AS FILED WITH THE U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION ON FEBRUARY 6, 2014

File No. 333-192288

File No. 811-22911

U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

FORM N-1A

 

 

REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE

SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

/X/                 

 

PRE-EFFECTIVE AMENDMENT NO. 1

AND

  /X/                 
 

REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE

INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940

 

/X/                 

  AMENDMENT NO. 1   /X/                 

REALITY SHARES ETF TRUST

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

402 West Broadway, Suite 2800

San Diego, CA 92101

(Address of Principal Executive Offices, Zip Code)

(619) 487-1445

(Registrant’s Telephone Number, including Area Code)

Eric Ervin

c/o Reality Shares Advisors, LLC

402 West Broadway, Suite 2800

San Diego, CA 92101

(Name and Address of Agent for Service)

Copy to:

Richard F. Morris, Esquire

Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP

101 Park Avenue

New York, NY 10178

Approximate Date of Proposed Public Offering: As soon as practicable after this Registration Statement becomes effective.

The Registrant hereby amends this Registration Statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the Registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this Registration Statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, or until the Registration Statement shall become effective on such date as the Securities and Exchange Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.


SUBJECT TO COMPLETION

THE INFORMATION IN THIS PROSPECTUS IS NOT COMPLETE AND MAY BE CHANGED. WE MAY NOT SELL THESE SECURITIES UNTIL THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT FILED WITH THE U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION IS EFFECTIVE. THIS PROSPECTUS IS NOT AN OFFER TO SELL THESE SECURITIES AND IS NOT SOLICITING AN OFFER TO BUY THESE SECURITIES IN ANY JURISDICTION WHERE THE OFFER OR SALE IS NOT PERMITTED.

Preliminary Prospectus Dated February 6, 2014

R EALITY S HARES ETF T RUST

P ROSPECTUS

[Date], 2014

REALITY SHARES NASDAQ-100 ISOLATED DIVIDEND GROWTH INDEX ETF

 

T ICKER S YMBOL   P RINCIPAL U.S. L ISTING E XCHANGE
[             ]   T HE NASDAQ S TOCK M ARKET

REALITY SHARES U.S. ISOLATED DIVIDEND GROWTH INDEX ETF

 

T ICKER S YMBOL   P RINCIPAL U.S. L ISTING E XCHANGE
[             ]   NYSE A RCA , I NC .

REALITY SHARES ISOLATED DIVIDEND GROWTH ETF

 

T ICKER S YMBOL   P RINCIPAL U.S. L ISTING E XCHANGE
[            ]   NYSE A RCA , I NC .

I NVESTMENT A DVISER :

R EALITY S HARES A DVISORS , LLC

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission have not approved or disapproved these securities or passed upon the adequacy or accuracy 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 Funds please see:

 

   Page

R EALITY S HARES NASDAQ-100 I SOLATED D IVIDEND G ROWTH I NDEX ETF

  

I NVESTMENT O BJECTIVE

   1

F UND F EES AND E XPENSES

   1

P RINCIPAL I NVESTMENT S TRATEGIES

   2

P RINCIPAL R ISKS

   4

P ERFORMANCE I NFORMATION

   6

I NVESTMENT A DVISER

   6

P ORTFOLIO M ANAGERS

   6

R EALITY S HARES U.S. I SOLATED D IVIDEND G ROWTH I NDEX ETF

  

I NVESTMENT O BJECTIVE

   7

F UND F EES AND E XPENSES

   7

P RINCIPAL I NVESTMENT S TRATEGIES

   8

P RINCIPAL R ISKS

   9

P ERFORMANCE I NFORMATION

   12

I NVESTMENT A DVISER

   12

P ORTFOLIO M ANAGERS

   12

R EALITY S HARES I SOLATED D IVIDEND G ROWTH ETF

  

I NVESTMENT O BJECTIVE

   13

F UND F EES AND E XPENSES

   13

P RINCIPAL I NVESTMENT S TRATEGIES

   14

P RINCIPAL R ISKS

   15

P ERFORMANCE I NFORMATION

   18

I NVESTMENT A DVISER

   18

P ORTFOLIO M ANAGERS

   18

S UMMARY I NFORMATION ABOUT THE P URCHASE AND S ALE OF F UND S HARES AND T AXES

   19

M ORE I NFORMATION ABOUT THE F UNDS ’ I NVESTMENT O BJECTIVES , S TRATEGIES AND R ISKS

   19

I NFORMATION ABOUT P ORTFOLIO H OLDINGS

   23

I NVESTMENT A DVISER , P ORTFOLIO M ANAGER AND I NDEX P ROVIDER

   23

P URCHASING AND S ELLING F UND S HARES

   24

F REQUENT P URCHASES AND R EDEMPTIONS OF F UND S HARES

   24

P RICING OF F UND S HARES

   25

D IVIDENDS AND D ISTRIBUTIONS

   25

T AXES

   26

P REMIUM /D ISCOUNT I NFORMATION

   28

I NVESTMENTS BY R EGISTERED I NVESTMENT C OMPANIES

   28

F INANCIAL H IGHLIGHTS

   28

A DDITIONAL INFORMATION

   29

H OW TO O BTAIN M ORE I NFORMATION ABOUT THE F UNDS

   Back Cover

 

i


REALITY SHARES NASDAQ-100 ISOLATED DIVIDEND GROWTH INDEX ETF

Investment Objective

The investment objective of the Reality Shares NASDAQ-100 Isolated Dividend Growth Index ETF (the “Fund”) is long-term capital appreciation by tracking the Reality Shares NASDAQ-100 Isolated Dividend Growth Index.

Fund Fees and Expenses

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund. Most investors also will incur customary brokerage commissions when buying or selling shares of the Fund, which are not reflected in the table or the Example.

Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

 

Management Fees

     [              ]%   

Other Expenses 1

     [              ]%   

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

     [              ]%   

1 Other Expenses are 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 (including one year of capped expenses in each period) remain the same. The Example does not take into account brokerage commissions that you may pay when purchasing or selling shares of the Fund. If the commissions were included in the Example, your costs would be higher. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

 

1 Year    3 Years
$ XX    $ XX

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 Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in total 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.

 

1


Principal Investment Strategies

Reality Shares Advisors, LLC (the “Adviser”), the Fund’s investment adviser, believes that the level of a company’s historical profits and dividends provides a more accurate measure of a company’s potential long-term value than its current stock price. The Adviser’s research shows that U.S. large cap companies which have historically returned profits to their shareholders through dividend distributions have tended to increase the value of those dividend payments over time as economic conditions warrant and business profits expand. Additionally, companies with expanding balance sheets that have previously not paid dividends may also over time return free cash flow to their shareholders in the form of scheduled dividend payments. The Adviser’s research indicates that, largely as a result of these factors and subject to market conditions, the overall level of dividends paid by U.S. large cap companies has, in general, trended upward over time. The Adviser therefore believes that investment strategies based on expectations for dividend growth which isolate the level of a company’s dividends from its stock price can provide attractive long-term returns. Furthermore, since these strategies are based on an expected level of dividend growth, and not the trading price of equity securities, the performance of such strategies should not be directly correlated to broad equity market returns (which are based on the trading prices of equity securities).

Based on this investment philosophy, Reality Shares, Inc., the parent company of the Adviser, in conjunction with The NASDAQ OMX Group, Inc., developed the Reality Shares NASDAQ-100 Isolated Dividend Growth Index (the “Index”). The Fund seeks to track the performance of the Index.

The Index measures market expectations for dividend growth of the companies included in the NASDAQ-100 Index. The value of the Index (and therefore the value of the Fund) reflects the level of dividends expected to be paid on the securities included in the NASDAQ-100 Index. The NASDAQ-100 Index is an index of 100 of the largest domestic and international securities (based on market capitalization) listed on The NASDAQ Stock Market. The NASDAQ-100 Index includes companies across major industry groups, including computer hardware and software, telecommunications, retail/wholesale trade and biotechnology, and excludes securities of financial companies.

Many traditional indexes consist of equity securities and are calculated using the respective trading prices of their component equity securities. However, the Index uses a rules-based methodology to construct a portfolio of exchange-listed option contracts on the NASDAQ-100 Index and exchange-listed option contracts on exchange traded funds (“ETFs”) designed to track the NASDAQ-100 Index, rather than individual stocks. In this manner, the Index reflects a new way to track market expectations for dividend growth conveyed in real-time based on NASDAQ-100 Index options and options on NASDAQ-100 Index ETFs. An option is a type of financial contract in which the purchaser of the contract has the right, but not the obligation, to buy (call) or sell (put) a financial asset, such as an index or ETF, at an agreed-upon price known as the “strike price” during a specific period or on a specific date. The seller of an option contract has a corresponding obligation to sell or buy a financial asset at the strike price during the option period or on the exercise date.

The prices of index and ETF options reflect the market trading prices of the securities included in the underlying index or ETF, as well as market expectations regarding the level of dividends to be paid on such indexes or ETFs during the term of the option. The Index (and the Fund) consists of a series of corresponding near-term and long-term put and call option combinations on the same

 

2


reference asset (i.e., either an option on the NASDAQ-100 Index or a NASDAQ-100 ETF) with the same strike price. Because option prices reflect both stock price and dividend expectations, they can be used in combination to isolate either price exposure or dividend expectations. The use of near-term and long-term put and call option combinations on the same reference asset with the same strike price, but with different maturities, is designed to gain exposure to the expected dividends of the securities in the NASDAQ-100 Index while neutralizing the impact of the stock price.

Once established, this portfolio construction of option combinations will accomplish two goals. First, the use of corresponding buy or sell positions on near and long-term options at the same strike price is designed to neutralize underlying stock price movements. In other words, the corresponding “buy” and “sell” positions on the same reference asset are designed to net against each other and eliminate the impact that changes to the stock price of the reference asset would otherwise have on the value of the Index (and Fund). Second, by minimizing the impact of price fluctuations through the construct of the near- and long-term contract combinations, the strategy is designed to isolate market expectations for dividends implied between the near-term and long-term option contracts. Over time, the Index will increase or decrease in value as the dividend spread between the near-term and long-term option combinations increases or decreases as a result of changing market expectations for dividend growth.

Under normal circumstances, at least 80% of the Fund’s total assets (exclusive of collateral held from securities lending, if any) will be invested in the component securities of its Index. The Fund generally uses a representative sampling investment approach to invest in a sample of the securities included in the Index whose performance characteristics match the general performance characteristics of the Index as a whole. In this manner, the Fund seeks investment results that, before fees and expenses, generally correspond to the performance of Index. The Fund’s investment strategy typically requires the Fund to enter into investment transactions prior to the dates on which the level of dividends to be paid on securities included in the NASDAQ-100 Index is announced and, therefore, are based on expectations as to the level of future dividends to be paid. As a result, there can be no guarantees that the Fund’s strategies will fully capture the level of dividends actually paid or otherwise be fully successful. To the extent the Fund’s Index concentrates (i.e., holds 25% or more of its total assets) in the securities of a particular industry or group of industries, the Fund will concentrate its investments to approximately the same extent as its Index.

In addition, the Fund may invest up to 20% of its total assets (exclusive of collateral held from securities lending, if any) in equity securities and derivative instruments relating to the Index and its component securities that the adviser believes will help the Fund track the Index. For example, the Fund may buy and sell ETFs and, to a limited extent, individual equity securities. The Fund may also invest in a combination of dividend swaps and total return swaps in order to gain exposure to the dividends expected to be paid on securities included in the NASDAQ-100 Index and/or short positions in futures contracts or forward contracts in order to minimize the impact to the Fund’s portfolio of price fluctuations associated with such securities. Because the price of the securities and instruments described above may go up or down as a result of interest rate fluctuations between the date the Fund enters into a transaction and the date the transaction is completed, the Fund may enter into option transactions and interest rate swap transactions designed to minimize the impact of changing interest rates on the value of the Fund’s investments.

The Fund’s transactions in options, swaps, forwards and futures will be backed by investments in investment grade, short-term debt securities and money market instruments. The Fund may also invest in such securities and money market instruments for short-term investment or cash management purposes.

 

3


The Fund is considered to be “non-diversified” under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and may invest a larger percentage of its assets in fewer issuers than a diversified fund.

Principal Risks

As with all investments, the value of your investment in the Fund can be expected to go up or down. You can lose money on your investment, including the possible loss of the entire principal amount of your investment, over short or long term periods. A Fund share is not a bank deposit and it is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any government agency. The principal risk factors affecting your investments in the Fund are set forth below.

Dividend Isolation Strategy Risk – Unlike more traditional funds, the Fund does not seek investment returns based on increases in the secondary market trading price of its portfolio investments over short or long periods of time. Instead, the Fund seeks to produce investment returns based on strategies designed to isolate the growth in the level of the dividends expected to be paid on, or otherwise reflected in, the securities in its portfolio. The value of an investment in the Fund is designed to increase as market expectations for the level of dividend growth reflected in the Fund’s underlying investments goes up. The value of an investment in the Fund is expected to decrease as the market expectation of the level of dividend growth reflected in the Fund’s underlying investments goes down. The value of an investment in the Fund is not intended to track the price returns of the securities included in the NASDAQ-100 Index or general equity market returns. There can be no guarantee that the Fund’s investment strategies will be successful.

Dividend Payout Risk — The level of dividends paid by issuers is not constant and will vary up or down from year to year and quarter to quarter . Companies that have historically paid dividends may lower their dividends or may cease making such payments. The success of the Fund’s strategy is highly dependent on growth in the overall level of dividends paid and positive expectations for future dividend growth. The Fund’s returns can be expected to be lower if the level of expected or actual dividends declines. Dividends may be lower for a variety of reasons, including a decline in the overall economy, lower corporate earnings levels and other factors. Such declines may be unexpected and can be short-term or last for a number of years. Since the value of your investment in the Fund is based largely on the growth in the level of the dividends expected to be paid on the securities included in the NASDAQ-100 Index, decreases in the amount of dividends paid or expected to be paid will adversely affect the value of the Fund and lower your investment return .

Index Risk — Although the performance of the Index is designed to reflect the level of dividends expected to be paid on the securities included in the NASDAQ-100 Index, there can be no guarantees the Index will achieve its objective or fully capture this performance. Calculation errors, delays or errors with respect to underlying Index data, and errors in the Index methodology, among other things, could cause the performance of the Index to vary from its stated objective. In addition, Reality Shares, Inc., the index provider, has limited experience as an index provider. As a result, the performance of the Index could vary from its stated objective.

Interest Rate Risk — The price the Fund pays when purchasing, or receives when selling, options and other derivative contracts may be based in part on expected future interest rates. If interest rates rise, or are expected to rise, such instruments may become more expensive for the Fund to purchase. This may negatively impact the performance of the Fund. If interest rates fall or are expected to fall, the contract price of options and other derivatives contracts held by the Fund may decrease, in which case the Fund would receive a lower price when selling such instruments. Since the Fund seeks to minimize the impact of price fluctuations on the value of its portfolio, in either case the performance of the Fund would be negatively impacted. The Fund will look to offset the effect of changing interest rates through the use of option combinations, swaps and futures designed to neutralize interest rate exposure between the near and longer-dated option positions.

 

4


Investment Risk — As with all investments, an investment in the Fund is subject to investment risk. The value of investments, including an investment in the Fund, can go up or down. You could lose money, including the possible loss of the entire principal amount of your investment, over short or long periods of time.

Market Risk — Although the Fund’s investment strategy seeks to minimize the Fund’s exposure to price fluctuations and market risk, there can be no guarantees these strategies will be successful. As a result, the Fund is subject to the market risk associated with its portfolio investments. Market risk is the risk that the market price of a security may move up and down, sometimes rapidly and unpredictably. Market risk may affect a single issuer, a security type, an industry, a sector or equity markets as a whole. As a result, the price of the Fund’s investments, and therefore the price of Fund shares, may fluctuate significantly. You could lose money on your investment over short or long periods of time.

New Fund Risk — The Fund is newly organized and the Adviser has not previously managed an ETF registered under the 1940 Act. Accordingly, investors in the Fund bear the risk that the Fund may not employ a successful investment strategy or successfully implement its strategy, and that the Fund may fail to attract sufficient assets under management to realize economies of scale. These factors could have a negative impact on Fund performance and, if they persist over time, could result in the Fund being liquidated. While shareholders would be provided with prior notice of liquidation, liquidation does not require shareholder approval, may occur at a time that may not be favorable for all shareholders and could have negative tax consequences for shareholders.

Non-Diversification Risk — The Fund is non-diversified, which means that it may invest in the securities of relatively few issuers. As a result, the Fund may be more susceptible to a single adverse economic or political occurrence affecting one or more of these issuers and may experience increased volatility due to its investments in those securities.

Shares of the Fund May Trade at Prices Other Than NAV — As with all ETFs, Fund shares may be bought and sold in the secondary market at market prices. Although market prices for Fund shares are expected to closely correspond to the Fund’s net asset value (“NAV”), it is expected that, as with all ETFs, there will be times when the market price of the shares is higher or lower than the NAV of such shares. This may be especially true during periods where the trading volume of Fund shares is low. The risk the Fund may trade at prices other than NAV is heightened in times of market stress or volatility. Secondary market trading in ETF shares may be disrupted or halted because of market conditions or other reasons. In such instances the price of Fund shares could change dramatically and without warning, you may temporarily be unable to purchase or sell shares of the Fund and you may not be able to exit your position during periods of market declines.

Tracking Error Risk — As with all index funds, the performance of the Fund may vary from the performance of its Index. This variation typically results from Fund expenses, imperfect correlation and other differences between the Fund’s investments and the Index constituents, the timing of cash flows in and out of the Fund, and other factors. These and other factors may cause the Fund’s performance to vary substantially from the performance of the Index.

Use of Derivatives Risk — The Fund may invest in derivatives contracts in order to obtain exposure to the growth of the level of the dividends expected to be paid on the securities included in the NASDAQ-100 Index and to manage exposure to interest rate fluctuations. Derivative contracts include options, swaps, forward contracts and futures contracts. Options, swaps, forward contracts and futures contracts are subject to a number of risks described herein, including market risk, leverage risk, correlation risk and liquidity risk. Market risk is described below. Leverage risk is the risk that leverage will amplify the effects of market volatility on the Fund’s share price or cause the Fund to liquidate portfolio positions when it would not be advantageous to do so in order to satisfy its obligations. The Fund’s use of leverage may result in a heightened risk of investment loss. Liquidity risk is the risk that certain securities may be difficult or impossible to sell at the time and the price that the Fund would like. The Fund may have to lower the price, sell other securities instead or forego an investment opportunity, any of

 

5


which could have a negative effect on Fund performance. Correlation risk is the risk that changes in the value of the derivative may not correlate perfectly with the underlying asset, rate or index. The Fund’s use of forward contracts and swap agreements is also subject to credit risk and valuation risk. Credit risk is the risk that the issuer of a security or the counterparty to a contract will default or otherwise become unable to honor a financial obligation. Valuation risk is the risk that the derivative may be difficult to value and/or valued incorrectly. Each of these risks could cause the Fund to lose money and have a negative impact on the value of your investment.

Performance Information

The Fund is new and therefore has no performance history. 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 return based on net assets and comparing the Fund’s performance to a broad measure of market performance.

Investment Adviser

Reality Shares Advisors, LLC (the “Adviser”).

Portfolio Managers

Eric Ervin, President and CEO of the Adviser, has managed the Fund since its inception.

For important information about the purchase and sale of Fund shares, taxes and financial intermediary compensation, please turn to “Summary Information about the Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares, Taxes and Financial Intermediary Compensation” on page XX of the prospectus.

 

6


REALITY SHARES U.S. ISOLATED DIVIDEND GROWTH INDEX ETF

Investment Objective

The investment objective of the Reality Shares U.S. Isolated Dividend Growth Index ETF (the “Fund”) is long-term capital appreciation by tracking the performance of the Reality Shares U.S. Isolated Dividend Growth Index (the “Index”).

Fund Fees and Expenses

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund. Most investors also will incur customary brokerage commissions when buying or selling shares of the Fund, which are not reflected in the table or the Example.

Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

 

Management Fees

     [              ]%   

Other Expenses 1

     [              ]%   

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

     [              ]%   

1 Other Expenses are 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 (including one year of capped expenses in each period) remain the same. The Example does not take into account brokerage commissions that you may pay when purchasing or selling shares of the Fund. If the commissions were included in the Example, your costs would be higher. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

 

1 Year    3 Years

$ XX

   $ XX

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 Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in total 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.

 

7


Principal Investment Strategies

Reality Shares Advisors, LLC (the “Adviser”), the Fund’s investment adviser, believes that the level of a company’s historical profits and dividends provides a more accurate measure of a company’s potential long-term value than its current stock price. The Adviser’s research shows that U.S. large cap companies which have historically returned profits to their shareholders through dividend distributions have tended to increase the value of those dividend payments over time as economic conditions warrant and business profits expand. Additionally, companies with expanding balance sheets that have previously not paid dividends may also over time return free cash flow to their shareholders in the form of scheduled dividend payments. The Adviser’s research indicates that, largely as a result of these factors and subject to market conditions, the overall level of dividends paid by U.S. large cap companies has, in general, trended upward over time. The Adviser therefore believes that investment strategies based on expectations for dividend growth which isolate the level of a company’s dividends from its stock price can provide attractive long-term returns. Furthermore, since these strategies are based on an expected level of dividend growth, and not the trading price of equity securities, the performance of such strategies should not be directly correlated to broad equity market returns (which are based on the trading prices of equity securities).

Based on this investment philosophy, Reality Shares, Inc., the parent company of the Adviser, developed the Reality Shares U.S. Isolated Dividend Growth Index (the “Index”). The Fund seeks to track the performance of the Index. The Index tracks market expectation of dividend growth conveyed in real-time using bid-ask prices on S&P 500 Index options and options on exchange traded funds (“ETFs”) designed to track the S&P 500 Index.

Many traditional indexes consist of equity securities and are calculated using the respective trading prices of their component equity securities. However, the Index uses a rules-based methodology to construct a portfolio of exchange-listed option contracts on the S&P 500 Index and exchange-listed option contracts on ETFs designed to track the S&P 500 Index, rather than individual stocks. In this manner, the Index reflects a new way to track market expectations for dividend growth conveyed in real-time based on S&P 500 Index options and options on S&P 500 Index ETFs. An option is a type of financial contract in which the purchaser of the contract has the right, but not the obligation, to buy (call) or sell (put) a financial asset, such as an index or ETF, at an agreed-upon price known as the “strike price” during a specific period or on a specific date. The seller of an option contract has a corresponding obligation to sell or buy a financial asset at the strike price during the option period or on the exercise date.

The prices of index and ETF options reflect the market trading prices of the securities included in the underlying index or ETF, as well as market expectations regarding the level of dividends to be paid on such indexes or ETFs during the term of the option. The Index (and the Fund) consists of a series of corresponding near-term and long-term put and call option combinations on the same reference asset (i.e., either an option on the S&P 500 Index or an S&P 500 ETF) with the same strike price. Because option prices reflect both stock price and dividend expectations, they can be used in combination to isolate either price exposure or dividend expectations. The use of near-term and long-term put and call option combinations on the same reference asset with the same strike price, but with different maturities, is designed to gain exposure to the expected dividends reflected in options on the S&P 500 Index and options on ETFs tracking the S&P 500 Index while neutralizing the impact of stock price.

Once established, this portfolio construction of option combinations will accomplish two goals. First, the use of corresponding buy or sell positions on near and long-term options at the same strike price is designed to neutralize underlying stock price movements. In other words, the corresponding “buy” and “sell” positions

 

8


on the same reference asset are designed to net against each other and eliminate the impact that changes to the stock price of the reference asset would otherwise have on the value of the Index (and Fund). Second, by minimizing the impact of price fluctuations through the construct of the near- and long-term contract combinations, the strategy is designed to isolate market expectations for dividends implied between the near-term and long-term option contracts. Over time, the Index will increase or decrease in value as the dividend spread between the near-term and long-term option combinations increases or decreases as a result of changing market expectations for dividend growth.

Under normal circumstances, at least 80% of the Fund’s total assets (exclusive of collateral held from securities lending, if any) will be invested in the component securities of its Index. The Fund generally uses a representative sampling investment approach to invest in a sample of the securities included in the Index whose performance characteristics match the general performance characteristics of the Index as a whole. In this manner, the Fund seeks investment results that, before fees and expenses, generally correspond to the performance of Index. The Fund’s investment strategy typically requires the Fund to enter into investment transactions prior to the announcement of the dates on which dividends are to be paid and, therefore, are based on expectations as to the level of future dividends to be paid. As a result, there can be no guarantees that the Fund’s strategies will fully capture the level of dividends actually paid or otherwise be fully successful. To the extent the Fund’s Index concentrates (i.e., holds 25% or more of its total assets) in the securities of a particular industry or group of industries, the Fund will concentrate its investments to approximately the same extent as its Index.

In addition, the Fund may invest up to 20% of its total assets (exclusive of collateral held from securities lending, if any) in equity securities and derivative instruments relating to the Index and its component securities that the adviser believes will help the Fund track the Index. For example, the Fund may buy and sell ETFs and, to a limited extent, individual equity securities. The Fund may also invest in a combination of dividend swaps and total return swaps in order to gain exposure to the dividends expected to be paid on securities included in the S&P 500 Index and/or short positions in futures contracts or forward contracts in order to minimize the impact to the Fund’s portfolio of price fluctuations associated with such securities. Because the price of the securities and instruments described above may go up or down as a result of interest rate fluctuations between the date the Fund enters into a transaction and the date the transaction is completed, the Fund may enter into option transactions and interest rate swap transactions designed to minimize the impact of changing interest rates on the value of the Fund’s investments.

The Fund’s transactions in options, swaps, forwards and futures will be backed by investments in investment grade, short-term debt securities and money market instruments. The Fund may also invest in such securities and money market instruments for short-term investment or cash management purposes.

The Fund is considered to be “non-diversified” under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and may invest a larger percentage of its assets in fewer issuers than a diversified fund.

Principal Risks

As with all investments, the value of your investment in the Fund can be expected to go up or down. You can lose money on your investment, including the possible loss of the entire principal amount of your investment, over short or long term periods. A Fund share is not a bank

 

9


deposit and it is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any government agency. The principal risk factors affecting your investments in the Fund are set forth below.

Dividend Isolation Strategy Risk – Unlike more traditional funds, the Fund does not seek investment returns based on increases in the secondary market trading price of its portfolio investments over short or long periods of time. Instead, the Fund seeks to produce investment returns based on strategies designed to isolate the growth in the level of the dividends expected to be paid on, or otherwise reflected in, the securities in its portfolio. The value of an investment in the Fund is designed to increase as market expectations for the level of expected dividend growth reflected in the Fund’s underlying investments goes up. The value of an investment in the Fund is expected to decrease as market expectation of the level of dividend growth reflected in the Fund’s underlying investments goes down. The value of an investment in the Fund is not intended to track the price returns of U.S. large capitalization securities or general equity market returns. There can be no guarantee that the Fund’s investment strategies will be successful.

Dividend Payout Risk — The level of dividends paid by issuers is not constant and will vary up or down from year to year and quarter to quarter. Companies that have historically paid dividends may lower their dividends or may cease making such payments. The success of the Fund’s strategy is highly dependent on growth in the overall level of dividends paid and positive expectations for future dividend growth. The Fund’s returns can be expected to be lower if the level of expected or actual dividends declines. Dividends may be lower for a variety of reasons, including a decline in the overall economy, lower corporate earnings levels and other factors. Such declines may be unexpected and can be short-term or last for a number of years. Since the value of your investment in the Fund is based largely on the growth in the level of the dividends expected to be paid on the securities included in the S&P 500 Index, decreases in the amount of dividends paid or expected to be paid will adversely affect the value of the Fund and lower your investment return.

Index Risk — Although the Index is designed to track market expectations for dividend growth conveyed in real-time based on S&P 500 Index options and options on S&P 500 Index ETFs, there can be no guarantees the Index will achieve its objective or perform as intended. Calculation errors, delays or errors with respect to underlying Index data, and errors in the Index methodology, among other things, could cause the performance of the Index to vary from its stated objective. In addition, Reality Shares, Inc., the index provider, has limited experience as an index provider. As a result, the performance of the Index could vary from its stated objective.

Interest Rate Risk — The price the Fund pays when purchasing, or receives when selling, options and other derivatives may be based in part on expected future interest rates. If interest rates rise, or are expected to rise, such instruments may become more expensive for the Fund to purchase. This may negatively impact the performance of the Fund. If interest rates fall or are expected to fall, the contract price of options and other derivative contracts held by the Fund may decrease, in which case the Fund would receive a lower price when selling such instruments. Since the Fund seeks to minimize the impact of price fluctuations on the value of its portfolio, in either case the performance of the Fund would be negatively impacted. The Fund will look to offset the effect of changing interest rates through the use of option combinations, swaps and futures designed to neutralize interest rate exposure between the near and longer-dated option positions.

Investment Risk — As with all investments, an investment in the Fund is subject to investment risk. The value of investments, including an investment in the Fund, can go up or down. You could lose money, including the possible loss of the entire principal amount of your investment, over short or long periods of time.

Market Risk — Although the Fund’s investment strategy seeks to minimize the Fund’s exposure to price fluctuations and market risk, there can be no guarantees these strategies will be successful. As a result, the Fund is subject to the market risk associated with its portfolio investments. Market risk is the risk that the market price of a security may move up and down, sometimes rapidly and unpredictably. Market risk may affect a single issuer, a security type, an industry, a sector or equity markets as a whole. As a result, the price of the Fund’s investments,

 

10


and therefore the price of Fund shares, may fluctuate significantly. You could lose money on your investment over short or long periods of time.

New Fund Risk — The Fund is newly organized and the Adviser has not previously managed an ETF registered under the 1940 Act. Accordingly, investors in the Fund bear the risk that the Fund may not employ a successful investment strategy or successfully implement its strategy, and that the Fund may fail to attract sufficient assets under management to realize economies of scale. These factors could have a negative impact on Fund performance and, if they persist over time, could result in the Fund being liquidated. While shareholders would be provided with prior notice of liquidation, liquidation does not require shareholder approval, may occur at a time that may not be favorable for all shareholders and could have negative tax consequences for shareholders.

Non-Diversification Risk — The Fund is non-diversified, which means that it may invest in the securities of relatively few issuers. As a result, the Fund may be more susceptible to a single adverse economic or political occurrence affecting one or more of these issuers and may experience increased volatility due to its investments in those securities.

Shares of the Fund May Trade at Prices Other Than NAV — As with all ETFs, Fund shares may be bought and sold in the secondary market at market prices. Although market prices for Fund shares are expected to closely correspond to the Fund’s net asset value (“NAV”), it is expected that, as with all ETFs, there will be times when the market price of the shares is higher or lower than the NAV of such shares. This may be especially true during periods where the trading volume of Fund shares is low. The risk the Fund may trade at prices other than NAV is heightened in times of market stress or volatility. Secondary market trading in ETF shares may be disrupted or halted because of market conditions or other reasons. In such instances the price of Fund shares could change dramatically and without warning, you may temporarily be unable to purchase or sell shares of the Fund and you may not be able to exit your position during periods of market declines.

Tracking Error Risk — As with all index funds, the performance of the Fund may vary from the performance of its Index. This variation typically results from Fund expenses, imperfect correlation and other differences between the Fund’s investments and the Index constituents, the timing of cash flows in and out of the Fund, and other factors. These and other factors could cause the Fund’s performance to vary substantially from the performance of the Index.

Use of Derivatives Risk — The Fund may invest in derivatives contracts in order to obtain exposure to the growth of the level of the dividends expected to be paid on the securities included in the S&P 500 Index and to manage exposure to interest rate fluctuations. Derivative contracts include options, swaps, forward contracts and futures contracts. Options, swaps, forward contracts and futures contracts are subject to a number of risks described herein, including market risk, leverage risk, correlation risk and liquidity risk. Market risk is described below. Leverage risk is the risk that leverage will amplify the effects of market volatility on the Fund’s share price or cause the Fund to liquidate portfolio positions when it would not be advantageous to do so in order to satisfy its obligations. The Fund’s use of leverage may result in a heightened risk of investment loss. Liquidity risk is the risk that certain securities may be difficult or impossible to sell at the time and the price that the Fund would like. The Fund may have to lower the price, sell other securities instead or forego an investment opportunity, any of which could have a negative effect on Fund performance. Correlation risk is the risk that changes in the value of the derivative may not correlate perfectly with the underlying asset, rate or index. The Fund’s use of forward contracts and swap agreements is also subject to credit risk and valuation risk. Credit risk is the risk that the issuer of a security or the counterparty to a contract will default or otherwise become unable to honor a financial obligation. Valuation risk is the risk that the derivative may be difficult to value and/or valued incorrectly. Each of these risks could cause the Fund to lose money and have a negative impact on the value of your investment.

 

11


Performance Information

The Fund is new and therefore has no performance history. 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 return based on net assets and comparing the Fund’s performance to a broad measure of market performance.

Investment Adviser

Reality Shares Advisors, LLC (the “Adviser”).

Portfolio Managers

Eric Ervin, President and CEO of the Adviser, has managed the Fund since its inception.

For important information about the purchase and sale of Fund shares, taxes and financial intermediary compensation, please turn to “Summary Information about the Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares, Taxes and Financial Intermediary Compensation” on page XX of the prospectus.

 

12


REALITY SHARES ISOLATED DIVIDEND GROWTH ETF

Investment Objective

The Reality Shares Isolated Dividend Growth ETF seeks to produce long term capital appreciation.

Fund Fees and Expenses

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund. Most investors also will incur customary brokerage commissions when buying or selling shares of the Fund, which are not reflected in the table or the Example.

Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

 

Management Fees

     [              ]%   

Other Expenses 1

     [              ]%   

Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses 1

     [              ]%   

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

     [              ]%   

1 Other Expenses and Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses are 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 (including one year of capped expenses in each period) remain the same. The Example does not take into account brokerage commissions that you pay when purchasing or selling shares of the Fund. If the commissions were included in the Example, your costs would be higher. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

 

1 Year    3 Years
$ XX    $ XX

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 Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in total 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.

 

13


Principal Investment Strategies

Reality Shares Advisors, LLC (the “Adviser”), the Fund’s investment adviser, believes that the level of a company’s historical profits and dividends provides a more accurate measure of a company’s potential long-term value than its current stock price. The Adviser’s research shows that those U.S. and foreign companies that have returned profits to their shareholders through dividend distributions have historically tended to increase the level of dividend payments over time as economic conditions warrant and business profits expand. Additionally, companies with expanding balance sheets that have previously not paid dividends may also over time return free cash flow to their shareholders in the form of scheduled dividend payments. The Adviser’s research indicates that, largely as a result of these factors and subject to market conditions, the overall level of dividends paid by U.S. and foreign large cap companies has, in general, trended upward over time. The Adviser therefore believes that investment strategies based on expectations for dividend growth which isolate the level of a company’s dividends from its stock price can provide attractive long-term returns. Furthermore, since these strategies are based on an expected level of dividend growth, and not the trading price of equity securities, the performance of such strategies should not be directly correlated to broad equity market returns (which are based on the trading prices of equity securities).

The Fund is actively managed by the Adviser using proprietary trading strategies designed to isolate and capture the growth in the level of dividends expected to be paid on a portfolio of large-capitalization equity securities listed for trading in the U.S., Europe or Japan, while attempting to minimize the Fund’s exposure to the price fluctuations associated with these securities. These strategies typically require the Fund to enter into investment transactions prior to the dates on which the level of dividends to be paid on such securities is announced and, therefore, are based on market expectations as to the level of future dividends to be paid. As a result, there can be no guarantees that the Adviser’s strategies will fully capture the level of dividends actually paid or otherwise be fully successful.

Under normal circumstances, the Fund generally invests in a combination of exchange-listed options contracts on large capitalization equity indexes and exchange-listed option contracts on ETFs designed to track the performance of large capitalization equity securities listed for trading in the U.S., Europe or Japan. An option is a type of financial contract in which the purchaser of the contract has the right, but not the obligation, to buy (call) or sell (put) a financial asset, such as an index or ETF, at an agreed-upon price known as the “strike price” during a specific period or on a specific date. The seller of an option contract has a corresponding obligation to sell or buy a financial asset at the strike price during the option period or on the exercise date. The Fund may also buy and sell ETFs and individual equity securities.

The prices of index and ETF options reflect the market trading prices of the securities included in the underlying index or ETF, as well as market expectations regarding the level of dividends to be paid on such indexes or ETFs during the term of the option. The Fund consists of a series of corresponding near-term and long-term put and call option combinations on the same reference asset (e.g., an option on an underlying index or ETF) with the same strike price. Because option prices reflect both stock price and dividend expectations, they can be used in combination to isolate either price exposure or dividend expectations. The use of near-term and long-term put and call option combinations on the same reference asset with the same strike price, but with different maturities, is designed to gain exposure to the value of the expected dividends of U.S., European and Japanese large capitalization companies reflected in the underlying index or ETF options while neutralizing the impact of stock price.

Once established, this portfolio construction of option combinations will accomplish two goals. First, the use of corresponding buy or sell positions on near and long-term options at the same strike price is designed to neutralize underlying stock price movements. In other words, the corresponding “buy” and “sell” positions on the same reference asset are designed to net against each other and eliminate the impact that changes to the stock price of the reference asset would otherwise have on the value of the Index (and Fund). Second, by minimizing the impact of price fluctuations through the construct of the near- and long-term contract combinations, the strategy is designed to isolate market expectations for

 

14


dividends implied between the near-term and long-term option contracts. Over time, the Fund will increase or decrease in value as the dividend spread between the near-term and long-term option combinations increases or decreases as a result of changing market expectations for dividend growth.

The Fund also may invest in dividend swaps, total return swaps, exchange-listed futures contracts and forward contracts designed to capture the growth of the level of dividends expected to be paid on large capitalization equity securities listed for trading in the U.S., Europe or Japan.

Because the price of the securities and instruments described above may go up or down as a result of changes in interest rates between the date the Fund enters into a transaction and the date the transaction is completed, the Fund may enter into interest rate swap and Eurodollar futures contract transactions. The use of interest rate swap and Eurodollar futures contract transactions is intended to minimize the impact of changing interest rates on the value of the Fund’s investments.

The Fund’s transactions in options, swaps, forwards and futures will be backed by investments in investment grade, short-term debt securities and money market instruments. The Fund may also invest in such securities and money market instruments for short-term investment or cash management purposes.

The Fund is considered to be “non-diversified” under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and may invest a larger percentage of its assets in fewer issuers than a diversified fund. The Fund will not invest 25% or more of its total assets in the securities of a particular industry or group of industries.

The Adviser considers U.S. large capitalization companies to be those with market capitalizations within the range of market capitalizations of the companies included in the S&P 500 Index. As of [          ], 2014, the market capitalizations of companies included in the S&P 500 Index ranged from approximately $[          ] billion to $[          ] billion. The Adviser considers European large capitalization companies to be those with market capitalizations within the range of market capitalizations of the companies included in the Euro Stoxx 50 Index. As of [          ], 2014, the market capitalizations of companies included in the Euro Stoxx 50 ranged from approximately $[          ] billion to $[          ] billion. The Adviser considers Japanese large capitalization companies to be those with market capitalizations within the range of market capitalizations of the companies included in the Nikkei 225 Index. As of [          ], 2014, the market capitalizations of companies included in the Nikkei 225 ranged from approximately $[          ] billion to $[              ] billion.

Principal Risks

As with all investments, the value of your investment in the Fund can be expected to go up or down. You can lose money on your investment, including the possible loss of the entire principal amount of your investment, over short or long term periods. A Fund share is not a bank deposit and it is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any government agency. The principal risk factors affecting your investments in the Fund are set forth below.

Active Management Risk — The Fund is actively managed using proprietary investment strategies. As with all actively managed funds, there can be no guarantee the Adviser’s strategies will be successful. As a result, you may lose money on your investment, including the possible loss of the entire principal amount of your investment.

Dividend Isolation Strategy Risk – Unlike more traditional funds, the Fund does not seek investment returns based on increases in the secondary market trading price of its portfolio investments over short or

 

15


long periods of time. Instead, the Fund seeks to produce investment returns based on strategies designed to isolate the growth in the level of the dividends expected to be paid on, or otherwise reflected in, the securities in its portfolio. The value of an investment in the Fund is designed to increase as market expectations for the level of expected dividend growth reflected in the Fund’s underlying investments goes up. The value of an investment in the Fund is expected to decrease as market expectation of the level of dividend growth reflected in the Fund’s underlying investments goes down. The value of an investment in the Fund is not intended to track the price returns of U.S., European and Japanese large capitalization securities or general equity market returns. There can be no guarantee that the Fund’s investment strategies will be successful.

Dividend Payout Risk — The level of dividends paid by issuers is not constant and will vary from year to year and quarter to quarter. Companies that have historically paid dividends may lower their dividends or may cease making such payments. The success of the Fund’s strategy is highly dependent on growth in the overall level of dividends paid and positive expectations for future dividend growth. The Fund’s returns can be expected to be lower if the level of expected or actual dividends declines. Dividends may be lower than expected for a variety of reasons, including a decline in the overall economy, lower corporate earnings levels and other factors. Such declines may be unexpected and can be short-term or last for a number of years. Since the value of your investment in the Fund is based largely on the growth in the level of the dividends expected to be paid on the U.S., European and Japanese large capitalization equity securities reflected in the Fund’s portfolio, decreases in the amount of dividends paid or expected to be paid will adversely affect the value of the Fund and lower your investment return.

Foreign Securities Risk — Non-U.S. securities may be subject to additional risks due to, among other things, political, social and economic developments abroad, currency movements and different legal, regulatory and tax environments. Such risks may negatively impact the ability or willingness of non-U.S. companies to issue dividends, which, in turn, may adversely affect the value of the Fund and lower your investment return. Further, such risks may cause the prices of securities issued by non-U.S. companies to decrease to a greater degree than the prices of securities of U.S. companies. If the Fund is unsuccessful in minimizing its exposure to price fluctuations of the foreign securities in which it invests, the price of the Fund’s investments, and therefore the price of Fund shares, could decrease, and you could lose money.

Interest Rate Risk — The price the Fund pays when purchasing, or receives when selling, options and other derivatives may be based in part on expected future interest rates. If interest rates rise, or are expected to rise, such instruments may become more expensive for the Fund to purchase. This may negatively impact the performance of the Fund. If interest rates fall or are expected to fall, the contract price of options and other derivatives contract held by the Fund may decrease, in which case the Fund would receive a lower price when selling such instruments. Since the Fund seeks to minimize the impact of price fluctuations on the value of its portfolio, in either case the performance of the Fund would be negatively impacted. The Fund will look to offset the effect of changing interest rates through the use of option combinations, swaps and futures designed to neutralize interest rate exposure between the near and longer-dated option positions.

Investment Risk — As with all investments, an investment in the Fund is subject to investment risk. The value of investments, including an investment in the Fund, can go up or down. You could lose money, including the possible loss of the entire principal amount of your investment, over short or long periods of time.

Investments in ETFs Risk — The Fund may invest in other ETFs. The risks of owning shares of an ETF generally reflect the risks of owning the underlying securities the ETF holds. In addition, Fund shareholders bear both their proportionate share of expenses in the Fund and, indirectly, the expenses of the ETF.

 

16


Investments in Europe Risk — The Fund’s investments in Europe are subject to the political, social or economic disruptions that occur in Europe, even if such disruptions occur in European countries in which the Fund is not invested. The European financial markets have recently experienced volatility and adverse trends due to concerns about rising government debt levels of certain European countries, each of which may require external assistance to meet its obligations and run the risk of default on its debt, possible bail-out by the rest of the European Union (“EU”) or debt restructuring. Assistance given to an EU member state may be dependent on a country’s implementation of reforms in order to curb the risk of default on its debt, and a failure to implement these reforms or increase revenues could result in a deep economic downturn. These events may adversely affect the economic and market environment in Europe, which in turn may adversely affect the price or liquidity of securities issued by European issuers and therefore may adversely affect the Fund and its investments in such securities.

Investments in Japan Risk — The Japanese economy has recently emerged from a prolonged economic downturn. Since 2000, Japan’s economic growth rate has remained relatively low. Its economy is characterized by government intervention and protectionism, an unstable financial services sector and relatively high unemployment. Japan’s economy is heavily dependent on international trade and has been adversely affected by trade tariffs and competition from emerging economies. As such, economic growth is heavily dependent on continued growth in international trade, government support of the financial services sector, among other troubled sectors, and consistent government policy. Any changes or trends in these economic factors could have a significant impact on Japan’s economy overall and may negatively affect the Fund’s investment. Japan’s economy is also closely tied to its two largest trading partners, the U.S. and China. Economic volatility in either nation may create volatility for Japan’s economy as well. Additionally, as China has increased its role with Japan as a trading partner, political tensions between the countries has become strained. Any increase or decrease in such tension may have consequences for investment in Japanese issuers.

In addition, Japan is subject to the risk of natural disasters, such as earthquakes, volcanoes, typhoons and tsunamis.

Market Risk — Although the Fund’s investment strategy seeks to minimize the Fund’s exposure to price fluctuations and market risk, there can be no guarantees these strategies will be successful. As a result, the Fund is subject to the market risk associated with its portfolio investments. Market risk is the risk that the market price of a security may move up and down, sometimes rapidly and unpredictably. Market risk may affect a single issuer, a security type, an industry, a sector or equity markets as a whole. As a result, the price of the Fund’s investments, and therefore the price of Fund shares, may fluctuate significantly. You could lose money on your investment over short or long periods of time.

New Fund Risk — The Fund is newly organized and the Adviser has not previously managed an ETF registered under the 1940 Act. Accordingly, investors in the Fund bear the risk that the Fund may not employ a successful investment strategy or successfully implement its strategy, and that the Fund may fail to attract sufficient assets under management to realize economies of scale. These factors could have a negative impact on Fund performance and, if they persist over time, could result in the Fund being liquidated. While shareholders would be provided with prior notice of liquidation, liquidation does not require shareholder approval, may occur at a time that may not be favorable for all shareholders and could have negative tax consequences for shareholders.

Non-Diversification Risk — The Fund is non-diversified, which means that it may invest in the securities of relatively few issuers. As a result, the Fund may be more susceptible to a single adverse economic or political occurrence affecting one or more of these issuers and may experience increased volatility due to its investments in those securities.

Shares of the Fund May Trade at Prices Other Than NAV — As with all ETFs, Fund shares may be bought and sold in the secondary market at market prices. Although market prices for Fund shares are expected to closely correspond to the Fund’s net asset value (“NAV”), it is expected that, as with all ETFs, there will be times when the market price of the shares is higher or lower than the NAV of such shares. This may be especially true during periods where the trading volume of Fund shares is low. The risk the Fund may trade at prices other than NAV is heightened in times of market stress or volatility. Secondary market trading in ETF shares may be disrupted or halted because of market conditions or other reasons. In such instances the price of Fund shares could change dramatically and without warning, you

 

17


may temporarily be unable to purchase or sell shares of the Fund and you may not be able to exit your position during periods of market declines.

Use of Derivatives Risk — The Fund may invest in derivatives contracts in order to obtain exposure to the growth of the level of the dividends expected to be paid on a portfolio of U.S., European and Japanese large capitalization equity securities and to manage exposure to interest rate fluctuations. Derivative contracts include options, swaps, forward contracts and futures contracts. Options, swaps, forward contracts and futures contracts are subject to a number of risks described herein, including market risk, leverage risk, correlation risk and liquidity risk. Market risk is described below. Leverage risk is the risk that leverage will amplify the effects of market volatility on the Fund’s share price or cause the Fund to liquidate portfolio positions when it would not be advantageous to do so in order to satisfy its obligations. The Fund’s use of leverage may result in a heightened risk of investment loss. Liquidity risk is the risk that certain securities may be difficult or impossible to sell at the time and the price that the Fund would like. The Fund may have to lower the price, sell other securities instead or forego an investment opportunity, any of which could have a negative effect on Fund performance. Correlation risk is the risk that changes in the value of the derivative may not correlate perfectly with the underlying asset, rate or index. The Fund’s use of forward contracts and swap agreements is also subject to credit risk and valuation risk. Credit risk is the risk that the issuer of a security or the counterparty to a contract will default or otherwise become unable to honor a financial obligation. Valuation risk is the risk that the derivative may be difficult to value and/or valued incorrectly. Each of these risks could cause the Fund to lose money and have a negative impact on the value of your investment.

Performance Information

The Fund is new and therefore has no performance history. 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 return based on net assets and comparing the Fund’s performance to a broad measure of market performance.

Investment Adviser

Reality Shares Advisors, LLC (the “Adviser”).

Portfolio Managers

Eric Ervin, President and CEO of the Adviser, has managed the Fund since its inception.

For important information about the purchase and sale of Fund shares, taxes and financial intermediary compensation, please turn to “Summary Information about the Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares, Taxes and Financial Intermediary Compensation” on page XX of the prospectus.

 

18


Summary Information about the Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares, Taxes

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

As with all ETFs, individual Fund shares are listed on national securities exchanges, are bought and sold through broker-dealers and may not be purchased or redeemed directly with the Funds. Fund shares trade in the secondary market at market prices, which may be different from the Fund’s per share net asset value (“NAV”). As a result, the Fund’s shares may trade at a price greater than the NAV (at a premium) or less than the NAV (at a discount). Most investors will incur customary brokerage commissions or other charges when buying or selling shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer.

The Funds issue and redeem shares at NAV only in large blocks of 25,000 shares or more (“Creation Units”) and only with large institutional investors that have entered into an agreement with the Funds’ distributor in exchange for the deposit or delivery of a basket of securities and/or cash. Except when aggregated in Creation Units, shares of the Funds are not redeemable securities.

Tax Information

The Funds’ distributions are taxable and will generally be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains.

More Information About the Funds’ Investment Objectives, Strategies and Risks

The Funds’ Investment Objectives

The Funds’ investment objectives are as follows:

 

   

The investment objective of the Reality Shares NASDAQ-100 Isolated Dividend Growth Index ETF is long-term capital appreciation by tracking the performance of the Reality Shares NASDAQ-100 Isolated Dividend Growth Index.

 

   

The investment objective of the Reality Shares U.S. Isolated Dividend Growth Index ETF is long-term capital appreciation by tracking the performance of the Reality Shares U.S. Isolated Dividend Growth Index.

 

   

The investment objective of the Reality Shares Isolated Dividend Growth ETF is to seek to produce long term capital appreciation.

Each Fund’s investment objective is non-fundamental and may be changed by the Fund’s board of trustees (the “Board”) without shareholder approval.

The Funds’ Principal Investment Strategies

The principal investment strategies of each Fund are described in the “Principal Investment Strategies” section for each Fund earlier in this prospectus. Below is additional information about the principal investment strategies of each Fund and the securities and other instruments that a Fund may purchase or sell in connection with its principal investment strategies.

 

19


Each Fund intends to enter into derivative transactions. A derivative is an instrument that derives its value from an underlying reference asset, such as an index, ETF or rate. Options and swaps are two types of derivatives.

Each Fund intends to enter into option contracts. An option is a type of financial contract in which the purchaser of the contract has the right, but not the obligation, to buy or sell a financial asset, such as an index or ETF, at an agreed-upon price known as the “strike price” during a specific period or on a specific date. A Fund may buy ( i.e. , hold a “long” position in) and sell ( i.e. , hold a “short” position in) put and call options. A put option gives the purchaser of the option the right to sell, and the issuer of the option the obligation to buy, the underlying security or index during the option period. A call option gives the purchaser of the option the right to buy, and the seller of the option the obligation to sell, the underlying security or index during the option period.

Each Fund intends to engage in swap transactions. In a typical swap transaction, the parties agree to make future payments to each other based on the change in value a specified rate, index, or asset. Swap transactions are usually done on a net basis, the Fund receiving or paying only the net amount of the two payments. In a typical dividend swap transaction, a Fund would pay the swap counterparty a premium and would be entitled to receive the value of the actual dividends paid on the subject index during the term of the swap contract. In a typical total return swap, a Fund would pay the swap counterparty a premium and would be entitled to receive the total return of the underlying index, consisting of dividends and capital appreciation or depreciation. A Fund also may engage in interest rate swap transactions. In a typical interest rate swap transaction one stream of future interest payments is exchanged for another. Such transactions often take the form of an exchange of a fixed payment for a variable payment based on a future interest rate.

A Fund also may invest in exchange-listed futures contracts and forward contracts. A listed futures contract is a standardized contract traded on a recognized exchange in which two parties agree to exchange either a specified financial asset or the cash equivalent of said asset at a specified future date and price. A forward contract involves the obligation to purchase or sell a either a specified financial asset or the cash equivalent of said asset at a future date at a price set at the time of the contract.

The Reality Shares Isolated Dividend Growth ETF may, from time to time, invest up to 100% of its assets in cash or money market instruments that would not ordinarily be consistent with its investment objective in attempting to respond to adverse market, economic, political or other conditions. If the Fund invests in this manner, it may not achieve its investment objective. The Fund will do so only if the Adviser believes that the risk of loss outweighs the opportunity to pursue its investment objective.

This prospectus describes the Funds’ principal investment strategies and risks, and the Funds will normally invest in the types of securities described in this prospectus. In addition to the securities and other investments and strategies described in this prospectus, each Fund may invest in other securities, or use other investment strategies to a lesser extent. These investments and strategies are described in detail in the Funds’ Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) (for information on how to obtain a copy of the SAI see the back cover of this prospectus).

As with all investments, there is no guarantee that a Fund will achieve its investment goal.

 

20


The Funds’ Principal Risks

Investing in a Fund involves risk. There is no guarantee that a Fund will achieve its goals. In fact, no matter how good a job the Fund’s investment manager does, you could lose money on your investment in a Fund, just as you could with other investments.

Although each Fund’s strategy is designed to produce returns based on the level of expected dividends and to minimize the impact of price fluctuations (up or down) on the value of the Fund’s portfolio, there is no guarantee this strategy will be successful. The value of your investment in a Fund is based on the value of the securities and other instruments the Fund holds. These prices change daily due to economic and other events that affect particular companies and the market as a whole. These price movements, sometimes called volatility, may be greater or lesser depending on the types of securities and other instruments a Fund owns and the markets in which it trades. The impact on a Fund of a change in the value of a single security or other instrument will depend in part on how widely the Fund diversifies its holdings.

The following descriptions provide additional information about some of the risks of investing in the Funds:

Use of Derivatives Risk — Each Fund intends to invest in derivatives. Derivatives are instruments that derive their value from an underlying security, financial asset or an index. Examples of derivative instruments include options, swaps, futures contracts and forward contracts. The primary risk of derivative instruments is that changes in the market value of securities held by the Funds, and of the derivative instruments relating to those securities, may not be proportionate. There may not be a liquid market for the Funds to sell a derivative instrument, which could result in difficulty in closing the position. Moreover, certain derivative instruments can magnify the extent of losses incurred due to changes in the market value of the securities to which they relate. Some derivative instruments are subject to counterparty risk. A default by the counterparty on its payments to the Funds will cause the value of your investment in the Funds to decrease. Forward Contracts Risk, Futures Contracts Risk, Options Risk, and Swap Agreements Risk are each discussed below in further detail.

The Adviser believes that the level of a company’s historical profits and dividends provides a more accurate measure of a company’s potential long-term value than its current stock price. The Adviser’s research shows that U.S. large cap companies which have historically returned profits to their shareholders through dividend distributions have tended to increase the value of those dividend payments over time as economic conditions warrant and business profits expand. Additionally, companies with expanding balance sheets that have previously not paid dividends may also over time return free cash flow to their shareholders in the form of scheduled dividend payments. The Adviser’s research indicates that, largely as a result of these factors and subject to market conditions, the overall level of dividends paid by U.S. large cap companies has, in general, trended upward over time. The Adviser therefore believes that investment strategies based on expectations for dividend growth which isolate the level of a company’s dividends from its stock price can provide attractive long-term returns. Furthermore, since these strategies are based on an expected level of dividend growth, and not the trading price of equity securities, the performance of such strategies should not be directly correlated to broad equity market returns.

ETF Shares Trading Risk — Shares of each Fund typically trade at prices that differ from (and can be below) their net asset values (“NAV”). The NAV of Fund shares will fluctuate with changes in the market value of the Fund’s holdings, and the exchange-traded prices of Fund shares may not fully reflect these market values. These differences may be more pronounced for newer or smaller ETFs, for ETFs that own less liquid securities or in certain market conditions. For example, supply and demand for shares of an ETF or market disruptions may cause the market price of the ETF to deviate from the value of the ETF’s investments, which may be emphasized in less liquid or volatile markets. These price fluctuations may be

 

21


significant. There can be no assurance that an active trading market for Fund shares will develop or be maintained. Shares of each Fund are listed on national securities exchanges (each, an “Exchange”). An unanticipated early closing of an Exchange may result in your inability to buy or sell shares of the Fund on that day. An Exchange may halt trading in Fund shares because of market conditions or other reasons. You may temporarily be unable to purchase or sell shares of the Fund if a trading halt occurs.

Forward Contracts Risk — Each Fund may invest in forward contracts. A forward contract involves a negotiated obligation to purchase or sell a specific security or currency at a future date (with or without delivery required) at a price set at the time of the contract. This date may be any fixed number of days from the date of the contract agreed upon by the parties. Forward contracts are not traded on exchanges. Instead, a bank or dealer will act as agent or as principal in order to make or take future delivery of a specified lot of a particular security for the Fund’s account. Risks associated with forwards may include: (i) imperfect correlation between the movement in the prices of forward contracts and the securities or currencies underlying them; (ii) liquidity risk; (iii) difficulty in obtaining an accurate value for the forwards; and (iv) the risk that the counterparty to the forward contract will default or otherwise fail to honor its obligation. Because forwards require only a small initial investment in the form of a deposit or margin, they may involve a high degree of leverage.

Futures Contracts Risk — Each Fund may invest in futures contracts. Futures contracts provide for the sale by one party and purchase by another party of a specified amount of a specific security or asset at a specified future time and at a specified price set at the time of contract (with or without delivery required). The use of futures contracts is subject to a number of risks, including: (i) leverage risk; (ii) correlation or tracking risk and (iii) liquidity risk. Because futures require only a small initial investment in the form of a deposit or margin, they may involve a high degree of leverage. Accordingly, the fluctuation of the value of futures in relation to the underlying assets upon which they are based is magnified. Thus, the Funds may experience losses that exceed losses experienced by funds that do not use futures contracts. There may be imperfect correlation, or even no correlation, between price movements of a futures contract and price movements of investments for which futures are used as a substitute, or which futures are intended to hedge.

Investments in ETFs Risk — Each Fund may purchase shares of or interests in other ETFs. The risks of owning interests of an ETF generally reflect the same risks as owning the underlying securities or other instruments held by the ETF. ETF shares typically trade at a premium or discount to their intrinsic value (i.e., the market value may differ from the net asset value of an ETF’s shares). These differences may be more pronounced for newer or smaller ETFs, for ETFs that own less liquid securities or in certain market conditions. For example, supply and demand for shares of an ETF or market disruptions may cause the market price of the ETF to deviate from the value of the ETF’s investments, which may be emphasized in less liquid or volatile markets. By investing in an ETF, the Fund indirectly bears the proportionate share of any fees and expenses of the ETF in addition to the fees and expenses that the Fund and its shareholders directly bear in connection with the Fund’s operations. Such ETF expenses may make owning shares of the ETF more costly than owning the underlying securities directly.

Options Risk — Each Fund utilizes various options strategies, and, therefore, each Fund is subject to options risk. An option is a contract between two parties for the purchase and sale of a financial instrument for a specified price at any time during the option period. Unlike a futures contract, an option grants a right (not an obligation) to buy or sell a financial instrument. For example, an option on a futures contract gives the purchaser the right, in exchange for a premium, to assume a position in a futures contract at a specified exercise price during the term of the option. The seller of an uncovered call option assumes the risk of a theoretically unlimited increase in the market price of the underlying security above the exercise price of the option. The securities necessary to satisfy the exercise of the call option may be unavailable for purchase except at much higher prices. Purchasing securities to satisfy the exercise of the

 

22


call option can itself cause the price of the securities to rise further, sometimes by a significant amount, thereby exacerbating the loss. The buyer of a call option assumes the risk of losing its entire premium invested in the call option. The seller (writer) of a put option that is covered (e.g., the writer has a short position in the underlying security) assumes the risk of an increase in the market price of the underlying security above the sales price (in establishing the short position) of the underlying security plus the premium received and gives up the opportunity for gain on the underlying security below the exercise price of the option. The seller of an uncovered put option assumes the risk of a decline in the market price of the underlying security below the exercise price of the option. The buyer of a put option assumes the risk of losing his entire premium invested in the put option.

Swap Agreements Risk — Each Fund engages in swap transactions and is therefore subject to swap agreements risk. Swaps are agreements in which two parties agree to exchange future payments based on a rate, index, instrument or other asset at a predetermined amount. The risks of swaps include: (i) an imperfect correlation between the movement in prices of the dividend swap and the dividends paid by stocks underlying them; (ii) lack of liquidity; (iii) difficulty in obtaining an accurate value for the swaps; and (iv) the risk that the counterparty to the swap will default or otherwise fail to honor its obligation. Dividend swaps are also subject to Dividend Payout Risk, which is described in the “Principal Risks” section of this Prospectus for each Fund. For example, issuers of the stocks underlying the dividend swap could choose to return capital to their shareholders through means other than dividends, such as return of capital or share buybacks. Further, an issuer of a stock underlying the dividend swap could purchase or be purchased by another company, which could affect their decisions on whether to issue dividends to shareholders.

Information about Portfolio Holdings

A description of the Funds’ policy and procedures with respect to the circumstances under which the Funds disclose their portfolio holdings is available in the SAI. [Website information to be inserted.]

Investment Adviser, Portfolio Manager and Index Provider

Investment Adviser

Reality Shares Advisors, LLC (the “Adviser”) serves as the investment adviser to the Funds. The Adviser’s principal place of business is located at 402 West Broadway, Suite 2800, San Diego, California 92101. The Adviser has served as the investment adviser of each Fund since its inception.

Subject to the supervision of the Board, the Adviser is responsible for managing the investment activities of the Funds and the Funds’ business affairs and other administrative matters. For its services to each Fund, the Adviser is entitled to a fee, which is calculated daily and paid monthly, at an annual rate of the average daily net assets of each Fund, as set forth below:

 

Fund

   Advisory Fee

Reality Shares NASDAQ-100 Isolated Dividend Growth Index ETF

   [              ]%  

Reality Shares U.S. Isolated Dividend Growth Index ETF

   [              ]%  

Reality Shares Isolated Dividend Growth ETF

   [              ]%  

Under the Investment Advisory Agreement for each Fund, the Adviser has agreed to pay generally all expenses of each Fund. For a detailed description of the Investment Advisory Agreement for each Fund, please see the section of the SAI entitled “The Adviser.”

A discussion regarding the basis for the Board of Trustees’ approval of the Funds’ investment advisory agreement will be available in the Funds’ initial annual report.

 

23


Portfolio Manager

The portfolio manager currently responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund’s portfolio is Eric Ervin, President and CEO of the Adviser. Prior to founding the Adviser in 2013, he spent 14 years building the Ervin Miller Group wealth management franchise at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney. Mr. Ervin is a Certified Financial Planner practitioner, and a Chartered Financial Consultant.

The SAI provides additional information about the portfolio managers’ compensation, other accounts managed by the portfolio manager and his ownership, if any, of securities in the Funds.

Index Provider

Reality Shares, Inc. (the “Index Provider”) is the parent company of the Adviser and is located at 402 West Broadway, Suite 2800, San Diego, California 92101. The Index Provider publishes the Reality Shares NASDAQ-100 Isolated Dividend Growth Index and Reality Shares U.S. Isolated Dividend Growth Index (each, and “Index” and together, the “Indexes”).

The Index Provider, the Adviser and the Funds make no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of shares of the Funds or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in the Funds particularly or the ability of the Indexes to achieve their respective goals or otherwise gain exposure to the dividends or dividend growth to which they are designed to gain exposure. The Index Provider has no obligation to take the needs of the Funds or the owners of shares of the Funds into consideration in determining, composing, or calculating the Indexes. The Index Provider is not responsible for and has not participated in the determination of the timing of, prices of, or quantities of shares of the Funds to be issued or in the determination or calculation of the equation by which the shares of the Funds are redeemable. The Funds, the Adviser and the Index provider do not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or performance of any Index or the data included therein and shall have no liability in connection with any Index or Index calculation.

Purchasing and Selling Fund Shares

Most investors will buy and sell shares in secondary market transactions through brokers and, therefore, must have a brokerage account to buy and sell shares. Shares can be bought or sold through your broker throughout the trading day like shares of any publicly traded security. When buying or selling shares through a broker, you will incur customary brokerage commissions and other charges. The price at which you buy or sell Fund shares (i.e., the market price) may be more or less than the NAV of the shares. Unless imposed by your broker, there is no minimum dollar amount you must invest in a Fund and no minimum number of shares you must buy when buying or selling shares in secondary market transactions. Shares of a Fund may be purchased or redeemed directly from the Fund only in Creation Units or multiples thereof, as discussed in the SAI.

Shares of the Funds are listed on the Exchanges under the following symbols:

 

Fund

  

Exchange

  

Symbol

Reality Shares NASDAQ-100 Isolated Dividend Growth Index ETF

   The NASDAQ Stock Market    [____]

Reality Shares U.S. Isolated Dividend Growth ETF

   NYSE Arca, Inc.    [____]

Reality Shares Isolated Dividend Growth ETF

   NYSE Arca, Inc.    [____]

The Exchanges are generally open Monday through Friday and is closed for 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.

For information about buying and selling shares, please contact your broker or dealer.

Share Trading Prices. The trading prices of a Fund’s shares may differ from the Fund’s daily NAV and are expected to vary based on a number of factors. These factors include supply and demand for the Fund’s shares, the level of dividends paid on the Fund’s portfolio securities, the prices of the Fund’s portfolio securities, economic conditions, the existence of market disruptions and other factors. The Exchanges or another market information provider will disseminate the approximate value of a Fund’s portfolio every fifteen seconds. This approximate value should not be viewed as a “real-time” update of the NAV of a Fund because the approximate value may not be calculated in the same manner, or at the same time, as the NAV, which is computed once a day. A Fund is not involved in, or responsible for, the calculation or dissemination of the approximate values and makes no warranty as to the accuracy of these values.

Frequent Purchases and Redemptions of Fund Shares

The Board has determined not to adopt policies and procedures designed to prevent or monitor for frequent purchases and redemptions of the Funds’ shares. As ETFs, the Funds sell and redeem their

 

24


shares at NAV only in Creation Units to authorized participants that have entered into an agreement with the Funds’ distributor (“Authorized Participants”). Purchases and redemptions of Creation Units by Authorized Participants are essential to keeping the market price of Fund shares at or close to their NAV and therefore frequent purchases and redemptions of Creation Units are not discouraged. Frequent purchases and redemptions of Creation Units for cash may increase portfolio transaction costs and may lead to realization of capital gains. To minimize these consequences, the Funds impose a transaction fee on such Creation Unit transactions that is designed to offset the transfer and other transaction costs the Funds incur.

Pricing of Fund Shares

Each Fund will calculate its NAV by: (i) taking the current market value of its total assets; (ii) subtracting any liabilities; and (iii) dividing that amount by the total number of Shares outstanding. Each Fund will calculate NAV once each day the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) is open as of the regularly scheduled close of trading on the NYSE (normally, 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time).

In calculating a Fund’s NAV per Share, a Fund’s investments will be valued in accordance with procedures approved by the Board of Trustees of Reality Shares ETF Trust (the “Trust”). These procedures, which may be changed by the Board from time to time, generally require investments to be 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. The Trust may use various pricing services, or discontinue the use of any pricing service, as determined by the Board from time to time. Each Fund’s daily NAV can be found at www.realityshares.com.

The Trust will generally value exchange listed securities and options on such securities at market closing prices. Market closing prices are generally determined on the basis of last reported sales prices, or if no sales are reported, based on the last reported quotes. The Trust will generally value listed futures and options on futures at the settlement price determined by the applicable exchange. Non-exchange-traded derivatives, such as swap transactions, will normally be valued on the basis of quotations or equivalent indication of value supplied by a pricing service or major market makers or dealers. Fixed income securities generally are valued based on prices provided by independent pricing services, which may use valuation models or matrix pricing to determine current value. The Trust generally will use amortized cost to value fixed income or money market securities that have a remaining maturity of 60 days or less.

In the event that current market valuations are not readily available or the Trust or Adviser believes such valuations do not reflect current market value, the Trust’s procedures require that a security’s fair value be determined. In determining such value, the Trust or the Adviser 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, a 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 the fair value determination for a security is materially different than the value that could be realized upon the sale of the security.

Dividends and Distributions

The Funds distribute their net investment income, if any, [quarterly], and make distributions of their net realized capital gains, if any, annually. Brokers may make available to their customers who are also Fund

 

25


shareholders the DTC book-entry dividend reinvestment service. You should contact your broker to determine the availability and costs of this service. Brokers may require you to adhere to specific procedures and timetables. If this service is available and used, dividend distributions of both income (which may include a return of capital) and net realized gains will be automatically reinvested in additional whole shares of the distributing Fund purchased in the secondary market. Without this service, you would receive your distributions in cash.

Taxes

Please consult your tax advisor regarding your specific questions about federal, state and local income taxes. Below is a summary of some important tax issues that affect the Funds and their shareholders. This summary is based on current tax laws, which may change.

The Funds are treated as separate entities for federal tax purposes, and intend to qualify for the special tax treatment afforded to regulated investment companies. As long as the Funds qualify for treatment as a regulated investment companies, they pay no federal income tax on the earnings they timely distribute to shareholders.

Each Fund will distribute substantially all of its net investment income and net realized capital gains, if any. The dividends and distributions you receive may be subject to federal, state and local taxation, depending upon your tax situation. Distributions you receive from the Funds may be taxable whether or not you reinvest them. Dividend distributions, including distributions of short-term capital gains are generally taxable at ordinary income tax rates. Distributions of long-term capital gains and distributions of qualified dividend income are generally taxable at the rates applicable to long-term capital gains.

The Funds may receive dividend income from direct investments in the equity securities of issuers of certain indexes such as the NASDAQ-100, S&P 500, Euro Stoxx 50, Nikkei 225, as well as from investments in ETFs designed to track the performance of such indexes. A Fund may be eligible to distribute such dividend income as qualified dividend income when received by individual shareholders or eligible for the dividends-received deduction when received by corporate shareholders, subject to certain limitations. A Fund’s investments in derivative instruments, such as option contracts or swaps tied to dividend returns, however, generally would not generate income eligible to be treated as qualified dividend income when received by individual shareholders or be eligible for the dividends-received deduction when received by corporate shareholders. Therefore, even though the Funds are designed to isolate the level of expected dividends on equity securities, the Funds’ use of derivative instruments means that the Funds may not generate income eligible to be treated as qualified dividend income or eligible for the dividend-received deduction.

