As filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
on March 23, 2020
Securities Act File No. 333-151713
Investment Company Act File No. 811-22209
 
U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D. C. 20549
 
FORM N-1A
 
Registration Statement Under The Securities Act Of 1933 þ
 
Pre-Effective Amendment No. ________ q
 
Post-Effective Amendment No. 596 þ
 
and/or
 
Registration Statement Under The Investment Company Act Of 1940 þ
 
Amendment No. 599 þ
(Check appropriate box or boxes)
 
Global X Funds
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)
605 3rd Avenue, 43rd Floor
New York, NY 10158
(Address of Principal Executive Office)
 
Registrant's Telephone Number, including Area Code:  (212) 644-6440
 
Send Copies of Communications to:
 
 
 
Luis Berruga
Eric S. Purple, Esquire
605 3rd Avenue, 43rd Floor
Stradley Ronon Stevens & Young, LLP
New York, New York 10158
2000 K Street, N.W., Suite 700
(NAME AND ADDRESS OF AGENT FOR SERVICE)
Washington D.C. 20006


 
It is proposed that this filing will become effective (check appropriate box)
q immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b)
þ on March 28, 2020 pursuant to paragraph (b)
q 60 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)
q on (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)
q 75 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(2)
q on (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(2) of rule 485.
 
If appropriate, check the following box:
q this post-effective amendment designates a new effective date for a previously filed post-effective amendment.




GLOBALXLOGOB01.JPG
Global X MLP ETF 
NYSE Arca: MLPA
Global X MLP & Energy Infrastructure ETF 
NYSE Arca: MLPX
Global X U.S. Preferred ETF
NYSE Arca: PFFD
Global X SuperDividend® Alternatives ETF
NASDAQ: ALTY
Global X S&P 500® Quality Dividend ETF
NYSE Arca: QDIV
Global X TargetIncomeTM 5 ETF
Cboe BZX: TFIV
Global X TargetIncomeTM Plus 2 ETF
Cboe BZX: TFLT
Global X Adaptive U.S. Factor ETF
NYSE Arca: AUSF
Prospectus
 
April 1, 2020
 
 The Securities and Exchange Commission ("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.
 
Shares in a Fund (defined below) are not guaranteed or insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other agency of the U.S. Government, nor are shares deposits or obligations of any bank. Such shares in a Fund involve investment risks, including the loss of principal.

Beginning on January 1, 2021, as permitted by regulations adopted by the SEC, paper copies of the Funds’ shareholder reports will no longer be sent by mail, unless you specifically request paper copies of the reports from your financial intermediary (such as a broker-dealer or bank). Instead, shareholder reports will be available on the Funds’ website (www.globalxetfs.com), and you will be notified by mail each time a report is posted and provided with a website link to access the report. If you already elected to receive shareholder reports electronically, you will not be affected by this change and you need not take any action. You may elect to receive shareholder reports and other communications from the Funds electronically anytime by contacting your financial intermediary. You may elect to receive all future Fund shareholder reports in paper free of charge. Please contact your financial intermediary to inform them that you wish to continue receiving paper copies of Fund shareholder reports and for details about whether your election to receive reports in paper will apply to all funds held with your financial intermediary.



TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
FUND SUMMARIES
1
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUNDS
69
A FURTHER DISCUSSION OF PRINCIPAL RISKS
69
A FURTHER DISCUSSION OF OTHER RISKS
98
PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS INFORMATION
98
FUND MANAGEMENT
98
DISTRIBUTOR
99
BUYING AND SELLING FUND SHARES
99
FREQUENT TRADING
100
DISTRIBUTION AND SERVICE PLAN
100
DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS
101
TAXES FOR THE GLOBAL X MLP ETF
102
TAXES FOR EACH FUND OTHER THAN THE GLOBAL X MLP ETF
104
DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE
107
PREMIUM/DISCOUNT INFORMATION
109
TOTAL RETURN INFORMATION
110
INFORMATION REGARDING THE INDICES AND THE INDEX PROVIDERS
111
OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS
115
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
115
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
115
OTHER INFORMATION
118


i


FUND SUMMARIES

Global X MLP ETF
 
Ticker: MLPA Exchange: NYSE Arca
 
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
 
The Global X MLP ETF ("Fund") seeks to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the Solactive MLP Infrastructure Index ("Underlying Index").
 
FEES AND EXPENSES
 
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares ("Shares") of the Fund. You will also incur usual and customary brokerage commissions when buying and selling Shares.
 
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment):

Management Fees:
0.45%
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees:
None
Other Expenses (Deferred Income Tax Expense and/or Franchise Tax Expense):1
0.01%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses:
0.46%
 
1     The Fund is classified for federal income tax purposes as a taxable regular corporation or so-called Subchapter ''C'' corporation. As a ''C'' corporation, the Fund accrues deferred tax liability for its future tax liability associated with the capital appreciation of its investments and the distributions received by the Fund on equity securities of master limited partnerships considered to be a return of capital and for any net operating gains. The Fund's accrued deferred tax liability, if any, is reflected each day in the Fund's net asset value per share. The deferred income tax expense/(benefit) represents an estimate of the Fund's potential tax expense/(benefit) if it were to recognize the unrealized gains/(losses) in the portfolio. An estimate of deferred income tax expense/(benefit) is dependent upon the Fund's net investment income/(loss) and realized and unrealized gains/(losses) on investments and such expenses may vary greatly from year to year and from day to day depending on the nature of the Fund's investments, the performance of those investments and general market conditions. Therefore, any estimate of deferred income tax expense/(benefit) cannot be reliably predicted from year to year. The Fund also accrues state franchise tax liability. State franchise taxes are separate and distinct from state income taxes. State franchise taxes are imposed on a corporation for the right to conduct business in the state and typically are based off the net worth or capital apportioned to a state. Due to the nature of the Fund's investments, the Fund may be required to file franchise state returns in several states.

Example: The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. This example does not take into account customary brokerage commissions that you pay when purchasing or selling Shares of the Fund in the secondary market. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell all of your Shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:
 
One Year
Three Years
Five Years
Ten Years
$47
$148
$258
$579

Portfolio Turnover: The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund's performance. For the most recent fiscal period, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 55.65% of the average value of its portfolio.

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES
 

1


The Fund invests at least 80% of its total assets in the securities of the Underlying Index. Moreover, at least 80% of the Fund's total assets will be invested in securities that have economic characteristics of the Master Limited Partnership ("MLP") asset class. The Fund's 80% investment policies are non-fundamental and require 60 days prior written notice to shareholders before they can be changed.

The Underlying Index is intended to give investors a means of tracking the performance of the energy infrastructure MLP asset class in the United States. As of January 31, 2020, the Underlying Index was comprised of 20 MLPs engaged in the transportation, storage, and processing of natural resources ("Midstream MLPs"). The Fund's investment objective and Underlying Index may be changed without shareholder approval.

The Underlying Index is sponsored by Solactive AG, the provider of the Underlying Index ("Index Provider"), which is independent of the Fund and Global X Management Company LLC, the investment adviser for the Fund ("Adviser"). The Index Provider determines the relative weightings of the securities in the Underlying Index and publishes information regarding the market value of the Underlying Index.

The Adviser uses a "passive" or indexing approach to try to achieve the Fund's investment objective. Unlike many investment companies, the Fund does not try to outperform the Underlying Index and does not seek temporary defensive positions when markets decline or appear overvalued.
 
The Fund generally will use a replication strategy. A replication strategy is an indexing strategy that involves investing in the securities of the Underlying Index in approximately the same proportions as in the Underlying Index. However, the Fund may utilize a representative sampling strategy with respect to the Underlying Index when a replication strategy might be detrimental or disadvantageous to shareholders, such as when there are practical difficulties or substantial costs involved in compiling a portfolio of equity securities to replicate the Underlying Index, in instances in which a security in the Underlying Index becomes temporarily illiquid, unavailable or less liquid, or as a result of legal restrictions or limitations that apply to the Fund but not the Underlying Index.

Midstream MLPs are publicly traded partnerships engaged in the transportation, storage and processing of natural resources. By confining their operations to these specific activities, the interests, or units, of MLPs that elect to be taxed as a partnership are able to trade on public securities exchanges exactly like the shares of a corporation, without entity level taxation. The Fund may also invest in MLPs that elect to be taxed as corporations.

To refrain from being taxed as a corporation, a partnership must receive at least 90% of its income from qualifying sources as set forth in Section 7704(d) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"). These qualifying sources include interest, dividends, real estate rents, gain from the sale or disposition of real property, income and gain from mineral or natural resources activities, income and gain from the transportation or storage of certain fuels, gain from the sale or disposition of a capital asset held for the production of income described in the foregoing, and, in certain circumstances, income and gain from commodities or futures, forwards and options with respect to commodities.
 
MLPs generally have two classes of owners, the general partner and limited partners. The general partner of an MLP is typically owned by a major energy company, an investment fund, or the direct management of the MLP, or is an entity owned by one or more of such parties. The general partner may be structured as a private or publicly traded corporation or other entity. The general partner typically controls the operations and management of the MLP through an up to 2% equity interest in the MLP plus, in many cases, ownership of common units and subordinated units. Limited partners typically own the remainder of the partnership, through ownership of common units, and have a limited role in the partnership's operations and management. MLPs are typically structured such that common units and general partner interests have first priority to receive quarterly cash distributions up to an established minimum amount ("minimum quarterly distributions" or "MQD"). Common and general partner interests also accrue arrearages in distributions to the extent the MQD is not paid. Once common and general partner interests have been paid, subordinated units receive distributions of up to the MQD; however, subordinated units do not accrue arrearages. Distributable cash in excess of the MQD is paid to both common and subordinated units and is distributed to both common and subordinated units generally on a pro rata basis. The general partner is also eligible to receive incentive distributions if the general partner operates the business in a manner which results in distributions paid per common unit surpassing specified target levels. As the general partner increases cash distributions to the limited partners, the general partner receives an increasingly higher percentage of the incremental cash distributions.
 
Due to the nature of the Fund's investments, the Fund will not qualify as a regulated investment company under the Code. As a result, the Fund will be taxed as a regular corporation ("C" corporation) for federal income tax purposes.


2


The Adviser seeks a correlation over time of 95% or better between the Fund's performance, before fund fees, expenses and taxes, and the performance of the Underlying Index. A correlation percentage of 100% would indicate perfect correlation. If the Fund uses a replication strategy, it can be expected to have greater correlation to the Underlying Index than if it uses a representative sampling strategy.

The Fund concentrates its investments (i.e., hold 25% or more of its total assets) in a particular industry or group of industries to approximately the same extent that the Underlying Index is concentrated. As of January 31, 2020, the Underlying Index was concentrated in the oil, gas and consumable fuels industry and had significant exposure to the energy sector.

SUMMARY OF PRINCIPAL RISKS
 
As with any investment, you could lose all or part of your investment in the Fund, and the Fund’s performance could trail that of other investments. There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. The Fund is subject to the principal risks noted below, any of which may adversely affect the Fund’s net asset value (“NAV”), trading price, yield, total return and ability to meet its investment objective, as well as other risks that are described in greater detail in the Additional Information About the Funds section of this Prospectus and in the Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”). The order of the below risk factors does not indicate the significance of any particular risk factor.

Asset Class Risk: Securities and other assets in the Underlying Index or otherwise held in the Fund's portfolio may underperform in comparison to the general securities markets, a particular securities market or other asset classes.

Equity Securities Risk: Equity securities are subject to changes in value, and their values may be more volatile than other asset classes, as a result of such factors as a company’s business performance, investor perceptions, stock market trends and general economic conditions.

Master Limited Partnerships Investment Risk: Investments in securities of an MLP involve risks that differ from investments in common stock, including risks related to limited control and limited rights to vote on matters affecting the MLP, risks related to potential conflicts of interest between the MLP and the MLP’s general partner, and cash flow risks. MLP common units and other equity securities can be affected by changes in macro-economic and other factors affecting the stock market in general, including changes in growth, unemployment, and inflation rates, as well as expectations of interest rates. MLP common units and other equity securities can also be affected by investor sentiment towards MLPs or the energy sector, changes in a particular issuer’s financial condition, or unfavorable or unanticipated poor performance of a particular issuer (in the case of MLPs, generally measured in terms of distributable cash flow). Prices of common units of individual MLPs and other equity securities also can be affected by fundamentals unique to the partnership or company, including earnings power and coverage ratios.

Midstream MLPs Investment Risk: MLPs that operate midstream assets are subject to supply and demand fluctuations in the markets they serve, which may be impacted by a wide range of factors, including fluctuating commodity prices, weather, increased conservation or use of alternative fuel sources, increased governmental or environmental regulation, depletion, rising interest rates, declines in domestic or foreign production, accidents or catastrophic events, increasing operating expenses and economic conditions, among others. Midsteam MLPs may be particularly susceptible to large drops in energy prices, which have the ability to impact more drastically production in the oil and gas fields that they serve. Further, MLPs that operate gathering and processing assets are subject to natural declines in the production of the oil and gas fields they serve. In addition, some gathering and processing contracts subject the owner of such assets to direct commodity price risk.

Associated Risks Related to Investing in Energy Infrastructure Companies: The Fund invests primarily in energy infrastructure companies. Energy infrastructure companies are subject to risks specific to the industry they serve, including, but not limited to, the following:

• reduced volumes of natural gas or other energy commodities available for transporting, processing or storing;
• new construction and acquisition risk, which can limit growth potential;
• a sustained reduced demand for crude oil, natural gas and refined petroleum products resulting from a recession or an increase in market price or higher taxes;
• changes in the regulatory environment;
• extreme weather;
• rising interest rates, which could result in a higher cost of capital and drive investors into other investment opportunities; and
• threats of attack by terrorists.

3



Capitalization Risk: Investing in issuers within the same market capitalization category carries the risk that the category may be out of favor due to current market conditions or investor sentiment.

Large-Capitalization Companies Risk: Large-capitalization companies may trail the returns of the overall stock market. Large-capitalization stocks tend to go through cycles of doing better - or worse - than the stock market in general. These periods have, in the past, lasted for as long as several years.

Mid-Capitalization Companies Risk: Mid-capitalization companies may have greater price volatility, lower trading volume and less liquidity than large-capitalization companies. In addition, mid-capitalization companies may have smaller revenues, narrower product lines, less management depth and experience, smaller shares of their product or service markets, fewer financial resources and less competitive strength than large-capitalization companies.

Small-Capitalization Companies Risk: Compared to mid- and large-capitalization companies, small-capitalization companies may be less stable and more susceptible to adverse developments, and their securities may be more volatile and less liquid.

Cash Transaction Risk: Unlike most exchange-traded funds ("ETFs"), the Fund intends to effect a significant portion of creations and redemptions for cash, rather than in-kind securities. As a result, an investment in the Fund may be less tax-efficient than an investment in a more conventional ETF.

Commodity Exposure Risk: To the extent that its Underlying Index has exposure to securities and markets that are susceptible to fluctuations in certain commodity markets, any negative changes in commodity markets could have a great impact on the Fund. Commodity prices may be influenced or characterized by unpredictable factors, including, where applicable, high volatility, changes in supply and demand relationships, weather, agriculture, trade, changes in interest rates and monetary and other governmental policies, action and inaction. Securities of companies held by the Fund that are dependent on a single commodity, or are concentrated on a single commodity sector, may typically exhibit even higher volatility attributable to commodity prices.

Concentration Risk: To the extent that the Underlying Index concentrates in investments related to a particular industry or group of industries, the Fund will also concentrate its investments to approximately the same extent. Similarly, if the Underlying Index has significant exposure to one or more sectors, the Fund’s investments will likely have significant exposure to such sectors. In such event, the Fund’s performance will be particularly susceptible to adverse events impacting such industry or sector, which may include, but are not limited to, the following: general economic conditions or cyclical market patterns that could negatively affect supply and demand; competition for resources; adverse labor relations; political or world events; obsolescence of technologies; and increased competition or new product introductions that may affect the profitability or viability of companies in a particular industry or sector. As a result, the value of the Fund’s investments may rise and fall more than the value of shares of a fund that invests in securities of companies in a broader range of industries or sectors.

Risks Related to Investing in the Energy Sector: The value of securities issued by companies in the energy sector may decline for many reasons, including, without limitation, changes in energy prices; international politics; energy conservation; the success of exploration projects; natural disasters or other catastrophes; changes in exchange rates, interest rates, or economic conditions; changes in demand for energy products and services; and tax and other government regulatory policies. Actions taken by central governments may dramatically impact supply and demand forces that influence energy prices, resulting in sudden decreases in value for companies in the energy sector.

Risks Related to Investing in the Oil, Gas and Consumable Fuels Industry: The oil, gas and consumable fuels industry is cyclical and highly dependent on the market price of fuel. The market value of companies in the oil, gas and consumable fuels industry are strongly affected by the levels and volatility of global commodity prices, supply and demand, capital expenditures on exploration and production, energy conservation efforts, the prices of alternative fuels, exchange rates and technological advances. Companies in this sector are subject to substantial government regulation and contractual fixed pricing, which may increase the cost of business and limit these companies’ earnings. Actions taken by central governments may dramatically impact supply and demand forces that influence the market price of fuel, resulting in sudden decreases in value for companies in the oil, gas and consumable fuels industry. A significant portion of their revenues depends on a relatively small number of customers, including governmental entities and utilities. As a result, governmental budget restraints may have a material adverse effect on the stock prices of companies in the industry.

Geographic Risk: A natural, biological or other disaster could occur in a geographic region in which the Fund invests, which could affect the economy or particular business operations of companies in the specific geographic region, causing an adverse impact on the Fund’s investments in the affected region or in a region economically tied to the affected region. The securities in

4


which the Fund invests and, consequently, the Fund are also subject to specific risks as a result of their business operations, including, but not limited to:

Risk of Investing in Developed Markets: The Fund’s investment in a developed country issuer may subject the Fund to regulatory, political, currency, security, economic and other risks associated with developed countries. Developed countries tend to represent a significant portion of the global economy and have generally experienced slower economic growth than some less developed countries. Certain developed countries have experienced security concerns, such as terrorism and strained international relations. Incidents involving a country’s or region’s security may cause uncertainty in its markets and may adversely affect its economy and the Fund’s investments. In addition, developed countries may be impacted by changes to the economic conditions of certain key trading partners, regulatory burdens, debt burdens and the price or availability of certain commodities.

Risk of Investing in the United States: A decrease in imports or exports, changes in trade regulations and/or an economic recession in the U.S. may have a material adverse effect on the U.S. economy.

Investable Universe of Companies Risk: The investable universe of companies in which the Fund may invest may be limited. If a company no longer meets the Index Provider’s criteria for inclusion in the Underlying Index, the Fund may need to reduce or eliminate its holdings in that company. The reduction or elimination of the Fund’s holdings in the company may have an adverse impact on the liquidity of the Fund’s overall portfolio holdings and on Fund performance.

Issuer Risk: Fund performance depends on the performance of individual companies in which the Fund invests. Changes to the financial condition of any of those companies may cause the value of their securities to decline.

Market Risk: Turbulence in the financial markets and reduced liquidity may negatively affect issuers, which could have an adverse effect on the Fund. If the securities held by the Fund experience poor liquidity, the Fund may be unable to transact at advantageous times or prices, which may decrease the Fund’s returns. In addition, there is a risk that policy changes by the U.S. Government, Federal Reserve, or other government actors, which could include increasing interest rates, could cause increased volatility in financial markets and lead to higher levels of Fund redemptions, which could have a negative impact on the Fund. Furthermore, local, regional or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issue, recessions, or other events could have a significant impact on the Fund and its investments and trading of its shares. The Fund’s NAV could decline over short periods due to short-term market movements and over longer periods during market downturns.

MLP Tax Risk: Subject to the application of the partnership audit rules, MLPs that elect to be taxed as partnerships do not pay U.S. federal income tax at the partnership level. Rather, each partner is allocated a share of the partnership’s income, gains, losses, deductions and expenses. A change in current tax law, or a change in the underlying business mix of a given MLP, could result in an MLP that previously elected to be taxed as a partnership being treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes, which would result in such MLP being required to pay U.S. federal income tax on its taxable income. The classification of an MLP as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes would have the effect of reducing the amount of cash available for distribution by the MLP. Thus, to the extent that any of the MLPs to which the Fund has exposure are treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes, it could result in a reduction in the value of the Fund’s investment and lower the Fund’s income. The Fund may also invest in MLPs that elect to be taxed as corporations, which taxes would have the effect of reducing the amount of cash available for distribution by the MLP. Additionally, as a result of the Fund's exposure to MLPs taxed as partnerships, a portion of the Fund’s distributions are expected to be treated as a return of capital for tax purposes. Return of capital distributions are not taxable income to you, but reduce your tax basis in your Fund Shares. Such a reduction in tax basis will result in larger taxable gains and/or lower tax losses on a subsequent sale of Fund Shares. Shareholders who sell their Shares for less than they bought them may still recognize a gain due to the reduction in tax basis. Shareholders who periodically receive the payment of dividends or other distributions consisting of a return of capital may be under the impression that they are receiving net profits from the Fund when, in fact, they are not. Shareholders should not assume that the source of the distributions is from the net profits of the Fund. To the extent that the distributions paid to you constitute a return of capital, the Fund's assets will decline. A decline in the Fund's assets may also result in an increase in the portion of a Fund's expense ratio that is not subject to a unitary fee or any other form of contractual cap, and over time the distributions paid in excess of net distributions received could work to erode the Fund's net asset value.

Non-Diversification Risk: The Fund is classified as a “non-diversified” investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940 ("1940 Act"). As a result, the Fund is subject to the risk that it may be more volatile than a diversified fund because the Fund may invest its assets in a smaller number of issuers or may invest a larger proportion of its assets in a single issuer. As a result, the gains and losses on a single investment may have a greater impact on the Fund’s NAV and may make the Fund more volatile than more diversified funds.

Operational Risk: The Fund is exposed to operational risk arising from a number of factors, including but not limited to human error, processing and communication errors, errors of the Fund's service providers, counterparties or other third-parties, failed or

5


inadequate processes and technology or systems failures. Additionally, cyber security failures or breaches of the electronic systems of the Fund, the Adviser, and the Fund's other service providers, market makers, Authorized Participants or the issuers of securities in which the Fund invests have the ability to cause disruptions and negatively impact the Fund's business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses to the Fund and its shareholders. The Fund and the Adviser seek to reduce these operational risks through controls and procedures. However, these measures do not address every possible risk and may be inadequate for those risks that they are intended to address.

Passive Investment Risk: The Fund is not actively managed, and the Adviser does not attempt to take defensive positions in declining markets. Unlike many investment companies, the Fund does not seek to outperform its Underlying Index. Therefore, it would not necessarily buy or sell a security unless that security is added or removed, respectively, from the Underlying Index, even if that security generally is underperforming. Maintaining investments in securities regardless of market conditions or the performance of individual securities could cause the Fund’s return to be lower than if the Fund employed an active strategy.

Index-Related Risk: There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve a high degree of correlation to the Underlying Index and therefore achieve its investment objective. Market disruptions and regulatory restrictions could have an adverse effect on the Fund’s ability to adjust its exposure to the required levels in order to track the Underlying Index. Errors in index data, index computations and/or the construction of the Underlying Index in accordance with its methodology may occur from time to time and may not be identified and corrected by the Index Provider for a period of time or at all, which may have an adverse impact on the Fund and its shareholders.

Management Risk: The Fund will not fully replicate its Underlying Index and may hold securities not included in its Underlying Index. The Adviser’s investment strategy, the implementation of which is subject to a number of constraints, may cause the Fund to underperform the market or its relevant benchmark or adversely affect the ability of the Fund to achieve its investment objective.

Tracking Error Risk: Tracking error may occur because of differences between the instruments held in the Fund's portfolio and those included in the Underlying Index, pricing differences, transaction costs incurred by the Fund, the Fund's holding of uninvested cash, size of the Fund, differences in timing of the accrual of or the valuation of dividends or interest, tax gains or losses, changes to the Underlying Index or the costs to the Fund of complying with various new or existing regulatory requirements. This risk may be heightened during times of increased market volatility or other unusual market conditions. Tracking error also may result because the Fund incurs fees and expenses, while the Underlying Index does not.

Potential Substantial After-Tax Tracking Error From Index Performance Risk: The Fund will be subject to taxation on its taxable income. The NAV of Shares will also be reduced by the accrual of any deferred tax liabilities. The Underlying Index, however, is calculated without any deductions for taxes. As a result, the Fund’s performance could differ significantly from the Underlying Index even if the pretax performance of the Fund and the performance of the Underlying Index are closely correlated. The performance of the Fund may diverge from that of the Underlying Index.

Risks Associated with Exchange-Traded Funds: As an ETF, the Fund is subject to the following risks:

Authorized Participants Concentration Risk: The Fund has a limited number of financial institutions that may act as Authorized Participants and engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund, and none of those Authorized Participants is obligated to engage in creation and/or redemption transactions. To the extent that those Authorized Participants exit the business or are unable to process creation and/or redemption orders, Shares may be more likely to trade at a premium or discount to NAV, and possibly face trading halts and/or delisting from an exchange.

Large Shareholder Risk: Redemptions by large shareholders could have a significant negative impact on the Fund. If a large shareholder were to redeem all, or a large portion, of its Shares, there is no guarantee that the Fund will be able to maintain sufficient assets to continue operations in which case the Board of Trustees may determine to liquidate the Fund. In addition, transactions by large shareholders may account for a large percentage of the trading volume on a national securities exchange and may, therefore, have a material upward or downward effect on the market price of the Shares.

Listing Standards Risk: Under continuous listing standards adopted by the Fund’s listing exchange, the Fund will be required to confirm on an ongoing basis that the components of the Underlying Index satisfy the applicable listing requirements. In the event that the Underlying Index does not comply with the applicable listing requirements, the Fund would be required to rectify such non-compliance by requesting that the Index Provider modify the Underlying Index, adopting a new underlying index, or obtaining relief from the SEC. Failure to rectify such non-compliance may result in

6


the Fund being delisted by the listing exchange. In addition, the Fund may face the risk of being delisted if the Fund does not meet certain conditions of the listing exchange. Any resulting liquidation of the Fund could cause the Fund to incur elevated transaction costs and could result in negative tax consequences for its shareholders.

Market Trading Risks and Premium/Discount Risks: Shares of the Fund are publicly traded on a national securities exchange, which may subject shareholders to numerous market trading risks. Disruptions to creations and redemptions, the existence of extreme market volatility or potential lack of assets in the Fund or an active trading market for Shares may result in Shares trading at a significant premium or discount to NAV. If a shareholder purchases Shares at a time when the market price is at a premium to the NAV or sells Shares at a time when the market price is at a discount to the NAV, the shareholder may sustain losses.

Taxable Fund Risk: Tax risks associated with the Fund's structure include, but are not limited to, the following:
 
Deferred Tax Liability. Cash distributions from an MLP to the Fund that exceed the Fund’s allocable share of such MLP’s net taxable income are considered a tax-deferred return of capital that will reduce the Fund’s adjusted tax basis in the equity securities of the MLP. These reductions in the Fund’s adjusted tax basis in the MLP equity securities will increase the amount of gain (or decrease the amount of loss) recognized by the Fund on a subsequent sale of the securities. The Fund will accrue deferred income taxes for any future tax liability associated with (i) that portion of MLP distributions considered to be a tax-deferred return of capital as well as (ii) capital appreciation of its investments. Upon the sale of an MLP security, the Fund may be liable for previously deferred taxes. The Fund’s accrued deferred tax liability will be reflected each day in the Fund’s NAV. Increases in deferred tax liability will decrease the Fund's NAV. Conversely, decreases in deferred tax liability will increase the Fund's NAV. The Fund will rely to some extent on information provided by the MLPs in which it invests, which is not necessarily timely, to estimate deferred tax liability for purposes of financial statement reporting and determining the Fund's NAV. From time to time, the Adviser will modify the estimates or assumptions regarding the Fund’s deferred tax liability as new information becomes available. The Fund’s estimates regarding its deferred tax liability are made in good faith. However, the daily estimate of the Fund’s deferred tax liability used to calculate the Fund’s NAV could vary significantly from the Fund’s actual tax liability. The Fund will generally compute deferred income taxes based on the federal income tax rate applicable to corporations (currently 21%) and an assumed rate attributable to state taxes. To the extent that the distributions paid to you constitute a return of capital, the Fund's assets will decline. A decline in the Fund's assets may also result in an increase in the portion of a Fund's expense ratio that is not subject to a unitary fee or any other form of contractual cap, and over time the distributions paid in excess of net distributions received could work to erode the Fund's net asset value.

Tax Status of the Fund. The Fund is taxed as a regular corporation ("C" corporation) for federal income tax purposes. This differs from most investment companies, which elect to be treated as regulated investment companies under the Code in order to avoid paying entity level income taxes. Under current law, the Fund is not eligible to elect treatment as a regulated investment company due to its investments primarily in MLPs invested in energy assets. As a result, the Fund will be obligated to pay applicable federal and state corporate income taxes on its taxable income as opposed to most investment companies which are not so obligated. The Fund expects that a portion of the distributions it receives from MLPs may be treated as a tax-deferred return of capital, thus reducing the Fund’s current tax liability. However, the amount of taxes currently paid by the Fund will vary depending on the amount of income and gains derived from investments and/or sales of MLP interests and such taxes may reduce your return from an investment in the Fund.

Trading Halt Risk: An exchange or market may close or issue trading halts on specific securities, or the ability to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments may be restricted, which may result in the Fund being unable to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments. In such circumstances, the Fund may be unable to rebalance its portfolio, may be unable to accurately price its investments and/or may incur substantial trading losses.

Valuation Risk: The sales price the Fund could receive for a security may differ from the Fund’s valuation of the security and may differ from the value used by the Underlying Index, particularly for securities that trade in low value or volatile markets or that are valued using a fair value methodology (such as during trading halts). The value of the securities in the Fund's portfolio may change on days when shareholders will not be able to purchase or sell the Fund's Shares.

PERFORMANCE INFORMATION
 
The bar chart and table that follow show how the Fund performed on a calendar year basis and provide an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund's performance from year to year and by showing the Fund's average annual total returns for the indicated periods compared with the Fund's benchmark index and a broad measure of market performance. On or around March 30, 2015, there was a change in the Fund's Underlying Index from Solactive MLP Composite Index to Solactive

7


MLP Infrastructure Index. The Fund's past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available online at www.globalxetfs.com.

Annual Total Returns (Years Ended December 31)

  CHART-E3EB1C83796C5CD7970.JPG

Best Quarter:
06/30/16
21.41%
Worst Quarter:
09/30/15
-22.32%
 
Average Annual Total Returns (for the Periods Ended December 31, 2019) 
 
One Year Ended December 31, 2019
Five Years Ended December 31, 2019
Since Inception (04/18/2012)
Global X MLP ETF:
 
 
 
·Return before taxes
11.88%
-6.04%
-1.20%
·Return after taxes on distributions1
11.88%
-6.08%
-1.75%
·Return after taxes on distributions and sale of Fund Shares1
2.10%
-5.98%
-3.71%
Hybrid Solactive MLP Infrastructure Index2
(Index returns reflect invested dividends net of withholding taxes, but reflect no deduction for fees, expenses, or other taxes)
9.08%
-8.22%
-1.00%
S&P 500 Index
(Index returns do not reflect deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)
31.49%
11.70%
13.97%

1     After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual U.S. federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Your actual after-tax returns will depend on your specific tax situation and may differ from those shown above. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold Shares of the Fund through tax-advantaged arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts (IRAs).

2    Hybrid Index performance reflects the performance of the Solactive MLP Composite Index through March 31, 2015 and the Solactive MLP Infrastructure Index thereafter.


8


FUND MANAGEMENT
 
Investment Adviser: Global X Management Company LLC.

Portfolio Managers: The professionals primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund are Chang Kim, CFA; Nam To, CFA; Wayne Xie and Kimberly Chan (“Portfolio Managers”). Mr. Kim has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since February 15, 2014. Mr. To has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since March 1, 2018. Mr. Xie has been Portfolio Manager of the Fund since March 1, 2019. Ms. Chan has been Portfolio Manager of the Fund since June 10, 2019.

PURCHASE AND SALE OF FUND SHARES
 
Shares of the Fund are listed and traded at market prices on a national securities exchange. Shares may only be purchased and sold on the exchange through a broker-dealer. The price of Shares is based on market price, and because ETF shares trade at market prices rather than at NAV, Shares may trade at a price greater than NAV (a premium) or less than NAV (a discount). Only “Authorized Participants” (as defined in the SAI) who have entered into agreements with the Fund's distributor, SEI Investments Distribution Co. ("Distributor"), may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. The Fund will only issue or redeem Shares that have been aggregated into blocks of 50,000 Shares or multiples thereof ("Creation Units"). The Fund will issue or redeem Creation Units in return for a basket of cash and/or securities that the Fund specifies any day that the national securities exchanges are open for business ("Business Day").
 
TAX INFORMATION
 
The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxable to you as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-advantaged arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account ("IRA"), in which case distributions from such tax-advantaged arrangement may be taxable to you. A portion of the Fund's distributions is also expected to be treated as a return of capital for tax purposes. Return of capital distributions are not taxable to you, but reduce your tax basis in your Shares.
 
PAYMENTS TO BROKER-DEALERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES
 
The Adviser and its related companies may pay broker-dealers or other financial intermediaries (such as a bank) for the sale of Fund Shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing your broker-dealer, sales persons or other intermediary or its employees or associated persons to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your financial adviser or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.

9


Global X MLP & Energy Infrastructure ETF
 
Ticker: MLPX Exchange: NYSE Arca
 
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
 
The Global X MLP & Energy Infrastructure ETF ("Fund") seeks to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the Solactive MLP & Energy Infrastructure Index ("Underlying Index").
 
FEES AND EXPENSES
 
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares ("Shares") of the Fund. You will also incur usual and customary brokerage commission when buying and selling Shares.
 
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment):
 
Management Fees:
0.45%
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees:
None
Other Expenses:
0.00%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses:
0.45%
 
Example: The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. This example does not take into account customary brokerage commissions that you pay when purchasing or selling Shares of the Fund in the secondary market. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell all of your Shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:
 
One Year
Three Years
Five Years
Ten Years
$46
$144
$252
$567

Portfolio Turnover: The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund's performance. For the most recent fiscal period, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 36.57% of the average value of its portfolio.
 
PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES
 
The Fund invests at least 80% of its total assets in the securities of the Underlying Index. The Fund also invests at least 80% of its total assets in securities of master limited partnerships ("MLPs") and energy infrastructure corporations. The Fund's 80% investment policies are non-fundamental and require 60 days prior written notice to shareholders before they can be changed. The Fund may lend securities representing up to one-third of the value of the Fund’s total assets (including the value of the collateral received).
 
The Underlying Index tracks the performance of midstream energy infrastructure MLPs and corporations. Midstream energy infrastructure MLPs and corporations principally own and operate assets used in energy logistics, including, but not limited to, pipelines, storage facilities and other assets used in transporting, storing, gathering, and processing natural gas, natural gas liquids, crude oil or refined products. The Underlying Index limits its exposure to partnerships in order to comply with applicable tax diversification rules. Securities must be publicly traded in the United States. As of January 31, 2020, the Underlying Index was comprised of 31 securities. The Fund's investment objective and Underlying Index may be changed without shareholder approval.
 
The Underlying Index is sponsored by Solactive AG, the provider of the Underlying Index ("Index Provider"), which is independent of the Fund and Global X Management Company LLC, the investment adviser for the Fund ("Adviser"). The Index Provider determines the relative weightings of the securities in the Underlying Index and publishes information regarding the market value of the Underlying Index.

10


The Adviser will use a "passive" or indexing approach to try to achieve the Fund's investment objective. Unlike many investment companies, the Fund does not try to outperform the Underlying Index and does not seek temporary defensive positions when markets decline or appear overvalued.
 
The Fund generally will use a replication strategy. A replication strategy is an indexing strategy that involves investing in the securities of the Underlying Index in approximately the same proportions as in the Underlying Index. However, the Fund may utilize a representative sampling strategy with respect to the Underlying Index when a replication strategy might be detrimental or disadvantageous to shareholders, such as when there are practical difficulties or substantial costs involved in compiling a portfolio of equity securities to replicate the Underlying Index, in instances in which a security in the Underlying Index becomes temporarily illiquid, unavailable or less liquid, or as a result of legal restrictions or limitations (such as tax diversification requirements) that apply to the Fund but not the Underlying Index.

MLPs, including midstream energy infrastructure MLPs, are publicly traded partnerships engaged in the transportation, storage, processing, refining, marketing, exploration, production, and mining of natural resources. By confining their operations to these specific activities, their interests, or units, are able to trade on public securities exchanges exactly like the shares of a corporation, without entity level taxation.
 
To qualify as a MLP and not to be taxed as a corporation, a partnership must receive at least 90% of its income from qualifying sources as set forth in Section 7704(d) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"). These qualifying sources include interest, dividends, real estate rents, gain from the sale or disposition of real property, income and gain from mineral or natural resources activities, income and gain from the transportation or storage of certain fuels, gain from the sale or disposition of a capital asset held for the production of income described in the foregoing, and, in certain circumstances, income and gain from commodities or futures, forwards and options with respect to commodities.
 
MLPs generally have two classes of owners, the general partner and limited partners. The general partner of an MLP is typically owned by a major energy company, an investment fund, or the direct management of the MLP, or is an entity owned by one or more of such parties. The general partner may be structured as a private or publicly traded corporation or other entity. The general partner typically controls the operations and management of the MLP through an up to 2% equity interest in the MLP plus, in many cases, ownership of common units and subordinated units. Limited partners typically own the remainder of the partnership, through ownership of common units, and have a limited role in the partnership's operations and management. MLPs are typically structured such that common units and general partner interests have first priority to receive quarterly cash distributions up to an established minimum amount ("minimum quarterly distributions" or "MQD"). Common and general partner interests also accrue arrearages in distributions to the extent the MQD is not paid. Once common and general partner interests have been paid, subordinated units receive distributions of up to the MQD; however, subordinated units do not accrue arrearages. Distributable cash in excess of the MQD is paid to both common and subordinated units and is distributed to both common and subordinated units generally on a pro rata basis. The general partner is also eligible to receive incentive distributions if the general partner operates the business in a manner which results in distributions paid per common unit surpassing specified target levels. As the general partner increases cash distributions to the limited partners, the general partner receives an increasingly higher percentage of the incremental cash distributions.

The Adviser seeks a correlation over time of 95% or better between the Fund's performance, before fund fees, expenses and taxes, and the performance of the Underlying Index. A correlation percentage of 100% would indicate perfect correlation. If the Fund uses a replication strategy, it can be expected to have greater correlation to the Underlying Index than if it uses a representative sampling strategy.

The Fund will concentrate its investments (i.e., hold 25% or more of its total assets) in a particular industry or group of industries to approximately the same extent that the Underlying Index is concentrated. As of January 31, 2020, the Underlying Index was concentrated in the oil, gas and consumable fuels industry and had significant exposure to the energy sector.
 
SUMMARY OF PRINCIPAL RISKS
 
As with any investment, you could lose all or part of your investment in the Fund, and the Fund’s performance could trail that of other investments. There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. The Fund is subject to the principal risks noted below, any of which may adversely affect the Fund’s net asset value (“NAV”), trading price, yield, total return and ability to meet its investment objective, as well as other risks that are described in greater detail in the Additional Information About the Funds section of this Prospectus and in the Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”). The order of the below risk factors does not indicate the significance of any particular risk factor.


11


Asset Class Risk: Securities and other assets in the Underlying Index or otherwise held in the Fund's portfolio may underperform in comparison to the general securities markets, a particular securities market or other asset classes.

Equity Securities Risk: Equity securities are subject to changes in value, and their values may be more volatile than other asset classes, as a result of such factors as a company’s business performance, investor perceptions, stock market trends and general economic conditions.

Master Limited Partnerships Investment Risk: Investments in securities of an MLP involve risks that differ from investments in common stock, including risks related to limited control and limited rights to vote on matters affecting the MLP, risks related to potential conflicts of interest between the MLP and the MLP’s general partner, and cash flow risks. MLP common units and other equity securities can be affected by changes in macro-economic and other factors affecting the stock market in general, including changes in growth, unemployment, and inflation rates, as well as expectations of interest rates. MLP common units and other equity securities can also be affected by investor sentiment towards MLPs or the energy sector, changes in a particular issuer’s financial condition, or unfavorable or unanticipated poor performance of a particular issuer (in the case of MLPs, generally measured in terms of distributable cash flow). Prices of common units of individual MLPs and other equity securities also can be affected by fundamentals unique to the partnership or company, including earnings power and coverage ratios.

Midstream MLPs Investment Risk: MLPs that operate midstream assets are subject to supply and demand fluctuations in the markets they serve, which may be impacted by a wide range of factors, including fluctuating commodity prices, weather, increased conservation or use of alternative fuel sources, increased governmental or environmental regulation, depletion, rising interest rates, declines in domestic or foreign production, accidents or catastrophic events, increasing operating expenses and economic conditions, among others. Midsteam MLPs may be particularly susceptible to large drops in energy prices, which have the ability to impact more drastically production in the oil and gas fields that they serve. Further, MLPs that operate gathering and processing assets are subject to natural declines in the production of the oil and gas fields they serve. In addition, some gathering and processing contracts subject the owner of such assets to direct commodity price risk.

Associated Risks Related to Investing in Energy Infrastructure Companies: The Fund invests primarily in energy infrastructure companies. Energy infrastructure companies are subject to risks specific to the industry they serve, including, but not limited to, the following:

• reduced volumes of natural gas or other energy commodities available for transporting, processing or storing;
• new construction and acquisition risk, which can limit growth potential;
• a sustained reduced demand for crude oil, natural gas and refined petroleum products resulting from a recession or an increase in market price or higher taxes;
• changes in the regulatory environment;
• extreme weather;
• rising interest rates, which could result in a higher cost of capital and drive investors into other investment opportunities; and
• threats of attack by terrorists.

Capitalization Risk: Investing in issuers within the same market capitalization category carries the risk that the category may be out of favor due to current market conditions or investor sentiment.

Large-Capitalization Companies Risk: Large-capitalization companies may trail the returns of the overall stock market. Large-capitalization stocks tend to go through cycles of doing better - or worse - than the stock market in general. These periods have, in the past, lasted for as long as several years.

Mid-Capitalization Companies Risk: Mid-capitalization companies may have greater price volatility, lower trading volume and less liquidity than large-capitalization companies. In addition, mid-capitalization companies may have smaller revenues, narrower product lines, less management depth and experience, smaller shares of their product or service markets, fewer financial resources and less competitive strength than large-capitalization companies.

Cash Transaction Risk: Unlike most exchange-traded funds ("ETFs"), the Fund intends to effect a significant portion of creations and redemptions for cash, rather than in-kind securities. As a result, an investment in the Fund may be less tax-efficient than an investment in a more conventional ETF.

Commodity Exposure Risk: To the extent that its Underlying Index has exposure to securities and markets that are susceptible to fluctuations in certain commodity markets, any negative changes in commodity markets could have a great impact on the Fund. Commodity prices may be influenced or characterized by unpredictable factors, including, where applicable, high volatility,

12


changes in supply and demand relationships, weather, agriculture, trade, changes in interest rates and monetary and other governmental policies, action and inaction. Securities of companies held by the Fund that are dependent on a single commodity, or are concentrated on a single commodity sector, may typically exhibit even higher volatility attributable to commodity prices.

Concentration Risk: To the extent that the Underlying Index concentrates in investments related to a particular industry or group of industries, the Fund will also concentrate its investments to approximately the same extent. Similarly, if the Underlying Index has significant exposure to one or more sectors, the Fund’s investments will likely have significant exposure to such sectors. In such event, the Fund’s performance will be particularly susceptible to adverse events impacting such industry or sector, which may include, but are not limited to, the following: general economic conditions or cyclical market patterns that could negatively affect supply and demand; competition for resources; adverse labor relations; political or world events; obsolescence of technologies; and increased competition or new product introductions that may affect the profitability or viability of companies in a particular industry or sector. As a result, the value of the Fund’s investments may rise and fall more than the value of shares of a fund that invests in securities of companies in a broader range of industries or sectors.

Risks Related to Investing in the Energy Sector: The value of securities issued by companies in the energy sector may decline for many reasons, including, without limitation, changes in energy prices; international politics; energy conservation; the success of exploration projects; natural disasters or other catastrophes; changes in exchange rates, interest rates, or economic conditions; changes in demand for energy products and services; and tax and other government regulatory policies. Actions taken by central governments may dramatically impact supply and demand forces that influence energy prices, resulting in sudden decreases in value for companies in the energy sector.

Risks Related to Investing in the Oil, Gas and Consumable Fuels Industry: The oil, gas and consumable fuels industry is cyclical and highly dependent on the market price of fuel. The market value of companies in the oil, gas and consumable fuels industry are strongly affected by the levels and volatility of global commodity prices, supply and demand, capital expenditures on exploration and production, energy conservation efforts, the prices of alternative fuels, exchange rates and technological advances. Companies in this sector are subject to substantial government regulation and contractual fixed pricing, which may increase the cost of business and limit these companies’ earnings. Actions taken by central governments may dramatically impact supply and demand forces that influence the market price of fuel, resulting in sudden decreases in value for companies in the oil, gas and consumable fuels industry. A significant portion of their revenues depends on a relatively small number of customers, including governmental entities and utilities. As a result, governmental budget restraints may have a material adverse effect on the stock prices of companies in the industry.

Foreign Securities Risk: The Fund may invest, without limit, in foreign securities. The Fund's investments in foreign securities can be riskier than U.S. securities investments. Investments in the securities of foreign issuers (including investments in ADRs and GDRs) are subject to the risks associated with investing in those foreign markets, such as heightened risks of inflation or nationalization. The prices of foreign securities and the prices of U.S. securities have, at times, moved in opposite directions. In addition, securities of foreign issuers may lose value due to political, economic and geographic events affecting a foreign issuer or market. During periods of social, political or economic instability in a country or region, the value of a foreign security traded on U.S. exchanges could be affected by, among other things, increasing price volatility, illiquidity, or the closure of the primary market on which the security (or the security underlying the ADR or GDR) is traded. You may lose money due to political, economic and geographic events affecting a foreign issuer or market.

Geographic Risk: A natural, biological or other disaster could occur in a geographic region in which the Fund invests, which could affect the economy or particular business operations of companies in the specific geographic region, causing an adverse impact on the Fund’s investments in the affected region or in a region economically tied to the affected region. The securities in which the Fund invests and, consequently, the Fund are also subject to specific risks as a result of their business operations, including, but not limited to:

Risk of Investing in Canada: The Canadian economy is highly dependent on the demand for and price of natural resources. As a result, the Canadian market is relatively concentrated in issuers involved in the production and distribution of natural resources and any changes in these sectors could have an adverse impact on the Canadian economy. The Canadian economy is heavily dependent on relationships with certain key trading partners, including the United States and China. Developments in the United States, including renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (“NAFTA”), ratification of the successor United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (“USMCA”), which is pending legislative approval, and imposition of tariffs by the United States, may have implications for the trade arrangements between the United States and Canada, which could negatively affect the value of securities held by the Fund.

Risk of Investing in Developed Markets: The Fund’s investment in a developed country issuer may subject the Fund to regulatory, political, currency, security, economic and other risks associated with developed countries. Developed countries tend to represent a significant portion of the global economy and have generally experienced slower economic growth than some less developed countries. Certain developed countries have experienced security concerns, such as terrorism and strained international relations. Incidents involving a country’s or region’s security may cause uncertainty

13


in its markets and may adversely affect its economy and the Fund’s investments. In addition, developed countries may be impacted by changes to the economic conditions of certain key trading partners, regulatory burdens, debt burdens and the price or availability of certain commodities.

Risk of Investing in the United States: A decrease in imports or exports, changes in trade regulations and/or an economic recession in the U.S. may have a material adverse effect on the U.S. economy.

Investable Universe of Companies Risk: The investable universe of companies in which the Fund may invest may be limited. If a company no longer meets the Index Provider’s criteria for inclusion in the Underlying Index, the Fund may need to reduce or eliminate its holdings in that company. The reduction or elimination of the Fund’s holdings in the company may have an adverse impact on the liquidity of the Fund’s overall portfolio holdings and on Fund performance.

Issuer Risk: Fund performance depends on the performance of individual companies in which the Fund invests. Changes to the financial condition of any of those companies may cause the value of their securities to decline.

Market Risk: Turbulence in the financial markets and reduced liquidity may negatively affect issuers, which could have an adverse effect on the Fund. If the securities held by the Fund experience poor liquidity, the Fund may be unable to transact at advantageous times or prices, which may decrease the Fund’s returns. In addition, there is a risk that policy changes by the U.S. Government, Federal Reserve, or other government actors, which could include increasing interest rates, could cause increased volatility in financial markets and lead to higher levels of Fund redemptions, which could have a negative impact on the Fund. Furthermore, local, regional or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issue, recessions, or other events could have a significant impact on the Fund and its investments and trading of its shares. The Fund’s NAV could decline over short periods due to short-term market movements and over longer periods during market downturns.

MLP Tax Risk: Subject to the application of the partnership audit rules, MLPs that elect to be taxed as partnerships do not pay U.S. federal income tax at the partnership level. Rather, each partner is allocated a share of the partnership’s income, gains, losses, deductions and expenses. A change in current tax law, or a change in the underlying business mix of a given MLP, could result in an MLP that previously elected to be taxed as a partnership being treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes, which would result in such MLP being required to pay U.S. federal income tax on its taxable income. The classification of an MLP as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes would have the effect of reducing the amount of cash available for distribution by the MLP. Thus, to the extent that any of the MLPs to which the Fund has exposure are treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes, it could result in a reduction in the value of the Fund’s investment and lower the Fund’s income. The Fund may also invest in MLPs that elect to be taxed as corporations, which taxes would have the effect of reducing the amount of cash available for distribution by the MLP. Additionally, as a result of the Fund's exposure to MLPs taxed as partnerships, a portion of the Fund’s distributions are expected to be treated as a return of capital for tax purposes. Return of capital distributions are not taxable income to you, but reduce your tax basis in your Fund Shares. Such a reduction in tax basis will result in larger taxable gains and/or lower tax losses on a subsequent sale of Fund Shares. Shareholders who sell their Shares for less than they bought them may still recognize a gain due to the reduction in tax basis. Shareholders who periodically receive the payment of dividends or other distributions consisting of a return of capital may be under the impression that they are receiving net profits from the Fund when, in fact, they are not. Shareholders should not assume that the source of the distributions is from the net profits of the Fund. To the extent that the distributions paid to you constitute a return of capital, the Fund's assets will decline. A decline in the Fund's assets may also result in an increase in the portion of a Fund's expense ratio that is not subject to a unitary fee or any other form of contractual cap, and over time the distributions paid in excess of net distributions received could work to erode the Fund's net asset value.

Non-Diversification Risk: The Fund is classified as a “non-diversified” investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940 ("1940 Act"). As a result, the Fund is subject to the risk that it may be more volatile than a diversified fund because the Fund may invest its assets in a smaller number of issuers or may invest a larger proportion of its assets in a single issuer. As a result, the gains and losses on a single investment may have a greater impact on the Fund’s NAV and may make the Fund more volatile than more diversified funds.

Operational Risk: The Fund is exposed to operational risk arising from a number of factors, including but not limited to human error, processing and communication errors, errors of the Fund's service providers, counterparties or other third-parties, failed or inadequate processes and technology or systems failures. Additionally, cyber security failures or breaches of the electronic systems of the Fund, the Adviser, and the Fund's other service providers, market makers, Authorized Participants or the issuers of securities in which the Fund invests have the ability to cause disruptions and negatively impact the Fund's business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses to the Fund and its shareholders. The Fund and the Adviser seek to reduce these operational risks through controls and procedures. However, these measures do not address every possible risk and may be inadequate for those risks that they are intended to address.


14


Passive Investment Risk: The Fund is not actively managed, and the Adviser does not attempt to take defensive positions in declining markets. Unlike many investment companies, the Fund does not seek to outperform its Underlying Index. Therefore, it would not necessarily buy or sell a security unless that security is added or removed, respectively, from the Underlying Index, even if that security generally is underperforming. Maintaining investments in securities regardless of market conditions or the performance of individual securities could cause the Fund’s return to be lower than if the Fund employed an active strategy.

Index-Related Risk: There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve a high degree of correlation to the Underlying Index and therefore achieve its investment objective. Market disruptions and regulatory restrictions could have an adverse effect on the Fund’s ability to adjust its exposure to the required levels in order to track the Underlying Index. Errors in index data, index computations and/or the construction of the Underlying Index in accordance with its methodology may occur from time to time and may not be identified and corrected by the Index Provider for a period of time or at all, which may have an adverse impact on the Fund and its shareholders.

Management Risk: The Fund will not fully replicate its Underlying Index and may hold securities not included in its Underlying Index. The Adviser’s investment strategy, the implementation of which is subject to a number of constraints, may cause the Fund to underperform the market or its relevant benchmark or adversely affect the ability of the Fund to achieve its investment objective.

Tracking Error Risk: Tracking error may occur because of differences between the instruments held in the Fund's portfolio and those included in the Underlying Index, pricing differences, transaction costs incurred by the Fund, the Fund's holding of uninvested cash, size of the Fund, differences in timing of the accrual of or the valuation of dividends or interest, tax gains or losses, changes to the Underlying Index or the costs to the Fund of complying with various new or existing regulatory requirements. This risk may be heightened during times of increased market volatility or other unusual market conditions. Tracking error also may result because the Fund incurs fees and expenses, while the Underlying Index does not.

Risks Associated with Exchange-Traded Funds: As an ETF, the Fund is subject to the following risks:

Authorized Participants Concentration Risk: The Fund has a limited number of financial institutions that may act as Authorized Participants and engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund, and none of those Authorized Participants is obligated to engage in creation and/or redemption transactions. To the extent that those Authorized Participants exit the business or are unable to process creation and/or redemption orders, Shares may be more likely to trade at a premium or discount to NAV, and possibly face trading halts and/or delisting from an exchange. Authorized Participants Concentration Risk may be heightened because the Fund invests in non-U.S. securities.

Large Shareholder Risk: Redemptions by large shareholders could have a significant negative impact on the Fund. If a large shareholder were to redeem all, or a large portion, of its Shares, there is no guarantee that the Fund will be able to maintain sufficient assets to continue operations in which case the Board of Trustees may determine to liquidate the Fund. In addition, transactions by large shareholders may account for a large percentage of the trading volume on a national securities exchange and may, therefore, have a material upward or downward effect on the market price of the Shares.

Listing Standards Risk: Under continuous listing standards adopted by the Fund’s listing exchange, the Fund will be required to confirm on an ongoing basis that the components of the Underlying Index satisfy the applicable listing requirements. In the event that the Underlying Index does not comply with the applicable listing requirements, the Fund would be required to rectify such non-compliance by requesting that the Index Provider modify the Underlying Index, adopting a new underlying index, or obtaining relief from the SEC. Failure to rectify such non-compliance may result in the Fund being delisted by the listing exchange. In addition, the Fund may face the risk of being delisted if the Fund does not meet certain conditions of the listing exchange. Any resulting liquidation of the Fund could cause the Fund to incur elevated transaction costs and could result in negative tax consequences for its shareholders.

Market Trading Risks and Premium/Discount Risks: Shares of the Fund are publicly traded on a national securities exchange, which may subject shareholders to numerous market trading risks. Disruptions to creations and redemptions, the existence of extreme market volatility or potential lack of assets in the Fund or an active trading market for Shares may result in Shares trading at a significant premium or discount to NAV. If a shareholder purchases Shares at a time when the market price is at a premium to the NAV or sells Shares at a time when the market price is at a discount to the NAV, the shareholder may sustain losses.


15


Securities Lending Risk: Securities lending involves a risk of loss because the borrower may fail to return the securities in a timely manner or at all. If the Fund is not able to recover the securities loaned, it may sell the collateral and purchase a replacement security in the market. Lending securities entails a risk of loss to the Fund if and to the extent that the market value of the loaned securities increases and the collateral is not increased accordingly. Additionally, the Fund will bear any loss on the investment of cash collateral it receives. These events could also trigger adverse tax consequences for the Fund. As securities on loan may not be voted by the Fund, there is a risk that the Fund may not be able to recall the securities in sufficient time to vote on material proxy matters.

Trading Halt Risk: An exchange or market may close or issue trading halts on specific securities, or the ability to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments may be restricted, which may result in the Fund being unable to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments. In such circumstances, the Fund may be unable to rebalance its portfolio, may be unable to accurately price its investments and/or may incur substantial trading losses.

Valuation Risk: The sales price the Fund could receive for a security may differ from the Fund’s valuation of the security and may differ from the value used by the Underlying Index, particularly for securities that trade in low value or volatile markets or that are valued using a fair value methodology (such as during trading halts). The value of the securities in the Fund's portfolio may change on days when shareholders will not be able to purchase or sell the Fund's Shares.


PERFORMANCE INFORMATION
 
The bar chart and table that follow show how the Fund performed on a calendar year basis and provide an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund's performance from year to year and by showing the Fund's average annual total returns for the indicated periods compared with the Fund's benchmark index and a broad measure of market performance. The Fund's past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available online at www.globalxetfs.com.

Annual Total Returns (Years Ended December 31)

  CHART-21ACE73560B05DCE8E5.JPG

Best Quarter:
03/31/19
22.32%
Worst Quarter:
09/30/15
-23.51%

16



Average Annual Total Returns (for the Periods Ended December 31, 2019) 
 
One Year Ended December 31, 2019
Five Years Ended December 31, 2019
Since Inception (08/06/2013)
Global X MLP & Energy Infrastructure ETF:
 
 
 
·Return before taxes
19.02%
-3.27%
1.13%
·Return after taxes on distributions1
17.03%
-4.60%
-0.06%
·Return after taxes on distributions and sale of Fund Shares1
11.51%
-2.86%
0.37%
Solactive MLP & Energy Infrastructure Index
(Index returns do not reflect deductions for fees, expenses, or taxes)
19.57%
-2.59%
1.78%
S&P 500 Index
(Index returns do not reflect deductions for fees, expenses, or taxes)
31.49%
11.70%
12.87%

1     After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual U.S. federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Your actual after-tax returns will depend on your specific tax situation and may differ from those shown above. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold Shares of the Fund through tax-advantaged arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts (IRAs).

FUND MANAGEMENT
 
Investment Adviser: Global X Management Company LLC.

Portfolio Managers: The professionals primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund are Chang Kim, CFA; Nam To, CFA; Wayne Xie and Kimberly Chan (“Portfolio Managers”). Mr. Kim has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since February 15, 2014. Mr. To has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since March 1, 2018. Mr. Xie has been Portfolio Manager of the Fund since March 1, 2019. Ms. Chan has been Portfolio Manager of the Fund since June 10, 2019.

PURCHASE AND SALE OF FUND SHARES
 
Shares of the Fund are listed and traded at market prices on a national securities exchange. Shares may only be purchased and sold on the exchange through a broker-dealer. The price of Shares is based on market price, and because ETF shares trade at market prices rather than at NAV, Shares may trade at a price greater than NAV (a premium) or less than NAV (a discount). Only “Authorized Participants” (as defined in the SAI) who have entered into agreements with the Fund's distributor, SEI Investments Distribution Co. ("Distributor"), may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. The Fund will only issue or redeem Shares that have been aggregated into blocks of 50,000 Shares or multiples thereof ("Creation Units"). The Fund will issue or redeem Creation Units in return for a basket of cash and/or securities that the Fund specifies any day that the national securities exchanges are open for business ("Business Day").
 
TAX INFORMATION
 
The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxable to you as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-advantaged arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account ("IRA"), in which case distributions from such tax-advantaged arrangement may be taxable to you.
 
PAYMENTS TO BROKER-DEALERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES
 
The Adviser and its related companies may pay broker-dealers or other financial intermediaries (such as a bank) for the sale of Fund Shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing your broker-dealer, sales persons or other intermediary or its employees or associated persons to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your financial adviser or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.

17


Global X U.S. Preferred ETF

Ticker: PFFD Exchange: NYSE Arca

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE

The Global X U.S. Preferred ETF ("Fund") seeks to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the ICE BofAML Diversified Core U.S. Preferred Securities Index ("Underlying Index").

FEES AND EXPENSES

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares ("Shares") of the Fund. You will also incur usual and customary brokerage commissions when buying and selling Shares.

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

Management Fees:
0.23%
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees:
None
Other Expenses:
0.01%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses:
0.24%
Expense Reimbursement and/or Fee Waiver1
(0.01)%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement:
0.23%

1    Pursuant to an Expense Limitation Agreement, the Adviser has contractually agreed to reimburse or waive fees and/or limit Fund expenses to the extent necessary to assure that the operating expenses of the Fund (exclusive of taxes, brokerage fees, commissions, and other transaction expenses, and extraordinary expenses (such as litigation and indemnification expenses)) will not exceed 0.23% of the Fund's average daily net assets per year, effective April 1, 2020, until at least April 1, 2021.

Example: The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. This example does not take into account customary brokerage commissions that you pay when purchasing or selling Shares of the Fund in the secondary market. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell all of your Shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:

One Year
Three Years
Five Years
Ten Years
$24
$76
$134
$305

Portfolio Turnover: The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund's performance. For the most recent fiscal period, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 32.93% of the average value of its portfolio.

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

The Fund invests at least 80% of its total assets in the securities of the Underlying Index. The Fund also invests at least 80% of its total assets in preferred securities that are domiciled in, principally traded in or whose revenues are primarily from the U.S. The Fund's 80% investment policies are non-fundamental and require 60 days prior written notice to shareholders before they can be changed. The Fund may lend securities representing up to one-third of the value of the Fund’s total assets (including the value of the collateral received).

The Underlying Index is designed to track the broad-based performance of the U.S. preferred securities market. The Underlying Index includes different categories of preferred stock, such as floating, variable and fixed-rate preferreds, cumulative and non-cumulative preferreds, and trust preferreds. Qualifying preferred securities must be listed on a U.S. exchange, denominated in

18


U.S. dollars, and have a minimum amount outstanding of $50 million. Qualifying securities must meet minimum price, liquidity, maturity and other requirements as determined by ICE Data Indices, LLC (the "Index Provider").

Constituents in the Underlying Index are capitalization-weighted based on their current amount outstanding times the market price plus accrued interest. A weighting cap of 10% is applied at the issuer level to limit the aggregate weight of a single issuer to 10% at each rebalance. The Underlying Index may include large-, mid- or small-capitalization companies. Components of the Underlying Index primarily include financials, real estate, telecommunications and utility companies. The Underlying Index is rebalanced quarterly. The Fund's investment objective and Underlying Index may be changed without shareholder approval.

The Underlying Index is sponsored by the Index Provider, which is an organization that is independent of the Fund and Global X Management Company LLC, the investment adviser for the Fund ("Adviser"). The Index Provider determines the relative weightings of the securities in the Underlying Index and publishes information regarding the market value of the Underlying Index.

The Adviser uses a "passive" or indexing approach to try to achieve the Fund's investment objective. Unlike many investment companies, the Fund does not try to outperform the Underlying Index and does not seek temporary defensive positions when markets decline or appear overvalued.

The Fund generally uses a representative sampling strategy with respect to the Underlying Index. "Representative sampling" is an indexing strategy that involves investing in a representative sample of securities that collectively has an investment profile similar to the Underlying Index in terms of key risk factors, performance attributes and other characteristics. These include country weightings, market capitalization and other financial characteristics of securities. The Fund may or may not hold all of the securities in the Underlying Index.

The Adviser expects that, over time, the correlation between the Fund's performance and that of the Underlying Index, before fees and expenses, will exceed 95%. A correlation percentage of 100% would indicate perfect correlation.

The Fund concentrates its investments (i.e., holds 25% or more of its total assets) in a particular industry or group of industries to approximately the same extent that the Underlying Index is concentrated. As of January 31, 2020, the Underlying Index was concentrated in the banking industry and had significant exposure to the financials sector.

SUMMARY OF PRINCIPAL RISKS

As with any investment, you could lose all or part of your investment in the Fund, and the Fund’s performance could trail that of other investments. There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. The Fund is subject to the principal risks noted below, any of which may adversely affect the Fund’s net asset value (“NAV”), trading price, yield, total return and ability to meet its investment objective, as well as other risks that are described in greater detail in the Additional Information About the Funds section of this Prospectus and in the Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”). The order of the below risk factors does not indicate the significance of any particular risk factor.

Asset Class Risk: Securities and other assets in the Underlying Index or otherwise held in the Fund's portfolio may underperform in comparison to the general securities markets, a particular securities market or other asset classes.

Equity Securities Risk: Equity securities are subject to changes in value, and their values may be more volatile than other asset classes, as a result of such factors as a company’s business performance, investor perceptions, stock market trends and general economic conditions.

Fixed-to-Floating Rate Securities Risk: The Fund invests in fixed-to-floating rate preferred securities, which are securities that have an initial term with a fixed dividend rate and following this initial term bear a floating dividend rate. Securities which include a floating or variable interest rate component can be less sensitive to interest rate changes than securities with fixed interest rates, but may decline in value if their interest rates do not rise as much, or as quickly, as interest rates in general. Although floating rate preferred securities can be less sensitive to interest rate risk than fixed-rate preferred securities, they are subject to the risks applicable to preferred securities more generally.

Hybrid Securities Investment Risk: Hybrid securities are subject to the risks of equity securities and risks of debt securities. The claims of holders of hybrid securities of an issuer are generally subordinated to those of holders of traditional debt securities in bankruptcy, and thus hybrid securities may be more volatile and subject to greater risk than traditional debt securities and may, in certain circumstances, even be more volatile than traditional equity securities. At the same time, hybrid securities may not fully participate in gains of their issuer and thus potential returns of such securities are generally more limited than traditional equity securities, which would participate in such gains.

19



Preferred Stock Investment Risk: Preferred stock is subject to many of the risks associated with debt securities, including interest rate risk. As interest rates rise, the value of the preferred stocks held by the Fund are likely to decline. In addition, preferred stock may be subordinated to bonds or other debt instruments in an issuer’s capital structure, meaning that an issuer’s preferred stock generally pays dividends only after the issuer makes required payments to holders of its bonds and other debt. Additionally, in certain situations, an issuer may call or redeem its preferred stock or convert it to common stock. Preferred stock may be less liquid than many other types of securities, such as common stock, and generally provides no voting rights with respect to the issuer.

Capitalization Risk: Investing in issuers within the same market capitalization category carries the risk that the category may be out of favor due to current market conditions or investor sentiment.

Large-Capitalization Companies Risk: Large-capitalization companies may trail the returns of the overall stock market. Large-capitalization stocks tend to go through cycles of doing better - or worse - than the stock market in general. These periods have, in the past, lasted for as long as several years.

Mid-Capitalization Companies Risk: Mid-capitalization companies may have greater price volatility, lower trading volume and less liquidity than large-capitalization companies. In addition, mid-capitalization companies may have smaller revenues, narrower product lines, less management depth and experience, smaller shares of their product or service markets, fewer financial resources and less competitive strength than large-capitalization companies.

Concentration Risk: To the extent that the Underlying Index concentrates in investments related to a particular industry or group of industries, the Fund will also concentrate its investments to approximately the same extent. Similarly, if the Underlying Index has significant exposure to one or more sectors, the Fund’s investments will likely have significant exposure to such sectors. In such event, the Fund’s performance will be particularly susceptible to adverse events impacting such industry or sector, which may include, but are not limited to, the following: general economic conditions or cyclical market patterns that could negatively affect supply and demand; competition for resources; adverse labor relations; political or world events; obsolescence of technologies; and increased competition or new product introductions that may affect the profitability or viability of companies in a particular industry or sector. As a result, the value of the Fund’s investments may rise and fall more than the value of shares of a fund that invests in securities of companies in a broader range of industries or sectors.

Risks Related to Investing in the Banking Industry: The performance of stocks in the banking industry may be affected by extensive governmental regulation which may limit both the amounts and types of loans and other financial commitments they can make, and the interest rates and fees they can charge and the amount of capital they must maintain. Profitability is largely dependent on the availability and cost of capital funds and can fluctuate significantly when interest rates change. Credit losses resulting from financial difficulties of borrowers can negatively impact banking companies. Banks may also be subject to severe price competition. Competition is high among banking companies and failure to maintain or increase market share may result in lost market value.

Risks Related to Investing in the Financials Sector: Performance of companies in the financials sector may be adversely impacted by many factors, including, among others, government regulations, economic conditions, credit rating downgrades, changes in interest rates, and decreased liquidity in credit markets. This sector has experienced significant losses in the past, and the impact of more stringent capital requirements and of current or future regulation on any individual financial company or on the sector as a whole cannot be predicted. In recent years, cyber-attacks and technology malfunctions and failures have become increasingly frequent in this sector and have caused significant losses to companies in this sector, which may negatively impact the Fund.

Credit Risk: Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer of the security will not be able to make principal and interest payments when due. Changes in an issuer’s credit rating or the market’s perception of an issuer’s creditworthiness may also affect the value of the Fund’s investment in that issuer. Securities rated in the four highest categories by the rating agencies are considered investment grade but they may also have some speculative characteristics. Investment grade ratings do not guarantee that bonds will not lose value.

Foreign Financial Institution Risk: Certain of the securities that comprise the Underlying Index, while traded on U.S. exchanges, may be issued by foreign financial institutions. Therefore, the Fund may be subject to the risks of investing in securities issued by foreign companies, which may not be subject to the same regulations as companies domiciled in the U.S. The health of many foreign financial institutions is often tied closely with the financial stability of the local economy in which they are domiciled, and therefore are subject to additional risks including but not limited to: policy changes, slow economic growth, and high levels of debt.

20



Foreign Securities Risk: The Fund may invest, without limit, in foreign securities. The Fund's investments in foreign securities can be riskier than U.S. securities investments. Investments in the securities of foreign issuers (including investments in ADRs and GDRs) are subject to the risks associated with investing in those foreign markets, such as heightened risks of inflation or nationalization. The prices of foreign securities and the prices of U.S. securities have, at times, moved in opposite directions. In addition, securities of foreign issuers may lose value due to political, economic and geographic events affecting a foreign issuer or market. During periods of social, political or economic instability in a country or region, the value of a foreign security traded on U.S. exchanges could be affected by, among other things, increasing price volatility, illiquidity, or the closure of the primary market on which the security (or the security underlying the ADR or GDR) is traded. You may lose money due to political, economic and geographic events affecting a foreign issuer or market.

Geographic Risk: A natural, biological or other disaster could occur in a geographic region in which the Fund invests, which could affect the economy or particular business operations of companies in the specific geographic region, causing an adverse impact on the Fund’s investments in the affected region or in a region economically tied to the affected region. The securities in which the Fund invests and, consequently, the Fund are also subject to specific risks as a result of their business operations, including, but not limited to:

Risk of Investing in Developed Markets: The Fund’s investment in a developed country issuer may subject the Fund to regulatory, political, currency, security, economic and other risks associated with developed countries. Developed countries tend to represent a significant portion of the global economy and have generally experienced slower economic growth than some less developed countries. Certain developed countries have experienced security concerns, such as terrorism and strained international relations. Incidents involving a country’s or region’s security may cause uncertainty in its markets and may adversely affect its economy and the Fund’s investments. In addition, developed countries may be impacted by changes to the economic conditions of certain key trading partners, regulatory burdens, debt burdens and the price or availability of certain commodities.

Risk of Investing in the United States: A decrease in imports or exports, changes in trade regulations and/or an economic recession in the U.S. may have a material adverse effect on the U.S. economy.

High Yield Securities Risk: Securities that are rated below investment grade (commonly referred to as "junk bonds", including those bonds rated lower than "BBB-" by Standard & Poor’s® (a division of the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.) ("S&P") and Fitch, Inc. ("Fitch"), "Baa3" by Moody’s® Investors Service, Inc. ("Moody’s"), or "BBBL" by Dominion Bond Rating Service Limited ("Dominion")), or are unrated but judged by the Adviser to be of comparable quality, at the time of purchase, may be more volatile than higher-rated securities of similar maturity. Investing in junk bonds is speculative.

Income Risk: Income risk is the risk that the Fund’s income will decline because of falling interest rates.

Interest Rate Risk: Interest rate risk is the risk that prices of fixed income securities generally increase when interest rates decline and decrease when interest rates increase. The Fund may lose money if short-term or long-term interest rates rise sharply.

International Closed Market Trading Risk: To the extent that the underlying investments held by the Fund trade on foreign exchanges that may be closed when the securities exchange on which the Fund’s Shares trade is open, there are likely to be deviations between the current price of such an underlying security and the last quoted price for the underlying security (i.e., the Fund’s quote from the closed foreign market). These deviations could result in premiums or discounts to the Fund’s NAV that may be greater than those experienced by other exchange-traded funds ("ETFs").

Issuer Risk: Fund performance depends on the performance of individual companies in which the Fund invests. Changes to the financial condition of any of those companies may cause the value of their securities to decline.

