485BPOSJanuary 31, 20210001467831FALSE00014678312021-06-042021-06-040001467831ck0001467831:S000072014Member2021-06-042021-06-040001467831ck0001467831:S000072014Memberck0001467831:C000227690Member2021-06-042021-06-040001467831ck0001467831:S000072015Member2021-06-042021-06-040001467831ck0001467831:C000227691Memberck0001467831:S000072015Member2021-06-042021-06-040001467831ck0001467831:S000072016Member2021-06-042021-06-040001467831ck0001467831:S000072016Memberck0001467831:C000227692Member2021-06-042021-06-04xbrli:pureiso4217:USD0001467831ck0001467831:S000072017Member2021-06-042021-06-040001467831ck0001467831:C000227693Memberck0001467831:S000072017Member2021-06-042021-06-040001467831ck0001467831:S000072019Member2021-06-042021-06-040001467831ck0001467831:S000072019Memberck0001467831:C000227695Member2021-06-042021-06-04

As filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on June 4, 2021

File No. 333-182274
File No.: 811-22310

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

FORM N-1A

REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
Pre-Effective Amendment No.  
Post-Effective Amendment No. 138
and/or
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940
Amendment No. 140
ETF MANAGERS TRUST
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

30 Maple Street, 2nd Floor
Summit, New Jersey 07901
(Address of Principal Executive Offices, Zip Code)

(Registrant’s Telephone Number, including Area Code)
(877) 756-7873

Corporation Service Company
2711 Centerville Road, Suite 400
Wilmington, DE 19808
(Name and Address of Agent for Service)

Copy to:
Eric Simanek, Esq
Sullivan & Worcester LLP
1666 K Street NW
Washington, DC 20006
As soon as practical after the effective date of this Registration Statement
(Approximate Date of Proposed Public Offering)
It is proposed that this filing will become effective
immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b)
on pursuant to paragraph (b)
60 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)
on pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)
75 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(2)
on pursuant to paragraph (a)(2) of Rule 485.

If appropriate, check the following box
[ ]    this post-effective amendment designates a new effective date for a previously filed post-effective amendment.




CK0001467831-20210131_G1.JPG

ETFMG Prime 2x Daily Junior Silver Miners ETF (SILX)
ETFMG Prime 2x Daily Inverse Junior Silver Miners ETF (SINV)
ETFMG 2x Daily Travel Tech ETF (AWYX)

Listed on NYSE Arca, Inc.
The Fund is a series of ETF Managers Trust
PROSPECTUS
June 4, 2021














THE SEC HAS NOT APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED THESE SECURITIES OR PASSED UPON THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS PROSPECTUS. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.



About This Prospectus
This prospectus has been arranged into different sections so that you can easily review this important information. For detailed information about the Fund, please see:
ETFMG Prime 2x Daily Junior Silver Miners ETF - FUND SUMMARY
3
ETFMG Prime 2x Daily Inverse Junior Silver Miners ETF - FUND SUMMARY
13
ETFMG 2x Daily Travel Tech ETF - FUND SUMMARY
23
Summary Information about Purchases, Sales, Taxes, and Financial Intermediary Compensation
33
33
42
53
53
53
54
55
56
57
57
57
57
58
59

2

ETFMG Prime 2x Daily Junior Silver Miners ETF — FUND SUMMARY
Important Information About the Fund
ETFMG Prime 2x Daily Junior Silver Miners ETF (“2x Junior Silver Fund” or the “Fund”) seeks daily investment results, before fees and expenses, that correspond to two times (2x) the return of the Prime Junior Silver Miners & Explorers Index (the “Index”) for a single day, not for any other period. A “single day” is measured from the time the Fund calculates its net asset value (“NAV”) to the time of the Fund’s next NAV calculation. The return of the Fund for periods longer than a single day will be the result of its return for each day compounded over the period. The Fund’s returns for periods longer than a single day will very likely differ in amount, and possibly even direction, from the Fund’s stated multiple (2x) times the return of the Index for the same period. For periods longer than a single day, the Fund will lose money if the Index’s performance is flat, and it is possible that the Fund will lose money even if the level of the Index rises. Longer holding periods, higher Index volatility, and greater leveraged exposure each exacerbate the impact of compounding on an investor’s returns. During periods of higher Index volatility, the volatility of the Index may affect the Fund’s return as much as or more than the return of the Index.
The Fund presents different risks than other types of funds. The Fund uses leverage and is riskier than similarly benchmarked funds that do not use leverage. The Fund may not be suitable for all investors and should be used only by knowledgeable investors who understand the consequences of seeking daily leveraged (2x) investment results, including the impact of compounding on Fund performance. Investors in the Fund should actively manage and monitor their investments, as frequently as daily. An investor in the Fund could potentially lose the full principal value of their investment within a single day.
Investment Objective
The ETFMG Prime 2x Daily Junior Silver Miners ETF (the “Fund”) seeks to provide daily investment results that, before fees and expenses, correspond to two times (2x) the daily total return of the Index. The Fund does not seek to achieve its stated investment objective over a period of time greater than a single day.
Fees and Expenses
The following table describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy, hold, and sell shares of the Fund (“Shares”). This table and the Example below do not include the brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries that investors may pay on their purchases and sales of Shares.
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Management Fee 0.95  %
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees None
Other Expenses1, 2
0.00  %
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses 0.95  %
1 Based on estimated amounts for the current fiscal year.
2 Other Expenses do not reflect the costs of investing in swap agreements, including any fees paid to the counterparty of the swap agreement. The estimated annual costs of investing in swap agreements for the Fund are 1.60% of the Fund’s average daily net assets. The performance of the Fund is net of all such costs of investing in swap agreements.
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. This Example does not take into account the brokerage commissions that you may pay on your purchases and sales of Shares. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your cost would be:
1 Year 3 Years
$97 $303
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 the Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. Because the Fund is newly organized, portfolio turnover information is not yet available.
3

Principal Investment Strategies
The Fund invests in financial instruments, such as swap agreements, securities of the Index, and exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”) that track the Index (including affiliated ETFs), that provide daily leveraged exposure to the Index or to ETFs that track the Index to seek returns equal to 200% of the daily return of the Index. The financial instruments in which the Fund most commonly invests are swap agreements which are intended to produce economically leveraged investment results. The Fund expects that its cash balances maintained in connection with the use of financial instruments will typically be held in money market instruments.
The Index tracks the performance of the equity securities (or corresponding American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”) or Global Depositary Receipts (“GDRs”)) of small-capitalization companies actively engaged in silver refining, mining, or exploration (“Junior Silver Companies”). “Junior” is a term used in reference to small capitalization exploration companies. Junior Silver Companies include pure play companies that generate more than 50% of their revenue from silver mining activities and non-pure play companies that generate 50% or less of their revenue from silver mining activities. The stocks are weighted according to a modified market capitalization that is based upon the percentage of company revenues generated from silver mining activities such that, when weighting Junior Silver Companies, the market cap of a pure play company is multiplied by a factor of three and the market cap of a non-pure play company is multiplied by a factor of one. The five stocks with the highest adjusted market capitalization are assigned a weight of 13%, 11%, 9%, 7%, and 5% respectively with all remaining stocks weighted pro rata based on their relative adjusted market capitalization, subject to a cap of 4.5%. The securities of each company in the Index must also be listed on a securities exchange.
The initial universe of Junior Silver Companies is determined based on proprietary research and analysis conducted by Prime Indexes, (the “Index Provider”), an independent index provider that is not affiliated with the Fund’s investment adviser. The Index Provider uses a variety of publicly available resources for such analysis, including financial statements and other reports published by issuers to determine whether a company is actively engaged as a Junior Silver Company.
The Index Provider may exclude companies that meet the criteria for inclusion in the Index or include companies that do not meet such criteria if it determines that including or excluding them would be contrary to the objective of the Index (e.g., their inclusion would negatively affect the investibility of the Index, the company’s economic fortunes are predominantly driven by a business not related to that of a Junior Silver Company, the company is expected to meet the inclusion criteria in the immediate future and plays an important role in the junior silver industry).
The Index has a quarterly review in March, June, September, and December of each year at which times the Index is reconstituted and rebalanced by the Index Provider. The composition of the Index and the constituent weights are determined on the two Thursdays before the second Friday of each March, June, September, and December (or the next business day if this is a non-business day) (the “Selection Day”). Component changes are made after the market close on the third Friday of March, June, September, and December (or the next business day if the third Friday is not a business day) and become effective at the market opening on the next trading day.
Junior Silver Companies are then screened as of the Selection Date for investibility to determine initial inclusion (e.g., must not be listed on an exchange in a country which employs certain restrictions on foreign capital investment), a minimum market capitalization of $20 million, a maximum market capitalization of $3 billion, and an operating company structure (as opposed to a pass-through security). The Index Provider may include companies in the Index with a market capitalization within 5% of the above thresholds as of the Selection Date to account for short term fluctuations in market capitalization resulting from changes in a security’s price.
The weightings of the constituents of the Index are further modified in that the cumulative weight of all constituents with an individual weight of 5% or greater may not in the aggregate account for more than 50% of the weight of the Index as of the Selection Day. Further, the cumulative weight of all components with a market capitalization of less than US $100 million may not in the aggregate account for more than 10% of the weight of the Index as of the Selection Day. As of May 21, 2021, the Index had 47 components.
The Index is developed and owned by the Index Provider, and the Index is calculated and maintained by Solactive AG. The Index Provider is independent of Solactive AG, the Fund, and the Fund’s investment adviser.
The Fund has adopted the following policy to comply with Rule 35d-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940. Such policy has been adopted as a non-fundamental investment policy and may be changed without shareholder approval upon 60 days’ written notice to shareholders. Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus borrowing for investment purposes) in financial instruments, such as swap agreements, securities of the Index, and exchange-traded funds that track the Index and other financial instruments that provide daily leveraged exposure to the Index or to ETFs that track the Index.
Industry Concentration Policy: The Fund will concentrate its investments (i.e., hold 25% or more of its net assets) in a particular industry or group of related industries to approximately the same extent that the Index is concentrated. As of May 21, 2021, the Index was concentrated in companies in the metals and mining industries group.
The Fund may invest in the securities of the Index, a representative sample of the securities in the Index that has aggregate characteristics similar to those of the Index, an ETF that tracks the Index (including investing in an affiliated series of ETF Managers Trust, ETFMG Prime Junior Silver Miners ETF) or a substantially similar index, and may utilize derivatives, such as swaps on the Index or on an ETF that tracks the same Index or a substantially similar index, that provide leveraged exposure to the above.
4

Derivatives are financial instruments that derive value from the underlying reference asset or assets, such as stocks, bonds, or funds (including ETFs), interest rates or indexes.
The Fund seeks to remain fully invested at all times, consistent with its stated investment objective but may not always have investment exposure to all of the securities in the Index, or its weighting of investment exposure to securities or industries may be different from that of the Index. In addition, the Fund may invest in securities or financial instruments not included in the Index.
The Fund will attempt to achieve its investment objective without regard to overall market movement or the increase or decrease of the value of the securities in the Index. At the close of the markets each trading day, ETF Managers Group LLC (the “Adviser”) determines the type, quantity and mix of investment positions so that its exposure to the Index is consistent with the Fund’s investment objective. The impact of the Index’s movements during the day will affect whether the Fund’s portfolio needs to be re-positioned. For example, if the Index has risen on a given day, net assets of the Fund should rise, meaning the Fund’s exposure will need to be increased. Conversely, if the Index has fallen on a given day, net assets of the Fund should fall, meaning the Fund’s exposure will need to be reduced. This re-positioning strategy typically results in high portfolio turnover. On a day-to-day basis, the Fund is expected to hold ETFs and money market funds, deposit accounts with institutions with high credit ratings, and/or short-term debt instruments that have terms-to-maturity of less than 397 days and exhibit high quality credit profiles, including U.S. government securities and repurchase agreements.
The Fund may lend its portfolio securities to brokers, dealers, and other financial organizations. These loans, if and when made, may not exceed 33 1/3% of the total asset value of the Fund (including the loan collateral). By lending its securities, the Fund may increase its income by receiving payments from the borrower.
The terms “daily,” “day,” and “trading day” refer to the period from the close of the markets on one trading day to the close of the markets on the next trading day.
Daily rebalancing and the compounding of each day’s return over time means that the return of the Fund for a period longer than a single day will be the result of each day’s returns compounded over the period, which will very likely differ in amount, and possibly even direction, from two times (2x) the return of the Index for the same period. The Fund will lose money if the Index’s performance is flat over time, and the Fund can lose money regardless of the performance of the Index, as a result of daily rebalancing, the Index’s volatility, compounding of each day’s return and other factors. See “Principal Risks” below.
Principal Risks
As with all funds, a shareholder is subject to the risk that his or her investment could lose money. The Fund may not achieve its leveraged investment objective and there is a risk that you could lose all of your money invested in the Fund. The Fund is not a complete investment program. The Fund presents risks not traditionally associated with other mutual funds and ETFs. For example, due to the Fund’s daily leveraged investment objective, a small adverse move in the Index will result in larger and potentially substantial declines in the Fund. It is important that investors closely review all of the risks listed below and understand them before making an investment in the Fund.
Effects of Compounding and Market Volatility Risk: The Fund has a daily leveraged investment objective and the Fund’s performance for periods greater than a trading day will be the result of each day's returns compounded over the period, which is very likely to differ from two times (2x) the Index’s performance, before fees and expenses. Compounding affects all investments, but has a more significant impact on funds that are leveraged and that rebalance daily. For a leveraged fund, if adverse daily performance of the index reduces the amount of a shareholder’s investment, any further adverse daily performance will lead to a smaller dollar loss because the shareholder’s investment had already been reduced by the prior adverse performance. Equally, however, if favorable daily performance of the index increases the amount of a shareholder’s investment, the dollar amount lost due to future adverse performance will increase because the shareholder’s investment has increased.
The effect of compounding becomes more pronounced as Index volatility and the holding period increase. The impact of compounding will impact each shareholder differently depending on the period of time an investment in the Fund is held and the volatility of the Index during shareholder’s holding period of an investment in the Fund.
The chart below provides examples of how Index volatility could affect the Fund’s performance. The chart illustrates the impact of two factors that affect the Fund’s performance: Index volatility and Index return. Index returns show the percentage change in the value of the Index over the specified time period, while Index volatility is a statistical measure of the magnitude of fluctuations in the returns during that time period. As illustrated below, even if the Index return over two equal time periods is identical, different Index volatility (i.e., fluctuations in the rates of return) during the two time periods could result in drastically different Fund performance for the two time periods due to the effects of compounding daily returns during the time periods.
Fund performance for periods greater than one single day can be estimated given any set of assumptions for the following factors: a) Index volatility; b) Index performance; c) period of time; d) financing rates associated with leveraged exposure; e) other Fund expenses; and f) dividends or interest paid with respect to securities in the Index. The chart below illustrates the impact of two principal factors – Index volatility and Index performance – on Fund performance. The chart shows estimated Fund returns for a number of combinations of Index volatility and Index performance over a one-year period. Performance shown in the chart assumes
5

that: (i) no dividends were paid with respect to the securities included in the Index; (ii) there were no Fund expenses; and (iii) borrowing/lending rates (to obtain leveraged exposure) of 0%. If Fund expenses and/or actual borrowing/lending rates were reflected, the estimated returns would be different than those shown. Particularly during periods of higher Index volatility, compounding will cause results for periods longer than a trading day to vary from two times (2x) the performance of the Index.
As shown in the chart below, the Fund would be expected to lose 6.1% if the Index provided no return over a one year period during which the Index experienced annualized volatility of 25%. At higher ranges of volatility, there is a chance of a significant loss of value in the Fund, even if the Index’s return is flat. For instance, if the Index’s annualized volatility is 100%, the Fund would be expected to lose 63.2% of its value, even if the cumulative Index return for the year was 0%. Areas shaded red (or dark gray) represent those scenarios where the Fund can be expected to return less than two times (2x) the performance of the Index and those shaded green (or light gray) represent those scenarios where the Fund can be expected to return more than two times (2x) the performance of the Index. The Fund’s actual returns may be significantly better or worse than the returns shown below as a result of any of the factors discussed above or in “Daily Index Correlation/Tracking Risk” below.
One Year Index Two Times (2x) One Year Index Volatility Rate
Return Return 10% 25% 50% 75% 100%
-60% -120% -84.2% -85.0% -87.5% -90.9% -94.1%
-50% -100% -75.2% -76.5% -80.5% -85.8% -90.8%
-40% -80% -64.4% -66.2% -72.0% -79.5% -86.8%
-30% -60% -51.5% -54.0% -61.8% -72.1% -82.0%
-20% -40% -36.6% -39.9% -50.2% -63.5% -76.5%
-10% -20% -19.8% -23.9% -36.9% -53.8% -70.2%
0% 0% -1.0% -6.1% -22.1% -43.0% -63.2%
10% 20% 19.8% 13.7% -5.8% -31.1% -55.5%
20% 40% 42.6% 35.3% 12.1% -18.0% -47.0%
30% 60% 67.3% 58.8% 31.6% -3.7% -37.8%
40% 80% 94.0% 84.1% 52.6% 11.7% -27.9%
50% 100% 122.8% 111.4% 75.2% 28.2% -17.2%
60% 120% 153.5% 140.5% 99.4% 45.9% -5.8%
The Index’s annualized historical volatility rate for the period from June 16, 2017 (the inception date of the Index) to December 31, 2020 was 45.41%. The Index’s highest volatility rate for any one calendar year for the period from June 16, 2017 (the inception date of the Index) through December 31, 2020 was 65.87% and volatility for a shorter period of time may have been substantially higher. The Index’s annualized performance for the period from June 16, 2017 (the inception date of the Index) to December 31, 2020 was 11.34%. Historical Index volatility and performance are not indications of what the Index volatility and performance will be in the future. The volatility of ETFs or instruments that reflect the value of the Index, such as swaps, may differ from the volatility of the Index.
For information regarding the effects of volatility and Index performance on the long-term performance of the Fund, see “Additional Information about the Fund’s Investment Objective and Strategies” in the Fund’s statutory prospectus, and “Special Note Regarding the Correlation Risks of the Fund” in the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information.
Leverage Risk: The Fund obtains investment exposure in excess of its net assets by utilizing leverage and may lose more money in market conditions that are adverse to its investment objective than a fund that does not utilize leverage. An investment in the Fund is exposed to the risk that a decline in the daily performance of the Index will be magnified. This means that an investment in the Fund will be reduced by an amount equal to 2% for every 1% daily decline in the Index, not including the costs of financing leverage and other operating expenses, which would further reduce its value. The Fund could theoretically lose an amount greater than its net assets in the event of an Index decline of more than 50%. Leverage will also have the effect of magnifying any differences in the Fund’s correlation with the Index.
Silver Exploration and Production Industry Concentration Risk: The Fund concentrates its assets in an industry or group of related industries to the extent that the Index is so concentrated. Because the Index concentrates in the Silver Exploration & Production sub-industry of the Metals & Mining industry (in the Natural Resources/Minerals sector), the Fund’s assets will be concentrated in, and will be more affected by the performance of, that sub-industry than a fund that is more diversified. The profitability of companies in the Silver Exploration & Production sub-industry is related to, among other things, the worldwide price of silver and the costs of extraction and production. Worldwide silver prices may fluctuate substantially over short periods of time, so the Fund’s share price
6

may be more volatile than other types of investments. Companies in the sub-industry may be adversely affected by economic conditions, tax treatment, government regulation and intervention, and world events in the regions in which the companies operate (e.g., expropriation, nationalization, confiscation of assets and property, repatriation of capital, military coups, social unrest). The price of the equity securities of silver mining companies and silver may not always be closely correlated. Investing in a silver company involves certain risks unrelated to an investment in silver as a commodity, including production costs, operational and managerial risk, and the possibility that the company will take measures to hedge or minimize its exposure to the volatility of the market price of silver.
Market Disruption Risk: Geopolitical and other events, including public health crises and natural disasters, have recently led to increased market volatility and significant market losses. Significant market volatility and market downturns may limit the Fund’s ability to sell securities and obtain long exposure to securities, and the Fund’s sales and long exposures may exacerbate the market volatility and downturn. Under such circumstances, the Fund may have difficulty achieving its investment objective for one or more trading days, which may adversely impact the Fund’s returns on those days and periods inclusive of those days. Alternatively, the Fund may incur higher costs (including swap financing costs) in order to achieve its investment objective and may be forced to purchase and sell securities (including other ETFs’ shares) at market prices that do not represent their fair value (including in the case of an ETF, its net asset value) or at times that result in differences between the price the Fund receives for the security or the value of the swap exposure and the market closing price of the security or the market closing value of the swap exposure. Under those circumstances, the Fund’s ability to track its Index is likely to be adversely affected, the market price of Fund shares may reflect a greater premium or discount to net asset value and bid-ask spreads in the Fund’s shares may widen, resulting in increased transaction costs for secondary market purchasers and sellers. The Fund may also incur additional tracking error due to the use of securities that are not perfectly correlated to the Index.
Aggressive Investment Techniques Risk: Using investment techniques that may be considered aggressive, such as swap agreements, includes the risk of potentially dramatic changes (losses) in the value of the instruments, imperfect correlations between the price of the instrument and the underlying security or index, and volatility of the Fund.
Derivatives Risk: Derivatives are financial instruments that derive value from the underlying reference asset or assets, such as stocks, bonds, or funds (including ETFs), interest rates or indexes. The Fund’s investments in derivatives may pose risks in addition to, and greater than, those associated with directly investing in securities or other ordinary investments, including risk related to the market, leverage, imperfect daily correlations with underlying investments or the Fund’s other portfolio holdings, higher price volatility, lack of availability, counterparty risk, liquidity, valuation and legal restrictions. The use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves investment techniques and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions. The use of derivatives may result in larger losses or smaller gains than directly investing in securities. When the Fund uses derivatives, there may be imperfect correlation between the value of the reference assets and the derivative, which may prevent the Fund from achieving its investment objective. Because derivatives often require only a limited initial investment, the use of derivatives may expose the Fund to losses in excess of those amounts initially invested.
The Fund may use a combination of swaps on the Index and swaps on an ETF whose investment objective is to track the performance of the same, or a substantially similar index to achieve its investment objective. The reference ETF may not closely track the performance of the Index due to fees and other costs borne by the ETF and other factors, such as an ETF’s premium or discount. Thus, to the extent that the Fund invests in swaps that use an ETF as a reference asset, the Fund may be subject to greater correlation risk and may not achieve as high a degree of correlation with the Index as it would if the Fund used swaps that utilized the Index as the reference asset. Any financing, borrowing or other costs associated with using derivatives may also reduce the Fund’s return.
In addition, the Fund’s investments in derivatives are subject to the following risks:
Swap Agreements: Swap agreements are entered into primarily with major global financial institutions for a specified period, which may range from one day to more than one year. The derivative transactions in which the Fund invests are generally traded in the over-the-counter market, which generally has less transparency than exchange-traded derivatives instruments. In a standard swap transaction, two parties agree to exchange the return (or differentials in rates of return) earned or realized on particular predetermined reference assets or underlying securities or instruments. The gross return to be exchanged or swapped between the parties is calculated based on a notional amount or the return on or change in value of a particular dollar amount invested in a basket of securities representing a particular index or an ETF that seeks to track an index.
If the Index has a dramatic move that causes a material decline in the Fund’s net assets, the terms of a swap agreement between the Fund and its counterparty may permit the counterparty to immediately close out the swap transaction with the Fund. In that event, the Fund may be unable to enter into another swap agreement or invest in other derivatives to achieve exposure consistent with the Fund’s investment objective. This may prevent the Fund from achieving its leveraged investment objective, even if the Index later reverses all or a portion of its movement.
Counterparty Risk: A counterparty may be unwilling or unable to make timely payments to meet its contractual obligations or may fail to return holdings that are subject to the agreement with the counterparty. If the counterparty or its affiliate becomes insolvent, bankrupt or defaults on its payment obligations to the Fund, the value of an investment held by the Fund may decline. Additionally, if any collateral posted by the counterparty for the benefit of the Fund is insufficient or there are delays in the Fund’s ability to access such collateral, the Fund may not be able to achieve its leveraged investment objective. In addition, the Fund may enter into swap
7

agreements with a limited number of counterparties, which may increase the Fund’s exposure to counterparty credit risk. Further, there is a risk that no suitable counterparties will be willing to enter into, or continue to enter into, transactions with the Fund and, as a result, the Fund may not be able to achieve its leveraged investment objective or may decide to change its leveraged investment objective.
Intra-Day Investment Risk: The Fund seeks leveraged investment results from the close of the market on a given trading day until the close of the market on the subsequent trading day. The exact exposure of an investment in the Fund intraday in the secondary market is a function of the difference between the value of the Index at the market close on the first trading day and the value of the Index at the time of purchase. If the Index gains value, the Fund’s net assets will rise by the same amount as the Fund’s exposure. Conversely, if the Index declines, the Fund’s net assets will decline by the same amount as the Fund’s exposure. Thus, an investor that purchases shares intra-day may experience performance that is greater than, or less than, the Fund’s stated multiple of the Index.
If there is a significant intra-day market event and/or the securities of the Index experience a significant decrease, the Fund may not meet its investment objective or rebalance its portfolio appropriately. Additionally, the Fund may close to purchases and sales of Shares prior to the close of regular trading on the NYSE Arca, Inc. and incur significant losses.
Daily Index Correlation/Tracking Risk: There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve a high degree of correlation to the Index and therefore achieve its daily leveraged investment objective. To achieve a high degree of correlation with the Index, the Fund seeks to rebalance its portfolio daily to keep leverage consistent with its daily leveraged investment objective. In addition, the Fund’s exposure to the Index is impacted by the Index’s movement. Because of this, it is unlikely that the Fund will be perfectly exposed to the Index at the end of each day. The possibility of the Fund being materially over- or under-exposed to the Index increases on days when the Index is volatile near the close of the trading day. Market disruptions, regulatory restrictions and extreme volatility will also adversely affect the Fund’s ability to adjust exposure to the required levels.
The Fund may have difficulty achieving its daily leveraged investment objective due to fees, expenses, transaction costs, financing costs related to the use of derivatives, investments in ETFs, directly or indirectly, income items, valuation methodology, accounting standards and disruptions or illiquidity in the markets for the securities or derivatives held by the Fund. The Fund may be subject to large movements of assets into and out of the Fund, potentially resulting in the Fund being over- or under-exposed to the Index. Activities surrounding periodic Index reconstitutions and other Index rebalancing events may hinder the Fund’s ability to meet its daily leveraged investment objective. The Fund may take or refrain from taking positions to improve the tax efficiency or to comply with various regulatory restrictions, either of which may negatively impact the Fund’s correlation to the Index.
Smaller Companies Risk: The Fund’s Index may be composed primarily of, or have significant exposure to, securities of smaller companies. Smaller companies may be more vulnerable to adverse business or economic events than larger, more established companies, and may underperform other segments of the market or the equity market as a whole. The securities of smaller companies also tend to be bought and sold less frequently and at significantly lower trading volumes than the securities of larger companies. As a result, it may be more difficult for the Fund to buy or sell a significant amount of the securities of a smaller company without an adverse impact on the price of the company’s securities, or the Fund may have to sell such securities in smaller quantities over a longer period of time, which may prevent the fund from achieving its investment objective.
Non-Diversification Risk: Because the Fund is “non-diversified,” it may invest a greater percentage of its assets in the securities of a single issuer or a small number of issuers than if it was a diversified fund. As a result, a decline in the value of an investment in a single issuer or a small number of issuers could cause the Fund’s overall value to decline to a greater degree than if the Fund held a more diversified portfolio. This may increase the Fund’s volatility and have a greater impact on the Fund’s performance.
Foreign Investment Risk: Returns on investments in foreign stocks could be more volatile than, or trail the returns on, investments in U.S. stocks.
Currency Risk: Indirect and direct exposure to foreign currencies subjects the Fund to the risk that currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar. Currency rates in foreign countries may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time for a number of reasons, including changes in interest rates and the imposition of currency controls or other political developments in the U.S. or abroad.
Depositary Receipts Risk: The Fund may invest in depositary receipts. Investment in ADRs and GDRs may be less liquid than the underlying shares in their primary trading market and GDRs, many of which are issued by companies in emerging markets, may be more volatile and less liquid than depositary receipts issued by companies in more developed markets.
Emerging Markets Securities Risk: The Fund’s investments may expose the Fund’s portfolio to the risks of investing in emerging markets. Investments in emerging markets are subject to greater risk of loss than investments in developed markets. This is due to, among other things, greater market volatility, lower trading volume, political and economic instability, greater risk of market shutdown and more governmental limitations on foreign investments than typically found in developed markets.
Foreign Market and Trading Risk: The trading markets for many foreign securities are not as active as U.S. markets and may have less governmental regulation and oversight. Foreign markets also may have clearance and settlement procedures that
8

make it difficult for the Fund to buy and sell securities. These factors could result in a loss to the Fund by causing the Fund to be unable to dispose of an investment or to miss an attractive investment opportunity, or by causing Fund assets to be uninvested for some period of time.
Foreign Securities Risk: The Fund invests a significant portion of its assets directly in securities of issuers based outside of the U.S., or in depositary receipts that represent such securities. Investments in securities of non-U.S. issuers involve certain risks that may not be present with investments in securities of U.S. issuers, such as risk of loss due to foreign currency fluctuations or to political or economic instability, as well as varying regulatory requirements applicable to investments in non-U.S. issuers. There may be less information publicly available about a non-U.S. issuer than a U.S. issuer. Non-U.S. issuers may also be subject to different regulatory, accounting, auditing, financial reporting and investor protection standards than U.S. issuers.
Political and Economic Risk: The Fund is subject to foreign political and economic risk not associated with U.S. investments, meaning that political events, social and economic events and natural disasters occurring in a country where the Fund invests could cause the Fund’s investments in that country to experience gains or losses.
Geographic Risk: Funds that are less diversified across countries or geographic regions are generally riskier than more geographically diversified funds and risks associated with such countries or geographic regions may negatively affect the Fund.
Canada-Specific Risk: Because investments in the Silver Exploration & Production sub-industry may be geographically concentrated in Canadian companies or companies that have a significant presence in Canada, investment results could be dependent on the financial condition of the Canadian economy. The Canadian economy is reliant on the sale of natural resources and commodities, which can pose risks such as the fluctuation of prices and the variability of demand for exportation of such products. Changes in spending on Canadian products by the economies of other countries or changes in any of these economies may cause a significant impact on the Canadian economy.
The remaining principal risks are presented in alphabetical order. Each risk summarized below is considered a “principal risk” of investing in the Fund, regardless of the order in which it appears.
Concentration Risk: The Fund’s investments will be concentrated in an industry or group of industries to the extent the Index is so concentrated. In such event, the value of Fund shares may rise and fall more than the value of shares that invest in securities of companies in a broader range of industries.
Early Close/Late Close/Trading Halt Risk: An exchange or market may close early, close late or issue trading halts on specific securities or financial instruments. As a result, the ability to trade certain securities or financial instruments may be restricted, which may disrupt the Fund’s creation and redemption process, potentially affect the price at which the Fund’s shares trade in the secondary market, and/or result in the Fund being unable to trade certain securities or financial instruments at all. In these circumstances, the Fund may be unable to rebalance its portfolio, may be unable to accurately price its investments and/or may incur substantial trading losses. If trading in the Fund’s shares are halted, investors may be temporarily unable to trade shares of 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 such as political, market and economic developments, as well as events that impact specific issuers. Additionally, natural or environmental disasters, widespread disease or other public health issues, war, acts of terrorism or other events could result in increased premiums or discounts to the Fund’s NAV.
ETF Risks:
Absence of an Active Market Risk: Although the Fund's shares are approved for listing on the Exchange, there can be no assurance that an active trading market will develop and be maintained for Fund shares. There can be no assurance that the Fund will grow to or maintain an economically viable size, in which case the Fund may ultimately liquidate.
Authorized Participants, Market Makers and Liquidity Providers Concentration Risk: The Fund has a limited number of financial institutions that may act as Authorized Participants (“APs”), none of which are obligated to engage in creation and/or redemption transactions. 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, there may be a significantly diminished trading market for Fund shares and 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. The risks associated with limited APs may be heightened in scenarios where APs have limited or diminished access to the capital required to post collateral.
9

Cash Transactions Risk: The Fund may effect its creations and redemptions primarily for cash, rather than in-kind securities. Paying redemption proceeds in cash rather than through in-kind delivery of portfolio securities may require the fund to dispose of or sell portfolio investments at an inopportune time to obtain the cash needed to distribute redemption proceeds. This may cause the Fund to incur certain costs such as brokerage costs, and to recognize gains or losses that it might not have incurred if it had made a redemption in-kind. As a result, the Fund may pay out higher or lower annual capital gains distributions than ETFs that redeem in-kind. In addition, the costs imposed on the Fund will decrease the Fund’ NAV unless the costs are offset by a transaction fee payable by an AP.
Costs of Buying or Selling Shares Risk: Investors buying or selling Fund shares in the secondary market will pay brokerage commissions or other charges imposed by brokers as determined by the applicable 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.
Fluctuation of NAV Risk: The NAV of Fund shares will generally fluctuate with changes in the market value of the Fund’s securities holdings. The market prices of shares will generally fluctuate in accordance with changes in the Fund’s NAV and supply and demand of shares on the Exchange. It cannot be predicted whether Fund shares will trade below, at or above their NAV. During periods of unusual volatility or market disruptions, market prices of Fund shares may deviate significantly from the market value of the Fund’s securities holdings or the NAV of Fund shares. As a result, investors in the Fund may pay significantly more or receive significantly less for Fund shares than the value of the Fund’s underlying securities or the NAV of Fund shares.
Market Trading Risk: An investment in the Fund faces numerous market trading risks, including the potential lack of an active market for Fund shares, losses from trading in secondary markets, periods of high volatility and disruption in the creation/redemption process of the Fund. Any of these factors, among others, may lead to the Fund’s shares trading at a premium or discount to NAV. Because securities held by the Fund may trade on foreign exchanges that are closed when the Fund’s primary listing exchange is open, there may be deviations between the current price of a security and the security’s last quoted price from the closed foreign market. This may result in premiums and discounts that are greater than those experienced by purely domestic ETFs.
Trading Issues Risk: Although Fund shares are listed for trading on the NYSE Arca, Inc. (the “Exchange”), there can be no assurance that an active trading market for such shares will be maintained. Trading in Fund shares may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the Exchange, make trading in shares inadvisable. There can be no assurance that the requirements of the Exchange necessary to maintain the listing of any Fund will continue to be met or will remain unchanged or that the shares will trade with any volume, or at all. Further, secondary markets may be subject to erratic trading activity, wide bid/ask spreads and extended trade settlement periods in times of market stress because market makers and Authorized Participants may step away from making a market in Fund shares and in executing creation and redemption orders, which could cause a material deviation in the Fund’s market price from its NAV.
Liquidity Risk: In certain circumstances, such as the disruption of the orderly markets for the financial instruments in which the Fund invests, the Fund might not be able to acquire or dispose of certain holdings quickly or at prices that represent true market value in the judgment of the Adviser. Markets for the financial instruments in which the Fund invests may be disrupted by a number of events, including but not limited to economic crises, health crises, natural disasters, excessive volatility, new legislation, or regulatory changes inside or outside of the U.S. For example, regulation limiting the ability of certain financial institutions to invest in certain financial instruments would likely reduce the liquidity of those instruments. These situations may prevent the Fund from limiting losses, realizing gains or achieving a high leveraged correlation with the Index.
Money Market Instrument Risk: The Fund may use a variety of money market instruments for cash management purposes, including money market funds, depositary accounts and repurchase agreements. Money market funds may be subject to credit risk with respect to the debt instruments in which they invest. Depository accounts may be subject to credit risk with respect to the financial institution in which the depository account is held. Repurchase agreements are contracts in which a seller of securities agrees to buy the securities back at a specified time and price. Repurchase agreements may be subject to market and credit risk related to the collateral securing the repurchase agreement. Money market instruments may lose money.
Natural Disaster/Epidemic Risk: Natural or environmental disasters, such as earthquakes, fires, floods, hurricanes, tsunamis and other severe weather-related phenomena generally, and widespread disease, including pandemics and epidemics, have been and may be highly disruptive to economies and markets, adversely impacting individual companies, sectors, industries, markets, currencies, interest and inflation rates, credit ratings, investor sentiment, and other factors affecting the value of the Fund’s investments. Given the increasing interdependence among global economies and markets, conditions in one country, market, or region are increasingly likely to adversely affect markets, issuers, and/or foreign exchange rates in other countries, including the U.S. Any such events could have a significant adverse impact on the value of the Fund’s investments.
New Fund Risk: The Fund is a recently organized, non-diversified management investment company with limited operating history. As a result, prospective investors have a limited track record or history on which to base their investment decision. There can be no assurance that the Fund will grow to or maintain an economically viable size.
10

Other Investment Companies (including ETFs) Risk: The Fund may invest directly in another investment company by purchasing shares of the investment company or indirectly by utilizing an investment company as the reference asset of a derivative instrument. The Fund will incur higher and duplicative expenses when it invests in other investment companies such as ETFs (affiliated ETFs will not charge duplicate fees and expenses). There is also the risk that the Fund may suffer losses due to the investment practices of the underlying funds. If the other investment company fails to achieve its investment objective, the value of the Fund’s investment will not perform as expected, thus affecting the Fund’s performance and its correlation with the Index. When the Fund invests in other investment companies, the Fund will be subject to substantially the same risks as those associated with the direct ownership of securities held by such investment companies. Investments in ETFs are also subject to the following risks: (i) the market price of an ETF’s shares may trade above or below their net asset value; (ii) an active trading market for an ETF’s shares may not develop or be maintained; and (iii) trading of an ETF’s shares may be halted for a number of reasons. Investments in such shares may be subject to brokerage and other trading costs, which could result in greater expenses to the Fund. Finally, depending on the demand in the market, the Fund may not be able to liquidate its holdings in ETFs at an optimal price or time, which may adversely affect the Fund’s performance.
Portfolio Turnover Risk: The Fund may incur high portfolio turnover to manage the Fund’s investment exposure. Additionally, active market trading of the Fund’s shares may cause more frequent creation or redemption activities that could, in certain circumstances, increase the number of portfolio transactions. High levels of portfolio transactions increase brokerage and other transaction costs and may result in increased taxable capital gains. Each of these factors could have a negative impact on the performance of the Fund.
Reliance on Trading Partners Risk: The Fund invests in some economies that are heavily dependent upon trading with key partners. Any reduction in this trading may cause an adverse impact on the economy in which the Fund invests.
Sector Risk: To the extent the Fund invests more heavily in particular sectors of the economy, its performance will be especially sensitive to developments that significantly affect those sectors.
Securities Lending Risk: The Fund may engage in securities lending. The Fund may lose money if the borrower of the loaned securities delays returning in a timely manner or fails to return the loaned securities. Securities lending involves the risk that the Fund could lose money in the event of a decline in the value of collateral provided for loaned securities. In addition, the Fund bears the risk of loss in connection with its investment of the cash collateral it receives from a borrower. To the extent that the value or return of the Fund's investment of the cash collateral declines below the amount owed to the borrower, the Fund may incur losses that exceed the amount it earned on lending the security.
Tax Risk: To qualify for the favorable tax treatment generally available to regulated investment companies, the Fund must satisfy certain diversification requirements under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). In particular, the Fund generally may not acquire a security if, as a result of the acquisition, more than 50% of the value of the Fund’s assets would be invested in (a) issuers in which the Fund has, in each case, invested more than 5% of the Fund’s assets and (b) issuers more than 10% of whose outstanding voting securities are owned by the Fund. Given the concentration of the Index in a relatively small number of securities, it may not be possible for the Fund to fully implement a replication strategy or a representative sampling strategy while satisfying these diversification requirements. The Fund’s efforts to satisfy the diversification requirements may cause the Fund’s return to deviate from that of the Index, and the Fund’s efforts to replicate the Index may cause it inadvertently to fail to satisfy the diversification requirements. If the Fund were to fail to qualify as a regulated investment company, it would be taxed in the same manner as an ordinary corporation, and distributions to its shareholders would not be deductible by the Fund in computing its taxable income.
Valuation Risk: The sales price that the Fund could receive for a security may differ from the Fund’s valuation of the security and may differ from the value used by the Index, particularly for securities that trade in low volume or volatile markets or that are valued using a fair value methodology. In addition, the value of the securities in the Fund’s portfolio may change on days when shareholders will not be able to purchase or sell the Fund’s shares.
Performance Information
The Fund is new and therefore does not have performance history for a full calendar year. Once the Fund has completed a full calendar year of operations, a bar chart and table will be included that will provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing the variability of the Fund’s returns and comparing the Fund’s performance to a broad measure of market performance. Updated performance information is available on the Fund’s website at www.etfmg.com or by calling 1‑844‑383‑6477.
Investment Adviser
ETF Managers Group LLC, (the “Adviser”) serves as the investment adviser to the Fund.
Portfolio Managers
Samuel R. Masucci, III, Chief Executive Officer of the Adviser, Frank Vallario, Chief Investment Officer of the Adviser, Donal Bishnoi, Portfolio Manager of the Adviser, and Devin Ryder, Portfolio Manager of the Adviser, have been the Fund’s portfolio managers since the Fund’s inception in 2021.
11

For important information about the purchase and sale of Fund shares, tax information, and financial intermediary compensation, please turn to “Summary Information about Purchases, Sales, Taxes, and Financial Intermediary Compensation” on page 33 of the Prospectus.
12

ETFMG Prime 2x Daily Inverse Junior Silver Miners ETF — FUND SUMMARY
Important Information About the Fund
ETFMG Prime 2x Daily Inverse Junior Silver Miners ETF (the “Fund”) seeks daily investment results, before fees and expenses, that correspond to two times the inverse (-2x) (or opposite) of the return of the Prime Junior Silver Miners & Explorers Index (the “Index”) for a single day, not for any other period. A “single day” is measured from the time the Fund calculates its net asset value (“NAV”) to the time of the Fund’s next NAV calculation. The return of the Fund for periods longer than a single day will be the result of its return for each day compounded over the period. The Fund’s returns for periods longer than a single day will very likely differ in amount, and possibly even direction, from the Fund’s stated -200% of the return of the Index for the same period. As a consequence, longer holding periods, higher volatility of the Index and greater leverage increase the impact of compounding on an investor’s returns. During periods of higher Index volatility, the volatility of the Index may affect the Fund’s return as much as, or more than, the return of the Index. Further, the return for investors that invest for periods less than a trading day will not be -200% of the performance of the Index for the trading day.
The Fund presents different risks than other types of funds. The Fund uses leverage and is riskier than similarly benchmarked funds that do not use leverage. The Fund may not be suitable for all investors and should be used only by knowledgeable investors who understand the consequences of seeking daily inverse leveraged (-2x) investment results, including the impact of compounding on Fund performance. Investors in the Fund should actively manage and monitor their investments, as frequently as daily. An investor in the Fund could potentially lose the full principal value of their investment within a single day.
Investment Objective
The ETFMG Prime 2x Daily Inverse Junior Silver Miners ETF (the “Fund”) seeks to provide daily investment results that, before fees and expenses, correspond to two times the inverse (-2x) (or opposite) the daily total return of the Index. The Fund does not seek to achieve its stated investment objective over a period of time greater than a single day.
Fees and Expenses
The following table describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy, hold, and sell shares of the Fund (“Shares”). This table and the Example below do not include the brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries that investors may pay on their purchases and sales of Shares.
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Management Fee 0.95  %
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees None
Other Expenses1
0.00  %
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses 0.95  %
1 Based on estimated amounts for the current fiscal year.
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. This Example does not take into account the brokerage commissions that you may pay on your purchases and sales of Shares. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your cost would be:
1 Year 3 Years
$97 $303
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 the Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. Because the Fund is newly organized, portfolio turnover information is not yet available.
Principal Investment Strategies
The Fund invests in financial instruments, such as swap agreements, exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”), and short positions that, in combination, provide daily inverse exposure to the Index or to ETFs that track the Index to seek returns equal to -200% of the daily return of the Index. The financial instruments in which the Fund most commonly invests are swap agreements which are intended to
13

produce economically leveraged investment results. The Fund expects that its cash balances maintained in connection with the use of financial instruments will typically be held in money market instruments.
The Index tracks the performance of the equity securities (or corresponding American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”) or Global Depositary Receipts (“GDRs”)) of small-capitalization companies actively engaged in silver refining, mining, or exploration (“Junior Silver Companies”). “Junior” is a term used in reference to small capitalization exploration companies. Junior Silver Companies include pure play companies that generate more than 50% of their revenue from silver mining activities and non-pure play companies that generate 50% or less of their revenue from silver mining activities. The stocks are weighted according to a modified market capitalization that is based upon the percentage of company revenues generated from silver mining activities such that, when weighting Junior Silver Companies, the market cap of a pure play company is multiplied by a factor of three and the market cap of a non-pure play company is multiplied by a factor of one. The five stocks with the highest adjusted market capitalization are assigned a weight of 13%, 11%, 9%, 7%, and 5% respectively with all remaining stocks weighted pro rata based on their relative adjusted market capitalization, subject to a cap of 4.5%. The securities of each company in the Index must also be listed on a securities exchange.
The initial universe of Junior Silver Companies is determined based on proprietary research and analysis conducted by Prime Indexes, (the “Index Provider”), an independent index provider that is not affiliated with the Fund’s investment adviser. The Index Provider uses a variety of publicly available resources for such analysis, including financial statements and other reports published by issuers to determine whether a company is actively engaged as a Junior Silver Company.
The Index Provider may exclude companies that meet the criteria for inclusion in the Index or include companies that do not meet such criteria if it determines that including or excluding them would be contrary to the objective of the Index (e.g., their inclusion would negatively affect the investibility of the Index, the company’s economic fortunes are predominantly driven by a business not related to that of a Junior Silver Company, the company is expected to meet the inclusion criteria in the immediate future and plays an important role in the junior silver industry).
The Index has a quarterly review in March, June, September, and December of each year at which times the Index is reconstituted and rebalanced by the Index Provider. The composition of the Index and the constituent weights are determined on the two Thursdays before the second Friday of each March, June, September, and December (or the next business day if this is a non-business day) (the “Selection Day”). Component changes are made after the market close on the third Friday of March, June, September, and December (or the next business day if the third Friday is not a business day) and become effective at the market opening on the next trading day.
Junior Silver Companies are then screened as of the Selection Date for investibility to determine initial inclusion (e.g., must not be listed on an exchange in a country which employs certain restrictions on foreign capital investment), a minimum market capitalization of $20 million, a maximum market capitalization of $3 billion, and an operating company structure (as opposed to a pass-through security). The Index Provider may include companies in the Index with a market capitalization within 5% of the above thresholds as of the Selection Date to account for short term fluctuations in market capitalization resulting from changes in a security’s price.
The weightings of the constituents of the Index are further modified in that the cumulative weight of all constituents with an individual weight of 5% or greater may not in the aggregate account for more than 50% of the weight of the Index as of the Selection Day. Further, the cumulative weight of all components with a market capitalization of less than US $100 million may not in the aggregate account for more than 10% of the weight of the Index as of the Selection Day. As of May 21, 2021, the Index had 47 components.
The Index is developed and owned by the Index Provider, and the Index is calculated and maintained by Solactive AG. The Index Provider is independent of Solactive AG, the Fund, and the Fund’s investment adviser.
The Fund has adopted the following policy to comply with Rule 35d-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940. Such policy has been adopted as a non-fundamental investment policy and may be changed without shareholder approval upon 60 days’ written notice to shareholders. Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests in swap agreements, futures contracts, short positions or other financial instruments that, in combination, provide inverse (opposite) or short leveraged exposure to the Index equal to at least 80% of the Fund’s net assets (plus borrowing for investment purposes).
Industry Concentration Policy: The Fund will concentrate its investments (i.e., hold 25% or more of its total assets in investments that provide inverse leveraged exposure in a particular industry or group of related industries) to approximately the same extent that the Index is concentrated. As of May 21, 2021, the Index was concentrated in companies in the metals and mining industries group.
The Fund may invest in a combination of financial instruments, such as swaps, that provide two times the inverse (-2x) exposure to the Index, to a representative sample of the securities in the Index that has aggregate characteristics similar to those of the Index, to an ETF that tracks the Index (including an affiliated series of ETF Managers Trust, ETFMG Prime Junior Silver Miners ETF) or to a substantially similar index, or the Fund may short securities of the Index, or short an ETF that tracks the same Index or a substantially similar index. The Fund invests in derivatives as a substitute for directly shorting securities in order to gain inverse leveraged exposure to the Index or its components. When the Fund shorts securities, including the securities or another investment company, it borrows shares of that security or investment company, which it then sells. The Fund closes out a short sale by purchasing the security that it has sold short and returning that security to the entity that lent the security. Derivatives are financial instruments that derive value from the underlying reference asset or assets, such as stocks, bonds, or funds (including ETFs), interest rates or indexes.
14

The Fund seeks to remain fully invested at all times, consistent with its stated investment objective but may not always have inverse investment exposure to all of the securities in the Index, or its weighting of inverse investment exposure to securities or industries may be different from that of the Index. In addition, the Fund may have inverse investment exposure to securities, ETFs, or financial instruments not included in the Index.
The Fund will attempt to achieve its investment objective without regard to overall market movement or the increase or decrease of the value of the securities in the Index. At the close of the markets each trading day, ETF Managers Group LLC (the “Adviser”) determines the type, quantity and mix of investment positions so that its exposure to the Index is consistent with the Fund’s investment objective. The impact of the Index’s movements during the day will affect whether the Fund’s portfolio needs to be re-positioned. For example, if the Index has fallen on a given day, net assets of the Fund should rise, meaning the Fund’s exposure will need to be increased. Conversely, if the Index has risen on a given day, net assets of the Fund should fall, meaning the Fund’s exposure will need to be reduced and that a shareholder should lose money, a result that is the opposite of traditional index tracking ETFs. This re-positioning strategy typically results in high portfolio turnover. On a day-to-day basis, the Fund is expected to hold ETFs and money market funds, deposit accounts with institutions with high credit ratings, and/or short-term debt instruments that have terms-to-maturity of less than 397 days and exhibit high quality credit profiles, including U.S. government securities and repurchase agreements.
The Fund may lend its portfolio securities to brokers, dealers, and other financial organizations. These loans, if and when made, may not exceed 33 1/3% of the total asset value of the Fund (including the loan collateral). By lending its securities, the Fund may increase its income by receiving payments from the borrower.
The terms “daily,” “day,” and “trading day” refer to the period from the close of the markets on one trading day to the close of the markets on the next trading day.
Daily rebalancing and the compounding of each day’s return over time means that the return of the Fund for a period longer than a single day will be the result of each day’s returns compounded over the period, which will very likely differ in amount, and possibly even direction, from the Fund’s stated -200% of the return of the Index for the same period. The Fund will lose money if the Index’s performance is flat over time, and the Fund can lose money regardless of the performance of the Index, as a result of daily rebalancing, the Index’s volatility, compounding of each day’s return and other factors. See “Principal Risks” below.
Principal Risks
As with all funds, a shareholder is subject to the risk that his or her investment could lose money. The Fund may not achieve its inverse leveraged investment objective and there is a risk that you could lose all of your money invested in the Fund. The Fund is not a complete investment program. The Fund presents risks not traditionally associated with other mutual funds and ETFs. For example, due to the Fund’s daily leveraged investment objective, a small adverse move in the Index will result in larger and potentially substantial declines in the Fund. It is important that investors closely review all of the risks listed below and understand them before making an investment in the Fund.
Effects of Compounding and Market Volatility Risk: The Fund has a daily inverse leveraged investment objective and the Fund’s performance for periods greater than a trading day will be the result of each day's returns compounded over the period, which is very likely to differ from -200% of the Index’s performance, before fees and expenses. Compounding affects all investments, but has a more significant impact on funds that are inverse leveraged and that rebalance daily. Particularly during periods of higher Index volatility, compounding will cause results for periods longer than a trading day to vary from -200% of the performance of the Index.
The effect of compounding becomes more pronounced as Index volatility and the holding period increase. The impact of compounding will impact each shareholder differently depending on the period of time an investment in the Fund held and the volatility of the Index during shareholder’s holding period of an investment in the Fund. If adverse daily performance of the Index reduces the amount of a shareholder’s investment, any further adverse daily performance will lead to a smaller dollar loss because the shareholder’s investment had already been reduced by the prior adverse performance. Equally, however, if favorable daily performance of the Index increases the amount of a shareholder’s investment, the dollar amount lost due to future adverse performance will increase because the shareholder’s investment has increased.
The chart below provides examples of how Index volatility could affect the Fund’s performance. The chart illustrates the impact of two factors that affect the Fund’s performance: Index volatility and Index return. Index returns show the percentage change in the value of the Index over the specified time period, while Index volatility is a statistical measure of the magnitude of fluctuations in the returns during that time period. As illustrated below, even if the Index return over two equal time periods is identical, different Index volatility (i.e., fluctuations in the rates of return) during the two time periods could result in drastically different Fund performance for the two time periods due to the effects of compounding daily returns during the time periods.
Fund performance for periods greater than one single day can be estimated given any set of assumptions for the following factors: a) Index volatility; b) Index performance; c) period of time; d) financing rates associated with inverse leveraged exposure; e) other Fund expenses; and f) dividends or interest paid with respect to securities in the Index. The chart below illustrates the impact of two principal factors – Index volatility and Index performance – on Fund performance. The chart shows estimated Fund returns for a
15

number of combinations of Index volatility and Index performance over a one-year period. Performance shown in the chart assumes that: (i) no dividends were paid with respect to the securities included in the Index; (ii) there were no Fund expenses; and (iii) borrowing/lending rates (to obtain inverse leveraged exposure) of 0%. If Fund expenses and/or actual borrowing/lending rates were reflected, the estimated returns would be different than those shown.
As shown in the chart below, the Fund would be expected to lose 17.1% if the Index provided no return over a one year period during which the Index experienced annualized volatility of 25%. At higher ranges of volatility, there is a chance of a significant loss of value in the Fund, even if the Index’s return is flat. For instance, if the Index’s annualized volatility is 100%, the Fund would be expected to lose 95% of its value, even if the cumulative Index return for the year was 0%. Areas shaded red (or dark gray) represent those scenarios where the Fund can be expected to return less than -200% of the performance of the Index and those shaded green (or light gray) represent those scenarios where the Fund can be expected to return more than -200% of the performance of the Index. The table below is intended to isolate the effect of Index volatility and performance on the Fund’s performance. The Fund’s actual returns may be significantly better or worse than the returns shown below as a result of any of the factors discussed above or in “Daily Inverse Index Correlation/Tracking Risk” below.
One Year Index  -200% One Year Index Volatility Rate
Return Return 10% 25% 50% 75% 100%
-60% 120% 506.5% 418.1% 195.2% 15.6% -68.9%
-50% 100% 288.2% 231.6% 88.9% -26.0% -80.1%
-40% 80% 169.6% 130.3% 31.2% -48.6% -86.2%
-30% 60% 98.1% 69.2% -3.6% -62.2% -89.8%
-20% 40% 51.6% 29.5% -26.2% -71.1% -92.2%
-10% -20% 19.8% 2.3% -41.7% -77.2% -93.9%
0% 0% -3.0% -17.1% -52.8% -81.5% -95.0%
10% -20% -19.8% -31.5% -61.0% -84.7% -95.9%
20% -40% -32.6% -42.4% -67.2% -87.2% -96.5%
30% -60% -42.6% -50.9% -72.0% -89.1% -97.1%
40% -80% -50.5% -57.7% -75.9% -90.6% -97.5%
50% -100% -56.9% -63.2% -79.0% -91.8% -97.8%
60% -120% -62.1% -67.6% -81.5% -92.8% -98.1%
The Index’s annualized historical volatility rate for the period from June 16, 2017 (the inception date of the Index) to December 31, 2020 was 45.41%. The Index’s highest volatility rate for any one calendar year for the period from June 16, 2017 (the inception date of the Index) through December 31, 2020 was 65.87% and volatility for a shorter period of time may have been substantially higher. The Index’s annualized performance for the period from June 16, 2017 (the inception date of the Index) to December 31, 2020 was 11.34%. Historical Index volatility and performance are not indications of what the Index volatility and performance will be in the future. The volatility of ETFs or instruments that reflect the value of the Index, such as swaps, may differ from the volatility of the Index.
For information regarding the effects of volatility and Index performance on the long-term performance of the Fund, see “Additional Information about the Fund’s Investment Objective and Strategies” in the Fund’s statutory prospectus, and “Special Note Regarding the Correlation Risks of the Fund” in the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information.
Leverage Risk: The Fund obtains investment exposure in excess of its net assets by utilizing leverage and may lose more money in market conditions that are adverse to its investment objective than a fund that does not utilize leverage. An investment in the Fund is exposed to the risk that a change in a direction adverse to the Fund in the daily performance of the Index will be magnified. This means that an investment in the Fund will be reduced by an amount equal to 2% for every 1% daily increase in the Index, not including the costs of financing leverage and other operating expenses, which would further reduce its value. The Fund could theoretically lose an amount greater than its net assets in the event of an Index increase of more than 50%. Leverage will also have the effect of magnifying any differences in the Fund’s correlation with the Index.
Silver Exploration and Production Industry Concentration Risk: The Fund concentrates its assets in an industry or group of related industries to the extent that the Index is so concentrated. Because the Index concentrates in the Silver Exploration & Production sub-industry of the Metals & Mining industry (in the Natural Resources/Minerals sector), the Fund’s assets will be concentrated in, and will be more affected by the performance of, that sub-industry than a fund that is more diversified. The profitability of companies in the Silver Exploration & Production sub-industry is related to, among other things, the worldwide price of silver and the costs of extraction and production. Worldwide silver prices may fluctuate substantially over short periods of time, so the Fund’s share price may be more volatile than other types of investments. Companies in the sub-industry may be adversely affected by economic
16

conditions, tax treatment, government regulation and intervention, and world events in the regions in which the companies operate (e.g., expropriation, nationalization, confiscation of assets and property, repatriation of capital, military coups, social unrest). The price of the equity securities of silver mining companies and silver may not always be closely correlated. Investing in a silver company involves certain risks unrelated to an investment in silver as a commodity, including production costs, operational and managerial risk, and the possibility that the company will take measures to hedge or minimize its exposure to the volatility of the market price of silver.
Market Disruption Risk: Geopolitical and other events, including public health crises and natural disasters, have recently led to increased market volatility and significant market losses. Significant market volatility and market downturns may limit the Fund’s ability to sell securities and obtain long exposure to securities, and the Fund’s sales and long exposures may exacerbate the market volatility and downturn. Under such circumstances, the Fund may have difficulty achieving its investment objective for one or more trading days, which may adversely impact the Fund’s returns on those days and periods inclusive of those days. Alternatively, the Fund may incur higher costs (including swap financing costs) in order to achieve its investment objective and may be forced to purchase and sell securities (including other ETFs’ shares) at market prices that do not represent their fair value (including in the case of an ETF, its net asset value) or at times that result in differences between the price the Fund receives for the security or the value of the swap exposure and the market closing price of the security or the market closing value of the swap exposure. Under those circumstances, the Fund’s ability to track its Index is likely to be adversely affected, the market price of Fund shares may reflect a greater premium or discount to net asset value and bid-ask spreads in the Fund’s shares may widen, resulting in increased transaction costs for secondary market purchasers and sellers. The Fund may also incur additional tracking error due to the use of securities that are not perfectly correlated to the Index.
Aggressive Investment Techniques Risk: Using investment techniques that may be considered aggressive, such as swap agreements, includes the risk of potentially dramatic changes (losses) in the value of the instruments, imperfect correlations between the price of the instrument and the underlying security or index, and volatility of the Fund.
Derivatives Risk: Derivatives are financial instruments that derive value from the underlying reference asset or assets, such as stocks, bonds, or funds (including ETFs), interest rates or indexes. The Fund’s investments in derivatives may pose risks in addition to, and greater than, those associated with directly investing in securities or other ordinary investments, including risk related to the market, leverage, imperfect daily correlations with underlying investments or the Fund’s other portfolio holdings, higher price volatility, lack of availability, counterparty risk, liquidity, valuation and legal restrictions. The use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves investment techniques and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions. The use of derivatives may result in larger losses or smaller gains than directly investing in securities. When the Fund uses derivatives, there may be imperfect correlation between the value of the reference assets and the derivative, which may prevent the Fund from achieving its investment objective. Because derivatives often require only a limited initial investment, the use of derivatives may expose the Fund to losses in excess of those amounts initially invested.
The Fund may use a combination of swaps on the Index and swaps on an ETF whose investment objective is to track the performance of the same, or a substantially similar index to achieve its investment objective. The reference ETF may not closely track the performance of the Index due to fees and other costs borne by the ETF and other factors, such as an ETF’s premium or discount. Thus, to the extent that the Fund invests in swaps that use an ETF as a reference asset, the Fund may be subject to greater correlation risk and may not achieve as high a degree of inverse correlation with the Index as it would if the Fund used swaps that utilized the Index as the reference asset. Any financing, borrowing or other costs associated with using derivatives may also reduce the Fund’s return.
In addition, the Fund’s investments in derivatives are subject to the following risks:
Swap Agreements: Swap agreements are entered into primarily with major global financial institutions for a specified period, which may range from one day to more than one year. The derivative transactions in which the Fund invests are generally traded in the over-the-counter market, which generally has less transparency than exchange-traded derivatives instruments. In a standard swap transaction, two parties agree to exchange the return (or differentials in rates of return) earned or realized on particular predetermined reference assets or underlying securities or instruments. The gross return to be exchanged or swapped between the parties is calculated based on a notional amount or the return on or change in value of a particular dollar amount invested in a basket of securities representing a particular index or an ETF that seeks to track an index.
If the Index has a dramatic move that causes a material decline in the Fund’s net assets, the terms of a swap agreement between the Fund and its counterparty may permit the counterparty to immediately close out the swap transaction with the Fund. In that event, the Fund may be unable to enter into another swap agreement or invest in other derivatives to achieve exposure consistent with the Fund’s investment objective. This may prevent the Fund from achieving its inverse leveraged investment objective, even if the Index later reverses all or a portion of its movement.
Counterparty Risk: A counterparty may be unwilling or unable to make timely payments to meet its contractual obligations or may fail to return holdings that are subject to the agreement with the counterparty. If the counterparty or its affiliate becomes insolvent, bankrupt or defaults on its payment obligations to the Fund, the value of an investment held by the Fund may decline. Additionally, if any collateral posted by the counterparty for the benefit of the Fund is insufficient or there are delays in the Fund’s ability to access such collateral, the Fund may not be able to achieve its inverse leveraged investment objective. In addition, the Fund may enter into swap agreements with a limited number of counterparties, which may increase the Fund’s exposure to counterparty credit risk.
17

Further, there is a risk that no suitable counterparties will be willing to enter into, or continue to enter into, transactions with the Fund and, as a result, the Fund may not be able to achieve its inverse leveraged investment objective or may decide to change its inverse leveraged investment objective.
Shorting Risk: A short position is a financial arrangement in which the short position appreciates in value when a reference asset falls in value and depreciates in value when the reference asset rises in value. Over the long term, most assets are expected to rise in value and short positions are expected to depreciate in value. Short positions therefore may be riskier and more speculative than traditional investments.
Obtaining inverse or “short” exposure through the use of derivatives such as swap agreements may expose the Fund to certain risks such as an increase in volatility or decrease in the liquidity of the securities of the underlying short position. If the Fund were to experience this volatility or decreased liquidity, the Fund’s return may be lower, the Fund’s ability to obtain inverse exposure through the use of derivatives may be limited or the Fund may be required to obtain inverse exposure through alternative investment strategies that may be less desirable or more costly to implement. If the securities underlying the short positions are thinly traded or have a limited market due to various factors, including regulatory action, the Fund may be unable to meet its investment objective due to a lack of available securities or counterparties. The Fund may not be able to issue additional Creation Units during period when it cannot meet its investment objective due to these factors. Any income, dividends or payments by the assets underlying the Fund’s short positions will negatively impact the Fund.
Intra-Day Investment Risk: The Fund seeks leveraged investment results from the close of the market on a given trading day until the close of the market on the subsequent trading day. The exact exposure of an investment in the Fund intraday in the secondary market is a function of the difference between the value of the Index at the market close on the first trading day and the value of the Index at the time of purchase. If the Index loses value, the Fund’s net assets will rise by the same amount as the Fund’s exposure. Conversely, if the Index rises, the Fund’s net assets will decline by the same amount as the Fund’s exposure. Thus, an investor that purchases shares intra-day may experience performance that is greater than, or less than, the Fund’s stated multiple of the Index.
If there is a significant intra-day market event and/or the securities of the Index experience a significant decrease, the Fund may not meet its investment objective or rebalance its portfolio appropriately. Additionally, the Fund may close to purchases and sales of Shares prior to the close of regular trading on the NYSE Arca, Inc. and incur significant losses.
Daily Inverse Index Correlation/Tracking Risk: Investors will lose money when the Index rises, which is a result that is the opposite from traditional index funds. There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve a high degree of inverse correlation to the Index and therefore achieve its daily inverse leveraged investment objective. The Fund’s exposure to the Index is impacted by the Index’s movement. Because of this, it is unlikely that the Fund will be perfectly exposed to the Index at the end of each day. The possibility of the Fund being materially over- or under-exposed to the Index increases on days when the Index is volatile near the close of the trading day. Market disruptions, regulatory restrictions and high volatility will also adversely affect the Fund’s ability to adjust exposure to the required levels.
The Fund may have difficulty achieving its daily two times inverse (-2x) leveraged investment objective due to fees, expenses, transaction costs, financing costs related to the use of derivatives, income items, valuation methodology, accounting standards and disruptions or illiquidity in the markets for the securities or derivatives held by the Fund. The Fund may not have investment exposure to all securities in the Index, or its weighting of investment exposure to such stocks or industries may be different from that of the Index. The Fund may also have exposure to securities or financial instruments that are not included in the Index. The Fund may also use other investment companies, such as ETFs, as reference assets for derivative instruments, which may result in increased tracking error. Additionally, an ETF’s performance may differ from the index it tracks, thus resulting in additional tracking error for the Fund. The Fund may be subject to large movements of assets into and out of the Fund, potentially resulting in the Fund being over- or under-exposed to the Index. Activities surrounding periodic Index reconstitutions and other Index rebalancing events may hinder the Fund’s ability to meet its daily inverse leveraged investment objective. For example, the Fund may take or refrain from taking positions to improve tax efficiency or to comply with various regulatory restrictions, which may negatively impact the Fund’s inverse correlation to the Index. Any of these factors could decrease correlation between the performance of the Fund and the Index and may hinder the Fund’s ability to meet its daily two times inverse (-2x) leveraged investment objective.
Smaller Companies Risk: The Fund’s Index may be composed primarily of, or have significant exposure to, securities of smaller companies. Smaller companies may be more vulnerable to adverse business or economic events than larger, more established companies, and may underperform other segments of the market or the equity market as a whole. The securities of smaller companies also tend to be bought and sold less frequently and at significantly lower trading volumes than the securities of larger companies. As a result, it may be more difficult for the Fund to buy or sell a significant amount of the securities of a smaller company without an adverse impact on the price of the company’s securities, or the Fund may have to sell such securities in smaller quantities over a longer period of time, which may prevent the fund from achieving its investment objective.
Non-Diversification Risk: Because the Fund is “non-diversified,” it may invest a greater percentage of its assets in the securities of a single issuer or a small number of issuers than if it was a diversified fund. As a result, a decline in the value of an investment in a single issuer or a small number of issuers could cause the Fund’s overall value to decline to a greater degree than if the Fund held a more diversified portfolio. This may increase the Fund’s volatility and have a greater impact on the Fund’s performance.
18

Foreign Investment Risk: Returns on investments in foreign stocks could be more volatile than, or trail the returns on, investments in U.S. stocks.
Currency Risk: Indirect and direct exposure to foreign currencies subjects the Fund to the risk that currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar. Currency rates in foreign countries may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time for a number of reasons, including changes in interest rates and the imposition of currency controls or other political developments in the U.S. or abroad.
Depositary Receipts Risk: The Fund may invest in depositary receipts. Investment in ADRs and GDRs may be less liquid than the underlying shares in their primary trading market and GDRs, many of which are issued by companies in emerging markets, may be more volatile and less liquid than depositary receipts issued by companies in more developed markets.
Emerging Markets Securities Risk: The Fund’s investments may expose the Fund’s portfolio to the risks of investing in emerging markets. Investments in emerging markets are subject to greater risk of loss than investments in developed markets. This is due to, among other things, greater market volatility, lower trading volume, political and economic instability, greater risk of market shutdown and more governmental limitations on foreign investments than typically found in developed markets.
Foreign Market and Trading Risk: The trading markets for many foreign securities are not as active as U.S. markets and may have less governmental regulation and oversight. Foreign markets also may have clearance and settlement procedures that make it difficult for the Fund to buy and sell securities. These factors could result in a loss to the Fund by causing the Fund to be unable to dispose of an investment or to miss an attractive investment opportunity, or by causing Fund assets to be uninvested for some period of time.
Foreign Securities Risk: The Fund invests a significant portion of its assets directly in securities of issuers based outside of the U.S., or in depositary receipts that represent such securities. Investments in securities of non-U.S. issuers involve certain risks that may not be present with investments in securities of U.S. issuers, such as risk of loss due to foreign currency fluctuations or to political or economic instability, as well as varying regulatory requirements applicable to investments in non-U.S. issuers. There may be less information publicly available about a non-U.S. issuer than a U.S. issuer. Non-U.S. issuers may also be subject to different regulatory, accounting, auditing, financial reporting and investor protection standards than U.S. issuers.
Political and Economic Risk: The Fund is subject to foreign political and economic risk not associated with U.S. investments, meaning that political events, social and economic events and natural disasters occurring in a country where the Fund invests could cause the Fund’s investments in that country to experience gains or losses.
Geographic Risk: Funds that are less diversified across countries or geographic regions are generally riskier than more geographically diversified funds and risks associated with such countries or geographic regions may negatively affect the Fund.
Canada-Specific Risk: Because investments in the Silver Exploration & Production sub-industry may be geographically concentrated in Canadian companies or companies that have a significant presence in Canada, investment results could be dependent on the financial condition of the Canadian economy. The Canadian economy is reliant on the sale of natural resources and commodities, which can pose risks such as the fluctuation of prices and the variability of demand for exportation of such products. Changes in spending on Canadian products by the economies of other countries or changes in any of these economies may cause a significant impact on the Canadian economy.
The remaining principal risks are presented in alphabetical order. Each risk summarized below is considered a “principal risk” of investing in the Fund, regardless of the order in which it appears.
Concentration Risk: The Fund’s investments will be concentrated in an industry or group of industries to the extent the Index is so concentrated. In such event, the value of Fund shares may rise and fall more than the value of shares that invest in securities of companies in a broader range of industries.
Early Close/Late Close/Trading Halt Risk: An exchange or market may close early, close late or issue trading halts on specific securities or financial instruments. As a result, the ability to trade certain securities or financial instruments may be restricted, which may disrupt the Fund’s creation and redemption process, potentially affect the price at which the Fund’s shares trade in the secondary market, and/or result in the Fund being unable to trade certain securities or financial instruments at all. In these circumstances, the Fund may be unable to rebalance its portfolio, may be unable to accurately price its investments and/or may incur substantial trading losses. If trading in the Fund’s shares are halted, investors may be temporarily unable to trade shares of 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 such as political, market and economic developments, as well as events that impact specific issuers. Additionally, natural or environmental disasters, widespread disease or other public health issues, war, acts of terrorism or other events could result in increased premiums or discounts to the Fund’s NAV.
19

ETF Risks:
Absence of an Active Market Risk: Although the Fund's shares are approved for listing on the Exchange, there can be no assurance that an active trading market will develop and be maintained for Fund shares. There can be no assurance that the Fund will grow to or maintain an economically viable size, in which case the Fund may ultimately liquidate.
Authorized Participants, Market Makers and Liquidity Providers Concentration Risk: The Fund has a limited number of financial institutions that may act as Authorized Participants (“APs”), none of which are obligated to engage in creation and/or redemption transactions. 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, there may be a significantly diminished trading market for Fund shares and 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. The risks associated with limited APs may be heightened in scenarios where APs have limited or diminished access to the capital required to post collateral.
Cash Transactions Risk: The Fund may effect its creations and redemptions primarily for cash, rather than in-kind securities. Paying redemption proceeds in cash rather than through in-kind delivery of portfolio securities may require the fund to dispose of or sell portfolio investments at an inopportune time to obtain the cash needed to distribute redemption proceeds. This may cause the Fund to incur certain costs such as brokerage costs, and to recognize gains or losses that it might not have incurred if it had made a redemption in-kind. As a result, the Fund may pay out higher or lower annual capital gains distributions than ETFs that redeem in-kind. In addition, the costs imposed on the Fund will decrease the Fund’ NAV unless the costs are offset by a transaction fee payable by an AP.
Costs of Buying or Selling Shares Risk: Investors buying or selling Fund shares in the secondary market will pay brokerage commissions or other charges imposed by brokers as determined by the applicable 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.
Fluctuation of NAV Risk: The NAV of Fund shares will generally fluctuate with changes in the market value of the Fund’s securities holdings. The market prices of shares will generally fluctuate in accordance with changes in the Fund’s NAV and supply and demand of shares on the Exchange. It cannot be predicted whether Fund shares will trade below, at or above their NAV. During periods of unusual volatility or market disruptions, market prices of Fund shares may deviate significantly from the market value of the Fund’s securities holdings or the NAV of Fund shares. As a result, investors in the Fund may pay significantly more or receive significantly less for Fund shares than the value of the Fund’s underlying securities or the NAV of Fund shares.
Market Trading Risk: An investment in the Fund faces numerous market trading risks, including the potential lack of an active market for Fund shares, losses from trading in secondary markets, periods of high volatility and disruption in the creation/redemption process of the Fund. Any of these factors, among others, may lead to the Fund’s shares trading at a premium or discount to NAV. Because securities held by the Fund may trade on foreign exchanges that are closed when the Fund’s primary listing exchange is open, there may be deviations between the current price of a security and the security’s last quoted price from the closed foreign market. This may result in premiums and discounts that are greater than those experienced by purely domestic ETFs.
Trading Issues Risk: Although Fund shares are listed for trading on the NYSE Arca, Inc. (the “Exchange”), there can be no assurance that an active trading market for such shares will be maintained. Trading in Fund shares may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the Exchange, make trading in shares inadvisable. There can be no assurance that the requirements of the Exchange necessary to maintain the listing of any Fund will continue to be met or will remain unchanged or that the shares will trade with any volume, or at all. Further, secondary markets may be subject to erratic trading activity, wide bid/ask spreads and extended trade settlement periods in times of market stress because market makers and Authorized Participants may step away from making a market in Fund shares and in executing creation and redemption orders, which could cause a material deviation in the Fund’s market price from its NAV.
Liquidity Risk: In certain circumstances, such as the disruption of the orderly markets for the financial instruments in which the Fund invests, the Fund might not be able to acquire or dispose of certain holdings quickly or at prices that represent true market value in the judgment of the Adviser. Markets for the financial instruments in which the Fund invests may be disrupted by a number of events, including but not limited to economic crises, health crises, natural disasters, excessive volatility, new legislation, or regulatory changes inside or outside of the U.S. For example, regulation limiting the ability of certain financial institutions to invest in certain financial instruments would likely reduce the liquidity of those instruments. These situations may prevent the Fund from limiting losses, realizing gains or achieving a high leveraged correlation with the Index.
20

Money Market Instrument Risk: The Fund may use a variety of money market instruments for cash management purposes, including money market funds, depositary accounts and repurchase agreements. Money market funds may be subject to credit risk with respect to the debt instruments in which they invest. Depository accounts may be subject to credit risk with respect to the financial institution in which the depository account is held. Repurchase agreements are contracts in which a seller of securities agrees to buy the securities back at a specified time and price. Repurchase agreements may be subject to market and credit risk related to the collateral securing the repurchase agreement. Money market instruments may lose money.
Natural Disaster/Epidemic Risk: Natural or environmental disasters, such as earthquakes, fires, floods, hurricanes, tsunamis and other severe weather-related phenomena generally, and widespread disease, including pandemics and epidemics, have been and may be highly disruptive to economies and markets, adversely impacting individual companies, sectors, industries, markets, currencies, interest and inflation rates, credit ratings, investor sentiment, and other factors affecting the value of the Fund’s investments. Given the increasing interdependence among global economies and markets, conditions in one country, market, or region are increasingly likely to adversely affect markets, issuers, and/or foreign exchange rates in other countries, including the U.S. Any such events could have a significant adverse impact on the value of the Fund’s investments.
New Fund Risk: The Fund is a recently organized, non-diversified management investment company with limited operating history. As a result, prospective investors have a limited track record or history on which to base their investment decision. There can be no assurance that the Fund will grow to or maintain an economically viable size.
Other Investment Companies (including ETFs) Risk: The Fund may invest directly in another investment company by purchasing shares of the investment company or indirectly by utilizing an investment company as the reference asset of a derivative instrument. The Fund will incur higher and duplicative expenses when it invests in other investment companies such as ETFs (affiliated ETFs will not charge duplicate fees and expenses). There is also the risk that the Fund may suffer losses due to the investment practices of the underlying funds. If the other investment company fails to achieve its investment objective, the value of the Fund’s investment will not perform as expected, thus affecting the Fund’s performance and its correlation with the Index. When the Fund invests in other investment companies, the Fund will be subject to substantially the same risks as those associated with the direct ownership of securities held by such investment companies. Investments in ETFs are also subject to the following risks: (i) the market price of an ETF’s shares may trade above or below their net asset value; (ii) an active trading market for an ETF’s shares may not develop or be maintained; and (iii) trading of an ETF’s shares may be halted for a number of reasons. Investments in such shares may be subject to brokerage and other trading costs, which could result in greater expenses to the Fund. Finally, depending on the demand in the market, the Fund may not be able to liquidate its holdings in ETFs at an optimal price or time, which may adversely affect the Fund’s performance.
Portfolio Turnover Risk: The Fund may incur high portfolio turnover to manage the Fund’s investment exposure. Additionally, active market trading of the Fund’s shares may cause more frequent creation or redemption activities that could, in certain circumstances, increase the number of portfolio transactions. High levels of portfolio transactions increase brokerage and other transaction costs and may result in increased taxable capital gains. Each of these factors could have a negative impact on the performance of the Fund.
Reliance on Trading Partners Risk: The Fund invests in some economies that are heavily dependent upon trading with key partners. Any reduction in this trading may cause an adverse impact on the economy in which the Fund invests.
Sector Risk: To the extent the Fund invests more heavily in particular sectors of the economy, its performance will be especially sensitive to developments that significantly affect those sectors.
Securities Lending Risk: The Fund may engage in securities lending. The Fund may lose money if the borrower of the loaned securities delays returning in a timely manner or fails to return the loaned securities. Securities lending involves the risk that the Fund could lose money in the event of a decline in the value of collateral provided for loaned securities. In addition, the Fund bears the risk of loss in connection with its investment of the cash collateral it receives from a borrower. To the extent that the value or return of the Fund's investment of the cash collateral declines below the amount owed to the borrower, the Fund may incur losses that exceed the amount it earned on lending the security.
Tax Risk: To qualify for the favorable tax treatment generally available to regulated investment companies, the Fund must satisfy certain diversification requirements under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). In particular, the Fund generally may not acquire a security if, as a result of the acquisition, more than 50% of the value of the Fund’s assets would be invested in (a) issuers in which the Fund has, in each case, invested more than 5% of the Fund’s assets and (b) issuers more than 10% of whose outstanding voting securities are owned by the Fund. Given the concentration of the Index in a relatively small number of securities, it may not be possible for the Fund to fully implement a replication strategy or a representative sampling strategy while satisfying these diversification requirements. The Fund’s efforts to satisfy the diversification requirements may cause the Fund’s return to deviate from that of the Index, and the Fund’s efforts to replicate the Index may cause it inadvertently to fail to satisfy the diversification requirements. If the Fund were to fail to qualify as a regulated investment company, it would be taxed in the same manner as an ordinary corporation, and distributions to its shareholders would not be deductible by the Fund in computing its taxable income.
21

Valuation Risk: The sales price that the Fund could receive for a security may differ from the Fund’s valuation of the security and may differ from the value used by the Index, particularly for securities that trade in low volume or volatile markets or that are valued using a fair value methodology. In addition, the value of the securities in the Fund’s portfolio may change on days when shareholders will not be able to purchase or sell the Fund’s shares.
Performance Information
The Fund is new and therefore does not have performance history for a full calendar year. Once the Fund has completed a full calendar year of operations, a bar chart and table will be included that will provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing the variability of the Fund’s returns and comparing the Fund’s performance to a broad measure of market performance. Updated performance information is available on the Fund’s website at www.etfmg.com or by calling 1‑844‑383‑6477.
Investment Adviser
ETF Managers Group LLC, (the “Adviser”) serves as the investment adviser to the Fund.
Portfolio Managers
Samuel R. Masucci, III, Chief Executive Officer of the Adviser, Frank Vallario, Chief Investment Officer of the Adviser, Donal Bishnoi, Portfolio Manager of the Adviser, and Devin Ryder, Portfolio Manager of the Adviser, have been the Fund’s portfolio managers since the Fund’s inception in 2021.
For important information about the purchase and sale of Fund shares, tax information, and financial intermediary compensation, please turn to “Summary Information about Purchases, Sales, Taxes, and Financial Intermediary Compensation” on page 33 of the Prospectus.
22

ETFMG 2x Daily Travel Tech ETF — FUND SUMMARY
Important Information About the Fund
ETFMG 2x Daily Travel Tech ETF (the “Fund”) seeks daily investment results, before fees and expenses, that correspond to two times (2x) the return of the Prime Travel Technology Index NTR (Net Total Return) (the “Index”) for a single day, not for any other period. A “single day” is measured from the time the Fund calculates its net asset value (“NAV”) to the time of the Fund’s next NAV calculation. The return of the Fund for periods longer than a single day will be the result of its return for each day compounded over the period. The Fund’s returns for periods longer than a single day will very likely differ in amount, and possibly even direction, from the Fund’s stated multiple (2x) times the return of the Index for the same period. For periods longer than a single day, the Fund will lose money if the Index’s performance is flat, and it is possible that the Fund will lose money even if the level of the Index rises. Longer holding periods, higher Index volatility, and greater leveraged exposure each exacerbate the impact of compounding on an investor’s returns. During periods of higher Index volatility, the volatility of the Index may affect the Fund’s return as much as or more than the return of the Index.
The Fund presents different risks than other types of funds. The Fund uses leverage and is riskier than similarly benchmarked funds that do not use leverage. The Fund may not be suitable for all investors and should be used only by knowledgeable investors who understand the consequences of seeking daily leveraged (2x) investment results, including the impact of compounding on Fund performance. Investors in the Fund should actively manage and monitor their investments, as frequently as daily. An investor in the Fund could potentially lose the full principal value of their investment within a single day.
Investment Objective
The ETFMG 2x Daily Travel Tech ETF (the “Fund” or the “Travel Tech ETF”) seeks to provide daily investment results that, before fees and expenses, correspond to two times (2x) the daily total return of the Index. The Fund does not seek to achieve its stated investment objective over a period of time greater than a single day.
Fees and Expenses
The following table describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy, hold, and sell shares of the Fund (“Shares”). This table and the Example below do not include the brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries that investors may pay on their purchases and sales of Shares.
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Management Fee 0.95  %
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees None
Other Expenses1, 2
0.00  %
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses 0.95  %
1 Based on estimated amounts for the current fiscal year.
2 Other Expenses do not reflect the costs of investing in swap agreements, including any fees paid to the counterparty of the swap agreement. The estimated annual costs of investing in swap agreements for the Fund are 2.60% of the Fund’s average daily net assets. The performance of the Fund is net of all such costs of investing in swap agreements.
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. This Example does not take into account the brokerage commissions that you may pay on your purchases and sales of Shares. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your cost would be:
1 Year 3 Years
$97 $303
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 the Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. Because the Fund is newly organized, portfolio turnover information is not yet available.
23

Principal Investment Strategies
The Fund invests in financial instruments, such as swap agreements, securities of the Index, and exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”) that track the Index (including affiliated ETFs) that provide daily leveraged exposure to the Index or to ETFs that track the Index to seek returns equal to 200% of the daily return of the Index. The financial instruments in which the Fund most commonly invests are swap agreements which are intended to produce economically leveraged investment results. The Fund expects that its cash balances maintained in connection with the use of financial instruments will typically be held in money market instruments.
The Index tracks the performance of globally exchange-listed equity securities (or corresponding American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”) or Global Depositary Receipts (“GDRs”)) of companies across the globe that are engaged in “Travel Technology Business” which is defined as providing technology, via the internet and internet-connected devices such as mobile phones, to facilitate the following activities: travel bookings and reservations, ride sharing and hailing, travel price comparison, and travel advice. Companies with products and services that are primarily engaged in any of the categories of Travel Technology Business are collectively called “Travel Technology Companies.”
The companies included in the Index are identified by Prime Indexes (the “Index Provider”). The Index Provider determines whether a company is a Travel Technology Company based on its assessment of: i) descriptions of a company’s primary business activities in its regulatory filings (e.g., annual reports, financial statements and other public filings), investor presentations, as well as third-party industry research, reports, and analyses; and ii) if a company derives more than 50% of its revenue from Travel Technology Business. The Index Provider screens candidate companies for the Travel Technology Index for investability based on i) must be an equity security of an operating company or an ADR of an operating company; ii) must have a minimum market capitalization of $150 million; iii) must have an average daily trading volume of $250,000 or greater; and iv) must be on an exchange in a country that does not employ restrictions on foreign capital investment.
The Index has a quarterly review in March, June, September, and December of each year upon which the Index is reconstituted and rebalanced by the Index Provider. The composition of the Index and the constituent weights are determined on the two Thursdays before the second Friday of each March, June, September, and December (or the next business day if this is a non-business day) (also known as the “Selection Day”). Component changes are implemented as of the market close on the third Friday of March, June, September, and December (or the next business day if the third Friday is not a business day) and become effective at the market opening on the next trading day.
At the time of each reconstitution, the companies in the Index are weighted using a proprietary weighting methodology (the “Methodology”) that weights the securities based on market capitalization and average daily value traded. The larger and more frequently traded companies, based on the Methodology, will receive a higher score compared to smaller and less frequently traded companies. As of May 21, 2021, the Index had 30 components.
The Index is developed and owned by the Index Provider, and the Index is calculated and maintained by Solactive AG (the “Calculation Agent”). The Index Provider is independent of the Calculation Agent, the Fund, and the Fund’s investment adviser.
The Fund has adopted the following policy to comply with Rule 35d-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940. Such policy has been adopted as a non-fundamental investment policy and may be changed without shareholder approval upon 60 days’ written notice to shareholders. Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus borrowing for investment purposes) in financial instruments, such as swap agreements, securities of the Index, and exchange-traded funds that track the Index and other financial instruments that provide daily leveraged exposure to the Index or to ETFs that track the Index.
Industry Concentration Policy: The Fund will concentrate its investments (i.e., hold 25% or more of its net assets) in a particular industry or group of related industries to approximately the same extent that the Index is concentrated. As of May 21, 2021, the Index was concentrated in companies in the Consumer Services, Retailing, Software and Services, and Transportation groups of industries.
The Fund may invest in the securities of the Index, a representative sample of the securities in the Index that has aggregate characteristics similar to those of the Index, an ETF that tracks the Index (including investing in an affiliated series of ETF Managers Trust, ETFMG Travel Tech ETF) or a substantially similar index, and may utilize derivatives, such as swaps on the Index or on an ETF that tracks the same Index or a substantially similar index, that provide leveraged exposure to the above. Derivatives are financial instruments that derive value from the underlying reference asset or assets, such as stocks, bonds, or funds (including ETFs), interest rates or indexes.
The Fund seeks to remain fully invested at all times, consistent with its stated investment objective but may not always have investment exposure to all of the securities in the Index, or its weighting of investment exposure to securities or industries may be different from that of the Index. In addition, the Fund may invest in securities or financial instruments not included in the Index.
The Fund will attempt to achieve its investment objective without regard to overall market movement or the increase or decrease of the value of the securities in the Index. At the close of the markets each trading day, ETF Managers Group LLC (the “Adviser”) determines the type, quantity and mix of investment positions so that its exposure to the Index is consistent with the Fund’s investment objective. The impact of the Index’s movements during the day will affect whether the Fund’s portfolio needs to be re-positioned. For example, if the Index has risen on a given day, net assets of the Fund should rise, meaning the Fund’s exposure will need to be
24

increased. Conversely, if the Index has fallen on a given day, net assets of the Fund should fall, meaning the Fund’s exposure will need to be reduced. This re-positioning strategy typically results in high portfolio turnover. On a day-to-day basis, the Fund is expected to hold ETFs and money market funds, deposit accounts with institutions with high credit ratings, and/or short-term debt instruments that have terms-to-maturity of less than 397 days and exhibit high quality credit profiles, including U.S. government securities and repurchase agreements.
The Fund may lend its portfolio securities to brokers, dealers, and other financial organizations. These loans, if and when made, may not exceed 33 1/3% of the total asset value of the Fund (including the loan collateral). By lending its securities, the Fund may increase its income by receiving payments from the borrower.
The terms “daily,” “day,” and “trading day” refer to the period from the close of the markets on one trading day to the close of the markets on the next trading day.
Daily rebalancing and the compounding of each day’s return over time means that the return of the Fund for a period longer than a single day will be the result of each day’s returns compounded over the period, which will very likely differ in amount, and possibly even direction, from two times (2x) the return of the Index for the same period. The Fund will lose money if the Index’s performance is flat over time, and the Fund can lose money regardless of the performance of the Index, as a result of daily rebalancing, the Index’s volatility, compounding of each day’s return and other factors. See “Principal Risks” below.
Daily rebalancing and the compounding of each day’s return over time means that the return of the Fund for a period longer than a single day will be the result of each day’s returns compounded over the period, which will very likely differ in amount, and possibly even direction, from two times (2x) the return of the Index for the same period. The Fund will lose money if the Index’s performance is flat over time, and the Fund can lose money regardless of the performance of the Index, as a result of daily rebalancing, the Index’s volatility, compounding of each day’s return and other factors. See “Principal Risks” below.
Principal Risks
As with all funds, a shareholder is subject to the risk that his or her investment could lose money. The Fund may not achieve its leveraged investment objective and there is a risk that you could lose all of your money invested in the Fund. The Fund is not a complete investment program. The Fund presents risks not traditionally associated with other mutual funds and ETFs. For example, due to the Fund’s daily leveraged investment objective, a small adverse move in the Index will result in larger and potentially substantial declines in the Fund. It is important that investors closely review all of the risks listed below and understand them before making an investment in the Fund.
Effects of Compounding and Market Volatility Risk: The Fund has a daily leveraged investment objective and the Fund’s performance for periods greater than a trading day will be the result of each day's returns compounded over the period, which is very likely to differ from two times (2x) the Index’s performance, before fees and expenses. Compounding affects all investments, but has a more significant impact on funds that are leveraged and that rebalance daily. For a leveraged fund, if adverse daily performance of the index reduces the amount of a shareholder’s investment, any further adverse daily performance will lead to a smaller dollar loss because the shareholder’s investment had already been reduced by the prior adverse performance. Equally, however, if favorable daily performance of the index increases the amount of a shareholder’s investment, the dollar amount lost due to future adverse performance will increase because the shareholder’s investment has increased.
The effect of compounding becomes more pronounced as Index volatility and the holding period increase. The impact of compounding will impact each shareholder differently depending on the period of time an investment in the Fund is held and the volatility of the Index during shareholder’s holding period of an investment in the Fund.
The chart below provides examples of how Index volatility could affect the Fund’s performance. The chart illustrates the impact of two factors that affect the Fund’s performance: Index volatility and Index return. Index returns show the percentage change in the value of the Index over the specified time period, while Index volatility is a statistical measure of the magnitude of fluctuations in the returns during that time period. As illustrated below, even if the Index return over two equal time periods is identical, different Index volatility (i.e., fluctuations in the rates of return) during the two time periods could result in drastically different Fund performance for the two time periods due to the effects of compounding daily returns during the time periods.
Fund performance for periods greater than one single day can be estimated given any set of assumptions for the following factors: a) Index volatility; b) Index performance; c) period of time; d) financing rates associated with leveraged exposure; e) other Fund expenses; and f) dividends or interest paid with respect to securities in the Index. The chart below illustrates the impact of two principal factors – Index volatility and Index performance – on Fund performance. The chart shows estimated Fund returns for a number of combinations of Index volatility and Index performance over a one-year period. Performance shown in the chart assumes that: (i) no dividends were paid with respect to the securities included in the Index; (ii) there were no Fund expenses; and (iii) borrowing/lending rates (to obtain leveraged exposure) of 0%. If Fund expenses and/or actual borrowing/lending rates were reflected, the estimated returns would be different than those shown. Particularly during periods of higher Index volatility, compounding will cause results for periods longer than a trading day to vary from two times (2x) the performance of the Index.
25

As shown in the chart below, the Fund would be expected to lose 6.1% if the Index provided no return over a one year period during which the Index experienced annualized volatility of 25%. At higher ranges of volatility, there is a chance of a significant loss of value in the Fund, even if the Index’s return is flat. For instance, if the Index’s annualized volatility is 100%, the Fund would be expected to lose 63.2% of its value, even if the cumulative Index return for the year was 0%. Areas shaded red (or dark gray) represent those scenarios where the Fund can be expected to return less than two times (2x) the performance of the Index and those shaded green (or light gray) represent those scenarios where the Fund can be expected to return more than two times (2x) the performance of the Index. The Fund’s actual returns may be significantly better or worse than the returns shown below as a result of any of the factors discussed above or in “Daily Index Correlation/Tracking Risk” below.
One Year Index Two Times (2x) One Year Index Volatility Rate
Return Return 10% 25% 50% 75% 100%
-60% -120% -84.2% -85.0% -87.5% -90.9% -94.1%
-50% -100% -75.2% -76.5% -80.5% -85.8% -90.8%
-40% -80% -64.4% -66.2% -72.0% -79.5% -86.8%
-30% -60% -51.5% -54.0% -61.8% -72.1% -82.0%
-20% -40% -36.6% -39.9% -50.2% -63.5% -76.5%
-10% -20% -19.8% -23.9% -36.9% -53.8% -70.2%
0% 0% -1.0% -6.1% -22.1% -43.0% -63.2%
10% 20% 19.8% 13.7% -5.8% -31.1% -55.5%
20% 40% 42.6% 35.3% 12.1% -18.0% -47.0%
30% 60% 67.3% 58.8% 31.6% -3.7% -37.8%
40% 80% 94.0% 84.1% 52.6% 11.7% -27.9%
50% 100% 122.8% 111.4% 75.2% 28.2% -17.2%
60% 120% 153.5% 140.5% 99.4% 45.9% -5.8%
The Index’s annualized historical volatility rate for the period from September 20, 2019, (the inception date of the Index) to December 31, 2020 was 39.15%. The Index’s highest volatility rate for any one calendar year for the period from September 20, 2019 (the inception date of the Index) through December 31, 2020 was 43.63% and volatility for a shorter period of time may have been substantially higher. The Index’s annualized performance for the period from September 20, 2019 (the inception date of the Index) to December 31, 2020 was 3.86%. Historical Index volatility and performance are not indications of what the Index volatility and performance will be in the future. The volatility of ETFs or instruments that reflect the value of the Index, such as swaps, may differ from the volatility of the Index.
For information regarding the effects of volatility and Index performance on the long-term performance of the Fund, see “Additional Information about the Fund’s Investment Objective and Strategies” in the Fund’s statutory prospectus, and “Special Note Regarding the Correlation Risks of the Fund” in the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information.
Leverage Risk: The Fund obtains investment exposure in excess of its net assets by utilizing leverage and may lose more money in market conditions that are adverse to its investment objective than a fund that does not utilize leverage. An investment in the Fund is exposed to the risk that a decline in the daily performance of the Index will be magnified. This means that an investment in the Fund will be reduced by an amount equal to 2% for every 1% daily decline in the Index, not including the costs of financing leverage and other operating expenses, which would further reduce its value. The Fund could theoretically lose an amount greater than its net assets in the event of an Index decline of more than 50%. Leverage will also have the effect of magnifying any differences in the Fund’s correlation with the Index.
Technology Companies Risk: Companies in the technology field, including companies in the computers, telecommunications and electronics industries, face intense competition, which may have an adverse effect on profit margins. Technology companies may have limited product lines, markets, financial resources or personnel. The products of technology companies may face obsolescence due to rapid technological developments and frequent new product introduction, and such companies may face unpredictable changes in growth rates, competition for the services of qualified personnel and competition from foreign competitors with lower production costs. Companies in the technology sector are heavily dependent on patent and intellectual property rights. The loss or impairment of these rights may adversely affect the profitability of these companies.
Market Disruption Risk: Geopolitical and other events, including public health crises and natural disasters, have recently led to increased market volatility and significant market losses. Significant market volatility and market downturns may limit the Fund’s ability to sell securities and obtain long exposure to securities, and the Fund’s sales and long exposures may exacerbate the market
26

volatility and downturn. Under such circumstances, the Fund may have difficulty achieving its investment objective for one or more trading days, which may adversely impact the Fund’s returns on those days and periods inclusive of those days. Alternatively, the Fund may incur higher costs (including swap financing costs) in order to achieve its investment objective and may be forced to purchase and sell securities (including other ETFs’ shares) at market prices that do not represent their fair value (including in the case of an ETF, its net asset value) or at times that result in differences between the price the Fund receives for the security or the value of the swap exposure and the market closing price of the security or the market closing value of the swap exposure. Under those circumstances, the Fund’s ability to track its Index is likely to be adversely affected, the market price of Fund shares may reflect a greater premium or discount to net asset value and bid-ask spreads in the Fund’s shares may widen, resulting in increased transaction costs for secondary market purchasers and sellers. The Fund may also incur additional tracking error due to the use of securities that are not perfectly correlated to the Index.
Aggressive Investment Techniques Risk: Using investment techniques that may be considered aggressive, such as swap agreements, includes the risk of potentially dramatic changes (losses) in the value of the instruments, imperfect correlations between the price of the instrument and the underlying security or index, and volatility of the Fund.
Derivatives Risk: Derivatives are financial instruments that derive value from the underlying reference asset or assets, such as stocks, bonds, or funds (including ETFs), interest rates or indexes. The Fund’s investments in derivatives may pose risks in addition to, and greater than, those associated with directly investing in securities or other ordinary investments, including risk related to the market, leverage, imperfect daily correlations with underlying investments or the Fund’s other portfolio holdings, higher price volatility, lack of availability, counterparty risk, liquidity, valuation and legal restrictions. The use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves investment techniques and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions. The use of derivatives may result in larger losses or smaller gains than directly investing in securities. When the Fund uses derivatives, there may be imperfect correlation between the value of the reference assets and the derivative, which may prevent the Fund from achieving its investment objective. Because derivatives often require only a limited initial investment, the use of derivatives may expose the Fund to losses in excess of those amounts initially invested.
The Fund may use a combination of swaps on the Index and swaps on an ETF whose investment objective is to track the performance of the same, or a substantially similar index to achieve its investment objective. The reference ETF may not closely track the performance of the Index due to fees and other costs borne by the ETF and other factors, such as an ETF’s premium or discount. Thus, to the extent that the Fund invests in swaps that use an ETF as a reference asset, the Fund may be subject to greater correlation risk and may not achieve as high a degree of correlation with the Index as it would if the Fund used swaps that utilized the Index as the reference asset. Any financing, borrowing or other costs associated with using derivatives may also reduce the Fund’s return.
In addition, the Fund’s investments in derivatives are subject to the following risks:
Swap Agreements: Swap agreements are entered into primarily with major global financial institutions for a specified period, which may range from one day to more than one year. The derivative transactions in which the Fund invests are generally traded in the over-the-counter market, which generally has less transparency than exchange-traded derivatives instruments. In a standard swap transaction, two parties agree to exchange the return (or differentials in rates of return) earned or realized on particular predetermined reference assets or underlying securities or instruments. The gross return to be exchanged or swapped between the parties is calculated based on a notional amount or the return on or change in value of a particular dollar amount invested in a basket of securities representing a particular index or an ETF that seeks to track an index.
If the Index has a dramatic move that causes a material decline in the Fund’s net assets, the terms of a swap agreement between the Fund and its counterparty may permit the counterparty to immediately close out the swap transaction with the Fund. In that event, the Fund may be unable to enter into another swap agreement or invest in other derivatives to achieve exposure consistent with the Fund’s investment objective. This may prevent the Fund from achieving its leveraged investment objective, even if the Index later reverses all or a portion of its movement.
Counterparty Risk: A counterparty may be unwilling or unable to make timely payments to meet its contractual obligations or may fail to return holdings that are subject to the agreement with the counterparty. If the counterparty or its affiliate becomes insolvent, bankrupt or defaults on its payment obligations to the Fund, the value of an investment held by the Fund may decline. Additionally, if any collateral posted by the counterparty for the benefit of the Fund is insufficient or there are delays in the Fund’s ability to access such collateral, the Fund may not be able to achieve its leveraged investment objective. In addition, the Fund may enter into swap agreements with a limited number of counterparties, which may increase the Fund’s exposure to counterparty credit risk. Further, there is a risk that no suitable counterparties will be willing to enter into, or continue to enter into, transactions with the Fund and, as a result, the Fund may not be able to achieve its leveraged investment objective or may decide to change its leveraged investment objective.
Intra-Day Investment Risk: The Fund seeks leveraged investment results from the close of the market on a given trading day until the close of the market on the subsequent trading day. The exact exposure of an investment in the Fund intraday in the secondary market is a function of the difference between the value of the Index at the market close on the first trading day and the value of the Index at the time of purchase. If the Index gains value , the Fund’s net assets will rise by the same amount as the Fund’s exposure. Conversely,
27

if the Index declines, the Fund’s net assets will decline by the same amount as the Fund’s exposure. Thus, an investor that purchases shares intra-day may experience performance that is greater than, or less than, the Fund’s stated multiple of the Index.
If there is a significant intra-day market event and/or the securities of the Index experience a significant decrease, the Fund may not meet its investment objective or rebalance its portfolio appropriately. Additionally, the Fund may close to purchases and sales of Shares prior to the close of regular trading on the NYSE Arca, Inc. and incur significant losses.
Daily Index Correlation/Tracking Risk: There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve a high degree of correlation to the Index and therefore achieve its daily leveraged investment objective. To achieve a high degree of correlation with the Index, the Fund seeks to rebalance its portfolio daily to keep leverage consistent with its daily leveraged investment objective. In addition, the Fund’s exposure to the Index is impacted by the Index’s movement. Because of this, it is unlikely that the Fund will be perfectly exposed to the Index at the end of each day. The possibility of the Fund being materially over- or under-exposed to the Index increases on days when the Index is volatile near the close of the trading day. Market disruptions, regulatory restrictions and extreme volatility will also adversely affect the Fund’s ability to adjust exposure to the required levels.
The Fund may have difficulty achieving its daily leveraged investment objective due to fees, expenses, transaction costs, financing costs related to the use of derivatives, investments in ETFs, directly or indirectly, income items, valuation methodology, accounting standards and disruptions or illiquidity in the markets for the securities or derivatives held by the Fund. The Fund may be subject to large movements of assets into and out of the Fund, potentially resulting in the Fund being over- or under-exposed to the Index. Activities surrounding periodic Index reconstitutions and other Index rebalancing events may hinder the Fund’s ability to meet its daily leveraged investment objective. The Fund may take or refrain from taking positions to improve the tax efficiency or to comply with various regulatory restrictions, either of which may negatively impact the Fund’s correlation to the Index.
Smaller Companies Risk: The Fund’s Index may be composed primarily of, or have significant exposure to, securities of smaller companies. Smaller companies may be more vulnerable to adverse business or economic events than larger, more established companies, and may underperform other segments of the market or the equity market as a whole. The securities of smaller companies also tend to be bought and sold less frequently and at significantly lower trading volumes than the securities of larger companies. As a result, it may be more difficult for the Fund to buy or sell a significant amount of the securities of a smaller company without an adverse impact on the price of the company’s securities, or the Fund may have to sell such securities in smaller quantities over a longer period of time, which may prevent the fund from achieving its investment objective.
Non-Diversification Risk: Because the Fund is “non-diversified,” it may invest a greater percentage of its assets in the securities of a single issuer or a small number of issuers than if it was a diversified fund. As a result, a decline in the value of an investment in a single issuer or a small number of issuers could cause the Fund’s overall value to decline to a greater degree than if the Fund held a more diversified portfolio. This may increase the Fund’s volatility and have a greater impact on the Fund’s performance.
Foreign Investment Risk: Returns on investments in foreign stocks could be more volatile than, or trail the returns on, investments in U.S. stocks. Since foreign exchanges may be open on days when the Fund does not price its Shares, the value of the securities in the Fund’s portfolio may change on days when shareholders will not be able to purchase or sell the Shares. Conversely, Shares may trade on days when foreign exchanges are closed. Because securities held by the Fund trade on foreign exchanges that are closed when the Fund’s primary listing exchange is open, the Fund is likely to experience premiums and discounts greater than those of domestic ETFs. Each of these factors can make investments in the Fund more volatile and potentially less liquid than other types of investments.
Currency Risk: Indirect and direct exposure to foreign currencies subjects the Fund to the risk that currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar. Currency rates in foreign countries may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time for a number of reasons, including changes in interest rates and the imposition of currency controls or other political developments in the U.S. or abroad.
Depositary Receipts Risk: The Fund may invest in depositary receipts. Investment in depositary receipts may be less liquid than the underlying shares in their primary trading market.
Foreign Market and Trading Risk: The trading markets for many foreign securities are not as active as U.S. markets and may have less governmental regulation and oversight. Foreign markets also may have clearance and settlement procedures that make it difficult for the Fund to buy and sell securities. These factors could result in a loss to the Fund by causing the Fund to be unable to dispose of an investment or to miss an attractive investment opportunity, or by causing Fund assets to be uninvested for some period of time.
Foreign Securities Risk: The Fund invests a significant portion of its assets directly in securities of issuers based outside of the U.S., or in depositary receipts that represent such securities. Investments in securities of non-U.S. issuers involve certain risks that may not be present with investments in securities of U.S. issuers, such as risk of loss due to foreign currency fluctuations or to political or economic instability. There may be less information publicly available about a non-U.S. issuer than a U.S. issuer. Non-U.S. issuers may also be subject to different accounting, auditing, financial reporting and investor protection standards than U.S. issuers.
28

Political and Economic Risk: The Fund is subject to foreign political and economic risk not associated with U.S. investments, meaning that political events, social and economic events and natural disasters occurring in a country where the Fund invests could cause the Fund’s investments in that country to experience gains or losses. The Fund also could be unable to enforce its ownership rights or pursue legal remedies in countries where it invests.
Privatization Risk: Several foreign countries in which the Fund invests have begun a process of privatizing certain entities and industries. Privatized entities may lose money or be re-nationalized.
Geographic Investment Risk. To the extent the Fund invests, directly or indirectly, a significant portion of its assets in the securities of companies of a single country or region, it is more likely to be impacted by events or conditions affecting that country or region.
Risks Related to Investing in Western Europe. Most developed countries in Western Europe are members of the European Union (EU), and many are also members of the European Monetary Union (EMU), which requires compliance with restrictions on inflation rates, deficits, and debt levels. Unemployment in certain European nations is historically high and several countries face significant debt problems. These conditions can significantly affect every country in Europe. The euro is the official currency of the EU. Funds that invest in Europe may have significant exposure to the euro and events affecting the euro. Recent market events affecting several of the EU member countries have adversely affected the sovereign debt issued by those countries, and ultimately may lead to a decline in the value of the euro. A significant decline in the value of the euro may produce unpredictable effects on trade and commerce generally and could lead to increased volatility in financial markets worldwide.
Uncertainties surrounding the sovereign debt of a number of EU countries and the viability of the EU have disrupted and may in the future disrupt markets in the United States and around the world. If one or more countries leave the EU or the EU dissolves, the world’s securities markets likely will be significantly disrupted. In January 2020, the United Kingdom (“UK”) left the EU, commonly referred to as “Brexit,” and the UK ceased to be a member of the EU. Following a transition period during which the EU and the UK Government engaged in a series of negotiations regarding the terms of the UK’s future relationship with the EU, the EU and the UK Government signed an agreement on December 30, 2020 regarding the economic relationship between the UK and the EU. This agreement became effective on a provisional basis on January 1, 2021. There is significant market uncertainty regarding Brexit’s ramifications, and the range and potential implications of possible political, regulatory, economic, and market outcomes are difficult to predict. This long-term uncertainty may affect other countries in the EU and elsewhere, and may cause volatility within the EU, triggering prolonged economic downturns in certain European countries. In addition, Brexit may create additional and substantial economic stresses for the UK, including a contraction of the UK economy and price volatility in UK stocks, decreased trade, capital outflows, devaluation of the British pound, wider corporate bond spreads due to uncertainty, and declines in business and consumer spending as well as foreign direct investment. Brexit may also adversely affect UK-based financial firms that have counterparties in the EU or participate in market infrastructure (trading venues, clearing houses, settlement facilities) based in the EU. These events and the resulting market volatility may have an adverse effect on the performance of the Fund.
The remaining risks are presented in alphabetical order. Each risk summarized below is considered a “principal risk” of investing in the Fund, regardless of the order in which it appears.
Concentration Risk: The Fund’s investments will be concentrated in an industry or group of industries to the extent the Index is so concentrated. In such event, the value of Fund shares may rise and fall more than the value of shares that invest in securities of companies in a broader range of industries.
Early Close/Late Close/Trading Halt Risk: An exchange or market may close early, close late or issue trading halts on specific securities or financial instruments. As a result, the ability to trade certain securities or financial instruments may be restricted, which may disrupt the Fund’s creation and redemption process, potentially affect the price at which the Fund’s shares trade in the secondary market, and/or result in the Fund being unable to trade certain securities or financial instruments at all. In these circumstances, the Fund may be unable to rebalance its portfolio, may be unable to accurately price its investments and/or may incur substantial trading losses. If trading in the Fund’s shares are halted, investors may be temporarily unable to trade shares of 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 such as political, market and economic developments, as well as events that impact specific issuers. Additionally, natural or environmental disasters, widespread disease or other public health issues, war, acts of terrorism or other events could result in increased premiums or discounts to the Fund’s NAV.
ETF Risks:
Absence of an Active Market Risk: Although the Fund's shares are approved for listing on the Exchange, there can be no assurance that an active trading market will develop and be maintained for Fund shares. There can be no assurance that the Fund will grow to or maintain an economically viable size, in which case the Fund may ultimately liquidate.
29

Authorized Participants, Market Makers and Liquidity Providers Concentration Risk: The Fund has a limited number of financial institutions that may act as Authorized Participants (“APs”), none of which are obligated to engage in creation and/or redemption transactions. 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, there may be a significantly diminished trading market for Fund shares and 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. The risks associated with limited APs may be heightened in scenarios where APs have limited or diminished access to the capital required to post collateral.
Cash Transactions Risk: The Fund may effect its creations and redemptions primarily for cash, rather than in-kind securities. Paying redemption proceeds in cash rather than through in-kind delivery of portfolio securities may require the fund to dispose of or sell portfolio investments at an inopportune time to obtain the cash needed to distribute redemption proceeds. This may cause the Fund to incur certain costs such as brokerage costs, and to recognize gains or losses that it might not have incurred if it had made a redemption in-kind. As a result, the Fund may pay out higher or lower annual capital gains distributions than ETFs that redeem in-kind. In addition, the costs imposed on the Fund will decrease the Fund’ NAV unless the costs are offset by a transaction fee payable by an AP.
Costs of Buying or Selling Shares Risk: Investors buying or selling Fund shares in the secondary market will pay brokerage commissions or other charges imposed by brokers as determined by the applicable 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.
Fluctuation of NAV Risk: The NAV of Fund shares will generally fluctuate with changes in the market value of the Fund’s securities holdings. The market prices of shares will generally fluctuate in accordance with changes in the Fund’s NAV and supply and demand of shares on the Exchange. It cannot be predicted whether Fund shares will trade below, at or above their NAV. During periods of unusual volatility or market disruptions, market prices of Fund shares may deviate significantly from the market value of the Fund’s securities holdings or the NAV of Fund shares. As a result, investors in the Fund may pay significantly more or receive significantly less for Fund shares than the value of the Fund’s underlying securities or the NAV of Fund shares.
Market Trading Risk: An investment in the Fund faces numerous market trading risks, including the potential lack of an active market for Fund shares, losses from trading in secondary markets, periods of high volatility and disruption in the creation/redemption process of the Fund. Any of these factors, among others, may lead to the Fund’s shares trading at a premium or discount to NAV. Because securities held by the Fund may trade on foreign exchanges that are closed when the Fund’s primary listing exchange is open, there may be deviations between the current price of a security and the security’s last quoted price from the closed foreign market. This may result in premiums and discounts that are greater than those experienced by purely domestic ETFs.
Trading Issues Risk: Although Fund shares are listed for trading on the NYSE Arca, Inc. (the “Exchange”), there can be no assurance that an active trading market for such shares will be maintained. Trading in Fund shares may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the Exchange, make trading in shares inadvisable. There can be no assurance that the requirements of the Exchange necessary to maintain the listing of any Fund will continue to be met or will remain unchanged or that the shares will trade with any volume, or at all. Further, secondary markets may be subject to erratic trading activity, wide bid/ask spreads and extended trade settlement periods in times of market stress because market makers and Authorized Participants may step away from making a market in Fund shares and in executing creation and redemption orders, which could cause a material deviation in the Fund’s market price from its NAV.
Liquidity Risk: In certain circumstances, such as the disruption of the orderly markets for the financial instruments in which the Fund invests, the Fund might not be able to acquire or dispose of certain holdings quickly or at prices that represent true market value in the judgment of the Adviser. Markets for the financial instruments in which the Fund invests may be disrupted by a number of events, including but not limited to economic crises, health crises, natural disasters, excessive volatility, new legislation, or regulatory changes inside or outside of the U.S. For example, regulation limiting the ability of certain financial institutions to invest in certain financial instruments would likely reduce the liquidity of those instruments. These situations may prevent the Fund from limiting losses, realizing gains or achieving a high leveraged correlation with the Index.
Money Market Instrument Risk: The Fund may use a variety of money market instruments for cash management purposes, including money market funds, depositary accounts and repurchase agreements. Money market funds may be subject to credit risk with respect to the debt instruments in which they invest. Depository accounts may be subject to credit risk with respect to the financial institution in which the depository account is held. Repurchase agreements are contracts in which a seller of securities agrees to buy the securities back at a specified time and price. Repurchase agreements may be subject to market and credit risk related to the collateral securing the repurchase agreement. Money market instruments may lose money.
30

Natural Disaster/Epidemic Risk: Natural or environmental disasters, such as earthquakes, fires, floods, hurricanes, tsunamis and other severe weather-related phenomena generally, and widespread disease, including pandemics and epidemics, have been and may be highly disruptive to economies and markets, adversely impacting individual companies, sectors, industries, markets, currencies, interest and inflation rates, credit ratings, investor sentiment, and other factors affecting the value of the Fund’s investments. Given the increasing interdependence among global economies and markets, conditions in one country, market, or region are increasingly likely to adversely affect markets, issuers, and/or foreign exchange rates in other countries, including the U.S. Any such events could have a significant adverse impact on the value of the Fund’s investments.
New Fund Risk: The Fund is a recently organized, non-diversified management investment company with limited operating history. As a result, prospective investors have a limited track record or history on which to base their investment decision. There can be no assurance that the Fund will grow to or maintain an economically viable size.
Other Investment Companies (including ETFs) Risk: The Fund may invest directly in another investment company by purchasing shares of the investment company or indirectly by utilizing an investment company as the reference asset of a derivative instrument. The Fund will incur higher and duplicative expenses when it invests in other investment companies such as ETFs (affiliated ETFs will not charge duplicate fees and expenses). There is also the risk that the Fund may suffer losses due to the investment practices of the underlying funds. If the other investment company fails to achieve its investment objective, the value of the Fund’s investment will not perform as expected, thus affecting the Fund’s performance and its correlation with the Index. When the Fund invests in other investment companies, the Fund will be subject to substantially the same risks as those associated with the direct ownership of securities held by such investment companies. Investments in ETFs are also subject to the following risks: (i) the market price of an ETF’s shares may trade above or below their net asset value; (ii) an active trading market for an ETF’s shares may not develop or be maintained; and (iii) trading of an ETF’s shares may be halted for a number of reasons. Investments in such shares may be subject to brokerage and other trading costs, which could result in greater expenses to the Fund. Finally, depending on the demand in the market, the Fund may not be able to liquidate its holdings in ETFs at an optimal price or time, which may adversely affect the Fund’s performance.
Portfolio Turnover Risk: The Fund may incur high portfolio turnover to manage the Fund’s investment exposure. Additionally, active market trading of the Fund’s shares may cause more frequent creation or redemption activities that could, in certain circumstances, increase the number of portfolio transactions. High levels of portfolio transactions increase brokerage and other transaction costs and may result in increased taxable capital gains. Each of these factors could have a negative impact on the performance of the Fund.
Reliance on Trading Partners Risk: The Fund invests in some economies that are heavily dependent upon trading with key partners. Any reduction in this trading may cause an adverse impact on the economy in which the Fund invests.
Sector Risk: To the extent the Fund invests more heavily in particular sectors of the economy, its performance will be especially sensitive to developments that significantly affect those sectors.
Securities Lending Risk: The Fund may engage in securities lending. The Fund may lose money if the borrower of the loaned securities delays returning in a timely manner or fails to return the loaned securities. Securities lending involves the risk that the Fund could lose money in the event of a decline in the value of collateral provided for loaned securities. In addition, the Fund bears the risk of loss in connection with its investment of the cash collateral it receives from a borrower. To the extent that the value or return of the Fund's investment of the cash collateral declines below the amount owed to the borrower, the Fund may incur losses that exceed the amount it earned on lending the security.
Smaller Companies Risk: The Fund’s Index may be composed primarily of, or have significant exposure to, securities of smaller companies. Smaller companies may be more vulnerable to adverse business or economic events than larger, more established companies, and may underperform other segments of the market or the equity market as a whole. The securities of smaller companies also tend to be bought and sold less frequently and at significantly lower trading volumes than the securities of larger companies. As a result, it may be more difficult for the Fund to buy or sell a significant amount of the securities of a smaller company without an adverse impact on the price of the company’s securities, or the Fund may have to sell such securities in smaller quantities over a longer period of time, which may increase the Fund’s tracking error.
Tax Risk: To qualify for the favorable tax treatment generally available to regulated investment companies, the Fund must satisfy certain diversification requirements under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). In particular, the Fund generally may not acquire a security if, as a result of the acquisition, more than 50% of the value of the Fund’s assets would be invested in (a) issuers in which the Fund has, in each case, invested more than 5% of the Fund’s assets and (b) issuers more than 10% of whose outstanding voting securities are owned by the Fund. Given the concentration of the Index in a relatively small number of securities, it may not be possible for the Fund to fully implement a replication strategy or a representative sampling strategy while satisfying these diversification requirements. The Fund’s efforts to satisfy the diversification requirements may cause the Fund’s return to deviate from that of the Index, and the Fund’s efforts to replicate the Index may cause it inadvertently to fail to satisfy the diversification requirements. If the Fund were to fail to qualify as a regulated investment company, it would be taxed in the same manner as an ordinary corporation, and distributions to its shareholders would not be deductible by the Fund in computing its taxable income.
31

Valuation Risk: The sales price that the Fund could receive for a security may differ from the Fund’s valuation of the security and may differ from the value used by the Index, particularly for securities that trade in low volume or volatile markets or that are valued using a fair value methodology. In addition, the value of the securities in the Fund’s portfolio may change on days when shareholders will not be able to purchase or sell the Fund’s shares.
Performance Information
The Fund is new and therefore does not have performance history for a full calendar year. Once the Fund has completed a full calendar year of operations, a bar chart and table will be included that will provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing the variability of the Fund’s returns and comparing the Fund’s performance to a broad measure of market performance. Updated performance information is available on the Fund’s website at www.etfmg.com or by calling 1‑844‑383‑6477.
Investment Adviser
ETF Managers Group LLC (the “Adviser”) serves as the investment adviser to the Fund.
Portfolio Managers
Samuel R. Masucci, III, Chief Executive Officer of the Adviser, Frank Vallario, Chief Investment Officer of the Adviser, Donal Bishnoi, Portfolio Manager of the Adviser, and Devin Ryder, Portfolio Manager of the Adviser, have been the Fund’s portfolio managers since the Fund’s inception in 2020.
For important information about the purchase and sale of Fund shares, tax information, and financial intermediary compensation, please turn to “Summary Information about Purchases, Sales, Taxes, and Financial Intermediary Compensation” on page 33 of the Prospectus.
32

Summary Information about Purchases, Sales, Taxes, and Financial Intermediary Compensation
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
Shares are listed on 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).
Each 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. Each 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.
Investors may incur costs attributable to the difference between the highest price a buyer is willing to pay to purchase Shares (bid) and the lowest price a seller is willing to accept for Shares (ask) when buying or selling Shares in the secondary market (the “bid-ask spread”). Recent information about the Funds, including its NAV, market price, premiums and discounts, and bid-ask spreads is available on the Fund’s website at www.etfmg.com.
Except when aggregated in Creation Units, the Fund’s shares are not redeemable securities.
Tax Information
The distributions made by the Funds are taxable, and will be taxed 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. However, subsequent withdrawals from such a tax-advantaged account may be subject to federal income tax. You should consult your tax advisor about your specific tax situation.
Financial Intermediary Compensation
If you purchase shares of the Funds through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank) (an “Intermediary”), the Adviser or its affiliates may pay Intermediaries for certain activities related to the Funds, including participation in activities that are designed to make Intermediaries more knowledgeable about exchange traded products, including the Funds, or for other activities, such as marketing, educational training or other initiatives related to the sale or promotion of a Fund’s shares. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the Intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Funds 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 Funds’ Investment Objectives and Strategies
This section contains additional details about the Funds’ investment objective, principal investment strategies and related risks.
Investment Objective
Each Fund is designed to seek daily investment results, before fees and expenses, that corresponds to two times (2x) the daily total return of the respective Index or two times the inverse (-2x) of the daily total return of the Index. If, on a given day, an Index gains 1%, a 2x Fund is designed to gain approximately 2% (which is equal to two times 1%), and the -2x Fund is designed to lose approximately 2%. Conversely, if an Index loses 1% on a given day, a 2x Fund is designed to lose approximately 2% and the -2x Fund is designed to gain approximately 2%. Each Fund seeks leveraged investment results on a daily basis – from the close of regular trading on one trading day to the close on the next trading day – which should not be equated with seeking a leveraged (2x Fund) or inverse leveraged (-2x Fund) investment objective for any other period. Each Fund is designed as short-term trading vehicles. Each Fund is intended to be used by investors who intend to actively monitor and manage their portfolios.
Each Fund’s investment objective is non-fundamental, meaning that it may be changed by the Board of Trustees (the “Board”) of ETF Managers Trust (the “Trust”), without the approval of Fund shareholders. Each Fund reserves the right to substitute a different index for the Index without shareholder approval.
Principal Investment Strategies
The Adviser uses a number of investment techniques in an effort to achieve the stated investment objective for each Fund. The ETFMG Prime 2x Daily Junior Silver Miners ETF and the ETFMG 2x Daily Travel Tech ETF (each, a “2x Fund”) seeks two times (2x) the daily total return of its respective Index on a given day. The ETFMG Prime 2x Daily Inverse Junior Silver Miners ETF (“-2x Fund”) seeks two times the inverse (-2x) (or opposite) of the daily total return of its Index on a given day. The Adviser attempts to provide the returns of a Index for a one-day period consistent with its Fund’s stated investment objective. To do this, the Adviser creates net “long” positions for a 2x Fund and net “short” positions for the -2x Fund. The Adviser may create short positions in a Fund even though the net exposure in such Fund will be long. Long positions move in the same direction as an Index, advancing when an Index advances and declining when such Index declines.
In seeking to achieve a Fund’s investment objective, the Adviser uses statistical and quantitative analysis to determine the investments such Fund makes and the techniques it employs. The Adviser relies upon a pre-determined model to generate orders that result in
33

repositioning a Fund’s investments in accordance with its daily leveraged (2x Fund) or inverse leveraged (-2x Fund) investment objective. Using this approach, the Adviser determines the type, quantity and mix of investment positions that it believes in combination should produce daily returns consistent with a Fund’s investment objective. In general, if a Fund is performing as designed, the return of its respective Index will dictate the return for such Fund. The Adviser does not invest the assets of a Fund in securities, derivatives or other investments based on the Adviser’s view of the investment merit of a particular security, instrument or company, nor does it conduct conventional investment research or analysis or forecast market movements or trends. A Fund generally pursues its investment objective regardless of the market conditions and does not take defensive positions.
Each Fund has a clearly articulated daily leveraged (2x Fund) or inverse leveraged (-2x Fund) investment objective which requires a Fund to seek economic exposure in excess of its net assets (i.e., economic leverage). To meet its objectives, a Fund invests in some combination of financial instruments so that it generates economic exposure consistent with such Fund’s investment objective.
The Funds may invest significantly in: swap agreements and ETFs to obtain economic “leverage.” Leveraging allows the Adviser to generate a greater positive or negative return for the Funds than what would be generated on the invested capital without leverage, thus changing small market movements into larger changes in the value of the investments of the Funds.
Each Fund generally may hold a representative sample of the securities in their respective Index. The sampling of securities that is held by a Fund are intended to maintain high correlation with, and similar aggregate characteristics (e.g., market capitalization and industry weightings) to, its respective Index. A Fund also may invest in securities that are not included in its respective Index or may overweight or underweight certain components of such Index. Certain assets may be concentrated in an industry or group of industries to the extent that a Index concentrates in a particular industry or group of industries. In addition, the Funds offered in this Prospectus are non-diversified, which means that it may invest in the securities of a limited number of issuers.
At the close of the markets each trading day, a Fund will position its portfolio to ensure that such Fund’s exposure to its respective Index is consistent with such Fund’s stated investment objective. The impact of market movements during the day determines whether a portfolio needs to be repositioned. If an Index has risen on a given day, a 2x Fund’s net assets should rise, meaning its exposure will typically need to be increased and the -2x Fund’s net assets should fall, meaning its exposure will typically need to be reduced. Conversely, if an Index has fallen on a given day, a 2x Fund’s net assets should fall, meaning its exposure will typically need to be reduced and the -2x Fund’s net assets should rise, meaning its exposure will typically need to be increased. A Fund’s portfolio may also need to be changed to reflect changes in the composition of its respective Index.
Each Fund may have difficulty in achieving its daily leveraged (2x Fund) or inverse leveraged (-2x Fund) investment objective due to fees, expenses, transaction costs, income items, accounting standards, significant purchase and redemption activity by Fund shareholders and/or disruptions or a temporary lack of liquidity in the markets for the securities held by a Fund. Additionally, if an Index includes foreign securities or tracks a foreign market index where the foreign market closes before or after the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) closes (generally at 4 p.m. Eastern Time), the daily leveraged performance of the Fund may deviate from its expected performance relative to the Index.
An exchange or market may close or issue trading halts on specific securities, or the ability to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments may be restricted, which may result in a Fund being unable to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments. In such circumstances, a Fund may be unable to rebalance its portfolio, may be unable to accurately price its investments and/or may incur substantial trading losses.
If a Fund is unable to obtain sufficient leveraged (2x Fund) or inverse leveraged (-2x Fund) exposure to its respective Index due to the limited availability of necessary investments or financial instruments, a Fund could, among other things, limit or suspend creation units until the Adviser determines that the requisite exposure to its respective Index is obtainable. During the period that creation units are suspended, a Fund could trade at a significant premium or discount to its NAV and could experience substantial redemptions.
The Funds, as part of their securities lending program, may invest collateral in an affiliated series of ETF Managers Trust, ETFMG Sit Ultra Short ETF. ETF Managers Group LLC serves as the investment adviser to ETFMG Sit Ultra Short ETF. Other investment companies, including Ultra Short ETF, in which a Fund may invest cash collateral can be expected to incur fees and expenses for operations, such as investment advisory and administration fees, which would be in addition to those incurred by the Funds, and which, with respect to Ultra Short ETF, will be received in full or in part by the Adviser.
A Cautionary Note to Investors Regarding Dramatic Index Movement
Each Fund seeks daily exposure to the Index equal to 200% or -200% of its net assets. As a consequence, a Fund could lose an amount greater than its net assets in the event of a decline (for a 2x Fund) or an increase (for the -2x Fund) in the value of its respective Index in excess of 50% of the value of such Index. The Adviser will attempt to position a Fund’s portfolio to ensure that such Fund does not gain or lose more than 90% of its NAV on a given day. If the Adviser successfully positions a Fund’s portfolio to provide such limits, such Fund’s portfolio and NAV will not be responsive to movements in its respective Index beyond 45% in a given day, whether that movement is favorable or adverse to such Fund. For example, if an Index were to gain 55%, a 2x Fund would be limited to a daily gain of 90%, which corresponds to two times the Index gain of 45%, rather than 110%, which is two times the Index gain of 55%. In addition, if a Index were to lose 55%, the -2x Fund would be limited to a daily gain of 90%, which corresponds to two times the Index
34

gain of 45%, rather than 110%, which is two times the Index gain of 55%. It may not be possible to limit a Fund’s losses, and shareholders should not expect such protection. The risk of total loss exists.
If a Index has a dramatic adverse move that causes a material decline in its respective Fund’s net assets, the terms of such Fund’s swap agreements may permit the counterparty to immediately close out the swap transaction. In that event, a Fund may be unable to enter into another swap agreement or invest in other derivatives to achieve exposure consistent with such Fund’s investment objective. This may prevent a Fund from achieving its leveraged or inverse leveraged investment objective, even if its Index later reverses all or a portion the move.
Understanding the Risks and Long-Term Performance of Daily Objective Funds – the Impact of Compounding
Each Fund is designed to provide leveraged (2x or -2x) results on a daily basis. A Fund, however, is unlikely to provide a simple multiple (i.e., 2x or -2x) of an index’s performance over periods longer than a single day.
Why? The hypothetical example below illustrates how daily leveraged fund returns can behave for periods longer than a single day.
Take a hypothetical fund XYZ that seeks to achieve twice the daily performance of index XYZ. On each day, fund XYZ performs in line with its objective (2x the index’s daily performance before fees and expenses). Notice that over the entire five-day period, the fund’s total return is considerably less than two times that of the period return of the index. For the five-day period, index XYZ gained 5.1% while fund XYZ gained 9.9% (versus 2 x 5.1% or 10.2%). In other scenarios, the return of a daily rebalanced fund could be greater than three times the index’s return.
Index XYZ
Fund XYZ
Level
Daily
Performance
Daily
Performance
Net Asset
Value
Start
100.0
$100.00
Day 1
103.0
3.0%
6.0%
$106.00
Day 2
99.9
-3.0%
-6.0%
$99.62
Day 3
103.9
4.0%
8.0%
$107.60
Day 4
101.3
-2.5%
-5.0%
$102.21
Day 5
105.1
3.8%
7.5%
$109.88
Total Return
5.1%
9.9%
Why does this happen? This effect is caused by compounding, which exists in all investments, but has a more significant impact on a daily leveraged fund. The return of a daily leveraged fund for a period longer than a single day is the result of its return for each day compounded over the period and usually will differ in amount, and possibly even direction, from the daily leveraged fund’s stated multiple times the return of the daily leveraged fund’s index for the same period. In general, during periods of higher index volatility, compounding will cause longer term results to be less than the multiple of the return of the index. This effect becomes more pronounced as volatility increases. Conversely, in periods of lower index volatility, fund returns over longer periods can be higher than the multiple of the return of the index. Actual results for a particular period, before fees and expenses, are also dependent on the following factors: a) the index’s volatility; b) the index’s performance; c) period of time; d) financing rates associated with derivatives; e) other fund expenses; and f) dividends or interest paid with respect to the securities in the index. The examples herein illustrate the impact of two principal factors — index volatility and index performance — on fund performance.
The graphs that follow illustrate this point. Each of the graphs shows a simulated hypothetical one year performance of an index compared with the performance of a fund that perfectly achieves its investment objective. The graphs demonstrate that, for periods longer than a single day, a daily leveraged fund is likely to underperform or overperform (but not match) the index performance times the stated multiple in the fund’s investment objective. Investors should understand the consequences of holding daily rebalanced funds for periods longer than a single day, including the impact of compounding on fund performance. Investors should actively manage and monitor their investments, as frequently as daily. A one-year period is used for illustrative purposes only. Deviations from the index return times the fund multiple can occur over periods as short as a single day (as measured from one day’s NAV to the next day’s NAV) and may also occur in periods shorter than a single day (when measured intraday as opposed to NAV to NAV). An investor in a daily leveraged fund could potentially lose the full principal value of his/her investment within a single day.
To isolate the impact of leverage, these graphs assume: a) no dividends paid with respect to securities in the index; b) no fund expenses; and c) borrowing/lending rates (to obtain required leverage) of zero percent. If these were reflected, the fund’s performance would be different than that shown. Each of the graphs also assumes a volatility rate of 30%, which is the approximate average of the five-year historical volatility rate of the Prime Junior Silver Miners & Explorers Index. An index’s volatility rate is a statistical measure of the magnitude of fluctuations in the returns of an index.
35

One-Year Simulation for 2x Fund; Index Return 0%
(Annualized Index Volatility 30%)
CK0001467831-20210131_G2.JPG
The graph above shows a scenario where the index, which exhibits day-to-day volatility, is flat or trendless over the year (i.e., begins and ends the year at 0%), but the 2x Fund is down.