The sale of Fund shares may be a taxable event. For tax purposes, an exchange of a Fund’s shares for shares of a different fund is the same as a sale. The gain or loss on the sale of Fund shares generally is required to be treated as a short-term capital gain or loss if you held the shares for 12 months or less or as long-term capital gain or loss if you held the shares for longer. Any loss realized upon a taxable disposition of Fund 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 you with respect to the Fund shares. All or a portion of any loss realized upon a taxable disposition of Fund shares will be disallowed if you purchase other substantially identical shares 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.

 

26


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.

Your broker should inform you of the amount of your ordinary income dividends, qualified dividend income, and capital gains distributions shortly after the close of each calendar year.

The Funds may invest in complex securities. These investments may be subject to numerous special and complex rules. These rules could affect whether gains and losses recognized by the Funds are treated as ordinary income or capital gain, accelerate the recognition of income to the Funds and/or defer the Funds’ ability to recognize losses. In turn, these rules may affect the amount, timing or character of distributions you receive from the Funds. In addition, there is uncertainty regarding characterization of such complex securities with respect to the income and asset diversification tests applicable to the Funds’ qualification as regulated investment companies. If the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) were to issue public guidance that results in an adverse determination relating to the treatment of the Funds’ investments in such complex securities, the Funds may likely need to significantly change their investment strategies, which could adversely affect the Funds. If the Funds fail to qualify as regulated investment companies, they would be subject to tax at regular corporate rates without any deduction for distributions to shareholders, and their distributions would generally be taxable as dividends. Please see the SAI for a more detailed discussion, including the availability of relief for certain de minimis failures by the Funds to qualify as regulated investment companies.

Beginning January 1, 2013, U.S. individuals with income exceeding $200,000 ($250,000 if married and filing jointly) are subject to a new 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 Funds). 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.

Unless you fall within certain exceptions, the custodian, broker or other administrative agent holding your shares in the Funds on your behalf must report to the IRS and furnish to you the cost basis information for shares of a Fund. In addition to reporting the gross proceeds from the sale of shares of a Fund, you will receive cost basis information for such shares, which will indicate whether these shares had a short-term or long-term holding period. For each sale of shares of a Fund, you are to elect from among several IRS-accepted cost basis methods, including the average basis method. In the absence of an election, the custodian, broker or other administrative agent holding your shares in the Fund will use a default cost basis method they have chosen, which should have been communicated to you. The cost basis method elected by you (or the cost basis method applied by default) for each sale of shares of a Fund may not be changed after the settlement date of each such sale. You should consult with your tax advisor to determine the best IRS-accepted cost basis method for your tax situation and to obtain more information about how cost basis reporting applies to you.

A U.S. withholding tax at a 30% rate will be imposed on dividends beginning after June 30, 2014 (and proceeds of sales in respect of Funds shares received by Funds shareholders beginning after December 31, 2016) for shareholders who own their shares through foreign accounts or foreign intermediaries if certain disclosure requirements related to U.S. accounts or ownership are not satisfied.

If you hold your shares in a tax-qualified retirement account, you generally will not be subject to federal taxation on income and capital gains distribution from the Funds, until you begin receiving payments from your retirement account. You should consult your tax adviser regarding the tax rules that apply to your retirement account. Because each shareholder’s tax situation is different, you should consult your tax advisor about the tax implications of an investment in the Funds.

 

27


A person who purchases a Creation Unit by exchanging securities in-kind generally will recognize a gain or loss equal to the difference between (i) the sum of the market value of the Creation Units at the time of the exchange and any net amount of cash received by the purchaser in the exchange and (ii) the sum of the purchaser’s aggregate basis in the securities surrendered and any net amount of cash paid for the Creation Units. A person who redeems Creation Units and receives securities in-kind from the Fund will generally recognize a gain or loss equal to the difference between the redeemer’s basis in the Creation Units, and the aggregate market value of the securities received and any net cash received. The IRS, however, may assert that a loss realized upon an in-kind exchange of securities for Creation Units or an exchange of Creation Units for securities cannot be deducted currently under the rules governing “wash sales,” or on the basis that there has been no significant change in economic position. Persons effecting in-kind creations or redemptions should consult their own tax adviser with respect to these matters.

Additional important information about taxes is in the SAI.

Premium/Discount Information

Information showing the number of days the end of day market price of each Fund’s Shares was greater than the Fund’s NAV ( i.e. , a “premium”) and the number of days it was less than the Fund’s NAV ( i.e. , a “discount”) for various time periods is available by visiting the Funds’ website at [insert website].

Investments by Registered Investment Companies

Section 12(d)(1) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, restricts investments by registered investment companies in the securities of other investment companies, including shares of each Fund. Registered investment companies are permitted to invest in the Funds beyond the limits set forth in section 12(d)(1) subject to certain terms and conditions set forth in an SEC exemptive order issued to the Trust, including that such investment companies enter into an agreement with the Funds.

Financial Highlights

Because the Funds have not commenced operations as of the date of this prospectus, financial highlights are not available.

 

28


Additional Information

The Reality Shares NASDAQ-100 Isolated Dividend Growth Index ETF is not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by The NASDAQ OMX Group, Inc. or its affiliates (The NASDAQ OMX Group, Inc., collectively with its affiliates, is referred to as “NASDAQ OMX”). NASDAQ OMX has not passed on the legality or suitability of, or the accuracy or adequacy of descriptions and disclosures relating to, the Reality Shares NASDAQ-100 Isolated Dividend Growth Index ETF. NASDAQ OMX makes no representation or warranty, express or implied to the owners of the Reality Shares NASDAQ-100 Isolated Dividend Growth Index ETF or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in the Reality Shares NASDAQ-100 Isolated Dividend Growth Index ETF particularly, or the ability of the NASDAQ-100 Index ® to track general stock market performance. NASDAQ OMX’s only relationship to Reality Shares Advisors, LLC (“Reality Shares”) is in the licensing of the NASDAQ ® , OMX ® , NASDAQ-100 ® , and NASDAQ-100 Index ® registered trademarks, and the use of the NASDAQ-100 Index ® which is determined, composed and calculated by NASDAQ OMX without regard to Reality Shares or the Reality Shares NASDAQ-100 Isolated Dividend Growth Index ETF. NASDAQ OMX has no obligation to take the needs of Reality Shares or the owners of the Reality Shares NASDAQ-100 Isolated Dividend Growth Index ETF into consideration in determining, composing or calculating the NASDAQ-100 Index ® . NASDAQ OMX is not responsible for and has not participated in the determination of the timing of, prices at, or quantities of the Reality Shares NASDAQ-100 Isolated Dividend Growth Index ETF to be issued or in the determination or calculation of the equation by which the Reality Shares NASDAQ-100 Isolated Dividend Growth Index ETF is to be converted into cash. NASDAQ OMX has no liability in connection with the administration, marketing or trading of the Reality Shares NASDAQ-100 Isolated Dividend Growth Index ETF.

NASDAQ OMX does not guarantee the accuracy and/or uninterrupted calculation of the NASDAQ-100 index ® or any data included therein. NASDAQ OMX makes no warranty, express or implied, as to results to be obtained by Reality Shares, owners of the Reality Shares NASDAQ-100 Isolated Dividend Growth Index ETF, or any other person or entity from the use of the NASDAQ-100 Index ® or any data included therein. NASDAQ OMX makes no express or implied warranties, and expressly disclaims all warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose or use with respect to the NASDAQ-100 Index ® or any data included therein. Without limiting any of the foregoing, in no event shall NASDAQ OMX have any liability for any lost profits or special, incidental, punitive, indirect, or consequential damages, even if notified of the possibility of such damages.

 

29


R EALITY S HARES ETF T RUST

Investment Adviser

Reality Shares Advisors, LLC

402 West Broadway, Suite 2800

San Diego, California 92101

Distributor

ALPS Distributors, Inc.

1290 Broadway, Suite 1100

Denver, Colorado 80203

Legal Counsel

Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP

101 Park Avenue

New York, NY 10178-0060

More information about the Funds is available, without charge, through the following:

Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”): The SAI, dated [Insert Date] , includes detailed information about the Funds. The SAI is on file with the SEC and is incorporated by reference into this prospectus. This means that the SAI, for legal purposes, is a part of this prospectus.

Annual and Semi-Annual Reports: These reports list the Funds’ holdings and contain information from the Adviser about investment strategies, and recent market conditions and trends and their impact on Fund performance. The reports also contain detailed financial information about the Funds.

To Obtain an SAI, Annual or Semi-Annual Report, or More Information:

By Telephone:   855-595-0240

By Mail:            402 W Broadway, 28 th Fl, San Diego, CA 92101

By Internet:       www.realityshares.com

From the SEC: You can also obtain the SAI or the Annual and Semi-Annual Reports, as well as other information about Reality Shares ETF Trust, from the EDGAR Database on the SEC’s website at: http://www.sec.gov. You may review and copy documents at the SEC Public Reference Room in Washington, DC (for information on the operation of the Public Reference Room, call 202-551-8090). You may request documents by mail from the SEC, upon payment of a duplicating fee, by writing to: U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Public Reference Section, Washington, DC 20549-1520. You may also obtain this information, upon payment of a duplicating fee, by e-mailing the SEC at the following address: publicinfo@sec.gov.

The Trust’s Investment Company Act registration number is 811-22911.


SUBJECT TO COMPLETION

THE INFORMATION IN THIS STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IS NOT COMPLETE AND MAY BE CHANGED. WE MAY NOT SELL THESE SECURITIES UNTIL THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT FILED WITH THE U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION IS EFFECTIVE. THIS STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IS NOT AN OFFER TO SELL THESE SECURITIES AND IS NOT SOLICITING AN OFFER TO BUY THESE SECURITIES IN ANY JURISDICTION WHERE THE OFFER OR SALE IS NOT PERMITTED.

Preliminary Statement of Additional Information Dated February 6, 2014

STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

REALITY SHARES NASDAQ-100 ISOLATED DIVIDEND GROWTH INDEX ETF

 

T ICKER S YMBOL

   P RINCIPAL U.S. L ISTING E XCHANGE
[          ]      T HE NASDAQ S TOCK M ARKET

REALITY SHARES U.S. ISOLATED DIVIDEND GROWTH INDEX ETF

 

T ICKER S YMBOL

   P RINCIPAL U.S. L ISTING E XCHANGE
[          ]    NYSE A RCA , I NC .

REALITY SHARES ISOLATED DIVIDEND GROWTH ETF

 

T ICKER S YMBOL

   P RINCIPAL U.S. L ISTING E XCHANGE
[          ]    NYSE A RCA , I NC .

each, a series of Reality Shares ETF Trust

[Date], 2013

Investment Adviser:

Reality Shares Advisors, LLC

This Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) is not a prospectus. This SAI is intended to provide additional information regarding the activities and operations of the Reality Shares ETF Trust (the “Trust”) and the Reality Shares NASDAQ-100 Isolated Dividend Growth Index ETF, the Reality Shares U.S. Isolated Dividend Growth Index ETF and the Reality Shares Isolated Dividend Growth ETF (each a “Fund” and together, the “Funds”). This SAI is incorporated by reference into and should be read in conjunction with the Funds’ prospectus (the “Prospectus”) dated [Date], 2013. Capitalized terms not defined herein are defined in the prospectus. Shareholders may obtain copies of the Funds’ prospectus or Annual Report, when available, free of charge by writing to the Trust at 402 W Broadway, 28th Fl, San Diego, CA 92101, or by calling the Trust at (855) 595-0240.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE TRUST

     S-1   

DESCRIPTION OF PERMITTED INVESTMENTS AND RISK FACTORS

     S-1   

INFORMATION ABOUT THE INDEX

     S-13   

INVESTMENT LIMITATIONS

     S-14   

CONTINUOUS OFFERING

     S-16   

EXCHANGE LISTING AND TRADING

     S-17   

THE ADMINISTRATOR

     S-17   

THE ADVISER

     S-18   

THE DISTRIBUTOR

     S-19   

TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS OF THE TRUST

     S-19   

BOOK ENTRY ONLY SYSTEM

     S-24   

CREATION AND REDEMPTION OF CREATION UNITS

     S-25   

DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE

     S-30   

PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

     S-31   

TAXES

     S-31   

BROKERAGE TRANSACTIONS

     S-37   

DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS INFORMATION

     S-37   

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONCERNING THE TRUST

     S-38   

LIMITATION OF TRUSTEES’ LIABILITY

     S-39   

CODES OF ETHICS

     S-39   

CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL HOLDERS OF SECURITIES

     S-39   

CUSTODIAN AND TRANSFER AGENT

     S-39   

INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

     S-39   

LEGAL COUNSEL

     S-39   

APPENDIX A – DESCRIPTION OF RATINGS

     A-1   

APPENDIX B – PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

     B-1   


GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE TRUST

The Trust was organized as a Delaware statutory trust on March 26, 2013. The Trust is an open-end management investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”). The Trust currently consists of three (3) investment portfolios: the Reality Shares NASDAQ-100 Isolated Dividend Growth Index ETF, the Reality Shares U.S. Isolated Dividend Growth Index ETF and the Reality Shares Isolated Dividend Growth ETF (each, a “Fund” and together, the “Funds”). Each Fund is classified as “non-diversified” and, therefore, may invest in relatively fewer issuers and is not required to meet certain diversification requirements under the 1940 Act. All payments received by the Trust for shares of each Fund belong to that Fund. Each Fund has its own assets and liabilities. Additional series and/or classes may be created from time to time.

The shares of the Reality Shares NASDAQ-100 Isolated Dividend Growth Index ETF are listed on The NASDAQ Stock Market and the shares of the Reality Shares U.S. Isolated Dividend Growth Index ETF and Reality Shares Isolated Dividend Growth ETF are listed on the NYSE Arca, Inc. (together with The NASDAQ Stock Market, the “Exchanges” and each, an “Exchange”). The shares of each Fund will trade on its Exchange, and other secondary markets, at market prices that may be below, at, or above the net asset value (“NAV”) of such Fund. Each Fund issues and redeems shares at NAV only in aggregated lots of 25,000 shares or more (each, a “Creation Unit”). These transactions are usually in exchange for a basket of securities and an amount of cash. As a practical matter, only institutions or large investors purchase or redeem Creation Units. Except when aggregated in Creation Units, shares of each Fund are not redeemable securities.

DESCRIPTION OF PERMITTED INVESTMENTS AND RISK FACTORS

The following are descriptions of the permitted investments and investment practices of the Funds and the associated risk factors. A Fund may purchase any of these instruments and/or engage in any of these investment practices if, in the opinion of Reality Shares Advisors, LLC (the “Adviser”), the Funds’ investment adviser, such investments or investment practices will be advantageous to the Fund. A Fund is free to reduce or eliminate its activity in any of these areas. There is no assurance that any of these strategies or any other strategies and methods of investment available to a Fund will result in the achievement of such Fund’s investment objective.

COMMERCIAL PAPER —Commercial paper is the term used to designate unsecured, short-term promissory notes issued by corporations and other entities. Maturities on these issues vary from a few days up to 270 days.

EQUITY SECURITIES —Equity securities, such as common stock, represent ownership interests in a company. Common stock represents an equity or ownership interest in an issuer. In the event an issuer is liquidated or declares bankruptcy, the claims of owners of bonds and preferred stock take precedence over the claims of those who own common stock. Investments in equity securities in general are subject to market risks, which may cause their prices to fluctuate over time. Further, fluctuations in the value of equity securities in which a Fund invests will cause the net asset value of the Fund to fluctuate. The Funds may purchase and sell equity securities in various ways, including through registered exchanges in the U.S. or the over-the-counter market.

The different types of equity securities in which the Funds may invest are described in more detail below:

 

S-1


FIXED INCOME SECURITIES —Although the Funds do not intend to invest in fixed income instruments (other than investments in short-term commercial paper and money market instruments) each Fund reserves the right to invest a limited portion of its assets in fixed income investments. Fixed income securities consist primarily of debt obligations issued by governments, corporations, municipalities and other borrowers. The market value of the fixed income securities in which a Fund invests will change in response to interest rate changes and other factors. During periods of falling interest rates, the value of outstanding fixed income securities generally rises. Conversely, during periods of rising interest rates, the value of such securities generally declines. Moreover, while securities with longer maturities tend to produce higher yields, the prices of longer maturity securities are also subject to greater market fluctuations as a result of changes in interest rates. Changes by recognized agencies in the rating of any fixed income security and in the ability of an issuer to make payments of interest and principal also affect the value of these investments. Changes in the value of these securities will not necessarily affect cash income derived from these securities, but will affect a Fund’s net asset value.

Fixed income securities are subject to the risk of an issuer’s ability to meet principal and interest payments on the obligation (known as “credit risk”) and may also be subject to price volatility due to such factors as interest rate sensitivity, market perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer and general market liquidity (known as “market risk”). Lower-rated or unrated ( i.e. , high yield) securities are more likely to react to developments affecting market and credit risk than are more highly rated securities, which primarily react to movements in the general level of interest rates. Yields and market values of high yield securities will fluctuate over time, reflecting not only changing interest rates but also the market’s perception of credit quality and the outlook for economic growth. When economic conditions appear to be deteriorating, medium- to lower-rated securities may decline in value due to heightened concern over credit quality, regardless of prevailing interest rates. Investors should carefully consider the relative risks of investing in high yield securities and understand that such securities are not generally meant for short-term investing.

Securities held by a Fund that are guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities guarantee only the payment of principal and interest and do not guarantee the yield or value of the securities or the yield or value of such Fund’s shares.

NON-U.S. SECURITIES —The Isolated Dividend Growth ETF may invest in non-U.S. securities and derivatives that provide exposure to such securities. Non-U.S. securities are securities issued by non-U.S. issuers. Investments in foreign securities may subject the Isolated Dividend Growth ETF to investment risks that differ in some respects from those related to investments in securities of U.S. issuers. Such risks include future adverse political and economic developments, possible imposition of withholding taxes on income, possible seizure, nationalization or expropriation of foreign deposits, possible establishment of exchange controls or taxation at the source or greater fluctuations in value due to changes in exchange rates. Foreign issuers of securities often engage in business practices that differ from those of domestic issuers of similar securities, and there may be less information publicly available about foreign issuers. In addition, foreign issuers are, generally speaking, subject to less government supervision and regulation and different accounting treatment than are those in the U.S. Foreign branches of U.S. banks and foreign banks may be subject to less stringent reserve requirements than those applicable to domestic branches of U.S. banks.

 

S-2


The value of the Fund’s investments denominated in foreign currencies will depend on the relative strengths of those currencies and the U.S. dollar. The Fund may be affected favorably or unfavorably by changes in the exchange rates or exchange or currency control regulations between foreign currencies and the U.S. dollar. Changes in foreign currency exchange rates may also affect the value of dividends and interest earned, gains and losses realized on the sale of securities and net investment income and gains, if any, to be distributed to shareholders by the Funds. Such investments may also entail higher custodial fees and sales commissions than domestic investments.

FORWARD FOREIGN CURRENCY CONTRACTS —The Isolated Dividend Growth ETF may invest in forward foreign currency contracts. A forward foreign currency contract is a negotiated obligation to purchase or sell a specific currency at a future date (with or without delivery required). The length of the contract may be any fixed number of days from the date of the contract agreed upon by the parties. The price at which the transaction occurs is set at the time of the contract. These contracts are traded in the interbank market conducted directly between currency traders (usually large, commercial banks) and their customers. A forward foreign currency contract generally has no deposit requirement, and no commissions are charged at any stage for trades.

Forward contracts generally may not be liquidated prior to the stated maturity date, although the parties to a contract may agree to enter into a second offsetting transaction with the same maturity, thereby fixing each party’s profit or loss on the two transactions. Nevertheless, each position must still be maintained to maturity unless the parties separately agree on an earlier settlement date. As a result, a party to a forward contract must be prepared to perform its obligations under each such contract in full. Parties to a forward contract may also separately agree to extend the contract by “rolling” it over prior to the originally scheduled settlement date.

Transaction Hedging. Transaction hedging is when a Fund enters into a currency transaction with respect to specific assets or liabilities of such Fund, which generally arises in connection with the purchase or sale of its portfolio securities or the receipt of income therefrom. The Funds may enter into transaction hedging out of a desire to preserve the U.S. dollar price of a security when it enters into a contract for the purchase or sale of a security denominated in a foreign currency. A Fund may be able to protect itself against possible losses resulting from changes in the relationship between the U.S. dollar and foreign currencies during the period between the date the security is purchased or sold and the date on which payment is made or received by entering into a forward contract for the purchase or sale, for a fixed amount of U.S. dollars, of the amount of the foreign currency involved in the underlying security transaction.

Position Hedging. A Fund may sell a non-U.S. currency and purchase U.S. currency to reduce exposure to the non-U.S. currency (called “position hedging”). A Fund may use position hedging when the advisers reasonably believe that the currency of a particular foreign country may suffer a substantial decline against the U.S. dollar. A Fund may enter into a forward foreign currency contract to sell, for a fixed amount of U.S. dollars, the amount of foreign currency approximating the value of some or all of its portfolio securities denominated in such foreign currency. The precise matching of the forward foreign currency contract amount and the value of the portfolio securities involved may not have a perfect correlation since the future value of the securities hedged will change as a consequence of the market between the date the forward contract is entered into and the date it matures. The projection of short-term currency market movement is difficult, and the successful execution of this short-term hedging strategy is uncertain.

The Funds may engage in non-deliverable forward transactions. A non-deliverable forward transaction is a transaction that represents an agreement between a Fund and a counterparty (usually a commercial bank) to buy or sell a specified (notional) amount of a particular currency at an agreed-upon foreign exchange rate on an agreed-upon future date. Unlike other currency transactions, there is no physical delivery of the currency on the settlement of a non-deliverable forward transaction. Rather, the Fund and the counterparty would typically agree to net the settlement by making a payment in U.S. dollars equal to the difference in value between the foreign exchange rate agreed upon at the inception of the non-deliverable forward agreement and the actual exchange rate on the agreed-upon future date.

 

S-3


Under definitions recently adopted by the CFTC and SEC, many non-deliverable foreign currency forwards will be considered swaps for certain purposes, including determination of whether such instruments need to be exchange-traded and centrally cleared. These changes are expected to reduce counterparty/credit risk as compared to bilaterally negotiated contracts.

Open positions in forwards will be covered by the segregation or “earmarking” of assets determined to be liquid, and are marked to market daily, in accordance with the Funds’ policies and procedures.

Currency transactions can result in losses to a Fund if the currency being hedged fluctuates in value to a degree in a direction that is not anticipated. Furthermore, there is risk that the perceived linkage between various currencies may not be present or may not be present during the particular time that a Fund is engaging in proxy hedging. Suitable hedging transactions may not be available in all circumstances. Hedging transactions may also eliminate any chance for a Fund to benefit from favorable fluctuations in relevant foreign currencies.

Currency transactions are subject to risks different from those of other portfolio transactions. Currency exchange rates may fluctuate based on factors extrinsic to that country’s economy. Although forward foreign currency contracts and currency futures tend to minimize the risk of loss due to a decline in the value of the hedged currency, at the same time they tend to limit any potential gain that might result should the value of such currency increase. Because currency control is of great importance to the issuing governments and influences economic planning and policy, purchase and sales of currency and related instruments can be negatively affected by government exchange controls, blockages and manipulations or exchange restrictions imposed by governments. These can result in losses to a Fund if it is unable to deliver or receive currency or funds in settlement of obligations and could also cause hedges it has entered into to be rendered useless, resulting in full currency exposure as well as incurring transaction costs. Buyers and sellers of currency futures are subject to the same risks that apply to the use of futures generally. Further, settlement of a currency futures contract for the purchase of most currencies must occur at a bank based in the issuing nation. Trading options on currency futures is relatively new, and the ability to establish and close out positions on such options is subject to the maintenance of a liquid market, which may not always be available.

FUTURES CONTRACTS AND OPTIONS ON FUTURES CONTRACTS —Futures contracts provide for the future sale by one party and purchase by another party of a specified amount of a specific security or reference asset at a specified future time and at a specified price. An option on a futures contract gives the purchaser the right, in exchange for a premium, to assume a position in a futures contract at a specified exercise price during the term of the option. An index futures contract is a bilateral agreement pursuant to which two parties agree to take or make delivery of an amount of cash equal to a specified dollar amount times the difference between the index value at the close of trading of the contract and the price at which the futures contract is originally struck. No physical delivery of the securities comprising the index is made, and generally contracts are closed out prior to the expiration date of the contract.

A Fund may use futures contracts and related options for hedging, risk management or other purposes, as permitted by its stated investment policies. Instances in which a Fund may use futures contracts and related options for risk management purposes include: (i) attempting to offset changes in the value of securities held or expected to be acquired or be disposed

 

S-4


of; (ii) attempting to minimize fluctuations in foreign currencies; (iii) attempting to gain exposure to a particular market, index or instrument; or (iv) other risk management purposes. A Fund may use futures contracts for cash equitization purposes, which allows such Fund to invest consistent with its benchmark while managing daily cash flows, including significant client inflows and outflows.

When a Fund purchases or sells a futures contract, or sells an option thereon, such Fund is required to “cover” its position as required by the 1940 Act. A Fund may “cover” its long position in a futures contract by purchasing a put option on the same futures contract with a strike price ( i.e. , an exercise price) as high or higher than the price of the futures contract. In the alternative, if the strike price of the put is less than the price of the futures contract, a Fund will earmark on the books of such Fund or place in a segregated account cash or liquid securities equal in value to the difference between the strike price of the put and the price of the futures contract. A Fund may also “cover” its long position in a futures contract by taking a short position in the instruments underlying the futures contract or by taking positions in instruments with prices that are expected to move relatively consistently with the futures contract. A Fund may “cover” its short position in a futures contract by taking a long position in the instruments underlying the futures contract or by taking positions in instruments with prices that are expected to move relatively consistently with the futures contract.

A Fund may “cover” its sale of a call option on a futures contract by taking a long position in the underlying futures contract at a price less than or equal to the strike price of the call option. In the alternative, if the long position in the underlying futures contract is established at a price greater than the strike price of the written (sold) call, a Fund will earmark on the books of such Fund or place in a segregated account cash or liquid securities equal in value to the difference between the strike price of the call and the price of the futures contract. A Fund may also “cover” its sale of a call option by taking positions in instruments with prices that are expected to move relatively consistently with the call option. A Fund may “cover” its sale of a put option on a futures contract by taking a short position in the underlying futures contract at a price greater than or equal to the strike price of the put option, or, if the short position in the underlying futures contract is established at a price less than the strike price of the written put, such Fund will earmark on its books or place in a segregated account cash or liquid securities equal in value to the difference between the strike price of the put and the price of the futures contract. A Fund may also “cover” its sale of a put option by taking positions in instruments with prices that are expected to move relatively consistently with the put option.

There are significant risks associated with a Fund’s use of futures contracts and options on futures contracts, including the following: (i) the success of a hedging strategy may depend on the advisers’ ability to predict movements in the prices of individual securities, fluctuations in markets and movements in interest rates; (ii) there may be an imperfect or no correlation between the changes in market value of the securities held by a Fund and the prices of futures and options on futures; (iii) there may not be a liquid secondary market for a futures contract or option; (iv) trading restrictions or limitations may be imposed by an exchange; and (v) government regulations may restrict trading in futures contracts and options on futures contracts. In addition, some strategies reduce a Fund’s exposure to price fluctuations, while others tend to increase its market exposure.

A Fund will reduce the risk that it will be unable to close out a futures contract by only entering into futures contracts that are traded on national futures exchanges regulated by the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”). As a result of recent amendments to rules under the Commodity Exchange Act (“CEA”) by the CFTC, a Fund must either operate within certain guidelines and restrictions with respect to the Fund’s use of futures, options on such futures, commodity options and certain swaps, or the Adviser will be subject to registration with the CFTC as a “commodity pool operator” (“CPO”). Consistent with the CFTC’s new regulations, the Trust, on behalf of the Funds, has claimed an exclusion from the definition of the term CPO under the CEA and, therefore, the Funds are not subject to registration or regulation as CPOs under the CEA. As a result, the Funds will operate within certain guidelines and restrictions with respect to their use of futures, options and certain swaps.

ILLIQUID SECURITIES —Illiquid securities are securities that cannot be sold or disposed of in the ordinary course of business (within seven days) at approximately the prices at which they are valued. Each Fund may invest up to 15% of its net assets in illiquid securities. If, subsequent to purchase, a security held by a Fund becomes illiquid, such Fund may continue to hold the security. Because of their illiquid nature, illiquid securities generally must be priced at fair value as determined in good faith pursuant to procedures approved by the Trust’s Board. Despite such good faith efforts to determine fair value prices, a Fund’s illiquid securities are subject to the risk that the security’s fair value price may differ from the actual price that such Fund may ultimately realize upon its sale or disposition. Difficulty in selling illiquid securities may result in a loss or may be costly to a Fund. Under the supervision of the Board, the Adviser determines the liquidity of a Fund’s investments. In determining liquidity, the Adviser may consider various factors, including: (i) the frequency and volume of trades and quotations; (ii) the number of dealers and prospective purchasers in the marketplace; (iii) dealer undertakings to make a market; and (iv) the nature of the security and the market in which it trades (including any demand, put or tender features, the mechanics and other requirements for transfer, any letters of credit or other credit enhancement features, any ratings, the number of holders, the method of soliciting offers, the time required to dispose of the security and the ability to assign or offset the rights and obligations of the security).

 

S-5


INVESTMENT COMPANIES —Securities of other investment companies, including shares of closed-end investment companies, unit investment trusts, open-end investment companies and real estate investment trusts (“REITs”), represent interests in professionally managed portfolios that may invest in various types of instruments. Investing in other investment companies involves substantially the same risks as investing directly in the underlying instruments, but may involve additional expenses at the investment company-level, such as portfolio management fees and operating expenses. Certain types of investment companies, such as closed-end investment companies, issue a fixed number of shares that trade on a stock exchange or over-the-counter at a premium or a discount to their net asset value. Other investment companies are continuously offered at net asset value, but may also be traded in the secondary market at a premium or discount to their net asset value.

Generally, the federal securities laws limit the extent to which the Funds can invest in securities of other investment companies, subject to certain exceptions. For example, a Fund is prohibited under Section 12(d)(1)(A) of the 1940 Act from acquiring the securities of another investment company if, as a result of such acquisition: (i) the Fund owns more than 3% of the total voting stock of the other company; (ii) securities issued by any one investment company represent more than 5% of the Fund’s total assets; or (iii) securities (other than treasury stock) issued by all investment companies represent more than 10% of the total assets of the Fund, subject to certain exceptions. Pursuant to Rule 12d1-1 under the 1940 Act, the Funds may invest in one or more affiliated or unaffiliated investment companies that comply with Rule 2a-7 under the 1940 Act (to the extent required by Rule 12d1-1), in excess of the limits of Section 12(d)(1)(A) of the 1940 Act.

A Fund may invest in other investment companies, including those managed by the Adviser, to the extent permitted by any rule or regulation of the SEC or any order or interpretation thereunder.

Exchange-Traded Funds (“ETFs”). ETFs are investment companies that are registered under the 1940 Act as open-end funds or unit investment trusts. ETFs are listed and traded on national securities exchanges at market prices. ETF shares typically trade at a premium or discount to their intrinsic value (i.e., the market value may differ from the net asset value of an ETF’s shares). These differences may be more pronounced for newer or smaller ETFs, for ETFs that own less liquid securities or in certain market conditions. By investing in an ETF, the Fund indirectly bears the proportionate share of any fees and expenses of the ETF in addition to the fees and expenses that the Fund and its shareholders directly bear in connection with the Fund’s operations. Such ETF expenses may make owning shares of the ETF more costly than owning the underlying securities directly.

MONEY MARKET SECURITIES —Money market securities include: (i) short-term U.S. Government securities; (ii) custodial receipts evidencing separately traded interest and principal components of securities issued by the U.S. Treasury; (iii) commercial paper rated in the highest short-term rating category by an NRSRO, such as S&P or Moody’s, or determined by the Adviser to be of comparable quality at the time of purchase; (iv) short-term bank obligations (certificates of deposit, time deposits and bankers’ acceptances) of U.S. commercial banks with assets of at least $1 billion as of the end of their most recent fiscal year; and (v) repurchase agreements involving such securities. For a description of ratings, see Appendix A to this SAI. The Funds may invest in money market securities for cash management purposes or as collateral or “cover” in connection with derivative transactions. The Reality Shares Isolated Dividend Growth ETF may invest in money market securities in order to take temporary defensive measures.

OPTIONS —Each Fund intends to purchase and write put and call options on equity indices and index-based ETFs. A put option on a security gives the purchaser of the option the right to sell, and the writer of the option the obligation to buy, the underlying security at any time during the option period. A call option on a security gives the purchaser of the option the right to buy, and the writer of the option the obligation to sell, the underlying security at any time during the option period. The price paid to the writer of an option is referred to as the “premium.” The premium paid to the writer is the consideration for undertaking the obligations under the option contract.

The Isolated Dividend Growth ETF may purchase and write put and call options on foreign currencies (traded on U.S. and foreign exchanges or over-the-counter markets) to manage its exposure to exchange rates. Call options on foreign currency written by a Fund will be “covered” as required by the 1940 Act.

Put and call options on indices are similar to options on securities except that options on an index give the holder the right to receive, upon exercise of the option, an amount of cash if the closing level of the underlying index is greater than (or less than, in the case of puts) the exercise price of the option. This amount of cash is equal to the difference between the closing price of the index and the exercise price of the option, expressed in dollars multiplied by a specified number. Thus, unlike options on individual securities, all settlements are in cash, and gain or loss depends on price movements in

 

S-6


the particular market represented by the index generally, rather than the price movements in individual securities. All options written on indices or securities must be “covered” as required by the 1940 Act.

A Fund may write ( i.e. , sell) “covered” call options on securities for any lawful purpose, including as a means of increasing the yield on its assets and as a means of providing limited protection against decreases in its market value. A Fund may engage in a covered call option writing (selling) program in an attempt to generate additional income or provide a partial hedge to another position of such Fund. A call option is “covered” if a Fund either owns the underlying instrument or has an absolute and immediate right (such as a call with the same or a later expiration date) to acquire that instrument. The underlying instruments of such covered call options may consist of individual equity securities, pools of equity securities, ETFs or indices. The writing of covered call options is a more conservative investment technique than writing of naked or uncovered options, but capable of enhancing a Fund’s total return. When a Fund writes a covered call option, it profits from the premium paid by the buyer but gives up the opportunity to profit from an increase in the value of the underlying security above the exercise price. At the same time, a Fund retains the risk of loss from a decline in the value of the underlying security during the option period. Although a Fund may terminate its obligation by executing a closing purchase transaction, the cost of effecting such a transaction may be greater than the premium received upon its sale, resulting in a loss to such Fund. If such an option expires unexercised, a Fund realizes a gain equal to the premium received. Such a gain may be offset or exceeded by a decline in the market value of the underlying security during the option period. If an option is exercised, the exercise price, the premium received and the market value of the underlying security determine the gain or loss realized by a Fund.

When a Fund writes an option, if the underlying securities do not increase or decrease, as applicable, to a price level that would make the exercise of the option profitable to the holder thereof, the option will generally expire without being exercised and such Fund will realize as profit the premium received for such option. When a call option of which a Fund is the writer is exercised, such Fund will be required to sell the underlying securities to the option holder at the strike price and will not participate in any increase in the price of such securities above the strike price. When a put option of which a Fund is the writer is exercised, such Fund will be required to purchase the underlying securities at a price in excess of the market value of such securities.

A Fund may purchase and write options on an exchange or over-the-counter. Over-the-counter options (“OTC options”) differ from exchange-traded options in several respects. First, OTC options are transacted directly with dealers and not with a clearing corporation and therefore entail the risk of non-performance by the dealer. In addition, OTC options are available for a greater variety of securities and for a wider range of expiration dates and exercise prices than are available for exchange-traded options. Because OTC options are not traded on an exchange, pricing is normally done by reference to information from a market maker. It is the SEC’s position that OTC options are generally illiquid.

The market value of an option generally reflects the market price of an underlying security. Other principal factors

 

S-7


affecting market value include supply and demand, interest rates, the pricing volatility of the underlying security and the time remaining until the expiration date of the option.

Risks. Risks associated with options transactions include: (i) the success of a hedging strategy may depend on an ability to predict movements in the prices of individual securities, fluctuations in markets and movements in interest rates; (ii) there may be an imperfect correlation between the movement in prices of options and the underlying securities; (iii) there may not be a liquid secondary market for options; and (iv) while a Fund will receive a premium when it writes covered call options, it may not participate fully in a rise in the market value of the underlying security.

REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS —A repurchase agreement is an agreement in which one party sells securities to another party in return for cash with an agreement to repurchase equivalent securities at an agreed-upon price and on an agreed-upon future date. A Fund may enter into repurchase agreements with financial institutions and follow certain procedures designed to minimize the risks inherent in such agreements. These procedures include effecting repurchase transactions only with large, well-capitalized and well-established financial institutions deemed creditworthy by the advisers. The repurchase agreements entered into by a Fund will provide that the underlying collateral shall have a value equal to at least 102% of the resale price stated in the agreement at all times. The advisers monitor compliance with this requirement as well as the ongoing financial condition and creditworthiness of the counterparty. Under all repurchase agreements entered into by a Fund, the custodian or its agent must take possession of the underlying collateral.

In the event of a default or bankruptcy by a selling financial institution, a Fund will seek to liquidate such collateral. However, the exercising of each Fund’s right to liquidate such collateral could involve certain costs or delays and, to the extent that proceeds from any sale upon a default of the obligation to repurchase were less than the repurchase price, a Fund could suffer a loss. At times, the investments of each of the Funds in repurchase agreements may be substantial

 

S-8


when, in the view of the Adviser, liquidity or other considerations so warrant.

RESTRICTED SECURITIES —Restricted securities are securities that may not be sold to the public without registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”), or an exemption from registration. Restricted securities, including securities eligible for re-sale under Rule 144A of the 1933 Act, that are determined to be liquid are not subject to this limitation. This determination is to be made by the advisers, as applicable, pursuant to guidelines adopted by the Board. Under these guidelines, the particular adviser will consider the frequency of trades and quotes for the security, the number of dealers in, and potential purchasers for, the security, dealer undertakings to make a market in the security and the nature of the security and of the marketplace trades. In purchasing such restricted securities, each adviser intends to purchase securities that are exempt from registration under Rule 144A under the 1933 Act and Section 4(2) commercial paper issued in reliance on an exemption from registration under Section 4(2) of the 1933 Act. Each Fund may invest up to 15% of its net assets in restricted securities.

REVERSE REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS —Reverse repurchase agreements are transactions in which a Fund sells portfolio securities to financial institutions, such as banks and broker-dealers, and agrees to repurchase them at a mutually agreed-upon date and price that is higher than the original sale price. Reverse repurchase agreements are similar to a fully collateralized borrowing by a Fund. At the time a Fund enters into a reverse repurchase agreement, it will earmark on its books or place in a segregated account cash or liquid securities having a value equal to the repurchase price (including accrued interest) and will subsequently monitor the account to ensure that such equivalent value is maintained.

Reverse repurchase agreements involve risks. Reverse repurchase agreements are a form of leverage, and the use of reverse repurchase agreements by a Fund may increase such Fund’s volatility. Reverse repurchase agreements are also subject to the risk that the other party to the reverse repurchase agreement will be unable or unwilling to complete the transaction as scheduled, which may result in losses to a Fund. Reverse repurchase agreements also involve the risk that the market value of the securities sold by a Fund may decline below the price at which it is obligated to repurchase the securities. In addition, when a Fund invests the proceeds it receives in a reverse repurchase transaction, there is a risk that those investments may decline in value. In this circumstance, a Fund could be required to sell other investments in order to meet its obligations to repurchase the securities.

SECURITIES LENDING —Each Fund may lend portfolio securities to brokers, dealers and other financial organizations that meet capital and other credit requirements or other criteria established by the Board. These loans, if and when made, may not exceed 33 1 / 3 % of the total asset value of a Fund (including the loan collateral). Each Fund will not lend portfolio securities to its advisers or its affiliates unless it has applied for and received specific authority to do so from the SEC. Loans of portfolio securities will be fully collateralized by cash, letters of credit or U.S. Government securities, and the collateral will be maintained in an amount equal to at least 100% of the current market value of the loaned securities by marking to market daily, although the borrower will be required to deliver collateral of 102% and 105% of the market value of borrowed securities for domestic and foreign issuers, respectively. Any gain or loss in the market price of the securities loaned that might occur during the term of the loan would be for the account of a Fund.

A Fund may pay a part of the interest earned from the investment of collateral or other fee to an unaffiliated third party for acting as such Fund’s securities lending agent.

By lending its securities, a Fund may increase its income by receiving payments from the borrower that reflect the amount of any interest or dividends payable on the loaned securities as well as by either investing cash collateral received from the borrower in short-term instruments or obtaining a fee from the borrower when U.S. Government securities or letters of

 

S-9


credit are used as collateral. Each Fund will adhere to the following conditions whenever its portfolio securities are loaned: (i) the Fund must receive at least 100% cash collateral or equivalent securities of the type discussed in the preceding paragraph from the borrower; (ii) the borrower must increase such collateral whenever the market value of the securities rises above the level of such collateral; (iii) the Fund must be able to terminate the loan on demand; (iv) the Fund must receive reasonable interest on the loan, as well as any dividends, interest or other distributions on the loaned securities and any increase in market value; (v) the Fund may pay only reasonable fees in connection with the loan (which may include fees payable to the lending agent, the borrower, the Fund’s administrator and the custodian); and (vi) voting rights on the loaned securities may pass to the borrower, provided, however, that if a material event adversely affecting the investment occurs, the Fund must terminate the loan and regain the right to vote the securities. The Board has adopted procedures reasonably designed to ensure that the foregoing criteria will be met. Loan agreements involve certain risks in the event of default or insolvency of the borrower, including possible delays or restrictions upon a Fund’s ability to recover the loaned securities or dispose of the collateral for the loan, which could give rise to loss because of adverse market action, expenses and/or delays in connection with the disposition of the underlying securities.

A Fund will invest the cash received as collateral through loan transactions in other eligible securities, which may include shares of a registered money market fund, or of an unregistered money market fund that complies with the requirements of Rule 2a-7 under the 1940 Act to the extent required by the 1940 Act. Such money market funds might not seek or be able to maintain a stable $1.00 per share net asset value.

The investment of cash collateral subjects a Fund to market risk. A Fund remains obligated to return all collateral to the borrower under the terms of its securities lending arrangements even if the value of the investments made with the collateral has declined. Accordingly, if the value of a security in which the cash collateral has been invested declines, the loss would be borne by a Fund, and such Fund may be required to liquidate other investments in order to return collateral to the borrower at the end of a loan.

SHORT SALES —Short sales may be used by the Funds as part of their overall portfolio management strategies or to offset (hedge) a potential decline in the value of a security. A Fund may engage in short sales that are either “uncovered” or “against the box.” Uncovered short sales are transactions under which a Fund sells a security it does not own. To complete such a transaction, a Fund must borrow the security to make delivery to the buyer. A Fund is then obligated to replace the security borrowed by purchasing the security at the market price at the time of the replacement. The price at such time may be more or less than the price at which the security was sold by a Fund. Until the security is replaced, a Fund is required to pay the lender amounts equal to any dividends or interest that accrue during the period of the loan. To borrow the security, a Fund also may be required to pay a premium, which would increase the cost of the security sold. The proceeds of the short sale may be retained by the broker, to the extent necessary to meet margin requirements, until the short position is closed out. A short sale is “against the box” if, at all times during which the short position is open, a Fund owns at least an equal amount of the securities or securities convertible into, or exchangeable without further consideration for, securities of the same issue as the securities that are sold short. A short sale against the box is a taxable transaction to a Fund with respect to the securities that are sold short.

Until a Fund closes its short position or replaces the borrowed security, the Fund will: (i) earmark on the books of the Fund or place in a segregated account cash or liquid securities at such a level that the amount earmarked or deposited in the segregated account plus the amount deposited with the broker as collateral will equal the current value of the security sold short; or (ii) otherwise “cover” the Fund’s short position as required by the 1940 Act.

The use of short sales may effectively result in a Fund having a leveraged investment portfolio, which results in greater potential for loss. Leverage can amplify the effects of market volatility on a Fund’s share price and make such Fund’s returns more volatile. This is because leverage tends to exaggerate the effect of any increase or decrease in the value of a Fund’s portfolio securities. The use of leverage may also cause a Fund to liquidate portfolio positions when it would not be advantageous to do so or in order to satisfy its obligations.

 

S-10


SWAP TRANSACTIONS —Swaps are privately negotiated over-the-counter derivative products in which two parties agree to exchange payment streams calculated in relation to a rate, index, instrument or certain securities (referred to as the “underlying”) and a predetermined amount (referred to as the “notional amount”). The underlying for a swap may be an interest rate (fixed or floating), a currency exchange rate, a commodity price index, a security, group of securities or a securities index, a combination of any of these or various other rates, securities, instruments, assets or indices. Swap agreements generally do not involve the delivery of the underlying or principal, and a party’s obligations are generally equal to only the net amount to be paid or received under the agreement based on the relative values of the positions held by each party to the swap agreement. A great deal of flexibility is possible in the way swaps may be structured. For example, in a simple fixed-to-floating interest rate swap, one party makes payments equivalent to a fixed interest rate and the other party makes payments calculated with reference to a specified floating interest rate, such as the London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”) or the prime rate. In a currency swap, the parties generally enter into an agreement to pay interest streams in one currency based on a specified rate in exchange for receiving interest streams denominated in another currency. Currency swaps may involve initial and final exchanges of the currency that correspond to the agreed upon notional amount.

A Fund may engage in simple or more complex swap transactions involving a wide variety of underlyings for various reasons. For example, a Fund may enter into a swap: (i) to gain exposure to investments (such as an index of securities in a market) or currencies without actually purchasing those stocks or currencies; (ii) to make an investment without owning or taking physical custody of securities or currencies in circumstances in which direct investment is restricted for legal reasons or is otherwise impracticable; (iii) to hedge an existing position; (iv) to obtain a particular desired return at a lower cost to the Fund than if it had invested directly in an instrument that yielded the desired return; or (v) for various other reasons.

Caps, floors, collars and swaptions are privately-negotiated option-based derivative products. Like a put or call option, the buyer of a cap or floor pays a premium to the writer. In exchange for that premium, the buyer receives the right to a payment equal to the differential if the specified index or rate rises above (in the case of a cap) or falls below (in the case of a floor) a pre-determined strike level. Like swaps, obligations under caps and floors are calculated based upon an agreed notional amount, and, like most swaps (other than foreign currency swaps), the entire notional amount is not exchanged. A collar is a combination product in which one party buys a cap from and sells a floor to another party. Swaptions give the holder the right to enter into a swap. A Fund may use one or more of these derivative products in addition to or in lieu of a swap.

Under current market practice, swaps, caps, collars and floors between the same two parties are generally documented under a “master agreement.” In some cases, options and forwards between the parties may also be governed by the same master agreement. In the event of a default, amounts owed under all transactions entered into under, or covered by, the same master agreement would be netted, and only a single payment would be made.

Generally, a Fund would calculate the obligations of the swap agreements’ counterparties on a “net basis.” Consequently, a Fund’s current obligation (or rights) under a swap agreement will generally be equal only to the net amount to be paid or received under the agreement based on the relative values of the positions held by each counterparty to the swap agreement (the “net amount”). A Fund’s current obligation under a swap agreement will be accrued daily (offset against any amounts owed to such Fund), and any accrued but unpaid net amounts owed to a swap counterparty will be “covered”

 

S-11


as required by the 1940 Act. Each Fund will not enter into a swap agreement with any single party if the net amount owed or to be received under the existing agreements with that party would exceed 5% of the Fund’s total assets.

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 using standardized swap agreements. As a result, the use of swaps has become more prevalent in comparison with the markets for other similar instruments that are also traded in over-the-counter markets.

Swaps and other derivatives involve risks. One significant risk in a swap, cap, floor, collar or swaption is the potential volatility of the specific index rate, currency or other underlying that determines the amount of payments due to and from a Fund. This is true whether these derivative products are used to create additional risk exposure for a Fund or to hedge, or manage, existing risk exposure. If under a swap, cap, floor, collar or swaption agreement, a Fund is obligated to make a payment to the counterparty, such Fund must be prepared to make the payment when due. A Fund could suffer losses with respect to such an agreement if such Fund is unable to terminate the agreement or reduce its exposure through offsetting transactions. Further, the risks of caps, floors and collars, like put and call options, may be unlimited for the seller if the cap or floor is not hedged or covered, but is limited for the buyer.

Because under swap, cap, floor, collar and swaption agreements a counterparty may be obligated to make payments to a Fund, these derivative products are subject to risks related to the counterparty’s creditworthiness. If a counterparty defaults, a Fund’s risk of loss will consist of any payments that such Fund is entitled to receive from the counterparty under the agreement (this may not be true for currency swaps that require the delivery of the entire notional amount of one designated currency in exchange for the other). Upon default by a counterparty, however, a Fund may have contractual remedies under the swap agreement.

A Fund will enter into swaps only with counterparties that the advisers believe to be creditworthy. In addition, a Fund will earmark on its books or segregate cash or liquid securities in an amount equal to any liability amount owned under a swap, cap, floor, collar or swaption agreement or will otherwise “cover” its position as required by the 1940 Act.

U.S. GOVERNMENT SECURITIES —Examples of types of U.S. Government obligations in which a Fund may invest include U.S. Treasury obligations and the obligations of U.S. Government agencies or U.S. Government sponsored entities such as Federal Home Loan Banks, Federal Farm Credit Banks, Federal Land Banks, the Federal Housing Administration, the Farmers Home Administration, the Export-Import Bank of the United States, the Small Business Administration, Fannie Mae, GNMA, the General Services Administration, the Student Loan Marketing Association, the Central Bank for Cooperatives, Freddie Mac, Federal Intermediate Credit Banks, the Maritime Administration and other similar agencies. Whether backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury or not, U.S. Government securities are not guaranteed against price movements due to fluctuating interest rates.

Receipts. Receipts are 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, which means that they are sold at a substantial discount and redeemed at face value at their maturity date without interim cash payments of interest or principal.

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 systems known as STRIPS and TRs.

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

 

S-12


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 maturities 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 ( e.g. , Treasury bills, notes and bonds, and securities guaranteed by GNMA), others are supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury ( e.g. , obligations of Federal Home Loan Banks), while still others are supported only by the credit of the instrumentality ( e.g. , obligations of Fannie Mae). 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.

INFORMATION ABOUT THE INDEXES

A description of the Reality Shares NASDAQ-100 Isolated Dividend Growth Index and the Reality Shares U.S. Isolated Dividend Growth Index (each, an “Index” and together, the “Indexes”) on which the Reality Shares NASDAQ-100 Isolated Dividend Growth ETF and Reality Shares U.S. Isolated Dividend Growth ETF, respectively, is based is provided in the Prospectus under “Principal Investment Strategies.” Additional information about each Index, including the components and weightings of the Indexes, as well as the rules that govern inclusion and weighting in each of the Indexes, is available at www.realityshares.com.

Description of the Indexes

The Reality Shares NASDAQ-100 Isolated Dividend Growth Index is comprised of options based on the NASDAQ-100 Index and options on ETFs designed to track the NASDAQ-100 Index rather than individual stocks. The Index uses the options in combination to isolate exposure to the dividends expected to be paid on the securities included in the NASDAQ-100 Index. By combining both put and call combinations with the same strike price, on the same reference asset, but different maturities, the Index isolates the current market value of the dividends expected to be paid between the two maturities. Each option in the Index is paired with an offsetting long/short position to neutralize stock price movements. As a result, the Index reflects the current market expectation of dividend appreciation or depreciation.

The Reality Shares U.S. Isolated Dividend Growth Index is comprised of options based on the S&P 500 Index and options on ETFs designed to track the S&P 500 Index rather than individual stocks. The Index uses the options in combination to isolate exposure to the expected dividends reflected in options on the S&P 500 Index and options on ETFs tracking the S&P 500 Index. By combining both put and call combinations with the same strike price, on the same reference asset, but different maturities, the Index isolates the current market value of the dividends expected to be paid between the two maturities. Each option in the Index is paired with an offsetting long/short position to neutralize stock price movements. As a result, the Index reflects the current market expectation of dividend appreciation or depreciation.

Component Selection Criteria

Eligibility requirements for inclusion within the Reality Shares NASDAQ-100 Isolated Dividend Growth Index generally include listed options on the NASDAQ-100 Index and ETFs designed to track the NASDAQ-100 Index.

Eligibility requirements for inclusion within the Reality Shares U.S. Isolated Dividend Growth Index generally include listed options on the S&P 500 Index and ETFs designed to track the S&P 500 Index.

Index Rebalance / Index Maintenance

Each Index is “rebalanced” or “reconstituted” on an “as necessary” basis corresponding to the sale or expiry of the option contracts comprising the Index, and general market conditions. New securities for consideration in any rebalance period are screened to determine eligibility with the custom Index methodology of Reality Shares, Inc., with respect to the Reality Shares U.S. Isolated Dividend Growth Index, or Reality Shares, Inc. in conjunction with The NASDAQ OMX Group, Inc., with respect to Reality Shares NASDAQ-100 Isolated Dividend Growth Index. Based on this screening,

 

S-13


securities that meet an Index’s pre-requisites are added to such Index, and securities that no longer meet such requirements are dropped (sold/covered) from the Index. The approximate number of components comprising each Index as of [          ] is set forth below:

 

Index

 

   Approximate Number of Components

 

   

Reality Shares NASDAQ-100 Isolated Dividend Growth Index

   [            ]
   

Reality Shares U.S. Isolated Dividend Growth Index

 

   [            ]

 

Index Availability

Each Index is calculated and disseminated throughout the principal trading hours each day the NYSE is open for trading.

Changes to the Index Methodology

Each Index is governed by a published, rules-based methodology. Changes to the methodology of an Index will be publicly disclosed at Reality Shares, Inc.’s website www.realityshares.com prior to implementation.

Index Calculation Agent

In order to minimize any potential for conflicts caused by side-by-side management between Reality Shares, Inc. and the Adviser, its wholly-owned subsidiary, acting as investment adviser to the Reality Shares NASDAQ-100 Isolated Dividend Growth ETF and the Reality Shares U.S. Isolated Dividend Growth ETF, Reality Shares, Inc. has retained an unaffiliated third party service provider to calculate the Indexes (the “Calculation Agent”). The Calculation Agent, using the applicable rules-based methodology, will calculate, maintain and disseminate each Index on a daily basis. Reality Shares, Inc. will monitor the results produced by the Calculation Agent to help ensure that each Index is being calculated in accordance with the applicable rules-based methodology. In addition, Reality Shares, Inc. and the Adviser have established policies and procedures designed to prevent non-public information regarding pending changes to an Index from being used or disseminated in an improper manner. Furthermore, Reality Shares, Inc. and the Adviser have established policies and procedures designed to prevent improper use and dissemination of non-public information about each Fund’s portfolio strategies and to mitigate such Fund’s portfolio manager from having sole influence on the construction of an Index methodology.

INVESTMENT LIMITATIONS

The following are fundamental and non-fundamental policies of the Funds. The percentage limitations (except for the limitation on borrowing) set forth below will apply at the time of the purchase of a security and shall not be violated unless an excess or deficiency occurs, immediately after or as a result of a purchase of such security.

Fundamental Policies

The following investment limitations are fundamental policies of the Funds, which cannot be changed with respect to a Fund without the consent of the holders of a majority of the Fund’s outstanding shares. The term “majority of outstanding shares” means the vote of: (i) 67% or more of a Fund’s shares present at a meeting, if more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the Fund are present or represented by proxy; or (ii) more than 50% of a Fund’s outstanding shares, whichever is less.

 

  1. Each Fund may make loans, except as prohibited 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.

 

  2. Each Fund may borrow money, except as prohibited 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.

 

S-14


  3. Each Fund may not issue senior securities, as such term is defined under the 1940 Act, the rules or regulations thereunder or any exemption therefrom, as amended or interpreted from time to time, except as 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 the securities of any issuer (other than securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government or any of its agencies or instrumentalities) if, as a result, more than 25% of the Fund’s total assets would be invested in the securities of companies whose principal business activities are in the same industry, except that each of the Reality Shares NASDAQ-100 Isolated Dividend Growth Index ETF and Reality Shares U.S. Isolated Dividend Growth Index ETF will invest more than 25% of its total assets in securities of the same industry to approximately the same extent that the Fund’s respective Index concentrates in the securities of a particular industry or group of industries.

 

  5. Each Fund may purchase or sell commodities and real estate, except as prohibited 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.

 

  6. Each Fund may underwrite securities issued by other persons, except as prohibited 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.

Non-Fundamental Policies

The Funds observe the following policies, which are not deemed fundamental and which may be changed by the Board without shareholder vote.

 

  1. Each Fund may not hold illiquid securities in an amount exceeding, in the aggregate, 15% of such Fund’s net assets.

 

  2. Each Fund may not borrow money (i) in an amount exceeding 33 1/3% of the value of its total assets (including the amount borrowed, but excluding temporary borrowings not in excess of 5% of its total assets) and (ii) other than from a bank, provided that investment strategies that either obligate the Fund to purchase securities or require the Fund to cover a position by segregating assets or entering into an offsetting position shall not be subject to this limitation.

 

  3. Each Fund may not lend any security or make any other loan if, as a result, more than 33 1/3% of its total assets would be lent to other parties (this restriction does not apply to purchases of debt securities or repurchase agreements).

 

  4. Each Fund may not invest in unmarketable interests in real estate limited partnerships or invest directly in real estate. Each Fund may not purchase or sell or invest directly in real estate unless acquired as a result of its ownership in securities or other investments and except pursuant to the exercise of its rights under loan agreements related to its investments or to the extent that its investments in senior loans or bank loans may be considered to be investments in real estate. For the avoidance of doubt, the foregoing policy does not prevent the Fund from, among other things; purchasing marketable securities of companies that deal in real estate or interests therein (including REITs).

 

  5. Each Fund may purchase or sell financial and physical commodities, commodity contracts based on (or relating to) physical commodities or financial commodities and securities and derivative instruments whose values are derived from (in whole or in part) physical commodities or financial commodities.

 

  6.

Each of the Reality Shares NASDAQ-100 Isolated Dividend Growth Index ETF and Reality Shares U.S. Isolated Dividend Growth Index ETF may not change its investment strategy to invest at least 80% of its total assets

 

S-15


 

(exclusive of collateral held from securities lending, if any) in the component securities of its Index without 60 days’ prior notice to shareholders.

The following descriptions of the 1940 Act may assist shareholders in understanding the above policies and restrictions.

Diversification. Under the 1940 Act, a diversified investment management company, as to 75% of its total assets, may not purchase securities of any issuer (other than securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agents or instrumentalities or securities of other investment companies) if, as a result, more than 5% of its total assets would be invested in the securities of such issuer, or more than 10% of the issuer’s outstanding voting securities would be held by the fund.

The Funds are non-diversified investment management companies. This means that a relatively high percentage of each Fund’s assets may be invested in the obligations of a limited number of issuers. The value of the shares of each Fund may be more susceptible to any single economic, political or regulatory occurrence than the shares of a diversified investment company would be. The Funds intend to satisfy the diversification requirements necessary to qualify as regulated investment companies under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), which requires in part that the Funds be diversified ( i.e. , not invest more than 5% of their assets in the securities in any one issuer) as to 50% of their assets.

Concentration. The SEC has presently 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, including the amount borrowed (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 does not treat certain transactions as senior securities, such as certain borrowings, short sales, reverse repurchase agreements, firm commitment agreements and standby commitments, with appropriate earmarking or segregation of assets to cover such obligation.

Lending. Under the 1940 Act, a fund may only make loans if expressly permitted by its investment policies. Each Fund’s non-fundamental investment policy on lending is set forth above.

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. Under the 1940 Act, a diversified fund may not make any commitment as underwriter, if immediately thereafter the amount of its outstanding underwriting commitments, plus the value of its investments in securities of issuers (other than investment companies) of which it owns more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities, exceeds 25% of the value of its total assets.

Real Estate. The 1940 Act does not directly restrict a fund’s ability to invest in real estate, but does require that every fund have a fundamental investment policy governing such investments. The Funds have adopted a fundamental policy that would permit direct investment in real estate. However, the Funds have a non-fundamental investment limitation that prohibits them from investing directly in real estate. This non-fundamental policy may be changed only by vote of the Board.

CONTINUOUS OFFERING

The method by which Creation Units are created and traded may raise certain issues under applicable securities laws. Because new Creation Units of shares are issued and sold by the Funds on an ongoing basis, at any point a “distribution,” as such term is used in the 1933 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

 

S-16


which could render them statutory underwriters and subject them to the prospectus delivery requirement and liability provisions of the 1933 Act.

For example, a broker-dealer firm or its client may be deemed a statutory underwriter if it takes Creation Units after placing an order with the Distributor (as defined below), 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 1933 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, are generally required to deliver a prospectus. This is because the prospectus delivery exemption in Section 4(3) of the 1933 Act is not available with respect to such transactions as a result of Section 24(d) of the 1940 Act. Firms that incur a prospectus-delivery obligation with respect to shares are reminded that, under Rule 153 of the 1933 Act, a prospectus-delivery obligation under Section 5(b)(2) of the 1933 Act owed to an exchange member in connection with a sale on an 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.

EXCHANGE LISTING AND TRADING

The shares of each Fund will trade on its Exchange at prices that may differ to some degree from such Fund’s NAV. There can be no assurance that the requirements of an Exchange necessary to maintain the listing of shares will continue to be met. An Exchange may, but is not required to, remove the shares of a Fund from listing if: (i) following the initial 12-month period beginning at the commencement of trading of the Fund, there are fewer than 50 beneficial owners of the shares of the Fund for 30 or more consecutive trading days; (ii) the value of a Fund’s Index is no longer calculated or available; or (iii) such other event shall occur or condition exist that, in the opinion of an Exchange, makes further dealings on the Exchange inadvisable. An Exchange will remove the shares of a Fund from listing and trading upon termination of the Fund.

As in the case of other stocks traded on an Exchange, broker’s commissions on purchases or sales of shares in market transactions will be based on negotiated commission rates at customary levels.

THE ADMINISTRATOR

General. The Bank of New York Mellon (the “Administrator”), a New York banking organization, has its principal business offices at One Wall Street, New York, New York 10286. The Administrator also serves as the transfer agent and custodian for the Funds.

Administration Agreement with the Trust. The Trust and the Administrator have entered into an administration and accounting agreement (the “Administration Agreement”). Under the Administration Agreement, the Administrator provides the Trust with administrative services or employs certain other parties, including its affiliates, who provide such services, including regulatory reporting and all necessary office space, equipment, personnel and facilities. The Administration Agreement provides that the Administrator shall not be liable for any loss suffered by the Trust in connection with the matters to which the Administration Agreement relates, except a loss resulting from negligence, willful misfeasance or bad faith on the part of the Administrator in the performance of its duties or from reckless disregard of its duties and obligations thereunder or from breach of any representation or warranty contained in the Administration Agreement.

The Administration Agreement shall remain effective for the initial term of the Agreement and each renewal term thereof unless earlier terminated: (i) by either party upon written notice to the other party at least 90 days’ prior to the end of the initial term or renewal term, as applicable; (ii) by either party upon 30 days’ prior written notice if the other party fails to perform its obligations under the Administration Agreement in any material respect; and (iii) by the Administrator on not

 

S-17


less than 30 days’ written notice to the Trust if the Trust terminates the custody agreement between the Trust and The Bank of New York Mellon serving in its capacity as custodian of the Trust.

Administration Fees. For its administrative services, the Administrator receives a fee, which is calculated based upon the aggregate average daily net assets of the Trust and paid monthly by the Adviser at the following annual rates:

 

   

Fund

 

  

Administration Fee

 

   

Reality Shares NASDAQ-100 Isolated Dividend Growth Index ETF

 

  

[XX]%

 

   

Reality Shares U.S. Isolated Dividend Growth Index ETF

 

  

[XX]%

 

   

Reality Shares Isolated Dividend Growth ETF

 

  

[XX]%

 

THE ADVISER

General. Reality Shares Advisors, LLC (the “Adviser”) was founded in 2013 and is a Delaware limited liability company. The principal business address of the Adviser is 402 West Broadway, Suite 2800, San Diego, California 92101.

Advisory Agreement. The Trust and the Advisor have entered into an investment advisory agreement (the “Advisory Agreement”). Pursuant to the Advisory Agreement, the Advisor oversees the investment advisory services provided to the Funds.

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 on its part in the performance of its duties or from reckless disregard of its obligations or duties thereunder.

After its initial two year term, the continuance of the Advisory Agreement must be specifically approved at least annually: (i) by the vote of a majority of the outstanding shares of that Fund or by the Trustees; and (ii) by the vote of a majority of the Trustees who are not parties to the Advisory Agreement or “interested persons” (as defined under the 1940 Act) 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 (i) at any time without penalty by the Trustees of the Trust or, with respect to a Fund, by a majority of the outstanding shares of that Fund, or (ii) by the Adviser on not less than 30 days’ nor more than 60 days’ written notice to the Trust.

Management Fees. For these advisory services, the Adviser receives a fee, which is calculated daily and paid monthly at the following annual rates (shown as a percentage of the average daily net assets of each Fund):

 

   
Fund    Management Fee                    
   

Reality Shares NASDAQ-100 Isolated Dividend Growth Index ETF

   [              ] %
   

Reality Shares U.S. Isolated Dividend Growth Index ETF

   [              ]%
   

Reality Shares Isolated Dividend Growth ETF

   [              ]%

The Adviser is responsible, under the Advisory Agreement, for substantially all expenses of the Fund, including the cost of transfer agency, custody, fund administration, legal, audit and other services. The Adviser is not responsible for, and

 

S-18


the Fund will bear the cost of, interest expense, taxes, brokerage expenses and other expenses connected with the execution of portfolio securities transactions, distribution fees and extraordinary expenses.

As of the date of this SAI, the Funds had not commenced operations, and therefore did not pay any fees to the Adviser.

Portfolio Management

Compensation. The Fund’s portfolio manager receives a majority of his compensation from his direct equity ownership in the Adviser and therefore compensation is based in part on the long-term success of the Fund, other client accounts and the Adviser as a whole. The amount of such compensation is based on the proportionate amount of the portfolio manager’s ownership, and is paid out periodically as determined by the Adviser’s Board of Directors. The Fund’s portfolio manager also receives a fixed annual salary.

Ownership of Fund Shares. Because the Funds are new, as of the date of this SAI, the portfolio manager did not beneficially own shares of the Funds.

Other Accounts. As of the date of this SAI, the portfolio manager was not responsible for the day-to-day management of any accounts other than the Funds.

THE DISTRIBUTOR

The Trust and ALPS Distributors, Inc. (the “Distributor”), a Colorado corporation, are parties to a distribution agreement (“Distribution Agreement”), whereby the Distributor acts as principal underwriter for the Trust’s shares. The principal business address of the Distributor is 1290 Broadway, Suite 1100, Denver, Colorado 80203.

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 Funds 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 will terminate automatically in the event of its assignment (as such term is defined in the 1940 Act), and is terminable at any time without penalty by the Distributor, by the Board or, with respect to a Fund, by a majority of the outstanding shares of such Fund, upon 60 days’ written notice by either party. The Distribution Agreement provides that the Distributor shall not be protected against any liability to the Trust or its shareholders by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence on its part in the performance of its duties or from reckless disregard of its obligations or duties thereunder.

TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS OF THE TRUST

Board Responsibilities. The management and affairs of the Trust and its series, including the Funds described in this SAI, are overseen by the Trustees. The Board has approved contracts, as described above, under which certain companies provide essential management services to the Trust.

Like most ETFs, the day-to-day business of the Trust, including the management of risk, is performed by third party service providers, such as the Adviser, Distributor and 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 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 each 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

 

S-19


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 Funds 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 agreement 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 Funds’ investment restrictions and compliance with various Fund policies and procedures and with applicable securities regulations. The Board also reviews information about the Funds’ investments, including, for example, portfolio holdings schedules and reports on the Adviser’s use of derivatives in managing the Funds.

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 Funds’ service providers regarding the valuation and liquidity of portfolio securities. The Trust’s Fair Value Pricing Committee makes regular 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 Funds’ financial statements, focusing on major areas of risk encountered by the Funds and noting any significant deficiencies or material weaknesses in the Funds’ 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, in consultation with Fund management, 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 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 the Funds’ 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 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 manage risk, as a practical matter, is subject to limitations.

Members of the Board. There are five (5) members of the Board of Trustees, three (3) of whom are not interested persons of the Trust, as that term is defined in the 1940 Act (“independent Trustees”). Eric Ervin serves as Chairman of the Board. 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

 

S-20


independent Trustees constitute a majority of the Board, the fact that the chairperson of each Committee of the Board is an independent Trustee, the amount of assets under management in the Trust, and the number of Funds overseen by the Board. The structure and operation of the Board is designed to facilitate 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 the Nominating and Governance Committee. The Audit Committee and Nominating and Governance Committee are each chaired by an independent Trustee and composed of all of the independent Trustees.

Set forth below are the names, dates of birth, position 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.

 

Name, Address (1)  and    

Age

   Position with
Trust and
Length of
Term (2)
 

Principal Occupations

in the Past 5 Years

   Number of
Portfolios in Fund
Complex (3)
Overseen by
Trustee
   Other Directorships
Held in the Past 5
Years
     Interested Trustees

Eric Ervin (4)

(Born: 1976)

   Trustee

(since 2014)

  President, CEO and Co-Founder of Reality Shares, Inc. (October 2011 – present); Vice President, Morgan Stanley Smith Barney (June 2009 – October 2011)    3    None

Michael S. Rosen (4)

(Born: 1961)

   Trustee

(since 2014)

  Context Capital Management, LLC, Co-Founder and CEO (2001 – present)    3    None
     Independent Trustees

Christopher Nero

(Born: 1967)

   Trustee

(since 2014)

  True North Advisory Group (business consulting firm), CEO (January 2012 – present); Deutsche Bank AFS, Managing Director and Global Head (January 2008 – March 2011)    3    None

Nathaniel R. Singer

(Born: 1961)

   Trustee

(since 2014)

  Swap Financial Group, Financial Adviser (January 2008 – present)    3    Municipal Securities
Rulemaking Board

Rick Slaughter

(Born: 1951)

   Trustee

(since 2014)

  Founding Partner, Chief Research Officer and Portfolio Manager, Sunrise Capital Partners LLC (1995 – present)    3    None

 

(1) Unless otherwise noted, the business address of each Trustee is 402 West Broadway, Suite 2800, San Diego, California 92101.
(2) Each Trustee shall serve until death, resignation or removal.
(3) The term “Fund Complex” refers to the Reality Shares ETF Trust.
(4) Messrs. Ervin and Rosen may be deemed to be “interested” persons of the Funds , as that term is defined in the 1940 Act , by virtue of their affiliation with the Adviser and/or its affiliates.