Market Risk: Turbulence in the financial markets and reduced liquidity may negatively affect issuers, which could have an adverse effect on the Fund. If the securities held by the Fund experience poor liquidity, the Fund may be unable to transact at advantageous times or prices, which may decrease the Fund’s returns. In addition, there is a risk that policy changes by the U.S. Government, Federal Reserve, or other government actors, which could include increasing interest rates, could cause increased volatility in financial markets and lead to higher levels of Fund redemptions, which could have a negative impact on the Fund. Furthermore, local, regional or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issue, recessions, or other events could have a significant impact on the Fund and its investments and trading of its shares. The Fund’s NAV could decline over short periods due to short-term market movements and over longer periods during market downturns.

Non-Diversification Risk: The Fund is classified as a “non-diversified” investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940 ("1940 Act"). As a result, the Fund is subject to the risk that it may be more volatile than a diversified fund because the Fund may invest its assets in a smaller number of issuers or may invest a larger proportion of its assets in a single issuer. As a

21


result, the gains and losses on a single investment may have a greater impact on the Fund’s NAV and may make the Fund more volatile than more diversified funds.

Operational Risk: The Fund is exposed to operational risk arising from a number of factors, including but not limited to human error, processing and communication errors, errors of the Fund's service providers, counterparties or other third-parties, failed or inadequate processes and technology or systems failures. Additionally, cyber security failures or breaches of the electronic systems of the Fund, the Adviser, and the Fund's other service providers, market makers, Authorized Participants or the issuers of securities in which the Fund invests have the ability to cause disruptions and negatively impact the Fund's business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses to the Fund and its shareholders. The Fund and the Adviser seek to reduce these operational risks through controls and procedures. However, these measures do not address every possible risk and may be inadequate for those risks that they are intended to address.

Passive Investment Risk: The Fund is not actively managed, and the Adviser does not attempt to take defensive positions in declining markets. Unlike many investment companies, the Fund does not seek to outperform its Underlying Index. Therefore, it would not necessarily buy or sell a security unless that security is added or removed, respectively, from the Underlying Index, even if that security generally is underperforming. Maintaining investments in securities regardless of market conditions or the performance of individual securities could cause the Fund’s return to be lower than if the Fund employed an active strategy.

Index-Related Risk: There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve a high degree of correlation to the Underlying Index and therefore achieve its investment objective. Market disruptions and regulatory restrictions could have an adverse effect on the Fund’s ability to adjust its exposure to the required levels in order to track the Underlying Index. Errors in index data, index computations and/or the construction of the Underlying Index in accordance with its methodology may occur from time to time and may not be identified and corrected by the Index Provider for a period of time or at all, which may have an adverse impact on the Fund and its shareholders.

Management Risk: The Fund will not fully replicate its Underlying Index and may hold securities not included in its Underlying Index. The Adviser’s investment strategy, the implementation of which is subject to a number of constraints, may cause the Fund to underperform the market or its relevant benchmark or adversely affect the ability of the Fund to achieve its investment objective.

Tracking Error Risk: Tracking error may occur because of differences between the instruments held in the Fund's portfolio and those included in the Underlying Index, pricing differences, transaction costs incurred by the Fund, the Fund's holding of uninvested cash, size of the Fund, differences in timing of the accrual of or the valuation of dividends or interest, tax gains or losses, changes to the Underlying Index or the costs to the Fund of complying with various new or existing regulatory requirements. This risk may be heightened during times of increased market volatility or other unusual market conditions. Tracking error also may result because the Fund incurs fees and expenses, while the Underlying Index does not.

Risks Associated with Exchange-Traded Funds: As an ETF, the Fund is subject to the following risks:

Authorized Participants Concentration Risk: The Fund has a limited number of financial institutions that may act as Authorized Participants and engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund, and none of those Authorized Participants is obligated to engage in creation and/or redemption transactions. To the extent that those Authorized Participants exit the business or are unable to process creation and/or redemption orders, Shares may be more likely to trade at a premium or discount to NAV, and possibly face trading halts and/or delisting from an exchange. Authorized Participants Concentration Risk may be heightened because the Fund invests in non-U.S. securities.

Large Shareholder Risk: Redemptions by large shareholders could have a significant negative impact on the Fund. If a large shareholder were to redeem all, or a large portion, of its Shares, there is no guarantee that the Fund will be able to maintain sufficient assets to continue operations in which case the Board of Trustees may determine to liquidate the Fund. In addition, transactions by large shareholders may account for a large percentage of the trading volume on a national securities exchange and may, therefore, have a material upward or downward effect on the market price of the Shares.

Listing Standards Risk: Under continuous listing standards adopted by the Fund’s listing exchange, the Fund will be required to confirm on an ongoing basis that the components of the Underlying Index satisfy the applicable listing requirements. In the event that the Underlying Index does not comply with the applicable listing requirements, the Fund would be required to rectify such non-compliance by requesting that the Index Provider modify the Underlying Index, adopting a new underlying index, or obtaining relief from the SEC. Failure to rectify such non-compliance may result in

22


the Fund being delisted by the listing exchange. In addition, the Fund may face the risk of being delisted if the Fund does not meet certain conditions of the listing exchange. Any resulting liquidation of the Fund could cause the Fund to incur elevated transaction costs and could result in negative tax consequences for its shareholders.

Market Trading Risks and Premium/Discount Risks: Shares of the Fund are publicly traded on a national securities exchange, which may subject shareholders to numerous market trading risks. Disruptions to creations and redemptions, the existence of extreme market volatility or potential lack of assets in the Fund or an active trading market for Shares may result in Shares trading at a significant premium or discount to NAV. If a shareholder purchases Shares at a time when the market price is at a premium to the NAV or sells Shares at a time when the market price is at a discount to the NAV, the shareholder may sustain losses.

Securities Lending Risk: Securities lending involves a risk of loss because the borrower may fail to return the securities in a timely manner or at all. If the Fund is not able to recover the securities loaned, it may sell the collateral and purchase a replacement security in the market. Lending securities entails a risk of loss to the Fund if and to the extent that the market value of the loaned securities increases and the collateral is not increased accordingly. Additionally, the Fund will bear any loss on the investment of cash collateral it receives. These events could also trigger adverse tax consequences for the Fund. As securities on loan may not be voted by the Fund, there is a risk that the Fund may not be able to recall the securities in sufficient time to vote on material proxy matters.

Trading Halt Risk: An exchange or market may close or issue trading halts on specific securities, or the ability to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments may be restricted, which may result in the Fund being unable to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments. In such circumstances, the Fund may be unable to rebalance its portfolio, may be unable to accurately price its investments and/or may incur substantial trading losses.

Valuation Risk: The sales price the Fund could receive for a security may differ from the Fund’s valuation of the security and may differ from the value used by the Underlying Index, particularly for securities that trade in low value or volatile markets or that are valued using a fair value methodology (such as during trading halts). The value of the securities in the Fund's portfolio may change on days when shareholders will not be able to purchase or sell the Fund's Shares.

PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

The bar chart and table that follow show how the Fund performed on a calendar year basis and provide an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund's performance from year to year and by showing the Fund's average annual total returns for the indicated periods compared with the Fund's benchmark index and a broad measure of market performance. The Fund's past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available online at www.globalxetfs.com.


23


Annual Total Returns (Years Ended December 31)

  CHART-FCB44A8269745BD7844.JPG

Best Quarter:
03/31/19
8.34%
Worst Quarter:
12/31/18
-5.04%

Average Annual Total Returns (for the Periods Ended December 31, 2019) 
 
Year Ended December 31, 2019
Since Inception (09/11/2017)
Global X U.S. Preferred ETF:
 
 
·Return before taxes
17.76%
5.86%
·Return after taxes on distributions1
15.87%
3.92%
·Return after taxes on distributions and sale of Fund Shares1
11.20%
3.92%
ICE BofAML Diversified Core U.S. Preferred Securities Index
(Index returns do not reflect deductions for fees, expenses, or taxes)

18.03%
6.08%
S&P 500 Index
(Index returns do not reflect deductions for fees, expenses, or taxes)
31.49%
14.24%

1     After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual U.S. federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Your actual after-tax returns will depend on your specific tax situation and may differ from those shown above. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold Shares of the Fund through tax-advantaged arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts (IRAs).

FUND MANAGEMENT

Investment Adviser: Global X Management Company LLC.

Portfolio Managers: The professionals primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund are Chang Kim, CFA; Nam To, CFA; Wayne Xie and Kimberly Chan (“Portfolio Managers”). Mr. Kim has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since

24


the Fund's inception. Mr. To has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since March 1, 2018. Mr. Xie has been Portfolio Manager of the Fund since March 1, 2019. Ms. Chan has been Portfolio Manager of the Fund since June 10, 2019.

PURCHASE AND SALE OF FUND SHARES
 
Shares of the Fund are listed and traded at market prices on a national securities exchange. Shares may only be purchased and sold on the exchange through a broker-dealer. The price of Shares is based on market price, and because ETF shares trade at market prices rather than at NAV, Shares may trade at a price greater than NAV (a premium) or less than NAV (a discount). Only “Authorized Participants” (as defined in the SAI) who have entered into agreements with the Fund's distributor, SEI Investments Distribution Co. ("Distributor"), may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. The Fund will only issue or redeem Shares that have been aggregated into blocks of 50,000 Shares or multiples thereof ("Creation Units"). The Fund will issue or redeem Creation Units in return for a basket of cash and/or securities that the Fund specifies any day that the national securities exchanges are open for business ("Business Day").
 
TAX INFORMATION
 
The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxable to you as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-advantaged arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account ("IRA"), in which case distributions from such tax-advantaged arrangement may be taxable to you.
 
PAYMENTS TO BROKER-DEALERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES
 
The Adviser and its related companies may pay broker-dealers or other financial intermediaries (such as a bank) for the sale of Fund Shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing your broker-dealer, sales persons or other intermediary or its employees or associated persons to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your financial adviser or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.

25


Global X SuperDividend® Alternatives ETF
 
Ticker: ALTY Exchange: NASDAQ

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
 
The Global X SuperDividend® Alternatives ETF ("Fund") seeks to track, before fees and expenses, the price and yield performance of the Indxx SuperDividend® Alternatives Index ("Underlying Index").

FEES AND EXPENSES
 
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares ("Shares") of the Fund. You will also incur usual and customary brokerage commission when buying and selling Shares.
 
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment):
 
Management Fees:
0.75%
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees:
None
Other Expenses:
0.00%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses:1
2.20%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses:
2.95%

1    "Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses" sets forth the Fund's pro rata portion of the cumulative expenses charged by the exchange-traded funds, closed-end funds, business development companies and other investment companies in which the Fund invests. These expenses are calculated based on the Fund's portfolio holdings during the prior fiscal period. The actual Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses will vary with changes in the allocations of the Fund's assets.

Example: The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. This example does not take into account customary brokerage commissions that you pay when purchasing or selling Shares of the Fund in the secondary market. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell all of your Shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:
 
One Year
Three Years
Five Years
Ten Years
$298
$913
$1,552
$3,271
 
Portfolio Turnover: The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund's performance. For the most recent fiscal period, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 18.16% of the average value of its portfolio.

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES
 
The Fund invests at least 80% of its total assets in the securities of the Underlying Index and in American Depositary Receipts ("ADRs") and Global Depositary Receipts ("GDRs") based on the securities in the Underlying Index. The Fund's 80% investment policy is non-fundamental and requires 60 days prior written notice to shareholders before it can be changed. The Fund may lend securities representing up to one-third of the value of the Fund’s total assets (including the value of the collateral received).

The Underlying Index is comprised of securities that rank among the highest dividend-yielding securities in each eligible category of alternative income investments, at the time of Underlying Index reconstitution, as defined by the Index Provider (as defined below). Alternative income investments that are eligible for inclusion in the Underlying Index fall into one of four classes: Master Limited Partnerships ("MLPs") and Infrastructure, Real Estate, Institutional Managers, and Fixed Income and Derivative Strategies. The MLPs and Infrastructure categories primarily consist of units of MLPs and shares of infrastructure companies. The Real Estate category provides exposure to global real estate investment trusts ("REITs"), and gains this exposure through investing directly

26


in the Global X SuperDividend® REIT ETF. The Institutional Managers category primarily consists of shares of business development companies ("BDCs") and publicly listed private equity companies. The Fixed Income and Derivative Strategies category includes exposure to emerging market debt, mortgage and asset-backed securities, and option-writing primarily through the purchase of publicly traded closed-end funds ("CEFs"). Each of the Underlying Index components is selected from a universe of securities that are publicly traded in the United States. The Underlying Index assigns weights to each of the four categories in a method that seeks to equalize the volatility contribution of each category, which assigns less weight to higher volatility categories and more weight to lower volatility categories. The Underlying Index is reconstituted annually, but may rebalance quarterly if any one category deviates more than 3% from its target weight. The Fund's investment objective and Underlying Index may be changed without shareholder approval.

The Underlying Index is sponsored by an organization ("Index Provider") that is independent of the Fund and Global X Management Company LLC, the investment adviser for the Fund ("Adviser"). The Index Provider determines the relative weightings of the securities in the Underlying Index and publishes information regarding the market value of the Underlying Index. The Fund's Index Provider is Indxx, LLC.

The Adviser uses a "passive" or indexing approach to try to achieve the Fund's investment objective. Unlike many investment companies, the Fund does not try to "outperform" the Underlying Index and does not seek temporary defensive positions when markets decline or appear overvalued.
 
The Fund generally will use a replication strategy. A replication strategy is an indexing strategy that involves investing in the securities of the Underlying Index in approximately the same proportions as in the Underlying Index. However, the Fund may utilize a representative sampling strategy with respect to the Underlying Index when a replication strategy might be detrimental to shareholders, such as when there are practical difficulties or substantial costs involved in compiling a portfolio of equity securities to follow the Underlying Index, in instances in which a security in the Underlying Index becomes temporarily illiquid, unavailable or less liquid, or as a result of legal restrictions or limitations (such as tax diversification requirements) that apply to the Fund but not the Underlying Index.
 
The Adviser expects that, over time, the correlation between the Fund's performance and that of the Underlying Index, before fees and expenses, will exceed 95%. A correlation percentage of 100% would indicate perfect correlation. If the Fund uses a replication strategy, it can be expected to have greater correlation to the Underlying Index than if it uses a representative sampling strategy.
 
The Fund concentrates its investments (i.e., hold 25% or more of its total assets) in a particular industry or group of industries to approximately the same extent that the Underlying Index is concentrated. As of January 31, 2020, the Underlying Index was concentrated in the capital markets industry and had significant exposure to the financials sector.
 
SUMMARY OF PRINCIPAL RISKS
 
As with any investment, you could lose all or part of your investment in the Fund, and the Fund’s performance could trail that of other investments. There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. The Fund is subject to the principal risks noted below, any of which may adversely affect the Fund’s net asset value (“NAV”), trading price, yield, total return and ability to meet its investment objective, as well as other risks that are described in greater detail in the Additional Information About the Funds section of this Prospectus and in the Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”). The order of the below risk factors does not indicate the significance of any particular risk factor.

Asset Class Risk: Securities and other assets in the Underlying Index or otherwise held in the Fund's portfolio may underperform in comparison to the general securities markets, a particular securities market or other asset classes.

Actively Managed Portfolios Investment Risk: Certain of the Underlying Index constituents are actively managed portfolios, and their success depends upon the investment skills and analytical abilities of the investment adviser to that constituent to develop and effectively implement strategies to achieve the Underlying Index constituent’s investment objective. Subjective decisions made by the investment adviser may cause the Underlying Index constituent to incur losses or to miss profit opportunities on which it may otherwise have capitalized.

Bond Investment Risk: Investments in debt securities are generally affected by changes in prevailing interest rates and the creditworthiness of the issuer. Prices of debt securities fall when prevailing interest rates rise. The Fund’s yield on investments in debt securities will fluctuate as the securities in the Fund are rebalanced and reinvested in securities with different interest rates. Investments in bonds are also subject to credit risk. Credit risk is the risk that an issuer of debt securities will be unable to pay principal and interest when due, or that the value of the security will suffer because investors believe the issuer is less able to make required principal and interest payments. This is broadly gauged by the

27


credit ratings of the debt securities in which the Fund invests. However, credit ratings are only the opinions of the rating agencies issuing them, do not purport to reflect the risk of fluctuations in market value and are not absolute guarantees as to the payment of interest and the repayment of principal.

Closed-End Funds Investment Risk: Common shares of CEFs frequently trade at a discount from their NAVs. This risk may be greater if shares of such CEFs are removed from the Underlying Index in a relatively short period of time after completion of the initial offering of such CEFs. The Fund will indirectly bear its pro rata share of the fees and expenses, including advisory fees, incurred by a CEF in which the Fund invests and will be indirectly subject to the risks associated with the underlying companies in which the CEF invests.

Equity Securities Risk: Equity securities are subject to changes in value, and their values may be more volatile than other asset classes, as a result of such factors as a company’s business performance, investor perceptions, stock market trends and general economic conditions.

ETF Investment Risk: While the risks of owning shares of an Underlying ETF generally reflect the risks of owning the underlying securities of the index the ETF is designed to track, lack of liquidity in the Underlying ETF can result in its value being more volatile than the underlying portfolio securities. Because the value of an Underlying ETF's shares depends on the demand in the market, the Adviser may not be able to liquidate the Fund’s holdings in those shares at the most optimal time, thereby adversely affecting the Fund’s performance. An Underlying ETF may experience tracking error in relation to the index tracked by the Underlying ETF, which could contribute to tracking error for the Fund. In addition, an Underlying ETF's shares may trade at a premium or discount to NAV.

In addition, investments in the securities of Underlying ETFs may involve duplication of advisory fees and certain other expenses. The Fund will pay brokerage commissions in connection with the purchase and sale of shares of the Underlying ETFs, which could result in greater expenses to the Fund. By investing in an Underlying ETF, the Fund becomes a shareholder thereof. As a result, Fund shareholders indirectly bear the Fund’s proportionate share of the fees and expenses indirectly paid by shareholders of the Underlying ETF, in addition to the fees and expenses Fund shareholders indirectly bear in connection with the Fund’s own operations.

If the Underlying ETF fails to achieve its investment objective, the value of the Fund’s investment may decline, adversely affecting the Fund’s performance. ETFs that invest in commodities may be, or may become, subject to regulatory trading limits that could hurt the value of their securities and could affect the Fund’s ability to pursue its investment program as described in this Prospectus. Additionally, some ETFs are not registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (“1940 Act”) and therefore, are not subject to the regulatory scheme and investor protections of the 1940 Act.

Leveraged Portfolios Investment Risk: Certain of the Underlying Index components may engage in transactions that give rise to leverage. Such transactions may include, among others, reverse repurchase agreements, securities lending, forward commitment transactions, short sales and certain derivative transactions. The use of leverage may cause the Underlying Index components to liquidate portfolio positions when it may not be advantageous to do so to satisfy its obligations or to meet segregation requirements. Leverage may cause the Underlying Index component’s share price to be more volatile than if it had not been leveraged, as certain types of leverage may exaggerate the effect of any increase or decrease in the value of the Underlying Index component’s portfolio securities. The loss on leveraged investments may substantially exceed the initial investment.

Listed Private Equity Companies Investment Risk: There are certain risks inherent in investing in listed private equity companies, which encompass BDCs and other financial institutions or vehicles whose principal business is to invest in and lend capital to, or provide services to privately held companies. BDCs generally invest in less mature private companies, which involve greater risk than well-established, publicly-traded companies. Generally, little public information exists for private and thinly traded companies in which a BDC invests. With investments in debt instruments, there is a risk that the issuer may default on its payments or declare bankruptcy. Limitations on asset mix and leverage may limit the ways in which a BDC is able to raise capital. BDC company securities are not redeemable at the option of the shareholder and they may frequently trade in the market at a discount to their NAV. The Fund will indirectly bear its pro rata share of the fees and expenses incurred by a BDC it invests in, including advisory fees, and will be indirectly subject to the risks associated with the underlying companies in which the BDC invests.

Master Limited Partnerships Investment Risk: Investments in securities of an MLP involve risks that differ from investments in common stock, including risks related to limited control and limited rights to vote on matters affecting the MLP, risks related to potential conflicts of interest between the MLP and the MLP’s general partner, and cash flow risks. MLP common units and other equity securities can be affected by changes in macro-economic and other factors

28


affecting the stock market in general, including changes in growth, unemployment, and inflation rates, as well as expectations of interest rates. MLP common units and other equity securities can also be affected by investor sentiment towards MLPs or the energy sector, changes in a particular issuer’s financial condition, or unfavorable or unanticipated poor performance of a particular issuer (in the case of MLPs, generally measured in terms of distributable cash flow). Prices of common units of individual MLPs and other equity securities also can be affected by fundamentals unique to the partnership or company, including earnings power and coverage ratios.

Mortgage Real Estate Investment Trusts (Mortgage REITs) Investment Risk: Mortgage REITs are exposed to the risks specific to the real estate market as well as credit risk, interest rate risk, leverage risk and prepayment risk.

Non-Hedging Foreign Currency Trading Exposure Risk: Certain of the Underlying Index constituents may engage in forward foreign currency transactions for speculative purposes. The Underlying Index constituents' advisors may purchase or sell foreign currencies through the use of forward contracts based on the applicable advisors’ judgment regarding the direction of the market for a particular foreign currency or currencies. In pursuing this strategy, the advisors seek to profit from anticipated movements in currency rates by establishing “long” and/or “short” positions in forward contracts on various foreign currencies. Foreign exchange rates can be extremely volatile and a variance in the degree of volatility of the market or in the direction of the market from the advisors’ expectations may produce significant losses to the Underlying Index constituent.

Option Trading Strategies Exposure Risk: Options are generally subject to volatile swings in price based on changes in value of the underlying instrument, and the options written by an Underlying Index constituent may be particularly subject to this risk because of the volatility of the underlying stocks selected by an Underlying Index constituent. An Underlying Index constituent may incur a form of economic leverage through its use of options, which will increase the volatility of an Underlying Index constituent’s returns and may increase the risk of loss to an Underlying Index constituent. While an Underlying Index constituent will collect premiums on the options it writes, an Underlying Index constituent’s risk of loss if one or more of its options is exercised and expires in-the-money may substantially outweigh the gains to an Underlying Index constituent from the receipt of such option premiums. Moreover, the options sold by an Underlying Index constituent may have imperfect correlation to the returns of their underlying stocks.

Real Estate Stocks and Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) Investment Risk: The Fund may have exposure to companies that invest in real estate, such as REITs, which exposes investors in the Fund to the risks of owning real estate directly, as well as to risks that relate specifically to the way in which real estate companies are organized and operated. Real estate is highly sensitive to general and local economic conditions and developments and characterized by intense competition and periodic overbuilding. Many real estate companies, including REITs, utilize leverage (and some may be highly leveraged), which increases risk and could adversely affect a real estate company's operations and market value in periods of rising interest rates.

Associated Risks Related to Investing in Infrastructure Companies: Infrastructure companies may be subject to a variety of factors that could adversely affect their business or operations, including high interest costs in connection with capital construction programs, high degrees of leverage, costs associated with governmental, environmental and other regulations, the level of government spending on infrastructure projects, and other factors. The stock prices of transportation companies may be affected by supply and demand for their specific product, government regulation, world events and economic conditions. The profitability of energy companies is related to worldwide energy prices, exploration, and production spending. Utility companies face intense competition, which may have an adverse effect on their profit margins, and the rates charged by regulated utility companies are subject to review and limitation by governmental regulatory commissions.
    
Capitalization Risk: Investing in issuers within the same market capitalization category carries the risk that the category may be out of favor due to current market conditions or investor sentiment.

Large-Capitalization Companies Risk: Large-capitalization companies may trail the returns of the overall stock market. Large-capitalization stocks tend to go through cycles of doing better - or worse - than the stock market in general. These periods have, in the past, lasted for as long as several years.

Mid-Capitalization Companies Risk: Mid-capitalization companies may have greater price volatility, lower trading volume and less liquidity than large-capitalization companies. In addition, mid-capitalization companies may have smaller revenues, narrower product lines, less management depth and experience, smaller shares of their product or service markets, fewer financial resources and less competitive strength than large-capitalization companies.


29


Small-Capitalization Companies Risk: Compared to mid- and large-capitalization companies, small-capitalization companies may be less stable and more susceptible to adverse developments, and their securities may be more volatile and less liquid.

Commodity Exposure Risk: To the extent that its Underlying Index has exposure to securities and markets that are susceptible to fluctuations in certain commodity markets, any negative changes in commodity markets could have a great impact on the Fund. Commodity prices may be influenced or characterized by unpredictable factors, including, where applicable, high volatility, changes in supply and demand relationships, weather, agriculture, trade, changes in interest rates and monetary and other governmental policies, action and inaction. Securities of companies held by the Fund that are dependent on a single commodity, or are concentrated on a single commodity sector, may typically exhibit even higher volatility attributable to commodity prices.

Concentration Risk: To the extent that the Underlying Index concentrates in investments related to a particular industry or group of industries, the Fund will also concentrate its investments to approximately the same extent. Similarly, if the Underlying Index has significant exposure to one or more sectors, the Fund’s investments will likely have significant exposure to such sectors. In such event, the Fund’s performance will be particularly susceptible to adverse events impacting such industry or sector, which may include, but are not limited to, the following: general economic conditions or cyclical market patterns that could negatively affect supply and demand; competition for resources; adverse labor relations; political or world events; obsolescence of technologies; and increased competition or new product introductions that may affect the profitability or viability of companies in a particular industry or sector. As a result, the value of the Fund’s investments may rise and fall more than the value of shares of a fund that invests in securities of companies in a broader range of industries or sectors.

Risks Related to Investing in the Capital Markets Industry: Companies in the capital markets industry may be significantly affected by stock and bank trading activity, changes in governmental regulation, continuing increases in price competition, decreases in fees or fee-related business, including investment banking, brokerage, asset management and other servicing fees, fluctuations in interest rates and other factors which could adversely affect financial markets.

Risks Related to Investing in the Financials Sector: Performance of companies in the financials sector may be adversely impacted by many factors, including, among others, government regulations, economic conditions, credit rating downgrades, changes in interest rates, and decreased liquidity in credit markets. This sector has experienced significant losses in the past, and the impact of more stringent capital requirements and of current or future regulation on any individual financial company or on the sector as a whole cannot be predicted. In recent years, cyber-attacks and technology malfunctions and failures have become increasingly frequent in this sector and have caused significant losses to companies in this sector, which may negatively impact the Fund.

Credit Risk: Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer of the security will not be able to make principal and interest payments when due. Changes in an issuer’s credit rating or the market’s perception of an issuer’s creditworthiness may also affect the value of the Fund’s investment in that issuer. Securities rated in the four highest categories by the rating agencies are considered investment grade but they may also have some speculative characteristics. Investment grade ratings do not guarantee that bonds will not lose value.

Currency Risk: The Fund may invest in securities denominated in foreign currencies. Because the Fund's NAV is determined in U.S. dollars, the Fund's NAV could decline if currencies of the underlying securities depreciate against the U.S. dollar or if there are delays or limits on repatriation of such currencies. Currency exchange rates can be very volatile and can change quickly and unpredictably. As a result, the Fund's NAV may change quickly and without warning, which could have a significant negative impact on the Fund.

Foreign Financial Institution Risk: Certain of the securities that comprise the Underlying Index, while traded on U.S. exchanges, may be issued by foreign financial institutions. Therefore, the Fund may be subject to the risks of investing in securities issued by foreign companies, which may not be subject to the same regulations as companies domiciled in the U.S. The health of many foreign financial institutions is often tied closely with the financial stability of the local economy in which they are domiciled, and therefore are subject to additional risks including but not limited to: policy changes, slow economic growth, and high levels of debt.

Foreign Securities Risk: The Fund may invest, without limit, in foreign securities. The Fund's investments in foreign securities can be riskier than U.S. securities investments. Investments in the securities of foreign issuers (including investments in ADRs and GDRs) are subject to the risks associated with investing in those foreign markets, such as heightened risks of inflation or nationalization. The prices of foreign securities and the prices of U.S. securities have, at times, moved in opposite directions. In addition, securities of foreign issuers may lose value due to political, economic and geographic events affecting a foreign issuer or market. During periods of social, political or economic instability in a country or region, the value of a foreign security traded

30


on U.S. exchanges could be affected by, among other things, increasing price volatility, illiquidity, or the closure of the primary market on which the security (or the security underlying the ADR or GDR) is traded. You may lose money due to political, economic and geographic events affecting a foreign issuer or market.

Geographic Risk: A natural, biological or other disaster could occur in a geographic region in which the Fund invests, which could affect the economy or particular business operations of companies in the specific geographic region, causing an adverse impact on the Fund’s investments in the affected region or in a region economically tied to the affected region. The securities in which the Fund invests and, consequently, the Fund are also subject to specific risks as a result of their business operations, including, but not limited to:

Risk of Investing in Developed Markets: The Fund’s investment in a developed country issuer may subject the Fund to regulatory, political, currency, security, economic and other risks associated with developed countries. Developed countries tend to represent a significant portion of the global economy and have generally experienced slower economic growth than some less developed countries. Certain developed countries have experienced security concerns, such as terrorism and strained international relations. Incidents involving a country’s or region’s security may cause uncertainty in its markets and may adversely affect its economy and the Fund’s investments. In addition, developed countries may be impacted by changes to the economic conditions of certain key trading partners, regulatory burdens, debt burdens and the price or availability of certain commodities.

Risk of Investing in Emerging Markets: Investments in emerging markets may be subject to a greater risk of loss than investments in developed markets. Securities markets of emerging market countries are less liquid, subject to greater price volatility, have smaller market capitalizations, have less government regulation, and are not subject to as extensive and frequent accounting, financial, and other reporting requirements as the securities markets of more developed countries, and there may be greater risk associated with the custody of securities in emerging markets. Emerging markets may be more likely to experience inflation, political turmoil and rapid changes in economic conditions than more developed markets. Certain emerging market countries may have privatized, or have begun the process of privatizing, certain entities and industries. Privatized entities may lose money or be re-nationalized.

Risk of Investing in the United States: A decrease in imports or exports, changes in trade regulations and/or an economic recession in the U.S. may have a material adverse effect on the U.S. economy.

High Dividend Yield Stocks Risk: High-yielding stocks are often speculative, high risk investments. These companies may be paying out more than they can support and may reduce their dividends or stop paying dividends at any time, which could have a material adverse effect on the stock price of these companies and the Fund’s performance. Securities that pay dividends, as a group, can fall out of favor with the market, potentially during periods of rising interest rates, causing such companies to underperform companies that do not pay dividends.

High Yield Securities Risk: Securities that are rated below investment grade (commonly referred to as "junk bonds", including those bonds rated lower than "BBB-" by Standard & Poor’s® (a division of the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.) ("S&P") and Fitch, Inc. ("Fitch"), "Baa3" by Moody’s® Investors Service, Inc. ("Moody’s"), or "BBBL" by Dominion Bond Rating Service Limited ("Dominion")), or are unrated but judged by the Adviser to be of comparable quality, at the time of purchase, may be more volatile than higher-rated securities of similar maturity. Investing in junk bonds is speculative.

Income Risk: Income risk is the risk that the Fund’s income will decline because of falling interest rates.

Interest Rate Risk: Interest rate risk is the risk that prices of fixed income securities generally increase when interest rates decline and decrease when interest rates increase. The Fund may lose money if short-term or long-term interest rates rise sharply.

Issuer Risk: Fund performance depends on the performance of individual companies in which the Fund invests. Changes to the financial condition of any of those companies may cause the value of their securities to decline.

Market Risk: Turbulence in the financial markets and reduced liquidity may negatively affect issuers, which could have an adverse effect on the Fund. If the securities held by the Fund experience poor liquidity, the Fund may be unable to transact at advantageous times or prices, which may decrease the Fund’s returns. In addition, there is a risk that policy changes by the U.S. Government, Federal Reserve, or other government actors, which could include increasing interest rates, could cause increased volatility in financial markets and lead to higher levels of Fund redemptions, which could have a negative impact on the Fund. Furthermore, local, regional or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issue, recessions, or other events could have a significant impact on the Fund and its investments and trading of its shares. The Fund’s NAV could decline over short periods due to short-term market movements and over longer periods during market downturns.


31


MLP Tax Risk: Subject to the application of the partnership audit rules, MLPs that elect to be taxed as partnerships do not pay U.S. federal income tax at the partnership level. Rather, each partner is allocated a share of the partnership’s income, gains, losses, deductions and expenses. A change in current tax law, or a change in the underlying business mix of a given MLP, could result in an MLP that previously elected to be taxed as a partnership being treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes, which would result in such MLP being required to pay U.S. federal income tax on its taxable income. The classification of an MLP as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes would have the effect of reducing the amount of cash available for distribution by the MLP. Thus, to the extent that any of the MLPs to which the Fund has exposure are treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes, it could result in a reduction in the value of the Fund’s investment and lower the Fund’s income. The Fund may also invest in MLPs that elect to be taxed as corporations, which taxes would have the effect of reducing the amount of cash available for distribution by the MLP. Additionally, as a result of the Fund's exposure to MLPs taxed as partnerships, a portion of the Fund’s distributions are expected to be treated as a return of capital for tax purposes. Return of capital distributions are not taxable income to you, but reduce your tax basis in your Fund Shares. Such a reduction in tax basis will result in larger taxable gains and/or lower tax losses on a subsequent sale of Fund Shares. Shareholders who sell their Shares for less than they bought them may still recognize a gain due to the reduction in tax basis. Shareholders who periodically receive the payment of dividends or other distributions consisting of a return of capital may be under the impression that they are receiving net profits from the Fund when, in fact, they are not. Shareholders should not assume that the source of the distributions is from the net profits of the Fund. To the extent that the distributions paid to you constitute a return of capital, the Fund's assets will decline. A decline in the Fund's assets may also result in an increase in the portion of a Fund's expense ratio that is not subject to a unitary fee or any other form of contractual cap, and over time the distributions paid in excess of net distributions received could work to erode the Fund's net asset value.

Operational Risk: The Fund is exposed to operational risk arising from a number of factors, including but not limited to human error, processing and communication errors, errors of the Fund's service providers, counterparties or other third-parties, failed or inadequate processes and technology or systems failures. Additionally, cyber security failures or breaches of the electronic systems of the Fund, the Adviser, and the Fund's other service providers, market makers, Authorized Participants or the issuers of securities in which the Fund invests have the ability to cause disruptions and negatively impact the Fund's business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses to the Fund and its shareholders. The Fund and the Adviser seek to reduce these operational risks through controls and procedures. However, these measures do not address every possible risk and may be inadequate for those risks that they are intended to address.

Passive Investment Risk: The Fund is not actively managed, and the Adviser does not attempt to take defensive positions in declining markets. Unlike many investment companies, the Fund does not seek to outperform its Underlying Index. Therefore, it would not necessarily buy or sell a security unless that security is added or removed, respectively, from the Underlying Index, even if that security generally is underperforming. Maintaining investments in securities regardless of market conditions or the performance of individual securities could cause the Fund’s return to be lower than if the Fund employed an active strategy.

Index-Related Risk: There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve a high degree of correlation to the Underlying Index and therefore achieve its investment objective. Market disruptions and regulatory restrictions could have an adverse effect on the Fund’s ability to adjust its exposure to the required levels in order to track the Underlying Index. Errors in index data, index computations and/or the construction of the Underlying Index in accordance with its methodology may occur from time to time and may not be identified and corrected by the Index Provider for a period of time or at all, which may have an adverse impact on the Fund and its shareholders.

Management Risk: The Fund will not fully replicate its Underlying Index and may hold securities not included in its Underlying Index. The Adviser’s investment strategy, the implementation of which is subject to a number of constraints, may cause the Fund to underperform the market or its relevant benchmark or adversely affect the ability of the Fund to achieve its investment objective.

Tracking Error Risk: Tracking error may occur because of differences between the instruments held in the Fund's portfolio and those included in the Underlying Index, pricing differences, transaction costs incurred by the Fund, the Fund's holding of uninvested cash, size of the Fund, differences in timing of the accrual of or the valuation of dividends or interest, tax gains or losses, changes to the Underlying Index or the costs to the Fund of complying with various new or existing regulatory requirements. This risk may be heightened during times of increased market volatility or other unusual market conditions. Tracking error also may result because the Fund incurs fees and expenses, while the Underlying Index does not. ETFs that track indices with significant weight in emerging markets issuers may experience higher tracking error than other ETFs that do not track such indices.

Risks Associated with Exchange-Traded Funds: As an ETF, the Fund is subject to the following risks:


32


Authorized Participants Concentration Risk: The Fund has a limited number of financial institutions that may act as Authorized Participants and engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund, and none of those Authorized Participants is obligated to engage in creation and/or redemption transactions. To the extent that those Authorized Participants exit the business or are unable to process creation and/or redemption orders, Shares may be more likely to trade at a premium or discount to NAV, and possibly face trading halts and/or delisting from an exchange. Authorized Participants Concentration Risk may be heightened because the Fund invests in non-U.S. securities.

Large Shareholder Risk: Redemptions by large shareholders could have a significant negative impact on the Fund. If a large shareholder were to redeem all, or a large portion, of its Shares, there is no guarantee that the Fund will be able to maintain sufficient assets to continue operations in which case the Board of Trustees may determine to liquidate the Fund. In addition, transactions by large shareholders may account for a large percentage of the trading volume on a national securities exchange and may, therefore, have a material upward or downward effect on the market price of the Shares.

Listing Standards Risk: Under continuous listing standards adopted by the Fund’s listing exchange, the Fund will be required to confirm on an ongoing basis that the components of the Underlying Index satisfy the applicable listing requirements. In the event that the Underlying Index does not comply with the applicable listing requirements, the Fund would be required to rectify such non-compliance by requesting that the Index Provider modify the Underlying Index, adopting a new underlying index, or obtaining relief from the SEC. Failure to rectify such non-compliance may result in the Fund being delisted by the listing exchange. In addition, the Fund may face the risk of being delisted if the Fund does not meet certain conditions of the listing exchange. Any resulting liquidation of the Fund could cause the Fund to incur elevated transaction costs and could result in negative tax consequences for its shareholders.

Market Trading Risks and Premium/Discount Risks: Shares of the Fund are publicly traded on a national securities exchange, which may subject shareholders to numerous market trading risks. Disruptions to creations and redemptions, the existence of extreme market volatility or potential lack of assets in the Fund or an active trading market for Shares may result in Shares trading at a significant premium or discount to NAV. If a shareholder purchases Shares at a time when the market price is at a premium to the NAV or sells Shares at a time when the market price is at a discount to the NAV, the shareholder may sustain losses.

Trading Halt Risk: An exchange or market may close or issue trading halts on specific securities, or the ability to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments may be restricted, which may result in the Fund being unable to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments. In such circumstances, the Fund may be unable to rebalance its portfolio, may be unable to accurately price its investments and/or may incur substantial trading losses.

Valuation Risk: The sales price the Fund could receive for a security may differ from the Fund’s valuation of the security and may differ from the value used by the Underlying Index, particularly for securities that trade in low value or volatile markets or that are valued using a fair value methodology (such as during trading halts). The value of the securities in the Fund's portfolio may change on days when shareholders will not be able to purchase or sell the Fund's Shares.

PERFORMANCE INFORMATION
 
The bar chart and table that follow show how the Fund performed on a calendar year basis and provide an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund's performance from year to year and by showing the Fund's average annual total returns for the indicated periods compared with the Fund's benchmark index and a broad measure of market performance. The Fund's past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available online at www.globalxetfs.com.


33


Annual Total Returns (Years Ended December 31)

  CHART-F023B099BB6A5AFD8F0.JPG

Best Quarter:
03/31/19
12.73%
Worst Quarter:
12/31/18
-9.59%

Average Annual Total Returns (for the Periods Ended December 31, 2019) 
 
Year Ended December 31, 2019
Since Inception (07/13/2015)
Global X SuperDividend® Alternatives ETF:
 
 
·Return before taxes
21.36%
8.08%
·Return after taxes on distributions1
18.33%
5.32%
·Return after taxes on distributions and sale of Fund Shares1
13.75%
5.21%
Indxx SuperDividend® Alternatives Index (net)
(Index returns do not reflect deductions for fees, expenses, or taxes)
21.84%
8.85%
S&P 500 Index
(Index returns do not reflect deductions for fees, expenses, or taxes)
31.49%
12.40%

1     After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual U.S. federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Your actual after-tax returns will depend on your specific tax situation and may differ from those shown above. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold Shares of the Fund through tax-advantaged arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts (IRAs).

FUND MANAGEMENT
 
Investment Adviser: Global X Management Company LLC.

Portfolio Managers: The professionals primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund are Chang Kim, CFA; Nam To, CFA; Wayne Xie and Kimberly Chan (“Portfolio Managers”). Mr. Kim has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since

34


the Fund's inception. Mr. To has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since March 1, 2018. Mr. Xie has been Portfolio Manager of the Fund since March 1, 2019. Ms. Chan has been Portfolio Manager of the Fund since June 10, 2019.

PURCHASE AND SALE OF FUND SHARES
 
Shares of the Fund are listed and traded at market prices on a national securities exchange. Shares may only be purchased and sold on the exchange through a broker-dealer. The price of Shares is based on market price, and because ETF shares trade at market prices rather than at NAV, Shares may trade at a price greater than NAV (a premium) or less than NAV (a discount). Only “Authorized Participants” (as defined in the SAI) who have entered into agreements with the Fund's distributor, SEI Investments Distribution Co. ("Distributor"), may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. The Fund will only issue or redeem Shares that have been aggregated into blocks of 50,000 Shares or multiples thereof ("Creation Units"). The Fund will issue or redeem Creation Units in return for a basket of cash and/or securities that the Fund specifies any day that the national securities exchanges are open for business ("Business Day").
 
TAX INFORMATION
 
The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxable to you as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-advantaged arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account ("IRA"), in which case distributions from such tax-advantaged arrangement may be taxable to you.
 
PAYMENTS TO BROKER-DEALERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES
 
The Adviser and its related companies may pay broker-dealers or other financial intermediaries (such as a bank) for the sale of Fund Shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing your broker-dealer, sales persons or other intermediary or its employees or associated persons to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your financial adviser or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.



35


Global X S&P 500® Quality Dividend ETF

Ticker: QDIV Exchange: NYSE Arca

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE

The Global X S&P 500® Quality Dividend ETF ("Fund") seeks to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the S&P 500® Quality High Dividend Index ("Underlying Index").

FEES AND EXPENSES

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares ("Shares") of the Fund. You will also incur usual and customary brokerage commissions when buying and selling Shares.

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

Management Fees:
0.20%
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees:
None
Other Expenses:
0.00%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses:
0.20%

Example: The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. This example does not take into account customary brokerage commissions that you pay when purchasing or selling Shares of the Fund in the secondary market. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell all of your Shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:

One Year
Three Years
Five Years
Ten Years
$20
$64
$113
$255

Portfolio Turnover: The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund's performance. For the most recent fiscal period, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 49.18% of the average value of its portfolio.

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

The Fund invests at least 80% of its total assets in the securities of the Underlying Index. The Fund's 80% investment policy is non-fundamental and requires 60 days prior written notice to shareholders before it can be changed.

The Underlying Index is designed to provide exposure to U.S. equity securities included in the S&P 500® Index that exhibit high quality and dividend yield characteristics, as determined by Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC, the provider of the Underlying Index (the "Index Provider"). All constituents of the Underlying Index are members of the S&P 500® Index and follow the eligibility criteria for that index. From this starting universe, eligible constituents are screened to include only securities that rank within the top 200 of the S&P 500® Index universe by both quality score and dividend yield. The Underlying Index is equal weighted and is reconstituted and rebalanced semi-annually. At each semi-annual rebalance, a sector capping methodology is applied to reduce sector concentration and increase diversification of the Underlying Index. The Fund's investment objective and Underlying Index may be changed without shareholder approval.

The Underlying Index is sponsored by the Index Provider, which is an organization that is independent of the Fund and Global X Management Company LLC, the investment adviser for the Fund ("Adviser"). The Index Provider determines the relative weightings of the securities in the Underlying Index and publishes information regarding the market value of the Underlying Index. As of January 31, 2020, the Underlying Index had 70 constituents.


36


The Adviser uses a "passive" or indexing approach to try to achieve the Fund's investment objective. Unlike many investment companies, the Fund does not try to outperform the Underlying Index and does not seek temporary defensive positions when markets decline or appear overvalued.

The Fund generally will use a replication strategy. A replication strategy is an indexing strategy that involves investing in the securities of the Underlying Index in approximately the same proportions as in the Underlying Index. However, the Fund may utilize a representative sampling strategy with respect to the Underlying Index when a replication strategy might be detrimental or disadvantageous to shareholders, such as when there are practical difficulties or substantial costs involved in compiling a portfolio of equity securities to replicate the Underlying Index, in instances in which a security in the Underlying Index becomes temporarily illiquid, unavailable or less liquid, or as a result of legal restrictions or limitations (such as tax diversification requirements) that apply to the Fund but not the Underlying Index.

The Adviser expects that, over time, the correlation between the Fund's performance and that of the Underlying Index, before fees and expenses, will exceed 95%. A correlation percentage of 100% would indicate perfect correlation. If the Fund uses a replication strategy, it can be expected to have greater correlation to the Underlying Index than if it uses a representative sampling strategy.

The Fund concentrates its investments (i.e., holds 25% or more of its total assets) in a particular industry or group of industries to approximately the same extent that the Underlying Index is concentrated. As of January 31, 2020, the Underlying Index was not concentrated in any industry.

SUMMARY OF PRINCIPAL RISKS

As with any investment, you could lose all or part of your investment in the Fund, and the Fund’s performance could trail that of other investments. There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. The Fund is subject to the principal risks noted below, any of which may adversely affect the Fund’s net asset value (“NAV”), trading price, yield, total return and ability to meet its investment objective, as well as other risks that are described in greater detail in the Additional Information About the Funds section of this Prospectus and in the Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”). The order of the below risk factors does not indicate the significance of any particular risk factor.

Asset Class Risk: Securities and other assets in the Underlying Index or otherwise held in the Fund's portfolio may underperform in comparison to the general securities markets, a particular securities market or other asset classes.

Equity Securities Risk: Equity securities are subject to changes in value, and their values may be more volatile than other asset classes, as a result of such factors as a company’s business performance, investor perceptions, stock market trends and general economic conditions.

Capitalization Risk: Investing in issuers within the same market capitalization category carries the risk that the category may be out of favor due to current market conditions or investor sentiment.

Large-Capitalization Companies Risk: Large-capitalization companies may trail the returns of the overall stock market. Large-capitalization stocks tend to go through cycles of doing better - or worse - than the stock market in general. These periods have, in the past, lasted for as long as several years.

Mid-Capitalization Companies Risk: Mid-capitalization companies may have greater price volatility, lower trading volume and less liquidity than large-capitalization companies. In addition, mid-capitalization companies may have smaller revenues, narrower product lines, less management depth and experience, smaller shares of their product or service markets, fewer financial resources and less competitive strength than large-capitalization companies.

Concentration Risk: To the extent that the Underlying Index concentrates in investments related to a particular industry or group of industries, the Fund will also concentrate its investments to approximately the same extent. Similarly, if the Underlying Index has significant exposure to one or more sectors, the Fund’s investments will likely have significant exposure to such sectors. In such event, the Fund’s performance will be particularly susceptible to adverse events impacting such industry or sector, which may include, but are not limited to, the following: general economic conditions or cyclical market patterns that could negatively affect supply and demand; competition for resources; adverse labor relations; political or world events; obsolescence of technologies; and increased competition or new product introductions that may affect the profitability or viability of companies in a particular industry or sector. As a result, the value of the Fund’s investments may rise and fall more than the value of shares of a fund that invests in securities of companies in a broader range of industries or sectors.


37


Dividend-Paying Stock Risk: The Fund’s emphasis on dividend-paying stocks involves the risk that such stocks may fall out of favor with investors and underperform the broader market. Also, a company may reduce or eliminate its dividend.

Geographic Risk: A natural, biological or other disaster could occur in a geographic region in which the Fund invests, which could affect the economy or particular business operations of companies in the specific geographic region, causing an adverse impact on the Fund’s investments in the affected region or in a region economically tied to the affected region. The securities in which the Fund invests and, consequently, the Fund are also subject to specific risks as a result of their business operations, including, but not limited to:

Risk of Investing in Developed Markets: The Fund’s investment in a developed country issuer may subject the Fund to regulatory, political, currency, security, economic and other risks associated with developed countries. Developed countries tend to represent a significant portion of the global economy and have generally experienced slower economic growth than some less developed countries. Certain developed countries have experienced security concerns, such as terrorism and strained international relations. Incidents involving a country’s or region’s security may cause uncertainty in its markets and may adversely affect its economy and the Fund’s investments. In addition, developed countries may be impacted by changes to the economic conditions of certain key trading partners, regulatory burdens, debt burdens and the price or availability of certain commodities.

Risk of Investing in the United States: A decrease in imports or exports, changes in trade regulations and/or an economic recession in the U.S. may have a material adverse effect on the U.S. economy.

Issuer Risk: Fund performance depends on the performance of individual companies in which the Fund invests. Changes to the financial condition of any of those companies may cause the value of their securities to decline.

Market Risk: Turbulence in the financial markets and reduced liquidity may negatively affect issuers, which could have an adverse effect on the Fund. If the securities held by the Fund experience poor liquidity, the Fund may be unable to transact at advantageous times or prices, which may decrease the Fund’s returns. In addition, there is a risk that policy changes by the U.S. Government, Federal Reserve, or other government actors, which could include increasing interest rates, could cause increased volatility in financial markets and lead to higher levels of Fund redemptions, which could have a negative impact on the Fund. Furthermore, local, regional or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issue, recessions, or other events could have a significant impact on the Fund and its investments and trading of its shares. The Fund’s NAV could decline over short periods due to short-term market movements and over longer periods during market downturns.

Non-Diversification Risk: The Fund is classified as a “non-diversified” investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940 ("1940 Act"). As a result, the Fund is subject to the risk that it may be more volatile than a diversified fund because the Fund may invest its assets in a smaller number of issuers or may invest a larger proportion of its assets in a single issuer. As a result, the gains and losses on a single investment may have a greater impact on the Fund’s NAV and may make the Fund more volatile than more diversified funds.

Operational Risk: The Fund is exposed to operational risk arising from a number of factors, including but not limited to human error, processing and communication errors, errors of the Fund's service providers, counterparties or other third-parties, failed or inadequate processes and technology or systems failures. Additionally, cyber security failures or breaches of the electronic systems of the Fund, the Adviser, and the Fund's other service providers, market makers, Authorized Participants or the issuers of securities in which the Fund invests have the ability to cause disruptions and negatively impact the Fund's business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses to the Fund and its shareholders. The Fund and the Adviser seek to reduce these operational risks through controls and procedures. However, these measures do not address every possible risk and may be inadequate for those risks that they are intended to address.

Passive Investment Risk: The Fund is not actively managed, and the Adviser does not attempt to take defensive positions in declining markets. Unlike many investment companies, the Fund does not seek to outperform its Underlying Index. Therefore, it would not necessarily buy or sell a security unless that security is added or removed, respectively, from the Underlying Index, even if that security generally is underperforming. Maintaining investments in securities regardless of market conditions or the performance of individual securities could cause the Fund’s return to be lower than if the Fund employed an active strategy.

Index-Related Risk: There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve a high degree of correlation to the Underlying Index and therefore achieve its investment objective. Market disruptions and regulatory restrictions could have an adverse effect on the Fund’s ability to adjust its exposure to the required levels in order to track the Underlying Index. Errors in index data, index computations and/or the construction of the Underlying Index in accordance with its methodology may occur from time to time and may not be identified and corrected by the Index Provider for a period of time or at all, which may have an adverse impact on the Fund and its shareholders.


38


Management Risk: The Fund will not fully replicate its Underlying Index and may hold securities not included in its Underlying Index. The Adviser’s investment strategy, the implementation of which is subject to a number of constraints, may cause the Fund to underperform the market or its relevant benchmark or adversely affect the ability of the Fund to achieve its investment objective.

Tracking Error Risk: Tracking error may occur because of differences between the instruments held in the Fund's portfolio and those included in the Underlying Index, pricing differences, transaction costs incurred by the Fund, the Fund's holding of uninvested cash, size of the Fund, differences in timing of the accrual of or the valuation of dividends or interest, tax gains or losses, changes to the Underlying Index or the costs to the Fund of complying with various new or existing regulatory requirements. This risk may be heightened during times of increased market volatility or other unusual market conditions. Tracking error also may result because the Fund incurs fees and expenses, while the Underlying Index does not.

Risks Associated with Exchange-Traded Funds: As an ETF, the Fund is subject to the following risks:

Authorized Participants Concentration Risk: The Fund has a limited number of financial institutions that may act as Authorized Participants and engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund, and none of those Authorized Participants is obligated to engage in creation and/or redemption transactions. To the extent that those Authorized Participants exit the business or are unable to process creation and/or redemption orders, Shares may be more likely to trade at a premium or discount to NAV, and possibly face trading halts and/or delisting from an exchange.

Large Shareholder Risk: Redemptions by large shareholders could have a significant negative impact on the Fund. If a large shareholder were to redeem all, or a large portion, of its Shares, there is no guarantee that the Fund will be able to maintain sufficient assets to continue operations in which case the Board of Trustees may determine to liquidate the Fund. In addition, transactions by large shareholders may account for a large percentage of the trading volume on a national securities exchange and may, therefore, have a material upward or downward effect on the market price of the Shares.

Listing Standards Risk: Under continuous listing standards adopted by the Fund’s listing exchange, the Fund will be required to confirm on an ongoing basis that the components of the Underlying Index satisfy the applicable listing requirements. In the event that the Underlying Index does not comply with the applicable listing requirements, the Fund would be required to rectify such non-compliance by requesting that the Index Provider modify the Underlying Index, adopting a new underlying index, or obtaining relief from the SEC. Failure to rectify such non-compliance may result in the Fund being delisted by the listing exchange. In addition, the Fund may face the risk of being delisted if the Fund does not meet certain conditions of the listing exchange. Any resulting liquidation of the Fund could cause the Fund to incur elevated transaction costs and could result in negative tax consequences for its shareholders.

Market Trading Risks and Premium/Discount Risks: Shares of the Fund are publicly traded on a national securities exchange, which may subject shareholders to numerous market trading risks. Disruptions to creations and redemptions, the existence of extreme market volatility or potential lack of assets in the Fund or an active trading market for Shares may result in Shares trading at a significant premium or discount to NAV. If a shareholder purchases Shares at a time when the market price is at a premium to the NAV or sells Shares at a time when the market price is at a discount to the NAV, the shareholder may sustain losses.

Trading Halt Risk: An exchange or market may close or issue trading halts on specific securities, or the ability to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments may be restricted, which may result in the Fund being unable to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments. In such circumstances, the Fund may be unable to rebalance its portfolio, may be unable to accurately price its investments and/or may incur substantial trading losses.

Valuation Risk: The sales price the Fund could receive for a security may differ from the Fund’s valuation of the security and may differ from the value used by the Underlying Index, particularly for securities that trade in low value or volatile markets or that are valued using a fair value methodology (such as during trading halts). The value of the securities in the Fund's portfolio may change on days when shareholders will not be able to purchase or sell the Fund's Shares.

PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

The bar chart and table that follow show how the Fund performed on a calendar year basis and provide an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund's performance from year to year and by showing the Fund's average annual total returns for the indicated periods compared with the Fund's benchmark index and a broad measure of market

39


performance. The Fund's past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available online at www.globalxetfs.com.

Annual Total Returns (Years Ended December 31)

  CHART-6EF2FE7209415E3497F.JPG

Best Quarter:
03/31/19
13.86%
Worst Quarter:
06/30/19
0.33%

Average Annual Total Returns (for the Periods Ended December 31, 2019) 
 
Year Ended December 31, 2019
Since Inception (07/13/2018)
Global X S&P 500® Quality Dividend ETF:
 
 
·Return before taxes
25.47%
8.84%
·Return after taxes on distributions1
24.52%
8.03%
·Return after taxes on distributions and sale of Fund Shares1
15.59%
6.66%
S&P 500® Quality High Dividend Index
(Index returns do not reflect deductions for fees, expenses, or taxes)
25.96%
9.20%
S&P 500 Index
(Index returns do not reflect deductions for fees, expenses, or taxes)
31.49%
12.43%

1     After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual U.S. federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Your actual after-tax returns will depend on your specific tax situation and may differ from those shown above. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold Shares of the Fund through tax-advantaged arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts (IRAs).

FUND MANAGEMENT

Investment Adviser: Global X Management Company LLC.


40


Portfolio Managers: The professionals primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund are Chang Kim, CFA; Nam To, CFA; Wayne Xie and Kimberly Chan (“Portfolio Managers”). Messrs. Kim and To have been Portfolio Managers of the Fund since the Fund's inception. Mr. Xie has been Portfolio Manager of the Fund since March 1, 2019. Ms. Chan has been Portfolio Manager of the Fund since June 10, 2019.

PURCHASE AND SALE OF FUND SHARES
 
Shares of the Fund are listed and traded at market prices on a national securities exchange. Shares may only be purchased and sold on the exchange through a broker-dealer. The price of Shares is based on market price, and because ETF shares trade at market prices rather than at NAV, Shares may trade at a price greater than NAV (a premium) or less than NAV (a discount). Only “Authorized Participants” (as defined in the SAI) who have entered into agreements with the Fund's distributor, SEI Investments Distribution Co. ("Distributor"), may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. The Fund will only issue or redeem Shares that have been aggregated into blocks of 50,000 Shares or multiples thereof ("Creation Units"). The Fund will issue or redeem Creation Units in return for a basket of cash and/or securities that the Fund specifies any day that the national securities exchanges are open for business ("Business Day").
 
TAX INFORMATION
 
The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxable to you as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-advantaged arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account ("IRA"), in which case distributions from such tax-advantaged arrangement may be taxable to you.
 
PAYMENTS TO BROKER-DEALERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES
 
The Adviser and its related companies may pay broker-dealers or other financial intermediaries (such as a bank) for the sale of Fund Shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing your broker-dealer, sales persons or other intermediary or its employees or associated persons to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your financial adviser or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.

41


Global X TargetIncomeTM 5 ETF

Ticker: TFIV Exchange: Cboe BZX

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE

The Global X TargetIncomeTM 5 ETF ("Fund") seeks to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the Wilshire TargetIncomeTM 5% Plus Index ("Underlying Index").

FEES AND EXPENSES

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares ("Shares") of the Fund. You will also incur usual and customary brokerage commissions when buying and selling Shares.

Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment):
Management Fees:
0.39%
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees:
None
Other Expenses:
0.01%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses:1
0.37%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses:
0.77%

1    "Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses" sets forth the Fund's pro rata portion of the cumulative expenses charged by the exchange-traded funds, closed-end funds, business development companies and other investment companies in which the Fund invests. These expenses are calculated based on the Fund's portfolio holdings during the prior fiscal period. The actual Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses will vary with changes in the allocations of the Fund's assets.

Example: The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. This example does not take into account customary brokerage commissions that you pay when purchasing or selling Shares of the Fund in the secondary market. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell all of your Shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:

One Year
Three Years
Five Years
Ten Years
$79
$246
$428
$954

Portfolio Turnover: The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund's performance. For the most recent fiscal period, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 63.30% of the average value of its portfolio.

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

The Fund is a fund of funds and invests at least 80% of its total assets in the securities of the Underlying Index. The Fund's 80% investment policy is non-fundamental and requires 60 days prior written notice to shareholders before it can be changed.

The Underlying Index seeks to provide broad exposure to income-producing asset classes using a portfolio of exchange-traded funds (each, an "Underlying ETF"), with the goal, but not the guarantee, of providing exposure that may be sufficient to support an annualized yield of five percent (5.0%) for the Fund, net of fees. The Underlying Index targets an annualized yield that is somewhat higher than 5% ("5% Plus"), which is intended to provide the Fund with the ability to achieve the 5% target, net of fees. The Underlying Index allocates index weights among the Underlying ETFs based on a methodology developed by Wilshire Associates, the provider of the Underlying Index ("Index Provider"), which is designed to achieve the target income objective while also utilizing an optimization approach that seeks to minimize the overall risk of the portfolio. The share prices of the Underlying ETFs are expected to track the performance of equities or bonds in developed or emerging markets, senior loans, preferred securities, real estate investment trusts ("REITs"), master limited partnerships ("MLPs") and energy infrastructure

42


equities, U.S. Treasury bonds, and U.S. Treasury Inflation Protected Securities ("TIPS"). The Underlying ETFs which invest in bonds may have exposure to investment grade and non-investment grade bonds.

The Underlying Index is constructed from the eligible income-producing asset classes, each of which is represented by an Underlying ETF that provides exposure to the given asset class. On a quarterly basis, and subject to certain weighting constraints, the Underlying Index is rebalanced to allocate weights to a subset of the eligible Underlying ETFs using a quantitative optimization approach that is described in more detail below. The Underlying Index has a target yield of 5% Plus, which is expected to be generated by the income from the allocation to the Underlying ETFs.

Optimization is the quantitative process of selecting a specific portfolio allocation from the set of all potential portfolio allocations, based on a defined objective and subject to certain constraints. Given that the objective of the Underlying Index is to achieve the stated income target while seeking to minimize overall portfolio risk, the primary optimization inputs for the Underlying Index are the yield, volatility, and correlation characteristics of the Underlying ETFs. The primary optimization constraints are the maximum weights of the Underlying ETFs as described in more detail below. Based on these inputs and constraints, the optimization process quantitatively determines the allocation to the Underlying ETFs at each quarterly rebalance.

As of January 31, 2020, the Underlying ETFs eligible for inclusion in the Underlying Index are: Global X SuperDividend® ETF, Global X SuperDividend® U.S. ETF, iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF, VanEck Vectors® J.P. Morgan EM Local Currency Bond ETF, iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF, Xtrackers USD High Yield Corporate Bond ETF, SPDR Blackstone / GSO Senior Loan ETF, Schwab U.S. TIPS ETF, Global X MLP & Energy Infrastructure ETF, Global X U.S. Preferred ETF, and Schwab U.S. REIT ETF. Each Underlying ETF has a minimum weight of 0% and a maximum weight of 20% at each quarterly rebalance. (iShares® is a registered trademark of BlackRock (BlackRock, Inc. and its subsidiaries). Neither BlackRock nor the iShares® Funds make any representations regarding the advisability of investing in the Fund.)

The Underlying Index is sponsored by the Index Provider, which is an organization that is independent of the Fund and Global X Management Company LLC, the investment adviser for the Fund ("Adviser"). The Index Provider determines the relative weightings of the Underlying ETFs of the Underlying Index based on the output from the quantitative optimization process described above. The Fund's investment objective and Underlying Index may be changed without shareholder approval.

The Adviser uses a "passive" or indexing approach to try to achieve the Fund's investment objective. Unlike many investment companies, the Fund does not try to outperform the Underlying Index and does not seek temporary defensive positions when markets decline or appear overvalued.

The Fund uses a representative sampling strategy with respect to the Underlying Index. "Representative sampling" is an indexing strategy that involves investing in a representative sample of securities that collectively has an investment profile similar to the Underlying Index in terms of key risk factors, performance attributes and other characteristics. These include country weightings, market capitalization and other financial characteristics of securities. The Fund may or may not hold all of the securities in the Underlying Index.

The Adviser expects that, over time, the correlation between the Fund's performance and that of the Underlying Index, before fees and expenses, will exceed 95%. A correlation percentage of 100% would indicate perfect correlation.

The Fund concentrates its investments (i.e., holds 25% or more of its total assets) in a particular industry or group of industries to approximately the same extent that the Underlying Index is concentrated. As of January 31, 2020, the Underlying Index was not concentrated in any industry.

SUMMARY OF PRINCIPAL RISKS

As with any investment, you could lose all or part of your investment in the Fund, and the Fund’s performance could trail that of other investments. There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. The Fund is subject to the principal risks noted below, any of which may adversely affect the Fund’s net asset value (“NAV”), trading price, yield, total return and ability to meet its investment objective, as well as other risks that are described in greater detail in the Additional Information About the Funds section of this Prospectus and in the Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”). The order of the below risk factors does not indicate the significance of any particular risk factor.

Asset Class Risk: Securities and other assets in the Underlying Index or otherwise held in the Fund's portfolio may underperform in comparison to the general securities markets, a particular securities market or other asset classes.


43


Bond Investment Risk: Investments in debt securities are generally affected by changes in prevailing interest rates and the creditworthiness of the issuer. Prices of debt securities fall when prevailing interest rates rise. An Underlying ETF’s yield on investments in debt securities will fluctuate as the securities in the Underlying ETF are rebalanced and reinvested in securities with different interest rates. Investments in bonds are also subject to credit risk. Credit risk is the risk that an issuer of debt securities will be unable to pay principal and interest when due, or that the value of the security will suffer because investors believe the issuer is less able to make required principal and interest payments. This is broadly gauged by the credit ratings of the debt securities in which the Underlying ETF invests. However, credit ratings are only the opinions of the rating agencies issuing them, do not purport to reflect the risk of fluctuations in market value and are not absolute guarantees as to the payment of interest and the repayment of principal.

Equity Securities Risk: Equity securities are subject to changes in value, and their values may be more volatile than other asset classes, as a result of such factors as a company’s business performance, investor perceptions, stock market trends and general economic conditions.

ETF Investment Risk: The Fund is expected to primarily hold ETFs to gain exposure to certain asset classes. As a result, the Fund will be subject to the same risks as the Underlying ETFs. While the risks of owning shares of an Underlying ETF generally reflect the risks of owning the underlying securities of the index the ETF is designed to track, lack of liquidity in the Underlying ETF can result in its value being more volatile than the underlying portfolio securities. Because the value of an Underlying ETF's shares depends on the demand in the market, the Adviser may not be able to liquidate the Fund’s holdings in those shares at the most optimal time, thereby adversely affecting the Fund’s performance. An Underlying ETF may experience tracking error in relation to the index tracked by the Underlying ETF, which could contribute to tracking error for the Fund. In addition, an Underlying ETF's shares may trade at a premium or discount to NAV.

In addition, investments in the securities of Underlying ETFs may involve duplication of advisory fees and certain other expenses. The Fund will pay brokerage commissions in connection with the purchase and sale of shares of the Underlying ETFs, which could result in greater expenses to the Fund. By investing in an Underlying ETF, the Fund becomes a shareholder thereof. As a result, Fund shareholders indirectly bear the Fund’s proportionate share of the fees and expenses indirectly paid by shareholders of the Underlying ETF, in addition to the fees and expenses Fund shareholders indirectly bear in connection with the Fund’s own operations.

If the Underlying ETF fails to achieve its investment objective, the value of the Fund’s investment may decline, adversely affecting the Fund’s performance. ETFs that invest in commodities may be, or may become, subject to regulatory trading limits that could hurt the value of their securities and could affect the Fund’s ability to pursue its investment program as described in this Prospectus. Additionally, some ETFs are not registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (“1940 Act”) and therefore, are not subject to the regulatory scheme and investor protections of the 1940 Act.

Inflation-Linked Bonds Investment Risk: Some of the Underlying ETFs may invest in inflation-linked bonds. Inflation-linked bonds are income-generating instruments whose interest and principal payments are adjusted for inflation – a sustained increase in prices that erodes the purchasing power of money. The inflation adjustment, which is typically applied monthly to the principal of the bond, follows a designated inflation index, such as the consumer price index. Because of this inflation adjustment feature, inflation-protected bonds typically have lower yields than conventional fixed-rate bonds.

Master Limited Partnerships Investment Risk: Some of the Underlying ETFs in which the Fund invests may have investments in MLPs. Investments in securities of an MLP involve risks that differ from investments in common stock, including risks related to limited control and limited rights to vote on matters affecting the MLP, risks related to potential conflicts of interest between the MLP and the MLP’s general partner, and cash flow risks. MLP common units and other equity securities can be affected by changes in macro-economic and other factors affecting the stock market in general, including changes in growth, unemployment, and inflation rates, as well as expectations of interest rates. MLP common units and other equity securities can also be affected by investor sentiment towards MLPs or the energy sector, changes in a particular issuer’s financial condition, or unfavorable or unanticipated poor performance of a particular issuer (in the case of MLPs, generally measured in terms of distributable cash flow). Prices of common units of individual MLPs and other equity securities also can be affected by fundamentals unique to the partnership or company, including earnings power and coverage ratios.

Mortgage Real Estate Investment Trusts (Mortgage REITs) Investment Risk: Some of the Underlying ETFs in which the Fund invests may have investments in mortgage REITs. Mortgage REITs are exposed to the risks specific to the real estate market as well as credit risk, interest rate risk, leverage risk and prepayment risk.

44



Preferred Stock Investment Risk: Some of the Underlying ETFs in which the Fund invests may have investments in preferred stock. Preferred stock is subject to many of the risks associated with debt securities, including interest rate risk. As interest rates rise, the value of the preferred stocks held by the Fund are likely to decline. In addition, preferred stock may be subordinated to bonds or other debt instruments in an issuer’s capital structure, meaning that an issuer’s preferred stock generally pays dividends only after the issuer makes required payments to holders of its bonds and other debt. Additionally, in certain situations, an issuer may call or redeem its preferred stock or convert it to common stock. Preferred stock may be less liquid than many other types of securities, such as common stock, and generally provides no voting rights with respect to the issuer.

Real Estate Stocks and Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) Investment Risk: An Underlying ETF in which the Fund invests may have exposure to companies that invest in real estate, such as REITs, which exposes investors in the Fund to the risks of owning real estate directly, as well as to risks that relate specifically to the way in which real estate companies are organized and operated. Real estate is highly sensitive to general and local economic conditions and developments and characterized by intense competition and periodic overbuilding. Many real estate companies, including REITs, utilize leverage (and some may be highly leveraged), which increases risk and could adversely affect a real estate company's operations and market value in periods of rising interest rates.

Senior Loans Investment Risk: Some of the Underlying ETFs in which the Fund invests may have investments in senior loans. Investments in senior loans are subject to credit risk and general investment risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the borrower of a senior loan will be unable and/or unwilling to make timely interest payments and/or repay the principal on its obligation. Default in the payment of interest or principal on a senior loan will result in a reduction in the value of the senior loan and consequently a reduction in the value of the Underlying ETF’s investments and a potential decrease in the NAV of the Underlying ETF. Senior loans are also subject to the risk that the value of the collateral securing a senior loan may decline, be insufficient to meet the obligations of the borrower or be difficult to liquidate. In addition, the Underlying ETF’s access to the collateral may be limited by bankruptcy or other insolvency laws. Further, loans held by the portfolio may not be considered securities and, therefore, purchasers, such as the Underlying ETF, may not be entitled to rely on the strong anti-fraud protections of the federal securities laws. Some senior loans are subject to the risk that a court, pursuant to fraudulent conveyance or other similar laws, could subordinate the senior loans to presently existing or future indebtedness of the borrower or take other action detrimental to lenders, including the Underlying ETF, such as invalidation of senior loans or causing interest previously paid to be refunded to the borrower.

U.S. Treasury Obligations Risks: Some of the Underlying ETFs in which the Fund invests may have investments in U.S. treasury obligations. U.S. Treasury obligations may differ in their interest rates, maturities times of issuance and other characteristics. Similar to other issuers, changes to the financial condition or credit rating of the U.S. government may cause the value of investments in U.S. Treasury obligations to decline.

Associated Risks Related to Investing in Energy Infrastructure Companies: Some of the Underlying ETFs in which the Fund invests may have investments in energy infrastructure companies. Energy infrastructure companies are subject to risks specific to the industry they serve, including, but not limited to, the following:

• reduced volumes of natural gas or other energy commodities available for transporting, processing or storing;
• new construction and acquisition risk, which can limit growth potential;
• a sustained reduced demand for crude oil, natural gas and refined petroleum products resulting from a recession or an increase in market price or higher taxes;
• changes in the regulatory environment;
• extreme weather;
• rising interest rates, which could result in a higher cost of capital and drive investors into other investment opportunities; and
• threats of attack by terrorists.

Capitalization Risk: Investing in issuers within the same market capitalization category carries the risk that the category may be out of favor due to current market conditions or investor sentiment.

Large-Capitalization Companies Risk: Large-capitalization companies may trail the returns of the overall stock market. Large-capitalization stocks tend to go through cycles of doing better - or worse - than the stock market in general. These periods have, in the past, lasted for as long as several years.


45


Mid-Capitalization Companies Risk: Mid-capitalization companies may have greater price volatility, lower trading volume and less liquidity than large-capitalization companies. In addition, mid-capitalization companies may have smaller revenues, narrower product lines, less management depth and experience, smaller shares of their product or service markets, fewer financial resources and less competitive strength than large-capitalization companies.

Small-Capitalization Companies Risk: Compared to mid- and large-capitalization companies, small-capitalization companies may be less stable and more susceptible to adverse developments, and their securities may be more volatile and less liquid.

Concentration Risk: To the extent that the Underlying Index concentrates in investments related to a particular industry or group of industries, the Fund will also concentrate its investments to approximately the same extent. Similarly, if the Underlying Index has significant exposure to one or more sectors, the Fund’s investments will likely have significant exposure to such sectors. In such event, the Fund’s performance will be particularly susceptible to adverse events impacting such industry or sector, which may include, but are not limited to, the following: general economic conditions or cyclical market patterns that could negatively affect supply and demand; competition for resources; adverse labor relations; political or world events; obsolescence of technologies; and increased competition or new product introductions that may affect the profitability or viability of companies in a particular industry or sector. As a result, the value of the Fund’s investments may rise and fall more than the value of shares of a fund that invests in securities of companies in a broader range of industries or sectors.