36

One-Year Simulation for 2x Fund; Index Return 1.87%
(Annualized Index Volatility 30%)
CK0001467831-20210131_G3.JPG
The graph above shows a scenario where the index, which exhibits day-to-day volatility, is up over the year, but the 2x Fund is up less than two times the index.
37

One-Year Simulation for 2x Fund; Index Return –1.23%
(Annualized Index Volatility 30%)
CK0001467831-20210131_G4.JPG
The graph above shows a scenario where the index, which exhibits day-to-day volatility, is down over the year, the 2x Fund is down more than two times the index.
38

One-Year Simulation for 2x Inverse Fund; Index Return 0%
(Annualized Index Volatility 30%)
CK0001467831-20210131_G5.JPG
The graph above shows a scenario where the index, which exhibits day-to-day volatility, is flat or trendless over the year (i.e., begins and ends the year at 0%), but the -2x Fund is down.
39

One-Year Simulation for 2x Inverse Fund; Index Return 1.51%
(Annualized Index Volatility 30%)
CK0001467831-20210131_G6.JPG
The graph above shows a scenario where the index, which exhibits day-to-day volatility, is up over the year, but the -2x Fund is down more than minus two times the index.
40

One-Year Simulation for 2x Inverse Fund; Index Return –2.49%
(Annualized Index Volatility 30%)
CK0001467831-20210131_G7.JPG
The graph above shows a scenario where the index, which exhibits day-to-day volatility, is down over the year, the -2x Fund is up less than minus two times the Index.
What it means to you. Daily leveraged funds, if used properly and in conjunction with the investor’s view on the future direction and volatility of the markets, can be useful tools for knowledgeable investors who want to manage their exposure to various markets and market segments. Investors should understand the consequences of seeking daily investment results, before fees and expenses, that correspond to the performance of a daily benchmark such as the multiple (i.e., 2x or -2x) of the daily performance of an index for a single day, not for any other period, including the impact of compounding on fund performance. Investors should monitor and/or periodically rebalance their portfolios (which will possibly trigger transaction costs and tax consequences), as frequently as daily. Investors considering these funds should understand that they are designed to provide a positive or negative multiple of an index for a single day, not for any other period.
Additionally, investors should recognize that the degree of volatility of a fund’s index can have a dramatic effect on a fund’s longer-term performance. The more volatile an index is, the more a fund’s longer-term performance will negatively deviate from a simple multiple (e.g., 2x or -2x) of its index’s longer-term return. The return of the fund for a period longer than a single day is the result of its return for each day compounded over the period and usually will differ in amount, and possibly even direction, from the fund’s stated multiple times the return of the fund’s index for the same period. For periods longer than a single day, the fund will lose money if its index’s performance is flat over time, and it is possible that the fund will lose money over time regardless of the performance of its index, as a result of daily rebalancing, the index’s volatility, compounding and other factors. An investor in the fund could potentially lose the full principal value of his/her investment within a single day.
41

Additional Risk Information
You may lose the full principal value of your investment within a single day.
The following section provides additional information regarding the principal risks identified under “Principal Risks” in each Fund’s summary.
Effects of Compounding and Market Volatility Risk: A 2x Fund has a daily leveraged and the -2x Fund has a daily inverse leveraged investment objective and a Fund’s performance for periods greater than a trading day will be the result of each day’s returns compounded over the period, which is very likely to differ from underlying index’s performance times the stated multiple in a Fund’s investment objective, before fees and expenses. Compounding affects all investments, but has a more significant impact on leveraged funds and funds that, rebalance daily.
Over time, the cumulative percentage increase or decrease in the value of a Fund’s portfolio may diverge significantly from the cumulative percentage increase or decrease in 200% or -200% of the return of a Fund’s underlying index due to the compounding effect of losses and gains on the returns of a Fund. It also is expected that a Fund’s use of leverage will cause the Fund to underperform the return of 200% or -200% of its underlying index in a trendless or flat market.
The chart below provides examples of how index volatility could affect the Fund’s performance. The chart illustrates the impact of two factors that affect the Fund’s performance: Index volatility and Index return. Index returns show the percentage change in the value of the Index over the specified time period, while Index volatility is a statistical measure of the magnitude of fluctuations in the returns during that time period. As illustrated below, even if the Index return over two equal time periods is identical, different Index volatility (i.e., fluctuations in the rates of return) during the two time periods could result in drastically different Fund performance for the two time periods due to the effects of compounding daily returns during the time periods.
Fund performance for periods greater than one single day can be estimated given any set of assumptions for the following factors: a) index volatility; b) index performance; c) period of time; d) financing rates associated with leveraged exposure; e) other Fund expenses; and f) dividends or interest paid with respect to securities in its underlying index. The chart below illustrates the impact of two principal factors – index volatility and index performance – on Fund performance. The chart shows estimated Fund returns for a number of combinations of index volatility and index performance over a one-year period.
Performance shown in the chart assumes that: (i) no dividends were paid with respect to the securities included in its underlying index; (ii) there were no Fund expenses; and (iii) borrowing/lending rates (to obtain leveraged exposure for a 2x Fund and inverse leveraged exposure for the -2x Fund) of 0%. If Fund expenses and/or actual borrowing/lending rates were reflected, the estimated returns would be worse than those shown.
As shown below, a 2x Fund would be expected to lose 6.1% and the -2x Fund would be expected to lose 17.1% if the underlying index provided no return over a one year period during which the underlying index experienced annualized volatility of 25%. If the underlying index’s annualized volatility were to rise to 75%, the hypothetical loss for a one year period widens to approximately 43% for a 2x Fund and 81.5% for the -2x Fund. At higher ranges of volatility, there is a chance of a significant loss of value even if the underlying index is flat. For instance, if the underlying index’s annualized volatility is 100%, it is likely that a 2x Fund would lose 63.2% of its value, and the -2x Fund would lose approximately 95% of its value, even if the underlying index’s cumulative return for the year was only 0%. The volatility of ETFs or instruments that reflect the value of the underlying index such as swaps, may differ from the volatility of a Fund’s underlying index.
42

2x Chart
One Year Index Two Times (2x) One Year Index Volatility Rate
Return Return 10% 25% 50% 75% 100%
-60% -120% -84.2% -85.0% -87.5% -90.9% -94.1%
-50% -100% -75.2% -76.5% -80.5% -85.8% -90.8%
-40% -80% -64.4% -66.2% -72.0% -79.5% -86.8%
-30% -60% -51.5% -54.0% -61.8% -72.1% -82.0%
-20% -40% -36.6% -39.9% -50.2% -63.5% -76.5%
-10% -20% -19.8% -23.9% -36.9% -53.8% -70.2%
0% 0% -1.0% -6.1% -22.1% -43.0% -63.2%
10% 20% 19.8% 13.7% -5.8% -31.1% -55.5%
20% 40% 42.6% 35.3% 12.1% -18.0% -47.0%
30% 60% 67.3% 58.8% 31.6% -3.7% -37.8%
40% 80% 94.0% 84.1% 52.6% 11.7% -27.9%
50% 100% 122.8% 111.4% 75.2% 28.2% -17.2%
60% 120% 153.5% 140.5% 99.4% 45.9% -5.8%
-2x Chart
One Year Index  -200% One Year Index Volatility Rate
Return Return 10% 25% 50% 75% 100%
-60% 120% 506.5% 418.1% 195.2% 15.6% -68.9%
-50% 100% 288.2% 231.6% 88.9% -26.0% -80.1%
-40% 80% 169.6% 130.3% 31.2% -48.6% -86.2%
-30% 60% 98.1% 69.2% -3.6% -62.2% -89.8%
-20% 40% 51.6% 29.5% -26.2% -71.1% -92.2%
-10% -20% 19.8% 2.3% -41.7% -77.2% -93.9%
0% 0% -3.0% -17.1% -52.8% -81.5% -95.0%
10% -20% -19.8% -31.5% -61.0% -84.7% -95.9%
20% -40% -32.6% -42.4% -67.2% -87.2% -96.5%
30% -60% -42.6% -50.9% -72.0% -89.1% -97.1%
40% -80% -50.5% -57.7% -75.9% -90.6% -97.5%
50% -100% -56.9% -63.2% -79.0% -91.8% -97.8%
60% -120% -62.1% -67.6% -81.5% -92.8% -98.1%
Holding an unmanaged position opens the investor to the risk of market volatility adversely affecting the performance of the investment. A Fund is not appropriate for investors who do not intend to actively monitor and manage their portfolios. Each table is intended to underscore the fact that a Fund is designed as a short-term trading vehicle for investors who intend to actively monitor and manage their portfolios.
Leverage Risk: To achieve its daily investment objective, a Fund employs leverage and is exposed to the risk that adverse daily performance of the Index will be magnified. This means that, if the Index experiences an adverse daily performance, an investment in the Fund will change by an amount equal to 2% for every 1% of adverse performance, not including the costs of financing leverage and other operating expenses, which would further reduce its value. A Fund could theoretically lose an amount greater than its net assets if the Index moves more than 50% in a direction adverse to the Fund (meaning a decline in the value of the Index). Leverage will also have the effect of magnifying any differences in a Fund’s correlation with the Index.
Silver Exploration and Production Industry Concentration Risk (2x Junior Silver ETF and -2x Junior Silver ETF only): Because the Index concentrates in the Silver Exploration & Production sub-industry of the Metals & Mining industry (in the Natural Resources/Minerals sector), a Fund’s assets will be concentrated in, and will be more affected by the performance of, that sub-industry than a fund that is more diversified. The profitability of companies in the Silver Exploration & Production sub-industry is related to, among other things, the worldwide price of silver and the costs of extraction and production. Worldwide silver prices may fluctuate substantially over short periods of time, so a Fund’s share price may be more volatile than other types of investments. Companies in
43

the sub-industry may be adversely affected by economic conditions, tax treatment, government regulation and intervention, and world events in the regions in which the companies operate (e.g., expropriation, nationalization, confiscation of assets and property, repatriation of capital, military coups, social unrest). The price of the equity securities of silver mining companies and silver may not always be closely correlated. Investing in a silver company involves certain risks unrelated to an investment in silver as a commodity, including production costs, operational and managerial risk, and the possibility that the company will take measures to hedge or minimize its exposure to the volatility of the market price of silver.
Technology Companies Risk (2x Travel Tech ETF only): Companies in the technology field, including companies in the computers, telecommunications and electronics industries, face intense competition, which may have an adverse effect on profit margins. Technology companies may have limited product lines, markets, financial resources or personnel. The products of technology companies may face obsolescence due to rapid technological development and frequent new product introduction, and such companies may face unpredictable changes in growth rates, competition for the services of qualified personnel and competition from foreign competitors with lower production costs. Companies in the technology sector are heavily dependent on patent and intellectual property rights. The loss or impairment of these rights may adversely affect the profitability of these companies.
Market Disruption Risk: Geopolitical and other events, including public health crises and natural disasters, have recently led to increased market volatility and significant market losses. Significant market volatility and market downturns may limit a Fund’s ability to sell securities and obtain long exposure to securities, and a Fund’s sales and long exposures may exacerbate the market volatility and downturn. Under such circumstances, a Fund may have difficulty achieving its investment objective for one or more trading days, which may adversely impact a Fund’s returns on those days and periods inclusive of those days. Alternatively, a Fund may incur higher costs (including swap financing costs) in order to achieve its investment objective and may be forced to purchase and sell securities (including other ETFs’ shares) at market prices that do not represent their fair value (including in the case of an ETF, its net asset value) or at times that result in differences between the price a Fund receives for the security or the value of the swap exposure and the market closing price of the security or the market closing value of the swap exposure. Under those circumstances, a Fund’s ability to track its Index is likely to be adversely affected, the market price of Fund shares may reflect a greater premium or discount to net asset value and bid-ask spreads in a Fund’s shares may widen, resulting in increased transaction costs for secondary market purchasers and sellers. A Fund may also incur additional tracking error due to the use of securities that are not perfectly correlated to the Index.
Aggressive Investment Techniques Risk: Using investment techniques that may be considered aggressive, such as swap agreements, includes the risk of potentially dramatic changes (losses) in the value of the instruments, imperfect correlations between the price of the instrument and the underlying security or index, and volatility of the Funds.
Derivatives Risk: A Fund uses investment techniques, including investments in derivatives, such as swaps that may be considered aggressive. The use of derivatives may result in larger losses or smaller gains than investing in the underlying securities directly. Investments in these derivatives may generally be subject to market risks that cause their prices to fluctuate more than an investment directly in a security and may increase the volatility of a Fund. The use of derivatives may expose a Fund to additional risks such as counterparty risk, liquidity risk and increased daily correlation risk. When a Fund uses derivatives, there may be imperfect correlation between the value of the underlying reference assets and the derivative, which may prevent a Fund from achieving its investment objective.
A Fund may use swaps on the Index or swaps on an ETF that tracks the same, or a substantially similar, index. If the Index has a dramatic intraday move in value that causes a material decline in the applicable Fund’s NAV, the terms of the swap agreement between such Fund and its counterparty may allow the counterparty to immediately close out of the transaction with such Fund. In such circumstances, a Fund may be unable to enter into another swap agreement or invest in other derivatives to achieve the desired exposure consistent with such Fund’s daily leveraged investment objective. This may prevent a Fund from achieving its daily leveraged investment objective particularly if the Index reverses all or a portion of its intraday move by the end of the day. The value of an investment in a Fund may change quickly and without warning. Any financing, borrowing or other costs associated with using derivatives may also have the effect of lowering a Fund’s return.
In addition, a Fund’s investments in derivatives are subject to the following risks:
Swap Agreements. Swap agreements are entered into primarily with major global financial institutions for a specified period which may range from one day to more than one year. In a standard swap transaction, two parties agree to exchange the return (or differentials in rates of return) earned or realized on particular predetermined reference or underlying securities or instruments. The gross return to be exchanged or swapped between the parties is calculated based on a notional amount or the return on or change in value of a particular dollar amount invested in a reference asset.
Counterparty Risk: Counterparty risk is the risk that a counterparty is unwilling or unable to make timely payments to meet its contractual obligations with respect to the amount a Fund expects to receive from a counterparty to a financial instrument entered into by such Fund. A Fund generally enters into derivatives transactions, such as the swap agreements, with counterparties such that either party can terminate the contract without penalty prior to the termination date. A Fund may be negatively impacted if a counterparty becomes bankrupt or otherwise fails to perform its obligations under such a contract, or if any collateral posted by the counterparty for the benefit of a Fund is insufficient or there are delays in a Fund’s ability to access such collateral. If the counterparty becomes
44

bankrupt or defaults on its payment obligations to a Fund, it may experience significant delays in obtaining any recovery, may obtain only a limited recovery or obtain no recovery and the value of an investment held by a Fund may decline. The Fund may also not be able to exercise remedies, The Fund may also not be able to exercise remedies, The Fund may also not be able to exercise remedies, such as the such as the termination of transactions, netting of obligations and realization on collateral, if such remedies are stayed or eliminated under special resolutions adopted in the United States, the European Union and various other jurisdictions. European Union rules and regulations intervene when a financial institution is experiencing financial difficulties and could reduce, eliminate, or convert to equity a counterparty’s obligations to the Fund (sometimes referred to as a “bail in”).
A Fund typically enters into transactions with counterparties that present minimal risks based on the Adviser’s assessment of the counterparty’s creditworthiness, or its capacity to meet its financial obligations during the term of the derivative agreement or contract. The Adviser considers factors such as counterparty credit rating among other factors when determining whether a counterparty is creditworthy. The Adviser regularly monitors the creditworthiness of each counterparty with which a Fund transacts. A Fund generally enters into swap agreements with major, global financial institutions and seeks to mitigate risks by generally requiring that the counterparties for a Fund to post collateral, marked to market daily, in an amount approximately equal to what the counterparty owes such Fund, subject to certain minimum thresholds. To the extent any such collateral is insufficient or there are delays in accessing the collateral, a Fund will be exposed to the risks described above. If a counterparty’s credit ratings decline, a Fund may be subject to a bail-in, as described above.
In addition, a Fund may enter into swap agreements with a limited number of counterparties, which may increase such Fund’s exposure to counterparty credit risk. A Fund does not specifically limit its counterparty risk with respect to any single counterparty. There is a risk that no suitable counterparties are willing to enter into, or continue to enter into, transactions with a Fund and, as a result, such Fund may not be able to achieve its investment objective or may decide to change its leveraged (2x Fund) or inverse leveraged (-2x Fund) investment objective. Additionally, although a counterparty to a centrally cleared swap agreement is often backed by a futures commission merchant (“FCM”) or a clearing organization that is further backed by a group of financial institutions, there may be instances in which a FCM or a clearing organization would fail to perform its obligations, causing significant losses to a Fund.
Intra-Day Investment Risk: Each Fund seeks daily leveraged investment results, which should not be equated with seeking an investment objective for shorter than a day. Thus, an investor who purchases Fund shares after close of the markets on one trading day and before the close of the markets on the next trading day will likely have more, or less, than two times (2x) the leveraged investment exposure to the Index, depending upon the movement of the Index from the end of one trading day until the time of purchase. If the Index moves in a direction favorable to the Fund, the investor will receive less than two times (2x) the exposure to the Index (greater than two times for the -2X Fund). Conversely, if the Index moves in a direction adverse to the Fund, the investor will receive exposure to the Index greater than two times (2x) (less than two times for the -2X Fund). Thus, an investor that purchases shares intra-day may experience performance that is greater than, or less than, the Fund’s stated multiple of the Index.
If there is a significant intra-day market event and/or the securities of the Index experience a significant change that is adverse to a Fund, a Fund may not meet its investment objective or rebalance its portfolio appropriately. Additionally, a Fund may close to purchases and sales of Shares prior to the close of regular trading on the NYSE Arca, Inc. and incur significant losses.
Daily Index Correlation/Tracking Risk (2x Junior Silver ETF and 2x Travel Tech ETF only): There is no guarantee that a Fund will achieve a high degree of correlation to the Index and therefore achieve its daily leveraged investment objective. To achieve a high degree of correlation with the Index, a Fund seeks to rebalance its portfolio daily to keep leverage consistent with its daily leveraged investment objective. In addition, a Fund’s exposure to the Index is impacted by the Index’s movement. Because of this, it is unlikely that a Fund will be perfectly exposed to the Index at the end of each day. The possibility of a Fund being materially over- or under-exposed to the Index increases on days when the Index is volatile near the close of the trading day. Market disruptions, regulatory restrictions and extreme volatility will also adversely affect a Fund’s ability to adjust exposure to the required levels.
Because the Index may include instruments that trade on a different market than a Fund, such Fund’s return may vary from a multiple of the performance of the Index because different markets may close before the Exchange opens or may not be open for business on the same calendar days as the Fund. Additionally, due to differences in trading hours, and because the Index may be calculated using prices obtained at times other than a Fund’s NAV calculation time, such Fund’s performance may not correlate to the Index.
A Fund may have difficulty achieving its daily leveraged investment objective due to fees, expenses, transaction costs, financing costs related to the use of derivatives, investments in ETFs, directly or indirectly, income items, valuation methodology, accounting standards and disruptions or illiquidity in the markets for the securities or derivatives held by the Fund. A Fund may not have investment exposure to all securities in the Index, or its weighting of investment exposure to such stocks or industries may be different from that of the Index. In addition, each Fund may invest in securities or financial instruments not included in the applicable Index. A Fund may be subject to large movements of assets into and out of the Fund, potentially resulting in the Fund being over- or under-exposed to the Index. Activities surrounding periodic Index reconstitutions and other Index rebalancing events may hinder a Fund’s ability to meet its daily leveraged investment objective. A Fund may take or refrain from taking positions to improve the tax efficiency or to comply with various regulatory restrictions, either of which may negatively impact a Fund’s correlation to the Index.
45

Daily Inverse Index Correlation/Tracking Risk (-2x Junior Silver ETF only): Investors will lose money when the Index rises, which is a result that is the opposite from traditional index funds. There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve a high degree of inverse correlation to the Index and therefore achieve its daily inverse leveraged investment objective. The Fund’s exposure to the Index is impacted by the Index’s movement. Because of this, it is unlikely that the Fund will be perfectly exposed to the Index at the end of each day. The possibility of the Fund being materially over- or under-exposed to the Index increases on days when the Index is volatile near the close of the trading day. Market disruptions, regulatory restrictions and high volatility will also adversely affect the Fund’s ability to adjust exposure to the required levels.
Because the Index may include instruments that trade on a different market than the Fund, the Fund’s return may vary from a multiple of the performance of the Index because different markets may close before the Exchange opens or may not be open for business on the same calendar days as the Fund. Additionally, due to differences in trading hours, and because the Index may be calculated using prices obtained at times other than the Fund’s NAV calculation time, the Fund’s performance may not correlate to the Index.
The Fund may have difficulty achieving its daily two times inverse (-2x) leveraged investment objective due to fees, expenses, transaction costs, financing costs related to the use of derivatives, income items, valuation methodology, accounting standards and disruptions or illiquidity in the markets for the securities or derivatives held by the Fund. The Fund may not have investment exposure to all securities in the Index, or its weighting of investment exposure to such stocks or industries may be different from that of the Index. The Fund may also have exposure to securities or financial instruments that are not included in the Index. The Fund may also use other investment companies, such as ETFs, as reference assets for derivative instruments, which may result in increased tracking error. Additionally, an ETF’s performance may differ from the index it tracks, thus resulting in additional tracking error for the Fund. The Fund may be subject to large movements of assets into and out of the Fund, potentially resulting in the Fund being over- or under-exposed to the Index. Activities surrounding periodic Index reconstitutions and other Index rebalancing events may hinder the Fund’s ability to meet its daily inverse leveraged investment objective. For example, the Fund may take or refrain from taking positions to improve tax efficiency or to comply with various regulatory restrictions, which may negatively impact the Fund’s inverse correlation to the Index. Any of these factors could decrease correlation between the performance of the Fund and the Index and may hinder the Fund’s ability to meet its daily two times inverse (-2x) leveraged investment objective.
The remaining risks are presented in alphabetical order. Each risk summarized below is considered a “principal risk” of investing in the Fund, regardless of the order in which it appears.
Concentration Risk: Each Fund’s investments will be concentrated in an industry or group of industries to the extent the Index is so concentrated. To the extent a Fund invests more heavily in particular industries, groups of industries, or sectors of the economy, its performance will be especially sensitive to developments that significantly affect those industries, groups of industries, or sectors of the economy, and the value of Shares may rise and fall more than the value of shares that invest in securities of companies in a broader range of industries or sectors.
Early Close/Late Close/Trading Halt Risk: An exchange or market may close early, close late or issue trading halts on specific securities or financial instruments. As a result, the ability to trade certain securities or financial instruments may be restricted, which may disrupt a Fund’s creation and redemption process, potentially affect the price at which a Fund’s shares trade in the secondary market, and/or result in a Fund being unable to trade certain securities or financial instruments at all. In these circumstances, a Fund may be unable to rebalance its portfolio, may be unable to accurately price its investments and/or may incur substantial trading losses. If trading in a Fund’s shares are halted, investors may be temporarily unable to trade shares of the applicable Fund.
Equity Market Risk: An investment in a Fund involves risks of investing in equity securities, such as market fluctuations caused by such factors as economic and political developments, changes in interest rates and perceived trends in securities prices. The values of equity securities could decline generally or could underperform other investments. Different types of equity securities tend to go through cycles of out-performance and under-performance in comparison to the general securities markets. In addition, securities may decline in value due to factors affecting a specific issuer, market or securities markets generally. Holders of common stocks incur more risk than holders of preferred stocks and debt obligations because common stockholders, as owners of the issuer, have generally inferior rights to receive payments from the issuer in comparison with the rights of creditors of, or holders of debt obligations or preferred stocks issued by, the issuer. Additionally, natural or environmental disasters, widespread disease or other public health issues, war, acts of terrorism or other events could result in increased premiums or discounts to a Fund’s NAV.
ETF Risks:
Absence of an Active Market Risk: Although a Fund’s shares are approved for listing on the Exchange, there can be no assurance that an active trading market will develop and be maintained for Fund shares. There can be no assurance that a Fund will grow to or maintain an economically viable size, in which case a Fund may ultimately liquidate.
Authorized Participants, Market Makers and Liquidity Providers Concentration Risk: A Fund has a limited number of financial institutions that may act as Authorized Participants (“APs”), none of which are obligated to engage in creation and/or redemption transactions. 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, there may be a significantly diminished trading market for Fund shares and shares may trade at a material discount to NAV and possibly face delisting: (i) APs exit the business or
46

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. The risks associated with limited APs may be heightened in scenarios where APs have limited or diminished access to the capital required to post collateral.
Cash Transactions Risk: The Fund may effect its creations and redemptions primarily for cash, rather than in-kind securities. Paying redemption proceeds in cash rather than through in-kind delivery of portfolio securities may require the fund to dispose of or sell portfolio investments at an inopportune time to obtain the cash needed to distribute redemption proceeds. This may cause the Fund to incur certain costs such as brokerage costs, and to recognize gains or losses that it might not have incurred if it had made a redemption in-kind. As a result, the Fund may pay out higher or lower annual capital gains distributions than ETFs that redeem in-kind. In addition, the costs imposed on the Fund will decrease the Fund’ NAV unless the costs are offset by a transaction fee payable by an AP.
Costs of Buying or Selling Shares Risk: Investors buying or selling a Fund’s shares in the secondary market will pay brokerage commissions or other charges imposed by brokers as determined by the applicable 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 difference between the price that an investor is willing to pay for shares (the “bid” price) and the price at which an investor is willing to sell shares (the “ask” price). This difference in bid and ask prices is often referred to as the “spread” or “bid/ask spread.” The bid/ask spread varies over time for shares based on trading volume and market liquidity, and is generally lower if a Fund’s shares have more trading volume and market liquidity and higher if a Fund’s shares have little trading volume and market liquidity. Further, 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.
Fluctuation of NAV Risk: The NAV of a Fund’s shares will generally fluctuate with changes in the market value of the Fund’s securities holdings. The market prices of shares will generally fluctuate in accordance with changes in a Fund’s NAV and supply and demand of shares on the Exchange. It cannot be predicted whether a Fund’s shares will trade below, at or above their NAV. Price differences may be due, in large part, to the fact that supply and demand forces at work in the secondary trading market for shares will be closely related to, but not identical to, the same forces influencing the prices of the securities of the Index trading individually or in the aggregate at any point in time. The market prices of a Fund’s shares may deviate significantly from the NAV of the shares during periods of market volatility. While the creation/redemption feature is designed to make it likely that a Fund’s shares normally will trade close to the applicable Fund’s NAV, disruptions to creations and redemptions may result in trading prices that differ significantly from a Fund’s NAV. As a result, investors in a Fund may pay significantly more or receive significantly less for Fund shares than the value of a Fund’s underlying securities or the NAV of Fund shares. If an investor purchases a Fund’s shares at a time when the market price is at a premium to the NAV of the shares or sells at a time when the market price is at a discount to the NAV of the shares, then the investor may sustain losses.
Market Trading Risk: An investment in a Fund faces numerous market trading risks, including the potential lack of an active market for Fund shares, losses from trading in secondary markets, periods of high volatility and disruption in the creation/redemption process of a Fund. Any of these factors, among others, may lead to a Fund’s shares trading at a premium or discount to NAV. Because securities held by the Fund may trade on foreign exchanges that are closed when the Fund’s primary listing exchange is open, there may be deviations between the current price of a security and the security’s last quoted price from the closed foreign market. This may result in premiums and discounts that are greater than those experienced by purely domestic ETFs.
Trading Issues Risk: Although a Fund’s shares are listed for trading on the Exchange, there can be no assurance that an active trading market for such shares will be maintained. Trading in a Fund’s 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 is subject to trading halts caused by extraordinary market volatility pursuant to the 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 Fund shares when extraordinary volatility causes sudden, significant swings in the market price of Fund shares. There can be no assurance that the requirements of the Exchange necessary to maintain the listing of a Fund will continue to be met or will remain unchanged or that the shares will trade with any volume, or at all. In stressed market conditions, the liquidity of a Fund’s shares may begin to mirror the liquidity of a Fund’s underlying portfolio holdings, which can be significantly less liquid than a Fund’s shares, potentially causing the market price of a Fund’s shares to deviate from their NAV.
Further, secondary markets may be subject to erratic trading activity, wide bid/ask spreads and extended trade settlement periods in times of market stress because market makers and Authorized Participants may step away from making a market in Fund shares and in executing creation and redemption orders, which could cause a material deviation in a Fund’s market price from its NAV. Decisions by market makers or Authorized Participants to reduce their role or step away from these activities in times of market stress could inhibit the effectiveness of the arbitrage process in maintaining the relationship between the
47

underlying value of a Fund’s portfolio securities and the applicable Fund’s market price. This reduced effectiveness could result in Fund shares trading at a price which differs materially from NAV and also in greater than normal intraday bid/ask spreads for Fund shares. During a “flash crash,” the market prices of a Fund’s shares may decline suddenly and significantly. Such a decline may not reflect the performance of the portfolio securities held by a Fund. Flash crashes may cause Authorized Participants and other market makers to limit or cease trading in a Fund’s shares for temporary or longer periods. Shareholders could suffer significant losses to the extent that they sell shares at these temporarily low market prices.
Foreign Investment Risk: Returns on investments in foreign stocks could be more volatile than, or trail the returns on, investments in U.S. stocks. Since foreign exchanges may be open on days when a Fund does not price its Shares, the value of the securities in a Fund’s portfolio may change on days when shareholders will not be able to purchase or sell the Shares. Conversely, Shares may trade on days when foreign exchanges are closed. Because securities held by a Fund trade on foreign exchanges that are closed when a Fund’s primary listing exchange is open, a Fund is likely to experience premiums and discounts greater than those of domestic ETFs. Each of these factors can make investments in a Fund more volatile and potentially less liquid than other types of investments.
Currency Risk: Indirect and direct exposure to foreign currencies subjects a Fund to the risk that currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar. Currency rates in foreign countries may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time for a number of reasons, including changes in interest rates and the imposition of currency controls or other political developments in the U.S. or abroad. A Fund’s NAV is determined on the basis of U.S. dollars and, therefore, a Fund may lose value if the local currency of a foreign market depreciates against the U.S. dollar, even if the local currency value of a Fund’s holdings goes up.
Depositary Receipts Risk: A Fund may invest in depositary receipts. Depositary receipts include ADRs and GDRs. ADRs are U.S. dollar-denominated receipts representing shares of foreign-based corporations. ADRs are issued by U.S. banks or trust companies, and entitle the holder to all dividends and capital gains that are paid out on the underlying foreign shares. GDRs are depositary receipts which are similar to ADRs, but are shares of foreign-based corporations generally issued by international banks in one or more markets around the world. Investment in ADRs and GDRs may be less liquid than the underlying shares in their primary trading market and GDRs, many of which are issued by companies in emerging markets, may be more volatile and less liquid than depositary receipts issued by companies in more developed markets.
Depositary receipts may be sponsored or unsponsored. Sponsored depositary receipts are established jointly by a depositary and the underlying issuer, whereas unsponsored depositary receipts may be established by a depositary without participation by the underlying issuer. Holders of an unsponsored depositary receipt generally bear all the costs associated with establishing the unsponsored depositary receipt. In addition, the issuers of the securities underlying unsponsored depositary receipts are not obligated to disclose material information in the United States and, therefore, there may be less information available regarding such issuers and there may not be a correlation between such information and the market value of the depositary receipts.
Depositary receipts may be unregistered and unlisted. A Fund’s investments also may include ADRs and GDRs that are not purchased in the public markets and are restricted securities that can be offered and sold only to “qualified institutional buyers” under Rule 144A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. The Adviser will determine the liquidity of such investments pursuant to the Funds’ liquidity risk management program. If a particular investment in such ADRs or GDRs is deemed illiquid, that investment will be included within a Fund’s limitation on investment in illiquid securities. Moreover, if adverse market conditions were to develop during the period between a Fund’s decision to sell these types of ADRs or GDRs and the point at which a Fund is permitted or able to sell such security, a Fund might obtain a price less favorable than the price that prevailed when it decided to sell.
Emerging Markets Securities Risk (2x Junior Silver ETF and -2x Junior Silver ETF only): A Fund’s investments may expose a Fund’s portfolio to the risks of investing in emerging markets. Investments in emerging markets are subject to greater risk of loss than investments in developed markets. This is due to, among other things, greater market volatility, lower trading volume, political and economic instability, greater risk of market shutdown and more governmental limitations on foreign investments than typically found in developed markets. In addition, less developed markets are more likely to experience problems with the clearing and settling of trades and the holding of securities by local banks, agents and depositories.
Foreign Market and Trading Risk: The trading markets for many foreign securities are not as active as U.S. markets and may have less governmental regulation and oversight. Foreign markets also may have clearance and settlement procedures that make it difficult for a Fund to buy and sell securities. These factors could result in a loss to a Fund by causing the Fund to be unable to dispose of an investment or to miss an attractive investment opportunity, or by causing Fund assets to be uninvested for some period of time. Where all or a part of a Fund’s underlying securities trade in a market that is closed when the Exchange is open, there may be changes between the last quotation from its closed foreign market and the value of such securities during a Fund’s domestic trading day. This could lead to differences between the market price of a Fund’s shares and the value of a Fund’s underlying securities.
Foreign Securities Risk: A Fund invests in foreign securities, including non-U.S. dollar-denominated securities traded outside of the United States and U.S. dollar-denominated securities of foreign issuers traded in the United States. Investment in
48

foreign securities may involve higher costs than investment in U.S. securities, including higher transaction and custody costs as well as the imposition of additional taxes by foreign governments. Foreign investments may also involve risks associated with the level of currency exchange rates, less complete financial information about the issuers, less market liquidity, more market volatility and political instability, as well as varying regulatory requirements applicable to investments in non-U.S. issuers. Future political and economic developments, the possible imposition of withholding taxes on dividend income, the possible seizure or nationalization of foreign holdings, the possible establishment of exchange controls or freezes on the convertibility of currency, or the adoption of other governmental restrictions might adversely affect an investment in foreign securities. Additionally, foreign issuers may be subject to less stringent regulation, and to different accounting, auditing and recordkeeping requirements.
Political and Economic Risk: A Fund is subject to foreign political and economic risk not associated with U.S. investments, meaning that political events (civil unrest, national elections, changes in political conditions and foreign relations, imposition of exchange controls and repatriation restrictions), social and economic events (labor strikes, rising inflation) and natural disasters occurring in a country where a Fund invests could cause the Fund’s investments in that country to experience gains or losses. A Fund also could be unable to enforce its ownership rights or pursue legal remedies in countries where it invests.
Privatization Risk (2x Travel Tech ETF only): Some countries in which the Fund invests have begun a process of privatizing certain entities and industries. Privatized entities may lose money or be re-nationalized.
Gain Limitation Risk: The Adviser will attempt to position a Fund’s portfolio to ensure that such Fund does not gain or lose more than 90% of its NAV on a given day. As a consequence, a Fund’s portfolio should not be responsive to Index movements of more than 45% in a given day. For example, for a Fund, if the Index were to gain 50%, its gains should be limited to a daily gain of 90% (i.e., two times (2x) 45%) rather than 100% (i.e., two times (2x) 50%) and if the Index were to lose 50%, the -2x Fund gains should be limited to a daily gain of 90% (i.e., inverse 2 times (-2x) 45%) rather than 100% (i.e., inverse 2 times (-2x) 50%).
Geographic Concentration Risk (2x Travel Tech ETF only): The Fund is subject to geographic concentration risk, which is the chance that world events—such as political upheaval, financial troubles, or natural disasters—will adversely affect the value of securities issued by companies in foreign countries or regions. Because the Fund may invest a large portion of its assets in securities of companies located in any one country or region, the Fund’s performance may be hurt disproportionately by the poor performance of its investments in that area.
Risks Related to Investing in Western Europe. Most developed countries in Western Europe are members of the European Union (EU), and many are also members of the European Monetary Union (EMU), which requires compliance with restrictions on inflation rates, deficits, and debt levels. Unemployment in certain European nations is historically high and several countries face significant debt problems. These conditions can significantly affect every country in Europe. The euro is the official currency of the EU. Funds that invest in Europe may have significant exposure to the euro and events affecting the euro. Recent market events affecting several of the EU member countries have adversely affected the sovereign debt issued by those countries, and ultimately may lead to a decline in the value of the euro. A significant decline in the value of the euro may produce unpredictable effects on trade and commerce generally and could lead to increased volatility in financial markets worldwide.
Uncertainties surrounding the sovereign debt of a number of EU countries and the viability of the EU have disrupted and may in the future disrupt markets in the United States and around the world. If one or more countries leave the EU or the EU dissolves, the world’s securities markets likely will be significantly disrupted. In January 2020, the United Kingdom (“UK”) left the EU, commonly referred to as “Brexit,” and the UK ceased to be a member of the EU. Following a transition period during which the EU and the UK Government engaged in a series of negotiations regarding the terms of the UK’s future relationship with the EU, the EU and the UK Government signed an agreement on December 30, 2020 regarding the economic relationship between the UK and the EU. This agreement became effective on a provisional basis on January 1, 2021. There is significant market uncertainty regarding Brexit’s ramifications, and the range and potential implications of possible political, regulatory, economic, and market outcomes are difficult to predict. This long-term uncertainty may affect other countries in the EU and elsewhere, and may cause volatility within the EU, triggering prolonged economic downturns in certain European countries. In addition, Brexit may create additional and substantial economic stresses for the UK, including a contraction of the UK economy and price volatility in UK stocks, decreased trade, capital outflows, devaluation of the British pound, wider corporate bond spreads due to uncertainty, and declines in business and consumer spending as well as foreign direct investment. Brexit may also adversely affect UK-based financial firms that have counterparties in the EU or participate in market infrastructure (trading venues, clearing houses, settlement facilities) based in the EU. These events and the resulting market volatility may have an adverse effect on the performance of the Fund.
Geographic Risk (2x Junior Silver ETF and -2x Junior Silver ETF only): A Fund that is less diversified across countries or geographic regions is generally riskier than more geographically diversified funds and risks associated with such countries or geographic regions may negatively affect a Fund.
Canada-Specific Risk: Because the investments of a Fund may be geographically concentrated in Canadian companies or companies that have a significant presence in Canada, investment results could be dependent on the financial condition of the
49

Canadian economy. The Canadian economy is reliant on the sale of natural resources and commodities, which can pose risks such as the fluctuation of prices and the variability of demand for exportation of such products. Changes in spending on Canadian products by the economies of other countries or changes in any of these economies may cause a significant impact on the Canadian economy.
Liquidity Risk: Some securities held by a Fund, including derivatives, may be difficult to sell or illiquid, particularly during times of market turmoil. Markets for securities or financial instruments could be disrupted by a number of events, including, but not limited to, an economic crisis, natural disasters, new legislation or regulatory changes inside or outside the United States. Illiquid securities may be difficult to value, especially in changing or volatile markets. If a Fund is forced to sell an illiquid security at an unfavorable time or price, such Fund may incur a loss. Certain market conditions may prevent a Fund from limiting losses, realizing gains or achieving a high correlation with the Index. There is no assurance that a security that is deemed liquid when purchased will continue to be liquid.
Market illiquidity may cause losses for a Fund. For such Fund, to the extent that the Index moves adversely, the Fund may be one of many market participants that are attempting to transact in the securities of an underlying index or correlated instruments. Under such circumstances, the market for investments of the Index may lack sufficient liquidity for all market participants’ trades. Therefore, a Fund may have more difficulty transacting in securities of the Index or correlated investments such as financial instruments and a Fund’s transactions could exacerbate the price change of the securities of the Index. Additionally, because a Fund is leveraged, a minor adverse change in the value of the Index should be expected to have a substantial adverse impact on such Fund.
Money Market Instrument Risk: A Fund may use a variety of money market instruments for cash management purposes, including money market funds, depositary accounts and repurchase agreements. Money market funds may be subject to credit risk with respect to the debt instruments in which they invest. Depository accounts may be subject to credit risk with respect to the financial institution in which the depository account is held. Repurchase agreements are contracts in which a seller of securities agrees to buy the securities back at a specified time and price. Repurchase agreements may be subject to market and credit risk related to the collateral securing the repurchase agreement. Money market instruments may also be subject to credit risks associated with the instruments in which they invest. There is no guarantee that money market instruments will maintain a stable value, and they may lose money.
Natural Disaster/Epidemic Risk: Natural or environmental disasters, such as earthquakes, fires, floods, hurricanes, tsunamis and other severe weather-related phenomena generally, and widespread disease, including pandemics and epidemics, have been and may be highly disruptive to economies and markets, adversely impacting individual companies, sectors, industries, markets, currencies, interest and inflation rates, credit ratings, investor sentiment, and other factors affecting the value of a Fund’s investments. Given the increasing interdependence among global economies and markets, conditions in one country, market, or region are increasingly likely to adversely affect markets, issuers, and/or foreign exchange rates in other countries, including the U.S. Any such events could have a significant adverse impact on the value of a Fund’s investments.
New Fund Risk: Each Fund is a recently organized investment company with no operating history. As a result, prospective investors have no track record or history on which to base their investment decision.
Non-Diversification Risk: Because each Fund is “non-diversified,” a Fund may invest a greater percentage of its assets in the securities of a single issuer or a small number of issuers than if it was a diversified fund. As a result, a decline in the value of an investment in a single issuer or a small number of issuers could cause a Fund’s overall value to decline to a greater degree than if a Fund held a more diversified portfolio. This may increase a Fund’s volatility and have a greater impact on such Fund’s performance.
Other Investment Companies (including ETFs) Risk: A Fund may invest directly in another investment company by purchasing shares of the investment company or indirectly by utilizing an investment company as the reference asset of a derivative instrument. A Fund will incur higher and duplicative expenses when it invests in other investment companies such as ETFs. There is also the risk that a Fund may suffer losses due to the investment practices of the underlying funds. If the other investment company fails to achieve its investment objective, the value of such Fund’s investment will not perform as expected, thus affecting such Fund’s performance and its correlation with the Index. When a Fund invests in other investment companies, such Fund will be subject to substantially the same risks as those associated with the direct ownership of securities held by such investment companies. Investments in ETFs are also subject to the following risks: (i) the market price of an ETF’s shares may trade above or below their net asset value; (ii) an active trading market for an ETF’s shares may not develop or be maintained; and (iii) trading of an ETF’s shares may be halted for a number of reasons. Investments in such shares may be subject to brokerage and other trading costs, which could result in greater expenses to a Fund. Finally, depending on the demand in the market, a Fund may not be able to liquidate its holdings in ETFs at an optimal price or time, which may adversely affect such Fund’s performance.
Portfolio Turnover Risk: Daily rebalancing of a Fund’s holdings pursuant to its daily investment objective causes a much greater number of portfolio transactions when compared to most ETFs. Additionally, active market trading of a Fund’s shares on such exchanges as the NYSE Arca, Inc., could cause more frequent creation and redemption activities which could increase the number of portfolio transactions. Frequent and active trading may lead to higher transaction costs because of increased broker commissions resulting from such transactions. In addition, there is the possibility of significantly increased short-term capital gains (which will be taxable to shareholders as ordinary income when distributed to them). A Fund calculates portfolio turnover without including the short-term cash instruments or derivative transactions that comprise the majority of such Fund’s trading. As such, if a Fund’s extensive use of derivative instruments were reflected, the calculated portfolio turnover rate would be significantly higher.
50

Reliance on Trading Partners Risk: A Fund invests in some economies that are heavily dependent upon trading with key partners. Any reduction in this trading may cause an adverse impact on the economy in which a Fund invests.
Sector Risk: To the extent a Fund invests more heavily in particular sectors of the economy, its performance will be especially sensitive to developments that significantly affect those sectors.
Securities Lending Risk: Each Fund may engage in securities lending. A Fund may lose money if the borrower of the loaned securities delays returning in a timely manner or fails to return the loaned securities. Securities lending involves the risk that a Fund could lose money in the event of a decline in the value of collateral provided for loaned securities. In addition, a Fund bears the risk of loss in connection with its investment of the cash collateral it receives from a borrower. When a Fund invests cash collateral in other investment companies, such investments of cash collateral will be subject to substantially the same risks as those associated with the direct ownership of securities held by such investment companies. To the extent that the value or return of a Fund’s investment of the cash collateral declines below the amount owed to the borrower, such Fund may incur losses that exceed the amount it earned on lending the security. The Funds may borrow money to repay the applicable borrower the amount of cash collateral owed to the borrower upon return of the loaned securities. This will result in financial leverage, which may cause the Funds to be more volatile because financial leverage tends to exaggerate the effect of any increase or decrease in the value of the Funds’ portfolio securities.
Shorting Risk (-2x Junior Silver ETF only): A short position is a financial arrangement in which the short position appreciates in value when a reference asset falls in value and depreciates in value when the reference asset rises in value. Over the long term, most assets are expected to rise in value and short positions are expected to depreciate in value. Short positions therefore may be riskier and more speculative than traditional investments.
Obtaining inverse or “short” exposure through the use of derivatives such as swap agreements may expose the Fund to certain risks such as an increase in volatility or decrease in the liquidity of the securities of the underlying short position. If the Fund were to experience this volatility or decreased liquidity, the Fund’s return may be lower, the Fund’s ability to obtain inverse exposure through the use of derivatives may be limited or the Fund may be required to obtain inverse exposure through alternative investment strategies that may be less desirable or more costly to implement. If the securities underlying the short positions are thinly traded or have a limited market due to various factors, including regulatory action, the Fund may be unable to meet its investment objective due to a lack of available securities or counterparties. The Fund may not be able to issue additional Creation Units during period when it cannot meet its investment objective due to these factors. Any income, dividends or payments by the assets underlying the Fund’s short positions will negatively impact the Fund.
Smaller Companies Risk: Each Fund’s Index may be composed primarily of, or have significant exposure to, securities of smaller companies. As a result, a Fund may be subject to the risk that securities of smaller companies represented in the Index may underperform securities of larger companies or the equity market as a whole. In addition, in comparison to securities of companies with larger capitalizations, securities of smaller-capitalization companies may experience more price volatility, greater spreads between their bid and ask prices, less frequent trading, significantly lower trading volumes, and cyclical or static growth prospects. As a result of the differences between the securities of smaller companies and those of companies with larger capitalizations, it may be more difficult for a Fund to buy or sell a significant amount of the securities of a smaller company without an adverse impact on the price of the company’s securities, or a Fund may have to sell such securities in smaller quantities over a longer period of time, which may prevent a Fund from achieving its investment objective. Smaller-capitalization companies often have limited product lines, markets or financial resources, and may therefore be more vulnerable to adverse developments than larger capitalization companies. These securities may or may not pay dividends.
Tax Risk: To qualify for the favorable tax treatment generally available to regulated investment companies, a Fund must satisfy certain diversification requirements under the Code. In particular, a Fund generally may not acquire a security if, as a result of the acquisition, more than 50% of the value of a Fund’s assets would be invested in (a) issuers in which a Fund has, in each case, invested more than 5% of such Fund’s assets and (b) issuers more than 10% of whose outstanding voting securities are owned by such Fund. When the Index is concentrated in a relatively small number of securities, it may not be possible for a Fund to fully implement a replication strategy or a representative sampling strategy while satisfying these diversification requirements. A Fund’s efforts to satisfy the diversification requirements may cause such Fund’s return to deviate from that of its Index, and such Fund’s efforts to replicate its Index may cause it inadvertently to fail to satisfy the diversification requirements.
If a Fund were to fail to qualify as a regulated investment company, it would be taxed in the same manner as an ordinary corporation, and distributions to its shareholders would not be deductible by such Fund in computing its taxable income. Distributions to Fund’s shareholders would generally be taxed as ordinary dividends. Under certain circumstances, a Fund may be able to cure a failure to qualify as a regulated investment company, but in order to do so a Fund may incur significant Fund-level taxes and may be forced to dispose of certain assets. Relief is provided for certain de minimis failures of the diversification requirements where a Fund corrects the failure within a specified period. If a Fund were to fail to qualify as a regulated investment company in any taxable year, such Fund would be required to pay out its earnings and profits accumulated in that year in order to qualify for treatment as a regulated investment company in a subsequent year. If a Fund failed to qualify as a regulated investment company for a period greater than two taxable years, such Fund would generally be required to pay the Fund-level tax on any net built-in gains with respect to certain of its assets upon a disposition of such assets within five years of qualifying as a regulated investment company in a subsequent year.
51

Valuation Risk: The sales price that a Fund could receive for a security may differ from such Fund’s valuation of the security and may differ from the value used by the Index, particularly for securities that trade in low volume or volatile markets or that are valued using a fair value methodology. In addition, the value of the securities in a Fund’s portfolio may change on days when shareholders will not be able to purchase or sell such Fund’s shares.
52

Portfolio Holdings
Information about a Fund’s daily portfolio holdings will be available at www.etfmg.com. A summarized description of a Fund’s policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of a Fund’s portfolio holdings is available in the Funds’ Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”).
Fund Management
Adviser. ETF Managers Group LLC, the investment adviser to the Funds, is a Delaware limited liability company located at 30 Maple Street, 2nd Floor, Summit, New Jersey 07901. The Adviser provides investment advisory services to exchange-traded funds. The Adviser serves as investment adviser to the Funds with overall responsibility for the day-to-day portfolio management of each Fund, subject to the supervision of the Board. For its services, the Adviser receives a fee that is equal to the percent shown in the table below per annum of the average daily net assets of each Fund with the fee for each Fund calculated daily and paid monthly.
Fund Management Fee
2x Junior Silver ETF
0.95%
-2x Junior Silver ETF
0.95%
2x Travel Tech ETF
0.95%
Under the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Adviser has overall responsibility for the general management and administration of the Funds and arranges for transfer agency, custody, fund administration, securities lending, and all other non-distribution related services necessary for the Funds to operate. Additionally, under the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Adviser has agreed to pay all expenses of each Fund, except for: the fee paid to the Adviser pursuant to the Investment Advisory Agreement, interest charges on any borrowings, 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 (such as, among other things and subject to Board approval, certain proxy solicitation costs and non-standard Board-related expenses and litigation against the Board, Trustees, Fund, Adviser, and officers of the Adviser), and distribution (12b-1) fees and expenses (collectively, “Excluded Expenses”).
A discussion regarding the basis for the Board’s approval of the Investment Advisory Agreement will be available in the Funds’ first Semi-Annual or Annual Report.
Manager of Managers Structure. The Adviser and the Trust have received an exemptive order (the “Order”) from the SEC that permits the Adviser to enter into investment sub-advisory agreements with sub-advisers without obtaining shareholder approval. The Adviser, subject to the review and approval of the Board, may select one or more sub-advisers for the Funds and supervise, monitor and evaluate the performance of each sub-adviser.
The Order also permits the Adviser, subject to the approval of the Board, to replace sub-advisers and amend investment sub-advisory agreements, including fees, without shareholder approval whenever the Adviser and the Board believe such action will benefit a Fund and its shareholders. The Adviser thus has the ultimate responsibility (subject to the ultimate oversight of the Board) to recommend the hiring and replacement of sub-advisers as well as the discretion to terminate any sub-adviser and reallocate a Fund’s assets for management among any other sub-adviser(s) and itself. This means that the Adviser may be able to reduce the sub-advisory fees and retain a larger portion of the management fee, or increase the sub-advisory fees and retain a smaller portion of the management fee. The Adviser will compensate each sub-adviser out of its management fee. A Fund is required to provide shareholders with certain information regarding any new sub-adviser within 90 days of the hiring of any new sub-adviser. Such information generally includes the information that would have been provided to shareholders in the form of a proxy statement in the absence of the Order.
The Adviser’s reliance on such Order with respect to the Funds is contingent on the holders of a majority of a Fund’s outstanding voting securities approving such Fund’s use of a manager of managers structure and the Adviser’s reliance on such Order. Prior to the date of this Prospectus, shareholders of each Fund approved the use by the Fund of a manager of managers structure and the Adviser’s reliance on such Order.
Portfolio Managers
The Funds’ portfolio managers are primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Funds. The portfolio managers are responsible for various functions related to portfolio management, including, but not limited to, investing cash inflows, implementing investment strategy, researching and reviewing investment strategy.
The Funds are managed by Samuel R. Masucci, III, Chief Executive Officer of the Adviser, Frank Vallario, Chief Investment Officer of the Adviser, Donal Bishnoi, Portfolio Manager of the Adviser, and Devin Ryder, Portfolio Manager of the Adviser.
Samuel Masucci, III has more than 25 years’ experience in investment banking, structured product development, sales and trading. In the last 5 years, he founded ETF Managers Group LLC (ETFMG). Prior to ETFMG he has held senior positions at Bear Stearns, UBS, SBC Warburg, and Merrill Lynch and has experience in creating, building and managing businesses for the issuance, sales and trading of: ETFs, index products, commodity products, hedge funds, ABS, and OTC structured products in the U.S. and Europe.
53

Frank Vallario serves in the role of Chief Investment Officer for the Adviser. Mr. Vallario is responsible for the portfolio construction, trading, risk management and portfolio analysis processes associated with ETF strategies. Prior to his current role at the Adviser, Mr. Vallario has had a variety of senior roles over his 25-year career in financial services. He joined Oppenheimer Funds in 2017 where he was Head of Equity Portfolio Management for Smart Beta ETFs. Prior to that he was a Senior Portfolio Manager at Columbia Threadneedle from September 2015 to June 2017 where he was responsible for the day to day management of the firm’s ETF business, which was acquired from his previous firm, Emerging Global Advisors (EGA). From September 2010 to September 2015, he was relationship manager at MSCI responsible for providing investment solutions to complex problems using MSCI Barra’s fundamental models and portfolio construction tools. Previously, he was a partner in a start-up asset management firm where he served as the director of portfolio management. Mr. Vallario began his career at UBS Global Asset Management where he spent over a decade in various quantitative portfolio management equity roles including equity market neutral, tactical asset allocation, structured active equities, enhanced index, passive management and factor research. Mr. Vallario served on the Investment Committee for the Girl Scouts of Connecticut and was a University Affiliate at the University of Utah - David Eccles School of Business. He received a B.S. in Finance from Lehigh University and a M.B.A. with a concentration in Finance from Rutgers University.
Donal A. Bishnoi, CFA, has more than 16 years of experience in portfolio management and risk management. Prior to joining the Adviser, Mr. Bishnoi held a senior portfolio management position with Oppenheimer Funds from 2018 to 2019 where he was responsible for managing approximately $5 billion in assets across 20 passive strategies. Prior to joining Oppenheimer Funds in 2010, Mr. Bishnoi managed a long/short systematic equity strategy at Moore Capital from 2007 to 2009. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Boston University’s Questrom School of Business and is a CFA charter holder.
Devin Ryder began her career with the Adviser during the summer of 2017 and re-joined the Adviser on a permanent basis in 2018 to be a part of the Adviser’s portfolio management team. Prior to joining the Adviser, Ms. Ryder was pursuing studies in the quantitative aspects of risk management and finance, for which she received a B.S. in Mathematics of Finance and Risk Management from the University of Michigan in 2017.
The SAI provides additional information about each Portfolio Manager’s compensation, other accounts managed, and ownership of the applicable Funds’ shares.
Buying and Selling the Fund 
Each Fund issues and redeems Shares at NAV only in Creation Units. Only APs may acquire Shares directly from a 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.
Each Fund’s shares are listed for secondary trading on the Exchange. When you buy or sell a Fund’s shares on the secondary market, you will pay or receive the market price. You may incur customary brokerage commissions and charges and may pay some or all of the spread between the bid and the offered price in the secondary market on each leg of a round trip (purchase and sale) transaction. The shares will trade on the Exchange at prices that may differ to varying degrees from the daily NAV of the shares. The Exchange is generally open Monday through Friday and is closed weekends and the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day.
NAV per share for a 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 its total number of shares outstanding. Expenses and fees, including management and distribution fees, if any, are accrued daily and taken into account for purposes of determining NAV. NAV is determined each business day, normally as of the close of regular trading of the New York Stock Exchange (ordinarily 4:00 p.m., Eastern time).
When determining NAV, the value of a Fund’s portfolio securities is based on market prices of the securities, which generally means a valuation obtained from an exchange or other market (or based on a price quotation or other equivalent indication of the value supplied by an exchange or other market) or a valuation obtained from an independent pricing service. Swap contracts are valued based on the value of the swap contract’s reference asset and are marked-to-market each day NAV is calculated. If such information is not readily available or does not otherwise accurately reflect the fair value of the security, the security will be valued by another method that the Board believes will better reflect fair value in accordance with the Trust’s valuation policies and procedures. Fair value pricing may be used in a variety of circumstances, including, but not limited to, situations when the value of a security in a Fund’s portfolio has been materially affected by events occurring after the close of the market on which the security is principally traded but prior to the close of the Exchange (such as in the case of a corporate action or other news that may materially affect the price of a security) or trading in a security has been suspended or halted. Accordingly, the Fund’s NAV may reflect certain portfolio securities’ fair values rather than their market prices.
Fair value pricing involves subjective judgments and it is possible that a fair value determination for a security will materially differ from the value that could be realized upon the sale of the security. In addition, fair value pricing could result in a difference between the prices used to calculate a Fund’s NAV and the prices used by the Fund’s Index. This may result in a difference between a Fund’s performance and the desired performance relative to the Fund’s Index.
54

The Funds invest in non-U.S. securities. Non-U.S. securities held by a Fund may trade on weekends or other days when the Fund does not price its shares. As a result, the Fund’s NAV may change on days when Authorized Participants will not be able to purchase or redeem Fund shares.
Frequent Purchases and Redemptions of the Funds’ Shares
Unlike frequent trading of shares of a traditional open-end mutual fund’s (i.e., not exchange-traded) shares, frequent trading of shares of the Funds on the secondary market does not disrupt portfolio management, increase the Funds’ trading costs, lead to realization of capitalization gains, or otherwise harm the Funds’ shareholders because these trades do not involve the Funds directly. Certain institutional investors are authorized to purchase and redeem a Fund’s shares directly with the Fund. Because these trades are effected in-kind (i.e., for securities, and not for cash), they do not cause any of the harmful effects noted above that may result from frequent cash trades. Moreover, the Funds impose transaction fees on in-kind purchases and redemptions of Creation Units to cover the custodial and other costs incurred by the Funds in effecting in-kind trades. These fees increase if an investor substitutes cash in part or in whole for Creation Units, reflecting the fact that a Fund’s trading costs increase in those circumstances. For these reasons, the Board has determined that it is not necessary to adopt policies and procedures to detect and deter frequent trading and market-timing in shares of the Funds.
Dividends, Distributions, and Taxes
Fund Distributions
Each Fund intends to pay out dividends, if any, quarterly and distribute any net realized capital gains to their shareholders annually.
Dividend Reinvestment Service
Brokers may make available to their customers who own a Fund’s shares the DTC book-entry dividend reinvestment service. If this service is available and used, dividend distributions of both income and capital gains will automatically be reinvested in additional whole shares of the Fund. Without this service, investors would receive their distributions in cash. In order to achieve the maximum total return on their investments, investors are encouraged to use the dividend reinvestment service. To determine whether the dividend reinvestment service is available and whether there is a commission or other charge for using this service, consult your broker. Brokers may require a Fund’s shareholders to adhere to specific procedures and timetables. If this service is available and used, dividend distributions of both income and realized gains will be automatically reinvested in additional whole shares of a Fund purchased in the secondary market.
Tax Information
The following is a summary of some important tax issues that affect the Funds and their shareholders. The summary is based on current tax laws, which may be changed by legislative, judicial or administrative action. You should not consider this summary to be a detailed explanation of the tax treatment of the Funds, or the tax consequences of an investment in the Funds. The summary is very general, and does not address investors subject to special rules, such as investors who hold shares through an IRA, 401(k) or other tax-deferred account. More information about taxes is located in the SAI. You are urged to consult your tax adviser regarding specific questions as to federal, state and local income taxes.
Tax Status of the Funds
Each Fund is treated as a separate entity for federal tax purposes, and intends to qualify for the special tax treatment afforded to regulated investment companies under the Code. As long as each Fund qualifies as a regulated investment company, it pays no federal income tax on the earnings it distributes to shareholders.
Tax Status of Distributions
Each Fund will, for each year, distribute substantially all of its net investment income and net capital gains.
Each Fund’s distributions from income will generally be taxed to you as ordinary income or qualified dividend income. For non-corporate shareholders, dividends reported by a Fund as qualified dividend income are generally eligible for reduced tax rates.
Corporate shareholders may be entitled to a dividends-received deduction for the portion of dividends they receive that are attributable to dividends received by the Fund from U.S. corporations, subject to certain limitations. A Fund’s strategies may limit its ability to distribute dividends eligible for the dividends-received deduction for corporate shareholders.
Any distributions of net capital gain (the excess of a Fund’s net long-term capital gains over its net short-term capital losses) that you receive from the Fund are taxable as long-term capital gains regardless of how long you have owned your shares. Long-term capital gains are currently taxed to non-corporate shareholders at reduced maximum rates.
Dividends and distributions are generally taxable to you whether you receive them in cash or in additional shares through a broker’s dividend reinvestment service. If you receive dividends or distributions in the form of additional shares through a
55

broker’s dividend reinvestment service, you will be required to pay applicable federal, state or local taxes on the reinvested dividends but you will not receive a corresponding cash distribution with which to pay any applicable tax.
A Fund may be able to pass through to you foreign tax credits for certain taxes paid by the Fund, provided the Fund meets certain requirements.
Distributions paid in January but declared by the Fund in October, November or December of the previous year may be taxable to you in the previous year.
Each Fund will inform you of the amount of your ordinary income dividends, qualified dividend income, foreign tax credits and net capital gain distributions received from the Fund shortly after the close of each calendar year.
Taxes on Exchange-Listed Share Sales. Any capital gain or loss realized upon a sale of shares will generally be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for more than one year and as short-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for one year or less, except that any capital loss on the sale of shares held for six months or less will be treated as long-term capital loss to the extent of amounts treated as distributions of long-term capital gains to the shareholder with respect to such shares.
Investment in Foreign Securities. The Funds may be subject to foreign withholding taxes on income they may earn from investing in foreign securities, which may reduce the return on such investments. In addition, the Funds’ investments in foreign securities or foreign currencies may increase or accelerate the Funds’ recognition of ordinary income and may affect the timing or amount of their distributions. The Funds may be eligible to file an election that would permit shareholders who are U.S. citizens, resident aliens or U.S. corporations to claim a foreign tax credit or deduction (but not both) on their U.S. income tax returns for their pro rata portions of qualified taxes paid by the Funds to foreign countries in respect of foreign securities held for at least the minimum period specified in the Code. For the purposes of the foreign tax credit, each such shareholder would include in gross income from foreign sources its pro rata share of such taxes. Certain limitations imposed by the Code may prevent shareholders from receiving a full foreign tax credit or deduction for their allocable amount of such taxes.
Medicare Tax. U.S. individuals with income exceeding $200,000 ($250,000 if married and filing jointly) are subject to a 3.8% Medicare contribution tax on their “net investment income,” including interest, dividends, and capital gains (including capital gains realized on the sale or exchange of shares). This 3.8% tax also applies to all or a portion of the undistributed net investment income of certain shareholders that are estates and trusts.
Non-U.S. Investors. If you are not a citizen or permanent resident of the United States, a Fund’s ordinary income dividends will generally be subject to a 30% U.S. withholding tax, unless a lower treaty rate applies or unless such income is effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business. This 30% withholding tax generally will not apply to distributions of net capital gain.
Distributions paid to a shareholder that is a “foreign financial institution” as defined in Section 1471 of the Code and that does not meet the requirements imposed on foreign financial institutions by Section 1471 will generally be subject to withholding tax at a 30% rate. Distributions to a non-U.S. shareholder that is not a foreign financial institution will generally be subject to such withholding tax if the shareholder fails to make certain required certifications. A non-U.S. shareholder may be exempt from the withholding described in this paragraph under an applicable intergovernmental agreement between the U.S. and a foreign government, provided that the shareholder and the applicable foreign government comply with the terms of such agreement.
Backup Withholding. The Funds or your broker will be required in certain cases to withhold (as “backup withholding”) on amounts payable to any shareholder who (1) has provided either an incorrect tax identification number or no number at all, (2) is subject to backup withholding by the Internal Revenue Service for failure to properly report payments of interest or dividends, (3) has failed to certify that such shareholder is not subject to backup withholding, or (4) has not certified that such shareholder is a U.S. person (including a U.S. resident alien). The backup withholding rate is currently 24%. Backup withholding will not, however, be applied to payments that have been subject to the 30% withholding tax applicable to shareholders who are neither citizens nor residents of the United States.
Distribution
The Distributor, ETFMG Financial LLC, an affiliate of the Adviser, is a broker-dealer registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The Distributor distributes Creation Units for the Funds on an agency basis and does not maintain a secondary market in the Funds’ shares. The Distributor has no role in determining the policies of the Funds or the securities that are purchased or sold by the Funds. The Distributor’s principal business address is 30 Maple Street, 2nd Floor, Summit, New Jersey 07901.
The Board has adopted a Distribution and Service Plan (the “Plan”) pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act with respect to each Fund. In accordance with the Plan, each 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 Funds, 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 each applicable Fund’s assets, over time these fees will increase the cost of your investment and may cost you more than certain other types of sales charges.
56

Fund Service Providers
Sullivan & Worcester LLP, 1666 K Street NW, Washington, DC 20006, serves as legal counsel to the Funds.
WithumSmith + Brown, PC, with offices located at 1411 Broadway, 9th Floor, New York, New York, 10018, serves as the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm. The independent registered public accounting firm is responsible for auditing the annual financial statements of the Fund.
Index/Trademark Licenses/Disclaimers
Prime Indexes are trademarks of Level ETF Ventures LLC (“Level”) and have been licensed for use by the Adviser. The 2x Travel Tech ETF is not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by Level or its Calculation Agent. Level and the Calculation Agent make no representation regarding the advisability of trading in such products.
LEVEL AND THE CALCULATION AGENT DO NOT GUARANTEE THE ACCURACY AND/OR THE COMPLETENESS OF THE INDEX OR ANY DATA INCLUDED THEREIN AND THEY SHALL HAVE NO LIABILITY FOR ANY ERRORS, OMISSIONS OR INTERRUPTIONS THEREIN. LEVEL AND THE CALCULATION AGENT MAKE NO WARRANTY, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AS TO RESULTS TO BE OBTAINED BY THE ADVISER, OWNERS OR USERS OF THE FUND, OR ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY FROM THE USE OF THE INDEX OR ANY DATA INCLUDED THEREIN. LEVEL AND THE CALCULATION AGENT MAKE NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR USE WITH RESPECT TO THE INDEX OR ANY DATA INCLUDED THEREIN. WITHOUT LIMITING ANY OF THE FOREGOING, IN NO EVENT SHALL LEVEL OR THE CALCULATION AGENT HAVE ANY LIABILITY FOR ANY SPECIAL, PUNITIVE, INDIRECT OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING LOST PROFITS), EVEN IF NOTIFIED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. The Fund is not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by Level or the Calculation Agent. Level and the Calculation Agent make no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of the Fund or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in the Fund in particular or the ability of the Index to track general stock market performance. The Index is determined, composed and calculated by Level or its Calculation Agent without regard to the Adviser or the Fund. Level and the Calculation Agent have no obligation to take the needs of the Adviser or the owners of the Fund into consideration in determining, composing or calculating the Index. Level and the Calculation Agent are not responsible for and have not participated in the determination of the prices and amount of the Fund or the timing of the issuance or sale of the Fund or in the determination or calculation of the equation by which the Fund is converted into cash. Level and the Calculation Agent have no obligation or liability in connection with the administration, marketing or trading of the Fund.
Shares of the Trust are not sponsored, endorsed, or promoted by the Exchange. The Exchange makes no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of the shares of the Funds. The Exchange is not responsible for, nor has it participated in, the determination of the timing of, prices of, or quantities of the shares of the Funds to be issued, or in the determination or calculation of the equation by which the shares are redeemable.
The Exchange has no obligation or liability to owners of the shares of the Funds in connection with the administration, marketing, or trading of the shares of the Funds. 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 and the Funds make no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of shares of the Funds or any members of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in the Funds particularly.
Premium/Discount Information
Each Fund is new and therefore does not have any information regarding how often shares of the Fund 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. This information will be available with respect to a Fund, however, at www.etfmg.com after the Fund’s shares have traded on the Exchange for a full calendar quarter.
Litigation
The Trust, a former and current trustee of the Trust, the Adviser and certain officers of the Adviser were defendants in an action filed May 2, 2017 in the Superior Court of New Jersey captioned PureShares, LLC d/b/a PureFunds et al. v. ETF Managers Group, LLC et al., Docket No. C-63-17. The PureShares action alleged claims based on disputes arising out of contractual relationships with the Adviser relating to certain series of the Trust. The action sought damages in unspecified amounts and injunctive relief based on breach of contract, wrongful termination, and several other claims.
The Adviser and its parent, ETFMG, were defendants in a case filed on October 26, 2017 in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York by NASDAQ, Inc. (“Nasdaq”) captioned Nasdaq, Inc. v. Exchange Traded Managers Group, LLC et al., Case 1:17-cv-08252. This action arose out of the same facts and circumstances, and relates to the same series of the Trust, as the New Jersey litigation and asserted claims for breach of contract, conversion and certain other claims. The matter was the subject of a bench trial in May 2019, and on December 20, 2019, the Court issued an Opinion and Order awarding compensatory damages to
57

Plaintiff in the amount of $78,403,172.36, plus prejudgment interest. The Court also denied Plaintiff’s requests for punitive damages and equitable relief.
On May 1, 2020, Nasdaq, PureShares LLC (“PureShares”), and ETFMG announced a global settlement that resolves all claims in both the PureShares action and the Nasdaq action. As part of the settlement, Nasdaq and ETFMG agreed to certain cash payments from ETFMG to Nasdaq and PureShares, and have executed an asset purchase agreement to transfer certain ETFMG intellectual property and related assets, to a Nasdaq affiliate. The completion of the settlement is subject to certain shareholder approvals; if the necessary approvals cannot be obtained, ETFMG will consider alternative courses of action consistent with the Adviser’s fiduciary duty and in the best interest of the Fund’s shareholders.
Financial Highlights
Financial information for each Fund will be available after it has completed a fiscal year of operations.

58

ETF Managers Trust
30 Maple Street, 2nd Floor
Summit, New Jersey 07901
ANNUAL/SEMI-ANNUAL REPORTS TO SHAREHOLDERS
Additional information about the Fund’s investments is available in the Fund’s annual and semi-annual reports to shareholders (when available). In the Fund’s annual reports, you will find a discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund’s performance during its last fiscal year.
STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION (SAI)
The SAI provides more detailed information about the Fund. The SAI is incorporated by reference into, and is thus legally a part of, this Prospectus.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
To request a free copy of the latest annual or semi-annual report, when available, the SAI or to request additional information about the Fund or to make other inquiries, please contact us as follows:
Call:     1-844-383-6477
Monday through Friday
8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. (Eastern Time)

Write:     ETF Managers Trust
30 Maple Street, 2nd Floor
Summit, New Jersey 07901

Visit:     www.etfmg.com
INFORMATION PROVIDED BY THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Reports and other information about the Fund are available in the EDGAR Database on the SEC’s Internet site at http://www.sec.gov, or you can receive copies of this information, after paying a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following e-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov.






The Trust’s Investment Company Act file number: 811-22310

























STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
June 4, 2021
CK0001467831-20210131_G8.JPG
ETF MANAGERS TRUST
ETFMG Prime 2x Daily Junior Silver Miners ETF (SILX)
ETFMG Prime 2x Daily Inverse Junior Silver Miners ETF (SINV)
ETFMG 2x Daily Travel Tech ETF (AWYX)


Listed on NYSE Arca, Inc.
This Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) is not a prospectus and should be read in conjunction with the prospectus dated June 4, 2021, as may be supplemented from time to time (the “Prospectus”), of the ETFMG Prime 2x Daily Junior Silver Miners ETF (“2x Junior Silver ETF” or a “2x Fund”), ETFMG Prime 2x Daily Inverse Junior Silver Miners ETF (“-2x Junior Silver ETF” or the “-2x Fund”), and ETFMG 2x Daily Travel Tech ETF (“2x Travel Tech ETF” or a “2x Fund”) (each, a “Fund” and collectively, the “Funds”). Capitalized terms used herein that are not defined have the same meaning as in the Prospectus, unless otherwise noted. A copy of the Prospectus and Annual Report may be obtained without charge, by writing the Funds’ distributor, ETFMG Financial LLC (the “Distributor”), 30 Maple Street, 2nd Floor, Summit, New Jersey 07901, by visiting the Fund’s website at www.etfmg.com or by calling 1‑844‑383‑6477.




TABLE OF CONTENTS
1
1
1
2
3
19
23
24
24
28
28
28
28
29
29
31
31
31
31
31
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARY COMPENSATION
31
32
32
33
33
34
34
39
39
40
44
APPENDIX A
A-1

2



GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE TRUST
ETF Managers Trust is an open-end management investment company currently consisting of multiple investment series, including the Fund. The Trust was organized as a Delaware statutory trust on July 1, 2009. The Trust is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) under the Investment Company Act of 1940, 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”). ETF Managers Group LLC (the “Adviser”) serves as investment adviser to the Funds. Each Fund seeks to provide daily investment results that, before fees and expenses, correspond to two times (2x) the daily total return or two times the inverse (-2x) (or opposite) of a specified market index (the “Index” or “Underlying Index”) for a single day, not for any other period. A “single day is measured from the time a Fund calculates its net asset value (“NAV”) to the time of such Fund’s NAV calculation.
Each Fund offers and issues Shares at their NAV only in aggregations of a specified number of Shares (each, a “Creation Unit”). Each Fund generally offers and issues Shares in exchange for a basket of securities included in its respective Index or portfolio (“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, and may offer an “all cash” option for creations of Creation Units for the Fund. Shares are listed on the NYSE Arca, Inc. (the “Exchange”) and trade on the Exchange at market prices that may differ from the Shares’ NAV. Shares are also redeemable only in Creation Unit aggregations, and generally in exchange for portfolio securities and a specified cash payment, or entirely for cash. A Creation Unit of a Fund generally consists of 10,000 Shares for each Fund, though this may change from time to time. As a practical matter, only institutions or large investors purchase or redeem Creation Units. Except when aggregated in Creation Units, Shares are not redeemable securities.
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 an amount in cash at least equal to a specified percentage of the market 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.
CONTINUOUS OFFERING
The method by which Creation Unit Aggregations of Shares are created and traded may raise certain issues under applicable securities laws. Because new Creation Unit Aggregations of Shares are issued and sold by a Fund on an ongoing basis, at any point a “distribution,” as such term is used in the Securities Act, may occur. Broker-dealers and other persons are cautioned that some activities on their part may, depending on the circumstances, result in their being deemed participants in a distribution in a manner which could render them statutory underwriters and subject them to the prospectus delivery requirement and liability provisions of the Securities Act.
For example, a broker-dealer firm or its client may be deemed a statutory underwriter if it takes Creation Unit Aggregations after placing an order with the Distributor, breaks them down into constituent Shares, and sells such Shares directly to customers, or if it chooses to couple the creation of a supply of new Shares with an active selling effort involving solicitation of secondary market demand for Shares. A determination of whether one is an underwriter for purposes of the Securities Act must take into account all the facts and circumstances pertaining to the activities of the broker-dealer or its client in the particular case, and the examples mentioned above should not be considered a complete description of all the activities that could lead to a categorization as an underwriter.
Broker-dealer firms should also note that dealers who are not “underwriters” but are effecting transactions in Shares, whether or not participating in the distribution of Shares, generally are required to deliver a prospectus. This is because the prospectus delivery exemption in Section 4(a)(3) of the Securities Act is not available in respect of such transactions as a result of Section 24(d) of the 1940 Act. Firms that incur a prospectus-delivery obligation with respect to Shares of the Funds are reminded that, pursuant to Rule 153 under Securities Act, a prospectus-delivery obligation under Section 5(b)(2) of the Securities Act owed to an exchange member in connection with a sale on the exchange is satisfied by the fact that the Funds’ prospectus is available at the exchange upon request. The prospectus delivery mechanism provided in Rule 153 is only available with respect to transactions on an exchange.
PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS
Policy on Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings
The Board of Trustees of the Trust (the “Board”) has adopted a policy on disclosure of portfolio holdings, which it believes is in the best interest of each Fund’s shareholders. The policy requires that a Fund’s portfolio holdings be disclosed in a manner that: (i) is consistent with applicable legal requirements and is in the best interests of the Fund’s shareholders; (ii) does not put the interests of the Adviser or the Distributor, or any affiliated person of the Adviser or the Distributor, above those of the Fund’s shareholders; (iii) does not advantage any current or prospective Fund shareholder over any other current or prospective Fund shareholder, except to the extent that certain entities (as described below) may receive portfolio holdings information not available to other current or prospective Fund shareholders in connection with the dissemination of information necessary for transactions in Creation Units; and
1



(iv) does not provide selective access to portfolio holdings information except pursuant to the procedures outlined below and to the extent appropriate confidentiality arrangements limiting the use of such information are in effect.
The “entities” referred to in sub-section (iii) above are generally limited to National Securities Clearing Corporation (“NSCC”) members and subscribers to various fee-based subscription services, including Authorized Participants (defined below), and other institutional market participants and entities that provide information services.
Each business day portfolio holdings information will be provided to a Fund’s transfer agent or other agent for dissemination through the facilities of the NSCC and/or other fee based subscription services to NSCC members and/or subscribers to those other fee based subscription services, including Authorized Participants (defined below), and to entities that publish and/or analyze such information in connection with the process of purchasing or redeeming Creation Units or trading shares of the Fund in the secondary market. Information with respect to a Fund’s portfolio holdings is also disseminated daily on the Fund’s website.
The transfer agent may also make available portfolio holdings information to other institutional market participants and entities that provide information services. This information typically reflects the Fund’s anticipated holdings on the following business day. “Authorized Participants” are broker-dealer firms that have entered into Authorized Participant Agreements with the Distributor to purchase and redeem large blocks of shares (known as Creation Units) pursuant to legal requirements, including the exemptive order granted by the SEC, through which the Funds offer and redeem shares. Other than portfolio holdings information made available in connection with the creation/redemption process, as discussed above, portfolio holdings information that is not filed with the SEC or posted on the publicly available website may be provided to third parties only in limited circumstances, as described above.
Disclosure to providers of auditing, custody, proxy voting, liquidity risk management and other similar services for the Funds, broker-dealers that are involved in executing portfolio transactions on behalf of the Funds, as well as rating and ranking organizations, will generally be permitted; however, information may be disclosed to other third parties (including, without limitation, individuals, institutional investors, and Authorized Participants that sell shares of the Funds) only upon approval by the Chief Compliance Officer. The recipients who may receive non-public portfolio holdings information are as follows: the Adviser and its affiliates, the Funds’ independent registered public accounting firm, the Funds’ distributor, administrator and custodian, the Funds’ legal counsel, the Funds’ financial printer and the Funds’ proxy voting service. These entities are obligated to keep such information confidential. Third-party providers of custodial or accounting services to the Funds may release non-public portfolio holdings information of the Funds only with the permission of the CCO.
Each Fund will disclose its complete portfolio holdings in public filings with the SEC on a quarterly basis within 60 days of the end of the quarter, and will provide that information to shareholders, as required by federal securities laws and regulations thereunder. These filings are available, free of charge, on the EDGAR database on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov. Under the policy, the Board is to receive information, on a quarterly basis, regarding any other disclosures of non-public portfolio holdings information that were permitted during the preceding quarter.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE, POLICIES, AND RELATED RISKS
Each 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.
Non-Diversification
Each Fund is classified as non-diversified investment companies under the 1940 Act. A “non-diversified” classification means that the Funds are not limited by the 1940 Act with regard to the percentage of their assets that may be invested in the securities of a single issuer. This means that the Funds may invest a greater portion of their assets in the securities of a single issuer or a small number of issuers than a diversified fund. The securities of a particular issuer or a small number of issuers may constitute a greater portion of the Prime Junior Silver Miners & Explorers Index or Prime Travel Technology Index NTR (each a “Underlying Index”) of a Fund and, therefore, the securities may constitute a greater portion of the Fund’s portfolio. This may have an adverse effect on a Fund’s performance or subject a Fund’s Shares to greater price volatility than more diversified investment companies. Moreover, in pursuing its objective, a Fund may hold the securities of a single issuer in an amount exceeding 10% of the market value of the outstanding securities of the issuer, subject to restrictions imposed by the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). In particular, as a Fund’s size grows and its assets increase, it will be more likely to hold more than 10% of the securities of a single issuer if the issuer has a relatively small public float as compared to other components in its Underlying Index.
Concentration
The Funds will, to the extent their respective Underlying Index does, concentrate their investments in a particular industry or group of industries, as described in the Prospectus. The securities of issuers in particular industries may dominate the Underlying Index of a Fund and consequently the Fund’s investment portfolio. This may adversely affect a Fund’s performance or subject its Shares to greater price volatility than that experienced by less concentrated investment companies.
2



DESCRIPTION OF PERMITTED INVESTMENTS
The following are descriptions of the permitted investments and investment practices and the associated risk factors. Each 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. The information below should be read in conjunction with the “Principal Investment Strategies” and “Principal Risks” sections of the Prospectus. The information below pertains to non-principal investment strategies and risks of the Funds, while the information in the Prospectus pertains to principal investment strategies and risks of the Funds.
Equity Securities
Equity securities represent ownership interests in a company and include common stocks, preferred stocks, warrants to acquire common stock, and securities convertible into common stock. Investments in equity securities in general are subject to market risks that may cause their prices to fluctuate over time. Fluctuations in the value of equity securities in which the Funds invest will cause the net asset value of the Funds to fluctuate.
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.
Convertible Securities — Convertible securities are securities that may be exchanged for, converted into, or exercised to acquire a predetermined number of shares of the issuer’s common stock at a Fund’s option during a specified time period (such as convertible preferred stocks, convertible debentures and warrants). A convertible security is generally a fixed income security that is senior to common stock in an issuer’s capital structure, but is usually subordinated to similar non-convertible securities. In exchange for the conversion feature, many corporations will pay a lower rate of interest on convertible securities than debt securities of the same corporation. In general, the market value of a convertible security is at least the higher of its “investment value” (i.e., its value as a fixed income security) or its “conversion value” (i.e., its value upon conversion into its underlying common stock).
Convertible securities are subject to the same risks as similar securities without the convertible feature. The price of a convertible security is more volatile during times of steady interest rates than other types of debt securities. The price of a convertible security tends to increase as the market value of the underlying stock rises, whereas it tends to decrease as the market value of the underlying common stock declines.
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 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.
Risks of Investing in Equity Securities:
General Risks of Investing in Stocks — While investing in stocks allows investors to participate in the benefits of owning a company, such investors must accept the risks of ownership. Unlike bondholders, who have preference to a company’s earnings and cash flow, preferred stockholders, followed by common stockholders in order of priority, are entitled only to the residual amount after a company meets its other obligations. For this reason, the value of a company’s stock will usually react more strongly to actual or perceived changes in the company’s financial condition or prospects than its debt obligations. Stockholders of a company that fares poorly can lose money.
3



Stock markets tend to move in cycles with short or extended periods of rising and falling stock prices. The value of a company’s stock may fall because of:
Factors that directly relate to that company, such as decisions made by its management or lower demand for the company’s products or services;
Factors affecting an entire industry, such as increases in production costs; and
Changes in general financial market conditions that are relatively unrelated to the company or its industry, such as changes in interest rates, currency exchange rates or inflation rates.
Because preferred stock is generally junior to debt securities and other obligations of the issuer, deterioration in the credit quality of the issuer will cause greater changes in the value of a preferred stock than in a more senior debt security with similar stated yield characteristics.
Small- and Medium-Sized Companies — Investors in small- and medium-sized companies typically take on greater risk and price volatility than they would by investing in larger, more established companies. This increased risk may be due to the greater business risks of their small or medium size, limited markets and financial resources, narrow product lines and frequent lack of management depth. The securities of small- and medium-sized companies are often traded in the over-the-counter market and might not be traded in volumes typical of securities traded on a national securities exchange. Thus, the securities of small and medium capitalization companies are likely to experience less frequent trading and be less liquid, and subject to more abrupt or erratic market movements, than securities of larger, more established companies. As a result of the differences between the securities of small- and medium-sized companies and those of companies with larger capitalizations, it may be more difficult for a Fund to buy or sell a significant amount of the securities of a small- or medium- company without an adverse impact on the price of the company’s securities, or a Fund may have to sell such securities in smaller quantities over a longer period of time, which may increase the Fund’s tracking error.
When-Issued Securities — A when-issued security is one whose terms are available and for which a market exists, but which have not been issued. When a Fund engages in when-issued transactions, it relies on the other party to consummate the sale. If the other party fails to complete the sale, a Fund may miss the opportunity to obtain the security at a favorable price or yield.
When purchasing a security on a when-issued basis, a 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 market 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 a 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. A Fund will segregate cash or liquid securities equal in value to commitments for the when-issued transactions. A Fund will segregate additional liquid assets daily so that the value of such assets is equal to the amount of the commitments.
Futures Contracts, Forwards, Options and Swap Agreements
A Fund may purchase and sell in the U.S. or abroad futures contracts, forward contracts, swaps and put and call options on securities, futures, securities indices, swaps and currencies. In the future, a Fund may employ instruments and strategies that are not presently contemplated, but which may be subsequently developed, to the extent such investment methods are consistent with a Fund’s investment objectives, and are legally permissible. There can be no assurance that an instrument, if employed, will be successful. A Fund may buy and sell these investments for a number of purposes, including hedging, investment or speculative purposes, including to seek its desired exposure to the Underlying Index.
Special Risk Factors Regarding Forwards, Futures, Swaps and Options 
Transactions in derivative instruments (e.g., futures, options, forwards, and swaps) involve a risk of loss or depreciation due to: unanticipated adverse changes in securities or commodities prices, interest rates, indices, the other financial instruments’ prices or currency exchange rates; the inability to close out a position; default by the counterparty; imperfect correlation between a position and the desired hedge (if the derivative instrument is being used for hedging purposes); tax constraints on closing out positions; and portfolio management constraints on securities subject to such transactions. The loss on derivative instruments (other than purchased options) may substantially exceed the amount invested in these instruments. In addition, the entire premium paid for purchased options may be lost before they can be profitably exercised. Transaction costs are incurred in opening and closing positions. 
A Fund’s use of swaps, futures contracts, options, forward contracts and certain other derivative instruments will have the economic effect of financial leverage. Financial leverage magnifies exposure to the swings in prices of an asset underlying a derivative instrument and results in increased volatility, which means a Fund will have the potential for greater gains, as well as the potential for greater losses, than if such Fund does not use derivative instruments that have a leveraging effect. Leveraging tends to magnify, sometimes significantly, the effect of any increase or decrease in a Fund’s exposure to an asset and may cause such Fund’s NAV to be volatile. For example, if a Fund seeks to gain enhanced exposure to a specific asset through a derivative instrument providing
4



leveraged exposure to the asset and that derivative instrument increases in value, the gain to such Fund will be enhanced; however, if that investment decreases in value, the loss to such Fund will be magnified. A decline in a Fund’s assets due to losses magnified by the derivative instruments providing leveraged exposure may require such Fund to liquidate portfolio positions to satisfy its obligations or to meet redemption requests when it may not be advantageous to do so. There is no assurance that a Fund’s use of derivative instruments to obtain enhanced exposure will enable such Fund to achieve its investment objective. A Fund’s success in using derivative instruments to hedge portfolio assets depends on the degree of price correlation between the derivative instruments and the hedged asset. Imperfect correlation may be caused by several factors, including temporary price disparities among the trading markets for the derivative instrument, the assets underlying the derivative instrument and such Fund’s assets. 
OTC derivative instruments involve an increased risk that the issuer or counterparty will fail to perform its contractual obligations. Some derivative instruments are not readily marketable or may become illiquid under adverse market conditions. In addition, during periods of market volatility, a commodity exchange may suspend or limit trading in an exchange-traded derivative instrument, which may make the contract temporarily illiquid and difficult to price. Commodity exchanges may also establish daily limits on the amount that the price of a futures contract or futures option can vary from the previous day’s settlement price. Once the daily limit is reached, no trades may be made that day at a price beyond the limit. This may prevent the closing out of positions to limit losses. Further, under certain circumstances commodity exchanges or regulators may impose limits that are lower than current open equity in a given futures contract, such limit changes have the potential to cause liquidation of positions and may adversely affect a Fund. Certain purchased OTC derivatives may be considered illiquid. The ability to terminate OTC derivative instruments may depend on the cooperation of the counterparties to such contracts. For thinly traded derivative instruments, the only source of price quotations may be the selling dealer or counterparty. 
Regulations adopted by prudential regulators require certain bank-regulated counterparties and certain of their affiliates to include in certain financial contracts, including many derivatives contracts, terms that delay or restrict the rights of counterparties, such as a Fund, to terminate such contracts, foreclose upon collateral, exercise other default rights or restrict transfers of credit support in the event that the counterparty and/or its affiliates are subject to certain types of resolution or insolvency proceedings. It is possible that these requirements, as well as potential additional government regulation and other developments in the market, could adversely affect a Fund’s ability to terminate existing derivatives agreements or to realize amounts to be received under such agreements. 
The use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves skills different from conducting ordinary portfolio securities transactions. There can be no assurance that the Adviser’s use of derivative instruments will be advantageous to a Fund. 
Exclusion from Commodity Pool Operator Regulation 
The Adviser has filed a claim of exclusion from the definition of the term “commodity pool operator” (“CPO”) under the Commodity Exchange Act (“CEA”), pursuant to CFTC Rule 4.5 (the “Exclusion”) and therefore, the Adviser is not subject to registration or regulation as a CPO under the CEA with respect to a Fund. In order to remain eligible for the Exclusion, a Fund will be limited in its ability to use certain financial instruments including futures, options on futures and certain swaps and will be limited in the manner in which it holds out its use of such instruments.
Swap Agreements
A Fund may utilize swap agreements in an attempt to gain exposure to the securities in a market without actually purchasing those securities, or to hedge a position. Swap agreements are two-party contracts entered into primarily by institutional investors for periods ranging from a day to more than one-year. In a standard “swap” transaction, two parties agree to exchange the returns (or differentials in rates of return) earned or realized on particular predetermined investments or instruments. The gross returns to be exchanged or “swapped” between the parties are calculated with respect to a “notional amount,” i.e., the return on or increase in value of a particular dollar amount invested in a basket of securities representing a particular index.
Forms of swap agreements include interest rate caps, under which, in return for a premium, one party agrees to make payments to the other to the extent that interest rates exceed a specified rate, or “cap” interest rate floors, under which, in return for a premium, one party agrees to make payments to the other to the extent that interest rates fall below a specified level, or “floor;” and interest rate collars, under which a party sells a cap and purchases a floor or vice versa in an attempt to protect itself against interest rate movements exceeding given minimum or maximum levels.
A Fund’s obligations under a swap agreement will be accrued daily (offset against any amounts owing to such Fund). Swaps that cannot be terminated in the ordinary course of business within seven days at approximately the amount a Fund has valued the asset may be considered to be illiquid for purposes of such Fund’s illiquid investment limitations. A Fund will not enter into any swap agreement unless the Adviser believes that the other party to the transaction is creditworthy. A Fund bears the risk of loss of the amount expected to be received under a swap agreement in the event of the default or bankruptcy of a swap agreement counterparty.
A Fund may enter into swap agreements to invest in a market without owning or taking physical custody of the underlying securities in circumstances in which direct investment is restricted for legal reasons or is otherwise impracticable. The counterparty to any swap agreement will typically be a bank, investment banking firm or broker-dealer. The counterparty will generally agree to pay a Fund the amount, if any, by which the notional amount of the swap agreement would have increased in value had it been invested in the particular stocks, plus the dividends that would have been received on those stocks. A Fund will agree to pay to the counterparty a
5



floating rate of interest on the notional amount of the swap agreement plus the amount, if any, by which the notional amount would have decreased in value had it been invested in such stocks. Therefore, the return to a Fund on any swap agreement should be the gain or loss on the notional amount plus dividends on the stocks less the interest paid by such Fund on the notional amount.
Swap agreements typically are settled on a net basis, which means that the two payment streams are netted out, with a Fund receiving or paying, as the case may be, only the net amount of the two payments. Payments may be made at the conclusion of a swap agreement or periodically during its term. Other swap agreements, may require initial premium (discount) payments as well as periodic payments (receipts) related to the interest leg of the swap or to the default of a reference obligation. A Fund will earmark and reserve assets necessary to meet any accrued payment obligations when it is the buyer of a credit default swap.
Swap agreements do not involve the delivery of securities or other underlying assets. Accordingly, the risk of loss with respect to swap agreements is limited to the net amount of payments that a Fund is contractually obligated to make. If a swap counterparty defaults, a Fund’s risk of loss consists of the net amount of payments such Fund is contractually entitled to receive, if any. The net amount of the excess, if any, of a Fund’s obligations over its entitlements with respect to each equity swap will be accrued on a daily basis and an amount of cash or liquid assets, having an aggregate NAV at least equal to such accrued excess will be maintained in a segregated account by such Fund’s custodian. Inasmuch as these transactions are entered into for hedging purposes or are offset by segregated cash of liquid assets, as permitted by applicable law, a Fund and the Advisor believe that these transactions do not constitute senior securities under the 1940 Act and, accordingly, will not treat them as being subject to a Fund’s borrowing restrictions.
The swap market has grown substantially in recent years with a large number of banks and investment banking firms acting both as principals and as agents utilizing standardized swap documentation. As a result, the swap market has become relatively liquid in comparison with the markets for other similar instruments, which are traded in the OTC market. The Advisor, under the supervision of the Board, is responsible for determining and monitoring the liquidity of Fund transactions in swap agreements.
The use of swap agreements is a highly specialized activity which involves investment techniques and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions. If a counterparty’s creditworthiness declines, the value of the swap would likely decline. Moreover, there is no guarantee that a Fund could eliminate its exposure under an outstanding swap agreement by entering into an offsetting swap agreement with the same or another party.
Swaps on Equities, Currencies, Commodities and Futures
A Fund may enter into swaps with respect to a security, currency, commodity or futures contract (each, an “asset”); basket of assets; asset index; or index component (each, a “reference asset”). An equity, currency, commodity or futures swap is a two-party contract that generally obligates one party to pay the positive return and the other party to pay the negative return on a specified reference asset during the period of the swap. The payments based on the reference asset may be adjusted for transaction costs, interest payments, the amount of dividends paid on the referenced asset or other economic factors.
Equity, currency, commodity or futures swap contracts may be structured in different ways. For example, with respect to an equity swap, when a Fund takes a long position, the counterparty may agree to pay such Fund the amount, if any, by which the notional amount of the equity swap would have increased in value had it been invested in a particular stock (or group of stocks), plus the dividends that would have been received on the stock. In these cases, a Fund may agree to pay to the counterparty interest on the notional amount of the equity swap plus the amount, if any, by which that notional amount would have decreased in value had it been invested in such stock. 
Therefore, in this case the return to a Fund on the equity swap should be the gain or loss on the notional amount plus dividends on the stock less the interest paid by such Fund on the notional amount. In other cases, when a Fund takes a short position, a counterparty may agree to pay such Fund the amount, if any, by which the notional amount of the equity swap would have decreased in value had such Fund sold a particular stock (or group of stocks) short, less the dividend expense that such Fund would have paid on the stock, as adjusted for interest payments or other economic factors. In these situations, a Fund may be obligated to pay the amount, if any, by which the notional amount of the swap would have increased in value had it been invested in such stock. 
Equity, currency, commodity or futures swaps normally do not involve the delivery of securities or other underlying assets. Accordingly, the risk of loss with respect to these swaps is normally limited to the net amount of payments that a Fund is contractually obligated to make. If the other party to the swap defaults, a Fund’s risk of loss consists of the net amount of payments that such Fund is contractually entitled to receive, if any.
Equity, currency, commodity or futures swaps are derivatives and their value can be very volatile. To the extent that the Adviser or Sub-Adviser, as applicable, does not accurately analyze and predict future market trends, the values of assets or economic factors, a Fund may suffer a loss, which may be substantial. The swap markets in which many types of swap transactions are traded have grown substantially in recent years, with a large number of banks and investment banking firms acting both as principals and as agents. As a result, the markets for certain types of swaps have become relatively liquid. 
Total Return and Interest Rate Swaps 
In a total return swap, the buyer receives a periodic return equal to the total return of a specified security, securities or index, for a specified period of time. In return, the buyer pays the counterparty a variable stream of payments, typically based upon short term
6



interest rates, possibly plus or minus an agreed upon spread. Interest rate swaps are financial instruments that involve the exchange of one type of interest rate for another type of interest rate cash flow on specified dates in the future. Some of the different types of interest rate swaps are “fixed-for floating rate swaps,” “termed basis swaps” and “index amortizing swaps.” Fixed-for floating rate swaps involve the exchange of fixed interest rate cash flows for floating rate cash flows. Termed basis swaps entail cash flows to both parties based on floating interest rates, where the interest rate indices are different. Index amortizing swaps are typically fixed-for floating swaps where the notional amount changes if certain conditions are met. Like a traditional investment in a debt security, a Fund could lose money by investing in an interest rate swap if interest rates change adversely. For example, if a Fund enters into a swap where it agrees to exchange a floating rate of interest for a fixed rate of interest, such Fund may have to pay more money than it receives. Similarly, if a Fund enters into a swap where it agrees to exchange a fixed rate of interest for a floating rate of interest, such Fund may receive less money than it has agreed to pay. 
Interest rate and total return swaps entered into in which payments are not netted may entail greater risk than a swap entered into on a net basis. If there is a default by the other party to such a transaction, a Fund will have contractual remedies pursuant to the agreements related to the transaction.
Swap Regulation
In recent years, regulators across the globe, including the CFTC and the U.S. banking regulators, have adopted collateral requirements applicable to uncleared swaps. While a Fund is not directly subject to these requirements, where such Fund’s counterparty is subject to the requirements, uncleared swaps between such Fund and that counterparty are required to be marked-to-market on a daily basis, and collateral is required to be exchanged to account for any changes in the value of such swaps. The rules impose a number of requirements as to these exchanges of collateral, including as to the timing of transfers, the type of collateral (and valuations for such collateral) and other matters that may be different than what a Fund would agree with its counterparty in the absence of such regulation. In all events, where a Fund is required to post collateral to its swap counterparty, such collateral will be posted to an independent bank custodian, where access to the collateral by the swap counterparty will generally not be permitted unless such Fund is in default on its obligations to the swap counterparty.
In addition to the marked-to-market collateral requirements, regulators have adopted “initial” collateral requirements applicable to uncleared swaps. Where applicable, these rules require parties to an uncleared swap to post, to a custodian that is independent from the parties to the swap, collateral (in addition to any marked-to-market collateral noted above) in an amount that is either (i) specified in a schedule in the rules or (ii) calculated by the regulated party in accordance with a model that has been approved by that party’s regulator(s). At this time, the initial collateral rules do not apply to a Fund’s swap trading relationships. However, the rules are being implemented on a phased basis, and it is possible that in the future, the rules could apply to a Fund. In the event that the rules apply, they would impose significant costs on a Fund’s ability to engage in uncleared swaps and, as such, could adversely affect Adviser’s ability to manage such Fund, may impair such Fund’s ability to achieve its investment objective and/or may result in reduced returns to such Fund’s investors.
Comprehensive Swaps Regulation 
The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 (the “Dodd-Frank Act”) and related regulatory developments have imposed comprehensive new regulatory requirements on swaps and swap market participants. The regulatory framework includes: (1) registration and regulation of swap dealers and major swap participants; (2) requiring central clearing and execution of standardized swaps; (3) imposing collateral requirements on swap transactions; (4) regulating and monitoring swap transactions through position limits and large trader reporting requirements; and (5) imposing record keeping and centralized and public reporting requirements, on an anonymous basis, for most swaps. The CFTC is responsible for the regulation of most swaps. The SEC has jurisdiction over a small segment of the market referred to as “security-based swaps,” which includes swaps on single securities or credits, or narrow-based indices of securities or credits.
Uncleared swaps 
In an uncleared swap, the swap counterparty is typically a brokerage firm, bank or other financial institution. A Fund customarily enters into uncleared swaps based on the standard terms and conditions of an International Swaps and Derivatives Association (“ISDA”) Master Agreement. ISDA is a voluntary industry association of participants in the OTC derivatives markets that has developed standardized contracts used by such participants that have agreed to be bound by such standardized contracts. In the event that one party to a swap transaction defaults and the transaction is terminated prior to its scheduled termination date, one of the parties may be required to make an early termination payment to the other. An early termination payment may be payable by either the defaulting or non-defaulting party, depending upon which of them is “in-the-money” with respect to the swap at the time of its termination. Early termination payments may be calculated in various ways, but are intended to approximate the amount the “in-the-money” party would have to pay to replace the swap as of the date of its termination. During the term of an uncleared swap, a Fund will be required to pledge to the swap counterparty, from time to time, an amount of cash and/or other assets equal to the total net amount (if any) that would be payable by such Fund to the counterparty if all outstanding swaps between the parties were terminated on the date in question, including any early termination payments. Periodically, changes in the amount pledged are made to recognize changes in value of the contract resulting from, among other things, interest on the notional value of the contract, market value changes in the underlying investment, and/or dividends paid by the issuer of the underlying instrument. Likewise, the counterparty
7



will be required to pledge cash or other assets to cover its obligations to a Fund. However, the amount pledged may not always be equal to or more than the amount due to the other party. Therefore, if a counterparty defaults in its obligations to a Fund, the amount pledged by the counterparty and available to such Fund may not be sufficient to cover all the amounts due to such Fund and such Fund may sustain a loss. Rules requiring initial collateral to be posted by certain market participants for uncleared swaps have been adopted and are being phased in over time. When these rules take effect with respect to a Fund, if such Fund is deemed to have material swaps exposure under applicable swap regulations, it will be required to post initial collateral in addition to marked-to-market collateral.
Cleared swaps 
Certain standardized swaps are subject to mandatory central clearing and exchange-trading. The Dodd-Frank Act and implementing rules will ultimately require the clearing and exchange-trading of many swaps. Mandatory exchange-trading and clearing will occur on a phased-in basis based on the type of market participant, CFTC approval of contracts for central clearing and public trading facilities making such cleared swaps available to trade. To date, the CFTC has designated only certain of the most common types of credit default index swaps and interest rate swaps as subject to mandatory clearing and certain public trading facilities have made certain of those cleared swaps available to trade, but it is expected that additional categories of swaps will in the future be designated as subject to mandatory clearing and trade execution requirements. Central clearing is intended to reduce counterparty credit risk and increase liquidity, but central clearing does not eliminate these risks and may involve additional costs and risks not involved with uncleared swaps. For more information, see “Risks of cleared swaps” below.
In a cleared swap, a Fund’s ultimate counterparty is a central clearinghouse rather than a brokerage firm, bank or other financial institution. Cleared swaps are submitted for clearing through each party’s FCM, which must be a member of the clearinghouse that serves as the central counterparty. Transactions executed on a swap execution facility may increase market transparency and liquidity but may require a Fund to incur increased expenses to access the same types of swaps that it has used in the past. When a Fund enters into a cleared swap, it must deliver to the central counterparty (via the FCM) initial collateral. The initial collateral requirements are determined by the central counterparty, and are typically calculated as an amount equal to the volatility in market value of the cleared swap over a fixed period, but an FCM may require additional collateral above the amount required by the central counterparty. During the term of the swap agreement, an additional collateral amount may also be required to be paid by a Fund or may be received by such Fund in accordance with collateral controls set for such accounts. If the value of a Fund’s cleared swap declines, such Fund will be required to make additional payments to the FCM to settle the change in value. Conversely, if the market value of a Fund’s position increases, the FCM will post additional amounts to such Fund’s account. At the conclusion of the term of the swap agreement, if a Fund has a loss equal to or greater than the collateral amount, the collateral amount is paid to the FCM along with any loss in excess of the collateral amount. If a Fund has a loss of less than the collateral amount, the excess collateral is returned to such Fund. If a Fund has a gain, the full collateral amount and the amount of the gain is paid to such Fund.
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 a Fund will be successful in using swap agreements to achieve its investment goal depends on the ability of the Adviser to correctly predict which types of investments are likely to produce greater returns. If the 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 a Fund will be less than its performance would have been if it had not used the swap agreements. The risk of loss to a 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 a Fund, the risk of loss to such Fund is loss of the entire amount that such Fund is entitled to receive. If a Fund is obligated to pay the net amount, such 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, a Fund’s risk of loss also includes any collateral at risk in the event of default by the counterparty (in an uncleared swap) or the central counterparty or FCM (in a cleared swap), plus any transaction costs.
Because bilateral swap agreements are structured as two-party contracts and may have terms of greater than seven days, these swaps may be considered to be illiquid and, therefore, subject to a Fund’s limitation on investments in illiquid securities. If a swap transaction is particularly large or if the relevant market is illiquid, a Fund may not be able to establish or liquidate a position at an advantageous time or price, which may result in significant losses. Participants in the swap markets are not required to make continuous markets in the swap contracts they trade. Participants could refuse to quote prices for swap contracts or quote prices with an unusually wide spread between the price at which they are prepared to buy and the price at which they are prepared to sell. Some swap agreements entail complex terms and may require a greater degree of subjectivity in their valuation. However, the swap markets have grown substantially in recent years, with a large number of financial institutions acting both as principals and agents, utilizing standardized swap documentation. As a result, the swap markets have become increasingly liquid. In addition, central clearing and the trading of cleared swaps on public facilities are intended to increase liquidity.
The Adviser, under the supervision of the Board of Trustees, is responsible for determining and monitoring the liquidity of a Fund’s swap transactions. 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,
8



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 a Fund’s identity as intended. Certain IRS positions may limit a 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 a Fund’s ability to benefit from using swap agreements, or could have adverse tax consequences. For more information about potentially changing regulation, see “Developing government regulation of derivatives” below.
Risks of uncleared swaps
Uncleared swaps are typically executed bilaterally with a swap dealer rather than traded on exchanges. As a result, swap participants may not be as protected as participants on organized exchanges. Performance of a swap agreement is the responsibility only of the swap counterparty and not of any exchange or clearinghouse. As a result, a Fund is subject to the risk that a counterparty will be unable or will refuse to perform under such agreement, including because of the counterparty’s bankruptcy or insolvency. A Fund risks the loss of the accrued but unpaid amounts under a swap agreement, which could be substantial, in the event of a default, insolvency or bankruptcy by a swap counterparty. In such an event, a Fund will have contractual remedies pursuant to the swap agreements, but bankruptcy and insolvency laws could affect such Fund’s rights as a creditor. If the counterparty’s creditworthiness declines, the value of a swap agreement would likely decline, potentially resulting in losses. The Adviser will only approve a swap agreement counterparty for a Fund if the Adviser deems the counterparty to be creditworthy. However, in unusual or extreme market conditions, a counterparty’s creditworthiness and ability to perform may deteriorate rapidly, and the availability of suitable replacement counterparties may become limited.
Risks of cleared swaps 
As noted above, under recent financial reforms, certain types of swaps are, and others eventually are expected to be, required to be cleared through a central counterparty, which may affect counterparty risk and other risks faced by a Fund.
Central clearing is designed to reduce counterparty credit risk and increase liquidity compared to uncleared swaps because central clearing interposes the central clearinghouse as the counterparty to each participant’s swap, but it does not eliminate those risks completely and may involve additional costs and risks not involved with uncleared swaps. There is also a risk of loss by a Fund of the initial and variation collateral deposits in the event of bankruptcy of the FCM with which such Fund has an open position, or the central counterparty in a swap contract. The assets of a Fund may not be fully protected in the event of the bankruptcy of the FCM or central counterparty because such Fund might be limited to recovering only a pro rata share of all available funds and collateral segregated on behalf of an FCM’s customers. If the FCM does not provide accurate reporting, a Fund is also subject to the risk that the FCM could use such Fund’s assets, which are held in an omnibus account with assets belonging to the FCM’s other customers, to satisfy its own financial obligations or the payment obligations of another customer to the central counterparty. Credit risk of cleared swap participants is concentrated in a few clearinghouses, and the consequences of insolvency of a clearinghouse are not clear.
With cleared swaps, a Fund may not be able to obtain terms as favorable as it would be able to negotiate for a bilateral, uncleared swap. In addition, an FCM may unilaterally amend the terms of its agreement with a Fund, which may include the imposition of position limits or additional collateral requirements with respect to such Fund’s investment in certain types of swaps. Central counterparties and FCMs can require termination of existing cleared swap transactions upon the occurrence of certain events, and can also require increases in collateral above the amount that is required at the initiation of the swap agreement. Currently, depending on a number of factors, the collateral required under the rules of the clearinghouse and FCM may be in excess of the collateral required to be posted by a Fund to support its obligations under a similar uncleared swap. However, regulators have proposed and are expected to adopt rules imposing certain requirements on uncleared swaps in the near future, which are likely to impose higher collateral requirements on uncleared swaps.
Finally, a Fund is subject to the risk that, after entering into a cleared swap with an executing broker, no FCM or central counterparty is willing or able to clear the transaction. In such an event, a Fund may be required to break the trade and make an early termination payment to the executing broker.
Forward Contracts 
A forward contract is an obligation to purchase or sell a specific security, currency or other instrument for an agreed price at a future date that is individually negotiated and privately traded by traders and their customers. In contrast to contracts traded on an exchange (such as futures contracts), forward contracts are not guaranteed by any exchange or clearinghouse and are subject to the creditworthiness of the counterparty of the trade. Forward contracts are highly leveraged and highly volatile, and a relatively small price movement in a forward contract may result in substantial losses to a Fund. To the extent a Fund engages in forward contracts to generate return, such Fund will be subject to these risks. 
Forward contracts are not always standardized and are frequently the subject of individual negotiation between the parties involved. By contrast, futures contracts are generally standardized and futures exchanges have central clearinghouses which keep track of all positions. 
9



Because there is no clearinghouse system applicable to forward contracts, there is no direct means of offsetting a forward contract by purchase of an offsetting position on the same exchange as one can with respect to a futures contract. Absent contractual termination rights, a Fund may not be able to terminate a forward contract at a price and time that it desires. In such event, a Fund will remain subject to counterparty risk with respect to the forward contract, even if such Fund enters into an offsetting forward contract with the same, or a different, counterparty. If a counterparty defaults, a Fund may lose money on the transaction. 
Depending on the asset underlying the forward contract, forward transactions can be influenced by, among other things, changing supply and demand relationships, government commercial and trade programs and policies, national and international political and economic events, weather and climate conditions, insects and plant disease, purchases and sales by foreign countries and changing interest rates. 
Futures Contracts
A Fund may use futures to attempt to gain exposure to a particular market, index, security, commodity or instrument or for speculative purposes to increase return, to attempt to hedge or limit the exposure of such Fund’s position, to create a synthetic money market position, for certain tax-related purposes or to effect closing transactions. Futures contracts generally provide for the future sale by one party and purchase by another party of a specified commodity or security at a specified future time and at a specified price. Index futures contracts are settled daily with a payment by one party to the other of a cash amount based on the difference between the level of the index specified in the contract from one day to the next. Futures contracts are standardized as to maturity date and underlying instrument and are traded on futures exchanges.
A Fund is required to make a good faith margin deposit in cash or U.S. government securities with a broker or custodian to initiate and maintain open positions in futures contracts. A margin deposit is intended to assure completion of the contract (delivery or acceptance of the underlying commodity or payment of the cash settlement amount) if it is not terminated prior to the specified delivery date. Brokers may establish deposit requirements which are higher than the exchange minimums. Futures contracts are customarily purchased and sold on margin deposits which may range upward from less than 5% of the value of the contract being traded.
After a futures contract position is opened, the value of the contract is marked to market daily. If the futures contract price changes to the extent that the margin on deposit does not satisfy margin requirements, payment of additional “variation” margin will be required. Conversely, change in the contract value may reduce the required margin, resulting in a repayment of excess margin to the contract holder. Variation margin payments are made to and from the futures broker for as long as the contract remains open. In such case, a Fund would expect to earn interest income on its margin deposits. Closing out an open futures position is done by taking an opposite position (“buying” a contract which has previously been “sold,” or “selling” a contract previously “purchased”) in an identical contract to terminate the position. Brokerage commissions are incurred when a futures contract position is opened or closed.
U.S. futures contracts are traded on organized exchanges regulated by the CFTC. Transactions on such exchanges are cleared through a clearing corporation, which guarantees the performance of the parties to each contract. a Fund may also invest in non-U.S. futures contracts.
There are several risks in connection with the use of futures by a Fund. A Fund may not be able to properly effect its strategy when a liquid market is unavailable for the futures contract such Fund wishes to close, which may at times occur. If a Fund were unable to liquidate a futures position due to the absence of a liquid secondary market or the imposition of price limits, it could incur substantial losses. A Fund would continue to be subject to market risk with respect to the position. In addition, a Fund would continue to be required to make daily variation margin payments and might be required to maintain cash or liquid assets in an account.
A purchase or sale of a futures contract may result in losses to a Fund in excess of the amount that such Fund delivered as initial margin. Because of the relatively low margin deposits required, futures trading involves a high degree of leverage; as a result, a relatively small price movement in a futures contract may result in immediate and substantial loss, or gain, to a Fund. In addition, if a Fund has insufficient cash to meet daily variation margin requirements or close out a futures position, it may have to sell securities from its portfolio at a time when it may be disadvantageous to do so. Adverse market movements could cause a Fund to experience substantial losses on an investment in a futures contract. There is a risk of loss by a Fund of the initial and variation margin deposits in the event of bankruptcy of the FCM with which such Fund has an open position in a futures contract. The assets of a Fund may not be fully protected in the event of the bankruptcy of the FCM or central counterparty because such Fund might be limited to recovering only a pro rata share of all available funds and margin segregated on behalf of an FCM’s customers. If the FCM does not provide accurate reporting, a Fund is also subject to the risk that the FCM could use such Fund’s assets, which are held in an omnibus account with assets belonging to the FCM’s other customers, to satisfy its own financial obligations or the payment obligations of another customer to the central counterparty.
The price of futures may not correlate perfectly with movement in the cash market due to certain market distortions. Rather than meeting additional margin deposit requirements, investors may close futures contracts through offsetting transactions which could distort the normal relationship between the cash and futures markets. Second, with respect to financial futures contracts, the liquidity of the futures market depends on participants entering into offsetting transactions rather than making or taking delivery. To the extent participants decide to make or take delivery, liquidity in the futures market could be reduced, thus producing distortions. Third, from the point of view of speculators, the deposit requirements in the futures market are less onerous than margin requirements in the
10



securities market. Therefore, increased participation by speculators in the futures market may also cause temporary price distortions. Due to the possibility of price distortion in the futures market, and because of the imperfect correlation between the movements in the cash market and movements in the price of futures, a correct forecast of general market trends or interest rate movements by the Adviser may still not result in a successful hedging transaction over a short time frame (in the event futures are used for hedging purposes). 
Positions in futures may be closed out only on an exchange or board of trade which provides a secondary market for such futures. Although a Fund intends to purchase or sell futures only on exchanges or boards of trade where there appear to be active secondary markets, there is no assurance that a liquid secondary market on any exchange or board of trade will exist for any particular contract or at any particular time. When there is no liquid market, it may not be possible to close a futures investment position, and in the event of adverse price movements, a Fund would continue to be required to make daily cash payments of variation margin (as described below). In such circumstances, an increase in the price of the securities, if any, may partially or completely offset losses on the futures contract. However, as described above, there is no guarantee that the price of the securities will in fact correlate with the price movements in the futures contract and thus provide an offset on a futures contract.
Futures contracts that are traded on non-U.S. exchanges may not be as liquid as those purchased on CFTC-designated contract markets. In addition, non-U.S. futures contracts may be subject to varied regulatory oversight. The price of any non-U.S. futures contract and, therefore, the potential profit and loss thereon, may be affected by any change in the non-U.S. exchange rate between the time a particular order is placed and the time it is liquidated, offset or exercised.
The CFTC and the various exchanges have established limits referred to as “speculative position limits” on the maximum net long or net short position that any person, such as a Fund, may hold or control in a particular futures contract. Trading limits are also imposed on the maximum number of contracts that any person may trade on a particular trading day. An exchange may order the liquidation of positions found to be in violation of these limits and it may impose other sanctions or restrictions. The regulation of futures, as well as other derivatives, is a rapidly changing area of law. 
Further, it should be noted that the liquidity of a secondary market in a futures contract may be adversely affected by “daily price fluctuation limits” established by commodities exchanges which limit the amount of fluctuation in a futures contract price during a single trading day. Once the daily limit has been reached in the contract, no trades may be entered into at a price beyond the limit, thus preventing the liquidation of open futures positions. The trading of futures contracts is also subject to the risk of trading halts, suspensions, exchange or clearing house equipment failures, government intervention, insolvency of a brokerage firm or clearing house or other disruptions of normal activity, which could at times make it difficult or impossible to liquidate existing positions or to recover equity. 
Stock Index Futures 
A Fund may invest in stock index futures. A stock index assigns relative values to the common stocks included in the index and fluctuates with the changes in the market value of those stocks. 
Stock index futures are contracts based on the future value of the basket of securities that comprise the underlying stock index. The contracts obligate the seller to deliver and the purchaser to take cash to settle the futures transaction or to enter into an obligation contract. No physical delivery of the securities underlying the index is made on settling the futures obligation. No monetary amount is paid or received by a Fund on the purchase or sale of a stock index future. At any time prior to the expiration of the future, a Fund may elect to close out its position by taking an opposite position, at which time a final determination of variation margin is made and additional cash is required to be paid by or released to such Fund. Any gain or loss is then realized by a Fund on the future for tax purposes. Although stock index futures by their terms call for settlement by the delivery of cash, in most cases the settlement obligation is fulfilled without such delivery by entering into an offsetting transaction. All futures transactions are effected through a clearing house associated with the exchange on which the contracts are traded. 
Futures on Securities 
A Fund may purchase and sell futures contracts on securities. A futures contract sale creates an obligation by a Fund, as seller, to deliver the specific type of financial instrument called for in the contract at a specific future time for a specified price. A futures contract purchase creates an obligation by a Fund, as purchaser, to take delivery of the specific type of financial instrument at a specific future time at a specific price. The specific securities delivered or taken, respectively, at settlement date, would not be determined until or near that date. The determination would be in accordance with the rules of the exchange on which the futures contract sale or purchase was made. 
Although futures contracts on securities by their terms call for actual delivery or acceptance of securities, in most cases the contracts are closed out before the settlement date without making or taking delivery of securities. A Fund may close out a futures contract sale by entering into a futures contract purchase for the same aggregate amount of the specific type of financial instrument and the same delivery date. If the price of the sale exceeds the price of the offsetting purchase, a Fund is immediately paid the difference and thus realizes a gain. If the offsetting purchase price exceeds the sale price, a Fund pays the difference and realizes a loss. Similarly, a Fund may close out of a futures contract purchase by entering into a futures contract sale. If the offsetting sale price exceeds the purchase
11



price, a Fund realizes a gain, and if the purchase price exceeds the offsetting sale price, such Fund realizes a loss. Accounting for futures contracts will be in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.
Options 
The value of an option position will reflect, among other things, the current market value of the underlying investment, the time remaining until expiration, the relationship of the exercise price to the market price of the underlying investment and general market conditions. Options that expire unexercised have no value. Options currently are traded on the Chicago Board Options Exchange® and other exchanges, as well as the OTC markets.
By buying a call option on a security, a Fund has the right, in return for the premium paid, to buy the security underlying the option at the exercise price. By writing (selling) a call option and receiving a premium, a Fund becomes obligated during the term of the option to deliver securities underlying the option at the exercise price if the option is exercised. By buying a put option, a Fund has the right, in return for the premium, to sell the security underlying the option at the exercise price. By writing a put option, a Fund becomes obligated during the term of the option to purchase the securities underlying the option at the exercise price.
Because options premiums paid or received by a Fund are small in relation to the market value of the investments underlying the options, buying and selling put and call options can be more speculative than investing directly in securities.
A Fund may effectively terminate its right or obligation under an option by entering into a closing transaction. For example, a Fund may terminate its obligation under a call or put option that it had written by purchasing an identical call or put option; this is known as a closing purchase transaction. Conversely, a Fund may terminate a position in a put or call option it had purchased by writing an identical put or call option; this is known as a closing sale transaction. Closing transactions permit a Fund to realize profits or limit losses on an option position prior to its exercise or expiration.
Risks of Options on Currencies and Securities
Exchange-traded options in the United States are issued by a clearing organization affiliated with the exchange on which the option is listed that, in effect, guarantees completion of every exchange-traded option transaction. In contrast, OTC options are contracts between a Fund and its counterparty (usually a securities dealer or a bank) with no clearing organization guarantee. Thus, when a Fund purchases an OTC option, it relies on the counterparty from which it purchased the option to make or take delivery of the underlying investment upon exercise of the option. Failure by the counterparty to do so would result in the loss of any premium paid by a Fund as well as the loss of any expected benefit of the transaction.
A Fund’s ability to establish and close out positions in exchange-traded options depends on the existence of a liquid market. However, there can be no assurance that such a market will exist at any particular time. Closing transactions can be made for OTC options only by negotiating directly with the counterparty, or by a transaction in the secondary market if any such market exists. There can be no assurance that a Fund will in fact be able to close out an OTC option position at a favorable price prior to expiration. In the event of insolvency of the counterparty, a Fund might be unable to close out an OTC option position at any time prior to its expiration.
If a Fund were unable to effect a closing transaction for an option it had purchased, it would have to exercise the option to realize any profit. The inability to enter into a closing purchase transaction for a covered call option written by a Fund could cause material losses because such Fund would be unable to sell the investment used as cover for the written option until the option expires or is exercised.
Options on Indices 
An index fluctuates with changes in the market values of the securities included in the index. Options on indices give the holder the right to receive an amount of cash upon exercise of the option. Receipt of this cash amount will depend upon the closing level of the index upon which the option is based being greater than (in the case of a call) or less than (in the case of a put) the exercise price of the option. Some stock index options are based on a broad market index such as the S&P 500® Composite Stock Index, the NYSE Composite Index or the NYSE Arca Major Market Index or on a narrower index such as the Philadelphia Stock Exchange Over-the-Counter Index.
Each of the exchanges has established limitations governing the maximum number of call or put options on the same index that may be bought or written by a single investor, whether acting alone or in concert with others (regardless of whether such options are written on the same or different exchanges or are held or written on one or more accounts or through one or more brokers). Under these limitations, option positions of all investment companies advised by the Adviser are combined for purposes of these limits. Pursuant to these limitations, an exchange may order the liquidation of positions and may impose other sanctions or restrictions. These position limits may restrict the number of listed options that a Fund may buy or sell.
Puts and calls on indices are similar to puts and calls on securities or futures contracts except that all settlements are in cash and gain or loss depends on changes in the index in question rather than on price movements in individual securities or futures contracts. When a Fund writes a call on an index, it receives a premium and agrees that, prior to the expiration date, the purchaser of the call, upon exercise of the call, will receive from such Fund an amount of cash if the closing level of the index upon which the call is based is greater than the exercise price of the call. The amount of cash is equal to the difference between the closing price of the index and the exercise price of the call multiplied by a specific factor (“multiplier”), which determines the total value for each point of such
12



difference. When a Fund buys a call on an index, it pays a premium and has the same rights to such call as are indicated above. When a Fund buys a put on an index, it pays a premium and has the right, prior to the expiration date, to require the seller of the put, upon such Fund’s exercise of the put, to deliver to such Fund an amount of cash if the closing level of the index upon which the put is based is less than the exercise price of the put, which amount of cash is determined by the multiplier, as described above for calls. When a Fund writes a put on an index, it receives a premium and the purchaser of the put has the right, prior to the expiration date, to require such Fund to deliver to it an amount of cash equal to the difference between the closing level of the index and the exercise price times the multiplier if the closing level is less than the exercise price.
Risks of Options on Indices
If a Fund has purchased an index option and exercises it before the closing index value for that day is available, it runs the risk that the level of the index may subsequently change. If such a change causes the exercised option to fall out-of-the-money, a Fund will be required to pay the difference between the closing index value and the exercise price of the option (times the applicable multiplier) to the assigned writer.
OTC Options 
Unlike exchange-traded options, which are standardized with respect to the underlying instrument, expiration date, contract size and strike price, the terms of OTC options (options not traded on exchanges) generally are established through negotiation with the other party to the option contract. While this type of arrangement allows a Fund great flexibility to tailor the option to its needs, OTC options generally involve greater risk than exchange-traded options, which are guaranteed by the clearing organization of the exchanges where they are traded.
Options on Futures Contracts 
When a Fund writes an option on a futures contract, it becomes obligated, in return for the premium paid, to assume a position in the futures contract at a specified exercise price at any time during the term of the option. If a Fund writes a call, it assumes a short futures position. If it writes a put, it assumes a long futures position. When a Fund purchases an option on a futures contract, it acquires the right in return for the premium it pays to assume a position in a futures contract (a long position if the option is a call and a short position if the option is a put).
Whether a Fund realizes a gain or loss from futures activities depends upon movements in the underlying security or index. The extent of a Fund’s loss from an unhedged short position from writing unhedged call options on futures contracts is potentially unlimited. A Fund only purchases and sells options on futures contracts that are traded on a U.S. exchange or board of trade.
Purchasers and sellers of options on futures can enter into offsetting closing transactions, similar to closing transactions in options, by selling or purchasing, respectively, an instrument identical to the instrument purchased or sold. Positions in options on futures contracts may be closed only on an exchange or board of trade that provides a secondary market. However, there can be no assurance that a liquid secondary market will exist for a particular contract at a particular time. In such event, it may not be possible to close a futures contract or options position.
Under certain circumstances, futures exchanges may establish daily limits on the amount that the price of an option on a futures contract can vary from the previous day’s settlement price; once that limit is reached, no trades may be made that day at a price beyond the limit. Daily price limits do not limit potential losses because prices could move to the daily limit for several consecutive days with little or no trading, thereby preventing liquidation of unfavorable positions.
If a Fund were unable to liquidate an option on a futures position due to the absence of a liquid secondary market or the imposition of price limits, it could incur substantial losses. A Fund would continue to be subject to market risk with respect to the position. In addition, except in the case of purchased options, a Fund would continue to be required to make daily variation margin payments and might be required to maintain cash or liquid assets in an account.
Risks of Options on Futures Contracts
The ordinary spreads between prices in the cash and futures markets (including the options on futures markets), due to differences in the natures of those markets, are subject to the following factors, which may create distortions. First, all participants in the futures market are subject to margin deposit and maintenance requirements. Rather than meeting additional margin deposit requirements, investors may close futures contracts through offsetting transactions, which could distort the normal relationships between the cash and futures markets. Second, the liquidity of the futures market depends on participants entering into offsetting transactions rather than making or taking delivery. To the extent participants decide to make or take delivery, liquidity in the futures market could be reduced, thus producing distortion. Third, from the point of view of speculators, the deposit requirements in the futures market are less onerous than margin requirements in the securities market. Therefore, increased participation by speculators in the futures market may cause temporary price distortions.
Combined Positions 
A Fund may purchase and write options in combination with each other. For example, a Fund may purchase a put option and write a call option on the same underlying instrument, in order to construct a combined position whose risk and return characteristics are
13



similar to selling a futures contract. Another possible combined position would involve writing a call option at one strike price and buying a call option at a lower price, in order to reduce the risk of the written call option in the event of a substantial price increase. Because combined options positions involve multiple trades, they result in higher transaction costs and may be more difficult to open and close out.
Regulation of Investment Company Use of Derivatives
SEC Rule 18f-4 (“Rule 18f-4” or the “Derivatives Rule”) regulates the ability of a Fund to enter into derivative transactions and other leveraged transactions. The Derivatives Rule defines the term “derivatives” to include short sales and forward contracts, such as TBA transactions, in addition to instruments traditionally classified as derivatives, such as swaps, futures, and options. Rule 18f-4 also regulates other types of leveraged transactions, such as reverse repurchase transactions and transactions deemed to be “similar to” reverse repurchase transactions, such as certain securities lending transactions in connection with which a Fund obtains leverage. Among other things, under Rule 18f-4, a Fund is prohibited from entering into these derivatives transactions except in reliance on the provisions of the Derivatives Rule. The Derivatives Rule establishes limits on the derivatives transactions that a Fund may enter into based on the value-at-risk (“VaR”) of the Fund inclusive of derivatives. A Fund will generally satisfy the limits under the Rule if the VaR of its portfolio (inclusive of derivatives transactions) does not exceed 200% of the VaR of its “designated reference portfolio.” The “designated reference portfolio” is a representative unleveraged index or a Fund’s own portfolio absent derivatives holdings, as determined by such Fund’s derivatives risk manager. This limits test is referred to as the “Relative VaR Test.” As a result of the Relative VaR Test, a Fund may not seek returns in excess of 2x the Underlying Index.
In addition, among other requirements, Rule 18f-4 requires a Fund to establish a derivatives risk management program, appoint a derivatives risk manager, and carry out enhanced reporting to the Board, the SEC and the public regarding a Fund’s derivatives activities. It is possible that the limits and compliance costs imposed by the Derivatives Rule may adversely affect a Fund’s performance, efficiency in implementing its strategy, liquidity and/or ability to pursue its investment objectives and may increase the cost of such Fund’s investments and cost of doing business, which could adversely affect investors.
Foreign Issuers
A Fund may invest a significant portion of its assets in issuers located outside the United States directly, or in financial instruments that are indirectly linked to the performance of foreign issuers. Examples of such financial instruments include depositary receipts, which are described further below, “ordinary shares,” and “New York shares” issued and traded in the United States. Ordinary shares are shares of foreign issuers that are traded abroad and on a United States exchange. New York shares are shares that a foreign issuer has allocated for trading in the United States. American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”), ordinary shares, and New York shares all may be purchased with and sold for U.S. dollars, which protects the Funds from the foreign settlement risks described below.
Investing in foreign companies may involve risks not typically associated with investing in United States companies. The value of securities denominated in foreign currencies, and of dividends from such securities, can change significantly when foreign currencies strengthen or weaken relative to the U.S. dollar. Foreign securities markets generally have less trading volume and less liquidity than United States markets, and prices in some foreign markets can be more volatile than those of domestic securities. Therefore, a Fund’s investment in foreign securities may be less liquid and subject to more rapid and erratic price movements than comparable securities listed for trading on U.S. exchanges. Non-U.S. equity securities may trade at price/earnings multiples higher than comparable U.S. securities and such levels may not be sustainable. There may be less government supervision and regulation of foreign stock exchanges, brokers, banks and listed companies abroad than in the U.S. Moreover, settlement practices for transactions in foreign markets may differ from those in U.S. markets. Such differences may include delays beyond periods customary in the U.S. and practices, such as delivery of securities prior to receipt of payment, that increase the likelihood of a failed settlement, which can result in losses to a Fund. The value of non-U.S. investments and the investment income derived from them may also be affected unfavorably by changes in currency exchange control regulations. Foreign brokerage commissions, custodial expenses and other fees are also generally higher than for securities traded in the U.S. This may cause a Fund to incur higher portfolio transaction costs than domestic equity funds. Fluctuations in exchange rates may also affect the earning power and asset value of the foreign entity issuing a security, even one denominated in U.S. dollars. Dividend and interest payments may be repatriated based on the exchange rate at the time of disbursement, and restrictions on capital flows may be imposed. Many foreign countries lack uniform accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards comparable to those that apply to United States companies, and it may be more difficult to obtain reliable information regarding a foreign issuer’s financial condition and operations. In addition, the costs of foreign investing, including withholding taxes, brokerage commissions, and custodial fees, generally are higher than for United States investments.
Investing in companies located abroad carries political and economic risks distinct from those associated with investing in the United States. Foreign investment may be affected by actions of foreign governments adverse to the interests of United States investors, including the possibility of expropriation or nationalization of assets, confiscatory taxation, restrictions on United States investment, or on the ability to repatriate assets or to convert currency into U.S. dollars. There may be a greater possibility of default by foreign governments or foreign-government sponsored enterprises. Losses and other expenses may be incurred in converting between various currencies in connection with purchases and sales of foreign securities. Investments in foreign countries also involve a risk of local political, economic, or social instability, military action or unrest, or adverse diplomatic developments.
14



