Table of Contents

As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 31, 2014

Securities Act File No. 333-132380

Investment Company Act File No. 811-21864

 

 

 

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM N-1A

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933    x
Pre-Effective Amendment No.        ¨
Post-Effective Amendment No. 346    x

and/or

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940    x
Amendment No. 348    x

(Check appropriate box or boxes.)

 

 

WISDOMTREE TRUST

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

 

 

245 Park Avenue

35th Floor

New York, NY 10167

(Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)

1-866-909-9473

(Registrant’s Telephone Number, including Area Code)

JONATHAN STEINBERG

WISDOMTREE TRUST

245 Park Avenue

35th Floor

New York, NY 10167

(Name and Address of Agent for Service)

 

 

Copies to:

 

W. John McGuire   Ryan Louvar
Bingham McCutchen LLP   WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc.
2020 K Street NW   245 Park Avenue, 35th Floor
Washington, DC 20006   New York, NY 10167

 

 

It is proposed that this filing will become effective (check appropriate box):

  ¨ Immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b)
  ¨ On (date) pursuant to paragraph (b)
  ¨ 60 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)
  ¨ On (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)
  x 75 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(2)
  ¨ On (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(2) of Rule 485

If appropriate, check the following box:

  ¨ This post-effective amendment designates a new effective date for a previously filed post-effective amendment.

 

 

 


Table of Contents

PROSPECTUS

, 2014

 

International Equity ETFs

 

LOGO

 

WisdomTree Trust

 

WisdomTree

International Equity ETFs*

WisdomTree Japan Dividend Growth Fund (            )

 

* Principal U.S. Listing Exchange: [            ]

 

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 (“SEC”) 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.

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


Table of Contents

WisdomTree Trust

 

Table of Contents

 

 

Fund Summary      2   

WisdomTree Japan Dividend Growth Fund

     2   
Additional Information About the Fund      6   

Additional Information About the Fund’s Investment Objective

     6   

Additional Information About the Fund’s Investment Strategy

     6   

Other Investment Information

     6   
Additional Principal Risk Information About the Fund      6   
Additional Non-Principal Risk Information      9   
Portfolio Holdings Information      9   
Management      10   

Investment Adviser

     10   

Sub-Adviser

     10   

Portfolio Managers

     10   
Additional Information on Buying and Selling Fund Shares      11   

Share Trading Prices

     11   

Determination of Net Asset Value

     11   

Dividends and Distributions

     11   

Book Entry

     11   

Delivery of Shareholder Documents – Householding

     12   

Frequent Purchases and Redemptions of Fund Shares

     12   

Investments by Registered Investment Companies

     12   
Additional Tax Information      12   

Taxes on Distributions

     12   

Taxes When Fund Shares Are Sold

     13   

Taxes on Creation and Redemption of Creation Units

     13   

Foreign Investments by the Fund

     13   
Distribution      14   
Premium/Discount and NAV Information      14   
Additional Notices      14   
Financial Highlights      14   
 

 

INVESTMENT PRODUCTS: n ARE NOT FDIC INSURED n MAY LOSE VALUE n ARE NOT BANK GUARANTEED

 

 

WisdomTree Trust Prospectus      1   


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WisdomTree Japan Dividend Growth Fund

 

Fund Summary

Investment Objective

The WisdomTree Japan Dividend Growth Fund (the “Fund”) seeks to track the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the WisdomTree Japan Dividend Growth Index (the “Index”).

Fees and Expenses of the Fund

The following table describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund. The fees are expressed as a percentage of the Fund’s average net assets.

 

Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)     None   

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

       

Management Fees

    [     ]% 

Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees

    None   

Other Expenses*

    0.00
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses     [     ]% 
* “Other Expenses” are based on estimated amounts for the current fiscal year.

Example

The following example is intended to help retail investors compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. It illustrates the hypothetical expenses that such investors would incur over various periods if they were to invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of the shares at the end of those periods. This example assumes that the Fund provides a return of 5% a year and that operating expenses remain the same. This example does not include the brokerage commissions that retail investors may pay to buy and sell shares of the Fund. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:

 

      1 Year     3 Years  
      $ [    ]      $ [    ] 

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 annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. Because the Fund is newly organized, portfolio turnover information is not yet available.

Principal Investment Strategies of the Fund

The Fund employs a “passive management” – or indexing – investment approach designed to track the performance of the Index. The Fund generally uses a representative sampling strategy to achieve its investment objective, meaning it generally will invest in a sample of the securities in the Index whose risk, return and other characteristics resemble the risk, return and other characteristics of the Index as a whole. Under normal circumstances, at least 80% of the Fund’s total assets (exclusive of collateral held from securities lending) will be invested in the component securities of the Index and investments that have economic characteristics that are substantially identical to the economic characteristics of such component securities.

The Index is designed to provide exposure to dividend-paying common stocks of companies with growth characteristics that are incorporated in Japan and listed on the Tokyo or Jasdaq Stock Exchanges. The Index is a fundamentally weighted index that is generally comprised of the 300 companies with the best combined rank of certain growth and quality factors: specifically long-term earnings growth expectations, return on equity, and return on assets. The starting universe screening requirements include: (i) payment of at least $5 million in cash dividends on common shares in the annual cycle prior to the annual Index screening date; (ii) market capitalization of at least $1 billion as of the Index screening date; (iii) average daily trading volume of at least $100,000 for each of the three months preceding the Index screening date; (iv) a calculated volume factor (the average daily trading volume for three months preceding the Index screening date divided by the weight of the security in the Index) that is greater than $200 million; and (v) trading of at least 250,000 shares per month for each of the six months preceding the Index screening date. Securities are weighted in the Index based on dividends paid over the prior annual cycle. Companies that pay more total dollar amount of dividends are more heavily weighted. At the time of the

 

2   WisdomTree Trust Prospectus


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Index’s annual rebalance, the maximum weight of any security in the Index is capped at 5% and the maximum weight of any one sector in the Index is capped at 20%. In response to market conditions, security, sector and country weights may fluctuate above the specified cap between annual Index rebalance dates. In the event that a company has a calculated volume factor that is less than $400 million as of the annual Index rebalance, its weight in the Index will be reduced such that its weight equals its weight prior to the adjustment multiplied by a fraction of its calculated volume factor divided by $400 million.

WisdomTree Investments, Inc. (“WisdomTree Investments”), as index provider, currently uses Standard & Poor’s Global Industry Classification Standards (“S&P GICS”) to define companies within a sector. The following sectors are included in the Index: [consumer discretionary, consumer staples, energy, financials, health care, industrials, information technology, materials, telecommunication services, and utilities]. A sector is comprised of multiple industries. For example, the energy sector is comprised of companies in, among others, the natural gas, oil and petroleum industries.

To the extent the 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.

Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund

You can lose money on your investment in the Fund. The Fund is subject to the risks described below. Some or all of these risks may adversely affect the Fund’s net asset value per share (“NAV”), trading price, yield, total return and/or ability to meet its objectives. For more information about the risks of investing in the Fund, see the sections in the Fund’s Prospectus, titled “Additional Principal Risk Information About the Fund” and “Additional Non-Principal Risk Information.”

 

n  

Investment Risk. As with all investments, an investment in the Fund is subject to investment risk. Investors in the Fund could lose money, including the possible loss of the entire principal amount of an investment, over short or long periods of time.

 

n  

Market Risk. The trading prices of equity securities and other instruments fluctuate in response to a variety of factors. The Fund’s NAV and market price may fluctuate significantly in response to these and other factors. As a result, an investor could lose money over short or long periods of time.

 

n  

Shares of the Fund May Trade at Prices Other Than NAV. As with all exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”), Fund shares may be bought and sold in the secondary market at market prices. The trading prices of the Fund’s shares in the secondary market generally differ from the Fund’s daily NAV, and there may be times when the market price of the shares is more than the NAV (premium) or less than the NAV (discount). This risk is heightened in times of market volatility or periods of steep market declines.

 

n  

Cash Redemption Risk. The Fund’s investment strategy will require it to redeem shares for cash or to otherwise include cash as part of its redemption proceeds. The Fund may be required to sell or unwind portfolio investments in order to obtain the cash needed to distribute redemption proceeds. This may cause the Fund to recognize a capital gain that it might not have recognized if it had made a redemption in-kind. As a result, the Fund may pay out higher annual capital gain distributions than if the in-kind redemption process was used.

 

n  

Consumer Discretionary Investing. The Fund may invest in companies in the consumer discretionary sector. This sector consists of, for example, automobile, retail and media companies. The consumer discretionary sector of the economy can be significantly affected by, among other things, economic growth, worldwide demand and consumers’ disposable income levels and propensity to spend.

 

n  

Currency Exchange Rate Risk. The Fund may invest a relatively large percentage of its assets in investments denominated in non-U.S. currencies or in securities that provide exposure to such currencies. Changes in currency exchange rates and the relative value of non-U.S. currencies will affect the value of the Fund’s investment and the value of your Fund shares. Currency exchange rates can be very volatile and can change quickly and unpredictably. As a result, the value of an investment in the Fund may change quickly and without warning and you may lose money.

 

n  

Foreign Securities Risk. Investments in non-U.S. securities involve certain risks that may not be present with investments in U.S. securities. For example, investments in non-U.S. securities may be subject to risk of loss due to foreign currency fluctuations or to political or economic instability. Investments in non-U.S. securities also may be subject to withholding or other taxes and may be subject to additional trading, settlement, custodial, and operational risks. These and other factors can make investments in the Fund more volatile and potentially less liquid than other types of investments.

 

n  

Geographic Concentration in Japan. Because the Fund invests primarily in the securities of companies in Japan, the Fund’s performance is expected to be closely tied to social, political, and economic conditions within Japan and to be more volatile than the performance of more geographically diversified funds. The Japanese economy has only recently emerged from a prolonged economic downturn. Since the year 2000, Japan’s economic growth rate has remained relatively low. The economy is characterized by government intervention and protectionism, an unstable financial services sector, and

 

WisdomTree Trust Prospectus      3   


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relatively high unemployment. Economic growth is heavily dependent on international trade, government support of the financial services sector and other troubled sectors, and consistent government policy. The United States is Japan’s largest single trading partner, but close to half of Japan’s trade is conducted with developing nations, almost all of which are in Southeast Asia. Slowdowns in the U.S. and China could have a negative impact on Japan. Exposure to China, in terms of both imports and exports, has been increasing in recent years. These and other factors could have a negative impact on the Fund’s performance and increase the volatility of an investment in the Fund.

 

n  

Industrial Investing. The Fund may invest in companies in the industrial sector. The industrial sector can be significantly affected by, among other things, worldwide economy growth, supply and demand for specific products and services, rapid technological developments, and government regulation.

 

n  

Investment Style Risk. The Fund invests in the securities included in, or representative of, its Index regardless of their investment merit. The Fund does not attempt to outperform its Index or take defensive positions in declining markets. As a result, the Fund’s performance may be adversely affected by a general decline in the market segments relating to its Index.

 

n  

Issuer-Specific Risk. Issuer-specific events, including changes in the financial condition of an issuer, can have a negative impact on the value of the Fund.

 

n  

Large-Capitalization Investing. The Fund may invest [a relatively large percentage of its assets] in the securities of large-capitalization companies. As a result, the Fund’s performance may be adversely affected if securities of large-capitalization companies underperform securities of smaller-capitalization companies or the market as a whole. The securities of large-capitalization companies may be relatively mature compared to smaller companies and therefore subject to slower growth during times of economic expansion.

 

n  

Mid-Capitalization Investing. The Fund may invest in the securities of mid-capitalization companies. As a result, the Fund’s performance may be adversely affected if securities of mid-capitalization companies underperform securities of other capitalization ranges or the market as a whole. Securities of smaller companies are often more vulnerable to market volatility than securities of larger companies.

 

n  

Non-Correlation Risk. As with all index funds, the performance of the Fund and its Index may differ from each other for a variety of reasons.

 

n  

Non-Diversification Risk. Although the Fund intends to invest in a variety of securities and instruments, the Fund will be considered to be non-diversified, which means that it may invest more of its assets in the securities of a single issuer or a smaller number of issuers than if it were a diversified fund. As a result, the Fund may be more exposed to the risks associated with and developments affecting an individual issuer or a smaller number of issuers than a fund that invests more widely. This may increase the Fund’s volatility and cause the performance of a relatively smaller number of issuers to have a greater impact on the Fund’s performance.

Fund Performance

The Fund is new and therefore does not have a performance history.

Management

Investment Adviser and Sub-Adviser

WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc. serves as investment adviser to the Fund. [        ] serves as sub-adviser to the Fund.

Portfolio Managers

[    ], has been a portfolio manager of the Fund since its inception in [    ].

[    ], has been a portfolio manager of the Fund since its inception in [    ].

[    ], has been a portfolio manager of the Fund since its inception in [    ].

 

Buying and Selling Fund Shares

The Fund is an ETF. This means that shares of the Fund are listed on a national securities exchange, such as NASDAQ, and trade at market prices. Most investors will buy and sell shares of the Fund through brokers. Because Fund shares trade at market prices rather than NAV, shares may trade at a price greater than NAV (premium) or less than NAV (discount).

The Fund issues and redeems shares at NAV only in large blocks of shares (“Creation Units”), which only certain institutions or large investors (typically market makers or other broker-dealers) may purchase or redeem. Currently, Creation Units generally consist of 50,000 shares, though this may change from time to time. Creation Units are not expected to consist of less than 50,000 shares. The Fund generally issues and redeems Creation Units in exchange for a portfolio of securities closely approximating the holdings of the Fund and/or a designated amount of U.S. cash.

 

4   WisdomTree Trust Prospectus


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Tax Information

The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxed as ordinary income, qualified dividend income, or capital gains.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

If you purchase shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank) (an “Intermediary”), WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc. or its affiliates may pay Intermediaries for certain activities related to the Fund, including participation in activities that are designed to make Intermediaries more knowledgeable about exchange traded products, including the Fund, or for other activities, such as marketing, educational training or other initiatives related to the sale or promotion of Fund shares. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the Intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Any such arrangements do not result in increased Fund expenses. Ask your salesperson or visit the Intermediary’s website for more information.

 

WisdomTree Trust Prospectus      5   


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Additional Information About the Fund

Additional Information About the Fund’s Investment Objective. The Fund seeks to track the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the Index developed by WisdomTree Investments. The Index consists of securities in the market suggested by its name that meet specific criteria developed by WisdomTree Investments. Since the Fund’s investment objective has been adopted as a non-fundamental investment policy, the Fund’s investment objective may be changed without a vote of shareholders upon 60 days’ written notice to shareholders.

Additional Information About the Fund’s Investment Strategy. The Fund will normally invest at least 80% of its net assets, plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes, in the types of securities suggested by its name ( i.e. , investments connoted by its Index). The Fund anticipates meeting this policy because, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of the Fund’s total assets (exclusive of collateral held from securities lending) will be invested in the component securities of its underlying Index and investments that have economic characteristics that are substantially identical to the economic characteristics of such component securities. WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc. (“WisdomTree Asset Management” or the “Adviser”) expects that, over time, the correlation between the Fund’s performance and that of the Index, before fees and expenses, will be 95% or better. A number of factors may affect the Fund’s ability to achieve a high degree of correlation with its Index, and there can be no guarantee that the Fund will achieve a high degree of correlation.

The quantity of holdings in the Fund using a representative sampling strategy will be based on a number of factors, including asset size of the Fund. In addition, from time to time, securities are added to or removed from the Index and consequently the attributes of the Index, such as sectors or industries represented in the Index and weightings, may change. The Fund may sell securities that are represented in the Index, or purchase securities that are not yet represented in the Index, in anticipation of their removal from or addition to the Index or to reflect various corporate actions or other changes to the Index. Further, the Fund may overweight or underweight securities in the Index, purchase or sell securities not in the Index, or utilize various combinations of other available techniques, in seeking to track the Index.

Index. The Index is “fundamentally weighted” and differs from most traditional indexes in that the proportion, or “weighting,” of the securities in the Index is based on cash dividends, a measure of fundamental value. Most traditional indexes and index funds weight their securities by looking simply at the market capitalization of such securities.

The Index is weighted based on dividends paid over the prior annual cycle. This means that securities of companies that pay a higher total dollar amount of dividends are more heavily weighted in the Index and the Fund. Only regular dividends ( i.e. , established or quarterly dividends as opposed to non-recurring or special dividends) are included in the determination of dividends paid over the prior annual cycle.

Other Investment Information. The Fund may invest in other investments that the Fund believes will help it track its Index, including cash and cash equivalents, as well as in shares of other investment companies (including affiliated investment companies), forward contracts, futures contracts, options on futures contracts, options and swaps.

The Fund may lend its portfolio securities in an amount not to exceed one third (33  1 / 3 %) of the value of its total assets via a securities lending program through its securities lending agent, State Street Bank and Trust Company, to brokers, dealers and other financial institutions desiring to borrow securities to complete transactions and for other purposes. A securities lending program allows the Fund to receive a portion of the income generated by lending its securities and investing the respective collateral. The Fund will receive collateral for each loaned security which is at least equal to the market value of that security, marked to market each trading day. In the securities lending program, the borrower generally has the right to vote the loaned securities, however the Fund may call loans to vote proxies if a material issue affecting the Fund’s economic interest in the investment is to be voted upon. Security loans may be terminated at any time by the Fund.

Additional Principal Risk Information About the Fund

This section provides additional information regarding the principal risks described under “Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund” in the Fund Summary. Each of the factors below could have a negative impact on Fund performance and trading prices.

Cash Redemption Risk

When the Fund’s investment strategy requires it to redeem shares for cash or to otherwise include cash as part of its redemption proceeds, it may be required to sell or unwind portfolio investments in order to obtain the cash needed to distribute redemption proceeds. This may cause the Fund to recognize a capital gain that it might not have recognized if it had made a redemption in-kind ( i.e. , distribute securities as payment of redemption proceeds). As a result, the Fund may pay out higher annual capital gain distributions than if the in-kind redemption process was used.

 

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Currency Exchange Rate Risk

Changes in currency exchange rates and the relative value of non-U.S. currencies will affect the value of the Fund’s investments and the value of your Fund shares. Because the Fund’s NAV is determined on the basis of U.S. dollars, the U.S. dollar value of your investment in the Fund may go down if the value of the local currency of the non-U.S. markets in which the Fund invests depreciates against the U.S. dollar. This is true even if the local currency value of securities in the Fund’s holdings goes up. Conversely, the dollar value of your investment in the Fund may go up if the value of the local currency appreciates against the U.S. dollar.

The value of the U.S. dollar measured against other currencies is influenced by a variety of factors. These factors include: national debt levels and trade deficits, changes in balances of payments and trade, domestic and foreign interest and inflation rates, global or regional political, economic or financial events, monetary policies of governments, actual or potential government intervention, and global energy prices. Political instability, the possibility of government intervention and restrictive or opaque business and investment policies may also reduce the value of a country’s currency. Government monetary policies and the buying or selling of currency by a country’s government may also influence exchange rates. Currency exchange rates can be very volatile and can change quickly and unpredictably. As a result, the value of an investment in the Fund may change quickly and without warning, and you may lose money.

Foreign Securities Risk

Investments in non-U.S. securities involve certain risks that may not be present with investments in U.S. securities. For example, investments in non-U.S. securities may be subject to risk of loss due to foreign currency fluctuations or to political or economic instability. There may be less information publicly available about a non-U.S. issuer than a U.S. issuer. Non-U.S. issuers may be subject to different accounting, auditing, financial reporting and investor protection standards than U.S. issuers. Investments in non-U.S. securities may be subject to withholding or other taxes and may be subject to additional trading, settlement, custodial, and operational risks. With respect to certain countries, there is the possibility of government intervention and expropriation or nationalization of assets. Because legal systems differ, there is also the possibility that it will be difficult to obtain or enforce legal judgments in certain countries. Since foreign exchanges may be open on days when the Fund does not price its shares, the value of the securities in the Fund’s portfolio may change on days when shareholders will not be able to purchase or sell the Fund’s shares. Conversely, Fund shares may trade on days when foreign exchanges are closed. Each of these factors can make investments in the Fund more volatile and potentially less liquid than other types of investments.

Geographic Concentration in Japan

The Fund invests primarily in the securities of companies in Japan, it is more likely to be impacted by events or conditions affecting Japan. For example, political and economic conditions and changes in regulatory, tax, or economic policy in Japan could significantly affect the market in that country and in surrounding or related countries and have a negative impact on the Fund’s performance. Currency developments or restrictions, political and social instability, and changing economic conditions may result in significant market volatility. Further, economic growth in Japan is heavily dependent on international trade, government support, and consistent government policy. Slowdowns in the economies of key trading partners such as the United States, China and countries in Southeast Asia could have a negative impact on the Japanese economy as a whole.

Investment Risk

As with all investments, an investment in the Fund is subject to investment risk. Investors in the Fund could lose money, including the possible loss of the entire principal amount of an investment, over short or long periods of time. An investment in the Fund is not a bank deposit and it is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.

Investment Style Risk

The Fund invests in the securities included in, or representative of, its Index regardless of their investment merit. The Fund does not attempt to outperform its Index or take defensive positions in declining markets. As a result, the Fund’s performance may be adversely affected by a general decline in the market segments relating to its Index. The returns from the types of securities in which the Fund invests may underperform returns from the various general securities markets or different asset classes. This may cause the Fund to underperform other investment vehicles that invest in different asset classes. Different types of securities (for example, large-, mid- and small-capitalization stocks) tend to go through cycles of doing better – or worse – than the general securities markets. In the past, these periods have lasted for as long as several years.

Issuer-Specific Risk

Changes in the financial condition of an issuer or counterparty, changes in specific economic or political conditions that affect a particular type of security or issuer, and changes in general economic or political conditions can affect a security’s or instrument’s value. The value of securities of smaller, less well-known issuers can be more volatile than that of larger issuers. Issuer-specific events can have a negative impact on the value of the Fund.

 

WisdomTree Trust Prospectus      7   


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Market Risk

The trading prices of equity securities, fixed income securities, currencies, commodities, and other instruments fluctuate in response to a variety of factors. These factors include events impacting the entire market or specific market segments, such as political, market and economic developments, as well as events that impact specific issuers. The Fund’s NAV and market price, like security and commodity prices generally, may fluctuate significantly in response to these and other factors. As a result, an investor could lose money over short or long periods of time.

Market Capitalization Risk

Large-Capitalization Investing

The securities of large-capitalization companies may be relatively mature compared to smaller companies and therefore subject to slower growth during times of economic expansion. Large-capitalization companies may also be unable to respond quickly to new competitive challenges, such as changes in technology and consumer tastes.

Mid-Capitalization Investing

The securities of mid-capitalization companies may be more vulnerable to adverse issuer, market, political, or economic developments than securities of large-capitalization companies. The securities of mid-capitalization companies generally trade in lower volumes and are subject to greater and more unpredictable price changes than large capitalization stocks or the stock market as a whole. Some medium capitalization companies have limited product lines, markets, financial resources, and management personnel and tend to concentrate on fewer geographical markets relative to large-capitalization companies.

Non-Correlation Risk

As with all index funds, the performance of the Fund and its Index may vary somewhat for a variety of reasons. For example, the Fund incurs operating expenses and portfolio transaction costs, while also managing cash flows and potential operational inefficiencies, not incurred by its Index. In addition, the Fund may not be fully invested in the securities of its Index at all times or may hold securities not included in its Index. For example, it may take several business days for additions and deletions to the Index to be reflected in the portfolio composition of the Fund. The use of sampling techniques may affect the Fund’s ability to achieve close correlation with its Index. The Fund uses a representative sampling strategy and generally can be expected to have a greater non-correlation risk and this risk may be heightened during times of market volatility or other unusual market conditions.

Non-Diversification Risk

Although the Fund intends to invest in a variety of securities and instruments, the Fund will be considered to be non-diversified. This means that the Fund may invest more of its assets in the securities of a single issuer or a smaller number of issuers than if it was a diversified fund. As a result, the Fund may be more exposed to the risks associated with and developments affecting an individual issuer or a smaller number of issuers than a fund that invests more widely. This may increase the Fund’s volatility and cause the performance of a relatively smaller number of issuers to have a greater impact on the Fund’s performance.

Sector Risks

Consumer Discretionary Investing

The consumer discretionary sector consists of, for example, automobile, retail and media companies. The consumer discretionary sector may be affected by changes in domestic and international economies, exchange and interest rates, worldwide demand, competition, consumers’ disposable income levels, propensity to spend and consumer preferences, social trends and marketing campaigns. Companies in the consumer discretionary sector have historically been characterized as relatively cyclical and therefore more volatile in times of change.

Industrial Investing

The industrial sector can be significantly affected by, among other things, worldwide economic growth, supply and demand for specific products and services, rapid technological developments, international political and economic developments, environmental issues, and tax and governmental regulatory policies. As the demand for, or prices of, industrials increase, the value of a Fund’s investments generally would be expected to also increase. Conversely, declines in the demand for, or prices of, industrials generally would be expected to contribute to declines in the value of such securities. Such declines may occur quickly and without warning and may negatively impact the value of a Fund and your investment.

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 it is expected that the market price of the shares of the Fund will approximate the Fund’s NAV, there may be times when the market price and

 

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the NAV vary significantly, including due to supply and demand of the Fund’s shares and/or during periods of market volatility. Thus, you may pay more (or less) than NAV when you buy shares of the Fund in the secondary market, and you may receive more (or less) than NAV when you sell those shares in the secondary market. If an investor purchases Fund shares at a time when the market price is at a premium to the NAV of the Fund’s shares or sells at a time when the market price is at a discount to the NAV of the Fund’s shares, an investor may sustain losses.

Additional Non-Principal Risk Information

Trading. Although the Fund’s shares are listed for trading on [ ] (the “Listing Exchange”) and may be listed or traded on U.S. and non-U.S. stock exchanges other than the Listing Exchange, there can be no assurance that an active trading market for such shares will develop or be maintained. Trading in shares may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the Listing Exchange, make trading in shares inadvisable. In addition, trading in shares on the Listing Exchange is subject to trading halts caused by extraordinary market volatility pursuant to Listing Exchange “circuit breaker” rules. There can be no assurance that the requirements of the Listing Exchange necessary to maintain the listing of the Fund will continue to be met or will remain unchanged or that Fund shares will trade with any volume, or at all, on any stock exchange.

Costs of Buying or Selling Shares. Investors buying or selling Fund shares in the secondary market will pay brokerage commissions or other charges imposed by brokers, as determined by that broker. Brokerage commissions are often a fixed amount and may be a significant proportional cost for investors seeking to buy or sell relatively small amounts of Fund shares. In addition, secondary market investors will also incur the cost of the difference between the price at which an investor is willing to buy shares (the “bid” price) and the price at which an investor is willing to sell shares (the “ask” price). This difference in bid and ask prices is often referred to as the “spread” or “bid/ask spread.” The bid/ask spread varies over time for shares based on trading volume and market liquidity, and is generally lower if the Fund’s shares have more trading volume and market liquidity and higher if the Fund’s shares have little trading volume and market liquidity. Further, increased market volatility may cause increased bid/ask spreads. Due to the costs of buying or selling Fund shares, including bid/ask spreads, frequent trading of Fund shares may significantly reduce investment results and an investment in shares may not be advisable for investors who anticipate regularly making small investments.

Securities Lending. Although the Fund is indemnified by the Fund’s lending agent for losses incurred in connection with a borrower’s default with respect to a loan, the Fund bears the risk of loss of investing cash collateral and may be required to make payments to a borrower upon return of loaned securities if invested collateral has declined in value. Furthermore, because of the risks in delay of recovery, the Fund may lose the opportunity to sell the securities at a desirable price, and the Fund will generally not have the right to vote securities while they are being loaned. These events could also trigger negative tax consequences for the Fund.

Portfolio Holdings Information

Information about the Fund’s daily portfolio holdings is available at www.wisdomtree.com. In addition, the Fund will disclose its complete portfolio holdings as of the end of its fiscal year (March 31) and its second fiscal quarter (September 30) in its reports to shareholders. The Fund files its complete portfolio holdings as of the end of its first and third fiscal quarters (June 30 and December 31, respectively) with the SEC on Form N-Q no later than 60 days after the relevant fiscal period. You can find the SEC filings on the SEC’s website, www.sec.gov. A summarized description of the Fund’s policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the Fund’s portfolio holdings is available in the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”).

 

WisdomTree Trust Prospectus      9   


Table of Contents

Management

Investment Adviser

As investment adviser, WisdomTree Asset Management has overall responsibility for the general management and administration of WisdomTree Trust (the “Trust”) and each of its separate investment portfolios called “Funds.” WisdomTree Asset Management is a registered investment adviser with offices located at 245 Park Avenue, 35th Floor, New York, NY 10167 and is a leader in ETF management. As of [            ], 2014, WisdomTree Asset Management had assets under management totaling approximately $[            ] billion. WisdomTree Investments* is the parent company of WisdomTree Asset Management. WisdomTree Asset Management provides an investment program for the Fund. WisdomTree Asset Management also arranges for sub-advisory, transfer agency, custody, fund administration, securities lending, and all other non-distribution related services necessary for the Fund to operate. For its services, WisdomTree Asset Management expects to receive fees from the Fund, based on a percentage of the Fund’s average daily net assets, as shown in the following table:

 

Name of Fund   Management Fee  
WisdomTree Japan Dividend Growth Fund     [         ]% 

Under the Investment Advisory Agreement for the Fund, WisdomTree Asset Management has agreed to pay generally all expenses of the Fund, subject to certain exceptions. For a detailed description of the Investment Advisory Agreement for the Fund, please see the “Management of the Trust” section of the SAI. Pursuant to a separate contractual arrangement, WisdomTree Asset Management arranges for the provision of chief compliance officer (“CCO”) services with respect to the Fund, and is liable and responsible for, and administers, payments to the CCO, the Independent Trustees and counsel to the Independent Trustees. WisdomTree Asset Management receives a fee of up to 0.0044% of the Fund’s average daily net assets for providing such services and paying such expenses. WisdomTree Asset Management provides CCO services to the Trust.

The basis for the Board of Trustees’ approval of the Fund’s Investment Advisory Agreement will be available in the Trust’s Semi-Annual Report to Shareholders for the period ended September 30, 2014.

Sub-Adviser

[            ] (“[            ]”) is responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund. [            ], a registered investment adviser, is a leading innovator in the investment industry and manages global quantitative-based investment strategies for institutional and private investors. Its principal office is located at [            ]. As of [            ], 2014, [            ] had assets under management totaling approximately $[            ] billion. [            ] is a wholly-owned indirect subsidiary of [                ], a publicly traded financial holding company. [            ] chooses the portfolio investments of the Fund and places orders to buy and sell the portfolio investments. WisdomTree Asset Management pays [            ] for providing sub-advisory services to the Fund.

The basis for the Board of Trustees’ approval of the investment Sub-Advisory Agreement will be available in the Trust’s Semi-Annual Report to Shareholders for the period ended September 30, 2014.

WisdomTree Asset Management, as the investment adviser for the Fund, may hire one or more sub-advisers to oversee the day-to-day activities of the Fund. The sub-advisers are subject to oversight by WisdomTree Asset Management. WisdomTree Asset Management and the Trust have received an exemptive order from the SEC that permits WisdomTree Asset Management, with the approval of the Independent Trustees of the Trust, to retain unaffiliated investment sub-advisers for the Fund without submitting the sub-advisory agreement to a vote of the Fund’s shareholders. The Trust will notify shareholders in the event of any change in the identity of such sub-adviser or sub-advisers. WisdomTree Asset Management has ultimate responsibility for the investment performance of the Fund due to its responsibility to oversee each sub-adviser and recommend their hiring, termination and replacement. WisdomTree Asset Management is not required to disclose fees paid to any sub-adviser retained pursuant to the order.

Portfolio Managers

The Fund is managed by [            ]’s Portfolio management team. The individual members of the team responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund’s portfolio are described below.

[PM bios to be provided by amendment]

The Fund’s SAI provides additional information about the Portfolio Managers’ compensation, other accounts managed by the Portfolio Managers, and the Portfolio Managers’ ownership of shares in the Fund.

 

*   “WisdomTree” is a registered mark of WisdomTree Investments and has been licensed for use by the Trust. WisdomTree Investments has patent applications pending on the methodology and operation of its Indexes and the Funds.

 

10   WisdomTree Trust Prospectus


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Additional Information on Buying and Selling Fund Shares

Most investors will buy and sell shares of the Fund through brokers. Shares of the Fund trade on the Listing Exchange and elsewhere during the trading day and can be bought and sold throughout the trading day like other shares of publicly traded securities. When buying or selling shares through a broker, most investors will incur customary brokerage commissions and charges. Shares of the Fund trade under the trading symbol listed on the cover of this Prospectus.

Share Trading Prices

Transactions in Fund shares will be priced at NAV only if you are an institutional investor ( e.g. , broker-dealer) that has signed an agreement with the Distributor (as defined below) and you thereafter purchase or redeem shares directly from the Fund in Creation Units. As with other types of securities, the trading prices of shares in the secondary market can be affected by market forces such as supply and demand, economic conditions and other factors. The price you pay or receive when you buy or sell your shares in the secondary market may be more or less than the NAV of such shares.

The approximate value of shares of the Fund is disseminated every 15 seconds throughout the trading day by the Listing Exchange or by other information providers. This approximate value should not be viewed as a “real-time” update of the Fund’s NAV, because the approximate value may not be calculated in the same manner as the NAV, which is computed once per day. The approximate value generally is determined by using current market quotations, price quotations obtained from broker-dealers that may trade in the portfolio securities and instruments held by the Fund, and/or amortized cost for securities with remaining maturities of 60 days or less. The Fund, the adviser and their affiliates are not involved in, or responsible for, the calculation or dissemination of the approximate value and makes no warranty as to its accuracy.

Determination of Net Asset Value

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

In calculating its NAV, the Fund generally values its assets on the basis of market quotations, last sale prices, or estimates of value furnished by a pricing service or brokers who make markets in such instruments. Debt obligations with maturities of 60 days or less are valued at amortized cost.

Fair value pricing is used by the Fund when reliable market valuations are not readily available or are not deemed to reflect current market values. 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 the Fund’s next NAV Calculation Time that may materially affect the value of the Fund’s investment ( e.g. , government action, natural disaster, or significant market fluctuation). When fair-value pricing is employed, the prices of securities used by the Fund to calculate its NAV may differ from quoted or published prices for the same securities.

Dividends and Distributions

The Fund intends to pay out dividends on a quarterly basis. Nonetheless, the Fund may not make a dividend payment every quarter. The Fund intends to distribute its net realized capital gains to investors annually. The Fund occasionally may be required to make supplemental distributions at some other time during the year. Distributions in cash may be reinvested automatically in additional whole shares only if the broker through whom you purchased shares makes such option available. Your broker is responsible for distributing the income and capital gain distributions to you.

Book Entry

Shares of the Fund are held in book-entry form, which means that no stock certificates are issued. The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) or its nominee is the record owner of all outstanding shares of the Fund.

Investors owning shares of the Fund are beneficial owners as shown on the records of DTC or its participants. DTC serves as the securities depository for all shares of the Fund. Participants include DTC, securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations, and other institutions that directly or indirectly maintain a custodial relationship with DTC. As a beneficial owner of shares, you are not entitled to receive physical delivery of stock certificates or to have shares registered in your name, and you are not considered a registered owner of shares. Therefore, to exercise any right as an owner of shares, you must rely upon the procedures of DTC and its participants. These procedures are the same as those that apply to any securities that you hold in book-entry or “street name” form. Your broker will provide you with account statements, confirmations of your purchases and sales, and tax information.

 

WisdomTree Trust Prospectus      11   


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Delivery of Shareholder Documents – Householding

Householding is an option available to certain investors of the Fund. Householding is a method of delivery, based on the preference of the individual investor, in which a single copy of certain shareholder documents can be delivered to investors who share the same address, even if their accounts are registered under different names. Householding for the Fund is available through certain broker-dealers. If you are interested in enrolling in householding and receiving a single copy of prospectuses and other shareholder documents, please contact your broker-dealer. If you are currently enrolled in householding and wish to change your householding status, please contact your broker-dealer.

Frequent Purchases and Redemptions of Fund Shares

The Fund has adopted policies and procedures with respect to frequent purchases and redemptions of Creation Units of Fund shares. Since the Fund is an ETF, only a few institutional investors (known as “Authorized Participants”) are authorized to purchase and redeem shares directly from the Fund. Because purchase and redemption transactions with Authorized Participants are an essential part of the ETF process and may help keep ETF trading prices in line with NAV, the Fund accommodates frequent purchases and redemptions by Authorized Participants. Frequent purchases and redemptions for cash may increase index tracking error and portfolio transaction costs and may lead to the realization of capital gains. Frequent in-kind creations and redemptions generally do not give rise to these concerns. The Fund reserves the right to reject any purchase order at any time. The Fund reserves the right to impose restrictions on disruptive, excessive, or short-term trading.

Investments by Registered Investment Companies

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

Additional Tax Information

The following discussion is a summary of some important U.S. federal income tax considerations generally applicable to investments in the Fund. Your investment in the Fund may have other tax implications. Please consult your tax advisor about the tax consequences of an investment in Fund shares, including the possible application of foreign, state, and local tax laws.

The Fund intends to qualify each year for treatment as a regulated investment company. If it meets certain minimum distribution requirements, a regulated investment company is not subject to tax at the fund level on income and gains from investments that are timely distributed to shareholders. However, the Fund’s failure to qualify as a regulated investment company or to meet minimum distribution requirements would result (if certain relief provisions were not available) in fund-level taxation and, consequently, a reduction in income available for distribution to shareholders.

Unless your investment in Fund shares is made through a tax-exempt entity or tax-deferred retirement account, such as an individual retirement account, you need to be aware of the possible tax consequences when:

 

  n  

The Fund makes distributions;

 

  n  

You sell Fund shares; and

 

  n  

You purchase or redeem Creation Units (institutional investors only).

Taxes on Distributions

For federal income tax purposes, distributions of investment income are generally taxable as ordinary income or qualified dividend income. Taxes on distributions of capital gains (if any) are determined by how long the Fund owned the investments that generated them, rather than how long a shareholder has owned his or her Fund shares. Sales of assets held by the Fund for more than one year generally result in long-term capital gains and losses, and sales of assets held by the Fund for one year or less generally result in short-term capital gains and losses. Distributions of the Fund’s net capital gain (the excess of net long-term capital gains over net short-term capital losses) that are properly reported by the Fund as capital gain dividends (“Capital Gain Dividends”) will be taxable as long-term capital gains. For noncorporate shareholders, long-term capital gains are generally subject to tax at reduced rates. Distributions of short-term capital gain will be taxable as ordinary income. Distributions of investment income reported by the Fund as “qualified dividend income” are generally taxed to noncorporate shareholders at rates applicable to long-term capital gains, provided holding period and other requirements are met.

In general, your distributions are subject to federal income tax for the year in which they are paid. Certain distributions paid in January, however, may be treated as paid on December 31 of the prior year. Distributions are generally taxable even if they are paid from income or gains earned by the Fund before your investment (and thus were included in the price you paid for your shares).

 

12   WisdomTree Trust Prospectus


Table of Contents

Dividends and distributions from the Fund and capital gain on the sale of Fund shares are generally taken into account in determining a shareholder’s “net investment income” for purposes of the Medicare contribution tax applicable to certain individuals, estates and trusts.

Unlike many ETFs, the redemption of Creation Units of the Fund generally incorporates a payment of cash by the Fund in addition to, or in place of, the delivery of a basket of securities. To meet this requirement, the Fund may be required to sell portfolio securities in order to obtain the cash needed to distribute redemption proceeds. This may cause the Fund to recognize capital gains or losses that it might not have recognized if it had completely satisfied the redemption in-kind. As a result, the Fund may be less tax efficient than if the in-kind redemption process was used.

Distributions (other than Capital Gain Dividends) paid to individual shareholders that are neither citizens nor residents of the U.S. or to foreign entities will generally be subject to a U.S. withholding tax at the rate of 30%, unless a lower treaty rate applies. However, for taxable years beginning before January 1, 2014, distributions reported by the Fund as either “interest-related dividends” or “short-term capital gain dividends” and paid to a foreign shareholder will be eligible for an exemption from this withholding tax.

The Fund (or financial intermediaries, such as brokers, through which shareholders own Fund shares) generally is required to withhold and to remit to the U.S. Treasury a percentage of the taxable distributions and the sale or redemption proceeds paid to any shareholder who fails to properly furnish a correct taxpayer identification number, who has under-reported dividend or interest income, or who fails to certify that he, she or it is not subject to such withholding.

Taxes When Fund Shares Are Sold

Any capital gain or loss realized upon a sale of Fund shares is generally treated as a long-term gain or loss if the shares have been held for more than one year. Any capital gain or loss realized upon a sale of Fund shares held for one year or less is generally treated as a short-term gain or loss, except that any capital loss on a sale of shares held for six months or less is treated as long-term capital loss to the extent that Capital Gain Dividends were paid with respect to such shares. The ability to deduct capital losses may be limited depending on your circumstances.

Taxes on Creation and Redemption of Creation Units

An Authorized Participant having the U.S. dollar as its functional currency for U.S. federal tax purposes that exchanges securities for Creation Units 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 amount of cash received by the Authorized Participant in the exchange and (ii) the sum of the exchanger’s aggregate basis in the securities surrendered and any amount of cash paid for such Creation Units. A person who redeems Creation Units for securities will generally recognize a gain or loss equal to the difference between the exchanger’s basis in the Creation Units and the sum of the aggregate U.S. dollar market value of the securities plus the amount of any cash received for such Creation Units. The Internal Revenue Service, however, may assert that a loss that is realized by an Authorized Participant upon an exchange of securities for Creation Units cannot be currently deducted under the rules governing “wash sales,” or on the basis that there has been no significant change in economic position.

Gain or loss recognized by an Authorized Participant upon an issuance of Creation Units in exchange for non-U.S. currency will generally be treated as ordinary income or loss. Gain or loss recognized by an Authorized Participant upon an issuance of Creation Units in exchange for securities, or upon a redemption of Creation Units, may be capital or ordinary gain or loss depending on the circumstances. Any capital gain or loss realized upon an issuance of Creation Units in exchange for securities will generally be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the securities have been held for more than one year. Any capital gain or loss realized upon the redemption of a Creation Unit will generally be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the Fund shares comprising the Creation Unit have been held for more than one year. Otherwise, such capital gains or losses are treated as short-term capital gains or losses.

A person subject to U.S. federal income tax who receives non-U.S. currency upon a redemption of Creation Units and does not immediately convert the non-U.S. currency into U.S. dollars may, upon a later conversion of the non-U.S. currency into U.S. dollars, recognize as ordinary gains or losses any gains or losses resulting from fluctuations in the value of the non-U.S. currency relative to the U.S. dollar since the date of the redemption.

Persons exchanging securities or non-U.S. currency for Creation Units should consult their own tax advisors with respect to the tax treatment of any creation or redemption transaction. If you purchase or redeem Creation Units, you will be sent a confirmation statement showing how many Fund shares you purchased or redeemed and at what price.

Foreign Investments by the Fund

Interest and other income received by the Fund with respect to foreign securities may give rise to withholding and other taxes imposed by foreign countries. Tax conventions between certain countries and the United States may reduce or eliminate such

 

WisdomTree Trust Prospectus      13   


Table of Contents

taxes. For instance, the income tax treaty between the U.S. and Japan generally reduces to 5% or 10% the rate of Japanese tax on dividends paid from a Japanese corporation to a U.S. shareholder. If as of the close of a taxable year more than 50% of the total assets of the Fund consist of stock or securities of foreign corporations, the Fund intends to elect to “pass through” to investors the amount of foreign income and similar taxes (including withholding taxes) paid by the Fund during that taxable year. If the Fund elects to “pass through” such foreign taxes, then investors will be considered to have received as additional income their respective shares of such foreign taxes, but may be entitled to either a corresponding tax deduction in calculating taxable income, or, subject to certain limitations, a credit in calculating federal income tax.

Distribution

ALPS Distributors, Inc. (the “Distributor”) serves as the distributor of Creation Units for the Fund on an agency basis. The Distributor does not maintain a secondary market in shares of the Fund. The Distributor’s principal address is 1290 Broadway, Suite 1100, Denver, Colorado 80203. The Distributor has no role in determining the policies of the Fund or the securities that are purchased or sold by the Fund.

Premium/Discount and NAV Information

Information regarding the Fund’s NAV and how often shares of the Fund traded on the Listing Exchange at a price above ( i.e. , at a premium) or below ( i.e. , at a discount) the NAV of the Fund during the past calendar year and most recent calendar quarter will be able to be found at www.wisdomtree.com.

Additional Notices

Listing Exchange

Shares of the Fund are not sponsored, endorsed, or promoted by the Listing Exchange. The Listing Exchange makes no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of the shares of the Fund or any member of the public regarding the ability of the Fund to track the total return performance of the Index or the ability of the Index identified herein to track stock market performance. The Listing Exchange is not responsible for, nor has it participated in, the determination of the compilation or the calculation of the Index, nor in the determination of the timing of, prices of, or quantities of the shares of the Fund to be issued, nor in the determination or calculation of the equation by which the shares are redeemable. The Listing Exchange has no obligation or liability to owners of the shares of the Fund in connection with the administration, marketing, or trading of the shares of the Fund.

The Listing Exchange does not guarantee the accuracy and/or the completeness of the Index or the data included therein. The Listing Exchange makes no warranty, express or implied, as to results to be obtained by the Trust on behalf of the Fund, owners of the shares, or any other person or entity from the use of the Index or the data included therein. The Listing Exchange makes no express or implied warranties, and hereby expressly disclaims all warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose with respect to the Index or the data included therein. Without limiting any of the foregoing, in no event shall the Listing Exchange have any liability for any lost profits or indirect, punitive, special, or consequential damages even if notified of the possibility thereof.

WisdomTree and the Fund

WisdomTree Investments and WisdomTree Asset Management (together, “WisdomTree”) and the Fund make no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of shares of the Fund or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in the Fund particularly or the ability of the Index to track general stock market performance. WisdomTree Investments is the licensor of certain trademarks, service marks and trade names of the Fund. WisdomTree Investments has no obligation to take the needs of the Fund or the owners of shares of the Fund into consideration in determining, composing, or calculating the Index. WisdomTree Investments is not responsible for, and has not participated in, the determination of the timing of, prices of, or quantities of shares of the Fund to be issued or in the determination or calculation of the equation by which the shares of the Fund are redeemable. WisdomTree and the Fund do not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or performance of the Index or the data included therein and shall have no liability in connection with the Index or Index calculation. WisdomTree Investments has contracted with Standard & Poor’s (“S&P”) to maintain and calculate the Index used by the Fund. S&P shall have no liability for any errors or omissions in calculating the Index.

Financial Highlights

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

 

14   WisdomTree Trust Prospectus


Table of Contents

WisdomTree Trust

245 Park Avenue, 35th Floor

New York, NY 10167

 

LOGO

 

LOGO

 

The Trust’s current SAI provides additional detailed information about the Fund. The Trust has electronically filed the SAI with the SEC. It is incorporated by reference in this Prospectus.

Additional information about the Fund’s investments will be available in the Fund’s annual and semi-annual reports to shareholders. In the annual report you will find a discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund’s performance after the first fiscal year the Fund is in operation.

To make shareholder inquiries, for more detailed information on the Fund, or to request the SAI or annual or semi-annual shareholder reports (once available) free of charge, please:

 

Call:  

1-866-909-9473

Monday through Friday

8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. (Eastern time)

   Write:  

WisdomTree Trust

c/o ALPS Distributors, Inc.

1290 Broadway, Suite 1100

Denver, Colorado 80203

      
Visit:   www.wisdomtree.com     

Information about the Fund (including the SAI) can be reviewed and copied at the SEC’s Public Reference Room in Washington, D.C., and information on the operation of the Public Reference Room may be obtained by calling the SEC at 1-202-551-8090. Reports and other information about the Fund are available on the EDGAR Database on the SEC’s Internet site at www.sec.gov, and copies of this information may be obtained, after paying a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following e-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov, or by writing the SEC’s Public Reference Section, Washington, D.C. 20549-1520.

No person is authorized to give any information or to make any representations about the Fund and its shares not contained in this Prospectus and you should not rely on any other information. Read and keep this Prospectus for future reference.

© 2014 WisdomTree Trust

WisdomTree Funds are distributed by

ALPS Distributors, Inc.

1290 Broadway, Suite 1100

Denver, Colorado 80203

WisdomTree ® is a registered mark of WisdomTree Investments, Inc.

INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT FILE NO. 811-21864

WIS-PR-050-0314


Table of Contents

WISDOMTREE ® TRUST

WisdomTree Japan Dividend Growth Fund

Ticker:

Principal U.S. Listing Exchange: [            ]

STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

, 2014

This Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) is not a prospectus. It should be read in conjunction with the current prospectus (the “Prospectus”) for the WisdomTree Japan Dividend Growth Fund (the “Fund”), a separate series of WisdomTree Trust (the “Trust”), as may be revised from time to time.

The current Prospectus for the Fund is dated [                    ], 2014. Capitalized terms used herein that are not defined have the same meaning as in the Prospectus, unless otherwise noted. The Fund’s audited financial statements for the most recent fiscal year (when available) are incorporated in this SAI by reference to the Fund’s most recent Annual Report to Shareholders (File No. 811-21864). When available, you may obtain a copy of the Fund’s Annual Report at no charge by request to the Fund at the address or phone number noted below.

THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION (“SEC”) HAS NOT APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED THESE SECURITIES OR PASSED UPON THE ADEQUACY OF THIS SAI. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.

THE INFORMATION HEREIN IS NOT COMPLETE AND MAY BE CHANGED. WE MAY NOT SELL THESE SECURITIES UNTIL THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT FILED WITH THE SEC IS EFFECTIVE. THIS SAI IS NOT AN OFFER TO SELL THESE SECURITIES AND IS NOT SOLICITING AN OFFER TO BUY THESE SECURITIES IN ANY JURISDICTION IN WHICH THE OFFER OR SALE IS NOT PERMITTED.

A copy of the Prospectus for the Fund may be obtained, without charge, by calling 1-866-909-9473, visiting www.wisdomtree.com, or writing to WisdomTree Trust, c/o ALPS Distributors, Inc., 1290 Broadway, Suite 1100, Denver, Colorado 80203.

 

1


Table of Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

General Description of the Trust and the Fund

     3   

Investment Strategies and Risks

     3   

General Risks

     4   

Specific Investment Strategies

     4   

Proxy Voting Policy

     13   

Portfolio Holdings Disclosure Policies and Procedures

     13   

Index Description

     14   

Investment Limitations

     15   

Continuous Offering

     16   

Management of the Trust

     17   

Brokerage Transactions

     26   

Additional Information Concerning the Trust

     27   

Creation and Redemption of Creation Unit Aggregations

     28   

Regular Holidays

     34   

Taxes

     36   

Determination of NAV

     43   

Dividends and Distributions

     44   

Financial Statements

     44   

Miscellaneous Information

     44   

 

2


Table of Contents

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE TRUST AND THE FUND

The Trust was organized as a Delaware statutory trust on December 15, 2005 and is authorized to issue multiple series or portfolios. The Trust is an open-end management investment company, registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”). The offering of the Trust’s shares is registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”).

The Fund described in this SAI seeks to track the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the WisdomTree Japan Dividend Growth Index (the “Index”). The Index is created using proprietary methodology developed by WisdomTree Investments, Inc. (“WisdomTree Investments”). WisdomTree Investments is the parent company of WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc. (“WisdomTree Asset Management” or the “Adviser”), the investment adviser to the Fund. [            ] (“[            ]” or the “Sub-Adviser”) is the investment sub-adviser to the Fund. The Adviser and the Sub-Adviser may be referred to together as the “Advisers”. ALPS Distributors, Inc. serves as the distributor (the “Distributor”) of the shares of the Fund.

The Fund issues and redeems shares at net asset value per share (“NAV”) only in large blocks of shares, typically 50,000 shares or more (“Creation Units” or “Creation Unit Aggregations”). Currently, Creation Units generally consist of 50,000 shares, though this may change from time to time. Creation Units are not expected to consist of less than 50,000 shares. 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 the Fund are not redeemable securities.

Shares of the Fund are listed on a national securities exchange, such as [            ] (“[            ]” or the “Listing Exchange”), and trade throughout the day on the Listing Exchange and other secondary markets at market prices that may differ from NAV. As in the case of other publicly traded securities, brokers’ commissions on transactions will be based on commission rates charged by the applicable broker.

The Trust reserves the right to adjust the prices of shares in the future to maintain convenient trading ranges for investors. Any adjustments would be accomplished through stock splits or reverse stock splits, which would have no effect on the net assets of the Fund.

“WisdomTree” is a registered mark of WisdomTree Investments and has been licensed for use by the Trust. WisdomTree Investments has patent applications pending on the methodology and operation of its Index and the Fund.

INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND RISKS

The Fund’s investment objective, principal investment strategies and associated risks are described in the Fund’s Prospectus. The sections below supplement these principal investment strategies and risks and describe the Fund’s additional investment policies and the different types of investments that may be made by the Fund as a part of its non-principal investment strategies. With respect to the Fund’s investments, unless otherwise noted, if a percentage limitation on investment is adhered to at the time of investment or contract, a subsequent increase or decrease as a result of market movement or redemption will not result in a violation of such investment limitation. The Fund is new and therefore portfolio turnover information is not yet available.

The Fund intends to qualify each year for treatment as a regulated investment company (a “RIC”) under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), so that it will not be subject to federal income tax on income and gains that are timely distributed to Fund shareholders. The Fund will invest its assets, and otherwise conduct its operations, in a manner that is intended to satisfy the qualifying income, diversification and distribution requirements necessary to establish and maintain eligibility for such treatment.

The Fund is considered “non-diversified,” as such term is used in the 1940 Act.

The Fund’s investment strategy, known as “indexing,” may eliminate some of the risks of active portfolio management, such as poor security selection. In addition, indexing may also help increase after-tax investment performance by keeping portfolio turnover low in comparison to more actively managed investment strategies.

 

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GENERAL RISKS

An investment in the Fund should be made with an understanding that the value of the Fund’s portfolio securities may fluctuate in accordance with changes in the financial condition of an issuer or counterparty, changes in specific economic or political conditions that affect a particular security or issuer and changes in general economic or political conditions. An investor in the Fund could lose money over short or long periods of time.

An investment in the Fund should also be made with an understanding of the risks inherent in an investment in equity securities, including the risk that the financial condition of issuers may become impaired or that the general condition of the stock market may deteriorate (either of which may cause a decrease in the value of the Fund’s portfolio securities and therefore a decrease in the value of shares of the Fund). Common stocks are susceptible to general stock market fluctuations and to volatile increases and decreases in value as market confidence and perceptions change. These investor perceptions are based on various and unpredictable factors, including expectations regarding government, economic, monetary and fiscal policies; inflation and interest rates; economic expansion or contraction; and global or regional political, economic or banking crises.

Holders of common stocks incur more risk than holders of preferred stocks and debt obligations because common stockholders, as owners of the issuer, generally have inferior rights to receive payments from the issuer in comparison with the rights of creditors or holders of debt obligations or preferred stocks. Further, unlike debt securities, which typically have a stated principal amount payable at maturity (whose value, however, is subject to market fluctuations prior thereto), or preferred stocks, which typically have a liquidation preference and which may have stated optional or mandatory redemption provisions, common stocks have neither a fixed principal amount nor a maturity. Common stock values are subject to market fluctuations as long as the common stock remains outstanding.

Although all of the securities in the Index are listed on the Tokyo or Jasdaq Stock Exchanges, there can be no guarantee that a liquid market for such securities will be maintained. The existence of a liquid trading market for certain securities may depend on whether dealers will make a market in such securities. There can be no assurance that a market will be made or maintained or that any such market will be or remain liquid. The price at which securities may be sold and the value of the Fund’s shares will be adversely affected if trading markets for the Fund’s portfolio securities are limited or absent, or if bid/ask spreads are wide.

Events in the financial sector have resulted, and may continue to result, in an unusually high degree of volatility in the financial markets, both domestic and foreign. Domestic and foreign fixed income and equity markets experienced extreme volatility and turmoil starting in late 2008 and volatility has continued to be experienced in the markets. Issuers that have exposure to the real estate, mortgage and credit markets have been particularly affected, and well-known financial institutions have experienced significant liquidity and other problems. Some of these institutions have declared bankruptcy or defaulted on their debt. It is uncertain whether or for how long these conditions will continue. These events and possible continuing market turbulence may have an adverse effect on Fund performance.

LACK OF DIVERSIFICATION. The Fund is considered to be “non-diversified.” A “non-diversified” classification means that the Fund is not limited by the 1940 Act with regard to the percentage of its total assets that may be invested in the securities of a single issuer. As a result, the Fund may invest more of its total assets in the securities of a single issuer or a smaller number of issuers than if it were classified as a diversified fund. Therefore, the Fund may be more exposed to the risks associated with and developments affecting an individual issuer or a small number of issuers than a fund that invests more widely, which may have a greater impact on the Fund’s volatility and performance.

A discussion of some of the other risks associated with an investment in the Fund is contained in the Fund’s Prospectus.

SPECIFIC INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

A description of certain investment strategies and types of investments used by the Fund is set forth below.

CURRENCY TRANSACTIONS. The Fund may enter into foreign currency forward and foreign currency futures contracts to facilitate local securities settlements or to protect against currency exposure in connection with distributions to shareholders.

 

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Forward Foreign Currency Contracts. A forward foreign currency exchange contract (“forward contract”) involves an obligation to purchase or sell a specific currency at a future date, which may be any fixed number of days from the date of the contract agreed upon by the parties, at a price set at the time of the contract. These contracts are principally traded in the interbank market conducted directly between currency traders (usually large commercial banks) and their customers. Forward contracts are contracts between parties in which one party agrees to make a payment to the other party (the counterparty) based on the market value or level of a specified currency. In return, the counterparty agrees to make payment to the first party based on the return of a different specified currency. A forward contract generally has no margin deposit requirement, and no commissions are charged at any stage for trades. These contracts typically are settled by physical delivery of the underlying currency or currencies in the amount of the full contract value.

A non-deliverable forward contract is a forward contract where there is no physical settlement of two currencies at maturity. Non-deliverable forward contracts will usually be done on a net basis, with the Fund receiving or paying only the net amount of the two payments. The net amount of the excess, if any, of the Fund’s obligations over its entitlements with respect to each non-deliverable forward contract is accrued on a daily basis and an amount of cash or highly liquid securities having an aggregate value at least equal to the accrued excess is maintained in an account at the Fund’s custodian bank. The risk of loss with respect to non-deliverable forward contracts generally is limited to the net amount of payments that the Fund is contractually obligated to make or receive.

Foreign Currency Futures Contracts. A foreign currency futures contract is a contract involving an obligation to deliver or acquire the specified amount of a specific currency, at a specified price and at a specified future time. Futures contracts may be settled on a net cash payment basis rather than by the sale and delivery of the underlying currency.

Currency exchange transactions involve a significant degree of risk and the markets in which currency exchange transactions are effected are highly volatile, highly specialized and highly technical. Significant changes, including changes in liquidity and prices, can occur in such markets within very short periods of time, often within minutes. Currency exchange trading risks include, but are not limited to, exchange rate risk, maturity gap, interest rate risk, and potential interference by foreign governments through regulation of local exchange markets, foreign investment or particular transactions in foreign currency. If the Fund utilizes foreign currency transactions at an inappropriate time, such transactions may not serve their intended purpose of improving the correlation of the Fund’s return with the performance of its underlying Index and may lower the Fund’s return. The Fund could experience losses if the value of any currency forwards and futures positions is poorly correlated with its other investments or if it could not close out its positions because of an illiquid market. Such contracts are subject to the risk that the counterparty will default on its obligations. In addition, the Fund will incur transaction costs, including trading commissions, in connection with certain foreign currency transactions.

DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS. To the extent the Fund invests in stocks of foreign corporations, the Fund’s investment in such stocks may be in the form of Depositary Receipts or other similar securities convertible into securities of foreign issuers. Depositary Receipts may not necessarily be denominated in the same currency as the underlying securities into which they may be converted. American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”) are receipts typically issued by an American bank or trust company that evidence ownership of underlying securities issued by a foreign corporation. European Depositary Receipts (“EDRs”) are receipts issued in Europe that evidence a similar ownership arrangement. Global Depositary Receipts (“GDRs”) are receipts issued throughout the world that evidence a similar arrangement. Non-Voting Depository Receipts (“NVDRs”) are receipts issued in Thailand that evidence a similar arrangement. Generally, ADRs, in registered form, are designed for use in the U.S. securities markets, and EDRs, in bearer form, are designed for use in European securities markets. GDRs are tradable both in the United States and in Europe and are designed for use throughout the world. NVDRs are tradable on the Stock Exchange of Thailand.

The Fund will not invest in any unlisted Depositary Receipts or any Depositary Receipt that WisdomTree Asset Management or the Sub-Adviser deems to be illiquid or for which pricing information is not readily available. In addition, all Depositary Receipts generally must be sponsored; however, the Fund may invest in unsponsored Depositary Receipts under certain limited circumstances. The issuers of unsponsored Depositary Receipts are not obligated to disclose material information in the United States, and, therefore, there may be less information

 

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available regarding such issuers and there may not be a correlation between such information and the market value of the Depositary Receipts. The use of Depositary Receipts may increase tracking error relative to an underlying Index.

DERIVATIVES. The Fund may use derivative instruments as part of its investment strategies. The Fund will not use derivatives to increase leverage and the Fund will provide margin or collateral, as applicable, with respect to investments in derivatives in such amounts as determined under applicable law, regulatory guidance or related interpretations.

Generally, derivatives are financial contracts whose value depends upon, or is derived from, the value of an underlying asset, reference rate or index, and may relate to bonds, interest rates, currencies, commodities, and related indexes. Examples of derivative instruments include forward contracts, currency and interest rate swaps, currency options, futures contracts, options on futures contracts and swap agreements. The Fund’s use of derivative instruments will be underpinned by investments in short-term, high-quality instruments, such as U.S. money market securities.

With respect to certain kinds of derivative transactions that involve obligations to make future payments to third parties, including, but not limited to, futures contracts, forward contracts, swap contracts, the purchase of securities on a when-issued or delayed delivery basis, or reverse repurchase agreements, under applicable federal securities laws, rules, and interpretations thereof, the Fund must “set aside” liquid assets, or engage in other measures to “cover” open positions with respect to such transactions in a manner consistent with the 1940 Act, specifically Sections 8 and 18 thereunder. In complying with such requirements, the Fund will include assets of any wholly-owned subsidiary in which that Fund invests on an aggregate basis.

For example, with respect to forward contracts and futures contracts that are not contractually required to “cash-settle,” the Fund must cover its open positions by setting aside liquid assets equal to the contracts’ full, notional value. The Fund treats deliverable forward contracts for currencies that are liquid as the equivalent of “cash-settled” contracts. As such, the Fund may set aside liquid assets in an amount equal to the Fund’s daily marked-to-market (net) obligation ( i.e. , the Fund’s daily net liability if any) rather than the full notional amount under such deliverable forward contracts. Similarly, with respect to futures contracts that are contractually required to “cash-settle” the Fund may set aside liquid assets in an amount equal to the Fund’s daily marked-to-market (net) obligation rather than the notional value. The Fund reserves the right to modify these policies in the future.