Individual Trustee Qualifications. The Trust has concluded that each of the Trustees should serve on the Board because of his or her ability to review and understand information about the Fund(s) provided to them by management, to identify

 

S-21


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(s), and to exercise their business judgment in a manner that serves the best interests of the Funds’/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.

Eric Ervin is President, CEO and Co-Founder of the Adviser. Prior to co-founding the Adviser, Mr. Ervin the Ervin Miller Group wealth management franchise at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney. He holds Certified Financial Planner and Chartered Financial Consultant designations.

Michael J. Rosen is Co-Founder and CEO of Context Capital Management, LLC, an alternative asset management firm. Prior to co-founding Context Capital Management, LLC, Mr. Rosen was a co-principal owner of two investment advisers to a mutual fund complex and a mutual fund portfolio manager. Mr. Rosen is on the Board of Trustees for the University of Rochester, where he also serves on the Investment and Development Committees. He is also a Chartered Financial Analyst.

Christopher Nero has over 25 years experience in the financial services industry and has held senior management positions with several alternative investment firms. He previously served as a senior accountant in the Division of Investment Management of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Nathaniel R. Singer has over 27 years experience in the financial services industry, including previously serving as the Chief Financial Officer of the fixed income department of a major U.S. investment bank. Mr. Singer serves on the Board of Trustees of the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board and has also served as an advisor to the Government Accounting Standards Board.

Rick Slaughter has nearly four decades of experience trading liquid markets around the globe and has founded two alternative investment management firms.

In its periodic assessment of the effectiveness of the Board, the Board considers the complementary individual skills and experience of the individual Trustees primarily in the broader context of the Board’s overall composition so that the Board, as a body, possesses the appropriate (and appropriately diverse) skills and experience to oversee the business of the funds.

Board Standing Committees. The Board has established the following standing committees:

•           Audit Committee . The Board has a standing Audit Committee that is composed of each of the independent Trustees of the Trust. The Audit Committee operates under a written charter approved by the Board. The principal responsibilities of the Audit Committee include: (i) recommending which firm to engage as each Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm and whether to terminate this relationship; (ii) reviewing the independent registered public accounting firm’s compensation, the proposed scope and terms of its engagement, and the firm’s independence; (iii) pre-approving audit and non-audit services provided by each Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm to the Trust and certain other affiliated entities; (iv) serving as a channel of communication between the independent registered public accounting firm and the Trustees; (v) 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; (vi) reviewing each 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; (vii) 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’ reports on the adequacy of the Trust’s internal financial controls; (viii) reviewing, in consultation with each Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm, major changes regarding auditing and accounting principles and practices to be followed when preparing each fund’s financial statements; and (ix) other audit related matters. Messrs. Nero, Singer and Slaughter currently serve as members

 

S-22


of the Audit Committee. Mr. Nero serves as the Chairman of the Audit Committee. The Audit Committee meets periodically, as necessary.

•           Governance Committee . The Board has a standing Governance Committee that is composed of each of the independent Trustees of the Trust. The Governance Committee operates under a written charter approved by the Board. The principal responsibilities of the Governance Committee include: (i) considering and reviewing Board governance and compensation issues; (ii) conducting a self-assessment of the Board’s operations; (iii) selecting and nominating all persons to serve as independent Trustees and evaluating the qualifications of “interested” Trustee candidates; and (iv) reviewing shareholder recommendations for nominations to fill vacancies on the Board if such recommendations are submitted in writing and addressed to the Committee at the Trust’s office. Messrs. Nero, Singer and Slaughter currently serve as members of the Governance Committee. Mr. Singer serves as the Chairman of the Governance Committee. The Governance Committee meets periodically, as necessary.

Fund Shares Owned by Board Members. Because the Funds are new, as of the date of this SAI, no Trustee owns shares of any Fund. The Trust is not part of any “family of investment companies” as such term is defined in Form N-1A.

Board Compensation. The following table sets forth information covering the anticipated total compensation payable by the Trust during its first fiscal year ending October 31, 2014 to the persons who serve as Trustees of the Trust:

 

Trustee        

Estimated Aggregate

Compensation From the

Trust

       

Estimated Total Compensation

From the Trust

          (000)         (000)
Interested                    

Eric Ervin

        N/A           N/A

Michael J. Rosen

        N/A           N/A
Independent                    

Christopher Nero

        $20,000            $20,000

Nathaniel R. Singer

        $20,000           $20,000

Rick Slaughter

        $20,000           $20,000

Trust Officers. Set forth below are the names, dates of birth, position with the Trust, length of term of office, and the principal occupations for the last five years of each of the persons currently serving as executive officers of the Trust. Unless otherwise noted, the business address of each officer is 402 West Broadway, Suite 2800, San Diego, California 92101. The Chief Compliance Officer is the only officer who receives compensation from the Trust for her services.

 

Name, Address (1) and Age   

Position with Trust and            

Length of Term (2)

   Principal Occupations in Past 5 Years

Eric Ervin

(Born: 1976)            

  

President

(since 2014)

   President, CEO and Co-Founder of Reality Shares, Inc. (October 2011 – present); Vice President, Morgan Stanley Smith Barney (June 2009 – October 2011)

Tom Trivella

(Born: 1958)

  

Treasurer

(since 2014)

   Chief Administrative Officer of Reality Shares, Inc. (October 2013 – present); Chief Operating Officer, Citadel Securities LLC (June 2010 – August 2012); Chief Operating Officer, ICAP Corporates LLC (July 2008 - May 2010)

Ryan Ballantyne

(Born: 1971)

  

Secretary

(since 2014)

   Executive Vice President - Sales and Trading of Reality Shares, Inc. (September 2012 – present); Managing Director, Miller Tabak & Co., LLC (April 2007 – August 2012)

 

S-23


Name, Address (1) and Age   

Position with Trust and            

Length of Term (2)

   Principal Occupations in Past 5 Years

Melanie H. Zimdars    

(Born: 1976)

  

Chief Compliance Officer

(since 2014)

   Deputy Chief Compliance Officer of ALPS (September 2009 – present); Ms. Zimdars is also the CCO of ALPS ETF Trust, ALPS Variable Investment Trust, EGA Emerging Global Shares Trust, EGA Frontier Diversified Fund, Liberty All-Star Growth Fund, Inc., Liberty All-Star Equity Fund, BPV Family of Funds and Broadview Funds Trust; Principal Financial Officer, Treasurer and Secretary for the Wasatch Funds (February 2007 – December 2008)

 

(1) Unless otherwise noted, the business address of each officer is 402 West Broadway, Suite 2800, San Diego, California 92101.
(2) Each officer shall serve until death, resignation or removal.

BOOK ENTRY ONLY SYSTEM

The following information supplements and should be read in conjunction with the section in the Prospectus entitled “Purchasing and Selling Fund Shares.”

Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) acts as securities depository for each Fund’s 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.

DTC, a limited-purpose trust company, 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.

Conveyance of all notices, statements and other communications to Beneficial Owners is effected as follows. Pursuant to the Depositary Agreement between the Trust and DTC, DTC is required to make available to the Trust upon request and for a fee to be charged to the Trust a listing of the shares of any Fund held by each DTC Participant. The Trust shall inquire of each such DTC Participant as to 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 shares of a 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

 

S-24


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 such 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 decide to discontinue its service with respect to shares of the Trust at any time by giving reasonable notice to the Trust and discharging its responsibilities with respect thereto under applicable law. Under such circumstances, the Trust shall take action to find a replacement for DTC to perform its functions at a comparable cost.

CREATION AND REDEMPTION OF CREATION UNITS

Purchase (Creation). The Trust issues and sells Shares of each Fund only: (i) in Creation Units on a continuous basis through the Distributor, without a sales load (but subject to transaction fees), at the NAV per share next determined after receipt of an order, on any Business Day (as defined below), in proper form.

A “Business Day” with respect to a Fund is, generally, any day on which the NYSE is open for business. As of the date of this SAI, the NYSE observes the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Washington’s Birthday, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

Fund Deposit. The consideration for purchase of Creation Units of a Fund may consist of the in-kind deposit of a designated portfolio of equity securities (the “Deposit Securities”) and an amount of cash (the “Cash Component”) computed as described below. Together, the Deposit Securities and the Cash Component constitute the “Fund Deposit” for each Fund, which represents the minimum initial and subsequent investment amount for a Creation Unit of a Fund.

The Cash Component is sometimes also referred to as the “Balancing Amount.” The Cash Component is an amount equal to the difference between the NAV of the shares (per Creation Unit) and the value of Deposit Securities. If the Cash Component is a positive number, the Authorized Participant will deliver the Cash Component. If the Cash Component is a negative number, the Authorized Participant will receive the Cash Component. The Cash Component does not include any stamp duty tax or other similar fees and expenses payable upon transfer of beneficial ownership of the Deposit Securities. These are the sole responsibility of the Authorized Participant.

In addition, the Trust reserves the right to permit or require the substitution of an amount of cash ( i.e. , a “cash in lieu” amount) to be added to the Cash Component at its discretion. For example, cash may be substituted to replace any Deposit Security that may not be available in sufficient quantity for delivery or that may not be eligible for transfer through the systems of DTC or the Clearing Process (discussed below). The Trust also reserves the right to permit or require a “cash in lieu” amount where the delivery of the Deposit Security by the Authorized Participant (as described below) 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 in other situations deemed appropriate by the Trust. The Funds reserve the right to use this approach, including issuing and redeeming Creation Units partially in-kind and partially in cash.

Each Fund, through the National Securities Clearing Corporation (“NSCC”), makes available on each Business Day, prior to the opening of business on its Exchange (currently 9:30 a.m., Eastern time), the list of the names and the required number of shares of each Deposit Security to be included in the current Fund Deposit (based on information at the end of the previous Business Day) for each Fund.

Such Deposit Securities are applicable, subject to any adjustments as described below, in order to effect creations of Creation Units of a Fund until such time as the next-announced composition of the Deposit Securities is made available.

The identity and number of shares of the Deposit Securities required for a Fund Deposit for each Fund changes from time to time based on a number of factors.

 

S-25


Procedures for Creation of Creation Units. To be eligible to place orders with the Distributor and to create 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. In each case, such entity must have executed an agreement with the Distributor with respect to creations and redemptions of Creation Units (“Participant Agreement”). A Participating Party or DTC Participant that has entered a Participation Agreement is referred to as an “Authorized Participant.” Investors should contact the Distributor for the names of Authorized Participants that have signed a Participant Agreement. All shares of a Fund, however created, will be entered on the records of DTC in the name of Cede & Co. for the account of a DTC Participant.

All orders to create shares must be placed for one or more Creation Units. All orders to create Creation Units must be received by the Distributor no later than the closing time of the regular trading session on the relevant Exchange (“Closing Time”) (ordinarily 4:00 p.m., Eastern time) on the date such orders are placed in order to receive that day’s NAV. All orders must be received in proper form. The date on which an order to create Creation Units is placed is referred to as the “Transmittal Date.” 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, as described below, which procedures may change from time to time without notice at the discretion of the Trust. Economic or market disruptions or changes, or telephone or other communication failure, may impede the ability to reach the Distributor or an Authorized Participant.

All orders to create Creation Units through an Authorized Participant shall be placed with an Authorized Participant, in the form required by such Authorized Participant. In addition, the 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, in that case, orders to create Creation Units of a Fund have to be placed by each 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.

Those placing orders for Creation Units of the Funds through the Clearing Process should afford sufficient time to permit proper submission of the order to the Distributor prior to the Closing Time on the Transmittal Date. Orders for Creation Units of the Funds that are effected outside the Clearing Process are likely to require transmittal by the DTC Participant earlier on the Transmittal Date than orders effected using the Clearing Process. Those persons placing orders outside the Clearing Process should ascertain the deadlines applicable to DTC and the Federal Reserve Bank wire system by contacting the operations department of the broker or depository institution effectuating such transfer of Deposit Securities and the Cash Component.

Placement of Creation Orders Using the Clearing Process. The Clearing Process is a process commonly used to create or redeem Creation Units of the Funds. Fund Deposits made through the Clearing Process must be delivered through a Participating Party that has executed a Participant Agreement. The Participant Agreement authorizes the Distributor to transmit through The Bank of New York Mellon to NSCC, on behalf of the Participating Party, such trade instructions as are necessary to effect the Participating Party’s creation order. Pursuant to such trade instructions to NSCC, the Participating Party agrees to deliver the requisite Deposit Securities and the Cash Component to the Trust, together with such additional information as may be required by the Distributor. An order to create Creation Units through the Clearing Process is deemed received by the Distributor on the Transmittal Date if: (i) such order is received by the Distributor not later than the Closing Time on such Transmittal Date; and (ii) all other procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement are properly followed.

Placement of Creation Orders Outside the Clearing Process. Fund Deposits made outside the Clearing Process must be delivered through a DTC Participant that has executed a Participant Agreement. A DTC Participant who wishes to place an order creating Creation Units to be effected outside the Clearing Process does not need to be a Participating

 

S-26


Party, but such orders must state that the DTC Participant is not using the Clearing Process and that the creation of Creation Units will instead be effected through a transfer of securities and cash directly through DTC. The Fund Deposit transfer must be ordered by the DTC Participant on the Transmittal Date in a timely fashion so as to ensure the delivery of the requisite number of Deposit Securities through DTC to the account of the Fund by no later than 2:00 p.m., Eastern time, on the “Settlement Date.” The Settlement Date is typically the third Business Day following the Transmittal Date. Each Fund reserves the right to settle transactions on a basis other than “T” plus three Business Days ( i.e. , days on which the NYSE is open) (“T+3”). In certain cases Authorized Participants will create and redeem Creation Units of the same Fund on the same trade date. In these instances, the Trust reserves the right to settle these transactions on a net basis.

All questions as to the number of Deposit Securities to be delivered, and the validity, form and eligibility (including time of receipt) for the deposit of any tendered securities, will be determined by the Trust, whose determination shall be final and binding. The amount of cash equal to the Cash Component must be transferred directly to The Bank of New York Mellon through the Federal Reserve Bank wire transfer system in a timely manner so as to be received by The Bank of New York Mellon no later than 2:00 p.m., Eastern time, on the Settlement Date. An order to create Creation Units outside the Clearing Process is deemed received by the Distributor on the Transmittal Date if: (i) such order is received by the Distributor not later than the Closing Time on such Transmittal Date; and (ii) all other procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement are properly followed. However, if The Bank of New York Mellon does not receive both the required Deposit Securities and the Cash Component by 2:00 p.m. on the Settlement Date, such order may be canceled. Upon written notice to the Distributor, such canceled order may be resubmitted the following Business Day using a Fund Deposit as newly constituted to reflect the then-current NAV of the Funds. The delivery of Creation Units so created generally will occur no later than the Settlement Date.

Creation Units may be created in advance of receipt by the Trust of all or a portion of the applicable Deposit Securities as described below. In these circumstances, the initial deposit will have a value greater than the NAV of the shares on the date the order is placed in proper form since, in addition to available Deposit Securities, cash must be deposited in an amount equal to the sum of (i) the Cash Component, plus (ii) at least 102%, which the Trust may change from time to time, of the market value of the undelivered Deposit Securities (the “Additional Cash Deposit”) with the Fund pending delivery of any missing Deposit Securities.

If an Authorized Participant determines to post an additional cash deposit as collateral for any undelivered Deposit Securities, such Authorized Participant must deposit with The Bank of New York Mellon the appropriate amount of federal funds by 2:00 p.m., Eastern time, on the date of requested settlement. If the Authorized Participant does not place its purchase order by the closing time or The Bank of New York Mellon does not receive federal funds in the appropriate amount by such time, 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. An additional amount of cash shall be required to be deposited with The Bank of New York Mellon, 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 102%, which the Trust may change from time to time, of the daily marked-to-market value of the missing Deposit Securities. To the extent that missing Deposit Securities are not received by 2:00 p.m., Eastern time, on the Settlement Date or in the event a marked-to-market payment is not made within one Business Day following notification by the Distributor that such a payment is required, the Trust may use the cash on deposit to purchase the missing Deposit Securities.

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 transmittal date plus the brokerage and related transaction costs associated with such purchases, as well as any stamp taxes, income or dividends due. 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 Bank of New York Mellon or purchased by the Trust and deposited into the Trust and all related transaction costs and other items, as noted above, have been cleared. In addition, a transaction fee, as listed below, will be charged in all cases. The delivery of Creation Units so created generally will occur no later than the Settlement Date.

Cash Purchases. When, in the sole discretion of the Trust, cash purchases of Creation Units of shares are available or specified for a Fund, such purchases shall be effected in essentially the same manner as in-kind purchases thereof. In the

 

S-27


case of a cash purchase, the Authorized Participant must pay the cash equivalent of the Deposit Securities it would otherwise be required to provide through an in-kind purchase, plus the same Cash Component required to be paid by an in-kind purchaser. In addition, to offset brokerage and other costs associated with using cash to purchase the requisite Deposit Securities, the Authorized Participant must pay the Transaction Fees required by each Fund. If the Authorized Participant acts as a broker for the Fund in connection with the purchase of Deposit Securities, the Authorized Participant will also be required to pay certain brokerage commissions, taxes, and transaction and market impact costs as discussed under the heading “Brokerage Transactions” herein.

Acceptance of Orders of Creation Units. The Trust reserves the absolute right to reject or revoke acceptance of a creation order transmitted to it by the Distributor with respect to either Fund. Orders may be rejected and acceptance may be revoked if, for example: (i) the order is not in proper form; (ii) the investor(s), upon obtaining the shares ordered, would own 80% or more of the currently outstanding shares of any Fund; (iii) the Deposit Securities delivered are not the same as those disseminated through the facilities of the NSCC for that date by the Fund as described above; (iv) acceptance of the Deposit Securities would have certain adverse tax consequences to the Fund; (v) acceptance of the Fund Deposit would, in the opinion of counsel, be unlawful; (vi) 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; or (vii) in the event that circumstances outside the control of the Trust, The Bank of New York Mellon, the Distributor or the Adviser make it for all practical purposes impossible to process creation orders. Examples of such circumstances include acts of God; 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 Adviser, the Distributor, DTC, NSCC, The Bank of New York Mellon or a sub-custodian or any other participant in the creation process and similar 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 Bank of New York Mellon, a 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 any of them incur any liability for the failure to give any such notification.

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/Redemption Transaction Fee. Each Fund imposes a “Transaction Fee” on investors purchasing or redeeming Creation Units. The purpose of the Transaction Fee is to protect the existing shareholders of the Fund from the dilutive costs associated with the purchase and redemption of Creation Units. Where a Fund permits cash creations (or redemptions) or cash in lieu of depositing one or more Deposit Securities, the purchaser (or redeemer) may be assessed a higher Transaction Fee to offset the transaction cost to the Fund of buying (or selling) those particular Deposit Securities. Transaction Fees will differ for each Fund, depending on the transaction expenses related to each Fund’s portfolio securities, and will be limited to amounts that have been determined by the Adviser to be appropriate. The maximum Transaction Fee, as set forth in the table below for each Fund, may be charged in cases where a Fund permits cash or cash in lieu of Deposit Securities. Investors purchasing or redeeming through the DTC process generally will pay a higher Transaction Fee than will investors doing so through the NSCC process. Also, investors who use the services of a broker or other such intermediary may be charged a fee for such services, in addition to the Transaction Fee imposed by a Fund.

The following table sets forth the approximate value of one Creation Unit per Fund, and the standard and maximum creation and redemption transaction fee for each of the Funds. These fees may be changed by the Trust. Redemption transaction fees will be limited to 2% of the redemption amount.

 

Fund   

Standard

Creation/Redemption    

Transaction Fee

  

Maximum

Creation/Redemption

Transaction Fee

Reality Shares NASDAQ-100 Isolated Dividend Growth Index ETF    $[          ]    $[          ]
Reality Shares U.S. Isolated Dividend Growth Index ETF    $[          ]    $[          ]
Reality Shares Isolated Dividend Growth ETF    $[          ]    $[          ]

 

S-28


Placement of Redemption Orders Using the Clearing Process. Orders to redeem Creation Units through the Clearing Process must be delivered through a Participating Party that has executed the Participant Agreement. Except as described herein, an order to redeem Creation Units using the Clearing Process is deemed received by the Trust on the Transmittal Date if: (i) such order is received by The Bank of New York Mellon (in its capacity as Transfer Agent) not later than the Closing Time on such Transmittal Date, and (ii) all other procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement are properly followed. Such order will be effected based on the NAV of the Fund as next determined. The considerations for redemption of Creation Units of a Fund generally consists of (i) a designated portfolio of in-kind [equity securities] that closely approximate the holdings of the Fund (the “Fund Securities”) and (ii) an amount of cash denominated in U.S. dollars (the “Cash Redemptions Amount”) as described below. The requisite Fund Securities and the Cash Redemption Amount generally will be transferred by the third NSCC Business Day following the date on which such request for redemption is deemed received.

Placement of Redemption Orders Outside the Clearing Process. Orders to redeem Creation Units outside the Clearing Process must be delivered through a DTC Participant that has executed the Participant Agreement. An order to redeem Creation Units outside the Clearing Process is deemed received by the Trust on the Transmittal Date if: (i) such order is received by The Bank of New York Mellon (in its capacity as Transfer Agent) not later than the Closing Time on such Transmittal Date; (ii) such order is accompanied or followed by the requisite number of shares of the Fund specified in such order, which delivery must be made through DTC to The Bank of New York Mellon no later than 11:00 a.m., Eastern time, on the contracted settlement date; and (iii) all other procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement are properly followed. After the Trust has deemed an order for redemption outside the Clearing Process received, the Trust will initiate procedures to transfer the requisite Fund Securities which are expected to be delivered within three Business Days and the Cash Redemption Amount to the Authorized Participant on behalf of the redeeming Beneficial Owner by the Settlement Date. In certain cases Authorized Participants will redeem and create Creation Units of the same Fund on the same trade date. In these instances, the Trust reserves the right to settle these transactions on a net basis.

General Redemption Procedures. An Authorized Participant submitting a redemption request is deemed to represent to the Trust that it (or its client) (i) owns outright or has full legal authority and legal beneficial right to tender for redemption the requisite number of shares to be redeemed and can receive the entire proceeds of the redemption, and (ii) the shares to be redeemed have not been loaned or pledged to another party nor are they the subject of a repurchase agreement, securities lending agreement or such other arrangement which would preclude the delivery of such shares to the Trust. The Trust reserves the right to verify these representations at its discretion. If the Authorized Participant, upon receipt of a verification request, does not provide sufficient verification of its representations as determined by the Trust, the redemption request will not be considered to have been received in proper form and may be rejected by the Trust.

If the requisite number of shares of the Fund is not delivered on the Transmittal Date as described above, the Fund may reject or revoke acceptance of the redemption request because the Authorized Participant has not satisfied all of the settlement requirements.

The current procedures for collateralization of missing shares require, among other things, that any cash collateral shall be in the form of U.S. dollars in immediately available funds and shall be held by The Bank of New York Mellon and marked-to-market daily, and that the fees of The Bank of New York Mellon and any sub-custodians in respect of the delivery, maintenance and redelivery of the cash collateral shall be payable by the Authorized Participant. The Authorized Participant’s agreement will permit the Trust, on behalf of the affected Fund, to purchase the missing shares or acquire the Deposit Securities and the Cash Component underlying such shares at any time and will subject the Authorized Participant to liability for any shortfall between the cost to the Trust of purchasing such shares, Deposit Securities or Cash Component and the value of the collateral as well as any transaction costs, stamp taxes, income or dividends due.

The calculation of the value of the Fund Securities and the Cash Redemption Amount to be delivered upon redemption will be made by The Bank of New York Mellon according to the procedures set forth under Determination of NAV computed on the Business Day on which a redemption order is deemed received by the Trust. Therefore, if a redemption order in proper form is submitted to The Bank of New York Mellon by a DTC Participant not later than the Closing Time

 

S-29


on the Transmittal Date, and the requisite number of shares of the relevant Fund are delivered to The Bank of New York Mellon prior to the DTC cut-off time, then the value of the Fund Securities and the Cash Redemption Amount to be delivered will be determined by The Bank of New York Mellon on such Transmittal Date. If, however, a redemption order is submitted to The Bank of New York Mellon by a DTC Participant not later than the Closing Time on the Transmittal Date but either (i) the requisite number of shares of the relevant Fund are not delivered by the DTC cut-off-time on such Transmittal Date, or (ii) the redemption order is not submitted in proper form, then the redemption order will not be deemed received as of the Transmittal Date. In such case, the value of the Fund Securities and the Cash Redemption Amount to be delivered will be computed on the Business Day that such order is deemed received by the Trust on which the shares of the relevant Fund are delivered through DTC to The Bank of New York Mellon by the DTC cut-off-time on such Business Day pursuant to a properly submitted redemption order.

A Fund may also, in its sole discretion, upon request of a shareholder, provide such redeemer a portfolio of securities that differs from the exact composition of the Fund Securities but does not differ in NAV.

Redemptions of shares for Fund Securities will be subject to compliance with applicable federal and state securities laws and each 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 stock included in the Fund Securities applicable to the redemption of a Creation Units may be paid an equivalent amount of cash. The Authorized Participant may request the redeeming Beneficial Owner of the shares to complete an order form or to enter into agreements with respect to such matters as compensating cash payment.

Cash Redemptions. A Fund may pay out the proceeds of redemptions of Creation Units solely in cash or through any combination of cash or securities. 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 relevant 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). Proceeds will be paid to the Authorized Participant redeeming shares on behalf of the redeeming investor as soon as practicable after the date of redemption. If the Authorized Participant acts as a broker for the Fund in connection with the sale of Fund Securities, the Authorized Participant will also be required to pay certain brokerage commissions, taxes, and transaction and market impact costs as discussed under the heading “Brokerage Transactions” herein.

In-Kind Redemptions. The ability of the Trust to effect in-kind creations and redemptions is subject, among other things, to the condition that, within the time period from the date of the order to the date of delivery of the securities, there are no days that are holidays in the applicable foreign market. For every occurrence of one or more intervening holidays in the applicable foreign market that are not holidays observed in the U.S. equity market, the redemption settlement cycle may be extended by the number of such intervening holidays. In addition to holidays, other unforeseeable closings in a foreign market due to emergencies may also prevent the Trust from delivering securities within the normal settlement period. The Funds will not suspend or postpone redemption beyond seven days, except as permitted under Section 22(e) of the 1940 Act. Section 22(e) provides that the right of redemption may be suspended or the date of payment postponed with respect to any Fund (1) for any period during which the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) is closed (other than customary weekend and holiday closings); (2) for any period during which trading on the NYSE 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’s portfolio securities or determination of its net asset value is not reasonably practicable; or (4) in such other circumstance as is permitted by the SEC.

DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE

The NAV of each Fund’s shares is calculated each day the NYSE is open for trading as of the close of regular trading on the NYSE, generally 4:00 p.m. New York time (the “NAV Calculation Time”). NAV per share is calculated by dividing a Fund’s net assets by the number of Fund shares outstanding.

 

S-30


In calculating a Fund’s NAV, Fund investments generally are valued using market valuations. Short-term debt securities with remaining maturities of sixty (60) days or less are valued on the basis of amortized cost, which approximates fair value. U.S. fixed income assets may be valued as of the announced closing time for such securities on any day that the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association announces an early closing time. The values of any assets or liabilities of a Fund that are denominated in a currency other than the U.S. dollar are converted into U.S. dollars using an exchange rate deemed appropriate by the Fund.

In certain instances, such as when reliable market valuations are not readily available or are not deemed to reflect current market values, a Fund’s investments will be valued in accordance with the Fund’s pricing policy and procedures. Securities that may be valued using “fair value” pricing may include, but are not limited to, securities for which there are no current market quotations or whose issuer is in default or bankruptcy, securities subject to corporate actions (such as mergers or reorganizations), securities subject to non-U.S. investment limits or currency controls, and securities affected by “significant events.” An example of a significant event is an event occurring after the close of the market in which a security trades but before a Fund’s next NAV Calculation Time that may materially affect the value of a Fund’s investment (e.g., government action, natural disaster, or significant market fluctuation). Price movements in U.S. markets that are deemed to affect the value of foreign securities, or reflect changes to the value of such securities, also may cause securities to be “fair valued.”

When fair-value pricing is employed, the prices of securities used by a Fund to calculate its NAV may differ from quoted or published prices for the same securities.

Fund shares are purchased or sold on a national securities exchange at market prices, which may be higher or lower than NAV. No secondary sales will be made to brokers or dealers at a concession by the Distributor or by a Fund. Purchases and sales of shares in the secondary market, which will not involve a Fund, will be subject to customary brokerage commissions and charges. Transactions in Fund shares will be priced at NAV only if you purchase or redeem shares directly from a Fund in Creation Units.

PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

The Board has delegated responsibility for decisions regarding proxy voting for securities held by a Fund to the Adviser. The Adviser will vote such proxies in accordance with its proxy policies and procedures, which are included in Appendix B to this SAI.

The Trust is required to disclose annually the Funds’ complete proxy voting record on Form N-PX covering the period from July 1 of one year through June 30 of the next and to file Form N-PX with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) no later than August 31 of each year. The current Form N-PX for the Funds, when filed, may be obtained at no charge upon request by calling (855) 595-0240 or by visiting the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov .

TAXES

The following is only a summary of certain additional federal tax considerations generally affecting the Funds and their shareholders that are not described in the Funds’ Prospectus. No attempt is made to present a detailed explanation of the federal, state, local or foreign tax treatment of the Funds or their shareholders and the discussion here and in the Funds’ Prospectus is not intended as a substitute for careful tax planning.

This discussion of federal income tax consequences is based on the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”) and the regulations issued thereunder as in effect on the date of this Statement of Additional Information. 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.

Qualification as a Regulated Investment Company and Taxation of the Funds . Each Fund is treated as a separate entity for federal income tax purposes and is not combined with the Trust’s other Funds. Each Fund intends to qualify as a regulated investment company (“RIC”) under Subchapter M of the Code so that it will be relieved of federal income tax on that part of its income that is timely distributed to shareholders. In order to qualify for treatment as a RIC, a Fund must distribute

 

S-31


annually to its shareholders at least 90% of its investment company taxable income (generally, net investment income plus the excess, if any, of net short-term capital gain over net long-term capital losses) (“Distribution Requirement”) and also must meet several additional requirements.

Among these requirements are the following: (i) at least 90% of a Fund’s gross income each taxable year must be derived from dividends, interest, payments with respect to certain securities loans, and gains from the sale or other disposition of stock, securities or foreign currencies, or other income (including, but not limited to, gains from options, futures or forward contracts) derived with respect to its business of investing in such stock, securities or currencies and net income derived from an interest in a qualified publicly traded partnership (the “Qualifying Income Test”); (ii) at the close of each quarter of a Fund’s taxable year, at least 50% of the value of its total assets must be represented by cash and cash items, U.S. Government securities, securities of other RICs and other securities, with such other securities limited, in respect of any one issuer, to an amount that does not exceed 5% of the value of a Fund’s assets and that does not represent more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer; and (iii) at the close of each quarter of a Fund’s taxable year, not more than 25% of the value of its assets may be invested in securities (other than U.S. Government securities or the securities of other RICs) of any one issuer or 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.

If a Fund fails to satisfy the qualifying income or diversification requirements in any taxable year, the Fund may be eligible for relief provisions if the failures are due to reasonable cause and not willful neglect and if a penalty tax is paid with respect to each failure to satisfy the applicable requirements. Additionally, relief is provided for certain de minimis failures of the diversification requirements where the Fund corrects the failure within a specified period. If a Fund fails to qualify as a RIC for any year, and the relief provisions are not available, all of its income will be subject to federal income tax at regular corporate rates without any deduction for distributions to shareholders. In such case, its shareholders would generally be taxed as if they received ordinary dividends, although corporate shareholders could be eligible for the dividends received deduction and individuals may be able to benefit from the lower tax rates available to qualified dividend income. In addition, the Fund could be required to recognize unrealized gains, pay substantial taxes and interest and make substantial distributions before requalifying as a RIC. The Board reserves the right not to maintain the qualification of a Fund as a RIC if it determines such course of action to be beneficial to shareholders.

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. The effect of this election is to treat any such “qualified late year loss” as if it had been incurred in the succeeding taxable year in characterizing Fund distributions for any calendar. A “qualified late year loss” generally includes net capital loss, net long-term capital loss, or net short-term capital loss incurred after October 31 of the current taxable year (commonly referred to as “post-October losses”) and certain other late-year losses.

The treatment of capital loss carryovers for RICs is similar to the rules that apply to capital loss carryovers of individuals and provide that such losses are carried over by a Fund indefinitely. Thus, if a Fund has a “net capital loss” (that is, capital losses in excess of capital gains) the excess of a 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 such 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.

Excise Taxes . Notwithstanding the Distribution Requirement described above, which only requires a Fund to distribute at least 90% of its annual investment company taxable income and does not require any minimum distribution of net capital gain, a Fund will 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 98% of its ordinary income for that year and 98.2% of its capital gain net income (the excess of short- and long-term capital gain over short- and long-term capital loss) for the one-year period ending on October 31 of that year, plus certain other amounts. Each Fund intends to make sufficient distributions to avoid liability for the federal excise tax, but can make no assurances that such tax will be completely eliminated. A Fund may in certain circumstances be required to liquidate Fund investments in order to make sufficient distributions to avoid federal excise tax liability at a time when the investment advisor might not otherwise have chosen to do so, and liquidation of investments in such circumstances may affect the ability of a Fund to satisfy the requirements for qualification as a RIC.

 

S-32


Fund Distributions. If you are subject to tax, distributions of net short-term capital gains will be taxable to you as ordinary income. In general, distributions by a Fund of investment company taxable income, if any, whether received in cash or additional shares, will be taxable to you as ordinary income (to the extent of the current or accumulated earnings and profits of the Fund). All or a portion of these distributions (excluding net short-term capital gains) may be treated as qualified dividend income (eligible for the reduced maximum rate to individuals of 20% (lower rates apply to individuals in lower tax brackets)) to the extent that a Fund receives qualified dividend income. Qualified dividend income is, in general, dividend income from taxable domestic corporations and certain foreign corporations (e.g., foreign corporations incorporated in a possession of the United States or in certain countries with a comprehensive tax treaty with the United States, or the stock of which is readily tradable on an established securities market in the United States). In order for the dividends received by a Fund 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 received by a Fund from another RIC (including an ETF that is taxable as a RIC) will be treated as qualified dividend income only to the extent so designated by such RIC. If you lend your Fund Shares, such as pursuant to securities lending arrangement, you may lose the ability to treat dividends (paid while the Shares are held by the borrower) as qualified dividend income. For non-corporate shareholders, long-term capital gains are taxed at a maximum rate of 20% and short-term capital gains are currently taxed at ordinary income tax rates.

In the case of corporate shareholders, a Fund’s distributions (other than capital gains distributions) generally qualify for the dividends-received deduction to the extent of the gross amount of qualifying dividends received by the Fund for the year. Generally, and subject to certain limitations (including certain holding period limitations), a dividend will be treated as a qualifying dividend if it has been received from a domestic corporation. All dividends (including the deducted portion) must be included in your alternative minimum taxable income calculation.

To the extent that a Fund makes distributions of income received by the Fund in lieu of dividends (a “substitute payment”) with respect to securities on loan pursuant to a securities lending transaction, such income will not constitute qualified dividend income to individual shareholders and will not be eligible for the dividends received deduction for corporate shareholders

A Fund may receive dividend income from direct investments in the equity securities of issuers of certain indexes such as the S&P 500, Euro Stoxx 50, Nikkei 225, as well as from investments in other ETFs designed to track the performance of the securities comprising these indexes. A Fund may be eligible to distribute such dividend income as qualified dividend income when received by individual shareholders or eligible for the dividends-received deduction when received by corporate shareholders, subject to certain limitations. A Fund’s investments in derivative instruments, such as swaps tied to dividend returns, however, are unlikely to generate income eligible to be treated as qualified dividend income when received by individual shareholders or eligible for the dividends-received deduction when received by corporate shareholders.

If a Fund’s distributions exceed its taxable income and capital gains realized during a taxable year, all or a portion of the distributions made in the same 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 result in a higher reported capital gain or lower reported capital loss when those shares on which the distribution was received are sold.

A dividend or distribution received shortly after the purchase of shares reduces the net asset value of the shares by the amount of the dividend or distribution and, although in effect a return of capital, will be taxable to the shareholder. If the net asset value of shares were reduced below the shareholder’s cost by dividends or distributions representing gains realized on sales of securities, such dividends or distributions would be a return of investment, though taxable to the shareholder in the same manner as other dividends or distributions.

Dividends declared to shareholders of record in October, November or December and actually paid in January of the following year will be treated as having been received by shareholders on December 31 of the calendar year in which declared. Under this rule, therefore, a shareholder may be taxed in one year on dividends or distributions actually received in January of the following year.

 

S-33


A Fund will inform you of the amount of your ordinary income dividends, qualified dividend income and capital gain distributions shortly after the close of each calendar year. If you have not held Fund shares for a full year, the Fund may designate and distribute to you, as ordinary income or capital gain, a percentage of income that is not equal to the actual percentage of such income earned during the period of your investment in the Fund.

Medicare Contribution Tax. Beginning January 1, 2013, U.S. individuals with income exceeding $200,000 ($250,000 if married and filing jointly) are subject to a new 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.

Sale or Exchange of Fund Shares . If you are subject to tax, any gain or loss recognized on a sale, exchange or redemption of shares of a Fund by a shareholder who is not a dealer in securities will generally, for individual shareholders, be treated as a long-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for more than twelve months and otherwise will be treated as a short-term capital gain or loss. However, if shares on which a shareholder has received a net capital gain distribution are subsequently sold, exchanged or redeemed and such shares have been held for six months or less, any loss recognized will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of the net capital gain distribution. In addition, the loss realized on a sale or other disposition of shares will be disallowed to the extent a shareholder repurchases (or enters into a contract or option to repurchase) shares within a period of 61 days (beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after the disposition of the shares). This loss disallowance rule will apply to shares received through the reinvestment of dividends during the 61-day period.

Cost-Basis Reporting . Unless you fall within certain exceptions, the custodian, broker or other administrative agent holding your shares in a Fund on your behalf must report to the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) and furnish to you the cost basis information for shares of such Fund. In addition to reporting the gross proceeds from the sale of shares of the Fund, you will receive cost basis information for such shares, which will indicate whether these shares had a short-term or long-term holding period. For each sale of shares of a Fund, you are to elect from among several IRS-accepted cost basis methods, including the average basis method. In the absence of an election, the custodian, broker or other administrative agent holding your shares in the Fund will use a default cost basis method they have chosen, which should have been communicated to you. The cost basis method elected by you (or the cost basis method applied by default) for each sale of shares of a Fund may not be changed after the settlement date of each such sale. You should consult with your tax advisor to determine the best IRS-accepted cost basis method for your tax situation and to obtain more information about how cost basis reporting applies to you.

Federal Tax Treatment of Certain Fund Investments . A Fund may invest in complex securities. 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 loss or capital gain or loss, accelerate the recognition of income to a Fund and/or defer such Fund’s ability to recognize losses. In turn, those rules may affect the amount, timing or character of the income distributed to you by such Fund.

Dividends and interest received by a Fund may be subject to income, withholding or other taxes imposed by foreign countries and United States possessions that would reduce the yield on a Fund’s securities. Tax conventions between certain countries and the United States may reduce or eliminate these taxes. Foreign countries generally do not impose taxes on capital gains with respect to investments by foreign investors.

Each Fund intends to make investments in certain complex securities for which there is uncertainty regarding the treatment of these investments under the “Qualifying Income Test” and the asset diversification requirements described above in the paragraph discussing the requirements for qualification as a RIC. If the IRS were to issue public guidance that results in an adverse determination relating to the treatment of a Fund’s investments in such complex securities, a Fund may likely need to significantly change its investment strategies, which could adversely affect such Fund.

 

S-34


A Fund is required for federal income tax purposes to mark-to-market and recognize as income for each taxable year its net unrealized gains and losses on certain futures contracts as of the end of the year, as well as those actually realized during the year. Gain or loss from futures and options contracts on broad-based indices required to be marked-to-market will be 60% long-term and 40% short-term capital gain or loss. Application of this rule may alter the timing and character of distributions to shareholders. A Fund may be required to defer the recognition of losses on futures contracts, options contracts and swaps to the extent of any unrecognized gains on offsetting positions held by such Fund. It is anticipated that any net gain realized from the closing out of futures or options contracts that are securities will be considered gain from the sale of securities and therefore will be qualifying income for purposes of the “Qualifying Income Test” described above in the paragraph discussing the requirements for qualification as a RIC. A Fund distributes to shareholders at least annually any net capital gains which have been recognized for federal income tax purposes, including unrealized gains at the end of a Fund’s fiscal year on futures or options transactions. Such distributions are combined with distributions of capital gains realized on a Fund’s other investments and shareholders are advised on the nature of the distributions.

In general, with respect to the Funds, gains from “foreign currencies” and from foreign currency options, foreign currency futures, and forward foreign exchange contracts (“forward contracts”) relating to investments in stock, securities, or foreign currencies will be qualifying income for purposes of determining whether a Fund qualifies as a RIC. It is currently unclear, however, who will be treated as the issuer of a foreign currency instrument for purposes of the RIC diversification requirements applicable to a Fund.

Under the Code, special rules are provided for certain transactions in a foreign currency other than the taxpayer’s functional currency (i.e., unless certain special rules apply, currencies other than the U.S. Dollar). In general, foreign currency gains or losses from forward contracts, from futures contracts that are not “regulated futures contracts,” and from unlisted options will be treated as ordinary income or loss under the Code. Also, certain foreign exchange gains derived with respect to foreign fixed-income securities are also subject to special treatment. In general, any such gains or losses will increase or decrease the amount of a Fund’s investment company taxable income available to be distributed to shareholders as ordinary income, rather than increasing or decreasing the amount of a Fund’s net capital gain. Additionally, if such losses exceed other investment company taxable income during a taxable year, a Fund would not be able to make any ordinary dividend distributions.

Tax-Exempt Shareholders . Certain tax-exempt shareholders, including qualified pension plans, individual retirement accounts, salary deferral arrangements, 401(k)s and other tax-exempt entities, generally are exempt from federal income taxation except with respect to their unrelated business taxable income (“UBTI”). Under current law, the Fund generally serves to block UBTI from being realized by its tax-exempt shareholders. However, notwithstanding the foregoing, the tax-exempt shareholder could realize UBTI by virtue of an investment in a Fund where, for example: (i) the Fund invests in residual interests of Real Estate Mortgage Investment Conduits (REMICs); (ii) the Fund invests in a REIT that is a taxable mortgage pool (TMP) or that has a subsidiary that is TMP or that invests in the residual interest of a REMIC; or (iii) shares in the Fund constitute debt-financed property in the hands of the tax-exempt shareholder within the meaning of section 514(b) of the Code. Charitable remainder trusts are subject to special rules and should consult their tax advisor. The IRS has issued guidance with respect to these issues and prospective shareholders, especially charitable remainder trusts, are encouraged to consult with their tax advisors regarding these issues.

Backup Withholding . A Fund will be required in certain cases to withhold, at a rate of 28%, and remit to the United States Treasury the amount withheld on amounts payable to any shareholder who: (i) has provided the Fund either an incorrect tax identification number or no number at all; (ii) is subject to backup withholding by the IRS for failure to properly report payments of interest or dividends; (iii) has failed to certify to the Fund that such shareholder is not subject to backup withholding; or (iv) has failed to certify to the Fund that the shareholder is a U.S. person (including a resident alien).

Non-U.S. Shareholders . 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. The Fund may, under certain circumstances, designate all or a portion of a dividend as an “interest-related dividend” that if received by a nonresident alien or foreign entity would generally be exempt from the 30% U.S. withholding tax, provided that certain other requirements are met. A Fund may also, under certain circumstances, designate all or a portion of a dividend as a “qualified short-term capital gain dividend,”

 

S-35


which if received by a nonresident alien or foreign entity would generally be exempt from the 30% U.S. withholding tax, unless the foreign person is a nonresident alien individual present in the United States for a period or periods aggregating 183 days or more during the taxable year. The withholding exemptions for “interest related dividends” and “qualified short-term capital gain dividends” apply to dividends with respect to taxable years of the Fund beginning before January 1, 2014.

A U.S. withholding tax at a 30% rate will be imposed on dividends beginning after June 30, 2014 (and proceeds of sales in respect of Fund shares received by Fund shareholders beginning after December 31, 2016) for shareholders who own their shares through foreign accounts or foreign intermediaries if certain disclosure requirements related to U.S. accounts or ownership are not satisfied.

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. Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts withheld may be credited against the shareholder’s U.S. federal income tax liability, provided the appropriate information is furnished to the IRS.

A beneficial holder of shares who is a foreign person may be subject to state and local tax and to the U.S. federal estate tax, in addition to the federal income tax consequences referred to above. If a shareholder is eligible for the benefits of a tax treaty, any effectively connected income or gain will generally be subject to U.S. federal income tax on a net basis only if it is also attributable to a permanent establishment maintained by the shareholder in the United States.

Non-U.S. Investors are encouraged to consult their tax advisor prior to investing in a Fund.

Retirement Accounts . If you hold your shares in a tax-qualified retirement account, you generally will not be subject to federal taxation on income and capital gains distribution from the Fund, until you begin receiving payments from your retirement account. You should consult your tax adviser regarding the tax rules that apply to your retirement account.

Because each shareholder’s tax situation is different, you should consult your tax advisor about the tax implications of an investment in the Funds.

Tax Shelter Reporting Regulations . Under U.S. Treasury regulations, generally, 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 such as a Fund are not excepted. Future guidance may extend the current exception from this reporting requirement to shareholders of most or all RICs. 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.

State Taxes . Distributions by a Fund to shareholders and the ownership of shares may be subject to state and local taxes. Rules of state and local taxation of dividend and capital gains distributions from RICs often differ from the rules for federal income taxation described above. Shareholders are urged to consult their tax advisors as to the consequences of these and other state and local tax rules affecting an investment in Fund shares.

Creation and Redemption of Creation Units . A person who purchases a Creation Unit by exchanging securities in-kind generally will recognize a gain or loss equal to the difference between (i) the sum of the market value of the Creation Units at the time of the exchange and any net amount of cash received by the Authorized Participant in the exchange and (ii) the sum of the purchaser’s aggregate basis in the securities surrendered and any net amount of cash paid for the Creation Units. A person who redeems Creation Units and receives securities in-kind from the Fund will generally recognize a gain or loss equal to the difference between the redeemer’s basis in the Creation Units, and the aggregate market value of the securities received and any net cash received. The IRS, however, may assert that a loss realized upon an in-kind exchange of securities for Creation Units or an exchange of Creation Units for securities cannot be deducted currently under the rules governing “wash sales,” or on the basis that there has been no significant change in economic

 

S-36


position. Persons effecting in-kind creations or redemptions should consult their own tax adviser with respect to these matters.

The Trust on behalf of a 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.

BROKERAGE TRANSACTIONS

Brokerage Transactions. The Adviser assumes general supervision over placing orders on behalf of each Fund for the purchase and sale of portfolio securities. In selecting the brokers or dealers for any transaction in portfolio securities, the Adviser’s policy is to make such selection based on factors deemed relevant, including but not limited to the breadth of the market in the security; the price of the security; the reasonableness of the commission or mark-up or mark-down, if any; execution capability; settlement capability; back office efficiency and the financial condition of the broker or dealer, both for the specific transaction and on a continuing basis. The overall reasonableness of brokerage commissions paid 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. Brokers may also be selected because of their ability to handle special or difficult executions, such as may be involved in large block trades, less liquid securities, broad distributions, or other circumstances. The Adviser does not consider the provision or value of research, products or services a broker or dealer may provide, if any, as a factor in the selection of a broker or dealer or the determination of the reasonableness of commissions paid in connection with portfolio transactions. The Trust has adopted policies and procedures that prohibit the consideration of sales of a Fund’s shares as a factor in the selection of a broker or a dealer to execute its portfolio transactions.

To the extent creation or redemption transactions are conducted on a cash or “cash in lieu” basis, a Fund may contemporaneously transact with broker-dealers for the purchase or sale of portfolio securities in connection with such transactions (see “Creation and Redemption of Creation Units” herein). Such orders may be placed with an Authorized Participant in its capacity as broker-dealer or with an affiliated broker-dealer of such Authorized Participant. In such cases, a Fund will require such broker-dealer to achieve execution at a price that is at least as favorable to the Fund as the value of such securities used to calculate the Fund’s NAV. The broker-dealer will be required to reimburse the Fund for, among other things, any difference between the price (including applicable brokerage commissions, taxes and transaction costs) at which such securities were bought or sold and the value of such securities used to calculate the Fund’s NAV. This amount will vary depending on the quality of the execution and may be capped at amounts determined by the Adviser in its sole discretion.

Brokerage Commissions. As of the date of this SAI, the Funds had not commenced operations, and therefore did not pay any brokerage commissions.

Brokerage with Fund Affiliates. As of the date of this SAI, the Funds had not commenced operations, and therefore did not pay any brokerage commissions to any affiliated brokers.

Securities of “Regular Broker-Dealers.” As of the date of this SAI, the Funds had not commenced operations, and therefore did not hold securities of any “regular brokers or dealers.”

DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS INFORMATION

The Trust has adopted a Portfolio Holdings Policy (the “Policy”) designed to govern the disclosure of Fund portfolio holdings and the use of material non-public information about Fund holdings. The Policy applies to all officers, employees, and agents of the Funds, including the Adviser. The Policy is designed to ensure that the disclosure of information about each Fund’s portfolio holdings is consistent with applicable legal requirements and otherwise in the best interest of each Fund.

 

S-37


As ETFs, information about each Fund’s portfolio holdings is made available on a daily basis in accordance with the provisions of any exemptive order of the SEC applicable to the Funds, regulations of the Exchange and other applicable SEC regulations, orders and no-action relief. Such information typically reflects all or a portion of a Fund’s anticipated portfolio holdings as of the next Business Day. This information is used in connection with the creation and redemption process and is disseminated on a daily basis through the facilities of the Exchange, the NSCC and/or third-party service providers.

Each Fund may disclose on the Fund’s website at the start of each Business Day the identities and quantities of the securities and other assets held by each Fund that will form the basis of the Fund’s calculation of its NAV on that Business Day. The portfolio holdings so disclosed will be based on information as of the close of business on the prior Business Day and/or trades that have been completed prior to the opening of business on that Business Day and that are expected to settle on that Business Day.

Daily access to each Fund’s portfolio holdings with no lag time is permitted to personnel of the Adviser, the Fund’s distributor and the Fund’s administrator, custodian and accountant and other agents or service providers of the Trust who have need of such information in connection with the ordinary course of their respective duties to the Fund. The Funds’ Chief Compliance Officer (“CCO”) may authorize disclosure of portfolio holdings.

Each Fund may disclose its complete portfolio holdings or a portion of its portfolio holdings online at www.[              ].com. Online disclosure of such holdings is publicly available at no charge.

The Funds file a complete schedule of their portfolio holdings with the SEC for the first and third quarters of each fiscal year on Form N-Q. The Funds’ Form N-Q is available on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov and may be reviewed and copied at the SEC’s Public Reference Room in Washington, DC. Information on the operations of the Public Reference Room may be obtained by calling 1-800-SEC-0330.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONCERNING THE TRUST

The Declaration of Trust authorizes the issuance of an unlimited number of shares of each Fund. Each share issued by a Fund has a pro rata interest in the assets of that Fund. Shares have no preemptive, exchange, subscription or conversion rights and are freely transferable. Each share is entitled to participate equally in dividends and distributions declared by the Board with respect to the relevant Fund, and in the net distributable assets of such Fund on liquidation.

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 or if a matter affects a particular Fund differently from other Funds, that Fund will vote separately on such matter.

Each share held entitles the shareholder of record to one vote. As a Delaware statutory trust, the Trust is not required to hold annual meetings of shareholders, but approval will be sought for certain changes in the operation of the Trust and for the election of Trustees under certain circumstances. In addition, a Trustee may be removed by the remaining Trustees or by shareholders at a special meeting called upon written request of shareholders owning at least 10% of the outstanding shares of the Trust. In the event that such a meeting is requested, the Trust will provide appropriate assistance and information to the shareholders requesting the meeting.

Where the Prospectus or SAI states that an investment limitation or a fundamental policy may not be changed without shareholder approval, such approval means the vote of: (i) 67% or more of the Fund’s shares present at a meeting if the holders of more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the Fund are present or represented by proxy; or (ii) more than 50% of the Fund’s outstanding shares, whichever is less.

Following the creation of the initial Creation Unit(s) of shares of a Fund and immediately prior to the commencement of trading in such Fund’s shares, a holder of shares may be a “control person” of the Fund, as defined in the 1940 Act. A Fund cannot accurately predict the length of time for which one or more shareholders may remain a control person or persons of the Fund.

Any series of the Trust may reorganize or merge with one or more other series of the Trust or another investment company. Any such reorganization or merger shall be pursuant to the terms and conditions specified in an agreement and plan of reorganization authorized and approved by the Trustees and entered into by the relevant series in connection

 

S-38


therewith. In addition, such reorganization or merger may be authorized by vote of a majority of the Trustees then in office and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, without the approval of shareholders of any series.

LIMITATION OF TRUSTEES’ LIABILITY

The Declaration of Trust provides that a Trustee shall be liable only for his or her own willful defaults and, if reasonable care has been exercised in the selection of officers, agents, employees or administrators, shall not be liable for any neglect or wrongdoing of any such person. The Declaration of Trust also provides that the Trust will indemnify its Trustees and officers against liabilities and expenses incurred in connection with actual or threatened litigation in which they may be involved because of their offices with the Trust unless it is determined in the manner provided in the Declaration of Trust that they have not acted in good faith in the reasonable belief that their actions were in the best interests of the Trust. However, nothing in the Declaration of Trust shall protect or indemnify a Trustee against any liability for his or her willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of his or her duties.

CODES OF ETHICS

The Board has adopted a Code of Ethics pursuant to Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act. In addition, the Adviser and the Distributor have adopted Codes of Ethics pursuant to Rule 17j-1. These Codes of Ethics apply to the personal investing activities of trustees, officers and certain employees (“access persons”). Rule 17j-1 and the Codes are designed to prevent unlawful practices in connection with the purchase or sale of securities by access persons. Under each Code of Ethics, access persons are permitted to engage in personal securities transactions, but are required to report their personal securities transactions for monitoring purposes. In addition, certain access persons are required to obtain approval before investing in initial public offerings or private placements or are prohibited from making such investments. Copies of these Codes of Ethics are on file with the SEC, and are available to the public.

CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL HOLDERS OF SECURITIES

As of the date of this SAI, the Funds had not commenced operations, and therefore there were no record owners of the Funds. Persons who own of record or beneficially more than 25% of a Fund’s outstanding shares may be deemed to control the Fund within the meaning of the 1940 Act. Shareholders controlling a Fund could have the ability to vote a majority of the shares of the Fund on any matter requiring the approval of shareholders of the Fund.

CUSTODIAN AND TRANSFER AGENT

The Bank of New York Mellon, located at One Wall Street, New York, New York 10286, acts as custodian, transfer agent and dividend paying agent for the Funds.

INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

[ACCOUNTANT], located at [ADDRESS], serves as the Trust’s independent registered public accounting firm.

LEGAL COUNSEL

Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, located at 101 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10178, serves as counsel to the Trust.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

[To be included by amendment]

 

S-39


APPENDIX A

DESCRIPTION OF RATINGS

Description of Corporate Bond Ratings

The following descriptions of corporate bond ratings have been published by Moody’s, S&P, and Fitch, Inc., (“Fitch”), respectively.

DESCRIPTION OF MOODY’S LONG-TERM RATINGS

Aaa Bonds which are rated Aaa are judged to be of the best quality. They carry the smallest degree of investment risk and are generally referred to as “gilt edged”. Interest payments are protected by a large or by an exceptionally stable margin and principal is secure. While the various protective elements are likely to change, such changes as can be visualized are most unlikely to impair the fundamentally strong position of such issues.

Aa Bonds which are rated Aa are judged to be of high quality by all standards. Together with the Aaa group they comprise what are generally known as high-grade bonds. They are rated lower than the best bonds because margins of protection may not be as large as in Aaa securities or fluctuation of protective elements may be of greater amplitude or there may be other elements present which make the long-term risk appear somewhat larger than the Aaa securities.

A Bonds which are rated A possess many favorable investment attributes and are to be considered as upper-medium grade obligations. Factors giving security to principal and interest are considered adequate, but elements may be present which suggest a susceptibility to impairment some time in the future.

Baa Bonds which are rated Baa are considered as medium-grade obligations ( i.e. , they are neither highly protected nor poorly secured). Interest payments and principal security appear adequate for the present, but certain protective elements may be lacking or may be characteristically unreliable over any great length of time. Such bonds lack outstanding investment characteristics and in fact have speculative characteristics as well.

DESCRIPTION OF S&P’S LONG-TERM RATINGS

Investment Grade

AAA Debt rated “AAA” has the highest rating assigned by S&P. Capacity to pay interest and repay principal is extremely strong.

AA Debt rated “AA” has a very strong capacity to pay interest and repay principal and differs from the highest rated debt only in small degree.

A Debt rated “A” has a strong capacity to pay interest and repay principal, although it is somewhat more susceptible to adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than debt in higher-rated categories.

BBB Debt rated “BBB” is regarded as having an adequate capacity to pay interest and repay principal. Whereas it normally exhibits adequate protection parameters, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity to pay interest and repay principal for debt in this category than in higher rated categories.

DESCRIPTION OF FITCH’S LONG-TERM RATINGS

Investment Grade Bond

AAA Bonds rated AAA are judged to be strictly high grade, broadly marketable, suitable for investment by trustees and fiduciary institutions liable to slight market fluctuation other than through changes in the money rate. The prime feature of an AAA bond is a showing of earnings several times or many times greater than interest requirements, with such stability of applicable earnings that safety is beyond reasonable question whatever changes occur in conditions.

AA Bonds rated AA are judged to be of safety virtually beyond question and are readily salable, whose merits are not

 

A-1


unlike those of the AAA class, but whose margin of safety is less strikingly broad. The issue may be the obligation of a small company, strongly secured but influenced as to rating by the lesser financial power of the enterprise and more local type market.

A Bonds rated A are considered to be investment grade and of high credit quality. The obligor’s ability to pay interest and repay principal is considered to be strong, but may be more vulnerable to adverse changes in economic conditions and circumstances than bonds with higher ratings.

BBB Bonds rated BBB are considered to be investment grade and of satisfactory credit quality. The obligor’s ability to pay interest and repay principal is considered to be adequate. Adverse changes in economic conditions and circumstances, however, are more likely to have adverse impact on these bonds, and therefore impair timely payment. The likelihood that the ratings of these bonds will fall below investment grade is higher than for bonds with higher ratings.

Description of Commercial Paper Ratings

The following descriptions of commercial paper ratings have been published by Moody’s, Standard and Poor’s, and Fitch, Inc., respectively.

DESCRIPTION OF MOODY’S SHORT-TERM RATINGS

PRIME-1 Issuers rated Prime-1 (or supporting institutions) have a superior ability for repayment of senior short-term debt obligations. Prime-1 repayment ability will often be evidenced by many of the following characteristics:

 

  Leading market positions in well-established industries.

 

  High rates of return on funds employed.

 

  Conservative capitalization structures with moderate reliance on debt and ample asset protection.

 

  Broad margins in earnings coverage of fixed financial charges and high internal cash generation.

 

  Well-established access to a range of financial markets and assured sources of alternate liquidity.

PRIME-2 Issuers rated Prime-2 (or supporting institutions) have a strong ability for repayment of senior short-term debt obligations. This will normally be evidenced by many of the characteristics cited above but to a lesser degree. Earnings trends and coverage ratios, while sound, may be more subject to variation. Capitalization characteristics, while still appropriate, may be more affected by external conditions. Ample alternate liquidity is maintained.

S&P’S SHORT-TERM RATINGS

A-1 This highest category indicates that the degree of safety regarding timely payment is strong. Debt determined to possess extremely strong safety characteristics is denoted with a plus sign (+) designation.

A-2 Capacity for timely payment on issues with this designation is satisfactory. However, the relative degree of safety is not as high as for issues designated “A-1”.

DESCRIPTION OF FITCH’S SHORT-TERM RATINGS

F-1 Highest Credit Quality. Indicates the best capacity for timely payment of financial commitments; may have an added “+” to denote exceptionally strong credit feature.

F-2 Good Credit Quality. A satisfactory capacity for timely payment, but the margin of safety is not as great as in the case of the higher ratings.

F-3 Fair Credit Quality. The capacity for timely payment of financial commitments is adequate; however, near-term adverse changes could result in a reduction to non-investment grade.

 

A-2


APPENDIX B

REALITY SHARES ETF TRUST

PROXY VOTING POLICY AND PROCEDURES

Reality Shares ETF Trust (the “Trust”) has adopted this Proxy Voting Policy and Procedures (the “Trust Policy”), as set forth below, in recognition of the fact that proxy voting is an important component of investment management and must be performed in a dutiful and purposeful fashion in order to advance the best interests of shareholders of the series of the Trust (“Funds”).

The Trust or the investment adviser may retain a proxy voting service (“Proxy Voting Service”) to provide assistance regarding the objective review and voting of proxies on any assets held by the Funds that invest in the securities consistent with this Policy.

Shareholders of the Funds expect the Trust to vote proxies received from issuers whose voting securities are held by a Fund. The Trust exercises its voting responsibilities as a fiduciary, with the goal of maximizing the value of the Trust’s and its shareholders’ investments. The Trust seeks to ensure that proxies are voted in the best interests of the Funds and Fund shareholders (except where a Fund is required by law or contract to vote proxies of an acquired fund in the same proportion as the vote of all other shareholders of the acquired fund (i.e., “echo vote”).

 

I. D ELEGATION OF P ROXY V OTING TO I NVESTMENT A DVISER

The investment adviser, Reality Shares Advisors, LLC (“RSA”), shall vote proxies relating to securities held by the Funds and, in that connection subject to any further policies and procedures contained herein, shall use proxy voting policies and procedures (“Proxy Policy”) adopted by RSA in conformance with Rule 206(4)-6 under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (“Advisers Act”). A Fund may refrain from voting if doing so would be in the Fund’s and its shareholders’ best interests. These circumstances may arise, for example, when the expected cost of voting exceeds the expected benefits of voting, when exercising the vote results in the imposition of trading or other restrictions.

 

II. M ATERIAL C ONFLICTS OF I NTEREST

If RSA knows that a vote presents a material conflict between the interests of: (a) shareholders of the Fund(s) and (b) the adviser, sub-adviser, principal underwriter, or any of their affiliated persons, and (ii) RSA does not propose to vote on the particular issue in the manner prescribed by its Proxy Policy, then RSA will follow the material conflict of interest procedures set forth in its Proxy Policy when voting such proxies.

 

III. S ECURITIES L ENDING P ROGRAM

Certain Funds may participate in a securities lending program through a lending agent. When a Fund’s securities are out on loan, they are transferred into the borrower’s name and are voted by the borrower, at its discretion. Thus, the Funds will not vote proxies on any loaned security.

 

IV. D ISCLOSURE OF P ROXY V OTING P OLICIES AND P ROCEDURES IN T HE TRUST S S TATEMENT OF A DDITIONAL I NFORMATION (“SAI”)

The Trust shall include in its SAI a summary of the Trust Policy and the Proxy Policy. In lieu of including a summary of its policy, the Trust may include the policies in full. V. D ISCLOSURE OF P ROXY V OTING P OLICIES AND P ROCEDURES IN A NNUAL AND S EMI -A NNUAL S HAREHOLDER REPORTS

 

B-1


The Trust shall disclose in its annual and semi-annual shareholder reports that a description of the Trust Policy and the Trust’s proxy voting record for the most recent 12 months ended June 30 are available on the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (“SEC”) website, and without charge, upon request, by calling a specified toll-free telephone number. The Trust will send the foregoing documents within three business days of receipt of a request, by first-class mail or other means designed to ensure equally prompt delivery.

VI. RSA AND T RUST CCO R ESPONSIBILITIES

The Trust has delegated proxy voting authority with respect to the Fund(s)’ portfolio securities to RSA, as set forth above. Consistent with this delegation, RSA is responsible for the following:

 

  (1)

Implementing written policies and procedures, in compliance with Rule 206(4)-6 under the Advisers Act, reasonably designed to ensure that RSA votes portfolio securities in the best interest of shareholders of the Fund(s) owning the portfolio securities voted.

 

  (2)

Providing to the Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer (“CCO”) a summary of the material changes to a Proxy Policy during the period covered by the CCO’s annual compliance report to the Board, and a redlined copy of such Proxy Policy as applicable.

 

  (3)

The CCO shall review all Proxy Policies at least annually to ensure that they are in compliance with Rule 206(4)-6 under the Advisers Act, and appear reasonably designed to ensure that RSA votes portfolio securities in the best interest of shareholders of the Fund(s) owning the portfolio securities voted.

VII. R EVIEW R ESPONSIBILITIES

The Trust or RSA may retain a Proxy Voting Service to coordinate, collect, and maintain all proxy-related information, and to prepare and file the Trust’s reports on Form N-PX with the SEC.

The adviser or sub-adviser will review the Fund(s)’ voting records maintained by the Proxy Voting Service in accordance with the following procedures:

 

   

On a quarterly basis, select a sample of proxy votes from those submitted and review them against the Proxy Voting Service files for accuracy of the votes.

VIII. P REPARATION A ND F ILING O F P ROXY V OTING R ECORD O N F ORM N-PX

The Trust will annually file its complete proxy voting record with the SEC on Form N-PX. The Form N-PX shall be filed for the twelve months ended June 30 no later than August 31 of that year.

The Fund Administrator will be responsible for oversight and completion of the filing of the Trust’s reports on Form N-PX with the SEC. The Proxy Voting Service will prepare the EDGAR version of Form N-PX and will submit it to the Fund Administrator for review and approval prior to filing with the SEC; the Fund Administrator in turn will submit it to RSA for review and approval prior to filing with the SEC. The Fund Administrator will file Form N-PX for each twelve-month period ended June 30 and the filing for each year will be made with the SEC on or before August 31 of that year.

 

B-2


IX. R ECORDKEEPING

Documentation of all votes for the Trust will be maintained by RSA, and/or the Proxy Voting Service.

 

B-3


PART C: OTHER INFORMATION

 

Item 28.

 

Exhibits

(a)(1)  

Certificate of Trust of Reality Shares ETF Trust (the “Registrant”) is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (a)(1) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File No. 333-192288), filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) via EDGAR Accession No. 0001193125-13-438546 on November 12, 2013 (the “Registration Statement”).

(a)(2)  

Certificate of Amendment of Certificate of Trust of the Registrant to be filed by amendment.

(a)(3)  

Registrant’s Amended and Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (a)(3) to the Registration Statement.

(b)  

Registrant’s Amended and Restated By-Laws are incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (b) to the Registration Statement.

(c)  

See Article III and Article V of the Registrant’s Agreement and Declaration of Trust, which is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (a)(3) to the Registration Statement.

(d)  

Form of Investment Advisory Agreement between the Registrant and Reality Shares Advisors, LLC (the “Adviser”) is filed herewith.

(e)(1)  

Form of Distribution Agreement between the Registrant and ALPS Distributors, Inc. is filed herewith.

(e)(2)  

Form of Authorized Participant Agreement is filed herewith.

(f)  

Not Applicable.

(g)  

Form of Custodian Agreement between the Registrant and The Bank of New York Mellon is filed herewith.

(h)(1)  

Form of Administration Agreement between the Registrant and The Bank of New York Mellon is filed herewith.

(h)(2)  

Form of Transfer Agency Agreement between the Registrant and The Bank of New York Mellon is filed herewith.

(h)(3)  

Form of Chief Compliance Officer Services Agreement between the Registrant and ALPS Funds Services, Inc. is filed herewith.

(i)  

Opinion and Consent of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP to be filed by amendment.

(j)  

Consent of [Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm] to be filed by amendment.

(k)  

Not applicable.


(l)  

Form of Initial Capital Agreement is filed herewith.

(m)  

Not applicable.

(n)  

Not applicable.

(o)  

Not applicable.

(p)(1)  

Code of Ethics for the Registrant is filed herewith.

(p)(2)  

Code of Ethics for the Adviser is filed herewith.

(p)(3)  

Code of Ethics for ALPS Distributors, Inc. is filed herewith.

(q)   Powers of Attorney for Mssrs. Nathaniel Singer, Chris Nero and Rick Slaughter are filed herewith.

Item 29. Persons Controlled by or Under Common Control with the Registrant:

Not applicable.

Item 30. Indemnification:

Please see Article VII of the Registrant’s Agreement and Declaration of Trust, which is filed herewith.

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”) may be permitted to trustees, directors, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant by the Registrant pursuant to the Declaration of Trust or otherwise, the Registrant is aware that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission, such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and, therefore, is 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 trustees, directors, officers or controlling persons of the Registrant in connection with the successful defense of any act, suite or proceeding) is asserted by such trustees, directors, officers or controlling persons in connection with the shares 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 1933 Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issues.

Item 31. Business and Other Connections of the Investment Adviser:

The following lists any other business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature in which each investment adviser, and each director, officer or partner of that investment adviser, is or has been engaged within the last two fiscal years for his or her own account or in the capacity of director, officer, employee, partner, or trustee. Unless noted below, none of the investment advisers, and/or director, officer or partner of each investment adviser, is or has been engaged within the last two fiscal years in any other business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature for his or her own account or in the capacity of director, officer, employee, partner or trustee.


Reality Shares Advisors, LLC

The Adviser serves as the investment adviser for the Funds. The Adviser’s principal address is 402 West Broadway, Suite 2800, San Diego, CA 92101. The Adviser is an investment adviser registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. [To be completed by amendment.]

Item 32. Principal Underwriters

 

(a)

ALPS Distributors, Inc. acts as the distributor for the Registrant and the following investment companies: ALPS Series Trust, Arbitrage Funds, AQR Funds, Babson Capital Funds Trust, BBH Trust, BLDRS Index Funds Trust, BPV Family of Funds, Broadview Funds Trust, Brown Management Funds, Caldwell & Orkin Funds, Inc., Campbell Multi-Strategy Trust, Centaur Mutual Funds Trust, Century Capital Management Trust, Columbia ETF Trust, CornerCap Group of Funds, Cortina Funds, Inc., CRM Mutual Fund Trust, Cullen Funds, DBX ETF TRUST, db-X Exchange-Traded Funds Inc., Drexel Hamilton Mutual Funds, EGA Emerging Global Shares Trust, EGA Frontier Diversified Core Fund, Financial Investors Trust, Firsthand Funds, Heartland Group, Inc., Henssler Funds, Inc., Holland Balanced Fund, IndexIQ Trust, Index IQ ETF Trust, James Advantage Funds, Laudus Trust, Laudus Institutional Trust, Mairs & Power Funds Trust, Oak Associates Funds, Pax World Series Trust I, Pax World Funds Trust II, PowerShares QQQ 100 Trust Series 1, RiverNorth Funds, Russell Exchange Traded Funds Trust, SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF Trust, SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust, SPDR S&P MidCap 400 ETF Trust, Stadion Investment Trust, Stone Harbor Investment Funds, Transparent Value Trust, Wakefield Alternative Series Trust, Wasatch Funds, WesMark Funds, Westcore Trust, Whitebox Mutual Funds, Williams Capital Liquid Assets Fund, Wilmington Funds and WisdomTree Trust.