Investing in companies domiciled in emerging market countries may be subject to greater risks than investments in developed countries. These risks include: (i) less social, political, and economic stability; (ii) greater illiquidity and price volatility due to smaller or limited local capital markets for such securities, or low or non-existent trading volumes; (iii) foreign exchanges and broker-dealers may be subject to less scrutiny and regulation by local authorities; (iv) local governments may decide to seize or confiscate securities held by foreign investors and/or local governments may decide to suspend or limit an issuer’s ability to make dividend or interest payments; (v) local governments may limit or entirely restrict repatriation of invested capital, profits, and dividends; (vi) capital gains may be subject to local taxation, including on a retroactive basis; (vii) issuers facing restrictions on dollar or euro payments imposed by local governments may attempt to make dividend or interest payments to foreign investors in the local currency; (viii) investors may experience difficulty in enforcing legal claims related to the securities and/or local judges may favor the interests of the issuer over those of foreign investors; (ix) bankruptcy judgments may only be permitted to be paid in the local currency; (x) limited public information regarding the issuer may result in greater difficulty in determining market valuations of the securities, and (xi) lax financial reporting on a regular basis, substandard disclosure, and differences in accounting standards may make it difficult to ascertain the financial health of an issuer.
Geographic Concentration
Funds that are less diversified across countries or geographic regions are generally riskier than more geographically diversified funds. A fund that focuses on a single country or a specific region is more exposed to that country’s or region’s economic cycles, currency exchange rates, stock market valuations and political risks, among others, compared with a more geographically diversified fund. The economies and financial markets of certain regions, such as Asia and the Middle East, can be interdependent and may be adversely affected by the same events.
Set forth below for certain markets in which a Fund may invest are brief descriptions of some of the conditions and risks in each such market.
Investments in Canada. Because the investments of the Junior Silver ETF may be geographically concentrated in Canadian companies or companies that have a significant presence in Canada, investment results could be dependent on the financial condition of the Canadian economy. The Canadian economy is reliant on the sale of natural resources and commodities, which can pose risks such as the fluctuation of prices and the variability of demand for exportation of such products. Changes in spending on Canadian products by the economies of other countries or changes in any of these economies may cause a significant impact on the Canadian economy.
Investments in Emerging Markets Securities. Investments in securities listed and traded in emerging markets are subject to additional risks that may not be present for U.S. investments or investments in more developed non-U.S. markets. Such risks may include: (i) greater market volatility; (ii) lower trading volume; (iii) greater social, political and economic uncertainty; (iv) governmental controls on foreign investments and limitations on repatriation of invested capital; (v) the risk that companies may be held to lower disclosure, corporate governance, auditing and financial reporting standards than companies in more developed markets; and (vi) the risk that there may be less protection of property rights than in other countries. Emerging markets are generally less liquid and less efficient than developed securities markets.
Investments in Europe. The economies of Europe are highly dependent on each other, both as key trading partners and as in many cases as fellow members maintaining the euro. Reduction in trading activity among European countries may cause an adverse impact on each nation’s individual economies. European countries that are part of the Economic and Monetary Union of the EU are required to comply with restrictions on inflation rates, deficits, interest rates, debt levels, and fiscal and monetary controls, each of which may significantly affect every country in Europe. Decreasing imports or exports, changes in governmental or EU regulations on trade, changes in the exchange rate of the euro, the default or threat of default by an EU member country on its sovereign debt, and recessions in an EU member country may have a significant adverse effect on the economies of EU member countries and their trading partners.
The European financial markets have recently experienced volatility and adverse trends due to concerns about rising government debt levels of several European countries, including Greece, Spain, Ireland, Italy, and Portugal. These events have adversely affected the exchange rate of the euro and may continue to significantly affect every country in Europe. For some countries, the ability to repay sovereign debt is in question, and default is possible, which could affect their ability to borrow in the future. For example, Greece has been required to impose harsh austerity measures on its population to receive financial aid from the International Monetary Fund and EU member countries. These austerity measures have also led to social uprisings within Greece, as citizens have protested – at times violently – the actions of their government. The persistence of these factors may seriously reduce the economic performance of Greece and pose serious risks for the country’s economy in the future. Furthermore, there is the possibility of contagion that could occur if one country defaults on its debt, and that a default in one country could trigger declines and possible additional defaults in other countries in the region.
Responses to the financial problems by European governments, central banks and others, including austerity measures and reforms, may not work, may result in social unrest and may limit future growth and economic recovery or have other unintended consequences. Further defaults or restructurings by governments and other entities of their debt could have additional adverse effects on economies, financial markets, and asset valuations around the world. In addition, one or more countries may abandon the euro, the common
15



currency of the EU, and/or withdraw from the EU alongside the UK, as discussed below. The impact of these actions, especially if they occur in a disorderly fashion, is not clear but could be significant and far-reaching.
Uncertainties surrounding the sovereign debt of a number of EU countries and the viability of the EU have disrupted and may in the future disrupt markets in the United States and around the world. If one or more countries leave the EU or the EU dissolves, the world’s securities markets likely will be significantly disrupted. In January 2020, the United Kingdom (“UK”) left the EU, commonly referred to as “Brexit,” and the UK ceased to be a member of the EU. Following a transition period during which the EU and the UK Government engaged in a series of negotiations regarding the terms of the UK’s future relationship with the EU, the EU and the UK Government signed an agreement on December 30, 2020 regarding the economic relationship between the UK and the EU. This agreement became effective on a provisional basis on January 1, 2021. There is significant market uncertainty regarding Brexit’s ramifications, and the range and potential implications of possible political, regulatory, economic, and market outcomes are difficult to predict. This long-term uncertainty may affect other countries in the EU and elsewhere, and may cause volatility within the EU, triggering prolonged economic downturns in certain European countries. In addition, Brexit may create additional and substantial economic stresses for the UK, including a contraction of the UK economy and price volatility in UK stocks, decreased trade, capital outflows, devaluation of the British pound, wider corporate bond spreads due to uncertainty, and declines in business and consumer spending as well as foreign direct investment. Brexit may also adversely affect UK-based financial firms that have counterparties in the EU or participate in market infrastructure (trading venues, clearing houses, settlement facilities) based in the EU. These events and the resulting market volatility may have an adverse effect on the performance of the Fund.
Depositary Receipts
A Fund’s investment in securities of foreign companies may be in the form of depositary receipts or other securities convertible into securities of foreign issuers. ADRs are dollar-denominated receipts representing interests in the securities of a foreign issuer, which securities may not necessarily be denominated in the same currency as the securities into which they may be converted. ADRs are receipts typically issued by United States banks and trust companies which evidence ownership of underlying securities issued by a foreign corporation. Generally, ADRs in registered form are designed for use in domestic securities markets and are traded on exchanges or over-the-counter in the United States. Global Depositary Receipts (“GDRs”), European Depositary Receipts (“EDRs”), and International Depositary Receipts (“IDRs”) are similar to ADRs in that they are certificates evidencing ownership of shares of a foreign issuer, however, GDRs, EDRs, and IDRs may be issued in bearer form and denominated in other currencies, and are generally designed for use in specific or multiple securities markets outside the U.S. EDRs, for example, are designed for use in European securities markets while GDRs are designed for use throughout the world. Depositary receipts will not necessarily be denominated in the same currency as their underlying securities.
A Fund will not invest in any unlisted Depositary Receipts or any Depositary Receipt that the Adviser deems to be illiquid or for which pricing information is not readily available. In addition, all Depositary Receipts generally must be sponsored. However, a Fund may invest in unsponsored Depositary Receipts under certain limited circumstances. The issuers of unsponsored Depositary Receipts are not obligated to disclose material information in the United States, and, therefore, there may be less information available regarding such issuers and there may not be a correlation between such information and the market value of the Depositary Receipts. The use of Depositary Receipts may increase tracking error relative to an Underlying Index.
Real Estate Investment Trusts (“REITs”)
A REIT is a corporation or business trust (that would otherwise be taxed as a corporation) that 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 and making the REIT a pass-through vehicle for federal income tax purposes. 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 distribute annually 90% or more of its otherwise taxable income to shareholders.
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; 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 a 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 a 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.
16



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 a Fund, a shareholder will bear not only his or her proportionate share of the expenses of a 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 favorable tax treatment under the Code or 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.
U.S. Government Securities
The Funds 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. There can be no guarantee that the United States will be able to meet its payment obligations with respect to such securities. Additionally, market prices and yields of securities supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government may decline or be negative for short or long periods of time. 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 Fannie Mae, the Government National Mortgage Association (“Ginnie Mae”), 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 Intermediate Credit Banks, the Tennessee Valley Authority, the Export-Import Bank of the United States, the Commodity Credit Corporation, the Federal Financing Bank, 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, Ginnie Mae 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 Fannie Mae, 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.
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, Standard & Poor’s 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 ceiling 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.
The value of direct or indirect investments in fixed income securities will fluctuate with changes in interest rates. Typically, a rise in interest rates causes a decline in the value of fixed income securities. On the other hand, if rates fall, the value of the fixed income securities generally increases. In general, the market price of fixed income securities with longer maturities will increase or decrease more in response to changes in interest rates than shorter-term securities. The value of direct or indirect investments in fixed income securities may be affected by the inability of issuers to repay principal and interest or illiquidity in debt securities markets.
U.S. Treasury Obligations. U.S. Treasury obligations consist of bills, notes and bonds issued by the U.S. Treasury and separately traded interest and principal component parts of such obligations that are transferable through the federal book-entry system known as Separately Traded Registered Interest and Principal Securities (“STRIPS”) and Treasury Receipts (“TRs”).
17



Receipts. Interests in separately traded interest and principal component parts of U.S. government obligations that are issued by banks or brokerage firms and are created by depositing U.S. government obligations into a special account at a custodian bank. The custodian holds the interest and principal payments for the benefit of the registered owners of the certificates or receipts. The custodian arranges for the issuance of the certificates or receipts evidencing ownership and maintains the register. TRs and STRIPS are interests in accounts sponsored by the U.S. Treasury. Receipts are sold as zero coupon securities.
U.S. Government Zero Coupon Securities. STRIPS and receipts are sold as zero coupon securities, that is, fixed income securities that have been stripped of their unmatured interest coupons. Zero coupon securities are sold at a (usually substantial) discount and redeemed at face value at their maturity date without interim cash payments of interest or principal. The amount of this discount is accreted over the life of the security, and the accretion constitutes the income earned on the security for both accounting and tax purposes. Because of these features, the market prices of zero coupon securities are generally more volatile than the market prices of securities that have similar maturity but that pay interest periodically. Zero coupon securities are likely to respond to a greater degree to interest rate changes than are non-zero coupon securities with similar maturity and credit qualities.
U.S. Government Agencies. Some obligations issued or guaranteed by agencies of the U.S. government are supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury, others are supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury, while still others are supported only by the credit of the instrumentality. Guarantees of principal by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. government may be a guarantee of payment at the maturity of the obligation so that in the event of a default prior to maturity there might not be a market and thus no means of realizing on the obligation prior to maturity. Guarantees as to the timely payment of principal and interest do not extend to the value or yield of these securities nor to the value of a Fund’s Shares.
Borrowing
Although the Funds do not intend to borrow money, each Fund may do so to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act. Under the 1940 Act, each Fund may borrow up to one-third (1/3) of its net assets. The Funds will borrow money only for short-term or emergency purposes. Such borrowing is not for investment purposes and will be repaid by the borrowing Fund promptly. Borrowing will tend to exaggerate the effect on net asset value (“NAV”) of any increase or decrease in the market value of a Fund’s portfolio. Money borrowed will be subject to interest costs that may or may not be recovered by earnings on the securities purchased. Each 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.
Other Short-Term Instruments
The Funds 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 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 Adviser, are of comparable quality to obligations of U.S. banks which may be purchased by the Funds. 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. Short-term instruments that are fixed-income instruments are generally subject to the same risks as other fixed-income instruments, including credit risk and interest rate risk, and short-term instruments that are money market funds are generally subject to the same risks as other investment companies, including the obligation to pay a Fund’s share of the underlying fund’s expenses.
Investment Companies
A 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 and Rule 12d1-4 under the 1940 Act. Investing in another pooled vehicle exposes a Fund to all the risks of that pooled vehicle. Pursuant to Section 12(d)(1), a Fund may invest in the securities of another investment company (the “acquired company”) provided that such Fund, immediately after such purchase or acquisition, does not own in the aggregate: (i) more than 3% of the total outstanding voting stock of the acquired company; (ii) securities issued by the acquired company having an aggregate value in excess of 5% of the value of the total assets of a Fund; or (iii) securities issued by the acquired company and all other investment companies (other than treasury stock of a Fund) having an aggregate value in excess of 10% of the value of the total assets of a Fund. To the extent allowed by law or regulation, a Fund may invest its assets in securities of investment companies that are money market funds in excess of the limits discussed above.
18



If a Fund invests in and, thus, is a shareholder of, another investment company, such 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 such Fund to the Fund’s own investment 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 a 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 rules under the 1940 Act or as may be permitted by an exemptive order that permits registered investment companies to invest in a 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 a Fund regarding the terms of the investment.
A 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 such Fund to invest all of its assets in other registered funds, including ETFs, if, among other conditions: (a) the Fund, together with its affiliates, acquires no more than 3% of the outstanding voting stock of any acquired fund, and (b) the sales load charged on Shares is no greater than the limits set forth in Rule 2341 of the Conduct Rules of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”). Additionally, s Fund may rely on exemptive relief issued by the SEC to other registered funds, including ETFs, or on Rule 12d1-4 under the 1940 Act to invest in such other funds in excess of the limits of Section 12(d)(1) if such Fund complies with the terms and conditions of such exemptive relief or rule.
Lending Portfolio Securities
A Fund may lend portfolio securities to certain creditworthy borrowers in U.S. and non-U.S. markets in an amount not to exceed one-third (33 1/3%) of the value of its total assets. The borrowers provide collateral that is maintained in an amount at least equal to the current value of the securities loaned. A Fund may terminate a loan at any time and obtain the return of the securities loaned. A 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. A 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, a 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, money market funds, or other investment companies (including ETFs), which may include those managed by the Adviser.
A 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 such Fund in accordance with guidelines approved by the Board. In such capacity, the lending agent causes the delivery of loaned securities from a Fund to borrowers, arranges for the return of loaned securities to such 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 a Fund has agreed to pay a borrower), and credit, legal, counterparty and market risk. Counterparty risk may be greater when a Fund loans its securities to a single or small group of counterparties. In the event a borrower does not return a Fund’s securities as agreed, such 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.
A Fund will generally seek to recall securities on loan to vote on matters if the result of the vote may materially affect the investment. However, in some circumstances a Fund may be unable to recall the securities in time to vote or may determine that the benefits to such Fund of voting are outweighed by the direct or indirect costs of such a recall. In these circumstances, loaned securities may be voted or not voted in a manner adverse to the best interests of a Fund.
Future Developments
The Funds may take advantage of opportunities in the area of options and futures contracts, options on futures contracts, warrants, swaps and any other investments which are not presently contemplated for use by the Funds or which are not currently available but which may be developed, to the extent such opportunities are both consistent with the Funds’ respective investment objective and legally permissible for the Funds. Before entering into such transactions or making any such investment, the Funds will provide appropriate disclosure.
SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS AND RISKS
A discussion of the risks associated with an investment in each Fund is contained in the Prospectus. The discussion below supplements, and should be read in conjunction with, the Prospectus.
19



General
Investment in a Fund should be made with an understanding that the value of a Fund’s portfolio securities may fluctuate in accordance with changes in the financial condition of the issuers of the portfolio securities, the value of securities generally and other factors.
An investment in a Fund should also be made with an understanding of the risks inherent in an investment in securities, including the risk that the financial condition of issuers may become impaired or that the general condition of the securities markets may deteriorate (either of which may cause a decrease in the value of the portfolio securities and thus in the value of Shares). Securities are susceptible to general market fluctuations and to volatile increases and decreases in value as market confidence in and perceptions of their issuers 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 and 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, have generally inferior rights to receive payments from the issuer in comparison with the rights of creditors of, or holders of debt obligations or preferred stocks issued by, the issuer. Further, unlike debt securities which typically have a stated principal amount payable at maturity (whose value, however, will be 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.
Cyber Security Risk
Investment companies, such as the Funds, 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 Funds or the Adviser, custodian, transfer agent, intermediaries and other third-party service providers may adversely impact the Funds. For instance, cyber-attacks may interfere with the processing of shareholder transactions, impact a Fund’s ability to calculate its net asset value, cause the release of private shareholder information or confidential company information, impede trading, subject the Funds to regulatory fines or financial losses, and cause reputational damage. The Funds 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 Funds invests, which could result in material adverse consequences for such issuers, and may cause a Fund’s investment in such portfolio companies to lose value.
Recent Market Events
Beginning in the first quarter of 2020, financial markets in the United States and around the world experienced extreme and in many cases unprecedented volatility and severe losses due to the global pandemic caused by COVID-19, a novel coronavirus. The pandemic has resulted in a wide range of social and economic disruptions, including closed borders, voluntary or compelled quarantines of large populations, stressed healthcare systems, reduced or prohibited domestic or international travel, supply chain disruptions, and so-called “stay-at-home” orders throughout much of the United States and many other countries. The fall-out from these disruptions has included the rapid closure of businesses deemed “non-essential” by federal, state, or local governments and rapidly increasing unemployment, as well as greatly reduced liquidity for certain instruments at times. Some sectors of the economy and individual issuers have experienced particularly large losses. Such disruptions may continue for an extended period of time or reoccur in the future to a similar or greater extent. In response, the U.S. government and the Federal Reserve have taken extraordinary actions to support the domestic economy and financial markets, resulting in very low interest rates and in some cases negative yields. It is unknown how long circumstances related to the pandemic will persist, whether they will reoccur in the future, whether efforts to support the economy and financial markets will be successful, and what additional implications may follow from the pandemic. The impact of these events and other epidemics or pandemics in the future could adversely affect Fund performance.
Tax Risks
As with any investment, you should consider how your investment in Shares of the Funds 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 of the Funds.
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 Funds make distributions or you sell Shares.
Correlation and Tracking Risk
Several factors may affect a Fund’s ability to obtain its daily leveraged investment objective. Among these factors are: (1) Fund expenses, including brokerage expenses and commissions and financing costs related to derivatives (which may be increased by high portfolio turnover); (2) less than all of the securities in the Underlying Index being held by a Fund and securities not included in the Underlying Index being held by a Fund; (3) an imperfect correlation between the performance of instruments held by a Fund, such as other investment companies, including ETFs, futures contracts and options, and the performance of the underlying securities in the
20



cash market comprising an index; (4) bid-ask spreads; (5) a Fund holding instruments that are illiquid or the market for which becomes disrupted; (6) the need to conform a Fund’s portfolio holdings to comply with such Fund’s investment restrictions or policies, or regulatory or tax law requirements; (7) market movements that run counter to a Fund’s investments (which will cause divergence between a Fund and its Underlying Index over time due to the mathematical effects of leveraging); and (8) disruptions and illiquidity in the markets for securities or derivatives held by a Fund.
While index futures and options contracts closely correlate with the applicable indices over long periods, shorter-term deviation, such as on a daily basis, does occur with these instruments. As a result, a Fund’s short-term performance will reflect such deviation from its Underlying Index. A Fund may use a combination of swaps on the Underlying Index and swaps on an ETF whose investment objective is to track the performance of the same, or a substantially similar index to achieve its investment objective. The reference ETF may not closely track the performance of the Underlying Index due to fees and other costs borne by the ETF and other factors. Thus, to the extent that a Fund invests in swaps that use an ETF as a reference asset, a Fund may be subject to greater correlation risk and may not achieve as high a degree of leveraged correlation with its Underlying Index as it would if such Fund used swaps that utilized its Underlying Index as the reference asset. Any financing, borrowing or other costs associated with using derivatives may also reduce a Fund’s return.
Furthermore, a Fund has an investment objective to seek daily investment results, before fees and expenses, that corresponds to the performance of two times (2x) the daily performance of its Underlying Index for a 2x Fund or two times the inverse (-2x) of its respective Underlying Index for the -2x Fund, each for a single day, not for any other period. A “single day” is measured from the time the Fund calculates its NAV to the time of the Fund’s next NAV calculation. While a close correlation of each Fund to its benchmark may be achieved on any single day, the Funds’ performance for any other period is the result of its return for each day compounded over the period. This usually will differ in amount and possibly even direction from two times (2x) the daily return for a 2x Fund and two times the inverse (-2x) the daily return for the -2x Fund of its respective Underlying Index for the same period, before accounting for fees and expenses, as further described in the Prospectus and below.
In addition, the Adviser will attempt to position each Fund’s portfolio to ensure that a Fund does not gain or lose more than 90% of its NAV on a given day. As a consequence, each Fund’s portfolio should not be responsive to its respective Underlying Index movements of more than 45% in a given day. For example, if a Underlying Index were to gain 50%, a 2x Fund gains should be limited to a daily gain of 90% (i.e., two times (2x) 45%) rather than 100% (i.e., two times (2x) 50%) and if a Underlying Index were to lose 50%, the -2x Fund gains should be limited to a daily gain of 90% (i.e., inverse 2 times (-2x) 45%) rather than 100% (i.e., inverse 2 times (-2x) 50%).
Special Note Regarding the Correlation Risks of the Funds. As discussed in the Prospectus, each Fund is “leveraged” in the sense that it has an investment objective to match 200% (the 2x Fund) or -200% (the -2x Fund) of the performance of its Underlying Index on a given day. Each Fund is subject to all of the correlation risks described in the Prospectus. In addition, there is a special form of correlation risk that derives from each Fund’s use of leverage, which is that for periods greater than one day, the use of leverage tends to cause the performance of a Fund to be either greater than, or less than, 200% for a 2x Fund or -200% for the -2x Fund, of the performance of its Underlying Index.
A Fund’s return for periods longer than one day is primarily a function of the following:
a.Underlying Index performance;
b.Underlying Index volatility;
c.Financing rates associated with leverage;
d.Other fund expenses;
e.Dividends paid by companies in the underlying index; and
f.Period of time.
The performance for each Fund can be estimated given any set of assumptions for the factors described above. Illustrated below is the impact of two factors, Underlying Index volatility and Underlying Index performance, on each Fund. Underlying Index volatility is a statistical measure of the magnitude of fluctuations in the returns of an index and is calculated as the standard deviation of the natural logarithms of one plus the index return (calculated daily), multiplied by the square root of the number of trading days per year (assumed to be 252). The illustration estimates each Fund’s returns for a number of combinations of Underlying Index performance and Underlying Index volatility over a one year period and assumes: a) no dividends paid by the companies included in the Underlying Index; b) no fund expenses; and c) borrowing/lending rates (to obtain leverage) of zero percent. If fund expenses were included, each Fund’s performance would be lower than shown.
As shown below, a 2x Fund would be expected to lose 6.1% and the -2x Fund would be expected to lose 17.1% if the Underlying Index provided no return over a one year period during which the Underlying Index experienced annualized volatility of 25%. If the Underlying Index’s annualized volatility were to rise to 75%, the hypothetical loss for a one year period widens to approximately 43% for a 2x Fund and 81.5% for the -2x Fund. At higher ranges of volatility, there is a chance of a near complete loss of value even if the Underlying Index is flat. For instance, if the Underlying Index’s annualized volatility is 100%, it is likely that a 2x Fund would lose
21



63.2% of its value and the -2x Fund would lose approximately 95% of its value, even if the Underlying Index’s cumulative return for the year was only 0%. The volatility of ETFs or instruments that reflect the value of the underlying index such as swaps, may differ from the volatility of a Fund’s underlying index.
In the tables below, areas shaded green represent those scenarios where a Fund will outperform (i.e., return more than) the Underlying Index’s performance times the stated multiple in such Fund’s investment objective; conversely areas shaded red represent those scenarios where a Fund will underperform (i.e., return less than) the Underlying Index’s performance times the stated multiple in such Fund’s investment objective.
The tables below are intended to underscore the fact that a Fund are designed as a short-term trading vehicle for investors who intend to actively monitor and manage their portfolios. It is not intended to be used by, and is not appropriate for, investors who do not intend to actively monitor and manage their portfolios. For additional information regarding correlation and volatility risk for the Funds, see “Effects of Compounding and Market Volatility Risk” in the Prospectus.
2x Fund
One Year Index Two Times (2x) One Year Index Volatility Rate
Return Return 10% 25% 50% 75% 100%
-60% -120% -84.2% -85.0% -87.5% -90.9% -94.1%
-50% -100% -75.2% -76.5% -80.5% -85.8% -90.8%
-40% -80% -64.4% -66.2% -72.0% -79.5% -86.8%
-30% -60% -51.5% -54.0% -61.8% -72.1% -82.0%
-20% -40% -36.6% -39.9% -50.2% -63.5% -76.5%
-10% -20% -19.8% -23.9% -36.9% -53.8% -70.2%
0% 0% -1.0% -6.1% -22.1% -43.0% -63.2%
10% 20% 19.8% 13.7% -5.8% -31.1% -55.5%
20% 40% 42.6% 35.3% 12.1% -18.0% -47.0%
30% 60% 67.3% 58.8% 31.6% -3.7% -37.8%
40% 80% 94.0% 84.1% 52.6% 11.7% -27.9%
50% 100% 122.8% 111.4% 75.2% 28.2% -17.2%
60% 120% 153.5% 140.5% 99.4% 45.9% -5.8%
-2x Fund
One Year Index  -200% One Year Index Volatility Rate
Return Return 10% 25% 50% 75% 100%
-60% 120% 506.5% 418.1% 195.2% 15.6% -68.9%
-50% 100% 288.2% 231.6% 88.9% -26.0% -80.1%
-40% 80% 169.6% 130.3% 31.2% -48.6% -86.2%
-30% 60% 98.1% 69.2% -3.6% -62.2% -89.8%
-20% 40% 51.6% 29.5% -26.2% -71.1% -92.2%
-10% -20% 19.8% 2.3% -41.7% -77.2% -93.9%
0% 0% -3.0% -17.1% -52.8% -81.5% -95.0%
10% -20% -19.8% -31.5% -61.0% -84.7% -95.9%
20% -40% -32.6% -42.4% -67.2% -87.2% -96.5%
30% -60% -42.6% -50.9% -72.0% -89.1% -97.1%
40% -80% -50.5% -57.7% -75.9% -90.6% -97.5%
50% -100% -56.9% -63.2% -79.0% -91.8% -97.8%
60% -120% -62.1% -67.6% -81.5% -92.8% -98.1%
22



The foregoing tables are intended to isolate the effect of Underlying Index volatility and Underlying Index performance on the return of a Fund. A Fund’s actual returns may be significantly greater or less than the returns shown above as a result of any of factors discussed above or under “Effects of Compounding and Market Volatility Risk” in the Prospectus.
INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS
The Trust has adopted the following investment restrictions as fundamental policies with respect to the Funds. These restrictions cannot be changed with respect to a Fund without the approval of the holders of a majority of a 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 a 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. Except with the approval of a majority of the outstanding voting securities, a Fund may not:
1.Concentrate its investments in an industry or group of industries (i.e., hold 25% or more of its net assets in the stocks of a particular industry or group of industries), except that a Fund will concentrate to approximately the same extent that its Underlying Index concentrates in the stocks of such particular industry or group of industries. For purposes of this limitation, securities of the U.S. government (including its agencies and instrumentalities), and securities of state or municipal governments and their political subdivisions are not considered to be issued by members of any industry.
2.Borrow money or issue senior securities (as defined under the 1940 Act), except to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act, the rules and regulations thereunder or any exemption therefrom, as such statute, rules or regulations may be amended or interpreted from time to time.
3.Lend any security or make any other loan, except to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act the rules and regulations thereunder or any exemption therefrom, as such statute, rules or regulations may be amended or interpreted from time to time.
4.Purchase or sell commodities or real estate, except to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act, the rules and regulations thereunder or any exemption therefrom, as such statute, rules or regulations may be amended or interpreted from time to time.
5.Underwrite securities issued by other persons, except to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act, the rules and regulations thereunder or any exemption therefrom, as such statute, rules or regulations may be amended or interpreted from time to time.
In addition to the investment restrictions adopted as fundamental policies as set forth above, the Funds observe the following restrictions, which may be changed without a shareholder vote.
1.A Fund will not invest in illiquid assets in excess of 15% of its net assets. An illiquid asset is any asset that a 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 asset.
2.Under normal circumstances, the 2x Junior Silver ETF invests at least 80% of its net assets , plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes, in financial instruments, such as swap agreements, securities of the Prime Junior Silver Miners & Explorers Index, and exchange-traded funds that track the Index and other financial instruments that provide daily leveraged exposure to the Index or to ETFs that track the Index. Prior to any change in this 80% investment policy, the Fund will provide shareholders with 60 days’ written notice.
3.Under normal circumstances, the -2x Junior Silver ETF invests in swap agreements, futures contracts, short positions or other financial instruments that, in combination, provide inverse (opposite) or short leveraged exposure to the Prime Junior Silver Miners & Explorers Index equal to at least 80% of the Fund’s net assets (plus borrowing for investment purposes). Prior to any change in this 80% investment policy, the Fund will provide shareholders with 60 days’ written notice.
4.Under normal circumstances, the 2x Travel Tech ETF invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus borrowing for investment purposes) in financial instruments, such as swap agreements, securities of the Prime Travel Technology Index NTR (Net Total Return), and exchange-traded funds that track the Index and other financial instruments that provide daily leveraged exposure to the Index or to ETFs that track the Index. Prior to any change in this 80% investment policy, the Fund will provide shareholders with 60 days’ written notice.
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. In addition, if a Fund’s holdings of illiquid securities exceeds 15% of net assets because of changes in the value of such Fund’s investments, the Fund will act in accordance with Rule 22e-4 under the 1940 Act and will take action to reduce its holdings of illiquid securities pursuant to its written liquidity risk management program.
The following descriptions of certain provisions of the 1940 Act may assist investors in understanding the above policies and restrictions:
Concentration. The SEC has defined concentration as investing 25% or more of an investment company’s net assets in an industry or group of industries, with certain exceptions.
23



Borrowing. The 1940 Act presently allows a fund to borrow from any bank (including pledging, mortgaging or hypothecating assets) in an amount up to 33 1/3% of its total assets (not including temporary borrowings not in excess of 5% of its total assets).
Senior Securities. Senior securities may include any obligation or instrument issued by a fund evidencing indebtedness. The 1940 Act generally prohibits funds from issuing senior securities, although it permits funds to enter into certain transactions, such as certain borrowings, futures contracts, forward contracts, swap agreements, short sales and reverse repurchase agreements, that are entered into in compliance with the requirements of Rule 18f-4.
Lending. Under the 1940 Act, a Fund may only make loans if expressly permitted by its investment policies. Each Fund’s current investment policy on lending is as follows: a Fund may not make loans if, as a result, more than 33 1/3% of its total assets would be lent to other parties, except that each Fund may: (i) purchase or hold debt instruments in accordance with its investment objective and policies; (ii) enter into repurchase agreements; and (iii) engage in securities lending subject to the limitations described in this SAI.
Underwriting. Under the 1940 Act, underwriting securities involves a fund purchasing securities directly from an issuer for the purpose of selling (distributing) them or participating in any such activity either directly or indirectly.
Real Estate. The 1940 Act does not directly restrict an investment company’s ability to invest in real estate, but does require that every investment company have a fundamental investment policy governing such investments. The Funds will not purchase or sell real estate, except that the Funds may purchase marketable securities issued by companies which own or invest in real estate (including REITs).
Commodities. The Funds will not purchase or sell physical commodities or commodities contracts, except that the Funds may purchase: (i) marketable securities issued by companies which own or invest in commodities or commodities contracts; and (ii) commodities contracts relating to financial instruments, such as financial futures contracts and options on such contracts.
Names Rule. For purposes of determining compliance with its 80% investment policy, a Fund may account for a derivative position by reference to either its market value or notional value, depending on the circumstances. Consistent with the purposes of Rule 35d-1 under the 1940 Act, a Fund may use the notional value of a derivative when notional value is the best measure of the economic exposure the derivative provides to investments that are consistent with the Fund’s name.
EXCHANGE LISTING AND TRADING
A discussion of exchange listing and trading matters associated with an investment in a Fund is contained in the summary section of the Funds’ Prospectus under the “Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares” and in the statutory Prospectus under “Buying and Selling the Funds.” The discussion below supplements, and should be read in conjunction with, such sections of the Prospectus.
The Shares of each Fund are approved for listing and trading on the applicable Exchange, subject to notice of issuance. The Shares trade on the applicable Exchange at prices that may differ to some degree from their net asset value. There can be no assurance that the requirements of the applicable Exchange necessary to maintain the listing of Shares of a Fund will continue to be met.
There can be no assurance that a Fund will continue to meet the requirements of the Exchange necessary to maintain the listing of Shares. The Exchange will consider the suspension of trading in, and will initiate delisting proceedings of, the Shares under any of the following circumstances: (i) if any of the requirements set forth in the Exchange rules, including compliance with Rule 6c-11(c) under the 1940 Act, are not continuously maintained; (ii) if, following the initial 12-month period beginning at the commencement of trading of a Fund, there are fewer than 50 beneficial owners of Shares of a Fund; or (iii) if 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 of a Fund from listing and trading upon termination of such Fund.
The Trust reserves the right to adjust the Share price of a Fund in the future to 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 a Fund.
As in the case of other publicly traded securities, brokers’ commissions on transactions will be based on negotiated commission rates at customary levels.
The base and trading currencies of the Funds is the U.S. dollar. The base currency is the currency in which a Fund’s net asset value per Share is calculated and the trading currency is the currency in which Shares of the Fund are listed and traded on the applicable Exchange.
MANAGEMENT OF THE TRUST
The following information supplements and should be read in conjunction with the section in the Prospectus entitled “Fund Management.”
Board Responsibilities. The management and affairs of the Trust and the Funds described in this SAI, are overseen by the Trustees. The Board elects the officers of the Trust who are responsible for administering the day-to-day operations of the Trust and the Funds. The Board has approved contracts, as described below, under which certain companies provide essential services to the Trust.
24



Like most registered investment companies, 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 Distributor and the Administrator. The Trustees are responsible for overseeing the Trust’s service providers and, thus, have 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 Funds. The Funds and their 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 Adviser is responsible for the day-to-day management of the applicable Fund’s portfolio investments) and, consequently, for managing the risks associated with that business. The Board has emphasized to the Funds’ service providers the importance of maintaining vigorous risk management.
The Trustees’ role in risk oversight begins before the inception of a Fund, at which time certain of the Fund’s service providers present the Board with information concerning the investment objectives, strategies and risks of the Fund as well as proposed investment limitations for the Fund. Additionally, the Adviser provides the Board with an overview of, among other things, its investment philosophy, brokerage practices and compliance infrastructure. Thereafter, the Board continues its oversight function as various personnel, including the Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer, as well as personnel of the Adviser and other service providers such as a Fund’s independent accountants, 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 a Fund may be exposed.
The Board is responsible for overseeing the nature, extent and quality of the services provided to the Funds by the Adviser and receives information about those services at its regular meetings. In addition, on an annual basis, in connection with its consideration of whether to renew the Advisory Agreements with the Adviser, the Board meets with the Adviser to review such services. Among other things, the Board regularly considers the Adviser’s adherence to each Fund’s investment restrictions and compliance with various Fund policies and procedures and with applicable securities regulations. The Board also reviews information about each Fund’s performance and the Fund’s investments, including, for example, portfolio holdings schedules.
The Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer reports regularly to the Board to review and discuss compliance issues and Fund and 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. 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 a Fund’s service providers regarding operational risks and risks related to the valuation and liquidity of portfolio securities. The Board has also established a Fair Value Committee that is responsible for implementing the Trust’s Fair Value Procedures and providing reports to the Board concerning investments for which market quotations are not readily available. Annually, the independent registered public accounting firm reviews with the Audit Committee its audit of each 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, 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 Funds, 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 Funds 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 each 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 Trustees as to risk management matters are typically summaries of the relevant information. Most of the Funds’ investment management and business affairs are carried out by or through the Funds’ 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 from the Funds’ 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 oversee the management of risk, as a practical matter, is subject to limitations.
Members of the Board. There are three members of the Board, two of whom are not interested persons of the Trust, as that term is defined in the 1940 Act (“Independent Trustees”). Samuel Masucci, III, an interested person of the Trust, serves as Chairman of the Board. Terry Loebs serves as the Trust’s Lead Independent Trustee. As Lead Independent Trustee, Mr. Loebs acts as a spokesperson for the Independent Trustees in between meetings of the Board, participates in setting the agenda for meetings of the Board and
25



separate meetings or executive sessions of the Independent Trustees, and serves as chair during executive sessions of the Independent Trustees.
The Board is comprised of 67% Independent Trustees. There is an Audit Committee of the Board that is chaired by an Independent Trustee and comprised solely of Independent Trustees. The Audit Committee chair presides at the Committee meetings, participates in formulating agendas for 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 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. The Trust made this determination in consideration of, among other things, the fact that the Independent Trustees constitute 67% 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.
The Board of Trustees has two standing committees: the Audit Committee and Nominating Committee. The Audit Committee and Nominating Committee are each chaired by an Independent Trustee and composed of Independent Trustees.
Set forth below are the names, birth years, positions with the Trust, length of term of office, and the principal occupations and other directorships held during at least the last five years of each of the persons currently serving as a Trustee of the Trust, as well as information about each officer. The business address of each Trustee and officer is 30 Maple Street, 2nd Floor, Summit, New Jersey 07901.
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
Number of
Portfolios in
Fund Complex
Overseen By
Trustee
Other Directorships Held by Trustee
During Past 5 Years
Interested Trustee* and Officers
Samuel R. Masucci, III
(1962)
Trustee,
Chairman of the Board and President
(since 2012);
Secretary (since 2014)
Chief Executive Officer, Exchange Traded Managers Group LLC (since 2013); Chief Executive Officer, ETF Managers Group LLC (since 2016); Chief Executive Officer, ETF Managers Capital LLC (commodity pool operator) (since 2014); Chief Executive Officer (2012–2016) and Chief Compliance Officer (2012–2014), Factor Advisors, LLC (investment adviser); President and Chief Executive Officer, Factor Capital Management LLC (2012-2014) (commodity pool operator);
18 None
John A. Flanagan, (1946)
Treasurer (since 2015)
President, John A. Flanagan CPA, LLC (accounting services) (since 2010); Treasurer, ETF Managers Trust (since 2015); Chief Financial Officer, ETF Managers Capital LLC (commodity pool operator) (since 2015)
n/a n/a
Reshma A. Tanczos
(1978)
Chief Compliance Officer (since 2016)
Chief Compliance Officer of ETFMG Financial LLC (since 2017); Chief Compliance Officer, ETF Managers Group LLC (since 2016); Chief Compliance Officer, ETF Managers Capital LLC (since 2016); Partner, Crow & Cushing (law firm) (2007‑2016). n/a n/a
Matthew J. Bromberg
(1973)
Assistant Secretary (since 2020) General Counsel and Secretary of Exchange Traded Managers Group LLC (since 2020); ETF Managers Group LLC (since 2020); ETFMG Financial LLC (since 2020); ETF Managers Capital LLC (since 2020); Partner of Dorsey & Whitney LLP (law firm) (2019-2020); General Counsel of WBI Investments, Inc. (2016-2019); Millington Securities, Inc. (2016-2019); and Partner of Reed Smith (law firm) (2015-2016). n/a n/a
* Mr. Masucci is an interested Trustee by virtue of his role as the Chief Executive Officer of the Adviser.
26



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
Number of
Portfolios in
Fund Complex
Overseen By
Trustee
Other Directorships Held by Trustee During Past 5 Years
Independent Trustees
Terry Loebs
(1963)
Trustee (since 2014); Lead Independent Trustee (since 2020)
Founder and Managing Member, Pulsenomics LLC (index product development and consulting firm) (since 2011); Managing Director, MacroMarkets, LLC (exchange-traded products firm) (2006–2011).
18 None
Eric Weigel
(1960)
Trustee (since 2020) Senior Portfolio Manager, Little House Capital (2019-present); Managing Partner, Global Focus Capital LLC (2013-present); Chief Investment Officer, Insight Financial Strategist LLC (2017-2018). 18 None
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 Funds 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 Funds, and to exercise their business judgment in a manner that serves the best interests of each Fund’s shareholders. The Trust has concluded that each of the Trustees should serve as a Trustee based on their own experience, qualifications, attributes and skills as described below.
The Trust has concluded that Mr. Masucci should serve as Trustee because of the experience he has gained as chief executive officer of multiple investment advisory firms as well as his knowledge of and experience in the financial services industry.
The Trust has concluded that Mr. Loebs should serve as Trustee because of his diverse experience in capital markets, including asset pricing and trading, market research, index development, and exchange-traded products, as well as his knowledge of and experience in the financial services industry.
The Trust has concluded that Mr. Weigel should serve as Trustee because of his more than 30 years of executive experience at investment advisory firms. He has gained in-depth knowledge of and experience in the financial services industry.
Board Committees
The Board has established the following standing committees:
Audit Committee. The Board has a standing Audit Committee that is composed of 100% of the Independent Trustees of the Trust, with Mr. Weigel as Chairman. The Audit Committee operates under a written charter approved by the Board. The principal responsibilities of the Audit Committee include: recommending which firm to engage as the Funds’ independent registered public accounting firm and whether to terminate this relationship; reviewing the independent registered public accounting firm’s compensation, the proposed scope and terms of its engagement, and the firm’s independence; pre-approving audit and non-audit services provided by the Funds’ independent registered public accounting firm to the Trust and certain other affiliated entities; serving as a channel of communication between the independent registered public accounting firm and the Trustees; reviewing the results of each external audit, including any qualifications in the independent registered public accounting firm’s opinion, any related management letter, management’s responses to recommendations made by the independent registered public accounting firm in connection with the audit, reports submitted to the Committee by the internal auditing department of the Trust’s Administrator that are material to the Trust as a whole, if any, and management’s responses to any such reports; reviewing the Funds’ audited financial statements and considering any significant disputes between the Trust’s management and the independent registered public accounting firm that arose in connection with the preparation of those financial statements; considering, in consultation with the independent registered public accounting firm and the Trust’s senior internal accounting executive, if any, the independent registered public accounting firms’ report on the adequacy of the Trust’s internal financial controls; reviewing, in consultation with the Funds’ independent registered public accounting firm, major changes regarding auditing and accounting principles and practices to be followed when preparing the Funds’ financial statements; and other audit related matters. All of the Independent Trustees currently serve as members of the Audit Committee. The Audit Committee also acts as the Trust’s qualified legal compliance committee. During the fiscal year ended September 30, 2020, the Audit Committee met five times.
Nominating Committee. The Board has a standing Nominating Committee that is composed of 100% of the Independent Trustees of the Trust, with Mr. Loebs as Chairman. The Nominating Committee operates under a written charter approved by the Board. The principal responsibility of the Nominating Committee is to consider, recommend and nominate candidates to fill vacancies on the Trust’s Board, if any. The Nominating Committee generally will not consider nominees recommended by shareholders. All of the Independent Trustees currently serve as members of the Nominating Committee. During the fiscal year ended September 30, 2020, the Nominating Committee met twice.
27



Fair Value Committee. In addition to the Board’s standing committees described above, the Board has established a Fair Value Committee that is composed of certain officers of the Trust and representatives from the Adviser. The Fair Value Committee operates under procedures approved by the Board. The Fair Value Committee is responsible for the valuation and revaluation of any portfolio investments for which market quotations or prices are not readily available. The Fair Value Committee meets periodically, as necessary.
OWNERSHIP OF SHARES
The following table shows the dollar amount ranges of each Trustee’s “beneficial ownership” of shares of the Fund as of the end of the most recently completely 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 1934 Act. As of the date of this SAI, no Trustee or officer of the Trust owned Shares of the Funds because there were no Shares of the Funds outstanding.
Compensation of the Trustees and Officers
The Trustees are expected to receive the following compensation during the fiscal year ended September 30, 2021. Because the Trustee compensation is covered by the unitary fee paid by each Fund, the Adviser, and not the Funds, is responsible for compensating the Trustees.
Name Aggregate
Compensation
Pension or
Retirement
Benefits Accrued as
Part of Fund Expenses
Estimated Annual
Benefits Upon
Retirement
Total
Compensation
from the Trust and
Fund Complex
Interested Trustee
Samuel R. Masucci, III $0 $0 $0 $0
Independent Trustees
Terry Loebs $0 $0 $0
$106,575
Eric Weigel $0 $0 $0
$106,575
CODES OF ETHICS 
The Trust, the Adviser, and ETFMG Financial LLC (the “Distributor”) have each adopted codes 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 Distributor from engaging in deceptive, manipulative or fraudulent activities in connection with securities held or to be acquired by the Funds (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 Funds.
There can be no assurance that the codes of ethics will be effective in preventing such activities. Each code of ethics has been filed with the SEC and may be examined at the office of the SEC in Washington, D.C. or on the Internet at the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.
PROXY VOTING POLICIES
Proxies for the Funds’ portfolio securities are voted in accordance with the Adviser’s proxy voting policies and procedures, which are set forth in Appendix A to this SAI.
Information on how each Fund voted proxies relating to portfolio securities during the most recent 12 month period ended June 30 is available (1) without charge, upon request, by calling 1‑844‑383‑6477 and (2) on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.
INVESTMENT ADVISORY AND OTHER SERVICES
Investment Adviser
ETF Managers Group LLC, a Delaware limited liability company located at 30 Maple Street, 2nd Floor, Summit, New Jersey 07901, serves as the investment adviser to the Funds. The Adviser is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Exchange Traded Managers Group, LLC, an entity controlled by Samuel Masucci, III, the Adviser’s Chief Executive Officer and a Trustee and Chairman of the Board of the Trust.
The Trust and the Adviser have entered into an investment advisory agreement (the “Advisory Agreement”) with respect to the Funds. Under the Advisory Agreement, the Adviser serves as the investment adviser, makes investment decisions for the Funds, and manages the investment portfolios of the Funds, subject to the supervision of, and policies established by, the Board. The Adviser is responsible for trading portfolio securities on behalf of the Funds, including selecting broker-dealers to execute purchase and sale transactions as instructed by the Adviser or in connection with any rebalancing or reconstitution of a Fund’s Underlying Index, subject to the supervision of the Board. The Advisory Agreement provides that the Adviser shall not be protected against any liability to the Trust or
28



its shareholders by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence generally in the performance of its duties hereunder or its reckless disregard of its obligation and duties under the Advisory Agreement.
After the initial two-year term, the continuance of the Advisory Agreement must be specifically approved at least annually: (i) by the vote of the Trustees or by a vote of the shareholders of each Fund; and (ii) by the vote of a majority of the Trustees who are not parties to the Advisory Agreement or “interested persons” or of any party thereto, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval. The Advisory Agreement will terminate automatically in the event of its assignment, and is terminable at any time without penalty by the Trustees of the Trust or, with respect to each Fund, by a majority of the outstanding voting securities of each Fund, or by the Adviser on not more than 60 days’ nor less than 30 days’ written notice to the Trust. As used in the Advisory Agreement, the terms “majority of the outstanding voting securities,” “interested persons” and “assignment” have the same meaning as such terms in the 1940 Act.
For its services, the Adviser receives a fee that is based on the average daily net assets of each Fund with the fee for each Fund calculated daily and paid monthly.
Additionally, under the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Adviser has agreed to pay all expenses of each Fund, except for: the fee paid to the Adviser pursuant to the Investment Advisory Agreement, interest charges on any borrowings, 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 (such as, among other things and subject to Board approval, certain proxy solicitation costs and non‑standard Board-related expenses and litigation against the Board, Trustees, Funds, Adviser, and officers of the Adviser), and distribution (12b-1) fees and expenses (collectively, “Excluded Expenses”).
The Fund is new and has not paid any amount to the Adviser for advisory services.
THE PORTFOLIO MANAGERS
This section includes information about the Funds’ portfolio managers, including information about other accounts managed, the dollar range of Shares owned and compensation.
Portfolio Manager Compensation. The Funds are managed by Samuel R. Masucci, III, Chief Executive Officer of the Adviser, Frank Vallario, Chief Investment Officer of the Adviser, Donal Bishnoi, Portfolio Manager of the Adviser, and Devin Ryder, Portfolio Manager of the Adviser. Their portfolio management compensation includes a salary and discretionary bonus based on the profitability of the Adviser. No compensation is directly related to the performance of the underlying assets.
Portfolio Manager Fund Ownership. Because the Funds are new, as of the date of this SAI, the Portfolio Managers did not own Shares of any of the Funds.
Other Accounts
In addition to the Funds, Samuel R. Masucci, III, Frank Vallario, Donal Bishnoi, and Devin Ryder, managed the following other accounts for the Adviser as of March 31, 2021.
Type of Accounts Total
Number
of
Accounts
Total Assets of
Accounts
Total Number of
Accounts with
Performance Based Fees
Total Assets of Accounts
with
Performance Based Fees
Registered Investment Companies 11 $6,819,071,668 0 $0
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles 0 $0 0 $0
Other Accounts 0 $0 0 $0
Description of Material Conflicts of Interest. The portfolio managers’ management of “other accounts” is not expected to 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 the same investment objectives as the Funds. Therefore, a potential conflict of interest may arise as a result of the identical investment objectives, 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 the portfolio manager could use this information to the advantage of other accounts and to the disadvantage of the Funds. However, the Adviser has established policies and procedures to ensure that the purchase and sale of securities among all accounts the Adviser manages are fairly and equitably allocated.
THE DISTRIBUTOR
The Trust and ETFMG Financial LLC, an affiliate of the Adviser, are parties to a distribution agreement (the “Distribution Agreement”), whereby the Distributor acts as principal underwriter for the Trust’s shares and distributes the shares of the Fund. Shares are continuously offered for sale by the Distributor only in Creation Units. Each Creation Unit is made up of 10,000 Shares. The
29



Distributor will not distribute Shares in amounts less than a Creation Unit and does not maintain a secondary market in Fund Shares. The principal business address of the Distributor is 30 Maple Street, 2nd Floor, Summit, New Jersey 07901.
Under the Distribution Agreement, the Distributor, as agent for the Trust, will receive 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 will deliver a prospectus to authorized participants purchasing Shares in Creation Units and will maintain records of both orders placed with it and confirmations of acceptance furnished by it. The Distributor is a broker-dealer registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”) and a member of FINRA.
Upon direction from the Trust, 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 Creation 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 thereafter. The continuance of the Distribution Agreement must be specifically approved at least annually (i) by the vote of the Trustees or by a vote of the shareholders of each Fund and (ii) by the vote of a majority of the Trustees who are not “interested persons” of the Trust and 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 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.
Distribution Plan. The Trust has adopted a Distribution Plan (the “Plan”) with respect to each series, 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 distribution fees are currently charged to the Fund; there are no plans to impose these fees.
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 (“Qualified Trustees”). 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 of any class of the Funds that is affected by such increase. All material amendments of the Plan will require approval by a majority of the Trustees of the Trust and of the Qualified Trustees.
The Plan provides that Shares (“Shares”) of the Funds pay 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, each 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: (i) delivering copies of a Fund’s then current reports, prospectuses, notices, and similar materials, to prospective purchasers of Creation Units; (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 a Fund; (iv) compensating certain Authorized Participants for providing assistance in distributing the Creation Units of a 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; (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; (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, and (vi) such other services and obligations as are set forth in the Distribution Agreement.
30



THE ADMINISTRATOR
The Trust, on behalf of the Funds, and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, doing business as U.S. Bank Global Fund Services (“Global Fund Services”), (the “Administrator”) have entered into an administration agreement (the “Administration Agreement”), under which the Administrator provides the Funds with administrative services, including regulatory reporting and all necessary office space, equipment, personnel and facilities. Pursuant to a schedule to the Administration Agreement, the Administrator also serves as the shareholder servicing agent for the Funds whereby the Administrator provides certain shareholder services to the Funds. The principal business address of the Administrator is 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202.
The Administration Agreement provides that the Administrator shall not be liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss suffered by the Trust in connection with the matters to which the Administration Agreement relates, except a loss resulting from willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence on the part of the Administrator in the performance of its duties or from reckless disregard by it of its duties and obligations thereunder.
For its services under the Administration Agreement, the Administrator is entitled to a fee based on the average daily net assets of each Fund and subject to a minimum annual fee.
The Adviser is responsible for paying the Administrator its fee under the Administration Agreement. Any decrease in the Administrator’s fee will decrease the amount the Adviser is obligated to pay to the Administrator.
The Funds are new and the Adviser has not paid any amount to the Administrator for administration services.
THE CUSTODIAN
U.S. Bank National Association (the “Custodian”), Custody Operations, 1555 North Rivercenter Drive, Suite 302, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53212, serves as the custodian of the Funds. The Custodian holds cash, securities and other assets of the Funds as required by the 1940 Act.
THE TRANSFER AGENT
U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, doing business as U.S. Bank Global Fund Services (the “Transfer Agent”), 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202, serves as the Funds’ transfer agent and dividend disbursing agent under a transfer agency agreement with the Trust.
LEGAL COUNSEL
Sullivan & Worcester LLP, 1666 K Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20006, serves as legal counsel to the Trust.
INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
WithumSmith + Brown, PC, with offices located at 1411 Broadway, 9th Floor, New York, New York, 10018, serves as the independent registered public accounting firm for the Funds.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARY COMPENSATION
The Adviser or its affiliates, including the Distributor (for purposes of this subsection only, collectively, “Advisory Affiliates”) makes payments (“Payments”) to certain broker-dealers and other financial intermediaries (“Intermediaries”) related to activities that are designed to make registered representatives, other professionals and individual investors more knowledgeable about the Fund or for other activities, such as participation in marketing activities and presentations, educational training programs, the support of technology platforms and/or reporting systems. The Advisory Affiliates also make Payments to Intermediaries for certain printing, publishing and mailing costs associated with the Fund or materials relating to exchange traded funds in general. In addition, Advisory Affiliates make Payments to Intermediaries that make Fund shares available to their clients, including on zero or negative transaction fee platforms, or for otherwise promoting the Fund. Payments of this type are sometimes referred to as marketing support or revenue-sharing payments. Any Payments made by an Advisory Affiliate will be made from its own assets and not from the assets of the Fund.
Although a portion of the Advisory Affiliates’ revenue comes directly or indirectly, in part, from management fees paid by the Fund, Payments do not increase the price paid by investors for the purchase of shares of, or the cost of owning, the Fund. As a result, an Intermediary may make decisions about which investment options it will recommend or make available to its clients or what services to provide for various products based on payments it receives or is eligible to receive. Payments create conflicts of interest between the Intermediary and its clients and these financial incentives may cause the Intermediary to recommend the Fund over other investments. Advisory Affiliates determine to make Payments based on any number of metrics. For example, Advisory Affiliates may make Payments at year-end and/or other intervals in a fixed amount, an amount based upon an Intermediary’s services at defined levels, an amount based upon the total assets represented by Funds subject to arrangements with the Intermediary, or an amount based on the Intermediary’s net sales of one or more Funds in a year or other period, any of which arrangements may include an agreed upon minimum or maximum payment, or any combination of the foregoing. A shareholder should contact his or her Intermediary’s salesperson or other investment professional for more information regarding any Payments the Intermediary firm may receive.
31



DESCRIPTION OF SHARES
The Declaration of Trust authorizes the issuance of an unlimited number of funds and shares of each Fund. Each share of a Fund represents an equal proportionate interest in that 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 of the Trust 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. Each Fund’s 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 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. Upon the written request of shareholders owning at least 10% of the Trust’s shares, the Trust will call for a meeting of shareholders to consider the removal of one or more trustees and other certain matters. In the event that such a meeting is requested, the Trust will provide appropriate assistance and information to the shareholders requesting the meeting.
Under the Declaration of Trust, the Trustees have the power to liquidate each Fund without shareholder approval. While the Trustees have no present intention of exercising this power, they may do so if any 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.
BROKERAGE TRANSACTIONS
The policy of the Trust regarding purchases and sales of securities for the Funds 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 Funds and the Adviser 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 will rely upon its experience and knowledge regarding commissions generally charged by various brokers and on its judgment in evaluating the brokerage and research services received from the broker effecting the transaction. These services may be more beneficial to certain funds or certain accounts of the Adviser than to others. 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 the Funds’ shares as a factor in the selection of a broker or dealer to execute its portfolio transactions.
The 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 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 will also use electronic crossing networks (“ECNs”) when appropriate.
The Adviser may use a 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 does not “pay up” for the value of any such proprietary research. Section 28(e) of the 1934 Act permits the Adviser, under certain circumstances, to cause a 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 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, a Fund may pay a broker commission higher than the lowest available in recognition of the broker’s provision of such services to the Adviser, but only if the Adviser 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
32



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 faces a potential conflict of interest when it uses client trades to obtain brokerage or research services. This conflict exists because the Adviser is able to use the brokerage or research services to manage client accounts without paying cash for such services, which reduces the Adviser’s expenses to the extent that the Adviser would have purchased such products had they not been provided by brokers. Section 28(e) permits the Adviser to use brokerage or research services for the benefit of any account it manages. Certain accounts managed by the Adviser may generate soft dollars used to purchase brokerage or research services that ultimately benefit other accounts managed by the Adviser, effectively cross subsidizing the other accounts managed by the Adviser that benefit directly from the product. The Adviser may not necessarily use all of the brokerage or research services in connection with managing a Fund whose trades generated the soft dollars used to purchase such products.
The Adviser is responsible, subject to oversight by the Board, for placing orders on behalf of the Funds for the purchase or sale of portfolio securities. If purchases or sales of portfolio securities of the Funds and one or more other investment companies or clients supervised by the Adviser 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. In some cases, this procedure could have a detrimental effect on the price or volume of the security so far as the Funds are 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 Funds. The primary consideration is prompt execution of orders at the most favorable net price.
The Funds may deal with affiliates in principal transactions to the extent permitted by exemptive order or applicable rule or regulation.
The Funds are new and has no brokerage commissions to report.
Brokerage with Fund Affiliates. The Funds may execute brokerage or other agency transactions through registered broker-dealer affiliates of either the Funds, the Adviser, or the Distributor 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 Funds 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 Funds, have adopted procedures for evaluating the reasonableness of commissions paid to affiliates and review these procedures periodically. The Funds are new and therefore paid no brokerage fees to any affiliated broker.
Securities of “Regular Broker-Dealer.” The Funds are required to identify any securities of their “regular brokers and dealers” (as such term is defined in the 1940 Act) which it may hold at the close of its most recent fiscal year. “Regular brokers or dealers” of the Trust are the ten brokers or dealers that, during the most recent fiscal year: (i) received the greatest dollar amounts of brokerage commissions from the Trust’s portfolio transactions; (ii) engaged as principal in the largest dollar amounts of portfolio transactions of the Trust; or (iii) sold the largest dollar amounts of the Trust’s shares. The Funds are new and has no securities of “regular broker dealers” to report.
PORTFOLIO TURNOVER RATES
Portfolio turnover rates may vary from year to year, as well as within a year. High turnover rates are likely to result in comparatively greater brokerage expenses. The overall reasonableness of brokerage commissions is evaluated by the Adviser based upon the Advisers knowledge of available information as to the general level of commissions paid by other institutional investors for comparable services.
The Funds are new and has no portfolio turnover rate to report.
BOOK ENTRY ONLY SYSTEM
Depositary Trust Company (“DTC”) acts as securities depositary for the Shares. Shares of each Fund 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’s 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 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
33



herein 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 each 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 a “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 the Funds’ 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.
DTC may determine to discontinue providing its service with respect to the Funds at any time by giving reasonable notice to the Funds and discharging its responsibilities with respect thereto under applicable law. Under such circumstances, the Funds shall take action 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.
CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL HOLDERS OF SECURITIES
A principal shareholder is any person who owns of record or beneficially 5% or more of the outstanding shares of a fund. 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 a Fund.
As of the date of this SAI, there were no outstanding Shares of the Funds.
PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION OF SHARES IN CREATION UNITS
The Trust issues and sells Shares of the Funds only in Creation Units on a continuous basis through the Distributor, without a sales load (but subject to transaction fees), 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 each Fund’s shares is calculated each business day as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange, generally 4:00 p.m., Eastern time. The Funds will not issue fractional Creation Units. A Business Day is any day on which the New York Stock Exchange is open for business.
Fund Deposit. The Trust has adopted policies and procedures governing the process of constructing baskets of Deposit Securities (defined below), Fund Securities (defined below) and/or cash, and acceptance of the same (the “Basket Procedures”). The consideration for purchase of a Creation Unit of a Fund generally consists of either (i) an in-kind deposit of a designated portfolio of securities (the “Deposit Securities”) and a Cash Component (defined below), or (ii) 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 a Fund. The “Cash Component” is an amount equal to the difference between the net asset value of the Shares (per Creation Unit) and the market value of the Deposit Securities or
34



Deposit Cash, as applicable. If the Cash Component is a positive number (i.e., the net asset value per Creation Unit exceeds the market 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 net asset value per Creation Unit is less than the market 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 net asset value per Creation Unit and the market 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 Funds, through the National Securities Clearance Corporation (the “NSCC”), makes available on each Business Day, immediately prior to the opening of business on the Exchange (generally 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, in order 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 a Fund Deposit for such Fund may be changed from time to time by the Investment Adviser, in accordance with the Basket Procedures, with a view to the investment objective of the Fund. The composition of the Deposit Securities may also change in response to interest payments and corporate events.
The Trust reserves the right to permit or require the substitution of Deposit Cash to replace any Deposit Security, which shall be added to the Cash Component, including, without limitation, in situations where the Deposit Security: (i) may not be available in sufficient quantity for delivery; (ii) may not be eligible for transfer through the systems of DTC for corporate securities and municipal securities; (iii) may not be eligible for trading by an Authorized Participant (as defined below) or the investor for which it is acting; (iv) would be restricted under the securities laws or where the delivery of the Deposit Security to the Authorized Participant would result in the disposition of the Deposit Security by the Authorized Participant becoming restricted under the securities laws; or (v) in certain other situations, in accordance with the Basket Procedures. The Trust also reserves the right to offer an “all cash” option for creations of Creation Units for a Fund.
Procedures for Purchase of Creation Units. To be eligible to place orders with the Distributor to purchase a Creation Unit of a Fund, an entity must be (i) 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 (ii) 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 that has been agreed to by the Distributor, and that has been accepted by the Transfer Agent, 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. The Adviser may retain all or a portion of the Transaction Fee to the extent the Adviser bears the expenses that otherwise would be borne by the Trust in connection with the purchase of a Creation Unit, which the Transaction Fee is designed to cover.
All orders to purchase Shares directly from a 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. With respect to each Fund, the order cut-off time for orders to purchase Creation Units is 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time. 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.”
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 a Fund in Creation Units have to 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, a 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 Distributor pursuant to procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement and in accordance with the applicable order form. With respect to the Funds, the Distributor 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, and acceptance by the Distributor, 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 Distributor or an Authorized Participant.
35



Fund Deposits must be delivered by an Authorized Participant through the Federal Reserve System (for cash) or through DTC (for corporate securities), through a sub-custody 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 sub-custodian of each 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 sub-custodian. A Fund Deposit transfer must be ordered by the Authorized Participant in a timely fashion so as 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 the Settlement Date. The “Settlement Date” for the Funds is generally the next 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 or through DTC in a timely manner so as 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 in a timely manner by the Settlement Date, the creation order may be cancelled. Upon written notice to the Distributor, such canceled order may be resubmitted the following Business Day using the Fund Deposit as newly constituted to reflect the then current NAV of such 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 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 on the Settlement Date, then the order may be deemed to be rejected and the Authorized Participant shall be liable to the Funds for losses, if any, resulting therefrom. A creation request is considered to be 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 herein, 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 sub-custodian has confirmed to the Custodian that the required Deposit Securities (or the cash value thereof) have been delivered to the account of the relevant sub-custodian or sub-custodians, the Distributor 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 next Business Day following the day on which the purchase order is deemed received by the Distributor. The Authorized Participant shall be liable to the Funds for losses, if any, resulting from unsettled orders.
In instances where a Fund accepts Deposit Securities for the purchase of a Creation Unit, the 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 net asset value 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 (i) the Cash Component, plus (ii) an additional amount of cash equal to a percentage of the market value as set 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. 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 marked to 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 market value of such Deposit Securities on the day the purchase order was deemed received by the Distributor 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 set forth below under “Creation Transaction Fee” will be charged in all cases. 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 Distributor in respect of the Funds including, without limitation, if (a) the order is not in proper form; (b) 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; (c) the investor(s), upon obtaining the Shares ordered, would own 80% or more of the currently outstanding Shares of the Funds; (d) acceptance of the Deposit Securities would have certain adverse tax consequences to the Funds; (e) the acceptance of the Fund Deposit would, in the opinion of counsel, be unlawful; (f) 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; (g) the acceptance or receipt of the order for a Creation Unit would, in the opinion of counsel to the Trust, be unlawful; or (h) 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.
36



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 Distributor 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 purchase (i.e., creation) transaction fee, payable to the Funds’ custodian, may be imposed for the transfer and other transaction costs associated with the purchase of Creation Units, and investors may be required to pay a creation transaction fee regardless of the number of Creation Units created in the transaction. A Fund may adjust the creation transaction fee from time to time. The standard fixed creation transaction fee for each Fund will be $250. In addition, a variable fee will be charged on all cash transactions or substitutes for Creation Units up to a maximum of 2% as a percentage of the value of the Creation Units subject to the transaction. The variable charge may be imposed for cash purchases, non-standard orders, or partial cash purchases incurred by a Fund, primarily designed to cover expenses related to broker commissions. 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 securities constituting the Deposit Securities to the account of the Trust.
Risks of Purchasing Creation Units. There are certain legal risks unique to investors purchasing Creation Units directly from the Funds. Because a Fund’s 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 Funds, 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 a Fund’s Shares as part of an “unsold allotment” within the meaning of Section 4(3)(C) of the Securities Act, will be unable to take advantage of the prospectus delivery exemption provided by Section 4(3) of the Securities Act.
Redemption. Shares may be redeemed only in Creation Units at their net asset value next determined after receipt of a redemption request in proper form by the Funds through the Transfer Agent and only on a Business Day. EXCEPT UPON LIQUIDATION OF A 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 in order 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 Funds, the Custodian, through the NSCC, makes available immediately prior to the opening of business on the Exchange (generally 9:30 a.m. Eastern time) on each Business Day, the list of the names and share quantities of a 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 a combination thereof, as determined by the Trust in accordance with the Basket Procedures. With respect to in-kind redemptions of a 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. In the event that a 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 of Transaction Fee. A redemption transaction fee, payable to the Funds’ custodian, may be imposed for the transfer and other transaction costs associated with the redemption of Creation Units, and investors will be required to pay a fixed redemption transaction fee regardless of the number of Creation Units created in the transaction, as set forth in the Funds’ Prospectus, as may be
37



revised from time to time. The redemption transaction fee is the same no matter how many Creation Units are being redeemed pursuant to any one redemption request. A Fund may adjust the redemption transaction fee from time to time. The standard fixed redemption transaction fee for each Fund will be $250. In addition, a variable fee will be charged on all cash transactions or substitutes for Creation Units up to a maximum of 2% as a percentage of the value of the Creation Units subject to the transaction. The variable charge may be imposed for cash redemptions, non-standard orders, or partial cash redemptions (when cash redemptions are available) incurred by a Fund, primarily designed to cover expenses related to broker commissions. 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 a 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 the time as set forth in the Participant Agreement. With respect to each Fund, the order cut-off time for orders to redeem Creation Units is 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time. A redemption request is considered to be in “proper form” if (i) 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 (ii) 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. For the Funds, deliveries of redemption proceeds generally will be made within two business days of the trade date. However, due to the schedule of holidays in certain countries, the different treatment among foreign and U.S. markets of dividend record dates and dividend ex-dates (that is the last date the holder of a security can sell the security and still receive dividends payable on the security sold), and in certain other circumstances, the delivery of in-kind redemption proceeds may take longer than two business days after the day on which the redemption request is received in proper form. If neither the redeeming Shareholder nor the Authorized Participant acting on behalf of such redeeming Shareholder has appropriate arrangements to take delivery of the Fund Securities in the applicable foreign jurisdiction and it is not possible to make other such arrangements, or if it is not possible to effect deliveries of the Fund Securities in such jurisdiction, the Trust may, in its discretion and in accordance with the Basket Procedures, exercise its option to redeem such Shares in cash, and the redeeming Shareholders will be required to receive its redemption proceeds in cash.
The Trust may, in its discretion and in accordance with the Basket Procedures, 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 a 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 of the Fund next determined after the redemption request is received in proper form (minus a redemption transaction fee 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).
Each Fund may also, in its sole discretion and in accordance with the Basket Procedures, 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 net asset value.
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 in order to receive Fund Securities.
38



Because the portfolio securities of the Fund may trade on the relevant exchange(s) on days that the Exchange is closed or are otherwise not Business Days for the Fund, shareholders may not be able to redeem their shares of the Fund, or to purchase or sell shares of the Fund on the Exchange, on days when the NAV of the Fund could be significantly affected by events in the relevant foreign markets.
The right of redemption may be suspended or the date of payment postponed with respect to the Funds (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 of a Fund or determination of the NAV of the Shares is not reasonably practicable; or (4) in such other circumstance as is permitted by the SEC.
Required Early Acceptance of Orders. Notwithstanding the foregoing, as described in the Participant Agreement and/or applicable order form, a Fund may require orders to be placed up to one or more business days prior to the trade date, as described in the Participant Agreement or the applicable order form, in order to receive the trade date’s net asset value. Orders to purchase Shares of a Fund that are submitted on the Business Day immediately preceding a holiday or a day (other than a weekend) that the equity markets in the relevant foreign market are closed will not be accepted. Authorized Participants may be notified that the cut-off time for an order may be earlier on a particular business day, as described in the Participant Agreement and the order form.
DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE
Net asset value per Share for a 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 net asset value. The net asset value of a Fund is calculated by the Custodian and determined at the close of the regular trading session on the NYSE (ordinarily 4:00 p.m. Eastern time) on each day that such exchange 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 a Fund’s net asset value per Share, the Fund’s investments are generally valued using market valuations. A market valuation generally means a valuation (i) obtained from an exchange, a pricing service, or a major market maker (or dealer), (ii) 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 (iii) 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 net asset value per share. The Adviser 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.
For purposes of determining NAV per share of a Fund, options and futures contracts are valued based on market quotations or the last sales or settlement price of the exchange on which an asset trades. The value of a futures contract equals the unrealized gain or loss on the contract that is determined by marking the contract to the last sale price for a like contract acquired on the day on which the futures contract is being valued. The value of options on futures contracts is determined based upon the last sale price for a like option acquired on the day on which the option is being valued. A last sale price may not be used for the foregoing purposes if the market makes a limited move with respect to a particular instrument. Swap contracts are valued based on the value of the swap contract’s reference asset and are marked-to-market each day a share price is calculated.
In the event that current market valuations are not readily available or such valuations do not reflect current market value, the Trust’s procedures require the Fair Value Committee to determine a security’s fair value if a market price is not readily available. In determining such value the Fair Value Committee may consider, among other things, (i) price comparisons among multiple sources, (ii) a review of corporate actions and news events, and (iii) a review of relevant financial indicators (e.g., movement in interest rates, market indices, and prices from a Fund’s index provider). In these cases, a Fund’s net asset value may reflect certain portfolio securities’ fair values rather than their market prices. Fair value pricing involves subjective judgments and it is possible that the fair value determination for a security is materially different than the value that could be realized upon the sale of the security. In addition, fair value pricing could result in a difference between the prices used to calculate a Fund’s net asset value and the prices used by the Fund’s Underlying Index. This may result in a difference between a Fund’s performance and the Fund’s stated investment objective. With respect to securities that are primarily listed on foreign exchanges, the value of a Fund’s portfolio securities may change on days when you will not be able to purchase or sell your Shares.
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. Dividends from net investment income, if any, are declared and paid quarterly by the Funds. Distributions of net realized securities gains, if any, generally are declared and paid once a year, but the Funds may make distributions on a more frequent basis for the Funds to improve respective index tracking or to comply with the distribution requirements of the Code, in all events in a manner consistent with the provisions of the 1940 Act.
39



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 a Fund.
A Fund may make additional distributions to the extent necessary (i) to distribute the entire annual taxable income of the Fund, plus any net capital gains and (ii) 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 status of the Fund as a regulated investment company (“RIC”) or to avoid imposition of income or excise taxes on undistributed income.
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 a 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 in order 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 a Fund at NAV per share. Distributions reinvested in additional shares of a Fund 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 additional federal income tax considerations generally affecting the Funds and their respective shareholders. No attempt is made to present a comprehensive explanation of the federal, state, local or foreign tax treatment of the Funds or their respective 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 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.
The recently enacted tax legislation commonly referred to as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the “Tax Act”) makes 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 beginning after December 31, 2017 and before January 1, 2026. There are only minor changes with respect to the specific rules only applicable to a RIC, such as the Funds. The Tax Act, however, makes numerous other changes to the tax rules that may affect shareholders and the Funds. You are urged to consult with your own tax advisor regarding how the Tax Act affects your investment in the Funds.
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, or local taxes.
Regulated Investment Company (RIC) Status. Each Fund will seek to qualify for treatment as a RIC under the Code. Provided that for each tax year the Fund: (i) meets the requirements to be treated as a RIC (as discussed below); and (ii) distributes at least an amount equal to the sum of 90% of the Fund’s net investment income for such year (including, for this purpose, the excess of net realized short-term capital gains over net long-term capital losses) and 90% of its net tax-exempt interest income, the Fund itself will not be subject to federal income taxes to the extent the Fund’s net investment income and the Fund’s net realized capital gains, if any, are distributed to the Fund’s shareholders. One of several requirements for RIC qualification is that a Fund must receive at least 90% of the Fund’s gross income each year 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 the Fund’s business of investing in stock, securities, foreign currencies and net income from an interest in a qualified publicly traded partnership (the “90% Test”). A second requirement for qualification as a RIC is that a Fund must diversify its holdings so that, at the end of each quarter of the Fund’s taxable year: (a) at least 50% of the market 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 these other securities limited, in respect to any one issuer, to an amount not greater than 5% of the value of the Fund’s total assets or 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer; and (b) not more than 25% of the value of its total assets are 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 “Asset Test”).
Under the Asset Test, a Fund generally may not acquire a security if, as a result of the acquisition, more than 50% of the value of the Fund’s assets would be invested in (a) issuers in which the Fund has, in each case, invested more than 5% of the Fund’s assets and (b) issuers more than 10% of whose outstanding voting securities are owned by the Fund. Because the Underlying Indexes have a
40



relatively small number of constituents, the 5% limitation could affect the Funds’ ability to effectively implement its strategy. As the Funds grow, the 10% limitation might also affect their ability to effectively implement its strategy.
Although each Fund intends to satisfy all the foregoing requirements, there is no assurance that a Fund will be able to do so. For purposes of the Asset test, the identification of the issuer (or, in some cases, issuers) of a particular Fund investment can depend on the terms and conditions of that investment. In some cases, identification of the issuer (or issuers) is uncertain under current law, and an adverse determination or future guidance by the IRS with respect to issuer identification for a particular type of investment may adversely affect the Fund’s ability to meet the Asset Test.
If a Fund fails to satisfy the 90% Test or the Asset Test, 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 Asset Test. In order to qualify for relief provisions for a failure to meet the Asset Test, a Fund may be required to dispose of certain assets. If a Fund fails to qualify for treatment as a RIC for any year, and the relief provisions are not available, all of its taxable income will be subject to federal income tax at regular corporate rates (which the Tax Act reduced to 21%) without any deduction for distributions to shareholders. In such case, its shareholders would be taxed as if they received ordinary dividends, although the dividends could be eligible for the dividends received deduction for corporate shareholders and the dividends may be eligible for the lower tax rates available to non-corporate shareholders on qualified dividend income. To requalify for treatment as a RIC in a subsequent taxable year, a Fund would be required to satisfy the RIC qualification requirements for that year and to distribute any earnings and profits from any taxable year for which the Fund failed to qualify for tax treatment as a RIC. If a Fund failed to qualify as a RIC for a period greater than two taxable years, the Fund would generally be required to pay a Fund-level tax on any net built-in gains recognized with respect to certain of its assets upon a 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 Funds for treatment as a RIC if it determines such course of action to be beneficial to shareholders. If a Fund determines that it will not qualify for treatment as a RIC, the Fund will establish procedures to reflect the anticipated tax liability in the Fund’s NAV.
A 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. 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 and certain other late-year losses.
If a Fund has a “net capital loss” (that is, capital losses in excess of capital gains) for a taxable year, the excess of the Fund’s net short-term capital losses over its net long-term capital gains is treated as a short-term capital loss arising on the first day of the Fund’s next taxable year, and the excess (if any) of the Fund’s net long-term capital losses over its net short-term capital gains is treated as a long-term capital loss arising on the first day of the Fund’s next taxable year.
Each Fund will generally be subject to a nondeductible 4% federal excise tax to the extent it fails to distribute by the end of any calendar year at least the sum of 98% of its ordinary income for the year, 98.2% of its capital gain net income for the one-year period ending on October 31 of that year, and certain other amounts. Each Fund intends to make sufficient distributions, or deemed distributions, to avoid imposition of the excise tax, but can make no assurances that all such tax liability will be eliminated.
Each Fund intends to distribute substantially all its net investment income and net realized capital gains to shareholders annually. The distribution of net investment income and net realized capital gains generally will be taxable to Fund shareholders regardless of whether the shareholder elects to receive these distributions in cash or in additional shares. However, a Fund may determine not to distribute, or determine to defer the distribution of, some portion of its income in non-routine circumstances. If a Fund retains for investment an amount equal to all or a portion of its net long-term capital gains in excess of its net short-term capital losses (including any capital loss carryovers), it will be subject to a corporate tax on the amount retained. In that event, a Fund will designate such retained amounts as undistributed capital gains in a notice to its shareholders who (a) will be required to include in income for U.S. federal income tax purposes, as long-term capital gains, their proportionate shares of the undistributed amount, (b) will be entitled to credit their proportionate shares of the income tax paid by the Fund on the undistributed amount against their U.S. federal income tax liabilities, if any, and to claim refunds to the extent their credits exceed their liabilities, if any, and (c) will be entitled to increase their tax basis, for U.S. 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. Organizations or persons not subject to U.S. federal income tax on such capital gains will be entitled to a refund of their pro rata share of such taxes paid by a Fund upon timely filing appropriate returns or claims for refund with the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”).
A portion of the net investment income distributions of each Fund may be treated as qualified dividend income (which, for non-corporate shareholders, is generally eligible for taxation at reduced rates). The portion of distributions that a Fund may report as qualified dividend income is generally limited to the amount of qualified dividend income received by the Fund, but if for any Fund taxable year 95% or more of the Fund’s gross income (exclusive of net capital gain from sales of stocks and securities) consists of qualified dividend income, all distributions of such income for that taxable year may be reported as qualified dividend income. Qualified dividend income is, in general, dividend income from taxable domestic corporations and certain foreign corporations (i.e., foreign corporations incorporated in a possession of the United States or in certain countries with a comprehensive tax treaty with the
41



United States, and other foreign corporations if the stock with respect to which the dividend income is paid is readily tradable on an established securities market in the United States).
In order for some portion of the dividends received by a shareholder to be qualified dividend income, a Fund must meet holding period and other requirements with respect to the dividend paying stocks in its portfolio, and the shareholder must meet holding period and other requirements with respect to the Fund’s shares. Distributions reported to Fund shareholders as capital gain dividends will be taxable at the rates applicable to long-term capital gains (generally, at a maximum rate of 20% for non-corporate shareholders), regardless of how long the shareholder has owned the shares. A Fund’s shareholders will be notified annually by the Fund as to the federal tax status of all distributions made by the Fund. Distributions may be subject to state and local taxes.
U.S. individuals with income exceeding $200,000 ($250,000 if married and filing jointly) are subject to an additional 3.8% Medicare contribution tax on their “net investment income,” including interest, dividends, and capital gains (including capital gains realized on the sale or exchange of shares of a Fund). This 3.8% tax also applies to all or a portion of the undistributed net investment income of certain shareholders that are estates and trusts.
Shareholders who have held Fund shares for less than a full year should be aware that the Funds may report and distribute, as ordinary dividends or capital gain dividends, a percentage of income that is not equal to the percentage of a Fund’s total ordinary income or net capital gain, respectively, actually earned during the period of investment in a Fund.
If a Fund’s distributions for a taxable year exceed its taxable income and capital gains realized during a taxable year, all or a portion of the distributions made for the 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 a Fund and generally result in a higher reported capital gain or lower reported capital loss when those shares on which the distribution was received are sold.
A sale or exchange of shares in a Fund may give rise to a capital gain or loss. In general, any capital gain or loss realized upon a taxable disposition of shares will be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for more than 12 months. Otherwise, the capital gain or loss on the taxable disposition of shares will 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, rather than short-term, to the extent of any long-term capital gain distributions received (or deemed received) by the shareholder with respect to the shares. All or a portion of any loss realized upon a taxable disposition of shares will be disallowed if substantially identical shares are purchased (through reinvestment of dividends or otherwise) within 30 days before or after the disposition. In such a case, the basis of the newly purchased shares will be adjusted to reflect the disallowed loss.
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 be deducted currently under the rules governing “wash sales,” 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 be treated as short-term capital gains or losses.
The Trust on behalf of the Funds has the right to reject an order for a purchase of shares of the Trust if the purchaser (or group of purchasers) would, upon obtaining the shares so ordered, own 80% or more of the outstanding shares of a Fund and if, pursuant to Section 351 of the Code, a Fund would have a basis in the securities different from the market value of such securities on the date of deposit. The Trust also has the right to require information necessary to determine beneficial share ownership for purposes of the 80% determination. The Trust reserves the absolute right to reject an order for Creation Units if acceptance of the securities to be exchanged for the Creation Units would have certain adverse tax consequences to a Fund.
Persons purchasing or redeeming Creation Units should consult their own tax advisors with respect to the tax treatment of any creation or redemption transaction.
Foreign Investments. Income received by a Fund from sources within foreign countries (including, for example, dividends or interest on stock or securities of non-U.S. issuers) may be subject to withholding and other taxes imposed by such countries. Tax treaties between such countries and the U.S. may reduce or eliminate such taxes in some cases. If as of the end of a Fund’s taxable year more than 50% of the value of the Fund’s assets consist of the securities of foreign corporations, the Fund may elect to permit shareholders who are U.S. citizens, resident aliens, or U.S. corporations to claim a foreign tax credit or deduction (but not both) on their income tax returns for their pro rata portions of qualified taxes paid by the Fund during that taxable year to foreign countries in respect of foreign securities the Fund has held for at least the minimum period specified in the Code. In such a case, shareholders will include in gross income from foreign sources their pro rata shares of such taxes. A shareholder’s ability to claim a foreign tax credit or deduction in respect of foreign taxes paid by a Fund may be subject to certain limitations imposed by the Code, which may result in the shareholder
42



not getting a full credit or deduction for the amount of such taxes. Shareholders who do not itemize deductions on their federal income tax returns may claim a credit, but not a deduction, for such foreign taxes.
Foreign Currency Transactions. Under the Code, gains or losses attributable to fluctuations in exchange rates which occur between the time a Fund accrues income or other receivables or accrues expenses or other liabilities denominated in a foreign currency and the time the Fund actually collects such income or receivables or pays such expenses or liabilities generally are treated as ordinary income or loss. Similarly, on the disposition of debt securities denominated in a foreign currency and on the disposition of certain other instruments, gains or losses attributable to fluctuations in the value of the foreign currency between the date of acquisition of the security or contract and the date of disposition are also treated as ordinary gain or loss. The gains and losses may increase or decrease the amount of a Fund’s income to be distributed to its shareholders as ordinary income.
Options, Swaps and Other Complex Securities. The Funds may invest in complex securities such as equity options, index options, repurchase agreements, foreign currency contracts, hedges and swaps, transactions treated as straddles for U.S. federal income tax purposes, and futures contracts. These investments may be subject to numerous special and complex tax rules. These rules could affect whether gains and losses recognized by a Fund are treated as ordinary income or capital gain, accelerate the recognition of income to the Fund, cause income or gain to be recognized even though corresponding cash is not received by the Fund, and/or defer the Fund’s ability to recognize losses. In turn, those rules may affect the amount, timing or character of the income distributed by a Fund.
With respect to any investments in zero coupon securities which are sold at original issue discount and thus do not make periodic cash interest payments, a Fund may be required to include as part of its current income the imputed interest on such obligations even though the Fund may not have received any interest payments on such obligations during that period. Because a Fund is required to distribute all of its net investment income to its shareholders, the Fund may have to sell Fund securities to distribute such imputed income. Those sales may occur at a time when the Advisor would not otherwise have chosen to sell such securities and will generally result in taxable gain or loss.
Because only a few regulations implementing the straddle rules have been promulgated, the consequences of such transactions to a Fund is not entirely clear. The straddle rules may increase the amount of short-term capital gain realized by a Fund, which is taxed as ordinary income when distributed to shareholders. Because application of the straddle rules may affect the character of gains or losses, defer losses and/or accelerate the recognition of gains or losses from the affected straddle positions, the amount which must be distributed to shareholders as ordinary income or long-term capital gain may be increased or decreased substantially as compared to a fund that did not engage in such transactions.
More generally, investments by a Fund in options, futures, forward contracts, swaps and other derivative financial instruments are subject to numerous special and complex tax rules. These rules could affect whether gains and losses recognized by a Fund are treated as ordinary or capital, accelerate the recognition of income or gains to such Fund and defer or possibly prevent the recognition or use of certain losses by the Fund. The rules could, in turn, affect the amount, timing or character of the income distributed to shareholders by a Fund. In addition, because the tax rules applicable to such instruments may be uncertain under current law, an adverse determination or future IRS guidance with respect to these rules (which determination or guidance could be retroactive) may affect whether a Fund has made sufficient distributions and otherwise satisfied the relevant requirements to maintain its qualification as a RIC and avoid a Fund-level tax.
Back-Up Withholding. The Funds or your broker will be required to withhold (as “backup withholding”) on taxable dividends paid to any shareholder, as well as the proceeds of any redemptions of Creation Units, paid to a shareholder or Authorized Participant who (1) fails to provide a correct taxpayer identification number certified under penalty of perjury; (2) is subject to 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 currently 24%. Backup withholding is not an additional tax and any amounts withheld may be credited against the shareholder’s ultimate U.S. tax liability.
Foreign Shareholders. Foreign shareholders (i.e., nonresident alien individuals and foreign corporations, partnerships, trusts and estates) are generally subject to U.S. withholding tax at the rate of 30% (or a lower tax treaty rate) on distributions derived from net investment income and short-term capital gains. Gains from the sale or other disposition of shares of the Funds generally are not subject to U.S. taxation, unless the recipient is an individual who either (1) meets the Code’s definition of “resident alien” or (2) is physically present in the U.S. for 183 days or more per year. 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.
Ordinary dividends paid to a shareholder that is a “foreign financial institution” as defined in Section 1471 of the Code and that does not meet the requirements imposed on foreign financial institutions by Section 1471 will generally be subject to withholding tax at a 30% rate. The extent, if any, to which such withholding tax may be reduced or eliminated by an applicable tax treaty is unclear. A non-U.S. shareholder may be exempt from the withholding described in this paragraph under an applicable intergovernmental agreement between the U.S. and a foreign government, provided that the shareholder and the applicable foreign government comply with the terms of such agreement.
43



In order for a foreign investor to qualify for an exemption from backup withholding, the foreign investor must comply with special certification and filing requirements. Foreign investors in the Funds should consult their tax advisors in this regard.
Tax Shelter Reporting Regulations. Under U.S. Treasury regulations, if a shareholder recognizes a loss of $2 million or more for an individual shareholder or $10 million or more for a corporate shareholder, the shareholder must file with the IRS a disclosure statement on 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. 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. The Funds may be subject to tax or taxes in certain states where the Funds do business. Furthermore, in those states which have income tax laws, the tax treatment of the Funds and of Fund shareholders with respect to distributions by the Funds may differ from federal tax treatment.
Shareholders are advised to consult their tax advisors concerning their specific situations and the application of state, local and foreign taxes.
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Financial Statements and Annual Reports will be available after the Funds have completed a fiscal year of operations. When available, you may request a copy of the Funds’ Annual Report at no charge by calling 1‑844‑383‑6477 or through the Funds’ website at www.etfmg.com.
44



Appendix A

ETF MANAGERS GROUP, LLC

Proxy Voting Policy

Introduction

ETF Managers Group LLC (“ETFMG”) has adopted this Proxy Voting Policy (“Policy”) pursuant to Rule 206(4)-6 under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (“Advisers Act”), Rule 30b1-4 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), and other fiduciary obligations. The Policy describes the Adviser’s proxy voting duty and obligation to ensure that proxies are voted in the best interests of ETFMG’s fund(s).1

Statement of Policy

It is ETFMG’s policy, where proxy voting authority has been delegated to ETFMG by the fund(s), that all proxies are voted in the best interests of the fund without regard to the interests of ETFMG or other related parties. For purposes of the Policy, the “best interests of fund” shall mean, unless otherwise specified by the fund offering documents, the fund’s best economic interests over the long term. It is further the policy of ETFMG that complete and accurate disclosure concerning its proxy voting policies and procedures and proxy voting records, as required by the Advisers Act, be made available to fund shareholders.

Procedures

Subject to the procedures set forth below, ETFMG’s chief compliance officer (the “CCO”) maintains responsibility for reviewing all proxies and ensuring that proxies are voted timely in accordance with this Policy.

Use of Third-Party Proxy Service

In connection with its responsibilities expressed herein, ETFMG may utilize the services of a third-party service provider (the “Service Provider”) to research proxy proposals, provide vote recommendations and vote proxies on behalf of the firm. The Service Provider will provide research for each proxy and provide a recommendation to ETFMG as to how to vote on each proxy issue based on its research of the individual facts and circumstances of the issue and its application of its research findings to its Proxy Guidelines. The Service Provider will cast votes in accordance with its recommendations unless instructed otherwise by the CCO or other designated personnel as set forth below. The current Service Provider is Glass Lewis.

Proxy Voting Guidelines

ETFMG has instructed Glass Lewis to vote in accordance with Glass Lewis’ Policy Guidelines (the “Guidelines”) that apply to companies in the jurisdiction where the applicable portfolio security is listed.2 To the extent that the Guidelines do not address a proxy proposal but Glass Lewis has done research to address the issue, ETFMG has instructed Glass Lewis to vote proxies in the best interest of ETFMG’s clients.

ETFMG has instructed Glass Lewis to vote as described above unless the following conditions apply:

ETFMG’s CCO has decided to override the Glass Lewis vote recommendation for a client based on his/her own determination that the client would best be served by casting a vote contrary to the Glass Lewis recommendation. Such decision will be documented by ETFMG and communicated to Glass Lewis; or

Glass Lewis does not provide a vote recommendation, in which case ETFMG will independently determine how a particular issue should be voted. In these instances, ETFMG, through the CCO, will document the reason(s) used in determining a vote and communicate ETFMG’s voting instruction to Glass Lewis.

Review of Recommendations

ETFMG’s CCO (or other designated personnel) have the ultimate responsibility to accept or reject any Service Provider voting recommendation (“Recommendation”). Consequently, the CCO or other appointed staff is responsible for understanding and reviewing how proxies are voted for the fund(s), taking into account the Policy, the Guidelines and the best interests of fund shareholders. The CCO may override the Recommendation should he/she not believe that such Recommendation, based on all facts and circumstances, is in the best interests of the fund(s). ETFMG may choose not to vote proxies under the following circumstances:
1 ETFMG typically has responsibility to vote proxies on behalf of all Funds, subject to the terms of each Fund’s advisory agreement
2 Glass Lewis’ Policy Guidelines are publicly available at: https://www.glasslewis.com/guidelines/.
A-1



if the effect on the shareholders’ economic interests or the value of the portfolio holding is indeterminable or insignificant;
if the cost of voting the proxy outweighs the possible benefit; or
if a jurisdiction whose laws or regulations govern the voting of proxies with respect to the portfolio holding imposes share blocking restrictions which prevent ETFMG from exercising its voting authority.
If for some other reason a proxy is not voted for a client, the Adviser and/or a third-party will conduct an analysis to review whether the lack of voting would have had a material impact on the outcome of the vote. ETFMG will memorialize the basis for any decision to override a Recommendation or to abstain from voting, including the resolution of any conflicts, as further discussed below.

Addressing Material Conflicts of Interest

Prior to overriding a Recommendation, the CCO (or other designated personnel) must memorialize the determination and document whether a potential material conflict of interest exists between ETFMG and the fund on whose behalf the proxy is to be voted (“Material Conflict”). The CCO or any person so designated has an affirmative duty to disclose to the fund any potential Material Conflicts known to him/her related to a proxy vote. Material Conflicts may exist in situations where ETFMG is called to vote on a proxy involving an issuer or proponent of a proxy proposal regarding the issuer where ETFMG or an affiliated person of the ETFMG also:

manages the issuer’s or proponent’s pension plan;
administers the issuer’s or proponent’s employee benefit plan;
provided brokerage, underwriting, insurance or banking services to the issuer or proponent; or
manages money for an employee group of the issuer or proponent.

Additional Material Conflicts may exist if an executive of ETFMG or its control affiliates is a close relative of, or has a personal or business relationship with:

an executive of the issuer or proponent;
a director of the issuer or proponent;
a person who is a candidate to be a director of the issuer;
a participant in the proxy contest; or
a proponent of a proxy proposal.

Material Conflicts based on business relationships or dealings of affiliates of ETFMG will only be considered to the extent that the CCO has actual knowledge of such business relationships. Whether a relationship creates a Material Conflict will depend on the facts and circumstances. Even if these parties do not attempt to influence ETFMG with respect to voting, the value of the relationship to ETFMG can create a Material Conflict.

Material Conflicts may exist when ETFMG manages a separate account, a fund or other collective investment vehicle that invests in affiliated funds. When ETFMG receives proxies in its capacity as a shareholder of an underlying fund, ETFMG will vote in accordance with the recommendation of the Service Provider applying the Guidelines. If there is no relevant predetermined guideline, ETFMG will vote in accordance with the recommendation of the independent Service Provider. If the Service Provider does not provide a recommendation, ETFMG then may address the conflict by “echoing” or “mirroring” the vote of the other shareholders in those underlying funds.

If the CCO determines that there is no potential Material Conflict, the CCO may override the Recommendation and vote the proxy issue as he/she determines is in the best interests of fund(s) shareholders. If the CCO determines that there exists or may exist a Material Conflict, he/she will consider the following facts and circumstances of the pending proxy vote and the potential or actual Material Conflict and make a determination as to how to vote the proxy:

the percentage of outstanding securities of the issuer held on behalf of funds advised by ETFMG;
the nature of the relationship of the issuer with ETFMG, its affiliates or its executive officers;
whether there has been any attempt to directly or indirectly influence ETMFG’s decision;
whether the direction (for or against) of the proposed vote would appear to benefit ETFMG or a related party; and
whether an objective decision to vote in a certain way will still create a strong appearance of a conflict.
ETFMG may not abstain from voting any such proxy for the purpose of avoiding a Material Conflict.

In the event that the Service Provider itself has a conflict and thus, is unable to provide a recommendation, the CCO will make a voting recommendation and submit the proxy.

A-2


Lending

ETFMG will monitor upcoming meetings and call stock loans, if applicable, in anticipation of an important vote to be taken among holders of the securities or of the giving or withholding of ETFMG’s consent on a material matter affecting the investment. In determining whether to call stock loans, ETFMG shall consider whether the benefit to a fund in voting the matter outweighs the benefit to the fund in keeping the stock on loan.

Oversight of Service Provider

The CCO is responsible for the oversight of the Service Provider. When determining whether to retain, or continue to retain, the Service Provider, ETFMG will consider whether the Service Provider has the capacity and competency to adequately perform the services for which it was retained. This determination will include, among other things, consideration of (i) the Service Provider’s process and methodology in formulating proxy voting recommendations and guidelines, and (ii) how it monitors and addresses the integrity of the information on which the Service Provider bases its analysis. ETFMG will report to the Board of Trustees (the “Board”) of any client that is a registered investment company under the 1940 Act at least annually the basis for its determination to retain, or continue to retain, the Service Provider.

ETFMG will employ reasonable measures to determine whether the Service Provider is casting (or abstaining from) votes consistent with the Guidelines. ETFMG must have a reasonable basis for concluding that voting determinations made pursuant to this Policy are not based on materially inaccurate or incomplete information.

ETFMG will also periodically perform due diligence to assess the Service Provider’s ability to adequately analyze proxy issues, manage its conflicts of interest and satisfy its contractual obligations to ETFMG. In order to make this assessment, ETFMG shall consider, among other things:

The Service Provider’s oversight structure and personnel performing services on behalf of ETFMG;
Policies, procedures and related controls, including those that ensure vote recommendations are in accordance with the Guidelines and are based on current and accurate information, and any changes to the Guidelines since the date of the last due diligence review;
Policies and procedures related to the identification, management and disclosure of conflicts of interest impacting services provided; and
Changes in the Service Provider’s business and specific conflicts of interest in order to reasonably determine whether the Service Provider’s conflicts of interest may materially and adversely affect ETFMG’s clients and, if so, whether any action should be taken as a result.
Compliance Monitoring

CCO Reporting

Each quarter, the CCO will report to the Board, with respect to proxy votes on behalf of the funds, all proxy votes involving any fund in which ETFMG has overridden the Recommendation and include a description of the reason for the override and whether such override involved a potential Material Conflict and participation of the CCO.

Annually, the CCO will provide the Board with a report of relevant proxy voting matters, such as any proposed changes to this Policy or the Guidelines and any votes presenting Material Conflicts.

Investment Company Disclosures

For each investment company that ETFMG manages, ETFMG will ensure that the proxy voting record for the twelve-month period ending June 30 for each registered investment company is properly reported on Form N-PX no later than August 31 of each year. ETFMG will also ensure that each such fund states in its Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) and its annual and semi-annual report to shareholders that information concerning how the fund voted proxies relating to its portfolio securities for the most recent twelve-month period ending June 30 is available through the fund’s website and on the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) website.

ETFMG will also ensure that proper disclosure is made in each fund’s SAI describing the policies and procedures used to determine how to vote proxies relating to such fund’s portfolio securities. ETFMG will further ensure that the annual and semi-annual report for each fund states that a description of the fund’s proxy voting policies and procedures is available: (1) without charge, upon request, by calling a specified toll-free telephone number; (2) on the fund’s website; and (3) on the SEC’s website.

Recordkeeping

Either ETFMG or Service Provider, or both, as indicated below, will maintain the following records:
A-3



a copy of the current Policy (ETFMG) and current Guidelines (Service Provider);
a copy of each proxy statement received by ETFMG regarding fund securities (Service Provider);
a record of each vote cast by ETFMG on behalf of a fund (Service Provider); and
a copy of all documents created by ETFMG that were material to making a decision on the proxy voting (or abstaining from voting) and all supporting documents.

Such records must be maintained for at least six years.


Revised: June 20, 2019
December 9, 2020

















































A-4


A-5


CK0001467831-20210131_G9.JPG

ETFMG 2x Daily Video Game Tech ETF (GAMX)

Listed on NYSE Arca, Inc.
The Fund is a series of ETF Managers Trust
PROSPECTUS
June 4, 2021
















THE SEC HAS NOT APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED THESE SECURITIES OR PASSED UPON THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS PROSPECTUS. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.



About This Prospectus
This prospectus has been arranged into different sections so that you can easily review this important information. For detailed information about the Fund, please see:
ETFMG 2x Daily Video Game Tech ETF- FUND SUMMARY
3
12
18
26
26
27
28
28
30
30
30
31
31
32
33




ETFMG 2x Daily Video Game Tech ETF — FUND SUMMARY
Important Information About the Fund
ETFMG 2x Daily Video Game Tech ETF (the “Fund”) seeks daily investment results, before fees and expenses, that correspond to two times (2x) the return of the EEFund Video Game TechTM Index (the “Index”) for a single day, not for any other period. A “single day” is measured from the time the Fund calculates its net asset value (“NAV”) to the time of the Fund’s next NAV calculation. The return of the Fund for periods longer than a single day will be the result of its return for each day compounded over the period. The Fund’s returns for periods longer than a single day will very likely differ in amount, and possibly even direction, from the Fund’s stated multiple (2x) times the return of the Index for the same period. For periods longer than a single day, the Fund will lose money if the Index’s performance is flat, and it is possible that the Fund will lose money even if the level of the Index rises. Longer holding periods, higher Index volatility, and greater leveraged exposure each exacerbate the impact of compounding on an investor’s returns. During periods of higher Index volatility, the volatility of the Index may affect the Fund’s return as much as or more than the return of the Index.
The Fund presents different risks than other types of funds. The Fund uses leverage and is riskier than similarly benchmarked funds that do not use leverage. The Fund may not be suitable for all investors and should be used only by knowledgeable investors who understand the consequences of seeking daily leveraged (2x) investment results, including the impact of compounding on Fund performance. Investors in the Fund should actively manage and monitor their investments, as frequently as daily. An investor in the Fund could potentially lose the full principal value of their investment within a single day.
Investment Objective
The ETFMG 2x Daily Video Game Tech ETF (the “Fund”) seeks to provide daily investment results that, before fees and expenses, correspond to two times (2x) the daily total return performance of the Index. The Fund does not seek to achieve its stated investment objective over a period of time greater than a single day.
Fees and Expenses
The following table describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy, hold, and sell shares of the Fund (“Shares”). This table and the Example below do not include the brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries that investors may pay on their purchases and sales of Shares.
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Management Fee 0.95  %
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees None
Other Expenses1, 2
0.00  %
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses 0.95  %
1 Based on estimated amounts for the current fiscal year.
2 Other Expenses do not reflect the costs of investing in swap agreements, including any fees paid to the counterparty of the swap agreement. The estimated annual costs of investing in swap agreements for the Fund are 3.50% of the Fund’s average daily net assets. The performance of the Fund is net of all such costs of investing in swap agreements.
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. This Example does not take into account the brokerage commissions that you may pay on your purchases and sales of Shares. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your cost would be:
1 Year 3 Years
$97 $303
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 the Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. Because the Fund is newly organized, portfolio turnover information is not yet available.
3


Principal Investment Strategies
The Fund invests in financial instruments, such as swap agreements, securities of the Index, and exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”) that track the Index (including affiliated ETFs) that provide daily leveraged exposure to the Index or to ETFs that track the Index to seek returns equal to 200% of the daily return of the Index. The financial instruments in which the Fund most commonly invests are swap agreements which are intended to produce economically leveraged investment results. The Fund expects that its cash balances maintained in connection with the use of financial instruments will typically be held in money market instruments.
The Index tracks the performance of the common stock (or corresponding American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”) or Global Depositary Receipts (“GDRs”)) of exchange-listed companies across the globe (including in emerging markets) that are actively engaged in a business activity supporting or utilizing the video gaming industry (“Video Gaming Companies”), specifically:
(i)Companies that are software developers or hardware providers for the entertainment, educational software, or virtual reality/simulation segments of the video gaming industry or whose business model relies solely on delivering goods and services to these segments (collectively, “pure-play” companies).
(ii)Companies that are not pure-play companies but provide intellectual property in support of the video game, educational software, or virtual reality/simulation segments (“non-pure-play” companies).
(iii)Large broad-based companies whose business model supports the video game, educational software, or virtual reality/simulation segments (“gaming conglomerate” companies).
The initial universe of Video Gaming Companies is determined based on proprietary research and analysis conducted by EE Funds LLC (the “Video Gaming Index Provider”). The Video Gaming Index Provider uses a variety of publicly available resources for such analysis, including financial statements and other reports published by issuers to determine whether a company is actively engaged as a Video Gaming Company and its status as a pure-play, non-pure-play, or gaming conglomerate company (each, a “sector”).
Video Gaming Companies are then screened for investibility (e.g., must not be listed on an exchange in a country which employs certain restrictions on foreign capital investment), a minimum market capitalization of $100 million, and an operating company structure (as opposed to a pass-through security).
As of each rebalance date, the pure-play and non-pure-play sectors make up 90% of the Index weight with each of the pure-play and non-pure-play sectors being weighted based on the aggregate market capitalization of the companies in their respective sectors relative to the aggregate market capitalization of all of the Index constituents (i.e., all Video Gaming Companies). The gaming conglomerate sector makes up 10% of the Index weight. The Index constituents are equally weighted within each sector. The resulting weight distribution prevents the large gaming conglomerate companies from dominating the Index, while allowing smaller pure-play and non-pure-play companies to adequately influence Index performance. Individual constituent weightings may be adjusted to account for constituent securities with limited liquidity and/or small market capitalizations. As of May 21, 2021, the Index had 105 components.
The Index has a quarterly review in March, June, September, and December of each year at which times the Index is reconstituted and rebalanced by the Index Provider. The composition of the Index and the constituent weights are determined on the two Thursdays before the second Friday of each March, June, September, and December (or the next business day if this is a non-business day) (the “Selection Day”). Component changes are made after the market close on the third Friday of March, June, September, and December (or the next business day if the third Friday is not a business day) and become effective at the market opening on the next trading day.
The Index is owned by EE Funds LLC. The Index is calculated and maintained by an independent third-party calculation agent. The Video Gaming Index Provider is independent of the Index’s calculation agent, the Fund, and the Fund’s investment adviser.
The Fund has adopted the following policy to comply with Rule 35d-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940. Such policy has been adopted as a non-fundamental investment policy and may be changed without shareholder approval upon 60 days’ written notice to shareholders. Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus borrowing for investment purposes) in financial instruments, such as swap agreements, securities of the Index, and exchange-traded funds that track the Index and other financial instruments that provide daily leveraged exposure to the Index or to ETFs that track the Index.
Industry Concentration Policy: The Fund will concentrate its investments (i.e., hold 25% or more of its net assets) in a particular industry or group of related industries to approximately the same extent that the Index is concentrated. As of May 21, 2021, the Index was concentrated in companies in the software industries group.
The Fund may invest in the securities of the Index, a representative sample of the securities in the Index that has aggregate characteristics similar to those of the Index, an ETF that tracks the Index (including investing in an affiliated series of ETF Managers Trust, Wedbush ETFMG Video Game Tech ETF) or a substantially similar index, and may utilize derivatives, such as swaps on the Index or on an ETF that tracks the same Index or a substantially similar index, that provide leveraged exposure to the above. Derivatives are financial instruments that derive value from the underlying reference asset or assets, such as stocks, bonds, or funds (including ETFs), interest rates or indexes.
4


The Fund seeks to remain fully invested at all times, consistent with its stated investment objective but may not always have investment exposure to all of the securities in the Index, or its weighting of investment exposure to securities or industries may be different from that of the Index. In addition, the Fund may invest in securities or financial instruments not included in the Index.
The Fund will attempt to achieve its investment objective without regard to overall market movement or the increase or decrease of the value of the securities in the Index. At the close of the markets each trading day, ETF Managers Group LLC (the “Adviser”) determines the type, quantity and mix of investment positions so that its exposure to the Index is consistent with the Fund’s investment objective. The impact of the Index’s movements during the day will affect whether the Fund’s portfolio needs to be re-positioned. For example, if the Index has risen on a given day, net assets of the Fund should rise, meaning the Fund’s exposure will need to be increased. Conversely, if the Index has fallen on a given day, net assets of the Fund should fall, meaning the Fund’s exposure will need to be reduced. This re-positioning strategy typically results in high portfolio turnover. On a day-to-day basis, the Fund is expected to hold ETFs and money market funds, deposit accounts with institutions with high credit ratings, and/or short-term debt instruments that have terms-to-maturity of less than 397 days and exhibit high quality credit profiles, including U.S. government securities and repurchase agreements.
The Fund may lend its portfolio securities to brokers, dealers, and other financial organizations. These loans, if and when made, may not exceed 33 1/3% of the total asset value of the Fund (including the loan collateral). By lending its securities, the Fund may increase its income by receiving payments from the borrower.
The terms “daily,” “day,” and “trading day” refer to the period from the close of the markets on one trading day to the close of the markets on the next trading day.
Daily rebalancing and the compounding of each day’s return over time means that the return of the Fund for a period longer than a single day will be the result of each day’s returns compounded over the period, which will very likely differ in amount, and possibly even direction, from two times (2x) the return of the Index for the same period. The Fund will lose money if the Index’s performance is flat over time, and the Fund can lose money regardless of the performance of the Index, as a result of daily rebalancing, the Index’s volatility, compounding of each day’s return and other factors. See “Principal Risks” below.
Principal Risks
As with all funds, a shareholder is subject to the risk that his or her investment could lose money. The Fund may not achieve its leveraged investment objective and there is a risk that you could lose all of your money invested in the Fund. The Fund is not a complete investment program. The Fund presents risks not traditionally associated with other mutual funds and ETFs. For example, due to the Fund’s daily leveraged investment objective, a small adverse move in the Index will result in larger and potentially substantial declines in the Fund. It is important that investors closely review all of the risks listed below and understand them before making an investment in the Fund.
Effects of Compounding and Market Volatility Risk: The Fund has a daily leveraged investment objective and the Fund’s performance for periods greater than a trading day will be the result of each day's returns compounded over the period, which is very likely to differ from two times (2x) the Index’s performance, before fees and expenses. Compounding affects all investments, but has a more significant impact on funds that are leveraged and that rebalance daily. For a leveraged fund, if adverse daily performance of the index reduces the amount of a shareholder’s investment, any further adverse daily performance will lead to a smaller dollar loss because the shareholder’s investment had already been reduced by the prior adverse performance. Equally, however, if favorable daily performance of the index increases the amount of a shareholder’s investment, the dollar amount lost due to future adverse performance will increase because the shareholder’s investment has increased.
The effect of compounding becomes more pronounced as Index volatility and the holding period increase. The impact of compounding will impact each shareholder differently depending on the period of time an investment in the Fund is held and the volatility of the Index during shareholder’s holding period of an investment in the Fund.
The chart below provides examples of how Index volatility could affect the Fund’s performance. The chart illustrates the impact of two factors that affect the Fund’s performance: Index volatility and Index return. Index returns show the percentage change in the value of the Index over the specified time period, while Index volatility is a statistical measure of the magnitude of fluctuations in the returns during that time period. As illustrated below, even if the Index return over two equal time periods is identical, different Index volatility (i.e., fluctuations in the rates of return) during the two time periods could result in drastically different Fund performance for the two time periods due to the effects of compounding daily returns during the time periods.
Fund performance for periods greater than one single day can be estimated given any set of assumptions for the following factors: a) Index volatility; b) Index performance; c) period of time; d) financing rates associated with leveraged exposure; e) other Fund expenses; and f) dividends or interest paid with respect to securities in the Index. The chart below illustrates the impact of two principal factors – Index volatility and Index performance – on Fund performance. The chart shows estimated Fund returns for a number of combinations of Index volatility and Index performance over a one-year period. Performance shown in the chart assumes that: (i) no dividends were paid with respect to the securities included in the Index; (ii) there were no Fund expenses; and (iii) borrowing/lending rates (to obtain leveraged exposure) of 0%. If Fund expenses and/or actual borrowing/lending rates were reflected,
5


the estimated returns would be different than those shown. Particularly during periods of higher Index volatility, compounding will cause results for periods longer than a trading day to vary from two times (2x) the performance of the Index.
As shown in the chart below, the Fund would be expected to lose 6.1% if the Index provided no return over a one year period during which the Index experienced annualized volatility of 25%. At higher ranges of volatility, there is a chance of a significant loss of value in the Fund, even if the Index’s return is flat. For instance, if the Index’s annualized volatility is 100%, the Fund would be expected to lose 63.2% of its value, even if the cumulative Index return for the year was 0%. Areas shaded red (or dark gray) represent those scenarios where the Fund can be expected to return less than two times (2x) the performance of the Index and those shaded green (or light gray) represent those scenarios where the Fund can be expected to return more than two times (2x) the performance of the Index. The Fund’s actual returns may be significantly better or worse than the returns shown below as a result of any of the factors discussed above or in “Daily Index Correlation/Tracking Risk” below.
One Year Index Two Times (2x) One Year Index Volatility Rate
Return Return 10% 25% 50% 75% 100%
-60% -120% -84.2% -85.0% -87.5% -90.9% -94.1%
-50% -100% -75.2% -76.5% -80.5% -85.8% -90.8%
-40% -80% -64.4% -66.2% -72.0% -79.5% -86.8%
-30% -60% -51.5% -54.0% -61.8% -72.1% -82.0%
-20% -40% -36.6% -39.9% -50.2% -63.5% -76.5%
-10% -20% -19.8% -23.9% -36.9% -53.8% -70.2%
0% 0% -1.0% -6.1% -22.1% -43.0% -63.2%
10% 20% 19.8% 13.7% -5.8% -31.1% -55.5%
20% 40% 42.6% 35.3% 12.1% -18.0% -47.0%
30% 60% 67.3% 58.8% 31.6% -3.7% -37.8%
40% 80% 94.0% 84.1% 52.6% 11.7% -27.9%
50% 100% 122.8% 111.4% 75.2% 28.2% -17.2%
60% 120% 153.5% 140.5% 99.4% 45.9% -5.8%
The Index’s annualized historical volatility rate for the period from August 6, 2017 (the inception date of the Index) to December 31, 2020 was 17.72%. The Index’s highest volatility rate for any one calendar year for the period from August 6, 2017 (the inception date of the Index) through December 31, 2020 was 23.29% and volatility for a shorter period of time may have been substantially higher. The Index’s annualized performance for the period from August 6, 2017 (the inception date of the Index) to December 31, 2020 was 22.38%. Historical Index volatility and performance are not indications of what the Index volatility and performance will be in the future. The volatility of ETFs or instruments that reflect the value of the Index, such as swaps, may differ from the volatility of the Index.
For information regarding the effects of volatility and Index performance on the long-term performance of the Fund, see “Additional Information about the Fund’s Investment Objective and Strategies” in the Fund’s statutory prospectus, and “Special Note Regarding the Correlation Risks of the Fund” in the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information.
Leverage Risk: The Fund obtains investment exposure in excess of its net assets by utilizing leverage and may lose more money in market conditions that are adverse to its investment objective than a fund that does not utilize leverage. An investment in the Fund is exposed to the risk that a decline in the daily performance of the Index will be magnified. This means that an investment in the Fund will be reduced by an amount equal to 2% for every 1% daily decline in the Index, not including the costs of financing leverage and other operating expenses, which would further reduce its value. The Fund could theoretically lose an amount greater than its net assets in the event of an Index decline of more than 50%. Leverage will also have the effect of magnifying any differences in the Fund’s correlation with the Index.
Market Disruption Risk: Geopolitical and other events, including public health crises and natural disasters, have recently led to increased market volatility and significant market losses. Significant market volatility and market downturns may limit the Fund’s ability to sell securities and obtain long exposure to securities, and the Fund’s sales and long exposures may exacerbate the market volatility and downturn. Under such circumstances, the Fund may have difficulty achieving its investment objective for one or more trading days, which may adversely impact the Fund’s returns on those days and periods inclusive of those days. Alternatively, the Fund may incur higher costs (including swap financing costs) in order to achieve its investment objective and may be forced to purchase and sell securities (including other ETFs’ shares) at market prices that do not represent their fair value (including in the case of an ETF, its net asset value) or at times that result in differences between the price the Fund receives for the security or the value of
6


the swap exposure and the market closing price of the security or the market closing value of the swap exposure. Under those circumstances, the Fund’s ability to track its Index is likely to be adversely affected, the market price of Fund shares may reflect a greater premium or discount to net asset value and bid-ask spreads in the Fund’s shares may widen, resulting in increased transaction costs for secondary market purchasers and sellers. The Fund may also incur additional tracking error due to the use of securities that are not perfectly correlated to the Index.
Aggressive Investment Techniques Risk: Using investment techniques that may be considered aggressive, such as swap agreements, includes the risk of potentially dramatic changes (losses) in the value of the instruments, imperfect correlations between the price of the instrument and the underlying security or index, and volatility of the Fund.
Derivatives Risk: Derivatives are financial instruments that derive value from the underlying reference asset or assets, such as stocks, bonds, or funds (including ETFs), interest rates or indexes. The Fund’s investments in derivatives may pose risks in addition to, and greater than, those associated with directly investing in securities or other ordinary investments, including risk related to the market, leverage, imperfect daily correlations with underlying investments or the Fund’s other portfolio holdings, higher price volatility, lack of availability, counterparty risk, liquidity, valuation and legal restrictions. The use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves investment techniques and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions. The use of derivatives may result in larger losses or smaller gains than directly investing in securities. When the Fund uses derivatives, there may be imperfect correlation between the value of the reference assets and the derivative, which may prevent the Fund from achieving its investment objective. Because derivatives often require only a limited initial investment, the use of derivatives may expose the Fund to losses in excess of those amounts initially invested.
The Fund may use a combination of swaps on the Index and swaps on an ETF whose investment objective is to track the performance of the same, or a substantially similar index to achieve its investment objective. The reference ETF may not closely track the performance of the Index due to fees and other costs borne by the ETF and other factors, such as an ETF’s premium or discount. Thus, to the extent that the Fund invests in swaps that use an ETF as a reference asset, the Fund may be subject to greater correlation risk and may not achieve as high a degree of correlation with the Index as it would if the Fund used swaps that utilized the Index as the reference asset. Any financing, borrowing or other costs associated with using derivatives may also reduce the Fund’s return.
In addition, the Fund’s investments in derivatives are subject to the following risks:
Swap Agreements: Swap agreements are entered into primarily with major global financial institutions for a specified period, which may range from one day to more than one year. The derivative transactions in which the Fund invests are generally traded in the over-the-counter market, which generally has less transparency than exchange-traded derivatives instruments. In a standard swap transaction, two parties agree to exchange the return (or differentials in rates of return) earned or realized on particular predetermined reference assets or underlying securities or instruments. The gross return to be exchanged or swapped between the parties is calculated based on a notional amount or the return on or change in value of a particular dollar amount invested in a basket of securities representing a particular index or an ETF that seeks to track an index.
If the Index has a dramatic move that causes a material decline in the Fund’s net assets, the terms of a swap agreement between the Fund and its counterparty may permit the counterparty to immediately close out the swap transaction with the Fund. In that event, the Fund may be unable to enter into another swap agreement or invest in other derivatives to achieve exposure consistent with the Fund’s investment objective. This may prevent the Fund from achieving its leveraged investment objective, even if the Index later reverses all or a portion of its movement.
Counterparty Risk: A counterparty may be unwilling or unable to make timely payments to meet its contractual obligations or may fail to return holdings that are subject to the agreement with the counterparty. If the counterparty or its affiliate becomes insolvent, bankrupt or defaults on its payment obligations to the Fund, the value of an investment held by the Fund may decline. Additionally, if any collateral posted by the counterparty for the benefit of the Fund is insufficient or there are delays in the Fund’s ability to access such collateral, the Fund may not be able to achieve its leveraged investment objective. In addition, the Fund may enter into swap agreements with a limited number of counterparties, which may increase the Fund’s exposure to counterparty credit risk. Further, there is a risk that no suitable counterparties will be willing to enter into, or continue to enter into, transactions with the Fund and, as a result, the Fund may not be able to achieve its leveraged investment objective or may decide to change its leveraged investment objective.
Intra-Day Investment Risk: The Fund seeks leveraged investment results from the close of the market on a given trading day until the close of the market on the subsequent trading day. The exact exposure of an investment in the Fund intraday in the secondary market is a function of the difference between the value of the Index at the market close on the first trading day and the value of the Index at the time of purchase. If the Index gains value, the Fund’s net assets will rise by the same amount as the Fund’s exposure. Conversely, if the Index declines, the Fund’s net assets will decline by the same amount as the Fund’s exposure. Thus, an investor that purchases shares intra-day may experience performance that is greater than, or less than, the Fund’s stated multiple of the Index.
If there is a significant intra-day market event and/or the securities of the Index experience a significant decrease, the Fund may not meet its investment objective or rebalance its portfolio appropriately. Additionally, the Fund may close to purchases and sales of Shares prior to the close of regular trading on the NYSE Arca, Inc. and incur significant losses.
7


Daily Index Correlation/Tracking Risk: There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve a high degree of correlation to the Index and therefore achieve its daily leveraged investment objective. To achieve a high degree of correlation with the Index, the Fund seeks to rebalance its portfolio daily to keep leverage consistent with its daily leveraged investment objective. In addition, the Fund’s exposure to the Index is impacted by the Index’s movement. Because of this, it is unlikely that the Fund will be perfectly exposed to the Index at the end of each day. The possibility of the Fund being materially over- or under-exposed to the Index increases on days when the Index is volatile near the close of the trading day. Market disruptions, regulatory restrictions and extreme volatility will also adversely affect the Fund’s ability to adjust exposure to the required levels.
The Fund may have difficulty achieving its daily leveraged investment objective due to fees, expenses, transaction costs, financing costs related to the use of derivatives, investments in ETFs, directly or indirectly, income items, valuation methodology, accounting standards and disruptions or illiquidity in the markets for the securities or derivatives held by the Fund. The Fund may be subject to large movements of assets into and out of the Fund, potentially resulting in the Fund being over- or under-exposed to the Index. Activities surrounding periodic Index reconstitutions and other Index rebalancing events may hinder the Fund’s ability to meet its daily leveraged investment objective. The Fund may take or refrain from taking positions to improve the tax efficiency or to comply with various regulatory restrictions, either of which may negatively impact the Fund’s correlation to the Index.
Emerging Markets Securities Risk: The Fund may invest in companies organized in emerging market nations. Investments in securities and instruments traded in developing or emerging markets, or that provide exposure to such securities or markets, can involve additional risks relating to political, economic, or regulatory conditions not associated with investments in U.S. securities and instruments or investments in more developed international markets. Such conditions may impact the ability of the Fund to buy, sell or otherwise transfer securities, adversely affect the trading market and price for Fund shares and cause the Fund to decline in value.
Video Gaming Companies Risk: Video Gaming Companies face intense competition, both domestically and internationally, may have limited product lines, markets, financial resources, or personnel, may have products that face rapid obsolescence, and are heavily dependent on the protection of patent and intellectual property rights. Such factors may adversely affect the profitability and value of Video Gaming Companies.
Geographic Concentration Risk: Funds that are less diversified across countries or geographic regions are generally riskier than more geographically diversified funds, and risks associated with such countries or geographic regions may negatively affect the Fund.
Non-Diversification Risk: Because the Fund is “non-diversified,” it may invest a greater percentage of its assets in the securities of a single issuer or a small number of issuers than if it was a diversified fund. As a result, a decline in the value of an investment in a single issuer or a small number of issuers could cause the Fund’s overall value to decline to a greater degree than if the Fund held a more diversified portfolio. This may increase the Fund’s volatility and have a greater impact on the Fund’s performance.
Foreign Investments Risk: Returns on investments in foreign companies could be more volatile than, or trail the returns on, investments in U.S. companies.
Currency Risk: Indirect and direct exposure to foreign currencies subjects the Fund to the risk that currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar. Currency rates in foreign countries may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time for a number of reasons, including changes in interest rates and the imposition of currency controls or other political developments in the U.S. or abroad.
Depositary Receipts Risk: The Fund may invest in depositary receipts. Investment in ADRs and GDRs may be more or less liquid than the underlying shares in their primary trading market, and GDRs, many of which are issued by companies in emerging markets, may be more volatile and less liquid than depositary receipts issued by companies in more developed markets.
Foreign Market and Trading Risk: The trading markets for many foreign securities are not as active as U.S. markets and may have less governmental regulation and oversight. Foreign markets also may have clearance and settlement procedures that make it difficult for the Fund to buy and sell securities. These factors could result in a loss to the Fund by causing the Fund to be unable to dispose of an investment or to miss an attractive investment opportunity, or by causing Fund assets to be uninvested for some period of time.
Foreign Securities Risk: The Fund invests a significant portion of its assets directly in securities of issuers based outside of the U.S., or in depositary receipts that represent such securities. Investments in securities of non-U.S. issuers involve certain risks that may not be present with investments in securities of U.S. issuers, such as risk of loss due to foreign currency fluctuations or to political or economic instability, as well as varying regulatory requirements applicable to investments in non-U.S. issuers. There may be less information publicly available about a non-U.S. issuer than a U.S. issuer. Non-U.S. issuers may also be subject to different regulatory, accounting, auditing, financial reporting and investor protection standards than U.S. issuers.
8