Risks Related to Investing in the Financials Sector: Some of the Underlying ETFs in which the Fund invests may have investments in the financials sector. Performance of companies in the financials sector may be adversely impacted by many factors, including, among others, government regulations, economic conditions, credit rating downgrades, changes in interest rates, and decreased liquidity in credit markets. This sector has experienced significant losses in the past, and the impact of more stringent capital requirements and of current or future regulation on any individual financial company or on the sector as a whole cannot be predicted. In recent years, cyber-attacks and technology malfunctions and failures have become increasingly frequent in this sector and have caused significant losses to companies in this sector, which may negatively impact the Fund.

Credit Risk: Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer of the security will not be able to make principal and interest payments when due. Changes in an issuer’s credit rating or the market’s perception of an issuer’s creditworthiness may also affect the value of the Underlying ETF’s investment in that issuer. Securities rated in the four highest categories by the rating agencies are considered investment grade but they may also have some speculative characteristics. Investment grade ratings do not guarantee that bonds will not lose value.

Currency Risk: The Fund may invest in securities denominated in foreign currencies. Because the Fund's NAV is determined in U.S. dollars, the Fund's NAV could decline if currencies of the underlying securities depreciate against the U.S. dollar or if there are delays or limits on repatriation of such currencies. Currency exchange rates can be very volatile and can change quickly and unpredictably. As a result, the Fund's NAV may change quickly and without warning, which could have a significant negative impact on the Fund.

Foreign Securities Risk: The Fund may invest, without limit, in foreign securities. The Fund's investments in foreign securities can be riskier than U.S. securities investments. Investments in the securities of foreign issuers (including investments in ADRs and GDRs) are subject to the risks associated with investing in those foreign markets, such as heightened risks of inflation or nationalization. The prices of foreign securities and the prices of U.S. securities have, at times, moved in opposite directions. In addition, securities of foreign issuers may lose value due to political, economic and geographic events affecting a foreign issuer or market. During periods of social, political or economic instability in a country or region, the value of a foreign security traded on U.S. exchanges could be affected by, among other things, increasing price volatility, illiquidity, or the closure of the primary market on which the security (or the security underlying the ADR or GDR) is traded. You may lose money due to political, economic and geographic events affecting a foreign issuer or market.

Geographic Risk: A natural, biological or other disaster could occur in a geographic region in which the Fund invests, which could affect the economy or particular business operations of companies in the specific geographic region, causing an adverse impact on the Fund’s investments in the affected region or in a region economically tied to the affected region. The securities in which the Fund invests and, consequently, the Fund are also subject to specific risks as a result of their business operations, including, but not limited to:

Risk of Investing in Developed Markets: An Underlying ETF’s investment in a developed country issuer may subject the Underlying ETF to regulatory, political, currency, security, economic and other risks associated with developed countries. Developed countries tend to represent a significant portion of the global economy and have generally

46


experienced slower economic growth than some less developed countries. Certain developed countries have experienced security concerns, such as terrorism and strained international relations. Incidents involving a country’s or region’s security may cause uncertainty in its markets and may adversely affect its economy and the Underlying ETF’s investments. In addition, developed countries may be impacted by changes to the economic conditions of certain key trading partners, regulatory burdens, debt burdens and the price or availability of certain commodities.

Risk of Investing in Emerging Markets: Some of the Underlying ETFs in which the Fund invests may have investments in emerging markets. Investments in emerging markets may be subject to a greater risk of loss than investments in developed markets. Securities markets of emerging market countries are less liquid, subject to greater price volatility, have smaller market capitalizations, have less government regulation, and are not subject to as extensive and frequent accounting, financial, and other reporting requirements as the securities markets of more developed countries, and there may be greater risk associated with the custody of securities in emerging markets. Emerging markets may be more likely to experience inflation, political turmoil and rapid changes in economic conditions than more developed markets. Certain emerging market countries may have privatized, or have begun the process of privatizing, certain entities and industries. Privatized entities may lose money or be re-nationalized.

Risk of Investing in the United States: Some of the Underlying ETFs in which the Fund invests may have investments in the United States. A decrease in imports or exports, changes in trade regulations and/or an economic recession in the U.S. may have a material adverse effect on the U.S. economy.

High Dividend Yield Stocks Risk: High-yielding stocks are often speculative, high risk investments. These companies may be paying out more than they can support and may reduce their dividends or stop paying dividends at any time, which could have a material adverse effect on the stock price of these companies and the Fund’s performance. Securities that pay dividends, as a group, can fall out of favor with the market, potentially during periods of rising interest rates, causing such companies to underperform companies that do not pay dividends.

High Yield Securities Risk: Securities that are rated below investment grade (commonly referred to as "junk bonds", including those bonds rated lower than "BBB-" by Standard & Poor’s® (a division of the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.) ("S&P") and Fitch, Inc. ("Fitch"), "Baa3" by Moody’s® Investors Service, Inc. ("Moody’s"), or "BBBL" by Dominion Bond Rating Service Limited ("Dominion")), or are unrated but judged by the Adviser to be of comparable quality, at the time of purchase, may be more volatile than higher-rated securities of similar maturity. Investing in junk bonds is speculative.

Income Risk: Income risk is the risk that the Fund’s income will decline because of falling interest rates.

Interest Rate Risk: Interest rate risk is the risk that prices of fixed income securities generally increase when interest rates decline and decrease when interest rates increase. The Fund may lose money if short-term or long-term interest rates rise sharply.

Issuer Risk: Fund performance depends on the performance of individual companies in which the Fund invests. Changes to the financial condition of any of those companies may cause the value of their securities to decline.

Market Risk: Turbulence in the financial markets and reduced liquidity may negatively affect issuers, which could have an adverse effect on the Fund. If the securities held by the Fund experience poor liquidity, the Fund may be unable to transact at advantageous times or prices, which may decrease the Fund’s returns. In addition, there is a risk that policy changes by the U.S. Government, Federal Reserve, or other government actors, which could include increasing interest rates, could cause increased volatility in financial markets and lead to higher levels of Fund redemptions, which could have a negative impact on the Fund. Furthermore, local, regional or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issue, recessions, or other events could have a significant impact on the Fund and its investments and trading of its shares. The Fund’s NAV could decline over short periods due to short-term market movements and over longer periods during market downturns.

MLP Tax Risk: Subject to the application of the partnership audit rules, MLPs that elect to be taxed as partnerships do not pay U.S. federal income tax at the partnership level. Rather, each partner is allocated a share of the partnership’s income, gains, losses, deductions and expenses. A change in current tax law, or a change in the underlying business mix of a given MLP, could result in an MLP that previously elected to be taxed as a partnership being treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes, which would result in such MLP being required to pay U.S. federal income tax on its taxable income. The classification of an MLP as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes would have the effect of reducing the amount of cash available for distribution by the MLP. Thus, to the extent any of the MLPs to which an Underlying ETF has exposure are treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes, it could result in a reduction in the value of the Underlying ETF’s investment and lower the Underlying ETF’s income. The Underlying ETF may also invest in MLPs that elect to be taxed as corporations, which taxes would have the effect of reducing the amount of cash available for distribution by the MLP. Additionally, as a result of the

47


Underlying ETF’s exposure to MLPs taxed as partnerships, a portion of the Fund’s distributions are expected to be treated as a return of capital for tax purposes. Return of capital distributions are not taxable income to you, but reduce your tax basis in your Fund Shares. Such a reduction in tax basis will result in larger taxable gains and/or lower tax losses on a subsequent sale of Fund Shares. Shareholders who sell their Shares for less than they bought them may still recognize a gain due to the reduction in tax basis. Shareholders who periodically receive the payment of dividends or other distributions consisting of a return of capital may be under the impression that they are receiving net profits from the Fund when, in fact, they are not. Shareholders should not assume that the source of the distributions is from the net profits of an Underlying ETF or the Fund. To the extent that the distributions paid to you constitute a return of capital, the Fund's assets will decline. A decline in the Fund's assets may also result in an increase in the portion of a Fund's expense ratio that is not subject to a unitary fee or any other form of contractual cap, and over time the distributions paid in excess of net distributions received could work to erode the Fund's net asset value.

Model Portfolio Risk: The Underlying Index utilizes a proprietary methodology to determine its allocations to the securities in which the Fund invests. Investments selected using a proprietary methodology (i.e., quantitative model) may perform differently from the market as a whole or from their expected performance. There can be no assurance that use of a quantitative model will enable the Fund to achieve positive returns or outperform the market.

Non-Diversification Risk: The Fund is classified as a “non-diversified” investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940 ("1940 Act"). As a result, the Fund is subject to the risk that it may be more volatile than a diversified fund because the Fund may invest its assets in a smaller number of issuers or may invest a larger proportion of its assets in a single issuer. As a result, the gains and losses on a single investment may have a greater impact on the Fund’s NAV and may make the Fund more volatile than more diversified funds.

Operational Risk: The Fund is exposed to operational risk arising from a number of factors, including but not limited to human error, processing and communication errors, errors of the Fund's service providers, counterparties or other third-parties, failed or inadequate processes and technology or systems failures. Additionally, cyber security failures or breaches of the electronic systems of the Fund, the Adviser, and the Fund's other service providers, market makers, Authorized Participants or the issuers of securities in which the Fund invests have the ability to cause disruptions and negatively impact the Fund's business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses to the Fund and its shareholders. The Fund and the Adviser seek to reduce these operational risks through controls and procedures. However, these measures do not address every possible risk and may be inadequate for those risks that they are intended to address.

Optimization Risk: The Fund is based on the “modern portfolio theory” approach to asset allocation, which is a framework for determining the allocation of a portfolio with the goal of achieving an intended investment outcome based on a given level of risk. This framework relies heavily on the anticipated volatilities, investment returns and correlations of particular asset classes or securities. There is no guarantee that the Underlying Index will outperform any alternative strategy that might be employed in respect of the component assets or that past volatilities and correlations of particular asset classes or securities will be indicative of future results.

Passive Investment Risk: The Fund is not actively managed, and the Adviser does not attempt to take defensive positions in declining markets. Unlike many investment companies, the Fund does not seek to outperform its Underlying Index. Therefore, it would not necessarily buy or sell a security unless that security is added or removed, respectively, from the Underlying Index, even if that security generally is underperforming. Maintaining investments in securities regardless of market conditions or the performance of individual securities could cause the Fund’s return to be lower than if the Fund employed an active strategy.

Index-Related Risk: There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve a high degree of correlation to the Underlying Index and therefore achieve its investment objective. Market disruptions and regulatory restrictions could have an adverse effect on the Fund’s ability to adjust its exposure to the required levels in order to track the Underlying Index. Errors in index data, index computations and/or the construction of the Underlying Index in accordance with its methodology may occur from time to time and may not be identified and corrected by the Index Provider for a period of time or at all, which may have an adverse impact on the Fund and its shareholders.

Management Risk: The Fund will not fully replicate its Underlying Index and may hold securities not included in its Underlying Index. The Adviser’s investment strategy, the implementation of which is subject to a number of constraints, may cause the Fund to underperform the market or its relevant benchmark or adversely affect the ability of the Fund to achieve its investment objective.

Tracking Error Risk: Tracking error may occur because of differences between the instruments held in the Fund's portfolio and those included in the Underlying Index, pricing differences, transaction costs incurred by the Fund, the Fund's holding of uninvested cash, size of the Fund, differences in timing of the accrual of or the valuation of dividends

48


or interest, tax gains or losses, changes to the Underlying Index or the costs to the Fund of complying with various new or existing regulatory requirements. This risk may be heightened during times of increased market volatility or other unusual market conditions. Tracking error also may result because the Fund incurs fees and expenses, while the Underlying Index does not. ETFs that track indices with significant weight in emerging markets issuers may experience higher tracking error than other ETFs that do not track such indices.

Prepayment Risk: When interest rates fall, certain obligations will be paid off by the obligor more quickly than originally anticipated, and the Fund may have to invest the proceeds in securities with lower yields.

Risks Associated with Exchange-Traded Funds: As an ETF, the Fund is subject to the following risks:

Authorized Participants Concentration Risk: The Fund has a limited number of financial institutions that may act as Authorized Participants and engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund, and none of those Authorized Participants is obligated to engage in creation and/or redemption transactions. To the extent that those Authorized Participants exit the business or are unable to process creation and/or redemption orders, Shares may be more likely to trade at a premium or discount to NAV, and possibly face trading halts and/or delisting from an exchange.

Large Shareholder Risk: Redemptions by large shareholders could have a significant negative impact on the Fund. If a large shareholder were to redeem all, or a large portion, of its Shares, there is no guarantee that the Fund will be able to maintain sufficient assets to continue operations in which case the Board of Trustees may determine to liquidate the Fund. In addition, transactions by large shareholders may account for a large percentage of the trading volume on a national securities exchange and may, therefore, have a material upward or downward effect on the market price of the Shares.

Listing Standards Risk: Under continuous listing standards adopted by the Fund’s listing exchange, the Fund will be required to confirm on an ongoing basis that the components of the Underlying Index satisfy the applicable listing requirements. In the event that the Underlying Index does not comply with the applicable listing requirements, the Fund would be required to rectify such non-compliance by requesting that the Index Provider modify the Underlying Index, adopting a new underlying index, or obtaining relief from the SEC. Failure to rectify such non-compliance may result in the Fund being delisted by the listing exchange. In addition, the Fund may face the risk of being delisted if the Fund does not meet certain conditions of the listing exchange. Any resulting liquidation of the Fund could cause the Fund to incur elevated transaction costs and could result in negative tax consequences for its shareholders.

Market Trading Risks and Premium/Discount Risks: Shares of the Fund are publicly traded on a national securities exchange, which may subject shareholders to numerous market trading risks. Disruptions to creations and redemptions, the existence of extreme market volatility or potential lack of assets in the Fund or an active trading market for Shares may result in Shares trading at a significant premium or discount to NAV. If a shareholder purchases Shares at a time when the market price is at a premium to the NAV or sells Shares at a time when the market price is at a discount to the NAV, the shareholder may sustain losses.

Trading Halt Risk: An exchange or market may close or issue trading halts on specific securities, or the ability to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments may be restricted, which may result in the Fund being unable to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments. In such circumstances, the Fund may be unable to rebalance its portfolio, may be unable to accurately price its investments and/or may incur substantial trading losses.

Turnover Risk: The Fund may experience relatively high portfolio turnover, which may result in increased transaction costs and lower Fund performance. 

Valuation Risk: The sales price the Fund could receive for a security may differ from the Fund’s valuation of the security and may differ from the value used by the Underlying Index, particularly for securities that trade in low value or volatile markets or that are valued using a fair value methodology (such as during trading halts). The value of the securities in the Fund's portfolio may change on days when shareholders will not be able to purchase or sell the Fund's Shares.

PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

The bar chart and table that follow show how the Fund performed on a calendar year basis and provide an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund's performance from year to year and by showing the Fund's average annual total returns for the indicated periods compared with the Fund's benchmark index and a broad measure of market

49


performance. The Fund's past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available online at www.globalxetfs.com.

Annual Total Returns (Years Ended December 31)

  CHART-35741896D2665660A51.JPG

Best Quarter:
03/31/19
5.86%
Worst Quarter:
06/30/19
2.16%

Average Annual Total Returns (for the Periods Ended December 31, 2019) 
 
Year Ended December 31, 2019
Since Inception (07/27/2018)
Global X TargetIncomeTM 5 ETF:
 
 
·Return before taxes
13.58%
4.57%
·Return after taxes on distributions1
11.04%
2.19%
·Return after taxes on distributions and sale of Fund Shares1
8.06%
2.52%
Wilshire TargetIncomeTM 5% Plus Index
(Index returns do not reflect deductions for fees, expenses, or taxes)
14.11%
5.00%
S&P 500 Index
(Index returns do not reflect deductions for fees, expenses, or taxes)
31.49%
12.26%

1     After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual U.S. federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Your actual after-tax returns will depend on your specific tax situation and may differ from those shown above. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold Shares of the Fund through tax-advantaged arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts (IRAs).

FUND MANAGEMENT

Investment Adviser: Global X Management Company LLC.


50


Portfolio Managers: The professionals primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund are Chang Kim, CFA; Nam To, CFA; Wayne Xie and Kimberly Chan (“Portfolio Managers”). Messrs. Kim and To have been Portfolio Managers of the Fund since the Fund's inception. Mr. Xie has been Portfolio Manager of the Fund since March 1, 2019. Ms. Chan has been Portfolio Manager of the Fund since June 10, 2019.

PURCHASE AND SALE OF FUND SHARES
 
Shares of the Fund are listed and traded at market prices on a national securities exchange. Shares may only be purchased and sold on the exchange through a broker-dealer. The price of Shares is based on market price, and because ETF shares trade at market prices rather than at NAV, Shares may trade at a price greater than NAV (a premium) or less than NAV (a discount). Only “Authorized Participants” (as defined in the SAI) who have entered into agreements with the Fund's distributor, SEI Investments Distribution Co. ("Distributor"), may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. The Fund will only issue or redeem Shares that have been aggregated into blocks of 50,000 Shares or multiples thereof ("Creation Units"). The Fund will issue or redeem Creation Units in return for a basket of cash and/or securities that the Fund specifies any day that the national securities exchanges are open for business ("Business Day").
 
TAX INFORMATION
 
The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxable to you as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-advantaged arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account ("IRA"), in which case distributions from such tax-advantaged arrangement may be taxable to you.
 
PAYMENTS TO BROKER-DEALERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES
 
The Adviser and its related companies may pay broker-dealers or other financial intermediaries (such as a bank) for the sale of Fund Shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing your broker-dealer, sales persons or other intermediary or its employees or associated persons to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your financial adviser or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.

51


Global X TargetIncomeTM Plus 2 ETF

Ticker: TFLT Exchange: Cboe BZX

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE

The Global X TargetIncomeTM Plus 2 ETF ("Fund") seeks to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the Wilshire TargetIncomeTM 10-Year Treasury +2% Plus Index ("Underlying Index").

FEES AND EXPENSES

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares ("Shares") of the Fund. You will also incur usual and customary brokerage commissions when buying and selling Shares.

Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment):
Management Fees:
0.39%
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees:
None
Other Expenses:
0.00%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses:1
0.31%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses:
0.70%

1    "Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses" sets forth the Fund's pro rata portion of the cumulative expenses charged by the exchange-traded funds, closed-end funds, business development companies and other investment companies in which the Fund invests. These expenses are calculated based on the Fund's portfolio holdings during the prior fiscal period. The actual Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses will vary with changes in the allocations of the Fund's assets.

Example: The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. This example does not take into account customary brokerage commissions that you pay when purchasing or selling Shares of the Fund in the secondary market. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell all of your Shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:

One Year
Three Years
Five Years
Ten Years
$72
$224
$390
$871

Portfolio Turnover: The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund's performance. For the most recent fiscal period, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 31.54% of the average value of its portfolio.

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

The Fund is a fund of funds and invests at least 80% of its total assets in the securities of the Underlying Index. The Fund's 80% investment policy is non-fundamental and requires 60 days prior written notice to shareholders before it can be changed.

The Underlying Index seeks to provide broad exposure to income-producing asset classes using a portfolio of exchange-traded funds (each, an "Underlying ETF"), with the goal, but not the guarantee, of providing exposure that may be sufficient to support an annualized yield of the US 10-Year Treasury yield plus two percent (2.0%) for the Fund, net of fees. The Underlying Index targets an annualized yield that is somewhat higher than the US 10-Year Treasury yield plus 2% ("US 10-Year Treasury +2% Plus"), which is intended to provide the Fund with the ability to achieve the US 10-Year Treasury yield plus 2% target, net of fees. The Underlying Index allocates index weights among the Underlying ETFs based on a methodology developed by Wilshire Associates, the provider of the Underlying Index ("Index Provider"), which is designed to achieve the target income objective while also utilizing an optimization approach that seeks to minimize the overall risk of the portfolio. The share prices of the

52


Underlying ETFs are expected to track the performance of equities or bonds in developed or emerging markets, senior loans, preferred securities, real estate investment trusts ("REITs"), master limited partnerships ("MLPs") and energy infrastructure equities, U.S. Treasury bonds, and U.S. Treasury Inflation Protected Securities ("TIPS"). The Underlying ETFs which invest in bonds may have exposure to investment grade and non-investment grade bonds.

The Underlying Index is constructed from the eligible income-producing asset classes, each of which is represented by an Underlying ETF that provides exposure to the given asset class. On a quarterly basis, and subject to certain weighting constraints, the Underlying Index is rebalanced to allocate weights to a subset of the eligible Underlying ETFs using a quantitative optimization approach that is described in more detail below. The Underlying Index has a target yield of US 10-Year Treasury +2% Plus, which is expected to be generated by the income from the allocation to the Underlying ETFs.

Optimization is the quantitative process of selecting a specific portfolio allocation from the set of all potential portfolio allocations, based on a defined objective and subject to certain constraints. Given that the objective of the Underlying Index is to achieve the stated income target while seeking to minimize overall portfolio risk, the primary optimization inputs for the Underlying Index are the yield, volatility, and correlation characteristics of the Underlying ETFs. The primary optimization constraints are the maximum weights of the Underlying ETFs as described in more detail below. Based on these inputs and constraints, the optimization process quantitatively determines the allocation to the Underlying ETFs at each quarterly rebalance.

As of January 31, 2020, the Underlying ETFs eligible for inclusion in the Underlying Index are: Global X SuperDividend® ETF, Global X SuperDividend® U.S. ETF, iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF, VanEck Vectors® J.P. Morgan EM Local Currency Bond ETF, iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF, Xtrackers USD High Yield Corporate Bond ETF, SPDR Blackstone / GSO Senior Loan ETF, Schwab U.S. TIPS ETF, Global X MLP & Energy Infrastructure ETF, Global X U.S. Preferred ETF, and Schwab U.S. REIT ETF. Each Underlying ETF has a minimum weight of 0% and a maximum weight of 20% at each quarterly rebalance. (iShares® is a registered trademark of BlackRock (BlackRock, Inc. and its subsidiaries). Neither BlackRock nor the iShares® Funds make any representations regarding the advisability of investing in the Fund.)

The Underlying Index is sponsored by the Index Provider, which is an organization that is independent of the Fund and Global X Management Company LLC, the investment adviser for the Fund ("Adviser"). The Index Provider determines the relative weightings of the Underlying ETFs of the Underlying Index based on the output from the quantitative optimization process described above. The Fund's investment objective and Underlying Index may be changed without shareholder approval.

The Adviser uses a "passive" or indexing approach to try to achieve the Fund's investment objective. Unlike many investment companies, the Fund does not try to outperform the Underlying Index and does not seek temporary defensive positions when markets decline or appear overvalued.

The Fund uses a representative sampling strategy with respect to the Underlying Index. "Representative sampling" is an indexing strategy that involves investing in a representative sample of securities that collectively has an investment profile similar to the Underlying Index in terms of key risk factors, performance attributes and other characteristics. These include country weightings, market capitalization and other financial characteristics of securities. The Fund may or may not hold all of the securities in the Underlying Index.

The Adviser expects that, over time, the correlation between the Fund's performance and that of the Underlying Index, before fees and expenses, will exceed 95%. A correlation percentage of 100% would indicate perfect correlation.

The Fund concentrates its investments (i.e., holds 25% or more of its total assets) in a particular industry or group of industries to approximately the same extent that the Underlying Index is concentrated. As of January 31, 2020, the Underlying Index was not concentrated in any industry.

SUMMARY OF PRINCIPAL RISKS

As with any investment, you could lose all or part of your investment in the Fund, and the Fund’s performance could trail that of other investments. There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. The Fund is subject to the principal risks noted below, any of which may adversely affect the Fund’s net asset value (“NAV”), trading price, yield, total return and ability to meet its investment objective, as well as other risks that are described in greater detail in the Additional Information About the Funds section of this Prospectus and in the Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”). The order of the below risk factors does not indicate the significance of any particular risk factor.

Asset Class Risk: Securities and other assets in the Underlying Index or otherwise held in the Fund's portfolio may underperform in comparison to the general securities markets, a particular securities market or other asset classes.

53



Bond Investment Risk: Investments in debt securities are generally affected by changes in prevailing interest rates and the creditworthiness of the issuer. Prices of debt securities fall when prevailing interest rates rise. An Underlying ETF’s yield on investments in debt securities will fluctuate as the securities in the Underlying ETF are rebalanced and reinvested in securities with different interest rates. Investments in bonds are also subject to credit risk. Credit risk is the risk that an issuer of debt securities will be unable to pay principal and interest when due, or that the value of the security will suffer because investors believe the issuer is less able to make required principal and interest payments. This is broadly gauged by the credit ratings of the debt securities in which the Underlying ETF invests. However, credit ratings are only the opinions of the rating agencies issuing them, do not purport to reflect the risk of fluctuations in market value and are not absolute guarantees as to the payment of interest and the repayment of principal.

Equity Securities Risk: Equity securities are subject to changes in value, and their values may be more volatile than other asset classes, as a result of such factors as a company’s business performance, investor perceptions, stock market trends and general economic conditions.

ETF Investment Risk: The Fund is expected to primarily hold ETFs to gain exposure to certain asset classes. As a result, the Fund will be subject to the same risks as the Underlying ETFs. While the risks of owning shares of an Underlying ETF generally reflect the risks of owning the underlying securities of the index the ETF is designed to track, lack of liquidity in the Underlying ETF can result in its value being more volatile than the underlying portfolio securities. Because the value of an Underlying ETF's shares depends on the demand in the market, the Adviser may not be able to liquidate the Fund’s holdings in those shares at the most optimal time, thereby adversely affecting the Fund’s performance. An Underlying ETF may experience tracking error in relation to the index tracked by the Underlying ETF, which could contribute to tracking error for the Fund. In addition, an Underlying ETF's shares may trade at a premium or discount to NAV.

In addition, investments in the securities of Underlying ETFs may involve duplication of advisory fees and certain other expenses. The Fund will pay brokerage commissions in connection with the purchase and sale of shares of the Underlying ETFs, which could result in greater expenses to the Fund. By investing in an Underlying ETF, the Fund becomes a shareholder thereof. As a result, Fund shareholders indirectly bear the Fund’s proportionate share of the fees and expenses indirectly paid by shareholders of the Underlying ETF, in addition to the fees and expenses Fund shareholders indirectly bear in connection with the Fund’s own operations.

If the Underlying ETF fails to achieve its investment objective, the value of the Fund’s investment may decline, adversely affecting the Fund’s performance. ETFs that invest in commodities may be, or may become, subject to regulatory trading limits that could hurt the value of their securities and could affect the Fund’s ability to pursue its investment program as described in this Prospectus. Additionally, some ETFs are not registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (“1940 Act”) and therefore, are not subject to the regulatory scheme and investor protections of the 1940 Act.

Inflation-Linked Bonds Investment Risk: Some of the Underlying ETFs may invest in inflation-linked bonds. Inflation-linked bonds are income-generating instruments whose interest and principal payments are adjusted for inflation – a sustained increase in prices that erodes the purchasing power of money. The inflation adjustment, which is typically applied monthly to the principal of the bond, follows a designated inflation index, such as the consumer price index. Because of this inflation adjustment feature, inflation-protected bonds typically have lower yields than conventional fixed-rate bonds.

Master Limited Partnerships Investment Risk: Some of the Underlying ETFs in which the Fund invests may have investments in MLPs. Investments in securities of an MLP involve risks that differ from investments in common stock, including risks related to limited control and limited rights to vote on matters affecting the MLP, risks related to potential conflicts of interest between the MLP and the MLP’s general partner, and cash flow risks. MLP common units and other equity securities can be affected by changes in macro-economic and other factors affecting the stock market in general, including changes in growth, unemployment, and inflation rates, as well as expectations of interest rates. MLP common units and other equity securities can also be affected by investor sentiment towards MLPs or the energy sector, changes in a particular issuer’s financial condition, or unfavorable or unanticipated poor performance of a particular issuer (in the case of MLPs, generally measured in terms of distributable cash flow). Prices of common units of individual MLPs and other equity securities also can be affected by fundamentals unique to the partnership or company, including earnings power and coverage ratios.


54


Mortgage Real Estate Investment Trusts (Mortgage REITs) Investment Risk: Some of the Underlying ETFs in which the Fund invests may have investments in mortgage REITs. Mortgage REITs are exposed to the risks specific to the real estate market as well as credit risk, interest rate risk, leverage risk and prepayment risk.

Preferred Stock Investment Risk: Some of the Underlying ETFs in which the Fund invests may have investments in preferred stock. Preferred stock is subject to many of the risks associated with debt securities, including interest rate risk. As interest rates rise, the value of the preferred stocks held by the Fund are likely to decline. In addition, preferred stock may be subordinated to bonds or other debt instruments in an issuer’s capital structure, meaning that an issuer’s preferred stock generally pays dividends only after the issuer makes required payments to holders of its bonds and other debt. Additionally, in certain situations, an issuer may call or redeem its preferred stock or convert it to common stock. Preferred stock may be less liquid than many other types of securities, such as common stock, and generally provides no voting rights with respect to the issuer.

Real Estate Stocks and Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) Investment Risk: An Underlying ETF in which the Fund invests may have exposure to companies that invest in real estate, such as REITs, which exposes investors in the Fund to the risks of owning real estate directly, as well as to risks that relate specifically to the way in which real estate companies are organized and operated. Real estate is highly sensitive to general and local economic conditions and developments and characterized by intense competition and periodic overbuilding. Many real estate companies, including REITs, utilize leverage (and some may be highly leveraged), which increases risk and could adversely affect a real estate company's operations and market value in periods of rising interest rates.

Senior Loans Investment Risk: Some of the Underlying ETFs in which the Fund invests may have investments in senior loans. Investments in senior loans are subject to credit risk and general investment risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the borrower of a senior loan will be unable and/or unwilling to make timely interest payments and/or repay the principal on its obligation. Default in the payment of interest or principal on a senior loan will result in a reduction in the value of the senior loan and consequently a reduction in the value of the Underlying ETF’s investments and a potential decrease in the NAV of the Underlying ETF. Senior loans are also subject to the risk that the value of the collateral securing a senior loan may decline, be insufficient to meet the obligations of the borrower or be difficult to liquidate. In addition, the Underlying ETF’s access to the collateral may be limited by bankruptcy or other insolvency laws. Further, loans held by the portfolio may not be considered securities and, therefore, purchasers, such as the Underlying ETF, may not be entitled to rely on the strong anti-fraud protections of the federal securities laws. Some senior loans are subject to the risk that a court, pursuant to fraudulent conveyance or other similar laws, could subordinate the senior loans to presently existing or future indebtedness of the borrower or take other action detrimental to lenders, including the Underlying ETF, such as invalidation of senior loans or causing interest previously paid to be refunded to the borrower.

U.S. Treasury Obligations Risks: Some of the Underlying ETFs in which the Fund invests may have investments in U.S. treasury obligations. U.S. Treasury obligations may differ in their interest rates, maturities times of issuance and other characteristics. Similar to other issuers, changes to the financial condition or credit rating of the U.S. government may cause the value of investments in U.S. Treasury obligations to decline.

Associated Risks Related to Investing in Energy Infrastructure Companies: Some of the Underlying ETFs in which the Fund invests may have investments in energy infrastructure companies. Energy infrastructure companies are subject to risks specific to the industry they serve, including, but not limited to, the following:

• reduced volumes of natural gas or other energy commodities available for transporting, processing or storing;
• new construction and acquisition risk, which can limit growth potential;
• a sustained reduced demand for crude oil, natural gas and refined petroleum products resulting from a recession or an increase in market price or higher taxes;
• changes in the regulatory environment;
• extreme weather;
• rising interest rates, which could result in a higher cost of capital and drive investors into other investment opportunities; and
• threats of attack by terrorists.

Capitalization Risk: Investing in issuers within the same market capitalization category carries the risk that the category may be out of favor due to current market conditions or investor sentiment.


55


Large-Capitalization Companies Risk: Large-capitalization companies may trail the returns of the overall stock market. Large-capitalization stocks tend to go through cycles of doing better - or worse - than the stock market in general. These periods have, in the past, lasted for as long as several years.

Mid-Capitalization Companies Risk: Mid-capitalization companies may have greater price volatility, lower trading volume and less liquidity than large-capitalization companies. In addition, mid-capitalization companies may have smaller revenues, narrower product lines, less management depth and experience, smaller shares of their product or service markets, fewer financial resources and less competitive strength than large-capitalization companies.

Small-Capitalization Companies Risk: Compared to mid- and large-capitalization companies, small-capitalization companies may be less stable and more susceptible to adverse developments, and their securities may be more volatile and less liquid.

Concentration Risk: To the extent that the Underlying Index concentrates in investments related to a particular industry or group of industries, the Fund will also concentrate its investments to approximately the same extent. Similarly, if the Underlying Index has significant exposure to one or more sectors, the Fund’s investments will likely have significant exposure to such sectors. In such event, the Fund’s performance will be particularly susceptible to adverse events impacting such industry or sector, which may include, but are not limited to, the following: general economic conditions or cyclical market patterns that could negatively affect supply and demand; competition for resources; adverse labor relations; political or world events; obsolescence of technologies; and increased competition or new product introductions that may affect the profitability or viability of companies in a particular industry or sector. As a result, the value of the Fund’s investments may rise and fall more than the value of shares of a fund that invests in securities of companies in a broader range of industries or sectors.

Risks Related to Investing in the Financials Sector: Some of the Underlying ETFs in which the Fund invests may have investments in the financials sector. Performance of companies in the financials sector may be adversely impacted by many factors, including, among others, government regulations, economic conditions, credit rating downgrades, changes in interest rates, and decreased liquidity in credit markets. This sector has experienced significant losses in the past, and the impact of more stringent capital requirements and of current or future regulation on any individual financial company or on the sector as a whole cannot be predicted. In recent years, cyber-attacks and technology malfunctions and failures have become increasingly frequent in this sector and have caused significant losses to companies in this sector, which may negatively impact the Fund.

Credit Risk: Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer of the security will not be able to make principal and interest payments when due. Changes in an issuer’s credit rating or the market’s perception of an issuer’s creditworthiness may also affect the value of the Underlying ETF’s investment in that issuer. Securities rated in the four highest categories by the rating agencies are considered investment grade but they may also have some speculative characteristics. Investment grade ratings do not guarantee that bonds will not lose value.

Currency Risk: The Fund may invest in securities denominated in foreign currencies. Because the Fund's NAV is determined in U.S. dollars, the Fund's NAV could decline if currencies of the underlying securities depreciate against the U.S. dollar or if there are delays or limits on repatriation of such currencies. Currency exchange rates can be very volatile and can change quickly and unpredictably. As a result, the Fund's NAV may change quickly and without warning, which could have a significant negative impact on the Fund.

Foreign Securities Risk: The Fund may invest, without limit, in foreign securities. The Fund's investments in foreign securities can be riskier than U.S. securities investments. Investments in the securities of foreign issuers (including investments in ADRs and GDRs) are subject to the risks associated with investing in those foreign markets, such as heightened risks of inflation or nationalization. The prices of foreign securities and the prices of U.S. securities have, at times, moved in opposite directions. In addition, securities of foreign issuers may lose value due to political, economic and geographic events affecting a foreign issuer or market. During periods of social, political or economic instability in a country or region, the value of a foreign security traded on U.S. exchanges could be affected by, among other things, increasing price volatility, illiquidity, or the closure of the primary market on which the security (or the security underlying the ADR or GDR) is traded. You may lose money due to political, economic and geographic events affecting a foreign issuer or market.

Geographic Risk: A natural, biological or other disaster could occur in a geographic region in which the Fund invests, which could affect the economy or particular business operations of companies in the specific geographic region, causing an adverse impact on the Fund’s investments in the affected region or in a region economically tied to the affected region. The securities in which the Fund invests and, consequently, the Fund are also subject to specific risks as a result of their business operations, including, but not limited to:

56



Risk of Investing in Developed Markets: An Underlying ETF’s investment in a developed country issuer may subject the Underlying ETF to regulatory, political, currency, security, economic and other risks associated with developed countries. Developed countries tend to represent a significant portion of the global economy and have generally experienced slower economic growth than some less developed countries. Certain developed countries have experienced security concerns, such as terrorism and strained international relations. Incidents involving a country’s or region’s security may cause uncertainty in its markets and may adversely affect its economy and the Underlying ETF’s investments. In addition, developed countries may be impacted by changes to the economic conditions of certain key trading partners, regulatory burdens, debt burdens and the price or availability of certain commodities.

Risk of Investing in Emerging Markets: Some of the Underlying ETFs in which the Fund invests may have investments in emerging markets. Investments in emerging markets may be subject to a greater risk of loss than investments in developed markets. Securities markets of emerging market countries are less liquid, subject to greater price volatility, have smaller market capitalizations, have less government regulation, and are not subject to as extensive and frequent accounting, financial, and other reporting requirements as the securities markets of more developed countries, and there may be greater risk associated with the custody of securities in emerging markets. Emerging markets may be more likely to experience inflation, political turmoil and rapid changes in economic conditions than more developed markets. Certain emerging market countries may have privatized, or have begun the process of privatizing, certain entities and industries. Privatized entities may lose money or be re-nationalized.

Risk of Investing in the United States: Some of the Underlying ETFs in which the Fund invests may have investments in the United States. A decrease in imports or exports, changes in trade regulations and/or an economic recession in the U.S. may have a material adverse effect on the U.S. economy.

High Dividend Yield Stocks Risk: High-yielding stocks are often speculative, high risk investments. These companies may be paying out more than they can support and may reduce their dividends or stop paying dividends at any time, which could have a material adverse effect on the stock price of these companies and the Fund’s performance. Securities that pay dividends, as a group, can fall out of favor with the market, potentially during periods of rising interest rates, causing such companies to underperform companies that do not pay dividends.

High Yield Securities Risk: Securities that are rated below investment grade (commonly referred to as "junk bonds", including those bonds rated lower than "BBB-" by Standard & Poor’s® (a division of the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.) ("S&P") and Fitch, Inc. ("Fitch"), "Baa3" by Moody’s® Investors Service, Inc. ("Moody’s"), or "BBBL" by Dominion Bond Rating Service Limited ("Dominion")), or are unrated but judged by the Adviser to be of comparable quality, at the time of purchase, may be more volatile than higher-rated securities of similar maturity. Investing in junk bonds is speculative.

Income Risk: Income risk is the risk that the Fund’s income will decline because of falling interest rates.

Interest Rate Risk: Interest rate risk is the risk that prices of fixed income securities generally increase when interest rates decline and decrease when interest rates increase. The Fund may lose money if short-term or long-term interest rates rise sharply.

Issuer Risk: Fund performance depends on the performance of individual companies in which the Fund invests. Changes to the financial condition of any of those companies may cause the value of their securities to decline.

Market Risk: Turbulence in the financial markets and reduced liquidity may negatively affect issuers, which could have an adverse effect on the Fund. If the securities held by the Fund experience poor liquidity, the Fund may be unable to transact at advantageous times or prices, which may decrease the Fund’s returns. In addition, there is a risk that policy changes by the U.S. Government, Federal Reserve, or other government actors, which could include increasing interest rates, could cause increased volatility in financial markets and lead to higher levels of Fund redemptions, which could have a negative impact on the Fund. Furthermore, local, regional or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issue, recessions, or other events could have a significant impact on the Fund and its investments and trading of its shares. The Fund’s NAV could decline over short periods due to short-term market movements and over longer periods during market downturns.

MLP Tax Risk: Subject to the application of the partnership audit rules, MLPs that elect to be taxed as partnerships do not pay U.S. federal income tax at the partnership level. Rather, each partner is allocated a share of the partnership’s income, gains, losses, deductions and expenses. A change in current tax law, or a change in the underlying business mix of a given MLP, could result in an MLP that previously elected to be taxed as a partnership being treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes, which would result in such MLP being required to pay U.S. federal income tax on its taxable income. The classification of an MLP as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes would have the effect of reducing the amount of cash available for distribution by the MLP. Thus, to the extent any of the MLPs to which an Underlying ETF has exposure are treated as a corporation

57


for U.S. federal income tax purposes, it could result in a reduction in the value of the Underlying ETF’s investment and lower the Underlying ETF’s income. The Underlying ETF may also invest in MLPs that elect to be taxed as corporations, which taxes would have the effect of reducing the amount of cash available for distribution by the MLP. Additionally, as a result of the Underlying ETF’s exposure to MLPs taxed as partnerships, a portion of the Fund’s distributions are expected to be treated as a return of capital for tax purposes. Return of capital distributions are not taxable income to you, but reduce your tax basis in your Fund Shares. Such a reduction in tax basis will result in larger taxable gains and/or lower tax losses on a subsequent sale of Fund Shares. Shareholders who sell their Shares for less than they bought them may still recognize a gain due to the reduction in tax basis. Shareholders who periodically receive the payment of dividends or other distributions consisting of a return of capital may be under the impression that they are receiving net profits from the Fund when, in fact, they are not. Shareholders should not assume that the source of the distributions is from the net profits of an Underlying ETF or the Fund. To the extent that the distributions paid to you constitute a return of capital, the Fund's assets will decline. A decline in the Fund's assets may also result in an increase in the portion of a Fund's expense ratio that is not subject to a unitary fee or any other form of contractual cap, and over time the distributions paid in excess of net distributions received could work to erode the Fund's net asset value.

Model Portfolio Risk: The Underlying Index utilizes a proprietary methodology to determine its allocations to the securities in which the Fund invests. Investments selected using a proprietary methodology (i.e., quantitative model) may perform differently from the market as a whole or from their expected performance. There can be no assurance that use of a quantitative model will enable the Fund to achieve positive returns or outperform the market.

Non-Diversification Risk: The Fund is classified as a “non-diversified” investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940 ("1940 Act"). As a result, the Fund is subject to the risk that it may be more volatile than a diversified fund because the Fund may invest its assets in a smaller number of issuers or may invest a larger proportion of its assets in a single issuer. As a result, the gains and losses on a single investment may have a greater impact on the Fund’s NAV and may make the Fund more volatile than more diversified funds.

Operational Risk: The Fund is exposed to operational risk arising from a number of factors, including but not limited to human error, processing and communication errors, errors of the Fund's service providers, counterparties or other third-parties, failed or inadequate processes and technology or systems failures. Additionally, cyber security failures or breaches of the electronic systems of the Fund, the Adviser, and the Fund's other service providers, market makers, Authorized Participants or the issuers of securities in which the Fund invests have the ability to cause disruptions and negatively impact the Fund's business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses to the Fund and its shareholders. The Fund and the Adviser seek to reduce these operational risks through controls and procedures. However, these measures do not address every possible risk and may be inadequate for those risks that they are intended to address.

Optimization Risk: The Fund is based on the “modern portfolio theory” approach to asset allocation, which is a framework for determining the allocation of a portfolio with the goal of achieving an intended investment outcome based on a given level of risk. This framework relies heavily on the anticipated volatilities, investment returns and correlations of particular asset classes or securities. There is no guarantee that the Underlying Index will outperform any alternative strategy that might be employed in respect of the component assets or that past volatilities and correlations of particular asset classes or securities will be indicative of future results.

Passive Investment Risk: The Fund is not actively managed, and the Adviser does not attempt to take defensive positions in declining markets. Unlike many investment companies, the Fund does not seek to outperform its Underlying Index. Therefore, it would not necessarily buy or sell a security unless that security is added or removed, respectively, from the Underlying Index, even if that security generally is underperforming. Maintaining investments in securities regardless of market conditions or the performance of individual securities could cause the Fund’s return to be lower than if the Fund employed an active strategy.

Index-Related Risk: There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve a high degree of correlation to the Underlying Index and therefore achieve its investment objective. Market disruptions and regulatory restrictions could have an adverse effect on the Fund’s ability to adjust its exposure to the required levels in order to track the Underlying Index. Errors in index data, index computations and/or the construction of the Underlying Index in accordance with its methodology may occur from time to time and may not be identified and corrected by the Index Provider for a period of time or at all, which may have an adverse impact on the Fund and its shareholders.

Management Risk: The Fund will not fully replicate its Underlying Index and may hold securities not included in its Underlying Index. The Adviser’s investment strategy, the implementation of which is subject to a number of constraints, may cause the Fund to underperform the market or its relevant benchmark or adversely affect the ability of the Fund to achieve its investment objective.


58


Tracking Error Risk: Tracking error may occur because of differences between the instruments held in the Fund's portfolio and those included in the Underlying Index, pricing differences, transaction costs incurred by the Fund, the Fund's holding of uninvested cash, size of the Fund, differences in timing of the accrual of or the valuation of dividends or interest, tax gains or losses, changes to the Underlying Index or the costs to the Fund of complying with various new or existing regulatory requirements. This risk may be heightened during times of increased market volatility or other unusual market conditions. Tracking error also may result because the Fund incurs fees and expenses, while the Underlying Index does not. ETFs that track indices with significant weight in emerging markets issuers may experience higher tracking error than other ETFs that do not track such indices.

Prepayment Risk: When interest rates fall, certain obligations will be paid off by the obligor more quickly than originally anticipated, and the Fund may have to invest the proceeds in securities with lower yields.

Risks Associated with Exchange-Traded Funds: As an ETF, the Fund is subject to the following risks:

Authorized Participants Concentration Risk: The Fund has a limited number of financial institutions that may act as Authorized Participants and engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund, and none of those Authorized Participants is obligated to engage in creation and/or redemption transactions. To the extent that those Authorized Participants exit the business or are unable to process creation and/or redemption orders, Shares may be more likely to trade at a premium or discount to NAV, and possibly face trading halts and/or delisting from an exchange.

Large Shareholder Risk: Redemptions by large shareholders could have a significant negative impact on the Fund. If a large shareholder were to redeem all, or a large portion, of its Shares, there is no guarantee that the Fund will be able to maintain sufficient assets to continue operations in which case the Board of Trustees may determine to liquidate the Fund. In addition, transactions by large shareholders may account for a large percentage of the trading volume on a national securities exchange and may, therefore, have a material upward or downward effect on the market price of the Shares.

Listing Standards Risk: Under continuous listing standards adopted by the Fund’s listing exchange, the Fund will be required to confirm on an ongoing basis that the components of the Underlying Index satisfy the applicable listing requirements. In the event that the Underlying Index does not comply with the applicable listing requirements, the Fund would be required to rectify such non-compliance by requesting that the Index Provider modify the Underlying Index, adopting a new underlying index, or obtaining relief from the SEC. Failure to rectify such non-compliance may result in the Fund being delisted by the listing exchange. In addition, the Fund may face the risk of being delisted if the Fund does not meet certain conditions of the listing exchange. Any resulting liquidation of the Fund could cause the Fund to incur elevated transaction costs and could result in negative tax consequences for its shareholders.

Market Trading Risks and Premium/Discount Risks: Shares of the Fund are publicly traded on a national securities exchange, which may subject shareholders to numerous market trading risks. Disruptions to creations and redemptions, the existence of extreme market volatility or potential lack of assets in the Fund or an active trading market for Shares may result in Shares trading at a significant premium or discount to NAV. If a shareholder purchases Shares at a time when the market price is at a premium to the NAV or sells Shares at a time when the market price is at a discount to the NAV, the shareholder may sustain losses.

Trading Halt Risk: An exchange or market may close or issue trading halts on specific securities, or the ability to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments may be restricted, which may result in the Fund being unable to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments. In such circumstances, the Fund may be unable to rebalance its portfolio, may be unable to accurately price its investments and/or may incur substantial trading losses.

Turnover Risk: The Fund may experience relatively high portfolio turnover, which may result in increased transaction costs and lower Fund performance. 

Valuation Risk: The sales price the Fund could receive for a security may differ from the Fund’s valuation of the security and may differ from the value used by the Underlying Index, particularly for securities that trade in low value or volatile markets or that are valued using a fair value methodology (such as during trading halts). The value of the securities in the Fund's portfolio may change on days when shareholders will not be able to purchase or sell the Fund's Shares.

PERFORMANCE INFORMATION


59


The bar chart and table that follow show how the Fund performed on a calendar year basis and provide an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund's performance from year to year and by showing the Fund's average annual total returns for the indicated periods compared with the Fund's benchmark index and a broad measure of market performance. The Fund's past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available online at www.globalxetfs.com.

Annual Total Returns (Years Ended December 31)

  CHART-279837E98E32539E886.JPG

Best Quarter:
03/31/19
5.91%
Worst Quarter:
12/31/19
1.56%

Average Annual Total Returns (for the Periods Ended December 31, 2019) 
 
Year Ended December 31, 2019
Since Inception (07/27/2018)
Global X TargetIncomeTM Plus 2 ETF:
 
 
·Return before taxes
12.08%
4.03%
·Return after taxes on distributions1
9.93%
1.90%
·Return after taxes on distributions and sale of Fund Shares1
7.18%
2.22%
Wilshire TargetIncomeTM 10-Year Treasury +2% Plus Index
(Index returns do not reflect deductions for fees, expenses, or taxes)
12.59%
4.46%
S&P 500 Index
(Index returns do not reflect deductions for fees, expenses, or taxes)
31.49%
12.26%

1     After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual U.S. federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Your actual after-tax returns will depend on your specific tax situation and may differ from those shown above. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold Shares of the Fund through tax-advantaged arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts (IRAs).

FUND MANAGEMENT

60



Investment Adviser: Global X Management Company LLC.

Portfolio Managers: The professionals primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund are Chang Kim, CFA; Nam To, CFA; Wayne Xie and Kimberly Chan (“Portfolio Managers”). Messrs. Kim and To have been Portfolio Managers of the Fund since the Fund's inception. Mr. Xie has been Portfolio Manager of the Fund since March 1, 2019. Ms. Chan has been Portfolio Manager of the Fund since June 10, 2019.

PURCHASE AND SALE OF FUND SHARES
 
Shares of the Fund are listed and traded at market prices on a national securities exchange. Shares may only be purchased and sold on the exchange through a broker-dealer. The price of Shares is based on market price, and because ETF shares trade at market prices rather than at NAV, Shares may trade at a price greater than NAV (a premium) or less than NAV (a discount). Only “Authorized Participants” (as defined in the SAI) who have entered into agreements with the Fund's distributor, SEI Investments Distribution Co. ("Distributor"), may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. The Fund will only issue or redeem Shares that have been aggregated into blocks of 50,000 Shares or multiples thereof ("Creation Units"). The Fund will issue or redeem Creation Units in return for a basket of cash and/or securities that the Fund specifies any day that the national securities exchanges are open for business ("Business Day").
 
TAX INFORMATION
 
The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxable to you as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-advantaged arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account ("IRA"), in which case distributions from such tax-advantaged arrangement may be taxable to you.
 
PAYMENTS TO BROKER-DEALERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES
 
The Adviser and its related companies may pay broker-dealers or other financial intermediaries (such as a bank) for the sale of Fund Shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing your broker-dealer, sales persons or other intermediary or its employees or associated persons to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your financial adviser or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.

61


Global X Adaptive U.S. Factor ETF

Ticker: AUSF Exchange: NYSE Arca

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE

The Global X Adaptive U.S. Factor ETF ("Fund") seeks to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the Adaptive Wealth Strategies U.S. Factor Index ("Underlying Index").

FEES AND EXPENSES

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares ("Shares") of the Fund. You will also incur usual and customary brokerage commissions when buying and selling Shares.

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

Management Fees:
0.27%
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees:
None
Other Expenses:
0.00%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses:
0.27%

Example: The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. This example does not take into account customary brokerage commissions that you pay when purchasing or selling Shares of the Fund in the secondary market. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell all of your Shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:

One Year
Three Years
Five Years
Ten Years
$28
$87
$152
$343

Portfolio Turnover: The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund's performance. For the most recent fiscal period, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 112.43% of the average value of its portfolio.

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

The Fund invests at least 80% of its total assets in the securities of the Underlying Index. The Fund's 80% investment policy is non-fundamental and requires 60 days prior written notice to shareholders before it can be changed.

The Underlying Index is owned and was developed by Carroll Financial (the "Index Provider"). The Index is calculated and maintained by Solactive AG (the "Calculation Agent"). The Underlying Index is designed to dynamically allocate across three sub-indices that provide exposure to U.S. equities that exhibit characteristics of one of three primary factors: value, momentum and low volatility. Each factor is represented by a sub-index that is derived from the Solactive U.S. Large & Mid Cap Index, which is designed to measure the 1,000 largest companies, by free float market capitalization, that are exchange-listed in the United States:

Solactive U.S. Large & Mid Cap Value 100 Index TR – This index is designed to measure the performance of the 100 stocks in the Solactive U.S. Large & Mid Cap Index that exhibit the greatest exposure to the value factor.

Solactive U.S. Large & Mid Cap Momentum 100 Index TR – This index is designed to measure the performance of the 100 stocks in the Solactive U.S. Large & Mid Cap Index that exhibit the highest degree of relative performance.


62


Solactive U.S. Large & Mid Cap Minimum Downside Volatility 100 Index TR – This index is designed to measure the performance of the 100 stocks in the Solactive U.S. Large & Mid Cap Index that exhibit the lowest degree of downside volatility.

The Underlying Index is rebalanced quarterly. At each rebalance, the Underlying Index allocates weight to the three sub-indices based on the relative performance of each sub-index since the last rebalance of the Underlying Index. The Underlying Index is designed to always be fully allocated to at least two of the three sub-indices described above. The Fund's investment objective and Underlying Index may be changed without shareholder approval.

The Underlying Index is sponsored by the Index Provider, which is an organization that is independent of the Fund and Global X Management Company LLC, the investment adviser for the Fund ("Adviser"). As of January 31, 2020, the Underlying Index had 262 constituents.

The Adviser uses a "passive" or indexing approach to try to achieve the Fund's investment objective. Unlike many investment companies, the Fund does not try to outperform the Underlying Index and does not seek temporary defensive positions when markets decline or appear overvalued.

The Fund generally will use a replication strategy. A replication strategy is an indexing strategy that involves investing in the securities of the Underlying Index in approximately the same proportions as in the Underlying Index. However, the Fund may utilize a representative sampling strategy with respect to the Underlying Index when a replication strategy might be detrimental or disadvantageous to shareholders, such as when there are practical difficulties or substantial costs involved in compiling a portfolio of equity securities to replicate the Underlying Index, in instances in which a security in the Underlying Index becomes temporarily illiquid, unavailable or less liquid, or as a result of legal restrictions or limitations (such as tax diversification requirements) that apply to the Fund but not the Underlying Index.

The Adviser expects that, over time, the correlation between the Fund's performance and that of the Underlying Index, before fees and expenses, will exceed 95%. A correlation percentage of 100% would indicate perfect correlation. If the Fund uses a replication strategy, it can be expected to have greater correlation to the Underlying Index than if it uses a representative sampling strategy.

The Fund concentrates its investments (i.e., holds 25% or more of its total assets) in a particular industry or group of industries to approximately the same extent that the Underlying Index is concentrated. As of January 31, 2020, the Underlying Index had significant exposure to the financials sector.

SUMMARY OF PRINCIPAL RISKS

As with any investment, you could lose all or part of your investment in the Fund, and the Fund’s performance could trail that of other investments. There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. The Fund is subject to the principal risks noted below, any of which may adversely affect the Fund’s net asset value (“NAV”), trading price, yield, total return and ability to meet its investment objective, as well as other risks that are described in greater detail in the Additional Information About the Funds section of this Prospectus and in the Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”). The order of the below risk factors does not indicate the significance of any particular risk factor.

Asset Class Risk: Securities and other assets in the Underlying Index or otherwise held in the Fund's portfolio may underperform in comparison to the general securities markets, a particular securities market or other asset classes.

Equity Securities Risk: Equity securities are subject to changes in value, and their values may be more volatile than other asset classes, as a result of such factors as a company’s business performance, investor perceptions, stock market trends and general economic conditions.

Capitalization Risk: Investing in issuers within the same market capitalization category carries the risk that the category may be out of favor due to current market conditions or investor sentiment.

Large-Capitalization Companies Risk: Large-capitalization companies may trail the returns of the overall stock market. Large-capitalization stocks tend to go through cycles of doing better - or worse - than the stock market in general. These periods have, in the past, lasted for as long as several years.

Mid-Capitalization Companies Risk: Mid-capitalization companies may have greater price volatility, lower trading volume and less liquidity than large-capitalization companies. In addition, mid-capitalization companies may have smaller

63


revenues, narrower product lines, less management depth and experience, smaller shares of their product or service markets, fewer financial resources and less competitive strength than large-capitalization companies.

Concentration Risk: To the extent that the Underlying Index concentrates in investments related to a particular industry or group of industries, the Fund will also concentrate its investments to approximately the same extent. Similarly, if the Underlying Index has significant exposure to one or more sectors, the Fund’s investments will likely have significant exposure to such sectors. In such event, the Fund’s performance will be particularly susceptible to adverse events impacting such industry or sector, which may include, but are not limited to, the following: general economic conditions or cyclical market patterns that could negatively affect supply and demand; competition for resources; adverse labor relations; political or world events; obsolescence of technologies; and increased competition or new product introductions that may affect the profitability or viability of companies in a particular industry or sector. As a result, the value of the Fund’s investments may rise and fall more than the value of shares of a fund that invests in securities of companies in a broader range of industries or sectors.

Risks Related to Investing in the Financials Sector: Performance of companies in the financials sector may be adversely impacted by many factors, including, among others, government regulations, economic conditions, credit rating downgrades, changes in interest rates, and decreased liquidity in credit markets. This sector has experienced significant losses in the past, and the impact of more stringent capital requirements and of current or future regulation on any individual financial company or on the sector as a whole cannot be predicted. In recent years, cyber-attacks and technology malfunctions and failures have become increasingly frequent in this sector and have caused significant losses to companies in this sector, which may negatively impact the Fund.

Geographic Risk: A natural, biological or other disaster could occur in a geographic region in which the Fund invests, which could affect the economy or particular business operations of companies in the specific geographic region, causing an adverse impact on the Fund’s investments in the affected region or in a region economically tied to the affected region. The securities in which the Fund invests and, consequently, the Fund are also subject to specific risks as a result of their business operations, including, but not limited to:

Risk of Investing in Developed Markets: The Fund’s investment in a developed country issuer may subject the Fund to regulatory, political, currency, security, economic and other risks associated with developed countries. Developed countries tend to represent a significant portion of the global economy and have generally experienced slower economic growth than some less developed countries. Certain developed countries have experienced security concerns, such as terrorism and strained international relations. Incidents involving a country’s or region’s security may cause uncertainty in its markets and may adversely affect its economy and the Fund’s investments. In addition, developed countries may be impacted by changes to the economic conditions of certain key trading partners, regulatory burdens, debt burdens and the price or availability of certain commodities.

Risk of Investing in the United States: A decrease in imports or exports, changes in trade regulations and/or an economic recession in the U.S. may have a material adverse effect on the U.S. economy.

Issuer Risk: Fund performance depends on the performance of individual companies in which the Fund invests. Changes to the financial condition of any of those companies may cause the value of their securities to decline.

Market Risk: Turbulence in the financial markets and reduced liquidity may negatively affect issuers, which could have an adverse effect on the Fund. If the securities held by the Fund experience poor liquidity, the Fund may be unable to transact at advantageous times or prices, which may decrease the Fund’s returns. In addition, there is a risk that policy changes by the U.S. Government, Federal Reserve, or other government actors, which could include increasing interest rates, could cause increased volatility in financial markets and lead to higher levels of Fund redemptions, which could have a negative impact on the Fund. Furthermore, local, regional or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issue, recessions, or other events could have a significant impact on the Fund and its investments and trading of its shares. The Fund’s NAV could decline over short periods due to short-term market movements and over longer periods during market downturns.

Model Portfolio Risk: The Underlying Index utilizes a proprietary methodology to determine its allocations to the securities in which the Fund invests. Investments selected using a proprietary methodology (i.e., quantitative model) may perform differently from the market as a whole or from their expected performance. There can be no assurance that use of a quantitative model will enable the Fund to achieve positive returns or outperform the market.

Non-Diversification Risk: The Fund is classified as a “non-diversified” investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940 ("1940 Act"). As a result, the Fund is subject to the risk that it may be more volatile than a diversified fund because the Fund may invest its assets in a smaller number of issuers or may invest a larger proportion of its assets in a single issuer. As a result, the gains and losses on a single investment may have a greater impact on the Fund’s NAV and may make the Fund more volatile than more diversified funds.

64



Operational Risk: The Fund is exposed to operational risk arising from a number of factors, including but not limited to human error, processing and communication errors, errors of the Fund's service providers, counterparties or other third-parties, failed or inadequate processes and technology or systems failures. Additionally, cyber security failures or breaches of the electronic systems of the Fund, the Adviser, and the Fund's other service providers, market makers, Authorized Participants or the issuers of securities in which the Fund invests have the ability to cause disruptions and negatively impact the Fund's business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses to the Fund and its shareholders. The Fund and the Adviser seek to reduce these operational risks through controls and procedures. However, these measures do not address every possible risk and may be inadequate for those risks that they are intended to address.

Passive Investment Risk: The Fund is not actively managed, and the Adviser does not attempt to take defensive positions in declining markets. Unlike many investment companies, the Fund does not seek to outperform its Underlying Index. Therefore, it would not necessarily buy or sell a security unless that security is added or removed, respectively, from the Underlying Index, even if that security generally is underperforming. Maintaining investments in securities regardless of market conditions or the performance of individual securities could cause the Fund’s return to be lower than if the Fund employed an active strategy.

Index-Related Risk: There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve a high degree of correlation to the Underlying Index and therefore achieve its investment objective. Market disruptions and regulatory restrictions could have an adverse effect on the Fund’s ability to adjust its exposure to the required levels in order to track the Underlying Index. Errors in index data, index computations and/or the construction of the Underlying Index in accordance with its methodology may occur from time to time and may not be identified and corrected by the Index Provider for a period of time or at all, which may have an adverse impact on the Fund and its shareholders.

Management Risk: The Fund will not fully replicate its Underlying Index and may hold securities not included in its Underlying Index. The Adviser’s investment strategy, the implementation of which is subject to a number of constraints, may cause the Fund to underperform the market or its relevant benchmark or adversely affect the ability of the Fund to achieve its investment objective.

Tracking Error Risk: Tracking error may occur because of differences between the instruments held in the Fund's portfolio and those included in the Underlying Index, pricing differences, transaction costs incurred by the Fund, the Fund's holding of uninvested cash, size of the Fund, differences in timing of the accrual of or the valuation of dividends or interest, tax gains or losses, changes to the Underlying Index or the costs to the Fund of complying with various new or existing regulatory requirements. This risk may be heightened during times of increased market volatility or other unusual market conditions. Tracking error also may result because the Fund incurs fees and expenses, while the Underlying Index does not.

Reliance on Trading Partners Risk: The United States is dependent upon trading with key partners. Any reduction in this trading, including as a result of adverse economic conditions in a trading partner's economy, may cause an adverse impact on the economy in which the Fund invests. Through its portfolio companies' trading partners, the Fund is specifically exposed to Asian Economic Risk, European Economic Risk, Latin American Economic Risk, Middle East Economic Risk and North American Economic Risk.

Risks Associated with Exchange-Traded Funds: As an ETF, the Fund is subject to the following risks:

Authorized Participants Concentration Risk: The Fund has a limited number of financial institutions that may act as Authorized Participants and engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund, and none of those Authorized Participants is obligated to engage in creation and/or redemption transactions. To the extent that those Authorized Participants exit the business or are unable to process creation and/or redemption orders, Shares may be more likely to trade at a premium or discount to NAV, and possibly face trading halts and/or delisting from an exchange.

Large Shareholder Risk: Redemptions by large shareholders could have a significant negative impact on the Fund. If a large shareholder were to redeem all, or a large portion, of its Shares, there is no guarantee that the Fund will be able to maintain sufficient assets to continue operations in which case the Board of Trustees may determine to liquidate the Fund. In addition, transactions by large shareholders may account for a large percentage of the trading volume on a national securities exchange and may, therefore, have a material upward or downward effect on the market price of the Shares.

Listing Standards Risk: Under continuous listing standards adopted by the Fund’s listing exchange, the Fund will be required to confirm on an ongoing basis that the components of the Underlying Index satisfy the applicable listing

65


requirements. In the event that the Underlying Index does not comply with the applicable listing requirements, the Fund would be required to rectify such non-compliance by requesting that the Index Provider modify the Underlying Index, adopting a new underlying index, or obtaining relief from the SEC. Failure to rectify such non-compliance may result in the Fund being delisted by the listing exchange. In addition, the Fund may face the risk of being delisted if the Fund does not meet certain conditions of the listing exchange. Any resulting liquidation of the Fund could cause the Fund to incur elevated transaction costs and could result in negative tax consequences for its shareholders.

Market Trading Risks and Premium/Discount Risks: Shares of the Fund are publicly traded on a national securities exchange, which may subject shareholders to numerous market trading risks. Disruptions to creations and redemptions, the existence of extreme market volatility or potential lack of assets in the Fund or an active trading market for Shares may result in Shares trading at a significant premium or discount to NAV. If a shareholder purchases Shares at a time when the market price is at a premium to the NAV or sells Shares at a time when the market price is at a discount to the NAV, the shareholder may sustain losses.

Trading Halt Risk: An exchange or market may close or issue trading halts on specific securities, or the ability to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments may be restricted, which may result in the Fund being unable to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments. In such circumstances, the Fund may be unable to rebalance its portfolio, may be unable to accurately price its investments and/or may incur substantial trading losses.

Turnover Risk: The Fund may experience relatively high portfolio turnover, which may result in increased transaction costs and lower Fund performance. 

Valuation Risk: The sales price the Fund could receive for a security may differ from the Fund’s valuation of the security and may differ from the value used by the Underlying Index, particularly for securities that trade in low value or volatile markets or that are valued using a fair value methodology (such as during trading halts). The value of the securities in the Fund's portfolio may change on days when shareholders will not be able to purchase or sell the Fund's Shares.

PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

The bar chart and table that follow show how the Fund performed on a calendar year basis and provide an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund's performance from year to year and by showing the Fund's average annual total returns for the indicated periods compared with the Fund's benchmark index and a broad measure of market performance. The Fund's past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available online at www.globalxetfs.com.


66


Annual Total Returns (Years Ended December 31)

  CHART-3CE3D647FB895FCC95E.JPG

Best Quarter:
03/31/19
10.42%
Worst Quarter:
09/30/19
2.42%

Average Annual Total Returns (for the Periods Ended December 31, 2019) 
 
Year Ended December 31, 2019
Since Inception (08/24/2018)
Global X Adaptive U.S. Factor ETF:
 
 
·Return before taxes
23.77%
7.93%
·Return after taxes on distributions1
22.15%
6.54%
·Return after taxes on distributions and sale of Fund Shares1
14.48%
5.60%
Adaptive Wealth Strategies U.S. Factor Index
(Index returns do not reflect deductions for fees, expenses, or taxes)
24.26%
8.31%
S&P 500 Index
(Index returns do not reflect deductions for fees, expenses, or taxes)
31.49%
11.22%

1     After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual U.S. federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Your actual after-tax returns will depend on your specific tax situation and may differ from those shown above. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold Shares of the Fund through tax-advantaged arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts (IRAs).

FUND MANAGEMENT

Investment Adviser: Global X Management Company LLC.

Portfolio Managers: The professionals primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund are Chang Kim, CFA; Nam To, CFA; Wayne Xie and Kimberly Chan (“Portfolio Managers”). Messrs. Kim and To have been Portfolio Managers of the

67


Fund since the Fund's inception. Mr. Xie has been Portfolio Manager of the Fund since March 1, 2019. Ms. Chan has been Portfolio Manager of the Fund since June 10, 2019.

PURCHASE AND SALE OF FUND SHARES
 
Shares of the Fund are listed and traded at market prices on a national securities exchange. Shares may only be purchased and sold on the exchange through a broker-dealer. The price of Shares is based on market price, and because ETF shares trade at market prices rather than at NAV, Shares may trade at a price greater than NAV (a premium) or less than NAV (a discount). Only “Authorized Participants” (as defined in the SAI) who have entered into agreements with the Fund's distributor, SEI Investments Distribution Co. ("Distributor"), may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. The Fund will only issue or redeem Shares that have been aggregated into blocks of 50,000 Shares or multiples thereof ("Creation Units"). The Fund will issue or redeem Creation Units in return for a basket of cash and/or securities that the Fund specifies any day that the national securities exchanges are open for business ("Business Day").
 
TAX INFORMATION
 
The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxable to you as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-advantaged arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account ("IRA"), in which case distributions from such tax-advantaged arrangement may be taxable to you.
 
PAYMENTS TO BROKER-DEALERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES
 
The Adviser and its related companies may pay broker-dealers or other financial intermediaries (such as a bank) for the sale of Fund Shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing your broker-dealer, sales persons or other intermediary or its employees or associated persons to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your financial adviser or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.
 

68


ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUNDS
 
This Prospectus contains information about investing in a Fund. Please read this Prospectus carefully before you make any investment decisions. Shares of a Fund are listed for trading on a national securities exchange. The market price for a Share of a Fund may be different from the Fund's most recent NAV. ETFs are funds that trade like other publicly-traded securities. A Fund is designed to track an Underlying Index. Similar to shares of an index mutual fund, each Share of a Fund represents an ownership interest in an underlying portfolio of securities. Unlike shares of a mutual fund, which can be bought and redeemed from the issuing fund by all shareholders at a price based on NAV, Shares of a Fund may be purchased or redeemed directly from the Fund at NAV solely by Authorized Participants and only in Creation Unit increments. Also unlike shares of a mutual fund, Shares of a Fund are listed on a national securities exchange and trade in the secondary market at market prices that change throughout the day. A Fund is designed to be used as part of broader asset allocation strategies. Accordingly, an investment in a Fund should not constitute a complete investment program. An index is a financial calculation, based on a grouping of financial instruments, and is not an investment product, while a Fund is an actual investment portfolio. The performance of a Fund and its Underlying Index may vary for a number of reasons, including transaction costs, non-U.S. currency valuations, asset valuations, corporate actions (such as mergers and spin-offs), timing variances and differences between a Fund’s portfolio and the Underlying Index resulting from the Fund's legal restrictions (such as diversification requirements) that apply to the Fund but not to the Underlying Index.

Each Fund invests at least 80% of its total assets in the securities of the Underlying Index, other than the Global X U.S. Preferred ETF, Global X TargetIncomeTM 5 ETF and Global X TargetIncomeTM Plus 2 ETF, which will invest at least 80% of its total assets in a representative sample of securities that collectively has an investment profile similar to the Underlying Index. Each Fund’s 80% investment policy is non-fundamental and requires 60 days prior written notice to shareholders before it can be changed. The Adviser anticipates that, generally, each Fund (other than the Global X U.S. Preferred ETF, Global X TargetIncomeTM 5 ETF and Global X TargetIncomeTM Plus 2 ETF, which may invest in a representative sample of securities that collectively has an investment profile similar to the Underlying Index) will hold all of the securities that comprise its Underlying Index in proportion to their weightings in such Underlying Index. However, under various circumstances, it may not be possible or practicable to purchase all of those securities in those weightings. In these circumstances, a Fund may purchase a sample of securities in its Underlying Index. There also may be instances in which the Adviser may choose to underweight or overweight a security in a Fund’s Underlying Index, purchase securities not in the Fund’s Underlying Index that the Adviser believes are appropriate to substitute for certain securities in such Underlying Index or utilize various combinations of other available investment techniques in seeking to replicate as closely as possible, before fees and expenses, the price and yield performance of a Fund’s Underlying Index. Each Fund may sell securities that are represented in its Underlying Index in anticipation of their removal from such Underlying Index or purchase securities not represented in its Index in anticipation of their addition to such Underlying Index. Each Fund’s investment objective and its Underlying Index may be changed without shareholder approval.

An investment in a Fund is not a bank deposit and it is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency, the Adviser or any of its affiliates.


A FURTHER DISCUSSION OF PRINCIPAL RISKS

Each Fund is subject to various risks, including the principal risks noted below, any of which may adversely affect the Fund’s NAV, trading price, yield, total return and ability to meet its investment objective. You could lose all or part of your investment in the Fund, and the Fund could underperform other investments.

Asset Class Risk

The returns from the types of securities and/or assets in which the Fund invests may under-perform returns from the various general securities markets or different asset classes. The assets in the Underlying Index may under-perform investments that track other markets, segments, sectors or assets. Different types of assets tend to go through cycles of out-performance and under-performance in comparison to the general securities markets.

Actively Managed Portfolios Investment Risk

Actively Managed Portfolios Investment Risk applies to the Global X SuperDividend® Alternatives ETF

Certain of the Underlying Index constituents are actively managed portfolios, and their success depends upon the investment skills and analytical abilities of the investment adviser to develop and effectively implement strategies to achieve the Underlying Index constituent’s investment objective. Subjective decisions made by the investment adviser may cause the Index constituent to incur losses or to miss profit opportunities on which it may otherwise have capitalized.