 

(b)

To the best of Registrant’s knowledge, the directors and executive officers of ALPS Distributors, Inc., are as follows:

 

Name*   Position with Underwriter   Positions with Registrant
Edmund J. Burke   Director    
Thomas A. Carter   President, Director    
Jeremy O. May   Executive Vice President, Director    
Kevin J. Ireland   Senior Vice President, Director of Institutional Sales    
Mark R. Kiniry   Senior Vice President, National Sales Director – Investments    
Bradley J. Swenson   Senior Vice President, Chief Compliance Officer    
Robert J. Szydlowski   Senior Vice President, Chief Technology Officer    
Kenneth V. Hager   Vice President, Treasurer and Assistant Secretary    


Eric Parsons   Vice President, Controller and Assistant Treasurer    
Steven Price   Vice President, Deputy Chief Compliance Officer    
James Stegall   Vice President, Institutional Sales Manager    
Gary Ross   Vice President, Director of Sales    
Jeff Brainard   Vice President, Divisional Sales Manager – Internal Sales    
Erin D. Nelson   Vice President, Assistant General Counsel    
JoEllen Legg   Vice President, Assistant General Counsel    
David T. Buhler   Vice President, Senior Associate Counsel    
Rhonda A. Mills   Vice President, Associate Counsel    
Jennifer T. Welsh   Vice President, Associate Counsel    
Paul F. Leone   Vice President, Associate Counsel    
Randall D. Young   Secretary    
Gregg Wm. Givens   Assistant Treasurer    

* The principal business address for each of the above directors and executive officers is 1290 Broadway, Suite 1100, Denver, Colorado 80203.

 

(c)

Not applicable.

Item 33. Location of Accounts and Records:

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 thereunder will be maintained by the Registrant, or on its behalf by the following entities:

Reality Shares ETF Trust

402 West Broadway, Suite 2800

San Diego, CA 92101

The Bank of New York Melon


[To be included by amendment.]

Reality Shares Advisors, LLC

402 West Broadway, Suite 2800

San Diego, CA 92101

ALPS Distributors, Inc.

[To be included by amendment.]

Item 34. Management Services:

None.

Item 35. Undertakings:

Not applicable.


SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, the Registrant has duly caused this Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to its Registration Statement on Form N-1A to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of San Diego, State of California on the 6th day of February, 2014.

 

    

REALITY SHARES ETF TRUST

 

By: /s/ Eric Ervin

Eric Ervin

President

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, this Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities and on the date(s) indicated.

 

Signature    Title   Date    

/s/ Eric Ervin

Eric R. Ervin

   Trustee and President   February 6, 2014  

/s/ Christopher Nero *

Chris Nero

   Trustee   February 6, 2014  

/s/ Michael S. Rosen

Michael Rosen

   Trustee   February 6, 2014  

/s/ Nathaniel R. Singer *

Nathaniel Singer

   Trustee   February 6, 2014  

/s/ Rick Slaughter *

Rick Slaughter

   Trustee   February 6, 2014  

/s/ Tom Trivella

Tom Trivella

   Treasurer   February 6, 2014  

 

*By:       /s/ Tom Trivella
 

Tom Trivella

Attorney-in-Fact


EXHIBIT INDEX

 

Exhibit        
Number        

  

Description

28(d)

   Form of Investment Advisory Agreement between the Registrant and the Adviser

28(e)(1)

   Form of Distribution Agreement between the Registrant and ALPS Distributors, Inc.

28(e)(2)

   Form of Authorized Participant Agreement

28(g)

   Form of Custodian Agreement between the Registrant and The Bank of New York Mellon

28(h)(1)

   Form of Administration Agreement between the Registrant and The Bank of New York Mellon

28(h)(2)

   Form of Transfer Agency Agreement between the Registrant and The Bank of New York Mellon

28(h)(3)

   Form of Chief Compliance Officer Services Agreement between the Registrant and ALPS Funds Services, Inc.

28(l)

   Form of Initial Capital Agreement

28(p)(l)

   Code of Ethics for the Registrant

28(p)(2)

   Code of Ethics for the Adviser

28(p)(3)

   Code of Ethics for ALPS Distributors, Inc.

28(q)

   Powers of Attorney for Mssrs. Nathaniel Singer, Chris Nero and Rick Slaughter

FORM OF ADVISORY AGREEMENT

ADVISORY AGREEMENT (the “Agreement”) made as of this      day of                      , 20      by and between REALITY SHARES ETF TRUST (the “Trust”), a Delaware statutory trust registered as an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), and REALITY SHARES ADVISORS, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company with its principal place of business at 402 West Broadway, Suite 2800 San Diego, CA 92101 (the “Adviser”).

W I T N E S S E T H

WHEREAS, the Board of Trustees (the “Board”) of the Trust has selected the Adviser to act as investment adviser to the Trust on behalf of the series set forth on Schedule A to this Agreement (each a “Fund” and, collectively, the “Funds”), as such Schedule may be amended from time to time upon mutual agreement of the parties, and to provide certain related services, as more fully set forth below, and to perform such services under the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth;

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and benefits set forth herein, the Trust and the Adviser do hereby agree as follows:

1. The Adviser’s Services .

(a) Discretionary Investment Management Services . The Adviser shall act as investment adviser with respect to the Funds. In such capacity, the Adviser shall, subject to the supervision of the Board, regularly provide the Funds with investment research, advice and supervision and shall furnish continuously an investment program for the Funds, consistent with the respective investment objectives and policies of each Fund. The Adviser shall determine, from time to time, what securities and other instruments shall be purchased for the Funds, what securities and other instruments shall be held or sold by the Funds and what portion of the Funds’ assets shall be held uninvested in cash, subject always to the provisions of the Trust’s Agreement and Declaration of Trust, By-Laws and its registration statement on Form N-1A (the “Registration Statement”) under the 1940 Act, and under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”), covering Fund shares, as filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”), and to the investment objectives, policies and restrictions of the Funds, as each of the same shall be from time to time in effect. To carry out such obligations, the Adviser shall exercise full discretion and act for the Funds in the same manner and with the same force and effect as the Funds themselves might or could do with respect to purchases, sales or other transactions, as well as with respect to all other such things necessary or incidental to the furtherance or conduct of such purchases, sales or other transactions. No reference in this Agreement to the Adviser having full discretionary authority over each Fund’s investments shall in any way limit the right of the Board, in its sole discretion, to establish or revise policies in connection with the management of a Fund’s assets or to otherwise exercise its right to control the overall management of a Fund.

 

1


(b) Selection of Sub-Adviser(s) . The Adviser shall have the authority hereunder to select and retain sub-advisers, including an affiliated person (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Adviser, for each of the Funds referenced in Schedule A to perform some or all of the services for which the Adviser is responsible pursuant to this Agreement. The Adviser shall supervise the activities of the sub-adviser(s), and the retention of a sub-adviser by the Adviser shall not relieve the Adviser of its responsibilities under this Agreement. Any such sub-adviser shall be registered and in good standing with the Commission and capable of performing its sub-advisory duties pursuant to a sub-advisory agreement approved by the Trust’s Board of Trustees and, except as otherwise permitted by the 1940 Act or by rule or regulation, a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the applicable Fund. The Adviser will compensate a sub-adviser for its services to the Funds.

(c) Compliance . The Adviser agrees to comply with the requirements of the 1940 Act, the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (the “Advisers Act”), the 1933 Act, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934 Act”), the Commodity Exchange Act and the respective rules and regulations thereunder, as applicable, as well as with all other applicable federal and state laws, rules, regulations and case law that relate to the services and relationships described hereunder and to the conduct of its business as a registered investment adviser. The Adviser also agrees to comply with the objectives, policies and restrictions set forth in the Registration Statement, as amended or supplemented, of the Funds, and with any policies, guidelines, instructions and procedures approved by the Board and provided to the Adviser. In selecting each Fund’s portfolio securities and other instruments and performing the Adviser’s obligations hereunder, the Adviser shall cause each Fund to comply with the diversification and source of income requirements of Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), for qualification as a regulated investment company. The Adviser shall maintain compliance procedures that it reasonably believes are adequate to ensure its compliance with the foregoing. No supervisory activity undertaken by the Board shall limit the Adviser’s full responsibility for any of the foregoing.

(d) Proxy Voting . The Board has the authority to determine how proxies with respect to securities that are held by the Funds shall be voted, and the Board has initially determined to delegate the authority and responsibility to vote proxies for each Fund’s securities to the Adviser. So long as proxy voting authority for a Fund has been delegated to the Adviser, the Adviser shall exercise its proxy voting responsibilities. The Adviser shall carry out such responsibility in accordance with any instructions that the Board shall provide from time to time, and at all times in a manner consistent with Rule 206(4)-6 under the Advisers Act and its fiduciary responsibilities to the Trust. The Adviser shall provide periodic reports and keep records relating to proxy voting as the Board may reasonably request or as may be necessary for the Funds to comply with the 1940 Act and other applicable law. Any such delegation of proxy voting responsibility to the Adviser may be revoked or modified by the Board at any time.

(e) Recordkeeping . The Adviser shall not be responsible for the provision of administrative, bookkeeping or accounting services to the Funds, except as otherwise

 

2


provided herein or as may be necessary for the Adviser to supply to the Trust or its Board the information required to be supplied under this Agreement.

The Adviser shall maintain separate books and detailed records of all matters pertaining to Fund assets advised by the Adviser required by Rule 31a-1 under the 1940 Act (other than those records being maintained by any administrator, custodian or transfer agent appointed by the Funds) relating to its responsibilities provided hereunder with respect to the Funds, and shall preserve such records for the periods and in a manner prescribed therefore by Rule 31a-2 under the 1940 Act (the “Funds’ Books and Records”). The Funds’ Books and Records shall be available to the Board at any time upon request, shall be delivered to the Trust upon the termination of this Agreement and shall be available without delay during any day the Trust is open for business.

(f) Holdings Information and Pricing . The Adviser shall provide regular reports regarding Fund holdings, and shall, on its own initiative, furnish the Trust and its Board from time to time with whatever information the Adviser believes is appropriate for this purpose. The Adviser agrees to immediately notify the Trust if the Adviser reasonably believes that the value of any security or other instrument held by a Fund may not reflect its fair value. The Adviser agrees to provide any pricing information of which the Adviser is aware to the Trust, its Board and/or any Fund pricing agent to assist in the determination of the fair value of any Fund holdings for which market quotations are not readily available or as otherwise required in accordance with the 1940 Act or the Trust’s valuation procedures for the purpose of calculating each Fund’s net asset value in accordance with procedures and methods established by the Board.

(g) Cooperation with Agents of the Trust . The Adviser agrees to cooperate with and provide reasonable assistance to the Trust, any Trust custodian or foreign sub-custodians, any Trust pricing agents and all other agents and representatives of the Trust, such information with respect to the Funds as they may reasonably request from time to time in the performance of their obligations, provide prompt responses to reasonable requests made by such persons and establish appropriate interfaces with each so as to promote the efficient exchange of information and compliance with applicable laws and regulations.

2. Code of Ethics . The Adviser has adopted a written code of ethics that it reasonably believes complies with the requirements of Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act, which it will provide to the Trust. The Adviser shall ensure that its Access Persons (as defined in the Adviser’s Code of Ethics) comply in all material respects with the Adviser’s Code of Ethics, as in effect from time to time. Upon request, the Adviser shall provide the Trust with a (i) a copy of the Adviser’s current Code of Ethics, as in effect from time to time, and (ii) certification that it has adopted procedures reasonably necessary to prevent Access Persons from engaging in any conduct prohibited by the Adviser’s Code of Ethics. Annually, the Adviser shall furnish a written report, which complies with the requirements of Rule 17j-1, concerning the Adviser’s Code of Ethics to the Trust. The Adviser shall respond to requests for information from the Trust as to violations of the Code by Access Persons and the sanctions imposed by the Adviser. The

 

3


Adviser shall immediately notify the Trust of any material violation of the Code, whether or not such violation relates to a security or other instrument held by any Fund.

3. Information and Reporting . The Adviser shall provide the Trust and its respective officers with such periodic reports concerning the obligations the Adviser has assumed under this Agreement as the Trust may from time to time reasonably request.

(a) Notification of Breach / Compliance Reports . The Adviser shall notify the Trust immediately upon detection of (i) any material failure to manage any Fund in accordance with its investment objectives and policies or any applicable law; or (ii) any material breach of any of the Funds’ or the Adviser’s policies, guidelines or procedures. In addition, the Adviser shall provide a quarterly report regarding each Fund’s compliance with its investment objectives and policies, applicable law, including, but not limited to the 1940 Act and Subchapter M of the Code, and the Fund’s policies, guidelines or procedures as applicable to the Adviser’s obligations under this Agreement. The Adviser agrees to correct any such failure promptly and to take any action that the Board may reasonably request in connection with any such breach. Upon request, the Adviser shall also provide the officers of the Trust with supporting certifications in connection with such certifications of Fund financial statements and disclosure controls pursuant to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. The Adviser will promptly notify the Trust in the event (i) the Adviser is served or otherwise receives notice of any action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation, at law or in equity, before or by any court, public board, or body, involving the affairs of the Trust (excluding class action suits in which a Fund is a member of the plaintiff class by reason of the Fund’s ownership of shares in the defendant) or the compliance by the Adviser with the federal or state securities laws or (ii) an actual change in control of the Adviser resulting in an “assignment” (as defined in the 1940 Act) has occurred or is otherwise proposed to occur.

(b) Board and Filings Information . The Adviser will also provide the Trust with any information reasonably requested regarding its management of the Funds required for any meeting of the Board, or for any shareholder report, amended registration statement, proxy statement, or prospectus supplement to be filed by the Trust with the Commission. The Adviser will make its officers and employees available to meet with the Board from time to time on due notice to review its investment management services to the Funds in light of current and prospective economic and market conditions and shall furnish to the Board such information as may reasonably be necessary in order for the Board to evaluate this Agreement or any proposed amendments thereto.

(c) Transaction Information . The Adviser shall furnish to the Trust such information concerning portfolio transactions as may be necessary to enable the Trust or its designated agent to perform such compliance testing on the Funds and the Adviser’s services as the Trust may, in its sole discretion, determine to be appropriate. The provision of such information by the Adviser to the Trust or its designated agent in no way relieves the Adviser of its own responsibilities under this Agreement.

 

4


4. Brokerage .

(a) Principal Transactions . In connection with purchases or sales of securities or other instruments for the account of a Fund, neither the Adviser nor any of its directors, officers or employees will act as a principal or agent or receive any commission except as permitted by the 1940 Act.

(b) Placement of Orders . The Adviser shall arrange for the placing of all orders for the purchase and sale of securities or other instruments for a Fund’s account with brokers or dealers selected by the Adviser. In the selection of such brokers or dealers and the placing of such orders, the Adviser is directed at all times to seek for each Fund the most favorable execution and net price available under the circumstances. It is also understood that it is desirable for the Funds that the Adviser have access to brokerage and research services provided by brokers who may execute brokerage transactions at a higher cost to the Funds than may result when allocating brokerage to other brokers, consistent with section 28(e) of the 1934 Act and any Commission staff interpretations thereof. Therefore, the Adviser is authorized to place orders for the purchase and sale of securities or other instruments for a Fund with such brokers, subject to review by the Board from time to time with respect to the extent and continuation of this practice. It is understood that the services provided by such brokers may be useful to the Adviser in connection with its or its affiliates’ services to other clients.

(c) Aggregated Transactions . On occasions when the Adviser deems the purchase or sale of a security or other instrument to be in the best interest of a Fund as well as other clients of the Adviser, the Adviser may, to the extent permitted by applicable law and regulations, aggregate the order for securities or other instruments to be sold or purchased. In such event, the Adviser will allocate securities or other instruments so purchased or sold, as well as the expenses incurred in the transaction, in the manner the Adviser reasonably considers to be equitable and consistent with its fiduciary obligations to the Fund and to such other clients under the circumstances.

(d) Affiliated Brokers . The Adviser or any of its affiliates may act as broker in connection with the purchase or sale of securities or other instruments for a Fund, subject to: (i) the requirement that the Adviser seek to obtain best execution and price within the policy guidelines determined by the Board and set forth in the Fund’s current prospectus and SAI; (ii) the provisions of the 1940 Act; (iii) the provisions of the Advisers Act; (iv) the provisions of the 1934 Act; and (v) other provisions of applicable law. These brokerage services are not within the scope of the duties of the Adviser under this Agreement. Subject to the requirements of applicable law and any procedures adopted by the Board, the Adviser or its affiliates may receive brokerage commissions, fees or other remuneration from a Fund for these services in addition to the Adviser’s fees for services under this Agreement.

5. Custody . Nothing in this Agreement shall permit the Adviser to take or receive physical possession of cash, securities or other instruments of a Fund.

6. Allocation of Charges and Expenses . The Adviser will bear its own costs of providing services hereunder. The Adviser agrees to pay all expenses incurred by the Trust except for interest, taxes, brokerage and other expenses incurred in placing orders for the

 

5


purchase and sale of securities and other investment instruments, extraordinary expenses, and distribution fees and expenses paid by the Trust under any distribution plan adopted pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act.

7. Representations, Warranties and Covenants .

(a) Properly Registered . The Adviser is registered as an investment adviser under the Advisers Act, and will remain so registered for the duration of this Agreement. The Adviser is not prohibited by the Advisers Act or the 1940 Act from performing the services contemplated by this Agreement, and to the best knowledge of the Adviser, there is no proceeding or investigation that is reasonably likely to result in the Adviser being prohibited from performing the services contemplated by this Agreement. The Adviser agrees to promptly notify the Trust of the occurrence of any event that would disqualify the Adviser from serving as an investment adviser to an investment company. The Adviser is in compliance in all material respects with all applicable federal and state law in connection with its investment management operations.

(b) ADV Disclosure . The Adviser has provided the Trust with a copy of its Form ADV as most recently filed with the Commission and will, promptly after filing any amendment to its Form ADV with the Commission, furnish a copy of such amendments to the Trust. The information contained in the Adviser’s Form ADV is accurate and complete in all material respects and does not omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

(c) Fund Disclosure Documents . The Adviser has reviewed and will in the future review, the Registration Statement, and any amendments or supplements thereto, the annual or semi-annual reports to shareholders, other reports filed with the Commission and any marketing material of a Fund (collectively the “Disclosure Documents”) and represents and warrants that with respect to disclosure about the Adviser, the manner in which the Adviser manages the Fund or information relating directly or indirectly to the Adviser, such Disclosure Documents contain or will contain, as of the date thereof, no untrue statement of any material fact and does not omit any statement of material fact which was required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements contained therein not misleading.

(d) Use Of The Name “Reality Shares.” The Adviser has the right to use the name “Reality Shares” in connection with its services to the Trust and that, subject to the terms set forth in Section 8 of this Agreement, the Trust shall have the right to use the name “Reality Shares” in connection with the management and operation of the Funds. The Adviser is not aware of any threatened or existing actions, claims, litigation or proceedings that would adversely affect or prejudice the rights of the Adviser or the Trust to use the name “Reality Shares.”

(e) Insurance . The Adviser maintains errors and omissions insurance coverage in an appropriate amount and shall provide prior written notice to the Trust (i) of any material changes in its insurance policies or insurance coverage; or (ii) if any

 

6


material claims will be made on its insurance policies. Furthermore, the Adviser shall upon reasonable request provide the Trust with any information it may reasonably require concerning the amount of or scope of such insurance.

(f) No Detrimental Agreement . The Adviser represents and warrants that it has no arrangement or understanding with any party, other than the Trust, that would influence the decision of the Adviser with respect to its selection of securities or other instruments for a Fund, and that all selections shall be done in accordance with what is in the best interest of the Fund.

(g) Conflicts . The Adviser shall act honestly, in good faith and in the best interests of the Trust including requiring any of its personnel with knowledge of Fund activities to place the interest of the Fund first, ahead of their own interests, in all personal trading scenarios that may involve a conflict of interest with the Funds, consistent with its fiduciary duties under applicable law.

(h) Representations . The representations and warranties in this Section 7 shall be deemed to be made on the date this Agreement is executed and at the time of delivery of the quarterly compliance report required by Section 3(a), whether or not specifically referenced in such report.

8. The Name “Reality Shares . The Adviser grants to the Trust a sublicense to use the name “Reality Shares” (the “Name”) as part of the name of any Fund. The foregoing authorization by the Adviser to the Trust to use the Name as part of the name of any Fund is not exclusive of the right of the Adviser itself to use, or to authorize others to use, the Name; the Trust acknowledges and agrees that, as between the Trust and the Adviser, the Adviser has the right to use, or authorize others to use, the Name. The Trust shall (1) only use the Name in a manner consistent with uses approved by the Adviser; (2) use its best efforts to maintain the quality of the services offered using the Name; and (3) adhere to such other specific quality control standards as the Adviser may from time to time promulgate. At the request of the Adviser, the Trust will (a) submit to Adviser representative samples of any promotional materials using the Name; and (b) change the name of any Fund within three months of its receipt of the Adviser’s request, or such other shorter time period as may be required under the terms of a settlement agreement or court order, so as to eliminate all reference to the Name and will not thereafter transact any business using the Name in the name of any Fund; provided, however, that the Trust may continue to use beyond such date any supplies of prospectuses, marketing materials and similar documents that the Trust had on the date of such name change in quantities not exceeding those historically produced and used in connection with such Fund.

9. Adviser’s Compensation . The Funds shall pay to the Adviser, as compensation for the Adviser’s services hereunder, a fee, determined as described in Schedule A that is attached hereto and made a part hereof. Such fee shall be computed daily and paid not less than monthly in arrears by the Funds.

The method for determining net assets of a Fund for purposes hereof shall be the same as the method for determining net assets for purposes of establishing the offering and redemption prices of Fund shares as described in the Fund’s prospectus. In the event of termination of this

 

7


Agreement, the fee provided in this Section shall be computed on the basis of the period ending on the last business day on which this Agreement is in effect subject to a pro rata adjustment based on the number of days elapsed in the current month as a percentage of the total number of days in such month.

10. Independent Contractor . In the performance of its duties hereunder, the Adviser is and shall be an independent contractor and, unless otherwise expressly provided herein or otherwise authorized in writing, shall have no authority to act for or represent the Trust or any Fund in any way or otherwise be deemed to be an agent of the Trust or any Fund. If any occasion should arise in which the Adviser gives any advice to its clients concerning the shares of a Fund, the Adviser will act solely as investment counsel for such clients and not in any way on behalf of the Fund.

11. Assignment. This Agreement shall automatically terminate, without the payment of any penalty, in the event of its assignment (as defined in section 2(a)(4) of the 1940 Act); provided that such termination shall not relieve the Adviser of any liability incurred hereunder.

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

13. Duration and Termination .

(a) This Agreement shall become effective as of the date executed and shall remain in full force and effect continually thereafter, subject to renewal as provided in subparagraph (d) and unless terminated automatically as set forth in Section 11 hereof or until terminated as follows:

(b) The Trust may cause this Agreement to terminate either (i) by vote of its Board or (ii) with respect to any Fund, upon the affirmative vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund; or

(c) The Adviser may at any time terminate this Agreement by not more than sixty (60)  days’ nor less than thirty (30)  days’ written notice delivered or mailed by registered mail, postage prepaid, to the Trust; or

(d) This Agreement shall automatically terminate two years from the date of its execution unless its renewal is specifically approved at least annually thereafter by (i) a majority vote of the Trustees, including a majority vote of such Trustees who are not interested persons of the Trust or the Adviser, at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval; or (ii) the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of each Fund; provided, however, that if the continuance of this Agreement is submitted to the shareholders of the Funds for their approval and such shareholders fail to approve such continuance of this Agreement as provided herein, the Adviser may continue to serve hereunder as to the Funds in a manner consistent with the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder; and

 

8


Termination of this Agreement pursuant to this Section shall be without payment of any penalty.

In the event of termination of this Agreement for any reason, the Adviser shall, immediately upon notice of termination or on such later date as may be specified in such notice, cease all activity on behalf of the Fund and with respect to any of the assets, except as otherwise required by any fiduciary duties of the Adviser under applicable law. In addition, the Adviser shall deliver the Fund Books and Records to the Trust by such means and in accordance with such schedule as the Trust shall direct and shall otherwise cooperate, as reasonably directed by the Trust, in the transition of portfolio asset management to any successor of the Adviser.

14. Certain Definitions . For the purposes of this Agreement:

(a) “Affirmative vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund” shall have the meaning as set forth in the 1940 Act, subject, however, to such exemptions as may be granted by the Commission under the 1940 Act or any interpretations of the Commission staff.

(b) “Interested persons” and “Assignment” shall have their respective meanings as set forth in the 1940 Act, subject, however, to such exemptions as may be granted by the Commission under the 1940 Act or any interpretations of the Commission staff.

15. Liability of the Adviser . The Adviser shall indemnify and hold harmless the Trust and all affiliated persons thereof (within the meaning of Section 2(a)(3) of the 1940 Act) and all controlling persons (as described in Section 15 of the 1933 Act) (collectively, the “Adviser Indemnitees”) against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities or litigation (including reasonable legal and other expenses) by reason of or arising out of the Adviser’s willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence generally in the performance of its duties hereunder or its reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under this Agreement.

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

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

 

9


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

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

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

 

10


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this instrument to be signed on their behalf by their duly authorized officers as of the date first above written.

 

REALITY SHARES ETF TRUST,

on behalf of each Fund listed on Schedule A

By:    
Name:
Title:
REALITY SHARES ADVISORS, LLC
By:    
Name:
Title:

 

.Signature Page – Investment Advisory Agreement


SCHEDULE A

to the

ADVISORY AGREEMENT

dated                      ,      20      between

REALITY SHARES ETF TRUST

and

REALITY SHARES ADVISORS, LLC

The Trust will pay to the Adviser as compensation for the Adviser’s services rendered, a fee, computed daily at an annual rate based on the average daily net assets of the respective Fund in accordance the following fee schedule:

 

Fund

   Rate  

Reality Shares NASDAQ-100 Isolated Dividend Growth Index ETF

     [              ]% 

Reality Shares U.S. Isolated Dividend Growth Index ETF

     [              ]% 

Reality Shares Isolated Dividend Growth ETF

     [              ]% 

 

A-1

FORM OF DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT

THIS AGREEMENT is made as of                      , 2013, between Reality Shares ETF Trust, a statutory trust organized pursuant to the laws of Delaware (the “Fund”), and ALPS Distributors, Inc., a Colorado corporation (“ALPS”).

WHEREAS, the Fund is an open-end management investment company offering a number of series portfolios of securities, having filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) a registration statement on Form N-1A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”), and the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”);

WHEREAS, ALPS is registered as a broker-dealer under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “1934 Act”) and a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”);

WHEREAS, the Fund intends to create and redeem shares of beneficial interest, par value $.001 per Share (the “Shares”) of each portfolio on a continuous basis at their net asset value only in aggregations constituting a Creation Unit, as such term is defined in the registration statement;

WHEREAS, the Shares of each portfolio will be listed on NYSE Arca and traded under the symbols set forth in Appendix A hereto;

WHEREAS, the Fund desires to retain ALPS to act as the distributor with respect to the issuance and distribution of Creation Units of Shares of each portfolio, hold itself available to receive and process orders for such Creation Units in the manner set forth in the Fund’s prospectus, and to enter into arrangements with broker-dealers who may solicit purchases of Shares and with broker-dealers and others to provide for servicing of shareholder accounts and for distribution assistance, including broker-dealer and shareholder support; and

WHEREAS, ALPS desires to provide the services described herein to the Fund.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and mutual covenants herein contained, the parties agree as follows.

 

1. ALPS Appointment and Duties.

 

  (a)

The Fund hereby appoints ALPS as the exclusive distributor for Creation Unit aggregations of Shares of each portfolio listed in Appendix A hereto, as may be amended from time to time, and to perform the duties that are set forth in Appendix B hereto as amended from time to time, upon the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth. ALPS hereby accepts such appointment and agrees to furnish such specified services. ALPS shall for all purposes be deemed to be an independent contractor and


  shall, except as otherwise expressly authorized in this Agreement, have no authority to act for or represent the Fund in any way or otherwise be deemed an agent of the Fund.

 

  (b) ALPS may employ or associate itself with a person or persons or organizations as ALPS believes to be desirable in the performance of its duties hereunder; provided that, in such event, the compensation of such person or persons or organizations shall be paid by and be the sole responsibility of ALPS, and the Fund shall bear no cost or obligation with respect thereto; and provided further that ALPS shall not be relieved of any of its obligations under this Agreement in such event and shall be responsible for all acts of any such person or persons or organizations taken in furtherance of this Agreement to the same extent it would be for its own acts.

 

2. ALPS Compensation; Expenses.

 

  (a) ALPS will bear all expenses in connection with the performance of its services under this Agreement, except as otherwise provided herein. ALPS will not bear any of the costs of Fund personnel. Other Fund expenses incurred shall be borne by the Fund or the Fund’s investment adviser, including, but not limited to, initial organization and offering expenses; the blue sky registration and qualification of Shares for sale in the various states in which the officers of the Fund shall determine it advisable to qualify such Shares for sale (including registering the Fund as a broker or dealer or any officer of the Fund as agent or salesman in any state); litigation expenses; taxes; costs of preferred shares; expenses of conducting repurchase offers for the purpose of repurchasing Fund shares; administration, transfer agency, and custodial expenses; interest; Fund directors’ or trustees’ fees; brokerage fees and commissions; state and federal registration fees; advisory fees; insurance premiums; fidelity bond premiums; Fund and investment advisory related legal expenses; costs of maintenance of Fund existence; printing and delivery of materials in connection with meetings of the Fund’s directors or trustees; printing and mailing of shareholder reports, prospectuses, statements of additional information, other offering documents and supplements, proxy materials, and other communications to shareholders; securities pricing data and expenses in connection with electronic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”).

 

3. Documents. The Fund has furnished or will furnish, upon request, ALPS with copies of the Fund’s Declaration of Trust, investment advisory agreement, custodian agreement, transfer agency agreement, administration agreement, current prospectus, statement of additional information, periodic Fund reports, and all forms relating to any plan, program or service offered by the Fund. The Fund shall furnish, within a reasonable time period, to ALPS a copy of any amendment or supplement to any of the above-mentioned documents. Upon request, the Fund shall furnish promptly to ALPS any additional documents necessary or advisable to perform its functions hereunder. As used in this Agreement the terms “registration statement,” “prospectus” and “statement of additional information” shall mean any registration statement, prospectus and statement of

 

2


  additional information filed by the Fund with the SEC and any amendments and supplements thereto that are filed with the SEC.

 

4. Insurance. ALPS agrees to maintain fidelity bond and liability insurance coverages which are, in scope and amount, consistent with coverages customary for distribution activities relating to the Fund. ALPS shall notify the Fund upon receipt of any notice of material, adverse change in the terms or provisions of its insurance coverage. Such notification shall include the date of change and the reason or reasons therefore. ALPS shall notify the Fund of any material claims against it, whether or not covered by insurance, and shall notify the Fund from time to time as may be appropriate of the total outstanding claims made by it under its insurance coverage.

 

5. Right to Receive Advice.

 

  (a) Advice of the Fund and Service Providers. If ALPS is in doubt as to any action it should or should not take, ALPS may request directions, advice, or instructions from the Fund or, as applicable, the Fund’s investment adviser, custodian, or other service providers.

 

  (b) Advice of Counsel. If ALPS is in doubt as to any question of law pertaining to any action it should or should not take, ALPS may request advice from counsel for the Fund or the Fund’s investment adviser, at the option of ALPS.

 

  (c) Conflicting Advice. In the event of a conflict between directions, advice or instructions ALPS receives from the Fund or any service provider and the advice ALPS receives from counsel, ALPS may in its sole discretion rely upon and follow the reasonable advice of qualified counsel. ALPS will provide the Fund with prior written notice of its intent to follow advice of counsel that is materially inconsistent with directions, advice or instructions from the Fund, and will provide the Fund a reasonable opportunity to comment on such advice of counsel. Upon request, ALPS will provide the Fund with a copy of such advice of counsel.

 

6. Standard of Care; Limitation of Liability; Indemnification.

 

  (a) ALPS shall be obligated to act in good faith and to exercise reasonable care and diligence in the performance of its duties under this Agreement.

 

  (b) In the absence of willful misfeasance, bad faith, negligence, or reckless disregard by ALPS in the performance of its duties, obligations, or responsibilities set forth in this Agreement, ALPS and its affiliates, including their respective officers, directors, agents, and employees, shall not be liable for, and the Fund agrees to indemnify, defend and hold harmless such persons from, all taxes, charges, expenses, assessments, claims, and liabilities (including, without limitation, attorneys’ fees and disbursements and liabilities arising under applicable federal and state laws) (an “ALPS Claim”) arising directly or indirectly from the following:

 

3


  (i) the inaccuracy of factual information furnished to ALPS by the Fund or on behalf of the Fund by the Fund’s investment adviser, custodians, or other service providers;

 

  (ii) any untrue statement of a material fact or omission of a material fact required to be stated or necessary in order to make the statements not misleading under the 1933 Act, the 1940 Act, or any other statute or the common law, in any registration statement, prospectus, statement of additional information, shareholder report, or other information filed or made public by the Fund (as amended from time to time), except to the extent the statement or omission was made in reliance upon, and in conformity with, information furnished to the Fund by or on behalf of ALPS;

 

  (iii) any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss suffered by the Fund in connection with the matters to which this Agreement relates;

 

  (iv) losses, delays, failure, errors, interruption or loss of data occurring directly or indirectly by reason of circumstances beyond its reasonable control, including without limitation, acts of God, action or inaction of civil or military authority, war, terrorism, riot, fire, flood, sabotage, labor disputes, elements of nature, or non-performance by a third party;

 

  (v) ALPS’ reliance on any instruction, direction, notice, instrument or other information furnished to ALPS by the Fund or on behalf of the Fund by the Fund’s investment adviser, custodians, or other service providers, that ALPS reasonably believes to be genuine;

 

  (vi) loss of data or service interruptions caused by equipment failure; or

 

  (vii) any other action or omission to act which ALPS takes in connection with the provision of services to the Fund.

 

  (c) ALPS agrees to provide reasonable cooperation in the defense of any ALPS Claim. ALPS shall indemnify and hold harmless the Fund, the Fund’s investment adviser and their respective officers, directors, agents, and employees from and against any and all losses, damages, taxes, charges, expenses, assessments, claims, and liabilities (including, without limitation, attorneys’ fees and disbursements and liabilities arising under applicable federal and state laws) arising directly or indirectly from ALPS’ willful misfeasance, bad faith, negligence, or reckless disregard in the performance of its duties, obligations, or responsibilities set forth in this Agreement (a “Fund Claim”). The Fund agrees to provide reasonable cooperation in the defense of any Fund Claim.

 

4


  (d) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, neither party shall be liable under this Agreement to the other party hereto for any punitive, consequential, special or indirect losses or damages. Any indemnification payable by a party to this Agreement shall be net of insurance maintained by the indemnified party as of the time the claim giving rise to indemnity hereunder is alleged to have arisen to the extent it covers such claim.

 

7. Activities of ALPS. The services of ALPS under this Agreement are not to be deemed exclusive, and ALPS shall be free to render similar services to others. The Fund recognizes that from time to time directors, officers and employees of ALPS may serve as directors, officers and employees of other corporations or businesses (including other investment companies) and that such other corporations and businesses may include ALPS as part of their name and that ALPS or its affiliates may enter into distribution agreements or other agreements with such other corporations and businesses.

 

8. Accounts and Records. The accounts and records maintained by ALPS shall be the property of the Fund. ALPS shall prepare, maintain and preserve such accounts and records as required by the 1940 Act and other applicable securities laws, rules and regulations. ALPS shall surrender such accounts and records to the Fund , in the form in which such accounts and records have been maintained or preserved , promptly upon receipt of instructions from the Fund. The Fund shall have access to such accounts and records at all times during ALPS’ normal business hours. Upon the reasonable request of the Fund, copies of any such books and records shall be provided by ALPS to the Fund at the Fund’s expense. ALPS shall assist the Fund, the Fund’s independent auditors, or, upon approval of the Fund, any regulatory body, in any requested review of the Fund’s accounts and records, and reports by ALPS or its independent accountants concerning its accounting system and internal auditing controls will be open to such entities for audit or inspection upon reasonable request. ALPS or its undersigned as defined by Rule 17a-4 of the Securities and Exchange Act (the “Exchange Act”), shall have access to all electronic communications, including password access to the system storing the electronic communications, of registered representatives of ALPS that are associated with the Fund and are required to be maintained under Rule 17a-4 of the Exchange Act and FINRA Rules 3110 and 3010. Electronic storage media maintained by the Fund will comply with Rule 17a-4 of the Exchange Act.

 

9. Confidential and Proprietary Information. ALPS agrees that it will, on behalf of itself and its officers and employees, treat all transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and all records and information relative to the Fund and its current and former shareholders and other information germane thereto, as confidential and as proprietary information of the Fund and not to use, sell, transfer, or divulge such information or records to any person for any purpose other than performance of its duties hereunder, except after prior notification to and approval in writing from the Fund. Approval may not be withheld if such information is required to be disclosed by ALPS pursuant to a requirement of a court order, subpoena, governmental or regulatory agency or law (provided ALPS will provide the Fund

 

5


  prior written notice of such requirement, to the extent such notice is permitted). When required to divulge such information, ALPS shall use reasonable commercial efforts to request confidential treatment of such information. ALPS 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 Fund and its current and former shareholders.

 

10. Compliance with Rules and Regulations. In connection with the services provided by ALPS pursuant to this Agreement, ALPS shall comply (and to the extent ALPS takes or is required to take action on behalf of the Fund hereunder shall cause the Fund to comply) with all applicable requirements of the 1940 Act and other applicable laws, rules, regulations, orders and code of ethics, as well as all policies and procedures adopted by the Fund of which ALPS has knowledge (it being understood that ALPS is deemed to have knowledge of all policies or procedures set out in the Fund’s public filings or otherwise provided to ALPS). ALPS shall provide quarterly certifications confirming the Fund’s compliance with all such requirements, policies and procedures, or submit to the Fund a written explanation of any material deviation from, or failure to comply with, any such requirements, policies and procedures. Except in connection with the services provided by ALPS pursuant to this Agreement, ALPS does not have any responsibility for compliance by the Fund. ALPS shall maintain at all times a program reasonably designed to prevent violations of the federal securities laws (as defined in Rule 38a-1 under the 1940 Act) with respect to the services provided, and shall provide to the Fund a certification to such effect no less than annually or as otherwise reasonably requested by the Fund. ALPS shall make available its compliance personnel and shall provide at its own expense summaries and other relevant materials relating to such program as reasonably requested by the Fund.

 

11. Representations and Warranties of ALPS. ALPS represents and warrants to the Fund that:

 

  (a) It is duly organized and existing as a corporation and in good standing under the laws of the State of Colorado.

 

  (b) It is empowered under applicable laws and by its Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws to enter into and perform this Agreement.

 

  (c) All requisite corporate proceedings have been taken to authorize it to enter into and perform this Agreement.

 

  (d) It has and will continue to have access to the necessary facilities, equipment and personnel to perform its duties and obligations under this Agreement in accordance with industry standards.

 

  (e) ALPS has conducted a review of its supervisory controls system and has made available to the Fund the most current report of such review and any updates thereto. Every time ALPS conducts a review of its supervisory control system it will make available to the Fund for inspection a report of such review and any updates thereto.

 

6


  ALPS shall immediately notify the Fund of any changes in how it conducts its business that would materially change the results of its most recent review of its supervisory controls system and any other changes to ALPS’ business that would affect the business of the Fund or the Fund’s investment adviser.

 

12. Representations and Warranties of the Fund. The Fund represents and warrants to ALPS that:

 

  (a) It is a trust duly organized and existing and in good standing under the laws of the state of Delaware and is registered with the SEC as an open-end management investment company.

 

  (b) It is empowered under applicable laws and by its Declaration of Trust and By-laws to enter into and perform this Agreement.

 

  (c) The Board of Trustees of the Fund has duly authorized it to enter into and perform this Agreement.

 

  (d) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, the Fund agrees not to make any modifications to its registration statement or adopt any policies which would affect materially the obligations or responsibilities of ALPS hereunder without the prior written approval of ALPS, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed.

 

13. Duties of the Fund.

 

  (a) ALPS and the Fund shall regularly consult with each other regarding ALPS’ performance of its obligations under this Agreement. In connection therewith, the Fund shall submit to ALPS at a reasonable time in advance of filing with the SEC reasonably final copies of any amended or supplemented registration statement (including exhibits) under the 1933 Act and the 1940 Act; provided, however, that nothing contained in this Agreement shall in any way limit the Fund’s right to file at any time such amendments to any registration statement and/or supplements to any prospectus or statement of additional information, of whatever character, as the Fund may deem advisable, such right being in all respects absolute and unconditional.

 

  (b) The Fund agrees to issue Creation Unit aggregations of Shares of the Fund and to request The Depository Trust Company to record on its books the ownership of such Shares in accordance with the book-entry system procedures described in the prospectus in such amounts as ALPS has requested through the transfer agent in writing or other means of data transmission, as promptly as practicable after receipt by the Fund of the requisite deposit securities and cash component (together with any fees) and acceptance of such order, upon the terms described in the Registration Statement. The Fund may reject any order for Creation Units or stop all receipts of such orders at any time upon reasonable notice to ALPS, in accordance with the

 

7


  provisions of the Prospectus.

 

  (c) The Fund agrees that it will take all action necessary to register an indefinite number of Shares under the 1933 Act. The Fund shall make available to ALPS, at ALPS’ expense, such number of copies of its prospectus, statement of additional information, and periodic reports as ALPS may reasonably request. The Fund will furnish to ALPS copies of all information, financial statements and other papers, which ALPS may reasonably request for use in connection with the distribution of Creation Units.

 

  (d) The Fund agrees to execute any and all documents and to furnish any and all information and otherwise to take all actions that may be reasonably necessary in connection with the qualification of the Shares for sale in such states as ALPS may designate. The Fund will keep ALPS informed of the jurisdictions in which Creation Units of the Fund are authorized for sale and shall promptly notify ALPS of any change in this information.

 

14. Anti-Money Laundering. ALPS agrees to maintain an anti-money laundering program in compliance with Title III of the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (the “USA Patriot Act”) and all applicable laws and regulations promulgated thereunder. ALPS confirms that, as soon as possible, following the request from the Fund, ALPS will supply the Fund with copies of ALPS’ anti-money laundering policy and procedures, and such other relevant certifications and representations regarding such policy and procedures as the Fund may reasonably request from time to time. ALPS will provide, to the Fund, any Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) request received pursuant to USA Patriot Act Section 314(a), which the Fund may then provide to its transfer agent. ALPS agrees to notify the Fund of any suspicious activity of which ALPS becomes aware relating to transactions involving Shares.

 

15. Liaison with Accountants. ALPS shall act as a liaison with the Fund’s independent public accountants and shall provide account analysis, fiscal year summaries, and other audit-related schedules with respect to the services provided to the Fund. ALPS shall take all reasonable action in the performance of its duties under this Agreement to assure that the necessary information is made available to such accountants as reasonably requested or required by the Fund.

 

16. Business Interruption Plan. ALPS shall maintain in effect a business interruption plan, and enter into any agreements necessary with appropriate parties making reasonable provisions for emergency use of electronic data processing equipment customary in the industry. In the event of equipment failures, ALPS shall, at no additional expense to the Fund, take commercially reasonable steps to minimize service interruptions.

 

8


17. Duration and Termination of this Agreement.

 

  (a) Initial Term. This Agreement shall become effective as of the date first written above (the “Start Date”) and shall continue thereafter throughout the period that ends two (2) years after the Start Date (the “Initial Term”).

 

  (b) Renewal Term. If not sooner terminated, this Agreement shall renew at the end of the Initial Term and shall thereafter continue for successive annual periods, provided such continuance is specifically approved at least annually (i) by the Fund’s Board of Trustees or (ii) by a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the relevant portfolio of the Fund, provided that in either event the continuance is also approved by the majority of the Trustees of the Fund who are not interested persons (as defined in the 1940 Act) of any party to this Agreement by vote cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval. If a plan under Rule 12b-1 of the 1940 Act is in effect, continuance of the plan and this Agreement must be approved at least annually by a majority of the Trustees of the Fund who are not interested persons (as defined in the 1940 Act) and have no financial interest in the operation of such plan or in any agreements related to such plan, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval.

 

  (c) This Agreement is terminable without penalty on sixty (60) days’ written notice by the Fund’s Board of Trustees, by vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the relevant portfolio, or by ALPS.

 

  (d) Deliveries Upon Termination. Upon termination of this Agreement, ALPS agrees to cooperate in the orderly transfer of distribution duties and shall deliver to the Fund or as otherwise directed by the Fund (at the expense of the Fund) all records and other documents made or accumulated in the performance of its duties for the Fund hereunder. In the event ALPS gives notice of termination under this Agreement, it will continue to provide the services contemplated hereunder after such termination at the contractual rate for up to 120 days, provided that the Fund uses all reasonable commercial efforts to appoint such replacement on a timely basis.

 

18. Assignment. This Agreement will automatically terminate in the event of its assignment (as defined in the 1940 Act). This Agreement shall not be assignable by either party without the prior written consent of the other party.

 

19. Governing Law. The provisions of this Agreement shall be construed and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of Colorado and the 1940 Act and the rules thereunder without regard to choice of law provisions. To the extent that the laws of the State of Colorado conflict with the 1940 Act or such rules, the latter shall control.

 

20. Names. The obligations of the Fund entered into in the name or on behalf thereof by any director, shareholder, representative, or agent thereof are made not individually, but in such capacities, and are not binding upon any of the directors, shareholders, representatives or

 

9


  agents of the Fund personally, but bind only the property of the Fund, and all persons dealing with the Fund must look solely to the property of the Fund for the enforcement of any claims against the Fund.

 

21. Amendments to this Agreement. This Agreement may only be amended by the parties in writing.

 

22. Notices. All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing, shall be deemed to have been given when received or when sent by registered or certified mail, postage prepaid, or facsimile, and shall be given to the following addresses (or such other addresses as to which notice is given):

To ALPS:

ALPS Distributors, Inc.

1290 Broadway, Suite 1100

Denver, Colorado 80203

Attn: General Counsel

Fax: (303) 623-7850

To the Fund:

Reality Shares ETF Trust

402 West Broadway, Suite 2800

San Diego, CA 92101

Attn:

Fax:

 

23. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed by the parties hereto on any number of counterparts, and all of said counterparts taken together shall be deemed to constitute one and the same instrument.

 

24. Entire Agreement. This Agreement embodies the entire agreement and understanding among the parties and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings relating to the subject matter hereof; provided, however, that ALPS may embody in one or more separate documents its agreement, if any, with respect to delegated duties and oral instructions.

 

10


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement as of the day and year first above written.

 

Reality Shares ETF Trust     ALPS Distributors, Inc.

By:

        By:    

Name:

   

Thomas A. Carter

President

Title:

   

 

11


APPENDIX A

LIST OF PORTFOLIOS


APPENDIX B

SERVICES

(a) The Fund grants to ALPS the exclusive right to receive all orders for purchases of Creation Units of each portfolio from participating parties (“Authorized Participants”) which have entered into a participant agreement with ALPS and the transfer agent in accordance with the registration statement (“Participant Agreements”) and to transmit such orders to the Fund in accordance with the registration statement; provided, however, that nothing herein shall affect or limit the right and ability of the Fund to accept deposit securities and related cash components through or outside the clearing process, and as provided in and in accordance with the registration statement.

(b) ALPS agrees to act as agent of the Fund with respect to the continuous distribution of Creation Units of the Fund as set forth in the registration statement and in accordance with the provisions thereof. ALPS further agrees as follows: (a) ALPS shall enter into Participant Agreements among Authorized Participants, ALPS, and the transfer agent in accordance with the registration statement; (b) ALPS shall generate and transmit confirmations of Creation Unit purchase order acceptances to the purchaser; (c) ALPS shall deliver copies of the prospectus to purchasers of such Creation Units and upon request the statement of additional information; and (d) ALPS shall maintain telephonic, facsimile and/or access to direct computer communications links with the transfer agent.

(c) (i) ALPS shall facilitate the purchase of Creation Units through Authorized Participants in accordance with the procedures set forth in the prospectus and the Participant Agreements.

(ii) ALPS shall, at its own expense, execute selected or soliciting dealer agreements with registered broker-dealers and other eligible entities providing for the purchase of Creation Units of Shares of the Fund and related promotional activities, in the forms as approved by the Board of Directors or Trustees of the Fund. The Fund shall not furnish or cause to be furnished to any person or display or publish any information or materials relating to the Fund (including, without limitation, promotional materials and sales literature, advertisements, press releases, announcements, statements, posters, signs or other similar material), except such information and materials that have been approved in writing by ALPS. Furthermore, ALPS shall clear and file all advertising, sales, marketing and promotional materials of the Funds with FINRA.

(d) ALPS agrees to administer the Fund’s distribution plan on behalf of the Fund. ALPS shall, at its own expense, set up and maintain a system of recording and payments for fees and reimbursement of expenses disseminated pursuant to this Agreement and any other related agreements under the Fund’s Rule 12b-1 Plans, if any, and shall, pursuant to the 1940 Act, report such payment activity under the Distribution Plan to the Fund at least quarterly.


(e) All activities by ALPS and its agents and employees which are primarily intended to result in the sale of Creation Units shall comply with the registration statement, the instructions of the Board of Directors or Trustees of the Fund and all applicable laws, rules and regulations including, without limitation, all rules and regulations made or adopted pursuant to the 1940 Act by the SEC or any securities association registered under the 1934 Act, including FINRA and NYSE Arca.

(g) Except as otherwise noted in the registration statement, the offering price for all Creation Units of Shares will be the aggregate net asset value of the Shares per Creation Unit of the portfolio, as determined in the manner described in the registration statement.

(h) If and whenever the determination of net asset value is suspended and until such suspension is terminated, no further orders for Creation Units will be processed by ALPS except such unconditional orders as may have been placed with ALPS before it had knowledge of the suspension. In addition, the Fund reserves the right to suspend sales and ALPS’ authority to process orders for Creation Units on behalf of the Fund, upon due notice to ALPS, if, in the judgment of the Fund, it is in the best interests of the Fund to do so. Suspension will continue for such period as may be determined by the Fund.

(i) ALPS is not authorized by the Fund to give any information or to make any representations other than those contained in the registration statement or prospectus or contained in shareholder reports or other material that may be prepared by or on behalf of the Fund for ALPS’ use.

(j) The Board of Directors or Trustees shall approve the form of any Soliciting Dealer Agreement to be entered into by ALPS.

(k) At the request of the Fund, ALPS shall enter into agreements, in the form specified by the Fund, with participants in the system for book-entry of The Depository Trust Company and the NSCC as described in the prospectus.

(l) ALPS shall ensure that all direct requests for prospectuses, statements of additional of information and periodic fund reports, as applicable, are fulfilled. In addition, ALPS shall arrange to provide NYSE Arca (and any other national stock exchange on which the Shares may be listed) with copies of prospectuses to be provided to purchasers in the secondary market. ALPS will generally make it known in the brokerage community that prospectuses and statements of additional information are available, including by (i) advising NYSE Arca on behalf of its member firms of the same, (ii) making such disclosure in all marketing and advertising materials prepared and/or filed by ALPS with FINRA, and (iii) as may otherwise be required by the SEC.

(m) ALPS agrees to make available, at the Fund’s request, one or more members of its staff to attend Board meetings of the Fund in order to provide information with regard to the ongoing distribution process and for such other purposes as may be requested by the Board of Directors or Trustees of the Fund.


(n) ALPS will review all sales and marketing materials for compliance with applicable laws and conditions of any applicable exemptive order, and file such materials with FINRA when necessary or appropriate. All such sales and marketing materials must be approved, in writing, by ALPS prior to use.

FORM OF AUTHORIZED PARTICIPANT AGREEMENT

FOR

REALITY SHARES ETF TRUST

This Authorized Participant Agreement (this “Agreement”) is entered into by and between ALPS Distributors, Inc. (the “Distributor”) and                      (the “Authorized Participant” or the “AP”) and is subject to acceptance by The Bank of New York Mellon (the “BNYM ETF Administrator” or the “Transfer Agent”). The Transfer Agent serves as the transfer agent for Reality Shares ETF Trust (the “Trust”) and is a Receipt Agent as that term is defined in the rules of the National Securities Clearing Corporation (“NSCC”). The Distributor, the Transfer Agent and the Authorized Participant acknowledge and agree that the Trust shall be a third-party beneficiary of this Agreement and shall receive the benefits contemplated by this Agreement, to the extent specified herein. The Distributor has been retained to provide services as principal underwriter of the Trust acting on an agency basis in connection with the sale and distribution of shares of beneficial interest, without par value (sometimes referred to as “Shares”), of each of the separate investment portfolios of the Trust (each such portfolio a “Fund” and collectively, the “Funds”) named on Annex I to this Agreement, as it may be amended from time to time.

As specified in the Trust’s prospectus and statement of additional information (“SAI”) incorporated therein (collectively, the “Prospectus”) included as part of the Trust’s registration statement, as amended, on Form N-1A (No. 811-22911) (“Registration Statement”), the Shares of any Fund offered thereby may be purchased or redeemed only in aggregations of a specified number of Shares referred to therein and herein as a “Creation Unit.” All references to “cash” shall refer to U.S. Dollars (“USD”). The number of Shares constituting a Creation Unit of each Fund is set forth in the Prospectus. Creation Units of Shares may be purchased only by or through an Authorized Participant that has entered into an Authorized Participant Agreement with the Distributor. The Prospectus provides that Creation Units generally will be sold in exchange for an in-kind deposit of a designated portfolio of equity securities (the “Deposit Securities”) and an amount of cash computed as described in the Prospectus (the “Cash Component”), plus a purchase “Transaction Fee” as described in the Prospectus, delivered to the Trust by the Authorized Participant for its own account or acting on behalf of another party. Together, the Deposit Securities and the Cash Component constitute the “Creation Deposit,” which represents the minimum initial and subsequent investment amount for Shares of any Fund of the Trust. References to the Prospectus are to the then-current Prospectus as it may be supplemented or amended from time to time Capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein are used herein as defined in the Prospectus.

This Agreement is intended to set forth certain premises and the procedures by which the Authorized Participant may purchase and/or redeem Creation Units of Shares (i) through the Continuous Net Settlement (“CNS”) clearing processes of NSCC as such processes have been enhanced to effect purchases and redemptions of Creation Units, such processes being referred to herein as the “CNS Clearing Process,” or (ii) outside the CNS Clearing Process (i.e., through the manual process of The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) (the “DTC Process”). The procedures for processing an order to purchase Shares (each a “Purchase Order”) and an order to redeem Shares (each a “Redemption Order”) are described in Annex II to this Agreement. All Purchase and Redemption Orders must be made pursuant to the procedures set forth Annex II hereto, as it may be amended by the Trust from time to time as set forth in Section 17 herein. An Authorized Participant may not cancel a Purchase Order or a Redemption Order after an order is placed by the Authorized Participant.


Nothing in this Agreement shall obligate the Authorized Participant to create or redeem one or more Creation Units of Shares or to sell, offer or promote the Shares.

The parties hereto in consideration of the premises and of the mutual agreements contained herein agree as follows:

1. STATUS OF AUTHORIZED PARTICIPANT AND DISTRIBUTOR .

(a) The Authorized Participant hereby represents, covenants and warrants that with respect to Purchase Orders or Redemption Orders of Creation Units of Shares of any Fund (i) through the CNS Clearing Process, it is a member of NSCC and an authorized participant in the CNS System of NSCC (as defined in each Fund’s Prospectus, a “Participating Party”), and/or (ii) outside the CNS Clearing Process, it is a DTC Participant (as defined in the Fund’s Prospectus, a “DTC Participant”). Any change in the foregoing status of the Authorized Participant shall automatically terminate this Agreement, and the Authorized Participant shall give prompt written notice to the Distributor or the Transfer Agent of such change. The Authorized Participant may place Purchase Orders or Redemption Orders for Creation Units either through the CNS Clearing Process or outside the CNS Clearing Process, subject to the procedures for purchase and redemption set forth in this Agreement, including Annex II hereto (“Execution of Orders”).

(b) If the Authorized Participant and the Distributor are offering or selling Shares of any Fund of the Trust in the several states, territories and possessions of the United States, each hereby represents and warrants that it (i) is registered as a broker-dealer under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (“the “1934 Act”); (ii) is qualified to act as a broker or dealer in the states or other jurisdictions where it transacts business with respect to this Agreement; and (iii) is a member in good standing of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”), and the Authorized Participant agrees that it will maintain such registrations, qualifications and membership in good standing and in full force and effect throughout the term of this Agreement. The Authorized Participant and the Distributor each agrees to comply in all material respects with all applicable U.S. federal securities laws, the laws of the states or other jurisdictions concerned, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder and to comply in all material respects with the Constitution, By-Laws and Conduct Rules of the FINRA, to the extent such law, rules and regulations relate to each party’s obligations under this Agreement. Each of the Participant and the Distributor further represent and warrant that it will not offer or sell or promote Shares of any Fund of the Trust in any state or jurisdiction where they may not lawfully be offered and/or sold.

(c) If the Authorized Participant is offering or selling Shares of any Fund of the Trust in jurisdictions outside the several states, territories and possessions of the United States and is not otherwise required to be registered, qualified, or a member of FINRA as set forth above, the Authorized Participant nevertheless agrees (i) to observe the applicable laws of the jurisdiction in which such offer and/or sale is made; (ii) to comply with applicable disclosure requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”), and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder; and (iii) to conduct its business in accordance with the spirit of NASD Conduct Rules (or of comparable FINRA Conduct Rules, if such NASD Conduct Rules are subsequently repealed, rescinded or otherwise replaced by FINRA Conduct Rules).

 

- 2 -


(d) The Authorized Participant represents, covenants and warrants that it has written policies, procedures and internal controls in place that are reasonably designed to comply with anti-money laundering laws, regulations and rules applicable to it, including, without limitation, the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001.

(e) The Authorized Participant understands and acknowledges that the method by which Creation Units will be created and traded may raise certain issues under applicable securities laws. For example, because new Creation Units may be issued and sold by the Trust on an ongoing basis, depending upon the facts and circumstances, at any point a “distribution,” as such term is used in the 1933 Act, may be deemed to have occurred at any point. The Authorized Participant understands and acknowledges that some activities on its part, depending on the circumstances and under certain possible interpretations of applicable law, may result in its being deemed a participant in a distribution in a manner which could subject it to the prospectus delivery and related provisions of the 1933 Act that normally would be applicable to a statutory underwriter. The Authorized Participant should review the “Continuous Offering” section of the SAI and consult with its own counsel in connection with entering into this Agreement and placing an Order (defined below). The Authorized Participant also understands and acknowledges that dealers who are not “underwriters” but are effecting transactions in Shares, whether or not participating in the distribution of Shares, may be required to deliver a prospectus.

(f) The Authorized Participant has the capability to send and receive authenticated communications to and from the (i) Distributor, (ii) the Custodian (as defined below in Section 5 hereof), (iii) the Subcustodian (as defined below in Section 5 hereof) in the case of International Funds (see Section 7(b) below), and (iv) the Authorized Participant’s custodian. The Authorized Participant shall confirm such capability to the satisfaction of the Distributor, the Custodian and the Subcustodian prior to placing its first order with the BNYM ETF Administrator (whether it is a Purchase Order or a Redemption Order).

2. EXECUTION OF PURCHASE ORDERS AND REDEMPTION ORDERS .

(a) All Purchase Orders or Redemption Orders shall be made in accordance with the terms of the Prospectus and, where applicable, the procedures described in Annex II hereto. Each party hereto agrees to comply with the provisions of such documents to the extent applicable to it. It is contemplated that the telephone lines used by the BNYM ETF Administrator or the Transfer Agent will be recorded, and the Authorized Participant hereby consents to the recording of all calls with the BNYM ETF Administrator and the Distributor in connection with the purchase and redemption of Creation Units, provided that the Transfer Agent and the Distributor, as applicable, shall promptly provide copies of recordings of any such calls to the Authorized Participant upon the request of the Authorized Participant, unless such recordings have been erased or destroyed prior to receipt of such request in the normal course of business in accordance with the recording party’s general record keeping policies and procedures. The parties agree that either party may use such recordings in connection with any dispute or proceeding relating to this Agreement. The Trust reserves the right to issue additional or other procedures relating to the manner of purchasing or redeeming Creation Units and the Authorized Participant agrees to comply with such procedures as may be issued from time to time, upon reasonable notice thereof, including but not limited to the Cash Collateral Settlement Procedures that are referenced in Annex II hereto.

 

- 3 -


(b)The Distributor and the Transfer Agent on behalf of the Trust each agrees to undertake commercially reasonable efforts to accommodate requests by the Authorized Participant to cancel any Purchase Order or Redemption Order. Nonetheless, the Authorized Participant acknowledges and agrees that delivery of a Purchase Order or Redemption Order shall be irrevocable upon acceptance by the Transfer Agent or the Distributor; provided that the Trust and the Distributor on behalf of the Trust reserves the right to reject any Purchase Order in accordance with the terms of the Prospectus and related documents until the trade is released as described in Annex II hereto and any Redemption Order that is not in “proper form” as defined in the Prospectus.

(c) With respect to any Redemption Order, the Authorized Participant also acknowledges and agrees to return to the Trust any dividend, distribution or other corporate action paid to it in respect of any Deposit Security that is transferred to the Authorized Participant that, based on the valuation of such Deposit Security at the time of transfer, should, in accordance with the terms of the instrument or corporate action and industry custom in the applicable market, have been paid to the Trust. With respect to any Redemption Order, the Authorized Participant also acknowledges and agrees that, alternatively, the Trust is entitled to reduce the amount of money or other proceeds due to the Authorized Participant by an amount equal to any dividend, distribution or other corporate action to be paid to it in respect of any Deposit Security that is transferred to the Authorized Participant that, based on the valuation of such Deposit Security at the time of transfer, should be paid to the Fund. With respect to any Purchase Order, the Transfer Agent, on behalf of the Trust, acknowledges and agrees to return to the Authorized Participant any dividend, distribution or other corporate action paid to the Trust in respect of any Deposit Security that is transferred to the Trust that, based on the valuation of such Deposit Security at the time of transfer, should, based on the valuation of such Deposit Security at the time of transfer, have been paid to the Authorized Participant. Likewise, with respect to any Purchase Order, the Authorized Participant acknowledges and agrees to return to the Trust any dividend, interest, distribution or other corporate action paid to it in respect of any Deposit Security that is transferred to the Authorized Participant that, based on the valuation of such Deposit Security at the time of transfer, should, in accordance with the terms of the instrument or corporate action and industry custom in the applicable market, have been paid to the Trust. With respect to any Purchase Order, the Transfer Agent, on behalf of the Trust, also acknowledges and agrees that the Authorized Participant is entitled to reduce the amount of money or other proceeds due to the Trust by an amount equal to any dividend, distribution or other corporate action to be paid to it in respect of any Deposit Security that is transferred to the Trust that, based on the valuation of such Deposit Security at the time of transfer, should be paid to the Authorized Participant.

3. NSCC.

Solely with respect to Purchase Orders or Redemption Orders effected through the CNS Clearing Process, the Authorized Participant, as a Participating Party, hereby authorizes the Transfer Agent to transmit to the NSCC on behalf of the Authorized Participant such instructions, including amounts of the Deposit Securities and Cash Component as are necessary, consistent with the instructions issued by the Authorized Participant to the BNYM ETF Administrator. The Authorized Participant agrees to be bound by the terms of such instructions issued by the Transfer Agent and reported to NSCC as though such instructions were issued by the Authorized Participant directly to NSCC.

 

- 4 -


4. PROSPECTUS, MARKETING MATERIALS AND REPRESENTATIONS .

(a)The Distributor will provide to the Authorized Participant copies of the then-current Prospectus or summary prospectus, if applicable and any printed supplemental information in reasonable quantities upon request. The Distributor represents, warrants and agrees that it will promptly notify the Authorized Participant when a revised, supplemented or amended Prospectus for any Fund is available and deliver or otherwise make available to the Authorized Participant copies of such revised, supplemented or amended Prospectus or summary prospectus at such time and in such numbers as the Authorized Participant may reasonably request so as to enable the Authorized Participant to comply with any obligation it may have to deliver such Prospectus and or summary prospectus to customers. The Distributor will make such revised, supplemented or amended Prospectus available to the Authorized Participant no later than its effective date. The Distributor shall be deemed to have complied with this Section 4 when the Authorized Participant has received such revised, supplemented or amended Prospectus by e-mail at [insert e-mail address], in printable form, with such number of hard copies as may be agreed from time to time by the parties promptly thereafter.

(b) The Distributor represents and warrants that (i) the Registration Statement and the Prospectus contained therein each conforms in all material respects to the requirements of the 1933 Act, and the rules and regulations of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) thereunder and do not and will not, as of the applicable effective date as to the Registration Statement and any amendment thereto and as of the applicable filing date as to the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; (ii) the sale and distribution of the Shares as contemplated herein will not conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any statute or any order, rule or regulation of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Trust, any Fund or the Distributor; and (iii) no consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or qualification of or with any such court or governmental agency or body is required for the issuance and sale of the Shares, except the registration under the 1933 Act of the Shares, which has occurred and is in effect for the Shares and the Trust; (iv) the Registration Statement has been declared effective by the SEC under the 1933 Act and the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), and the SEC has not issued any stop order or other order or notice preventing or suspending the use of the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, and no proceedings for such purpose have been instituted, are pending or, to the best of their knowledge, are being contemplated or threatened by the SEC; (v) the Shares, when issued and delivered against payment of consideration, as provided in this Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable and free of statutory and contractual preemptive rights, rights of first refusal and similar rights; (vi) prior to the launch of each Fund, such Fund’s Shares have been approved for listing on a U.S. national securities exchange; (vii) all marketing and promotional materials prepared by the Trust, the Distributor, the Funds’ adviser or any of their agents on their behalf, or to be prepared by any of them in the future and provided to the Authorized Participant in connection with the offer and sale of Shares, comply with applicable law, including without limitation, as applicable, the provisions of the 1933 Act, FINRA’s marketing rules, and the rules and regulations of the SEC.

(c) The Authorized Participant represents, warrants and agrees that it will not make any representations concerning Shares in connection with the offer and sale of Shares other than those that are consistent with the Trust’s then-current Prospectus or in any promotional materials or sales literature furnished to the Authorized Participant by the Distributor. Subject to Section 4(d) below, the Authorized Participant agrees not to furnish or cause to be furnished

 

- 5 -


to any person or display or publish any information or materials relating to Shares, including, without limitation, promotional materials and sales literature, advertisements, press releases, announcements, statements, posters, signs or other similar materials (“Marketing Materials), except such information and materials as may be furnished to the Authorized Participant by the Distributor and such other information and materials as may be approved in writing by the Distributor. The Authorized Participant understands that neither the Trust nor any of its Funds will be advertised or marketed as an open-end investment company, ( i.e. , as a mutual fund), which offers redeemable securities, and that any advertising materials will prominently disclose that the Shares are not redeemable shares of the Trust. In addition, the Authorized Participant understands that any advertising material that addresses redemptions of Shares, including the Prospectus, will disclose that the owners of Shares may acquire Shares and tender Shares for redemption to the Trust in whole Creation Units only.

(d) Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Authorized Participant may, without the written approval of the Distributor, prepare and circulate, in the regular course of its business, sales commentary and research reports that include information, opinions or recommendations relating to Shares (i) for public dissemination, provided that such sales commentary and research reports compare the relative merits and benefits of Shares with other products and are not used for purposes of marketing Shares and (ii) for internal use by the Authorized Participant. The Authorized Participant may without the written approval of the Trust or the Distributor prepare and circulate in the regular course of its business or for internal use, research reports (as such term is defined in NYSE Communications Rule 472), institutional communications and correspondence (as such terms are defined in FINRA Rule 2210 or any successor rule) and other similar materials that include information, opinions or recommendations relating to Shares (the “Authorized Participant Institutional Communications”), provided that such Authorized Participant Institutional Communications complies with applicable FINRA Rules any any successors rules thereto. Neither the Distributor, the Trust nor the Transfer Agent shall have any liability or responsibility for such research reports and materials.

(e) The Distributor agrees to cooperate with the Authorized Participant in carrying out its reasonable due diligence with respect to this Agreement. For the avoidance of doubt, the Authorized Participant shall bear its own expenses incurred in connection with such due diligence investigation.

(f) Except as required by court order or requested by any regulatory or self-regulatory authority of competent jurisdiction, the Distributor and the Transfer Agent each agrees that it will not, without prior written consent of the Authorized Participant, use in advertising or publicity the name of the Authorized Participant or any affiliate of the Authorized Participant, any trade name, trademark, trade device, service mark, symbol or any abbreviation, contraction or simulation thereof owned by the Authorized Participant or any of its affiliates or represent, directly or indirectly, that any product or any service provided or distributed by the Trust or the Distributor has been approved or endorsed by the Authorized Participant or any of its affiliates or that the Authorized Participant acts as underwriter, distributor or selling group member with respect to the Shares. This provision shall survive termination or expiration of this Agreement.

(g) The Distributor, on its own behalf and on behalf of the Trust, agrees, for as long as this Agreement is effective, not to identify or name the Authorized Participant in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or in any Marketing Materials for any Series without the prior written consent of the Authorized Participant, which consent shall not be

 

- 6 -


unreasonably withheld. If the Authorized Participant agrees to be identified in any of such documents, upon the termination of this Agreement, (i) the Distributor shall remove any reference to the Authorized Participant from such documents and (ii) the Distributor shall promptly update the Trust’s and the Distributors’ respective websites to remove any identification of the Authorized Participant as an authorized participant of the Trust.

5. SUBCUSTODIAN ACCOUNT.

The Authorized Participant understands and agrees that in the case of each International Fund, the Trust has caused The Bank of New York Mellon acting in its capacity as the Trust’s custodian (“Custodian”) to maintain with the applicable subcustodian (“Subcustodian”) for such Fund an account in the relevant foreign jurisdiction to which the Authorized Participant shall deliver or cause to be delivered in connection with the purchase of a Creation Unit the securities ( see Annex IV) and any other cash amounts (or the cash value of all or a part of such securities, in the case of a permitted or required cash purchase or “cash in lieu” amount), with any appropriate adjustments as advised by such Fund, in accordance with the terms and conditions applicable to such account in such jurisdiction.

