its interest in the entity. In general, the Fund’s allocable share of such an entity’s net income will increase the Fund’s adjusted tax basis in its interest in the entity, and distributions to the Fund from such an entity and the Fund’s allocable share of the entity’s net losses will decrease the Fund’s adjusted basis in its interest in the entity, but not below zero. The Fund may receive cash distributions from such an entity in excess of the net amount of taxable income the Fund is allocated from its investment in the entity. In other circumstances, the net amount of taxable income the Fund is allocated from its investment in such an entity may exceed cash distributions received from the entity. Thus, the Fund’s investments in such an entity may lead the Fund to make distributions in excess of its earnings and profits, or the Fund may be required to sell investments, including when not otherwise advantageous to do so, to satisfy the distribution requirements applicable to RICs under the Code.
Depreciation or other cost recovery deductions passed through to the Fund from any investments in MLPs in a given year will generally reduce the Fund’s taxable income, but those deductions may be recaptured in the Fund’s income in one or more subsequent years. When recognized and distributed, recapture income will generally be taxable to the Fund’s shareholders at the time of the distribution at ordinary income tax rates, even though those shareholders might not have held Shares in the Fund at the time the deductions were taken, and even though those shareholders may not have corresponding economic gain on their Shares at the time of the recapture. To distribute recapture income or to fund redemption requests, the Fund may need to liquidate investments, which may lead to additional taxable income.
Money Market Funds
The Fund may invest in underlying money market funds that either seek to maintain a stable $1 NAV (“stable NAV money market funds”) or that have a share price that fluctuates (“variable NAV market funds”). Although an underlying stable NAV money market fund seeks to maintain a stable $1 NAV, it is possible for the Fund to lose money by investing in such a money market fund. Because the share price of an underlying variable NAV market fund will fluctuate, when the Fund sells the shares it owns they may be worth more or less than what the Fund originally paid for them. In addition, neither type of money market fund is designed to offer capital appreciation. Certain underlying money market funds may impose a fee upon the sale of shares or may temporarily suspend the ability to sell shares if such fund’s liquidity falls below required minimums.
Other Short-Term Instruments
In addition to repurchase agreements, the Fund may invest in short-term instruments, including money market instruments, on an ongoing basis to provide liquidity or for other reasons. Money market instruments are generally short-term investments that may include but are not limited to: (i) shares of money market funds; (ii) obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities (including government-sponsored enterprises); (iii) negotiable certificates of deposit (“CDs”), bankers’ acceptances, fixed time deposits and other obligations of U.S. and foreign banks (including foreign branches) and similar institutions; (iv) commercial paper rated at the date of purchase “Prime-1” by Moody’s or “A-1” by S&P or, if unrated, of comparable quality as determined by the Sub-Adviser; (v) non-convertible corporate debt securities (e.g., bonds and debentures) with remaining maturities at the date of purchase of not more than 397 days and that satisfy the rating requirements set forth in Rule 2a-7 under the 1940 Act; and (vi) short-term U.S. dollar-denominated obligations of foreign banks (including U.S. branches) that, in the opinion of the Sub-Adviser, are of comparable quality to obligations of
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U.S. banks which may be purchased by the Fund. Any of these instruments may be purchased on a current or a forward-settled basis. Money market instruments also include shares of money market funds. Time deposits are non-negotiable deposits maintained in banking institutions for specified periods of time at stated interest rates. Bankers’ acceptances are time drafts drawn on commercial banks by borrowers, usually in connection with international transactions.
Securities Lending
The Fund may lend portfolio securities to certain creditworthy borrowers. The borrowers provide collateral that is maintained in an amount at least equal to the current value of the securities loaned. The Fund may terminate a loan at any time and obtain the return of the securities loaned. The lending Fund receives the value of any interest or cash or non-cash distributions paid on the loaned securities. Distributions received on loaned securities in lieu of dividend payments (i.e., substitute payments) would not be considered qualified dividend income.
With respect to loans that are collateralized by cash, the borrower will be entitled to receive a fee based on the amount of cash collateral. The Fund is compensated by the difference between the amount earned on the reinvestment of cash collateral and the fee paid to the borrower. In the case of collateral other than cash, the Fund is compensated by a fee paid by the borrower equal to a percentage of the value of the loaned securities. Any cash collateral may be reinvested in certain short-term instruments either directly on behalf of the lending Fund or through one or more joint accounts or money market funds, which may include those managed by the Sub-Adviser.
The Fund may pay a portion of the interest or fees earned from securities lending to a borrower as described above, and to one or more securities lending agents approved by the Board who administer the lending program for the Fund in accordance with guidelines approved by the Board. In such capacity, the lending agent causes the delivery of loaned securities from the Fund to borrowers, arranges for the return of loaned securities to the Fund at the termination of a loan, requests deposit of collateral, monitors the daily value of the loaned securities and collateral, requests that borrowers add to the collateral when required by the loan agreements, and provides recordkeeping and accounting services necessary for the operation of the program.
Securities lending involves exposure to certain risks, including operational risk (i.e., the risk of losses resulting from problems in the settlement and accounting process), “gap” risk (i.e., the risk of a mismatch between the return on cash collateral reinvestments and the fees the Fund has agreed to pay a borrower), and credit, legal, counterparty, and market risk. In the event a borrower does not return the Fund’s securities as agreed, the Fund may experience losses if the proceeds received from liquidating the collateral do not at least equal the value of the loaned security at the time the collateral is liquidated plus the transaction costs incurred in purchasing replacement securities.
Tax Risks
As with any investment, you should consider how your investment in Shares will be taxed. The tax information in the Prospectus and this SAI is provided as general information. You should consult your own tax professional about the tax consequences of an investment in Shares.
Unless your investment in Shares is made through a tax-exempt entity or tax-deferred retirement account, such as an individual retirement account, you need to be aware of the possible tax consequences when the Fund makes distributions or you sell Shares.
Temporary Defensive Strategies
Under normal market conditions, the Fund expects to generally be fully invested according to its principal investment strategies. For temporary defensive purposes during adverse market, economic, political, or other conditions, the Fund may invest up to 100% of its assets in cash or cash equivalents or short-term instruments such as commercial paper, money market mutual funds, or short-term U.S. government securities. Taking a temporary defensive position may result in the Fund not achieving its investment objective.
U.S. Government Securities
The Fund may invest in U.S. government securities. Securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government or its agencies or instrumentalities include U.S. Treasury securities, which are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury and which differ only in their interest rates, maturities, and times of issuance. U.S. Treasury bills have initial maturities of one-year or less; U.S. Treasury notes have initial maturities of one to ten years; and U.S. Treasury bonds generally have initial maturities of greater than ten years. Certain U.S. government securities are issued or guaranteed by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. government including, but not limited to, obligations of U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities such as the Federal National Mortgage Association (“FNMA”), the Government National Mortgage Association (“GNMA”), the Small Business Administration, the Federal Farm Credit Administration, the Federal Home Loan Banks, Banks for Cooperatives (including the Central Bank for Cooperatives), the Federal Land Banks, the Federal
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Intermediate Credit Banks, the Tennessee Valley Authority, the Export-Import Bank of the United States, the Commodity Credit Corporation, the Federal Financing Bank, the Student Loan Marketing Association, the National Credit Union Administration and the Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation (Farmer Mac).
Some obligations issued or guaranteed by U.S. government agencies and instrumentalities, including, for example, GNMA pass-through certificates, are supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury. Other obligations issued by or guaranteed by federal agencies, such as those securities issued by the FNMA, are supported by the discretionary authority of the U.S. government to purchase certain obligations of the federal agency, while other obligations issued by or guaranteed by federal agencies, such as those of the Federal Home Loan Banks, are supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury, while the U.S. government provides financial support to such U.S. government-sponsored federal agencies, no assurance can be given that the U.S. government will always do so, since the U.S. government is not so obligated by law. U.S. Treasury notes and bonds typically pay coupon interest semi-annually and repay the principal at maturity.
On September 7, 2008, the U.S. Treasury announced a federal takeover of the FNMA and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“Freddie Mac”), placing the two federal instrumentalities in conservatorship. Under the takeover, the U.S. Treasury agreed to acquire $1 billion of senior preferred stock of each instrumentality and obtained warrants for the purchase of common stock of each instrumentality (the “Senior Preferred Stock Purchase Agreement” or “Agreement”). Under the Agreement, the U.S. Treasury pledged to provide up to $200 billion per instrumentality as needed, including the contribution of cash capital to the instrumentalities in the event their liabilities exceed their assets. This was intended to ensure that the instrumentalities maintain a positive net worth and meet their financial obligations, preventing mandatory triggering of receivership. As a result of this Agreement, the investments of holders, including the Fund, of mortgage-backed securities and other obligations issued by the FNMA and Freddie Mac are protected.
On December 24, 2009, the U.S. Treasury amended the Agreement to allow the $200 billion cap on the U.S. Treasury’s funding commitment to increase as necessary to accommodate any cumulative reduction in net worth over the next three years. On August 17, 2012, the U.S. Treasury announced the Third Amendment to the Agreement that recalibrated the calculation of the quarterly dividends that Freddie Mac pays to the U.S. Treasury which eliminated the need for Freddie Mac circularly to borrow from the U.S.Treasury only then to pay dividends back to the U.S.Treasury. The Third Amendment suspended the periodic commitment fee for so long as the dividend amounts were based on net worth. The Third Amendment also eliminated the requirement that Freddie Mac obtain the U.S.Treasury’s consent for asset dispositions with a fair market value (individually or in aggregate) of less than $250 million, but required Freddie Mac to submit annual risk management plans to the U.S.Treasury. On December 21, 2017, a letter agreement between the U.S.Treasury and Freddie Mac changed the terms of the senior preferred stock certificates to permit Freddie Mac to retain a $3 billion capital reserve, quarterly. On September 30, 2019, the U.S.Treasury and the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), acting as Conservator to Freddie Mac, announced amendments​ to the senior preferred stock certificates that will permit Freddie Mac to retain earnings beyond the $3 billion capital reserves previously allowed through the letter agreements. Since January 6, 2014, FHFA has conducted an ongoing assessment of its obligations and statutory mandates in preparation for Freddie Mac’s eventual exit from conservatorship.
The total public debt of the United States as a percentage of gross domestic product has grown rapidly since the beginning of the 2008–2009 financial downturn. Although high debt levels do not necessarily indicate or cause economic problems, they may create certain systemic risks if sound debt management practices are not implemented. A high national debt can raise concerns that the U.S. government will not be able to make principal or interest payments when they are due. This increase has also necessitated the need for the U.S. Congress to negotiate adjustments to the statutory debt limit to increase the cap on the amount the U.S. government is permitted to borrow to meet its existing obligations and finance current budget deficits. In August 2011, S&P lowered its long term sovereign credit rating on the U.S. In explaining the downgrade at that time, S&P cited, among other reasons, controversy over raising the statutory debt limit and growth in public spending. On August 2, 2019, following passage by Congress, the President of the United States signed the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2019, which suspends the statutory debt limit through July 31, 2021. Any controversy or ongoing uncertainty regarding the statutory debt ceiling negotiations may impact the U.S. long-term sovereign credit rating and may cause market uncertainty. As a result, market prices and yields of securities supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government may be adversely affected.
INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS
The Trust has adopted the following investment restrictions as fundamental policies with respect to the Fund. These restrictions cannot be changed with respect to the Fund without the approval of the holders of a majority of the Fund’s outstanding voting securities. For the purposes of the 1940 Act, a “majority of outstanding shares” means the vote of the lesser of: (1) 67% or more of the voting securities of the Fund present at the meeting if the holders of more than 50% of the Fund’s outstanding voting securities are present or represented by proxy; or (2) more than 50% of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund.
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Except with the approval of a majority of the outstanding voting securities, the Fund may not:
1.Borrow money or issue senior securities (as defined under the 1940 Act), except to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act.
2.Make loans, except to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act.
3.Purchase or sell real estate unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments, except to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act. This shall not prevent the Fund from investing in securities or other instruments backed by real estate, REITs, or securities of companies engaged in the real estate business.
4.Purchase or sell commodities unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments, except to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act. This shall not prevent the Fund from purchasing or selling options and futures contracts or from investing in securities or other instruments backed by physical commodities.
5.Underwrite securities issued by other persons, except to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act.
6.Concentrate its investments (i.e., hold more than 25% of its total assets) in any industry or group of related industries. For purposes of this limitation, securities of the U.S. government (including its agencies and instrumentalities), repurchase agreements collateralized by securities of the U.S. government (including its agencies and instrumentalities), securities of registered investment companies, and tax-exempt securities of state or municipal governments and their political subdivisions are not considered to be issued by members of any industry.
7.With respect to 75% of its total assets, purchase the securities of any one issuer if, immediately after and as a result of such purchase, (a) the value of the Fund’s holdings in the securities of such issuer exceeds 5% of the value of the Fund’s total assets, or (b) the Fund owns more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of the issuer (with the exception that this restriction does not apply to the Fund’s investments in the securities of the U.S. government, or its agencies or instrumentalities, or other investment companies).
In determining its compliance with the fundamental investment restriction on concentration, the Fund will look through to the underlying holdings of any affiliated investment company and will consider its entire investment in any investment company with a policy to concentrate, or having otherwise disclosed that it is concentrated, in a particular industry or group of related industries as being invested in such industry or group of related industries.
In addition to the investment restrictions adopted as fundamental policies as set forth above, the Fund observes the following non-fundamental restriction, which may be changed without a shareholder vote:
1.The Fund will not hold illiquid investments in excess of 15% of its net assets. An illiquid investment is any investment that the Fund reasonably expects cannot be sold or disposed of in current market conditions in seven calendar days or less without the sale or disposition significantly changing the market value of the investment.
If a percentage limitation is adhered to at the time of investment or contract, a later increase or decrease in percentage resulting from any change in value or total or net assets will not result in a violation of such restriction, except that the percentage limitation with respect to the borrowing of money will be observed continuously.
EXCHANGE LISTING AND TRADING
Shares are listed for trading and trade throughout the day on the Exchange.
There can be no assurance that the Fund will continue to meet the requirements of the Exchange necessary to maintain the listing of Shares. The Exchange may, but is not required to, remove Shares from the listing under any of the following circumstances: (1) the Exchange becomes aware that the Fund is no longer eligible to operate in reliance on Rule 6c-11 of the 1940 Act; (2) the Fund no longer complies with the Exchange’s requirements for Shares; or (3) such other event shall occur or condition shall exist that, in the opinion of the Exchange, makes further dealings on the Exchange inadvisable. The Exchange will remove the Shares from listing and trading upon termination of the Fund.
The Trust reserves the right to adjust the price levels of Shares in the future to help maintain convenient trading ranges for investors. Any adjustments would be accomplished through stock splits or reverse stock splits, which would have no effect on the net assets of the Fund.
MANAGEMENT OF THE TRUST
Board Responsibilities. The management and affairs of the Trust and its series are overseen by the Board, which elects the officers of the Trust who are responsible for administering the day-to-day operations of the Trust and the Fund. The Board has approved contracts, as described below, under which certain companies provide essential services to the Trust.
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The day-to-day business of the Trust, including the management of risk, is performed by third-party service providers, such as the Adviser, the Sub-Adviser, the Distributor (defined below), and the Administrator (defined below). The Board is responsible for overseeing the Trust’s service providers and, thus, has oversight responsibility with respect to risk management performed by those service providers. Risk management seeks to identify and address risks, i.e., events or circumstances that could have material adverse effects on the business, operations, shareholder services, investment performance, or reputation of the Fund. The Fund and its service providers employ a variety of processes, procedures, and controls to identify various of those possible events or circumstances, to lessen the probability of their occurrence and/or to mitigate the effects of such events or circumstances if they do occur. Each service provider is responsible for one or more discrete aspects of the Trust’s business (e.g., the Sub-Adviser is responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund’s portfolio investments) and, consequently, for managing the risks associated with that business. The Board has emphasized to the Fund’s service providers the importance of maintaining vigorous risk management.
The Board’s role in risk oversight begins before the inception of the Fund, at which time certain of the Fund’s service providers present the Board with information concerning the investment objective, strategies, and risks of the Fund as well as proposed investment limitations for the Fund. Additionally, the Adviser and the Sub-Adviser provide the Board with an overview of, among other things, their investment philosophies, brokerage practices, and compliance infrastructures. Thereafter, the Board continues its oversight function as various personnel, including the Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer and other service providers, such as the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm, make periodic reports to the Audit Committee or to the Board with respect to various aspects of risk management. The Board and the Audit Committee oversee efforts by management and service providers to manage risks to which the Fund may be exposed.
The Board is responsible for overseeing the nature, extent, and quality of the services provided to the Fund by the Adviser and the Sub-Adviser and receives information about those services at its regular meetings. In addition, on an annual basis (following the initial two-year period), in connection with its consideration of whether to renew the Investment Advisory Agreement with the Adviser and the Sub-Advisory Agreement with the Sub-Adviser, the Board or its designee may meet with the Adviser or the Sub-Adviser to review such services. Among other things, the Board regularly considers the Adviser’s and the Sub-Adviser’s adherence to the Fund’s investment restrictions and compliance with various Fund policies and procedures and with applicable securities regulations. The Board also reviews information about the Fund’s performance and the nature of the Fund’s investments.
The Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer reports regularly to the Board to review and discuss compliance issues and Fund, Adviser, and Sub-Adviser risk assessments. At least annually, the Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer provides the Board with a report reviewing the adequacy and effectiveness of the Trust’s policies and procedures and those of its service providers, including the Adviser and the Sub-Adviser. The report addresses the operation of the policies and procedures of the Trust and each service provider since the date of the last report; any material changes to the policies and procedures since the date of the last report; any recommendations for material changes to the policies and procedures; and any material compliance matters since the date of the last report.
The Board receives reports from the Fund’s service providers regarding operational risks and risks related to the valuation and liquidity of portfolio securities. Annually, the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm reviews with the Audit Committee its audit of the Fund’s financial statements, focusing on major areas of risk encountered by the Fund and noting any significant deficiencies or material weaknesses in the Fund’s internal controls. Additionally, in connection with its oversight function, the Board oversees Fund management’s implementation of disclosure controls and procedures, which are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Trust in its periodic reports with the SEC are recorded, processed, summarized, and reported within the required time periods. The Board also oversees the Trust’s internal controls over financial reporting, which comprise policies and procedures designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of the Trust’s financial reporting and the preparation of the Trust’s financial statements.
From their review of these reports and discussions with the Adviser or the Sub-Adviser, the Chief Compliance Officer, the independent registered public accounting firm, and other service providers, the Board and the Audit Committee learn in detail about the material risks of the Fund, thereby facilitating a dialogue about how management and service providers identify and mitigate those risks.
The Board recognizes that not all risks that may affect the Fund can be identified and/or quantified, that it may not be practical or cost-effective to eliminate or mitigate certain risks, that it may be necessary to bear certain risks (such as investment-related risks) to achieve the Fund’s goals, and that the processes, procedures, and controls employed to address certain risks may be limited in their effectiveness. Moreover, reports received by the Board as to risk management matters are typically summaries of the relevant information. Most of the Fund’s investment management and business affairs are carried out by or through the Adviser, the Sub-Adviser, and other service providers, each of which has an independent interest in risk management but whose policies and the methods by which one or more risk management functions are carried out may differ
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from the Fund’s and each other’s in the setting of priorities, the resources available, or the effectiveness of relevant controls. As a result of the foregoing and other factors, the Board’s ability to monitor and manage risk, as a practical matter, is subject to limitations.
Members of the Board. There are five members of the Board, three of whom are not interested persons of the Trust, as that term is defined in the 1940 Act (the “Independent Trustees”). Mr. Eric W. Falkeis serves as Chairman of the Board and is an interested person of the Trust.
The Board is composed of a majority (60 percent) of Independent Trustees. There is an Audit Committee of the Board that is chaired by an Independent Trustee and composed solely of Independent Trustees. The Audit Committee chair presides at the Audit Committee meetings, participates in formulating agendas for Audit Committee meetings, and coordinates with management to serve as a liaison between the Independent Trustees and management on matters within the scope of responsibilities of the Audit Committee as set forth in its Board-approved charter. The Trust has determined its leadership structure is appropriate given the specific characteristics and circumstances of the Trust, despite there being no Lead Independent Trustee. The Trust made this determination in consideration of, among other things, the fact that the Independent Trustees of the Trust constitute a super majority of the Board, the number of Independent Trustees that constitute the Board, the amount of assets under management in the Trust, and the number of funds overseen by the Board. The Board also believes that its leadership structure facilitates the orderly and efficient flow of information to the Independent Trustees from Fund management.
Additional information about each Trustee of the Trust is set forth below. The address of each Trustee of the Trust is c/o Tidal ETF Trust, 898 N. Broadway, Suite 2, Massapequa, New York 11758.
Name and Year of Birth Position Held with the Trust Term of Office and Length of Time Served


Principal Occupation(s) During Past 5 Years
Number of Portfolios in Fund Complex Overseen by Trustee Other Directorships Held by Trustee During Past 5 Years
Independent Trustees (1)
Mark H.W. Baltimore Born: 1967 Trustee Indefinite term; since 2018 Co-Chief Executive Officer, Global Rhino, LLC (asset management consulting firm) (since 2018); Chief Business Development Officer, Joot (asset management compliance services firm) (since 2019); Chief Executive Officer, Global Sight, LLC (asset management distribution consulting firm) (2016-2018); Head of Global Distribution Services, Foreside Financial Group, LLC (broker-dealer) (2016); Managing Director, Head of Global Distribution Services, Beacon Hill Fund Services (broker-dealer) (2015–2016); Vice President, Head of International Sales & Business Development, Charles Schwab & Company (asset management firm) (2014–2015). 12 None
Dusko Culafic
Born: 1958
Trustee Indefinite term; since 2018 Retired (since 2018); Senior Operational Due Diligence Analyst, Aurora Investment Management, LLC (2012–2018). 12 None
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Name and Year of Birth Position Held with the Trust Term of Office and Length of Time Served


Principal Occupation(s) During Past 5 Years
Number of Portfolios in Fund Complex Overseen by Trustee Other Directorships Held by Trustee During Past 5 Years
Eduardo Mendoza
Born: 1966
Trustee Indefinite term; since 2018 Senior Strategic & Financial Advisor, Credijusto and Acrecent (financial technology companies) (since 2017); Founding Partner / Capital Markets & Head of Corporate Development, SQN Latina (specialty finance company) (2016–2017); Managing Director: Origination & Structuring, Securitization Group, BMO Capital Markets (2006–2015). 12 None
Interested Trustees
Eric W. Falkeis (2)
Born: 1973
President, Principal Executive Officer, Trustee, Chairman, and Secretary President and Principal Executive Officer since 2019, Indefinite term; Trustee, Chairman, and Secretary since 2018, Indefinite term Chief Executive Officer, Tidal ETF Services LLC (since 2018); Chief Operating Officer (and other positions), Rafferty Asset Management, LLC (2013–2018) and Direxion Advisors, LLC (2017–2018). 12 Independent Director, Muzinich BDC, Inc. (since 2019); Trustee, Professionally Managed Portfolios (27 series) (since 2011); Interested Trustee, Direxion Funds, Direxion Shares ETF Trust, and Direxion Insurance Trust (2014–2018).
Ian C. Carroll, CFA (3)
Born: 1970
Trustee Indefinite term; since 2018 Head of Corporate Research, Aware Asset Management, Inc. (since 2018); Principal Corporate Credit Research Analyst, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota (insurance company) (since 2017); Credit Research Analyst, California Public Employees’ Retirement System (2013–2017). 12 None
(1) All Independent Trustees of the Trust are not “interested persons” of the Trust as defined under the 1940 Act (the “Independent Trustees”).
(2) Mr. Falkeis is considered an “interested person” of the Trust due to his positions as President, Principal Executive Officer, Chairman and Secretary of the Trust, and Chief Executive Officer of Tidal ETF Services LLC, an affiliate of the Adviser.
(3) Mr. Carroll is considered an “interested person” of the Trust due to his position as Head of Corporate Research of Aware Asset Management, Inc., a sub-adviser to a series of the Trust.
Individual Trustee Qualifications. The Trust has concluded that each of the Trustees should serve on the Board because of their ability to review and understand information about the series of the Trust provided to them by management, to identify and request other information they may deem relevant to the performance of their duties, to question management and other service providers regarding material factors bearing on the management and administration of the Trust, and to exercise their business judgment in a manner that serves the best interests of the shareholders of each series of the Trust. The Trust has
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concluded that each of the Trustees should serve as a Trustee based on his or her own experience, qualifications, attributes, and skills as described below.
The Trust has concluded that Mr. Baltimore should serve as a Trustee because of his substantial experience with the distribution of investment company securities and his experience with regulatory matters through his current position at Global Rhino, LLC and prior position at Global Sight, LLC, asset management distribution consulting firms, current position at Joot, an asset management compliance services firm, and his past experience with distribution activities at the parent company of the Trust’s Distributor (defined below). The Board believes Mr. Baltimore’s experience, qualifications, attributes, or skills, on an individual basis and in combination with those of the other Trustees, led to the conclusion that he possesses the requisite skills and attributes as a Trustee to carry out oversight responsibilities with respect to the Trust.
The Trust has concluded that Mr. Culafic should serve as a Trustee because of his substantial experience with investment management operations and his experience with financial, accounting, investment, and regulatory matters through his former position as Senior Operational Due Diligence Analyst of Aurora Investment Management, LLC, a registered investment adviser. The Board believes Mr. Culafic’s experience, qualifications, attributes, or skills, on an individual basis and in combination with those of the other Trustees, led to the conclusion that he possesses the requisite skills and attributes as a Trustee to carry out oversight responsibilities with respect to the Trust.
The Trust has concluded that Mr. Mendoza should serve as a Trustee because of his substantial experience with credit markets and finance and his experience with financial, accounting, investment, and regulatory matters through his former positions as Managing Director (and other positions) of BMO Capital Markets, an investment bank. The Board believes Mr. Mendoza’s experience, qualifications, attributes, or skills, on an individual basis and in combination with those of the other Trustees, led to the conclusion that he possesses the requisite skills and attributes as a Trustee to carry out oversight responsibilities with respect to the Trust.
The Trust has concluded that Mr. Falkeis should serve as a Trustee because of his substantial investment company experience and his experience with financial, accounting, investment, and regulatory matters through his former position as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (and other positions) of U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, doing business as U.S. Bank Global Fund Services (“Global Fund Services” or the “Transfer Agent”), a full service provider to ETFs, mutual funds, and alternative investment products. In addition, he has experience consulting with investment advisors regarding the legal structure of mutual funds, distribution channel analysis, and actual distribution of those funds. Mr. Falkeis also has substantial managerial, operational, technological, and risk oversight related experience through his former position as Chief Operating Officer of the advisers to the Direxion mutual fund and ETF complex. The Board believes Mr. Falkeis’ experience, qualifications, attributes, or skills on an individual basis and in combination with those of the other Trustees led to the conclusion that he possesses the requisite skills and attributes as a Trustee to carry out oversight responsibilities with respect to the Trust.
The Trust has concluded that Mr. Carroll should serve as a Trustee because of his substantial experience with financial and investment matters through his position at Aware Asset Management, Inc., and his past experience with credit investment at the California Public Employees’ Retirement System. The Board believes Mr. Carroll’s experience, qualifications, attributes, or skills, on an individual basis and in combination with those of the other Trustees, led to the conclusion that he possesses the requisite skills and attributes as a Trustee to carry out oversight responsibilities with respect to the Trust.
In its periodic assessment of the effectiveness of the Board, the Board considers the complementary individual skills and experience of the individual Trustees primarily in the broader context of the Board’s overall composition so that the Board, as a body, possesses the appropriate (and appropriately diverse) skills and experience to oversee the business of the Trust.
Board Committees. The Board has established the following standing committees of the Board:
Audit Committee. The Board has a standing Audit Committee that is composed of each of the Independent Trustees of the Trust. The Audit Committee operates under a written charter approved by the Board. The principal responsibilities of the Audit Committee include overseeing the Trust’s accounting and financial reporting policies and practices and its internal controls; overseeing the quality, objectivity and integrity of the Trust’s financial statements and the independent audits thereof; monitoring the independent auditor’s qualifications, independence, and performance; acting as a liaison between the Trust’s independent auditors and the full Board; pre-approving all auditing services to be performed for the Trust; reviewing the compensation and overseeing the work of the independent auditor (including resolution of disagreements between management and the independent auditor regarding financial reporting) for the purpose of preparing or issuing an audit report or related work; pre-approving all permitted non-audit services (including the fees and terms thereof) to be performed for the Trust; pre-approving all permitted non-audit services to be performed for any investment adviser or sub-adviser to the Trust by any of the Trust’s independent auditors if the engagement relates directly to the operations and financial reporting of the Trust; meeting with the Trust’s independent auditors as necessary to (1) review the arrangement for and scope of the annual
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audits and any special audits, (2) discuss any matters of concern relating to the Fund’s financial statements, (3) consider the independent auditors’ comments with respect to the Trust’s financial policies, procedures and internal accounting controls and Trust management’s responses thereto, and (4) review the form of opinion the independent auditors propose to render to the Board and the Fund’s shareholders; discussing with management and the independent auditor significant financial reporting issues and judgments made in connection with the preparation of the Fund’s financial statements; and reviewing and discussing reports from the independent auditors on (1) all critical accounting policies and practices to be used, (2) all alternative treatments within generally accepted accounting principles for policies and practices related to material items that have been discussed with management, (3) other material written communications between the independent auditor and management, including any management letter, schedule of unadjusted differences, or management representation letter, and (4) all non-audit services provided to any entity in the Trust that were not pre-approved by the Committee; and reviewing disclosures made to the Committee by the Trust’s principal executive officer and principal accounting officer during their certification process for the Fund’s Form N-CSR. Each Independent Trustee currently serves as a member of the Audit Committee. As of the date of this SAI, the Audit Committee met one time with respect to the Fund.
The Audit Committee also serves as the Qualified Legal Compliance Committee (“QLCC”) for the Trust for the purpose of compliance with Rules 205.2(k) and 205.3(c) of the Code of Federal Regulations, regarding alternative reporting procedures for attorneys retained or employed by an issuer who appear and practice before the SEC on behalf of the issuer (the “issuer attorneys”). An issuer attorney who becomes aware of evidence of a material violation by the Trust, or by any officer, director, employee, or agent of the Trust, may report evidence of such material violation to the QLCC as an alternative to the reporting requirements of Rule 205.3(b) (which requires reporting to the chief legal officer and potentially escalating further to other entities).
Nominating Committee. The Board has a standing Nominating Committee that is composed of each of the Independent Trustees of the Trust. The Nominating Committee operates under a written charter approved by the Board. The principal responsibility of the Nominating Committee is to identify, evaluate, and recommend candidates to fill vacancies on the Trust’s Board, if any. The Nominating Committee generally will not consider nominees recommended by shareholders. The Nominating Committee meets periodically, as necessary, but at least annually in November.
Valuation Committee. The Board has delegated day-to-day valuation issues to a Valuation Committee that is composed of Messrs. Falkeis and Carlson. Although the Valuation Committee is not a committee of the Board (i.e., committee members need not be a Trustee), the Valuation Committee’s membership is appointed by the Board and its charter and applicable procedures are approved by the Board. The function of the Valuation Committee is to value securities held by any series of the Trust for which current and reliable market quotations are not readily available. Such securities are valued at their respective fair values as determined in good faith by the Valuation Committee and the actions of the Valuation Committee are subsequently reviewed and ratified by the Board. The Valuation Committee meets as necessary.
Principal Officers of the Trust
The officers of the Trust conduct and supervise its daily business. The address of each officer of the Trust is c/o Tidal ETF Trust, 898 N. Broadway, Suite 2, Massapequa, New York 11758, unless otherwise indicated. Additional information about the Trust’s officers is as follows:
Name and Year of Birth Position(s) Held with the Trust Term of Office and Length of Time Served Principal Occupation(s) During
Past 5 Years
Eric W. Falkeis (1)
Born: 1973
President, Principal Executive Officer, Interested Trustee, Chairman, and Secretary President and Principal Executive Officer since 2019, Indefinite term; Interested Trustee, Chairman, and Secretary since 2018, Indefinite term Chief Executive Officer, Tidal ETF Services LLC (since 2018); Chief Operating Officer (and other positions), Rafferty Asset Management, LLC (2013–2018) and Direxion Advisors, LLC (2017–2018).
Daniel H. Carlson
Born: 1955
Treasurer, Principal Financial Officer, Principal Accounting Officer, and AML Compliance Officer Indefinite term;
since 2018
Chief Financial Officer, Chief Compliance Officer, and Managing Member, Toroso Investments, LLC (since 2012).
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Name and Year of Birth Position(s) Held with the Trust Term of Office and Length of Time Served Principal Occupation(s) During
Past 5 Years
Bridget P. Garcia, Esq.
c/o Cipperman Compliance Services, LLC
480 E. Swedesford Road, Suite 220
Wayne, Pennsylvania 19087
Born: 1985
Chief Compliance Officer Indefinite term;
since 2018
Compliance Manager, Cipperman Compliance Services, LLC (since 2017); Senior Associate, Central Compliance - Risk Management Group (2016-2017), Client Services Associate (2014-2016), Macquarie Group (global financial services firm).
Aaron J. Perkovich
c/o U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202
Born: 1973
Assistant
Treasurer
Indefinite term;
since 2018
Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (since 2006).
Cory R. Akers
c/o U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202
Born: 1978
Assistant
Secretary
Indefinite term;
since 2019
Assistant Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (since 2006).
(1) Mr. Falkeis is considered an “interested person” of the Trust due to his positions as President, Principal Executive Officer, Chairman and Secretary of the Trust, and Chief Executive Officer of Tidal ETF Services LLC, an affiliate of the Adviser.
Trustee Ownership of Shares. The Fund is required to show the dollar amount ranges of each Trustee’s “beneficial ownership” of Shares and each other series of the Trust as of the end of the most recently completed calendar year. Dollar amount ranges disclosed are established by the SEC. “Beneficial ownership” is determined in accordance with Rule 16a-1(a)(2) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934 Act”).
As of December 31, 2019, Mr. Falkeis beneficially owned shares of the series of the Trust as follows, and no other Trustee owned shares of the series of the Trust:
Trustee Dollar Range of Shares Owned in the Fund Aggregate Dollar Range of Shares of Series of the Trust
Eric W. Falkeis None Over $100,000
Board Compensation. The Independent Trustees each receive $4,500 for each in-person meeting attended and $1,000 for each telephonic meeting attended, as well as reimbursement for travel and other out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with serving as a Trustee. The Trust has no pension or retirement plan.
The following table shows the compensation estimated to be earned by each Trustee for the Fund’s current fiscal year ending September 30, 2021. Independent Trustee fees are paid by the adviser or the sub-adviser to each series of the Trust and not by the Fund. Trustee compensation shown below does not include reimbursed out-of-pocket expenses in connection with attendance at meetings.
Name Aggregate Compensation
From Fund
Total Compensation From Fund Complex Paid to Trustees (1)
Interested Trustees
Eric W. Falkeis $0 $0
Ian C. Carroll $0 $0
Independent Trustees
Mark H.W. Baltimore $0 $22,500
Dusko Culafic $0 $22,500
Eduardo Mendoza $0 $22,500
(1) There are currently eleven other portfolios comprising the Fund complex.
PRINCIPAL SHAREHOLDERS, CONTROL PERSONS, AND MANAGEMENT OWNERSHIP
A principal shareholder is any person who owns of record or beneficially 5% or more of the outstanding Shares. A control person is a shareholder that owns beneficially or through controlled companies more than 25% of the voting securities of a company or acknowledges the existence of control. Shareholders owning voting securities in excess of 25% may determine the outcome of any matter affecting and voted on by shareholders of the Fund.
As of the date of this SAI, the Fund had not yet commenced operations and no Shares were outstanding.
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CODES OF ETHICS
The Trust, the Adviser, and the Sub-Adviser have each adopted a code of ethics pursuant to Rule 17j-1 of the 1940 Act. These codes of ethics are designed to prevent affiliated persons of the Trust, the Adviser, and the Sub-Adviser from engaging in deceptive, manipulative, or fraudulent activities in connection with securities held or to be acquired by the Fund (which may also be held by persons subject to the codes of ethics). Each code of ethics permits personnel subject to that code of ethics to invest in securities for their personal investment accounts, subject to certain limitations, including limitations related to securities that may be purchased or held by the Fund. The Distributor (as defined below) relies on the principal underwriters exception under Rule 17j-1(c)(3), specifically where the Distributor is not affiliated with the Trust, the Adviser, or the Sub-Adviser, and no officer, director, or general partner of the Distributor serves as an officer, director, or general partner of the Trust, the Adviser, or the Sub-Adviser.
There can be no assurance that the codes of ethics will be effective in preventing such activities. Each code of ethics may be examined on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.
PROXY VOTING POLICIES
The Fund has delegated proxy voting responsibilities to the Adviser, subject to the Board’s oversight. In delegating proxy responsibilities, the Board has directed that proxies be voted consistent with the Fund’s and its shareholders’ best interests and in compliance with all applicable proxy voting rules and regulations. The Adviser has further delegated such responsibility to the Sub-Adviser. The Sub-Adviser has adopted proxy voting policies and guidelines for this purpose (“Proxy Voting Policies”), which have been adopted by the Trust as the policies and procedures that the Sub-Adviser will use when voting proxies on behalf of the Fund.
The Sub-Adviser will vote such proxies in accordance with its proxy policies and procedures. It is the Sub-Adviser’s general policy to vote shares in conformity with the recommendations of Institutional Shareholder Services Inc. (“ISS”). ISS is a neutral third party that issues recommendations based on its own internal guidelines and research. ISS retains a record of all of its recommendations. A summary of the Sub-Adviser’s proxy voting policies and procedures are attached herewith as Appendix A.
The Proxy Voting Policies address, among other things, material conflicts of interest that may arise between the interests of the Fund and the interests of the Adviser or Sub-Adviser. The Proxy Voting Policies will ensure that all issues brought to shareholders are analyzed in light of the Sub-Adviser’s fiduciary responsibilities.
The Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer is responsible for monitoring the effectiveness of the Proxy Voting Policies.
When available, information on how the Fund voted proxies relating to portfolio securities during the most recent 12-month period ended June 30 will be available (1) without charge, upon request, by calling 855-998-4779 or (2) on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.
INVESTMENT ADVISER
Toroso Investments, LLC, 898 N. Broadway, Suite 2, Massapequa, New York 11758, serves as investment adviser to the Fund and has overall responsibility for the general management and administration of the Fund.
Pursuant to the Investment Advisory Agreement (the “Advisory Agreement”), the Adviser provides investment advice to the Fund and oversees the day-to-day operations of the Fund, subject to the direction and control of the Board. The Adviser also oversees the trading of portfolio securities for the Fund. Under the Advisory Agreement, the Adviser is also responsible for arranging sub-advisory, transfer agency, custody, fund administration and accounting, and other related services necessary for the Fund to operate. The Adviser administers the Fund’s business affairs, provides office facilities and equipment and certain clerical, bookkeeping, and administrative services. Under the Advisory Agreement, in exchange for a single unitary management fee from the Fund, the Adviser has agreed to pay all expenses incurred by the Fund except for the Excluded Expenses, as defined in the Prospectus. For the services provided to the Fund, the Fund pays the Adviser a unified management fee, which is calculated daily and paid monthly, at an annual rate of 0.65% of the Fund’s average daily net assets.
The Adviser has agreed to a reduced unitary management fee of 0.50% for the Fund until at least December 31, 2023 so that Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses after Fee Waiver do not exceed 0.50% during this period. This agreement may be terminated only by, or with the consent of, the Fund’s Board of Trustees, on behalf of the Fund, upon sixty (60) days’ written notice to the Adviser. This Agreement may not be terminated by the Adviser without the consent of the Board of Trustees.
The Advisory Agreement with respect to the Fund will continue in force for an initial period of two years. Thereafter, the Advisory Agreement will be renewable from year to year with respect to the Fund, so long as its continuance is approved at least annually (1) by the vote, cast in person at a meeting called for that purpose, of a majority of those Trustees who are not
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“interested persons” of the Adviser or the Trust; and (2) by the majority vote of either the full Board or the vote of a majority of the outstanding Shares. The Advisory Agreement automatically terminates on assignment and is terminable on a 60-day written notice either by the Trust or the Adviser.
The Adviser shall not be liable to the Trust or any shareholder for anything done or omitted by it, except acts or omissions involving willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence, or reckless disregard of the duties imposed upon it by its agreement with the Trust or for any losses that may be sustained in the purchase, holding, or sale of any security.
The Fund is new, and the Fund has not paid fees to the Adviser as of the date of this SAI.
INVESTMENT SUB-ADVISER
The Adviser has retained Gotham Asset Management, LLC, a registered investment adviser located at 535 Madison Avenue, 30th Floor, New York, New York 10022, to serve as the investment sub-adviser to the Fund pursuant to an investment sub-advisory agreement (the “Sub-Advisory Agreement”) between the Adviser and Gotham. Gotham provides portfolio management services to mutual funds, private funds, separately managed accounts and the Fund.
Pursuant to the Sub-Advisory Agreement, Gotham is responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund’s portfolio, including determining the securities purchased and sold by the Fund, subject to the supervision of the Adviser and the Board. Gotham will also be responsible for trading portfolio securities for the Fund, including selecting broker-dealers to execute purchase and sale transactions, or directing such trading to be effected by the Adviser. For its services, Gotham is paid a fee by the Adviser, which is calculated daily and paid monthly, at an annual rate of 0.50% of the Fund’s average daily net assets. Joel Greenblatt and Robert Goldstein is each presumed to control the Sub-Adviser through their control of Gotham Asset Management Holdings, LP, which owns 100% of the Sub-Adviser and as Managing Principals of the Sub-Adviser.
The Sub-Advisory Agreement with respect to the Fund will continue in force for an initial period of two years. Thereafter, the Sub-Advisory Agreement will be renewable from year to year with respect to the Fund, so long as its continuance is approved at least annually (1) by the vote, cast in person at a meeting called for that purpose, of a majority of those Trustees who are not “interested persons” of the Trust; and (2) by the majority vote of either the full Board or the vote of a majority of the outstanding Shares. The Sub-Advisory Agreement will terminate automatically in the event of its assignment, and is terminable at any time, without penalty, by the Board, including a majority of the Independent Trustees, or by the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund, on 60 days’ written notice to the Adviser and the Sub-Adviser, or by the Adviser or Sub-Adviser on 60 days’ written notice to the Trust and the other party.
The Sub-Adviser shall not be liable to the Trust or any shareholder for anything done or omitted by it, except acts or omissions involving willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence, or reckless disregard of the duties imposed upon it by its agreement with the Trust.
The Fund is new, and the Adviser has not paid fees to the Sub-Adviser as of the date of this SAI.
PORTFOLIO MANAGERS
The Fund is managed by Joel Greenblatt, Managing Principal and Co-Chief Investment Officer for the Sub-Adviser, Robert Goldstein, Managing Principal and Co-Chief Investment Officer for the Sub-Adviser, Michael Venuto, Chief Investment Officer for the Adviser, and Charles A. Ragauss, CFA, Portfolio Manager for the Adviser.
Other Accounts. In addition to the Fund, the portfolio managers managed the following other accounts as of September 30, 2020:
Joel Greenblatt, Managing Principal and Co-Chief Investment Officer for the Sub-Adviser
Type of Accounts Total Number of Accounts Total Assets of Accounts Total Number of Accounts Subject to a Performance-Based Fee Total Assets of Accounts Subject to a Performance-Based Fee
Registered Investment Companies 16 $ 1,501,099,990  0 $
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles 21 $ 528,523,525  11 $ 394,545,632 
Other Accounts 11 $ 107,589,156  0 $