69



Bond Investment Risk
 
Bond Investment Risk applies to the Global X SuperDividend® Alternatives ETF, Global X TargetIncome™ 5 ETF and Global X TargetIncome™ Plus 2 ETF

Investments in debt securities are generally affected by changes in prevailing interest rates and the creditworthiness of the issuer. Prices of debt securities fall when prevailing interest rates rise. The Fund’s yield on investments in debt securities will fluctuate as the securities in the Fund are rebalanced and reinvested in securities with different interest rates. Investments in bonds are also subject to credit risk. Credit risk is the risk that an issuer of debt securities will be unable to pay principal and interest when due, or that the value of the security will suffer because investors believe the issuer is less able to make required principal and interest payments. This is broadly gauged by the credit ratings of the debt securities in which the Fund invests. However, credit ratings are only the opinions of the rating agencies issuing them, do not purport to reflect the risk of fluctuations in market value and are not absolute guarantees as to the payment of interest and the repayment of principal.

Closed-End Funds Investment Risk

Closed-End Funds Investment Risk applies to the Global X SuperDividend® Alternatives ETF

Common shares of closed-end management investment companies (“CEFs”) frequently trade at a discount from their net asset value. This risk may be greater if shares of the CEF are removed from the Underlying Index in a relatively short period of time after completion of the initial offering of the CEF. The Fund will indirectly bear its pro rata share of the fees and expenses, including advisory fees, incurred by a CEF in which the Fund invests and will be indirectly subject to the risks associated with the underlying companies in which the CEF invests.

Equity Securities Risk
 
Equity Securities Risk applies to each Fund

The Fund may invest in equity securities, which are subject to changes in value that may be attributable to market perception of a particular issuer, general stock market fluctuations that affect all issuers, or as a result of such factors as a company’s business performance, investor perceptions, stock market trends and general economic conditions. Investments in equity securities may be more volatile than investments in other asset classes.

ETF Investment Risk
 
ETF Investment Risk applies to the Global X SuperDividend® Alternatives ETF, Global X TargetIncome™ 5 ETF and Global X TargetIncome™ Plus 2 ETF

The Fund may hold ETFs to gain exposure to certain asset classes. As a result, the Fund may be subject to the same risks as the Underlying ETFs. While the risks of owning shares of an Underlying ETF generally reflect the risks of owning the underlying securities the ETF is designed to track, lack of liquidity in an Underlying ETF can result in its value being more volatile than the underlying portfolio securities. Because the value of an Underlying ETF's shares depends on the demand in the market, the Adviser may not be able to liquidate the Fund’s holdings in those shares at the most optimal time, thereby adversely affecting the Fund’s performance. An Underlying ETF may experience tracking error in relation to the index tracked by the Underlying ETF, which could contribute to tracking error for the Fund. In addition, an Underlying ETF's shares may trade at a premium or discount to NAV.

In addition, investments in the securities of Underlying ETFs may involve duplication of advisory fees and certain other expenses. The Fund will pay brokerage commissions in connection with the purchase and sale of shares of Underlying ETFs, which could result in greater expenses to the Fund. By investing in an Underlying ETF, the Fund becomes a shareholder thereof. As a result, Fund shareholders indirectly bear the Fund’s proportionate share of the fees and expenses indirectly paid by shareholders of the Underlying ETF, in addition to the fees and expenses Fund shareholders indirectly bear in connection with the Fund’s own operations. In addition, certain of the Underlying ETFs may hold common portfolio positions, thereby reducing the diversification benefits of an asset allocation style.

If an Underlying ETF fails to achieve its investment objective, the value of the Fund’s investment may decline, adversely affecting the Fund’s performance. ETFs that invest in commodities may be, or may become, subject to regulatory trading

70


limits that could hurt the value of their securities and could affect the Fund’s ability to pursue its investment program as described in this Prospectus. Additionally, some ETFs are not registered under the 1940 Act and therefore, are not subject to the regulatory scheme and investor protections of the 1940 Act.

A complete list of each Underlying ETF held by the Fund can be found daily on the Trust’s website. Each investor should review the complete description of the principal risks of each Underlying ETF prior to investing in the Fund.

Fixed-to-Floating Rate Securities Risk

Fixed-to-Floating Rate Securities Risk applies to the Global X U.S. Preferred ETF

The Fund invests in fixed-to-floating rate preferred securities, which are securities that have an initial term with a fixed dividend rate and following this initial term bear a floating dividend rate. Securities which include a floating or variable interest rate component can be less sensitive to interest rate changes than securities with fixed interest rates, but may decline in value if their interest rates do not rise as much, or as quickly, as interest rates in general. Conversely, floating rate securities will not generally increase in value if interest rates decline. A decline in interest rates may result in a reduction in income received from floating rate securities held by the Fund and may adversely affect the value of the Fund’s shares. Generally, floating rate securities carry lower yields than similar fixed rate securities. The interest rate for a floating rate security resets or adjusts periodically by reference to a benchmark interest rate. The impact of interest rate changes on floating rate investments is typically mitigated by the periodic interest rate reset of the investments. Fixed-to-floating rate securities generally are subject to legal or contractual restrictions on resale, may trade infrequently, and their value may be impaired when the Fund needs to liquidate such securities. Benchmark interest rates, such as the LIBOR, may not accurately track market interest rates. There is no guarantee or assurance that: (i) the Fund will be able to invest in a desired amount of fixed-to-floating rate securities, (ii) the Fund will be able to buy such securities at a desirable price, or (iii) floating rate securities in which it invests or seeks to invest will be actively traded. Any or all of the foregoing, should they occur, could negatively impact the Fund.

Hybrid Securities Investment Risk

Hybrid Securities Investment Risk applies to the Global X U.S. Preferred ETF

Hybrid securities are securities which contain characteristics of both a debt security and an equity security. Therefore, hybrid securities are subject to the risks of equity securities and risks of debt securities. The terms of hybrid instruments may vary substantially, and certain hybrid securities may be subject to similar risks as preferred stocks, such as interest rate risk, issuer risk, dividend risk, call risk, and extension risk. The claims of holders of hybrid securities of an issuer are generally subordinated to those of holders of traditional debt securities in bankruptcy, and thus hybrid securities may be more volatile and subject to greater risk than traditional debt securities, and may in certain circumstances even be more volatile than traditional equity securities. At the same time, hybrid securities may not fully participate in gains of their issuer and thus potential returns of such securities are generally more limited than traditional equity securities, which would participate in such gains. Hybrid securities may also be more limited in their rights to participate in management decisions of an issuer (such as voting for the board of directors). Certain hybrid securities may be more thinly traded and less liquid than either publicly issued equity securities or debt securities, especially hybrid securities that are “customized” to meet the needs of particular investors, potentially making it difficult for the Fund to sell such securities at a favorable price or at all. Any of these features could cause a loss in market value of hybrid securities held by the Fund or otherwise adversely affect the Fund.

Inflation-Linked Bonds Investment Risk
 
Inflation-Linked Bonds Investment Risk applies to the Global X TargetIncome™ 5 ETF and Global X TargetIncome™ Plus 2 ETF

The Fund may invest in inflation-linked bonds, which are income-generating instruments whose interest and principal payments are adjusted for inflation – a sustained increase in prices that erodes the purchasing power of money. The inflation adjustment, which is typically applied monthly to the principal of the bond, follows a designated inflation index, such as the consumer price index. Because of this inflation adjustment feature, inflation-protected bonds typically have lower yields than conventional fixed-rate bonds.

Leveraged Portfolios Investment Risk


71


Leveraged Portfolios Investment Risk applies to the Global X SuperDividend® Alternatives ETF

Certain of the Underlying Index constituents may engage in transactions that give rise to leverage. Such transactions may include, among others, reverse repurchase agreements, securities lending, forward commitment transactions, short sales and certain derivative transactions. The use of leverage may cause the Underlying Index constituent to liquidate portfolio positions when it may not be advantageous to do so to satisfy its obligations or to meet segregation requirements. Leverage may cause the Underlying Index constituent’s share price to be more volatile than if it had not been leveraged, as certain types of leverage may exaggerate the effect of any increase or decrease in the value of the Underlying Index constituent’s portfolio securities. The loss on leveraged investments may substantially exceed the initial investment.

Listed Private Equity Companies Investment Risk

Listed Private Equity Companies Investment Risk applies to the Global X SuperDividend® Alternatives ETF

There are certain risks inherent in investing in listed private equity companies, which encompass BDCs and other financial institutions or vehicles whose principal business is to invest in and lend capital to, or provide services to privately held companies. The 1940 Act imposes certain restraints upon the operations of a BDC. For example, BDCs are required to invest at least 70% of their total assets primarily in securities of private companies or thinly traded U.S. public companies, cash, cash equivalents, U.S. government securities and high quality debt investments that mature in one year or less. BDCs generally invest in less mature private companies, which involve greater risk than well-established, publicly-traded companies. Generally, little public information exists for private and thinly traded companies, and there is a risk that investors may not be able to make a fully informed investment decision. With investments in debt instruments, there is a risk that the issuer may default on its payments or declare bankruptcy. Additionally, a BDC may incur indebtedness only in amounts such that the BDC’s asset coverage equals at least 200% after such incurrence. These limitations on asset mix and leverage may limit the ways in which a BDC is able to raise capital. The BDCs held by the Fund may leverage their portfolios through borrowings or the issuance of preferred stock. While leverage often serves to increase the yield of a BDC, this leverage also subjects the BDC to increased risks, including the likelihood of increased volatility and the possibility that the BDC’s common share income will fall if the dividend rate of the preferred shares or the interest rate on any borrowings rises.

BDC company securities are not redeemable at the option of the shareholder and they may frequently trade in the market at a discount to their NAV because they invest in unlisted securities and have limited access to capital markets. The Fund will indirectly bear its pro rata share of the fees and expenses incurred by a BDC it invests in, including advisory fees, and will be indirectly subject to the risks associated with the underlying companies in which the BDC invests.

Master Limited Partnerships Investment Risk

Master Limited Partnerships Investment Risk applies to the Global X MLP ETF, Global X MLP & Energy Infrastructure ETF, Global X SuperDividend® Alternatives ETF, Global X TargetIncome™ 5 ETF and Global X TargetIncome™ Plus 2 ETF

Investments in securities of MLPs involve risks that differ from an investment in common stock.

Holders of units of MLPs have more limited control rights and limited rights to vote on matters affecting such MLP as compared to holders of stock of a corporation. For example, MLP unit holders may not elect the general partner or the directors of the general partner and the MLP unit holders have limited ability to remove an MLP’s general partner. MLPs are controlled by their general partners, which generally have conflicts of interest and limited fiduciary duties to the MLPs, which may permit the general partners to favor their own interests over the MLPs. The amount of cash that the Fund will have available to pay or distribute to you depends entirely on the ability of the MLPs that the Fund owns to make distributions to their partners and the tax character of those distributions. Neither the Fund nor the Adviser has control over the actions of underlying MLPs. The amount of cash that each individual MLP can distribute to its partners will depend on the amount of cash it generates from operations, which will vary from quarter to quarter depending on factors affecting the energy infrastructure market generally and on factors affecting the particular business lines of the MLP. Available cash will also depend on the MLPs’ level of operating costs (including incentive distributions to the general partner), level of capital expenditures, debt service requirements, acquisition costs (if any), fluctuations in working capital needs, and other factors. The Fund expects to generate significant investment income, and the Fund’s investments may not distribute the expected or anticipated levels of cash, resulting in the risk that the Fund may not have the ability to make cash distributions as investors expect from MLP-focused investments.


72


Certain MLPs in which the Fund may invest depend upon their parent or sponsor entities for a majority of their revenues. If their parent or sponsor entities fail to make such payments or satisfy their obligations, the revenues and cash flows of such MLPs and ability of such MLPs to make distributions to unit holders, such as the Fund, would be adversely affected.

MLPs are subject to various federal, state and local environmental laws and health and safety laws as well as laws and regulations specific to their particular activities. These laws and regulations address: health and safety standards for the operation of facilities, transportation systems and the handling of materials; air and water pollution requirements and standards; solid waste disposal requirements; land reclamation requirements; and requirements relating to the handling and disposition of hazardous materials. MLPs are subject to the costs of compliance with such laws applicable to them, and changes in such laws and regulations may adversely affect their results of operations.

MLPs are subject to numerous business related risks, including: deterioration of business fundamentals reducing profitability due to development of alternative energy sources, among other things, consumer sentiment, changing demographics in the markets served, unexpectedly prolonged and precipitous changes in commodity prices and increased competition that reduces an MLP’s market share; the lack of growth of markets requiring growth through acquisitions; disruptions in transportation systems; the dependence of certain MLPs upon unrelated third parties; availability of capital for expansion and construction of needed facilities; a significant decrease in production due to depressed commodity prices or otherwise; the inability of MLPs to successfully integrate recent or future acquisitions; and the general level of the economy.

Midstream MLPs Investment Risk

Midstream MLPs Investment Risk applies to the Global X MLP ETF and Global X MLP & Energy Infrastructure ETF

MLPs that operate midstream assets are subject to supply and demand fluctuations in the markets they serve, which may be impacted by a wide range of factors, including fluctuating commodity prices, weather, increased conservation or use of alternative fuel sources, increased governmental or environmental regulation, depletion, rising interest rates, declines in domestic or foreign production, accidents or catastrophic events, increasing operating expenses and economic conditions, among others. Midsteam MLPs may be particularly susceptible to large drops in energy prices, which have the ability to impact more drastically production in the oil and gas fields that they serve. Further, MLPs that operate gathering and processing assets are subject to natural declines in the production of the oil and gas fields they serve. In addition, some gathering and processing contracts subject the owner of such assets to direct commodity price risk.

Mortgage Real Estate Investment Trusts (Mortgage REITs) Investment Risk
 
Mortgage Real Estate Investment Trusts (Mortgage REITs) Investment Risk applies to the Global X SuperDividend® Alternatives ETF, Global X TargetIncome™ 5 ETF and Global X TargetIncome™ Plus 2 ETF

Mortgage REITs are exposed to the risks specific to the real estate market as well as the risks that relate specifically to the way in which Mortgage REITs are organized and operated. Mortgage REITs are subject to the credit risk of the borrowers to whom they extend credit. Mortgage REITs are subject to significant interest rate risk. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a Mortgage REIT’s investment in fixed rate obligations resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the value of a Mortgage REIT’s investment in fixed rate obligations goes down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the value of a Mortgage REIT’s investment in fixed rate obligations goes up.
 
Mortgage REITs typically use leverage and many are highly leveraged, which exposes them to leverage risk. Leverage risk refers to the risk that leverage created from borrowing may impair a Mortgage REIT’s liquidity, cause it to liquidate positions at an unfavorable time, increase the volatility of the values of securities issued by the Mortgage REIT and incur substantial losses if its borrowing costs increase.
 
Mortgage REITs are subject to prepayment risk, which is the risk that borrowers may prepay their mortgage loans at faster than expected rates. Prepayment rates generally increase when interest rates fall and decrease when interest rates rise. These faster than expected payments may adversely affect a Mortgage REIT’s profitability because the Mortgage REIT may be forced to replace investments that have been redeemed or repaid early with other investments having a lower yield. Additionally, rising interest rates may cause the duration of a Mortgage REIT’s investments to be longer than anticipated and increase such investments’ interest rate sensitivity.


73


Real estate investment trusts are subject to special U.S. federal tax requirements. A real estate investment trust’s failure to comply with these requirements may negatively affect its performance.

Mortgage REITs may be dependent upon their management skills and may have limited financial resources. Mortgage REITs are generally not diversified and may be subject to heavy cash flow dependency, default by borrowers and self-liquidation. In addition, transactions between Mortgage REITs and their affiliates may be subject to conflicts of interest which may adversely affect a Mortgage REIT’s shareholders.

Option Trading Strategies Exposure Risk

Option Trading Strategies Exposure Risk applies to the Global X SuperDividend® Alternatives ETF

Options are generally subject to volatile swings in price based on changes in value of the underlying instrument, and the options written by an Underlying Index constituent may be particularly subject to this risk because of the volatility of the underlying stocks selected by an Underlying Index constituent. An Underlying Index constituent may incur a form of economic leverage through its use of options, which will increase the volatility of an Underlying Index constituent’s returns and may increase the risk of loss to an Underlying Index constituent. While an Underlying Index constituent will collect premiums on the options it writes, an Underlying Index constituent’s risk of loss if one or more of its options is exercised and expires in-the-money may substantially outweigh the gains to an Underlying Index constituent from the receipt of such option premiums. Moreover, the options sold by an Underlying Index constituent may have imperfect correlation to the returns of their underlying stocks.

Preferred Stock Investment Risk
 
Preferred Stock Investment Risk applies to the Global X U.S. Preferred ETF, Global X TargetIncome™ 5 ETF and Global X TargetIncome™ Plus 2 ETF

Unlike interest payments on debt securities, dividend payments on a preferred stock typically must be declared by the issuer’s board of directors. An issuer’s board of directors is generally not under any obligation to pay a dividend (even if such dividends have accrued), and may suspend payment of dividends on preferred stock at any time. In the event an issuer of preferred stock experiences economic difficulties, the issuer’s preferred stock may lose substantial value due to the reduced likelihood that the issuer’s board of directors will declare a dividend and the fact that the preferred stock may be subordinated to other securities of the same issuer. Preferred stock may be less liquid than many other types of securities, such as common stock, and generally provides no voting rights with respect to the issuer. Certain additional risks associated with preferred stock could adversely affect investments in the Fund.
 
Interest Rate Risk
 
Because many preferred stocks pay dividends at a fixed rate, their market price can be sensitive to changes in interest rates in a manner similar to bonds - that is, as interest rates rise, the value of the preferred stocks held by the Fund are likely to decline. To the extent that the Fund invests a substantial portion of its assets in fixed rate preferred stocks, rising interest rates may cause the value of the Fund’s investments to decline significantly.

Issuer Risk
 
Because many preferred stocks allow holders to convert the preferred stock into common stock of the issuer, their market price can be sensitive to changes in the value of the issuer’s common stock. To the extent that the Fund invests a substantial portion of its assets in convertible preferred stocks, declining common stock values may also cause the value of the Fund’s investments to decline.

Dividend Risk
 
There is a chance that the issuer of any of the Fund’s holdings will have its ability to pay dividends deteriorate or will default (fail to make scheduled dividend payments on the preferred stock or scheduled interest payments on other obligations of the issuer not held by the Fund), which would negatively affect the value of any such holding.

Call Risk
 

74


Preferred stocks are subject to market volatility and the prices of preferred stocks will fluctuate based on market demand. Preferred stocks often have call features which allow the issuer to redeem the security at its discretion. If a preferred stock is redeemed by the issuer, it will be removed from the Underlying Index. The redemption of preferred stocks having a higher than average yield may cause a decrease in the yield of the Underlying Index and the Fund.

Real Estate Stocks and Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) Investment Risk

Real Estate Stocks and Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) Investment Risk applies to the Global X SuperDividend® Alternatives ETF, Global X TargetIncome™ 5 ETF and Global X TargetIncome™ Plus 2 ETF

The Fund invests in companies or underlying funds that invest in real estate, such as REITs, which exposes investors in the Fund to the risks of owning real estate directly, as well as to risks that relate specifically to the way in which real estate companies are organized and operated. Real estate is highly sensitive to general and local economic conditions and developments, and characterized by intense competition and periodic overbuilding. Many real estate companies, including REITs, utilize leverage (and some may be highly leveraged), which increases risk and could adversely affect a real estate company's operations and market value in periods of rising interest rates.

Concentration Risk

Real estate companies may own a limited number of properties and concentrate their investments in a particular geographic region or property type.

Equity REITs Risk

Certain REITs may make direct investments in real estate. These REITs are often referred to as "Equity REITs." Equity REITs invest primarily in real properties and earn rental income from leasing those properties. Equity REITs may also realize gains or losses from the sale of the properties. Equity REITs will be affected by conditions in the real estate rental market and by changes in the value of the properties they own. A decline in rental income may occur because of extended vacancies, limitations on rents, the failure to collect rents, increased competition from other properties or poor management. Equity REITs also can be affected by rising interest rates. Rising interest rates may cause investors to demand a high annual yield from future distributions that, in turn, could decrease the market prices for such REITs. In addition, rising interest rates also increase the costs of obtaining financing for real estate projects. Because many real estate projects are dependent upon receiving financing, this could cause the value of the Equity REITs in which the Fund invests to decline.

Interest Rate Risk

Rising interest rate could result in higher costs of capital for real estate companies, which could negatively affect a real estate company's ability to meet its payment obligations.
 
Leverage Risk

Real estate companies may use leverage (and some may be highly leveraged), which increases investment risk and the risks normally associated with debt financing, and could adversely affect a real estate company's operations and market value in periods of rising interest rates. Financing covenants related to a real estate company's leveraging may affect the ability of the real estate company to operate effectively. In addition, real property may be subject to quality of credit extended and defaults by borrowers and tenants. Leveraging may also increase repayment risk.

Liquidity Risk

Investing in real estate companies may involve risks similar to those associated with investing in small-capitalization companies. Real estate company securities may be volatile. There may be less trading in real estate company shares, which means that buy and sell transactions in those shares could have a magnified impact on share price, resulting in abrupt or erratic price fluctuations. In addition, real estate is relatively illiquid and, therefore, a real estate company may have a limited ability to vary or liquidate its investments in properties in response to changes in economic or other conditions.

Operational Risk


75


Real estate companies are dependent upon management skills and may have limited financial resources. Real estate companies are generally not diversified and may be subject to heavy cash flow dependency, default by borrowers and self-liquidation. In addition, transactions between real estate companies and their affiliates may be subject to conflicts of interest, which may adversely affect a real estate company's shareholders. A real estate company may also have joint ventures in certain of its properties and, consequently, its ability to control decisions relating to such properties may be limited.

Property Risk

Real estate companies may be subject to risks relating to functional obsolescence or reduced desirability of properties; extended vacancies due to economic conditions and tenant bankruptcies; catastrophic events such as earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes and terrorist acts; and casualty or condemnation losses. Real estate income and values also may be greatly affected by demographic trends, such as population shifts, changing tastes and values, or increasing vacancies or declining rents resulting from legal, cultural, technological, global or local developments.

Regulatory Risk

Real estate income and values may be adversely affected by applicable domestic and foreign laws (including tax laws). Government actions, such as tax increases, zoning law changes or environmental regulations also may have a major impact on real estate.

Repayment Risk

The prices of real estate company securities may drop because of the failure of borrowers to repay their loans, poor management, or the inability to obtain financing either on favorable terms or at all. If the properties do not generate sufficient income to meet operating expenses, including, where applicable, debt service, ground lease payments, tenant improvements, third-party leasing commissions and other capital expenditures, the income and ability of the real estate companies to make payments of interest and principal on their loans will be adversely affected.

U.S. Tax Risk

Certain U.S. real estate companies are subject to special U.S. federal tax requirements. A REIT that fails to comply with such tax requirements may be subject to U.S. federal income taxation, which may affect the value of the REIT and the characterization of the REIT's distributions. The U.S. federal tax requirement that a REIT distributes substantially all of its net income to its shareholders may result in the REIT having insufficient capital for future expenditures.

Senior Loans Investment Risk

Senior Loans Investment Risk applies to the Global X TargetIncome™ 5 ETF and Global X TargetIncome™ Plus 2 ETF

Some of the Underlying ETFs in which the Fund invests may have investments in senior loans. Investments in senior loans are subject to credit risk and general investment risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the borrower of a senior loan will be unable and/or unwilling to make timely interest payments and/or repay the principal on its obligation. Default in the payment of interest or principal on a senior loan will result in a reduction in the value of the senior loan and consequently a reduction in the value of the Underlying ETF’s investments and a potential decrease in the NAV of the Underlying ETF. Senior loans are also subject to the risk that the value of the collateral securing a senior loan may decline, be insufficient to meet the obligations of the borrower or be difficult to liquidate. In addition, the Underlying ETF’s access to the collateral may be limited by bankruptcy or other insolvency laws. Further, loans held by the portfolio may not be considered securities and, therefore, purchasers, such as the Underlying ETF, may not be entitled to rely on the strong anti-fraud protections of the federal securities laws. Some senior loans are subject to the risk that a court, pursuant to fraudulent conveyance or other similar laws, could subordinate the senior loans to presently existing or future indebtedness of the borrower or take other action detrimental to lenders, including the Underlying ETF, such as invalidation of senior loans or causing interest previously paid to be refunded to the borrower.

There is no organized exchange on which senior loans are traded and reliable market quotations may not be readily available. A majority of an Underlying ETF’s assets are likely to be invested in loans that are less liquid than securities traded on national exchanges. Loans with reduced liquidity involve greater risk than securities with more liquid markets. Available market quotations for such loans may vary over time, and if the credit quality of a loan unexpectedly declines, secondary trading of that loan may decline for a period of time. During periods of infrequent trading, valuing a loan can

76


be more difficult and buying and selling a loan at an acceptable price can be more difficult and delayed. In the event that an Underlying ETF voluntarily or involuntarily liquidates portfolio assets during periods of infrequent trading, it may not receive full value for those assets. Therefore, elements of judgment may play a greater role in valuation of loans. To the extent that a secondary market exists for certain loans, the market may be subject to irregular trading activity, wide bid/ask spreads and extended trade settlement periods.

U.S. Treasury Obligations Risks

U.S. Treasury Obligations Risks applies to the Global X TargetIncome™ 5 ETF and Global X TargetIncome™ Plus 2 ETF

Investments in debt securities are generally affected by changes in prevailing interest rates and the creditworthiness of the issuer. Prices of U.S. Treasury securities fall when prevailing interest rates rise. Price fluctuations of longer-term U.S. Treasury securities are greater than price fluctuations of shorter-term U.S. Treasury securities and may be as great as price fluctuations of common stock. The Fund’s yield on investments in U.S. Treasury securities will fluctuate as the Fund is invested in U.S. Treasury securities with different interest rates.

Associated Risks Related to Investing in Energy Infrastructure Companies

Associated Risks Related to Investing in Energy Infrastructure Companies applies to the Global X MLP ETF, Global X MLP & Energy Infrastructure ETF, Global X TargetIncome™ 5 ETF and Global X TargetIncome™ Plus 2 ETF

Companies engaged in the energy infrastructure sector also are subject to risks specific to the industry they serve. Risks inherent in the energy infrastructure business include the following:

A sustained decline in demand for crude oil, natural gas and refined petroleum products could adversely affect revenues and cash flows. Factors that could lead to a decrease in market demand include a recession or other adverse economic conditions, an increase in the market price of the underlying commodity, higher taxes or other regulatory actions that increase costs, or a shift in consumer demand for such products. Demand may also be adversely impacted by consumer sentiment with respect to global warming and/or by any state or federal legislation intended to promote the use of alternative energy sources, such as bio-fuels.

Companies engaged in the energy infrastructure sector employ a variety of means of increasing cash flow, including increasing utilization of existing facilities, expanding operations through new construction, expanding operations through acquisitions, or securing additional long-term contracts. Thus, some companies engaged in the energy infrastructure sector may be subject to construction risk, acquisition risk or other risk factors arising from their specific business strategies. A significant slowdown in large energy companies’ disposition of energy infrastructure assets and other merger and acquisition activity in the energy infrastructure industry could reduce the growth rate of cash flows received by a Fund from companies engaged in the energy infrastructure sector that grow through acquisitions.

The volatility of energy commodity prices can indirectly affect certain entities engaged in the energy infrastructure sector due to the impact of prices on the volume of commodities transported, processed, stored or distributed. Most energy infrastructure entities are not subject to direct commodity price exposure because they do not own the underlying energy commodity. Nonetheless, the price of an energy infrastructure security can be adversely affected by the perception that the performance of all such entities is directly tied to commodity prices.

In addition, a significant decrease in the production of natural gas, oil or other energy commodity due to a decline in production from existing facilities, import supply disruption or otherwise would reduce revenue and operating income of certain MLPs in the energy infrastructure sector and, therefore, the ability of MLPs to make distributions would be reduced.

The profitability of companies engaged in the energy infrastructure sector could be adversely affected by changes in the regulatory environment. Most assets of such companies are heavily regulated by federal and state governments in diverse matters, such as the way in which such company assets are constructed, maintained and operated and the prices such companies may charge for their services. Such regulation can change over time in scope and intensity. For example, a particular by-product of a process may be declared hazardous by a regulatory agency and unexpectedly increase production costs for a company engaged in the energy infrastructure sector. Moreover, many state and federal environmental laws provide for civil as well as regulatory remediation, thus adding to the potential exposure such a company may face.


77


Extreme weather patterns could result in significant volatility in the supply of energy and power and could adversely impact the value of the securities in which each Fund invests. This volatility may create fluctuations in commodity prices and earnings of companies in the energy infrastructure industry.

A rising interest rate environment could adversely impact the performance of companies engaged in the energy infrastructure sector. Rising interest rates could limit the capital appreciation of equity units of such companies as a result of the increased availability of alternative investments at competitive yields. Rising interest rates may increase the cost of capital for companies operating in this industry. A higher cost of capital could limit growth from acquisition or expansion projects, limit the ability of such entities to make or grow distributions or meet debt obligations, and adversely affect the prices of their securities.

Since the September 11th terrorist attacks, the U.S. government has issued warnings that energy assets, specifically U.S. pipeline infrastructure, may be targeted in future terrorist attacks. These dangers give rise to risks of substantial losses as a result of loss or destruction of commodity reserves; damage to or destruction of property, facilities and equipment; pollution and environmental damage; and personal injury or loss of life. Any occurrence of such catastrophic events could bring about a limitation, suspension or discontinuation of the operations of companies in the North American energy infrastructure sector. Companies in the North American energy infrastructure sector may not be fully insured against all risks inherent in their business operations and therefore accidents and catastrophic events could adversely affect such companies’ financial condition and ability to pay distributions to shareholders.

Associated Risks Related to Investing in Infrastructure Companies

Associated Risks Related to Investing in Infrastructure Companies applies to the Global X SuperDividend® Alternatives ETF

Infrastructure companies may be subject to a variety of factors that could adversely affect their business or operations, including high interest costs in connection with capital construction programs, high degrees of leverage, costs associated with governmental, environmental and other regulations, the effects of economic slowdowns, increased competition from other providers of services, uncertainties concerning costs, the level of government spending on infrastructure projects, and other factors. Infrastructure companies may be adversely affected by commodity price volatility, changes in exchange rates, import controls, depletion of resources, technological developments, and labor relations. There is also the risk that corruption may negatively affect publicly funded infrastructure projects, especially in emerging markets, resulting in delays and cost overruns. Infrastructure issuers can be significantly affected by government spending policies because companies involved in this industry rely to a significant extent on U.S. and other government demand for their products.

Infrastructure companies in the oil and gas industry may be adversely affected by government regulation or world events in the regions that the companies operate (e.g., expropriation, nationalization, confiscation of assets and property or the imposition of restrictions on foreign investments and repatriation of capital, military coups, social unrest, violence or labor unrest). Infrastructure companies may have significant capital investments in, or engage in transactions involving, emerging market countries, which may heighten these risks.

Operations Risk

The failure of an infrastructure company to carry adequate insurance or to operate its assets appropriately could lead to significant losses. Infrastructure may be adversely affected by environmental clean-up costs and catastrophic events such as earthquakes, hurricanes and terrorist acts.

Customer Risk

Infrastructure companies can be dependent upon a narrow customer base. Additionally, if these customers fail to pay their obligations, significant revenues could be lost and may not be replaceable.

Regulatory Risk

Infrastructure companies may be subject to significant regulation by various governmental authorities and also may be affected by regulation of rates charged to customers, service interruption due to environmental, operational or other events, the imposition of special tariffs and changes in tax laws, regulatory policies and accounting standards.

Strategic Asset Risk


78


Infrastructure companies may control significant strategic assets (e.g., major pipelines or highways), which are assets that have a national or regional profile, and may have monopolistic characteristics. Given their national or regional profile or irreplaceable nature, strategic assets could generate additional risk not common in other industry sectors and they may be targeted for terrorist acts or adverse political actions.

Interest Rate Risk

Rising interest rates could result in higher costs of capital for infrastructure companies, which could negatively impact their ability to meet payment obligations.

Leverage Risk

Infrastructure companies can be highly leveraged which increases investments risk and other risks normally associated with debt financing, and could adversely affect an infrastructure company’s operations and market value in periods of rising interest rates.

Inflation Risk

Many infrastructure companies may have fixed income streams. Consequently, their market values may decline in times of higher inflation. Additionally, the prices that an infrastructure company is able to charge users of its assets may be linked to inflation, whether by government regulation, contractual arrangement or other factors. In this case, changes in the rate of inflation may affect the company’s profitability.

Transportation Risk

The stock prices of companies in the transportation industry group are affected by both supply and demand for their specific product. Government regulation, world events and economic conditions may affect the performance of companies in the transportation sector.

Oil and Gas Risk

The profitability of oil and gas companies is related to worldwide energy prices, exploration, and production spending.

Capitalization Risk

Investing in issuers within the same market capitalization category carries the risk that the category may be out of favor due to current market conditions or investor sentiment.

Large-Capitalization Companies Risk

Large-Capitalization Companies Risk applies to each Fund

Large-capitalization companies may trail the returns of the overall stock market. Large-capitalization stocks tend to go through cycles of doing better - or worse - than the stock market in general. These periods have, in the past, lasted for as long as several years.

Mid-Capitalization Companies Risk

Mid-Capitalization Companies Risk applies to each Fund

Mid-capitalization companies may have greater price volatility, lower trading volume and less liquidity than large-capitalization companies. In addition, mid-capitalization companies may have smaller revenues, narrower product lines, less management depth and experience, smaller shares of their product or service markets, fewer financial resources and less competitive strength than large-capitalization companies.

Small-Capitalization Companies Risk
 
Small-Capitalization Companies Risk applies to the Global X MLP ETF, Global X SuperDividend® Alternatives ETF, Global X TargetIncome™ 5 ETF and Global X TargetIncome™ Plus 2 ETF


79


The Fund may invest a significant percentage of its assets in small-capitalization companies. If it does so, it may be subject to certain risks associated with small-capitalization companies. These companies often have greater price volatility, lower trading volume and less liquidity than larger, more established companies. In addition, these companies are often subject to less analyst coverage and may be in early and less predictable periods of their corporate existences. These companies tend to have smaller revenues, narrower product lines, less management depth and experience, smaller shares of their product or service markets, fewer financial resources and less competitive strength than larger companies.

Cash Transaction Risk

Cash Transaction Risk applies to the Global X MLP ETF and Global X MLP & Energy Infrastructure ETF

Unlike most ETFs, the Fund intends to effect creations and redemptions for cash, rather than in-kind securities. As a result, an investment in the Fund may be less tax-efficient than an investment in a more conventional ETF. ETFs generally are able to make in-kind redemptions and avoid being taxed on gain on the distributed portfolio securities at the Fund level. Because the Fund currently intends to effect redemptions for cash, rather than in-kind distributions, it may be required to sell portfolio securities in order to obtain the cash needed to distribute redemption proceeds. If the Fund recognizes gain on these sales, this generally will cause the Fund to recognize gain it might not otherwise have recognized, or to recognize such gain sooner than would otherwise be required if it were to distribute portfolio securities in-kind. The Fund generally intends to distribute these gains to shareholders to avoid being taxed on this gain at the Fund level and otherwise comply with the special tax rules that apply to it. This strategy may cause shareholders to be subject to tax on gains they would not otherwise be subject to, or at an earlier date than, if they had made an investment in a different ETF. Moreover, cash transactions may have to be carried out over several days if the securities market is relatively illiquid and may involve considerable brokerage fees and taxes. In addition, these factors may result in wider spreads between the bid and the offered prices of the Fund’s Shares than for more conventional ETFs.

Commodity Exposure Risk

Commodity Exposure Risk applies to the Global X MLP & Energy Infrastructure ETF and Global X SuperDividend® Alternatives ETF

To the extent that its Underlying Index invests in, or otherwise has exposure to, securities and markets that are susceptible to fluctuations in certain commodity markets, any negative changes in commodity markets could have a great impact on the Fund. Commodity prices may be influenced or characterized by unpredictable factors, including, where applicable, high volatility, changes in supply and demand relationships, weather, agriculture, trade, changes in interest rates and monetary and other governmental policies, action and inaction. Securities of companies held by the Fund that are dependent on a single commodity, or are concentrated on a single commodity sector, may typically exhibit even higher volatility attributable to commodity prices.

Concentration Risk

Concentration Risk applies to each Fund

In following its methodology, the Underlying Index may be concentrated to a significant degree in securities of issuers a particular industry or group of industries and/or may have significant exposure to one or more sectors. To the extent that the Underlying Index concentrates in the securities of issuers in such an area, the Fund will also concentrate its investments to approximately the same extent. In such event, the Fund’s performance will be particularly susceptible to adverse events impacting such industry or sector, and the Fund will face greater risk than if it were diversified broadly over numerous such areas. Such heightened risks, any of which may adversely affect the companies in which the Fund invests, may include, but are not limited to, the following: general economic conditions or cyclical market patterns that could negatively affect supply and demand; competition for resources; adverse labor relations; political or world events; obsolescence of technologies; and increased competition or new product introductions that may affect the profitability or viability of companies in a particular industry or sector. In addition, at times, such industry, group of industries or sector may be out of favor and underperform other such categories or the market as a whole.

Risks Related to Investing in the Banking Industry

Risks Related to Investing in the Banking Industry applies to the Global X U.S. Preferred ETF

The performance of stocks in the banking industry may be affected by extensive governmental regulation which may limit both the amounts and types of loans and other financial commitments they can make, and the interest rates and fees they can charge and the amount of capital they must maintain. Profitability is largely dependent on the availability and cost of capital funds and can fluctuate significantly when interest rates change. Credit losses resulting from financial

80


difficulties of borrowers can negatively impact banking companies. Banks may also be subject to severe price competition. Competition is high among banking companies and failure to maintain or increase market share may result in lost market value.

Risks Related to Investing in the Capital Markets Industry

Risks Related to Investing in the Capital Markets Industry applies to the Global X SuperDividend® Alternatives ETF

Companies in the capital markets industry may be significantly affected by stock and bank trading activity, changes in governmental regulation, continuing increases in price competition, decreases in fees or fee-related business, including investment banking, brokerage, asset management and other servicing fees, fluctuations in interest rates and other factors which could adversely affect financial markets.

Risks Related to Investing in the Energy Sector
 
Risks Related to Investing in the Energy Sector applies to the Global X MLP ETF and Global X MLP & Energy Infrastructure ETF

The success of companies in the energy sector may be cyclical and highly dependent on energy prices. Securities of companies in the energy sector are subject to swift energy price and supply fluctuations caused by events relating to international politics, energy conservation, the success of exploration projects, and tax and other governmental regulatory policies. Actions taken by central governments may dramatically impact supply and demand forces that influence energy prices, resulting in sudden decreases in value for companies in the energy sector. Weak demand for the companies’ products or services or for energy products and services in general, as well as negative developments in these other areas, would adversely impact the Fund's performance. Companies in the oil and gas sector (including alternative energy suppliers) may be adversely affected by natural disasters or other catastrophes and may be at risk for environmental damage claims. These companies may also be adversely affected by changes in exchange rates, interest rates, economic conditions or world events in the regions that the companies operate (i.e., expropriation, nationalization, confiscation of assets and coups, social unrest, violence or labor unrest). Investments in companies located in emerging market countries may heighten these risks. Companies engaged in the distribution of energy, including electricity and gas, may be adversely affected by governmental limitation on rates charged to customers. Deregulation and greater competition may adversely affect the profitability of these companies and lead to diversification outside of their original geographic regions and their traditional lines of business, potentially increasing risk and making the price of their equity securities more volatile.

Risks Related to Investing in the Financials Sector
 
Risks Related to Investing in the Financials Sector applies to the Global X U.S. Preferred ETF, Global X SuperDividend® Alternatives ETF, Global X TargetIncome™ 5 ETF, Global X TargetIncome™ Plus 2 ETF and Global X Adaptive U.S. Factor ETF

Companies in the financials sector are subject to government intervention and extensive governmental regulation, which may adversely affect the scope of their activities, the prices they can charge, the amount of capital they must maintain and, potentially, their size. Governmental regulation may change frequently and may have significant adverse consequences for companies in the financials sector, including effects not intended by such regulation. Recently enacted legislation in the U.S. has relaxed capital requirements and other regulatory burdens on certain U.S. banks. While the effect of the legislation may benefit certain companies in the financials sector, increased risk taking by affected banks may also result in greater overall risk in the financials sector. The impact of changes in capital requirements, or recent or future regulation in various countries, on any individual financial company or on the financials sector as a whole cannot be predicted. The financials sector is exposed to risks that may impact the value of investments in the financials sector more severely than investments outside this sector, including operating with substantial financial leverage. The financials sector may also be adversely affected by increases in interest rates and loan losses, decreases in the availability of money or asset valuations and adverse conditions in other related markets. Additionally, the deterioration of the credit markets during the 2008-2009 global financial crisis caused an adverse impact in a broad range of mortgage, asset-backed, auction rate and other markets, including U.S. and international credit and interbank money markets generally, thereby affecting a wide range of financial services institutions and markets. This situation created instability in the financial services markets and caused certain financial services companies to incur large losses or even become insolvent or bankrupt. Some financial services companies experienced downgrades in their credit ratings, declines in the valuations of their assets, took action to raise capital (such as the issuance of debt or equity securities), or even ceased operations. These actions caused the securities of many financial services companies to decline in value and could occur again if credit

81


markets were substantially affected once more. Insurance companies may be subject to severe price competition. The financials sector is also a target for cyber-attacks and may experience technology malfunctions and disruptions. In recent years, cyber-attacks and technology malfunctions and failures have become increasingly frequent in this sector and have reportedly caused losses to companies in this sector, which may negatively impact the Fund.

Risks Related to Investing in the Oil, Gas and Consumable Fuels Industry
 
Risks Related to Investing in the Oil, Gas and Consumable Fuels Industry applies to the Global X MLP ETF and Global X MLP & Energy Infrastructure ETF

The oil, gas and consumable fuels industry is cyclical and highly dependent on the market price of fuel. The market value of companies in the oil, gas and consumable fuels industry are strongly affected by the levels and volatility of global commodity prices, supply and demand, capital expenditures on exploration and production, energy conservation efforts, the prices of alternative fuels, exchange rates and technological advances. Companies in this sector are subject to substantial government regulation and contractual fixed pricing, which may increase the cost of business and limit these companies’ earnings. Actions taken by central governments may dramatically impact supply and demand forces that influence the market price of fuel, resulting in sudden decreases in value for companies in the oil, gas and consumable fuels industry. A significant portion of their revenues depends on a relatively small number of customers, including governmental entities and utilities. As a result, governmental budget restraints may have a material adverse effect on the stock prices of companies in the industry.
 
Companies in the oil, gas and consumable fuels industry may also operate in countries with less developed regulatory regimes or a history of expropriation, nationalization or other adverse policies. Companies in the oil, gas and consumable fuels industry also face a significant civil liability from accidents resulting in injury or loss of life or property, pollution or other environmental mishaps, equipment malfunctions or mishandling of materials, and a risk of loss from terrorism or other natural disasters. Any such event could have serious consequences for the general population of the area affected and result in a material adverse impact on the Fund’s portfolio securities and the performance of the Fund. Companies in the oil, gas and consumable fuels industry can be significantly affected by the supply of and demand for specific products and services, weather conditions, exploration and production spending, government regulation, world events and general economic conditions.

Credit Risk
 
Credit Risk applies to the Global X U.S. Preferred ETF, Global X SuperDividend® Alternatives ETF, Global X TargetIncome™ 5 ETF and Global X TargetIncome™ Plus 2 ETF

Credit risk is the risk that the issuer of the security will not be able to make principal and interest payments when due. Changes in an issuer’s credit rating or the market’s perception of an issuer’s creditworthiness may also affect the value of the Fund’s investment in that issuer. Securities rated in the four highest categories by the rating agencies are considered investment grade, but they may also have some speculative characteristics. Investment grade ratings do not guarantee that bonds will not lose value.

Currency Risk

Currency Risk applies to the Global X SuperDividend® Alternatives ETF, Global X TargetIncome™ 5 ETF and Global X TargetIncome™ Plus 2 ETF

Foreign currencies are subject to risks, which include changes in the debt level and trade deficit of the country issuing the foreign currency; inflation rates of the United States and the country issuing the foreign currency; investors’ expectations concerning inflation rates; interest rates of the United States and the country issuing the foreign currency; investors’ expectations concerning interest rates; investment and trading activities of mutual funds, hedge funds and currency funds; and global or regional political, economic or financial events and situations.
 
In addition, a foreign currency in which the Fund invests may not maintain its long-term value in terms of purchasing power in the future. When the price of a foreign currency in which the Fund invests declines, it may have an adverse impact on the Fund.

Foreign exchange rates are influenced by the factors identified above and may also be influenced by: changing supply and demand for a particular currency; monetary policies of governments (including exchange control programs, restrictions on local exchanges or markets and limitations on foreign investment in a country or on investment by residents of a country in other countries); changes in balances of payments and trade; trade restrictions; and currency devaluations and revaluations. Also, governments from time

82


to time intervene in the currency markets, directly and by regulation, in order to influence prices directly. These events and actions are unpredictable. The resulting volatility in the USD/foreign currency exchange rate could materially and adversely affect the performance of the Fund.

Dividend-Paying Stock Risk

Dividend-Paying Stock Risk applies to the Global X S&P 500® Quality Dividend ETF

The Fund’s strategy of investing in dividend-paying stocks involves the risk that such stocks may fall out of favor with investors and underperform the broader market. Companies that issue dividend-paying stocks are not required to continue to pay dividends. Therefore, there is the possibility that such companies could significantly reduce or eliminate the payment of dividends in the future. Depending upon market conditions, dividend-paying stocks that meet the Fund’s investment criteria may not be widely available and/or may be highly concentrated in only a few market sectors.  In these conditions, the Fund may become more concentrated in a fewer number of companies and therefore be less diversified.

Foreign Financial Institution Risk

Foreign Financial Institution Risk applies to the Global X U.S. Preferred ETF and Global X SuperDividend® Alternatives ETF

Certain of the securities that comprise the Underlying Index, while traded on U.S. exchanges, may be issued by foreign financial institutions. Securities issued by non-U.S. issuers have different risks from securities issued by U.S. issuers. These include differences in accounting, auditing, and financial reporting standards, the possibility of expropriation or confiscatory taxation, adverse changes in investment or exchange control regulations, political instability which could affect U.S. investments in non-U.S. countries, and potential restrictions of the flow of international capital. Non-U.S. issuers may be subject to fewer governmental regulations than U.S. issuers. Moreover, individual non-U.S. economies may differ favorably or unfavorably from the U.S. economy in such respects as growth of gross domestic product, rate of inflation, capital reinvestment, resource self-sufficiency and balance of payment positions. In addition, the value of these securities may fluctuate due to changes in the exchange rate of the issuer's local currency against the U.S. dollar. The health of many foreign financial institutions is often tied closely with the financial stability of the local economy in which they are domiciled, and therefore are subject to additional risks including but not limited to: policy changes, slow economic growth, and high levels of debt.

Foreign Securities Risk

Foreign Securities Risk applies to the Global X MLP & Energy Infrastructure ETF, Global X U.S. Preferred ETF, Global X SuperDividend® Alternatives ETF, Global X TargetIncome™ 5 ETF and Global X TargetIncome™ Plus 2 ETF

The Fund’s assets may be invested within the equity markets of countries outside of the United States. These markets are subject to special risks associated with foreign investment, including, but not limited to: lower levels of liquidity and market efficiency; greater securities price volatility; exchange rate fluctuations and exchange controls; less availability of public information about issuers; limitations on foreign ownership of securities; imposition of withholding or other taxes; imposition of restrictions on the expatriation of the assets of the Fund; higher transaction and custody costs and delays in settlement procedures; difficulties in enforcing contractual obligations; lower levels of regulation of the securities market; weaker accounting, disclosure and reporting requirements; and legal principles relating to corporate governance and directors’ fiduciary duties and liabilities. Shareholder rights under the laws of some foreign countries may not be as favorable as U.S. laws. Thus, a shareholder may have more difficulty in asserting its rights or enforcing a judgment against a foreign company than a shareholder of a comparable U.S. company. Investment of more than 25% of the Fund’s total assets in securities located in one country or region will subject the Fund to increased country or region risk with respect to that country or region.

Geographic Risk

Geographic Risk applies to each Fund

Geographic risk is the risk that the Fund’s assets may be concentrated in countries located in the same geographic region. This concentration will subject the Fund to risks associated with that particular region, or a region economically tied to that particular region, such as a natural, biological or other disaster. Outbreaks of contagious viruses and diseases may reduce business activity or disrupt market activity, and have the potential to exacerbate market risks in the countries and regions in which they occur. The securities in which the Fund invests and, consequently, the Fund are also subject to specific risks as a result of their business operations, including, but not limited to:


83


Risk of Investing in Canada

Risk of Investing in Canada applies to the Global X MLP & Energy Infrastructure ETF

The United States is Canada’s largest trading and investment partner, and the Canadian economy is significantly affected by developments in the U.S. economy and by changes in U.S. trade policy. Since the implementation of NAFTA in 1994 among Canada, the United States and Mexico, total two-way merchandise trade between the United States and Canada has more than doubled. To further this relationship, the three NAFTA countries entered into the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America in March 2005, which has further affected Canada’s dependency on the U.S. economy. Any downturn in U.S. or Mexican economic activity is likely to have an adverse impact on the Canadian economy. The Canadian economy is also dependent upon external trade with other key trading partners, including China and the European Union. Any trade policy changes by the United States, China or the European Union which reduced Canada's ability to trade with such regions could therefore have significant impact on the Canadian economy. Developments in the United States, including renegotiation of NAFTA, ratification of the successor USMCA, which is pending legislative approval, and imposition of tariffs by the United States, may have implications for the trade arrangements among the United States and Canada, which could negatively affect the value of securities held by the Funds. In addition, Canada is a large supplier of natural resources (e.g., oil, natural gas and agricultural products). As a result, the Canadian economy is sensitive to fluctuations in certain commodity prices.

Risk of Investing in Developed Markets

Risk of Investing in Developed Markets applies to each Fund

Investment in developed country issuers may subject the Fund to regulatory, political, currency, security, and economic risk specific to developed countries. Developed countries generally tend to rely on services sectors (e.g., the financial services sector) as the primary means of economic growth. A prolonged slowdown in, among others, services sectors is likely to have a negative impact on economies of certain developed countries, although economies of individual developed countries can be impacted by slowdowns in other sectors. In the past, certain developed countries have been targets of terrorism, and some geographic areas in which the Fund invests have experienced strained international relations due to territorial disputes, historical animosities, defense concerns and other security concerns. These situations may cause uncertainty in the financial markets in these countries or geographic areas and may adversely affect the performance of the issuers to which the Fund has exposure. Heavy regulation of certain markets, including labor and product markets, may have an adverse effect on certain issuers. Such regulations may negatively affect economic growth or cause prolonged periods of recession. Many developed countries are heavily indebted and face rising healthcare and retirement expenses. In addition, price fluctuations of certain commodities and regulations impacting the import of commodities may negatively affect developed country economies.

Risk of Investing in Emerging Markets
 
Risk of Investing in Emerging Markets applies to the Global X SuperDividend® Alternatives ETF, Global X TargetIncome™ 5 ETF and Global X TargetIncome™ Plus 2 ETF

The securities markets of emerging market countries may be less liquid, subject to greater price volatility, have smaller market capitalizations, have less government regulation and not be subject to as extensive and frequent accounting, financial and other reporting requirements as the securities markets of more developed countries, as has historically been the case. Issuers and securities markets in emerging markets are generally not subject to as extensive and frequent accounting, financial and other reporting requirements or as comprehensive government regulations as are issuers and securities markets in the developed markets. In particular, the assets and profits appearing on the financial statements of emerging market issuers may not reflect their financial position or results of operations in the same manner as financial statements for developed market issuers. Substantially less information may be publicly available about emerging market issuers than is available about issuers in developed markets.
 
Emerging markets are generally located in the Asia and Pacific regions, the Middle East, Eastern Europe, Latin America, and Africa. Emerging markets typically are classified as such by lacking one or more of the following characteristics: sustainability of economic development, large and liquid securities markets, openness to foreign ownership, ease of capital inflows and outflows, efficiency of the market’s operational framework, and/or stability of the institutional framework. The Fund’s purchase and sale of portfolio securities in certain emerging market countries may be constrained by limitations relating to daily changes in the prices of listed securities, periodic trading or settlement volume and/or limitations on aggregate holdings of foreign investors. Such limitations may be computed based on the aggregate trading

84


volume by or holdings of the Fund, the Adviser, its affiliates and their respective clients and other service providers. The Fund may not be able to sell securities in circumstances where price, trading or settlement volume limitations have been reached.
 
Foreign investment in the securities markets of certain emerging market countries is restricted or controlled to varying degrees, which may limit investment in such countries or increase the administrative costs of such investments. For example, certain Asian countries require government approval prior to investments by foreign persons or limit investment by foreign persons to only a specified percentage of an issuer's outstanding securities or a specific class of securities which may have less advantageous terms (including price) than securities of the issuer available for purchase by nationals. In addition, certain countries may restrict or prohibit investment opportunities in issuers or industries deemed important to national interests. Such restrictions may affect the market price, liquidity and rights of securities that may be purchased by the Fund. The repatriation of both investment income and capital from certain emerging market countries is subject to restrictions, such as the need for governmental consents. In situations where a country restricts direct investment in securities (which may occur in certain Asian, Latin American and other countries), the Fund may invest in such countries through other investment funds in such countries. Certain emerging market countries may have privatized, or have begun the process of privatizing, certain entities and industries. Privatized entities may lose money or be re-nationalized.

Many emerging market countries have experienced currency devaluations, substantial (and, in some cases, extremely high) rates of inflation, and economic recessions. These circumstances have had a negative effect on the economies and securities markets of those emerging market countries. Economies in emerging market countries generally are dependent upon commodity prices and international trade and, accordingly, have been, and may continue to be, affected adversely by the economies of their trading partners, trade barriers, exchange controls, managed adjustments in relative currency values and other protectionist measures imposed or negotiated by the countries with which they trade. As a result, emerging market countries are particularly vulnerable to downturns of the world economy. The 2008-2009 global financial crisis tightened international credit supplies and weakened the global demand for their exports. As a result, certain of these economies faced significant economic difficulties, which caused some emerging market economies to fall into recession. Recovery from such conditions may be gradual and/or halting as weak economic conditions in developed markets may continue to suppress demand for exports from emerging market countries.

Many emerging market countries are subject to a substantial degree of economic, political and social instability. Governments of some emerging market countries are authoritarian in nature or have been installed or removed as a result of military coups, while governments in other emerging market countries have periodically used force to suppress civil dissent. Disparities of wealth, the pace and success of democratization, and ethnic, religious and racial disaffection, among other factors, have also led to social unrest, violence and/or labor unrest in some emerging market countries. Many emerging market countries have experienced strained international relations due to border disputes, historical animosities or other defense concerns. These situations may cause uncertainty in the markets and may adversely affect the performance of these economies. Unanticipated political or social developments may result in sudden and significant investment losses. Investing in emerging market countries involves greater risk of loss due to expropriation, nationalization, confiscation of assets and property or the imposition of restrictions on foreign investments and on repatriation of capital invested. As an example, in the past some Eastern European governments have expropriated substantial amounts of private property, and many claims of the property owners have never been fully settled. There is no assurance that similar expropriations will not occur in other emerging market countries, including China.

As a result of heightened geopolitical tensions, various countries have imposed economic sanctions, imposed non-trade barriers and renewed existing economic sanctions on specific emerging markets and on issuers within those markets. These non-trade barriers consist of prohibiting certain securities trades, prohibiting certain private transactions in certain sectors and with respect to certain companies, asset freezes, and prohibition of all business, against certain individuals and companies. The United States and other nations or international organizations may impose additional, broader economic sanctions or take other actions that may adversely affect certain emerging markets in the future. These actions, any future sanctions or other actions, or even the threat of further sanctions or other actions, may negatively affect the value and liquidity of the Fund’s investments. For example, the Fund may be prohibited from investing in securities issued by companies subject to such sanctions. In addition, sanctions may require the Fund to freeze its existing investments, prohibiting the Fund from buying, selling or otherwise transacting in these investments. Also, if an affected security is included in the Fund's Underlying Index, the Fund may, where practicable, seek to eliminate its holdings of the affected security by employing or augmenting its representative sampling strategy to seek to track the investment results of the Underlying Index. The use of (or increased use of) a representative sampling strategy may increase the Fund’s tracking error risk. Actions barring some or all transactions with a specific company will likely have a substantial, negative impact on the value of such company’s securities. These sanctions may also lead to changes in the Fund’s Underlying Index. The Fund’s index provider may remove securities from the Underlying Index or implement caps on

85


the securities of certain issuers that have been subject to recent economic sanctions. In such an event, it is expected that the Fund will rebalance its portfolio to bring it in line with its Underlying Index as a result of any such changes, which may result in transaction costs and increased tracking error. The Fund’s investment in emerging market countries may also be subject to withholding or other taxes, which may be significant and may reduce the return to the Fund from an investment in such countries.

Settlement and clearance procedures in emerging market countries are frequently less developed and reliable than those in the United States and may involve the Fund’s delivery of securities before receipt of payment for their sale. In addition, significant delays may occur in certain markets in registering the transfer of securities. Settlement, clearance or registration problems may make it more difficult for the Fund to value its portfolio securities and could cause the Fund to miss attractive investment opportunities, to have a portion of its assets uninvested or to incur losses due to the failure of a counterparty to pay for securities the Fund has delivered or the Fund’s inability to complete its contractual obligations because of theft or other reasons. In addition, local agents and depositories are subject to local standards of care that may not be as rigorous as developed countries. Governments and other groups may also require local agents to hold securities in depositories that are not subject to independent verification. The less developed a country’s securities market, the greater the risk to the Fund.
 
The creditworthiness of the local securities firms used by the Fund in emerging market countries may not be as sound as the creditworthiness of firms used in more developed countries. As a result, the Fund may be subject to a greater risk of loss if a securities firm defaults in the performance of its responsibilities.
 
The Fund’s use of foreign currency management techniques in emerging market countries may be limited. Due to the limited market for these instruments in emerging market countries, all or a significant portion of the Fund's currency exposure in emerging market countries may not be covered by such instruments.
 
Rising interest rates, combined with widening credit spreads, could negatively impact the value of emerging market debt and increase funding costs for foreign issuers. In such a scenario, foreign issuers might not be able to service their debt obligations, the market for emerging market debt could suffer from reduced liquidity, and the Fund could lose money.

Certain issuers in emerging market countries may utilize share blocking schemes. Share blocking refers to a practice, in certain foreign markets, where voting rights related to an issuer's securities are predicated on these securities being blocked from trading at the custodian or sub-custodian level, for a period of time around a shareholder meeting. These restrictions have the effect of barring the purchase and sale of certain voting securities within a specified number of days before and, in certain instances, after a shareholder meeting where a vote of shareholders will be taken. Share blocking may prevent the Fund from buying or selling securities for a period of time. During the time that shares are blocked, trades in such securities will not settle. The blocking period can last up to several weeks. The process for having a blocking restriction lifted can be quite onerous with the particular requirements varying widely by country. In addition, in certain countries, the block cannot be removed. As a result of the ramifications of voting ballots in markets that allow share blocking, the Adviser, on behalf of the Fund, reserves the right to abstain from voting proxies in those markets.

Risk of Investing in the United States

Risk of Investing in the United States applies to each Fund

A decrease in imports or exports, changes in trade regulations and/or an economic recession in the U.S. may have a material adverse effect on the U.S. economy and the securities listed on U.S. exchanges. Proposed and adopted policy and legislative changes in the U.S. are changing many aspects of financial and other regulation and may have a significant effect on the U.S. markets generally, as well as on the value of certain securities. In addition, a continued rise in the U.S. public debt level or the imposition of U.S. austerity measures may adversely affect U.S. economic growth and the securities to which the Fund has exposure. The U.S. has developed increasingly strained relations with a number of foreign countries. If these relations continue to worsen, it could adversely affect U.S. issuers as well as non-U.S. issuers that rely on the U.S. for trade. The U.S. has also experienced increased internal unrest and discord. If this trend were to continue, it may have an adverse impact on the U.S. economy and the issuers in which the Fund invests.

Geographic Economic Exposure Risk

Because the constituents held by the Fund may have partners, suppliers and/or customers in located in certain geographic regions, and because the geographic regions in which such constituents are located may have trading partners in other geographic regions,

86


the Fund may have indirect economic exposure to such geographic regions, including geographic regions in which the Fund may not directly invest. These geographies may include:

African Economic Risk

The economies of African countries are subject to risks not typically associated with more developed economies, countries or geographic regions. Such heightened risks include, among others, expropriation and/or nationalization of assets, restrictions on and government intervention in international trade, confiscatory taxation, political instability, including authoritarian and/or military involvement in governmental decision making, armed conflict, civil war, and social instability as a result of religious, ethnic and/or socioeconomic unrest.

The securities markets in Africa are underdeveloped and are often considered to be less correlated to global economic cycles than markets located in more developed countries or geographic regions. Securities markets in Africa are subject to greater risks associated with market volatility, lower market capitalization, lower trading volume, illiquidity, inflation, greater price fluctuations, uncertainty regarding the existence of trading markets, governmental control and heavy regulation of labor and industry. Moreover, trading on securities markets may be suspended altogether.

Certain governments in Africa may restrict or control to varying degrees the ability of foreign investors to invest in securities of issuers located or operating in those countries. These restrictions and/or controls may at times limit or prevent foreign investment in securities of issuers located or operating in countries in Africa. Moreover, certain countries in Africa may require governmental approval or special licenses prior to investment by foreign investors; may limit the amount of investment by foreign investors in a particular industry and/or issuer; may limit such foreign investment to a certain class of securities of an issuer that may have less advantageous rights than the classes available for purchase by domestic investors of those countries; and/or may impose additional taxes on foreign investors. These factors, among others, make investing in issuers located or operating in countries in Africa significantly riskier than investing in issuers located or operating in more developed countries.

Asian Economic Risk

Many Asian economies have experienced rapid growth and industrialization in recent years, but there is no assurance that this growth rate will be maintained. Other Asian economies, however, have experienced high inflation, high unemployment, currency devaluations and restrictions, and over-extension of credit. Geopolitical hostility, political instability, as well as economic or environmental events in any one Asian country may have a significant economic effect on the entire Asian region, as well as on major trading partners outside Asia. Any adverse event in the Asian markets may have a significant adverse effect on some or all of the economies of the countries in which the Fund invests. Many Asian countries are subject to political risk, including political instability, corruption and regional conflict with neighboring countries. North Korea and South Korea each have substantial military capabilities, and historical tensions between the two countries present the risk of war. Escalated tensions involving the two countries and any outbreak of hostilities between the two countries, or even the threat of an outbreak of hostilities, could have a severe adverse effect on the entire Asian region. Certain Asian countries have also developed increasingly strained relationships with the U.S., and if these relations were to worsen, they could adversely affect Asian issuers that rely on the U.S. for trade. In addition, many Asian countries are subject to social and labor risks associated with demands for improved political, economic and social conditions.

Australasian Economic Risk

The economies of Australasia, which include Australia and New Zealand, are dependent on exports from the agricultural and mining sectors. This makes Australasian economies susceptible to fluctuations in the commodity markets. Australasian economies are also increasingly dependent on their growing service industries. Because the economies of Australasia are dependent on the economies of Asia, Europe and the United States as key trading partners and investors, reduction in spending by any of these trading partners on Australasian products and services, or negative changes in any of these economies, may cause an adverse impact on some or all of the Australasian economies.

European Economic Risk

The economies of Europe are highly dependent on each other, both as key trading partners and as in many cases as fellow members maintaining the euro. Decreasing European imports, new trade regulations, changes in exchange rates, a recession in Europe, or a slowing of economic growth in this region could have an adverse impact on the securities in which the Fund invests. Reduction in trading activity among European countries may cause an adverse impact on each

87


nation’s individual economies. The Economic and Monetary Union of the European Union (the “EU”) requires compliance with restrictions on inflation rates, deficits, interest rates, debt levels and fiscal and monetary controls, each of which may significantly affect every country in Europe, including those countries that are not members of the EU. Decreasing imports or exports, changes in governmental or EU regulations on trade, changes in the exchange rate of the euro, the default or threat of default by an EU member country or its sovereign debt, and recessions in an EU member country may have a significant adverse effect on the economies of EU member countries and their trading partners. The European financial markets have historically experienced volatility and adverse trends due to concerns about economic downturns or rising government debt levels in several European countries, including, but not limited to, Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, Spain and Ukraine. These events have adversely affected the exchange rate of the euro and may continue to significantly affect European countries.

Latin American Economic Risk

High interest rates, inflation, government defaults and unemployment rates are characteristics of the economies in some Latin American countries. Currency devaluations in any Latin American country can have a significant effect on the entire region. Because commodities such as oil and gas, minerals and metals can represent a significant percentage of the region’s exports, the economies of Latin American countries may be particularly sensitive to fluctuations in commodity prices. As a result, the economies in many Latin American countries could experience significant volatility.

Middle East Economic Risk

Middle Eastern governments have exercised and continue to exercise substantial influence over many aspects of the private sector. Many economies in the Middle East are highly reliant on income from the sale of oil or trade with countries involved in the sale of oil, and their economies are therefore vulnerable to changes in the market for oil and foreign currency values. As global demand for oil fluctuates, many Middle Eastern economies may be significantly impacted. A sustained decrease in commodity prices could have a significant negative impact on all aspects of the economy in the region. Middle Eastern economies may be subject to acts of terrorism, political strife, religious, ethnic or socioeconomic unrest and sudden outbreaks of hostilities with neighboring countries. Certain Middle Eastern countries have strained relations with other Middle Eastern countries due to territorial disputes, historical animosities, international alliances, religious tensions or defense concerns, which may adversely affect the economies of these countries. Certain Middle Eastern countries experience significant unemployment, as well as widespread underemployment. Many Middle Eastern countries have little or no democratic tradition. Many Middle Eastern countries periodically have experienced political, economic and social unrest as protestors have called for widespread reform. Some of these protests have resulted in a governmental regime change, internal conflict or civil war. If further regime changes were to occur, internal conflict were to intensify, or a civil war were to continue in any of these countries, such instability could adversely affect the economies of Middle Eastern countries.

North American Economic Risk

A decrease in imports or exports, changes in trade regulations or an economic recession in any North American country can have a significant economic effect on the entire North American region and on some or all of the North American countries to which the Fund has economic exposure. The U.S. is Canada's and Mexico's largest trading and investment partner. The Canadian and Mexican economies are significantly affected by developments in the U.S. economy. Since the implementation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (“NAFTA”) in 1994 among Canada, the U.S. and Mexico, total merchandise trade among the three countries has increased. However, political developments in the U.S., including the renegotiation of NAFTA and imposition of tariffs by the U.S., may have implications for the trade arrangements among the U.S., Mexico and Canada, which could negatively affect the value of securities held by the Fund. Policy and legislative changes in any of the three countries may have a significant effect on North American economies generally, as well as on the value of certain securities held by the Fund.

High Dividend Yield Stocks Risk

High Dividend Yield Stocks Risk applies to the Global X SuperDividend® Alternatives ETF, Global X TargetIncome™ 5 ETF and Global X TargetIncome™ Plus 2 ETF

High-yielding stocks are often speculative, high risk investments. These companies may be paying out more than they can support and may reduce their dividends or stop paying dividends at any time, which could have a material adverse effect on the stock price of these companies and the Fund’s performance. Securities that pay dividends, as a group, can fall out of favor with the market, potentially during periods of rising interest rates, causing such companies to underperform companies that do not pay dividends.

88



High Yield Securities Risk
 
High Yield Securities Risk applies to the Global X U.S. Preferred ETF, Global X SuperDividend® Alternatives ETF, Global X TargetIncome™ 5 ETF and Global X TargetIncome™ Plus 2 ETF

High yield securities typically involve greater risk and are less liquid than higher grade issues. Changes in general economic conditions, changes in the financial condition of the issuers and changes in interest rates may adversely impact the ability of issuers of high yield securities to make timely payments of interest and principal.

The Fund may invest in high yield securities that offer generally a higher current yield than that available from higher grade issues, but they typically involve greater risk. Securities rated below investment grade commonly are referred to as “junk bonds.” The ability of issuers of high yield securities to make timely payments of interest and principal may be impacted by adverse changes in general economic conditions, changes in the financial condition of their issuers and price fluctuations in response to changes in interest rates. High yield securities are less liquid than investment grade securities and may be difficult to price or sell, particularly in times of negative sentiment toward high yield securities. Issuers of high yield securities may have a larger amount of outstanding debt relative to their assets than issuers of investment grade securities have. Periods of economic downturn or rising interest rates may cause the issuers of high yield securities to experience financial distress, which could adversely impact their ability to make timely payments of principal and interest and could increase the possibility of default. The market value and liquidity of high yield securities may be impacted negatively by adverse publicity and investor perceptions, whether or not based on fundamental analysis, especially in a market characterized by low trade volume.

Income Risk

Income Risk applies to the Global X U.S. Preferred ETF, Global X SuperDividend® Alternatives ETF, Global X TargetIncome™ 5 ETF and Global X TargetIncome™ Plus 2 ETF

The Fund’s income may decline when interest rates fall. This decline can occur because the Fund may invest in or have exposure to lower-yielding bonds as bonds in its portfolio mature or the Fund otherwise needs to purchase additional bonds.

Interest Rate Risk
 
Interest Rate Risk applies to the Global X U.S. Preferred ETF, Global X SuperDividend® Alternatives ETF, Global X TargetIncome™ 5 ETF and Global X TargetIncome™ Plus 2 ETF

Interest rate risk is the risk that prices of fixed income securities generally increase in value when interest rates decline and decrease in value when interest rates increase. The Fund may lose money if short-term or long-term interest rates rise sharply.

Investors should note that interest rates currently are at, or near, historic lows, but may ultimately increase, with potentially sudden and unpredictable effects on the markets and the Fund’s investments.

Fixed income securities of lower credit quality or with longer durations tend to be more sensitive to changes in interest rates, often making them more volatile in response to interest rate changes than securities of higher credit quality or with shorter durations. Interest rate fluctuations may also negatively impact the values of equity and other non-fixed income securities.

Inflation-indexed bonds, including Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities, decline in value when real interest rates rise (the real interest rate is the rate of interest an investor expects to receive after allowing for inflation). In certain interest rate environments, such as when real interest rates are rising faster than nominal interest rates, inflation-indexed bonds may experience greater losses than other fixed income securities with similar durations.

Variable and floating rate securities generally are less sensitive to interest rate changes but may decline in value if their interest rates do not rise as much, or as quickly, as interest rates in general. Conversely, floating rate securities will not generally increase in value if interest rates decline. Inverse floating rate securities may decrease in value if interest rates increase. Inverse floating rate securities may also exhibit greater price volatility than a fixed rate obligation with similar credit quality. When the Fund holds variable or floating rate securities, a decrease (or, in the case of inverse floating rate securities, an increase) in market interest rates will adversely affect the income received from such securities, which may also impact the net asset value of the Fund’s Shares.

Following the financial crisis that began in 2007, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (“Federal Reserve”) has attempted to stabilize the U.S. economy and support the U.S. economic recovery by keeping the federal funds rate at or near zero

89


percent. In addition, the Federal Reserve purchased large quantities of securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities on the open market (“Quantitative Easing”). As the Federal Reserve's holdings from Quantitative Easing decrease, and to the extent that the Federal Reserve raises the federal funds rate, there is a risk that interest rates across the U.S. financial system will rise. Such policies may expose fixed-income and related markets to heightened volatility and may reduce liquidity for certain Fund investments, which could cause the value of the Fund’s investments and the NAV of the Fund’s Shares to decline. To the extent the Fund experiences high redemptions in connection with these developments or otherwise, the Fund may experience increased portfolio turnover, which will increase the costs that the Fund incurs and may lower the Fund’s performance. The liquidity levels of the Fund’s investments may also be affected.

Further, bond markets have consistently grown over the past three decades while the capacity for traditional dealer counterparties to engage in fixed income trading has not kept pace and in some cases has decreased. As a result, dealer inventories of corporate bonds, which provide a core indication of the ability of financial intermediaries to “make markets,” are at or near historic lows in relation to market size. This reduction in dealer inventories could potentially lead to decreased liquidity and increased volatility in the fixed income markets. If sudden or large-scale rises in interest rates were to occur, the Fund could also face above-average redemption requests, which could cause the Fund to lose value due to downward pricing forces and reduced market liquidity.

International Closed Market Trading Risk

International Closed Market Trading Risk applies to the Global X U.S. Preferred ETF

To the extent that the underlying investments held by the Fund trade on foreign exchanges that may be closed when the securities exchange on which the Fund’s Shares trade is open, there are likely to be deviations between the current price of such an underlying security and the last quoted price for the underlying security (i.e., the Fund’s quote from the closed foreign market). These deviations could result in premiums or discounts to the Fund’s NAV that may be greater than those experienced by other ETFs.

Investable Universe of Companies Risk

Investable Universe of Companies Risk applies to the Global X MLP ETF and Global X MLP & Energy Infrastructure ETF

The investable universe of companies in which the Fund may invest may be limited. If a company no longer meets the Index Provider’s criteria for inclusion in the Underlying Index, the Fund may need to reduce or eliminate its holdings in that company. The reduction or elimination of the Fund’s holdings in the company may have an adverse impact on the liquidity of the Fund’s overall portfolio holdings and on Fund performance.