6. TITLE TO SECURITIES; RESTRICTED SHARES .

The Authorized Participant represents that upon delivery of a portfolio of Deposit Securities to the Custodian and/or the relevant Subcustodian in accordance with the terms of the Prospectus, (i) the Trust will acquire good and unencumbered title to such securities, free and clear of all liens, restrictions, charges and encumbrances and not subject to any adverse claims, including, without limitation, any restriction upon the sale or transfer of such securities imposed by (a) any agreement or arrangement entered into by the Authorized Participant in connection with a Purchase Order (including, but not limited to, any repurchase agreement or securities lending or borrowing agreement) or (b) any provision of the 1933 Act, and any regulations thereunder (except that portfolio securities of issuers other than U.S. issuers shall not be required to have been registered under the 1933 Act if exempt from such registration), or of the applicable laws or regulations of any other applicable jurisdiction and (ii) no such securities are “restricted securities” as such term is used in Rule 144(a)(3)(i) promulgated under the 1933 Act in the hands of the Authorized Participant immediately prior to any such delivery. The representation provided in this Section 6 excludes restrictions due to the status of the Trust or any Fund as an “affiliate” of such issuer of the Deposit Securities under Rule 144 under the 1933 Act and any other restriction, of which the Authorized Participant is not aware, that derives from facts, status or events that are particular to the Trust or any Fund.

The Distributor represents that upon delivery of Deposit Securities to the Authorized Participant in connection with a Redemption Order, the Authorized Participant will acquire good and unencumbered title to such securities, free and clear of all liens, restrictions, charges and encumbrances, and not subject to any adverse claims, and that such Deposit Securities will not be “restricted securities” as such term is used in Rule 144(a)(3)(i) under the 1933 Act.

7. CASH COMPONENT AND FEES .

(a) For Funds that Invest in Securities traded on U.S. Exchanges (“Domestic Funds”): The Authorized Participant hereby agrees that in connection with a Purchase Order for any Domestic Fund, it will make available in same day funds for each purchase of Shares an amount of cash sufficient to pay the Cash Component and any other amounts of cash due to

 

- 7 -


the Trust in connection with the purchase of any Creation Unit of Shares (including the purchase Transaction Fee for in-kind and cash purchases and the additional variable charge for cash purchases (when, in the sole discretion of the Trust, cash purchases are available or specified as described in the Prospectus)) (the “Cash Amount”) which shall be made through DTC to an account maintained by the Custodian and shall be provided in same day or immediately available funds on or before the settlement date in accordance with the Trust’s Prospectus (“Contractual Settlement Date”). The Authorized Participant hereby agrees to ensure that the Cash Amount will be received by the Trust on or before the Contractual Settlement Date, and in the event payment of such Cash Amount has not been made by such Contractual Settlement Date, the Authorized Participant agrees, in connection with a Purchase Order, to pay the full cash amount, plus interest, computed at such reasonable rate as may be specified by the Trust from time to time. The Trust reserves the right to revoke acceptance of any Purchase Order in the event payment of the Cash Amount has not been made by such Contractual Settlement Date.

(b) For Funds that Invest in Securities traded on Non-U.S. Exchanges (“International Funds”): The Authorized Participant hereby agrees that in connection with a Purchase Order for any International Fund, it will make available in same day funds for each purchase of Shares the Cash Amount as described in Section 7(a) above which shall be made via Fed Funds Wire to an account maintained by the Custodian and shall be provided in same day or immediately available funds at least one business day before the Contractual Settlement Date, unless otherwise agreed to by the parties. The Authorized Participant hereby agrees to ensure that the Cash Amount will be received by the Trust on or before the Contractual Settlement Date, and in the event payment of such Cash Amount has not been made by such Contractual Settlement Date, the Authorized Participant agrees, in connection with a Purchase Order, to pay the full Cash Amount, plus interest, computed at such reasonable rate as may be specified by the Trust from time to time. The Trust reserves the right to revoke acceptance of any Purchase Order in the event payment of the Cash Amount has not been made by such Contractual Settlement Date.

8. ROLE OF AUTHORIZED PARTICIPANT; PROXY.

(a) Each party acknowledges and agrees that for all purposes of this Agreement, the Authorized Participant will be deemed to be an independent contractor, and will have no authority to act as agent for the Trust, any Fund, the Distributor, the Custodian, the Subcustodian or the Transfer Agent in any matter or in any respect. The Authorized Participant agrees to make itself and its employees available, upon request, during normal business hours to consult with the Trust, the Distributor, the Custodian, the Subcustodian, the Transfer Agent or the Authorized Participant’s custodian or their designees concerning the performance of the Authorized Participant’s responsibilities under this Agreement.

(b) In executing this Agreement, the Authorized Participant agrees that it shall be bound by the applicable obligations of a DTC Participant in addition to any obligations that it undertakes hereunder or in accordance with the Prospectus.

(c) The Authorized Participant agrees, to the extent required by applicable law, to maintain records of all sales of Shares made by or through it and to furnish copies of such records to the Trust or the Distributor upon the reasonable written request of the Trust or the Distributor, subject to its applicable customer information protection rules, regulations, internal policies and undertakings to maintain such information in confidence.

 

- 8 -


(d) The Authorized Participant represents that from time to time it may be a beneficial owner of Shares. To the extent that it is a beneficial owner of Shares, the Authorized Participant agrees irrevocably to appoint the Distributor as its attorney and proxy with full authorization and power to vote (or abstain from voting) its beneficially owned Shares, provided that, for the avoidance of doubt, such appointment would be limited in scope to the matters described in this Section 8(d). The Distributor, as attorney and proxy for the Authorized Participant under this Section 8(d) (i) is hereby given full power of substitution and revocation; (ii) may act through such agents, nominees, or attorneys as it may appoint from time to time; and (iii) may provide voting instructions to such agents, nominees, or substitute attorneys. In connection with this grant by the Authorized Participant to the Distributor of its irrevocable proxy, which the Distributor hereby accepts, the Distributor represents and warrants to the Authorized Participant that it has an interest in the Fund sufficient to support enforceability of this irrevocable proxy in accordance with applicable law. Upon request of Distributor and in connection with the exercise of the proxy granted herein, Authorized Participant shall disclose the number of shares beneficially owned by the Authorized Participant on any record date established by the Trust.

(e) The appointment of the Distributor as attorney and proxy shall be deemed renewed each time Authorized Participant acquires Shares as a beneficial owner. The Distributor shall serve as an irrevocable attorney and proxy for the Authorized Participant under Sections 8(d) and (e) for so long (and only so long) as this Agreement remains in effect. The Authorized Participant hereby agrees to execute and deliver such additional documentation as may be necessary to cause the Distributor to serve as its attorney and proxy for the purposes discussed in this Agreement. This irrevocable proxy shall automatically terminate with respect to any Series or the Trust as a whole, if the Distributor ceases to act as Distributor to any Series or the Trust, as applicable, provided that the Distributor shall use reasonable efforts to arrange for the successor distributor to serve as irrevocable attorney and proxy for the Authorized Participant. The Distributor shall provide notice to the Authorized Participant of the identity of any successor distributor.

9. AUTHORIZED PERSONS OF THE AUTHORIZED PARTICIPANT.

Concurrently with the execution of this Agreement and from time to time thereafter as may be requested by the Trust or the Distributor, the Authorized Participant shall deliver to the Distributor and the Trust, with copies to the Transfer Agent at the address specified below, duly certified as appropriate by its Secretary or other duly authorized official, a certificate substantially in the form attached hereto as Annex III to this Agreement, setting forth the names and signatures of all persons authorized to give instructions relating to any activity contemplated hereby or any other notice, request or instruction on behalf of the Authorized Participant (each such person an “Authorized Person”). Such certificate may be accepted and relied upon by the Distributor and the Transfer Agent as conclusive evidence of the facts set forth therein and shall be considered to be in full force and effect until delivery to the Distributor and the Transfer Agent of a superseding certificate bearing a subsequent date (or the termination of this Agreement, if earlier). Upon the termination or revocation of authority of such Authorized Person by the Authorized Participant, the Authorized Participant shall give prompt written notice of such fact to the Distributor and the Transfer Agent and such notice shall be effective upon receipt by the Distributor and Transfer Agent. The Transfer Agent shall

 

- 9 -


issue to each Authorized Participant a unique personal identification number (“PIN Number”) by which such Authorized Participant shall be identified and instructions issued by the Authorized Participant hereunder shall be authenticated. The PIN Number shall be kept confidential and only provided to Authorized Persons. If after issuance, an Authorized Participant’s PIN Number is changed, the new PIN Number will become effective on a date mutually agreed upon by the Authorized Participant and the Transfer Agent. The Transfer Agent agrees promptly to cancel the PIN Number assigned to an Authorized Person upon receipt of notice from the Authorized Participant that an Authorized Person’s authority to act for it has been terminated.

10. REDEMPTION.

The Authorized Participant understands and agrees that Redemption Orders may be submitted only on days that the U.S. stock exchange where the Shares are principally listed (as specified in the Prospectus) (the “Listing Exchange”) is open for trading or business.

(a) The Authorized Participant represents and warrants that it will not attempt to place a Redemption Order for the purpose of redeeming any Creation Unit of Shares of any Fund unless it first ascertains (i) that it owns outright or has full legal authority and legal and beneficial right to tender for redemption the requisite number of Creation Units of Shares of the relevant Fund to be redeemed and to the entire proceeds of the redemption and (ii) that such Shares have not been loaned or pledged to another party and are not the subject of a repurchase agreement, securities lending agreement or any other arrangement that would preclude the delivery of such Shares to the Transfer Agent in accordance with the Prospectus or as otherwise required by the Trust. The Authorized Participant understands that Shares of any Fund may be redeemed only when one or more Creation Units of Shares of a Beneficial Owner are held in the account of a single Authorized Participant.

(b) In the case of a resident Australian or New Zealand holder, notwithstanding the foregoing, the Authorized Participant understands and agrees that such holder is only entitled to receive cash upon its redemption of Creation Units of Shares. In the Redemption Order the Authorized Participant will be required to confirm that an in-kind redemption request has not been submitted on behalf of a beneficial owner who is an Australian resident.

11. BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP .

(a) The Authorized Participant represents and warrants to the Distributor and the Trust that (based upon the number of outstanding Shares of each such Fund made publicly available by the Trust) either (i) it does not, and will not in the future, hold for the account of any single Beneficial Owner of Shares of the relevant Fund, eighty percent (80%) or more of the currently outstanding Shares of such relevant Fund, so as to cause the Fund to have a basis in the portfolio securities deposited with the Fund different from the market value of such portfolio securities on the date of such deposit, pursuant to section 351 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or (ii) it is carrying the Deposit Securities as a dealer and as inventory in connection with its market making activities.

(b) The Trust, the Distributor and the Transfer Agent shall have the right to reasonably require information from the Authorized Participant regarding Share ownership of each Fund (if the Authorized Participant does not provide the representation in Section 11(a)(ii) above) and to rely thereon to the extent necessary to make a determination regarding ownership of eighty percent (80%) or more of the currently outstanding Shares of any Fund by a Beneficial Owner as a condition to the acceptance of a deposit of Deposit Securities.

 

- 10 -


12. INDEMNIFICATION.

This Section 12 shall survive the termination of this Agreement.

(a) The Authorized Participant hereby agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Distributor, the Trust, the Transfer Agent and their respective subsidiaries, affiliates, directors, officers, employees and agents, and each person, if any, who controls such persons within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act (each an “AP Indemnified Party”) from and against any loss, liability, damage and reasonable cost and expense (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) incurred by such AP Indemnified Party as a result of (i) any material breach by the Authorized Participant of any provision of this Agreement that relates to such Authorized Participant; (ii) any representation provided by the Authorized Participant herein that is false or misleading in any material respect or omits material information necessary to make the statement contained therein complete; (iii) any material failure on the part of the Authorized Participant to perform any of its obligations set forth in the Agreement; (iv) any failure by the Authorized Participant to comply with applicable laws to the extent relating to its role as an authorized participant hereunder, including applicable rules and regulations of self-regulatory organizations, except the Authorized Participant shall not be required to indemnify an AP Indemnified Party to the extent that such failure was caused by the Authorized Participant’s reasonable reliance on instructions given or representations made such AP Indemnified Party (v) actions of such AP Indemnified Party taken pursuant to any instructions issued in accordance with Annex II (including Parts A, B and C thereto) hereto (as each may be amended from time to time) reasonably believed by the Distributor and/or the Transfer Agent to be genuine and to have been given by the Authorized Participant, except to the extent that the Authorized Participant had previously revoked a PIN Number used in giving such instructions or representations (where applicable) and such revocation was given by the Authorized Participant in accordance with the terms of Section 9 hereto, or (vi)(1) any representation by the Authorized Participant, its employees or its agents or other representatives about the Shares, any AP Indemnified Party or the Trust that is not consistent with the Trust’s then-current Prospectus made in connection with the offer or the solicitation of an offer to buy or sell Shares and (2) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any research reports, marketing material and Communications described in Section 4 hereof or any alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading to the extent that such statement or omission relates to the Shares, any AP Indemnified Party or the Trust, unless, in either case, such representation, statement or omission was made or included by the Distributor in materials furnished to the Authorized Participant or by the Authorized Participant at the written direction of the Distributor or is based upon any misstatement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission by the Trust or the Distributor to state a material fact in connection with such representation, statement or omission necessary to make such representation, statement or omission not misleading. The Authorized Participant and the Distributor understand and agree that the Trust as a third-party beneficiary to this Agreement is entitled and intends to proceed directly against the Authorized Participant in the event that the Authorized Participant fails to honor any of its obligations pursuant to this Agreement that benefit the Trust. The Authorized Participant shall not be liable to the AP Indemnified Party for any damages arising out of mistakes or errors in data provided to the Authorized Participant by an AP Indemnified Party, or mistakes or errors by, or out of interruptions or delays of communications with the AP Indemnified Parties who are

 

- 11 -


service providers to the Trust. The Authorized Participant shall not be liable under the indemnity contained in this Section with respect to any claim made against any AP Indemnified Party unless the AP Indemnified Party shall have notified the Authorized Participant in writing of the claim within a reasonable time after the summons or other first written notification giving information of the nature of the claim shall have been served upon the AP Indemnified Party (or after the AP Indemnified Party shall have received notice of service on any designated agent). However, failure to notify the Authorized Participant of any claim shall not relieve the Authorized Participant from any liability that it may have to any AP Indemnified Party against whom such action is brought otherwise than on account of the indemnity agreement contained in this Section and shall only release it from such liability under this Section to the extent it has been materially prejudiced by such failure to receive notice.

(b) The Distributor hereby agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Authorized Participant and its respective subsidiaries, affiliates, directors, officers, employees and agents, and each person, if any, who controls such persons within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act (each a “Distributor Indemnified Party”) from and against any loss, liability, damage and reasonable cost and expense (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) incurred by such Distributor Indemnified Party as a result of (i) any material breach by the Distributor of any provision of this Agreement that relates to the Distributor (ii) any representations provided by the Distributor herein relating to this Agreement, the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or the issuance or distribution of Shares that is false or misleading in any material respect or omits material information necessary to make the statement contained therein complete; (iii) any material failure on the part of the Distributor to perform any of its obligations set forth in this Agreement; (iv) any failure by the Distributor to comply with applicable laws in connection with this Agreement and the offer, sale, creation, redemption and marketing of the Shares, including rules and regulations of self-regulatory organizations, except the Distributor shall not be required to indemnify a Distributor Indemnified Party to the extent that such failure was caused by the Distributor’s reasonable reliance on instructions given or representations made by one or more Distributor Indemnified Parties; (v) actions of such Distributor Indemnified Party taken in reasonable reliance upon any instructions issued or representations made in accordance with Annex II (including Parts A, B and C thereto) hereto (as each may be amended from time to time) reasonably believed by the Distributor Indemnified Party to be genuine and to have been given by or on behalf of the Distributor; (vi)(1) any representation by the Distributor, its employees or its agents or other representatives about the Trust, the Shares or any affiliated person of any Fund that is not consistent with the Trust’s then-current Prospectus made in connection with the offer or the solicitation of an offer to buy or sell Shares and (2) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement of the Trust as originally filed with the SEC or in any amendment thereof, or in any prospectus or any statement of additional information, or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto, or any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; or (vii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission of a material fact made in any promotional material or Communications furnished to the Authorized Participant by the Distributor or the Trust or any agent on behalf of the Distributor or the Trust, or any disclosure provided by the Distributor to the Authorized Participant for inclusion in marketing material or sales literature prepared by the Authorized Participant. The Distributor shall not be liable to any Distributor Indemnified Party for any damages arising out of (i) mistakes or errors in data provided to the Distributor by a Distributor Indemnified Party, (ii) mistakes or errors by, or out

 

- 12 -


of interruptions or delays of communications with the Distributor Indemnified Parties, to the extent such errors, mistakes or delays were caused by a breakdown in communications networks outside of the control of the Distributor, extreme weather, an Act of God or other similar event outside the control of the Distributor or the Transfer Agent, or (iii) any action of a service provider to the Trust, except to the extent such service provider acted under the direction of the Distributor, Transfer Agent or Trust or such service provider is an affiliate of any of them, and acted negligently in taking or failing to take an action. The Distributor shall not be liable under the indemnity agreement contained in this Section with respect to any claim made against any Distributor Indemnified Party unless the Distributor Indemnified Party shall have notified the Distributor in writing of the claim within a reasonable time after the summons or other first written notification giving information of the nature of the claim shall have been served upon the Distributor Indemnified Party (or after the Distributor Indemnified Party shall have received notice of service on any designated agent). However, failure to notify the Distributor of any claim shall not relieve the Distributor from any liability that it may have to any Distributor Indemnified Party against whom such action is brought otherwise than on account of the indemnity agreement contained in this Section and shall only release it from such liability under this Section to the extent it has been materially prejudiced by such failure to receive notice.

(c) Other than with respect to Section 12(b)(i), (vi) and (vii), this Section 12 shall not apply and a party shall not have an obligation to indemnify the other and its related indemnified persons to the extent that any such losses, liabilities, damages, costs and expenses (“Losses”) are directly caused by, incurred as a result of, or in connection with, any negligence, bad faith, or willful misconduct on the part of the party seeking to be indemnified. The term “affiliate” in this Section 12 shall include, with respect to any person, entity or organization, any other person, entity or organization which directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls, is controlled by or is under common control with such person, entity or organization.

(d) The applicable indemnifying party shall be entitled, at its option, to exercise sole control and authority over the defense and settlement of such action. The indemnifying party is not authorized to accept any settlement that does not provide the applicable indemnified party with a complete release or that imposes liability not covered by these indemnifications or places restrictions on the indemnified party or causes reputational harm to the indemnified party, in each case, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party.

(e) If any indemnification in this Section 12 is unavailable to a Distributor Indemnified Party or AP Indemnified Party, or is insufficient to hold a Distributor Indemnified Party or AP Indemnified Party harmless in respect of any losses, liabilities, damages, costs and expenses referred to therein, then each applicable indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such Distributor Indemnified Party or AP Indemnified Party as a result of such losses, liabilities, damages, costs and expenses in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative fault of the Distributor or the Trust on the one hand, and of the Authorized Participant, on the other hand, in connection with, to the extent applicable, the statements, omissions or actions that resulted in such Losses as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The amount paid or payable by a party as a result of the Losses referred to in this Section 12(e) shall be deemed to include any legal or other fees or expenses reasonably directly incurred by such party in connection with investigating, preparing to defend or defending any action, suit or proceeding (each a “Proceeding”) related to such Losses; provided that, for the avoidance of doubt, neither a Distributor Indemnified Party nor an AP

 

- 13 -


Indemnified Party shall be entitled to receive an amount from any indemnifying party pursuant to this Section 12(e) that is greater than the amount such Distributor Indemnified Party or Participant Indemnified Party would have received otherwise under this Section 12 if an indemnity had been available.

The Distributor and the Authorized Participant agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 12 were determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to herein. Neither the Distributor nor the Authorized Participant, as the case may be, shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Shares relating to such Loss and offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damage the indemnifying party has otherwise been required to pay. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the 1933 Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.

13. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY.

(a) The parties undertake to perform such duties and only such duties as are expressly set forth herein, or expressly incorporated herein by reference, and no implied covenants or obligations shall be read into this Agreement against any party.

(b) Other than in connection with a material misstatement or omission of a material fact in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, arising from information provided by a party hereto, in the absence of bad faith, negligence or willful misconduct on its part, no party to this Agreement, whether acting directly or through agents or attorneys as provided in paragraph (d) below, shall be liable for any action taken, suffered or omitted or for any error of judgment made by any of them in the performance of their duties hereunder. No party shall be liable for any error of judgment made in good faith unless the party exercising such shall have been negligent in ascertaining the pertinent facts necessary to make such judgment. In no event shall a party to this Agreement be liable for special, indirect or consequential loss or damage of any kind whatsoever (including but not limited to lost profit), even if such parties have been advised of the likelihood of such loss or damage and regardless of the form of action. In no event shall a party to this Agreement be liable for the acts or omissions of DTC, NSCC or any other securities depository or clearing corporation.

(c) No party shall be responsible or liable for any failure or delay in the performance of their 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; terrorism; sabotage; epidemics; riots; interruptions; loss or malfunction of utilities, computer (hardware or software) or communications service; accidents; labor disputes; acts of civil or military authority or governmental actions.

(d) Each party may conclusively rely upon, and shall be fully protected in acting or refraining from acting upon, any communication authorized hereby and upon any written or oral instruction, notice, request, direction or consent reasonably believed by them to be genuine.

(e) The Transfer Agent shall not be required to advance, expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur or become exposed to financial liability in the performance of its duties hereunder, except as may be required as a result of its own gross negligence, willful misconduct or bad faith.

 

- 14 -


(f) Tax Liability. To the extent any payment of any transfer tax, sales or use tax, stamp tax, recording tax, value added tax or any other similar tax or government charge applicable to the creation or redemption of any Creation Unit of Shares of any Fund made pursuant to this Agreement is imposed, the Authorized Participant shall be responsible for the payment of such tax or government charge regardless of whether or not such tax or charge is imposed directly on the Authorized Participant. To the extent the Trust or the Distributor is required by law to pay any such tax or charge, the Authorized Participant agrees to promptly indemnify such party for any such payment, together with any applicable penalties, additions to tax or interest thereon. The Distributor agrees to use its best efforts to notify the Authorized Participant of all transfer taxes, sales or use taxes, stamp taxes, recording taxes, value added taxes or any other similar tax or government charge that the Authorized Participant may incur in the future in connection with the creation or redemption of any Creation Unit of Shares.

14. INFORMATION ABOUT CREATION DEPOSITS.

The Distributor represents and the Authorized Participant acknowledges that the number and names of the designated portfolio of Deposit Securities to be included in the current Creation Deposit for each Fund will be made available by NSCC on each day that the Listing Exchange is open for trading and will also be made available on each such day through the facilities of the NSCC.

15. ACKNOWLEDGMENT .

The Authorized Participant acknowledges receipt of the Prospectus and represents that it has reviewed and understands such documents.

16. NOTICES.

Except as otherwise specifically provided in this Agreement, all notices required or permitted to be given pursuant to this Agreement shall be given in writing and delivered by personal delivery or by postage prepaid registered or certified United States first class mail, return receipt requested, or by electronic mail or facsimile or similar means of same day delivery (with a confirming copy by mail). Unless otherwise notified in writing, all notices to the Trust shall be at the address, electronic mail address or telephone or facsimile numbers as follows:

 

Attn:

 

Reality Shares ETF Trust

  
 

 

  
 

 

  
 

 

  
 

 

  
 

With copy to:

  
 

Reality Shares, Inc.

  
 

 

  
 

 

  
 

 

  
 

 

  

 

- 15 -


All notices to the Authorized Participant, the Distributor and the Transfer Agent shall be directed to the address, electronic mail address, or telephone or facsimile numbers indicated below the signature line of such party.

17. EFFECTIVENESS, TERMINATION AND AMENDMENT.

(a) This Agreement shall become effective upon delivery to and execution by the Distributor. A “Business Day” shall mean any day the Listing Exchange is open for regular trading. This Agreement may be terminated at any time by any party upon sixty (60) calendar days’ prior written notice to the other parties and may be terminated earlier by the Trust or the Distributor at any time in the event of a breach by the Authorized Participant of any provision of this Agreement or the procedures described or incorporated herein. This Agreement may be terminated immediately by a party at such time as the Trust, the Distributor or the Authorized Participant becomes insolvent or becomes the subject of a bankruptcy proceeding or winding up. This Agreement supersedes any prior such agreement between or among the parties.

(b) This Agreement may be amended only by a written instrument executed by all the parties; provided, however, that if an amendment to the Agreement is required in order to conform the Agreement to applicable law (including, without limitation, a change to the exemptive relief and/or adoption of a rule on which the Trust relies to operate as an exchange-traded fund), then the Distributor shall provide the Authorized Participant and the Transfer Agent with prompt notice of such amendment, and the next Creation Unit created by the Authorized Participant shall be deemed to constitute the Authorized Participant’s acceptance of such amendment.

18. GOVERNING LAW; CONSENT TO JURISDICTION .

This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York (regardless of the laws that might otherwise govern under applicable New York conflict of laws principles) as to all matters, including matters of validity, construction, effect, performance and remedies. Each party hereto irrevocably consents to the jurisdiction of the courts of the State of New York located in the Borough of Manhattan and of the U.S. District Courts for the Southern District of New York and the appellate courts therefrom in such State in connection with any action, suit or other proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or any action taken or omitted hereunder, and waives any claim of forum non conveniens and any objections as to laying of venue. Each party further waives personal service of any summons, complaint or other process and agrees that service thereof may be made by certified or registered mail directed to such party at such party’s address for purposes of notices hereunder. EACH PARTY HERETO IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ANY AND ALL RIGHTS TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT.

19. SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS.

This Agreement and all of the provisions hereof shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties and their respective successors and permitted assigns.

 

- 16 -


20. ASSIGNMENT.

Neither this Agreement nor any of the rights, interests or obligations hereunder shall be assigned by any party without the prior written consent of the other parties, except that any entity into which a party hereto may be merged or converted or with which it may be consolidated or any entity resulting from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which such party hereunder shall be a party, or any entity succeeding to all or substantially all of the business of the party, shall be the successor of the party under this Agreement. The party resulting from any such merger, conversion, consolidation or succession shall notify the other parties hereto of the change. Any purported assignment in violation of the provisions hereof shall be null and void.

21. INTERPRETATION.

The article and section headings contained in this Agreement are solely for the purpose of reference, are not part of the agreement of the parties and shall not in any way affect the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement.

22. ENTIRE AGREEMENT.

This Agreement, along with any other agreement or instrument delivered pursuant to this Agreement, supersedes all prior agreements and understandings between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof.

23. SEVERANCE.

If any provision of this Agreement is held by any court or any act, regulation, rule or decision of any other governmental or supra national body or authority or regulatory or self-regulatory organization to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable for any reason, it shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable only to the extent so held and shall not affect the validity, legality or enforceability of the other provisions of this Agreement and this Agreement will be construed as if such invalid, illegal or unenforceable provision had never been contained herein, unless the Distributor determines in its discretion, after consulting with the Trust, that the provision of this Agreement that was held invalid, illegal or unenforceable does affect the validity, legality or enforceability of one or more other provisions of this Agreement, and that this Agreement should not be continued without the provision that was held invalid, illegal or unenforceable, and in that case, upon the Distributor’s notification of the Trust of such a determination, this Agreement shall immediately terminate and the Distributor will so notify the Authorized Participant immediately.

24. NO STRICT CONSTRUCTION.

The language used in this Agreement will be deemed to be the language chosen by the parties to express their mutual intent, and no rule of strict construction will be applied against any party.

 

- 17 -


25. SURVIVAL.

Sections 4 (Prospectus, Marketing Materials and Representations), 12 (Indemnification), 13 (Limitation of Liability) and 18 (Governing Law; Consent to Jurisdiction) hereof, as well as this Section 25, shall survive the termination of this Agreement.

26. OTHER USAGES.

The following usages shall apply in interpreting this Agreement: (i) references to a governmental or quasigovernmental agency, authority or instrumentality shall also refer to a regulatory body that succeeds to the functions of such agency, authority or instrumentality; and (ii) “including” means “including, but not limited to.”

27. COUNTERPARTS.

This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which will be deemed to be an original copy of this Agreement and all of which, when taken together, will be deemed to constitute one and the same agreement. A telecopied facsimile of an executed counterpart of this Agreement, or an electronically transmitted PDF copy of an executed counterpart of this Agreement, shall be sufficient to evidence the binding agreement of each party to the terms hereof.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF , the parties have caused this Agreement to be executed and delivered as of the day and year written below.

DATED:

ALPS DISTRIBUTORS, INC.

 

 

By:

 

Title:

 

Address:

 

1290 Broadway, Suite 1100

 

Denver CO 80203

Telephone:

 

303.623.2577

Facsimile:

 

303.623.7850

[NAME OF AUTHORIZED PARTICIPANT]

 

 

By:

 

Title:

 

Address:

 

    

 

Telephone:

 

Facsimile:

 

ACCEPTED BY: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON, AS TRANSFER AGENT

 

By:

 

Title:

 

Address:

 

    

 

Telephone:

 

Facsimile:

 

 

 

 

- 18 -


ANNEX I

TO

AUTHORIZED PARTICIPANT AGREEMENT

FOR REALITY SHARES ETF TRUST

PORTFOLIO OF REALITY SHARES ETF TRUST

 

Fund    Ticker Symbol:     

Reality Shares NASDAQ-100 Isolated Dividend Growth Index ETF

     

Reality Shares U.S. Isolated Dividend Growth Index ETF

     

Reality Shares Isolated Dividend Growth ETF

     

 

- 19 -


ANNEX II

TO

AUTHORIZED PARTICIPANT AGREEMENT

FOR REALITY SHARES ETF TRUST

PROCEDURES FOR PROCESSING

PURCHASE ORDERS AND REDEMPTION ORDERS

This Annex II to the Authorized Participant Agreement supplements the Prospectus with respect to the procedures to be used in processing (1) a Purchase Order for the purchase of Shares of Reality Shares ETF Trust in Creation Units of each Fund and a (2) Redemption Order for the redemption of Shares of Reality Shares ETF Trust in Creation Units of each Fund. Capitalized terms, unless otherwise defined in this Annex II, have the meanings attributed to them in the Authorized Participant Agreement or the Prospectus.

An Authorized Participant is required to have signed the Authorized Participant Agreement. Upon acceptance of the Agreement and execution thereof by the Trust and in connection with the initial Purchase Order submitted by the Authorized Participant, the Transfer Agent will assign a PIN Number to each Authorized Person authorized to act for an Authorized Participant. This will allow an Authorized Participant through its Authorized Person(s) to place a Purchase Order or Redemption Order with respect to the purchase or redemption of Creation Units of Shares of Reality Shares ETF Trust.

 

 

- 20 -


ANNEX II – PART A

TO

AUTHORIZED PARTICIPANT AGREEMENT

FOR REALITY SHARES ETF TRUST

TO PLACE A PURCHASE ORDER FOR

CREATION UNIT(S) OF SHARES OF ONE OR MORE FUNDS OF

REALITY SHARES ETF TRUST

1. PLACING A PURCHASE ORDER.

The Authorized Participant (“AP”) submitting an order to create shall submit such orders containing the information required by to the Transfer Agent in the following manner: (a) in writing transmitted by facsimile (b) through Transfer Agent’s electronic order entry system , as such may be made available and constituted from time to time, the use of which shall be subject to the terms and conditions of the Electronic Services Agreement, incorporated herein by reference; or (c) by telephone to the Transfer Agent Representative and the Distributor, as applicable, according to the procedures set forth below. The order so transmitted (either in writing or electronic form) is hereinafter referred to as the “Submission” or the “Purchase Order” as applicable, and the Business Day on which a Submission is made is hereinafter referred to as the “Transmittal Date”. NOTE THAT IF THE TELEPHONIC METHOD OF SUBMITTING ORDERS IS USED, THE TELEPHONE CALL IN WHICH THE SUBMISSION NUMBER IS ISSUED INITIATES THE ORDER PROCESS BUT DOES NOT ALONE CONSTITUTE THE ORDER. AN ORDER OR REQUEST IS ONLY COMPLETED AND PROCESSED UPON RECEIPT OF THE SUBMISSION.

To begin a Purchase Order, the Authorized Participant (“AP”) must telephone the BNYM ETF Administrator at (718) 315-7500 or such other number as the Distributor designates in writing to the AP. This telephone call must be made by an Authorized Person of the AP and answered by BNYM before the closing time of the regular trading session on the Listing Exchange which is ordinarily 4:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (“Listing Exchange Closing Time or Order Cutoff Time”). Upon verifying the authenticity of the AP (as determined by the use of the appropriate PIN Number), the BNYM ETF Administrator will request that the AP place the Purchase Order. To do so, the AP must provide the appropriate ticker symbols when referring to each Fund. After the AP has placed the Purchase Order, the BNYM ETF Administrator will read the Purchase Order back to the AP. The AP then must affirm that the Purchase Order has been taken correctly by the BNYM ETF Administrator. If the AP affirms that Purchase Order has been taken correctly, the BNYM ETF Administrator will issue a confirmation number to the AP. All orders may also be placed by the AP via the web by the times described above.

Purchase Orders for select funds may be placed after the Listing Exchange Closing Time and before 5:30 PM Eastern Standard Time on any Business Day. For such Funds the Order Cutoff Time will be 5:30 PM Eastern Standard Time. Such Purchase Orders, if accepted, will receive the next Business Day’s NAV per Creation Unit.

PLEASE NOTE: A PURCHASE ORDER REQUEST IS NOT COMPLETE UNTIL THE

 

- 21 -


CONFIRMATION NUMBER IS ISSUED BY THE BNYM ETF ADMINISTRATOR. WITH RESPECT TO EACH FUND, AN ORDER FOR FUND SHARES CAN NOT BE CANCELED BY THE AP AFTER THE CONFIRMATION NUMBER HAS BEEN ISSUED. INCOMING TELEPHONE CALLS ARE QUEUED AND WILL BE HANDLED IN THE SEQUENCE RECEIVED. ACCORDINGLY, THE AP SHOULD NOT HANG UP AND REDIAL. CALLS THAT ARE IN PROGRESS AT THE CUTOFF TIME ARE VALID AND THE ORDER WILL BE TAKEN. PLEASE NOTE THAT “IN PROGRESS” IS DEFINED AS AN AP ACTUALLY SPEAKING WITH A BNYM ETF ADMINISTRATOR. FOR CALLS THAT ARE PLACED BEFORE THE CUTOFF TIME THAT ARE IN THE HOLDING QUEUE UNANSWERED AT OR AFTER THE CUTOFF TIME, WILL BE VERBALLY DENIED. INCOMING CALLS THAT ARE RECEIVED AFTER THE CUTOFF TIME WILL NOT BE ANSWERED BY THE BNYM ETF ADMINISTRATOR. ALL TELEPHONE CALLS WILL BE RECORDED.

2. RECEIPT OF TRADE CONFIRMATION.

Subject to the conditions that a properly completed telephone Purchase Order has been placed by the AP (either on its own or its customer’s behalf) not later than the Listing Exchange Closing Time, the Distributor will accept the Purchase Order on behalf of the Trust and will confirm in writing to the AP that its Purchase Order has been accepted within 45 minutes after the designated Order Cutoff time on the Business Day that the Purchase Order is received (e.g. 4:45 PM EST or 6:15 EST). Once the purchase order has been approved by the Distributor, the Distributor will sign or time-stamp the order and send that purchase order to the BNYM ETF Administrator.

3. QUALITY ASSURANCE.

After a confirmation number is issued by the BNYM ETF Administrator to the AP, the AP will fax a written version of the Purchase Order to the BNYM ETF Administrator. Upon receipt, the BNYM ETF Administrator should immediately telephone the AP if the BNYM ETF Administrator believes that the Purchase Order has not been completed correctly by the AP. In addition, the BNYM ETF Administrator will telephone the AP if the BNYM ETF Administrator is in non-receipt of the Purchase Order Form within 15 minutes after the Purchase Order has been called into the BNYM ETF Administrator.

4. REJECTING OR SUSPENDING PURCHASE ORDERS.

The Trust or the Distributor reserve the absolute right to reject acceptance of a Purchase Order if (i) the order is not in proper form as determined by the Trust, the BNYM ETF Administrator or the Distributor; (ii) subject to Section 5.1 of this Annex I, Part A, the portfolio of Deposit Securities (and/or cash in lieu of names that the AP is not able to deliver in physical form) delivered is not as specified by the Distributor; (iii) acceptance of the Deposit Securities would have certain adverse tax consequences to the Trust or any Fund; (iv) the acceptance of the Portfolio Deposit would, in the opinion of counsel, be unlawful; or (v) circumstances outside the control of Trust, the Distributor or the Transfer Agent make it for all practical purposes impossible to process a Purchase Order. The Distributor shall notify the AP of a rejection or revocation of any Purchase Order. The Trust and the Distributor are under no duty, however, to give notification of any defects or irregularities in the delivery of Portfolio Deposits nor shall either of them incur any liability for the failure to give any such notification. The Trust and Distributor may not revoke a previously accepted Purchase Order, as defined in Section 2 of this Annex.

 

 

- 22 -


The Trust acknowledges its agreement to return to the AP or any party for which it is acting any dividend, distribution or other corporate action paid to the Trust in respect of any Deposit Security that is transferred to Trust that, based on the valuation of such Deposit Security at the time of transfer, should have been paid to the AP or any party for which it is acting.

5. CONTRACTUAL SETTLEMENT.

 

(a)

Through the CNS Clearing Process:

(1) Except as provided below, Deposit Securities of any Domestic Fund must be delivered through the NSCC to a DTC account maintained at the Custodian on or before the Domestic Contractual Settlement Date (defined below). The AP must also make available on or before the Contractual Settlement Date, by means satisfactory to the Trust, immediately available or same day funds estimated by the Trust to be sufficient to pay the Cash Component next determined after acceptance of the Purchase Order, together with the applicable purchase Transaction Fee. Any excess funds will be returned following settlement of the issue of the Creation Unit of Shares of the Trust. The “Domestic Contractual Settlement Date” is the earlier of (i) the date upon which all of the required Deposit Securities, the Cash Component and any other cash amounts which may be due are delivered to Trust and (ii) the trade date plus three (t +3) Business Days. Except as provided in the next two paragraphs, a Creation Unit of Shares of any Fund will be issued through the CNS system and the payment of the Cash Component and the purchase Transaction Fee through CNS in accordance with the terms, conditions and guarantees as set forth in CNS agreements to which the Custodian and AP have entered into.

(2) The Trust reserves the right to permit or require the substitution of an amount of cash ( i.e. , a “cash in lieu” amount ) to be added to the Cash Component to replace any Deposit Security with respect to any Domestic Fund which may not be available in sufficient quantity for delivery or which may not be eligible for transfer through the CNS Clearing Process, or which may not be eligible for transfer through the systems of DTC and hence not eligible for transfer through the CNS Clearing Process (discussed below), additional cost, if any, to acquire the omitted securities will be at the expense of the Participant.

(3) Any settlement outside the CNS Clearing Process is subject to additional requirements and fees as discussed in the Prospectus.

 

(b)

Outside the CNS Clearing Process:

(1) Except as provided below, Deposit Securities must be delivered to an account maintained at the applicable local Subcustodian on or before the International Contractual Settlement Date (defined below). The AP must also make available on or before the International Contractual Settlement Date, by means satisfactory to the Trust, immediately available or same day funds estimated by the Trust to be sufficient to pay the Cash Component next determined after acceptance of the Purchase Order, together with the applicable purchase Transaction Fee (as described in the Prospectus). Any excess funds will be returned following settlement of the issue of the Creation Unit of Shares. The “International Contractual Settlement Date” with respect to each International Fund is the earlier of (i) the date upon which all of the required Deposit Securities, the Cash Component and any other cash amounts which may be due are delivered to Trust and (ii) the latest day for settlement on the customary settlement cycle in the jurisdiction(s) where the any of the securities of such International Fund are customarily traded.

 

- 23 -


(2) Except as provided in the next two paragraphs, a Creation Unit of Shares will not be issued until the transfer of good title to the Trust of the portfolio of Deposit Securities and the payment of the Cash Component and the purchase Transaction Fee have been completed . When the Subcustodian confirms to the Custodian that the required securities included in the Portfolio Deposit (or, when permitted in the sole discretion of the Trust, the cash value thereof) have been delivered to the account of the relevant Subcustodian , the Custodian shall will cause the delivery of the Creation Unit of Shares.

(3) The Trust may in its sole discretion permit or require the substitution of an amount of cash ( i.e. , a “cash in lieu” amount) to be added to the Cash Component to replace any Deposit Security which may not be available in sufficient quantity for delivery or for other similar reasons. If the Trust notifies the Distributor that a “cash in lieu” amount will be accepted, the Distributor or Transfer Agent will notify the AP and the AP shall deliver, on behalf of itself or the party on whose behalf it is acting, the “cash in lieu” amount, with any appropriate adjustments as advised by the Trust which may include any difference between the actual cost to the Trust to acquire an omitted security and the value of the security had the security been delivered in kind. Additional amounts, if any, shall be included in the calculation of the Cash Component to be received, any excess amounts will be returned to the AP following settlement of the issue of the Creation Unit of Shares.

(4) In the event that a Portfolio Deposit is incomplete on the settlement date for a Creation Unit of Shares because certain or all of the Deposit Securities are missing, the Trust may issue a Creation Unit of Shares notwithstanding such deficiency in reliance on the undertaking of the AP to deliver the missing Deposit Securities as soon as possible, which undertaking shall be secured by such the AP’s delivery and maintenance of collateral consisting of cash having a value at least equal to     % of the value of the missing Deposit Securities. The parties hereto agree that the delivery of such collateral shall be made in accordance with the Cash Collateral Settlement Procedures, which such procedures shall be provided to the AP by the Transfer Agent upon request. The parties hereto further agree that Trust, acting in good faith, may purchase the missing Deposit Securities at any time and the AP agrees to accept liability for any shortfall between the cost to the Trust of purchasing such securities and the value of the collateral, which may be sold by the Trust at such time, and in such manner, as the Trust may determine in its sole discretion.

6. CASH PURCHASES.

When, in the sole discretion of the Trust, cash purchases of Creation Units of Shares are available or specified for a Fund, such purchases shall be effected in essentially the same manner as in-kind purchases thereof. In the case of a cash purchase or where the cash equivalent value of one or more Deposit Securities is being deposited in lieu of such Deposit Security, the AP must pay the cash equivalent of the Deposit Securities it would otherwise be required to provide through an in-kind purchase, plus the same Cash Component required to be paid by an in-kind purchaser. In addition, to offset the Trust’s brokerage, transaction, and other costs associated with using the cash to purchase the requisite Deposit Securities, the AP may be required to pay and additional Transaction Fee or adjustment as advised by the Trust which may include any difference between the actual cost to the Trust to acquire the Deposit Securities and the value of the Deposit Securities had the Deposit Securities been delivered in.

 

- 24 -


Such Transaction Fees and additional amounts, if any, shall be included in the calculation of the Cash Component to be received. Any excess amounts will be returned to the AP following settlement of the issue of the Creation Unit of Shares

7. CUSTOM BASKETS.

The Trust has developed procedures for Creations and Redemptions using baskets of Deposit Securities that differ from that published by NSCC as the then-existing portfolio basket for the Fund (a “Custom Basket”). In order for an AP to deliver or receive a Custom Basket to the Distributor or Transfer Agent and the Trust in connection with a purchase or redemption order rather than the basket of Deposit Securities published by NSCC together with the Cash Amount, any cash in lieu amounts and any other cash fees, the Distributor, Investment Manager, or Trust must notify the AP that the Fund would like to effect the purchase or redemption through a Custom Basket and identify the contents of the Custom Basket on or prior to the time the AP calls with its purchase order and the AP must agree to deliver the Custom Basket in connection with the purchase. Prior to trade date, the Transfer Agent must notify NSCC of the Deposit Securities in the custom creation basket.

 

- 25 -


ANNEX II — PART B TO

AUTHORIZED PARTICIPANT

AGREEMENT FOR REALITY

SHARES ETF TRUST

PROCEDURES TO PLACE A REDEMPTION ORDER FOR

CREATION UNIT(S) OF SHARES OF ONE OR MORE

FUNDS OF REALITY SHARES ETF TRUST

1. PLACING A REDEMPTION ORDER.

The AP submitting a request to redeem shall submit such requests containing the information required by to the Transfer Agent in the following manner: (a) in writing transmitted by facsimile; (b) through Transfer Agent’s electronic order entry system, as such may be made available and constituted from time to time, the use of which shall be subject to the terms and conditions of the Electronic Services Agreement, incorporated herein by reference; or (c) by telephone to the Transfer Agent Representative and the Distributor, as applicable, according to the procedures set forth below. The request so transmitted (either in writing or electronic form) is hereinafter referred to as the “Submission” or the “Redemption Order” as applicable, and the Business Day on which a Submission is made is hereinafter referred to as the “Transmittal Date”. NOTE THAT IF THE TELEPHONIC METHOD OF REQUESTING A REDEMPTION IS USED, THE TELEPHONE CALL IN WHICH THE REQUEST NUMBER IS ISSUED INITIATES THE REQUEST PROCESS BUT DOES NOT ALONE CONSTITUTE THE REQUEST. A REQUEST IS ONLY COMPLETED AND PROCESSED UPON RECEIPT OF THE SUBMISSION.

Redemption Orders for Creation Units of Shares may be initiated only on days that the Listing Exchange is open for trading. Redemption Orders may only be made in whole Creation Units of shares of each Fund. To begin a Redemption Order, the AP must telephone the BNYM ETF Administrator at (718) 315-7500. This telephone call must be made by an Authorized Person of the AP and answered by BNYM before the closing time of the regular trading session on the Listing Exchange which is ordinarily 4:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (“Listing Exchange Closing Time Or Order Cutoff Time’) Upon verifying the authenticity of the AP (as determined by the use of the appropriate PIN Number), the BNYM ETF Administrator will request that the AP place the Redemption Order. To do so, the AP must provide the appropriate ticker symbols when referring to a Fund. After the AP has placed the Redemption Order, the BNYM ETF Administrator will read the Redemption Order back to the AP. The AP then must affirm that the Redemption Order has been taken correctly by the BNYM ETF Administrator. If the AP affirms that Redemption Order has been taken correctly, the BNYM ETF Administrator will issue a confirmation number to the AP.

Redemption Orders for select funds may be placed after the Listing Exchange Closing Time and before 5:30 PM Eastern Standard Time on any Business Day. For such Funds the Order Cutoff Time will be 5:30 PM Eastern Standard Time. Such Redemption Orders, if accepted, will receive the next Business Day’s NAV per Creation Unit.

PLEASE NOTE: A REDEMPTION ORDER REQUEST IS NOT COMPLETE UNTIL THE CONFIRMATION NUMBER IS ISSUED BY THE BNYM ETF ADMINISTRATOR. WITH

 

- 26 -


RESPECT TO EACH FUND, AN ORDER FOR FUND SHARES CANNOT BE CANCELED BY THE AP AFTER THE CONFIRMATION NUMBER HAS BEEN ISSUED. INCOMING TELEPHONE CALLS ARE QUEUED AND WILL BE HANDLED IN THE SEQUENCE RECEIVED. ACCORDINGLY, THE AP SHOULD NOT HANG UP AND REDIAL. CALLS THAT ARE IN PROGRESS AT THE CUTOFF TIME ARE VALID AND THE ORDER WILL BE TAKEN. PLEASE NOTE THAT “IN PROGRESS” IS DEFINED AS AN AP ACTUALLY SPEAKING WITH A BNYM ETF ADMINISTRATOR. FOR CALLS THAT ARE PLACED BEFORE THE CUTOFF TIME THAT ARE IN THE HOLDING QUEUE UNANSWERED BY STAFF AT OR AFTER THE CUTOFF TIME, WILL BE VERBALLY DENIED. INCOMING CALLS THAT ARE RECEIVED AFTER THE CUTOFF TIME WILL NOT BE ANSWERED BY THE BNYM ETF ADMINISTRATOR. ALL TELEPHONE CALLS WILL BE RECORDED.

2. RECEIPT OF CONFIRMATION.

Subject to the conditions that a duly completed Redemption Order is received by the Distributor from the AP on behalf of itself or another redeeming investor by the Listing Exchange Closing Time, the Distributor will accept the Redemption Order on behalf of the Trust and Distributor and will confirm in writing to the AP that its Redemption Order has been accepted within 45 minutes after the designated cutoff time on the Business Day the Redemption Order is received (e.g. 4:45 PM EST or 6:15 PM EST). Once the Redemption Order has been approved by the Distributor, the Distributor will sign or time-stamp the order and send the Redemption Order to the BNYM ETF Administrator.

3. QUALITY ASSURANCE .

(a) After a confirmation number is issued by the BNYM ETF Administrator to the AP, the AP will fax a copy of the Redemption Order to the BNYM ETF Administrator. Upon receipt, the BNYM ETF Administrator should immediately telephone the AP, if the BNYM ETF Administrator believes that the Redemption Order has not been completed correctly by the AP. In addition, the BNYM ETF Administrator will telephone the AP if the BNYM ETF Administrator is in non-receipt of the Redemption Order Form within 15 minutes after the Redemption Order has been called into the BNYM ETF Administrator.

4. TAKING DELIVERY OF DEPOSIT SECURITIES.

The Deposit Securities constituting in-kind redemption proceeds will be delivered to the appropriate account which must be indicated in the AP’s Standing Redemption Instructions. An Authorized Person of the AP may amend the AP’s Standing Redemption Instructions from time to time in writing to the BNYM ETF Administrator and the Trust in a form approved by the Trust. A redeeming Beneficial Owner or the AP acting on behalf of such Beneficial Owner must maintain appropriate securities broker-dealer, bank or other custody arrangements to which account such Deposit Securities will be delivered. Redemptions of Shares for Deposit Securities will be subject to compliance with applicable U.S. federal and state securities laws.

5. CONTRACTUAL SETTLEMENT.

 

  (a)

Through the CNS Clearing Process:

(1) Except as provided below, the Shares of any Domestic Fund must be delivered through the NSCC to a DTC account maintained at the applicable custodian

 

- 27 -


of any Domestic Fund on or before the Domestic Contractual Settlement Date (defined below). The Trust will make available on the Domestic Contractual Settlement Date, the Cash Component next determined after acceptance of the Redemption Order, less the applicable Transaction Fee. The “Domestic Contractual Settlement Date” is the date upon which all of the required Shares must be delivered to the Trust and, the Deposit Securities, any cash in lieu amounts and Cash Component less any fees are delivered by the Trust to the AP (ordinarily trade date plus three (t + 3) Business Days). Except as provided in the next two paragraphs, the Deposit Securities representing Creation Units of Shares and any cash component will be delivered concurrently with the transfer of good title to the Trust of the required number of Shares through the NSCC’s Continuous Net Settlement (CNS) system and the delivery of the Cash Component less the Transaction Fee through CNS;

(2) The Trust reserves the right to permit or require the substitution of an amount of cash ( i.e. , a “cash in lieu” amount ) to be added to the Cash Component to replace any Deposit Security with respect to a Fund which may not be available in sufficient quantity for delivery or which may not be eligible for transfer through the CNS Clearing Process, or which may not be eligible for transfer through the systems of DTC and hence not eligible for transfer through the CNS Clearing Process (discussed below) and will be at the expense of the Fund and will affect the value of all Shares of such Fund; but the Trust, subject to the approval of the Board, may adjust the Transaction Fee within the parameters described below to protect ongoing shareholders. Any settlement outside the CNS Clearing Process is subject to additional requirements and fees as discussed in the Prospectus.

(3) In the event that the number of Shares is insufficient on the settlement date for Creation Unit(s) of Shares, the Trust may deliver the Deposit Securities notwithstanding such deficiency in reliance on the undertaking of the AP to deliver the missing Shares as soon as possible, which undertaking shall be secured by such the AP’s delivery and maintenance of collateral consisting of cash having a value at least equal to         % of the value of the missing Shares. The parties hereto agree that the delivery of such collateral shall be made in accordance with the Cash Collateral Settlement Procedures, which such procedures shall be provided to the AP by the Transfer Agent upon request. The parties hereto further agree that the Trust, acting in good faith, may purchase the missing Shares at any time and the AP agrees to accept liability for any shortfall between the cost to the Trust of purchasing such shares and the value of the collateral, which may be sold by Trust at such time, and in such manner, as the Trust may determine in its sole discretion.

 

  (b)

Outside the CNS Clearing Process:

(1) Except as provided below, the Shares must be delivered to an account maintained at the Custodian on or before the Business Day immediately following the date on which the NAV of the redemption was calculated. The Trust will also make available on the International Contractual Settlement Date, immediately available or same day funds sufficient to pay the Cash Component next determined after acceptance of the Redemption Order, less the applicable Transaction Fee (as described in the Prospectus). The “International Contractual Settlement Date” of an International Fund is the earlier of (i) the date upon which all of the Deposit Securities are delivered to the AP and (ii) the latest day for settlement on the customary settlement cycle in the jurisdiction(s) where the any of the securities of such International Fund are customarily traded.

 

- 28 -


(2) Deliveries of redemption proceeds by the Funds generally will be made within three (3) Business Days. Due to the schedule of holidays in certain countries, however, the delivery of in-kind Deposit Securities of International Funds may take longer than three Business Days after the day on which the Redemption Order is placed.

(3) Except as provided in the next two paragraphs, the Deposit Securities will not be delivered until the transfer of good title to the Trust of the required Creation Unit(s) of Shares has been completed . When the Custodian confirms that the required Shares (or, when permitted in the sole discretion of the Trust, the cash collateral has been received by the account , the Custodian will cause the delivery of the Deposit Securities.

(4) The Trust may in its sole discretion permit or require the substitution of an amount of cash ( i.e. , a “cash in lieu” amount) to be added to the Cash Component to replace any Deposit Security which may not be available in sufficient quantity for delivery or for other similar reasons. If the Trust notifies Distributor that a “cash in lieu” amount will be delivered, the Distributor will notify the AP and the AP shall receive, on behalf of itself or the party on whose behalf it is acting, the “cash in lieu” amount, with any appropriate adjustments as advised by the Trust. At the discretion of the Trust or the Distributor, the AP may also be permitted to replace any Deposit Securities with a “cash in lieu” amount to the extent that the AP is not authorized to purchase the particular Deposit Securities from the Fund or is not able to sell the particular Deposit Securities in the secondary market, consistent with restrictions in applicable law or the AP’s internal policies and procedures.

(5) In the event that the number of Shares is insufficient on the settlement date for Creation Unit(s) of Shares (Order Date +1), the Trust may deliver the Deposit Securities notwithstanding such deficiency in reliance on the undertaking of the AP to deliver the missing Shares as soon as possible, which undertaking shall be secured by such the AP’s delivery on Order Date +1 and subsequent maintenance of collateral consisting of cash having a value at least equal to             % of the value of the missing Shares. The parties hereto agree that the delivery of such collateral shall be made in accordance with the Cash Collateral Settlement Procedures, which such procedures shall be provided to the AP by the Transfer Agent upon request. The parties hereto further agree that the Trust, acting in good faith, may purchase the missing Shares at any time and the AP agrees to accept liability for any shortfall between the cost to the Trust of purchasing such shares and the value of the collateral, which may be sold by the Trust at such time, and in such manner, as the Trust may determine in its sole discretion.

6. CASH REDEMPTIONS .

In the event that, in the sole discretion of the Trust, cash redemptions are permitted or required by the Trust, proceeds will be paid to the AP redeeming Shares on behalf of the redeeming investor as soon as practicable after the date of redemption.

 

- 29 -


7. STANDING REDEMPTION INSTRUCTIONS.

Annex IV hereto contains the AP’s Standing Redemption Instructions, which include information identifying the
account(s) into which Deposit Securities of each Fund and any other redemption proceeds should be delivered by the Trust pursuant to a Redemption Order.

 

- 30 -


ANNEX III-A

TO

AUTHORIZED PARTICIPANT AGREEMENT

FOR REALITY SHARES ETF TRUST

FORM OF CERTIFIED AUTHORIZED PERSONS

OF THE AUTHORIZED PARTICIPANT

REALITY SHARES ETF TRUST

The following are the names, titles, signatures , phone numbers, and email addresses of all persons (each an “Authorized Person”) authorized to give instructions relating to any activity contemplated by this Authorized Participant Agreement for Reality Shares ETF Trust (the “Agreement”) or any other notice, request or instruction on behalf of the Authorized Participant pursuant to the Agreement.

Authorized Participant:

 

Name:

 

 

   

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

   

Title:

 

 

Signature:

 

 

   

Signature:

 

 

Phone:

 

 

   

Phone:

 

 

Email:

 

 

   

Email:

 

 

Name:

 

 

   

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

   

Title:

 

 

Signature:

 

 

   

Signature:

 

 

Phone:

 

 

   

Phone:

 

 

Email:

 

 

   

Email:

 

 

Name:

 

 

   

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

   

Title:

 

 

Signature:

 

 

   

Signature:

 

 

Phone:

 

 

   

Phone:

 

 

Email:

 

 

   

Email:

 

 

Date:

 

 

     

Certified By:

 

 

     

Name:

 

 

     

Title:

 

 

     

 

- 31 -


ANNEX III-B

TO AUTHORIZED PARTICIPANT AGREEMENT

FOR REALITY SHARES ETF TRUST

[On AP’s Firm Letterhead]

[DATE]

The Bank of New York Mellon

Attn: ETF Services

[                    ]

New York, NY [            ]

 

Re:

Addendum to the Certificate of Authorized Persons for [Name of AP] under the Authorized Participant Agreement for the Reality Shares ETF Trust (the “Agreement”)

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Pursuant to the Agreement, following are the names, titles, signatures, phone numbers, and email addresses of additional Authorized Persons (as defined in the Agreement) of [Name of AP] (the “AP”) authorized to give instructions relating to any activity contemplated by the Agreement or any other notice, request or instruction on behalf of the AP pursuant to the Agreement. This list of Authorized Persons is an addendum and adds Authorized Persons to the AP’s most recently executed certificate (entitled “Certified Authorized Persons of the Authorized Participant, Reality Shares ETF Trust”) preceding the date set forth above.

 

Name:

 

 

   

Name:

 

 

Title:

     

Title:

 

Signature:

     

Signature:

 

Phone:

     

Phone:

 

Email:

     

Email:

 

Name:

 

 

   

Name:

 

 

Title:

     

Title:

 

Signature:

     

Signature:

 

Phone:

     

Phone:

 

Email:

     

Email:

 

Please provide PIN numbers for those listed above.

Very truly yours,

 

                                 

 

- 32 -


ANNEX IV

TO

AUTHORIZED PARTICIPANT AGREEMENT

FOR REALITY SHARES ETF TRUST

INTERNATIONAL FUND SUBCUSTODIAN ACCOUNTS FOR

DELIVERY OF DEPOSIT SECURITIES

The Subcustodian accounts into which an AP should deposit the securities constituting the Deposit Securities of each International Fund of Reality Shares ETF Trust are set forth below:

 

 

    
[name of Fund]     
Account Name:  

 

  
Account Number:  

 

  
Other Reference Number:  

 

  

 

    
[name of Fund]     
Account Name:  

 

  
Account Number:  

 

  
Other Reference Number:  

 

  

 

    
[name of Fund]     
Account Name:  

 

  
Account Number:  

 

  
Other Reference Number:  

 

  

 

    
[name of Fund]     
Account Name:  

 

  
Account Number:  

 

  
Other Reference Number:  

 

  

 

    
[name of Fund]     
Account Name:  

 

  
Account Number:  

 

  
Other Reference Number:  

 

  

 

- 33 -


ANNEX V

TO

AUTHORIZED

PARTICIPANT AGREEMENT

FOR REALITY SHARES ETF TRUST

THE AP ACCOUNTS

FOR DELIVERY OF DEPOSIT SECURITIES

Account Name:                     

The account(s) into which Reality Shares ETF Trust should deposit the securities constituting the Deposit Securities of each Fund upon redemption by the AP are set forth below:

 

    Name of AP:  

 

Account Name:  

 

Account Number: Other  

 

Reference Number:  

 

 

- 34 -


ANNEX VI

ORDER ENTRY SYSTEM TERMS AND CONDITIONS

This Annex shall govern use by an Authorized Participant of the electronic order entry system for placing Purchase Orders and Redemption Orders for Shares (the “System”). Capitalized terms used but not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings ascribed to such terms in the Authorized Participant Agreement (the “AP Agreement”). In the event of any conflict between the terms of this Annex VI and the main body of the AP Agreement with respect to the placing of Purchase Orders and Redemption Orders, the terms of this Annex VI shall control.

1. (a) Authorized Participant shall provide to the Transfer Agent a duly executed authorization letter, in a form satisfactory to Transfer Agent, identifying those Authorized Persons who will access the System. Authorized Participant shall notify the Transfer Agent promptly in writing, including, but not limited to, by electronic mail, in the event that any person’s status as an Authorized Person is revoked or terminated, in order to give the Transfer Agent a reasonable opportunity to terminate such Authorized Person’s access to the System. The Transfer Agent shall promptly revoke access of such Authorized Person to the electronic entry systems through which Purchase Orders and Redemption are submitted by such person on behalf of the Authorized Participant.

(b) It is understood and agreed that each Authorized Person shall be designated as an authorized user of Authorized Participant for the purpose of the AP Agreement. Upon termination of the AP Agreement, the Authorized Participant ’s and each Authorized Person’s access rights with respect to System shall be immediately revoked.

2. Transfer Agent grants to Authorized Participant a personal, nontransferable and nonexclusive license to use the System solely for the purpose of transmitting Purchase Orders and Redemption Orders and otherwise communicating with Transfer Agent in connection with the same. Authorized Participant shall use the System solely for its own internal and proper business purposes. Except as set forth herein, no license or right of any kind is granted to Authorized Participant with respect to the System. Authorized Participant acknowledges that Transfer Agent and its suppliers retain and have title and exclusive proprietary rights to the System. Authorized Participant further acknowledges that all or a part of the System may be copyrighted or trademarked (or a registration or claim made therefor) by Transfer Agent or its suppliers. Authorized Participant shall not take any action with respect to the System inconsistent with the foregoing acknowledgments. Authorized Participant may not copy, distribute, sell, lease or provide, directly or indirectly, the System or any portion thereof to any other person or entity without Transfer Agent’s prior written consent. Authorized Participant may not remove any statutory copyright notice or other notice included in the System. Authorized Participant shall reproduce any such notice on any reproduction of any portion of the System and shall add any statutory copyright notice or other notice upon Transfer Agent’s request.

3. (a) Authorized Participant acknowledges that any user manuals or other documentation (whether in hard copy or electronic form) (collectively, the “Material”), which is delivered or made available to Authorized Participant regarding the System is the exclusive and confidential property of Transfer Agent. Authorized Participant shall keep the Material confidential by using the same care and discretion that Authorized Participant uses with respect to its own confidential property and trade secrets, but in no event less than reasonable

 

 

- 35 -


care. Authorized Participant may make such copies of the Material as is reasonably necessary for Authorized Participant to use the System and shall reproduce Transfer Agent’s proprietary markings on any such copy. The foregoing shall not in any way be deemed to affect the copyright status of any of the Material which may be copyrighted and shall apply to all Material whether or not copyrighted. TRANSFER AGENT AND ITS SUPPLIERS MAKE NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, CONCERNING THE MATERIAL OR ANY PRODUCT OR SERVICE, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

(b) Upon termination of the Agreement for any reason, Authorized Participant shall return to Transfer Agent all copies of the Material which is in Authorized Participant ’s possession or under its control.

4. Authorized Participant agrees that it shall have sole responsibility for maintaining adequate security and control of the user IDs, passwords and codes for access to the System, which shall not be disclosed to any third party without the prior written consent of Transfer Agent. Transfer Agent shall be entitled to rely on the information received by it from the Authorized Participant and Transfer Agent may assume that all such information was transmitted by or on behalf of an Authorized Person regardless of by whom it was actually transmitted, unless the Authorized Participant shall have notified the Transfer Agent a reasonable time prior that such person is not an Authorized Person.

5. Transfer Agent shall have no liability in connection with the use of the System, the access granted to the Authorized Participant and its Authorized Persons hereunder, or any transaction effected or attempted to be effected by the Authorized Participant hereunder, except for damages incurred by the Authorized Participant as a direct result of Transfer Agent’s negligence or willful misconduct. WITHOUT LIMITING THE GENERALITY OF THE FOREGOING, IT IS HEREBY AGREED THAT IN NO EVENT SHALL TRANSFER AGENT OR ANY MANUFACTURER OR SUPPLIER OF EQUIPMENT, SOFTWARE OR SERVICES BE RESPONSIBLE OR LIABLE FOR ANY SPECIAL, INDIRECT, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES WHICH THE AUTHORIZED PARTICIPANT MAY INCUR OR EXPERIENCE BY REASON OF ITS HAVING ENTERED INTO OR RELIED ON THIS AGREEMENT, OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE ACCESS GRANTED TO THE AUTHORIZED PARTICIPANT HEREUNDER, OR ANY TRANSACTION EFFECTED OR ATTEMPTED TO BE EFFECTED BY THE AUTHORIZED PARTICIPANT HEREUNDER, EVEN IF TRANSFER AGENT OR SUCH MANUFACTURER OR SUPPLIER HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES, NOR SHALL TRANSFER AGENT OR ANY SUCH MANUFACTURER OR SUPPLIER BE LIABLE FOR ACTS OF GOD, MACHINE OR COMPUTER BREAKDOWN OR MALFUNCTION, INTERRUPTION OR MALFUNCTION OF COMMUNICATION FACILITIES, LABOR DIFFICULTIES OR ANY OTHER SIMILAR OR DISSIMILAR CAUSE BEYOND SUCH PERSON’S REASONABLE CONTROL.

6. Transfer Agent reserves the right to revoke Authorized Participant ’s access to the System, with written notice, upon any breach by the Authorized Participant of the terms and conditions of this Annex VI.

7. Transfer Agent shall acknowledge through the System its receipt of each Purchase Order or Redemption Order communicated through the System, and in the absence of such acknowledgment Transfer Agent shall not be liable for any failure to act in accordance with such orders and Authorized Participant may not claim that such Purchase Order or

 

 

- 36 -


Redemption Order was received by Transfer Agent. Transfer Agent may in its discretion decline to act upon any instructions or communications that are insufficient or incomplete or are not received by Transfer Agent in sufficient time for Transfer Agent to act upon, or in accordance with such instructions or communications.

8. Authorized Participant agrees to use reasonable efforts consistent with its own procedures used in the ordinary course of business to prevent the transmission through the System of any software or file which contains any viruses, worms, harmful component or corrupted data and agrees not to use any device, software, or routine to interfere or attempt to interfere with the proper working of the Systems.

9. Authorized Participant acknowledges and agrees that encryption may not be available for every communication through the System, or for all data. Authorized Participant agrees that Transfer Agent may deactivate any encryption features at any time, without notice or liability to Authorized Participant , for the purpose of maintaining, repairing or troubleshooting its systems.

 

 

- 37 -

LOGO

FORM OF CUSTODY AGREEMENT

AGREEMENT, dated as of                          , 2013_ between Reality Shares ETF Trust, a Delaware statutory trust, having its principal office and place of business at 402 West Broadway, Suite 2800, San Diego, CA 92101 (the “Trust”) and The Bank of New York Mellon, a New York corporation authorized to do a banking business having its principal office and place of business at One Wall Street, New York, New York 10286 (“Custodian”).

W I T N E S S E T H:

that for and in consideration of the mutual promises hereinafter set forth the Trust and Custodian agree as follows:

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS

Whenever used in this Agreement, the following words shall have the meanings set forth below:

1. “Authorized Person” shall be any person, whether or not an officer or employee of the Trust, duly authorized by the Trust’s board to execute any Certificate or to give any Oral Instruction with respect to one or more Accounts, such persons to be designated in a Certificate annexed hereto as Schedule I hereto or such other Certificate as may be received by Custodian from time to time.

2. “Custodian Affiliate” shall mean any office, branch or subsidiary of The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation.

3. “Book-Entry System” shall mean the Federal Reserve/Treasury book-entry system for receiving and delivering securities, its successors and nominees.

4. “Business Day” shall mean any day on which Custodian and relevant Depositories are open for business.

5. “Certificate” shall mean any notice, instruction, or other instrument in writing, authorized or required by this Agreement to be given to Custodian, which is actually received by Custodian by letter or facsimile transmission and signed on behalf of the Trust by an Authorized Person or a person reasonably believed by Custodian to be an Authorized Person.

6. “Composite Currency Unit” shall mean the Euro or any other composite currency unit consisting of the aggregate of specified amounts of specified currencies, as such unit may be constituted from time to time.

7. “Depository” shall include (a) the Book-Entry System, (b) the Depository Trust Company, (c) any other clearing agency or securities depository registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission identified to the Trust from time to time, and (d) the respective successors and nominees of the foregoing.


8. “Foreign Depository” shall mean (a) Euroclear, (b) Clearstream Banking, societe anonyme, (c) each Eligible Securities Depository as defined in Rule 17f-7 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, identified to the Trust from time to time, and (d) the respective successors and nominees of the foregoing.

9. “Instructions” shall mean communications actually received by Custodian by S.W.I.F.T., tested telex, letter, facsimile transmission, or other method or system specified by Custodian as available for use in connection with the services hereunder.

10. “Oral Instructions” shall mean verbal instructions received by Custodian from an Authorized Person or from a person reasonably believed by Custodian to be an Authorized Person.

11. “Series” shall mean the various portfolios, if any, of the Trust listed on Schedule II hereto, and if none are listed references to Series shall be references to the Trust.

12. “Securities” shall include, without limitation, any common stock and other equity securities, bonds, debentures and other debt securities, notes, mortgages or other obligations, and any instruments representing rights to receive, purchase, or subscribe for the same, or representing any other rights or interests therein (whether represented by a certificate or held in a Depository or by a Subcustodian).

13. “Subcustodian” shall mean a bank (including any branch thereof) or other financial institution (other than a Foreign Depository) located outside the U.S. which is utilized by Custodian in connection with the purchase, sale or custody of Securities hereunder and identified to the Trust from time to time, and their respective successors and nominees.

14. “Transfer Agent” shall mean The Bank of New York Mellon, subject to a separate Transfer Agency and Service Agreement entered into between the parties, or any successor transfer agent identified to Custodian in a Certificate.