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Robert Goldstein, Managing Principal and Co-Chief Investment Officer for the Sub-Adviser
Type of Accounts Total Number of Accounts Total Assets of Accounts Total Number of Accounts Subject to a Performance-Based Fee Total Assets of Accounts Subject to a Performance-Based Fee
Registered Investment Companies 16 $ 1,501,099,990  0 $
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles 21 $ 528,523,525  11 $ 394,545,632 
Other Accounts 11 $ 107,589,156  0 $

Michael Venuto, Chief Investment Officer for the Adviser
Type of Accounts Total Number of Accounts Total Assets of Accounts Total Number of Accounts Subject to a Performance-Based Fee Total Assets of Accounts Subject to a Performance-Based Fee
Registered Investment Companies 12 $ 2,268,534,817  0 $
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles 0 $ 0 $
Other Accounts 505 $ 265,210,821  0 $
Charles A. Ragauss, CFA, Portfolio Manager for the Adviser
Type of Accounts Total Number of Accounts Total Assets of Accounts Total Number of Accounts Subject to a Performance-Based Fee Total Assets of Accounts Subject to a Performance-Based Fee
Registered Investment Companies 12 $ 2,268,534,817  0 $
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles 0 $ 0 $
Other Accounts 505 $ 265,210,821  0 $
Portfolio Manager Fund Ownership. The Fund is required to show the dollar range of each portfolio manager’s “beneficial ownership” of Shares as of the end of the most recently completed fiscal year. Dollar amount ranges disclosed are established by the SEC. “Beneficial ownership” is determined in accordance with Rule 16a-1(a)(2) under the 1934 Act. As of the date of this SAI, the Fund had not yet commenced operations and no Shares were owned by the portfolio managers.
Portfolio Manager Compensation. Mr. Greenblatt and Mr. Goldstein do not earn a salary for their management of the Fund. Mr. Greenblatt and Mr. Goldstein each owns an equity interest in the parent of the Sub-Adviser and is therefore entitled to receive a share of the Sub-Adviser’s profits. To the extent that serving as investment sub-adviser to the Fund increases the Sub-Adviser’s profits, they will be compensated based on their equity interests in the parent of the Sub-Adviser.
Mr. Venuto is compensated by the Adviser with a base salary and a profit sharing plan. He is not directly compensated for his work with respect to the Fund. Mr. Venuto is an equity owner of the Adviser and therefore benefits indirectly from the revenue generated from the Fund’s Investment Advisory Agreement with the Adviser. Mr. Ragauss is compensated by the Adviser with a fixed salary and discretionary bonus based on the financial performance and profitability of the Adviser.
Description of Material Conflicts of Interest. The portfolio managers’ management of “other accounts” may give rise to potential conflicts of interest in connection with their management of the Fund’s investments, on the one hand, and the investments of the other accounts, on the other. The other accounts may have similar investment objectives or strategies as the Fund. A potential conflict of interest may arise as a result, whereby a portfolio manager could favor one account over another. Another potential conflict could include a portfolio manager’s knowledge about the size, timing, and possible market impact of Fund trades, whereby a portfolio manager could use this information to the advantage of other accounts and to the disadvantage of the Fund. For instance, the portfolio managers may receive fees from certain accounts that are higher than the fees received from the Fund, or receive a performance-based fee on certain accounts. In those instances, a portfolio manager has an incentive to favor the higher and/or performance-based fee accounts over the Fund. In addition, a conflict of interest exists to the extent the Sub-Adviser has proprietary investments in certain accounts, where the portfolio managers or other employees have personal investments in certain accounts. To mitigate these conflicts, the Adviser and the Sub-Adviser have each established policies and procedures to ensure that the purchase and sale of securities among all accounts the firms manage are fairly and equitably allocated.
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DISTRIBUTOR
The Trust and Foreside Fund Services, LLC (the “Distributor”) are parties to a distribution agreement (“Distribution Agreement”), whereby the Distributor acts as principal underwriter for the Fund and distributes Shares on a best efforts basis. Shares are continuously offered for sale by the Distributor only in Creation Units. The Distributor will not distribute Shares in amounts less than a Creation Unit and does not maintain a secondary market in Shares. The principal business address of the Distributor is Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, Maine 04101.
Under the Distribution Agreement, the Distributor, as agent for the Trust, will review orders for the purchase and redemption of Creation Units, provided that any subscriptions and orders will not be binding on the Trust until accepted by the Trust. The Distributor is a broker-dealer registered under the 1934 Act and a member of FINRA.
The Distributor may also enter into agreements with securities dealers (“Soliciting Dealers”) who will solicit purchases of Creation Units of Shares. Such Soliciting Dealers may also be Authorized Participants (as discussed in “Procedures for Purchase of Creation Units” below) or DTC participants (as defined below).
The Distribution Agreement will continue for two years from its effective date and is renewable annually thereafter. The continuance of the Distribution Agreement must be specifically approved at least annually (1) by the vote of the Trustees or by a vote of the shareholders of the Fund and (2) by the vote of a majority of the Independent Trustees who have no direct or indirect financial interest in the operations of the Distribution Agreement or any related agreement, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval. The Distribution Agreement is terminable without penalty by the Trust on 60 days’ written notice when authorized either by majority vote of its outstanding voting Shares or by a vote of a majority of its Board (including a majority of the Independent Trustees), or by the Distributor on 60 days’ written notice, and will automatically terminate in the event of its assignment. The Distribution Agreement provides that, in the absence of willful misfeasance, bad faith, or gross negligence on the part of the Distributor, or reckless disregard by it of its obligations thereunder, the Distributor shall not be liable for any action or failure to act in accordance with its duties thereunder.
The Fund is new and the Fund has not incurred any underwriting commissions and the Distributor has not retained any amounts as of the date of this SAI.
Intermediary Compensation. The Adviser, the Sub-Adviser, or their affiliates, out of their own resources and not out of Fund assets (i.e., without additional cost to the Fund or its shareholders), may pay certain broker dealers, banks, and other financial intermediaries (“Intermediaries”) for certain activities related to the Fund, including participation in activities that are designed to make Intermediaries more knowledgeable about exchange traded products, including the Fund, or for other activities, such as marketing and educational training or support. These arrangements are not financed by the Fund and, thus, do not result in increased Fund expenses. They are not reflected in the fees and expenses listed in the fees and expenses sections of the Fund’s Prospectus and they do not change the price paid by investors for the purchase of Shares or the amount received by a shareholder as proceeds from the redemption of Shares.
Such compensation may be paid to Intermediaries that provide services to the Fund, including marketing and education support (such as through conferences, webinars, and printed communications). The Adviser and the Sub-Adviser will periodically assess the advisability of continuing to make these payments. Payments to an Intermediary may be significant to the Intermediary, and amounts that Intermediaries pay to your adviser, broker, or other investment professional, if any, may also be significant to such adviser, broker or investment professional. Because an Intermediary may make decisions about what investment options it will make available or recommend, and what services to provide in connection with various products, based on payments it receives or is eligible to receive, such payments create conflicts of interest between the Intermediary and its clients. For example, these financial incentives may cause the Intermediary to recommend the Fund over other investments. The same conflict of interest exists with respect to your financial adviser, broker, or investment professional if they receive similar payments from their Intermediary firm.
Intermediary information is current only as of the date of this SAI. Please contact your adviser, broker, or other investment professional for more information regarding any payments their Intermediary firm may receive. Any payments made by the Adviser, the Sub-Adviser, or their affiliates to an Intermediary may create the incentive for an Intermediary to encourage customers to buy Shares.
If you have any additional questions, please call 855-998-4779.
Distribution (Rule 12b-1) Plan. The Trust has adopted a Distribution (Rule 12b-1) Plan (the “Plan”) in accordance with the provisions of Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act, which regulates circumstances under which an investment company may directly or indirectly bear expenses relating to the distribution of its shares. No payments pursuant to the Plan are expected to be made during the twelve (12) month period from the date of this SAI. Rule 12b-1 fees to be paid by the Fund under the Plan may only be imposed after approval by the Board.
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Continuance of the Plan must be approved annually by a majority of the Trustees of the Trust and by a majority of the Trustees who are not interested persons (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Trust and have no direct or indirect financial interest in the Plan or in any agreements related to the Plan (“Disinterested Trustees”). The Plan may be continued from year-to-year only if the Board, including a majority of the Disinterested Trustees, concludes at least annually that continuation of the Plan is likely to benefit shareholders. The Board has determined that the Plan is likely to benefit the Fund by providing an incentive for brokers, dealers, and other financial intermediaries to engage in sales and marketing efforts on behalf of the Fund and to provide enhanced services to shareholders. The Board also determined that the Plan may enhance the Fund’s ability to sell shares and access important distribution channels.
The Plan requires that quarterly written reports of amounts spent under the Plan and the purposes of such expenditures be furnished to and reviewed by the Trustees. The Plan may not be amended to increase materially the amount that may be spent thereunder without approval by a majority of the outstanding Shares. All material amendments of the Plan will require approval by a majority of the Trustees of the Trust and of the Disinterested Trustees.
The Plan provides that the Fund pays the Distributor an annual fee of up to a maximum of 0.25% of the average daily net assets of the Shares. Under the Plan, the Distributor may make payments pursuant to written agreements to financial institutions and intermediaries such as banks, savings and loan associations, and insurance companies including, without limit, investment counselors, broker-dealers, and the Distributor’s affiliates and subsidiaries (collectively, “Agents”) as compensation for services and reimbursement of expenses incurred in connection with distribution assistance. The Plan is characterized as a compensation plan since the distribution fee will be paid to the Distributor without regard to the distribution expenses incurred by the Distributor or the amount of payments made to other financial institutions and intermediaries. The Trust intends to operate the Plan in accordance with its terms and with FINRA rules concerning sales charges.
Under the Plan, subject to the limitations of applicable law and regulations, the Fund is authorized to compensate the Distributor up to the maximum amount to finance any activity primarily intended to result in the sale of Creation Units of the Fund or for providing, or arranging for others to provide, shareholder services and for the maintenance of shareholder accounts. Such activities may include, but are not limited to: (1) delivering copies of the Fund’s then current reports, prospectuses, notices, and similar materials, to prospective purchasers of Creation Units; (2) marketing and promotional services, including advertising; (3) paying the costs of and compensating others, including Authorized Participants with whom the Distributor has entered into written Authorized Participant Agreements, for performing shareholder servicing on behalf of the Fund; (4) compensating certain Authorized Participants for providing assistance in distributing the Creation Units of the Fund, including the travel and communication expenses and salaries and/or commissions of sales personnel in connection with the distribution of the Creation Units of the Fund; (5) payments to financial institutions and intermediaries such as banks, savings and loan associations, insurance companies, and investment counselors, broker-dealers, mutual fund supermarkets and the affiliates and subsidiaries of the Trust’s service providers as compensation for services or reimbursement of expenses incurred in connection with distribution assistance; (6) facilitating communications with beneficial owners of Shares, including the cost of providing, or paying others to provide, services to beneficial owners of Shares, including, but not limited to, assistance in answering inquiries related to Shareholder accounts; and (7) such other services and obligations as are set forth in the Distribution Agreement.
ADMINISTRATOR
Tidal ETF Services LLC (“Tidal” or the “Administrator”), an affiliate of the Adviser, serves as the Fund’s administrator. Tidal is located at 898 N. Broadway, Suite 2, Massapequa, New York 11758. Pursuant to a Fund Administration Servicing Agreement between the Trust and Tidal, Tidal provides the Trust with, or arranges for, administrative and management services (other than investment advisory services) to be provided to the Trust and the Board. Pursuant to the Fund Administration Servicing Agreement, officers or employees of Tidal serve as the Trust’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer, Tidal coordinates the payment of Fund-related expenses, and Tidal manages the Trust’s relationships with its various service providers. As compensation for the services it provides, Tidal receives a fee based on the Fund’s average daily net assets, subject to a minimum annual fee. Tidal also is entitled to certain out-of-pocket expenses for the services mentioned above.
The Fund is new, and Tidal has not received any fees for administrative services to the Fund as of the date of this SAI.
SUB-ADMINISTRATOR AND TRANSFER AGENT
Global Fund Services, located at 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202, serves as the Fund’s sub-administrator and transfer agent.
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Pursuant to a Fund Sub-Administration Servicing Agreement and a Fund Accounting Servicing Agreement between the Trust and Global Fund Services, Global Fund Services provides the Trust with administrative and management services (other than investment advisory services) and accounting services, including portfolio accounting services, tax accounting services, and furnishing financial reports. In this capacity, Global Fund Services does not have any responsibility or authority for the management of the Fund, the determination of investment policy, or for any matter pertaining to the distribution of Shares. As compensation for the administration, accounting and management services, the Adviser pays Global Fund Services a fee based on the Fund’s average daily net assets, subject to a minimum annual fee. Global Fund Services also is entitled to certain out-of-pocket expenses for the services mentioned above, including pricing expenses.
The Fund is new, and Global Fund Services has not received any fees for administrative services to the Fund as of the date of this SAI.
CUSTODIAN
Pursuant to a Custody Agreement, U.S. Bank National Association (“U.S. Bank”), 1555 North Rivercenter Drive, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53212, serves as the custodian (the “Custodian”) of the Fund’s assets. U.S. Bank is the parent company of Global Fund Services. The Custodian holds and administers the assets in the Fund’s portfolio. Pursuant to the Custody Agreement, the Custodian receives an annual fee from the Adviser based on the Trust’s total average daily net assets, subject to a minimum annual fee, and certain settlement charges. The Custodian also is entitled to certain out-of-pocket expenses.
COMPLIANCE SERVICES ADMINISTRATOR
The Trust has entered into a compliance services arrangement with Cipperman Compliance Services, LLC (“Cipperman”), located at 480 E. Swedesford Road, Suite 300, Wayne, Pennsylvania 19087, pursuant to which Bridget P. Garcia, an employee of Cipperman, serves as the Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer. The Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer will prepare and update the Trust’s compliance policies and procedures and monitor and test compliance with such policies and procedures.
LEGAL COUNSEL
Godfrey & Kahn, S.C., located at 833 East Michigan Street, Suite 1800, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202, serves as legal counsel for the Trust and the Independent Trustees.
INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
Tait, Weller & Baker LLP, located at Two Liberty Place, 50 S. 16th Street, 29th Floor, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19102, serves as the independent registered public accounting firm for the Fund.
PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS DISCLOSURE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
The Board has adopted a policy regarding the disclosure of information about the Fund’s security holdings. The Fund’s entire portfolio holdings are publicly disseminated each day the Fund is open for business and through financial reporting and news services including publicly available internet web sites. In addition, the composition of the Deposit Securities is publicly disseminated daily prior to the opening of the Exchange via the National Securities Clearing Corporation (“NSCC”).
DESCRIPTION OF SHARES
The Declaration of Trust authorizes the issuance of an unlimited number of funds and shares. Each share represents an equal proportionate interest in the Fund with each other share. Shares are entitled upon liquidation to a pro rata share in the net assets of the Fund. Shareholders have no preemptive rights. The Declaration of Trust provides that the Trustees may create additional series or classes of shares. All consideration received by the Trust for shares of any additional funds and all assets in which such consideration is invested would belong to that fund and would be subject to the liabilities related thereto. Share certificates representing Shares will not be issued. Shares, when issued, are fully paid and non-assessable.
Each Share has one vote with respect to matters upon which a shareholder vote is required, consistent with the requirements of the 1940 Act and the rules promulgated thereunder. Shares of all funds in the Trust vote together as a single class, except that if the matter being voted on affects only a particular fund it will be voted on only by that fund and if a matter affects a particular fund differently from other funds, that fund will vote separately on such matter. As a Delaware statutory trust, the Trust is not required, and does not intend, to hold annual meetings of shareholders. Approval of shareholders will be sought, however, for certain changes in the operation of the Trust and for the election of Trustees under certain circumstances. The Trust will call for a meeting of shareholders to consider the removal of one or more Trustees and other certain matters upon the written request of shareholders holding at least a majority of the outstanding shares of the Trust entitled to vote at such meeting. In the event that such a meeting is requested, the Trust will provide appropriate assistance and information to the shareholders requesting the meeting.
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Under the Declaration of Trust, the Trustees have the power to liquidate the Fund without shareholder approval. While the Trustees have no present intention of exercising this power, they may do so if the Fund fails to reach a viable size within a reasonable amount of time or for such other reasons as may be determined by the Board.
LIMITATION OF TRUSTEES’ LIABILITY
The Declaration of Trust provides that a Trustee shall be liable only for his or her own willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence, or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of the office of Trustee, and shall not be liable for errors of judgment or mistakes of fact or law. The Declaration of Trust also provides that the Trust shall indemnify each person who is, or has been, a Trustee, officer, employee, or agent of the Trust, and, upon due approval of the Trustees, any person who is serving or has served at the Trust’s request as a director, officer, partner, trustee, employee, agent, or fiduciary of another organization with respect to any alleged acts or omissions while acting within the scope of his or her service in such a position. However, nothing in the Declaration of Trust shall protect or indemnify a Trustee against any liability for a Trustee’s willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence, or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of the office of Trustee. Nothing contained in this section attempts to disclaim a Trustee’s individual liability in any manner inconsistent with the federal securities laws.
BROKERAGE TRANSACTIONS
The policy of the Trust regarding purchases and sales of securities for the Fund is that primary consideration will be given to obtaining the most favorable prices and efficient executions of transactions. Consistent with this policy, when securities transactions are effected on a stock exchange, the Trust’s policy is to pay commissions which are considered fair and reasonable without necessarily determining that the lowest possible commissions are paid in all circumstances. The Trust believes that a requirement always to seek the lowest possible commission cost could impede effective portfolio management and preclude the Fund and the Adviser or Sub-Adviser, as applicable, from obtaining a high quality of brokerage and research services. In seeking to determine the reasonableness of brokerage commissions paid in any transaction, the Adviser or Sub-Adviser, as applicable, will rely upon its experience and knowledge regarding commissions generally charged by various brokers and on its judgment in evaluating the brokerage services received from the broker effecting the transaction. Such determinations are necessarily subjective and imprecise, as in most cases, an exact dollar value for those services is not ascertainable. The Trust has adopted policies and procedures that prohibit the consideration of sales of Shares as a factor in the selection of a broker or dealer to execute its portfolio transactions.
Each of the Adviser and the Sub-Adviser owes a fiduciary duty to its clients to seek to provide best execution on trades effected. In selecting a broker/dealer for each specific transaction, the Adviser or Sub-Adviser, as applicable, chooses the broker/dealer deemed most capable of providing the services necessary to obtain the most favorable execution. “Best execution” is generally understood to mean the most favorable cost or net proceeds reasonably obtainable under the circumstances. The full range of brokerage services applicable to a particular transaction may be considered when making this judgment, which may include, but is not limited to liquidity, price, commission, timing, aggregated trades, capable floor brokers or traders, competent block trading coverage, ability to position, capital strength and stability, reliable and accurate communications and settlement processing, use of automation, knowledge of other buyers or sellers, arbitrage skills, administrative ability, underwriting, and provision of information on a particular security or market in which the transaction is to occur. The specific criteria will vary depending upon the nature of the transaction, the market in which it is executed, and the extent to which it is possible to select from among multiple broker/dealers. The Adviser or Sub-Adviser, as applicable, will also use electronic crossing networks (“ECNs”) when appropriate.
Subject to the foregoing policies, brokers or dealers selected to execute the Fund’s portfolio transactions may include the Fund’s Authorized Participants (as discussed in “Purchase and Redemption of Shares in Creation Units — Procedures for Purchase of Creation Units” below) or their affiliates. An Authorized Participant or its affiliates may be selected to execute the Fund’s portfolio transactions in conjunction with an all-cash Creation Unit order or an order including “cash-in-lieu” (as described below under “Purchase and Redemption of Shares in Creation Units”), so long as such selection is in keeping with the foregoing policies. As described below under “Purchase and Redemption of Shares in Creation Units — Creation Transaction Fee” and “ — Redemption Transaction Fee”, the Fund may determine to not charge a variable fee on certain orders when the Adviser or Sub-Adviser, as applicable, has determined that doing so is in the best interests of Fund shareholders, even if the decision to not charge a variable fee could be viewed as benefiting the Authorized Participant or its affiliate selected to execute the Fund’s portfolio transactions in connection with such orders.
The Adviser or Sub-Adviser, as applicable, may use the Fund’s assets for, or participate in, third-party soft dollar arrangements, in addition to receiving proprietary research from various full-service brokers, the cost of which is bundled with the cost of the broker’s execution services. The Adviser or Sub-Adviser, as applicable, does not “pay up” for the value of any such proprietary research. Section 28(e) of the 1934 Act permits the Adviser or Sub-Adviser, as applicable, under
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certain circumstances, to cause the Fund to pay a broker or dealer a commission for effecting a transaction in excess of the amount of commission another broker or dealer would have charged for effecting the transaction in recognition of the value of brokerage and research services provided by the broker or dealer. The Adviser or Sub-Adviser, as applicable, may receive a variety of research services and information on many topics, which it can use in connection with its management responsibilities with respect to the various accounts over which it exercises investment discretion or otherwise provides investment advice. The research services may include qualifying order management systems, portfolio attribution and monitoring services, and computer software and access charges which are directly related to investment research. Accordingly, the Fund may pay a broker commission higher than the lowest available in recognition of the broker’s provision of such services to the Adviser or Sub-Adviser, as applicable, but only if the Adviser or Sub-Adviser, as applicable, determines the total commission (including the soft dollar benefit) is comparable to the best commission rate that could be expected to be received from other brokers. The amount of soft dollar benefits received depends on the amount of brokerage transactions effected with the brokers. A conflict of interest exists because there is an incentive to (1) cause clients to pay a higher commission than the firm might otherwise be able to negotiate, (2) cause clients to engage in more securities transactions than would otherwise be optimal, and (3) only recommend brokers that provide soft dollar benefits.
The Adviser or Sub-Adviser, as applicable, faces a potential conflict of interest when it uses client trades to obtain brokerage or research services. This conflict exists because the Adviser or Sub-Adviser, as applicable, can use the brokerage or research services to manage client accounts without paying cash for such services, which reduces the expenses of the Adviser or Sub-Adviser, as applicable, to the extent that the Adviser or Sub-Adviser, as applicable, would have purchased such products had they not been provided by brokers. Section 28(e) permits the Adviser or Sub-Adviser, as applicable, to use brokerage or research services for the benefit of any account it manages. Certain accounts managed by the Adviser or Sub-Adviser, as applicable, may generate soft dollars used to purchase brokerage or research services that ultimately benefit other accounts managed by the Adviser or Sub-Adviser, as applicable, effectively cross subsidizing the other accounts managed by the Adviser or Sub-Adviser, as applicable, that benefit directly from the product. The Adviser or Sub-Adviser, as applicable, may not necessarily use all of the brokerage or research services in connection with managing the Fund whose trades generated the soft dollars used to purchase such products.
The Adviser or Sub-Adviser, as applicable, is responsible, subject to oversight by the Adviser (if applicable) and the Board, for placing orders on behalf of the Fund for the purchase or sale of portfolio securities. If purchases or sales of portfolio securities of the Fund and one or more other investment companies or clients supervised by the Adviser or Sub-Adviser, as applicable, are considered at or about the same time, transactions in such securities are allocated among the several investment companies and clients in a manner deemed equitable and consistent with its fiduciary obligations to all by the Adviser or Sub-Adviser, as applicable. In some cases, this procedure could have a detrimental effect on the price or volume of the security so far as the Fund is concerned. However, in other cases, it is possible that the ability to participate in volume transactions and to negotiate lower brokerage commissions will be beneficial to the Fund. The primary consideration is prompt execution of orders at the most favorable net price.
The Fund may deal with affiliates in principal transactions to the extent permitted by exemptive order or applicable rule or regulation.
The Fund is new and has not paid any brokerage commissions as of the date of this SAI.
Brokerage with Fund Affiliates. The Fund may execute brokerage or other agency transactions through registered broker-dealer affiliates of the Fund, the Adviser or the Sub-Adviser for a commission in conformity with the 1940 Act, the 1934 Act, and rules promulgated by the SEC. These rules require that commissions paid to the affiliate by the Fund for exchange transactions not exceed “usual and customary” brokerage commissions. The rules define “usual and customary” commissions to include amounts which are “reasonable and fair compared to the commission, fee or other remuneration received or to be received by other brokers in connection with comparable transactions involving similar securities being purchased or sold on a securities exchange during a comparable period of time.” The Trustees, including those who are not “interested persons” of the Fund, have adopted procedures for evaluating the reasonableness of commissions paid to affiliates and review these procedures periodically.
The Fund is new and has not paid brokerage commissions to any registered broker-dealer affiliates of the Fund, the Adviser, or the Sub-Adviser as of the date of this SAI.
Securities of “Regular Broker-Dealers.” The Fund is required to identify any securities of its “regular brokers and dealers” (as such term is defined in the 1940 Act) that it may hold at the close of its most recent fiscal year. “Regular brokers or dealers” of the Fund are the ten brokers or dealers that, during the most recent fiscal year (1) received the greatest dollar amounts of brokerage commissions from the Fund’s portfolio transactions, (2) engaged as principal in the largest dollar amounts of portfolio transactions of the Fund, or (3) sold the largest dollar amounts of Shares.
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The Fund is new and did not own equity securities of its regular broker-dealers or their parent companies as of the date of this SAI.
PORTFOLIO TURNOVER RATE
A portfolio turnover rate is, in summary, the percentage computed by dividing the lesser of the Fund’s purchases or sales of securities (excluding short-term securities and securities transferred in-kind) by the average market value of the Fund. A rate of 100% indicates that the equivalent of all of the Fund’s assets have been sold and reinvested in a year. High portfolio turnover may affect the amount, timing, and character of distributions, and, as a result, may increase the amount of taxes payable by shareholders. Higher portfolio turnover also results in higher transaction costs. To the extent that net short-term capital gains are realized by the Fund, any distributions resulting from such gains are considered ordinary income for federal income tax purposes.
The Fund is new and does not have a portfolio turnover rate to report as of the date of this SAI.
BOOK ENTRY ONLY SYSTEM
The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) acts as securities depositary for Shares. Shares are represented by securities registered in the name of DTC or its nominee, Cede & Co., and deposited with, or on behalf of, DTC. Except in limited circumstances set forth below, certificates will not be issued for Shares.
DTC is a limited-purpose trust company that was created to hold securities of its participants (the “DTC Participants”) and to facilitate the clearance and settlement of securities transactions among the DTC Participants in such securities through electronic book-entry changes in accounts of the DTC Participants, thereby eliminating the need for physical movement of securities certificates. DTC Participants include securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations, and certain other organizations, some of whom (and/or their representatives) own DTC. More specifically, DTC is owned by a number of its DTC Participants and by the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) and FINRA. Access to the DTC system is also available to others such as banks, brokers, dealers, and trust companies that clear through or maintain a custodial relationship with a DTC Participant, either directly or indirectly (the “Indirect Participants”).
Beneficial ownership of Shares is limited to DTC Participants, Indirect Participants, and persons holding interests through DTC Participants and Indirect Participants. Ownership of beneficial interests in Shares (owners of such beneficial interests are referred to in this SAI as “Beneficial Owners”) is shown on, and the transfer of ownership is effected only through, records maintained by DTC (with respect to DTC Participants) and on the records of DTC Participants (with respect to Indirect Participants and Beneficial Owners that are not DTC Participants). Beneficial Owners will receive from or through the DTC Participant a written confirmation relating to their purchase of Shares. The Trust recognizes DTC or its nominee as the record owner of all Shares for all purposes. Beneficial Owners of Shares are not entitled to have Shares registered in their names, and will not receive or be entitled to physical delivery of Share certificates. Each Beneficial Owner must rely on the procedures of DTC and any DTC Participant and/or Indirect Participant through which such Beneficial Owner holds its interests, to exercise any rights of a holder of Shares.
Conveyance of all notices, statements, and other communications to Beneficial Owners is effected as follows. DTC will make available to the Trust upon request and for a fee a listing of Shares held by each DTC Participant. The Trust shall obtain from each such DTC Participant the number of Beneficial Owners holding Shares, directly or indirectly, through such DTC Participant. The Trust shall provide each such DTC Participant with copies of such notice, statement, or other communication, in such form, number, and at such place as such DTC Participant may reasonably request, in order that such notice, statement, or communication may be transmitted by such DTC Participant, directly or indirectly, to such Beneficial Owners. In addition, the Trust shall pay to each such DTC Participant a fair and reasonable amount as reimbursement for the expenses attendant to such transmittal, all subject to applicable statutory and regulatory requirements.
Share distributions shall be made to DTC or its nominee, Cede & Co., as the registered holder of all Shares. DTC or its nominee, upon receipt of any such distributions, shall credit immediately DTC Participants’ accounts with payments in amounts proportionate to their respective beneficial interests in the Fund as shown on the records of DTC or its nominee. Payments by DTC Participants to Indirect Participants and Beneficial Owners of Shares held through such DTC Participants will be governed by standing instructions and customary practices, as is now the case with securities held for the accounts of customers in bearer form or registered in “street name,” and will be the responsibility of such DTC Participants.
The Trust has no responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to or notices to Beneficial Owners; or payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests in Shares; or for maintaining, supervising, or reviewing any records relating to such beneficial ownership interests; or for any other aspect of the relationship between DTC and the DTC Participants or the relationship between such DTC Participants and the Indirect Participants and Beneficial Owners owning through such DTC Participants.
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DTC may determine to discontinue providing its service with respect to the Fund at any time by giving reasonable notice to the Fund and discharging its responsibilities with respect thereto under applicable law. Under such circumstances, the Fund shall act either to find a replacement for DTC to perform its functions at a comparable cost or, if such replacement is unavailable, to issue and deliver printed certificates representing ownership of Shares, unless the Trust makes other arrangements with respect thereto satisfactory to the Exchange.
PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION OF SHARES IN CREATION UNITS
The Trust issues and redeems Shares only in Creation Units on a continuous basis through the Transfer Agent, without a sales load (but subject to transaction fees, if applicable), at their NAV per share next determined after receipt of an order, on any Business Day, in proper form pursuant to the terms of the Authorized Participant Agreement (“Participant Agreement”). The NAV of Shares is calculated each business day as of the scheduled close of regular trading on the NYSE, generally 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time. The Fund will not issue fractional Creation Units. A “Business Day” is any day on which the NYSE is open for business.
Fund Deposit. The consideration for purchase of a Creation Unit of the Fund generally consists of the in-kind deposit of a designated portfolio of securities (the “Deposit Securities”) per each Creation Unit and the Cash Component (defined below) computed as described below. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Trust reserves the right to permit or require the substitution of a “cash in lieu” amount (“Deposit Cash”) to be added to the Cash Component to replace any Deposit Security. When accepting purchases of Creation Units for all or a portion of Deposit Cash, the Fund may incur additional costs associated with the acquisition of Deposit Securities that would otherwise be provided by an in-kind purchaser.
Together, the Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable, and the Cash Component constitute the “Fund Deposit,” which represents the minimum initial and subsequent investment amount for a Creation Unit of the Fund. The “Cash Component” is an amount equal to the difference between the NAV of Shares (per Creation Unit) and the value of the Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable. If the Cash Component is a positive number (i.e., the NAV per Creation Unit exceeds the value of the Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable), the Cash Component shall be such positive amount. If the Cash Component is a negative number (i.e., the NAV per Creation Unit is less than the value of the Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable), the Cash Component shall be such negative amount and the creator will be entitled to receive cash in an amount equal to the Cash Component. The Cash Component serves the function of compensating for any differences between the NAV per Creation Unit and the value of the Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable. Computation of the Cash Component excludes any stamp duty or other similar fees and expenses payable upon transfer of beneficial ownership of the Deposit Securities, if applicable, which shall be the sole responsibility of the Authorized Participant (as defined below).
The Fund, through NSCC, makes available on each Business Day, prior to the opening of business on the Exchange (currently 9:30 a.m., Eastern Time), the list of the names and the required number of Shares of each Deposit Security or the required amount of Deposit Cash, as applicable, to be included in the current Fund Deposit (based on information at the end of the previous Business Day) for the Fund. Such Fund Deposit is subject to any applicable adjustments as described below, to effect purchases of Creation Units of the Fund until such time as the next-announced composition of the Deposit Securities or the required amount of Deposit Cash, as applicable, is made available.
The identity and number of Shares of the Deposit Securities or the amount of Deposit Cash, as applicable, required for the Fund Deposit for the Fund may change from time to time.
Procedures for Purchase of Creation Units. To be eligible to place orders with the Transfer Agent to purchase a Creation Unit of the Fund, an entity must be (1) a “Participating Party” (i.e., a broker-dealer or other participant in the clearing process through the Continuous Net Settlement System of the NSCC (the “Clearing Process”)), a clearing agency that is registered with the SEC; or (2) a DTC Participant (see “Book Entry Only System”). In addition, each Participating Party or DTC Participant (each, an “Authorized Participant”) must execute a Participant Agreement with respect to purchases and redemptions of Creation Units. Each Authorized Participant will agree, pursuant to the terms of a Participant Agreement, on behalf of itself or any investor on whose behalf it will act, to certain conditions, including that it will pay to the Trust, an amount of cash sufficient to pay the Cash Component together with the creation transaction fee (described below), if applicable, and any other applicable fees and taxes.
All orders to purchase Shares directly from the Fund must be placed for one or more Creation Units and in the manner and by the time set forth in the Participant Agreement and/or applicable order form. The order cut-off time for orders to purchase Creation Units is 4:00 p.m. Eastern time, which time may be modified by the Fund from time-to-time by amendment to the Participant Agreement and/or applicable order form. The date on which an order to purchase Creation Units (or an order to redeem Creation Units, as set forth below) is received and accepted is referred to as the “Order Placement Date.”
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An Authorized Participant may require an investor to make certain representations or enter into agreements with respect to the order (e.g., to provide for payments of cash, when required). Investors should be aware that their particular broker may not have executed a Participant Agreement and that, therefore, orders to purchase Shares directly from the Fund in Creation Units must be placed by the investor’s broker through an Authorized Participant that has executed a Participant Agreement. In such cases there may be additional charges to such investor. At any given time, there may be only a limited number of broker-dealers that have executed a Participant Agreement and only a small number of such Authorized Participants may have international capabilities.
On days when the Exchange closes earlier than normal, the Fund may require orders to create Creation Units to be placed earlier in the day. In addition, if a market or markets on which the Fund’s investments are primarily traded is closed, the Fund will also generally not accept orders on such day(s). Orders must be transmitted by an Authorized Participant by telephone or other transmission method acceptable to the Transfer Agent pursuant to procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement and in accordance with the applicable order form. On behalf of the Fund, the Transfer Agent will notify the Custodian of such order. The Custodian will then provide such information to the appropriate local sub-custodian(s). Those placing orders through an Authorized Participant should allow sufficient time to permit proper submission of the purchase order to the Transfer Agent by the cut-off time on such Business Day. Economic or market disruptions or changes, or telephone or other communication failure may impede the ability to reach the Transfer Agent or an Authorized Participant.