Issuer Risk

Issuer Risk applies to each Fund

Issuer risk is the risk that any of the individual companies that the Fund invests in may perform badly, causing the value of its securities to decline. Poor performance may be caused by poor management decisions, competitive pressures, changes in technology, disruptions in supply, labor problems or shortages, corporate restructurings, fraudulent disclosures or other factors. Issuers may, in times of distress or on their own discretion, decide to reduce or eliminate dividends, which would also cause their stock prices to decline.

Market Risk
 
Market Risk applies to each Fund

Market risk is the risk that the value of the securities in which the Fund invests may go up or down in response to the prospects of individual issuers and/or general economic conditions. Turbulence in the financial markets and reduced market liquidity may negatively affect issuers, which could have an adverse effect on the Fund. If the securities held by the Fund experience poor liquidity, the Fund may be unable to transact at advantageous times or prices, which may decrease the Fund’s returns. In addition, there is a risk that policy changes by the U.S. Government, Federal Reserve, or other government actors, which could include increasing interest rates, could cause increased volatility in financial markets and lead to higher levels of Fund redemptions, which could have a negative impact on the Fund. Furthermore, local, regional or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issue, recessions, or other events could have a significant impact on the Fund and its investments and trading of its shares. The Fund’s NAV could decline over short periods due to short-term market movements and over longer periods during market downturns.

MLP Tax Risk


90


MLP Tax Risk applies to the Global X MLP ETF, Global X MLP & Energy Infrastructure ETF, Global X SuperDividend® Alternatives ETF, Global X TargetIncome™ 5 ETF and Global X TargetIncome™ Plus 2 ETF

Subject to the application of the partnership audit rules, MLPs that elect to be taxed as partnerships do not pay U.S. federal income tax at the partnership level. Rather, each partner is allocated a share of the partnership’s income, gains, losses, deductions and expenses. A change in current tax law, or a change in the underlying business mix of a given MLP, could result in an MLP that previously elected to be taxed as a partnership being treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes, which would result in such MLP being required to pay U.S. federal income tax on its taxable income. The classification of an MLP as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes would have the effect of reducing the amount of cash available for distribution by the MLP. Thus, to the extent that any of the MLPs to which the Fund has exposure are treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes, it could result in a reduction in the value of the Fund’s investment and lower the Fund’s income. The Fund may also invest in MLPs that elect to be taxed as corporations, which taxes would have the effect of reducing the amount of cash available for distribution by the MLP. Additionally, as a result of the Fund's exposure to MLPs taxed as partnerships, a portion of the Fund’s distributions are expected to be treated as a return of capital for tax purposes. Return of capital distributions are not taxable income to you, but reduce your tax basis in your Fund Shares. Such a reduction in tax basis will result in larger taxable gains and/or lower tax losses on a subsequent sale of Fund Shares. Shareholders who sell their Shares for less than they bought them may still recognize a gain due to the reduction in tax basis. Shareholders who periodically receive the payment of dividends or other distributions consisting of a return of capital may be under the impression that they are receiving net profits from the Fund when, in fact, they are not. Shareholders should not assume that the source of the distributions is from the net profits of the Fund. To the extent that the distributions paid to you constitute a return of capital, the Fund's assets will decline. A decline in the Fund's assets may also result in an increase in the portion of a Fund's expense ratio that is not subject to a unitary fee or any other form of contractual cap, and over time the distributions paid in excess of net distributions received could work to erode the Fund's net asset value.

Model Portfolio Risk

Model Portfolio Risk applies to the Global X TargetIncome™ 5 ETF, Global X TargetIncome™ Plus 2 ETF and Global X Adaptive U.S. Factor ETF

The Underlying Index utilizes a proprietary methodology to determine its allocations to the securities in which the Fund invests. Investments selected using a proprietary methodology, including quantitative models, may perform differently from the market as a whole or from their expected performance. There can be no assurance that use of a quantitative model will enable the Fund to achieve positive returns or outperform the market.

Non-Diversification Risk
 
Non-Diversification Risk applies to the Global X MLP ETF, Global X MLP & Energy Infrastructure ETF, Global X U.S. Preferred ETF, Global X S&P 500® Quality Dividend ETF, Global X TargetIncome™ 5 ETF, Global X TargetIncome™ Plus 2 ETF and Global X Adaptive U.S. Factor ETF

The Fund is classified as a “non-diversified” investment company under the 1940 Act. This means that the Fund may invest most of its assets in securities issued by or representing a small number of companies. As a result, the Fund may be more susceptible to the risks associated with these particular companies, or to a single economic, political or regulatory occurrence affecting these companies.

Operational Risk

Operational Risk applies to each Fund

The Fund is exposed to operational risk arising from a number of factors, including but not limited to human error, processing and communication errors, errors of the Fund's service providers, counterparties or other third-parties, failed or inadequate processes and technology or systems failures.

With the increased use of technologies such as the internet to conduct business, the Fund, Authorized Participants, service providers and the relevant listing exchange are susceptible to operational, information security and related “cyber” risks both directly and through their service providers. Similar types of cyber security risks are also present for issuers of securities in which the Fund invests, which could result in material adverse consequences for such issuers and may cause the Fund’s investment in such portfolio companies to lose value. Unlike many other types of risks faced by the Fund, these risks typically are not covered by insurance. In general, cyber incidents can result from deliberate attacks or unintentional events. Cyber incidents include, but are not limited to, gaining unauthorized access to digital systems (e.g., through “hacking” or malicious software coding) for purposes of

91


misappropriating assets or sensitive information, corrupting data, or causing operational disruption. Cyber-attacks may also be carried out in a manner that does not require gaining unauthorized access, such as causing denial-of-service attacks on websites (i.e., efforts to make network services unavailable to intended users). Recently, geopolitical tensions may have increased the scale and sophistication of deliberate attacks, particularly those from nation-states or from entities with nation-state backing. Cyber security failures by or breaches of the systems of the Adviser and the Fund’s distributor and other service providers (including, but not limited to, the Index Provider, fund accountants, custodians, transfer agents and administrators), market makers, Authorized Participants, or the issuers of securities in which the Fund invests, have the ability to cause disruptions and impact business operations, potentially resulting in: financial losses, interference with the Fund’s ability to calculate its NAV, disclosure of confidential trading information, impediments to trading, submission of erroneous trades or erroneous creation or redemption orders, the inability of the Fund or its service providers to transact business, violations of applicable privacy and other laws, regulatory fines, penalties, reputational damage, reimbursement or other compensation costs, or additional compliance costs. In addition, cyber-attacks may render records of Fund assets and transactions, shareholder ownership of Fund Shares, and other data integral to the functioning of the Fund inaccessible or inaccurate or incomplete. Substantial costs may be incurred by the Fund in order to resolve or prevent cyber incidents in the future. While the Fund has established business continuity plans in the event of, and risk management systems to prevent, such cyber-attacks, there are inherent limitations in such plans and systems, including the possibility that certain risks have not been identified and that prevention and remediation efforts will not be successful. Furthermore, the Fund cannot control the cyber security plans and systems put in place by service providers to the Fund, issuers in which the Fund invests, the Index Provider, market makers or Authorized Participants. The Fund and its shareholders could be negatively impacted as a result.

The Fund and the Adviser seek to reduce these operational risks through controls and procedures. However, these measures do not address every possible risk and may be inadequate for those risks that they are intended to address.

Optimization Risk

Optimization Risk applies to the Global X TargetIncome™ 5 ETF and Global X TargetIncome™ Plus 2 ETF

The Fund is based on the “modern portfolio theory” approach to asset allocation, which is a framework for determining the allocation of a portfolio with the goal of achieving an intended investment outcome based on a given level of risk. This framework relies heavily on the anticipated volatilities, investment returns and correlations of particular asset classes or securities. There is no guarantee that the Underlying Index will outperform any alternative strategy that might be employed in respect of the component assets or that past volatilities and correlations of particular asset classes or securities will be indicative of future results.

Passive Foreign Investment Company Risk

Passive Foreign Investment Company Risk applies to the Global X SuperDividend® Alternatives ETF
 
Some Fund holdings may be characterized as “passive foreign investment companies” (PFICs) for U.S. tax purposes. In general, a foreign corporation is classified as a PFIC for a taxable year if at least one-half of its assets constitute investment-type assets or 75% or more of its gross income is investment-type income. If the Fund receives a so-called “excess distribution” with respect to PFIC stock, the Fund itself may be subject to tax on a portion of the excess distribution, whether or not the corresponding income is distributed by the Fund to stockholders. In general, under the PFIC rules, an excess distribution is treated as having been realized ratably over the period during which the Fund held the PFIC stock. The Fund itself will be subject to tax on the portion, if any, of an excess distribution that is so allocated to prior taxable years and an interest factor will be added to the tax, as if the tax had been payable in such prior taxable years. Certain distributions from a PFIC as well as gain from the sale of PFIC stock are treated as excess distributions. Excess distributions are characterized as ordinary income even though, absent application of the PFIC rules, certain excess distributions might have been classified as capital gain.
 
The Fund may be eligible to elect alternative tax treatment with respect to PFIC stock. Under an election that currently is available in some circumstances, the Fund generally would be required to include in its gross income its share of the earnings of a PFIC on a current basis, regardless of whether distributions are received from the PFIC in a given year. If this election were made, the special rules, discussed above, relating to the taxation of excess distributions, would not apply. Alternatively, another election may be available that would involve marking to market the Fund’s PFIC shares at the end of each taxable year (and on certain other dates prescribed in the Code), with the result that unrealized gains are treated as though they were realized and reported as ordinary income. Any mark-to-market losses and any loss from an actual disposition of PFIC shares would be deductible as ordinary losses to the extent of any net mark-to-market gains included in income with respect to such shares in prior years. If this election were made, tax at the Fund level under the PFIC rules would generally be eliminated, but the Fund could, in limited circumstances, incur nondeductible interest charges. The Fund’s intention to qualify annually as a RIC may limit its elections with respect to PFIC shares.

92



Because the application of the PFIC rules may affect, among other things, the character of gains and the amount of gain or loss and the timing of the recognition of income with respect to PFIC shares, and may subject the Fund itself to tax on certain income from PFIC shares, the amount that must be distributed to shareholders and will be taxed to shareholders as ordinary income or long-term capital gain may be increased or decreased substantially as compared to a fund that did not invest in PFIC shares.

Passive Investment Risk
 
Passive Investment Risk applies to each Fund

The Fund is not actively managed and may be affected by a general decline in market segments relating to the Underlying Index. The Fund invests in securities included in, or representative of, the Underlying Index regardless of their investment merits. The Adviser does not attempt to take defensive positions in declining markets beyond the mechanics built into the Underlying Index. Unlike many investment companies, the Fund does not seek to outperform its Underlying Index. Therefore, the Fund would not necessarily buy or sell a security unless that security is added or removed, respectively, from the Underlying Index, even if that security generally is underperforming. Maintaining investments in securities regardless of market conditions or the performance of individual securities could cause the Fund’s return to be lower than if the Fund employed an active strategy.

Index-Related Risk

There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve a high degree of correlation to the Underlying Index and therefore achieve its investment objective. Market disruptions and regulatory restrictions could have an adverse effect on the Fund’s ability to adjust its exposure to the required levels in order to track the Underlying Index. Errors in index data, index computations and/or the construction of the Underlying Index in accordance with its methodology may occur from time to time and may not be identified and corrected by the Index Provider for a period of time or at all, which may have an adverse impact on the Fund and its shareholders.

Management Risk
 
The Fund will not fully replicate its Underlying Index and may hold securities not included in its Underlying Index. Therefore, the Fund is subject to management risk. That is, the Adviser’s investment strategy, the implementation of which is subject to a number of constraints, may cause the Fund to underperform the market or its relevant benchmark or adversely affect the ability of the Fund to achieve its investment objective. The ability of the Adviser to successfully implement the Fund’s investment strategies will influence the Fund’s performance significantly.

Tracking Error Risk
 
Tracking error is the divergence of the Fund's performance from that of the Underlying Index. Tracking error may occur because of differences between the securities and other instruments held in the Fund's portfolio and those included in the Underlying Index, pricing differences (including differences between a security's price at the local market close and the Fund's valuation of a security at the time of calculation of the Fund's NAV), transaction costs incurred by the Fund, the Fund's holding of uninvested cash, differences in timing of the accrual of or the valuation of dividends or interest, tax gains or losses, changes to the Underlying Index or the costs to the Fund of complying with various new or existing regulatory requirements. This risk may be heightened during times of increased market volatility or other unusual market conditions. Tracking error also may result because the Fund incurs fees and expenses, while the Underlying Index does not. ETFs that track indices with significant weight in emerging markets issuers may experience higher tracking error than other ETFs that do not track such indices.

Potential Substantial After-Tax Tracking Error From Index Performance Risk
 
Potential Substantial After-Tax Tracking Error From Index Performance Risk applies to the Global X MLP ETF

The Fund will be subject to taxation on its taxable income. The NAV of Shares will also be reduced by the accrual of any deferred tax liabilities. The Underlying Index, however, is calculated without any deductions for taxes. As a result, the Fund’s after tax performance could differ significantly from the Underlying Index even if the pretax performance of the Fund and the performance of the Underlying Index are closely correlated.

Prepayment Risk


93


Prepayment Risk applies to the Global X TargetIncome™ 5 ETF and Global X TargetIncome™ Plus 2 ETF

When interest rates fall, certain obligations will be paid off by the obligor more quickly than originally anticipated, and the Fund may have to invest the proceeds in securities with lower yields.

Reliance on Trading Partners Risk
 
Reliance on Trading Partners Risk applies to the Global X Adaptive U.S. Factor ETF

The Fund may invest in economies that are heavily dependent upon trading with key partners. Any reduction in this trading, institution of tariffs or other trade barriers or a slowdown in the economies of any of its key trading partners may cause an adverse impact on the economies of the markets in which the Fund invests.

Risks Associated with Exchange-Traded Funds

Risks Associated with Exchange-Traded Funds applies to each Fund

As an ETF, the Fund is subject to the following risks:

Authorized Participants Concentration Risk

The Fund has a limited number of financial institutions that may act as Authorized Participants. Only Authorized Participants who have entered into agreements with the Fund's distributor may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund, and none of those Authorized Participants is obligated to engage in creation and/or redemption transactions. To the extent that those Authorized Participants exit the business or are unable to process creation and/or redemption orders, and no other Authorized Participant is able to step forward to create and redeem in either of those cases, Shares may trade like closed-end fund shares at a discount to NAV, and may possibly face trading halts and/or delisting from the Exchange.

Large Shareholder Risk

Certain shareholders, including an Authorized Participant, the Adviser or an affiliate of the Adviser, may own a substantial amount of the Fund’s Shares. Additionally, from time to time an Authorized Participant, a third-party investor, the Adviser, or an affiliate of the Adviser may invest in the Fund and hold its investment for a specific period of time in order to facilitate commencement of the Fund’s operations or to allow the Fund to achieve size or scale.  Redemptions by large shareholders could have a significant negative impact on the Fund. If a large shareholder were to redeem all, or a large portion, of its Shares, there is no guarantee that the Fund will be able to maintain sufficient assets to continue operations in which case the Board of Trustees may determine to liquidate the Fund. In addition, transactions by large shareholders may account for a large percentage of the trading volume on the Exchange and may, therefore, have a material upward or downward effect on the market price of the Shares.

Listing Standards Risk

Under continuous listing standards adopted by the Fund’s listing exchange, the Fund will be required to confirm on an ongoing basis that the components of the Underlying Index satisfy the applicable listing requirements. In the event that the Underlying Index does not comply with the applicable listing requirements, the Fund would be required to rectify such non-compliance by requesting that the Index Provider modify the Underlying Index, adopting a new underlying index, or obtaining relief from the SEC. Failure to rectify such non-compliance may result in the Fund being delisted by the listing exchange. In addition, the Fund may face the risk of being delisted if the Fund does not meet certain conditions of the listing exchange. Any resulting liquidation of the Fund could cause the Fund to incur elevated transaction costs and could result in negative tax consequences for its shareholders.

Market Trading Risks and Premium/Discount Risks
 
Absence of Active Market
 
Although Shares of the Fund are or will be listed for trading on a U.S. exchange and may be listed on certain foreign exchanges, there can be no assurance that an active trading market for the Shares will develop or be maintained.


94


Risks of Secondary Listings
 
The Fund's Shares may be listed or traded on U.S. and non-U.S. exchanges other than the U.S. exchange where the Fund’s primary listing is maintained. There can be no assurance that the Fund’s Shares will continue to trade on any such exchange or in any market or that the Fund's Shares will continue to meet the requirements for listing or trading on any exchange or in any market. The Fund's Shares may be less actively traded in certain markets than others, and investors are subject to the execution and settlement risks and market standards of the market where they or their brokers direct their trades for execution. Certain information available to investors who trade Shares on a U.S. exchange during regular U.S. market hours may not be available to investors who trade in other markets, which may result in secondary market prices in such markets being less efficient.

Secondary Market Trading Risk
 
Shares of the Fund may trade in the secondary market on days when the Fund does not accept orders to purchase or redeem Shares. On such days, Shares may trade in the secondary market with more significant premiums or discounts than might be experienced on days when the Fund accepts purchase and redemption orders.

Secondary market trading in Fund Shares may be halted by a stock exchange because of market conditions or other reasons. In addition, trading in Fund Shares on a stock exchange or in any market may be subject to trading halts caused by extraordinary market volatility pursuant to "circuit breaker" rules on the stock exchange or market. There can be no assurance that the requirements necessary to maintain the listing or trading of Fund Shares will continue to be met or will remain unchanged.
 
Shares of the Fund May Trade at Prices Other Than NAV
 
Shares of the Fund may trade at, above or below NAV. The per share NAV of the Fund will fluctuate with changes in the market value of the Fund’s holdings. The trading prices of Shares will fluctuate in accordance with changes in the Fund's NAV as well as market supply and demand. The trading prices of the Fund's Shares may deviate significantly from NAV during periods of market volatility or when the Fund has relatively few assets or experiences a lower trading volume. Any of these factors may lead to the Fund's Shares trading at a premium or discount to NAV. While the creation/redemption feature is designed to make it likely that Shares normally will trade close to the Fund’s NAV, market prices are not expected to correlate exactly with the Fund's NAV due to timing reasons as well as market supply and demand factors. In addition, disruptions to creations and redemptions or the existence of extreme market volatility may result in trading prices that differ significantly from NAV. If a shareholder purchases at a time when the market price is at a premium to the NAV or sells at a time when the market price is at a discount to the NAV, the shareholder may sustain losses.
 
Since foreign exchanges may be open on days when the Fund does not price 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 Shares.

Costs of Buying or Selling Fund Shares
 
Buying or selling Fund Shares involves two types of costs that apply to all securities transactions. When buying or selling Shares of the Fund through a broker, you will likely incur a brokerage commission or other charges imposed by brokers as determined by that broker. In addition, you may incur the cost of the "spread" - that is, the difference between what professional investors are willing to pay for Fund Shares (the "bid" price) and the market price at which they are willing to sell Fund Shares (the "ask" price). Because of the costs inherent in buying or selling Fund Shares, frequent trading may detract significantly from investment results and an investment in Fund Shares may not be advisable for investors who anticipate regularly making small investments.

Non-Hedging Foreign Currency Trading Exposure Risk

Non-Hedging Foreign Currency Trading Exposure Risk applies to the Global X SuperDividend® Alternatives ETF

Certain of the Underlying Index components may engage in forward foreign currency transactions for speculative purposes. The Underlying Index component may purchase or sell foreign currencies through the use of forward contracts based on the applicable advisors’ judgment regarding the direction of the market for a particular foreign currency or currencies. In pursuing this strategy, the advisors seek to profit from anticipated movements in currency rates by establishing “long” and/or “short” positions in forward contracts on various foreign currencies. Foreign exchange rates can be extremely volatile and a variance in the degree of volatility

95


of the market or in the direction of the market from the advisors’ expectations may produce significant losses to the Underlying Index component.

Securities Lending Risk

Securities Lending Risk applies to the Global X MLP & Energy Infrastructure ETF, Global X U.S. Preferred ETF and Global X SuperDividend® Alternatives ETF

The Fund may engage in lending its portfolio securities. The Fund may lend its portfolio securities to the extent noted under Fund Summaries-Principal Investment Strategies. In connection with such loans, the Fund receives liquid collateral equal to at least 102% of the value of domestic equity securities and ADRs and 105% of the value of the foreign equity securities (other than ADRs) being lent. This collateral is marked-to-market on a daily basis. Although the Fund will receive collateral in connection with all loans of its securities holdings, the Fund would be exposed to a risk of loss should a borrower default on its obligation to return the borrowed securities (e.g., the loaned securities may have appreciated beyond the value of the collateral held by the Fund). In addition, the Fund will bear the risk of loss of any cash collateral that it invests. Also, as securities on loan may not be voted by the Fund, there is a risk that the Fund may not be able to recall the securities in sufficient time to vote on material proxy matters.

Short Sale Risk

Short Sale Risk applies to the Global X SuperDividend® Alternatives ETF

Certain of the Underlying Index constituents in which the Fund invests may engage in short sale transactions. Short sale risks include, among others, the potential loss of more money than the actual cost of the investment, and the risk that the third party to the short sale may fail to honor its contract terms, causing a loss to the Underlying Index constituent.

Strategy Risk

Strategy Risk applies to the Global X SuperDividend® Alternatives ETF

There is no guarantee that the Underlying Index will outperform any alternative strategy that might be employed in respect of the component assets or that past volatilities and correlations of particular asset classes will be indicative of future results.

Taxable Fund Risk
 
Taxable Fund Risk applies to the Global X MLP ETF

In addition to other risk considerations, an investment in the Fund’s shares will involve certain tax risks, including, but not limited to, the risks summarized below and discussed in more detail elsewhere in this Prospectus. Tax matters are complicated, and the federal, state, local and foreign tax consequences of the purchase and ownership of each Fund’s shares will depend on the facts of each investor’s situation. Prospective investors are encouraged to consult their own tax advisors regarding the specific tax consequences that may affect the investment in each Fund.
 
Deferred Tax Liability
 
Cash distributions from an MLP to a Fund that exceed such Fund’s allocable share of such MLP’s net taxable income are considered a tax-deferred return of capital that will reduce the Fund’s adjusted tax basis in the equity securities of the MLP. These reductions in such Fund’s adjusted tax basis in the MLP equity securities will increase the amount of gain (or decrease the amount of loss) recognized by the Fund on a subsequent sale of the securities. A Fund will accrue deferred income taxes for any future tax liability associated with (i) that portion of MLP distributions considered to be a tax-deferred return of capital as well as (ii) capital appreciation of its investments. Upon the sale of an MLP security, the Fund may be liable for previously deferred taxes. A Fund will rely to some extent on information provided by the MLPs in which its invests, which is not necessarily timely, to estimate deferred tax liability for purposes of financial statement reporting and determining the NAV. From time to time, the Adviser will modify the estimates or assumptions regarding a Fund’s deferred tax liability as new information becomes available. A Fund will generally compute deferred income taxes based on the federal income tax rate applicable to corporations (currently 21%) and an assumed rate attributable to state taxes.

Historically, MLPs have been able to offset a significant portion of their taxable income with tax deductions, including depreciation and amortization expense deductions. The law could change to eliminate or reduce such tax deductions, which ultimately shelter

96


the recognition of taxable income by the Fund. The elimination or reduction of such tax benefits could significantly reduce the value of the MLPs held by the Fund, which would similarly reduce the Fund’s NAV. Additionally, the Fund could consequently be subject to U.S. federal, state and local corporate income taxes on a greater portion of the amount of the distributions it receives from the MLPs, which would reduce the amount the Fund can distribute to shareholders and could increase the percentage of Fund distributions treated as dividends instead of tax advantaged return of capital.

Depreciation or other cost recovery deductions passed through to the Fund from investments in MLPs taxed as partnerships in a given year generally will reduce the Fund’s taxable income (and earnings and profits),but those deductions may be recaptured in the Fund’s taxable income (and earnings and profits) in subsequent years when the MLPs dispose of their assets or when the Fund disposes of its interests in the MLPs. When deductions are recaptured, distributions to the Fund’s shareholders may be taxable, even though the shareholders at the time of the distribution might not have held shares in the Fund at the time the deductions were taken by the Fund, and even though the Fund’s shareholders at the time of the distribution will not have corresponding economic gain on their shares at the time of the distribution.

The portion of the distributions received by the Fund each year that is considered a return of capital from the MLPs taxed as partnerships will not be known until the Fund receives a Schedule K-1 for that year with respect to certain of its MLP investments. The Fund’s tax liability will not be known until the Fund completes its annual tax return. The Fund’s tax estimates could vary substantially from the actual liability and therefore the determination of the Fund’s actual tax liability may have a material impact on the Fund’s NAV. The payment of corporate income taxes imposed on the Fund will decrease cash available for distribution to shareholders.

Tax Status of A Fund
 
The Fund is taxed as a regular corporation ("C" corporation) for federal income tax purposes. This differs from most investment companies, which elect to be treated as RICs under the Code in order to avoid paying entity level income taxes. Under current law, a Fund is not eligible to elect treatment as a regulated investment company due to its investments primarily in MLPs invested in energy assets. As a result, the Fund will be obligated to pay applicable federal and state corporate income taxes on its taxable income, as opposed to most other investment companies, which are not so obligated. As discussed below, the Fund expects that a portion of the distributions it receives from MLPs may be treated as a tax-deferred return of capital, thus reducing the Fund’s current tax liability. However, the amount of taxes currently paid by the Fund will vary depending on the amount of income and gains derived from investments and/or sales of MLP interests and such taxes will reduce your return from an investment in the Fund. Upon the sale of an MLP security, the Fund may be liable for previously deferred taxes even if the MLP security is sold at a loss.

Trading Halt Risk
 
Trading Halt Risk applies to each Fund

An exchange or market may close or issue trading halts on specific securities, or the ability to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments may be restricted, which may result in the Fund being unable to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments. In such circumstances, the Fund may be unable to rebalance its portfolio, may be unable to accurately price its investments and/or may incur substantial trading losses.

Turnover Risk

Turnover Risk applies to the Global X TargetIncome™ 5 ETF, Global X TargetIncome™ Plus 2 ETF and Global X Adaptive U.S. Factor ETF

The Fund may experience relatively high portfolio turnover, which may result in increased transaction costs and lower Fund performance.

Valuation Risk
 
Valuation Risk applies to each Fund

The sales price the Fund could receive for a security may differ from the Fund’s valuation of the security and may differ from the value used by the Underlying Index, particularly for securities that trade in low value or volatile markets or that are valued using a fair value methodology (such as during trading halts). Because non-U.S. exchanges may be open on days when the Fund does

97


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.

A FURTHER DISCUSSION OF OTHER RISKS

Each Fund may also be subject to certain other risks associated with its investments and investment strategies.
 
Exclusion from the Definition of a Commodity Pool Operator Risk

With respect to the Fund, the Adviser has claimed an exclusion from the definition of “commodity pool operator” (“CPO”) under the Commodity Exchange Act, as amended (“CEA”), and the rules of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) and, therefore, is not subject to CFTC registration or regulation as a CPO. In addition, the Adviser is relying upon a related exclusion from the definition of “commodity trading advisor” (“CTA”) under the CEA and the rules of the CFTC. The terms of the CPO exclusion require the Fund, among other things, to adhere to certain limits on its investments in “commodity interests.” Commodity interests include commodity futures, commodity options and swaps. Because the Adviser and the Fund intend to comply with the terms of the CPO exclusion, the Fund may, in the future, need to adjust its investment strategies, consistent with its investment objective, to limit its investments in these types of instruments. The Fund is not intended as a vehicle for trading in the commodity futures, commodity options or swaps markets. The CFTC has neither reviewed nor approved the Adviser’s reliance on these exclusions, or the Fund, its investment strategies or this Prospectus.

Leverage Risk
 
Under the 1940 Act, the Fund is permitted to borrow from a bank up to 33 1/3% of its net assets for short term or emergency purposes. The Fund may borrow money at fiscal quarter end to maintain the required level of diversification to qualify as a regulated investment company ("RIC") for purposes of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"). As a result, the Fund may be exposed to the risks of leverage, which may be considered a speculative investment technique. Leverage magnifies the potential for gain and loss on amounts invested and therefore increases the risks associated with investing in the Fund. If the value of the Fund's assets increases, then leveraging would cause the Fund's NAV to increase more sharply than it would have had the Fund not leveraged. Conversely, if the value of the Fund's assets decreases, leveraging would cause the Fund's NAV to decline more sharply than it otherwise would have had the Fund not leveraged. The Fund may incur additional expenses in connection with borrowings.

Qualification as a Regulated Investment Company Risk

Qualification as a Regulated Investment Company Risk Applies to each Fund except the Global X MLP ETF
 
The Fund must meet a number of diversification requirements to qualify as a RIC under Section 851 of the Code and, if qualified, to continue to qualify. If the Fund experiences difficulty in meeting those requirements for any fiscal quarter, it might enter into borrowings in order to increase the portion of the Fund’s total assets represented by cash, cash items, and U.S. government securities shortly thereafter and, as of the close of the following fiscal quarter, to attempt to meet the requirements. However, the Fund may incur additional expenses in connection with any such borrowings, and increased investments by the Fund in cash, cash items, and U.S. government securities (whether the Fund makes such investments from borrowings) are likely to reduce the Fund’s return to investors.
 
Tax Treaty Reclaims Uncertainty

The Fund may accrue for certain tax reclaims eligible under current bilateral double taxation treaties between the United States government and foreign governments.  It is possible that the Fund ultimately may not be able to recover some or all of the outstanding tax reclaims, which may adversely affect the valuation of the Fund.

PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS INFORMATION
 
A description of the policies and procedures of Global X Funds® (the "Trust") with respect to the disclosure of the Funds’ portfolio securities is available in the Funds’ combined Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”). The top holdings of each Fund and Fund Fact Sheets providing information regarding each Fund’s top holdings can be found at www.globalxetfs.com and may be requested by calling 1-888-493-8631.

FUND MANAGEMENT
 
Investment Adviser
 
Global X Management Company LLC (the "Adviser") serves as the investment adviser and the administrator for the Funds. Subject to the supervision of the Trust's Board of Trustees, the Adviser is responsible for managing the investment activities of the Funds and the Funds' business affairs and other administrative matters. The Adviser has been a registered investment adviser since 2008. The Adviser is a Delaware limited liability company with its principal offices located at 605 3rd Avenue, 43rd Floor, New York, New York 10158. As of February 28, 2020, the Adviser provided investment advisory services for assets of approximately $11.8 billion.

Pursuant to a Supervision and Administration Agreement and subject to the general supervision of the Board of Trustees, the Adviser provides or causes to be furnished, all supervisory, administrative and other services reasonably necessary for the operation of the Funds and also bears the costs of various third-party services required by the Funds, including audit, certain custody, portfolio accounting, legal, transfer agency and printing costs. The Supervision and Administration Agreement also requires the Adviser to provide investment advisory services to the Funds pursuant to an Investment Advisory Agreement.
 
Each Fund pays the Adviser a fee ("Management Fee") in return for providing investment advisory, supervisory and administrative services under an all-in fee structure. For the fiscal year ended November 30, 2019, the Funds paid a monthly Management Fee to the Adviser at the following annual rates (stated as a percentage of the average daily net assets of each Fund taken separately):

Fund
Management Fee
Global X MLP ETF
0.45%
Global X MLP & Energy Infrastructure ETF
0.45%
Global X U.S. Preferred ETF
0.23%
Global X SuperDividend® Alternatives ETF
0.75%
Global X S&P 500® Quality Dividend ETF
0.35%*
Global X TargetIncomeTM 5 ETF
0.39%
Global X TargetIncomeTM Plus 2 ETF
0.39%
Global X Adaptive U.S. Factor ETF
0.27%

* From July 26, 2019 until September 13, 2019, the Adviser contractually agreed to waive 0.15% of the management fee it received from the Fund pursuant to an expense limitation agreement in effect between the Global X S&P 500® Quality Dividend ETF and the Adviser. After giving effect to such waiver, the net management fee received by the Adviser from the Fund was 0.20%. Effective September 13, 2019, the Board of Trustees voted to permanently reduce the Fund’s management fee to 0.20%.

In addition, each Fund bears other fees and expenses that are not covered by the Supervision and Administration Agreement, which may vary and will affect the total expense ratio of each Fund, such as taxes, brokerage fees, commissions and other transaction expenses, interest and extraordinary expenses (such as litigation and indemnification expenses). The Adviser may earn a profit on the Management Fee paid by each Fund. Also, the Adviser, and not shareholders of the Funds, would benefit from any price decreases in third-party services, including decreases resulting from an increase in net assets.

Pursuant to an Expense Limitation Agreement, the Adviser has contractually agreed to reimburse or waive fees and/or limit expenses for the Global X U.S. Preferred ETF to the extent necessary to assure that the operating expenses of the Global X U.S. Preferred ETF (exclusive of taxes, brokerage fees, commissions, and other transaction expenses, and extraordinary expenses (such as litigation and indemnification expenses)) will not exceed 0.23% of the average daily net assets of the Global X U.S. Preferred ETF per year until at least April 1, 2021.


98


The Adviser or its affiliates may pay compensation, out of profits derived from the Adviser’s Management Fee or other resources and not as an additional charge to the Funds, to certain financial institutions (which may include banks, securities dealers and other industry professionals) for the sale and/or distribution of Fund Shares or the retention and/or servicing of Fund investors and Fund Shares (“revenue sharing”). These payments are in addition to any other fees described in the fee table or elsewhere in the Prospectus or SAI. Examples of “revenue sharing” payments include, but are not limited to, payments to financial institutions for “shelf space” or access to a third party platform or fund offering list or other marketing programs, including, but not limited to, inclusion of the Funds on preferred or recommended sales lists, mutual fund “supermarket” platforms and other formal sales programs; granting the Adviser access to the financial institution’s sales force; granting the Adviser access to the financial institution’s conferences and meetings; assistance in training and educating the financial institution’s personnel; and obtaining other forms of marketing support. The level of revenue sharing payments made to financial institutions may be a fixed fee or based upon one or more of the following factors: gross sales, current assets and/or number of accounts of the Fund attributable to the financial institution, or other factors as agreed to by the Adviser and the financial institution or any combination thereof. The amount of these revenue sharing payments is determined at the discretion of the Adviser from time to time, may be substantial, and may be different for different financial institutions depending upon the services provided by the financial institution. Such payments may provide an incentive for the financial institution to make Shares of the Funds available to its customers and may allow the Funds greater access to the financial institution’s customers.

Approval of Advisory Agreement
 
A discussion regarding the basis for the Board of Trustees' approval of the Supervision and Administration Agreement and the related Investment Advisory Agreement for each Fund is available in the Funds' Annual Report to Shareholders for the fiscal half-year ended May 31 and/or Annual Report to Shareholders for the fiscal year ended November 30.
 
Portfolio Management
 
The Portfolio Managers who are currently responsible for the day-to-day management of each Fund's portfolio are Chang Kim, Nam To, Wayne Xie and Kimberly Chan.

Chang Kim: Chang Kim, CFA, joined the Adviser in September 2009.  He currently holds the position of Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer with the Adviser. Mr. Kim received his Bachelor of Arts from Yale University in 2009.

Nam To: Nam To, CFA joined the Adviser in July 2017. Prior to that, Mr. To was a Global Economics Research Analyst at Bunge Limited from 2014 to 2017. Mr. To received his Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and Economics from Cornell University in 2014.

Wayne Xie: Wayne Xie joined the Adviser in July 2018 as a Portfolio Management Associate. Previously, Mr. Xie was an Analyst at VanEck Associates on the Equity ETF Investment Management team from 2010 to 2018 and a Portfolio Administrator at VanEck Associates from 2007 to 2010. Mr. Xie received his Bachelor of Science from State University of New York at Buffalo in 2002.

Kimberly Chan: Kimberly Chan joined the Adviser in June 2018 and is a Portfolio Management Associate. Previously, Ms. Chan was a U.S. Associate Trader at Credit Agricole from 2016 to 2018, and an Investment Analyst at MetLife Investments from 2015 to 2016. Ms. Chan received her Bachelor of Science from New York University in 2015.

The SAI provides additional information about the Portfolio Managers’ compensation structure, other accounts managed by the Portfolio Managers, and the Portfolio Managers' ownership of Shares of the Funds.

DISTRIBUTOR
 
SEI Investments Distribution Co. ("Distributor") distributes Creation Units for the Funds on an agency basis. The Distributor does not maintain a secondary market in Shares. The Distributor has no role in determining the policies of the Funds or the securities that are purchased or sold by each Fund. The Distributor’s principal address is One Freedom Valley Drive, Oaks, PA 19456. The Distributor is not affiliated with the Adviser.

BUYING AND SELLING FUND SHARES
 
Shares of the Funds trade on a national securities exchange and in the secondary market during the trading day. Shares can be bought and sold throughout the trading day like other shares of publicly-traded securities. There is no minimum investment for purchases made on a national securities exchange. When buying or selling Shares through a broker, you will incur customary brokerage commissions and charges. In addition, you will also incur the cost of the “spread,” which is the difference between what professional investors are willing to pay for Shares (the “bid” price) and the price at which they are willing to sell Shares (the “ask” price). The commission is frequently a fixed amount and may be a significant proportional cost for investors seeking to buy or sell small amounts of Shares. The spread with respect to Shares varies over time based on a Fund’s trading volume and market liquidity and is generally lower if a Fund has significant trading volume and market liquidity and higher if a Fund has little trading volume and market liquidity. Because of the costs of buying and selling Shares, frequent trading may reduce investment return.

Shares of a Fund may be acquired or redeemed directly from the Fund only by Authorized Participants (as defined in the SAI) and only in Creation Units or multiples thereof, as discussed in the "Creations and Redemptions" section in the SAI. Under normal circumstances, the Funds will pay out redemption proceeds to a redeeming Authorized Participant within two days after the Authorized Participant’s redemption request is received, in accordance with the process set forth in the Funds' SAI and in the agreement between the Authorized Participant and the Distributor. However, the Funds reserve the right, including under stressed market conditions, to take up to seven days after the receipt of a redemption request to pay an Authorized Participant, all as permitted by the 1940 Act. Except for the Global X MLP ETF and Global X MLP & Energy Infrastructure ETF, the Funds anticipate regularly meeting redemption requests primarily through in-kind redemptions. However, the Funds reserve the right to pay redemption proceeds to an Authorized Participant in cash, consistent with the Trust’s exemptive relief. Cash used for redemptions will be raised from the sale of portfolio assets or may come from existing holdings of cash or cash equivalents.
 
Shares generally trade in the secondary market in amounts less than a Creation Unit. Shares of the Funds trade under the trading symbol listed for each Fund in the Fund Summaries section of the Prospectus.
 
The Funds are listed on a national securities exchange, which is open for trading Monday through Friday and is closed on weekends and the following holidays, as observed: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.
 
Book Entry
 

99


Shares of the Funds 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 and is recognized as the owner of all Shares for all purposes.
 
Investors owning Shares are beneficial owners as shown on the records of DTC or its participants. DTC serves as the securities depository for all Shares. 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 rights 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.

FREQUENT TRADING
 
Unlike frequent trading of shares of a traditional open-end mutual fund (i.e., not exchange-traded shares), frequent trading of Shares on the secondary market does not disrupt portfolio management, increase a Fund's trading costs, lead to realization of capital gains, or otherwise harm Fund shareholders because these trades do not involve a Fund directly. A few institutional investors are authorized to purchase and redeem the Funds' Shares directly with the Funds. When these trades are effected in-kind (i.e., for securities, and not for cash), they do not cause any of the harmful effects (noted above) that may result from frequent cash trades. Moreover, each Fund imposes transaction fees on in-kind purchases and redemptions of the Fund intended to cover the custodial and other costs incurred by the Fund in effecting in-kind trades. These fees increase if an investor substitutes cash in part or in whole for securities, reflecting the fact that the Fund’s trading costs increase in those circumstances, although transaction fees are subject to certain limits and therefore may not cover all related costs incurred by a Fund. For these reasons, the Board of Trustees has determined that it is not necessary to adopt policies and procedures to detect and deter frequent trading and market-timing in Shares of the Funds.


DISTRIBUTION AND SERVICES PLAN
 
The Board of Trustees of the Trust has adopted a Distribution and Services Plan (“Plan”) pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act. Under the Plan, each Fund is authorized to pay distribution fees in connection with the sale and distribution of its Shares and pay service fees in connection with the provision of ongoing services to shareholders of each class and the maintenance of shareholder accounts in an amount up to 0.25% of its average daily net assets each year.
 

100


No Rule 12b-1 fees are currently paid by a Fund, and there are no current plans to impose these fees. However, in the event Rule 12b-1 fees are charged in the future, because these fees are paid out of each Fund’s assets on an ongoing basis, these fees will increase the cost of your investment in a Fund. By purchasing Shares subject to distribution fees and service fees, you may pay more over time than you would by purchasing Shares with other types of sales charge arrangements. Long-term shareholders may pay more than the economic equivalent of the maximum front-end sales charge permitted by the rules of FINRA. The net income attributable to Shares will be reduced by the amount of distribution fees and service fees and other expenses of a Fund.

DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS
 
The following discussion applies to the Global X MLP ETF

Net Investment Income and Capital Gains. The Fund currently anticipates making distributions to its shareholders quarterly in an amount that is approximately equal to the distributions the Fund receives from its investments, including the MLPs in which it invests, less the actual, estimated or anticipated expenses of the Fund, including taxes imposed on the Fund (if any). The Fund is not required to make such distributions and, consequently, the Fund could decide, at its discretion, not to make such distributions or not to make distributions in the amount described above because of market or other conditions affecting or relevant to the Fund.
 
Generally, the Fund expects, based on its investment objective and strategies, that its distributions, if any, will be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as ordinary income, tax-deferred returns of capital, and/or capital gains.

Unlike the MLPs in which the Fund invests, the Fund is not a pass through entity. Consequently, the tax characterization of the distributions paid by the Fund may differ greatly from those of the MLPs in which the Fund invests. The Fund's ability to meet its investment objective will depend, in part, on the character and amount of distributions it receives from such MLP investments. The Fund will have no control over the timing of the distributions it receives from its MLP investments because such MLPs have the ability to modify their distribution policies from time to time generally without input from or the approval of the Fund.

The Trust is an open-end registered investment company under the 1940 Act. As such, each Fund is generally limited under the 1940 Act to one distribution in any one taxable year of long-term capital gains realized by each Fund. In this regard, that portion of a Fund's income which consists of gain realized by each Fund on a sale of equity units in an MLP (other than the portion of such gain representing recapture income) may constitute long-term capital gain subject to this limitation. Cash distributions received by a Fund from the MLPs in which such Fund invests generally will not constitute long-term capital gain, except to the extent that (i) such MLP distributions relate to long-term capital gain realized by the MLP on a sale by the MLP of its assets or (ii) the distributions received from a particular MLP exceed such Fund's tax basis in its equity units in such MLP. A Fund does not expect that a material portion of the cash distributions it receives from MLPs in which it invests will constitute long-term capital gain.

The following discussion applies to each Fund except the Global X MLP ETF

Net Investment Income and Capital Gains. As a Fund shareholder, you are entitled to your share of the Fund's distributions of net investment income and net realized capital gains on its investments. Each Fund pays out substantially all of its net earnings to its shareholders as "distributions."

It is the policy of the Trust each fiscal year to distribute substantially all of each Fund's net investment income (i.e., generally, the income earned from cash distributions and interest on investments, and any capital gains, net of each Fund's expenses). A portion of each Fund's distributions are also expected to be treated as a return of capital for tax purposes.

The Trust is an open-end registered investment company under the 1940 Act. As such, each Fund is generally limited under the 1940 Act to one distribution in any one taxable year of long-term capital gains realized by each Fund. In this regard, that portion of a Fund's income which consists of gain realized by each Fund on a sale of equity units in an MLP (other than the portion of such gain representing recapture income) may constitute long-term capital gain subject to this limitation. Cash distributions received by a Fund from the MLPs in which such Fund invests generally will not constitute long-term capital gain, except to the extent that (i) such MLP distributions relate to long-term capital gain realized by the MLP on a sale by the MLP of its assets or (ii) the distributions received from a particular MLP exceed such Fund's tax basis in its equity units in such MLP. A Fund does not expect that a material portion of the cash distributions it receives from MLPs in which it invests will constitute long-term capital gain.

A Fund may determine to distribute at least annually amounts representing the full dividend yield net of expenses on the underlying investment securities, as if the Fund owned the underlying investment securities for the entire dividend period in which case some portion of each distribution may result in a return of capital. You will be notified regarding the portion of the distribution which represents a return of capital. Distributions in cash may be reinvested automatically in additional Shares of the applicable Fund only if the broker through which you purchased Shares makes such option available.

101



INVESTMENTS BY INVESTMENT COMPANIES

Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act restricts investments by investment companies in the securities of other investment companies, including shares of the Fund. Registered investment companies and unit investment trusts that enter into a participation agreement with the Trust ("Investing Funds") are permitted to invest in certain Global X Funds beyond the limits set forth in Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act subject to certain terms and conditions set forth in an SEC exemptive order issued to the Trust. With respect to the Global X SuperDividend® Alternatives ETF, Global X TargetIncome™ 5 ETF and Global X TargetIncome™ Plus 2 ETF, which invest in Underlying ETFs, Investing Funds must adhere to the limits set forth in Section 12(d)(1) when investing in such Fund.

TAXES FOR THE GLOBAL X MLP ETF
 
Set forth below is a discussion of certain U.S. federal income tax considerations affecting the Fund and the purchase, ownership and disposition of relevant Fund Shares. It is based upon the Code, the regulations promulgated thereunder, judicial authorities, and administrative rulings and practices as in effect as of the date of this Prospectus, all of which are subject to change. No ruling has been or will be sought from the IRS regarding any matter discussed in this Prospectus. Counsel to the Fund has not rendered any legal opinion regarding any tax consequences relating to any Fund or your investment in the Fund. No assurance can be given that the IRS would not assert, or that a court would not sustain, a position contrary to any of the tax information set out below.
 
The following is a summary of the material U.S. federal income tax considerations applicable to an investment in Shares of the Fund. The summary is based on the laws in effect on the date of this Prospectus and existing judicial and administrative interpretations thereof, all of which are subject to change, possibly with retroactive effect. In addition, this summary assumes that the Fund shareholder holds Shares as capital assets within the meaning of the Code and does not hold Shares in connection with a trade or business. This summary does not address all potential U.S. federal income tax considerations possibly applicable to an investment in Shares of the Fund, to Fund shareholders that are, or that are holding Shares through, a partnership (or other pass-through entity), or to Fund shareholders subject to special tax rules. Prospective Fund shareholders are urged to consult their own tax advisors with respect to the specific federal, state, local and foreign tax consequences of investing in Fund Shares.
 
Federal Income Taxation. The Fund is taxed as a regular corporation for federal income tax purposes and as such is obligated to pay federal and applicable state, local, and foreign corporate taxes on its taxable income. This differs from most investment companies, which elect to be treated as regulated investment companies under the Code in order to avoid paying entity level income taxes. Under current law, the Fund is not eligible to elect treatment as a RIC due to its investments in MLPs invested in energy assets. As a result, the Fund will be obligated to pay federal and state taxes on its taxable income, as opposed to most other investment companies, which are not so obligated.

As discussed below, the Fund expects that a portion of the distributions it receives from MLPs may be treated as a tax-deferred return of capital, thus reducing the Fund's current tax liability. However, the amount of taxes currently paid by the Fund will vary depending on the amount of income and gains derived from investments and/or sales of MLP interests, and such taxes may reduce your return from an investment in the Fund.

The Fund invests its assets primarily in MLPs, which generally are treated as partnerships for federal income tax purposes. As a partner in the MLPs, the Fund must report its allocable share of the MLPs' taxable income in computing its taxable income, regardless of the extent (if any) to which the MLPs make distributions. Based upon the Adviser's review of the historic results of the types of MLPs in which the Fund invests, the Adviser expects that the cash flow received by the Fund with respect to its MLP investments will generally exceed the taxable income allocated to the Fund (and this excess generally will not be currently taxable to the Fund but, rather, will result in a reduction of the Fund's adjusted tax basis in each MLP as described in the following paragraph). This is the result of a variety of factors, including significant non-cash deductions, such as accelerated depreciation. There is no assurance that the Adviser's expectation regarding the tax character of MLP distributions will be realized. If this expectation is not realized, there may be greater tax expense borne by the Fund and less cash available to distribute to you or to pay to expenses.
 
The Fund also will be subject to U.S. federal income tax (and possibly state, local, or foreign taxes) at the corporate tax rate on any gain recognized by the Fund on any sale of equity securities of an MLP. Cash distributions from an MLP to the Fund that exceed the Fund's allocable share of such MLP's net taxable income will reduce the Fund's adjusted tax basis in the equity securities of the MLP. These reductions in the Fund's adjusted tax basis in the MLP equity securities will increase the amount of any taxable gain (or decrease the amount of any tax loss) recognized by the Fund on a subsequent sale of the securities.


102


The Fund will accrue deferred income taxes for any future tax liability associated with (a) that portion of MLP distributions considered to be a tax-deferred return of capital as well as (b) capital appreciation of its investments. Upon the sale of any security of an MLP, the Fund may be liable for previously deferred taxes. The Fund's accrued deferred tax liability will be reflected each day in the Fund's NAV. Increases in deferred tax liability will decrease the NAV. Conversely, decreases in deferred tax liability will increase the NAV. The Fund will rely to some extent on information provided by the MLPs in which it invests, which is not necessarily timely, to estimate deferred tax liability for purposes of financial statement reporting and determining the NAV. From time to time, the Adviser will modify the estimates or assumptions regarding the Fund's deferred tax liability as new information becomes available. The Fund's estimates regarding its deferred tax liability are made in good faith. However, the daily estimate of the Fund's deferred tax liability used to calculate the Fund's NAV could vary significantly from the Fund's actual tax liability. The Fund will generally compute deferred income taxes based on the federal income tax rate applicable to corporations (currently 21%) and an assumed rate attributable to state taxes.
 
Distributions. Distributions by the Fund will be treated as dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes to the extent paid from the Fund's current or accumulated earnings and profits (as determined under U.S. federal income tax principles). If the amount of the Fund distribution exceeds the Fund's current and accumulated earnings and profits, such excess will be treated first as a tax- deferred return of capital to the extent of, and in reduction of, a shareholder's tax basis in the shares, and thereafter as capital gain to the extent the shareholder held the shares as a capital asset. Any such capital gain will be long-term capital gain if such shareholder has held the applicable shares for more than one year. The portion of the distribution received by a shareholder from the Fund that is treated as a return of capital will decrease the shareholder's tax basis in his or her Fund shares (but not below zero), which will result in an increase in the amount of gain(or decrease in the amount of loss) that will be recognized by the shareholder for tax purposes on the later sale of the Fund shares.

Qualified Publicly Traded Partnership Income. Under 2017 legislation commonly known as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act ("TCJA") certain "qualified publicly traded partnership income" (e.g., certain income from certain of the MLPs in which the Fund invests) is treated as eligible for a 20% deduction by noncorporate taxpayers. Neither the TCJA nor applicable regulations contain a provision permitting an entity, such as the Fund, to benefit from this deduction (since the Fund is taxed as a "C" corporation) or pass the special character of this income through to its shareholders. Direct investors in MLPs that are allocated qualified publicly traded partnership income, however, might be eligible for the deduction.
 
Sales and Exchanges. The sale of Shares is a taxable event on which a gain or loss is recognized. The amount of gain or loss is based on the difference between your tax basis in Shares and the amount you receive for them upon disposition. Generally, you will recognize long-term capital gain or loss if you have held your Shares for over one year at the time you sell or exchange them. Gains and losses on Shares held for one year or less will generally constitute short-term capital gains, except that a loss on Shares held six months or less will be re-characterized as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any long-term capital gain distributions that you have received on the Shares. A loss realized on a sale or exchange of Shares may be disallowed under the so-called "wash sale" rules to the extent the Shares disposed of are replaced with other Shares of the Fund within a period of 61 days beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after the Shares are disposed of, such as pursuant to a dividend reinvestment in Shares of the Fund. If disallowed, the loss will be reflected in an adjustment to the basis of the Shares acquired.

Taxes on Purchase and Redemption of Creation Units. An Authorized Participant who exchanges securities for Creation Units generally will recognize a gain or a loss. The gain or loss will be equal to the difference between the market value of the Creation Units at the time of purchase (plus any cash received by the Authorized Participant as part of the issue) and the Authorized Participant’s aggregate basis in the securities surrendered (plus any cash paid by the Authorized Participant as part of the issue). An Authorized Participant who exchanges Creation Units for securities generally will recognize a gain or loss equal to the difference between the Authorized Participant’s basis in the Creation Units (plus any cash paid by the Authorized Participant as part of the redemption) and the aggregate market value of the securities received (plus any cash received by the Authorized Participant as part of the redemption). The Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”), however, may assert that a loss realized upon an exchange of securities for Creation Units cannot be deducted currently under the rules governing “wash sales,” or on the basis that there has been no significant change in economic position. Persons exchanging securities should consult their own tax advisor with respect to whether the wash sale rules apply and when a loss might be deductible.

IRAs and Other Tax-Qualified Plans. The one major exception to the preceding tax principles is that distributions on, and sales, exchanges and redemptions of, Shares held in an IRA or other tax-qualified plan are not currently taxable but may be taxable when funds are withdrawn from the tax qualified plan, unless the Shares were purchased with borrowed funds.

Medicare Tax. An additional 3.8% Medicare tax is imposed on certain net investment income (including ordinary dividends and capital gain distributions received from the Fund and net gains from redemptions or other taxable dispositions of Fund Shares) of U.S. individuals, estates and trusts to the extent that such person's "modified adjusted gross income" (in the case of an individual)

103


or "adjusted gross income" (in the case of an estate or trust) exceeds a threshold amount. This Medicare tax, if applicable, is reported by you on, and paid with, your federal income tax return.
 
Backup Withholding. The Fund will be required in certain cases to withhold and remit to the U.S. Treasury backup withholding at the applicable rate on dividends and gross sales proceeds paid to any shareholder (i) who has either provided an incorrect tax identification number or no number at all, (ii) who is subject to backup withholding by the IRS, or (iii) who has failed to certify to the Fund, when required to do so, that he or she is not subject to backup withholding or is an "exempt recipient."

State and Local Taxes. You may also be subject to state and local taxes on income and gain attributable to your ownership of Shares. You should consult your tax advisor regarding the tax status of distributions in your state and locality.

U.S. Tax Treatment of Foreign Shareholders. A non-U.S. shareholder generally will not be subject to U.S. withholding tax on gain from the redemption of Shares unless, in the case of a shareholder who is a non-resident alien individual, the shareholder is present in the United States for 183 days or more during the taxable year and certain other conditions are met. Non-U.S. shareholders generally will be subject to U.S. withholding tax at a rate of 30% (or a lower treaty rate, if applicable) on distributions by the Fund of net investment income, other ordinary income, and the excess, if any, of net short-term capital gain over net long-term capital loss for the year, unless the distributions are effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business of the shareholder. Non-U.S. shareholders are subject to special U.S. tax certification requirements to avoid backup withholding and claim any treaty benefits. Non-U.S. shareholders should consult their tax advisors regarding the U.S. and foreign tax consequences of investing in the Fund.

Other Reporting and Withholding Requirements. Under the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act ("FATCA"), a 30% withholding tax is imposed on income dividends paid by the Fund to certain foreign entities, referred to as foreign financial institutions or nonfinancial foreign entities, that fail to comply (or be deemed compliant) with extensive reporting and withholding requirements designed to inform the U.S. Department of the Treasury of U.S.-owned foreign investment accounts. After December 31, 2018, FATCA withholding also would have applied to certain capital gain distributions, return of capital distributions and the proceeds arising from the sale of Fund Shares, however based on proposed regulations issued by the IRS, which may be relied upon currently, such withholding is no longer required unless final regulations provide otherwise (which is not expected). Information about a shareholder in the Fund may be disclosed to the IRS, non-U.S. taxing authorities or other parties as necessary to comply with FATCA. Withholding also may be required if a foreign entity that is a shareholder of the Fund fails to provide the appropriate certifications or other documentation concerning its status under FATCA.

Consult Your Tax Professional. Your investment in the Fund could have additional tax consequences. You should consult your tax professional for information regarding all tax consequences applicable to your investments in the Fund. More tax information relating to the Fund is also provided in the SAI. This short summary is not intended as a substitute for careful tax planning.

TAXES FOR EACH FUND OTHER THAN THE GLOBAL X MLP ETF
 
The following is a summary of certain tax considerations that may be relevant to an investor in a Fund. Except where otherwise indicated, the discussion relates to investors who are individual United States citizens or residents and is based on current tax law. You should consult your tax advisor for further information regarding federal, state, local and/or foreign tax consequences relevant to your specific situation.

Distributions. Each Fund receives income and gains on its investments. The income, less expenses incurred in the operation of a Fund, constitutes the Fund's net investment income from which dividends may be paid to you. Each Fund intends to qualify as a RIC under the Code for federal tax purposes and to distribute to shareholders substantially all of its net investment income and net capital gain each year. Except as otherwise noted below, you will generally be subject to federal income tax on a Fund’s distributions to you. For federal income tax purposes, Fund distributions attributable to short-term capital gains and net investment income are taxable to you as ordinary income. Distributions attributable to net capital gains (the excess of net long-term capital gains over net short-term capital losses) of a Fund generally are taxable to you as long-term capital gains. This is true no matter how long you own your Shares or whether you take distributions in cash or additional Shares. The maximum long-term capital gain rate applicable to individuals is 20%.
 
Distributions of “qualifying dividends” will also generally be taxable to you at long-term capital gain rates as long as certain requirements are met. In general, if 95% or more of the gross income of a Fund (other than net capital gain) consists of dividends received from domestic corporations or “qualified” foreign corporations (“qualifying dividends”), then all distributions received by individual shareholders of a Fund will be treated as qualifying dividends. But if less than 95% of the gross income of a Fund (other than net capital gain) consists of qualifying dividends, then distributions received by individual shareholders of a Fund will be qualifying dividends only to the extent they are derived from qualifying dividends earned by such Fund. For the lower rates to apply, you must have owned your Shares for at least 61 days during the 121-day period beginning on the date that is 60 days before

104


such Fund’s ex-dividend date (and such Fund will need to have met a similar holding period requirement with respect to the Shares of the corporation paying the qualifying dividend). The amount of a Fund’s distributions that qualify for this favorable treatment may be reduced as a result of such Fund’s securities lending activities (if any), a high portfolio turnover rate or investments in debt securities or “non-qualified” foreign corporations. In addition, whether distributions received from foreign corporations are qualifying dividends will depend on several factors including the country of residence of the corporation making the distribution. Accordingly, distributions from many of the Funds’ holdings may not be qualifying dividends.
 
A portion of distributions paid to shareholders that are corporations may also qualify for the dividends-received deduction for corporations, subject to certain holding period requirements and debt financing limitations. The amount of the dividends qualifying for this deduction may, however, be reduced as a result of such Fund’s securities lending activities, by a high portfolio turnover rate or by investments in debt securities or foreign corporations.
 
Distributions from a Fund will generally be taxable to you in the year in which they are paid, with one exception. Dividends and distributions declared by a Fund in October, November or December and paid in January of the following year are taxed as though they were paid on December 31.
 
You should note that if you buy Shares of a Fund shortly before it makes a distribution, the distribution will be fully taxable to you even though, as an economic matter, it simply represents a return of a portion of your investment. This adverse tax result is known as “buying into a dividend.”
 
You will be informed of the amount of your ordinary income dividends, qualifying dividend income, and capital gain distributions at the time they are paid, and you will be advised of the tax status for federal income tax purposes shortly after the close of each calendar year. If you have not held Shares for a full year, a Fund may designate and distribute to you, as ordinary income or capital gain, a percentage of income that is not equal to the actual amount of such income earned during the period of your investment in such Fund.
 
A Fund’s investments in partnerships, including in partnerships defined as Qualified Publicly Traded Partnerships for tax purposes, may result in such Fund being subject to state, local or foreign income, franchise or withholding tax liabilities.
 
Qualified REIT Dividends. Under the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, “qualified REIT dividends” (i.e., ordinary REIT dividends other than capital gain dividends and portions of REIT dividends designated as qualified dividend income) are treated as eligible for a 20% deduction by noncorporate taxpayers. This deduction, if allowed in full, equates to a maximum effective tax rate of 29.6% (37% top rate applied to income after 20% deduction). Proposed regulations issued by the IRS, which may be relied upon currently, enable the Fund to pass through the special character of “qualified REIT dividends” to a shareholder, provided both the Fund and the shareholder meet certain holding period requirements with respect to their shares. A noncorporate shareholder receiving such dividends would treat them as eligible for the 20% deduction, provided Fund shares were held by the shareholder for more than 45 days during the 91-day period beginning on the date that is 45 days before the date on which the shares become ex-dividend with respect to such dividend). The amount of a RIC’s dividends eligible for the 20% deduction for a taxable year is limited to the excess of the RIC’s qualified REIT dividends for the taxable year over allocable expenses.

Excise Tax Distribution Requirements. Under the Code, a nondeductible excise tax of 4% is imposed on the excess of a RIC’s “required distribution” for the calendar year ending within the RIC’s taxable year over the “distributed amount” for such calendar year. The term “required distribution” means the sum of (a) 98% of ordinary income (generally net investment income) for the calendar year, (b) 98.2% of capital gain (both long-term and short-term) for the one-year period ending on October 31 (or December 31, if a Fund so elects), and (c) the sum of any untaxed, undistributed net investment income and net capital gains of the RIC for prior periods. The term “distributed amount” generally means the sum of (a) amounts actually distributed by a Fund from its current year’s ordinary income and capital gain net income and (b) any amount on which a Fund pays income tax for the taxable year ending in the calendar year. Although each Fund intends to distribute its net investment income and net capital gains so as to avoid excise tax liability, a Fund may determine that it is in the interest of shareholders to distribute a lesser amount. The Funds intend to declare and pay these amounts in December (or in January, which must be treated by you as received in December) to avoid these excise taxes but can give no assurances that their distributions will be sufficient to eliminate all such taxes.

Foreign Currencies. Under the Code, gains or losses attributable to fluctuations in exchange rates which occur between the time a Fund accrues interest or other receivables or accrues expenses or other liabilities denominated in a foreign currency, and the time such Fund actually collects such receivables or pays such liabilities, are treated as ordinary income or ordinary loss. Similarly, gains or losses from the disposition of foreign currencies, from the disposition of debt securities denominated in a foreign currency, or from the disposition of a forward foreign currency contract which are attributable to fluctuations in the value of the foreign currency between the date of acquisition of the asset and the date of disposition also are treated as ordinary income or loss. These gains or losses, referred to under the Code as “section 988” gains or losses, increase or decrease the amount of a Fund’s investment

105


company taxable income available to be distributed to its shareholders as ordinary income, rather than increasing or decreasing the amount of such Fund’s net capital gain.

Foreign Taxes. Each Fund will be subject to foreign withholding taxes with respect to certain payments received from sources in foreign countries. If at the close of the taxable year more than 50% in value of a Fund’s assets consists of stock in foreign corporations, such Fund will be eligible to make an election to treat a proportionate amount of those taxes as constituting a distribution to each shareholder, which would allow you either (subject to certain limitations) (1) to credit that proportionate amount of taxes against your U.S. Federal income tax liability as a foreign tax credit or (2) to take that amount as an itemized deduction. If a Fund is not eligible or chooses not to make this election, it will be entitled to deduct such taxes in computing the amounts it is required to distribute.

Sales and Exchanges. The sale of Shares is a taxable event on which a gain or loss is recognized. The amount of gain or loss is based on the difference between your tax basis in Shares and the amount you receive for them upon disposition. Generally, you will recognize long-term capital gain or loss if you have held your Shares for over one year at the time you sell or exchange them. Gains and losses on Shares held for one year or less will generally constitute short-term capital gains, except that a loss on Shares held six months or less will be re-characterized as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any long-term capital gain distributions that you have received on the Shares. A loss realized on a sale or exchange of Shares may be disallowed under the so-called “wash sale” rules to the extent the Shares disposed of are replaced with other Shares of that same Fund within a period of 61 days beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after the Shares are disposed of, such as pursuant to a dividend reinvestment in Shares of a Fund. If disallowed, the loss will be reflected in an adjustment to the basis of the Shares acquired.

Taxes on Purchase and Redemption of Creation Units. An Authorized Participant who exchanges securities for Creation Units generally will recognize a gain or a loss. The gain or loss will be equal to the difference between the market value of the Creation Units at the time of purchase (plus any cash received by the Authorized Participant as part of the issue) and the Authorized Participant’s aggregate basis in the securities surrendered (plus any cash paid by the Authorized Participant as part of the issue). An Authorized Participant who exchanges Creation Units for securities generally will recognize a gain or loss equal to the difference between the Authorized Participant’s basis in the Creation Units (plus any cash paid by the Authorized Participant as part of the redemption) and the aggregate market value of the securities received (plus any cash received by the Authorized Participant as part of the redemption). The Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”), however, may assert that a loss realized upon an exchange of securities for Creation Units cannot be deducted currently under the rules governing “wash sales,” or on the basis that there has been no significant change in economic position. Persons exchanging securities should consult their own tax advisor with respect to whether the wash sale rules apply and when a loss might be deductible.

IRAs and Other Tax-Qualified Plans. The one major exception to the preceding tax principles is that distributions on, and sales, exchanges and redemptions of, Shares held in an IRA or other tax-qualified plan are not currently taxable but may be taxable when funds are withdrawn from the tax qualified plan, unless the Shares were purchased with borrowed funds.

Medicare Tax. An additional 3.8% Medicare tax is imposed on certain net investment income (including ordinary dividends and capital gain distributions received from a Fund and net gains from redemptions or other taxable dispositions of Fund Shares) of U.S. individuals, estates and trusts to the extent that such person’s “modified adjusted gross income” (in the case of an individual) or “adjusted gross income” (in the case of an estate or trust) exceeds a threshold amount. This Medicare tax, if applicable, is reported by you on, and paid with, your federal income tax return.

Backup Withholding. Each Fund will be required in certain cases to withhold and remit to the U.S. Treasury backup withholding at the applicable rate on dividends and gross sales proceeds paid to any shareholder (i) who has either provided an incorrect tax identification number or no number at all, (ii) who is subject to backup withholding by the IRS, or (iii) who has failed to certify to a Fund, when required to do so, that he or she is not subject to backup withholding or is an “exempt recipient.”

Cost Basis Reporting. Federal law requires that shareholders' cost basis, gain/loss, and holding period be reported to the IRS and to shareholders on the Consolidated Form 1099s when “covered” securities are sold. Covered securities are any RIC and/or dividend reinvestment plan shares acquired on or after January 1, 2012.

For those securities defined as "covered" under current IRS cost basis tax reporting regulations, accurate cost basis and tax lot information must be maintained for tax reporting purposes. This information is not required for Shares that are not "covered." The Funds and their service providers do not provide tax advice. You should consult independent sources, which may include a tax professional, with respect to any decisions you may make with respect to choosing a tax lot identification method. Shareholders should contact their financial intermediaries with respect to reporting of cost basis and available elections for their accounts.


106


State and Local Taxes. You may also be subject to state and local taxes on income and gain attributable to your ownership of Shares. You should consult your tax advisor regarding the tax status of distributions in your state and locality.

U.S. Tax Treatment of Foreign Shareholders. A non-U.S. shareholder generally will not be subject to U.S. withholding tax on gain from the redemption of Shares or on capital gain dividends (i.e., dividends attributable to long-term capital gains of a Fund) unless, in the case of a shareholder who is a non-resident alien individual, the shareholder is present in the United States for 183 days or more during the taxable year and certain other conditions are met. Non-U.S. shareholders generally will be subject to U.S. withholding tax at a rate of 30% (or a lower treaty rate, if applicable) on distributions by a Fund of net investment income, other ordinary income, and the excess, if any, of net short-term capital gain over net long-term capital loss for the year, unless the distributions are effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business of the shareholder. Exemptions from U.S. withholding tax are provided for certain capital gain dividends paid by a Fund from net long-term capital gains, if any, interest-related dividends paid by the Fund from its qualified net interest income from U.S. sources and short-term capital gain dividends, if such amounts are reported by the Fund. Non-U.S. shareholders are subject to special U.S. tax certification requirements to avoid backup withholding and claim any treaty benefits. Non-U.S. shareholders should consult their tax advisors regarding the U.S. and foreign tax consequences of investing in a Fund.

Other Reporting and Withholding Requirements. Under the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (“FATCA”), a 30% withholding tax is imposed on income dividends paid by a Fund to certain foreign entities, referred to as foreign financial institutions or nonfinancial foreign entities, that fail to comply (or be deemed compliant) with extensive reporting and withholding requirements designed to inform the U.S. Department of the Treasury of U.S.-owned foreign investment accounts. After December 31, 2018, FATCA withholding also would have applied to certain capital gain distributions, return of capital distributions and the proceeds arising from the sale of Fund Shares; however, based on proposed regulations issued by the IRS, which may be relied upon currently, such withholding is no longer required unless final regulations provide otherwise (which is not expected). Information about a shareholder in a Fund may be disclosed to the IRS, non-U.S. taxing authorities or other parties as necessary to comply with FATCA. Withholding also may be required if a foreign entity that is a shareholder of a Fund fails to provide the appropriate certifications or other documentation concerning its status under FATCA.

Consult Your Tax Professional. Your investment in a Fund could have additional tax consequences. You should consult your tax professional for information regarding all tax consequences applicable to your investments in a Fund. More tax information relating to the Funds is also provided in the SAI. This short summary is not intended as a substitute for careful tax planning.

DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE
 
Each Fund calculates its NAV as of the regularly scheduled close of business of the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) (normally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time) on each day that the NYSE is open for business, based on prices at the time of closing, provided that any assets or liabilities denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar shall be translated into U.S. dollars at the prevailing market rates on the date of valuation as quoted by one or more major banks or dealers that make a two-way market in such currencies (or a data service provider based on quotations received from such banks or dealers). The NAV of each Fund is calculated by dividing the value of the net assets of such Fund (i.e., the value of its total assets less total liabilities) by the total number of outstanding Shares, generally rounded to the nearest cent. The price of Fund Shares is based on market price, and because ETF shares trade at market prices rather than NAV, Shares may trade at a price greater than NAV (a premium) or less than NAV (a discount).
 
In calculating a Fund’s NAV, the Fund’s investments are generally valued using market valuations. A market valuation generally means a valuation (i) obtained from an exchange or a major market maker (or dealer), (ii) based on a price quotation or other equivalent indication of value supplied by an exchange, a pricing service, or a major market maker (or dealer), or (iii) based on amortized cost, provided the amortized cost is approximately the value on current sale of the security. In the case of shares of funds that are not traded on an exchange, a market valuation means such fund’s published NAV per share. A Fund may use various pricing services or discontinue the use of any pricing service.

In the event that current market valuations are not readily available or such valuations do not reflect current market values, the affected investments will be valued using fair value pricing pursuant to the pricing policy and procedures approved by the Board of Trustees. A price obtained from a pricing service based on such pricing service's valuation matrix may be used to fair value a security. The frequency with which a Fund’s investments are valued using fair value pricing is primarily a function of the types of securities and other assets in which the Fund invests pursuant to its investment objective, strategies and limitations.

Investments that may be valued using fair value pricing include, but are not limited to: (i) an unlisted security related to corporate actions; (ii) a restricted security (i.e., one that may not be publicly sold without registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”)); (iii) a security whose trading has been suspended or which has been de-listed from its primary trading exchange; (iv) a security that is thinly traded; (v) a security in default or bankruptcy proceedings for which there is no current market quotation; (vi) a security affected by currency controls or restrictions; and (vii) a security affected by a significant event (i.e., an event that occurs after the close of the markets on which the security is traded but before the time as of which the Fund’s NAV is computed and that may materially affect the value of the Fund’s investments). Examples of events that may be “significant events” are government actions, natural disasters, armed conflict, acts of terrorism, and significant market fluctuations.

Valuing a Fund’s investments using fair value pricing will result in using prices for those investments that may differ from current market valuations. Use of fair value prices and certain current market valuations could result in a difference between the prices used to calculate a Fund’s NAV and the prices used by the Fund’s Underlying Index, which, in turn, could result in a difference between the Fund’s performance and the performance of the Fund’s Underlying Index.

107


 
Because foreign markets may be open on different days than the days during which a shareholder may purchase Shares, the value of a Fund’s investments may change on days when shareholders are not able to purchase Shares. Additionally, due to varying holiday schedules, redemption requests made on certain dates may result in a settlement period exceeding seven calendar days. A list of the holiday schedules of the foreign exchanges of each Fund’s Underlying Index, as well as the dates on which a settlement period would exceed seven calendar days in 2020 and 2021, is contained in the SAI.

The value of assets denominated in foreign currencies is converted into U.S. dollars using exchange rates deemed appropriate by the Adviser. Any use of a different rate from the rates used by each Index Provider may adversely affect a Fund’s ability to track its Underlying Index.

The right of redemption may be suspended or the date of payment postponed with respect to a Fund (1) for any period during which the NYSE or listing exchange is closed (other than customary weekend and holiday closings), (2) for any period during which trading on the NYSE or listing exchange is suspended or restricted, (3) for any period during which an emergency exists as a result of which disposal of the Fund’s portfolio securities or determination of its NAV is not reasonably practicable, or (4) in such other circumstances as the SEC permits.