Effective April 24, 2012, the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) revised, among other things, CFTC Rule 4.5 and rescinded CFTC Rule 4.13(a)(4). The CFTC has adopted amendments to its regulations of commodity pool operators (“CPOs”) managing funds registered under the 1940 Act that “harmonize” the SEC’s and the CFTC’s regulatory schemes. The adopted amendments to the CFTC regulations allow CPOs to registered investment companies to satisfy certain recordkeeping, reporting and disclosure requirements that would otherwise apply to them under Part 4 of the CFTC’s regulations by continuing to comply with comparable SEC requirements. To the extent that the CFTC recordkeeping, disclosure and reporting requirements deviate from the comparable SEC requirements, such deviations are not expected to materially adversely affect the ability of the Fund to continue to operate and achieve its investment objective. If, however, these requirements or future regulatory changes result in the Fund having difficulty in achieving its investment objective, the Trust may determine to reorganize or close the Fund, materially change the Fund’s investment objective and strategies, or operate the Fund as a regulated commodity pool pursuant to WisdomTree Asset Management’s CPO registration.

With regard to the Fund, WisdomTree Asset Management will continue to claim relief from the definition of CPO under revised CFTC Rule 4.5. Specifically, pursuant to CFTC Rule 4.5, WisdomTree Asset Management may claim exclusion from the definition of CPO, and thus from having to register as a CPO, with regard to a Fund that enters into commodity futures, commodity options or swaps solely for “bona fide hedging purposes,” or that limits its investment in commodities to a “de minimis” amount, as defined in CFTC rules, so long as the shares of such Fund are not marketed as interests in a commodity pool or other vehicle for trading in commodity futures, commodity options or swaps.

Foreign Currency Transactions. The Fund may engage in foreign currency transactions. The Fund may invest directly in foreign currencies in the form of bank and financial institution deposits, certificates of deposit, and bankers’ acceptances denominated in a specified non-U.S. currency. The Fund may enter into

 

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foreign currency exchange transactions. The Fund will conduct its foreign currency exchange transactions either on a spot ( i.e ., cash) basis at the spot rate prevailing in the foreign currency exchange market, or by entering into forward currency contracts to purchase or sell foreign currencies or forward currency swaps to exchange cash flows based on the notional difference among two or more currencies.

Foreign exchange transactions involve a significant degree of risk and the markets in which foreign exchange transactions are effected are highly volatile, highly specialized and highly technical. Significant changes, including changes in liquidity and prices, can occur in such markets within very short periods of time, often within minutes. If the Fund utilizes foreign exchange transactions at an inappropriate time, such transactions may not serve their intended purpose. The Fund could experience losses if the value of any currency forwards, options and futures positions is poorly correlated with its other investments or if it could not close out its positions because of an illiquid market. In addition, the Fund will incur transaction costs, including trading commissions, in connection with certain foreign currency transactions.

The Fund may buy or sell government bonds, commercial paper, corporate debt obligations, notes and other fixed income securities denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar. Any security or instrument denominated in a currency other than the U.S. dollar is subject to foreign currency risk.

Forward Foreign Currency Contracts. The Fund may enter into forward foreign currency contracts (“forward contracts”). A forward contract is a privately negotiated contract to purchase or sell a specific currency at a future date (usually less than one year) at a price set at the time of the contract. These contracts generally are traded directly between currency traders (usually large commercial banks) and their customers. The Fund may enter into forward contracts in order to “lock in” the exchange rate between the currency it will deliver and the currency it will receive for the duration of the contract. A forward contract generally has no margin deposit requirement, and no commissions are charged at any stage for trades. The settlement of the contracts may occur with the physical delivery of a specified amount of currency equivalent to the market value of the contract. This is sometimes referred to as a “deliverable” forward contract.

A non-deliverable forward contract is a forward contract where there is no physical settlement of two currencies at maturity. Non-deliverable forward contracts will usually be done on a net basis, with the Fund receiving or paying only the net amount of the two payments. The net amount of the excess, if any, of the Fund’s obligations over its entitlements with respect to each non-deliverable forward contract is accrued on a daily basis and an amount of cash or highly liquid securities having an aggregate value at least equal to the accrued excess is maintained in an account at the Fund’s custodian bank. The risk of loss with respect to non-deliverable forward contracts generally is limited to the net amount of payments that the Fund is contractually obligated to make or receive.

The Fund may invest in a combination of forward contracts and U.S. dollar-denominated money market securities in an attempt to obtain an investment result that is similar to a direct investment in a foreign currency denominated instrument. This investment technique, if successful, creates a “synthetic” position in the particular foreign currency instrument the Fund is trying to duplicate. Forward contracts are subject to the risk that the counterparty will default on its obligations.

Futures Contracts and Options on Futures Contracts. The Fund may use futures contracts and related options: (i) to attempt to gain exposure to foreign currencies, and (ii) to attempt to gain exposure to a particular market, instrument or index.

The risk of loss in trading futures contracts or uncovered call options in some strategies ( e.g. , selling uncovered stock index futures contracts) is potentially unlimited. The Fund does not plan to use futures and options contracts in this way. The risk of a futures position may still be large as traditionally measured due to the low margin deposits required. In many cases, a relatively small price movement in a futures contract may result in immediate and substantial loss or gain to the investor relative to the size of a required margin deposit. The Fund, however, intends to utilize futures and options contracts in a manner designed to limit its risk exposure to levels comparable to direct investment in stocks.

Utilization of futures and options on futures by the Fund involves the risk of imperfect or even negative correlation to the underlying Index if the index underlying the futures contract differs from the Fund’s underlying Index. There is also the risk of loss by the Fund of margin deposits in the event of bankruptcy of a

 

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broker with whom the Fund has an open position in the futures contract or option. The purchase of put or call options will be based upon predictions by the Fund as to anticipated trends, which predictions could prove to be incorrect.

The potential for loss related to the purchase of an option on a futures contract is limited to the premium paid for the option plus transaction costs. Because the value of the option is fixed at the point of sale, there are no daily cash payments by the purchaser to reflect changes in the value of the underlying contract; however, the value of the option changes daily and that change would be reflected in the NAV of the Fund. The potential for loss related to writing options may be unlimited.

Futures Contracts . A 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 of standardized quantity and quality for a price agreed today (the futures price or the strike price) with delivery occurring at a specified future date . The Fund’s investments in listed futures contracts will be backed by investments in U.S. government securities in an amount equal to the exposure of such contracts. The Fund may take long or short positions in listed futures contracts.

The Fund may transact in listed currency futures contracts and listed U.S. Treasury futures contracts. When the Fund purchases a listed futures contract, it agrees to purchase a specified reference asset ( i.e. , commodity, currency or Treasury security) at a specified future date. When the Fund sells a listed futures contract, it agrees to sell a specified reference asset ( i.e. , commodity, currency or Treasury security) at a specified future date. The price at which the purchase and sale will take place is fixed when the Fund enters into the contract. The exchange clearing corporation is the ultimate counterparty for all exchange listed contracts, so credit risk is limited to the creditworthiness of the exchange’s clearing corporation. Margin deposits are posted as performance bonds with the clearing broker and, in turn, with the exchange clearing corporation.

The Fund may buy and sell index futures contracts with respect to any index traded on a recognized exchange or board of trade. 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. Instead, settlement in cash must occur upon the termination of the contract, with the settlement being the difference between the contract price, and the actual level of the stock index at the expiration of the contract. Generally, contracts are closed out prior to the expiration date of the contract.

When the Fund purchases or sells a futures contract, the Fund will segregate its assets as described above.

There are significant risks associated with the Fund’s use of futures contracts including the following: (1) the success of a strategy may depend on the Adviser’s ability to predict movements in the prices of currencies or securities, fluctuations in markets and movements in interest rates; (2) there may be an imperfect or no correlation between the changes in market value of the currencies or securities and the prices of futures contracts; (3) although the Fund intends to enter into futures contracts only if there is an active market for such contracts, there is no assurance that an active market will exist for the contracts at any particular time; (4) trading restrictions or limitations may be imposed by an exchange; and (5) government regulations may restrict trading in futures contracts.

Options Contracts . The Fund reserves the right to buy or sell options on listed futures contracts. An option on a futures contract gives the purchaser the right, in exchange for payment of a premium, to assume a position in a futures contract at a specified exercise price during the term of the option. A put option gives the purchaser of the option the right to sell, and the writer of the option the obligation to buy, the underlying security or instrument 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 or instrument at any time during the option period. A premium is paid to the writer of an option as consideration for undertaking the obligation in the contract.

The Fund may purchase and write options on an exchange or over the counter (“OTC”). OTC options differ from exchange traded options in several respects. They are transacted directly with dealers and not

 

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with a clearing corporation, and therefore entail the risk of non-performance by the dealer. 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 done normally by reference to information from a market maker. It is the SEC’s position that OTC options are generally illiquid.

When the Fund purchases or sells an options contract, the Fund will segregate its assets as described above.

There are significant risks associated with the Fund’s use of options contracts, including the following: (1) the success of a strategy may depend on the Adviser’s ability to predict movements in the prices of individual currencies or securities, fluctuations in markets and movements in interest rates; (2) there may be an imperfect or no correlation between the changes in market value of the currencies or securities and the price of options; (3) although the Fund intends to enter into options contracts only if there is an active market for such contracts, there is no assurance that an active market will exist for the contracts at any particular time; (4) trading restrictions or limitations may be imposed by an exchange; and (5) government regulations may restrict trading in options contracts.

Swap Agreements. The Fund may enter into swap agreements, including interest rate swaps, currency swaps, credit default swaps and total return swaps. Swaps agreements can be structured to provide for periodic payments over the term of the swap contract or a single payment at maturity (also known as a “bullet swap”). Swap agreements may be used to hedge or achieve exposure to, for example, currencies and interest rates without actually purchasing such currencies or securities. Swap agreements will tend to shift the Fund’s investment exposure from one type of investment to another or from one payment stream to another. Depending on their structure, swap agreements may increase or decrease the Fund’s exposure to long- or short-term interest rates (in the United States or abroad), and foreign currencies, and may increase or decrease the overall volatility of the Fund’s investments and its share price. Swaps may be used to enhance leverage. Leverage is a technique used to multiply gains or losses. When the Fund purchases or sells a swap contract, the Fund is required to “cover” its position in order to limit the risk associated with the use of leverage and other related risks. As discussed above under “Derivatives,” to cover its position, the Fund will maintain with its custodian bank (and mark-to-market on a daily basis) a segregated account consisting of cash or liquid securities that, when added to any amounts deposited as margin, are equal to the market value of the swap contract or otherwise “cover” its position in a manner consistent with the 1940 Act or the rules and SEC interpretations thereunder. If the Fund continues to engage in the described securities trading practices and properly segregates assets, the segregated account will function as a practical limit on the amount of leverage which the Fund may undertake and on the potential increase in the speculative character of the Fund’s outstanding portfolio securities. Additionally, such segregated accounts will generally ensure the availability of adequate funds to meet the obligations of the Fund arising from such investment activities.

Interest Rate, Currency, Credit Default and Total Return Swaps. A typical interest rate swap involves the exchange of a floating interest rate payment for a fixed interest payment. A typical foreign currency swap involves the exchange of cash flows based on the notional differences among two or more currencies ( e.g. , the U.S. dollar and the Japanese yen). A typical credit default swap (“CDS”) involves an agreement to make a series of payments by the buyer in exchange for receipt of payment by the seller if the loan defaults. In the event of default the buyer of the CDS receives compensation (usually the face value of the loan), and the seller of the CDS takes possession of the defaulted loan. In the event that the Fund acts as a protection seller of a CDS, the Fund will segregate assets equivalent to the full notional value of the CDS. A typical total return swap involves the payment of the total return on a reference asset in return for payments equal to a rate of return on another reference asset. The total return includes appreciation or depreciation on the reference asset, plus any interest or dividend payments. Swap agreements will tend to shift the Fund’s investment exposure from one type of investment to another or from one payment stream to another.

EQUITY SECURITIES. The Fund invests in equity securities. Equity securities, such as the common stocks of an issuer, are subject to stock market fluctuations and therefore may experience volatile changes in value as market conditions, consumer sentiment or the financial condition of the issuers change. A decrease in value of the equity securities in the Fund’s portfolio may also cause the value of the Fund’s shares to decline.

 

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EXCHANGE-TRADED NOTES. The Fund may invest in exchange-traded notes (“ETNs”). ETNs generally are senior, unsecured, unsubordinated debt securities issued by a sponsor, such as an investment bank. ETNs are traded on exchanges and the returns are linked to the performance of market indexes. In addition to trading ETNs on exchanges, investors may redeem ETNs directly with the issuer on a periodic basis, typically in a minimum amount of 50,000 units, or hold the ETNs until maturity. The value of an ETN may be influenced by time to maturity, level of supply and demand for the ETN, volatility and lack of liquidity in the underlying market, changes in the applicable interest rates, and economic, legal, political or geographic events that affect the referenced market. Because ETNs are debt securities, they are subject to credit risk. If the issuer has financial difficulties or goes bankrupt, the Fund may not receive the return it was promised. If a rating agency lowers an issuer’s credit rating, the value of the ETN may decline and a lower credit rating reflects a greater risk that the issuer will default on its obligation. There may be restrictions on the Fund’s right to redeem its investment in an ETN. There are no periodic interest payments for ETNs, and principal is not protected. The Fund’s decision to sell its ETN holdings may be limited by the availability of a secondary market.

FIXED INCOME SECURITIES. The Fund may invest in fixed income securities, such as corporate debt, bonds and notes. Fixed income securities change in value in response to interest rate changes and other factors, such as the perception of the issuer’s creditworthiness. For example, the value of fixed income securities will generally decrease when interest rates rise, which may cause the value of the Fund to decrease. In addition, investments in fixed income securities with longer maturities will generally fluctuate more in response to interest rate changes.

ILLIQUID SECURITIES. The Fund may invest up to an aggregate amount of 15% of its net assets in illiquid securities. Illiquid securities include securities subject to contractual or other restrictions on resale and other instruments that lack readily available markets to the extent the Adviser or Sub-Adviser has not deemed such security liquid. The inability of the Fund to dispose of illiquid or not readily marketable investments readily or at a reasonable price could impair the Fund’s ability to raise cash for redemptions or other purposes. The liquidity of securities purchased by the Fund which are eligible for resale pursuant to Rule 144A, except for certain 144A bonds, will be monitored by the Fund on an ongoing basis. In the event that such a security is deemed to be no longer liquid, the Fund’s holdings will be reviewed to determine what action, if any, is required to ensure that the retention of such security does not result in the Fund having more than 15% of its net assets invested in illiquid securities.

INVESTMENT COMPANY SECURITIES. The Fund may invest in the securities of other investment companies. The 1940 Act generally prohibits a fund from acquiring more than 3% of the outstanding voting shares of an investment company and limits such investments to no more than 5% of the fund’s total assets in any single investment company and no more than 10% in any combination of two or more investment companies. The Fund may purchase or otherwise invest in shares of affiliated exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”) and affiliated money market funds.

MONEY MARKET INSTRUMENTS. The Fund may invest a portion of its assets in high-quality money market instruments on an ongoing basis to provide liquidity or for other reasons. The instruments in which the Fund may invest include: (i) short-term obligations issued by the U.S. Government; (ii) negotiable certificates of deposit (“CDs”), fixed time deposits and bankers’ acceptances of U.S. and foreign banks and similar institutions; (iii) commercial paper rated at the date of purchase “Prime-1” by Moody’s or “A-1+” or “A-1” by Standard & Poor’s (“S&P”) or, if unrated, of comparable quality as determined by the Fund; and (iv) repurchase agreements. CDs are short-term negotiable obligations of commercial banks. Time deposits are non-negotiable deposits maintained in banking institutions for specified periods of time at stated interest rates. Banker’s acceptances are time drafts drawn on commercial banks by borrowers, usually in connection with international transactions.

NON-U.S. SECURITIES. The Fund invests primarily in non-U.S. equity securities. Investments in non-U.S. equity securities involve certain risks that may not be present in investments in U.S. securities. For example, non-U.S. securities may be subject to currency risks or to foreign government taxes. There may be less information publicly available about a non-U.S. issuer than about a U.S. issuer, and a foreign issuer may or may not be subject to uniform accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards and practices comparable to those in the U.S. Other risks of investing in such securities include political or economic instability in the country involved, the difficulty of predicting international trade patterns and the possibility of imposition of exchange controls. The prices of such securities may be more volatile than those of domestic securities. With respect to certain foreign countries, there is a

 

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possibility of expropriation of assets or nationalization, imposition of withholding taxes on dividend or interest payments, difficulty in obtaining and enforcing judgments against foreign entities or diplomatic developments which could affect investment in these countries. Losses and other expenses may be incurred in converting between various currencies in connection with purchases and sales of foreign securities.

Non-U.S. stock markets may not be as developed or efficient as, and may be more volatile than, those in the U.S. While the volume of shares traded on non-U.S. stock markets generally has been growing, such markets usually have substantially less volume than U.S. markets. Therefore, the Fund’s investment in non-U.S. equity securities may be less liquid and subject to more rapid and erratic price movements than comparable securities listed for trading on U.S. exchanges. Non-U.S. equity securities may trade at price/earnings multiples higher than comparable U.S. securities and such levels may not be sustainable. There may be less government supervision and regulation of foreign stock exchanges, brokers, banks and listed companies abroad than in the U.S. Moreover, settlement practices for transactions in foreign markets may differ from those in U.S. markets. Such differences may include delays beyond periods customary in the U.S. and practices, such as delivery of securities prior to receipt of payment, that increase the likelihood of a failed settlement, which can result in losses to the Fund. The value of non-U.S. investments and the investment income derived from them may also be affected unfavorably by changes in currency exchange control regulations. Foreign brokerage commissions, custodial expenses and other fees are also generally higher than for securities traded in the U.S. This may cause the Fund to incur higher portfolio transaction costs than domestic equity funds. Fluctuations in exchange rates may also affect the earning power and asset value of the foreign entity issuing a security, even one denominated in U.S. dollars. Dividend and interest payments may be repatriated based on the exchange rate at the time of disbursement, and restrictions on capital flows may be imposed.

Set forth below for certain markets in which the Fund may invest are brief descriptions of some of the conditions and risks in each such market.

Investments in Japan. The Fund invests primarily in companies organized in Japan. The Japanese economy is characterized by government intervention and protectionism, an unstable financial services sector, and relatively high unemployment. Economic growth is heavily dependent on international trade, government support and consistent government policy. Slowdowns in the economies of key trading partners such as the United States, China and countries in Southeast Asia could have a negative impact on the Japanese economy as a whole. These and other factors could have a negative impact on a Fund’s performance.

REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUSTS. The Fund may invest in the securities of real estate investment trusts (“REITs”) to the extent allowed by law. Risks associated with investments in securities of REITs include decline in the value of real estate, risks related to general and local economic conditions, overbuilding and increased competition, increases in property taxes and operating expenses, changes in zoning laws, casualty or condemnation losses, variations in rental income, changes in neighborhood values, the appeal of properties to tenants, and increases in interest rates. In addition, equity REITs may be affected by changes in the values of the underlying property owned by the trusts, while mortgage REITs may be affected by the quality of credit extended. REITs are dependent upon management skills, may not be diversified and are subject to the risks of financing projects. REITs are also subject to heavy cash-flow dependency, defaults by borrowers, self-liquidation and the possibility of failing to qualify for the favorable U.S. federal income tax treatment available to REITs under the Code and to maintain exemption from the 1940 Act. If an issuer of debt securities collateralized by real estate defaults, it is conceivable that the REITs could end up holding the underlying real estate.

REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS. The Fund may enter into repurchase agreements with counterparties that are deemed to present acceptable credit risks. A repurchase agreement is a transaction in which the Fund purchases securities or other obligations from a bank or securities dealer (or its affiliate) and simultaneously commits to resell them to a counterparty at an agreed-upon date or upon demand and at a price reflecting a market rate of interest unrelated to the coupon rate or maturity of the purchased obligations. The Fund maintains custody of the underlying obligations prior to their repurchase, either through its regular custodian or through a special “triparty” custodian or sub-custodian that maintains separate accounts for both the Fund and its counterparty. Thus, the obligation of the counterparty to pay the repurchase price on the date agreed to or upon demand is, in effect, secured by such obligations.

 

 

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Repurchase agreements carry certain risks not associated with direct investments in securities, including a possible decline in the market value of the underlying obligations. If their value becomes less than the repurchase price, plus any agreed-upon additional amount, the counterparty must provide additional collateral so that at all times the collateral is at least equal to the repurchase price plus any agreed-upon additional amount. The difference between the total amount to be received upon repurchase of the obligations and the price that was paid by the Fund upon acquisition is accrued as interest and included in its net investment income. Repurchase agreements involving obligations other than U.S. Government securities (such as commercial paper and corporate bonds) may be subject to special risks and may not have the benefit of certain protections in the event of the counterparty’s insolvency. If the seller or guarantor becomes insolvent, the Fund may suffer delays, costs and possible losses in connection with the disposition of collateral.

REVERSE REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS. The Fund may enter into reverse repurchase agreements, which involve the sale of securities held by the Fund subject to its agreement to repurchase the securities at an agreed-upon date or upon demand and at a price reflecting a market rate of interest. Reverse repurchase agreements are subject to the Fund’s limitation on borrowings and may be entered into only with banks or securities dealers or their affiliates. While a reverse repurchase agreement is outstanding, the Fund will maintain the segregation, either on its records or with the Trust’s custodian, of cash or other liquid securities, marked-to-market daily, in an amount at least equal to its obligations under the reverse repurchase agreement.

Reverse repurchase agreements involve the risk that the buyer of the securities sold by the Fund might be unable to deliver them when that Fund seeks to repurchase. If the buyer of securities under a reverse repurchase agreement files for bankruptcy or becomes insolvent, the buyer or trustee or receiver may receive an extension of time to determine whether to enforce the Fund’s obligation to repurchase the securities, and the Fund’s use of the proceeds of the reverse repurchase agreement may effectively be restricted pending such decision.

SECURITIES LENDING. The Fund may lend portfolio securities to certain creditworthy borrowers, including the Fund’s securities lending agent. Loans of portfolio securities provide the Fund with the opportunity to earn additional income on the Fund’s portfolio securities. All securities loans will be made pursuant to agreements requiring the loans to be continuously secured by collateral in cash, or money market instruments, money market funds or U.S. government securities at least equal at all times to the market value of the loaned securities. The borrower pays to the Fund an amount equal to any dividends or interest received on loaned securities. The Fund retains all or a portion of the interest received on investment of cash collateral or receives a fee from the borrower. Lending portfolio securities involves risks of delay in recovery of the loaned securities or in some cases loss of rights in the collateral should the borrower fail financially. Furthermore, because of the risks of delay in recovery, the Fund may lose the opportunity to sell the securities at a desirable price. The Fund will generally not have the right to vote securities while they are being loaned.

TRACKING STOCKS. The Fund may invest in tracking stocks. A tracking stock is a separate class of common stock whose value is linked to a specific business unit or operating division within a larger company and which is designed to “track” the performance of such business unit or division. The tracking stock may pay dividends to shareholders independent of the parent company. The parent company, rather than the business unit or division, generally is the issuer of tracking stock. However, holders of the tracking stock may not have the same rights as holders of the company’s common stock.

U.S. GOVERNMENT SECURITIES. The Fund may invest in obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Treasury or the agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. government. Such obligations may be short-, intermediate- or long-term. U.S. government securities are obligations of, or guaranteed by, the U.S. government, its agencies or government-sponsored enterprises. U.S. government securities are subject to market and interest rate risk, and may be subject to varying degrees of credit risk. U.S. government securities include inflation-indexed fixed income securities, such as U.S. Treasury Inflation Protected Securities (TIPS). U.S. government securities include zero coupon securities, which tend to be subject to greater market risk than interest-paying securities of similar maturities.

FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS. The Trust’s Board of Trustees (the “Board”) may, in the future, authorize the Fund to invest in securities contracts and investments other than those listed in this SAI and in the Fund’s Prospectus, provided they are consistent with the Fund’s investment objective and do not violate any investment restrictions or policies.

 

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PROXY VOTING POLICY

The Trust has adopted as its proxy voting policies for the Fund the proxy voting guidelines of the Sub-Adviser. The Trust has delegated to the Sub-Adviser the authority and responsibility for voting proxies on the portfolio securities held by the Fund. The remainder of this section discusses the Fund’s proxy voting guidelines and the Sub-Adviser’s role in implementing such guidelines.

The Sub-Adviser, through its participation on [            ] (“[            ]”) Corporation’s Proxy Policy Committee (“PPC”), has adopted a proxy voting policy, related procedures, and voting guidelines which are applied to those client accounts over which it has been delegated the authority to vote proxies. In voting proxies, the Sub-Adviser seeks to act solely in the best financial and economic interest of the applicable client. The Sub-Adviser will carefully review proposals that would limit shareholder control or could affect the value of a client’s investment. It will generally oppose proposals designed to insulate an issuer’s management unnecessarily from the wishes of a majority of shareholders. It will generally support proposals designed to provide management with short-term insulation from outside influences so as to enable management to negotiate effectively and otherwise achieve long-term goals. On questions of social responsibility where economic performance does not appear to be an issue, the Sub-Adviser will attempt to ensure that management reasonably responds to the social issues. Responsiveness will be measured by management’s efforts to address the proposal including, where appropriate, assessment of the implications of the proposal to the ongoing operations of the company. The PPC will pay particular attention to repeat issues where management has failed in its commitment in the intervening period to take action on issues. The Sub-Adviser recognizes its duty to vote proxies in the best interests of its clients. The Sub-Adviser seeks to avoid material conflicts of interest through its participation in the PPC, which applies detailed, predetermined proxy voting guidelines in an objective and consistent manner across client accounts, based on internal and external research and recommendations provided by a third-party vendor, and without consideration of any client relationship factors. Further, the Sub-Adviser and its affiliates engage a third party as an independent fiduciary to vote all proxies for [            ] securities and affiliated mutual fund securities.

Proxy voting proposals are reviewed, categorized, analyzed and voted in accordance with the Sub-Adviser’s voting guidelines. These guidelines are reviewed periodically and updated as necessary to reflect new issues and any changes in policies on specific issues. Items that can be categorized under these voting guidelines will be voted in accordance with any applicable guidelines or referred to the PPC, if the applicable guidelines so require. Proposals that cannot be categorized under these voting guidelines will be referred to the PPC for discussion and vote. Additionally, the PPC may review any proposal where it has identified a particular company, industry or issue for special scrutiny. With regard to voting proxies of foreign companies, the Sub-Adviser may weigh the cost of voting, and potential inability to sell the securities (which may occur during the voting process), against the benefit of voting the proxies to determine whether or not to vote.

In evaluating proposals regarding incentive plans and restricted stock plans, the PPC typically employs a shareholder value transfer model. This model seeks to assess the amount of shareholder equity flowing out of the company to executives as options are exercised. After determining the cost of the plan, the PPC evaluates whether the cost is reasonable based on a number of factors, including industry classification and historical performance information. The PPC generally votes against proposals that permit the repricing or replacement of stock options without shareholder approval.

A complete copy of the Sub-Adviser’s proxy voting policy may be obtained by calling 1-866-909-9473 or by writing to: WisdomTree Trust, c/o ALPS Distributors, Inc., 1290 Broadway, Suite 1100, Denver, Colorado 80203.

The Trust is required to disclose annually the Fund’s 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 SEC no later than August 31 of each year. The Fund’s Form N-PX, when filed, may be obtained at no charge upon request by calling 1-866-909-9473 or by visiting the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS DISCLOSURE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

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 Fund, including the Advisers. The Policy is designed to ensure that the disclosure of information about the Fund’s portfolio holdings is consistent with applicable legal requirements and otherwise in the best interest of the Fund.

 

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As an exchange-traded fund, information about the Fund’s portfolio holdings is made available on a daily basis in accordance with the provisions of any Order of the SEC applicable to the Fund, regulations of the Fund’s Listing Exchange and other applicable SEC regulations, orders and no-action relief. Such information typically reflects all or a portion of the Fund’s anticipated portfolio holdings as of the next Business Day. A “Business Day” is any day on which the Fund’s Listing Exchange is open for business. As of the date of this SAI, the Listing Exchange observes the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day (observed), Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas 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 Listing Exchange, the National Securities Clearing Corporation (“NSCC”) and/or third-party service providers.

The Fund may disclose on its website at the start of each Business Day the identities and quantities of the securities and other assets held by the 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 the Fund’s portfolio holdings with no lag time is permitted to personnel of the Advisers, the Distributor and the Fund’s administrator (“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 Fund’s Chief Compliance Officer (“CCO”) may authorize disclosure of portfolio holdings.

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

The Fund will disclose its complete portfolio holdings schedule in public filings with the SEC on a quarterly basis, based on the Fund’s fiscal year, within sixty (60) days of the end of the quarter, and will provide that information to shareholders, as required by federal securities laws and regulations thereunder.

No person is authorized to disclose the Fund’s portfolio holdings or other investment positions except in accordance with the Policy. The Board reviews the implementation of the Policy on a periodic basis.

INDEX DESCRIPTION

A description of the Fund’s underlying Index is provided in the Prospectus under “Principal Investment Strategies of the Fund” with certain additional details provided below. Additional information about the Index, including the components and weightings of the Index, as well as the rules that govern inclusion and weighting in the Index, is available at www.wisdomtree.com.

WisdomTree Japan Dividend Growth Index

Number of Components : approximately [XXX]

Index Rebalance. The Index is “rebalanced” or “reconstituted” on an annual basis. New securities are added to the Index only during the annual rebalance. The annual rebalance of the Index takes place in June of each year.

During the annual rebalance, securities are screened to determine whether they comply with WisdomTree’s proprietary index methodology and are eligible to be included in the Index. The date of the determination is sometimes referred to as the “Index measurement date” or the “screening date.” Based on this screening, securities that meet index requirements are added to the Index, and securities that do not meet such requirements are dropped from the Index.

In response to market conditions, security and sector weights may fluctuate above or below a specified cap between annual Index rebalance dates.

Index Maintenance. Index maintenance occurs throughout the year and includes monitoring and implementing the adjustments for company additions and deletions, stock splits, corporate restructurings and other corporate actions. Corporate actions are generally implemented after the close of trading on the day prior to the ex-date of such corporate actions. To the extent reasonably practicable, such changes will be announced at least two days prior to their implementation.

 

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Index Availability: The Index is calculated and disseminated throughout each day the Listing Exchange is open for trading.

Changes to the Index Methodology. The Index is governed by a published, rules-based methodology. Changes to the methodology will be publicly disclosed at www.wisdomtree.com/etfs/index-notices.aspx prior to implementation. Sixty days’ notice will be given prior to the implementation of any such change.

Index Calculation Agent. In order to minimize any potential for conflicts caused by the fact that WisdomTree Investments and its affiliates act as Index provider and investment adviser to the Fund, WisdomTree Investments has retained an unaffiliated third party to calculate the Index (the “Calculation Agent”). The Calculation Agent, using the rules-based methodology, will calculate, maintain and disseminate the Index on a daily basis. WisdomTree Investments will monitor the results produced by the Calculation Agent to help ensure that the Index is being calculated in accordance with the rules-based methodology. In addition, WisdomTree Investments and WisdomTree Asset Management have established policies and procedures designed to prevent non-public information about pending changes to the Index from being used or disseminated in an improper manner. Furthermore, WisdomTree Investments and WisdomTree Asset Management have established policies and procedures designed to prevent improper use and dissemination of non-public information about the Fund’s portfolio strategies and to prevent the Fund’s portfolio managers from having any influence on the construction of the Index methodology.

INVESTMENT LIMITATIONS

The following fundamental investment policies and limitations supplement those set forth in the Fund’s Prospectus. Unless otherwise noted, whenever a fundamental investment policy or limitation states a maximum percentage of the Fund’s assets that may be invested in any security or other asset, or sets forth a policy regarding quality standards, such standard or percentage limitation will be determined immediately after and as a result of the Fund’s acquisition of such security or other asset. Accordingly, other than with respect to the Fund’s limitations on borrowings, any subsequent change in values, net assets, or other circumstances will not be considered when determining whether the investment complies with the Fund’s investment policies and limitations.

The Fund’s fundamental investment policies cannot be changed without the approval of the holders of a majority of the Fund’s outstanding voting securities as defined under the 1940 Act. The Fund, however, may change the non-fundamental investment policies described below, its investment objective, and its underlying Index without a shareholder vote provided that it obtains Board approval and notifies its shareholders with at least sixty (60) days’ prior written notice of any such change.

Fundamental Policies. The following investment policies and limitations are fundamental and may NOT be changed without shareholder approval.

The Fund, as a fundamental investment policy, may not:

Senior Securities

Issue senior securities, except as permitted under the 1940 Act.

Borrowing

Borrow money, except as permitted under the 1940 Act.

Underwriting

Act as an underwriter of another issuer’s securities, except to the extent that the Fund may be considered an underwriter within the meaning of the Securities Act in the disposition of portfolio securities.

Concentration

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 the Fund will invest more than 25% of its total assets in securities of the same industry to approximately the same extent that the Fund’s underlying Index concentrates in the securities of a particular industry or group of industries.

 

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Real Estate

Purchase or sell real estate unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments (but this shall not prevent the Fund from investing in securities or other instruments backed by real estate, real estate investment trusts or securities of companies engaged in the real estate business).

Commodities

Purchase or sell physical commodities unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments (but this shall not prevent the Fund from purchasing or selling options and futures contracts or from investing in securities or other instruments backed by physical commodities).

Loans

Lend any security or make any other loan except as permitted under the 1940 Act.

This means that no more than 33 1 / 3 % of the Fund’s total assets would be lent to other parties. This limitation does not apply to purchases of debt securities or to repurchase agreements, or to acquisitions of loans, loan participations or other forms of debt instruments, permissible under the Fund’s investment policies.

Non-Fundamental Policies. The following investment policy is not fundamental and may be changed without shareholder approval.

The Fund has adopted a non-fundamental investment policy in accordance with Rule 35d-1 under the 1940 Act to invest, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of the value of its net assets, plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes, in the types of securities suggested by the Fund’s name, including investments that are tied economically to the particular country or geographic region suggested by the Fund’s name. If, subsequent to an investment, the 80% requirement is no longer met, the Fund’s future investments will be made in a manner that will bring the Fund into compliance with this policy.

CONTINUOUS OFFERING

The method by which Creation Unit Aggregations of shares are created and traded may raise certain issues under applicable securities laws. Because new Creation Unit Aggregations of shares are issued and sold by the Fund on an ongoing basis, at any point a “distribution,” as such term is used in the Securities Act, may occur. Broker-dealers and other persons are cautioned that some activities on their part may, depending on the circumstances, result in their being deemed participants in a distribution in a manner which could render them statutory underwriters and subject them to the prospectus delivery requirement and liability provisions of the Securities Act.

For example, a broker-dealer firm or its client may be deemed a statutory underwriter if it takes Creation Unit Aggregations after placing an order with the Fund’s Distributor, breaks them down into constituent shares, and sells such shares directly to customers, or if it chooses to couple the creation of a supply of new shares with an active selling effort involving solicitation of secondary market demand for shares. A determination of whether one is an underwriter for purposes of the Securities Act must take into account all the facts and circumstances pertaining to the activities of the broker-dealer or its client in the particular case, and the examples mentioned above should not be considered a complete description of all the activities that could lead to a categorization as an underwriter.

Broker-dealer firms should also note that dealers who are not “underwriters” but are effecting transactions in shares, whether or not participating in the distribution of shares, generally are required to deliver a prospectus. This is because the prospectus delivery exemption in Section 4(3) of the Securities Act is not available in respect of such transactions as a result of Section 24(d) of the 1940 Act. Firms that incur a prospectus delivery obligation with respect to shares of the Fund are reminded that, pursuant to Rule 153 under the Securities Act, a prospectus delivery obligation under Section 5(b)(2) of the Securities Act owed to an exchange member in connection with the sale on the Listing Exchange is satisfied by the fact that the prospectus is available at the Listing Exchange upon request. The prospectus delivery mechanism provided in Rule 153 is only available with respect to transactions on an exchange.

 

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MANAGEMENT OF THE TRUST

Board Responsibilities. The Board is responsible for overseeing the management and affairs of the Fund and the Trust. The Board has considered and approved contracts, as described herein, under which certain companies provide essential management and administrative services to the Trust. Like most ETFs, the day-to-day business of the Trust, including the day-to-day management of risk, is performed by third-party service providers, such as the Advisers, Distributor and Administrator. The Board is responsible for overseeing the Trust’s service providers and, thus, has oversight responsibility with respect to the risk management performed by those service providers. Risk management seeks to identify and eliminate or mitigate the potential effects of risks, i.e. , events or circumstances that could have material adverse effects on the business, operations, shareholder services, investment performance or reputation of the Trust or the Fund. Under the overall supervision of the Board and the Audit Committee (discussed in more detail below), the service providers to the Fund employ a variety of processes, procedures and controls to identify risks relevant to the operations of the Trust and the Fund 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 Advisers are responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund’s portfolio investments) and, consequently, for managing the risks associated with that activity.

The Board’s role in risk management oversight begins before the inception of the Fund, at which time the Fund’s Adviser presents the Board with information concerning the investment objectives, strategies and risks of the Fund. Additionally, the Fund’s Adviser and Sub-Adviser provide the Board with an overview of, among other things, its investment philosophy, brokerage practices and compliance infrastructure. Thereafter, the Board oversees the risk management of the Fund’s operations, in part, by requesting periodic reports from and otherwise communicating with various personnel of the Fund and its service providers, including the Trust’s CCO and the Fund’s independent registered public accountants. The Board and, with respect to identified risks that relate to its scope of expertise, the Audit Committee oversee efforts by management and service providers to manage risks to which the Fund may be exposed.

The Board is responsible for overseeing the nature, extent and quality of the services provided to the Fund by the Adviser and receives information about those services at its regular meetings. In addition, on at least an annual basis, in connection with its consideration of whether to renew any Advisory Agreements and Sub-Advisory Agreements with the Adviser and Sub-Adviser, respectively, the Board meets with the Adviser and Sub-Adviser to review such services. Among other things, the Board regularly considers the Adviser’s and Sub-Adviser’s adherence to the Fund’s investment restrictions and compliance with various Fund policies and procedures and with applicable securities regulations. The Board also reviews information about the Fund’s performance and investments.

The Trust’s CCO meets regularly with the Board to review and discuss compliance and other issues. At least annually, the Trust’s CCO 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 Advisers. The report addresses the operation of the policies and procedures of the Trust and each service provider since the date of the last report; 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 material compliance matters since the date of the last report.

The Board receives reports from the Trust’s service providers regarding operational risks, portfolio valuation and other matters. Annually, an independent registered public accounting firm reviews with the Audit Committee its audit of the Trust’s financial statements, focusing on major areas of risk encountered by the Trust and noting any significant deficiencies or material weaknesses in the Trust’s internal controls.

The Board recognizes that not all risks that may affect the Fund can be identified, that it may not be practical or cost-effective to eliminate or mitigate certain risks, that it may be necessary to bear certain risks (such as investment-related risks) to achieve the Fund’s goals, and that the processes, procedures and controls employed to address certain risks may be limited in their effectiveness. Moreover, despite the periodic reports the Board receives and the Board’s discussions with the service providers to the Fund, it may not be made aware of all of the relevant information of a particular risk. Most of the Trust’s investment management and business affairs are carried out by or through the Fund’s Adviser, Sub-Adviser and other service providers, each of which has an independent interest in risk management but whose policies and the methods by which one or more risk management functions are

 

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carried out may differ from the Trust’s and each other’s in the setting of priorities, the resources available or the effectiveness of relevant controls. As a result of the foregoing and other factors, the Board’s risk management oversight is subject to substantial limitations.

Members of the Board and Officers of the Trust. Set forth below are the names, birth years, positions with the Trust, term of office, number of portfolios overseen, and the principal occupations and other directorships for a minimum of the last five years of each of the persons currently serving as members of the Board and as Executive Officers of the Trust. Also included below is the term of office for each of the Executive Officers of the Trust. The members of the Board serve as Trustees for the life of the Trust or until retirement, removal, or their office is terminated pursuant to the Trust’s Declaration of Trust. The address of each Trustee and Officer is c/o WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc., 245 Park Avenue, 35th Floor, New York, New York 10167.

The Chairman of the Board, Victor Ugolyn, is not an interested person of the Fund as that term is defined in the 1940 Act. The Board is composed of a super-majority (83.3 percent) of Trustees who are not interested persons of the Fund ( i.e. , “Independent Trustees”). There is an Audit Committee, Governance and Nominating Committee, and Contracts Review Committee of the Board, each of which is chaired by an Independent Trustee and comprised solely of Independent Trustees. The Committee chair for each is responsible for running the Committee meeting, formulating agendas for those meetings, and coordinating with management to serve as a liaison between the Independent Trustees and management on matters within the scope of the responsibilities of the Committee as set forth in its Board-approved charter. The Fund has determined that this leadership structure is appropriate given the specific characteristics and circumstances of the Fund. The Fund made this determination in consideration of, among other things, the fact that the Independent Trustees of the Fund constitute a super-majority of the Board, the assets under management of the Fund, the number of Funds overseen by the Board, the total number of Trustees on the Board, and the fact that an Independent Trustee serves as Chair of the Board.

 

Name and Year of Birth of

Trustee/Officer

 

Position(s) Held with

the Trust, Term of

Office and Length of

Time Served

  

Principal Occupation(s) During
Past 5 Years

 

Number of
Portfolios
in Fund
Complex
Overseen
by Trustee/
Officer+

  Other
Directorships
Held by Trustee
During Past 5 Years
Trustees Who Are Interested Persons of the Trust

Jonathan Steinberg

(1964)

 

Trustee,

2005 – present; President,

2005 – present

   President, WisdomTree Trust since 2005; President, WisdomTree Investments, Inc. and WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc.; Chief Executive Officer, WisdomTree Investments, Inc. and WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc.   [68]   Director,

WisdomTree
Investments,
Inc. and
WisdomTree
Asset
Management

Trustees Who Are Not Interested Persons of the Trust

David G. Chrencik*

(1948)

 

Trustee,

2014 – present

   Chief Financial Officer of GeoGreen BioFuels, Inc. (biodiesel fuel producer) since 2010; Chief Financial Officer of Sarus Indochina Select LP Hedge Fund since 2012; Audit Partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (public accounting firm) from 1972 to 2009 (includes positions prior to becoming Audit Partner and predecessor firms).   [68]   Trustee,
Vericimetry
Funds

Joel Goldberg**

(1945)

 

Trustee,

2012 – present

   Attorney, Of Counsel/Partner at Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP, 2010 to present; Attorney, Partner at Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP, 2006 to 2010.   [68]   None

Toni Massaro***

(1955)

 

Trustee,

2006 – present

   Dean Emerita at the University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law (“Rogers College of Law”) since 2009 (distinguished Emerita in July 2009); Dean of the Rogers College of Law from 1999 to 2009; Regents’ Professor since 2006; Milton O. Riepe Chair in Constitutional Law since 1997; Professor at the Rogers College of Law since 1990.   [68]   None

 

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Name and Year of Birth of

Trustee/Officer

 

Position(s) Held with

the Trust, Term of

Office and Length of

Time Served

  

Principal Occupation(s) During
Past 5 Years

 

Number of
Portfolios
in Fund
Complex
Overseen
by Trustee/
Officer+

  Other
Directorships
Held by Trustee
During Past 5 Years

Melinda A. Raso Kirstein

(1955)

 

Trustee,

2014 – present

   Retired, Merrill Lynch Investment Management, Vice President; Senior Portfolio Manager, Fixed Income Management; Director, Tax Exempt Fund Management.   [68]   Associate
Alumnae of
Douglass
College,
Member of
Investment
Committee

Victor Ugolyn

(1947)

 

Trustee,

2006 – present; Chairman of the Board of Trustees,

2006 – present

   Private Investor, 2005 to present; President and Chief Executive Officer of William D. Witter, Inc. from 2005 to 2006; Consultant to AXA Enterprise in 2004; Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Enterprise Capital Management (subsidiary of The MONY Group, Inc.) and Enterprise Group of Funds, Chairman of MONY Securities Corporation, and Chairman of the Fund Board of Enterprise Group of Funds from 1991 to 2004.   [68]   Member of
the Board of
Governors
of Naismith
Memorial
Basketball
Hall of
Fame.
Officers of the Trust
Jonathan Steinberg**** (1964)  

President,

2005 – present;

Trustee,

2005 – present

   President, WisdomTree Trust since 2005; President, WisdomTree Investments, Inc. and WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc.; Chief Executive Officer, WisdomTree Investments, Inc. and WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc.   [68]  

David Castano****

(1971)

 

Treasurer,

2013 – present

   Director of Fund Accounting & Administration, WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc., since 2011; Vice President of Legg Mason & Co. and served as Treasurer from 2010 to 2011 and Controller from 2006 to 2010 of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co.; Assistant Treasurer of Lord Abbett mutual funds from 2004 to 2006.   [68]  

Ryan Louvar****

(1972)

 

Secretary and Chief Legal Officer,

2013 – present

   General Counsel, WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc. since 2013; Vice President and Senior Managing Counsel, State Street, 2005 to 2013.   [68]  

Sarah English****

(1977)

 

Assistant Secretary,

2013 – present

   Counsel, WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc. since 2010; Attorney, NYFIX, Inc. 2006 to 2009.   [68]  

Terry Jane Feld****

(1960)

 

Chief Compliance Officer,

2012 – present

   Chief Compliance Officer WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc. since 2012; Senior Compliance Officer, WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc. since 2011; Senior Compliance Officer, TIAA-CREF, 2007 to 2010; Vice President/NASD-SEC Compliance, Mutual of America Life Insurance Co., 2004 to 2007.   [68]  

 

      * Chair of the Audit Committee.
    ** Chair of the Contracts Review Committee.
  *** Chair of the Governance and Nominating Committee.
**** Elected by and serves at the pleasure of the Board.
      + As of [ ], 2014.

 

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Audit Committee. Ms. Raso Kirstein and Messrs. Chrencik and Ugolyn, each an Independent Trustee, are members of the Trust’s Audit Committee (the “Audit Committee”). The principal responsibilities of the Audit Committee are the appointment, compensation and oversight of the Trust’s independent registered public accountants, including the resolution of disagreements regarding financial reporting between Trust management and such independent registered public accountants. The Audit Committee’s responsibilities include, without limitation, to (i) oversee the accounting and financial reporting processes of the Trust and its internal control over financial reporting and, as the Committee deems appropriate, to inquire into the internal control over financial reporting of certain third-party service providers; (ii) oversee the quality and integrity of the Fund’s financial statements and the independent audits thereof; (iii) oversee, or, as appropriate, assist Board oversight of, the Trust’s compliance with legal and regulatory requirements that relate to the Trust’s accounting and financial reporting, internal control over financial reporting and independent audits; (iv) approve prior to appointment the engagement of the Trust’s independent registered public accountants and, in connection therewith, to review and evaluate the qualifications, independence and performance of the Trust’s independent registered public accountants; and (v) act as a liaison between the Trust’s independent registered public accountants and the full Board. The Board of the Trust has adopted a written charter for the Audit Committee. The Independent Trustees’ independent legal counsel assists the Audit Committee in connection with these duties. During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2014, the Audit Committee held [        ] meetings.

Governance and Nominating Committee. Ms. Massaro and Messrs. Goldberg and Ugolyn, each an Independent Trustee, are members of the Trust’s Governance and Nominating Committee. The principal responsibilities of the Governance and Nominating Committee are to (i) oversee Fund governance matters and (ii) identify individuals qualified to serve as Independent Trustees of the Trust and to recommend its nominees for consideration by the full Board. While the Governance and Nominating Committee is solely responsible for the selection and nomination of the Trust’s Independent Trustees, the Governance and Nominating Committee may consider nominations for the office of Trustee made by Trust stockholders as it deems appropriate. The Governance and Nominating Committee considers nominees recommended by shareholders if such nominees are submitted in accordance with Rule 14a-8 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “1934 Act”), in conjunction with a shareholder meeting to consider the election of Trustees. Trust stockholders who wish to recommend a nominee should send nominations to the Secretary of the Trust that include biographical information and set forth the qualifications of the proposed nominee. During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2014, the Governance and Nominating Committee held [        ] meetings.

Contracts Review Committee. Ms. Massaro and Messrs. Goldberg and Ugolyn, each an Independent Trustee, are members of the Trust’s Contracts Review Committee. The principal responsibilities of the Contracts Review Committee are to provide assistance to the Board of Trustees of the Trust in fulfilling its responsibilities under Section 15 of the 1940 Act, and other applicable Sections, rules and interpretative guidance related thereto, with respect to reviewing the performance of, and reasonableness of fees paid to, the Adviser, Sub-Advisers, and core service providers for each series of the Trust, and to make recommendations to the Board regarding the contractual arrangements for such services. The Board has adopted a written charter for the Contracts Review Committee. The Board of the Trust created the Contracts Review Committee on March 12, 2014, and, during the fiscal year ended March 31, 2014, the Contracts Review Committee met [once].

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 Trust and the Fund provided by management, to identify and request other information he or she may deem relevant to the performance of the Trustees’ duties, to question management and other service providers regarding material factors bearing on the management and administration of the Fund, and to exercise his or her business judgment in a manner that serves the best interests of the Fund’s shareholders. The Trust has concluded that each of the Trustees should serve as a Trustee based on his or her own experience, qualifications, attributes and skills as described below.

The Trust has concluded that Mr. Steinberg should serve as Trustee of the Fund because of the experience he has gained as President, Chief Executive Officer and director of WisdomTree Investments, his knowledge of and experience in the financial services industry, and the experience he has gained serving as Trustee of the Trust since 2005.

 

 

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The Trust has concluded that Mr. Chrencik should serve as Trustee of the Fund because of the experience he gained as an audit partner of a public accounting firm as well as his experience in and knowledge of the financial services industry, including his service as chief financial officer for a hedge fund.

The Trust has concluded that Mr. Goldberg should serve as Trustee of the Fund because of the experience he has gained as a member of the staff of the SEC, including his service as Director of the SEC’s Division of Investment Management, his experience as legal counsel for many mutual funds, investment advisers, and independent directors, as well as the experience he has gained serving as an Independent Trustee of the Trust since 2012.

The Trust has concluded that Ms. Raso Kirstein should serve as Trustee of the Fund because of her experience in and knowledge of the financial services industry, including her service as a vice president, senior portfolio manager of fixed income management, and director of tax exempt fund research of an investment advisory firm.

The Trust has concluded that Ms. Massaro should serve as Trustee of the Fund because of the experience she has gained as a law professor, dean and advisor at various universities, and the experience she has gained serving as Trustee of the Trust since 2006.

The Trust has concluded that Mr. Ugolyn should serve as Trustee of the Fund because of the experience he gained as chief executive officer of a firm specializing in financial services, his experience in and knowledge of the financial services industry, his service as chairman for another mutual fund family, and the experience he has gained serving as Trustee of the Trust since 2006.

Fund Shares Owned by Board Members. The following table shows the dollar amount range of each Trustee’s “beneficial ownership” of shares of the Fund and each other series of the Trust as of the end of the most recently completed calendar year. Dollar amount ranges disclosed are established by the SEC. “Beneficial ownership” is determined in accordance with Rule 16a-1(a)(2) under the 1934 Act. The Trustees and officers of the Trust collectively own less than 1% of the outstanding shares of the Trust.

 

Name of Trustee

 

Name of Fund

 

Dollar Range of
Equity Securities
in the Fund*

 

Aggregate Dollar Range of
Equity Securities in All Registered
Investment Companies  Overseen
by Trustee in Family of
Investment Companies**

Interested Trustee
Jonathan L. Steinberg   WisdomTree Japan Dividend Growth Fund   None   Over $100,000
Independent Trustees
David G. Chrencik***   WisdomTree Japan Dividend Growth Fund   None   None
Joel H. Goldberg   WisdomTree Japan Dividend Growth Fund   None   Over $100,000
Toni M. Massaro   WisdomTree Japan Dividend Growth Fund   None   Over $100,000
Melinda A. Raso Kirstein***   WisdomTree Japan Dividend Growth Fund   None   None
Victor Ugolyn   WisdomTree Japan Dividend Growth Fund   None   $50,001 – $100,000

 

* Values based on Trustees’ ownership as of date of this SAI.
** These values are based on the Trustees’ ownership as of December 31, 2013.
*** David Chrencik and Melinda Raso Kirstein were appointed to the Board on March 11, 2014.

Board Compensation. The following table sets forth the compensation paid by the Trust to each Trustee for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2014.

 

Name of Interested
Trustee

     Aggregate
Compensation
from the Trust
       Pension or Retirement
Benefits Accrued as
Part of  Company
Expenses
       Estimated Annual
Benefits upon
Retirement
       Total Compensation
From the Funds and
Fund Complex*
 

Jonathan Steinberg

     $ 0           None           None         $ 0   

 

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Name of Independent
Trustee

     Aggregate
Compensation
from the Trust
     Pension or Retirement
Benefits Accrued as
Part of  Company
Expenses
     Estimated Annual
Benefits upon
Retirement
     Total Compensation
From the Funds and
Fund Complex*

David G. Chrencik**

     n/a      n/a      n/a      n/a

Joel Goldberg

     $                  None      None      $            

Melinda A. Raso Kirstein**

     n/a      n/a      n/a      n/a

Toni Massaro

     $                  None      None      $            

Victor Ugolyn

     $                  None      None      $            

 

* The Trust is the only trust in the “Fund Complex.”
** David Chrencik and Melinda Raso Kirstein were appointed to the Board on March 11, 2014.

Control Persons and Principal Holders of Securities. Because the Fund is new there were no beneficial owners as of the date of this SAI.

Investment Adviser. WisdomTree Asset Management serves as investment adviser to the Fund pursuant to an investment advisory agreement between the Trust and WisdomTree Asset Management (the “Investment Advisory Agreement”). WisdomTree Asset Management is a Delaware corporation registered as an investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the “Advisers Act”), and has offices located at 245 Park Avenue, 35th Floor, New York, New York 10167.

Under the Investment Advisory Agreement, WisdomTree Asset Management has overall responsibility for the general management and administration of the Trust. WisdomTree Asset Management provides an investment program for the Fund. The Adviser also arranges for sub-advisory, transfer agency, custody, fund administration, securities lending, and all other non-distribution-related services necessary for the Fund to operate. The Fund pays WisdomTree Asset Management a fee equal to [    ]% of the Fund’s average daily net assets.

Pursuant to the Investment Advisory Agreement, WisdomTree Asset Management has agreed to pay all expenses of the Fund, except for: (i) brokerage expenses and other fees, charges, taxes, levies or expenses (such as stamp taxes) incurred in connection with the execution of portfolio transactions or in connection with creation and redemption transactions (including without limitation any fees, charges, taxes, levies or expenses related to the purchase or sale of an amount of any currency, or the patriation or repatriation of any security or other asset, related to the execution of portfolio transactions or any creation or redemption transactions); (ii) legal fees or expenses in connection with any arbitration, litigation or pending or threatened arbitration or litigation, including any settlements in connection therewith; (iii) compensation and expenses of each Independent Trustee; (iv) compensation and expenses of counsel to the Independent Trustees; (v) compensation and expenses of the Trust’s CCO; (vi) extraordinary expenses (in each case as determined by a majority of the Independent Trustees); (vii) distribution fees and expenses paid by the Trust under any distribution plan adopted pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act; (viii) interest and taxes of any kind or nature (including, but not limited to, income, excise, transfer and withholding taxes); (ix) fees and expenses related to the provision of securities lending services; and (x) the advisory fee payable to WisdomTree Asset Management. The internal expenses of pooled investment vehicles in which the Fund may invest (acquired fund fees and expenses) are not expenses of the Fund and are not paid by WisdomTree Asset Management.

Pursuant to a separate contractual arrangement, WisdomTree Asset Management arranges for the provision of CCO services with respect to the Fund, and is liable and responsible for, and administers, payments to the CCO, the Independent Trustees and counsel to the Independent Trustees. WisdomTree Asset Management receives a fee of up to 0.0044% of the Fund’s average daily net assets for providing such services and paying such expenses. WisdomTree Asset Management provides CCO services to the Trust.

The Adviser, from its own resources, including profits from advisory fees received from the Fund, provided such fees are legitimate and not excessive, may make payments to broker-dealers and other financial institutions for their expenses in connection with the distribution of Fund shares, and otherwise currently pays all distribution costs for Fund shares.

The Investment Advisory Agreement with respect to the Fund continues in effect for two years from its effective date, and thereafter is subject to annual approval by (i) the Board of Trustees of the Trust or (ii) the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Fund, provided that in either event such continuance also is approved by a vote of a majority of the Trustees of the Trust who are not interested persons

 

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(as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Fund, by a vote cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval. If the shareholders of the Fund fail to approve the Investment Advisory Agreement, WisdomTree Asset Management may continue to serve in the manner and to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act and rules and regulations thereunder.

The Investment Advisory Agreement with respect to the Fund is terminable without any penalty, by vote of the Board of Trustees of the Trust or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Fund, or by WisdomTree Asset Management, in each case on not less than thirty (30) days’ nor more than sixty (60) days’ prior written notice to the other party; provided that a shorter notice period shall be permitted for the Fund in the event its shares are no longer listed on a national securities exchange. The Investment Advisory Agreement will terminate automatically and immediately in the event of its “assignment” (as defined in the 1940 Act).

Sub-Adviser. [                    ] (“[                    ]”) is sub-adviser to the Fund and is responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund. [                    ], a registered investment adviser, manages global quantitative-based investment strategies for institutional and private investors. Its principal office is located at [                    ]. [                    ] is a wholly-owned indirect subsidiary of [                    ], a publicly traded financial holding company. [                    ] chooses the portfolio investments of the Fund and places orders to buy and sell the portfolio investments. WisdomTree Asset Management pays [                    ] for providing sub-advisory services to the Fund.

The Sub-Adviser believes that it may perform sub-advisory and related services for the Trust without violating applicable banking laws or regulations. However, the legal requirements and interpretations about the permissible activities of banks and their affiliates may change in the future. These changes could prevent the Sub-Adviser from continuing to perform services for the Trust. If this happens, the Board would consider selecting other qualified firms. Any new investment sub-advisory agreement would be subject to shareholder approval.

The Sub-Advisory Agreement with respect to the Fund continues in effect for two years from its effective date, and thereafter is subject to annual approval by (i) the Board of Trustees of the Trust or (ii) the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Fund, provided that in either event such continuance is also approved by a vote of a majority of the Trustees of the Trust who are not interested persons (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Fund, by a vote cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval. The Sub-Advisory Agreement with respect to the Fund is terminable without any penalty, by vote of the Board of Trustees of the Trust or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Fund, or by WisdomTree Asset Management, in each case on not less than thirty (30) days’ nor more than sixty (60) days’ prior written notice to the Sub-Adviser; provided that a shorter notice period shall be permitted for the Fund in the event its shares are no longer listed on a national securities exchange. The Sub-Advisory Agreement will terminate automatically and immediately in the event of its “assignment” (as defined in the 1940 Act).

Portfolio Managers. The Fund is managed by the Sub-Adviser’s portfolio management team. The individual members of the team responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund’s portfolio are [        ].

Including the WisdomTree ETFs, as of [                    ], 2014, the Sub-Adviser’s Index Fund Management team managed [        ] registered investment companies with approximately $[        ] billion in assets; [        ] pooled investment vehicles with approximately $[        ] billion in assets; and [        ] other accounts with approximately $[        ] billion in assets.

Portfolio Manager Fund Ownership. As of the date of this SAI, none of the portfolio managers owned shares of the Fund.

Portfolio Manager Compensation. The primary objectives of the Sub-Adviser’s compensation plans are to:

 

  n  

Motivate and reward superior investment and business performance

 

  n  

Motivate and reward continued growth and profitability

 

  n  

Attract and retain high-performing individuals critical to the on-going success of the Sub-Adviser

 

  n  

Create an ownership mentality for all plan participants

 

 

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Cash compensation is comprised primarily of a market-based base salary and variable incentives (cash and deferred). Base salary is determined by the employees’ experience and performance in the role, taking into account the ongoing compensation benchmark analyses. Base salary is generally a fixed amount that may change as a result of an annual review, upon assumption of new duties, or when a market adjustment of the position occurs. Funding for the Sub-Adviser’s Annual and Long Term Incentive Plan is through a pre-determined fixed percentage of overall Sub-Adviser profitability. Therefore, all bonus awards are based initially on the Sub-Adviser’s financial performance. Annual incentive opportunities are pre-established for each individual, expressed as a percentage of base salary (“target awards”). These targets are derived based on a review of competitive market data for each position annually.

Annual awards are determined by applying multiples to this target award. Awards are 100% discretionary. Factors considered in awards include individual performance, team performance, investment performance of the associated portfolio(s) (including both short and long term returns) and qualitative behavioral factors. Other factors considered in determining the award are the asset size and revenue growth/retention of the products managed (if applicable). Awards are paid partially in cash with the balance deferred through the Long Term Incentive Plan.

Participants in the Long Term Incentive Plan have a high level of accountability and a large impact on the success of the business due to the position’s scope and overall responsibility. This plan provides for an annual award, payable in cash after a three-year cliff vesting period as well as a grant of [                    ] Restricted Stock for senior level roles. The Sub-Adviser’s portfolio managers responsible for managing mutual funds are paid by the Sub-Adviser and not by the mutual funds.

The same methodology described above is used to determine portfolio manager compensation with respect to the management of mutual funds and other accounts. Mutual fund portfolio managers are also eligible for the standard retirement benefits and health and welfare benefits available to all Sub-Adviser employees. Certain portfolio managers may be eligible for additional retirement benefits under several supplemental retirement plans that the Sub-Adviser provides to restore dollar-for-dollar the benefits of management employees that had been cut back solely as a result of certain limits due to the tax laws. These plans are structured to provide the same retirement benefits as the standard retirement benefits. In addition, mutual fund portfolio managers whose compensation exceeds certain limits may elect to defer a portion of their salary and/or bonus under the [                    ] Corporation Deferred Compensation Plan for Employees.

Description of Material Conflicts of Interest. Because the Sub-Adviser’s portfolio managers manage multiple portfolios for multiple clients, the potential for conflicts of interest exists. Each portfolio manager generally manages portfolios having substantially the same investment style as the Fund. However, the portfolios managed by a portfolio manager may not have portfolio compositions identical to those of the Fund due, for example, to specific investment limitations or guidelines present in some portfolios or accounts, but not others. The portfolio managers may purchase securities for one portfolio and not another portfolio, and the performance of securities purchased for one portfolio may vary from the performance of securities purchased for other portfolios. A portfolio manager may place transactions on behalf of other accounts that are directly or indirectly contrary to investment decisions made on behalf of the Fund, or make investment decisions that are similar to those made for the Fund, both of which have the potential to adversely impact the Fund depending on market conditions. For example, a portfolio manager may purchase a security in one portfolio while appropriately selling that same security in another portfolio. In addition, some of these portfolios have fee structures that are or have the potential to be higher than the advisory fees paid by the Fund, which can cause potential conflicts in the allocation of investment opportunities between the Fund and the other accounts. However, the compensation structure for portfolio managers does not generally provide incentive to favor one account over another because that part of a manager’s bonus based on performance is not based on the performance of one account to the exclusion of others. There are many other factors considered in determining the portfolio manager’s bonus and there is no formula that is applied to weight the factors listed (see “Portfolio Manager Compensation”). The Sub-Adviser has a fiduciary duty to manage all client accounts in a fair and equitable manner. To accomplish this, the Sub-Adviser has adopted various policies and procedures (including, but not limited to, policies relating to trading operations, best execution, trade order aggregation and allocation, short sales, cross-trading, code of conduct, personal securities trading and purchases of securities from affiliate underwriters). These procedures are intended to help employees identify and mitigate potential side by side conflicts of interest. The Sub-Adviser has also developed a conflicts matrix listing potential side by side conflicts and compliance policies and procedures reasonably designed to mitigate such potential conflicts of interest.

 

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Codes of Ethics. The Trust, the Advisers and the Distributor have each adopted a Code of Ethics pursuant to Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act and Rule 204A-1 under the Advisers Act, where applicable. Each Code of Ethics permits personnel subject to that Code of Ethics to invest in securities for their personal investment accounts, subject to certain limitations, including securities that may be purchased or held by the Fund. Each Code of Ethics is on public file with, and is available from, the SEC.