Fund Deposits must be delivered by an Authorized Participant through the Federal Reserve System (for cash) or through DTC (for corporate securities), through a subcustody agent (for foreign securities) and/or through such other arrangements allowed by the Trust or its agents. With respect to foreign Deposit Securities, the Custodian shall cause the subcustodian of the Fund to maintain an account into which the Authorized Participant shall deliver, on behalf of itself or the party on whose behalf it is acting, such Deposit Securities (or Deposit Cash for all or a part of such securities, as permitted or required), with any appropriate adjustments as advised by the Trust. Foreign Deposit Securities must be delivered to an account maintained at the applicable local subcustodian. A Fund Deposit transfer must be ordered by the Authorized Participant in a timely fashion to ensure the delivery of the requisite number of Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable, to the account of the Fund or its agents by no later than 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time (or such other time as specified by the Trust) on the Settlement Date. If the Fund or its agents do not receive all of the Deposit Securities, or the required Deposit Cash in lieu thereof, by such time, then the order may be deemed rejected and the Authorized Participant shall be liable to the Fund for losses, if any, resulting therefrom. The “Settlement Date” for the Fund is generally the second Business Day after the Order Placement Date. All questions as to the number of Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash to be delivered, as applicable, and the validity, form and eligibility (including time of receipt) for the deposit of any tendered securities or cash, as applicable, will be determined by the Trust, whose determination shall be final and binding. The amount of cash represented by the Cash Component must be transferred directly to the Custodian through the Federal Reserve Bank wire transfer system in a timely manner to be received by the Custodian no later than the Settlement Date. If the Cash Component and the Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable, are not received by the Custodian in a timely manner by the Settlement Date, the creation order may be cancelled. Upon written notice to the Transfer Agent, such canceled order may be resubmitted the following Business Day using a Fund Deposit as newly constituted to reflect the then current NAV of the Fund.
The order shall be deemed to be received on the Business Day on which the order is placed provided that the order is placed in proper form prior to the applicable cut-off time and the federal funds in the appropriate amount are deposited by 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time, with the Custodian on the Settlement Date. If the order is not placed in proper form as required, or federal funds in the appropriate amount are not received by 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the Settlement Date, then the order may be deemed to be rejected and the Authorized Participant shall be liable to the Fund for losses, if any, resulting therefrom. A creation request is in “proper form” if all procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement, order form and this SAI are properly followed.
Issuance of a Creation Unit. Except as provided in this SAI, Creation Units will not be issued until the transfer of good title to the Trust of the Deposit Securities or payment of Deposit Cash, as applicable, and the payment of the Cash Component have been completed. When the required Deposit Securities (or the cash value thereof) have been delivered to the account of the Custodian (or subcustodian, as applicable), the Transfer Agent and the Adviser shall be notified of such delivery, and the Trust will issue and cause the delivery of the Creation Units. The delivery of Creation Units so created generally will occur no later than the second Business Day following the day on which the purchase order is deemed received by the Transfer Agent. The Authorized Participant shall be liable to the Fund for losses, if any, resulting from unsettled orders.
Creation Units may be purchased in advance of receipt by the Trust of all or a portion of the applicable Deposit Securities as described below. In these circumstances, the initial deposit will have a value greater than the NAV of the Shares on the date the order is placed in proper form since, in addition to available Deposit Securities, cash must be deposited in an amount equal to the sum of (1) the Cash Component, plus (2) an additional amount of cash equal to a percentage of the value as set
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forth in the Participant Agreement, of the undelivered Deposit Securities (the “Additional Cash Deposit”), which shall be maintained in a separate non-interest bearing collateral account. The Authorized Participant must deposit with the Custodian the Additional Cash Deposit, as applicable, by 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time (or such other time as specified by the Trust) on the Settlement Date. If the Fund or its agents do not receive the Additional Cash Deposit in the appropriate amount, by such time, then the order may be deemed rejected and the Authorized Participant shall be liable to the Fund for losses, if any, resulting therefrom. An additional amount of cash shall be required to be deposited with the Trust, pending delivery of the missing Deposit Securities to the extent necessary to maintain the Additional Cash Deposit with the Trust in an amount at least equal to the applicable percentage, as set forth in the Participant Agreement, of the daily market value of the missing Deposit Securities. The Participant Agreement will permit the Trust to buy the missing Deposit Securities at any time. Authorized Participants will be liable to the Trust for the costs incurred by the Trust in connection with any such purchases. These costs will be deemed to include the amount by which the actual purchase price of the Deposit Securities exceeds the value of such Deposit Securities on the day the purchase order was deemed received by the Transfer Agent plus the brokerage and related transaction costs associated with such purchases. The Trust will return any unused portion of the Additional Cash Deposit once all of the missing Deposit Securities have been properly received by the Custodian or purchased by the Trust and deposited into the Trust. In addition, a transaction fee, as described below under “Creation Transaction Fee,” may be charged. The delivery of Creation Units so created generally will occur no later than the Settlement Date.
Acceptance of Orders of Creation Units. The Trust reserves the absolute right to reject an order for Creation Units transmitted to it by the Transfer Agent with respect to the Fund including, without limitation, if (1) the order is not in proper form; (2) the Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable, delivered by the Participant are not as disseminated through the facilities of the NSCC for that date by the Custodian; (3) the investor(s), upon obtaining Shares ordered, would own 80% or more of the currently outstanding Shares; (4) acceptance of the Deposit Securities would have certain adverse tax consequences to the Fund; (5) the acceptance of the Fund Deposit would, in the opinion of counsel, be unlawful; (6) the acceptance of the Fund Deposit would otherwise, in the discretion of the Trust or the Adviser, have an adverse effect on the Trust or the rights of beneficial owners; (7) the acceptance or receipt of the order for a Creation Unit would, in the opinion of counsel to the Trust, be unlawful; or (8) in the event that circumstances outside the control of the Trust, the Custodian, the Transfer Agent and/or the Adviser make it for all practical purposes not feasible to process orders for Creation Units.
Examples of such circumstances include acts of God or public service or utility problems such as fires, floods, extreme weather conditions and power outages resulting in telephone, telecopy and computer failures; market conditions or activities causing trading halts; systems failures involving computer or other information systems affecting the Trust, the Distributor, the Custodian, a sub-custodian, the Transfer Agent, DTC, NSCC, Federal Reserve System, or any other participant in the creation process, and other extraordinary events. The Transfer Agent shall notify a prospective creator of a Creation Unit and/or the Authorized Participant acting on behalf of the creator of a Creation Unit of its rejection of the order of such person. The Trust, the Transfer Agent, the Custodian, any sub-custodian and the Distributor are under no duty, however, to give notification of any defects or irregularities in the delivery of Fund Deposits nor shall either of them incur any liability for the failure to give any such notification. The Trust, the Transfer Agent, the Custodian and the Distributor shall not be liable for the rejection of any purchase order for Creation Units.
All questions as to the number of Shares of each security in the Deposit Securities and the validity form, eligibility and acceptance for deposit of any securities to be delivered shall be determined by the Trust, and the Trust’s determination shall be final and binding.
Creation Transaction Fee. A fixed purchase (i.e., creation) transaction fee, payable to the Custodian, may be imposed for the transfer and other transaction costs associated with the purchase of Creation Units (“Creation Order Costs”). The standard fixed creation transaction fee for the Fund, regardless of the number of Creation Units created in the transaction, can be found in the table below. The Fund may adjust the standard fixed creation transaction fee from time to time. The fixed creation fee may be waived on certain orders if the Custodian has determined to waive some or all of the Creation Order Costs associated with the order or another party, such as the Adviser, has agreed to pay such fee.
In addition, a variable fee, payable to the Fund, of up to the maximum percentage listed in the table below of the value of the Creation Units subject to the transaction may be imposed for cash purchases, non-standard orders, or partial cash purchases of Creation Units. The variable charge is primarily designed to cover additional costs (e.g., brokerage, taxes) involved with buying the securities with cash. The Fund may determine to not charge a variable fee on certain orders when the Adviser has determined that doing so is in the best interests of Fund shareholders.
Fixed Creation Transaction Fee
Maximum Variable Transaction Fee
$500
2%
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Investors who use the services of a broker or other such intermediary may be charged a fee for such services. Investors are responsible for the fixed costs of transferring the Fund Securities (defined below) from the Trust to their account or on their order.
Risks of Purchasing Creation Units. There are certain legal risks unique to investors purchasing Creation Units directly from the Fund. Because Shares may be issued on an ongoing basis, a “distribution” of Shares could be occurring at any time. Certain activities that a shareholder performs as a dealer could, depending on the circumstances, result in the shareholder being deemed a participant in the distribution in a manner that could render the shareholder a statutory underwriter and subject to the prospectus delivery and liability provisions of the Securities Act. For example, a shareholder could be deemed a statutory underwriter if it purchases Creation Units from the Fund, breaks them down into the constituent Shares, and sells those Shares directly to customers, or if a shareholder chooses to couple the creation of a supply of new Shares with an active selling effort involving solicitation of secondary-market demand for Shares. Whether a person is an underwriter depends upon all of the facts and circumstances pertaining to that person’s activities, and the examples mentioned here should not be considered a complete description of all the activities that could cause you to be deemed an underwriter.
Dealers who are not “underwriters” but are participating in a distribution (as opposed to engaging in ordinary secondary-market transactions), and thus dealing with Shares as part of an “unsold allotment” within the meaning of Section 4(a)(3)(C) of the Securities Act, will be unable to take advantage of the prospectus delivery exemption provided by Section 4(a)(3) of the Securities Act.
Redemption. Shares may be redeemed only in Creation Units at their NAV next determined after receipt of a redemption request in proper form by the Fund through the Transfer Agent and only on a Business Day. EXCEPT UPON LIQUIDATION OF THE FUND, THE TRUST WILL NOT REDEEM SHARES IN AMOUNTS LESS THAN CREATION UNITS. Investors must accumulate enough Shares in the secondary market to constitute a Creation Unit to have such Shares redeemed by the Trust. There can be no assurance, however, that there will be sufficient liquidity in the public trading market at any time to permit assembly of a Creation Unit. Investors should expect to incur brokerage and other costs in connection with assembling a sufficient number of Shares to constitute a redeemable Creation Unit.
With respect to the Fund, the Custodian, through the NSCC, makes available prior to the opening of business on the Exchange (currently 9:30 a.m., Eastern Time) on each Business Day, the list of the names and Share quantities of the Fund’s portfolio securities that will be applicable (subject to possible amendment or correction) to redemption requests received in proper form (as defined below) on that day (“Fund Securities”). Fund Securities received on redemption may not be identical to Deposit Securities.
Redemption proceeds for a Creation Unit are paid either in-kind or in cash, or combination thereof, as determined by the Trust. With respect to in-kind redemptions of the Fund, redemption proceeds for a Creation Unit will consist of Fund Securities—as announced by the Custodian on the Business Day of the request for redemption received in proper form plus cash in an amount equal to the difference between the NAV of Shares being redeemed, as next determined after a receipt of a request in proper form, and the value of the Fund Securities (the “Cash Redemption Amount”), less a fixed redemption transaction fee, as applicable, as set forth below. If the Fund Securities have a value greater than the NAV of Shares, a compensating cash payment equal to the differential is required to be made by or through an Authorized Participant by the redeeming shareholder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, at the Trust’s discretion, an Authorized Participant may receive the corresponding cash value of the securities in lieu of the in-kind securities value representing one or more Fund Securities.
Redemption Transaction Fee. A fixed redemption transaction fee, payable to the Custodian, may be imposed for the transfer and other transaction costs associated with the redemption of Creation Units (“Redemption Order Costs”). The standard fixed redemption transaction fee for the Fund, regardless of the number of Creation Units redeemed in the transaction, can be found in the table below. The Fund may adjust the redemption transaction fee from time to time. The fixed redemption fee may be waived on certain orders if the Custodian has determined to waive some or all of the Redemption Order Costs associated with the order or another party, such as the Adviser, has agreed to pay such fee.
In addition, a variable fee, payable to the Fund, of up to the maximum percentage listed in the table below of the value of the Creation Units subject to the transaction may be imposed for cash redemptions, non-standard orders, or partial cash redemptions (when cash redemptions are available) of Creation Units. The variable charge is primarily designed to cover additional costs (e.g., brokerage, taxes) involved with selling portfolio securities to satisfy a cash redemption. The Fund may determine to not charge a variable fee on certain orders when the Adviser has determined that doing so is in the best interests of Fund shareholders.
Fixed Redemption Transaction Fee
Maximum Variable Transaction Fee
$500
2%
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Investors who use the services of a broker or other such intermediary may be charged a fee for such services. Investors are responsible for the fixed costs of transferring the Fund Securities from the Trust to their account or on their order.
Procedures for Redemption of Creation Units. Orders to redeem Creation Units must be submitted in proper form to the Transfer Agent prior to 4:00 p.m. Eastern time. A redemption request is considered to be in “proper form” if (1) an Authorized Participant has transferred or caused to be transferred to the Trust’s Transfer Agent the Creation Unit(s) being redeemed through the book-entry system of DTC so as to be effective by the time as set forth in the Participant Agreement and (2) a request in form satisfactory to the Trust is received by the Transfer Agent from the Authorized Participant on behalf of itself or another redeeming investor within the time periods specified in the Participant Agreement. If the Transfer Agent does not receive the investor’s Shares through DTC’s facilities by the times and pursuant to the other terms and conditions set forth in the Participant Agreement, the redemption request shall be rejected.
The Authorized Participant must transmit the request for redemption, in the form required by the Trust, to the Transfer Agent in accordance with procedures set forth in the Authorized Participant Agreement. Investors should be aware that their particular broker may not have executed an Authorized Participant Agreement, and that, therefore, requests to redeem Creation Units may have to be placed by the investor’s broker through an Authorized Participant who has executed an Authorized Participant Agreement. Investors making a redemption request should be aware that such request must be in the form specified by such Authorized Participant. Investors making a request to redeem Creation Units should allow sufficient time to permit proper submission of the request by an Authorized Participant and transfer of the Shares to the Trust’s Transfer Agent; such investors should allow for the additional time that may be required to effect redemptions through their banks, brokers or other financial intermediaries if such intermediaries are not Authorized Participants.
Additional Redemption Procedures. In connection with taking delivery of Shares of Fund Securities upon redemption of Creation Units, a redeeming shareholder or Authorized Participant acting on behalf of such Shareholder must maintain appropriate custody arrangements with a qualified broker-dealer, bank, or other custody providers in each jurisdiction in which any of the Fund Securities are customarily traded, to which account such Fund Securities will be delivered. Deliveries of redemption proceeds will generally be made within two business days of the trade date.
The Trust may in its discretion exercise its option to redeem such Shares in cash, and the redeeming investor will be required to receive its redemption proceeds in cash. In addition, an investor may request a redemption in cash that the Fund may, in its sole discretion, permit. In either case, the investor will receive a cash payment equal to the NAV of its Shares based on the NAV of Shares next determined after the redemption request is received in proper form (minus a redemption transaction fee, if applicable, and additional charge for requested cash redemptions specified above, to offset the Trust’s brokerage and other transaction costs associated with the disposition of Fund Securities). The Fund may also, in its sole discretion, upon request of a shareholder, provide such redeemer a portfolio of securities that differs from the exact composition of the Fund Securities but does not differ in NAV.
Redemptions of Shares for Fund Securities will be subject to compliance with applicable federal and state securities laws and the Fund (whether or not it otherwise permits cash redemptions) reserves the right to redeem Creation Units for cash to the extent that the Trust could not lawfully deliver specific Fund Securities upon redemptions or could not do so without first registering the Fund Securities under such laws. An Authorized Participant or an investor for which it is acting subject to a legal restriction with respect to a particular security included in the Fund Securities applicable to the redemption of Creation Units may be paid an equivalent amount of cash. The Authorized Participant may request the redeeming investor of the Shares to complete an order form or to enter into agreements with respect to such matters as compensating cash payment. Further, an Authorized Participant that is not a “qualified institutional buyer,” (“QIB”) as such term is defined under Rule 144A of the Securities Act, will not be able to receive Fund Securities that are restricted securities eligible for resale under Rule 144A. An Authorized Participant may be required by the Trust to provide a written confirmation with respect to QIB status to receive Fund Securities.
The right of redemption may be suspended or the date of payment postponed with respect to the Fund (1) for any period during which the Exchange is closed (other than customary weekend and holiday closings); (2) for any period during which trading on the Exchange is suspended or restricted; (3) for any period during which an emergency exists as a result of which disposal of the Shares or determination of the NAV of the Shares is not reasonably practicable; or (4) in such other circumstance as is permitted by the SEC.
DETERMINATION OF NAV
NAV per Share for the Fund is computed by dividing the value of the net assets of the Fund (i.e., the value of its total assets less total liabilities) by the total number of Shares outstanding, rounded to the nearest cent. Expenses and fees, including the management fees, are accrued daily and taken into account for purposes of determining NAV. The NAV of the Fund is calculated by Global Fund Services and determined at the scheduled close of the regular trading session on the NYSE
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(ordinarily 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time) on each day that the NYSE is open, provided that fixed-income assets may be valued as of the announced closing time for trading in fixed-income instruments on any day that the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (“SIFMA”) announces an early closing time.
In calculating the Fund’s NAV per Share, the Fund’s investments are generally valued using market valuations. A market valuation generally means a valuation (1) obtained from an exchange, a pricing service, or a major market maker (or dealer), (2) based on a price quotation or other equivalent indication of value supplied by an exchange, a pricing service, or a major market maker (or dealer) or (3) based on amortized cost. In the case of shares of other funds that are not traded on an exchange, a market valuation means such fund’s published NAV per share. The Fund may use various pricing services, or discontinue the use of any pricing service, as approved by the Board from time to time. A price obtained from a pricing service based on such pricing service’s valuation matrix may be considered a market valuation. Any assets or liabilities denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar are converted into U.S. dollars at the current market rates on the date of valuation as quoted by one or more sources.
DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS
The following information supplements and should be read in conjunction with the section in the Prospectus entitled “Dividends, Distributions, and Taxes.”
General Policies. The Fund intends to pay out dividends and interest income, if any, annually, and distribute any net realized capital gains to its shareholders at least annually. The Fund may make distributions on a more frequent basis to comply with the distribution requirements of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, (the “Code”), in all events in a manner consistent with the provisions of the 1940 Act.
Dividends and other distributions on Shares are distributed, as described below, on a pro rata basis to Beneficial Owners of such Shares. Dividend payments are made through DTC Participants and Indirect Participants to Beneficial Owners then of record with proceeds received from the Trust.
The Fund makes additional distributions to the extent necessary (1) to distribute the entire annual taxable income of the Fund, plus any net capital gains and (2) to avoid imposition of the excise tax imposed by Section 4982 of the Code. Management of the Trust reserves the right to declare special dividends if, in its reasonable discretion, such action is necessary or advisable to preserve the Fund’s eligibility for treatment as a regulated investment company (“RIC”) or to avoid imposition of income or excise taxes on undistributed income at the Fund level.
Dividend Reinvestment Service. The Trust will not make the DTC book-entry dividend reinvestment service available for use by Beneficial Owners for reinvestment of their cash proceeds, but certain individual broker-dealers may make available the DTC book-entry Dividend Reinvestment Service for use by Beneficial Owners of the Fund through DTC Participants for reinvestment of their dividend distributions. Investors should contact their brokers to ascertain the availability and description of these services. Beneficial Owners should be aware that each broker may require investors to adhere to specific procedures and timetables to participate in the dividend reinvestment service and investors should ascertain from their brokers such necessary details. If this service is available and used, dividend distributions of both income and realized gains will be automatically reinvested in additional whole Shares issued by the Trust of the Fund at NAV per Share. Distributions reinvested in additional Shares will nevertheless be taxable to Beneficial Owners acquiring such additional Shares to the same extent as if such distributions had been received in cash.
FEDERAL INCOME TAXES
The following is only a summary of certain U.S. federal income tax considerations generally affecting the Fund and its shareholders that supplements the discussion in the Prospectus. No attempt is made to present a comprehensive explanation of the federal, state, local or foreign tax treatment of the Fund or its shareholders, and the discussion here and in the Prospectus is not intended to be a substitute for careful tax planning.
The following general discussion of certain U.S. federal income tax consequences is based on provisions of the Code and the regulations issued thereunder as in effect on the date of this SAI. New legislation, as well as administrative changes or court decisions, may significantly change the conclusions expressed herein, and may have a retroactive effect with respect to the transactions contemplated herein.
Shareholders are urged to consult their own tax advisers regarding the application of the provisions of tax law described in this SAI in light of the particular tax situations of the shareholders and regarding specific questions as to federal, state, local, or foreign taxes.
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Taxation of the Fund. The Fund will elect and intends to qualify each year to be treated as a RIC under the Code. As such, the Fund should not be subject to federal income taxes on its net investment income and capital gains, if any, to the extent that it timely distributes such income and capital gains to its shareholders. Generally, to be taxed as a RIC, the Fund must distribute in each taxable year at least 90% of its “investment company taxable income” for the taxable year, which includes, among other items, dividends, interest, net short-term capital gain and net foreign currency gain, less expenses, as well as 90% of its net tax-exempt interest income, if any (the “Distribution Requirement”) and also must meet several additional requirements. Among these requirements are the following: (i) at least 90% of the Fund’s gross income each taxable year must be derived from dividends, interest, payments with respect to certain securities loans, gains from the sale or other disposition of stock, securities or foreign currencies, or other income derived with respect to its business of investing in such stock, securities or foreign currencies, and net income derived from interests in qualified publicly traded partnerships (the “Qualifying Income Requirement”); and (ii) at the end of each quarter of the Fund’s taxable year, the Fund’s assets must be diversified so that (1) at least 50% of the value of the Fund’s total assets is represented by cash and cash items, U.S. government securities, securities of other RICs, and other securities, with such other securities limited, in respect to any one issuer, to an amount not greater in value than 5% of the value of the Fund’s total assets and to not more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer, and (2) not more than 25% of the value of its total assets is invested in the securities (other than U.S. government securities or securities of other RICs) of any one issuer, the securities (other than securities of other RICs) of two or more issuers which the Fund controls and which are engaged in the same, similar, or related trades or businesses, or the securities of one or more qualified publicly traded partnerships (the “Diversification Requirement”).
To the extent the Fund makes investments that may generate income that is not qualifying income, including certain derivatives, the Fund will seek to restrict the resulting income from such investments so that the Fund’s non-qualifying income does not exceed 10% of its gross income.
Although the Fund intends to distribute substantially all of its net investment income and may distribute its capital gains for any taxable year, the Fund will be subject to federal income taxation to the extent any such income or gains are not distributed. The Fund is treated as a separate corporation for federal income tax purposes. The Fund therefore is considered to be a separate entity in determining its treatment under the rules for RICs described herein. The requirements (other than certain organizational requirements) for qualifying RIC status are determined at the Fund level rather than at the Trust level.
If the Fund fails to satisfy the Qualifying Income Requirement or the Diversification Requirement in any taxable year, the Fund may be eligible for relief provisions if the failures are due to reasonable cause and not willful neglect and if a penalty tax is paid with respect to each failure to satisfy the applicable requirements. Additionally, relief is provided for certain de minimis failures of the Diversification Requirement where the Fund corrects the failure within a specified period of time. To be eligible for the relief provisions with respect to a failure to meet the Diversification Requirement, the Fund may be required to dispose of certain assets. If these relief provisions were not available to the Fund and it were to fail to qualify for treatment as a RIC for a taxable year, all of its taxable income would be subject to tax at regular corporate rates without any deduction for distributions to shareholders, and its distributions (including capital gains distributions) generally would be taxable to the shareholders of the Fund as ordinary income dividends, subject to the dividends received deduction for corporate shareholders and the lower tax rates on qualified dividend income received by noncorporate shareholders, subject to certain limitations. To requalify for treatment as a RIC in a subsequent taxable year, the Fund would be required to satisfy the RIC qualification requirements for that year and to distribute any earnings and profits from any year in which the Fund failed to qualify for tax treatment as a RIC. If the Fund failed to qualify as a RIC for a period greater than two taxable years, it would generally be required to pay a fund-level tax on certain net built in gains recognized with respect to certain of its assets upon disposition of such assets within five years of qualifying as a RIC in a subsequent year. The Board reserves the right not to maintain the qualification of the Fund for treatment as a RIC if it determines such course of action to be beneficial to shareholders. If the Fund determines that it will not qualify as a RIC, the Fund will establish procedures to reflect the anticipated tax liability in the Fund’s NAV.
The Fund may elect to treat part or all of any “qualified late year loss” as if it had been incurred in the succeeding taxable year in determining the Fund’s taxable income, net capital gain, net short-term capital gain, and earnings and profits. The effect of this election is to treat any such “qualified late year loss” as if it had been incurred in the succeeding taxable year in characterizing Fund distributions for any calendar year. A “qualified late year loss” generally includes net capital loss, net long-term capital loss, or net short-term capital loss incurred after October 31 of the current taxable year, (commonly referred to as “post-October losses”), and certain other late-year losses.
Capital losses in excess of capital gains (“net capital losses”) are not permitted to be deducted against a RIC’s net investment income. Instead, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, potentially subject to certain limitations, the Fund may carry a net capital loss from any taxable year forward indefinitely to offset its capital gains, if any, in years following the year of the loss. To the extent subsequent capital gains are offset by such losses, they will not result in U.S. federal income tax liability to the
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Fund and may not be distributed as capital gains to its shareholders. Generally, the Fund may not carry forward any losses other than net capital losses. The carryover of capital losses may be limited under the general loss limitation rules if the Fund experiences an ownership change as defined in the Code.
The Fund will be subject to a nondeductible 4% federal excise tax on certain undistributed income if it does not distribute to its shareholders in each calendar year an amount at least equal to 98% of its ordinary income for the calendar year plus 98.2% of its capital gain net income for the one-year period ending on October 31 of that year, subject to an increase for any shortfall in the prior year’s distribution. The Fund intends to declare and distribute dividends and distributions in the amounts and at the times necessary to avoid the application of the excise tax, but can make no assurances that all such tax liability will be eliminated.
The Fund intends to distribute substantially all of its net investment income and net capital gain to shareholders for each taxable year. If the Fund meets the Distribution Requirement but retains some or all of its income or gains, it will be subject to federal income tax at regular corporate rates to the extent any such income or gains are not distributed. The Fund may elect to designate certain amounts retained as undistributed net capital gain as deemed distributions in a notice to its shareholders, who (1) will be required to include in income for U.S. federal income tax purposes, as long-term capital gain, their proportionate shares of the undistributed amount so designated, (2) will be entitled to credit their proportionate shares of the income tax paid by the Fund on that undistributed amount against their federal income tax liabilities and to claim refunds to the extent such credits exceed their tax liabilities, and (3) will be entitled to increase their tax basis, for federal income tax purposes, in their Shares by an amount equal to the excess of the amount of undistributed net capital gain included in their respective income over their respective income tax credits.
Taxation of Shareholders – Distributions. The Fund intends to distribute annually to its shareholders substantially all of its investment company taxable income (computed without regard to the deduction for dividends paid), and its net tax-exempt income, if any, and intends to distribute annually any net capital gain (net recognized long-term capital gains in excess of net recognized short-term capital losses, taking into account any capital loss carryforwards). The distribution of investment company taxable income (as so computed) and net capital gain will be taxable to Fund shareholders regardless of whether the shareholder receives these distributions in cash or reinvests them in additional Shares.
The Fund (or your broker) will report to shareholders annually the amounts of dividends paid from ordinary income, the amount of distributions of net capital gain, the portion of dividends which may qualify for the dividends received deduction for corporate shareholders, and the portion of dividends which may qualify for treatment as qualified dividend income, which is taxable to non-corporate shareholders at long-term capital gain rates.
Distributions from the Fund’s net capital gain will be taxable to shareholders at long-term capital gains rates, regardless of how long shareholders have held their Shares. Distributions may be subject to state and local taxes.
Qualified dividend income includes, in general, subject to certain holding period and other requirements, dividend income from taxable domestic corporations and certain “qualified foreign corporations.” Subject to certain limitations, “qualified foreign corporations” include those incorporated in possessions of the United States, those incorporated in certain countries with comprehensive tax treaties with the United States, and other foreign corporations if the stock with respect to which the dividends are paid is readily tradable on an established securities market in the United States. Dividends received by the Fund from an ETF or an underlying fund taxable as a RIC or a REIT may be treated as qualified dividend income generally only to the extent so reported by such ETF, underlying fund or REIT. If 95% or more of the Fund’s gross income (calculated without taking into account net capital gain derived from sales or other dispositions of stock or securities) consists of qualified dividend income, the Fund may report all distributions of such income as qualified dividend income.
Fund dividends will not be treated as qualified dividend income if the Fund does not meet certain holding period and other requirements with respect to dividend paying stocks in its portfolio, or the shareholder does not meet certain holding period and other requirements with respect to the Shares on which the dividends were paid. Distributions by the Fund of its net short-term capital gains will be taxable as ordinary income.
In the case of corporate shareholders, certain dividends received by the Fund from U.S. corporations (generally, dividends received by the Fund in respect of any share of stock (1) with a tax holding period of at least 46 days during the 91-day period beginning on the date that is 45 days before the date on which the stock becomes ex-dividend as to that dividend and (2) that is held in an unleveraged position) and distributed and appropriately so reported by the Fund may be eligible for the 50% dividends-received deduction. Certain preferred stock must have a holding period of at least 91 days during the 181-day period beginning on the date that is 90 days before the date on which the stock becomes ex-dividend as to that dividend to be eligible. Capital gain dividends distributed to the Fund from other RICs are not eligible for the dividends-received deduction. To qualify for the deduction, corporate shareholders must meet the minimum holding period requirement stated above with respect to their Shares, taking into account any holding period reductions from certain hedging or other transactions or
35


positions that diminish their risk of loss with respect to their Shares, and, if they borrow to acquire or otherwise incur debt attributable to Shares, they may be denied a portion of the dividends-received deduction with respect to those Shares.
Although dividends generally will be treated as distributed when paid, any dividend declared by the Fund in October, November or December and payable to shareholders of record in such a month that is paid during the following January will be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as received by shareholders on December 31 of the calendar year in which it was declared.
In general, qualified REIT dividends that an investor receives directly from a REIT are automatically eligible for the 20% qualified business income deduction. The IRS has issued final Treasury Regulations that permit a dividend or part of a dividend paid by a RIC and reported as a “section 199A dividend” to be treated by the recipient as a qualified REIT dividend for purposes of the 20% qualified business income deduction, if certain holding period and other requirements have been satisfied by the recipient with respect to its Shares. The final Treasury Regulations do not extend such conduit treatment to qualified publicly traded partnership income, as defined under Section 199A of the Code, earned by a RIC. Therefore, non-corporate shareholders may not include any qualified publicly traded partnership income earned through the Fund in their qualified business income deduction. The IRS and Treasury Department are continuing to evaluate whether it is appropriate to provide such conduit treatment.
In addition to the federal income tax, certain individuals, trusts and estates may be subject to a Net Investment Income (“NII”) tax of 3.8%. The NII tax is imposed on the lesser of: (1) a taxpayer’s investment income, net of deductions properly allocable to such income; or (2) the amount by which such taxpayer’s modified adjusted gross income exceeds certain thresholds ($250,000 for married individuals filing jointly, $200,000 for unmarried individuals and $125,000 for married individuals filing separately). The Fund’s distributions are includable in a shareholder’s investment income for purposes of this NII tax. In addition, any capital gain realized by a shareholder upon a sale, exchange or redemption of Fund shares is includable in such shareholder’s investment income for purposes of this NII tax.
Shareholders who have not held Shares for a full year should be aware that the Fund may report and distribute, as ordinary dividends or capital gain dividends, a percentage of income that is not equal to the percentage of the Fund’s ordinary income or net capital gain, respectively, actually earned during the applicable shareholder’s period of investment in the Fund. A taxable shareholder may wish to avoid investing in the Fund shortly before a dividend or other distribution, because the distribution will generally be taxable even though it may economically represent a return of a portion of the shareholder’s investment.
To the extent that the Fund makes a distribution of income received by the Fund in lieu of dividends (a “substitute payment”) with respect to securities on loan pursuant to a securities lending transaction, such income will not constitute qualified dividend income to individual shareholders and will not be eligible for the dividends received deduction for corporate shareholders.
If the Fund’s distributions exceed its earnings and profits, all or a portion of the distributions made for a taxable year may be recharacterized as a return of capital to shareholders. A return of capital distribution will generally not be taxable, but will reduce each shareholder’s cost basis in the Fund and result in a higher capital gain or lower capital loss when the Shares on which the distribution was received are sold. After a shareholder’s basis in the Shares has been reduced to zero, distributions in excess of earnings and profits will be treated as gain from the sale of the shareholder’s Shares.
Taxation of Shareholders – Sale of Shares. A sale, redemption, or exchange of Shares may give rise to a gain or loss. In general, any gain or loss realized upon a taxable disposition of Shares will be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if Shares have been held for more than 12 months. Otherwise, the gain or loss on the taxable disposition of Shares will generally be treated as short-term capital gain or loss. Any loss realized upon a taxable disposition of Shares held for six months or less will be treated as long-term capital loss, rather than short-term capital loss, to the extent of any amounts treated as distributions to the shareholder of long-term capital gain with respect to such Shares (including any amounts credited to the shareholder as undistributed capital gains). All or a portion of any loss realized upon a taxable disposition of Shares may be disallowed if substantially identical Shares are acquired (through the reinvestment of dividends or otherwise) within a 61-day period beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after the disposition. In such a case, the basis of the newly acquired Shares will be adjusted to reflect the disallowed loss.
The cost basis of Shares acquired by purchase will generally be based on the amount paid for Shares and then may be subsequently adjusted for other applicable transactions as required by the Code. The difference between the selling price and the cost basis of Shares generally determines the amount of the capital gain or loss realized on the sale or exchange of Shares. Contact the broker through whom you purchased your Shares to obtain information with respect to the available cost basis reporting methods and elections for your account.
36