The following discussion applies to the Global X MLP ETF

In calculating the Fund's daily NAV, the Fund will, among other things, account for its deferred tax liability and/or asset balances. As a result, any deferred tax liability and/or asset is reflected in the Fund's daily NAV.

The Fund will accrue a deferred income tax liability balance, at the currently effective statutory U.S. federal income tax rate (currently 21%) plus an estimated state and local income tax rate for its future tax liability associated with that portion of MLP distributions considered to be a tax-advantaged return of capital, as well as for its future tax liability associated with the capital appreciation of its investments. The Fund's current and deferred tax liability, if any, will depend upon the Fund's net investment gains and losses and realized and unrealized gains and losses on investments and therefore may vary greatly from year to year depending on the nature of the Fund's investments, the performance of those investments and general market conditions. Any deferred tax liability balance will reduce the Fund's NAV. Upon the Fund's sale of an MLP security, the Fund may be liable for previously deferred taxes.

The Fund will accrue, in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, a deferred tax asset balance, which reflects an estimate of the Fund's future tax benefit associated with net operating losses and unrealized losses. Any deferred tax asset balance will increase the Fund's NAV. To the extent the Fund has a deferred tax asset balance, the Fund will assess, in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, whether a valuation allowance, which would offset the value of some or all of the Fund's deferred tax asset balance, is required. Pursuant to Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification 740 (FASB ASC 740), the Fund will assess a valuation allowance to reduce some or all of the deferred tax asset balance if, based on the weight of all available evidence, both negative and positive, it is more likely than not that some or all of the deferred tax asset will not be realized. The Fund will use judgment in considering the relative impact of negative and positive evidence. The weight given to the potential effect of negative and positive evidence will be commensurate with the extent to which such evidence can be objectively verified. The Fund's assessment considers, among other matters, the nature, frequency and severity of current and cumulative losses, forecasts of future profitability (which are dependent on, among other factors, future MLP cash distributions), the duration of statutory carryforward periods and the associated risk that operating loss carryforwards may be limited or expire unused. However, this assessment generally may not consider the potential for market value increases with respect to the Fund's investments in equity securities of MLPs or any other securities or assets. Significant weight is given to the Fund's forecast of future taxable income, which is based on, among other factors, the expected continuation of MLP cash distributions at or near current levels. Consideration is also given to the effects of the potential of additional future realized and unrealized gains or losses on investments and the period over which deferred tax assets can be realized, as federal tax net operating loss carryforwards expire in twenty years and federal capital loss carryforwards expire in five years. Recovery of a deferred tax asset is dependent on continued payment of the MLP cash distributions at or near current levels in the future and the resultant generation of taxable income. The Fund will assess whether a valuation allowance is required to offset some or all of any deferred tax asset in connection with the calculation of the Fund's NAV per share each day; however, to the extent the final valuation allowance differs from the estimates the Fund used in calculating the Fund's daily NAV, the application of such final valuation allowance could have a material impact on the Fund's NAV.

The Fund's deferred tax asset and/or liability balances are estimated using estimates of effective tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years such balances are realized. The Fund will rely to some extent on information provided by MLPs in determining the extent to which distributions received from MLPs constitute a return of capital, which may not be provided to the Fund on a timely basis, to estimate the Fund's deferred tax liability and/or asset balances for purposes of financial statement

108


reporting and determining its NAV. If such information is not received from such MLPs on a timely basis, the Fund will estimate the extent to which distributions received from MLPs constitute a return of capital based on average historical tax characterization of distributions made by MLPs. The Fund's estimates regarding its deferred tax liability and/or asset balances are made in good faith; however, the daily estimate of the Fund's deferred tax liability and/or asset balances used to calculate the Fund's NAV could vary dramatically from the Fund's actual tax liability. Actual income tax expense, if any, will be incurred over many years, depending on if and when investment gains and losses are realized, the then-current basis of the Fund's assets and other factors. As a result, the determination of the Fund's actual tax liability may have a material impact on the Fund's NAV. The Fund's daily NAV calculation will be based on then current estimates and assumptions regarding the Fund's deferred tax liability and/or asset balances and any applicable valuation allowance, based on all information available to the Fund at such time. From time to time, the Fund may modify its estimates or assumptions regarding its deferred tax liability and/or asset balances and any applicable valuation allowance as new information becomes available. Modifications of the Fund's estimates or assumptions regarding its deferred tax liability and/or asset balances and any applicable valuation allowance, changes in generally accepted accounting principles or related guidance or interpretations thereof, limitations imposed on net operating losses (if any) and changes inapplicable tax law could result in increases or decreases in the Fund's NAV per share, which could be material.

PREMIUM/DISCOUNT INFORMATION
 

109


Information regarding how often the Shares of each Fund traded on the national securities exchanges at a price above (i.e., at a premium to) or below (i.e., at a discount to) the NAV of the Fund during the past four calendar quarters can be found at www.globalxetfs.com.

TOTAL RETURN INFORMATION
 
Each Fund had commenced operations as of the most recent fiscal year end.

The tables that follow present information about the total returns of each operational Fund's Underlying Index and the total returns of each such Fund. The information presented for each Fund is as of its fiscal year ended November 30, 2019.
 
“Annualized Total Returns” or "Cumulative Total Returns" represent the total change in value of an investment over the periods indicated.
 
Each Fund’s per share NAV is the value of one share of the Fund as calculated in accordance with the standard formula for valuing mutual fund Shares. The NAV return is based on the NAV of each Fund and the market return is based on the market prices of the Fund. The price used to calculate market prices is determined by using the midpoint between the bid and the ask on the primary stock exchange on which Shares of the Fund are listed for trading, as of the time that the Fund’s NAV is calculated. Market and NAV returns assume that dividends and capital gain distributions have been reinvested in the Fund at market prices and NAV, respectively.
 
An index is a statistical composite that tracks a specified financial market or sector. Unlike a Fund, an Underlying Index does not actually hold a portfolio of securities and therefore does not incur the expenses incurred by the Fund. These expenses negatively impact the performance of a Fund. Also, market returns do not include brokerage commissions that may be payable on secondary market transactions. If brokerage commissions were included, market returns would be lower. The returns shown in the tables below do not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or the redemption or sale of Fund Shares. The investment return and principal value of Shares of a Fund will vary with changes in market conditions. Shares of a Fund may be worth more or less than their original cost when they are redeemed or sold in the market. A Fund’s past performance is no guarantee of future results.
 






110


Annualized Total Returns
Inception to 11/30/19 
 
NAV
MARKET
UNDERLYING INDEX
Global X MLP ETF1
-2.16%
-2.13%
-1.96%
Global X MLP & Energy Infrastructure ETF2
-0.38%
-0.29%
0.26%
Global X U.S. Preferred ETF3
5.23%
5.52%
5.49%
Global X SuperDividend® Alternatives ETF4
7.62%
7.58%
8.43%
Global X S&P 500® Quality Dividend ETF5
7.29%
7.35%
7.65%
Global X TargetIncomeTM 5 ETF6
3.31%
3.40%
3.77%
Global X TargetIncomeTM Plus 2 ETF7
3.32%
3.42%
3.76%
Global X Adaptive U.S. Factor ETF8
6.66%
6.76%
7.04%
1    For the period since inception on 04/18/12 to 11/30/19
2    For the period since inception on 08/06/13 to 11/30/19
3    For the period since inception on 09/11/17 to 11/30/19
4    For the period since inception on 07/13/15 to 11/30/19
5    For the period since inception on 07/13/18 to 11/30/19
6    For the period since inception on 07/27/18 to 11/30/19
7    For the period since inception on 07/27/18 to 11/30/19
8    For the period since inception on 08/24/18 to 11/30/19



Cumulative Total Returns
Inception to 11/30/19 
 
NAV
MARKET
UNDERLYING INDEX
Global X MLP ETF1
-15.34%
-15.13%
-14.00%
Global X MLP & Energy Infrastructure ETF2
-2.38%
-1.82%
1.68%
Global X U.S. Preferred ETF3
11.98%
12.67%
12.59%
Global X SuperDividend® Alternatives ETF4
37.94%
37.74%
42.59%
Global X S&P 500® Quality Dividend ETF5
10.21%
10.29%
10.74%
Global X TargetIncomeTM 5 ETF6
4.47%
4.59%
5.10%
Global X TargetIncomeTM Plus 2 ETF7
4.49%
4.62%
5.08%
Global X Adaptive U.S. Factor ETF8
8.53%
8.65%
9.02%
1    For the period since inception on 04/18/12 to 11/30/19
2    For the period since inception on 08/06/13 to 11/30/19
3    For the period since inception on 09/11/17 to 11/30/19
4    For the period since inception on 07/13/15 to 11/30/19
5    For the period since inception on 07/13/18 to 11/30/19
6    For the period since inception on 07/27/18 to 11/30/19
7    For the period since inception on 07/27/18 to 11/30/19
8    For the period since inception on 08/24/18 to 11/30/19

INFORMATION REGARDING THE INDICES AND THE INDEX PROVIDERS

Solactive MLP Infrastructure Index
 
The Solactive MLP Infrastructure Index is intended to give investors a means of tracking the performance of the energy infrastructure MLP asset class in the United States. As of January 31, 2020, the index was comprised of 20 MLPs engaged in the transportation, storage, and processing of natural resources. The index is comprised of MLPs that meet certain criteria relating to size and liquidity, as determined by Solactive AG. The index is maintained by Solactive AG.

Solactive MLP & Energy Infrastructure Index
 

111


The Solactive MLP & Energy Infrastructure Index is intended to give investors a means of tracking the performance of MLPs and energy infrastructure corporations. Midstream energy infrastructure MLPs and corporations principally own and operate assets used in energy logistics, including, but not limited to, pipelines, storage facilities and other assets used in transporting, storing, gathering, and processing natural gas, natural gas liquids, crude oil or refined products. The index limits its exposure to partnerships in order to comply with applicable tax diversification rules. Securities must be publicly traded in the United States. As of January 31, 2020, the index was comprised of 31 securities. The index is comprised of securities that meet certain criteria relating to size and liquidity, as determined by Solactive AG. The index is maintained by Solactive AG.
 
ICE BofAML Diversified Core U.S. Preferred Securities Index

The ICE BofAML Diversified Core U.S. Preferred Securities Index is designed to track the broad-based performance of the U.S. preferred securities market. The ICE BofAML Diversified Core U.S. Preferred Securities Index includes different categories of preferred stock, such as floating, variable and fixed-rate preferreds, cumulative and non-cumulative preferreds, and trust preferreds. Qualifying preferred securities must be listed on a U.S. exchange, denominated in U.S. dollars, and have a minimum amount outstanding of $50 million. Qualifying preferred securities must meet minimum price, liquidity, maturity and other requirements as determined by ICE Data Indices, LLC.
  
Constituents in the ICE BofAML Diversified Core U.S. Preferred Securities Index are capitalization-weighted based on their current amount outstanding times the market price plus accrued interest. A weighting cap of 10% is applied at the issuer level in order to limit the aggregate weight of a single issuer to 10% at each rebalance. The ICE BofAML Diversified Core U.S. Preferred Securities Index is rebalanced quarterly.

Indxx SuperDividend® Alternatives Index

The Indxx SuperDividend® Alternatives Index is comprised of securities that rank among the highest dividend yielding securities in each eligible category of alternative income investments, at the time of index reconstitution, as defined by the index provider. Alternative income investments that are eligible for inclusion in the index fall into one of four classes: MLPs and Infrastructure, Real Estate, Institutional Managers, and Fixed Income and Derivative Strategies. The MLPs and Infrastructure category primarily consists of units of MLPs and shares of infrastructure companies. The Real Estate category provides exposure to global Real Estate Investment Trusts ("REITs"), and gains this exposure through the Global X SuperDividend® REIT ETF. The Institutional Managers category primarily consists of shares of BDCs and listed private equity. The Fixed Income and Derivative Strategies category includes exposure to emerging market debt, mortgage and asset backed securities, and option-writing primarily through the purchase of publicly traded CEFs. Each of the index components are selected from a universe of securities that are publicly traded in the U.S. The index assigns weights to each of the four categories in a method that seeks to equalize the volatility contribution of each category, which assigns less weight to higher volatility categories and more weight to lower volatility categories. The index is reconstituted annually, but may rebalance quarterly if any one category deviates more than 3% from its target weight.

S&P 500® Quality High Dividend Index

The S&P 500® Quality High Dividend Index is designed to provide exposure to U.S. equity securities included in the S&P 500® Index that exhibit high quality and dividend yield characteristics, as determined by Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC, the provider of the S&P 500® Quality High Dividend Index. All constituents of the S&P 500® Quality High Dividend Index are members of the S&P 500® Index and follow the eligibility criteria for that index. From this starting universe, eligible constituents are screened to include only securities that rank within the top 200 of the S&P 500® Index universe by both quality score and dividend yield. The S&P 500® Quality High Dividend Index is equal weighted and is reconstituted and rebalanced semi-annually. At each semi-annual rebalance, a sector capping methodology is applied to reduce sector concentration and increase diversification of the S&P 500® Quality High Dividend Index. As of January 31, 2020, the S&P 500® Quality High Dividend Index had 70 constituents.

Wilshire TargetIncomeTM 5% Plus Index

The Wilshire TargetIncomeTM 5% Plus Index seeks to provide broad exposure to income-producing asset classes using a portfolio of exchange-traded funds (each, an "Underlying ETF"), with the goal, but not the guarantee, of providing exposure that may be sufficient to support an annualized yield of five percent (5.0%) for the Fund, net of fees. The Wilshire TargetIncomeTM 5% Plus Index targets an annualized yield that is somewhat higher than 5% ("5% Plus"), which is intended to provide a fund with the ability to achieve such a 5% target, net of fund fees. The Wilshire TargetIncomeTM 5% Plus Index allocates index weights among the Underlying ETFs based on a methodology developed by Wilshire Associates, the provider of the Wilshire TargetIncomeTM 5% Plus Index, which is designed to achieve the target income objective while also utilizing an optimization approach that seeks to minimize the overall risk of the portfolio. The share prices of the Underlying ETFs are expected to track the performance of equities

112


or bonds in developed or emerging markets, senior loans, preferred securities, REITs, MLPs and energy infrastructure equities, U.S. Treasury bonds, and TIPS. The Underlying ETFs which invest in bonds may have exposure to investment grade and non-investment grade bonds.

The Wilshire TargetIncomeTM 5% Plus Index is constructed from the eligible income-producing asset classes, each of which is represented by an Underlying ETF that provides exposure to the given asset class. On a quarterly basis, and subject to certain weighting constraints, the Wilshire TargetIncomeTM 5% Plus Index is rebalanced to allocate weights to a subset of the eligible Underlying ETFs using a quantitative optimization approach that is described in more detail below. The Wilshire TargetIncomeTM 5% Plus Index has a target yield of 5% Plus, which is expected to be generated by the income from the allocation to the Underlying ETFs.

Optimization is the quantitative process of selecting a specific portfolio allocation from the set of all potential portfolio allocations, based on a defined objective and subject to certain constraints. Given that the objective of the Wilshire TargetIncomeTM 5% Plus Index is to achieve the stated income target while seeking to minimize overall portfolio risk, the primary optimization inputs for the Wilshire TargetIncomeTM 5% Plus Index are the yield, volatility, and correlation characteristics of the Underlying ETFs. The primary optimization constraints are the maximum weights of the Underlying ETFs as described in more detail below. Based on these inputs and constraints, the optimization process quantitatively determines the allocation to the Underlying ETFs at each quarterly rebalance.

As of January 31, 2020, the Underlying ETFs eligible for inclusion in the Wilshire TargetIncomeTM 5% Plus Index are: Global X SuperDividend® ETF, Global X SuperDividend® U.S. ETF, iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF, VanEck Vectors® J.P. Morgan EM Local Currency Bond ETF, iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF, Xtrackers USD High Yield Corporate Bond ETF, SPDR Blackstone / GSO Senior Loan ETF, Schwab U.S. TIPS ETF, Global X MLP & Energy Infrastructure ETF, Global X U.S. Preferred ETF, and Schwab U.S. REIT ETF. Each Underlying ETF has a minimum weight of 0% and a maximum weight of 20% at each quarterly rebalance.

Wilshire TargetIncomeTM 10-Year Treasury +2% Plus Index

The Wilshire TargetIncomeTM 10-Year Treasury +2% Plus Index seeks to provide broad exposure to income-producing asset classes using a portfolio of exchange-traded funds (each, an "Underlying ETF"), with the goal, but not the guarantee, of providing exposure that may be sufficient to support an annualized yield of the US 10-Year Treasury yield plus two percent (2.0%) for the Fund, net of fees. The Wilshire TargetIncomeTM 10-Year Treasury +2% Plus Index targets an annualized yield that is somewhat higher than the US 10-Year Treasury yield plus 2% ("US 10-Year Treasury +2% Plus"), which is intended to provide a fund with the ability to achieve the US 10-Year Treasury yield plus 2% target, net of fund fees. The Wilshire TargetIncomeTM 10-Year Treasury +2% Plus Index allocates index weights among the Underlying ETFs based on a methodology developed by Wilshire Associates, the provider of the Wilshire TargetIncomeTM 10-Year Treasury +2% Plus Index, which is designed to achieve the target income objective while also utilizing an optimization approach that seeks to minimize the overall risk of the portfolio. The share prices of the Underlying ETFs are expected to track the performance of equities or bonds in developed or emerging markets, senior loans, preferred securities, REITs, MLPs and energy infrastructure equities, U.S. Treasury bonds, and TIPS. The Underlying ETFs which invest in bonds may have exposure to investment grade and non-investment grade bonds.

The Wilshire TargetIncomeTM 10-Year Treasury +2% Plus Index is constructed from the eligible income-producing asset classes, each of which is represented by an Underlying ETF that provides exposure to the given asset class. On a quarterly basis, and subject to certain weighting constraints, the Wilshire TargetIncomeTM 10-Year Treasury +2% Plus Index is rebalanced to allocate weights to a subset of the eligible Underlying ETFs using a quantitative optimization approach that is described in more detail below. The Wilshire TargetIncomeTM 10-Year Treasury +2% Plus Index has a target yield of US 10-Year Treasury +2% Plus, which is expected to be generated by the income from the allocation to the Underlying ETFs.

Optimization is the quantitative process of selecting a specific portfolio allocation from the set of all potential portfolio allocations, based on a defined objective and subject to certain constraints. Given that the objective of the Wilshire TargetIncomeTM 10-Year Treasury +2% Plus Index is to achieve the stated income target while seeking to minimize overall portfolio risk, the primary optimization inputs for the Wilshire TargetIncomeTM 10-Year Treasury +2% Plus Index are the yield, volatility, and correlation characteristics of the Underlying ETFs. The primary optimization constraints are the maximum weights of the Underlying ETFs as described in more detail below. Based on these inputs and constraints, the optimization process quantitatively determines the allocation to the Underlying ETFs at each quarterly rebalance.

As of January 31, 2020, the Underlying ETFs eligible for inclusion in the Wilshire TargetIncomeTM 10-Year Treasury +2% Plus Index are: Global X SuperDividend® ETF, Global X SuperDividend® U.S. ETF, iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF, VanEck Vectors® J.P. Morgan EM Local Currency Bond ETF, iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF, Xtrackers USD High Yield Corporate

113


Bond ETF, SPDR Blackstone / GSO Senior Loan ETF, Schwab U.S. TIPS ETF, Global X MLP & Energy Infrastructure ETF, Global X U.S. Preferred ETF, and Schwab U.S. REIT ETF. Each Underlying ETF has a minimum weight of 0% and a maximum weight of 20% at each quarterly rebalance.

Adaptive Wealth Strategies U.S. Factor Index

The Adaptive Wealth Strategies U.S. Factor Index is owned and was developed by Carroll Financial. The Index is calculated and maintained by Solactive AG. The Adaptive Wealth Strategies U.S. Factor Index is designed to dynamically allocate across three sub-indices that provide exposure to U.S. equities that exhibit characteristics of one of three primary factors: value, momentum and low volatility. Each factor is represented by a sub-index that is derived from the Solactive U.S. Large & Mid Cap Index, which is designed to measure the 1,000 largest companies, by free float market capitalization, that are exchange-listed in the United States:

Solactive U.S. Large & Mid Cap Value 100 Index TR – This index is designed to measure the performance of the 100 stocks in the Solactive U.S. Large & Mid Cap Index that exhibit the greatest exposure to the value factor.

Solactive U.S. Large & Mid Cap Momentum 100 Index TR – This index is designed to measure the performance of the 100 stocks in the Solactive U.S. Large & Mid Cap Index that exhibit the highest degree of relative performance.

Solactive U.S. Large & Mid Cap Minimum Downside Volatility 100 Index TR – This index is designed to measure the performance of the 100 stocks in the Solactive U.S. Large & Mid Cap Index that exhibit the lowest degree of downside volatility.

The Adaptive Wealth Strategies U.S. Factor Index is rebalanced quarterly. At each rebalance, the Adaptive Wealth Strategies U.S. Factor Index allocates weight to the three sub-indices based on the relative performance of each sub-index since the last rebalance of the Adaptive Wealth Strategies U.S. Factor Index. The Adaptive Wealth Strategies U.S. Factor Index is designed to always be fully allocated to at least two of the three sub-indices described above. As of January 31, 2020, the Adaptive Wealth Strategies U.S. Factor Index had 262 constituents.

Disclaimers

The Index Providers are independent of the Fund and Global X Management Company LLC, the investment adviser for the Fund ("Adviser"). The Index Providers determine the relative weightings of the constituents of the Underlying Index and publish information regarding the market value of the Underlying Index.

Solactive AG (Solactive) is a leading company in the structuring and indexing business for institutional clients. Solactive runs the Solactive index platform. Solactive indices are used by issuers worldwide as underlying indices for financial products. Solactive does not sponsor, endorse or promote any Fund and is not in any way connected to it and does not accept any liability in relation to their issue, operation and trading.

Indxx is a service mark of Indxx, LLC and has been licensed for use for certain purposes by the Adviser. The Fund are not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by Indxx. Indxx makes no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of the Fund or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in the Fund particularly. Indxx has no obligation to take the needs of the Adviser or the shareholders of the Fund into consideration in determining, composing or calculating the Underlying Indices. Indxx is not responsible for and has not participated in the determination of the timing, amount or pricing of the Fund Shares to be issued or in the determination or calculation of the equation by which the Fund Shares are to be converted into cash. Indxx has no obligation or liability in connection with the administration, marketing or trading of the Fund.

ICE BofAML Diversified Core U.S. Preferred Securities IndexSM/® is a service mark of ICE Data, LP or its affiliates (ICE Data) and has been licensed for use by Global X Management Company LLC (the Issuer) in connection with Global X U.S. Preferred ETF (the ETP Securities). Neither the Issuer nor the ETP Securities are sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by ICE Data. ICE Data makes no representations or warranties regarding the Issuer or the ETP Securities or the ability of the ICE BofAML Diversified Core U.S. Preferred Securities IndexSM/® to track general stock market performance.

ICE DATA MAKES NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, AND HEREBY EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE WITH RESPECT TO THE ICE BOFAML DIVERSIFIED CORE U.S. PREFERRED SECURITIES INDEXSM/® OR ANY DATA INCLUDED THEREIN. IN NO EVENT SHALL ICE DATA HAVE ANY LIABILITY FOR ANY SPECIAL, PUNITIVE, INDIRECT, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING LOST PROFITS), EVEN IF NOTIFIED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.

114



Standard & Poor's® and S&P® are registered trademarks of Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC ("S&P") and have been licensed for use by the Adviser. The Global X S&P 500® Quality Dividend ETF ("ETF") is not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by Standard & Poor's and its affiliates ("S&P"). S&P makes no representation, condition or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of the ETF or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in the ETF particularly or the ability of the S&P 500® Quality High Dividend Index (the "Index") to track the performance of certain financial markets and/or sections thereof and/or of groups of assets or asset classes. S&P's only relationship to the Adviser is the licensing of certain trademarks and trade names and of the index which is determined, composed and calculated by S&P without regard to the Adviser or the ETF. S&P has no obligation to take the needs of Global X Management Company, LLC or the owners of the ETF into consideration in determining, composing or calculating the index. S&P is not responsible for and has not participated in the determination of the prices and amount of the ETF or the timing of the issuance or sale of the ETF or in the determination or calculation of the equation by which the ETF units are to be converted into cash. S&P has no obligation or liability in connection with the administration, marketing, or trading of the ETF.

Neither S&P, its affiliates nor third party licensors, guarantees the accuracy and/or the completeness of the index or any data included therein and S&P, its affiliates and their third party licensors, shall have no liability for any errors, omissions, or interruptions therein. S&P, its affiliates and third party licensors make no warranty, condition or representation, express or implied, as to the results to be obtained by to Adviser, owners of the ETF, or any other person or entity from the use of the index or any data included therein. S&P makes no express or implied warranties, representations or conditions, and expressly disclaims all warranties or conditions of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose or use and any other express or implied warranty or condition with respect to the index or any data included therein. Without limiting any of the foregoing, in no event shall S&P, its affiliates or their third party licensors, have any liability for any special, punitive, indirect, or consequential damages (including lost profits) resulting from the use of the index or any data included therein, even if notified of the possibility of such damages.

The Global X Adaptive U.S. Factor ETF and its common shares are not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by Carroll Financial. Carroll Financial makes no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the shareholders of the Global X Adaptive U.S. Factor ETF or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in the Global X Adaptive U.S. Factor ETF particularly or the ability of any data supplied by Carroll Financial, to track general stock market performance. Carroll Financial's only relationship to the Adviser is the licensing of certain trademarks and trade names of Adaptive Wealth Strategies and of the data supplied by Carroll Financial related to the Adaptive Wealth Strategies U.S. Factor Index, which is determined, composed and calculated by Solactive AG without regard to this Global X Adaptive U.S. Factor ETF or its common shares. Carroll Financial has no obligation to take the needs of the Adviser or the shareholders of the Global X Adaptive U.S. Factor ETF into consideration in determining, composing or calculating the data supplied by Carroll Financial. Carroll Financial is not responsible for and has not participated in the determination of the prices of the common shares of the Global X Adaptive U.S. Factor ETF or the timing of the issuance or sale of such common shares. Carroll Financial has no obligation or liability in connection with the administration, marketing or trading of the Global X Adaptive U.S. Factor ETF or its common shares.

OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS
 
SEI Investments Global Funds Services is the sub-administrator for each Fund.
 
Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. is the custodian and transfer agent for each Fund.
 
Stradley Ronon Stevens & Young, LLP serves as counsel for the Trust and the Trust's Independent Trustees.
 
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP serves as the Funds' independent registered public accounting firm and has audited the financial statements for the Funds for the fiscal years ended November 30, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019. A previous independent registered public accounting firm audited the financial statements of the Funds for the fiscal years ended November 30, 2015.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The Trust enters into contractual arrangements with various parties, including among others, the Funds’ Adviser, sub-adviser(s) (if applicable), custodian, and transfer agent who provide services to the Funds. Shareholders are not parties to any such contractual arrangements and are not intended beneficiaries of those contractual arrangements, and those contractual arrangements are not intended to create in any shareholder any right to enforce them against the service providers or to seek any remedy under them against the service providers, either directly or on behalf of the Trust.

This Prospectus provides information concerning the Funds that investors should consider in determining whether to purchase Fund Shares. Neither this Prospectus nor the SAI is intended, or should be read, to be or give rise to an agreement or contract between the Trust or the Funds and any investor, or to give rise to any rights in any shareholder or other person other than any rights under federal or state law that may not be waived.

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
 
Each Fund has commenced operations and has financial highlights. The financial highlights tables are intended to help investors understand a Fund's financial performance since the Fund's inception. Certain information reflects financial results for a single Share of a Fund. The total returns in the tables represent the rate that an investor would have earned (or lost) on an investment in a Fund, assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions.

PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP serves as the Funds' independent registered public accounting firm and has audited the financial statements of the Funds for the fiscal years ended November 30, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019. The Funds' former independent registered public accounting firm audited the financial statements of the Funds for the fiscal years ended November 30, 2015. The Funds' financial statements are available without charge upon request.

115




 
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
 

Selected Per Share Data & Ratios
For a Share Outstanding Throughout the Period
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Ratio of Expenses to
Average Net Assets
Ratio of Investment Income/ (Loss) to Average Net Asset
 
 
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period ($)
Net Investment
(Loss) ($)*
Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Investments ($)
Total from Operations
 ($)
Distribution in Net Investment Income ($)
Return
of
Capital ($)
Total from Distributions ($)
Net
Asset Value, End of Period ($)
Total Return (%)**
Net
Assets End of Period
($)(000)
Before Net Deferred Tax Expense (%)
Net Tax Expense (%)
Total Expenses (%)
Before Net Tax Benefit (%)
Net Tax Benefit (%)
Net Investment Loss (%)
Portfolio Turnover (%)
Global X MLP ETF
2019
8.54
(0.04)
(0.46)
(0.50)
(0.72)
(0.72)
7.32
(6.54)
947,045
0.46
0.46
(0.46)
(0.46)
55.65
2018
9.42
(0.04)
(0.07)
(0.11)
(0.02)
(0.75)
(0.77)
8.54
(1.72)
828,622
0 .45
(0.00)
0.45
(0.45)
(0.45)
30.35
2017
11.24
(0.05)
(0.98)
(1.03)
(0.00)
(0.79)
(0.79)
9.42
(9.85)
692,954
0.46
(0.11)
0.35
(0.46)
(0.46)
35.11
2016
10.56
(0.07)
1.58
1.51
(0.02)
(0.81)
(0.83)
11.24
15.34
373,566
0.47
0.03
0.50
(0.47)
(0.23)
(0.70)
37.20
2015
16.45
(0.09)
(4.83)
(4.92)
(0.97)
(0.97)
10.56
(31.08)
182,127
0.45
(4.81)
(4.36)
(0.44)
(0.18)
(0.62)
47.44

*    Per share data calculated using average shares method.
**
Total Return is based on the change in net asset value of a share during the year/period and assumes reinvestment of dividends and distributions at net asset value. Total Return is for the period indicated and has not been annualized. The return shown does not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or the redemption of Fund shares.
†    Portfolio turnover rate is for the period indicated and has not been annualized. Excludes effect of in-kind transfers.

Amounts designated as "—" are either $0 or have been rounded to $0.



116


 
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
 

Selected Per Share Data & Ratios
For a Share Outstanding Throughout the Period
 
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period ($)
Net Investment Income
($)*
Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Investments ($)
Total from Operations
 ($)
Distribution from Net Investment Income ($)
Distribution from Capital Gains ($)
Return of Capital ($)
Total from Distributions ($)
Net Asset Value, End of Period ($)
Total Return (%)**
Net Assets End of Period
($)(000)
Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets (%)
Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average Net Assets (%)
Portfolio Turnover (%)††
Global X MLP & Energy Infrastructure ETF
2019
12.13
0.38
(0.63)
(0.25)
(0.67)
(0.06)
(0.73)
11.15
(2.34)
612,300
0.45
3.03
36.57
2018
12.80
0.35
(0.37)
(0.02)
(0.52)
(0.13)
(0.65)
12.13
(0.43)
540,381
0.45
2.65
25.68
2017
14.82
0.31
(1.54)
(1.23)
(0.72)
(0.07)
(0.79)
12.80
(8.71)
305,980
0.45
2.20
40.42
2016
13.47
0.36
1.59
1.95
(0.60)
(0.60)
14.82
15.45
130,451
0.45
2.79
56.14
2015
18.92
0.27
(5.15)
(4.88)
(0.33)
(0.24)
(0.57)
13.47
(26.30)
97,682
0.45
1.56
33.36
Global X U.S. Preferred ETF
2019
22.97
1.36
1.83
3.19
(1.37)
(1.37)
24.79
14.25
585,150
0.24
5.57
32.93
2018
25.03
1.44
(2.08)
(0.64)
(1.42)
(1.42)
22.97
(2.72)
188,314
0.23
5.98
42.90
2017(1)
25.08
0.44
(0.25)
0.19
(0.24)
(0.24)
25.03
0.75
26,276
0.23†
8.01†
3.82
Global X SuperDividend® Alternatives ETF
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2019
14.52
0.94
0.44
1.38
(1.07)
(0.09)
(1.16)
14.74
9.89
28,012
0.75
6.39
18.16
2018
15.40
0.92
(0.64)
0.28
(1.16)
(1.16)
14.52
1.89
16,698
0.75
6.19
18.32
2017
14.65
1.04
0.85
1.89
(1.01)
(0.13)
(1.14)
15.40
13.24
11,549
0.75
6.75
34.84
2016
14.43
0.99#
0.53^
1.52
(1.15)
(0.15)
(1.30)
14.65
11.04
5,127
0.75
6.78
30.80
2015(2)
15.04
0.45
(0.76)
(0.31)
(0.30)
(0.30)
14.43
(2.02)
1,443
0.75†
8.04†
21.50
Global X S&P 500® Quality Dividend ETF
2019
24.60
0.75
1.89
2.64
(0.73)
(0.73)
26.51
11.01
9,278
0.28‡
2.99
49.18
2018(3)
25.00
0.26
(0.44)
(0.18)
(0.22)
(0.22)
24.60
(0.72)
2,460
0.36†
2.70†
1.18
Global X TargetIncomeTM 5 ETF
2019
23.95
1.43
0.30
1.73
(1.44)
(0.01)
(1.45)
24.23
7.54
1,212
0.40
5.98
63.30
2018(4)
25.00
0.48
(1.19)
(0.71)
(0.34)
(0.34)
23.95
(2.86)
2,395
0.39†
5.65†
16.00
Global X TargetIncomeTM Plus 2 ETF
2019
23.98
1.06
0.67
1.73
(1.33)
(0.01)
(1.34)
24.37
7.44
9,747
0.39
4.37
31.54
2018(4)
25.00
0.47
(1.15)
(0.68)
(0.34)
(0.34)
23.98
(2.74)
2,399
0.39†
5.57†
11.11
Global X Adaptive U.S. Factor ETF
2019
24.39
0.89
1.53
2.42
(1.02)
-^^
(1.02)
25.79
10.27
189,564
0.27
3.63
112.43
2018(5)
25.00
0.22
(0.61)
(0.39)
(0.19)
(0.03)
(0.22)
24.39
(1.58)
102,438
0.27†
3.31†
28.89

(1)    The Fund commenced operations on September 11, 2017.
(2)    The Fund commenced operations on July 13, 2015.
(3)    The Fund commenced operations on July 13, 2018.
(4)    The Fund commenced operations on July 27, 2018.
(5)    The Fund commenced operations on August 24, 2018.
^
The amount shown for a share outstanding throughout the period does not accord with the aggregate net gains on investments for the period because of the sales and repurchases of fund shares in relation to fluctuating market value of the investments of the Fund.
*    Per share data calculated using average shares method.
**
Total Return is for the period indicated and has not been annualized. The return shown does not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or the redemption of Fund Shares.
†    Annualized.
††
Portfolio turnover rate is for the period indicated and has not been annualized. Excludes effect of in-kind transfers.
Effective September 13, 2019, the Fund’s fees were permanently lowered to 0.20%. Prior to September 13, 2019, the ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets included the effect of a waiver from July 26, 2019 until September 13, 2019. If these offsets were excluded, the ratio would have been 0.31% for the year ended November 30, 2019.
#
Effective November 1, 2015, the Fund changed its method for estimating the characterization of amounts distributed by master limited partnerships, which correspondingly impacted the financial highlight ratios and per share disclosures to the extent that the fund recorded investment income that differed from amounts previously estimated.
^^
Amount is less than $0.005.
Amounts designated as "—" are either $0 or have been rounded to $0.

117


OTHER INFORMATION
 
The Funds are not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by any national securities exchange. No national securities exchange makes any representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of Shares or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in the Funds particularly or the ability of the Funds to achieve their objectives. No national securities exchange has any obligation or liability in connection with the administration, marketing or trading of the Funds.
 
For purposes of the 1940 Act, shares that are issued by a registered investment company and purchases of such shares by investment companies and companies relying on Sections 3(c)(1) or 3(c)(7) of the 1940 Act are subject to the restrictions set forth in Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act, except as permitted by an exemptive order that permits registered investment companies to invest in shares beyond the limits in Section 12(d)(1)(A), subject to certain terms and conditions.
 
The Trust has obtained an SEC order permitting registered investment companies to invest in Shares, as described above. One such condition stated in the order is that investment companies relying on the order must enter into a written agreement with the Trust.
 
The method by which Creation Units are created and traded may raise certain issues under applicable securities laws. Because new Creation Units are issued and sold by the Funds on an ongoing basis, a “distribution,” as such term is used in the Securities Act, may occur at any point. 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 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 Units after placing an order with the Distributor, breaks them down into constituent Shares, and sells such Shares directly to customers, or if it chooses to couple the creation of a supply of new Shares with an active selling effort involving solicitation of secondary market demand for Shares. A determination of whether one is an underwriter for purposes of the Securities Act must take into account all the facts and circumstances pertaining to the activities of the broker-dealer or its client in the particular case, and the examples mentioned above should not be considered a complete description of all the activities that could lead to a categorization as an underwriter.
 
Broker-dealers who are not “underwriters” but are participating in a distribution (as contrasted with ordinary secondary trading transactions), and thus dealing with Shares that are part of an “unsold allotment” within the meaning of Section 4(3)(C) of the Securities Act, would be unable to take advantage of the prospectus delivery exemption provided by Section 4(3) of the Securities Act. 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. As a result, broker-dealer firms should note that dealers who are not underwriters but are participating in a distribution (as contrasted with ordinary secondary market transactions) and thus dealing with the Shares that are part of an overallotment within the meaning of Section 4(3)(A) of the Securities Act would be unable to take advantage of the prospectus delivery exemption provided by Section 4(3) of the Securities Act. Firms that incur a prospectus delivery obligation with respect to Shares are reminded that, under Rule 153 of the Securities Act, a prospectus delivery obligation under Section 5(b)(2) of the Securities Act owed to an exchange member in connection with a sale on NYSE Arca, NASDAQ or Cboe BZX is satisfied by the fact that the prospectus is available at NYSE Arca, NASDAQ or Cboe BZX upon request. The prospectus delivery mechanism provided in Rule 153 is only available with respect to transactions on an exchange.





118


For more information visit our website at
 
www.globalxetfs.com

or call 1-888-493-8631

 
Investment Adviser and Administrator
Global X Management Company LLC
605 3rd Avenue, 43rd Floor
New York, NY 10158
 
Distributor
SEI Investments Distribution Co.
One Freedom Valley Drive
Oaks, PA 19456
 
Custodian and Transfer Agent
Brown Brothers Harriman & Co.
50 Post Office Square
Boston, MA 02110
Sub-Administrator
SEI Investments Global Funds Services
One Freedom Valley Drive
Oaks, PA 19456
 
Legal Counsel to the Global X Funds® and Independent Trustees
Stradley Ronon Stevens & Young, LLP
2000 K Street, N.W., Suite 700
Washington, DC 20006


Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
Two Commerce Square, Suite 1800
2001 Market Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103

119


A Statement of Additional Information dated April 1, 2020, which contains more details about the Funds, is incorporated by reference in its entirety into this Prospectus, which means that it is legally part of this Prospectus.
 
Additional information about each Fund that has commenced operations and its investments is available in its annual and semi-annual reports to shareholders. The annual report explains the market conditions and investment strategies affecting each Fund’s performance during its last fiscal year.
 
You can ask questions or obtain a free copy of each such Fund’s semi-annual and annual report or the Statement of Additional Information by calling 1-888-493-8631. Free copies of a Fund’s semi-annual and annual report and the Statement of Additional Information are available from our website at www.globalxetfs.com.
 
Information about each Fund, including its semi-annual and annual reports and the Statement of Additional Information, has been filed with the SEC. It can be reviewed and copied on the EDGAR database on the SEC’s internet site (http://www.sec.gov). You can also request copies of these materials, upon payment of a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the SEC’s e-mail address (publicinfo@sec.gov).
 
PROSPECTUS
 
Distributor
 
SEI Investments Distribution Co.
 
One Freedom Valley Drive
 
Oaks, PA 19456
 
April 1, 2020
 
Investment Company Act File No.: 811-22209




























120


GLOBALXLOGOB01.JPG

Global X Robotics & Artificial Intelligence ETF
NASDAQ: BOTZ
Global X Millennials Thematic ETF
NASDAQ: MILN
Global X FinTech ETF
NASDAQ: FINX
Global X Longevity Thematic ETF
NASDAQ: LNGR
Global X Internet of Things ETF
NASDAQ: SNSR
Global X Health & Wellness Thematic ETF
NASDAQ: BFIT
Global X Cloud Computing ETF
NASDAQ: CLOU
Global X Education ETF*
NASDAQ: EDUX
Global X Future Analytics Tech ETF
NASDAQ: AIQ
Global X Cannabis ETF
NASDAQ: POTX
Global X Autonomous & Electric Vehicles ETF
NASDAQ: DRIV
Global X U.S. Infrastructure Development ETF
Cboe BZX: PAVE
Global X Genomics & Biotechnology ETF
NASDAQ: GNOM
Global X Conscious Companies ETF
NASDAQ: KRMA
Global X Video Games & Esports ETF
NASDAQ: HERO
Global X Founder-Run Companies ETF
Cboe BZX: BOSS
Global X Cybersecurity ETF
NASDAQ: BUG
Global X Thematic Growth ETF
NASDAQ: GXTG
Prospectus
 
April 1, 2020
 *Not open for investment.

The Securities and Exchange Commission ("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.
 
Shares in a Fund (defined below) are not guaranteed or insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other agency of the U.S. Government, nor are shares deposits or obligations of any bank. Such shares in a Fund involve investment risks, including the loss of principal.
Beginning on January 1, 2021, as permitted by regulations adopted by the SEC, paper copies of the Funds’ shareholder reports will no longer be sent by mail, unless you specifically request paper copies of the reports from your financial intermediary (such as a broker-dealer or bank). Instead, shareholder reports will be available on the Funds’ website (www.globalxetfs.com), and you will be notified by mail each time a report is posted and provided with a website link to access the report. If you already elected to receive shareholder reports electronically, you will not be affected by this change and you need not take any action. You may elect to receive shareholder reports and other communications from the Funds electronically anytime by contacting your financial intermediary. You may elect to receive all future Fund shareholder reports in paper free of charge. Please contact your financial intermediary to inform them that you wish to continue receiving paper copies of Fund shareholder reports and for details about whether your election to receive reports in paper will apply to all funds held with your financial intermediary.



TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
FUND SUMMARIES
1
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUNDS
137
A FURTHER DISCUSSION OF OTHER RISKS
168
PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS INFORMATION
169
FUND MANAGEMENT
169
DISTRIBUTOR
172
BUYING AND SELLING FUND SHARES
172
FREQUENT TRADING
173
DISTRIBUTION AND SERVICE PLAN
173
DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS
174
TAXES
174
DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE
177
PREMIUM/DISCOUNT INFORMATION
178
TOTAL RETURN INFORMATION
178
INFORMATION REGARDING THE INDICES AND THE INDEX PROVIDERS
181
OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS
193
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
193
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
193
OTHER INFORMATION
198


i


FUND SUMMARIES

Global X Robotics & Artificial Intelligence ETF

Ticker: BOTZ Exchange: NASDAQ

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE

The Global X Robotics & Artificial Intelligence ETF ("Fund") seeks to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the Indxx Global Robotics & Artificial Intelligence Thematic Index ("Underlying Index").

FEES AND EXPENSES

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares ("Shares") of the Fund. You will also incur usual and customary brokerage commissions when buying and selling Shares.

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

Management Fees:
0.68%
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees:
None
Other Expenses:
0.00%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses:
0.68%

Example: The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. This example does not take into account customary brokerage commissions that you pay when purchasing or selling Shares of the Fund in the secondary market. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell all of your Shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:

One Year
Three Years
Five Years
Ten Years
$69
$218
$379
$847

Portfolio Turnover: The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund's performance. For the most recent fiscal period, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 10.97% of the average value of its portfolio.

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

The Fund invests at least 80% of its total assets in the securities of the Underlying Index. The Fund's 80% investment policy is non-fundamental and requires 60 days prior written notice to shareholders before it can be changed. The Fund may lend securities representing up to one-third of the value of the Fund’s total assets (including the value of the collateral received).

The Underlying Index is designed to provide exposure to exchange-listed companies in developed markets that are involved in the development of robotics and/or artificial intelligence, including companies involved in developing industrial robots and production systems, automated inventory management, unmanned vehicles, voice/image/text recognition, and medical robots or robotic instruments (collectively, "Robotics & Artificial Intelligence Companies"), as defined by Indxx, LLC, the provider of the Underlying Index ("Index Provider").

The eligible universe of the Underlying Index includes among the most liquid and investable companies in accordance with the standard market capitalization and liquidity criteria associated with developed markets, as defined by the Index Provider. As of January 31, 2020, companies must have a minimum market capitalization of $300 million and a minimum average daily turnover for the last 6 months greater than or equal to $2 million in order to be eligible for inclusion in the Underlying Index. As of

1


January 31, 2020, components from the following countries were eligible for inclusion in the Underlying Index: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, the United Kingdom and the United States.

From the eligible universe, the Index Provider identifies Robotics & Artificial Intelligence Companies by applying a proprietary analysis that consists of two primary components: theme identification and company analysis. As part of the theme identification process, the Index Provider analyzes industry reports, investment research and consumer data related to the robotics and artificial intelligence industry in order to establish the themes that are expected to provide the most exposure to the growth of the robotics and artificial intelligence industry. As of January 31, 2020, the Index Provider has identified the following four robotics and artificial intelligence themes: (1) Industrial Robotics and Automation, (2) Unmanned Vehicles and Drones, (3) Artificial Intelligence and (4) Non-Industrial Robotics (collectively, "Robotics & Artificial Intelligence Themes"). In order to be included in the Underlying Index, a company must be identified as having significant exposure to these Robotics & Artificial Intelligence Themes, as determined by the Index Provider. In the second step of the process, companies are analyzed based on two primary criteria: revenue exposure and primary business operations. A company is deemed to have significant exposure to the Robotics & Artificial Intelligence Themes if (i) according to a public filing, it derives a significant portion of its revenue from the Robotics & Artificial Intelligence Themes, or (ii) it has stated its primary business to be in products and services focused on the Robotics & Artificial Intelligence Themes, as determined by the Index Provider. Accordingly, the Fund assets will be concentrated (that is, it will hold 25% or more of its total assets) in companies that provide exposure to Robotics & Artificial Intelligence Themes.

The Underlying Index is weighted according to a modified capitalization weighting methodology and is reconstituted and rebalanced annually. At the annual rebalance, a capping methodology is applied to reduce concentration in individual securities and increase diversification of the Underlying Index. The Underlying Index may include large-, mid- or small-capitalization companies, and components primarily include industrials and information technology companies. The Fund's investment objective and Underlying Index may be changed without shareholder approval.

The Underlying Index is sponsored by the Index Provider, which is an organization that is independent of the Fund and Global X Management Company LLC, the investment adviser for the Fund ("Adviser"). The Index Provider determines the relative weightings of the securities in the Underlying Index and publishes information regarding the market value of the Underlying Index.

The Adviser uses a "passive" or indexing approach to try to achieve the Fund's investment objective. Unlike many investment companies, the Fund does not try to outperform the Underlying Index and does not seek temporary defensive positions when markets decline or appear overvalued.

The Fund generally will use a replication strategy. A replication strategy is an indexing strategy that involves investing in the securities of the Underlying Index in approximately the same proportions as in the Underlying Index. However, the Fund may utilize a representative sampling strategy with respect to the Underlying Index when a replication strategy might be detrimental or disadvantageous to shareholders, such as when there are practical difficulties or substantial costs involved in compiling a portfolio of equity securities to replicate the Underlying Index, in instances in which a security in the Underlying Index becomes temporarily illiquid, unavailable or less liquid, or as a result of legal restrictions or limitations (such as tax diversification requirements) that apply to the Fund but not the Underlying Index.

The Adviser expects that, over time, the correlation between the Fund's performance and that of the Underlying Index, before fees and expenses, will exceed 95%. A correlation percentage of 100% would indicate perfect correlation. If the Fund uses a replication strategy, it can be expected to have greater correlation to the Underlying Index than if it uses a representative sampling strategy.

The Fund concentrates its investments (i.e., holds 25% or more of its total assets) in a particular industry or group of industries to approximately the same extent that the Underlying Index is concentrated. As of January 31, 2020, the Underlying Index was concentrated in the machinery industry and had significant exposure to the industrials and information technology sectors.

SUMMARY OF PRINCIPAL RISKS

As with any investment, you could lose all or part of your investment in the Fund, and the Fund’s performance could trail that of other investments. There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. The Fund is subject to the principal risks noted below, any of which may adversely affect the Fund’s net asset value (“NAV”), trading price, yield, total return and ability to meet its investment objective, as well as other risks that are described in greater detail in the Additional Information About the Funds section of this Prospectus and in the Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”). The order of the below risk factors does not indicate the significance of any particular risk factor.


2


Asset Class Risk: Securities and other assets in the Underlying Index or otherwise held in the Fund's portfolio may underperform in comparison to the general securities markets, a particular securities market or other asset classes.

Equity Securities Risk: Equity securities are subject to changes in value, and their values may be more volatile than other asset classes, as a result of such factors as a company’s business performance, investor perceptions, stock market trends and general economic conditions.

Associated Risks Related to Investing in Robotics & Artificial Intelligence Companies: Robotics & Artificial Intelligence Companies may have limited product lines, markets, financial resources or personnel. These companies typically face intense competition and potentially rapid product obsolescence. These companies are also heavily dependent on intellectual property rights and may be adversely affected by loss or impairment of those rights. There can be no assurance these companies will be able to successfully protect their intellectual property to prevent the misappropriation of their technology, or that competitors will not develop technology that is substantially similar or superior to such companies’ technology. Robotics & Artificial Intelligence Companies typically engage in significant amounts of spending on research and development, and there is no guarantee that the products or services produced by these companies will be successful. Robotics & Artificial Intelligence Companies are potential targets for cyberattacks, which can have a materially adverse impact on the performance of these companies. Robotics & Artificial Intelligence Companies, especially smaller companies, tend to be more volatile than companies that do not rely heavily on technology. In addition, robotics and artificial intelligence technology could face increasing regulatory scrutiny in the future, which may limit the development of this technology and impede the growth of companies that develop and/or utilize this technology. Similarly, the collection of data from consumers and other sources could face increased scrutiny as regulators consider how the data is collected, stored, safeguarded and used. Robotics & Artificial Intelligence companies face increased risk from trade agreements between countries that develop these technologies and countries in which customers of these technologies are based. Lack of resolution or potential imposition of trade tariffs may hinder on the companies’ ability to successfully deploy their inventories. The customers and/or suppliers of Robotics & Artificial Intelligence Companies may be concentrated in a particular country, region or industry. Any adverse event affecting one of these countries, regions or industries could have a negative impact on Robotics & Artificial Intelligence Companies. Through its portfolio companies’ customers and suppliers, the Fund is specifically exposed to Asian Economic Risk and European Economic Risk.

Capitalization Risk: Investing in issuers within the same market capitalization category carries the risk that the category may be out of favor due to current market conditions or investor sentiment.

Large-Capitalization Companies Risk: Large-capitalization companies may trail the returns of the overall stock market. Large-capitalization stocks tend to go through cycles of doing better - or worse - than the stock market in general. These periods have, in the past, lasted for as long as several years.

Mid-Capitalization Companies Risk: Mid-capitalization companies may have greater price volatility, lower trading volume and less liquidity than large-capitalization companies. In addition, mid-capitalization companies may have smaller revenues, narrower product lines, less management depth and experience, smaller shares of their product or service markets, fewer financial resources and less competitive strength than large-capitalization companies.

Small-Capitalization Companies Risk: Compared to mid- and large-capitalization companies, small-capitalization companies may be less stable and more susceptible to adverse developments, and their securities may be more volatile and less liquid.

Concentration Risk: To the extent that the Underlying Index concentrates in investments related to a particular industry or group of industries, the Fund will also concentrate its investments to approximately the same extent. Similarly, if the Underlying Index has significant exposure to one or more sectors, the Fund’s investments will likely have significant exposure to such sectors. In such event, the Fund’s performance will be particularly susceptible to adverse events impacting such industry or sector, which may include, but are not limited to, the following: general economic conditions or cyclical market patterns that could negatively affect supply and demand; competition for resources; adverse labor relations; political or world events; obsolescence of technologies; and increased competition or new product introductions that may affect the profitability or viability of companies in a particular industry or sector. As a result, the value of the Fund’s investments may rise and fall more than the value of shares of a fund that invests in securities of companies in a broader range of industries or sectors.

Risks Related to Investing in the Industrials Sector: Companies in the industrials sector are subject to fluctuations in supply and demand for their specific product or service. The products of manufacturing companies may face product obsolescence due to rapid technological developments. Government regulation, world events and economic conditions affect the performance of companies in the industrials sector. Companies also may be adversely affected by environmental damage and product liability claims. Companies in the Industrial Sector face increased risk from trade agreements

3


between countries that develop these technologies and countries in which customers of these technologies are based. Lack of resolution or potential imposition of trade tariffs may hinder on the companies’ ability to successfully deploy their inventories.

Risks Related to Investing in the Information Technology Sector: Companies in the information technology sector are subject to rapid changes in technology product cycles; rapid product obsolescence; government regulation; and increased competition, both domestically and internationally, including competition from foreign competitors with lower production costs. Information technology companies and companies that rely heavily on technology tend to be more volatile than the overall market and also are heavily dependent on patent and intellectual property rights. In addition, information technology companies may have limited product lines, markets, financial resources or personnel.

Risks Related to Investing in the Machinery Industry: The machinery industry is capital-intensive. Working capital and cash flow management can be crucial to a company's success, as investments in research and development and acquisitions may be important to maintain sales and earnings. A long capital investment cycle can add challenges to management decisions regarding the expansion of capacity, which may limit a company’s ability to grow during periods of increasing demand and may result in overcapacity during periods of decreasing demand. The performance of the machinery industry may therefore be highly dependent on the business cycle and highly correlated with the performance of the broader equity market. Machinery industry companies with large barriers to entry based on proprietary technology may face potentially rapid product obsolescence. Conversely, machine industry companies that produce commodity-like offerings are likely to face thin margins and must maintain expansive distribution and support networks in order to maintain adequate volume.

Currency Risk: The Fund may invest in securities denominated in foreign currencies. Because the Fund's NAV is determined in U.S. dollars, the Fund's NAV could decline if currencies of the underlying securities depreciate against the U.S. dollar or if there are delays or limits on repatriation of such currencies. Currency exchange rates can be very volatile and can change quickly and unpredictably. As a result, the Fund's NAV may change quickly and without warning, which could have a significant negative impact on the Fund.

Foreign Securities Risk: The Fund may invest, without limit, in foreign securities. The Fund's investments in foreign securities can be riskier than U.S. securities investments. Investments in the securities of foreign issuers (including investments in ADRs and GDRs) are subject to the risks associated with investing in those foreign markets, such as heightened risks of inflation or nationalization. The prices of foreign securities and the prices of U.S. securities have, at times, moved in opposite directions. In addition, securities of foreign issuers may lose value due to political, economic and geographic events affecting a foreign issuer or market. During periods of social, political or economic instability in a country or region, the value of a foreign security traded on U.S. exchanges could be affected by, among other things, increasing price volatility, illiquidity, or the closure of the primary market on which the security (or the security underlying the ADR or GDR) is traded. You may lose money due to political, economic and geographic events affecting a foreign issuer or market.

Geographic Risk: A natural, biological or other disaster could occur in a geographic region in which the Fund invests, which could affect the economy or particular business operations of companies in the specific geographic region, causing an adverse impact on the Fund’s investments in the affected region or in a region economically tied to the affected region. The securities in which the Fund invests and, consequently, the Fund are also subject to specific risks as a result of their business operations, including, but not limited to:

Risk of Investing in Developed Markets: The Fund’s investment in a developed country issuer may subject the Fund to regulatory, political, currency, security, economic and other risks associated with developed countries. Developed countries tend to represent a significant portion of the global economy and have generally experienced slower economic growth than some less developed countries. Certain developed countries have experienced security concerns, such as terrorism and strained international relations. Incidents involving a country’s or region’s security may cause uncertainty in its markets and may adversely affect its economy and the Fund’s investments. In addition, developed countries may be impacted by changes to the economic conditions of certain key trading partners, regulatory burdens, debt burdens and the price or availability of certain commodities.

Risk of Investing in Japan: The Japanese economy may be subject to considerable degrees of economic, political and social instability, which could have a negative impact on Japanese securities. Since the year 2000, Japan’s economic growth rate has remained relatively low, and it may remain low in the future. In addition, Japan is subject to the risk of natural disasters, such as earthquakes, volcanoes, typhoons and tsunamis, which could negatively affect the Fund. Japan’s relations with its neighbors have at times been strained, and strained relations with its neighbors or trading partners may cause uncertainty in the Japanese markets and adversely affect the overall Japanese economy.

4



Risk of Investing in Switzerland: Investments in Swiss issuers may subject the Fund to legal, regulatory, political, currency, security, and economic risks specific to Switzerland. International trade is a large component of the Swiss economy and Switzerland depends upon exports to generate economic growth. The Swiss economy relies on certain key trading partners in order to sustain continued economic growth. Switzerland’s economic growth generally mirrors slowdowns and growth spurts experienced in other countries, including the U.S. and certain Western European countries.

International Closed Market Trading Risk: To the extent that the underlying investments held by the Fund trade on foreign exchanges that may be closed when the securities exchange on which the Fund’s Shares trade is open, there are likely to be deviations between the current price of such an underlying security and the last quoted price for the underlying security (i.e., the Fund’s quote from the closed foreign market). These deviations could result in premiums or discounts to the Fund’s NAV that may be greater than those experienced by other exchange-traded funds ("ETFs").

Issuer Risk: Fund performance depends on the performance of individual companies in which the Fund invests. Changes to the financial condition of any of those companies may cause the value of their securities to decline.

Market Risk: Turbulence in the financial markets and reduced liquidity may negatively affect issuers, which could have an adverse effect on the Fund. If the securities held by the Fund experience poor liquidity, the Fund may be unable to transact at advantageous times or prices, which may decrease the Fund’s returns. In addition, there is a risk that policy changes by the U.S. Government, Federal Reserve, or other government actors, which could include increasing interest rates, could cause increased volatility in financial markets and lead to higher levels of Fund redemptions, which could have a negative impact on the Fund. Furthermore, local, regional or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issue, recessions, or other events could have a significant impact on the Fund and its investments and trading of its shares. The Fund’s NAV could decline over short periods due to short-term market movements and over longer periods during market downturns.

Non-Diversification Risk: The Fund is classified as a “non-diversified” investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940 ("1940 Act"). As a result, the Fund is subject to the risk that it may be more volatile than a diversified fund because the Fund may invest its assets in a smaller number of issuers or may invest a larger proportion of its assets in a single issuer. As a result, the gains and losses on a single investment may have a greater impact on the Fund’s NAV and may make the Fund more volatile than more diversified funds.

Operational Risk: The Fund is exposed to operational risk arising from a number of factors, including but not limited to human error, processing and communication errors, errors of the Fund's service providers, counterparties or other third-parties, failed or inadequate processes and technology or systems failures. Additionally, cyber security failures or breaches of the electronic systems of the Fund, the Adviser, and the Fund's other service providers, market makers, Authorized Participants or the issuers of securities in which the Fund invests have the ability to cause disruptions and negatively impact the Fund's business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses to the Fund and its shareholders. The Fund and the Adviser seek to reduce these operational risks through controls and procedures. However, these measures do not address every possible risk and may be inadequate for those risks that they are intended to address.

Passive Investment Risk: The Fund is not actively managed, and the Adviser does not attempt to take defensive positions in declining markets. Unlike many investment companies, the Fund does not seek to outperform its Underlying Index. Therefore, it would not necessarily buy or sell a security unless that security is added or removed, respectively, from the Underlying Index, even if that security generally is underperforming. Maintaining investments in securities regardless of market conditions or the performance of individual securities could cause the Fund’s return to be lower than if the Fund employed an active strategy.

Index-Related Risk: There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve a high degree of correlation to the Underlying Index and therefore achieve its investment objective. Market disruptions and regulatory restrictions could have an adverse effect on the Fund’s ability to adjust its exposure to the required levels in order to track the Underlying Index. Errors in index data, index computations and/or the construction of the Underlying Index in accordance with its methodology may occur from time to time and may not be identified and corrected by the Index Provider for a period of time or at all, which may have an adverse impact on the Fund and its shareholders.

Management Risk: The Fund will not fully replicate its Underlying Index and may hold securities not included in its Underlying Index. The Adviser’s investment strategy, the implementation of which is subject to a number of constraints, may cause the Fund to underperform the market or its relevant benchmark or adversely affect the ability of the Fund to achieve its investment objective.

Tracking Error Risk: Tracking error may occur because of differences between the instruments held in the Fund's portfolio and those included in the Underlying Index, pricing differences, transaction costs incurred by the Fund, the Fund's holding of uninvested cash, size of the Fund, differences in timing of the accrual of or the valuation of dividends

5


or interest, tax gains or losses, changes to the Underlying Index or the costs to the Fund of complying with various new or existing regulatory requirements. This risk may be heightened during times of increased market volatility or other unusual market conditions. Tracking error also may result because the Fund incurs fees and expenses, while the Underlying Index does not.

Risks Associated with Exchange-Traded Funds: As an ETF, the Fund is subject to the following risks:

Authorized Participants Concentration Risk: The Fund has a limited number of financial institutions that may act as Authorized Participants and engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund, and none of those Authorized Participants is obligated to engage in creation and/or redemption transactions. To the extent that those Authorized Participants exit the business or are unable to process creation and/or redemption orders, Shares may be more likely to trade at a premium or discount to NAV, and possibly face trading halts and/or delisting from an exchange. Authorized Participants Concentration Risk may be heightened because the Fund invests in non-U.S. securities.

Large Shareholder Risk: Redemptions by large shareholders could have a significant negative impact on the Fund. If a large shareholder were to redeem all, or a large portion, of its Shares, there is no guarantee that the Fund will be able to maintain sufficient assets to continue operations in which case the Board of Trustees may determine to liquidate the Fund. In addition, transactions by large shareholders may account for a large percentage of the trading volume on a national securities exchange and may, therefore, have a material upward or downward effect on the market price of the Shares.

Listing Standards Risk: Under continuous listing standards adopted by the Fund’s listing exchange, the Fund will be required to confirm on an ongoing basis that the components of the Underlying Index satisfy the applicable listing requirements. In the event that the Underlying Index does not comply with the applicable listing requirements, the Fund would be required to rectify such non-compliance by requesting that the Index Provider modify the Underlying Index, adopting a new underlying index, or obtaining relief from the SEC. Failure to rectify such non-compliance may result in the Fund being delisted by the listing exchange. In addition, the Fund may face the risk of being delisted if the Fund does not meet certain conditions of the listing exchange. Any resulting liquidation of the Fund could cause the Fund to incur elevated transaction costs and could result in negative tax consequences for its shareholders.

Market Trading Risks and Premium/Discount Risks: Shares of the Fund are publicly traded on a national securities exchange, which may subject shareholders to numerous market trading risks. Disruptions to creations and redemptions, the existence of extreme market volatility or potential lack of assets in the Fund or an active trading market for Shares may result in Shares trading at a significant premium or discount to NAV. If a shareholder purchases Shares at a time when the market price is at a premium to the NAV or sells Shares at a time when the market price is at a discount to the NAV, the shareholder may sustain losses.

Securities Lending Risk: Securities lending involves a risk of loss because the borrower may fail to return the securities in a timely manner or at all. If the Fund is not able to recover the securities loaned, it may sell the collateral and purchase a replacement security in the market. Lending securities entails a risk of loss to the Fund if and to the extent that the market value of the loaned securities increases and the collateral is not increased accordingly. Additionally, the Fund will bear any loss on the investment of cash collateral it receives. These events could also trigger adverse tax consequences for the Fund. As securities on loan may not be voted by the Fund, there is a risk that the Fund may not be able to recall the securities in sufficient time to vote on material proxy matters.

Trading Halt Risk: An exchange or market may close or issue trading halts on specific securities, or the ability to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments may be restricted, which may result in the Fund being unable to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments. In such circumstances, the Fund may be unable to rebalance its portfolio, may be unable to accurately price its investments and/or may incur substantial trading losses.

Valuation Risk: The sales price the Fund could receive for a security may differ from the Fund’s valuation of the security and may differ from the value used by the Underlying Index, particularly for securities that trade in low value or volatile markets or that are valued using a fair value methodology (such as during trading halts). The value of the securities in the Fund's portfolio may change on days when shareholders will not be able to purchase or sell the Fund's Shares.

PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

The bar chart and table that follow show how the Fund performed on a calendar year basis and provide an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund's performance from year to year and by showing the Fund's average

6


annual total returns for the indicated periods compared with the Fund's benchmark index and a broad measure of market performance. The Fund's past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available online at www.globalxetfs.com.

Annual Total Returns (Years Ended December 31)

  CHART-A3485B04C3DC50AF955.JPG

Best Quarter:
03/31/19
18.67%
Worst Quarter:
12/31/18
-25.34%

Average Annual Total Returns (for the Periods Ended December 31, 2019) 
 
Year Ended December 31, 2019
Since Inception (09/12/2016)
Global X Robotics & Artificial Intelligence ETF:
 
 
·Return before taxes
31.67%
13.51%
·Return after taxes on distributions1
31.53%
13.44%
·Return after taxes on distributions and sale of Fund Shares1
19.05%
10.72%
Indxx Global Robotics & Artificial Intelligence Thematic Index (net)
(Index returns reflect invested dividends net of withholding taxes, but reflect no deduction for fees, expenses, or other taxes)
31.78%
13.65%
MSCI ACWI Index (net)
(Index returns reflect invested dividends net of withholding taxes, but reflect no deduction for fees, expenses, or other taxes)
26.60%
11.93%

1     After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual U.S. federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Your actual after-tax returns will depend on your specific tax situation and may differ from those shown above. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold Shares of the Fund through tax-advantaged arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts (IRAs).

FUND MANAGEMENT


7


Investment Adviser: Global X Management Company LLC.

Portfolio Managers: The professionals primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund are Chang Kim, CFA; Nam To, CFA; Wayne Xie and Kimberly Chan (“Portfolio Managers”). Mr. Kim has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since the Fund's inception. Mr. To has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since March 1, 2018. Mr. Xie has been Portfolio Manager of the Fund since March 1, 2019. Ms. Chan has been Portfolio Manager of the Fund since June 10, 2019.

PURCHASE AND SALE OF FUND SHARES
 
Shares of the Fund are listed and traded at market prices on a national securities exchange. Shares may only be purchased and sold on the exchange through a broker-dealer. The price of Shares is based on market price, and because ETF shares trade at market prices rather than at NAV, Shares may trade at a price greater than NAV (a premium) or less than NAV (a discount). Only “Authorized Participants” (as defined in the SAI) who have entered into agreements with the Fund's distributor, SEI Investments Distribution Co. ("Distributor"), may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. The Fund will only issue or redeem Shares that have been aggregated into blocks of 50,000 Shares or multiples thereof ("Creation Units"). The Fund will issue or redeem Creation Units in return for a basket of cash and/or securities that the Fund specifies any day that the national securities exchanges are open for business ("Business Day").
 
TAX INFORMATION
 
The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxable to you as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-advantaged arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account ("IRA"), in which case distributions from such tax-advantaged arrangement may be taxable to you.
 
PAYMENTS TO BROKER-DEALERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES
 
The Adviser and its related companies may pay broker-dealers or other financial intermediaries (such as a bank) for the sale of Fund Shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing your broker-dealer, sales persons or other intermediary or its employees or associated persons to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your financial adviser or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.

8


Global X FinTech ETF

Ticker: FINX Exchange: NASDAQ

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE

The Global X FinTech ETF ("Fund") seeks to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the Indxx Global Fintech Thematic Index ("Underlying Index").

FEES AND EXPENSES

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares ("Shares") of the Fund. You will also incur usual and customary brokerage commissions when buying and selling Shares.

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

Management Fees:
0.68%
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees:
None
Other Expenses:
0.00%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses:
0.68%

Example: The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. This example does not take into account customary brokerage commissions that you pay when purchasing or selling Shares of the Fund in the secondary market. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell all of your Shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:

One Year
Three Years
Five Years
Ten Years
$69
$218
$379
$847

Portfolio Turnover: The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund's performance. For the most recent fiscal period, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 16.40% of the average value of its portfolio.

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

The Fund invests at least 80% of its total assets in the securities of the Underlying Index. The Fund's 80% investment policy is non-fundamental and requires 60 days prior written notice to shareholders before it can be changed. The Fund may lend securities representing up to one-third of the value of the Fund’s total assets (including the value of the collateral received).

The Underlying Index is designed to provide exposure to exchange-listed companies in developed markets that provide financial technology products and services, including companies involved in mobile payments, peer-to-peer ("P2P") and marketplace lending, financial analytics software and alternative currencies (collectively, "FinTech Companies"), as defined by Indxx, LLC, the provider of the Underlying Index ("Index Provider").

The eligible universe of the Underlying Index includes among the most liquid and investable companies in accordance with the standard market capitalization and liquidity criteria associated with developed markets, as defined by the Index Provider. As of January 31, 2020, companies must have a minimum market capitalization of $300 million and a minimum average daily turnover for the last 6 months greater than or equal to $2 million in order to be eligible for inclusion in the Underlying Index. As of January 31, 2020, components from the following countries were eligible for inclusion in the Underlying Index: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, the United Kingdom and the United States.


9


From the eligible universe, the Index Provider identifies FinTech Companies by applying a proprietary analysis that consists of two primary components: theme identification and company analysis. As part of the theme identification process, the Index Provider analyzes industry reports, investment research and consumer data related to the fintech industry in order to establish the themes that are expected to provide the most exposure to the growth of the fintech industry. As of January 31, 2020, the Index Provider has identified the following six fintech themes: (1) Mobile Payments, (2) P2P and Marketplace Lending, (3) Enterprise Solutions, (4) Blockchain and Alternative Currencies, (5) Crowdfunding, and (6) Personal Finance Software and Automated Wealth Management/Trading (collectively, "FinTech Themes"). In order to be included in the Underlying Index, a company must be identified as having significant exposure to these FinTech Themes, as determined by the Index Provider. In the second step of the process, companies are analyzed based on two primary criteria: revenue exposure and primary business operations. A company is deemed to have significant exposure to the FinTech Themes if (i) it derives a significant portion of its revenue from the FinTech Themes, or (ii) it has stated its primary business to be in products and services focused on the FinTech Themes, in each case as determined by the Index Provider. Accordingly, the Fund assets will be concentrated (that is, it will hold 25% or more of its total assets) in companies that provide exposure to FinTech Themes.

The Underlying Index is weighted according to a modified capitalization weighting methodology and is reconstituted and rebalanced annually. At the annual rebalance, a capping methodology is applied to reduce concentration in individual securities and increase diversification of the Underlying Index. The Underlying Index may include large-, mid- or small-capitalization companies, and components primarily include financial and information technology companies. The Fund's investment objective and Underlying Index may be changed without shareholder approval.

The Underlying Index is sponsored by the Index Provider, which is an organization that is independent of the Fund and Global X Management Company LLC, the investment adviser for the Fund ("Adviser"). The Index Provider determines the relative weightings of the securities in the Underlying Index and publishes information regarding the market value of the Underlying Index.

The Adviser uses a "passive" or indexing approach to try to achieve the Fund's investment objective. Unlike many investment companies, the Fund does not try to outperform the Underlying Index and does not seek temporary defensive positions when markets decline or appear overvalued.

The Fund generally will use a replication strategy. A replication strategy is an indexing strategy that involves investing in the securities of the Underlying Index in approximately the same proportions as in the Underlying Index. However, the Fund may utilize a representative sampling strategy with respect to the Underlying Index when a replication strategy might be detrimental or disadvantageous to shareholders, such as when there are practical difficulties or substantial costs involved in compiling a portfolio of equity securities to replicate the Underlying Index, in instances in which a security in the Underlying Index becomes temporarily illiquid, unavailable or less liquid, or as a result of legal restrictions or limitations (such as tax diversification requirements) that apply to the Fund but not the Underlying Index.

The Adviser expects that, over time, the correlation between the Fund's performance and that of the Underlying Index, before fees and expenses, will exceed 95%. A correlation percentage of 100% would indicate perfect correlation. If the Fund uses a replication strategy, it can be expected to have greater correlation to the Underlying Index than if it uses a representative sampling strategy.

The Fund concentrates its investments (i.e., holds 25% or more of its total assets) in a particular industry or group of industries to approximately the same extent that the Underlying Index is concentrated. As of January 31, 2020, the Underlying Index was concentrated in the IT services and software industries and had significant exposure to the information technology sector.

SUMMARY OF PRINCIPAL RISKS

As with any investment, you could lose all or part of your investment in the Fund, and the Fund’s performance could trail that of other investments. There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. The Fund is subject to the principal risks noted below, any of which may adversely affect the Fund’s net asset value (“NAV”), trading price, yield, total return and ability to meet its investment objective, as well as other risks that are described in greater detail in the Additional Information About the Funds section of this Prospectus and in the Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”). The order of the below risk factors does not indicate the significance of any particular risk factor.