Administrator, Custodian, Transfer Agent and Securities Lending Agent. State Street Bank and Trust Company (“State Street”) serves as administrator, custodian, transfer agent and securities lending agent for the Fund. State Street’s principal address is One Lincoln Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02110. Under the Fund Administration Agreement with the Trust, State Street provides certain administrative, legal, tax and financial reporting services for the maintenance and operations of the Trust and the Fund. Under the Master Custodian agreement with the Trust, State Street acts as custodian of assets of the Trust, including securities which the Trust, on behalf of the Fund, desires to be held in places within the United States and securities it desires to be held outside the United States, and , and provides accounting and other services. State Street is required, upon the order of the Trust, to deliver securities held by State Street and to make payments for securities purchased by the Trust for the Fund. Also, under the Master Custodian Agreement, State Street is authorized to appoint certain foreign custodians or foreign custody managers for Fund investments outside the United States. Pursuant to a Transfer Agency and Service Agreement with the Trust, State Street acts as transfer agent for the Fund’s authorized and issued shares of beneficial interest, and as dividend disbursing agent of the Trust. As compensation for the foregoing services, State Street receives certain out-of-pocket costs, transaction fees and asset-based fees which are accrued daily and paid monthly by the Trust. State Street also serves as the Fund’s securities lending agent. As compensation for providing such services, State Street receives a portion of the income earned by the Funds in connection with the lending program. With respect to the foregoing agreements, the Trust has agreed to a limitation of liability for State Street and/or to indemnify State Street for certain liabilities. The Fund is new and the Adviser had not paid State Street any fees for services to the Fund as of the fiscal year ended March 31, 2014.

Distributor. ALPS Distributors, Inc. serves as Distributor for the Trust and its principal address is 1290 Broadway, Suite 1100, Denver, Colorado 80203. The Distributor has entered into a Distribution Agreement with the Trust pursuant to which it distributes shares of the Fund. The Distribution Agreement will continue for two years from its effective date and is renewable annually. Shares are continuously offered for sale by the Fund through the Distributor only in Creation Unit Aggregations, as described in the applicable Prospectus and below in the Creation and Redemption of Creation Unit Aggregations section. Shares in less than Creation Unit Aggregations are not distributed by the Distributor. The Distributor will deliver the applicable Prospectus and, upon request, this SAI to persons purchasing Creation Unit Aggregations and will maintain records of both orders placed with it and confirmations of acceptance furnished by it. The Distributor is a broker-dealer registered under the 1934 Act and a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”). The Distributor is not affiliated with WisdomTree Investments, WisdomTree Asset Management, or any stock exchange.

The Distribution Agreement for the Fund will provide that it may be terminated at any time, without the payment of any penalty, on at least sixty (60) days’ prior written notice to the other party (i) by vote of a majority of the Independent Trustees or (ii) by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Fund. The Distribution Agreement will terminate automatically in the event of its “assignment” (as defined in the 1940 Act).

The Distributor may also enter into agreements with securities dealers (“Soliciting Dealers”) who will solicit purchases of Creation Unit Aggregations of shares. Such Soliciting Dealers may also be Authorized Participants (as defined below) or DTC Participants (as defined below).

Intermediary Compensation. WisdomTree Asset Management or its affiliates, out of their own resources and not out of Fund assets ( i.e. , without additional cost to the Fund or its shareholders), may pay certain broker dealers, banks and other financial intermediaries (“Intermediaries”) for certain activities related to the Fund, including participation in activities that are designed to make Intermediaries more knowledgeable about exchange traded products, including the Fund, or for other activities, such as marketing and educational training or support. In addition, WisdomTree Asset Management and E*Trade Securities LLC (“ETS”) have entered into an agreement whereby ETS has agreed not to charge its customers any transaction fee or brokerage commission for the purchase of shares of applicable Funds made through ETS’s distribution system and to disclose that such Funds are sold with

 

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the fee waiver, and WisdomTree Asset Management has agreed to pay ETS during the term of the agreement an amount based on net purchases and sales of such Funds in the ETS distribution system. These arrangements are not financed by the Fund and, thus, do not result in increased Fund expenses. They are not reflected in the fees and expenses listed in the fees and expenses sections of the Fund’s Prospectus and they do not change the price paid by investors for the purchase of the Fund’s shares or the amount received by a shareholder as proceeds from the redemption of Fund shares.

Such compensation may be paid to Intermediaries that provide services to the Fund, including marketing and education support (such as through conferences, webinars and printed communications). WisdomTree Asset Management periodically assesses the advisability of continuing to make these payments. Payments to an Intermediary may be significant to the Intermediary, and amounts that Intermediaries pay to your adviser, broker or other investment professional, if any, may also be significant to such adviser, broker or investment professional. Because an Intermediary may make decisions about what investment options it will make available or recommend, and what services to provide in connection with various products, based on payments it receives or is eligible to receive, such payments create conflicts of interest between the Intermediary and its clients. For example, these financial incentives may cause the Intermediary to recommend the Fund over other investments. The same conflict of interest exists with respect to your financial adviser, broker or investment professionals if he or she receives similar payments from his or her Intermediary firm.

Intermediary information is current only as of the date of this SAI. Please contact your adviser, broker or other investment professional for more information regarding any payments his or her Intermediary firm may receive. Any payments made by WisdomTree Asset Management or its affiliates to an Intermediary may create the incentive for an Intermediary to encourage customers to buy shares of WisdomTree Funds.

If you have any additional questions, please call 1-866-909-9473.

BROKERAGE TRANSACTIONS

The Sub-Adviser assumes general supervision over placing orders on behalf of the Fund for the purchase and sale of portfolio securities. In selecting the brokers or dealers for any transaction in portfolio securities, the Sub-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 Sub-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 Sub-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 the 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, the 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 Unit Aggregations” 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, the 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 WisdomTree Asset Management in its sole discretion.

Brokerage Commissions. The Fund is new and had not paid any brokerage commissions as of the fiscal year ended March 31, 2014.

 

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Affiliated Brokers. The Fund is new and had not paid any commissions to any affiliated brokers as of the fiscal year ended March 31, 2014.

Regular Broker-Dealers. The Fund is new and did not acquire securities of its regular brokers or dealers (as defined in the 1940 Act) or of their parents during the fiscal year ended March 31, 2014.

Portfolio Turnover. Portfolio turnover may vary from year to year, as well as within a year. High turnover rates are likely to result in comparatively greater brokerage expenses. The overall reasonableness of brokerage commissions is evaluated by the Adviser based upon its knowledge of available information as to the general level of commissions paid by the other institutional investors for comparable services.

The Fund is new and therefore did not have a portfolio turnover rate for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2014.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONCERNING THE TRUST

Shares. The Trust was established as a Delaware statutory trust on December 15, 2005, and consists of multiple series of funds (“Funds”). The Fund issues shares of beneficial interest, with $0.001 par value. The Board may establish additional Funds. The Trust is registered with the SEC as an open-end management investment company.

Each share issued by the Fund has a pro rata interest in the assets of the 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 Fund, and in the net distributable assets of the 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.

Under Delaware law, the Trust is not required to hold an annual meeting of shareholders unless required to do so under the 1940 Act. The policy of the Trust is not to hold an annual meeting of shareholders unless required to do so under the 1940 Act. All shares (regardless of the Fund) have non-cumulative voting rights for the Board. Under Delaware law, Trustees of the Trust may be removed by vote of the shareholders.

Following the creation of the initial Creation Unit Aggregation(s) of shares of the 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. The Fund cannot accurately predict the length of time for which one or more shareholders may remain a control person or persons of the Fund.

Shareholders may make inquiries by writing to the Trust, c/o ALPS Distributors, Inc., 1290 Broadway, Suite 1100, Denver, Colorado 80203.

Absent an applicable exemption or other relief from the SEC or its staff, beneficial owners of more than 5% of the shares of the Fund may be subject to the reporting provisions of Section 13 of the 1934 Act and the SEC’s rules promulgated thereunder. In addition, absent an applicable exemption or other relief from the SEC staff, officers and Trustees of the Fund and beneficial owners of 10% of the shares of the Fund (“Insiders”) may be subject to the insider reporting, short-swing profit and short-sale provisions of Section 16 of the 1934 Act and the SEC’s rules promulgated thereunder. Beneficial owners and Insiders should consult with their own legal counsel concerning their obligations under Sections 13 and 16 of the 1934 Act.

Termination of the Trust or the Fund. The Trust or the Fund may be terminated by a majority vote of the Board of Trustees or the affirmative vote of a super-majority of the holders of the Trust or the Fund entitled to vote on termination. Although the shares are not automatically redeemable upon the occurrence of any specific event, the Trust’s organizational documents provide that the Board will have the unrestricted power to alter the number of shares in a Creation Unit Aggregation. In the event of a termination of the Trust or the Fund, the Board, in its sole discretion, could determine to permit the shares to be redeemable in aggregations smaller than Creation Unit Aggregations or to be individually redeemable. In such circumstances, the Trust may make redemptions in-kind, for cash, or for a combination of cash and securities.

 

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Role of the Depositary Trust Company (“DTC”). DTC acts as Securities Depository for the shares of the Trust. Shares of the Fund are represented by securities registered in the name of DTC or its nominee and deposited with, or on behalf of, DTC.

DTC, a limited-purpose trust company, was created to hold securities of its participants (“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 which (and/or their representatives) own DTC. More specifically, DTC is owned by a number of DTC Participants and by the NYSE, the AMEX 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 (“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. No Beneficial Owner shall have the right to receive a certificate representing such 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 the 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 and 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 of the Trust. DTC or its nominee, upon receipt of any such distributions, shall immediately credit DTC Participants’ accounts with payments in amounts proportionate to their respective beneficial interests in shares of the Fund as shown on the records of DTC or its nominee. Payments by DTC Participants to Indirect Participants and Beneficial Owners of shares held through such DTC Participants will be governed by standing instructions and customary practices, as is now the case with securities held for the accounts of customers in bearer form or registered in a “street name,” and will be the responsibility of such DTC Participants.

The Trust has no responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to or notices to Beneficial Owners, or payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests in 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 UNIT AGGREGATIONS

Creation. The Trust issues and sells shares of the Fund only in Creation Unit Aggregations on a continuous basis through the Distributor, without a sales load, at the NAV next determined after receipt, on any Business Day, of an order in proper form.

Fund Deposit. The consideration for purchase of Creation Unit Aggregations of the Fund generally consists of (i) the in-kind deposit of a designated portfolio of equity securities closely approximating the holdings of the Fund,

 

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and (ii) U.S. cash and/or non-U.S. currency (together, the “Deposit Securities”) and an amount of cash denominated in U.S. dollars (the “Cash Component”) computed as described below. Together, the Deposit Securities and the Cash Component constitute the “Fund Deposit,” which represents the minimum initial and subsequent investment amount for a Creation Unit Aggregation of the Fund.

The Fund may permit or require the submission of a basket of equity securities, non-U.S. currency or cash denominated in U.S. dollars that differs from the composition of the published basket. The Fund may permit or require the consideration for Creation Unit Aggregations to consist solely of cash or non-U.S. currency. The Fund reserves the right to permit or require the substitution of an amount of cash denominated in U.S. dollars or non-U.S. currency ( i.e. , a “cash in lieu” amount) to be added, at its discretion, to the Cash Component to replace any Deposit Security (typically 102%-110% of the value of any missing Deposit Security). 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 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 prohibited or restricted under applicable securities laws, or in certain other situations at the sole discretion of the Trust.

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 Aggregation) 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.

The Fund, through the National Securities Clearing Corporation (“NSCC”), makes available on each Business Day, immediately prior to the opening of business on the Listing Exchange (currently 9:30 a.m., Eastern time), the list of the names and the required number of shares of Deposit Securities to be included in the current Fund Deposit (based on information at the end of the previous Business Day) for the Fund. Such Deposit Securities are applicable, subject to any adjustments, as described below, in order to effect creations of Creation Unit Aggregations of the 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 the Fund changes from time to time based on changes to the Fund’s Underlying Index and other factors.

Procedures for Creation of Creation Unit Aggregations. To be eligible to place orders with the Distributor and to create a Creation Unit Aggregation of the Fund, an entity must be: (i) a “Participating Party,” i.e. , a broker-dealer or other participant in the clearing process through the Continuous Net Settlement System of the NSCC (the “Clearing Process”), a clearing agency that is registered with the SEC; or (ii) a DTC Participant. In each case, such entity must have executed an agreement with the Distributor with respect to creations and redemptions of Creation Unit Aggregations (a “Participant Agreement”). A Participating Party or DTC Participant that has entered a Participant 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 the 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 Unit Aggregations. All orders to create Creation Unit Aggregations must be received by the Distributor no later than the closing time of the regular trading session on the Listing 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 Unit Aggregations 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. On days when the Listing Exchange or U.S. markets close earlier than normal, the Fund may require purchase orders to be placed earlier in the day. 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.

 

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All orders to create Creation Unit Aggregations 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 Unit Aggregations of the 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 Unit Aggregations 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 Unit Aggregations 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. 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 State Street 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 Unit Aggregations 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 Unit Aggregations to be effected outside the Clearing Process does not need to be a Participating Party, but such orders must state that the DTC Participant is not using the Clearing Process and that the creation of Creation Unit Aggregations 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. The 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 Unit Aggregations 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. On days when the Listing Exchange or U.S. markets close earlier than normal, the Fund may require purchase orders to be placed earlier in the day. 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 State Street through the Federal Reserve Bank wire transfer system in a timely manner so as to be received by State Street no later than 2:00 p.m., Eastern time, on the Settlement Date. An order to create Creation Unit Aggregations 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 State Street does not receive both the required Deposit Securities and the Cash Component by the specified time on the Settlement Date, the Trust may cancel or revoke acceptance of such order. Upon written notice to the Distributor, such canceled or revoked order may be resubmitted the following Business Day using a Fund Deposit as newly constituted to reflect the then current NAV of the Fund. The delivery of Creation Unit Aggregations so created generally will occur no later than the Settlement Date.

 

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Creation Unit Aggregations 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, U.S. 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 State Street the appropriate amount of federal funds by 2:00 p.m., Eastern time (or such other time as specified by the Trust), on the Settlement Date. If the Authorized Participant does not place its purchase order by the closing time or State Street 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 State Street, 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 the specified 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 Additional Cash Deposit to purchase the missing Deposit Securities.

The Authorized Participant 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. The Trust will return any unused portion of the Additional Cash Deposit once all of the missing Deposit Securities have been properly received by State Street or purchased by the Trust and deposited into the Trust. In addition, a Transaction Fee, as listed below, will be charged in all cases. The delivery of Creation Unit Aggregations 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 Unit Aggregations of shares are available or specified for the Fund, such purchases shall be effected in essentially the same manner as in-kind purchases thereof. In the 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 the 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 for Creation Unit Aggregations. The Trust reserves the absolute right to reject or revoke acceptance of a creation order transmitted to it by the Distributor with respect to the 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 the 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 WisdomTree Asset Management, 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, State Street, the Distributor or WisdomTree Asset Management 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, WisdomTree Asset Management, the Distributor, DTC, NSCC, State Street 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 Aggregation of its rejection of the order of such person.

 

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The Trust, State Street, 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. The 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 the 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 for the Fund will differ from Transaction Fees for other WisdomTree Funds, depending on the transaction expenses related to the Fund’s portfolio securities, and will be limited to amounts that have been determined by WisdomTree Asset Management to be appropriate. The maximum Transaction Fee, as set forth in the table below for the Fund, may be charged in cases where the 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 the Fund.

The following table sets forth the standard and maximum creation and redemption Transaction Fee for the Fund. These fees may be changed by the Trust.

 

Fund

   Standard
Creation/Redemption
Transaction Fee
    Maximum
Creation/Redemption
Transaction Fee
 

WisdomTree Japan Dividend Growth Fund

   $ [XXX   $ [XXX

Placement of Redemption Orders Using the Clearing Process. Orders to redeem Creation Unit Aggregations 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 Unit Aggregations using the Clearing Process is deemed received by the Trust on the Transmittal Date if: (i) such order is received by State Street (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 consideration for redemption of Creation Unit Aggregations of the Fund generally consists of (i) a designated portfolio of 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 Redemption 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 Unit Aggregations outside the Clearing Process must be delivered through a DTC Participant that has executed the Participant Agreement. An order to redeem Creation Unit Aggregations outside the Clearing Process is deemed received by the Trust on the Transmittal Date if: (i) such order is received by State Street (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 State Street 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 Unit Aggregations 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.

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.

 

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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 State Street and marked-to-market daily, and that the fees of State Street 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 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.

The calculation of the value of the Fund Securities and the Cash Redemption Amount to be delivered upon redemption will be made by State Street 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 State Street by a DTC Participant not later than the Closing Time on the Transmittal Date, and the requisite number of shares of the Fund are delivered to State Street 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 State Street on such Transmittal Date. If, however, a redemption order is submitted to State Street by a DTC Participant not later than the Closing Time on the Transmittal Date but either (i) the requisite number of shares of the 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 Fund are delivered through DTC to State Street by the DTC cut-off-time on such Business Day pursuant to a properly submitted redemption order.

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

Redemptions of shares for Fund Securities will be subject to compliance with applicable federal and state securities laws and the Fund (whether or not it otherwise permits cash redemptions) reserves the right to redeem Creation Unit Aggregations for cash to the extent that the Trust could not lawfully deliver specific Fund Securities upon redemptions or could not do so without first registering the Fund Securities under such laws. An Authorized Participant or an investor for which it is acting subject to a legal restriction with respect to a particular security included in the Fund Securities applicable to the redemption of a Creation Unit Aggregation 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.

Because the portfolio securities of an International Fund may trade on the relevant exchange(s) on days that the Listing Exchange for the International Fund is closed or that are otherwise not Business Days for such International Fund, stockholders may not be able to redeem their shares of such International Fund, or to purchase and sell shares of such International Fund on the Listing Exchange for the International Fund, on days when the NAV of such International Fund could be significantly affected by events in the relevant foreign markets.

Cash Redemptions. The Fund may pay out the proceeds of redemptions of Creation Unit Aggregations 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 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.

Redemptions of shares for Fund Securities will be subject to compliance with applicable federal and state securities laws and the Fund (whether or not it otherwise permits cash redemptions) reserves the right to redeem Creation Unit Aggregations 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.

 

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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 Fund 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 the Fund (1) for any period during which the New York Stock Exchange (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.

REGULAR HOLIDAYS

The Fund generally intends to effect deliveries of Creation Unit Aggregations and portfolio securities on a basis of T+3. The Fund may effect deliveries of Creation Unit Aggregations and portfolio securities on a basis other than T+3 in order to accommodate local holiday schedules, to account for different treatment among foreign and U.S. markets of dividend record dates and ex-dividend dates, or under certain other circumstances. The ability of the Trust to effect in-kind creations and redemptions within three Business Days of receipt of an order in good form 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 will 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 securities delivery cycles currently practicable for transferring portfolio securities to redeeming investors, coupled with foreign market holiday schedules, will require a delivery process longer than seven calendar days for some Funds, in certain circumstances. The holidays applicable to the Fund during such periods are listed below, as are instances where more than seven days will be needed to deliver redemption proceeds. Although certain holidays may occur on different dates in subsequent years, the number of days required to deliver redemption proceeds in any given year is not expected to exceed the maximum number of days listed below for the Fund. The proclamation of new holidays, the treatment by market participants of certain days as “informal holidays” ( e.g. , days on which no or limited securities transactions occur, as a result of substantially shortened trading hours), the elimination of existing holidays, or changes in local securities delivery practices could affect the accuracy of information set forth herein.

Listed below are the dates in calendar year 2014 in which the regular holidays in non-U.S. markets may impact Fund settlement. This list is based on information available to the Fund. The list may not be accurate or complete and is subject to change:

 

Argentina

  

Australia

  

Austria

  

Bahrain

  

Belgium

January 1

March 3-4, 24

April 2, 17, 18

May 1

June 20

July 9

August 18

October 13

November 6, 24

December 25

  

January 1, 27

March 3, 10

April 18, 21,25

June 9

December 25, 26

  

January 1

April 18, 21

May 1

December 25-26

  

January 1, 13

May 1

July 28-30

October 5-6

November 2

December 16-17

  

January 1

April 18, 21

May 1

December 25-26

 

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Brazil

  

Canada

  

Chile

  

China

  

Columbia

January 1

March 3-4

April 18, 21

May 1

June 19

July 9

November 20

December 25, 31

  

January 1

February 17

April 18

September 1

October 13

December 25

  

January 1

April 18

May 1, 21

July 16

August 15

September 18-19

October 31

December 8, 25, 31

   TBA   

January 1, 6

March 24

April 17-18

May 1

June 2, 23, 30

August 7, 18

October 13

November 3, 17

December 8, 25

Czech Republic

  

Denmark

  

Egypt

  

Finland

  

France

January 1

April 21

May 1, 8

October 28

November 17

  

January 1

April 17-18, 21

May 16, 29, 30

June 5, 9

December 24-26, 31

  

January 1, 7, 14

April 20-21

May 1

July 1, 23, 29-31 October 5-6

  

January 1,6

April 18, 21

May 1, 29

June 20

December 25-26

  

January 1

April 18, 21

May 1

December 25-26

Germany

  

Greece

  

Hong Kong

  

Hungary

  

India

January 1

April 18, 21

May 1

December 25-26

  

January 1, 6

March 3, 25

April 18, 21

May 1

June 9

August 15

October 28

December 25-26

  

January 1, 31

February 3

April 18, 21

May 1, 6

June 2

July 1

September 9

  

January 1

April 21

May 1-2

June 9

August 20

October 23-24

December 24-26

   TBA

Indonesia

  

Ireland

  

Israel

  

Italy

  

Japan

January 1, 14, 31

March 31

April 18

May 1, 15, 27,29

July 28, 29, 30, 31

August 1

December 25, 26, 31

  

January 1

April 18, 21

May 5

June 2

December 25-26

  

March 16

April 14-15, 20-21

May 5-6

June 3-4

August 5

September 24-26

October 3, 8-9,
15-16

  

January 1

April 18, 21

May 1

December 25-26

  

January 1-3, 13 February 11

March 21

April 29

May 5-6

July 21

September 15,23 October 13

November 3, 24 December 23, 31

Jordan

  

Kuwait

  

Lebanon

  

Malaysia

  

Mauritius

January 1, 14

May 1, 25

July 29-31

October 5-8

December 25

  

January 1, 13 February 25-26

May 27

July 28-30

October 5-8, 26

  

January 1, 6,13

March 25

April 18-19

May 1

July 28-29

August 15

October 4, 25

November 3, 22

December 25

  

January 1,14,17,31 May 1, 13

July 28-29

September 1, 16 October 6, 23

December 25

  

January 1-2, 17, 31 February 27

March 12, 31

May 1

July 29

August 15

October 23, 25

Mexico

  

Morocco

  

Netherlands

  

New Zealand

  

Norway

TBA

  

January 1, 13

May 1

July 29-30

August 14, 20-21

October 6

November 6, 18

  

January 1

April 18, 21

May 1

December 25-26

  

January 1-2, 20,27

February 6

April 18, 21, 25

June 2

October 27

December 25-26

  

January 1

April 16-18, 21

May 1, 29

June 9

December 24-26, 31

Oman

  

Peru

  

Philippines

  

Poland

  

Portugal

January 14

May 26

July 23, 29-30

October 5-7

November 18-19

  

January 1

April 17-18

May 1

July 28, 29

October 8

December 8, 25

  

January 1, 31

April 9, 17-18

May 1

June 12

August 21, 25 December 24-26, 30, 31

  

January 1, 6

April 18, 21

May 1

June 19

August 15

November 11 December 24-26, 31

  

January 1

April 18, 21, 25

May 1

June 10, 13

August 15

December 8, 24-26, 31

 

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Qatar

  

Russia

  

Singapore

  

South Africa

  

South Korea

January 1

February 11

March 2

July 27, 29, 30

October 5-7

December 18

  

January 1-3, 6-8 March 7, 10

April 30

May 1-2, 8-9

June 11-13

November 3-4 December 31

  

January 1, 31

April 18

May 1, 13

July 28

October 6, 23 December 25

  

January 1

March 21

April 18, 21, 28

May 1

June 16

September 24 December 16, 25-26

  

January 1, 30-31

May 1, 5-6

June 6

August 15

September 8-10 October 3, 9 December 25, 31

Spain

  

Sweden

  

Switzerland

  

Taiwan

  

Thailand

January 1, 6

April 18, 21

May 1

December 24-26,31

  

January 1,6

April 17-18, 21,30 May 1, 28-29

June 6, 20

October 31

December 24-26, 31

  

January 1-2

April 18, 21

May 1, 29

June 9

August 1

December 24-26, 31

  

January 1, 28-33 February 3-4, 28 April 4

May 1

June 2

September 8

October 10

  

January 1

February 14

April 7, 14-15

May 1, 5, 13

July 1, 11

August 12

October 23

December 5, 10, 31

Turkey

  

U.A.E

  

United Kingdom

         

January 1

April 23

May 1

July 28-30

October 6-7, 28-29

  

January 1, 13, 20 February 17

May 26-27

July 28-30

September 1

October 5-8,26 November 11, 27 December 2-3, 25

  

January 1, 20

April 18, 21

May 1, 5, 26

August 25

December 25-26

     

TAXES

The following discussion of certain U.S. federal income tax consequences of investing in the Fund is based on the Code, U.S. Treasury regulations, and other applicable authority, all as in effect as of the date of the filing of this SAI. These authorities are subject to change by legislative or administrative action, possibly with retroactive effect. The following discussion is only a summary of some of the important U.S. federal income tax considerations generally applicable to investments in the Fund. There may be other tax considerations applicable to particular shareholders. Shareholders should consult their own tax advisors regarding their particular situation and the possible application of foreign, state, and local tax laws.

Qualification as a Regulated Investment Company (RIC). The Fund intends to elect to be treated, and to qualify each year, as a RIC under Subchapter M of the Code. In order to qualify for the special tax treatment accorded RICs and their shareholders, the Fund must, among other things:

 

(a) derive at least 90% of its gross income each year from (i) dividends, interest, payments with respect to certain securities loans, gains from the sale or other disposition of stock or 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 (ii) net income derived from interests in “qualified publicly traded partnerships” (as defined below);

 

(b) diversify its holdings so that, at the end of each quarter of its taxable year, (i) at least 50% of the market value of the Fund’s total assets consists of cash and cash items, U.S. government securities, securities of other RICs and other securities, with investments in such other securities limited with respect to any one issuer to an amount not greater than 5% of the value of the Fund’s total assets and not greater than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer, and (ii) not more than 25% of the value of the Fund’s total assets is invested in (1) the securities (other than those of the U.S. government or other RICs) of any one issuer or two or more issuers that are controlled by the Fund and that are engaged in the same, similar or related trades or businesses or (2) the securities of one or more qualified publicly traded partnerships; and

 

(c)

distribute with respect to each taxable year an amount at least equal to the sum of 90% of its investment company taxable income (as that term is defined in the Code without regard to the deduction for

 

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  dividends paid – generally taxable ordinary income and the excess, if any, of net short-term capital gains over net long-term capital losses) and 90% of its net tax-exempt interest income.

In general, for purposes of the 90% of gross income requirement described in (a) above, income derived from a partnership will be treated as qualifying income only to the extent such income is attributable to items of income of the partnership that would be qualifying income if realized directly by the Fund. However, 100% of the net income derived from an interest in a “qualified publicly traded partnership” (generally, a partnership (i) interests in which are traded on an established securities market or are readily tradable on a secondary market or the substantial equivalent thereof, and (ii) that derives less than 90% of its income from the qualifying income described in (a)(i) of the prior paragraph) will be treated as qualifying income. In addition, although in general the passive loss rules of the Code do not apply to RICs, such rules do apply to a RIC with respect to items attributable to an interest in a qualified publicly traded partnership.

The U.S. Treasury Department has authority to issue regulations that would exclude foreign currency gains from the 90% test described in (a) above if such gains are not directly related to a fund’s business of investing in stock or securities. Accordingly, regulations may be issued in the future that could treat some or all of the Fund’s non-U.S. currency gains as non-qualifying income, thereby potentially jeopardizing the Fund’s status as a RIC for all years to which the regulations are applicable.

Taxation of the Fund. If the Fund qualifies for treatment as a RIC, the Fund will not be subject to federal income tax on income and gains that are distributed in a timely manner to its shareholders in the form of dividends.

If, for any taxable year, the Fund were to fail to qualify as a RIC or were to fail to meet the distribution requirement, it would be taxed in the same manner as an ordinary corporation and distributions to its shareholders would not be deductible by the Fund in computing its taxable income. In addition, the Fund’s distributions, to the extent derived from the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits, including any distributions of net long-term capital gains, would be taxable to shareholders as ordinary dividend income for federal income tax purposes. However, such dividends would be eligible, subject to any generally applicable limitations, (i) to be treated as qualified dividend income in the case of shareholders taxed as individuals and (ii) for the dividends-received deduction in the case of corporate shareholders. Moreover, the Fund would be required to pay out its earnings and profits accumulated in that year in order to qualify for treatment as a RIC in a subsequent year. Under certain circumstances, the Fund may be able to cure a failure to qualify as a RIC, but in order to do so the Fund may incur significant Fund-level taxes and may be forced to dispose of certain assets. If the Fund failed to qualify as a RIC for a period greater than two taxable years, the Fund would generally be required to recognize any net built-in gains with respect to certain of its assets upon a disposition of such assets within ten years of qualifying as a RIC in a subsequent year.

The Fund intends to distribute at least annually substantially all of its investment company taxable income and net capital gain (the excess of the Fund’s net long-term capital gain over its net short-term capital loss). Investment company taxable income that is retained by the Fund will be subject to tax at regular corporate rates. If the Fund retains any net capital gain, that gain will be subject to tax at corporate rates, but the Fund may designate the retained amount as undistributed capital gains in a notice to its shareholders who (i) will be required to include in income for federal income tax purposes, as long-term capital gain, their shares of such undistributed amount, (ii) will be deemed to have paid their proportionate shares of the tax paid by the Fund on such undistributed amount against their federal income tax liabilities, if any, and (iii) will be entitled to claim refunds on a properly filed U.S. tax return to the extent the credit exceeds such liabilities. For federal income tax purposes, the tax basis of shares owned by a shareholder of the Fund will be increased by an amount equal to the difference between the amount of undistributed capital gains included in the shareholder’s gross income and the tax deemed paid by the shareholder.

If the Fund fails to distribute in a calendar year an amount at least equal to the sum of 98% of its ordinary income for such year and 98.2% of its capital gain net income for the one-year period ending October 31 of such year, plus any retained amount from the prior year, the Fund will be subject to a non-deductible 4% excise tax on the undistributed amount. For these purposes, the Fund will be treated as having distributed any amount on which it has been subject to corporate income tax in the taxable year ending within the calendar year. The Fund intends to declare and pay dividends and distributions in the amounts and at the times necessary to avoid the application of the 4% excise tax, although there can be no assurance that it will be able to do so.

 

 

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The Fund may elect to treat part or all of any “qualified late year loss” as if it had been incurred in the succeeding taxable year in determining the Fund’s taxable income, net capital gain, net short-term capital gain, and earning and profits. A “qualified late year loss” generally includes net capital loss, net long-term capital loss, or net short-term capital loss incurred after October 31 of the current taxable year, and certain other late-year losses.

If the Fund has a “net capital loss” (that is, capital losses in excess of capital gains) for a taxable year beginning after December 22, 2010, the excess of the Fund’s net short-term capital losses over its net long-term capital gains is treated as a short-term capital loss arising on the first day of the Fund’s next taxable year, and the excess (if any) of the Fund’s net long-term capital losses over its net short-term capital gains is treated as a long-term capital loss arising on the first day of the Fund’s next taxable year.

Fund Distributions. Distributions are generally taxable whether shareholders receive them in cash or reinvest them in additional shares. Moreover, distributions on the Fund’s shares are generally subject to federal income tax as described herein to the extent they do not exceed the Fund’s realized income and gains, even though such distributions may economically represent a return of a particular shareholder’s investment. Investors may therefore wish to avoid purchasing shares at a time when the Fund’s NAV reflects gains that are either unrealized, or realized but not distributed. Realized income and gains must generally be distributed even when the Fund’s NAV also reflects unrealized losses.

Dividends and other distributions by the Fund are generally treated under the Code as received by the shareholders at the time the dividend or distribution is made. However, if any dividend or distribution is declared by the Fund in October, November or December of any calendar year and payable to its shareholders of record on a specified date in such a month but is actually paid during the following January, such dividend or distribution will be deemed to have been received by each shareholder on December 31 of the year in which the dividend was declared.

Distributions by the Fund of investment income are generally taxable as ordinary income. Taxes on distributions of capital gains are determined by how long the Fund owned the investments that generated those gains, rather than how long a shareholder has owned his or her Fund shares. Sales of assets held by the Fund for more than one year generally result in long-term capital gains and losses, and sales of assets held by the Fund for one year or less generally result in short-term capital gains and losses. Distributions from the Fund’s net capital gain that are properly reported by the Fund as capital gain dividends (“Capital Gain Dividends”) will be taxable as long-term capital gains. For individuals, long-term capital gains are subject to tax at reduced maximum tax rates. Distributions of gains from the sale of investments that the Fund owned for one year or less will be taxable as ordinary income.

For noncorporate shareholders, distributions of investment income reported by the Fund as derived from “qualified dividend income” will be taxed at the rates applicable to long-term capital gain, provided holding period and other requirements are met at both the shareholder and Fund level. In order for some portion of the dividends received by a Fund shareholder to be “qualified dividend income,” the Fund making the distribution must meet holding period and other requirements with respect to some portion of the dividend-paying stocks in its portfolio and the shareholder must meet holding period and other requirements with respect to the Fund’s shares. A dividend will not be treated as qualified dividend income (at either the Fund or shareholder level) (1) if the dividend is received with respect to any share of stock held for fewer than 61 days during the 121-day period beginning on the date that is 60 days before the date on which such share becomes ex-dividend with respect to such dividend (or, in the case of certain preferred stock, 91 days during the 181-day period beginning 90 days before the ex-dividend date), (2) to the extent that the recipient is under an obligation (whether pursuant to a short sale or otherwise) to make related payments with respect to positions in substantially similar or related property, (3) if the recipient elects to have the dividend income treated as investment income for purposes of the limitation on deductibility of investment interest, or (4) if the dividend is received from a foreign corporation that is (a) not eligible for the benefits of a comprehensive income tax treaty with the United States (with the exception of dividends paid on stock of such a foreign corporation that is readily tradable on an established securities market in the United States) or (b) treated as a passive foreign investment company. In general, dividends received on equity investments in Japanese entities treated as corporations for U.S. federal income tax purposes are eligible to be treated as qualified dividend income.

In general, distributions of investment income reported by the Fund as derived from qualified dividend income will be treated as qualified dividend income by a shareholder taxed as an individual, provided the shareholder meets the holding period and other requirements described above with respect to the Fund’s shares. If the aggregate qualified dividend income received by the Fund during any taxable year represents 95% or more of its gross income

 

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(excluding net long-term capital gain over net short-term capital loss), then 100% of the Fund’s dividends (other than Capital Gain Dividends) will be eligible to be reported as qualified dividend income.

To the extent that the Fund makes a distribution of income received by the Fund in lieu of dividends (a “substitute payment”) with respect to securities on loan pursuant to a securities lending transaction, such income will not constitute qualified dividend income.

Since the Fund will invest primarily in investments other than stock of the U.S. corporations, the Fund does not expect a substantial portion of its dividends will qualify for the dividends-received deduction available to corporate shareholders.

Dividends and distributions from the Fund and capital gain on the sale of Fund shares are generally taken into account in determining a shareholder’s “net investment income” for purposes of the Medicare contribution tax applicable to certain individuals, estates and trusts.

If the Fund makes distributions in excess of the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits in any taxable year, the excess distribution to each shareholder will be treated as a return of capital to the extent of the shareholder’s tax basis in its shares, and, after the shareholder’s basis has been reduced to zero, as capital gain, assuming the shareholder holds his or her shares as capital assets. A return of capital is not taxable, but reduces a shareholder’s tax basis in its shares, thus reducing any loss or increasing any gain on a subsequent taxable disposition by the shareholder of its shares.

Sale or Exchange of Shares. A sale or exchange of shares in the Fund may give rise to a gain or loss. In general, any gain or loss realized upon a taxable disposition of shares will be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for more than 12 months. Otherwise, the gain or loss on the taxable disposition of shares will be treated as short-term capital gain or loss. However, any loss realized upon a taxable disposition of shares held for six months or less will be treated as long-term, rather than short-term, to the extent of any long-term capital gain distributions received (or deemed received) by the shareholder with respect to the shares. All or a portion of any loss realized upon a taxable disposition of shares will be disallowed if other substantially identical shares of the Fund are purchased 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.

Backup Withholding. The Fund (or a financial intermediary, such as a broker, through which a shareholder holds Fund shares) generally is required to withhold and to remit to the U.S. Treasury a percentage of the taxable distributions and sale or redemption proceeds paid to any shareholder who fails to properly furnish a correct taxpayer identification number, who has under-reported dividend or interest income, or who fails to certify that he, she or it is not subject to such withholding. The backup withholding rate is currently 28%.

Federal Tax Treatment of Certain Fund Investments. Transactions of the Fund in options, futures contracts, hedging transactions, forward contracts, swap agreements, straddles and foreign currencies may be subject to various special and complex tax rules, including mark-to-market, constructive sale, straddle, wash sale and short sale rules. These rules could affect whether gains and losses recognized by the Fund are treated as ordinary income or capital gain, accelerate the recognition of income to the Fund and/or defer the Fund’s ability to recognize losses. These rules may in turn affect the amount, timing or character of the income distributed to shareholders by the Fund.

The 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 as of the end of such year on certain regulated futures contracts, foreign currency contracts and options that qualify as Section 1256 contracts in addition to the gains and losses actually realized with respect to such contracts during the year. Except as described below under “Certain Foreign Currency Tax Issues,” gain or loss from Section 1256 contracts that are required to be marked to market annually will generally 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.

Some debt obligations that may be acquired by the Fund may be treated as having original issue discount (“OID”). Generally, the Fund will be required to include OID in taxable income over the term of the debt security, even though payment of the OID is not received until a later time, usually when the debt security matures. If the Fund holds such debt instruments, it may be required to pay out as distributions each year an amount that is greater than

 

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the total amount of cash interest the Fund actually received. Such distributions may be made from the cash assets of the Fund or by liquidation of portfolio securities, if necessary.

The Fund may invest in inflation-linked debt securities. Any increase in the principal amount of an inflation-linked debt security will be OID, which is taxable as ordinary income and is required to be distributed, even though the Fund will not receive the principal, including any increase thereto, until maturity. If the Fund invests in securities that have OID, it may be required to liquidate other investments, including at times when it is not advantageous to do so, in order to satisfy its distribution requirements and to eliminate any possible taxation at the Fund level. Moreover, the Fund may realize gains or losses from such liquidations. In the event the Fund realizes net gains from such transactions, its shareholders may receive larger distributions than they would have in the absence of such transactions.

Certain Foreign Currency Tax Issues. The Fund’s gain or loss on foreign currency denominated debt securities and on certain other financial instruments, such as forward currency contracts and currency swaps, that is attributable to fluctuations in exchange rates occurring between the date of acquisition and the date of settlement or disposition of such securities or instruments generally will be treated under Section 988 of the Code as ordinary income or loss. The Fund may elect out of the application of Section 988 of the Code with respect to the tax treatment of each of its foreign currency forward contracts to the extent that (i) such contract is a capital asset in the hands of the Fund and is not part of a straddle transaction and (ii) the Fund makes an election by the close of the day the contract is entered into to treat the gain or loss attributable to such contract as capital gain or loss.

The Fund’s forward contracts may qualify as so-called “Section 1256 contracts” if the underlying currencies are currencies for which there are futures contracts that are traded on and subject to the rules of a qualified board or exchange. However, a forward currency contract that is a Section 1256 contract would, absent an election out of Section 988 of the Code as described in the preceding paragraph, be subject to Section 988. Accordingly, although such a forward currency contract would be marked to market annually like other Section 1256 contracts, the resulting gain or loss would be ordinary. If the Fund were to elect out of Section 988 with respect to forward currency contracts that qualify as Section 1256 contracts, the tax treatment generally applicable to Section 1256 contracts would apply to those forward currency contracts: that is, the contracts would be marked to market annually and gains and losses with respect to the contracts would be treated as long-term capital gains or losses to the extent of 60% thereof and short-term capital gains or losses to the extent of 40% thereof. If the Fund were to elect out of Section 988 with respect to any of its forward currency contracts that do not qualify as Section 1256 contracts, such contracts will not be marked to market annually and the Fund will recognize short-term or long-term capital gain or loss depending on the Fund’s holding period therein. The Fund may elect out of Section 988 with respect to some, all or none of its forward currency contracts.

Finally, regulated futures contracts and non-equity options that qualify as Section 1256 contracts and are entered into by the Fund with respect to foreign currencies or foreign currency denominated debt instruments will be subject to the tax treatment generally applicable to Section 1256 contracts unless the Fund elects to have Section 988 apply to determine the character of gains and losses from all such regulated futures contracts and non-equity options held or later acquired by the Fund.

Foreign Investments. Income received by the Fund from sources within foreign countries (including, for example, dividends or interest on stock or securities of non-U.S. issuers) may be subject to withholding and other taxes imposed by such countries. Tax treaties between such countries and the U.S. may reduce or eliminate such taxes. For instance, the income tax treaty between the U.S. and Japan generally reduces to 5% or 10% the rate of Japanese tax on dividends paid from a Japanese corporation to a U.S. shareholder. If more than 50% of the value of the Fund’s assets at the close of any taxable year consists of stock or securities of foreign corporations, which for this purpose may include obligations of foreign governmental issuers, the Fund may elect, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, to treat any foreign income or withholding taxes paid by the Fund as paid by its shareholders. For any year that the Fund is eligible for and makes such an election, each shareholder of the Fund will be required to include in income an amount equal to his or her allocable share of qualified foreign income taxes paid by the Fund, and shareholders will be entitled, subject to certain holding period requirements and other limitations, to credit their portions of these amounts against their U.S. federal income tax due, if any, or to deduct their portions from their U.S. taxable income, if any. No deductions for foreign taxes paid by the Fund may be claimed, however, by non-corporate shareholders who do not itemize deductions. Foreign taxes paid by the Fund will reduce the return from the Fund’s investments.

 

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If the Fund holds shares in a “passive foreign investment company” (“PFIC”), it may be subject to U.S. federal income tax on a portion of any “excess distribution” or gain from the disposition of such shares even if such income is distributed as a taxable dividend by the Fund to its shareholders. Additional charges in the nature of interest may be imposed on the Fund in respect of deferred taxes arising from such distributions or gains.

The Fund may be eligible to treat a PFIC as a “qualified electing fund” under the Code in which case, in lieu of the foregoing requirements, such Fund will be required to include in income each year a portion of the ordinary earnings and net capital gains of the qualified electing fund, even if not distributed to the Fund, and such amounts will be subject to the 90% and excise tax distribution requirements described above. In order to make this election, the Fund would be required to obtain certain annual information from the PFICs in which it invests, which may be difficult or impossible to obtain. Alternatively, the Fund may make a mark-to-market election that will result in such Fund being treated as if it had sold and repurchased its PFIC stock at the end of each year. In such case, the Fund would report any gains resulting from such deemed sales as ordinary income and would deduct any losses resulting from such deemed sales as ordinary losses to the extent of previously recognized gains. The election must be made separately for each PFIC owned by the Fund and, once made, is effective for all subsequent taxable years, unless revoked with the consent of the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”). By making the election, the Fund could potentially ameliorate the adverse tax consequences with respect to its ownership of shares in a PFIC, but in any particular year may be required to recognize income in excess of the distributions it receives from PFICs and its proceeds from dispositions of PFIC stock. The Fund may have to distribute this excess income to satisfy the 90% distribution requirement and to avoid imposition of the 4% excise tax. In order to distribute this income and avoid a tax at the Fund level, the Fund might be required to liquidate portfolio securities that it might otherwise have continued to hold, potentially resulting in additional taxable gain or loss.

Foreign Currency Transactions. Under the Code, gains or losses attributable to fluctuations in exchange rates which occur between the time the Fund accrues income or other receivables or accrues expenses or other liabilities denominated in a foreign currency and the time the Fund actually collects such income or receivables or pays such expenses or liabilities generally are treated as ordinary income or loss. Similarly, on disposition of debt securities denominated in a foreign currency and on disposition of certain other instruments, gains or losses attributable to fluctuations in the value of the foreign currency between the date of acquisition of the security or contract and the date of disposition are also treated as ordinary gain or loss. The gains and losses may increase or decrease the amount of the Fund’s income to be distributed to its shareholders as ordinary income.

Additional Tax Information Concerning REITs. The Fund is not prohibited from investing in entities treated as REITs for U.S. federal income tax purposes. The Fund’s investments in REIT equity securities, if any, may at times result in the Fund’s receipt of cash in excess of the REIT’s earnings; if the Fund distributes these amounts, these distributions could constitute a return of capital to Fund shareholders for federal income tax purposes. Dividends received by the Fund from a REIT generally will not constitute qualified dividend income.

The Fund may invest in REITs that hold residual interests in real estate mortgage investment conduits (“REMICs”) or which are, or have certain wholly-owned subsidiaries that are, “taxable mortgage pools” (“TMPs”). Under certain Treasury guidance, a portion of the Fund’s income from a REIT that is attributable to the REIT’s residual interest in a REMIC or equity interests in a TMP (referred to in the Code as an “excess inclusion”) will be subject to federal income tax in all events. This guidance provides that excess inclusion income of a RIC, such as the Fund, must generally be allocated to shareholders of the RIC in proportion to the dividends received by such shareholders, with the same consequences as if the shareholders held the related REMIC residual interest or TMP interests directly. In general, excess inclusion income allocated to shareholders (i) cannot be offset by net operating losses (subject to a limited exception for certain thrift institutions), (ii) will constitute unrelated business taxable income to entities (including a qualified pension plan, an individual retirement account, a 401(k) plan, a Keogh plan or other tax-exempt entity) subject to tax on unrelated business income, thereby potentially requiring such an entity, which otherwise might not be required to file a tax return, to file a tax return and pay tax on such income (see “Taxes – Tax-Exempt Shareholders” below), and (iii) in the case of a foreign shareholder, will not qualify for any reduction in U.S. federal withholding tax. The Fund does not intend to invest a substantial portion of its assets in REITs which generate excess inclusion income.

Tax-Exempt Shareholders. Under current law, income of a RIC that would be treated as unrelated business taxable income (“UBTI”) if earned directly by a tax-exempt entity generally will not be attributed as UBTI to a tax-exempt

 

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entity that is a shareholder in the RIC. Notwithstanding this “blocking” effect, a tax-exempt shareholder could realize UBTI by virtue of its investment in the Fund if shares in the Fund constitute debt-financed property in the hands of the tax-exempt shareholder within the meaning of Code Section 514(b).

Non-U.S. Shareholders. In general, dividends other than Capital Gain Dividends paid by the Fund to a shareholder that is not a “U.S. person” within the meaning of the Code (a “foreign person”) are subject to withholding of U.S. federal income tax at a rate of 30% (or lower applicable treaty rate) even if they are funded by income or gains (such as portfolio interest, short-term capital gains, or foreign-source dividend and interest income) that, if paid to a foreign person directly, would not be subject to withholding.

For taxable years beginning before January 1, 2014, assuming certain certification requirements are complied with, the Fund generally is not required to withhold any amounts (i) with respect to distributions attributable to U.S. source interest income that would be treated as “portfolio interest” and accordingly would not be subject to U.S. federal income tax if earned directly by an individual foreign person, and (ii) with respect to distributions of net short-term capital gains in excess of net long-term capital losses, to the extent such distributions are reported by the Fund as “interest-related dividends” and “short-term capital gain dividends,” respectively. Depending on the circumstances, the Fund may so report all, some or none of its potentially eligible dividends or treat such dividends, in whole or in part, as ineligible for this exemption from withholding. Moreover, in the case of shares held through an intermediary, the intermediary may withhold even if the Fund reports such a payment.

A beneficial holder of shares who is a non-U.S. person is not, in general, subject to U.S. federal income tax on gains (and is not allowed a U.S. income tax deduction for losses) realized on a sale of shares of the Fund or on Capital Gain Dividends unless (i) such gain or dividend is effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business carried on by such holder within the United States or (ii) in the case of an individual holder, the holder is present in the United States for a period or periods aggregating 183 days or more during the year of the sale or the receipt of the Capital Gain Dividend and certain other conditions are met.

Ordinary dividends, redemption payments and certain Capital Gain Dividends paid after June 30, 2014 to a non-U.S. shareholder that fails to make certain required certifications, or that is a “foreign financial institution” as defined in Section 1471 of the Code and that does not meet the requirements imposed on foreign financial institutions by Section 1471, are generally subject to withholding tax at a 30% rate. Under current IRS guidance, withholding on such payments will begin at different times depending on the type of payment, the type of payee, and whether the shareholder’s account is opened before or after July 1, 2014. Withholding with respect to ordinary dividends is currently scheduled to begin on July 1, 2014 for accounts opened on or after that date and on certain later dates for accounts opened before July 1, 2014. Withholding on redemption payments and certain Capital Gain Dividends is currently scheduled to begin on January 1, 2017. The extent, if any, to which such withholding tax may be reduced or eliminated by an applicable tax treaty is unclear. A non-U.S. shareholder may be exempt from the withholding described in this paragraph under an intergovernmental agreement between the U.S. and a foreign government, provided that the shareholder and the applicable foreign government comply with the terms of such agreement.

In order for a non-U.S. person to qualify for an exemption from backup withholding, the foreign investor must comply with special certification and filing requirements. Foreign investors in the Fund should consult their tax advisors in this regard. 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 non-U.S. person may be subject 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.

Creation and Redemption of Creation Unit Aggregations. An Authorized Participant having the U.S. dollar as its functional currency for U.S. federal tax purposes that exchanges securities or non-U.S. currency for Creation Unit Aggregations generally will recognize a gain or loss equal to the difference between (i) the sum of the market value of the Creation Unit Aggregations at the time of the exchange and any cash received by the Authorized Participant in the exchange, and (ii) the sum of the exchanger’s aggregate basis in the securities or non-U.S. currency surrendered and any cash paid for such Creation Unit Aggregations. All or a portion of any gain or loss recognized

 

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by an Authorized Participant exchanging a currency other than its functional currency for Creation Units may be treated as ordinary income or loss. A person who redeems Creation Unit Aggregations for securities or non-U.S. currency will generally recognize a gain or loss equal to the difference between the exchanger’s basis in the Creation Unit Aggregations and the sum of the aggregate U.S. dollar market value of the securities or non-U.S. currency plus the amount of any cash received for such Creation Unit Aggregations. The IRS, however, may assert that a loss that is realized by an Authorized Participant upon an exchange of securities or non-U.S. currency for Creation Unit Aggregations cannot be currently deducted under the rules governing “wash sales.” Gain or loss recognized by an Authorized Participant upon an issuance of Creation Unit Aggregations in exchange for non-U.S. currency will generally be treated as ordinary income or loss. Gain or loss recognized by an Authorized Participant upon an issuance of Creation Unit Aggregations in exchange for securities, or upon a redemption of Creation Unit Aggregations, may be capital or ordinary gain or loss depending on the circumstances. All or some portion of any capital gain or loss realized upon the issuance of Creation Unit Aggregations in exchange for securities will generally be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if securities exchanged for such Creation Unit Aggregations have been held for more than one year. Any capital gain or loss realized upon the redemption of Creation Unit Aggregations will generally be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the Creation Unit Aggregations have been held for more than one year. Otherwise, such gains or losses are treated as short-term capital gains or losses.

A person subject to U.S. federal income tax who receives non-U.S. currency upon a redemption of Creation Unit Aggregations and does not immediately convert the non-U.S. currency into U.S. dollars may, upon a later conversion of the non-U.S. currency into U.S. dollars, or upon the use of the non-U.S. currency to pay expenses or acquire assets, recognize as ordinary gains or losses any gains or losses resulting from fluctuations in the value of the non-U.S. currency relative to the U.S. dollar since the date of the redemption.

Persons exchanging securities or non-U.S. currency for Creation Unit Aggregations should consult their own tax advisors with respect to the tax treatment of any creation or redemption transaction. If you purchase or redeem Creation Unit Aggregations, you will be sent a confirmation statement showing how many shares you purchased or redeemed and at what price.

Section 351. The Trust on behalf of the Fund has the right to reject an order for a purchase of shares of the Fund if the purchaser (or any 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.

Certain Reporting Regulations. Under U.S. Treasury regulations, if a shareholder recognizes a loss of $2 million or more for an individual shareholder or $10 million or more for a corporate shareholder, the shareholder must file with the IRS a disclosure statement on Form 8886. Direct shareholders of portfolio securities are in many cases excepted from this reporting requirement, but under current guidance, shareholders of a RIC are not excepted. The fact that a loss is reportable under these regulations does not affect the legal determination of whether the taxpayer’s treatment of the loss is proper. Shareholders should consult their tax advisors to determine the applicability of these regulations in light of their individual circumstances.

General Considerations. The federal income tax discussion set forth above is for general information only. Prospective investors should consult their tax advisors regarding the specific federal income tax consequences of purchasing, holding and disposing of shares of the Fund, as well as the effect of state, local and foreign tax law and any proposed tax law changes.

DETERMINATION OF NAV

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

In calculating the Fund’s NAV, Fund investments generally are valued using market valuations. Short-term debt securities with remaining maturities of sixty (60) days or less generally 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

 

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time. The values of any assets or liabilities of the 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, the 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 the Fund’s next NAV Calculation Time that may materially affect the value of the 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 the 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 the Fund. Purchases and sales of shares in the secondary market, which will not involve the 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 the Fund in Creation Units.

DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS

The Fund intends to pay out dividends, if any, on a quarterly basis but in any event no less frequently than annually. Nonetheless, the Fund might not make a dividend payment every quarter. The Fund intends to distribute its net realized capital gains, if any, to investors annually. The Fund may occasionally be required to make supplemental distributions at some other time during the year. Distributions in cash may be reinvested automatically in additional whole shares only if the broker through whom you purchased shares makes such option available. Your broker is responsible for distributing the income and capital gain distributions to you.

The Trust reserves the right to declare special distributions if, in its reasonable discretion, such action is necessary or advisable to preserve the status of the Fund as a RIC or to avoid imposition of income or excise taxes on undistributed income.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Financial Statements and Annual Reports will be available after the Fund has completed a fiscal year of operations. When available, you may request a copy of the Trust’s Annual Report at no charge by calling 866-909-9473 or through the Trust’s website at www.wisdomtree.com.

MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION

Counsel. Bingham McCutchen LLP, with offices located at 2020 K Street, NW, Washington, DC 20006, serves as legal counsel to the Trust.

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm. Ernst & Young LLP, with offices located at 5 Times Square, New York, New York 10036, serves as the independent registered public accounting firm to the Trust.

WIS-SAI- 050-0314

 

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Part C: Other Information

 

Item 28. Exhibits

 

(a)(1)   Trust Instrument of WisdomTree Trust (the “Trust” or the “Registrant”) dated December 15, 2005 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (a) of the Registrant’s Initial Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed with the U.S. Securities Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on March 13, 2006.
(a)(2)   Schedule A, as revised January 28, 2014, to the Trust Instrument dated December 15, 2005 is filed herewith.
(a)(3)   Revised Schedule A, reflecting the addition of the WisdomTree Brazil Low Volatility Equity Fund, WisdomTree Brazil Bond Fund, WisdomTree Emerging Markets Low Volatility Equity Fund, WisdomTree Bloomberg U.S. Dollar Bearish Fund, WisdomTree Commodity Currency Bearish Fund, WisdomTree Short-Term Credit Bond Zero Duration Fund, WisdomTree Short-Term Credit Bond Negative Duration Fund, WisdomTree Intermediate Credit Bond Zero Duration Fund, WisdomTree Intermediate Credit Bond Negative Duration Fund, WisdomTree International Hedged Dividend Growth Fund, WisdomTree 20+ Year U.S. Treasury Negative Duration Fund, WisdomTree 3-7 Year U.S. Treasury Negative Duration Fund, WisdomTree Japan Hedged Dividend Growth Fund, WisdomTree Europe Dividend Growth Fund, and WisdomTree Japan Dividend Growth Fund, to the Trust Instrument dated December 15, 2005, to be filed by amendment.
(a)(4)   Certificate of Trust, as filed with the State of Delaware on December 15, 2005, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (a)(2) of the Registrant’s Initial Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed with the SEC on March 13, 2006.
(b)   Registrant’s By-Laws are incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (b) of the Registrant’s Initial Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed with the SEC on March 13, 2006.
(c)   Portions of the Registrant’s Trust Instrument and By-Laws defining the rights of holders of shares of the Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Article II, Sections 2, 3 and 8, and Articles III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX and X of the Registrant’s Trust Instrument dated December 15, 2005, filed as Exhibit (a)(1) to the Registrant’s Initial Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed with the SEC on March 13, 2006; and to Articles I, V, and VI of the Registrant’s By-Laws, filed as Exhibit (b) to the Registrant’s Initial Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed with SEC on March 13, 2006.
(d)(1)   Investment Advisory Agreement dated November 20, 2012 between the Registrant and WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (d)(1) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 142 filing, as filed with the SEC on December 28, 2012.
(d)(2)   Schedule A, as revised January 31, 2013, to the Investment Advisory Agreement dated November 20, 2012 between the Registrant and WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (d)(2) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 198 filing, as filed with the SEC on July 29, 2013.
(d)(3)   Investment Advisory Agreement dated March 26, 2013 between the Registrant and WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (d)(3) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 198 filing, as filed with the SEC on July 29, 2013.
(d)(4)   Form of revised Schedule A to the Investment Advisory Agreement dated March 26, 2013 between the Registrant and WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (d)(4) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 310 filing, as filed with the SEC on January 28, 2014.
(d)(5)   Revised Schedule A to the Investment Advisory Agreement between the Registrant and WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc., reflecting the addition of the WisdomTree Brazil Low Volatility Equity Fund, WisdomTree Brazil Bond Fund, WisdomTree Emerging Markets Low Volatility Equity Fund, WisdomTree Bloomberg U.S. Dollar Bearish Fund, WisdomTree Commodity Currency Bearish Fund, WisdomTree Short-

 

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  Term Credit Bond Zero Duration Fund, WisdomTree Short-Term Credit Bond Negative Duration Fund, WisdomTree Intermediate Credit Bond Zero Duration Fund, WisdomTree Intermediate Credit Bond Negative Duration Fund, WisdomTree International Hedged Dividend Growth Fund, WisdomTree 20+ Year U.S. Treasury Negative Duration Fund, WisdomTree 3-7 Year U.S. Treasury Negative Duration Fund, WisdomTree Japan Hedged Dividend Growth Fund, WisdomTree Europe Dividend Growth Fund, and WisdomTree Japan Dividend Growth Fund, to be filed by amendment.
(d)(6)   Amended and Restated Sub-Advisory Agreement dated January 1, 2013 between WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc. and Mellon Capital Management Corporation is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (d)(6) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 144 filing, as filed with the SEC on January 11, 2013.
(d)(7)   Clarifying Amendment and revised Appendices A, B-1, and B-2, each dated June 18, 2013, to the Amended and Restated Sub-Advisory Agreement dated January 1, 2013 between WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc. and Mellon Capital Management Corporation are incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (d)(7) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 198 filing, as filed with the SEC on July 29, 2013.
(d)(8)   Appendices A and B2, dated June 18, 2013, to the Amended and Restated Sub-Advisory Agreement dated January 1, 2013 between WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc. and Mellon Capital Management Corporation are incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (d)(8) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 243 filing, as filed with the SEC on October 25, 2013.
(d)(9)   Appendix A, dated January 23, 2014, to the Amended and Restated Sub-Advisory Agreement dated January 1, 2013 between WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc. and Mellon Capital Management Corporation is filed herewith.
(d)(10)   Amended and Restated Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement dated December 5, 2012 between WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc. and Western Asset Management Company, Western Asset Management Company Ltd., and Western Asset Management Company Pte., Ltd. is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (d)(8) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 144 filing, as filed with the SEC on January 11, 2013.
(d)(11)   Form of Letter Agreement adding Appendix C to the Amended and Restated Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement dated December 5, 2012 between WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc. and Western Asset Management Company, Western Asset Management Company Ltd., Western Asset Management Company Pte., Ltd, and Western Asset Management Company Ltd. (Japan) is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (d)(33) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 266 filing, as filed with the SEC on December 12, 2013.
(d)(12)   Sub-Advisory Agreement between WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc., on behalf of the WisdomTree Brazil Low Volatility Equity Fund, and [SUB-ADVISER], to be filed by amendment.
(d)(13)   Sub-Advisory Agreement between WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc., on behalf of the WisdomTree Brazil Bond Fund, and [SUB-ADVISER], to be filed by amendment.
(d)(14)   Sub-Advisory Agreement between WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc., on behalf of the WisdomTree Emerging Markets Low Volatility Equity Fund, and [SUB-ADVISER], to be filed by amendment.
(d)(15)   Sub-Advisory Agreement between WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc., on behalf of the WisdomTree Bloomberg U.S. Dollar Bearish Fund, and [SUB-ADVISER], to be filed by amendment.
(d)(16)   Sub-Advisory Agreement between WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc., on behalf of the WisdomTree Commodity Currency Bearish Fund, and [SUB-ADVISER], to be filed by amendment.
(d)(17)   Sub-Advisory Agreement between WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc., on behalf of the WisdomTree Short-Term Credit Bond Zero Duration Fund, and [SUB-ADVISER], to be filed by amendment.

 

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(d)(18)   Sub-Advisory Agreement between WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc., on behalf of the WisdomTree Short-Term Credit Bond Negative Duration Fund, and [SUB-ADVISER], to be filed by amendment.
(d)(19)   Sub-Advisory Agreement between WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc., on behalf of the WisdomTree Intermediate Credit Bond Zero Duration Fund, and [SUB-ADVISER], to be filed by amendment.
(d)(20)   Sub-Advisory Agreement between WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc., on behalf of the WisdomTree Intermediate Credit Bond Negative Duration Fund, and [SUB-ADVISER], to be filed by amendment.
(d)(21)   Sub-Advisory Agreement between WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc., on behalf of the WisdomTree International Hedged Dividend Growth Fund, and [SUB-ADVISER], to be filed by amendment.
(d)(22)   Sub-Advisory Agreement between WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc., on behalf of the WisdomTree 20+ Year Treasury Negative Duration Fund, and [SUB-ADVISER], to be filed by amendment.
(d)(23)   Sub-Advisory Agreement between WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc., on behalf of the WisdomTree 3-7 Year Treasury Negative Duration Fund, and [SUB-ADVISER], to be filed by amendment.
(d)(24)   Sub-Advisory Agreement between WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc., on behalf of the WisdomTree Japan Hedged Dividend Growth Fund, and [SUB-ADVISER], to be filed by amendment.
(d)(25)   Sub-Advisory Agreement between WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc., on behalf of the WisdomTree Europe Dividend Growth Fund, and [SUB-ADVISER], to be filed by amendment.
(d)(26)   Sub-Advisory Agreement between WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc., on behalf of the WisdomTree Japan Dividend Growth Fund, and [SUB-ADVISER], to be filed by amendment.
(d)(27)   Investment Advisory Agreement dated February 14, 2008 between WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc. and WisdomTree India Investment Portfolio, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (d)(7) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 14 filing, as filed with the SEC on April 4, 2008.
(d)(28)   Form of Sub-Advisory Agreement dated November 20, 2012 between WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc., on behalf of the WisdomTree India Investment Portfolio Inc., and Mellon Capital Management Corporation is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (d)(10) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 142 filing, as filed with the SEC on December 28, 2012.
(e)(1)   Distribution Agreement dated November 1, 2011 between the Registrant and ALPS Distributors, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (e)(1) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 198 filing, as filed with the SEC on July 29, 2013.
(e)(2)   Amendment and revised Exhibit A, dated January 31, 2014, to the Distribution Agreement dated November 1, 2011 between the Registrant and ALPS Distributors, Inc. is filed herewith.
(e)(3)   Amendment and revised Exhibit A, reflecting the addition of the WisdomTree Brazil Low Volatility Equity Fund, WisdomTree Brazil Bond Fund, WisdomTree Emerging Markets Low Volatility Equity Fund, WisdomTree Bloomberg U.S. Dollar Bearish Fund, WisdomTree Commodity Currency Bearish Fund, WisdomTree Short-Term Credit Bond Zero Duration Fund, WisdomTree Short-Term Credit Bond Negative Duration Fund, WisdomTree Intermediate Credit Bond Zero Duration Fund, WisdomTree Intermediate Credit Bond Negative Duration Fund, WisdomTree International Hedged Dividend Growth Fund, WisdomTree 20+ Year U.S. Treasury Negative Duration Fund, WisdomTree 3-7 Year U.S. Treasury Negative Duration Fund, WisdomTree Japan Hedged Dividend Growth Fund, WisdomTree Europe Dividend Growth Fund, and WisdomTree Japan Dividend Growth Fund, to the Distribution Agreement dated November 1, 2011 between the Registrant and ALPS Distributors, Inc., to be filed by amendment.