An Authorized Participant who exchanges securities for Creation Units generally will recognize a gain or a loss. The gain or loss will be equal to the difference between the market value of the Creation Units at the time and the sum of the exchanger’s aggregate basis in the securities surrendered plus the amount of cash paid for such Creation Units. A person who redeems Creation Units will generally recognize a gain or loss equal to the difference between the exchanger’s basis in the Creation Units and the sum of the aggregate market value of any securities received plus the amount of any cash received for such Creation Units. The IRS, however, may assert that a loss realized upon an exchange of securities for Creation Units cannot currently be deducted under the rules governing “wash sales” (for a person who does not mark-to-market its portfolio), or on the basis that there has been no significant change in economic position.
Any capital gain or loss realized upon the creation of Creation Units will generally be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the securities exchanged for such Creation Units have been held for more than one year. Any capital gain or loss realized upon the redemption of Creation Units will generally be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the Shares comprising the Creation Units have been held for more than one year. Otherwise, such capital gains or losses will generally be treated as short-term capital gains or losses. Any loss upon a redemption of Creation Units held for six months or less may be treated as long-term capital loss to the extent of any amounts treated as distributions to the applicable Authorized Participant of long-term capital gain with respect to the Creation Units (including any amounts credited to the Authorized Participant as undistributed capital gains).
The Trust, on behalf of the Fund, has the right to reject an order for Creation Units if the purchaser (or a group of purchasers) would, upon obtaining the Creation Units so ordered, own 80% or more of the outstanding Shares and if, pursuant to Section 351 of the Code, the Fund would have a basis in the deposit securities different from the market value of such securities on the date of deposit. The Trust also has the right to require the provision of information necessary to determine beneficial Share ownership for purposes of the 80% determination. If the Fund does issue Creation Units to a purchaser (or a group of purchasers) that would, upon obtaining the Creation Units so ordered, own 80% or more of the outstanding Shares, the purchaser (or a group of purchasers) will not recognize gain or loss upon the exchange of securities for Creation Units.
Persons purchasing or redeeming Creation Units should consult their own tax advisers with respect to the tax treatment of any creation or redemption transaction and whether the wash sales rule applies and when a loss may be deductible.
Taxation of Fund Investments. Certain of the Fund’s investments may be subject to complex provisions of the Code (including provisions relating to hedging transactions, straddles, integrated transactions, foreign currency contracts, forward foreign currency contracts, and notional principal contracts) that, among other things, may affect the Fund’s ability to qualify as a RIC, affect the character of gains and losses realized by the Fund (e.g., may affect whether gains or losses are ordinary or capital), accelerate recognition of income to the Fund and defer losses. These rules could therefore affect the character, amount and timing of distributions to shareholders. These provisions also may require the Fund to mark to market certain types of positions in its portfolio (i.e., treat them as if they were closed out) which may cause the Fund to recognize income without the Fund receiving cash with which to make distributions in amounts sufficient to enable the Fund to satisfy the RIC distribution requirements for avoiding Fund-level income and excise taxes. The Fund intends to monitor its transactions, intends to make appropriate tax elections, and intends to make appropriate entries in its books and records to mitigate the effect of these rules and preserve the Fund’s qualification for treatment as a RIC. To the extent the Fund invests in an underlying fund that is taxable as a RIC, the rules applicable to the tax treatment of complex securities will also apply to the underlying funds that also invest in such complex securities and investments.
Backup Withholding. The Fund will be required in certain cases to withhold (as “backup withholding”) on amounts payable to any shareholder who (1) fails to provide a correct taxpayer identification number certified under penalty of perjury; (2) is subject to backup withholding by the IRS for failure to properly report all payments of interest or dividends; (3) fails to provide a certified statement that he or she is not subject to “backup withholding;” or (4) fails to provide a certified statement that he or she is a U.S. person (including a U.S. resident alien). The backup withholding rate is at a rate set under Section 3406 of the Code. Backup withholding is not an additional tax and any amounts withheld may be credited against the shareholder’s ultimate U.S. federal income tax liability. Backup withholding will not be applied to payments that have been subject to the 30% withholding tax on shareholders who are neither citizens nor permanent residents of the United States.
Foreign Shareholders. Any non-U.S. investors in the Fund may be subject to U.S. withholding and estate tax and are encouraged to consult their tax advisors prior to investing in the Fund. Foreign shareholders (i.e., nonresident alien individuals and foreign corporations, partnerships, trusts and estates) are generally subject to a U.S. withholding tax at the rate of 30% (or a lower tax treaty rate) on distributions derived from taxable ordinary income. The Fund may, under certain circumstances, report all or a portion of a dividend as an “interest-related dividend” or a “short-term capital gain dividend,” which would generally be exempt from this 30% U.S. withholding tax, provided certain other requirements are met. Short-term capital gain dividends received by a nonresident alien individual who is present in the U.S. for a period or periods aggregating 183 days or more during the taxable year are not exempt from this 30% withholding tax. Gains realized by
37


foreign shareholders from the sale or other disposition of Shares generally are not subject to U.S. taxation, unless the recipient is an individual who is physically present in the U.S. for 183 days or more per year (based on a formula that factors in presence in the U.S. during the two preceding years as well). Foreign shareholders who fail to provide an applicable IRS form may be subject to backup withholding on certain payments from the Fund. Backup withholding will not be applied to payments that are subject to the 30% (or lower applicable treaty rate) withholding tax described in this paragraph. Different tax consequences may result if the foreign shareholder is engaged in a trade or business within the United States. In addition, the tax consequences to a foreign shareholder entitled to claim the benefits of a tax treaty may be different than those described above.
Under the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (“FATCA”), the Fund may be required to withhold a generally nonrefundable 30% tax on (1) distributions of investment company taxable income and (2) distributions of net capital gain and the gross proceeds of a sale or redemption of Fund shares paid to (a) certain “foreign financial institutions” unless such foreign financial institution agrees to verify, monitor, and report to the IRS the identity of certain of its accountholders, among other items (or unless such entity is otherwise deemed compliant under the terms of an intergovernmental agreement between the United States and the foreign financial institution’s country of residence), and (b) certain “non-financial foreign entities” unless such entity certifies to the Fund that it does not have any substantial U.S. owners or provides the name, address, and taxpayer identification number of each substantial U.S. owner, among other items. In December 2018, the IRS and Treasury Department released proposed Treasury Regulations that would eliminate FATCA withholding on Fund distributions of net capital gain and the gross proceeds from a sale or redemption of Fund shares. Although taxpayers are entitled to rely on these proposed Treasury Regulations until final Treasury Regulations are issued, these proposed Treasury Regulations have not been finalized, may not be finalized in their proposed form, and are potentially subject to change. This FATCA withholding tax could also affect the Fund’s return on its investments in foreign securities or affect a shareholder’s return if the shareholder holds its Fund shares through a foreign intermediary. You are urged to consult your tax adviser regarding the application of this FATCA withholding tax to your investment in the Fund and the potential certification, compliance, due diligence, reporting, and withholding obligations to which you may become subject in order to avoid this withholding tax.
For foreign shareholders to qualify for an exemption from backup withholding, described above, the foreign shareholder must comply with special certification and filing requirements. Foreign shareholders in the Fund should consult their tax advisors in this regard.
Tax-Exempt Shareholders. Certain tax-exempt shareholders, including qualified pension plans, individual retirement accounts, salary deferral arrangements, 401(k) plans, and other tax-exempt entities, generally are exempt from federal income taxation, except with respect to their unrelated business taxable income (“UBTI”). Tax-exempt entities are not permitted to offset losses from one unrelated trade or business against the income or gain of another unrelated trade or business. Certain net losses incurred prior to January 1, 2018 are permitted to offset gain and income created by an unrelated trade or business, if otherwise available. Under current law, the Fund generally serves to block UBTI from being realized by its tax-exempt shareholders with respect to their shares of Fund income. However, notwithstanding the foregoing, tax-exempt shareholders could realize UBTI by virtue of their investment in the Fund if, for example, (1) the Fund invests in residual interests of Real Estate Mortgage Investment Conduits (“REMICs”), (2) the Fund invests in a REIT that is a taxable mortgage pool (“TMP”) or that has a subsidiary that is a TMP or that invests in the residual interest of a REMIC, or (3) Shares in the Fund constitute debt-financed property in the hands of the tax-exempt shareholders within the meaning of section 514(b) of the Code. Charitable remainder trusts are subject to special rules and should consult their tax advisers. The IRS has issued guidance with respect to these issues and prospective shareholders, especially charitable remainder trusts, are strongly encouraged to consult with their tax advisers regarding these issues.
Certain Potential Tax Reporting Requirements. Under U.S. Treasury regulations, if a shareholder recognizes a loss on disposition of the Shares of $2 million or more for an individual shareholder or $10 million or more for a corporate shareholder (or certain greater amounts over a combination of years), the shareholder must file with the IRS a disclosure statement on IRS Form 8886. Direct shareholders of portfolio securities are in many cases excepted from this reporting requirement, but under current guidance, shareholders of a RIC are not excepted. Significant penalties may be imposed for the failure to comply with the reporting requirements. The fact that a loss is reportable under these regulations does not affect the legal determination of whether the taxpayer’s treatment of the loss is proper. Shareholders should consult their tax advisors to determine the applicability of these regulations in light of their individual circumstances.
Other Issues. In those states which have income tax laws, the tax treatment of the Fund and of Fund shareholders with respect to distributions by the Fund may differ from federal tax treatment.
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FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Financial statements and Annual Reports will be available after the Fund has completed a fiscal year of operations. When available, you may request a copy of the Fund’s Annual Report at no charge by calling 855-998-4779 or through the Fund’s website at www.GothamETFs.com/GSPY.
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APPENDIX A

PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

GOTHAM ASSET MANAGEMENT, LLC
Purpose

In order to comply with Rule 206(4)-6 of the Advisers Act, Gotham has adopted written policies and procedures that are reasonably designed to ensure that Client securities are voted in the best interest of Clients (considering their investment strategies) and do not place Gotham’s own interests ahead of the interests of its Clients. The Advisers Act also requires disclosure to Clients with respect to obtaining information on how their securities were voted and Gotham’s guidelines for voting Client securities.

Policies and Procedures

Gotham’s policy is to vote proxies in the best interest of Clients. Gotham will generally vote in the same manner for all Clients holding a particular security, subject to investment objectives and best interests of each Client. The policies do not mandate that the Gotham vote every proxy it receives, as described in more detail below.
Gotham generally votes proxies on behalf of each Client unless specifically requested not to do so by the Client in writing.
Gotham’s general policy is to vote Client securities in conformity with the recommendations of Institutional Shareholder Services Inc. (“ISS”). ISS is a neutral third party that issues recommendations based on its own internal guidelines and research, and retains a record of all of its recommendations.
Gotham may vote Client securities in a manner that is inconsistent with ISS’ recommendations when Gotham believes it is in the best interest of its Clients and such a vote does not create an impermissible conflict of interest between Gotham and its Clients. In such a case, Gotham will keep a record of why ISS’ recommendation was not in the Client’s best interest and information supporting Gotham’s decision.
Gotham votes Client securities using ProxyExchange, an electronic voting platform provided by ISS. ProxyExchange retains a record of proxy votes for each Client.
Gotham may determine not to vote a particular proxy if it determines that abstaining or not voting is in the best interests of its Clients. This may be done, for example if: (i) the resolution of the proxy is not relevant to the Client’s investment; (ii) Gotham believes the cost of voting the proxy outweighs the potential benefit derived from voting; (iii) a proxy is received with respect to securities that are no longer held in a Client account; (iv) the terms of a securities lending agreement prevent Gotham from voting a loaned security; (v) Gotham (or ISS/ProxyExchange) receives proxy materials without sufficient time to reach an informed voting decision and vote the proxies;(vi) ISS does not have a recommendation; or (vii) the terms of the security or any related agreement or applicable law preclude Gotham from voting.
Gotham acknowledges that, when voting proxies, it is responsible for identifying and addressing material conflicts of interest. Relevant personnel are required to inform Gotham if they become aware of any material conflict of interest between Gotham and a Client or between Clients with respect to a proxy vote. Since Gotham generally votes in accordance with ISS’s recommendations, Gotham does not believe that any conflicts of interest will impact Gotham’s vote. When voting Client securities in a manner that is inconsistent with ISS’s recommendations, Gotham will review any conflicts of interest that are identified. Gotham will attempt to resolve the conflict of interest before it votes. In the event that the material conflict of interest cannot be reasonably resolved prior to voting, Gotham will either disclose the conflict to the Client, obtain Client consent or take other steps designed to ensure that a decision to vote the proxy was based on Gotham’s determination of Client’s best interest and was not the product of conflict.
Each Client may request a copy of Gotham’s proxy voting policy, the ISS proxy voting guidelines, and records of how such Client’s securities were voted by making a written request to:
Gotham Asset Management, LLC
535 Madison Avenue, 30th Floor
New York, NY 10022
Attention: Legal & Compliance
A-1


Gotham generally does not disclose proxy votes on behalf of a Client to any other Client. To the extent that Gotham serves as a sub-adviser to another adviser, Gotham may provide proxy voting records to such adviser, if requested.
Gotham is responsible for reviewing all proxy voting for consistency with these policies and procedures and for compliance with the recordkeeping requirements of Rule 204-2 of the Advisers Act, including maintaining records of Client inquiries and Gotham’s responses.
A-2

TIDAL ETF TRUST

PART C: OTHER INFORMATION
Item 28. Exhibits
Exhibit No. Description of Exhibit
(a) (i)
Certificate of Trust of Tidal ETF Trust (the “Trust” or the “Registrant”) - previously filed with the Trust’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A on September 12, 2018 and is incorporated herein by reference.
(ii)
Registrant’s Declaration of Trust - previously filed with the Trust’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A on September 12, 2018 and is incorporated herein by reference.
(b)
Registrant’s Amended and Restated By-Laws - previously filed with Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Trust’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A on December 21, 2018 and are incorporated herein by reference.
(c)
Instruments Defining Rights of Security Holders - See relevant portions of Declaration of Trust and By-Laws.
(d) (i)
Investment Advisory Agreement between the Trust (on behalf of Aware Ultra-Short Duration Enhanced Income ETF) and Toroso Investments, LLC (“Toroso”) - previously filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 7 on Form N-1A on April 5, 2019 and is incorporated herein by reference.
(ii)
Investment Advisory Agreement between the Trust (on behalf of SoFi Select 500 ETF, SoFi Next 500 ETF, SoFi 50 ETF and SoFi Gig Economy ETF (the “SoFi ETFs”)) and Toroso - previously filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 7 on Form N-1A on April 5, 2019 and is incorporated herein by reference.
(1)
First Amendment to the Investment Advisory Agreement between the Trust (on behalf of the SoFi ETFs) and Toroso (adding the SoFi Weekly Income ETF) - previously filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 28 on Form N-1A on September 30, 2020 and is incorporated herein by reference.
(iii)
Investment Advisory Agreement between the Trust (on behalf of RPAR Risk Parity ETF) and Toroso - previously filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 14 on Form N-1A on November 22, 2019 and is incorporated herein by reference.
(iv)
Investment Advisory Agreement between the Trust (on behalf of SP Funds Dow Jones Global Sukuk ETF and SP Funds S&P 500 Sharia Industry Exclusions ETF) and Toroso - previously filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 16 on Form N-1A on December 16, 2019 and is incorporated herein by reference.
(1) First Amendment to the Investment Advisory Agreement between the Trust (on behalf of SP Funds Dow Jones Global Sukuk ETF and SP Funds S&P 500 Sharia Industry Exclusions ETF) and Toroso (adding the SP Funds S&P Global REIT Sharia ETF) - to be filed by amendment.
(v)
Investment Advisory Agreement between the Trust (on behalf of Leatherback Long/Short Absolute Return ETF and Leatherback Long/Short Alternative Yield ETF (the “Leatherback ETFs”)) and Toroso - previously filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 29 on Form N-1A on October 9, 2020 and is incorporated herein by reference.
(vi) Investment Advisory Agreement between the Trust (on behalf of Adasina Social Justice All Cap Global ETF) and Toroso -to be filed by amendment.
(vii)
(viii) Investment Advisory Agreement between the Trust (on behalf of ATAC US Rotation ETF) and Toroso - to be filed by amendment.
(ix) Investment Advisory Agreement between the Trust (on behalf of Sound Fixed Income ETF, Sound Enhanced Fixed Income ETF, Sound Equity Income ETF, Sound Enhanced Equity Income ETF, and Sound Total Return ETF (the “Sound Income ETFs”)) and Toroso - to be filed by amendment.
(x) Investment Advisory Agreement between the Trust (on behalf of Euclid Capital Growth ETF) and Toroso - to be filed by amendment.
(xi)
Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement between Toroso and Aware Asset Management, Inc. (for the Aware Ultra-Short Duration Enhanced Income ETF) - previously filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 7 on Form N-1A on April 5, 2019 and is incorporated herein by reference.
(xii)
Investment Sub-Advisory between Toroso and ShariaPortfolio, Inc. (for the SP Funds Dow Jones Global Sukuk ETF and SP Funds S&P 500 Sharia Industry Exclusions ETF) - previously filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 25 on Form N-1A on August 17, 2020 and is incorporated herein by reference.
(1) First Amendment to the Sub-Advisory Agreement between Toroso and ShariaPortfolio, Inc. (adding the SP Funds S&P Global REIT Sharia ETF) - to be filed by amendment.
C-1


(xiii)
Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement between Toroso and Income Research + Management (for the SoFi Weekly Income ETF) - previously filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 28 on Form N-1A on September 30, 2020 and is incorporated herein by reference.
(xiv)
Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement between Toroso and Leatherback Asset Management, LLC (for the Leatherback ETFs) - previously filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 29 on Form N-1A on October 9, 2020 and is incorporated herein by reference.
(xv) Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement between Toroso and Robasciottti & Associates, Inc., doing business as Adasina Social Capital (“Adasina”) (for the Adasina Social Justice All Cap Global ETF) - to be filed by amendment.
(xvi)
(xvii) Investment Sub-Advisory between Toroso and Sound Income Strategies, LLC (for the Sound Income ETFs) - to be filed by amendment.
(xviii) Investment Sub-Advisory between Toroso and Euclid Investment Advisory, LLC (for the Euclid Capital Growth ETF) - to be filed by amendment.
(e) (i)
ETF Distribution Agreement between the Trust and Foreside Fund Services, LLC - previously filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 7 on Form N-1A on April 5, 2019 and is incorporated herein by reference.
(1)
First Amendment to ETF Distribution Agreement (adding the SoFi ETFs) - previously filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 7 on Form N-1A on April 5, 2019 and is incorporated herein by reference.
(2)
Second Amendment to ETF Distribution Agreement (adding the RPAR Risk Parity ETF) - previously filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 14 on Form N-1A on November 22, 2019 and is incorporated herein by reference.
(3)
Third Amendment to ETF Distribution Agreement (adding the SP Funds Dow Jones Global Sukuk ETF and SP Funds S&P 500 Sharia Industry Exclusions ETF) - previously filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 16 on Form N-1A on December 16, 2019 and is incorporated herein by reference.
(4)
Fourth Amendment to ETF Distribution Agreement (adding the SoFi Weekly Income ETF, the Leatherback ETFs, the Adasina Social Justice All Cap Global ETF, and the ATAC US Rotation ETF) - previously filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 28 on Form N-1A on September 30, 2020 and is incorporated herein by reference.
(5)
(6) Sixth Amendment to ETF Distribution Agreement (adding the SP Funds S&P Global REIT Sharia ETF and the Euclid Capital Growth ETF) - to be filed by amendment.
(ii)
Form of Authorized Participant Agreement - previously filed with Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Trust’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A on December 21, 2018 and is incorporated herein by reference.
(iii)
Distribution Services Agreement between Toroso and Foreside Fund Services, LLC - previously filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 7 on Form N-1A on April 5, 2019 and is incorporated herein by reference.
(f) Not applicable.
(g) (i)
Custody Agreement between the Trust and U.S. Bank National Association - previously filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 7 on Form N-1A on April 5, 2019 and is incorporated herein by reference.
(1)
First Amendment to Custody Agreement (adding the SoFi ETFs) - previously filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 7 on Form N-1A on April 5, 2019 and is incorporated herein by reference.
(2)
Second Amendment to Custody Agreement (adding the RPAR Risk Parity ETF) - previously filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 14 on Form N-1A on November 22, 2019 and is incorporated herein by reference.
(3)
Third Amendment to Custody Agreement (adding the SP Funds Dow Jones Global Sukuk ETF and SP Funds S&P 500 Sharia Industry Exclusions ETF) - previously filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 16 on Form N-1A on December 16, 2019 and is incorporated herein by reference.
(4)
Fourth Amendment to Custody Agreement - previously filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 25 on Form N-1A on August 17, 2020 and is incorporated herein by reference.
(5)
Fifth Amendment to Custody Agreement (adding the SoFi Weekly Income ETF, the Leatherback ETFs, the Adasina Social Justice All Cap Global ETF, and the ATAC US Rotation ETF ) - previously filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 28 on Form N-1A on September 30, 2020 and is incorporated herein by reference.
(6)
(7) Seventh Amendment to Custody Agreement (adding the SP Funds S&P Global REIT Sharia ETF, Sound Income ETFs, and Euclid Capital Growth ETF) - to be filed by amendment.
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(h) (i)
Fund Administration Servicing Agreement between the Trust and Tidal ETF Services LLC - previously filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 7 on Form N-1A on April 5, 2019 and is incorporated herein by reference.
(1)
First Amendment to Fund Administration Servicing Agreement (adding the SoFi ETFs) - previously filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 7 on Form N-1A on April 5, 2019 and is incorporated herein by reference.
(2)
Second Amendment to Fund Administration Servicing Agreement (adding the RPAR Risk Parity ETF) - previously filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 14 on Form N-1A on November 22, 2019 and is incorporated herein by reference.
(3)
Third Amendment to Fund Administration Servicing Agreement (adding the SP Funds Dow Jones Global Sukuk ETF and SP Funds S&P 500 Sharia Industry Exclusions ETF) - previously filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 16 on Form N-1A on December 16, 2019 and is incorporated herein by reference.
(4)
Fourth Amendment to Fund Administration Servicing Agreement (adding the SoFi Weekly Income ETF, the Leatherback ETFs, the Adasina Social Justice All Cap Global ETF, and the ATAC US Rotation ETF) - previously filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 28 on Form N-1A on September 30, 2020 and is incorporated herein by reference.
(5)
(ii)
Fund Sub-Administration Servicing Agreement - previously filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 7 on Form N-1A on April 5, 2019 and is incorporated herein by reference.
(1)
First Amendment to Fund Sub-Administration Servicing Agreement (adding the SoFi ETFs) - previously filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 7 on Form N-1A on April 5, 2019 and is incorporated herein by reference.
(2)
Second Amendment to Fund Sub-Administration Servicing Agreement (adding the RPAR Risk Parity ETF) - previously filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 14 on Form N-1A on November 22, 2019 and is incorporated herein by reference.
(3)
Third Amendment to Fund Sub-Administration Servicing Agreement (adding the SP Funds Dow Jones Global Sukuk ETF and SP Funds S&P 500 Sharia Industry Exclusions ETF) - previously filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 16 on Form N-1A on December 16, 2019 and is incorporated herein by reference.
(4)
Fourth Amendment to Fund Sub-Administration Servicing Agreement - previously filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 25 on Form N-1A on August 17, 2020 and is incorporated herein by reference.
(5)
Fifth Amendment to Fund Sub-Administration Servicing Agreement (adding the SoFi Weekly Income ETF, the Leatherback ETFs, the Adasina Social Justice All Cap Global ETF, and the ATAC US Rotation ETF) - previously filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 28 on Form N-1A on September 30, 2020 and is incorporated herein by reference.
(6)
(7) Seventh Amendment to Fund Sub-Administration Servicing Agreement (adding the SP Funds S&P Global REIT Sharia ETF, Sound Income ETFs, and Euclid Capital Growth ETF) - to be filed by amendment.
(iii)
Fund Accounting Servicing Agreement between the Trust and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC - previously filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 7 on Form N-1A on April 5, 2019 and is incorporated herein by reference.
(1)
First Amendment to Fund Accounting Servicing Agreement (adding the SoFi ETFs) - previously filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 7 on Form N-1A on April 5, 2019 and is incorporated herein by reference.
(2)
Second Amendment to Fund Accounting Servicing Agreement (adding the RPAR Risk Parity ETF) - previously filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 14 on Form N-1A on November 22, 2019 and is incorporated herein by reference.
(3)
Third Amendment to Fund Accounting Servicing Agreement (adding the SP Funds Dow Jones Global Sukuk ETF and SP Funds S&P 500 Sharia Industry Exclusions ETF) - previously filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 16 on Form N-1A on December 16, 2019 and is incorporated herein by reference.
(4)
Fourth Amendment to Fund Accounting Servicing Agreement - previously filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 25 on Form N-1A on August 17, 2020 and is incorporated herein by reference.
(5)
Fifth Amendment to Fund Accounting Servicing Agreement (adding the SoFi Weekly Income ETF, the Leatherback ETFs, the Adasina Social Justice All Cap Global ETF, and the ATAC US Rotation ETF) - previously filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 28 on Form N-1A on September 30, 2020 and is incorporated herein by reference.
C-3


(6)
(7) Seventh Amendment to Fund Accounting Servicing Agreement (adding the SP Funds S&P Global REIT Sharia ETF, Sound Income ETFs, and Euclid Capital Growth ETF) - to be filed by amendment.
(iv)
Transfer Agent Servicing Agreement between the Trust and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC - previously filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 7 on Form N-1A on April 5, 2019 and is incorporated herein by reference.
(1)
First Amendment to Transfer Agent Servicing Agreement (adding the SoFi ETFs) - previously filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 7 on Form N-1A on April 5, 2019 and is incorporated herein by reference.
(2)
Second Amendment to Transfer Agent Servicing Agreement (adding the RPAR Risk Parity ETF) - previously filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 14 on Form N-1A on November 22, 2019 and is incorporated herein by reference.
(3)
Third Amendment to Transfer Agent Servicing Agreement (adding the SP Funds Dow Jones Global Sukuk ETF and SP Funds S&P 500 Sharia Industry Exclusions ETF) - previously filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 16 on Form N-1A on December 16, 2019 and is incorporated herein by reference.
(4)
Fourth Amendment to Transfer Agent Servicing Agreement - previously filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 25 on Form N-1A on August 17, 2020 and is incorporated herein by reference.
(5)
Fifth Amendment to Transfer Agent Servicing Agreement (adding the SoFi Weekly Income ETF, the Leatherback ETFs, the Adasina Social Justice All Cap Global ETF, and the ATAC US Rotation ETF) - previously filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 28 on Form N-1A on September 30, 2020 and is incorporated herein by reference.
(6)
(7) Seventh Amendment to Transfer Agent Servicing Agreement (adding the SP Funds S&P Global REIT Sharia ETF, Sound Income ETFs, and Euclid Capital Growth ETF) - to be filed by amendment.
(v)
Compliance Services Agreement between the Trust and Cipperman Compliance Services, LLC - previously filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 3 to the Trust’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A on January 28, 2019 and is incorporated herein by reference.
(vi)
Powers of Attorney - previously filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 20 to the Trust’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A on April 28, 2020 and is incorporated herein by reference.
(vii)
Fee Waiver Agreement between the Trust (on behalf of the SoFi Select 500 ETF and SoFi Next 500 ETF) and Toroso - previously filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 7 to the Trust’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A on April 5, 2019 and is incorporated herein by reference.
(viii)
Fee Waiver Agreement between the Trust (on behalf of RPAR Risk Parity ETF) and Toroso - previously filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 14 on Form N-1A on November 22, 2019 and is incorporated herein by reference.
(ix) Fee Waiver Agreement between the Trust (on behalf of the ATAC US Rotation ETF) and Toroso - to be filed by amendment.
(x)
(i) (i)
Opinion and Consent of Counsel (for the Aware Ultra-Short Duration Enhanced Income ETF) – previously filed with Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Trust’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A on December 21, 2018 and is incorporated herein by reference.
(ii)
Opinion and Consent of Counsel (for the SoFi ETFs) - previously filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 7 on Form N-1A on April 5, 2019 and is incorporated herein by reference.
(iii)
Opinion and Consent of Counsel (for the RPAR Risk Parity ETF) - previously filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 14 on Form N-1A on November 22, 2019 and is incorporated herein by reference.
(iv)
Opinion and Consent of Counsel (for the SP Funds Dow Jones Global Sukuk ETF and SP Funds S&P 500 Sharia Industry Exclusions ETF) - previously filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 16 on Form N-1A on December 16, 2019 and is incorporated herein by reference.
(v)
Opinion and Consent of Counsel (for the SoFi Weekly Income ETF) - previously filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 28 on Form N-1A on September 30, 2020 and is incorporated herein by reference.
(vi)
Opinion and Consent of Counsel (for the Leatherback ETFs) - previously filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 29 on Form N-1A on October 9, 2020 and is incorporated herein by reference.
(vii) Opinion and Consent of Counsel (for the Adasina Social Justice All Cap Global ETF) - to be filed by amendment.
(viii)
(ix) Opinion and Consent of Counsel (for the ATAC US Rotation ETF) - to be filed by amendment.
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(x) Opinion and Consent of Counsel (for the SP Funds S&P Global REIT Sharia ETF) - to be filed by amendment.
(xi) Opinion and Consent of Counsel (for the Sound Income ETFs) - to be filed by amendment.
(xii) Opinion and Consent of Counsel (for the Euclid Capital Growth ETF) - to be filed by amendment.
(j)
(k) Not applicable.
(l) (i)
Subscription Agreement - previously filed with Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Trust’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A on December 21, 2018 and is incorporated herein by reference.
(ii)
Letter of Representations between the Trust and Depository Trust Company - previously filed with Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Trust’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A on December 21, 2018 and is incorporated herein by reference.
(m)
(n) Not applicable.
(o) Reserved.
(p) (i)
Code of Ethics for Tidal ETF Trust - previously filed with Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Trust’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A on December 21, 2018 and is incorporated herein by reference.
(ii)
Code of Ethics for Toroso Investments, LLC - previously filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 14 on Form N-1A on November 22, 2019 and is incorporated herein by reference.
(iii) Code of Ethics for Distributor - not applicable per Rule 17j-1(c)(3).
(iv)
Code of Ethics for Aware Asset Management, Inc. - previously filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 18 to the Trust’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A on March 27, 2020 and is incorporated herein by reference.
(v)
Code of Ethics for ShariaPortfolio, Inc. - previously filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 28 on Form N-1A on September 30, 2020 and is incorporated herein by reference.
(vi)
Code of Ethics for Income Research + Management - previously filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 28 on Form N-1A on September 30, 2020 and is incorporated herein by reference.
(vii)
Code of Ethics for Leatherback Asset Management, LLC - previously filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 29 on Form N-1A on October 9, 2020 and is incorporated herein by reference.
(viii) Code of Ethics for Adasina - to be filed by amendment.
(ix)
Code of Ethics for Gotham - filed herewith.
(x) Code of Ethics for Sound Income Strategies, LLC - to be filed by amendment.
(xi) Code of Ethics for Euclid Investment Advisory, LLC - to be filed by amendment.