Political and Economic Risk: The Fund is subject to foreign political and economic risk not associated with U.S. investments, meaning that political events, social and economic events and natural disasters occurring in a country where the Fund invests could cause the Fund’s investments in that country to experience gains or losses. The Fund also could be unable to enforce its ownership rights or pursue legal remedies in countries where it invests.
Smaller Companies Risk: The Fund’s Index may be composed primarily of, or have significant exposure to, securities of smaller companies. Smaller companies may be more vulnerable to adverse business or economic events than larger, more established companies, and may underperform other segments of the market or the equity market as a whole. The securities of smaller companies also tend to be bought and sold less frequently and at significantly lower trading volumes than the securities of larger companies. As a result, it may be more difficult for the Fund to buy or sell a significant amount of the securities of a smaller company without an adverse impact on the price of the company’s securities, or the Fund may have to sell such securities in smaller quantities over a longer period of time, which may prevent the Fund from achieving its investment objectives.
The remaining principal risks are presented in alphabetical order. Each risk summarized below is considered a "principal risk" of investing in the Fund, regardless of the order in which it appears.
Concentration Risk: The Fund’s investments will be concentrated in an industry or group of industries to the extent the Index is so concentrated. In such event, the value of Fund shares may rise and fall more than the value of shares that invest in securities of companies in a broader range of industries.
Early Close/Late Close/Trading Halt Risk: An exchange or market may close early, close late or issue trading halts on specific securities or financial instruments. As a result, the ability to trade certain securities or financial instruments may be restricted, which may disrupt the Fund’s creation and redemption process, potentially affect the price at which the Fund’s shares trade in the secondary market, and/or result in the Fund being unable to trade certain securities or financial instruments at all. In these circumstances, the Fund may be unable to rebalance its portfolio, may be unable to accurately price its investments and/or may incur substantial trading losses. If trading in the Fund’s shares are halted, investors may be temporarily unable to trade shares of 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 such as political, market and economic developments, as well as events that impact specific issuers. Additionally, natural or environmental disasters, widespread disease or other public health issues, war, acts of terrorism or other events could result in increased premiums or discounts to the Fund’s NAV.
ETF Risks:
Absence of an Active Market Risk: Although the Fund's shares are approved for listing on the Exchange, there can be no assurance that an active trading market will develop and be maintained for Fund shares. There can be no assurance that the Fund will grow to or maintain an economically viable size, in which case the Fund may ultimately liquidate.
Authorized Participants, Market Makers and Liquidity Providers Concentration Risk: The Fund has a limited number of financial institutions that may act as Authorized Participants (“APs”), none of which are obligated to engage in creation and/or redemption transactions. 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, there may be a significantly diminished trading market for Fund shares and 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. The risks associated with limited APs may be heightened in scenarios where APs have limited or diminished access to the capital required to post collateral.
Cash Transactions Risk: The Fund may effect its creations and redemptions primarily for cash, rather than in-kind securities. Paying redemption proceeds in cash rather than through in-kind delivery of portfolio securities may require the fund to dispose of or sell portfolio investments at an inopportune time to obtain the cash needed to distribute redemption proceeds. This may cause the Fund to incur certain costs such as brokerage costs, and to recognize gains or losses that it might not have incurred if it had made a redemption in-kind. As a result, the Fund may pay out higher or lower annual capital gains distributions than ETFs that redeem in-kind. In addition, the costs imposed on the Fund will decrease the Fund’ NAV unless the costs are offset by a transaction fee payable by an AP.
Costs of Buying or Selling Shares Risk: Investors buying or selling Fund 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.
Fluctuation of NAV Risk: The NAV of Fund shares will generally fluctuate with changes in the market value of the Fund’s securities holdings. The market prices of shares will generally fluctuate in accordance with changes in the Fund’s NAV and supply and demand of shares on the Exchange. It cannot be predicted whether Fund shares will trade below, at or above their NAV. During periods of unusual volatility or market disruptions, market prices of Fund shares may deviate significantly from
9


the market value of the Fund’s securities holdings or the NAV of Fund shares. As a result, investors in the Fund may pay significantly more or receive significantly less for Fund shares than the value of the Fund’s underlying securities or the NAV of Fund shares.
Market Trading Risk: An investment in the Fund faces numerous market trading risks, including the potential lack of an active market for Fund shares, losses from trading in secondary markets, periods of high volatility and disruption in the creation/redemption process of the Fund. Any of these factors, among others, may lead to the Fund’s shares trading at a premium or discount to NAV. Because securities held by the Fund may trade on foreign exchanges that are closed when the Fund’s primary listing exchange is open, there may be deviations between the current price of a security and the security’s last quoted price from the closed foreign market. This may result in premiums and discounts that are greater than those experienced by purely domestic ETFs.
Trading Issues Risk: Although Fund shares are listed for trading on the NYSE Arca (the “Exchange”), there can be no assurance that an active trading market for such shares will be maintained. Trading in Fund shares may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the Exchange, make trading in shares inadvisable. There can be no assurance that the requirements of the Exchange necessary to maintain the listing of any Fund will continue to be met or will remain unchanged or that the shares will trade with any volume, or at all. Further, secondary markets may be subject to erratic trading activity, wide bid/ask spreads and extended trade settlement periods in times of market stress because market makers and Authorized Participants may step away from making a market in Fund shares and in executing creation and redemption orders, which could cause a material deviation in the Fund’s market price from its NAV.
Liquidity Risk: In certain circumstances, such as the disruption of the orderly markets for the financial instruments in which the Fund invests, the Fund might not be able to acquire or dispose of certain holdings quickly or at prices that represent true market value in the judgment of the Adviser. Markets for the financial instruments in which the Fund invests may be disrupted by a number of events, including but not limited to economic crises, health crises, natural disasters, excessive volatility, new legislation, or regulatory changes inside or outside of the U.S. For example, regulation limiting the ability of certain financial institutions to invest in certain financial instruments would likely reduce the liquidity of those instruments. These situations may prevent the Fund from limiting losses, realizing gains or achieving a high leveraged correlation with the Index.
Money Market Instrument Risk: The Fund may use a variety of money market instruments for cash management purposes, including money market funds, depositary accounts and repurchase agreements. Money market funds may be subject to credit risk with respect to the debt instruments in which they invest. Depository accounts may be subject to credit risk with respect to the financial institution in which the depository account is held. Repurchase agreements are contracts in which a seller of securities agrees to buy the securities back at a specified time and price. Repurchase agreements may be subject to market and credit risk related to the collateral securing the repurchase agreement. Money market instruments may lose money.
Natural Disaster/Epidemic Risk: Natural or environmental disasters, such as earthquakes, fires, floods, hurricanes, tsunamis and other severe weather-related phenomena generally, and widespread disease, including pandemics and epidemics, have been and may be highly disruptive to economies and markets, adversely impacting individual companies, sectors, industries, markets, currencies, interest and inflation rates, credit ratings, investor sentiment, and other factors affecting the value of the Fund’s investments. Given the increasing interdependence among global economies and markets, conditions in one country, market, or region are increasingly likely to adversely affect markets, issuers, and/or foreign exchange rates in other countries, including the U.S. Any such events could have a significant adverse impact on the value of the Fund’s investments.
New Fund Risk: The Fund is a recently organized, non-diversified management investment company with limited operating history. As a result, prospective investors have a limited track record or history on which to base their investment decision. There can be no assurance that the Fund will grow to or maintain an economically viable size.
Other Investment Companies (including ETFs) Risk: The Fund may invest directly in another investment company by purchasing shares of the investment company or indirectly by utilizing an investment company as the reference asset of a derivative instrument. The Fund will incur higher and duplicative expenses when it invests in other investment companies such as ETFs (affiliated ETFs will not charge duplicate fees and expenses). There is also the risk that the Fund may suffer losses due to the investment practices of the underlying funds. If the other investment company fails to achieve its investment objective, the value of the Fund’s investment will not perform as expected, thus affecting the Fund’s performance and its correlation with the Index. When the Fund invests in other investment companies, the Fund will be subject to substantially the same risks as those associated with the direct ownership of securities held by such investment companies. Investments in ETFs are also subject to the following risks: (i) the market price of an ETF’s shares may trade above or below their net asset value; (ii) an active trading market for an ETF’s shares may not develop or be maintained; and (iii) trading of an ETF’s shares may be halted for a number of reasons. Investments in such shares may be subject to brokerage and other trading costs, which could result in greater expenses to the Fund. Finally, depending on the demand in the market, the Fund may not be able to liquidate its holdings in ETFs at an optimal price or time, which may adversely affect the Fund’s performance.
Portfolio Turnover Risk: The Fund may incur high portfolio turnover to manage the Fund’s investment exposure. Additionally, active market trading of the Fund’s shares may cause more frequent creation or redemption activities that could, in certain circumstances,
10


increase the number of portfolio transactions. High levels of portfolio transactions increase brokerage and other transaction costs and may result in increased taxable capital gains. Each of these factors could have a negative impact on the performance of the Fund.
Reliance on Trading Partners Risk: The Fund invests in some economies that are heavily dependent upon trading with key partners. Any reduction in this trading may cause an adverse impact on the economy in which the Fund invests.
Japan Investment Risk: To the extent the Fund invests in Japanese securities, it will be subject to risks related to investing in Japan. The Japanese economy may be subject to considerable degrees of economic, political, and social instability, which could have a negative impact on Japanese securities. Since the year 2000, Japan’s economic growth rate has remained relatively low, and it may remain low in the future. In addition, Japan is subject to the risk of natural disasters, such as earthquakes, volcanoes, typhoons and tsunamis. Additionally, decreasing U.S. imports, new trade regulations, changes in the U.S. dollar exchange rates, a recession in the United States or continued increases in foreclosure rates may have an adverse impact on the economy of Japan. Japan also has few natural resources, and any fluctuation or shortage in the commodity markets could have a negative impact on Japanese securities.
South Korea Investment Risk: Investments in South Korean issuers may subject the Fund to legal, regulatory, political, currency, security, and economic risks that are specific to South Korea. In addition, economic and political developments of South Korea’s neighbors may have an adverse effect on the South Korean economy.
Sector Risk: To the extent the Fund invests more heavily in particular sectors of the economy, its performance will be especially sensitive to developments that significantly affect those sectors.
Securities Lending Risk: The Fund may engage in securities lending. The Fund may lose money if the borrower of the loaned securities delays returning in a timely manner or fails to return the loaned securities. Securities lending involves the risk that the Fund could lose money in the event of a decline in the value of collateral provided for loaned securities. In addition, the Fund bears the risk of loss in connection with its investment of the cash collateral it receives from a borrower. To the extent that the value or return of the Fund's investment of the cash collateral declines below the amount owed to the borrower, the Fund may incur losses that exceed the amount it earned on lending the security.
Tax Risk: To qualify for the favorable tax treatment generally available to regulated investment companies, the Fund must satisfy certain diversification requirements under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). In particular, the Fund generally may not acquire a security if, as a result of the acquisition, more than 50% of the value of the Fund’s assets would be invested in (a) issuers in which the Fund has, in each case, invested more than 5% of the Fund’s assets and (b) issuers more than 10% of whose outstanding voting securities are owned by the Fund. Given the concentration of the Index in a relatively small number of securities, it may not be possible for the Fund to fully implement a replication strategy or a representative sampling strategy while satisfying these diversification requirements. The Fund’s efforts to satisfy the diversification requirements may cause the Fund’s return to deviate from that of the Index, and the Fund’s efforts to replicate the Index may cause it inadvertently to fail to satisfy the diversification requirements. If the Fund were to fail to qualify as a regulated investment company, it would be taxed in the same manner as an ordinary corporation, and distributions to its shareholders would not be deductible by the Fund in computing its taxable income.
Valuation Risk: The sales price that the Fund could receive for a security may differ from the Fund’s valuation of the security and may differ from the value used by the Index, particularly for securities that trade in low volume or volatile markets or that are valued using a fair value methodology. In addition, the value of the securities in the Fund’s portfolio may change on days when shareholders will not be able to purchase or sell the Fund’s shares.
Performance Information
The Fund is new and therefore does not have performance history for a full calendar year. Once the Fund has completed a full calendar year of operations, a bar chart and table will be included that will provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing the variability of the Fund’s returns and comparing the Fund’s performance to a broad measure of market performance. Updated performance information is available on the Fund’s website at www.etfmg.com or by calling 1‑844‑383‑6477.
Investment Adviser
ETF Managers Group LLC (the “Adviser”) serves as the investment adviser to the Fund.
Portfolio Managers
Samuel R. Masucci, III, Chief Executive Officer of the Adviser, Frank Vallario, Chief Investment Officer of the Adviser, Donal Bishnoi, Portfolio Manager of the Adviser, and Devin Ryder, Portfolio Manager of the Adviser, have been the Fund’s portfolio managers since the Fund’s inception in 2021.
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
Shares are listed on 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).
11


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.
Investors may incur costs attributable to the difference between the highest price a buyer is willing to pay to purchase Shares (bid) and the lowest price a seller is willing to accept for Shares (ask) when buying or selling Shares in the secondary market (the “bid-ask spread”). Recent information about the Fund, including its NAV, market price, premiums and discounts, and bid-ask spreads is available on the Fund’s website at www.etfmg.com.
Except when aggregated in Creation Units, the Fund’s shares are not redeemable securities.
Tax Information
The distributions made by the Fund are taxable, and will be taxed 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. However, subsequent withdrawals from such a tax-advantaged account may be subject to federal income tax. You should consult your tax advisor about your specific tax situation.
Financial Intermediary Compensation
If you purchase shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank) (an “Intermediary”), the Adviser or its 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 the Fund’s 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’s Investment Objective and Strategies
This section contains additional details about the Fund’s investment objective, principal investment strategies and related risks.
Investment Objective
The Fund is designed to seek daily investment results, before fees and expenses, that corresponds to two times (2x) the daily total return of the Index. If, on a given day, the Index gains 1%, the Fund is designed to gain approximately 2% (which is equal to two times 1%). Conversely, if the Index loses 1% on a given day, the Fund is designed to lose approximately 2%. The Fund seeks leveraged investment results on a daily basis – from the close of regular trading on one trading day to the close on the next trading day – which should not be equated with seeking a leveraged investment objective for any other period. The Fund is designed as a short-term trading vehicle. The Fund is intended to be used by investors who intend to actively monitor and manage their portfolios.
The Fund’s investment objective is non-fundamental, meaning that it may be changed by the Board of Trustees (the “Board”) of ETF Managers Trust (the “Trust”), without the approval of Fund shareholders. The Fund reserves the right to substitute a different index for the Index without shareholder approval.
Principal Investment Strategies
The Adviser uses a number of investment techniques in an effort to achieve the stated investment objective for the Fund. The Fund seeks two times (2x) the return of the Index on a given day. The Adviser attempts to provide two times the returns of the Index for a one-day period. To do this, the Adviser creates net “long” positions for the Fund. The Adviser may create short positions in the Fund even though the net exposure in the Fund will be long. Long positions move in the same direction as the Index, advancing when the Index advances and declining when the Index declines.
In seeking to achieve the Fund’s investment objective, the Adviser uses statistical and quantitative analysis to determine the investments the Fund makes and the techniques it employs. The Adviser relies upon a pre-determined model to generate orders that result in repositioning the Fund’s investments in accordance with its daily leveraged investment objective. Using this approach, the Adviser determines the type, quantity and mix of investment positions that it believes in combination should produce daily returns consistent with the Fund’s investment objective. In general, if the Fund is performing as designed, the return of the Index will dictate the return for the Fund. The Adviser does not invest the assets of the Fund in securities, derivatives or other investments based on the Adviser’s view of the investment merit of a particular security, instrument or company, nor does it conduct conventional investment research or analysis or forecast market movements or trends. The Fund generally pursues its investment objective regardless of the market conditions and does not take defensive positions.
The Fund has a clearly articulated daily leveraged investment objective which requires the Fund to seek economic exposure in excess of its net assets (i.e., economic leverage). To meet its objectives, the Fund invests in some combination of financial instruments so that it generates economic exposure consistent with the Fund’s investment objective.
12


The Fund may invest significantly in: swap agreements and ETFs to obtain economic “leverage.” Leveraging allows the Adviser to generate a greater positive or negative return for the Fund than what would be generated on the invested capital without leverage, thus changing small market movements into larger changes in the value of the investments of the Fund.
The Fund generally may hold a representative sample of the securities in the Index. The sampling of securities that is held by the Fund is intended to maintain high correlation with, and similar aggregate characteristics (e.g., market capitalization and industry weightings) to, the Index. The Fund also may invest in securities that are not included in the Index or may overweight or underweight certain components of the Index. Certain assets may be concentrated in an industry or group of industries to the extent that the Index concentrates in a particular industry or group of industries. In addition, the Fund offered in this Prospectus is non-diversified, which means that it may invest in the securities of a limited number of issuers.
At the close of the markets each trading day, the Fund will position its portfolio to ensure that the Fund’s exposure to the Index is consistent with the Fund’s stated investment objective. The impact of market movements during the day determines whether a portfolio needs to be repositioned. If the Index has risen on a given day, the Fund’s net assets should rise, meaning its exposure will typically need to be increased. Conversely, if the Index has fallen on a given day, the Fund’s net assets should fall, meaning its exposure will typically need to be reduced. The Fund’s portfolio may also need to be changed to reflect changes in the composition of the Index.
The Fund may have difficulty in achieving its daily leveraged investment objective due to fees, expenses, transaction costs, income items, accounting standards, significant purchase and redemption activity by Fund shareholders and/or disruptions or a temporary lack of liquidity in the markets for the securities held by the Fund. Additionally, if the Index includes foreign securities or tracks a foreign market index where the foreign market closes before or after the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) closes (generally at 4 p.m. Eastern Time), the daily leveraged performance of the Fund may deviate from its expected performance relative to the Index.
An exchange or market may close or issue trading halts on specific securities, or the ability to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments may be restricted, which may result in the Fund being unable to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments. In such circumstances, the Fund may be unable to rebalance its portfolio, may be unable to accurately price its investments and/or may incur substantial trading losses.
If the Fund is unable to obtain sufficient leveraged exposure to the Index due to the limited availability of necessary investments or financial instruments, the Fund could, among other things, limit or suspend creation units until the Adviser determines that the requisite exposure to the Index is obtainable. During the period that creation units are suspended, the Fund could trade at a significant premium or discount to its NAV and could experience substantial redemptions.
The Fund, as part of its securities lending program, may invest collateral in an affiliated series of ETF Managers Trust, ETFMG Sit Ultra Short ETF. ETF Managers Group LLC serves as the investment adviser to ETFMG Sit Ultra Short ETF. Other investment companies, including Ultra Short ETF, in which a Fund may invest cash collateral can be expected to incur fees and expenses for operations, such as investment advisory and administration fees, which would be in addition to those incurred by the Fund, and which, with respect to Ultra Short ETF, will be received in full or in part by the Adviser.
A Cautionary Note to Investors Regarding Dramatic Index Movement
The Fund seeks daily exposure to the Index equal to 200% of its net assets. As a consequence, the Fund could lose an amount greater than its net assets in the event of a decline in the value of the Index in excess of 50% of the value of the Index. The Adviser will attempt to position the Fund’s portfolio to ensure that the Fund does not gain or lose more than 90% of its NAV on a given day. If the Adviser successfully positions the Fund’s portfolio to provide such limits, the Fund’s portfolio and NAV will not be responsive to movements in the Index beyond 45% in a given day, whether that movement is favorable or adverse to the Fund. For example, if the Index were to gain 55%, the Fund would be limited to a daily gain of 90%, which corresponds to two times the Index gain of 45%, rather than 110%, which is two times the Index gain of 55%. It may not be possible to limit the Fund’s losses, and shareholders should not expect such protection. The risk of total loss exists.
If the Index has a dramatic adverse move that causes a material decline in the Fund’s net assets, the terms of the Fund’s swap agreements may permit the counterparty to immediately close out the swap transaction. In that event, the Fund may be unable to enter into another swap agreement or invest in other derivatives to achieve exposure consistent with the Fund’s investment objective. This may prevent the Fund from achieving its leveraged or inverse leveraged investment objective, even if the Index later reverses all or a portion the move.
Understanding the Risks and Long-Term Performance of Daily Objective Funds – the Impact of Compounding
The Fund is designed to provide leveraged (2x) results on a daily basis. The Fund, however, is unlikely to provide a simple multiple (i.e., 2x) of an index’s performance over periods longer than a single day.
Why? The hypothetical example below illustrates how daily leveraged fund returns can behave for periods longer than a single day.
13


Take a hypothetical fund XYZ that seeks to achieve twice the daily performance of index XYZ. On each day, fund XYZ performs in line with its objective (2x the index’s daily performance before fees and expenses). Notice that over the entire five-day period, the fund’s total return is considerably less than two times that of the period return of the index. For the five-day period, index XYZ gained 5.1% while fund XYZ gained 9.9% (versus 2 x 5.1% or 10.2%). In other scenarios, the return of a daily rebalanced fund could be greater than three times the index’s return.
Index XYZ
Fund XYZ
Level
Daily
Performance
Daily
Performance
Net Asset
Value
Start
100.0
$100.00
Day 1
103.0
3.0%
6.0%
$106.00
Day 2
99.9
-3.0%
-6.0%
$99.62
Day 3
103.9
4.0%
8.0%
$107.60
Day 4
101.3
-2.5%
-5.0%
$102.21
Day 5
105.1
3.8%
7.5%
$109.88
Total Return
5.1%
9.9%
Why does this happen? This effect is caused by compounding, which exists in all investments, but has a more significant impact on a daily leveraged fund. The return of a daily leveraged fund for a period longer than a single day is the result of its return for each day compounded over the period and usually will differ in amount, and possibly even direction, from the daily leveraged fund’s stated multiple times the return of the daily leveraged fund’s index for the same period. In general, during periods of higher index volatility, compounding will cause longer term results to be less than the multiple of the return of the index. This effect becomes more pronounced as volatility increases. Conversely, in periods of lower index volatility, fund returns over longer periods can be higher than the multiple of the return of the index. Actual results for a particular period, before fees and expenses, are also dependent on the following factors: a) the index’s volatility; b) the index’s performance; c) period of time; d) financing rates associated with derivatives; e) other fund expenses; and f) dividends or interest paid with respect to the securities in the index. The examples herein illustrate the impact of two principal factors — index volatility and index performance — on fund performance.
The graphs that follow illustrate this point. Each of the graphs shows a simulated hypothetical one year performance of an index compared with the performance of a fund that perfectly achieves its investment objective. The graphs demonstrate that, for periods longer than a single day, a daily leveraged fund is likely to underperform or overperform (but not match) the index performance times the stated multiple in the fund’s investment objective. Investors should understand the consequences of holding daily rebalanced funds for periods longer than a single day, including the impact of compounding on fund performance. Investors should actively manage and monitor their investments, as frequently as daily. A one-year period is used for illustrative purposes only. Deviations from the index return times the fund multiple can occur over periods as short as a single day (as measured from one day’s NAV to the next day’s NAV) and may also occur in periods shorter than a single day (when measured intraday as opposed to NAV to NAV). An investor in a daily leveraged fund could potentially lose the full principal value of his/her investment within a single day.
To isolate the impact of leverage, these graphs assume: a) no dividends paid with respect to securities in the index; b) no fund expenses; and c) borrowing/lending rates (to obtain required leverage) of zero percent. If these were reflected, the fund’s performance would be different than that shown. Each of the graphs also assumes a volatility rate of 30%, which is the approximate average of the five-year historical volatility rate of the EEFund Video Game TechTM Index. An index’s volatility rate is a statistical measure of the magnitude of fluctuations in the returns of an index.
14


One-Year Simulation; Index Return 0%
(Annualized Index Volatility 30%)
CK0001467831-20210131_G2.JPG
The graph above shows a scenario where the index, which exhibits day-to-day volatility, is flat or trendless over the year (i.e., begins and ends the year at 0%), but the Fund is down.
15


One-Year Simulation; Index Return 1.87%
(Annualized Index Volatility 30%)
CK0001467831-20210131_G3.JPG
The graph above shows a scenario where the index, which exhibits day-to-day volatility, is up over the year, but the Fund is up less than two times the index.
16


One-Year Simulation; Index Return –1.23%
(Annualized Index Volatility 30%)
CK0001467831-20210131_G4.JPG
The graph above shows a scenario where the index, which exhibits day-to-day volatility, is down over the year, the Fund is down more than two times the Index.
What it means to you. Daily leveraged funds, if used properly and in conjunction with the investor’s view on the future direction and volatility of the markets, can be useful tools for knowledgeable investors who want to manage their exposure to various markets and market segments. Investors should understand the consequences of seeking daily investment results, before fees and expenses, that correspond to the performance of a daily benchmark such as the multiple (i.e., 2x) of the daily performance of an index for a single day, not for any other period, including the impact of compounding on fund performance. Investors should monitor and/or periodically rebalance their portfolios (which will possibly trigger transaction costs and tax consequences), as frequently as daily. Investors considering these funds should understand that they are designed to provide a positive or negative multiple of an index for a single day, not for any other period.
Additionally, investors should recognize that the degree of volatility of a fund’s index can have a dramatic effect on a fund’s longer-term performance. The more volatile an index is, the more a fund’s longer-term performance will negatively deviate from a simple multiple (e.g., 2x) of its index’s longer-term return. The return of the fund for a period longer than a single day is the result of its return for each day compounded over the period and usually will differ in amount, and possibly even direction, from the fund’s stated multiple times the return of the fund’s index for the same period. For periods longer than a single day, the fund will lose money if its index’s performance is flat over time, and it is possible that the fund will lose money over time regardless of the performance of its index, as a result of daily rebalancing, the index’s volatility, compounding and other factors. An investor in the fund could potentially lose the full principal value of his/her investment within a single day.
17


Additional Risk Information
You may lose the full principal value of your investment within a single day.
The following section provides additional information regarding the principal risks identified under “Principal Risks” in the Fund’s summary.
Effects of Compounding and Market Volatility Risk: The Fund has a daily leveraged investment objective and the Fund’s performance for periods greater than a trading day will be the result of each day's returns compounded over the period, which is very likely to differ from Index’s performance times the stated multiple in the Fund’s investment objective, before fees and expenses. Compounding affects all investments, but has a more significant impact on leveraged funds and funds that rebalance daily.
Over time, the cumulative percentage increase or decrease in the value of the Fund’s portfolio may diverge significantly from the cumulative percentage increase or decrease in two times (2x) the return of the Index due to the compounding effect of losses and gains on the returns of the Fund. It also is expected that the Fund’s use of leverage will cause the Fund to underperform the return of two times (2x) the Index in a trendless or flat market.
The chart below provides examples of how index volatility could affect the Fund’s performance. The chart illustrates the impact of two factors that affect the Fund’s performance: Index volatility and Index return. Index returns show the percentage change in the value of the Index over the specified time period, while Index volatility is a statistical measure of the magnitude of fluctuations in the returns during that time period. As illustrated below, even if the Index return over two equal time periods is identical, different Index volatility (i.e., fluctuations in the rates of return) during the two time periods could result in drastically different Fund performance for the two time periods due to the effects of compounding daily returns during the time periods.
Fund performance for periods greater than one single day can be estimated given any set of assumptions for the following factors: a) index volatility; b) index performance; c) period of time; d) financing rates associated with leveraged exposure; e) other Fund expenses; and f) dividends or interest paid with respect to securities in the Index. The chart below illustrates the impact of two principal factors – index volatility and index performance – on Fund performance. The chart shows estimated Fund returns for a number of combinations of index volatility and index performance over a one-year period. Performance shown in the chart assumes that: (i) no dividends were paid with respect to the securities included in the Index; (ii) there were no Fund expenses; and (iii) borrowing/lending rates (to obtain leveraged exposure) of 0%. If Fund expenses and/or actual borrowing/lending rates were reflected, the estimated returns would be worse than those shown. Particularly during periods of higher Index volatility, compounding will cause results for periods longer than a trading day to vary from two times (2x) the performance of the Index.
As shown below, the Fund would be expected to lose 6.1% if the Index provided no return over a one year period during which the Index experienced annualized volatility of 25%.
If the Index’s annualized volatility were to rise to 75%, the hypothetical loss for a one-year period for the Fund widens to approximately -43.0%.
At higher ranges of volatility, there is a chance of a significant loss of value in the Fund. For instance, if the Index’s annualized volatility is 100%, the Fund would be expected to lose approximately 63.2% of its value, even if the cumulative return of the Index for the year was 0%. The volatility of ETFs or instruments that reflect the value of the Index, such as swaps, may differ from the volatility of the Index.  
18


One Year Index Two Times (2x) One Year Index Volatility Rate
Return Return 10% 25% 50% 75% 100%
-60% -120% -84.2% -85.0% -87.5% -90.9% -94.1%
-50% -100% -75.2% -76.5% -80.5% -85.8% -90.8%
-40% -80% -64.4% -66.2% -72.0% -79.5% -86.8%
-30% -60% -51.5% -54.0% -61.8% -72.1% -82.0%
-20% -40% -36.6% -39.9% -50.2% -63.5% -76.5%
-10% -20% -19.8% -23.9% -36.9% -53.8% -70.2%
0% 0% -1.0% -6.1% -22.1% -43.0% -63.2%
10% 20% 19.8% 13.7% -5.8% -31.1% -55.5%
20% 40% 42.6% 35.3% 12.1% -18.0% -47.0%
30% 60% 67.3% 58.8% 31.6% -3.7% -37.8%
40% 80% 94.0% 84.1% 52.6% 11.7% -27.9%
50% 100% 122.8% 111.4% 75.2% 28.2% -17.2%
60% 120% 153.5% 140.5% 99.4% 45.9% -5.8%
Holding an unmanaged position opens the investor to the risk of market volatility adversely affecting the performance of the investment. The Fund is not appropriate for investors who do not intend to actively monitor and manage their portfolios. The table is intended to underscore the fact that the Fund is designed as a short-term trading vehicle for investors who intend to actively monitor and manage their portfolios.
Leverage Risk: To achieve its daily investment objective, the Fund employs leverage and is exposed to the risk that adverse daily performance of the Index will be magnified. This means that, if the Index experiences an adverse daily performance, an investment in the Fund will be reduced by an amount equal to 2% for every 1% of adverse performance, not including the costs of financing leverage and other operating expenses, which would further reduce its value. The Fund could theoretically lose an amount greater than its net assets if the Index moves more than 50% in a direction adverse to the Fund (meaning a decline in the value of the Index). Leverage will also have the effect of magnifying any differences in the Fund’s correlation with the Index.
Video Gaming Companies Risk: Video Gaming Companies face intense competition, both domestically and internationally, may have limited product lines, markets, financial resources, or personnel, may have products that face rapid obsolescence, and are heavily dependent on the protection of patent and intellectual property rights. Pure-play companies may be dependent on one or a small number of product or product franchises for a significant portion of their revenue and profits. They may also be subject to shifting consumer preferences, including preferences with respect to gaming console platforms, and changes in consumer discretionary spending. Such factors may adversely affect the profitability and value of Video Gaming Companies. Video Gaming Companies are also subject to increasing regulatory constraints, particularly with respect to cybersecurity and privacy. In addition to the costs of complying with such constraints, the unintended disclosure of confidential information, whether because of an error or a cybersecurity event, could adversely affect the profitability and value of these companies. Video Gaming Companies may be subject to sophisticated intellectual property infringement schemes and piracy efforts, particularly in foreign markets, which may limit the revenue potential in such markets, and combating such infringement or piracy schemes may require significant expenses. Such anti-piracy programs may not be effective.
Market Disruption Risk: Geopolitical and other events, including public health crises and natural disasters, have recently led to increased market volatility and significant market losses. Significant market volatility and market downturns may limit the Fund’s ability to sell securities and obtain long exposure to securities, and the Fund’s sales and long exposures may exacerbate the market volatility and downturn. Under such circumstances, the Fund may have difficulty achieving its investment objective for one or more trading days, which may adversely impact the Fund’s returns on those days and periods inclusive of those days. Alternatively, the Fund may incur higher costs (including swap financing costs) in order to achieve its investment objective and may be forced to purchase and sell securities (including other ETFs’ shares) at market prices that do not represent their fair value (including in the case of an ETF, its net asset value) or at times that result in differences between the price the Fund receives for the security or the value of the swap exposure and the market closing price of the security or the market closing value of the swap exposure. Under those circumstances, the Fund’s ability to track its Index is likely to be adversely affected, the market price of Fund shares may reflect a greater premium or discount to net asset value and bid-ask spreads in the Fund’s shares may widen, resulting in increased transaction costs for secondary market purchasers and sellers. The Fund may also incur additional tracking error due to the use of securities that are not perfectly correlated to the Index.
19


Aggressive Investment Techniques Risk: Using investment techniques that may be considered aggressive, such as swap agreements, includes the risk of potentially dramatic changes (losses) in the value of the instruments, imperfect correlations between the price of the instrument and the underlying security or index, and volatility of the Funds.
Derivatives Risk: The Fund uses investment techniques, including investments in derivatives, such as swaps that may be considered aggressive. The use of derivatives may result in larger losses or smaller gains than investing in the underlying securities directly. Investments in these derivatives may generally be subject to market risks that cause their prices to fluctuate more than an investment directly in a security and may increase the volatility of the Fund. The use of derivatives may expose the Fund to additional risks such as counterparty risk, liquidity risk and increased daily correlation risk. When the Fund uses derivatives, there may be imperfect correlation between the value of the underlying reference assets and the derivative, which may prevent the Fund from achieving its investment objective.
The Fund may use swaps on the Index or swaps on an ETF that tracks the same, or a substantially similar, index. If the Index has a dramatic intraday move in value that causes a material decline in the Fund’s NAV, the terms of the swap agreement between the Fund and its counterparty may allow the counterparty to immediately close out of the transaction with the Fund. In such circumstances, the Fund may be unable to enter into another swap agreement or invest in other derivatives to achieve the desired exposure consistent with the Fund’s daily leveraged investment objective. This may prevent the Fund from achieving its daily leveraged investment objective particularly if the Index reverses all or a portion of its intraday move by the end of the day. The value of an investment in the Fund may change quickly and without warning. Any financing, borrowing or other costs associated with using derivatives may also have the effect of lowering the Fund’s return.
In addition, the Fund’s investments in derivatives are subject to the following risks:
Swap Agreements. Swap agreements are entered into primarily with major global financial institutions for a specified period which may range from one day to more than one year. In a standard swap transaction, two parties agree to exchange the return (or differentials in rates of return) earned or realized on particular predetermined reference or underlying securities or instruments. The gross return to be exchanged or swapped between the parties is calculated based on a notional amount or the return on or change in value of a particular dollar amount invested in a reference asset.
Counterparty Risk: Counterparty risk is the risk that a counterparty is unwilling or unable to make timely payments to meet its contractual obligations with respect to the amount the Fund expects to receive from a counterparty to a financial instrument entered into by the Fund. The Fund generally enters into derivatives transactions, such as the swap agreements, with counterparties such that either party can terminate the contract without penalty prior to the termination date. The Fund may be negatively impacted if a counterparty becomes bankrupt or otherwise fails to perform its obligations under such a contract, or if any collateral posted by the counterparty for the benefit of the Fund is insufficient or there are delays in the Fund’s ability to access such collateral. If the counterparty becomes bankrupt or defaults on its payment obligations to the Fund, it may experience significant delays in obtaining any recovery, may obtain only a limited recovery or obtain no recovery and the value of an investment held by the Fund may decline. The Fund may also not be able to exercise remedies, such as the termination of transactions, netting of obligations and realization on collateral, if such remedies are stayed or eliminated under special resolutions adopted in the United States, the European Union and various other jurisdictions. European Union rules and regulations intervene when a financial institution is experiencing financial difficulties and could reduce, eliminate, or convert to equity a counterparty’s obligations to the Fund (sometimes referred to as a “bail in”).
The Fund typically enters into transactions with counterparties that present minimal risks based on the Adviser’s assessment of the counterparty’s creditworthiness, or its capacity to meet its financial obligations during the term of the derivative agreement or contract. The Adviser considers factors such as counterparty credit rating among other factors when determining whether a counterparty is creditworthy. The Adviser regularly monitors the creditworthiness of each counterparty with which the Fund transacts. The Fund generally enters into swap agreements with major, global financial institutions and seeks to mitigate risks by generally requiring that the counterparties for the Fund to post collateral, marked to market daily, in an amount approximately equal to what the counterparty owes the Fund, subject to certain minimum thresholds. To the extent any such collateral is insufficient or there are delays in accessing the collateral, the Fund will be exposed to the risks described above. If a counterparty’s credit ratings decline, the Fund may be subject to a bail-in, as described above.
In addition, the Fund may enter into swap agreements with a limited number of counterparties, which may increase the Fund’s exposure to counterparty credit risk. The Fund does not specifically limit its counterparty risk with respect to any single counterparty. There is a risk that no suitable counterparties are willing to enter into, or continue to enter into, transactions with the Fund and, as a result, the Fund may not be able to achieve its investment objective or may decide to change its leveraged investment objective. Additionally, although a counterparty to a centrally cleared swap agreement is often backed by a futures commission merchant (“FCM”) or a clearing organization that is further backed by a group of financial institutions, there may be instances in which a FCM or a clearing organization would fail to perform its obligations, causing significant losses to the Fund.
Intra-Day Investment Risk: The Fund seeks daily leveraged investment results, which should not be equated with seeking an investment objective for shorter than a day. Thus, an investor who purchases Fund shares after the close of the markets on one trading day and before the close of the markets on the next trading day will likely have more, or less, than two times (2x) the leveraged
20


investment exposure to the Index, depending upon the movement of the Index from the end of one trading day until the time of purchase. If the Index moves in a direction favorable to the Fund, the investor will receive less than two times (2x) the exposure to the Index. Conversely, if the Index moves in a direction adverse to the Fund, the investor will receive exposure to the Index greater than two times (2x). Thus, an investor that purchases shares intra-day may experience performance that is greater than, or less than, the Fund’s stated multiple of the Index.
If there is a significant intra-day market event and/or the securities of the Index experience a significant decrease, the Fund may not meet its investment objective or rebalance its portfolio appropriately. Additionally, the Fund may close to purchases and sales of Shares prior to the close of regular trading on the NYSE Arca, Inc. and incur significant losses.
Daily Index Correlation/Tracking Risk: There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve a high degree of correlation to the Index and therefore achieve its daily leveraged investment objective. To achieve a high degree of correlation with the Index, the Fund seeks to rebalance its portfolio daily to keep leverage consistent with its daily leveraged investment objective. In addition, the Fund’s exposure to the Index is impacted by the Index’s movement. Because of this, it is unlikely that the Fund will be perfectly exposed to the Index at the end of each day. The possibility of the Fund being materially over- or under-exposed to the Index increases on days when the Index is volatile near the close of the trading day. Market disruptions, regulatory restrictions and extreme volatility will also adversely affect the Fund’s ability to adjust exposure to the required levels.
Because the Index may include instruments that trade on a different market than the Fund, the Fund’s return may vary from a multiple of the performance of the Index because different markets may close before the Exchange opens or may not be open for business on the same calendar days as the Fund. Additionally, due to differences in trading hours, and because the Index may be calculated using prices obtained at times other than the Fund’s NAV calculation time, the Fund’s performance may not correlate to the Index.
The Fund may have difficulty achieving its daily leveraged investment objective due to fees, expenses, transaction costs, financing costs related to the use of derivatives, investments in ETFs, directly or indirectly, income items, valuation methodology, accounting standards and disruptions or illiquidity in the markets for the securities or derivatives held by the Fund. The Fund may not have investment exposure to all securities in the Index, or its weighting of investment exposure to such stocks or industries may be different from that of the Index. In addition, the Fund may invest in securities or financial instruments not included in the Index. The Fund may be subject to large movements of assets into and out of the Fund, potentially resulting in the Fund being over- or under-exposed to the Index. Activities surrounding periodic Index reconstitutions and other Index rebalancing events may hinder the Fund’s ability to meet its daily leveraged investment objective. The Fund may take or refrain from taking positions to improve the tax efficiency or to comply with various regulatory restrictions, either of which may negatively impact the Fund’s correlation to the Index.
The remaining risks are presented in alphabetical order. Each risk summarized below is considered a “principal risk” of investing in the Fund, regardless of the order in which it appears.
Concentration Risk: The Fund’s investments will be concentrated in an industry or group of industries to the extent the Index is so concentrated. To the extent the Fund invests more heavily in particular industries, groups of industries, or sectors of the economy, its performance will be especially sensitive to developments that significantly affect those industries, groups of industries, or sectors of the economy, and the value of Shares may rise and fall more than the value of shares that invest in securities of companies in a broader range of industries or sectors.
Early Close/Late Close/Trading Halt Risk: An exchange or market may close early, close late or issue trading halts on specific securities or financial instruments. As a result, the ability to trade certain securities or financial instruments may be restricted, which may disrupt the Fund’s creation and redemption process, potentially affect the price at which the Fund’s shares trade in the secondary market, and/or result in the Fund being unable to trade certain securities or financial instruments at all. In these circumstances, the Fund may be unable to rebalance its portfolio, may be unable to accurately price its investments and/or may incur substantial trading losses. If trading in the Fund’s shares are halted, investors may be temporarily unable to trade shares of the Fund.
Equity Market Risk: An investment in the Fund involves risks of investing in equity securities, such as market fluctuations caused by such factors as economic and political developments, changes in interest rates and perceived trends in securities prices. The values of equity securities could decline generally or could underperform other investments. Different types of equity securities tend to go through cycles of out-performance and under-performance in comparison to the general securities markets. In addition, securities may decline in value due to factors affecting a specific issuer, market or securities markets generally. Holders of common stocks incur more risk than holders of preferred stocks and debt obligations because common stockholders, as owners of the issuer, have generally inferior rights to receive payments from the issuer in comparison with the rights of creditors of, or holders of debt obligations or preferred stocks issued by, the issuer. Additionally, natural or environmental disasters, widespread disease or other public health issues, war, acts of terrorism or other events could result in increased premiums or discounts to the Fund’s NAV.
ETF Risks:
Absence of an Active Market Risk: Although the Fund’s shares are approved for listing on the Exchange, there can be no assurance that an active trading market will develop and be maintained for Fund shares. There can be no assurance that the Fund will grow to or maintain an economically viable size, in which case the Fund may ultimately liquidate.
21


Authorized Participants, Market Makers and Liquidity Providers Concentration Risk: The Fund has a limited number of financial institutions that may act as Authorized Participants (“APs”), none of which are obligated to engage in creation and/or redemption transactions. 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, there may be a significantly diminished trading market for Fund shares and 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. The risks associated with limited APs may be heightened in scenarios where APs have limited or diminished access to the capital required to post collateral.
Cash Transactions Risk: The Fund may effect its creations and redemptions primarily for cash, rather than in-kind securities. Paying redemption proceeds in cash rather than through in-kind delivery of portfolio securities may require the fund to dispose of or sell portfolio investments at an inopportune time to obtain the cash needed to distribute redemption proceeds. This may cause the Fund to incur certain costs such as brokerage costs, and to recognize gains or losses that it might not have incurred if it had made a redemption in-kind. As a result, the Fund may pay out higher or lower annual capital gains distributions than ETFs that redeem in-kind. In addition, the costs imposed on the Fund will decrease the Fund’ NAV unless the costs are offset by a transaction fee payable by an AP.
Costs of Buying or Selling Shares Risk: Investors buying or selling the Fund’s shares in the secondary market will pay brokerage commissions or other charges imposed by brokers as determined by the applicable 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 difference between the price that an investor is willing to pay for shares (the “bid” price) and the price at which an investor is willing to sell shares (the “ask” price). This difference in bid and ask prices is often referred to as the “spread” or “bid/ask spread.” The bid/ask spread varies over time for shares based on trading volume and market liquidity, and is generally lower if the Fund’s shares have more trading volume and market liquidity and higher if the Fund’s shares have little trading volume and market liquidity. Further, 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.
Fluctuation of NAV Risk: The NAV of the Fund’s shares will generally fluctuate with changes in the market value of the Fund’s securities holdings. The market prices of shares will generally fluctuate in accordance with changes in the Fund’s NAV and supply and demand of shares on the Exchange. It cannot be predicted whether the Fund’s shares will trade below, at or above their NAV. Price differences may be due, in large part, to the fact that supply and demand forces at work in the secondary trading market for shares will be closely related to, but not identical to, the same forces influencing the prices of the securities of the Index trading individually or in the aggregate at any point in time. The market prices of the Fund’s shares may deviate significantly from the NAV of the shares during periods of market volatility. While the creation/redemption feature is designed to make it likely that the Fund’s shares normally will trade close to the Fund’s NAV, disruptions to creations and redemptions may result in trading prices that differ significantly from the Fund’s NAV. As a result, investors in the Fund may pay significantly more or receive significantly less for Fund shares than the value of the Fund’s underlying securities or the NAV of Fund shares. If an investor purchases the Fund’s shares at a time when the market price is at a premium to the NAV of the shares or sells at a time when the market price is at a discount to the NAV of the shares, then the investor may sustain losses.
Market Trading Risk: An investment in the Fund faces numerous market trading risks, including the potential lack of an active market for Fund shares, losses from trading in secondary markets, periods of high volatility and disruption in the creation/redemption process of the Fund. Any of these factors, among others, may lead to the Fund’s shares trading at a premium or discount to NAV. Because securities held by the Fund may trade on foreign exchanges that are closed when the Fund’s primary listing exchange is open, there may be deviations between the current price of a security and the security’s last quoted price from the closed foreign market. This may result in premiums and discounts that are greater than those experienced by purely domestic ETFs.
Trading Issues Risk: Although the Fund’s shares are listed for trading on the Exchange, there can be no assurance that an active trading market for such shares will be maintained. Trading in the Fund’s 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 is subject to trading halts caused by extraordinary market volatility pursuant to the 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 Fund shares when extraordinary volatility causes sudden, significant swings in the market price of Fund shares. There can be no assurance that the requirements of the Exchange necessary to maintain the listing of the Fund will continue to be met or will remain unchanged or that the shares will trade with any volume, or at all. In stressed market conditions, the liquidity of the Fund’s shares may begin to mirror the
22


liquidity of the Fund’s underlying portfolio holdings, which can be significantly less liquid than the Fund’s shares, potentially causing the market price of the Fund’s shares to deviate from their NAV.
Further, secondary markets may be subject to erratic trading activity, wide bid/ask spreads and extended trade settlement periods in times of market stress because market makers and Authorized Participants may step away from making a market in Fund shares and in executing creation and redemption orders, which could cause a material deviation in the Fund’s market price from its NAV. Decisions by market makers or Authorized Participants to reduce their role or step away from these activities in times of market stress could inhibit the effectiveness of the arbitrage process in maintaining the relationship between the underlying value of the Fund’s portfolio securities and the Fund’s market price. This reduced effectiveness could result in Fund shares trading at a price which differs materially from NAV and also in greater than normal intraday bid/ask spreads for Fund shares. During a “flash crash,” the market prices of the Fund’s shares may decline suddenly and significantly. Such a decline may not reflect the performance of the portfolio securities held by the Fund. Flash crashes may cause Authorized Participants and other market makers to limit or cease trading in the Fund’s shares for temporary or longer periods. Shareholders could suffer significant losses to the extent that they sell shares at these temporarily low market prices.
Foreign Investment Risk: Returns on investments in foreign stocks could be more volatile than, or trail the returns on, investments in U.S. stocks. Since foreign exchanges may be open on days when the Fund does not price its Shares, the value of the securities in the Fund’s portfolio may change on days when shareholders will not be able to purchase or sell the Shares. Conversely, Shares may trade on days when foreign exchanges are closed. Because securities held by the Fund trade on foreign exchanges that are closed when the Fund’s primary listing exchange is open, the Fund is likely to experience premiums and discounts greater than those of domestic ETFs. Each of these factors can make investments in the Fund more volatile and potentially less liquid than other types of investments.
Currency Risk: Indirect and direct exposure to foreign currencies subjects the Fund to the risk that currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar. Currency rates in foreign countries may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time for a number of reasons, including changes in interest rates and the imposition of currency controls or other political developments in the U.S. or abroad. The Fund’s NAV is determined on the basis of U.S. dollars and, therefore, the Fund may lose value if the local currency of a foreign market depreciates against the U.S. dollar, even if the local currency value of the Fund’s holdings goes up.
Depositary Receipts Risk: The Fund may invest in depositary receipts. Depositary receipts include ADRs and GDRs. ADRs are U.S. dollar-denominated receipts representing shares of foreign-based corporations. ADRs are issued by U.S. banks or trust companies, and entitle the holder to all dividends and capital gains that are paid out on the underlying foreign shares. GDRs are depositary receipts which are similar to ADRs, but are shares of foreign-based corporations generally issued by international banks in one or more markets around the world. Investment in ADRs and GDRs may be less liquid than the underlying shares in their primary trading market and GDRs, many of which are issued by companies in emerging markets, may be more volatile and less liquid than depositary receipts issued by companies in more developed markets.
Depositary receipts may be sponsored or unsponsored. Sponsored depositary receipts are established jointly by a depositary and the underlying issuer, whereas unsponsored depositary receipts may be established by a depositary without participation by the underlying issuer. Holders of an unsponsored depositary receipt generally bear all the costs associated with establishing the unsponsored depositary receipt. In addition, the issuers of the securities underlying unsponsored depositary receipts are not obligated to disclose material information in the United States and, therefore, there may be less information available regarding such issuers and there may not be a correlation between such information and the market value of the depositary receipts.
Depositary receipts may be unregistered and unlisted. The Fund’s investments also may include ADRs and GDRs that are not purchased in the public markets and are restricted securities that can be offered and sold only to “qualified institutional buyers” under Rule 144A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. The Adviser will determine the liquidity of such investments pursuant to the Fund’s liquidity risk management program. If a particular investment in such ADRs or GDRs is deemed illiquid, that investment will be included within the Fund’s limitation on investment in illiquid securities. Moreover, if adverse market conditions were to develop during the period between the Fund’s decision to sell these types of ADRs or GDRs and the point at which the Fund is permitted or able to sell such security, the Fund might obtain a price less favorable than the price that prevailed when it decided to sell.
Emerging Markets Securities Risk: The Fund’s investments may expose the Fund’s portfolio to the risks of investing in emerging markets. Investments in emerging markets are subject to greater risk of loss than investments in developed markets. This is due to, among other things, greater market volatility, lower trading volume, political and economic instability, greater risk of market shutdown and more governmental limitations on foreign investments than typically found in developed markets. In addition, less developed markets are more likely to experience problems with the clearing and settling of trades and the holding of securities by local banks, agents and depositories.
Foreign Market and Trading Risk: The trading markets for many foreign securities are not as active as U.S. markets and may have less governmental regulation and oversight. Foreign markets also may have clearance and settlement procedures that make it difficult for the Fund to buy and sell securities. These factors could result in a loss to the Fund by causing the Fund to
23


be unable to dispose of an investment or to miss an attractive investment opportunity, or by causing Fund assets to be uninvested for some period of time. Where all or a part of the Fund’s underlying securities trade in a market that is closed when the Exchange is open, there may be changes between the last quotation from its closed foreign market and the value of such securities during the Fund’s domestic trading day. This could lead to differences between the market price of the Fund’s shares and the value of the Fund’s underlying securities.
Foreign Securities Risk: The Fund invests in foreign securities, including non-U.S. dollar-denominated securities traded outside of the United States and U.S. dollar-denominated securities of foreign issuers traded in the United States. Investment in foreign securities may involve higher costs than investment in U.S. securities, including higher transaction and custody costs as well as the imposition of additional taxes by foreign governments. Foreign investments may also involve risks associated with the level of currency exchange rates, less complete financial information about the issuers, less market liquidity, more market volatility and political instability, as well as varying regulatory requirements applicable to investments in non-U.S. issuers. Future political and economic developments, the possible imposition of withholding taxes on dividend income, the possible seizure or nationalization of foreign holdings, the possible establishment of exchange controls or freezes on the convertibility of currency, or the adoption of other governmental restrictions might adversely affect an investment in foreign securities. Additionally, foreign issuers may be subject to less stringent regulation, and to different accounting, auditing and recordkeeping requirements.
Political and Economic Risk: The Fund is subject to foreign political and economic risk not associated with U.S. investments, meaning that political events (civil unrest, national elections, changes in political conditions and foreign relations, imposition of exchange controls and repatriation restrictions), social and economic events (labor strikes, rising inflation) and natural disasters occurring in a country where the Fund invests could cause the Fund’s investments in that country to experience gains or losses. The Fund also could be unable to enforce its ownership rights or pursue legal remedies in countries where it invests.
Gain Limitation Risk: The Adviser will attempt to position the Fund’s portfolio to ensure that the Fund does not gain or lose more than 90% of its NAV on a given day. As a consequence, the Fund’s portfolio should not be responsive to Index movements of more than 45% in a given day. For example, for the Fund, if the Index were to gain 50%, its gains should be limited to a daily gain of 90% (i.e., two times (2x) 45%) rather than 100% (i.e., two times (2x) 50%).
Geographic Concentration Risk: The Fund is subject to geographic concentration risk, which is the chance that world events—such as political upheaval, financial troubles, or natural disasters—will adversely affect the value of securities issued by companies in foreign countries or regions. Because the Fund may invest a large portion of its assets in securities of companies located in any one country or region, the Fund’s performance may be hurt disproportionately by the poor performance of its investments in that area.
Japan Investment Risk: Economic growth in Japan is heavily dependent on international trade, government support, and consistent government policy. Slowdowns in the economies of key trading partners such as the United States, China, and countries in Southeast Asia could have a negative impact on the Japanese economy as a whole. The Japanese economy has in the past been negatively affected by, among other factors, government intervention and protectionism and an unstable financial services sector. While the Japanese economy has recently emerged from a prolonged economic downturn, some of these factors, as well as other adverse political developments, increases in government debt, changes to fiscal, monetary or trade policies, or other events, such as natural disasters, could have a negative impact on Japanese securities. Japan also has few natural resources, and any fluctuation or shortage in the commodity markets could have a negative impact on Japanese securities.
South Korea Investment Risk: Investments in South Korean issuers involve risks that are specific to South Korea, including legal, regulatory, political, currency, security and economic risks. Substantial political tensions exist between North Korea and South Korea and recently these political tensions have escalated. The outbreak of hostilities between the two nations, or even the threat of an outbreak of hostilities, will likely adversely impact the South Korean economy. In addition, South Korea’s economic growth potential has recently been on a decline, mainly because of a rapidly aging population and structural problems.
Liquidity Risk: Some securities held by the Fund, including derivatives, may be difficult to sell or illiquid, particularly during times of market turmoil. Markets for securities or financial instruments could be disrupted by a number of events, including, but not limited to, an economic crisis, natural disasters, new legislation or regulatory changes inside or outside the United States. Illiquid securities may be difficult to value, especially in changing or volatile markets. If the Fund is forced to sell an illiquid security at an unfavorable time or price, the Fund may incur a loss. Certain market conditions may prevent the Fund from limiting losses, realizing gains or achieving a high correlation with the Index. There is no assurance that a security that is deemed liquid when purchased will continue to be liquid.
Market illiquidity may cause losses for the Fund. For the Fund, to the extent that the Index moves adversely, the Fund may be one of many market participants that are attempting to transact in the securities of an underlying index or correlated instruments. Under such circumstances, the market for investments of the Index may lack sufficient liquidity for all market participants' trades. Therefore, the Fund may have more difficulty transacting in securities of the Index or correlated investments such as financial instruments and a Fund's transactions could exacerbate the price change of the securities of the Index. Additionally, because the Fund is leveraged, a minor adverse change in the value of the Index should be expected to have a substantial adverse impact on the Fund.
24


Money Market Instrument Risk: The Fund may use a variety of money market instruments for cash management purposes, including money market funds, depositary accounts and repurchase agreements. Money market funds may be subject to credit risk with respect to the debt instruments in which they invest. Depository accounts may be subject to credit risk with respect to the financial institution in which the depository account is held. Repurchase agreements are contracts in which a seller of securities agrees to buy the securities back at a specified time and price. Repurchase agreements may be subject to market and credit risk related to the collateral securing the repurchase agreement. Money market instruments may also be subject to credit risks associated with the instruments in which they invest. There is no guarantee that money market instruments will maintain a stable value, and they may lose money.
Natural Disaster/Epidemic Risk: Natural or environmental disasters, such as earthquakes, fires, floods, hurricanes, tsunamis and other severe weather-related phenomena generally, and widespread disease, including pandemics and epidemics, have been and may be highly disruptive to economies and markets, adversely impacting individual companies, sectors, industries, markets, currencies, interest and inflation rates, credit ratings, investor sentiment, and other factors affecting the value of the Fund’s investments. Given the increasing interdependence among global economies and markets, conditions in one country, market, or region are increasingly likely to adversely affect markets, issuers, and/or foreign exchange rates in other countries, including the U.S. Any such events could have a significant adverse impact on the value of the Fund’s investments.
New Fund Risk: The Fund is a recently organized investment company with no operating history. As a result, prospective investors have no track record or history on which to base their investment decision.
Non-Diversification Risk: Because the Fund is “non-diversified,” the Fund may invest a greater percentage of its assets in the securities of a single issuer or a small number of issuers than if it was a diversified fund. As a result, a decline in the value of an investment in a single issuer or a small number of issuers could cause the Fund’s overall value to decline to a greater degree than if the Fund held a more diversified portfolio. This may increase the Fund’s volatility and have a greater impact on the Fund’s performance.
Other Investment Companies (including ETFs) Risk: The Fund may invest directly in another investment company by purchasing shares of the investment company or indirectly by utilizing an investment company as the reference asset of a derivative instrument. The Fund will incur higher and duplicative expenses when it invests in other investment companies such as ETFs. There is also the risk that the Fund may suffer losses due to the investment practices of the underlying funds. If the other investment company fails to achieve its investment objective, the value of the Fund’s investment will not perform as expected, thus affecting the Fund’s performance and its correlation with the Index. When the Fund invests in other investment companies, the Fund will be subject to substantially the same risks as those associated with the direct ownership of securities held by such investment companies. Investments in ETFs are also subject to the following risks: (i) the market price of an ETF’s shares may trade above or below their net asset value; (ii) an active trading market for an ETF’s shares may not develop or be maintained; and (iii) trading of an ETF’s shares may be halted for a number of reasons. Investments in such shares may be subject to brokerage and other trading costs, which could result in greater expenses to a Fund. Finally, depending on the demand in the market, the Fund may not be able to liquidate its holdings in ETFs at an optimal price or time, which may adversely affect the Fund’s performance.
Portfolio Turnover Risk: Daily rebalancing of the Fund’s holdings pursuant to its daily investment objective causes a much greater number of portfolio transactions when compared to most ETFs. Additionally, active market trading of the Fund’s shares on such exchanges as the NYSE Arca, Inc., could cause more frequent creation and redemption activities which could increase the number of portfolio transactions. Frequent and active trading may lead to higher transaction costs because of increased broker commissions resulting from such transactions. In addition, there is the possibility of significantly increased short-term capital gains (which will be taxable to shareholders as ordinary income when distributed to them). The Fund calculates portfolio turnover without including the short-term cash instruments or derivative transactions that comprise the majority of the Fund’s trading. As such, if the Fund’s extensive use of derivative instruments were reflected, the calculated portfolio turnover rate would be significantly higher.
Reliance on Trading Partners Risk: The Fund invests in some economies that are heavily dependent upon trading with key partners. Any reduction in this trading may cause an adverse impact on the economy in which the Fund invests.
Sector Risk: To the extent the Fund invests more heavily in particular sectors of the economy, its performance will be especially sensitive to developments that significantly affect those sectors.
Securities Lending Risk: The Fund may engage in securities lending. The Fund may lose money if the borrower of the loaned securities delays returning in a timely manner or fails to return the loaned securities. Securities lending involves the risk that the Fund could lose money in the event of a decline in the value of collateral provided for loaned securities. In addition, the Fund bears the risk of loss in connection with its investment of the cash collateral it receives from a borrower. When the Fund invests cash collateral in other investment companies, such investments of cash collateral will be subject to substantially the same risks as those associated with the direct ownership of securities held by such investment companies. To the extent that the value or return of the Fund’s investment of the cash collateral declines below the amount owed to the borrower, the Fund may incur losses that exceed the amount it earned on lending the security. The Fund may borrow money to repay the applicable borrower the amount of cash collateral owed to the borrower upon return of the loaned securities. This will result in financial leverage, which may cause the Fund to be more volatile because financial leverage tends to exaggerate the effect of any increase or decrease in the value of the Fund’s portfolio securities.
25


Smaller Companies Risk: The Fund’s Index may be composed primarily of, or have significant exposure to, securities of smaller companies. As a result, the Fund may be subject to the risk that securities of smaller companies represented in the Index may underperform securities of larger companies or the equity market as a whole. In addition, in comparison to securities of companies with larger capitalizations, securities of smaller-capitalization companies may experience more price volatility, greater spreads between their bid and ask prices, less frequent trading, significantly lower trading volumes, and cyclical or static growth prospects. As a result of the differences between the securities of smaller companies and those of companies with larger capitalizations, it may be more difficult for the Fund to buy or sell a significant amount of the securities of a smaller company without an adverse impact on the price of the company’s securities, or the Fund may have to sell such securities in smaller quantities over a longer period of time, which may prevent the Fund from achieving its investment objective. Smaller-capitalization companies often have limited product lines, markets or financial resources, and may therefore be more vulnerable to adverse developments than larger capitalization companies. These securities may or may not pay dividends.
Tax Risk: To qualify for the favorable tax treatment generally available to regulated investment companies, the Fund must satisfy certain diversification requirements under the Code. In particular, the Fund generally may not acquire a security if, as a result of the acquisition, more than 50% of the value of the Fund’s assets would be invested in (a) issuers in which the Fund has, in each case, invested more than 5% of the Fund’s assets and (b) issuers more than 10% of whose outstanding voting securities are owned by the Fund. When an Index is concentrated in a relatively small number of securities, it may not be possible for the Fund to fully implement a replication strategy or a representative sampling strategy while satisfying these diversification requirements. The Fund’s efforts to satisfy the diversification requirements may cause the Fund’s return to deviate from that of its Index, and the Fund’s efforts to replicate its Index may cause it inadvertently to fail to satisfy the diversification requirements.
If the Fund were to fail to qualify as a regulated investment company, it would be taxed in the same manner as an ordinary corporation, and distributions to its shareholders would not be deductible by the Fund in computing its taxable income. Distributions to the Fund’s shareholders would generally be taxed as ordinary dividends. Under certain circumstances, the Fund may be able to cure a failure to qualify as a regulated investment company, but in order to do so the Fund may incur significant Fund-level taxes and may be forced to dispose of certain assets. Relief is provided for certain de minimis failures of the diversification requirements where the Fund corrects the failure within a specified period. If the Fund were to fail to qualify as a regulated investment company in any taxable year, the Fund would be required to pay out its earnings and profits accumulated in that year in order to qualify for treatment as a regulated investment company in a subsequent year. If the Fund failed to qualify as a regulated investment company for a period greater than two taxable years, the Fund would generally be required to pay a Fund-level tax on any net built-in gains with respect to certain of its assets upon a disposition of such assets within five years of qualifying as a regulated investment company in a subsequent year.
Valuation Risk: The sales price that the Fund could receive for a security may differ from the Fund’s valuation of the security and may differ from the value used by the Index, particularly for securities that trade in low volume or volatile markets or that are valued using a fair value methodology. In addition, the value of the securities in the Fund’s portfolio may change on days when shareholders will not be able to purchase or sell the Fund’s shares.
Portfolio Holdings
Information about the Fund’s daily portfolio holdings will be available at www.etfmg.com. A summarized 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”).
Fund Management
Adviser. ETF Managers Group LLC, the investment adviser to the Fund, is a Delaware limited liability company located at 30 Maple Street, 2nd Floor, Summit, New Jersey 07901. The Adviser provides investment advisory services to exchange-traded funds. The Adviser serves as investment adviser to the Fund with overall responsibility for the day-to-day portfolio management of the Fund, subject to the supervision of the Board. For its services, the Adviser receives a fee that is equal to 0.95% per annum of the average daily net assets of the Fund, calculated daily and paid monthly.
Under the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Adviser has overall responsibility for the general management and administration of the Fund and arranges for transfer agency, custody, fund administration, securities lending, and all other non-distribution related services necessary for the Fund to operate. Additionally, under the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Adviser has agreed to pay all expenses of the Fund, except for: the fee paid to the Adviser pursuant to the Investment Advisory Agreement, interest charges on any borrowings, 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 (such as, among other things and subject to Board approval, certain proxy solicitation costs and non-standard Board-related expenses and litigation against the Board, Trustees, Fund, Adviser, and officers of the Adviser), and distribution (12b-1) fees and expenses (collectively, “Excluded Expenses”).
A discussion regarding the basis for the Board’s approval of the Investment Advisory Agreement will be available in the Fund’s first Semi-Annual or Annual Report.
26


Manager of Managers Structure. The Adviser and the Trust have received an exemptive order (the “Order”) from the SEC that permits the Adviser to enter into investment sub-advisory agreements with sub-advisers without obtaining shareholder approval. The Adviser, subject to the review and approval of the Board, may select one or more sub-advisers for the Fund and supervise, monitor and evaluate the performance of each sub-adviser.
The Order also permits the Adviser, subject to the approval of the Board, to replace sub-advisers and amend investment sub-advisory agreements, including fees, without shareholder approval whenever the Adviser and the Board believe such action will benefit the Fund and its shareholders. The Adviser thus has the ultimate responsibility (subject to the ultimate oversight of the Board) to recommend the hiring and replacement of sub-advisers as well as the discretion to terminate any sub-adviser and reallocate the Fund’s assets for management among any other sub-adviser(s) and itself. This means that the Adviser may be able to reduce the sub-advisory fees and retain a larger portion of the management fee, or increase the sub-advisory fees and retain a smaller portion of the management fee. The Adviser will compensate each sub-adviser out of its management fee. The Fund is required to provide shareholders with certain information regarding any new sub-adviser within 90 days of the hiring of any new sub-adviser. Such information generally includes the information that would have been provided to shareholders in the form of a proxy statement in the absence of the Order.
The Adviser’s reliance on such Order with respect to the Fund is contingent on the holders of a majority of the Fund’s outstanding voting securities approving the Fund’s use of a manager of managers structure and the Adviser’s reliance on such Order. Prior to the date of this Prospectus, shareholders of the Fund approved the use by the Fund of a manager of managers structure and the Adviser’s reliance on such Order.
Portfolio Managers
The Fund’s portfolio managers are primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund. The portfolio managers are responsible for various functions related to portfolio management, including, but not limited to, investing cash inflows, implementing investment strategy, researching and reviewing investment strategy.
The Fund is managed by Samuel R. Masucci, III, Chief Executive Officer of the Adviser, Frank Vallario, Chief Investment Officer of the Adviser, Donal Bishnoi, Portfolio Manager of the Adviser, and Devin Ryder, Portfolio Manager of the Adviser.
Samuel Masucci, III has more than 25 years’ experience in investment banking, structured product development, sales and trading. In the last 5 years, he founded ETF Managers Group LLC (ETFMG). Prior to ETFMG he has held senior positions at Bear Stearns, UBS, SBC Warburg, and Merrill Lynch and has experience in creating, building and managing businesses for the issuance, sales and trading of: ETFs, index products, commodity products, hedge funds, ABS, and OTC structured products in the U.S. and Europe.
Frank Vallario serves in the role of Chief Investment Officer for the Adviser. Mr. Vallario is responsible for the portfolio construction, trading, risk management and portfolio analysis processes associated with ETF strategies. Prior to his current role at the Adviser, Mr. Vallario has had a variety of senior roles over his 25-year career in financial services. He joined Oppenheimer Funds in 2017 where he was Head of Equity Portfolio Management for Smart Beta ETFs. Prior to that he was a Senior Portfolio Manager at Columbia Threadneedle from September 2015 to June 2017 where he was responsible for the day to day management of the firm’s ETF business, which was acquired from his previous firm, Emerging Global Advisors (EGA). From September 2010 to September 2015, he was relationship manager at MSCI responsible for providing investment solutions to complex problems using MSCI Barra’s fundamental models and portfolio construction tools. Previously, he was a partner in a start-up asset management firm where he served as the director of portfolio management. Mr. Vallario began his career at UBS Global Asset Management where he spent over a decade in various quantitative portfolio management equity roles including equity market neutral, tactical asset allocation, structured active equities, enhanced index, passive management and factor research. Mr. Vallario served on the Investment Committee for the Girl Scouts of Connecticut and was a University Affiliate at the University of Utah - David Eccles School of Business. He received a B.S. in Finance from Lehigh University and a M.B.A. with a concentration in Finance from Rutgers University.
Donal A. Bishnoi, CFA, has more than 16 years of experience in portfolio management and risk management. Prior to joining the Adviser, Mr. Bishnoi held a senior portfolio management position with Oppenheimer Funds from 2018 to 2019 where he was responsible for managing approximately $5 billion in assets across 20 passive strategies. Prior to joining Oppenheimer Funds in 2010, Mr. Bishnoi managed a long/short systematic equity strategy at Moore Capital from 2007 to 2009. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Boston University’s Questrom School of Business and is a CFA charter holder.
Devin Ryder began her career with the Adviser during the summer of 2017 and re-joined the Adviser on a permanent basis in 2018 to be a part of the Adviser’s portfolio management team. Prior to joining the Adviser, Ms. Ryder was pursuing studies in the quantitative aspects of risk management and finance, for which she received a B.S. in Mathematics of Finance and Risk Management from the University of Michigan in 2017.
The SAI provides additional information about each Portfolio Manager’s compensation, other accounts managed, and ownership of the Fund’s shares.
27


Buying and Selling the Fund 
The Fund issues and redeems Shares at NAV only in Creation Units. 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.
The Fund’s shares are listed for secondary trading on the Exchange. When you buy or sell the Fund’s shares on the secondary market, you will pay or receive the market price. You may incur customary brokerage commissions and charges and may pay some or all of the spread between the bid and the offered price in the secondary market on each leg of a round trip (purchase and sale) transaction. The shares will trade on the Exchange at prices that may differ to varying degrees from the daily NAV of the shares. The Exchange is generally open Monday through Friday and is closed weekends and the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day.
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 its total number of shares outstanding. Expenses and fees, including management and distribution fees, if any, are accrued daily and taken into account for purposes of determining NAV. NAV is determined each business day, normally as of the close of regular trading of the New York Stock Exchange (ordinarily 4:00 p.m., Eastern time).
When determining NAV, the value of the Fund’s portfolio securities is based on market prices of the securities, which generally means a valuation obtained from an exchange or other market (or based on a price quotation or other equivalent indication of the value supplied by an exchange or other market) or a valuation obtained from an independent pricing service. Swap contracts are valued based on the value of the swap contract’s reference asset and are marked-to-market each day NAV is calculated. If such information is not readily available or does not otherwise accurately reflect the fair value of the security, the security will be valued by another method that the Board believes will better reflect fair value in accordance with the Trust’s valuation policies and procedures. Fair value pricing may be used in a variety of circumstances, including, but not limited to, situations when the value of a security in the Fund’s portfolio has been materially affected by events occurring after the close of the market on which the security is principally traded but prior to the close of the Exchange (such as in the case of a corporate action or other news that may materially affect the price of a security) or trading in a security has been suspended or halted. Accordingly, the Fund’s NAV may reflect certain portfolio securities’ fair values rather than their market prices.
Fair value pricing involves subjective judgments and it is possible that a fair value determination for a security will materially differ from the value that could be realized upon the sale of the security. In addition, fair value pricing could result in a difference between the prices used to calculate the Fund’s NAV and the prices used by the Fund’s Index. This may result in a difference between the Fund’s performance and two times the daily performance of the Fund’s Index.
The Fund invests in non-U.S. securities. Non-U.S. securities held by the Fund may trade on weekends or other days when the Fund does not price its shares. As a result, the Fund’s NAV may change on days when Authorized Participants will not be able to purchase or redeem Fund shares.
Frequent Purchases and Redemptions of the Fund’s Shares
Unlike frequent trading of shares of a traditional open-end mutual fund’s (i.e., not exchange-traded) shares, frequent trading of shares of the Fund on the secondary market does not disrupt portfolio management, increase the Fund’s trading costs, lead to realization of capitalization gains, or otherwise harm the Fund’s shareholders because these trades do not involve the Fund directly. Certain institutional investors are authorized to purchase and redeem the Fund’s shares directly with the Fund. Because these trades are effected in-kind (i.e., for securities, and not for cash), they do not cause any of the harmful effects noted above that may result from frequent cash trades. Moreover, the Fund impose transaction fees on in-kind purchases and redemptions of Creation Units to cover the custodial and other costs incurred by the Fund in effecting in-kind trades. These fees increase if an investor substitutes cash in part or in whole for Creation Units, reflecting the fact that the Fund’s trading costs increase in those circumstances. For these reasons, the Board has determined that it is not necessary to adopt policies and procedures to detect and deter frequent trading and market-timing in shares of the Fund.
Dividends, Distributions, and Taxes
Fund Distributions
The Fund intends to pay out dividends, if any, quarterly and distribute any net realized capital gains to its shareholders annually.
Dividend Reinvestment Service
Brokers may make available to their customers who own the Fund’s shares the DTC book-entry dividend reinvestment service. If this service is available and used, dividend distributions of both income and capital gains will automatically be reinvested in additional whole shares of the Fund. Without this service, investors would receive their distributions in cash. In order to achieve the maximum total return on their investments, investors are encouraged to use the dividend reinvestment service. To determine whether the
28


dividend reinvestment service is available and whether there is a commission or other charge for using this service, consult your broker. Brokers may require the Fund’s shareholders to adhere to specific procedures and timetables. If this service is available and used, dividend distributions of both income and realized gains will be automatically reinvested in additional whole shares of the Fund purchased in the secondary market.
Tax Information
The following is a summary of some important tax issues that affect the Fund and its shareholders. The summary is based on current tax laws, which may be changed by legislative, judicial or administrative action. You should not consider this summary to be a detailed explanation of the tax treatment of the Fund, or the tax consequences of an investment in the Fund. The summary is very general, and does not address investors subject to special rules, such as investors who hold shares through an IRA, 401(k) or other tax-deferred account. More information about taxes is located in the SAI. You are urged to consult your tax adviser regarding specific questions as to federal, state and local income taxes.
Tax Status of the Fund
The Fund is treated as a separate entity for federal tax purposes, and intends to qualify for the special tax treatment afforded to regulated investment companies under the Code. As long as the Fund qualifies as a regulated investment company, it pays no federal income tax on the earnings it distributes to shareholders.
Tax Status of Distributions
The Fund will, for each year, distribute substantially all of its net investment income and net capital gains.
The Fund’s distributions from income will generally be taxed to you as ordinary income or qualified dividend income. For non-corporate shareholders, dividends reported by the Fund as qualified dividend income are generally eligible for reduced tax rates.
Corporate shareholders may be entitled to a dividends-received deduction for the portion of dividends they receive that are attributable to dividends received by the Fund from U.S. corporations, subject to certain limitations. The Fund’s strategies may limit its ability to distribute dividends eligible for the dividends-received deduction for corporate shareholders.
Any distributions of net capital gain (the excess of the Fund’s net long-term capital gains over its net short-term capital losses) that you receive from the Fund are taxable as long-term capital gains regardless of how long you have owned your shares. Long-term capital gains are currently taxed to non-corporate shareholders at reduced maximum rates.
Dividends and distributions are generally taxable to you whether you receive them in cash or in additional shares through a broker’s dividend reinvestment service. If you receive dividends or distributions in the form of additional shares through a broker’s dividend reinvestment service, you will be required to pay applicable federal, state or local taxes on the reinvested dividends but you will not receive a corresponding cash distribution with which to pay any applicable tax.
The Fund may be able to pass through to you foreign tax credits for certain taxes paid by the Fund, provided the Fund meets certain requirements.
Distributions paid in January but declared by the Fund in October, November or December of the previous year may be taxable to you in the previous year.
The Fund will inform you of the amount of your ordinary income dividends, qualified dividend income, foreign tax credits and net capital gain distributions received from the Fund shortly after the close of each calendar year.
Taxes on Exchange-Listed Share Sales. Any capital gain or loss realized upon a sale of shares will generally be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for more than one year and as short-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for one year or less, except that any capital loss on the sale of shares held for six months or less will be treated as long-term capital loss to the extent of amounts treated as distributions of long-term capital gains to the shareholder with respect to such shares.
Investment in Foreign Securities. The Fund may be subject to foreign withholding taxes on income it may earn from investing in foreign securities, which may reduce the return on such investments. In addition, the Fund’s investments in foreign securities or foreign currencies may increase or accelerate the Fund’s recognition of ordinary income and may affect the timing or amount of its distributions. The Fund may be eligible to file an election that would permit shareholders who are U.S. citizens, resident aliens or U.S. corporations to claim a foreign tax credit or deduction (but not both) on their U.S. income tax returns for their pro rata portions of qualified taxes paid by the Fund to foreign countries in respect of foreign securities held for at least the minimum period specified in the Code. For the purposes of the foreign tax credit, each such shareholder would include in gross income from foreign sources its pro rata share of such taxes. Certain limitations imposed by the Code may prevent shareholders from receiving a full foreign tax credit or deduction for their allocable amount of such taxes.
Medicare Tax. U.S. individuals with income exceeding $200,000 ($250,000 if married and filing jointly) are subject to a 3.8% Medicare contribution tax on their “net investment income,” including interest, dividends, and capital gains (including capital gains
29


realized on the sale or exchange of shares). This 3.8% tax also applies to all or a portion of the undistributed net investment income of certain shareholders that are estates and trusts.
Non-U.S. Investors. If you are not a citizen or permanent resident of the United States, the Fund’s ordinary income dividends will generally be subject to a 30% U.S. withholding tax, unless a lower treaty rate applies or unless such income is effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business. This 30% withholding tax generally will not apply to distributions of net capital gain.
Distributions paid to a shareholder that is a “foreign financial institution” as defined in Section 1471 of the Code and that does not meet the requirements imposed on foreign financial institutions by Section 1471 will generally be subject to withholding tax at a 30% rate. Distributions to a non-U.S. shareholder that is not a foreign financial institution will generally be subject to such withholding tax if the shareholder fails to make certain required certifications. A non-U.S. shareholder may be exempt from the withholding described in this paragraph under an applicable intergovernmental agreement between the U.S. and a foreign government, provided that the shareholder and the applicable foreign government comply with the terms of such agreement.
Backup Withholding. The Fund or your broker will be required in certain cases to withhold (as “backup withholding”) on amounts payable to any shareholder who (1) has provided either an incorrect tax identification number or no number at all, (2) is subject to backup withholding by the Internal Revenue Service for failure to properly report payments of interest or dividends, (3) has failed to certify that such shareholder is not subject to backup withholding, or (4) has not certified that such shareholder is a U.S. person (including a U.S. resident alien). The backup withholding rate is currently 24%. Backup withholding will not, however, be applied to payments that have been subject to the 30% withholding tax applicable to shareholders who are neither citizens nor residents of the United States.
Distribution
The Distributor, ETFMG Financial LLC, an affiliate of the Adviser, is a broker-dealer registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The Distributor distributes Creation Units for the Fund on an agency basis and does not maintain a secondary market in the Fund’s 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 principal business address of the Distributor is 30 Maple Street, 2nd Floor, Summit, New Jersey 07901.
The Board has adopted a Distribution and Service Plan (the “Plan”) pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act with respect to the Fund. 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 the Fund’s assets, over time these fees will increase the cost of your investment and may cost you more than certain other types of sales charges.
Fund Service Providers
Sullivan & Worcester LLP, 1666 K Street NW, Washington, DC 20006, serves as legal counsel to the Fund.
WithumSmith + Brown, PC, with offices located at 1411 Broadway, 9th Floor, New York, New York, 10018, serves as the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm. The independent registered public accounting firm is responsible for auditing the annual financial statements of the Fund.
Index/Trademark Licenses/Disclaimers
EE Funds LLC is a financial research firm that specializes in the Video Gaming Company industry. EE Funds LLC is not affiliated with the Trust, the Adviser, the Fund’s administrator, custodian, transfer agent, distributor, or any of their respective affiliates.
The EEFund Video Game Tech Index (the “Video Game Tech Index”) is a product of EE Funds LLC (“EE Funds”). The Adviser has entered into a license agreement to use the Video Game Tech Index and the marketing name and licensed trademark of EE Funds (the “Index Trademark”). The Adviser is sub-licensing rights to the Video Game Tech Index to the Fund at no charge. The Adviser is permitted to sub-license the Index Trademark for the purpose of promoting and marketing the Fund. EE Funds has no obligation to take the needs of the Adviser or the owners of the Fund into consideration in determining, composing or calculating the Video Game Tech Index. EE Funds will apply all necessary means to ensure the accuracy of the Video Game Tech Index. However, EE Funds shall not be liable (whether in negligence or otherwise) to any person for any error in the Video Game Tech Index and shall not be under any obligation to advise any person of any error therein. All copyrights in the Video Game Tech Index values and constituent lists vest in EE Funds. Neither the publication of the Video Game Tech Index by EE Funds nor the granting of a license of rights relating to the Video Game Tech Index or to the Index Trademark for the utilization in connection with the Fund, represents a recommendation by EE Funds for a capital investment or contains in any manner a warranty or opinion by EE Funds with respect to the attractiveness of an investment in the Fund. The Fund is not sponsored, endorsed, or sold by EE Funds or its affiliates. EE Funds and its affiliates make no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of the Fund or any member of the public regarding the advisability of trading in the Fund. EE Funds and its affiliates are not responsible for and have not participated in the determination of the timing of, prices at, or quantities of the Fund to be sold or in the determination or calculation of the equation by which the Fund is to be converted into cash. EE Funds and its affiliates have an obligation in connection with the administration and marketing of the Fund but
30


have no obligations or liabilities in connection with the trading of the Fund. Notwithstanding the foregoing, EE Funds and its affiliates may independently issue and/or sponsor financial products unrelated to the Fund currently being issued by the licensee, but which may be similar to and competitive with the Fund. In addition, EE Funds, and its affiliates may trade financial products which are linked to the performance of the Video Game Tech Index. It is possible that this trading activity will affect the value of the Video Game Tech Index and the Fund.
Wedbush is a trademark of Wedbush Securities Inc. (“Wedbush”). Wedbush has entered into a licensing and marketing support agreement with Exchange Traded Managers Group LLC (“ETFMG”), the parent company of the Adviser (the “Wedbush Agreement”). Pursuant to the Wedbush Agreement, Wedbush has agreed to (i) license the name Wedbush for the use of the Adviser; (ii) consult with the Adviser and prepare educational materials, research materials, and updates on regulation of the global video gaming technology ecosystem and the global cloud technology ecosystem; and (iii) provide support in connection with phone calls, appearances, and written content relating to the marketing of the Fund (the “Services”). Additionally, Wedbush will make available Michael Pachter, a technology research analyst at Wedbush with particular expertise in global video gaming technology, to perform certain of the Services with respect to the Fund. In exchange for the Services, the Adviser, from the management fee it receives from the Fund, will share certain profits with Wedbush. Wedbush will also assume the obligation of the Adviser to pay certain expenses of the Fund. Although Wedbush has agreed to be responsible for the payment of certain expenses of the Fund, the Adviser retains the ultimate obligation to the Fund to pay such expenses. Wedbush is a privately held business providing securities brokerage, wealth management, and investment banking services. While Wedbush owns a minority, non-voting, equity interest in ETFMG, Wedbush is not affiliated with the Fund, the Adviser, the Fund’s distributor, Level, EE Funds, Solactive AG or any of their respective affiliates. Wedbush does not make investment decisions, provide investment advice, or otherwise act in the capacity of an investment adviser to the Fund. Additionally, Wedbush is not involved in the maintenance of the Index and does not otherwise act in the capacity of an index provider.
Shares of the Trust are not sponsored, endorsed, or promoted by the Exchange. The Exchange makes no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of the shares of the Fund. The Exchange is not responsible for, nor has it participated in, the determination of the timing of, prices of, or quantities of the shares of the Fund to be issued, or in the determination or calculation of the equation by which the shares are redeemable.
The Exchange has no obligation or liability to owners of the shares of the Fund in connection with the administration, marketing, or trading of the shares of the Fund. 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 and the Fund make no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of shares of the Fund or any members of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in the Fund particularly.
Premium/Discount Information
The Fund is new and therefore does not have any information regarding how often shares of the Fund 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. This information will be available, however, at www.etfmg.com after the Fund’s shares have traded on the Exchange for a full calendar quarter.
Litigation
The Trust, a former and current trustee of the Trust, the Adviser and certain officers of the Adviser were defendants in an action filed May 2, 2017 in the Superior Court of New Jersey captioned PureShares, LLC d/b/a PureFunds et al. v. ETF Managers Group, LLC et al., Docket No. C-63-17. The PureShares action alleged claims based on disputes arising out of contractual relationships with the Adviser relating to certain series of the Trust. The action sought damages in unspecified amounts and injunctive relief based on breach of contract, wrongful termination, and several other claims.
The Adviser and its parent, ETFMG, were defendants in a case filed on October 26, 2017 in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York by NASDAQ, Inc. (“Nasdaq”) captioned Nasdaq, Inc. v. Exchange Traded Managers Group, LLC et al., Case 1:17-cv-08252. This action arose out of the same facts and circumstances, and relates to the same series of the Trust, as the New Jersey litigation and asserted claims for breach of contract, conversion and certain other claims. The matter was the subject of a bench trial in May 2019, and on December 20, 2019, the Court issued an Opinion and Order awarding compensatory damages to Plaintiff in the amount of $78,403,172.36, plus prejudgment interest. The Court also denied Plaintiff’s requests for punitive damages and equitable relief.
On May 1, 2020, Nasdaq, PureShares LLC (“PureShares”), and ETFMG announced a global settlement that resolves all claims in both the PureShares action and the Nasdaq action. As part of the settlement, Nasdaq and ETFMG agreed to certain cash payments from ETFMG to Nasdaq and PureShares, and executed an asset purchase agreement to transfer certain ETFMG intellectual property and related assets, to a Nasdaq affiliate. The completion of the settlement is subject to certain shareholder approvals; if the necessary approvals cannot be obtained, ETFMG will consider alternative courses of action consistent with the Adviser’s fiduciary duty and in the best interest of the Fund’s shareholders.
31


Financial Highlights
Financial information for the Fund will be available after it has completed a fiscal year of operations.
32


ETF Managers Trust
30 Maple Street, 2nd Floor
Summit, New Jersey 07901
ANNUAL/SEMI-ANNUAL REPORTS TO SHAREHOLDERS
Additional information about the Fund’s investments is available in the Fund’s annual and semi-annual reports to shareholders (when available). In the Fund’s annual reports, you will find a discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund’s performance during its last fiscal year.
STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION (SAI)
The SAI provides more detailed information about the Fund. The SAI is incorporated by reference into, and is thus legally a part of, this Prospectus.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
To request a free copy of the latest annual or semi-annual report, when available, the SAI or to request additional information about the Fund or to make other inquiries, please contact us as follows:
Call:     1-844-383-6477
Monday through Friday
8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. (Eastern time)

Write:     ETF Managers Trust
30 Maple Street, 2nd Floor
Summit, New Jersey 07901

Visit:     www.etfmg.com
INFORMATION PROVIDED BY THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Reports and other information about the Fund are available in the EDGAR Database on the SEC’s Internet site at http://www.sec.gov, or you can receive copies of this information, after paying a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following e-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov.






The Trust’s Investment Company Act file number: 811-22310

























STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
June 4, 2021
CK0001467831-20210131_G9.JPG

ETF MANAGERS TRUST
ETFMG 2x Daily Video Game Tech ETF (GAMX)

Listed on NYSE Arca, Inc.
This Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) is not a prospectus and should be read in conjunction with the prospectus dated June 4, 2021, as may be supplemented from time to time (the “Prospectus”), of the ETFMG 2x Daily Video Game Tech ETF (the “Fund”). Capitalized terms used herein that are not defined have the same meaning as in the Prospectus, unless otherwise noted. A copy of the Prospectus and Annual Report may be obtained without charge, by writing the Funds’ distributor, ETFMG Financial LLC (the “Distributor”), 30 Maple Street, 2nd Floor, Summit, New Jersey 07901, by visiting the Funds’ website at www.etfmg.com or by calling 1‑844‑383‑6477.




TABLE OF CONTENTS
1
1
1
2
2
19
21
23
23
26
27
27
27
28
28
29
30
30
30
30
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARY COMPENSATION
30
30
31
32
32
33
33
37
38
39
42
APPENDIX A
A-1

2



GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE TRUST
ETF Managers Trust (the “Trust”) is an open-end management investment company currently consisting of multiple investment series, including the Fund. The Trust was organized as a Delaware statutory trust on July 1, 2009. The Trust is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) under the Investment Company Act of 1940, 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”). ETF Managers Group LLC (the “Adviser”) serves as investment adviser to the Fund. The Fund seeks to provide daily investment results that, before fees and expenses, correspond to two times (2x) the daily total return of a specified market index (the “Index” or “Underlying Index”) for a single day, not for any other period. A “single day” is measured from the time the Fund calculates its net asset value (“NAV”) to the time of the Fund’s next NAV calculation.
The Fund offers and issues Shares at their 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 included in its Index or portfolio (“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, and may offer an “all cash” option for creations of Creation Units for the Fund. Shares are listed on the NYSE Arca, Inc. (the “Exchange”) and trade on the Exchange at market prices that may differ from the Shares’ NAV. Shares are also redeemable only in Creation Unit aggregations, and generally in exchange for portfolio securities and a specified cash payment, or entirely for cash. A Creation Unit of the Fund generally consists of 10,000 Shares, though this may change from time to time. As a practical matter, only institutions or large investors purchase or redeem Creation Units. Except when aggregated in Creation Units, Shares are not redeemable securities.
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 an amount in cash at least equal to a specified percentage of the market 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.
CONTINUOUS OFFERING
The method by which Creation Unit Aggregations of Shares are created and traded may raise certain issues under applicable securities laws. Because new Creation Unit Aggregations of Shares are issued and sold by the Fund on an ongoing basis, at any point a “distribution,” as such term is used in the Securities Act, may occur. Broker-dealers and other persons are cautioned that some activities on their part may, depending on the circumstances, result in their being deemed participants in a distribution in a manner which could render them statutory underwriters and subject them to the prospectus delivery requirement and liability provisions of the Securities Act.
For example, a broker-dealer firm or its client may be deemed a statutory underwriter if it takes Creation Unit Aggregations after placing an order with the Distributor, breaks them down into constituent Shares, and sells such Shares directly to customers, or if it chooses to couple the creation of a supply of new Shares with an active selling effort involving solicitation of secondary market demand for Shares. A determination of whether one is an underwriter for purposes of the Securities Act must take into account all the facts and circumstances pertaining to the activities of the broker-dealer or its client in the particular case, and the examples mentioned above should not be considered a complete description of all the activities that could lead to a categorization as an underwriter.
Broker-dealer firms should also note that dealers who are not “underwriters” but are effecting transactions in Shares, whether or not participating in the distribution of Shares, generally are required to deliver a prospectus. This is because the prospectus delivery exemption in Section 4(a)(3) of the Securities Act is not available in respect of such transactions as a result of Section 24(d) of the 1940 Act. Firms that incur a prospectus-delivery obligation with respect to Shares of the Fund are reminded that, pursuant to Rule 153 under Securities Act, a prospectus-delivery obligation under Section 5(b)(2) of the Securities Act owed to an exchange member in connection with a sale on the exchange is satisfied by the fact that the Fund’s prospectus is available at the exchange upon request. The prospectus delivery mechanism provided in Rule 153 is only available with respect to transactions on an exchange.
PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS
Policy on Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings
The Board of Trustees of the Trust (the “Board”) has adopted a policy on disclosure of portfolio holdings, which it believes is in the best interest of the Fund’s shareholders. The policy requires that the Fund’s portfolio holdings be disclosed in a manner that: (i) is consistent with applicable legal requirements and is in the best interests of the Fund’s shareholders; (ii) does not put the interests of the Adviser or the Distributor, or any affiliated person of the Adviser or the Distributor, above those of the Fund’s shareholders; (iii) does not advantage any current or prospective Fund shareholder over any other current or prospective Fund shareholder, except to the extent that certain entities (as described below) may receive portfolio holdings information not available to other current or prospective Fund shareholders in connection with the dissemination of information necessary for transactions in Creation Units; and (iv) does not provide selective access to portfolio holdings information except pursuant to the procedures outlined below and to the extent appropriate confidentiality arrangements limiting the use of such information are in effect.
1



The “entities” referred to in sub-section (iii) above are generally limited to National Securities Clearing Corporation (“NSCC”) members and subscribers to various fee-based subscription services, including Authorized Participants (defined below), and other institutional market participants and entities that provide information services.
Each business day portfolio holdings information will be provided to the Fund’s transfer agent or other agent for dissemination through the facilities of the NSCC and/or other fee based subscription services to NSCC members and/or subscribers to those other fee based subscription services, including Authorized Participants (defined below), and to entities that publish and/or analyze such information in connection with the process of purchasing or redeeming Creation Units or trading shares of the Fund in the secondary market. Information with respect to the Fund’s portfolio holdings is also disseminated daily on the Fund’s website.
The transfer agent may also make available portfolio holdings information to other institutional market participants and entities that provide information services. This information typically reflects the Fund’s anticipated holdings on the following business day. “Authorized Participants” are broker-dealer firms that have entered into Authorized Participant Agreements with the Distributor to purchase and redeem large blocks of shares (known as Creation Units) pursuant to legal requirements, including the exemptive order granted by the SEC, through which the Fund offers and redeems shares. Other than portfolio holdings information made available in connection with the creation/redemption process, as discussed above, portfolio holdings information that is not filed with the SEC or posted on the publicly available website may be provided to third parties only in limited circumstances, as described above.
Disclosure to providers of auditing, custody, proxy voting, liquidity risk management and other similar services for the Fund, broker-dealers that are involved in executing portfolio transactions on behalf of the Fund, as well as rating and ranking organizations, will generally be permitted; however, information may be disclosed to other third parties (including, without limitation, individuals, institutional investors, and Authorized Participants that sell shares of the Fund) only upon approval by the Chief Compliance Officer. The recipients who may receive non-public portfolio holdings information are as follows: the Adviser and its affiliates, the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm, the Fund’s distributor, administrator and custodian, the Fund’s legal counsel, the Fund’s financial printer and the Fund’s proxy voting service. These entities are obligated to keep such information confidential. Third-party providers of custodial or accounting services to the Fund may release non-public portfolio holdings information of the Fund only with the permission of the CCO.
The Fund will disclose its complete portfolio holdings in public filings with the SEC on a quarterly basis within 60 days of the end of the quarter, and will provide that information to shareholders, as required by federal securities laws and regulations thereunder. These filings are available, free of charge, on the EDGAR database on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov. Under the policy, the Board is to receive information, on a quarterly basis, regarding any other disclosures of non-public portfolio holdings information that were permitted during the preceding quarter.
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.
Non-Diversification
The Fund is classified as a non-diversified investment company under the 1940 Act. A “non-diversified” classification means that the Fund is not limited by the 1940 Act with regard to the percentage of its assets that may be invested in the securities of a single issuer. This means that the Fund may invest a greater portion of its assets in the securities of a single issuer or a small number of issuers than a diversified fund. The securities of a particular issuer or a small number of issuers may constitute a greater portion of the Underlying Index of the Fund and, therefore, the securities may constitute a greater portion of the Fund’s portfolio. This may have an adverse effect on the Fund’s performance or subject the Fund’s Shares to greater price volatility than more diversified investment companies. Moreover, in pursuing its objective, the Fund may hold the securities of a single issuer in an amount exceeding 10% of the market value of the outstanding securities of the issuer, subject to restrictions imposed by the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). In particular, as the Fund’s size grows and its assets increase, it will be more likely to hold more than 10% of the securities of a single issuer if the issuer has a relatively small public float as compared to other components in its Underlying Index.
Concentration
The Fund will, to the extent its Underlying Index does, concentrate its investments in a particular industry or group of industries, as described in the Prospectus. The securities of issuers in particular industries may dominate the Underlying Index of the Fund and consequently the Fund’s investment portfolio. This may adversely affect the Fund’s performance or subject its Shares to greater price volatility than that experienced by less concentrated investment companies.
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. The information below should be read in conjunction with the “Principal Investment Strategies” and “Principal Risks” sections of the Prospectus. The information
2



below pertains to non-principal investment strategies and risks of the Fund, while the information in the Prospectus pertains to principal investment strategies and risks of the Fund.
Equity Securities
Equity securities represent ownership interests in a company and include common stocks, preferred stocks, warrants to acquire common stock, and securities convertible into common stock. Investments in equity securities in general are subject to market risks that may cause their prices to fluctuate over time. Fluctuations in the value of equity securities in which the Fund invests will cause the net asset value of the Fund to fluctuate.
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.
Convertible Securities — Convertible securities are securities that may be exchanged for, converted into, or exercised to acquire a predetermined number of shares of the issuer’s common stock at the Fund’s option during a specified time period (such as convertible preferred stocks, convertible debentures and warrants). A convertible security is generally a fixed income security that is senior to common stock in an issuer’s capital structure, but is usually subordinated to similar non-convertible securities. In exchange for the conversion feature, many corporations will pay a lower rate of interest on convertible securities than debt securities of the same corporation. In general, the market value of a convertible security is at least the higher of its “investment value” (i.e., its value as a fixed income security) or its “conversion value” (i.e., its value upon conversion into its underlying common stock).
Convertible securities are subject to the same risks as similar securities without the convertible feature. The price of a convertible security is more volatile during times of steady interest rates than other types of debt securities. The price of a convertible security tends to increase as the market value of the underlying stock rises, whereas it tends to decrease as the market value of the underlying common stock declines.
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 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.
Risks of Investing in Equity Securities:
General Risks of Investing in Stocks — While investing in stocks allows investors to participate in the benefits of owning a company, such investors must accept the risks of ownership. Unlike bondholders, who have preference to a company’s earnings and cash flow, preferred stockholders, followed by common stockholders in order of priority, are entitled only to the residual amount after a company meets its other obligations. For this reason, the value of a company’s stock will usually react more strongly to actual or perceived changes in the company’s financial condition or prospects than its debt obligations. Stockholders of a company that fares poorly can lose money.
Stock markets tend to move in cycles with short or extended periods of rising and falling stock prices. The value of a company’s stock may fall because of:
Factors that directly relate to that company, such as decisions made by its management or lower demand for the company’s products or services;
3



Factors affecting an entire industry, such as increases in production costs; and
Changes in general financial market conditions that are relatively unrelated to the company or its industry, such as changes in interest rates, currency exchange rates or inflation rates.
Because preferred stock is generally junior to debt securities and other obligations of the issuer, deterioration in the credit quality of the issuer will cause greater changes in the value of a preferred stock than in a more senior debt security with similar stated yield characteristics.
Small- and Medium-Sized Companies — Investors in small- and medium-sized companies typically take on greater risk and price volatility than they would by investing in larger, more established companies. This increased risk may be due to the greater business risks of their small or medium size, limited markets and financial resources, narrow product lines and frequent lack of management depth. The securities of small- and medium-sized companies are often traded in the over-the-counter market and might not be traded in volumes typical of securities traded on a national securities exchange. Thus, the securities of small and medium capitalization companies are likely to experience less frequent trading and be less liquid, and subject to more abrupt or erratic market movements, than securities of larger, more established companies. As a result of the differences between the securities of small- and medium-sized companies and those of companies with larger capitalizations, it may be more difficult for the Fund to buy or sell a significant amount of the securities of a small- or medium- company without an adverse impact on the price of the company’s securities, or the Fund may have to sell such securities in smaller quantities over a longer period of time, which may increase the Fund’s tracking error.
When-Issued Securities — A when-issued security is one whose terms are available and for which a market exists, but which have not been issued. When the Fund engages in when-issued transactions, it relies on the other party to consummate 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 market 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.
Futures Contracts, Forwards, Options and Swap Agreements
The Fund may purchase and sell in the U.S. or abroad futures contracts, forward contracts, swaps and put and call options on securities, futures, securities indices, swaps and currencies. In the future, the Fund may employ instruments and strategies that are not presently contemplated, but which may be subsequently developed, to the extent such investment methods are consistent with the Fund’s investment objectives, and are legally permissible. There can be no assurance that an instrument, if employed, will be successful. The Fund may buy and sell these investments for a number of purposes, including hedging, investment or speculative purposes, including to seek its desired exposure to the Underlying Index.
Special Risk Factors Regarding Forwards, Futures, Swaps and Options 
Transactions in derivative instruments (e.g., futures, options, forwards, and swaps) involve a risk of loss or depreciation due to: unanticipated adverse changes in securities or commodities prices, interest rates, indices, the other financial instruments’ prices or currency exchange rates; the inability to close out a position; default by the counterparty; imperfect correlation between a position and the desired hedge (if the derivative instrument is being used for hedging purposes); tax constraints on closing out positions; and portfolio management constraints on securities subject to such transactions. The loss on derivative instruments (other than purchased options) may substantially exceed the amount invested in these instruments. In addition, the entire premium paid for purchased options may be lost before they can be profitably exercised. Transaction costs are incurred in opening and closing positions. 
The Fund’s use of swaps, futures contracts, options, forward contracts and certain other derivative instruments will have the economic effect of financial leverage. Financial leverage magnifies exposure to the swings in prices of an asset underlying a derivative instrument and results in increased volatility, which means the Fund will have the potential for greater gains, as well as the potential for greater losses, than if the Fund does not use derivative instruments that have a leveraging effect. Leveraging tends to magnify, sometimes significantly, the effect of any increase or decrease in the Fund’s exposure to an asset and may cause the Fund’s NAV to be volatile. For example, if the Fund seeks to gain enhanced exposure to a specific asset through a derivative instrument providing leveraged exposure to the asset and that derivative instrument increases in value, the gain to the Fund will be enhanced; however, if that investment decreases in value, the loss to the Fund will be magnified. A decline in the Fund’s assets due to losses magnified by the derivative instruments providing leveraged exposure may require the Fund to liquidate portfolio positions to satisfy its obligations or to meet redemption requests when it may not be advantageous to do so. There is no assurance that the Fund’s use of derivative instruments to obtain enhanced exposure will enable the Fund to achieve its investment objective. The Fund’s success in using
4



derivative instruments to hedge portfolio assets depends on the degree of price correlation between the derivative instruments and the hedged asset. Imperfect correlation may be caused by several factors, including temporary price disparities among the trading markets for the derivative instrument, the assets underlying the derivative instrument and the Fund’s assets. 
OTC derivative instruments involve an increased risk that the issuer or counterparty will fail to perform its contractual obligations. Some derivative instruments are not readily marketable or may become illiquid under adverse market conditions. In addition, during periods of market volatility, a commodity exchange may suspend or limit trading in an exchange-traded derivative instrument, which may make the contract temporarily illiquid and difficult to price. Commodity exchanges may also establish daily limits on the amount that the price of a futures contract or futures option can vary from the previous day’s settlement price. Once the daily limit is reached, no trades may be made that day at a price beyond the limit. This may prevent the closing out of positions to limit losses. Further, under certain circumstances commodity exchanges or regulators may impose limits that are lower than current open equity in a given futures contract, such limit changes have the potential to cause liquidation of positions and may adversely affect the Fund. Certain purchased OTC derivatives, and assets used as cover for written OTC options, may be considered illiquid. The ability to terminate OTC derivative instruments may depend on the cooperation of the counterparties to such contracts. For thinly traded derivative instruments, the only source of price quotations may be the selling dealer or counterparty. 
Regulations adopted by prudential regulators require certain bank-regulated counterparties and certain of their affiliates to include in certain financial contracts, including many derivatives contracts, terms that delay or restrict the rights of counterparties, such as the Fund, to terminate such contracts, foreclose upon collateral, exercise other default rights or restrict transfers of credit support in the event that the counterparty and/or its affiliates are subject to certain types of resolution or insolvency proceedings. It is possible that these requirements, as well as potential additional government regulation and other developments in the market, could adversely affect the Fund’s ability to terminate existing derivatives agreements or to realize amounts to be received under such agreements. 
The use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves skills different from conducting ordinary portfolio securities transactions. There can be no assurance that the Adviser’s use of derivative instruments will be advantageous to the Fund. 
Exclusion from Commodity Pool Operator Regulation 
The Adviser has filed a claim of exclusion from the definition of the term “commodity pool operator” (“CPO”) under the Commodity Exchange Act (“CEA”), pursuant to CFTC Rule 4.5 (the “Exclusion”) and therefore, the Adviser is not subject to registration or regulation as a CPO under the CEA with respect to the Fund. In order to remain eligible for the Exclusion, the Fund will be limited in its ability to use certain financial instruments including futures, options on futures and certain swaps and will be limited in the manner in which it holds out its use of such instruments.
Swap Agreements
The Fund may utilize swap agreements in an attempt to gain exposure to the securities in a market without actually purchasing those securities, or to hedge a position. Swap agreements are two-party contracts entered into primarily by institutional investors for periods ranging from a day to more than one-year. In a standard “swap” transaction, two parties agree to exchange the returns (or differentials in rates of return) earned or realized on particular predetermined investments or instruments. The gross returns to be exchanged or “swapped” between the parties are calculated with respect to a “notional amount,” i.e., the return on or increase in value of a particular dollar amount invested in a basket of securities representing a particular index.
Forms of swap agreements include interest rate caps, under which, in return for a premium, one party agrees to make payments to the other to the extent that interest rates exceed a specified rate, or “cap” interest rate floors, under which, in return for a premium, one party agrees to make payments to the other to the extent that interest rates fall below a specified level, or “floor;” and interest rate collars, under which a party sells a cap and purchases a floor or vice versa in an attempt to protect itself against interest rate movements exceeding given minimum or maximum levels.
The Fund’s obligations under a swap agreement will be accrued daily (offset against any amounts owing to the Fund). Swaps that cannot be terminated in the ordinary course of business within seven days at approximately the amount the Fund has valued the asset may be considered to be illiquid for purposes of the Fund’s illiquid investment limitations. The Fund will not enter into any swap agreement unless the Adviser believes that the other party to the transaction is creditworthy. The Fund bears the risk of loss of the amount expected to be received under a swap agreement in the event of the default or bankruptcy of a swap agreement counterparty.
The Fund may enter into swap agreements to invest in a market without owning or taking physical custody of the underlying securities in circumstances in which direct investment is restricted for legal reasons or is otherwise impracticable. The counterparty to any swap agreement will typically be a bank, investment banking firm or broker-dealer. The counterparty will generally agree to pay the Fund the amount, if any, by which the notional amount of the swap agreement would have increased in value had it been invested in the particular stocks, plus the dividends that would have been received on those stocks. The Fund will agree to pay to the counterparty a floating rate of interest on the notional amount of the swap agreement plus the amount, if any, by which the notional amount would have decreased in value had it been invested in such stocks. Therefore, the return to the Fund on any swap agreement should be the gain or loss on the notional amount plus dividends on the stocks less the interest paid by the Fund on the notional amount.
5



Swap agreements typically are settled on a net basis, which means that the two payment streams are netted out, with the Fund receiving or paying, as the case may be, only the net amount of the two payments. Payments may be made at the conclusion of a swap agreement or periodically during its term. Other swap agreements, may require initial premium (discount) payments as well as periodic payments (receipts) related to the interest leg of the swap or to the default of a reference obligation. The Fund will earmark and reserve assets necessary to meet any accrued payment obligations when it is the buyer of a credit default swap.
Swap agreements do not involve the delivery of securities or other underlying assets. Accordingly, the risk of loss with respect to swap agreements is limited to the net amount of payments that the Fund is contractually obligated to make. If a swap counterparty defaults, the Fund’s risk of loss consists of the net amount of payments the Fund is contractually entitled to receive, if any. The net amount of the excess, if any, of the Fund’s obligations over its entitlements with respect to each equity swap will be accrued on a daily basis and an amount of cash or liquid assets, having an aggregate NAV at least equal to such accrued excess will be maintained in a segregated account by the Fund’s custodian. Inasmuch as these transactions are entered into for hedging purposes or are offset by segregated cash of liquid assets, as permitted by applicable law, the Fund and the Advisor believe that these transactions do not constitute senior securities under the 1940 Act and, accordingly, will not treat them as being subject to the Fund’s borrowing restrictions.
The swap market has grown substantially in recent years with a large number of banks and investment banking firms acting both as principals and as agents utilizing standardized swap documentation. As a result, the swap market has become relatively liquid in comparison with the markets for other similar instruments, which are traded in the OTC market. The Advisor, under the supervision of the Board, is responsible for determining and monitoring the liquidity of Fund transactions in swap agreements.
The use of swap agreements is a highly specialized activity which involves investment techniques and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions. If a counterparty’s creditworthiness declines, the value of the swap would likely decline. Moreover, there is no guarantee that the Fund could eliminate its exposure under an outstanding swap agreement by entering into an offsetting swap agreement with the same or another party.
Swaps on Equities, Currencies, Commodities and Futures
The Fund may enter into swaps with respect to a security, currency, commodity or futures contract (each, an “asset”); basket of assets; asset index; or index component (each, a “reference asset”). An equity, currency, commodity or futures swap is a two-party contract that generally obligates one party to pay the positive return and the other party to pay the negative return on a specified reference asset during the period of the swap. The payments based on the reference asset may be adjusted for transaction costs, interest payments, the amount of dividends paid on the referenced asset or other economic factors.
Equity, currency, commodity or futures swap contracts may be structured in different ways. For example, with respect to an equity swap, when the Fund takes a long position, the counterparty may agree to pay the Fund the amount, if any, by which the notional amount of the equity swap would have increased in value had it been invested in a particular stock (or group of stocks), plus the dividends that would have been received on the stock. In these cases, the Fund may agree to pay to the counterparty interest on the notional amount of the equity swap plus the amount, if any, by which that notional amount would have decreased in value had it been invested in such stock. 
Therefore, in this case the return to the Fund on the equity swap should be the gain or loss on the notional amount plus dividends on the stock less the interest paid by the Fund on the notional amount. In other cases, when the Fund takes a short position, a counterparty may agree to pay the Fund the amount, if any, by which the notional amount of the equity swap would have decreased in value had the Fund sold a particular stock (or group of stocks) short, less the dividend expense that the Fund would have paid on the stock, as adjusted for interest payments or other economic factors. In these situations, the Fund may be obligated to pay the amount, if any, by which the notional amount of the swap would have increased in value had it been invested in such stock. 
Equity, currency, commodity or futures swaps normally do not involve the delivery of securities or other underlying assets. Accordingly, the risk of loss with respect to these swaps is normally limited to the net amount of payments that the Fund is contractually obligated to make. If the other party to the swap defaults, the Fund’s risk of loss consists of the net amount of payments that such Fund is contractually entitled to receive, if any.
Equity, currency, commodity or futures swaps are derivatives and their value can be very volatile. To the extent that the Adviser or Sub-Adviser, as applicable, does not accurately analyze and predict future market trends, the values of assets or economic factors, the Fund may suffer a loss, which may be substantial. The swap markets in which many types of swap transactions are traded have grown substantially in recent years, with a large number of banks and investment banking firms acting both as principals and as agents. As a result, the markets for certain types of swaps have become relatively liquid. 
Total Return and Interest Rate Swaps 
In a total return swap, the buyer receives a periodic return equal to the total return of a specified security, securities or index, for a specified period of time. In return, the buyer pays the counterparty a variable stream of payments, typically based upon short term interest rates, possibly plus or minus an agreed upon spread. Interest rate swaps are financial instruments that involve the exchange of one type of interest rate for another type of interest rate cash flow on specified dates in the future. Some of the different types of interest rate swaps are “fixed-for floating rate swaps,” “termed basis swaps” and “index amortizing swaps.” Fixed-for floating rate
6



swaps involve the exchange of fixed interest rate cash flows for floating rate cash flows. Termed basis swaps entail cash flows to both parties based on floating interest rates, where the interest rate indices are different. Index amortizing swaps are typically fixed-for floating swaps where the notional amount changes if certain conditions are met. Like a traditional investment in a debt security, the Fund could lose money by investing in an interest rate swap if interest rates change adversely. For example, if the Fund enters into a swap where it agrees to exchange a floating rate of interest for a fixed rate of interest, the Fund may have to pay more money than it receives. Similarly, if the Fund enters into a swap where it agrees to exchange a fixed rate of interest for a floating rate of interest, the Fund may receive less money than it has agreed to pay. 
Interest rate and total return swaps entered into in which payments are not netted may entail greater risk than a swap entered into on a net basis. If there is a default by the other party to such a transaction, the Fund will have contractual remedies pursuant to the agreements related to the transaction.
Swap Regulation
In recent years, regulators across the globe, including the CFTC and the U.S. banking regulators, have adopted collateral requirements applicable to uncleared swaps. While the Fund is not directly subject to these requirements, where the Fund’s counterparty is subject to the requirements, uncleared swaps between the Fund and that counterparty are required to be marked-to-market on a daily basis, and collateral is required to be exchanged to account for any changes in the value of such swaps. The rules impose a number of requirements as to these exchanges of collateral, including as to the timing of transfers, the type of collateral (and valuations for such collateral) and other matters that may be different than what the Fund would agree with its counterparty in the absence of such regulation. In all events, where the Fund is required to post collateral to its swap counterparty, such collateral will be posted to an independent bank custodian, where access to the collateral by the swap counterparty will generally not be permitted unless the Fund is in default on its obligations to the swap counterparty.
In addition to the marked-to-market collateral requirements, regulators have adopted “initial” collateral requirements applicable to uncleared swaps. Where applicable, these rules require parties to an uncleared swap to post, to a custodian that is independent from the parties to the swap, collateral (in addition to any marked-to-market collateral noted above) in an amount that is either (i) specified in a schedule in the rules or (ii) calculated by the regulated party in accordance with a model that has been approved by that party’s regulator(s). At this time, the initial collateral rules do not apply to the Fund’s swap trading relationships. However, the rules are being implemented on a phased basis, and it is possible that in the future, the rules could apply to the Fund. In the event that the rules apply, they would impose significant costs on the Fund’s ability to engage in uncleared swaps and, as such, could adversely affect Adviser’s ability to manage the Fund, may impair the Fund’s ability to achieve its investment objective and/or may result in reduced returns to the Fund’s investors.
Comprehensive Swaps Regulation 
The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 (the “Dodd-Frank Act”) and related regulatory developments have imposed comprehensive new regulatory requirements on swaps and swap market participants. The regulatory framework includes: (1) registration and regulation of swap dealers and major swap participants; (2) requiring central clearing and execution of standardized swaps; (3) imposing collateral requirements on swap transactions; (4) regulating and monitoring swap transactions through position limits and large trader reporting requirements; and (5) imposing record keeping and centralized and public reporting requirements, on an anonymous basis, for most swaps. The CFTC is responsible for the regulation of most swaps. The SEC has jurisdiction over a small segment of the market referred to as “security-based swaps,” which includes swaps on single securities or credits, or narrow-based indices of securities or credits.
Uncleared swaps 
In an uncleared swap, the swap counterparty is typically a brokerage firm, bank or other financial institution. The Fund customarily enters into uncleared swaps based on the standard terms and conditions of an International Swaps and Derivatives Association (“ISDA”) Master Agreement. ISDA is a voluntary industry association of participants in the OTC derivatives markets that has developed standardized contracts used by such participants that have agreed to be bound by such standardized contracts. In the event that one party to a swap transaction defaults and the transaction is terminated prior to its scheduled termination date, one of the parties may be required to make an early termination payment to the other. An early termination payment may be payable by either the defaulting or non-defaulting party, depending upon which of them is “in-the-money” with respect to the swap at the time of its termination. Early termination payments may be calculated in various ways, but are intended to approximate the amount the “in-the-money” party would have to pay to replace the swap as of the date of its termination. During the term of an uncleared swap, the Fund will be required to pledge to the swap counterparty, from time to time, an amount of cash and/or other assets equal to the total net amount (if any) that would be payable by the Fund to the counterparty if all outstanding swaps between the parties were terminated on the date in question, including any early termination payments. Periodically, changes in the amount pledged are made to recognize changes in value of the contract resulting from, among other things, interest on the notional value of the contract, market value changes in the underlying investment, and/or dividends paid by the issuer of the underlying instrument. Likewise, the counterparty will be required to pledge cash or other assets to cover its obligations to the Fund. However, the amount pledged may not always be equal to or more than the amount due to the other party. Therefore, if a counterparty defaults in its obligations to the Fund, the amount pledged by the counterparty and available to the Fund may not be sufficient to cover all the amounts due to the Fund and the Fund
7



may sustain a loss. Rules requiring initial collateral to be posted by certain market participants for uncleared swaps have been adopted and are being phased in over time. When these rules take effect with respect to the Fund, if the Fund is deemed to have material swaps exposure under applicable swap regulations, it will be required to post initial collateral in addition to marked-to-market collateral.
Cleared swaps 
Certain standardized swaps are subject to mandatory central clearing and exchange-trading. The Dodd-Frank Act and implementing rules will ultimately require the clearing and exchange-trading of many swaps. Mandatory exchange-trading and clearing will occur on a phased-in basis based on the type of market participant, CFTC approval of contracts for central clearing and public trading facilities making such cleared swaps available to trade. To date, the CFTC has designated only certain of the most common types of credit default index swaps and interest rate swaps as subject to mandatory clearing and certain public trading facilities have made certain of those cleared swaps available to trade, but it is expected that additional categories of swaps will in the future be designated as subject to mandatory clearing and trade execution requirements. Central clearing is intended to reduce counterparty credit risk and increase liquidity, but central clearing does not eliminate these risks and may involve additional costs and risks not involved with uncleared swaps. For more information, see “Risks of cleared swaps” below.
In a cleared swap, the Fund’s ultimate counterparty is a central clearinghouse rather than a brokerage firm, bank or other financial institution. Cleared swaps are submitted for clearing through each party’s FCM, which must be a member of the clearinghouse that serves as the central counterparty. Transactions executed on a swap execution facility may increase market transparency and liquidity but may require the Fund to incur increased expenses to access the same types of swaps that it has used in the past. When the Fund enters into a cleared swap, it must deliver to the central counterparty (via the FCM) initial collateral. The initial collateral requirements are determined by the central counterparty, and are typically calculated as an amount equal to the volatility in market value of the cleared swap over a fixed period, but an FCM may require additional collateral above the amount required by the central counterparty. During the term of the swap agreement, an additional collateral amount may also be required to be paid by the Fund or may be received by the Fund in accordance with collateral controls set for such accounts. If the value of the Fund’s cleared swap declines, the Fund will be required to make additional payments to the FCM to settle the change in value. Conversely, if the market value of the Fund’s position increases, the FCM will post additional amounts to the Fund’s account. At the conclusion of the term of the swap agreement, if the Fund has a loss equal to or greater than the collateral amount, the collateral amount is paid to the FCM along with any loss in excess of the collateral amount. If the Fund has a loss of less than the collateral amount, the excess collateral is returned to the Fund. If the Fund has a gain, the full collateral amount and the amount of the gain is paid to the Fund.
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 Adviser to correctly predict which types of investments are likely to produce greater returns. If the 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 collateral at risk in the event of default by the counterparty (in an uncleared swap) or the central counterparty or FCM (in a cleared swap), plus any transaction costs.
Because bilateral swap agreements are structured as two-party contracts and may have terms of greater than seven days, these swaps may be considered to be illiquid and, therefore, subject to the Fund’s limitation on investments in illiquid securities. If a swap transaction is particularly large or if the relevant market is illiquid, the Fund may not be able to establish or liquidate a position at an advantageous time or price, which may result in significant losses. Participants in the swap markets are not required to make continuous markets in the swap contracts they trade. Participants could refuse to quote prices for swap contracts or quote prices with an unusually wide spread between the price at which they are prepared to buy and the price at which they are prepared to sell. Some swap agreements entail complex terms and may require a greater degree of subjectivity in their valuation. However, the swap markets have grown substantially in recent years, with a large number of financial institutions acting both as principals and agents, utilizing standardized swap documentation. As a result, the swap markets have become increasingly liquid. In addition, central clearing and the trading of cleared swaps on public facilities are intended to increase liquidity.
The Adviser, under the supervision of the Board of Trustees, is responsible for determining and monitoring the liquidity of the Fund’s swap transactions. 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 Fund’s identity as intended.
8



Certain 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. For more information about potentially changing regulation, see “Developing government regulation of derivatives” below.
Risks of uncleared swaps
Uncleared swaps are typically executed bilaterally with a swap dealer rather than traded on exchanges. As a result, swap participants may not be as protected as participants on organized exchanges. Performance of a swap agreement is the responsibility only of the swap counterparty and not of any exchange or clearinghouse. As a result, the Fund is subject to the risk that a counterparty will be unable or will refuse to perform under such agreement, including because of the counterparty’s bankruptcy or insolvency. The Fund risks the loss of the accrued but unpaid amounts under a swap agreement, which could be substantial, in the event of a default, insolvency or bankruptcy by a swap counterparty. In such an event, the Fund will have contractual remedies pursuant to the swap agreements, but bankruptcy and insolvency laws could affect the Fund’s rights as a creditor. If the counterparty’s creditworthiness declines, the value of a swap agreement would likely decline, potentially resulting in losses. The Adviser will only approve a swap agreement counterparty for the Fund if the Adviser deems the counterparty to be creditworthy. However, in unusual or extreme market conditions, a counterparty’s creditworthiness and ability to perform may deteriorate rapidly, and the availability of suitable replacement counterparties may become limited.
Risks of cleared swaps 
As noted above, under recent financial reforms, certain types of swaps are, and others eventually are expected to be, required to be cleared through a central counterparty, which may affect counterparty risk and other risks faced by the Fund.
Central clearing is designed to reduce counterparty credit risk and increase liquidity compared to uncleared swaps because central clearing interposes the central clearinghouse as the counterparty to each participant’s swap, but it does not eliminate those risks completely and may involve additional costs and risks not involved with uncleared swaps. There is also a risk of loss by the Fund of the initial and variation collateral deposits in the event of bankruptcy of the FCM with which the Fund has an open position, or the central counterparty in a swap contract. The assets of the Fund may not be fully protected in the event of the bankruptcy of the FCM or central counterparty because the Fund might be limited to recovering only a pro rata share of all available funds and collateral segregated on behalf of an FCM’s customers. If the FCM does not provide accurate reporting, the Fund is also subject to the risk that the FCM could use the Fund’s assets, which are held in an omnibus account with assets belonging to the FCM’s other customers, to satisfy its own financial obligations or the payment obligations of another customer to the central counterparty. Credit risk of cleared swap participants is concentrated in a few clearinghouses, and the consequences of insolvency of a clearinghouse are not clear.
With cleared swaps, the Fund may not be able to obtain terms as favorable as it would be able to negotiate for a bilateral, uncleared swap. In addition, an FCM may unilaterally amend the terms of its agreement with the Fund, which may include the imposition of position limits or additional collateral requirements with respect to the Fund’s investment in certain types of swaps. Central counterparties and FCMs can require termination of existing cleared swap transactions upon the occurrence of certain events, and can also require increases in collateral above the amount that is required at the initiation of the swap agreement. Currently, depending on a number of factors, the collateral required under the rules of the clearinghouse and FCM may be in excess of the collateral required to be posted by the Fund to support its obligations under a similar uncleared swap. However, regulators have proposed and are expected to adopt rules imposing certain requirements on uncleared swaps in the near future, which are likely to impose higher collateral requirements on uncleared swaps.
Finally, the Fund is subject to the risk that, after entering into a cleared swap with an executing broker, no FCM or central counterparty is willing or able to clear the transaction. In such an event, the Fund may be required to break the trade and make an early termination payment to the executing broker.
Forward Contracts 
A forward contract is an obligation to purchase or sell a specific security, currency or other instrument for an agreed price at a future date that is individually negotiated and privately traded by traders and their customers. In contrast to contracts traded on an exchange (such as futures contracts), forward contracts are not guaranteed by any exchange or clearinghouse and are subject to the creditworthiness of the counterparty of the trade. Forward contracts are highly leveraged and highly volatile, and a relatively small price movement in a forward contract may result in substantial losses to the Fund. To the extent the Fund engages in forward contracts to generate return, the Fund will be subject to these risks. 
Forward contracts are not always standardized and are frequently the subject of individual negotiation between the parties involved. By contrast, futures contracts are generally standardized and futures exchanges have central clearinghouses which keep track of all positions. 
Because there is no clearinghouse system applicable to forward contracts, there is no direct means of offsetting a forward contract by purchase of an offsetting position on the same exchange as one can with respect to a futures contract. Absent contractual termination rights, the Fund may not be able to terminate a forward contract at a price and time that it desires. In such event, the Fund will remain
9



subject to counterparty risk with respect to the forward contract, even if the Fund enters into an offsetting forward contract with the same, or a different, counterparty. If a counterparty defaults, the Fund may lose money on the transaction. 
Depending on the asset underlying the forward contract, forward transactions can be influenced by, among other things, changing supply and demand relationships, government commercial and trade programs and policies, national and international political and economic events, weather and climate conditions, insects and plant disease, purchases and sales by foreign countries and changing interest rates. 
Futures Contracts
The Fund may use futures to attempt to gain exposure to a particular market, index, security, commodity or instrument or for speculative purposes to increase return, to attempt to hedge or limit the exposure of the Fund’s position, to create a synthetic money market position, for certain tax-related purposes or to effect closing transactions. Futures contracts generally provide for the future sale by one party and purchase by another party of a specified commodity or security at a specified future time and at a specified price. Index futures contracts are settled daily with a payment by one party to the other of a cash amount based on the difference between the level of the index specified in the contract from one day to the next. Futures contracts are standardized as to maturity date and underlying instrument and are traded on futures exchanges.
The Fund is required to make a good faith margin deposit in cash or U.S. government securities with a broker or custodian to initiate and maintain open positions in futures contracts. A margin deposit is intended to assure completion of the contract (delivery or acceptance of the underlying commodity or payment of the cash settlement amount) if it is not terminated prior to the specified delivery date. Brokers may establish deposit requirements which are higher than the exchange minimums. Futures contracts are customarily purchased and sold on margin deposits which may range upward from less than 5% of the value of the contract being traded.
After a futures contract position is opened, the value of the contract is marked to market daily. If the futures contract price changes to the extent that the margin on deposit does not satisfy margin requirements, payment of additional “variation” margin will be required. Conversely, change in the contract value may reduce the required margin, resulting in a repayment of excess margin to the contract holder. Variation margin payments are made to and from the futures broker for as long as the contract remains open. In such case, the Fund would expect to earn interest income on its margin deposits. Closing out an open futures position is done by taking an opposite position (“buying” a contract which has previously been “sold,” or “selling” a contract previously “purchased”) in an identical contract to terminate the position. Brokerage commissions are incurred when a futures contract position is opened or closed.
U.S. futures contracts are traded on organized exchanges regulated by the CFTC. Transactions on such exchanges are cleared through a clearing corporation, which guarantees the performance of the parties to each contract. The Fund may also invest in non-U.S. futures contracts.
There are several risks in connection with the use of futures by the Fund. The Fund may not be able to properly effect its strategy when a liquid market is unavailable for the futures contract the Fund wishes to close, which may at times occur. If the Fund were unable to liquidate a futures position due to the absence of a liquid secondary market or the imposition of price limits, it could incur substantial losses. The Fund would continue to be subject to market risk with respect to the position. In addition, the Fund would continue to be required to make daily variation margin payments and might be required to maintain cash or liquid assets in an account.
A purchase or sale of a futures contract may result in losses to the Fund in excess of the amount that the Fund delivered as initial margin. Because of the relatively low margin deposits required, futures trading involves a high degree of leverage; as a result, a relatively small price movement in a futures contract may result in immediate and substantial loss, or gain, to the Fund. In addition, if the Fund has insufficient cash to meet daily variation margin requirements or close out a futures position, it may have to sell securities from its portfolio at a time when it may be disadvantageous to do so. Adverse market movements could cause the Fund to experience substantial losses on an investment in a futures contract. There is a risk of loss by the Fund of the initial and variation margin deposits in the event of bankruptcy of the FCM with which the Fund has an open position in a futures contract. The assets of the Fund may not be fully protected in the event of the bankruptcy of the FCM or central counterparty because the Fund might be limited to recovering only a pro rata share of all available funds and margin segregated on behalf of an FCM’s customers. If the FCM does not provide accurate reporting, the Fund is also subject to the risk that the FCM could use the Fund’s assets, which are held in an omnibus account with assets belonging to the FCM’s other customers, to satisfy its own financial obligations or the payment obligations of another customer to the central counterparty.
The price of futures may not correlate perfectly with movement in the cash market due to certain market distortions. Rather than meeting additional margin deposit requirements, investors may close futures contracts through offsetting transactions which could distort the normal relationship between the cash and futures markets. Second, with respect to financial futures contracts, the liquidity of the futures market depends on participants entering into offsetting transactions rather than making or taking delivery. To the extent participants decide to make or take delivery, liquidity in the futures market could be reduced, thus producing distortions. Third, from the point of view of speculators, the deposit requirements in the futures market are less onerous than margin requirements in the securities market. Therefore, increased participation by speculators in the futures market may also cause temporary price distortions. Due to the possibility of price distortion in the futures market, and because of the imperfect correlation between the movements in the
10



cash market and movements in the price of futures, a correct forecast of general market trends or interest rate movements by the Adviser may still not result in a successful hedging transaction over a short time frame (in the event futures are used for hedging purposes). 
Positions in futures may be closed out only on an exchange or board of trade which provides a secondary market for such futures. Although the Fund intends to purchase or sell futures only on exchanges or boards of trade where there appear to be active secondary markets, there is no assurance that a liquid secondary market on any exchange or board of trade will exist for any particular contract or at any particular time. When there is no liquid market, it may not be possible to close a futures investment position, and in the event of adverse price movements, the Fund would continue to be required to make daily cash payments of variation margin (as described below). In such circumstances, an increase in the price of the securities, if any, may partially or completely offset losses on the futures contract. However, as described above, there is no guarantee that the price of the securities will in fact correlate with the price movements in the futures contract and thus provide an offset on a futures contract.
Futures contracts that are traded on non-U.S. exchanges may not be as liquid as those purchased on CFTC-designated contract markets. In addition, non-U.S. futures contracts may be subject to varied regulatory oversight. The price of any non-U.S. futures contract and, therefore, the potential profit and loss thereon, may be affected by any change in the non-U.S. exchange rate between the time a particular order is placed and the time it is liquidated, offset or exercised.
The CFTC and the various exchanges have established limits referred to as “speculative position limits” on the maximum net long or net short position that any person, such as the Fund, may hold or control in a particular futures contract. Trading limits are also imposed on the maximum number of contracts that any person may trade on a particular trading day. An exchange may order the liquidation of positions found to be in violation of these limits and it may impose other sanctions or restrictions. The regulation of futures, as well as other derivatives, is a rapidly changing area of law. 
Further, it should be noted that the liquidity of a secondary market in a futures contract may be adversely affected by “daily price fluctuation limits” established by commodities exchanges which limit the amount of fluctuation in a futures contract price during a single trading day. Once the daily limit has been reached in the contract, no trades may be entered into at a price beyond the limit, thus preventing the liquidation of open futures positions. The trading of futures contracts is also subject to the risk of trading halts, suspensions, exchange or clearing house equipment failures, government intervention, insolvency of a brokerage firm or clearing house or other disruptions of normal activity, which could at times make it difficult or impossible to liquidate existing positions or to recover equity. 
Stock Index Futures 
The Fund may invest in stock index futures. A stock index assigns relative values to the common stocks included in the index and fluctuates with the changes in the market value of those stocks. 
Stock index futures are contracts based on the future value of the basket of securities that comprise the underlying stock index. The contracts obligate the seller to deliver and the purchaser to take cash to settle the futures transaction or to enter into an obligation contract. No physical delivery of the securities underlying the index is made on settling the futures obligation. No monetary amount is paid or received by the Fund on the purchase or sale of a stock index future. At any time prior to the expiration of the future, the Fund may elect to close out its position by taking an opposite position, at which time a final determination of variation margin is made and additional cash is required to be paid by or released to the Fund. Any gain or loss is then realized by the Fund on the future for tax purposes. Although stock index futures by their terms call for settlement by the delivery of cash, in most cases the settlement obligation is fulfilled without such delivery by entering into an offsetting transaction. All futures transactions are effected through a clearing house associated with the exchange on which the contracts are traded. 
Futures on Securities 
The Fund may purchase and sell futures contracts on securities. A futures contract sale creates an obligation by the Fund, as seller, to deliver the specific type of financial instrument called for in the contract at a specific future time for a specified price. A futures contract purchase creates an obligation by the Fund, as purchaser, to take delivery of the specific type of financial instrument at a specific future time at a specific price. The specific securities delivered or taken, respectively, at settlement date, would not be determined until or near that date. The determination would be in accordance with the rules of the exchange on which the futures contract sale or purchase was made. 
Although futures contracts on securities by their terms call for actual delivery or acceptance of securities, in most cases the contracts are closed out before the settlement date without making or taking delivery of securities. The Fund may close out a futures contract sale by entering into a futures contract purchase for the same aggregate amount of the specific type of financial instrument and the same delivery date. If the price of the sale exceeds the price of the offsetting purchase, the Fund is immediately paid the difference and thus realizes a gain. If the offsetting purchase price exceeds the sale price, the Fund pays the difference and realizes a loss. Similarly, the Fund may close out of a futures contract purchase by entering into a futures contract sale. If the offsetting sale price exceeds the purchase price, the Fund realizes a gain, and if the purchase price exceeds the offsetting sale price, the Fund realizes a loss. Accounting for futures contracts will be in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.
11



Options 
The value of an option position will reflect, among other things, the current market value of the underlying investment, the time remaining until expiration, the relationship of the exercise price to the market price of the underlying investment and general market conditions. Options that expire unexercised have no value. Options currently are traded on the Chicago Board Options Exchange® and other exchanges, as well as the OTC markets.
By buying a call option on a security, the Fund has the right, in return for the premium paid, to buy the security underlying the option at the exercise price. By writing (selling) a call option and receiving a premium, the Fund becomes obligated during the term of the option to deliver securities underlying the option at the exercise price if the option is exercised. By buying a put option, the Fund has the right, in return for the premium, to sell the security underlying the option at the exercise price. By writing a put option, the Fund becomes obligated during the term of the option to purchase the securities underlying the option at the exercise price.
Because options premiums paid or received by the Fund are small in relation to the market value of the investments underlying the options, buying and selling put and call options can be more speculative than investing directly in securities.
The Fund may effectively terminate its right or obligation under an option by entering into a closing transaction. For example, the Fund may terminate its obligation under a call or put option that it had written by purchasing an identical call or put option; this is known as a closing purchase transaction. Conversely, the Fund may terminate a position in a put or call option it had purchased by writing an identical put or call option; this is known as a closing sale transaction. Closing transactions permit the Fund to realize profits or limit losses on an option position prior to its exercise or expiration.
Risks of Options on Currencies and Securities
Exchange-traded options in the United States are issued by a clearing organization affiliated with the exchange on which the option is listed that, in effect, guarantees completion of every exchange-traded option transaction. In contrast, OTC options are contracts between the Fund and its counterparty (usually a securities dealer or a bank) with no clearing organization guarantee. Thus, when the Fund purchases an OTC option, it relies on the counterparty from which it purchased the option to make or take delivery of the underlying investment upon exercise of the option. Failure by the counterparty to do so would result in the loss of any premium paid by the Fund as well as the loss of any expected benefit of the transaction.
The Fund’s ability to establish and close out positions in exchange-traded options depends on the existence of a liquid market. However, there can be no assurance that such a market will exist at any particular time. Closing transactions can be made for OTC options only by negotiating directly with the counterparty, or by a transaction in the secondary market if any such market exists. There can be no assurance that the Fund will in fact be able to close out an OTC option position at a favorable price prior to expiration. In the event of insolvency of the counterparty, the Fund might be unable to close out an OTC option position at any time prior to its expiration.
If the Fund were unable to effect a closing transaction for an option it had purchased, it would have to exercise the option to realize any profit. The inability to enter into a closing purchase transaction for a covered call option written by the Fund could cause material losses because the Fund would be unable to sell the investment used as cover for the written option until the option expires or is exercised.
Options on Indices 
An index fluctuates with changes in the market values of the securities included in the index. Options on indices give the holder the right to receive an amount of cash upon exercise of the option. Receipt of this cash amount will depend upon the closing level of the index upon which the option is based being greater than (in the case of a call) or less than (in the case of a put) the exercise price of the option. Some stock index options are based on a broad market index such as the S&P 500® Composite Stock Index, the NYSE Composite Index or the NYSE Arca Major Market Index or on a narrower index such as the Philadelphia Stock Exchange Over-the-Counter Index.
Each of the exchanges has established limitations governing the maximum number of call or put options on the same index that may be bought or written by a single investor, whether acting alone or in concert with others (regardless of whether such options are written on the same or different exchanges or are held or written on one or more accounts or through one or more brokers). Under these limitations, option positions of all investment companies advised by the Adviser are combined for purposes of these limits. Pursuant to these limitations, an exchange may order the liquidation of positions and may impose other sanctions or restrictions. These position limits may restrict the number of listed options that the Fund may buy or sell.
Puts and calls on indices are similar to puts and calls on securities or futures contracts except that all settlements are in cash and gain or loss depends on changes in the index in question rather than on price movements in individual securities or futures contracts. When the Fund writes a call on an index, it receives a premium and agrees that, prior to the expiration date, the purchaser of the call, upon exercise of the call, will receive from the Fund an amount of cash if the closing level of the index upon which the call is based is greater than the exercise price of the call. The amount of cash is equal to the difference between the closing price of the index and the exercise price of the call multiplied by a specific factor (“multiplier”), which determines the total value for each point of such difference. When the Fund buys a call on an index, it pays a premium and has the same rights to such call as are indicated above.
12