 

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(e)(4)   Form of Authorized Participant Agreement is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (e)(2) of the Registrant’s Initial Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed with the SEC on March 13, 2006.
(f)   Not applicable.
(g)(1)   Master Custodian Agreement dated September 27, 2013, between the Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company is filed herewith.
(g)(2)   Revised Appendix A, reflecting the addition of the WisdomTree Brazil Low Volatility Equity Fund, WisdomTree Brazil Bond Fund, WisdomTree Emerging Markets Low Volatility Equity Fund, WisdomTree Bloomberg U.S. Dollar Bearish Fund, WisdomTree Commodity Currency Bearish Fund, WisdomTree Short-Term Credit Bond Zero Duration Fund, WisdomTree Short-Term Credit Bond Negative Duration Fund, WisdomTree Intermediate Credit Bond Zero Duration Fund, WisdomTree Intermediate Credit Bond Negative Duration Fund, WisdomTree International Hedged Dividend Growth Fund, WisdomTree 20+ Year U.S. Treasury Negative Duration Fund, WisdomTree 3-7 Year U.S. Treasury Negative Duration Fund, WisdomTree Japan Hedged Dividend Growth Fund, WisdomTree Europe Dividend Growth Fund, and WisdomTree Japan Dividend Growth Fund, to the Master Custodian Agreement dated September 27, 2013, between the Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company, to be filed by amendment.
(h)(1)   Administration Agreement dated September 27, 2013, between the Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company is filed herewith.
(h)(2)   Revised Schedule A, reflecting the addition of the WisdomTree Brazil Low Volatility Equity Fund, WisdomTree Brazil Bond Fund, WisdomTree Emerging Markets Low Volatility Equity Fund, WisdomTree Bloomberg U.S. Dollar Bearish Fund, WisdomTree Commodity Currency Bearish Fund, WisdomTree Short-Term Credit Bond Zero Duration Fund, WisdomTree Short-Term Credit Bond Negative Duration Fund, WisdomTree Intermediate Credit Bond Zero Duration Fund, WisdomTree Intermediate Credit Bond Negative Duration Fund, WisdomTree International Hedged Dividend Growth Fund, WisdomTree 20+ Year U.S. Treasury Negative Duration Fund, WisdomTree 3-7 Year U.S. Treasury Negative Duration Fund, WisdomTree Japan Hedged Dividend Growth Fund, WisdomTree Europe Dividend Growth Fund, and WisdomTree Japan Dividend Growth Fund, to the Administration Agreement dated September 27, 2013, between the Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company, to be filed by amendment.
(h)(3)   Transfer Agency and Service Agreement dated September 27, 2013, between the Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company is filed herewith.
(h)(4)   Revised Appendix A, reflecting the addition of the WisdomTree Brazil Low Volatility Equity Fund, WisdomTree Brazil Bond Fund, WisdomTree Emerging Markets Low Volatility Equity Fund, Bloomberg U.S. Dollar Bearish Fund, WisdomTree Commodity Currency Bearish Fund, WisdomTree Short-Term Credit Bond Zero Duration Fund, WisdomTree Short-Term Credit Bond Negative Duration Fund, WisdomTree Intermediate Credit Bond Zero Duration Fund, WisdomTree Intermediate Credit Bond Negative Duration Fund, WisdomTree International Hedged Dividend Growth Fund, WisdomTree 20+ Year U.S. Treasury Negative Duration Fund, WisdomTree 3-7 Year U.S. Treasury Negative Duration Fund, WisdomTree Japan Hedged Dividend Growth Fund, WisdomTree Europe Dividend Growth Fund, and WisdomTree Japan Dividend Growth Fund, to the Transfer Agency and Service Agreement dated September 27, 2013, between the Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company, to be filed by amendment.
(h)(5)   License Agreement dated March 21, 2006 between the Registrant and WisdomTree Investments, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(3) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 2 filing, as filed with the SEC on September 29, 2006.
(h)(6)   Form of revised Exhibit A to the License Agreement dated March 21, 2006 between the Registrant and WisdomTree Investments, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(8) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 304 filing, as filed with the SEC on January 22, 2014.

 

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(h)(7)   Revised Exhibit A, reflecting the addition of the WisdomTree Brazil Low Volatility Equity Fund, WisdomTree Brazil Bond Fund, WisdomTree Emerging Markets Low Volatility Equity Fund, WisdomTree Short-Term Credit Bond Zero Duration Fund, WisdomTree Short-Term Credit Bond Negative Duration Fund, WisdomTree Intermediate Credit Bond Zero Duration Fund, WisdomTree Intermediate Credit Bond Negative Duration Fund, WisdomTree International Hedged Dividend Growth Fund, WisdomTree 20+ Year U.S. Treasury Negative Duration Fund, WisdomTree 3-7 Year U.S. Treasury Negative Duration Fund, WisdomTree Japan Hedged Dividend Growth Fund, WisdomTree Europe Dividend Growth Fund, and WisdomTree Japan Dividend Growth Fund, to the License Agreement dated March 21, 2006 between the Registrant and WisdomTree Investments, Inc., to be filed by amendment.
(h)(8)   Securities Lending Authorization Agreement dated September 27, 2013, between the Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company is filed herewith.
(h)(9)   Chief Compliance Officer Services Agreement dated October 1, 2009 between the Registrant and WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(10) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 27 filing, as filed with the SEC on October 15, 2009.
(h)(10)   Form of revised Exhibit C to the Chief Compliance Officer Services Agreement dated October 1, 2009 between the Registrant and WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(13) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 310 filing, as filed with the SEC on January 28, 2014.
(h)(11)   Revised Exhibit C, reflecting the addition of the WisdomTree Brazil Low Volatility Equity Fund, WisdomTree Brazil Bond Fund, WisdomTree Emerging Markets Low Volatility Equity Fund, WisdomTree Bloomberg U.S. Dollar Bearish Fund, WisdomTree Commodity Currency Bearish Fund, WisdomTree Short-Term Credit Bond Zero Duration Fund, WisdomTree Short-Term Credit Bond Negative Duration Fund, WisdomTree Intermediate Credit Bond Zero Duration Fund, WisdomTree Intermediate Credit Bond Negative Duration Fund, WisdomTree International Hedged Dividend Growth Fund, WisdomTree 20+ Year U.S. Treasury Negative Duration Fund, WisdomTree 3-7 Year U.S. Treasury Negative Duration Fund, WisdomTree Japan Hedged Dividend Growth Fund, WisdomTree Europe Dividend Growth Fund, and WisdomTree Japan Dividend Growth Fund, to the Chief Compliance Officer Services Agreement dated October 1, 2009 between the Registrant and WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc., to be filed by amendment.
(h)(12)   Fund Services Agreement dated June 15, 2009 between the Registrant and WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(11) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 131 filing, as filed with the SEC on September 10, 2012.
(h)(13)   WisdomTree Rules-Based Earnings-Weighted Methodology, dated June 2012, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(13) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 124 filing, as filed with the SEC on July 27, 2012.
(h)(14)   WisdomTree Rules-Based Methodology (Growth Index), dated June 2012, is incorporated herein by reference to
Exhibit (h)(14) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 124 filing, as filed with the SEC on July 27, 2012.
(h)(15)   WisdomTree Rules-Based Methodology (Hedged Equity Indexes), dated June 2013, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(18) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 180 filing, as filed with the SEC on June 24, 2013.

 

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(h)(16)   WisdomTree Rules-Based Methodology (Domestic and International Dividend Indexes), dated May 2013, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(20) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 172 filing, as filed May 20, 2013.
(h)(17)   WisdomTree Rules-Based Methodology (Global Dividend and World ex-U.S. Indexes), dated June 2012, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(17) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 124 filing, as filed with the SEC on July 27, 2012.
(h)(18)   WisdomTree Rules-Based Methodology (Emerging Market Earnings Indexes), dated July 2010, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(18) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 124 filing, as filed with the SEC on July 27, 2012.
(h)(19)   WisdomTree Rules-Based Methodology (Emerging Market Dividend Indexes), dated June 2012, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(19) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 124 filing, as filed with the SEC on July 27, 2012.
(h)(20)   WisdomTree Rules-Based Methodology (Global ex-US Growth Index), dated June 2012, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(20) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 124 filing, as filed with the SEC on July 27, 2012.
(h)(21)   WisdomTree Rules-Based Earnings-Weighted Value Index Methodology, dated March 2012, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(21) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 124 filing, as filed with the SEC on July 27, 2012.
(h)(22)   WisdomTree Rules-Based Methodology (Middle East Dividend Index), dated July 2010, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(22) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 124 filing, as filed with the SEC on July 27, 2012.
(h)(23)   WisdomTree Rules-Based Methodology (Emerging Markets Consumer Growth Index), dated August 2013, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(26) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 221 filing, as filed with the SEC on September 19, 2013.
(h)(24)   WisdomTree Index Methodology (WisdomTree Japan Interest Rate Strategy Index) is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(31) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 272 filing, as filed with the SEC on December 16, 2013.
(h)(25)   WisdomTree Rules-Based Methodology (Brazil Low Volatility Equity Index), to be filed by amendment.
(h)(26)   WisdomTree Rules-Based Methodology (Emerging Markets Low Volatility Equity Index), to be filed by amendment.
(h)(27)   WisdomTree Index Methodology (WisdomTree Short-Term Credit Bond Zero Duration Fund), to be filed by amendment.
(h)(28)   WisdomTree Index Methodology (WisdomTree Short-Term Credit Bond Negative Duration Fund), to be filed by amendment.
(h)(29)   WisdomTree Index Methodology (WisdomTree Intermediate Credit Bond Zero Duration Fund), to be filed by amendment.
(h)(30)   WisdomTree Index Methodology (WisdomTree Intermediate Credit Bond Negative Duration Fund), to be filed by amendment.
(h)(31)   WisdomTree Index Methodology (WisdomTree International Hedged Dividend Growth Fund), to be filed by amendment.
(h)(32)   WisdomTree Index Methodology (WisdomTree Japan Hedged Index Funds), to be filed by amendment.

 

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(h)(33)   WisdomTree Index Methodology (WisdomTree 20+ Year U.S. Treasury Negative Duration Fund), to be filed by amendment.
(h)(34)   WisdomTree Index Methodology (WisdomTree 3-7 Year U.S. Treasury Negative Duration Fund), to be filed by amendment.
(h)(35)   WisdomTree Index Methodology (WisdomTree Japan Hedged Dividend Growth Fund), to be filed by amendment.
(h)(36)   WisdomTree Index Methodology (WisdomTree Europe Dividend Growth Fund), to be filed by amendment.
(h)(37)   WisdomTree Index Methodology (WisdomTree Japan Dividend Growth Fund), to be filed by amendment.
(i)(1)   Opinion of counsel, Bingham McCutchen LLP, relating to the WisdomTree Currency Income Funds, WisdomTree Fixed Income Funds and WisdomTree Alternative Funds is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (i)(1) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 283 filing, as filed with the SEC on December 23, 2013.
(i)(2)   Opinion of counsel, Bingham McCutchen LLP, relating to the WisdomTree International Equity ETFs and WisdomTree U.S. Equity ETFs, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (i)(2) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 198 filing, as filed with the SEC on July 29, 2013.
(i)(3)   Opinion of counsel, Bingham McCutchen LLP, relating to the WisdomTree Emerging Markets Consumer Growth Fund, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (i)(3) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 221 filing, as filed with the SEC on September 19, 2013.
(i)(4)   Opinion of counsel, Bingham McCutchen LLP, relating to the WisdomTree Germany Hedged Equity Fund, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (i)(4) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 234 filing, as filed with the SEC on October 3, 2013.
(i)(5)   Opinion of counsel, Bingham McCutchen LLP, relating to the WisdomTree Korea Hedged Equity Fund, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (i)(5) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 243 filing, as filed with the SEC on October 25, 2013.
(i)(6)   Opinion of counsel, Bingham McCutchen LLP, relating to the WisdomTree Bloomberg U.S. Dollar Bullish Fund, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (i)(6) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 271 filing, as filed with the SEC on December 13, 2013.
(i)(7)   Opinion of counsel, Bingham McCutchen LLP, relating to the WisdomTree BofA Merrill Lynch High Yield Bond Zero Duration Fund (formerly the WisdomTree Short-Term High Yield Corporate Bond Zero Duration Fund) is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (i)(7) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 272 filing, as filed with the SEC on December 16, 2013.
(i)(8)   Opinion of counsel, Bingham McCutchen LLP, relating to the WisdomTree BofA Merrill Lynch High Yield Bond Negative Duration Fund (formerly the WisdomTree Short-Term High Yield Corporate Bond Negative Duration Fund) is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (i)(8) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 273 filing, as filed with the SEC on December 16, 2013.
(i)(9)   Opinion of counsel, Bingham McCutchen LLP, relating to the WisdomTree Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Zero Duration Fund (formerly the WisdomTree Government/Corporate Bond Zero Duration Fund) is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (i)(9) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 274 filing, as filed with the SEC on December 16, 2013.
(i)(10)   Opinion of counsel, Bingham McCutchen LLP, relating to the WisdomTree Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Negative Duration Fund (formerly the WisdomTree Government/Corporate Bond Negative Duration Fund) is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (i)(10) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 275 filing, as filed with the SEC on December 16, 2013.

 

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(i)(11)   Opinion of counsel, Bingham McCutchen LLP, relating to the WisdomTree Japan Interest Rate Strategy Fund, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (i)(7) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 266 filing, as filed with the SEC on December 12, 2013.
(i)(12)   Opinion of counsel, Bingham McCutchen LLP, relating to the WisdomTree Japan Hedged Real Estate Fund, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (i)(12) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 304 filing, as filed with the SEC on January 22, 2014.
(i)(13)   Opinion of counsel, Bingham McCutchen LLP, relating to the WisdomTree Japan Hedged Financials Fund, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (i)(13) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 305 filing, as filed with the SEC on January 22, 2014.
(i)(14)   Opinion of counsel, Bingham McCutchen LLP, relating to the WisdomTree Japan Hedged Tech, Media and Telecom Fund, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (i)(14) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 306 filing, as filed with the SEC on January 22, 2014.
(i)(15)   Opinion of counsel, Bingham McCutchen LLP, relating to the WisdomTree Japan Hedged Capital Goods Fund, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (i)(15) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 307 filing, as filed with the SEC on January 22, 2014.
(i)(16)   Opinion of counsel, Bingham McCutchen LLP, relating to the WisdomTree Japan Hedged Health Care Fund, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (i)(16) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 308 filing, as filed with the SEC on January 22, 2014.
(i)(17)   Opinion of counsel, Bingham McCutchen LLP, relating to the WisdomTree Bloomberg Floating Rate Treasury Fund, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (i)(17) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 310 filing, as filed with the SEC on January 28, 2014.
(i)(18)   Opinion of counsel, Bingham McCutchen LLP, relating to the WisdomTree Bloomberg Brazil Low Volatility Equity Fund, to be filed by amendment.
(i)(19)   Opinion of counsel, Bingham McCutchen LLP, relating to the WisdomTree Brazil Bond Fund, to be filed by amendment.
(i)(20)   Opinion of counsel, Bingham McCutchen LLP, relating to the WisdomTree Emerging Markets Low Volatility Equity Fund, to be filed by amendment.
(i)(21)   Opinion of counsel, Bingham McCutchen LLP, relating to the WisdomTree Bloomberg U.S. Dollar Bearish Fund, to be filed by amendment.
(i)(22)   Opinion of counsel, Bingham McCutchen LLP, relating to the WisdomTree Commodity Currency Bearish Fund, to be filed by amendment.
(i)(23)   Opinion of counsel, Bingham McCutchen LLP, relating to the WisdomTree Short-Term Credit Bond Zero Duration Fund, to be filed by amendment.
(i)(24)   Opinion of counsel, Bingham McCutchen LLP, relating to the WisdomTree Short-Term Credit Bond Negative Duration Fund, to be filed by amendment.
(i)(25)   Opinion of counsel, Bingham McCutchen LLP, relating to the WisdomTree Intermediate Credit Bond Zero Duration Fund, to be filed by amendment.
(i)(26)   Opinion of counsel, Bingham McCutchen LLP, relating to the WisdomTree Intermediate Credit Bond Negative Duration Fund, to be filed by amendment.

 

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(i)(27)   Opinion of counsel, Bingham McCutchen LLP, relating to the WisdomTree International Hedged Dividend Growth Fund, to be filed by amendment.
(i)(28)   Opinion of counsel, Bingham McCutchen LLP, relating to the WisdomTree 20+ Year U.S. Treasury Negative Duration Fund, to be filed by amendment.
(i)(29)   Opinion of counsel, Bingham McCutchen LLP, relating to the WisdomTree 3-7 Year U.S. Treasury Negative Duration Fund, to be filed by amendment.
(i)(30)   Opinion of counsel, Bingham McCutchen LLP, relating to the WisdomTree Japan Hedged Dividend Growth Fund, to be filed by amendment.
(i)(31)   Opinion of counsel, Bingham McCutchen LLP, relating to the WisdomTree Europe Dividend Growth Fund, to be filed by amendment.
(i)(32)   Opinion of counsel, Bingham McCutchen LLP, relating to the WisdomTree Japan Dividend Growth Fund, to be filed by amendment.
(j)   Not applicable.
(k)   Not applicable.
(l)   Form of Letter of Representations between the Registrant and The Depository Trust Company is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (l) of the Registrant’s Pre-Effective Amendment No. 2 filing, as filed with the SEC on June 9, 2006.
(m)   Not applicable.
(n)   Not applicable.
(o)   Not applicable.
(p)(1)   Code of Ethics of the Registrant is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (p)(1) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 27 filing, as filed with the SEC on October 15, 2009.
(p)(2)   Code of Ethics of WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (p)(2) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 124 filing, as filed with the SEC on July 27, 2012.
(p)(3)   Code of Ethics of BNY Mellon is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (p)(3) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 124 filing, as filed with the SEC on July 27, 2012.
(p)(4)   Code of Ethics of ALPS Distributors, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (p)(4) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 124 filing, as filed with the SEC on July 27, 2012.
(p)(5)   Code of Ethics of Western Asset Management Company is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (p)(5) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 97 filing, as filed with the SEC on February 9, 2012.
(p)(6)   Code of Ethics of [SUB-ADVISER], sub-adviser to the WisdomTree Brazil Low Volatility Equity Fund, to be filed by amendment.
(p)(7)   Code of Ethics of [SUB-ADVISER], sub-adviser to the WisdomTree Brazil Bond Fund, to be filed by amendment.
(p)(8)   Code of Ethics of [SUB-ADVISER], sub-adviser to the WisdomTree Emerging Markets Low Volatility Equity Fund, to be filed by amendment.

 

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(p)(9)   Code of Ethics of [SUB-ADVISER], sub-adviser to the WisdomTree Bloomberg U.S. Dollar Bearish Fund, to be filed by amendment.
(p)(10)   Code of Ethics of [SUB-ADVISER], sub-adviser to the WisdomTree Commodity Currency Bearish Fund, to be filed by amendment.
(p)(11)   Code of Ethics of [SUB-ADVISER], sub-adviser to the WisdomTree Short-Term Credit Bond Zero Duration Fund, to be filed by amendment.
(p)(12)   Code of Ethics of [SUB-ADVISER], sub-adviser to the WisdomTree Short-Term Credit Bond Negative Duration Fund, to be filed by amendment.
(p)(13)   Code of Ethics of [SUB-ADVISER], sub-adviser to the WisdomTree Intermediate Credit Bond Zero Duration Fund, to be filed by amendment.
(p)(14)   Code of Ethics of [SUB-ADVISER], sub-adviser to the WisdomTree Intermediate Credit Bond Negative Duration Fund, to be filed by amendment.
(p)(15)   Code of Ethics of [SUB-ADVISER], sub-adviser to the WisdomTree International Hedged Dividend Growth Fund, to be filed by amendment.
(p)(16)   Code of Ethics of [SUB-ADVISER], sub-adviser to the WisdomTree 3-7 Year U.S. Treasury Negative Duration Fund, to be filed by amendment.
(p)(17)   Code of Ethics of [SUB-ADVISER], sub-adviser to the WisdomTree 20+ Year U.S. Treasury Negative Duration Fund, to be filed by amendment.
(p)(18)   Code of Ethics of [SUB-ADVISER], sub-adviser to the WisdomTree Japan Hedged Dividend Growth Fund, to be filed by amendment.
(p)(19)   Code of Ethics of [SUB-ADVISER], sub-adviser to the WisdomTree Europe Dividend Growth Fund, to be filed by amendment.
(p)(20)   Code of Ethics of [SUB-ADVISER], sub-adviser to the WisdomTree Japan Dividend Growth Fund, to be filed by amendment.
(q)(1)   Powers of Attorney for David Castano, Joel Goldberg, Toni Massaro, Jonathan Steinberg and Victor Ugolyn are incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (q) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 222 filing, as filed with the SEC on September 24, 2013.
(q)(2)   Powers of Attorney for David Chrencik and Melinda Raso Kirstein are filed herewith.
(r)   Secretary’s Certificate related to certain signatory authority is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (r) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 222 filing, as filed with the SEC on September 24, 2013.

 

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

Not applicable.

 

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Item 30. Indemnification

Reference is made to Article IX of the Registrant’s Trust Instrument included as Exhibit (a)(1) to this Registration Statement with respect to the indemnification of the Registrant’s trustees and officers, which is set forth below:

Section 1. Limitation of Liability.

All Persons contracting with or having any claim against the Trust or a particular Series shall look only to the assets of the Trust or Assets belonging to such Series, respectively, for payment under such contract or claim; and neither the Trustees nor any of the Trust’s officers, employees, or agents, whether past, present, or future, shall be personally liable therefor. Every written instrument or obligation on behalf of the Trust or any Series shall contain a statement to the foregoing effect, but the absence of such statement shall not operate to make any Trustee or officer of the Trust liable thereunder. Provided they have exercised reasonable care and have acted under the reasonable belief that their actions are in the best interest of the Trust, the Trustees and officers of the Trust shall not be responsible or liable for any act or omission or for neglect or wrongdoing of them or any officer, agent, employee, Investment Adviser, or independent contractor of the Trust, but nothing contained in this Trust Instrument or in the Delaware Act shall protect any Trustee or officer of the Trust against liability to the Trust or to Shareholders to which he would otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence, or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his office.

Section 2. Indemnification.

 

  (a) Subject to the exceptions and limitations contained in subsection (b) below:

 

  (i) every Person who is, or has been, a Trustee or an officer, employee, or agent of the Trust (“Covered Person”) shall be indemnified by the Trust or the appropriate Series (out of Assets belonging to that Series) to the fullest extent permitted by law against liability and against all expenses reasonably incurred or paid by him in connection with any claim, action, suit, or proceeding in which he becomes involved as a party or otherwise by virtue of his being or having been a Covered Person and against amounts paid or incurred by him in the settlement thereof; provided that the transfer agent of the Trust or any Series shall not be considered an agent for these purposes unless expressly deemed to be such by the Trustees in a resolution referring to this Article.

 

  (ii) as used herein, the words “claim,” “action,” “suit,” or “proceeding” shall apply to all claims, actions, suits, or proceedings (civil, criminal, or other, including appeals), actual or threatened, and the words “liability” and “expenses” shall include attorney’s fees, costs, judgments, amounts paid in settlement, fines, penalties, and other liabilities.

 

  (b) No indemnification shall be provided hereunder to a Covered Person:

 

  (i) who has been adjudicated by a court or body before which the proceeding was brought:

 

  (A) to be liable to the Trust or its Shareholders by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence, or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his office or

 

  (B) not to have acted in good faith in the reasonable belief that his action was in the best interest of the Trust; or

 

  (ii) in the event of a settlement, unless there has been a determination that such Covered Person did not engage in willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence, or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his office (A) by the court or other body approving the settlement, (B) by at least a majority of those Trustees who are neither Interested Persons of the Trust nor are parties to the matter based on a review of readily available facts (as opposed to a full trial-type inquiry), or (C) by written opinion of independent legal counsel based on a review of readily available facts (as opposed to a full trial-type inquiry).

 

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  (c) The rights of indemnification herein provided may be insured against by policies maintained by the Trust, shall be severable, shall not be exclusive of or affect any other rights to which any Covered Person may now or hereafter be entitled, and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors, and administrators of a Covered Person.

 

  (d) To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, expenses in connection with the preparation and presentation of a defense to any claim, action, suit, or proceeding of the character described in subsection (a) of this Section shall be paid by the Trust or applicable Series from time to time prior to final disposition thereof on receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of such Covered Person that such amount will be paid over by him to the Trust or applicable Series if it is ultimately determined that he is not entitled to indemnification under this Section, provided that either (i) such Covered Person has provided appropriate security for such undertaking, (ii) the Trust is insured against losses arising out of any such advance payments, or (iii) either a majority of the Trustees who are neither Interested Persons of the Trust nor parties to the matter, or independent legal counsel in a written opinion, has determined, based on a review of readily available facts (as opposed to a full trial-type inquiry) that there is reason to believe that such Covered Person will not be disqualified from indemnification under this Section.

 

  (e) Any repeal or modification of this Article IX by the Shareholders, or adoption or modification of any other provision of this Trust Instrument or the By-laws inconsistent with this Article, shall be prospective only, to the extent that such repeal, modification, or adoption would, if applied retrospectively, adversely affect any limitation on the liability of any Covered Person or indemnification available to any Covered Person with respect to any act or omission that occurred prior to such repeal, modification, or adoption.

Reference is made to Article VI of the Registrant’s By-Laws included as Exhibit (b) to this Registration Statement with respect to the indemnification of the Registrant’s trustees and officers, which is set forth below:

Section 6.2. Limitation of Liability.

The Declaration refers to the Trustees as Trustees, but not as individuals or personally; and no Trustee, officer, employee or agent of the Trust shall be held to any personal liability, nor shall resort be had to their private property for the satisfaction of any obligation or claim or otherwise in connection with the affairs of the Trust; provided, that nothing contained in the Declaration or the By-Laws shall protect any Trustee or officer of the Trust from any liability to the Trust or its Shareholders to which he would otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his office.

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, may be provided to trustees, officers and controlling persons of the Trust, pursuant to the foregoing provisions or otherwise, the Trust has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Trust of expenses incurred or paid by a trustee, officer or controlling person of the Trust in connection with the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding or payment pursuant to any insurance policy) is asserted against the Trust by such trustee, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the Trust will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

 

Item 31. Business and Other Connections of the Investment Adviser

WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc. (“WTAM”), 245 Park Avenue, 35th Floor, New York, NY 10167, a wholly-owned subsidiary of WisdomTree Investments, Inc., is a registered investment adviser and serves as investment adviser for each series of the Trust. The description of WTAM under the caption of “Management-Investment Adviser” in the Prospectus and under the caption “Management of the Trust” in the Statement of Additional Information constituting Parts A and B, respectively, of this Registration Statement are incorporated herein by reference.

 

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Each of the directors and officers of WTAM will also generally have substantial responsibilities (as noted below) as directors and/or officers of WisdomTree Investments, Inc., 245 Park Avenue, 35th Floor, New York, NY 10167. To the knowledge of the Registrant, except as set forth below or otherwise disclosed in the Prospectus or Statement of Additional Information as noted above, none of the directors or executive officers of WTAM is or has been at any time during the past two fiscal years engaged in any other business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature.

 

Name

  

Position with WTAM

  

Principal Business(es)

During Last Two Fiscal Years

Jonathan Steinberg    Chief Executive Officer, President, and Director    Dual officer/director of WisdomTree Investments, Inc.
Bruce Lavine    Director and Vice Chairman    Dual officer/director of WisdomTree Investments, Inc.
Peter Ziemba    Chief Legal Officer and EVP of Business and Legal Affairs    Dual officer of WisdomTree Investments, Inc.
Amit Muni    Chief Financial Officer and EVP of Finance    Dual officer of WisdomTree Investments, Inc.
Luciano Siracusano    Chief Investment Strategist and EVP of Sales    Dual officer of WisdomTree Investments, Inc.
Gregory Barton    Chief Operating Officer and EVP of Operations    Dual officer of WisdomTree Investments, Inc.
Terry Feld    Chief Compliance Officer    None
Ryan Louvar    General Counsel    None

WTAM, with the approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees, selects the sub-adviser for each of the Trust’s series, as applicable. Western Asset Management Company serves as sub-adviser for the Trust’s WisdomTree Emerging Markets Corporate Bond Fund and WisdomTree Global Corporate Bond Fund. Mellon Capital Management Corporation serves as sub-adviser for each other series of the Trust.

To the knowledge of the Registrant, except as set forth below, none of the directors or executive officers of the sub-advisers is or has been at any time during the past two fiscal years engaged in any other business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature.

Mellon Capital Management Corporation

 

Name

  

Position Held with Mellon

Capital Management Corporation

  

Principal Business(es)

During the Last Two Fiscal Years

William Fouse    Board of Directors and Chairman Emeritus    Dual officer of The Bank of New York
Thomas Hazuka    Board of Directors    None
David Kwan    Managing Director, Head of Fixed Income    Dual officer of The Bank of New York, employee of The Dreyfus Corporation
Thomas Loeb    Board of Directors and Chairman Emeritus    Dual officer of The Bank of New York
Gabriella Parcella    Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Board of Directors    Dual officer of The Bank of New York

 

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Name

  

Position Held with Mellon

Capital Management Corporation

  

Principal Business(es)

During the Last Two Fiscal Years

Linda Lillard    Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer    Dual officer of The Bank of New York
Warren Chiang    Managing Director, Head of Active Equity    Dual officer of The Bank of New York, employee of The Dreyfus Corporation
Chris Appler    Managing Director, Chief Compliance Officer    Dual officer of The Bank of New York
Sinead Colton    Managing Director, Global Investment Strategist    None
William S. Cazalet    Managing Director, Global Investment Strategist    None
Ronald P. Gala    Director, Senior Portfolio Manager    Dual officer of The Bank of New York, employee of The Dreyfus Corporation
Keiko Kai    Managing Director, Head of Relationship Management and Client Service, International    Dual officer of The Bank of New York
Eric Goodbar    Managing Director, Global Investment Strategist    Dual officer of The Bank of New York
Karen Wong    Managing Director, Head of Equity Indexing    Dual officer of The Bank of New York, employee of The Dreyfus Corporation
Lynn Spang    Managing Director, Senior Managing Counsel    None
Andrew Pellegrino    Managing Director, Head of Consultant Relations, Product Development and Product Management    Dual officer of The Bank of New York
Jeffrey Zhang    Executive Vice President, Chief Investment Officer, and Board of Directors.    Dual officer of The Bank of New York
David Manuel    Director, Chief Financial Officer    None
Rose Huening-Clark    Managing Director, Manager of Strategic Project Office    None
Mitchell Harris    Board of Directors   

BNY Mellon - President, Investment Management;

BNY Mellon Asset Management -Chairman of the Fixed Income, Cash & Currency Group; Insight Investment Management (Global) Limited- Chairman, Board of Directors;

Walter Scott & Partners- Director;

BNY Alcentra Group Holdings, Inc- Director; Standish Mellon Asset Management Company LLC-Director;

BNY Mellon Asset Management Operations LLC (Formerly Fixed Income and Cash AM Service Company LLC)- Board of Managers;

The Dreyfus Corporation- Director;

EMEA – Chairman and Investment Management Sub Committee

 

14


Table of Contents

Name

  

Position Held with Mellon

Capital Management Corporation

  

Principal Business(es)

During the Last Two Fiscal Years

David Dirks    Managing Director, Head of Relationship Management and Client Service North America    Dual officer of The Bank of New York
Lynn Challenger    Managing Director, Head of Global Trading    Dual officer of The Bank of New York
Alexander Huberts    President, Board of Directors    Dual officer of The Bank of New York
Vassilis Dagioglu    Managing Director, Head of Asset Allocation Portfolio Management    Dual officer of The Bank of New York, employee of The Dreyfus Corporation
Anjun Zhou    Managing Director, Head of Multi-Asset Research    None
Nicholas Fohl    Managing Director, Chief Administrative Officer    None
Richard Watson    Executive Vice President, Global Head of Distribution    Dual officer of The Bank of New York
Sheryl Linck    Managing Director, Head of North American Business Development    Dual officer of The Bank of New York
Abou Diop    Managing Director, Chief Information Officer    None

Cynthia Fryer

Steer

   Board of Directors    None

Western Asset Management Company (“Western Asset Management”)

 

Name

  

Position Held with Western Asset
Management

  

Principal Business(es)

During the Last Two Fiscal Years

James W. Hirschmann III    Director, President and Chief Executive Officer    None
Jeffery A. Nattans    Director   

Executive Vice President, Legg Mason, Inc.

Director, Barrett Associates, Inc.

Director, Legg Mason Fund Asset Management, Inc.

Director, Legg Mason Investment Counsel & Trust Company, N.A.

Director, LMOBC, INC.

Director, LMREC

Director, LMREC II

Manager, PCM Holdings II, LLC

Director, Permal Group Limited

Manager, Clearbridge Investments, LLC

Manager, Legg Mason Capital Management, LLC

Manager, Legg Mason Investment Counsel, LLC

Manager, Legg Mason Private Portfolio Group, LLC

Manager, Royce & Associates, LLC

 

15


Table of Contents

Name

  

Position Held with Western Asset
Management

  

Principal Business(es)

During the Last Two Fiscal Years

Francis B. Bilson    Director   

Senior Vice President, Legg Mason, Inc.

Director, Permal Group Limited

Director, Western Asset London

Manager, Royce & Associates, LLC

Bruce D. Alberts    Chief Financial Officer    None
Brett B. Canon    Director of Risk Management and Operations    None
Daniel E. Giddings    Assistant Secretary    None
James J. Flick    Director of Global Client Service and Marketing    None
Gavin L. James    Director of Portfolio Operations    None
Charles A. Ruys de Perez    Secretary, General Counsel and Head of Legal and Compliance   

Director, Western Asset London

Secretary, General Counsel and Head of Legal and Compliance, Western Asset Management

Director, Western Asset Japan

Director, Western Asset Singapore

Director, Western Asset Australia

Director, Western Asset Holdings (Australia) Pty Ltd

Western Asset Management Company Limited (“Western Asset London”)

 

Name

  

Position Held with Western Asset London

  

Principal Business(es)

During the Last Two Fiscal Years

Michael B. Zelouf    Director and Senior Executive Officer    Director, Western Asset Management Company (UK) Holdings Limited
Charles A. Ruys de Perez    Director   

Secretary, General Counsel and Head of Legal and Compliance, Western Asset Management

Director, Western Asset Japan

Director, Western Asset Singapore

Director, Western Asset Australia

Director, Western Asset Holdings (Australia) Pty Ltd

Kate Blackledge    Secretary    Officer, Western Asset Management Company (UK) Holdings Limited

 

16


Table of Contents

Western Asset Management Company Pte. Ltd. in Singapore (“Western Asset Singapore”)

 

Name

  

Position Held with Western Asset Singapore

  

Principal Business(es)

During the Last Two Fiscal Years

Charles A. Ruys de Perez    Director   

Director, Western Asset London

Secretary, General Counsel and Head of Legal and Compliance, Western Asset Management

Director, Western Asset Japan

Director, Western Asset Australia

Director, Western Asset Holdings (Australia) Pty Ltd

Alvin Lee Lip Sin    Director and Secretary    None
Henry H. Hamrock    Head of Singapore Operations    None
Hui Kwoon Thor    Finance Manager    None

 

17


Table of Contents

Western Asset Management Company Pte. Ltd. (“Western Asset Japan”)

 

Name

  

Position Held with Western Asset Japan

  

Principal Business(es)
During the Last Two Fiscal Years

Takashi Komatsu    Director, Head of Legal and Compliance (Japan)    None
Naoya Orime    Representative Director, Head of Tokyo Operations    Director, Western Asset Management Company Ltd (Japan)
Charles A. Ruys de Perez    Secretary, General Counsel and Head of Legal and Compliance    Director, Western Asset Holdings (Australia) Pty Ltd (WAMCO Hldgs Australia) Director, Western Asset Management Company Pty Ltd (Australia) Director, Western Asset Management Company Limited (WAMCL) Director, Western Asset Management Company Pte Ltd (Singapore) Officer, Western Asset Management Company (WAM)
Yasuaki Sudo    Finance Manager    None

[Item 31 information for the WisdomTree Brazil Low Volatility Equity Fund, WisdomTree Brazil Bond Fund, WisdomTree Emerging Markets Low Volatility Equity Fund, WisdomTree Bloomberg U.S. Dollar Bearish Fund, WisdomTree Commodity Currency Bearish Fund, WisdomTree Short-Term Credit Bond Zero Duration Fund, WisdomTree Short-Term Credit Bond Negative Duration Fund, WisdomTree Intermediate Credit Bond Zero Duration Fund, WisdomTree Intermediate Credit Bond Negative Duration Fund, WisdomTree International Hedged Dividend Growth Fund, WisdomTree 20+Year U.S. Treasury Negative Duration Fund, WisdomTree 3-7 Year U.S. Treasury Negative Duration Fund, WisdomTree Japan Hedged Dividend Growth Fund, WisdomTree Europe Dividend Growth Fund, and WisdomTree Japan Dividend Growth Fund, to be filed 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, and Wilmington Funds.

 

18


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

 

Name*

 

Position with Underwriter

  

Positions with Fund

Edmund J. Burke   Director    None
Thomas A. Carter   President, Director    None
Jeremy O. May   Executive Vice President, Director    None
Kevin J. Ireland   Senior Vice President, Director of Institutional Sales    None
Mark R. Kiniry   Senior Vice President, National Sales Director – Investments    None
Bradley J. Swenson   Senior Vice President, Chief Compliance Officer    None
Robert J. Szydlowski   Senior Vice President, Chief Technology Officer    None
Kenneth V. Hager   Vice President, Treasurer and Assistant Secretary    None
Eric Parsons   Vice President, Controller and Assistant Treasurer    None
Steven Price   Vice President, Deputy Chief Compliance Officer    None
James Stegall   Vice President, Institutional Sales Manager    None
Gary Ross   Vice President, Director of Sales    None
Jeff Brainard   Vice President, Divisional Sales Manager - Internal Sales    None
Erin E. Nelson   Vice President, Assistant General Counsel    None
JoEllen Legg   Vice President, Assistant General Counsel    None
David T. Buhler   Vice President, Senior Associate Counsel    None
Rhonda A. Mills   Vice President, Associate Counsel    None
Jennifer Welsh   Vice President, Associate Counsel    None
Paul F. Leone   Vice President, Associate Counsel    None
Randall D. Young   Secretary    None
Gregg Wm. Givens   Assistant Treasurer    None

 

* 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

 

(a) The Registrant maintains accounts, books and other documents required by Section 31(a) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 and the rules thereunder (collectively, “Records”) at its offices at 245 Park Avenue, 35th Floor, New York, NY 10167.

 

19


Table of Contents
(b) WTAM maintains all Records relating to its services as investment adviser to the Registrant at 245 Park Avenue, 35th Floor, New York, New York 10167.

 

(c) Mellon Capital Management Corporation maintains all Records relating to its services as sub-adviser at 50 Fremont Street, Suite 3900, San Francisco, California 94105.

 

(d) Western Asset Management Company maintains all Records relating to its services as sub-adviser at 385 E. Colorado Boulevard, Pasadena, California 91101 and at local offices, as applicable, identified in Item 31.

 

(e) ALPS Distributors, Inc. maintains all Records relating to its services as Distributor of the Registrant at 1290 Broadway, Suite 1100, Denver, Colorado 80203.

 

(f) State Street Bank and Trust Company maintains all Records relating to its services as administrator, transfer agent and custodian of the Registrant at 200 Clarendon Street, 16th Floor, Boston, Massachusetts 02116 and 1200 Crown Colony Drive, Quincy, Massachusetts 02189.

[Location of Accounts and Records for the WisdomTree Brazil Low Volatility Equity Fund, WisdomTree Brazil Bond Fund, WisdomTree Emerging Markets Low Volatility Equity Fund, WisdomTree Bloomberg U.S. Dollar Bearish Fund, WisdomTree Commodity Currency Bearish Fund, WisdomTree Short-Term Credit Bond Zero Duration Fund, WisdomTree Short-Term Credit Bond Negative Duration Fund, WisdomTree Intermediate Credit Bond Zero Duration Fund, WisdomTree Intermediate Credit Bond Negative Duration Fund, WisdomTree International Hedged Dividend Growth Fund, WisdomTree 20+ Year U.S. Treasury Negative Duration Fund, WisdomTree 3-7 Year U.S. Treasury Negative Duration Fund, WisdomTree Japan Hedged Dividend Growth Fund, WisdomTree Europe Dividend Growth Fun, and WisdomTree Japan Dividend Growth Fund Sub-Advisers to be included by amendment].

 

Item 34. Management Services

Not applicable.

 

Item 35. Undertakings

Not applicable.

 

20


Table of Contents

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Registrant has duly caused this Post - Effective Amendment No. 346 to Registration Statement No. 333-132380 to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of New York, State of New York, on the 31st day of March, 2014.

 

WISDOMTREE TRUST
  (Registrant)
By:   /s/ Jonathan Steinberg*
 

Jonathan Steinberg

President (Principal Executive Officer)

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Post - Effective Amendment No. 346 to the Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacity and on the dates indicated.

 

Signatures

  

Title

 

Date

/s/ Jonathan Steinberg*

Jonathan Steinberg

   President (Principal Executive Officer) and Trustee   March 31, 2014

/s/ David Castano*

David Castano

   Treasurer (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)   March 31, 2014

/s/ David Chrencik*

David Chrencik

   Trustee   March 31, 2014

/s/ Joel Goldberg*

Joel Goldberg

   Trustee   March 31, 2014

/s/ Toni Massaro*

Toni Massaro

   Trustee   March 31, 2014

/s/ Melinda Raso Kirstein*

Melinda Raso Kirstein

   Trustee   March 31, 2014

/s/ Victor Ugolyn*

Victor Ugolyn

   Trustee   March 31, 2014

 

*By:

 

/s/ Ryan Louvar

 

Ryan Louvar

(Attorney-in-Fact)

 

21


Table of Contents

Exhibit Index

 

Exhibit
Number

 

Exhibit

(a)(2)   Schedule A, as revised January 28, 2014, to the Trust Instrument dated December 15, 2005
(d)(9)   Appendix A, dated January 23, 2014, to the Amended and Restated Sub-Advisory Agreement dated January 1, 2013 between WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc. and Mellon Capital Management Corporation
(e)(2)   Amendment and revised Exhibit A, dated January 31, 2014, to the Distribution Agreement dated November 1, 2011 between the Registrant and ALPS Distributors, Inc.
(g)(1)   Master Custodian Agreement dated September 27, 2013, between the Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company
(h)(1)   Administration Agreement dated September 27, 2013, between the Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company
(h)(3)   Transfer Agency and Service Agreement dated September 27, 2013, between the Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company
(h)(8)   Securities Lending Authorization Agreement dated September 27, 2013, between the Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company
(q)(2)   Powers of Attorney for David Chrencik and Melinda Raso Kirstein

 

22

Schedule A Series of the Trust

January 28, 2014

Name of Fund

Currency Funds

WisdomTree Chinese Yuan Strategy Fund

WisdomTree Emerging Currency Strategy Fund

WisdomTree Brazilian Real Strategy Fund

WisdomTree Indian Rupee Strategy Fund

WisdomTree Commodity Currency Strategy Fund

Fixed Income

WisdomTree Emerging Markets Local Debt Fund

WisdomTree Asia Local Debt Fund

WisdomTree Australia & New Zealand Debt Fund

WisdomTree Euro Debt Fund

WisdomTree Emerging Markets Corporate Bond Fund

WisdomTree Global Corporate Bond Fund

WisdomTree Bloomberg Floating Rate Treasury Fund

Domestic Funds

WisdomTree LargeCap Dividend Fund

WisdomTree Dividend ex-Financials Fund

WisdomTree SmallCap Dividend Fund

WisdomTree Total Dividend Fund

WisdomTree MidCap Dividend Fund

WisdomTree Equity Income Fund

WisdomTree SmallCap Earnings Fund

WisdomTree Earnings 500 Fund

WisdomTree MidCap Earnings Fund

WisdomTree Total Earnings Fund

WisdomTree LargeCap Value Fund

WisdomTree U.S. Dividend Growth Fund

WisdomTree U.S. SmallCap Dividend Growth Fund

WisdomTree Bloomberg U.S. Dollar Bullish Fund

WisdomTree Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Zero Duration Fund

WisdomTree Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Negative Duration Fund

WisdomTree BofA Merrill Lynch High Yield Bond Zero Duration Fund

WisdomTree BofA Merrill Lynch High Yield Bond Negative Duration Fund

International Funds

WisdomTree DEFA Fund

WisdomTree International SmallCap Dividend Fund

WisdomTree International Dividend ex-Financials Fund

WisdomTree Japan SmallCap Dividend Fund

WisdomTree International LargeCap Dividend Fund

WisdomTree International MidCap Dividend Fund

WisdomTree DEFA Equity Income Fund

WisdomTree Asia Pacific ex-Japan Fund

WisdomTree Australia Dividend Fund


WisdomTree Japan Hedged Equity Fund

WisdomTree Global Equity Income Fund

WisdomTree Europe SmallCap Dividend Fund

WisdomTree Global ex-U.S. Growth Fund

WisdomTree Europe Hedged Equity Fund

WisdomTree India Earnings Fund

WisdomTree Emerging Markets Equity Income Fund

WisdomTree Emerging Markets SmallCap Dividend Fund

WisdomTree Middle East Dividend Fund

WisdomTree Global ex-U.S. Real Estate Fund

WisdomTree Global ex-U.S. Utilities Fund

WisdomTree Commodity Country Equity Fund

WisdomTree Global Natural Resources Fund

WisdomTree China Dividend ex-Financial Fund

WisdomTree United Kingdom Hedged Equity Fund

WisdomTree Japan Hedged SmallCap Fund

WisdomTree Emerging Markets Dividend Growth Fund

WisdomTree Emerging Markets Consumer Growth Fund

WisdomTree Germany Hedged Equity Fund

WisdomTree Korea Hedged Equity Fund

WisdomTree Japan Interest Rate Strategy Fund

WisdomTree Japan Hedged Real Estate Fund

WisdomTree Japan Hedged Financials Fund

WisdomTree Japan Hedged Tech, Media and Telecom Fund

WisdomTree Japan Hedged Capital Goods Fund

WisdomTree Japan Hedged Health Care Fund

Alternative Funds

WisdomTree Managed Futures Strategy Fund

WisdomTree Global Real Return Fund

 

LOGO

January 23, 2014

WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc.

Attention: Jonathan Steinberg

380 Madison Avenue, 21 st Floor

New York, NY 10017

With a copy to:

WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc.

Attention: Legal Department

380 Madison Avenue, 21 st Floor

New York, NY 10017

Dear Mr. Steinberg,

Pursuant to that certain Sub-Advisory Agreement between WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc. (the “Investment Adviser”) and Mellon Capital Management Corporation (the “Sub-Adviser”) dated as of January 1, 2013, as amended (the “Agreement”), the Sub-Adviser hereby provides the Investment Adviser with (i) an amended and restated Appendix A to the Agreement in the form attached hereto, (ii) an amended and restated Appendix B-2 to the Agreement in the form attached hereto, (iii) an amended and restated Appendix B-4 to the Agreement in the form attached hereto, (iv) a new Appendix B-6 in the form attached hereto, (iv) the deletion of Exhibit C, (v) the deletion of Appendix D-2 and (vi) existing Appendix B-l, Appendix B-3, Appendix B-5, Appendix D-l, Appendix E and Appendix F as attached hereto.

In particular, this Amendment adds six (6) new funds to Appendix A, specifically the addition of five (5) funds to the WisdomTree International Equity Funds list and one (1) new fund to the U.S. Fixed Income Funds list, namely, the WisdomTree Bloomberg Floating Rate Treasury Fund. The remaining existing Appendices are included to ensure that we have a complete updated and restated set of Appendices. In addition, the list headings on Appendix B-l and Appendix B-3 have been conformed to the list headings on Appendix A.

 

Sincerely,

LOGO

Name: David Dirks
Title:   Managing Director

 

1


 

LOGO

PURSUANT TO AN EXEMPTION FROM THE COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING COMMISSION IN CONNECTION WITH ACCOUNTS OF QUALIFIED ELIGIBLE PERSONS, THIS BROCHURE OR ACCOUNT DOCUMENT IS NOT REQUIRED TO BE, AND HAS NOT BEEN, FILED WITH THE COMMISSION. THE COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING COMMISSION DOES NOT PASS UPON THE MERITS OF PARTICIPATING IN A TRADING PROGRAM OR UPON THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF COMMODITY TRADING ADVISOR DISCLOSURE. CONSEQUENTLY, THE COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING COMMISSION HAS NOT REVIEWED OR APPROVED THIS TRADING PROGRAM OR THIS BROCHURE OR ACCOUNT DOCUMENT.

Acknowledged and agreed:

 

WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc.
By:  

LOGO

Name:   Jonathan Steinberg
Title:   Chief Executive Officer

 

Mellon Capital Management Corporation
By:  

LOGO

Name:   David Dirks
Title:   Managing Director

 

2


 

LOGO

APPENDIX A

TO

SUB-ADVISORY AGREEMENT

Effective as of January 23, 2014

FUNDS FOR WHICH MELLON CAPITAL MANAGEMENT CORPORATION ACTS AS SUB-ADVISER

ALTERNATIVE FUNDS

WisdomTree Managed Futures Strategy Fund

CURRENCY AND INTERNATIONAL FIXED INCOME FUNDS

WisdomTree Chinese Yuan Strategy Fund

WisdomTree Indian Rupee Strategy Fund

WisdomTree Brazil Real Strategy Fund

WisdomTree Emerging Currency Strategy Fund

WisdomTree Commodity Currency Strategy Fund

WisdomTree Australia & New Zealand Debt Fund

WisdomTree Asia Local Debt Fund

WisdomTree Euro Debt Fund

WisdomTree Emerging Markets Local Debt Fund

WisdomTree Bloomberg U.S. Dollar Bullish Fund

DOMESTIC EQUITY FUNDS

WisdomTree Total Dividend Fund

WisdomTree Dividend ex-Financials Fund

WisdomTree Equity Income Fund

WisdomTree LargeCap Dividend Fund

WisdomTree MidCap Dividend Fund

WisdomTree SmallCap Dividend Fund

WisdomTree Total Earnings Fund

WisdomTree Earnings 500 Fund

WisdomTree LargeCap Value Fund

WisdomTree MidCap Earnings Fund

WisdomTree SmallCap Earnings Fund

WisdomTree S&P500 Managed Payout Fund

WisdomTree U.S. Dividend Growth Fund

WisdomTree U.S. SmallCap Dividend Growth Fund

WisdomTree U.S. Low Volatility Equity Fund

INTERNATIONAL EQUITY FUNDS

WisdomTree DEFA Fund

WisdomTree DEFA Equity Income Fund

WisdomTree Europe Hedged Equity Fund

 

A-1


 

LOGO

WisdomTree Global Equity Income Fund

WisdomTree Europe SmallCap Dividend Fund

WisdomTree India Earnings Fund

WisdomTree Japan Hedged Equity Fund

WisdomTree Global ex-US Growth Fund

WisdomTree Japan SmallCap Dividend Fund

WisdomTree Asia Pacific ex-Japan Fund

WisdomTree Australia Dividend Fund

WisdomTree International Dividend ex-Financials Fund

WisdomTree International LargeCap Dividend Fund

WisdomTree International MidCap Dividend Fund

WisdomTree International SmallCap Dividend Fund

WisdomTree Emerging Markets Equity Income Fund

WisdomTree Emerging Markets SmallCap Dividend Fund

WisdomTree Middle East Dividend Fund

WisdomTree Commodity Country Equity Fund

WisdomTree Global Natural Resources Fund

WisdomTree Global ex-US Utility Fund

WisdomTree Global ex-US Real Estate Fund

WisdomTree Emerging Markets Dividend Growth Fund

WisdomTree Emerging Markets Low Volatility Equity Fund

WisdomTree Emerging Markets Consumer Growth Fund

WisdomTree Brazil Low Volatility Equity Fund

WisdomTree Europe Low Volatility Equity Fund

WisdomTree Korea Hedged Equity Fund

WisdomTree United Kingdom Hedged Equity Fund

WisdomTree Japan Small Cap Hedged Equity Fund

WisdomTree Germany Hedged Equity Fund

WisdomTree International Hedged Dividend Growth Fund

WisdomTree China Dividend ex-Financials Fund*

WisdomTree Japan Hedged Real Estate Fund

WisdomTree Japan Hedged Financials Fund

WisdomTree Japan Hedged Tech, Media and Telecom Fund

WisdomTree Japan Hedged Capital Goods Fund

WisdomTree Japan Hedged Health Care Fund

 

*Anticipated commencement of Mellon Capital Management Corporation as sub-adviser is February 1, 2014.

FIXED INCOME INFLATION HEDGED FUNDS

WisdomTree Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Zero Duration Fund

WisdomTree Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Negative Duration Fund

WisdomTree BofA Merrill Lynch High Yield Bond Zero Duration Fund

WisdomTree BofA Merrill Lynch High Yield Bond Negative Duration Fund

WisdomTree Barclays U.S. Treasury 20+ Year Negative Duration Fund

WisdomTree Barclays U.S. Treasury 3-7 Year Negative Duration Fund

WisdomTree Barclays Intermediate Credit Bond Zero Duration Fund

WisdomTree Barclays Intermediate Credit Bond Negative Duration Fund

U.S. FIXED INCOME FUNDS

WisdomTree Bloomberg Floating Rate Treasury Fund

 

A-2


 

LOGO

The Investment Adviser hereby appoints Mellon Capital Management Corporation, and Mellon Capital Management Corporation hereby accepts appointment, as the Sub-Adviser for the Fund(s) set forth above.

PURSUANT TO AN EXEMPTION FROM THE COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING COMMISSION IN CONNECTION WITH ACCOUNTS OF QUALIFIED ELIGIBLE PERSONS, THIS BROCHURE OR ACCOUNT DOCUMENT IS NOT REQUIRED TO BE, AND HAS NOT BEEN, FILED WITH THE COMMISSION. THE COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING COMMISSION DOES NOT PASS UPON THE MERITS OF PARTICIPATING IN A TRADING PROGRAM OR UPON THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF COMMODITY TRADING ADVISOR DISCLOSURE. CONSEQUENTLY, THE COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING COMMISSION HAS NOT REVIEWED OR APPROVED THIS TRADING PROGRAM OR THIS BROCHURE OR ACCOUNT DOCUMENT.

 

WISDOMTREE ASSET

MANAGEMENT, INC.

   

MELLON CAPITAL

MANAGEMENT CORPORATION

By:  

LOGO

    By:  

LOGO

  Name:       Name: David Dirks
  Title:       Title:   Managing Director

 

A-3

Amendment to Distribution Agreement

This Amendment, dated as of January 31, 2014 (the “Effective Date”), to the Distribution Agreement (this “Amendment”), by and between WisdomTree Trust a Delaware business trust having its principal place of business at 380 Madison Avenue, 21 st Floor, New York, New York 10017 (the “Trust”), and ALPS Distributors, Inc., a Colorado corporation, having its principal place of business at 1290 Broadway, Suite 1100, Denver, Colorado 80203 (the “Distributor”).

WHEREAS, the Trust and the Distributor entered into a Distribution Agreement dated as of November 1, 2011, as amended, and as in effect prior to giving effect to this Amendment (the “Agreement”); and

WHEREAS, the Trust and the Distributor wish to amend the provisions of the Agreement to reflect the addition of the (i) WisdomTree Japan Hedged Real Estate Fund, (ii) WisdomTree Japan Hedged Financials Fund, (iii) WisdomTree Hedged Tech, Media an Telecom Fund, (iv) WisdomTree Japan Hedged Capital Goods Fund, (v) WisdomTree Hedged Health Care Fund, and (vi) WisdomTree Bloomberg Floating Rate Treasury Fund, and to revise Exhibit A of the Agreement accordingly.

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

1. Upon the Effective Date, the parties hereto agree to delete the current Exhibit A to the Agreement in its entirety and replace it with a new Exhibit A attached hereto and incorporated herein by reference herein.

2. Except as specifically set forth herein, all other provisions of the Agreement shall remain in full force and effect. Any items not herein defined shall have the meaning ascribed to them in the Agreement.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Amendment as of the Effective Date.

 

WISDOMTREE TRUST     ALPS DISTRIBUTORS, INC.
By:  

LOGO

    By:  

LOGO

Name:   Jonathan Steinberg     Name:   Thomas A. Carter
Title:   Chief Executive Officer     Title:   President


EXHIBIT A

WisdomTree Asia Local Debt Fund

WisdomTree Asia-Pacific ex-Japan Fund

WisdomTree Australia Dividend Fund

WisdomTree Australia & New Zealand Debt Fund

WisdomTree Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Duration Zero Duration Fund

WisdomTree Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Duration Negative Duration Fund

WisdomTree Bloomberg Floating Rate Treasury Fund

WisdomTree Bloomberg U.S. Dollar Bullish Fund

WisdomTree BofA Merrill Lynch High Yield Bond Zero Duration Fund

WisdomTree BofA Merrill Lynch High Yield Bond Negative Duration Fund

WisdomTree China Dividend ex-Financials Fund

WisdomTree Commodity Country Equity Fund

WisdomTree DEFA Equity Income Fund

WisdomTree DEFA Fund

WisdomTree Dividend ex-Financials Fund

WisdomTree Brazilian Real Fund

WisdomTree Chinese Yuan Fund

WisdomTree Commodity Currency Fund

WisdomTree Emerging Currency Fund

WisdomTree Earnings 500 Fund

WisdomTree Emerging Markets Consumer Growth Fund

WisdomTree Emerging Markets Corporate Bond Fund

WisdomTree Emerging Markets Dividend Growth Fund

WisdomTree Emerging Markets Equity Income Fund

WisdomTree Emerging Markets Local Debt Fund

WisdomTree Emerging Markets SmallCap Dividend Fund

WisdomTree Equity Income Fund

WisdomTree Euro Debt Fund

WisdomTree Europe Hedged Equity Fund

WisdomTree Europe SmallCap Dividend Fund

WisdomTree Germany Hedged Equity Fund

WisdomTree Global Corporate Bond Fund

WisdomTree Global Equity Income Fund

WisdomTree Global ex-U.S. Growth Fund

WisdomTree Global ex-U.S. Real Estate Fund

WisdomTree Global ex-U.S. Utilities Fund

WisdomTree Global Natural Resources Fund

WisdomTree Global Real Return Fund

WisdomTree India Earnings Fund

WisdomTree Indian Rupee Fund

WisdomTree International Dividend ex-Financials Fund

WisdomTree International LargeCap Dividend Fund

WisdomTree International MidCap Dividend Fund


WisdomTree International SmallCap Dividend Fund

WisdomTree Japan Hedged Capital Goods Fund

WisdomTree Japan Hedged Equity Fund

WisdomTree Japan Hedged Financials Fund

WisdomTree Japan Hedged Health Care Fund

WisdomTree Japan Hedged Real Estate Fund

WisdomTree Japan Hedged SmallCap Equity Fund

WisdomTree Japan Hedged Tech, Media and Telecom Fund

WisdomTree Japan Interest Rate Strategy Fund

WisdomTree Japan SmallCap Dividend Fund

WisdomTree Korea Hedged Equity Fund

WisdomTree Managed Futures Strategy Fund

WisdomTree LargeCap Dividend Fund

WisdomTree LargeCap Value Fund

WisdomTree MidCap Dividend Fund

WisdomTree MidCap Earnings Fund

WisdomTree Middle East Dividend Fund

WisdomTree SmallCap Dividend Fund

WisdomTree SmallCap Earnings Fund

WisdomTree Total Dividend Fund

WisdomTree Total Earnings Fund

WisdomTree U.S. Dividend Growth Fund

WisdomTree U.S. SmallCap Dividend Growth Fund

WisdomTree United Kingdom Hedged Equity Fund

Execution copy

M ASTER C USTODIAN A GREEMENT

This Agreement made as of September 27, 2013, and to have an effective date with respect to a Portfolio (as defined below) on or about March 31, 2014 or on a date that is mutually agreed upon in writing by the Custodian (as defined below) and the relevant Fund (as defined below), is by and between each management investment company identified on Appendix A hereto (each such investment company and each management investment company made subject to this Agreement in accordance with Section 22.5 below shall hereinafter be referred to as a “ Fund ”) and S TATE S TREET B ANK and T RUST C OMPANY , a Massachusetts trust company (the “ Custodian” ).

WITNESSETH:

W HEREAS , the Fund is authorized to issue shares in separate series (“ Shares ”), with each such series representing interests in a separate portfolio of securities and other assets;

W HEREAS , the Fund intends that this Agreement be applicable to each of its series set forth on Appendix A hereto (such series together with all other series subsequently established by the Fund and made subject to this Agreement in accordance with Section 22.5 below, shall hereinafter be referred to as the “ Portfolio(s) ”);

W HEREAS , the Fund will issue and redeem shares of each Portfolio only in aggregations of Shares known as “ Creation Units ,” generally in exchange for a basket of certain equity or fixed income securities and a specified cash payment, as more fully described in the currently effective prospectus and statement of additional information of the Fund related to the Portfolio (collectively, the “ Prospectus ”).

N OW , T HEREFORE , in consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements hereinafter contained, the parties hereto agree as follows:

 

S ECTION  1. E MPLOYMENT OF C USTODIAN AND P ROPERTY TO BE H ELD BY I T

The Fund hereby employs the Custodian as a custodian of assets of the Portfolios, including securities which the Fund, on behalf of the applicable Portfolio, desires to be held in places within the United States (“ domestic securities ”) and securities it desires to be held outside the United States (“ foreign securities ”). The Fund, on behalf of its Portfolio(s), agrees to deliver to the Custodian all securities and cash of the Portfolios, and all payments of income, payments of principal or capital distributions received by it with respect to all securities owned by the Portfolio(s) from time to time, and the cash consideration received by it for such Shares as may be issued or sold from time to time. The Custodian shall not be responsible for any property of a Portfolio which is not received by it or which is delivered out in accordance with Proper Instructions (as such term is defined in Section 8 hereof), so long as the Custodian has met its standard of care as specified in Section 16.1 of this Agreement.