ARTICLE II

APPOINTMENT OF CUSTODIAN; ACCOUNTS;

REPRESENTATIONS, WARRANTIES, AND COVENANTS

1. (a) The Trust hereby appoints Custodian as custodian of all Securities and cash at any time delivered to Custodian during the term of this Agreement, and authorizes Custodian to hold Securities in registered form in its name or the name of its nominees. Custodian hereby accepts such appointment and agrees to establish and maintain one or more securities accounts and cash accounts for each Series in which Custodian will hold Securities and cash as provided herein. Custodian shall maintain books and records segregating the assets of each Series from the assets of any other Series. Such accounts (each, an “Account”; collectively, the “Accounts”) shall be in the name of the Trust.

(b) Custodian may from time to time establish on its books and records such sub-accounts within each Account as the Trust and Custodian may agree upon (each a “Special Account”), and Custodian shall reflect therein such assets as the Trust may specify in a Certificate or Instructions.

 

- 2 -


(c) Custodian may from time to time establish pursuant to a written agreement with and for the benefit of a broker, dealer, futures commission merchant or other third party identified in a Certificate or Instructions such accounts on such terms and conditions as the Trust and Custodian shall agree, and Custodian shall transfer to such accounts such Securities and money as the Trust may specify in a Certificate or Instructions.

2. The Trust hereby represents and warrants, which representations and warranties shall be continuing and shall be deemed to be reaffirmed upon each delivery of a Certificate or each giving of Oral Instructions or Instructions by the Trust, 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, approved by a resolution of its board, constitutes a valid and legally binding obligation of the Trust, enforceable in accordance with its terms, and there is no statute, regulation, rule, order or judgment binding on it, and no provision of its charter or by-laws, nor of any mortgage, indenture, credit agreement or other contract binding on it or affecting its property, which would prohibit its execution or performance of this Agreement;

(c) It is conducting its business in substantial compliance with all applicable laws and requirements, both state and federal, and has obtained all regulatory licenses, approvals and consents necessary to carry on its business as now conducted;

(d) It will not use the services provided by Custodian hereunder in any manner that is, or will result in, a violation of any law, rule or regulation applicable to the Trust;

(e) Its board or its foreign custody manager, as defined in Rule 17f-5 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “‘40 Act”), has determined that use of each Subcustodian (including any Replacement Custodian) which Custodian is authorized to utilize in accordance with Section 1(a) of Article III hereof satisfies the applicable requirements of the ‘40 Act and Rule 17f-5 thereunder;

(f) The Trust or its investment adviser has determined that the custody arrangements of each Foreign Depository provide reasonable safeguards against the custody risks associated with maintaining assets with such Foreign Depository within the meaning of Rule 17f-7 under the ‘40 Act;

(g) It is fully informed of the protections and risks associated with various methods of transmitting Instructions and Oral Instructions and delivering Certificates to Custodian, shall, and shall cause each Authorized Person, to safeguard and treat with extreme care any user and authorization codes, passwords and/or authentication keys, understands that there may be more secure methods of transmitting or delivering the same than the methods selected by it, agrees that the security procedures (if any) to be followed in connection therewith provide a commercially reasonable degree of protection in light of its particular needs and circumstances, and acknowledges and agrees that Instructions need not be reviewed by

 

- 3 -


Custodian, may be presumed in good faith by Custodian to have been given by person(s) duly authorized, and may be acted upon as given;

(h) It shall manage its borrowings, including, without limitation, any advance or overdraft (including any day-light overdraft) in the Accounts, so that the aggregate of its total borrowings for each Series does not exceed the amount such Series is permitted to borrow under the ‘40 Act;

(i) Its transmission or giving of, and Custodian acting upon and in reliance on, Certificates, Instructions, or Oral Instructions pursuant to this Agreement shall at all times comply with the ‘40 Act;

(j) It shall impose and maintain restrictions on the destinations to which cash may be disbursed by Instructions to ensure that each disbursement is for a proper purpose; and

(k) It has the right to make the pledge and grant the security interest and security entitlement to Custodian contained in Section 1 of Article V hereof, free of any right of redemption or prior claim of any other person or entity, such pledge and such grants shall have a first priority subject to no setoffs, counterclaims, or other liens or grants prior to or on a parity therewith, and it shall take such additional steps as Custodian may require to assure such priority.

3. The Trust hereby covenants that it shall from time to time complete and execute and deliver to Custodian upon Custodian’s request a Form FR U-1 (or successor form) whenever the Trust borrows from Custodian any money to be used for the purchase or carrying of margin stock as defined in Federal Reserve Regulation U.

4. Custodian hereby represents and warrants, which representations and warranties shall be continuing, 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 Custodian, constitutes a valid and legally binding obligation of Custodian, enforceable in accordance with its terms, and there is no statute, regulation, rule, order or judgment binding on it, and no provision of its charter or by-laws, nor of any mortgage, indenture, credit agreement or other contract binding on it or affecting its property, which would prohibit its execution or performance of this Agreement.; and

(c) It has, and will maintain, such backup, contingency and disaster recovery procedures as are required by its regulators.

ARTICLE III

CUSTODY AND RELATED SERVICES

1. (a) Subject to the terms hereof, the Trust hereby authorizes Custodian to hold any Securities received by it from time to time for the Trust’s account. Custodian shall be entitled to

 

- 4 -


utilize, subject to subsection (c) of this Section 1, Depositories, Subcustodians, and, subject to subsection (d) of this Section 1, Foreign Depositories, to the extent possible in connection with its performance hereunder. Securities and cash held in a Depository or Foreign Depository will be held subject to the rules, terms and conditions of such entity. Securities and cash held through Subcustodians shall be held subject to the terms and conditions of Custodian’s agreements with such Subcustodians. Subcustodians may be authorized to hold Securities in Foreign Depositories in which such Subcustodians participate. Unless otherwise required by local law or practice or a particular subcustodian agreement, Securities deposited with a Subcustodian, a Depositary or a Foreign Depository will be held in a commingled account, in the name of Custodian, holding only Securities held by Custodian as custodian for its customers. Custodian shall identify on its books and records the Securities and cash belonging to the Trust, whether held directly or indirectly through Depositories, Foreign Depositories, or Subcustodians. Custodian shall, directly or indirectly through Subcustodians, Depositories, or Foreign Depositories, endeavor, to the extent feasible, to hold Securities in the country or other jurisdiction in which the principal trading market for such Securities is located, where such Securities are to be presented for cancellation and/or payment and/or registration, or where such Securities are acquired. Custodian at any time may cease utilizing any Subcustodian and/or may replace a Subcustodian with a different Subcustodian (the “Replacement Subcustodian”). In the event Custodian selects a Replacement Subcustodian, Custodian shall not utilize such Replacement Subcustodian until after the Trust’s board or foreign custody manager has determined that utilization of such Replacement Subcustodian satisfies the requirements of the ‘40 Act and Rule 17f-5 thereunder.

(b) Unless Custodian has received a Certificate or Instructions to the contrary, Custodian shall hold Securities indirectly through a Subcustodian only if (i) the Securities are not subject to any right, charge, security interest, lien or claim of any kind in favor of such Subcustodian or its creditors or operators, including a receiver or trustee in bankruptcy or similar authority, except for a claim of payment for the safe custody or administration of Securities on behalf of the Trust by such Subcustodian, and (ii) beneficial ownership of the Securities is freely transferable without the payment of money or value other than for safe custody or administration.

(c) With respect to each Depository, Custodian (i) shall exercise due care in accordance with reasonable commercial standards in discharging its duties as a securities intermediary to obtain and thereafter maintain Securities or financial assets deposited or held in such Depository, and (ii) will provide, promptly upon request by the Trust, such reports as are available concerning the internal accounting controls and financial strength of Custodian and such Depositary.

(d) With respect to each Foreign Depository, Custodian shall exercise reasonable care, prudence, and diligence (i) to provide the Trust with an analysis of the custody risks associated with maintaining assets with the Foreign Depository, and (ii) to monitor such custody risks on a continuing basis and promptly notify the Trust of any material change in such risks. The Trust acknowledges and agrees that such analysis and monitoring shall be made on the basis of, and limited by, information gathered from Subcustodians or through publicly available information otherwise obtained by Custodian, and shall not include any evaluation of Country Risks. As used herein the term “Country Risks” shall mean with respect to any Foreign Depository: (a) the financial infrastructure of the country in which it is organized, (b) such

 

- 5 -


country’s prevailing custody and settlement practices, (c) nationalization, expropriation or other governmental actions, (d) such country’s regulation of the banking or securities industry, (e) currency controls, restrictions, devaluations or fluctuations, and (f) market conditions which affect the order execution of securities transactions or affect the value of securities.

2. Custodian shall furnish the Trust with an advice of daily transactions (including a confirmation of each transfer of Securities) as promptly as practicable in its ordinary course processing, after the close of Business on each Business Day and a monthly summary of all transfers to or from the Accounts as promptly as practicable in its ordinary course processing, following such month end. Custodian shall furnish such reports for such other time periods as the Trust may from time to time reasonably request.

3. With respect to all Securities held hereunder, Custodian shall, unless otherwise instructed to the contrary:

(a) Receive all income and other payments and advise the Trust as promptly as practicable of any such amounts due but not paid;

(b) Present for payment and receive the amount paid upon all Securities which may mature and advise the Trust as promptly as practicable of any such amounts due but not paid;

(c) Forward to the Trust copies of all information or documents that it may actually receive from an issuer of Securities which, in the opinion of Custodian, are intended for the beneficial owner of Securities;

(d) Execute, as custodian, any certificates of ownership, affidavits, declarations or other certificates under any tax laws now or hereafter in effect in connection with the collection of bond and note coupons;

(e) Hold directly or through a Depository, a Foreign Depository, or a Subcustodian all rights and similar Securities issued with respect to any Securities credited to an Account hereunder; and

(f) Endorse for collection checks, drafts or other negotiable instruments.

4. (a) Custodian shall, as promptly as practicable under the circumstances, notify the Trust of rights or discretionary actions with respect to Securities held hereunder, and of the date or dates by when such rights must be exercised or such action must be taken, and shall as promptly as practicable under the circumstances, forward to the Trust any notices, information statements or other materials received in connection with such rights or discretionary actions, provided that Custodian has actually received, from the issuer or the relevant Depository (with respect to Securities issued in the United States) or from the relevant Subcustodian, Foreign Depository, or a nationally or internationally recognized bond or corporate action service to which Custodian subscribes, timely notice of such rights or discretionary corporate action or of the date or dates such rights must be exercised or such action must be taken. Absent actual receipt of such notice, Custodian shall have no liability for failing to so notify the Trust.

 

- 6 -


(b) Whenever Securities (including, but not limited to, warrants, options, tenders, options to tender or non-mandatory puts or calls) confer discretionary rights on the Trust or provide for discretionary action or alternative courses of action by the Trust, the Trust shall be responsible for making any decisions relating thereto and for directing Custodian to act. In order for Custodian to act, it must receive the Trust’s Certificate or Instructions at Custodian’s offices, addressed as Custodian may from time to time request, not later than noon (New York time) at least two (2) Business Days prior to the last scheduled date to act with respect to such Securities (or such earlier date or time as Custodian may specify to the Trust). Absent Custodian’s timely receipt of such Certificate or Instructions, Custodian shall not be liable for failure to take any action relating to or to exercise any rights conferred by such Securities.

5. All voting rights with respect to Securities, however registered, shall be exercised by the Trust or its designee. Custodian will make available as promptly as practicable under the circumstances, to the Trust proxy voting services upon the request of, and for the jurisdictions selected by, the Trust in accordance with terms and conditions to be mutually agreed upon by Custodian and the Trust. For Securities issued in the United States, Custodian’s only duty shall be to mail to the Trust any documents (including proxy statements, annual reports and signed proxies) actually received by Custodian relating to the exercise of such voting rights. With respect to Securities issued outside of the United States, Custodian’s only duty other than forwarding such materials, if any, as Custodian may receive, shall be to provide the Fund with access to a provider of global proxy services at the Trust’s request. The Trust shall be responsible for all costs associated with its use of such services.

6. Custodian shall promptly advise the Trust upon Custodian’s actual receipt of notification of the partial redemption, partial payment or other action affecting less than all Securities of the relevant class. If Custodian, any Subcustodian, any Depository, or any Foreign Depository holds any Securities in which the Trust has an interest as part of a fungible mass, Custodian, such Subcustodian, Depository, or Foreign Depository may select the Securities to participate in such partial redemption, partial payment or other action in any non-discriminatory manner that it customarily uses to make such selection.

7. Custodian shall not under any circumstances accept bearer interest coupons which have been stripped from United States federal, state or local government or agency securities unless explicitly agreed to by Custodian in writing.

8. The Trust shall be liable for all taxes, assessments, duties and other governmental charges, including any interest or penalty with respect thereto (“Taxes”), with respect to any cash or Securities held on behalf of the Trust or any transaction related thereto. The Trust shall indemnify Custodian and each Subcustodian for the amount of any Tax that Custodian, any such Subcustodian or any other withholding agent is required under applicable laws (whether by assessment or otherwise) to pay on behalf of, or in respect of income earned by or payments or distributions made to or for the account of the Trust (including any payment of Tax required by reason of an earlier failure to withhold, except to the extent that any such failure to withhold any payment of Tax is the result of a failure of the Custodian or Subcustodian to discharge its duties in accordance with its standard of care as set forth in Article VIII below). Custodian shall, or shall instruct the applicable Subcustodian or other withholding agent to, withhold the amount of any Tax which is required to be withheld under applicable law upon collection of any dividend,

 

- 7 -


interest or other distribution made with respect to any Security and any proceeds or income from the sale, loan or other transfer of any Security. In the event that Custodian or any Subcustodian is required under applicable law to pay any Tax on behalf of the Trust, Custodian is hereby authorized to withdraw cash from any cash account in the amount required to pay such Tax and to use such cash, or to remit such cash to the appropriate Subcustodian or other withholding agent, for the timely payment of such Tax in the manner required by applicable law. If the aggregate amount of cash in all cash accounts is not sufficient to pay such Tax, Custodian shall promptly notify the Trust of the additional amount of cash (in the appropriate currency) required, and the Trust shall directly deposit such additional amount in the appropriate cash account promptly after receipt of such notice, for use by Custodian as specified herein. In the event that Custodian reasonably believes that Trust is eligible, pursuant to applicable law or to the provisions of any tax treaty, for a reduced rate of, or exemption from, any Tax which is otherwise required to be withheld or paid on behalf of the Trust under any applicable law, Custodian shall, or shall instruct the applicable Subcustodian or withholding agent to, either withhold or pay such Tax at such reduced rate or refrain from withholding or paying such Tax, as appropriate; provided that Custodian shall have received from the Trust all documentary evidence of residence or other qualification for such reduced rate or exemption required to be received under such applicable law or treaty. In the event that Custodian reasonably believes that a reduced rate of, or exemption from, any Tax is obtainable only by means of an application for reTrust, Custodian and the applicable Subcustodian shall have no responsibility for the accuracy or validity of any forms or documentation provided by the Trust to Custodian hereunder. The Trust hereby agrees to indemnify and hold harmless Custodian and each Subcustodian in respect of any liability arising from any underwithholding or underpayment of any Tax which results from the inaccuracy or invalidity of any such forms or other documentation provided by or on behalf of the Trust, and such obligation to indemnify shall be a continuing obligation of the Trust, its successors and assigns notwithstanding the termination of this Agreement.

9. (a) For the purpose of settling Securities and foreign exchange transactions, the Trust shall provide Custodian with sufficient immediately available funds for all transactions by such time and date as conditions in the relevant market dictate. As used herein, “sufficient immediately available funds” shall mean either (i) sufficient cash denominated in U.S. dollars to purchase the necessary foreign currency, or (ii) sufficient applicable foreign currency, to settle the transaction. Custodian shall provide the Trust with immediately available Trusts each day which result from the actual settlement of all sale transactions, based upon advices received by Custodian from Subcustodians, Depositories, and Foreign Depositories. Such funds shall be in U.S. dollars or such other currency as the Trust may specify to Custodian.

(b) Any foreign exchange transaction effected by Custodian in connection with this Agreement may be entered with Custodian or a Custodian Affiliate acting as principal or otherwise through customary banking channels. The Trust may issue a standing Certificate or Instructions with respect to foreign exchange transactions, but Custodian may establish rules or limitations concerning any foreign exchange facility made available to the Trust. The Trust shall bear all risks of investing in Securities or holding cash denominated in a foreign currency.

(c) To the extent that Custodian has agreed to provide pricing or other information services in connection with this Agreement, Custodian is authorized to utilize any

 

- 8 -


vendor (including brokers and dealers of Securities) reasonably believed by Custodian to be reliable to provide such information. The Trust understands that certain pricing information with respect to complex financial instruments (e.g., derivatives) may be based on calculated amounts rather than actual market transactions and may not reflect actual market values, and that the variance between such calculated amounts and actual market values may or may not be material. Where vendors do not provide information for particular Securities or other property, an Authorized Person may advise Custodian in a Certificate regarding the fair market value of, or provide other information with respect to, such Securities or property as determined by it in good faith. Custodian shall not be liable for any loss, damage or expense incurred as a result of errors or omissions with respect to any pricing or other information utilized by Custodian hereunder.

10. Until such time as Custodian receives a certificate to the contrary with respect to a particular Security, Custodian may release the identity of the Trust to an issuer which requests such information pursuant to the Shareholder Communications Act of 1985 for the specific purpose of direct communications between such issuer and shareholder.

ARTICLE IV

PURCHASE AND SALE OF SECURITIES;

CREDITS TO ACCOUNT

1. Promptly after each purchase or sale of Securities by the Trust, the Trust shall deliver to Custodian a Certificate or Instructions, or with respect to a purchase or sale of a Security generally required to be settled on the same day the purchase or sale is made, Oral Instructions specifying all information Custodian may reasonably request to settle such purchase or sale. Custodian shall account for all purchases and sales of Securities on the actual settlement date unless otherwise agreed by Custodian.

2. The Trust understands that when Custodian is instructed to deliver Securities against payment, delivery of such Securities and receipt of payment therefor may not be completed simultaneously. Notwithstanding any provision in this Agreement to the contrary, settlements, payments and deliveries of Securities may be effected by Custodian or any Subcustodian in accordance with the customary or established securities trading or securities processing practices and procedures in the jurisdiction in which the transaction occurs, including, without limitation, delivery to a purchaser or dealer therefor (or agent) against receipt with the expectation of receiving later payment for such Securities. The Trust assumes full responsibility for all risks, including, without limitation, credit risks, involved in connection with such deliveries of Securities.

3. Custodian may, as a matter of bookkeeping convenience or by separate agreement with the Trust, credit the Account with the proceeds from the sale, redemption or other disposition of Securities or interest, dividends or other distributions payable on Securities prior to its actual receipt of final payment therefor. All such credits shall be conditional until Custodian’s actual receipt of final payment and may be reversed by Custodian to the extent that final payment is not received. Payment with respect to a transaction will not be “final” until Custodian shall have received immediately available funds which under applicable local law,

 

- 9 -


rule and/or practice are irreversible and not subject to any security interest, levy or other encumbrance, and which are specifically applicable to such transaction.

4. On a relationship basis, Custodian will endeavor to provide the Trust with notice of its intent to withdraw any such credit, however its failure to do so will not limit Custodian’s discretion or authority to so withhold or withdraw credit at any given time.

ARTICLE V

OVERDRAFTS OR INDEBTEDNESS

1. If Custodian should in its sole discretion advance funds on behalf of any Series which results in an overdraft (including, without limitation, any day-light overdraft) because the money held by Custodian in an Account for such Series shall be insufficient to pay the total amount payable upon a purchase of Securities specifically allocated to such Series, as set forth in a Certificate, Instructions or Oral Instructions, or if an overdraft arises in the separate account of a Series for some other reason, including, without limitation, because of a reversal of a conditional credit or the purchase of any currency, or if the Trust is for any other reason indebted to Custodian with respect to a Series, including any indebtedness to The Bank of New York under the Trust’s Cash Management and Related Services Agreement (except a borrowing for investment or for temporary or emergency purposes using Securities as collateral pursuant to a separate agreement and subject to the provisions of Section 2 of this Article), such overdraft or indebtedness shall be deemed to be a loan made by Custodian to the Trust for such Series payable on demand and shall bear interest from the date incurred at a rate per annum ordinarily charged by Custodian to its institutional customers, as such rate may be adjusted from time to time. In addition, the Trust hereby agrees that Custodian shall to the maximum extent permitted by law have a continuing lien, security interest, and security entitlement in and to any property, including, without limitation, any investment property or any financial asset, of such Series at any time held by Custodian for the benefit of such Series or in which such Series may have an interest which is then in Custodian’s possession or control or in possession or control of any third party acting in Custodian’s behalf. The Trust authorizes Custodian, in its sole discretion, to be exercised in good faith, at any time to charge any such overdraft or indebtedness together with interest due thereon against any balance of account standing to such Series’ credit on Custodian’s books. For the avoidance of doubt, Custodian may not sell, transfer, lend or otherwise dispose of any Securities or other assets of a Series in which Custodian has a lien or security interest, except as permitted hereunder.

2. If the Trust borrows money from any bank (including Custodian if the borrowing is pursuant to a separate agreement) for investment or for temporary or emergency purposes using Securities held by Custodian hereunder as collateral for such borrowings, the Trust shall deliver to Custodian a Certificate specifying with respect to each such borrowing: (a) the Series to which such borrowing relates; (b) the name of the bank, (c) the amount of the borrowing, (d) the time and date, if known, on which the loan is to be entered into, (e) the total amount payable to the Trust on the borrowing date, (f) the Securities to be delivered as collateral for such loan, including the name of the issuer, the title and the number of shares or the principal amount of any particular Securities, and (g) a statement specifying whether such loan is for investment purposes or for temporary or emergency purposes and that such loan is in conformance with the ‘40 Act and the Trust’s prospectus. Custodian shall deliver on the borrowing date specified in a

 

- 10 -


Certificate the specified collateral against payment by the lending bank of the total amount of the loan payable, provided that the same conforms to the total amount payable as set forth in the Certificate. Custodian may, at the option of the lending bank, keep such collateral in its possession, but such collateral shall be subject to all rights therein given the lending bank by virtue of any promissory note or loan agreement. Custodian shall deliver such Securities as additional collateral as may be specified in a Certificate to collateralize further any transaction described in this Section. The Trust shall cause all Securities released from collateral status to be returned directly to Custodian, and Custodian shall receive from time to time such return of collateral as may be tendered to it. In the event that the Trust fails to specify in a Certificate the Series, the name of the issuer, the title and number of shares or the principal amount of any particular Securities to be delivered as collateral by Custodian, Custodian shall not be under any obligation to deliver any Securities.

ARTICLE VI

SALE AND REDEMPTION OF SHARES

1. Whenever the Trust shall sell any shares issued by the Trust (“Shares”) it shall deliver to Custodian a Certificate or Instructions, or cause the Trust’s Transfer Agent to provide instructions, specifying the amount of money, if any, and the particular Securities and the amount of each Security to be received by Custodian for the sale of such Shares and specifically allocated to an Account for such Series. Upon receipt of such money, if any, and such Securities, Custodian shall credit the same to an Account in the name of the Series for which such money, if any, and such Securities are received.

2. Whenever the Trust desires Custodian to make a payment, if any, and a delivery of Securities out of the money and Securities held by Custodian hereunder in connection with a redemption of any Shares, it shall furnish to Custodian a Certificate or Instructions, or cause the Trust’s Transfer Agent to provide instructions specifying the total amount of money, if any, to be paid, and the particular Securities and amount of each Security to be delivered, for the redemption of such Shares. Custodian shall make any such payment and such delivery of Shares, as directed by a Certificate or Instructions or instructions of the Trust’s transfer agent, out of the money and Securities held in an Account of the appropriate Series.

ARTICLE VII

PAYMENT OF DIVIDENDS OR DISTRIBUTIONS

1. Whenever the Trust shall determine to pay a dividend or distribution on Shares it shall furnish to Custodian Instructions or a Certificate setting forth with respect to the Series specified therein the date of the declaration of such dividend or distribution, the total amount payable, and the payment date.

2. Upon the payment date specified in such Instructions or Certificate, Custodian shall pay out of the money held for the account of such Series the total amount payable to the dividend agent of the Trust specified therein.

 

- 11 -


ARTICLE VIII

CONCERNING CUSTODIAN

1. (a) Custodian shall exercise reasonable care and diligence in carrying out all of its duties and obligations under this Agreement. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, Custodian shall not be liable for any costs, expenses, damages, liabilities or claims, including reasonable attorneys’ and accountants’ fees (collectively, “Losses”), incurred by or asserted against the Trust, except those Losses arising out of Custodian’s own negligence, bad faith, willful misfeasance, or reckless disregard of its duties hereunder, or breach of any representation or warranty of Custodian contained in this Agreement. Custodian shall have no liability whatsoever for the action or inaction of any Depositories or of any Foreign Depositories, except in each case to the extent such action or inaction is a result of the Custodian’s failure to fulfill its duties hereunder. With respect to any Losses incurred by the Trust as a result of the acts or any failures to act by any Subcustodian (other than a Custodian Affiliate), Custodian shall take appropriate action to recover such Losses from such Subcustodian; and Custodian’s sole responsibility and liability to the Trust shall be limited to amounts so received from such Subcustodian (exclusive of costs and expenses incurred by Custodian). In no event shall Custodian be liable to the Trust or any third party for special, indirect or consequential damages, or lost profits or loss of business, arising in connection with this Agreement, nor shall Custodian or any Subcustodian be liable: (i) for acting in accordance with any Certificate or Oral Instructions actually received by Custodian and reasonably believed by Custodian to be given by an Authorized Person; (ii) for acting in accordance with such Instructions without reviewing the same; (iii)  for presuming in good faith that all Instructions are given only by person(s) duly authorized; (iv)  for conclusively presuming that all disbursements of cash directed by the Trust, whether by a Certificate, an Oral Instruction, or an Instruction, are in accordance with Section 2(i) of Article II hereof; (v) for holding property in any particular country, including, but not limited to, Losses resulting from nationalization, expropriation or other governmental actions; regulation of the banking or securities industry; exchange or currency controls or restrictions, devaluations or fluctuations; availability of cash or Securities or market conditions which prevent the transfer of property or execution of Securities transactions or affect the value of property; (vi)  for any Losses due to forces beyond the control of Custodian, including without limitation strikes, work stoppages, acts of war or terrorism, insurrection, revolution, nuclear or natural catastrophes or acts of God, or interruptions, loss or malfunctions of utilities, communications or computer (software and hardware) services; (vii) for the insolvency of any Subcustodian (other than a Custodian Affiliate), any Depository, or, except to the extent such action or inaction is a result of Custodian’s failure to fulfill its duties hereunder, any Foreign Depository; or (viii)  for any Losses arising from the occurrence of any event, including, without limitation, implementation or adoption of any rules or procedures of a Foreign Depository, which may affect, limit, prevent or impose costs or burdens on, the transferability, convertibility, or availability of any currency or Composite Currency Unit in any country or on the transfer of any Securities, and in no event shall Custodian be obligated to substitute another currency for a currency (including a currency that is a component of a Composite Currency Unit) whose transferability, convertibility or availability has been affected, limited, or prevented by such law, regulation or event, and to the extent that any such law, regulation or event imposes a cost or charge upon Custodian in relation to the transferability, convertibility, or availability of any cash currency or Composite Currency Unit, such cost or charge shall be for the account of the Trust,

 

- 12 -


and Custodian may treat any account denominated in an affected currency as a group of separate accounts denominated in the relevant component currencies.

(b) Custodian may enter into subcontracts, agreements and understandings with any Custodian Affiliate, whenever and on such terms and conditions as it deems necessary or appropriate to perform its services hereunder. No such subcontract, agreement or understanding shall discharge Custodian from its obligations hereunder, and Custodian shall be liable for the acts or omissions of any such Custodian Affiliate to the same extent as it is liable for such acts or omissions under this Agreement.

(c) The Trust agrees to indemnify Custodian and hold Custodian harmless from and against any and all Losses sustained or incurred by or asserted against Custodian by reason of or as a result of any action or inaction, or arising out of Custodian’s performance hereunder, including reasonable fees and expenses of counsel incurred by Custodian in a successful defense of claims by the Trust; provided however, that the Trust shall not indemnify Custodian for those Losses arising out of Custodian’s own negligence, bad faith, willful misfeasance, reckless disregard for its duties hereunder, or breach of any representation or warranty of Custodian contained in this Agreement. This indemnity shall be a continuing obligation of the Trust, its successors and assigns, notwithstanding the termination of this Agreement. The Trust shall be entitled to participate at its own expense or, if it so elects, to assume the defense of any suit brought to enforce any claims subject to this indemnity provision. In no event shall the Trust be liable to the Custodian or any third party for special, indirect or consequential damages, or lost profits or loss of business, arising in connection with this Agreement. All obligations of the Trust under this Agreement shall apply only on a Series by Series basis, and the assets of one Series shall not be liable for the obligations of another Series.

(d) Custodian agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Trust, its officers, directors and employees and their respective successors and permitted assigns from and against any and all Losses determined by a final arbiter of competent jurisdiction to have been caused by Custodian’s negligence, bad faith, willful misfeasance, reckless disregard for its duties hereunder, or breach of any representation or warranty of Custodian contained in this Agreement; provided, that the Trust shall not be entitled to indemnification hereunder for costs, expenses, damages, liabilities or claims arising out of its negligence, bad faith, willful misfeasance, reckless disregard of its duties hereunder, or breach of any representation or warranty of the Trust contained in this Agreement. This indemnity shall be a continuing obligation of Custodian, its successors and assigns, notwithstanding the termination of this Agreement.

(e) A party seeking indemnification hereunder (the “Indemnified Party”) shall (i) provide prompt notice to the other party of any claim (“Claim”) for which it intends to seek indemnification, (ii) grant control of the defense and for settlement of the Claim to the other party, and (iii) cooperate with the other party in the defense thereof. The Indemnified Party shall have the right at its own expense to participate in the defense of any Claim, but shall not have the right to control the defense, consent to judgment or agree to the settlement of any Claim without the written consent of the other party. The party providing the indemnification shall not consent to the entry of any judgment or enter any settlement which (i) does not include, as an

 

- 13 -


unconditional term, the release by the claimant of all liabilities for Claims against the Indemnified Party or (ii) which otherwise adversely affects the rights of the Indemnified Party.

2. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, Custodian shall be under no obligation to inquire into, and shall not be liable for:

(a) Any Losses incurred by the Trust or any other person as a result of the receipt or acceptance of fraudulent, forged or invalid Securities, or Securities which are otherwise not freely transferable or deliverable without encumbrance in any relevant market;

(b) The validity of the issue of any Securities purchased, sold, or written by or for the Trust, the legality of the purchase, sale or writing thereof, or the propriety of the amount paid or received therefor;

(c) The legality of the sale or redemption of any Shares, or the propriety of the amount to be received or paid therefor;

(d) The legality of the declaration or payment of any dividend or distribution by the Trust;

(e) The legality of any borrowing by the Trust;

(f) The legality of any loan of portfolio Securities, nor shall Custodian be under any duty or obligation to see to it that any cash or collateral delivered to it by a broker, dealer or financial institution or held by it at any time as a result of such loan of portfolio Securities is adequate security for the Trust against any loss it might sustain as a result of such loan, which duty or obligation shall be the sole responsibility of the Trust. In addition, Custodian shall be under no duty or obligation to see that any broker, dealer or financial institution to which portfolio Securities of the Trust are lent makes payment to it of any dividends or interest which are payable to or for the account of the Trust during the period of such loan or at the termination of such loan, provided, however that Custodian shall promptly notify the Trust in the event that such dividends or interest are not paid and received when due;

(g) The sufficiency or value of any amounts of money and/or Securities held in any Special Account in connection with transactions by the Trust; whether any broker, dealer, futures commission merchant or clearing member makes payment to the Trust of any variation margin payment or similar payment which the Trust may be entitled to receive from such broker, dealer, futures commission merchant or clearing member, or whether any payment received by Custodian from any broker, dealer, futures commission merchant or clearing member is the amount the Trust is entitled to receive, or to notify the Trust of Custodian’s receipt or non-receipt of any such payment; or

(h) Whether any Securities at any time delivered to, or held by it or by any Subcustodian, for the account of the Trust and specifically allocated to a Series are such as properly may be held by the Trust or such Series under the provisions of its then current prospectus and statement of additional information, or to ascertain whether any transactions by the Trust, whether or not involving Custodian, are such transactions as may properly be engaged in by the Trust.

 

- 14 -


Notwithstanding the foregoing, to the extent the Trust inquires into matters described in Section VIII.2(a) or (b) above, Custodian shall provide reasonable assistance to the Trust in such inquiries at the Trust’s expense.

3. Custodian may, with respect to questions of law specifically regarding an Account, obtain the advice of the Trust’s counsel and shall be fully protected with respect to anything done or omitted by it provided that Custodian acts in good faith without negligence or willful misfeasance in carrying out such advice, and provided further that, any such action or omission by Custodian is consistent with Custodian’s rights and responsibilities under this Agreement.

4. Custodian shall be under no obligation to take action to collect any amount payable on Securities in default, or if payment is refused after due demand and presentment. Custodian shall as promptly as practicable under the circumstances, notify the Trust of any such default or refusal to pay.

5. Custodian shall have no duty or responsibility to inquire into, make recommendations, supervise, or determine the suitability of any transactions affecting any Account.

6. The Trust shall pay to Custodian the fees and charges as may be specifically agreed upon from time to time and such other fees and charges at Custodian’s standard rates for such services as may be applicable. The Trust shall reimburse Custodian for all costs associated with the conversion of the Trust’s Securities hereunder and the transfer of Securities and records kept in connection with this Agreement. The Trust shall also reimburse Custodian for out-of-pocket expenses which are a normal incident of the services provided hereunder.

7. Custodian has the right to debit any cash account for any amount payable by the Trust in connection with any and all obligations of the Trust to Custodian. In addition to the rights of Custodian under applicable law and other agreements, at any time when the Trust shall not have honored any of its obligations to Custodian, Custodian shall have the right without notice to the Trust to retain or set-off, against such obligations of the Trust, any Securities or cash Custodian or a Custodian Affiliate may directly or indirectly hold for the account of the Trust, and any obligations (whether matured or unmatured) that Custodian or a Custodian Affiliate may have to the Trust in any currency or Composite Currency Unit. Custodian, as a relationship accommodation, will endeavor in good faith to notify the Trust of any such setoffs, provided that failure to provide such notice by Custodian shall not have any bearing on Custodian’s entitlement, rights and remedies hereunder to exercise such set off rights. Any such asset of, or obligation to, the Trust may be transferred to Custodian and any Custodian Affiliate in order to effect the above rights.

8. The Trust agrees to forward to Custodian a Certificate or Instructions confirming Oral Instructions by the close of business of the same day that such Oral Instructions are given to Custodian. The Trust agrees that the fact that such confirming Certificate or Instructions are not received or that a contrary Certificate or contrary Instructions are received by Custodian shall in no way affect the validity or enforceability of transactions authorized by such Oral Instructions and effected by Custodian. If the Trust elects to transmit Instructions through an on-line communications system offered by Custodian, the Trust’s use thereof shall be subject to the

 

- 15 -


Terms and Conditions attached as Appendix I hereto. If Custodian receives Instructions which appear on their face to have been transmitted by an Authorized Person via (i) computer facsimile, email, the Internet or other insecure electronic method, or (ii) secure electronic transmission containing applicable authorization codes, passwords and/or authentication keys, the Trust understands and agrees that Custodian cannot determine the identity of the actual sender of such Instructions and that Custodian shall conclusively presume that such Written Instructions have been sent by an Authorized Person, and the Trust shall be responsible for ensuring that only Authorized Persons transmit such Instructions to Custodian. If the Trust elects (with Custodian’s prior consent) to transmit Instructions through an on-line communications service owned or operated by a third party, the Trust agrees that Custodian shall not be responsible or liable for the reliability or availability of any such service.

9. The books and records pertaining to the Trust which are in possession of Custodian shall be the property of the Trust. Such books and records shall be prepared and maintained by Custodian as required by the ‘40 Act and the rules thereunder, with particular attention to Section 31 and Rules 31a-1 and 31a-2 thereunder. The Trust, or its authorized representatives, shall have access to such books and records during Custodian’s normal business hours. Upon the reasonable request of the Trust, copies of any such books and records shall be provided by Custodian to the Trust or its authorized representative as soon as practicable under the circumstances. Upon the request of the Trust, Custodian shall provide in hard copy or on computer disc any records included in any such delivery which are maintained by Custodian on a computer disc, or are similarly maintained. In the event of the termination of this Agreement, the Trust’s books and records will be returned to the Trust upon request.

10. It is understood that Custodian is authorized to supply any information regarding the Accounts which is required by any law, regulation or rule now or hereafter in effect. The Custodian shall provide the Trust with any report obtained by the Custodian on the system of internal accounting control of a Depository, and with such reports on its own system of internal accounting control as the Trust may reasonably request from time to time.

11. Custodian shall have no duties or responsibilities whatsoever except such duties and responsibilities as are specifically set forth in this Agreement, and no covenant or obligation shall be implied against Custodian in connection with this Agreement, except as set forth in this Agreement.

ARTICLE IX

TERMINATION

1. The term of this Agreement shall be one year commencing upon the date hereof and shall automatically renew for additional one-year terms unless either of the parties hereto provides written notice of termination at least ninety (90) days prior to the end of any one year term or, unless earlier terminated as provided in Section 3 of this Article IX. In the event such notice is given by the Trust, it shall be accompanied by a copy of a resolution of the board of the Trust, certified by the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary, electing to terminate this Agreement and designating a successor custodian or custodians, each of which shall be a bank or trust company having not less than $2,000,000 aggregate capital, surplus and undivided profits. In the event such notice is given by Custodian, the Trust shall, on or before the termination date,

 

- 16 -


deliver to Custodian a copy of a resolution of the board of the Trust, certified by the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary, designating a successor custodian or custodians. In the absence of such designation by the Trust, Custodian may designate a successor custodian which shall be a bank or trust company having not less than $2,000,000 aggregate capital, surplus and undivided profits. Upon the date set forth in such notice this Agreement shall terminate, and Custodian shall upon receipt of a notice of acceptance by the successor custodian on that date deliver directly to the successor custodian all Securities and money then owned by the Trust and held by it as Custodian, after deducting all fees, expenses and other amounts for the payment or reimbursement of which it shall then be entitled.

2. If a successor custodian is not designated by the Trust or Custodian in accordance with the preceding Section, the Trust shall upon the date specified in the notice of termination of this Agreement and upon the delivery by Custodian of all Securities (other than Securities which cannot be delivered to the Trust) and money then owned by the Trust be deemed to be its own custodian and Custodian shall thereby be relieved of all duties and responsibilities pursuant to this Agreement, other than the duty with respect to Securities which cannot be delivered to the Trust to hold such Securities hereunder in accordance with this Agreement.

3. Notwithstanding Section 1 of this Article IX, the Trust may terminate the services of Custodian under this Agreement at any time (A) by providing thirty (30) days’ written notice in the event that Custodian (i) shall fail in any material respect to perform its duties and obligations hereunder pursuant to the applicable standard of care set forth herein, the Trust shall have given written notice thereof, and such material failure shall not have been remedied to the reasonable satisfaction of the Company within thirty (30) days after such written notice is received, or (ii) shall have ceased to be qualified as a custodian under the ‘40 Act, shall be indicted for a crime directly related to the services contemplated hereunder, shall commence any bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding or have such a bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding initiated against it which shall not be dismissed within sixty (60) days, or (B) immediately in the event of an appointment of a conservator or receiver for Custodian or any parent of Custodian by a regulatory agency or court of competent jurisdiction.

ARTICLE X

MISCELLANEOUS

1. The Trust agrees to furnish to Custodian a new Certificate of Authorized Persons in the event of any change in the then present Authorized Persons. Until such new Certificate is received, Custodian shall be fully protected in acting upon Certificates or Oral Instructions of such present Authorized Persons.

2. Any notice or other instrument in writing, authorized or required by this Agreement to be given to Custodian, shall be sufficiently given if addressed to Custodian and received by it at its offices at One Wall Street, New York, New York 10286, or at such other place as Custodian may from time to time designate in writing.

3. Any notice or other instrument in writing, authorized or required by this Agreement to be given to the Trust shall be sufficiently given if addressed to the Trust and received by it at

 

- 17 -


its offices at Reality Shares ETF Trust, 402 West Broadway, Suite 2800, San Diego, CA 92101, or at such other place as the Trust may from time to time designate in writing.

4. Each and every right granted to either party hereunder or under any other document delivered hereunder or in connection herewith, or allowed it by law or equity, shall be cumulative and may be exercised from time to time. No failure on the part of either party to exercise, and no delay in exercising, any right will operate as a waiver thereof, nor will any single or partial exercise by either party of any right preclude any other or future exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right.

5. In case any provision in or obligation under this Agreement shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any exclusive jurisdiction, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected thereby. This Agreement may not be amended or modified in any manner except by a written agreement executed by both parties, except that any amendment to the Schedule I hereto need be signed only by the Trust and any amendment to Appendix I hereto need be signed only by Custodian. This Agreement shall extend to and shall be binding upon the parties hereto, and their respective successors and assigns; provided, however, that this Agreement shall not be assignable by either party without the written consent of the other.

6. This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with the substantive laws of the State of New York, without regard to conflicts of laws principles thereof. The Trust and Custodian hereby consent to the jurisdiction of a state or federal court situated in New York City, New York in connection with any dispute arising hereunder. The Trust hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any objection which it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any such proceeding brought in such a court and any claim that such proceeding brought in such a court has been brought in an inconvenient forum. The Trust and Custodian each hereby irrevocably waives any and all rights to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement.

7. The Trust hereby acknowledges that Custodian is subject to federal laws, including the Customer Identification Program (CIP) requirements under the USA PATRIOT Act and its implementing regulations, pursuant to which Custodian must obtain, verify and record information that allows Custodian to identify the Trust. Accordingly, prior to opening an Account hereunder Custodian will ask the Trust to provide certain information including, but not limited to, the Trust’s name, physical address, tax identification number and other information that will help Custodian to identify and verify the Trust’s identity such as organizational documents, certificate of good standing, license to do business, or other pertinent identifying information. The Trust agrees that Custodian cannot open an Account hereunder unless and until Custodian verifies the Trust’s identity in accordance with its CIP.

8. The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation is a global financial organization that provides services to clients through its affiliates and subsidiaries in multiple jurisdictions (the “BNY Mellon Group”). The BNY Mellon Group may centralize functions including audit, accounting, risk, legal, compliance, sales, administration, product communication, relationship management, storage, compilation and analysis of customer-related data, and other functions (the “Centralized Functions”) in one or more affiliates, subsidiaries and third-party service providers.

 

- 18 -


Solely in connection with the Centralized Functions, (i) the Trust consents to the disclosure of and authorizes BNY Mellon to disclose information regarding the Trust (“Client-Related Data”) to the BNY Mellon Group and to its third-party service providers who are subject to confidentiality obligations with respect to such information and (ii) BNY Mellon may store the names and business contact information of the Trust’s employees and representatives on the systems or in the records of the BNY Mellon Group or its service providers. The BNY Mellon Group may aggregate Client-Related Data with other data collected and/or calculated by the BNY Mellon Group, and notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary the BNY Mellon Group will own all such aggregated data, provided that the BNY Mellon Group shall not distribute the aggregated data in a format that identifies Client-Related Data with a particular Fund. Each Fund confirms that it is authorized to consent to the foregoing.

9. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but such counterparts shall, together, constitute only one instrument.

 

- 19 -


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Trust and Custodian have caused this Agreement to be executed by their respective officers, thereunto duly authorized, as of the day and year first above written.

 

*       

By:    
Title:
Tax Identification No:
THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON
By:    
Title:

 

- 20 -


SCHEDULE I

CERTIFICATE OF AUTHORIZED PERSONS

(The Trust—Oral and Written Instructions)

The undersigned hereby certifies that he/she is the duly elected and acting                                  of * (the “Trust”), and further certifies that the following officers or employees of the Trust have been duly authorized in conformity with the Trust’s Declaration of Trust and By-Laws to deliver Certificates and Oral Instructions to The Bank of New York (“Custodian”) pursuant to the Custody Agreement between the Trust and Custodian dated,                      , and that the signatures appearing opposite their names are true and correct:

 

 

Name

  Title   Signature
 

Name

  Title   Signature
 

Name

  Title   Signature
 

Name

  Title   Signature
 

Name

  Title   Signature
 

Name

  Title   Signature
 

Name

  Title   Signature

This certificate supersedes any certificate of Authorized Persons you may currently have on file.

 

[seal]     By:    
      Title:

Date:


SCHEDULE II

SERIES

Reality Shares NASDAQ-100 Isolated Dividend Growth Index ETF

Reality Shares U.S. Isolated Dividend Growth Index ETF

Reality Shares Isolated Dividend Growth ETF


APPENDIX I

ELECTRONIC SERVICES TERMS AND CONDITIONS

1. License; Use. (a) This Appendix I shall govern the Trust’s use of electronic communications, information delivery, portfolio management and banking services, that The Bank of New York and its affiliates (“Custodian”) may provide to the Trust, such as The Bank of New York Inform TM and The Bank of New York CA$H-Register Plus ® , and any computer software, proprietary data and documentation provided by Custodian to the Trust in connection therewith (collectively, the “Electronic Services”). In the event of any conflict between the terms of this Appendix I and the main body of this Agreement with respect to the Trust’s use of the Electronic Services, the terms of this Appendix I shall control.

(b) Custodian grants to the Trust a personal, nontransferable and nonexclusive license to use the Electronic Services to which the Trust subscribes solely for the purpose of transmitting instructions and information (“Written Instructions”), obtaining reports, analyses and statements and other information and data, making inquiries and otherwise communicating with Custodian in connection with the Trust’s relationship with Custodian. The Trust shall use the Electronic Services solely for its own internal and proper business purposes and not in the operation of a service bureau. Except as set forth herein, no license or right of any kind is granted to with respect to the Electronic Services. The Trust acknowledges that Custodian and its suppliers retain and have title and exclusive proprietary rights to the Electronic Services, including any trade secrets or other ideas, concepts, know-how, methodologies, and information incorporated therein and the exclusive rights to any copyrights, trade dress, look and feel, trademarks and patents (including registrations and applications for registration of either), and other legal protections available in respect thereof. The Trust further acknowledges that all or a part of the Electronic Services may be copyrighted or trademarked (or a registration or claim made therefor) by Custodian or its suppliers. The Trust shall not take any action with respect to the Electronic Services inconsistent with the foregoing acknowledgments, nor shall the Trust attempt to decompile, reverse engineer or modify the Electronic Services. The Trust may not copy, distribute, sell, lease or provide, directly or indirectly, the Electronic Services or any portion thereof to any other person or entity without Custodian’s prior written consent. The Trust may not remove any statutory copyright notice or other notice included in the Electronic Services. The Trust shall reproduce any such notice on any reproduction of any portion of the Electronic Services and shall add any statutory copyright notice or other notice upon Custodian’s request.

(c) Portions of the Electronic Services may contain, deliver or rely on data supplied by third parties (“Third Party Data”), such as pricing data and indicative data, and services supplied by third parties (“Third Party Services”) such as analytic and accounting services. Third Party Data and Third Party Services supplied hereunder are obtained from sources that Custodian believes to be reliable but are provided without any


independent investigation by Custodian. Custodian and its suppliers do not represent or warrant that the Third Party Data or Third Party Services are correct, complete or current. Third Party Data and Third Party Services are proprietary to their suppliers, are provided solely for the Trust’s internal use, and may not be reused, disseminated or redistributed in any form. The Trust shall not use any Third Party Data in any manner that would act as a substitute for obtaining a license for the data directly from the supplier. Third Party Data and Third Party Services should not be used in making any investment decision. CUSTODIAN AND ITS SUPPLIERS ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY RESULTS OBTAINED FROM THE USE OF OR RELIANCE UPON THIRD PARTY DATA OR THIRD PARTY SERVICES. Custodian’s suppliers of Third Party Data and Services are intended third party beneficiaries of this Section 1(c) and Section 5 below.

(d) The Trust understands and agrees that any links in the Electronic Services to Internet sites may be to sites sponsored and maintained by third parties. Custodian make no guarantees, representations or warranties concerning the information contained in any third party site (including without limitation that such information is correct, current, complete or free of viruses or other contamination), or any products or services sold through third party sites. All such links to third party Internet sites are provided solely as a convenience to the Trust and the Trust accesses and uses such sites at its own risk. A link in the Electronic Services to a third party site does not constitute Custodian’s endorsement, authorisation or sponsorship of such site or any products and services available from such site.

2. Equipment. The Trust shall obtain and maintain at its own cost and expense all equipment and services, including but not limited to communications services, necessary for it to utilize and obtain access to the Electronic Services, and Custodian shall not be responsible for the reliability or availability of any such equipment or services.

3. Proprietary Information. The Electronic Services, and any proprietary data (including Third Party Data), processes, software, information and documentation made available to the Trust (other than which are or become part of the public domain or are legally required to be made available to the public) (collectively, the “Information”), are the exclusive and confidential property of Custodian or its suppliers. However, for the avoidance of doubt, reports generated by the Trust containing information relating to its account(s) (except for Third Party Data contained therein) are not deemed to be within the meaning of the term “Information.” the Trust shall keep the Information confidential by using the same care and discretion that the Trust uses with respect to its own confidential property and trade secrets, but not less than reasonable care. Upon termination of the Agreement or the licenses granted herein for any reason, the Trust shall return to Custodian any and all copies of the Information which are in its possession or under its control (except that the Trust may retain reports containing Third Party Data, provided that such Third Party Data remains subject to the provisions of this Appendix). The provisions of this Section 3 shall not affect the copyright status of any of the


Information which may be copyrighted and shall apply to all information whether or not copyrighted.

4. Modifications. Custodian reserves the right to modify the Electronic Services from time to time. The Trust agrees not to modify or attempt to modify the Electronic Services without Custodian’s prior written consent. The Trust acknowledges that any modifications to the Electronic Services, whether by the Trust or Custodian and whether with or without Custodian’s consent, shall become the property of Custodian.

5. NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES; LIMITATION OF LIABILITY. CUSTODIAN AND ITS MANUFACTURERS AND SUPPLIERS MAKE NO WARRANTIES OR REPRESENTATIONS WITH RESPECT TO THE ELECTRONIC SERVICES OR ANY THIRD PARTY DATA OR THIRD PARTY SERVICES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IN FACT OR IN LAW, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, NON-INFRINGEMENT AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. THE TRUST ACKNOWLEDGES THAT THE ELECTRONIC SERVICES, THIRD PARTY DATA AND THIRD PARTY SERVICES ARE PROVIDED “AS IS.” TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, IN NO EVENT SHALL CUSTODIAN OR ANY SUPPLIER BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES, WHETHER DIRECT, INDIRECT SPECIAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL, WHICH CUSTOMER MAY INCUR IN CONNECTION WITH THE ELECTRONIC SERVICES, THIRD PARTY DATA OR THIRD PARTY SERVICES, EVEN IF CUSTODIAN OR SUCH SUPPLIER KNEW OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. IN NO EVENT SHALL CUSTODIAN OR ANY SUPPLIER BE LIABLE FOR ACTS OF GOD, MACHINE OR COMPUTER BREAKDOWN OR MALFUNCTION, INTERRUPTION OR MALFUNCTION OF COMMUNICATION FACILITIES, LABOR DIFFICULTIES OR ANY OTHER SIMILAR OR DISSIMILAR CAUSE BEYOND THEIR REASONABLE CONTROL (A “FORCE MAJEURE EVENT”). CUSTODIAN WILL MAINTAIN THROUGHOUT THE TERM OF THIS AGREEMENT, SUCH DISASTER RECOVERY AND CONTINGENCY PLANS AND SYSTEMS AS IT REASONABLY BELIEVES TO BE CONSISTENT WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF ANY STATUTE, REGULATION OR RULE TO WHICH IT IS SUBJECT THAT IMPOSES BUSINESS RESUMPTION AND CONTINGENCY PLANNING STANDARDS. CUSTODIAN SHALL EMPLOY COMMERCIALLY REASONABLE EFFORTS TO RESUME PERFORMANCE AS SOON AS PRACTICABLE UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES, FOLLOWING THE OCCURRENCE OF A FORCE MAJEURE EVENT.

6. Security; Reliance; Unauthorized Use; Trusts Transfers. Custodian will establish security procedures to be followed in connection with the use of the Electronic Services, and the Trust agrees to comply with the security procedures. The Trust understands and agrees that the security procedures are intended to determine whether instructions received by Custodian through the Electronic Services are authorized but are not (unless otherwise specified in writing) intended to detect any errors contained in such


instructions. The Trust will cause all persons utilizing the Electronic Services to treat any user and authorization codes, passwords, authentication keys and other security devices with the highest degree of care and confidentiality. Upon termination of the Trust’s use of the Electronic Services, the Trust shall return to Custodian any security devices (e.g., token cards) provided by Custodian. Custodian is hereby irrevocably authorized to comply with and rely upon on Written Instructions and other communications, whether or not authorized, received by it through the Electronic Services. The Trust acknowledges that it has sole responsibility for ensuring that only Authorized Persons use the Electronic Services and that to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law Custodian shall not be responsible nor liable for any unauthorized use thereof or for any losses sustained by the Trust arising from or in connection with the use of the Electronic Services or Custodian’s reliance upon and compliance with Written Instructions and other communications received through the Electronic Services. With respect to instructions for a transfer of Trusts issued through the Electronic Services, when instructed to credit or pay a party by both name and a unique numeric or alpha-numeric identifier (e.g. ABA number or account number), the Custodian, its affiliates, and any other bank participating in the Trusts transfer, may rely solely on the unique identifier, even if it identifies a party different than the party named. Such reliance on a unique identifier shall apply to beneficiaries named in such instructions as well as any financial institution which is designated in such instructions to act as an intermediary in a Trusts transfer. It is understood and agreed that unless otherwise specifically provided herein, and to the extent permitted by applicable law, the parties hereto shall be bound by the rules of any Trusts transfer system utilized to effect a Trusts transfer hereunder.

7. Acknowledgments. Custodian shall acknowledge through the Electronic Services its receipt of each Written Instruction communicated through the Electronic Services, and in the absence of such acknowledgment Custodian shall not be liable for any failure to act in accordance with such Written Instruction and the Trust may not claim that such Written Instruction was received by Custodian. Custodian may in its discretion decline to act upon any instructions or communications that are insufficient or incomplete or are not received by Custodian in sufficient time for Custodian to act upon, or in accordance with such instructions or communications.

8. Viruses. The Trust agrees to use reasonable efforts to prevent the transmission through the Electronic Services of any software or file which contains any viruses, worms, harmful component or corrupted data and agrees not to use any device, software, or routine to interfere or attempt to interfere with the proper working of the Electronic Services.

9. Encryption. The Trust acknowledges and agrees that encryption may not be available for every communication through the Electronic Services, or for all data. The Trust agrees that Custodian may deactivate any encryption features at any time, without notice or liability to the Trust, for the purpose of maintaining, repairing or troubleshooting its systems.


10. On-Line Inquiry and Modification of Records. In connection with the Trust’s use of the Electronic Services, Custodian may, at the Trust’s request, permit the Trust to enter data directly into a Custodian database for the purpose of modifying certain information maintained by Custodian’s systems, including, but not limited to, change of address information. To the extent that the Trust is granted such access, the Trust agrees to indemnify and hold Custodian harmless from all loss, liability, cost, damage and expense (including attorney’s fees and expenses) to which Custodian may be subjected or which may be incurred in connection with any claim which may arise out of or as a result of changes to Custodian database records initiated by the Trust.

11. Agents. the Trust may, on advance written notice to the Custodian, permit its agents and contractors (“Agents”) to access and use the Electronic Services on the Trust’s behalf, except that the Custodian reserves the right to prohibit the Trust’s use of any particular Agent for any reason. The Trust shall require its Agent(s) to agree in writing to be bound by the terms of the Agreement, and the Trust shall be liable and responsible for any act or omission of such Agent in the same manner, and to the same extent, as though such act or omission were that of the Trust. Each submission of a Written Instruction or other communication by the Agent through the Electronic Services shall constitute a representation and warranty by the Trust that the Agent continues to be duly authorized by the Trust to so act on its behalf and the Custodian may rely on the representations and warranties made herein in complying with such Written Instruction or communication. Any Written Instruction or other communication through the Electronic Services by an Agent shall be deemed that of the Trust, and the Trust shall be bound thereby whether or not authorized. The Trust may, subject to the terms of this Agreement and upon advance written notice to the Bank, provide a copy of the Electronic Service user manuals to its Agent if the Agent requires such copies to use the Electronic Services on the Trust’s behalf. Upon cessation of any such Agent’s services, the Trust shall promptly terminate such Agent’s access to the Electronic Services, retrieve from the Agent any copies of the manuals and destroy them, and retrieve from the Agent any token cards or other security devices provided by Custodian and return them to Custodian.

LOGO

FORM OF FUND ADMINISTRATION AND ACCOUNTING AGREEMENT

AGREEMENT made as of                      , by and between each entity listed on Exhibit A hereto (each a “Fund”, collectively the “Funds”), and The Bank of New York Mellon, a New York banking organization (“BNY”).

W I T N E S S E T H :

WHEREAS, each Fund is an investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”); and

WHEREAS, each Fund desires to retain BNY to provide for the portfolios identified on Exhibit A hereto (each, a “Series”) the services described herein, and BNY is willing to provide such services, all as more fully set forth below;

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual promises and agreements contained herein, the parties hereby agree as follows:

1. Appointment.

Each Fund hereby appoints BNY as its agent for the term of this Agreement to perform the services described herein. BNY hereby accepts such appointment and agrees to perform the duties hereinafter set forth.

2. Representations and Warranties.

(a) Each Fund hereby represents and warrants to BNY, which representations and warranties shall be deemed to be continuing, that:

(i) 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;

(ii) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Fund in accordance with all requisite action and constitutes a valid and legally binding obligation of the Fund, enforceable in accordance with its terms;


(iii) It is conducting its business in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations, both state and federal, and has obtained all regulatory licenses, approvals and consents necessary to carry on its business as now conducted; there is no statute, regulation, rule, order or judgment binding on it and no provision of its charter or by-laws, nor of any mortgage, indenture, credit agreement or other contract binding on it or affecting its property which would prohibit its execution or performance of this Agreement;

(iv) To the extent the performance of any services described in Schedule I attached hereto by BNY in accordance with the then effective Prospectus (as hereinafter defined) for the Fund would violate any applicable laws or regulations, the Fund shall immediately so notify BNY in writing and thereafter shall either furnish BNY with the appropriate values of securities, net asset value or other computation, as the case may be, or, subject to the prior approval of BNY, instruct BNY in writing to value securities and/or compute net asset value or other computations in a manner the Fund specifies in writing, and either the furnishing of such values or the giving of such instructions shall constitute a representation by the Fund that the same is consistent with all applicable laws and regulations and with its Prospectus; and

(v) It has implemented, and is acting in accordance with, procedures reasonably designed to ensure that it will disseminate to all market participants, other than Authorized Participants (as defined in its Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information), each calculation of net asset value provided by BNY hereunder to Authorized Participants at the time BNY provides such calculation to Authorized Participants.

(b) BNY hereby represents and warrants to the Funds, which representations and warranties shall be deemed to be continuing that:

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

 

- 2 -


(ii) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by BNY in accordance with all requisite action and constitutes a valid and legally binding obligation of BNY, enforceable in accordance with its terms;

(iii) It has, and will maintain, such backup, contingency and disaster recovery procedures as are required by its regulators.

(iv) BNY has compliance policies and procedures reasonably designed to prevent violations of the federal securities laws, and it will cooperate with, make personnel available to, and provide such information as may reasonably be requested to the Funds’ Chief Compliance Officer (“CCO”) in order for the CCO to perform his or her duties under Rule 38a-1 under the 1940 Act. In addition, BNY will provide summary procedures and updates, as applicable, to the CCO concerning its compliance with applicable laws and regulations.

3. Delivery of Documents.

(a) Each Fund will promptly deliver to BNY true and correct copies of each of the following documents as currently in effect and will promptly deliver to it all future amendments and supplements thereto (or notify BNY that any such documents and/or amendments and supplements thereto are publicly available providing such web links as are appropriate), if any:

(i) The Fund’s articles of incorporation or other organizational document and all amendments thereto (the “Charter”);

(ii) The Fund’s bylaws (the “Bylaws”);

(iii) Resolutions of the Fund’s board of directors or other governing body (the “Board”) authorizing the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by the Fund;

(iv) The Fund’s registration statement most recently filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) relating to the shares of the Fund (the “Registration Statement”);

(v) The Fund’s Notification of Registration under the 1940 Act on

 

- 3 -


Form N-8A filed with the SEC;

(vi) The Fund’s Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information pertaining to each Series (collectively, the “Prospectus”); and

(vii) A copy of any and all SEC exemptive orders issued to the Fund.

(b) Each copy of the Charter shall be certified by the Secretary of State (or other appropriate official) of the state of organization, and if the Charter is required by law also to be filed with a county or other officer or official body, a certificate of such filing shall be filed with a certified copy submitted to BNY. Each copy of the Bylaws, Registration Statement and Prospectus, and all amendments thereto, and copies of Board resolutions, shall be certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the appropriate Fund.

(c) It shall be the sole responsibility of each Fund to deliver to BNY its currently effective Prospectus and BNY shall not be deemed to have notice of any information contained in such Prospectus that is not contained in a Prospectus previously delivered to BNY until it is actually received by BNY.

4. Duties and Obligations of BNY.

(a) Subject to the direction and control of each Fund’s Board and the provisions of this Agreement, BNY shall provide to each Fund the services set forth on Schedule I attached hereto.

(b) In performing hereunder, BNY shall provide, at its expense, office space, facilities, equipment and personnel.

(c) BNY shall not provide any services relating to the management, investment advisory or sub-advisory functions of any Fund, distribution of shares of any Fund, maintenance of any Fund’s financial records or other services normally performed by the Funds’ respective counsel or independent auditors.

(d) Each Fund shall cause its officers, advisors, sponsor, distributor, legal counsel, independent accountants, current administrator (if any), transfer agent, and any other service provider to cooperate with BNY and to provide BNY, upon reasonable request, with such information, documents and advice relating to such Fund as is within the possession or

 

- 4 -


knowledge of such persons, and which BNY reasonably believes is necessary in order to enable it to perform its duties hereunder. BNY shall not be responsible for, under any duty to inquire into, or be deemed to make any assurances with respect to the accuracy, validity or propriety of any information, documents or advice provided to BNY by any of the aforementioned persons. BNY shall not be liable for any loss, damage or expense resulting from or arising out of the failure of the Fund to cause any information, documents or advice to be provided to BNY as provided herein and shall be held harmless by each Fund when acting in good faith reliance upon such information, documents or advice relating to such Fund, provided that BNY has carried out its duties in accordance with its standard of care as set forth herein. All fees or costs charged by such persons shall be borne by the appropriate Fund. In the event that any services performed by BNY hereunder rely, in whole or in part, upon information obtained from a third party service utilized or subscribed to by BNY which BNY in its reasonable judgment deems reliable, BNY shall not have any responsibility or liability for, under any duty to inquire into, or deemed to make any assurances with respect to, the accuracy or completeness of such information.

(e) Nothing in this Agreement shall limit or restrict BNY, any affiliate of BNY or any officer or employee thereof from acting for or with any third parties, and providing services similar or identical to some or all of the services provided hereunder.

(f) Subject to the provisions of this Agreement, BNY shall compute the net asset value per share of each Fund and shall value the securities held by the Fund at such times and dates and in the manner specified in the then currently effective Prospectus of the Fund, except that notwithstanding any language in the Prospectus, in no event shall BNY be required to determine, or have any obligations with respect to, whether a market price represents any fair or true value, nor to adjust any price to reflect any events or announcements, including, without limitation, those with respect to the issuer thereof, it being agreed that all such determinations and considerations shall be solely the responsibility of the Fund. BNY shall provide a report of such net value to the Fund and Authorized Participants at the respective times set forth in Schedule I, as amended from time to time. To the extent valuation of securities or computation of a net asset value as specified in the Fund’s then currently effective Prospectus is at any time inconsistent with any applicable laws or regulations, the Fund shall immediately so notify BNY in writing and thereafter shall either furnish BNY at all appropriate times with the values of such securities and the Fund’s net asset value, or subject to the prior approval of BNY, instruct BNY

 

- 5 -


in writing to value securities and compute net asset value in a manner which the Fund then represents in writing to be consistent with all applicable laws and regulations. The Fund may also from time to time, subject to the prior approval of BNY, instruct BNY in writing to compute the value of the securities or net asset value in a manner other than as specified in this paragraph. By giving such instruction, the Fund shall be deemed to have represented that such instruction is consistent with all applicable laws and regulations and the then currently effective Prospectus of the Fund. The Fund shall have sole responsibility for determining the method of valuation of securities and the method of computing net asset value.

(g) The Fund shall furnish BNY with any and all instructions, explanations, information, specifications and documentation deemed reasonably necessary by BNY in the performance of its duties hereunder, including, without limitation, the amounts or written formula for calculating the amounts and times of accrual of Fund liabilities and expenses. BNY shall not be required to include as Fund liabilities and expenses, nor as a reduction of net asset value, any accrual for any federal, state, or foreign income taxes unless the Fund shall have specified to BNY the precise amount of the same to be included in liabilities and expenses or used to reduce net asset value. Each Fund shall also furnish BNY with bid, offer, or market values of Securities if BNY notifies such Fund that same are not available to BNY from a security pricing or similar service utilized, or subscribed to, by BNY which BNY in its reasonable judgment deems reliable at the time such information is required for calculations hereunder. At any time and from time to time, the Fund also may furnish BNY with bid, offer, or market values of Securities and instruct BNY to use such information in its calculations hereunder. BNY shall at no time be required or obligated to commence or maintain any utilization of, or subscriptions to, any particular securities pricing or similar service.

(h) BNY may apply to an officer or duly authorized agent of any Fund for written instructions with respect to any matter arising in connection with BNY’s performance hereunder for such Fund, and in the absence of manifest error, BNY shall not be liable for any action taken or omitted to be taken by it in good faith in accordance with such instructions. Such application for instructions shall set forth in writing any action proposed to be taken or omitted to be taken by BNY, in good faith, with respect to its duties or obligations under this Agreement and the date on and/or after which such action shall be taken, and BNY shall not be liable for any action taken or omitted to be taken in good faith accordance with a proposal included in any such

 

- 6 -


application on or after the date specified therein unless, prior to taking or omitting to take any such action, BNY has received written instructions in response to such application specifying the action to be taken or omitted.

(i) BNY may consult with counsel to the appropriate Fund and shall be fully protected with respect to anything done or omitted by it provided that BNY acts in good faith and without negligence or willful misfeasance in carrying out such advice or opinion of such counsel to the Fund, and provided further that, any such action or omission by BNY is consistent with BNY’s rights and responsibilities under this Agreement.

(j) Notwithstanding any other provision contained in this Agreement or Schedule I attached hereto, BNY shall have no duty or obligation to determine, or advise or notify any Fund of: (i) the taxable nature of any distribution or amount received or deemed received by, or payable to, a Fund, (ii) the taxable nature or effect on a Fund or its shareholders of any corporate actions, class actions, tax reclaims (provided that, certain services relating to tax reclaims may be provided by BNY subject to the terms and conditions of a custodial services agreement), tax refunds or similar events, (iii) the taxable nature or taxable amount of any distribution or dividend paid, payable or deemed paid, by a Fund to its shareholders; or (iv) the effect under any federal, state, or foreign income tax laws of a Fund making or not making any distribution or dividend payment, or any election with respect thereto.

(k) BNY shall have no duties or responsibilities whatsoever except such duties and responsibilities as are specifically set forth in this Agreement and Schedule I attached hereto, and no covenant or obligation, except for those set forth herein, shall be implied against BNY in connection with this Agreement.

(l) BNY, in performing the services required of it under the terms of this Agreement, shall be entitled to rely fully on the accuracy and validity of any and all instructions, explanations, information, specifications and documentation furnished to it on behalf of a Fund, and shall have no duty or obligation to review the accuracy, validity or propriety of such instructions, explanations, information, specifications or documentation, including, without limitation, evaluations of securities; the amounts or formula for calculating the amounts and times of accrual of Series’ liabilities and expenses; the amounts receivable and the amounts payable on the sale or purchase of Securities; and amounts receivable or amounts payable for the

 

- 7 -


sale or redemption of Fund shares effected by or on behalf of a Fund. In the event BNY’s computations hereunder rely, in whole or in part, upon information, including, without limitation, bid, offer or market values of securities or other assets, or accruals of interest or earnings thereon, from a pricing or similar service utilized, or subscribed to, by BNY which BNY in its reasonable judgment deems reliable, BNY shall not be responsible for, under any duty to inquire into, or deemed to make any assurances with respect to, the accuracy or completeness of such information. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, BNY shall not be required to inquire into any valuation of securities or other assets by a Fund or any third party described in this subsection (m) even though BNY in performing services similar to the services provided pursuant to this Agreement for others may receive different valuations of the same or different securities of the same issuers.

(m) BNY, in performing the services required of it under the terms of this Agreement, shall not be responsible for determining whether any interest accruable to a Fund is or will be actually paid, but will accrue such interest until otherwise instructed by such Fund.

(n) BNY shall not be responsible for delays or errors which occur by reason of circumstances beyond its reasonable control in the performance of its duties under this Agreement, including, without limitation, labor difficulties within or without BNY, mechanical breakdowns, flood or catastrophe, acts of God, failures of transportation, interruptions, loss, or malfunctions of utilities, communications or computer (hardware or software) services. Nor shall BNY be responsible for delays or failures to supply the information or services specified in this Agreement where such delays or failures are caused by the failure of any person(s), other than BNY or a BNY affiliate, to supply any instructions, explanations, information, specifications or documentation deemed necessary by BNY in the performance of its duties under this Agreement. Upon the occurrence of any such delay or failure BNY shall use commercially reasonable best efforts to resume performance as soon as practicable under the circumstances.

(o) The books and records pertaining to the Funds which are in possession of BNY shall be the property of the Funds. Such books and records shall be prepared and maintained by BNY as required by the 1940 Act and the rules thereunder, with particular attention to Section 31 and Rules 31a-1 and 31a-2 thereunder. The Funds, or their authorized

 

- 8 -


representatives, shall have access to such books and records during BNY’s normal business hours. Upon the reasonable request of a Fund, copies of any such books and records shall be provided by BNY to the Fund or its authorized representative as soon as practicable under the circumstances. Upon the request of a Fund, BNY shall provide in hard copy or on computer disc any records which are maintained by BNY on a computer disc, or are similarly maintained. In the event of the termination of this Agreement, the Funds’ books and records will be returned to the Funds upon request.