Asset Class Risk: Securities and other assets in the Underlying Index or otherwise held in the Fund's portfolio may underperform in comparison to the general securities markets, a particular securities market or other asset classes.

Equity Securities Risk: Equity securities are subject to changes in value, and their values may be more volatile than other asset classes, as a result of such factors as a company’s business performance, investor perceptions, stock market trends and general economic conditions.

10



Associated Risks Related to Investing in FinTech Companies: FinTech Companies may be adversely impacted by government regulations, economic conditions and deterioration in credit markets. These companies may have significant exposure to consumers and businesses (especially small businesses) in the form of loans and other financial products or services. FinTech Companies typically face intense competition and potentially rapid product obsolescence. In addition, many FinTech Companies store sensitive consumer information and could be the target of cybersecurity attacks and other types of theft, which could have a negative impact on these companies. Many FinTech Companies currently operate under less regulatory scrutiny than traditional financial services companies and banks, but there is significant risk that regulatory oversight could increase in the future. Higher levels of regulation could increase costs and adversely impact the current business models of some FinTech Companies. These companies could be negatively impacted by disruptions in service caused by hardware or software failure, or by interruptions or delays in service by third-party data center hosting facilities and maintenance providers. FinTech Companies involved in alternative currencies may face slow adoption rates and be subject to higher levels of regulatory scrutiny in the future, which could severely impact the viability of these companies. FinTech Companies, especially smaller companies, tend to be more volatile than companies that do not rely heavily on technology. The customers and/or suppliers of FinTech Companies may be concentrated in a particular country, region or industry. Any adverse event affecting one of these countries, regions or industries could have a negative impact on FinTech Companies. Through its portfolio companies’ customers and suppliers, the Fund is specifically exposed to Asian Economic Risk, European Economic Risk and Latin American Economic Risk.

Capitalization Risk: Investing in issuers within the same market capitalization category carries the risk that the category may be out of favor due to current market conditions or investor sentiment.

Large-Capitalization Companies Risk: Large-capitalization companies may trail the returns of the overall stock market. Large-capitalization stocks tend to go through cycles of doing better - or worse - than the stock market in general. These periods have, in the past, lasted for as long as several years.

Mid-Capitalization Companies Risk: Mid-capitalization companies may have greater price volatility, lower trading volume and less liquidity than large-capitalization companies. In addition, mid-capitalization companies may have smaller revenues, narrower product lines, less management depth and experience, smaller shares of their product or service markets, fewer financial resources and less competitive strength than large-capitalization companies.

Small-Capitalization Companies Risk: Compared to mid- and large-capitalization companies, small-capitalization companies may be less stable and more susceptible to adverse developments, and their securities may be more volatile and less liquid.

Concentration Risk: To the extent that the Underlying Index concentrates in investments related to a particular industry or group of industries, the Fund will also concentrate its investments to approximately the same extent. Similarly, if the Underlying Index has significant exposure to one or more sectors, the Fund’s investments will likely have significant exposure to such sectors. In such event, the Fund’s performance will be particularly susceptible to adverse events impacting such industry or sector, which may include, but are not limited to, the following: general economic conditions or cyclical market patterns that could negatively affect supply and demand; competition for resources; adverse labor relations; political or world events; obsolescence of technologies; and increased competition or new product introductions that may affect the profitability or viability of companies in a particular industry or sector. As a result, the value of the Fund’s investments may rise and fall more than the value of shares of a fund that invests in securities of companies in a broader range of industries or sectors.

Risks Related to Investing in the Information Technology Sector: Companies in the information technology sector are subject to rapid changes in technology product cycles; rapid product obsolescence; government regulation; and increased competition, both domestically and internationally, including competition from foreign competitors with lower production costs. Information technology companies and companies that rely heavily on technology tend to be more volatile than the overall market and also are heavily dependent on patent and intellectual property rights. In addition, information technology companies may have limited product lines, markets, financial resources or personnel.

Risks Related to Investing in the IT Services Industry: The IT services industry can be significantly affected by competitive pressures, such as technological developments, fixed-rate pricing, and the ability to attract and retain skilled employees, and the success of companies in the industry is subject to continued demand for IT services.

Risks Related to Investing in the Software Industry: The software industry can be significantly affected by intense competition, aggressive pricing, technological innovations, and product obsolescence. Companies in the application software industry, in particular, may also be negatively affected by the decline or fluctuation of subscription renewal rates for their products and services, which may have an adverse effect on profit margins. Companies in the systems software

11


industry may be adversely affected by, among other things, actual or perceived security vulnerabilities in their products and services, which may result in individual or class action lawsuits, state or federal enforcement actions and other remediation costs.

Currency Risk: The Fund may invest in securities denominated in foreign currencies. Because the Fund's NAV is determined in U.S. dollars, the Fund's NAV could decline if currencies of the underlying securities depreciate against the U.S. dollar or if there are delays or limits on repatriation of such currencies. Currency exchange rates can be very volatile and can change quickly and unpredictably. As a result, the Fund's NAV may change quickly and without warning, which could have a significant negative impact on the Fund.

Foreign Securities Risk: The Fund may invest, without limit, in foreign securities. The Fund's investments in foreign securities can be riskier than U.S. securities investments. Investments in the securities of foreign issuers (including investments in ADRs and GDRs) are subject to the risks associated with investing in those foreign markets, such as heightened risks of inflation or nationalization. The prices of foreign securities and the prices of U.S. securities have, at times, moved in opposite directions. In addition, securities of foreign issuers may lose value due to political, economic and geographic events affecting a foreign issuer or market. During periods of social, political or economic instability in a country or region, the value of a foreign security traded on U.S. exchanges could be affected by, among other things, increasing price volatility, illiquidity, or the closure of the primary market on which the security (or the security underlying the ADR or GDR) is traded. You may lose money due to political, economic and geographic events affecting a foreign issuer or market.

Geographic Risk: A natural, biological or other disaster could occur in a geographic region in which the Fund invests, which could affect the economy or particular business operations of companies in the specific geographic region, causing an adverse impact on the Fund’s investments in the affected region or in a region economically tied to the affected region. The securities in which the Fund invests and, consequently, the Fund are also subject to specific risks as a result of their business operations, including, but not limited to:

Risk of Investing in Brazil: Investment in Brazilian issuers involves risks that are specific to Brazil, including legal, regulatory, political and economic risks. The Brazilian economy has historically been exposed to high rates of inflation, debt, and violence, each of which may reduce and/or prevent economic growth.

Risk of Investing in Developed Markets: The Fund’s investment in a developed country issuer may subject the Fund to regulatory, political, currency, security, economic and other risks associated with developed countries. Developed countries tend to represent a significant portion of the global economy and have generally experienced slower economic growth than some less developed countries. Certain developed countries have experienced security concerns, such as terrorism and strained international relations. Incidents involving a country’s or region’s security may cause uncertainty in its markets and may adversely affect its economy and the Fund’s investments. In addition, developed countries may be impacted by changes to the economic conditions of certain key trading partners, regulatory burdens, debt burdens and the price or availability of certain commodities.

Risk of Investing in Emerging Markets: The Fund targets FinTech Companies globally and is expected to invest in securities in emerging market countries. Investments in emerging markets may be subject to a greater risk of loss than investments in developed markets. Securities markets of emerging market countries are less liquid, subject to greater price volatility, have smaller market capitalizations, have less government regulation, and are not subject to as extensive and frequent accounting, financial, and other reporting requirements as the securities markets of more developed countries, and there may be greater risk associated with the custody of securities in emerging markets. Emerging markets may be more likely to experience inflation, political turmoil and rapid changes in economic conditions than more developed markets. Certain emerging market countries may have privatized, or have begun the process of privatizing, certain entities and industries. Privatized entities may lose money or be re-nationalized.

Risk of Investing in the United States: A decrease in imports or exports, changes in trade regulations and/or an economic recession in the U.S. may have a material adverse effect on the U.S. economy.

International Closed Market Trading Risk: To the extent that the underlying investments held by the Fund trade on foreign exchanges that may be closed when the securities exchange on which the Fund’s Shares trade is open, there are likely to be deviations between the current price of such an underlying security and the last quoted price for the underlying security (i.e., the Fund’s quote from the closed foreign market). These deviations could result in premiums or discounts to the Fund’s NAV that may be greater than those experienced by other exchange-traded funds ("ETFs").


12


Issuer Risk: Fund performance depends on the performance of individual companies in which the Fund invests. Changes to the financial condition of any of those companies may cause the value of their securities to decline.

Market Risk: Turbulence in the financial markets and reduced liquidity may negatively affect issuers, which could have an adverse effect on the Fund. If the securities held by the Fund experience poor liquidity, the Fund may be unable to transact at advantageous times or prices, which may decrease the Fund’s returns. In addition, there is a risk that policy changes by the U.S. Government, Federal Reserve, or other government actors, which could include increasing interest rates, could cause increased volatility in financial markets and lead to higher levels of Fund redemptions, which could have a negative impact on the Fund. Furthermore, local, regional or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issue, recessions, or other events could have a significant impact on the Fund and its investments and trading of its shares. The Fund’s NAV could decline over short periods due to short-term market movements and over longer periods during market downturns.

Non-Diversification Risk: The Fund is classified as a “non-diversified” investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940 ("1940 Act"). As a result, the Fund is subject to the risk that it may be more volatile than a diversified fund because the Fund may invest its assets in a smaller number of issuers or may invest a larger proportion of its assets in a single issuer. As a result, the gains and losses on a single investment may have a greater impact on the Fund’s NAV and may make the Fund more volatile than more diversified funds.

Operational Risk: The Fund is exposed to operational risk arising from a number of factors, including but not limited to human error, processing and communication errors, errors of the Fund's service providers, counterparties or other third-parties, failed or inadequate processes and technology or systems failures. Additionally, cyber security failures or breaches of the electronic systems of the Fund, the Adviser, and the Fund's other service providers, market makers, Authorized Participants or the issuers of securities in which the Fund invests have the ability to cause disruptions and negatively impact the Fund's business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses to the Fund and its shareholders. The Fund and the Adviser seek to reduce these operational risks through controls and procedures. However, these measures do not address every possible risk and may be inadequate for those risks that they are intended to address.

Passive Investment Risk: The Fund is not actively managed, and the Adviser does not attempt to take defensive positions in declining markets. Unlike many investment companies, the Fund does not seek to outperform its Underlying Index. Therefore, it would not necessarily buy or sell a security unless that security is added or removed, respectively, from the Underlying Index, even if that security generally is underperforming. Maintaining investments in securities regardless of market conditions or the performance of individual securities could cause the Fund’s return to be lower than if the Fund employed an active strategy.

Index-Related Risk: There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve a high degree of correlation to the Underlying Index and therefore achieve its investment objective. Market disruptions and regulatory restrictions could have an adverse effect on the Fund’s ability to adjust its exposure to the required levels in order to track the Underlying Index. Errors in index data, index computations and/or the construction of the Underlying Index in accordance with its methodology may occur from time to time and may not be identified and corrected by the Index Provider for a period of time or at all, which may have an adverse impact on the Fund and its shareholders.

Management Risk: The Fund will not fully replicate its Underlying Index and may hold securities not included in its Underlying Index. The Adviser’s investment strategy, the implementation of which is subject to a number of constraints, may cause the Fund to underperform the market or its relevant benchmark or adversely affect the ability of the Fund to achieve its investment objective.

Tracking Error Risk: Tracking error may occur because of differences between the instruments held in the Fund's portfolio and those included in the Underlying Index, pricing differences, transaction costs incurred by the Fund, the Fund's holding of uninvested cash, size of the Fund, differences in timing of the accrual of or the valuation of dividends or interest, tax gains or losses, changes to the Underlying Index or the costs to the Fund of complying with various new or existing regulatory requirements. This risk may be heightened during times of increased market volatility or other unusual market conditions. Tracking error also may result because the Fund incurs fees and expenses, while the Underlying Index does not.

Risks Associated with Exchange-Traded Funds: As an ETF, the Fund is subject to the following risks:

Authorized Participants Concentration Risk: The Fund has a limited number of financial institutions that may act as Authorized Participants and engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund, and none of those Authorized Participants is obligated to engage in creation and/or redemption transactions. To the extent that those Authorized Participants exit the business or are unable to process creation and/or redemption orders, Shares may be more likely to trade at a premium or discount to NAV, and possibly face trading halts and/or delisting from an exchange. Authorized Participants Concentration Risk may be heightened because the Fund invests in non-U.S. securities.

13



Large Shareholder Risk: Redemptions by large shareholders could have a significant negative impact on the Fund. If a large shareholder were to redeem all, or a large portion, of its Shares, there is no guarantee that the Fund will be able to maintain sufficient assets to continue operations in which case the Board of Trustees may determine to liquidate the Fund. In addition, transactions by large shareholders may account for a large percentage of the trading volume on a national securities exchange and may, therefore, have a material upward or downward effect on the market price of the Shares.

Listing Standards Risk: Under continuous listing standards adopted by the Fund’s listing exchange, the Fund will be required to confirm on an ongoing basis that the components of the Underlying Index satisfy the applicable listing requirements. In the event that the Underlying Index does not comply with the applicable listing requirements, the Fund would be required to rectify such non-compliance by requesting that the Index Provider modify the Underlying Index, adopting a new underlying index, or obtaining relief from the SEC. Failure to rectify such non-compliance may result in the Fund being delisted by the listing exchange. In addition, the Fund may face the risk of being delisted if the Fund does not meet certain conditions of the listing exchange. Any resulting liquidation of the Fund could cause the Fund to incur elevated transaction costs and could result in negative tax consequences for its shareholders.

Market Trading Risks and Premium/Discount Risks: Shares of the Fund are publicly traded on a national securities exchange, which may subject shareholders to numerous market trading risks. Disruptions to creations and redemptions, the existence of extreme market volatility or potential lack of assets in the Fund or an active trading market for Shares may result in Shares trading at a significant premium or discount to NAV. If a shareholder purchases Shares at a time when the market price is at a premium to the NAV or sells Shares at a time when the market price is at a discount to the NAV, the shareholder may sustain losses.

Securities Lending Risk: Securities lending involves a risk of loss because the borrower may fail to return the securities in a timely manner or at all. If the Fund is not able to recover the securities loaned, it may sell the collateral and purchase a replacement security in the market. Lending securities entails a risk of loss to the Fund if and to the extent that the market value of the loaned securities increases and the collateral is not increased accordingly. Additionally, the Fund will bear any loss on the investment of cash collateral it receives. These events could also trigger adverse tax consequences for the Fund. As securities on loan may not be voted by the Fund, there is a risk that the Fund may not be able to recall the securities in sufficient time to vote on material proxy matters.

Trading Halt Risk: An exchange or market may close or issue trading halts on specific securities, or the ability to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments may be restricted, which may result in the Fund being unable to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments. In such circumstances, the Fund may be unable to rebalance its portfolio, may be unable to accurately price its investments and/or may incur substantial trading losses.

Valuation Risk: The sales price the Fund could receive for a security may differ from the Fund’s valuation of the security and may differ from the value used by the Underlying Index, particularly for securities that trade in low value or volatile markets or that are valued using a fair value methodology (such as during trading halts). The value of the securities in the Fund's portfolio may change on days when shareholders will not be able to purchase or sell the Fund's Shares.
 
PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

The bar chart and table that follow show how the Fund performed on a calendar year basis and provide an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund's performance from year to year and by showing the Fund's average annual total returns for the indicated periods compared with the Fund's benchmark index and a broad measure of market performance. The Fund's past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available online at www.globalxetfs.com.


14


Annual Total Returns (Years Ended December 31)

  CHART-F0AD13715A2856C78A2.JPG

Best Quarter:
03/31/19
24.91%
Worst Quarter:
12/31/18
-22.78%

Average Annual Total Returns (for the Periods Ended December 31, 2019) 
 
Year Ended December 31, 2019
Since Inception (09/12/2016)
Global X FinTech ETF:
 
 
·Return before taxes
37.14%
23.77%
·Return after taxes on distributions1
37.14%
23.73%
·Return after taxes on distributions and sale of Fund Shares1
21.99%
19.03%
Indxx Global Fintech Thematic Index (net)
(Index returns reflect invested dividends net of withholding taxes, but reflect no deduction for fees, expenses, or other taxes)
38.10%
24.58%
MSCI ACWI Index (net)
(Index returns reflect invested dividends net of withholding taxes, but reflect no deduction for fees, expenses, or other taxes)
26.60%
11.93%

1     After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual U.S. federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Your actual after-tax returns will depend on your specific tax situation and may differ from those shown above. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold Shares of the Fund through tax-advantaged arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts (IRAs).

FUND MANAGEMENT

Investment Adviser: Global X Management Company LLC.

Portfolio Managers: The professionals primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund are Chang Kim, CFA; Nam To, CFA; Wayne Xie and Kimberly Chan (“Portfolio Managers”). Mr. Kim has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since

15


the Fund's inception. Mr. To has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since March 1, 2018. Mr. Xie has been Portfolio Manager of the Fund since March 1, 2019. Ms. Chan has been Portfolio Manager of the Fund since June 10, 2019.

PURCHASE AND SALE OF FUND SHARES
 
Shares of the Fund are listed and traded at market prices on a national securities exchange. Shares may only be purchased and sold on the exchange through a broker-dealer. The price of Shares is based on market price, and because ETF shares trade at market prices rather than at NAV, Shares may trade at a price greater than NAV (a premium) or less than NAV (a discount). Only “Authorized Participants” (as defined in the SAI) who have entered into agreements with the Fund's distributor, SEI Investments Distribution Co. ("Distributor"), may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. The Fund will only issue or redeem Shares that have been aggregated into blocks of 50,000 Shares or multiples thereof ("Creation Units"). The Fund will issue or redeem Creation Units in return for a basket of cash and/or securities that the Fund specifies any day that the national securities exchanges are open for business ("Business Day").
 
TAX INFORMATION
 
The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxable to you as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-advantaged arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account ("IRA"), in which case distributions from such tax-advantaged arrangement may be taxable to you.
 
PAYMENTS TO BROKER-DEALERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES
 
The Adviser and its related companies may pay broker-dealers or other financial intermediaries (such as a bank) for the sale of Fund Shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing your broker-dealer, sales persons or other intermediary or its employees or associated persons to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your financial adviser or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.
 


16


Global X Internet of Things ETF

Ticker: SNSR Exchange: NASDAQ

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE

The Global X Internet of Things ETF ("Fund") seeks to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the Indxx Global Internet of Things Thematic Index ("Underlying Index").

FEES AND EXPENSES

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares ("Shares") of the Fund. You will also incur usual and customary brokerage commissions when buying and selling Shares.

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

Management Fees:
0.68%
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees:
None
Other Expenses:
0.00%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses:
0.68%

Example: The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. This example does not take into account customary brokerage commissions that you pay when purchasing or selling Shares of the Fund in the secondary market. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell all of your Shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:

One Year
Three Years
Five Years
Ten Years
$69
$218
$379
$847

Portfolio Turnover: The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund's performance. For the most recent fiscal period, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 11.71% of the average value of its portfolio.

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

The Fund invests at least 80% of its total assets in the securities of the Underlying Index. The Fund's 80% investment policy is non-fundamental and requires 60 days prior written notice to shareholders before it can be changed. The Fund may lend securities representing up to one-third of the value of the Fund’s total assets (including the value of the collateral received).

The Underlying Index is designed to provide exposure to exchange-listed companies in developed markets that facilitate the Internet of Things industry, including companies involved in wearable technology, home automation, connected automotive technology, sensors, networking infrastructure/software, smart metering and energy control devices (collectively, "Internet of Things Companies"), as defined by Indxx, LLC, the provider of the Underlying Index ("Index Provider"). The Internet of Things refers to the network of physical objects (such as electronic devices, wearables, connected vehicles, infrastructure, equipment, smart home appliances, buildings) that are connected to the internet. Such objects often utilize embedded semiconductors, sensors, and software to collect, analyze, receive, and transfer data via networks enabled by technologies such as WiFi, 4G and 5G telecommunications infrastructure, and fiber optics.

The eligible universe of the Underlying Index includes among the most liquid and investable companies in accordance with the standard market capitalization and liquidity criteria associated with developed markets, as defined by the Index Provider. As of January 31, 2020, companies must have a minimum market capitalization of $300 million and a minimum average daily turnover for the last 6 months greater than or equal to $2 million in order to be eligible for inclusion in the Underlying Index. As of

17


January 31, 2020, components from the following countries were eligible for inclusion in the Underlying Index: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, the United Kingdom and the United States.

From the eligible universe, the Index Provider identifies Internet of Things Companies by applying a proprietary analysis that consists of two primary components: theme identification and company analysis. As part of the theme identification process, the Index Provider analyzes industry reports, investment research and consumer data related to the Internet of Things industry in order to establish the themes that are expected to provide the most exposure to the growth of the Internet of Things industry. As of January 31, 2020, the Index Provider has identified the following four Internet of Things themes: (1) Consumer Internet of Things Technology, (2) Equipment, Vehicle, and Infrastructure/Building Technology, (3) Semiconductors and Sensors and (4) Networking Infrastructure/Software (collectively, "Internet of Things Themes"). In order to be included in the Underlying Index, a company must be identified as having significant exposure to these Internet of Things Themes, as determined by the Index Provider. In the second step of the process, companies are analyzed based on two primary criteria: revenue exposure and primary business operations. A company is deemed to have significant exposure to the Internet of Things Themes if (i) according to a public filing, it derives a significant portion of its revenue from the Internet of Things Themes, or (ii) it has stated its primary business to be in products and services focused on the Internet of Things Themes, as determined by the Index Provider. In addition, companies with more diversified revenue streams may also be included in the Underlying Index if they meet the following criteria: (1) identified as being critical to the Internet of Things ecosystem due to scale in certain Internet of Things technologies and services, (2) have a distinct business unit focused on Internet of Things products and services, and (3) have a core competency that is expected to benefit from increased adoption of Internet of Things, as determined by the Index Provider. Companies that meet these criteria are eligible for inclusion in the Underlying Index with a weighting cap of 2%. Accordingly, the Fund assets will be concentrated (that is, it will hold 25% or more of its total assets) in companies that provide products and services that provide exposure to Internet of Things Themes.

The Underlying Index is weighted according to a modified capitalization weighting methodology and is reconstituted and rebalanced annually. At the annual rebalance, a capping methodology is applied to reduce concentration in individual securities and increase diversification of the Underlying Index. The Underlying Index may include large-, mid- or small-capitalization companies, and components primarily include industrials and information technology companies. The Fund's investment objective and Underlying Index may be changed without shareholder approval.

The Underlying Index is sponsored by the Index Provider, which is an organization that is independent of the Fund and Global X Management Company LLC, the investment adviser for the Fund ("Adviser"). The Index Provider determines the relative weightings of the securities in the Underlying Index and publishes information regarding the market value of the Underlying Index.

The Adviser uses a "passive" or indexing approach to try to achieve the Fund's investment objective. Unlike many investment companies, the Fund does not try to outperform the Underlying Index and does not seek temporary defensive positions when markets decline or appear overvalued.

The Fund generally will use a replication strategy. A replication strategy is an indexing strategy that involves investing in the securities of the Underlying Index in approximately the same proportions as in the Underlying Index. However, the Fund may utilize a representative sampling strategy with respect to the Underlying Index when a replication strategy might be detrimental or disadvantageous to shareholders, such as when there are practical difficulties or substantial costs involved in compiling a portfolio of equity securities to replicate the Underlying Index, in instances in which a security in the Underlying Index becomes temporarily illiquid, unavailable or less liquid, or as a result of legal restrictions or limitations (such as tax diversification requirements) that apply to the Fund but not the Underlying Index.

The Adviser expects that, over time, the correlation between the Fund's performance and that of the Underlying Index, before fees and expenses, will exceed 95%. A correlation percentage of 100% would indicate perfect correlation. If the Fund uses a replication strategy, it can be expected to have greater correlation to the Underlying Index than if it uses a representative sampling strategy.

The Fund concentrates its investments (i.e., holds 25% or more of its total assets) in a particular industry or group of industries to approximately the same extent that the Underlying Index is concentrated. As of January 31, 2020, the Underlying Index was concentrated in the semiconductors and semiconductor equipment industry and had significant exposure to the information technology sector.

SUMMARY OF PRINCIPAL RISKS

As with any investment, you could lose all or part of your investment in the Fund, and the Fund’s performance could trail that of other investments. There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. The Fund is subject to the principal

18


risks noted below, any of which may adversely affect the Fund’s net asset value (“NAV”), trading price, yield, total return and ability to meet its investment objective, as well as other risks that are described in greater detail in the Additional Information About the Funds section of this Prospectus and in the Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”). The order of the below risk factors does not indicate the significance of any particular risk factor.

Asset Class Risk: Securities and other assets in the Underlying Index or otherwise held in the Fund's portfolio may underperform in comparison to the general securities markets, a particular securities market or other asset classes.

Equity Securities Risk: Equity securities are subject to changes in value, and their values may be more volatile than other asset classes, as a result of such factors as a company’s business performance, investor perceptions, stock market trends and general economic conditions.

Associated Risks Related to Investing in Internet of Things Companies: Internet of Things companies may have limited product lines, markets, financial resources or personnel. These companies typically face intense competition and potentially rapid product obsolescence. In addition, many Internet of Things companies store sensitive consumer information and could be the target of cybersecurity attacks and other types of theft, which could have a negative impact on these companies. As a result, Internet of Things companies may be adversely impacted by government regulations, and may be subject to additional regulatory oversight with regard to privacy concerns and cybersecurity risk. These companies are also heavily dependent on intellectual property rights and may be adversely affected by loss or impairment of those rights. Internet of Things companies could be negatively impacted by disruptions in service caused by hardware or software failure, or by interruptions or delays in service by third-party data center hosting facilities and maintenance providers. Internet of Things companies, especially smaller companies, tend to be more volatile than companies that do not rely heavily on technology. The customers and/or suppliers of Internet of Things companies may be concentrated in a particular country, region or industry. Any adverse event affecting one of these countries, regions or industries could have a negative impact on Internet of Things companies. Through its portfolio companies’ customers and suppliers, the Fund is specifically exposed to Asian Economic Risk and European Economic Risk.

Capitalization Risk: Investing in issuers within the same market capitalization category carries the risk that the category may be out of favor due to current market conditions or investor sentiment.

Large-Capitalization Companies Risk: Large-capitalization companies may trail the returns of the overall stock market. Large-capitalization stocks tend to go through cycles of doing better - or worse - than the stock market in general. These periods have, in the past, lasted for as long as several years.

Mid-Capitalization Companies Risk: Mid-capitalization companies may have greater price volatility, lower trading volume and less liquidity than large-capitalization companies. In addition, mid-capitalization companies may have smaller revenues, narrower product lines, less management depth and experience, smaller shares of their product or service markets, fewer financial resources and less competitive strength than large-capitalization companies.

Small-Capitalization Companies Risk: Compared to mid- and large-capitalization companies, small-capitalization companies may be less stable and more susceptible to adverse developments, and their securities may be more volatile and less liquid.

Concentration Risk: To the extent that the Underlying Index concentrates in investments related to a particular industry or group of industries, the Fund will also concentrate its investments to approximately the same extent. Similarly, if the Underlying Index has significant exposure to one or more sectors, the Fund’s investments will likely have significant exposure to such sectors. In such event, the Fund’s performance will be particularly susceptible to adverse events impacting such industry or sector, which may include, but are not limited to, the following: general economic conditions or cyclical market patterns that could negatively affect supply and demand; competition for resources; adverse labor relations; political or world events; obsolescence of technologies; and increased competition or new product introductions that may affect the profitability or viability of companies in a particular industry or sector. As a result, the value of the Fund’s investments may rise and fall more than the value of shares of a fund that invests in securities of companies in a broader range of industries or sectors.

Risks Related to Investing in the Information Technology Sector: Companies in the information technology sector are subject to rapid changes in technology product cycles; rapid product obsolescence; government regulation; and increased competition, both domestically and internationally, including competition from foreign competitors with lower production costs. Information technology companies and companies that rely heavily on technology tend to be more volatile than the overall market and also are heavily dependent on patent and intellectual property rights. In addition, information technology companies may have limited product lines, markets, financial resources or personnel.


19


Risks Related to Investing in the Semiconductors and Semiconductor Equipment Industry: The semiconductors and semiconductor equipment industry is highly competitive, and certain companies in this industry may be restricted from operating in certain markets due to the sensitive nature of these technologies. Companies in this space generally seek to increase silicon capacity, improve yields, and reduce die size in their product designs which may result in significant increases in worldwide supply and downward pressure on prices. Companies involved in the semiconductors and semiconductor equipment industry face increased risk from trade agreements between countries that develop these technologies and countries in which customers of these technologies are based. Lack of resolution or potential imposition of trade tariffs may hinder on the companies’ ability to successfully deploy their inventories. The success of such companies frequently depends on the ability to develop and produce competitive new semiconductor technologies. Companies in this industry frequently undertake substantial research and development expenses in order to remain competitive, and a failure to successfully demonstrate advanced functionality and performance can have a material impact on the company’s business.

Currency Risk: The Fund may invest in securities denominated in foreign currencies. Because the Fund's NAV is determined in U.S. dollars, the Fund's NAV could decline if currencies of the underlying securities depreciate against the U.S. dollar or if there are delays or limits on repatriation of such currencies. Currency exchange rates can be very volatile and can change quickly and unpredictably. As a result, the Fund's NAV may change quickly and without warning, which could have a significant negative impact on the Fund.

Custody Risk: Less developed markets are more likely to experience problems with the clearing and settling of trades and the holding of securities by local banks, agents and depositories.

Foreign Securities Risk: The Fund may invest, without limit, in foreign securities. The Fund's investments in foreign securities can be riskier than U.S. securities investments. Investments in the securities of foreign issuers (including investments in ADRs and GDRs) are subject to the risks associated with investing in those foreign markets, such as heightened risks of inflation or nationalization. The prices of foreign securities and the prices of U.S. securities have, at times, moved in opposite directions. In addition, securities of foreign issuers may lose value due to political, economic and geographic events affecting a foreign issuer or market. During periods of social, political or economic instability in a country or region, the value of a foreign security traded on U.S. exchanges could be affected by, among other things, increasing price volatility, illiquidity, or the closure of the primary market on which the security (or the security underlying the ADR or GDR) is traded. You may lose money due to political, economic and geographic events affecting a foreign issuer or market.

Geographic Risk: A natural, biological or other disaster could occur in a geographic region in which the Fund invests, which could affect the economy or particular business operations of companies in the specific geographic region, causing an adverse impact on the Fund’s investments in the affected region or in a region economically tied to the affected region. The securities in which the Fund invests and, consequently, the Fund are also subject to specific risks as a result of their business operations, including, but not limited to:

Risk of Investing in Developed Markets: The Fund’s investment in a developed country issuer may subject the Fund to regulatory, political, currency, security, economic and other risks associated with developed countries. Developed countries tend to represent a significant portion of the global economy and have generally experienced slower economic growth than some less developed countries. Certain developed countries have experienced security concerns, such as terrorism and strained international relations. Incidents involving a country’s or region’s security may cause uncertainty in its markets and may adversely affect its economy and the Fund’s investments. In addition, developed countries may be impacted by changes to the economic conditions of certain key trading partners, regulatory burdens, debt burdens and the price or availability of certain commodities.

Risk of Investing in Emerging Markets: The Fund targets Internet of Things Companies globally and is expected to invest in securities in emerging market countries. Investments in emerging markets may be subject to a greater risk of loss than investments in developed markets. Securities markets of emerging market countries are less liquid, subject to greater price volatility, have smaller market capitalizations, have less government regulation, and are not subject to as extensive and frequent accounting, financial, and other reporting requirements as the securities markets of more developed countries, and there may be greater risk associated with the custody of securities in emerging markets. Emerging markets may be more likely to experience inflation, political turmoil and rapid changes in economic conditions than more developed markets. Certain emerging market countries may have privatized, or have begun the process of privatizing, certain entities and industries. Privatized entities may lose money or be re-nationalized.

Risk of Investing in Switzerland: Investments in Swiss issuers may subject the Fund to legal, regulatory, political, currency, security, and economic risks specific to Switzerland. International trade is a large component of the Swiss

20


economy and Switzerland depends upon exports to generate economic growth. The Swiss economy relies on certain key trading partners in order to sustain continued economic growth. Switzerland’s economic growth generally mirrors slowdowns and growth spurts experienced in other countries, including the U.S. and certain Western European countries.

Risk of Investing in Taiwan: Investments in Taiwanese issuers involve risks that are specific to Taiwan, including legal, regulatory, political and economic risks. Political and economic developments of Taiwan’s neighbors may have an adverse effect on Taiwan’s economy. Specifically, Taiwan’s geographic proximity and history of political contention with China have resulted in ongoing tensions, which may materially affect the Taiwanese economy and its securities market.

Risk of Investing in the United States: A decrease in imports or exports, changes in trade regulations and/or an economic recession in the U.S. may have a material adverse effect on the U.S. economy.

International Closed Market Trading Risk: To the extent that the underlying investments held by the Fund trade on foreign exchanges that may be closed when the securities exchange on which the Fund’s Shares trade is open, there are likely to be deviations between the current price of such an underlying security and the last quoted price for the underlying security (i.e., the Fund’s quote from the closed foreign market). These deviations could result in premiums or discounts to the Fund’s NAV that may be greater than those experienced by other exchange-traded funds ("ETFs").

Issuer Risk: Fund performance depends on the performance of individual companies in which the Fund invests. Changes to the financial condition of any of those companies may cause the value of their securities to decline.

Market Risk: Turbulence in the financial markets and reduced liquidity may negatively affect issuers, which could have an adverse effect on the Fund. If the securities held by the Fund experience poor liquidity, the Fund may be unable to transact at advantageous times or prices, which may decrease the Fund’s returns. In addition, there is a risk that policy changes by the U.S. Government, Federal Reserve, or other government actors, which could include increasing interest rates, could cause increased volatility in financial markets and lead to higher levels of Fund redemptions, which could have a negative impact on the Fund. Furthermore, local, regional or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issue, recessions, or other events could have a significant impact on the Fund and its investments and trading of its shares. The Fund’s NAV could decline over short periods due to short-term market movements and over longer periods during market downturns.

Non-Diversification Risk: The Fund is classified as a “non-diversified” investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940 ("1940 Act"). As a result, the Fund is subject to the risk that it may be more volatile than a diversified fund because the Fund may invest its assets in a smaller number of issuers or may invest a larger proportion of its assets in a single issuer. As a result, the gains and losses on a single investment may have a greater impact on the Fund’s NAV and may make the Fund more volatile than more diversified funds.

Operational Risk: The Fund is exposed to operational risk arising from a number of factors, including but not limited to human error, processing and communication errors, errors of the Fund's service providers, counterparties or other third-parties, failed or inadequate processes and technology or systems failures. Additionally, cyber security failures or breaches of the electronic systems of the Fund, the Adviser, and the Fund's other service providers, market makers, Authorized Participants or the issuers of securities in which the Fund invests have the ability to cause disruptions and negatively impact the Fund's business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses to the Fund and its shareholders. The Fund and the Adviser seek to reduce these operational risks through controls and procedures. However, these measures do not address every possible risk and may be inadequate for those risks that they are intended to address.

Passive Investment Risk: The Fund is not actively managed, and the Adviser does not attempt to take defensive positions in declining markets. Unlike many investment companies, the Fund does not seek to outperform its Underlying Index. Therefore, it would not necessarily buy or sell a security unless that security is added or removed, respectively, from the Underlying Index, even if that security generally is underperforming. Maintaining investments in securities regardless of market conditions or the performance of individual securities could cause the Fund’s return to be lower than if the Fund employed an active strategy.

Index-Related Risk: There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve a high degree of correlation to the Underlying Index and therefore achieve its investment objective. Market disruptions and regulatory restrictions could have an adverse effect on the Fund’s ability to adjust its exposure to the required levels in order to track the Underlying Index. Errors in index data, index computations and/or the construction of the Underlying Index in accordance with its methodology may occur from time to time and may not be identified and corrected by the Index Provider for a period of time or at all, which may have an adverse impact on the Fund and its shareholders.

Management Risk: The Fund will not fully replicate its Underlying Index and may hold securities not included in its Underlying Index. The Adviser’s investment strategy, the implementation of which is subject to a number of constraints,

21


may cause the Fund to underperform the market or its relevant benchmark or adversely affect the ability of the Fund to achieve its investment objective.

Tracking Error Risk: Tracking error may occur because of differences between the instruments held in the Fund's portfolio and those included in the Underlying Index, pricing differences, transaction costs incurred by the Fund, the Fund's holding of uninvested cash, size of the Fund, differences in timing of the accrual of or the valuation of dividends or interest, tax gains or losses, changes to the Underlying Index or the costs to the Fund of complying with various new or existing regulatory requirements. This risk may be heightened during times of increased market volatility or other unusual market conditions. Tracking error also may result because the Fund incurs fees and expenses, while the Underlying Index does not. ETFs that track indices with significant weight in emerging markets issuers may experience higher tracking error than other ETFs that do not track such indices.

Risks Associated with Exchange-Traded Funds: As an ETF, the Fund is subject to the following risks:

Authorized Participants Concentration Risk: The Fund has a limited number of financial institutions that may act as Authorized Participants and engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund, and none of those Authorized Participants is obligated to engage in creation and/or redemption transactions. To the extent that those Authorized Participants exit the business or are unable to process creation and/or redemption orders, Shares may be more likely to trade at a premium or discount to NAV, and possibly face trading halts and/or delisting from an exchange. Authorized Participants Concentration Risk may be heightened because the Fund invests in non-U.S. securities.

Large Shareholder Risk: Redemptions by large shareholders could have a significant negative impact on the Fund. If a large shareholder were to redeem all, or a large portion, of its Shares, there is no guarantee that the Fund will be able to maintain sufficient assets to continue operations in which case the Board of Trustees may determine to liquidate the Fund. In addition, transactions by large shareholders may account for a large percentage of the trading volume on a national securities exchange and may, therefore, have a material upward or downward effect on the market price of the Shares.

Listing Standards Risk: Under continuous listing standards adopted by the Fund’s listing exchange, the Fund will be required to confirm on an ongoing basis that the components of the Underlying Index satisfy the applicable listing requirements. In the event that the Underlying Index does not comply with the applicable listing requirements, the Fund would be required to rectify such non-compliance by requesting that the Index Provider modify the Underlying Index, adopting a new underlying index, or obtaining relief from the SEC. Failure to rectify such non-compliance may result in the Fund being delisted by the listing exchange. In addition, the Fund may face the risk of being delisted if the Fund does not meet certain conditions of the listing exchange. Any resulting liquidation of the Fund could cause the Fund to incur elevated transaction costs and could result in negative tax consequences for its shareholders.

Market Trading Risks and Premium/Discount Risks: Shares of the Fund are publicly traded on a national securities exchange, which may subject shareholders to numerous market trading risks. Disruptions to creations and redemptions, the existence of extreme market volatility or potential lack of assets in the Fund or an active trading market for Shares may result in Shares trading at a significant premium or discount to NAV. If a shareholder purchases Shares at a time when the market price is at a premium to the NAV or sells Shares at a time when the market price is at a discount to the NAV, the shareholder may sustain losses.

Securities Lending Risk: Securities lending involves a risk of loss because the borrower may fail to return the securities in a timely manner or at all. If the Fund is not able to recover the securities loaned, it may sell the collateral and purchase a replacement security in the market. Lending securities entails a risk of loss to the Fund if and to the extent that the market value of the loaned securities increases and the collateral is not increased accordingly. Additionally, the Fund will bear any loss on the investment of cash collateral it receives. These events could also trigger adverse tax consequences for the Fund. As securities on loan may not be voted by the Fund, there is a risk that the Fund may not be able to recall the securities in sufficient time to vote on material proxy matters.

Trading Halt Risk: An exchange or market may close or issue trading halts on specific securities, or the ability to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments may be restricted, which may result in the Fund being unable to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments. In such circumstances, the Fund may be unable to rebalance its portfolio, may be unable to accurately price its investments and/or may incur substantial trading losses.

Valuation Risk: The sales price the Fund could receive for a security may differ from the Fund’s valuation of the security and may differ from the value used by the Underlying Index, particularly for securities that trade in low value or volatile markets or

22


that are valued using a fair value methodology (such as during trading halts). The value of the securities in the Fund's portfolio may change on days when shareholders will not be able to purchase or sell the Fund's Shares.

PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

The bar chart and table that follow show how the Fund performed on a calendar year basis and provide an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund's performance from year to year and by showing the Fund's average annual total returns for the indicated periods compared with the Fund's benchmark index and a broad measure of market performance. The Fund's past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available online at www.globalxetfs.com.

Annual Total Returns (Years Ended December 31)

  CHART-51D2B73B8F0C5FF5A2A.JPG

Best Quarter:
12/31/19
16.71%
Worst Quarter:
12/31/18
-19.40%


23


Average Annual Total Returns (for the Periods Ended December 31, 2019) 
 
Year Ended December 31, 2019
Since Inception (09/12/2016)
Global X Internet of Things ETF:
 
 
·Return before taxes
47.45%
15.96%
·Return after taxes on distributions1
46.98%
15.57%
·Return after taxes on distributions and sale of Fund Shares1
28.30%
12.49%
Indxx Global Internet of Things Thematic Index (net)
(Index returns reflect invested dividends net of withholding taxes, but reflect no deduction for fees, expenses, or other taxes)
47.59%
16.26%
MSCI ACWI Index (net)
(Index returns reflect invested dividends net of withholding taxes, but reflect no deduction for fees, expenses, or other taxes)
26.60%
11.93%

1     After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual U.S. federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Your actual after-tax returns will depend on your specific tax situation and may differ from those shown above. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold Shares of the Fund through tax-advantaged arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts (IRAs).

FUND MANAGEMENT

Investment Adviser: Global X Management Company LLC.

Portfolio Managers: The professionals primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund are Chang Kim, CFA; Nam To, CFA; Wayne Xie and Kimberly Chan (“Portfolio Managers”). Mr. Kim has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since the Fund's inception. Mr. To has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since March 1, 2018. Mr. Xie has been Portfolio Manager of the Fund since March 1, 2019. Ms. Chan has been Portfolio Manager of the Fund since June 10, 2019.

PURCHASE AND SALE OF FUND SHARES
 
Shares of the Fund are listed and traded at market prices on a national securities exchange. Shares may only be purchased and sold on the exchange through a broker-dealer. The price of Shares is based on market price, and because ETF shares trade at market prices rather than at NAV, Shares may trade at a price greater than NAV (a premium) or less than NAV (a discount). Only “Authorized Participants” (as defined in the SAI) who have entered into agreements with the Fund's distributor, SEI Investments Distribution Co. ("Distributor"), may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. The Fund will only issue or redeem Shares that have been aggregated into blocks of 50,000 Shares or multiples thereof ("Creation Units"). The Fund will issue or redeem Creation Units in return for a basket of cash and/or securities that the Fund specifies any day that the national securities exchanges are open for business ("Business Day").
 
TAX INFORMATION
 
The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxable to you as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-advantaged arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account ("IRA"), in which case distributions from such tax-advantaged arrangement may be taxable to you.
 
PAYMENTS TO BROKER-DEALERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES
 
The Adviser and its related companies may pay broker-dealers or other financial intermediaries (such as a bank) for the sale of Fund Shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing your broker-dealer, sales persons or other intermediary or its employees or associated persons to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your financial adviser or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.

24


Global X Cloud Computing ETF

Ticker: CLOU Exchange: NASDAQ

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE

The Global X Cloud Computing ETF ("Fund") seeks to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the Indxx Global Cloud Computing Index ("Underlying Index").

FEES AND EXPENSES

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares ("Shares") of the Fund. You will also incur usual and customary brokerage commissions when buying and selling Shares.

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

Management Fees:
0.68%
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees:
None
Other Expenses:
0.00%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses:
0.68%

Example: The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. This example does not take into account customary brokerage commissions that you pay when purchasing or selling Shares of the Fund in the secondary market. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell all of your Shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:

One Year
Three Years
Five Years
Ten Years
$69
$218
$379
$847

Portfolio Turnover: The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund's performance. From the Fund's commencement of operations on April 12, 2019 to the end of the most recent fiscal period, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 12.52% of the average value of its portfolio.

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

The Fund invests at least 80% of its total assets in the securities of the Underlying Index and in American Depositary Receipts ("ADRs") and Global Depositary Receipts ("GDRs") based on the securities in the Underlying Index. The Fund's 80% investment policy is non-fundamental and requires 60 days prior written notice to shareholders before it can be changed. The Fund may lend securities representing up to one-third of the value of the Fund’s total assets (including the value of the collateral received).

The Underlying Index is designed to provide exposure to exchange-listed companies that are positioned to benefit from the increased adoption of cloud computing technology, including but not limited to companies whose principal business is in offering computing Software-as-a-Service ("SaaS"), Platform-as-a-Service ("PaaS"), Infrastructure-as-a-Service ("IaaS"), managed server storage space and data center real estate investment trusts ("REITs"), and/or cloud and edge computing infrastructure and hardware (collectively, "Cloud Computing Companies"), as defined by Indxx LLC, the provider of the Underlying Index ("Index Provider").

In constructing the Underlying Index, the Index Provider first identifies FactSet Industries related to cloud computing. Companies within these Industries, as of the selection date, are further reviewed by the Index Provider on the basis of revenue related to cloud computing activities. To be eligible for the Underlying Index, a company is considered by the Index Provider to be a Cloud Computing Company if the company generates at least 50% of its revenues from cloud computing activities, as determined by the Index Provider. The Index Provider classifies Cloud Computing Companies as those companies that (i) license and deliver software over the internet on a subscription basis (SaaS), (ii) provide a platform for creating software applications which are

25


delivered over the internet (PaaS), (iii) provide virtualized computing infrastructure over the internet (IaaS), (iv) own and manage facilities customers use to store data and servers, including data center REITs, and/or (v) manufacture or distribute infrastructure and/or hardware components used in cloud and edge computing activities, as determined by the Index Provider. In addition, companies that generate at least $500 million of revenue from providing public cloud infrastructure (but less than 50% of their overall revenues), are eligible for inclusion in the Underlying Index. These companies are subject to an individual weight cap of 2% and an aggregate weight cap of 10% at each semi-annual rebalance.

To be a part of the eligible universe of the Underlying Index, certain minimum market capitalization and liquidity criteria, as defined by the Index Provider, must be met. As of January 31, 2020, companies must have a minimum market capitalization of $200 million and a minimum average daily turnover for the last 6 months greater than or equal to $2 million in order to be eligible for inclusion in the Underlying Index. As of January 31, 2020, companies listed in the following countries were eligible for inclusion in the Indxx Global Cloud Computing Index: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Russia, South Africa, South Korea, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

The Underlying Index is weighted according to a modified capitalization weighting methodology and is reconstituted and re-weighted semi-annually. Modified capitalization weighting seeks to weight constituents primarily based on market capitalization, but subject to caps on the weights of the individual securities. Generally speaking, this approach will limit the amount of concentration in the largest market capitalization companies and increase company-level diversification. The Underlying Index may include large-, mid- or small-capitalization companies, and components primarily include information technology companies. As of January 31, 2020, the Underlying Index had 36 constituents. The Fund's investment objective and Underlying Index may be changed without shareholder approval.

The Underlying Index is sponsored by the Index Provider, which is an organization that is independent of the Fund and Global X Management Company LLC, the investment adviser for the Fund ("Adviser"). The Index Provider determines the relative weightings of the securities in the Underlying Index and publishes information regarding the market value of the Underlying Index.

The Adviser uses a "passive" or indexing approach to try to achieve the Fund's investment objective. Unlike many investment companies, the Fund does not try to outperform the Underlying Index and does not seek temporary defensive positions when markets decline or appear overvalued.

The Fund generally will use a replication strategy. A replication strategy is an indexing strategy that involves investing in the securities of the Underlying Index in approximately the same proportions as in the Underlying Index. However, the Fund may utilize a representative sampling strategy with respect to the Underlying Index when a replication strategy might be detrimental or disadvantageous to shareholders, such as when there are practical difficulties or substantial costs involved in compiling a portfolio of equity securities to replicate the Underlying Index, in instances in which a security in the Underlying Index becomes temporarily illiquid, unavailable or less liquid, or as a result of legal restrictions or limitations (such as tax diversification requirements) that apply to the Fund but not the Underlying Index.

The Adviser expects that, over time, the correlation between the Fund's performance and that of the Underlying Index, before fees and expenses, will exceed 95%. A correlation percentage of 100% would indicate perfect correlation. If the Fund uses a replication strategy, it can be expected to have greater correlation to the Underlying Index than if it uses a representative sampling strategy.

The Fund concentrates its investments (i.e., holds 25% or more of its total assets) in a particular industry or group of industries to approximately the same extent that the Underlying Index is concentrated. As of January 31, 2020, the Underlying Index was concentrated in the software industry and had significant exposure to the information technology sector.

SUMMARY OF PRINCIPAL RISKS

As with any investment, you could lose all or part of your investment in the Fund, and the Fund’s performance could trail that of other investments. There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. The Fund is subject to the principal risks noted below, any of which may adversely affect the Fund’s net asset value (“NAV”), trading price, yield, total return and ability to meet its investment objective, as well as other risks that are described in greater detail in the Additional Information About the Funds section of this Prospectus and in the Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”). The order of the below risk factors does not indicate the significance of any particular risk factor.


26


Asset Class Risk: Securities and other assets in the Underlying Index or otherwise held in the Fund's portfolio may underperform in comparison to the general securities markets, a particular securities market or other asset classes.

Equity Securities Risk: Equity securities are subject to changes in value, and their values may be more volatile than other asset classes, as a result of such factors as a company’s business performance, investor perceptions, stock market trends and general economic conditions.

Real Estate Stocks and Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) Investment Risk: The Fund may have exposure to companies that invest in real estate, such as REITs, which exposes investors in the Fund to the risks of owning real estate directly, as well as to risks that relate specifically to the way in which real estate companies are organized and operated. Real estate is highly sensitive to general and local economic conditions and developments and characterized by intense competition and periodic overbuilding. Many real estate companies, including REITs, utilize leverage (and some may be highly leveraged), which increases risk and could adversely affect a real estate company's operations and market value in periods of rising interest rates.

Associated Risks Related to Investing in Cloud Computing Companies: Cloud Computing companies may have limited product lines, markets, financial resources or personnel. These companies typically face intense competition and potentially rapid product obsolescence. In addition, many Cloud Computing companies store sensitive consumer information and could be the target of cybersecurity attacks and other types of theft, which could have a negative impact on these companies. As a result, Cloud Computing companies may be adversely impacted by government regulations, and may be subject to additional regulatory oversight with regard to privacy concerns and cybersecurity risk. These companies are also heavily dependent on intellectual property rights and may be adversely affected by loss or impairment of those rights. Cloud Computing companies could be negatively impacted by disruptions in service caused by hardware or software failure, or by interruptions or delays in service by third-party data center hosting facilities and maintenance providers. Cloud Computing companies, especially smaller companies, tend to be more volatile than companies that do not rely heavily on technology. The customers and/or suppliers of Cloud Computing companies may be concentrated in a particular country, region or industry. Any adverse event affecting one of these countries, regions or industries could have a negative impact on Cloud Computing companies. Through its portfolio companies’ customers and suppliers, the Fund is specifically exposed to Asian Economic Risk, European Economic Risk and North American Economic Risk.

Capitalization Risk: Investing in issuers within the same market capitalization category carries the risk that the category may be out of favor due to current market conditions or investor sentiment.

Large-Capitalization Companies Risk: Large-capitalization companies may trail the returns of the overall stock market. Large-capitalization stocks tend to go through cycles of doing better - or worse - than the stock market in general. These periods have, in the past, lasted for as long as several years.

Mid-Capitalization Companies Risk: Mid-capitalization companies may have greater price volatility, lower trading volume and less liquidity than large-capitalization companies. In addition, mid-capitalization companies may have smaller revenues, narrower product lines, less management depth and experience, smaller shares of their product or service markets, fewer financial resources and less competitive strength than large-capitalization companies.

Small-Capitalization Companies Risk: Compared to mid- and large-capitalization companies, small-capitalization companies may be less stable and more susceptible to adverse developments, and their securities may be more volatile and less liquid.

Concentration Risk: To the extent that the Underlying Index concentrates in investments related to a particular industry or group of industries, the Fund will also concentrate its investments to approximately the same extent. Similarly, if the Underlying Index has significant exposure to one or more sectors, the Fund’s investments will likely have significant exposure to such sectors. In such event, the Fund’s performance will be particularly susceptible to adverse events impacting such industry or sector, which may include, but are not limited to, the following: general economic conditions or cyclical market patterns that could negatively affect supply and demand; competition for resources; adverse labor relations; political or world events; obsolescence of technologies; and increased competition or new product introductions that may affect the profitability or viability of companies in a particular industry or sector. As a result, the value of the Fund’s investments may rise and fall more than the value of shares of a fund that invests in securities of companies in a broader range of industries or sectors.

Risks Related to Investing in the Information Technology Sector: Companies in the information technology sector are subject to rapid changes in technology product cycles; rapid product obsolescence; government regulation; and increased competition, both domestically and internationally, including competition from foreign competitors with lower production costs. Information technology companies and companies that rely heavily on technology tend to be more

27


volatile than the overall market and also are heavily dependent on patent and intellectual property rights. In addition, information technology companies may have limited product lines, markets, financial resources or personnel.

Risks Related to Investing in the Software Industry: The software industry can be significantly affected by intense competition, aggressive pricing, technological innovations, and product obsolescence. Companies in the application software industry, in particular, may also be negatively affected by the decline or fluctuation of subscription renewal rates for their products and services, which may have an adverse effect on profit margins. Companies in the systems software industry may be adversely affected by, among other things, actual or perceived security vulnerabilities in their products and services, which may result in individual or class action lawsuits, state or federal enforcement actions and other remediation costs.

Currency Risk: The Fund may invest in securities denominated in foreign currencies. Because the Fund's NAV is determined in U.S. dollars, the Fund's NAV could decline if currencies of the underlying securities depreciate against the U.S. dollar or if there are delays or limits on repatriation of such currencies. Currency exchange rates can be very volatile and can change quickly and unpredictably. As a result, the Fund's NAV may change quickly and without warning, which could have a significant negative impact on the Fund.

Custody Risk: Less developed markets are more likely to experience problems with the clearing and settling of trades and the holding of securities by local banks, agents and depositories.

Foreign Securities Risk: The Fund may invest, without limit, in foreign securities. The Fund's investments in foreign securities can be riskier than U.S. securities investments. Investments in the securities of foreign issuers (including investments in ADRs and GDRs) are subject to the risks associated with investing in those foreign markets, such as heightened risks of inflation or nationalization. The prices of foreign securities and the prices of U.S. securities have, at times, moved in opposite directions. In addition, securities of foreign issuers may lose value due to political, economic and geographic events affecting a foreign issuer or market. During periods of social, political or economic instability in a country or region, the value of a foreign security traded on U.S. exchanges could be affected by, among other things, increasing price volatility, illiquidity, or the closure of the primary market on which the security (or the security underlying the ADR or GDR) is traded. You may lose money due to political, economic and geographic events affecting a foreign issuer or market.

Geographic Risk: A natural, biological or other disaster could occur in a geographic region in which the Fund invests, which could affect the economy or particular business operations of companies in the specific geographic region, causing an adverse impact on the Fund’s investments in the affected region or in a region economically tied to the affected region. The securities in which the Fund invests and, consequently, the Fund are also subject to specific risks as a result of their business operations, including, but not limited to:

Risk of Investing in Developed Markets: The Fund’s investment in a developed country issuer may subject the Fund to regulatory, political, currency, security, economic and other risks associated with developed countries. Developed countries tend to represent a significant portion of the global economy and have generally experienced slower economic growth than some less developed countries. Certain developed countries have experienced security concerns, such as terrorism and strained international relations. Incidents involving a country’s or region’s security may cause uncertainty in its markets and may adversely affect its economy and the Fund’s investments. In addition, developed countries may be impacted by changes to the economic conditions of certain key trading partners, regulatory burdens, debt burdens and the price or availability of certain commodities.

Risk of Investing in the United States: A decrease in imports or exports, changes in trade regulations and/or an economic recession in the U.S. may have a material adverse effect on the U.S. economy.

International Closed Market Trading Risk: To the extent that the underlying investments held by the Fund trade on foreign exchanges that may be closed when the securities exchange on which the Fund’s Shares trade is open, there are likely to be deviations between the current price of such an underlying security and the last quoted price for the underlying security (i.e., the Fund’s quote from the closed foreign market). These deviations could result in premiums or discounts to the Fund’s NAV that may be greater than those experienced by other exchange-traded funds ("ETFs").

Issuer Risk: Fund performance depends on the performance of individual companies in which the Fund invests. Changes to the financial condition of any of those companies may cause the value of their securities to decline.

Market Risk: Turbulence in the financial markets and reduced liquidity may negatively affect issuers, which could have an adverse effect on the Fund. If the securities held by the Fund experience poor liquidity, the Fund may be unable to transact at advantageous

28


times or prices, which may decrease the Fund’s returns. In addition, there is a risk that policy changes by the U.S. Government, Federal Reserve, or other government actors, which could include increasing interest rates, could cause increased volatility in financial markets and lead to higher levels of Fund redemptions, which could have a negative impact on the Fund. Furthermore, local, regional or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issue, recessions, or other events could have a significant impact on the Fund and its investments and trading of its shares. The Fund’s NAV could decline over short periods due to short-term market movements and over longer periods during market downturns.

Non-Diversification Risk: The Fund is classified as a “non-diversified” investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940 ("1940 Act"). As a result, the Fund is subject to the risk that it may be more volatile than a diversified fund because the Fund may invest its assets in a smaller number of issuers or may invest a larger proportion of its assets in a single issuer. As a result, the gains and losses on a single investment may have a greater impact on the Fund’s NAV and may make the Fund more volatile than more diversified funds.

Operational Risk: The Fund is exposed to operational risk arising from a number of factors, including but not limited to human error, processing and communication errors, errors of the Fund's service providers, counterparties or other third-parties, failed or inadequate processes and technology or systems failures. Additionally, cyber security failures or breaches of the electronic systems of the Fund, the Adviser, and the Fund's other service providers, market makers, Authorized Participants or the issuers of securities in which the Fund invests have the ability to cause disruptions and negatively impact the Fund's business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses to the Fund and its shareholders. The Fund and the Adviser seek to reduce these operational risks through controls and procedures. However, these measures do not address every possible risk and may be inadequate for those risks that they are intended to address.

Passive Investment Risk: The Fund is not actively managed, and the Adviser does not attempt to take defensive positions in declining markets. Unlike many investment companies, the Fund does not seek to outperform its Underlying Index. Therefore, it would not necessarily buy or sell a security unless that security is added or removed, respectively, from the Underlying Index, even if that security generally is underperforming. Maintaining investments in securities regardless of market conditions or the performance of individual securities could cause the Fund’s return to be lower than if the Fund employed an active strategy.

Index-Related Risk: There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve a high degree of correlation to the Underlying Index and therefore achieve its investment objective. Market disruptions and regulatory restrictions could have an adverse effect on the Fund’s ability to adjust its exposure to the required levels in order to track the Underlying Index. Errors in index data, index computations and/or the construction of the Underlying Index in accordance with its methodology may occur from time to time and may not be identified and corrected by the Index Provider for a period of time or at all, which may have an adverse impact on the Fund and its shareholders.

Management Risk: The Fund will not fully replicate its Underlying Index and may hold securities not included in its Underlying Index. The Adviser’s investment strategy, the implementation of which is subject to a number of constraints, may cause the Fund to underperform the market or its relevant benchmark or adversely affect the ability of the Fund to achieve its investment objective.

Tracking Error Risk: Tracking error may occur because of differences between the instruments held in the Fund's portfolio and those included in the Underlying Index, pricing differences, transaction costs incurred by the Fund, the Fund's holding of uninvested cash, size of the Fund, differences in timing of the accrual of or the valuation of dividends or interest, tax gains or losses, changes to the Underlying Index or the costs to the Fund of complying with various new or existing regulatory requirements. This risk may be heightened during times of increased market volatility or other unusual market conditions. Tracking error also may result because the Fund incurs fees and expenses, while the Underlying Index does not. ETFs that track indices with significant weight in emerging markets issuers may experience higher tracking error than other ETFs that do not track such indices.

Risks Associated with Exchange-Traded Funds: As an ETF, the Fund is subject to the following risks:

Authorized Participants Concentration Risk: The Fund has a limited number of financial institutions that may act as Authorized Participants and engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund, and none of those Authorized Participants is obligated to engage in creation and/or redemption transactions. To the extent that those Authorized Participants exit the business or are unable to process creation and/or redemption orders, Shares may be more likely to trade at a premium or discount to NAV, and possibly face trading halts and/or delisting from an exchange. Authorized Participants Concentration Risk may be heightened because the Fund invests in non-U.S. securities.

Large Shareholder Risk: Redemptions by large shareholders could have a significant negative impact on the Fund. If a large shareholder were to redeem all, or a large portion, of its Shares, there is no guarantee that the Fund will be able to maintain sufficient assets to continue operations in which case the Board of Trustees may determine to liquidate the

29


Fund. In addition, transactions by large shareholders may account for a large percentage of the trading volume on a national securities exchange and may, therefore, have a material upward or downward effect on the market price of the Shares.

Listing Standards Risk: Under continuous listing standards adopted by the Fund’s listing exchange, the Fund will be required to confirm on an ongoing basis that the components of the Underlying Index satisfy the applicable listing requirements. In the event that the Underlying Index does not comply with the applicable listing requirements, the Fund would be required to rectify such non-compliance by requesting that the Index Provider modify the Underlying Index, adopting a new underlying index, or obtaining relief from the SEC. Failure to rectify such non-compliance may result in the Fund being delisted by the listing exchange. In addition, the Fund may face the risk of being delisted if the Fund does not meet certain conditions of the listing exchange. Any resulting liquidation of the Fund could cause the Fund to incur elevated transaction costs and could result in negative tax consequences for its shareholders.

Market Trading Risks and Premium/Discount Risks: Shares of the Fund are publicly traded on a national securities exchange, which may subject shareholders to numerous market trading risks. Disruptions to creations and redemptions, the existence of extreme market volatility or potential lack of assets in the Fund or an active trading market for Shares may result in Shares trading at a significant premium or discount to NAV. If a shareholder purchases Shares at a time when the market price is at a premium to the NAV or sells Shares at a time when the market price is at a discount to the NAV, the shareholder may sustain losses.

Securities Lending Risk: Securities lending involves a risk of loss because the borrower may fail to return the securities in a timely manner or at all. If the Fund is not able to recover the securities loaned, it may sell the collateral and purchase a replacement security in the market. Lending securities entails a risk of loss to the Fund if and to the extent that the market value of the loaned securities increases and the collateral is not increased accordingly. Additionally, the Fund will bear any loss on the investment of cash collateral it receives. These events could also trigger adverse tax consequences for the Fund. As securities on loan may not be voted by the Fund, there is a risk that the Fund may not be able to recall the securities in sufficient time to vote on material proxy matters.

Trading Halt Risk: An exchange or market may close or issue trading halts on specific securities, or the ability to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments may be restricted, which may result in the Fund being unable to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments. In such circumstances, the Fund may be unable to rebalance its portfolio, may be unable to accurately price its investments and/or may incur substantial trading losses.

Valuation Risk: The sales price the Fund could receive for a security may differ from the Fund’s valuation of the security and may differ from the value used by the Underlying Index, particularly for securities that trade in low value or volatile markets or that are valued using a fair value methodology (such as during trading halts). The value of the securities in the Fund's portfolio may change on days when shareholders will not be able to purchase or sell the Fund's Shares.

PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

The Fund does not have a full calendar year of performance. Once the Fund has completed a full calendar year of operations, a bar chart and table will be included that will provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing the variability of the Fund's returns and comparing the Fund's performance to the Underlying Index. The Fund's performance is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future.

FUND MANAGEMENT

Investment Adviser: Global X Management Company LLC.

Portfolio Managers: The professionals primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund are Chang Kim, CFA; Nam To, CFA; Wayne Xie and Kimberly Chan (“Portfolio Managers”). Messrs. Kim, To and Xie have been Portfolio Managers of the Fund since the Fund's inception. Ms. Chan has been Portfolio Manager of the Fund since June 10, 2019.


30


PURCHASE AND SALE OF FUND SHARES
 
Shares of the Fund are listed and traded at market prices on a national securities exchange. Shares may only be purchased and sold on the exchange through a broker-dealer. The price of Shares is based on market price, and because ETF shares trade at market prices rather than at NAV, Shares may trade at a price greater than NAV (a premium) or less than NAV (a discount). Only “Authorized Participants” (as defined in the SAI) who have entered into agreements with the Fund's distributor, SEI Investments Distribution Co. ("Distributor"), may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. The Fund will only issue or redeem Shares that have been aggregated into blocks of 50,000 Shares or multiples thereof ("Creation Units"). The Fund will issue or redeem Creation Units in return for a basket of cash and/or securities that the Fund specifies any day that the national securities exchanges are open for business ("Business Day").
 
TAX INFORMATION
 
The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxable to you as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-advantaged arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account ("IRA"), in which case distributions from such tax-advantaged arrangement may be taxable to you.
 
PAYMENTS TO BROKER-DEALERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES
 
The Adviser and its related companies may pay broker-dealers or other financial intermediaries (such as a bank) for the sale of Fund Shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing your broker-dealer, sales persons or other intermediary or its employees or associated persons to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your financial adviser or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.

31


Global X Future Analytics Tech ETF

Ticker: AIQ Exchange: NASDAQ

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE

The Global X Future Analytics Tech ETF ("Fund") seeks to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the Indxx Artificial Intelligence and Big Data Index ("Underlying Index").

FEES AND EXPENSES

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares ("Shares") of the Fund. You will also incur usual and customary brokerage commissions when buying and selling Shares.

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

Management Fees:
0.68%
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees:
None
Other Expenses:
0.00%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses:
0.68%

Example: The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. This example does not take into account customary brokerage commissions that you pay when purchasing or selling Shares of the Fund in the secondary market. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell all of your Shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:

One Year
Three Years
Five Years
Ten Years
$69
$218
$379
$847

Portfolio Turnover: The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund's performance. For the most recent fiscal period, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 16.34% of the average value of its portfolio.

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

The Fund invests at least 80% of its total assets in the securities of the Underlying Index. The Underlying Index is designed to track the performance of companies involved in the development and utilization of artificial intelligence ("AI") and big data. The Fund's 80% investment policy is non-fundamental and requires 60 days prior written notice to shareholders before it can be changed. The Fund may lend securities representing up to one-third of the value of the Fund’s total assets (including the value of the collateral received).

The Underlying Index is designed to provide exposure to exchange-listed companies that are positioned to benefit from the further development and utilization of artificial intelligence technology in their products and services, as well as to companies that provide hardware which facilitates the use of artificial intelligence for the analysis of big data (collectively, "Artificial Intelligence & Big Data Companies"), as defined by Indxx, LLC the provider of the Underlying Index (the "Index Provider").

As technology continues to advance, artificial intelligence and big data are converging as complementary technology themes that enable companies to extract useful information from large and complex data sets. The increasing availability and accessibility of big data is creating more potential applications for artificial intelligence technology, which further incentivizes companies to develop capabilities in this area. Advances in artificial intelligence and big data technology have the potential to impact companies across many sectors, and are particularly applicable to companies that have acquired significant amounts of consumer, industrial, financial or other types of data.

32



The eligible universe of the Underlying Index includes exchange-listed companies that meet minimum market capitalization and liquidity criteria, as defined by the Index Provider. As of January 31, 2020, companies must have a minimum market capitalization of $500 million and a minimum average daily turnover for the last 6 months greater than or equal to $2 million in order to be eligible for inclusion in the Underlying Index. As of January 31, 2020, companies listed or incorporated in the following countries were eligible for inclusion in the Underlying Index: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, and the United States. In addition, ADRs and GDRs of companies incorporated or with primary listing in China are eligible for inclusion.

From the eligible universe, the Index Provider identifies Artificial Intelligence & Big Data Companies by applying a proprietary analysis that seeks to identify companies that can be classified in the following categories:

Artificial Intelligence Developers

Artificial Intelligence Applied to Products and Services - Companies that have developed internal artificial intelligence capabilities (organically or through acquisition) and are applying artificial intelligence technology directly in their products and services. Artificial intelligence applications include but are not limited to language/ image processing and recognition, automated communications, threat detection, recommendation generation, and other predictive analytics.

Artificial Intelligence-as-a-Service ("AIaaS") for Big Data Applications - Companies that provide artificial intelligence capabilities to their customers as a service. Companies in this segment typically offer cloud-based platforms that allow their customers to apply artificial intelligence techniques to big data without the need for a direct investment in their own artificial intelligence-related infrastructure or capabilities.

Many companies in the Artificial Intelligence Developers category are considered "big data owners" due to the large amounts of consumer, industry, financial or other types of data that has been acquired through their platforms, products and services.  These companies have typically developed internal capabilities in artificial intelligence technology and are using these capabilities to create competitive advantage in their businesses.  This category may include companies from sectors including, but not limited to, Information Technology, Industrials, Financials, and Consumer Discretionary.

Artificial Intelligence and Big Data Analytics Hardware

Artificial Intelligence Hardware - Companies that produce semiconductors, memory storage and other hardware that is utilized for artificial intelligence applications. This currently includes, but is not limited to, companies that produce graphics processing units (GPUs), application-specific integrated circuit ("ASIC") chips, field-programmable gate array ("FPGA") chips, and all-flash array storage.

Quantum Computing - Companies that are developing quantum computing technology.  While currently in the process of being commercialized, quantum computing is expected to have significant potential for artificial intelligence and big data applications.

In order to be included in the Underlying Index, a company must be classified in the categories described above, as determined by the Index Provider. This classification is based on a composite analysis of public filings, products and services, official company statements and other information regarding direct involvement in the artificial intelligence and big data categories as described above. Eligible companies are then ranked by the Index Provider using a research framework that assesses a company's exposure to these categories. Companies must receive a minimum score within a given category to be selected in the Underlying Index, as determined by the Index Provider. Accordingly, the Fund assets will be concentrated (that is, it will hold 25% or more of its total assets) in companies that provide exposure to Artificial Intelligence & Big Data.

The Underlying Index is weighted according to a modified capitalization weighting methodology and is reconstituted annually with a semi-annual re-weighting. The Underlying Index may include large-, mid- or small-capitalization companies, and components primarily include information technology companies. The Fund's investment objective and Underlying Index may be changed without shareholder approval.

The Underlying Index is sponsored by the Index Provider, which is an organization that is independent of the Fund and Global X Management Company LLC, the investment adviser for the Fund ("Adviser"). The Index Provider determines the relative weightings of the securities in the Underlying Index and publishes information regarding the market value of the Underlying Index.

33



The Adviser uses a "passive" or indexing approach to try to achieve the Fund's investment objective. Unlike many investment companies, the Fund does not try to outperform the Underlying Index and does not seek temporary defensive positions when markets decline or appear overvalued.

The Fund generally will use a replication strategy. A replication strategy is an indexing strategy that involves investing in the securities of the Underlying Index in approximately the same proportions as in the Underlying Index. However, the Fund may utilize a representative sampling strategy with respect to the Underlying Index when a replication strategy might be detrimental or disadvantageous to shareholders, such as when there are practical difficulties or substantial costs involved in compiling a portfolio of equity securities to replicate the Underlying Index, in instances in which a security in the Underlying Index becomes temporarily illiquid, unavailable or less liquid, or as a result of legal restrictions or limitations (such as tax diversification requirements) that apply to the Fund but not the Underlying Index.

The Adviser expects that, over time, the correlation between the Fund's performance and that of the Underlying Index, before fees and expenses, will exceed 95%. A correlation percentage of 100% would indicate perfect correlation. If the Fund uses a replication strategy, it can be expected to have greater correlation to the Underlying Index than if it uses a representative sampling strategy.

The Fund concentrates its investments (i.e., holds 25% or more of its total assets) in a particular industry or group of industries to approximately the same extent that the Underlying Index is concentrated. As of January 31, 2020, the Underlying Index was concentrated in the software industry and had significant exposure to the information technology sector.

SUMMARY OF PRINCIPAL RISKS

As with any investment, you could lose all or part of your investment in the Fund, and the Fund’s performance could trail that of other investments. There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. The Fund is subject to the principal risks noted below, any of which may adversely affect the Fund’s net asset value (“NAV”), trading price, yield, total return and ability to meet its investment objective, as well as other risks that are described in greater detail in the Additional Information About the Funds section of this Prospectus and in the Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”). The order of the below risk factors does not indicate the significance of any particular risk factor.

Asset Class Risk: Securities and other assets in the Underlying Index or otherwise held in the Fund's portfolio may underperform in comparison to the general securities markets, a particular securities market or other asset classes.

Equity Securities Risk: Equity securities are subject to changes in value, and their values may be more volatile than other asset classes, as a result of such factors as a company’s business performance, investor perceptions, stock market trends and general economic conditions.