When the Fund buys a put on an index, it pays a premium and has the right, prior to the expiration date, to require the seller of the put, upon the Fund’s exercise of the put, to deliver to the Fund an amount of cash if the closing level of the index upon which the put is based is less than the exercise price of the put, which amount of cash is determined by the multiplier, as described above for calls. When the Fund writes a put on an index, it receives a premium and the purchaser of the put has the right, prior to the expiration date, to require the Fund to deliver to it an amount of cash equal to the difference between the closing level of the index and the exercise price times the multiplier if the closing level is less than the exercise price.
Risks of Options on Indices
If the Fund has purchased an index option and exercises it before the closing index value for that day is available, it runs the risk that the level of the index may subsequently change. If such a change causes the exercised option to fall out-of-the-money, the Fund will be required to pay the difference between the closing index value and the exercise price of the option (times the applicable multiplier) to the assigned writer.
OTC Options 
Unlike exchange-traded options, which are standardized with respect to the underlying instrument, expiration date, contract size and strike price, the terms of OTC options (options not traded on exchanges) generally are established through negotiation with the other party to the option contract. While this type of arrangement allows the Fund great flexibility to tailor the option to its needs, OTC options generally involve greater risk than exchange-traded options, which are guaranteed by the clearing organization of the exchanges where they are traded.
Options on Futures Contracts 
When the Fund writes an option on a futures contract, it becomes obligated, in return for the premium paid, to assume a position in the futures contract at a specified exercise price at any time during the term of the option. If the Fund writes a call, it assumes a short futures position. If it writes a put, it assumes a long futures position. When the Fund purchases an option on a futures contract, it acquires the right in return for the premium it pays to assume a position in a futures contract (a long position if the option is a call and a short position if the option is a put).
Whether the Fund realizes a gain or loss from futures activities depends upon movements in the underlying security or index. The extent of the Fund’s loss from an unhedged short position from writing unhedged call options on futures contracts is potentially unlimited. The Fund only purchases and sells options on futures contracts that are traded on a U.S. exchange or board of trade.
Purchasers and sellers of options on futures can enter into offsetting closing transactions, similar to closing transactions in options, by selling or purchasing, respectively, an instrument identical to the instrument purchased or sold. Positions in options on futures contracts may be closed only on an exchange or board of trade that provides a secondary market. However, there can be no assurance that a liquid secondary market will exist for a particular contract at a particular time. In such event, it may not be possible to close a futures contract or options position.
Under certain circumstances, futures exchanges may establish daily limits on the amount that the price of an option on a futures contract can vary from the previous day’s settlement price; once that limit is reached, no trades may be made that day at a price beyond the limit. Daily price limits do not limit potential losses because prices could move to the daily limit for several consecutive days with little or no trading, thereby preventing liquidation of unfavorable positions.
If the Fund were unable to liquidate an option on a futures position due to the absence of a liquid secondary market or the imposition of price limits, it could incur substantial losses. The Fund would continue to be subject to market risk with respect to the position. In addition, except in the case of purchased options, the Fund would continue to be required to make daily variation margin payments and might be required to maintain cash or liquid assets in an account.
Risks of Options on Futures Contracts
The ordinary spreads between prices in the cash and futures markets (including the options on futures markets), due to differences in the natures of those markets, are subject to the following factors, which may create distortions. First, all participants in the futures market are subject to margin deposit and maintenance requirements. Rather than meeting additional margin deposit requirements, investors may close futures contracts through offsetting transactions, which could distort the normal relationships between the cash and futures markets. Second, the liquidity of the futures market depends on participants entering into offsetting transactions rather than making or taking delivery. To the extent participants decide to make or take delivery, liquidity in the futures market could be reduced, thus producing distortion. Third, from the point of view of speculators, the deposit requirements in the futures market are less onerous than margin requirements in the securities market. Therefore, increased participation by speculators in the futures market may cause temporary price distortions.
Combined Positions 
The Fund may purchase and write options in combination with each other. For example, the Fund may purchase a put option and write a call option on the same underlying instrument, in order to construct a combined position whose risk and return characteristics are similar to selling a futures contract. Another possible combined position would involve writing a call option at one strike price and
13



buying a call option at a lower price, in order to reduce the risk of the written call option in the event of a substantial price increase. Because combined options positions involve multiple trades, they result in higher transaction costs and may be more difficult to open and close out.
Regulation of Investment Company Use of Derivatives
SEC Rule 18f-4 (“Rule 18f-4” or the “Derivatives Rule”) regulates the ability of a Fund to enter into derivative transactions and other leveraged transactions. The Derivatives Rule defines the term “derivatives” to include short sales and forward contracts, such as TBA transactions, in addition to instruments traditionally classified as derivatives, such as swaps, futures, and options. Rule 18f-4 also regulates other types of leveraged transactions, such as reverse repurchase transactions and transactions deemed to be “similar to” reverse repurchase transactions, such as certain securities lending transactions in connection with which a Fund obtains leverage. Among other things, under Rule 18f-4, a Fund is prohibited from entering into these derivatives transactions except in reliance on the provisions of the Derivatives Rule. The Derivatives Rule establishes limits on the derivatives transactions that a Fund may enter into based on the value-at-risk (“VaR”) of the Fund inclusive of derivatives. A Fund will generally satisfy the limits under the Rule if the VaR of its portfolio (inclusive of derivatives transactions) does not exceed 200% of the VaR of its “designated reference portfolio.” The “designated reference portfolio” is a representative unleveraged index or the Fund’s own portfolio absent derivatives holdings, as determined by the Fund’s derivatives risk manager. This limits test is referred to as the “Relative VaR Test.” As a result of the Relative VaR Test, the Fund may not seek returns in excess of 2x the Underlying Index.
In addition, among other requirements, Rule 18f-4 requires the Fund to establish a derivatives risk management program, appoint a derivatives risk manager, and carry out enhanced reporting to the Board, the SEC and the public regarding the Fund’s derivatives activities. It is possible that the limits and compliance costs imposed by the Derivatives Rule may adversely affect the Fund’s performance, efficiency in implementing its strategy, liquidity and/or ability to pursue its investment objectives and may increase the cost of the Fund’s investments and cost of doing business, which could adversely affect investors.
Foreign Issuers
The Fund may invest a significant portion of its assets in issuers located outside the United States directly, or in financial instruments that are indirectly linked to the performance of foreign issuers. Examples of such financial instruments include depositary receipts, which are described further below, “ordinary shares,” and “New York shares” issued and traded in the United States. Ordinary shares are shares of foreign issuers that are traded abroad and on a United States exchange. New York shares are shares that a foreign issuer has allocated for trading in the United States. American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”), ordinary shares, and New York shares all may be purchased with and sold for U.S. dollars, which protects the Fund from the foreign settlement risks described below.
Investing in foreign companies may involve risks not typically associated with investing in United States companies. The value of securities denominated in foreign currencies, and of dividends from such securities, can change significantly when foreign currencies strengthen or weaken relative to the U.S. dollar. Foreign securities markets generally have less trading volume and less liquidity than United States markets, and prices in some foreign markets can be more volatile than those of domestic securities. Therefore, the Fund’s investment in foreign securities may be less liquid and subject to more rapid and erratic price movements than comparable securities listed for trading on U.S. exchanges. Non-U.S. equity securities may trade at price/earnings multiples higher than comparable U.S. securities and such levels may not be sustainable. There may be less government supervision and regulation of foreign stock exchanges, brokers, banks and listed companies abroad than in the U.S. Moreover, settlement practices for transactions in foreign markets may differ from those in U.S. markets. Such differences may include delays beyond periods customary in the U.S. and practices, such as delivery of securities prior to receipt of payment, that increase the likelihood of a failed settlement, which can result in losses to the Fund. The value of non-U.S. investments and the investment income derived from them may also be affected unfavorably by changes in currency exchange control regulations. Foreign brokerage commissions, custodial expenses and other fees are also generally higher than for securities traded in the U.S. This may cause the Fund to incur higher portfolio transaction costs than domestic equity funds. Fluctuations in exchange rates may also affect the earning power and asset value of the foreign entity issuing a security, even one denominated in U.S. dollars. Dividend and interest payments may be repatriated based on the exchange rate at the time of disbursement, and restrictions on capital flows may be imposed. Many foreign countries lack uniform accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards comparable to those that apply to United States companies, and it may be more difficult to obtain reliable information regarding a foreign issuer’s financial condition and operations. In addition, the costs of foreign investing, including withholding taxes, brokerage commissions, and custodial fees, generally are higher than for United States investments.
Investing in companies located abroad carries political and economic risks distinct from those associated with investing in the United States. Foreign investment may be affected by actions of foreign governments adverse to the interests of United States investors, including the possibility of expropriation or nationalization of assets, confiscatory taxation, restrictions on United States investment, or on the ability to repatriate assets or to convert currency into U.S. dollars. There may be a greater possibility of default by foreign governments or foreign-government sponsored enterprises. Losses and other expenses may be incurred in converting between various currencies in connection with purchases and sales of foreign securities. Investments in foreign countries also involve a risk of local political, economic, or social instability, military action or unrest, or adverse diplomatic developments.
Investing in companies domiciled in emerging market countries may be subject to greater risks than investments in developed countries. These risks include: (i) less social, political, and economic stability; (ii) greater illiquidity and price volatility due to smaller
14



or limited local capital markets for such securities, or low or non-existent trading volumes; (iii) foreign exchanges and broker-dealers may be subject to less scrutiny and regulation by local authorities; (iv) local governments may decide to seize or confiscate securities held by foreign investors and/or local governments may decide to suspend or limit an issuer’s ability to make dividend or interest payments; (v) local governments may limit or entirely restrict repatriation of invested capital, profits, and dividends; (vi) capital gains may be subject to local taxation, including on a retroactive basis; (vii) issuers facing restrictions on dollar or euro payments imposed by local governments may attempt to make dividend or interest payments to foreign investors in the local currency; (viii) investors may experience difficulty in enforcing legal claims related to the securities and/or local judges may favor the interests of the issuer over those of foreign investors; (ix) bankruptcy judgments may only be permitted to be paid in the local currency; (x) limited public information regarding the issuer may result in greater difficulty in determining market valuations of the securities, and (xi) lax financial reporting on a regular basis, substandard disclosure, and differences in accounting standards may make it difficult to ascertain the financial health of an issuer.
Geographic Concentration
Funds that are less diversified across countries or geographic regions are generally riskier than more geographically diversified funds. A fund that focuses on a single country or a specific region is more exposed to that country’s or region’s economic cycles, currency exchange rates, stock market valuations and political risks, among others, compared with a more geographically diversified fund. The economies and financial markets of certain regions, such as Asia and the Middle East, can be interdependent and may be adversely affected by the same events.
Set forth below for certain markets in which the Fund may invest are brief descriptions of some of the conditions and risks in each such market.
Investments in China and Hong Kong. Investing in shares or ADRs with underlying shares of companies organized, listed or domiciled in China involves special considerations not typically associated with investing in countries with more democratic governments or more established economies or securities markets. Such risks may include: (i) the risk of nationalization or expropriation of assets or confiscatory taxation; (ii) greater social, economic and political uncertainty (including the risk of war); (iii) dependency on exports and the corresponding importance of international trade; (iv) increasing competition from Asia’s other low-cost emerging economies; (v) higher rates of inflation; (vi) controls on foreign investment and limitations on repatriation of invested capital; (vii) greater governmental involvement in and control over the economy; (viii) the risk that the Chinese government may decide not to continue to support the economic reform programs implemented since 1978 and could return to the prior, completely centrally planned, economy; (ix) the fact that Chinese companies, particularly those located in China, may be smaller, less seasoned and newly organized; (x) the differences in, or lack of, auditing and financial reporting standards which may result in unavailability of material information about issuers, particularly in China; (xi) the fact that statistical information regarding the economy of China may be inaccurate or not comparable to statistical information regarding the U.S. or other economies; (xii) the less extensive, and still developing, regulation of the securities markets, business entities and commercial transactions; (xiii) the fact that the settlement period of securities transactions in foreign markets may be longer; (xiv) the fact that the willingness and ability of the Chinese government to support the Chinese and Hong Kong economies and markets is uncertain; (xv) the risk that it may be more difficult, or impossible, to obtain and/or enforce a judgment than in other countries; (xvi) the rapid and erratic nature of growth, particularly in China, resulting in inefficiencies and dislocations; (xvii) the risk that, because of the degree of interconnectivity between the economies and financial markets of China and Hong Kong, any sizable reduction in the demand for goods from China, or an economic downturn in China, could negatively affect the economy and financial market of Hong Kong as well; and (xviii) the risk that certain companies in the Underlying Index may have dealings with countries subject to sanctions or embargoes imposed by the U.S. Government or identified as state sponsors of terrorism.
China is also vulnerable economically to the impact of a public health crisis, which could depress consumer demand, reduce economic output, and potentially lead to market closures, travel restrictions, and quarantines, all of which would negatively impact China’s economy and could affect the economies of its trading partners.
After many years of steady growth, the growth rate of China’s economy has recently slowed. Although this slowdown was to some degree intentional, the slowdown has also slowed the once rapidly growing Chinese real estate market and left local governments with high debts with few viable means to raise revenue, especially with the fall in demand for housing. Despite its attempts to restructure its economy towards consumption, China remains heavily dependent on exports. Accordingly, China is susceptible to economic downturns abroad, including any weakness in demand from its major trading partners, including the United States, Japan, and Europe. In addition, China’s aging infrastructure, worsening environmental conditions, rapid and inequitable urbanization, quickly widening urban and rural income gap, domestic unrest and provincial separatism all present major challenges to the country. Further, China’s territorial claims, including its land reclamation projects and the establishment of an Air Defense Identification Zone over islands claimed and occupied by Japan, are another source of tension and present risks to diplomatic and trade relations with certain of China’s regional trade partners.
Investments in Hong Kong are also subject to certain political risks not associated with other investments. Following the establishment of the People’s Republic of China by the Communist Party in 1949, the Chinese government renounced various debt obligations incurred by China’s predecessor governments, which obligations remain in default, and expropriated assets without compensation.
15



There can be no assurance that the Chinese government will not take similar action in the future. Investments in China and Hong Kong involve risk of a total loss due to government action or inaction. China has committed by treaty to preserve Hong Kong’s autonomy and its economic, political and social freedoms for 50 years from the July 1, 1997 transfer of sovereignty from Great Britain to China. However, if China would exert its authority so as to alter the economic, political or legal structures or the existing social policy of Hong Kong, investor and business confidence in Hong Kong could be negatively affected, which in turn could negatively affect markets and business performance. In addition, the Hong Kong dollar trades at a fixed exchange rate in relation to (or, is “pegged” to) the U.S. dollar, which has contributed to the growth and stability of the Hong Kong economy. However, it is uncertain how long the currency peg will continue or what effect the establishment of an alternative exchange rate system would have on the Hong Kong economy. Because the Fund’s net asset value (“NAV”) is denominated in U.S. dollars, the establishment of an alternative exchange rate system could result in a decline in the Fund’s NAV. These and other factors could have a negative impact on the Fund’s performance.
Depositary Receipts
The Fund’s investment in securities of foreign companies may be in the form of depositary receipts or other securities convertible into securities of foreign issuers. ADRs are dollar-denominated receipts representing interests in the securities of a foreign issuer, which securities may not necessarily be denominated in the same currency as the securities into which they may be converted. ADRs are receipts typically issued by United States banks and trust companies which evidence ownership of underlying securities issued by a foreign corporation. Generally, ADRs in registered form are designed for use in domestic securities markets and are traded on exchanges or over-the-counter in the United States. Global Depositary Receipts (“GDRs”), European Depositary Receipts (“EDRs”), and International Depositary Receipts (“IDRs”) are similar to ADRs in that they are certificates evidencing ownership of shares of a foreign issuer, however, GDRs, EDRs, and IDRs may be issued in bearer form and denominated in other currencies, and are generally designed for use in specific or multiple securities markets outside the U.S. EDRs, for example, are designed for use in European securities markets while GDRs are designed for use throughout the world. Depositary receipts will not necessarily be denominated in the same currency as their underlying securities.
The Fund will not invest in any unlisted Depositary Receipts or any Depositary Receipt that the Adviser deems to be illiquid or for which pricing information is not readily available. In addition, all Depositary Receipts generally must be sponsored. However, the Fund may invest in unsponsored Depositary Receipts under certain limited circumstances. The issuers of unsponsored Depositary Receipts are not obligated to disclose material information in the United States, and, therefore, there may be less information available regarding such issuers and there may not be a correlation between such information and the market value of the Depositary Receipts. The use of Depositary Receipts may increase tracking error relative to the Underlying Index.
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. There can be no guarantee that the United States will be able to meet its payment obligations with respect to such securities. Additionally, market prices and yields of securities supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government may decline or be negative for short or long periods of time. 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 Fannie Mae, the Government National Mortgage Association (“Ginnie Mae”), 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 Intermediate Credit Banks, the Tennessee Valley Authority, the Export-Import Bank of the United States, the Commodity Credit Corporation, the Federal Financing Bank, 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, Ginnie Mae 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 Fannie Mae, 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.
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
16



permitted to borrow to meet its existing obligations and finance current budget deficits. In August 2011, Standard & Poor’s 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 ceiling 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.
The value of direct or indirect investments in fixed income securities will fluctuate with changes in interest rates. Typically, a rise in interest rates causes a decline in the value of fixed income securities. On the other hand, if rates fall, the value of the fixed income securities generally increases. In general, the market price of fixed income securities with longer maturities will increase or decrease more in response to changes in interest rates than shorter-term securities. The value of direct or indirect investments in fixed income securities may be affected by the inability of issuers to repay principal and interest or illiquidity in debt securities markets.
U.S. Treasury Obligations. U.S. Treasury obligations consist of bills, notes and bonds issued by the U.S. Treasury and separately traded interest and principal component parts of such obligations that are transferable through the federal book-entry system known as Separately Traded Registered Interest and Principal Securities (“STRIPS”) and Treasury Receipts (“TRs”).
Receipts. Interests in separately traded interest and principal component parts of U.S. government obligations that are issued by banks or brokerage firms and are created by depositing U.S. government obligations into a special account at a custodian bank. The custodian holds the interest and principal payments for the benefit of the registered owners of the certificates or receipts. The custodian arranges for the issuance of the certificates or receipts evidencing ownership and maintains the register. TRs and STRIPS are interests in accounts sponsored by the U.S. Treasury. Receipts are sold as zero coupon securities.
U.S. Government Zero Coupon Securities. STRIPS and receipts are sold as zero coupon securities, that is, fixed income securities that have been stripped of their unmatured interest coupons. Zero coupon securities are sold at a (usually substantial) discount and redeemed at face value at their maturity date without interim cash payments of interest or principal. The amount of this discount is accreted over the life of the security, and the accretion constitutes the income earned on the security for both accounting and tax purposes. Because of these features, the market prices of zero coupon securities are generally more volatile than the market prices of securities that have similar maturity but that pay interest periodically. Zero coupon securities are likely to respond to a greater degree to interest rate changes than are non-zero coupon securities with similar maturity and credit qualities.
U.S. Government Agencies. Some obligations issued or guaranteed by agencies of the U.S. government are supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury, others are supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury, while still others are supported only by the credit of the instrumentality. Guarantees of principal by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. government may be a guarantee of payment at the maturity of the obligation so that in the event of a default prior to maturity there might not be a market and thus no means of realizing on the obligation prior to maturity. Guarantees as to the timely payment of principal and interest do not extend to the value or yield of these securities nor to the value of the Fund’s Shares.
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 net 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 borrowing Fund promptly. Borrowing will tend to exaggerate the effect on net asset value (“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.
Other Short-Term Instruments
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 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 Adviser, are of comparable quality to
17



obligations of 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. Short-term instruments that are fixed-income instruments are generally subject to the same risks as other fixed-income instruments, including credit risk and interest rate risk, and short-term instruments that are money market funds are generally subject to the same risks as other investment companies, including the obligation to pay the Fund’s share of the underlying fund’s expenses.
Investment Companies
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 and Rule 12d1-4 under 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: (i) more than 3% of the total outstanding voting stock of the acquired company; (ii) 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 (iii) 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 Fund’s own investment 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 rules under the 1940 Act or as may 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: (a) the Fund, together with its affiliates, acquires no more than 3% of the outstanding voting stock of any acquired fund, and (b) the sales load charged on Shares is no greater than the limits set forth in Rule 2341 of the Conduct Rules of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”). Additionally, the Fund may rely on exemptive relief issued by the SEC to other registered funds, including ETFs, or on Rule 12d1-4 under the 1940 Act 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 or rule.
Lending Portfolio Securities
The Fund may lend portfolio securities to certain creditworthy borrowers in U.S. and non-U.S. markets in an amount not to exceed one-third (33 1/3%) of the value of its total assets. 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 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, money market funds, or other investment companies (including ETFs), which may include those managed by the 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. Counterparty risk may be greater when
18



the Fund loans its securities to a single or small group of counterparties. 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.
The Fund will generally seek to recall securities on loan to vote on matters if the result of the vote may materially affect the investment. However, in some circumstances the Fund may be unable to recall the securities in time to vote or may determine that the benefits to the Fund of voting are outweighed by the direct or indirect costs of such a recall. In these circumstances, loaned securities may be voted or not voted in a manner adverse to the best interests of the Fund.
Future Developments
The Fund may take advantage of opportunities in the area of options and futures contracts, options on futures contracts, warrants, swaps and any other investments which are not presently contemplated for use by the Fund or which are not currently available but which may be developed, to the extent such opportunities are both consistent with the Fund’s investment objective and legally permissible for the Fund. Before entering into such transactions or making any such investment, the Fund will provide appropriate disclosure.
SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS AND RISKS
A discussion of the risks associated with an investment in the Fund is contained in the Prospectus. The discussion below supplements, and should be read in conjunction with, the Prospectus.
General
Investment in the Fund should be made with an understanding that the value of the Fund’s portfolio securities may fluctuate in accordance with changes in the financial condition of the issuers of the portfolio securities, the value of securities generally and other factors.
An investment in the Fund should also be made with an understanding of the risks inherent in an investment in securities, including the risk that the financial condition of issuers may become impaired or that the general condition of the securities markets may deteriorate (either of which may cause a decrease in the value of the portfolio securities and thus in the value of Shares). Securities are susceptible to general market fluctuations and to volatile increases and decreases in value as market confidence in and perceptions of their issuers 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 and 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, have generally inferior rights to receive payments from the issuer in comparison with the rights of creditors of, or holders of debt obligations or preferred stocks issued by, the issuer. Further, unlike debt securities which typically have a stated principal amount payable at maturity (whose value, however, will be 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.
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, custodian, transfer agent, 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 net asset value, 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.
Recent Market Events
Beginning in the first quarter of 2020, financial markets in the United States and around the world experienced extreme and in many cases unprecedented volatility and severe losses due to the global pandemic caused by COVID-19, a novel coronavirus. The pandemic has resulted in a wide range of social and economic disruptions, including closed borders, voluntary or compelled quarantines of large populations, stressed healthcare systems, reduced or prohibited domestic or international travel, supply chain disruptions, and so-called “stay-at-home” orders throughout much of the United States and many other countries. The fall-out from these disruptions has included the rapid closure of businesses deemed “non-essential” by federal, state, or local governments and rapidly increasing unemployment, as well as greatly reduced liquidity for certain instruments at times. Some sectors of the economy and individual
19



issuers have experienced particularly large losses. Such disruptions may continue for an extended period of time or reoccur in the future to a similar or greater extent. In response, the U.S. government and the Federal Reserve have taken extraordinary actions to support the domestic economy and financial markets, resulting in very low interest rates and in some cases negative yields. It is unknown how long circumstances related to the pandemic will persist, whether they will reoccur in the future, whether efforts to support the economy and financial markets will be successful, and what additional implications may follow from the pandemic. The impact of these events and other epidemics or pandemics in the future could adversely affect Fund performance.
Tax Risks
As with any investment, you should consider how your investment in Shares of the Fund 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 of the Fund.
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.
Correlation and Tracking Risk
Several factors may affect the Fund’s ability to obtain its daily leveraged investment objective. Among these factors are: (1) Fund expenses, including brokerage expenses and commissions and financing costs related to derivatives (which may be increased by high portfolio turnover); (2) less than all of the securities in the Index being held by the Fund and securities not included in the Index being held by the Fund; (3) an imperfect correlation between the performance of instruments held by the Fund, such as other investment companies, including ETFs, futures contracts and options, and the performance of the underlying securities in the cash market comprising an index; (4) bid-ask spreads; (5) the Fund holding instruments that are illiquid or the market for which becomes disrupted; (6) the need to conform the Fund’s portfolio holdings to comply with the Fund’s investment restrictions or policies, or regulatory or tax law requirements; (7) market movements that run counter to the Fund’s investments (which will cause divergence between the Fund and the Index over time due to the mathematical effects of leveraging); and (8) disruptions and illiquidity in the markets for securities or derivatives held by the Fund.
While index futures and options contracts closely correlate with the applicable indices over long periods, shorter-term deviation, such as on a daily basis, does occur with these instruments. As a result, the Fund’s short-term performance will reflect such deviation from the Index. The Fund may use a combination of swaps on the Index and swaps on an ETF whose investment objective is to track the performance of the same, or a substantially similar index to achieve its investment objective. The reference ETF may not closely track the performance of the Index due to fees and other costs borne by the ETF and other factors. Thus, to the extent that the Fund invests in swaps that use an ETF as a reference asset, the Fund may be subject to greater correlation risk and may not achieve as high a degree of leveraged correlation with the Index as it would if the Fund used swaps that utilized the Index as the reference asset. Any financing, borrowing or other costs associated with using derivatives may also reduce the Fund’s return.
Furthermore, the Fund has an investment objective to seek daily investment results, before fees and expenses, that corresponds to the performance of two times (2x) the daily performance of the Index for a single day, not for any other period. A “single day” is measured from the time the Fund calculates its NAV to the time of the Fund’s next NAV calculation. While a close correlation of the Fund to its benchmark may be achieved on any single day, the Fund’s performance for any other period is the result of its return for each day compounded over the period. This usually will differ in amount and possibly even direction from two times (2x) the daily return of the Index for the same period, before accounting for fees and expenses, as further described in the Prospectus and below.
In addition, the Adviser will attempt to position the Fund’s portfolio to ensure that the Fund does not gain or lose more than 90% of its NAV on a given day. As a consequence, the Fund’s portfolio should not be responsive to Index movements of more than 45% in a given day. For example, for the Fund, if the Index were to gain 50%, its gains should be limited to a daily gain of 90% (i.e., two times (2x) 45%) rather than 100% (i.e., two times (2x) 50%).
Special Note Regarding the Correlation Risks of the Fund. As discussed in the Prospectus, the Fund is “leveraged” in the sense that it has an investment objective to match 200% of the performance of its Underlying Index on a given day. The Fund is subject to all of the correlation risks described in the Prospectus. In addition, there is a special form of correlation risk that derives from the Fund’s use of leverage, which is that for periods greater than one day, the use of leverage tends to cause the performance of the Fund to be either greater than, or less than, 200% of the performance of its Underlying Index.
The Fund’s return for periods longer than one day is primarily a function of the following:
a.Underlying Index performance;
b.Underlying Index volatility;
c.Financing rates associated with leverage;
d.Other fund expenses;
e.Dividends paid by companies in the underlying index; and
f.Period of time.
20



The performance for the Fund can be estimated given any set of assumptions for the factors described above. Illustrated below is the impact of two factors, Underlying Index volatility and Underlying Index performance, on the Fund. Underlying Index volatility is a statistical measure of the magnitude of fluctuations in the returns of an index and is calculated as the standard deviation of the natural logarithms of one plus the index return (calculated daily), multiplied by the square root of the number of trading days per year (assumed to be 252). The illustration estimates Fund returns for a number of combinations of Underlying Index performance and Underlying Index volatility over a one year period and assumes: a) no dividends paid by the companies included in the Underlying Index; b) no fund expenses; and c) borrowing/lending rates (to obtain leverage) of zero percent. If fund expenses were included, the Fund’s performance would be lower than shown.
As shown below, the Fund would be expected to lose 6.1% if the Underlying Index provided no return over a one year period during which the Underlying Index experienced annualized volatility of 25%. If the Underlying Index’s annualized volatility were to rise to 75%, the hypothetical loss for a one year period widens to approximately 43% for the Fund. At higher ranges of volatility, there is a chance of a near complete loss of value even if the Underlying Index is flat. For instance, if the Underlying Index’s annualized volatility is 100%, it is likely that the Fund would lose 63.2% of its value, even if the Underlying Index’s cumulative return for the year was only 0%. The volatility of ETFs or instruments that reflect the value of the underlying index such as swaps, may differ from the volatility of a Fund’s underlying index.
In the table below, areas shaded green represent those scenarios where the Fund will outperform (i.e., return more than) the Underlying Index’s performance times the stated multiple in the Fund’s investment objective; conversely areas shaded red represent those scenarios where the Fund will underperform (i.e., return less than) the Underlying Index’s performance times the stated multiple in the Fund’s investment objective.
The table below are intended to underscore the fact that the Fund is designed as a short-term trading vehicle for investors who intend to actively monitor and manage their portfolios. It is not intended to be used by, and is not appropriate for, investors who do not intend to actively monitor and manage their portfolios. For additional information regarding correlation and volatility risk for the Fund, see “Effects of Compounding and Market Volatility Risk” in the Prospectus.
One Year Index Two Times (2x) One Year Index Volatility Rate
Return Return 10% 25% 50% 75% 100%
-60% -120% -84.2% -85.0% -87.5% -90.9% -94.1%
-50% -100% -75.2% -76.5% -80.5% -85.8% -90.8%
-40% -80% -64.4% -66.2% -72.0% -79.5% -86.8%
-30% -60% -51.5% -54.0% -61.8% -72.1% -82.0%
-20% -40% -36.6% -39.9% -50.2% -63.5% -76.5%
-10% -20% -19.8% -23.9% -36.9% -53.8% -70.2%
0% 0% -1.0% -6.1% -22.1% -43.0% -63.2%
10% 20% 19.8% 13.7% -5.8% -31.1% -55.5%
20% 40% 42.6% 35.3% 12.1% -18.0% -47.0%
30% 60% 67.3% 58.8% 31.6% -3.7% -37.8%
40% 80% 94.0% 84.1% 52.6% 11.7% -27.9%
50% 100% 122.8% 111.4% 75.2% 28.2% -17.2%
60% 120% 153.5% 140.5% 99.4% 45.9% -5.8%
The foregoing table is intended to isolate the effect of Underlying Index volatility and Underlying Index performance on the return of the Fund. The Fund’s actual returns may be significantly greater or less than the returns shown above as a result of any of factors discussed above or under “Effects of Compounding and Market Volatility Risk” in the Prospectus.
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. Except with the approval of a majority of the outstanding voting securities, the Fund may not:
21



1.Concentrate its investments in an industry or group of industries (i.e., hold 25% or more of its net assets in the stocks of a particular industry or group of industries), except that the Fund will concentrate to approximately the same extent that its Underlying Index concentrates in the stocks of such particular industry or group of industries. For purposes of this limitation, securities of the U.S. government (including its agencies and instrumentalities), and securities of state or municipal governments and their political subdivisions are not considered to be issued by members of any industry.
2.Borrow money or issue senior securities (as defined under the 1940 Act), except to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act, the rules and regulations thereunder or any exemption therefrom, as such statute, rules or regulations may be amended or interpreted from time to time.
3.Lend any security or make any other loan, except to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act the rules and regulations thereunder or any exemption therefrom, as such statute, rules or regulations may be amended or interpreted from time to time.
4.Purchase or sell commodities or real estate, except to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act, the rules and regulations thereunder or any exemption therefrom, as such statute, rules or regulations may be amended or interpreted from time to time.
5.Underwrite securities issued by other persons, except to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act, the rules and regulations thereunder or any exemption therefrom, as such statute, rules or regulations may be amended or interpreted from time to time.
In addition to the investment restrictions adopted as fundamental policies as set forth above, the Fund observes the following restrictions, which may be changed without a shareholder vote.
1.The Fund will not invest in illiquid assets in excess of 15% of its net assets. An illiquid asset is any asset 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 asset. 
2.Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets, plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes, in financial instruments, such as swap agreements, securities of the Index, and exchange-traded funds that track the Index and other financial instruments that provide daily leveraged exposure to the Index or to ETFs that track the Index.
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. In addition, if the Fund’s holdings of illiquid securities exceeds 15% of net assets because of changes in the value of the Fund’s investments, the Fund will act in accordance with Rule 22e-4 under the 1940 Act and will take action to reduce its holdings of illiquid securities pursuant to its written liquidity risk management program.
The following descriptions of certain provisions of the 1940 Act may assist investors in understanding the above policies and restrictions:
Concentration. The SEC has defined concentration as investing 25% or more of an investment company’s net assets in an industry or group of industries, with certain exceptions.
Borrowing. The 1940 Act presently allows a fund to borrow from any bank (including pledging, mortgaging or hypothecating assets) in an amount up to 33 1/3% of its total assets (not including temporary borrowings not in excess of 5% of its total assets).
Senior Securities. Senior securities may include any obligation or instrument issued by a fund evidencing indebtedness. The 1940 Act generally prohibits funds from issuing senior securities, although it permits funds to enter into certain transactions, such as certain borrowings, futures contracts, forward contracts, swap agreements, short sales and reverse repurchase agreements, that are entered into in compliance with the requirements of Rule 18f-4.
Lending. Under the 1940 Act, a fund may only make loans if expressly permitted by its investment policies. The Fund’s current investment policy on lending is as follows: the Fund may not make loans if, as a result, more than 33 1/3% of its total assets would be lent to other parties, except that the Fund may: (i) purchase or hold debt instruments in accordance with its investment objective and policies; (ii) enter into repurchase agreements; and (iii) engage in securities lending subject to the limitations described in this SAI.
Underwriting. Under the 1940 Act, underwriting securities involves a fund purchasing securities directly from an issuer for the purpose of selling (distributing) them or participating in any such activity either directly or indirectly.
Real Estate. The 1940 Act does not directly restrict an investment company’s ability to invest in real estate, but does require that every investment company have a fundamental investment policy governing such investments. The Fund will not purchase or sell real estate, except that the Fund may purchase marketable securities issued by companies which own or invest in real estate (including REITs).
Commodities. The Fund will not purchase or sell physical commodities or commodities contracts, except that the Fund may purchase: (i) marketable securities issued by companies which own or invest in commodities or commodities contracts; and (ii) commodities contracts relating to financial instruments, such as financial futures contracts and options on such contracts.
22



Names Rule. For purposes of determining compliance with its 80% investment policy, the Fund may account for a derivative position by reference to either its market value or notional value, depending on the circumstances. Consistent with the purposes of Rule 35d-1 under the 1940 Act, the Fund may use the notional value of a derivative when notional value is the best measure of the economic exposure the derivative provides to investments that are consistent with the Fund’s name.
EXCHANGE LISTING AND TRADING
A discussion of exchange listing and trading matters associated with an investment in the Fund is contained in the summary section of the Fund’s Prospectus under the “Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares” and in the statutory Prospectus under “Buying and Selling the Fund.” The discussion below supplements, and should be read in conjunction with, such sections of the Prospectus.
The Shares of the Fund are approved for listing and trading on the Exchange, subject to notice of issuance. The Shares trade on the Exchange at prices that may differ to some degree from their net asset value. There can be no assurance that the requirements of the Exchange necessary to maintain the listing of Shares of the Fund will continue to be met.
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 will consider the suspension of trading in, and will initiate delisting proceedings of, the Shares under any of the following circumstances: (i) if any of the requirements set forth in the Exchange rules, including compliance with Rule 6c-11(c) under the 1940 Act, are not continuously maintained; (ii) if, following the initial 12-month period beginning at the commencement of trading of the Fund, there are fewer than 50 beneficial owners of Shares of the Fund; or (iii) if 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 of the Fund from listing and trading upon termination of the Fund.
The Trust reserves the right to adjust the Share price of the Fund in the future to 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.
As in the case of other publicly traded securities, brokers’ commissions on transactions will be based on negotiated commission rates at customary levels.
The base and trading currencies of the Fund is the U.S. dollar. The base currency is the currency in which the Fund’s net asset value per Share is calculated and the trading currency is the currency in which Shares of the Fund are listed and traded on the Exchange.
MANAGEMENT OF THE TRUST
The following information supplements and should be read in conjunction with the section in the Prospectus entitled “Fund Management.”
Board Responsibilities. The management and affairs of the Trust and the Fund described in this SAI, are overseen by the Trustees. The Board 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.
Like most registered investment companies, 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 Distributor and the Administrator. The Trustees are responsible for overseeing the Trust’s service providers and, thus, have 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 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 Trustees’ 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 objectives, strategies and risks of the Fund as well as proposed investment limitations for the Fund. Additionally, the Adviser provides the Board with an overview of, among other things, its investment philosophy, brokerage practices and compliance infrastructure. Thereafter, the Board continues its oversight function as various personnel, including the Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer, as well as personnel of the Adviser and other service providers such as the Fund’s independent accountants, 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 receives information about those services at its regular meetings. In addition, on an annual basis, in connection with its consideration of whether to renew the Advisory Agreements with the Adviser, the Board meets with the Adviser to review such services. Among other things, the Board regularly considers the Adviser’s adherence to the Fund’s investment restrictions and compliance with various Fund
23



policies and procedures and with applicable securities regulations. The Board also reviews information about the Fund’s performance and the Fund’s investments, including, for example, portfolio holdings schedules.
The Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer reports regularly to the Board to review and discuss compliance issues and Fund and 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. 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. The Board has also established a Fair Value Committee that is responsible for implementing the Trust’s Fair Value Procedures and providing reports to the Board concerning investments for which market quotations are not readily available. Annually, the 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, 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 Trustees 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 Fund’s 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 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 oversee the management of risk, as a practical matter, is subject to limitations.
Members of the Board. There are three members of the Board, two of whom are not interested persons of the Trust, as that term is defined in the 1940 Act (“Independent Trustees”). Samuel Masucci, III, an interested person of the Trust, serves as Chairman of the Board. Terry Loebs serves as the Trust’s Lead Independent Trustee. As Lead Independent Trustee, Mr. Loebs acts as a spokesperson for the Independent Trustees in between meetings of the Board, participates in setting the agenda for meetings of the Board and separate meetings or executive sessions of the Independent Trustees, and serves as chair during executive sessions of the Independent Trustees.
The Board is comprised of 67% Independent Trustees. There is an Audit Committee of the Board that is chaired by an Independent Trustee and comprised solely of Independent Trustees. The Audit Committee chair presides at the Committee meetings, participates in formulating agendas for 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 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. The Trust made this determination in consideration of, among other things, the fact that the Independent Trustees constitute 67% 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.
The Board of Trustees has two standing committees: the Audit Committee and Nominating Committee. The Audit Committee and Nominating Committee are each chaired by an Independent Trustee and composed of Independent Trustees.
Set forth below are the names, birth years, positions with the Trust, length of term of office, and the principal occupations and other directorships held during at least the last five years of each of the persons currently serving as a Trustee of the Trust, as well as information about each officer. The business address of each Trustee and officer is 30 Maple Street, 2nd Floor, Summit, New Jersey 07901.
24



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
Number of
Portfolios in
Fund Complex
Overseen By
Trustee
Other Directorships Held by Trustee
During Past 5 Years
Interested Trustee* and Officers
Samuel R. Masucci, III
(1962)
Trustee,
Chairman of the Board and President
(since 2012);
Secretary (since 2014)
Chief Executive Officer, Exchange Traded Managers Group LLC (since 2013); Chief Executive Officer, ETF Managers Group LLC (since 2016); Chief Executive Officer, ETF Managers Capital LLC (commodity pool operator) (since 2014); Chief Executive Officer (2012–2016) and Chief Compliance Officer (2012–2014), Factor Advisors, LLC (investment adviser); President and Chief Executive Officer, Factor Capital Management LLC (2012-2014) (commodity pool operator);
18 None
John A. Flanagan, (1946)
Treasurer (since 2015)
President, John A. Flanagan CPA, LLC (accounting services) (since 2010); Treasurer, ETF Managers Trust (since 2015); Chief Financial Officer, ETF Managers Capital LLC (commodity pool operator) (since 2015)
n/a n/a
Reshma A. Tanczos
(1978)
Chief Compliance Officer (since 2016)
Chief Compliance Officer of ETFMG Financial LLC (since 2017); Chief Compliance Officer, ETF Managers Group LLC (since 2016); Chief Compliance Officer, ETF Managers Capital LLC (since 2016); Partner, Crow & Cushing (law firm) (2007‑2016). n/a n/a
Matthew J. Bromberg
(1973)
Assistant Secretary (since 2020) General Counsel and Secretary of Exchange Traded Managers Group LLC (since 2020); ETF Managers Group LLC (since 2020); ETFMG Financial LLC (since 2020); ETF Managers Capital LLC (since 2020); Partner of Dorsey & Whitney LLP (law firm) (2019-2020); General Counsel of WBI Investments, Inc. (2016-2019); Millington Securities, Inc. (2016-2019); and Partner of Reed Smith (law firm) (2015-2016). n/a n/a
* Mr. Masucci is an interested Trustee by virtue of his role as the Chief Executive Officer of the Adviser.
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
Number of
Portfolios in
Fund Complex
Overseen By
Trustee
Other Directorships Held by Trustee During Past 5 Years
Independent Trustees
Terry Loebs
(1963)
Trustee (since 2014); Lead Independent Trustee (since 2020)
Founder and Managing Member, Pulsenomics LLC (index product development and consulting firm) (since 2011); Managing Director, MacroMarkets, LLC (exchange-traded products firm) (2006–2011).
18 None
Eric Weigel
(1960)
Trustee (since 2020) Senior Portfolio Manager, Little House Capital (2019-present); Managing Partner, Global Focus Capital LLC (2013-present); Chief Investment Officer, Insight Financial Strategist LLC (2017-2018). 18 None
25



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 Fund 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 Fund, and to exercise their business judgment in a manner that serves the best interests of the Fund’s shareholders. The Trust has concluded that each of the Trustees should serve as a Trustee based on their own experience, qualifications, attributes and skills as described below.
The Trust has concluded that Mr. Masucci should serve as Trustee because of the experience he has gained as chief executive officer of multiple investment advisory firms as well as his knowledge of and experience in the financial services industry.
The Trust has concluded that Mr. Loebs should serve as Trustee because of his diverse experience in capital markets, including asset pricing and trading, market research, index development, and exchange-traded products, as well as his knowledge of and experience in the financial services industry.
The Trust has concluded that Mr. Weigel should serve as Trustee because of his more than 30 years of executive experience at investment advisory firms. He has gained in-depth knowledge of and experience in the financial services industry.
Board Committees
The Board has established the following standing committees:
Audit Committee. The Board has a standing Audit Committee that is composed of 100% of the Independent Trustees of the Trust, with Mr. Weigel as Chairman. The Audit Committee operates under a written charter approved by the Board. The principal responsibilities of the Audit Committee include: recommending which firm to engage as the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm and whether to terminate this relationship; reviewing the independent registered public accounting firm’s compensation, the proposed scope and terms of its engagement, and the firm’s independence; pre-approving audit and non-audit services provided by the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm to the Trust and certain other affiliated entities; serving as a channel of communication between the independent registered public accounting firm and the Trustees; reviewing the results of each external audit, including any qualifications in the independent registered public accounting firm’s opinion, any related management letter, management’s responses to recommendations made by the independent registered public accounting firm in connection with the audit, reports submitted to the Committee by the internal auditing department of the Trust’s Administrator that are material to the Trust as a whole, if any, and management’s responses to any such reports; reviewing the Fund’s audited financial statements and considering any significant disputes between the Trust’s management and the independent registered public accounting firm that arose in connection with the preparation of those financial statements; considering, in consultation with the independent registered public accounting firm and the Trust’s senior internal accounting executive, if any, the independent registered public accounting firms’ report on the adequacy of the Trust’s internal financial controls; reviewing, in consultation with the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm, major changes regarding auditing and accounting principles and practices to be followed when preparing the Fund’s financial statements; and other audit related matters. All of the Independent Trustees currently serve as members of the Audit Committee. The Audit Committee also acts as the Trust’s qualified legal compliance committee. During the fiscal year ended September 30, 2020, the Audit Committee met five times.
Nominating Committee. The Board has a standing Nominating Committee that is composed of 100% of the Independent Trustees of the Trust, with Mr. Loebs as Chairman. The Nominating Committee operates under a written charter approved by the Board. The principal responsibility of the Nominating Committee is to consider, recommend and nominate candidates to fill vacancies on the Trust’s Board, if any. The Nominating Committee generally will not consider nominees recommended by shareholders. All of the Independent Trustees currently serve as members of the Nominating Committee. During the fiscal year ended September 30, 2020, the Nominating Committee met twice.
Fair Value Committee. In addition to the Board’s standing committees described above, the Board has established a Fair Value Committee that is composed of certain officers of the Trust and representatives from the Adviser. The Fair Value Committee operates under procedures approved by the Board. The Fair Value Committee is responsible for the valuation and revaluation of any portfolio investments for which market quotations or prices are not readily available. The Fair Value Committee meets periodically, as necessary.
OWNERSHIP OF SHARES
The following table shows the dollar amount ranges of each Trustee’s “beneficial ownership” of shares of the Fund as of the end of the most recently completely 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 1934 Act. As of date of this SAI, no Trustee or officer of the Trust owned Shares because there were no Shares of the Fund outstanding.
Compensation of the Trustees and Officers
The Trustees are expected to receive the following compensation during the fiscal year ended September 30, 2021. Because the Trustee compensation is covered by the unitary fee paid by the Fund, the Adviser, and not the Fund, is responsible for compensating the Trustees.
26



Name Aggregate
Compensation
Pension or Retirement
Benefits Accrued as
Part of Fund Expenses
Estimated Annual
Benefits Upon
Retirement
Total Compensation
from the Trust and
Fund Complex
Interested Trustee
Samuel R. Masucci, III $0 $0 $0 $0
Independent Trustees
Terry Loebs  $0 $0 $0
$106,575
Eric Weigel  $0 $0 $0
$106,575
CODES OF ETHICS 
The Trust, the Adviser, and ETFMG Financial LLC (the “Distributor”) have each adopted codes 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 Distributor 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.
There can be no assurance that the codes of ethics will be effective in preventing such activities. Each code of ethics has been filed with the SEC and may be examined at the office of the SEC in Washington, D.C. or on the Internet at the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.
PROXY VOTING POLICIES
Proxies for the Fund’s portfolio securities are voted in accordance with the Adviser’s proxy voting policies and procedures, which are set forth in Appendix A to this SAI.
Information on how the Fund voted proxies relating to portfolio securities during the most recent 12 month period ended June 30 is available (1) without charge, upon request, by calling 1‑844‑383‑6477 and (2) on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.
INVESTMENT ADVISORY AND OTHER SERVICES
ETF Managers Group LLC, a Delaware limited liability company located at 30 Maple Street, 2nd Floor, Summit, New Jersey 07901, serves as the investment adviser to the Fund. The Adviser is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Exchange Traded Managers Group, LLC, an entity controlled by Samuel Masucci, III, the Adviser’s Chief Executive Officer and a Trustee and Chairman of the Board of the Trust.
The Trust and the Adviser have entered into an investment advisory agreement (the “Advisory Agreement”) with respect to the Fund. Under the Advisory Agreement, the Adviser serves as the investment adviser, makes investment decisions for the Fund, and manages the investment portfolio of the Fund, subject to the supervision of, and policies established by, the Board. The Adviser is responsible for trading portfolio securities on behalf of the Fund, including selecting broker-dealers to execute purchase and sale transactions as instructed by the Adviser or in connection with any rebalancing or reconstitution of the Fund’s Index, subject to the supervision of the Board. The Advisory Agreement provides that the Adviser shall not be protected against any liability to the Trust or its shareholders by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence generally in the performance of its duties hereunder or its reckless disregard of its obligation and duties under the Advisory Agreement.
After the initial two-year term, the continuance of the Advisory Agreement must be specifically approved at least annually: (i) by the vote of the Trustees or by a vote of the shareholders of the Fund; and (ii) by the vote of a majority of the Trustees who are not parties to the Advisory Agreement or “interested persons” or of any party thereto, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval. The Advisory Agreement will terminate automatically in the event of its assignment, and is terminable at any time without penalty by the Trustees of the Trust or, with respect to the Fund, by a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund, or by the Adviser on not more than 60 days’ nor less than 30 days’ written notice to the Trust. As used in the Advisory Agreement, the terms “majority of the outstanding voting securities,” “interested persons” and “assignment” have the same meaning as such terms in the 1940 Act.
For its services, the Adviser receives a fee that is based on the average daily net assets of the Fund with the fee for the Fund calculated daily and paid monthly.
Additionally, under the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Adviser has agreed to pay all expenses of the Fund, except for: the fee paid to the Adviser pursuant to the Investment Advisory Agreement, interest charges on any borrowings, 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 (such as, among other things and subject to
27



Board approval, certain proxy solicitation costs and non‑standard Board-related expenses and litigation against the Board, Trustees, Fund, Adviser, and officers of the Adviser), and distribution (12b-1) fees and expenses (collectively, “Excluded Expenses”).
The Fund is new and has not paid any amount to the Adviser for advisory services.
THE PORTFOLIO MANAGERS
This section includes information about the Fund’s portfolio managers, including information about other accounts managed, the dollar range of Shares owned and compensation.
Portfolio Manager Compensation. The Fund is managed by Samuel R. Masucci, III, Chief Executive Officer of the Adviser, Frank Vallario, Chief Investment Officer of the Adviser, Donal Bishnoi, Portfolio Manager of the Adviser, and Devin Ryder, Portfolio Manager of the Adviser. Their portfolio management compensation includes a salary and discretionary bonus based on the profitability of the Adviser. No compensation is directly related to the performance of the underlying assets.
Portfolio Manager Fund Ownership. Because the Fund is new, as of date of this SAI, the Portfolio Managers did not own Shares of any of the Fund.
Other Accounts
In addition to the Fund, Samuel R. Masucci, III, Frank Vallario, Donal Bishnoi, and Devin Ryder, managed the following other accounts for the Adviser as of March 31, 2021.
Type of Accounts Total
Number
of
Accounts
Total Assets of
Accounts
Total Number of
Accounts with
Performance Based Fees
Total Assets of Accounts
with
Performance Based Fees
Registered Investment Companies 11 $6,819,071,668 0 $0
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles 0 $0 0 $0
Other Accounts 0 $0 0 $0
Description of Material Conflicts of Interest. The portfolio managers’ management of “other accounts” is not expected to 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 the same investment objectives as the Fund. Therefore, a potential conflict of interest may arise as a result of the identical investment objectives, 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 the portfolio manager could use this information to the advantage of other accounts and to the disadvantage of the Fund. However, the Adviser has established policies and procedures to ensure that the purchase and sale of securities among all accounts the Adviser manages are fairly and equitably allocated.
THE DISTRIBUTOR
The Trust and ETFMG Financial LLC, an affiliate of the Adviser, are parties to a distribution agreement (the “Distribution Agreement”), whereby the Distributor acts as principal underwriter for the Trust’s shares and distributes the shares of the Fund. Shares are continuously offered for sale by the Distributor only in Creation Units. Each Creation Unit is made up of 10,000 Shares. The Distributor will not distribute Shares in amounts less than a Creation Unit and does not maintain a secondary market in Fund Shares. The principal business address of the Distributor is 30 Maple Street, 2nd Floor, Summit, New Jersey 07901.
Under the Distribution Agreement, the Distributor, as agent for the Trust, will receive 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 will deliver a prospectus to authorized participants purchasing Shares in Creation Units and will maintain records of both orders placed with it and confirmations of acceptance furnished by it. The Distributor is a broker-dealer registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”) and a member of FINRA.
Upon direction from the Trust, 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 Creation 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 thereafter. The continuance of the Distribution Agreement must be specifically approved at least annually (i) by the vote of the Trustees or by a vote of the shareholders of the Fund and (ii) by the vote of a majority of the Trustees who are not “interested persons” of the Trust and 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
28



its assignment. The Distribution Agreement provides that in the absence of willful misfeasance, bad faith or 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.
Distribution Plan. The Trust has adopted a Distribution Plan (the “Plan”) with respect to the Fund, 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 distribution fees are currently charged to the Fund; there are no plans to impose these fees.
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 (“Qualified Trustees”). 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 of any class of the Fund that is affected by such increase. All material amendments of the Plan will require approval by a majority of the Trustees of the Trust and of the Qualified Trustees.
The Plan provides that Shares (“Shares”) of the Fund pay 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: (i) delivering copies of the Fund’s then current reports, prospectuses, notices, and similar materials, to prospective purchasers of Creation Units; (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 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; (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; (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, and (vi) such other services and obligations as are set forth in the Distribution Agreement.
THE ADMINISTRATOR
The Trust, on behalf of the Fund, and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, doing business as U.S. Bank Global Fund Services (“Global Fund Services”), (the “Administrator”) have entered into an administration agreement (the “Administration Agreement”), under which the Administrator provides the Fund with administrative services, including regulatory reporting and all necessary office space, equipment, personnel and facilities. Pursuant to a schedule to the Administration Agreement, the Administrator also serves as the shareholder servicing agent for the Fund whereby the Administrator provides certain shareholder services to the Fund. The principal business address of the Administrator is 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202.
The Administration Agreement provides that the Administrator shall not be liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss suffered by the Trust in connection with the matters to which the Administration Agreement relates, except a loss resulting from willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence on the part of the Administrator in the performance of its duties or from reckless disregard by it of its duties and obligations thereunder.
For its services under the Administration Agreement, the Administrator is entitled to a fee based on the average daily net assets of each Fund and subject to a minimum annual fee.
The Adviser is responsible for paying the Administrator its fee under the Administration Agreement. Any decrease in the Administrator’s fee will decrease the amount the Adviser is obligated to pay to the Administrator.
The Fund is new and the Adviser has not paid any amount to the Administrator for administration services.
29



THE CUSTODIAN
U.S. Bank National Association (the “Custodian”), Custody Operations, 1555 North Rivercenter Drive, Suite 302, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53212, serves as the custodian of the Fund. The Custodian holds cash, securities and other assets of the Fund as required by the 1940 Act.
THE TRANSFER AGENT
U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (the “Transfer Agent”), 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202, serves as the Fund’s transfer agent and dividend disbursing agent under a transfer agency agreement with the Trust.
LEGAL COUNSEL
Sullivan & Worcester LLP, 1666 K Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20006, serves as legal counsel to the Trust.
INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
WithumSmith + Brown, PC, with offices located at 1411 Broadway, 9th Floor, New York, New York, 10018, serves as the independent registered public accounting firm for the Fund.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARY COMPENSATION
The Adviser or its affiliates, including the Distributor (for purposes of this subsection only, collectively, “Advisory Affiliates”) makes payments (“Payments”) to certain broker-dealers and other financial intermediaries (“Intermediaries”) related to activities that are designed to make registered representatives, other professionals and individual investors more knowledgeable about the Fund or for other activities, such as participation in marketing activities and presentations, educational training programs, the support of technology platforms and/or reporting systems. The Advisory Affiliates also make Payments to Intermediaries for certain printing, publishing and mailing costs associated with the Fund or materials relating to exchange traded funds in general. In addition, Advisory Affiliates make Payments to Intermediaries that make Fund shares available to their clients, including on zero or negative transaction fee platforms, or for otherwise promoting the Fund. Payments of this type are sometimes referred to as marketing support or revenue-sharing payments. Any Payments made by an Advisory Affiliate will be made from its own assets and not from the assets of the Fund.
Although a portion of the Advisory Affiliates’ revenue comes directly or indirectly, in part, from management fees paid by the Fund, Payments do not increase the price paid by investors for the purchase of shares of, or the cost of owning, the Fund. As a result, an Intermediary may make decisions about which investment options it will recommend or make available to its clients or what services to provide for various products based on payments it receives or is eligible to receive. Payments create conflicts of interest between the Intermediary and its clients and these financial incentives may cause the Intermediary to recommend the Fund over other investments. Advisory Affiliates determine to make Payments based on any number of metrics. For example, Advisory Affiliates may make Payments at year-end and/or other intervals in a fixed amount, an amount based upon an Intermediary’s services at defined levels, an amount based upon the total assets represented by the Fund subject to arrangements with the Intermediary, or an amount based on the Intermediary’s net sales of the Fund in a year or other period, any of which arrangements may include an agreed upon minimum or maximum payment, or any combination of the foregoing. A shareholder should contact his or her Intermediary’s salesperson or other investment professional for more information regarding any Payments the Intermediary firm may receive.
DESCRIPTION OF SHARES
The Declaration of Trust authorizes the issuance of an unlimited number of funds and shares of the Fund. Each share of the Fund represents an equal proportionate interest in that 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 of the Trust 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. The Fund’s 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 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. Upon the written request of shareholders owning at least 10% of the Trust’s shares, the Trust will call for a meeting of shareholders to consider the removal of one or more trustees and other certain matters. In the event that such a meeting is requested, the Trust will provide appropriate assistance and information to the shareholders requesting the meeting.
Under the Declaration of Trust, the Trustees have the power to liquidate each fund without shareholder approval. While the Trustees have no present intention of exercising this power, they may do so if any 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.
30



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 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 will rely upon its experience and knowledge regarding commissions generally charged by various brokers and on its judgment in evaluating the brokerage and research services received from the broker effecting the transaction. These services may be more beneficial to certain funds or certain accounts of the Adviser than to others. 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 the Fund’s shares as a factor in the selection of a broker or dealer to execute its portfolio transactions.
The 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 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 will also use electronic crossing networks (“ECNs”) when appropriate.
The Adviser 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 does not “pay up” for the value of any such proprietary research. Section 28(e) of the 1934 Act permits the Adviser, under 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 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, but only if the Adviser 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 faces a potential conflict of interest when it uses client trades to obtain brokerage or research services. This conflict exists because the Adviser is able to use the brokerage or research services to manage client accounts without paying cash for such services, which reduces the Adviser’s expenses to the extent that the Adviser would have purchased such products had they not been provided by brokers. Section 28(e) permits the Adviser to use brokerage or research services for the benefit of any account it manages. Certain accounts managed by the Adviser may generate soft dollars used to purchase brokerage or research services that ultimately benefit other accounts managed by the Adviser, effectively cross subsidizing the other accounts managed by the Adviser that benefit directly from the product. The Adviser 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 is responsible, subject to oversight by 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 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. 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 no brokerage commissions to report.
31



Brokerage with Fund Affiliates. The Fund may execute brokerage or other agency transactions through registered broker-dealer affiliates of either the Fund, the Adviser, or the Distributor 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 therefore paid no brokerage fees to any affiliated broker.
Securities of “Regular Broker-Dealer.” The Fund is required to identify any securities of its “regular brokers and dealers” (as such term is defined in the 1940 Act) which it may hold at the close of its most recent fiscal year. “Regular brokers or dealers” of the Trust are the ten brokers or dealers that, during the most recent fiscal year: (i) received the greatest dollar amounts of brokerage commissions from the Trust’s portfolio transactions; (ii) engaged as principal in the largest dollar amounts of portfolio transactions of the Trust; or (iii) sold the largest dollar amounts of the Trust’s shares. The Fund is new and has no securities of “regular broker dealers” to report.
PORTFOLIO TURNOVER RATES
Portfolio turnover rates may vary from year to year, as well as within a year. High turnover rates are likely to result in comparatively greater brokerage expenses. The overall reasonableness of brokerage commissions is evaluated by the Adviser based upon the Advisers knowledge of available information as to the general level of commissions paid by other institutional investors for comparable services.
The Fund is new and has no portfolio turnover rate to report.
BOOK ENTRY ONLY SYSTEM
Depositary Trust Company (“DTC”) acts as securities depositary for the Shares. Shares of the Fund 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’s 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 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 herein 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 a “street name,” and will be the responsibility of such DTC Participants.
32



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 the Fund’s 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.
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 take action 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.
CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL HOLDERS OF SECURITIES
A principal shareholder is any person who owns of record or beneficially 5% or more of the outstanding shares of a fund. 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, there were no outstanding Shares of the Fund.
PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION OF SHARES IN CREATION UNITS
The Trust issues and sells Shares of the Fund only in Creation Units on a continuous basis through the Distributor, without a sales load (but subject to transaction fees), 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 the Fund’s shares is calculated each business day as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange, generally 4:00 p.m., Eastern time. The Fund will not issue fractional Creation Units. A Business Day is any day on which the New York Stock Exchange is open for business.
Fund Deposit. The Trust has adopted policies and procedures governing the process of constructing baskets of Deposit Securities (defined below), Fund Securities (defined below) and/or cash, and acceptance of the same (the “Basket Procedures”). The consideration for purchase of a Creation Unit of the Fund generally consists of either (i) an in-kind deposit of a designated portfolio of securities (the “Deposit Securities”) and a Cash Component (defined below), or (ii) 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 net asset value of the Shares (per Creation Unit) and the market value of the Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable. If the Cash Component is a positive number (i.e., the net asset value per Creation Unit exceeds the market 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 net asset value per Creation Unit is less than the market 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 net asset value per Creation Unit and the market 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 the National Securities Clearance Corporation (the “NSCC”), makes available on each Business Day, immediately prior to the opening of business on the Exchange (generally 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, in order 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 be changed from time to time by the Investment Adviser, in accordance with the Basket Procedures, with a view to the investment objective of the Fund. The composition of the Deposit Securities may also change in response to interest payments and corporate events.
The Trust reserves the right to permit or require the substitution of Deposit Cash to replace any Deposit Security, which shall be added to the Cash Component, including, without limitation, in situations where the Deposit Security: (i) may not be available in sufficient quantity for delivery; (ii) may not be eligible for transfer through the systems of DTC for corporate securities and municipal securities;
33



(iii) may not be eligible for trading by an Authorized Participant (as defined below) or the investor for which it is acting; (iv) would be restricted under the securities laws or where the delivery of the Deposit Security to the Authorized Participant would result in the disposition of the Deposit Security by the Authorized Participant becoming restricted under the securities laws; or (v) in certain other situations, in accordance with the Basket Procedures. The Trust also reserves the right to offer an “all cash” option for creations of Creation Units for the Fund.
Procedures for Purchase of Creation Units. To be eligible to place orders with the Distributor to purchase a Creation Unit of the Fund, an entity must be (i) 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 (ii) 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 that has been agreed to by the Distributor, and that has been accepted by the Transfer Agent, 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. The Adviser may retain all or a portion of the Transaction Fee to the extent the Adviser bears the expenses that otherwise would be borne by the Trust in connection with the purchase of a Creation Unit, which the Transaction Fee is designed to cover.
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. With respect to the Fund, the order cut-off time for orders to purchase Creation Units is 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time. 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.”
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 have to 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 Distributor pursuant to procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement and in accordance with the applicable order form. With respect to the Fund, the Distributor 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, and acceptance by the Distributor, 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 Distributor 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 sub-custody 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 sub-custodian 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 sub-custodian. The Fund Deposit transfer must be ordered by the Authorized Participant in a timely fashion so as 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 the Settlement Date. The “Settlement Date” for the Fund is generally the next 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 or through DTC in a timely manner so as 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 in a timely manner by the Settlement Date, the creation order may be cancelled. Upon written notice to the Distributor, such canceled order may be resubmitted the following Business Day using the 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 cut-off time and the federal funds in the appropriate amount are deposited 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 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 considered to be in “proper form” if all procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement, order form and this SAI are properly followed.
34



Issuance of a Creation Unit. Except as provided herein, 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 sub-custodian has confirmed to the Custodian that the required Deposit Securities (or the cash value thereof) have been delivered to the account of the relevant sub-custodian or sub-custodians, the Distributor 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 next Business Day following the day on which the purchase order is deemed received by the Distributor. The Authorized Participant shall be liable to the Fund for losses, if any, resulting from unsettled orders.
In instances where the Fund accepts Deposit Securities for the purchase of a Creation Unit, the 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 net asset value 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 (i) the Cash Component, plus (ii) an additional amount of cash equal to a percentage of the market value as set 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. 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 marked to 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 market value of such Deposit Securities on the day the purchase order was deemed received by the Distributor 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 set forth below under “Creation Transaction Fee” will be charged in all cases. 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 Distributor in respect of the Fund including, without limitation, if (a) the order is not in proper form; (b) 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; (c) the investor(s), upon obtaining the Shares ordered, would own 80% or more of the currently outstanding Shares of the Fund; (d) acceptance of the Deposit Securities would have certain adverse tax consequences to the Fund; (e) the acceptance of the Fund Deposit would, in the opinion of counsel, be unlawful; (f) 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; (g) the acceptance or receipt of the order for a Creation Unit would, in the opinion of counsel to the Trust, be unlawful; or (h) 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 Distributor 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 purchase (i.e., creation) transaction fee, payable to the Fund’s custodian, may be imposed for the transfer and other transaction costs associated with the purchase of Creation Units, and investors may be required to pay a creation transaction fee regardless of the number of Creation Units created in the transaction. The Fund may adjust the creation transaction fee from time to time. The standard fixed creation transaction fee for the Fund will be $250. In addition, a variable fee will be charged on all cash transactions or substitutes for Creation Units up to a maximum of 2% as a percentage of the value of the Creation Units subject to the transaction. The variable charge may be imposed for cash purchases, non-standard orders, or partial cash purchases incurred by the Fund, primarily designed to cover expenses related to broker commissions. 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 securities constituting the Deposit Securities to the account of the Trust.
Risks of Purchasing Creation Units. There are certain legal risks unique to investors purchasing Creation Units directly from the Fund. Because the Fund’s 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
35



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 the Fund’s Shares as part of an “unsold allotment” within the meaning of Section 4(3)(C) of the Securities Act, will be unable to take advantage of the prospectus delivery exemption provided by Section 4(3) of the Securities Act.
Redemption. Shares may be redeemed only in Creation Units at their net asset value 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 in order 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 immediately prior to the opening of business on the Exchange (generally 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 a combination thereof, as determined by the Trust in accordance with the Basket Procedures. 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. In the event that 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 of Transaction Fee. A redemption transaction fee, payable to the Fund’s custodian, may be imposed for the transfer and other transaction costs associated with the redemption of Creation Units, and investors will be required to pay a fixed redemption transaction fee regardless of the number of Creation Units created in the transaction, as set forth in the Fund’s Prospectus, as may be revised from time to time. The redemption transaction fee is the same no matter how many Creation Units are being redeemed pursuant to any one redemption request. The Fund may adjust the redemption transaction fee from time to time. The standard fixed redemption transaction fee for the Fund will be $250. In addition, a variable fee will be charged on all cash transactions or substitutes for Creation Units up to a maximum of 2% as a percentage of the value of the Creation Units subject to the transaction. The variable charge may be imposed for cash redemptions, non-standard orders, or partial cash redemptions (when cash redemptions are available) incurred by the Fund, primarily designed to cover expenses related to broker commissions. 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 the time as set forth in the Participant Agreement. With respect to the Fund, the order cut-off time for orders to redeem Creation Units is 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time. A redemption request is considered to be in “proper form” if (i) 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 (ii) 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
36



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 the Fund Securities will be delivered. Deliveries of redemption proceeds generally will be made within two business days of the trade date. However, due to the schedule of holidays in certain countries, the different treatment among foreign and U.S. markets of dividend record dates and dividend ex-dates (that is the last date the holder of a security can sell the security and still receive dividends payable on the security sold), and in certain other circumstances, the delivery of in-kind redemption proceeds may take longer than two business days after the day on which the redemption request is received in proper form. If neither the redeeming Shareholder nor the Authorized Participant acting on behalf of such redeeming Shareholder has appropriate arrangements to take delivery of the Fund Securities in the applicable foreign jurisdiction and it is not possible to make other such arrangements, or if it is not possible to effect deliveries of the Fund Securities in such jurisdiction, the Trust may, in its discretion and in accordance with the Basket Procedures, exercise its option to redeem such Shares in cash, and the redeeming Shareholders will be required to receive its redemption proceeds in cash.
The Trust may, in its discretion and in accordance with the Basket Procedures, 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 of the Fund next determined after the redemption request is received in proper form (minus a redemption transaction fee 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 and in accordance with the Basket Procedures, 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 net asset value.
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 in order to receive Fund Securities.
Because the portfolio securities of the Fund may trade on the relevant exchange(s) on days that the Exchange is closed or are otherwise not Business Days for the Fund, shareholders may not be able to redeem their shares of the Fund, or to purchase or sell shares of the Fund on the Exchange, on days when the NAV of the Fund could be significantly affected by events in the relevant foreign markets.
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 of the Fund or determination of the NAV of the Shares is not reasonably practicable; or (4) in such other circumstance as is permitted by the SEC.
Required Early Acceptance of Orders. Notwithstanding the foregoing, as described in the Participant Agreement and/or applicable order form, the Fund may require orders to be placed up to one or more business days prior to the trade date, as described in the Participant Agreement or the applicable order form, in order to receive the trade date’s net asset value. Orders to purchase Shares of the Fund that are submitted on the Business Day immediately preceding a holiday or a day (other than a weekend) that the equity markets in the relevant foreign market are closed will not be accepted. Authorized Participants may be notified that the cut-off time for an order may be earlier on a particular business day, as described in the Participant Agreement and the order form.
DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE
Net asset value 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 net asset value. The net asset value of the Fund is calculated by the Custodian and determined at the close of the regular trading session on the NYSE (ordinarily 4:00 p.m. Eastern time) on each day that such exchange is open, provided that fixed-income assets may be valued as of the announced closing time for
37



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 net asset value per Share, the Fund’s investments are generally valued using market valuations. A market valuation generally means a valuation (i) obtained from an exchange, a pricing service, or a major market maker (or dealer), (ii) 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 (iii) 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 net asset value per share. The Adviser 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.
For purposes of determining NAV per share of a Fund, options and futures contracts are valued based on market quotations or the last sales or settlement price of the exchange on which an asset trades. The value of a futures contract equals the unrealized gain or loss on the contract that is determined by marking the contract to the last sale price for a like contract acquired on the day on which the futures contract is being valued. The value of options on futures contracts is determined based upon the last sale price for a like option acquired on the day on which the option is being valued. A last sale price may not be used for the foregoing purposes if the market makes a limited move with respect to a particular instrument. Swap contracts are valued based on the value of the swap contract’s reference asset and are marked-to-market each day a share price is calculated.
In the event that current market valuations are not readily available or such valuations do not reflect current market value, the Trust’s procedures require the Fair Value Committee to determine a security’s fair value if a market price is not readily available. In determining such value the Fair Value Committee may consider, among other things, (i) price comparisons among multiple sources, (ii) a review of corporate actions and news events, and (iii) a review of relevant financial indicators (e.g., movement in interest rates, market indices, and prices from the Fund’s index provider). In these cases, the Fund’s net asset value may reflect certain portfolio securities’ fair values rather than their market prices. Fair value pricing involves subjective judgments and it is possible that the fair value determination for a security is materially different than the value that could be realized upon the sale of the security. In addition, fair value pricing could result in a difference between the prices used to calculate the Fund’s net asset value and the prices used by the Fund’s Underlying Index. This may result in a difference between the Fund’s performance and the Fund’s stated investment objective. With respect to securities that are primarily listed on foreign exchanges, the value of the Fund’s portfolio securities may change on days when you will not be able to purchase or sell your Shares.
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. Dividends from net investment income, if any, are declared and paid quarterly by the Fund. Distributions of net realized securities gains, if any, generally are declared and paid once a year, but the Fund may make distributions on a more frequent basis for the Fund to improve index tracking or to comply with the distribution requirements of 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 Fund.
The Fund may make additional distributions to the extent necessary (i) to distribute the entire annual taxable income of the Fund, plus any net capital gains and (ii) 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 status of the Fund as a regulated investment company (“RIC”) or to avoid imposition of income or excise taxes on undistributed income.
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 in order 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 of the Fund will nevertheless be taxable to Beneficial Owners acquiring such additional shares to the same extent as if such distributions had been received in cash.
38



FEDERAL INCOME TAXES
The following is only a summary of certain additional federal income tax considerations generally affecting the Fund and its shareholders. 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 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.
The recently enacted tax legislation commonly referred to as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the “Tax Act”) makes 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 beginning after December 31, 2017 and before January 1, 2026. There are only minor changes with respect to the specific rules only applicable to a RIC, such as the Fund. The Tax Act, however, makes numerous other changes to the tax rules that may affect shareholders and the Fund. You are urged to consult with your own tax advisor regarding how the Tax Act affects your investment in the Fund.
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, or local taxes.
Regulated Investment Company (RIC) Status. The Fund will seek to qualify for treatment as a RIC under the Code. Provided that for each tax year the Fund: (i) meets the requirements to be treated as a RIC (as discussed below); and (ii) distributes at least an amount equal to the sum of 90% of the Fund’s net investment income for such year (including, for this purpose, the excess of net realized short-term capital gains over net long-term capital losses) and 90% of its net tax-exempt interest income, the Fund itself will not be subject to federal income taxes to the extent the Fund’s net investment income and the Fund’s net realized capital gains, if any, are distributed to the Fund’s shareholders. One of several requirements for RIC qualification is that the Fund must receive at least 90% of the Fund’s gross income each year 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 the Fund’s business of investing in stock, securities, foreign currencies and net income from an interest in a qualified publicly traded partnership (the “90% Test”). A second requirement for qualification as a RIC is that the Fund must diversify its holdings so that, at the end of each quarter of the Fund’s taxable year: (a) at least 50% of the market 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 these other securities limited, in respect to any one issuer, to an amount not greater than 5% of the value of the Fund’s total assets or 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer; and (b) not more than 25% of the value of its total assets are 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 “Asset Test”).
Under the Asset Test, the Fund generally may not acquire a security if, as a result of the acquisition, more than 50% of the value of the Fund’s assets would be invested in (a) issuers in which the Fund has, in each case, invested more than 5% of the Fund’s assets and (b) issuers more than 10% of whose outstanding voting securities are owned by the Fund. Because the Underlying Index has a relatively small number of constituents, the 5% limitation could affect the Fund’s ability to effectively implement its strategy. As the Fund grows, the 10% limitation might also affect its ability to effectively implement its strategy.
Although each Fund intends to satisfy all the foregoing requirements, there is no assurance that a Fund will be able to do so. For purposes of the Asset test, the identification of the issuer (or, in some cases, issuers) of a particular Fund investment can depend on the terms and conditions of that investment. In some cases, identification of the issuer (or issuers) is uncertain under current law, and an adverse determination or future guidance by the IRS with respect to issuer identification for a particular type of investment may adversely affect the Fund’s ability to meet the Asset Test.
If the Fund fails to satisfy the 90% Test or the Asset Test, 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 Asset Test. In order to qualify for relief provisions for a failure to meet the Asset Test, the Fund may be required to dispose of certain assets. If the Fund fails to qualify for treatment as a RIC for any year, and the relief provisions are not available, all of its taxable income will be subject to federal income tax at regular corporate rates (which the Tax Act reduced to 21%) without any deduction for distributions to shareholders. In such case, its shareholders would be taxed as if they received ordinary dividends, although the dividends could be eligible for the dividends received deduction for corporate shareholders and the dividends may be eligible for the lower tax rates available to non-corporate shareholders on qualified dividend income. 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 taxable year for 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, the Fund would generally be required to pay a Fund-level tax on any net built-in gains recognized with respect to certain of its assets upon a disposition of such assets within five years of qualifying as a RIC in a subsequent year. The Board reserves the right not to maintain
39



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 for treatment 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. 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 and certain other late-year losses.
If the Fund has a “net capital loss” (that is, capital losses in excess of capital gains) for a taxable year, the excess of the Fund’s net short-term capital losses over its net long-term capital gains is treated as a short-term capital loss arising on the first day of the Fund’s next taxable year, and the excess (if any) of the Fund’s net long-term capital losses over its net short-term capital gains is treated as a long-term capital loss arising on the first day of the Fund’s next taxable year.
The Fund will generally be subject to a nondeductible 4% federal excise tax to the extent it fails to distribute by the end of any calendar year at least the sum of 98% of its ordinary income for the year, 98.2% of its capital gain net income for the one-year period ending on October 31 of that year, and certain other amounts. The Fund intends to make sufficient distributions, or deemed distributions, to avoid imposition of the excise tax, but can make no assurances that all such tax liability will be eliminated.
The Fund intends to distribute substantially all its net investment income and net realized capital gains to shareholders annually. The distribution of net investment income and net realized capital gains generally will be taxable to Fund shareholders regardless of whether the shareholder elects to receive these distributions in cash or in additional shares. However, the Fund may determine not to distribute, or determine to defer the distribution of, some portion of its income in non-routine circumstances. If the Fund retains for investment an amount equal to all or a portion of its net long-term capital gains in excess of its net short-term capital losses (including any capital loss carryovers), it will be subject to a corporate tax on the amount retained. In that event, the Fund will designate such retained amounts as undistributed capital gains in a notice to its shareholders who (a) will be required to include in income for U.S. federal income tax purposes, as long-term capital gains, their proportionate shares of the undistributed amount, (b) will be entitled to credit their proportionate shares of the income tax paid by the Fund on the undistributed amount against their U.S. federal income tax liabilities, if any, and to claim refunds to the extent their credits exceed their liabilities, if any, and (c) will be entitled to increase their tax basis, for U.S. 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. Organizations or persons not subject to U.S. federal income tax on such capital gains will be entitled to a refund of their pro rata share of such taxes paid by the Fund upon timely filing appropriate returns or claims for refund with the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”).
A portion of the net investment income distributions of the Fund may be treated as qualified dividend income (which, for non-corporate shareholders, is generally eligible for taxation at reduced rates). The portion of distributions that the Fund may report as qualified dividend income is generally limited to the amount of qualified dividend income received by the Fund, but if for any Fund taxable year 95% or more of the Fund’s gross income (exclusive of net capital gain from sales of stocks and securities) consists of qualified dividend income, all distributions of such income for that taxable year may be reported as qualified dividend income. Qualified dividend income is, in general, dividend income from taxable domestic corporations and certain foreign corporations (i.e., foreign corporations incorporated in a possession of the United States or in certain countries with a comprehensive tax treaty with the United States, and other foreign corporations if the stock with respect to which the dividend income is paid is readily tradable on an established securities market in the United States).
In order for some portion of the dividends received by a shareholder to be qualified dividend income, the Fund must meet holding period and other requirements with respect to the dividend paying stocks in its portfolio, and the shareholder must meet holding period and other requirements with respect to the Fund’s shares. Distributions reported to Fund shareholders as capital gain dividends will be taxable at the rates applicable to long-term capital gains (generally, at a maximum rate of 20% for non-corporate shareholders), regardless of how long the shareholder has owned the shares. The Fund’s shareholders will be notified annually by the Fund as to the federal tax status of all distributions made by the Fund. Distributions may be subject to state and local taxes.
U.S. individuals with income exceeding $200,000 ($250,000 if married and filing jointly) are subject to an additional 3.8% Medicare contribution tax on their “net investment income,” including interest, dividends, and capital gains (including capital gains realized on the sale or exchange of shares of the Fund). This 3.8% tax also applies to all or a portion of the undistributed net investment income of certain shareholders that are estates and trusts.
Shareholders who have held Fund shares for less than 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 total ordinary income or net capital gain, respectively, actually earned during the period of investment in the Fund.
If the Fund’s distributions for a taxable year exceed its taxable income and capital gains realized during a taxable year, all or a portion of the distributions made for the 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 generally result in a higher reported capital gain or lower reported capital loss when those shares on which the distribution was received are sold.
40



A sale or exchange of shares in the Fund may give rise to a capital gain or loss. In general, any capital gain or loss realized upon a taxable disposition of shares will be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for more than 12 months. Otherwise, the capital gain or loss on the taxable disposition of shares will 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, rather than short-term, to the extent of any long-term capital gain distributions received (or deemed received) by the shareholder with respect to the shares. All or a portion of any loss realized upon a taxable disposition of shares will be disallowed if substantially identical shares are purchased (through reinvestment of dividends or otherwise) within 30 days before or after the disposition. In such a case, the basis of the newly purchased shares will be adjusted to reflect the disallowed loss.
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 be deducted currently under the rules governing “wash sales,” 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 be treated as short-term capital gains or losses.
The Trust on behalf of the Fund has the right to reject an order for a purchase of shares of the Trust if the purchaser (or group of purchasers) would, upon obtaining the shares so ordered, own 80% or more of the outstanding shares of the Fund and if, pursuant to Section 351 of the Code, the Fund would have a basis in the securities different from the market value of such securities on the date of deposit. The Trust also has the right to require information necessary to determine beneficial share ownership for purposes of the 80% determination. The Trust reserves the absolute right to reject an order for Creation Units if acceptance of the securities to be exchanged for the Creation Units would have certain adverse tax consequences to the Fund.
Persons purchasing or redeeming Creation Units should consult their own tax advisors with respect to the tax treatment of any creation or redemption transaction.
Foreign Investments. Income received by the Fund from sources within foreign countries (including, for example, dividends or interest on stock or securities of non-U.S. issuers) may be subject to withholding and other taxes imposed by such countries. Tax treaties between such countries and the U.S. may reduce or eliminate such taxes in some cases. If as of the end of the Fund’s taxable year more than 50% of the value of the Fund’s assets consist of the securities of foreign corporations, the Fund may elect to permit shareholders who are U.S. citizens, resident aliens, or U.S. corporations to claim a foreign tax credit or deduction (but not both) on their income tax returns for their pro rata portions of qualified taxes paid by the Fund during that taxable year to foreign countries in respect of foreign securities the Fund has held for at least the minimum period specified in the Code. In such a case, shareholders will include in gross income from foreign sources their pro rata shares of such taxes. A shareholder’s ability to claim a foreign tax credit or deduction in respect of foreign taxes paid by the Fund may be subject to certain limitations imposed by the Code, which may result in the shareholder not getting a full credit or deduction for the amount of such taxes. Shareholders who do not itemize deductions on their federal income tax returns may claim a credit, but not a deduction, for such foreign taxes.
Foreign Currency Transactions. Under the Code, gains or losses attributable to fluctuations in exchange rates which occur between the time the Fund accrues income or other receivables or accrues expenses or other liabilities denominated in a foreign currency and the time the Fund actually collects such income or receivables or pays such expenses or liabilities generally are treated as ordinary income or loss. Similarly, on the disposition of debt securities denominated in a foreign currency and on the disposition of certain other instruments, gains or losses attributable to fluctuations in the value of the foreign currency between the date of acquisition of the security or contract and the date of disposition are also treated as ordinary gain or loss. The gains and losses may increase or decrease the amount of the Fund’s income to be distributed to its shareholders as ordinary income.
Options, Swaps and Other Complex Securities. The Fund may invest in complex securities such as equity options, index options, repurchase agreements, foreign currency contracts, hedges and swaps, transactions treated as straddles for U.S. federal income tax purposes, and futures contracts. These investments may be subject to numerous special and complex tax rules. These rules could affect whether gains and losses recognized by the Fund are treated as ordinary income or capital gain, accelerate the recognition of income to the Fund, cause income or gain to be recognized even though corresponding cash is not received by the Fund, and/or defer the Fund’s ability to recognize losses. In turn, those rules may affect the amount, timing or character of the income distributed by the Fund.
With respect to any investments in zero coupon securities which are sold at original issue discount and thus do not make periodic cash interest payments, the Fund may be required to include as part of its current income the imputed interest on such obligations even though the Fund may not have received any interest payments on such obligations during that period. Because the Fund is required to distribute all of its net investment income to its shareholders, the Fund may have to sell Fund securities to distribute such imputed
41



income. Those sales may occur at a time when the Advisor would not otherwise have chosen to sell such securities and will generally result in taxable gain or loss.
Because only a few regulations implementing the straddle rules have been promulgated, the consequences of such transactions to the Fund is not entirely clear. The straddle rules may increase the amount of short-term capital gain realized by the Fund, which is taxed as ordinary income when distributed to shareholders. Because application of the straddle rules may affect the character of gains or losses, defer losses and/or accelerate the recognition of gains or losses from the affected straddle positions, the amount which must be distributed to shareholders as ordinary income or long-term capital gain may be increased or decreased substantially as compared to a fund that did not engage in such transactions.
More generally, investments by the Fund in options, futures, forward contracts, swaps and other derivative financial instruments are subject to numerous special and complex tax rules. These rules could affect whether gains and losses recognized by the Fund are treated as ordinary or capital, accelerate the recognition of income or gains to the Fund and defer or possibly prevent the recognition or use of certain losses by the Fund. The rules could, in turn, affect the amount, timing or character of the income distributed to shareholders by the Fund. In addition, because the tax rules applicable to such instruments may be uncertain under current law, an adverse determination or future IRS guidance with respect to these rules (which determination or guidance could be retroactive) may affect whether the Fund has made sufficient distributions and otherwise satisfied the relevant requirements to maintain its qualification as a RIC and avoid a Fund-level tax.
Back-Up Withholding. The Fund or your broker will be required to withhold (as “backup withholding”) on taxable dividends paid to any shareholder, as well as the proceeds of any redemptions of Creation Units, paid to a shareholder or Authorized Participant who (1) fails to provide a correct taxpayer identification number certified under penalty of perjury; (2) is subject to 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 currently 24%. Backup withholding is not an additional tax and any amounts withheld may be credited against the shareholder’s ultimate U.S. tax liability.
Foreign Shareholders. Foreign shareholders (i.e., nonresident alien individuals and foreign corporations, partnerships, trusts and estates) are generally subject to U.S. withholding tax at the rate of 30% (or a lower tax treaty rate) on distributions derived from net investment income and short-term capital gains. Gains from the sale or other disposition of shares of the Fund generally are not subject to U.S. taxation, unless the recipient is an individual who either (1) meets the Code’s definition of “resident alien” or (2) is physically present in the U.S. for 183 days or more per year. 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.
Ordinary dividends paid to a shareholder that is a “foreign financial institution” as defined in Section 1471 of the Code and that does not meet the requirements imposed on foreign financial institutions by Section 1471 will generally be subject to withholding tax at a 30% rate. The extent, if any, to which such withholding tax may be reduced or eliminated by an applicable tax treaty is unclear. A non-U.S. shareholder may be exempt from the withholding described in this paragraph under an applicable intergovernmental agreement between the U.S. and a foreign government, provided that the shareholder and the applicable foreign government comply with the terms of such agreement.
In order for a foreign investor to qualify for an exemption from backup withholding, the foreign investor must comply with special certification and filing requirements. Foreign investors in the Fund should consult their tax advisors in this regard.
Tax Shelter Reporting Regulations. Under U.S. Treasury regulations, if a shareholder recognizes a loss of $2 million or more for an individual shareholder or $10 million or more for a corporate shareholder, the shareholder must file with the IRS a disclosure statement on 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. 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. The Fund may be subject to tax or taxes in certain states where the Fund do business. Furthermore, 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.
Shareholders are advised to consult their tax advisors concerning their specific situations and the application of state, local and foreign taxes.
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 1‑844‑383‑6477 or through the Fund’s website at www.etfmg.com.
42



Appendix A

ETF MANAGERS GROUP, LLC

Proxy Voting Policy

Introduction

ETF Managers Group LLC (“ETFMG”) has adopted this Proxy Voting Policy (“Policy”) pursuant to Rule 206(4)-6 under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (“Advisers Act”), Rule 30b1-4 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), and other fiduciary obligations. The Policy describes the Adviser’s proxy voting duty and obligation to ensure that proxies are voted in the best interests of ETFMG’s fund(s).1

Statement of Policy

It is ETFMG’s policy, where proxy voting authority has been delegated to ETFMG by the fund(s), that all proxies are voted in the best interests of the fund without regard to the interests of ETFMG or other related parties. For purposes of the Policy, the “best interests of fund” shall mean, unless otherwise specified by the fund offering documents, the fund’s best economic interests over the long term. It is further the policy of ETFMG that complete and accurate disclosure concerning its proxy voting policies and procedures and proxy voting records, as required by the Advisers Act, be made available to fund shareholders.

Procedures

Subject to the procedures set forth below, ETFMG’s chief compliance officer (the “CCO”) maintains responsibility for reviewing all proxies and ensuring that proxies are voted timely in accordance with this Policy.

Use of Third-Party Proxy Service

In connection with its responsibilities expressed herein, ETFMG may utilize the services of a third-party service provider (the “Service Provider”) to research proxy proposals, provide vote recommendations and vote proxies on behalf of the firm. The Service Provider will provide research for each proxy and provide a recommendation to ETFMG as to how to vote on each proxy issue based on its research of the individual facts and circumstances of the issue and its application of its research findings to its Proxy Guidelines. The Service Provider will cast votes in accordance with its recommendations unless instructed otherwise by the CCO or other designated personnel as set forth below. The current Service Provider is Glass Lewis.

Proxy Voting Guidelines

ETFMG has instructed Glass Lewis to vote in accordance with Glass Lewis’ Policy Guidelines (the “Guidelines”) that apply to companies in the jurisdiction where the applicable portfolio security is listed.2 To the extent that the Guidelines do not address a proxy proposal but Glass Lewis has done research to address the issue, ETFMG has instructed Glass Lewis to vote proxies in the best interest of ETFMG’s clients.

ETFMG has instructed Glass Lewis to vote as described above unless the following conditions apply:

ETFMG’s CCO has decided to override the Glass Lewis vote recommendation for a client based on his/her own determination that the client would best be served by casting a vote contrary to the Glass Lewis recommendation. Such decision will be documented by ETFMG and communicated to Glass Lewis; or

Glass Lewis does not provide a vote recommendation, in which case ETFMG will independently determine how a particular issue should be voted. In these instances, ETFMG, through the CCO, will
1 ETFMG typically has responsibility to vote proxies on behalf of all Funds, subject to the terms of each Fund’s advisory agreement
2 Glass Lewis’ Policy Guidelines are publicly available at: https://www.glasslewis.com/guidelines/.
A-1


document the reason(s) used in determining a vote and communicate ETFMG’s voting instruction to Glass Lewis.

Review of Recommendations

ETFMG’s CCO (or other designated personnel) have the ultimate responsibility to accept or reject any Service Provider voting recommendation (“Recommendation”). Consequently, the CCO or other appointed staff is responsible for understanding and reviewing how proxies are voted for the fund(s), taking into account the Policy, the Guidelines and the best interests of fund shareholders. The CCO may override the Recommendation should he/she not believe that such Recommendation, based on all facts and circumstances, is in the best interests of the fund(s). ETFMG may choose not to vote proxies under the following circumstances:

if the effect on the shareholders’ economic interests or the value of the portfolio holding is indeterminable or insignificant;
if the cost of voting the proxy outweighs the possible benefit; or
if a jurisdiction whose laws or regulations govern the voting of proxies with respect to the portfolio holding imposes share blocking restrictions which prevent ETFMG from exercising its voting authority.
If for some other reason a proxy is not voted for a client, the Adviser and/or a third-party will conduct an analysis to review whether the lack of voting would have had a material impact on the outcome of the vote. ETFMG will memorialize the basis for any decision to override a Recommendation or to abstain from voting, including the resolution of any conflicts, as further discussed below.

Addressing Material Conflicts of Interest

Prior to overriding a Recommendation, the CCO (or other designated personnel) must memorialize the determination and document whether a potential material conflict of interest exists between ETFMG and the fund on whose behalf the proxy is to be voted (“Material Conflict”). The CCO or any person so designated has an affirmative duty to disclose to the fund any potential Material Conflicts known to him/her related to a proxy vote. Material Conflicts may exist in situations where ETFMG is called to vote on a proxy involving an issuer or proponent of a proxy proposal regarding the issuer where ETFMG or an affiliated person of the ETFMG also:

manages the issuer’s or proponent’s pension plan;
administers the issuer’s or proponent’s employee benefit plan;
provided brokerage, underwriting, insurance or banking services to the issuer or proponent; or
manages money for an employee group of the issuer or proponent.

Additional Material Conflicts may exist if an executive of ETFMG or its control affiliates is a close relative of, or has a personal or business relationship with:

an executive of the issuer or proponent;
a director of the issuer or proponent;
a person who is a candidate to be a director of the issuer;
a participant in the proxy contest; or
a proponent of a proxy proposal.

Material Conflicts based on business relationships or dealings of affiliates of ETFMG will only be considered to the extent that the CCO has actual knowledge of such business relationships. Whether a relationship creates a Material Conflict will depend on the facts and circumstances. Even if these parties do not attempt to influence ETFMG with respect to voting, the value of the relationship to ETFMG can create a Material Conflict.

Material Conflicts may exist when ETFMG manages a separate account, a fund or other collective investment vehicle that invests in affiliated funds. When ETFMG receives proxies in its capacity as a shareholder of an underlying fund, ETFMG will vote in accordance with the recommendation of the Service Provider applying the Guidelines. If there is no relevant predetermined guideline, ETFMG will vote in accordance with the recommendation of the independent
A-2


Service Provider. If the Service Provider does not provide a recommendation, ETFMG then may address the conflict by “echoing” or “mirroring” the vote of the other shareholders in those underlying funds.

If the CCO determines that there is no potential Material Conflict, the CCO may override the Recommendation and vote the proxy issue as he/she determines is in the best interests of fund(s) shareholders. If the CCO determines that there exists or may exist a Material Conflict, he/she will consider the following facts and circumstances of the pending proxy vote and the potential or actual Material Conflict and make a determination as to how to vote the proxy:

the percentage of outstanding securities of the issuer held on behalf of funds advised by ETFMG;
the nature of the relationship of the issuer with ETFMG, its affiliates or its executive officers;
whether there has been any attempt to directly or indirectly influence ETMFG’s decision;
whether the direction (for or against) of the proposed vote would appear to benefit ETFMG or a related party; and
whether an objective decision to vote in a certain way will still create a strong appearance of a conflict.
ETFMG may not abstain from voting any such proxy for the purpose of avoiding a Material Conflict.

In the event that the Service Provider itself has a conflict and thus, is unable to provide a recommendation, the CCO will make a voting recommendation and submit the proxy.

Lending

ETFMG will monitor upcoming meetings and call stock loans, if applicable, in anticipation of an important vote to be taken among holders of the securities or of the giving or withholding of ETFMG’s consent on a material matter affecting the investment. In determining whether to call stock loans, ETFMG shall consider whether the benefit to a fund in voting the matter outweighs the benefit to the fund in keeping the stock on loan.

Oversight of Service Provider

The CCO is responsible for the oversight of the Service Provider. When determining whether to retain, or continue to retain, the Service Provider, ETFMG will consider whether the Service Provider has the capacity and competency to adequately perform the services for which it was retained. This determination will include, among other things, consideration of (i) the Service Provider’s process and methodology in formulating proxy voting recommendations and guidelines, and (ii) how it monitors and addresses the integrity of the information on which the Service Provider bases its analysis. ETFMG will report to the Board of Trustees (the “Board”) of any client that is a registered investment company under the 1940 Act at least annually the basis for its determination to retain, or continue to retain, the Service Provider.

ETFMG will employ reasonable measures to determine whether the Service Provider is casting (or abstaining from) votes consistent with the Guidelines. ETFMG must have a reasonable basis for concluding that voting determinations made pursuant to this Policy are not based on materially inaccurate or incomplete information.

ETFMG will also periodically perform due diligence to assess the Service Provider’s ability to adequately analyze proxy issues, manage its conflicts of interest and satisfy its contractual obligations to ETFMG. In order to make this assessment, ETFMG shall consider, among other things:

The Service Provider’s oversight structure and personnel performing services on behalf of ETFMG;
Policies, procedures and related controls, including those that ensure vote recommendations are in accordance with the Guidelines and are based on current and accurate information, and any changes to the Guidelines since the date of the last due diligence review;
Policies and procedures related to the identification, management and disclosure of conflicts of interest impacting services provided; and
Changes in the Service Provider’s business and specific conflicts of interest in order to reasonably determine whether the Service Provider’s conflicts of interest may materially and adversely affect ETFMG’s clients and, if so, whether any action should be taken as a result.
A-3


Compliance Monitoring

CCO Reporting

Each quarter, the CCO will report to the Board, with respect to proxy votes on behalf of the funds, all proxy votes involving any fund in which ETFMG has overridden the Recommendation and include a description of the reason for the override and whether such override involved a potential Material Conflict and participation of the CCO.

Annually, the CCO will provide the Board with a report of relevant proxy voting matters, such as any proposed changes to this Policy or the Guidelines and any votes presenting Material Conflicts.

Investment Company Disclosures

For each investment company that ETFMG manages, ETFMG will ensure that the proxy voting record for the twelve-month period ending June 30 for each registered investment company is properly reported on Form N-PX no later than August 31 of each year. ETFMG will also ensure that each such fund states in its Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) and its annual and semi-annual report to shareholders that information concerning how the fund voted proxies relating to its portfolio securities for the most recent twelve-month period ending June 30 is available through the fund’s website and on the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) website.

ETFMG will also ensure that proper disclosure is made in each fund’s SAI describing the policies and procedures used to determine how to vote proxies relating to such fund’s portfolio securities. ETFMG will further ensure that the annual and semi-annual report for each fund states that a description of the fund’s proxy voting policies and procedures is available: (1) without charge, upon request, by calling a specified toll-free telephone number; (2) on the fund’s website; and (3) on the SEC’s website.

Recordkeeping

Either ETFMG or Service Provider, or both, as indicated below, will maintain the following records:

a copy of the current Policy (ETFMG) and current Guidelines (Service Provider);
a copy of each proxy statement received by ETFMG regarding fund securities (Service Provider);
a record of each vote cast by ETFMG on behalf of a fund (Service Provider); and
a copy of all documents created by ETFMG that were material to making a decision on the proxy voting (or abstaining from voting) and all supporting documents.

Such records must be maintained for at least six years.


Revised: June 20, 2019
December 9, 2020












A-4

CK0001467831-20210131_G9.JPG



ETFMG 2X Daily Alternative Harvest ETF
(MJXL)
 
Listed on NYSE Arca, Inc.

The Fund is a series of ETF Managers Trust
 
PROSPECTUS 
June 4, 2021
 
Fund shares are not individually redeemable by the Fund 
but trade on the NYSE Arca, Inc. in individual share lots.
 



















 
THE SEC HAS NOT APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED THESE SECURITIES OR
PASSED UPON THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS PROSPECTUS. ANY
REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.
 

    1


About This Prospectus
 
This prospectus has been arranged into different sections so that you can easily review this important information. For detailed information about the Fund, please see:
 
Table of Contents 
ETFMG 2X Daily Alternative Harvest ETF — Fund Summary
3
17
23
36
36
37
Buying and Selling the Fund
38
39
40
41
41
Index/Trademark Licenses/Disclaimers
41
Premium/Discount Information
42
42
Financial Highlights
42
 

    2


ETFMG 2X Daily Alternative Harvest ETF — Fund Summary
Important Information About the Fund
ETFMG 2X Daily Alternative Harvest ETF (the “Fund”) seeks daily investment results, before fees and expenses, that correspond to two times (2x) the return of the Prime Alternative Harvest Index (the “Index”) for a single day, not for any other period. A “single day” is measured from the time the Fund calculates its net asset value (“NAV”) to the time of the Fund’s next NAV calculation. The return of the Fund for periods longer than a single day will be the result of its return for each day compounded over the period. The Fund’s returns for periods longer than a single day will very likely differ in amount, and possibly even direction, from the Fund’s stated multiple (2x) times the return of the Index for the same period. For periods longer than a single day, the Fund will lose money if the Index’s performance is flat, and it is possible that the Fund will lose money even if the level of the Index rises. Longer holding periods, higher Index volatility, and greater leveraged exposure each exacerbate the impact of compounding on an investor’s returns. During periods of higher Index volatility, the volatility of the Index may affect the Fund’s return as much as or more than the return of the Index.
The Fund presents different risks than other types of funds. The Fund uses leverage and is riskier than similarly benchmarked funds that do not use leverage. The Fund may not be suitable for all investors and should be used only by knowledgeable investors who understand the consequences of seeking daily leveraged (2x) investment results, including the impact of compounding on Fund performance. Investors in the Fund should actively manage and monitor their investments, as frequently as daily. An investor in the Fund could potentially lose the full principal value of their investment within a single day. 
Investment Objective 
The Fund seeks daily investment results, before fees and expenses, that correspond to two times (2x) the daily total return of the Index. The Fund does not seek to achieve its stated investment objective over a period of time greater than a single day.  
Fees and Expenses 
The following table describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy, hold, and sell shares of the Fund (“Shares”). This table and the Example below do not include the brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries that investors may pay on their purchases and sales of Shares.
 Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
 
    Management Fee 0.95%
    Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees   None 
    Other Expenses1, 2
  0.00%
    Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses 0.95%
1 “Other Expenses” are based on estimated amounts for the current fiscal year.
2 Other Expenses do not reflect the costs of investing in swaps, including any fees paid to the swap counterparty. The estimated annual costs of investing in swap for the Fund are 2.60% of the Fund’s average daily net assets. The performance of the Fund is net of all such costs of investing in swaps.
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. This Example does not take into account the brokerage commissions that you may pay on your purchases and sales of Shares. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your cost would be: 

1 Year

3 Years
$97 $303
 
    3


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 the Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. Because the Fund is newly organized, portfolio turnover information is not yet available.  
Principal Investment Strategies 
The Fund invests in financial instruments, such as swap agreements, securities of the Index and exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”) that track the Index (including affiliated ETFs), that provide daily leveraged exposure to the Index or to ETFs that track the Index to seek returns equal to 200% of the daily return of the Index. The financial instruments in which the Fund most commonly invests are swap agreements which are intended to produce economically leveraged investment results. The Fund expects that its cash balances maintained in connection with the use of financial instruments will typically be held in money market instruments.
The Index tracks the performance of the exchange-listed common stock (or corresponding American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”) or Global Depositary Receipts (“GDRs”)) of companies across the globe, including U.S. companies, that (i) are engaged in the legal cultivation of cannabis, including industrial hemp, or the legal production, marketing or distribution of cannabis, including industrial hemp, products for medical or non-medical purposes (“Cannabis Companies”); (ii) engage in the lawful creation, marketing or distribution of prescription drugs that utilize cannabinoids as an active ingredient (“Pharmaceutical Companies”); (iii) trade tobacco or produce tobacco products, such as cigarettes, cigars or electronic cigarettes; (iv) produce cigarette and cigar components, such as cigarette paper and filters; or (v) engage in the creation, production and distribution of fertilizers, plant foods, pesticides or growing equipment to be used in the cultivation of cannabis or tobacco. The Index only includes companies that are engaged exclusively in legal activities under applicable national and local laws, including U.S. federal and state laws. Companies whose business activities are legal under state marijuana law, but not legal under federal marijuana law, are automatically ineligible for inclusion in the Index. Because the Index only includes companies that are currently engaged exclusively in legal activities under applicable national and local laws, the Index will not include any company that engages in the cultivation, production or distribution of marijuana or products derived from marijuana for medical or non-medical purposes in a particular country, including the United States, unless and until such time as the cultivation, production or distribution of medical or non-medical marijuana, as applicable, becomes legal under all local and national laws governing the company in such country. 
“Applicable national and local laws” refers to (i) controlled substance laws and regulations or (ii) food, drug, and cosmetics, or equivalent laws and regulations under whose jurisdiction the company is subject that govern the cultivation, production or distribution, for medical or non-medical purposes, of marijuana in a particular country. “Hemp” refers to cannabis plants with a tetrahydrocannabinol (“THC”) concentration of not more than 0.3% on a dry weight basis, as well as derivatives thereof, whereas “marijuana” refers to all other cannabis plants and derivatives thereof. 
A Cannabis Company is considered to be primarily engaged in a line of business if it derives more than 50% of its revenue from such activity. The Cannabis Companies would possess all necessary permits and licenses to legally grow marijuana. As of the date of this prospectus, the Cannabis Companies do not include companies that grow or distribute marijuana inside of the United States. Cannabis Companies may, however, include companies that have a business interest in the hemp and hemp-based products markets within the United States. Additionally, the Cannabis Companies only supply products for activities that are legal under applicable national and local laws, including U.S. federal and state laws. 
The Pharmaceutical Companies produce, market or distribute drug products that use cannabinoids to create government approved drugs. Cannabinoids are extracts from the cannabis plant and include tetrahydrocannabinol, cannabidiol (“CBD”), dronabinol and nabilone. All Pharmaceutical Companies would have the necessary permits and licenses to engage in lawful medical research using cannabinoids to produce government approved drugs, or to otherwise produce, market or distribute such drugs. This activity is distinct from the “medical marijuana” business, which refers to the use of the cannabis leaf, as opposed to specific extracts in pharmaceutical form, to alleviate the symptoms of injury or illness. 
    4


The Index may also consist of U.S.-listed common stocks of Special Purpose Acquisitions Corporations (“SPACs”) that have been organized with the stated purpose of acquiring one or more operating businesses that would otherwise be eligible for inclusion in the Index (a SPAC-derived company), including because it is engaged exclusively in legal activities under applicable national and local laws. A SPAC is a “blank check” company with no commercial operations that is designed to raise capital via an initial public offering for the purpose of engaging in a merger, acquisition, reorganization, or similar business combination (a “Combination”) with one or more operating companies. If a SPAC that is included in the Index announces a Combination with an operating company that will be eligible for inclusion in the Index, the pre-Combination SPAC and, subsequently, the SPAC-derived company will continue to be included in the Index, so long as it continues to satisfy the remaining eligibility criteria. If the SPAC announces a Combination with a non-qualifying business, the SPAC will be removed from the Index at the time of the next Index reconstitution.
The initial universe of companies engaged in the above activities is determined based on proprietary research and analysis conducted by the Index Provider. The Index Provider uses a variety of publicly available resources for such analysis, including shareholder reports of issuers or the Bloomberg Terminal, to determine whether a company is engaged in one of the businesses described in categories (i)-(v), above. The Index universe is then screened to eliminate the stocks that have a market capitalization of less than $200 million or a three-month average daily trading volume of less than $500,000. Additionally, component securities of the Index must not be listed on an exchange in a country which employs restrictions on foreign capital investment such that those restrictions render the component effectively non-investable for a U.S.-based fund.
The Index is reconstituted and rebalanced quarterly. The companies in the Index are weighted using a proprietary weighting methodology that weights securities either by market capitalization or in equal amounts, depending on how heavily the issuer is engaged in the businesses described in categories (i) and (ii), above. As of May 12, 2021, the Index had 30 components.
The Index is developed and owned by Prime Indexes (the “Index Provider”), and the Index is calculated and maintained by Solactive AG. The Index Provider is independent of Solactive AG, the Fund, the Fund’s investment adviser, and the Fund’s distributor.
Industry Concentration Policy: The Fund will concentrate its investments (i.e., hold more than 25% of its net assets) in a particular industry or group of related industries to approximately the same extent that the Index is concentrated. As of May 21, 2021, the Index was concentrated in the Pharmaceuticals and Tobacco industries.
The Fund may invest in the securities of the Index, a representative sample of the securities in the Index that has aggregate characteristics similar to those of the Index, an ETF that tracks the Index (including investing in an affiliated series of ETF Managers Trust, ETFMG Alternative Harvest ETF) or a substantially similar index, and may utilize derivatives, such as swaps on the Index or on an ETF that tracks the same Index or a substantially similar index, that provide leveraged exposure to the above. Derivatives are financial instruments whose value is derived from the value of an underlying asset or assets, such as stocks, bonds, funds (including ETFs), interest rates or indexes.
The Fund seeks to remain fully invested at all times, consistent with its stated investment objective, but may not always have investment exposure to all of the securities in the Index, or its weighting of investment exposure to securities or industries may be different from that of the Index. In addition, the Fund may invest in securities or financial instruments not included in the Index.
The Fund will attempt to achieve its investment objective without regard to overall market movement or the increase or decrease of the value of the securities in the Index. At the close of the markets each trading day, ETF Managers Group LLC (the “Adviser”) determines the type, quantity and mix of investment positions so that its exposure to the Index is consistent with the Fund’s investment objective. The impact of the Index’s movements during the day will affect whether the Fund’s portfolio needs to be re-positioned. For example, if the Index has risen on a given day, net assets of the Fund should rise, meaning the Fund’s exposure will need to be increased. Conversely, if the Index has fallen on a given day, net assets of the Fund should fall, meaning the Fund’s exposure will need to be reduced. This re-positioning strategy typically results in high portfolio turnover. On a day-to-day basis, the Fund is expected to hold ETFs and money market funds, deposit accounts with institutions with high credit ratings, and/or short-term
    5


debt instruments that have terms-to-maturity of less than 397 days and exhibit high quality credit profiles, including U.S. government securities and repurchase agreements.
The Fund may lend its portfolio securities to brokers, dealers, and other financial organizations. These loans, if and when made, may not exceed 33 1/3% of the total asset value of the Fund (including the loan collateral). By lending its securities, the Fund may increase its income by receiving payments from the borrower.
The terms “daily,” “day,” and “trading day” refer to the period from the close of the markets on one trading day to the close of the markets on the next trading day.
Daily rebalancing and the compounding of each day’s return over time means that the return of the Fund for a period longer than a single day will be the result of each day’s returns compounded over the period, which will very likely differ in amount, and possibly even direction, from two times (2x) the return of the Index for the same period. The Fund will lose money if the Index’s performance is flat over time, and the Fund can lose money regardless of the performance of the Index, as a result of daily rebalancing, the Index’s volatility, compounding of each day’s return and other factors. See “Principal Risks” below.
Principal Risks
 
As with all funds, a shareholder is subject to the risk that his or her investment could lose money. The Fund may not achieve its leveraged investment objective and there is a risk that you could lose all of your money invested in the Fund. The Fund is not a complete investment program. The Fund presents risks not traditionally associated with other mutual funds and ETFs. For example, due to the Fund’s daily leveraged investment objective, a small adverse move in the Index will result in larger and potentially substantial declines in the Fund. It is important that investors closely review all of the risks listed below and understand them before making an investment in the Fund.
Effects of Compounding and Market Volatility Risk: The Fund has a daily leveraged investment objective and the Fund’s performance for periods greater than a trading day will be the result of each day’s returns compounded over the period, which is very likely to differ from two times (2x) the Index’s performance, before fees and expenses. Compounding affects all investments, but has a more significant impact on funds that are leveraged and that rebalance daily. For a leveraged fund, if adverse daily performance of the index reduces the amount of a shareholder’s investment, any further adverse daily performance will lead to a smaller dollar loss because the shareholder’s investment had already been reduced by the prior adverse performance. Equally, however, if favorable daily performance of the index increases the amount of a shareholder’s investment, the dollar amount lost due to future adverse performance will increase because the shareholder’s investment has increased.
The effect of compounding becomes more pronounced as Index volatility and the holding period increase. The impact of compounding will impact each shareholder differently depending on the period of time an investment in the Fund is held and the volatility of the Index during shareholder’s holding period of an investment in the Fund.
The chart below provides examples of how Index volatility could affect the Fund’s performance. The chart illustrates the impact of two factors that affect the Fund’s performance: Index volatility and Index return. Index returns show the percentage change in the value of the Index over the specified time period, while Index volatility is a statistical measure of the magnitude of fluctuations in the returns during that time period. As illustrated below, even if the Index return over two equal time periods is identical, different Index volatility (i.e., fluctuations in the rates of return) during the two time periods could result in drastically different Fund performance for the two time periods due to the effects of compounding daily returns during the time periods.
Fund performance for periods greater than one single day can be estimated given any set of assumptions for the following factors: a) Index volatility; b) Index performance; c) period of time; d) financing rates associated with leveraged exposure; e) other Fund expenses; and f) dividends or interest paid with respect to securities in the Index. The chart below illustrates the impact of two principal factors – Index volatility and Index performance – on Fund performance. The chart shows estimated Fund returns for a number of combinations of Index volatility and Index performance over a one-year period. Performance shown in the chart assumes that: (i) no dividends were paid with respect to the securities included in the Index; (ii) there were no Fund expenses; and (iii) borrowing/lending rates (to obtain leveraged exposure) of 0%. If Fund expenses and/or actual borrowing/lending rates were reflected, the estimated returns would be different than those shown. Particularly during periods of higher Index volatility,
    6


compounding will cause results for periods longer than a trading day to vary from two times (2x) the performance of the Index.
As shown in the chart below, the Fund would be expected to lose 6.1% if the Index provided no return over a one year period during which the Index experienced annualized volatility of 25%. At higher ranges of volatility, there is a chance of a significant loss of value in the Fund, even if the Index’s return is flat. For instance, if the Index’s annualized volatility is 100%, the Fund would be expected to lose 63.2% of its value, even if the cumulative Index return for the year was 0%. Areas shaded red (or dark gray) represent those scenarios where the Fund can be expected to return less than two times (2x) the performance of the Index and those shaded green (or light gray) represent those scenarios where the Fund can be expected to return more than two times (2x) the performance of the Index. The Fund’s actual returns may be significantly better or worse than the returns shown below as a result of any of the factors discussed above or in “Daily Index Correlation/Tracking Risk” below.
One Year Index Two Times (2x) One Year Index Volatility Rate
Return Return 10% 25% 50% 75% 100%
-60% -120% -84.2% -85.0% -87.5% -90.9% -94.1%
-50% -100% -75.2% -76.5% -80.5% -85.8% -90.8%
-40% -80% -64.4% -66.2% -72.0% -79.5% -86.8%
-30% -60% -51.5% -54.0% -61.8% -72.1% -82.0%
-20% -40% -36.6% -39.9% -50.2% -63.5% -76.5%
-10% -20% -19.8% -23.9% -36.9% -53.8% -70.2%
0% 0% -1.0% -6.1% -22.1% -43.0% -63.2%
10% 20% 19.8% 13.7% -5.8% -31.1% -55.5%
20% 40% 42.6% 35.3% 12.1% -18.0% -47.0%
30% 60% 67.3% 58.8% 31.6% -3.7% -37.8%
40% 80% 94.0% 84.1% 52.6% 11.7% -27.9%
50% 100% 122.8% 111.4% 75.2% 28.2% -17.2%
60% 120% 153.5% 140.5% 99.4% 45.9% -5.8%
The Index’s annualized historical volatility rate for the period from December 15, 2017 (the inception date of the Index) to December 31, 2020 was 45.29%. The Index’s highest volatility rate for any one calendar year for the period from December 15, 2017 (the inception date of the Index) through December 31, 2020 was 50.06% and volatility for a shorter period of time may have been substantially higher. The Index’s annualized performance for the period from December 15, 2017 (the inception date of the Index) to December 31, 2020 was -17.34%. Historical Index volatility and performance are not indications of what the Index volatility and performance will be in the future. The volatility of ETFs or instruments that reflect the value of the Index, such as swaps, may differ from the volatility of the Index.
For information regarding the effects of volatility and Index performance on the long-term performance of the Fund, see “Additional Information about the Fund’s Investment Objective and Strategies” in the Fund’s statutory prospectus, and “Special Note Regarding the Correlation Risks of the Fund” in the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information.
Leverage Risk: The Fund obtains investment exposure in excess of its net assets by utilizing leverage and may lose more money in market conditions that are adverse to its investment objective than a fund that does not utilize leverage. An investment in the Fund is exposed to the risk that a decline in the daily performance of the Index will be magnified. This means that an investment in the Fund will be reduced by an amount equal to 2% for every 1% daily decline in the Index, not including the costs of financing leverage and other operating expenses, which would further reduce its value. The Fund could theoretically lose an amount greater than its net assets in the event of an Index decline of more than 50%. Leverage will also have the effect of magnifying any differences in the Fund’s correlation with the Index.
    7


United States Regulatory Risks of the Marijuana Industry: The possession and use of marijuana, even for medical purposes, is illegal under federal and certain states’ laws, which may negatively impact the value of the Fund’s investments. Use of marijuana is regulated by both the federal government and state governments, and state and federal laws regarding marijuana often conflict. Even in those states in which the use of marijuana has been legalized, its possession and use remains a violation of federal law. Federal law criminalizing the use of marijuana pre-empts state laws that legalizes its use for medicinal and recreational purposes. It is not yet known whether the current Administration will push back against states where marijuana use and possession is legal, step up the enforcement of federal marijuana laws and the prosecution of nonviolent federal drug crimes and, in the event the Rohrabacher-Blumenauer amendment is not renewed by Congress, begin using federal funds to prevent states from implementing laws that authorize medical marijuana use, possession, distribution, and cultivation. Such actions by the DOJ could produce a chilling effect on the industry’s growth and discourage banks from expanding their services to cannabis-related companies where such services are currently limited. This conflict between the regulation of marijuana under federal and state law creates volatility and risk for all cannabis-related companies. In particular, the stepped up enforcement of marijuana laws by the federal government would adversely affect the value of the Fund’s U.S. investments. Certain Cannabis Companies or Pharmaceutical Companies may never be able to legally produce and sell products in the United States or other national or local jurisdictions. 
Marijuana is a Schedule I controlled substance under the Controlled Substances Act (“CSA”) (21 U.S.C. § 811), meaning that it has a high potential for abuse, has no currently “accepted medical use” in the United States, lacks accepted safety for use under medical supervision, and may not be prescribed, marketed or sold in the United States. Few drug products containing natural cannabis or naturally-derived cannabis extracts have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) for use in the United States or obtained registrations from the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”) for commercial production.  
Cannabis-related companies in the U.S. that engage in medical or pharmaceutical research or the production and distribution of controlled substances such as marijuana must be registered with the DEA to perform such activities and have the security, control, recordkeeping, reporting and inventory mechanisms required by the DEA to prevent drug loss and diversion. Failure to obtain the necessary registrations or comply with necessary regulatory requirements may significantly impair the ability of certain companies in which the Fund invests to pursue medical marijuana research or to otherwise cultivate, possess or distribute marijuana. 
Non-U.S. Regulatory Risks of the Marijuana Industry: The companies in which the Fund invests are subject to various laws, regulations and guidelines relating to the manufacture, management, transportation, storage and disposal of marijuana, as well as being subject to laws and regulations relating to health and safety, the conduct of operations and the protection of the environment. Even if a company’s operations are permitted under current law, they may not be permitted in the future, in which case such company may not be in a position to carry on its operations in its current locations. Additionally, controlled substance legislation differs between countries and legislation in certain countries may restrict or limit the ability of certain companies in which the Fund invests to sell their products. 
Operational Risks of the Marijuana Industry: Companies involved in the marijuana industry face intense competition, may have limited access to the services of banks, may have substantial burdens on company resources due to litigation, complaints or enforcement actions, and are heavily dependent on receiving necessary permits and authorizations to engage in medical marijuana research or to otherwise cultivate, possess or distribute marijuana. Since the use of marijuana is illegal under United States federal law, federally regulated banking institutions may be unwilling to make financial services available to growers and sellers of marijuana.
United States Regulatory Risks of CBD and Hemp: The Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (or the “Farm Bill”) effectively removes hemp from the list of controlled substances and allows states to regulate its production, commerce and research with approval from the United States Department of Agriculture. Certain Index constituents may sell dietary supplements and/or foods containing CBD within the United States. The Farm Bill delegates to the FDA responsibility for regulating products containing hemp or derivatives thereof (including CBD) under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (the “FD&C”).  Under the FD&C, if a substance (such as CBD) is an active ingredient in a drug product that has been approved by the FDA, then the substance cannot be sold in dietary supplements or foods without FDA approval, unless the substance was marketed as a dietary supplement or as a conventional food before the drug was approved or before the new drug investigations were authorized.  The FDA
    8


has publicly taken the position that CBD cannot be sold in dietary supplements or foods because CBD is an active ingredient in an FDA-approved drug.  However, companies that sell CBD in dietary supplements and foods have taken the position that CBD was marketed as a dietary supplement and/or as a conventional food before the drug was approved or before the new drug investigations were authorized, and because the FDA has not brought enforcement action against such companies, this question of fact has not yet been adjudicated. In the absence of a conclusive legal determination to the contrary, as of the date of this prospectus, it has not been determined that the sale of dietary supplements and/or foods containing CBD within the United States would cause a company’s securities to be ineligible for inclusion in the Index. It is possible that such a legal determination or future federal and/or state laws or regulations could drastically curtail permissible uses of hemp, which could have an adverse effect of the value of the Fund’s investments in companies with business interests in hemp and hemp-based products. 
Market Disruption Risk: Geopolitical and other events, including public health crises and natural disasters, have recently led to increased market volatility and significant market losses. Significant market volatility and market downturns may limit the Fund’s ability to sell securities and obtain long exposure to securities, and the Fund’s sales and long exposures may exacerbate the market volatility and downturn. Under such circumstances, the Fund may have difficulty achieving its investment objective for one or more trading days, which may adversely impact the Fund’s returns on those days and periods inclusive of those days. Alternatively, the Fund may incur higher costs (including swap financing costs) in order to achieve its investment objective and may be forced to purchase and sell securities (including other ETFs’ shares) at market prices that do not represent their fair value (including in the case of an ETF, its net asset value) or at times that result in differences between the price the Fund receives for the security or the value of the swap exposure and the market closing price of the security or the market closing value of the swap exposure. Under those circumstances, the Fund’s ability to track its Index is likely to be adversely affected, the market price of Fund shares may reflect a greater premium or discount to net asset value and bid-ask spreads in the Fund’s shares may widen, resulting in increased transaction costs for secondary market purchasers and sellers. The Fund may also incur additional tracking error due to the use of securities that are not perfectly correlated to the Index.
Aggressive Investment Techniques Risk:  Using investment techniques that may be considered aggressive, such as swap agreements, includes the risk of potentially dramatic changes (losses) in the value of the instruments, imperfect correlations between the price of the instrument and the underlying security or index, and volatility of the Fund.
Derivatives Risk: Derivatives are financial instruments that derive value from the underlying reference asset or assets, such as stocks, bonds, or funds (including ETFs), interest rates or indexes. The Fund’s investments in derivatives may pose risks in addition to, and greater than, those associated with directly investing in securities or other ordinary investments, including risk related to the market, leverage, imperfect daily correlations with underlying investments or the Fund’s other portfolio holdings, higher price volatility, lack of availability, counterparty risk, liquidity, valuation and legal restrictions. The use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves investment techniques and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions. The use of derivatives may result in larger losses or smaller gains than directly investing in securities. When the Fund uses derivatives, there may be imperfect correlation between the value of the reference assets and the derivative, which may prevent the Fund from achieving its investment objective. Because derivatives often require only a limited initial investment, the use of derivatives may expose the Fund to losses in excess of those amounts initially invested.
The Fund may use a combination of swaps on the Index and swaps on an ETF whose investment objective is to track the performance of the same, or a substantially similar index to achieve its investment objective. The reference ETF may not closely track the performance of the Index due to fees and other costs borne by the ETF and other factors, such as an ETF’s premium or discount. Thus, to the extent that the Fund invests in swaps that use an ETF as a reference asset, the Fund may be subject to greater correlation risk and may not achieve as high a degree of correlation with the Index as it would if the Fund used swaps that utilized the Index as the reference asset. Any financing, borrowing or other costs associated with using derivatives may also reduce the Fund’s return.
In addition, the Fund’s investments in derivatives are subject to the following risks:
Swap Agreements. Swap agreements are entered into primarily with major global financial institutions for a specified period, which may range from one day to more than one year. The derivative transactions in
    9


which the Fund invests are generally traded in the over-the-counter market, which generally has less transparency than exchange-traded derivatives instruments. In a standard swap transaction, two parties agree to exchange the return (or differentials in rates of return) earned or realized on particular predetermined reference assets or underlying securities or instruments. The gross return to be exchanged or swapped between the parties is calculated based on a notional amount or the return on or change in value of a particular dollar amount invested in a basket of securities representing a particular index or an ETF that seeks to track an index.
If the Index has a dramatic move that causes a material decline in the Fund’s net assets, the terms of a swap agreement between the Fund and its counterparty may permit the counterparty to immediately close out the swap transaction with the Fund. In that event, the Fund may be unable to enter into another swap agreement or invest in other derivatives to achieve exposure consistent with the Fund’s investment objective. This may prevent the Fund from achieving its leveraged investment objective, even if the Index later reverses all or a portion of its movement.
Counterparty Risk: A counterparty may be unwilling or unable to make timely payments to meet its contractual obligations or may fail to return holdings that are subject to the agreement with the counterparty. If the counterparty or its affiliate becomes insolvent, bankrupt or defaults on its payment obligations to the Fund, the value of an investment held by the Fund may decline. Additionally, if any collateral posted by the counterparty for the benefit of the Fund is insufficient or there are delays in the Fund’s ability to access such collateral, the Fund may not be able to achieve its leveraged investment objective. In addition, the Fund may enter into swap agreements with a limited number of counterparties, which may increase the Fund’s exposure to counterparty credit risk. Further, there is a risk that no suitable counterparties will be willing to enter into, or continue to enter into, transactions with the Fund and, as a result, the Fund may not be able to achieve its leveraged investment objective or may decide to change its leveraged investment objective.
Intra-Day Investment Risk: The Fund seeks leveraged investment results from the close of the market on a given trading day until the close of the market on the subsequent trading day. The exact exposure of an investment in the Fund intraday in the secondary market is a function of the difference between the value of the Index at the market close on the first trading day and the value of the Index at the time of purchase. If the Index gains value, the Fund’s net assets will rise by the same amount as the Fund’s exposure. Conversely, if the Index declines, the Fund’s net assets will decline by the same amount as the Fund’s exposure. Thus, an investor that purchases shares intra-day may experience performance that is greater than, or less than, the Fund’s stated multiple of the Index.
If there is a significant intra-day market event and/or the securities of the Index experience a significant decrease, the Fund may not meet its investment objective or rebalance its portfolio appropriately. Additionally, the Fund may close to purchases and sales of Shares prior to the close of regular trading on the NYSE Arca, Inc. and incur significant losses.
Daily Index Correlation/Tracking Risk: There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve a high degree of correlation to the Index and therefore achieve its daily leveraged investment objective. To achieve a high degree of correlation with the Index, the Fund seeks to rebalance its portfolio daily to keep leverage consistent with its daily leveraged investment objective. In addition, the Fund’s exposure to the Index is impacted by the Index’s movement. Because of this, it is unlikely that the Fund will be perfectly exposed to the Index at the end of each day. The possibility of the Fund being materially over- or under-exposed to the Index increases on days when the Index is volatile near the close of the trading day. Market disruptions, regulatory restrictions and extreme volatility will also adversely affect the Fund’s ability to adjust exposure to the required levels.
The Fund may have difficulty achieving its daily leveraged investment objective due to fees, expenses, transaction costs, financing costs related to the use of derivatives, investments in ETFs, directly or indirectly, income items, valuation methodology, accounting standards and disruptions or illiquidity in the markets for the securities or derivatives held by the Fund. The Fund may be subject to large movements of assets into and out of the Fund, potentially resulting in the Fund being over- or under-exposed to the Index. Activities surrounding periodic Index reconstitutions and other Index rebalancing events may hinder the Fund’s ability to meet its daily leveraged investment objective. The Fund may take or refrain from taking positions to improve the tax efficiency or to comply with various regulatory restrictions, either of which may negatively impact the Fund’s correlation to the Index.
    10


The remaining principal risks are presented in alphabetical order. Each risk summarized below is considered a “principal risk” of investing in the Fund, regardless of the order in which it appears.
Associated Risks of Investments in SPACs: The Fund invests in equity securities of SPACs, which raise assets to seek potential acquisition opportunities. Unless and until an acquisition is completed, a SPAC generally invests its assets in U.S. government securities, money market securities, and cash. Because SPACs have no operating history or ongoing business other than seeking acquisitions, the value of their securities is particularly dependent on the ability of the entity’s management to identify and complete a profitable acquisition. There is no guarantee that the SPACs in which the Fund invests will complete an acquisition or that any acquisitions that are completed will be profitable. Public stockholders of SPACs may not be afforded a meaningful opportunity to vote on a proposed initial business combination because certain stockholders, including stockholders affiliated with the management of the SPAC, may have sufficient voting power, and a financial incentive, to approve such a transaction without support from public stockholders. As a result, a SPAC may complete a business combination even though a majority of its public stockholders do not support such a combination. Because the SPACs included in the Index will be designed to pursue acquisitions only within certain industries or regions, their stock prices may experience greater volatility than stocks of other SPACs.
Associated Risks of SPAC-Derived Companies: The Fund invests in companies that are derived from a SPAC. These companies may be unseasoned and lack a trading history, a track record of reporting to investors, and widely available research coverage. SPAC-derived companies are thus often subject to extreme price volatility and speculative trading. These stocks may have above-average price appreciation in connection with a potential business combination with a SPAC prior to inclusion in the Index. The price of stocks included in the Index may not continue to appreciate and the performance of these stocks may not replicate the performance exhibited in the past. In addition, SPAC-derived companies may share similar illiquidity risks of private equity and venture capital. The free float shares held by the public in a SPAC-derived company are typically a small percentage of the market capitalization. The ownership of many SPAC-derived companies often includes large holdings by venture capital and private equity investors who seek to sell their shares in the public market in the months following a business combination transaction when shares restricted by lock-up are released, causing greater volatility and possible downward pressure during the time that locked-up shares are released.
Concentration Risk: The Fund’s investments will be concentrated in an industry or group of industries to the extent that the Index is so concentrated. In such event, the value of the Fund’s shares may rise and fall more than the value of shares of a fund that invests in securities of companies in a broader range of industries. 
Consumer Staples Sector Risk: The consumer staples sector may be affected by the permissibility of using various product components and production methods, marketing campaigns and other factors affecting consumer demand. Tobacco companies, in particular, may be adversely affected by new laws, regulations and litigation. The consumer staples sector may also be adversely affected by changes or trends in commodity prices, which may be influenced or characterized by unpredictable factors. 
Early Close/Late Close/Trading Halt Risk: An exchange or market may close early, close late or issue trading halts on specific securities or financial instruments. As a result, the ability to trade certain securities or financial instruments may be restricted, which may disrupt the Fund’s creation and redemption process, potentially affect the price at which the Fund’s shares trade in the secondary market, and/or result in the Fund being unable to trade certain securities or financial instruments at all. In these circumstances, the Fund may be unable to rebalance its portfolio, may be unable to accurately price its investments and/or may incur substantial trading losses. If trading in the Fund’s shares are halted, investors may be temporarily unable to trade shares of 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 such as political, market and economic developments, as well as events that impact specific issuers. Additionally, natural or environmental disasters, widespread disease or other public health issues, war, acts of terrorism or other events could result in increased premiums or discounts to the Fund’s NAV.
    11