With respect to uncertificated shares (the “ Underlying Shares ”) of registered “investment companies” (as defined in Section 3(a)(1) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended from


time to time (the “ 1940 Act ”)), whether in the same “group of investment companies” (as defined in Section 12(d)(1)(G)(ii) of the 1940 Act) or otherwise, including pursuant to Section 12(d)(1)(F) of the 1940 Act (hereinafter sometimes referred to as the “ Underlying Portfolios ”) the holding of confirmation statements that identify the shares as being recorded in the Custodian’s name on behalf of the Portfolios will be deemed custody for purposes hereof.

Upon receipt of Proper Instructions, the Custodian shall on behalf of the Fund appoint one or more banks, trust companies or other entities located in the United States and designated in such Proper Instructions to act as a sub-custodian for the purposes of effecting such transaction(s) as may be designated by the Fund. Each such designated sub-custodian is referred to herein as a “ Special Sub-Custodian .” The Custodian may place and maintain the Fund’s foreign securities with foreign banking institution sub-custodians employed by the Custodian and/or foreign securities depositories, in accordance with the applicable provisions of Sections 3 and 4 hereof.

 

S ECTION  2. D UTIES OF THE C USTODIAN WITH R ESPECT TO P ROPERTY OF THE P ORTFOLIOS TO BE H ELD IN THE U NITED S TATES

S ECTION  2.1 H OLDING S ECURITIES . The Custodian shall hold and physically segregate for the account of each Portfolio all non-cash property to be held by it in the United States, including all domestic securities owned by such Portfolio other than (a) securities which are maintained pursuant to Section 2.9 in a clearing agency which acts as a securities depository or in a book-entry system authorized by the U.S. Department of the Treasury (each, a “ U.S. Securities System ”) and (b) Underlying Shares owned by the Fund which are maintained pursuant to Section 2.11 hereof in an account with State Street Bank and Trust Company or such other entity which may from time to time be appointed by the Fund to act as a transfer agent for the Underlying Portfolios and with respect to which the Custodian is provided with Proper Instructions (the “ Underlying Transfer Agent ”).

S ECTION  2.2 D ELIVERY OF D OMESTIC S ECURITIES . The Custodian shall release and deliver domestic securities owned by a Portfolio held by the Custodian, in a U.S. Securities System account of the Custodian or in an account at the Underlying Transfer Agent, only upon receipt of Proper Instructions on behalf of the applicable Portfolio, specifying (a) the domestic securities of the Portfolio to be delivered and (b) the person or persons to whom delivery of such securities shall be made.

S ECTION  2.3 R EGISTRATION OF S ECURITIES . Domestic securities held by the Custodian (other than bearer securities) shall be registered in the name of the Portfolio or in the name of any nominee of the Fund on behalf of the Portfolio or of any nominee of the Custodian which nominee shall be assigned exclusively to the Portfolio, unless the Fund has authorized in writing the appointment of a nominee to be used in common with other registered management investment companies having the same investment adviser as the Portfolio, or in the name or nominee name of any agent appointed pursuant to Section 2.8 or in the name or nominee name of any sub-custodian appointed pursuant to Section 1. All securities accepted by the Custodian on behalf of the Portfolio under the terms of this Agreement shall be in “street name” or other good delivery form. If, however, the Fund directs the Custodian to maintain securities in “street name”, the Custodian shall

 

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utilize reasonable efforts only to timely collect income due the Fund on such securities and to notify the Fund of relevant corporate actions including, without limitation, pendency of calls, maturities, tender or exchange offers.

S ECTION  2.4 P AYMENT OF F UND M ONIES . The Custodian shall pay out monies of a Portfolio upon receipt of Proper Instructions on behalf of the applicable Portfolio, specifying (a) the amount of such payment and (b) the person or persons to whom such payment is to be made.

S ECTION  2.5 B ANK A CCOUNTS . The Custodian shall open and maintain a separate bank account or accounts in the United States in the name of each Portfolio of the Fund, subject only to draft or order by the Custodian acting pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, and shall hold in such account or accounts, subject to the provisions hereof, all cash received by it from or for the account of the Portfolio, other than cash maintained by the Portfolio in a bank account established and used in accordance with Rule 17f-3 under the 1940 Act. Funds held by the Custodian for a Portfolio may be deposited by it to its credit as Custodian in the banking department of the Custodian or in such other banks or trust companies as it may in its discretion deem necessary or desirable; provided, however, that every such bank or trust company shall be qualified to act as a custodian under the 1940 Act and that each such bank or trust company and the funds to be deposited with each such bank or trust company shall on behalf of each applicable Portfolio be approved by vote of a majority of the board of directors or trustees, as applicable, of the Fund (the “ Board ”). Such funds shall be deposited by the Custodian in its capacity as Custodian and shall be withdrawable by the Custodian only in that capacity.

S ECTION  2.6 D ETERMINATION OF F UND D EPOSIT , ETC . Subject to and in accordance with the directions of the investment adviser for the Portfolios, the Custodian shall determine for each Portfolio after the end of each trading day on the New York Stock Exchange (the “ NYSE ”), in accordance with the respective Portfolio’s policies as adopted from time to time by the Board and in accordance with the procedures set forth in the Prospectus, (i) the identity and weighting of the securities in the Deposit Securities and the Fund Securities, (ii) the Cash Component, and (iii) the amount of cash redemption proceeds (all as defined in the Prospectus) required for the issuance or redemption, as the case may be, of Shares in Creation Unit aggregations of such Portfolio on such date. The Custodian shall provide or cause to be provided this information to the Portfolios’ distributor and other persons according to the policy established by the Board and shall disseminate such information on each day that the NYSE is open, including through the facilities of the National Securities Clearing Corporation, prior to the opening of trading on the NYSE.

Section 2.6A. Allocation of Deposit Security Shortfalls . The Fund acknowledges that the Custodian maintains only one account on the books of the National Securities Clearing Corporation (the “ NSCC ”) for the benefit of all exchange traded funds for which the Custodian serves as custodian, including the Fund (collectively, the “ ETF Custody Clients ”). In the event that (a) two or more ETF Custody Clients require delivery of the same Deposit Security in order to purchase a Creation Unit, and (b) the NSCC, pursuant to its Continuous Net Settlement system, delivers to the Custodian’s NSCC account less than the full amount of such Deposit Security necessary to satisfy in full each affected ETF Custody Client’s required amount (a “ Common Deposit Security Shortfall ”),

 

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then, until all Common Deposit Security Shortfalls for a given Deposit Secuirty are satisfied in full, the Custodian will allocate to each affected ETF Custody Client, on a pro rata basis, securities and/or cash received in the Custodian’s NSCC account relating to such shortfall, first to satisfy any prior unsatisfied Common Deposit Security Shortfall, and then to satisfy the current Common Deposit Security Shortfall.

S ECTION  2.7 C OLLECTION OF I NCOME . Subject to the provisions of Section 2.3, the Custodian shall collect on a timely basis all income and other payments with respect to registered domestic securities held hereunder to which each Portfolio shall be entitled either by law or pursuant to custom in the securities business, and shall collect on a timely basis all income and other payments with respect to bearer domestic securities if, on the date of payment by the issuer, such securities are held by the Custodian or its agent thereof, and shall credit such income, as collected, to such Portfolio’s custodian account. The Custodian shall present for payment all income items requiring presentation as and when they become due and shall collect interest when due on securities held hereunder. Income due each Portfolio on securities loaned shall be the responsibility of the Fund. The Custodian will have no duty or responsibility in connection therewith, other than to provide the Fund with such information or data as may be necessary to assist the Fund in arranging for the timely delivery to the Custodian of the income to which the Portfolio is properly entitled.

S ECTION  2.8 A PPOINTMENT OF A GENTS . The Custodian may at any time or times in its discretion appoint (and may at any time remove) any other bank or trust company which is itself qualified under the 1940 Act to act as a custodian, as its agent to carry out such of the provisions of this Section 2 as the Custodian may from time to time direct; provided, however, that the appointment of any agent shall not relieve the Custodian of its responsibilities or liabilities hereunder. The Underlying Transfer Agent shall not be deemed an agent or sub-custodian of the Custodian for purposes of this Agreement.

S ECTION  2.9 D EPOSIT OF F UND A SSETS IN U.S. S ECURITIES S YSTEMS . The Custodian may deposit and/or maintain securities owned by a Portfolio in a U.S. Securities System in compliance with the conditions of Rule 17f-4 under the 1940 Act, as amended from time to time.

S ECTION  2.10 S EGREGATED A CCOUNT . Upon receipt of Proper Instructions, the Custodian shall on behalf of each applicable Portfolio establish and maintain a segregated account or accounts for and on behalf of each such Portfolio for any purpose, into which account or accounts may be transferred cash and/or securities, including securities maintained in an account by the Custodian pursuant to Section 2.9 hereof.

S ECTION  2.11 D EPOSIT OF F UND A SSETS WITH THE U NDERLYING T RANSFER A GENT . Underlying Shares beneficially owned by the Fund, on behalf of a Portfolio, shall be deposited and/or maintained in an account or accounts maintained with an Underlying Transfer Agent and the Custodian’s only responsibilities with respect thereto shall be limited to the following:

 

  1)

Upon receipt of a confirmation or statement from an Underlying Transfer Agent that such Underlying Transfer Agent is holding or maintaining Underlying Shares in the

 

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  name of the Custodian (or a nominee of the Custodian) for the benefit of a Portfolio, the Custodian shall identify by book-entry that such Underlying Shares are being held by it as custodian for the benefit of such Portfolio.

 

  2) In respect of the purchase of Underlying Shares for the account of a Portfolio, upon receipt of Proper Instructions, the Custodian shall pay out monies of such Portfolio as so directed, and record such payment from the account of such Portfolio on the Custodian’s books and records.

 

  3) In respect of the sale or redemption of Underlying Shares for the account of a Portfolio, upon receipt of Proper Instructions, the Custodian shall transfer such Underlying Shares as so directed, record such transfer from the account of such Portfolio on the Custodian’s books and records and, upon the Custodian’s receipt of the proceeds therefor, record such payment for the account of such Portfolio on the Custodian’s books and records.

 

  4) The Custodian will implement procedures to ensure that the Underlying Transfer Agent’s records of each Portfolio’s holdings of Underlying Shares are properly reconciled with the Custodian’s records.

S ECTION  2.12 O WNERSHIP C ERTIFICATES FOR T AX P URPOSES . The Custodian shall execute ownership and other certificates and affidavits for all federal and state tax purposes in connection with receipt of income or other payments with respect to domestic securities of each Portfolio held by it and in connection with transfers of securities.

S ECTION  2.13 P ROXIES . The Custodian shall deliver to the Fund, in the most expeditious manner practicable, all forms of proxies, all notices of meetings, and any other notices or announcements affecting or relating to securities owned by one or more of the Fund’s Portfolios that are received by the Custodian, any Sub-Custodian, or any nominee of either of them (or with the exercise of reasonable care that the Custodian, any Sub-Custodian, or any nominee of either of them should have become aware), and, upon receipt of Proper Instructions, the Custodian shall execute and deliver, or cause such Sub-Custodian or nominee to execute and deliver, such proxies or other authorizations as may be required. The Custodian recognizes that this requirement applies to all securities and that the Fund’s investments in non-U.S. securities may entail proxies and notices, which, for the avoidance of doubt, are subject to this Agreement. Except as directed pursuant to Proper Instructions, neither the Custodian nor any Sub-Custodian or nominee shall vote upon any such securities, or execute any proxy to vote thereon, or give any consent or take any other action with respect thereto. In the event that the Custodian is unable to vote upon any such securities in accordance with Proper Instructions for any reason including, but not limited to, the failure of the Fund to deliver any necessary powers of attorney or other documentation, the Custodian shall promptly notify (subject to market practices and rules) the Fund. The Fund acknowledges that local conditions, including lack of regulation, onerous procedural obligations, lack of notice and other factors may have the effect of severely limiting the ability of the Fund to exercise shareholder rights.

 

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S ECTION  2.14 C OMMUNICATIONS R ELATING TO D OMESTIC P ORTFOLIO S ECURITIES . Subject to the provisions of Section 2.3, the Custodian shall transmit promptly to the Fund for each Portfolio all written information received by the Custodian from issuers of the securities being held for the Portfolio. With respect to tender or exchange offers, the Custodian shall transmit promptly to the Fund all written information received by the Custodian from issuers of the securities whose tender or exchange is sought and from the party (or its agents) making the tender or exchange offer. The Custodian shall not be liable for any untimely exercise of any tender, exchange or other right or power in connection with domestic securities or other property of the Portfolios at any time held by it unless (i) the Custodian is in actual possession of such domestic securities or property and (ii) the Custodian receives Proper Instructions with regard to the exercise of any such right or power, and both (i) and (ii) occur at least three business days prior to the date on which the Custodian is to take action to exercise such right or power. The Custodian shall also transmit promptly to the Fund for each Portfolio all written information received by the Custodian regarding any class action or other collective litigation in connection with Portfolio securities or other assets issued in the United States and then held, or previously held, during the relevant class-action period during the term of this Agreement by the Custodian for the account of the Fund for such Portfolio, including, but not limited to, opt-out notices and proof-of-claim forms. The Custodian will not support class-action participation by the Fund beyond such forwarding of written information received by the Custodian. For the avoidance of doubt, upon and after the effective date of any termination of this Agreement, with respect to the Fund or its Portfolio(s), as may be applicable, the Custodian shall have no responsibility to so transmit any information under this Section 2.14.

S ECTION  2.15. P ROVISION OF I NFORMATION . At the request of the Fund, the Custodian shall promptly provide to the Fund all information relating to the Fund, or any of its Portfolio’s, cash, securities, and other assets which may be reasonably requested by the Fund in order to determine the amount to be paid to the Custodian under Section 15 hereof. Such information shall be delivered to the Fund at such time(s) and in such form(s) specified by the Fund.

 

S ECTION  3. P ROVISIONS R ELATING TO R ULES 17 F -5 AND 17 F -7

S ECTION  3.1. D EFINITIONS . As used throughout this Agreement, the capitalized terms set forth below shall have the indicated meanings:

Country Risk ” means all factors reasonably related to the systemic risk of holding Foreign Assets in a particular country including, but not limited to, such country’s political environment, economic and financial infrastructure (including any Eligible Securities Depository operating in the country); prevailing or developing custody and settlement practices; and laws and regulations applicable to the safekeeping and recovery of Foreign Assets held in custody in that country.

Eligible Foreign Custodian ” has the meaning set forth in section (a)(1) of Rule 17f-5.

Eligible Securities Depository ” has the meaning set forth in section (b)(1) of Rule 17f-7.

 

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Foreign Assets ” means any of the Portfolios’ investments (including foreign currencies) for which the primary market is outside the United States, and any cash and cash equivalents that are reasonably necessary to effect the Portfolios’ transactions in those investments.

Foreign Custody Manager ” has the meaning set forth in section (a)(3) of Rule 17f-5.

Foreign Securities System ” means an Eligible Securities Depository listed on Schedule B hereto.

Rule 17f-5 ” means Rule 17f-5 promulgated under the 1940 Act.

Rule 17f-7 ” means Rule 17f-7 promulgated under the 1940 Act.

S ECTION  3.2. T HE C USTODIAN AS F OREIGN C USTODY M ANAGER .

3.2.1 D ELEGATION TO THE C USTODIAN AS F OREIGN C USTODY M ANAGER . The Fund, by resolution adopted by the Board prior to effectiveness of the delegation herein, hereby delegates to the Custodian, subject to Section (b) of Rule 17f-5, the responsibilities set forth in this Section 3.2 with respect to Foreign Assets of the Portfolios held outside the United States, and the Custodian hereby accepts such delegation as Foreign Custody Manager with respect to the Portfolios.

3.2.2 C OUNTRIES C OVERED . The Foreign Custody Manager shall be responsible for performing the delegated responsibilities defined below only with respect to the countries and custody arrangements for each such country listed on Schedule A to this Agreement, which list of countries may be amended from time to time by the Fund with the agreement of the Foreign Custody Manager. The Foreign Custody Manager shall list on Schedule A the Eligible Foreign Custodians selected by the Foreign Custody Manager to maintain the assets of the Portfolios, which list of Eligible Foreign Custodians may be amended from time to time in the sole discretion of the Foreign Custody Manager. The Foreign Custody Manager will provide amended versions of Schedule A in accordance with Section 3.2.5 hereof.

Upon the receipt by the Foreign Custody Manager of Proper Instructions to open an account or to place or maintain Foreign Assets in a country listed on Schedule A, and the fulfillment by the Fund, on behalf of the applicable Portfolio(s), of the applicable account opening requirements for such country, the Foreign Custody Manager shall be deemed to have been delegated by the Board on behalf of such Portfolio(s) responsibility as Foreign Custody Manager with respect to that country and to have accepted such delegation. Execution of this Agreement by the Fund shall be deemed to be a Proper Instruction to open an account, or to place or maintain Foreign Assets, in each country listed on Schedule A . Following the receipt of Proper Instructions directing the Foreign Custody Manager to close the account of a Portfolio with the Eligible Foreign Custodian selected by the Foreign Custody Manager in a designated country, the delegation by the Board on behalf of such Portfolio to the Custodian as Foreign Custody Manager for that country shall be deemed to have been withdrawn and the Custodian shall immediately cease to be the Foreign Custody Manager with respect to such Portfolio with respect to that country.

 

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The Foreign Custody Manager may withdraw its acceptance of delegated responsibilities with respect to a designated country to the extent it is effecting such withdrawal across its client base and no longer makes the market available on Schedule A upon written notice to the Fund. Seventy-five (75) days (or such longer period to which the parties agree in writing) after receipt of any such notice by the Fund, the Custodian shall have no further responsibility in its capacity as Foreign Custody Manager to the Fund with respect to the country as to which the Custodian’s acceptance of delegation is withdrawn.

3.2.3 S COPE OF D ELEGATED R ESPONSIBILITIES :

(a) S ELECTION OF E LIGIBLE F OREIGN C USTODIANS . Subject to the provisions of this Section 3.2, the Foreign Custody Manager may place and maintain the Foreign Assets in the care of the Eligible Foreign Custodian selected by the Foreign Custody Manager in each country listed on Schedule A , as amended from time to time. In performing its delegated responsibilities as Foreign Custody Manager to place or maintain Foreign Assets with an Eligible Foreign Custodian, the Foreign Custody Manager shall determine that the Foreign Assets will be subject to reasonable care, based on the standards applicable to custodians in the country in which the Foreign Assets will be held by that Eligible Foreign Custodian, after considering all factors relevant to the safekeeping of such assets, including, without limitation the factors specified in Rule 17f-5(c)(1).

(b) C ONTRACTS W ITH E LIGIBLE F OREIGN C USTODIANS . The Foreign Custody Manager shall determine that the contract governing the foreign custody arrangements with each Eligible Foreign Custodian selected by the Foreign Custody Manager will satisfy the requirements of Rule 17f-5(c)(2).

(c) M ONITORING . In each case in which the Foreign Custody Manager maintains Foreign Assets with an Eligible Foreign Custodian selected by the Foreign Custody Manager, the Foreign Custody Manager shall establish a system to monitor (i) the appropriateness of maintaining the Foreign Assets with such Eligible Foreign Custodian and (ii) the contract governing the custody arrangements established by the Foreign Custody Manager with the Eligible Foreign Custodian. In the event the Foreign Custody Manager determines that the custody arrangements with an Eligible Foreign Custodian it has selected are no longer appropriate, the Foreign Custody Manager shall notify the Board in accordance with Section 3.2.5 hereunder.

3.2.4 G UIDELINES FOR THE E XERCISE OF D ELEGATED A UTHORITY . For purposes of this Section 3.2, the Board shall be deemed to have considered and determined to accept such Country Risk as is incurred by placing and maintaining the Foreign Assets in each country for which the Custodian is serving as Foreign Custody Manager of the Portfolios.

3.2.5 R EPORTING R EQUIREMENTS . The Foreign Custody Manager shall report the withdrawal of the Foreign Assets from an Eligible Foreign Custodian and the placement of such Foreign Assets with another Eligible Foreign Custodian by providing to the Board an amended Schedule A at the end of the calendar quarter in which an amendment to such Schedule has occurred. The Foreign Custody Manager shall make written reports notifying the Board of any other material change in the foreign custody arrangements of the Portfolios described in this Section 3.2 after the occurrence of the material change.

 

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3.2.6 S TANDARD OF C ARE AS F OREIGN C USTODY M ANAGER OF A P ORTFOLIO . The Foreign Custody Manager agrees to exercise reasonable care, prudence and diligence such as a person having responsibility for the safekeeping of the Foreign Assets would exercise, in performing the delegated responsibilities. The foregoing notwithstanding, the Custodian acting as Foreign Custody Manager of a Portfolio is subject to the standard of care provided in Section 16.1 of this Agreement.

3.2.7 R EPRESENTATIONS WITH R ESPECT TO R ULE 17 F -5 . The Foreign Custody Manager represents to the Fund that it is a U.S. Bank as defined in section (a)(7) of Rule 17f-5. the Fund represents to the Custodian that the Board has determined or will determine prior to any reliance on the Custodian herein, that it is reasonable for the Board to rely on the Custodian to perform the responsibilities delegated pursuant to this Agreement to the Custodian as the Foreign Custody Manager of the Portfolios.

S ECTION  3.3 E LIGIBLE S ECURITIES D EPOSITORIES .

3.3.1 A NALYSIS AND M ONITORING . The Custodian shall (a) provide the Fund (or its duly-authorized investment manager or investment advisor (“ Investment Advisor ”)) with an analysis of the custody risks associated with maintaining assets with the Eligible Securities Depositories set forth on Schedule B hereto in accordance with section (a)(1)(i)(A) of Rule 17f-7; (b) establish a system to monitor the custody risks associated with maintaining Foreign Assets with the Eligible Securities Depository; (c) monitor such risks on a continuing basis, and promptly notify the Fund (or its Investment Advisor)) of any material change in such risks, in accordance with section (a)(1)(i)(B) of Rule 17f-7; and (d) promptly notify the Fund of any material change in the custody risks associated with maintaining Foreign Assets with the Eligible Securities Depository.

3.3.2 S TANDARD OF C ARE . The Custodian agrees to exercise reasonable care, prudence and diligence in performing the duties set forth in Section 3.3.1.

 

S ECTION  4. D UTIES OF THE C USTODIAN WITH R ESPECT TO P ROPERTY OF THE P ORTFOLIOS TO BE H ELD O UTSIDE THE U NITED S TATES

S ECTION  4.1 H OLDING S ECURITIES . The Custodian shall identify on its books as belonging to the Portfolios the foreign securities held by each Eligible Foreign Custodian or Foreign Securities System. The Custodian may hold foreign securities for all of its customers, including the Portfolios, with any Eligible Foreign Custodian in an account that is identified as belonging to the Custodian for the benefit of its customers, provided however, that (i) the records of the Custodian with respect to foreign securities of the Portfolios which are maintained in such account shall identify those securities as belonging to the Portfolios and (ii) to the extent permitted and customary in the market in which the account is maintained, the Custodian shall require that securities so held by the Eligible Foreign Custodian be held separately from any assets of such Eligible Foreign Custodian or of other customers of such Eligible Foreign Custodian.

 

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S ECTION  4.2. F OREIGN S ECURITIES S YSTEMS . Foreign securities shall be maintained in a Foreign Securities System in a designated country through arrangements implemented by the Custodian or an Eligible Foreign Custodian, as applicable, in such country.

S ECTION  4.3. T RANSACTIONS IN F OREIGN C USTODY A CCOUNT .

4.3.1. D ELIVERY OF F OREIGN S ECURITIES . The Custodian or an Eligible Foreign Custodian shall release and deliver foreign securities of the Portfolios held by the Custodian or such Eligible Foreign Custodian, or in a Foreign Securities System account, only upon receipt of Proper Instructions, specifying (a) the foreign securities to be delivered and (b) the person or persons to whom delivery of such securities shall be made.

4.3.2. P AYMENT OF P ORTFOLIO M ONIES . The Custodian shall pay out, or direct the respective Eligible Foreign Custodian or the respective Foreign Securities System to pay out, monies of the Fund only upon receipt of Proper Instructions specifying (a) the amount of such payment and (b) the person or persons to whom such payment is to be made.

4.3.3. M ARKET C ONDITIONS . Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary but otherwise subject to the standard of care provided in Section 16.1 of this Agreement, settlement and payment for Foreign Assets received for the account of the Portfolios and delivery of Foreign Assets maintained for the account of the Portfolios may be effected in accordance with the customary established securities trading or processing practices and procedures in the country or market in which the transaction occurs, including, without limitation, delivering Foreign Assets to the purchaser thereof or to a dealer therefor (or an agent for such purchaser or dealer) with the expectation of receiving later payment for such Foreign Assets from such purchaser or dealer.

The Custodian shall provide to the Board the information with respect to custody and settlement practices in countries in which the Custodian employs an Eligible Foreign Custodian described on Schedule C hereto at the time or times set forth on such Schedule. The Custodian may revise Schedule C from time to time, provided that no such revision shall result in a Board being provided with substantively less information than had been previously provided hereunder.

S ECTION  4.4. R EGISTRATION OF F OREIGN S ECURITIES . Foreign securities maintained in the custody of an Eligible Foreign Custodian (other than bearer securities) shall be registered in the name of the applicable Portfolio or in the name of the Custodian or in the name of any Eligible Foreign Custodian or in the name of any nominee of the foregoing, and the Fund on behalf of such Portfolio agrees to hold any such nominee harmless from any liability as a holder of record of such foreign securities. The Custodian or an Eligible Foreign Custodian shall not be obligated to accept securities on behalf of a Portfolio under the terms of this Agreement unless the form of such securities and the manner in which they are delivered are in accordance with reasonable market practice.

 

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S ECTION  4.5 B ANK A CCOUNTS . The Custodian shall identify on its books as belonging to the Fund cash (including cash denominated in foreign currencies) deposited with the Custodian. Where the Custodian is unable to maintain, or market practice does not facilitate the maintenance of, cash on the books of the Custodian, a bank account or bank accounts shall be opened and maintained outside the United States on behalf of a Portfolio with an Eligible Foreign Custodian. All accounts referred to in this Section shall be subject only to draft or order by the Custodian (or, if applicable, such Eligible Foreign Custodian) acting pursuant to the terms of this Agreement to hold cash received by or from or for the account of the Portfolio. Cash maintained on the books of the Custodian (including its branches, subsidiaries and affiliates), regardless of currency denomination, is maintained in bank accounts established under, and subject to the laws of, The Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

S ECTION  4.6. C OLLECTION OF I NCOME . The Custodian shall use reasonable commercial efforts to collect all income and other payments with respect to the Foreign Assets held hereunder to which the Portfolios shall be entitled and shall credit such income, as collected, to the applicable Portfolio. In the event that extraordinary measures are required to collect such income, the Fund and the Custodian shall consult as to such measures and as to the compensation and expenses of the Custodian relating to such measures.

S ECTION  4.7 S HAREHOLDER R IGHTS . The Custodian shall deliver to the Fund, in the most expeditious manner practicable, all forms of proxies, all notices of meetings, and any other notices or announcements affecting or relating to securities owned by one or more of the Fund’s Portfolios that are received by the Custodian, any Sub-Custodian, or any nominee of either of them (or with the exercise of reasonable care that the Custodian, any Sub-Custodian, or any nominee of either of them should have become aware), and, upon receipt of Proper Instructions, the Custodian shall execute and deliver, or cause such Sub-Custodian or nominee to execute and deliver, such proxies or other authorizations as may be required. The Custodian recognizes that this requirement applies to all securities and that the Fund’s investments in non-U.S. securities may entail proxies and notices, which, for the avoidance of doubt, are subject to this Agreement. With respect to the foreign securities held pursuant to this Section 4, the Custodian shall use reasonable commercial efforts to facilitate the exercise of voting and other shareholder rights, subject to the laws, regulations and practical constraints that may exist in the country where such securities are issued. In the event that the Fund invests in non-U.S. securities in a market in which the Custodian does not offer proxy voting services, the Custodian shall promptly notify the Fund. Except as directed pursuant to Proper Instructions, neither the Custodian nor any Sub-Custodian or nominee shall vote upon any such securities, or execute any proxy to vote thereon, or give any consent or take any other action with respect thereto. In the event that the Custodian is unable to vote upon any such securities in accordance with Proper Instructions for any reason including, but not limited to, the failure of the Fund to deliver any necessary powers of attorney or other documentation, the Custodian shall promptly notify (subject to market practices and rules) the Fund. The Fund acknowledges that local conditions, including lack of regulation, onerous procedural obligations, lack of notice and other factors may have the effect of severely limiting the ability of the Fund to exercise shareholder rights.

 

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S ECTION  4.8. C OMMUNICATIONS R ELATING TO F OREIGN P ORTFOLIO S ECURITIES . The Custodian shall transmit promptly to the Fund written information with respect to materials received by the Custodian via the Eligible Foreign Custodians from issuers of the foreign securities being held for the account of the Portfolios. With respect to tender or exchange offers, the Custodian shall transmit promptly to the Fund written information with respect to materials so received by the Custodian from issuers of the foreign securities whose tender or exchange is sought or from the party (or its agents) making the tender or exchange offer. The Custodian shall not be liable for any untimely exercise of any tender, exchange or other right or power in connection with foreign securities or other property of the Portfolios at any time held by it unless (i) the Custodian or the respective Eligible Foreign Custodian is in actual possession of such foreign securities or property and (ii) the Custodian receives Proper Instructions with regard to the exercise of any such right or power, and both (i) and (ii) occur at least three business days prior to the date on which the Custodian is to take action to exercise such right or power. The Custodian shall also transmit promptly to the Fund all written information received by the Custodian via the Eligible Foreign Custodians from issuers of the foreign securities being held for the account of the Fund regarding any class action or other collective litigation relating to foreign securities or other assets issued outside the United States and then held, or previously held, during the relevant class-action period during the term of this Agreement by the Custodian for the account of the Fund, including, but not limited to, opt-out notices and proof-of-claim forms. The Custodian will not support class-action participation by the Fund beyond such forwarding of written information received by the Custodian. For avoidance of doubt, upon and after the effective date of any termination of this Agreement, the Custodian shall have no responsibility to so transmit any information under this Section 4.8.

S ECTION  4.9. C ONTRACTS W ITH E LIGIBLE F OREIGN C USTODIANS . Each contract pursuant to which the Custodian employs an Eligible Foreign Custodian shall meet the requirements of Rule 17f-5 and, to the extent possible, require the Eligible Foreign Custodian to exercise reasonable care in the performance of its duties and to indemnify and hold harmless the Custodian from and against any loss, damage, cost, expense, liability or claim arising out of or in connection with the Eligible Foreign Custodian’s performance of such obligations. The foregoing notwithstanding, the Custodian acting as Foreign Custody Manager of a Portfolio is subject to the standard of care provided in Section 16.1 of this Agreement and is liable for the actions or omissions of a sub-custodian as provided in Section 17. At the Fund’s election, the Fund shall be entitled to be subrogated to the rights of the Custodian with respect to any claims against an Eligible Foreign Custodian as a consequence of any such loss, damage, cost, expense, liability or claim if and to the extent that the Fund has not been made whole for any such loss, damage, cost, expense, liability or claim. In no event shall the Custodian be obligated to bring suit in its own name or to allow suit to be brought in its name.

S ECTION  4.10. P ROVISION OF I NFORMATION . At the request of the Fund, the Custodian shall promptly provide to the Fund all information relating to the Fund, or any of its Portfolio’s, cash, securities, and other assets which may be reasonably requested by the Fund in order to determine the amount to be paid to the Custodian under Section 15 hereof. Such information shall be delivered to the Fund at such time(s) and in such form(s) specified by the Fund.

 

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S ECTION  5. C ONTRACTUAL S ETTLEMENT S ERVICES (P URCHASE / S ALES )

S ECTION  5.1 The Custodian shall, in accordance with the terms set out in this section, debit or credit the appropriate cash account of each Portfolio in connection with (i) the purchase of securities for such Portfolio, and (ii) proceeds of the sale of securities held on behalf of such Portfolio, on a contractual settlement basis.

S ECTION  5.2 The services described above (the “ Contractual Settlement Services ”) shall be provided for such instruments and in such markets as the Custodian may advise from time to time. The Custodian may terminate or suspend any part of the provision of the Contractual Settlement Services under this Agreement at its sole discretion immediately upon notice to the Fund on behalf of each Portfolio, including, without limitation, in the event of force majeure events affecting settlement, any disorder in markets, or other changed external business circumstances affecting the markets or the Fund, provided that the Custodian shall be acting within the standard of care set forth in Section 16.1.

S ECTION  5.3 The consideration payable in connection with a purchase transaction shall be debited from the appropriate cash account of the Portfolio as of the time and date that monies would ordinarily be required to settle such transaction in the applicable market. The Custodian shall promptly recredit such amount at the time that the Portfolio or the Fund notifies the Custodian by Proper Instruction that such transaction has been canceled.

S ECTION  5.4 With respect to the settlement of a sale of securities, a provisional credit of an amount equal to the net sale price for the transaction (the “ Settlement Amount ”) shall be made to the account of the Portfolio as if the Settlement Amount had been received as of the close of business on the date that monies would ordinarily be available in good funds in the applicable market. Such provisional credit will be made conditional upon the Custodian having received Proper Instructions with respect to, or reasonable notice of, the transaction, as applicable; and the Custodian or its agents having possession of the asset(s) (which shall exclude assets subject to any third party lending arrangement entered into by a Portfolio) associated with the transaction in good deliverable form and not being aware of any facts which would lead them to believe that the transaction will not settle in the time period ordinarily applicable to such transactions in the applicable market.

S ECTION  5.5. Simultaneously with the making of such provisional credit, the Portfolio agrees that the Custodian shall have, and hereby grants to the Custodian, a security interest in any property at any time held for the account of the Portfolio to the full extent of the credited amount, and each Portfolio hereby pledges, assigns and grants to the Custodian a continuing security interest and a lien on any and all such property under the Custodian’s possession, in accordance with the terms of this Agreement. In the event that the applicable Portfolio fails to promptly repay any provisional credit, the Custodian shall have all of the rights and remedies of a secured party under the Uniform Commercial Code of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

S ECTION  5.6 The Custodian shall have the right to reverse any provisional credit or debit given in connection with the Contractual Settlement Services at any time when the Custodian

 

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believes, in its reasonable judgment, that such transaction will not settle in accordance with its terms or amounts due pursuant thereto, will not be collectable or where the Custodian has not been provided Proper Instructions with respect thereto, as applicable, and the Portfolio shall be responsible for any costs or liabilities resulting from such reversal. Upon such reversal, a sum equal to the credited or debited amount shall become immediately payable by the Portfolio to the Custodian and may be debited from any cash account held for benefit of the Portfolio.

S ECTION  5.7 In the event that the Custodian is unable to debit an account of the Portfolio, and the Portfolio fails to pay any amount due to the Custodian at the time such amount becomes payable in accordance with this Agreement, (i) the Custodian may charge the Portfolio for reasonable costs and expenses associated with providing the provisional credit, including without limitation the cost of funds associated therewith, (ii) the amount of any accrued dividends, interest and other distributions with respect to assets associated with such transaction may be set off against the credited amount, (iii) the provisional credit and any such costs and expenses shall be considered an advance of cash for purposes of the Agreement and (iv) the Custodian shall have the right to setoff against any property and to sell, exchange, convey, transfer or otherwise dispose of any property at any time held for the account of the Portfolio to the full extent necessary for the Custodian to make itself whole.

 

S ECTION  6. [ R ESERVED ]

 

S ECTION  7. P AYMENTS FOR S ALES OR R EPURCHASES OR R EDEMPTIONS OF S HARES

The Custodian shall receive from the distributor of the Shares or from the Fund’s transfer agent (the “ Transfer Agent ”), as the case may be, and deposit into the account of the appropriate Portfolio such payments as are received for Shares, in Creation Unit aggregations, thereof issued or sold from time to time by the Fund. The Custodian will provide timely notification to the Fund on behalf of each such Portfolio and the Transfer Agent of any receipt by it of payments for Shares of such Portfolio.

From such funds and securities as may be available for the purpose, the Custodian shall, upon receipt of instructions from the Transfer Agent, make funds and securities available for payment to, or in accordance with the instructions of, Authorized Participants (as defined in the Prospectus) who have delivered to the Transfer Agent proper instructions for the redemption or repurchase of their Shares, in Creation Unit aggregations, which shall have been accepted by the Transfer Agent, the applicable Fund Securities (as defined in the Prospectus) (or such securities in lieu thereof as may be designated by the investment adviser of the Fund in accordance with the Prospectus) for such Portfolio and the Cash Redemption Amount (as defined in the Prospectus), if applicable, less any applicable Redemption Transaction Fee (as defined in the Prospectus). The Custodian will transfer the applicable Fund Securities to or on the order of the Authorized Participant. Any cash redemption payment (less any applicable Redemption Transaction Fee) due to the Authorized Participant on redemption shall be effected through the DTC (as defined in the Prospectus) system or through wire transfer in the case of redemptions effected outside of the DTC system.

 

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S ECTION  8. P ROPER I NSTRUCTIONS

“Proper Instructions ,” which may also be standing instructions, shall mean instructions received by the Custodian from the Fund, its Investment Advisor, or a person or entity duly authorized by either of them. Such instructions may be in writing signed by the authorized person or persons or may be in a tested communication or in a communication utilizing access codes effected between electro-mechanical or electronic devices or may be by such other means and utilizing such intermediary systems and utilities as may be agreed from time to time by the Custodian and the person(s) or entity giving such instruction, provided that the Fund has followed any security procedures agreed to from time to time by the Fund and the Custodian including, but not limited to, the security procedures selected by the Fund via the form of Funds Transfer Addendum hereto, the terms of which are hereby agreed to. The Custodian may agree to accept oral instructions, and in such case oral instructions will be considered Proper Instructions. The Fund shall cause all oral instructions to be confirmed in writing. The Custodian shall be entitled conclusively to rely and act upon Proper Instructions until the Custodian has received notice of any change from the Fund and has had a reasonable time to implement such change. The Custodian may act on a Proper Instruction if it reasonably believes it contains sufficient information, and may refrain from acting on any Proper Instructions until such time that it has determined, in its sole discretion, that is has received any required clarification and/or authentication of Proper Instructions, provided the Custodian shall be acting within the standard of care set forth in Section 16.1. The Custodian may rely upon and shall be protected in acting upon any instructions, notice, request, consent, certificate or other instrument or paper believed by it in good faith to be genuine and to have been properly executed by or on behalf of the Fund.

If the Custodian is not provided with reasonable time to execute a Proper Instruction (including any Proper Instruction not to execute, or any other modification to, a prior Proper Instruction) the Custodian will use good faith efforts to execute the Proper Instruction but will not be responsible or liable if such efforts are not successful (including any inability to change any actions that the Custodian had taken pursuant to the prior Proper Instruction) provided that the Custodian has acted within the standard of care set forth in Section 16.1. The inclusion of a statement of purpose or intent (or any similar notation) in a Proper Instruction shall not impose any additional obligations on the Custodian or condition or qualify its authority to effect such Proper Instruction. The Custodian will not assume a duty to ensure that the stated purpose or intent is fulfilled, and will have no responsibility or liability when it follows the Proper Instruction without regard to such purpose or intent provided that the Custodian has acted within the standard of care set forth in Section 16.1.

Concurrently with the execution of this Agreement, and from time to time thereafter, as appropriate, the Fund shall deliver to the Custodian an officer’s certificate setting forth the names, titles, signatures and scope of authority of all persons authorized to give Proper Instructions or any other notice, request, direction, instruction, certificate or instrument on behalf of the Fund. Such certificate may be accepted and conclusively relied upon by the Custodian and shall be considered to be in full force and effect until receipt by the Custodian of a similar certificate to the contrary.

 

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S ECTION  9. [R ESERVED ]

 

S ECTION  10. A CTIONS P ERMITTED WITHOUT E XPRESS A UTHORITY

The Custodian may in its discretion, without express authority from the Fund on behalf of each applicable Portfolio, but otherwise acting within the standard of care set forth in Section 16.1:

 

  1) Make payments to itself or others for minor expenses of handling securities or other similar items relating to its duties under this Agreement; provided that all such payments shall be accounted for to the Fund on behalf of the Portfolio;

 

  2) Surrender securities in temporary form for securities in definitive form;

 

  3) Endorse for collection, in the name of the Portfolio, checks, drafts and other negotiable instruments; and

 

  4) In general, attend to all non-discretionary details in connection with the sale, exchange, substitution, purchase, transfer and other dealings with the securities and property of the Portfolio except as otherwise directed by the Board.

 

S ECTION  11. D UTIES OF C USTODIAN WITH R ESPECT TO THE B OOKS OF A CCOUNT AND C ALCULATION OF N ET A SSET V ALUE AND N ET I NCOME

The Custodian shall cooperate with and supply necessary information to the entity or entities appointed by the Board to keep the books of account of each Portfolio and/or compute the net asset value per Share of the outstanding Shares or, if directed in writing to do so by the Fund on behalf of a Portfolio, shall itself keep such books of account and/or compute such net asset value per Share. The Custodian shall transmit the net asset value per share of each Portfolio to the Transfer Agent, the Distributor, the NYSE and such other entities as directed in writing by the Fund. If and as so directed, the Custodian shall also calculate daily the net income of the Portfolio as described in the Prospectus and shall advise the Fund and the Transfer Agent daily of the total amounts of such net income and, if instructed in writing by an officer of the Fund to do so, shall advise the Transfer Agent periodically of the division of such net income among its various components. The calculations of the net asset value per Share and the daily income of each Portfolio shall be made at the time or times described from time to time in the Prospectus. The Custodian shall on each day a Portfolio is open for the purchase or redemption of Shares of such Portfolio compute the number of Shares of each Deposit Security (as defined in the Prospectus) to be included in the current Fund Deposit (as defined in the Prospectus) and the Fund Securities (as defined in the Prospectus) and shall transmit such information to the NSCC.

The Fund acknowledges and agrees that, with respect to investments maintained with the Underlying Transfer Agent, the Underlying Transfer Agent is the sole source of information on the number of shares of a fund held by it on behalf of a Portfolio and that the Custodian has the right to rely on holdings information furnished by the Underlying Transfer Agent to the Custodian in performing its duties under this Agreement, including without limitation, the duties set forth in this Section 11 and in Section 12 hereof; provided, however, that the Custodian shall be obligated to reconcile information as to purchases and sales of Underlying Shares contained in trade instructions and confirmations received by the Custodian and to report promptly any discrepancies to the Underlying Transfer Agent.

 

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S ECTION  12. R ECORDS

The Custodian shall with respect to each Portfolio create and maintain all records relating to its activities and obligations under this Agreement in such manner as will meet the obligations of the Fund under the 1940 Act, with particular attention to section 31 thereof and Rules 31a-1 and 31a-2 thereunder. All such records shall be the property of the Fund, copies shall be furnished promptly to the Fund or any successor custodian upon request and shall at all times during the regular business hours of the Custodian be open for inspection by duly authorized officers, employees or agents of the Fund and employees and agents of the SEC. The Custodian shall, at the Fund’s request, supply the Fund with a tabulation of securities owned by each Portfolio and held by the Custodian and shall, when requested to do so by the Fund and for such compensation as shall be agreed upon between the Fund and the Custodian, include certificate numbers in such tabulations. In the event that the Custodian is requested or authorized by the Fund, or required by subpoena, administrative order, court order or other legal process, applicable law or regulation, or required in connection with any investigation, examination or inspection of the Fund by state or federal regulatory agencies, to produce the records of the Fund or the Custodian’s personnel as witnesses or deponents, the Fund agrees to pay the Custodian for the Custodian’s time and reasonable expenses, as well as the reasonable fees and expenses of the Custodian’s counsel, incurred in such production.

 

S ECTION  13. O PINION OF F UND S I NDEPENDENT A CCOUNTANT

The Custodian shall take all reasonable action, as the Fund with respect to a Portfolio may from time to time request, to obtain from year to year favorable opinions from the Fund’s independent accountants with respect to its activities hereunder in connection with the preparation of the Fund’s Form N-1A, Form N-CSR and Form N-SAR or other periodic reports to the SEC and with respect to any other requirements thereof.

The Custodian shall cooperate with the Fund’s independent public accountants and shall take all reasonable actions in the performance of its obligations under this Agreement to provide such information, as may be reasonably requested by the Fund from time to time, to such accountants for the expression of their opinion.

 

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S ECTION  14. R EPORTS TO F UND BY I NDEPENDENT P UBLIC A CCOUNTANTS

The Custodian shall provide the Fund, on behalf of each of the Portfolios at such times as the Fund may reasonably require, with reports by independent public accountants on the accounting system, internal accounting control and procedures for safeguarding securities, futures contracts and options on futures contracts, including securities deposited and/or maintained in a U.S. Securities System or a Foreign Securities System (either, a “ Securities System ”), relating to the services provided by the Custodian under this Agreement; such reports, shall be of sufficient scope and in sufficient detail, as may reasonably be required by the Fund to provide reasonable assurance that any material inadequacies would be disclosed by such examination, and, if there are no such inadequacies, the reports shall so state.

 

S ECTION  15. C OMPENSATION OF C USTODIAN

The Custodian shall be entitled to reasonable compensation for its services and reasonable expenses as Custodian, as agreed upon from time to time between the Fund on behalf of each applicable Portfolio and the Custodian.

 

S ECTION  16. R ESPONSIBILITY OF C USTODIAN

S ECTION  16.1 S TANDARD OF C ARE . In performing the services hereunder, the Custodian shall act without negligence, willful misconduct, willful misfeasance, fraud, bad faith, reckless disregard of its duties and obligations under this Agreement and with the reasonable care, prudence, diligence, and skill that may be reasonably expected of a leading provider of custody services in carrying out all of its duties and obligations under this Agreement. The Custodian shall be kept indemnified by and shall be without liability to the Fund for any action taken or omitted by it in good faith without negligence; provided that, the Custodian shall not be indemnified against any liability (or any expenses incident to such liability) arising out of the Custodian’s failure to exercise its standard of care set out in this Section 16.1.

Except as may arise from the Custodian’s failure to exercise its standard of care, the Custodian shall be without liability to the Fund for any loss or expense resulting from or caused by: (i) events or circumstances beyond the reasonable control of the Custodian or any sub-custodian or Securities System or any agent or nominee of any of the foregoing, including, without limitation, the interruption, suspension or restriction of trading on or the closure of any securities market, power or other mechanical or technological failures or interruptions, computer viruses or communications disruptions, work stoppages, natural disasters, or other similar events or acts; (ii) errors by the Fund or its duly authorized investment manager or investment adviser in their instructions to the Custodian provided such instructions have been in accordance with this Agreement; (iii) any delay or failure of any broker, agent or intermediary, central bank or other commercially prevalent payment or clearing system to deliver to the Custodian’s sub-custodian or agent securities purchased or in the remittance or payment made in connection with securities sold; (iv) any delay or failure of any company, corporation, or other body in charge of registering or transferring securities in the

 

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name of the Custodian, the Fund, the Custodian’s sub-custodians, nominees or agents or any consequential losses arising out of such delay or failure to transfer such securities including non-receipt of bonus, dividends and rights and other accretions or benefits; (v) delays or inability to perform its duties due to any disorder in market infrastructure with respect to any particular security or Securities System; and (vi) any provision of any present or future law or regulation or order of the United States of America, or any state thereof, or any foreign country, or political subdivision thereof or of any court of competent jurisdiction. The Custodian shall be without liability to the Fund or any Portfolio for any loss or expense resulting from or caused by anything that is part of Country Risk.

S ECTION  16.2 D ISASTER R ECOVERY /B USINESS C ONTINUITY . The Custodian shall, at no additional expense to the Fund, take reasonable steps to minimize service interruptions in the event of equipment failure, work stoppage, governmental action, communication disruption or other impossibility of performance beyond the Custodian’s control. The Custodian shall enter into and shall maintain in effect at all times during the term of this Agreement with appropriate parties one or more agreements making reasonable provision for (i) periodic back-up of the computer files and data with respect to the Fund and (ii) emergency use of electronic data processing equipment to provide services under this Agreement. Upon reasonable request, the Custodian shall discuss with the Fund any business continuity/disaster recovery plan of the Custodian and/or provide a high-level presentation summarizing such plan. The Custodian represents that its business continuity plan is appropriate for its business as a provider of custodian services to investment companies registered under the 1940 Act.

S ECTION  16.3 S PECIAL OR C ONSEQUENTIAL D AMAGES . Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, neither party shall be liable for any indirect, special or consequential damages; provided that the foregoing limitation shall not apply with respect to damages or claims arising out of or relating to that party’s fraud or willful misconduct.

S ECTION  16.4 P AYMENT OF M ONEY . If the Fund on behalf of a Portfolio requires the Custodian to take any action with respect to securities, which action involves the payment of money or which action may, in the opinion of the Custodian, result in the Custodian or its nominee assigned to the Fund or the Portfolio being liable for the payment of money or incurring liability of some other form, the Fund on behalf of the Portfolio, as a prerequisite to requiring the Custodian to take such action, shall provide indemnity to the Custodian in an amount and form satisfactory to it.

S ECTION  16.5 M ITIGATION BY C USTODIAN . Upon the occurrence of any event which causes or may cause any loss, damage or expense to the Fund or any Portfolio, (i) the Custodian shall promptly notify the Fund or Portfolio of the occurrence of such event, (ii) the Custodian shall cause any applicable sub-custodian to, and (iii) the Custodian shall use its best efforts to cause any applicable sub-custodian or Eligible Securities Depository to, use all commercially reasonable efforts and take all reasonable steps under the circumstances to mitigate the effects of such event and to avoid continuing harm to the Fund and its Portfolios.

 

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S ECTION  16.6. A DVICE OF C OUNSEL . The Custodian shall be entitled to rely on and may act upon advice of counsel (who may be counsel for the Fund) on all matters, and shall be without liability for any action reasonably taken or omitted pursuant to such advice provided however, with respect to the performance of any action or omission of any action upon such advice, the Custodian shall be acting within the standard of care set forth in Section 16.1. The Custodian shall promptly notify the Fund of the receipt of such advice.

S ECTION  16.7. L IEN If the Custodian, its affiliates, subsidiaries or agents advances cash or securities to the Fund for any purpose (including but not limited to securities settlements, foreign exchange contracts and assumed settlement), or in the event that the Custodian or its nominee shall incur or be assessed any taxes, charges, expenses, assessments, claims or liabilities in connection with the performance of this Agreement, except such as may arise from its or its nominee’s own negligent action, negligent failure to act or willful misconduct, or if the Fund fails to compensate the Custodian pursuant to Section 15 hereof, any property at any time held for the account of the applicable Portfolio shall be security therefor and should the Fund fail to pay or reimburse the Custodian promptly, the Custodian shall be entitled to utilize available cash and to dispose of such Portfolio’s assets to the extent necessary to obtain payment or reimbursement. The Custodian may at any time decline to follow Proper Instructions to deliver out to the Fund cash or securities if the Custodian determines in its reasonable discretion that, after giving effect to the Proper Instructions, the cash or securities remaining will not have sufficient value fully to secure the Fund’s payment or reimbursement obligations, whether contingent or otherwise, and Custodian shall promptly notify the Fund of such action.

 

S ECTION  17. L IABILITY OF C USTODIAN FOR A CTIONS OF O THER P ERSONS .

S ECTION  17.1 D OMESTIC S UB -C USTODIANS , F OREIGN S UB -C USTODIANS . The Custodian shall be liable for the actions or omissions of any domestic sub-custodian or any foreign sub-custodian to the same extent as if such action or omission was performed by the Custodian itself, taking into account established market practices and local laws prevailing in the jurisdiction in which the acts and omissions of such sub-custodian occur. In the event of any loss, damage or expense suffered or incurred by the Fund caused by or resulting from the actions or omissions of any domestic sub-custodian or foreign sub-custodian for which the Custodian would otherwise be liable, the Custodian shall promptly reimburse the Fund in the amount of any such loss, damage or expense. The Custodian shall be without liability for any loss, damage or expense caused by or resulting from the insolvency of any domestic sub-custodian or foreign sub-custodian that is not a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Custodian; provided, however, that the foregoing exculpation of the Custodian with respect to the insolvency of a particular foreign sub-custodian shall not be applicable if the Custodian fails to comply with its obligations under this Agreement or as a Foreign Custody Manager pursuant to Rule 17f-5 with respect to such foreign sub-custodian. For the avoidance of doubt, if the Custodian has met its standard of care hereunder and has fulfilled its obligations as a Foreign Custody Manager pursuant to Rule 17f-5 with respect to a foreign sub-custodian, then the Custodian shall be without liability for any loss, damage or expense caused by or resulting from the insolvency of such foreign sub-custodian.

 

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S ECTION  17.2 S PECIAL S UB -C USTODIANS A ND A DDITIONAL C USTODIANS . Except as otherwise provided in any sub-custodian agreement to which the Custodian, the Fund and any Special Sub-Custodian or additional custodian are parties, the Custodian shall not be liable to the Fund for any loss, damage or expense suffered or incurred by the Fund or any of its Portfolios resulting from the actions or omissions of a Special Sub-Custodian or additional custodian, unless such loss, damage or expense is caused by, or arises from, the failure of the Custodian to meet its standard of care as set out in Section 16.1 of this Agreement; provided however, that in the event of any such loss, damage or expense, the Custodian shall take all reasonable steps to enforce such rights as it may have against any Special Sub-Custodian or additional custodian to protect the interests of the Fund and its Portfolios. The Custodian shall be without liability for any loss, damage or expense caused by or resulting from the insolvency of any Special Sub-Custodian or additional custodian.

S ECTION  17.3 S ECURITIES S YSTEMS . The Custodian shall not be liable to the Fund for any loss, damage or expense suffered or incurred by the Fund or any of its Portfolios resulting from the use by the Custodian of a Securities System, unless such loss, damage or expense is caused by, or arises from the failure of the Custodian to meet its standard of care as set out in Section 16.1 of this Agreement; provided however, that in the event of any such loss, damage or expense, the Custodian shall take all reasonable steps to enforce such rights as it may have against the Securities System to protect the interests of the Fund and its Portfolios. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Custodian shall be without liability for any loss, damage or expense caused by or resulting from the insolvency of any Securities System.

S ECTION  18. E FFECTIVE P ERIOD , T ERMINATION AND A MENDMENT . This Agreement shall remain in full force and effect for an initial term ending March 31, 2019 (the “ Initial Term ”). After the expiration of the Initial Term, this Agreement shall automatically renew for successive one-year terms (each, a “ Renewal Term ”) unless a written notice of non-renewal is delivered by the non-renewing party no later than ninety (90) days prior to the expiration of the Initial Term or any Renewal Term, as the case may be. During the Initial Term and thereafter, either party may terminate this Agreement: (i) in the event of the other party’s material breach of a material provision of this Agreement that the other party has either (a) failed to cure or (b) failed to establish a remedial plan to cure that is reasonably acceptable, within 60 days’ written notice of such breach, (ii) in the event of the appointment of a conservator or receiver for the other party or upon the happening of a like event to the other party at the direction of an appropriate agency or court of competent jurisdiction, or (iii) based upon the Fund’s determination that there is a reasonable basis to conclude that the Custodian is insolvent or that the financial condition of the Custodian is deteriorating in any material respect.

Upon termination of this Agreement pursuant to this Section with respect to the Fund or a Portfolio, the Fund shall pay Custodian its compensation due and shall reimburse Custodian for its costs, expenses and disbursements except, if termination is based on termination for a material breach of this Agreement coupled with the Custodian’s failure to meet its standard of care under this Agreement, less any losses or damages caused by such event.

 

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The provisions of Sections 6, 15, 16, 17 and 22.10 of this Agreement shall survive termination of this Agreement for any reason.

This Agreement may be amended by a written agreement executed by both parties.

 

S ECTION  19. S UCCESSOR C USTODIAN

If a successor custodian for the Fund shall be appointed by the Board, the Custodian shall, upon termination, deliver to such successor custodian at the office of the Custodian, duly endorsed and in the form for transfer, all securities, funds and other properties of the Fund then held by it hereunder and shall transfer to an account of the successor custodian all of the securities of the Fund held in a Securities System or at the Underlying Transfer Agent. If directed by the Fund, the Custodian will provide the services hereunder until a replacement custodian is in place, for a reasonable period of time not to exceed nine months, subject to the terms of this Agreement, including compensation. The Custodian will also provide reasonable assistance to its successor, for such transfer, subject to the payment of such reasonable expenses and charges as the Custodian customarily charges for such assistance.

If no such successor custodian shall be appointed, the Custodian shall, in like manner, upon receipt of a Proper Instruction, deliver at the office of the Custodian and transfer such securities, funds and other properties in accordance with such Proper Instruction.

In the event that no Proper Instruction designating a successor custodian or alternative arrnagments shall have been delivered to the Custodian on or before the date when such termination shall become effective, then the Custodian shall have the right to deliver to a bank or trust company, which is a “bank” as defined in the 1940 Act, doing business in Boston, Massachusetts, or New York, New York, of its own selection, all securities, funds and other properties held by the Custodian hereunder and all instruments held by the Custodian relative thereto and all other property held by it under this Agreement on behalf of the Fund, and to transfer to an account of such successor custodian all of the Fund’s securities held in any Securities System or at the Underlying Transfer Agent. Thereafter, such bank or trust company shall be the successor of the Custodian under this Agreement.

In the event that securities, funds and other properties remain in the possession of the Custodian after the date of termination hereof owing to failure of the Fund to to provide Proper Instructions as aforesaid, the Custodian shall be entitled to fair compensation for its services during such period as the Custodian retains possession of such securities, funds and other properties and the provisions of this Agreement relating to the duties and obligations of the Custodian shall remain in full force and effect.

S ECTION  20. R EMOTE A CCESS S ERVICES A DDENDUM . The Custodian and the Fund agree to be bound by the terms of the Remote Access Services Addendum hereto.

S ECTION  21. L OAN S ERVICES A DDENDUM . In the event the Fund directs Custodian in writing to perform loan services, Custodian and the Fund hereby agree to be bound by the terms of the Loan Services Addendum attached hereto and the Fund shall reimburse Custodian for its fees and expenses related thereto as agreed upon from time to time in writing by the Fund and Custodian.

 

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S ECTION  22. G ENERAL .

S ECTION  22.1 G OVERNING L AW . This Agreement shall be construed and the provisions thereof interpreted under and in accordance with laws of state of New York.

S ECTION  22.2 P RIOR A GREEMENTS . This Agreement supersedes and terminates, as of the date hereof, all prior agreements between the Fund on behalf of each of the Portfolios and the Custodian relating to the custody of the Fund’s assets.

S ECTION  22.3 A SSIGNMENT . This Agreement may not be assigned by (a) the Fund without the written consent of the Custodian or (b) by the Custodian without the written consent of the Fund, except that the Custodian may assign this Agreement to a successor of all or a substantial portion of its business, or to a party controlling, controlled by or under common control with the Custodian.

S ECTION  22.4 I NTERPRETIVE AND A DDITIONAL P ROVISIONS . In connection with the operation of this Agreement, the Custodian and the Fund on behalf of each of the Portfolios, may from time to time agree on such provisions interpretive of or in addition to the provisions of this Agreement as may in their joint opinion be consistent with the general tenor of this Agreement. Any such interpretive or additional provisions shall be in a writing signed by all parties, provided that no such interpretive or additional provisions shall contravene any applicable laws or regulations or any provision of the Fund’s articles of organization and by-laws or agreement or declaration of trust, as applicable, and Prospectus (collectively, “Governing Documents” ). No interpretive or additional provisions made as provided in the preceding sentence shall be deemed to be an amendment of this Agreement.

S ECTION  22.5 A DDITIONAL F UNDS AND P ORTFOLIOS . In the event that any management investment company in addition to those listed on Appendix A hereto desires to have the Custodian render services as custodian under the terms hereof, it shall so notify the Custodian in writing, and if the Custodian agrees in writing to provide such services, which shall not be unreasonably withheld, such management investment company shall become a Fund hereunder and be bound by all terms and conditions and provisions hereof including, without limitation, the representations and warranties set forth in Section 22.6 below. In the event that the Fund establishes one or more additional series of Shares with respect to which it desires to have the Custodian render services as custodian under the terms hereof, it shall so notify the Custodian in writing, and if the Custodian agrees in writing to provide such services, such series of Shares shall become a Portfolio hereunder.

S ECTION  22.6 T HE P ARTIES . In the case of a series corporation, trust or other entity, all references herein to the “Portfolio” are to the individual series or portfolio of such corporation, trust or other entity, or to such corporation, trust or other entity on behalf of the individual series or portfolio, as appropriate. Any reference in this Agreement to “the parties” shall mean the Custodian and the Fund. The Fund hereby represents and warrants that (a) it is a statutory trust, duly organized,

 

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existing and in good standing under the laws of its state of formation; (b) it has the requisite power and authority under applicable laws and by its Declaration of Trust and By-laws to enter into and perform this Agreement; (c) all requisite proceedings have been taken to authorize it to enter into and perform this Agreement; (d) it is an investment company properly registered with the SEC under the 1940 Act; (e) the Registration Statement been filed and will be effective and remain effective during the term of this Agreement; the Fund also warrants to the Custodian that as of the effective date of this Agreement, all necessary filings under the securities laws of the states in which the Trust offers or sells its shares have been made; (f) no legal or administrative proceedings have been instituted or threatened which would impair the Fund’s ability to perform its duties and obligations under this Agreement; (g) its entrance into this Agreement will not cause a material breach or be in material conflict with any other agreement or obligation of the Fund or any law or regulation applicable to it; (h) as of the close of business on the date of this Agreement, the Fund is authorized to issue unlimited shares of beneficial interest; and (i) it has all necessary right, title, intellectual property, licenses, consents and content as may be necessary for the Fund to operate as presently contemplated. The Custodian hereby represents and warrants that (a) it is a Massachusetts trust company, duly organized and existing under the laws of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts; (b) it has the organizational power and authority to carry on its business in The Commonwealth of Massachusetts; (c) all requisite organizational proceedings have been taken to authorize it to enter into and perform this Agreement; (d) no legal or administrative proceedings have been instituted or threatened which would materially impair the Custodian’s ability to perform its duties and obligations under this Agreement; (e) its entrance into this Agreement shall not cause a material breach or be in material conflict with any other agreement or obligation of the Custodian or any law or regulation applicable to it; (f) it has and will continue to have access to the necessary facilities, equipment and personnel to perform its duties and obligations under this Agreement; (g) it will promptly notify the Fund in the event that the Custodian is for any reason unable to perform any of its obligations under this Agreement;(h) it will promptly notify the Fund, except as may be prohibited by applicable law, of any legal, regulatory or administrative proceedings that have been instituted, which would materially impair the Custodian’s ability to perform its duties and obligations under this Agreement; and (i) the various procedures and systems which it has implemented with regard to safeguarding from loss or damage attributable to fire, theft or any other cause, the Fund’s records and other data and the Custodian’s records, data equipment facilities and other property used in the performance of its obligations hereunder are adequate and it will make such changes therein from time to time as it may deem reasonably necessary for the secure performance of its obligations hereunder. Each of the Fund and the Custodian further represents and warrants that it will promptly notify the other party if any of the above representations and warranties applicable to it ceases to be true or if it is unable to perform its obligations under this Agreement for any reason.