Item 29. Persons Controlled by or Under Common Control with Registrant
No person is directly or indirectly controlled by or under common control with the Registrant.
Item 30. Indemnification
Every person who is, has been, or becomes a Trustee or officer of the Trust (hereinafter referred to as a “Covered Person”) shall be indemnified by the Trust to the fullest extent permitted by law against any and all liabilities and expenses reasonably incurred or paid by them in connection with the defense of any proceeding in which they become involved as a party or otherwise by virtue of their being or having been such a Trustee or officer, and against amounts paid or incurred by them in the settlement thereof. Every person who is, has been, or becomes an agent of the Trust may, upon due approval of the Trustees (including a majority of the Trustees who are not interested persons of the Trust), be indemnified by the Trust, to the fullest extent permitted by law, against any and all liabilities and expenses reasonably incurred or paid by them in connection with the defense of any proceeding in which they become involved as a party or otherwise by virtue of their being or having been an agent, and against amounts paid or incurred by him in the settlement thereof. Every Person who is serving or has served at the request of the Trust as a director, officer, partner, trustee, employee, agent or fiduciary of another domestic or foreign corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, other enterprise or employee benefit plan (“Other Position”) and who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any proceeding by reason of alleged acts or omissions while acting within the scope of his or her service in such Other Position, may, upon due approval of the Trustees (including a majority of the Trustees who are not interested persons of the Trust), be indemnified by the Trust, to the fullest extent permitted by law, against any and all liabilities and expenses reasonably incurred or paid by them in connection with the defense of any proceeding in which they become involved as a party or otherwise by virtue of their being or having held such Other Position, and against amounts paid or incurred by them in the settlement thereof.
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The Trust shall indemnify each Covered Person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any proceeding, by reason of alleged acts or omissions within the scope of their service as a Covered Person, against judgments, fines, penalties, settlements and reasonable expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually incurred by them in connection with such proceeding to the maximum extent consistent with state law and the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
No indemnification shall be provided to any person who shall have been adjudicated by a court or body before which the proceeding was brought: (i) to be liable to the Trust or its shareholders by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of their office, or (ii) not to have acted in good faith in the reasonable belief that his action was in the best interest of the Trust.
Insofar as indemnification for liability arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, may be permitted to Trustees, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such Trustee, officer, or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
Item 31. Business and Other Connections of Investment Adviser
This Item incorporates by reference the investment adviser’s Uniform Application for Investment Adviser Registration (“Form ADV”) currently on file with the SEC, as listed below. The Form ADV may be obtained, free of charge, at the SEC’s website at www.adviserinfo.sec.gov. Additional information as to any other business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature engaged in by each officer and director of the below-listed investment advisers is included in the Trust’s Statement of Additional Information.
Investment Adviser SEC File No.
Toroso Investments, LLC 801-76857
Investment Sub-Advisers SEC File No.
Aware Asset Management, Inc. 801-111803
Income Research + Management 801-29482
Leatherback Asset Management, LLC 801-119407
Robasciotti & Associates, Inc., d/b/a Adasina Social Capital 801-113385
Gotham Asset Management, LLC 801-69960
ShariaPortfolio, Inc. 801-80652
Sound Income Strategies, LLC 801-80425
Euclid Investment Advisory, LLC 801-60766
Item 32. Principal Underwriter
Item 32(a)    Foreside Fund Services, LLC serves as principal underwriter for the Registrant and the following investment companies registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended:
1.ABS Long/Short Strategies Fund
2.Absolute Shares Trust
3.AdvisorShares Trust
4.AGF Investments Trust (f/k/a FQF Trust)
5.AIM ETF Products Trust
6.AlphaCentric Prime Meridian Income Fund
7.American Century ETF Trust
8. American Customer Satisfaction ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
9.Amplify ETF Trust
10.ARK ETF Trust
11.Bluestone Community Development Fund (f/k/a The 504 Fund)
12.Braddock Multi-Strategy Income Fund, Series of Investment Managers Series Trust
13. Brand Value ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
14.Bridgeway Funds, Inc.
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15.Brinker Capital Destinations Trust
16.Calamos Convertible and High Income Fund
17. Calamos Convertible Opportunities and Income Fund
18. Calamos Global Total Return Fund
19.Carlyle Tactical Private Credit Fund
20.Center Coast Brookfield MLP & Energy Infrastructure Fund
21.Cliffwater Corporate Lending Fund
22.CornerCap Group of Funds
23.Davis Fundamental ETF Trust
24.Defiance Next Gen Connectivity ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
25.Defiance Quantum ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
26.Direxion Shares ETF Trust
27.Eaton Vance NextShares Trust
28.Eaton Vance NextShares Trust II
29.EIP Investment Trust
30.Ellington Income Opportunities Fund
31.EntrepreneurShares Series Trust
32. Esoterica Thematic Trust
33.Evanston Alternative Opportunities Fund
34. EventShares U.S. Legislative Opportunities ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust
35.Exchange Listed Funds Trust (f/k/a Exchange Traded Concepts Trust II)
36.Fiera Capital Series Trust
37.FlexShares Trust
38.Forum Funds
39.Forum Funds II
40.Friess Small Cap Growth Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
41.GraniteShares ETF Trust
42.Guinness Atkinson Funds
43.Infinity Core Alternative Fund
44.Innovator ETFs Trust
45.Innovator ETFs Trust II (f/k/a Elkhorn ETF Trust)
46.Ironwood Institutional Multi-Strategy Fund LLC
47.Ironwood Multi-Strategy Fund LLC
48.IVA Fiduciary Trust
49.John Hancock Exchange-Traded Fund Trust
50.Manor Investment Funds
51.Moerus Worldwide Value Fund, Series of Northern Lights Fund Trust IV
52.Morningstar Funds Trust
53.OSI ETF Trust
54.Overlay Shares Core Bond ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust
55.Overlay Shares Foreign Equity ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust
56.Overlay Shares Large Cap Equity ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust
57.Overlay Shares Municipal Bond ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust
58.Overlay Shares Small Cap Equity ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust
59.Pacific Global ETF Trust
60.Palmer Square Opportunistic Income Fund
61.Partners Group Private Income Opportunities, LLC
62.PENN Capital Funds Trust
63.Performance Trust Mutual Funds, Series of Trust for Professional Managers
64.Plan Investment Fund, Inc.
65.PMC Funds, Series of Trust for Professional Managers
66.Point Bridge GOP Stock Tracker ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
67.Quaker Investment Trust
68.Renaissance Capital Greenwich Funds
69. Reverse Cap Weighted U.S. Large Cap ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
70.RMB Investors Trust (f/k/a Burnham Investors Trust)
71.Robinson Opportunistic Income Fund, Series of Investment Managers Series Trust
72.Robinson Tax Advantaged Income Fund, Series of Investment Managers Series Trust
73.Roundhill BITKRAFT Esports & Digital Entertainment ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust
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74.Roundhill Sports Betting & iGaming ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust
75.Salient MF Trust
76.SharesPost 100 Fund
77.Six Circles Trust
78.Sound Shore Fund, Inc.
79.Strategy Shares
80.Syntax ETF Trust
81.Tactical Income ETF, Series of Collaborative Investment Series Trust
82.The Chartwell Funds
83.The Community Development Fund
84.The Relative Value Fund
85.Third Avenue Trust
86.Third Avenue Variable Series Trust
87.Tidal ETF Trust
88.TIFF Investment Program
89.Timothy Plan High Dividend Stock ETF, Series of The Timothy Plan
90.Timothy Plan International ETF, Series of The Timothy Plan
91.Timothy Plan US Large/Mid Cap Core ETF
92.Timothy Plan US Small Cap Core ETF, Series of The Timothy Plan
93.Transamerica ETF Trust
94. Trend Aggregation Aggressive Growth ETF, Series of Collaborative Investment Series Trust
95. Trend Aggregation Dividend Stock ETF, Series of Collaborative Investment Series Trust
96. Trend Aggregation ESG ETF, Series of Collaborative Investment Series Trust
97. Trend Aggregation US ETF, Series of Collaborative Investment Series Trust
98. TrueShares AI & Deep Learning Fund, Series of Listed Funds Trust
99. TrueShares ESG Active Opportunities Fund, Series of Listed Funds Trust
100.U.S. Global Investors Funds
101.Variant Alternative Income Fund
102.VictoryShares Developed Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II
103.VictoryShares Dividend Accelerator ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II
104.VictoryShares Emerging Market High Div Volatility Wtd ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II
105.VictoryShares Emerging Market Volatility Wtd ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II
106.VictoryShares International High Div Volatility Wtd ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II
107.VictoryShares International Volatility Wtd ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II
108.VictoryShares US 500 Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II
109.VictoryShares US 500 Volatility Wtd ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II
110.VictoryShares US Discovery Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II
111.VictoryShares US EQ Income Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II
112.VictoryShares US Large Cap High Div Volatility Wtd ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II
113.VictoryShares US Multi-Factor Minimum Volatility ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II
114.VictoryShares US Small Cap High Div Volatility Wtd ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II
115.VictoryShares US Small Cap Volatility Wtd ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II
116.VictoryShares USAA Core Intermediate-Term Bond ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II
117.VictoryShares USAA Core Short-Term Bond ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II
118.VictoryShares USAA MSCI Emerging Markets Value Momentum ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II
119.VictoryShares USAA MSCI International Value Momentum ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II
120.VictoryShares USAA MSCI USA Small Cap Value Momentum ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II
121.VictoryShares USAA MSCI USA Value Momentum ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II
122.Vivaldi Opportunities Fund
123.West Loop Realty Fund, Series of Investment Managers Series Trust (f/k/a Chilton Realty Income & Growth Fund)
124.WisdomTree Trust
125.WST Investment Trust
126.XAI Octagon Floating Rate & Alternative Income Term Trust
Item 32(b)    To the best of Registrant’s knowledge, the manager and executive officers of Foreside Fund Services, LLC are as follows:
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Name    Address   
Position with
Underwriter
  
Position with
Registrant
       
Richard J. Berthy   
Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100,
Portland, ME 04101
   President, Treasurer and Manager    None
Mark A. Fairbanks   
Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100,
Portland, ME 04101
   Vice President    None
Jennifer K. DiValerio   899 Cassatt Road,
400 Berwyn Park, Suite 110 Berwyn, PA 19312
  Vice President   None
Nanette K. Chern   
Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100,
Portland, ME 04101
  
Vice President and
Chief Compliance Officer
   None
Jennifer E. Hoopes   
Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100,
Portland, ME 04101
   Secretary    None

Item 32 (c)    Not applicable
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Item 33. Location of Accounts and Records
The books and records required to be maintained by Section 31(a) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 are maintained at the following locations:
Records Relating to: Are located at:
Registrant’s Administrator Tidal ETF Services LLC
898 North Broadway, Suite 2
Massapequa, NY 11758
Registrant’s Sub-Administrator, Fund Accountant and Transfer Agent U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Registrant’s Custodian U.S. Bank National Association
1555 N. Rivercenter Drive
Milwaukee, WI 53212
Registrant’s Principal Underwriter Foreside Fund Services, LLC
Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100
Portland, Maine 04101
Registrant’s Investment Adviser Toroso Investments, LLC
898 North Broadway, Suite 2
Massapequa, NY 11758
Registrant’s Sub-Adviser Aware Asset Management, Inc.
3000 Ames Crossing Road, Suite 100
Eagan, Minnesota 55121
Registrant’s Sub-Adviser
Income Research + Management
100 Federal Street, 30th Floor
Boston, Massachusetts 02110
Registrant’s Sub-Adviser Leatherback Asset Management, LLC
2000 PGA Boulevard, Suite 4440
Palm Beach Gardens, Florida 33408
Registrant’s Sub-Adviser Robasciotti & Associates, Inc., doing business as Adasina Social Capital
870 Market Street, Suite 1275
San Francisco, California 94102
Registrant’s Sub-Adviser Gotham Asset Management, LLC
535 Madison Avenue, 30th Floor
New York, New York 10022
Registrant’s Sub-Adviser ShariaPortfolio, Inc.
1331 S. International Parkway, Suite 2291
Lake Mary, Florida 32746
Registrant’s Sub-Adviser Sound Income Strategies, LLC
6550 N. Federal Highway, Suite 510
Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33308
Registrant’s Sub-Adviser
Euclid Investment Advisory, LLC
4701 Sangamore Road, N100
Bethesda, Maryland 20816
Item 34. Management Services
Not applicable.
Item 35. Undertakings
Not applicable.
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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, the Registrant certifies that it meets all requirements for effectiveness of this Post-Effective Amendment 34 to its Registration Statement on Form N-1A under Rule 485(b) under the Securities Act and has duly caused this Post-Effective Amendment 34 to its Registration Statement on Form N-1A to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, duly authorized, in the City of Milwaukee, State of Wisconsin, on November 9, 2020.

Tidal ETF Trust
By: /s/ Eric W. Falkeis
Eric W. Falkeis
President
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, this Post-Effective Amendment 34 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities indicated on November 9, 2020.
Signature Title
/s/ Eric W. Falkeis President (principal executive officer), Trustee, Chairman, and Secretary
Eric W. Falkeis
*Dusko Culafic Trustee
Dusko Culafic
*Mark H. W. Baltimore
Trustee
Mark H. W. Baltimore
*Ian Carroll
Trustee
Ian Carroll
*Eduardo Mendoza
Trustee
Eduardo Mendoza
/s/ Daniel H. Carlson Treasurer (principal financial officer and principal accounting officer)
Daniel H. Carlson

*By: /s/ Eric W. Falkeis
Eric W. Falkeis, Attorney-in-Fact
pursuant to Powers of Attorney filed previously.

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Exhibit Number
Description
(d) (vii)
(d) (xvi)
(e) (i) (5)
(g) (i) (6)
(h) (i) (5)
(h) (ii) (6)
(h) (iii) (6)
(h) (iv) (6)
(h) (x)
(i) (viii)
(j)
(m)
(p) (ix)
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INVESTMENT ADVISORY AGREEMENT

This Investment Advisory Agreement (the “Agreement”) is made as of October 29, 2020, by and between Tidal ETF Trust, a Delaware statutory trust (the “Trust”), on behalf of each series of the Trust listed on Schedule A attached hereto, as may be amended from time to time (each, a “Fund” and collectively, the “Funds”), and Toroso Investments, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Adviser”).
BACKGROUND
A.The Trust has been organized and operates as an open-end management investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”) and engages in the business of investing and reinvesting Fund assets in securities and other investments. Each Fund is a series of the Trust having separate assets and liabilities.
B.The Adviser is a registered investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the “Advisers Act”), and engages in the business of providing investment advisory services.
C.The Trust has selected the Adviser to serve as the investment adviser for each Fund effective as of the date of this Agreement.
TERMS
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants herein contained, the sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, and each of the parties hereto intending to be legally bound, it is agreed as follows:
1.Advisory Services. The Trust, on behalf of each Fund, hereby appoints the Adviser to manage the investment and reinvestment of such Fund’s assets, subject to the supervision and oversight of the Trust’s Board of Trustees (the “Board”) and the officers of the Trust, for the period and on the terms hereinafter set forth. The Adviser hereby accepts such appointment and agrees during such period to render the services and assume the obligations herein set forth for the compensation herein provided. The Adviser shall, for all purposes herein, be deemed to be an independent contractor, and shall, unless otherwise expressly provided and authorized, have no authority to act for or to represent the Trust or a Fund in any way, or in any way be deemed an agent of the Trust or a Fund. The Adviser shall determine, from time to time, what securities shall be purchased for each Fund, what securities shall be held or sold by each Fund and what portion of each Fund’s assets shall be held uninvested in cash, subject always to the provisions of the Trust’s Agreement and Declaration of Trust, By-Laws and each Fund’s prospectus and statement of additional information as set forth in the Trust’s registration statement on Form N-1A (the “Registration Statement”) under the 1940 Act, and under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”), covering Fund shares, as filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), and to the investment objectives, policies and restrictions of each Fund, as shall be from time to time in effect, and such other limitations, policies and procedures as the Board may reasonably impose from time to time and provide in writing to the Adviser (the “Investment Policies”). To carry out such obligations, the Adviser shall exercise full discretion and act for each Fund in the same manner and with the same force and effect as each Fund itself





might or could do with respect to purchases, sales or other transactions, as well as with respect to all other such things necessary or incidental to the furtherance or conduct of such purchases, sales or other transactions. No reference in this Agreement to the Adviser having full discretionary authority over each Fund’s investments shall in any way limit the right of the Board, in its sole discretion, to establish or revise policies in connection with the management of a Fund’s assets or to otherwise exercise its right to control the overall management of the Trust and each Fund. The Adviser acknowledges that the Board retains ultimate authority over each Fund and may take any and all actions necessary and reasonable to protect the interests of Fund shareholders.
2.Selection of Sub-Adviser(s). The Adviser shall have the authority hereunder to select and retain sub-advisers, including an affiliated person (as defined under the 1940 Act) of the Adviser (each, a “Sub-Adviser”), for each Fund referenced in Schedule A to perform some or all of the services for which the Adviser is responsible pursuant to this Agreement. The Adviser shall supervise the activities of the Sub-Adviser(s), and the retention of a Sub-Adviser by the Adviser shall not relieve the Adviser of its responsibilities under this Agreement. Any such Sub-Adviser shall be registered and in good standing with the SEC and capable of performing its sub-advisory duties pursuant to a sub-advisory agreement approved by the Board and, except as otherwise permitted by the 1940 Act or by rule or regulation, a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the applicable Fund. The Adviser will compensate each Sub-Adviser for its services to each applicable Fund.
3.Representations of the Adviser.
3.1    The Adviser shall use its best judgment and efforts in rendering the advice and services to each Fund as contemplated by this Agreement.
3.2 The Adviser maintains errors and omissions insurance coverage in an appropriate amount and shall provide prior written notice to the Trust (i) of any material changes in its insurance policies or insurance coverage; or (ii) if any material claims will be made on its insurance policies. Furthermore, the Adviser shall upon reasonable request provide the Trust with any information it may reasonably require concerning the amount of or scope of such insurance.
3.3    The Adviser shall implement and maintain a business continuity plan and policies and procedures reasonably designed to prevent, detect and respond to cybersecurity threats and to implement such internal controls and other safeguards with a goal of safeguarding each Fund’s confidential information and the nonpublic personal information of Fund shareholders. The Adviser shall promptly notify the Trust upon the Adviser’s discovery of any material violations or breaches of such policies and procedures.
3.4    None of the Adviser, its affiliates, or any officer, manager, partner or employee of the Adviser or its affiliates is subject to any event set forth in Section 9 of the 1940 Act that would disqualify the Adviser from acting as an investment adviser to an investment company under the 1940 Act. The Adviser will promptly notify the Trust upon its discovery of the occurrence of any event that would disqualify the Adviser from serving as an investment adviser to an investment company pursuant to Section 9(a) of the 1940 Act or otherwise.

2




3.5    The Adviser will not engage in any futures transactions, options on futures transactions or transactions in other commodity interests on behalf of a Fund prior to the Adviser becoming registered or filing a notice of exemption on behalf of the Fund with the National Futures Association.
3.6    The Adviser agrees to provide reasonable assistance with the liquidity classifications required under each Fund’s liquidity risk management program when implemented in accordance with Rule 22e-4 under the 1940 Act.
4.Compliance. The Adviser agrees to comply with the requirements of the 1940 Act, the Advisers Act, the 1933 Act, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934 Act”), the Commodity Exchange Act and the respective rules and regulations thereunder, as applicable, as well as with all other applicable federal and state laws, rules, regulations and case law that relate to the services and relationships described hereunder and to the conduct of its business as a registered investment adviser and to maintain all licenses and registrations necessary to perform its duties hereunder in good order. The Adviser also agrees to comply with the objectives, policies and restrictions set forth in the Registration Statement, as amended or supplemented, of the Fund(s), and with any policies, guidelines, instructions and procedures approved by the Board and provided to the Adviser. In selecting each Fund’s portfolio securities and performing the Adviser’s obligations hereunder, the Adviser shall cause each Fund to comply with the diversification and source of income requirements of Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), for qualification as a regulated investment company if the Fund has elected to be treated as a regulated investment company under the Code. The Adviser shall maintain compliance procedures that it reasonably believes are adequate to ensure its compliance with the foregoing. No supervisory activity undertaken by the Board shall limit the Adviser’s full responsibility for any of the foregoing.
5.Proxy Voting. The Board has the authority to determine how proxies with respect to securities that are held by each Fund shall be voted, and the Board has initially determined to delegate the authority and responsibility to vote proxies for each Fund’s securities to the Adviser. So long as proxy voting authority for a Fund has been delegated to the Adviser, the Adviser shall exercise its proxy voting responsibilities. The Adviser shall carry out such responsibility in accordance with any instructions that the Board shall provide from time to time, and at all times in a manner consistent with Rule 206(4)-6 under the Advisers Act and its fiduciary responsibilities to the Trust. The Adviser shall provide periodic reports and keep records relating to proxy voting as the Board may reasonably request or as may be necessary for each Fund to comply with the 1940 Act and other applicable law. Any such delegation of proxy voting responsibility to the Adviser may be revoked or modified by the Board at any time. The Trust acknowledges and agrees that the Adviser may delegate its responsibility to vote proxies for a Fund to the Fund’s Sub-Adviser(s).
6.Brokerage.
6.1    The Adviser shall arrange for the placing and execution of Fund orders for the purchase and sale of portfolio securities with broker-dealers. Subject to seeking the best price and execution reasonably available, the Adviser is authorized to place orders for the purchase and sale of portfolio securities for a Fund with such broker-dealers as it may select from

3




time to time. Subject to Section 6.2 below, the Adviser is also authorized to place transactions with brokers who provide research or statistical information or analyses to such Fund, to the Adviser, or to any other client for which the Adviser provides investment advisory services. The Adviser also agrees that it will cooperate with the Trust to allocate brokerage transactions to brokers or dealers who provide benefits directly to a particular Fund; provided, however, that such allocation comports with applicable law including, without limitation, Rule 12b-1(h) under the 1940 Act.

6.2    Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 6.1 above and subject to such policies and procedures as may be adopted by the Board and officers of the Trust and consistent with Section 28(e) of the 1934 Act, the Adviser is authorized to cause a Fund to pay a member of an exchange, broker or dealer an amount of commission for effecting a securities transaction in excess of the amount of commission another member of an exchange, broker or dealer would have charged for effecting that transaction, in such instances where the Adviser has determined in good faith that such amount of commission was reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and research services provided by such member, broker or dealer, viewed in terms of either that particular transaction or the Adviser’s overall responsibilities with respect to such Fund and to other funds or clients for which the Adviser exercises investment discretion.
6.3    The Adviser is authorized to direct portfolio transactions to a broker that is an affiliated person of the Adviser, any Sub-Adviser or a Fund in accordance with such standards and procedures as may be approved by the Board in accordance with Rule 17e-1 under the 1940 Act, or other rules or guidance promulgated by the SEC. Any transaction placed with an affiliated broker must (i) be placed at best execution, and (ii) may not be a principal transaction.
6.4    The Adviser is authorized to aggregate or “bunch” purchase or sale orders for a Fund with orders for various other clients when it believes that such action is in the best interests of such Fund and all other such clients. In such an event, allocation of the securities purchased or sold will be made by the Adviser in accordance with the Adviser’s written policy.
7.Records/Reports.
7.1    Recordkeeping. The Adviser shall not be responsible for the provision of administrative, bookkeeping or accounting services to each Fund, except as otherwise provided herein or as may be necessary for the Adviser to supply to the Trust, including the Trust’s chief compliance officer (the “Chief Compliance Officer”), or the Board the information required to be supplied under this Agreement.
7.2    The Adviser shall maintain separate books and detailed records of all matters pertaining to Fund assets advised by the Adviser required by Rule 31a-1 under the 1940 Act (other than those records being maintained by any administrator, sub-administrator, custodian or transfer agent appointed by the Trust) relating to its responsibilities provided hereunder with respect to the Fund(s), and shall preserve such records for the periods and in a manner prescribed therefore by Rule 31a-2 under the 1940 Act (the “Fund Books and Records”). The Fund Books and Records shall be available to the Board and the Chief Compliance
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Officer at any time upon request, shall be delivered to the Trust upon the termination of this Agreement and shall be available without delay during any day the Trust is open for business.
7.3    Holdings Information and Pricing. The Adviser shall provide regular reports regarding Fund holdings, and shall, on its own initiative, furnish the Trust and the Board from time to time with whatever information the Adviser believes is appropriate for this purpose. The Adviser agrees to immediately notify the Trust if the Adviser reasonably believes that the value of any security held by a Fund may not reflect its fair value. The Adviser agrees to provide any pricing information of which the Adviser is aware to the Trust, the Board and/or any Fund pricing agent to assist in the determination of the fair value of any Fund holdings for which market quotations are not readily available or as otherwise required in accordance with the 1940 Act or the Trust’s valuation procedures for the purpose of calculating each Fund’s net asset value in accordance with procedures and methods established by the Board.
7.4    Cooperation with Agents of the Trust. The Adviser agrees to cooperate with and provide reasonable assistance to the Trust, the Chief Compliance Officer, any Trust custodian or foreign sub-custodians, any Trust pricing agents and all other agents and representatives of the Trust, such information with respect to each Fund as they may reasonably request from time to time in the performance of their obligations, provide prompt responses to reasonable requests made by such persons and establish appropriate interfaces with each so as to promote the efficient exchange of information and compliance with applicable laws and regulations.
7.5    Information and Reporting. The Adviser shall provide the Trust and its respective officers with such periodic reports concerning the obligations the Adviser has assumed under this Agreement as the Trust may from time to time reasonably request.
7.6    Notification of Breach/Compliance Reports. The Adviser shall notify the Trust immediately upon detection of (i) any material failure to manage any Fund in accordance with its investment objectives and policies or any applicable law; or (ii) any material breach of any of a Fund’s or the Adviser’s policies, guidelines or procedures. The Adviser agrees to correct any such failure promptly and to take any action that the Board may reasonably request in connection with any such breach. Upon request, the Adviser shall also provide the officers of the Trust with supporting certifications in connection with such certifications of Fund financial statements and the Trust’s disclosure controls and procedures adopted pursuant to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”), and the implementing regulations adopted thereunder, and agrees to inform the Trust of any material development related to a Fund that the Adviser reasonably believes is relevant to the Fund’s certification obligations under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. The Adviser will promptly notify the Trust in the event (i) the Adviser is served or otherwise receives notice of any action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation, at law or in equity, before or by any court, public board, or body, involving the affairs of the Trust (excluding class action suits in which a Fund is a member of the plaintiff class by reason of the Fund’s ownership of shares in the defendant) or the compliance by the Adviser with the federal or state
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securities laws or (ii) an actual change in control of the Adviser resulting in an “assignment” (as defined in the 1940 Act) has occurred or is otherwise proposed to occur.

7.7    Board and Filings Information. The Adviser will also provide the Trust with any information reasonably requested regarding its management of the Fund(s) required for any meeting of the Board, or for any shareholder report, amended registration statement, proxy statement, or prospectus supplement to be filed by the Trust with the SEC. The Adviser will make its officers and employees available to meet with the Board from time to time on reasonable notice to review its investment management services to the Fund(s) in light of current and prospective economic and market conditions and shall furnish to the Board such information as may reasonably be requested by the Board under Section 15(c) of the 1940 Act in order for the Board to evaluate this Agreement or any proposed amendments thereto.
7.8    Transaction Information. The Adviser shall furnish to the Trust such information concerning portfolio transactions as may be necessary to enable the Trust or its designated agent to perform such compliance testing on each Fund and the Adviser’s services as the Trust may, in its sole discretion, determine to be appropriate. The provision of such information by the Adviser to the Trust or its designated agent in no way relieves the Adviser of its own responsibilities under this Agreement.
8.Code of Ethics. The Adviser has adopted a written code of ethics that it reasonably believes complies with the requirements of Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act, which it will provide to the Trust. The Adviser shall ensure that its Access Persons (as defined in the Adviser’s Code of Ethics) comply in all material respects with the Adviser’s Code of Ethics, as in effect from time to time. Upon request, the Adviser shall provide the Trust with (i) a copy of the Adviser’s current Code of Ethics, as in effect from time to time, and (ii) a certification that it has adopted procedures reasonably necessary to prevent Access Persons from engaging in any conduct prohibited by the Adviser’s Code of Ethics. Annually, the Adviser shall furnish a written report, which complies with the requirements of Rule 17j-1, concerning the Adviser’s Code of Ethics to the Trust. The Adviser shall respond to requests for information from the Trust as to violations of the Code of Ethics by Access Persons and the sanctions imposed by the Adviser. The Adviser shall immediately notify the Trust of any material violation of the Code of Ethics, whether or not such violation relates to a security held by any Fund.
9.Members and Employees. Members and employees of the Adviser may be trustees, officers or employees of the Trust.
10.Custody. Nothing in this Agreement shall permit the Adviser to take or receive physical possession of cash, securities or other investments of a Fund.
11.Unitary Fee. During the term of this Agreement, the Adviser shall bear its own costs of providing services under this Agreement. The Adviser agrees to pay, or require a Sub-Adviser to pay, all expenses incurred by the Trust and each Fund (except for advisory fees and sub-advisory fees, as the case may be) pursuant to this Agreement, excluding interest charges on any borrowings, dividends and other expenses on securities sold short, taxes, brokerage commissions and other expenses incurred in placing orders for the purchase and sale of securities and other investment

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instruments, acquired fund fees and expenses, accrued deferred tax liability, distribution fees and expenses paid by the Fund under any distribution plan adopted pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act, and litigation expenses and other non-routine or extraordinary expenses.
12.Compensation.
12.1    As compensation for the services to be rendered to the Fund(s) by the Adviser under the provisions of this Agreement, the Trust, on behalf of each Fund, shall pay to the Adviser from a Fund’s assets an annual advisory fee equal to the amount of the daily average net assets of such Fund shown on Schedule A attached hereto, payable on a monthly basis.
12.2    The initial fee under this Agreement shall be payable on the first business day of the first month following the effective date of this Agreement with respect to a Fund and shall be prorated as set forth below. If this Agreement is terminated with respect to a Fund prior to the end of any calendar month, the advisory fee shall be prorated for the portion of any month in which this Agreement is in effect according to the proportion which the number of calendar days, during which the Agreement is in effect, bears to the number of calendar days in the month, and shall be payable within 30 days after the date of termination.
12.3    The Adviser shall look exclusively to the assets of each Fund for payment of that Fund’s advisory fee.
12.4    The Adviser may voluntarily or contractually waive the Adviser’s own advisory fee.
13.Non-Exclusivity. The services to be rendered by the Adviser to the Trust on behalf of a Fund under the provisions of this Agreement are not to be deemed to be exclusive, and the Adviser shall be free to render similar or different services to others so long as its ability to render the services provided for in this Agreement shall not be impaired thereby. Without limiting the foregoing, the Adviser, its members, employees and agents may engage in other businesses, may render investment advisory services to other investment companies, or to any other corporation, association, firm, entity or individual, and may render underwriting services to the Trust on behalf of a Fund or to any other investment company, corporation, association, firm, entity or individual. Likewise, the Trust may from time to time employ other individuals or entities to furnish other separate series of the Trust with the services provided for herein.
14.Liability and Standard of Care.
14.1    The Adviser shall exercise due care and diligence and use the same skill and care in providing its services hereunder as it uses in providing services to other investment companies, accounts and customers, but the Adviser and its affiliates and their respective agents, control persons, directors, officers, employees, supervised persons and access persons shall not be liable for any action taken or omitted to be taken by the Adviser in the absence of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of its duties. Notwithstanding the foregoing, federal securities laws and certain state laws impose liabilities under certain circumstances on persons who have acted in good faith, and therefore nothing herein shall in any way constitute a waiver or limitation of any right which the Trust, a Fund or any shareholder of a Fund may have under any federal securities law or state law the applicability of which is not permitted to be contractually waived.
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14.2     The Adviser shall indemnify the Trust, each Fund and each of their respective affiliates, agents, control persons, directors, members of the Board, officers, employees and shareholders (the “Adviser Indemnified Parties”) against, and hold them harmless from, any costs, expense, claim, loss, liability, judgment, fine, settlement or damage (including reasonable legal and other expenses) (collectively, “Losses”) arising out of any claim, demands, actions, suits or proceedings (civil, criminal, administrative or investigative) asserted or threatened to be asserted by any third party (collectively, “Proceedings”) in so far as such Loss (or actions with respect thereto) arises out of or is based upon (i) any material misstatement or omission of a material fact in information regarding the Adviser furnished in writing to the Trust by the Adviser for use in the Registration Statement, proxy materials or reports filed with the SEC; or (ii) the willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence, or reckless disregard of obligations or duties of the Adviser in the performance of its duties under this Agreement (collectively, “Adviser Disabling Conduct”).
14.3    The Trust shall indemnify and hold harmless the Adviser and its members, trustees, officers and employees of the other party (any such person, an “Adviser Indemnified Party”) against any Losses arising out of any Proceedings in so far as such Loss or actions with respect thereto, arise out of, or is based upon the Trust’s performance or non-performance of any duties under this Agreement; provided, however, that nothing herein shall be deemed to protect any Adviser Indemnified Party against any portion of liability that is attributable to Adviser Disabling Conduct.
14.4    Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the Adviser, its affiliates and their respective agents, control persons, directors, partners, officers, employees, supervised persons and access persons shall not be liable to, nor shall they have any indemnity obligation to, the Trust, its officers, directors, agents, employees, controlling persons or shareholders or to a Fund or any Fund shareholders for: (i) any material misstatement or omission of a material fact in a Fund’s Prospectus, registration statement, proxy materials or reports filed with the SEC, unless and to the extent such material misstatement or omission was made in reliance upon, and is consistent with, the information furnished to the Trust by the Adviser specifically for use therein; (ii) any action taken or failure to act in good faith reliance upon (A) information, instructions or requests, whether oral or written, with respect to a Fund made to the Adviser by a duly authorized officer of the Trust who is not an affiliated person of the Adviser or any affiliated person of the Adviser; (B) the advice of counsel to the Trust; or (C) any written instruction of the Board; provided, however, that the limitations on the Adviser’s liability and indemnification obligations described in (i) through (ii) above shall not apply with respect to, and to the extent, any portion of liability is attributable to Adviser Disabling Conduct.
14.5    The Adviser shall not be deemed by virtue of this Agreement to have made any representation or warranty that any level of investment performance or level of investment results, either relative or absolute, will be achieved.
14.6    For the avoidance of doubt, neither Fund shareholders nor the members of the Board shall be personally liable under this Agreement.
15.    Term/Approval/Amendments.
15.1    This Agreement shall become effective with respect to a Fund as of the date of commencement of operations of the Fund if approved by (i) the Board, including a majority

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of the Trustees who are not parties to this Agreement or interested persons of such party (the “Independent Trustees”), cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval; and (ii) the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of a Fund (to the extent required under the 1940 Act). It shall continue in effect with respect to the Fund for an initial period of two years thereafter, and may be renewed annually thereafter only so long as such renewal and continuance is specifically approved as required by the 1940 Act (currently, at least annually by the Board or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of a Fund and only if the terms and the renewal hereof have been approved by the vote of a majority of the Independent Trustees, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval).
15.2    No material amendment to this Agreement shall be effective unless the terms thereof have been approved as required by the 1940 Act (currently, by the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of a Fund unless such shareholder approval would not be required under applicable interpretations by the staff of the SEC, and by the vote of a majority of Independent Trustees, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval). The modification of any of the non-material terms of this Agreement may be approved by the vote, cast in person at a meeting called for such purpose, of a majority of the Independent Trustees.
15.3    In connection with such renewal or amendment, it shall be the duty of the Board to request and evaluate, and the duty of the Adviser to furnish, such information as may be reasonably necessary to evaluate the terms of this Agreement and any amendment thereto.
15.4    Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Agreement may be terminated by the Trust at any time, without the payment of a penalty, on sixty days’ written notice to the Adviser of the Trust’s intention to do so, pursuant to action by the Board or pursuant to a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of a Fund. The Adviser may terminate this Agreement at any time, without the payment of penalty, on sixty days’ written notice to the Trust of its intention to do so. Upon termination of this Agreement, the obligations of all the parties hereunder shall cease and terminate as of the date of such termination, except for any obligation to respond for a breach of this Agreement committed prior to such termination, and except for the obligation of the Trust, on behalf of each Fund, to pay to the Adviser the fee provided in Section 12.
15.5    This Agreement shall automatically terminate in the event of its assignment (as defined in Section 2(a)(4) of the 1940 Act) unless the parties hereto, by agreement, obtain an exemption from the SEC from the provisions of the 1940 Act pertaining to the subject matter of this subsection.
16.    Use of the Adviser’s Name.
16.1    The parties agree that the name of the Adviser, any Sub-Adviser, the names of any affiliates of the Adviser or a Sub-Adviser and any derivative or logo or trademark or service mark or trade name are the valuable property of the Adviser, the Sub-Adviser, or their respective affiliates, as applicable. The Trust shall have the right to use such name(s), derivatives, logos, trademarks or service marks or trade names only with the prior written approval of
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the Adviser, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed so long as this Agreement is in effect.