5. Allocation of Expenses.

Except as otherwise provided herein, all costs and expenses arising or incurred in connection with the performance of this Agreement shall be paid by the appropriate Fund, including but not limited to, organizational costs and costs of maintaining corporate existence, taxes, interest, brokerage fees and commissions, insurance premiums, compensation and expenses of such Fund’s trustees, directors, officers or employees, legal, accounting and audit expenses, management, advisory, sub-advisory, administration and shareholder servicing fees, charges of custodians, transfer and dividend disbursing agents, expenses (including clerical expenses) incident to the issuance, redemption or repurchase of Fund shares, fees and expenses incident to the registration or qualification under federal or state securities laws of the Fund or its shares, costs (including printing and mailing costs) of preparing and distributing Prospectuses, reports, notices and proxy material to such Fund’s shareholders, all expenses incidental to holding meetings of such Fund’s trustees, directors and shareholders, and extraordinary expenses as may arise, including litigation affecting such Fund and legal obligations relating thereto for which the Fund may have to indemnify its trustees, directors and officers. Except as otherwise provided herein and in the related fee schedule, as may be amended from time to time, BNY shall pay all of its costs and expenses arising or incurred in connection with its performance under this Agreement.

6. Compliance Services.

(a) If Schedule I contains a requirement for the BNY to provide the Fund with compliance services, such services shall be provided pursuant to the terms of this Section 6 (the “Compliance Services”). The precise compliance review and testing services to be provided shall be as mutually agreed and documented between the BNY and each Fund, and the results of

 

- 9 -


the BNY’s Compliance Services shall be detailed in a compliance summary report (the “Compliance Summary Report”) prepared on a periodic basis as mutually agreed. Each Compliance Summary Report shall be subject to review and approval by the Fund. The BNY shall have no responsibility or obligation to provide Compliance Services other that those services specifically listed in Schedule I.

(b) The Fund will examine each Compliance Summary Report delivered to it by the BNY and notify the BNY of any error, omission or discrepancy within ten (10) days of its receipt. The Fund agrees to notify the BNY promptly if it fails to receive any such Compliance Summary Report. The Fund further acknowledges that unless it notifies the BNY of any error, omission or discrepancy within 10 days, such Compliance Summary Report shall be deemed to be correct and conclusive in all respects. In addition, if the Fund learns of any out-of-compliance condition before receiving a Compliance Summary Report reflecting such condition, the Fund will notify the BNY of such condition within one business day after discovery thereof.

(c) While BNY will endeavor to identify out-of-compliance conditions, BNY does not and could not for the fees charged, make any guarantees with respect to its ability to identify all such conditions. Provided BNY acted in good faith, in the event of any errors or omissions in the performance of Compliance Services, the Fund’s sole and exclusive remedy and the BNY’s sole liability shall be limited to re-performance by the BNY of the Compliance Services affected and in connection therewith the correction of any error or omission, if practicable and the preparation of a corrected report, at no cost to the Fund.

7. Rule 38a-1 and Regulatory Administration Services.

(a) If Schedule I contains a requirement for BNY to provide a Fund with compliance support services related to Rule 38a-1 promulgated under the 1940 Act and/or Regulatory Administration services, such services shall be provided pursuant to the terms of this Section 7 (such services, collectively hereinafter referred to as the “Regulatory Support Services”).

(b) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, the Regulatory Support Services provided by BNY under this Agreement are administrative in nature and do not

 

- 10 -


constitute, nor shall they be construed as constituting, legal advice or the provision of legal services for or on behalf of a Fund or any other person.

(c) All work product produced by BNY as outlined at Schedule I in connection with its provision of Regulatory Support Services under this Agreement is subject to review and approval by the applicable Fund and by the Fund’s legal counsel. The Regulatory Support Services performed by BNY under this Agreement will be at the request and direction of the Fund and/or its chief compliance officer (the “Fund’s CCO”), as applicable. BNY disclaims liability to the Fund, and the Fund is solely responsible, for the selection, qualifications and performance of the Fund’s CCO and the adequacy and effectiveness of the Fund’s compliance program.

8. Standard of Care; Indemnification.

(a) Except as otherwise provided herein, BNY shall exercise reasonable care and diligence in carrying out all of its duties and obligations under this Agreement and BNY shall not be liable for any costs, expenses, damages, liabilities or claims (including reasonable attorneys’ and accountants’ fees) incurred by a Fund, except those costs, expenses, damages, liabilities or claims arising out of BNY’s own negligence, bad faith, willful misfeasance, reckless disregard of its duties hereunder, or breach of any representation or warranty of BNY contained in this Agreement. In no event shall either party be liable to the other party or any third party for special, indirect or consequential damages, or lost profits or loss of business, arising under or in connection with this Agreement, even if previously informed of the possibility of such damages and regardless of the form of action.

(b) Each Fund shall indemnify and hold harmless BNY from and against any and all costs, expenses, damages, liabilities and claims (including claims asserted by a Fund), and reasonable attorneys’ and accountants’ fees relating thereto, which are sustained or incurred by or which may be asserted by a third party against BNY, by reason of or as a result of any action taken or omitted to be taken by BNY in good faith hereunder or in reliance upon (i) any law, act, regulation or interpretation of the same even though the same may thereafter have been altered, changed, amended or repealed, (ii) such Fund’s Registration Statement or Prospectus, (iii) any instructions of an officer of such Fund, or (iv) any opinion of legal counsel for such

 

- 11 -


Fund pursuant to Section 4(j) of this Agreement, or arising out of transactions or other activities of such Fund which occurred prior to the commencement of this Agreement; provided, that no Fund shall indemnify BNY for costs, expenses, damages, liabilities or claims for which BNY is liable under preceding 8(a). This indemnity shall be a continuing obligation of each Fund, its successors and assigns, notwithstanding the termination of this Agreement.

(c) Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, each Fund shall indemnify BNY against and save BNY harmless from any loss, damage or expense, including reasonable counsel fees and other costs and expenses of a defense against any claim or liability, arising from any one or more of the following:

(i) Errors in records or instructions, explanations, information, specifications or documentation of any kind, as the case may be, supplied to BNY by or on behalf of a Fund;

(ii) Action or inaction taken or omitted to be taken by BNY pursuant to written or oral instructions of the Fund or otherwise carried out by BNY without negligence, bad faith, willful misfeasance or reckless disregard of its duties hereunder;

(iii) Any action taken or omitted to be taken by BNY in good faith in accordance with the advice or opinion of counsel for a Fund or its own counsel pursuant to Section 4(i) of this Agreement;

(iv) Any improper use by a Fund or its agents, distributor or investment advisor of any valuations or computations supplied by BNY pursuant to this Agreement;

(v) The method of valuation of the securities and the method of computing each Fund’s net asset value to the extent such methods were instructed by a Fund or its agents, directly or by way of its Prospectus; or

(vi) Any valuations of securities or net asset value provided by a Fund.

(d) Actions taken or omitted in reliance on oral or written instructions, or upon any information, order, indenture, stock certificate, power of attorney, assignment, affidavit or other instrument believed by BNY to be genuine or bearing the signature of a person or persons believed to be authorized to sign, countersign or execute the same, or upon the opinion of legal counsel for a Fund or its own counsel, shall be conclusively presumed to have been

 

- 12 -


taken or omitted in good faith, which presumption may be rebutted by evidence.

(e) BNY agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Fund, its officers, directors and employees and their respective successors and permitted assigns from and against any and all liabilities, claims, costs, fines, damages, expenses, losses and reasonable attorneys’ fees determined by a final arbiter of competent jurisdiction to have arisen out of BNY’s negligence, bad faith, willful misfeasance, reckless disregard for its duties hereunder, or breach of any representation or warranty of BNY contained in this Agreement; provided, that the Fund shall not be entitled to indemnification hereunder for costs, expenses, damages, liabilities or claims arising out of its negligence, bad faith, willful misfeasance, reckless disregard of its duties hereunder, or breach of any representation or warranty of the Fund contained in this Agreement. This indemnity shall be a continuing obligation of BNY, its successors and assigns, notwithstanding the termination of this Agreement.

(f) A party seeking indemnification hereunder (the “Indemnified Party”) shall (i) provide prompt notice to the other party of any claim (“Claim”) for which it intends to seek indemnification, (ii) grant control of the defense and for settlement of the Claim to the other party, and (iii) cooperate with the other party in the defense thereof. The Indemnified Party shall have the right at its own expense to participate in the defense of any Claim, but shall not have the right to control the defense, consent to judgment or agree to the settlement of any Claim without the written consent of the other party. The party providing the indemnification shall not consent to the entry of any judgment or enter any settlement which (i) does not include, as an unconditional term, the release by the claimant of all liabilities for Claims against the Indemnified Party or (ii) which otherwise adversely affects the rights of the Indemnified Party.

(g) Notwithstanding any other provision contained in this Agreement, BNY shall have no duty or obligation with respect to, including, without limitation, any duty or obligation to determine, or advise or notify the Fund of: (a) the taxable nature of any distribution or amount received or deemed received by, or payable to, a Fund; (b) the taxable nature or effect on a Fund or its shareholders of any corporate actions, class actions, tax reclaims, tax refunds, or similar events; (c) the taxable nature or taxable amount of any distribution or dividend paid, payable or deemed paid, by a Fund to its shareholders; or (d) the effect under any federal, state, or foreign income tax laws of the Fund making or not making any distribution or dividend

 

- 13 -


payment, or any election with respect thereto.

(h) All obligations of a Fund under this Agreement shall apply only on a Series by Series basis, and the assets of one Series shall not be liable for the obligations of another Series.

9. Compensation.

For the services provided hereunder, each Fund agrees to pay BNY such compensation as is mutually agreed from time to time and such reasonable out-of-pocket expenses (e.g., telecommunication charges, postage and delivery charges, record retention costs, reproduction charges and transportation and lodging costs) as are incurred by BNY in performing its duties hereunder. Except as hereinafter set forth, compensation shall be calculated and accrued daily and paid monthly. Each Fund authorizes BNY to debit such Fund’s custody account for all amounts due and payable hereunder. BNY shall deliver to each Fund invoices for services rendered after debiting such Fund’s custody account with an indication that payment has been made. Upon termination of this Agreement before the end of any month, the compensation for such part of a month shall be prorated according to the proportion which such period bears to the full monthly period and shall be payable upon the effective date of termination of this Agreement. For the purpose of determining compensation payable to BNY, each Fund’s net asset value shall be computed at the times and in the manner specified in the Fund’s Prospectus.

10. Term of Agreement.

(a) The term of this Agreement shall be one year commencing upon the date hereof and shall automatically renew for additional one-year terms unless either party provides written notice of termination at least ninety (90) days prior to the end of any one year term or, unless earlier terminated as provided in Section 10(b) below. Upon termination hereof, the affected Fund(s) shall pay to BNY such compensation as may be due as of the date of such termination, and shall reimburse BNY for any disbursements and expenses made or incurred by BNY and payable or reimbursable hereunder.

(b) Notwithstanding the foregoing, BNY may terminate this Agreement upon 30 days prior written notice to a Fund if such Fund shall terminate its custody agreement with The Bank of New York Mellon, and either party may terminate the Agreement upon 30 days

 

- 14 -


prior written notice if the other party fails to perform its obligations hereunder in a material respect and does not cure such material failure within 30 days of receiving such written notice.

(c) The terms of Sections 7 and 8 shall survive the termination of this Agreement.

11. Authorized Persons.

Attached hereto as Exhibit B is a list of persons duly authorized by the board of each Fund to execute this Agreement and give any written or oral instructions, or written or oral specifications, by or on behalf of such Fund. From time to time each Fund may deliver a new Exhibit B to add or delete any person and BNY shall be entitled to rely on the last Exhibit B actually received by BNY.

12. Amendment.

This Agreement may not be amended or modified in any manner except by a written agreement executed by BNY and the Fund to be bound thereby, and authorized or approved by such Fund’s Board.

13. Assignment; Subcontracting.

(a) This Agreement shall extend to and shall be binding upon the parties hereto, and their respective successors and assigns; provided, however, that this Agreement shall not be assignable or delegable by any Fund without the written consent of BNY, or by BNY without the written consent of the affected Fund.

(b) Notwithstanding the foregoing: (i) BNY may assign or transfer this Agreement to any BNY Affiliate or transfer this Agreement in connection with a sale of a majority or more of its assets, equity interests or voting control, provided that BNY gives the relevant Funds thirty (30) days’ prior written notice of such assignment or transfer and such assignment or transfer does not impair the provision of services under this Agreement in any material respect, and the assignee or transferee agrees to be bound by all terms of this Agreement in place of BNY; (ii) BNY may subcontract with, hire, engage or otherwise outsource to any BNY Affiliate with respect to the performance of any one or more of the functions, services, duties or obligations of BNY under this Agreement but any such subcontracting, hiring, engaging or outsourcing shall

 

- 15 -


not relieve BNY of any of its liabilities hereunder; (iii) BNY may subcontract with, hire, engage or otherwise outsource to an unaffiliated third party with respect to the performance of any one or more of the functions, services, duties or obligations of BNY under this Agreement but any such subcontracting, hiring, engaging or outsourcing shall (A) require the prior written consent of the relevant Funds; (B) limit BNY’s liability such that BNY shall only be liable for failure to reasonably select such unaffiliated third party, and BNY shall have no liability for any acts or omissions to act of such unaffiliated third party; and (C) require such unaffiliated third party to agree to be bound by substantively the same obligations and restrictions with respect to the subcontracted service, and be liable to the same extent, as BNY pursuant to this Agreement; and (iv) BNY, in the course of providing certain additional services requested by a Fund, including but not limited to, Typesetting, or eBoard Book services (“Vendor Eligible Services”) as further described in Schedule I, may in its sole discretion, enter into an agreement or agreements with a financial printer or electronic services provider (“Vendor”) to provide BNY with the ability to generate certain reports or provide certain functionality. BNY shall not be obligated to perform any of the Vendor Eligible Services unless an agreement between BNY and the Vendor for the provision of such services is then-currently in effect, and shall only be liable for the failure to reasonably select the Vendor. Upon request, BNY will disclose the identity of the Vendor and the status of the contractual relationship, and a Fund is free to attempt to contract directly with the Vendor for the provision of the Vendor Eligible Services.

(c) As compensation for the Vendor Eligible Services rendered by BNY pursuant to this Agreement, the applicable Fund will pay to BNY such fees as may be agreed to in writing by the Fund and BNY. In turn, BNY will be responsible for paying the Vendor’s fees. For the avoidance of doubt, BNY anticipates that the fees it charges hereunder will be more than the fees charged to it by the Vendor, and BNY will retain the difference between the amount paid to BNY hereunder and the fees BNY pays to the Vendor as compensation for the additional services provided by BNY in the course of making the Vendor Eligible Services available to the Fund.

 

- 16 -


14. Governing Law; Consent to Jurisdiction.

This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without regard to conflict of laws principles thereof. Each Fund hereby consents to the jurisdiction of a state or federal court situated in New York City, New York in connection with any dispute arising hereunder, and waives to the fullest extent permitted by law its right to a trial by jury. To the extent that in any jurisdiction any Fund may now or hereafter be entitled to claim, for itself or its assets, immunity from suit, execution, attachment (before or after judgment) or other legal process, such Fund irrevocably agrees not to claim, and it hereby waives, such immunity.

15. Severability.

In case any provision in or obligation under this Agreement shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any jurisdiction, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions or obligations shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby, and if any provision is inapplicable to any person or circumstances, it shall nevertheless remain applicable to all other persons and circumstances.

16. No Waiver.

Each and every right granted to BNY hereunder or under any other document delivered hereunder or in connection herewith, or allowed it by law or equity, shall be cumulative and may be exercised from time to time. No failure on the part of BNY to exercise, and no delay in exercising, any right will operate as a waiver thereof, nor will any single or partial exercise by BNY of any right preclude any other or future exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right.

17. Notices.

All notices, requests, consents and other communications pursuant to this Agreement in writing shall be sent as follows:

 

- 17 -


if to a Fund, at

Reality Shares ETF Trust

402 West Broadway, Suite

2800 San Diego, CA 92101

if to BNY, at

The Bank of New York Mellon

One Wall Street

New York, New York 10286

Attention:

Title:

or at such other place as may from time to time be designated in writing. Notices hereunder shall be effective upon receipt.

18. Counterparts.

This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original; but such counterparts together shall constitute only one instrument.

19. Several Obligations.

The parties acknowledge that the obligations of the Funds hereunder are several and not joint, that no Fund shall be liable for any amount owing by another Fund and that the Funds have executed one instrument for convenience only.

 

- 18 -


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused the foregoing instrument to be executed by their duly authorized officers and their seals to be hereunto affixed, all as of the day and year first above written.

 

By:    
  on behalf of each Fund identified on Exhibit A attached hereto

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON
By:  
Title:  

 

- 19 -


EXHIBIT A

 

Fund Name

  

Series

Reality Shares ETF Trust

  

Reality Shares NASDAQ-100 Isolated Dividend Growth Index ETF

Reality Shares U.S. Isolated Dividend Growth Index ETF

ETF Reality Shares Isolated Dividend Growth ETF


EXHIBIT B

I,                     , of *, a (State) corporation (the “Fund”), do hereby certify that:

The following individuals serve in the following positions with the Fund, and each has been duly elected or appointed to each such position and qualified therefor in conformity with the Fund’s organizational documents and by-laws, and the signatures set forth opposite their respective names are their true and correct signatures. Each such person is authorized to give written or oral instructions or written or oral specifications by or on behalf of the Fund to BNY.

 

Name        Position        Signature
               


SCHEDULE I

Schedule of Services

All services provided in this Schedule of Services are subject to the review and approval of the appropriate Fund officers, Fund counsel and accountants of each Fund, as may be applicable. The services included on this Schedule of Services may be provided by BNY or a BNY Affiliate, collectively referred to herein as “BNY Mellon”.

VALUATION SUPPORT AND COMPUTATION ACCOUNTING SERVICES

BNY Mellon shall provide the following valuation support and computation accounting services for each Fund:

 

    Journalize investment, capital share and income and expense activities;

 

    Maintain individual ledgers for investment securities;

 

    Maintain historical tax lots for each security;

 

    Reconcile cash and investment balances of each Fund with the Fund’s custodian and provide a Fund’s investment adviser, as applicable, with the beginning cash balance available for investment purposes upon request;

 

    Calculate various contractual expenses;

 

    Calculate capital gains and losses;

 

    Calculate daily distribution rate per share;

 

    Determine net income;

 

    Obtain security market quotes and currency exchange rates from pricing services approved by a Fund’s investment adviser, or if such quotes are unavailable, then obtain such prices from the Fund’s investment adviser, and in either case, calculate the market value of each Fund’s investments in accordance with the Fund’s valuation policies or guidelines; provided, however, that BNY Mellon shall not under any circumstances be under a duty to independently price or value any of the Fund’s investments, including securities lending related cash collateral investments, itself or to confirm or validate any information or valuation provided by the investment adviser or any other pricing source, nor shall BNY Mellon have any liability relating to inaccuracies or otherwise with respect to such information or valuations;

 

    Calculate Net Asset Value in the manner specified in the Fund’s Offering Materials (which, for the service described herein, shall include the Fund’s Net Asset Value error policy);

 

    Transmit or make available a copy of the daily portfolio valuation to a Fund’s investment adviser;

 

    Calculate yields and portfolio average dollar-weighted maturity as applicable; and

 

    Calculate portfolio turnover rate for inclusion in the annual and semi-annual shareholder reports.

FINANCIAL REPORTING

BNY Mellon shall provide the following financial reporting services for each Fund:

 

    Financial Statement Preparation & Review


    Prepare the Fund’s annual and semi-annual shareholder reports 1 for shareholder delivery and for inclusion in Form N-CSR;

 

    Prepare the Fund’s quarterly schedule of portfolio holdings 1 for inclusion in Form N-Q;

 

    Prepare, circulate and maintain the Fund’s financial reporting production calendar;

 

    Prepare and file (or coordinate the filing of) the Fund’s Form N-SAR;

 

    Prepare and file (or coordinate the filing of) the Fund’s Form 24f-2; and

 

    Prepare and coordinate the filing of the Fund’s monthly website files and Form N-MFP, as applicable to money market funds.

 

    Typesetting Services

 

    Create financial compositions for the applicable financial report and related EDGAR files;

 

    Maintain country codes, industry class codes, security class codes and state codes;

 

    Map individual general ledger accounts into master accounts to be displayed in the applicable financial reports;

 

    Create components that will specify the proper grouping and sorting for display of portfolio information;

 

    Create components that will specify the proper calculation and display of financial data required for each applicable financial report (except for identified manual entries, which BNY Mellon will enter);

 

    Process, convert and load security and general ledger data;

 

    Include data in financial reports provided from external parties to BNY Mellon which includes, but is not limited to: shareholder letters, “Management Discussion and Analysis” commentary, notes on performance, notes to financials, report of independent auditors, Fund management listing, service providers listing and Fund spectrums;

 

    Document publishing, including the output of print-ready PDF files and EDGAR html files (such EDGAR html files will be limited to one per the applicable financial report and unless mutually agreed to in writing between BNY Mellon and a Fund, BNY Mellon will use the same layout for production data for every successive reporting period);

 

    Generate financial reports using the Vendor’s capabilities which include the following:

 

    front/back cover;

 

    table of contents;

 

    shareholder letter;

 

    Management Discussion and Analysis commentary;

 

    sector weighting graphs/tables;

 

    disclosure of Fund expenses;

 

    schedules of investments;

 

    statement of net assets;

 

    statements of assets and liabilities;

 

    statements of operation;

 

    statements of changes;

 

 

1   Requires “Typesetting Services” as described herein.

 

- 2 -


    statements of cash flows;

 

    financial highlights;

 

    notes to financial statements;

 

    report of independent registered public accounting firm;

 

    tax information; and

 

    additional Fund information as mutually agreed in writing between BNY Mellon and a Fund.

 

    Unless mutually agreed in writing between BNY Mellon and a Fund, BNY Mellon will use the same layout and format for every successive reporting period for the typeset reports. At the request of a Fund and upon the mutual written agreement of BNY Mellon and the Fund as to the scope of any changes and additional compensation of BNY Mellon, BNY Mellon will, or will cause the Vendor to, change the format or layout of reports from time to time.

TAX SERVICES

BNY Mellon shall provide the following tax services for each Fund:

 

    Tax Provision Preparation

 

    Prepare fiscal year-end tax provision analysis;

 

    Process tax adjustments on securities identified by a Fund that require such treatment;

 

    Prepare ROCSOP adjusting entries; and

 

    Prepare financial statement footnote disclosures.

 

    Excise Tax Distributions Calculations

 

    Prepare calendar year tax distribution analysis;

 

    Process tax adjustments on securities identified by a Fund that require such treatment; and

 

    Prepare annual tax-based distribution estimate for each Fund.

 

    Other Tax Services

 

    Prepare for execution and filing, the federal and state income and excise tax returns;

 

    Prepare year-end Investment Company Institute broker/dealer reporting and prepare fund distribution calculations disseminated to broker/dealers; and

 

    Coordinate U.S.C. Title 26 Internal Revenue Code (“IRC”) §855 and excise tax distribution requirements.

 

    Uncertain Tax Provisions

 

    Documentation of all material tax positions taken by a Fund with respect to specified fiscal years and identified to BNY Mellon (“Tax Positions”);

 

    Review of a Fund’s: (i) tax provision work papers, (ii) excise tax distribution work papers, (iii) income and excise tax returns, (iv) tax policies and procedures and (v) Subchapter M compliance work papers;

 

    Determine whether Tax Positions have been consistently applied, and documentation of any inconsistencies;

 

- 3 -


    Review relevant statutory authorities;

 

    Review tax opinions and legal memoranda prepared by tax counsel or tax auditors to a Fund;

 

    Review standard mutual fund industry practices, to the extent such practices are known to, or may reasonably be determined by, BNY Mellon; and

 

    Delivery of a written report to the applicable Fund detailing such items.

FUND ADMINISTRATION SERVICES

BNY Mellon shall provide the following fund administration services for each Fund:

 

    In accordance with Instructions received from a Fund, and subject to portfolio limitations as provided by such Fund to BNY Mellon in writing from time to time, monitor such Fund’s compliance, on a post-trade basis, with such portfolio limitations, provided that BNY Mellon maintains in the normal course of its business all data necessary to measure the Fund’s compliance;

 

    Monitor the Fund’s status as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the IRC and Subchapter L of the IRC (if required).

 

    Establish appropriate expense accruals and compute expense ratios, maintain expense files and coordinate the payment of Fund approved invoices;

 

    Calculate Fund approved income and per share amounts required for periodic distributions to be made by the applicable Fund;

 

    Calculate total return information;

 

    Coordinate a Fund’s annual audit;

 

    Supply various normal and customary portfolio and Fund statistical data as requested on an ongoing basis; and

 

    If the chief executive officer or chief financial officer of a Fund is required to provide a certification as part of the Fund’s Form N-Q or Form N-CSR filing pursuant to regulations promulgated by the SEC under Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, provide a sub-certification in support of certain matters set forth in the aforementioned certification. Such sub-certification is to be in such form and relating to such matters as agreed to by BNY Mellon in advance. BNY Mellon shall be required to provide the sub-certification only during the term of this Agreement with respect to the applicable Fund and only if it receives such cooperation as it may request to perform its investigations with respect to the sub-certification. For clarity, the sub-certification is not itself a certification under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 or under any other law, rule or regulation.

REGULATORY ADMINISTRATION SERVICES

BNY Mellon shall provide the following regulatory administration services for each Fund:

 

- 4 -


    Maintain a regulatory calendar for each Fund listing various SEC filing and Board approval deadlines;

 

    Assemble and distribute board materials for quarterly meetings of the Board, including the drafting of agendas and resolutions for such quarterly meetings of the Board (with final selection of agenda items made by Fund counsel);

 

    Attend (in-person or telephonically) quarterly Board meetings and draft minutes thereof;

 

    Prepare and coordinate the filing of annual post-effective amendments to a Fund’s registration statement (not including the initial registration statement or related to the addition of one or more classes of shares or series);

 

    Prepare and coordinate the filing of Forms N-CSR, N-Q and N-PX, as applicable (with the Fund supplying the voting records in the format required by BNY Mellon);

 

    Assist the Fund in the handling of SEC examinations by providing requested documents in the possession of BNY Mellon that are on the SEC examination request list; and

 

    Assist with and/or coordinate such other filings, notices and regulatory matters on such terms and conditions as BNY Mellon and the applicable Fund may mutually agree upon in writing from time to time.

 

    eBoard Book Services (available at an additional cost and subject to certain additional terms) :

 

    Permit persons or entities entering a valid password to have electronic access, via an Internet-based secure website, to current quarterly Board meeting materials and such other Board meeting materials as may be agreed between BNY Mellon and a Fund.

 

- 5 -

LOGO

FORM OF TRANSFER AGENCY AND SERVICE AGREEMENT

AGREEMENT made as of the              day of                      , 2013, by and between Reality Shares

ETF Trust, a Delaware statutory trust having its principal office and place of business at 402 West Broadway, Suite 2800, San Diego, CA 92101 (the “Trust”), on behalf of each Series of the Trust listed on Appendix I hereto (as such Appendix be amended from time to time), and THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON, a New York banking company having its principal office and place of business at One Wall Street, New York, New York 10286 (the “Bank”).

WHEREAS, the Trust is registered as an open-end management investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”); and

WHEREAS, the Trust and designated agents will ordinarily issue for purchase and redeem shares of each Series of the Trust (the “Shares) only in aggregations of Shares known as “Creation Units” (currently 25,000 shares or more) (each a “Creation Unit”) principally in kind;

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 & Co.), will be the registered owner (the “Shareholder”) of all Shares; and

WHEREAS, the Trust, on behalf of each Series of the Trust, desires to appoint the Bank as its transfer agent, dividend disbursing agent, and agent in connection with certain other activities, and the Bank desires to accept such appointment;

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants herein contained, the parties hereto agree as follows:

1. Terms of Appointment; Duties of the Bank

1.1 Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, the Trust, on behalf of each Series of the Trust, hereby employs and appoints the Bank to act as, and the Bank agrees to act as, its transfer agent for the authorized and issued Shares, and as the Trust’s dividend disbursing agent.

1.2 The Bank agrees that it will perform the following services:

(a) In accordance with the terms and conditions of the form of Participant Agreement prepared by the Distributor, a copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibit A, the Bank shall:

(i) Perform and facilitate the performance of purchases and redemption of Creation Units;

(ii) 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 Trust;

(iii) 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;

(iv) 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. The Bank shall have no obligation, when recording the


issuance of Shares, to monitor the issuance of such Shares or to take cognizance of any laws relating to the issue or sale of such Shares, which functions shall be the sole responsibility of the Trust.

(v) Prepare and transmit to the Trust and the Trust’s administrator and to any applicable securities exchange (as specified to the Bank by the Trust or its administrator) information with respect to purchases and redemptions of Shares;

(vi) On days that the Trust may accept orders for purchases or redemptions, calculate and transmit to Bank and the Trust’s administrator the number of outstanding Shares;

(vii) On days that the Trust may accept orders for purchases or redemptions (pursuant to the Participant Agreement), transmit to the Bank, the Trust and DTC the amount of Shares purchased on such day for each Series of the Trust;

(viii) Confirm to DTC the number of Shares issued to the Shareholder, as DTC may reasonably request;

(ix) Prepare and deliver other reports, information and documents to DTC as DTC may reasonably request;

(x) 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;

(xi) Maintain those books and records of the Trust specified by the Trust in Schedule A attached hereto;

(xii) 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;

(xiii) Receive from the Distributor (as defined in the Participant Agreement) or from its agent purchase orders from Authorized Participants (as defined in the 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 National Securities Clearance Corporation, 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 Trusts;

(xiv) Receive from the Authorized Participants redemption requests, deliver the appropriate documentation thereof to The Bank of New York as custodian for the Trust, 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 National Securities Clearance Corporation, if applicable, and redeem the appropriate number of Creation Unit Aggregations of Shares held in the account of the Shareholder; and

(xv) Confirm the name, U.S taxpayer identification number and principle place of business of each Authorized Participant.

(b) In addition to and neither in lieu nor in contravention of the services set forth in the above sub-section 1.2(a), the Bank shall: perform the customary services of a transfer agent and dividend

 

2


disbursing agent including, but not limited to, maintaining the account of the Shareholder, obtaining at the request of the Trust from the Shareholder a list of DTC participants holding interests in the Global Certificate, mailing proxy materials, through its proxy agent, shareholder reports and prospectuses to the DTC participants identified as holders of Shares, at the request of the Trust and those services set forth on Schedule A attached hereto.

(c) The following shall be delivered to DTC participants as identified by DTC as the Shareholder for book-entry only securities:

(i) Annual and semi-annual reports of the Trust;

(ii) Trust proxies, proxy statements and other proxy soliciting materials;

(iii) Trust prospectus and amendments and supplements thereto, including stickers; and

(iv) Other communications as may be required by law or as the Trust may reasonably request

(v) The Bank shall provide additional services, if any, as may be agreed upon in writing by the Trust and the Bank.

1.3 The Bank agrees that the books and records pertaining to the Trust which are in possession of the Bank shall be the property of the Trust. Such books and records shall be prepared and maintained by the Bank as required by the 1940 Act and the rules thereunder, with particular attention to Section 31 and Rules 31a-1 and 31a-2 thereunder. The Trust, or its authorized representatives, shall have access to such books and records during the Bank’s normal business hours. Upon the reasonable request of the Trust, copies of any such books and records shall be provided by the Bank to the Trust or its authorized representative as soon as practicable. Upon the request of the Trust, the Bank shall provide in hard copy or on computer disc any records included in any such delivery which are maintained by the Bank on a computer disc, or are similarly maintained. In the event of the termination of this Agreement, the Trust’s books and records will be returned to the Trust upon request.

2. Fees and Expenses

2.1 The Bank shall receive from the Trust such compensation for the Transfer Agent’s services provided pursuant to this Agreement as may be agreed to from time to time in a written fee schedule approved by the parties. The fees are accrued daily and billed monthly and shall be due and payable upon receipt of the invoice. Upon the termination of this Agreement before the end of any month, the fee for the part of the month before such termination shall be prorated according to the proportion which such part bears to the full monthly period and shall be payable upon the date of termination of this Agreement.

2.2 In addition to the fee paid under Section 2.1 above, the Trust agrees to reimburse the Bank for reasonable out-of-pocket expenses, including but not limited to confirmation production, postage, forms, telephone, microfilm, microfiche, tabulating proxies, records storage, or advances incurred by the Bank for the items set out in the fee schedule attached hereto or relating to dividend distributions and reports (whereas all expenses related to creations and redemptions of Trust securities shall be borne by the relevant authorized participant in such creations and redemptions). In addition, any other expenses incurred by the Bank at the request or with the consent of the Trust, will be reimbursed by the Trust.

 

3


2.3 The Trust agrees to pay all fees and reimbursable expenses within thirty (30) business days following the receipt of the respective billing notice accompanied by supporting documentation, as appropriate. Postage for mailing of dividends, proxies, Trust reports and other mailings to all shareholder accounts shall be advanced to the Bank by the Trust at least seven (7) days prior to the mailing date of such materials.

3. Representations and Warranties of the Bank

The Bank represents and warrants to the Trust that:

It is a banking company duly organized and existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of New York.

It is duly qualified to carry on its business in the State of New York.

It is empowered under applicable laws and by its Charter and By-Laws to act as transfer agent and dividend disbursing agent and to enter into, and perform its obligations under, this Agreement.

All requisite corporate proceedings have been taken to authorize it to enter into and perform this Agreement.

It has and will continue to have access to the necessary facilities, equipment and personnel to perform its duties and obligations under this Agreement.

It has compliance policies and procedures reasonably designed to prevent violations of the federal securities laws, and it will cooperate with, make personnel available to, and provide such information as may reasonably be requested to the Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer (“CCO”) in order for the CCO to perform his or her duties under Rule 38a-1 under the 1940 Act. In addition, the Bank will provide summary procedures and updates, as applicable, to the CCO concerning its compliance with applicable laws and regulations.

4. Representations and Warranties of the Trust

The Trust represents and warrants to the Bank that:

It is duly organized and existing and in good standing under the laws of Delaware.

It is empowered under applicable laws and by its Declaration of Trust and By-Laws to enter into and perform this Agreement.

It is an open-end management investment company registered under the 1940 Act.

A registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, on behalf of each of the Trusts has become effective, will remain effective, and appropriate state securities law filings have been made and will continue to be made, with respect to all Shares of the Trust being offered for sale.

5. Indemnification

5.1 The Bank shall not be responsible for, and the Trust shall indemnify and hold the Bank harmless from and against, any and all damages, costs, expenses, liabilities or claims (including reasonable attorneys’ and accountants’ fees) (“Losses”) which may sustain or incur or which may be

 

4


asserted against the Bank in connection with or relating to this Agreement or the Bank’s actions or omissions with respect to this Agreement, arising out of or attributable to:

(a) All actions of the Bank taken pursuant to this Agreement or the Participant Agreement, provided that such actions are taken without the Bank’s own negligence, bad faith, willful misfeasance, reckless disregard of its duties hereunder, or breach of any representation or warranty of the Bank contained in this Agreement.

5.2 Neither the Trust nor any Series of the Trust shall be responsible for, and the Bank shall indemnify and hold the Trust, its officers, directors and employees and their respective successors and permitted assigns, and the applicable Series harmless from and against, any and all Losses determined by a final arbiter of competent jurisdiction to have been caused by:

(a) The Bank’s own negligence, bad faith, willful misfeasance, reckless disregard of its duties hereunder; or

(b) The breach of any representation or warranty of the Bank hereunder.

(c) A party seeking indemnification hereunder (the “Indemnified Party”) shall (i) provide prompt notice to the other party of any claim (“Claim”) for which it intends to seek indemnification, (ii) grant control of the defense and for settlement of the Claim to the other party, and (iii) cooperate with the other party in the defense thereof. The Indemnified Party shall have the right at its own expense to participate in the defense of any Claim, but shall not have the right to control the defense, consent to judgment or agree to the settlement of any Claim without the written consent of the other party. The party providing the indemnification shall not consent to the entry of any judgment or enter any settlement which (i) does not include, as an unconditional term, the release by the claimant of all liabilities for Claims against the Indemnified Party or (ii) which otherwise adversely affects the rights of the Indemnified Party.

6. Standard of Care and Limitation of Liability

6.1 The Bank shall exercise reasonable care and diligence in carrying out all of its duties and obligations under this Agreement. The Bank shall have no responsibility and shall not be liable for any Losses, except that the Bank shall be liable to the Trust for direct money damages caused by its own negligence, bad faith, willful misfeasance, reckless disregard of its duties hereunder or that of its employees, or its breach of any representation or warranty of the Bank contained in this Agreement. In no event will the Bank be liable for:

(a) The conclusive good faith reliance on or use by the Bank or its agents or subcontractors of information, records, documents or services which (i) are received by the Bank or its agents or subcontractors, and (ii) have been prepared, maintained or performed by the Trust or any other person or firm on behalf of the Trust including but not limited to any previous transfer agent or registrar.

(b) The conclusive good faith reliance on, or the carrying out by the Bank or its agents or subcontractors of, any instructions or requests of the Trust or instructions or requests on behalf of the Trust.

(c) The offer or sale of Shares by or for the Trust in violation of any requirement under the federal securities laws or regulations, or the securities laws or regulations of any state that such Shares be registered in such state, or any violation of any stop order or other determination or ruling by any federal agency, or by any state with respect to the offer or sale of Shares in such state.

 

5


6.2 Neither the Trust nor the Bank shall otherwise be liable for special, indirect or consequential damages, regardless of the form of action and even if the same were foreseeable.

6.3 All obligations of the Trust under this Agreement shall apply only on a Series by Series basis, and the assets of one Series shall not be liable for the obligations of another Series.

7. Concerning the Bank

7.1 Upon receipt of the Trust’s prior written consent (which shall not be unreasonably withheld), the Bank may delegate any of its duties and obligations hereunder to any delegee or agent whenever and on such terms and conditions as it deems reasonably necessary or appropriate, provided that such delegee or agent is qualified to perform such delegated duties; provided, however, that no such delegation of its duties and obligations hereunder shall discharge the Bank from any of its obligations or any liability hereunder. The Bank shall not however be liable for any loss or expense arising out of, or in connection with, the actions or omissions to act of such permitted agents or attorneys-in-fact, provided that (1) such permitted agents or attorneys-in-fact agree to be bound by substantially the same obligations and restrictions with respect to the delegated service, and be liable to the same extent, as the Bank pursuant to this Agreement; and (2) the Bank acted in good faith and with reasonable care in the selection and retention of such agents or attorneys-in-fact. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Trust consent shall not be required for any such delegation to any other subsidiary of The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation, and the Bank shall be liable for the acts or omissions of any such affiliate as if such act or omissions were its own.

7.2 The Bank shall be entitled to conclusively rely upon any written or oral instruction actually received by the Bank and reasonably believed by the Bank to be duly authorized and delivered. The Trust agrees to forward to the Bank written instructions confirming oral instructions by the close of business of the same day that such oral instructions are given to the Bank. The Trust agrees that the fact that such confirming written instructions are not received or that contrary written instructions are received by the Bank shall in no way affect the validity or enforceability of transactions authorized by such oral instructions and effected by the Bank. If the Trust elects to transmit written instructions through an online communication system offered by the Bank, Trust’s use thereof shall be subject to the terms and conditions attached hereto as Appendix A.

7.3 The Bank shall establish and maintain a disaster recovery plan and back-up system at all times satisfying the requirements of all applicable law, rules, and regulations and which is reasonable under the circumstances (the “Disaster Recovery Plan and Back-Up System”). The Bank shall not be responsible or liable for any failure or delay in the performance of its obligations under this Agreement arising out of or caused, directly or indirectly, by circumstances beyond its control which are not a result of its negligence, including without limitation, acts of God; earthquakes; fires; floods; wars; civil or military disturbances; sabotage; epidemics; riots; interruption, loss or malfunctions of transportation, computer (hardware or software) or communication services; labor disputes; acts of civil or military authority; governmental actions; or inability to obtain labor, material, equipment or transportation, provided that the Bank has established and is maintaining the Disaster Recovery Plan and Back-Up System, or if not, that such delay or failure would have occurred even if the Bank had established and was maintaining the Disaster Recovery Plan and Back-Up System. Upon the occurrence of any such delay or

 

6


failure the Bank shall use commercially reasonable best efforts to resume performance as soon as practicable under the circumstances.

7.4 The Bank shall have no duties or responsibilities whatsoever except such duties and responsibilities as are specifically set forth in this Agreement and the Participation Agreement, and no covenant or obligation shall be implied against the Bank in connection with this Agreement, except as set forth in this Agreement and the Participation Agreement.

7.5 At any time the Bank may apply to an officer of the Trust for written instructions with respect to any matter arising in connection with the Bank’s duties and obligations under this Agreement, and the Bank, its agents, and subcontractors shall, in the absence of manifest error in the instructions, not be liable for any action taken or omitted to be taken in good faith in accordance with such instructions. Such application by the Bank for instructions from an officer of the Trust may, at the option of the Bank, set forth in writing any action proposed to be taken or omitted to be taken by the Bank with respect to its duties or obligations under this Agreement and the date on and/or after which such action shall be taken, and the Bank shall not be liable for any action taken or omitted to be taken in good faith accordance with a proposal included in any such application on or after the date specified therein unless, prior to taking or omitting to take any such action, the Bank has received written or oral instructions in response to such application specifying the action to be taken or omitted.

7.6 The Bank, its agents and subcontractors may act upon any paper or document, reasonably believed to be genuine and to have been signed by the proper person or persons, or upon any instruction, information, data, records or documents provided to the Bank or its agents or subcontractors by or on behalf of the Trust by machine readable input, telex, CRT data entry or other similar means authorized by the Trust, and shall not be held to have notice of any change of authority of any person, until receipt of written notice thereof from the Trust.

7.7 Notwithstanding any provisions of this Agreement to the contrary, the Bank shall be under no duty or obligation to inquire into, and shall not be liable for:

(a) The legality of the issue, sale or transfer of any Shares, the sufficiency of the amount to be received in connection therewith, or the authority of the Trust to request such issuance, sale or transfer;

(b) The legality of the purchase of any Shares, the sufficiency of the amount to be paid in connection therewith, or the authority of the Trust to request such purchase;

(c) The legality of the declaration of any dividend by the Trust, or the legality of the issue of any Shares in payment of any stock dividend; or

(d) The legality of any recapitalization or readjustment of the Shares.

8. Providing of Documents by the Trust and Transfers of Shares

8.1 The Trust shall promptly furnish to the Bank with a copy of its Declaration of Trust and all amendments thereto.

8.2 In the event that DTC ceases to be the Shareholder, the Bank shall re-register the Shares in the name of the successor to DTC as Shareholder upon receipt by the Bank of such documentation and assurances as it may reasonably require.

 

7


8.3 The Bank shall have no responsibility whatsoever with respect to any beneficial interest in any of the Shares owned by the Shareholder.

8.4 The Trust shall deliver to the Bank the following documents on or before the effective date of any increase, decrease or other change in the total number of Shares authorized to be issued:

(a) A certified copy of the amendment to the Trust’s Declaration of Trust with respect to such increase, decrease or change; and

(b) An opinion of counsel for the Trust, in a form satisfactory to the Bank, with respect to (i) the validity of the Shares, the obtaining of all necessary governmental consents, whether such Shares are fully paid and non-assessable and the status of such Shares under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and any other applicable federal law or regulations (i.e., if subject to registration, that they have been registered and that the Registration Statement has become effective or, if exempt, the specific grounds therefore), (ii) the status of the Trust with regard to the 1940 Act, and (iii) the due and proper listing of the Shares on all applicable securities exchanges.

8.5 Prior to the issuance of any additional Shares pursuant to stock dividends, stock splits or otherwise, and prior to any reduction in the number of Shares outstanding, the Trust shall deliver to the Bank:

(a) A certified copy of the order or consent of each governmental or regulatory authority required by law as a prerequisite to the issuance or reduction of such Shares, as the case may be, and an opinion of counsel for the Trust that no other order or consent is required; and

(b) An opinion of counsel for the Trust, in a form satisfactory to the Bank, with respect to (i) the validity of the Shares, the obtaining of all necessary governmental consents, whether such Shares are fully paid and non-assessable and the status of such Shares under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and any other applicable federal law or regulations (i.e., if subject to registration, that they have been registered and that the Registration Statement has become effective or, if exempt, the specific grounds therefore), (ii) the status of the Trust with regard to the 1940 Act, and (iii) the due and proper listing of the Shares on all applicable securities exchanges.

8.6 The Bank and the Trust agree that all books, records, confidential, non-public, or proprietary information and data pertaining to the business of the other party which are exchanged or received pursuant to the negotiation or the carrying out of this Agreement shall remain confidential, and shall not be voluntarily disclosed to any person other than its auditors, accountants, regulators, employees or counsel, except as may be, or may become required by law, by administrative or judicial order or by rule.

8.7 In case of any requests or demands for the inspection of the Shareholder records of the

Trust, the Bank will promptly employ reasonable commercial efforts to notify the Trust and secure instructions from an authorized officer of the Trust as to such inspection. The Bank reserves the right, however, to exhibit the Shareholder records to any person whenever it is advised by its counsel that it may be held liable for the failure to exhibit the Shareholder records to such person.

9. Termination of Agreement

9.1 The term of this Agreement shall be one year commencing upon the date hereof and shall automatically renew for additional one-year terms unless either party provides written notice of

 

8


termination at least ninety (90) days prior to the end of any one year term or, unless earlier terminated as provided below:

(a) Either party hereto may terminate this Agreement in the event the other party breaches any material provision of this Agreement, including, without limitation in the case of the Trust, its obligations under Section 2.1, provided that the non-breaching party gives written notice of such breach to the breaching party and the breaching party does not cure such violation within 90 days of receipt of such notice.

(b) The Trust may terminate this Agreement at any time upon ninety (90) days’ prior written notice.

9.2 Should the Trust exercise its right to terminate, all out-of-pocket expenses associated with the movement of records and material will be borne by the Trust.

9.3 The terms of Article 2 (with respect to fees and expenses incurred prior to termination), and of Article 5 shall survive any termination of this Agreement.

10. Additional Series

In the event that the Trust establishes one or more additional series of Shares with respect to which it desires to have the Bank render services as transfer agent under the terms hereof, it shall so notify the Bank in writing, and if the Bank agrees in writing to provide such services, such additional issuance shall become Shares hereunder.

11. Assignment

11.1 Neither this Agreement nor any rights or obligations hereunder may be assigned by either

party without the written consent of the other party.

11.2 This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties and their respective permitted successors and assigns.

12. Severability and Beneficiaries

12.1 In case any provision in or obligation under this Agreement shall be invalid, illegal or

unenforceable in any jurisdiction, the validity, the legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected thereby provided obligation of the Trust to pay is conditioned upon provision of services.

13.2 This Agreement is solely for the benefit of the Bank and the Trust, and none of any Participant (as defined in the Participation Agreement), the Distributor, any Shareholder or beneficial owner of any Shares shall be or be deemed a third party beneficiary of this Agreement.

13. Amendment

This Agreement may be amended or modified by a written agreement executed by both parties.

14. New York Law to Apply

This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with the substantive laws of the State of New York, without regard to conflicts of laws principles thereof. The Trust and the Bank hereby consent to the

 

9


jurisdiction of a state or federal court situated in New York City, New York in connection with any dispute arising hereunder. The Trust hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any objection which it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any such proceeding brought in such a court and any claim that such proceeding brought in such a court has been brought in an inconvenient forum. The Trust and the Bank each hereby irrevocably waives any and all rights to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement.

15. Merger of Agreement

This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties hereto and supersedes any prior agreement with respect to the subject matter hereof whether oral or writ

16. Counterparts

This Agreement may be executed by the parties hereto in any number of counterparts, and all of said counterparts taken together shall be deemed to constitute one and the same instrument.

 

10


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed in their names and on their behalf by and through their duly authorized officers, as of the day and year first above written.

 

Reality Shares ETF Trust, on behalf of each Series listed on Appendix I

By:    
  Name:
  Title:

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON
By:    
  Name:
  Title:

 

11


SCHEDULE A

BOOKS AND RECORDS TO BE MAINTAINED BY THE BANK

Source Documents requesting Creations and Redemptions (including dates and times of orders)

Correspondence/AP Inquiries

Reconciliations, bank statements, copies of canceled checks, cash proofs

Daily/Monthly reconciliation of outstanding Shares between the Trust and DTC

Dividend Records

Year-end Statements and Tax Forms

 

12


Exhibit A

Form of Authorized Participant Agreement

Alumnus

 

13


Appendix I

SERIES

Reality Shares NASDAQ-100 Isolated Dividend Growth Index ETF

Reality Shares U.S. Isolated Dividend Growth Index ETF

Reality Shares Isolated Dividend Growth ETF

 

14

  

FORM OF CHIEF COMPLIANCE

OFFICER SERVICES AGREEMENT (this

Agreement) dated                      ,             

between REALITY SHARES ETF TRUST ,

a Delaware statutory trust (the “Trust”), and

ALPS FUND SERVICES, INC. (“ALPS”), a

Colorado corporation. The “ Effective Date ” of

this Agreement is                      ,              .

In a joint effort between the Trust and ALPS to ensure that the Trust is in compliance with Rule 38a-1 (the “ Rule ”) under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “ 1940 Act ”), ALPS has agreed to render services to the Trust by entering into a formal agreement with respect thereto effective from and after the Effective Date.

ACCORDINGLY , in consideration of the foregoing premises and the mutual covenants and agreements contained in this Agreement, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Trust and ALPS hereby agree as set forth below.

SECTION 1. Term of Agreement.

The Trust hereby retains ALPS for a period beginning on the Effective Date and ending                      ,              subject to early termination as provided in this Agreement (the “Term”). This Agreement may be renewed for additional one-year periods beyond the Term by mutual agreement, which agreement shall be in writing signed by both ALPS and the Trust and shall be entered into no later than the last day of the Term.

SECTION 2. Duties.

(a) ALPS shall designate, subject to the Trust’s approval, one of its own employees to serve as Chief Compliance Officer of the Trust within the meaning of the Rule (such individual, the “CCO”). The CCO shall render to the Trust such advice and services (“ Services ”) as are required to be performed by a CCO under the Rule and as are set forth on Exhibit A hereto, as such exhibit may be modified from time to time by written agreement of the parties hereto. Exhibit A is hereby incorporated into and made a part of this Agreement. The Trust acknowledges that other employees of ALPS will assist the CCO in the performance of his duties hereunder.

(b) During the Term, the CCO shall report to such individuals as may be designated from time to time by the Trust, subject to the provisions of Exhibit A.

(c) The parties agree that only employees of ALPS shall act as CCO or otherwise perform services to the Trust under this Agreement unless otherwise agreed in writing by the Trust. Notwithstanding his other duties for ALPS or any other investment company, the CCO shall perform the Services in a professional manner and shall devote appropriate time, energies and skill to the Services.


(d) The Trust acknowledges that the CCO may act as Chief Compliance Officer within the meaning of the Rule for other investment companies, and nothing herein shall be construed to prohibit the CCO from acting in such capacity; provided, however, that during the Term neither ALPS nor the CCO shall enter into any agreement, arrangement or understanding which would conflict with this Agreement or prevent ALPS or the CCO from performing its or his obligations hereunder.

(e) The Trust shall cooperate in good faith with ALPS and the CCO in order to assist in the performance of the Services. In furtherance of this agreement to cooperate, the Trust shall make those of its and its Affiliates’ officers, employees and outside counsel available for consultation with ALPS and the CCO and shall communicate with the Board of Trustees of the Trust (the “Trustees”), and such other service providers of the Trust (the Trustees and such other service providers collectively, the “Service Providers”), in each case as ALPS or the CCO may reasonably request. The Trust shall provide ALPS and the CCO with the names of appropriate contact people at the Service Providers and shall make introductions and otherwise assist ALPS and the CCO in obtaining the cooperation of the Service Providers. The Trust shall provide ALPS and the CCO with such books and records regarding the Trust as ALPS and the CCO may reasonably request.

SECTION 3. Fee.

(a) As compensation for the performance of the Services, the Trust shall pay to ALPS during the Term an annual fee as follows (the “ Fee ”):

Relationship minimum

[                      ]

Additional Funds

[                      ]

The Fee shall be paid 1/12 on a monthly basis (or a pro rata portion thereof for a partial month).

(b) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, fees billed for the services to be performed by ALPS under this Agreement are based on information provided by the Trust and such fees are subject to renegotiation between the parties to the extent such information is determined to be materially different from what the Trust originally provided to ALPS. During each year of the Term, unless the parties shall otherwise mutually agree in writing and provided that the service mix and volumes remain consistent with those provided in the previous year of this Agreement, the total fee that would be charged for the same services would be the Fee subject to an annual cost of living adjustment based on the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers, for the Denver-Boulder-Greeley area, as published bimonthly by the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, or, in the event that

 

2


publication of such index is terminated, any successor or substitute index, appropriately adjusted, acceptable to all parties.

(c) The Fee shall be payable by the Trust within 30 days of its receipt of an invoice from ALPS, which invoices shall include amounts for any expenses reimbursable under Section 4 hereof. LATE CHARGES: All invoices are due and payable upon receipt. Any invoices not paid within thirty (30) days of the invoice date are subject to a one percent (1%) per month financing charge on any unpaid balance but only to the extent permitted by law.

(d) The CCO shall not receive and shall not make any claim under this Agreement or otherwise against the Trust for compensation, workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance compensation, or life insurance, social security benefits, disability insurance benefits or any other benefits. ALPS is solely responsible for any such compensation or benefits to be paid to the CCO, and ALPS shall withhold on behalf of the CCO the required sums for income tax, unemployment insurance or social security pursuant to any law or requirement of any government agency including, without limitation, unemployment tax, federal, state or foreign income tax, federal social security (FICA) payments and disability insurance taxes. ALPS and the CCO shall make such tax payments as may be required by applicable law and shall indemnify and hold Trust harmless from any liability that the Trust may incur as a consequence of ALPS’ or the CCO’s failure to make any such tax payment(s).

(e) ALPS and the CCO shall perform the services hereunder as independent contractors and not as employees of the Trust, although the CCO shall be an employee of ALPS. As independent contractors, neither ALPS nor the CCO is, and neither shall represent itself or himself to third parties as being, the agent or representative of the Trust, except as specifically set forth herein. Neither ALPS nor the CCO have, and shall not represent itself or himself to third parties as having, actual or apparent power or authority to do or take any action for or on behalf of the Trust, as its agent, representative or otherwise, except as specifically set forth herein.

SECTION 4. Reimbursement of Expenses.

During the Term, the Trust shall reimburse ALPS for all reasonable and necessary travel and lodging expenses and other out-of-pocket disbursements incurred by ALPS for or on behalf of the Trust in connection with the performance of ALPS’ or the CCO’s duties hereunder upon presentation of appropriate receipts and other reasonable documentation as the Trust may request. LATE CHARGES: All invoices are due and payable upon receipt. Any invoices not paid within thirty (30) days of the invoice date are subject to a one percent (1%) per month financing charge on any unpaid balance but only to the extent permitted by law.

 

3


SECTION 5. Disclosure of Information.

(a) From and after the date hereof, neither ALPS nor the CCO shall use or disclose to any Person, except as required in connection with the performance of the Services and in compliance with the terms of this Agreement and as required by law, regulation or judicial process, any Confidential Information (as defined in Section 5(b)), for any reason or purpose whatsoever, nor shall ALPS or the CCO make use of any Confidential Information for ALPS’ or the CCO’s purposes or for the benefit of any Person except the Trust or the Trust’s Affiliates. For purposes of this Agreement, an “Affiliate” is an individual or entity (collectively, “Person”) controlling or controlled by or under common control with the Trust.

(b) For purposes of this Agreement, “Confidential Information” means (i) the non-public intellectual property rights of the Trust, the Trustees, and the Trust’s Affiliates and (ii) all other information of a proprietary or confidential nature relating to the Trust, the Trustees, or the Trust’s Affiliates, or the business or assets of the Trust, or the Trust’s Affiliates, including, without limitation, books, records, customer and registered user lists, vendor lists, supplier lists, customer agreements, vendor agreements, supplier agreements, incentive and commission program information, distribution channels, pricing information, cost information, business and marketing plans, strategies, forecasts, financial statements, budgets and projections, technology, and all information related to the index on which the Trust’s investment strategy is based. Confidential Information does not include (i) information in the public domain not as a result of a breach by ALPS or the CCO of this Agreement, (ii) information lawfully received by ALPS or the CCO from a third Person who had the right to disclose such information, and (iii) information developed by ALPS’ or the CCO’s own independent knowledge, skill and know-how.

(c) In the event that ALPS or the CCO is requested by legal process to disclose Confidential Information, ALPS shall notify the Trust thereof and shall cooperate with the Trust and the Trustees, as appropriate, at the expense of the Trust or the Trustees, as appropriate, in any action that such entity may desire to take to protect its Confidential Information.

SECTION 6. Assignment of Written Materials.

During the Term, ALPS and the CCO shall promptly disclose, and hereby grant and assign to the Trust for its sole use and benefit, any and all technical information, data, procedures, records, suggestions and other materials, insofar as they are reduced to writing, including without limitation the Written Compliance Program of the Trust (as that term is defined in Exhibit A ), that are reasonably related to the Trust (collectively, the “Materials”) which ALPS or the CCO may develop or acquire during the Term (whether or not during usual working hours), together with all copyrights and reissues thereof that may at any time be granted for or with respect to the Materials. For the avoidance of doubt, the Materials shall include all records referred to in Exhibit A . The Materials shall constitute Confidential Information within the meaning of Section 5 .

 

4


SECTION 7. Delivery of Materials Upon Termination of Term.

The Materials and all memoranda, notes, plans, records, reports, software and other documents and data (and copies thereof existing in any media) relating to the Confidential Information, Inventions or the business of the Trust or any of its Affiliates shall be the property of the Trust and ALPS shall deliver to the Trust at the termination of the Term, or at any time upon the Trust’s request, such materials that it or the CCO may then possess or have under its or his control regardless of the location or form of such material. If requested by the Trust, ALPS will provide the Trust with written confirmation that all such materials have been delivered to the Trust.

SECTION 8. Termination.

(a) The Trust shall have the right to terminate this Agreement immediately in the event of:

(i) a failure by ALPS or the CCO to meet its or his obligations hereunder or a breach of ALPS representations and warranties hereunder, if such failure or breach goes uncured for a period of thirty (30) days after ALPS receives written notice of such failure from the Trust;

(ii) the termination or dissolution of the Trust, or the deregistration of the Trust under the 1940 Act;

(iii) a change in the 1940 Act, the Rule or other applicable law or regulation, or the interpretation of any of the foregoing by the Securities and Exchange Commission or other regulatory or judicial authority with appropriate jurisdiction, that results in the arrangement created by this Agreement no longer satisfying the Trust’s obligations under the Rule; or

(iv) subject to the provisions of Section 2(d), any failure of ALPS to employ a CCO for the Trust acceptable to the Trust.

(b) ALPS shall have the right to terminate this Agreement immediately in the event of:

(i) a failure by the Trust to meet its obligations hereunder or a breach of the Trust’s representations and warranties hereunder, if such failure or breach goes uncured for a period of 30 days after the Trust receives written notice of such failure from ALPS;

(ii) the termination or dissolution of the Trust, or the deregistration of the Trust under the 1940 Act; or

(iii) a change in the 1940 Act, the Rule or other applicable law or regulation, or the interpretation of any of the foregoing by the Securities and Exchange Commission or other regulatory or judicial authority with appropriate

 

5


jurisdiction, that results in the arrangement created by this Agreement being deemed impermissible.

(c) Upon termination pursuant to this Section 8, ALPS shall be entitled to receive the Fee accrued but unpaid as of the date of termination paid in a lump sum within 60 days of termination.

SECTION 9. Standard of Care; Limitation of Liability; Indemnification

(a) ALPS shall be under no duty to perform any services except as specifically set forth herein, as necessary to perform any of its duties or obligations as specifically set forth herein, or as may be specifically agreed to by ALPS in writing. ALPS shall use its best judgment and efforts in rendering the services described in this Agreement. ALPS shall not be liable to the Trust or any of the Trust’s stockholders for any action or inaction of ALPS relating to any event whatsoever in the absence of bad faith, reckless disregard, negligence or willful misfeasance in the performance of ALPS’ duties or obligations under this Agreement. Further, ALPS shall not be liable to the Trust or any of the Trust’s stockholders for any action taken or failure to act in good faith reliance upon: (i) the advice and opinion of Trust counsel; and (ii) any certified copy of any resolution of the Trustees; and ALPS shall not be under any duty or obligation to inquire into the validity or invalidity or authority or lack thereof of any statement, oral or written instruction, resolution, signature, request, letter or transmittal, certificate, opinion of counsel, instrument, report, notice, consent, order, or any other document or instrument which ALPS reasonably believes in good faith to be genuine.

(b) The Trust agrees to indemnify and hold harmless ALPS, its employees, agents, directors, officers and managers and any person who controls ALPS within the meaning of section 15 of the Securities Act of 1933 or Section 20 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (“ALPS Indemnitees”), against and from any and all claims, demands, actions, suits, judgments, administrative proceedings or investigations, liabilities, losses, damages, costs, charges, reasonable counsel fees and other expenses arising out of or related to ALPS’ actions taken or failure to act with respect to the Trust in connection with the performance of its duties or obligations under this Agreement (an “ALPS Claim”); provided, however, that nothing contained herein shall entitle an ALPS Indemnitee to indemnification with respect to any ALPS claim arising from ALPS’ own bad faith, reckless disregard, negligence or willful malfeasance, or breach of this Agreement. For purposes of this Agreement, ALPS’ bad faith, willful malfeasance, or reckless disregard shall not include any action taken or not taken by ALPS consistent with the last sentence of Section 9(a). Further, the Trust shall not be required to indemnify any ALPS’ Indemnitee if, prior to confessing any ALPS’ Claim against the ALPS’ Indemnitee, ALPS or the ALPS’ Indemnitee does not give the Trust written notice of and reasonable opportunity to defend against the ALPS’ claim in its own name or in the name of the ALPS’ Indemnitee. ALPS agrees to provide reasonable cooperation in the defense of any ALPS Claim.

(c) ALPS agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Trust, its employees, agents, directors, officers and managers (“Trust Indemnitees”), against and from any and

 

6


all claims, demands, actions, suits, judgments, administrative proceedings and investigations, liabilities, losses, damages, costs, charges, reasonable counsel fees and other expenses of every nature and character arising out of or in any way related to (i) ALPS’ actions taken or failures to act with respect to the Trust that are not consistent with Section 9(a); (ii) any breach of this Agreement with ALPS; or (iii) any breach of ALPS’ representations set forth in Section 9 (a “Trust Claim”). ALPS shall not be required to indemnify any Trust Indemnitee if, prior to confession any Trust Claim against the Trust Indemnitee, the Trust or the Trust Indemnitee does not give ALPS written notice of any reasonable opportunity to defend against the Trust Claim in its own name or in the name of the Trust Indemnitee. The Trust agrees to provide reasonable cooperation in the defense of any Trust Claim.

SECTION 10. Representations and Warranties.

(a) ALPS hereby represents and warrants to the Trust that (a) the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by ALPS does not breach, violate or cause a default under any agreement, contract or instrument to which ALPS is a party or any judgment, order or decree to which ALPS is subject; (b) the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by ALPS has been duly authorized and approved by all necessary action; and (c) upon the execution and delivery of this Agreement by ALPS and the Trust, this Agreement will be a valid and binding obligation of ALPS.

(b) The Trust hereby represents and warrants to ALPS that (a) the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by the Trust does not breach, violate or cause a default under any agreement, contract or instrument to which the Trust is a party or any judgment, order or decree to which the Trust is subject; (b) the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by the Trust has been duly authorized and approved by all necessary action; and (c) upon the execution and delivery of this Agreement by ALPS and the Trust, this Agreement will be a valid and binding obligation of the Trust.

(c) The Trust further represents and warrants to ALPS that the CCO shall be covered by the Trust’s Directors & Officers/Errors & Omissions Policy (the “Policy”), and the Trust shall use reasonable efforts to ensure that such coverage be (a) reinstated should the Policy be cancelled; (b) continued after such officers ceases to serve as the Trust on substantially the same terms as such coverage is provided for the Trust offices after such persons are no longer officers of the Trust; or (c) continued in the event the Trust merges or terminates, on substantially the same terms as such coverage is provided for the Trust officers (but for a period of no less than six years). The Trust shall provide ALPS with proof of current coverage, including a copy of the Policy, and shall notify ALPS immediately should the Policy be cancelled or terminated.

(d) The CCO is named officer in the Trust’s corporate resolutions and subject to the provisions of the Trust’s Organizational Documents regarding indemnification of its officers.

 

7


SECTION 11. Entire Agreement; Amendment and Waiver.

This Agreement and the other writings referred to herein contain the entire agreement between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof and supersede any prior agreement between ALPS and the Trust. No waiver, amendment or modification of this Agreement shall be valid unless it is in writing and signed by each party hereto. The waiver by either party of a breach of any provision of this Agreement by the other party shall not operate or be construed as a waiver of any subsequent breach by such other party.

SECTION 12. Notices.

All notices or other communications pursuant to this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed to be sufficient if delivered personally, telecopied, sent by nationally-recognized, overnight courier or mailed by registered or certified mail (return receipt requested), postage prepaid, to the parties at the following addresses (or at such other address for a party as shall be specified by like notice):

(a) if to the Trust, to:

Reality Shares ETF Trust

402 West Broadway, Suite 2800

San Diego, CA 92101

Attn:

Facsimile:

Telephone:

(b) if to ALPS, to:

ALPS Fund Services, Inc.

1290 Broadway, Suite 1100

Denver, CO 80203

Attn: General Counsel

Facsimile: (303) 623-7850

Telephone: (303) 623-2577

All such notices and other communications shall be deemed to have been given and received (a) in the case of personal delivery or delivery by facsimile, on the date of such delivery if delivered during business hours on a business day or, if not so delivered, on the next following business day, (b) in the case of delivery by nationally-recognized, overnight courier, on the business day following dispatch, and (c) in the case of mailing, on the third business day following such mailing.

SECTION 13. Headings.

The section Headings in this Agreement are for convenience only and shall not control or affect the meaning of any provision of this Agreement.

 

8


SECTION 14. Severability.

In the event that any provision of this Agreement is determined to be partially or wholly invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any jurisdiction, then such provision shall, as to such jurisdiction, be modified or restricted to the extent necessary to make such provision valid, binding and enforceable, or if such provision cannot be modified or restricted, then such provision shall, as to such jurisdiction, be deemed to be excised from this Agreement; provided, however, that the binding effect and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Agreement, to the extent the economic benefits conferred upon the parties by virtue of this Agreement remain substantially unimpaired, shall not be affected or impaired in any manner, and any such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability with respect to such provisions shall not invalidate or render unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction.

SECTION 15. Remedies.

Each of the parties hereto acknowledges and understands that certain provisions of this Agreement are of a special and unique nature, the loss of which cannot be adequately compensated for in damages by an action at law, and thus, the breach or threatened breach of the provisions of this Agreement would cause the non-breaching party irreparable harm. Each of the parties hereto further acknowledges that, in the event of a breach of any of the covenants contained in this Agreement, the non-breaching party shall be entitled to immediate relief enjoining such violations in any court or before any judicial body having jurisdiction over such a claim. All remedies hereunder are cumulative, are in addition to any other remedies provided for by law or in equity and may, to the extent permitted by law, be exercised concurrently or separately, and the exercise of any one remedy shall not be deemed to be an election of such remedy or to preclude the exercise of any other remedy.

SECTION 16. Benefits of Agreement; Assignment.

(a) The terms and provisions of this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors, assigns, representatives, heirs and estate, as applicable. This Agreement shall not be assignable by ALPS without the express written consent of the Trust. Any purported assignment in violation of the immediately preceding sentence shall be void and of no effect.

(b) The Trust shall be a third-party beneficiary of this Agreement, entitled to receive the benefit of ALPS’ and the CCO’s services and to enforce the rights of the Trust hereunder.

SECTION 17. Survival.

Anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement notwithstanding, the provisions of Sections 5 through 7 and 11 through 21 of this Agreement shall survive the termination of the Term.

 

9


SECTION 18. Counterparts and Facsimile Execution.

This Agreement may be executed in two counterparts, all of which shall be considered one and the same agreement and shall become effective when one or more counterparts have been signed by each of the parties and delivered (by facsimile or otherwise) to the other party, it being understood that all parties need not sign the same counterpart. Any counterpart or other signature hereupon delivered by facsimile shall be deemed for all purposes as constituting good and valid execution and delivery of this Agreement by the party delivering it.

SECTION 19. Governing Law; Mutual Waiver of Jury Trial; Jurisdiction.

(a) All questions concerning the construction, interpretation and validity of this Agreement shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the domestic laws of the State of Colorado without giving effect to any choice or conflict of law provision or rule (whether in the State of Colorado or any other jurisdiction) that would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdiction other than the State of Colorado. In furtherance of the foregoing, the law of the State of Colorado will control the interpretation and construction of this Agreement, even if under such jurisdiction’s choice of law of conflict of law analysis, the substantive law of some other jurisdiction would ordinarily or necessarily apply.

(b) BECAUSE DISPUTES ARISING CONNECTION WITH COMPLEX BUSINESS TRANSACTIONS ARE MOST QUICKLY AND ECONOMICALLY RESOLVED BY AN EXPERIENCED AND EXPERT PERSON AND THE PARTIES WISH APPLICABLE LAWS TO APPLY (RATHER THAN ARBITRATION RULES), THE PARTIES DESIRE THAT THEIR DISPUTES BE RESOLVED BY A JUDGE APPLYING SUCH APPLICABLE LAWS. THEREFORE, TO ACHIEVE THE BEST COMBINATION OF THE BENEFITS OF THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM AND OF ARBITRATION, THE PARTIES HERETO WAIVE ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY ACTION, SUIT OR PROCEEDING BROUGHT TO ENFORCE OR DEFEND ANY RIGHTS OR REMEDIES UNDER THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY DOCUMENTS RELATED HERETO. THE SCOPE OF THIS WAIVER IS INTENDED TO BE ALL-ENCOMPASSING OF ANY AND ALL DISPUTES THAT MAY BE FILED IN ANY COURT AND THAT RELATE TO THE SUBJECT MATTER OF THIS AGREEMENT, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, CONTRACT CLAIMS, BREACH OF DUTY CLAIMS, AND ALL OTHER COMMON LAW AND STATUTORY CLAIMS. EACH PARTY HERETO ACKNOWLEDGES THAT THIS WAIVER IS A MATERIAL INDUCEMENT TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT. EACH PARTY HAS REVIEWED THIS WAIVER WITH ITS RESPECTIVE LEGAL COUNSEL, AND KNOWINGLY AND VOLUNTARILY WAIVES ITS JURY TRIAL RIGHTS FOLLOWING CONSULTATION WITH SUCH LEGAL COUNSEL. IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, THIS AGREEMENT MAY BE FILED AS A WRITTEN CONSENT TO A TRIAL BY THE COURT.