S ECTION  22.7 N OTICES . All notices, requests, claims, demands and other communications required or permitted to be given under this agreement shall be in writing and shall be delivered by hand or sent by an internationally recognized overnight courier service with signature required for delivery, by facsimile where a confirmation of receipt is obtained, provided, however, that if sent by facsimile the written communication must also be sent by next business day delivery via an internationally recognized overnight courier service with signature required for delivery, or by registered or certified mail (postage prepaid, return receipt requested) to the respective parties hereto at the following addresses:

 

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To the Fund:

   W ISDOMTREE T RUST
   380 Madison Avenue, 21 st Floor
   New York, NY 10017
   Attn: Legal Department
   Facsimile: 917-267-3851

To the Custodian:

   S TATE S TREET B ANK AND T RUST C OMPANY
   1200 Crown Colony Drive
   Quincy, MA 02169
   Attention: Matthew H. Malkasian
   Telephone: 617-537-4685
   Facsimile: 617-451-4786

with a copy to:

   State Street Bank and Trust Company
   2 Avenue de Lafayette
   Boston, MA 02111
   Attention: US Investor Services Legal Team, Senior Managing Counsel
   Telephone: (617) 662-1783
   Facsimile: (617) 662-2702

All such communications so addressed shall be deemed given (i) when delivered, if delivered personally to the intended recipient, or if sent by an internationally recognized courier service with signature required for delivery, or if sent by facsimile and a confirmation of receipt is obtained, and the written communication has also be sent for next business day delivery via a internationally recognized courier service with signature required for delivery (ii) three business days after being mailed if sent by certified or registered mail, postage prepaid, return receipt requested, or upon delivery if actual delivery occurs earlier.

S ECTION  22.8 C OUNTERPARTS . This Agreement may be executed in several counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, and all such counterparts taken together shall constitute one and the same Agreement . Counterparts may be executed in either original or electronically transmitted form (e.g., faxes or emailed portable document format (PDF) form), and the parties hereby adopt as original any signatures received via electronically transmitted form.

S ECTION  22.9 S EVERABILITY . If any provision or provisions of this Agreement shall be held to be invalid, unlawful or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired. The failure of a party hereto to insist upon strict adherence to any term of this Agreement on any occasion or the failure of a party hereto to exercise or any delay in exercising any right or remedy under this Agreement shall not constitute a waiver of any such term, right or remedy or a

 

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waiver of any other rights or remedies, and no single or partial exercise of any right or remedy under this Agreement shall prevent any further exercise of the right or remedy or the exercise of any other right or remedy. Any waiver must be in writing signed by the waiving party.

S ECTION  22.10 C ONFIDENTIALITY . The parties hereto agree that each shall treat confidentially all information provided by each party to the other party regarding its business and operations, including information related to the development of new Funds or new Portfolios (“ Confidential Information ”). All Confidential Information provided by a party hereto shall be used by any other party hereto solely for the purpose of rendering or receiving services pursuant to this Agreement and, except as may be required in carrying out this Agreement, shall not be disclosed to any third party. The foregoing shall not be applicable to any information (i) that is publicly available when provided or thereafter becomes publicly available, other than through a breach of this Agreement, (ii) that is independently derived by any party hereto without the use of any information provided by the other party hereto in connection with this Agreement, (iii) that is disclosed, upon prior notice to the party whose information is being disclosed (to the extent that such notice is permissible), in the manner and to the extent required in any legal or regulatory proceeding, investigation, audit, examination, subpoena, civil investigative demand or other similar process, or by operation of law or regulation, or (iv) where the party seeking to disclose has received the prior written consent of the party providing the information, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Custodian and its affiliates may report and use nonpublic portfolio holdings information of its clients, including the Fund or Portfolio, on an aggregated basis with all or substantially all other client information and without specific reference to any Fund or Portfolio, provided that the Custodian shall be acting within the standard of care set forth in Section 16.1. Notwithstanding the foregoing, each party acknowledges that the other party may provide access to and use of confidential information relating to the other party to the disclosing party’s employees, affiliates, contractors, agents, professional advisors, auditors or persons performing similar functions, as necessary solely for the purpose of rendering services under this Agreement , provided that each person or entity shall be subject to confidentiality obligations substantially similar to those set forth herein. Further, each party agrees and represents that in no case would information it receives under this Agreement be used against the other party in a manner that is adverse to the other party’s interests (including the other party’s interests in competitive businesses). Nothing herein shall prohibit or restrict the right of each party (or its affiliates) to develop, use or market products or services similar to or competitive with those of the other party (or its affiliates) provided that any such development, use or marketing does not violate the confidentiality obligations set forth herein. Additionally, each party acknowledges that the other party (or its affiliates) may already possess or have developed products or services similar to or competitive with those of the other party.

The Custodian will employ reasonable safeguards designed to protect the Fund’s Confidential Information, which may include but are not limited to the use of encryption technologies, passwords and any other safeguards the Custodian may choose to employ. To the extent that Custodian’s affiliates or other permitted agents or subcontractors have access to Confidential Information, Custodian shall require that such entities are subject to terms governing

 

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confidentiality and security of such information that are substantially similar to those set forth in this Agreement. At all times, Custodian shall remain responsible and liable for such entities’ compliance with the terms of Section 22.13.

Custodian agrees to notify promptly the Fund of any breach of this Section 22.10 or Section 22.13 and to provide the Fund with details as to the nature and extent of the breach, including, but not limited to, the type of confidential or personal information disclosed and the identity of the recipients of such information.

To the extent reasonably possible, shareholder information made available to third parties by Custodian will be provided on a non-disclosed basis (that is, without information disclosing the identity of the shareholder).

S ECTION  22.11 R EPRODUCTION OF D OCUMENTS . This Agreement and all schedules, addenda, exhibits, appendices, attachments and amendments hereto may be reproduced by any photographic, photostatic, microfilm, micro-card, miniature photographic or other similar process. The parties hereto all/each agree that any such reproduction shall be admissible in evidence as the original itself in any judicial or administrative proceeding, whether or not the original is in existence and whether or not such reproduction was made by a party in the regular course of business, and that any enlargement, facsimile or further reproduction of such reproduction shall likewise be admissible in evidence.

S ECTION  22.12 R EGULATION GG . The Fund hereby represents and warrants that it does not engage in an “Internet gambling business,” as such term is defined in Section 233.2(r) of Federal Reserve Regulation GG (12 CFR 233) (“ Regulation GG ”). The Fund hereby covenants that it shall not engage in an Internet gambling business. In accordance with Regulation GG, the Fund is hereby notified that “restricted transactions,” as such term is defined in Section 233.2(y) of Regulation GG, are prohibited in any dealings with the Custodian pursuant to this Agreement or otherwise between or among any party hereto.

S ECTION  22.13 D ATA P RIVACY . The Custodian will implement and maintain a written information security program that contains appropriate security measures to safeguard the personal information of the Fund’s shareholders, employees, directors and/or officers that the Custodian receives, stores, maintains, processes or otherwise accesses in connection with the provision of services hereunder. For these purposes, “personal information” shall mean (i) an individual’s name (first initial and last name or first name and last name), address or telephone number plus (a) Social Security number, (b) driver’s license number, (c) state identification card number, (d) debit or credit card number, (e) financial account number or (f) personal identification number or password that would permit access to a person’s account, or (ii) any combination of the foregoing that would allow a person to log onto or access an individual’s account. Notwithstanding the foregoing “personal information” shall not include information that is lawfully obtained from publicly available information, or from federal, state or local government records lawfully made available to the general public.

 

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S ECTION  22.14 S HAREHOLDER C OMMUNICATIONS E LECTION . SEC Rule 14b-2 requires banks which hold securities for the account of customers to respond to requests by issuers of securities for the names, addresses and holdings of beneficial owners of securities of that issuer held by the bank unless the beneficial owner has expressly objected to disclosure of this information. In order to comply with the rule, as may be applicable, the Custodian needs the Fund to indicate whether it authorizes the Custodian to provide the Fund’s name, address, and share position to requesting companies whose securities the Fund owns. If the Fund tells the Custodian “no,” the Custodian will not provide this information to requesting companies. If the Fund tells the Custodian “yes” or does not check either “yes” or “no” below, the Custodian is required by the rule, as applicable, to treat the Fund as consenting to disclosure of this information for all securities owned by the Fund or any funds or accounts established by the Fund. For the Fund’s protection, the rule, as applicable, prohibits the requesting company from using the Fund’s name and address for any purpose other than corporate communications. Please indicate below whether the Fund consents or objects by checking one of the alternatives below.

 

YES [    ]   The Custodian is authorized to release the Fund’s name, address, and share positions.
NO   [X]   The Custodian is not authorized to release the Fund’s name, address, and share positions.

S ECTION  22.15. L IMITATION OF L IABILITY OF THE T RUSTEES AND S HAREHOLDERS . This Agreement is executed by the Fund with respect to each of its Portfolios and the obligations hereunder are not binding upon any of the trustees, officers or shareholders of the Fund individually. Notwithstanding any other provision in this Agreement to the contrary, each and every obligation, liability or undertaking of a particular Portfolio under this Agreement shall constitute solely an obligation, liability or undertaking of, and be binding upon, the Fund and shall be payable solely from the available assets of such particular Portfolio and shall not be binding upon or affect any assets of any other Portfolio.

S ECTION  22.16. I NSURANCE . The Custodian shall at all times during the term of this Agreement maintain, at its cost, insurance coverage regarding its business in such amount and scope as it deems adequate in connection with the services provided by the Custodian under this Agreement. Upon the Fund’s reasonable request, which in no event shall be more than once annually, the Custodian shall furnish to the Fund a summary of the Custodian’s applicable insurance coverage.

[Remainder of page intentionally left blank]

 

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S IGNATURE P AGE

I N W ITNESS W HEREOF , each of the parties has caused this instrument to be executed in its name and behalf by its duly authorized representative under seal as of the date first above-written.

 

E ACH M ANAGEMENT I NVESTMENT C OMPANY I DENTIFIED ON A PPENDIX A H ERETO
By:  

/s/ Jonathan Steinberg

  Jonathan Steinberg
  President
S TATE S TREET B ANK AND T RUST C OMPANY
By:  

/s/ Michael F. Rogers

  Michael F. Rogers
  Executive Vice President


AMENDMENT TO

MASTER CUSTODIAN AGREEMENT,

ADMINISTRATION AGREEMENT,

AND TRANSFER AGENCY AND SERVICE AGREEMENT

This Amendment to the Master Custodian Agreement, Administration Agreement, and Transfer Agency and Service Agreement (the “Amendment”) is made as of January 13, 2014 by and between each management investment company identified on Schedule A or Appendix A thereto, as applicable (each, a “Trust”), and State Street Bank and Trust Company, a Massachusetts trust company (the “State Street”).

WHEREAS, the Trust and State Street entered into a Master Custodian Agreement, an Administration Agreement, and a Transfer Agency and Service Agreement, each dated as of September 27, 2013 (as amended, supplemented, restated or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Custody Agreement”, the “Administration Agreement”, the “Transfer Agency Agreement,” and collectively the “Agreements”); and

WHEREAS, State Street and the Trust desire to amend the Agreements as more particularly set forth below.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and the mutual covenants and agreements hereinafter contained, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereby agree as follows:

 

1. Amendment with respect to the Custody Agreement .

Section 22.7 of the Custody Agreement is hereby deleted in its entirety and replaced with the following:

“S ECTION 22.7 N OTICES . All notices, requests, claims, demands and other communications required or permitted to be given under this agreement shall be in writing and shall be delivered by hand or sent by an internationally recognized overnight courier service with signature required for delivery, by facsimile where a confirmation of receipt is obtained, provided, however, that if sent by facsimile the written communication must also be sent by next business day delivery via an internationally recognized overnight courier service with signature required for delivery, or by registered or certified mail (postage prepaid, return receipt requested) to the respective parties at the following addresses or such other addresses as may be notified by any party from time to time:

 

To the Fund:    W ISDOM T REE T RUST
   245 Park Avenue
   35th Floor
   New York, NY 10167
   Attn: Legal Department
   Facsimile: 917-267-3851

 

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To the Custodian:    S TATE S TREET B ANK AND T RUST C OMPANY
   1200 Crown Colony Drive
   Quincy, MA 02169
   Attention: Matthew H. Malkasian
   Telephone: 617-537-4685
   Facsimile: 617-451-4786
with a copy to:    State Street Bank and Trust Company
   2 Avenue de Lafayette
   Boston, MA 02111
   Attention: US Investor Services Legal Team, Senior Managing Counsel
   Telephone: (617) 662-1783
   Facsimile: (617) 662-2702

All such communications so addressed shall be deemed given (i) when delivered, if delivered personally to the intended recipient, or if sent by an internationally recognized courier service with signature required for delivery, or if sent by facsimile and a confirmation of receipt is obtained, and the written communication has also be sent for next business day delivery via a internationally recognized courier service with signature required for delivery (ii) three business days after being mailed if sent by certified or registered mail, postage prepaid, return receipt requested, or upon delivery if actual delivery occurs earlier.”

 

2. Amendment with respect to the Administration Agreement .

Section 13 of the Administration Agreement is hereby deleted in its entirety and replaced with the following:

 

  “13. NOTICES

All notices, requests, claims, demands and other communications required or permitted to be given under this agreement shall be in writing and shall be delivered by hand or sent by an internationally recognized overnight courier service with signature required for delivery, by facsimile where a confirmation of receipt is obtained, provided, however, that if sent by facsimile the written communication must also be sent by next business day delivery via an internationally recognized overnight courier service with signature required for delivery, or by registered or certified mail (postage prepaid, return receipt requested) to the respective parties at the following addresses or such other addresses as may be notified by any party from time to time:

 

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If to the Trust:

WisdomTree Trust

245 Park Avenue

35th Floor

New York, NY 10167

Attn: Legal Department

Facsimile: 917-267-3851

If to the Administrator:

State Street Bank and Trust Company

P.O. Box 5049

Boston, MA 02206-5049

Attn: US Investor Services Legal Team, Senior Managing Counsel

Facsimile: 617-662-2702

All such communications so addressed shall be deemed given (i) when delivered, if delivered personally to the intended recipient, or if sent by an internationally recognized courier service with signature required for delivery, or if sent by facsimile and a confirmation of receipt is obtained, and the written communication has also be sent for next business day delivery via a internationally recognized courier service with signature required for delivery (ii) three business days after being mailed if sent by certified or registered mail, postage prepaid, return receipt requested, or upon delivery if actual delivery occurs earlier.”

 

3. Amendment with respect to the Transfer Agency Agreement .

Section 15.12 of the Transfer Agency Agreement is hereby deleted in its entirety and replaced with the following:

“15.12 Notices . All notices, requests, claims, demands and other communications required or permitted to be given under this agreement shall be in writing and shall be delivered by hand or sent by an internationally recognized overnight courier service with signature required for delivery, by facsimile where a confirmation of receipt is obtained, provided, however, that if sent by facsimile the written communication must also be sent by next business day delivery via an internationally recognized overnight courier service with signature required for delivery, or by registered or certified mail (postage prepaid, return receipt requested) to the respective parties at the following addresses or such other addresses as may be notified by any party from time to time:

 

  (a) If to Transfer Agent, to:

State Street Bank and Trust Company

200 Clarendon Street, 16th Floor

Boston, Massachusetts 02116

Attention: Sheila McClorey, Transfer Agent Vice President

Telephone: (617) 662-9681

Facsimile: (617) 956-5648

 

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With a copy to:

State Street Bank and Trust Company

2 Avenue de Lafayette, 2nd Floor (LCC/2)

Boston, MA 02110

Attn: US Investor Services Legal Team, Senior Managing Counsel

Telephone: (617) 662-1783

Facsimile: (617) 662-2702

 

  (b) If to the Trust, to:

WisdomTree Trust

245 Park Avenue

35th Floor

New York, NY 10167

Attn: Legal Department

Facsimile: 917-267-3851

All such communications so addressed shall be deemed given (i) when delivered, if delivered personally to the intended recipient, or if sent by an internationally recognized courier service with signature required for delivery, or if sent by facsimile and a confirmation of receipt is obtained, and the written communication has also be sent for next business day delivery via a internationally recognized courier service with signature required for delivery (ii) three business days after being mailed if sent by certified or registered mail, postage prepaid, return receipt requested, or upon delivery if actual delivery occurs earlier.”

 

4. Miscellaneous .

 

  (a) Except as expressly amended hereby, all provisions of the Agreements shall remain in full force and effect.

 

  (b) The Trust hereby confirms that Schedule A or Appendix A, as applicable, to the Agreements is true, correct and complete in all respects as of the date hereof.

 

  (c) This Amendment may be executed 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.

[Remainder of page intentionally left blank.]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Amendment to be executed by their officers designated below as of the date first written above.

 

STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY
By:  

/s/ Michael F. Rogers

Name:   Michael F. Rogers
Title:   Executive Vice President
EACH MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT COMPANY
IDENTIFIED ON SCHEDULE A OR APPENDIX A,

AS APPLICABLE, TO THE AGREEMENTS

By:  

/s/ Jonathan Steinberg

Name:   Jonathan Steinberg
Title:   President

 

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APPENDIX A

TO

M ASTER C USTODIAN A GREEMENT

WisdomTree Trust

WisdomTree Total Dividend Fund

WisdomTree Equity Income Fund

WisdomTree DEFA Fund

WisdomTree DEFA Equity Income Fund

WisdomTree Asia Pacific ex-Japan Fund

WisdomTree Australia Dividend Fund

WisdomTree Global Equity Income Fund

WisdomTree Japan Hedged Equity Fund

WisdomTree Global ex-U.S. Growth Fund

WisdomTree Dividend ex-Financials Fund

WisdomTree LargeCap Dividend Fund

WisdomTree MidCap Dividend Fund

WisdomTree SmallCap Dividend Fund

WisdomTree Japan SmallCap Dividend Fund

WisdomTree Europe SmallCap Dividend Fund

WisdomTree International LargeCap Dividend Fund

WisdomTree International Dividend ex-Financials Fund

WisdomTree International MidCap Dividend Fund

WisdomTree International SmallCap Dividend Fund

WisdomTree Commodity Country Equity Fund

WisdomTree Global Natural Resources Fund

WisdomTree Global ex-U.S. Utilities Fund

WisdomTree Total Earnings Fund

WisdomTree Earnings 500 Fund

WisdomTree MidCap Earnings Fund

WisdomTree SmallCap Earnings Fund

WisdomTree LargeCap Value Fund

WisdomTree Global ex-U.S. Real Estate Fund

WisdomTree India Earnings Fund

WisdomTree Emerging Markets Equity Income Fund

WisdomTree Emerging Markets SmallCap Dividend Fund

WisdomTree Middle East Dividend Fund

WisdomTree Australian & New Zealand Debt Fund

WisdomTree Euro Debt Fund

WisdomTree Brazilian Real Fund

WisdomTree Chinese Yuan Fund

WisdomTree Indian Rupee Fund

WisdomTree Europe Hedged Equity Fund

WisdomTree Emerging Markets Local Debt Fund

WisdomTree Commodity Currency Fund

WisdomTree Managed Futures Strategy Fund

WisdomTree Asia Local Debt Fund

 

App-1


WisdomTree Global Real Return Fund

WisdomTree Emerging Markets Corporate Bond Fund

WisdomTree China Dividend ex-Financials Fund

WisdomTree Global Corporate Bond Fund

WisdomTree Emerging Currency Strategy Fund

WisdomTree U.S. Dividend Growth Fund

WisdomTree U.S. SmallCap Dividend Growth Fund

WisdomTree United Kingdom Hedged Equity Fund

WisdomTree Japan Hedged SmallCap Equity Fund

WisdomTree Emerging Markets Dividend Growth Fund

WisdomTree Emerging Markets Consumer Growth Fund

WisdomTree Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Zero Duration Fund

WisdomTree Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Negative Duration Fund

WisdomTree BofA Merrill Lynch High Yield Bond Zero Duration Fund

WisdomTree BofA Merrill Lynch High Yield Bond Negative Duration Fund

WisdomTree Bloomberg Floating Rate Treasury Fund

WisdomTree Bloomberg U.S. Dollar Bullish Fund

WisdomTree Japan Interest Rate Strategy Fund

WisdomTree Germany Hedged Equity Fund

WisdomTree Korea Hedged Equity Fund

WisdomTree Japan Hedged Real Estate Fund

WisdomTree Japan Hedged Financials Fund

WisdomTree Japan Hedged Capital Goods Fund

WisdomTree Japan Hedged Health Care Fund

WisdomTree Japan Hedged Tech, Media & Telecom Fund

 

App-2


SCHEDULE D

TO

M ASTER C USTODIAN A GREEMENT

S PECIAL S UB -C USTODIANS

None

 

D-1

A DMINISTRATION A GREEMENT

This Agreement made as of September 27, 2013, and to have an effective date with respect to a Portfolio (as defined below) on or about March 31, 2014 or on a date that is mutually agreed upon in writing by the Administrator (as defined below) and the relevant Trust (as defined below), is by and between each management investment company identified on Schedule A hereto (each such investment company and each management investment company made subject to this Agreement in accordance with Section 18 below shall hereinafter be referred to as a “Trust”) and State Street Bank and Trust Company, a Massachusetts trust company (the “Administrator”).

WHEREAS, the Trust is an open-end management investment company currently comprised of a single or multiple series (each, a “Fund” and collectively, the “Funds”), and is registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) by means of a registration statement (“Registration Statement”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (“1933 Act”), and the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”); and

WHEREAS, the Trust desires to retain the Administrator to furnish certain administrative services to the Trust, and the Administrator is willing to furnish such services, on the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement.

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

 

1. A PPOINTMENT OF A DMINISTRATOR

The Trust hereby appoints the Administrator to act as administrator to the Trust for purposes of providing certain administrative services for the period and on the terms set forth in this Agreement. The Administrator accepts such appointment and agrees to render the services stated herein.

 

2. D ELIVERY OF D OCUMENTS

The Trust will promptly deliver to the Administrator copies of each of the following documents and all future amendments and supplements, if any:

 

  a. The Trust’s Declaration of Trust and By-laws;

 

  b. The Trust’s currently effective Registration Statement under the 1933 Act and the 1940 Act and each Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) relating to the Fund(s) and all amendments and supplements thereto as in effect from time to time;

 

  c. Copies of the resolutions of the Board of Trustees of the Trust (the “Board”) certified by the Trust’s Secretary authorizing (1) the Trust to enter into this Agreement and (2) certain individuals on behalf of the Trust to (a) give instructions to the Administrator pursuant to this Agreement and (b) sign checks and pay expenses;


  d. A copy of the investment advisory agreement between the Trust and its investment adviser; and

 

  e. Such other certificates, documents or opinions which the Administrator may, in its reasonable discretion, deem necessary or appropriate in the proper performance of its duties.

 

3. R EPRESENTATIONS AND W ARRANTIES OF THE A DMINISTRATOR

The Administrator represents and warrants to the Trust that:

 

  a. It is a Massachusetts trust company, duly organized and existing under the laws of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts;

 

  b. It has the organizational power and authority to carry on its business in The Commonwealth of Massachusetts;

 

  c. All requisite organizational proceedings have been taken to authorize it to enter into and perform this Agreement;

 

  d. No legal or administrative proceedings have been instituted or threatened which would materially impair the Administrator’s ability to perform its duties and obligations under this Agreement;

 

  e. Its entrance into this Agreement shall not cause a material breach or be in material conflict with any other agreement or obligation of the Administrator or any law or regulation applicable to it;

 

  f. It has and will continue to have access to the necessary facilities, equipment and personnel to perform its duties and obligations under this Agreement;

 

  g. It will promptly notify the Trust in the event that the Administrator is for any reason unable to perform any of its obligations under this Agreement;

 

  h. It will promptly notify the Trust, except as may be prohibited by applicable law, of any legal, regulatory or administrative proceedings that have been instituted, which would materially impair the Administrator’s ability to perform its duties and obligations under this Agreement; and

 

  i.

The various procedures and systems which it has implemented with regard to safeguarding from loss or damage attributable to fire, theft or any other cause, the Trust’s records and other data and the Administrator’s records, data equipment facilities and other property used in the performance of its obligations hereunder

 

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  are adequate and it will make such changes therein from time to time as it may deem reasonably necessary for the secure performance of its obligations hereunder.

The Administrator further represents and warrants that it will promptly notify the Trust if any of the above ceases to be true or if it is unable to perform its obligations under this Agreement for any reason.

 

4. R EPRESENTATIONS AND W ARRANTIES OF THE T RUST

The Trust represents and warrants to the Administrator that:

 

  a. It is a statutory trust, duly organized, existing and in good standing under the laws of its state of formation;

 

  b. It has the requisite power and authority under applicable laws and by its Declaration of Trust and By-laws to enter into and perform this Agreement;

 

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

 

  d. It is an investment company properly registered with the SEC under the 1940 Act;

 

  e. The Registration Statement been filed and will be effective and remain effective during the term of this Agreement. The Trust also warrants to the Administrator that as of the effective date of this Agreement, all necessary filings under the securities laws of the states in which the Trust offers or sells its shares have been made;

 

  f. No legal or administrative proceedings have been instituted or threatened which would impair the Trust’s ability to perform its duties and obligations under this Agreement;

 

  g. Its entrance into this Agreement will not cause a material breach or be in material conflict with any other agreement or obligation of the Trust or any law or regulation applicable to it;

 

  h. As of the close of business on the date of this Agreement, the Trust is authorized to issue unlimited shares of beneficial interest;

 

  i. It has all necessary right, title, intellectual property, licenses, consents and content as may be necessary for the Trust to operate as presently contemplated.

The Trust further represents and warrants that it will promptly notify the Administrator if any of the above ceases to be true or if it is unable to perform its obligations under this Agreement for any reason.

 

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5. A DMINISTRATION S ERVICES

The Administrator shall provide the services as listed on Schedule B, subject to the authorization and direction of the Trust and, in each case where appropriate, the review and comment by the Trust’s independent accountants and legal counsel and in accordance with procedures which may be established from time to time between the Trust and the Administrator.

The Administrator shall perform such other services for the Trust that are mutually agreed to by the parties from time to time, for which the Trust will pay such fees as may be mutually agreed upon, including the Administrator’s reasonable out-of-pocket expenses. The provision of such services shall be subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement.

The Administrator shall provide the office facilities and the personnel determined by it to perform the services contemplated herein.

In performing the services hereunder, the Administrator shall comply with the applicable provisions of the Trust’s current Prospectus(es) and SAI(s), and effective amendments thereto. The Trust shall promptly provide the Administrator with copies of such material as soon as available and, upon request, copies of any applicable resolutions by the Trust’s Board of Trustees which relate to its shares.

 

6. F EES ; E XPENSES ; E XPENSE R EIMBURSEMENT

The Administrator shall receive from the Trust such compensation for the Administrator’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. In addition, the Trust, on behalf of each Fund, agrees to reimburse the Administrator for its reasonable out-of-pocket costs set out in the fee schedule. All rights of compensation and expense reimbursement under this Agreement for services performed as of the termination date shall survive the termination of this Agreement.

The Trust agrees promptly to reimburse the Administrator for any equipment and supplies specially ordered by or for the Trust through the Administrator and for any other expenses not contemplated by this Agreement that the Administrator may incur on the Trust’s behalf at the Trust’s request or with the Trust’s consent.

Each of the Trust and the Administrator will bear its own expenses. In particular, the Trust, will bear all Trust expenses that are incurred by the Trust, or by the Administrator on the Trust’s behalf (e.g., typesetting, XBRL-tagging, page changes and all other print vendor and EDGAR charges), in its operation unless otherwise assumed by the Administrator, including as part of the services or as otherwise mutually agreed in writing by the Trust and the Administrator.

 

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From time to time, the Administrator is authorized to and may employ, associate or contract with such person or persons as the Administrator may deem desirable to assist it in performing its duties under this Agreement; provided, however, that the compensation of such person or persons shall be paid by the Administrator and that the Administrator shall be as fully responsible to the Trust for the acts and omissions of any such person or persons as it is for its own acts and omissions. As mutually agreed by the Fund and the Administrator, but in any event at least annually, the Administrator shall discuss with the Fund any assistance the Administrator has deemed desirable in performing its duties under this Agreement.

 

7. P ROPER I NSTRUCTIONS AND A DVICE

a. The Trust or any other person duly authorized by the Trust shall communicate to the Administrator by means of Proper Instructions (as defined in Section 7.a. below). Proper Instructions shall mean (i) a writing signed or initialed by one or more persons as the Board of Trustees of the Trust, or the delegate of the Board (including Trust officers), shall have from time to time authorized or (ii) communication effected directly between the Trust or its third-party agents and the Administrator by electro-mechanical or electronic devices, provided that the Trust and the Administrator agree to security procedures. The Administrator may rely upon any Proper Instruction reasonably believed by it to be genuine and to have been properly issued by or on behalf of the Trust. Oral instructions shall be considered Proper Instructions if the Administrator reasonably believes them to have been given by a person authorized to give such instructions; provided, however, that the Trust shall cause all authorized oral instructions to be confirmed in accordance with clauses (i) or (ii) above, as appropriate.

b. At any time, the Administrator may apply to any officer of the Trust or his or her designee for instructions and may consult with the independent accountants for the Trust, with respect to any matter arising in connection with the services to be performed by the Administrator under this Agreement. Where circumstances arise that the Administrator believes advice from counsel may be necessary, the Administrator will notify the Trust. The Administrator shall be entitled to rely on and may act upon advice of counsel (who may be counsel for the Trust) on all matters, and shall be without liability for any action reasonably taken or omitted pursuant to such advice provided, however, with respect to the performance of any action or omission of any action upon such advice, the Administrator shall be acting within the standard of care set forth in Section 8. The Administrator shall promptly notify the Trust of the receipt of such advice. The Administrator shall not be held to have notice of any change of authority of any person until receipt of written notice thereof from the Trust. Nothing in this section shall be construed as imposing upon the Administrator any obligation to seek instructions or advice.

 

8. L IMITATION OF L IABILITY AND I NDEMNIFICATION

The Administrator shall be responsible for the performance only of such duties as are set forth in this Agreement and, except as otherwise provided under Section 6, shall have no responsibility for the actions or activities of any other party, including other service providers. The Administrator shall at all times act in good faith and without negligence and agrees to exercise the care and expertise of a leading provider of fund administration and fund accounting services in carrying out the provisions of this Agreement and use all reasonable efforts in performing the

 

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services under this Agreement. The Administrator shall be kept indemnified by and shall be without liability to the Trust for any action taken or omitted by it in good faith without negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct in connection with the provision of services hereunder, provided that the Administrator shall not be indemnified against any liability (or any expenses incident to such liability) arising out of the Administrator’s own bad faith, negligence, willful misconduct or disregard of its duties and obligations under this Agreement. The Administrator shall have no liability in respect of any loss, damage or expense suffered by the Trust insofar as such loss, damage or expense arises directly from the performance of the Administrator’s duties hereunder in reliance upon records that were maintained for the Trust by entities other than the Administrator prior to the Administrator’s appointment as administrator for the Trust (“Prior Records”) except as may arise from Administrator’s own negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct or the negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct of an agent of the Administrator provided that the Administrator shall notify the Trust as soon as practicable after becoming aware in the course of performing its duties hereunder of an error or incomplete information in such Prior Records. For the avoidance of doubt, the Administrator shall have no responsibility to review, confirm or otherwise verify the accuracy or completeness of any Prior Records. The Administrator shall have no liability for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss or damage resulting from the performance or nonperformance of its duties hereunder except to the extent arising directly from the failure to exercise the standard of care set out in this Section 8 or the bad faith, negligence or willful misconduct of the Administrator, its agents, officers or employees.

Except as may arise from the Administrator’s failure to exercise its standard of care, the Administrator 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 control, including without limitation, work stoppage, power or other mechanical failure, computer virus, natural disaster, governmental action or communication disruption.

The Administrator shall, at no additional expense to the Trust, take reasonable steps to minimize service interruptions in the event of equipment failure, work stoppage, governmental action, communication disruption or other impossibility of performance beyond the Administrator’s control. The Administrator shall enter into and shall maintain in effect at all times during the term of this Agreement with appropriate parties one or more agreements making reasonable provision, at a level the Administrator believes consistent with other similarly situated providers of fund administration services, for (i) periodic back-up of the computer files and data with respect to the Trust and (ii) emergency use of electronic data processing equipment to provide services under this Agreement. Upon reasonable request, the Administrator shall discuss with the Trust any business continuity/disaster recovery plan of the Administrator and/or provide a high-level presentation summarizing such plan.

Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, neither party shall be liable for any indirect, special or consequential damages; provided that the foregoing limitation shall not apply with respect to damages or claims arising out of or relating to that party’s fraud or willful misconduct.

In any event, except as otherwise agreed to in writing by the parties hereto, the Administrator’s cumulative liability for each calendar year (a “Liability Period”) with respect to

 

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the Trust under this Agreement regardless of the form of action or legal theory shall be limited to its total annual compensation earned and fees payable hereunder during the preceding Compensation Period, as defined herein, for any liability or loss suffered by the Trust including, but not limited to, any liability relating to qualification of the Trust as a regulated investment company or any liability relating to the Trust’s compliance with any federal or state tax or securities statute, regulation or ruling during such Liability Period. “Compensation Period” shall mean the calendar year ending immediately prior to each Liability Period in which the event(s) giving rise to the Administrator’s liability for that period have occurred. For any partial first year, the annual cumulative liability hereunder shall be the Administrator’s total compensation earned and fees payable hereunder during such partial first year on an annualized basis.

The limitation of liability and indemnification contained herein shall survive the termination of this Agreement.

 

9. C ONFIDENTIALITY

The parties hereto agree that each shall treat confidentially all information provided by each party to the other party regarding its business and operations, including information related to the development of new Trusts or new series. The Administrator shall treat confidentially all information obtained in the ordinary course of performing its duties hereunder about the Trust’s prior, present or potential shareholders or relative to the advisor or distributor and their prior, present or potential customers (including all “personal information” described in Section 17 of this Agreement). All confidential information provided by a party hereto shall be used by any other party hereto solely for the purpose of rendering or receiving services pursuant to this Agreement and, except as may be required in carrying out this Agreement, shall not be disclosed to any third party. The foregoing shall not be applicable to any information (i) that is publicly available when provided or thereafter becomes publicly available, other than through a breach of this Agreement, (ii) that is independently derived by either party hereto without the use of any information provided by the other party hereto in connection with this Agreement, (iii) that is disclosed, upon prior notice to the party whose information is being disclosed (to the extent such notice is permissible), in the manner and to the extent required in any legal or regulatory proceeding, investigation, audit, examination, subpoena, civil investigative demand or other similar process, or by operation of law or regulation, or (iv) where the party seeking to disclose has received the prior written consent of the party providing the information, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld. Notwithstanding the foregoing, each party acknowledges that the other party may provide access to and use of confidential information relating to the other party to the disclosing party’s employees, contractors, agents, professional advisors, auditors or persons performing similar functions, as necessary solely for the purpose of rendering services under this Agreement, provided that each person or entity shall be subject to confidentiality obligations substantially similar to those set forth herein. Further, each party agrees and represents that in no case would information it receives under this Agreement be used against the other party in a manner that is adverse to the other party’s interests (including the other party’s interests in competitive businesses). Nothing herein shall prohibit or restrict the right of each party (or its affiliates) to develop, use or market products or services similar to or competitive with those of the other party (or its affiliates) provided that any such development, use or marketing does not violate the confidentiality obligations set forth herein. Additionally, each party acknowledges that the other party (or its affiliates) may already possess or have developed products or services similar to or competitive with those of the other party.

 

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The Administrator will employ reasonable safeguards designed to protect the Trust’s confidential information, which may include but are not limited to the use of encryption technologies, passwords and any other safeguards the Administrator may choose to employ. If either party becomes aware of a breach of this confidentiality provision, it will notify promptly the other party of such breach and provide such details as it deems appropriate and in accordance with the standard of care hereunder regarding the extent of the breach of confidentiality.

To the extent reasonably possible, shareholder information made available to third parties by the Administrator will be provided on a non-disclosed basis (that is, without information disclosing the identity of the shareholder). The Administrator affirms that it has, and will continue to have throughout the term of this Agreement, procedures in place that are reasonably designed to protect the privacy of non-public personal consumer/customer financial information to the extent required by applicable laws, rules and regulations.

The undertakings and obligations contained in this Section shall survive the termination or expiration of this Agreement.

 

10. C OMPLIANCE WITH G OVERNMENTAL R ULES AND R EGULATIONS ; R ECORDS

The Administrator agrees to perform its duties hereunder in accordance with applicable law; however, the Administrator assumes no responsibility for ensuring that the Trust complies with all securities, tax, commodities and other laws, rules and regulations applicable to the Trust.

In compliance with the requirements of Rule 31a-3 under the 1940 Act, the Administrator agrees that all records which it maintains for the Trust shall at all times remain the property of the Trust, shall be readily accessible during normal business hours, and shall be promptly surrendered upon the termination of the Agreement or otherwise on written request except as otherwise provided in Section 12. The Administrator further agrees that all records that it maintains for the Trust pursuant to Rule 31a-1 under the 1940 Act will be preserved for the periods prescribed by Rule 31a-2 under the 1940 Act unless any such records are earlier surrendered as provided above. Records may be surrendered in either written or machine-readable form, at the option of the Administrator. Upon the reasonable request of the Trust, copies of any such books and records shall be provided by the Administrator.

 

11. S ERVICES N OT E XCLUSIVE

The services of the Administrator are not to be deemed exclusive, and the Administrator shall be free to render similar services to others. The Administrator shall be deemed to be an independent contractor and shall, unless otherwise expressly provided herein or authorized by the Trust from time to time, have no authority to act or represent the Trust in any way or otherwise be deemed an agent of the Trust.

 

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12. E FFECTIVE P ERIOD AND T ERMINATION

This Agreement shall remain in full force and effect for an initial term ending March 31, 2019 (the “ Initial Term ”). After the expiration of the Initial Term, this Agreement shall automatically renew for successive one-year terms (each, a “ Renewal Term ”) unless a written notice of non-renewal is delivered by the non-renewing party no later than ninety (90) days prior to the expiration of the Initial Term or any Renewal Term, as the case may be. During the Initial Term and thereafter, either party may terminate this Agreement: (i) in the event of the other party’s material breach of a material provision of this Agreement that the other party has either (a) failed to cure or (b) failed to establish a remedial plan to cure that is reasonably acceptable, within 60 days’ written notice of such breach, (ii) in the event of the appointment of a conservator or receiver for the other party or upon the happening of a like event to the other party at the direction of an appropriate agency or court of competent jurisdiction, or (iii) based upon the Trust’s determination that there is a reasonable basis to conclude that the Administrator is insolvent or that the financial condition of the Administrator is deteriorating in any material respect.

Upon termination of this Agreement pursuant to this Section with respect to the Trust or a Fund, the Trust shall pay the Administrator its compensation due and shall reimburse the Administrator for its costs, expenses and disbursements except, if termination is based on termination for a material breach of this Agreement coupled with the Administrator’s failure to meet its standard of care under this Agreement, less any losses or damages caused by such event.

Termination of this Agreement with respect to any one particular Fund shall in no way affect the rights and duties under this Agreement with respect to the Trust or any other Fund.

As soon as reasonably practicable following the termination or expiration of this Agreement, the Administrator agrees to transfer such records and related supporting documentation as are held by it under this Agreement to any replacement provider of the services or to such other person as the Trust may direct. If directed by the Trust, the Administrator will provide the services hereunder until a replacement administrator is in place, for a reasonable period of time up to nine (9) months, subject to the terms of this Agreement, including compensation. The Administrator will also provide reasonable assistance to its successor, for such transfer, subject to the payment of such reasonable expenses and charges as the Administrator customarily charges for such assistance.

 

13. N OTICES

All notices, requests, claims, demands and other communications required or permitted to be given under this agreement shall be in writing and shall be delivered by hand or sent by an internationally recognized overnight courier service with signature required for delivery, by facsimile where a confirmation of receipt is obtained, provided, however, that if sent by facsimile the written communication must also be sent by next business day delivery via an internationally recognized overnight courier service with signature required for delivery, or by registered or certified mail (postage prepaid, return receipt requested) to the respective parties hereto at the following addresses:

 

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If to the Trust:

WisdomTree Trust

380 Madison Avenue, 21 st Floor

New York, NY 10017

Attn: Legal Department

Facsimile: 917-267-3851

If to the Administrator:

State Street Bank and Trust Company

P.O. Box 5049

Boston, MA 02206-5049

Attn: US Investor Services Legal Team, Senior Managing Counsel

Facsimile: 617-662-2702

All such communications so addressed shall be deemed given (i) when delivered, if delivered personally to the intended recipient, or if sent by an internationally recognized courier service with signature required for delivery, or if sent by facsimile and a confirmation of receipt is obtained, and the written communication has also be sent for next business day delivery via a internationally recognized courier service with signature required for delivery (ii) three business days after being mailed if sent by certified or registered mail, postage prepaid, return receipt requested, or upon delivery if actual delivery occurs earlier.

 

14. A MENDMENT

This Agreement may be amended by a written agreement executed by both parties.

 

15. A SSIGNMENT

This Agreement may not be assigned by (a) the Trust without the written consent of the Administrator or (b) by the Administrator without the written consent of the Trust, except that the Administrator may assign this Agreement to a successor of all or a substantial portion of its business, or to a party controlling, controlled by or under common control with the Administrator.

 

16. S UCCESSORS

This Agreement shall be binding on and shall inure to the benefit of the Trust and the Administrator and their respective successors and permitted assigns.

 

17. D ATA P ROTECTION

The Administrator shall implement and maintain a comprehensive written information security program that contains appropriate security measures to safeguard the personal information of the Trust’s shareholders, employees, directors and/or officers that the Administrator receives, stores, maintains, processes or otherwise accesses in connection with the provision of services hereunder. For these purposes, “personal information” shall mean (i) an individual’s name (first initial and last name or first name and last name), address or telephone number plus (a) social

 

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security number, (b) driver’s license number, (c) state identification card number, (d) debit or credit card number, (e) financial account number or (f) personal identification number or password that would permit access to a person’s account or (ii) any combination of the foregoing that would allow a person to log onto or access an individual’s account. Notwithstanding the foregoing “personal information” shall not include information that is lawfully obtained from publicly available information, or from federal, state or local government records lawfully made available to the general public.

 

18. A DDITIONAL T RUSTS AND F UNDS

In the event that any management investment company in addition to those listed on Schedule A hereto desires to have the Administrator render services as administrator under the terms hereof, it shall so notify the Administrator in writing, and if the Administrator agrees in writing to provide such services, which shall not be unreasonably withheld, such management investment company shall become a Trust hereunder and be bound by all terms and conditions and provisions hereof. In the event that the Trust establishes one or more additional series of shares with respect to which it desires to have the Administrator render services as administrator under the terms hereof, it shall so notify the Administrator in writing, and if Administrator agrees in writing to provide such services, such series of shares shall become a Fund hereunder.

 

19. E NTIRE A GREEMENT

This Agreement contains the entire understanding between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all previous representations, warranties or commitments regarding the services to be performed hereunder whether oral or in writing.

 

20. W AIVER

The failure of a party to insist upon strict adherence to any term of this Agreement on any occasion shall not be considered a waiver nor shall it deprive such party of the right thereafter to insist upon strict adherence to that term or any term of this Agreement. Any waiver must be in writing signed by the waiving party.

 

21. S EVERABILITY

If any provision of this Agreement is invalid or unenforceable, the balance of the Agreement shall remain in effect, and if any provision is inapplicable to any person or circumstance it shall nevertheless remain applicable to all other persons and circumstances.

Each party agrees to perform such further acts and execute such further documents as are necessary to effectuate the purposes hereof.

 

22. G OVERNING L AW

This Agreement shall be construed and the provisions thereof interpreted under and in accordance with the laws of the state of New York.

 

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23. R EPRODUCTION OF D OCUMENTS

This Agreement and all schedules, exhibits, attachments and amendments hereto may be reproduced by any photographic, xerographic, photostatic, microfilm, micro-card, miniature photographic or other similar process. The parties hereto all/each agree that any such reproduction shall be admissible in evidence as the original itself in any judicial or administrative proceeding, whether or not the original is in existence and whether or not such reproduction was made by a party in the regular course of business, and that any enlargement, facsimile or further reproduction of such reproduction shall likewise be admissible in evidence.

 

24. C OUNTERPARTS

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.

 

25. L IMITATION OF L IABILITY OF THE T RUSTEES AND S HAREHOLDERS

This Agreement is executed by the Trust with respect to each of its Funds and the obligations hereunder are not binding upon any of the trustees, officers or shareholders of the Trust individually. Notwithstanding any other provision in this Agreement to the contrary, each and every obligation, liability or undertaking of a particular Fund under this Agreement shall constitute solely an obligation, liability or undertaking of, and be binding upon, the Trust and shall be payable solely from the available assets of such particular Fund and shall not be binding upon or affect any assets of any other Fund.

 

26. SSAE 16 R EPORTS

The Administrator will furnish to the Trust, on a semi-annual basis, a report in accordance with Statements on Standards for Attestation Engagements No. 16 (the “SSAE Report”) as well as such other reports and information relating to the Administrator’s policies and procedures and its compliance with such policies and procedures and with the laws applicable to its business and its services, as the parties may mutually agree upon.

 

27. C OOPERATION WITH A CCOUNTANTS

The Administrator shall cooperate with the Trust’s independent public accountants and shall take all reasonable actions in the performance of its obligations under this Agreement to provide such information, as may be reasonably requested by the Trust from time to time, to such accountants for the expression of their opinion.

 

28. I NSURANCE

The Administrator shall at all times during the term of this Agreement maintain, at its cost, insurance coverage regarding its business in such amount and scope as it deems adequate in connection with the services provided by the Administrator under this Agreement. Upon the

 

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Trust’s reasonable request, which in no event shall be more than once annually, the Administrator shall furnish to the Trust a summary of the Administrator’s applicable insurance coverage.

[Remainder of page intentionally left blank.]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed by their officers designated below as of the date first written above.

EACH MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT COMPANY

IDENTIFIED ON SCHEDULE A HERETO

 

By:  

/s/ Jonathan Steinberg

Name:   Jonathan Steinberg
Title:   President

STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY

 

By:  

/s/ Michael F. Rogers

Name:   Michael F. Rogers
Title:   Executive Vice President


AMENDMENT TO

MASTER CUSTODIAN AGREEMENT,

ADMINISTRATION AGREEMENT,

AND TRANSFER AGENCY AND SERVICE AGREEMENT

This Amendment to the Master Custodian Agreement, Administration Agreement, and Transfer Agency and Service Agreement (the “Amendment”) is made as of January 13, 2014 by and between each management investment company identified on Schedule A or Appendix A thereto, as applicable (each, a “Trust”), and State Street Bank and Trust Company, a Massachusetts trust company (the “State Street”).

WHEREAS, the Trust and State Street entered into a Master Custodian Agreement, an Administration Agreement, and a Transfer Agency and Service Agreement, each dated as of September 27, 2013 (as amended, supplemented, restated or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Custody Agreement”, the “Administration Agreement”, the “Transfer Agency Agreement,” and collectively the “Agreements”); and

WHEREAS, State Street and the Trust desire to amend the Agreements as more particularly set forth below.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and the mutual covenants and agreements hereinafter contained, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereby agree as follows:

 

1. Amendment with respect to the Custody Agreement .

Section 22.7 of the Custody Agreement is hereby deleted in its entirety and replaced with the following:

“S ECTION 22.7 N OTICES . All notices, requests, claims, demands and other communications required or permitted to be given under this agreement shall be in writing and shall be delivered by hand or sent by an internationally recognized overnight courier service with signature required for delivery, by facsimile where a confirmation of receipt is obtained, provided, however, that if sent by facsimile the written communication must also be sent by next business day delivery via an internationally recognized overnight courier service with signature required for delivery, or by registered or certified mail (postage prepaid, return receipt requested) to the respective parties at the following addresses or such other addresses as may be notified by any party from time to time:

 

To the Fund:    W ISDOM T REE T RUST
   245 Park Avenue
   35th Floor
   New York, NY 10167
   Attn: Legal Department
   Facsimile: 917-267-3851

 

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To the Custodian:    S TATE S TREET B ANK AND T RUST C OMPANY
   1200 Crown Colony Drive
   Quincy, MA 02169
   Attention: Matthew H. Malkasian
   Telephone: 617-537-4685
   Facsimile: 617-451-4786
with a copy to:    State Street Bank and Trust Company
   2 Avenue de Lafayette
   Boston, MA 02111
   Attention: US Investor Services Legal Team, Senior Managing Counsel
   Telephone: (617) 662-1783
   Facsimile: (617) 662-2702

All such communications so addressed shall be deemed given (i) when delivered, if delivered personally to the intended recipient, or if sent by an internationally recognized courier service with signature required for delivery, or if sent by facsimile and a confirmation of receipt is obtained, and the written communication has also be sent for next business day delivery via a internationally recognized courier service with signature required for delivery (ii) three business days after being mailed if sent by certified or registered mail, postage prepaid, return receipt requested, or upon delivery if actual delivery occurs earlier.”

 

2. Amendment with respect to the Administration Agreement .

Section 13 of the Administration Agreement is hereby deleted in its entirety and replaced with the following:

 

  “13. NOTICES

All notices, requests, claims, demands and other communications required or permitted to be given under this agreement shall be in writing and shall be delivered by hand or sent by an internationally recognized overnight courier service with signature required for delivery, by facsimile where a confirmation of receipt is obtained, provided, however, that if sent by facsimile the written communication must also be sent by next business day delivery via an internationally recognized overnight courier service with signature required for delivery, or by registered or certified mail (postage prepaid, return receipt requested) to the respective parties at the following addresses or such other addresses as may be notified by any party from time to time:

If to the Trust:

WisdomTree Trust

245 Park Avenue

35th Floor

 

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New York, NY 10167

Attn: Legal Department

Facsimile: 917-267-3851

If to the Administrator:

State Street Bank and Trust Company

P.O. Box 5049

Boston, MA 02206-5049

Attn: US Investor Services Legal Team, Senior Managing Counsel

Facsimile: 617-662-2702

All such communications so addressed shall be deemed given (i) when delivered, if delivered personally to the intended recipient, or if sent by an internationally recognized courier service with signature required for delivery, or if sent by facsimile and a confirmation of receipt is obtained, and the written communication has also be sent for next business day delivery via a internationally recognized courier service with signature required for delivery (ii) three business days after being mailed if sent by certified or registered mail, postage prepaid, return receipt requested, or upon delivery if actual delivery occurs earlier.”

 

3. Amendment with respect to the Transfer Agency Agreement .

Section 15.12 of the Transfer Agency Agreement is hereby deleted in its entirety and replaced with the following:

“15.12 Notices . All notices, requests, claims, demands and other communications required or permitted to be given under this agreement shall be in writing and shall be delivered by hand or sent by an internationally recognized overnight courier service with signature required for delivery, by facsimile where a confirmation of receipt is obtained, provided, however, that if sent by facsimile the written communication must also be sent by next business day delivery via an internationally recognized overnight courier service with signature required for delivery, or by registered or certified mail (postage prepaid, return receipt requested) to the respective parties at the following addresses or such other addresses as may be notified by any party from time to time:

 

  (a) If to Transfer Agent, to:

State Street Bank and Trust Company

200 Clarendon Street, 16th Floor

Boston, Massachusetts 02116

Attention: Sheila McClorey, Transfer Agent Vice President

Telephone: (617) 662-9681

Facsimile: (617) 956-5648

With a copy to:

State Street Bank and Trust Company

 

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2 Avenue de Lafayette, 2nd Floor (LCC/2)

Boston, MA 02110

Attn: US Investor Services Legal Team, Senior Managing Counsel

Telephone: (617) 662-1783

Facsimile: (617) 662-2702

 

  (b) If to the Trust, to:

WisdomTree Trust

245 Park Avenue

35th Floor

New York, NY 10167

Attn: Legal Department

Facsimile: 917-267-3851

All such communications so addressed shall be deemed given (i) when delivered, if delivered personally to the intended recipient, or if sent by an internationally recognized courier service with signature required for delivery, or if sent by facsimile and a confirmation of receipt is obtained, and the written communication has also be sent for next business day delivery via a internationally recognized courier service with signature required for delivery (ii) three business days after being mailed if sent by certified or registered mail, postage prepaid, return receipt requested, or upon delivery if actual delivery occurs earlier.”

 

4. Miscellaneous .

 

  (a) Except as expressly amended hereby, all provisions of the Agreements shall remain in full force and effect.

 

  (b) The Trust hereby confirms that Schedule A or Appendix A, as applicable, to the Agreements is true, correct and complete in all respects as of the date hereof.

 

  (c) This Amendment may be executed 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.

[Remainder of page intentionally left blank.]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Amendment to be executed by their officers designated below as of the date first written above.

STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY

 

By:   /s/ Michael F. Rogers
Name:   Michael F. Rogers
Title:   Executive Vice President

EACH MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT COMPANY

IDENTIFIED ON SCHEDULE A OR APPENDIX A,

AS APPLICABLE, TO THE AGREEMENTS

 

By:   /s/ Jonathan Steinberg
Name:   Jonathan Steinberg
Title:   President

 

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ADMINISTRATION AGREEMENT

SCHEDULE A

Listing of Fund(s)

WisdomTree Trust

WisdomTree Total Dividend Fund

WisdomTree Equity Income Fund

WisdomTree DEFA Fund

WisdomTree DEFA Equity Income Fund

WisdomTree Asia Pacific ex-Japan Fund

WisdomTree Australia Dividend Fund

WisdomTree Global Equity Income Fund

WisdomTree Japan Hedged Equity Fund

WisdomTree Global ex-U.S. Growth Fund

WisdomTree Dividend ex-Financials Fund

WisdomTree LargeCap Dividend Fund

WisdomTree MidCap Dividend Fund

WisdomTree SmallCap Dividend Fund

WisdomTree Japan SmallCap Dividend Fund

WisdomTree Europe SmallCap Dividend Fund

WisdomTree International LargeCap Dividend Fund

WisdomTree International Dividend ex-Financials Fund

WisdomTree International MidCap Dividend Fund

WisdomTree International SmallCap Dividend Fund

WisdomTree Commodity Country Equity Fund

WisdomTree Global Natural Resources Fund

WisdomTree Global ex-U.S. Utilities Fund

WisdomTree Total Earnings Fund

WisdomTree Earnings 500 Fund

WisdomTree MidCap Earnings Fund

WisdomTree SmallCap Earnings Fund

WisdomTree LargeCap Value Fund

WisdomTree Global ex-U.S. Real Estate Fund

WisdomTree India Earnings Fund

WisdomTree Emerging Markets Equity Income Fund

WisdomTree Emerging Markets SmallCap Dividend Fund

WisdomTree Middle East Dividend Fund

WisdomTree Australian & New Zealand Debt Fund

WisdomTree Euro Debt Fund

WisdomTree Brazilian Real Fund

WisdomTree Chinese Yuan Fund

WisdomTree Indian Rupee Fund

WisdomTree Europe Hedged Equity Fund

WisdomTree Emerging Markets Local Debt Fund

WisdomTree Commodity Currency Fund


WisdomTree Managed Futures Strategy Fund

WisdomTree Asia Local Debt Fund

WisdomTree Global Real Return Fund

WisdomTree Emerging Markets Corporate Bond Fund

WisdomTree China Dividend ex-Financials Fund

WisdomTree Global Corporate Bond Fund

WisdomTree Emerging Currency Strategy Fund

WisdomTree U.S. Dividend Growth Fund

WisdomTree U.S. SmallCap Dividend Growth Fund

WisdomTree United Kingdom Hedged Equity Fund

WisdomTree Japan Hedged SmallCap Equity Fund

WisdomTree Emerging Markets Dividend Growth Fund

WisdomTree Emerging Markets Consumer Growth Fund

WisdomTree Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Zero Duration Fund

WisdomTree Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Negative Duration Fund

WisdomTree BofA Merrill Lynch High Yield Bond Zero Duration Fund

WisdomTree BofA Merrill Lynch High Yield Bond Negative Duration Fund

WisdomTree Bloomberg Floating Rate Treasury Fund

WisdomTree Bloomberg U.S. Dollar Bullish Fund

WisdomTree Japan Interest Rate Strategy Fund

WisdomTree Germany Hedged Equity Fund

WisdomTree Korea Hedged Equity Fund

WisdomTree Japan Hedged Real Estate Fund

WisdomTree Japan Hedged Financials Fund

WisdomTree Japan Hedged Capital Goods Fund

WisdomTree Japan Hedged Health Care Fund

WisdomTree Japan Hedged Tech, Media & Telecom Fund


ADMINISTRATION AGREEMENT

SCHEDULE B

LIST OF SERVICES

 

I. Fund Administration Treasury Services as described in Schedule B1 attached hereto;

 

II. Fund Administration Tax Services as described in Schedule B2 attached hereto; and

 

III. Fund Administration Legal Services as described in Schedule B3 attached hereto.


Schedule B1

Fund Administration Treasury Services

 

  a. Prepare for the review by designated officer(s) of the Trust and input comments* associated with financial information regarding the Fund(s) that will be included in the Trust’s semi-annual and annual shareholder reports, Form N-Q reports (and arrange for filing of Form N-Q with the SEC) and other quarterly reports (as mutually agreed upon), including notes to the financial statements and tax footnote disclosures where applicable;

 

  b. Prepare the Trust’s financial statements and coordinate the audit of and input comments associated with the Trust’s financial statements by the Trust’s independent accountants, including the preparation of supporting audit workpapers and other schedules while making any other information available at the reasonable request of the auditors or the Trust, including a conference room at the Administrator;

 

  c. Prepare for the review by designated officer(s) of the Trust and input comments associated with the Trust’s periodic financial reports required to be filed with the SEC on Form N-SAR (and arrange for filing of Form N-SAR with the SEC) and performance, expense and other financial information required by Form N-1A, proxy statements and such other reports, forms or filings as may be mutually agreed upon;

 

  d. Prepare for the review by designated officer(s) of the Trust annual fund expense budgets, perform accrual analyses and roll-forward calculations and recommend changes to fund expense accruals on a periodic basis, accrue expenses as instructed and arrange for payment of the Trust’s expenses, review calculations of fees paid to the Trust’s investment adviser, custodian, fund accountant, distributor and transfer agent, and obtain authorization of accrual changes and expense payments;

 

  e. Provide periodic testing of the Fund(s) with respect to compliance with the Internal Revenue Code’s mandatory qualification requirements, the requirements of the 1940 Act and limitations for the Fund(s) contained in the Registration Statement for the Fund(s) as may be mutually agreed upon, including quarterly compliance reporting to the designated officer(s) of the Trust as well as preparation of Board compliance materials;

 

  f. Prepare and furnish total return performance information for the Fund(s), including such information on an after-tax basis, calculated in accordance with applicable U.S. securities laws and regulations, as may be reasonably requested by Trust management;

 

  g. Prepare and disseminate vendor survey information;

 

B1-1


  h. Prepare and coordinate the filing of Rule 24f-2 notices (and directly file Form 24f-2 with the SEC), including coordination of payment;

 

  i. Provide sub-certificates in connection with the certification requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 with respect to the services provided by the Administrator; and

 

  j. Maintain certain books and records of the Trust as required under Rule 31a-1(b) of the 1940 Act, as may be mutually agreed upon.

* As set forth in Schedules B1-B3, references to “input comments” shall mean the aggregation of comments from all relevant parties (e.g., legal, tax, audit, advisory personnel), submission of comments to the financial printer (as applicable), review of revised proofs and dissemination of revised proofs to applicable parties.

 

B1-2


SCHEDULE B2

Fund Administration Tax Services

 

  a. Prepare annual tax basis provisions for both excise and income tax purposes, including wash sales and all tax financial statement disclosure;

 

  b. Prepare the Funds’ annual federal, state, and local income tax returns and extension requests for review by the Trust’s independent accountants and by the Trust’s treasurer, including Form 1120-RIC, Form 8613 and Form 1099-MISC;

 

  c. Prepare annual shareholder reporting information relating to Form 1099-DIV;

 

  d. Preparation of financial information relating to Form 1099-DIV, including completion of the ICI Primary and Secondary forms, Qualified Dividend Income, Dividends Received Deduction, Alternative Minimum Tax, Foreign Tax Credit, United States Government obligations;

 

  e. Calculate and review annual minimum distributions (income and capital gain) for both federal and excise tax purposes prior to their declaration and provide to the Trust’s transfer agent;

 

  f. Participate in discussions of potential tax issues with the Funds and the Funds’ audit firm; and

 

  g. Prepare for execution and file as paid preparer, the Trust’s federal and state income tax returns, federal excise tax returns and any supporting schedules to such returns. The Administrator shall prepare all United States tax returns for the Trust and any supporting schedules in accordance with all applicable laws, rules and regulations, including the rules, standards and requirements that apply to paid preparers;

 

  h. Prepare monthly, quarterly or annual (depending on funds’ dividend frequency) distributable income calculations from a tax basis; and

 

  i. Prepare for review and filing IRS form TD F 90-22.1 (Report of Foreign Banks and Financial Accounts) for the Fund.

The Trust acknowledges that the paid preparer services and other tax-related services performed by the Administrator do not constitute tax advice and the Trust agrees the Administrator shall have no responsibility or liability for any obligations now or hereafter imposed on the Trust, any Fund or the Administrator as administrator to the Trust by the tax law of the United States or of any state or political subdivision thereof, provided that this sentence does not relieve the Administrator from responsibility and liability for its duties hereunder, including adherence to the applicable standard of care.

 

B2-1


Tax services, as described in this Schedule, do not include identification of passive foreign investment companies, qualified interest income securities or Internal Revenue Code Section 1272(a)(6) tax calculations for asset backed securities.

 

B2-2


SCHEDULE B3

Fund Administration Legal Services

 

  a. Prepare the agenda and resolutions for all requested Board of Trustees (the “Board”) and committee meetings, coordinate the Board book and committee meeting book production (including requests from relevant parties for materials), seek timely receipt of such materials and assemble, print, hard copy and distribute hard copies and .pdf. copy (with bookmarks), make presentations to the Board and committee meetings where appropriate or upon reasonable request, prepare minutes for such Board and committee meetings and attend the Trust’s shareholder meetings and prepare minutes of such meetings;

 

  b. Prepare and mail quarterly and annual Code of Ethics forms for Trustees who are not “interested persons” of the Trust under the 1940 Act (the “Independent Trustees”);

 

  c. Prepare, coordinate, review, input comments and file with the SEC the following documents: Form N-CSR, Form N-PX, Form 40-17G and all amendments to the Registration Statement, including updates of the Prospectus and SAI for the Fund(s) and any sticker supplements to the Prospectus and SAI for the Fund(s);

 

  d. Prepare for filing with the SEC proxy statements and provide consultation on proxy solicitation matters;

 

  e. Maintain general Board calendars and regulatory filings calendars;

 

  f. Maintain copies of the Trust’s Declaration of Trust and By-laws, Trust policies and procedures and post and maintain .pdf copies of such documents and Board and committee materials and minutes, and any other documents that the parties agree upon, via the “board books” portal on mystatestreet.com;

 

  g. Assist in developing guidelines and procedures to improve overall compliance by the Trust and provide samples of such guidelines/procedures upon reasonable request;

 

  h. Assist the Trust in the handling of routine regulatory examinations of the Trust and work closely with the Trust’s legal counsel in response to any non-routine regulatory matters;

 

  i. Maintain awareness of significant emerging regulatory and legislative developments that may affect the Trust, update the Board and the investment adviser on those developments and provide related planning assistance where requested or appropriate; and

 

B3-1


  j. Coordinate with insurance providers, including soliciting bids for Directors & Officers/Errors & Omissions (“D&O/E&O”) insurance and fidelity bond coverage, file fidelity bonds with the SEC and make related Board presentations.

 

B3-2

T RANSFER A GENCY AND S ERVICE A GREEMENT

This Agreement made as of September 27, 2013, and to have an effective date with respect to a Portfolio (as defined below) on or about March 31, 2014 or on a date that is mutually agreed upon in writing by the Transfer Agent (as defined below) and the relevant Trust (as defined below), is by and between each management investment company identified on Schedule A hereto (each such investment company and each management investment company made subject to this Agreement in accordance with Section 12 below shall hereinafter be referred to as a “Trust”) and State Street Bank and Trust Company, a Massachusetts trust company (the “State Street” or the “Transfer Agent”).