ETF Risks: 
Absence of an Active Market: Although the Fund’s shares are approved for listing on the NYSE Arca, Inc. (the “Exchange”), there can be no assurance that an active trading market will develop and be maintained for Fund shares. There can be no assurance that the Fund will grow to or maintain an economically viable size, in which case the Fund may ultimately liquidate. 
Authorized Participants (“APs”), Market Makers, and Liquidity Providers Concentration Risk: The Fund has a limited number of financial institutions that may act as APs, none of which are obligated to engage in creation and/or redemption transactions. 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, there may be a significantly diminished trading market for Fund shares and shares may trade at a material discount to net asset value ("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. The risks associated with limited APs may be heightened in scenarios where APs have limited or diminished access to the capital required to post collateral. 
Cash Transactions Risk: The Fund may effect its creations and redemptions primarily for cash, rather than in-kind securities. Paying redemption proceeds in cash rather than through in-kind delivery of portfolio securities may require the Fund to dispose of or sell portfolio investments at an inopportune time to obtain the cash needed to distribute redemption proceeds. This may cause the Fund to incur certain costs such as brokerage costs, and to recognize gains or losses that it might not have incurred if it had made a redemption in-kind. As a result, the Fund may pay out higher or lower annual capital gains distributions than ETFs that redeem in-kind. In addition, the costs imposed on the Fund will decrease the Fund’ NAV unless the costs are offset by a transaction fee payable by an AP.
Costs of Buying or Selling Shares: Investors buying or selling Fund 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. 
Fluctuation of NAV: The NAV of Fund shares will generally fluctuate with changes in the market value of the Fund's securities holdings. The market prices of shares will generally fluctuate in accordance with changes in the Fund's NAV and supply and demand of shares on the Exchange. It cannot be predicted whether Fund shares will trade below, at or above their NAV. During periods of unusual volatility or market disruptions, market prices of Fund shares may deviate significantly from the market value of the Fund’s securities holdings or the NAV of Fund shares. As a result, investors in the Fund may pay significantly more or receive significantly less for Fund shares than the value of the Fund's underlying securities or the NAV of Fund shares. 
Market Trading Risk: An investment in the Fund faces numerous market trading risks, including the potential lack of an active market for Fund shares, losses from trading in secondary markets, periods of high volatility and disruption in the creation/redemption process of the Fund. Any of these factors, among others, may lead to the Fund's shares trading at a premium or discount to NAV. Because securities held by the Fund may trade on foreign exchanges that are closed when the Fund’s primary listing exchange is open, there may be deviations between the current price of a security and the security’s last quoted price from the closed foreign market. This may result in premiums and discounts that are greater than those experienced by purely domestic ETFs.
Trading Issues: Although Fund shares are listed for trading on the NYSE Arca, Inc. (the "Exchange"), there can be no assurance that an active trading market for such shares will develop or be maintained. Trading in Fund shares may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the Exchange, make trading in shares inadvisable. There can be no assurance that the requirements of the Exchange necessary to maintain the listing of any Fund will continue to be met or will remain unchanged or that the shares will trade with any volume, or at all. Further, secondary markets may be subject to erratic trading activity, wide
    12


bid/ask spreads and extended trade settlement periods in times of market stress because market makers and Authorized Participants may step away from making a market in Fund shares and in executing creation and redemption orders, which could cause a material deviation in the Fund's market price from its NAV.
Foreign Investment Risk: Returns on investments in foreign stocks could be more volatile than, or trail the returns on, investments in U.S. stocks. 
Currency Risk: Indirect and direct exposure to foreign currencies subjects the Fund to the risk that currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar. Currency rates in foreign countries may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time for a number of reasons, including changes in interest rates and the imposition of currency controls or other political developments in the U.S. or abroad. 
Depositary Receipts Risk:   The Fund may invest in depositary receipts. Investment in ADRs and GDRs may be less liquid than the underlying shares in their primary trading market and GDRs, many of which are issued by companies in emerging markets, may be more volatile and less liquid than depositary receipts issued by companies in more developed markets. 
Foreign Market and Trading Risk: The trading markets for many foreign securities are not as active as U.S. markets and may have less governmental regulation and oversight. Foreign markets also may have clearance and settlement procedures that make it difficult for the Fund to buy and sell securities. These factors could result in a loss to the Fund by causing the Fund to be unable to dispose of an investment or to miss an attractive investment opportunity, or by causing Fund assets to be uninvested for some period of time. 
Foreign Securities Risk: The Fund invests a significant portion of its assets directly in securities of issuers based outside of the U.S., or in depositary receipts that represent such securities. Investments in securities of non-U.S. issuers involve certain risks that may not be present with investments in securities of U.S. issuers, such as risk of loss due to foreign currency fluctuations or to political or economic instability, as well as varying regulatory requirements applicable to investments in non-U.S. issuers. There may be less information publicly available about a non-U.S. issuer than a U.S. issuer. Non-U.S. issuers may also be subject to different regulatory, accounting, auditing, financial reporting and investor protection standards than U.S. issuers. 
Political and Economic Risk: The Fund is subject to foreign political and economic risk not associated with U.S. investments, meaning that political events, social and economic events and natural disasters occurring in a country where the Fund invests could cause the Fund’s investments in that country to experience gains or losses. The Fund also could be unable to enforce its ownership rights or pursue legal remedies in countries where it invests. 
Health Care Companies Risk: Health care companies are subject to extensive government regulation and their profitability can be significantly affected by restrictions on government reimbursement for medical expenses, rising costs of medical products and services, pricing pressure (including price discounting), limited product lines, and an increased emphasis on the delivery of healthcare through outpatient services. Health care companies are heavily dependent on obtaining and defending patents, which may be time consuming and costly, and the expiration of patents may also adversely affect the profitability of the companies. Health care companies are also subject to extensive litigation based on product liability and similar claims. In addition, their products can become obsolete due to industry innovation, changes in technologies, or other market developments. Many new products in the health care field require significant research and development and may be subject to regulatory approvals, all of which may be time consuming and costly with no guarantee that any product will come to market. 
Biotechnology Company Risk:  A biotechnology company’s valuation can often be based largely on the potential or actual performance of a limited number of products and can accordingly be greatly affected if one of its products proves, among other things, unsafe, ineffective or unprofitable. Biotechnology companies are subject to regulation by, and the restrictions of, the FDA, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, state and local governments, and foreign regulatory authorities. 
    13


Pharmaceutical Company Risk:  Companies in the pharmaceutical industry can be significantly affected by, among other things, government approval of products and services, government regulation and reimbursement rates, product liability claims, patent expirations and protection and intense competition. 
Liquidity Risk: In certain circumstances, such as the disruption of the orderly markets for the financial instruments in which the Fund invests, the Fund might not be able to acquire or dispose of certain holdings quickly or at prices that represent true market value in the judgment of the Adviser. Markets for the financial instruments in which the Fund invests may be disrupted by a number of events, including but not limited to economic crises, health crises, natural disasters, excessive volatility, new legislation, or regulatory changes inside or outside of the U.S. For example, regulation limiting the ability of certain financial institutions to invest in certain financial instruments would likely reduce the liquidity of those instruments. These situations may prevent the Fund from limiting losses, realizing gains or achieving a high leveraged correlation with the Index.
Money Market Instrument Risk: The Fund may use a variety of money market instruments for cash management purposes, including money market funds, depositary accounts and repurchase agreements. Money market funds may be subject to credit risk with respect to the debt instruments in which they invest. Depository accounts may be subject to credit risk with respect to the financial institution in which the depository account is held. Repurchase agreements are contracts in which a seller of securities agrees to buy the securities back at a specified time and price. Repurchase agreements may be subject to market and credit risk related to the collateral securing the repurchase agreement. Money market instruments may lose money.
Natural Disaster/Epidemic Risk: Natural or environmental disasters, such as earthquakes, fires, floods, hurricanes, tsunamis and other severe weather-related phenomena generally, and widespread disease, including pandemics and epidemics, have been and may be highly disruptive to economies and markets, adversely impacting individual companies, sectors, industries, markets, currencies, interest and inflation rates, credit ratings, investor sentiment, and other factors affecting the value of the Fund’s investments, Given the increasing interdependence among global economies and markets, conditions in one country, market, or region are increasingly likely to adversely affect markets, issues, and/or foreign exchange rates in other countries, including the U.S. Any such events could have a significant adverse impact on the value of the Fund’s investments.
New Fund Risk: The Fund is a recently organized, non-diversified management investment company with limited operating history. As a result, prospective investors have a limited track record or history on which to base their investment decision. There can be no assurance that the Fund will grow to or maintain an economically viable size.
Non-Cannabis Related Business Risk: Many of the companies in the Index are engaged in other lines of business unrelated to the activities identified in the principal investment strategies, above, and these lines of business could adversely affect their operating results. The operating results of these companies may fluctuate as a result of events in the other lines of business. In addition, a company’s ability to engage in new activities may expose it to business risks with which it has less experience than it has with the business risks associated with its traditional businesses. There can be no assurance that the other lines of business in which these companies are engaged will not have an adverse effect on a company’s business or financial condition.
Non-Diversification Risk: Because the Fund is “non-diversified,” it may invest a greater percentage of its assets in the securities of a single issuer or a small number of issuers than if it was a diversified fund. As a result, a decline in the value of an investment in a single issuer or a small number of issuers could cause the Fund’s overall value to decline to a greater degree than if the Fund held a more diversified portfolio. This may increase the Fund’s volatility and have a greater impact on the Fund’s performance. 
Other Investment Companies (including ETFs) Risk: The Fund may invest directly in another investment company by purchasing shares of the investment company or indirectly by utilizing an investment company as the reference asset of a derivative instrument. The Fund will incur higher and duplicative expenses when it invests in other investment companies such as ETFs (affiliated ETFs will not charge duplicate fees and expenses). There is also the risk that the Fund may suffer losses due to the investment practices of the underlying funds. If the other investment company fails to achieve its investment objective, the value of the Fund’s investment will not perform as expected, thus affecting the Fund’s performance and its correlation with the Index. When the Fund invests in other investment companies, the Fund will be subject to substantially the same risks as those associated with the direct ownership of securities held by such investment companies. Investments in ETFs are also subject to the following risks: (i) the
    14


market price of an ETF’s shares may trade above or below their net asset value; (ii) an active trading market for an ETF’s shares may not develop or be maintained; and (iii) trading of an ETF’s shares may be halted for a number of reasons. Investments in such shares may be subject to brokerage and other trading costs, which could result in greater expenses to the Fund. Finally, depending on the demand in the market, the Fund may not be able to liquidate its holdings in ETFs at an optimal price or time, which may adversely affect the Fund’s performance.
Portfolio Turnover Risk: The Fund may incur high portfolio turnover to manage the Fund’s investment exposure. Additionally, active market trading of the Fund’s shares may cause more frequent creation or redemption activities that could, in certain circumstances, increase the number of portfolio transactions. High levels of portfolio transactions increase brokerage and other transaction costs and may result in increased taxable capital gains. Each of these factors could have a negative impact on the performance of the Fund.
Risks Related to Investing in Canada: Because the investments of the Fund are geographically concentrated in Canadian companies or companies that have a significant presence in Canada, investment results could be dependent on the financial condition of the Canadian economy. The Canadian economy is reliant on the sale of natural resources and commodities, which can pose risks such as the fluctuation of prices and the variability of demand for exportation of such products. Changes in spending on Canadian products by the economies of other countries or changes in any of these economies may cause a significant impact on the Canadian economy. In particular, the Canadian economy is heavily dependent on relationships with certain key trading partners, including the United States and China. 
Sector Risk: To the extent the Fund invests more heavily in particular sectors of the economy, its performance will be especially sensitive to developments that significantly affect those sectors. 
Securities Lending Risk: The Fund may engage in securities lending. The Fund may lose money if the borrower of the loaned securities delays returning in a timely manner or fails to return the loaned securities. Securities lending involves the risk that the Fund could lose money in the event of a decline in the value of collateral provided for loaned securities. In addition, the Fund bears the risk of loss in connection with its investment of the cash collateral it receives from a borrower. To the extent that the value or return of the Fund's investment of the cash collateral declines below the amount owed to the borrower, the Fund may incur losses that exceed the amount it earned on lending the security. 
Smaller Companies Risk: The Fund’s Index may be composed primarily of, or have significant exposure to, securities of smaller companies. If it does so, it may be subject to certain risks associated with smaller companies. Smaller companies may be more vulnerable to adverse business or economic events than larger, more established companies, and may underperform other segments of the market or the equity market as a whole. The securities of smaller companies also tend to be bought and sold less frequently and at significantly lower trading volumes than the securities of larger companies. As a result, it may be more difficult for the Fund to buy or sell a significant amount of the securities of a smaller company without an adverse impact on the price of the company’s securities, or the Fund may have to sell such securities in smaller quantities over a longer period of time, which may prevent the Fund from achieving its investment objective. 
Tax Risk: To qualify for the favorable tax treatment generally available to regulated investment companies, the Fund must satisfy certain diversification requirements under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). In particular, the Fund generally may not acquire a security if, as a result of the acquisition, more than 50% of the value of the Fund’s assets would be invested in (a) issuers in which the Fund has, in each case, invested more than 5% of the Fund’s assets and (b) issuers more than 10% of whose outstanding voting securities are owned by the Fund. When the Index is concentrated in a relatively small number of securities, it may not be possible for the Fund to fully implement a replication strategy or a representative sampling strategy while satisfying these diversification requirements. The Fund’s efforts to satisfy the diversification requirements may cause the Fund’s return to deviate from that of the Index, and the Fund’s efforts to replicate the Index may cause it inadvertently to fail to satisfy the diversification requirements. If the Fund were to fail to qualify as a regulated investment company, it would be taxed in the same manner as an ordinary corporation, and distributions to its shareholders would not be deductible by the Fund in computing its taxable income. 
Valuation Risk: The sales price that the Fund could receive for a security may differ from the Fund’s valuation of the security and may differ from the value used by the Index, particularly for securities that trade in low volume or
    15


volatile markets or that are valued using a fair value methodology. In addition, the value of the securities in the Fund’s portfolio may change on days when shareholders will not be able to purchase or sell the Fund’s shares. 
Performance Information
The Fund is new and therefore does not have performance history for a full calendar year. Once the Fund has completed a full calendar year of operations, a bar chart and table will be included that will provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing the variability of the Fund’s returns and comparing the Fund’s performance to a broad measure of market performance. Updated performance information is available at www.etfmg.com/mjxl or by calling 1-844-383-6477. 
Investment Adviser 
ETF Managers Group LLC (the “Adviser”) serves as the investment adviser to the Fund. 
Portfolio Managers 
Samuel R. Masucci, III, Chief Executive Officer of the Adviser, Frank Vallario, Chief Investment Officer of the Adviser, Donal Bishnoi, Portfolio Manager of the Adviser, and Devin Ryder, Portfolio Manager of the Adviser, have been the Fund’s portfolio managers since the Fund’s inception in 2021. 
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares 
Shares are listed on 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). 
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. Except when aggregated in Creation Units, the Fund’s shares are not redeemable securities. 
Investors may incur costs attributable to the difference between the highest price a buyer is willing to pay to purchase Shares (bid) and the lowest price a seller is willing to accept for Shares (ask) when buying or selling Shares in the secondary market (the "bid-ask spread"). Recent information about the Fund, including its NAV, market price, premiums and discounts, and bid-ask spreads is available on the Fund’s website at www.etfmg.com/mjxl. 
Tax Information 
The distributions made by the Fund are taxable, and will be taxed as ordinary income, qualified dividend income, or capital gains (or a combination), unless your investment is in an IRA or other tax-advantaged account. However, subsequent withdrawals from such a tax-advantaged account may be subject to federal income tax. You should consult your tax advisor about your specific tax situation. 
Financial Intermediary Compensation 
If you purchase shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank) (an “Intermediary”), the Adviser or its 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 Fund 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. 
    16


Additional Information about the Fund’s Investment Objective and Strategies 
This section contains additional details about the Fund’s investment objective, principal investment strategies and related risks.
Investment Objective
The Fund is designed to seek daily investment results, before fees and expenses, that corresponds to two times (2x) the daily total return of the Index. If, on a given day, the Index gains 1%, the Fund is designed to gain approximately 2% (which is equal to two times 1%). Conversely, if the Index loses 1% on a given day, the Fund is designed to lose approximately 2%. The Fund seeks leveraged investment results on a daily basis – from the close of regular trading on one trading day to the close on the next trading day – which should not be equated with seeking a leveraged investment objective for any other period. The Fund is designed as a short-term trading vehicle. The Fund is intended to be used by investors who intend to actively monitor and manage their portfolios.
The Fund’s investment objective is non-fundamental, meaning that it may be changed by the Board of Trustees (the “Board”) of ETF Managers Trust (the “Trust”), without the approval of Fund shareholders. The Fund reserves the right to substitute a different index for the Index without shareholder approval.
Principal Investment Strategies
The Adviser uses a number of investment techniques in an effort to achieve the stated investment objective for the Fund. The Fund seeks two times (2x) the return of the Index on a given day. The Adviser attempts to provide two times the returns of the Index for a one-day period. To do this, the Adviser creates net “long” positions for the Fund. The Adviser may create short positions in the Fund even though the net exposure in the Fund will be long. Long positions move in the same direction as the Index, advancing when the Index advances and declining when the Index declines.
In seeking to achieve the Fund’s investment objective, the Adviser uses statistical and quantitative analysis to determine the investments the Fund makes and the techniques it employs. The Adviser relies upon a pre-determined model to generate orders that result in repositioning the Fund’s investments in accordance with its daily leveraged investment objective. Using this approach, the Adviser determines the type, quantity and mix of investment positions that it believes in combination should produce daily returns consistent with the Fund’s investment objective. In general, if the Fund is performing as designed, the return of the Index will dictate the return for the Fund. The Adviser does not invest the assets of the Fund in securities, derivatives or other investments based on the Adviser’s view of the investment merit of a particular security, instrument or company, nor does it conduct conventional investment research or analysis or forecast market movements or trends. The Fund generally pursues its investment objective regardless of the market conditions and does not take defensive positions.
The Fund has a clearly articulated daily leveraged investment objective which requires the Fund to seek economic exposure in excess of its net assets (i.e., economic leverage). To meet its objectives, the Fund invests in some combination of financial instruments so that it generates economic exposure consistent with the Fund’s investment objective.
The Fund may invest significantly in swap agreements and ETFs to obtain economic “leverage.” Leveraging allows the Adviser to generate a greater positive or negative return for the Fund than what would be generated on the invested capital without leverage, thus changing small market movements into larger changes in the value of the investments of the Fund.
The Fund generally may hold a representative sample of the securities in the Index. The sampling of securities that is held by the Fund is intended to maintain high correlation with, and similar aggregate characteristics (e.g., market capitalization and industry weightings) to, the Index. The Fund also may invest in securities that are not included in the Index or may overweight or underweight certain components of the Index. Certain assets may be concentrated in an industry or group of industries to the extent that the Index concentrates in a particular industry or group of industries. In addition, the Fund offered in this Prospectus is non-diversified, which means that it may invest in the securities of a limited number of issuers.
At the close of the markets each trading day, the Fund will position its portfolio to ensure that the Fund’s exposure to the Index is consistent with the Fund’s stated investment objective. The impact of market movements during the
    17


day determines whether a portfolio needs to be repositioned. If the Index has risen on a given day, the Fund’s net assets should rise, meaning its exposure will typically need to be increased. Conversely, if the Index has fallen on a given day, the Fund’s net assets should fall, meaning its exposure will typically need to be reduced. The Fund’s portfolio may also need to be changed to reflect changes in the composition of the Index.
The Fund may have difficulty in achieving its daily leveraged investment objective due to fees, expenses, transaction costs, income items, accounting standards, significant purchase and redemption activity by Fund shareholders and/or disruptions or a temporary lack of liquidity in the markets for the securities held by the Fund. Additionally, if the Index includes foreign securities that trade in a foreign market that closes before or after the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) closes (generally at 4 p.m. Eastern Time), the daily leveraged performance of the Fund may deviate from its expected performance relative to the Index.
An exchange or market may close or issue trading halts on specific securities, or the ability to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments may be restricted, which may result in the Fund being unable to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments. In such circumstances, the Fund may be unable to rebalance its portfolio, may be unable to accurately price its investments and/or may incur substantial trading losses.
If the Fund is unable to obtain sufficient leveraged exposure to the Index due to the limited availability of necessary investments or financial instruments, the Fund could, among other things, limit or suspend creation units until the Adviser determines that the requisite exposure to the Index is obtainable. During the period that creation units are suspended, the Fund could trade at a significant premium or discount to its NAV and could experience substantial redemptions.
The Fund, as part of its securities lending program, may invest collateral in an affiliated series of ETF Managers Trust, ETFMG Sit Ultra Short ETF. ETF Managers Group LLC serves as the investment adviser to ETFMG Sit Ultra Short ETF. Other investment companies, including Ultra Short ETF, in which a Fund may invest cash collateral can be expected to incur fees and expenses for operations, such as investment advisory and administration fees, which would be in addition to those incurred by the Fund, and which, with respect to Ultra Short ETF, will be received in full or in part by the Adviser.
A Cautionary Note to Investors Regarding Dramatic Index Movement
The Fund seeks daily exposure to the Index equal to 200% of its net assets. As a consequence, the Fund could lose an amount greater than its net assets in the event of a decline in the value of the Index in excess of 50% of the value of the Index. The Adviser will attempt to position the Fund’s portfolio to ensure that the Fund does not gain or lose more than 90% of its NAV on a given day. If the Adviser successfully positions the Fund’s portfolio to provide such limits, the Fund’s portfolio and NAV will not be responsive to movements in the Index beyond 45% in a given day, whether that movement is favorable or adverse to the Fund. For example, if the Index were to gain 55%, the Fund would be limited to a daily gain of 90%, which corresponds to two times the Index gain of 45%, rather than 110%, which is two times the Index gain of 55%. It may not be possible to limit the Fund’s losses, and shareholders should not expect such protection. The risk of total loss exists.
If the Index has a dramatic adverse move that causes a material decline in the Fund’s net assets, the terms of the Fund’s swap agreements may permit the counterparty to immediately close out the swap transaction. In that event, the Fund may be unable to enter into another swap agreement or invest in other derivatives to achieve exposure consistent with the Fund’s investment objective. This may prevent the Fund from achieving its leveraged or inverse leveraged investment objective, even if the Index later reverses all or a portion the move.
Understanding the Risks and Long-Term Performance of Daily Objective Funds – the Impact of Compounding
The Fund is designed to provide leveraged (2x) results on a daily basis. The Fund, however, is unlikely to provide a simple multiple (i.e., 2x) of an index’s performance over periods longer than a single day.
Why? The hypothetical example below illustrates how daily leveraged fund returns can behave for periods longer than a single day.
Take a hypothetical fund XYZ that seeks to achieve twice the daily performance of index XYZ. On each day, fund XYZ performs in line with its objective (2x the index’s daily performance before fees and expenses).
    18


Notice that over the entire five-day period, the fund’s total return is considerably less than two times that of the period return of the index. For the five-day period, index XYZ gained 5.1% while fund XYZ gained 9.9% (versus 2 x 5.1% or 10.2%). In other scenarios, the return of a daily rebalanced fund could be greater than three times the index’s return.  
  Index XYZ Fund XYZ
  Level
Daily
Performance
Daily
Performance
Net Asset
Value
Start 100.0     $100.00
Day 1 103.0 3.0% 6.0% $106.00
Day 2 99.9 -3.0% -6.0% $99.62
Day 3 103.9 4.0% 8.0% $107.60
Day 4 101.3 -2.5% -5.0% $102.21
Day 5 105.1 3.8% 7.5% $109.88
Total Return   5.1% 9.9%
Why does this happen? This effect is caused by compounding, which exists in all investments, but has a more significant impact on a daily leveraged fund. The return of a daily leveraged fund for a period longer than a single day is the result of its return for each day compounded over the period and usually will differ in amount, and possibly even direction, from the daily leveraged fund’s stated multiple times the return of the daily leveraged fund’s index for the same period. In general, during periods of higher index volatility, compounding will cause longer term results to be less than the multiple of the return of the index. This effect becomes more pronounced as volatility increases. Conversely, in periods of lower index volatility, fund returns over longer periods can be higher than the multiple of the return of the index. Actual results for a particular period, before fees and expenses, are also dependent on the following factors: a) the index’s volatility; b) the index’s performance; c) period of time; d) financing rates associated with derivatives; e) other fund expenses; and f) dividends or interest paid with respect to the securities in the index. The examples herein illustrate the impact of two principal factors — index volatility and index performance — on fund performance.
The graphs that follow illustrate this point. Each of the graphs shows a simulated hypothetical one year performance of an index compared with the performance of a fund that perfectly achieves its investment objective. The graphs demonstrate that, for periods longer than a single day, a daily leveraged fund is likely to underperform or overperform (but not match) the index performance times the stated multiple in the fund’s investment objective. Investors should understand the consequences of holding daily rebalanced funds for periods longer than a single day, including the impact of compounding on fund performance. Investors should actively manage and monitor their investments, as frequently as daily. A one-year period is used for illustrative purposes only. Deviations from the index return times the fund multiple can occur over periods as short as a single day (as measured from one day’s NAV to the next day’s NAV) and may also occur in periods shorter than a single day (when measured intraday as opposed to NAV to NAV). An investor in a daily leveraged fund could potentially lose the full principal value of his/her investment within a single day.
To isolate the impact of leverage, these graphs assume: a) no dividends paid with respect to securities in the index; b) no fund expenses; and c) borrowing/lending rates (to obtain required leverage) of zero percent. If these were reflected, the fund’s performance would be different than that shown. Each of the graphs also assumes a volatility rate of 30%, which is the approximate average of the five-year historical volatility rate of the Prime Alternative Harvest Index. An index’s volatility rate is a statistical measure of the magnitude of fluctuations in the returns of an index.
    19


One-Year Simulation; Index Return 0%
(Annualized Index Volatility 30%)
CK0001467831-20210131_G2.JPG
The graph above shows a scenario where the index, which exhibits day-to-day volatility, is flat or trendless over the year (i.e., begins and ends the year at 0%), but the Fund is down.
    20


One-Year Simulation; Index Return 1.87%
(Annualized Index Volatility 30%)
CK0001467831-20210131_G3.JPG
 The graph above shows a scenario where the index, which exhibits day-to-day volatility, is up over the year, but the Fund is up less than two times the index.
    21


One-Year Simulation; Index Return –1.23%
(Annualized Index Volatility 30%)
CK0001467831-20210131_G4.JPG
 The graph above shows a scenario where the index, which exhibits day-to-day volatility, is down over the year, the Fund is down more than two times the index.
What it means to you. Daily leveraged funds, if used properly and in conjunction with the investor’s view on the future direction and volatility of the markets, can be useful tools for knowledgeable investors who want to manage their exposure to various markets and market segments. Investors should understand the consequences of seeking daily investment results, before fees and expenses, that correspond to the performance of a daily benchmark such as the multiple (i.e., 2x) of the daily performance of an index for a single day, not for any other period, including the impact of compounding on fund performance. Investors should monitor and/or periodically rebalance their portfolios (which will possibly trigger transaction costs and tax consequences), as frequently as daily. Investors considering these funds should understand that they are designed to provide a positive or negative multiple of an index for a single day, not for any other period.
Additionally, investors should recognize that the degree of volatility of a fund’s index can have a dramatic effect on a fund’s longer-term performance. The more volatile an index is, the more a fund’s longer-term performance will negatively deviate from a simple multiple (e.g., 2x) of its index’s longer-term return. The return of the fund for a period longer than a single day is the result of its return for each day compounded over the period and usually will differ in amount, and possibly even direction, from the fund’s stated multiple times the return of the fund’s index for the same period. For periods longer than a single day, the fund will lose money if its index’s performance is flat over time, and it is possible that the fund will lose money over time regardless of the performance of its index, as a result of daily rebalancing, the index’s volatility, compounding and other factors. An investor in the fund could potentially lose the full principal value of his/her investment within a single day.
    22


Additional Risk Information 
You may lose the full principal value of your investment within a single day.
The following section provides additional information regarding the principal risks identified under “Principal Risks” in the Fund’s summary.
Effects of Compounding and Market Volatility Risk: The Fund has a daily leveraged investment objective and the Fund’s performance for periods greater than a trading day will be the result of each day's returns compounded over the period, which is very likely to differ from Index’s performance times the stated multiple in the Fund’s investment objective, before fees and expenses. Compounding affects all investments, but has a more significant impact on leveraged funds and funds that rebalance daily.
Over time, the cumulative percentage increase or decrease in the value of the Fund’s portfolio may diverge significantly from the cumulative percentage increase or decrease in two times (2x) the return of the Index due to the compounding effect of losses and gains on the returns of the Fund. It also is expected that the Fund’s use of leverage will cause the Fund to underperform the return of two times (2x) the Index in a trendless or flat market.
The chart below provides examples of how index volatility could affect the Fund’s performance. The chart illustrates the impact of two factors that affect the Fund’s performance: Index volatility and Index return. Index returns show the percentage change in the value of the Index over the specified time period, while Index volatility is a statistical measure of the magnitude of fluctuations in the returns during that time period. As illustrated below, even if the Index return over two equal time periods is identical, different Index volatility (i.e., fluctuations in the rates of return) during the two time periods could result in drastically different Fund performance for the two time periods due to the effects of compounding daily returns during the time periods.
Fund performance for periods greater than one single day can be estimated given any set of assumptions for the following factors: a) index volatility; b) index performance; c) period of time; d) financing rates associated with leveraged exposure; e) other Fund expenses; and f) dividends or interest paid with respect to securities in the Index. The chart below illustrates the impact of two principal factors – index volatility and index performance – on Fund performance. The chart shows estimated Fund returns for a number of combinations of index volatility and index performance over a one-year period. Performance shown in the chart assumes that: (i) no dividends were paid with respect to the securities included in the Index; (ii) there were no Fund expenses; and (iii) borrowing/lending rates (to obtain leveraged exposure) of 0%. If Fund expenses and/or actual borrowing/lending rates were reflected, the estimated returns would be worse than those shown. Particularly during periods of higher Index volatility, compounding will cause results for periods longer than a trading day to vary from two times (2x) the performance of the Index.
As shown below, the Fund would be expected to lose 6.1% if the Index provided no return over a one year period during which the Index experienced annualized volatility of 25%.
If the Index’s annualized volatility were to rise to 75%, the hypothetical loss for a one-year period for the Fund widens to approximately 43%.
At higher ranges of volatility, there is a chance of a significant loss of value in the Fund. For instance, if the Index’s annualized volatility is 100%, the Fund would be expected to lose approximately 63.2% of its value, even if the cumulative return of the Index for the year was 0%. The volatility of ETFs or instruments that reflect the value of the Index, such as swaps, may differ from the volatility of the Index.  
    23


One Year Index Two Times (2x) One Year Index Volatility Rate
Return Return 10% 25% 50% 75% 100%
-60% -120% -84.2% -85.0% -87.5% -90.9% -94.1%
-50% -100% -75.2% -76.5% -80.5% -85.8% -90.8%
-40% -80% -64.4% -66.2% -72.0% -79.5% -86.8%
-30% -60% -51.5% -54.0% -61.8% -72.1% -82.0%
-20% -40% -36.6% -39.9% -50.2% -63.5% -76.5%
-10% -20% -19.8% -23.9% -36.9% -53.8% -70.2%
0% 0% -1.0% -6.1% -22.1% -43.0% -63.2%
10% 20% 19.8% 13.7% -5.8% -31.1% -55.5%
20% 40% 42.6% 35.3% 12.1% -18.0% -47.0%
30% 60% 67.3% 58.8% 31.6% -3.7% -37.8%
40% 80% 94.0% 84.1% 52.6% 11.7% -27.9%
50% 100% 122.8% 111.4% 75.2% 28.2% -17.2%
60% 120% 153.5% 140.5% 99.4% 45.9% -5.8%
Holding an unmanaged position opens the investor to the risk of market volatility adversely affecting the performance of the investment. The Fund is not appropriate for investors who do not intend to actively monitor and manage their portfolios. The table is intended to underscore the fact that the Fund is designed as a short-term trading vehicle for investors who intend to actively monitor and manage their portfolios.
Leverage Risk: To achieve its daily investment objective, the Fund employs leverage and is exposed to the risk that adverse daily performance of the Index will be magnified. This means that, if the Index experiences an adverse daily performance, an investment in the Fund will be reduced by an amount equal to 2% for every 1% of adverse performance, not including the costs of financing leverage and other operating expenses, which would further reduce its value. The Fund could theoretically lose an amount greater than its net assets if the Index moves more than 50% in a direction adverse to the Fund (meaning a decline in the value of the Index). Leverage will also have the effect of magnifying any differences in the Fund’s correlation with the Index.
United States Regulatory Risks of the Marijuana Industry: The possession and use of marijuana, even for medical purposes, is illegal under federal and certain states’ laws, which may negatively impact the value of the Fund’s investments. Use of marijuana is regulated by both the federal government and state governments, and state and federal laws regarding marijuana often conflict. Marijuana is a Schedule I controlled substance under the CSA and is illegal under federal law. Currently, over half of the states plus the District of Columbia have laws and/or regulations that recognize, in one form or another, legitimate medical uses for cannabis and consumer use of cannabis in connection with medical treatment or for non-medical purposes. Even in those states in which the use of marijuana for medical or non-medical purposes has been legalized, its sale and use remains a violation of federal law. Federal law criminalizing the use of marijuana pre-empts state laws that legalizes its use for medicinal and recreational purposes. It is not yet known whether the current Administration will push back against states where marijuana use and possession is legal and step up the enforcement of federal marijuana laws and the prosecution of nonviolent federal drug crimes. Congress may fail to renew the Rohrabacher-Blumenauer amendment, which currently prohibits the DOJ from using federal funds to prevent states from implementing laws that authorize medical marijuana use, possession, distribution, and cultivation. Such actions could produce a chilling effect on the industry’s growth and discourage banks from expanding their services to cannabis-related companies. This conflict between the regulation of marijuana under federal and state law creates volatility and risk for all cannabis-related companies. In particular, the stepped up enforcement of marijuana laws by the federal government would adversely affect the value of the Fund’s U.S. investments. Certain Cannabis Companies or Pharmaceutical Companies may never be able to legally produce and sell products in the United States or other national or local jurisdictions. 
    24


As noted above, marijuana is a Schedule I controlled substance in the United States under the CSA. The DEA classifies controlled substances into five schedules: Schedule I, II, III, IV or V substances. Schedule I substances by definition have a high potential for abuse, have no currently “accepted medical use” in the United States, lack accepted safety for use under medical supervision, and may not be prescribed, marketed or sold in the United States. Pharmaceutical products approved by the FDA for use in the United States may be listed as Schedule II, III, IV or V, with Schedule II substances considered to present the highest potential for abuse or dependence and Schedule V substances the lowest relative risk among such substances. 
Few drug products containing natural cannabis or naturally-derived cannabis extracts have been approved by the FDA for use in the United States or obtained DEA registrations for commercial production. Drug products containing cannabis or cannabis extracts that receive the required government approvals for use in commercial production may be subject to significant government regulation regarding manufacture, importation, exportation, domestic distribution, storage, sale, and legitimate use. In addition, the scheduling process may take one or more years, thereby delaying the launch of the drug product in the United States.
Cannabis-related companies in the U.S. that engage in medical or pharmaceutical research or the production and distribution of controlled substances such as marijuana must be registered with the DEA to perform such activities and have the security, control, recordkeeping, reporting and inventory mechanisms required by the DEA to prevent drug loss and diversion. Failure to obtain the necessary registrations or comply with necessary regulatory requirements may significantly impair the ability of certain companies in which the Fund invests to pursue medical marijuana research or to otherwise cultivate, possess or distribute marijuana.
Additionally, U.S. Federal tax law prohibits a taxpayer from claiming a deduction or credit for any amount paid or incurred during the tax year in carrying on any trade or business if that trade or business (or the activities that comprise that trade or business) consists of trafficking in controlled substances (e.g., marijuana) where that trafficking is prohibited by either federal law or the state law for the state in which the trade or business is conducted. Consequently, Cannabis Companies may pay higher amounts of taxes than non-Cannabis Companies, which could result in less income to the Fund and, in turn, less for the Fund to distribute to shareholders. 
Non-U.S. Regulatory Risks of the Marijuana Industry: The companies in which the Fund invests are subject to various laws, regulations and guidelines relating to the manufacture, management, transportation, storage and disposal of marijuana, as well as being subject to laws and regulations relating to health and safety, the conduct of operations and the protection of the environment. Even if a company’s operations are permitted under current law, they may not be permitted in the future, in which case such company may not be in a position to carry on its operations in its current locations. Additionally, controlled substance legislation differs between countries and legislation in certain countries may restrict or limit the ability of certain companies in which the Fund invests to sell their products. 
Operational Risks of the Marijuana Industry: Companies involved in the marijuana industry face intense competition, may have limited access to the services of banks, may have substantial burdens on company resources due to litigation, complaints or enforcement actions, and are heavily dependent on receiving necessary permits and authorizations to engage in medical marijuana research or to otherwise cultivate, possess or distribute marijuana. Since the use of marijuana is illegal under United States federal law, federally regulated banking institutions may be unwilling to make financial services available to growers and sellers of marijuana. Additionally, to the extent that the United States and other countries pass laws that permit the personal cultivation of marijuana, the markets may shrink for certain companies in which the Fund invests.  
Companies participating in the marijuana industry may face litigation, formal or informal complaints, enforcement actions, and inquiries by various federal, state, or local governmental authorities. Litigation, complaints, and enforcement actions could consume considerable amounts of financial and other corporate resources, which could have a negative impact on sales, revenue, profitability, and growth prospects. Similarly, certain companies may not be able to obtain or maintain the necessary licenses, permits, authorizations, or accreditations, or may only be able to do so at great cost, to engage in medical marijuana research or to otherwise cultivate, possess or distribute marijuana. Failure to comply with or to obtain the necessary licenses, permits, authorizations, or accreditations could result in restrictions on a company’s ability to legally engage in medical marijuana research or to otherwise cultivate, possess or distribute marijuana, which could have a negative impact on the value of the Fund’s investments.
    25


United States Regulatory Risks of CBD and Hemp: The Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (or the “Farm Bill”) effectively removes hemp from the list of controlled substances and allows states to regulate its production, commerce and research with approval from the United States Department of Agriculture. Certain Index constituents may sell dietary supplements and/or foods containing CBD within the United States. The Farm Bill delegates to the FDA responsibility for regulating products containing hemp or derivatives thereof (including CBD) under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (the “FD&C”).  Under the FD&C, if a substance (such as CBD) is an active ingredient in a drug product that has been approved by the FDA, then the substance cannot be sold in dietary supplements or foods without FDA approval, unless the substance was marketed as a dietary supplement or as a conventional food before the drug was approved or before the new drug investigations were authorized.  The FDA has publicly taken the position that CBD cannot be sold in dietary supplements or foods because CBD is an active ingredient in an FDA-approved drug.  However, companies that sell CBD in dietary supplements and foods have taken the position that CBD was marketed as a dietary supplement and/or as a conventional food before the drug was approved or before the new drug investigations were authorized, and because the FDA has not brought enforcement action against such companies, this question of fact has not yet been adjudicated. In the absence of a conclusive legal determination to the contrary, as of the date of this prospectus, it has not been determined that the sale of dietary supplements and/or foods containing CBD within the United States would cause a company’s securities to be ineligible for inclusion in the Index. It is possible that such a legal determination or future federal and/or state laws or regulations could drastically curtail permissible uses of hemp, which could have an adverse effect of the value of the Fund’s investments in companies with business interests in hemp and hemp-based products. 
Market Disruption Risk: Geopolitical and other events, including public health crises and natural disasters, have recently led to increased market volatility and significant market losses. Significant market volatility and market downturns may limit the Fund’s ability to sell securities and obtain short exposure to securities, and the Fund’s sales and short exposures may exacerbate the market volatility and downturn. Under such circumstances, the Fund may have difficulty achieving its investment objective for one or more trading days, which may adversely impact the Fund’s returns on those days and periods inclusive of those days. Alternatively, the Fund may incur higher costs (including swap financing costs) in order to achieve its investment objective and may be forced to purchase and sell securities (including other ETFs’ shares) at market prices that do not represent their fair value (including in the case of an ETF, its NAV) or at times that result in differences between the price the Fund receives for the security or the value of the swap exposure and the market closing price of the security or the market closing value of the swap exposure. Under those circumstances, the Fund’s ability to track the Index is likely to be adversely affected, the market price of Fund shares may reflect a greater premium or discount to NAV and bid-ask spreads in the Fund’s shares may widen, resulting in increased transaction costs for secondary market purchasers and sellers. The Fund may also incur additional tracking error due to the use of securities that are not perfectly correlated to the Index.
Aggressive Investment Techniques Risk: Using investment techniques that may be considered aggressive, such as swap agreements, includes the risk of potentially dramatic changes (losses) in the value of the instruments, imperfect correlations between the price of the instrument and the underlying security or index, and volatility of the Fund.
Derivatives Risk: The Fund uses investment techniques, including investments in derivatives, such as swaps that may be considered aggressive. The use of derivatives may result in larger losses or smaller gains than investing in the underlying securities directly. Investments in these derivatives may generally be subject to market risks that cause their prices to fluctuate more than an investment directly in a security and may increase the volatility of the Fund. The use of derivatives may expose the Fund to additional risks such as counterparty risk, liquidity risk and increased daily correlation risk. When the Fund uses derivatives, there may be imperfect correlation between the value of the underlying reference assets and the derivative, which may prevent the Fund from achieving its investment objective.
The Fund may use swaps on the Index or swaps on an ETF that tracks the same, or a substantially similar, index. If the Index has a dramatic intraday move in value that causes a material decline in the Fund’s NAV, the terms of the swap agreement between the Fund and its counterparty may allow the counterparty to immediately close out of the transaction with the Fund. In such circumstances, the Fund may be unable to enter into another swap agreement or invest in other derivatives to achieve the desired exposure consistent with the Fund’s daily leveraged investment objective. This may prevent the Fund from achieving its daily leveraged investment objective particularly if the Index reverses all or a portion of its intraday move by the end of the day. The value of an investment in the Fund
    26


may change quickly and without warning. Any financing, borrowing or other costs associated with using derivatives may also have the effect of lowering the Fund’s return.
In addition, the Fund’s investments in derivatives are subject to the following risks:
Swap Agreements. Swap agreements are entered into primarily with major global financial institutions for a specified period which may range from one day to more than one year. In a standard swap transaction, two parties agree to exchange the return (or differentials in rates of return) earned or realized on particular predetermined reference or underlying securities or instruments. The gross return to be exchanged or swapped between the parties is calculated based on a notional amount or the return on or change in value of a particular dollar amount invested in a reference asset.
Counterparty Risk: Counterparty risk is the risk that a counterparty is unwilling or unable to make timely payments to meet its contractual obligations with respect to the amount the Fund expects to receive from a counterparty to a financial instrument entered into by the Fund. The Fund generally enters into derivatives transactions, such as the swap agreements, with counterparties such that either party can terminate the contract without penalty prior to the termination date. The Fund may be negatively impacted if a counterparty becomes bankrupt or otherwise fails to perform its obligations under such a contract, or if any collateral posted by the counterparty for the benefit of the Fund is insufficient or there are delays in the Fund’s ability to access such collateral. If the counterparty becomes bankrupt or defaults on its payment obligations to the Fund, it may experience significant delays in obtaining any recovery, may obtain only a limited recovery or obtain no recovery and the value of an investment held by the Fund may decline. The Fund may also not be able to exercise remedies, such as the termination of transactions, netting of obligations and realization on collateral, if such remedies are stayed or eliminated under special resolutions adopted in the United States, the European Union and various other jurisdictions. European Union rules and regulations intervene when a financial institution is experiencing financial difficulties and could reduce, eliminate, or convert to equity a counterparty’s obligations to the Fund (sometimes referred to as a “bail in”).
The Fund typically enters into transactions with counterparties that present minimal risks based on the Adviser’s assessment of the counterparty’s creditworthiness, or its capacity to meet its financial obligations during the term of the derivative agreement or contract. The Adviser considers factors such as counterparty credit rating among other factors when determining whether a counterparty is creditworthy. The Adviser regularly monitors the creditworthiness of each counterparty with which the Fund transacts. The Fund generally enters into swap agreements with major, global financial institutions and seeks to mitigate risks by generally requiring that the counterparties for the Fund to post collateral, marked to market daily, in an amount approximately equal to what the counterparty owes the Fund, subject to certain minimum thresholds. To the extent any such collateral is insufficient or there are delays in accessing the collateral, the Fund will be exposed to the risks described above. If a counterparty’s credit ratings decline, the Fund may be subject to a bail-in, as described above.
In addition, the Fund may enter into swap agreements with a limited number of counterparties, which may increase the Fund’s exposure to counterparty credit risk. The Fund does not specifically limit its counterparty risk with respect to any single counterparty. There is a risk that no suitable counterparties are willing to enter into, or continue to enter into, transactions with the Fund and, as a result, the Fund may not be able to achieve its investment objective or may decide to change its leveraged investment objective. Additionally, although a counterparty to a centrally cleared swap agreement is often backed by a futures commission merchant (“FCM”) or a clearing organization that is further backed by a group of financial institutions, there may be instances in which a FCM or a clearing organization would fail to perform its obligations, causing significant losses to the Fund.
Intra-Day Investment Risk: The Fund seeks daily leveraged investment results, which should not be equated with seeking an investment objective for shorter than a day. Thus, an investor who purchases Fund shares after the close of the markets on one trading day and before the close of the markets on the next trading day will likely have more, or less, than two times (2x) the leveraged investment exposure to the Index, depending upon the movement of the Index from the end of one trading day until the time of purchase. If the Index moves in a direction favorable to the Fund, the investor will receive less than two times (2x) the exposure to the Index. Conversely, if the Index moves in a direction adverse to the Fund, the investor will receive exposure to the Index greater than two times (2x). Thus, an investor that purchases shares intra-day may experience performance that is greater than, or less than, the Fund’s stated multiple of the Index.
    27


If there is a significant intra-day market event and/or the securities of the Index experience a significant decrease, the Fund may not meet its investment objective or rebalance its portfolio appropriately. Additionally, the Fund may close to purchases and sales of Shares prior to the close of regular trading on the Exchange and incur significant losses.
Daily Index Correlation/Tracking Risk: There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve a high degree of correlation to the Index and therefore achieve its daily leveraged investment objective. To achieve a high degree of correlation with the Index, the Fund seeks to rebalance its portfolio daily to keep leverage consistent with its daily leveraged investment objective. In addition, the Fund’s exposure to the Index is impacted dynamically by the Index’s movement. Because of this, it is unlikely that the Fund will be perfectly exposed to the Index at the end of each day. The possibility of the Fund being materially over- or under-exposed to the Index increases on days when the Index is volatile near the close of the trading day. Market disruptions, regulatory restrictions or extreme volatility will also adversely affect the Fund’s ability to adjust exposure to the required levels.
Because the Index may include instruments that trade on a different market than the Fund , the Fund's return may vary from a multiple of the performance of the Index because different markets may close before the Exchange opens or may not be open for business on the same calendar days as the Fund. Additionally, due to differences in trading hours, and because the Index may be calculated using prices obtained at times other than the Fund’s NAV calculation time, the Fund's performance may not correlate to the Index.
The Fund may have difficulty achieving its daily leveraged investment objective due to fees, expenses, transactions costs, financing costs related to the use of derivatives, investments in ETFs, directly or indirectly as a reference asset for derivative instruments, income items, valuation methodology, accounting standards and disruptions or illiquidity in the markets for the securities or derivatives held by the Fund. The Fund may not have investment exposure to all securities in the Index, or its weighting of investment exposure to such stocks or industries may be different from that of the Index. In addition, the Fund may invest in securities or financial instruments not included in the Index. The Fund may be subject to large movements of assets into and out of the Fund, potentially resulting in the Fund being over- or under-exposed to the Index. Activities surrounding periodic Index reconstitutions and other Index rebalancing events may hinder the Fund’s ability to meet its daily leveraged investment objective. The Fund may take or refrain from taking positions to improve the tax efficiency or to comply with various regulatory restrictions, either of which may negatively impact the Fund’s correlation to the Index.
The remaining principal risks are presented in alphabetical order. Each risk summarized below is considered a "principal risk" of investing in the Fund, regardless of the order in which it appears. 
Associated Risks of Investments in SPACs: The Fund invests in equity securities of SPACs, which raise assets to seek potential acquisition opportunities. Unless and until an acquisition is completed, a SPAC generally invests its assets in U.S. government securities, money market securities, and cash. If an acquisition that meets the requirements for the SPAC is not completed within a pre-established period of time (e.g., two years), the invested funds are returned to the entity’s shareholders. Because SPACs have no operating history or ongoing business other than seeking acquisitions, the value of their securities is particularly dependent on the ability of the entity’s management to identify and complete a profitable acquisition. Public stockholders of SPACs may not be afforded a meaningful opportunity to vote on a proposed initial business combination because certain stockholders, including stockholders affiliated with the management of the SPAC, may have sufficient voting power, and a financial incentive, to approve such a transaction without support from public stockholders. As a result, a SPAC may complete a business combination even though a majority of its public stockholders do not support such a combination. There is no guarantee that the SPACs in which the Fund invests will complete an acquisition or that any acquisitions that are completed will be profitable. Because the SPACs included in the Index will be designed to pursue acquisitions only within certain industries or regions, their stock prices may experience greater volatility than stocks of other SPACs. SPACs may also encounter intense competition from other entities having a similar business objective, such as private investors or investment vehicles and other SPACs, competing for the same acquisition opportunities, which could make completing an attractive business combination more difficult.
Associated Risks of SPAC-Derived Companies: The Fund invests in companies that are derived from a SPAC. These companies may be unseasoned and lack a trading history, a track record of reporting to investors, and widely available research coverage. SPAC-derived companies are thus often subject to extreme price volatility and speculative trading. These stocks may have above-average price appreciation in connection with a potential business
    28


combination with a SPAC prior to inclusion in the Index. The price of stocks included in the Index may not continue to appreciate and the performance of these stocks may not replicate the performance exhibited in the past. In addition, SPAC-derived companies may share similar illiquidity risks of private equity and venture capital. The free float shares held by the public in a SPAC-derived company are typically a small percentage of the market capitalization. The ownership of many SPAC-derived companies often includes large holdings by venture capital and private equity investors who seek to sell their shares in the public market in the months following a business combination transaction when shares restricted by lock-up are released, causing greater volatility and possible downward pressure during the time that locked-up shares are released.
Concentration Risk: The Fund’s investments will be concentrated in an industry or group of industries to the extent the Index is so concentrated. To the extent the Fund invests more heavily in particular industries, groups of industries, or sectors of the economy, its performance will be especially sensitive to developments that significantly affect those industries, groups of industries, or sectors of the economy, and the value of Fund shares may rise and fall more than the value of shares that invest in securities of companies in a broader range of industries or sectors. 
Consumer Staples Sector Risk: Companies in the consumer staples sector may be adversely affected by changes in the global economy, consumer spending, competition, demographics and consumer preferences, and production spending. Companies in the consumer staples sector may also be affected by changes in global economic, environmental and political events, economic conditions, the depletion of resources, and government regulation. For instance, government regulations may affect the permissibility of using various food additives and production methods of companies that make food products, which could affect company profitability. In addition, tobacco companies may be adversely affected by the adoption of proposed legislation and/or by litigation. For example, the FDA’s plan to propose tobacco product standards to ban menthol as a characterizing flavor in cigarettes and to ban all flavors in cigars may lead to decreased revenue for tobacco companies and negatively affect the value of the Fund’s investments. Companies in the consumer staples sector also may be subject to risks pertaining to the supply of, demand for and prices of raw materials. The prices of raw materials fluctuate in response to a number of factors, including, without limitation, changes in government agricultural support programs, exchange rates, import and export controls, changes in international agricultural and trading policies, and seasonal and weather conditions. Companies in the consumer staples sector may be subject to severe competition, which may also have an adverse impact on their profitability.
Early Close/Late Close/Trading Halt Risk: An exchange or market may close early, close late or issue trading halts on specific securities or financial instruments. As a result, the ability to trade certain securities or financial instruments may be restricted, which may disrupt the Fund’s creation and redemption process, potentially affect the price at which the Fund’s shares trade in the secondary market, and/or result in the Fund being unable to trade certain securities or financial instruments at all. In these circumstances, the Fund may be unable to rebalance its portfolio, may be unable to accurately price its investments and/or may incur substantial trading losses. If trading in the Fund’s shares are halted, investors may be temporarily unable to trade shares of the Fund.
Equity Market Risk: An investment in the Fund involves risks of investing in equity securities, such as market fluctuations caused by such factors as economic and political developments, changes in interest rates and perceived trends in securities prices. The values of equity securities could decline generally or could underperform other investments. Different types of equity securities tend to go through cycles of out-performance and under-performance in comparison to the general securities markets. In addition, securities may decline in value due to factors affecting a specific issuer, market or securities markets generally. Holders of common stocks incur more risk than holders of preferred stocks and debt obligations because common stockholders, as owners of the issuer, have generally inferior rights to receive payments from the issuer in comparison with the rights of creditors of, or holders of debt obligations or preferred stocks issued by, the issuer. Additionally, natural or environmental disasters, widespread disease or other public health issues, war, acts of terrorism or other events could result in increased premiums or discounts to the Fund’s NAV.
ETF Risks: 
Absence of an Active Market: Although the Fund’s shares are approved for listing on the Exchange, there can be no assurance that an active trading market will develop and be maintained for Fund shares. There can be no assurance that the Fund will grow to or maintain an economically viable size, in which case the Fund may ultimately liquidate. 
    29


Authorized Participants, Market Makers and Liquidity Providers Concentration Risk: The Fund has a limited number of financial institutions that may act as Authorized Participants ("APs"), none of which are obligated to engage in creation and/or redemption transactions. 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, there may be a significantly diminished trading market for Fund shares and 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. The risks associated with limited APs may be heightened in scenarios where APs have limited or diminished access to the capital required to post collateral. 
Cash Transactions Risk: The Fund may effect its creations and redemptions primarily for cash, rather than in-kind securities. Paying redemption proceeds in cash rather than through in-kind delivery of portfolio securities may require the fund to dispose of or sell portfolio investments at an inopportune time to obtain the cash needed to distribute redemption proceeds. This may cause the Fund to incur certain costs such as brokerage costs, and to recognize gains or losses that it might not have incurred if it had made a redemption in-kind. As a result, the Fund may pay out higher or lower annual capital gains distributions than ETFs that redeem in-kind. In addition, the costs imposed on the Fund will decrease the Fund’ NAV unless the costs are offset by a transaction fee payable by an AP.
Costs of Buying or Selling Shares: Investors buying or selling Fund 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 difference between the price that an investor is willing to pay for shares (the "bid" price) and the price at which an investor is willing to sell shares (the "ask" price). This difference in bid and ask prices is often referred to as the "spread" or "bid/ask spread." The bid/ask spread varies over time for shares based on trading volume and market liquidity, and is generally lower if the Fund's shares have more trading volume and market liquidity and higher if the Fund's shares have little trading volume and market liquidity. Further, 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. 
Fluctuation of NAV: The NAV of Fund shares will generally fluctuate with changes in the market value of the Fund's securities holdings. The market prices of shares will generally fluctuate in accordance with changes in the Fund's NAV and supply and demand of shares on the Exchange. It cannot be predicted whether Fund shares will trade below, at or above their NAV. Price differences may be due, in large part, to the fact that supply and demand forces at work in the secondary trading market for shares will be closely related to, but not identical to, the same forces influencing the prices of the securities of the Index trading individually or in the aggregate at any point in time. The market prices of Fund shares may deviate significantly from the NAV of the shares during periods of market volatility. While the creation/redemption feature is designed to make it likely that Fund shares normally will trade close to the Fund's NAV, disruptions to creations and redemptions may result in trading prices that differ significantly from the Fund's NAV. As a result, investors in the Fund may pay significantly more or receive significantly less for Fund shares than the value of a Fund's underlying securities or the NAV of Fund shares. If an investor purchases Fund shares at a time when the market price is at a premium to the NAV of the shares or sells at a time when the market price is at a discount to the NAV of the shares, then the investor may sustain losses. 
Market Trading Risk: An investment in the Fund faces numerous market trading risks, including the potential lack of an active market for Fund shares, losses from trading in secondary markets, periods of high volatility and disruption in the creation/redemption process of the Fund. Any of these factors, among others, may lead to the Fund's shares trading at a premium or discount to NAV. Because securities held by the Fund may trade on foreign exchanges that are closed when the Fund’s primary listing exchange is open,
    30


there may be deviations between the current price of a security and the security’s last quoted price from the closed foreign market. This may result in premiums and discounts that are greater than those experienced by purely domestic ETFs.
Trading Issues: Although Fund shares are listed for trading on the Exchange, there can be no assurance that an active trading market for such shares will develop or be maintained. Trading in Fund 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 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 Fund shares when extraordinary volatility causes sudden, significant swings in the market price of Fund shares. There can be no assurance that the requirements of the Exchange necessary to maintain the listing of the Fund will continue to be met or will remain unchanged or that the shares will trade with any volume, or at all. In stressed market conditions, the liquidity of the Fund's shares may begin to mirror the liquidity of the Fund's underlying portfolio holdings, which can be significantly less liquid than the Fund's shares, potentially causing the market price of the Fund's shares to deviate from their NAV. 
Further, secondary markets may be subject to erratic trading activity, wide bid/ask spreads and extended trade settlement periods in times of market stress because market makers and Authorized Participants may step away from making a market in Fund shares and in executing creation and redemption orders, which could cause a material deviation in a Fund's market price from its NAV. Decisions by market makers or Authorized Participants to reduce their role or step away from these activities in times of market stress could inhibit the effectiveness of the arbitrage process in maintaining the relationship between the underlying value of a Fund’s portfolio securities and the Fund’s market price. This reduced effectiveness could result in Fund shares trading at a price which differs materially from NAV and also in greater than normal intraday bid/ask spreads for Fund shares. During a “flash crash,” the market prices of the Fund’s shares may decline suddenly and significantly. Such a decline may not reflect the performance of the portfolio securities held by the Fund. Flash crashes may cause Authorized Participants and other market makers to limit or cease trading in the Fund’s shares for temporary or longer periods. Shareholders could suffer significant losses to the extent that they sell shares at these temporarily low market prices.
Foreign Investment Risk: Returns on investments in foreign stocks could be more volatile than, or trail the returns on, investments in U.S. stocks. Since foreign exchanges may be open on days when the Fund does not price its shares, the value of the securities in the Fund’s portfolio may change on days when shareholders will not be able to purchase or sell the shares. Conversely, shares may trade on days when foreign exchanges are closed. Because securities held by the Fund trade on foreign exchanges that are closed when the Fund’s primary listing exchange is open, the Fund is likely to experience premiums and discounts greater than those of domestic ETFs. Each of these factors can make investments in the Fund more volatile and potentially less liquid than other types of investments.
Currency Risk. Indirect and direct exposure to foreign currencies subjects the Fund to the risk that currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar. Currency rates in foreign countries may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time for a number of reasons, including changes in interest rates and the imposition of currency controls or other political developments in the U.S. or abroad. The Fund’s NAV is determined on the basis of U.S. dollars and, therefore, the Fund may lose value if the local currency of a foreign market depreciates against the U.S. dollar, even if the local currency value of the Fund’s holdings goes up. 
Depositary Receipts Risk. The Fund may invest in depositary receipts. Depositary receipts include ADRs and GDRs. ADRs are U.S. dollar-denominated receipts representing shares of foreign-based corporations. ADRs are issued by U.S. banks or trust companies, and entitle the holder to all dividends and capital gains that are paid out on the underlying foreign shares. 
GDRs are depositary receipts which are similar to ADRs, but are shares of foreign-based corporations generally issued by international banks in one or more markets around the world. Investment in ADRs and GDRs may be less liquid than the underlying shares in their primary trading market and GDRs, many of
    31


which are issued by companies in emerging markets, may be more volatile and less liquid than depositary receipts issued by companies in more developed markets. 
Depositary receipts may be sponsored or unsponsored. Sponsored depositary receipts are established jointly by a depositary and the underlying issuer, whereas unsponsored depositary receipts may be established by a depositary without participation by the underlying issuer. Holders of an unsponsored depositary receipt generally bear all the costs associated with establishing the unsponsored depositary receipt. In addition, the issuers of the securities underlying unsponsored depositary receipts are not obligated to disclose material information in the United States and, therefore, there may be less information available regarding such issuers and there may not be a correlation between such information and the market value of the depositary receipts. 
Depositary receipts may be unregistered and unlisted. The Fund’s investments also may include ADRs and GDRs that are not purchased in the public markets and are restricted securities that can be offered and sold only to “qualified institutional buyers” under Rule 144A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. The Adviser will determine the liquidity of such investments pursuant to Fund’s liquidity risk management program. If a particular investment in such ADRs or GDRs is deemed illiquid, that investment will be included within the Fund’s limitation on investment in illiquid securities. Moreover, if adverse market conditions were to develop during the period between the Fund’s decision to sell these types of ADRs or GDRs and the point at which the Fund is permitted or able to sell such security, the Fund might obtain a price less favorable than the price that prevailed when it decided to sell.  
Foreign Market and Trading Risk. The trading markets for many foreign securities are not as active as U.S. markets and may have less governmental regulation and oversight. Foreign markets also may have clearance and settlement procedures that make it difficult for the Fund to buy and sell securities. These factors could result in a loss to the Fund by causing the Fund to be unable to dispose of an investment or to miss an attractive investment opportunity, or by causing Fund assets to be uninvested for some period of time. Where all or a part of the Fund’s underlying securities trade in a market that is closed when the Exchange is open, there may be changes between the last quotation from its closed foreign market and the value of such securities during the Fund’s domestic trading day. This could lead to differences between the market price of the Fund shares and the value of the Fund’s underlying securities. 
Foreign Securities Risk. The Fund invests in foreign securities, including non-U.S. dollar-denominated securities traded outside of the United States and U.S. dollar-denominated securities of foreign issuers traded in the United States. Investment in foreign securities may involve higher costs than investment in U.S. securities, including higher transaction and custody costs as well as the imposition of additional taxes by foreign governments. Foreign investments may also involve risks associated with the level of currency exchange rates, less complete financial information about the issuers, less market liquidity, more market volatility and political instability, as well as varying regulatory requirements applicable to investment in non-U.S. issuers. Future political and economic developments, the possible imposition of withholding taxes on dividend income, the possible seizure or nationalization of foreign holdings, the possible establishment of exchange controls or freezes on the convertibility of currency, or the adoption of other governmental restrictions might adversely affect an investment in foreign securities. Additionally, foreign issuers may be subject to less stringent regulation, and to different accounting, auditing and recordkeeping requirements. 
Political and Economic Risk. The Fund is subject to foreign political and economic risk not associated with U.S. investments, meaning that political events (civil unrest, national elections, changes in political conditions and foreign relations, imposition of exchange controls and repatriation restrictions), social and economic events (labor strikes, rising inflation) and natural disasters occurring in a country where the Fund invests could cause the Fund’s investments in that country to experience gains or losses. The Fund also could be unable to enforce its ownership rights or pursue legal remedies in countries where it invests. 
Gain Limitation Risk: The Adviser will attempt to position the Fund’s portfolio to ensure that the Fund does not gain or lose more than 90% of its NAV on a given day. As a consequence, the Fund’s portfolio should not be responsive to Index movements of more than 45% in a given day. For example, for the Fund, if the Index were to gain 50%, its gains should be limited to a daily gain of 90% (i.e. two times (2x) 45%) rather than 100% (i.e. two times (2x) 50%).
    32


Health Care Companies Risk: Health care companies are subject to extensive government regulation and their profitability can be significantly affected by restrictions on government reimbursement for medical expenses, rising costs of medical products and services, pricing pressure (including price discounting), limited product lines, and an increased emphasis on the delivery of healthcare through outpatient services. Health care companies are heavily dependent on obtaining and defending patents, which may be time consuming and costly, and the expiration of patents may also adversely affect the profitability of the companies. Health care companies are also subject to extensive litigation based on product liability and similar claims. In addition, their products can become obsolete due to industry innovation, changes in technologies, or other market developments. Many new products in the health care field require significant research and development and may be subject to regulatory approvals, all of which may be time consuming and costly with no guarantee that any product will come to market. Additionally, liability for products that are later alleged to be harmful or unsafe may be substantial, and may have a significant impact on a health care company’s market value and/or share price.  
Biotechnology Company Risk:  A biotechnology company’s valuation can often be based largely on the potential or actual performance of a limited number of products and can accordingly be greatly affected if one of its products proves, among other things, unsafe, ineffective or unprofitable. Biotechnology companies are subject to regulation by, and the restrictions of, the FDA, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, state and local governments, and foreign regulatory authorities. 
Pharmaceutical Company Risk:  Companies in the pharmaceutical industry can be significantly affected by, among other things, government approval of products and services, government regulation and reimbursement rates, product liability claims, patent expirations and protection and intense competition. The process for obtaining regulatory approval from the FDA or other governmental regulatory authorities is long and costly and there is no assurance that the necessary approvals will be obtained or maintained by these companies. 
Additionally, companies in the pharmaceutical industry may be adversely affected by government regulation and changes in reimbursement rates from such third party payors, such as Medicare, Medicaid and other government sponsored programs, private health insurance plans and health maintenance organizations. The ability of pharmaceutical companies to commercialize current and any futures products also depends in part on the extent reimbursement for the cost of such products and related treatments are available from these third party payors. A pharmaceutical company’s valuation may also be affected if one of its products prove unsafe, ineffective or unprofitable. The stock prices of companies in this sector have been and will likely continue to be volatile.
Liquidity Risk: Some securities held by the Fund, including derivatives, may be difficult to sell or illiquid, particularly during times of market turmoil. Markets for securities or financial instruments could be disrupted by a number of events, including, but not limited to, an economic crisis, natural disasters, new legislation or regulatory changes inside or outside the United States. Illiquid securities may be difficult to value, especially in changing or volatile markets. If the Fund is forced to sell an illiquid security at an unfavorable time or price, the Fund may incur a loss. Certain market conditions may prevent the Fund from limiting losses, realizing gains or achieving a high correlation with the Index. There is no assurance that a security that is deemed liquid when purchased will continue to be liquid.
Market illiquidity may cause losses for the Fund. For the Fund, to the extent that the Index moves adversely, the Fund may be one of many market participants that are attempting to transact in the securities of an underlying index or correlated instruments. Under such circumstances, the market for investments of the Index may lack sufficient liquidity for all market participants' trades. Therefore, the Fund may have more difficulty transacting in securities of the Index or correlated investments such as financial instruments and a Fund's transactions could exacerbate the price change of the securities of the Index. Additionally, because the Fund is leveraged, a minor adverse change in the value of the Index should be expected to have a substantial adverse impact on the Fund.
Money Market Instrument Risk: Money market instruments, including money market funds, depositary accounts and repurchase agreements may be used for cash management purposes. Money market funds may be subject to credit risk with respect to the short-term debt instruments in which they invest. Depository accounts may be subject to credit risk with respect to the financial institution in which the depository account is held. Repurchase agreements are contracts in which a seller of securities agrees to buy the securities back at a specified time and price.
    33


Repurchase agreements may be subject to market and credit risk related to the collateral securing the repurchase agreement. Money market instruments may also be subject to credit risks associated with the instruments in which they invest. There is no guarantee that money market instruments will maintain a stable value, and they may lose money.
Natural Disaster/Epidemic Risk: Natural or environmental disasters, such as earthquakes, fires, floods, hurricanes, tsunamis and other severe weather-related phenomena generally, and widespread disease, including pandemics and epidemics, have been and may be highly disruptive to economies and markets, adversely impacting individual companies, sectors, industries, markets, currencies, interest and inflation rates, credit ratings, investor sentiment, and other factors affecting the value of the Fund’s investments, Given the increasing interdependence among global economies and markets, conditions in one country, market, or region are increasingly likely to adversely affect markets, issuers, and/or foreign exchange rates in other countries, including the U.S. Any such events could have a significant adverse impact on the value of the Fund’s investments.
New Fund Risk: The Fund is a recently organized, non-diversified management investment company with limited operating history. As a result, prospective investors have a limited track record or history on which to base their investment decision. There can be no assurance that the Fund will grow to or maintain an economically viable size.
Non-Cannabis Related Business Risk: Many of the companies in the Index are engaged in other lines of business unrelated to the activities identified in principal investment strategies, above, and these lines of business could adversely affect their operating results. The operating results of these companies may fluctuate as a result of events in the other lines of business. In addition, a company’s ability to engage in new activities may expose it to business risks with which it has less experience than it has with the business risks associated with its traditional businesses. There can be no assurance that the other lines of business in which these companies are engaged will not have an adverse effect on a company’s business or financial condition. 
Non-Diversification Risk: Because the Fund is “non-diversified,” it may invest a greater percentage of its assets in the securities of a single issuer or a small number of issuers than if it was a diversified fund. As a result, a decline in the value of an investment in a single issuer or a small number of issuers could cause the Fund’s overall value to decline to a greater degree than if the Fund held a more diversified portfolio. This may increase the Fund’s volatility and have a greater impact on the Fund’s performance.
Other Investment Companies (including ETFs) Risk: The Fund may invest directly in another investment company by purchasing shares of the investment company or indirectly by utilizing an investment company as the reference asset of a derivative instrument. The Fund will incur higher and duplicative expenses when it invests in other investment companies such as ETFs. There is also the risk that the Fund may suffer losses due to the investment practices of the underlying funds. If the other investment company fails to achieve its investment objective, the value of the Fund’s investment will not perform as expected, thus affecting the Fund’s performance and its correlation with the Index. When the Fund invests in other investment companies, the Fund will be subject to substantially the same risks as those associated with the direct ownership of securities held by such investment companies. Investments in ETFs are also subject to the following risks: (i) the market price of an ETF’s shares may trade above or below their net asset value; (ii) an active trading market for an ETF’s shares may not develop or be maintained; and (iii) trading of an ETF’s shares may be halted for a number of reasons. Investments in such shares may be subject to brokerage and other trading costs, which could result in greater expenses to a Fund. Finally, depending on the demand in the market, the Fund may not be able to liquidate its holdings in ETFs at an optimal price or time, which may adversely affect the Fund’s performance.
Portfolio Turnover Risk: Daily rebalancing of the Fund’s holdings pursuant to its daily investment objective causes a much greater number of portfolio transactions when compared to most ETFs. Additionally, active market trading of the Fund’s shares on such exchanges as the NYSE Arca, Inc., could cause more frequent creation and redemption activities which could increase the number of portfolio transactions. Frequent and active trading may lead to higher transaction costs because of increased broker commissions resulting from such transactions. In addition, there is the possibility of significantly increased short-term capital gains (which will be taxable to shareholders as ordinary income when distributed to them). The Fund calculates portfolio turnover without including the short-term cash instruments or derivative transactions that comprise the majority of the Fund’s trading. As such, if the Fund’s extensive use of derivative instruments were reflected, the calculated portfolio turnover rate would be significantly higher.
    34


Risks Related to Investing in Canada: Because the investments of the Fund are geographically concentrated in Canadian companies or companies that have a significant presence in Canada, investment results could be dependent on the financial condition of the Canadian economy. The Canadian economy is reliant on the sale of natural resources and commodities, which can pose risks such as the fluctuation of prices and the variability of demand for exportation of such products. Changes in spending on Canadian products by the economies of other countries or changes in any of these economies may cause a significant impact on the Canadian economy. The United States is Canada’s largest trading and investment partner, and the Canadian economy is significantly affected by developments in the U.S. economy. Since the implementation of North American Free Trade Agreement in 1994 among Canada, the United States and Mexico, total two-way merchandise trade between the United States and Canada has more than doubled. Any downturn in U.S. or Mexican economic activity is likely to have an adverse impact on the Canadian economy. The Canadian economy is also dependent upon external trade with other key trading partners, including China. In addition, Canada is a large supplier of natural resources (e.g., oil, natural gas and agricultural products). As a result, the Canadian economy is sensitive to fluctuations in certain commodity prices.
Sector Risk: To the extent the Fund invests more heavily in particular sectors of the economy, its performance will be especially sensitive to developments that significantly affect those sectors. 
Securities Lending Risk: The Fund may engage in securities lending. The Fund may lose money if the borrower of the loaned securities delays returning in a timely manner or fails to return the loaned securities. Securities lending involves the risk that the Fund could lose money in the event of a decline in the value of collateral provided for loaned securities. In addition, the Fund bears the risk of loss in connection with its investment of the cash collateral it receives from a borrower. When the Fund invests cash collateral in other investment companies, such investments of cash collateral will be subject to substantially the same risks as those associated with the direct ownership of securities held by such investment companies. To the extent that the value or return of the Fund’s investment of the cash collateral declines below the amount owed to the borrower, the Fund may incur losses that exceed the amount it earned on lending the security. The Fund may borrow money to repay the applicable borrower the amount of cash collateral owed to the borrower upon return of the loaned securities. This will result in financial leverage, which may cause the Fund to be more volatile because financial leverage tends to exaggerate the effect of any increase or decrease in the value of the Fund’s portfolio securities.
Smaller Companies Risk: The Fund’s Index may be composed primarily of, or have significant exposure to, securities of smaller companies. As a result, the Fund may be subject to the risk that securities of smaller companies represented in the Index may underperform securities of larger companies or the equity market as a whole. In addition, in comparison to securities of companies with larger capitalizations, securities of smaller-capitalization companies may experience more price volatility, greater spreads between their bid and ask prices, less frequent trading, significantly lower trading volumes, and cyclical or static growth prospects. As a result of the differences between the securities of smaller companies and those of companies with larger capitalizations, it may be more difficult for the Fund to buy or sell a significant amount of the securities of a smaller company without an adverse impact on the price of the company’s securities, or the Fund may have to sell such securities in smaller quantities over a longer period of time, which may prevent the Fund from achieving its investment objective. Smaller-capitalization companies often have limited product lines, markets or financial resources, and may therefore be more vulnerable to adverse developments than larger capitalization companies. These securities may or may not pay dividends.
Tax Risk: To qualify for the favorable tax treatment generally available to regulated investment companies, the Fund must satisfy certain diversification requirements under the Code. In particular, the Fund generally may not acquire a security if, as a result of the acquisition, more than 50% of the value of the Fund’s assets would be invested in (a) issuers in which the Fund has, in each case, invested more than 5% of the Fund’s assets and (b) issuers more than 10% of whose outstanding voting securities are owned by the Fund. When an Index is concentrated in a relatively small number of securities, it may not be possible for the Fund to fully implement a replication strategy or a representative sampling strategy while satisfying these diversification requirements. The Fund’s efforts to satisfy the diversification requirements may cause the Fund’s return to deviate from that of its Index, and the Fund’s efforts to replicate its Index may cause it inadvertently to fail to satisfy the diversification requirements. 
    35


If the Fund were to fail to qualify as a regulated investment company, it would be taxed in the same manner as an ordinary corporation, and distributions to its shareholders would not be deductible by the Fund in computing its taxable income. Distributions to the Fund’s shareholders would generally be taxed as ordinary dividends. Under certain circumstances, the Fund may be able to cure a failure to qualify as a regulated investment company, but in order to do so the Fund may incur significant Fund-level taxes and may be forced to dispose of certain assets. Relief is provided for certain de minimis failures of the diversification requirements where the Fund corrects the failure within a specified period. If the Fund were to fail to qualify as a regulated investment company in any taxable year, the Fund would be required to pay out its earnings and profits accumulated in that year in order to qualify for treatment as a regulated investment company in a subsequent year. If the Fund failed to qualify as a regulated investment company for a period greater than two taxable years, the Fund would generally be required to pay the Fund-level tax on any net built-in gains with respect to certain of its assets upon a disposition of such assets within five years of qualifying as a regulated investment company in a subsequent year.   
Valuation Risk: The sales price that the Fund could receive for a security may differ from the Fund’s valuation of the security and may differ from the value used by the Index, particularly for securities that trade in low volume or volatile markets or that are valued using a fair value methodology. In addition, the value of the securities in the Fund’s portfolio may change on days when shareholders will not be able to purchase or sell the Fund’s shares.
Portfolio Holdings 
Information about the Fund’s daily portfolio holdings will be available at www.etfmg.com/mjxl. A summarized 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”).
Fund Management 
Adviser. ETF Managers Group, LLC, the investment adviser to the Fund, is a Delaware limited liability company located at 30 Maple Street, 2nd Floor, Summit, New Jersey 07901. The Adviser provides investment advisory services to exchange-traded funds. The Adviser serves as investment adviser to the Fund with overall responsibility for the day-to-day portfolio management of the Fund, subject to the supervision of the Fund’s Board of Trustees (the “Board”). For its services, the Adviser receives a fee that is equal to 0.95% per annum of the average daily net assets of the Fund, calculated daily and paid monthly.  
Under the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Adviser has overall responsibility for the general management and administration of the Fund and arranges for transfer agency, custody, fund administration, securities lending, and all other non-distribution related services necessary for the Fund to operate. Additionally, under the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Adviser has agreed to pay all expenses of the Fund, except for: the fee paid to the Adviser pursuant to the Investment Advisory Agreement, interest charges on any borrowings, 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 (such as, among other things and subject to Board approval, certain proxy solicitation costs and non-standard Board-related expenses and litigation against the Board, Trustees, Fund, Adviser, and officers of the Adviser), and distribution (12b-1) fees and expenses (collectively, “Excluded Expenses”). 
A discussion regarding the basis for the Board’s approval of the Investment Advisory Agreement will be available in the Fund’s first Semi-Annual or Annual Report. 
Manager of Managers Structure. The Adviser and the Trust have received an exemptive order (the “Order”) from the SEC that permits the Adviser to enter into investment sub-advisory agreements with sub-advisers without obtaining shareholder approval. The Adviser, subject to the review and approval of the Board, may select one or more sub-advisers for the Fund and supervise, monitor and evaluate the performance of each sub-adviser. 
The Order also permits the Adviser, subject to the approval of the Board, to replace sub-advisers and amend investment sub-advisory agreements, including fees, without shareholder approval whenever the Adviser and the Board believe such action will benefit the Fund and its shareholders. The Adviser thus has the ultimate responsibility (subject to the ultimate oversight of the Board) to recommend the hiring and replacement of sub-advisers as well as the discretion to terminate any sub-adviser and reallocate the Fund’s assets for management among any other sub-adviser(s) and itself. This means that the Adviser may be able to reduce the sub-advisory fees and retain a larger
    36


portion of the management fee, or increase the sub-advisory fees and retain a smaller portion of the management fee. The Adviser will compensate each sub-adviser out of its management fee. The Fund is required to provide shareholders with certain information regarding any new sub-adviser within 90 days of the hiring of any new sub-adviser. Such information generally includes the information that would have been provided to shareholders in the form of a proxy statement in the absence of the Order. 
The Adviser’s reliance on such Order with respect to the Fund is contingent on the holders of a majority of the Fund’s outstanding voting securities approving the Fund’s use of a manager of managers structure and the Adviser’s reliance on such Order. Prior to the date of this Prospectus, shareholders of the Fund approved the use by the Fund of a manager of managers structure and the Adviser’s reliance on such Order. 
Portfolio Managers 
The Fund's portfolio managers are primarily responsible for the day to day management of the Fund. The portfolio managers are responsible for various functions related to portfolio management, including, but not limited to, investing cash inflows, implementing investment strategy, and researching and reviewing investment strategy. 
The Fund is managed by Samuel R. Masucci, III, Chief Executive Officer of the Adviser, Devin Ryder, Portfolio Manager of the Adviser, Frank Vallario, Chief Investment Officer of the Adviser, and Donal Bishnoi, Portfolio Manager of the Adviser. 
Mr. Samuel Masucci, III has more than 25 years' experience in investment banking, structured product development, sales and trading. In the last 5 years, he founded ETF Managers Group (ETFMG). Prior to ETFMG he has held senior positions at Bear Stearns, UBS, SBC Warburg, and Merrill Lynch and has experience in creating, building and managing businesses for the issuance, sales and trading of: ETFs, index products, commodity products, hedge funds, ABS, and OTC structured products in the U.S. and Europe. 
Frank Vallario serves in the role of Chief Investment Officer for the Adviser. Mr. Vallario is responsible for the portfolio construction, trading, risk management and portfolio analysis processes associated with ETF strategies. Prior to his current role at the Adviser, Mr. Vallario has had a variety of senior roles over his 25-year career in financial services. He joined Oppenheimer Funds in 2017 where he was Head of Equity Portfolio Management for Smart Beta ETFs. Prior to that he was a Senior Portfolio Manager at Columbia Threadneedle from September 2015 to June 2017 where he was responsible for the day to day management of the firm's ETF business, which was acquired from his previous firm, Emerging Global Advisors (EGA). From September 2010 to September 2015, he was relationship manager at MSCI responsible for providing investment solutions to complex problems using MSCI Barra's fundamental models and portfolio construction tools. Previously, he was a partner in a start-up asset management firm where he served as the director of portfolio management. Mr. Vallario began his career at UBS Global Asset Management where he spent over a decade in various quantitative portfolio management equity roles including equity market neutral, tactical asset allocation, structured active equities, enhanced index, passive management and factor research. Mr. Vallario served on the Investment Committee for the Girl Scouts of Connecticut and was a University Affiliate at the University of Utah – David Eccles School of Business. He received a B.S. in Finance from Lehigh University and a M.B.A. with a concentration in Finance from Rutgers University. 
Donal A. Bishnoi, CFA, has more than 16 years of experience in portfolio management and risk management. Prior to joining the Adviser, Mr. Bishnoi held a senior portfolio management position with Oppenheimer Funds from 2018 to 2019 where he was responsible for managing approximately $5 billion in assets across 20 passive strategies. Prior to joining Oppenheimer Funds in 2010, Mr. Bishnoi managed a long/short systematic equity strategy at Moore Capital from 2007 to 2009. He holds a bachelor's degree from Boston University's Questrom School of Business and is a CFA charter holder. 
Devin Ryder began her career with the Adviser during the summer of 2017 and re-joined the Adviser on a permanent basis in 2018 to be a part of the Adviser's portfolio management team. Prior to joining the Adviser, Ms. Ryder was pursuing studies in the quantitative aspects of risk management and finance, for which she received a B.S. in Mathematics of Finance and Risk Management from the University of Michigan in 2017. 
The SAI provides additional information about the Portfolio Managers' compensation, other accounts managed, and ownership of the Fund's shares. 
    37


Buying and Selling the Fund 
The Fund issues and redeems Shares at NAV only in Creation Units. 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.
Fund shares are listed for secondary trading on the Exchange. When you buy or sell the Fund’s shares on the secondary market, you will pay or receive the market price. You may incur customary brokerage commissions and charges and may pay some or all of the spread between the bid and the offered price in the secondary market on each leg of a round trip (purchase and sale) transaction. The shares will trade on the Exchange at prices that may differ to varying degrees from the daily NAV of the shares. The Exchange is generally open Monday through Friday and is closed weekends and the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.
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 its total number of shares outstanding. Expenses and fees, including management and distribution fees, if any, are accrued daily and taken into account for purposes of determining NAV. NAV is determined each business day, normally as of the close of regular trading of the New York Stock Exchange (ordinarily 4:00 p.m., Eastern time). 
When determining NAV, the value of the Fund’s portfolio securities is based on market prices of the securities, which generally means a valuation obtained from an exchange or other market (or based on a price quotation or other equivalent indication of the value supplied by an exchange or other market) or a valuation obtained from an independent pricing service. Swap contracts are valued based on the value of the swap contract’s reference asset and are marked-to-market each day NAV is calculated. If such information is not readily available or does not otherwise accurately reflect the fair value of the security, the security will be valued by another method that the Board believes will better reflect fair value in accordance with the Trust’s valuation policies and procedures. Fair value pricing may be used in a variety of circumstances, including, but not limited to, situations when the value of a security in the Fund’s portfolio has been materially affected by events occurring after the close of the market on which the security is principally traded but prior to the close of the Exchange (such as in the case of a corporate action or other news that may materially affect the price of a security) or trading in a security has been suspended or halted. Accordingly, the Fund’s NAV may reflect certain portfolio securities’ fair values rather than their market prices. 
Fair value pricing involves subjective judgments and it is possible that a fair value determination for a security will materially differ from the value that could be realized upon the sale of the security. In addition, fair value pricing could result in a difference between the prices used to calculate the Fund’s NAV and the prices used by the Fund’s Index. This may result in a difference between the Fund’s performance and two times the daily performance of the Fund’s Index. 
The Fund invests in non-U.S. securities. Non-U.S. securities held by the Fund may trade on weekends or other days when the Fund does not price its shares. As a result, the Fund’s NAV may change on days when Authorized Participants will not be able to purchase or redeem Fund shares. 
Frequent Purchases and Redemptions of Fund Shares 
Unlike frequent trading of shares of a traditional open-end mutual fund’s (i.e., not exchange-traded) shares, frequent trading of shares of the Fund on the secondary market does not disrupt portfolio management, increase the Fund’s trading costs, lead to realization of capitalization gains, or otherwise harm the Fund’s shareholders because these trades do not involve the Fund directly. Certain institutional investors are authorized to purchase and redeem the Fund’s shares directly with the Fund. Because these trades are effected in-kind (i.e., for securities, and not for cash), they do not cause any of the harmful effects noted above that may result from frequent cash trades. Moreover, the Fund imposes transaction fees on in-kind purchases and redemptions of Creation Units to cover the custodial and other costs incurred by the Fund in effecting in-kind trades. These fees increase if an investor substitutes cash in part or in whole for Creation Units, reflecting the fact that the Fund’s trading costs increase in those circumstances. For
    38


these reasons, the Board has determined that it is not necessary to adopt policies and procedures to detect and deter frequent trading and market-timing in shares of the Fund.
Dividends, Distributions and Taxes 
Fund Distributions
The Fund intends to pay out dividends, if any, quarterly and distribute any net realized capital gains to its shareholders annually.  
Dividend Reinvestment Service
Brokers may make available to their customers who own the Fund’s shares the DTC book-entry dividend reinvestment service. If this service is available and used, dividend distributions of both income and capital gains will automatically be reinvested in additional whole shares of the Fund. Without this service, investors would receive their distributions in cash. In order to achieve the maximum total return on their investments, investors are encouraged to use the dividend reinvestment service. To determine whether the dividend reinvestment service is available and whether there is a commission or other charge for using this service, consult your broker. Brokers may require the Fund’s shareholders to adhere to specific procedures and timetables. If this service is available and used, dividend distributions of both income and realized gains will be automatically reinvested in additional whole shares of the Fund purchased in the secondary market.  
Tax Information  
The following is a summary of some important tax issues that affect the Fund and its shareholders. The summary is based on current tax laws, which may be changed by legislative, judicial or administrative action. You should not consider this summary to be a detailed explanation of the tax treatment of the Fund, or the tax consequences of an investment in the Fund. The summary is very general, and does not address investors subject to special rules, such as investors who hold shares through an IRA, 401(k) or other tax-deferred account. More information about taxes is located in the SAI. You are urged to consult your tax adviser regarding specific questions as to federal, state and local income taxes. 
Tax Status of the Fund  
The Fund is treated as a separate entity for federal tax purposes, and intends to qualify for the special tax treatment afforded to regulated investment companies under the Code. As long as the Fund qualifies as a regulated investment company, it pays no federal income tax on the earnings it distributes to shareholders. 
Tax Status of Distributions 
The Fund will, for each year, distribute substantially all of its net investment income and net capital gains.
The Fund’s distributions from income will generally be taxed to you as ordinary income or qualified dividend income. For non-corporate shareholders, dividends reported by the Fund as qualified dividend income are generally eligible for reduced tax rates.
Corporate shareholders may be entitled to a dividends-received deduction for the portion of dividends they receive that are attributable to dividends received by the Fund from U.S. corporations, subject to certain limitations. The Fund’s strategies may limit its ability to distribute dividends eligible for the dividends-received deduction for corporate shareholders.
Any distributions of net capital gain (the excess of the Fund’s net long-term capital gains over its net short-term capital losses) that you receive from the Fund are taxable as long-term capital gains regardless of how long you have owned your shares. Long-term capital gains are currently taxed to non-corporate shareholders at reduced maximum rates.
Dividends and distributions are generally taxable to you whether you receive them in cash or in additional shares through a broker’s dividend reinvestment service. If you receive dividends or distributions in the form of additional shares through a broker’s dividend reinvestment service, you will be required to pay applicable federal, state or local taxes on the reinvested dividends but you will not receive a corresponding cash distribution with which to pay any applicable tax.
The Fund may be able to pass through to you foreign tax credits for certain taxes paid by the Fund, provided the Fund meets certain requirements.
    39


Distributions paid in January but declared by the Fund in October, November or December of the previous year may be taxable to you in the previous year.
The Fund will inform you of the amount of your ordinary income dividends, qualified dividend income, foreign tax credits and net capital gain distributions received from the Fund shortly after the close of each calendar year.
Taxes on Exchange-Listed Share Sales. Any capital gain or loss realized upon a sale of shares will generally be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for more than one year and as short-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for one year or less, except that any capital loss on the sale of shares held for six months or less will be treated as long-term capital loss to the extent of amounts treated as distributions of long-term capital gains to the shareholder with respect to such shares. 
Investment in Foreign Securities. The Fund may be subject to foreign withholding taxes on income it may earn from investing in foreign securities, which may reduce the return on such investments. In addition, the Fund’s investments in foreign securities or foreign currencies may increase or accelerate the Fund’s recognition of ordinary income and may affect the timing or amount of its distributions. The Fund may be eligible to file an election that would permit shareholders who are U.S. citizens, resident aliens or U.S. corporations to claim a foreign tax credit or deduction (but not both) on their U.S. income tax returns for their pro rata portions of qualified taxes paid by the Fund to foreign countries in respect of foreign securities held for at least the minimum period specified in the Code. For the purposes of the foreign tax credit, each such shareholder would include in gross income from foreign sources its pro rata share of such taxes. Certain limitations imposed by the Code may prevent shareholders from receiving a full foreign tax credit or deduction for their allocable amount of such taxes. 
Medicare Tax. U.S. individuals with income exceeding $200,000 ($250,000 if married and filing jointly) are subject to a 3.8% Medicare contribution tax on their “net investment income,” including interest, dividends, and capital gains (including capital gains realized on the sale or exchange of shares). This 3.8% tax also applies to all or a portion of the undistributed net investment income of certain shareholders that are estates and trusts. 
Non-U.S. Investors. If you are not a citizen or permanent resident of the United States, the Fund’s ordinary income dividends will generally be subject to a 30% U.S. withholding tax, unless a lower treaty rate applies or unless such income is effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business. This 30% withholding tax generally will not apply to distributions of net capital gain. 
Distributions paid to a shareholder that is a “foreign financial institution” as defined in Section 1471 of the Code and that does not meet the requirements imposed on foreign financial institutions by Section 1471 will generally be subject to withholding tax at a 30% rate. Distributions paid to a non-U.S. shareholder that is not a foreign financial institution will generally be subject to such withholding tax if the shareholder fails to make certain required certifications. A non-U.S. shareholder may be exempt from the withholding described in this paragraph under an applicable intergovernmental agreement between the U.S. and a foreign government, provided that the shareholder and the applicable foreign government comply with the terms of such agreement. 
Backup Withholding. The Fund or your broker will be required in certain cases to withhold (as “backup withholding”) on amounts payable to any shareholder who (1) has provided either an incorrect tax identification number or no number at all, (2) is subject to backup withholding by the Internal Revenue Service for failure to properly report payments of interest or dividends, (3) has failed to certify that such shareholder is not subject to backup withholding, or (4) has not certified that such shareholder is a U.S. person (including a U.S. resident alien). The backup withholding rate is currently 24%. Backup withholding will not, however, be applied to payments that have been subject to the 30% withholding tax applicable to shareholders who are neither citizens nor residents of the United States. 
Distribution 
The Fund’s distributor, ETFMG Financial LLC (the “Distributor”), is a broker-dealer registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and an affiliate of the Adviser. The Distributor distributes Creation Units for the Fund on an agency basis and does not maintain a secondary market in Fund 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 30 Maple Street, Summit, New Jersey 07901. 
    40


The Board has adopted a Distribution and Service 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 the Fund’s assets, over time these fees will increase the cost of your investment and may cost you more than certain other types of sales charges. 
Fund Service Providers 
Sullivan & Worcester LLP, 1666 K Street NW, Washington, DC 20006, serves as legal counsel to the Fund. 
WithumSmith + Brown, PC with offices located at 1411 Broadway, 9th Floor, New York, New York, 10018, serves as the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm. The independent registered public accounting firm is responsible for auditing the annual financial statements of the Fund. 
Listing Exchange 
Fund shares have been approved for listing and trading on NYSE Arca. 
Index/Trademark Licenses/Disclaimers 
Prime Indexes and the Prime Alternative Harvest Index are trademarks of Level ETF Ventures LLC (“Level”) and have been licensed for use by the Adviser. The Fund is not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by Level or its Calculation Agent. Level and the Calculation Agent make no representation regarding the advisability of trading in such product.
LEVEL AND THE CALCULATION AGENT DO NOT GUARANTEE THE ACCURACY AND/OR THE COMPLETENESS OF THE INDEX OR ANY DATA INCLUDED THEREIN AND THEY SHALL HAVE NO LIABILITY FOR ANY ERRORS, OMISSIONS OR INTERRUPTIONS THEREIN. LEVEL AND THE CALCULATION AGENT MAKE NO WARRANTY, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AS TO RESULTS TO BE OBTAINED BY THE ADVISER, OWNERS OR USERS OF THE FUND, OR ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY FROM THE USE OF THE INDEX OR ANY DATA INCLUDED THEREIN. LEVEL AND THE CALCULATION AGENT MAKE NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR USE WITH RESPECT TO THE INDEX OR ANY DATA INCLUDED THEREIN. WITHOUT LIMITING ANY OF THE FOREGOING, IN NO EVENT SHALL LEVEL OR THE CALCULATION AGENT HAVE ANY LIABILITY FOR ANY SPECIAL, PUNITIVE, INDIRECT OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING LOST PROFITS), EVEN IF NOTIFIED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. The Fund is not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by Level or the Calculation Agent. Level and the Calculation Agent make no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of the Fund or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in the Fund in particular or the ability of the Index to track general stock market performance. The Index is determined, composed and calculated by Level or its Calculation Agent without regard to the Adviser or the Fund. Level and the Calculation Agent have no obligation to take the needs of the Adviser or the owners of the Fund into consideration in determining, composing or calculating the Index. Level and the Calculation Agent are not responsible for and have not participated in the determination of the prices and amount of the Fund or the timing of the issuance or sale of the Fund or in the determination or calculation of the equation by which the Fund is converted into cash. Level and the Calculation Agent have no obligation or liability in connection with the administration, marketing or trading of the Fund.
Shares of the Trust are not sponsored, endorsed, or promoted by the Exchange. The Exchange makes no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of the shares of the Fund. The Exchange is not responsible for, nor has it participated in, the determination of the timing of, prices of, or quantities of the shares of the Fund to be issued, or in the determination or calculation of the equation by which the shares are redeemable.
The Exchange has no obligation or liability to owners of the shares of the Fund in connection with the administration, marketing, or trading of the shares of the Fund. 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.
    41


The Adviser and the Fund make no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of shares of the Fund or any members of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in the Fund particularly.
Premium/Discount Information 
The Fund is new and therefore does not have any information regarding how often shares of the Fund 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. This information will be available, however, at www.etfmg.com after the Fund’s shares have traded on the Exchange for a full calendar quarter.
Litigation 
The Trust, a former and current trustee of the Trust, the Adviser and certain officers of the Adviser were defendants in an action filed May 2, 2017 in the Superior Court of New Jersey captioned PureShares, LLC d/b/a PureFunds et al. v. ETF Managers Group, LLC et al., Docket No. C-63-17. The PureShares action alleged claims based on disputes arising out of contractual relationships with the Adviser relating to certain series of the Trust. The action sought damages in unspecified amounts and injunctive relief based on breach of contract, wrongful termination, and several other claims.
The Adviser and its parent, ETFMG, were defendants in a case filed on October 26, 2017 in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York by NASDAQ, Inc. (“Nasdaq”) captioned Nasdaq, Inc. v. Exchange Traded Managers Group, LLC et al., Case 1:17-cv-08252. This action arose out of the same facts and circumstances, and relates to the same series of the Trust, as the New Jersey litigation and asserted claims for breach of contract, conversion and certain other claims. The matter was the subject of a bench trial in May 2019, and on December 20, 2019, the Court issued an Opinion and Order awarding compensatory damages to Plaintiff in the amount of $78,403,172.36, plus prejudgment interest. The Court also denied Plaintiff’s requests for punitive damages and equitable relief.
On May 1, 2020, Nasdaq, PureShares LLC ("PureShares"), and ETFMG announced a global settlement that resolves all claims in both the PureShares action and the Nasdaq action. As part of the settlement, Nasdaq and ETFMG agreed to certain cash payments from ETFMG to Nasdaq and PureShares, and have executed an asset purchase agreement to transfer certain ETFMG intellectual property and related assets, to a Nasdaq affiliate. The completion of the settlement is subject to certain shareholder approvals; if the necessary approvals cannot be obtained, ETFMG will consider alternative courses of action consistent with the Adviser’s fiduciary duty and in the best interest of the Fund’s shareholders. 
Financial Highlights
Financial information for the Fund will be available after it has completed a fiscal year of operations.
    42


ETF Managers Trust
30 Maple Street, 2nd Floor
Summit, New Jersey 07901
 
ANNUAL/SEMI-ANNUAL REPORTS TO SHAREHOLDERS 
Additional information about the Fund’s investments is available in the Fund’s annual and semi-annual reports to shareholders (when available). In the Fund’s annual reports, you will find a discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund’s performance during its last fiscal year.
 
STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION (SAI) 
The SAI provides more detailed information about the Fund. The SAI is incorporated by reference into, and is thus legally a part of, this Prospectus.
 
FOR MORE INFORMATION 
To request a free copy of the latest annual or semi-annual report, when available, the SAI or to request additional information about the Fund or to make other inquiries, please contact us as follows:
 
Call: 1-844-ETFMGRS (383-6477)
  Monday through Friday
  8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. (Eastern Time)
 
Write: ETF Managers Trust
  30 Maple Street, 2nd Floor
  Summit, New Jersey 07901
 
Visit: www.etfmg.com/mjxl

INFORMATION PROVIDED BY THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Reports and other information about the Fund are available in the EDGAR Database on the SEC’s Internet site at http://www.sec.gov, or you can receive copies of this information, after paying a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following e-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov.
 
The Trust’s Investment Company Act file number: 811-22310
 














    43

STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION 
ETFMG 2X Daily Alternative Harvest ETF
(
MJXL
Listed on: NYSE Arca, Inc. 
a series of ETF Managers Trust 
June 4, 2021  
This Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) is not a prospectus and should be read in conjunction with the prospectus dated June 4, 2021, as may be supplemented from time to time (the “Prospectus”), of the ETFMG 2X Daily Alternative Harvest ETF (the “Fund”), a series of ETF Managers Trust (the “Trust”). Capitalized terms used herein 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 writing the Fund’s distributor, ETFMG Financial LLC (the “Distributor”), 30 Maple Street, Summit, New Jersey 07901, by visiting the Fund’s website at www.etfmg.com/mjxl or by calling 1-844-ETFMGRS (383-6477).

1


TABLE OF CONTENTS

GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE TRUST
2
CONTINUOUS OFFERING
3
3
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES, POLICIES AND RELATED RISKS
4
DESCRIPTION OF PERMITTED INVESTMENTS
5
SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS AND RISKS
15
INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS
19
EXCHANGE LISTING AND TRADING
20
MANAGEMENT OF THE TRUST
21
24
25
CODES OF ETHICS
26
PROXY VOTING POLICIES
26
INVESTMENT ADVISORY AND OTHER SERVICES
27
28
29
THE ADMINISTRATOR
30
THE CUSTODIAN
31
THE TRANSFER AGENT
31
LEGAL COUNSEL
31
INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
31
31
31
33
34
35
PURCHASE AND ISSUANCE OF SHARES IN CREATION UNITS
35
41
41
42
47
A-1
GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE TRUST
ETF Managers Trust (the “Trust”) is an open-end management investment company currently consisting of multiple investment series, one of which is the Fund. The Trust was organized as a Delaware statutory trust on July 1, 2009. The Trust is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) under the Investment Company Act of 1940, 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”). ETF Managers Group, LLC (the “Adviser”) serves as investment adviser to the Fund. The investment objective of the Fund is to seek daily investment results, before fees and expenses, that correspond to two times (2x) the daily total return of a specified market index (the “Index” or “Underlying Index”) for a single day, not for any other period. A “single day” is measured from the time the Fund calculates its net asset value (“NAV”) to the time of the Fund’s next NAV calculation. 
2


The Fund offers and issues Shares at their net asset value 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 included in its Index or portfolio (“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, and may offer an “all cash” option for creations of Creation Units for the Fund. The Shares are listed on the NYSE Arca, Inc. (the “Exchange”) and trade on the Exchange at market prices. These prices may differ from the Shares’ net asset values. The Shares are also redeemable only in Creation Unit aggregations, and generally in exchange for portfolio securities and a specified cash payment, or entirely for cash. A Creation Unit of the Fund generally consists of 10,000 Shares, though this may change from time to time. As a practical matter, only institutions or large investors purchase or redeem Creation Units. Except when aggregated in Creation Units, Shares are not redeemable securities. 
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 an amount in cash at least equal to a specified percentage of the market 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.  
CONTINUOUS OFFERING 
The method by which Creation Unit Aggregations of shares are created and traded may raise certain issues under applicable securities laws. Because new Creation Unit Aggregations of shares are issued and sold by the Fund on an ongoing basis, at any point a “distribution,” as such term is used in the Securities Act, may occur. Broker-dealers and other persons are cautioned that some activities on their part may, depending on the circumstances, result in their being deemed participants in a distribution in a manner which could render them statutory underwriters and subject them to the prospectus delivery requirement and liability provisions of the Securities Act. 
For example, a broker-dealer firm or its client may be deemed a statutory underwriter if it takes Creation Unit Aggregations after placing an order with the Distributor, breaks them down into constituent shares, and sells such shares directly to customers, or if it chooses to couple the creation of a supply of new shares with an active selling effort involving solicitation of secondary market demand for shares. A determination of whether one is an underwriter for purposes of the Securities Act must take into account all the facts and circumstances pertaining to the activities of the broker-dealer or its client in the particular case, and the examples mentioned above should not be considered a complete description of all the activities that could lead to a categorization as an underwriter. Broker-dealer firms should also note that dealers who are not “underwriters” but are effecting transactions in shares, whether or not participating in the distribution of shares, generally are required to deliver a prospectus. This is because the prospectus delivery exemption in Section 4(a)(3) of the Securities Act is not available in respect of such transactions as a result of Section 24(d) of the 1940 Act. Firms that incur a prospectus delivery obligation with respect to shares of the Fund are reminded that, pursuant to Rule 153 under the Securities Act, a prospectus delivery obligation under Section 5(b)(2) of the Securities Act owed to an exchange member in connection with a sale on the Exchange is satisfied by the fact that the prospectus is available at the Exchange upon request. The prospectus delivery mechanism provided in Rule 153 is only available with respect to transactions on an exchange. 
3


PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS
Policy on Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings
The Board of Trustees of the Trust (the “Board”) has adopted a policy on disclosure of portfolio holdings, which it believes is in the best interest of the Fund’s shareholders. The policy requires that the Fund’s portfolio holdings be disclosed in a manner that: (i) is consistent with applicable legal requirements and is in the best interests of the Fund’s shareholders; (ii) does not put the interests of the Adviser or the Distributor, or any affiliated person of the Adviser or the Distributor, above those of the Fund’s shareholders; (iii) does not advantage any current or prospective Fund shareholder over any other current or prospective Fund shareholder, except to the extent that certain entities (as described below) may receive portfolio holdings information not available to other current or prospective Fund shareholders in connection with the dissemination of information necessary for transactions in Creation Units; and (iv) does not provide selective access to portfolio holdings information except pursuant to the procedures outlined below and to the extent appropriate confidentiality arrangements limiting the use of such information are in effect.
The “entities” referred to in sub-section (iii) above are generally limited to National Securities Clearing Corporation (“NSCC”) members and subscribers to various fee-based subscription services, including Authorized Participants (defined below), and other institutional market participants and entities that provide information services. 
Information with respect to the Fund’s portfolio holdings is disseminated daily on the Fund’s website. Each business day portfolio holdings information may also be provided to the Fund’s transfer agent or other agent for dissemination through the facilities of the NSCC and/or other fee based subscription services to NSCC members and/or subscribers to those other fee based subscription services, including Authorized Participants, and to entities that publish and/or analyze such information in connection with the process of purchasing or redeeming Creation Units or trading shares of the Fund in the secondary market. 
The transfer agent may also make available portfolio holdings information to other institutional market participants and entities that provide information services. This information typically reflects the Fund’s anticipated holdings on the following business day. “Authorized Participants” are broker-dealer firms that have entered into Authorized Participant Agreements with the Distributor to purchase and redeem Creation Units pursuant to legal requirements, including the exemptive order granted by the SEC, through which the Fund offers and redeems shares. Other than portfolio holdings information made available in connection with the creation/redemption process, as discussed above, portfolio holdings information that is not filed with the SEC or posted on the publicly available website may be provided to third parties only in limited circumstances, as described above. 
Disclosure to providers of auditing, custody, proxy voting, liquidity risk management and other similar services for the Fund, broker-dealers that are involved in executing portfolio transactions on behalf of the Fund, as well as rating and ranking organizations, will generally be permitted; however, information may be disclosed to other third parties (including, without limitation, individuals, institutional investors, and Authorized Participants that sell shares of the Fund) only upon approval by the CCO. The recipients who may receive non-public portfolio holdings information are as follows: the Adviser and its affiliates, the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm, the Fund’s distributor, administrator and custodian, the Fund’s legal counsel, the Fund’s financial printer and the Fund’s proxy voting service. These entities are obligated to keep such information confidential. Third-party providers of custodial or accounting services to the Fund may release non-public portfolio holdings information of the Fund only with the permission of the CCO. 
The Fund will disclose its complete portfolio holdings in public filings with the SEC. on a quarterly basis within 60 days of the end of the quarter, and will provide that information to shareholders, as required by federal securities laws and regulations thereunder. These filings are available, free of charge, on the EDGAR database on the SEC’s website http://www.sec.gov.  Under the policy, the Board is to receive information, on a quarterly basis, regarding any other disclosures of non-public portfolio holdings information that were permitted during the preceding quarter. 
4


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.
Non-Diversification
The Fund is classified as a non-diversified investment company under the 1940 Act. A “non-diversified” classification means that the Fund is not limited by the 1940 Act with regard to the percentage of its assets that may be invested in the securities of a single issuer. This means that the Fund may invest a greater portion of its assets in the securities of a single issuer or a small number of issuers than a diversified fund. The securities of a particular issuer or a small number of issuers may constitute a greater portion of the Underlying Index and, therefore, the securities may constitute a greater portion of the Fund’s portfolio. This may have an adverse effect on the Fund’s performance or subject the Fund’s Shares to greater price volatility than more diversified investment companies. Moreover, in pursuing its objective, the Fund may hold the securities of a single issuer in an amount exceeding 10% of the market value of the outstanding securities of the issuer, subject to restrictions imposed by the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). In particular, as the Fund’s size grows and its assets increase, it will be more likely to hold more than 10% of the securities of a single issuer if the issuer has a relatively small public float as compared to other components in its Underlying Index.
Concentration
The Fund will, to the extent its Underlying Index does, concentrate its investments in a particular industry or group of industries, as described in the Prospectus. The securities of issuers in particular industries may dominate the Underlying Index of the Fund and consequently the Fund’s investment portfolio. This may adversely affect the Fund’s performance or subject its Shares to greater price volatility than that experienced by less concentrated investment companies.
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. The information below should be read in conjunction with the “Principal Investment Strategies” and “Principal Risks” sections of the Prospectus. The information below pertains to non-principal investment strategies and risks of the Fund, while the information in the Prospectus pertains to principal investment strategies and risks of the Fund. 
EQUITY SECURITIES  
Equity securities represent ownership interests in a company and include common stocks, preferred stocks, warrants to acquire common stock, and securities convertible into common stock. Investments in equity securities in general are subject to market risks that may cause their prices to fluctuate over time. Fluctuations in the value of equity securities in which the Fund invests will cause the net asset value of the Fund to fluctuate. 
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. 
5


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. 
Convertible Securities — Convertible securities are securities that may be exchanged for, converted into, or exercised to acquire a predetermined number of shares of the issuer’s common stock at the Fund’s option during a specified time period (such as convertible preferred stocks, convertible debentures and warrants). A convertible security is generally a fixed income security that is senior to common stock in an issuer’s capital structure, but is usually subordinated to similar non-convertible securities. In exchange for the conversion feature, many corporations will pay a lower rate of interest on convertible securities than debt securities of the same corporation. In general, the market value of a convertible security is at least the higher of its “investment value” (i.e., its value as a fixed income security) or its “conversion value” (i.e., its value upon conversion into its underlying common stock). 
Convertible securities are subject to the same risks as similar securities without the convertible feature. The price of a convertible security is more volatile during times of steady interest rates than other types of debt securities. The price of a convertible security tends to increase as the market value of the underlying stock rises, whereas it tends to decrease as the market value of the underlying common stock declines. 
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 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. 
Risks of Investing in Equity Securities: 
General Risks of Investing in Stocks — While investing in stocks allows investors to participate in the benefits of owning a company, such investors must accept the risks of ownership. Unlike bondholders, who have preference to a company’s earnings and cash flow, preferred stockholders, followed by common stockholders in order of priority, are entitled only to the residual amount after a company meets its other obligations. For this reason, the value of a company’s stock will usually react more strongly to actual or perceived changes in the company’s financial condition or prospects than its debt obligations. Stockholders of a company that fares poorly can lose money. 
Stock markets tend to move in cycles with short or extended periods of rising and falling stock prices. The value of a company’s stock may fall because of: 
  Factors that directly relate to that company, such as decisions made by its management or lower demand for the company’s products or services;
  Factors affecting an entire industry, such as increases in production costs; and
  Changes in general financial market conditions that are relatively unrelated to the company or its industry, such as changes in interest rates, currency exchange rates or inflation rates.
Because preferred stock is generally junior to debt securities and other obligations of the issuer, deterioration in the credit quality of the issuer will cause greater changes in the value of a preferred stock than in a more senior debt security with similar stated yield characteristics. 
6


Small- and Medium-Sized Companies — Investors in small- and medium-sized companies typically take on greater risk and price volatility than they would by investing in larger, more established companies. This increased risk may be due to the greater business risks of their small or medium size, limited markets and financial resources, narrow product lines and frequent lack of management depth. The securities of small- and medium-sized companies are often traded in the over-the-counter market and might not be traded in volumes typical of securities traded on a national securities exchange. Thus, the securities of small and medium capitalization companies are likely to experience less frequent trading and be less liquid, and subject to more abrupt or erratic market movements, than securities of larger, more established companies. As a result of the differences between the securities of small- and medium-sized companies and those of companies with larger capitalizations, it may be more difficult for the Fund to buy or sell a significant amount of the securities of a small- or medium- company without an adverse impact on the price of the company’s securities, or the Fund may have to sell such securities in smaller quantities over a longer period of time, which may increase the Fund’s tracking error. 
When-Issued Securities — A when-issued security is one whose terms are available and for which a market exists, but which have not been issued. When the Fund engages in when-issued transactions, it relies on the other party to consummate 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 market 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.
FUTURES CONTRACTS, FORWARDS, OPTIONS AND SWAP AGREEMENTS
The Fund may purchase and sell in the U.S. or abroad futures contracts, forward contracts, swaps and put and call options on securities, futures, securities indices, swaps and currencies. In the future, the Fund may employ instruments and strategies that are not presently contemplated, but which may be subsequently developed, to the extent such investment methods are consistent with the Fund’s investment objectives, and are legally permissible. There can be no assurance that an instrument, if employed, will be successful. The Fund may buy and sell these investments for a number of purposes, including hedging, investment or speculative purposes, including to seek its desired exposure to the Underlying Index.
Special Risk Factors Regarding Forwards, Futures, Swaps and Options 
Transactions in derivative instruments (e.g., futures, options, forwards, and swaps) involve a risk of loss or depreciation due to: unanticipated adverse changes in securities or commodities prices, interest rates, indices, the other financial instruments’ prices or currency exchange rates; the inability to close out a position; default by the counterparty; imperfect correlation between a position and the desired hedge (if the derivative instrument is being used for hedging purposes); tax constraints on closing out positions; and portfolio management constraints on securities subject to such transactions. The loss on derivative instruments (other than purchased options) may substantially exceed the amount invested in these instruments. In addition, the entire premium paid for purchased options may be lost before they can be profitably exercised. Transaction costs are incurred in opening and closing positions. 
The Fund’s use of swaps, futures contracts, options, forward contracts and certain other derivative instruments will have the economic effect of financial leverage. Financial leverage magnifies exposure to the swings in prices of an asset underlying a derivative instrument and results in increased volatility, which means the Fund will have the potential for greater gains, as well as the potential for greater losses, than if the Fund does not use derivative instruments that have a leveraging effect. Leveraging tends to magnify, sometimes significantly, the effect of any increase or decrease in the Fund’s exposure to an asset and may cause the Fund’s NAV to be volatile. For example, if the Fund seeks to gain enhanced exposure to a specific asset through a derivative instrument providing leveraged
7


exposure to the asset and that derivative instrument increases in value, the gain to the Fund will be enhanced; however, if that investment decreases in value, the loss to the Fund will be magnified. A decline in the Fund’s assets due to losses magnified by the derivative instruments providing leveraged exposure may require the Fund to liquidate portfolio positions to satisfy its obligations or to meet redemption requests when it may not be advantageous to do so. There is no assurance that the Fund’s use of derivative instruments to obtain enhanced exposure will enable the Fund to achieve its investment objective. The Fund’s success in using derivative instruments to hedge portfolio assets depends on the degree of price correlation between the derivative instruments and the hedged asset. Imperfect correlation may be caused by several factors, including temporary price disparities among the trading markets for the derivative instrument, the assets underlying the derivative instrument and the Fund’s assets. 
OTC derivative instruments involve an increased risk that the issuer or counterparty will fail to perform its contractual obligations. Some derivative instruments are not readily marketable or may become illiquid under adverse market conditions. In addition, during periods of market volatility, a commodity exchange may suspend or limit trading in an exchange-traded derivative instrument, which may make the contract temporarily illiquid and difficult to price. Commodity exchanges may also establish daily limits on the amount that the price of a futures contract or futures option can vary from the previous day’s settlement price. Once the daily limit is reached, no trades may be made that day at a price beyond the limit. This may prevent the closing out of positions to limit losses. Further, under certain circumstances commodity exchanges or regulators may impose limits that are lower than current open equity in a given futures contract, such limit changes have the potential to cause liquidation of positions and may adversely affect the Fund. Certain purchased OTC derivatives may be considered illiquid. The ability to terminate OTC derivative instruments may depend on the cooperation of the counterparties to such contracts. For thinly traded derivative instruments, the only source of price quotations may be the selling dealer or counterparty. 
Regulations adopted by prudential regulators require certain bank-regulated counterparties and certain of their affiliates to include in certain financial contracts, including many derivatives contracts, terms that delay or restrict the rights of counterparties, such as the Fund, to terminate such contracts, foreclose upon collateral, exercise other default rights or restrict transfers of credit support in the event that the counterparty and/or its affiliates are subject to certain types of resolution or insolvency proceedings. It is possible that these requirements, as well as potential additional government regulation and other developments in the market, could adversely affect the Fund’s ability to terminate existing derivatives agreements or to realize amounts to be received under such agreements. 
The use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves skills different from conducting ordinary portfolio securities transactions. There can be no assurance that the Adviser’s use of derivative instruments will be advantageous to the Fund. 
Exclusion from Commodity Pool Operator Regulation 
The Adviser has filed a claim of exclusion from the definition of the term “commodity pool operator” (“CPO”) under the Commodity Exchange Act (“CEA”), pursuant to CFTC Rule 4.5 (the “Exclusion”) and therefore, the Adviser is not subject to registration or regulation as a CPO under the CEA with respect to the Fund. In order to remain eligible for the Exclusion, the Fund will be limited in its ability to use certain financial instruments including futures, options on futures and certain swaps and will be limited in the manner in which it holds out its use of such instruments.
Swap Agreements
The Fund may utilize swap agreements in an attempt to gain exposure to the securities in a market without actually purchasing those securities, or to hedge a position. Swap agreements are two-party contracts entered into primarily by institutional investors for periods ranging from a day to more than one-year. In a standard “swap” transaction, two parties agree to exchange the returns (or differentials in rates of return) earned or realized on particular predetermined investments or instruments. The gross returns to be exchanged or “swapped” between the parties are calculated with respect to a “notional amount,” i.e., the return on or increase in value of a particular dollar amount invested in a basket of securities representing a particular index.
Forms of swap agreements include interest rate caps, under which, in return for a premium, one party agrees to make payments to the other to the extent that interest rates exceed a specified rate, or “cap” interest rate floors, under which, in return for a premium, one party agrees to make payments to the other to the extent that interest rates fall
8


below a specified level, or “floor;” and interest rate collars, under which a party sells a cap and purchases a floor or vice versa in an attempt to protect itself against interest rate movements exceeding given minimum or maximum levels.
The Fund’s obligations under a swap agreement will be accrued daily (offset against any amounts owing to the Fund). Swaps that cannot be terminated in the ordinary course of business within seven days at approximately the amount the Fund has valued the asset may be considered to be illiquid for purposes of the Fund’s illiquid investment limitations. The Fund will not enter into any swap agreement unless the Adviser believes that the other party to the transaction is creditworthy. The Fund bears the risk of loss of the amount expected to be received under a swap agreement in the event of the default or bankruptcy of a swap agreement counterparty.
The Fund may enter into swap agreements to invest in a market without owning or taking physical custody of the underlying securities in circumstances in which direct investment is restricted for legal reasons or is otherwise impracticable. The counterparty to any swap agreement will typically be a bank, investment banking firm or broker-dealer. The counterparty will generally agree to pay the Fund the amount, if any, by which the notional amount of the swap agreement would have increased in value had it been invested in the particular stocks, plus the dividends that would have been received on those stocks. The Fund will agree to pay to the counterparty a floating rate of interest on the notional amount of the swap agreement plus the amount, if any, by which the notional amount would have decreased in value had it been invested in such stocks. Therefore, the return to the Fund on any swap agreement should be the gain or loss on the notional amount plus dividends on the stocks less the interest paid by the Fund on the notional amount.
Swap agreements typically are settled on a net basis, which means that the two payment streams are netted out, with the Fund receiving or paying, as the case may be, only the net amount of the two payments. Payments may be made at the conclusion of a swap agreement or periodically during its term. Other swap agreements, may require initial premium (discount) payments as well as periodic payments (receipts) related to the interest leg of the swap or to the default of a reference obligation. The Fund will earmark and reserve assets necessary to meet any accrued payment obligations when it is the buyer of a credit default swap.
Swap agreements do not involve the delivery of securities or other underlying assets. Accordingly, the risk of loss with respect to swap agreements is limited to the net amount of payments that the Fund is contractually obligated to make. If a swap counterparty defaults, the Fund’s risk of loss consists of the net amount of payments the Fund is contractually entitled to receive, if any. The net amount of the excess, if any, of the Fund’s obligations over its entitlements with respect to each equity swap will be accrued on a daily basis and an amount of cash or liquid assets, having an aggregate NAV at least equal to such accrued excess will be maintained in a segregated account by the Fund’s custodian. Inasmuch as these transactions are entered into for hedging purposes or are offset by segregated cash of liquid assets, as permitted by applicable law, the Fund and the Advisor believe that these transactions do not constitute senior securities under the 1940 Act and, accordingly, will not treat them as being subject to the Fund’s borrowing restrictions.
The swap market has grown substantially in recent years with a large number of banks and investment banking firms acting both as principals and as agents utilizing standardized swap documentation. As a result, the swap market has become relatively liquid in comparison with the markets for other similar instruments, which are traded in the OTC market. The Advisor, under the supervision of the Board, is responsible for determining and monitoring the liquidity of Fund transactions in swap agreements.
The use of swap agreements is a highly specialized activity which involves investment techniques and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions. If a counterparty’s creditworthiness declines, the value of the swap would likely decline. Moreover, there is no guarantee that the Fund could eliminate its exposure under an outstanding swap agreement by entering into an offsetting swap agreement with the same or another party.
Swaps on Equities, Currencies, Commodities and Futures
The Fund may enter into swaps with respect to a security, currency, commodity or futures contract (each, an “asset”); basket of assets; asset index; or index component (each, a “reference asset”). An equity, currency, commodity or futures swap is a two-party contract that generally obligates one party to pay the positive return and the other party to pay the negative return on a specified reference asset during the period of the swap. The payments
9


based on the reference asset may be adjusted for transaction costs, interest payments, the amount of dividends paid on the referenced asset or other economic factors.
Equity, currency, commodity or futures swap contracts may be structured in different ways. For example, with respect to an equity swap, when the Fund takes a long position, the counterparty may agree to pay the Fund the amount, if any, by which the notional amount of the equity swap would have increased in value had it been invested in a particular stock (or group of stocks), plus the dividends that would have been received on the stock. In these cases, the Fund may agree to pay to the counterparty interest on the notional amount of the equity swap plus the amount, if any, by which that notional amount would have decreased in value had it been invested in such stock. 
Therefore, in this case the return to the Fund on the equity swap should be the gain or loss on the notional amount plus dividends on the stock less the interest paid by the Fund on the notional amount. In other cases, when the Fund takes a short position, a counterparty may agree to pay the Fund the amount, if any, by which the notional amount of the equity swap would have decreased in value had the Fund sold a particular stock (or group of stocks) short, less the dividend expense that the Fund would have paid on the stock, as adjusted for interest payments or other economic factors. In these situations, the Fund may be obligated to pay the amount, if any, by which the notional amount of the swap would have increased in value had it been invested in such stock. 
Equity, currency, commodity or futures swaps normally do not involve the delivery of securities or other underlying assets. Accordingly, the risk of loss with respect to these swaps is normally limited to the net amount of payments that the Fund is contractually obligated to make. If the other party to the swap defaults, the Fund’s risk of loss consists of the net amount of payments that such Fund is contractually entitled to receive, if any.
Equity, currency, commodity or futures swaps are derivatives and their value can be very volatile. To the extent that the Adviser does not accurately analyze and predict future market trends, the values of assets or economic factors, the Fund may suffer a loss, which may be substantial. The swap markets in which many types of swap transactions are traded have grown substantially in recent years, with a large number of banks and investment banking firms acting both as principals and as agents. As a result, the markets for certain types of swaps have become relatively liquid. 
Total Return and Interest Rate Swaps 
In a total return swap, the buyer receives a periodic return equal to the total return of a specified security, securities or index, for a specified period of time. In return, the buyer pays the counterparty a variable stream of payments, typically based upon short term interest rates, possibly plus or minus an agreed upon spread. Interest rate swaps are financial instruments that involve the exchange of one type of interest rate for another type of interest rate cash flow on specified dates in the future. Some of the different types of interest rate swaps are “fixed-for floating rate swaps,” “termed basis swaps” and “index amortizing swaps.” Fixed-for floating rate swaps involve the exchange of fixed interest rate cash flows for floating rate cash flows. Termed basis swaps entail cash flows to both parties based on floating interest rates, where the interest rate indices are different. Index amortizing swaps are typically fixed-for floating swaps where the notional amount changes if certain conditions are met. Like a traditional investment in a debt security, the Fund could lose money by investing in an interest rate swap if interest rates change adversely. For example, if the Fund enters into a swap where it agrees to exchange a floating rate of interest for a fixed rate of interest, the Fund may have to pay more money than it receives. Similarly, if the Fund enters into a swap where it agrees to exchange a fixed rate of interest for a floating rate of interest, the Fund may receive less money than it has agreed to pay. 
Interest rate and total return swaps entered into in which payments are not netted may entail greater risk than a swap entered into on a net basis. If there is a default by the other party to such a transaction, the Fund will have contractual remedies pursuant to the agreements related to the transaction.
Swap Regulation
In recent years, regulators across the globe, including the CFTC and the U.S. banking regulators, have adopted collateral requirements applicable to uncleared swaps. While the Fund is not directly subject to these requirements, where the Fund’s counterparty is subject to the requirements, uncleared swaps between the Fund and that counterparty are required to be marked-to-market on a daily basis, and collateral is required to be exchanged to account for any changes in the value of such swaps. The rules impose a number of requirements as to these
10


exchanges of collateral, including as to the timing of transfers, the type of collateral (and valuations for such collateral) and other matters that may be different than what the Fund would agree with its counterparty in the absence of such regulation. In all events, where the Fund is required to post collateral to its swap counterparty, such collateral will be posted to an independent bank custodian, where access to the collateral by the swap counterparty will generally not be permitted unless the Fund is in default on its obligations to the swap counterparty.
In addition to the marked-to-market collateral requirements, regulators have adopted “initial” collateral requirements applicable to uncleared swaps. Where applicable, these rules require parties to an uncleared swap to post, to a custodian that is independent from the parties to the swap, collateral (in addition to any marked-to-market collateral noted above) in an amount that is either (i) specified in a schedule in the rules or (ii) calculated by the regulated party in accordance with a model that has been approved by that party’s regulator(s). At this time, the initial collateral rules do not apply to the Fund’s swap trading relationships. However, the rules are being implemented on a phased basis, and it is possible that in the future, the rules could apply to the Fund. In the event that the rules apply, they would impose significant costs on the Fund’s ability to engage in uncleared swaps and, as such, could adversely affect Adviser’s ability to manage the Fund, may impair the Fund’s ability to achieve its investment objective and/or may result in reduced returns to the Fund’s investors.
Comprehensive Swaps Regulation 
The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 (the “Dodd-Frank Act”) and related regulatory developments have imposed comprehensive new regulatory requirements on swaps and swap market participants. The regulatory framework includes: (1) registration and regulation of swap dealers and major swap participants; (2) requiring central clearing and execution of standardized swaps; (3) imposing collateral requirements on swap transactions; (4) regulating and monitoring swap transactions through position limits and large trader reporting requirements; and (5) imposing record keeping and centralized and public reporting requirements, on an anonymous basis, for most swaps. The CFTC is responsible for the regulation of most swaps. The SEC has jurisdiction over a small segment of the market referred to as “security-based swaps,” which includes swaps on single securities or credits, or narrow-based indices of securities or credits.
Uncleared swaps 
In an uncleared swap, the swap counterparty is typically a brokerage firm, bank or other financial institution. The Fund customarily enters into uncleared swaps based on the standard terms and conditions of an International Swaps and Derivatives Association (“ISDA”) Master Agreement. ISDA is a voluntary industry association of participants in the OTC derivatives markets that has developed standardized contracts used by such participants that have agreed to be bound by such standardized contracts. In the event that one party to a swap transaction defaults and the transaction is terminated prior to its scheduled termination date, one of the parties may be required to make an early termination payment to the other. An early termination payment may be payable by either the defaulting or non-defaulting party, depending upon which of them is “in-the-money” with respect to the swap at the time of its termination. Early termination payments may be calculated in various ways, but are intended to approximate the amount the “in-the-money” party would have to pay to replace the swap as of the date of its termination. During the term of an uncleared swap, the Fund will be required to pledge to the swap counterparty, from time to time, an amount of cash and/or other assets equal to the total net amount (if any) that would be payable by the Fund to the counterparty if all outstanding swaps between the parties were terminated on the date in question, including any early termination payments. Periodically, changes in the amount pledged are made to recognize changes in value of the contract resulting from, among other things, interest on the notional value of the contract, market value changes in the underlying investment, and/or dividends paid by the issuer of the underlying instrument. Likewise, the counterparty will be required to pledge cash or other assets to cover its obligations to the Fund. However, the amount pledged may not always be equal to or more than the amount due to the other party. Therefore, if a counterparty defaults in its obligations to the Fund, the amount pledged by the counterparty and available to the Fund may not be sufficient to cover all the amounts due to the Fund and the Fund may sustain a loss. Rules requiring initial collateral to be posted by certain market participants for uncleared swaps have been adopted and are being phased in over time. When these rules take effect with respect to the Fund, if the Fund is deemed to have material swaps exposure under applicable swap regulations, it will be required to post initial collateral in addition to marked-to-market collateral.
11