(c) THE PARTIES IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY AGREE THAT THE EXCLUSIVE PLACE OF JURISDICTION FOR ANY ACTION, SUIT OR

 

10


PROCEEDING (“ACTIONS”) RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE IN THE COURTS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA SITTING IN THE CITY OF DENVER, COLORADO OR, IF SUCH COURTS SHALL NOT HAVE JURISDICTION OVER THE SUBJECT MATTER THEREOF, IN THE COURTS OF THE STATE OF COLORADO SITTING THEREIN, AND EACH SUCH PARTY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY AGREES TO SUBMIT TO THE JURISDICTION OF SUCH COURTS FOR PURPOSES OF ANY SUCH ACTIONS. IF ANY SUCH STATE COURT ALSO DOES NOT HAVE JURISDICTION OVER THE SUBJECT MATTER THEREOF, THEN SUCH AN ACTION, SUIT OR PROCEEDING MAY BE BROUGHT IN THE FEDERAL OR STATE COURTS LOCATED IN THE STATES OF THE PRINCIPAL PLACE OF BUSINESS OF ANY PARTY HERETO. EACH PARTY IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES ANY OBJECTION IT MAY HAVE TO THE VENUE OF ANY ACTION BROUGHT IN SUCH COURTS OR TO THE CONVENIENCE OF THE FORUM. FINAL JUDGMENT IN ANY SUCH ACTION SHALL BE CONCLUSIVE AND MAY BE ENFORCED IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS BY SUIT ON THE JUDGMENT, A CERTIFIED OR TRUE COPY OF WHICH SHALL BE CONCLUSIVE EVIDENCE OF THE FACT AND THE AMOUNT OF ANY INDEBTEDNESS OR LIABILITY OF ANY PARTY THEREIN DESCRIBED.

SECTION 20. Force Majeure.

ALPS shall not be responsible or 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 civil or military authority, national emergencies, fire, mechanical breakdowns, flood or catastrophe, acts of God, insurrection, war, riots or failure of the mails, transportation, communication system or power supply. In addition, to the extent ALPS’ obligations hereunder are to oversee or monitor the activities of third parties, ALPS shall not be liable for any failure or delay in the performance of ALPS’ duties caused, directly or indirectly, by the failure or delay of such third parties in performing their respective duties or cooperating reasonably and in a timely manner with ALPS.

SECTION 21. Mutual Contribution.

The parties to this Agreement and their counsel have mutually contributed to its drafting. Consequently, no provision of this Agreement shall be construed against any party on the ground that a party drafted the provision or caused it to be drafted.

 

11


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the undersigned has executed this Chief Compliance Officer Services Agreement as of the date first above written.

 

Reality Shares ETF Trust
By:    
  Name:  
  Title:  

 

ALPS Fund Services, Inc.
By:    
 

Name: Jeremy O. May

Title: President

 

12


Exhibit A

Duties of Chief Compliance Officer

The Services shall include, but not be limited to, the following. Unless otherwise noted, terms used in this Exhibit A shall have the meanings assigned thereto in the Chief Compliance Officer Services Agreement to which this Exhibit A is attached.

 

I. Review of Compliance Program. No later than          ,              , the CCO shall, with the assistance of the Trust, review and revise, where necessary, the written compliance policies and procedures (the “Compliance Program”) of the Trust, which shall address compliance with, and be reasonably designed to prevent violation of, “Federal Securities Laws.” 1 In addition to provisions of Federal Securities Laws that apply to the Trust, the Compliance Program will be revised, where necessary, to address compliance with, and ensure that it is reasonably designed to prevent violation of, the Trust’s charter and by-laws and all exemptive orders, no-action letters and other regulatory relief received by the Trust from the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”) and the rules of any stock exchange where shares of a series fund of the Trust are listed (all such items collectively, “Regulatory Relief”); provided, however, that the Compliance Program shall address only that Regulatory Relief afforded the Service Providers or the Trust or relevant to compliance by the Service Providers or the Trust, and shall not address the terms by which other parties may receive the benefits of any Regulatory Relief.

 

II. Administration of Compliance Program. The CCO shall administer and enforce the Trust’s Compliance Program.

 

III. Oversight of Service Providers. The CCO is responsible for overseeing, on behalf of the Trust, adherence to the written compliance policies and procedures of the Trust’s service providers, including the Trust, the distributor, the administrator, and the transfer agent (the “Service Providers”). In furtherance of this duty,

 

  A. No later than              ,          , the CCO shall obtain and review the written compliance policies and procedures of the Service Providers or summaries of such policies that have been drafted by someone familiar with them.

 

  B. The CCO shall monitor the Service Providers’ compliance with their own written compliance policies and procedures, Federal Securities Laws and the Trusts’ Indenture and Regulatory Relief. In so doing, the CCO shall interact with representatives of the Service Providers as appropriate.

 

 

1   “Federal Securities Laws” are defined by the Rule as the Securities Act of 1933, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, Title V of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, any SEC rules adopted under any of the foregoing laws, the Bank Secrecy Act, as it applies to registered investment companies, and any rules adopted thereunder by the SEC or the Department of Treasury.

 

13


  C. Prior to the launch of the first series of the Trust, the CCO shall attempt to obtain the following representations from each Service Provider and, if it fails to obtain such representations, shall report this fact to the Trust:

 

  1. In connection with the documentation of its written policies and procedures governing the provision of its services to the Trust, the Service Provider has prepared and delivered to the Trust a summary of core services that it provides to the Trust or, if no such summary is available, that it has delivered to the Trust copies of the relevant policies and procedures.

 

  2. The Service Provider will provide to the Trust and the CCO any revisions to its written compliance policies and procedures on at least an annual basis, or more frequently in the event of a material revision.

 

  3. The Service Provider’s written compliance policies and procedures have been reasonably designed to prevent, detect and correct violations of the applicable Federal Securities Laws and critical functions related to the services performed by the Service Provider pursuant to the applicable agreement between the Service Provider and the Trust.

 

  4. The Service Provider has established monitoring procedures, and shall review, no less frequently than annually, the adequacy and effectiveness of its written compliance policies and procedures to check that they are reasonably designed to prevent, detect and correct violations of those applicable Federal Securities Laws and critical functions related to the services performed by the Service Provider pursuant to the applicable agreement between the Service Provider and the Trust.

 

IV. Annual Review. The Rule requires that, at least annually, the Trust review its Compliance Program and that of its Service Providers and the effectiveness of their respective implementations (the “ Annual Review ”). The CCO shall perform the Annual Review for the Trust. The first Annual Review shall be completed no later than                              .

 

V. Reports to the Trust; Escalation

 

  A. The CCO shall make regular reports to the Trust regarding its administration and enforcement of the Compliance Program. These regular reports shall address compliance by the Trust and the Service Providers and such other matters as the Trust may reasonably request.

 

14


The CCO will attend regularly scheduled meetings of the Board of Trustees as well as such other meetings as the Trustees or their delegates may reasonably request.

 

  B. In addition, at least annually, the CCO shall submit a written report to the Trust addressing the following issues:

 

  1. the operation of the Compliance Program, and the written compliance policies and procedures of the Service Providers;

 

  2. any material changes made to the Compliance Program since the date of the last report;

 

  3. any material changes to the Compliance Program recommended as a result of the Annual Review; and

 

  4. each “Material Compliance Matter” that occurred since the date of the last report. 2

This written report shall be based on the Annual Review. The first written report shall be presented to the Trust no later than 60 days after the date of the first Annual Review.

 

  C. In the event that the CCO reports a Material Compliance Matter and is not reasonably satisfied with Adviser’s efforts to address and remedy the same, the CCO shall report such Material Compliance Matter to the Trustees, with a copy to the Trust.

 

VI. Recordkeeping. The CCO shall maintain the books and records for the Trust that are required to be retained by the Rule and other applicable securities laws, rules and regulations, which books and records may be maintained electronically but which shall, in any event, be backed-up and safeguarded in accordance with ALPS’ regular practices for record retention.

 

VII. Meeting with Regulators. The CCO shall meet with, and reply to inquiries from, the SEC, the Trust and legal and regulatory authorities with responsibility for administering Federal Securities Laws as necessary or as reasonably requested by the Trust or the Trustees.

 

2   “Material Compliance Matter” is defined as “any compliance matter about which the Trust’s board would reasonably need to know to oversee fund compliance,” which involves any of the following (without limitation): (i) a violation of Federal Securities Laws by the Trust or one of the Service Providers (or officers, directors, employees or agents thereof); (ii) a violation of the Compliance Program of the Trust, or the written compliance policies and procedures of one of the Service Providers; or (iii) a weakness in the design or implementation of the Compliance Program policies and procedures of the Trust, or the written compliance policies and procedures of one of the Service Providers.

 

15


VIII. Amendments to the Compliance Program. The CCO shall consult with the Trust and its representatives as necessary to amend, update and revise the Compliance Program as necessary, but no less frequently than annually.

 

IX. Anti-Money Laundering Officer. The CCO shall serve as the Trust’s Anti-Money Laundering Officer, with full responsibility for implementation and maintentance of the Trust’s anti-money laundering policies and procedures.

 

16

FORM OF INITIAL CAPITAL AGREEMENT

Reality Shares ETF Trust (the “Trust”), a Delaware statutory trust, and [ insert purchaser ] (“[              ]”), a [ insert organizational form ], hereby agree as of [ insert date ], as follows:

 

  1. In order to provide the Trust with the initial capital required pursuant to Section 14 of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, [              ] is hereby purchasing from the Trust [10,000] shares of beneficial interest, [$0.01] par value, of the [ insert Fund ], a series of the Trust (the “Shares”), at a purchase price of [$10.00] per share, for a total purchase price of [$100,000]. [              ] hereby acknowledges the receipt of the Shares, and the Trust hereby acknowledges receipt from [              ] of funds in the amount of $[$100,000] for such series of the Trust in full payment for the Shares. It is further agreed that no certificate for the Shares will be issued by the Trust.

 

  2. [              ] is aware that the Shares have not been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”), on the basis that the sale of such Shares will be exempt under Section 4(2) of the 1933 Act as not involving any public offering. Reliance on such exemption is predicated, in part, on [              ]’s representation and warranty to the Trust that the Shares are being acquired for [              ]’s own account for investment purposes and not with a view to the distribution or redemption thereof, and that [              ] has no present intention to dispose of the Shares. [              ] further represents that it will not take any action that will subject the sale of the Shares to the registration provisions of the 1933 Act.

[ signature page follows ]


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed the day and year first written above.

 

Attest:     Reality Shares ETF Trust
      By:    
INSERT NAME       INSERT NAME
INSERT TITLE       INSERT TITLE
     
Attest:     [ INSERT NAME ]
      By:    
INSERT NAME       INSERT NAME
INSERT TITLE       INSERT TITLE
     

Signature Page Reality Shares ETF Trust Initial Capital Agreement

REALITY SHARES ETF TRUST

(the “Trust”)

CODE OF ETHICS

 

I. P URPOSE OF T HE C ODE OF E THICS

This code is based on the principle that, you as an access person of the Trust, will conduct your personal investment activities in accordance with:

 

    the duty at all times to place the interests of each Investment Company’s shareholders first;

 

    the requirement that all personal securities transactions be conducted consistent with this Code of Ethics and in such a manner as to avoid any actual or potential conflict of interest or any abuse of an individual’s position of trust and responsibility; and

 

    the fundamental standard that Trust personnel should not take inappropriate advantage of their positions.

In view of the foregoing, the Trust has adopted this Code of Ethics (the “Code”) to specify a code of conduct for certain types of personal securities transactions which may involve conflicts of interest or an appearance of impropriety and to establish reporting requirements and enforcement procedures.

 

II. L EGAL R EQUIREMENT

Pursuant to Rule 17j-1(b) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “Act”), it is unlawful for any Access Person to:

 

    employ any device, scheme or artifice to defraud the Trust;

 

    make any untrue statement of a material fact or fail to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading to the Trust;

 

    engage in any act, practice, or course of business which operates or would operate as a fraud or deceit upon the Trust; or

 

    engage in any manipulative practice with respect to any Trust’s investment portfolios,

in connection with the purchase or sale (directly or indirectly) by such Access Person of a security “held or to be acquired” by an Investment Company.

 

III. D EFINITIONS

All definitions shall have the same meaning as explained in Section 2(a) of the Act and are summarized below. Access Person -Any director, officer, general partner, registered person, or employee, of the Fund or

 

1


investment adviser (or of any company in a control relationship to the Fund or investment adviser) who, in connection with his/her regular functions or duties, makes, participates in, or obtains information regarding the purchase or sale of Covered Securities by the Fund, or whose functions relate to the making of any recommendations with respect to such purchases or sales.

For purposes of this Code of Ethics, an “Access Person” does not include any person who is subject to the securities transaction pre-clearance requirements and securities transaction reporting requirements of the Code of Ethics adopted by the Trust’s investment adviser or principal underwriter in compliance with rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act and rule 204A-2 of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 of Section 15(f) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as applicable.

Automatic Investment Plan – A program in which regular periodic purchases (or withdrawals) are made automatically in (or from) investment accounts in accordance with a predetermined schedule and allocation. An Automatic Investment Plan includes a dividend reinvestment plan.

Beneficial ownership shall have the same meaning as that set forth in Rule 16a-1(a)(2) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

Control shall have the same meaning as that set forth in Section 2(a)(9) of the Act.

Covered Security – shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(a)(36) of the Act except that it does not include an exempt security.

Exempt Security -shall include securities issued by the United States Government, short-term debt securities which are “government securities” within the meaning of Section 2(a)(16) of the Act, bankers’ acceptances, bank certificates of deposit or commercial paper, shares of registered open-end investment companies (excluding open-end exchange traded funds and each Fund), and high quality short-term debt instruments, including repurchase agreements.

Exchange Traded Fund – means an open-end registered investment company that is not a unit investment trust, and that operates pursuant to an order from the SEC exempting it from certain provisions of the Investment Company Act permitting it to issue securities that trade on the secondary market. Examples of open-end exchange-traded funds include, but are not limited to: Select Sector SPDR; iShares; PowerShares, etc.

Exempt Transactions shall mean:

 

  1. Purchases or sales effected in any account over which the Access Person has no direct or indirect influence or control.

 

  2. Purchases or sales of securities issued by any company included in the Standard & Poor’s 500 Stock Index in an amount less than $10,000.

 

  3. Purchases which are part of an automatic dividend reinvestment plan.

 

  4. Purchases effected upon the exercise of rights issued by an issuer pro rata to all holders of a class of its securities, to the extent such rights were acquired from such issuer, and sales of such rights so acquired.

Fund – each Fund under the Reality Shares ETF Trust.

 

2


Investment Company – A company registered as such under the Investment Company Act of 1940 and for which the Underwriter is the principal underwriter.

Investment Personnel – (a) employees of the Investment Company, its investment adviser, and/or the Underwriter who participate in making investment recommendations to the Investment Company; and (b) persons in a control relationship with the Investment Company or adviser who obtain information about investment recommendations made to the Investment Company.

Security being considered for purchase or sale – when a recommendation to purchase or sell a security has been made or communicated and, with respect to the person making the recommendation, when such person seriously considers making such a recommendation.

Security held or to be acquired means: (1) any Covered Security which, within the most recent 15 days: (a) is or has been held by the Investment Company; or (b) is being or has been considered by the Investment Company or its investment advisor for purchase by the Investment Company; and (2) any option to purchase or sell, and any security convertible into or exchangeable for, a Covered Security that is held or to be acquired by the Investment Company.

Underwriter – means ALPS Distributors, Inc.

 

IV. P OLICIES OF T HE T RUST R EGARDING P ERSONAL S ECURITIES T RANSACTIONS

General

No Access Person of the Trust shall engage in any act, practice or course of business that would violate the provisions of Rule 17j-1 as set forth above, or in connection with any personal investment activity, engage in conduct inconsistent with this Code.

Specific Policies

No Access Person shall purchase or sell, directly or indirectly, any security in which he/she has, or by reason of such transaction acquires, any direct or indirect beneficial ownership and which he/she knows or should have known at the time of such purchase or sale:

 

    is being considered for purchase or sale by an Investment Company; or

 

    is being purchased or sold by an Investment Company.

Pre-approval of Investments in IPOs and Limited Offerings

Investment Personnel must obtain approval from the Trust or the Trust’s investment adviser before directly or indirectly acquiring beneficial ownership in any securities in an initial public offering or in a private placement or other limited offering.

 

V. R EPORTING P ROCEDURES

The Compliance Officer of the Trust shall notify each person (annually in January of each year), considered to be an Access Person of the Trust that he/she is subject to the reporting requirements detailed in

 

3


Sections (a), (b) and (c) below and shall deliver a copy of this Code to such Access Person.

In order to provide the Trust with information to enable it to determine with reasonable assurance whether the provisions of this Code are being observed, every Access Person of the Trust must report to the Trust the following:

a) Initial Holdings Reports. Every Access Person must report on Exhibit A, attached hereto, no later than 10 days after becoming an Access Person, the following information:

 

    The title, number of shares and principal amount of each Covered Security in which the Access Person had any direct or indirect beneficial ownership when the person became an Access Person;

 

    The name of any broker, dealer or bank with whom the Access Person maintained an account in which any securities were held for the direct or indirect benefit of the Access Person as of the date the person became an Access Person; and

 

    The date that the report is submitted by the Access Person.

This information must be current as of a date no more than 45 days prior to the date the person becomes an access person.

b) Quarterly Transaction Reports. Every Access Person must report on Exhibit B, attached hereto, no later than 30 days after the end of a calendar quarter, the following information with respect to any transaction during the quarter in a Covered Security in which the Access Person had any direct or indirect beneficial ownership:

 

    The date of the transaction, the title, the interest rate and maturity date (if applicable),the number of shares, and the principal amount of each Covered Security involved;

 

    The nature of the transaction (i.e., purchase, sale or any other type of acquisition or disposition);

 

    The price of the Covered Security at which the transaction was effected;

 

    The name of the broker, dealer or bank with or through whom the transaction was effected; and

 

    The date that the report is submitted by the Access Person.

Furthermore, an Access Person need not make a quarterly transaction report under section V.b. of this Code of Ethics with respect to transactions effected pursuant to an Automatic Investment Plan.

With respect to any account established by the Access Person in which any securities were held during the quarter for the direct or indirect benefit of the Access Person, each Access Person must report on Exhibit C, attached hereto, no later than 30 days after the end of a calendar quarter the following information:

 

    The name of the broker, dealer or bank with whom the Access Person established the account;

 

4


    The date the account was established; and

 

    The date that the report is submitted by the Access Person.

c) Annual Holdings Reports. Every Access Person must report on Exhibit D, attached hereto, annually, the following information (which information must be current as of a date no more than 45 days before the report is submitted):

 

    The title, number of shares and principal amount of each Covered Security in which the Access Person had any direct or indirect beneficial ownership;

 

    The name of any broker, dealer or bank with whom the Access Person maintains an account in which any securities are held for the direct or indirect benefit of the Access Person; and

 

    The date that the report is submitted by the Access Person.

d) Exceptions from Reporting Requirements. Any Trustee who is not an Interested Trustee of the fund and who would be required to make a report solely by reason of being a Trustee, need not make:

 

    An initial holdings report under section V.a. of this Code of Ethics;

 

    An annual holdings report under section V.b. of this Code of Ethics; or

 

    A quarterly transaction report under section V.c. of this Code of Ethics, unless the Trustee knew, or, in the ordinary course of fulfilling his or her official duties as a Trustee, should have known that during the 15-day period immediately before or after the Trustee’s transaction in a Covered Security, the Fund purchased or sold the covered Security, or the fund or its investment adviser considered purchasing or selling the Covered Security.

These exceptions do not preclude the Trustee from reporting any holdings or transactions in shares of the Fund in the reports under sections V.a, V.b, or V.c of this Code of Ethics.

 

VI. R EVIEW OF R EPORTS

The Compliance Officer of the Trust shall be responsible for reviewing the reports received, maintaining a record of the names of the persons responsible for reviewing these reports, and as appropriate, comparing the reports with this Code, and reporting to the Trust’s senior management:

 

    any transaction that appears to evidence a possible violation of this Code; and

 

    apparent violations of the reporting requirements stated herein.

Senior management shall review the reports made to them hereunder and shall determine whether the policies established in Sections IV and V of this Code have been violated, and what sanctions, if any, should be imposed on the violator. Sanctions include but are not limited to a letter of censure, suspension or termination of the employment of the violator or termination of the violator’s license with the Underwriter, or the unwinding of the transaction and the disgorgement of any profits.

Senior management and the board of directors of the Trust shall review the operation of this Code at

 

5


least annually. All material violations of this Code and any sanctions imposed with respect thereto shall periodically be reported to the Board of Trustees with respect to the securities being considered for purchase or sale by, or held or to be acquired by, that Investment Company.

 

VII. C ERTIFICATION

Each Access Person will be required to certify annually that he/she has read and understood the provisions of this Code and will abide by them. Each Access Person will further certify that he/she has disclosed or reported all personal securities transactions required to be reported under the Code. A form of such certification is attached hereto as Exhibit E.

Before the Board of Trustees may approve the code of ethics, the Trust must certify to the Board that the Trust has adopted procedures reasonably necessary to prevent Access Persons from violating their Code of Ethics. Such certification shall be submitted to the Board of Directors at least annually.

S OURCES :

Section 17j-1 (as amended) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “Act”); Section 16 (as amended) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”);

The “Report of the Advisory Group on Personal Investing” issued by the Investment Company Institute on May 9, 1994; and,

The Securities and Exchange Commission’s September 1994 Report on “Personal Investment Activities of Investment Company Personnel.”

 

6

REALITY SHARES ADVISORS, LLC

CODE OF ETHICS

DATED: December 12, 2013

This Code of Ethics (the “Code”) is based on the principle that Reality Shares Advisors, LLC (“RSA” or the “Firm”) and all its officers, directors and employees have a fiduciary duty to place the interest of clients ahead of their own. This Code applies to all of the Firm’s “Supervised Persons” (as such term is defined below). RSA and its Supervised Persons must avoid activities, interests, and relationships that might interfere with making decisions in the best interests of RSA’s clients.

1. Definitions

 

  (a) Access Person ” means, for the purposes of the Code, all Supervised Persons of the Firm. The term Access Person may also include any independent contractors, who have access to non-public information regarding purchases or sales of securities for or nonpublic information regarding clients’ portfolios, or who have access to any recommendations or holdings that are non-public. The CCO will make the determination of whether any independent contractors are Access Persons and notify them of the requirements. Directors, officers and partners of RSA are presumed to be Access Persons.

 

  (b) “Automatic Investment Plan” means a program in which regular periodic purchases (or withdrawals) are made automatically in (or from) investment accounts in accordance with a predetermined schedule and allocation. An automatic investment plan includes a dividend reinvestment plan.

 

  (c) Beneficial Ownership” means any interest in a security for which an Access Person can directly or indirectly receive a monetary benefit, which may include the right to buy or sell a security, to direct the purchase or sale of a security, or to vote or direct the voting of a security ( see Appendix 1 of this section for Examples of Beneficial Ownership ). Note: This broad definition of “beneficial ownership” does not necessarily apply for purposes of other securities laws or for purposes of estate or income tax reporting or liability. An employee may declare that the reporting or recording of any securities transaction should not be construed as an admission that he or she has any direct or indirect beneficial ownership in the security for other purposes.

 

  (d) “Covered Securities” – please refer to “Securities” below.

 

  (e) “Federal Securities Laws” means the Securities Act of 1933, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, the Bank Secrecy Act of 1970 (as it applies to funds and investment advisers), Title V of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act of 1999, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, any rules adopted by the SEC under any of these statutes and any rules adopted thereunder by the SEC, Department of Labor or the Department of Treasury.

 

  (f) Initial Public Offering ” (IPO) means an offering of securities registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the issuer of which, immediately before the registration, was not subject to the reporting requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act.

 

1


  (g) “Limited Offering” or “Private Placement” means an offering that is exempt from registration under the Securities Act of 1933 pursuant to section 4(2) or section 4(6) (15 U.S.C. 77d(2) or 77(d)(6)) or pursuant to 230.504, 230.505, or 230.506 of this chapter. This includes private funds and other private offerings/placements.

 

  (h) “Personal Account” means every account for which an Access Person may directly or indirectly influence or control the investment decisions of the account and otherwise be deemed to have Beneficial Ownership. This typically includes, but may not be limited to, accounts of (a) any Access Person, (b) the spouse of such Access Person, (c) any children living in the same household of such Access Person, and/or (d) any other person residing in the same household of such Access Person, if such Access person has a beneficial interest in such account(s). Each of the above accounts is considered a personal account of the Access Person. Any account where the Access Person has given written discretionary authority to a third party, such as an outside investment adviser, would not be considered a “Personal Account” (Please note the Access Person must provide the CCO with a copy of the written discretionary authority).

 

  (i) “Prohibited Transactions” means transactions in IPOs (including Secondary Offerings), transactions in the securities issued by the Reality Shares Trust, or transactions that would otherwise violate the provisions of this Code.

 

  (j) “Purchase or sale of a security” means the buying or selling of any Securities (as that term is defined below) and includes, among other things, the writing of an option to purchase or sell a Security or the purchase or sale of a Security that is exchangeable for or convertible into a Security.

 

  (k) “Reportable Fund” means (i) any mutual fund for which the Firm serves as an investment adviser or sub-adviser as defined in section 2(a)(2) of the Investment Company Act of 1940; or (ii) any mutual fund whose investment adviser or principal underwriter controls the Firm, is controlled by the Firm, or is under common control with the Firm. For purposes of this section, control has the same meaning as it does in section 2(a)(9) of the Investment Company Act. Notably, all ETFs that are formed under the Reality Shares ETF Trust (“RS ETFs”) are Reportable Funds.

 

  (l) “Restricted Securities” means any securities that have been identified by the Firm as securities restricted for trading purposes.

 

  (m) “Secondary Offering” means an offering of securities of a publicly traded company that prior to the offering were not registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

 

  (n) “Securities” ( or “Covered Securities” ) means securities that are covered by the Code. Such covered securities include, but are not necessarily limited to:

 

    Equity securities, including common and preferred stock

 

    Reportable Funds (as defined above)

 

    Restricted Securities (as defined above);

 

    Corporate and Municipal bonds;

 

    Exchange Trade Funds;

 

    Closed End Funds;

 

    Initial Public Offerings (as defined above);

 

    Limited Offerings and Private Placements (as defined above);

 

2


    Investments convertible into, or exchangeable for, stock or debt securities;

 

    Any derivative instrument relating to any of the above securities, including options, warrants and futures; and

 

    Any interest in a partnership investment (such as limited partnerships) in any of the foregoing.

 

  (o) “Supervised Persons” means all officers, directors and employees of the Firm and any other person(s) that the Firm may deem from time to time to be a supervised person (such as certain independent contractors).

2. Fiduciary Obligations and Ethical Principles

The Firm and its Supervised Persons have an ongoing fiduciary responsibility to the Firm’s clients and must ensure that the needs of the clients always come first. The Firm holds its supervised persons to a very high standard of integrity and business practices. In serving its clients, RSA and its Supervised Persons must at all times deal with clients in an honest and ethical manner and comply with all the Federal Securities Laws.

While affirming its confidence in the integrity and good faith of its Supervised Persons, the Firm understands that the knowledge of present or future client portfolio transactions and the power to influence client portfolio transactions, if held by such individuals, places them in a position where their personal interests might become conflicted with the interests of the Firm’s clients. Such conflicts of interest could arise, for example, if securities are bought or sold for personal accounts in a manner that either competes with the purchase or sale of securities for client accounts or results in an advantageous position for the personal accounts.

Because RSA is a fiduciary to its clients, Supervised Persons must avoid actual and potential conflicts of interest with the Firm’s clients. Therefore, in view of the foregoing and in accordance with the provisions of Rule 204A-1 under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (“Advisers Act”), and Rule 17j-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (“1940 Act”), RSA has adopted this Code to outline and prohibit certain types of activities that are deemed to create conflicts of interest (or at least the potential for or the appearance of such a conflict) and to outline pre-approval and reporting requirements, along with enforcement procedures. Please note that for all pre-approval, reporting and review requirements listed below, the Chief Compliance Officer (“CCO”) will report to and/or obtain pre-approval from the CEO.

In addition, Supervised Persons must adhere to the following general principles as well as to the Code’s specific provisions:

 

  (a) At all times, the interests of the Firm’s clients must come first;

 

  (b) Personal securities transactions must be conducted consistent with the Code in a manner that avoids any actual or potential conflict of interest; and

 

  (c) No inappropriate advantage should ever be taken that is contrary to the Firm’s responsibilities and duties to its clients.

3. Unlawful Actions

It is unlawful for any Supervised Person:

 

3


  (a) To employ any device, scheme or artifice to defraud a client;

 

  (b) To make any untrue statement of a material fact to any of the Firm’s clients or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements made to a client, in light of the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading;

 

  (c) To engage in any act, practice or course of business that operates or would operate as a fraud or deceit on a client; or

 

  (d) To engage in any manipulative practice with respect to a client.

This Code does not attempt to identify all possible conflicts of interest, and literal compliance with each of its specific provisions will not shield Access Persons from liability for personal trading or other conduct that violates a fiduciary duty to Firm clients.

4. Procedures Regarding Trading by Access Persons in Personal Accounts

 

  (a) Preclearance Approval of Certain Transactions:

Any Access Person wanting to purchase or sell any IPO or Limited Offering (as such terms are defined in item 1 above) and wanting to purchase or sell or transact in the securities issued by the Reality Shares Trust in any Personal Account, must obtain written pre-approval by the CCO or designee (see Appendix 2 – Pre Approval Form) . Due to the types of securities that will be traded in the RS ETF Funds’ portfolios, it is the Firm’s position that pre approval by Access Persons is not necessary for trading in any other Securities (as such term is defined in item 1(n) above) or in the Exempt Securities listed below.

At the discretion of the CCO or CEO, Access Person transactions may be aggregated with trades being placed for the RS ETFs’ portfolios, so long as it is in the same direction (i.e., all buys or all sells), for the same security and is completed in accordance with the Firm’s written policy and procedures regarding aggregated block trades.

 

  (b) Exempt Securities:

No Access Person shall be required to pre-clear or report transactions in any Personal Account in the following securities:

 

    Open-end mutual funds (this excludes closed-end mutual funds, Reportable Funds and ETFs)

 

    U.S. treasury bonds, treasury notes, treasury bills, U.S. Savings Bonds, and other instruments issued by the U.S. government or its agencies or instrumentalities

 

    Debt instruments issued by a banking institution, such as bankers’ acceptances and bank certificates of deposit (this excludes corporate or high yield bonds which must be reported)

 

    Commercial paper

 

    Repurchase agreements

 

4


  (c) Exempt Transactions:

No Access Person shall be required to pre-clear or report the following transactions in any Personal Account:

 

    Transactions that take place in any exempt security listed in 4(b) above;

 

    Transactions that take place in an account where the Access Person has no direct or indirect influence or control ( e.g., discretionary managed accounts)

 

    Purchases that are part of an Automatic Reinvestment Plan

 

  (d) Required Holding Period: Any Access Person that purchases a Reportable Fund in a Personal Account is required to hold the Reportable Fund for a period of not less than thirty (30) days from date of acquisition, unless doing so would result in a substantial loss or hardship. Under this circumstance, the Access Person must obtain approval from the CCO or designee in advance of the sale of the Reportable Fund and provide a written detailed explanation of the hardship.

 

  (e) Blackout Period: No Access Person may purchase or sell shares of any Covered Security in a Personal Account within three (3) days before and one (1) day after any client transaction in the same Covered Security. This will be checked by the CCO during the pre-approval process.

 

  (f) Misuse of Non-Public Information : No Supervised Person shall divulge or act upon any material, non-public information as such activity is defined hereto in Appendix 3: Reality Shares Advisors, LLC Insider Trading Policy , which is incorporated herein. Upon initial execution of this Code and annually thereafter, all Supervised Persons are required to read the Insider Trading Policy, sign and date the acknowledgment of receipt and understanding form (See Appendix 4 for the Insider Trading Acknowledgement Form ) and send the executed form to the CCO within 15 days of receipt.

5. Conflicts of Interest Issues

 

  (a) Political Contributions : At this time RSA does not offer its services to government entities and has no government entities as clients. Should RSA decide to begin offering its services to such clients, the firm will adopt written policy and procedures in accordance with Rule 206(4)-5 of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940.

 

  (b) Gifts: No Supervised Person shall accept or give any gift or other item (for the purpose of this Code “gifts” include but are not limited to cash, merchandise, prizes, travel expenses, entertainment tickets) of more than $100.00 in value annually, from any person or entity that does business with or on behalf of the Firm. All gifts given and received must be reported to the CCO or designee at the time the gift was given and/or received. Meals, entertainment and travel in the presence of the person or entity that does or seeks to do business with RSA are permitted outside the $100.00 annual limit, but must be reported to the CCO or designee prior to the event. See Appendix 5 for Gift Reporting Form.

 

  (c) Outside Business Activities: While associated with RSA, no Supervised Person will accept outside employment or receive outside compensation without completing the Reality Shares Advisors, LLC Outside Business Activities Form ( Appendix 6 ) and obtaining written pre-approval from the CCO or designee. (Please note: This procedure must be followed even if the outside activity is performed without receiving compensation .)

 

5


  (d) Service on Boards : No Supervised Person shall serve on the board of directors of a company, institution, endowment, charity, or any other organization without prior written authorization by the CCO or designee. If board service is authorized, such Supervised Person shall at all times ensure that they have no role in making any type of investment decisions with respect to the company, unless otherwise approved by the CCO or designee. To receive pre-clearance authorization, please complete the Reality Shares Advisors, LLC Outside Business Activities Form found in Appendix 6 .

 

  (e) Professional Conduct : While associated with RSA, no Supervised Person may be involved with any type of activity which may bring negative publicity to RSA or its affiliates.

6. Reporting and Compliance Procedures

 

  (a) Brokerage Statements : All Access Persons shall complete the Outside Brokerage Account Form ( see Appendix 7 ) and otherwise provide all necessary information to the CCO so that the Firm may direct such broker(s) to send the CCO a copy of each brokerage account statement generated for each of the Access Person’s Personal Account(s).

 

  (b) Submission of Quarterly Transaction Reports : In order for the Firm to monitor compliance with the Code and to comply with Rule 204A-1 under the Advisers Act and Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act, every Access Person shall be required to report to the CCO or designee, for each Personal Account, the information described below, or in the alternative, cause the Firm to receive or be provided with monthly and/or quarterly brokerage account statements that contain the following information:

 

  (i) The date of the transaction (either trade date or settlement date), the name of the Security, the symbol, the number of shares, the maturity date and/or the interest rate, if applicable, and the principal amount of each Security involved;

 

  (ii) The nature of the transaction (i.e., purchase, sale, or any other type of acquisition or disposition);

 

  (iii) The price of the Security at which the transaction was effected;

 

  (iv) The name of the broker, dealer or bank with or through whom the transaction was effected; and

 

  (v) The name and account number of the Personal Account.

The above reporting must be done within 30 days of the end of each quarter. Therefore, for transactions in Personal Accounts for which RSA has not timely received a duplicate statement ( i.e., within the 30 day reporting period), the Access Person is required to complete and submit Reality Shares Advisors, LLC Personal Securities Transaction Report ( see Appendix 8 ) within the required reporting period.

 

  (c)

Initial and Annual Holdings Reports: No later than 10 days after becoming an Access Person, and annually thereafter, each Access Person must submit to the CCO or designee a report of his or her holdings in Securities (including Securities held in all Personal

 

6


  Accounts), utilizing the Reality Shares Advisors, LLC Initial/Annual Holdings Report ; ( see Appendix 9 ). The report must include the following information, which must be as of a date no more than 45 days prior to the date the report was submitted:

 

  (i) The title and type of security, and as applicable the exchange ticker symbol or CUSIP number, number of shares, and principal amount of each reportable security in which the Access Person has any direct or indirect beneficial ownership;

 

  (ii) The name of the broker, dealer or bank with which the Access Person maintains an account in which the securities are held; and

 

  (iii) The date the Access Person submits the report.

7. Administration of the Code

 

  (a) The CCO or designee will review all reports and other information submitted under this Code. This review may include, but not be limited to: (1) an assessment of whether Supervised Persons and Access Persons followed the required procedures as outlined within this Code; (2) an assessment of whether each Access Person has traded in the same securities as the Firm did for the RS ETFs’ portfolios, and if so, determining whether the RS ETF’s terms for the transactions were more favorable; (3) an assessment of any trading patterns that may indicate abuse; and (4) performing any other assessment that may be necessary to determine whether there have been any violations of the Code.

 

  (b) Supervised Persons are required to immediately report any potential violation or violation of this Code of which he or she becomes aware, to the CCO. No Supervised Person will be sanctioned for reporting a potential or actual violation.

 

  (c) Each Supervised Person shall be requested to annually submit to the CCO the Code of Ethics Acknowledgment Form ( Appendix 10 ), which states that the Supervised Person has read, understands and agrees to abide by the Code. As changes to the Code occur, the Supervised Person shall receive a copy of the Code and training as necessary. Upon receipt, each Supervised Person is required to read and understand the requirements of the Code and then re-sign the Acknowledgment Form, which must be submitted no later than 30 days from the date of receipt of the Code.

 

  (d) This Code does not amend or supersede any other Code(s) of Ethics that may affect the duties and obligations of any person affected hereby.

 

  (e) No less frequently than annually, the CCO or designee will furnish to the Board of the RS ETFs a written report that:

 

  (i) Describes any issues arising under the Code during the reporting period, including, but not limited to, information about material violations of the Code and sanctions imposed in response to the material violations; and

 

  (ii) Certifies that the Firm has adopted procedures reasonably necessary to prevent Supervised Persons and Access Persons from violating the code.

 

7


8. Violations of the Code

The CCO or designee will assess whether any violation has occurred. If it is determined that a violation has occurred, the CCO will report such violation to the CEO, who may impose such sanctions as he deems appropriate, including, but not limited to suspension of personal trading privileges for a period, disgorging of profits made by the violator, fines and/or dismissal from RSA.

9. Exceptions

The CCO may grant written exceptions to the provisions of the Code based on equitable considerations ( e.g., rapid markets, hardship, satisfaction of a court order, etc.). The exceptions may be granted to individuals or classes of individuals with respect to particular transactions, classes of transactions or all transactions, and may apply to past as well as future transactions, provided that no exception will be granted where the exceptions would result in a violation of Rule 204A-1 of the Advisers Act, Rule 17j-1 of the 1940 Act, or any other Federal Securities Laws.

10. Recordkeeping Requirements

The CCO or designee, will be responsible for maintaining the following records pertaining to the Code for a minimum of five years from the end of the fiscal year in which the information was obtained and/or in effect, the first two years on-site in an accessible place, with the exception of (c) below, which will be kept for five years after the individual ceases to be deemed an Access Person.

 

  (a) A list of all of the Firm’s Access Persons, which will include every person who was deemed an Access Person at anytime within the past five years, even if they are no longer deemed as such.

 

  (b) Copies of the Code and all amendments thereto.

 

  (c) Copies of all the written acknowledgments required in section 7(c) above submitted by each Supervised Person.

 

  (d) A record of any violation of the Code and any action taken as a result of the violation.

 

  (e) Copies of each report submitted by an Access Person required in sections 6(b) and (c) above.

 

  (f) Copies of all brokerage statements submitted in accordance with section 6(a) above.

 

  (g) All pre-clearance decisions and the reasons supporting the decision.

 

  (h) Copies of all written exceptions granted under this Code.

Any Supervised Person having questions relating to the Code should contact the CCO or COO.

 

8


Code of Ethics – Appendix 1

Reality Shares Advisors, LLC

EXAMPLES OF BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP

 

    Securities held by an Access Person for their own benefit, regardless of the form in which held;

 

    Securities held by others for a Access Person’s benefit, such as securities held by custodians, brokers, relatives, executors or administrators;

 

    Securities held by a pledge for an Access Person’s account;

 

    Securities held by a trust in which an Access Person has an income or remainder interest, unless the Access Person’s only interest is to receive principal (a) if some other remainderman dies before distribution or (b) if some other person can direct by Will a distribution of trust property or income to the Access Person;

 

    Securities held by an Access Person as trustee or co-trustee, where the Access Person or any member of their immediate family (i.e., spouse, children or their descendants, stepchildren, parents and their ancestors, and stepparents, in each case treating a legal adoption as a blood relationship) has an income or remainder interest in the trust;

 

    Securities held by a trust of which the Access Person is the settler, if the Access Person has the power to revoke the trust without obtaining the consent of all the beneficiaries;

 

    Securities held by a general or limited partnership in which the Access Person is either the general partner of such partnership or a controlling partner of such entity (e.g., Access Person owns more than 25% of the partnership’s general or limited partnership interests);

 

    Securities held by a personal holding company controlled by a Access Person alone or jointly with others;

 

    Securities held in the name of minor children of a Access Person or in the name of any relative of a Access Person or of their spouse (including an adult child) who is presently sharing the Access Person’s home;

 

    Securities held in the name of any person other than a Access Person and those listed above, if by reason of any contract, understanding, relationship, agreement, or other arrangement the Access Person obtains benefits equivalent to those of ownership; and

 

    Securities held in the name of any person other than an Access Person, even though the Access Person does not obtain benefits equivalent to those of ownership (as described above), if the Access Person can vest or re-vest title in himself.

 

9


Code of Ethics – Appendix 2

REALITY SHARES ADVISORS, LLC

PERSONAL TRADING PRE-APPROVAL FORM

Reality Shares Advisors, LLC (“RSA”) has established written policies and procedures regarding employee personal trading. Importantly, in order to avoid any potential or real conflicts of interest and to adhere to applicable state and federal regulations, Access Persons must obtain written pre-approval from the Chief Compliance Officer (CCO) prior to executing certain transactions in personal accounts. (See RSA’s Code of Ethics for details on transactions that require pre-approval)

Section I Pre-Approval Request: (Please complete the following)

 

Name of Security:     
Symbol or CUSIP:     
Type of Transaction (Buy or Sell):     
If Sell, Date of Purchase:     
Amount of Shares:     
Approximate Dollar Amount of Trade:     
Name of Personal Account:     
Account Number:     
Name of Broker-Dealer:     

Section II: Certification of Access Person

By signing below, I certify to the following:

¨ I do not have any inside information regarding this security.

¨ To the best of my knowledge, this transaction would not be in conflict with any transaction for any RSA ETF portfolio.

¨ If approved, I understand and agree that the requested transaction outlined above must be completed no later than the close of

business on the next trading day from the date of approval, unless an extension of time is given in writing by the CCO or CEO.

 

Signature:         Date:      
Name (Print):          Title:      

For Compliance Use Only:

Permission from Compliance has been ¨ Approved ¨ Denied for this Access Person to make the transaction described above.

 

Compliance Approval/Denial by:          Date:      

 

10


Code of Ethics – Appendix 3

REALITY SHARES ADVISORS, LLC

INSIDER TRADING POLICY

The Insider Trading and Securities Fraud Enforcement Act of 1988 (“1988 Act”) further extends the safeguards of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 as it pertains to “insider trading.” The insider trading laws prohibit buying or selling securities while in possession or aware of material, non-public information (as defined below) or passing on such information (“tipping”) to others who buy or sell securities.

The term “insider trading” is generally used to refer to (i) a person’s use of material, nonpublic information in connection with transactions in securities and (ii) certain communications of material, nonpublic information.

The laws concerning insider trading generally prohibit:

 

    The purchase or sale of securities by an insider, on the basis of material, nonpublic information;

 

    The purchase or sale of securities by a non-insider, on the basis of material, nonpublic information if the information was disclosed to the non-insider in violation of an insider’s duty to keep the information confidential or was misappropriated; and/or

 

    The communication of material, nonpublic information in violation of a confidentiality obligation where the information leads to a purchase or sale of securities.

Who Is An Insider?

The concept of “insider” is broad. It includes the officers, directors, employees and majority shareholders of a company. In addition, a person can be considered a “temporary insider” of a company if he or she enters into a confidential relationship in the conduct of the company’s affairs and, as a result, is given access to company information that is intended to be used solely for company purposes. A temporary insider includes, among others, a company’s attorneys, accountants, consultants, investment bankers, commercial bankers and the employees of such organizations. In order for a person to be considered a temporary insider of a particular company, the company must expect that the person receiving the information will keep the information confidential and the relationship between the company and the person must at least imply such a duty. Analysts usually are not considered insiders of the company that they follow, although if an analyst is given confidential information by a company’s representative in a manner in which the analyst knows or should know to be a breach of that representative’s duties to the company, the analyst may become a temporary insider.

What is Material Information?

Trading on inside information is not a basis for liability unless the information is “material.” “Material” information generally is defined as information that a reasonable investor would likely consider important in making his or her investment decision or information that is reasonably certain to have a substantial effect on the price of a company’s securities. Information that should be considered material includes, but is not limited to: dividend changes, earnings estimates, changes in previously released earnings estimates, significant merger or acquisition proposals or agreement, major litigation, liquidity problems and extraordinary management developments. Material information does not have to relate to a company’s business; it can be significant market information. (For example, a reporter for The Wall Street Journal was found criminally liable for

 

11


disclosing to others the dates on which reports on various companies would appear in The Wall Street Journal and whether or not those reports would be favorable.)

What is Nonpublic Information?

Information is nonpublic unless it has been effectively communicated to the market place. For information to be considered public, one must be able to point to some fact to show that the information has been disseminated to the public. For example, information found in a report filed with the SEC or appearing in Dow Jones, Reuters, The Wall Street Journal or another publication of general circulation is considered public. Market rumors are not considered public information.

1. Penalties for Insider Trading

Penalties for trading on or communicating material, nonpublic information are severe, both for the individuals involved in the unlawful conduct and for its employers. A person can be subject to some or all of the penalties set forth below even if he or she does not personally benefit from the violation. Penalties include:

 

    Civil injunctions;

 

    Disgorgement of profits;

 

    Jail sentences;

 

    Fines for the person who committed the violation of up to three times the profit gained or loss avoided (per violation, or illegal trade), whether or not the person actually benefited from the violation; and

 

    Fines for the employer or other controlling person of the person who committed the violation of up to the greater of $5,000,000 or three times the amount of the profit gained or loss avoided per violation, or illegal trade.

In addition, any violation of the procedures set forth in this section can be expected to result in serious sanctions by RSA, including immediate termination of the persons involved.

A. Policies

The Firm’s employees are prohibited from acting upon material non-public information. In working with clients, Supervised Persons may receive insider information. Supervised Persons are prohibited from using inside information when placing any trades of securities for RS ETFs’ portfolios. Furthermore, Supervised Persons may not transact any trades for their own accounts or for the benefit of any third-parties based upon such information. If a Supervised Person is unsure or suspects that he/she may have obtained or may be perceived to have obtained insider information, please notify the CCO immediately.

It is unlawful for RSA or any of its Supervised Persons to engage in any type of insider trading, which generally means that no “insider” may:

 

    Purchase or sell a security on the basis of material, non-public information; or

 

    Communicate material, non-public information to another where the communication leads to, or is intended to lead to, a purchase or sale of securities; or

 

    Transact any trades for their own accounts or for the benefit of any other party based upon such material, non-public information.

 

12


B. Procedures

RSA’s Supervised Persons are prohibited from buying or selling or recommending the purchase or sale of any security (or a derivative of such security) while in possession of material nonpublic information relating to that security or its issuer. Any Supervised Person who becomes aware of information, which could be classified as material, non-public information, should immediately advise the CCO. In addition, if inside information is received the CCO will place that security on the Firm’s restricted list. Supervised Persons must be careful to ensure that insider information is not communicated (or tipped) in any way. Prior to purchasing/selling a security personally, the Supervised Person must first check to be sure that it is not on the Firm’s restricted list.

To avoid possible violations, the Firm will exercise great care in the supervision of employees and of the securities transactions of their personnel. If there is any question as to whether a contemplated purchase or sale would violate the insider trading rules, Supervised Persons will be required to consult with the CCO prior to effecting the transaction.

To ensure that all Supervised Persons are properly informed of and understand RSA’s policy with respect to insider trading, the following internal controls have been established:

 

    Mandatory training for new employees and required disclosure of outside brokerage accounts;

 

    Annual review and reporting of all outside brokerage accounts;

 

    Periodic review of employee and RSA’s trading to help ensure compliance with the policy set forth in this section;

 

    Annual attestation of compliance with RSA’s inside information policies; and

 

    Quarterly compliance reviews of outside brokerage account statements.

Should anyone suspect that insider trading may be occurring, please immediately notify the CCO.

 

13


Code of Ethics – Appendix 4

REALITY SHARES ADVISORS, LLC

INSIDER TRADING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FORM AND

CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE

   
  NAME (PLEASE PRINT)

 

  1. Reality Shares Advisors, LLC Insider Trading Policies and Procedures (“Insider Trading Policy”) as of December 12, 2013, has been provided to me for my review.

 

  2. I certify that I have read and understand the Insider Trading Policy and will comply with these policies and procedures during the course of my association with RSA.

 

  3. I agree to promptly report to the CCO or CEO any violation, or possible violation, of the Insider Trading Policy of which I became aware.

 

  4. I understand that violation of the Insider Trading Policy will be grounds for disciplinary action up to and including dismissal and may also be a violation of federal and/or state securities laws.

 

   
  SIGNATURE
   
  DATE

 

14


Code of Ethics – Appendix 5

REALITY SHARES ADVISORS, LLC

GIFT REPORTING FORM

 

Reality Shares Advisors, LLC

Date: _____________________

Gift Reporting Form

Submitted by: _____________

 

Name

  

Relationship With
Person(s)

  

Description of Gift(s)

  

Estimated Value

  

Giving or Receiving

  

Reason for Gift

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

For Compliance Use Only:                                  ¨ Reviewed by CCO

 

15


Code of Ethics Appendix 6

REALITY SHARES ADVISORS, LLC

OUTSIDE BUSINESS ACTIVITY APPROVAL FORM

Reality Shares Advisors, LLC (“RSA”) requires its Supervised Persons to obtain prior written permission to have any outside employment or to receive any employment compensation other than through their affiliation with RSA. The firm’s Codes of Ethics also require you to notify the CCO or CEO prior to accepting certain outside employment.

Instructions: Please check all that apply:

 

1.  

         

   I understand that I must provide written documentation to RSA prior to accepting (a) any board position or assignment with a non-public entity (including any church, not-for-profit organization or college/university) where I am to serve in an investment-related position, (b) any type of board position regardless if investment related or not, and/or (c) any outside compensation while still employed or associated with RSA.
2.  

         

   I do not have any outside employment nor do I receive any compensation other than through my employment at or association with RSA.
3.  

 

  

I have accepted a position or assignment with a non-public company for which I hold an investment related position:

 

 

(Name of Company)

 

    
  (Title/Main Responsibilities)    (Start Date)
  4.   

         I have accepted U outside employment (including a board position or assignment) and/or

U I am receiving outside compensation while I am associated with RSA:

 

 

(Name of Company)

 

 

(Title/Position)

   (Start Date)
5.  

 

  

I have not accepted, but request permission to accept outside employment and/or compensation in addition to my employment at RSA:

 

 

(Name of Company)

 

 

(Title/Position)

   (Start Date)

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: I hereby certify that all information provided above is true and correct.

Signature:                                                                                   Date:                 

Name (Print):                                                                             Title:                 

 

 

For Compliance Use Only:

Permission from Compliance has been U Granted U Denied for this Supervised Person to engage in outside business activity as outlined above.

Compliance Approval by:                                                                                            Date:

 

16


Code of Ethics – Appendix 7

REALITY SHARES ADVISORS, LLC

OUTSIDE BROKERAGE ACCOUNTS REPORTING FORM

Instructions. Please provide the following information for each brokerage account you hold for all Personal Accounts (as defined in the RSA Code of Ethics). If you have no such accounts, mark the appropriate box at the bottom of this form. Once the form is completed, please print and sign your name and return the form as instructed in the RSA Code of Ethics. RSA will send a letter requesting that copies of duplicate statements be provided to RSA’s CCO. Any questions should be directed to the CCO or CEO. If you have more than three outside brokerage accounts to report, please use additional forms.

 

1. Please Check One: ¨ Employee   ¨ Investment Advisory Representative    ¨ Independent Contractor

 

 

 

  

 

Name   IAR ID Number    Telephone Number

 

2. ¨ Add Account                  ¨ Remove Account                  ¨ Existing Account

 

  

 

Account Registration       Account Number
           
Name and Address of Financial Institution      

 

  

 

  

 

Account Type (e.g. Custodial, IRA)    Date Opened    Relationship to you

 

3. ¨ Add Account                  ¨ Remove Account                  ¨ Existing Account

 

  

 

Account Registration       Account Number
           
Name and Address of Financial Institution      

 

  

 

  

 

Account Type (e.g. Custodial, IRA)    Date Opened    Relationship to you

 

4. ¨ Add Account                  ¨ Remove Account                  ¨ Existing Account

 

  

 

Account Registration       Account Number
           
Name and Address of Financial Institution      

 

  

 

  

 

Account Type (e.g. Custodial, IRA)    Date Opened    Relationship to you

5. Acknowledgement and Certification. I acknowledge that the above list represents all brokerage accounts for my Personal Accounts. I hereby acknowledge that I have received a copy of RSA’s Code of Ethics. I further acknowledge that it is my responsibility to read, understand and comply by the policies outlined in RSA’s Code of Ethics.

 

  ¨ By marking this box, I have acknowledged and agreed to the statement above.

 

  ¨ I do not have any brokerage accounts to report.

 

 

  

 

Signature    Date

 

  

 

Print Name    Title/Affiliation

 

17


Code of Ethics – Appendix 8

 

REALITY SHARES ADVISORS, LLC

QUARTERLY PERSONAL SECURITIES TRANSACTION REPORT

  

Submitted By:                                                  

Date:                                                                

No Trades to Report:                                      

   (Initial if Applicable)

Account Name

  

Acct #

   Full
Security
Name
   Ticker
Symbol/
CUSIP
   Date
Of
Transaction
   Transaction Type:
Buy/Sell Short/
Long
   No. of
Shares
   Broker-Dealer Used

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

 

18


Code of Ethics – Appendix 9

REALITY SHARES ADVISORS, LLC

INITIAL/ANNUAL HOLDINGS REPORT

Holdings Declaration

In compliance with Rule 204A-1 of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 and Rule 17j-1 of the Investment Company Act of 1940, Reality Shares Advisors, LLC (“RSA”) requires each Access Person to complete this declaration of personal securities holdings within 10 days of hire and annually thereafter. The Access Person must provide information on all personal reportable securities holdings owned by the Access Person as of the date of this report, including securities in Personal Accounts (as such term is defined in the Code of Ethics).

Date:                     

No Securities Held by Access Person

             I certify that I do not have any securities holdings to report that are held by me or any immediate family member living in the same household.

Securities Held by Access Person

             In lieu of listing each security, I am attaching a copy of each account brokerage statement for my Personal Accounts (as such term is defined in the firm’s Code of Ethics), dated within 45 days of the date of this report, which lists the securities I am required to declare and includes all required information about each security as outlined in the RSA Code of Ethics.

             In lieu of listing each security, I am listing all Personal Accounts and hereby certify that the brokerage firm(s) has been instructed to provide the CCO with duplicate statements at least quarterly, which contain all my securities holdings, other than what is listed below in “Securities Not Held in Any Account”, if applicable. Also, it is my belief that the CCO is receiving such brokerage statements in a timely manner.

 

Signature:                                                                                                                                                                             Date:                         
Name (Print):                                                                                                                                                                     Title:                         

Brokerage accounts:

 

Owner’s name:                                                                                              
Brokerage Firm:                                                                                            
Account number:                                                                                          

 

Owner’s name:                                                                                              
Brokerage Firm:                                                                                            
Account number:                                                                                          

 

Owner’s name:                                                                                              
Brokerage Firm:                                                                                            
Account number:                                                                                          

 

19


Owner’s name:                                                                                              
Brokerage Firm:                                                                                            
Account number:                                                                                          

Partnerships:

 

Owner’s name:                                                                                              
Partnerships:                                                                                                  

 

Owner’s name:                                                                                              
Partnerships:                                                                                                  

 

Owner’s name:                                                                                              
Partnerships:                                                                                                  

 

Owner’s name:                                                                                              
Partnerships:                                                                                                  

Securities Not Held in Any Account:

 

Owner’s name:                                                                                              
Security:                                                                                                          
Type:                                                                                                                
Symbol/CUSIP #:                                                                                       
Number of Shares:                                                                                      
Principal Amount:                                                                                       
Location:                                                                                                         

 

Owner’s name:                                                                                              
Security:                                                                                                          
Type:                                                                                                                
Symbol/CUSIP #:                                                                                       
Number of Shares:                                                                                      
Principal Amount:                                                                                       
Location:                                                                                                         

 

Owner’s name:                                                                                              
Security:                                                                                                          
Type:                                                                                                                
Symbol/CUSIP #:                                                                                       
Number of Shares:                                                                                      
Principal Amount:                                                                                       
Location:                                                                                                         

 

20


ADDENDUM

Samples of Account Types for Inclusion and Exclusion

on Initial and Annual Holdings Declaration

College Savings Programs

If the program does not invest in any type of security and is not held at a brokerage firm, it does not need to be reported.

Foundations

If the employee owns/created the foundation, it should be reported as an outside business activity, but not a security holding. Donations to foundations or charities do not need to be reported. An employee should not donate to a foundation or charity in exchange for receiving business from the foundation or charity.

Private Partnerships

Private partnerships and private funds need to be reported.

Real Estate

Ownership in real property does not need to be reported. Investments in REITs or private placements/funds that invest in real estate do need to be reported.

Annuities/Insurance Programs

The product needs to be reported only if it invests in securities.

401Ks

The holdings do not need to be reported if the 401K only invests in unaffiliated third party open end mutual funds. If the 401K invests in any other type of security that is not considered “exempt”, then the holdings need to be reported.

IRA’s

IRA’s need to be reported if the account holds any type of reportable security.

 

21


Code of Ethics – Appendix 10

REALITY SHARES ADVISORS, LLC

CODE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FORM

AND CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE

 

 

NAME (PLEASE PRINT)

 

  1. RSA’s Codes of Ethics (“Code”), dated December 12, 2013 has been provided to me for my review.

 

  2. I have read and understand the Code and will comply with these policies and procedures during the course of my association with RSA.

 

  3. I agree to promptly report to the CCO or CEO any violation, or possible violation of this Code, which I become aware.

 

  4. I understand that a violation of this Code and/or a violation of federal and/or state securities laws will be grounds for disciplinary action as decided by the CEO, which could include but not be limited to dismissal of employment.

 

  5. I certify I will obtain written pre-approval for all required personal securities transactions as required by the Code.

 

  6. I certify I will report all required securities transactions, holdings, gifts, new outside brokerage accounts, and outside business activities as required by the Code.

 

  7. I certify that I have executed the Reality Shares Advisors, LLC Insider Trading Policy Acknowledgement Form and agree to comply with the Firm’s Insider Trading Policy.
 

 

SIGNATURE
 

 

DATE

XXVII. Code of Ethics

A. Policy Statement & Background

ADI applies the following Code of Ethics administration procedures and controls to ensure that ADI:

 

    Properly administers the Code of Ethics as required by Rule17j-1 of the Investment Company Act of 1940;

 

    Obtains the reports required for Access Persons under the Code of Ethics as required by Rule 17j-1 of the Act; and

 

    Maintains and preserves the applicable records required under Rule 17j-1 of the Act.

The following is a summary of the key aspects of Rule 17j-1 and does not attempt to cover all considerations associated with the Rule including definitions of access and investment personnel:

 

a. Unlawful Actions

Rule 17j-1 makes it unlawful for any affiliated person of a fund, its investment adviser or principal underwriter when involved with the sale or purchase (directly or indirectly) of a security held by, or to be acquired by, the fund to:

 

    Employ any devise, scheme or artifice to defraud the fund;

 

    Make any untrue statement of a material fact to the fund or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements made to the fund, in light of the circumstances under which they are made, no misleading;

 

    Engage in any act, practice or course of business that operates or would operate as fraud or deceit on the fund; or

 

    Engage in any manipulative practice with respect to the fund.

 

b. Adoption and Approval of Code of Ethics

The rule requires that every fund, its investment adviser and principal underwriter, adopt a written code of ethics reasonably designed to prevent its Access Persons from engaging in the aforementioned unlawful actions. The fund’s Board of Directors/Trustees (except for money market funds or funds that don’t invest in “covered securities”) must approve these codes and any material changes thereto (material changes must be approved within six months after adoption). The fund’s Board of Directors/Trustees can approve these codes only after receiving certification from the fund and its respective investment adviser and Principal underwriter that it has adopted procedures reasonably necessary to prevent access persons from violating the applicable codes. Furthermore, the fund’s Board of Directors/Trustees must approve the codes of the investment adviser and Principal underwriter prior to initially retaining their respective services.

 

c. Administration of Code of Ethics

As previously stated, the fund, investment adviser and Principal underwriter must design and incorporate procedures reasonably designed to prevent violations of its Code. Additionally, each must provide the fund’s Board of Directors/Trustees with a written report that describes any material violations of the code or procedures and related sanctions imposed, if any.

d. Reporting Requirements

The Rule requires the following reports from every Access Person of the fund, investment adviser and principal underwriter. These reports must be reviewed by appropriate management or compliance personnel. Finally, all Access Persons must be informed of these reporting obligations.

 

i. Initial Holdings Report

No later than 10 days after the person becomes an Access Person, the person must report detailed information on the following:

 

    Covered securities in which the Access Person had any direct or indirect beneficial ownership at the time they became an Access Person;

 

    Any Broker, Dealer or bank with whom the Access Person maintained an account in which those securities were held; and

 

    The date the report is submitted by the Access Person.

This information must be current as of a date no more than 45 days prior to the date the person becomes an Access Person.


ii. Quarterly Transaction Report

No later than 30 days after the end of a calendar quarter, the Access Person must report detailed information on the following:

 

    Any transactions during the quarter in a covered security in which the Access Person had any direct or indirect beneficial ownership; and

 

    Any account established by the Access Person in which any securities were held during the quarter that were for his/her direct or indirect benefit.

Furthermore, an Access Person need not make a quarterly transaction report under this Section of these policies and procedures with respect to transactions effected pursuant to an Automatic Investment Plan.

With respect to any account established by the Access Person in which any securities were held during the quarter for the direct or indirect benefit of the Access Person, each Access Person must report to the Compliance Officer of the Company, no later than 30 days after the end of a calendar quarter the following:

 

    The name of the Broker, Dealer or bank with whom the Access Person established the account;

 

    The date the account was established; and

 

    The date that the report is submitted by the Access Person.

iii. Annual Holdings Report

Annually, and no later than 45 days from which the information would be deemed current, the Access Person


must report the same detailed information as was required when they initially became an Access Person

Certain reporting exceptions may apply if a person:

Did not have any direct or indirect influence or control over the covered securities held;

 

    Is a Director of a fund who is not considered an “interested person” of the fund and who would be required to make a report solely by reason of being a Fund Director;

 

    Is required to report duplicative information to their investment adviser; or

 

    Already provides detailed information required in the form of trade confirmations or account statements received by the fund, its investment adviser or Principal underwriter.

Furthermore, a principal underwriter is exempt from the approval, administration, or reporting requirements mentioned above unless the underwriter is an affiliated person of the fund; the investment adviser; or an officer, director, or general partner of the underwriter serves as an officer, director, or general partner of the fund or the investment adviser.

 

e. Pre-Approval of Certain Investments

Direct or indirect acquisition of any securities in an Initial Public Offering or in a Limited Offering by investment personnel of a fund, or its investment adviser, must be pre-approved by the fund or the fund’s investment adviser.

 

f. Recordkeeping Requirements

Each fund, investment adviser and Principal underwriter that is required to adopt a Code of Ethics must maintain the following records:

 

    A copy of the Code in effect, or any Codes in effect, during the past five years;

 

    A record of any Code violations, and the action(s) taken as a result of the violation, for at least 5 years;

 

    A copy of each report made by, or information provided in lieu of, an Access Person for the last 5 years after the end of the fiscal year in which the report is made or information provided;

 

    A record of all persons, currently or within the past 5 years, who are or were required to provide the aforementioned reports, or who are or were responsible for reviewing said reports; and

 

    A copy of each report provided to the fund’s Board of Directors/Trustees for at least 5 years after the end of the fiscal year in which it was made.

B. Operating Procedures & Control Activities

These procedures are directed at administration and reporting requirements specific to ADI’s Code of Ethics.

 

a. Initial Holdings Report

The Firm’s assigned Fund Controller/Secretary is responsible for notifying ADI’s Compliance Department of any new Access Persons under ADI’s Code of Ethics. Notification must be received in an amount of time that reasonably allows ADI’s Compliance Department to send and receive from an Access Person, an Initial Holdings Report within 10 days of that person becoming an Access Person.

Upon timely notification of any new Access Persons from ADI Management, ADI’s Compliance Department sends an Initial Holdings Report to the new Access Person of the fund; if they are not otherwise exempted by the Code, and Rule 17j-1, from providing this information (e.g. an independent trustee or director of the Investment Company “who would be required to make a report solely by reason of being a fund director”).

Upon receipt, ADI’s Compliance Department reviews initial holdings and related information for anything that could be deemed inappropriate. Any information deemed suspicious and/or inappropriate is logged and reported to ADI Management for appropriate action. Any actions taken are also recorded by ADI’s Compliance Department.

 

b. Quarterly Holdings Report

At the beginning of the last month for the preceding calendar quarter-end, ADI’s Compliance Department provides a list of all Access Persons under ADI’s Code of Ethics to Fund Controller/Secretary.

ADI’s Compliance Department reviews the updated list of Access Persons for any new Access Persons that should have received an Initial Holdings Report, but did not. If identified, ADI’s Compliance Department follows the


procedures in this Section of these WSPs and records any related reporting violations (i.e. if an Initial Holdings Report is not received within 10 days of the person becoming an access person).

ADI’s Compliance Department also determines with the investment adviser and applicable fund(s) those Access Persons, if any that are already required to provide duplicate information under the Codes of the investment adviser or fund. Any Access Persons meeting either of the criteria above may not be required to provide ADI with a quarterly transaction report.

Within 10 days after the quarter-end, ADI’s Compliance Department distributes the Quarterly Transaction Report and related cover memo to each Access Person under ADI’s Code of Ethics that is required to complete this report

Upon receipt, ADI’s Compliance Department reviews the Quarterly Transaction Report and related information for anything that could be deemed inappropriate. Any information deemed suspicious or inappropriate is logged and reported to the fund for appropriate action(s). Any actions taken are also recorded by ADI’s Compliance Department.

 

c. Annual Holdings Report and Reports to the Board

Annually, and no later than 12 months after the last Annual Holdings Report and Annual Certification was distributed, ADI’s Compliance Department sends each Access Person another Annual Holdings Report, a copy of the Code, Annual Certification and related cover memo to the Access Person. Information provided by the Access Person on the Annual Holdings must be current as of a date no more than 45 days before the report is submitted to ADI’s Compliance Department.

Upon receipt of the Annual Holdings Report and Annual Certification, ADI’s Compliance Department reviews the information provided for anything that could be deemed inappropriate. Any information deemed suspicious or inappropriate is logged and reported to ADI Management for appropriate action(s), if any. Any actions taken are also recorded by ADI’s Compliance Department.

Prior to the initial board meeting, and annually thereafter, ADI presents the fund Board of Directors/Trustees with a copy of the adopted ADI Code of Ethics for approval.

Any material change(s) to a Code are presented at the next appropriate Board of Directors/Trustees meeting for approval, and no later than 6 months after adoption of the material change. After adoption by the fund’s Board of Directors/Trustees, the amended Code of Ethics is distributed by ADI’s Compliance Department to all current Access Persons.

Annually, ADI provides a written report to the applicable fund’s Board of Directors/Trustees which includes the following:

 

    A description of any issues arising under the respective code, including but not limited to, information about material violations of the Code or procedures and sanctions imposed in response to material violations;

 

    A summary of existing procedures concerning personal investing by advisory persons/underwriter and any changes in the procedures during the past year;

 

    An evaluation of current compliance procedures and a report on any recommended changes in existing restrictions or procedures; and

 

    A certification that the procedures that the procedures which have been adopted are those reasonably necessary to prevent Access Persons from violating the respective Codes of Ethics.

 

C. Compliance Oversight Controls

As part of the annual compliance review, the Chief Compliance Officer of ADI will perform a review of related books and records to ensure completeness and that the Code was administered in compliance with Rule 17j-1 of the Investment Company Act of 1940.

REALITY SHARES ETF TRUST

POWER OF ATTORNEY

KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned trustee and/or officer of the above referenced trust (the “Trust”), a statutory trust organized under the laws of the State of Delaware, hereby constitutes and appoints Eric Ervin and Tom Trivella, and each of them singly, his true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent with full power of substitution and resubstitution, to sign for him and in his name, place and stead, and in the capacity indicated below, to sign any and all Registration Statements and amendments thereto under the provisions of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended and/or the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, acting alone, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite or necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents or any of them, or their substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has hereunto set his hand and seal as of the date set forth below.

 

By:  

/s/ Nathaniel Singer

    Date:   

February 6, 2014

Name:   Nathaniel Singer       
Title:   Trustee       


REALITY SHARES ETF TRUST

POWER OF ATTORNEY

KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned trustee and/or officer of the above referenced trust (the “Trust”), a statutory trust organized under the laws of the State of Delaware, hereby constitutes and appoints Eric Ervin and Tom Trivella, and each of them singly, his true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent with full power of substitution and resubstitution, to sign for him and in his name, place and stead, and in the capacity indicated below, to sign any and all Registration Statements and amendments thereto under the provisions of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended and/or the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, acting alone, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite or necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents or any of them, or their substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has hereunto set his hand and seal as of the date set forth below.

 

By:  

/s/ Chris Nero

    Date:   

February 4, 2014

Name:   Chris Nero       
Title:   Trustee       


REALITY SHARES ETF TRUST

POWER OF ATTORNEY

KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned trustee and/or officer of the above referenced trust (the “Trust”), a statutory trust organized under the laws of the State of Delaware, hereby constitutes and appoints Eric Ervin and Tom Trivella, and each of them singly, his true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent with full power of substitution and resubstitution, to sign for him and in his name, place and stead, and in the capacity indicated below, to sign any and all Registration Statements and amendments thereto under the provisions of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended and/or the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, acting alone, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite or necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents or any of them, or their substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has hereunto set his hand and seal as of the date set forth below.

 

By:  

/s/ Rick Slaughter

    Date:   

February 5, 2014

Name:   Rick Slaughter       
Title:   Trustee