WHEREAS, the Trust is authorized to issue shares of beneficial interest (“Shares”) in separate series, with each such series representing interests in a separate portfolio of securities and other assets;

WHEREAS, the Trust intends to initially offer Shares in one or more series, each as named in the attached Schedule A , which may be amended by the parties from time to time (such series, together with all other series subsequently established by the Trust and made subject to this Agreement in accordance with Section 12 of this Agreement, being herein referred to as a “Portfolio,” and collectively as the “Portfolios”);

WHEREAS, each Portfolio will issue and redeem Shares only in aggregations of Shares known as “Creation Units” as described in the currently effective prospectus and statement of additional information of the Trust (collectively, the “Prospectus”);

WHEREAS, only those entities (“Authorized Participants”) that have entered into an Authorized Participant Agreement with the distributor of the Trust, currently ALPS Distributors, Inc. (the “Distributor”), are eligible to place orders for Creation Units with the Distributor;

WHEREAS, the Depository Trust Company, a limited purpose trust company organized under the laws of the State of New York (“DTC”) or its nominee will be the record or registered owner of all outstanding Shares;

WHEREAS, Trust desires to appoint Transfer Agent to act as its transfer agent, dividend disbursing agent and agent in connection with certain other activities; and Transfer Agent is willing to accept such appointment.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants herein contained, the parties hereto, agree as follows:

 

1. TERMS OF APPOINTMENT

 

  1.1 Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, the Trust and each Portfolio hereby employs and appoints the Transfer Agent to act as, and the Transfer Agent agrees to act as, transfer agent for the Creation Units and dividend disbursing agent of the Trust and each Portfolio.


  1.2 Transfer Agency Services . In accordance with procedures established from time to time by agreement between the Trust and each Portfolio, as applicable, and the Transfer Agent, the Transfer Agent shall:

 

  (i) establish each Authorized Participant’s account in the applicable Portfolio on the Transfer Agent’s recordkeeping system and maintain such account for the benefit of such Authorized Participant;

 

  (ii) receive and process orders for the purchase of Creation Units from the Distributor or the Trust, and promptly deliver payment and appropriate documentation thereof to the custodian of the applicable Portfolio as identified by the Trust (the “Custodian”);

 

  (iii) generate or cause to be generated and transmitted confirmation of receipt of such purchase orders to the Authorized Participants and, if applicable, transmit appropriate trade instruction to the National Securities Clearance Corporation (“NSCC”);

 

  (iv) receive and process redemption requests and redemption directions from the Distributor or the Trust and deliver the appropriate documentation thereof to the Custodian;

 

  (v) with respect to items (i) through (iv) above, the Transfer Agent may execute transactions directly with Authorized Participants;

 

  (vi) at the appropriate time as and when it receives monies paid to it by the Custodian with respect to any redemption, pay over or cause to be paid over in the appropriate manner such monies, if any, to the redeeming Authorized Participant as instructed by the Distributor or the Trust;

 

  (vii) prepare and transmit by means of DTC’s book-entry system payments for any dividends and distributions declared by the Trust on behalf of the applicable Portfolio;

 

  (viii) record the issuance of Shares of the applicable Portfolio and maintain a record of the total number of Shares of each Portfolio which are issued and outstanding; and provide the Trust on a regular basis with the total number of Shares of each Portfolio which are issued and outstanding but Transfer Agent shall have no obligation, when recording the issuance of Shares, to monitor the issuance of such Shares to determine if there are authorized Shares available for issuance or to take cognizance of any laws relating to, or corporate actions required for, the issue or sale of such Shares, which functions shall be the sole responsibility of the Trust and each Portfolio; and, excluding DTC or its nominee as the record or registered owner, the Transfer Agent shall have no obligations or responsibilities to account for, keep records of, or otherwise related to, the beneficial owners of the Shares;

 

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  (ix) maintain and manage, as agent for the Trust and each Portfolio, such bank accounts as the Transfer Agent shall deem necessary for the performance of its duties under this Agreement, including but not limited to, the processing of Creation Unit purchases and redemptions and the payment of a Portfolio’s dividends and distributions. The Transfer Agent may maintain such accounts at the bank or banks deemed appropriate by the Transfer Agent in accordance with applicable law;

 

  (x) process any request from an Authorized Participant to change its account registration; and

 

  (xi) except as otherwise instructed by the Trust, the Transfer Agent shall process all transactions in each Portfolio in accordance with the procedures mutually agreed upon by the Trust and the Transfer Agent with respect to the proper net asset value to be applied to purchase orders received in good order by the Transfer Agent or by the Trust or any other person or firm on behalf of such Portfolio or from an Authorized Participant before cut-offs established by the Trust. The Transfer Agent shall report to the Trust any known exceptions to the foregoing.

 

  1.3 Additional Services . In addition to, and neither in lieu of nor in contravention of the services set forth in Section 1.2 above, the Transfer Agent shall perform the following services:

 

  (i) Perform certain customary services of a transfer agent and dividend disbursing agent.

 

  (ii) The Transfer Agent shall perform such other services for the Trust that are mutually agreed to by the parties from time to time, for which the Trust will pay such fees as may be mutually agreed upon, including the Transfer Agent’s reasonable out-of-pocket expenses. The provision of such services shall be subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement.

 

  (iii) DTC and NSCC . The Transfer Agent shall: (a) accept and effectuate the registration and maintenance of accounts, and the purchase and redemption of Creation Units in such accounts, in accordance with instructions transmitted to and received by the Transfer Agent by transmission from DTC or NSCC on behalf of Authorized Participants; and (b) issue instructions to a Portfolio’s banks for the settlement of transactions between the Portfolio and DTC or NSCC (acting on behalf of the applicable Authorized Participant).

 

  1.4

Authorized Persons . The Trust and each Portfolio, hereby agrees and acknowledges that the Transfer Agent may rely on the current list of authorized persons, including the Distributor, as provided or agreed to by the Trust and as may be amended from time to time, in receiving instructions to issue or redeem Creation Units. The Trust and each Portfolio, agrees and covenants for itself and

 

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  each such authorized person that any order or sale of or transaction in Creation Units received by it after the order cut-off time as set forth in the Prospectus or such earlier time as designated by such Portfolio (the “Order Cut-Off Time”), shall be effectuated at the net asset value determined on the next business day or as otherwise required pursuant to the applicable Portfolio’s then-effective Prospectus, and the Trust or such authorized person shall so instruct the Transfer Agent of the proper effective date of the transaction.

 

  1.5 Anti-Money Laundering and Client Screening . With respect to the Trust’s or any Portfolio’s offering and sale of Creation Units at any time, and for all subsequent transfers of such interests, the Trust or its delegate shall, to the extent applicable, directly or indirectly and to the extent required by law: (i) conduct know your customer/client identity due diligence with respect to potential investors and transferees in the Shares and Creation Units and shall obtain and retain due diligence records for each investor and transferee; (ii) use its best efforts to ensure that each investor’s and any transferee’s funds used to purchase Creation Units or Shares shall not be derived from, nor the product of, any criminal activity; (iii) if requested, provide periodic written verifications that such investors/transferees have been checked against the United States Department of the Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control database for any non-compliance or exceptions; and (iv) perform its obligations under this Section in accordance with all applicable anti-money laundering laws and regulations. In the event that the Transfer Agent has received advice from counsel that access to underlying due diligence records pertaining to the investors/transferees is necessary to ensure compliance by the Transfer Agent with relevant anti-money laundering (or other applicable) laws or regulations, the Trust shall, upon receipt of written request from the Transfer Agent, provide the Transfer Agent copies of such due diligence records.

 

  1.6 State Transaction (“Blue Sky”) Reporting . If applicable, the Trust shall be solely responsible for its “blue sky” compliance and state registration requirements.

 

  1.7 Tax Law . The Transfer Agent shall have no responsibility or liability for any obligations now or hereafter imposed on the Trust, a Portfolio, any Creation Units, any Shares, a beneficial owner thereof, an Authorized Participant or the Transfer Agent in connection with the services provided by the Transfer Agent hereunder by the tax laws of any country or of any state or political subdivision thereof. It shall be the responsibility of the Trust to notify the Transfer Agent of the obligations imposed on the Trust, a Portfolio, the Creation Units, the Shares, or the Transfer Agent in connection with the services provided by the Transfer Agent hereunder by the tax law of countries, states and political subdivisions thereof, including responsibility for withholding and other taxes, assessments or other governmental charges, certifications and governmental reporting.

 

  1.8 The Transfer Agent shall provide the office facilities and the personnel determined by it to perform the services contemplated herein.

 

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2. FEES AND EXPENSES

 

  2.1 Fee Schedule . For the performance by the Transfer Agent of services provided pursuant to this Agreement, the Transfer Agent shall be entitled to receive the fees and expenses set forth in a written fee schedule. Such fees and any out of pocket expenses and advances identified under Section 2.2 below may be changed from time to time, subject to mutual written agreement between the Trust and the Transfer Agent. The parties agree that the fees set forth in the fee schedule shall apply with respect to each Portfolio listed on Schedule A hereto as of the date hereof and to any newly created Portfolios added to this Agreement that have requirements consistent with services then being provided by the Transfer Agent under this Agreement. In the event that a Portfolio is to become a party to this Agreement as a result of an acquisition or merger, then the parties shall confer diligently and negotiate in good faith, and agree upon fees applicable to such Portfolio.

 

  2.2 Out of Pocket Expenses . In addition to the fees paid under Section 2.1 above, the Trust, on behalf of each Portfolio, agrees to reimburse the Transfer Agent for reasonable out of pocket expenses set out in the fee schedule. In addition, any other reasonable expenses incurred by the Transfer Agent at the request or with the consent of the Trust, will be reimbursed by the Trust on behalf of the applicable Portfolio.

 

3. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE TRANSFER AGENT

The Transfer Agent represents and warrants to the Trust that:

 

  3.1 It is a trust company duly organized and existing under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

 

  3.2 It is duly registered as a transfer agent under Section 17A(c)(2) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934 Act”), it will remain so registered for the duration of this Agreement, and it will promptly notify the Trust in the event of any material change in its status as a registered transfer agent.

 

  3.3 It is duly qualified to carry on its business in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

 

  3.4 It is empowered under applicable laws and by its organizational documents to enter into and perform the services contemplated in this Agreement.

 

  3.5 All requisite organizational proceedings have been taken to authorize it to enter into and perform this Agreement.

 

  3.6 It has and will continue to have access to the necessary facilities, equipment and personnel to perform its duties and obligations under this Agreement.

 

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  3.7 It will promptly notify the Trust in the event that the Transfer Agent is for any reason unable to perform any of its obligations under this Agreement.

 

  3.8 It will promptly notify the Trust, except as may be prohibited by applicable law, of any legal, regulatory or administrative proceedings that have been instituted, which would materially impair the Transfer Agent’s ability to perform its duties and obligations under this Agreement.

 

  3.9 The various procedures and systems which it has implemented with regard to safeguarding from loss or damage attributable to fire, theft or any other cause, the Trust’s records and other data and the Transfer Agent’s records, data equipment facilities and other property used in the performance of its obligations hereunder are adequate and it will make such changes therein from time to time as it may deem reasonably necessary for the secure performance of its obligations hereunder.

The Transfer Agent will notify the Trust promptly if any of the representations and warranties above cease to be true.

 

4. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE TRUST AND THE PORTFOLIOS

The Trust and each Portfolio represents and warrants to the Transfer Agent that:

 

  4.1 The Trust is a business trust duly organized, existing and in good standing under the laws of the state of its formation.

 

  4.2 The Trust is empowered under applicable laws and by its organizational documents to enter into and perform this Agreement.

 

  4.3 All requisite proceedings have been taken to authorize the Trust to enter into, perform and receive services pursuant to this Agreement.

 

  4.4 The Trust is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), as an open-end management investment company.

 

  4.5 A registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), is currently effective and will remain effective, and all 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.

 

  4.6 It has all necessary right, title, intellectual property, licenses, consents and content as may be necessary for the Trust to operate as presently contemplated.

The Trust will notify the Transfer Agent promptly if any of the representations and warranties above cease to be true.

 

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5. DATA ACCESS AND PROPRIETARY INFORMATION

 

  5.1 The Trust acknowledges that the databases, computer programs, screen formats, report formats, interactive design techniques, and documentation manuals furnished to the Trust by the Transfer Agent as part of the Trust’s ability to access certain Trust-related data maintained by the Transfer Agent or another third party on databases under the control and ownership of the Transfer Agent (“Data Access Services”) constitute copyrighted, trade secret, or other proprietary information (collectively, “Proprietary Information”) of substantial value to the Transfer Agent or another third party. In no event shall Proprietary Information be deemed Authorized Participant information or the confidential information of the Trust. The Trust and each Portfolio agrees to treat all Proprietary Information as proprietary to the Transfer Agent and further agrees that it shall not divulge any Proprietary Information to any person or organization except as may be provided hereunder. Without limiting the foregoing, the Trust agrees for itself and its officers and trustees and their agents, to:

 

  (i) use such programs and databases solely on the Trust’s, or such agents’ computers, or solely from equipment at the location(s) agreed to between the Trust and the Transfer Agent, and solely in accordance with the Transfer Agent’s applicable user documentation;

 

  (ii) refrain from copying or duplicating in any way the Proprietary Information;

 

  (iii) refrain from obtaining unauthorized access to any portion of the Proprietary Information, and if such access is inadvertently obtained, to inform the Transfer Agent in a timely manner of such fact and dispose of such information in accordance with the Transfer Agent’s instructions;

 

  (iv) refrain from causing or allowing Proprietary Information transmitted from the Transfer Agent’s computers to the Trust’s, or such agents’ computer to be retransmitted to any other computer facility or other location, except with the prior written consent of the Transfer Agent;

 

  (v) allow the Trust or such agents to have access only to those authorized transactions agreed upon by the Trust and the Transfer Agent;

 

  (vi) honor all reasonable written requests made by the Transfer Agent to protect at the Transfer Agent’s expense the rights of the Transfer Agent in Proprietary Information at common law, under federal copyright law and under other federal or state law.

 

  5.2 Proprietary Information shall not include all or any portion of any of the foregoing items that are or become publicly available without breach of this Agreement; that are released for general disclosure by a written release by the Transfer Agent; or that are already in the possession of the receiving party at the time of receipt without obligation of confidentiality or breach of this Agreement.

 

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  5.3 If the Trust notifies the Transfer Agent that any of the Data Access Services do not operate in material compliance with the most recently issued user documentation for such services, the Transfer Agent shall endeavor in a timely manner to correct such failure. Organizations from which the Transfer Agent may obtain certain data included in the Data Access Services are solely responsible for the contents of such data, and the Trust agrees to make no claim against the Transfer Agent arising out of the contents of such third-party data, including, but not limited to, the accuracy thereof. DATA ACCESS SERVICES AND ALL COMPUTER PROGRAMS AND SOFTWARE SPECIFICATIONS USED IN CONNECTION THEREWITH ARE PROVIDED ON AN “AS IS, AS AVAILABLE” BASIS. THE TRANSFER AGENT EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES EXCEPT THOSE EXPRESSLY STATED HEREIN INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

 

  5.4 If the transactions available to the Trust include the ability to originate electronic instructions to the Transfer Agent in order to effect the transfer or movement of cash or Creation Units or transmit Authorized Participant information or other information, then in such event the Transfer Agent shall be entitled to rely on the validity and authenticity of such instruction without undertaking any further inquiry as long as such instruction is undertaken in conformity with security procedures established by the Transfer Agent from time to time.

 

  5.5 Each party shall take reasonable efforts to advise its employees of their obligations pursuant to this Section. The obligations of this Section shall survive any earlier termination of this Agreement.

 

6. RESERVED

 

7. STANDARD OF CARE / INDIRECT DAMAGES

 

  7.1 Standard of Care. The Transfer Agent shall at all times act in good faith and without negligence and agrees to exercise the care and expertise of a leading provider of transfer agency services and use all reasonable efforts in performing the services under this Agreement, but assumes no responsibility and shall not be liable for loss or damage due to errors unless said errors are caused by its bad faith, negligence, or willful misconduct or that of its employees or agents. The parties agree that any encoding or payment processing errors shall be governed by this standard of care, and that Section 4-209 of the Uniform Commercial Code is superseded by this Section.

 

  7.2 Indirect Damages. Other than damages arising from a party’s fraud, neither party shall be liable for any special, indirect or consequential damages under any provision of this Agreement or for any special, indirect or consequential damages arising out of any act or failure to act hereunder.

 

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  7.3 In any event, except as otherwise agreed to in writing by the parties hereto, the Transfer Agent’s cumulative liability for each calendar year (a “Liability Period”) with respect to the services provided pursuant to this Agreement regardless of the form of action or legal theory shall be limited to its total annual compensation earned and fees payable hereunder during the preceding Compensation Period, as defined herein, for any liability or loss suffered by the Trust or the Portfolios including, but not limited to, any liability relating to qualification of the Trust as a regulated investment company or any liability relating to the Trust’s or a Portfolio’s compliance with any federal or state tax or securities statute, regulation or ruling during such Liability Period. “Compensation Period” shall mean the calendar year ending immediately prior to each Liability Period in which the event(s) giving rise to the Transfer Agent’s liability for that period have occurred. For any partial first year, the annual cumulative liability hereunder shall be the Transfer Agent’s total compensation earned and fees payable hereunder during such partial first year on an annualized basis.

 

8. INDEMNIFICATION

 

  8.1 The Transfer Agent shall not be responsible for, and the Trust shall indemnify and hold the Transfer Agent harmless, from and against, any and all losses, damages, costs, charges, reasonable counsel fees (including the defense of any lawsuit solely in connection with services under this Agreement in which the Transfer Agent or its affiliate is a named party), payments, expenses and liability directly arising out of or directly attributable to the following; provided, however, that the Trust shall not be obligated to indemnify the Transfer Agent hereunder if such loss, damage or liability is due to the Transfer Agent’s (i) breach of its standard of care as set forth in Section 7.1 or (ii) violation of applicable law or regulation pertaining to the transfer agency services:

 

  (a) All actions of the Transfer Agent required to be taken pursuant to this Agreement, provided that such actions are taken in good faith and without negligence or willful misconduct;

 

  (b) The Trust’s lack of good faith, negligence or willful misconduct;

 

  (c) The reasonable reliance upon, and any subsequent reasonable use of or action taken or omitted, by the Transfer Agent, or its agents or subcontractors on: any information, records, documents, data, stock certificates or services, which are received by the Transfer Agent, including those received by machine readable input, facsimile, electronic instructions, or other similar means authorized by the Trust, and which 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 broker-dealer, third party administrator or previous transfer agent; any instructions or requests of the Trust or any of its officers; or any paper or document, reasonably believed to be genuine, authentic, or signed by the proper person or persons;

 

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  (d) The offer or sale of Creation Units in violation of federal or state securities laws or regulations requiring that such Creation Units be registered, or in violation of any stop order or other determination or ruling by any federal or any state agency with respect to the offer or sale of such Creation Units (except to the extent that such violation resulted directly from the Transfer Agent’s failure to comply with the instructions of the Trust or the Administrator identifying the states and countries where the Shares of the Trust or the Funds are registered or exempt, and the number of Shares of each class registered with respect to each such state or country, as applicable.

 

  (e) The negotiation and processing of any checks, wires and ACH transmissions including without limitation for deposit into, or credit to, the Trust’s demand deposit accounts maintained by the Transfer Agent; the Transfer Agent shall assist the Trust and work with the Trust and the depositing and/or originating bank to mitigate the losses where possible; however, the Trust acknowledges that such mitigation is not a condition of this indemnity obligation;

 

  (f) Upon the Trust’s request, entering into any agreements required by the NSCC for the transmission of Trust or Shareholder data through the NSCC clearing systems; or

 

  (g) any tax obligations under the tax laws of any country or of any state or political subdivision thereof, including taxes, withholding and reporting requirements, claims for exemption and refund, additions for late payment, interest, penalties and other expenses (including legal expenses) that may be assessed, imposed or charged against the Transfer Agent as transfer agent hereunder.

 

  8.2

At any time the Transfer Agent may apply to any officer of the Trust for instructions, and may consult with legal counsel with respect to any matter arising in connection with the services to be performed by the Transfer Agent under this Agreement, and the Transfer Agent and its agents or subcontractors shall not be liable and shall be indemnified by the Trust and the applicable Portfolio for any action taken or omitted by it in reliance upon such instructions or upon the opinion of such counsel, provided however, with respect to the performance of any action or omission of any action upon such advice, the Transfer Agent shall be acting within the standard of care set forth in Section 7.1. The Transfer Agent shall promptly notify the Trust of the receipt of such advice. The Transfer Agent, its agents and subcontractors shall be protected and indemnified in acting upon any paper or document furnished by or on behalf of the Trust or the applicable Portfolio, 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 the Transfer Agent or its agents or subcontractors by

 

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  machine readable input, electronic data entry or other similar means authorized by the Trust and the Portfolios, 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.

 

9. ADDITIONAL COVENANTS OF THE TRUST AND THE TRANSFER AGENT

 

  9.1 Delivery of Documents . The Trust shall promptly furnish to the Transfer Agent the following:

 

  (i) A copy of the resolution of the Board of Trustees of the Trust certified by the Trust’s Secretary authorizing the appointment of the Transfer Agent and the execution and delivery of this Agreement.

 

  (ii) A copy of the Declaration of Trust and By-Laws of the Trust and all amendments thereto.

 

  9.2 Certificates, Checks, Facsimile Signature Devices. The Transfer Agent hereby agrees to establish and maintain facilities and procedures for safekeeping of any stock certificates, check forms and facsimile signature imprinting devices; and for the preparation or use, and for keeping account of, such certificates, forms and devices.

 

  9.3 Records. The Transfer Agent shall keep records relating to the services to be performed hereunder, in the form and manner as it may deem advisable. To the extent required by Section 31 of the 1940 Act and the Rules thereunder, the Transfer Agent agrees that all such records prepared or maintained by the Transfer Agent relating to the services to be performed by the Transfer Agent hereunder are the property of the Trust and will be preserved, maintained and made available in accordance with such Section and Rules, and will be surrendered promptly to the Trust on and in accordance with its request. Records may be surrendered in either written or machine-readable form, at the option of the Transfer Agent.

 

  9.4 In performing the services hereunder, the Transfer Agent shall comply with the applicable provisions of the Trust’s current prospectus(es) and statement(s) of additional information, and effective amendments thereto. The Trust shall promptly provide the Transfer Agent with copies of such material as soon as available and, upon request, copies of any applicable resolutions by the Trust’s Board of Trustees which relate to the Shares.

 

  9.5 SSAE16 Reports. The Transfer Agent will furnish to the Trust, on a semi-annual basis, a report in accordance with Statements on Standards for Attestation Engagements No. 16 (the “SSAE Report”) as well as such other reports and information relating to the Transfer Agent’s policies and procedures and its compliance with such policies and procedures and with the laws applicable to its business and its services, as the parties may mutually agree upon.

 

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  9.6 Business Continuity. The Transfer Agent shall, at no additional expense to the Trust, take reasonable steps to minimize service interruptions in the event of equipment failure, work stoppage, governmental action, communication disruption or other impossibility of performance beyond the Transfer Agent’s control. The Transfer Agent shall enter into and shall maintain in effect at all times during the term of this Agreement with appropriate parties one or more agreements making reasonable provision, at a level the Transfer Agent believes consistent with other similarly situated providers of transfer agency services, for (i) periodic back-up of the computer files and data with respect to the Trust and (ii) emergency use of electronic data processing equipment to provide services under this Agreement. Upon reasonable request, the Transfer Agent shall discuss with the Trust any business continuity/disaster recovery plan of the Transfer Agent and/or provide a high-level presentation summarizing such plan.

 

  9.7 Cooperation with Accountants. The Transfer Agent shall cooperate with the Trust’s independent public accountants and shall take all reasonable actions in the performance of its obligations under this Agreement to provide such information, as may be reasonably requested by the Trust from time to time, to such accountants for the expression of their opinion.

 

  9.8 Insurance. The Transfer Agent shall at all times during the term of this Agreement maintain, at its cost, insurance coverage regarding its business in such amount and scope as it deems adequate in connection with the services provided by the Transfer Agent under this Agreement. Upon the Trust’s reasonable request, which in no event shall be more than once annually, the Transfer Agent shall furnish to the Trust a summary of the Transfer Agent’s applicable insurance coverage.

 

10. CONFIDENTIALITY

 

  10.1

The parties hereto agree that each shall treat confidentially all information provided by each party to the other party regarding its business and operations, including information related to the development of new Trusts or new series. The Transfer Agent shall treat confidentially all information obtained in the ordinary course of performing its duties hereunder about the Trust’s prior, present or potential shareholders or relative to the advisor or distributor and their prior, present or potential customers (including all “personal information” described in Section 15.4 of this Agreement). All confidential information provided by a party hereto shall be used by any other party hereto solely for the purpose of rendering or receiving services pursuant to this Agreement and, except as may be required in carrying out this Agreement, shall not be disclosed to any third party. The foregoing shall not be applicable to any information (i) that is publicly available when provided or thereafter becomes publicly available, other than through a breach of this Agreement, (ii) that is independently derived by either party hereto without the use of any information provided by the other party hereto in connection with this Agreement, (iii) that is disclosed, upon prior notice to the party whose information is being disclosed (to the extent such notice is

 

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  permissible), in the manner and to the extent required in any legal or regulatory proceeding, investigation, audit, examination, subpoena, civil investigative demand or other similar process, or by operation of law or regulation, or (iv) where the party seeking to disclose has received the prior written consent of the party providing the information, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld. Notwithstanding the foregoing, each party acknowledges that the other party may provide access to and use of confidential information relating to the other party to the disclosing party’s employees, contractors, agents, professional advisors, auditors or persons performing similar functions, as necessary solely for the purpose of rendering services under this Agreement, provided that each person or entity shall be subject to confidentiality obligations substantially similar to those set forth herein. Further, each party agrees and represents that in no case would information it receives under this Agreement be used against the other party in a manner that is adverse to the other party’s interests (including the other party’s interests in competitive businesses). Nothing herein shall prohibit or restrict the right of each party (or its affiliates) to develop, use or market products or services similar to or competitive with those of the other party (or its affiliates) provided that any such development, use or marketing does not violate the confidentiality obligations set forth herein. Additionally, each party acknowledges that the other party (or its affiliates) may already possess or have developed products or services similar to or competitive with those of the other party.

The undertakings and obligations contained in this Section 10.1 shall survive the termination of this Agreement.

 

  10.2 The Transfer Agent affirms that it has, and will continue to have throughout the term of this Agreement, procedures in place that are reasonably designed to protect the privacy of non-public personal consumer/customer financial information to the extent required by applicable laws, rules and regulations. The Transfer Agent will employ reasonable safeguards designed to protect the Trust’s confidential information, which may include but are not limited to the use of encryption technologies, passwords and any other safeguards the Transfer Agent may choose to employ. If either party becomes aware of a breach of this confidentiality provision, it will notify promptly the other party of such breach and provide such details as it deems appropriate and in accordance with the standard of care hereunder regarding the extent of the breach of confidentiality.

 

11. EFFECTIVE PERIOD AND TERMINATION

This Agreement shall remain in full force and effect for an initial term ending March 31, 2019 (the “ Initial Term ”). After the expiration of the Initial Term, this Agreement shall automatically renew for successive one-year terms (each, a “ Renewal Term ”) unless a written notice of non-renewal is delivered by the non-renewing party no later than ninety (90) days prior to the expiration of the Initial Term or any Renewal Term, as the case may be. During the Initial Term and thereafter, either party may terminate this Agreement: (i) in the event of the other party’s material breach of a material provision of this Agreement that the other party has either

 

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(a) failed to cure or (b) failed to establish a remedial plan to cure that is reasonably acceptable, within 60 days’ written notice of such breach, (ii) in the event of the appointment of a conservator or receiver for the other party or upon the happening of a like event to the other party at the direction of an appropriate agency or court of competent jurisdiction, or (iii) based upon the Trust’s determination that there is a reasonable basis to conclude that the Administrator is insolvent or that the financial condition of the Transfer Agent is deteriorating in any material respect. Termination of this Agreement with respect to any one particular Portfolio shall in no way affect the rights and duties under this Agreement with respect to the Trust or any other Portfolio.

As soon as reasonably practicable following the termination or expiration of this Agreement, the Transfer Agent agrees to transfer such records and related supporting documentation as are held by it under this Agreement to any replacement provider of the services or to such other person as the Trust may direct. If directed by the Trust, the Transfer Agent will provide the services hereunder until a replacement transfer agent is in place, for a reasonable period of time up to nine (9) months, subject to the terms of this Agreement, including compensation. The Transfer Agent will also provide reasonable assistance to its successor, for such transfer, subject to the payment of such reasonable expenses and charges as the Transfer Agent customarily charges for such assistance.

 

12. ADDITIONAL TRUSTS AND PORTFOLIOS

In the event that any management investment company in addition to those listed on Schedule A hereto desires to have the Transfer Agent render services as transfer agent under the terms hereof, it shall so notify the Transfer Agent in writing, and if the Transfer Agent agrees in writing to provide such services, which shall not be unreasonably withheld, such management investment company shall become a Trust hereunder and be bound by all terms and conditions and provisions hereof. In the event that the Trust establishes one or more additional series of shares with respect to which it desires to have the Transfer Agent render services as transfer agent under the terms hereof, it shall so notify the Transfer Agent in writing, and if Transfer Agent agrees in writing to provide such services, such series of shares shall become a Portfolio hereunder.

 

13. ASSIGNMENT

This Agreement may not be assigned by (a) the Trust without the written consent of the Transfer Agent or (b) by the Transfer Agent without the written consent of the Trust, except that the Transfer Agent may assign this Agreement to a successor of all or a substantial portion of its business, or to a party controlling, controlled by or under common control with the Transfer Agent.

 

14. SUBCONTRACTORS

 

  14.1

The Transfer Agent may, without further consent on the part of the Trust, subcontract for the performance hereof with each of the following entities provided it is duly registered pursuant to Section 17A(c)(2) of the 1934 Act: (i) Boston Financial Data Services, Inc., a Massachusetts corporation (“BFDS”);

 

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  (ii) a BFDS subsidiary; (iii) a BFDS affiliate; or (iv) another affiliated third party duly registered as a transfer agent; provided, however, that the Transfer Agent shall remain liable to the Trust for the acts and omissions of any subcontractor under this Section as it is for its own acts and omissions under this Agreement.

 

  14.2 For purposes of this Agreement, unaffiliated third parties such as, by way of example and not limitation, Airborne Services, Federal Express, United Parcel Service, the U.S. Mails, the NSCC and telecommunication companies, shall not be deemed to be subcontractors of the Transfer Agent.

 

15. MISCELLANEOUS

 

  15.1 Amendment. This Agreement may be amended by a written agreement executed by both parties.

 

  15.2 New York Law to Apply. This Agreement shall be construed and the provisions thereof interpreted under and in accordance with the laws of the state of New York.

 

  15.3 Force Majeure.

(a) Except as may arise from the Transfer Agent’s failure to exercise its standard of care, the Transfer Agent 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 control, including without limitation, work stoppage, power or other mechanical failure, computer virus, natural disaster, governmental action or communication disruption.

(b) The Trust 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 control, including without limitation, work stoppage, power or other mechanical failure, computer virus, natural disaster, governmental action or communication disruption.

 

  15.4 Data Protection. The Transfer Agent will implement and maintain a comprehensive written information security program that contains appropriate security measures to safeguard the personal information of the Trust’s shareholders, employees, directors and/or officers that the Transfer Agent receives, stores, maintains, processes or otherwise accesses in connection with the provision of services hereunder. For these purposes, “personal information” shall mean (i) an individual’s name (first initial and last name or first name and last name), address or telephone number plus (a) social security number, (b) drivers license number, (c) state identification card number, (d) debit or credit card number, (e) financial account number or (f) personal identification number or password that would permit access to a person’s account or (ii) any combination of the foregoing that would allow a person to log onto or access an individual’s account. Notwithstanding the foregoing “personal information” shall not include information that is lawfully obtained from publicly available information, or from federal, state or local government records lawfully made available to the general public.

 

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  15.5 Survival. All provisions regarding indemnification, warranty, liability, and limits thereon, and confidentiality and/or protections of proprietary rights and trade secrets shall survive the termination of this Agreement.

 

  15.6 Severability. If any provision or provisions of this Agreement shall be held invalid, unlawful, or unenforceable, the validity, legality, and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired.

 

  15.7 Priorities Clause. In the event of any conflict, discrepancy or ambiguity between the terms and conditions contained in this Agreement and any schedules or attachments hereto, the terms and conditions contained in this Agreement shall take precedence.

 

  15.8 Waiver. No waiver by either party or any breach or default of any of the covenants or conditions herein contained and performed by the other party shall be construed as a waiver of any succeeding breach of the same or of any other covenant or condition. Any waiver must be in writing signed by the waiving party.

 

  15.9 Entire Agreement. This Agreement and any schedules, exhibits, attachments or amendments hereto constitute the entire agreement between the parties hereto and supersedes any prior agreement with respect to the subject matter hereof whether oral or written.

 

  15.10 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.

 

  15.11 Reproduction of Documents. This Agreement and all schedules, exhibits, attachments and amendments hereto may be reproduced by any photographic, photostatic, microfilm, micro-card, miniature photographic or other similar process. The parties hereto all/each agree that any such reproduction shall be admissible in evidence as the original itself in any judicial or administrative proceeding, whether or not the original is in existence and whether or not such reproduction was made by a party in the regular course of business, and that any enlargement, facsimile or further reproduction of such reproduction shall likewise be admissible in evidence.

 

  15.12

Notices. All notices, requests, claims, demands and other communications required or permitted to be given under this agreement shall be in writing and shall be delivered by hand or sent by an internationally recognized overnight courier service with signature required for delivery, by facsimile where a confirmation of receipt is obtained, provided, however, that if sent by facsimile the written communication must also be sent by next business day delivery via an internationally recognized overnight courier service with signature required for

 

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  delivery, or by registered or certified mail (postage prepaid, return receipt requested) to the respective parties hereto at the following addresses:

 

  (a) If to Transfer Agent, to:

State Street Bank and Trust Company

200 Clarendon Street, 16th Floor

Boston, Massachusetts 02116

Attention: Sheila McClorey, Transfer Agent Vice President

Telephone: (617) 662-9681

Facsimile: (617) 956-5648

With a copy to:

State Street Bank and Trust Company

2 Avenue de Lafayette, 2nd Floor (LCC/2)

Boston, MA 02110

Attn: US Investor Services Legal Team, Senior Managing Counsel

Telephone: (617) 662-1783

Facsimile: (617) 662-2702

 

  (b) If to the Trust, to:

WisdomTree Trust

380 Madison Avenue, 21 st Floor

New York, NY 10017

Attn: Legal Department

Facsimile: 917-267-3851

All such communications so addressed shall be deemed given (i) when delivered, if delivered personally to the intended recipient, or if sent by an internationally recognized courier service with signature required for delivery, or if sent by facsimile and a confirmation of receipt is obtained, and the written communication has also be sent for next business day delivery via a internationally recognized courier service with signature required for delivery (ii) three business days after being mailed if sent by certified or registered mail, postage prepaid, return receipt requested, or upon delivery if actual delivery occurs earlier.

 

  15.13 Limitation of Liability of the Trustees and Shareholders. This Agreement is executed by the Trust with respect to each of its Portfolios and the obligations hereunder are not binding upon any of the trustees, officers or shareholders of the Trust individually. Notwithstanding any other provision in this Agreement to the contrary, each and every obligation, liability or undertaking of a particular Portfolio under this Agreement shall constitute solely an obligation, liability or undertaking of, and be binding upon, the Trust and shall be payable solely from the available assets of such particular Portfolio and shall not be binding upon or affect any assets of any other Portfolio.

 

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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.

 

STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY
By:  

/s/ Michael F. Rogers

  Name: Michael F. Rogers
  Title: Executive Vice President
EACH MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT COMPANY IDENTIFIED ON  SCHEDULE A  HERETO
By:  

/s/ Jonathan Steinberg

  Name: Jonathan Steinberg
  Title: President


SUPPLEMENT

TO

TRANSFER AGENCY AND SERVICE AGREEMENT

The Transfer Agency and Service Agreement made as of September 27, 2013 (the “Agreement”), and to have an effective date with respect to a Portfolio (as defined in the Agreement) on or about March 31, 2014 or on a date that is mutually agreed upon in writing by the Transfer Agent (as defined in the Agreement) and the relevant Trust (as defined in the Agreement) is hereby supplemented as of September 27, 2013 in the manner set forth below (the “Supplement”).

WHEREAS, the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001, and the regulations and rules promulgated thereunder (collectively, the “USA PATRIOT Act”), imposes anti-money laundering requirements on financial institutions;

WHEREAS, the Portfolio has developed and implemented written anti-money laundering policies (the “Portfolio’s AML Program”) pursuant to the U.S. Bank Secrecy Act, as amended by the USA PATRIOT Act;

WHEREAS the Portfolio’s AML Program incorporates customer identification procedures (“CIP”) and the U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) compliance and is reasonably designed to satisfy the relevant requirements of the U.S. Bank Secrecy Act, as amended by the USA PATRIOT Act;

WHEREAS, the Portfolio is permitted under applicable law and regulation to delegate certain aspects of its AML obligations to a suitable third-party service provider;

WHEREAS, the Portfolio desires to delegate to the State Street Bank and Trust Company (the “Bank”) the performance of certain AML functions (the “Delegated Functions”) and the Bank desires to accept such delegation, which will be performed by its Transfer Agency department (hereinafter, the “Transfer Agent”).

WHEREAS, in performing the Delegated Functions the Transfer Agent will follow its AML procedures (hereinafter “Transfer Agent’s AML Procedures”) that are compliant with the Bank’s AML program (hereinafter “Bank’s AML Program”).

NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and the mutual covenants and agreements hereinafter contained, the parties hereby agree to supplement the Agreement pursuant to the terms thereof by adding the following provisions:

 

1. Duties:

 

  1.1 Duties of the Portfolio. The Portfolio shall perform the following functions:

(a) Notice. The Portfolio or its agent shall provide notice to such Portfolio’s prospective authorized participants that information is being requested to verify their identity in order to combat money laundering and terrorist financing.

 

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(b) Information Collection. The Portfolio or its agent, which may be the Bank, shall obtain identifying information from such Portfolio’s investors (with respect to the Portfolio, each authorized participant in the Portfolio being a “Portfolio Investor”), under applicable laws and regulations, which includes, at a minimum: (i) full legal name, (ii) date of birth (if applicable), (iii) physical address and (iv) a taxpayer identification number, an Individual/ International Taxpayer Identification Number or other government-issued identifier for individuals and equivalent information for entities

 

  1.2 Functions Delegated to the Bank. For purposes of this Section 1.2, a “Designated Contact” is an officer or agent of the Portfolio designated by the Portfolio to be its authorized contact.

The Bank shall perform the following functions:

(a) OFAC Compliance. The Bank shall screen the name and address information of new and existing Portfolio Investors against lists of known or suspected terrorists or terrorist organizations made available to the Bank in accordance with the Bank’s AML Program and all U.S. federal government directives related to such lists. These lists include, but are not limited to, those prepared by the OFAC of the U.S. Department of the Treasury which administers and enforces economic and trade sanctions against targeted foreign countries, terrorism sponsoring organizations and international narcotics traffickers based on U.S. foreign policy and national security goals. Such screening shall occur in accordance with the Transfer Agent’s AML Procedures. In the event that a new or existing Portfolio Investor matches a name contained on one of the foregoing lists and the Bank cannot resolve such match in accordance with the Transfer Agent’s AML Procedures: (i) the Bank shall not accept such Portfolio Investor’s subscription and shall freeze such Portfolio Investor’s subscription Portfolios pending further instructions from the Designated Contact or unless directed otherwise by a U.S. federal government agency; and (ii) the Bank will promptly inform the Designated Contact of the foregoing circumstances who shall (A) determine for the Portfolio such other action(s) as may be required by applicable law or regulation and (B) instruct the Bank on the action(s) the Designated Contact wishes the Bank to take which may include no action, accepting the Portfolio Investor’s subscription Portfolios and rating the account as higher risk, not accepting such Portfolio Investor’s subscription, or freezing or liquidating such Portfolio Investor’s subscription Portfolios. Notwithstanding such Designated Contact instructions, the Bank will take such action as it is required to take under applicable law.

(b) Identity Verification for Portfolio Investors . The Transfer Agent shall be responsible for verifying the CIP information of any prospective Portfolio Investor as recorded on the Transfer Agent’s record keeping systems. To the extent the Transfer Agent’s CIP Procedures require documentary identity verification for any Portfolio Investor, such as government-issued identification cards, passports, utility bills or organizational documents, the Transfer Agent

 

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shall ensure that such information or documentation is requested. In the event that insufficient information or documentation is provided by the prospective Portfolio Investor, the Transfer Agent shall promptly contact the Portfolio’s Designated Contact to seek further instructions.

(c) Transaction Monitoring and Suspicious Activity Reporting . The Bank shall maintain internal control procedures to monitor transactions in Portfolio Investor accounts using a risk-based approach. The Bank shall use the definitions provided in the applicable rules and regulations promulgated under the Bank Secrecy Act to determine what activity may be suspicious. Any suspicious activity identified shall be reported to the Bank’s AML Compliance Officer who shall take the necessary action under the Bank’s AML Program. The Bank’s AML Compliance Officer will determine whether information related to the activity in question may be shared with the Portfolio’s Designated Contact. The Bank’s AML Officer will determine whether it is appropriate to file a SAR on behalf of the Bank.

(d) Recordkeeping. The Bank will create and retain the records required by the Bank’s AML Program and the Transfer Agent will document the performance of the Delegated Functions in accordance with, and for the periods required by, applicable U.S. law or regulation.

 

2. Certifications.

 

  2.1 The Bank shall certify to the Portfolio, on an annual basis and in such form as the Bank and such Portfolio may mutually agree upon, that:

(a) the Bank’s AML Program is reasonably designed to prevent money laundering or the financing of terrorist activities in accordance with the Bank Secrecy Act, as amended by the USA PATRIOT Act, and other applicable U.S. rules and regulations;

(b) the Bank has designated an individual or individuals responsible for implementing and monitoring the Bank’s AML Program;

(c) the Bank has provided, and will continue to provide, ongoing training for the appropriate personnel with respect to the Bank’s AML Program;

(d) the Bank provides for periodic, but at a minimum annual, independent testing of the Bank’s AML Program;

(e) the Bank has performed the functions it has agreed to perform pursuant to this Agreement.

 

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  2.2 Upon request, which generally will not exceed more than once annually, the Portfolio shall certify to the Bank in such form as the Bank and such Portfolio may mutually agree upon, that:

(a) such Portfolio understands that the Bank’s AML Program and the Transfer Agent’s AML Procedures were developed and implemented, and will be maintained, in accordance with the U.S. Bank Secrecy Act, as amended by the USA PATRIOT Act; and

(b) such Portfolio agrees that it will not knowingly act or fail to act in a manner that violates or is inconsistent with the Bank’s AML Program or the Transfer Agent’s AML Procedures.

 

3. Consent to Examination

 

  3.1 Upon reasonable request, the Transfer Agent will provide to the fullest extent permitted by U.S. law, the Portfolio or its authorized agents with reasonable access to information obtained and held with respect to Portfolio Investors or to satisfy themselves of the suitability of the Transfer Agent to act as their delegate and of the reliability of the Transfer Agent’s systems and procedures to ensure compliance with applicable U.S. anti-money laundering regulations. The Portfolio will reimburse the Transfer Agent for reasonable expenses incurred in providing such access.

 

  3.2 Each party further understands and acknowledges that the records maintained under the Transfer Agent’s AML Procedures may be subject, from time to time, to examination and/or inspection by U.S. federal regulators or the Bank’s auditors as part of the periodic testing of the Portfolio’s Delegated Functions.

 

  3.4 In addition, each party understands and acknowledges that the records maintained by the Bank with respect to the Delegated Functions may be subject, from time to time, to examination and/or inspection by such Portfolio’s regulatory authorities. For purposes of such examination and/or inspection, the Bank will use its reasonable efforts to make available, during normal business hours, all required records and information concerning the Delegated Functions that the Bank performs under this agreement for review by such regulatory authorities. The Portfolio shall provide the Bank with notice of any pending or planned examinations and/or inspections as soon as practicable after the Portfolio is notified.

 

  3.5 The Bank shall (i) provide to the Portfolio, upon request, a written summary of the Bank’s AML Program, which the Portfolio may use as written evidence of the Bank’s suitability to perform the relevant functions on behalf of the Portfolio and (ii) provide information obtained and held with respect to prospective investors in the Portfolio to the Portfolio, upon request, so that the Portfolio may comply with requests from its regulators and other law enforcement authorities in accordance with relevant procedures.

 

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4. No Delegation of The Portfolio’s Anti-Money Laundering Responsibility

 

  4.1 The Portfolio understands and agrees that the Bank’s only responsibilities under this Supplement are in performing the Delegated Functions as set forth herein and that the Portfolio is ultimately responsible for ensuring that it is compliant with its own anti-money laundering obligations.

 

  4.2 The Portfolio understands and agrees that, notwithstanding the Bank’s agreement to perform the Delegated Functions, the Bank shall be ultimately responsible for, and have complete discretion in, ensuring that it is compliant with its own anti-money laundering obligations.

 

5. Miscellaneous

 

  5.1 This Supplement to the Agreement supersedes in its entirety Section 1.5 of the Agreement and supersedes any prior agreement with respect to the subject matter hereof whether oral or written. In all other regards, the terms and provisions of the Agreement between the parties hereto shall continue to apply with full force and effect.

 

  5.2 Either party may terminate this Supplement upon sixty (60) days’ written notice to the other party. Further, this Supplement will terminate automatically upon any termination of the Agreement.

 

  5.3 The parties acknowledge that the obligations of the Portfolios hereunder are several and not joint, that no Portfolio shall be liable for any amount owing by another Portfolio and that the Portfolios have executed one instrument for convenience only.

 

  5.4 Each party represents to the other that the execution and delivery of this Supplement has been duly authorized.

[Remainder of Page Intentionally Left Blank.]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the parties has caused this Supplement to be executed in its name and behalf by its duly authorized representative.

STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY

 

By:

 

/s/ Michael F. Rogers

  Name: Michael F. Rogers
  Title: Executive Vice President
EACH MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT COMPANY IDENTIFIED ON  SCHEDULE A  TO THE AGREEMENT

By:

 

/s/ Jonathan Steinberg

  Name: Jonathan Steinberg
  Title: President

 

A-6


AMENDMENT TO

MASTER CUSTODIAN AGREEMENT,

ADMINISTRATION AGREEMENT,

AND TRANSFER AGENCY AND SERVICE AGREEMENT

This Amendment to the Master Custodian Agreement, Administration Agreement, and Transfer Agency and Service Agreement (the “Amendment”) is made as of January 13, 2014 by and between each management investment company identified on Schedule A or Appendix A thereto, as applicable (each, a “Trust”), and State Street Bank and Trust Company, a Massachusetts trust company (the “State Street”).

WHEREAS, the Trust and State Street entered into a Master Custodian Agreement, an Administration Agreement, and a Transfer Agency and Service Agreement, each dated as of September 27, 2013 (as amended, supplemented, restated or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Custody Agreement”, the “Administration Agreement”, the “Transfer Agency Agreement,” and collectively the “Agreements”); and

WHEREAS, State Street and the Trust desire to amend the Agreements as more particularly set forth below.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and the mutual covenants and agreements hereinafter contained, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereby agree as follows:

 

1. Amendment with respect to the Custody Agreement .

Section 22.7 of the Custody Agreement is hereby deleted in its entirety and replaced with the following:

“S ECTION 22.7 N OTICES . All notices, requests, claims, demands and other communications required or permitted to be given under this agreement shall be in writing and shall be delivered by hand or sent by an internationally recognized overnight courier service with signature required for delivery, by facsimile where a confirmation of receipt is obtained, provided, however, that if sent by facsimile the written communication must also be sent by next business day delivery via an internationally recognized overnight courier service with signature required for delivery, or by registered or certified mail (postage prepaid, return receipt requested) to the respective parties at the following addresses or such other addresses as may be notified by any party from time to time:

 

To the Fund:    W ISDOM T REE T RUST
   245 Park Avenue
   35th Floor
   New York, NY 10167
   Attn: Legal Department
   Facsimile: 917-267-3851

 

A-7


To the Custodian:    S TATE S TREET B ANK AND T RUST C OMPANY
   1200 Crown Colony Drive
   Quincy, MA 02169
   Attention: Matthew H. Malkasian
   Telephone: 617-537-4685
   Facsimile: 617-451-4786
with a copy to:    State Street Bank and Trust Company
   2 Avenue de Lafayette
   Boston, MA 02111
   Attention: US Investor Services Legal Team, Senior Managing Counsel
   Telephone: (617) 662-1783
   Facsimile: (617) 662-2702

All such communications so addressed shall be deemed given (i) when delivered, if delivered personally to the intended recipient, or if sent by an internationally recognized courier service with signature required for delivery, or if sent by facsimile and a confirmation of receipt is obtained, and the written communication has also be sent for next business day delivery via a internationally recognized courier service with signature required for delivery (ii) three business days after being mailed if sent by certified or registered mail, postage prepaid, return receipt requested, or upon delivery if actual delivery occurs earlier.”

 

2. Amendment with respect to the Administration Agreement .

Section 13 of the Administration Agreement is hereby deleted in its entirety and replaced with the following:

 

  “13. NOTICES

All notices, requests, claims, demands and other communications required or permitted to be given under this agreement shall be in writing and shall be delivered by hand or sent by an internationally recognized overnight courier service with signature required for delivery, by facsimile where a confirmation of receipt is obtained, provided, however, that if sent by facsimile the written communication must also be sent by next business day delivery via an internationally recognized overnight courier service with signature required for delivery, or by registered or certified mail (postage prepaid, return receipt requested) to the respective parties at the following addresses or such other addresses as may be notified by any party from time to time:

If to the Trust:

WisdomTree Trust

245 Park Avenue

35th Floor

New York, NY 10167

 

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Attn: Legal Department

Facsimile: 917-267-3851

If to the Administrator:

State Street Bank and Trust Company

P.O. Box 5049

Boston, MA 02206-5049

Attn: US Investor Services Legal Team, Senior Managing Counsel

Facsimile: 617-662-2702

All such communications so addressed shall be deemed given (i) when delivered, if delivered personally to the intended recipient, or if sent by an internationally recognized courier service with signature required for delivery, or if sent by facsimile and a confirmation of receipt is obtained, and the written communication has also be sent for next business day delivery via a internationally recognized courier service with signature required for delivery (ii) three business days after being mailed if sent by certified or registered mail, postage prepaid, return receipt requested, or upon delivery if actual delivery occurs earlier.”

 

3. Amendment with respect to the Transfer Agency Agreement .

Section 15.12 of the Transfer Agency Agreement is hereby deleted in its entirety and replaced with the following:

“15.12 Notices. All notices, requests, claims, demands and other communications required or permitted to be given under this agreement shall be in writing and shall be delivered by hand or sent by an internationally recognized overnight courier service with signature required for delivery, by facsimile where a confirmation of receipt is obtained, provided, however, that if sent by facsimile the written communication must also be sent by next business day delivery via an internationally recognized overnight courier service with signature required for delivery, or by registered or certified mail (postage prepaid, return receipt requested) to the respective parties at the following addresses or such other addresses as may be notified by any party from time to time:

 

  (b) If to Transfer Agent, to:

State Street Bank and Trust Company

200 Clarendon Street, 16th Floor

Boston, Massachusetts 02116

Attention: Sheila McClorey, Transfer Agent Vice President

Telephone: (617) 662-9681

Facsimile: (617) 956-5648

With a copy to:

State Street Bank and Trust Company

2 Avenue de Lafayette, 2nd Floor (LCC/2)

 

A-9


Boston, MA 02110

Attn: US Investor Services Legal Team, Senior Managing Counsel

Telephone: (617) 662-1783

Facsimile: (617) 662-2702

 

  (b) If to the Trust, to:

WisdomTree Trust

245 Park Avenue

35th Floor

New York, NY 10167

Attn: Legal Department

Facsimile: 917-267-3851

All such communications so addressed shall be deemed given (i) when delivered, if delivered personally to the intended recipient, or if sent by an internationally recognized courier service with signature required for delivery, or if sent by facsimile and a confirmation of receipt is obtained, and the written communication has also be sent for next business day delivery via a internationally recognized courier service with signature required for delivery (ii) three business days after being mailed if sent by certified or registered mail, postage prepaid, return receipt requested, or upon delivery if actual delivery occurs earlier.”

 

4. Miscellaneous.

 

  (a) Except as expressly amended hereby, all provisions of the Agreements shall remain in full force and effect.

 

  (b) The Trust hereby confirms that Schedule A or Appendix A, as applicable, to the Agreements is true, correct and complete in all respects as of the date hereof.

 

  (c) This Amendment may be executed 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.

[Remainder of page intentionally left blank.]

 

A-10


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Amendment to be executed by their officers designated below as of the date first written above.

 

STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY
By:  

/s/ Michael F. Rogers

Name:   Michael F. Rogers
Title:   Executive Vice President
EACH MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT COMPANY
IDENTIFIED ON SCHEDULE A OR APPENDIX A,
AS APPLICABLE, TO THE AGREEMENTS
By:  

/s/ Jonathan Steinberg

Name:   Jonathan Steinberg
Title:   President

 

A-11


TRANSFER AGENCY AND SERVICE AGREEMENT

SCHEDULE A

Listing of Fund(s)

WisdomTree Trust WisdomTree Trust

WisdomTree Total Dividend Fund

WisdomTree Equity Income Fund

WisdomTree DEFA Fund

WisdomTree DEFA Equity Income Fund

WisdomTree Asia Pacific ex-Japan Fund

WisdomTree Australia Dividend Fund

WisdomTree Global Equity Income Fund

WisdomTree Japan Hedged Equity Fund

WisdomTree Global ex-U.S. Growth Fund

WisdomTree Dividend ex-Financials Fund

WisdomTree LargeCap Dividend Fund

WisdomTree MidCap Dividend Fund

WisdomTree SmallCap Dividend Fund

WisdomTree Japan SmallCap Dividend Fund

WisdomTree Europe SmallCap Dividend Fund

WisdomTree International LargeCap Dividend Fund

WisdomTree International Dividend ex-Financials Fund

WisdomTree International MidCap Dividend Fund

WisdomTree International SmallCap Dividend Fund

WisdomTree Commodity Country Equity Fund

WisdomTree Global Natural Resources Fund

WisdomTree Global ex-U.S. Utilities Fund

WisdomTree Total Earnings Fund

WisdomTree Earnings 500 Fund

WisdomTree MidCap Earnings Fund

WisdomTree SmallCap Earnings Fund

WisdomTree LargeCap Value Fund

WisdomTree Global ex-U.S. Real Estate Fund

WisdomTree India Earnings Fund

WisdomTree Emerging Markets Equity Income Fund

WisdomTree Emerging Markets SmallCap Dividend Fund

WisdomTree Middle East Dividend Fund

WisdomTree Australian & New Zealand Debt Fund

WisdomTree Euro Debt Fund

WisdomTree Brazilian Real Fund

WisdomTree Chinese Yuan Fund

WisdomTree Indian Rupee Fund

WisdomTree Europe Hedged Equity Fund

WisdomTree Emerging Markets Local Debt Fund

WisdomTree Commodity Currency Fund

 

A-12


WisdomTree Managed Futures Strategy Fund

WisdomTree Asia Local Debt Fund

WisdomTree Global Real Return Fund

WisdomTree Emerging Markets Corporate Bond Fund

WisdomTree China Dividend ex-Financials Fund

WisdomTree Global Corporate Bond Fund

WisdomTree Emerging Currency Strategy Fund

WisdomTree U.S. Dividend Growth Fund

WisdomTree U.S. SmallCap Dividend Growth Fund

WisdomTree United Kingdom Hedged Equity Fund

WisdomTree Japan Hedged SmallCap Equity Fund

WisdomTree Emerging Markets Dividend Growth Fund

WisdomTree Emerging Markets Consumer Growth Fund

WisdomTree Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Zero Duration Fund

WisdomTree Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Negative Duration Fund

WisdomTree BofA Merrill Lynch High Yield Bond Zero Duration Fund

WisdomTree BofA Merrill Lynch High Yield Bond Negative Duration Fund

WisdomTree Bloomberg Floating Rate Treasury Fund

WisdomTree Bloomberg U.S. Dollar Bullish Fund

WisdomTree Japan Interest Rate Strategy Fund

WisdomTree Germany Hedged Equity Fund

WisdomTree Korea Hedged Equity Fund

WisdomTree Japan Hedged Real Estate Fund

WisdomTree Japan Hedged Financials Fund

WisdomTree Japan Hedged Capital Goods Fund

WisdomTree Japan Hedged Health Care Fund

WisdomTree Japan Hedged Tech, Media & Telecom Fund

 

A-13

 

SECURITIES LENDING AUTHORIZATION AGREEMENT

Between

WISDOMTREE TRUST

ON BEHALF OF EACH OF ITS SERIES AS LISTED ON SCHEDULE B

And

STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY

 

 

 

 


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

        PAGE   

1.

   DEFINITIONS      5   

2.

   APPOINTMENT OF STATE STREET      7   

3.

   SECURITIES TO BE LOANED      7   

4.

   BORROWERS      7   

5.

   SECURITIES LOAN AGREEMENTS      8   

6.

   LOANS OF AVAILABLE SECURITIES      8   

7.

   DISTRIBUTIONS ON AND VOTING RIGHTS WITH RESPECT TO LOANED SECURITIES      9   

8.

   COLLATERAL      10   

9.

   INVESTMENT OF CASH COLLATERAL; COMPENSATION; GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST      12   

10.

   FEE DISCLOSURE      13   

11.

   RECORDKEEPING AND REPORTS      13   

12.

   STANDARD OF CARE AND INDEMNIFICATION      14   

13.

   REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES      15   

14.

   BORROWER DEFAULT INDEMNIFICATION      17   

15.

   CONTINUING AGREEMENT; TERMINATION; REMEDIES      18   

16.

   NOTICES      18   

17.

   ADDITIONAL TRUSTS AND FUNDS      20   

18.

   LIMITATION OF LIABILITY OF THE TRUSTEES AND SHAREHOLDERS      20   

19.

   SSAE 16 REPORTS      20   

20.

   COOPERATION WITH ACCOUNTANTS      20   


21.

   INSURANCE      20   

22.

   CONFIDENTIALITY      20   

23.

   SECURITIES INVESTORS PROTECTION ACT OF 1970 NOTICE      22   

24.

   AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVES      22   

25.

   AGENTS, ETC.      22   

26.

   FORCE MAJEURE      23   

27.

   NON-US BORROWERS      23   

28.

   MISCELLANEOUS      23   

29.

   COUNTERPARTS      23   

30.

   MODIFICATION      23   


EXHIBITS AND SCHEDULES

SCHEDULE A (Fee Split; Cash Collateral Investment)

SCHEDULE B (Funds)

SCHEDULE C (Acceptable Forms of Collateral)


SECURITIES LENDING AUTHORIZATION AGREEMENT

Agreement dated as of the 27th day of September, 2013 between Wisdom Tree Trust (the “Trust”), a registered management investment company, organized and existing under the laws of Delaware , on behalf of each of itself and each series as listed on Schedule B , severally and not jointly (each a “Fund” and collectively, the “Funds”) , and STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY acting either directly or through any State Street Affiliates (defined below) (collectively, “State Street”), setting forth the terms and conditions under which State Street is authorized to act on behalf of the Trust with respect to the lending of certain securities of the Trust held by State Street as agent, trustee or custodian.

This Agreement will become effective on a date agreed to by the parties and specified in the amendment to this agreement modifying Schedule A hereto.

This Agreement shall be deemed for all purposes to constitute a separate and discrete agreement between State Street and each Fund listed on Schedule B to this Agreement as it may be amended by the parties, and no series of shares of the Trust shall be responsible or liable for any of the obligations of any other series of the Trust under this Agreement or otherwise, notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual promises and of the mutual covenants contained herein, each of the parties hereto does hereby covenant and agree as follows:

1. Definitions . For the purposes hereof:

(a) “Agreement” means this Securities Lending Authorization Agreement, as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified in accordance herewith from time to time.

(b) “Applicable Law” means the laws, rules and regulations (including income tax treaties) of any relevant jurisdiction, including published practice of any government or other taxing authority in connection with such laws, rules and regulations.

(c) “Authorized Representative” means any person who is, or State Street reasonably believes to be, authorized to act on behalf of a Fund with respect to any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

(d) “Available Securities” means the securities of the Funds that are available for Loans pursuant to Section 3.

(e) “Borrower” means any of the entities to which Available Securities may be loaned under a Securities Loan Agreement, as described in Section 4.


(f) “Collateral” means cash, securities or letters of credit delivered by a Borrower to secure its obligations under a Securities Loan Agreement.

(g) “Fee Income” means fee income received from a Borrower, including negative rebates paid by a Borrower in connection with Loans, premiums in connection with non-cash Collateral and fees in connection with fee for hold or other arrangements.

(h) “Investment Manager” when used in any provision, means the person or entity that has discretionary authority over the investment of the Available Securities to which the provision applies.

(i) “Loan” means a loan of Available Securities to a Borrower.

(j) “Loaned Security” shall mean any “security” which is delivered as a Loan under a Securities Loan Agreement; provided that, if any new or different security shall be exchanged for any Loaned Security by recapitalization, merger, consolidation, or other corporate action, such new or different security shall, effective upon such exchange, be deemed to become a Loaned Security in substitution for the former Loaned Security for which such exchange was made.

(k) “Market Value” of a security means the market value of such security (including, in the case of a Loaned Security that is a debt security, the accrued interest on such security) as determined by the independent pricing service designated by State Street, or such other independent sources as may be selected by State Street on a reasonable basis.

(l) “Net Investment Income” means income (including interest, dividends and realized capital gains) distributed in respect of the investment of cash Collateral, net of applicable fees, charges and expenses.

(m) “Obligations” means any and all liabilities and obligations of the Fund to State Street arising under or in respect of this Agreement, whether mature or unmatured, contingent or otherwise, including any obligation of the Fund to pay State Street or to reimburse State Street for any credit, advance, overdraft or other indebtedness of the Fund to State Street.

(n) “Replacement Securities” means securities of the same issuer, class, securities identifier (i.e. CUSIP, ISIN) and denomination as Loaned Securities.

(o) “Securities Loan Agreement” means the agreement between a Borrower and State Street (on behalf of the Funds) that governs Loans, as described in Section 5, as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified in accordance therewith from time to time.

(p) “State Street Affiliate” means any entity that directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls State Street Bank and Trust Company or that is controlled by or is under common control with State Street Bank and Trust Company.


2. Appointment of State Street . Each Fund hereby appoints and authorizes State Street as its agent to lend Available Securities to Borrowers in accordance with the terms of this Agreement. State Street shall have the responsibility and authority, subject to the standard of care set forth in Section 12(a), to do or cause to be done all acts State Street shall determine to be desirable, necessary, or appropriate to implement and administer this securities lending program. Each Fund agrees that State Street is acting as a fully disclosed agent and not as principal in connection with the securities lending program. State Street may take action as agent of the Fund on an undisclosed or a disclosed basis. State Street is hereby authorized to request a third party bank to undertake certain custodial functions in connection with holding of the Collateral provided by a Borrower hereunder. In connection therewith, State Street may instruct said third party to establish and maintain a Borrower’s account and a State Street account wherein all Collateral, including cash, shall be maintained by said third party in accordance with the terms of a form of an arrangement which shall also be consistent with the terms hereof.

Each Fund also appoints and authorizes State Street, as its agent, to enter into fee for hold arrangements with respect to certain Available Securities. State Street, as agent, will, in return for a fee from the Borrower, hold and reserve certain Available Securities and refrain from lending such securities to any third party without the Borrower’s permission, provided , however , that the fee for hold arrangements shall not restrict or otherwise affect the Fund’s ownership rights with regard to the Available Securities. The fee from the Borrower will be allocated between State Street and the applicable Fund in accordance with Schedule A.