16.2    Upon termination of this Agreement, the Trust shall forthwith cease to use such name(s), derivatives, logos, trademarks or service marks or trade names. The Trust agrees that it will review with the Adviser any advertisement, sales literature, or notice prior to its use that makes reference to the Adviser, a Sub-Adviser or their respective affiliates or any such name(s), derivatives, logos, trademarks, service marks or trade names so that the Adviser may review the context in which it is referred to, it being agreed that the Adviser shall have no responsibility to ensure the adequacy of the form or content of such materials for purposes of the 1940 Act or other applicable laws and regulations. If the Trust makes any unauthorized use of the Adviser’s or any Sub-Adviser’s names, derivatives, logos, trademarks or service marks or trade names, the parties acknowledge that the Adviser and/or Sub-Adviser(s) shall suffer irreparable harm for which monetary damages may be inadequate and thus, the Adviser shall be entitled to injunctive relief, as well as any other remedy available under law.
17.Nonpublic Personal Information. Notwithstanding any provision herein to the contrary, the Adviser agrees on behalf of itself and its managers, members, shareholders, officers, and employees (1) to treat confidentially and as proprietary information of the Trust (a) all records and other information relative to each Fund’s prior, present, or potential shareholders (and clients of said shareholders) and (b) any Nonpublic Personal Information, as defined under Section 248.3(t) of Regulation S-P (“Regulation S-P”), promulgated under the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (the “G-L-B Act”), and (2) except after prior notification to and approval in writing by the Trust, not to use such records and information for any purpose other than the performance of its responsibilities and duties hereunder, or as otherwise permitted by Regulation S-P or the G-L-B Act, and if in compliance therewith, the privacy policies adopted by the Trust and communicated in writing to the Adviser. Such written approval shall not be unreasonably withheld by the Trust and may not be withheld where the Adviser may be exposed to civil or criminal contempt or other proceedings for failure to comply after being requested to divulge such information by duly constituted authorities.
18.Anti-Money Laundering Compliance. The Adviser acknowledges that, in compliance with the Bank Secrecy Act, as amended, the USA PATRIOT Act, and any implementing regulations thereunder (together, “AML Laws”), the Trust has adopted an Anti-Money Laundering Policy. The Adviser agrees to comply with the Trust’s Anti-Money Laundering Policy and the AML Laws, to the extent the same may apply to the Adviser, now and in the future. The Adviser further agrees to provide to the Trust, the Trust’s administrator, sub-administrator and/or the Trust’s anti-money laundering compliance officer such reports, certifications and contractual assurances as may be reasonably requested by the Trust. The Trust may disclose information regarding the Adviser to governmental and/or regulatory or self-regulatory authorities to the extent required by applicable law or regulation and may file reports with such authorities as may be required by applicable law or regulation.

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19.Successors. This Agreement shall extend to and bind the heirs, executors, administrators and successors of the parties hereto.

20.Meanings. For the purposes of this Agreement, the terms “vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities,” “interested persons” and “assignment” shall have the meaning defined in the 1940 Act or the rules promulgated thereunder; subject, however, to such exemptions as may be granted by the SEC under the 1940 Act or any interpretations of the SEC staff.

21.Entire Agreement and Amendments. This Agreement represents the entire agreement among the parties with regard to the investment management matters described herein and may not be added to or changed orally and may not be modified or rescinded except by a writing signed by the parties hereto except as otherwise noted herein.

22.Enforceability. Any term or provision of this Agreement which is invalid or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction be ineffective to the extent of such invalidity or unenforceability without rendering invalid or unenforceable the remaining terms or provisions of this Agreement or affecting the validity or enforceability of any of the terms or provisions of this Agreement in any other jurisdiction.

23.Limited Recourse. The parties to this Agreement acknowledge and agree that all litigation arising hereunder, whether direct or indirect, and of any and every nature whatsoever shall be satisfied solely out of the assets of the affected Fund and that no Trustee, officer or holder of shares of beneficial interest of the Fund shall be personally liable for any of the foregoing liabilities. The Trust’s Certificate of Trust, as amended from time to time, is on file in the Office of the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware. Such Certificate of Trust and the Trust’s Agreement and Declaration of Trust describe in detail the respective responsibilities and limitations on liability of the Trustees, officers, and holders of shares of beneficial interest.

24.Jurisdiction. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the substantive laws of the state of New York and the Adviser consents to the jurisdiction of courts, both state or federal, in New York, with respect to any dispute under this Agreement.

25.Paragraph Headings. The headings of paragraphs contained in this Agreement are provided for convenience only, form no part of this Agreement and shall not affect its construction.

26.Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed simultaneously in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

[Signature Page Follows]

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have this Agreement to be executed by their duly authorized officers on the day and year first written above.
TIDAL ETF TRUST

On behalf of each series listed on Schedule A attached hereto

By:    /s/ Eric W. Falkeis
Name:    Eric W. Falkeis
Title:    President


TOROSO INVESTMENTS, LLC

By:    Dan H. Carlson
Name:    Daniel H. Carlson
Title:    Chief Financial Officer

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Schedule A to the
Investment Advisory Agreement by and between
Tidal ETF Trust and Toroso Investments, LLC

Fund Name Advisory Fee
Gotham Enhanced 500 ETF 0.65%

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SUB-ADVISORY AGREEMENT

This Sub-Advisory Agreement (the "Agreement") is made as of this 9th day of November, 2020 by and between Toroso Investments, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, with its principal place of business at 898 N. Broadway, Suite 2, Massapequa, NY 11758 (the "Adviser") and Gotham Asset Management, LLC a Delaware limited liability company, with its principal place of business at 535 Madison Ave, 30th Floor, New York, NY 10022 (the "Sub-Adviser"), with respect to each series of the Tidal ETF Trust (the "Trust") identified on Schedule A to this Agreement, as may be amended from time to time (each, a "Fund" and, if more than one Fund, together, the "Funds").

BACKGROUND

A.The Adviser is registered as an investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the "Advisers Act"), and engages in the business of providing investment advisory services.

B.The Adviser has entered into an Investment Advisory Agreement dated October 29
2020 (the "Investment Advisory Agreement") with the Trust, an open-end management investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act").

C.The Sub-Adviser is registered as an investment adviser under the Advisers Act and engages in the business of providing investment advisory services.

D.The Investment Advisory Agreement contemplates that the Adviser may appoint one or more sub-advisers to perform some or all of the services for which the Adviser is responsible.

E.Subject to the terms of this Agreement, the Sub-Adviser is willing to furnish such services to the Adviser and each Fund.

TERMS

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants herein contained, the sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, and each of the parties hereto intending to be legally bound, it is agreed as follows:

a.Appointment of the Sub-Adviser. The Adviser hereby appoints the Sub-Adviser to act as an investment adviser for each Fund, subject to the supervision and oversight of the Adviser and the Board of Trustees of the Trust (the "Board"), and in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement. The Sub-Adviser will be an independent contractor and will have no authority to act for or represent the Trust or the Adviser in any way or otherwise be deemed an agent of the Trust or the Adviser except as expressly authorized in this Agreement or another writing by the Trust, the Adviser and the Sub-Adviser. The Sub-Adviser accepts that appointment and agrees to render the services herein set forth, for the compensation herein provided.

b.Sub-Advisory Services. The Sub-Adviser shall determine, from time to time, what securities (and other financial instruments) shall be purchased for the Funds, what securities (and other financial instruments) shall be held or sold by the Funds and what portion of the Funds'

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assets shall be held uninvested in cash, subject always to the provisions of the Trust's Agreement and Declaration of Trust, By-Laws and each Fund's prospectus and statement of additional information as set forth in the Trust's registration statement on Form N-lA (the "Registration Statement") under the 1940 Act, and under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act"), covering Fund shares, as filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), and to the investment objectives, policies and restrictions of each Fund, as shall be from time to time in effect and such other limitations, policies and procedures as the Board or the Adviser may reasonably impose from time to time and provide in writing to the Sub-Adviser (the "Investment Policies").

To carry out such obligations, the Sub-Adviser shall have the authority to exercise full discretion and act for the Funds in the same manner and with the same force and effect as the Funds themselves might or could do with respect to purchases, sales or other transactions, as well as with respect to all other such things necessary or incidental to the furtherance or conduct of such purchases, sales or other transactions. No reference in this Agreement to the Sub-Adviser having full discretionary authority over each Fund's investments shall in any way limit the right of the Board or the Adviser to establish or revise policies in connection with the management of a Fund's assets or to otherwise exercise its right to control the overall management of the Trust and each Fund.

In addition, to the extent the Sub-Adviser has determined that particular securities or financial instruments should be purchased or sold for the account of a particular Fund, the Sub-Adviser shall either place such trade itself, or notify the Adviser (or another investment sub-advisory firm designated by the Adviser (herein, a "Trading Adviser") of its recommendation make such purchase or sale. The Sub-Adviser shall be responsible for promptly informing the Adviser or, if applicable, the Trading Adviser, of each such recommendation for each Fund in writing pursuant to mutually agreed notification protocols. In turn, the parties understand and acknowledge that the Adviser or the Trading Adviser, as the case may be, will fully rely on such recommendations for the security (and other financial instrument) purchases, holdings, and sales for each Fund's investment portfolio; and to that extent, the Trading Adviser's authority with respect to the Funds is non-discretionary. However, each of the Adviser and the Trading Adviser, as the case may be, has sole discretion to select brokerage firms to effect the recommended security (and other financial instrument) purchases and sales. In the event the Adviser or the Trading Adviser desire clarification on a particular Sub-Adviser recommendation, the Adviser or the Trading Adviser, as the case may be, will seek guidance from the Sub-Adviser prior to effecting the transaction in question.

The Sub-Adviser acknowledges that the Board retains ultimate authority over each Fund and may take any and all actions necessary and reasonable to protect the interests of Fund shareholders. Nothing in this Agreement shall in any way limit the right of the Board or the Adviser to establish or revise policies in connection with the management of a Fund's assets or to otherwise exercise its right to control the overall management of the Trust and each Fund.

3.    Representations of the Sub-Adviser.

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3.1    The Sub-Adviser has all requisite power and authority to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement, and has taken all necessary corporate action to authorize its execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement.

3.2    The Sub-Adviser is registered as an investment adviser under the Advisers Act and has provided its current Form ADV, including the firm brochure and applicable brochure supplements to the Adviser.

3.3    The Sub-Adviser maintains errors and omissions insurance coverage in an appropriate amount and shall provide prior written notice to the Adviser and the Trust (i) of any material changes in its insurance policies or insurance coverage or (ii) if any material claims will be made on its insurance policies. Furthermore, the Sub-Adviser shall upon reasonable request provide the Adviser and the Trust with any information it may reasonably require concerning the amount of or scope of such insurance.

3.4    None of the Sub-Adviser, its affiliates, or any officer, director or employee of the Sub-Adviser or its affiliates is subject to any event set forth in Section 9 of the 1940 Act that would disqualify the Sub-Adviser from acting as an investment adviser to an investment company under the 1940 Act. The Sub-Adviser will promptly notify the Adviser and the Trust upon the Sub-Adviser's discovery of the occurrence of any event that would disqualify the Sub-Adviser from serving as an investment adviser of an investment company pursuant to Section 9(a) of the 1940 Act or otherwise.

3.5    The Sub-Adviser has adopted and implemented written policies and procedures, as required by Rule 206(4)-7 under the Advisers Act, which are reasonably designed to prevent violations of federal securities laws by the Sub-Adviser, its employees, officers, and agents. Upon reasonable notice to and reasonable request, the Sub-Adviser shall provide the Adviser and the Trust with access to the records relating to such policies and procedures as they relate to the Funds. The Sub-Adviser will also provide, at the reasonable request of the Adviser or the Trust, periodic certifications, in a form reasonably acceptable to the Adviser or the Trust, attesting to such written policies and procedures.

3.6    The Sub-Adviser shall implement and maintain a business continuity plan and policies and procedures reasonably designed to prevent, detect and respond to cybersecurity threats and to implement such internal controls and other safeguards as the Sub-Adviser reasonably believes are necessary to protect each Fund's confidential information and the nonpublic personal information of Fund shareholders. The Sub-Adviser shall promptly notify the Adviser and the Trust of any material violations or breaches of such policies and procedures.

3.7    The Sub-Adviser will not engage in (or recommend) any futures transactions, options on futures transactions or transactions in other commodity interests on behalf of a Fund prior to the Sub-Adviser (and/or the Adviser, as the case may be) becoming registered or filing a notice of exemption on behalf of the Fund with the National Futures Association.

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3.8     The Sub-Adviser agrees to provide reasonable assistance with the liquidity classifications required under each Fund's liquidity risk management program when implemented in accordance with Rule 22e-4 under the 1940 Act.
4.     Representations of the Adviser.
4.1     The Adviser has all requisite power and authority to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement, and has taken all necessary corporate action to authorize its execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement.
4.2     The Adviser is registered as an investment adviser under the Advisers Act. None of the Adviser, its affiliates, or any officer, manager, partner or employee of the Adviser or its affiliates is subject to any event set forth in Section 9 of the 1940 Act that would disqualify the Adviser from acting as an investment adviser to an investment company under the 1940 Act. The Adviser will promptly notify the Sub-Adviser upon the Adviser's discovery of an occurrence of any event that would disqualify the Adviser from serving as an investment adviser of an investment company pursuant to Section 9(a) of the 1940 Act or otherwise. The Adviser agrees to comply with the requirements of the 1940 Act, the Advisers Act, the 1933 Act, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the Commodity Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, as applicable, as well all other applicable federal and state laws, rules, regulations and case law that relate to the Adviser's services described hereunder and the to the conduct of its business as a registered investment adviser and to maintain all licenses and registrations necessary to perform its duties hereunder in good order. The Adviser shall maintain compliance procedures that it reasonably believes are adequate to ensure its compliance with the foregoing.
4.3     The Adviser has the authority under the Investment Advisory Agreement to appoint the Sub-Adviser.
4.4     The Adviser further represents and warrants that it has received a copy of the Sub-Adviser's current Form ADV.
4.5     The Adviser has provided the Sub-Adviser with each Fund's most current prospectus and statement of additional information contained in the Trust's registration statement and the Investment Policies, as in effect from time to time. The Adviser shall promptly furnish to the Sub-Adviser copies of all material amendments or supplements to the foregoing documents.
4.6     The Adviser or its delegate will provide timely information to the Sub-Adviser regarding such matters as inflows to and outflows from each Fund and the cash requirements of, and cash available for investment in, the Fund.
4.7    The Adviser or its delegate will timely provide the Sub-Adviser with copies of monthly accounting statements for each Fund, and such other information as may be reasonably necessary or appropriate in order for the Sub-Adviser to perform its responsibilities hereunder.

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5.Compliance. The Sub-Adviser agrees to comply with the requirements of the 1940 Act, the Advisers Act, the 1933 Act, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "1934 Act"), the Commodity Exchange Act and the respective rules and regulations thereunder, as applicable, as well as with all other applicable federal and state laws, rules, regulations and case law that relate to the services and relationships described hereunder and to the conduct of its business as a registered investment adviser and to maintain all licenses and registrations necessary to perform its duties hereunder in good order. The Sub-Adviser also agrees to comply with the objectives, policies and restrictions set forth in the Registration Statement, as amended or supplemented, of the Funds, and with any policies, guidelines, instructions and procedures approved by the Board or the Adviser and provided to the Sub-Adviser. In selecting each Fund's portfolio securities and performing the Sub-Adviser's obligations hereunder, the Sub-Adviser shall cause each Fund to comply with the diversification and source of income requirements ofSubchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), for qualification as a regulated investment company if the Fund has elected to be treated as a regulated investment company under the Code. The Sub-Adviser shall maintain compliance procedures that it reasonably believes are adequate to ensure its compliance with the foregoing. No supervisory activity undertaken by the Board or the Adviser shall limit the Sub-Adviser's full responsibility for any of the foregoing.
6.Proxy Voting. The Board has the authority to determine how proxies with respect to securities that are held by the Funds shall be voted, and the Board has initially determined to delegate the authority and responsibility to vote proxies for each Fund's securities to the Adviser with the authority to delegate such responsibility to sub-advisers. The Adviser hereby delegates such proxy voting authority for the Funds to the Sub-Adviser. So long as proxy voting authority for a Fund has been delegated to the Sub-Adviser, the Sub-Adviser shall exercise its proxy voting responsibilities. The Sub-Adviser shall carry out such responsibility in accordance with any instructions that the Board or the Adviser shall provide from time to time, and at all times in a manner consistent with Rule 206(4)-6 under the Advisers Act and its fiduciary responsibilities to the Trust. The Sub-Adviser shall provide periodic reports and keep records relating to proxy voting as the Board or the Adviser may reasonably request or as may be necessary for the Funds to comply with the 1940 Act and other applicable law. Any such delegation of proxy voting responsibility to the Sub-Adviser may be revoked or modified by the Adviser at any time.
7.Brokerage.
7.1    Except for trades to be effected by the Adviser or Trading Adviser (as contemplated by Section 2 above), the Sub-Adviser shall arrange for the placing and execution of Fund orders for the purchase and sale of portfolio securities with broker-dealers. Subject to seeking the best price and execution reasonably available, the Sub-Adviser is authorized to place orders for the purchase and sale of portfolio securities for a Fund with such broker­ dealers as it may select from time to time. Subject to Section 7.2 below, the Sub-Adviser is also authorized to place transactions with brokers who provide research or statistical information or analyses to such Fund, to the Sub-Adviser, or to any other client for which the Sub-Adviser provides investment advisory services. The Sub-Adviser also agrees that it will cooperate with the Trust and the Adviser to allocate brokerage transactions to brokers or dealers who provide benefits directly to a particular Fund; provided, however,

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that such allocation comports with applicable law including, without limitation, Rule 12b- 1(h) under the 1940 Act.
7.2 Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 7.1 above and subject to such policies and procedures as may be adopted by the Board and officers of the Trust or the direction of the Adviser and consistent with Section 28(e) of the 1934 Act, the Sub-Adviser is authorized to cause a Fund to pay a member of an exchange, broker or dealer an amount of commission for effecting a securities transaction in excess of the amount of commission another member of an exchange, broker or dealer would have charged for effecting that transaction, in such instances where the Sub-Adviser has determined in good faith that such amount of commission was reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and research services provided by such member, broker or dealer, viewed in terms of either that particular transaction or the Sub-Adviser's overall responsibilities with respect to such Fund and to other funds or clients for which the Sub-Adviser exercises investment discretion.
7.3 The Sub-Adviser is authorized to direct portfolio transactions to a broker that is an affiliated person of the Adviser, the Sub-Adviser, or a Fund in accordance with such standards and procedures as may be approved by the Board in accordance with Rule 17e-1 under the 1940 Act, or other rules or guidance promulgated by the SEC. Any transaction placed with an affiliated broker must (i) be placed at best execution, and (ii) may not be a principal transaction.
7.4 The Sub-Adviser is authorized to aggregate or "bunch" purchase or sale orders for a Fund with orders for various other clients when it believes that such action is in the best interests of such Fund and all other such clients. In such an event, allocation of the securities purchased or sold will be made by the Sub-Adviser in accordance with the Sub-Adviser's written policy.
8. Records/Reports.
8.1 Recordkeeping. The Sub-Adviser shall not be responsible for the prov1s10n of administrative, bookkeeping or accounting services to the Funds, except as otherwise provided herein or as may be necessary for the Sub-Adviser to supply to the Adviser, the Board or the Trust's chief compliance officer (the 'Chief Compliance Officer") the information required to be supplied under this Agreement.
8.2 The Sub-Adviser shall maintain separate books and detailed records of all matters pertaining to Fund assets advised by the Sub-Adviser required by Rule 3la-1 under the 1940 Act (other than those records being maintained by any administrator, sub-administrator, custodian or transfer agent appointed by the Funds) relating to its responsibilities provided hereunder with respect to the Funds, and shall preserve such records for the periods and in a manner prescribed therefore by Rule 31a-2 under the 1940 Act (the "Funds' Books and Records"). The Funds' Books and Records shall be available to the Adviser, the Board and the Chief Compliance Officer at any time upon request, shall be delivered to the Adviser upon the termination of this Agreement and shall be available without delay during any day the Adviser is open for business.
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8.3. Holdings Information and Pricing. The Sub-Adviser shall provide regular reports regarding Fund holdings, and shall, on its own initiative, furnish the Adviser and the Board from time to time with whatever information the Sub-Adviser believes is appropriate for this purpose. The Sub-Adviser agrees to promptly notify the Adviser if the Sub-Adviser reasonably believes that the value of any security held by a Fund may not reflect its fair value. The Sub-Adviser agrees to provide any pricing information of which the Sub­ Adviser is aware to the Trust, the Board, the Adviser and/or any Fund pricing agent to assist in the determination of the fair value of any Fund holdings for which market quotations are not readily available or as otherwise required in accordance with the 1940 Act or the Trust's valuation procedures for the purpose of calculating each Fund's net asset value in accordance with procedures and methods established by the Board.
8.4. Cooperation with Agents of the Trust. The Sub-Adviser agrees to cooperate with and provide reasonable assistance to the Adviser, the Trust, the Chief Compliance Officer, any Trust custodian or foreign sub-custodians, any Trust pricing agents and all other agents and representatives of the Trust, such information with respect to the Funds as they may reasonably request from time to time in the performance of their obligations, provide prompt responses to reasonable requests made by such persons and establish appropriate interfaces with each so as to promote the efficient exchange of information and compliance with applicable laws and regulations.
8.5. Information and Reporting. The Sub-Adviser shall provide the Adviser and the Trust, and its respective officers, with such periodic reports concerning the obligations the Sub-Adviser has assumed under this Agreement as the Board or the Adviser may from time to time reasonably request.
8.6. Notification of Breach/Compliance Reports. The Sub-Adviser shall notify the Adviser promptly upon detection of (i) any material failure to manage any Fund in accordance with its investment objectives and policies or any applicable law; or (ii) any material breach of any of the Funds' or the Sub-Adviser's policies, guidelines or procedures. The Sub-Adviser agrees to correct any such failure promptly and to take any action that the Adviser or the Board may reasonably request in connection with any such breach. Upon request, the Sub-Adviser shall also provide the officers of the Trust with supporting certifications in connection with such certifications of Fund financial statements and the Trust's disclosure controls adopted pursuant to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the "Sarbanes-Oxley Act"), and the implementing regulations adopted thereunder, and agrees to inform the Trust of any material development related to a Fund that the Adviser reasonably believes is relevant to the Fund's certification obligations under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. The Sub-Adviser will promptly notify the Adviser in the event (i) the Sub-Adviser is served or otherwise receives notice of any action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation, at law or in equity, before or by any court, public board, or body, involving the affairs of the Trust or the Adviser (excluding class action suits in which a Fund is a member of the plaintiff class by reason of the Fund's ownership of shares in the defendant) or the compliance by the Sub-Adviser with the federal or state securities laws or (ii) an actual change in control of the Sub-Adviser resulting in an "assignment" (as defined in the 1940 Act) has occurred or is otherwise proposed to occur.

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8.7. Board and Filings Information. The Sub-Adviser will also provide the Adviser and the Board with any information reasonably requested regarding its management of the Funds required for any meeting of the Board, or for any shareholder report, amended registration statement, proxy statement, or prospectus supplement to be filed by the Trust with the SEC. The Sub-Adviser will make its officers and employees available to meet with the Board from time to time on reasonable notice to review its investment management services to the Funds in light of current and prospective economic and market conditions and shall furnish to the Board such information as may reasonably be requested by the Board under Section 15(c) of the 1940 Act in order for the Board to evaluate this Agreement or any proposed amendments thereto.
8.8. Transaction Information. The Sub-Adviser shall furnish to the Adviser, the Board or a designee such information concerning portfolio transactions as may be necessary to enable the Adviser, the Board or a designated agent to perform such compliance testing on the Funds and the Sub-Adviser's services as the Adviser may, in its sole discretion, determine to be appropriate. The provision of such information by the Sub-Adviser to the Adviser, the Board or a designated agent in no way relieves the Sub-Adviser of its own responsibilities under this Agreement.

9.Code of Ethics. The Sub-Adviser has adopted a written code of ethics that it reasonably believes complies with the requirements of Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act, which it will provide to the Adviser and Trust. The Sub-Adviser shall seek to ensure that its Access Persons (as defined in the Sub-Adviser's Code of Ethics) comply in all material respects with the Sub-Adviser's Code of Ethics, as in effect from time to time. Upon request, the Sub-Adviser shall provide the Adviser and the Trust with (i) a copy of the Sub-Adviser's current Code of Ethics, as in effect from time to time, and (ii) a certification that it has adopted procedures reasonably necessary to prevent Access Persons from engaging in any conduct prohibited by the Sub-Adviser's Code of Ethics. Annually, the Sub-Adviser shall furnish a written report, which complies with the requirements of Rule 17j-1, concerning the Sub-Adviser's Code of Ethics to the Adviser and Trust. The Sub­ Adviser shall respond to requests for information from the Adviser and the Trust as to violations of the Code of Ethics by Access Persons and the sanctions imposed by the Sub-Adviser. The Sub­ Adviser shall promptly notify the Adviser of any material violation of the Code of Ethics, whether or not such violation relates to a security held by any Fund.

10.Members and Employees. Members and employees of the Sub-Adviser may be trustees, officers or employees of the Trust.

11.Custody. Nothing in this Agreement shall permit the Sub-Adviser to take or receive physical possession of cash, securities or other investments of a Fund.

12.Compensation.

12.1. Sub-Advisory Fee. During the term of this Agreement, the Sub-Adviser shall bear its own costs of providing services under this Agreement. The Adviser agrees to pay to the Sub­ Adviser or its designated paying agent, an annual sub-advisory fee equal to the amount of the daily average net assets of each Fund shown on Schedule A attached hereto, payable on a monthly basis. In turn, the Sub-Adviser agrees to pay all expenses incurred by each

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Fund, excluding interest charges on any borrowings, dividends and other expenses on securities sold short, taxes, brokerage commissions and other expenses incurred in placing orders for the purchase and sale of securities and other investment instruments, acquired fund fees and expenses, accrued deferred tax liability, distribution fees and expenses paid by the Fund under any distribution plan adopted pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act, and litigation expenses and other non-routine or extraordinary expenses.
12.2. The initial fee under this Agreement shall be payable on the first business day of the first month following the effective date of this Agreement with respect to a Fund and shall be prorated as set forth below. If this Agreement is terminated with respect to a Fund prior to the end of any calendar month, the sub-advisory fee shall be prorated for the portion of any month in which this Agreement is in effect according to the proportion which the number of calendar days, during which the Agreement is in effect, bears to the number of calendar days in the month, and shall be payable within 30 days after the date of termination.
12.3. The Sub-Adviser shall look exclusively to the Adviser for payment of the sub-advisory fee.
13. Non-Exclusivity. The services to be rendered by the Sub-Adviser under the provisions of this Agreement are not to be deemed to be exclusive, and the Sub-Adviser shall be free to render similar or different services to others so long as its ability to render the services provided for in this Agreement shall not be impaired thereby. Without limiting the foregoing, the Sub-Adviser, its members, employees and agents may engage in other businesses, may render investment advisory services to other investment companies, or to any other corporation, association, firm, entity or individual, and may render underwriting services to the Trust on behalf of a Fund or to any other investment company, corporation, association, firm, entity or individual.
14. Liability and Standard of Care.

14.1 The Sub-Adviser shall exercise due care and diligence and use the same skill and care in providing its services hereunder as it uses in providing services to other investment companies, accounts and customers, but the Sub-Adviser and its affiliates and their respective agents, control persons, directors, officers, employees, supervised persons and access persons shall not be liable for any action taken or omitted to be taken by the Sub­ Adviser in the absence of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of its duties. Notwithstanding the foregoing, federal securities laws and certain state laws impose liabilities under certain circumstances on persons who have acted in good faith, and therefore nothing herein shall in any way constitute a waiver or limitation of any right which the Trust, a Fund or any shareholder of a Fund may have under any federal securities law or state law the applicability of which is not permitted to be contractually waived. In addition, the Sub-Adviser will be liable for Losses (defined below) caused by the Sub-Adviser's provision of a securities (or other financial instrument) purchase, hold or sale recommendation to the Adviser or Trading Adviser, but for which the Sub-Adviser failed to: (i) correctly identify one or more securities and/or financial instruments for purchase, sale, shorting, or closing out a short (e.g., wrong CUSIP number); (ii) provide the correct amount or percentage of the Fund's investment portfolio for a particular security or financial instrument; or (iii) accurately identify the type of transaction (e.g., buy, rather than short), in each case, any Losses shall be offset by an gains (collectively, "Update
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Failures"). The parties agree to work together to resolve an Update Failure in a timely manner.
14.2. The Sub-Adviser shall indemnify the Trust, each Fund, the Adviser and each of their respective affiliates, agents, control persons, directors, members of the Board, officers, employees and shareholders (the "Adviser Indemnified Parties") against, and hold them harmless from, any costs, expense, claim, loss, liability, judgment, fine, settlement or damage (including reasonable legal and other expenses) (collectively, "Losses") arising out of any claim, demands, actions, suits or proceedings (civil, criminal, administrative or investigative) asserted or threatened to be asserted by any third party (collectively, "Proceedings") in so far as such Loss (or actions with respect thereto) arises out of or is based upon (i) any material misstatement or omission of a material fact in information regarding the Sub-Adviser furnished in writing to the Adviser by the Sub-Adviser for use in the Registration Statement, proxy materials or reports filed with the SEC; (ii) the willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence, or reckless disregard of obligations or duties of the Sub-Adviser in the performance of its duties under this Agreement; or (iii) Update Failures, (collectively, "Sub-Adviser Disabling Conduct").
14.3. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the Sub-Adviser, its affiliates and their respective agents, control persons, directors, partners, officers, employees, supervised persons and access persons shall not be liable to, nor shall they have any indemnity obligation to, the Adviser, its officers, directors, agents, employees, controlling persons or shareholders or to a Fund, Trust or their shareholders for: (i) any material misstatement or omission of a material fact in a Fund's Prospectus, registration statement, proxy materials or reports filed with the SEC, unless and to the extent such material misstatement or omission was made in reliance upon, and is consistent with, the information furnished to the Adviser by the Sub-Adviser specifically for use therein; (ii) any action taken or failure to act in good faith reliance upon (A) information, instructions or requests, whether oral or written, with respect to a Fund made to the Sub­ Adviser by a duly authorized officer of the Adviser or the Trust; (B) the advice of counsel to the Trust; or (C) any written instruction of the Board; or (iii) acts of the Sub-Adviser which result from or are based upon acts or omissions of the Adviser, including, but not limited to, a failure of the Adviser to provide accurate and current information with respect to any records maintained by Adviser, which records are not also maintained by the Sub­ Adviser; provided, however, that the limitations on the Sub-Adviser's liability and indemnification obligations described in (i) through (iii) above shall not apply with respect to, and to the extent, any portion of liability is attributable to Sub-Adviser Disabling Conduct.
14.4. The Sub-Adviser shall not be deemed by virtue of this Agreement to have made any representation or warranty that any level of investment performance or level of investment results, either relative or absolute, will be achieved.
14.5. For the avoidance of doubt, neither Fund shareholders nor the members of the Board shall be personally liable under this Agreement.