Cleared swaps 
Certain standardized swaps are subject to mandatory central clearing and exchange-trading. The Dodd-Frank Act and implementing rules will ultimately require the clearing and exchange-trading of many swaps. Mandatory exchange-trading and clearing will occur on a phased-in basis based on the type of market participant, CFTC approval of contracts for central clearing and public trading facilities making such cleared swaps available to trade. To date, the CFTC has designated only certain of the most common types of credit default index swaps and interest rate swaps as subject to mandatory clearing and certain public trading facilities have made certain of those cleared swaps available to trade, but it is expected that additional categories of swaps will in the future be designated as subject to mandatory clearing and trade execution requirements. Central clearing is intended to reduce counterparty credit risk and increase liquidity, but central clearing does not eliminate these risks and may involve additional costs and risks not involved with uncleared swaps. For more information, see “Risks of cleared swaps” below.
In a cleared swap, the Fund’s ultimate counterparty is a central clearinghouse rather than a brokerage firm, bank or other financial institution. Cleared swaps are submitted for clearing through each party’s FCM, which must be a member of the clearinghouse that serves as the central counterparty. Transactions executed on a swap execution facility may increase market transparency and liquidity but may require the Fund to incur increased expenses to access the same types of swaps that it has used in the past. When the Fund enters into a cleared swap, it must deliver to the central counterparty (via the FCM) initial collateral. The initial collateral requirements are determined by the central counterparty, and are typically calculated as an amount equal to the volatility in market value of the cleared swap over a fixed period, but an FCM may require additional collateral above the amount required by the central counterparty. During the term of the swap agreement, an additional collateral amount may also be required to be paid by the Fund or may be received by the Fund in accordance with collateral controls set for such accounts. If the value of the Fund’s cleared swap declines, the Fund will be required to make additional payments to the FCM to settle the change in value. Conversely, if the market value of the Fund’s position increases, the FCM will post additional amounts to the Fund’s account. At the conclusion of the term of the swap agreement, if the Fund has a loss equal to or greater than the collateral amount, the collateral amount is paid to the FCM along with any loss in excess of the collateral amount. If the Fund has a loss of less than the collateral amount, the excess collateral is returned to the Fund. If the Fund has a gain, the full collateral amount and the amount of the gain is paid to the Fund.
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 Adviser to correctly predict which types of investments are likely to produce greater returns. If the 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 collateral at risk in the event of default by the counterparty (in an uncleared swap) or the central counterparty or FCM (in a cleared swap), plus any transaction costs.
Because bilateral swap agreements are structured as two-party contracts and may have terms of greater than seven days, these swaps may be considered to be illiquid and, therefore, subject to the Fund’s limitation on investments in illiquid securities. If a swap transaction is particularly large or if the relevant market is illiquid, the Fund may not be able to establish or liquidate a position at an advantageous time or price, which may result in significant losses. Participants in the swap markets are not required to make continuous markets in the swap contracts they trade. Participants could refuse to quote prices for swap contracts or quote prices with an unusually wide spread between the price at which they are prepared to buy and the price at which they are prepared to sell. Some swap agreements entail complex terms and may require a greater degree of subjectivity in their valuation. However, the swap markets have grown substantially in recent years, with a large number of financial institutions acting both as principals and
12


agents, utilizing standardized swap documentation. As a result, the swap markets have become increasingly liquid. In addition, central clearing and the trading of cleared swaps on public facilities are intended to increase liquidity.
The Adviser, under the supervision of the Board of Trustees, is responsible for determining and monitoring the liquidity of the Fund’s swap transactions. 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 Fund’s identity as intended. Certain 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. For more information about potentially changing regulation, see “Developing government regulation of derivatives” below.
Risks of uncleared swaps
Uncleared swaps are typically executed bilaterally with a swap dealer rather than traded on exchanges. As a result, swap participants may not be as protected as participants on organized exchanges. Performance of a swap agreement is the responsibility only of the swap counterparty and not of any exchange or clearinghouse. As a result, the Fund is subject to the risk that a counterparty will be unable or will refuse to perform under such agreement, including because of the counterparty’s bankruptcy or insolvency. The Fund risks the loss of the accrued but unpaid amounts under a swap agreement, which could be substantial, in the event of a default, insolvency or bankruptcy by a swap counterparty. In such an event, the Fund will have contractual remedies pursuant to the swap agreements, but bankruptcy and insolvency laws could affect the Fund’s rights as a creditor. If the counterparty’s creditworthiness declines, the value of a swap agreement would likely decline, potentially resulting in losses. The Adviser will only approve a swap agreement counterparty for the Fund if the Adviser deems the counterparty to be creditworthy. However, in unusual or extreme market conditions, a counterparty’s creditworthiness and ability to perform may deteriorate rapidly, and the availability of suitable replacement counterparties may become limited.
Risks of cleared swaps 
As noted above, under recent financial reforms, certain types of swaps are, and others eventually are expected to be, required to be cleared through a central counterparty, which may affect counterparty risk and other risks faced by the Fund.
Central clearing is designed to reduce counterparty credit risk and increase liquidity compared to uncleared swaps because central clearing interposes the central clearinghouse as the counterparty to each participant’s swap, but it does not eliminate those risks completely and may involve additional costs and risks not involved with uncleared swaps. There is also a risk of loss by the Fund of the initial and variation collateral deposits in the event of bankruptcy of the FCM with which the Fund has an open position, or the central counterparty in a swap contract. The assets of the Fund may not be fully protected in the event of the bankruptcy of the FCM or central counterparty because the Fund might be limited to recovering only a pro rata share of all available funds and collateral segregated on behalf of an FCM’s customers. If the FCM does not provide accurate reporting, the Fund is also subject to the risk that the FCM could use the Fund’s assets, which are held in an omnibus account with assets belonging to the FCM’s other customers, to satisfy its own financial obligations or the payment obligations of another customer to the central counterparty. Credit risk of cleared swap participants is concentrated in a few clearinghouses, and the consequences of insolvency of a clearinghouse are not clear.
With cleared swaps, the Fund may not be able to obtain terms as favorable as it would be able to negotiate for a bilateral, uncleared swap. In addition, an FCM may unilaterally amend the terms of its agreement with the Fund, which may include the imposition of position limits or additional collateral requirements with respect to the Fund’s investment in certain types of swaps. Central counterparties and FCMs can require termination of existing cleared swap transactions upon the occurrence of certain events, and can also require increases in collateral above the amount that is required at the initiation of the swap agreement. Currently, depending on a number of factors, the collateral required under the rules of the clearinghouse and FCM may be in excess of the collateral required to be
13


posted by the Fund to support its obligations under a similar uncleared swap. However, regulators have proposed and are expected to adopt rules imposing certain requirements on uncleared swaps in the near future, which are likely to impose higher collateral requirements on uncleared swaps.
Finally, the Fund is subject to the risk that, after entering into a cleared swap with an executing broker, no FCM or central counterparty is willing or able to clear the transaction. In such an event, the Fund may be required to break the trade and make an early termination payment to the executing broker.
Forward Contracts 
A forward contract is an obligation to purchase or sell a specific security, currency or other instrument for an agreed price at a future date that is individually negotiated and privately traded by traders and their customers. In contrast to contracts traded on an exchange (such as futures contracts), forward contracts are not guaranteed by any exchange or clearinghouse and are subject to the creditworthiness of the counterparty of the trade. Forward contracts are highly leveraged and highly volatile, and a relatively small price movement in a forward contract may result in substantial losses to the Fund. To the extent the Fund engages in forward contracts to generate return, the Fund will be subject to these risks. 
Forward contracts are not always standardized and are frequently the subject of individual negotiation between the parties involved. By contrast, futures contracts are generally standardized and futures exchanges have central clearinghouses which keep track of all positions. 
Because there is no clearinghouse system applicable to forward contracts, there is no direct means of offsetting a forward contract by purchase of an offsetting position on the same exchange as one can with respect to a futures contract. Absent contractual termination rights, the Fund may not be able to terminate a forward contract at a price and time that it desires. In such event, the Fund will remain subject to counterparty risk with respect to the forward contract, even if the Fund enters into an offsetting forward contract with the same, or a different, counterparty. If a counterparty defaults, the Fund may lose money on the transaction. 
Depending on the asset underlying the forward contract, forward transactions can be influenced by, among other things, changing supply and demand relationships, government commercial and trade programs and policies, national and international political and economic events, weather and climate conditions, insects and plant disease, purchases and sales by foreign countries and changing interest rates. 
Futures Contracts
The Fund may use futures to attempt to gain exposure to a particular market, index, security, commodity or instrument or for speculative purposes to increase return, to attempt to hedge or limit the exposure of the Fund’s position, to create a synthetic money market position, for certain tax-related purposes or to effect closing transactions. Futures contracts generally provide for the future sale by one party and purchase by another party of a specified commodity or security at a specified future time and at a specified price. Index futures contracts are settled daily with a payment by one party to the other of a cash amount based on the difference between the level of the index specified in the contract from one day to the next. Futures contracts are standardized as to maturity date and underlying instrument and are traded on futures exchanges.
The Fund is required to make a good faith margin deposit in cash or U.S. government securities with a broker or custodian to initiate and maintain open positions in futures contracts. A margin deposit is intended to assure completion of the contract (delivery or acceptance of the underlying commodity or payment of the cash settlement amount) if it is not terminated prior to the specified delivery date. Brokers may establish deposit requirements which are higher than the exchange minimums. Futures contracts are customarily purchased and sold on margin deposits which may range upward from less than 5% of the value of the contract being traded.
After a futures contract position is opened, the value of the contract is marked to market daily. If the futures contract price changes to the extent that the margin on deposit does not satisfy margin requirements, payment of additional “variation” margin will be required. Conversely, change in the contract value may reduce the required margin, resulting in a repayment of excess margin to the contract holder. Variation margin payments are made to and from the futures broker for as long as the contract remains open. In such case, the Fund would expect to earn interest income on its margin deposits. Closing out an open futures position is done by taking an opposite position (“buying”
14


a contract which has previously been “sold,” or “selling” a contract previously “purchased”) in an identical contract to terminate the position. Brokerage commissions are incurred when a futures contract position is opened or closed.
U.S. futures contracts are traded on organized exchanges regulated by the CFTC. Transactions on such exchanges are cleared through a clearing corporation, which guarantees the performance of the parties to each contract. The Fund may also invest in non-U.S. futures contracts.
There are several risks in connection with the use of futures by the Fund. The Fund may not be able to properly effect its strategy when a liquid market is unavailable for the futures contract the Fund wishes to close, which may at times occur. If the Fund were unable to liquidate a futures position due to the absence of a liquid secondary market or the imposition of price limits, it could incur substantial losses. The Fund would continue to be subject to market risk with respect to the position. In addition, the Fund would continue to be required to make daily variation margin payments and might be required to maintain cash or liquid assets in an account.
A purchase or sale of a futures contract may result in losses to the Fund in excess of the amount that the Fund delivered as initial margin. Because of the relatively low margin deposits required, futures trading involves a high degree of leverage; as a result, a relatively small price movement in a futures contract may result in immediate and substantial loss, or gain, to the Fund. In addition, if the Fund has insufficient cash to meet daily variation margin requirements or close out a futures position, it may have to sell securities from its portfolio at a time when it may be disadvantageous to do so. Adverse market movements could cause the Fund to experience substantial losses on an investment in a futures contract. There is a risk of loss by the Fund of the initial and variation margin deposits in the event of bankruptcy of the FCM with which the Fund has an open position in a futures contract. The assets of the Fund may not be fully protected in the event of the bankruptcy of the FCM or central counterparty because the Fund might be limited to recovering only a pro rata share of all available funds and margin segregated on behalf of an FCM’s customers. If the FCM does not provide accurate reporting, the Fund is also subject to the risk that the FCM could use the Fund’s assets, which are held in an omnibus account with assets belonging to the FCM’s other customers, to satisfy its own financial obligations or the payment obligations of another customer to the central counterparty.
The price of futures may not correlate perfectly with movement in the cash market due to certain market distortions. Rather than meeting additional margin deposit requirements, investors may close futures contracts through offsetting transactions which could distort the normal relationship between the cash and futures markets. Second, with respect to financial futures contracts, the liquidity of the futures market depends on participants entering into offsetting transactions rather than making or taking delivery. To the extent participants decide to make or take delivery, liquidity in the futures market could be reduced, thus producing distortions. Third, from the point of view of speculators, the deposit requirements in the futures market are less onerous than margin requirements in the securities market. Therefore, increased participation by speculators in the futures market may also cause temporary price distortions. Due to the possibility of price distortion in the futures market, and because of the imperfect correlation between the movements in the cash market and movements in the price of futures, a correct forecast of general market trends or interest rate movements by the Adviser may still not result in a successful hedging transaction over a short time frame (in the event futures are used for hedging purposes). 
Positions in futures may be closed out only on an exchange or board of trade which provides a secondary market for such futures. Although the Fund intends to purchase or sell futures only on exchanges or boards of trade where there appear to be active secondary markets, there is no assurance that a liquid secondary market on any exchange or board of trade will exist for any particular contract or at any particular time. When there is no liquid market, it may not be possible to close a futures investment position, and in the event of adverse price movements, the Fund would continue to be required to make daily cash payments of variation margin (as described below). In such circumstances, an increase in the price of the securities, if any, may partially or completely offset losses on the futures contract. However, as described above, there is no guarantee that the price of the securities will in fact correlate with the price movements in the futures contract and thus provide an offset on a futures contract.
Futures contracts that are traded on non-U.S. exchanges may not be as liquid as those purchased on CFTC-designated contract markets. In addition, non-U.S. futures contracts may be subject to varied regulatory oversight. The price of any non-U.S. futures contract and, therefore, the potential profit and loss thereon, may be affected by any change in the non-U.S. exchange rate between the time a particular order is placed and the time it is liquidated, offset or exercised.
15


The CFTC and the various exchanges have established limits referred to as “speculative position limits” on the maximum net long or net short position that any person, such as the Fund, may hold or control in a particular futures contract. Trading limits are also imposed on the maximum number of contracts that any person may trade on a particular trading day. An exchange may order the liquidation of positions found to be in violation of these limits and it may impose other sanctions or restrictions. The regulation of futures, as well as other derivatives, is a rapidly changing area of law. 
Further, it should be noted that the liquidity of a secondary market in a futures contract may be adversely affected by “daily price fluctuation limits” established by commodities exchanges which limit the amount of fluctuation in a futures contract price during a single trading day. Once the daily limit has been reached in the contract, no trades may be entered into at a price beyond the limit, thus preventing the liquidation of open futures positions. The trading of futures contracts is also subject to the risk of trading halts, suspensions, exchange or clearing house equipment failures, government intervention, insolvency of a brokerage firm or clearing house or other disruptions of normal activity, which could at times make it difficult or impossible to liquidate existing positions or to recover equity. 
Stock Index Futures 
The Fund may invest in stock index futures. A stock index assigns relative values to the common stocks included in the index and fluctuates with the changes in the market value of those stocks. 
Stock index futures are contracts based on the future value of the basket of securities that comprise the underlying stock index. The contracts obligate the seller to deliver and the purchaser to take cash to settle the futures transaction or to enter into an obligation contract. No physical delivery of the securities underlying the index is made on settling the futures obligation. No monetary amount is paid or received by the Fund on the purchase or sale of a stock index future. At any time prior to the expiration of the future, the Fund may elect to close out its position by taking an opposite position, at which time a final determination of variation margin is made and additional cash is required to be paid by or released to the Fund. Any gain or loss is then realized by the Fund on the future for tax purposes. Although stock index futures by their terms call for settlement by the delivery of cash, in most cases the settlement obligation is fulfilled without such delivery by entering into an offsetting transaction. All futures transactions are effected through a clearing house associated with the exchange on which the contracts are traded. 
Futures on Securities 
The Fund may purchase and sell futures contracts on securities. A futures contract sale creates an obligation by the Fund, as seller, to deliver the specific type of financial instrument called for in the contract at a specific future time for a specified price. A futures contract purchase creates an obligation by the Fund, as purchaser, to take delivery of the specific type of financial instrument at a specific future time at a specific price. The specific securities delivered or taken, respectively, at settlement date, would not be determined until or near that date. The determination would be in accordance with the rules of the exchange on which the futures contract sale or purchase was made. 
Although futures contracts on securities by their terms call for actual delivery or acceptance of securities, in most cases the contracts are closed out before the settlement date without making or taking delivery of securities. The Fund may close out a futures contract sale by entering into a futures contract purchase for the same aggregate amount of the specific type of financial instrument and the same delivery date. If the price of the sale exceeds the price of the offsetting purchase, the Fund is immediately paid the difference and thus realizes a gain. If the offsetting purchase price exceeds the sale price, the Fund pays the difference and realizes a loss. Similarly, the Fund may close out of a futures contract purchase by entering into a futures contract sale. If the offsetting sale price exceeds the purchase price, the Fund realizes a gain, and if the purchase price exceeds the offsetting sale price, the Fund realizes a loss. Accounting for futures contracts will be in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.
Options 
The value of an option position will reflect, among other things, the current market value of the underlying investment, the time remaining until expiration, the relationship of the exercise price to the market price of the underlying investment and general market conditions. Options that expire unexercised have no value. Options currently are traded on the Chicago Board Options Exchange® and other exchanges, as well as the OTC markets.
By buying a call option on a security, the Fund has the right, in return for the premium paid, to buy the security underlying the option at the exercise price. By writing (selling) a call option and receiving a premium, the Fund
16


becomes obligated during the term of the option to deliver securities underlying the option at the exercise price if the option is exercised. By buying a put option, the Fund has the right, in return for the premium, to sell the security underlying the option at the exercise price. By writing a put option, the Fund becomes obligated during the term of the option to purchase the securities underlying the option at the exercise price.
Because options premiums paid or received by the Fund are small in relation to the market value of the investments underlying the options, buying and selling put and call options can be more speculative than investing directly in securities.
The Fund may effectively terminate its right or obligation under an option by entering into a closing transaction. For example, the Fund may terminate its obligation under a call or put option that it had written by purchasing an identical call or put option; this is known as a closing purchase transaction. Conversely, the Fund may terminate a position in a put or call option it had purchased by writing an identical put or call option; this is known as a closing sale transaction. Closing transactions permit the Fund to realize profits or limit losses on an option position prior to its exercise or expiration.
Risks of Options on Currencies and Securities
Exchange-traded options in the United States are issued by a clearing organization affiliated with the exchange on which the option is listed that, in effect, guarantees completion of every exchange-traded option transaction. In contrast, OTC options are contracts between the Fund and its counterparty (usually a securities dealer or a bank) with no clearing organization guarantee. Thus, when the Fund purchases an OTC option, it relies on the counterparty from which it purchased the option to make or take delivery of the underlying investment upon exercise of the option. Failure by the counterparty to do so would result in the loss of any premium paid by the Fund as well as the loss of any expected benefit of the transaction.
The Fund’s ability to establish and close out positions in exchange-traded options depends on the existence of a liquid market. However, there can be no assurance that such a market will exist at any particular time. Closing transactions can be made for OTC options only by negotiating directly with the counterparty, or by a transaction in the secondary market if any such market exists. There can be no assurance that the Fund will in fact be able to close out an OTC option position at a favorable price prior to expiration. In the event of insolvency of the counterparty, the Fund might be unable to close out an OTC option position at any time prior to its expiration.
If the Fund were unable to effect a closing transaction for an option it had purchased, it would have to exercise the option to realize any profit. The inability to enter into a closing purchase transaction for a covered call option written by the Fund could cause material losses because the Fund would be unable to sell the investment used as cover for the written option until the option expires or is exercised.
Options on Indices 
An index fluctuates with changes in the market values of the securities included in the index. Options on indices give the holder the right to receive an amount of cash upon exercise of the option. Receipt of this cash amount will depend upon the closing level of the index upon which the option is based being greater than (in the case of a call) or less than (in the case of a put) the exercise price of the option. Some stock index options are based on a broad market index such as the S&P 500® Composite Stock Index, the NYSE Composite Index or the NYSE Arca Major Market Index or on a narrower index such as the Philadelphia Stock Exchange Over-the-Counter Index.
Each of the exchanges has established limitations governing the maximum number of call or put options on the same index that may be bought or written by a single investor, whether acting alone or in concert with others (regardless of whether such options are written on the same or different exchanges or are held or written on one or more accounts or through one or more brokers). Under these limitations, option positions of all investment companies advised by the Adviser are combined for purposes of these limits. Pursuant to these limitations, an exchange may order the liquidation of positions and may impose other sanctions or restrictions. These position limits may restrict the number of listed options that the Fund may buy or sell.
Puts and calls on indices are similar to puts and calls on securities or futures contracts except that all settlements are in cash and gain or loss depends on changes in the index in question rather than on price movements in individual securities or futures contracts. When the Fund writes a call on an index, it receives a premium and agrees that, prior to the expiration date, the purchaser of the call, upon exercise of the call, will receive from the Fund an amount of
17


cash if the closing level of the index upon which the call is based is greater than the exercise price of the call. The amount of cash is equal to the difference between the closing price of the index and the exercise price of the call multiplied by a specific factor (“multiplier”), which determines the total value for each point of such difference. When the Fund buys a call on an index, it pays a premium and has the same rights to such call as are indicated above. When the Fund buys a put on an index, it pays a premium and has the right, prior to the expiration date, to require the seller of the put, upon the Fund’s exercise of the put, to deliver to the Fund an amount of cash if the closing level of the index upon which the put is based is less than the exercise price of the put, which amount of cash is determined by the multiplier, as described above for calls. When the Fund writes a put on an index, it receives a premium and the purchaser of the put has the right, prior to the expiration date, to require the Fund to deliver to it an amount of cash equal to the difference between the closing level of the index and the exercise price times the multiplier if the closing level is less than the exercise price.
Risks of Options on Indices
If the Fund has purchased an index option and exercises it before the closing index value for that day is available, it runs the risk that the level of the index may subsequently change. If such a change causes the exercised option to fall out-of-the-money, the Fund will be required to pay the difference between the closing index value and the exercise price of the option (times the applicable multiplier) to the assigned writer.
OTC Options 
Unlike exchange-traded options, which are standardized with respect to the underlying instrument, expiration date, contract size and strike price, the terms of OTC options (options not traded on exchanges) generally are established through negotiation with the other party to the option contract. While this type of arrangement allows the Fund great flexibility to tailor the option to its needs, OTC options generally involve greater risk than exchange-traded options, which are guaranteed by the clearing organization of the exchanges where they are traded.
Options on Futures Contracts 
When the Fund writes an option on a futures contract, it becomes obligated, in return for the premium paid, to assume a position in the futures contract at a specified exercise price at any time during the term of the option. If the Fund writes a call, it assumes a short futures position. If it writes a put, it assumes a long futures position. When the Fund purchases an option on a futures contract, it acquires the right in return for the premium it pays to assume a position in a futures contract (a long position if the option is a call and a short position if the option is a put).
Whether the Fund realizes a gain or loss from futures activities depends upon movements in the underlying security or index. The extent of the Fund’s loss from an unhedged short position from writing unhedged call options on futures contracts is potentially unlimited. The Fund only purchases and sells options on futures contracts that are traded on a U.S. exchange or board of trade.
Purchasers and sellers of options on futures can enter into offsetting closing transactions, similar to closing transactions in options, by selling or purchasing, respectively, an instrument identical to the instrument purchased or sold. Positions in options on futures contracts may be closed only on an exchange or board of trade that provides a secondary market. However, there can be no assurance that a liquid secondary market will exist for a particular contract at a particular time. In such event, it may not be possible to close a futures contract or options position.
Under certain circumstances, futures exchanges may establish daily limits on the amount that the price of an option on a futures contract can vary from the previous day’s settlement price; once that limit is reached, no trades may be made that day at a price beyond the limit. Daily price limits do not limit potential losses because prices could move to the daily limit for several consecutive days with little or no trading, thereby preventing liquidation of unfavorable positions.
If the Fund were unable to liquidate an option on a futures position due to the absence of a liquid secondary market or the imposition of price limits, it could incur substantial losses. The Fund would continue to be subject to market risk with respect to the position. In addition, except in the case of purchased options, the Fund would continue to be required to make daily variation margin payments and might be required to maintain cash or liquid assets in an account.
18


Risks of Options on Futures Contracts
The ordinary spreads between prices in the cash and futures markets (including the options on futures markets), due to differences in the natures of those markets, are subject to the following factors, which may create distortions. First, all participants in the futures market are subject to margin deposit and maintenance requirements. Rather than meeting additional margin deposit requirements, investors may close futures contracts through offsetting transactions, which could distort the normal relationships between the cash and futures markets. Second, the liquidity of the futures market depends on participants entering into offsetting transactions rather than making or taking delivery. To the extent participants decide to make or take delivery, liquidity in the futures market could be reduced, thus producing distortion. Third, from the point of view of speculators, the deposit requirements in the futures market are less onerous than margin requirements in the securities market. Therefore, increased participation by speculators in the futures market may cause temporary price distortions.
Combined Positions 
The Fund may purchase and write options in combination with each other. For example, the Fund may purchase a put option and write a call option on the same underlying instrument, in order to construct a combined position whose risk and return characteristics are similar to selling a futures contract. Another possible combined position would involve writing a call option at one strike price and buying a call option at a lower price, in order to reduce the risk of the written call option in the event of a substantial price increase. Because combined options positions involve multiple trades, they result in higher transaction costs and may be more difficult to open and close out.
Regulation of Investment Company Use of Derivatives
SEC Rule 18f-4 (“Rule 18f-4” or the “Derivatives Rule”) regulates the ability of the Fund to enter into derivative transactions and other leveraged transactions. The Derivatives Rule defines the term “derivatives” to include short sales and forward contracts, such as TBA transactions, in addition to instruments traditionally classified as derivatives, such as swaps, futures, and options. Rule 18f-4 also regulates other types of leveraged transactions, such as reverse repurchase transactions and transactions deemed to be “similar to” reverse repurchase transactions, such as certain securities lending transactions in connection with which the Fund obtains leverage. Among other things, under Rule 18f-4, the Fund is prohibited from entering into these derivatives transactions except in reliance on the provisions of the Derivatives Rule. The Derivatives Rule establishes limits on the derivatives transactions that the Fund may enter into based on the value-at-risk (“VaR”) of the Fund inclusive of derivatives. The Fund will generally satisfy the limits under the Rule if the VaR of its portfolio (inclusive of derivatives transactions) does not exceed 200% of the VaR of its “designated reference portfolio.” The “designated reference portfolio” is a representative unleveraged index or the Fund’s own portfolio absent derivatives holdings, as determined by the Fund’s derivatives risk manager. This limits test is referred to as the “Relative VaR Test.” As a result of the Relative VaR Test, the Fund may not seek returns in excess of 2x the Underlying Index.
In addition, among other requirements, Rule 18f-4 requires the Fund to establish a derivatives risk management program, appoint a derivatives risk manager, and carry out enhanced reporting to the Board, the SEC and the public regarding the Fund’s derivatives activities. It is possible that the limits and compliance costs imposed by the Derivatives Rule may adversely affect the Fund’s performance, efficiency in implementing its strategy, liquidity and/or ability to pursue its investment objectives and may increase the cost of the Fund’s investments and cost of doing business, which could adversely affect investors.
FOREIGN SECURITIES 
FOREIGN ISSUERS
The Fund may invest a significant portion of its assets in issuers located outside the United States directly, or in financial instruments that are indirectly linked to the performance of foreign issuers. Examples of such financial instruments include depositary receipts, which are described further below, “ordinary shares,” and “New York shares” issued and traded in the United States. Ordinary shares are shares of foreign issuers that are traded abroad and on a United States exchange. New York shares are shares that a foreign issuer has allocated for trading in the United States. American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”), ordinary shares, and New York shares all may be purchased with and sold for U.S. dollars, which protects the Fund from the foreign settlement risks described below. 
19


Investing in foreign companies may involve risks not typically associated with investing in United States companies. The value of securities denominated in foreign currencies, and of dividends from such securities, can change significantly when foreign currencies strengthen or weaken relative to the U.S. dollar. Foreign securities markets generally have less trading volume and less liquidity than United States markets, and prices in some foreign markets can be more volatile than those of domestic securities. Therefore, the Fund’s investment in foreign securities may be less liquid and subject to more rapid and erratic price movements than comparable securities listed for trading on U.S. exchanges. Non-U.S. equity securities may trade at price/earnings multiples higher than comparable U.S. securities and such levels may not be sustainable. There may be less government supervision and regulation of foreign stock exchanges, brokers, banks and listed companies abroad than in the U.S. Moreover, settlement practices for transactions in foreign markets may differ from those in U.S. markets. Such differences may include delays beyond periods customary in the U.S. and practices, such as delivery of securities prior to receipt of payment, that increase the likelihood of a failed settlement, which can result in losses to the Fund. The value of non-U.S. investments and the investment income derived from them may also be affected unfavorably by changes in currency exchange control regulations. Foreign brokerage commissions, custodial expenses and other fees are also generally higher than for securities traded in the U.S. This may cause the Fund to incur higher portfolio transaction costs than domestic equity funds. Fluctuations in exchange rates may also affect the earning power and asset value of the foreign entity issuing a security, even one denominated in U.S. dollars. Dividend and interest payments may be repatriated based on the exchange rate at the time of disbursement, and restrictions on capital flows may be imposed. Many foreign countries lack uniform accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards comparable to those that apply to United States companies, and it may be more difficult to obtain reliable information regarding a foreign issuer’s financial condition and operations. In addition, the costs of foreign investing, including withholding taxes, brokerage commissions, and custodial fees, generally are higher than for United States investments. 
Investing in companies located abroad carries political and economic risks distinct from those associated with investing in the United States. Foreign investment may be affected by actions of foreign governments adverse to the interests of United States investors, including the possibility of expropriation or nationalization of assets, confiscatory taxation, restrictions on United States investment, or on the ability to repatriate assets or to convert currency into U.S. dollars. There may be a greater possibility of default by foreign governments or foreign-government sponsored enterprises. Losses and other expenses may be incurred in converting between various currencies in connection with purchases and sales of foreign securities. Investments in foreign countries also involve a risk of local political, economic, or social instability, military action or unrest, or adverse diplomatic developments. 
Investing in companies domiciled in emerging market countries may be subject to greater risks than investments in developed countries. These risks include: (i) less social, political, and economic stability; (ii) greater illiquidity and price volatility due to smaller or limited local capital markets for such securities, or low or non-existent trading volumes; (iii) foreign exchanges and broker-dealers may be subject to less scrutiny and regulation by local authorities; (iv) local governments may decide to seize or confiscate securities held by foreign investors and/or local governments may decide to suspend or limit an issuer’s ability to make dividend or interest payments; (v) local governments may limit or entirely restrict repatriation of invested capital, profits, and dividends; (vi) capital gains may be subject to local taxation, including on a retroactive basis; (vii) issuers facing restrictions on dollar or euro payments imposed by local governments may attempt to make dividend or interest payments to foreign investors in the local currency; (viii) investors may experience difficulty in enforcing legal claims related to the securities and/or local judges may favor the interests of the issuer over those of foreign investors; (ix) bankruptcy judgments may only be permitted to be paid in the local currency; (x) limited public information regarding the issuer may result in greater difficulty in determining market valuations of the securities, and (xi) lax financial reporting on a regular basis, substandard disclosure, and differences in accounting standards may make it difficult to ascertain the financial health of an issuer. 
GEOGRAPHIC CONCENTRATION 
Funds that are less diversified across countries or geographic regions are generally riskier than more geographically diversified funds. A fund that focuses on a single country or a specific region is more exposed to that country’s or region’s economic cycles, currency exchange rates, stock market valuations and political risks, among others, compared with a more geographically diversified fund. The economies and financial markets of certain regions, such as Asia and the Middle East, can be interdependent and may be adversely affected by the same events.
20


Set forth below for certain markets in which the Fund may invest are brief descriptions of some of the conditions and risks in each such market.
Investments in Europe. The economies of Europe are highly dependent on each other, both as key trading partners and as in many cases as fellow members maintaining the euro. Reduction in trading activity among European countries may cause an adverse impact on each nation’s individual economies. European countries that are part of the Economic and Monetary Union of the EU are required to comply with restrictions on inflation rates, deficits, interest rates, debt levels, and fiscal and monetary controls, each of which may significantly affect every country in Europe. Decreasing imports or exports, changes in governmental or EU regulations on trade, changes in the exchange rate of the euro, the default or threat of default by an EU member country on its sovereign debt, and recessions in an EU member country may have a significant adverse effect on the economies of EU member countries and their trading partners.
The European financial markets have recently experienced volatility and adverse trends due to concerns about rising government debt levels of several European countries, including Greece, Spain, Ireland, Italy, and Portugal. These events have adversely affected the exchange rate of the euro and may continue to significantly affect every country in Europe. For some countries, the ability to repay sovereign debt is in question, and default is possible, which could affect their ability to borrow in the future. For example, Greece has been required to impose harsh austerity measures on its population to receive financial aid from the International Monetary Fund and EU member countries. These austerity measures have also led to social uprisings within Greece, as citizens have protested – at times violently – the actions of their government. The persistence of these factors may seriously reduce the economic performance of Greece and pose serious risks for the country’s economy in the future. Furthermore, there is the possibility of contagion that could occur if one country defaults on its debt, and that a default in one country could trigger declines and possible additional defaults in other countries in the region.
Responses to the financial problems by European governments, central banks and others, including austerity measures and reforms, may not work, may result in social unrest and may limit future growth and economic recovery or have other unintended consequences. Further defaults or restructurings by governments and other entities of their debt could have additional adverse effects on economies, financial markets, and asset valuations around the world. In addition, one or more countries may abandon the euro, the common currency of the EU, and/or withdraw from the EU alongside the UK, as discussed below. The impact of these actions, especially if they occur in a disorderly fashion, is not clear but could be significant and far-reaching.
Uncertainties surrounding the sovereign debt of a number of EU countries and the viability of the EU have disrupted and may in the future disrupt markets in the United States and around the world. If one or more countries leave the EU or the EU dissolves, the world’s securities markets likely will be significantly disrupted. In January 2020, the United Kingdom (“UK”) left the EU, commonly referred to as “Brexit,” and the UK ceased to be a member of the EU. Following a transition period during which the EU and the UK Government engaged in a series of negotiations regarding the terms of the UK’s future relationship with the EU, the EU and the UK Government signed an agreement on December 30, 2020 regarding the economic relationship between the UK and the EU. This agreement became effective on a provisional basis on January 1, 2021. There is significant market uncertainty regarding Brexit’s ramifications, and the range and potential implications of possible political, regulatory, economic, and market outcomes are difficult to predict. This long-term uncertainty may affect other countries in the EU and elsewhere, and may cause volatility within the EU, triggering prolonged economic downturns in certain European countries. In addition, Brexit may create additional and substantial economic stresses for the UK, including a contraction of the UK economy and price volatility in UK stocks, decreased trade, capital outflows, devaluation of the British pound, wider corporate bond spreads due to uncertainty, and declines in business and consumer spending as well as foreign direct investment. Brexit may also adversely affect UK-based financial firms that have counterparties in the EU or participate in market infrastructure (trading venues, clearing houses, settlement facilities) based in the EU. These events and the resulting market volatility may have an adverse effect on the performance of the Fund.
DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS
The Fund’s investment in securities of foreign companies may be in the form of depositary receipts or other securities convertible into securities of foreign issuers. ADRs are dollar-denominated receipts representing interests in the securities of a foreign issuer, which securities may not necessarily be denominated in the same currency as the
21


securities into which they may be converted. ADRs are receipts typically issued by United States banks and trust companies which evidence ownership of underlying securities issued by a foreign corporation. Generally, ADRs in registered form are designed for use in domestic securities markets and are traded on exchanges or over-the-counter in the United States. Global Depositary Receipts (“GDRs”), European Depositary Receipts (“EDRs”), and International Depositary Receipts (“IDRs”) are similar to ADRs in that they are certificates evidencing ownership of shares of a foreign issuer, however, GDRs, EDRs, and IDRs may be issued in bearer form and denominated in other currencies, and are generally designed for use in specific or multiple securities markets outside the U.S. EDRs, for example, are designed for use in European securities markets while GDRs are designed for use throughout the world. Depositary receipts will not necessarily be denominated in the same currency as their underlying securities. 
The Fund will not invest in any unlisted Depositary Receipts or any Depositary Receipt that the Adviser deems to be illiquid or for which pricing information is not readily available. In addition, all Depositary Receipts generally must be sponsored. However, the Fund may invest in unsponsored Depositary Receipts under certain limited circumstances. The issuers of unsponsored Depositary Receipts are not obligated to disclose material information in the United States, and, therefore, there may be less information available regarding such issuers and there may not be a correlation between such information and the market value of the Depositary Receipts. The use of Depositary Receipts may increase tracking error relative to the Underlying Index.
SPECIAL PURPOSE ACQUISITION COMPANIES 
The Fund may invest in stock, warrants, and other securities of special purpose acquisition companies (“SPACs”) or similar special purpose entities that pool funds to seek potential acquisition opportunities. Unless and until an acquisition is completed, a SPAC generally invests its assets (less a portion retained to cover expenses) in U.S. Government securities, money market fund securities, and cash. If an acquisition that meets the requirements for the SPAC is not completed within a pre-established period of time, the invested funds are returned to the entity’s shareholders, less certain permitted expense, and any warrants issued by the SPAC will expire worthless. Because SPACs and similar entities are in essence blank check companies without an operating history or ongoing business other than seeking acquisitions, the value of their securities is particularly dependent on the ability of the entity’s management to identify and complete a profitable acquisition. SPACs may pursue acquisitions only within certain industries or regions, which may increase the volatility of their prices. In addition, these securities, may be traded in the over-the-counter market, may be considered illiquid and/or be subject to restrictions on resale. 
REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUSTS (“REITS”) 
A REIT is a corporation or business trust (that would otherwise be taxed as a corporation) that 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 and making the REIT a pass-through vehicle for federal income tax purposes. 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 distribute annually 90% or more of its otherwise taxable income to shareholders. 
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; 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 a 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,
22


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 a 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 favorable tax treatment under the Code or 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. 
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. There can be no guarantee that the United States will be able to meet its payment obligations with respect to such securities. Additionally, market prices and yields of securities supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government may decline or be negative for short or long periods of time. 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 Fannie Mae, the Government National Mortgage Association (“Ginnie Mae”), 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 Intermediate Credit Banks, the Tennessee Valley Authority, the Export-Import Bank of the United States, the Commodity Credit Corporation, the Federal Financing Bank, 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, Ginnie Mae 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 Fannie Mae, 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. 
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, Standard & Poor’s 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
23


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. 
The value of direct or indirect investments in fixed income securities will fluctuate with changes in interest rates. Typically, a rise in interest rates causes a decline in the value of fixed income securities. On the other hand, if rates fall, the value of the fixed income securities generally increases. In general, the market price of fixed income securities with longer maturities will increase or decrease more in response to changes in interest rates than shorter-term securities. The value of direct or indirect investments in fixed income securities may be affected by the inability of issuers to repay principal and interest or illiquidity in debt securities markets. 
 
U.S. Treasury Obligations. U.S. Treasury obligations consist of bills, notes and bonds issued by the U.S. Treasury and separately traded interest and principal component parts of such obligations that are transferable through the federal book-entry system known as Separately Traded Registered Interest and Principal Securities (“STRIPS”) and Treasury Receipts (“TRs”).
 
Receipts. Interests in separately traded interest and principal component parts of U.S. government obligations that are issued by banks or brokerage firms and are created by depositing U.S. government obligations into a special account at a custodian bank. The custodian holds the interest and principal payments for the benefit of the registered owners of the certificates or receipts. The custodian arranges for the issuance of the certificates or receipts evidencing ownership and maintains the register. TRs and STRIPS are interests in accounts sponsored by the U.S. Treasury. Receipts are sold as zero coupon securities.
 
U.S. Government Zero Coupon Securities. STRIPS and receipts are sold as zero coupon securities, that is, fixed income securities that have been stripped of their unmatured interest coupons. Zero coupon securities are sold at a (usually substantial) discount and redeemed at face value at their maturity date without interim cash payments of interest or principal. The amount of this discount is accreted over the life of the security, and the accretion constitutes the income earned on the security for both accounting and tax purposes. Because of these features, the market prices of zero coupon securities are generally more volatile than the market prices of securities that have similar maturity but that pay interest periodically. Zero coupon securities are likely to respond to a greater degree to interest rate changes than are non-zero coupon securities with similar maturity and credit qualities.
 
U.S. Government Agencies. Some obligations issued or guaranteed by agencies of the U.S. government are supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury, others are supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury, while still others are supported only by the credit of the instrumentality. Guarantees of principal by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. government may be a guarantee of payment at the maturity of the obligation so that in the event of a default prior to maturity there might not be a market and thus no means of realizing on the obligation prior to maturity. Guarantees as to the timely payment of principal and interest do not extend to the value or yield of these securities nor to the value of a Fund’s Shares
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 net 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 net asset value (“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.
24


OTHER SHORT-TERM INSTRUMENTS
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 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 Adviser, are of comparable quality to obligations of 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. Short-term instruments that are fixed-income instruments are generally subject to the same risks as other fixed-income instruments, including credit risk and interest rate risk, and short-term instruments that are money market funds are generally subject to the same risks as other investment companies, including the obligation to the pay the Fund’s share of the underlying fund’s expenses. 
INVESTMENT COMPANIES  
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 and Rule 12d1-4 under 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: (i) more than 3% of the total outstanding voting stock of the acquired company; (ii) 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 (iii) 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 Fund’s own investment 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 rules under the 1940 Act or as may 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: (a) the Fund, together with its affiliates, acquires no more than 3% of the outstanding voting stock of any acquired fund, and (b) the sales load charged on Shares is no greater than the limits set forth in Rule 2341 of the Conduct Rules of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”). Additionally, the Fund may rely on exemptive relief issued by the SEC to other registered funds, including ETFs, or on Rule 12d1-4 under the 1940 Act 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 or rule.
25


LENDING PORTFOLIO SECURITIES 
The Fund may lend portfolio securities to certain creditworthy borrowers in U.S. and non-U.S. markets in an amount not to exceed one-third (33 1/3%) of the value of its total assets. 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 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, money market funds, or other investment companies (including ETFs), which may include those managed by the 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. Counterparty risk may be greater when the Fund loans its securities to a single or small group of counterparties. 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. 
The Fund will generally seek to recall securities on loan to vote on matters if the result of the vote may materially affect the investment. However, in some circumstances the Fund may be unable to recall the securities in time to vote or may determine that the benefits to the Fund of voting are outweighed by the direct or indirect costs of such a recall. In these circumstances, loaned securities may be voted or not voted in a manner adverse to the best interests of the Fund.
FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS 
The Fund may take advantage of opportunities in the area of options and futures contracts, options on futures contracts, warrants, swaps and any other investments which are not presently contemplated for use by the Fund or which are not currently available but which may be developed, to the extent such opportunities are both consistent with the Fund’s investment objective and legally permissible for the Fund. Before entering into such transactions or making any such investment, the Fund will provide appropriate disclosure. 
SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS AND RISKS 
A discussion of the risks associated with an investment in the Fund is contained in the Prospectus. The discussion below supplements, and should be read in conjunction with, the Prospectus. 
GENERAL
Investment in the Fund should be made with an understanding that the value of the Fund’s portfolio securities may fluctuate in accordance with changes in the financial condition of the issuers of the portfolio securities, the value of securities generally and other factors. 
An investment in the Fund should also be made with an understanding of the risks inherent in an investment in securities, including the risk that the financial condition of issuers may become impaired or that the general
26


condition of the securities markets may deteriorate (either of which may cause a decrease in the value of the portfolio securities and thus in the value of Shares). Securities are susceptible to general market fluctuations and to volatile increases and decreases in value as market confidence in and perceptions of their issuers 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 and 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, have generally inferior rights to receive payments from the issuer in comparison with the rights of creditors of, or holders of debt obligations or preferred stocks issued by, the issuer. Further, unlike debt securities which typically have a stated principal amount payable at maturity (whose value, however, will be 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. 
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, custodian, transfer agent, 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 net asset value, 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.
RECENT MARKET EVENTS
Beginning in the first quarter of 2020, financial markets in the United States and around the world experienced extreme and in many cases unprecedented volatility and severe losses due to the global pandemic caused by COVID-19, a novel coronavirus. The pandemic has resulted in a wide range of social and economic disruptions, including closed borders, voluntary or compelled quarantines of large populations, stressed healthcare systems, reduced or prohibited domestic or international travel, supply chain disruptions, and so-called “stay-at-home” orders throughout much of the United States and many other countries. The fall-out from these disruptions has included the rapid closure of businesses deemed “non-essential” by federal, state, or local governments and rapidly increasing unemployment, as well as greatly reduced liquidity for certain instruments at times. Some sectors of the economy and individual issuers have experienced particularly large losses. Such disruptions may continue for an extended period of time or reoccur in the future to a similar or greater extent. In response, the U.S. government and the Federal Reserve have taken extraordinary actions to support the domestic economy and financial markets, resulting in very low interest rates and in some cases negative yields. It is unknown how long circumstances related to the pandemic will persist, whether they will reoccur in the future, whether efforts to support the economy and financial markets will be successful, and what additional implications may follow from the pandemic. The impact of these events and other epidemics or pandemics in the future could adversely affect Fund performance. 
TAX RISKS 
As with any investment, you should consider how your investment in Shares of the Fund 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 of the Fund. 
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. 
27


FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT THE REGULATION OF CANNABIS 
United States 
The risk of strict enforcement of federal marijuana laws in light of recent Congressional activity, judicial holdings, and stated federal policy remains uncertain. The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear a case brought by San Diego County, California that sought to establish federal preemption over state medical marijuana laws. The preemption claim was rejected by every court that reviewed the case, holding that Congress does not have the authority to compel the states to direct their law enforcement personnel to enforce federal laws. The U.S. Supreme Court had previously held that, as long as the Controlled Substances Act (“CSA”) contains prohibitions against marijuana, under the Commerce Clause of the United States Constitution, the United States may criminalize the production and use of homegrown cannabis even where states approve its use for medical purposes. 
In an effort to provide guidance to federal law enforcement, the Department of Justice (“DOJ”) has issued Guidance Regarding Marijuana Enforcement to all United States Attorneys in a memorandum from Deputy Attorney General David Ogden on October 19, 2009, in a memorandum from Deputy Attorney General James Cole on June 29, 2011 and in a memorandum from Deputy Attorney General James Cole on August 29, 2013 (the “Cole Memorandum”). Each memorandum states that the DOJ is committed to the enforcement of the CSA, but, the DOJ is also committed to using its limited investigative and prosecutorial resources to address the most significant threats in the most effective, consistent, and rational way. 
The Cole Memorandum provides updated guidance to federal prosecutors concerning marijuana enforcement in light of state laws legalizing medical and recreational marijuana possession in small amounts. 
The memorandum sets forth certain enforcement priorities that are important to the federal government: 
Distribution of marijuana to children;
Revenue from the sale of marijuana going to criminals;
Diversion of medical marijuana from states where it is legal to states where it is not;
Using state authorized marijuana activity as a pretext for other illegal drug activity;
Preventing violence in the cultivation and distribution of marijuana;
Preventing impaired driving;
Growing marijuana on federal property; and
Preventing possession or use of marijuana on federal property. 
In January 2018, former Attorney General, Jeff Sessions rescinded the Cole Memorandum. However, the federal government, to date, has not determined to devote federal government resources to companies operating in states which have passed laws legalizing medical and recreational marijuana use whose businesses are operating in conformity with the provisions of the Cole Memorandum. President Biden has nominated Merrick Garland to serve as Attorney General in his administration. It is not yet known whether the Department of Justice under President Biden and Attorney General Garland, if confirmed, will re-adopt the Cole Memorandum or announce a substantive cannabis enforcement policy. Currently, the Rohrabacher-Blumenauer amendment to appropriations legislation prohibits the DOJ from using federal funds to prevent states from implementing laws that authorize medical marijuana use, possession, distribution, and cultivation. In the event the Rohrabacher-Blumenauer amendment (also referred to as the Rohrabacher-Farr amendment) is not renewed by Congress, the DOJ may begin using federal funds to prevent states from implementing such laws. 
On December 20, 2018, President Trump signed the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (or the “Farm Bill”) that effectively removes hemp from the list of controlled substances and allows states to regulate its production, commerce and research with approval from the United States Department of Agriculture (“USDA”). Hemp is a cousin to marijuana, as both are classified under the same botanical category of Cannabis sativa. The major difference between the two is that recreational marijuana has significant amounts of tetrahydrocannabinol (“THC”) , whereas industrial hemp has virtually no THC (less than 0.3%). This 0.3% THC in industrial hemp is not enough to provide psychotropic effects, which renders industrial hemp useless for recreational use or abuse. Products made
28


from the seeds (incapable of germination) and the mature stalks of the Cannabis sativa plant are legal products that could potentially be used in pharmaceutical products, nutritional products, cosmetics, plastics, fuel, textiles, and medical delivery devices. Under the Farm Bill, state departments of agriculture must consult with the state’s governor and chief law enforcement officer to devise a plan that must be submitted to the Secretary of USDA. A state’s plan to license and regulate hemp can only commence once the Secretary of USDA approves that state’s plan. 
The 2018 Farm Bill delegates to the Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) responsibility for regulating products containing hemp or derivatives thereof (including cannabidiol (“CBD”)) under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (the “FD&C”).  The FD&C Act establishes a comprehensive federal scheme to regulate food, drugs, and cosmetics, among other things. Under the FD&C Act, the introduction of “new drugs” into interstate commerce without meeting certain regulatory approvals is prohibited. In addition, the FD&C Act proscribes the introduction of adulterated or misbranded drugs into interstate commerce. With the passing of the 2018 Farm Bill, the FDA issued a statement “clarifying” its position on the regulation of products containing cannabis and cannabis-derived products (the “Statement”).
The Statement begins with the broad proposition that the FDA will “treat products containing cannabis or cannabis-derived compounds as we do any other FDA-regulated products” regardless of the source of the substance. Despite this position, the Statement recognizes the “growing public interest in cannabis and cannabis-derived products, including [CBD],” as well as the “potential opportunities that cannabis or cannabis-derived products.” The FDA then promises to “continue to take steps to make the pathways for the marketing of these products more efficient.” Conservative estimates suggest that it will take another 18-24 months for the FDA to implement these steps; the FDA has a designated group to review the issue.
Substantively, the Statement provides that “[c]annabis and cannabis-derived products claiming in their marketing and promotion materials that they are intended for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of diseases (such as cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, psychiatric disorders and diabetes) are considered new drugs or new animal drugs and must go through the FDA drug approval process for human or animal use before they are marketed in the U.S.” The Statement also provides that “it’s unlawful under the FD&C Act to introduce food containing added CBD or THC into interstate commerce, or to market CBD or THC products as, or in, dietary supplements. . . . because both CBD and THC are active ingredients in FDA-approved drugs (Epidiolex) and were the subject of substantial clinical investigations before they were marketed as foods or dietary supplements.” Considering that the FDA considers CBD a drug and that ingestible products cannot be sold with CBD in them unless and until they receive regulatory approval, there is regulatory and financial risk to any company selling such products and, thus, to the Fund’s investment in those companies.
That said, a careful reading of the Statement suggests that the FDA’s enforcement priorities involve only the most serious health claims. In fact, since 2015, the FDA has issued warning letters to twenty-two different entities: six in 2015, eight in 2016, four in 2017, one in 2018, and (to date) four in 2019 thus far. A cursory reading of these letters supports the above conclusion that the FDA is mainly focusing on serious health claims. At bottom, “when a product is in violation of the FD&C Act, the FDA considers many factors in deciding whether or not to initiate an enforcement action. Those factors include, among other things, agency resources and the threat to the public health.” Although the FDA has focused only on sending cease and desist letters to date regarding the marketing of CBD products, there is a risk that the FDA changes it position and seeks to further enforce the FD&C Act in a manner that has not been done to date regarding cannabis-infused products.
On May 31, 2019, the FDA conducted hearings on, among other things, CBD. The FDA is committed to review this issue further and to develop regulations to oversee the use of CBD. Unfortunately, there is no definitive timeframe for the FDA to take action and provide further guidance on the sale of CBD products. Companies that sell CBD in dietary supplements and foods have taken the position that CBD was marketed as a dietary supplement and/or as a conventional food before the drug was approved or before the new drug investigations were authorized, and because the FDA has not brought enforcement action against such companies, this question of fact has not yet been adjudicated.
29


Canada 
Several recent court cases have influenced the law governing the medical marijuana industry in Canada. On February 24, 2016, the Federal Court of Canada ruled in the case of Allard et al v. Canada that Canada's Marijuana for Medical Purposes Regulations (“MMPR”), which governed production, distribution and use of medical marijuana by creating a regime that provided access to "licensed producers" of medical marijuana, violated the rights of patients by limiting patient access medical marijuana. On that basis, the entire MMPR was declared invalid. Additionally, the Federal Court of Canada ruled that a previous injunction should be upheld, allowing patients with an existing personal production license under the prior legislation to continue to produce their own medical marijuana, subject to certain conditions. 
On June 11, 2015 the Supreme Court of Canada held that the restriction on the use of non-dried forms of marijuana for medical marijuana users violates the right to liberty and security of individuals in a manner that is arbitrary and not in keeping with the principles of fundamental justice. As a result, the Supreme Court of Canada declared that the sections of Canada's Controlled Drugs and Substances Act that prohibit possession and trafficking of non-dried forms of marijuana no longer have force and effect to the extent that they prohibit a person with medical authorization from possessing cannabis derivatives for medical purposes. This ruling means that medical marijuana patients authorized to possess and use medical marijuana are no longer limited to using dried forms of marijuana and may now consume marijuana and its derivative forms for medical purposes. 
As a result of these court cases, on August 11, 2016, Health Canada, the Canadian department with responsibility for national public health, announced the new Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations (“ACMPR”), which took effect on August 24, 2016, to replace the MMPR. The ACMPR will allow Canadians who have been authorized by their health care practitioner, and who are registered with Health Canada, to produce a limited amount of medical marijuana for their own medical purposes, or to designate someone who is registered with Health Canada to produce it for them, in addition to obtaining marijuana products from licensed producers, as was permitted under the MMPR. Starting materials such as plants or seeds are to be obtained from licensed producers only. 
On October 19, 2015, the Liberal Party of Canada obtained a majority government in Canada. The Liberal Party has committed to the legalization of recreational cannabis in Canada. On June 30, 2016, the Canadian Federal Government established the Task Force on Cannabis Legalization and Regulation (the “Task Force”) to seek input on the design of a new system to legalize, strictly regulate and restrict access to marijuana. The Task Force has completed its review and published a report dated November 30, 2016, which outlines its recommendations. The extent and impact of any regulatory changes that may result from the Task Force's report are unknown and may have a negative impact on the value of the Fund's investments. 
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau introduced legislation in April 2017 to legalize the recreational use of marijuana in Canada. The House of Commons of Canada initially passed the legalization legislation in November 2017. After amendments passed by the Senate of Canada, the House passed a final version on June 18, 2018, to which the Senate voted in favor on June 19, 2018. On June 20, 2018, Prime Minister Trudeau announced that recreational use of cannabis would no longer violate Canadian criminal law effective October 17, 2018. As of the date of this Statement of Additional Information, the legal cannabis market in Canada is novel and still developing. 
United Kingdom 
Cannabis is a Class B drug under the law of the United Kingdom (“UK”) and its possession and sale are generally illegal. There has been little progress in the United Kingdom towards the general legalization of the use and possession of marijuana. However, effective November 1, 2018, the law was changed to give specialist doctors the option to legally issue prescriptions for cannabis-based medicines when they believe that their patients could benefit. A product license is necessary before cannabis-based products can be legally sold, supplied or advertised in the UK. In the UK, licenses to cultivate, possess and supply cannabis for medical research may be granted by the Home Office. If a company in which the Fund invests fails to receive the necessary licenses, it may not be in a position to conduct its business in the United Kingdom.
Correlation and Tracking Risk
Several factors may affect the Fund's ability to obtain its daily leveraged investment objective. Among these factors are: (1) Fund expenses, including brokerage expenses and commissions and financing costs related to derivatives
30


(which may be increased by high portfolio turnover); (2) less than all of the securities in the Index being held by the Fund and securities not included in the Index being held by the Fund; (3) an imperfect correlation between the performance of instruments held by the Fund, such as other investment companies, including ETFs, futures contracts and options, and the performance of the underlying securities in the cash market comprising an index; (4) bid-ask spreads; (5) the Fund holding instruments that are illiquid or the market for which becomes disrupted; (6) the need to conform the Fund’s portfolio holdings to comply with the Fund’s investment restrictions or policies, or regulatory or tax law requirements; (7) market movements that run counter to the Fund’s investments (which will cause divergence between the Fund and the Index over time due to the mathematical effects of leveraging); and (8) disruptions and illiquidity in the markets for securities or derivatives held by the Fund.
While index futures and options contracts closely correlate with the applicable indices over long periods, shorter-term deviation, such as on a daily basis, does occur with these instruments. As a result, the Fund’s short-term performance will reflect such deviation from the Index. The Fund may use a combination of swaps on the Index and swaps on an ETF whose investment objective is to track the performance of the same, or a substantially similar index to achieve its investment objective. The reference ETF may not closely track the performance of the Index due to fees and other costs borne by the ETF and other factors. Thus, to the extent that the Fund invests in swaps that use an ETF as a reference asset, the Fund may be subject to greater correlation risk and may not achieve as high a degree of leveraged correlation with the Index as it would if the Fund used swaps that utilized the Index as the reference asset. Any financing, borrowing or other costs associated with using derivatives may also reduce the Fund’s return.
Furthermore, the Fund has an investment objective to seek daily investment results, before fees and expenses, that corresponds to the performance of two times (2x) the daily performance of the Index for a single day, not for any other period. A “single day” is measured from the time the Fund calculates its NAV to the time of the Fund’s next NAV calculation. While a close correlation of the Fund to its benchmark may be achieved on any single day, the Fund’s performance for any other period is the result of its return for each day compounded over the period. This usually will differ in amount and possibly even direction from two times (2x) the daily return of the Index for the same period, before accounting for fees and expenses, as further described in the Prospectus and below.
In addition, the Adviser will attempt to position the Fund’s portfolio to ensure that the Fund does not gain or lose more than 90% of its NAV on a given day. As a consequence, the Fund’s portfolio should not be responsive to Index movements of more than 45% in a given day. For example, for the Fund, if the Index were to gain 50%, its gains should be limited to a daily gain of 90% (i.e. two times (2x) 45%) rather than 100% (i.e. two times (2x) 50%).
Special Note Regarding the Correlation Risks of the Fund. As discussed in the Prospectus, the Fund is “leveraged” in the sense that it has an investment objective to match 200% of the performance of its Underlying Index on a given day. The Fund is subject to all of the correlation risks described in the Prospectus. In addition, there is a special form of correlation risk that derives from the Fund’s use of leverage, which is that for periods greater than one day, the use of leverage tends to cause the performance of the Fund to be either greater than, or less than, 200% of the performance of its Underlying Index.
The Fund’s return for periods longer than one day is primarily a function of the following:
a)Underlying Index performance;
b)Underlying Index volatility;
c)Financing rates associated with leverage;
d)Other fund expenses;
e)Dividends paid by companies in the underlying index; and
f)Period of time.
The performance for the Fund can be estimated given any set of assumptions for the factors described above. Illustrated below is the impact of two factors, Underlying Index volatility and Underlying Index performance, on the Fund. Underlying Index volatility is a statistical measure of the magnitude of fluctuations in the returns of an index and is calculated as the standard deviation of the natural logarithms of one plus the index return (calculated daily), multiplied by the square root of the number of trading days per year (assumed to be 252). The illustration estimates Fund returns for a number of combinations of Underlying Index performance and Underlying Index volatility over a
31


one year period and assumes: a) no dividends paid by the companies included in the Underlying Index; b) no fund expenses; and c) borrowing/lending rates (to obtain leverage) of zero percent. If fund expenses were included, the Fund’s performance would be lower than shown.
As shown below, the Fund would be expected to lose 6.1% if the Underlying Index provided no return over a one year period during which the Underlying Index experienced annualized volatility of 25%. If the Underlying Index’s annualized volatility were to rise to 75%, the hypothetical loss for a one year period widens to approximately 43% for the Fund. At higher ranges of volatility, there is a chance of a near complete loss of value even if the Underlying Index is flat. For instance, if the Underlying Index’s annualized volatility is 100%, it is likely that the Fund would lose 63.2% of its value, even if the Underlying Index’s cumulative return for the year was only 0%. The volatility of ETFs or instruments that reflect the value of the underlying index such as swaps, may differ from the volatility of a Fund’s underlying index.
In the table below, areas shaded green represent those scenarios where the Fund will outperform (i.e., return more than) the Underlying Index’s performance times the stated multiple in the Fund’s investment objective; conversely areas shaded red represent those scenarios where the Fund will underperform (i.e., return less than) the Underlying Index’s performance times the stated multiple in the Fund’s investment objective.
The table below are intended to underscore the fact that the Fund is designed as a short-term trading vehicle for investors who intend to actively monitor and manage their portfolios. It is not intended to be used by, and is not appropriate for, investors who do not intend to actively monitor and manage their portfolios. For additional information regarding correlation and volatility risk for the Fund, see “Effects of Compounding and Market Volatility Risk” in the Prospectus.
One
Year
Index
200%
One
Year
Index
Volatility Rate
Return Return 10% 25% 50% 75% 100%
-60% -120% -84.2% -85.0% -87.5% -90.9% -94.1%
-50% -100% -75.2% -76.5% -80.5% -85.8% -90.8%
-40% -80% -64.4% -66.2% -72.0% -79.5% -86.8%
-30% -60% -51.5% -54.0% -61.8% -72.1% -82.0%
-20% -40% -36.6% -39.9% -50.2% -63.5% -76.5%
-10% -20% -19.8% -23.9% -36.9% -53.8% -70.2%
0% 0% -1.0% -6.1% -22.1% -43.0% -63.2%
10% 20% 19.8% 13.7% -5.8% -31.1% -55.5%
20% 40% 42.6% 35.3% 12.1% -18.0% -47.0%
30% 60% 67.3% 58.8% 31.6% -3.7% -37.8%
40% 80% 94.0% 84.1% 52.6% 11.7% -27.9%
50% 100% 122.8% 111.4% 75.2% 28.2% -17.2%
60% 120% 153.5% 140.5% 99.4% 45.9% -5.8%
The foregoing table is intended to isolate the effect of Underlying Index volatility and Underlying Index performance on the return of the Fund. The Fund’s actual returns may be significantly greater or less than the returns shown above as a result of any of factors discussed above or under “Effects of Compounding and Market Volatility Risk” in the Prospectus. 
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
32


50% of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund. Except with the approval of a majority of the outstanding voting securities, the Fund may not: 
1.Concentrate its investments in an industry or group of industries (i.e. , hold 25% or more of its net assets in the stocks of a particular industry or group of industries), except that the Fund will concentrate to approximately the same extent that its Underlying Index concentrates in the stocks of such particular industry or group of industries. For purposes of this limitation, securities of the U.S. government (including its agencies and instrumentalities), and securities of state or municipal governments and their political subdivisions are not considered to be issued by members of any industry. 
2.Borrow money or issue senior securities (as defined under the 1940 Act), except to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act, the rules and regulations thereunder or any exemption therefrom, as such statute, rules or regulations may be amended or interpreted from time to time. 
3.Lend any security or make any other loan, except to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act the rules and regulations thereunder or any exemption therefrom, as such statute, rules or regulations may be amended or interpreted from time to time.
4.Purchase or sell commodities or real estate, except to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act, the rules and regulations thereunder or any exemption therefrom, as such statute, rules or regulations may be amended or interpreted from time to time.
5.Underwrite securities issued by other persons, except to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act, the rules and regulations thereunder or any exemption therefrom, as such statute, rules or regulations may be amended or interpreted from time to time. 
In addition to the investment restrictions adopted as fundamental policies as set forth above, the Fund observes the following restriction, which may be changed without a shareholder vote. 
1.The Fund will not invest in illiquid assets in excess of 15% of its net assets. An illiquid asset is any asset 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 asset.
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 limitations with respect to the borrowing of money will be observed continuously. In addition, if the Fund’s holdings of illiquid securities exceeds 15% of net assets because of changes in the value of the Fund’s investments, the Fund will act in accordance with Rule 22e-4 under the 1940 Act and will take action to reduce its holdings of illiquid securities pursuant to its written liquidity risk management program. 
The following descriptions of certain provisions of the 1940 Act may assist investors in understanding the above policies and restrictions: 
Concentration. The SEC has defined concentration as investing 25% or more of an investment company’s net assets in an industry or group of industries, with certain exceptions. 
Borrowing. The 1940 Act presently allows a fund to borrow from any bank (including pledging, mortgaging or hypothecating assets) in an amount up to 33 1/3% of its total assets (not including temporary borrowings not in excess of 5% of its total assets). 
Senior Securities. Senior securities may include any obligation or instrument issued by a fund evidencing indebtedness. The 1940 Act generally prohibits funds from issuing senior securities, although it permits funds to enter into certain transactions, such as certain borrowings, futures contracts, forward contracts, swap agreements, short sales and reverse repurchase agreements, that are entered into in compliance with the requirements of Rule 18f-4.
Lending. Under the 1940 Act, a fund may only make loans if expressly permitted by its investment policies. The Fund’s current investment policy on lending is as follows: the Fund may not make loans if, as a result, more than 33 1/3% of its total assets would be lent to other parties, except that the Fund may: (i) purchase or hold debt instruments
33


in accordance with its investment objective and policies; (ii) enter into repurchase agreements; and (iii) engage in securities lending subject to the limitations described in this SAI. 
Underwriting. Under the 1940 Act, underwriting securities involves a fund purchasing securities directly from an issuer for the purpose of selling (distributing) them or participating in any such activity either directly or indirectly. 
Real Estate. The 1940 Act does not directly restrict an investment company’s ability to invest in real estate, but does require that every investment company have a fundamental investment policy governing such investments. The Fund will not purchase or sell real estate, except that the Fund may purchase marketable securities issued by companies which own or invest in real estate (including REITs). 
Commodities. The Fund will not purchase or sell physical commodities or commodities contracts, except that the Fund may purchase: (i) marketable securities issued by companies which own or invest in commodities or commodities contracts; and (ii) commodities contracts relating to financial instruments, such as financial futures contracts and options on such contracts. 
EXCHANGE LISTING AND TRADING 
A discussion of exchange listing and trading matters associated with an investment in the Fund is contained in the summary section of the Fund’s Prospectus under the “PURCHASE AND SALE OF FUND SHARES” and in the statutory Prospectus under “BUYING AND SELLING THE FUND.” The discussion below supplements, and should be read in conjunction with, such sections of the Prospectus.
The Shares of the Fund are approved for listing and trading on the Exchange, subject to notice of issuance. The Shares trade on the Exchange at prices that may differ to some degree from their net asset value. There can be no assurance that the requirements of the Exchange necessary to maintain the listing of Shares of the Fund will continue to be met.
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 will consider the suspension of trading in, and will initiate delisting proceedings of, the Shares under any of the following circumstances: (i) if any of the requirements set forth in the Exchange rules, including compliance with Rule 6c-11(c) under the 1940 Act, are not continuously maintained; (ii) if, following the initial 12-month period beginning at the commencement of trading of the Fund, there are fewer than 50 beneficial owners of Shares of the Fund; or (iii) if 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 of the Fund 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. 
As in the case of other publicly traded securities, brokers’ commissions on transactions will be based on negotiated commission rates at customary levels.
The base and trading currencies of the Funds is the U.S. dollar. The base currency is the currency in which a Fund’s net asset value per Share is calculated and the trading currency is the currency in which Shares of the Fund are listed and traded on the applicable Exchange.
MANAGEMENT OF THE TRUST 
The following information supplements and should be read in conjunction with the section in the Prospectus entitled “Fund Management.” 
TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS OF THE TRUST 
Board Responsibilities. The management and affairs of the Trust and the Fund described in this SAI, are overseen by the Trustees. The Board 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. 
34


Like most registered investment companies, 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 Distributor and the Fund’s administrator. The Trustees are responsible for overseeing the Trust’s service providers and, thus, have 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 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 Trustees’ 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 objectives, strategies and risks of the Fund as well as proposed investment limitations for the Fund. Additionally, the Fund’s Adviser provides the Board with an overview of, among other things, its investment philosophy, brokerage practices and compliance infrastructure. Thereafter, the Board continues its oversight function as various personnel, including the Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer, as well as personnel of the Adviser and other service providers such as the Fund’s independent accountants, 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 receives information about those services at its regular meetings. In addition, on an annual basis, in connection with its consideration of whether to renew the Advisory Agreements with the Adviser, the Board meets with the Adviser to review such services. Among other things, the Board regularly considers the 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 Fund’s investments, including, for example, portfolio holdings schedules. 
The Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer reports regularly to the Board to review and discuss compliance issues and Fund and 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. 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. The Board has also established a Fair Value Committee that is responsible for implementing the Trust’s Fair Value Procedures and providing reports to the Board concerning investments for which market quotations are not readily available. Annually, the 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, 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. 
35


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 Trustees 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 Fund’s 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 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 oversee the management of risk, as a practical matter, is subject to limitations. 
Members of the Board. There are three members of the Board, two of whom are not interested persons of the Trust, as that term is defined in the 1940 Act (“Independent Trustees”). Samuel Masucci, III, an interested person of the Trust, serves as Chairman of the Board. Terry Loebs serves as the Trust’s Lead Independent Trustee. As Lead Independent Trustee, Mr. Loebs acts as a spokesperson for the Independent Trustees in between meetings of the Board, participates in setting the agenda for meetings of the Board and separate meetings or executive sessions of the Independent Trustees, and serves as chair during executive sessions of the Independent Trustees.
The Board is comprised of 67% Independent Trustees. There is an Audit Committee of the Board that is chaired by an Independent Trustee and comprised solely of Independent Trustees. The Audit Committee chair presides at the Committee meetings, participates in formulating agendas for 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 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. The Trust made this determination in consideration of, among other things, the fact that the Independent Trustees constitute 67% 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. 
The Board of Trustees has two standing committees: the Audit Committee and Nominating Committee. The Audit Committee and Nominating Committee are each chaired by an Independent Trustee and composed of Independent Trustees. 
Set forth below are the names, birth years, positions with the Trust, length of term of office, and the principal occupations and other directorships held during at least the last five years of each of the persons currently serving as a Trustee of the Trust, as well as information about each officer. The business address of each Trustee and officer is 30 Maple Street, 2nd Floor, Summit, New Jersey 07901. 
36


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
Number of
Portfolios in
Fund Complex
Overseen By
Trustee
Other
Directorships
Held by
Trustee
During Past
5 Years
Interested Trustee and Officers
Samuel R. Masucci, III
(1962)
Trustee,
Chairman of the Board and President
(since 2012);
Secretary (since 2014)
Chief Executive Officer, Exchange Traded Managers Group LLC (since 2013); Chief Executive Officer, ETF Managers Group LLC (since 2016); Chief Executive Officer, ETF Managers Capital LLC (commodity pool operator) (since 2014); Chief Executive Officer (2012–2016) and Chief Compliance Officer (2012–2014), Factor Advisors, LLC (investment adviser); President and Chief Executive Officer, Factor Capital Management LLC (2012-2014) (commodity pool operator);
18 None
John A. Flanagan, (1946) Treasurer (since 2015) President, John A. Flanagan CPA, LLC (accounting services) (since 2010); Treasurer, ETF Managers Trust (since 2015); Chief Financial Officer, ETF Managers Capital LLC (commodity pool operator) (since 2015) n/a n/a
Reshma A. Tanczos
(1978)
Chief Compliance Officer (since 2016) Chief Compliance Officer of ETFMG Financial LLC (since 2017); Chief Compliance Officer, ETF Managers Group LLC (since 2016); Chief Compliance Officer, ETF Managers Capital LLC (since 2016); Partner, Crow & Cushing (law firm) (2007‑2016). n/a n/a
Matthew J. Bromberg
(1973)
Assistant Secretary (since 2020) General Counsel and Secretary of Exchange Traded Managers Group LLC (since 2020); ETF Managers Group LLC (since 2020); ETFMG Financial LLC (since 2020); ETF Managers Capital LLC (since 2020); Partner of Dorsey & Whitney LLP (law firm) (2019-2020); General Counsel of WBI Investments, Inc. (2016-2019); Millington Securities, Inc. (2016-2019); and Partner of Reed Smith (law firm) (2015-2016). n/a n/a
 * Mr. Masucci is an interested Trustee by virtue of his role as the Chief Executive Officer of the Adviser. 
37


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
Number of
Portfolios in
Fund Complex
Overseen By
Trustee
Other
Directorships
Held by
Trustee
During Past
5 Years
Independent Trustees
Terry Loebs
(1963)
  Trustee (since 2014); Lead Independent Trustee (since 2020) Founder and Managing Member, Pulsenomics LLC (index product development and consulting firm) (since 2011); Managing Director, MacroMarkets, LLC (exchange-traded products firm) (2006–2011).  18 None
Eric Weigel (1960)
  Trustee (since 2020) Senior Portfolio Manager, Little House Capital (2019-present); Managing Partner, Global Focus Capital, LLC (2013-present); Chief Investment Officer, Insight Financial Strategist LLC (2017-2018). 18 None
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 Fund 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 Fund, and to exercise their business judgment in a manner that serves the best interests of the Fund’s shareholders. The Trust has concluded that each of the Trustees should serve as a Trustee based on their own experience, qualifications, attributes and skills as described below. 
The Trust has concluded that Mr. Masucci should serve as Trustee because of the experience he has gained as chief executive officer of multiple investment advisory firms as well as his knowledge of and experience in the financial services industry. 
The Trust has concluded that Mr. Loebs should serve as Trustee because of his diverse experience in capital markets, including asset pricing and trading, market research, index development, and exchange-traded products, as well as his knowledge of and experience in the financial services industry. 
The Trust has concluded that Mr. Weigel should serve as Trustee because of his more than 30 years of executive experience at investment advisory firms. He has gained in-depth knowledge of and experience in the financial services industry. 
BOARD COMMITTEES 
The Board has established the following standing committees: 
Audit Committee. The Board has a standing Audit Committee that is composed of 100% of the Independent Trustees of the Trust, with Mr. Weigel as Chairman. The Audit Committee operates under a written charter approved by the Board. The principal responsibilities of the Audit Committee include: recommending which firm to engage as the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm and whether to terminate this relationship; reviewing the independent registered public accounting firm’s compensation, the proposed scope and terms of its engagement, and the firm’s independence; pre-approving audit and non-audit services provided by the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm to the Trust and certain other affiliated entities; serving as a channel of communication between the independent registered public accounting firm and the Trustees; reviewing the results of each external audit, including any qualifications in the independent registered public accounting firm’s opinion, any related management letter, management’s responses to recommendations made by the independent registered public accounting firm in connection with the audit, reports submitted to the Committee by the internal auditing
38


department of the Fund’s administrator, if any, and management’s responses to any such reports; reviewing the Fund’s audited financial statements and considering any significant disputes between the Trust’s management and the independent registered public accounting firm that arose in connection with the preparation of those financial statements; considering, in consultation with the independent registered public accounting firm and the Trust’s senior internal accounting executive, if any, the independent registered public accounting firms’ report on the adequacy of the Trust’s internal financial controls; reviewing, in consultation with the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm, major changes regarding auditing and accounting principles and practices to be followed when preparing the Fund’s financial statements; and other audit related matters. All of the Independent Trustees currently serve as members of the Audit Committee. The Audit Committee also acts as the Trust’s qualified legal compliance committee. During the fiscal year ended September 30, 2020, the Audit Committee met five times. 
Nominating Committee. The Board has a standing Nominating Committee that is composed of 100% of the Independent Trustees of the Trust, with Mr. Loebs as Chairman. The Nominating Committee operates under a written charter approved by the Board. The principal responsibility of the Nominating Committee is to consider, recommend and nominate candidates to fill vacancies on the Trust’s Board, if any. The Nominating Committee generally will not consider nominees recommended by shareholders. All of the Independent Trustees currently serve as members of the Nominating Committee. During the fiscal year ended September 30, 2020, the Nominating Committee met two times. 
Fair Value Committee. In addition to the Board’s standing committees described above, the Board has established a Fair Value Committee that is composed of certain officers of the Trust and representatives from the Adviser. The Fair Value Committee operates under procedures approved by the Board. The Fair Value Committee is responsible for the valuation and revaluation of any portfolio investments for which market quotations or prices are not readily available. The Fair Value Committee meets periodically, as necessary. 
OWNERSHIP OF SHARES 
The following table shows the dollar amount ranges of each Trustee’s “beneficial ownership” of shares of the Fund as of the end of the most recently completely 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 1934 Act. As of the date of this SAI, no Trustee or officer of the Trust owned Shares because there were no Shares of the Fund outstanding. 
COMPENSATION OF THE TRUSTEES AND OFFICER 
The Trustees are expected to receive the following compensation during the fiscal year ending September 30, 2021. Because Trustee compensation is covered by the unitary fee paid by the Fund, the Adviser, and not the Fund, is responsible for compensating the Trustees.
Name
Aggregate  
Compensation  
Pension or 
 Retirement  
 Benefits Accrued as  
Part of Fund Expenses 
Estimated Annual  
 Benefits Upon  
Retirement  
Total  
 Compensation  
from the Trust and Fund Complex 
Interested Trustee
Samuel R. Masucci, III   $0   $0   $0   $0
Independent Trustees
Terry Loebs  $0  $0  $0
$106,575
Eric Weigel  $0  $0  $0
$106,575
CODES OF ETHICS 
The Trust, the Adviser, and ETFMG Financial LLC (the “Distributor”) have each adopted codes 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 Distributor 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).
39


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. 
There can be no assurance that the codes of ethics will be effective in preventing such activities. Each code of ethics has been filed with the SEC and may be examined at the office of the SEC in Washington, D.C. or on the Internet at the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.
PROXY VOTING POLICIES 
Proxies for the Fund’s portfolio securities are voted in accordance with the Adviser’s proxy voting policies and procedures, which are set forth in Appendix A to this SAI.
Information on how the Fund voted proxies relating to portfolio securities during the most recent 12 month period ended June 30 is available (1) without charge, upon request, by calling 1-844-ETF-MGRS (383-6477) and (2) on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. 
INVESTMENT ADVISORY AND OTHER SERVICES 
Investment Adviser. ETF Managers Group, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company located at 30 Maple Street, 2nd Floor, Summit, New Jersey 07901, serves as the investment adviser to the Fund. The Adviser is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Exchange Traded Managers Group, LLC, an entity controlled by Samuel Masucci, III, the Adviser’s Chief Executive Officer and a Trustee and Chairman of the Board of the Trust. 
The Trust and the Adviser have entered into an investment advisory agreement (the “Advisory Agreement”) with respect to the Fund. Under the Advisory Agreement, the Adviser serves as the investment adviser, makes investment decisions for the Fund, and manages the investment portfolio of the Fund, subject to the supervision of, and policies established by, the Board. The Adviser is responsible for trading portfolio securities on behalf of the Fund, including selecting broker-dealers to execute purchase and sale transactions as instructed by the Adviser or in connection with any rebalancing or reconstitution of the Fund’s Index, subject to the supervision of the Board. The Advisory Agreement provides that the Adviser shall not be protected against any liability to the Trust or its shareholders by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence generally in the performance of its duties hereunder or its reckless disregard of its obligation and duties under the Advisory Agreement. 
After the initial two-year term, the continuance of the Advisory Agreement must be specifically approved at least annually: (i) by the vote of the Trustees or by a vote of the shareholders of the Fund; and (ii) by the vote of a majority of the Trustees who are not parties to the Advisory Agreement or “interested persons” or of any party thereto, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval. The Advisory Agreement will terminate automatically in the event of its assignment, and is terminable at any time without penalty by the Trustees of the Trust or, with respect to the Fund, by a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund, or by the Adviser on not more than 60 days’ nor less than 30 days’ written notice to the Trust. As used in the Advisory Agreement, the terms “majority of the outstanding voting securities,” “interested persons” and “assignment” have the same meaning as such terms in the 1940 Act. 
For its services, the Adviser receives a fee that is equal to 0.95% per annum of the average daily net assets of the Fund, calculated daily and paid monthly. Additionally, under the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Adviser has agreed to pay all expenses of the Fund, except for: the fee paid to the Adviser pursuant to the Investment Advisory Agreement, interest charges on any borrowings, 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 (such as, among other things and subject to Board approval, certain proxy solicitation costs and non-standard Board-related expenses and litigation against the Board, Trustees, Fund, Adviser, and officers of the Adviser), and distribution (12b-1) fees and expenses. 
THE PORTFOLIO MANAGERS 
This section includes information about the Fund’s portfolio managers, including information about other accounts they manage, the dollar range of Shares they own and how they are compensated. 
Portfolio Manager Compensation. Samuel R. Masucci, III, Devin Ryder, Frank Vallario and Donal Bishnoi are the portfolio managers of the Fund. Their portfolio management compensation includes a salary and discretionary bonus
40


based on the profitability of the Adviser. No compensation is directly related to the performance of the underlying assets. 
Portfolio Manager Fund Ownership. As of the date of this SAI, Samuel R. Masucci, III, Devin Ryder, Frank Vallario and Donal Bishnoi did not own Shares of the Fund.
Other Accounts 
In addition to the Fund, Samuel R. Masucci, III, Frank Vallario, Donal Bishnoi, and Devin Ryder managed the following other accounts for the Adviser as of March 31, 2021.  
Type of Accounts
Total Number of Accounts
Total Assets of Accounts
Total Number of Accounts with Performance Based Fees
Total Assets of Accounts with  
Performance Based Fees  
Registered Investment Companies
11
$6,819,071,668 0
$0
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles
0
$0
0
$0
Other Accounts
0
$0
0
$0
Description of Material Conflicts of Interest. The portfolio managers’ management of “other accounts” is not expected to 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 the same investment objectives as the Fund. Therefore, a potential conflict of interest may arise as a result of the identical investment objectives, 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 the portfolio manager could use this information to the advantage of other accounts and to the disadvantage of the Fund. However, the Adviser has established policies and procedures to ensure that the purchase and sale of securities among all accounts the Adviser manages are fairly and equitably allocated.
THE DISTRIBUTOR 
The Trust and ETFMG Financial LLC, an affiliate of the Adviser, are parties to a distribution agreement (the “Distribution Agreement”), whereby the Distributor acts as principal underwriter for the Trust’s shares and distributes the shares of the Fund. Shares are continuously offered for sale by the Distributor only in Creation Units. Each Creation Unit is made up of 10,000 Shares. The Distributor will not distribute Shares in amounts less than a Creation Unit and does not maintain a secondary market in Fund Shares. The principal business address of the Distributor is 30 Maple Street, Summit, New Jersey 07901. 
Under the Distribution Agreement, the Distributor, as agent for the Trust, will receive 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 will deliver a prospectus to authorized participants purchasing Shares in Creation Units and will maintain records of both orders placed with it and confirmations of acceptance furnished by it. The Distributor is a broker-dealer registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”) and a member of FINRA. 
Upon direction from the Trust, 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 Creation 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 thereafter. The continuance of the Distribution Agreement must be specifically approved at least annually (i) by the vote of the Trustees or by a vote of the shareholders of the Fund and (ii) by the vote of a majority of the Trustees who are not “interested persons” of the Trust and 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
41


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 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. 
Distribution Plan. The Trust has adopted a Distribution 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 distribution fees are currently charged to the Fund; there are no plans to impose these fees. 
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 (“Qualified Trustees”). 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 of any class of the Fund that is affected by such increase. All material amendments of the Plan will require approval by a majority of the Trustees of the Trust and of the Qualified Trustees. 
The Plan provides that Shares (“Shares”) of the Fund pay 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: (i) delivering copies of the Fund’s then current reports, prospectuses, notices, and similar materials, to prospective purchasers of Creation Units; (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 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; (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; (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, and (vi) such other services and obligations as are set forth in the Distribution Agreement.
THE ADMINISTRATOR
The Trust and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, doing business as U.S. Bank Global Fund Services (the “Administrator”), have entered into an administration agreement (the “Administration Agreement”), under which the Administrator provides the Trust with administrative services, including regulatory reporting and all necessary office space, equipment, personnel and facilities. Pursuant to a schedule to the Administration Agreement, the Administrator also serves as the shareholder servicing agent for the Fund whereby the Administrator provides certain shareholder services to the Fund. The principal business address of the Administrator is 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202.
42


The Administration Agreement provides that the Administrator shall not be liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss suffered by the Trust in connection with the matters to which the Administration Agreement relates, except a loss resulting from willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence on the part of the Administrator in the performance of its duties or from reckless disregard by it of its duties and obligations thereunder.
For its services under the Administration Agreement, the Administrator is entitled to a fee based on the average daily net assets of the Fund and subject to a minimum annual fee.
The Adviser is responsible for paying the Administrator its fee under the Administration Agreement. Any decrease in the Administrator’s fee will decrease the amount the Adviser is obligated to pay to the Administrator.
The Fund is new and the Adviser has not paid any amount to the Administrator for administration services. 
THE CUSTODIAN
U.S. Bank National Association (the “Custodian”), Custody Operations, 1555 North Rivercenter Drive, Suite 302, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53212, serves as the custodian of the Fund. The Custodian holds cash, securities and other assets of the Fund as required by the 1940 Act. 
THE TRANSFER AGENT
U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, doing business as U.S. Bank Global Fund Services (the “Transfer Agent”), 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202, serves as the Fund’s transfer agent and dividend disbursing agent under a transfer agency agreement with the Trust.
LEGAL COUNSEL
Sullivan & Worcester LLP, 1666 K Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20006, serves as legal counsel to the Trust.  
INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
WithumSmith + Brown, PC, with offices located at 1411 Broadway, 9th Floor, New York, New York, 10018, serves as the independent registered public accounting firm for the Fund.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARY COMPENSATION
The Adviser or its affiliates, including the Distributor (for purposes of this subsection only, collectively, “Advisory Affiliates”) makes payments (“Payments”) to certain broker-dealers and other financial intermediaries (“Intermediaries”) related to activities that are designed to make registered representatives, other professionals and individual investors more knowledgeable about the Fund or for other activities, such as participation in marketing activities and presentations, educational training programs, the support of technology platforms and/or reporting systems. The Advisory Affiliates also make Payments to Intermediaries for certain printing, publishing and mailing costs associated with the Fund or materials relating to exchange traded funds in general. In addition, Advisory Affiliates make Payments to Intermediaries that make Fund shares available to their clients, including on zero or negative transaction fee platforms, or for otherwise promoting the Fund. Payments of this type are sometimes referred to as marketing support or revenue-sharing payments. Any Payments made by an Advisory Affiliate will be made from its own assets and not from the assets of the Fund.  
Although a portion of the Advisory Affiliates’ revenue comes directly or indirectly, in part, from management fees paid by the Fund, Payments do not increase the price paid by investors for the purchase of shares of, or the cost of owning, the Fund. As a result, an Intermediary may make decisions about which investment options it will recommend or make available to its clients or what services to provide for various products based on payments it receives or is eligible to receive. Payments create conflicts of interest between the Intermediary and its clients and these financial incentives may cause the Intermediary to recommend the Fund over other investments. Advisory Affiliates determine to make Payments based on any number of metrics. For example, Advisory Affiliates may make Payments at year-end and/or other intervals in a fixed amount, an amount based upon an Intermediary’s services at defined levels, an amount based upon the total assets represented by funds subject to arrangements with the Intermediary, or an amount based on the Intermediary’s net sales of one or more funds in a year or other period, any of which arrangements may include an agreed upon minimum or maximum payment, or any combination of the foregoing. A shareholder should contact his or her Intermediary’s salesperson or other investment professional for more information regarding any Payments the Intermediary firm may receive. 
43


DESCRIPTION OF SHARES 
The Declaration of Trust authorizes the issuance of an unlimited number of funds and shares of each fund. Each share of a fund represents an equal proportionate interest in that 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 of the Trust 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. The Fund’s 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 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. Upon the written request of shareholders owning at least 10% of the Trust’s shares, the Trust will call for a meeting of shareholders to consider the removal of one or more trustees and other certain matters. In the event that such a meeting is requested, the Trust will provide appropriate assistance and information to the shareholders requesting the meeting. 
Under the Declaration of Trust, the Trustees have the power to liquidate each fund without shareholder approval. While the Trustees have no present intention of exercising this power, they may do so if any 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.
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 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 will rely upon its experience and knowledge regarding commissions generally charged by various brokers and on its judgment in evaluating the brokerage and research services received from the broker effecting the transaction. These services may be more beneficial to certain funds or certain accounts of the Adviser than to others. 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 the Fund’s shares as a factor in the selection of a broker or dealer to execute its portfolio transactions. 
The 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 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 will also use electronic crossing networks (“ECNs”) when appropriate.
The Adviser 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 does not “pay up” for the value of any such proprietary research. Section
44


28(e) of the 1934 Act permits the Adviser, under 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 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, but only if the Adviser 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 faces a potential conflict of interest when it uses client trades to obtain brokerage or research services. This conflict exists because the Adviser is able to use the brokerage or research services to manage client accounts without paying cash for such services, which reduces the Adviser’s expenses to the extent that the Adviser would have purchased such products had they not been provided by brokers. Section 28(e) permits the Adviser to use brokerage or research services for the benefit of any account it manages. Certain accounts managed by the Adviser may generate soft dollars used to purchase brokerage or research services that ultimately benefit other accounts managed by the Adviser, effectively cross subsidizing the other accounts managed by the Adviser that benefit directly from the product. The Adviser 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 is responsible, subject to oversight by 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 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. 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.
Brokerage with Fund Affiliates. The Fund may execute brokerage or other agency transactions through registered broker-dealer affiliates of either the Fund, the Adviser, or the Distributor 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 therefore paid no brokerage fees to any affiliated broker. 
Securities of “Regular Broker-Dealer.” The Fund is required to identify any securities of its “regular brokers and dealers” (as such term is defined in the 1940 Act) which it may hold at the close of its most recent fiscal year. “Regular brokers or dealers” of the Trust are the ten brokers or dealers that, during the most recent fiscal year: (i) received the greatest dollar amounts of brokerage commissions from the Trust’s portfolio transactions; (ii) engaged as principal in the largest dollar amounts of portfolio transactions of the Trust; or (iii) sold the largest dollar amounts of the Trust’s shares.
45


The Fund is new and has no securities of “regular broker dealers” to report. 
PORTFOLIO TURNOVER RATE
Portfolio turnover may vary from year to year, as well as within a year. High turnover rates are likely to result in comparatively greater brokerage expenses. The overall reasonableness of brokerage commissions is evaluated by the Adviser based upon its knowledge of available information as to the general level of commissions paid by other institutional investors for comparable services.
The Fund is new and has no portfolio turnover rate to report.
BOOK ENTRY ONLY SYSTEM 
Depositary Trust Company (“DTC”) acts as securities depositary for the Shares. Shares of the Fund 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 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 herein 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 a “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 the Fund’s shares, or for maintaining, supervising,
46


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. 
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 take action 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.
CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL HOLDERS OF SECURITIES 
A principal shareholder is any person who owns of record or beneficially 5% or more of the outstanding shares of a fund. 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, there were no outstanding Shares of the Fund. 
PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION OF SHARES IN CREATION UNITS 
The Trust issues and sells Shares of the Fund only in Creation Units on a continuous basis through the Distributor, without a sales load (but subject to transaction fees), 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 the Fund’s shares is calculated each business day as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange, generally 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time. The Fund will not issue fractional Creation Units. A Business Day is any day on which the New York Stock Exchange is generally open for business. 
FUND DEPOSIT. The Trust has adopted policies and procedures governing the process of constructing baskets of Deposit Securities (defined below), Fund Securities (defined below) and/or cash, and acceptance of the same (the “Basket Procedures”). The consideration for purchase of a Creation Unit of the Fund generally consists of either (i) in-kind deposit of a designated portfolio of securities (the “Deposit Securities”) and a Cash Component (defined below), or (ii) 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 net asset value of the Shares (per Creation Unit) and the market value of the Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable. If the Cash Component is a positive number (i.e., the net asset value per Creation Unit exceeds the market 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 net asset value per Creation Unit is less than the market 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 net asset value per Creation Unit and the market 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 the National Securities Clearance Corporation (the “NSCC”), makes available on each Business Day, immediately prior to the opening of business on the Exchange (generally 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, in order 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. 
47


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 be changed from time to time by the Adviser, in accordance with the Basket Procedures, with a view to the investment objective of the Fund. The composition of the Deposit Securities may also change in response to interest payments and corporate action events. 
The Trust reserves the right to permit or require the substitution of an amount of cash (i.e., a “cash in lieu” amount) to replace any Deposit Security, which shall be added to the Cash Component, including, without limitation, in situations where the Deposit Security: (i) may not be available in sufficient quantity for delivery; (ii) may not be eligible for transfer through the systems of DTC for corporate securities and municipal securities; (iii) may not be eligible for trading by an Authorized Participant (as defined below) or the investor for which it is acting; (iv) would be restricted under the securities laws or where the delivery of the Deposit Security to the Authorized Participant would result in the disposition of the Deposit Security by the Authorized Participant becoming restricted under the securities laws; or (v) in certain other situations, in accordance with the Basket Procedures. The Trust also reserves the right to offer an “all cash” option for creations of Creation Units for the Fund.
PROCEDURES FOR PURCHASE OF CREATION UNITS. To be eligible to place orders with the Distributor to purchase a Creation Unit of the Fund, an entity must be (i) 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 (ii) 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 that has been agreed to by the Distributor, and that has been accepted by the Transfer Agent, 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 (defined below) and any other applicable fees and taxes. The Adviser may retain all or a portion of the Transaction Fee to the extent the Adviser bears the expenses that otherwise would be borne by the Trust in connection with the purchase of a Creation Unit, which the Transaction Fee is designed to cover. 
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. With respect to the Fund, the order cut-off time for orders to purchase Creation Units is 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time. 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.” 
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 have to 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 Distributor pursuant to procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement and in accordance with the applicable order form. With respect to the Fund, the Distributor 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, and acceptance by the Distributor, 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 Distributor 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 sub-custody 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
48


cause the sub-custodian 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 sub-custodian. The Fund Deposit transfer must be ordered by the Authorized Participant in a timely fashion so as 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 the Settlement Date. The “Settlement Date” for the Fund is generally the next 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 or through DTC in a timely manner so as 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 in a timely manner by the Settlement Date, the creation order may be cancelled. Upon written notice to the Distributor, such canceled order may be resubmitted the following Business Day using the 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 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 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 considered to be 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 herein, 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 sub-custodian has confirmed to the Custodian that the required Deposit Securities (or the cash value thereof) have been delivered to the account of the relevant sub-custodian or sub-custodians, the Distributor 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 next Business Day following the day on which the purchase order is deemed received by the Distributor. The Authorized Participant shall be liable to the Fund for losses, if any, resulting from unsettled orders. 
In instances where the Trust accepts Deposit Securities for the purchase of a Creation Unit, the 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 net asset value 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 (i) the Cash Component, plus (ii) an additional amount of cash equal to a percentage of the market value as set 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. 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 marked to 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 market value of such Deposit Securities on the day the purchase order was deemed received by the Distributor 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 set forth below under “Creation Transaction Fee” will be charged in all cases. 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 Distributor in respect of the Fund including, without limitation, if (a) the order
49


is not in proper form; (b) 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; (c) the investor(s), upon obtaining the Shares ordered, would own 80% or more of the currently outstanding Shares of the Fund; (d) acceptance of the Deposit Securities would have certain adverse tax consequences to the Fund; (e) the acceptance of the Fund Deposit would, in the opinion of counsel, be unlawful; (f) 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; (g) the acceptance or receipt of the order for a Creation Unit would, in the opinion of counsel to the Trust, be unlawful; or (h) 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 Distributor 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 purchase (i.e., creation) transaction fee, payable to the Fund’s custodian, may be imposed for the transfer and other transaction costs associated with the purchase of Creation Units, and investors will be required to pay a creation transaction fee regardless of the number of Creation Units created in the transaction. The Fund may adjust the creation transaction fee from time to time. The standard fixed creation transaction fee for the Fund will be $250. In addition, a variable fee will be charged on all cash transactions or substitutes for Creation Units of up to a maximum of 2% as a percentage of the value of the Creation Units subject to the transaction. The variable charge may be imposed for cash purchases, non-standard orders, or partial cash purchases incurred by the Fund, primarily designed to cover expenses related to broker commissions. 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 securities constituting the Deposit Securities to the account of the Trust. 
RISKS OF PURCHASING CREATION UNITS. There are certain legal risks unique to investors purchasing Creation Units directly from the Fund. Because the Fund’s 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 the Fund’s 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 net asset value next determined after receipt of a redemption request in proper form by the Fund through the Transfer Agent and only on a Business Day.
50


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 in order 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 immediately prior to the opening of business on the Exchange (generally 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 a combination thereof, as determined by the Trust in accordance with the Basket Procedures. 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 net asset value of the 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 set forth below. In the event that the Fund Securities have a value greater than the net asset value of the 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 redemption transaction fee, payable to the Fund’s custodian, may be imposed for the transfer and other transaction costs associated with the redemption of Creation Units, and investors will be required to pay a fixed redemption transaction fee regardless of the number of Creation Units created in the transaction, as set forth in the Fund’s Prospectus, as may be revised from time to time. The redemption transaction fee is the same no matter how many Creation Units are being redeemed pursuant to any one redemption request. The Fund may adjust the redemption transaction fee from time to time. The standard fixed redemption transaction fee for the Fund will be $250. In addition, a variable fee will be charged on all cash transactions or substitutes for Creation Units of up to a maximum of 2% as a percentage of the value of the Creation Units subject to the transaction. The variable charge may be imposed for cash redemptions, non-standard orders, or partial cash redemptions (when cash redemptions are available) incurred by the Fund, primarily designed to cover expenses related to broker commissions. 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 the time as set forth in the Participant Agreement. With respect to the Fund, the order cut-off time for orders to redeem Creation Units is 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time. A redemption request is considered to be in “proper form” if (i) 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 (ii) 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
51


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, the Authorized Participant 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 generally will be made within two Business Days of the trade date. However, due to the schedule of holidays in certain countries, the different treatment among foreign and U.S. markets of dividend record dates and dividend ex-dates (that is the last date the holder of a security can sell the security and still receive dividends payable on the security sold), and in certain other circumstances, the delivery of in-kind redemption proceeds may take longer than two Business Days after the day on which the redemption request is received in proper form. If neither the redeeming shareholder nor the Authorized Participant acting on behalf of such redeeming shareholder has appropriate arrangements to take delivery of the Fund Securities in the applicable foreign jurisdiction and it is not possible to make other such arrangements, or if it is not possible to effect deliveries of the Fund Securities in such jurisdiction, the Trust may, in its discretion and in accordance with the Basket Procedures, exercise its option to redeem such Shares in cash, and the redeeming investor will be required to receive its redemption proceeds in cash. 
The Trust may, in its discretion and in accordance with the Basket Procedures, 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 of the Fund next determined after the redemption request is received in proper form (minus a redemption transaction fee 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 and in accordance with the Basket Procedures, 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 net asset value. 
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 in order to receive Fund Securities. 
Because the portfolio securities of the Fund may trade on the relevant exchange(s) on days that the Exchange is closed or are otherwise not Business Days for the Fund, shareholders may not be able to redeem their shares of the Fund, or to purchase or sell shares of the Fund on the Exchange, on days when the NAV of the Fund could be significantly affected by events in the relevant foreign markets. 
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 of the Fund or determination of the NAV of the Shares is not reasonably practicable; or (4) in such other circumstance as is permitted by the SEC. 
52


REQUIRED EARLY ACCEPTANCE OF ORDERS. Notwithstanding the foregoing, as described in the Participant Agreement and/or applicable order form, the Fund may require orders to be placed up to one or more business days prior to the trade date, as described in the Participant Agreement or the applicable order form, in order to receive the trade date’s net asset value. Orders to purchase Shares of the Fund that are submitted on the Business Day immediately preceding a holiday or a day (other than a weekend) that the equity markets in the relevant foreign market are closed will not be accepted. Authorized Participants may be notified that the cut-off time for an order may be earlier on a particular business day, as described in the Participant Agreement and the order form.
DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE 
Net asset value 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 net asset value. The net asset value of the Fund is calculated by the Custodian and determined at the close of the regular trading session on the NYSE (ordinarily 4:00 p.m. Eastern time) on each day that such exchange 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 net asset value per Share, the Fund’s investments are generally valued using market valuations. A market valuation generally means a valuation (i) obtained from an exchange, a pricing service, or a major market maker (or dealer), (ii) 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 (iii) 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 net asset value per share. The Adviser 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. 
For purposes of determining NAV per share of a Fund, options and futures contracts are valued based on market quotations or the last sales or settlement price of the exchange on which an asset trades. The value of a futures contract equals the unrealized gain or loss on the contract that is determined by marking the contract to the last sale price for a like contract acquired on the day on which the futures contract is being valued. The value of options on futures contracts is determined based upon the last sale price for a like option acquired on the day on which the option is being valued. A last sale price may not be used for the foregoing purposes if the market makes a limited move with respect to a particular instrument. Swap contracts are valued based on the value of the swap contract’s reference asset and are marked-to-market each day a share price is calculated.
In the event that current market valuations are not readily available or such valuations do not reflect current market value, the Trust’s procedures require the Fair Value Committee to determine a security’s fair value if a market price is not readily available. In determining such value the Fair Value Committee may consider, among other things, (i) price comparisons among multiple sources, (ii) a review of corporate actions and news events, and (iii) a review of relevant financial indicators (e.g., movement in interest rates, market indices, and prices from the Fund’s index provider). In these cases, the Fund’s net asset value may reflect certain portfolio securities’ fair values rather than their market prices. Fair value pricing involves subjective judgments and it is possible that the fair value determination for a security is materially different than the value that could be realized upon the sale of the security. In addition, fair value pricing could result in a difference between the prices used to calculate the Fund’s net asset value and the prices used by the Fund’s Underlying Index. This may result in a difference between the Fund’s performance and its stated investment objective. With respect to securities that are primarily listed on foreign exchanges, the value of the Fund’s portfolio securities may change on days when you will not be able to purchase or sell your Shares. 
53


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. Dividends from net investment income, if any, are declared and paid quarterly by the Fund. Distributions of net realized securities gains, if any, generally are declared and paid once a year, but the Fund may make distributions on a more frequent basis for the Fund to improve index tracking or to comply with the distribution requirements of 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 Fund. 
The Fund may make additional distributions to the extent necessary (i) to distribute the entire annual taxable income of the Fund, plus any net capital gains and (ii) 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 status of the Fund as a regulated investment company (“RIC”) or to avoid imposition of income or excise taxes on undistributed income. 
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 in order 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 of the Fund 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 additional federal income tax considerations generally affecting the Fund and its shareholders. 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 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. 
The recently enacted tax legislation commonly referred to as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the “Tax Act”) makes 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 beginning after December 31, 2017 and before January 1, 2026.  There are only minor changes with respect to the specific rules only applicable to a RIC, such as the Fund.  The Tax Act, however, makes numerous other changes to the tax rules that may affect shareholders and the Fund.  You are urged to consult with your own tax advisor regarding how the Tax Act affects your investment in the Fund. 
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, or local taxes. 
Regulated Investment Company (RIC) Status. The Fund will seek to qualify for treatment as a RIC under the Code. Provided that for each tax year the Fund: (i) meets the requirements to be treated as a RIC (as discussed below); and (ii) distributes at least an amount equal to the sum of 90% of the Fund’s net investment income for such year
54


(including, for this purpose, the excess of net realized short-term capital gains over net long-term capital losses) and 90% of its net tax-exempt interest income, the Fund itself will not be subject to federal income taxes to the extent the Fund’s net investment income and the Fund’s net realized capital gains, if any, are distributed to the Fund’s shareholders. One of several requirements for RIC qualification is that the Fund must receive at least 90% of the Fund’s gross income each year 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 the Fund’s business of investing in stock, securities, foreign currencies and net income from an interest in a qualified publicly traded partnership (the “90% Test”). A second requirement for qualification as a RIC is that the Fund must diversify its holdings so that, at the end of each quarter of the Fund’s taxable year: (a) at least 50% of the market 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 these other securities limited, in respect to any one issuer, to an amount not greater than 5% of the value of the Fund’s total assets or 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer; and (b) not more than 25% of the value of its total assets are 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 “Asset Test”). 
Under the Asset Test, the Fund generally may not acquire a security if, as a result of the acquisition, more than 50% of the value of the Fund’s assets would be invested in (a) issuers in which the Fund has, in each case, invested more than 5% of the Fund’s assets and (b) issuers more than 10% of whose outstanding voting securities are owned by the Fund. Because the Underlying Index has a relatively small number of constituents, the 5% limitation could affect the Fund’s ability to effectively implement a replication strategy or a representative sampling strategy. As the Fund grows, the 10% limitation might also affect its ability to effectively implement its strategy.
Although each Fund intends to satisfy all the foregoing requirements, there is no assurance that a Fund will be able to do so. For purposes of the Asset test, the identification of the issuer (or, in some cases, issuers) of a particular Fund investment can depend on the terms and conditions of that investment. In some cases, identification of the issuer (or issuers) is uncertain under current law, and an adverse determination or future guidance by the IRS with respect to issuer identification for a particular type of investment may adversely affect the Fund’s ability to meet the Asset Test.
If the Fund fails to satisfy the 90% Test or the Asset Test, 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 Asset Test. In order to qualify for relief provisions for a failure to meet the Asset Test, the Fund may be required to dispose of certain assets. If the Fund fails to qualify for treatment as a RIC for any year, and the relief provisions are not available, all of its taxable income will be subject to federal income tax at regular corporate rates (which the Tax Act reduced to 21%) without any deduction for distributions to shareholders. In such case, its shareholders would be taxed as if they received ordinary dividends, although the dividends could be eligible for the dividends received deduction for corporate shareholders and the dividends may be eligible for the lower tax rates available to non-corporate shareholders on qualified dividend income. 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 taxable year for 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, the Fund would generally be required to pay a Fund-level tax on any net built-in gains recognized with respect to certain of its assets upon a 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 for treatment 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. 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 and certain other late-year losses. 
55


If the Fund has a “net capital loss” (that is, capital losses in excess of capital gains) for a taxable year, the excess of the Fund’s net short-term capital losses over its net long-term capital gains is treated as a short-term capital loss arising on the first day of the Fund’s next taxable year, and the excess (if any) of the Fund’s net long-term capital losses over its net short-term capital gains is treated as a long-term capital loss arising on the first day of the Fund’s next taxable year. 
The Fund will generally be subject to a nondeductible 4% federal excise tax to the extent it fails to distribute by the end of any calendar year at least the sum of 98% of its ordinary income for the year, 98.2% of its capital gain net income for the one-year period ending on October 31 of that year, and certain other amounts. The Fund intends to make sufficient distributions, or deemed distributions, to avoid imposition of the excise tax, but can make no assurances that all such tax liability will be eliminated. 
The Fund intends to distribute substantially all its net investment income and net realized capital gains to shareholders annually. The distribution of net investment income and net realized capital gains generally will be taxable to Fund shareholders regardless of whether the shareholder elects to receive these distributions in cash or in additional shares. However, the Fund may determine not to distribute, or determine to defer the distribution of, some portion of its income in non-routine circumstances. If the Fund retains for investment an amount equal to all or a portion of its net long-term capital gains in excess of its net short-term capital losses (including any capital loss carryovers), it will be subject to a corporate tax on the amount retained. In that event, the Fund will designate such retained amounts as undistributed capital gains in a notice to its shareholders who (a) will be required to include in income for U.S. federal income tax purposes, as long-term capital gains, their proportionate shares of the undistributed amount, (b) will be entitled to credit their proportionate shares of the income tax paid by the Fund on the undistributed amount against their U.S. federal income tax liabilities, if any, and to claim refunds to the extent their credits exceed their liabilities, if any, and (c) will be entitled to increase their tax basis, for U.S. 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. Organizations or persons not subject to U.S. federal income tax on such capital gains will be entitled to a refund of their pro rata share of such taxes paid by the Fund upon timely filing appropriate returns or claims for refund with the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”). 
A portion of the net investment income distributions of the Fund may be treated as qualified dividend income (which, for non-corporate shareholders, is generally eligible for taxation at reduced rates). The portion of distributions that the Fund may report as qualified dividend income is generally limited to the amount of qualified dividend income received by the Fund, but if for any Fund taxable year 95% or more of the Fund’s gross income (exclusive of net capital gain from sales of stocks and securities) consists of qualified dividend income, all distributions of such income for that taxable year may be reported as qualified dividend income. Qualified dividend income is, in general, dividend income from taxable domestic corporations and certain foreign corporations (i.e., foreign corporations incorporated in a possession of the United States or in certain countries with a comprehensive tax treaty with the United States, and other foreign corporations if the stock with respect to which the dividend income is paid is readily tradable on an established securities market in the United States). 
In order for some portion of the dividends received by a shareholder to be qualified dividend income, the Fund must meet holding period and other requirements with respect to the dividend paying stocks in its portfolio, and the shareholder must meet holding period and other requirements with respect to the Fund’s shares. Distributions reported to Fund shareholders as capital gain dividends will be taxable at the rates applicable to long-term capital gains (generally, at a maximum rate of 20% for non-corporate shareholders), regardless of how long the shareholder has owned the shares. The Fund’s shareholders will be notified annually by the Fund as to the federal tax status of all distributions made by the Fund. Distributions may be subject to state and local taxes. 
U.S. individuals with income exceeding $200,000 ($250,000 if married and filing jointly) are subject to an additional 3.8% Medicare contribution tax on their “net investment income,” including interest, dividends, and capital gains (including capital gains realized on the sale or exchange of shares of the Fund). This 3.8% tax also applies to all or a portion of the undistributed net investment income of certain shareholders that are estates and trusts. 
Shareholders who have held Fund shares for less than 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
56


of the Fund’s total ordinary income or net capital gain, respectively, actually earned during the period of investment in the Fund. 
If the Fund’s distributions for a taxable year exceed its taxable income and capital gains realized during a taxable year, all or a portion of the distributions made for the 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 generally result in a higher reported capital gain or lower reported capital loss when those shares on which the distribution was received are sold. 
A sale or exchange of shares in the Fund may give rise to a capital gain or loss. In general, any capital gain or loss realized upon a taxable disposition of shares will be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for more than 12 months. Otherwise, the capital gain or loss on the taxable disposition of shares will 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, rather than short-term, to the extent of any long-term capital gain distributions received (or deemed received) by the shareholder with respect to the shares. All or a portion of any loss realized upon a taxable disposition of shares will be disallowed if substantially identical shares are purchased (through reinvestment of dividends or otherwise) within 30 days before or after the disposition. In such a case, the basis of the newly purchased shares will be adjusted to reflect the disallowed loss. 
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 be deducted currently under the rules governing “wash sales,” 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 be treated as short-term capital gains or losses. 
The Trust on behalf of the Fund has the right to reject an order for a purchase of shares of the Trust if the purchaser (or group of purchasers) would, upon obtaining the shares so ordered, own 80% or more of the outstanding shares of the Fund and if, pursuant to Section 351 of the Code, the Fund would have a basis in the securities different from the market value of such securities on the date of deposit. The Trust also has the right to require information necessary to determine beneficial share ownership for purposes of the 80% determination. The Trust reserves the absolute right to reject an order for Creation Units if acceptance of the securities to be exchanged for the Creation Units would have certain adverse tax consequences to the Fund. 
Persons purchasing or redeeming Creation Units should consult their own tax advisors with respect to the tax treatment of any creation or redemption transaction. 
Foreign Investments. Income received by the Fund from sources within foreign countries (including, for example, dividends or interest on stock or securities of non-U.S. issuers) may be subject to withholding and other taxes imposed by such countries. Tax treaties between such countries and the U.S. may reduce or eliminate such taxes in some cases. If as of the end of the Fund’s taxable year more than 50% of the value of the Fund’s assets consist of the securities of foreign corporations, the Fund may elect to permit shareholders who are U.S. citizens, resident aliens, or U.S. corporations to claim a foreign tax credit or deduction (but not both) on their income tax returns for their pro rata portions of qualified taxes paid by the Fund during that taxable year to foreign countries in respect of foreign securities the Fund has held for at least the minimum period specified in the Code. In such a case, shareholders will include in gross income from foreign sources their pro rata shares of such taxes. A shareholder’s ability to claim a foreign tax credit or deduction in respect of foreign taxes paid by the Fund may be subject to certain limitations imposed by the Code, which may result in the shareholder not getting a full credit or deduction for the amount of
57


such taxes. Shareholders who do not itemize deductions on their federal income tax returns may claim a credit, but not a deduction, for such foreign taxes. 
Foreign Currency Transactions. Under the Code, gains or losses attributable to fluctuations in exchange rates which occur between the time the Fund accrues income or other receivables or accrues expenses or other liabilities denominated in a foreign currency and the time the Fund actually collects such income or receivables or pays such expenses or liabilities generally are treated as ordinary income or loss. Similarly, on the disposition of debt securities denominated in a foreign currency and on the disposition of certain other instruments, gains or losses attributable to fluctuations in the value of the foreign currency between the date of acquisition of the security or contract and the date of disposition are also treated as ordinary gain or loss. The gains and losses may increase or decrease the amount of the Fund’s income to be distributed to its shareholders as ordinary income. 
Options, Swaps and Other Complex Securities. The Fund may invest in complex securities such as equity options, index options, repurchase agreements, foreign currency contracts, hedges and swaps, transactions treated as straddles for U.S. federal income tax purposes, and futures contracts. These investments may be subject to numerous special and complex tax rules. These rules could affect whether gains and losses recognized by the Fund are treated as ordinary income or capital gain, accelerate the recognition of income to the Fund, cause income or gain to be recognized even though corresponding cash is not received by the Fund, and/or defer the Fund’s ability to recognize losses. In turn, those rules may affect the amount, timing or character of the income distributed by the Fund. 
With respect to any investments in zero coupon securities which are sold at original issue discount and thus do not make periodic cash interest payments, the Fund may be required to include as part of its current income the imputed interest on such obligations even though the Fund may not have received any interest payments on such obligations during that period. Because the Fund is required to distribute all of its net investment income to its shareholders, the Fund may have to sell Fund securities to distribute such imputed income. Those sales may occur at a time when the Advisor would not otherwise have chosen to sell such securities and will generally result in taxable gain or loss.
Because only a few regulations implementing the straddle rules have been promulgated, the consequences of such transactions to the Fund is not entirely clear. The straddle rules may increase the amount of short-term capital gain realized by the Fund, which is taxed as ordinary income when distributed to shareholders. Because application of the straddle rules may affect the character of gains or losses, defer losses and/or accelerate the recognition of gains or losses from the affected straddle positions, the amount which must be distributed to shareholders as ordinary income or long-term capital gain may be increased or decreased substantially as compared to a fund that did not engage in such transactions.
More generally, investments by the Fund in options, futures, forward contracts, swaps and other derivative financial instruments are subject to numerous special and complex tax rules. These rules could affect whether gains and losses recognized by the Fund are treated as ordinary or capital, accelerate the recognition of income or gains to the Fund and defer or possibly prevent the recognition or use of certain losses by the Fund. The rules could, in turn, affect the amount, timing or character of the income distributed to shareholders by the Fund. In addition, because the tax rules applicable to such instruments may be uncertain under current law, an adverse determination or future IRS guidance with respect to these rules (which determination or guidance could be retroactive) may affect whether the Fund has made sufficient distributions and otherwise satisfied the relevant requirements to maintain its qualification as a RIC and avoid a Fund-level tax.
Back-Up Withholding. The Fund or your broker will be required to withhold (as “backup withholding”) on taxable dividends paid to any shareholder, as well as the proceeds of any redemptions of Creation Units, paid to a shareholder or Authorized Participant who (1) fails to provide a correct taxpayer identification number certified under penalty of perjury; (2) is subject to 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 currently 24%. Backup withholding is not an additional tax and any amounts withheld may be credited against the shareholder’s ultimate U.S. tax liability. 
Foreign Shareholders. Foreign shareholders (i.e., nonresident alien individuals and foreign corporations, partnerships, trusts and estates) are generally subject to U.S. withholding tax at the rate of 30% (or a lower tax treaty rate) on distributions derived from net investment income and short-term capital gains. Gains from the sale or other
58


disposition of shares of the Fund generally are not subject to U.S. taxation, unless the recipient is an individual who either (1) meets the Code’s definition of “resident alien” or (2) is physically present in the U.S. for 183 days or more per year. 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. 
Ordinary dividends paid to a shareholder that is a “foreign financial institution” as defined in Section 1471 of the Code and that does not meet the requirements imposed on foreign financial institutions by Section 1471 will generally be subject to withholding tax at a 30% rate. The extent, if any, to which such withholding tax may be reduced or eliminated by an applicable tax treaty is unclear. A non-U.S. shareholder may be exempt from the withholding described in this paragraph under an applicable intergovernmental agreement between the U.S. and a foreign government, provided that the shareholder and the applicable foreign government comply with the terms of such agreement. 
In order for a foreign investor to qualify for an exemption from backup withholding, the foreign investor must comply with special certification and filing requirements. Foreign investors in the Fund should consult their tax advisors in this regard. 
Tax Shelter Reporting Regulations. Under U.S. Treasury regulations, if a shareholder recognizes a loss of $2 million or more for an individual shareholder or $10 million or more for a corporate shareholder, the shareholder must file with the IRS a disclosure statement on 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. 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. The Fund may be subject to tax or taxes in certain states where the Fund does business. Furthermore, 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. 
Shareholders are advised to consult their tax advisors concerning their specific situations and the application of state, local and foreign taxes. 
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 1-844-ETFMGRS (383-6477) or through the Fund’s website at www.etfmg.com/mjxl.
59


Appendix A
ETF MANAGERS GROUP, LLC
Proxy Voting Policy
Introduction
ETF Managers Group LLC (“ETFMG”) has adopted this Proxy Voting Policy (“Policy”) pursuant to Rule 206(4)-6 under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (“Advisers Act”), Rule 30b1-4 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), and other fiduciary obligations. The Policy describes the Adviser’s proxy voting duty and obligation to ensure that proxies are voted in the best interests of ETFMG’s fund(s).1
Statement of Policy
It is ETFMG’s policy, where proxy voting authority has been delegated to ETFMG by the fund(s), that all proxies are voted in the best interests of the fund without regard to the interests of ETFMG or other related parties. For purposes of the Policy, the “best interests of fund” shall mean, unless otherwise specified by the fund offering documents, the fund’s best economic interests over the long term. It is further the policy of ETFMG that complete and accurate disclosure concerning its proxy voting policies and procedures and proxy voting records, as required by the Advisers Act, be made available to fund shareholders.
Procedures
Subject to the procedures set forth below, ETFMG’s chief compliance officer (the “CCO”) maintains responsibility for reviewing all proxies and ensuring that proxies are voted timely in accordance with this Policy.
Use of Third-Party Proxy Service
In connection with its responsibilities expressed herein, ETFMG may utilize the services of a third-party service provider (the “Service Provider”) to research proxy proposals, provide vote recommendations and vote proxies on behalf of the firm. The Service Provider will provide research for each proxy and provide a recommendation to ETFMG as to how to vote on each proxy issue based on its research of the individual facts and circumstances of the issue and its application of its research findings to its Proxy Guidelines. The Service Provider will cast votes in accordance with its recommendations unless instructed otherwise by the CCO or other designated personnel as set forth below. The current Service Provider is Glass Lewis.
Proxy Voting Guidelines
ETFMG has instructed Glass Lewis to vote in accordance with Glass Lewis’ Policy Guidelines (the “Guidelines”) that apply to companies in the jurisdiction where the applicable portfolio security is listed.2 To the extent that the Guidelines do not address a proxy proposal but Glass Lewis has done research to address the issue, ETFMG has instructed Glass Lewis to vote proxies in the best interest of ETFMG’s clients.
ETFMG has instructed Glass Lewis to vote as described above unless the following conditions apply:
ETFMG’s CCO has decided to override the Glass Lewis vote recommendation for a client based on his/her own determination that the client would best be served by casting a vote contrary to the Glass Lewis recommendation. Such decision will be documented by ETFMG and communicated to Glass Lewis; or
Glass Lewis does not provide a vote recommendation, in which case ETFMG will independently determine how a particular issue should be voted. In these instances, ETFMG, through the CCO, will document the reason(s) used in determining a vote and communicate ETFMG’s voting instruction to Glass Lewis.
Review of Recommendations
ETFMG’s CCO (or other designated personnel) have the ultimate responsibility to accept or reject any Service Provider voting recommendation (“Recommendation”). Consequently, the CCO or other appointed staff is responsible for understanding and reviewing how proxies are voted for the fund(s), taking into account the Policy, the Guidelines and the best interests of fund shareholders. The CCO may override the Recommendation should he/she not believe that such Recommendation, based on all facts and circumstances, is in the best interests of the fund(s). ETFMG may choose not to vote proxies under the following circumstances:
1 ETFMG typically has responsibility to vote proxies on behalf of all Funds, subject to the terms of each Fund’s advisory agreement
2 Glass Lewis’ Policy Guidelines are publicly available at: https://www.glasslewis.com/guidelines/.
A-1


if the effect on the shareholders’ economic interests or the value of the portfolio holding is indeterminable or insignificant;
if the cost of voting the proxy outweighs the possible benefit; or
if a jurisdiction whose laws or regulations govern the voting of proxies with respect to the portfolio holding imposes share blocking restrictions which prevent ETFMG from exercising its voting authority.
If for some other reason a proxy is not voted for a client, the Adviser and/or a third-party will conduct an analysis to review whether the lack of voting would have had a material impact on the outcome of the vote. ETFMG will memorialize the basis for any decision to override a Recommendation or to abstain from voting, including the resolution of any conflicts, as further discussed below.
Addressing Material Conflicts of Interest
Prior to overriding a Recommendation, the CCO (or other designated personnel) must memorialize the determination and document whether a potential material conflict of interest exists between ETFMG and the fund on whose behalf the proxy is to be voted (“Material Conflict”). The CCO or any person so designated has an affirmative duty to disclose to the fund any potential Material Conflicts known to him/her related to a proxy vote. Material Conflicts may exist in situations where ETFMG is called to vote on a proxy involving an issuer or proponent of a proxy proposal regarding the issuer where ETFMG or an affiliated person of the ETFMG also:
manages the issuer’s or proponent’s pension plan;
administers the issuer’s or proponent’s employee benefit plan;
provided brokerage, underwriting, insurance or banking services to the issuer or proponent; or
manages money for an employee group of the issuer or proponent.
Additional Material Conflicts may exist if an executive of ETFMG or its control affiliates is a close relative of, or has a personal or business relationship with:
an executive of the issuer or proponent;
a director of the issuer or proponent;
a person who is a candidate to be a director of the issuer;
a participant in the proxy contest; or
a proponent of a proxy proposal.
Material Conflicts based on business relationships or dealings of affiliates of ETFMG will only be considered to the extent that the CCO has actual knowledge of such business relationships. Whether a relationship creates a Material Conflict will depend on the facts and circumstances. Even if these parties do not attempt to influence ETFMG with respect to voting, the value of the relationship to ETFMG can create a Material Conflict.
Material Conflicts may exist when ETFMG manages a separate account, a fund or other collective investment vehicle that invests in affiliated funds. When ETFMG receives proxies in its capacity as a shareholder of an underlying fund, ETFMG will vote in accordance with the recommendation of the Service Provider applying the Guidelines. If there is no relevant predetermined guideline, ETFMG will vote in accordance with the recommendation of the independent Service Provider. If the Service Provider does not provide a recommendation, ETFMG then may address the conflict by “echoing” or “mirroring” the vote of the other shareholders in those underlying funds.
If the CCO determines that there is no potential Material Conflict, the CCO may override the Recommendation and vote the proxy issue as he/she determines is in the best interests of fund(s) shareholders. If the CCO determines that there exists or may exist a Material Conflict, he/she will consider the following facts and circumstances of the pending proxy vote and the potential or actual Material Conflict and make a determination as to how to vote the proxy:
the percentage of outstanding securities of the issuer held on behalf of funds advised by ETFMG;
the nature of the relationship of the issuer with ETFMG, its affiliates or its executive officers;
whether there has been any attempt to directly or indirectly influence ETMFG’s decision;
whether the direction (for or against) of the proposed vote would appear to benefit ETFMG or a related party; and
whether an objective decision to vote in a certain way will still create a strong appearance of a conflict.
ETFMG may not abstain from voting any such proxy for the purpose of avoiding a Material Conflict.
In the event that the Service Provider itself has a conflict and thus, is unable to provide a recommendation, the CCO will make a voting recommendation and submit the proxy.
A-2


Lending
ETFMG will monitor upcoming meetings and call stock loans, if applicable, in anticipation of an important vote to be taken among holders of the securities or of the giving or withholding of ETFMG’s consent on a material matter affecting the investment. In determining whether to call stock loans, ETFMG shall consider whether the benefit to a fund in voting the matter outweighs the benefit to the fund in keeping the stock on loan.
Oversight of Service Provider
The CCO is responsible for the oversight of the Service Provider. When determining whether to retain, or continue to retain, the Service Provider, ETFMG will consider whether the Service Provider has the capacity and competency to adequately perform the services for which it was retained. This determination will include, among other things, consideration of (i) the Service Provider’s process and methodology in formulating proxy voting recommendations and guidelines, and (ii) how it monitors and addresses the integrity of the information on which the Service Provider bases its analysis. ETFMG will report to the Board of Trustees (the “Board”) of any client that is a registered investment company under the 1940 Act at least annually the basis for its determination to retain, or continue to retain, the Service Provider.
ETFMG will employ reasonable measures to determine whether the Service Provider is casting (or abstaining from) votes consistent with the Guidelines. ETFMG must have a reasonable basis for concluding that voting determinations made pursuant to this Policy are not based on materially inaccurate or incomplete information.
ETFMG will also periodically perform due diligence to assess the Service Provider’s ability to adequately analyze proxy issues, manage its conflicts of interest and satisfy its contractual obligations to ETFMG. In order to make this assessment, ETFMG shall consider, among other things:
The Service Provider’s oversight structure and personnel performing services on behalf of ETFMG;
Policies, procedures and related controls, including those that ensure vote recommendations are in accordance with the Guidelines and are based on current and accurate information, and any changes to the Guidelines since the date of the last due diligence review;
Policies and procedures related to the identification, management and disclosure of conflicts of interest impacting services provided; and
Changes in the Service Provider’s business and specific conflicts of interest in order to reasonably determine whether the Service Provider’s conflicts of interest may materially and adversely affect ETFMG’s clients and, if so, whether any action should be taken as a result.
Compliance Monitoring
CCO Reporting
Each quarter, the CCO will report to the Board, with respect to proxy votes on behalf of the funds, all proxy votes involving any fund in which ETFMG has overridden the Recommendation and include a description of the reason for the override and whether such override involved a potential Material Conflict and participation of the CCO.
Annually, the CCO will provide the Board with a report of relevant proxy voting matters, such as any proposed changes to this Policy or the Guidelines and any votes presenting Material Conflicts.
Investment Company Disclosures
For each investment company that ETFMG manages, ETFMG will ensure that the proxy voting record for the twelve-month period ending June 30 for each registered investment company is properly reported on Form N-PX no later than August 31 of each year. ETFMG will also ensure that each such fund states in its Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) and its annual and semi-annual report to shareholders that information concerning how the fund voted proxies relating to its portfolio securities for the most recent twelve-month period ending June 30 is available through the fund’s website and on the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) website.
ETFMG will also ensure that proper disclosure is made in each fund’s SAI describing the policies and procedures used to determine how to vote proxies relating to such fund’s portfolio securities. ETFMG will further ensure that the annual and semi-annual report for each fund states that a description of the fund’s proxy voting policies and procedures is available: (1) without charge, upon request, by calling a specified toll-free telephone number; (2) on the fund’s website; and (3) on the SEC’s website.
A-3


Recordkeeping
Either ETFMG or Service Provider, or both, as indicated below, will maintain the following records:
a copy of the current Policy (ETFMG) and current Guidelines (Service Provider);
a copy of each proxy statement received by ETFMG regarding fund securities (Service Provider);
a record of each vote cast by ETFMG on behalf of a fund (Service Provider); and
a copy of all documents created by ETFMG that were material to making a decision on the proxy voting (or abstaining from voting) and all supporting documents.

Such records must be maintained for at least six years.


Revised: June 20, 2019
December 9, 2020





A-4

PART C: OTHER INFORMATION
 
ETF Managers Trust
 
ITEM 28. EXHIBITS

(a) (1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(b)
(c) Not applicable.
(d) (1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
(e) (1)
(2)
(f) Not applicable.
(g) (1) (a)
(b)
(h) (1) (a)
(b)
C-1


(2)
(3) (a)
(b)
(i) (1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
(6)
(7)
(8)
(j)
Consent of independent registered public accounting firm not applicable.
(k) Not applicable.
(l) Not applicable.
(m)
(n) Not applicable.
(o) Not applicable.
(p) (1)
(2)
(3)
(q) (1)
C-2


(2)
(3)
ITEM 29. PERSONS CONTROLLED BY OR UNDER COMMON CONTROL WITH THE REGISTRANT
Not Applicable.
ITEM 30INDEMNIFICATION
The Trustees shall not be responsible or liable in any event for any neglect or wrongdoing of any officer, agent, employee, adviser or principal underwriter of the Trust, nor shall any Trustee be responsible for the act or omission of any other Trustee, and, subject to the provisions of the By-Laws, the Trust out of its assets may indemnify and hold harmless each and every Trustee and officer of the Trust from and against any and all claims, demands, costs, losses, expenses, and damages whatsoever arising out of or related to such Trustee’s or officer’s performance of his or her duties as a Trustee or officer of the Trust; provided that nothing herein contained shall indemnify, hold harmless or protect any Trustee or officer from or against any liability to the Trust or any Shareholder to which he or she would otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his or her office.
Every note, bond, contract, instrument, certificate or undertaking and every other act or thing whatsoever issued, executed or done by or on behalf of the Trust or the Trustees or any of them in connection with the Trust shall be conclusively deemed to have been issued, executed or done only in or with respect to their or his or her capacity as Trustees or Trustee, and such Trustees or Trustee shall not be personally liable thereon.
Insofar as indemnification for liability arising under the Securities Act of 1933 (the “Securities Act”) 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 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 THE INVESTMENT ADVISER
ETF Managers Group LLC (the “Adviser”) serves as the investment adviser for each series of the Trust. The principal address of the Adviser is 30 Maple Street, 2nd Floor, Summit, New Jersey 07901.
EquBot LLC serves as investment sub-adviser for the AI Powered Equity ETF. The principal address of EquBot LLC is 450 Townsend Street, San Francisco, California 94107.
Sit Fixed Income Advisors II, LLC serves as investment sub-adviser for the ETFMG Sit Ultra Short ETF. The principal address of Sit Fixed Income Advisors II, LLC is 3300 IDS Center, 80 South 8th Street, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402.
Each of the above entities is an investment adviser registered with the SEC under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940.
This Item incorporates by reference each firm’s Uniform Application for Investment Adviser Registration (“Form ADV”) 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 firms below is included in the Trust’s Statement of Additional Information.
C-3


Investment Adviser SEC File No.
ETF Managers Group LLC 801-107165
EquBot LLC 801-110987
Sit Fixed Income Advisors II, LLC 801-55201
Item 32.  Principal Underwriter.
(a)       ETF Managers Trust is the only investment company for which ETFMG Financial LLC acts as a principal underwriter.
(b)       To the best of Registrant’s knowledge, the directors and executive officers of ETFMG Financial LLC are as follows:
Name*
Position with Underwriter
Positions with Fund
Samuel R. Masucci III
Chief Executive Officer
Trustee, President and Secretary
Daniel Beaton
FINOP
None
Reshma A. Tanczos
Chief Compliance Officer
Chief Compliance Officer
Matthew Bromberg General Counsel and Secretary Assistant Secretary
* The principal business address for each of the above individuals is 30 Maple Street, 2nd Floor, Summit, New Jersey 07901.
(c)       Not applicable.
ITEM 33. LOCATION OF ACCOUNTS AND RECORDS:
State the name and address of each person maintaining principal possession of each account, book or other document required to be maintained by section 31(a) of the 1940 Act Section 15 U.S.C. 80a-30(a) and the rules under that section.
All accounts, books, and other documents required to be maintained by Section 31(a) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules promulgated thereunder are maintained at the following offices:
(a) Registrant:
ETF Managers Trust
30 Maple Street, 2nd Floor 
Summit, New Jersey 07901
 
(b) Adviser:
ETF Managers Group
30 Maple Street, 2nd Floor 
Summit, New Jersey 07901
 
(c) Sub-Adviser
EquBot LLC
450 Townsend Street 
San Francisco, California 94107
(d) Sub-Adviser
Sit Fixed Income Advisors II, LLC
3300 IDS Center, 80 South 8th Street Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402
(e) Principal Underwriter:
ETFMG Financial LLC
30 Maple Street, 2nd Floor 
Summit, New Jersey 07901 
 
(f) Custodian:
U.S. Bank National Association 
Custody Operations
1555 North Rivercenter Drive, Suite 302 
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53212 

C-4


ITEM 34. MANAGEMENT SERVICES
Not Applicable.
ITEM 35. UNDERTAKINGS
Not Applicable. 
C-5


SIGNATURES
 
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Trust certifies that it meets all of the requirements for effectiveness of this Post-Effective Amendment (this “Amendment”) to its Registration Statement on Form N-1A under rule 485(b) under the Securities Act and has duly caused this Amendment to be signed below on its behalf by the undersigned, duly authorized, in the City of Summit, State of New Jersey, on June 4, 2021.
ETF Managers Trust
By: /s/ Samuel Masucci, III
Samuel Masucci, III
Trustee and President

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, this Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacity indicated on June 4, 2021.
 
Signature Title
/s/ Samuel Masucci, III Trustee and President (principal executive officer)
Samuel Masucci, III
/s/ John A. Flanagan Treasurer (principal financial officer and principal accounting officer)
John A. Flanagan
Terry Loebs* Trustee
Terry Loebs
Eric Weigel* Trustee
Eric Weigel

/s/ Samuel Masucci, III
*Samuel Masucci, III, Power of Attorney


C-6


INDEX TO EXHIBITS

Exhibit Number Description
(e)(2) Amendment No. 5 to Amended and Restated Distribution Agreement
(g)(1)(a) Amended and Restated Custody Agreement
(g)(1)(b) Amendment to Amended and Restated Custody Agreement
(h)(1)(a) Fund Servicing Agreement
(h)(1)(b) Amendment to Fund Servicing Agreement
(h)(3)(b) Third Amendment to the Securities Lending Agreement
(i)(7) Legal Opinion and Consent for ETFMG Prime 2X Daily Junior Silver Miners ETF, ETFMG Prime 2X Inverse Daily Junior Silver Miners ETF, ETFMG 2X Travel Tech ETF, ETFMG 2X Daily Video Game Tech ETF, and ETFMG 2X Alternative Harvest ETF


C-7



Amendment No. 5 to Amended and Restated Distribution Agreement

This Amendment No. 5, dated as of March 30, 2021 (the “Effective Date”), to the Amended and Restated Distribution Agreement (this “Amendment”), by and between ETF Managers Trust, a Delaware statutory trust (the “Trust”), and ETFMG Financial, LLC, a New Jersey limited liability company, having its principal place of business at 30 Maple Street, Suite 2, Summit, New Jersey 07901 (the “Distributor”).

WHEREAS, the Trust and the Distributor entered into an Amended and Restated Distribution Agreement dated as of December 26, 2017, as in effect prior to giving effect to this Amendment (the “Agreement”); and

WHEREAS, the Trust and the Distributor wish to amend the Agreement to add five new Funds to be offered under the Trust.

NOW, THEREFORE, the parties hereby agree to amend the Agreement as follows:

1. Effective as of March 30, 2021, Appendix A (List of Fund(s)) of the Agreement is hereby deleted in its entirety and replaced with a new Appendix A (List of Fund(s)) attached hereto.
 
2. Except as specifically set forth herein, all other provisions of the Agreement shall remain in full force and effect.  Any items not herein defined shall have the meaning ascribed to them in the Agreement.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Amendment as of the Effective Date.
 