3. Securities to be Loaned . All of the Fund’s securities held by State Street as trustee or custodian shall be subject to this securities lending program and constitute Available Securities hereunder, except those securities, which the Fund or the Investment Manager specifically identifies herein or otherwise notifies State Street as not being Available Securities. For the avoidance of doubt, such notices to State Street may include instructions by any Fund to State Street to restrict lending its Available Securities based on certain criteria, including, but not limited to, rebate rate, spread, utilization and/or Borrower concentration limits. In the absence of any such identification herein or other notices specifically identifying securities as not being Available Securities, State Street shall have no authority or responsibility for determining whether any of the Fund’s securities should be excluded from the securities lending program.

The Trust and State Street agree that the aggregate market value of a Fund’s Loaned Securities outstanding at the time of any Loan made pursuant hereto shall not exceed an amount equal to 33.3% of the Market Value of such Fund’s total assets (including the value of cash collateral held by State Street on behalf of such Fund).

4. Borrowers .

Each Fund hereby authorizes State Street to effect Loans of Available Securities of the Fund with any person on State Street’s list of approved Borrowers, including State Street Bank and Trust Company and any affiliate thereof (each acting in the capacity of a Borrower, hereafter also referred to as an “SSB Borrower”) which list will be made available on mystatestreet.com and otherwise supplied to the Fund on request. The Trust may direct State Street not to lend to


any Borrower on State Street’s list of approved Borrowers. State Street shall evaluate and monitor the creditworthiness of Approved Borrowers based upon the credit quality standards and limits established by State Street from time to time. State Street represents and warrants that it conducts formal credit reviews on all Borrowers in accordance with the policies and procedures State Street has in place for such review from time to time. The formal credit reviews of Approved Borrowers are targeted to occur annually but may occur at longer intervals from time to time.

In connection with a Loan to any SSB Borrower pursuant hereto, the Fund shall furnish, and State Street shall cause the applicable SSB Borrower to furnish, to State Street for delivery to the other, upon request (i) the most recent available audited statement of its financial condition, and (ii) the most recent available unaudited statement of its financial condition, if more recent than the audited statement. As long as any Loan to an SSB Borrower is outstanding under this Agreement, the Fund shall, and State Street shall cause the SSB Borrower to, in either case, upon request, also promptly deliver to the other (via State Street) all such recent financial information that is subsequently available, and any other financial information or statements that the other may reasonably request.

Other than with respect to an SSB Borrower, State Street shall not be responsible for any statements, representations, warranties or covenants made by any Borrower in connection with any Loan or for any Borrower’s performance of or failure to perform the terms of any Loan under the applicable Securities Loan Agreement or any related agreement, including the failure to make any required payments, except as otherwise expressly provided herein including Section 14.

5. Securities Loan Agreements . Each Fund authorizes State Street to enter into one or more Securities Loan Agreements with such Borrowers as may be selected by State Street. Each Securities Loan Agreement shall have such terms and conditions as State Street may negotiate with the Borrower, although State Street shall use reasonable efforts to negotiate each Securities Loan Agreement to not be materially adverse from State Street’s form agreements (which forms may be made available to the Trust on reasonable request). Certain terms of individual Loans, including rebate fees to be paid to the Borrower for the use of cash Collateral, shall be negotiated at the time a Loan is made. Upon reasonable request and Fund’s execution of a mutually agreeable confidentiality agreement, State Street agrees to provide a Fund a confidential copy of any Securities Loan Agreement with any Borrower upon request.

6. Loans of Available Securities . Subject to limitations imposed by the Fund in Section 3 of this Agreement, State Street shall be responsible for determining whether any Loan shall be made, and for negotiating and establishing the terms of each such Loan. State Street shall have the authority to terminate any Loan in its discretion, at any time and without prior notice to the Fund. In the event State Street determines to exercise default rights against a Borrower under a Securities Loan Agreement (other than in connection with the close out of individual Loans) State Street shall notify the Trust in the same manner it notifies other clients in the securities lending program. In the event of a default (within the meaning of the applicable Securities Loan Agreement) by a Borrower on any Loan, State Street shall be fully protected in acting in any manner it deems reasonable and appropriate in accordance with Section 12(a). Upon notice to State Street, the Fund has the right to direct State Street to initiate action to terminate any Loan made under this Agreement.


Each Fund acknowledges that State Street administers securities lending programs for other clients of State Street. State Street will allocate securities lending opportunities among its clients, using methods established by State Street from time to time reasonably designed to allocate such opportunities to clients in the securities lending program over time. State Street does not represent or warrant that any amount or percentage of the Fund’s Available Securities will in fact be loaned to Borrowers. Each Fund agrees that it shall have no claim against State Street and State Street shall have no liability arising from, based on, or relating to, loans allocated to other clients, or loan opportunities not made available to the Fund, whether or not State Street has made fewer or more loans for any other client, and whether or not any loan allocated to another client, or loan opportunity not made available to the Fund, could have resulted in Loans made under this Agreement.

Each Fund also acknowledges that, under the applicable Securities Loan Agreements, Borrowers will not be required to return Loaned Securities immediately upon receipt of notice from State Street terminating the applicable Loan, but instead will be required to return such Loaned Securities within such period of time following such notice as is specified in the applicable Securities Loan Agreement, but not later than the customary settlement period. Upon receiving a notice from the Fund or the Investment Manager that Available Securities which have been loaned to a Borrower should no longer be considered Available Securities (whether because of the sale of such securities or otherwise), State Street shall promptly notify the Borrower (consistent with State Street and market practice) which has borrowed such securities that the Loan of such Available Securities is terminated and that such Available Securities are to be returned within the time specified by the applicable Securities Loan Agreement, but not later than the end of the customary settlement period.

7. Distributions on and Voting Rights with Respect to Loaned Securities . Except as provided in the next sentence, all substitute interest, dividends, and other distributions paid with respect to Loaned Securities shall be credited to the Fund’s relevant account on the date such amounts are delivered by the Borrower to State Street. Any non-cash distribution on Loaned Securities which is in the nature of a stock split or a stock dividend shall be added to the Loan (and shall be considered to constitute Loaned Securities) as of the date such non-cash distribution is received by the Borrower; provided that the Fund or Investment Manager may, by giving State Street ten (l0) business days’ notice prior to the date of such non-cash distribution, direct State Street to request that the Borrower deliver such non-cash distribution to State Street, pursuant to the applicable Securities Loan Agreement, in which case State Street shall credit such non-cash distribution to the Fund’s relevant account on the date it is delivered to State Street.

Each Fund acknowledges that it will not be entitled to participate in any dividend reinvestment program or to vote with respect to securities that are on loan on the applicable record date for such securities. The Fund may at any time instruct State Street to recall Loaned Securities


Each Fund also acknowledges that any payments of distributions from Borrower to the Fund are in substitution for the interest or dividend accrued or paid in respect of Loaned Securities and that the tax and accounting treatment of substitute payments may differ from the tax and accounting treatment of such interest or dividend payments if received directly from issuers.

Each Fund also acknowledges that, with respect to payments of distributions from Borrower, the Fund will generally not be entitled to any credits, including foreign tax credits, for any income tax that would normally be withheld at source on actual distributions of income made by the issuer of the Loaned Securities.

Each Fund further acknowledges that, unless otherwise agreed, payments of distributions from Borrower will be determined by reference to Applicable Law as of the date of each payment and no adjustment will be made to amounts paid by Borrower as a result of any retroactive change in Applicable Law that is announced or enacted after the date of the relevant payment or any decision of a court of competent jurisdiction which is made after the date of the relevant payment (other than where such decision results from an action taken with respect to this Agreement or amounts paid or payable under this Agreement).

If an installment, call or rights issue becomes payable on or in respect of any Loaned Securities, State Street shall use all reasonable endeavors to ensure that any timely instructions from the Fund or its Investment Manager are complied with, but State Street shall not be required to make any payment unless the Fund has first placed funds with State Street to make such payment.

Each Fund acknowledges and agrees that, with respect to a dividend paid during the Loan term by a company that is a resident of France, the Fund will not be entitled to receive, either from the French company or the Borrower, any additional dividends (sometimes referred to as “complementary coupons”) declared and payable by such company that are equivalent to a tax credit adjustment (such as “credit d’impot étranger”).

Each Fund further acknowledges and agrees that the Fund will be required to accept cash in lieu of fractional shares in all instances in which an issuer does not issue fractional shares.

8. Collateral .

(a) Receipt of Collateral . Each Fund authorizes State Street, or a third party bank as described in Section 2, to receive and to hold, on the Fund’s behalf, Collateral from Borrowers to secure the obligations of Borrowers with respect to any Loan of Available Securities made on behalf of the Fund pursuant to the Securities Loan Agreements. All non-cash Collateral received from Borrowers shall be segregated from the assets of State Street at all times and, absent default by a Borrower or a Fund, shall not be rehypothecated. For the avoidance of doubt, the preceding sentence shall not be read to limit any rights granted to State Street in Section 9. Concurrently with or prior to the delivery of the Loaned Securities to the Borrower under any Loan, State Street shall receive from the Borrower Collateral in any of the forms listed on Schedule C . Said Schedule may be amended from time to time in a writing signed by State Street and the Fund. All investments of cash Collateral shall be for the account and at the risk of the Fund.


(b) Marking to Market . The initial Collateral received shall have (depending on the nature of the Loaned Securities and the Collateral received) a value of at least 102% (for US securities) or 105% (for non-US securities) of the Market Value of the Loaned Securities.

Pursuant to the terms of the applicable Securities Loan Agreement, State Street shall, in accordance with State Street’s reasonable and customary practices and in accordance with Section 12(a), mark Loaned Securities and Collateral to their Market Value each business day based upon the Market Value of the Collateral and the Loaned Securities at the close of business employing the most recently available pricing information, and ensure that each applicable Securities Loan Agreement shall require each Borrower to deliver additional Collateral (for Collateral comprised of a letter of credit, an additional or replacement letter of credit) to State Street as follows:

In the case of Loans from a Fund to a Borrower of US securities, the Borrower will in each case be required to deliver additional Collateral in the event that the Market Value of the Collateral in respect of such Loans is less than one hundred and two percent (102%) of the Market Value of the Loaned Securities, and such additional Collateral together with all Collateral previously delivered in respect of such Loans shall have a Market Value of not less than one hundred and two percent (102%) of the Market Value of the Loaned Securities.

In the case of Loans from a Fund to a Borrower of non-US securities, the Borrower will be required to deliver additional Collateral in the event that the Market Value of the Collateral in respect of such Loans is less than one hundred and five percent (105%) of the Market Value of the Loaned Securities, and such additional Collateral together with all Collateral previously delivered in respect of such Loans shall have a Market Value of not less than one hundred and five percent (105%) of the Market Value of the Loaned Securities, except that in the case of Loans in which the Collateral and the Loaned Securities are denominated and payable in the same currency, the Borrower will be required to deliver additional Collateral in the event that the Market Value of the Collateral in respect of such Loans is less than one hundred and two percent (102%) the Loaned Securities, and such additional Collateral together with all Collateral previously delivered in respect of such Loans shall have a Market Value of not less than one hundred and two percent (102%) of the Market Value of the Loaned Securities

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Trust acknowledges that with respect to loans of (i) US government securities (including securities issued by US agencies or instrumentalities, (ii) sovereign debt issued by non-US governments, and (iii) non-US corporate debt securities, Borrowers are typically not required to deliver additional Collateral with respect to an individual Loaned Security unless the Market Value of the Collateral in respect of such Loans is less than one hundred (100%) of the Market Value of the Loaned Securities and that these Loans are marked in the aggregate at the Borrower level for each loan type at either one hundred and two percent (102%) or one hundred and five percent (105%), as applicable. The Trust authorizes State Street to enter into Loans marked in this manner on behalf of the Funds.


(c) Return of Collateral . The Collateral shall be returned to Borrower at the termination of the Loan upon the return of the Loaned Securities by Borrower to State Street in accordance with the applicable Securities Loan Agreement.

9. Investment of Cash Collateral; Compensation; Grant of Security Interest .

(a) Investment of Cash Collateral . To the extent that a Loan is secured by cash Collateral, such cash Collateral, including money received with respect to the investment of the same, or upon the maturity, sale, or liquidation of any such investments, shall be invested by State Street in accordance with the directions of the Funds as set forth on Schedule A under the heading “Cash Collateral Investment.” State Street does not assume any market or investment risk of loss associated with any investment of cash Collateral. If the amounts so invested are insufficient to return any and all amounts due to a Borrower pursuant to the applicable Securities Loan Agreement, the Fund shall be responsible for such shortfall.

Although State Street does not assume any market or investment risk of loss associated with the investment of cash Collateral, State Street remains obligated to satisfy the standard of care set forth in Section 12(a) with respect to executing the Fund’s instructions set forth on Schedule A with respect to the investment of cash Collateral.

(b) Cash Collateral Investments Not Guaranteed . Each Fund acknowledges that interests in any collective investment vehicles to which State Street and/or one or more of the State Street Affiliates provide services are not guaranteed or insured by State Street or State Street Affiliates or by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any government agency.

(c) Net Investment Income and Fee Income . Net Investment Income and Fee Income shall be credited to the Fund’s securities lending account, on a monthly basis, after making the following payments on behalf of the Fund: (i) rebate fees shall be paid to Borrowers in accordance with the applicable Securities Loan Agreements; and (ii) a portion of any remaining Net Investment Income and Fee Income shall be paid to State Street (as compensation for its services under this Agreement) in the proportion set forth on Schedule A under the heading “Fee Split.” In the event that for a given monthly period, the sum of Net Investment Income and Fee Income is less than the amount of the rebate fees payable to Borrowers pursuant to the applicable Securities Loan Agreements, State Street and the Fund shall be responsible for the shortfall in the proportions set forth on Schedule A under the heading “Fee Split.” The Fund shall be responsible for any and all other amounts due to Borrowers under the applicable Securities Loan Agreements. For the avoidance of doubt, any taxes required to be withheld at source from Fee Income shall be deducted from the amount credited to the Fund’s securities lending account as described in this Paragraph (c), and to the extent that such amount is less than the amount of such taxes, then the Fund shall be responsible for any shortfall.

(d) Loan Premiums . To the extent that a Loan is secured by non-cash Collateral, the Borrower shall be required to pay a loan premium, the amount of which shall be negotiated by State Street.


(e) Advances . State Street may, but is not obligated to, advance funds required to be paid by the Fund pursuant to a Securities Loan Agreement or this Agreement. State Street may, in its discretion, and in such case the Fund authorizes State Street to, charge interest on any such advance at a rate consistent with prevailing rates for short-term investments at such time. The Fund shall reimburse State Street on demand for the amount of any such advance or any other amount owed by the Fund to State Street under this Agreement.

(f) Right to Debit or Set Off . State Street may at any time, charge or debit any account of the Fund maintained by or on behalf of State Street in any capacity (or set off any amounts otherwise payable or creditable to any such account), and may sell or otherwise liquidate investments made with cash Collateral, to pay any amounts due to a Borrower under a Securities Loan Agreement or any Obligations of the Fund. If State Street charges or debits an account of the Fund (or exercises setoff rights) as described in the prior sentence and such charge, debit or setoff is not with respect to the relevant collateral account or is not otherwise an ordinary course action, State Street will make reasonable efforts to notify the Fund of such action after such charge or debit. The Fund acknowledges that whenever State Street exercises its rights under this Paragraph (f) with respect to Obligations of the Fund, State Street is acting in a principal capacity on its own behalf and not on behalf of the Fund.

(g) Security Interest . As security for the payment and performance by the Fund of its Obligations, the Fund hereby grants to State Street a continuing lien upon and a first priority security interest in all Collateral and all assets (including accounts and investments) and any proceeds thereof in which the Fund at any time has rights and which at any time is maintained with, or possessed or controlled in any capacity by, State Street or any person acting on behalf of State Street (collectively, the “Property”). If the Fund shall fail to pay or perform any or all of the Obligations of the Fund as and when due, State Street shall have all the rights and remedies of a secured party under the Uniform Commercial Code of Massachusetts and other applicable law with respect to the Property. While any Obligations of the Fund are outstanding, State Street may decline to deliver out Property if the Fund has failed to pay or perform any of the Obligations as and when due or to the extent that, in State Street’s reasonable judgment, the aggregate value of the Property with respect to which State Street has a perfected security interest would be less than 105% of the Obligations of the Fund after giving effect to the delivery out. The provisions of this Section 9(g) shall not operate to limit any of State Street’s rights under contract or applicable law.

10. Fee Disclosure . The fees associated with the investment of cash Collateral in funds maintained or advised by State Street are disclosed on Schedule A hereto. Said fees may be changed from time to time by State Street upon notice to the Funds. An annual report with respect to such funds is available to the Funds, at no expense, upon request.

11. Recordkeeping and Reports . State Street will establish and maintain such records as are reasonably necessary to account for Loans that are made and the income derived therefrom and in accordance with Section 22. Absent manifest error, State Street’s records shall be presumed to reflect accurately any instructions, directions or other communications, regardless of how communicated, sent or delivered, from any Authorized Representative. On a monthly basis, State Street will make available to the Funds a statement describing the Loans made, and


the income derived from Loans, during the period covered by such statement. Such information shall also be available via mystatestreet.com on a daily basis. Each party to this Agreement shall comply with the reasonable requests of the other for information necessary to the requester’s performance of its duties in connection with this securities lending program.

Each Fund hereby agrees to participate in data aggregation services which provide securities lending market analysis, provided however, that State Street is only authorized to provide information relating to the Fund’s lending program, including, Available Securities and Loaned Securities, on an anonymous basis for aggregation into the database, the identity of the Fund as owner of the securities is in no way identifiable and the aggregator agrees to treat all information provided to it confidentially and to use such information solely for the purposes of providing the data aggregation service. If the Fund elects not to continue to participate in any such service at any time, State Street shall cease providing the Fund’s information within five (5) business days of written notification to that effect from the Fund.

In compliance with the requirements under the Investment company Act of 1940, as amended (“1940 Act”), State Street agrees that all records which it maintains for the Trust shall at all times remain the property of the Trust, shall be readily accessible, upon reasonable request during normal business hours, and shall be surrendered upon the termination of the Agreement or otherwise on reasonable written request except as otherwise provided in Section 12. State Street further agrees that all records that it maintains for the Trust pursuant to Rule 31a-1 under the 1940 Act will be preserved for the periods prescribed by Rule 31a-2 under the 1940 Act unless any such records are earlier surrendered as provided above. Records may be surrendered in either written or machine-readable form, at the option of State Street. Upon the reasonable request of the Trust, copies of any such books and records shall be provided by State Street.

12. Standard of Care and Indemnification .

(a) State Street shall act without negligence, fraud, bad faith, intentional or reckless disregard of its duties and obligations under this Agreement and with the reasonable care, prudence, diligence, and skill that may be reasonably expected of a bank providing securities lending services in carrying out all of its duties and obligations under this Agreement, including in the performance of duties arising from acting as agent for clients in securities lending and repurchase transactions (as appropriate).

(b) Each Fund shall indemnify State Street and hold State Street harmless from any loss or liability (including the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel) incurred by State Street in rendering services hereunder or in connection with any breach of the terms of this Agreement by the Fund, except such loss or liability which results from State Street’s failure to exercise the standard of care required by this Section 12. Nothing in this Section shall derogate from the indemnities provided by State Street in Section 14.

(c) Notwithstanding any express provision to the contrary herein, neither party shall be liable for any indirect, consequential, incidental, special or exemplary damages, even if such party has been apprised of the likelihood of such damages occurring, provided that the foregoing limitation shall not apply with respect to damages or claims arising out of or relating to that party’s fraud or intentional or reckless disregard of its duties and obligations under this Agreement


(d) Each Fund acknowledges that in the event that the Fund’s participation in securities lending generates income for the Fund, State Street may be required to withhold tax or may claim such tax from the Fund as is appropriate in accordance with applicable law.

(e) State Street, in determining the Market Value of Securities, including Collateral, may rely upon any recognized independent pricing service and shall not be liable for any errors made by such independent pricing service.

13. Representations and Warranties .

The Trust hereby represents and warrants that (a) it is a statutory trust, duly organized, existing and in good standing under the laws of its state of Delaware; (b) it has the requisite power and authority under applicable laws and by its Declaration of Trust and By-laws to enter into this Agreement on behalf of each Fund and the transactions contemplated hereby, and to perform its obligations hereunder; (c) all requisite proceedings have been taken to authorize it to enter into and perform this Agreement and this Agreement constitutes a legal, valid, and binding obligation enforceable against it; (d) it is an investment company properly registered with the SEC under the 1940 Act; (e) the Registration Statement been filed and will be effective and remain effective during the term of this Agreement; the Trust also warrants to State Street that as of the effective date of this Agreement, all necessary filings under the securities laws of the states in which the Trust offers or sells its shares have been made; (f) no legal or administrative proceedings have been instituted or threatened which would impair the Trust’s ability to perform its duties and obligations under this Agreement; (g) its entrance into this Agreement and performance by the Trust under this Agreement will not cause a material breach or be in material conflict with any other agreement or obligation of the Trust; (h) the execution, delivery, and performance by the Trust of this Agreement will at all times comply with all applicable laws and regulations applicable to the Trust and each Fund and; (i) as of the close of business on the date of this Agreement, the Trust is authorized to issue unlimited shares of beneficial interest.

State Street hereby represents and warrants that (a) it is a Massachusetts trust company, duly organized and existing under the laws of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts; (b) it has the organizational power and authority to carry on its business in The Commonwealth of Massachusetts; (c) all requisite organizational proceedings have been taken to authorize it to enter into and perform this Agreement and this Agreement constitutes a legal, valid, and binding obligation enforceable against it; (d) no legal or administrative proceedings have been instituted or threatened which would materially impair State Street’s ability to perform its duties and obligations under this Agreement; (e) its entrance into this Agreement and performance by State Street under this Agreement shall not cause a material breach or be in material conflict with any other agreement or obligation of State Street; (f) the execution, delivery, and performance by State Street of this Agreement will at all times comply with any law or regulation applicable to it (including any exemptive order issued to State Street in connection with State Street Navigator Securities Lending Trust); and (g) it has and will continue to have access to the necessary facilities, equipment and personnel to perform its duties and obligations under this Agreement.


Each Fund represents and warrants that (a) it has made its own determination as to the tax and accounting treatment of any dividends, remuneration or other funds received hereunder; (b) the financial statements delivered to State Street pursuant to Section 4 fairly present its financial condition and there has been no material adverse change in its financial condition or the financial condition of any parent company since the date of the balance sheet included within such financial statements; and (c) it is the legal and beneficial owner of (or exercises complete investment discretion over) all Available Securities free and clear of all liens, claims, security interests and encumbrances and no such security has been sold, and that it is entitled to receive all distributions made by the issuer with respect to Loaned Securities. Each Loan shall constitute a present representation by the Fund that there has been no material adverse change in its financial condition or the financial condition of any parent company that has not been disclosed in writing to State Street since the date of the most recent financial statements furnished to State Street pursuant to Section 4.

Each Fund further represents and warrants that it will immediately notify State Street orally and by written notice, of the relevant details of any corporate actions, private consent offers/agreements and/or any other off-market arrangements that may require the recall and/or restriction of a security from lending activity. Such written notice shall be delivered sufficiently in advance so as to: (a) provide State Street with reasonable time to notify Borrowers of any instructions necessary to comply with the terms of the corporate actions, private consent offers/agreements and/or other off-market arrangements, and (b) provide such Borrowers with reasonable time to comply with such instructions.

The person executing this Agreement on behalf of each party represents that he or she has the authority to execute this Agreement on behalf of such party.

Each Fund represents and warrants that it is (i) a “qualified investor” within the meaning of Section 3(a)(54)(A) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended; or (ii) an employee benefit plan that owns and invests on a discretionary basis not less than US $25,000,000 in investments. Each Fund agrees to notify State Street immediately of any changes in the information set forth in this subparagraph of this Section 13.

In the event State Street is unable to perform its obligations as a securities lending agent, it will notify the Trust consistent with notice it provides to other clients in State Street’s securities lending program.

Each Fund hereby represents to State Street that: (i) its policies and objectives generally permit it to engage in securities lending transactions; (ii) its policies permit it to purchase shares of the State Street Navigator Securities Lending Trust with cash Collateral (if applicable); (iii) its participation in State Street’s securities lending program, including the investment of cash Collateral in the State Street Navigator Securities Lending Trust (if applicable), and the existing series thereof shall, prior to any Loan being made, have been approved by a majority of the directors or trustees which directors and trustees are not “interested persons” within the meaning of section 2(a)(19) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, and such directors or trustees will evaluate the securities lending program no less frequently than annually to determine that the


investment of cash Collateral in the State Street Navigator Securities Lending Trust, including any series thereof, is in the Fund’s best interest; and (iv) its prospectus and/or statement of additional information provides disclosure concerning its securities lending activity.

Each Fund hereby represents to State Street that (i) it is not subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”) with respect to this Agreement and the Available Securities; (ii) it qualifies as an “accredited investor” within the meaning of Rule 501 of Regulation D under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended; (iii) that its taxpayer identification number is as set forth in Schedule B; (iv) that its tax year end is as set forth in Schedule B; and (v) income earned hereunder is exempt from federal income tax under Internal Revenue Code Section 501 (a).

Each Fund represents and warrants on a continuing basis that it has determined that each investment vehicle set forth on Schedule A hereto, taking into account any fees assessed thereby, is now, and will continue to be, an acceptable and appropriate investment vehicle for the investment of the Fund’s cash Collateral under this Agreement. Each Fund further represents and warrants that it has received and reviewed the State Street Agency Securities Lending Program Description of Risks and Conflicts of Interest and, with respect to each investment vehicle set forth on Schedule A hereto, it has received and reviewed, as of the date of this Agreement, the disclosure memorandum, confidential offering memorandum or equivalent offering document of each such investment vehicle.

14. Borrower Default Indemnification .

(a) If at the time of a default (within the meaning of the applicable Securities Loan Agreement) by a Borrower with respect to a Loan, some or all of the Loaned Securities under such Loan have not been returned by the Borrower, and subject to the terms of this Agreement, State Street shall indemnify the Fund against the failure of the Borrower as follows. State Street shall purchase a number of Replacement Securities equal to the number of such unreturned Loaned Securities, to the extent that such Replacement Securities are available on the open market. Such Replacement Securities shall be purchased by applying the proceeds of the Collateral with respect to such Loan to the purchase of such Replacement Securities. Subject to the Fund’s obligations pursuant to Section 9 hereof, if and to the extent that such proceeds are insufficient or the Collateral is unavailable, the purchase of such Replacement Securities shall be made at State Street’s expense.

(b) If State Street is unable to purchase Replacement Securities pursuant to Paragraph (a) hereof, State Street shall credit to the Fund’s relevant account an amount equal to the Market Value of the unreturned Loaned Securities for which Replacement Securities are not so purchased, determined as of (i) the last day the Collateral continues to be successfully marked to market against the unreturned Loaned Securities; or (ii) the next business day following the day referred to in (i) above, if higher.

(c) In addition to making the purchases or credits required by Paragraphs (a) and (b) hereof, State Street shall credit to the Fund’s relevant account the value of all distributions on the Loaned Securities (not otherwise credited to the Fund’s accounts with State


Street), the record dates for which occur before the date that State Street purchases Replacement Securities pursuant to Paragraph (a) or credits the Fund’s relevant account pursuant to Paragraph (b).

(d) Any credits required under Paragraphs (b) and (c) hereof shall be made by application of the proceeds of the Collateral (if any) that remains after the purchase of Replacement Securities pursuant to Paragraph (a). If and to the extent that the Collateral is unavailable or the value of the proceeds of the remaining Collateral is less than the value of the sum of the credits required to be made under Paragraphs (b) and (c), such credits shall be made at State Street’s expense.

(e) If after application of Paragraphs (a) through (d) hereof, additional Collateral remains or any previously unavailable Collateral becomes available or any additional amounts owed by the Borrower with respect to such Loan are received from the Borrower, State Street shall apply the proceeds of such Collateral or such additional amounts first to reimburse itself for any amounts expended by State Street pursuant to Paragraphs (a) through (d) above, and then to credit to the Fund’s relevant account all other amounts owed by the Borrower to the Fund with respect to such Loan under the applicable Securities Loan Agreement.

(f) In the event that State Street is required to make any payment and/or incur any loss or expense under this Section, State Street shall, to the extent of such payment, loss, or expense, be subrogated to, and succeed to, all of the rights of the Fund against the Borrower under the applicable Securities Loan Agreement. The Fund will, at the request of State Street, execute and deliver to State Street any confirmatory assignment or other instrument that State Street determines to be necessary or advisable to enable State Street to enforce any right to which State Street is subrogated.

15. Continuing Agreement; Termination; Remedies .

It is the intention of the parties hereto that this Agreement shall constitute a continuing agreement in every respect and shall apply to each and every Loan, whether now existing or hereafter made. The Funds and State Street may each at any time terminate this Agreement upon five (5) business days’ written notice to the other to that effect. The only effects of any such termination of this Agreement will be that (a) following such termination, no further Loans shall be made hereunder by State Street on behalf of the Funds, and (b) State Street shall, within a reasonable time after termination of this Agreement, terminate any and all outstanding Loans. Notwithstanding the foregoing, each Fund may instruct State Street to cease entering into any new Loans, or to recall any or all outstanding Loans to, any Borrower at any time in such Fund’s sole discretion The provisions hereof shall continue in full force and effect in all other respects until all Loans have been terminated and all obligations satisfied as herein provided. State Street does not assume any market or investment risk of loss associated with the Fund’s change in cash Collateral investment vehicles or termination of, or change in, its participation in this securities lending program and the corresponding liquidation of cash Collateral investments.

16. Notices . All notices, requests, claims, demands and other communications required or permitted to be given under this agreement shall be in writing and shall be delivered by hand


or sent by an internationally recognized overnight courier service with signature required for delivery, by facsimile where a confirmation of receipt is obtained, provided, however, that if sent by facsimile the written communication must also be sent by next business day delivery via an internationally recognized overnight courier service with signature required for delivery, or by registered or certified mail (postage prepaid, return receipt requested) to the respective parties hereto at the following addresses:

If to the Trust:

WisdomTree Trust

380 Madison Avenue, 21 st Floor

New York, NY 10017

Attn: Legal Department

Facsimile: 917-267-3851

If to State Street:

State Street Bank and Trust Company

Securities Finance

State Street Financial Center

One Lincoln Street

Boston, Massachusetts 02111-2900

Attn: Legal Department, 4 th Floor

Fax: (617) 946-0046

SFLegal@StateStreet.com

or to such other addresses as either party may furnish the other party by written notice under this section.

All such communications so addressed shall be deemed given (i) when delivered, if delivered personally to the intended recipient, or if sent by an internationally recognized courier service with signature required for delivery, or if sent by facsimile and a confirmation of receipt is obtained, and the written communication has also be sent for next business day delivery via a internationally recognized courier service with signature required for delivery (ii) three business days after being mailed if sent by certified or registered mail, postage prepaid, return receipt requested, or upon delivery if actual delivery occurs earlier.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, a writing sent via email shall be an acceptable writing for instructions, amendments related to Section 17 and related communications under this Agreement.

Whenever this Agreement permits or requires the Funds to give notice to, direct, or provide information to State Street, such notice, direction, or information shall be provided to State Street on the Funds’ behalf by any individual designated for such purpose by the Funds in a written notice to State Street. This Agreement shall be considered such a designation of the


person executing the Agreement on the Funds’ behalf. The Certificate of Signing Authority and Incumbency delivered by the Funds herewith shall be a designation of each person listed thereon. After its receipt of such a notice of designation, and until its receipt of a notice revoking such designation, State Street shall be fully protected in relying upon the notices, directions, and information given by such designee.

17. Additional Trusts and Funds . In the event that any management investment company managed by WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc. in addition to WisdomTree Trust desires to have State Street render services as securities lending agent under the terms hereof, it shall so notify State Street in writing, and if State Street agrees in writing to provide such services, which shall not be unreasonably withheld, such management investment company shall become a Trust hereunder and be bound by all terms and conditions and provisions hereof. In the event that the Trust establishes one or more additional series of shares with respect to which it desires to have State Street render services as securities lending agent hunder the terms hereof, it shall so notify State Street in writing, and if State Street agrees in writing to provide such services, which shall not be unreasonably withheld, such series of shares shall become a Fund hereunder.

18. Limitation of Liability of the Trustees and Shareholders . This Agreement is executed by the Trust with respect to each of its Funds and the obligations hereunder are not direct obligations of the trustees, officers or shareholders of the Trust individually. Notwithstanding any other provision in this Agreement to the contrary, each and every obligation, liability or undertaking of a particular Fund under this Agreement shall constitute an obligation, liability or undertaking of, and be binding upon, the Trust and shall be payable from the available assets of such particular Fund and shall not be binding upon or affect any assets of any other Fund.

19. SSAE 16 Reports . State Street will furnish to the Trust, on a semi-annual basis, a report in accordance with Statements on Standards for Attestation Engagements No. 16 (the “SSAE Report”) as well as such other reports and information relating to State Street’s policies and procedures and its compliance with such policies and procedures and with the laws applicable to its business and its services, as the parties may mutually agree upon.

20. Cooperation with Accountants . State Street shall cooperate with reasonable requests from the Trust’s independent public accountants and shall take all reasonable actions in the performance of its obligations under this Agreement to provide such information, as may be reasonably requested by the Trust from time to time, to such accountants for the expression of their opinion.

21. Insurance . State Street shall at all times during the term of this Agreement maintain, at its cost, insurance coverage regarding its business in such amount and scope as it deems adequate in connection with the services provided by State Street under this Agreement. Upon the Trust’s reasonable request, which in no event shall be more than once annually, State Street shall furnish to the Trust a summary of State Street’s applicable insurance coverage.

22. Confidentiality . The parties hereto agree that each shall treat confidentially all information provided by each party to the other party regarding its business and operations,


including information related to the development of new Trusts or new series. State Street shall treat confidentially all information obtained in the ordinary course of performing its duties hereunder about the Trust’s prior, present or potential shareholders or relative to the advisor or distributor and their prior, present or potential customers. All confidential information provided by a party hereto shall be used by any other party hereto solely for the purpose of rendering or receiving services pursuant to this Agreement and, except as may be required in carrying out this Agreement, shall not be disclosed to any third party. The foregoing shall not be applicable to any information (a) relating to the identity of the Fund that is (i) disclosed to issuers or counterparties of investments of cash Collateral; or (ii) disclosed to Borrowers in connection with any Loan made pursuant to this Agreement to the extent necessary to permit the Borrower to comply with applicable legal and/or regulatory requirements or the Borrower’s internal records, reconciliation, credit and capital requirements (including, without limitation, the agent lender disclosure project as required by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission), (ii) that is publicly available when provided or thereafter becomes publicly available, other than through a breach of this Agreement, (iii) that is independently derived by either party hereto without the use of any information provided by the other party hereto in connection with this Agreement, (iv) that is disclosed, upon prior notice to the party whose information is being disclosed (to the extent such notice is permissible), in the manner and to the extent required in any legal or regulatory proceeding, investigation, audit, examination, subpoena, civil investigative demand or other similar process, or by operation of law or regulation, or (v) where the party seeking to disclose has received the prior written consent of the party providing the information, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld. Notwithstanding the foregoing, each party acknowledges that the other party may provide access to and use of confidential information relating to the other party to the disclosing party’s employees, contractors, agents, professional advisors, auditors or persons performing similar functions, as necessary solely for the purpose of rendering services under this Agreement, provided that each person or entity shall be subject to confidentiality obligations substantially similar to those set forth herein.

Further, each party agrees and represents that in no case would information it receives under this Agreement be used against the other party in a manner that is adverse to the other party’s interests in competitive businesses.

Nothing herein shall prohibit or restrict the right of each party (or its affiliates) to develop, use or market products or services similar to or competitive with those of the other party (or its affiliates) provided that any such development, use or marketing does not violate the confidentiality obligations set forth herein. Additionally, each party acknowledges that the other party (or its affiliates) may already possess or have developed products or services similar to or competitive with those of the other party.

State Street will employ reasonable safeguards designed to protect the Trust’s confidential information, which may include but are not limited to the use of encryption technologies, passwords and any other safeguards State Street may choose to employ. If either party becomes aware of a breach of this confidentiality provision, it will notify promptly the other party of such breach and provide such details as it deems appropriate and in accordance with the standard of care hereunder regarding the extent of the breach of confidentiality.


The undertakings and obligations contained in this Section shall survive the termination or expiration of this Agreement.

23. Securities Investors Protection Act of 1970 Notice . EACH FUND IS HEREBY ADVISED AND ACKNOWLEDGES THAT THE PROVISIONS OF THE SECURITIES INVESTOR PROTECTION ACT OF 1970 MAY NOT PROTECT THE FUND WITH RESPECT TO THE LOAN OF SECURITIES HEREUNDER AND THAT, THEREFORE, THE COLLATERAL DELIVERED TO THE FUND MAY CONSTITUTE THE ONLY SOURCE OF SATISFACTION OF THE BROKER’S OR DEALER’S OBLIGATION IN THE EVENT THE BROKER OR DEALER FAILS TO RETURN THE SECURITIES.

24. Authorized Representatives . Each Fund authorizes State Street to accept and to act on any instructions or other communications, regardless of how sent or delivered, from any Authorized Representative. Each Fund shall be fully responsible for all acts of any Authorized Representative, even if that person exceeds his or her authority, and in no event shall State Street be liable to the Fund or any other third party for any losses or damages arising out of or relating to any act State Street takes or fails to take in connection with any such instructions or other communications. The foregoing shall not relieve State Street from liability in acting in accordance with Section  12(a) in effecting such instructions.

25. Agents, etc . State Street may use regulated clearing agents, securities depositaries, nominees, sub-custodians, trading platforms, data aggregating services, third party custodians, as State Street deems appropriate to carry out its duties under this Agreement. State Street’s sole liability for the acts or omissions of any such entity shall be limited to liability arising from State Street’s failure to use reasonable care in the selection and continued use of such entity (to the limited extent State Street has the ability to make a selection or continued use of such entity).To the extent State Street Affiliates act as State Street’s agent hereunder, State Street agrees to be fully responsible for the acts and omissions of such State Street Affiliates as though performed by State Street directly. State Street does not use any other agents that are not State Street Affiliates to carry out core functions relating to the securities lending services (in the event it does so, State Street shall be fully responsible for such agents). This Section 25 shall not derogate from State Street’s obligations under Section 14.


26. Force Majeure .

(a) State Street shall not be responsible or liable for any failure or delay in performance of its obligations under this Agreement (and the related losses) arising out of or caused, directly or indirectly, by circumstances beyond its control, including without limitation, work stoppage, power or other mechanical failure, computer virus, natural disaster, war and other governmental action, revolution, terrorism or communication disruption.

(b) The Trust shall not be responsible or liable for any failure or delay in performance of its obligations under this Agreement (and the related losses) arising out of or caused, directly or indirectly, by circumstances beyond its control, including without limitation, work stoppage, power or other mechanical failure, computer virus, natural disaster, war and other governmental action revolution, terrorism or communication disruption.

State Street shall have in place consistent with other financial services institutions carrying out similar duties, a business continuation plan and, when applicable, shall use commercially reasonable efforts to implement the business continuation plan to the extent practicable.

27. Non-US Borrowers . In the event the Fund approves lending to Borrowers resident in the United Kingdom (“UK”), the Fund shall provide sufficient documentation, in the form and manner required by the UK Inland Revenue, to establish that the Fund is (1) the beneficial owner of any manufactured dividends received and (2) not a UK recipient for purposes of UK manufactured overseas dividend rules

28. Miscellaneous . This Agreement supersedes any other agreement between the parties or any representations made by one party to the other, whether oral or in writing, concerning Loans of securities by State Street on behalf of the Funds. This Agreement shall not be assigned by either State Street or the Funds without the prior written consent of the other party. Subject to the foregoing, this Agreement shall be binding upon and shall inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective heirs, representatives, successors, and assigns. This Agreement shall be governed and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York. The provisions of this Agreement are severable and the invalidity or unenforceability of any provision hereof shall not affect any other provision of this Agreement. If in the construction of this Agreement any court should deem any provision to be invalid because of scope or duration, then such court shall forthwith reduce such scope or duration to that which is appropriate and enforce this Agreement in its modified scope or duration. In interpreting this Agreement the term “including” shall be read to mean “including, but not limited to,”.

29. Counterparts . 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 (1) instrument.

30. Modification . This Agreement shall not be modified, except by an instrument in writing signed by the parties hereto.


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the parties has caused their duly authorized officer(s) to execute this Agreement, effective as of the first date set forth above.

 

WISDOMTREE TRUST, on behalf of each of

its series as listed on Schedule B,

severally and not jointly

Name: /s/ Jonathan Steinberg
By: Jonathan Steinberg
Its: President

 

STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY
Name: /s/ Gina L. Timperio
By: Gina L. Timperio
Its: Senior Managing Director


FIRST AMENDMENT TO

SECURITIES LENDING AUTHORIZATION AGREEMENT

BETWEEN

WISDOMTREE TRUST

AND

STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY

This First Amendment (this “Amendment”) dated February 19, 2014 is between WISDOMTREE TRUST (the “Trust”), ON BEHALF OF EACH OF ITS SERIES AS LISTED ON SCHEDULE B TO THE AGREEMENT (as defined below), SEVERALLY AND NOT JOINTLY (each a “Fund” and collectively, the “Funds”), and STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY acting either directly or through any State Street Affiliates (collectively, “State Street”).

Reference is made to the Securities Lending Authorization Agreement dated September 27, 2013 between the Trust, on behalf of each of the Funds, and State Street, as amended to date (the “Agreement”).

WHEREAS, each of the Funds and State Street desire to amend the Agreement as specifically set forth below.

NOW THEREFORE, for value received, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties mutually agree to amend the Agreement as follows:

1. Definitions . All terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the meanings set forth in the Agreement.

2. Amendments .

(a) Section 4 of the Agreement is hereby amended by replacing the phrase “including State Street Bank and Trust Company and any affiliate thereof” in the first paragraph thereof with the phrase “including State Street Bank and Trust Company, State Street Bank GmbH, and any other State Street Affiliate”.

(b) Section 13 of the Agreement is hereby amended by, in the eighth paragraph thereof, (x) deleting the phrase “(if applicable)” in clauses (ii) and (iii) and (y) replacing the phrase “shall, prior to any Loan being made, have” with “has”.

(c) At the time of execution of the Agreement, it was contemplated by each of the Funds and State Street that Schedule A to the Agreement would be amended prior to the effectiveness of the Agreement. Schedule A to the Agreement is hereby deleted in its entirety and replaced with Schedule A hereto.

(d) Schedule B to the Agreement is hereby deleted in its entirety and replaced with Schedule B hereto.


3. Effectiveness . At the time of execution of the Agreement, it was contemplated by each of the Funds and State Street that the Agreement would become effective on a date agreed to by the parties and specified in an amendment. Each of the Funds and State Street hereby agrees that the Agreement shall become effective, as amended hereby, on February 19, 2014.

4. Representations and Warranties . Each of the Trust and State Street represents and warrants that (a) it has the requisite power and authority under applicable laws and by its organizational and governing documents to enter into this Amendment (with respect to the Trust, on behalf of each Fund) and the transactions contemplated hereby, and to perform its obligations hereunder; (b) all requisite proceedings have been taken to authorize it to enter into and perform this Amendment; (c) this Amendment constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation enforceable against it; (d) no legal or administrative proceedings have been instituted or threatened which would impair its ability to perform its duties and obligations under this Amendment; (e) its entrance into this Amendment and performance by it hereunder will not cause a material breach or be in material conflict with any of its other agreements or obligations; and (f) the execution, delivery and performance by it of this Amendment will at all times comply with all applicable laws and regulations applicable to it.

5. Miscellaneous . Except to the extent specifically amended by this Amendment, the provisions of the Agreement shall remain unmodified, and the Agreement is ratified and affirmed as being in full force. This Amendment 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 (1) instrument.

6. Governing Law . This Amendment shall be construed and governed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to choice of law or conflict of law principles.

7. Effective Date . This Amendment shall be effective as of the date first set forth above.

[Remainder of this page intentionally left blank]


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the parties has caused their duly authorized officer(s) to execute this Amendment, effective as of the first date set forth above.

WISDOMTREE TRUST , on behalf of each of its series as

listed on Schedule B to the Agreement, severally and not

jointly

Name: /s/ Jonathan Steinberg

By: Jonathan Steinberg

Its: President

STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY

Name: /s/ Gina L. Timperio

By: Gina L. Timperio

Its: Senior Managing Director


Schedule A

This Schedule is attached to and made part of the Securities Lending Authorization Agreement dated the 27 th day of September 2013 between WISDOMTREE TRUST (the “Trust”), ON BEHALF OF EACH OF ITS SERIES AS LISTED ON SCHEDULE B , SEVERALLY AND NOT JOINTLY (each a “Fund” and collectively, the “Funds”) and STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY acting either directly or through any State Street Affiliates (collectively, “State Street”), as amended.

Fee Split

% to the Fund

% to State Street

Cash Collateral Investment

Each Fund instructs State Street to invest cash Collateral in the State Street Securities Lending Prime Portfolio (the “Prime Portfolio”). The management fees for investing in the Prime Portfolio are as follows:

On an annualized basis, the management/custody/fund administration/transfer agent fee for investing cash Collateral in the Prime Portfolio is not more than 5.00 basis points netted out of yield. In addition, the trustee may pay out of the assets of the Prime Portfolio all reasonable expenses and fees of the Prime Portfolio, including professional fees or disbursements, incurred in connection with the operation of the Prime Portfolio.

Cash Collateral or money received in respect of cash Collateral may be invested by State Street in short-term instruments, short term investment funds maintained by State Street, money market mutual funds and such other investments as State Street may from time to time select, including investments in obligations or other securities of State Street or of any State Street Affiliate and investments in any short-term investment fund, mutual fund, securities lending trust or other collective investment fund with respect to which State Street and/or State Street Affiliates provide investment management or advisory, trust, custody, transfer agency, shareholder servicing and/or other services for which they are compensated, provided that any such investment conforms with the investment guidelines of the Prime Portfolio. In addition, to the extent that cash Collateral cannot be promptly invested in the Prime Portfolio pursuant to the Fund’s direction above due to the timing of delivery by Borrower, such cash Collateral may be invested as State Street may select, including in a demand deposit account or similar account in the name of State Street or any State Street Affiliate and/or as described in the preceding sentence until such cash Collateral can be invested in the Prime Portfolio pursuant to the Fund’s direction above.


Schedule B

This Schedule is attached to and made part of the Securities Lending Authorization Agreement dated as of the 27 th day of September 2013 between WISDOMTREE TRUST, ON BEHALF OF EACH OF ITS SERIES AS LISTED ON SCHEDULE B, SEVERALLY AND NOT JOINTLY (the “Funds”) and STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY acting either directly or through any State Street Affiliate (collectively, “State Street”).

 

Fund Name

   Fund
Ticker
   TIN    FYE

WisdomTree Emerging Markets Equity Income Fund

   DEM    20-8688393    Mar 31

WisdomTree Emerging Markets SmallCap Dividend Fund

   DGS    26-0555916    Mar 31

WisdomTree Middle East Dividend Fund

   GULF    26-2521188    Mar 31

WisdomTree China Dividend ex-Financials Fund

   CHXF    80-0812156    Mar 31

WisdomTree India Earnings Fund

   EPI    20-8271946    Mar 31

WisdomTree Emerging Markets Dividend Growth Fund

   DGRE    46-2674559    Mar 31

WisdomTree Emerging Markets Consumer Growth Fund

   EMCG    46-2685903    Mar 31

WisdomTree Asia-Pacific ex-Japan Fund

   AXJL    20-4184884    Mar 31

WisdomTree Australia Dividend Fund

   AUSE    20-4184932    Mar 31

WisdomTree DEFA Equity Income Fund

   DTH    20-4185692    Mar 31

WisdomTree DEFA Fund

   DWM    20-4185606    Mar 31

WisdomTree Europe SmallCap Dividend Fund

   DFE    20-6905697    Mar 31

WisdomTree Global Equity Income Fund

   DEW    20-4184691    Mar 31


WisdomTree Global ex-U.S. Dividend Growth Fund

   DNL    20-4184829    Mar 31

WisdomTree International Dividend ex-Financials Fund

   DOO    20-4185016    Mar 31

WisdomTree International LargeCap Dividend Fund

   DOL    20-4185073    Mar 31

WisdomTree International MidCap Dividend Fund

   DIM    20-4185270    Mar 31

WisdomTree International SmallCap Dividend Fund

   DLS    20-4185347    Mar 31

WisdomTree Japan SmallCap Dividend Fund

   DFJ    20-6905707    Mar 31

WisdomTree Commodity Country Equity Fund

   CCXE    56-2607541    Mar 31

WisdomTree Global Natural Resources Fund

   GNAT    37-1528469    Mar 31

WisdomTree Global ex-U.S. Utilities Fund

   DBU    32-0181041    Mar 31

WisdomTree Global ex-U.S. Real Estate Fund

   DRW    20-8688308    Mar 31

WisdomTree Japan Hedged Equity Fund

   DXJ    20-4184758    Mar 31

WisdomTree Europe Hedged Equity Fund

   HEDJ    26-3143870    Mar 31

WisdomTree Japan Hedged SmallCap Equity Fund

   DXJS    46-2518016    Mar 31

WisdomTree United Kingdom Hedged Equity Fund

   DXPS    46-2527487    Mar 31

Wisdomtree Germany Hedged Equity Fun

   DXGE    46-2567000    Mar 31

WisdomTree Korea Hedged Equity Fund

   DXKW    46-2540777    Mar 31

WisdomTree Dividend ex-Financials Fund

   DTN    20-4185397    Mar 31


WisdomTree Equity Income Fund

   DHS    20-4184623    Mar 31

WisdomTree LargeCap Dividend Fund

   DLN    20-4185467    Mar 31

WisdomTree MidCap Dividend Fund

   DON    20-4185514    Mar 31

WisdomTree SmallCap Dividend Fund

   DES    20-4185562    Mar 31

WisdomTree Total Dividend Fund

   DTD    20-4184568    Mar 31

WisdomTree Earnings 500 Fund

   EPS    74-3201195    Mar 31

WisdomTree LargeCap Value Fund

   EZY    74-3201187    Mar 31

WisdomTree MidCap Earnings Fund

   EZM    74-3201194    Mar 31

WisdomTree SmallCap Earnings Fund

   EES    74-3201196    Mar 31

WisdomTree Total Earnings Fund

   EXT    74-3201190    Mar 31

WisdomTree U.S. Dividend Growth Fund

   DGRW    46-2493981    Mar 31

WisdomTree U.S. SmallCap Dividend Growth Fund

   DGRS    46-2505717    Mar 31

WisdomTree Managed Futures Strategy Fund

   WDTI    27-3084885    Aug 31

WisdomTree Brazilian Real Strategy Fund

   BZF    26-1751437    Aug 31

WisdomTree Chinese Yuan Strategy Fund

   CYB    26-1751491    Aug 31

WisdomTree Indian Rupee Strategy Fund

   ICN    26-1751534    Aug 31

WisdomTree Emerging Currency Strategy Fund

   CEW    26-1751963    Aug 31


WisdomTree Commodity Currency Strategy Fund

   CCX    27-2183881    Aug 31

WisdomTree Bloomberg U.S. Dollar Bullish Fund

   USDU    46-4054867    Aug 31

WisdomTree Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Negative Duration Fund

   AGND    46-4164645    Aug 31

WisdomTree Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Zero Duration Fund

   AGZD    46-4161103    Aug 31

WisdomTree BofA Merrill Lynch High Yield Bond Negative Duration Fund

   HYND    46-4185856    Aug 31

WisdomTree BofA Merrill Lynch High Yield Bond Zero Duration Fund

   HYZD    46-4180655    Aug 31

WisdomTree Euro Debt Fund

   EU    26-0556027    Aug 31

WisdomTree Australia And New Zealand Debt Fund

   AUNZ    26-1751379    Aug 31

WisdomTree Emerging Markets Local Debt Fund

   ELD    27-2121418    Aug 31

WisdomTree Asia Local Debt Fund

   ALD    27-4265822    Aug 31

WisdomTree Global Real Return Fund

   RRF    27-0718896    Aug 31

WisdomTree Emerging Markets Corporate Bond Fund

   EMCB    80-0774991    Aug 31

WisdomTree Global Corporate Bond Fund

   GLCB    90-0912889    Aug 31

WisdomTree Japan Interest Rate Strategy Fund

   JGBB    46-3818061    Aug 31

WisdomTree Bloomberg Floating Rate Treasury Fund

   USFR    46-4494453    Aug 31

WisdomTree Japan Hedged Real Estate Fund

   DXJR    46-4422185    Mar 31

WisdomTree Japan Hedged Financials Fund

   DXJF    46-4438891    Mar 31


WisdomTree Japan Hedged Capital Goods Fund

   DXJC    46-4467563    Mar 31

WisdomTree Japan Hedged Health Care Fund

   DXJH    46-4480255    Mar 31

WisdomTree Japan Hedged Tech, Media & Telecom Fund

   DXJT    46-4453204    Mar 31

WisdomTree International Hedged Dividend Growth Fund

   TBD    TBD    Mar 31

WisdomTree Japan Hedged Dividend Growth Fund

   TBD    TBD    Mar 31

WisdomTree Europe Dividend Growth Fund

   TBD    TBD    Mar 31

WisdomTree Barclays U.S. Treasury 3-7 Year Negative Duration Fund

   TBD    TBD    Aug 31

WisdomTree Barclays U.S. Treasury 20+ Year Negative Duration Fund

   TBD    TBD    Aug 31


 

LOGO

TAIWAN SECURITIES LETTER AGREEMENT

WisdomTree Trust

380 Madison Avenue, 21 st Floor

New York, NY 10017

RE: LOANS OF TAIWAN SECURITIES

Dear Sirs:

We refer to the Securities Lending Authorization Agreement (the “ Agreement ”), as amended from time to time, between State Street Bank and Trust Company (“ State Street ”) and WisdomTree Trust, on behalf of each of its series as listed on Schedule B to the Agreement, severally and not jointly (each an “ SLAA Fund ” and collectively, the “ SLAA Funds ”), dated September 27, 2013, as amended from time to time (the “ Agreement ”).

WHEREAS:

 

A. Certain qualified foreign institutional investors, (“ FINIs, ” each a “ FINI ”) are permitted to participate in securities lending and borrowing transactions of Taiwan listed securities pursuant to the Taiwan Stock Exchange Corporation (“ TWSE ”) Securities Lending and Borrowing Regulations and such other rules for the time being of the TWSE and/or any other regulatory authority whose rules and regulations shall from time to time affect the activities of the Parties pursuant to this Letter Agreement including but not limited to the stocklending regulations and guidance notes relating to both stocklending, manufactured interest, dividends and any associated procedures required pursuant thereto (the “ Rules ”);

 

B. Foreign investor participation in such securities lending and borrowing transactions is regulated by the Regulations Governing Securities Investment by Overseas Chinese and Foreign Nationals (“ FINI Regulations ”);

 

C. Each of the SLAA Funds listed below (each, a “ Fund ” and collectively, the “ Funds ” is an offshore FINI; and

 

D. The Parties wish to amend the terms of the Agreement to allow for loans of each Fund’s Taiwan Securities held in the Fund’s Taiwan FINI Account.

For value received, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties mutually agree to amend the Agreement in the following respects:

 

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1. DEFINITIONS

All terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the meaning set forth in the Agreement.

Taiwan Securities ” means those equity securities which the Taiwan Stock Exchange advises from time to time to be eligible for securities lending transactions and which are held in the Fund’s Taiwan FINI Account.

 

2. AVAILABLE SECURITIES

Subject to the terms of the Agreement, this Letter Agreement, the Rules and the FINI Regulations, State Street, as the Fund’s agent, will, from time to time, enter into negotiated type transactions under the Rules and lend to Borrower/Counterparty, the Fund’s Taiwan Securities held in the FINI Account identified below (“ Taiwan Securities ”):

 

PARTY

   FINI Code     

Custodian Details

           

Name

   Fund
Number
   FINI
Account
Number

WisdomTree Trust

     F23926274       WisdomTree Trust - WisdomTree Asia Local Debt Fund    WTDE    969744000
     F23927528       WisdomTree Trust - WisdomTree Asia Pacific ex-Japan Fund    WTBA    969824000
     F23927540       WisdomTree Trust - WisdomTree Global ex-U.S. Utilities Fund    WTBU    970064000
     F23912530       WisdomTree Trust - WisdomTree Emerging Markets Equity Income Fund    WTAS    970224000
     F23920209       WisdomTree Trust - WisdomTree Global Equity Income Fund    WTBI    970554000
     F23935435       WisdomTree Trust - WisdomTree Emerging Markets Dividend Growth Fund    WTAY    970634000
     F23913986       WisdomTree Trust - WisdomTree Emerging Markets SmallCap Dividend Fund    WTAU    970304000
     F23920196       WisdomTree Trust - WisdomTree Global ex-U.S. Dividend Growth Fund    WTBJ    969904000
     F23927539       WisdomTree Trust - WisdomTree Global ex-U.S. Real Estate Fund    WTBS    970144000
     F23935526       WisdomTree Trust - WisdomTree Emerging Markets Consumer Growth Fund    WTAX    970484000

 

3. SALE OF LOANED SECURITIES

Each Fund agrees that it must give State Street notice of termination of a Loan of Taiwan Securities not later than 10:00am Taiwan time two days prior to the date on which it wishes to have the securities returned and credited to its FINI Account and unless otherwise agreed, the Fund will not place any order to sell Loaned Securities until it has provided the termination notice for the affected Loan to State Street.

 

2


 

LOGO

 

4. INCOME ON LOANED SECURITIES

Each Fund agrees that in the event of a stock dividend being issued on the Loaned Securities it may be liable to pay any tax or other imposts levied on the new shares as it would have to pay if it had received the stock dividends directly, and any subscription costs will be debited directly from the Fund’s United States Dollar (“ USD ”) Demand Deposit Account held at State Street.

 

5. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

 

  A. Each Fund represents and warrants and agrees at the time of execution of this Letter Agreement and on a continuing basis that it:

 

  (i) Is a qualified offshore FINI in accordance with the FINI Regulations, is qualified to enter into negotiated securities lending and borrowing transactions in Taiwan and has been approved as such by the TWSE;

 

  (ii) Is a non resident of Taiwan for tax purposes and does not have a fixed place of business in Taiwan, or a business agent in Taiwan pursuant to Article 10 of the Taiwan Income Tax Law, and that it does not have a permanent establishment in Taiwan with which any payments in connection with the Loans of Taiwanese Securities are attributable;

 

  (iii) Will at all relevant times maintain sufficient clear funds in its Taiwan Dollar account or take such other action to ensure without fail the immediate payment of any fees or charges payable in respect of Loans of Taiwanese Securities and acknowledges that failure to pay such fees and charges when due is a default under Taiwanese law and will be treated as a default pursuant to the terms of the applicable Borrower/Counterparty agreement;

 

  (iv) Has appointed a Taiwan Tax Filing Agent (“ TFA ”) and advised its TFA that it will be entering into securities lending transactions and that TFA is:

 

     Trade name:      Deloitte & Touche
     Address:     

12th Floor, Hung Tai Financial Plaza

156 Min Sheng East Road, Sec. 3

Taipei 10596, Taiwan, ROC

     Telephone No.:      +866 (2) 2545-9988

 

  (v) Is responsible for all fees and costs charged by the Fund’s TFA in relation to the Fund’s securities lending activity as set forth in this Letter Agreement; including the application for pre-approval of a Taiwan withholding tax exemption for securities lending related income payments under any applicable income tax treaty with Taiwan;

 

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LOGO

 

  (vi) Will be subject to the Rules and the FINI regulations;

 

  (vii) Authorizes State Street’s and/or any other relevant Taiwan Custodian to accept instructions from State Street;

 

  (viii) Authorizes State Street to provide the above information and repeat the above representations and warranties as required to each Borrower/Counterparty; and

 

  (ix) Authorizes the reimbursement from its USD Demand Deposit Account to Borrower/Counterparty for any tax paid by the Borrower/Counterparty with respect to the receipt of a stock dividend on Taiwan Securities Loaned from the Fund.

State Street may repeat the above representations and warranties as required to each Borrower/Counterparty.

 

  B. Unless otherwise directed, State Street will:

 

  (i) report the gross amounts of any fees received from Borrower/Counterparties with respect to Loans of Taiwan Securities (“ Lending Fees ”) and any fees paid to State Street as remuneration for its services (“ Agency Fees ”) and any other information required by Fund’s TFA to the Fund’s Taiwan Custodian, which will then provide the information to the Fund’s TFA; and

 

  (ii) deduct from the Fund’s portion of the Lending Fee the USD equivalent, or such other currency as agreed by the parties, of any applicable Taiwan tax due and wire such amount to the Fund’s Taiwan Custodian for payment to the Taiwan tax authorities.

 

  C. State Street will, on behalf of each Fund, instruct:

 

  (i) Fund’s Taiwan Custodian to deduct the appropriate taxes from the Lending Fees and pay these and any other tax obligations to the appropriate tax authority;

 

  (ii) Fund’s TFA to verify the amount and file the appropriate Taiwan taxation return;

 

  (iii) Fund’s TFA via the Fund’s Taiwan Custodian of all Manufactured Payments with instructions to pay any further tax required or apply for any applicable refund; and

 

  (iv) reimbursement of the Borrower/Counterparty in cash for the amount of any withholding tax shown as paid by the Borrower/Counterparty on the relevant Withholding Tax Statement, with respect to a stock dividend distributed by a Taiwan issuer to the Borrower/Counterparty.

 

6. MISCELLANEOUS

Except to the extent specifically amended by this Letter Agreement, the provisions of the Agreement

 

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shall remain unmodified, and the Agreement is ratified and affirmed as being in full force and effect. This Letter Agreement, the Agreement and the other documents and certificates referred to in the Agreement constitute the entire understanding of the parties with respect to the subject matter thereof and supersede all prior and current understandings and agreements, whether written or oral. To the extent of any inconsistency between the Agreement and this Letter Agreement, the terms of this Letter Agreement shall prevail. This Amendment shall be construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF , the Parties hereto execute this Letter Agreement by affixing their signatures below.

 

STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY
By:  

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Name:   Gino L. Timperio
Title:   Senior Managing Director
Date:   March 7, 2014
Accepted and agreed by:
WISDOMTREE TRUST, on behalf of each of its series as listed in Section 2 of this Letter Agreement, severally and not jointly
By:  

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Name:   Jonathan Steinberg
Title:   President
Date:   March 5, 2014

 

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POWER OF ATTORNEY

I, the undersigned Trustee of WisdomTree Trust, hereby severally constitute and appoint each of Jonathan Steinberg, Gregory Barton, Ryan Louvar and Sarah English, and each of them singly, with full powers of substitution and resubstitution, my true and lawful attorney, with full power to him or her to sign for me, and in my name in the capacity indicated below, any and all amendments (including pre- and post- effective amendments) to the Registration Statement of WisdomTree Trust on Form N-lA and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorney full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite or necessary to be done in the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorney lawfully could do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

The undersigned specifically permits this Power of Attorney to be filed as an exhibit to the above-referenced Registration Statement on Form N-lA, or any amendment thereto, with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Each of the undersigned revokes all previous powers of attorney granted by him to the extent inconsistent with this Power of Attorney. This Power of Attorney will remain in full force and effect until specifically rescinded by the undersigned.

 

Name:

  

Capacity:

 

Date As Of;

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David Chrencik    Trustee   March 12, 2014

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Melinda Raso Kirstein    Trustee   March 12, 2014