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14.6. The Adviser shall indemnify the Sub-Adviser and each of its respective affiliates, agents, control persons, directors, officers, employees and shareholders (the "Sub-Adviser Indemnified Parties") against, and hold them harmless from, any costs, expense, claim, loss, liability, judgment, fine, settlement or damage (including reasonable legal and other expenses) (collectively, "Losses") arising out of any claim, demands, actions, suits or proceedings (civil, criminal, administrative or investigative) asserted or threatened to be asserted by any third party (collectively, "Proceedings") in so far as such Loss (or actions with respect thereto) arises out of or is based upon (i) any material misstatement or omission of a material fact in information regarding the Adviser furnished by or on behalf of the Adviser in writing for use in the Registration Statement, proxy materials or reports filed with the SEC; or (ii) the willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence, or reckless disregard of obligations or duties of the Adviser in the performance of its duties under this Agreement (collectively, "Adviser Disabling Conduct").
14.7. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the Adviser, its affiliates and their respective agents, control persons, directors, partners, officers, employees, supervised persons and access persons shall not be liable to, nor shall they have any indemnity obligation to, any Sub-Adviser Indemnified Parties for: (i) any material misstatement or omission of a material fact in a Fund's Prospectus, registration statement, proxy materials or reports filed with the SEC, unless and to the extent such material misstatement or omission was made in reliance upon, and is consistent with, the information furnished to the Adviser by or on behalf of the Sub-Adviser specifically for use therein; (ii) any action taken or failure to act in good faith reliance upon acts or omissions of the Sub-Adviser which result from or are based upon acts or omissions of the Sub-Adviser, including, but not limited to, a failure of the Sub-Adviser to provide accurate and current information with respect to any records maintained by Sub-Adviser; provided, however, that the limitations on the Adviser's liability and indemnification obligations described in this Section 14.7 shall not apply with respect to, and to the extent, any portion of liability that is attributable to Adviser Disabling Conduct.
15. Term/Approval/Amendments.
15.1. This Agreement shall become effective with respect to a Fund as of the date of commencement of operations of the Fund if approved: (i) by a vote of the Board, including a majority of those trustees of the Trust who are not "interested persons" (as defined in the 1940 Act) of any party to this Agreement (the "Independent Tmstees"), cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval, and (ii) by vote of a majority of the Fund's outstanding securities (to the extent required under the 1940 Act). This Agreement shall continue in effect with respect to a Fund for an initial period of two years thereafter, and may be renewed annually thereafter only so long as such renewal and continuance is specifically approved at least annually by the Board provided that in such event such renewal and continuance shall also be approved by the vote of a majority of the Independent Trustees cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval.
15.2 No material amendment to this Agreement shall be effective unless the terms thereof have been approved as required by the 1940 Act. The modification of any of the non-material

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terms of this Agreement may be approved by the vote, cast in person at a meeting called for such purpose, of a majority of the Independent Trustees.
15.3. In connection with such renewal or amendment, the Sub-Adviser shall furnish such information as may be reasonably necessary by the Adviser or the Board to evaluate the terms of this Agreement and any amendment thereto.
15.4 This Agreement may be terminated at any time, without the payment of any penalty, by the Board, including a majority of the Independent Trustees, by the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of a Fund, on sixty (60) days' written notice to the Adviser and the Sub-Adviser, or by the Adviser or Sub-Adviser on sixty (60) days' written notice to the Trust and the other party. This Agreement will automatically terminate, without the payment of any penalty, in the event the Investment Advisory Agreement between the Adviser and the Trust is assigned (as defined in the 1940 Act) or terminates for any other reason. This Agreement will also terminate upon written notice to the other party that the other party is in material breach of this Agreement, unless the other party in material breach of this Agreement cures such breach to the reasonable satisfaction of the party alleging the breach within thirty (30) days after written notice. This Agreement will also automatically terminate in the event of its assignment (as defined in the 1940 Act) unless the parties hereto, by agreement, obtain an exemption from the SEC from the provisions of the 1940 Act pertaining to the subject matter of this subsection.
16. Use of the Sub-Adviser's Name.
16.1. The parties agree that the name of the Sub-Adviser, the names of any affiliates of the Sub-Adviser and any derivative or logo or trademark or service mark or trade name are the valuable property of the Sub-Adviser and its affiliates. The Adviser and the Trust shall have the right to use such name(s), derivatives, logos, trademarks or service marks or trade names only with the prior written approval of the Sub-Adviser, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed so long as this Agreement is in effect.
16.2. Upon termination of this Agreement, the Adviser and the Trust shall forthwith cease to use such name(s), derivatives, logos, trademarks or service marks or trade names. The Adviser and the Trust agree that they will review with the Sub-Adviser any advertisement, sales literature, or notice prior to its use that makes reference to the Sub-Adviser or its affiliates or any such name(s), derivatives, logos, trademarks, service marks or trade names so that the Sub-Adviser may review the context in which it is referred to, it being agreed that the Sub-Adviser shall have no responsibility to ensure the adequacy of the form or content of such materials for purposes of the 1940 Act or other applicable laws and regulations. If the Adviser or the Trust makes any unauthorized use of the Sub-Adviser's names, derivatives, logos, trademarks or service marks or trade names, the parties acknowledge that the Sub-Adviser shall suffer irreparable harm for which monetary damages may be inadequate and thus, the Sub-Adviser shall be entitled to injunctive relief, as well as any other remedy available under law.
17. Nonpublic Personal Information. Notwithstanding any provision herein to the contrary, the Sub-Adviser agrees on behalf of itself and its directors, shareholders, officers, and

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employees (1) to treat confidentially and as proprietary information of the Adviser and the Trust (a) all records and other information relative to each Fund's prior, present, or potential shareholders (and clients of said shareholders) and (b) any Nonpublic Personal Information, as defined under Section 248.3(t) of Regulation S-P ("Regulation S-P"), promulgated under the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (the "G-L-B Act"), and (2) except after prior notification to and approval in writing by the Adviser or the Trust, not to use such records and information for any purpose other than the performance of its responsibilities and duties hereunder, or as otherwise permitted by Regulation S-P or the G-L-B Act, and if in compliance therewith, the privacy policies adopted by the Trust and communicated in writing to the Sub-Adviser. Such written approval shall not be unreasonably withheld by the Adviser or the Trust and may not be withheld where the Sub-Adviser may be exposed to civil or criminal contempt or other proceedings for failure to comply after being requested to divulge such information by duly constituted authorities.
18. Anti-Money Laundering Compliance. The Sub-Adviser acknowledges that, in compliance with the Bank Secrecy Act, as amended, the USA PATRIOT Act, and any implementing regulations thereunder (together, "AML Laws"), the Trust has adopted an Anti-Money Laundering Policy. The Sub-Adviser agrees to comply with the Trust's Anti-Money Laundering Policy and the AML Laws, as the same may apply to the Sub-Adviser, now and in the future. The Sub-Adviser further agrees to provide to the Trust, the Trust's administrator, sub-administrator and/or the Trust's anti-money laundering compliance officer such reports, certifications and contractual assurances as may be reasonably requested by the Trust. The Trust may disclose information regarding the Sub-Adviser to governmental and/or regulatory or self-regulatory authorities to the extent required by applicable law or regulation and may file reports with such authorities as may be required by applicable law or regulation.
19. Notices. Any notice required or permitted to be given by either party to the other shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been given on the date delivered personally or by courier service, or three days after sent by registered or certified mail, postage prepaid, return receipt requested, or on the date sent and confirmed received by facsimile transmission to the other party's address set forth below, or such other address(es) as may be specified in writing by one party to the other party.
Notices to Adviser shall be sent to:
Toroso Investments, LLC 898 N. Broadway, Suite 2
Massapequa, NY 11758
Attn: Chief Executive Officer
Notices to Sub-Adviser shall be sent to:
Gotham Asset Management, LLC Attn: Bernard Seibert, CFO
535 Madison Ave, 30th Floor New York, NY 10022

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20.Successors. This Agreement shall extend to and bind the heirs, executors, administrators and successors of the parties hereto.
21.Meanings. For the purposes of this Agreement, the terms "vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities;" "interested persons;" and "assignment" shall have the meaning defined in the 1940 Act or the rules promulgated thereunder; subject, however, to such exemptions as may be granted by the SEC under the 1940 Act or any interpretations of the SEC staff.
22.Entire Agreement and Amendments. This Agreement represents the entire agreement among the parties with regard to the investment management matters described herein and may not be added to or changed orally and may not be modified or rescinded except by a writing signed by the parties hereto except as otherwise noted herein.
23.Enforceability. Any term or provision of this Agreement which is invalid or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction be ineffective to the extent of such invalidity or unenforceability without rendering invalid or unenforceable the remaining terms or provisions of this Agreement or affecting the validity or enforceability of any of the terms or provisions of this Agreement in any other jurisdiction.
24.Jurisdiction. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the substantive laws of the state of New York and the Adviser and Sub-Adviser consent to the jurisdiction of courts, both state or federal, in New York, with respect to any dispute under this Agreement.
25.Section Headings. The headings of sections contained in this Agreement are provided for convenience only, form no part of this Agreement and shall not affect its construction.
26.Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed simultaneously in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

[Signature Page Follows]

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have this Agreement to be executed by their duly authorized officers on the day and year first written above.


TOROSO INVESTMENTS, LLC
By: /s/ Dan Carlson
Name: Dan Carlson
Title: Chief Financial Officer
GOTHAM ASSET MANAGEMENT, LLC
By: /s/ Louis LaRocca
Name: Louis LaRocca
Title: General Counsel & CCO
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Schedule A to the
Sub-Advisory Agreement by and between
Toroso Investments, LLC and
Gotham Asset Management, LLC

Fund Name/Ticker Sub-Advisory Fee Effective Date
Gotham Enhanced 500 ETF (GSPY)
50 bps
Commencement of Operations

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IMAGE_01A.JPG

FIFTH AMENDMENT TO
ETF DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT

This fifth amendment (the “Amendment”) to the ETF Distribution Agreement dated as of January 3, 2019, as amended (the “Agreement”), by and between Tidal ETF Trust (the “Trust”) and Foreside Fund Services, LLC (“Foreside”), is entered into with an effective date of October 29, 2020 (the “Effective Date”).

WHEREAS, Foreside and the Trust (the “Parties”) desire to amend Exhibit A of the Agreement to reflect the addition of six new Funds; and

WHEREAS, Section 8(b) of the Agreement requires that all amendments and modifications to the Agreement be in writing and executed by all parties.

NOW THEREFORE, for good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Parties hereby agree as follows:

1.Capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings set forth in the Agreement.

2.Exhibit A to the Agreement is hereby deleted in its entirety and replaced by Exhibit A attached hereto to reflect the addition of the Gotham Enhanced 500 ETF, Sound Fixed Income ETF, Sound Enhanced Fixed Income ETF, Sound Equity Income ETF, Sound Enhanced Equity Income ETF and Sound Total Return ETF.

3.Except as expressly amended hereby, all of the provisions of the Agreement are restated and in full force and effect to the same extent as if fully set forth herein.

4.This Amendment shall be governed by and the provisions of this Amendment shall be construed and interpreted under and in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties hereto have caused this Amendment to be executed in their names and on their behalf by and through their duly authorized officers, on the Execution Date.


TIDAL ETF TRUST
FORESIDE FUND SERVICES, LLC
By: /s/ Eric W. Falkeis
By: /s/ Mark Fairbanks
Name: Eric Falkeis Mark Fairbanks
Title: President Vice President



IMAGE_01A.JPG



ETF DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT

Exhibit A


Effective as of October 29, 2020


FUNDS:

Aware Ultra-Short Duration Enhanced Income ETF
RPAR Risk Parity ETF
SoFi 50 ETF
SoFi Select 500 ETF
SoFi Gig Economy ETF
SoFi Next 500 ETF
SP Funds Dow Jones Global Sukuk ETF
SP Funds S&P 500 Sharia Industry Exclusions ETF
SoFi Weekly Income ETF
Leatherback Long/Short Absolute Return ETF
Leatherback Long/Short Alternative Yield ETF
Adasina Social Justice All Cap Global ETF
ATAC US Rotation ETF
Gotham Enhanced 500 ETF
Sound Fixed Income ETF
Sound Enhanced Fixed Income ETF
Sound Equity Income ETF
Sound Enhanced Equity Income ETF
Sound Total Return ETF












A-1


SIXTH AMENDMENT
TO THE CUSTODY AGREEMENT
THIS SIXTH AMENDMENT effective as of the last date on the signature block, to the Custody Agreement (the “Agreement”) dated as of December 21, 2018, as amended, is entered into by and between TIDAL ETF TRUST, a Delaware statutory trust (the “Trust”), and U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, a national banking association organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America with its principal place of business at Minneapolis, Minnesota (the “Custodian”).

RECITALS
WHEREAS, the parties have entered into the Agreement; and
WHEREAS, the parties desire to amend the Agreement to update Exhibit B, as amended to add the following ETFs:
Gotham Enhanced 500 ETF

WHEREAS, Section 15.02 of the Agreement allows for its amendment by a written instrument executed by both parties and authorized or approved by the Board of Trustees of the Trust.
NOW, THEREFORE, the parties agree as follows:
Amended Exhibit B of the Agreement is hereby superseded and replaced in its entirety with Amended Exhibit B attached hereto.
Except to the extent amended hereby, the Agreement shall remain in full force and effect.
Signatures on the following page

1


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Sixth Amendment to be executed by a duly authorized officer on one or more counterparts as of the date and year last written below.
TIDAL ETF TRUST
U.S. BANCORP FUND SERVICES, LLC
By: /s/ Eric W. Falkeis By: /s/ Anita Zagrodnik
Name: Eric Falkeis Name: Anita Zagrodnik
Title: President Title: Senior Vice President
Date:11/3/2020 Date: 11/6/2020






Amended Exhibit B to the Custody Agreement
Separate Series of Tidal ETF Trust
Name of Series
Aware Ultra-Short Duration Enhanced Income ETF

SoFi Select 500 ETF
SoFi Next 500 ETF
SoFi 50 ETF
SoFi Gig Economy ETF
SoFi Weekly Income ETF

SP Funds Dow Jones Global Sukuk ETF
SP Funds S&P 500 Sharia Industry Exclusions ETF
SP Funds S&P Global REIT Sharia ETF

RPAR Risk Parity ETF

Leatherback Long/Short Absolute Return ETF
Leatherback Long/Short Alternative Yield ETF

Adasina Social Justice All Cap Global ETF

ATAC US Rotation ETF

Gotham Enhanced 500 ETF

3
IMAGE_01C.JPG

FIFTH AMENDMENT
TO THE FUND ADMINISTRATION SERVICING AGREEMENT

THIS FIFTH AMENDMENT effective as of October 29, 2020, to the Fund Administration Servicing Agreement (the “Agreement”) dated as of December 21, 2018, as amended, is entered into by and between Tidal ETF Trust, a Delaware statutory trust (the “Trust”) and Tidal ETF Services LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Tidal”).

RECITALS

WHEREAS, the parties have entered into the Agreement; and

WHEREAS, the parties desire to amend the Agreement to add the following series of the Trust to Exhibit A, as amended:

SP Funds S&P Global REIT Sharia ETF
Gotham Enhanced 500 ETF
Sound Fixed Income ETF
Sound Enhanced Fixed Income ETF
Sound Equity Income ETF
Sound Enhanced Equity Income ETF
Sound Total Return ETF
Euclid Capital Growth ETF

WHEREAS, Section 11 of the Agreement allows for its amendment by written agreement executed by both parties and authorized or approved by the Board of Trustees of the Trust.

NOW, THEREFORE, the parties agree as follows:

Fourth Amended Exhibit A of the Agreement is hereby superseded and replaced in its entirety with Amended Exhibit A attached hereto.

Except to the extent amended hereby, the Agreement shall remain in full force and effect.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Fifth Amendment to be executed by a duly authorized officer on one or more counterparts as of the date and year first written above.

TIDAL ETF TRUST    TIDAL ETF SERVICES LLC
On behalf of each series listed on Exhibit A attached hereto

By: /s/ Eric W. Falkeis
By: Dan H. Carlson
Name: Eric Falkeis Name: Daniel H. Carlson
Title: President
Title: Chief Financial Officer



IMAGE_01C.JPG

Amended Exhibit A to the Fund Administration Servicing Agreement

Separate Series of Tidal ETF Trust

Name of Series
Aware Ultra-Short Duration Enhanced Income ETF

SoFi Select 500 ETF
SoFi Next 500 ETF
SoFi 50 ETF
SoFi Gig Economy ETF
SoFi Weekly Income ETF

RPAR Risk Parity ETF

SP Funds Dow Jones Global Sukuk ETF
SP Funds S&P 500 Sharia Industry Exclusions ETF
SP Funds S&P Global REIT Sharia ETF

Adasina Social Justice All Cap Global ETF

Leatherback Long/Short Absolute Return ETF
Leatherback Long/Short Alternative Yield ETF

ATAC US Rotation ETF Gotham Enhanced 500 ETF Sound Fixed Income ETF

Sound Enhanced Fixed Income ETF
Sound Equity Income ETF
Sound Enhanced Equity Income ETF
Sound Total Return ETF

Euclid Capital Growth ETF






2


SIXTH AMENDMENT
TO THE FUND SUB-ADMINISTRATION SERVICING AGREEMENT
THIS SIXTH AMENDMENT effective as of the last date on the signature block, to the Fund Sub-Administration Servicing Agreement (the “Agreement”) dated as of December 21, 2018, as amended, is entered into by and between TIDAL ETF SERVICES LLC (the “Company” or “Tidal”), with respect to Tidal ETF Trust, a Delaware statutory trust (the “Trust”), and U.S. BANCORP FUND SERVICES, LLC d/b/a U.S. BANK GLOBAL FUND SERVICES, a Wisconsin limited liability company (“Fund Services”).
RECITALS
WHEREAS, the parties have entered into the Agreement; and
WHEREAS, the parties desire to amend the Agreement to update Exhibit A, as amended to add the following ETFs:
Gotham Enhanced 500 ETF

WHEREAS, Section 11 of the Agreement allows for its amendment by a written instrument executed by both parties.
NOW, THEREFORE, the parties agree as follows:
Amended Exhibit A of the Agreement is hereby superseded and replaced in its entirety with Amended Exhibit A attached hereto.
Except to the extent amended hereby, the Agreement shall remain in full force and effect.
Signatures on the following page




IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Sixth Amendment to be executed by a duly authorized officer on one or more counterparts as of the date and year last written below.
TIDAL ETF TRUST
U.S. BANCORP FUND SERVICES, LLC
By: /s/ Eric W. Falkeis By: /s/ Anita Zagrodnik
Name: Eric Falkeis Name: Anita Zagrodnik
Title: President Title: Senior Vice President
Date:11/3/2020 Date: 11/6/2020



Amended Exhibit A to the Fund Sub-Administration Servicing Agreement
Separate Series of Tidal ETF Trust
Name of Series
Aware Ultra-Short Duration Enhanced Income ETF

SoFi Select 500 ETF
SoFi Next 500 ETF
SoFi 50 ETF
SoFi Gig Economy ETF
SoFi Weekly Income ETF

SP Funds Dow Jones Global Sukuk ETF
SP Funds S&P 500 Sharia Industry Exclusions ETF
SP Funds S&P Global REIT Sharia ETF

RPAR Risk Parity ETF

Leatherback Long/Short Absolute Return ETF
Leatherback Long/Short Alternative Yield ETF

Adasina Social Justice All Cap Global ETF

ATAC US Rotation ETF

Gotham Enhanced 500 ETF



SIXTH AMENDMENT
TO THE FUND ACCOUNTING SERVICING AGREEMENT
THIS SIXTH AMENDMENT effective as of the last date on the signature block, to the Fund Accounting Servicing Agreement (the “Agreement”) dated as of December 21, 2018, as amended, is entered into by and between TIDAL ETF TRUST, a Delaware statutory trust (the “Trust”), and U.S. BANCORP FUND SERVICES, LLC d/b/a U.S. BANK GLOBAL FUND SERVICES, a Wisconsin limited liability company (“Fund Services”).

RECITALS
WHEREAS, the parties have entered into the Agreement; and
WHEREAS, the parties desire to amend the Agreement to update Exhibit A, as amended to add the following ETFs:
Gotham Enhanced 500 ETF; and

WHEREAS, Section 15 of the Agreement allows for its amendment by a written instrument executed by both parties and authorized or approved by the Board of Trustees of the Trust.
NOW, THEREFORE, the parties agree as follows:
Amended Exhibit A of the Agreement is hereby superseded and replaced in its entirety with Amended Exhibit A attached hereto.
Except to the extent amended hereby, the Agreement shall remain in full force and effect.

Signatures on the following page





IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Sixth Amendment to be executed by a duly authorized officer on one or more counterparts as of the date and year last written below.

TIDAL ETF TRUST
U.S. BANCORP FUND SERVICES, LLC
By: /s/ Eric W. Falkeis By: /s/ Anita Zagrodnik
Name: Eric Falkeis Name: Anita Zagrodnik
Title: President Title: Senior Vice President
Date:11/3/2020 Date: 11/6/2020



Amended Exhibit A to the Fund Accounting Servicing Agreement

Separate Series of Tidal ETF Trust
Name of Series
Aware Ultra-Short Duration Enhanced Income ETF

SoFi Select 500 ETF
SoFi Next 500 ETF
SoFi 50 ETF
SoFi Gig Economy ETF
SoFi Weekly Income ETF

SP Funds Dow Jones Global Sukuk ETF
SP Funds S&P 500 Sharia Industry Exclusions ETF
SP Funds S&P Global REIT Sharia ETF

RPAR Risk Parity ETF

Leatherback Long/Short Absolute Return ETF
Leatherback Long/Short Alternative Yield ETF

Adasina Social Justice All Cap Global ETF

ATAC US Rotation ETF

Gotham Enhanced 500 ETF



SIXTH AMENDMENT
TO THE TRANSFER AGENT SERVICING AGREEMENT
THIS SIXTH AMENDMENT effective as of the last date on the signature block, to the Transfer Agent Servicing Agreement (the “Agreement”) dated as of December 21, 2018, as amended, is entered into by and between TIDAL ETF TRUST, a Delaware statutory trust (the “Trust”), and U.S. BANCORP FUND SERVICES, LLC d/b/a U.S. BANK GLOBAL FUND SERVICES, a Wisconsin limited liability company (“Fund Services”).
RECITALS
WHEREAS, the parties have entered into the Agreement; and
WHEREAS, the parties desire to amend the Agreement to update Exhibit A, as amended to add the following ETFs:
Gotham Enhanced 500 ETF; and

WHEREAS, Section 12 of the Agreement allows for its amendment by a written instrument executed by both parties and authorized or approved by the Board of Trustees of the Trust.
NOW, THEREFORE, the parties agree as follows:
Amended Exhibit A of the Agreement is hereby superseded and replaced in its entirety with Amended Exhibit A attached hereto.
Except to the extent amended hereby, the Agreement shall remain in full force and effect.
Signatures on the following page




IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Sixth Amendment to be executed by a duly authorized officer on one or more counterparts as of the date and year last written below.
TIDAL ETF TRUST
U.S. BANCORP FUND SERVICES, LLC
By: /s/ Eric W. Falkeis By: /s/ Anita Zagrodnik
Name: Eric Falkeis Name: Anita Zagrodnik
Title: President Title: Senior Vice President
Date:11/3/2020 Date: 11/6/2020



Amended Exhibit A to the Transfer Agent Servicing Agreement
Separate Series of Tidal ETF Trust
Name of Series
Aware Ultra-Short Duration Enhanced Income ETF

SoFi Select 500 ETF
SoFi Next 500 ETF
SoFi 50 ETF
SoFi Gig Economy ETF
SoFi Weekly Income ETF

SP Funds Dow Jones Global Sukuk ETF
SP Funds S&P 500 Sharia Industry Exclusions ETF
SP Funds S&P Global REIT Sharia ETF

RPAR Risk Parity ETF

Leatherback Long/Short Absolute Return ETF
Leatherback Long/Short Alternative Yield ETF

Adasina Social Justice All Cap Global ETF

ATAC US Rotation ETF

Gotham Enhanced 500 ETF




Tidal ETF Trust
Fee Waiver Agreement

THIS FEE WAIVER AGREEMENT (the “Agreement”) is entered into on October 29, 2020, by and between Tidal ETF Trust, a Delaware statutory trust (the “Trust”), on behalf of the Gotham Enhanced 500 ETF (the “Fund”), a series of the Trust, and Toroso Investments, LLC (the “Adviser”), the Fund’s investment adviser.

WITNESSETH:

WHEREAS, the Adviser has entered into an Investment Advisory Agreement with the Trust, dated as of October 29, 2020, pursuant to which the Adviser provides, or arranges for the provision of, investment advisory and management services to the Fund, and for which it is compensated based on the average daily net assets of the Fund; and

WHEREAS, the Trust and the Adviser have determined that it is appropriate and in the best interests of the Fund and its shareholders to reduce the unitary management fee paid by the Fund to the Adviser.

NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the covenants and the mutual promises set forth herein, the parties mutually agree as follows:

1.FEE WAIVER. The Adviser agrees to a reduction in the Fund’s unitary management fee to 0.50% (the “Reduced Fee”), which is calculated daily and paid monthly, at an annual rate of the Fund’s average daily net assets, effective upon the commencement of the Fund’s operations. Any management fees waived with respect to the Fund under this Agreement are not subject to reimbursement to the Adviser by the Fund.

2.TERM. This Agreement shall become effective with respect to the Fund at the time the Fund commences operations and shall continue through December 31, 2023, unless sooner terminated by the Trust as provided in Paragraph 3 of this Agreement. This Agreement shall continue in effect thereafter for additional periods of one year, or such other period as may be agreed upon by the Trust, on behalf of the Fund, and the Adviser, so long as such continuation is approved for the Fund at least annually by the Board of Trustees of the Trust.
 
3.AMENDMENT; TERMINATION. This Agreement may be terminated at any time, and without payment of any penalty, by the Board of Trustees of the Trust, on behalf of the Fund, upon sixty (60) days’ written notice to the Adviser. This Agreement may only be modified or terminated prior to the end of the current term by, or with the consent of the Board of Trustees of the Trust. This Agreement will automatically terminate if the Investment Advisory Agreement is terminated, with such termination effective upon the effective date of the Investment Advisory Agreement’s termination. Amendment or termination of this agreement does not require approval of the Fund’s shareholders.
 
4.ASSIGNMENT. This Agreement and all rights and obligations hereunder may not be assigned without the written consent of the other party.
 
5.SEVERABILITY. If any provision of this Agreement shall be held or made invalid by a court decision, statute or rule, or shall be otherwise rendered invalid, the remainder of this Agreement shall not be affected thereby.
 
6.GOVERNING LAW. This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the
laws of the State of Delaware without giving effect to the conflict of laws principles thereof; provided that nothing herein shall be construed to preempt, or to be inconsistent with, any federal



law, regulation or rule, including the Investment Company Act of 1940, and the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, and any rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed and attested by their duly authorized officers, all on the date first written above.

TIDAL ETF TRUST
on behalf of Gotham Enhanced 500 ETF
  TOROSO INVESTMENTS, LLC
     
By: /s/ Eric W. Falkeis
 
By: /s/ Daniel H. Carlson
Name: Eric W. Falkeis
Title: President
 
Name: Daniel H. Carlson
Title: Chief Financial Officer

 
 
Gotham Enhanced 500 ETF Fee Waiver Agreement


Approved by the Board of Trustees: October 29, 2020

2

IMAGE_21A.JPG IMAGE_01B.JPG


November 9, 2020
Tidal ETF Trust
898 N. Broadway, Suite 2
Massapequa, NY 11758
Re:    Tidal ETF Trust – Gotham Enhnaced 500 ETF

We have acted as your counsel in connection with the preparation of this Post-Effective Amendment No. 34 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A (Registration Nos. 333-227298; 811-23377) (the “Registration Statement”) relating to the sale by you of an unlimited number of shares of beneficial interest (the “Shares”), no par value, of the Gotham Enhanced 500 ETF (the “Fund”), a series of Tidal ETF Trust (the “Trust”), in the manner set forth in the Registration Statement (and the Prospectus of the Fund included therein).
We have examined: (a) the Registration Statement (and the Prospectus of the Funds included therein); (b) the Trust’s Certificate of Trust, Declaration of Trust and Amended and Restated By-Laws; (c) certain resolutions of the Trust’s Board of Trustees; and (d) such other proceedings, documents and records as we have deemed necessary to enable us to render this opinion. In conducting such examination, we have assumed the genuineness of all signatures and the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals and the conformity to the original documents of all documents submitted to us as copies.
Based upon the foregoing, we are of the opinion that the Shares, when sold as contemplated in the Registration Statement, will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.
For purposes of rendering this opinion, we have assumed that: (a) all offers and sales of Shares will be conducted in accordance with the Registration Statement and in compliance with applicable prospectus delivery requirements and state securities laws; (b) the Shares will be issued in accordance with the Trust’s Declaration of Trust and Amended and Restated By-Laws and resolutions of the Trust’s Board of Trustees; and (c) the Shares will be issued and sold for consideration based upon their net asset value on the date of their respective issuances and all consideration for such Shares will actually be received by the Trust.
The opinion expressed herein is limited to our review of the documents referenced above and the published laws in effect on the date hereof and is limited to the Delaware Statutory Trust Act (other than conflict of law rules). We are not opining on, and we assume no responsibility for, the applicability to or effect on any of the matters covered herein of any other laws.
We consent to the use of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement. In giving this consent, however, we do not admit that we are experts or within the category of persons whose consent is required by Section 7 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
Very truly yours,

/s/ Godfrey & Kahn, S.C.

Godfrey & Kahn, S.C.


IMAGE1A.JPG














CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM




We consent to the references to our firm in the Post-Effective Amendment to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A of Gotham Enhanced 500 ETF, a series of Tidal ETF Trust.




                        /s/ TAIT, WELLER & BAKER LLP


Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
November 9, 2020



















TIDAL ETF TRUST

AMENDED AND RESTATED DISTRIBUTION (RULE 12b-1) PLAN

The following Distribution (Rule 12b-1) Plan (the “Plan”) has been adopted pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Act”), by Tidal ETF Trust (the “Trust”), a Delaware statutory trust, on behalf of the series of the Trust listed on Schedule A as may be amended from time to time (each, a “Fund”). The Plan has been approved by a majority of the Trust’s Board of Trustees (the “Board”), including a majority of the Trustees who are not interested persons of the Trust and who have no direct or indirect financial interest in the operation of the Plan or in any Rule 12b-1 Agreement (as defined below) (the “Disinterested Trustees”), cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such Plan.

In approving the Plan, the Board determined that adoption of the Plan would be prudent and in the best interests of each Fund and its shareholders. Such approval by the Board of Trustees included a determination, in the exercise of its reasonable business judgment and in light of its fiduciary duties, that there is a reasonable likelihood that the Plan will benefit each Fund and its shareholders.

The provisions of the Plan are as follows:

1.    PAYMENTS BY THE FUND TO PROMOTE THE SALE OF FUND SHARES

    The Trust, on behalf of each identified Fund, will pay the principal distributor of the Fund’s shares (the “Distributor”), a distribution fee and/or shareholder servicing fee equal to a percentage of the average daily net assets of each Fund as shown on Schedule A in connection with the promotion and distribution of Fund shares and the provision of personal services to shareholders and the maintenance of shareholder accounts, including, but not necessarily limited to: (i) delivering copies of the Fund’s then current reports, prospectuses, notices, and similar materials, to prospective purchasers of Fund shares; (ii) marketing and promotional services, including advertising; (iii) paying the costs of and compensating others, including authorized participants with whom the Distributor has entered into written authorized participant agreements, for performing shareholder servicing on behalf of the Fund; (iv) compensating certain authorized participants for providing assistance in distributing the shares of the Fund, including the travel and communication expenses and salaries and/or commissions of sales personnel in connection with the distribution of Fund shares; (v) payments to financial institutions and intermediaries such as banks, savings and loan associations, insurance companies and investment counselors, broker-dealers, mutual fund supermarkets and the affiliates and subsidiaries of the Trust’s service providers as compensation for services or reimbursement of expenses incurred in connection with distribution assistance; and (vi) facilitating communications with beneficial owners of shares, including the cost of providing (or paying others to provide) services to beneficial owners of shares, including, but not limited to, assistance in answering inquiries related to shareholder accounts. The Distributor may pay all or a portion of these fees to any registered securities dealer, financial institution or any other person (the “Recipient”) who renders assistance in distributing or promoting the sale of shares, or who provides certain shareholder services, pursuant to a written agreement (the “Rule 12b-1 Agreement”), a form of which is attached hereto as Appendix A with respect to each Fund. To the extent not so paid by the Distributor, such amounts may be retained by the Distributor. Payment of these fees shall be made monthly promptly following the close of the month.




2.RULE 12b-1 AGREEMENTS

(a)No Rule 12b-1 Agreement shall be entered into with respect to a Fund and no payments shall be made pursuant to any Rule 12b-1 Agreement, unless such Rule 12b-1 Agreement is in writing and the form of which has first been delivered to and approved by a vote of a majority of the Board, and of the Disinterested Trustees, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such Rule 12b-1 Agreement. The form of Rule 12b-1 Agreement relating to the Funds attached hereto as Appendix A has been approved by the Board as specified above.

(b)Any Rule 12b-1 Agreement shall describe the services to be performed by the Recipient and shall specify the amount of, or the method for determining, the compensation to the Recipient.

(c)No Rule 12b-1 Agreement may be entered into unless it provides (i) that it may be terminated with respect to a Fund at any time, without the payment of any penalty, by vote of a majority of the shareholders of the Fund, or by vote of a majority of the Disinterested Trustees, on not more than 60 days’ written notice to the other party to the Rule 12b-1 Agreement, and (ii) that it shall automatically terminate in the event of its assignment.

(d)Any Rule 12b-1 Agreement shall continue in effect for a period of more than one year from the date of its execution only if such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by a vote of a majority of the Board, and of the Disinterested Trustees, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such Rule 12b-1 Agreement.

3.    QUARTERLY REPORTS

    The Distributor shall provide to the Board, and the Board shall review at least quarterly, a written report of all amounts expended pursuant to the Plan. This report shall include the identity of the recipient of each payment and the purpose for which the amounts were expended and such other information as the Board may reasonably request.

4.    EFFECTIVE DATE AND DURATION OF THE PLAN

    The Plan shall become effective immediately upon approval by the vote of a majority of the Board, and of the Disinterested Trustees, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on the approval of the Plan. The Plan shall continue in effect with respect to each Fund for a period of one year from its effective date unless terminated pursuant to its terms. Thereafter, the Plan shall continue with respect to each Fund from year to year, provided that such continuance is approved at least annually by a vote of a majority of the Board of Trustees, and of the Disinterested Trustees, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such continuance. The Plan, or any Rule 12b-1 Agreement, may be terminated with respect to each Fund at any time, without penalty, on not more than 60 days’ written notice by a majority vote of shareholders of the Fund, or by vote of a majority of the Disinterested Trustees.

5.    SELECTION OF DISINTERESTED TRUSTEES

    During the period in which the Plan is effective, the selection and nomination of those Trustees who are Disinterested Trustees of the Trust shall be committed to the discretion of the Disinterested Trustees.

2



6.    AMENDMENTS

    All material amendments of the Plan shall be in writing and shall be approved by a vote of a majority of the Board, and of the Disinterested Trustees, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such amendment. In addition, the Plan may not be amended to increase materially the amount to be expended by a Fund hereunder without the approval by a majority vote of shareholders of such Fund.

7.    RECORDKEEPING

    The Trust shall preserve copies of the Plan, any Rule 12b-1 Agreement and all reports made pursuant to Section 3 for a period of not less than six years from the date of this Plan, any such Rule 12b-1 Agreement or such reports, as the case may be, the first two years in an easily accessible place.


Adopted: December 21, 2018
Amended and Restated: October 29, 2020
    

3





Schedule A
to the
Distribution (Rule 12b-1) Plan



Series of Tidal ETF Trust Rule 12b-1 Fee
Aware Ultra-Short Duration Enhanced Income ETF Up to 0.25% of average daily net assets
SoFi Select 500 ETF Up to 0.25% of average daily net assets
SoFi Next 500 ETF Up to 0.25% of average daily net assets
SoFi 50 ETF Up to 0.25% of average daily net assets
SoFi Gig Economy ETF Up to 0.25% of average daily net assets
SoFi Weekly Income ETF Up to 0.25% of average daily net assets
RPAR Risk Parity ETF Up to 0.25% of average daily net assets
SP Funds Dow Jones Global Sukuk ETF Up to 0.25% of average daily net assets
SP Funds S&P 500 Sharia Industry Exclusions ETF Up to 0.25% of average daily net assets
Adasina Social Justice All Cap Global ETF Up to 0.25% of average daily net assets
Leatherback Long/Short Absolute Return ETF Up to 0.25% of average daily net assets
Leatherback Long/Short Alternative Yield ETF Up to 0.25% of average daily net assets
ATAC US Rotation ETF Up to 0.25% of average daily net assets
Gotham Enhanced 500 ETF Up to 0.25% of average daily net assets
Sound Fixed Income ETF Up to 0.25% of average daily net assets
Sound Enhanced Fixed Income ETF Up to 0.25% of average daily net assets
Sound Equity Income ETF Up to 0.25% of average daily net assets
Sound Enhanced Equity Income ETF Up to 0.25% of average daily net assets
Sound Total Return ETF Up to 0.25% of average daily net assets


For all services rendered pursuant to the Rule 12b-1 Agreement, we shall pay you the fee shown above calculated as follows:

The above fee as a percentage of the average daily net assets of the Fund (computed on an annual basis) which are owned of record by your firm as nominee for your customers or which are owned by those customers of your firm whose records, as maintained by the Trust or its agent, designate your firm as the customer’s dealer or service provider of record.

We shall make the determination of the net asset value, which determination shall be made in the manner specified in the Fund’s current prospectus, and pay to you, on the basis of such determination, the fee specified above, to the extent permitted under the Plan.



4




Appendix A

Rule 12b-1 Related Agreement

[Distributor Letterhead]


[Adviser name and address]

Ladies and Gentlemen:

This letter will confirm our understanding and agreement with respect to payments to be made to you pursuant to a Distribution (Rule 12b-1) Plan (the “Plan”) adopted by Tidal ETF Trust (the “Trust”), on behalf of the [__________________] ETF, a series of the Trust (the “Fund”), pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Act”). The Plan and this related agreement (the “Rule 12b-1 Agreement”) have been approved by a majority of the Board of Trustees of the Trust (the “Board”), including a majority of the Board who are not “interested persons” of the Trust, as defined in the Act, and who have no direct or indirect financial interest in the operation of the Plan or in this or any other Rule 12b-1 Agreement (the “Disinterested Trustees”), cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting thereon. Such approval included a determination by the Board that, in the exercise of its reasonable business judgment and in light of its fiduciary duties, there is a reasonable likelihood that the Plan will benefit the Fund or its shareholders.

1.    To the extent you provide distribution and marketing services in the promotion of the Fund’s shares and/or services to the Fund’s shareholders, including furnishing services and assistance to your customers who invest in and own shares, including, but not limited to, answering routine inquiries regarding the Fund and assisting in changing account designations and addresses, we shall pay you a fee as described on Schedule A. We reserve the right to increase, decrease or discontinue the fee at any time in our sole discretion upon written notice to you.