ETF MANAGERS TRUST ETFMG FINANCIAL LLC
   
   
By: /s/ Sam Masucci
By: /s/ Sam Masucci
Name:  Sam Masucci Name:  Sam Masucci
Title:  CEO & CMO Title:  CEO
 





 
APPENDIX A
 
LIST OF FUND(S)
 
Fund
Ticker Symbol
ETFMG Prime Cyber Security ETF
HACK
ETMFG Prime Junior Silver Miners ETF
SILJ
ETFMG Prime Mobile Payments ETF
IPAY
ETFMG Alternative Harvest ETF
MJ
BlueStar Israel Technology ETF
ITEQ
Etho Climate Leadership U.S. ETF
ETHO
Wedbush ETFMG Global Cloud Technology ETF
IVES
Wedbush ETFMG Video Game Tech ETF
GAMR
AI Powered Equity ETF
AIEQ
ETFMG Sit Ultra Short ETF
VALT
ETFMG Travel Tech ETF
AWAY
ETFMG Treatments Testing and Advancements ETF
GERM
ETFMG U.S. Alternative Harvest ETF
MJUS
ETFMG 2X Daily Alternative Harvest ETF
MJXL
ETFMG 2X Daily Video Game Tech ETF
GAMX
ETFMG Prime 2X Daily Junior Silver Miners ETF
SILX
ETFMG Prime 2X Daily Inverse Junior Silver Miners ETF
SINV
ETFMG 2x Daily Travel Tech ETF
AWYX
 





AMENDED AND RESTATED CUSTODY AGREEMENT
THIS AMENDED AND RESTATED AGREEMENT is made and entered into as of this 1st day of May, 2021, by and between ETF MANAGERS 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 (the “Custodian”).
WHEREAS, the parties hereto entered into that certain Custody Agreement dated December 19, 2017 (the “Prior Agreement”) and desire to amend and restate the Prior Agreement in its entirety as set forth herein.
WHEREAS, the Trust is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), as an open-end management investment company and is authorized to issue shares of beneficial interest in separate series advised by one or more investment advisers (each, an “Adviser”), with each such series representing interests in a separate portfolio of securities and other assets; and
WHEREAS, the Custodian is a bank having the qualifications prescribed in Section 26(a)(1) of the 1940 Act; and
WHEREAS, the Trust desires to retain the Custodian to act as custodian of the cash and securities of each series of the Trust listed on Exhibit B hereto (as amended from time to time) (each a “Fund” and collectively, the “Funds”); and
WHEREAS, the Board of Trustees (as defined below) has delegated to the Custodian the responsibilities set forth in Rule 17f-5(c) under the 1940 Act and the Custodian is willing to undertake the responsibilities and serve as the foreign custody manager for the Trust.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the promises and mutual covenants herein contained, and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto, intending to be legally bound, do hereby agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
CERTAIN DEFINITIONS
Whenever used in this Agreement, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings set forth below unless the context otherwise requires:
1.01    “Authorized Person” means any Officer or person who has been designated as such by written notice and named in Exhibit A and delivered to the Custodian by the Trust, or if the Trust has notified the Custodian in writing that it has an authorized investment manager or other agent, delivered to the Custodian by the Trust’s investment advisor or other agent. Such Officer or person shall continue to be an Authorized Person until such time as the Custodian receives Written Instructions from the Trust or the Trust’s investment advisor or other agent that any such person is no longer an Authorized Person.
    1    


1.02    “Board of Trustees” shall mean the trustees from time to time serving under the Trust’s declaration of trust, as amended from time to time.
1.03    “Book-Entry System” shall mean a federal book-entry system as provided in Subpart O of Treasury Circular No. 300, 31 CFR 306, in Subpart B of 31 CFR Part 350, or in such book-entry regulations of federal agencies as are substantially in the form of such Subpart O.
1.04    “Business Day” shall mean any day recognized as a settlement day by The New York Stock Exchange, Inc. and any other day for which the Trust computes the net asset value of Shares of the Fund.
1.05    “Eligible Foreign Custodian” has the meaning set forth in Rule 17f-5(a)(1), including a majority-owned or indirect subsidiary of a U.S. Bank (as defined in Rule 17f-5), a bank holding company meeting the requirements of an Eligible Foreign Custodian (as set forth in Rule 17f-5 or by other appropriate action of the SEC), or a foreign branch of a Bank (as defined in Section 2(a)(5) of the 1940 Act) meeting the requirements of a custodian under Section 17(f) of the 1940 Act; the term does not include any Eligible Securities Depository.
1.06    “Eligible Securities Depository” shall mean a system for the central handling of securities as that term is defined in Rule 17f-4 and 17f-7 under the 1940 Act.
1.07    “Foreign Securities” means any investments of the Fund (including foreign currencies) for which the primary market is outside the United States and such cash and cash equivalents as are reasonably necessary to effect such Fund’s transactions in such investments.
1.08    “Fund Custody Account” shall mean any of the accounts in the name of the Trust, which is provided for in Section 3.02 below.
1.09    “IRS” shall mean the Internal Revenue Service.
1.10    “FINRA” shall mean the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc.
1.11    “Officer” shall mean the Chairman, President, any Vice President, any Assistant Vice President, the Secretary, any Assistant Secretary, the Treasurer, or any Assistant Treasurer of the Trust.
1.12    “SEC” shall mean the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
1.13    “Securities” shall include, without limitation, common and preferred stocks, bonds, call options, put options, debentures, notes, bank certificates of deposit, bankers' acceptances, mortgage-backed securities or other obligations, and any certificates, receipts, warrants or other instruments or documents representing rights to receive, purchase or subscribe for the same, or evidencing or representing any other rights or interests therein, or any similar property or assets that the Custodian or its agents have the facilities to clear and service.
2



1.14    “Securities Depository” shall mean The Depository Trust Company and any other clearing agency registered with the SEC under Section 17A of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934 Act”), which acts as a system for the central handling of Securities where all Securities of any particular class or series of an issuer deposited within the system are treated as fungible and may be transferred or pledged by bookkeeping entry without physical delivery of the Securities.
1.15    “Shares” shall mean, with respect to the Fund, the shares of common stock issued by the Trust on account of the Fund.
1.16    “Sub-Custodian” shall mean and include (i) any branch of a “U.S. bank,” as that term is defined in Rule 17f-5 under the 1940 Act, and (ii) any “Eligible Foreign Custodian” having a contract with the Custodian which the Custodian has determined will provide reasonable care of assets of the Fund based on the standards specified in Section 3.03 below. Such contract shall be in writing and shall include provisions that provide: (i) for indemnification or insurance arrangements (or any combination of the foregoing) such that the Fund will be adequately protected against the risk of loss of assets held in accordance with such contract; (ii) that the Foreign Securities will not be subject to any right, charge, security interest, lien or claim of any kind in favor of the Sub-Custodian or its creditors except a claim of payment for their safe custody or administration, in the case of cash deposits, liens or rights in favor of creditors of the Sub-Custodian arising under bankruptcy, insolvency, or similar laws; (iii) that beneficial ownership for the Foreign Securities will be freely transferable without the payment of money or value other than for safe custody or administration; (iv) that adequate records will be maintained identifying the assets as belonging to the Fund or as being held by a third party for the benefit of the Fund; (v) that the Fund’s independent public accountants will be given access to those records or confirmation of the contents of those records; and (vi) that the Fund will receive periodic reports with respect to the safekeeping of the Fund’s assets, including, but not limited to, notification of any transfer to or from the Fund's account or a third party account containing assets held for the benefit of the Fund. Such contract may contain, in lieu of any or all of the provisions specified in (i)(vi) above, such other provisions that the Custodian determines will provide, in their entirety, the same or a greater level of care and protection for Fund assets as the specified provisions.
1.17    “Written Instructions” shall mean (i) written communications actually received by the Custodian and signed by an Authorized Person, (ii) communications by facsimile or Internet electronic e-mail or any other such system from one or more persons reasonably believed by the Custodian to be an Authorized Person, or (iii) communications between electronic devices.
ARTICLE II.
APPOINTMENT OF CUSTODIAN
2.01    Appointment. The Trust hereby appoints the Custodian as custodian of all Securities and cash owned by or in the possession of the Fund at any time during the period of this
3



Agreement, on the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, and the Custodian hereby accepts such appointment and agrees to perform the services and duties set forth in this Agreement. The Trust hereby delegates to the Custodian, subject to Rule 17f-5(b), the responsibilities with respect to the Fund’s Foreign Securities, and the Custodian hereby accepts such delegation as foreign custody manager with respect to the Fund. The services and duties of the Custodian shall be confined to those matters expressly set forth herein, and no implied duties are assumed by or may be asserted against the Custodian hereunder.
2.02    Documents to be Furnished. The following documents, including any amendments thereto, will be provided contemporaneously with the execution of the Agreement to the Custodian by the Trust:
(a)    A copy of the Trust’s declaration of trust, certified by the Secretary;
(b)    A copy of the Trust’s bylaws, certified by the Secretary;
(c)    A copy of the resolutions of the Board of Trustees of the Trust appointing the Custodian, certified by the Secretary;
(d)    A copy of the current prospectuses and statements of additional information of the Trust (the “Prospectus”);
(e)    A certification of the Chairman or the President and the Secretary of the Trust setting forth the names and signatures of the current Officers of the Trust and other Authorized Persons; and
(f)    An executed authorization required by the Shareholder Communications Act of 1985, attached hereto as Exhibit D.

2.03    Notice of Appointment of Transfer Agent. The Trust agrees to notify the Custodian in writing of the appointment, termination or change in appointment of any transfer agent of the Trust, except if the Trust appoints an affiliate of the Custodian to serve as transfer agent of the Trust, the Custodian hereby waives the Trust’s obligation to provide such written notice.
ARTICLE III.
CUSTODY OF CASH AND SECURITIES
3.01    Segregation. All Securities and non-cash property held by the Custodian for the account of the Fund (other than Securities maintained in a Securities Depository, Eligible Securities Depository or Book-Entry System) shall be physically segregated from other Securities and non-cash property in the possession of the Custodian (including the Securities and non-cash property of the other series of the Trust, if applicable) and shall be identified as subject to this Agreement.
4



3.02    Fund Custody Accounts. As to each Fund, the Custodian shall open and maintain in its trust department a custody account in the name of the Trust coupled with the name of the Fund, subject only to draft or order of the Custodian, in which the Custodian shall enter and carry all Securities, cash and other assets of such Fund which are delivered to it.
3.03    Appointment of Agents.
(a)    In its discretion, the Custodian may appoint one or more Sub-Custodians to establish and maintain arrangements with (i) Eligible Securities Depositories or (ii) Eligible Foreign Custodians who are members of the Sub-Custodian’s network to hold Securities and cash of the Fund and to carry out such other provisions of this Agreement as it may determine; provided, however, that the appointment of any such agents and maintenance of any Securities and cash of the Fund shall be at the Custodian's expense and shall not relieve the Custodian of any of its obligations or liabilities under this Agreement. The Custodian shall be liable for the actions of any Sub-Custodians (regardless of whether assets are maintained in the custody of a Sub-Custodian, a member of its network or an Eligible Securities Depository) appointed by it as if such actions had been done by the Custodian.
(b)    If, after the initial appointment of Sub-Custodians by the Board of Trustees in connection with this Agreement, the Custodian wishes to appoint other Sub-Custodians to hold property of the Fund, it will so notify the Trust and make the necessary determinations as to any such new Sub-Custodian's eligibility under Rule 17f-5 under the 1940 Act.
(c)    In performing its delegated responsibilities as foreign custody manager to place or maintain the Fund’s assets with a Sub-Custodian, the Custodian will determine that the Fund’s assets will be subject to reasonable care, based on the standards applicable to custodians in the country in which the Fund’s assets will be held by that Sub-Custodian, after considering all factors relevant to safekeeping of such assets, including, without limitation the factors specified in Rule 17f-5(c)(1).
(d)    The agreement between the Custodian and each Sub-Custodian acting hereunder shall contain the required provisions set forth in Rule 17f-5(c)(2) under the 1940 Act.
(e)    At the end of each calendar quarter, the Custodian shall provide written reports notifying the Board of Trustees of the withdrawal or placement of the Securities and cash of the Fund with a Sub-Custodian and of any material changes in the Fund’s arrangements. Such reports shall include an analysis of the custody risks associated with maintaining assets with any Eligible Securities Depositories. The Custodian shall promptly take such steps as may be required to withdraw assets of the Fund from any Sub-Custodian arrangement that has ceased to meet the requirements of Rule 17f-5 or Rule 17f-7 under the 1940 Act, as applicable.
(f)    With respect to its responsibilities under this Section 3.03, the Custodian hereby warrants to the Trust that it agrees to exercise reasonable care, prudence and diligence such as a person having responsibility for the safekeeping of property of the Fund. The Custodian
5



further warrants that the Fund's assets will be subject to reasonable care if maintained with a Sub-Custodian, after considering all factors relevant to the safekeeping of such assets, including, without limitation: (i) the Sub-Custodian's practices, procedures, and internal controls for certificated securities (if applicable), its method of keeping custodial records, and its security and data protection practices; (ii) whether the Sub-Custodian has the requisite financial strength to provide reasonable care for Fund assets; (iii) the Sub-Custodian's general reputation and standing and, in the case of a Securities Depository, the Securities Depository's operating history and number of participants; and (iv) whether the Fund will have jurisdiction over and be able to enforce judgments against the Sub-Custodian, such as by virtue of the existence of any offices of the Sub-Custodian in the United States or the Sub-Custodian's consent to service of process in the United States.
(g)    The Custodian shall establish a system or ensure that its Sub-Custodian has established a system to monitor on a continuing basis (i) the appropriateness of maintaining the Fund’s assets with a Sub-Custodian or Eligible Foreign Custodians who are members of a Sub-Custodian’s network; (ii) the performance of the contract governing the Fund’s arrangements with such Sub-Custodian or Eligible Foreign Custodian’s members of a Sub-Custodian’s network; and (iii) the custody risks of maintaining assets with an Eligible Securities Depository. The Custodian must promptly notify the Fund or its investment adviser of any material change in these risks.
(h)    The Custodian shall use commercially reasonable efforts to collect all income and other payments with respect to Foreign Securities to which the Fund shall be entitled and shall credit such income, as collected, to the Trust. In the event that extraordinary measures are required to collect such income, the Trust and Custodian shall consult as to the measures and as to the compensation and expenses of the Custodian relating to such measures.
3.04    Delivery of Assets to Custodian. The Trust shall deliver, or cause to be delivered, to the Custodian all of the Fund's Securities, cash and other investment assets, including (i) all payments of income, payments of principal and capital distributions received by the Fund with respect to such Securities, cash or other assets owned by the Fund at any time during the period of this Agreement, and (ii) all cash received by the Fund for the issuance of Shares. The Custodian shall not be responsible for such Securities, cash or other assets until actually received by it.
3.05    Securities Depositories and Book-Entry Systems. The Custodian may deposit and/or maintain Securities of the Fund in a Securities Depository or in a Book-Entry System, subject to the following provisions:
(a)    The Custodian, on an on-going basis, shall deposit in a Securities Depository or Book-Entry System all Securities eligible for deposit therein and shall make use of such Securities Depository or Book-Entry System to the extent possible and practical in connection with its performance hereunder, including, without limitation, in connection
6



with settlements of purchases and sales of Securities, loans of Securities, and deliveries and returns of collateral consisting of Securities.
(b)    Securities of the Fund kept in a Book-Entry System or Securities Depository shall be kept in an account (“Depository Account”) of the Custodian in such Book-Entry System or Securities Depository which includes only assets held by the Custodian as a fiduciary, custodian or otherwise for customers.
(c)    The records of the Custodian with respect to Securities of the Fund maintained in a Book-Entry System or Securities Depository shall, by book-entry, identify such Securities as belonging to the Fund.
(d)    If Securities purchased by the Fund are to be held in a Book-Entry System or Securities Depository, the Custodian shall pay for such Securities upon (i) receipt of advice from the Book-Entry System or Securities Depository that such Securities have been transferred to the Depository Account, and (ii) the making of an entry on the records of the Custodian to reflect such payment and transfer for the account of the Fund. If Securities sold by the Fund are held in a Book-Entry System or Securities Depository, the Custodian shall transfer such Securities upon (i) receipt of advice from the Book-Entry System or Securities Depository that payment for such Securities has been transferred to the Depository Account, and (ii) the making of an entry on the records of the Custodian to reflect such transfer and payment for the account of the Fund.
(e)    The Custodian shall provide the Trust with copies of any report (obtained by the Custodian from a Book-Entry System or Securities Depository in which Securities of the Fund are kept) on the internal accounting controls and procedures for safeguarding Securities deposited in such Book-Entry System or Securities Depository.
(f)    Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, the Custodian shall be liable to the Trust for any loss or damage to the Fund resulting from (i) the use of a Book-Entry System or Securities Depository by reason of any negligence or willful misconduct on the part of the Custodian or any Sub-Custodian, or (ii) failure of the Custodian or any Sub-Custodian to enforce effectively such rights as it may have against a Book-Entry System or Securities Depository. At its election, the Trust shall be subrogated to the rights of the Custodian with respect to any claim against a Book-Entry System or Securities Depository or any other person from any loss or damage to the Fund arising from the use of such Book-Entry System or Securities Depository, if and to the extent that the Fund has not been made whole for any such loss or damage.
(g)    With respect to its responsibilities under this Section 3.05 and pursuant to Rule 17f4 under the 1940 Act, the Custodian hereby warrants to the Trust that it agrees to (i) exercise due care in accordance with reasonable commercial standards in discharging its duty as a securities intermediary to obtain and thereafter maintain such assets, (ii) provide, promptly upon request by the Trust, such reports as are available concerning the Custodian’s internal accounting controls and financial strength, and (iii) require any
7



Sub-Custodian to exercise due care in accordance with reasonable commercial standards in discharging its duty as a securities intermediary to obtain and thereafter maintain assets corresponding to the security entitlements of its entitlement holders.
3.06    Disbursement of Moneys from Fund Custody Account. Upon receipt of Written Instructions, the Custodian shall disburse moneys from the Fund Custody Account but only in the following cases:
(a)    For the purchase of Securities for the Fund but only in accordance with Section 4.01 of this Agreement and only (i) in the case of Securities (other than options on Securities, futures contracts and options on futures contracts), against the delivery to the Custodian (or any Sub-Custodian) of such Securities registered as provided in Section 3.09 below or in proper form for transfer, or if the purchase of such Securities is effected through a Book-Entry System or Securities Depository, in accordance with the conditions set forth in Section 3.05 above; (ii) in the case of options on Securities, against delivery to the Custodian (or any Sub-Custodian) of such receipts as are required by the customs prevailing among dealers in such options; (iii) in the case of futures contracts and options on futures contracts, against delivery to the Custodian (or any Sub-Custodian) of evidence of title thereto in favor of the Fund or any nominee referred to in Section 3.09 below; and (iv) in the case of repurchase or reverse repurchase agreements entered into between the Trust and a bank which is a member of the Federal Reserve System or between the Trust and a primary dealer in U.S. Government securities, against delivery of the purchased Securities either in certificate form or through an entry crediting the Custodian's account at a Book-Entry System or Securities Depository with such Securities;
(b)    In connection with the conversion, exchange or surrender, as set forth in Section 3.07(f) below, of Securities owned by the Fund;
(c)    For the payment of any dividends or capital gain distributions declared by the Fund;
(d)    In payment of the redemption price of Shares as provided in Section 5.01 below;
(e)    For the payment of any expense or liability incurred by the Fund, including, but not limited to, the following payments for the account of the Fund: interest; taxes; administration, investment advisory, accounting, auditing, transfer agent, custodian, trustee and legal fees; and other operating expenses of the Fund; in all cases, whether or not such expenses are to be in whole or in part capitalized or treated as deferred expenses;
(f)    For transfer in accordance with the provisions of any agreement among the Trust, the Custodian and a broker-dealer registered under the 1934 Act and a member of FINRA, relating to compliance with rules of the Options Clearing Corporation and of any registered national securities exchange (or of any similar organization or organizations) regarding escrow or other arrangements in connection with transactions by the Fund;
8



(g)    For transfer in accordance with the provisions of any agreement among the Trust, the Custodian and a futures commission merchant registered under the Commodity Exchange Act, relating to compliance with the rules of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and/or any contract market (or any similar organization or organizations) regarding account deposits in connection with transactions by the Fund;
(h)    For the funding of any uncertificated time deposit or other interest-bearing account with any banking institution (including the Custodian), which deposit or account has a term of one year or less; and
(i)    For any other proper purpose, but only upon receipt of Written Instructions, specifying the amount and purpose of such payment, declaring such purpose to be a proper trust purpose, and naming the person or persons to whom such payment is to be made.
3.07    Delivery of Securities from Fund Custody Account. Upon receipt of Written Instructions, the Custodian shall release and deliver, or cause the Sub-Custodian to release and deliver, Securities from the Fund Custody Account but only in the following cases:
(a)    Upon the sale of Securities for the account of the Fund but only against receipt of payment therefor in cash, by certified or cashier’s check or bank credit;
(b)    In the case of a sale effected through a Book-Entry System or Securities Depository, in accordance with the provisions of Section 3.05 above;
(c)    To an offeror’s depository agent in connection with tender or other similar offers for Securities of the Fund; provided that, in any such case, the cash or other consideration is to be delivered to the Custodian;
(d)    To the issuer thereof or its agent (i) for transfer into the name of the Fund, the Custodian or any Sub-Custodian, or any nominee or nominees of any of the foregoing, or (ii) for exchange for a different number of certificates or other evidence representing the same aggregate face amount or number of units; provided that, in any such case, the new Securities are to be delivered to the Custodian;
(e)    To the broker selling the Securities, for examination in accordance with the “street delivery” custom;
(f)    For exchange or conversion pursuant to any plan of merger, consolidation, recapitalization, reorganization or readjustment of the issuer of such Securities, or pursuant to provisions for conversion contained in such Securities, or pursuant to any deposit agreement, including surrender or receipt of underlying Securities in connection with the issuance or cancellation of depository receipts; provided that, in any such case, the new Securities and cash, if any, are to be delivered to the Custodian;
9



(g)    Upon receipt of payment therefor pursuant to any repurchase or reverse repurchase agreement entered into by the Fund;
(h)    In the case of warrants, rights or similar Securities, upon the exercise thereof, provided that, in any such case, the new Securities and cash, if any, are to be delivered to the Custodian;
(i)    For delivery in connection with any loans of Securities of the Fund, but only against receipt of such collateral as the Trust shall have specified to the Custodian in Written Instructions;
(j)    For delivery as security in connection with any borrowings by the Fund requiring a pledge of assets by the Trust, but only against receipt by the Custodian of the amounts borrowed;
(k)    Pursuant to any authorized plan of liquidation, reorganization, merger, consolidation or recapitalization of the Trust;
(l)    For delivery in accordance with the provisions of any agreement among the Trust, the Custodian and a broker-dealer registered under the 1934 Act and a member of FINRA, relating to compliance with the rules of the Options Clearing Corporation and of any registered national securities exchange (or of any similar organization or organizations) regarding escrow or other arrangements in connection with transactions by the Fund;
(m)    For delivery in accordance with the provisions of any agreement among the Trust, the Custodian and a futures commission merchant registered under the Commodity Exchange Act, relating to compliance with the rules of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and/or any contract market (or any similar organization or organizations) regarding account deposits in connection with transactions by the Fund;
(n)    For any other proper trust purpose, but only upon receipt of Written Instructions, specifying the Securities to be delivered, setting forth the purpose for which such delivery is to be made, declaring such purpose to be a proper trust purpose, and naming the person or persons to whom delivery of such Securities shall be made; or
(o)    To brokers, clearing banks or other clearing agents for examination or trade execution in accordance with market custom; provided that in any such case the Custodian shall have no responsibility or liability for any loss arising from the delivery of such securities prior to receiving payment for such securities except as may arise from the Custodian’s own negligence or willful misconduct.
3.08    Actions Not Requiring Written Instructions. Unless otherwise instructed by the Trust, the Custodian shall with respect to all Securities held for the Fund:
10



(a)    Subject to Section 9.04 below, collect on a timely basis all income and other payments to which the Fund is entitled either by law or pursuant to custom in the securities business;
(b)    Present for payment and, subject to Section 9.04 below, collect on a timely basis the amount payable upon all Securities which may mature or be called, redeemed, or retired, or otherwise become payable;
(c)    Endorse for collection, in the name of the Fund, checks, drafts and other negotiable instruments;
(d)    Surrender interim receipts or Securities in temporary form for Securities in definitive form;
(e)    Execute, as custodian, any necessary declarations or certificates of ownership under the federal income tax laws or the laws or regulations of any other taxing authority now or hereafter in effect, and prepare and submit reports to the IRS and the Trust at such time, in such manner and containing such information as is prescribed by the IRS;
(f)    Hold for the Fund, either directly or, with respect to Securities held therein, through a Book-Entry System or Securities Depository, all rights and similar Securities issued with respect to Securities of the Fund; and
(g)    In general, and except as otherwise directed in Written Instructions, attend to all non-discretionary details in connection with the sale, exchange, substitution, purchase, transfer and other dealings with Securities and other assets of the Fund.
(h)    Important information related to ADR’s and Preferential Tax Treatment: With respect to any ADRs the Fund may purchase and own and which the Custodian custodies on the Funds behalf, the Fund understands that the holding of American Depository Receipts (“ADRs”) may require the disclosure of the beneficial ownership information (Name, Address, TIN/SSN, Share amount) by the Custodian to vendors, sub-custodians, or local tax authorities in foreign jurisdictions to avoid tax penalties and to obtain the most preferential tax treatment for the Fund. The Fund acknowledges and consents to any and all disclosures or releases of beneficial information, described above, by the Custodian to any third parties relating to ADRs and release, hold harmless, and indemnify the Custodian from any liability for doing so.
3.09    Registration and Transfer of Securities. All Securities held for the Fund that are issued or issuable only in bearer form shall be held by the Custodian in that form, provided that any such Securities shall be held in a Book-Entry System if eligible therefor. All other Securities held for the Fund may be registered in the name of the Fund, the Custodian, a Sub-Custodian or any nominee thereof, or in the name of a Book-Entry System, Securities Depository or any nominee of either thereof. The records of the Custodian with respect to foreign securities of the Fund that are maintained with a Sub-Custodian in an account that is identified as belonging to the Custodian for the benefit of its customers shall identify those
11



securities as belonging to the Fund. The Trust shall furnish to the Custodian appropriate instruments to enable the Custodian to hold or deliver in proper form for transfer, or to register in the name of any of the nominees referred to above or in the name of a Book-Entry System or Securities Depository, any Securities registered in the name of the Fund.
3.10    Records.
(a)    The Custodian shall maintain complete and accurate records with respect to Securities, cash or other property held for the Fund, including (i) journals or other records of original entry containing an itemized daily record in detail of all receipts and deliveries of Securities and all receipts and disbursements of cash; (ii) ledgers (or other records) reflecting (A) Securities in transfer, (B) Securities in physical possession, (C) monies and Securities borrowed and monies and Securities loaned (together with a record of the collateral therefor and substitutions of such collateral), (D) dividends and interest received, and (E) dividends receivable and interest receivable; (iii) canceled checks and bank records related thereto; and (iv) all records relating to its activities and obligations under this Agreement. The Custodian shall keep such other books and records of the Fund as the Trust shall reasonably request, or as may be required by the 1940 Act, including, but not limited to, Section 31 of the 1940 Act and Rule 31a-2 promulgated thereunder.
(b)    All such books and records maintained by the Custodian shall (i) be maintained in a form acceptable to the Trust and in compliance with the rules and regulations of the SEC, (ii) be the property of the Trust and at all times during the regular business hours of the Custodian be made available upon request for inspection by duly authorized officers, employees or agents of the Trust and employees or agents of the SEC, and (iii) if required to be maintained by Rule 31a-1 under the 1940 Act, be preserved for the periods prescribed in Rules 31a-1 and 31a-2 under the 1940 Act.
3.11    Fund Reports by Custodian. The Custodian shall furnish the Trust with a daily activity statement and a summary of all transfers to or from each Fund Custody Account on the day following such transfers. At least monthly, the Custodian shall furnish the Trust with a detailed statement of the Securities and moneys held by the Custodian and the Sub-Custodians for the Fund under this Agreement.
3.12    Other Reports by Custodian. As the Trust may reasonably request from time to time, the Custodian shall provide the Trust with reports on the internal accounting controls and procedures for safeguarding Securities which are employed by the Custodian or any Sub-Custodian.
3.13    Proxies and Other Materials. The Custodian shall cause all proxies relating to Securities which are not registered in the name of the Fund to be promptly executed by the registered holder of such Securities, without indication of the manner in which such proxies are to be voted, and shall promptly deliver to the Trust such proxies, all proxy soliciting materials and all notices relating to such Securities. With respect to the foreign Securities,
12



the Custodian will use reasonable commercial efforts to facilitate the exercise of voting and other shareholder rights, subject to the laws, regulations and practical constraints that may exist in the country where such securities are issued. The Trust acknowledges that local conditions, including lack of regulation, onerous procedural obligations, lack of notice and other factors may have the effect of severely limiting the ability of the Trust to exercise shareholder rights.
3.14    Information on Corporate Actions. The Custodian shall promptly deliver to the Trust all information received by the Custodian and pertaining to Securities being held by the Fund with respect to optional tender or exchange offers, calls for redemption or purchase, or expiration of rights. If the Trust desires to take action with respect to any tender offer, exchange offer or other similar transaction, the Trust shall notify the Custodian at least three Business Days prior to the date on which the Custodian is to take such action. The Trust will provide or cause to be provided to the Custodian all relevant information for any Security which has unique put/option provisions at least three Business Days prior to the beginning date of the tender period.
ARTICLE IV.
PURCHASE AND SALE OF INVESTMENTS OF THE FUND
4.01    Purchase of Securities. Promptly upon each purchase of Securities for the Fund, Written Instructions shall be delivered to the Custodian, specifying (i) the name of the issuer or writer of such Securities, and the title or other description thereof, (ii) the number of shares, principal amount (and accrued interest, if any) or other units purchased, (iii) the date of purchase and settlement, (iv) the purchase price per unit, (v) the total amount payable upon such purchase, and (vi) the name of the person to whom such amount is payable. The Custodian shall upon receipt of such Securities purchased by the Fund pay out of the moneys held for the account of the Fund the total amount specified in such Written Instructions to the person named therein. The Custodian shall not be under any obligation to pay out moneys to cover the cost of a purchase of Securities for the Fund, if in the Fund Custody Account there is insufficient cash available to the Fund for which such purchase was made.
4.02    Liability for Payment in Advance of Receipt of Securities Purchased. In any and every case where payment for the purchase of Securities for the Fund is made by the Custodian in advance of receipt of the Securities purchased and in the absence of specified Written Instructions to so pay in advance, the Custodian shall be liable to the Fund for such payment.
4.03    Sale of Securities. Promptly upon each sale of Securities by the Fund, Written Instructions shall be delivered to the Custodian, specifying (i) the name of the issuer or writer of such Securities, and the title or other description thereof, (ii) the number of shares, principal amount (and accrued interest, if any), or other units sold, (iii) the date of sale and settlement, (iv) the sale price per unit, (v) the total amount payable upon such sale, and (vi) the person to whom such Securities are to be delivered. Upon receipt of the total amount
13



payable to the Fund as specified in such Written Instructions, the Custodian shall deliver such Securities to the person specified in such Written Instructions. Subject to the foregoing, the Custodian may accept payment in such form as shall be satisfactory to it, and may deliver Securities and arrange for payment in accordance with the customs prevailing among dealers in Securities.
4.04    Delivery of Securities Sold. Notwithstanding Section 4.03 above or any other provision of this Agreement, the Custodian, when instructed to deliver Securities against payment, shall be entitled, if in accordance with generally accepted market practice, to deliver such Securities prior to actual receipt of final payment therefor. In any such case, the Fund shall bear the risk that final payment for such Securities may not be made or that such Securities may be returned or otherwise held or disposed of by or through the person to whom they were delivered, and the Custodian shall have no liability for any for the foregoing.
4.05    Payment for Securities Sold. In its sole discretion and from time to time, the Custodian may credit the Fund Custody Account, prior to actual receipt of final payment thereof, with (i) proceeds from the sale of Securities which it has been instructed to deliver against payment, (ii) proceeds from the redemption of Securities or other assets of the Fund, and (iii) income from cash, Securities or other assets of the Fund. Any such credit shall be conditional upon actual receipt by Custodian of final payment and may be reversed if final payment is not actually received in full. The Custodian may, in its sole discretion and from time to time, permit the Fund to use funds so credited to the Fund Custody Account in anticipation of actual receipt of final payment. Any such funds shall be repayable immediately upon demand made by the Custodian at any time prior to the actual receipt of all final payments in anticipation of which funds were credited to the Fund Custody Account.
4.06    Advances by Custodian for Settlement. The Custodian may, in its sole discretion and from time to time, advance funds to the Trust to facilitate the settlement of the Fund's transactions in the Fund Custody Account. Any such advance shall be repayable immediately upon demand made by Custodian.
ARTICLE V.
REDEMPTION OF FUND SHARES
5.01    Transfer of Funds. From such funds as may be available for the purpose in the relevant Fund Custody Account, and upon receipt of Written Instructions specifying that the funds are required to redeem Shares of the Fund, the Custodian shall wire each amount specified in such Written Instructions to or through such bank or broker-dealer as the Trust may designate.
5.02    No Duty Regarding Paying Banks. Once the Custodian has wired amounts to a bank or broker-dealer pursuant to Section 5.01 above, the Custodian shall not be under any obligation to effect any further payment or distribution by such bank or broker-dealer.
14



ARTICLE VI.
SEGREGATED ACCOUNTS
Upon receipt of Written Instructions, the Custodian shall establish and maintain a segregated account or accounts for and on behalf of the Fund, into which account or accounts may be transferred cash and/or Securities, including Securities maintained in a Depository Account:
(a)    in accordance with the provisions of any agreement among the Trust, the Custodian and a broker-dealer registered under the 1934 Act and a member of FINRA (or any futures commission merchant registered under the Commodity Exchange Act), relating to compliance with the rules of the Options Clearing Corporation and of any registered national securities exchange (or the Commodity Futures Trading Commission or any registered contract market), or of any similar organization or organizations, regarding escrow or other arrangements in connection with transactions by the Fund;
(b)    for purposes of segregating cash or Securities in connection with securities options purchased or written by the Fund or in connection with financial futures contracts (or options thereon) purchased or sold by the Fund;
(c)    which constitute collateral for loans of Securities made by the Fund;
(d)    for purposes of compliance by the Fund with requirements under the 1940 Act for the maintenance of segregated accounts by registered investment companies in connection with reverse repurchase agreements and when-issued, delayed delivery and firm commitment transactions; and
(e)    for other proper trust purposes, but only upon receipt of Written Instructions, setting forth the purpose or purposes of such segregated account and declaring such purposes to be proper trust purposes.
Each segregated account established under this Article VI shall be established and maintained for the Fund only. All Written Instructions relating to a segregated account shall specify the Fund.
ARTICLE VII.
COMPENSATION OF CUSTODIAN
7.01    Compensation. The Custodian shall be compensated for providing the services set forth in this Agreement in accordance with the fee schedule set forth on Exhibit C hereto (as amended from time to time). The Custodian shall also be reimbursed for such miscellaneous expenses (e.g., telecommunication charges, postage and delivery charges, and reproduction charges) as are reasonably incurred by the Custodian in performing its duties hereunder. The Trust shall pay all such fees and reimbursable expenses within 30 calendar days following receipt of the billing notice, except for any fee or expense subject to a good faith dispute. The Trust shall notify the Custodian in writing within 30 calendar days following receipt of
15



each invoice if the Trust is disputing any amounts in good faith. The Trust shall pay such disputed amounts within 10 calendar days of the day on which the parties agree to the amount to be paid. With the exception of any fee or expense the Trust is disputing in good faith as set forth above, unpaid invoices shall accrue a finance charge of 1½% per month after the due date. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, amounts owed by the Trust to the Custodian shall only be paid out of the assets and property of the particular Fund involved.
7.02    Overdrafts. The Trust is responsible for maintaining an appropriate level of short term cash investments to accommodate cash outflows. The Trust may obtain a formal line of credit for potential overdrafts of its custody account. In the event of an overdraft or in the event the line of credit is insufficient to cover an overdraft, the overdraft amount or the overdraft amount that exceeds the line of credit will be charged in accordance with the fee schedule set forth on Exhibit C hereto (as amended from time to time).
ARTICLE VIII.
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
8.01    Representations and Warranties of the Trust. The Trust hereby represents and warrants to the Custodian, which representations and warranties shall be deemed to be continuing throughout the term of this Agreement, that:
(a)    It is duly organized and existing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization, with full power to carry on its business as now conducted, to enter into this Agreement and to perform its obligations hereunder;
(b)    This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Trust in accordance with all requisite action and constitutes a valid and legally binding obligation of the Trust, enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and other laws of general application affecting the rights and remedies of creditors and secured parties; and
(c)    It is conducting its business in compliance in all material respects with all applicable laws and regulations, both state and federal, and has obtained all regulatory approvals necessary to carry on its business as now conducted; there is no statute, rule, regulation, order or judgment binding on it and no provision of its charter, bylaws or any contract binding it or affecting its property which would prohibit its execution or performance of this Agreement.
8.02    Representations and Warranties of the Custodian. The Custodian hereby represents and warrants to the Trust, which representations and warranties shall be deemed to be continuing throughout the term of this Agreement, that:
16



(a)    It is duly organized and existing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization, with full power to carry on its business as now conducted, to enter into this Agreement and to perform its obligations hereunder;
(b)    It is a U.S. Bank as defined in section (a)(7) of Rule 17f-5.
(c)    This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Custodian in accordance with all requisite action and constitutes a valid and legally binding obligation of the Custodian, enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and other laws of general application affecting the rights and remedies of creditors and secured parties; and
(d)    It is conducting its business in compliance in all material respects with all applicable laws and regulations, both state and federal, and has obtained all regulatory approvals necessary to carry on its business as now conducted; there is no statute, rule, regulation, order or judgment binding on it and no provision of its charter, bylaws or any contract binding it or affecting its property which would prohibit its execution or performance of this Agreement.
ARTICLE IX.
CONCERNING THE CUSTODIAN
9.01    Standard of Care. The Custodian shall exercise reasonable care in the performance of its duties under this Agreement. The Custodian shall not be liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss suffered by the Trust in connection with its duties under this Agreement, except a loss arising out of or relating to the Custodian’s (or a Sub-Custodian’s) refusal or failure to comply with the terms of this Agreement (or any sub-custody agreement) or from its (or a Sub-Custodian’s) bad faith, negligence or willful misconduct in the performance of its duties under this Agreement (or any sub-custody agreement). The Custodian shall be entitled to rely on and may act upon advice of counsel on all matters, and shall be without liability for any action reasonably taken or omitted pursuant to such advice. The Custodian shall promptly notify the Trust of any action taken or omitted by the Custodian pursuant to advice of counsel.
9.02    Actual Collection Required. The Custodian shall not be liable for, or considered to be the custodian of, any cash belonging to the Fund or any money represented by a check, draft or other instrument for the payment of money, until the Custodian or its agents actually receive such cash or collect on such instrument.
9.03    No Responsibility for Title, etc. So long as and to the extent that it is in the exercise of reasonable care, the Custodian shall not be responsible for the title, validity or genuineness of any property or evidence of title thereto received or delivered by it pursuant to this Agreement.
17



9.04    Limitation on Duty to Collect. Custodian shall not be required to enforce collection, by legal means or otherwise, of any money or property due and payable with respect to Securities held for the Fund if such Securities are in default or payment is not made after due demand or presentation.
9.05    Reliance Upon Documents and Instructions. The Custodian shall be entitled to rely upon any certificate, notice or other instrument in writing received by it and reasonably believed by it to be genuine. The Custodian shall be entitled to rely upon any Written Instructions actually received by it pursuant to this Agreement.
9.06    Cooperation. The Custodian shall cooperate with and supply necessary information to the entity or entities appointed by the Trust to keep the books of account of the Fund and/or compute the value of the assets of the Fund. The Custodian shall take all such reasonable actions as the Trust may from time to time request to enable the Trust to obtain, from year to year, favorable opinions from the Trust's independent accountants with respect to the Custodian's activities hereunder in connection with (i) the preparation of the Trust's reports on Form N-CEN, Form N-CSR and any other reports required by the SEC or any future registration statement on Form N-1A, and (ii) the fulfillment by the Trust of any other requirements of the SEC.
ARTICLE X.
INDEMNIFICATION
10.01    Indemnification by Trust. The Trust shall indemnify and hold harmless the Custodian, any Sub-Custodian and any nominee thereof (each, an “Indemnified Party” and collectively, the “Indemnified Parties”) from and against any and all claims, demands, losses, expenses and liabilities of any and every nature (including reasonable attorneys' fees) that an Indemnified Party may sustain or incur or that may be asserted against an Indemnified Party by any person arising directly or indirectly (i) from the fact that Securities are registered in the name of any such nominee, (ii) from any action taken or omitted to be taken by the Custodian or such Sub-Custodian (a) at the request or direction of or in reliance on the advice of the Trust, or (b) upon Written Instructions, or (iii) from the performance of its obligations under this Agreement or any sub-custody agreement, provided that neither the Custodian nor any such Sub-Custodian shall be indemnified and held harmless from and against any such claim, demand, loss, expense or liability arising out of or relating to its refusal or failure to comply with the terms of this Agreement (or any sub-custody agreement), or from its bad faith, negligence or willful misconduct in the performance of its duties under this Agreement (or any sub-custody agreement). This indemnity shall be a continuing obligation of the Trust, its successors and assigns, notwithstanding the termination of this Agreement. As used in this paragraph, the terms “Custodian” and “Sub-Custodian” shall include their respective directors, officers and employees.
10.02    Indemnification by Custodian. The Custodian shall indemnify and hold harmless the Trust from and against any and all claims, demands, losses, expenses, and liabilities of any
18



and every nature (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) that the Trust may sustain or incur or that may be asserted against the Trust by any person arising directly or indirectly out of any action taken or omitted to be taken by an Indemnified Party as a result of the Indemnified Party’s refusal or failure to comply with the terms of this Agreement (or any sub-custody agreement), or from its bad faith, negligence or willful misconduct in the performance of its duties under this Agreement (or any sub-custody agreement). This indemnity shall be a continuing obligation of the Custodian, its successors and assigns, notwithstanding the termination of this Agreement. As used in this paragraph, the term “Trust” shall include the Trust’s trustees, officers and employees.
10.03    Security. If the Custodian advances cash or Securities to the Fund for any purpose, either at the Trust's request or as otherwise contemplated in this Agreement, or in the event that the Custodian or its nominee incurs, in connection with its performance under this Agreement, any claim, demand, loss, expense or liability (including reasonable attorneys' fees) (except such as may arise from its or its nominee's bad faith, negligence or willful misconduct), then, in any such event, any property at any time held for the account of the Fund shall be security therefor, and should the Fund fail promptly to repay or indemnify the Custodian, the Custodian shall be entitled to utilize available cash of such Fund and to dispose of other assets of such Fund to the extent necessary to obtain reimbursement or indemnification.
10.04    Miscellaneous.
(a)    Neither party to this Agreement shall be liable to the other party for consequential, special or punitive damages under any provision of this Agreement.
(b)    The indemnity provisions of this Article shall indefinitely survive the termination and/or assignment of this Agreement.
(c)    In order that the indemnification provisions contained in this Article X shall apply, it is understood that if in any case the indemnitor may be asked to indemnify or hold the indemnitee harmless, the indemnitor shall be fully and promptly advised of all pertinent facts concerning the situation in question, and it is further understood that the indemnitee will use all reasonable care to notify the indemnitor promptly concerning any situation that presents or appears likely to present the probability of a claim for indemnification. The indemnitor shall have the option to defend the indemnitee against any claim that may be the subject of this indemnification. In the event that the indemnitor so elects, it will so notify the indemnitee and thereupon the indemnitor shall take over complete defense of the claim, and the indemnitee shall in such situation initiate no further legal or other expenses for which it shall seek indemnification under this Article X. The indemnitee shall in no case confess any claim or make any compromise in any case in which the indemnitor will be asked to indemnify the indemnitee except with the indemnitor’s prior written consent.
19



ARTICLE XI.
FORCE MAJEURE
Neither the Custodian nor the Trust shall be liable for any failure or delay in performance of its obligations under this Agreement arising out of or caused, directly or indirectly, by circumstances beyond its reasonable control, including, without limitation, acts of God; earthquakes; fires; floods; wars; civil or military disturbances; acts of terrorism; sabotage; strikes; epidemics; riots; power failures; computer failure and any such circumstances beyond its reasonable control as may cause interruption, loss or malfunction of utility, transportation, computer (hardware or software) or telephone communication service; accidents; labor disputes; acts of civil or military authority; governmental actions; or inability to obtain labor, material, equipment or transportation; provided, however, that in the event of a failure or delay, the Custodian (i) shall not discriminate against the Fund in favor of any other customer of the Custodian in making computer time and personnel available to input or process the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and (ii) shall use its best efforts to ameliorate the effects of any such failure or delay.
ARTICLE XIII.
PROPRIETARY AND CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION
12.01    The Custodian agrees on behalf of itself and its directors, officers, and employees to treat confidentially and as proprietary information of the Trust, all records and other information relative to the Trust and prior, present, or potential shareholders of the Trust (and clients of said shareholders), and not to use such records and information for any purpose other than the performance of its responsibilities and duties hereunder, except (i) after prior notification to and approval in writing by the Trust, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld and may not be withheld where the Custodian may be exposed to civil or criminal contempt proceedings for failure to comply, (ii) when requested to divulge such information by duly constituted authorities although the Custodian will promptly report such disclosure to the Trust if disclosure is permitted by applicable law and regulation, or (iii) when so requested by the Trust. Records and other information which have become known to the public through no wrongful act of the Custodian or any of its employees, agents or representatives, and information that was already in the possession of the Custodian prior to receipt thereof from the Trust or its agent, shall not be subject to this paragraph.
12.03    Further, the Custodian will adhere to the privacy policies adopted by the Trust pursuant to Title V of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, as may be modified from time to time. In this regard, the Custodian shall have in place and maintain physical, electronic and procedural safeguards reasonably designed to protect the security, confidentiality and integrity of, and to prevent unauthorized access to or use of, records and information relating to the Trust and its shareholders.
20



12.03    The Trust agrees on behalf of itself and its directors, officers, and employees to treat confidentially and as proprietary information of the Custodian, all non-public information relative to the Custodian (including, without limitation, information regarding the Custodian’s pricing, products, services, customers, suppliers, financial statements, processes, know-how, trade secrets, market opportunities, past, present or future research, development or business plans, affairs, operations, systems, computer software in source code and object code form, documentation, techniques, procedures, designs, drawings, specifications, schematics, processes and/or intellectual property), and not to use such information for any purpose other than in connection with the services provided under this Agreement, except (i) after prior notification to and approval in writing by the Custodian, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld and may not be withheld where the Trust may be exposed to civil or criminal contempt proceedings for failure to comply, (ii) when requested to divulge such information by duly constituted authorities, or (iii) when so requested by the Custodian. Information which has become known to the public through no wrongful act of the Trust or any of its employees, agents or representatives, and information that was already in the possession of the Trust prior to receipt thereof from the Custodian, shall not be subject to this paragraph.
12.04    Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, (i) the Trust shall be permitted to disclose the identity of the Custodian as a service provider, redacted copies of this Agreement, and such other information as may be required in the Trust’s registration or offering documents, or as may otherwise be required by applicable law, rule, or regulation, and (ii) the Custodian shall be permitted to include the name of the Trust in lists of representative clients in due diligence questionnaires, RFP responses, presentations, and other marketing and promotional purposes.
ARTICLE XIII.
EFFECTIVE PERIOD; TERMINATION
13.01    Effective Period. This Agreement shall become effective as of the date first written above and will continue in effect for a period of five years.
13.02    Termination. This Agreement may be terminated by either party (in whole or with respect to one or more Funds) upon giving 90 days’ prior written notice to the other party or such shorter period as is mutually agreed upon by the parties. Subsequent to the end of the five (5) year period, this Agreement continues until one party gives 90 days’ prior written notice to the other party or such shorter period as is mutually agreed upon by the parties. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Agreement may be terminated by any party upon the breach of the other party of any material term of this Agreement if such breach is not cured within 15 days of notice of such breach to the breaching party. In addition, the Trust may, at any time, immediately terminate this Agreement in the event of the appointment of a conservator or receiver for the Custodian by regulatory authorities or upon the happening of a like event at the direction of an appropriate regulatory agency or court of competent jurisdiction.
21



13.03    Early Termination. In the absence of any material breach of this agreement, should the Trust elect to terminate this Agreement (in whole or with respect to one or more Funds) prior to the end of the five (5) year term, the Trust agrees to pay the following fees with respect to the terminating Funds (which shall be solely the responsibility of the terminating Funds):
a) All monthly fees through the life of the Agreement, including the repayment of any negotiated discounts, based on the average monthly fee charged by the Custodian to the Fund(s) affected by the termination for the 12-month period prior to such termination (excluding periods prior to the commencement of a Fund’s operations), provided that no such fees shall be paid with respect to any Fund following the liquidation of such Fund; The parties acknowledge that they are unable to contemplate every event which may give rise to an early termination and that the intention of this paragraph is not to be punitive in the event of circumstances that may materially affect the Trust’s or ETFMG’s business (e.g., a change in control of ETF Managers Group, LLC (“ETFMG”) or the reorganization or merger of one or more series of the Trust). In the event of circumstances that may materially affect the Trust’s or ETFMG’s business, the parties will determine in good faith a reasonable early termination fee, which may be less than a termination fee assessed under other circumstances. For the avoidance of doubt, a desire by ETFMG or the Trust to obtain services similar to those described in this Agreement at a lower cost shall not be considered a circumstance that materially affects the Trust’s or ETFMG’s business.
b) All miscellaneous fees associated with converting services to a successor service provider;
c) All fees associated with any record retention and/or tax reporting
obligations that may not be eliminated due to the conversion to a
successor service provider;
d) All miscellaneous actual documented costs associated with a) through c) above
13.04    Appointment of Successor Custodian. If a successor custodian shall have been appointed by the Board of Trustees, the Custodian shall, upon receipt of a notice of acceptance by the successor custodian, on such specified date of termination (i) deliver directly to the successor custodian all Securities (other than Securities held in a Book-Entry System or Securities Depository) and cash then owned by the Fund and held by the Custodian as custodian, and (ii) transfer any Securities held in a Book-Entry System or Securities Depository to an account of or for the benefit of the Fund at the successor custodian, provided that the Trust shall have paid to the Custodian all fees, expenses and other amounts to the payment or reimbursement of which it shall then be entitled. In addition, the Custodian shall, at the expense of the Trust, transfer to such successor all relevant books, records, correspondence, and other data established or maintained by the Custodian under this Agreement in a form reasonably acceptable to the Trust (if such form differs from the form in which the Custodian has maintained the same, the Trust shall pay any expenses associated with transferring the data to such form), and will cooperate in the transfer of such duties and responsibilities, including provision for assistance from the
22



Custodian’s personnel in the establishment of books, records, and other data by such successor. Upon such delivery and transfer, the Custodian shall be relieved of all obligations under this Agreement.
13.05    Failure to Appoint Successor Custodian. If a successor custodian is not designated by the Trust on or before the date of termination of this Agreement, then the Custodian shall have the right to deliver to a bank or trust company of its own selection, which bank or trust company (i) is a “bank” as defined in the 1940 Act, and (ii) has aggregate capital, surplus and undivided profits as shown on its most recent published report of not less than $25 million, all Securities, cash and other property held by the Custodian under this Agreement and to transfer to an account of or for the Fund at such bank or trust company all Securities of the Fund held in a Book-Entry System or Securities Depository. Upon such delivery and transfer, such bank or trust company shall be the successor custodian under this Agreement and the Custodian shall be relieved of all obligations under this Agreement. In addition, under these circumstances, all books, records and other data of the Trust shall be returned to the Trust.
ARTICLE XIV.

CLASS ACTIONS

The Custodian shall use its best efforts to identify and file claims for the Fund(s) involving any class action litigation that impacts any security the Fund(s) may have held during the class period. The Trust agrees that the Custodian may file such claims on its behalf and understands that it may be waiving and/or releasing certain rights to make claims or otherwise pursue class action defendants who settle their claims. Further, the Trust acknowledges that there is no guarantee these claims will result in any payment or partial payment of potential class action proceeds and that the timing of such payment, if any, is uncertain.

However, the Trust may instruct the Custodian to distribute class action notices and other relevant documentation to the Fund(s) or its designee and, if it so elects, will relieve the Custodian from any and all liability and responsibility for filing class action claims on behalf of the Fund(s).
ARTICLE XV.
MISCELLANEOUS
15.01     Compliance with Laws. The Trust has and retains primary responsibility for all compliance matters relating to the Fund, including but not limited to compliance with the 1940 Act, the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, the USA Patriot Act of 2001 and the policies and limitations of the Fund relating to its portfolio investments as set forth in its prospectus and statement of additional information on Form N-1A. The Custodian’s services hereunder shall not relieve the Trust of its responsibilities for assuring such compliance or the Board of Trustee’s oversight responsibility with respect thereto. The Trust shall
23



immediately notify the Custodian if the investment strategy of any Fund materially changes or deviates from the investment strategy disclosed in the current prospectus, or if it (or any Fund) becomes subject to any new law, rule, regulation, or order of a governmental or judicial authority of competent jurisdiction that materially impacts the operations of the Trust or any Fund or the services provided under this Agreement.
15.02    Amendment. This Agreement may not be amended or modified in any manner except by written agreement executed by the Custodian and the Trust, and authorized or approved by the Board of Trustees.
15.03     Assignment. This Agreement shall extend to and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns; provided, however, that this Agreement shall not be assignable by the Trust without the written consent of the Custodian, or by the Custodian without the written consent of the Trust accompanied by the authorization or approval of the Board of Trustees.
15.04    Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without regard to conflicts of law principles. To the extent that the applicable laws of the State of New York, or any of the provisions herein, conflict with the applicable provisions of the 1940 Act, the latter shall control, and nothing herein shall be construed in a manner inconsistent with the 1940 Act or any rule or order of the SEC thereunder.
15.05    No Agency Relationship. Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to authorize or empower either party to act as agent for the other party to this Agreement, or to conduct business in the name, or for the account, of the other party to this Agreement.
15.06    Services Not Exclusive. Nothing in this Agreement shall limit or restrict the Custodian from providing services to other parties that are similar or identical to some or all of the services provided hereunder.
15.07    Invalidity. Any provision of this Agreement which may be determined by competent authority to be prohibited or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such prohibition or unenforceability without invalidating the remaining provisions hereof, and any such prohibition or unenforceability in any jurisdiction shall not invalidate or render unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction. In such case, the parties shall in good faith modify or substitute such provision consistent with the original intent of the parties.
15.08    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:
24



Notice to the Custodian shall be sent to:
U.S. Bank N.A.
U.S. Bank Tower
425 Walnut Street, Cincinnati,
OH 45202 | CN-OH-W6TC
Attn: Global Fund Custody Support Services
Phone: 513.632.2443
Fax: 844.206.1025

and notice to the Trust shall be sent to:

ETF Managers Trust
30 Maple Street, 2nd Floor
Summit, NJ, 07901
Attn: CEO
Phone: (908) 897-0412
Email: Sam@etfmg.com
Copy to: Matt@etfmg.com


15.09    Multiple Originals. This Agreement may be executed on two or more counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed an original, but such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument.
15.10    No Waiver. No failure by either party hereto to exercise, and no delay by such party in exercising, any right hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof. The exercise by either party hereto of any right hereunder shall not preclude the exercise of any other right, and the remedies provided herein are cumulative and not exclusive of any remedies provided at law or in equity.
15.11    References to Custodian. The Trust shall not circulate any printed matter which contains any reference to Custodian without the prior written approval of Custodian, excepting printed matter contained in the Prospectus or statement of additional information for the Fund and such other printed matter as merely identifies Custodian as custodian for the Fund. The Trust shall submit printed matter requiring approval to Custodian in draft form, allowing sufficient time for review by Custodian and its counsel prior to any deadline for printing.
(signatures on the following page)

25



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

ETF MANAGERS TRUST U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
By: /s/ Samuel Masucci III By: /s/ Anita M. Zagrodnik
Name: Samuel Masucci III Name: Anita Zagrodnik
Title: Principal Executive Officer Title: Senior Vice President
5/11/2021




26



EXHIBIT A

AUTHORIZED PERSONS


    Set forth below are the names and specimen signatures of the persons authorized by the Trust to administer the Fund Custody Accounts.




Name Telephone/Fax Number Signature

























27



EXHIBIT B
to the Custody Agreement

Separate Series of ETF Managers Trust

ETFMG Prime Junior Silver Miners ETF
ETFMG Prime Cyber Security ETF
ETFMG Prime Mobile Payments ETF
BlueStar Israel Technology ETF
Etho Climate Leadership U.S. ETF
Wedbush ETFMG Global Cloud Technology ETF
Wedbush ETFMG Video Game Tech ETF
AI Powered Equity ETF
ETFMG Sit Ultra Short ETF
ETFMG Travel Tech ETF
ETFMG Treatments, Testing and Advancements ETF
ETFMG Alternative Harvest
ETFMG U.S. Alternative Harvest ETF
ETFMG 2X Alternative Harvest ETF
ETFMG Prime 2x Daily Junior Silver Miners ETF
ETFMG Prime 2x Daily Inverse Junior Silver Miners ETF
ETFMG 2x Daily Travel Tech ETF
ETFMG 2x Daily Video Game Tech ETF

28



EXHIBIT C to the Custody Agreement
Combined Fee schedule1 for:
Fund Administration, Fund Accounting, Transfer Agent, and Custody Services
Annual fee schedule based upon the aggregate net assets of the Trust, as described below.

The following applies to each series of ETF Managers Trust operational during the applicable billing period:

 
Annual Minimum Per Fund3
   
Basis Points on AUM of the Funds3
 
                 
  Per Fund $[ ]     $0 - $2 billion   [ ] bps  
          $2 - $3 billion   [ ] bps  
          $3 - $4 billion   [ ] bps  
          $4 - $5 billion   [ ] bps  
          greater than $5 billion   [ ] bps  

Each month, fees will initially be calculated (the “Initial Amount”) based on the net assets of the series of ETF Managers Trust and the above “Basis Points on AUM of the Funds” schedule. The Initial Amount will be allocated to each fund pro rata based on its month-end net assets (the “Pro Rata Amount”). Each fund will be charged the greater of the fund’s Pro Rata Amount or 1/12 of the “Annual Minimum Per Fund”.


1 This is a combined fee schedule that will cover all services provided by U.S. Bank Global Fund Services (“GFS”) pursuant to the applicable Fund Servicing Agreement, as well as the services provided by U.S. Bank National Association to the Trust pursuant to the Custody Servicing Agreement. Fees with respect to services provided by U.S. Bank National Association to the Trust pursuant to the Securities Lending Agreement are in addition to this fee schedule and as set forth in such agreement, as amended.


Fees are calculated and billed monthly - Extraordinary services quoted separately

In addition to the fees described above, additional fees may be charged to the extent that changes to applicable laws, rules or regulations require additional work or expenses related to services provided (e.g., compliance with liquidity risk management and reporting requirements).


3 Subject to annual CPI increase – All Urban Consumers – U.S. City Average.



29





EXHIBIT D

SHAREHOLDER COMMUNICATIONS ACT AUTHORIZATION

ETF Managers Trust

The Shareholder Communications Act of 1985 requires banks and trust companies to make an effort to permit direct communication between a company which issues securities and the shareholder who votes those securities.

Unless you specifically require us to NOT release your name and address to requesting companies, we are required by law to disclose your name and address.

Your “yes” or “no” to disclosure will apply to all securities U.S. Bank holds for you now and in the future, unless you change your mind and notify us in writing. A “no” election may prevent Custodian from obtaining, on your behalf, the most favorable tax rate for American Depository Receipts (ADRs) held in your account.




___x___ YES U.S. Bank is authorized to provide the Trust’s name, address and security position to requesting companies whose stock is owned by the Trust.
______ NO U.S. Bank is NOT authorized to provide the Trust’s name, address and security position to requesting companies whose stock is owned by the Trust.


ETF Managers Trust
By: /s/ Samuel Masucci III
Title: Principal Executive Officer
Date: 5/10/21


30


FIRST AMENDMENT TO THE ETF MANAGERS TRUST
AMENDED AND RESTATED CUSTODY AGREEMENT

    THIS FIRST AMENDMENT, effective as of the last date on the signature block, to the Amended and Restated Custody Agreement, dated as of May 1, 2021 (the “Agreement”), is entered into by and between U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, a national banking association organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America (the “Custodian”) and ETF MANAGERS TRUST, a Delaware statutory trust (the “Trust”).
RECITALS

    WHEREAS, the parties have entered into the Agreement; and

WHEREAS, the parties desire to amend the Agreement to add the following funds to its Series:

ETFMG Prime 2x Daily Inverse Junior Silver Miners ETF
ETFMG Prime 2x Daily Junior Silver Miners ETF
ETFMG 2x Daily Travel Tech ETF
ETFMG 2x Daily Video Game Tech ETF
ETFMG 2x Daily Alternative Harvest ETF

;and

WHEREAS, Article XV, Section 15.02 of the Agreement allows for its amendment by a written instrument executed by the Parties and authorized or approved by the Board of Trustees of the Trust.

NOW, THEREFORE, the parties hereby agree that

Exhibit B is hereby superseded and replaced in its entirety with Exhibit B 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 First Amendment to be executed by a duly authorized officer on one or more counterparts as of the date and year first written above.


ETF MANAGERS TRUST U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
By: /s/ Samuel Masucci III By: /s/ Jason Hadler
Name: Sam Masucci III Name: Jason Hadler
Title: Principal Executive Officer Title: Senior Vice President
Date: 6/3/21 Date: 6/4/21



EXHIBIT B

to the Custody Agreement

Separate Series of ETF Managers Trust

ETFMG Prime Junior Silver Miners ETF
ETFMG Prime Cyber Security ETF
ETFMG Prime Mobile Payments ETF
BlueStar TA-BIGITech Israel Technology ETF
Etho Climate Leadership U.S. ETF
Wedbush ETFMG Global Cloud Technology ETF
Wedbush ETFMG Video Game Tech ETF
AI Powered Equity ETF
ETFMG Sit Short Term ETF
ETFMG Travel Tech ETF
ETFMG Bio ETF
ETFMG Prime 2x Daily Inverse Junior Silver Miners ETF
ETFMG Prime 2x Daily Junior Silver Miners ETF
ETFMG 2x Daily Travel Tech ETF
ETFMG 2x Daily Video Game Tech ETF
ETFMG 2x Daily Alternative Harvest ETF
2


FUND SERVICING AGREEMENT
THIS FUND SERVICING AGREEMENT (the “Agreement”) is made and entered into as of the 1st day of May, 2021, by and between ETF MANAGERS TRUST, a Delaware statutory trust (the “Trust”), U.S. BANCORP FUND SERVICES, LLC d/b/a U.S. BANK GLOBAL FUND SERVICES, a Wisconsin limited liability company (“Fund Services”), and ETF MANAGERS GROUP, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“ETFMG”) solely with respect to Paragraph 25 of the Agreement.

* * * * *
WHEREAS, the parties hereto entered into that certain Amended and Restated Fund Accounting Servicing Agreement, Amended and Restated Fund Administration Servicing Agreement and Amended and Restated Transfer Agent Servicing Agreement, each dated December 19, 2017 (together the “Prior Agreements”) and desire to replace the Prior Agreements in their entirety with the Agreement.
WHEREAS, the Trust is registered as an open-end management investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), is a series trust that consists of multiple series, and is currently comprised of the series listed on Exhibit A attached hereto (each a “Fund” or an “ETF Series”); and
WHEREAS, each Fund issues shares of beneficial interest (“Shares”), and such Shares shall be created and redeemed in bundles called “Creation Units”; and
WHEREAS, the Trust, on behalf of the ETF Series, shall issue for purchase and redeem Shares of each ETF Series only in Creation Units principally in kind or in cash for portfolio securities of the particular ETF Series (“Deposit Securities”), as more fully described in the current prospectus and statement of additional information of a Fund, included in the Trust’s registration statement on Form N-1A; and
WHEREAS, “Authorized Participants” (as defined in Rule 6c-11 under the 1940 Act) that have entered into an agreement with the Fund’s particular Distributor (the “Distributor”), acting on behalf of the Trust, shall be authorized to create and redeem Shares in Creation Units from the Trust; and
WHEREAS, the Depository Trust Company, a limited purpose trust company organized under the laws of the State of New York (“DTC”), or its nominee Cede & Company, will be the registered owner (the “Shareholder”) of all Shares; and
WHEREAS, the Trust wishes to engage Fund Services as its (i) transfer agent, dividend disbursing agent, (ii) fund administrator and (iii) fund accountant pursuant to Schedules I to III attached hereto (as amended from time to time) for each ETF Series.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the promises and mutual covenants herein contained, and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto, intending to be legally bound, do hereby agree as follows:
1.Appointment of Fund Services as Transfer Agent
The Trust hereby appoints Fund Services as transfer agent of the Trust on the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, and Fund Services hereby accepts such



appointment and agrees to perform the services and duties set forth in this Agreement. The services and duties of Fund Services as transfer agent described in Schedule I attached hereto shall include those duties as are normally and customarily performed by transfer agents in conjunction with such descriptions.
2.Appointment of Fund Services as Administrator
The Trust hereby appoints Fund Services as administrator of the Trust on the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, and Fund Services hereby accepts such appointment and agrees to perform the services and duties set forth in this Agreement. The services and duties of Fund Services as fund administrator described in Schedule II attached hereto shall be confined to those matters expressly set forth herein, and no implied duties are assumed by or may be asserted against Fund Services hereunder.

3.Appointment of Fund Services as Fund Accountant
The Trust hereby appoints Fund Services as fund accountant of the Trust on the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, and Fund Services hereby accepts such appointment and agrees to perform the services and duties set forth in this Agreement. The services and duties of Fund Services as fund accountant described in Schedule III attached hereto shall be confined to those matters expressly set forth herein, and no implied duties are assumed by or may be asserted against Fund Services hereunder.

4.Delegation of Duties
Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary, Fund Services is authorized to delegate any of its obligations hereunder. Except as otherwise provided herein, all fees and expenses incurred in any delegation or sub-contract shall be paid by Fund Services and Fund Services shall remain responsible for the acts and omissions of such other entity as if such acts or omissions were those of Fund Services.
5.Compensation
Fund Services shall be compensated for providing the services set forth in this Agreement in accordance with the fee schedule set forth on Exhibit B attached hereto (as amended from time to time). Fund Services shall also be reimbursed for such miscellaneous expenses (e.g., telecommunication charges, postage and delivery charges, and reproduction charges) as are reasonably incurred by Fund Services in performing its duties hereunder. The Trust shall pay all such fees and reimbursable expenses within thirty (30) calendar days following receipt of the monthly billing notice, except for any fee or expense subject to a good faith dispute. The Trust shall notify Fund Services in writing within thirty (30) calendar days following receipt of each invoice if the Trust is disputing any amounts in good faith. The Trust shall pay such disputed amounts within ten (10) calendar days of the day on which the parties agree to the amount to be paid. With the exception of any fee or expense the Trust is disputing in good faith as set forth above, unpaid invoices shall accrue a finance charge of 1½% per month after the due date. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, and to the extent not paid by ETFMG or another person, amounts owed by the Trust to Fund Services shall only be paid out of the assets and property of the particular Fund involved.
2



6.Representations and Warranties
A.The Trust hereby represents and warrants to Fund Services, which representations and warranties shall be deemed to be continuing throughout the term of this Agreement, that:

(1)    It is duly organized and existing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization, with full power to carry on its business as now conducted, to enter into this Agreement and to perform its obligations hereunder;

(2)    This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Trust in accordance with all requisite action and constitutes a valid and legally binding obligation of the Trust, enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and other laws of general application affecting the rights and remedies of creditors and secured parties;

(3)    It is conducting its business in compliance in all material respects with all applicable laws and regulations, both state and federal, and has obtained all regulatory approvals necessary to carry on its business as now conducted; there is no statute, rule, regulation, order or judgment binding on it and no provision of its charter, bylaws or any contract binding it or affecting its property which would prohibit its execution or performance of this Agreement; and

(4)    A registration statement under the 1940 Act will be made effective prior to the effective date of this Agreement and will remain effective during the term of this Agreement, and appropriate state securities law filings, if any, will be made prior to the effective date of this Agreement and will continue to be made during the term of this Agreement as necessary to enable the Trust to make a continuous private offering of its shares. In the event that the Trust determines to make a continuous public offering of shares, a registration statement under the 1940 Act and the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, will be made and will remain effective during the term of this Agreement, and appropriate state securities law filings, if any, will be made and will continue to be made during the term of this Agreement as necessary to enable the Trust to make a continuous public offering of its shares.

(5)    All records of the Trust provided to Fund Services by the Trust or by a prior service provider of the Trust are accurate and complete and Fund Services is entitled to rely on all such records in the form provided.

B.Fund Services hereby represents and warrants to the Trust, which representations and warranties shall be deemed to be continuing throughout the term of this Agreement, that:

(1)    It is duly organized and existing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization, with full power to carry on its business as now conducted, to enter into this Agreement and to perform its obligations hereunder;
3




(2)    This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by Fund Services in accordance with all requisite action and constitutes a valid and legally binding obligation of Fund Services, enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and other laws of general application affecting the rights and remedies of creditors and secured parties;

(3)    It is conducting its business in compliance in all material respects with all applicable laws and regulations, both state and federal, and has obtained all regulatory approvals necessary to carry on its business as now conducted; there is no statute, rule, regulation, order or judgment binding on it and no provision of its charter, bylaws or any contract binding it or affecting its property which would prohibit its execution or performance of this Agreement; and
(4)    It is a registered transfer agent under the Exchange Act.
7.Standard of Care; Indemnification; Limitation of Liability
A.Fund Services shall exercise reasonable care in the performance of its duties under this Agreement. Neither Fund Services nor any of its affiliates or suppliers shall be liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law, fraud or misconduct by the Trust, any Fund, any Fund’s adviser or sub-adviser or any other service provider to the Trust or a Fund, or any employee of the foregoing; or for any loss suffered by the Trust, a Fund or any third party in connection with its duties under this Agreement (other than where such compliance would violate applicable law), including losses resulting from mechanical breakdowns or the failure of communication or power supplies beyond Fund Services’ control, except a loss arising out of or relating to Fund Services’ refusal or failure to comply with the terms of this Agreement or from its bad faith, negligence, or willful misconduct in the performance of its duties under this Agreement. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, if Fund Services has exercised reasonable care in the performance of its duties under this Agreement, the Trust shall indemnify and hold harmless Fund Services and its suppliers from and against any and all claims, demands, losses, expenses, and liabilities of any and every nature (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) that Fund Services or its suppliers may sustain or incur or that may be asserted against Fund Services or its suppliers by any person arising out of or related to (i) any action taken or omitted to be taken by it in performing the services hereunder (ii) in accordance with the foregoing standards, or (iii) in reliance upon any written or oral instruction provided to Fund Services by any duly authorized officer of the Trust, as approved by the Board of Trustees of the Trust, or (iv) the Data (as defined in Schedule II hereto), or any information, service, report, analysis or publication derived therefrom, except for any and all claims, demands, losses, expenses, and liabilities arising out of or relating to Fund Services’ refusal or failure to comply with the terms of this Agreement (other than where such compliance would violate applicable law) or from its bad faith, negligence or willful misconduct in the performance of its duties under this Agreement. This indemnity shall be a continuing obligation of the Trust, its successors and assigns, notwithstanding the termination of this
4



Agreement. As used in this paragraph, the term “Fund Services” shall include Fund Services’ directors, officers and employees.
Each Fund shall indemnify Fund Services against and save Fund Services harmless from any loss, damage or expense, including counsel fees and other costs and expenses of a defense against any claim or liability, arising from any one or more of the following:
Errors in records or instructions, explanations, information, specifications or documentation of any kind, as the case may be, supplied to Fund Services by any third party described above or by or on behalf of a Fund;
Action or inaction taken or omitted to be taken by Fund Services pursuant to written or oral instructions of the fund or otherwise without negligence or willful misconduct.
Any action taken or omitted to be taken by Fund Services in good faith in accordance with the advice or opinion of counsel for a Fund or its own counsel;
Any improper use by a Fund or its agents, distributor or investment advisor of any valuations or computations supplied by Fund Services pursuant to this Agreement.

Fund Services shall indemnify and hold the Trust harmless from and against any and all claims, demands, losses, expenses, and liabilities of any and every nature (including reasonable attorneys' fees) that the Trust may sustain or incur or that may be asserted against the Trust by any person arising out of any action taken or omitted to be taken by Fund Services as a result of Fund Services’ refusal or failure to comply with the terms of this Agreement, or from its bad faith, negligence, or willful misconduct in the performance of its duties under this Agreement. This indemnity shall be a continuing obligation of Fund Services, its successors and assigns, notwithstanding the termination of this Agreement. As used in this paragraph, the term “Trust” shall include the Trust’s trustees, officers and employees.

In no case shall any party be liable to any other for (i) any special, indirect or consequential damages, loss of profits or goodwill (even if advised of the possibility of such); or (ii) any delay by reason of circumstances beyond its control, including acts of civil or military authority, national emergencies, labor difficulties, fire, mechanical breakdown, flood or catastrophe, acts of God, insurrection, war, riots, or failure beyond its control of transportation or power supply.

In the event of a mechanical breakdown or failure of communication or power supplies beyond its control, Fund Services shall take all reasonable steps to minimize service interruptions for any period that such interruption continues. Fund Services will make every reasonable effort to restore any lost or damaged data and correct any errors resulting from such a breakdown at the expense of Fund Services. Fund Services agrees that it shall, at all times, have reasonable business continuity and disaster recovery contingency plans with appropriate parties, making reasonable provision for emergency use of electrical data processing equipment to the extent appropriate equipment is available. Representatives of the Trust shall be entitled to inspect Fund Services’ premises
5



and operating capabilities at any time during regular business hours of Fund Services, upon reasonable notice to Fund Services. Moreover, Fund Services shall provide the Trust, at such times as the Trust may reasonably require, copies of reports rendered by independent accountants on the internal controls and procedures of Fund Services relating to the services provided by Fund Services under this Agreement.

Notwithstanding the above, Fund Services reserves the right to reprocess and correct administrative errors at its own expense.

B.In order that the indemnification provisions contained in this section shall apply, it is understood that if in any case the indemnitor may be asked to indemnify or hold the indemnitee harmless, the indemnitor shall be fully and promptly advised of all pertinent facts concerning the situation in question, and it is further understood that the indemnitee will use all reasonable care to notify the indemnitor promptly concerning any situation that presents or appears likely to present the probability of a claim for indemnification. The indemnitor shall have the option to defend the indemnitee against any claim that may be the subject of this indemnification. In the event that the indemnitor so elects, it will so notify the indemnitee and thereupon the indemnitor shall take over complete defense of the claim, and the indemnitee shall in such situation initiate no further legal or other expenses for which it shall seek indemnification under this section. The indemnitee shall in no case confess any claim or make any compromise in any case in which the indemnitor will be asked to indemnify the indemnitee except with the indemnitor’s prior written consent.
C.The indemnity and defense provisions set forth in this Section 9 shall indefinitely survive the termination and/or assignment of this Agreement.
D.If Fund Services is acting in another capacity for the Trust pursuant to a separate agreement, nothing herein shall be deemed to relieve Fund Services of any of its obligations in such other capacity.
E.In conjunction with the tax services provided to each Fund by Fund Services hereunder, Fund Services shall not be deemed to act as an income tax return preparer for any purpose including as such term is defined under Section 7701(a)(36) of the Internal Revenue Code (“IRC”), or any successor thereof. Any information provided by Fund Services to a Fund for income tax reporting purposes with respect to any item of income, gain, loss, or credit will be performed solely in Fund Services’ administrative capacity. Fund Services shall not be required to determine, and shall not take any position with respect to whether, the reasonable belief standard described in Section 6694 of the IRC has been satisfied with respect to any income tax item. Each Fund, and any appointees thereof, shall have the right to inspect the transaction summaries produced and aggregated by Fund Services, and any supporting documents thereto, in connection with the tax reporting services provided to each Fund by Fund Services. Fund Services shall not be liable for the provision or omission of any tax advice with respect to any information provided by Fund Services to a Fund. The tax information provided by Fund Services shall be pertinent to the
6



data and information made available to us, and is neither derived from nor construed as tax advice
8.Notification of Error
The Trust will notify Fund Services of any discrepancy between Fund Services and the Trust, including, but not limited to, failing to account for a security position in the Fund’s portfolio, not later than the latest to occur of: (i) three business days after receipt of any reports rendered by Fund Services to the Trust; (ii) three business days after discovery of any error or omission not covered in the balancing or control procedure; or (iii) three business days after receiving notice from any shareholder regarding any such discrepancy.
9.Data Necessary to Perform Services
The Trust or its agent shall furnish to Fund Services the data necessary to perform the services described herein at such times and in such form as mutually agreed upon.

10.Proprietary and Confidential Information
A.Fund Services agrees on behalf of itself and its directors, officers, and employees to treat confidentially and as proprietary information of the Trust, all records and other information relative to the Trust and prior, present, or potential shareholders of the Trust (and clients of said shareholders), and not to use such records and information for any purpose other than the performance of its responsibilities and duties hereunder, except (i) after prior notification to and approval in writing by the Trust, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld and may not be withheld where Fund Services may be exposed to civil or criminal contempt proceedings for failure to comply, (ii) when requested to divulge such information by duly constituted authorities, or (iii) when so requested by the Trust. Records and other information which have become known to the public through no wrongful act of Fund Services or any of its employees, agents or representatives, and information that was already in the possession of Fund Services prior to receipt thereof from the Trust or its agent, shall not be subject to this paragraph.
Further, Fund Services will adhere to the privacy policies adopted by the Trust pursuant to Title V of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, as may be modified from time to time. In this regard, Fund Services shall have in place and maintain physical, electronic and procedural safeguards reasonably designed to protect the security, confidentiality and integrity of, and to prevent unauthorized access to or use of, records and information relating to the Trust and its shareholders.
B.The Trust agrees on behalf of itself and its directors, officers, and employees to treat confidentially and as proprietary information of Fund Services, all non-public information relative to Fund Services (including, without limitation, information regarding Fund Services’ pricing, products, services, customers, suppliers, financial statements, processes, know-how, trade secrets, market opportunities, past, present or future research, development or business plans, affairs, operations, systems, computer software in source code and object code form, documentation, techniques, procedures, designs, drawings, specifications, schematics, processes and/or intellectual property), and not to use such
7



information for any purpose other than in connection with the services provided under this Agreement, except (i) after prior notification to and approval in writing by Fund Services, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld and may not be withheld where the Trust may be exposed to civil or criminal contempt proceedings for failure to comply, (ii) when requested to divulge such information by duly constituted authorities, or (iii) when so requested by the Fund Services. Information which has become known to the public through no wrongful act of the Trust or any of its employees, agents or representatives, and information that was already in the possession of the Trust prior to receipt thereof from Fund Services, shall not be subject to this paragraph.
C.Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, (i) the Trust shall be permitted to disclose the identity of Fund Services as a service provider, redacted copies of this Agreement, and such other information as may be required in the Trust’s registration or offering documents, or as may otherwise be required by applicable law, rule, or regulation, and (ii) Fund Services shall be permitted to include the name of the Trust in lists of representative clients in due diligence questionnaires, RFP responses, presentations, and other marketing and promotional purposes.
11.Records
Fund Services shall keep records relating to the services to be performed hereunder in the form and manner, and for such period, as it may deem advisable and is agreeable to the Trust, but not inconsistent with the rules and regulations of appropriate government authorities, in particular, Section 31 of the 1940 Act and the rules thereunder. Fund Services agrees that all such records prepared or maintained by Fund Services relating to the services to be performed by Fund Services hereunder are the property of the Trust and will be preserved, maintained, and made available in accordance with such applicable sections and rules of the 1940 Act and will be promptly surrendered to the Trust or its designee on and in accordance with its request. Notwithstanding the foregoing, USBGFS may retain such copies of such records in such form as may be required to comply with any applicable law, rule, regulation, or order of any governmental, regulatory, or judicial authority of competent jurisdiction.
12.    Compliance with Laws
A.The Trust has and retains primary responsibility for all compliance matters relating to the Trust, including but not limited to compliance with the 1940 Act, the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, the USA Patriot Act of 2001 and the policies and limitations of the Trust relating to its portfolio investments as set forth in its Prospectus and statement of additional information (or similar disclosure documents) included in its registration statement on Form N-1A filed with the SEC. Fund Services’ services hereunder shall not relieve the Trust of its responsibilities for assuring such compliance or the Board of Trustee’s oversight responsibility with respect thereto.
B.The Trust shall, as promptly as practicable under the circumstances, notify Fund Services if the investment strategy of any Fund materially changes and deviates from the investment strategy set out in the current prospectus or if it (or any Fund) becomes subject to any new law, rule, regulation, or order of a governmental or
8



judicial authority of competent jurisdiction that materially impacts the operations of the Trust or any Fund or the services provided under this Agreement.
C.If, and to the extent that, the General Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679, as amended (“GDPR”) or the Cayman Islands Data Protection Law, 2017, as amended (“DPL”), are applicable to Fund Services and the Trust the following provisions shall apply:
(1)    The parties agree Fund Services is a “Data Processor” under GDPR and DPL, as applicable, in the performance of its services under this the Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the parties agree Fund Services is a “Data Controller” under GDPR and DPL, as applicable, solely for the purpose of fulfilling its own pre-contractual AML/KYC new fund client onboarding obligations. In either case, the Trust shall ensure that all necessary and appropriate consents, disclosures and notices, including data subject consents, are in place to enable the processing of “Personal Data” (as defined by GDPR and DPL) by Fund Services, the transfer of Personal Data to Fund Services, and the transfer of Personal Data by Fund Services to third countries or regulatory organizations.
(2)    The parties further agree the Trust is a “Data Controller” under GDPR and DPL, as applicable. The Trust, either alone or jointly with others, determines or controls the content, use, purpose and means of processing the Personal Data.
(3)    Fund Services shall process the Personal Data: (i) in accordance with instructions of the Trust pursuant to this Agreement and any authorized persons list executed pursuant thereto, for the purpose of discharging Fund Services’ obligations under the Agreement; and (ii) when required by law or regulation, or required or requested by any court or regulator (each a “Processing Order”) to which Fund Services is subject. In the event Fund Services receives a request to process Personal Data pursuant to any Processing Order, it shall, to the extent legally permissible and reasonably practicable under the circumstances, notify the Trust prior to processing.
(4)    Fund Services shall:
i.ensure that persons handling Personal Data on its behalf are subject to confidentiality obligations similar to those contained in this Agreement;
ii.implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect Personal Data including against unauthorized or unlawful processing and against accidental loss, damage or destruction;
iii.only appoint sub-processors with the prior written consent of the Trust (standing instructions or general written authorization are sufficient), and only if the sub-processors provide sufficient guarantees in writing to Fund Services that they have implemented appropriate technical and
9



organizational measures in such a manner that processing will comply with GDPR and DPL, as applicable1;
iv.provide reasonable assistance to the Trust in ensuring their compliance with obligations regarding Personal Data breaches, data protection impact assessments and prior consultation subject to the nature of the processing and the information reasonably available to Fund Services, and inform the Trust of Personal Data breaches without undue delay;
v.at the written direction of the Trust, delete or return all Personal Data to the Trust after the end of the provision of services under the Agreement relating to processing, and delete existing copies of Personal Data unless applicable law or internal data retention or backup procedures require the storage of such Personal Data; and
vi.make available to the Trust all information reasonably necessary to demonstrate compliance with GDPR or DPL, as applicable, and allow for and reasonably cooperate with audits, including inspections, conducted by the Trust or its auditor; and immediately inform the Trust if, in its opinion, the Trust’s instructions regarding this subsection infringes on GDPR or DPL.
(5)    Each party shall comply with any other applicable law or regulation which implements GDPR and DPL in relation to the Personal Data. Nothing in the Agreement shall be construed as preventing either party from taking such other steps as are necessary to comply with GDPR, DPL or any other applicable data protection laws.
13.Term of Agreement; Amendment
This Agreement shall become effective as of the date first written above and will continue in effect for a period of five (5) years. This Agreement may be terminated by either party (in whole or with respect to one or more Funds) upon giving 90 days’ prior written notice to the other party or such shorter period as is mutually agreed upon by the parties. Subsequent to the end of the five (5) year period, this Agreement continues until one party gives 90 days’ prior written notice to the other party or such shorter notice period as is mutually agreed upon by the parties. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Agreement may be terminated by any party upon the breach of the other party of any material term of this Agreement if such breach is not cured within 15 days of notice of such breach to the breaching party. This Agreement may not be amended or modified in any manner except by written agreement executed by Fund Services and the Trust, and authorized or approved by the Board of Trustees of the Trust.
14.Early Termination
In the absence of any material breach of this Agreement, should the Trust elect to terminate this Agreement prior to the end of the five year term (in whole or with respect
1 For the avoidance of doubt, Fund Services’ affiliates and third-party software providers will be used as sub-processors under this Agreement, and the Trust hereby authorizes such use.
10



to one or more Funds), the Trust agrees to pay the following fees with respect to the terminating Funds (which shall be solely the responsibility of the terminating Funds):
a)all monthly fees through the life of the Agreement, including repayment of any negotiated discounts, based on the average monthly fee charged by Fund Services to the Fund(s) affected by the termination for the 12-month period prior to such termination (excluding periods prior to the commencement of a Fund’s operations), provided that no such fees shall be paid with respect to any Fund following the liquidation of such Fund. The parties acknowledge that they are unable to contemplate every event which may give rise to an early termination and that the intention of this paragraph is not to be punitive in the event of circumstances that may materially affect the Trust’s or ETFMG’s business (e.g., a change in control of ETFMG or the reorganization or merger of one or more series of the Trust). In the event of circumstances that may materially affect the Trust’s or ETFMG’s business, the parties will determine in good faith a reasonable early termination fee, which may be less than a termination fee assessed under other circumstances. For the avoidance of doubt, a desire by ETFMG or the Trust to obtain services similar to those described in Schedules I through III of this Agreement at a lower cost shall not be considered a circumstance that materially affects the Trust’s or ETFMG’s business.
b)all fees associated with converting services to a successor service provider;
c)all fees associated with any record retention and/or tax reporting obligations that may not be eliminated due to the conversion to a successor service provider;
d)all actual and documented miscellaneous costs associated with a-c above.
15.Duties in the Event of Termination
In the event that, in connection with termination, a successor to any of Fund Services’ duties or responsibilities hereunder is designated by the Trust by written notice to Fund Services, Fund Services will promptly, upon such termination and at the expense of the Trust, transfer to such successor all relevant books, records, correspondence, and other data established or maintained by Fund Services under this Agreement in a form reasonably acceptable to the Trust (if such form differs from the form in which Fund Services has maintained the same, the Trust shall pay any expenses associated with transferring the data to such form), and will cooperate in the transfer of such duties and responsibilities, including provision for assistance from Fund Services’ personnel in the establishment of books, records, and other data by such successor. The Trust shall also pay any fees associated with record retention and/or tax reporting obligations that may not be eliminated due to a conversion to a successor provider. If no such successor is designated, then such books, records and other data shall be returned to the Trust.
16.Assignment
This Agreement shall extend to and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns; provided, however, that this Agreement shall not be assignable by the Trust without the written consent of Fund Services, or by Fund Services without the written consent of the Trust accompanied by the authorization or approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees.
11



17.Governing Law
This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without regard to conflicts of law principles. To the extent that the applicable laws of the State of New York, or any of the provisions herein, conflict with the applicable provisions of the 1940 Act, the latter shall control, and nothing herein shall be construed in a manner inconsistent with the 1940 Act or any rule or order of the Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder.
18.No Agency Relationship
Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to authorize or empower either party to act as agent for the other party to this Agreement, or to conduct business in the name, or for the account, of the other party to this Agreement.

19.Services Not Exclusive
Nothing in this Agreement shall limit or restrict Fund Services from providing services to other parties that are similar or identical to some or all of the services provided hereunder.

20.Invalidity
Any provision of this Agreement which may be determined by competent authority to be prohibited or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such prohibition or unenforceability without invalidating the remaining provisions hereof, and any such prohibition or unenforceability in any jurisdiction shall not invalidate or render unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction. In such case, the parties shall in good faith modify or substitute such provision consistent with the original intent of the parties.

21.Legal-Related Services
Nothing in this Agreement shall be deemed to appoint Fund Services and its officers, directors and employees as the Fund attorneys, form attorney-client relationships or require the provision of legal advice. No work performed by employees of USBGFS or its affiliates (whether relating to the preparation or filing of regulatory materials, compliance with applicable laws, rules, or regulations, or otherwise) shall constitute legal advice. The Trust acknowledges that employees of USBGFS and its affiliates who are attorneys do not represent the Trust and rely on outside counsel retained by the Trust to review all services provided by Fund Services and to provide independent judgment on the Trust’s behalf. The Trust acknowledges that because no attorney-client relationship exists between the Trust and USBGFS (or any employee of USBGFS or its affiliates), any information provided may not be privileged and may be subject to compulsory disclosure, if not otherwise subject to the confidentiality provisions hereunder.
22.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,
12



return receipt requested, or on the date sent and confirmed received by facsimile transmission to the other party’s address set forth below:
Notice to Fund Services shall be sent to:
U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Attn: President

and notice to the Trust shall be sent to:
ETF Managers Trust
30 Maple Street, 2nd Floor
Summit, NJ, 07901
Attn: CEO
Phone: (908) 897-0412
Email: Sam@etfmg.com
Copy to: Matt@etfmg.com

23.No Third Party Rights
Nothing expressed or referred to in this Agreement will be construed to give any third party (including, without limitation, shareholders of any Fund) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or with respect to this Agreement.
24.Multiple Originals
This Agreement may be executed on two or more counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original, but such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument.
25.Exclusivity
ETFMG represents and warrants that, in the event (i) it becomes or expects to become an investment adviser to an open-end exchange-traded fund registered under the 1940 Act that is not a series of the Trust (each, an “Excluded Series”) and (ii) Fund Services offers services of a similar nature, extent, and quality as the services described in Schedules I through III of this Agreement for funds similar in structure to the Excluded Series, ETFMG will take all steps necessary to cause such Excluded Series to enter into an agreement with Fund Services to provide the services described in this Agreement to such Excluded Series on terms no less favorable to Fund Services than those applicable to the Funds.


13



Signatures on the following page

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

ETF MANAGERS TRUST
By: /s/ Samuel Masucci III
Name: Samuel Masucci III
Title: Principal Executive Officer
Date: 5/10/21
U.S. BANCORP FUND SERVICES, LLC
By: /s/ Anita M. Zagrodnik
Name: Anita Zagrodnik
Title: Senior Vice President
Date: 5/11/2021

14



Schedule I
Transfer Agent Services
I.CORE SERVICES
1.Fund Services shall provide the following transfer agent and dividend disbursing agent services to each Fund:

a.Facilitate purchases and redemption of Creation Units;
b.Prepare and transmit by means of DTC’s book-entry system payments for dividends and distributions on or with respect to the Shares declared by the Trust on behalf of the applicable Fund;
c.Maintain the record of the name and address of the Shareholder and the number of Shares issued by the Trust and held by the Shareholder;
d.Record the issuance of Shares of the Trust and maintain a record of the total number of Shares of the Trust which are outstanding, and, based upon data provided to it by the Trust, the total number of authorized Shares. Fund Services shall have no obligation, when recording the issuance of Shares, to monitor the issuance of such Shares.
e.Prepare and transmit to the Trust and the Trust’s administrator and/or sub-administrator and to any applicable securities exchange (as specified to Fund Services by the Trust) information with respect to purchases and redemptions of Shares;
f.On days that the Trust may accept orders for purchases or redemptions, calculate and transmit to Fund Services and the Trust the number of outstanding Shares;
g.On days that the Trust may accept orders for purchases or redemptions (pursuant to the Authorized Participant Agreement), transmit to Fund Services, the Trust and DTC the amount of Shares purchased on such day;
h.Confirm to DTC the number of Shares issued to the Shareholder, as DTC may reasonably request;
i.Prepare and deliver other reports, information and documents to DTC as DTC may reasonably request;
j.Extend the voting rights to the Shareholder for extension by DTC to DTC participants and the beneficial owners of Shares in accordance with policies and procedures of DTC for book-entry only securities;
k.Maintain those books and records of the Trust specified by the Trust and agreed upon by Fund Services;
l.Prepare a monthly report of all purchases and redemptions of Shares during such month on a gross transaction basis, and identify on a daily basis the net number of Shares either redeemed or purchased on such business day and with respect to each Authorized Participant purchasing or redeeming Shares, the amount of Shares purchased or redeemed;
m.Receive from the Distributor or from its agent purchase orders from Authorized Participants (as defined in the Authorized Participant Agreement) for Creation Unit Aggregations of Shares received in good form and accepted by or on behalf of the Trust by the Distributor, transmit appropriate trade instructions to the NSCC, if applicable, and pursuant to such orders issue the appropriate number of Shares of the Trust and hold such Shares in the account of the Shareholder for each of the respective Funds;
15



n.Receive from the Authorized Participants redemption requests, deliver the appropriate documentation thereof to the Trust’s custodian, generate and transmit or cause to be generated and transmitted confirmation of receipt of such redemption requests to the Authorized Participants submitting the same; transmit appropriate trade instructions to the NSCC, if applicable, and redeem the appropriate number of Creation Unit Aggregations of Shares held in the account of the Shareholder for each of the respective Funds; and
o.Confirm the name, U.S. taxpayer identification number and principle place of business of each Authorized Participant.
2.In addition to the services set forth above, Fund Services shall perform the customary services of a transfer agent and dividend disbursing agent including, but not limited to, maintaining the account of the Shareholder; and obtaining at the request of the Trust from the Shareholder a list of DTC participants holding interests in the Global Certificate.

3.Fund Services shall keep records relating to the services to be performed hereunder, in the form and manner required by applicable laws, rules, and regulations under the 1940 Act and to the extent required by Section 31 of the 1940 Act and the rules thereunder (the “Rules”), all such books and records shall be the property of the Trust, will be preserved, maintained and made available in accordance with such Section and Rules, and will be surrendered promptly to the Trust on and in accordance with its request.
II.Lost Shareholder Due Diligence Searches and Servicing
The Trust hereby acknowledges that Fund Services has an arrangement with an outside vendor to conduct lost shareholder searches required by Rule 17Ad-17 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). Costs associated with such searches will be passed through to the Trust, on behalf of each applicable Fund, as an out-of-pocket expense in accordance with the fee schedule set forth on each applicable Exhibit  attached hereto. If a shareholder remains lost and the shareholder’s account unresolved after completion of the mandatory Rule 17Ad-17 search, the Trust hereby authorizes Fund Services to conduct a more in-depth search in order to locate the lost shareholder before the shareholder’s assets escheat to the applicable state to enter into agreements with vendors to conduct such additional searches, and to charge the costs of such additional searches to the account of the lost shareholder.
IV.    Anti-Money Laundering and Red Flag Identity Theft Prevention Programs
The Trust acknowledges that it has had an opportunity to review, consider and comment upon the written procedures provided by Fund Services describing various tools used by Fund Services which are designed to promote the detection and reporting of potential money laundering activity by monitoring certain aspects of shareholder activity as well as written procedures for verifying a customer’s identity (collectively, the “Procedures”). Further, the Trust has determined that the Procedures, as part of the Trust’s overall anti-money laundering program and the Red Flag Identity Theft Prevention program, are reasonably designed to prevent the Trust from being used for money laundering or the financing of terrorist activities and to achieve compliance with the applicable provisions of the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act of 2003 and the USA Patriot Act of 2001 and the implementing regulations thereunder (together “AML Rules”).
16



Based on this determination, the Trust hereby instructs and directs Fund Services to implement the Procedures, as applicable, on the Trust’s behalf, as such may be amended or revised from time to time. It is contemplated that these Procedures will be amended from time to time by t Fund Services and any such amended Procedures will be provided to the Trust. Should the Trust desire that Fund Services perform services not provided for in the Procedures, such additional services and the associated cost must be specifically detailed in the attached fee schedule.
The Trust acknowledges and agrees that although it is directing Fund Services to implement the Procedures on its behalf, Fund Services is implementing the Procedures as a service provider to the Trust and the Trust is and remains ultimately responsible for complying with all applicable laws, rules, and regulations with respect to anti-money laundering, customer identification, identity theft prevention, economic sanctions, and terrorist financing, whether under the AML Rules, or otherwise, such as, the establishment and board adoption of its own formal anti-money laundering program and the designation of its own anti-money laundering officer, as applicable.
The Trust further acknowledges and agrees that certain portions of the Procedures are applicable to certain products, entities, structures, or geographies and, accordingly, certain portions of the Procedures may not be implemented with respect to the Trust. The Trust has had the opportunity to discuss the Procedures with Fund Services, and the Trust understands and agrees which portions of the Procedures may not be implemented on behalf of the Trust. Without limitation of the foregoing, Fund Services shall not be responsible for providing anti-money laundering or customer identification services with respect to certain intermediary or dealer-controlled customer accounts (i.e., level 0 sub-accounts through the Fund/SERV system operated by the National Securities Clearing Corporation) and other fund client relationships where there is a sub-transfer agency or similar arrangement between the Trust and the intermediary.
The Trust hereby directs, and Fund Services acknowledges, that Fund Services shall (i) permit federal regulators access to such information and records maintained by Fund Services and relating to Fund Services’ implementation of the Procedures, on behalf of the Trust, as they may request, and (ii) permit such federal regulators to inspect Fund Services’ implementation of the Procedures on behalf of the Trust.


17



Schedule II
Fund Administration Services
I.CORE SERVICES
Fund Services shall provide the following administration services to a Fund:
A.General Fund Management:
(1)Act as liaison among Fund service providers, including but not exclusive to Adviser, Sub-Adviser, authorized participants, external legal counsel, accounting and audit firms and external compliance consultants.

(2)Supply:
a.Office facilities (which may be in a Fund Services office or in an affiliate’s office).
b.Non-investment-related statistical and research data as requested.

(3)Coordinate the Trust’s board of trustees’ (the “Board of Trustees” or the “Trustees”) communications, such as:
a.Prepare meeting agendas and resolutions, with the assistance of Fund counsel and Adviser in-house counsel.
b.Prepare reports for the Board of Trustees based on financial and administrative data.
c.Assist with the selection of the independent auditor.
d.Secure and monitor fidelity bond and director and officer liability coverage, and make the necessary Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) filings relating thereto.
e.Prepare minutes of meetings of the Board of Trustees and Fund shareholders.
f.Recommend dividend declarations to the Board of Trustees and prepare and distribute to appropriate parties notices announcing declaration of dividends and other distributions to shareholders.
g.Attend Board of Trustees meetings and present materials for Trustees’ review at such meetings.

(4)Audits:
a.For the annual Fund audit, prepare appropriate schedules and materials. Provide requested information to the independent auditors, and facilitate the audit process.
b.For SEC, FINRA or other regulatory audits, provide requested information to the SEC or other regulatory agencies and facilitate the audit process.
c.For all audits, provide office facilities, as needed.

(5)Assist with overall operations of the Fund.
(6)Pay Fund expenses upon written authorization from the Trust.
(7)Keep the Trust’s governing documents, including its charter, bylaws and minute books, but only to the extent such documents are provided to Fund Services by the Trust or its representatives for safe keeping.

18



B.Compliance:
(1)Regulatory Compliance:
a.Monitor compliance with the 1940 Act requirements, including:
(i)    Asset and diversification tests.
(ii)    Total return and SEC yield calculations.
(iii)    Maintenance of books and records under Rule 31a-3.
(iv)    Code of ethics requirements under Rule 17j-1 for the disinterested Trustees.

b.Monitor Fund's compliance with the policies and investment limitations as set forth in its prospectus (the “Prospectus”) and statement of additional information (the “SAI”).

c.Perform its duties hereunder in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations and provide any sub-certifications reasonably requested by the Trust in connection with (i) any certification required of the Trust pursuant to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the “SOX Act”) or any rules or regulations promulgated by the SEC thereunder, and (ii) the operation of Fund Services’ compliance program as it relates to the Trust, provided the same shall not be deemed to change Fund Services’ standard of care as set forth herein.

d.Monitor applicable regulatory and operational service issues, including exchange listing requirements, and update Board of Trustees periodically.

e.In order to assist the Trust in satisfying the requirements of Rule 38a-1 under the 1940 Act (the “Rule”), USBFS will provide the Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer with reasonable access to USBGFS’ fund records relating to the services provided by it under this Agreement, and will provide quarterly compliance reports and related certifications regarding any Material Compliance Matter (as defined in the Rule) involving USBGFS that affect or could affect the Trust.

f.Monitor applicable regulatory and operational service issues, including exchange listing requirements, and update Board of Trustees periodically.

g.Monitor compliance with regulatory exemptive relief (as applicable) for ETFs.

(2)SEC Registration and Reporting:
a.Assist Fund counsel in the annual update of the Registration Statement.
b.Prepare and file annual and semiannual shareholder reports, Form N-CEN, Form N-CSR, Form N-PORT filings and Rule 24f-2 notices. As requested by the Trust, prepare and file Form N-PX filings and Form N-LIQUID.
19



c.Coordinate the printing, filing and mailing of Prospectuses and shareholder reports, and amendments and supplements thereto.
d.File fidelity bond under Rule 17g-1.
e.Monitor sales of Fund shares and ensure that such shares are properly registered or qualified, as applicable, with the SEC and the appropriate state authorities.
f.Assist Fund counsel in preparation of proxy statements and information statements, as requested by the Trust.
g.Assist Fund counsel with application for exemptive relief, when applicable

(3)IRS Compliance:
a.Monitor the Trust’s status as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), including without limitation, review of the following:
(i)    Diversification requirements.
(ii)    Qualifying income requirements on a quarterly basis.
(iii)    Distribution requirements.

b.Calculate the required annual excise distribution amounts for the review and approval of Fund management and/or its independent accountant.

C.     Financial Reporting:
(1)Provide financial data required by the Prospectus and SAI.
(2)Prepare financial reports for officers, shareholders, tax authorities, performance reporting companies, the Board of Trustees, the SEC, and the independent auditor.
(3)Supervise the Fund’s custodian and fund accountants in the maintenance of the Fund’s general ledger and in the preparation of the Fund’s financial statements, including oversight of expense accruals and payments, the determination of net asset value and the declaration and payment of dividends and other distributions to shareholders.
(4)Compute total return, expense ratio and portfolio turnover rate of the Fund.
(5)Monitor expense accruals and make adjustments as necessary; notify the Trust’s management of adjustments expected to materially affect the Fund’s expense ratio.
(6)Prepare financial statements, which include, without limitation, the following items:
a.Schedule of Investments.
b.Statement of Assets and Liabilities.
c.Statement of Operations.
d.Statement of Changes in Net Assets.
e.Statement of Cash Flows (if applicable).
f.Financial Highlights.
(7)Pursuant to Rule 31a-1(b)(9) of the 1940 Act, prepare quarterly broker security transaction summaries.

20



D.     Tax Reporting:
(1)    Prepare for the review of the independent accountants and/or Fund Management the federal and state tax returns including, without limitation, Form 1120 RIC and applicable state returns including any necessary schedules. Fund Services will prepare annual Fund federal and state income tax return filings as authorized by and based on the instructions received by Fund Management and/or its independent accountant.

(2)    Provide the Fund’s Management and independent accountant with tax reporting information pertaining to the Fund and available to Fund Services as required in a timely manner.

(3)Prepare Fund financial statement tax footnote disclosures for the review and approval of Fund Management and/or its independent accountant.

(4)Prepare and file on behalf of Fund Management Form 1099 MISC Forms for payments to disinterested Directors and other qualifying service providers.

(5)Monitor wash sale losses.

(6)Calculate Qualified Dividend Income (“QDI”) for qualifying Fund Shareholders.

(7)Calculate Dividends Received Deduction (“DRD”) for qualifying corporate Fund Shareholders.

II.License of Data; Warranty; Termination of Rights
A.     USBGFS has entered into agreements with various data service providers (each, a “Data Provider”), including, without limitation, MSCI index data services (“MSCI”), Standard & Poor Financial Services LLC (“S&P”), Morningstar, Broadridge, FTSE, and ICE to provide data services that may include, without limitation, index returns and pricing information (collectively, the “Data”) to facilitate the services provided by USBGFS to each Fund. These Data Providers have required USBGFS to include certain provisions regarding the use of the Data in this Agreement attached hereto as Appendix A. The Data is being licensed, not sold, to the Fund. The Trust acknowledges and agrees that certain Data Providers may also require the Trust or one or more Funds to enter into an agreement directly with the Data Provider for the use of that Data Provider’s Data. The provisions in Appendix A shall not have any effect upon the standard of care and liability USBGFS has set forth in Section 6 of this Agreement.
B.     The Trust agrees to indemnify and hold harmless USBGFS, its information providers, and any other third party involved in or related to the making or compiling of the Data, their affiliates and subsidiaries and their respective directors, officers, employees and agents from and against any claims, losses, damages, liabilities, costs and expenses, including reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs, as incurred, arising in and any manner out of the Trust’s or any third party’s
21



use of, or inability to use, the Data or any breach by the Trust of any provision contained in this Agreement regarding the Data. The immediately preceding sentence shall not have any effect upon the standard of care and liability of USBGFS as set forth in Section 6 of this Agreement.
C.    USBGFS has entered into agreements with Bloomberg Finance L.P. (“Bloomberg”) to provide data (the “N-PORT Data”) for use in or in connection with the reporting requirements under the Rule, including preparation and filing of Form N-PORT. In connection with the provision of the N-PORT Data, Bloomberg requires certain provisions to be included in the Agreement.
The Trust agrees that it shall (a) comply with all laws, rules and regulations applicable to accessing and using the N-PORT Data, (b) not extract the N-PORT Data from the view-only portal, (c) not use the N-PORT Data for any purpose independent of complying with the requirements of Rule 30b1-9 (which prohibition shall include, for the avoidance of doubt, use in risk reporting or other systems or processes (e.g., systems or processes made available enterprise-wide for the Trust’s internal use)), (d) permit audits of its use of the N-PORT Data by Bloomberg, its affiliates or, at the Trust’s request, a mutually agreed upon third party auditor (provided that the costs of an audit by a third party shall be borne by the Trust), (e) exculpate Bloomberg, its affiliates and their respective suppliers from any liability or responsibility of any kind relating to the Trust’s receipt or use of the N-PORT Data (including expressly disclaiming all warranties). The Trust further agrees that Bloomberg shall be a third party beneficiary of the Agreement solely with respect to the foregoing provisions (a) – (e).

22



Appendix A to Schedule II - Fund Administration Services

REQUIRED PROVISIONS OF MSCI, S&P AND FACTSET


The Trust shall use the Data solely for internal purposes and will not redistribute the Data in any form or manner to any third party, except as may otherwise be expressly agreed to by the Data Provider.
The Trust will not use or permit anyone else to use the Data in connection with creating, managing, advising, writing, trading, marketing or promoting any securities or financial instruments or products, including, but not limited to, funds, synthetic or derivative securities (e.g., options, warrants, swaps, and futures), whether listed on an exchange or traded over the counter or on a private-placement basis or otherwise or to create any indices (custom or otherwise).
The Trust shall will treat the Data as proprietary to the Data Provider. Further, the Trust shall acknowledge that the Data Provider is the sole and exclusive owners of the Data and all trade secrets, copyrights, trademarks and other intellectual property rights in or to the Data.
The Trust will not (i) copy any component of the Data, (ii) alter, modify or adapt any component of the Data, including, but not limited to, translating, decompiling, disassembling, reverse engineering or creating derivative works, or (iii) make any component of the Data available to any other person or organization (including, without limitation, the Trust’s present and future parents, subsidiaries or affiliates) directly or indirectly, for any of the foregoing or for any other use, including, without limitation, by loan, rental, service bureau, external time sharing or similar arrangement.
The Trust shall reproduce on all permitted copies of the Data all copyright, proprietary rights and restrictive legends appearing on the Data.
The Trust shall assume the entire risk of using the Data and shall agree to hold the Data Providers harmless from any claims that may arise in connection with any use of the Data by the Trust.
The Trust acknowledges that the Data Providers may, in their sole and absolute discretion and at any time, terminate USBGFS’ right to receive and/or use the Data.
The Trust acknowledges and agrees that the Data Providers are third party beneficiaries of the agreements between the Data Providers and USBGFS with respect to the provision of the Data, entitled to enforce all provisions of such agreement relating to the Data.
THE DATA IS PROVIDED TO THE TRUST ON AN "AS IS" BASIS. USBGFS, ITS INFORMATION PROVIDERS, AND ANY OTHER THIRD PARTY INVOLVED IN OR RELATED TO THE MAKING OR COMPILING OF THE DATA MAKE NO REPRESENTATION OR WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, WITH RESPECT TO THE DATA (OR THE RESULTS TO BE OBTAINED BY THE USE THEREOF). USBGFS, ITS INFORMATION PROVIDERS AND ANY OTHER THIRD PARTY INVOLVED IN OR RELATED TO THE MAKING OR COMPILING OF THE DATA EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM ANY AND ALL IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF ORIGINALITY, ACCURACY, COMPLETENESS, NON-INFRINGEMENT, MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
THE TRUST ASSUMES THE ENTIRE RISK OF ANY USE THE TRUST MAY MAKE OF THE DATA. IN NO EVENT SHALL USBGFS, ITS INFORMATION PROVIDERS
23



OR ANY THIRD PARTY INVOLVED IN OR RELATED TO THE MAKING OR COMPILING OF THE DATA, BE LIABLE TO THE TRUST, OR ANY OTHER THIRD PARTY, FOR ANY DIRECT OR INDIRECT DAMAGES, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY LOST PROFITS, LOST SAVINGS OR OTHER INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF THIS AGREEMENT OR THE INABILITY OF THE TRUST TO USE THE DATA, REGARDLESS OF THE FORM OF ACTION, EVEN IF USBGFS, ANY OF ITS INFORMATION PROVIDERS, OR ANY OTHER THIRD PARTY INVOLVED IN OR RELATED TO THE MAKING OR COMPILING OF THE DATA HAS BEEN ADVISED OF OR OTHERWISE MIGHT HAVE ANTICIPATED THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.

    

24



Schedule III
Fund Accounting Services
I.CORE SERVICES
Fund Services shall provide the following accounting services to the Funds:
A.Portfolio Accounting Services:

(1)Maintain portfolio records on a trade date+1 basis using security trade information communicated from the Fund’s investment adviser.

(2)For each valuation date, obtain prices from a pricing source approved by the board of trustees of the Trust (the “Board of Trustees”) and apply those prices to the portfolio positions. For those securities where market quotations are not readily available, the Board of Trustees shall approve, in good faith, procedures for determining the fair value for such securities.

(3)Identify interest and dividend accrual balances as of each valuation date and calculate gross earnings on investments for each accounting period.

(4)Determine gain/loss on security sales and identify them as short-term or long-term; account for periodic distributions of gains or losses to shareholders and maintain undistributed gain or loss balances as of each valuation date.

(5)On a daily basis, reconcile portfolio holdings and cash of the Fund with the Fund’s custodian and/or prime brokerage account(s).

(6)Transmit a copy of the portfolio valuation to the Fund’s investment adviser daily.

(7)Review the impact of current day’s activity on a per share basis, and review changes in market value.

B.Expense Accrual and Payment Services:

(1)For each valuation date, monitor the expense accrual amounts as directed by the Fund as to methodology, rate or dollar amount.

(2)Process and record payments for Fund expenses upon receipt of written authorization from the Trust.

(3)Account for Fund expenditures and maintain expense accrual balances at the level of accounting detail, as agreed upon by Fund Services and the Fund.

(4)Provide expense accrual and payment reporting.

C.Fund Valuation and Financial Reporting Services:

25



(1)Account for Fund share purchases, sales, exchanges, transfers, dividend reinvestments, and other Fund share activity as reported by the Fund’s transfer agent on a timely basis.

(2)Apply equalization accounting as directed by the Trust.

(3)Determine net investment income (earnings) for the Fund as of each valuation date. Account for periodic distributions of earnings to shareholders and maintain undistributed net investment income balances as of each valuation date.

(4)Maintain a general ledger and other accounts, books, and financial records for the Fund in a form as agreed upon between the parties.

(5)Determine the net asset value of the Fund according to the accounting policies and procedures set forth in the Fund's current prospectus.

(6)Calculate per share net asset value, per share net earnings, and other per share amounts reflective of Fund operations at such time as required by the nature and characteristics of the Fund.

(7)Communicate to the Trust, at an agreed upon time, the per share net asset value for each valuation date.

(8)Prepare monthly reports that document the adequacy of accounting detail to support month-end ledger balances.

(9)Prepare monthly security transactions listings.


D.Tax Accounting Services:

(1)Maintain accounting records for the investment portfolio of the Fund to support the tax reporting required for “regulated investment companies” under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”).

(2)Maintain tax lot detail for the Fund’s investment portfolio.

(3)Calculate taxable gain/loss on security sales using the tax lot relief method designated by the Fund.

(4)Provide the necessary financial information to calculate the taxable components of income and capital gains distributions to support tax reporting to the shareholders.

E.Compliance Control Services:

(1)Support reporting to regulatory bodies and support financial statement preparation by making the Fund's accounting records available to the
26



Fund, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), and the independent accountants.

(2)Maintain accounting records for the Fund as required by the 1940 Act and regulations provided thereunder.

(3)Perform its duties hereunder in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations and provide any sub-certifications reasonably requested by the Fund in connection with any certification required of the Fund pursuant to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the “SOX Act”) or any rules or regulations promulgated by the SEC thereunder, provided the same shall not be deemed to change Fund Services’ standard of care as set forth herein.

(4)In order to assist the Trust in satisfying the requirements of Rule 38a-1 under the 1940 Act (the “Rule”), Fund Services will provide the Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer with reasonable access to Fund Services’ fund records relating the services provided by it under this Agreement, and will provide quarterly compliance reports and related certifications regarding any Material Compliance Matter (as defined in the Rule) involving Fund Services that affect or could affect the Trust.

(5)Cooperate with the Fund’s independent accountants and take all reasonable action in the performance of its obligations under this Agreement to ensure that the necessary information is made available to such accountants for the expression of their opinion on the Fund’s financial statements without any qualification as to the scope of their examination.

II.License of Data; Warranty; Termination of Rights
A.The valuation information and evaluations being provided to the Fund by Fund Services pursuant hereto (collectively, the “Data”) are being licensed, not sold, to the Fund. The Fund has a limited license to use the Data only for purposes necessary to valuing the Fund’s assets and reporting to regulatory bodies (the “License”). The Fund does not have any license nor right to use the Data for purposes beyond the intentions of this Agreement including, but not limited to, resale to other users or use to create any type of historical database. The License is non-transferable and not sub-licensable. The Fund’s right to use the Data cannot be passed to or shared with any other entity.

The Trust acknowledges the proprietary rights that Fund Services and its suppliers have in the Data.

B.THE TRUST HEREBY ACCEPTS THE DATA AS IS, WHERE IS, WITH NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AS TO MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE OR ANY OTHER MATTER.

C.Fund Services may stop supplying some or all Data to the Fund if Fund Services’ suppliers terminate any agreement to provide Data to Fund Services. Also, Fund
27



Services may stop supplying some or all Data to the Fund if Fund Services reasonably believes that the Fund is using the Data in violation of the License, or breaching its duties of confidentiality provided for hereunder, or if any of Fund Services’ suppliers demand that the Data be withheld from the Fund. Fund Services will provide notice to the Fund of any termination of provision of Data as soon as reasonably possible.

D.The Trust acknowledges that the Data is intended for use as an aid to institutional investors, registered brokers or professionals of similar sophistication in making informed judgments concerning securities. The Trust accepts responsibility for, and acknowledges it exercises its own independent judgment in, its selection of the Data, its selection of the use or intended use of such, and any results obtained. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to be a waiver of any rights existing under applicable law for the protection of investors.

III.Pricing of Securities
A.For each valuation date, Fund Services shall obtain prices from a pricing source recommended by Fund Services and approved by the Board of Trustees and apply those prices to the portfolio positions of the Fund. For those securities where market quotations are not readily available, the Board of Trustees shall approve, in good faith, procedures for determining the fair value for such securities.

If the Fund desires to provide a price that varies from the price provided by the pricing source, the Fund shall promptly notify and supply Fund Services with the price of any such security on each valuation date. All pricing changes made by the Fund will be in writing and must specifically identify the securities to be changed by CUSIP, name of security, new price or rate to be applied, and, if applicable, the time period for which the new price(s) is/are effective.

B.In the event that the Fund at any time receives Data containing evaluations, rather than market quotations, for certain securities or certain other data related to such securities, the following provisions will apply: (i) evaluated securities are typically complicated financial instruments. There are many methodologies (including computer-based analytical modeling and individual security evaluations) available to generate approximations of the market value of such securities, and there is significant professional disagreement about which method is best. No evaluation method, including those used by Fund Services and its suppliers, may consistently generate approximations that correspond to actual “traded” prices of the securities; (ii) methodologies used to provide the pricing portion of certain Data may rely on evaluations; however, the Trust acknowledges that there may be errors or defects in the software, databases, or methodologies generating the evaluations that may cause resultant evaluations to be inappropriate for use in certain applications; and (iii) the Trust assumes all responsibility for edit checking, external verification of evaluations, and ultimately the appropriateness of using Data containing evaluations, regardless of any efforts made by Fund Services and its suppliers in this respect.

C.Fund Services shall not have any obligation to verify the accuracy or appropriateness of any prices, evaluations, market quotations, or other data or
28



pricing related inputs received from the Trust, the Fund, any of their affiliates, or any third party source. Notwithstanding anything else in this Agreement to the contrary, Fund Services and its affiliates shall not be responsible or liable for any mistakes, errors, or mispricing, or any losses related thereto, resulting from any inaccurate, inappropriate, or fraudulent prices, evaluations, market quotations, or other data or pricing related inputs received from the Trust, the Fund, any of their affiliates.

IV.Changes in Accounting Procedures
Any resolution passed by the Board of Trustees that affects accounting practices and procedures under this Agreement shall be effective upon written notice to Fund Services.

V.Changes in Equipment, Systems, Etc.
Fund Services reserves the right to make changes from time to time, as it deems advisable, relating to its systems, programs, rules, operating schedules and equipment, so long as such changes do not adversely affect the services provided to the Trust under this Agreement.

29




Exhibit A to the Fund Services Agreement


Separate Series of ETF Managers Trust

ETFMG Prime Junior Silver Miners ETF
ETFMG Prime Cyber Security ETF
ETFMG Prime Mobile Payments ETF
BlueStar Israel Technology ETF
Etho Climate Leadership U.S. ETF
Wedbush ETFMG Global Cloud Technology ETF
Wedbush ETFMG Video Game Tech ETF
AI Powered Equity ETF
ETFMG Sit Ultra Short ETF
ETFMG Travel Tech ETF
ETFMG Treatments, Testing and Advancements ETF
ETFMG Alternative Harvest
ETFMG U.S. Alternative Harvest ETF
ETFMG 2X Alternative Harvest ETF
ETFMG Prime 2X Daily Junior Silver Miners ETF
ETFMG Prime 2X Daily Inverse Junior Silver Miners ETF
ETFMG 2X Daily Travel Tech ETF
ETFMG 2X Daily Video Game Tech ETF

30



Exhibit B to the Fund Services Agreement


U.S. Bank Global Fund Services (“GFS”) and U.S. Bank National Association Combined Fee schedule1 for:
Fund Administration
Fund Accounting
Transfer Agent
Custody Services

Annual fee schedule based upon the aggregate net assets of the Trust, as described below.

The following applies to each series of ETF Managers Trust operational during the applicable billing period:

                 
 
Annual Minimum Per Fund3
   
Basis Points on AUM of the Funds3
 
                 
  Per Fund $[ ]     $0 - $2 billion   [ ] bps  
          $2 - $3 billion   [ ] bps  
          $3 - $4 billion   [ ] bps  
          $4 - $5 billion   [ ] bps  
          greater than$5 billion   [ ] bps  
                 

Each month, fees will initially be calculated (the “Initial Amount”) based on the net assets of the series of ETF Managers Trust and the above “Basis Points on AUM of the Funds” schedule. The Initial Amount will be allocated to each fund pro rata based on its month-end net assets (the “Pro Rata Amount”). Each fund will be charged the greater of the fund’s Pro Rata Amount or 1/12 of the “Annual Minimum Per Fund”.


1 This is a combined fee schedule that will cover all services provided by U.S. Bank Global Fund Services (“GFS”) pursuant to the applicable Fund Servicing Agreement, as well as the services provided by U.S. Bank National Association to the Trust pursuant to the Custody Servicing Agreement. Fees with respect to services provided by U.S. Bank National Association to the Trust pursuant to the Securities Lending Agreement are in addition to this fee schedule and as set forth in such agreement, as amended.


Fees are calculated and billed monthly - Extraordinary services quoted separately

In addition to the fees described above, additional fees may be charged to the extent that changes to applicable laws, rules or regulations require additional work or expenses related to services provided (e.g., compliance with liquidity risk management and reporting requirements).

3 Subject to annual CPI increase – All Urban Consumers – U.S. City Average.



31



Exhibit B (continued) to the Fund Services Agreement
Project Fee Schedule - Regulatory Administration Fund Start-up & Registration Services
Legal Administration Service Proposal – In support of external legal counsel
Subsequent new fund launch – $[ ] per fund or as negotiated

Note: External legal costs are NOT included in the above fee, unless otherwise stated.

Fund startup and registration fees are billed 50% following the selection of U.S. Bancorp Fund Services and 50% 75 days after the preliminary registration statement is filed with the SEC filings.

Drafting SEC exemptive order application for non-transparent ETF(s), multi-manager relief or other requested relief.

As negotiated

Note: External legal costs are NOT included in the above fee, unless otherwise stated.

All other miscellaneous fees and expenses, including but not limited to the following, will be separately billed as incurred:
Postage, if necessary
Federal and state regulatory filing fees
Expenses from Board of Trustee meetings
Third party auditing
EDGAR/XBRL filing
Fixed transaction fees for creation and redemption orders of creation units of the funds
All other Miscellaneous expenses



32


FIRST AMENDMENT TO THE ETF MANAGERS TRUST
FUND SERVICES AGREEMENT

    THIS FIRST AMENDMENT, effective as of the last date on the signature block, to the Fund Services Agreement, dated as of May 1, 2021, (the “Agreement”), is entered into by and between U.S. BANCORP FUND SERVICES, LLC, a Wisconsin limited liability company (“Fund Services”) and ETF MANAGERS TRUST, a Delaware statutory trust (the “Trust”).
RECITALS

    WHEREAS, the parties have entered into the Agreement; and

WHEREAS, the parties desire to amend the Agreement to add the following funds to its Series:

ETFMG Prime 2x Daily Inverse Junior Silver Miners ETF
ETFMG Prime 2x Daily Junior Silver Miners ETF
ETFMG 2x Daily Travel Tech ETF
ETFMG 2x Daily Video Game Tech ETF
ETFMG 2x Daily Alternative Harvest ETF

;and

WHEREAS, Section 13 of the Agreement allows for its amendment by a written instrument executed by the parties.

NOW, THEREFORE, the parties hereby agree that

Exhibit A is hereby superseded and replaced in its entirety with 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 First Amendment to be executed by a duly authorized officer on one or more counterparts as of the date and year first written above.

ETF MANAGERS TRUST U.S. BANCORP FUND SERVICES, LLC
By: /s/ Samuel Masucci III By: /s/ Jason Hadler
Name: Sam Masucci III Name: Jason Hadler
Title: Principal Executive Officer Title: Senior Vice President
Date: 6/3/21 Date: 6/4/21





Exhibit A to the Fund Services Agreement


Separate Series of ETF Managers Trust

ETFMG Prime Junior Silver Miners ETF
ETFMG Prime Cyber Security ETF
ETFMG Prime Mobile Payments ETF
BlueStar TA-BIGITech Israel Technology ETF
Etho Climate Leadership U.S. ETF
Wedbush ETFMG Global Cloud Technology ETF
Wedbush ETFMG Video Game Tech ETF
AI Powered Equity ETF
ETFMG Sit Short Term ETF
ETFMG Travel Tech ETF
ETFMG Bio ETF
ETFMG Prime 2x Daily Inverse Junior Silver Miners ETF
ETFMG Prime 2x Daily Junior Silver Miners ETF
ETFMG 2x Daily Travel Tech ETF
ETFMG 2x Daily Video Game Tech ETF
ETFMG 2x Daily Alternative Harvest ETF

2


THIRD AMENDMENT TO
SECURITIES LENDING AGREEMENT
THIS THIRD AMENDMENT TO SECURITIES LENDING AGREEMENT ("Third Amendment"), dated effective as of May 1, 2021 ("Effective Date"), is made and entered into by and between U.S. Bank National Association ("Bank") and ETF Managers Trust ("Trust"), on behalf of each respective series identified in Exhibit C to the Agreement (each such series hereinafter referred to as a separate "Customer").
WITNESSETH:
WHEREAS, U.S. Bank and Trust, on behalf of each of its Customers, are parties to that certain Securities Lending Agreement, dated effective as of January 8, 2016, as amended from time to time ("Agreement"); and
WHEREAS, the parties now desire to amend the Agreement as set forth herein.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual premises, covenants and undertakings set forth herein, the parties hereto agree as follows:
1.    Loan Fee Schedule. The Loan Fee Schedule attached as Exhibit B to the Agreement shall hereby be deleted and replaced by the Election of Collateral Investment attached as Exhibit B to this Third Amendment.
2.    Customer Information Sheet. The Customer Information Sheet attached as Exhibit C to the Agreement shall hereby be deleted and replaced by the Customer Information Sheet attached as Exhibit C to this Third Amendment.
3.    Full Force and Effect. Except as specifically modified by this Third Amendment, the Agreement shall remain in full force and effect. All references to the Agreement shall be deemed to mean the Agreement as modified by this Third Amendment.
4.    Counterparts. This Third Amendment may be executed in counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.
[SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS]




IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned parties have executed this Third Amendment effective as of the day and year first above written.

U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION ETF MANAGERS TRUST
By: By:
Name: Jill M. Stevenson Name:
Title: Head of Operations Title:

2



EXHIBIT B
LOAN FEE SCHEDULE
The Bank shall be paid a fee for administering the securities lending program for the Trust. The fee shall be calculated daily by the Bank against the Net Income earned by the Customer on such day. From the Effective Date through April 30, 2026 ("Discount Period"), the fee shall equal fifteen percent (15%) of Net Income and shall be retained monthly by the Bank out of the Customer's aggregate Net Income for such month, provided, however, that if the fee is not so retained, the Trust shall pay such fee upon request from the Bank. The parties agree to negotiate fee terms in good faith following completion of the Discount Period.
Customer acknowledges that the terms described herein are contingent on the Trust engaging the Bank as its exclusive securities lending agent and custodian for its securities (other than certain derivative instruments) with respect to each series of the Trust permitted by its investment policies to lend its securities (each, a "Permitted Fund"). As a result of the Bank's reliance on the foregoing, in the event that during the period beginning August 31, 2021 and continuing through the Discount Period any Permitted Fund conducts securities lending activity outside of the Bank's program through another agent ("Makewhole Event"), such Permitted Fund shall pay a makewhole fee to the Bank for each remaining month (or portion thereof) of the Discount Period in an amount equal to fifteen percent (15%) of the average monthly Net Income of such Permitted Fund for the twelve (12) month period (or for such period that Customer has been engaged in securities lending activity under this Agreement if less than twelve (12) months) prior to the occurrence of the Makewhole Event, such payments to occur not less frequently than monthly.
3



EXHIBIT C
CUSTOMER INFORMATION SHEET
as of May 1, 2021
Please provide the Bank with the following information:
Name: ETF Managers Trust
Tax identification number: see below
(for multiple tax identification numbers, please use the bottom half of this page)
Principal place of business: 30 Maple Street, 2nd Floor, Summit, NJ 07901
State and nation of incorporation or organization: State of Delaware, United States
Address (or the address of your registered agent) within
state of incorporation or organization: 300 Delaware Ave., Suite 800, Wilmington, DE 19801
Please list the name of each Customer and its unique tax identification number below (attach additional pages if necessary):
Name Tax ID
AI Powered Equity ETF 82-2073816
BlueStar TA-BIGITech Israel Technology ETF 47-4925476
Etho Climate Leadership U.S. ETF 47-4913623
ETFMG Alternative Harvest ETF 47-4900914
ETFMG U.S. Alternative Harvest ETF 86-3248180
ETFMG Prime Cyber Security ETF 47-2111761
ETFMG Prime Mobile Payments ETF 47-3870731
ETFMG Travel Tech ETF 84-3633441
ETFMG Treatments, Testing and Advancements ETF 85-1192058
ETFMG Video Game Tech ETF 81-0866952
Wedbush ETFMG Global Cloud Technology ETF 81-0871286
ETF Managers Trust
By:
Name:
Title:
Date:
4

SULLIVANLOGOADDRESS.JPG
    
                
June 4, 2021
ETF Managers Trust
30 Maple Street, 2nd Floor
Summit, NJ 07901
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have acted as counsel for ETF Managers Trust (the “Trust”) in connection with the offer by the Trust of an unlimited number of shares of beneficial interest of the Trust. We have participated in the preparation of Post-Effective Amendment No. 138 to the Trust's Registration Statement (the “Registration Statement”) on Form N-1A relating to the shares of beneficial interest of each of the ETFMG 2X Daily Alternative Harvest ETF, ETFMG 2X Daily Video Game Tech ETF, ETFMF Prime 2X Daily Junior Silver Miners ETF, ETFMG 2X Daily Travel Tech ETF and ETFMG Prime 2X Daily Inverse Junior Silver Miners ETF (the “Shares”) of the Trust to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (“1933 Act”), on or about June 4, 2021.
In so acting, we have examined and relied upon the originals, or copies certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of such records, documents, certificates and other instruments, including the Agreement and Declaration of Trust of the Trust, dated June 30, 2009 (the “Declaration of Trust”), and have made such other investigations, as in our judgment are necessary or appropriate to enable us to render the opinions expressed below.
We express no opinion herein as to any laws other than Chapter 38 of Title 12 of the Delaware Code Annotated, as amended, entitled “Treatment of Delaware Statutory Trusts” (the “Delaware Statutory Trust Act”) and the federal laws of the United States.  We call to your attention that our opinion herein is based solely upon our examination of the Delaware Statutory Trust Act as currently in effect.
This letter expresses our opinion as to the provisions of the Trust's Declaration of Trust, but does not extend to the Delaware Uniform Securities Act, or to other state securities laws.
Based upon the foregoing and subject to the qualifications set forth herein, we hereby advise you that, in our opinion:
1.The Trust is validly existing as a statutory trust under the laws of the State of Delaware.
2.The Trust is authorized to issue an unlimited number of shares of beneficial interest, the Shares have been duly and validly authorized by all action of the Trustees of the Trust, and no action of the shareholders of the Trust is required in such connection.
SULLIVANOFFICES.JPG

ETF Managers Trust
June 4, 2021
Page 2

3.The Shares, when issued in accordance with the Trust’s Declaration of Trust and by-laws, will be legally issued, fully paid and non-assessable by the Trust.
We understand that this opinion is to be used in connection with the registration of the Shares for offering and sale pursuant to the 1933 Act. We consent to the filing of this opinion with and as a part of the Registration Statement. In giving such consent, we do not thereby admit that we come within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the 1933 Act or the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder. We also hereby consent to the use of our name as legal counsel in the Registration Statement.

Very truly yours,
/s/ SULLIVAN & WORCESTER
SULLIVAN & WORCESTER LLP
EDS