You agree that all activities conducted under this Rule 12b-1 Related Agreement will be conducted in accordance with the Plan, as well as all applicable state and federal laws, including the Act, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Securities Act of 1933, the U.S. PATRIOT Act of 2001 and any applicable rules of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority.

2.    You shall furnish us with such information as shall reasonably be requested either by the Board or by us with respect to the services provided and the fees paid to you pursuant to this Rule 12b-1 Agreement.

3.    We shall furnish to the Board, for its review, on a quarterly basis, a written report of the amounts expended under the Plan by us and the purposes for which such expenditures were made.

4.    This Rule 12b-1 Agreement may be terminated: (a) on 60 days’ written notice after the vote of a majority of shareholders, or (b) at any time by the vote of a majority of the Disinterested Trustees, in each case, without payment of any penalty. In addition, this Rule 12b-1 Agreement will be terminated by any act which terminates the Plan or the Distribution Agreement between the Trust and us and shall terminate immediately in the event of its assignment. This Rule 12b-1 Agreement may be amended by us upon written notice to you, and you shall be deemed to have consented to such
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amendment upon effecting any purchases of shares for your own account or on behalf of any of your customer’s accounts following your receipt of such notice.

5.    This Rule 12b-1 Agreement shall become effective on the date accepted by you and shall continue in full force and effect so long as the continuance of the Plan and this Rule 12b-1 Agreement are approved at least annually by a vote of the Board and of the Disinterested Trustees, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting thereon. All communications to us should be sent to the above address. Any notice to you shall be duly given if mailed or faxed to you at the address specified by you below.


[Distributor]


By:    

Name:    

Title:    

Accepted:

    
(Dealer or Service Provider Name)

    
(Street Address)

    
(City)(State)(ZIP)

    
(Telephone No.)

    
(Facsimile No.)


By:    
(Name and Title)

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Schedule A
to the
Rule 12b-1 Related Agreement

Series of Tidal ETF Trust Rule 12b-1 Fee
Aware Ultra-Short Duration Enhanced Income ETF Up to 0.25% of average daily net assets
SoFi Select 500 ETF Up to 0.25% of average daily net assets
SoFi Next 500 ETF Up to 0.25% of average daily net assets
SoFi 50 ETF Up to 0.25% of average daily net assets
SoFi Gig Economy ETF Up to 0.25% of average daily net assets
RPAR Risk Parity ETF Up to 0.25% of average daily net assets
SP Funds Dow Jones Global Sukuk ETF Up to 0.25% of average daily net assets
SP Funds S&P 500 Sharia Industry Exclusions ETF Up to 0.25% of average daily net assets
SoFi Weekly Income ETF Up to 0.25% of average daily net assets
Adasina Social Justice All Cap Global ETF Up to 0.25% of average daily net assets
Leatherback Long/Short Absolute Return ETF Up to 0.25% of average daily net assets
Leatherback Long/Short Alternative Yield ETF Up to 0.25% of average daily net assets
ATAC US Rotation ETF Up to 0.25% of average daily net assets
Gotham Enhanced 500 ETF
Sound Fixed Income ETF
Sound Enhanced Fixed Income ETF
Sound Equity Income ETF
Sound Enhanced Equity Income ETF
Sound Total Return ETF
Up to 0.25% of average daily net assets
Up to 0.25% of average daily net assets
Up to 0.25% of average daily net assets
Up to 0.25% of average daily net assets
Up to 0.25% of average daily net assets
Up to 0.25% of average daily net assets

For all services rendered pursuant to the Rule 12b-1 Agreement, we shall pay you the fee shown above calculated as follows:

The above fee as a percentage of the average daily net assets of the Fund (computed on an annual basis) which are owned of record by your firm as nominee for your customers or which are owned by those customers of your firm whose records, as maintained by the Trust or its agent, designate your firm as the customer’s dealer or service provider of record.

We shall make the determination of the net asset value, which determination shall be made in the manner specified in the Fund’s current prospectus, and pay to you, on the basis of such determination, the fee specified above, to the extent permitted under the Plan.









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Gotham Asset Management, LLC
Code of Ethics January 2020


January 2020



GOTHAM ASSET MANAGEMENT, LLC – CODE OF ETHICS

TABLE OF CONTENTS

A.    Standards of Business Conduct    A-2
B.    Business Gifts and Entertainment ................................................................................A-4
C.    Political Contributions ................................................................................................A-8
D.Conflicts of Interest Policy; Outside Business Activities .........................................A-10
E.    Personal Trading Policy............................................................................................A-10

January 2020




Gotham Asset Management, LLC
Code of Ethics January 2020
This Code of Ethics (the "Code") has been adopted by Gotham Asset Management, LLC ("Gotham or the "Firm"). Gotham requires full compliance with all applicable laws and regulations governing the provision of investment management services to clients. Registered investment advisers are required by Rule 204A-1 under the Advisers Act to adopt a Code of Ethics which, among other things, sets forth the standards of business conduct required of Gotham's Supervised Persons. Similarly, advisers to a registered investment company (i.e., mutual fund) such as Gotham must adopt a code of ethics pursuant to Rule 17j-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
This Code applies to all of Gotham's members, directors, officers and employees ("Supervised Persons"). Short-term employees, consultants, interns or contractors are not subject to this Code unless deemed appropriate by the GC/CCO. In such instances when the GC/CCO deems appropriate to subject such person to certain or all of the provisions of the Manual or the Code, such person shall execute a written agreement in a form as determined by the GC/CCO.
The GC/CCO, the Director of Compliance (or, in their absence, the CFO) may make exceptions to the policies and procedures herein. Any such exception must be in writing (which may be e-mail). Exceptions will not be permitted if they would violate any applicable law.
If you have any questions about this Code, please ask the GC/CCO or the Director of Compliance.
Receipt of Code of Ethics and Acknowledgement
Each Supervised Person will be provided with a copy of the Code upon becoming associated with the Firm and with a copy of any amendments to the Code. Supervised Persons will be required to acknowledge receipt of the Code and any amendments to the Code.
Within 10 days of becoming associated with Gotham, each Supervised Person, on behalf of the Supervised Person and the Supervised Person's: (i) spouse; (ii) minor children (under the age of 18); and (iii) any relative residing in the same household as the Supervised Person (collectively, an "Immediate Family Member") will be required to submit to the GC/CCO an initial Code acknowledgement.
Within 30 days of the end of each calendar year, or otherwise upon request of the GC/CCO, Supervised Persons, on behalf of the Supervised Person and any Immediate Family Members, will be required to submit to the GC/CCO an annual recertification of the Code.

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A.Standards of Business Conduct

Gotham requires full compliance with all applicable laws and regulations governing the provision of investment management services to clients, including the Federal Securities Laws.

"Federal Securities Laws" means, as amended, the Securities Act of 1933, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Sarbanes•Oxley Act of 2002, the Advisers Act, the Investment Company Act of 1940, Title V of the Gramm-Leach•Bliley Act, and any rules adopted by the SEC under these statutes, the Bank Secrecy Act of 1970 as it applies to funds and investment advisers, and any rules adopted thereunder by the SEC or by the Department of Treasury and the Commodities Exchange Act and applicable rules adopted by the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission.
The Firm expects each of its Supervised Persons to act with integrity, competence, dignity, and in an ethical manner when dealing with the public, clients, investors and prospective investors, service providers and other Supervised Persons. The standard of business conduct is for the Firm and all Supervised Persons to act as a fiduciary to our clients. As a fiduciary, the Firm owes its Clients a duty of care and duty of loyalty, must serve the best interest of its clients and may not subordinate its clients’ interests to its own.
Gotham considers its reputation to be of the utmost importance and places a strong emphasis on maintaining a culture of honesty, integrity and professionalism. Gotham expects all Supervised Persons to comply with the applicable rules contained in this Code as well as the spirit of this Code and to act in a professional and ethical manner. For example, the Firm and its Supervised Persons have the following duties, among others:
To have a reasonable belief that its investment advice to the funds and the accounts it manages ("Clients") is in the Clients’ best interests based on their investment objectives;
Not to employ any device, scheme or artifice to defraud a Client;
To fully disclose all material facts to Clients;
To employ reasonable care to avoid misleading Clients;
To make full and fair disclosure of or eliminate conflicts of interest and obtain a Client’s informed consent, which may vary between institutional and retail Clients; and
Not to otherwise engage in any act, practice or course of business which would violate this Code.

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Reporting of Violations and Penalties/Consequences of Non-Compliance
Gotham seeks to foster a culture of ethical and professional conduct and to provide an environment in which Supervised Persons feel comfortable reporting actual or suspected violations of applicable laws, regulations, policies, or procedures. All Supervised Persons are required to promptly contact the GC/CCO regarding any actual or suspected violation of this Code. If you are unsure whether a violation has occurred, you should discuss the matter with the GC/CCO.
Gotham treats violations of this Code very seriously. Supervised Persons who fail to comply with the requirements of this Code may be subject to disciplinary action by Gotham. Different violations may be handled differently based on such factors as severity, whether it was intentional and/or whether it has happened previously. Disciplinary action by Gotham may include:
reprimand (either verbally or in writing);
restricting or prohibiting trading;
imposing penalties or fines;
reducing compensation;
demotion;
requiring unwinding of any trade in violation of the Code;
requiring disgorgement of trading gains;
suspending or terminating employment; or
any combination of the foregoing.
Any non-compliance or violations of law may also result in severe civil and criminal penalties.
Gotham has a strict non-retaliation policy that applies to Supervised Persons who report such matters in good faith. To the extent practicable, the Firm shall attempt to maintain the confidentiality of such communications.
The GC/CCO or his designee will investigate each reported or suspected violation of the Code. The GC/CCO may consult with other members of senior management, including the Managing Principals and Chief Financial Officer, as appropriate, in order to develop an appropriate response to any material violations of applicable securities laws or this Code. The GC/CCO is not the supervisor of Supervised Persons and only the Managing Principals have the authority to

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terminate or take similar disciplinary action against a Supervised Person. Supervised Persons are required to cooperate in any investigation.
If you have any questions regarding the Code, please contact GC/CCO or the Director of Compliance.
B. Business Gifts and Entertainment
1. Policy
It is the policy of Gotham to limit business gifts and business entertainment received by Supervised Persons to a reasonable and appropriate level and to prohibit acceptance by Supervised Persons of any gifts or entertainment that would violate any law, rules, regulations or the procedures below.
Gotham also limits business gifts it makes and entertainment that it provides to a level that is appropriate under applicable laws, rules, regulations and the policies of the recipient's employer.
2.Procedures for the Receipt of Business Gifts and Business Entertainment
A business gift is defined as any item provided at no expense (or at a steep discount) to the recipient relating to the business of Gotham. Gifts include items such as tickets to an event if the person providing the tickets is not present at the event. Business entertainment is defined as any entertainment, such as dinners and sporting events provided by or to a counterparty in which both the provider and recipient are present.
Promotional items of nominal value that display a product's or firm's logo, such as golf balls, fleeces, hats, shirts and pens are not reportable. Personal gifts where there is a pre-existing family or personal relationship between the person giving the gift and the recipient are also not covered under this policy.
Business Gifts: Any business gift with a value that exceeds $100 is required to be disclosed to the GC/CCO. If the value of any gift is uncertain, then the Supervised Person receiving such gift should estimate its value in good faith. You should notify the GC/CCO if you are unsure if a gift exceeds the $100 limit. The GC/CCO, or his designee, will log reported gifts and assess whether the gift may be accepted if it is over the $100 limit. For purposes of the $100 limit, gifts from a single individual will be aggregated over the calendar year.
Business Entertainment: Meals and other business entertainment in which the provider is present are not subject to the $100 limit, so long as they are not unusually generous or are likely to create a conflict of interest. Any meals or other business entertainment that is unusually generous, frequent or otherwise not customary to the Firm's normal conduct of business must be approved in advance

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by the GC/CCO. If you have any question on whether entertainment should be reported, you should discuss with the GC/CCO or the Director of Compliance.
Reporting: Upon receipt of a business gift with a value that exceeds $100 or entertainment that requires pre-clearance based on this policy, the Supervised Person must inform the GC/CCO and such gift or entertainment will be logged.
Corrective Action. The Firm may require a gift to be returned or the Supervised Person to reimburse the provider. In addition, the Firm may require the gift to be shared generally with office personnel, donated to charity or require such other remedial measures it may deem appropriate.
This policy applies equally to gifts and entertainment received by Immediate Family Members in connection with Gotham's business.
3. Procedures for Providing Business Gifts and Business Entertainment
A Supervised Person may give a customary business gift or provide customary business entertainment, provided, however, a Supervised Person may not:
Provide cash as a gift;
Give a business gift or provide business entertainment that is inconsistent with the policies of the recipient's employer. Supervised Persons must be especially cognizant of this when dealing with public entities and pensions;
Provide a business gift or provide business entertainment to:
1.any employee, candidate or elected official of a state, federal, or foreign government or "government instrumentality," including representatives of a sovereign wealth fund (See also Section on Political Contributions);
2.any fiduciary or representative to a Plan that is subject to ERISA;
3.a trustee or representative of a union pension benefits plan; or
4.any foreign government officials.
Pre-Clearance of Gifts and Entertainment. Prior to giving a business gift that exceeds $250 or entertainment that is unusually generous or otherwise not customary, the Supervised Person must obtain approval from the GC/CCO or Director of Compliance and such gift or entertainment will be logged. Please note that Registered Representatives are subject to a $100 limit and must get pre- approval for all gifts, as described below.

Page A-5




4. Registered Representatives of Foreside
Registered Representatives are also responsible for complying with Foreside's policies and procedures and FINRA rules. These require that any business gift provided by a Registered Representative must be pre-approved by the Supervising Principal and Registered Representatives may not give or receive business gifts with a value in excess of $100 to or from another individual. Note that gifts to or from the same individual will be aggregated over the course of each calendar year and subject to the $100 limit. Business Gifts received by a Registered Representative, of any amount, must be disclosed to the Director of Compliance and will be documented.
Business entertainment provided by a Registered Representative (such as dinners and lunches where the Registered Representative is present) must be documented, such as through an expense report. When providing entertainment, the name, employer of the recipient and all attendees must be included in such documentation. The Supervising Principal distributes a gift and entertainment log to Registered Representatives, generally on a quarterly basis, that requests the required information.
5. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and Gifts and Entertainment Foreign Officials
As noted above, gifts may not be given to foreign governments and "government instrumentalities." Pursuant to the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act ("FCPA") a Supervised Person is prohibited from the direct or indirect giving of, or a promise to give, "things of value" in order to corruptly obtain a business benefit from an officer, employee, or other "instrumentality" of a foreign government. Companies that are owned, even partly, by a foreign government may be considered an "instrumentality" of that government. In particular, government investments in foreign financial institutions may make the FCPA applicable to those institutions. Individuals acting in an official capacity on behalf of a foreign government or a foreign political party may also be "instrumentalities" of a foreign government.
The anti-bribery provisions of the FCPA specifically prohibit:
the giving or payment of, or any offer (including an offer that is never consummated by an actual payment), promise or authorization to give or pay, anything of value to a "Foreign Official" to assist in obtaining, retaining, or directing business. "Anything of value" is broad and includes: money (in any form); gifts; entertainment or hospitality; offers or promises of employment; promises to pay anything of value; payment or reimbursement of travel expenses; and personal favors;
and
any payment to an agent, consultant, intermediary, representative or any other third party (each, a "Third Party") while knowing that all or a portion of the payment will be transmitted to a Foreign Official to assist in obtaining, retaining, or directing business. The knowledge requirement of the FCPA includes not only "actual

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knowledge" that a bribe was paid to a Foreign Official, but also awareness of a "high probability" of such bribery. Therefore, a Supervised Person may have sufficient "knowledge" for a violation if he or she deliberately turns a blind eye or consciously disregards red flags suggesting a possible bribery or corruption scheme, even if the employee does not actually know that a bribe has been paid.
"Foreign Official"

The definition of "Foreign Official" under the FCPA is also very broad. It includes a government official in the classic sense, such as the head of a government ministry or agency, but also encompasses any officer or employee of any foreign government department, agency, or instrumentality, such as an employee of a state-owned business enterprise. For example, an employee of any entity that is owned or controlled by a foreign government may qualify as a Foreign Official under the FCPA.

A Foreign Official may serve in any branch of government (executive, legislative, judicial) and at any level of government (national, regional, local). The term "Foreign Official" also includes (i) any person acting in an official capacity for or on behalf of a foreign government, whether or not that person may be employed by the government, (ii) any employee or representative of a public international organization, or any department, agency, or instrumentality thereof (such as an employee of the World Bank), (iii) any foreign political party or official thereof, and (iv) any candidate for foreign political office.

A "Foreign Official" could include, for example, any of the following:

an employee of a government owned or controlled enterprise (e.g., a sovereign wealth fund or state-run pension plan or a purchasing manager of a government-owned producer);
a regulatory agency official;
a customs or tax official;
a local police officer;
a member of the military;
a member of Parliament;
a judge, prosecutor or court clerk; or
an employee of an international organization (e.g., EU entities, U.N. bodies, the World Bank, the Asian and African Development Banks, and similar institutions).
The FCPA includes provisions that may permit the giving of gifts and entertainment under certain circumstances, including certain gifts and entertainment that are lawful under the written laws and regulations of the recipient's country, as well as bona-fide travel costs for certain legitimate business purposes. However the availability of these exceptions is limited and is dependent on the relevant facts and circumstances.

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Additional Prohibitions
In addition to the above, the Firm prohibits the following:
any contributions or donations to non-US charities without the prior written approval of the GC/CCO;
any contributions or donations to non-US politicians, candidates, political parties, political organizations or officials thereof without the prior written approval of the GC/CCO; and
the payment of bribes, kickbacks, or similar improper payments of money or anything of value, whether in the United States or abroad, to any persons or entities who are not Foreign Officials, including, but not limited to, officers or employees of counterparties or potential investors of the Firm or our Clients.
Civil and criminal penalties for violating the FCPA can be severe. Supervised Persons must comply with the spirit and the letter of the FCPA at all times. Because of the complexities of the FCPA, Supervised Persons must obtain written pre-clearance from the GC/CCO prior to giving anything of value that might be subject to the FCPA as set forth above.
C. Political Contributions
1. Background
Rule 206(4)-5 under the Investment Advisers Act requires investment advisory firms who may solicit business from certain Government Entities (as defined below) to adopt policies and procedures to curtail "pay-to-play" practices. The rule prohibits an adviser from providing advisory services for compensation to a Government Entity for two years after the adviser or certain of its executives or employees make a contribution or payment to certain elected officials or candidates. A contribution includes providing anything of value and can be monetary (e.g., checks, tickets) or in-kind (e.g., incurring expenses for a fundraiser).
While Supervised Person are encouraged to participate and vote in all federal, state and local elections, contributions to officials or candidates for office by any Supervised Person are prohibited if those contributions are intended to influence the award or retention of advisory or any other business. In addition, Supervised Persons are subject to pre-clearance of political contributions to state or local officials (including state or local officials who are candidates for federal offices), candidates for state or local office or state or local political parties, and pre- clearance of any soliciting from others, or coordinating, contributions to state or local officials or candidates for those offices, and to state or local political parties.
You may not circumvent these rules or the guidelines below by having your spouse or other member of your household make a contribution on your behalf.

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The rule also prohibits an adviser from providing or agreeing to provide, directly or indirectly, payment to any third party for a solicitation of advisory business from any Government Entity, unless such third party is a registered broker-dealer or registered investment adviser, in each case itself subject to pay-to-play restrictions. Additionally, the rule prevents an adviser from soliciting from others, or coordinating, contributions to certain elected officials or candidates or payments to political parties where the adviser is providing or seeking to provide advisory services to a Government Entity. The rule contains "look-back" provisions that require advisory firms to consider prior political contributions made by newly employed or promoted executives or employees.
A "Government Entity" is defined as any state or political subdivision of a state, including:
Any agency, authority, or instrumentality of the state or political subdivision;
A pool of assets sponsored or established by the state or political subdivision or any agency, authority or instrumentality thereof, including, but not limited to a "defined benefit plan" as defined in section 414(j) of the Internal Revenue Code (26 U.S.C. 414(j)), or a state general fund;
A plan or program of a Government Entity; and
Officers, agents, or employees of the state or political subdivision or any agency, authority or instrumentality thereof, acting in their official capacity.
An "official" is defined as any person (including any election committee for the person) who was, at the time of the contribution, an incumbent, candidate or successful candidate for elective office of a Government Entity, if the office:
Is directly or indirectly responsible for, or can influence the outcome of, the hiring of an investment adviser by a Government Entity; or
Has authority to appoint any person who is directly or indirectly responsible for, or can influence the outcome of, the hiring of an investment adviser by a Government Entity.
2.Pre-clearance Procedures
Due to the complexity of the rules and the severe penalties that may be imposed upon Gotham for a violation, all Supervised Persons must obtain pre-clearance from the GC/CCO for any political contributions (monetary or in-kind) made by them or an Immediate Family Member to any candidate for elected office (including incumbents), to any federal, state or local political party, or to any political action committee.

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In the case of contributions by the GC/CCO, any request for pre-clearance will be considered by the Chief Financial Officer and/or Associate General Counsel.
3. Recordkeeping Requirements
Gotham, generally working with Fairview, one of the Firm's compliance consultants, will maintain the following records:
All pre-clearance requests;
A list of all direct or indirect contributions made by any Covered Associates as defined in Rule 206(4)-5 to an official of a Government Entity, in chronological order, identifying each Covered Associate (as defined by the Advisers Act) and recipient, the amounts and dates of each contribution, and whether the contribution or payment was subject to the exemption for certain returned contributions;
A list of the names, titles and business and residential addresses of all Covered Associates as defined in Rule 206(4)-5;
A list of all Government Entities to which Gotham provides or has provided investment advisory services, or which are or were, investors in any covered investment pool to which Gotham provides or has provided investment advisory services, as applicable, in the past five years;
All direct or indirect contributions made by Gotham or any Covered Associates to an official of a Government Entity, or direct or indirect payments to a political party of a state or political subdivision thereof, or to a political action committee, and
The name and business address of each regulated person, if any, to whom Gotham provides or agrees to provide, directly or indirectly, payment to solicit a Government Entity for investment advisory services, on its behalf.
4. Reporting Procedures for New Employees
New Supervised Persons will be required to meet with the GC/CCO to discuss any political contributions they have made within the past two years and such contributions. Each Supervised Person will also be required to submit an Initial Political Activities Report within 10 days of becoming associated with the Firm.
D. Conflicts of Interest Policy; Outside Business Activities
Supervised Persons are prohibited from entering into any activity that creates a conflict of interest between the Firm or the Supervised Person, on the one hand, and a Client on the other hand, without the prior written approval from the GC/CCO. Supervised Persons must seek to avoid situations that compromise their duties to Gotham or restrict Gotham’s activities.

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In instances where the conflict of interest exists, Gotham will seek to mitigate the conflict of interest, including, but not limited to, through disclosure of the general nature or source of the conflict and/or ongoing monitoring of such conflict.
Many different activities can cause a conflict of interest. In order to identify any conflicts of interest the Firm has adopted the following reporting requirements.
Initial and Annual Reporting of Potential Conflicts of Interest. Within 10 days of becoming associated with the Firm, and on an annual basis thereafter, a Supervised Person is required to submit to the GC/CCO a Conflict of Interest Questionnaire.
Pre-Approval of Potentially Conflicting Activities. In the event that a Supervised Person or any of his or her Immediate Family Members engages or intends to engage in any of the following, the prior written approval of the GC/CCO is required:
Serving as an officer of, or board member to, a public or private entity (other than an affiliate of Gotham), except with respect to religious groups, charitable organizations or local community activities;
Serving as a trustee to a trust, other than a trust established solely for the Supervised Person's or an Immediate Family Member's personal or estate planning purposes;
Serving as a committee member for, or an adviser to, an official or ad hoc committee formed as the result of a corporate bankruptcy that represents the interests of unsecured creditors or equity holders;
Serving as an elected or appointed official in a state or local governmental office or governmental position;
Obtaining a financial interest in a provider of goods or services to the Firm;
Are an employee for a publicly traded company or governmental entity; or
Are employed at a bank, broker-dealer, credit rating agency, or registered or unregistered investment adviser in a role that requires investment research, portfolio management, or trading.
If you have any question about whether an activity requires approval, please discuss the matter with the GC/CCO. Approval will be granted on a case-by-case basis, subject to careful consideration of potential conflicts of interest, disclosure obligations, and any other relevant regulatory issues.
A Supervised Person who is granted approval to engage in an outside business activity must not transmit Material Non-Public Information (as defined in the Manual) in connection with

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the outside business activity. If participation in the outside business activity results in the Supervised Person’s receipt of Material Non-Public Information, the Supervised Person must discuss the scope and nature of the information with the GC/CCO. A Supervised Person who is granted approval to engage in an outside business activity must always follow the Firm’s Insider Trading Policy as set forth in the Manual. Similarly, if a Supervised Person receives approval to engage in an outside business activity and subsequently becomes aware of a material conflict of interest that was not disclosed when the approval was granted, the conflict must be promptly brought to the attention of the GC/CCO.
Any personal or family interest in any of Gotham's business activities or transactions, or proposed business activities or transactions, must be disclosed to the GC/CCO. For example, if a Supervised Person proposes to enter into a transaction or business relationship on behalf of Gotham that may benefit the Supervised Person or a family member, either directly or indirectly, then the employee must disclose this possibility to the GC/CCO prior to entering into the transaction or relationship.
E. Personal Trading Policy
Gotham has adopted a personal trading policy which addresses personal securities trading by all Supervised Persons. Gotham's policies are intended to facilitate compliance with applicable laws, rules and regulations and to mitigate any conflicts of interests with respect to our Clients. Supervised Persons should conduct all personal securities transactions in such a manner as to avoid or mitigate any actual or potential conflict of interest and avoid any abuse of an individual’s position of trust and responsibility.
No Supervised Person may take inappropriate advantage of his or her position to the detriment of a Client. Supervised Persons are required to comply with both the express provisions of this policy as well as the spirit of this policy. Specifically, a Supervised Person must not trade in a security if he or she knows, or has reason to believe, that the Firm may transact in such security in the near term in a way that would benefit the Supervised Person. For example, a Supervised Person must not engage in "front-running" Clients by buying a security before the Firm does so on behalf of a Client if such purchases by the Firm are likely to increase the value of the security purchased by the Supervised Person.
In addition to the policies and procedures below, Supervised Persons are reminded that the procedures on Material Non-Public Information set forth in the Manual apply to personal securities transactions and that no Supervised Person may transact in a security for which they have Material Non-Public Information.
As described in the Manual, the Firm maintains the Restricted List. The Restricted List is confidential and its contents should not be shared without the approval of the Co-CIOs, GC/CCO or the CFO. Neither Gotham nor any Supervised Person is allowed to trade or invest in any securities on the Restricted List without prior approval of the GC/CCO.

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Below are the Firm's personal trading policies. The GC/CCO, the Director of Compliance (or, in their absence, the CFO) may make exceptions to the policies and procedures herein. Any such exception must be in writing (which may be e-mail). Exceptions will not be permitted if they would violate any applicable law.
1. Procedures for Personal Trading and Pre-Approval
The following procedures apply to all personal trading by Supervised Persons and their Immediate Family Members. Supervised Persons (and their Immediate Family Members) may only purchase or sell securities in which they have "Beneficial Ownership" in accordance with the procedures below. "Beneficial Ownership" means an interest where a person, directly or indirectly, through any contract, arrangement, understanding, relationship or otherwise, has a direct or indirect pecuniary interest.
a.Securities Requiring Pre-Approval
Pre-approval is required for transactions in "Covered Securities", which is defined as:
An equity security (including common stock, preferred stock and securities convertible into an equity security) of a single public issuer (including any security issued in an initial public offering); and
Derivatives on the equity of a public issuer. Derivatives, include, but are not limited to, options, swaps, and futures.
In addition, any purchase of a private placement (other than those managed by Gotham) requires pre-approval. A private placement is an offering that is exempt from registration under the Securities Act of 1933 pursuant to Section 4(a)(2) or Section 4(a)(5) or pursuant to Rules 504, 505, or 506 of Regulation D and includes hedge funds and private equity funds.
In the event a Supervised Person (or one of his or her Immediate Family Members) requests a redemption from a private fund managed by Gotham, he or she must notify the Chief Financial Officer, who may prevent or delay such redemption in his discretion.
Pre-approval is not required for mutual funds (closed-end or open-end), ETFs, debt securities or commodities.
b.Pre-Approval Process
With respect to transactions which require pre-approval, Supervised Persons (or their Immediate Family Members) must notify and obtain the written approval of the GC/CCO or the Director of Compliance, or in their absence, the Chief Financial Officer (the "Pre-Approval Personnel"). Determinations to pre-approve transactions will be made based upon factors deemed relevant by the Pre-Approval Personnel, including an analysis of whether the proposed trade is likely to have an adverse impact on Clients or provide an unfair advantage to the Supervised Person

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or his or her Immediate Family Member. Generally, the Pre-Approval Personnel will assess if there are any conflicts with trading for Clients, based on the security, timing and size of the proposed transaction and the Firm's trading. The Pre-Approval Personnel will generally consult with one of the Trader(s) before approving a personal securities transaction. Approvals of trades of a Restricted Investment may be conditioned on compliance with certain factors identified by the Pre-Approval Personnel, such as the timing of the trade or the method of trade completion (e.g., VWAP).
No individual may approve his or her own trades. Supervised Persons and their Immediate Family Members may seek approval from the Pre-Approval Personnel by e-mailing traderequest@gotham.com. They may also contact one of the Pre-Approval Personnel directly.
When requesting pre-approval, please provide the name of the issuer (or the ticker symbol), the amount of shares to be purchased or sold and the last 4 digits of the account number.
The Firm reserves the right to limit, delay, or refuse a Supervised Person's pre-approval request for any reason, including, but not limited to, a potential conflict of interest with a Client in appearance or fact, a violation of law, or any other reason. A Supervised Person's pre-approval request may also be subject to consultation with the Firm's outside counsel and/or regulatory consultants. The GC/CCO or Director of Compliance (or their designees, including ACA and/or Fairview) may periodically review personal securities transactions by all Supervised Persons and Immediate Family Members to identify any trading patterns that raise concerns for Gotham.
If a Supervised Person or his or her Immediate Family Member is granted approval for a transaction it should be executed no later than the end of the trading day for which trading is approved, unless otherwise determined by the Pre-Approval Personnel.
c. Thirty-Day Holding Period
Generally, trades in Covered Securities will not be approved if the trade is opposite a trade made within the past 30 days by the Supervised Person. When requesting to transact in a Covered Security, Supervised Persons must state in their request if they (or an Immediate Family Member) have transacted in the security within the thirty-day holding period.
If you are requesting an exception to this policy, please notify the Pre-Approval Personnel when making the request to transact in the applicable security.
d. Discretionary Accounts
Pre-approval is not required for transactions in Covered Securities which are made in an account in which a Supervised Person or his or her Immediate Family Members has given the authority to make investment decisions to a third-party (a "Discretionary Account"). Any investment plans or accounts that may be eligible for either of these exceptions should be brought to the attention of the GC/CCO who will, on a case-by-case basis, determine whether the plan or

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account qualifies for an exception. In making this determination, the GC/CCO may ask for supporting documentation, such as a copy of the Automatic Investment Plan or a copy of the discretionary account management agreement. Supervised Persons who claim they have no direct or indirect influence or control over an account may also be required to complete additional documentation. Please note that if you or an Immediate Family Member has any influence over the trades in the Discretionary Account, you must obtain pre-approval for trades in the Discretionary Account in accordance with the Personal Trading Policy.
e. Records and Statements
Records of all pre-approved transactions will be maintained and periodically monitored by the GC/CCO or his designee, including Fairview.
2. Additional Personal Trading Procedures Related to Administrative Services     Provided to Other Managers
The Firm provides certain back-office services, such as accounting, to several third-party investment managers ("Other Managers").
To provide such services, certain of the Firm's Supervised Persons have access to confidential information regarding the funds advised by the Other Managers, such as position and trade-level information of such funds. This creates a potential conflict of interest for the Firm and certain Firm personnel.
In order to mitigate this potential conflict, the Firm has adopted the following additional policies and procedures with respect to personal trading:
1.All Supervised Persons with access to non-public portfolio positions or trading information of any of the Other Managers ("Confidential Trading Information") are required to keep such information confidential and only share it in furtherance of providing back-office services to the Other Managers. The Supervised Persons who currently have access to such information are: Bernard Seibert, Paul Gallegra, David Marks and Kate Kahn (each a "Covered Persons"). The GC/CCO or Director of Compliance may update the list of Covered Persons from time to time, with notice to such person(s).
2.In the event that a Covered Person (or one of his or her Immediate Family Members) requests to trade an equity security of a single public issuer (or a derivative thereof, each a "security") that is held by any of the funds advised by the Other Managers, he or she must obtain the approval of the GC/CCO or, in his absence, the Director of Compliance. Such request must include a disclosure that the security is held by a fund advised by one of the Other Manager(s).
3.Covered Persons should note the following: (i) it is the responsibility of the Covered Person to ascertain in advance if a security that is proposed to be traded is held by a

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fund advised by an Other Manager (e.g., checking in the Firm's accounting system); and (ii) there should be no expectation that such a transaction will be approved as a matter of course.
4.Prior to approving such trade request, the GC/CCO (or Director of Compliance) will obtain the written consent of: (i) the applicable Other Manager; and (ii) the Chief Financial Officer (these approvals being the "Required Consents").
5.Trades requested by a Covered Person (or his or her Immediate Family Members) in a security held by a fund advised by one of the Other Manager(s) will be approved by the GC/CCO (or Director of Compliance) only if: (i) the Required Consents are obtained and; (ii) the Chief Compliance Officer (or Director of Compliance) determines that there is no trading conflict (e.g., "front-running") with the trading of the Other Manager. In making such a determination, the GC/CCO (or Director of Compliance) may consider various factors, including whether such information is public, the market capitalization and trading volume of the security and the size of the proposed transaction.
6.If a Supervised Person other than a Covered Person becomes aware of Confidential Trading Information, the various obligations of this policy will apply to such Supervised Person, including, for the sake of clarity, the disclosure and pre-approval requirements.
3.Reporting Requirements
In order to provide the Firm with information to enable it to monitor compliance with the Personal Trading Policy and to comply with the Advisers Act, each Supervised Person must submit periodic reports to the Firm that list all their accounts (and those in which their Immediate Family Members have a Beneficial Ownership interest), along with the applicable brokerage statements. The GC/CCO or his designee (including outside service providers) will review such statements and reports.
a.Initial and Annual Holdings Report
New Supervised Persons are required to report all accounts within 10 days of becoming a Supervised Person in an initial holdings report. The initial holdings report must be current as of a date not more than 45 days prior to the date the person becomes Supervised Person. New Supervised Persons must list their accounts and provide statements, which must include: the title and type of security; the symbol or CUSIP; the number of shares; the principal amount of each security; the name of the broker; and the date the report is submitted.
Each Supervised Person must submit a holdings report/statement every 12-months. The Firm will generally require this at the end of each calendar year.

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Currently Fairview will send an email form to each Supervised Person regarding his or her holdings report. Account statements detailing all holdings in securities may be provided for in lieu of listing all holdings provided all the required information is included. Please note that private placements held outside a brokerage account must also be reported.
b. Quarterly Transaction and Account Reports
Supervised Persons must submit, within (30) thirty calendar days after the end of each quarter, a report to the GC/CCO or his designee covering securities transactions made by them or their Immediate Family Members. The report must include: the date of each transaction; the title and ticker symbol of the security; the nature of the transaction; the price of the security at which the transaction was made; the name of the broker; and the date of the report.
Currently Fairview will send an email form to each Supervised Person. Supervised Persons may list their accounts and have statements sent to the Firm or Fairview in lieu of listing all transactions, provided all the required information is included. In addition, account statements detailing all holdings and transactions in securities must also be provided for the Gotham mutual funds on a quarterly basis. Please note that private placements held outside a brokerage account must also be reported.
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