Associated Risks Related to Investing in Artificial Intelligence & Big Data Companies: Artificial Intelligence & Big Data Companies typically face intense competition and potentially rapid product obsolescence. These companies are also heavily dependent on intellectual property rights and may be adversely affected by loss or impairment of those rights. There can be no assurance these companies will be able to successfully protect their intellectual property to prevent the misappropriation of their technology, or that competitors will not develop technology that is substantially similar or superior to such companies’ technology. Artificial Intelligence & Big Data Companies typically engage in significant amounts of spending on research and development and mergers and acquisitions, and there is no guarantee that the products or services produced by these companies will be successful. Artificial Intelligence & Big Data Companies are potential targets for cyberattacks, which can have a materially adverse impact on the performance of these companies. In addition, artificial intelligence technology could face increasing regulatory scrutiny in the future, which may limit the development of this technology and impede the growth of companies that develop and/or utilize this technology. Similarly, the collection of data from consumers and other sources could face increased scrutiny as regulators consider how the data is collected, stored, safeguarded and used. Artificial Intelligence & Big Data Companies may face regulatory fines and penalties, including potential forced break-ups, that could hinder the ability of the companies to operate on an ongoing basis. The customers and/or suppliers of Artificial Intelligence & Big Data Companies may be concentrated in a particular country, region or industry. Any adverse event affecting one of these countries, regions or industries could have a negative impact on Artificial Intelligence & Big Data Companies. Through its portfolio companies’ customers and suppliers, the Fund is specifically exposed to Asian Economic Risk, European Economic Risk and North American Economic Risk.

Capitalization Risk: Investing in issuers within the same market capitalization category carries the risk that the category may be out of favor due to current market conditions or investor sentiment.


34


Large-Capitalization Companies Risk: Large-capitalization companies may trail the returns of the overall stock market. Large-capitalization stocks tend to go through cycles of doing better - or worse - than the stock market in general. These periods have, in the past, lasted for as long as several years.

Mid-Capitalization Companies Risk: Mid-capitalization companies may have greater price volatility, lower trading volume and less liquidity than large-capitalization companies. In addition, mid-capitalization companies may have smaller revenues, narrower product lines, less management depth and experience, smaller shares of their product or service markets, fewer financial resources and less competitive strength than large-capitalization companies.

Concentration Risk: To the extent that the Underlying Index concentrates in investments related to a particular industry or group of industries, the Fund will also concentrate its investments to approximately the same extent. Similarly, if the Underlying Index has significant exposure to one or more sectors, the Fund’s investments will likely have significant exposure to such sectors. In such event, the Fund’s performance will be particularly susceptible to adverse events impacting such industry or sector, which may include, but are not limited to, the following: general economic conditions or cyclical market patterns that could negatively affect supply and demand; competition for resources; adverse labor relations; political or world events; obsolescence of technologies; and increased competition or new product introductions that may affect the profitability or viability of companies in a particular industry or sector. As a result, the value of the Fund’s investments may rise and fall more than the value of shares of a fund that invests in securities of companies in a broader range of industries or sectors.

Risks Related to Investing in the Information Technology Sector: Companies in the information technology sector are subject to rapid changes in technology product cycles; rapid product obsolescence; government regulation; and increased competition, both domestically and internationally, including competition from foreign competitors with lower production costs. Information technology companies and companies that rely heavily on technology tend to be more volatile than the overall market and also are heavily dependent on patent and intellectual property rights. In addition, information technology companies may have limited product lines, markets, financial resources or personnel.

Risks Related to Investing in the Software Industry: The software industry can be significantly affected by intense competition, aggressive pricing, technological innovations, and product obsolescence. Companies in the application software industry, in particular, may also be negatively affected by the decline or fluctuation of subscription renewal rates for their products and services, which may have an adverse effect on profit margins. Companies in the systems software industry may be adversely affected by, among other things, actual or perceived security vulnerabilities in their products and services, which may result in individual or class action lawsuits, state or federal enforcement actions and other remediation costs.

Currency Risk: The Fund may invest in securities denominated in foreign currencies. Because the Fund's NAV is determined in U.S. dollars, the Fund's NAV could decline if currencies of the underlying securities depreciate against the U.S. dollar or if there are delays or limits on repatriation of such currencies. Currency exchange rates can be very volatile and can change quickly and unpredictably. As a result, the Fund's NAV may change quickly and without warning, which could have a significant negative impact on the Fund.

Custody Risk: Less developed markets are more likely to experience problems with the clearing and settling of trades and the holding of securities by local banks, agents and depositories.

Foreign Securities Risk: The Fund may invest, without limit, in foreign securities. The Fund's investments in foreign securities can be riskier than U.S. securities investments. Investments in the securities of foreign issuers (including investments in ADRs and GDRs) are subject to the risks associated with investing in those foreign markets, such as heightened risks of inflation or nationalization. The prices of foreign securities and the prices of U.S. securities have, at times, moved in opposite directions. In addition, securities of foreign issuers may lose value due to political, economic and geographic events affecting a foreign issuer or market. During periods of social, political or economic instability in a country or region, the value of a foreign security traded on U.S. exchanges could be affected by, among other things, increasing price volatility, illiquidity, or the closure of the primary market on which the security (or the security underlying the ADR or GDR) is traded. You may lose money due to political, economic and geographic events affecting a foreign issuer or market.

Geographic Risk: A natural, biological or other disaster could occur in a geographic region in which the Fund invests, which could affect the economy or particular business operations of companies in the specific geographic region, causing an adverse impact on the Fund’s investments in the affected region or in a region economically tied to the affected region. The securities in which the Fund invests and, consequently, the Fund are also subject to specific risks as a result of their business operations, including, but not limited to:


35


Risk of Investing in China: Investment exposure to China subjects the Fund to risks specific to China. China may be subject to considerable degrees of economic, political and social instability. Concerns about the rising government and household debt levels could impact the stability of the Chinese economy. China is an emerging market and demonstrates significantly higher volatility from time to time in comparison to developed markets. Over the last few decades, the Chinese government has undertaken reform of economic and market practices, including recent reforms to liberalize its capital markets and expand the sphere for private ownership of property in China. However, Chinese markets generally continue to experience inefficiency, volatility and pricing anomalies resulting from governmental influence, a lack of publicly available information and/or political and social instability. Internal social unrest or confrontations with other neighboring countries, including military conflicts in response to such events, may also disrupt economic development in China and result in a greater risk of currency fluctuations, currency convertibility, interest rate fluctuations and higher rates of inflation. China has experienced security concerns, such as terrorism and strained international relations, as well as major health crises. These health crises include, but are not limited to, the rapid and pandemic spread of novel viruses commonly known as SARS, MERS, and COVID-19 (Coronavirus). Such health crises could exacerbate political, social, and economic risks previously mentioned. Additionally, China is alleged to have participated in state-sponsored cyberattacks against foreign companies and foreign governments. Actual and threatened responses to such activity, including purchasing restrictions, sanctions, tariffs or cyberattacks on the Chinese government or Chinese companies, may impact China’s economy and Chinese issuers of securities in which the Fund invests. Incidents involving China’s or the region’s security, including the contagion of infectious viruses or diseases, may cause uncertainty in Chinese markets and may adversely affect the Chinese economy and the Fund’s investments. Export growth continues to be a major driver of China’s rapid economic growth. Elevated trade tensions between China and its trading partners, including the imposition of U.S. tariffs on certain Chinese goods and increased international pressure related to Chinese trade policy and forced technology transfers and intellectual property protections, may have a substantial impact on the Chinese economy. Reduction in spending on Chinese products and services, institution of additional tariffs or other trade barriers (including as a result of heightened trade tensions between China and the U.S. or in response to actual or alleged Chinese cyber activity), or a downturn in any of the economies of China’s key trading partners may have an adverse impact on the Chinese economy. Investments in China may be subject to loss due to expropriation or nationalization of assets and property or the imposition of restrictions on foreign investments and repatriation of capital. China has implemented a number of tax reforms in recent years and may amend or revise its existing tax laws and/or procedures in the future, possibly with retroactive effect. Changes in applicable Chinese tax law could reduce the after-tax profits of the Fund, directly or indirectly, including by reducing the after-tax profits of companies in China in which the Fund invests. Uncertainties in Chinese tax rules could result in unexpected tax liabilities for the Fund.

Risk of Investing in Developed Markets: The Fund’s investment in a developed country issuer may subject the Fund to regulatory, political, currency, security, economic and other risks associated with developed countries. Developed countries tend to represent a significant portion of the global economy and have generally experienced slower economic growth than some less developed countries. Certain developed countries have experienced security concerns, such as terrorism and strained international relations. Incidents involving a country’s or region’s security may cause uncertainty in its markets and may adversely affect its economy and the Fund’s investments. In addition, developed countries may be impacted by changes to the economic conditions of certain key trading partners, regulatory burdens, debt burdens and the price or availability of certain commodities.

Risk of Investing in Emerging Markets: The Fund targets Artificial Intelligence & Big Data Companies globally and is expected to invest in securities in emerging market countries. Investments in emerging markets may be subject to a greater risk of loss than investments in developed markets. Securities markets of emerging market countries are less liquid, subject to greater price volatility, have smaller market capitalizations, have less government regulation, and are not subject to as extensive and frequent accounting, financial, and other reporting requirements as the securities markets of more developed countries, and there may be greater risk associated with the custody of securities in emerging markets. Emerging markets may be more likely to experience inflation, political turmoil and rapid changes in economic conditions than more developed markets. Certain emerging market countries may have privatized, or have begun the process of privatizing, certain entities and industries. Privatized entities may lose money or be re-nationalized.

Risk of Investing in the United States: A decrease in imports or exports, changes in trade regulations and/or an economic recession in the U.S. may have a material adverse effect on the U.S. economy.

International Closed Market Trading Risk: To the extent that the underlying investments held by the Fund trade on foreign exchanges that may be closed when the securities exchange on which the Fund’s Shares trade is open, there are likely to be deviations between the current price of such an underlying security and the last quoted price for the underlying security (i.e., the Fund’s quote from the closed foreign market). These deviations could result in premiums or discounts to the Fund’s NAV that may be greater than those experienced by other exchange-traded funds ("ETFs").

36



Issuer Risk: Fund performance depends on the performance of individual companies in which the Fund invests. Changes to the financial condition of any of those companies may cause the value of their securities to decline.

Market Risk: Turbulence in the financial markets and reduced liquidity may negatively affect issuers, which could have an adverse effect on the Fund. If the securities held by the Fund experience poor liquidity, the Fund may be unable to transact at advantageous times or prices, which may decrease the Fund’s returns. In addition, there is a risk that policy changes by the U.S. Government, Federal Reserve, or other government actors, which could include increasing interest rates, could cause increased volatility in financial markets and lead to higher levels of Fund redemptions, which could have a negative impact on the Fund. Furthermore, local, regional or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issue, recessions, or other events could have a significant impact on the Fund and its investments and trading of its shares. The Fund’s NAV could decline over short periods due to short-term market movements and over longer periods during market downturns.

Non-Diversification Risk: The Fund is classified as a “non-diversified” investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940 ("1940 Act"). As a result, the Fund is subject to the risk that it may be more volatile than a diversified fund because the Fund may invest its assets in a smaller number of issuers or may invest a larger proportion of its assets in a single issuer. As a result, the gains and losses on a single investment may have a greater impact on the Fund’s NAV and may make the Fund more volatile than more diversified funds.

Operational Risk: The Fund is exposed to operational risk arising from a number of factors, including but not limited to human error, processing and communication errors, errors of the Fund's service providers, counterparties or other third-parties, failed or inadequate processes and technology or systems failures. Additionally, cyber security failures or breaches of the electronic systems of the Fund, the Adviser, and the Fund's other service providers, market makers, Authorized Participants or the issuers of securities in which the Fund invests have the ability to cause disruptions and negatively impact the Fund's business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses to the Fund and its shareholders. The Fund and the Adviser seek to reduce these operational risks through controls and procedures. However, these measures do not address every possible risk and may be inadequate for those risks that they are intended to address.

Passive Investment Risk: The Fund is not actively managed, and the Adviser does not attempt to take defensive positions in declining markets. Unlike many investment companies, the Fund does not seek to outperform its Underlying Index. Therefore, it would not necessarily buy or sell a security unless that security is added or removed, respectively, from the Underlying Index, even if that security generally is underperforming. Maintaining investments in securities regardless of market conditions or the performance of individual securities could cause the Fund’s return to be lower than if the Fund employed an active strategy.

Index-Related Risk: There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve a high degree of correlation to the Underlying Index and therefore achieve its investment objective. Market disruptions and regulatory restrictions could have an adverse effect on the Fund’s ability to adjust its exposure to the required levels in order to track the Underlying Index. Errors in index data, index computations and/or the construction of the Underlying Index in accordance with its methodology may occur from time to time and may not be identified and corrected by the Index Provider for a period of time or at all, which may have an adverse impact on the Fund and its shareholders.

Management Risk: The Fund will not fully replicate its Underlying Index and may hold securities not included in its Underlying Index. The Adviser’s investment strategy, the implementation of which is subject to a number of constraints, may cause the Fund to underperform the market or its relevant benchmark or adversely affect the ability of the Fund to achieve its investment objective.

Tracking Error Risk: Tracking error may occur because of differences between the instruments held in the Fund's portfolio and those included in the Underlying Index, pricing differences, transaction costs incurred by the Fund, the Fund's holding of uninvested cash, size of the Fund, differences in timing of the accrual of or the valuation of dividends or interest, tax gains or losses, changes to the Underlying Index or the costs to the Fund of complying with various new or existing regulatory requirements. This risk may be heightened during times of increased market volatility or other unusual market conditions. Tracking error also may result because the Fund incurs fees and expenses, while the Underlying Index does not. ETFs that track indices with significant weight in emerging markets issuers may experience higher tracking error than other ETFs that do not track such indices.

Risks Associated with Exchange-Traded Funds: As an ETF, the Fund is subject to the following risks:

Authorized Participants Concentration Risk: The Fund has a limited number of financial institutions that may act as Authorized Participants and engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund, and none of those Authorized Participants is obligated to engage in creation and/or redemption transactions. To the extent that those Authorized Participants exit the business or are unable to process creation and/or redemption orders, Shares may be more

37


likely to trade at a premium or discount to NAV, and possibly face trading halts and/or delisting from an exchange. Authorized Participants Concentration Risk may be heightened because the Fund invests in non-U.S. securities.

Large Shareholder Risk: Redemptions by large shareholders could have a significant negative impact on the Fund. If a large shareholder were to redeem all, or a large portion, of its Shares, there is no guarantee that the Fund will be able to maintain sufficient assets to continue operations in which case the Board of Trustees may determine to liquidate the Fund. In addition, transactions by large shareholders may account for a large percentage of the trading volume on a national securities exchange and may, therefore, have a material upward or downward effect on the market price of the Shares.

Listing Standards Risk: Under continuous listing standards adopted by the Fund’s listing exchange, the Fund will be required to confirm on an ongoing basis that the components of the Underlying Index satisfy the applicable listing requirements. In the event that the Underlying Index does not comply with the applicable listing requirements, the Fund would be required to rectify such non-compliance by requesting that the Index Provider modify the Underlying Index, adopting a new underlying index, or obtaining relief from the SEC. Failure to rectify such non-compliance may result in the Fund being delisted by the listing exchange. In addition, the Fund may face the risk of being delisted if the Fund does not meet certain conditions of the listing exchange. Any resulting liquidation of the Fund could cause the Fund to incur elevated transaction costs and could result in negative tax consequences for its shareholders.

Market Trading Risks and Premium/Discount Risks: Shares of the Fund are publicly traded on a national securities exchange, which may subject shareholders to numerous market trading risks. Disruptions to creations and redemptions, the existence of extreme market volatility or potential lack of assets in the Fund or an active trading market for Shares may result in Shares trading at a significant premium or discount to NAV. If a shareholder purchases Shares at a time when the market price is at a premium to the NAV or sells Shares at a time when the market price is at a discount to the NAV, the shareholder may sustain losses.

Securities Lending Risk: Securities lending involves a risk of loss because the borrower may fail to return the securities in a timely manner or at all. If the Fund is not able to recover the securities loaned, it may sell the collateral and purchase a replacement security in the market. Lending securities entails a risk of loss to the Fund if and to the extent that the market value of the loaned securities increases and the collateral is not increased accordingly. Additionally, the Fund will bear any loss on the investment of cash collateral it receives. These events could also trigger adverse tax consequences for the Fund. As securities on loan may not be voted by the Fund, there is a risk that the Fund may not be able to recall the securities in sufficient time to vote on material proxy matters.

Trading Halt Risk: An exchange or market may close or issue trading halts on specific securities, or the ability to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments may be restricted, which may result in the Fund being unable to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments. In such circumstances, the Fund may be unable to rebalance its portfolio, may be unable to accurately price its investments and/or may incur substantial trading losses.

Valuation Risk: The sales price the Fund could receive for a security may differ from the Fund’s valuation of the security and may differ from the value used by the Underlying Index, particularly for securities that trade in low value or volatile markets or that are valued using a fair value methodology (such as during trading halts). The value of the securities in the Fund's portfolio may change on days when shareholders will not be able to purchase or sell the Fund's Shares.

PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

The bar chart and table that follow show how the Fund performed on a calendar year basis and provide an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund's performance from year to year and by showing the Fund's average annual total returns for the indicated periods compared with the Fund's benchmark index and a broad measure of market performance. The Fund's past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available online at www.globalxetfs.com.


38


Annual Total Returns (Years Ended December 31)

  CHART-3AFF73DEE3C057269B8.JPG

Best Quarter:
03/31/19
21.00%
Worst Quarter:
09/30/19
-2.15%

Average Annual Total Returns (for the Periods Ended December 31, 2019) 
 
Year Ended December 31, 2019
Since Inception (05/09/2016)
Global X Future Analytics Tech ETF:
 
 
·Return before taxes
38.28%
12.04%
·Return after taxes on distributions1
38.10%
11.87%
·Return after taxes on distributions and sale of Fund Shares1
22.77%
9.22%
Indxx Artificial Intelligence and Big Data Index (net)
(Index returns reflect invested dividends net of withholding taxes, but reflect no deduction for fees, expenses, or other taxes)
38.76%
12.37%
MSCI ACWI Index (net)
(Index returns reflect invested dividends net of withholding taxes, but reflect no deduction for fees, expenses, or other taxes)
26.60%
7.38%

1     After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual U.S. federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Your actual after-tax returns will depend on your specific tax situation and may differ from those shown above. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold Shares of the Fund through tax-advantaged arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts (IRAs).

FUND MANAGEMENT

Investment Adviser: Global X Management Company LLC.

Portfolio Managers: The professionals primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund are Chang Kim, CFA; Nam To, CFA; Wayne Xie and Kimberly Chan (“Portfolio Managers”). Messrs. Kim and To have been Portfolio Managers of the

39


Fund since the Fund's inception. Mr. Xie has been Portfolio Manager of the Fund since March 1, 2019. Ms. Chan has been Portfolio Manager of the Fund since June 10, 2019.

PURCHASE AND SALE OF FUND SHARES
 
Shares of the Fund are listed and traded at market prices on a national securities exchange. Shares may only be purchased and sold on the exchange through a broker-dealer. The price of Shares is based on market price, and because ETF shares trade at market prices rather than at NAV, Shares may trade at a price greater than NAV (a premium) or less than NAV (a discount). Only “Authorized Participants” (as defined in the SAI) who have entered into agreements with the Fund's distributor, SEI Investments Distribution Co. ("Distributor"), may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. The Fund will only issue or redeem Shares that have been aggregated into blocks of 50,000 Shares or multiples thereof ("Creation Units"). The Fund will issue or redeem Creation Units in return for a basket of cash and/or securities that the Fund specifies any day that the national securities exchanges are open for business ("Business Day").
 
TAX INFORMATION
 
The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxable to you as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-advantaged arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account ("IRA"), in which case distributions from such tax-advantaged arrangement may be taxable to you.
 
PAYMENTS TO BROKER-DEALERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES
 
The Adviser and its related companies may pay broker-dealers or other financial intermediaries (such as a bank) for the sale of Fund Shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing your broker-dealer, sales persons or other intermediary or its employees or associated persons to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your financial adviser or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.

40


Global X Autonomous & Electric Vehicles ETF

Ticker: DRIV Exchange: NASDAQ

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE

The Global X Autonomous & Electric Vehicles ETF ("Fund") seeks to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the Solactive Autonomous & Electric Vehicles Index ("Underlying Index").

FEES AND EXPENSES

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares ("Shares") of the Fund. You will also incur usual and customary brokerage commissions when buying and selling Shares.

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

Management Fees:
0.68%
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees:
None
Other Expenses:
0.00%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses:
0.68%

Example: The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. This example does not take into account customary brokerage commissions that you pay when purchasing or selling Shares of the Fund in the secondary market. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell all of your Shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:

One Year
Three Years
Five Years
Ten Years
$69
$218
$379
$847

Portfolio Turnover: The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund's performance. For the most recent fiscal period, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 31.26% of the average value of its portfolio.

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

The Fund invests at least 80% of its total assets in the securities of the Underlying Index. The Fund's 80% investment policy is non-fundamental and requires 60 days prior written notice to shareholders before it can be changed. The Fund may lend securities representing up to one-third of the value of the Fund’s total assets (including the value of the collateral received).

The Underlying Index is designed to provide exposure to exchange-listed companies that are involved in the development of electric vehicles and/or autonomous vehicles, including companies that produce electric/hybrid vehicles, electric/hybrid vehicle components and materials, autonomous driving technology, and network connected services for transportation, (collectively, "Autonomous and Electric Vehicle Companies"), as defined by Solactive AG, the provider of the Underlying Index ("Index Provider").

The eligible universe of the Underlying Index includes among the most liquid and investable companies in accordance with the market capitalization and liquidity criteria associated with the eligible markets, as defined by the Index Provider. As of January 31, 2020, companies must have a minimum market capitalization of $500 million and a minimum average daily turnover for the last 6 months greater than or equal to $2 million in order to be eligible for inclusion in the Underlying Index. As of January 31, 2020, companies from the following countries were eligible for inclusion in the Underlying Index: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada,

41


China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, South Korea, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

From the eligible universe, the Index Provider identifies Autonomous and Electric Vehicle Companies by applying a proprietary natural language processing algorithm process that seeks to identify companies with exposure to the following categories:

Electric Vehicles ("EV") - companies that produce electric/hybrid vehicles, including cars, trucks, motorcycles/scooters, buses, and electric rail.

Electric Vehicle Components ("EVC") - companies that produce electric/hybrid vehicle components, including electric drivetrains, lithium-ion and other types of electric batteries, and fuel cells. In addition, companies that produce the chemicals and raw materials (including but not limited to lithium and cobalt) that comprise these electric/hybrid vehicle components are eligible for inclusion.

Autonomous Vehicle Technology ("AVT") - companies that build autonomous vehicles and/or develop hardware and software that facilitates the development of autonomous vehicles, including sensors, mapping technology, artificial intelligence, advanced driver assistance systems, ride-share platforms, and network-connected services for transportation.

In order to be included in the Underlying Index, a company must be identified as having exposure to these categories based on the ranking it receives from the natural language processing algorithm ("Segment Score"), as determined by the Index Provider. Within each category listed above, companies are ranked by the Index Provider according to their respective Segment Score. The Index Provider then reviews the companies to ensure relevance to one or more of the categories above based on the business operations of the company. The Underlying Index is comprised of the highest ranking 15 companies in the EV segment, the highest ranking 30 companies in the EVC segment, and the highest ranking 30 companies in the AVT segment, as determined by the Index Provider and subject to certain buffer rules intended to reduce turnover. Accordingly, the Fund assets will be concentrated (that is, it will hold 25% or more of its total assets) in companies that provide exposure to electric vehicles and autonomous vehicles.

The Underlying Index is weighted according to a modified capitalization weighting methodology and is reconstituted semi-annually. At the semi-annual reconstitution, a capping methodology is applied to reduce concentration in individual securities and increase diversification of the Underlying Index. The Underlying Index may include large-, mid- or small-capitalization companies, and components primarily include industrials, information technology, materials, and consumer discretionary companies. The Fund's investment objective and Underlying Index may be changed without shareholder approval.

The Underlying Index is sponsored by the Index Provider, which is an organization that is independent of the Fund and Global X Management Company LLC, the investment adviser for the Fund ("Adviser"). The Index Provider determines the relative weightings of the securities in the Underlying Index and publishes information regarding the market value of the Underlying Index.

The Adviser uses a "passive" or indexing approach to try to achieve the Fund's investment objective. Unlike many investment companies, the Fund does not try to outperform the Underlying Index and does not seek temporary defensive positions when markets decline or appear overvalued.

The Fund generally will use a replication strategy. A replication strategy is an indexing strategy that involves investing in the securities of the Underlying Index in approximately the same proportions as in the Underlying Index. However, the Fund may utilize a representative sampling strategy with respect to the Underlying Index when a replication strategy might be detrimental or disadvantageous to shareholders, such as when there are practical difficulties or substantial costs involved in compiling a portfolio of equity securities to replicate the Underlying Index, in instances in which a security in the Underlying Index becomes temporarily illiquid, unavailable or less liquid, or as a result of legal restrictions or limitations (such as tax diversification requirements) that apply to the Fund but not the Underlying Index.

The Adviser expects that, over time, the correlation between the Fund's performance and that of the Underlying Index, before fees and expenses, will exceed 95%. A correlation percentage of 100% would indicate perfect correlation. If the Fund uses a replication strategy, it can be expected to have greater correlation to the Underlying Index than if it uses a representative sampling strategy.

The Fund concentrates its investments (i.e., holds 25% or more of its total assets) in a particular industry or group of industries to approximately the same extent that the Underlying Index is concentrated. As of January 31, 2020, the Underlying Index had significant exposure to the consumer discretionary and information technology sectors.

SUMMARY OF PRINCIPAL RISKS


42


As with any investment, you could lose all or part of your investment in the Fund, and the Fund’s performance could trail that of other investments. There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. The Fund is subject to the principal risks noted below, any of which may adversely affect the Fund’s net asset value (“NAV”), trading price, yield, total return and ability to meet its investment objective, as well as other risks that are described in greater detail in the Additional Information About the Funds section of this Prospectus and in the Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”). The order of the below risk factors does not indicate the significance of any particular risk factor.

Asset Class Risk: Securities and other assets in the Underlying Index or otherwise held in the Fund's portfolio may underperform in comparison to the general securities markets, a particular securities market or other asset classes.

Equity Securities Risk: Equity securities are subject to changes in value, and their values may be more volatile than other asset classes, as a result of such factors as a company’s business performance, investor perceptions, stock market trends and general economic conditions.

Associated Risks Related to Investing in Autonomous and Electric Vehicle Companies: Autonomous and Electric Vehicle Companies typically face intense competition and potentially rapid product obsolescence. Many of these companies are also heavily dependent on intellectual property rights and may be adversely affected by loss or impairment of those rights. There can be no assurance these companies will be able to successfully protect their intellectual property to prevent the misappropriation of their technology, or that competitors will not develop technology that is substantially similar or superior to such companies’ technology. Autonomous and Electric Vehicle Companies typically engage in significant amounts of spending on research and development, capital expenditures and mergers and acquisitions, and there is no guarantee that the products or services produced by these companies will be successful. Companies that produce the raw materials that are used in electric vehicles may be concentrated in certain commodities, and therefore be exposed to the price fluctuations of those commodities. In addition, autonomous vehicle technology could face increasing regulatory scrutiny in the future, which may limit the development of this technology and impede the growth of companies that develop and/or utilize this technology. Autonomous and Electric Vehicle companies are also potential targets for cyberattacks, which can have a materially adverse impact on the performance of these companies. Autonomous and Electric Vehicle companies rely on Artificial Intelligence & Big Data technologies for the development of their platforms and, as a result, could face increased scrutiny as regulators consider how the data is collected, stored, safeguarded and used. The customers and/or suppliers of Autonomous and Electric Vehicle Companies may be concentrated in a particular country, region or industry. Any adverse event affecting one of these countries, regions or industries could have a negative impact on Autonomous and Electric Vehicle Companies. Through its portfolio companies’ customers and suppliers, the Fund is specifically exposed to Asian Economic Risk, European Economic Risk and North American Economic Risk.

Capitalization Risk: Investing in issuers within the same market capitalization category carries the risk that the category may be out of favor due to current market conditions or investor sentiment.

Large-Capitalization Companies Risk: Large-capitalization companies may trail the returns of the overall stock market. Large-capitalization stocks tend to go through cycles of doing better - or worse - than the stock market in general. These periods have, in the past, lasted for as long as several years.

Mid-Capitalization Companies Risk: Mid-capitalization companies may have greater price volatility, lower trading volume and less liquidity than large-capitalization companies. In addition, mid-capitalization companies may have smaller revenues, narrower product lines, less management depth and experience, smaller shares of their product or service markets, fewer financial resources and less competitive strength than large-capitalization companies.

Small-Capitalization Companies Risk: Compared to mid- and large-capitalization companies, small-capitalization companies may be less stable and more susceptible to adverse developments, and their securities may be more volatile and less liquid.

Concentration Risk: To the extent that the Underlying Index concentrates in investments related to a particular industry or group of industries, the Fund will also concentrate its investments to approximately the same extent. Similarly, if the Underlying Index has significant exposure to one or more sectors, the Fund’s investments will likely have significant exposure to such sectors. In such event, the Fund’s performance will be particularly susceptible to adverse events impacting such industry or sector, which may include, but are not limited to, the following: general economic conditions or cyclical market patterns that could negatively affect supply and demand; competition for resources; adverse labor relations; political or world events; obsolescence of technologies; and increased competition or new product introductions that may affect the profitability or viability of companies in a particular industry or sector. As a result, the value of the Fund’s investments may rise and fall more than the value of shares of a fund that invests in securities of companies in a broader range of industries or sectors.


43


Risks Related to Investing in the Consumer Discretionary Sector: The consumer discretionary sector may be affected by changes in domestic and international economies, exchange and interest rates, competition, consumers’ disposable income and consumer preferences, social trends and marketing campaigns.

Risks Related to Investing in the Information Technology Sector: Companies in the information technology sector are subject to rapid changes in technology product cycles; rapid product obsolescence; government regulation; and increased competition, both domestically and internationally, including competition from foreign competitors with lower production costs. Information technology companies and companies that rely heavily on technology tend to be more volatile than the overall market and also are heavily dependent on patent and intellectual property rights. In addition, information technology companies may have limited product lines, markets, financial resources or personnel.

Risks Related to Investing in the Lithium-Ion Battery Industry: Securities in the Fund’s portfolio involved in the manufacturing of lithium-ion batteries are subject to the effects of price fluctuations of traditional and alternative sources of energy, developments in battery and alternative energy technology, the possibility that government subsidies for alternative energy will be eliminated and the possibility that lithium-ion technology is not suitable for widespread adoption.

Currency Risk: The Fund may invest in securities denominated in foreign currencies. Because the Fund's NAV is determined in U.S. dollars, the Fund's NAV could decline if currencies of the underlying securities depreciate against the U.S. dollar or if there are delays or limits on repatriation of such currencies. Currency exchange rates can be very volatile and can change quickly and unpredictably. As a result, the Fund's NAV may change quickly and without warning, which could have a significant negative impact on the Fund.

Custody Risk: Less developed markets are more likely to experience problems with the clearing and settling of trades and the holding of securities by local banks, agents and depositories.

Foreign Securities Risk: The Fund may invest, without limit, in foreign securities. The Fund's investments in foreign securities can be riskier than U.S. securities investments. Investments in the securities of foreign issuers (including investments in ADRs and GDRs) are subject to the risks associated with investing in those foreign markets, such as heightened risks of inflation or nationalization. The prices of foreign securities and the prices of U.S. securities have, at times, moved in opposite directions. In addition, securities of foreign issuers may lose value due to political, economic and geographic events affecting a foreign issuer or market. During periods of social, political or economic instability in a country or region, the value of a foreign security traded on U.S. exchanges could be affected by, among other things, increasing price volatility, illiquidity, or the closure of the primary market on which the security (or the security underlying the ADR or GDR) is traded. You may lose money due to political, economic and geographic events affecting a foreign issuer or market.

Geographic Risk: A natural, biological or other disaster could occur in a geographic region in which the Fund invests, which could affect the economy or particular business operations of companies in the specific geographic region, causing an adverse impact on the Fund’s investments in the affected region or in a region economically tied to the affected region. The securities in which the Fund invests and, consequently, the Fund are also subject to specific risks as a result of their business operations, including, but not limited to:

Risk of Investing in China: Investment exposure to China subjects the Fund to risks specific to China. China may be subject to considerable degrees of economic, political and social instability. Concerns about the rising government and household debt levels could impact the stability of the Chinese economy. China is an emerging market and demonstrates significantly higher volatility from time to time in comparison to developed markets. Over the last few decades, the Chinese government has undertaken reform of economic and market practices, including recent reforms to liberalize its capital markets and expand the sphere for private ownership of property in China. However, Chinese markets generally continue to experience inefficiency, volatility and pricing anomalies resulting from governmental influence, a lack of publicly available information and/or political and social instability. Internal social unrest or confrontations with other neighboring countries, including military conflicts in response to such events, may also disrupt economic development in China and result in a greater risk of currency fluctuations, currency convertibility, interest rate fluctuations and higher rates of inflation. China has experienced security concerns, such as terrorism and strained international relations, as well as major health crises. These health crises include, but are not limited to, the rapid and pandemic spread of novel viruses commonly known as SARS, MERS, and COVID-19 (Coronavirus). Such health crises could exacerbate political, social, and economic risks previously mentioned. Additionally, China is alleged to have participated in state-sponsored cyberattacks against foreign companies and foreign governments. Actual and threatened responses to such activity, including purchasing restrictions, sanctions, tariffs or cyberattacks on the Chinese government or Chinese companies, may impact China’s economy and Chinese issuers of securities in which the Fund invests. Incidents involving China’s or the region’s security, including the contagion of infectious viruses or diseases, may cause uncertainty in Chinese

44


markets and may adversely affect the Chinese economy and the Fund’s investments. Export growth continues to be a major driver of China’s rapid economic growth. Elevated trade tensions between China and its trading partners, including the imposition of U.S. tariffs on certain Chinese goods and increased international pressure related to Chinese trade policy and forced technology transfers and intellectual property protections, may have a substantial impact on the Chinese economy. Reduction in spending on Chinese products and services, institution of additional tariffs or other trade barriers (including as a result of heightened trade tensions between China and the U.S. or in response to actual or alleged Chinese cyber activity), or a downturn in any of the economies of China’s key trading partners may have an adverse impact on the Chinese economy. Investments in China may be subject to loss due to expropriation or nationalization of assets and property or the imposition of restrictions on foreign investments and repatriation of capital. China has implemented a number of tax reforms in recent years and may amend or revise its existing tax laws and/or procedures in the future, possibly with retroactive effect. Changes in applicable Chinese tax law could reduce the after-tax profits of the Fund, directly or indirectly, including by reducing the after-tax profits of companies in China in which the Fund invests. Uncertainties in Chinese tax rules could result in unexpected tax liabilities for the Fund.

Risk of Investing in Developed Markets: The Fund’s investment in a developed country issuer may subject the Fund to regulatory, political, currency, security, economic and other risks associated with developed countries. Developed countries tend to represent a significant portion of the global economy and have generally experienced slower economic growth than some less developed countries. Certain developed countries have experienced security concerns, such as terrorism and strained international relations. Incidents involving a country’s or region’s security may cause uncertainty in its markets and may adversely affect its economy and the Fund’s investments. In addition, developed countries may be impacted by changes to the economic conditions of certain key trading partners, regulatory burdens, debt burdens and the price or availability of certain commodities.

Risk of Investing in Emerging Markets: The Fund targets Autonomous and Electric Vehicles Companies globally and is expected to invest in securities in emerging market countries. Investments in emerging markets may be subject to a greater risk of loss than investments in developed markets. Securities markets of emerging market countries are less liquid, subject to greater price volatility, have smaller market capitalizations, have less government regulation, and are not subject to as extensive and frequent accounting, financial, and other reporting requirements as the securities markets of more developed countries, and there may be greater risk associated with the custody of securities in emerging markets. Emerging markets may be more likely to experience inflation, political turmoil and rapid changes in economic conditions than more developed markets. Certain emerging market countries may have privatized, or have begun the process of privatizing, certain entities and industries. Privatized entities may lose money or be re-nationalized.

Risk of Investing in South Korea: Investments in South Korean issuers may subject the Fund to legal, regulatory, political, currency, security, and economic risks that are specific to South Korea. In addition, economic and political developments of South Korea’s neighbors, including escalated tensions involving North Korea and any outbreak of hostilities involving North Korea, or even the threat of an outbreak of hostilities, may have a severe adverse effect on the South Korean economy.

Risk of Investing in the United States: A decrease in imports or exports, changes in trade regulations and/or an economic recession in the U.S. may have a material adverse effect on the U.S. economy.

International Closed Market Trading Risk: To the extent that the underlying investments held by the Fund trade on foreign exchanges that may be closed when the securities exchange on which the Fund’s Shares trade is open, there are likely to be deviations between the current price of such an underlying security and the last quoted price for the underlying security (i.e., the Fund’s quote from the closed foreign market). These deviations could result in premiums or discounts to the Fund’s NAV that may be greater than those experienced by other exchange-traded funds ("ETFs").

Issuer Risk: Fund performance depends on the performance of individual companies in which the Fund invests. Changes to the financial condition of any of those companies may cause the value of their securities to decline.

Market Risk: Turbulence in the financial markets and reduced liquidity may negatively affect issuers, which could have an adverse effect on the Fund. If the securities held by the Fund experience poor liquidity, the Fund may be unable to transact at advantageous times or prices, which may decrease the Fund’s returns. In addition, there is a risk that policy changes by the U.S. Government, Federal Reserve, or other government actors, which could include increasing interest rates, could cause increased volatility in financial markets and lead to higher levels of Fund redemptions, which could have a negative impact on the Fund. Furthermore, local, regional or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issue, recessions, or other events could have a significant impact on the Fund and its investments and trading of its shares. The Fund’s NAV could decline over short periods due to short-term market movements and over longer periods during market downturns.


45


Non-Diversification Risk: The Fund is classified as a “non-diversified” investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940 ("1940 Act"). As a result, the Fund is subject to the risk that it may be more volatile than a diversified fund because the Fund may invest its assets in a smaller number of issuers or may invest a larger proportion of its assets in a single issuer. As a result, the gains and losses on a single investment may have a greater impact on the Fund’s NAV and may make the Fund more volatile than more diversified funds.

Operational Risk: The Fund is exposed to operational risk arising from a number of factors, including but not limited to human error, processing and communication errors, errors of the Fund's service providers, counterparties or other third-parties, failed or inadequate processes and technology or systems failures. Additionally, cyber security failures or breaches of the electronic systems of the Fund, the Adviser, and the Fund's other service providers, market makers, Authorized Participants or the issuers of securities in which the Fund invests have the ability to cause disruptions and negatively impact the Fund's business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses to the Fund and its shareholders. The Fund and the Adviser seek to reduce these operational risks through controls and procedures. However, these measures do not address every possible risk and may be inadequate for those risks that they are intended to address.

Passive Investment Risk: The Fund is not actively managed, and the Adviser does not attempt to take defensive positions in declining markets. Unlike many investment companies, the Fund does not seek to outperform its Underlying Index. Therefore, it would not necessarily buy or sell a security unless that security is added or removed, respectively, from the Underlying Index, even if that security generally is underperforming. Maintaining investments in securities regardless of market conditions or the performance of individual securities could cause the Fund’s return to be lower than if the Fund employed an active strategy.

Index-Related Risk: There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve a high degree of correlation to the Underlying Index and therefore achieve its investment objective. Market disruptions and regulatory restrictions could have an adverse effect on the Fund’s ability to adjust its exposure to the required levels in order to track the Underlying Index. Errors in index data, index computations and/or the construction of the Underlying Index in accordance with its methodology may occur from time to time and may not be identified and corrected by the Index Provider for a period of time or at all, which may have an adverse impact on the Fund and its shareholders.

Management Risk: The Fund will not fully replicate its Underlying Index and may hold securities not included in its Underlying Index. The Adviser’s investment strategy, the implementation of which is subject to a number of constraints, may cause the Fund to underperform the market or its relevant benchmark or adversely affect the ability of the Fund to achieve its investment objective.

Tracking Error Risk: Tracking error may occur because of differences between the instruments held in the Fund's portfolio and those included in the Underlying Index, pricing differences, transaction costs incurred by the Fund, the Fund's holding of uninvested cash, size of the Fund, differences in timing of the accrual of or the valuation of dividends or interest, tax gains or losses, changes to the Underlying Index or the costs to the Fund of complying with various new or existing regulatory requirements. This risk may be heightened during times of increased market volatility or other unusual market conditions. Tracking error also may result because the Fund incurs fees and expenses, while the Underlying Index does not. ETFs that track indices with significant weight in emerging markets issuers may experience higher tracking error than other ETFs that do not track such indices.

Risks Associated with Exchange-Traded Funds: As an ETF, the Fund is subject to the following risks:

Authorized Participants Concentration Risk: The Fund has a limited number of financial institutions that may act as Authorized Participants and engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund, and none of those Authorized Participants is obligated to engage in creation and/or redemption transactions. To the extent that those Authorized Participants exit the business or are unable to process creation and/or redemption orders, Shares may be more likely to trade at a premium or discount to NAV, and possibly face trading halts and/or delisting from an exchange. Authorized Participants Concentration Risk may be heightened because the Fund invests in non-U.S. securities.

Large Shareholder Risk: Redemptions by large shareholders could have a significant negative impact on the Fund. If a large shareholder were to redeem all, or a large portion, of its Shares, there is no guarantee that the Fund will be able to maintain sufficient assets to continue operations in which case the Board of Trustees may determine to liquidate the Fund. In addition, transactions by large shareholders may account for a large percentage of the trading volume on a national securities exchange and may, therefore, have a material upward or downward effect on the market price of the Shares.


46


Listing Standards Risk: Under continuous listing standards adopted by the Fund’s listing exchange, the Fund will be required to confirm on an ongoing basis that the components of the Underlying Index satisfy the applicable listing requirements. In the event that the Underlying Index does not comply with the applicable listing requirements, the Fund would be required to rectify such non-compliance by requesting that the Index Provider modify the Underlying Index, adopting a new underlying index, or obtaining relief from the SEC. Failure to rectify such non-compliance may result in the Fund being delisted by the listing exchange. In addition, the Fund may face the risk of being delisted if the Fund does not meet certain conditions of the listing exchange. Any resulting liquidation of the Fund could cause the Fund to incur elevated transaction costs and could result in negative tax consequences for its shareholders.

Market Trading Risks and Premium/Discount Risks: Shares of the Fund are publicly traded on a national securities exchange, which may subject shareholders to numerous market trading risks. Disruptions to creations and redemptions, the existence of extreme market volatility or potential lack of assets in the Fund or an active trading market for Shares may result in Shares trading at a significant premium or discount to NAV. If a shareholder purchases Shares at a time when the market price is at a premium to the NAV or sells Shares at a time when the market price is at a discount to the NAV, the shareholder may sustain losses.

Securities Lending Risk: Securities lending involves a risk of loss because the borrower may fail to return the securities in a timely manner or at all. If the Fund is not able to recover the securities loaned, it may sell the collateral and purchase a replacement security in the market. Lending securities entails a risk of loss to the Fund if and to the extent that the market value of the loaned securities increases and the collateral is not increased accordingly. Additionally, the Fund will bear any loss on the investment of cash collateral it receives. These events could also trigger adverse tax consequences for the Fund. As securities on loan may not be voted by the Fund, there is a risk that the Fund may not be able to recall the securities in sufficient time to vote on material proxy matters.

Trading Halt Risk: An exchange or market may close or issue trading halts on specific securities, or the ability to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments may be restricted, which may result in the Fund being unable to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments. In such circumstances, the Fund may be unable to rebalance its portfolio, may be unable to accurately price its investments and/or may incur substantial trading losses.

Valuation Risk: The sales price the Fund could receive for a security may differ from the Fund’s valuation of the security and may differ from the value used by the Underlying Index, particularly for securities that trade in low value or volatile markets or that are valued using a fair value methodology (such as during trading halts). The value of the securities in the Fund's portfolio may change on days when shareholders will not be able to purchase or sell the Fund's Shares.

PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

The bar chart and table that follow show how the Fund performed on a calendar year basis and provide an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund's performance from year to year and by showing the Fund's average annual total returns for the indicated periods compared with the Fund's benchmark index and a broad measure of market performance. The Fund's past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available online at www.globalxetfs.com.


47


Annual Total Returns (Years Ended December 31)

  CHART-75F03B8EDC3657768B1.JPG

Best Quarter:
12/31/19
13.33%
Worst Quarter:
09/30/19
-1.65%

Average Annual Total Returns (for the Periods Ended December 31, 2019) 
 
Year Ended December 31, 2019
Since Inception (05/09/2016)
Global X Autonomous & Electric Vehicles ETF:
 
 
·Return before taxes
28.04%
1.64%
·Return after taxes on distributions1
27.64%
1.07%
·Return after taxes on distributions and sale of Fund Shares1
16.85%
1.17%
Solactive Autonomous & Electric Vehicles Index (net)
(Index returns reflect invested dividends net of withholding taxes, but reflect no deduction for fees, expenses, or other taxes)
28.02%
1.59%
MSCI ACWI Index (net)
(Index returns reflect invested dividends net of withholding taxes, but reflect no deduction for fees, expenses, or other taxes)
26.60%
8.27%

1     After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual U.S. federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Your actual after-tax returns will depend on your specific tax situation and may differ from those shown above. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold Shares of the Fund through tax-advantaged arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts (IRAs).

FUND MANAGEMENT

Investment Adviser: Global X Management Company LLC.

Portfolio Managers: The professionals primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund are Chang Kim, CFA; Nam To, CFA; Wayne Xie and Kimberly Chan (“Portfolio Managers”). Messrs. Kim and To have been Portfolio Managers of the

48


Fund since the Fund's inception. Mr. Xie has been Portfolio Manager of the Fund since March 1, 2019. Ms. Chan has been Portfolio Manager of the Fund since June 10, 2019.

PURCHASE AND SALE OF FUND SHARES
 
Shares of the Fund are listed and traded at market prices on a national securities exchange. Shares may only be purchased and sold on the exchange through a broker-dealer. The price of Shares is based on market price, and because ETF shares trade at market prices rather than at NAV, Shares may trade at a price greater than NAV (a premium) or less than NAV (a discount). Only “Authorized Participants” (as defined in the SAI) who have entered into agreements with the Fund's distributor, SEI Investments Distribution Co. ("Distributor"), may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. The Fund will only issue or redeem Shares that have been aggregated into blocks of 50,000 Shares or multiples thereof ("Creation Units"). The Fund will issue or redeem Creation Units in return for a basket of cash and/or securities that the Fund specifies any day that the national securities exchanges are open for business ("Business Day").
 
TAX INFORMATION
 
The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxable to you as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-advantaged arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account ("IRA"), in which case distributions from such tax-advantaged arrangement may be taxable to you.
 
PAYMENTS TO BROKER-DEALERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES
 
The Adviser and its related companies may pay broker-dealers or other financial intermediaries (such as a bank) for the sale of Fund Shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing your broker-dealer, sales persons or other intermediary or its employees or associated persons to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your financial adviser or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.

49


Global X Genomics & Biotechnology ETF

Ticker: GNOM Exchange: NASDAQ

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE

The Global X Genomics & Biotechnology ETF ("Fund") seeks to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the Solactive Genomics Index ("Underlying Index").

FEES AND EXPENSES

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares ("Shares") of the Fund. You will also incur usual and customary brokerage commissions when buying and selling Shares.

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

Management Fees:
0.68%
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees:
None
Other Expenses:
0.00%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses:
0.68%

Example: The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. This example does not take into account customary brokerage commissions that you pay when purchasing or selling Shares of the Fund in the secondary market. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell all of your Shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:

One Year
Three Years
Five Years
Ten Years
$69
$218
$379
$847

Portfolio Turnover: The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund's performance. From the Fund's commencement of operations on April 5, 2019 to the end of the most recent fiscal period, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 23.12% of the average value of its portfolio.

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

The Fund invests at least 80% of its total assets in the securities of the Underlying Index. The Fund's 80% investment policy is non-fundamental and requires 60 days prior written notice to shareholders before it can be changed.

The Underlying Index is designed to provide exposure to exchange-listed companies that are positioned to benefit from further advances in the field of genomic science and biotechnology, as well as applications thereof (collectively, "Genomics & Biotechnology Companies"), as defined by Solactive AG, the provider of the Underlying Index ("Index Provider"). In order to be eligible for inclusion in the Underlying Index, a company is considered by the Index Provider to be a Genomics & Biotechnology Company if it derives at least 50% of its revenue, operating income, or assets from genomics and/or biotechnology. These companies include those involved in the following business activities: (i) gene editing, (ii) genomic sequencing, (iii) development and testing of genetic medicine/therapies, (iv) computational genomics and genetic diagnostics, and/or (v) biotechnology.

In constructing the Underlying Index, the Index Provider first establishes the eligible universe by utilizing FactSet sector classifications: only companies classified by FactSet as healthcare companies are eligible for the Underlying Index. The Index Provider then applies a proprietary natural language processing algorithm to the eligible universe, which seeks to identify and rank companies with direct exposure to the genomics industry based on filings, disclosures and other public information (e.g. regulatory filings, earnings transcripts, etc.). The highest ranking companies identified by the natural language processing

50


algorithm, as of the selection date, are further reviewed by the Index Provider to confirm they derive at least 50% of their revenues, operating income, or assets from the following business activities:

i.
Gene Editing: Companies that develop technology for the insertion, deletion, or replacement of DNA at a specific site in the genome of an organism.
ii.
Genomic Sequencing: Companies that are engaged in the process of determining the complete DNA sequence of an organism's genome.
iii.
Genetic Medicine/Therapies: Companies that seek to detect, cure or treat diseases by identifying and/or modifying an organism's gene expression or functioning.
iv.
Computational Genomics and Genetic Diagnostics: Companies that use computational and statistical analysis to decipher biological insights from genome sequences and related data.
v.
Biotechnology: Companies that combine biologic processes and technology to develop products and services.

The eligible universe of the Underlying Index includes exchange-listed companies that meet minimum market capitalization and liquidity criteria, as defined by the Index Provider. As of January 31, 2020, companies must have a minimum market capitalization of $200 million and a minimum average daily turnover for the last 6 months greater than or equal to $2 million in order to be eligible for inclusion in the Underlying Index. As of January 31, 2020, companies listed in the following countries were eligible for inclusion in the Underlying Index: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

The Underlying Index is weighted according to a modified capitalization weighting methodology and is reconstituted and re-weighted semi-annually. Modified capitalization weighting seeks to weight constituents primarily based on market capitalization, but subject to caps on the weights of the individual securities. Generally speaking, this approach will limit the amount of concentration in the largest market capitalization companies and increase company-level diversification. The Underlying Index may include large-, mid- or small-capitalization companies, and components primarily include healthcare companies. As of January 31, 2020, the Underlying Index had 36 constituents. The Fund's investment objective and Underlying Index may be changed without shareholder approval.

The Underlying Index is sponsored by the Index Provider, which is an organization that is independent of the Fund and Global X Management Company LLC, the investment adviser for the Fund ("Adviser"). The Index Provider determines the relative weightings of the securities in the Underlying Index and publishes information regarding the market value of the Underlying Index.

The Adviser uses a "passive" or indexing approach to try to achieve the Fund's investment objective. Unlike many investment companies, the Fund does not try to outperform the Underlying Index and does not seek temporary defensive positions when markets decline or appear overvalued.

The Fund generally will use a replication strategy. A replication strategy is an indexing strategy that involves investing in the securities of the Underlying Index in approximately the same proportions as in the Underlying Index. However, the Fund may utilize a representative sampling strategy with respect to the Underlying Index when a replication strategy might be detrimental or disadvantageous to shareholders, such as when there are practical difficulties or substantial costs involved in compiling a portfolio of equity securities to replicate the Underlying Index, in instances in which a security in the Underlying Index becomes temporarily illiquid, unavailable or less liquid, or as a result of legal restrictions or limitations (such as tax diversification requirements) that apply to the Fund but not the Underlying Index.

The Adviser expects that, over time, the correlation between the Fund's performance and that of the Underlying Index, before fees and expenses, will exceed 95%. A correlation percentage of 100% would indicate perfect correlation.

The Fund concentrates its investments (i.e., holds 25% or more of its total assets) in a particular industry or group of industries to approximately the same extent that the Underlying Index is concentrated. As of January 31, 2020, the Underlying Index was concentrated in the biotechnology industry and had significant exposure to the health care sector.

SUMMARY OF PRINCIPAL RISKS

As with any investment, you could lose all or part of your investment in the Fund, and the Fund’s performance could trail that of other investments. There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. The Fund is subject to the principal risks noted below, any of which may adversely affect the Fund’s net asset value (“NAV”), trading price, yield, total return and ability to meet its investment objective, as well as other risks that are described in greater detail in the Additional Information

51


About the Funds section of this Prospectus and in the Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”). The order of the below risk factors does not indicate the significance of any particular risk factor.

Asset Class Risk: Securities and other assets in the Underlying Index or otherwise held in the Fund's portfolio may underperform in comparison to the general securities markets, a particular securities market or other asset classes.

Equity Securities Risk: Equity securities are subject to changes in value, and their values may be more volatile than other asset classes, as a result of such factors as a company’s business performance, investor perceptions, stock market trends and general economic conditions.

Associated Risks Related to Investing in Genomics Companies: Genomics companies typically face intense competition and potentially rapid product obsolescence. These companies are also heavily dependent on intellectual property rights and may be adversely affected by loss or impairment of those rights. There can be no assurance these companies will be able to successfully protect their intellectual property to prevent the misappropriation of their technology, or that competitors will not develop technology that is substantially similar or superior to such companies’ technology. Genomics companies typically engage in significant amounts of spending on research and development, and there is no guarantee that the products or services produced by these companies will be successful. In addition, the field of genomic science could face increasing regulatory scrutiny in the future, which may limit the development of this technology and impede the growth of companies that develop and/or utilize this technology. The customers and/or suppliers of genomics companies may be concentrated in a particular country, region or industry. Any adverse event affecting one of these countries, regions or industries could have a negative impact on genomics companies. Through its portfolio companies’ customers and suppliers, the Fund is specifically exposed to Asian Economic Risk and European Economic Risk.

Capitalization Risk: Investing in issuers within the same market capitalization category carries the risk that the category may be out of favor due to current market conditions or investor sentiment.

Large-Capitalization Companies Risk: Large-capitalization companies may trail the returns of the overall stock market. Large-capitalization stocks tend to go through cycles of doing better - or worse - than the stock market in general. These periods have, in the past, lasted for as long as several years.

Mid-Capitalization Companies Risk: Mid-capitalization companies may have greater price volatility, lower trading volume and less liquidity than large-capitalization companies. In addition, mid-capitalization companies may have smaller revenues, narrower product lines, less management depth and experience, smaller shares of their product or service markets, fewer financial resources and less competitive strength than large-capitalization companies.

Small-Capitalization Companies Risk: Compared to mid- and large-capitalization companies, small-capitalization companies may be less stable and more susceptible to adverse developments, and their securities may be more volatile and less liquid.

Concentration Risk: To the extent that the Underlying Index concentrates in investments related to a particular industry or group of industries, the Fund will also concentrate its investments to approximately the same extent. Similarly, if the Underlying Index has significant exposure to one or more sectors, the Fund’s investments will likely have significant exposure to such sectors. In such event, the Fund’s performance will be particularly susceptible to adverse events impacting such industry or sector, which may include, but are not limited to, the following: general economic conditions or cyclical market patterns that could negatively affect supply and demand; competition for resources; adverse labor relations; political or world events; obsolescence of technologies; and increased competition or new product introductions that may affect the profitability or viability of companies in a particular industry or sector. As a result, the value of the Fund’s investments may rise and fall more than the value of shares of a fund that invests in securities of companies in a broader range of industries or sectors.

Risks Related to Investing in the Biotechnology Industry: Biotechnology companies face intense competition and the potential for rapid product obsolescence. Biotechnology companies may be adversely affected by the loss or impairment of intellectual property rights or changes in government regulations.

Risks Related to Investing in the Health Care Sector: The health care sector may be affected by government regulations and government health care programs, increases or decreases in the cost of medical products and services, an increased emphasis on outpatient services, and product liability claims, among other factors. Many health care companies are heavily dependent on patent protection, and the expiration of a company's patent may adversely affect that company's profitability. Health care companies are subject to competitive forces that may result in price discounting and may be thinly capitalized and susceptible to product obsolescence.

52



Currency Risk: The Fund may invest in securities denominated in foreign currencies. Because the Fund's NAV is determined in U.S. dollars, the Fund's NAV could decline if currencies of the underlying securities depreciate against the U.S. dollar or if there are delays or limits on repatriation of such currencies. Currency exchange rates can be very volatile and can change quickly and unpredictably. As a result, the Fund's NAV may change quickly and without warning, which could have a significant negative impact on the Fund.

Custody Risk: Less developed markets are more likely to experience problems with the clearing and settling of trades and the holding of securities by local banks, agents and depositories.

Foreign Securities Risk: The Fund may invest, without limit, in foreign securities. The Fund's investments in foreign securities can be riskier than U.S. securities investments. Investments in the securities of foreign issuers (including investments in ADRs and GDRs) are subject to the risks associated with investing in those foreign markets, such as heightened risks of inflation or nationalization. The prices of foreign securities and the prices of U.S. securities have, at times, moved in opposite directions. In addition, securities of foreign issuers may lose value due to political, economic and geographic events affecting a foreign issuer or market. During periods of social, political or economic instability in a country or region, the value of a foreign security traded on U.S. exchanges could be affected by, among other things, increasing price volatility, illiquidity, or the closure of the primary market on which the security (or the security underlying the ADR or GDR) is traded. You may lose money due to political, economic and geographic events affecting a foreign issuer or market.

Geographic Risk: A natural, biological or other disaster could occur in a geographic region in which the Fund invests, which could affect the economy or particular business operations of companies in the specific geographic region, causing an adverse impact on the Fund’s investments in the affected region or in a region economically tied to the affected region. The securities in which the Fund invests and, consequently, the Fund are also subject to specific risks as a result of their business operations, including, but not limited to:

Risk of Investing in China: Investment exposure to China subjects the Fund to risks specific to China. China may be subject to considerable degrees of economic, political and social instability. Concerns about the rising government and household debt levels could impact the stability of the Chinese economy. China is an emerging market and demonstrates significantly higher volatility from time to time in comparison to developed markets. Over the last few decades, the Chinese government has undertaken reform of economic and market practices, including recent reforms to liberalize its capital markets and expand the sphere for private ownership of property in China. However, Chinese markets generally continue to experience inefficiency, volatility and pricing anomalies resulting from governmental influence, a lack of publicly available information and/or political and social instability. Internal social unrest or confrontations with other neighboring countries, including military conflicts in response to such events, may also disrupt economic development in China and result in a greater risk of currency fluctuations, currency convertibility, interest rate fluctuations and higher rates of inflation. China has experienced security concerns, such as terrorism and strained international relations, as well as major health crises. These health crises include, but are not limited to, the rapid and pandemic spread of novel viruses commonly known as SARS, MERS, and COVID-19 (Coronavirus). Such health crises could exacerbate political, social, and economic risks previously mentioned. Additionally, China is alleged to have participated in state-sponsored cyberattacks against foreign companies and foreign governments. Actual and threatened responses to such activity, including purchasing restrictions, sanctions, tariffs or cyberattacks on the Chinese government or Chinese companies, may impact China’s economy and Chinese issuers of securities in which the Fund invests. Incidents involving China’s or the region’s security, including the contagion of infectious viruses or diseases, may cause uncertainty in Chinese markets and may adversely affect the Chinese economy and the Fund’s investments. Export growth continues to be a major driver of China’s rapid economic growth. Elevated trade tensions between China and its trading partners, including the imposition of U.S. tariffs on certain Chinese goods and increased international pressure related to Chinese trade policy and forced technology transfers and intellectual property protections, may have a substantial impact on the Chinese economy. Reduction in spending on Chinese products and services, institution of additional tariffs or other trade barriers (including as a result of heightened trade tensions between China and the U.S. or in response to actual or alleged Chinese cyber activity), or a downturn in any of the economies of China’s key trading partners may have an adverse impact on the Chinese economy. Investments in China may be subject to loss due to expropriation or nationalization of assets and property or the imposition of restrictions on foreign investments and repatriation of capital. China has implemented a number of tax reforms in recent years and may amend or revise its existing tax laws and/or procedures in the future, possibly with retroactive effect. Changes in applicable Chinese tax law could reduce the after-tax profits of the Fund, directly or indirectly, including by reducing the after-tax profits of companies in China in which the Fund invests. Uncertainties in Chinese tax rules could result in unexpected tax liabilities for the Fund.


53


Risk of Investing in Developed Markets: The Fund’s investment in a developed country issuer may subject the Fund to regulatory, political, currency, security, economic and other risks associated with developed countries. Developed countries tend to represent a significant portion of the global economy and have generally experienced slower economic growth than some less developed countries. Certain developed countries have experienced security concerns, such as terrorism and strained international relations. Incidents involving a country’s or region’s security may cause uncertainty in its markets and may adversely affect its economy and the Fund’s investments. In addition, developed countries may be impacted by changes to the economic conditions of certain key trading partners, regulatory burdens, debt burdens and the price or availability of certain commodities.

Risk of Investing in the United States: A decrease in imports or exports, changes in trade regulations and/or an economic recession in the U.S. may have a material adverse effect on the U.S. economy.

International Closed Market Trading Risk: To the extent that the underlying investments held by the Fund trade on foreign exchanges that may be closed when the securities exchange on which the Fund’s Shares trade is open, there are likely to be deviations between the current price of such an underlying security and the last quoted price for the underlying security (i.e., the Fund’s quote from the closed foreign market). These deviations could result in premiums or discounts to the Fund’s NAV that may be greater than those experienced by other exchange-traded funds ("ETFs").

Issuer Risk: Fund performance depends on the performance of individual companies in which the Fund invests. Changes to the financial condition of any of those companies may cause the value of their securities to decline.

Market Risk: Turbulence in the financial markets and reduced liquidity may negatively affect issuers, which could have an adverse effect on the Fund. If the securities held by the Fund experience poor liquidity, the Fund may be unable to transact at advantageous times or prices, which may decrease the Fund’s returns. In addition, there is a risk that policy changes by the U.S. Government, Federal Reserve, or other government actors, which could include increasing interest rates, could cause increased volatility in financial markets and lead to higher levels of Fund redemptions, which could have a negative impact on the Fund. Furthermore, local, regional or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issue, recessions, or other events could have a significant impact on the Fund and its investments and trading of its shares. The Fund’s NAV could decline over short periods due to short-term market movements and over longer periods during market downturns.

Non-Diversification Risk: The Fund is classified as a “non-diversified” investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940 ("1940 Act"). As a result, the Fund is subject to the risk that it may be more volatile than a diversified fund because the Fund may invest its assets in a smaller number of issuers or may invest a larger proportion of its assets in a single issuer. As a result, the gains and losses on a single investment may have a greater impact on the Fund’s NAV and may make the Fund more volatile than more diversified funds.

Operational Risk: The Fund is exposed to operational risk arising from a number of factors, including but not limited to human error, processing and communication errors, errors of the Fund's service providers, counterparties or other third-parties, failed or inadequate processes and technology or systems failures. Additionally, cyber security failures or breaches of the electronic systems of the Fund, the Adviser, and the Fund's other service providers, market makers, Authorized Participants or the issuers of securities in which the Fund invests have the ability to cause disruptions and negatively impact the Fund's business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses to the Fund and its shareholders. The Fund and the Adviser seek to reduce these operational risks through controls and procedures. However, these measures do not address every possible risk and may be inadequate for those risks that they are intended to address.

Passive Investment Risk: The Fund is not actively managed, and the Adviser does not attempt to take defensive positions in declining markets. Unlike many investment companies, the Fund does not seek to outperform its Underlying Index. Therefore, it would not necessarily buy or sell a security unless that security is added or removed, respectively, from the Underlying Index, even if that security generally is underperforming. Maintaining investments in securities regardless of market conditions or the performance of individual securities could cause the Fund’s return to be lower than if the Fund employed an active strategy.

Index-Related Risk: There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve a high degree of correlation to the Underlying Index and therefore achieve its investment objective. Market disruptions and regulatory restrictions could have an adverse effect on the Fund’s ability to adjust its exposure to the required levels in order to track the Underlying Index. Errors in index data, index computations and/or the construction of the Underlying Index in accordance with its methodology may occur from time to time and may not be identified and corrected by the Index Provider for a period of time or at all, which may have an adverse impact on the Fund and its shareholders.

Management Risk: The Fund will not fully replicate its Underlying Index and may hold securities not included in its Underlying Index. The Adviser’s investment strategy, the implementation of which is subject to a number of constraints,

54


may cause the Fund to underperform the market or its relevant benchmark or adversely affect the ability of the Fund to achieve its investment objective.

Tracking Error Risk: Tracking error may occur because of differences between the instruments held in the Fund's portfolio and those included in the Underlying Index, pricing differences, transaction costs incurred by the Fund, the Fund's holding of uninvested cash, size of the Fund, differences in timing of the accrual of or the valuation of dividends or interest, tax gains or losses, changes to the Underlying Index or the costs to the Fund of complying with various new or existing regulatory requirements. This risk may be heightened during times of increased market volatility or other unusual market conditions. Tracking error also may result because the Fund incurs fees and expenses, while the Underlying Index does not.

Risks Associated with Exchange-Traded Funds: As an ETF, the Fund is subject to the following risks:

Authorized Participants Concentration Risk: The Fund has a limited number of financial institutions that may act as Authorized Participants and engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund, and none of those Authorized Participants is obligated to engage in creation and/or redemption transactions. To the extent that those Authorized Participants exit the business or are unable to process creation and/or redemption orders, Shares may be more likely to trade at a premium or discount to NAV, and possibly face trading halts and/or delisting from an exchange. Authorized Participants Concentration Risk may be heightened because the Fund invests in non-U.S. securities.

Large Shareholder Risk: Redemptions by large shareholders could have a significant negative impact on the Fund. If a large shareholder were to redeem all, or a large portion, of its Shares, there is no guarantee that the Fund will be able to maintain sufficient assets to continue operations in which case the Board of Trustees may determine to liquidate the Fund. In addition, transactions by large shareholders may account for a large percentage of the trading volume on a national securities exchange and may, therefore, have a material upward or downward effect on the market price of the Shares.

Listing Standards Risk: Under continuous listing standards adopted by the Fund’s listing exchange, the Fund will be required to confirm on an ongoing basis that the components of the Underlying Index satisfy the applicable listing requirements. In the event that the Underlying Index does not comply with the applicable listing requirements, the Fund would be required to rectify such non-compliance by requesting that the Index Provider modify the Underlying Index, adopting a new underlying index, or obtaining relief from the SEC. Failure to rectify such non-compliance may result in the Fund being delisted by the listing exchange. In addition, the Fund may face the risk of being delisted if the Fund does not meet certain conditions of the listing exchange. Any resulting liquidation of the Fund could cause the Fund to incur elevated transaction costs and could result in negative tax consequences for its shareholders.

Market Trading Risks and Premium/Discount Risks: Shares of the Fund are publicly traded on a national securities exchange, which may subject shareholders to numerous market trading risks. Disruptions to creations and redemptions, the existence of extreme market volatility or potential lack of assets in the Fund or an active trading market for Shares may result in Shares trading at a significant premium or discount to NAV. If a shareholder purchases Shares at a time when the market price is at a premium to the NAV or sells Shares at a time when the market price is at a discount to the NAV, the shareholder may sustain losses.

Trading Halt Risk: An exchange or market may close or issue trading halts on specific securities, or the ability to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments may be restricted, which may result in the Fund being unable to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments. In such circumstances, the Fund may be unable to rebalance its portfolio, may be unable to accurately price its investments and/or may incur substantial trading losses.

Valuation Risk: The sales price the Fund could receive for a security may differ from the Fund’s valuation of the security and may differ from the value used by the Underlying Index, particularly for securities that trade in low value or volatile markets or that are valued using a fair value methodology (such as during trading halts). The value of the securities in the Fund's portfolio may change on days when shareholders will not be able to purchase or sell the Fund's Shares.

PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

The Fund does not have a full calendar year of performance. Once the Fund has completed a full calendar year of operations, a bar chart and table will be included that will provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing the variability of the Fund's returns and comparing the Fund's performance to the Underlying Index. The Fund's performance is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future.

55



FUND MANAGEMENT

Investment Adviser: Global X Management Company LLC.

Portfolio Managers: The professionals primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund are Chang Kim, CFA; Nam To, CFA; Wayne Xie and Kimberly Chan (“Portfolio Managers”). Messrs. Kim, To and Xie have been Portfolio Managers of the Fund since the Fund's inception. Ms. Chan has been Portfolio Manager of the Fund since June 10, 2019.

PURCHASE AND SALE OF FUND SHARES
 
Shares of the Fund are listed and traded at market prices on a national securities exchange. Shares may only be purchased and sold on the exchange through a broker-dealer. The price of Shares is based on market price, and because ETF shares trade at market prices rather than at NAV, Shares may trade at a price greater than NAV (a premium) or less than NAV (a discount). Only “Authorized Participants” (as defined in the SAI) who have entered into agreements with the Fund's distributor, SEI Investments Distribution Co. ("Distributor"), may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. The Fund will only issue or redeem Shares that have been aggregated into blocks of 50,000 Shares or multiples thereof ("Creation Units"). The Fund will issue or redeem Creation Units in return for a basket of cash and/or securities that the Fund specifies any day that the national securities exchanges are open for business ("Business Day").
 
TAX INFORMATION
 
The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxable to you as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-advantaged arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account ("IRA"), in which case distributions from such tax-advantaged arrangement may be taxable to you.
 
PAYMENTS TO BROKER-DEALERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES
 
The Adviser and its related companies may pay broker-dealers or other financial intermediaries (such as a bank) for the sale of Fund Shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing your broker-dealer, sales persons or other intermediary or its employees or associated persons to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your financial adviser or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.

56


Global X Video Games & Esports ETF

Ticker: HERO Exchange: NASDAQ

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE

The Global X Video Games & Esports ETF ("Fund") seeks to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the Solactive Video Games & Esports Index ("Underlying Index").

FEES AND EXPENSES

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares ("Shares") of the Fund. You will also incur usual and customary brokerage commissions when buying and selling Shares.

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

Management Fees:
0.50%
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees:
None
Other Expenses:
0.00%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses:
0.50%

1    Other Expenses are based on estimated amounts for the current fiscal year.

Example: The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. This example does not take into account customary brokerage commissions that you pay when purchasing or selling Shares of the Fund in the secondary market. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell all of your Shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:

One Year
Three Years
$51
$160

Portfolio Turnover: The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund's performance. From the Fund's commencement of operations on October 25, 2019 to the end of the most recent fiscal period, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 0.27% of the average value of its portfolio.

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

The Fund invests at least 80% of its total assets in the securities of the Underlying Index and in American Depositary Receipts ("ADRs") and Global Depositary Receipts ("GDRs") based on the securities in the Underlying Index. The Fund will also invest, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its net assets, plus borrowings for investments purposes (if any), in Video Games & Esports Companies (as defined below), and in ADRs and GDRs based on such securities. The Fund's 80% investment policies are non-fundamental and require 60 days prior written notice to shareholders before they can be changed.

The Underlying Index is designed to provide exposure to exchange-listed companies that are positioned to benefit from increased consumption related to video games and esports, including companies whose principal business is in video game development/publishing, video game and esports content distribution and streaming, operating/owning esports leagues/teams, and producing video game/esports hardware (collectively, "Video Games & Esports Companies"), as defined by Solactive AG, the provider of the Underlying Index ("Index Provider").

In constructing the Underlying Index, the Index Provider first applies a proprietary natural language processing algorithm to the eligible universe, which screens filings, disclosures and other public information (e.g., regulatory filings, earnings transcripts, etc.) for keywords that describe the index theme, to identify and rank companies with direct exposure to the video games and

57


esports industry. Companies identified by the natural language processing algorithm, as of the selection date, are further reviewed by the Index Provider on the basis of revenue related to video games and esports activities. To be eligible for the Underlying Index, a company is considered by the Index Provider to be a Video Games & Esports Company if the company generates at least 50% of its revenues from video games and esports activities, as determined by the Index Provider. Video Games & Esports Companies are those companies that (i) develop and/or publish video games, (ii) facilitate the streaming or distribution of video gaming and/or esports content, (iii) operate and/or own competitive esports leagues and/or competitive esports teams, and/or (iv) produce hardware used in video games and/or esports, including augmented and virtual reality.

To be a part of the eligible universe of the Underlying Index, certain minimum market capitalization and liquidity criteria, as defined by the Index Provider, must be met. As of January 31, 2020, companies must have a minimum market capitalization of $200 million and a minimum average daily turnover for the last 6 months greater than or equal to $2 million in order to be eligible for inclusion in the Underlying Index. As of January 31, 2020, companies listed in the following countries were eligible for inclusion in the Underlying Index: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, United Kingdom, United States.

The Underlying Index is weighted according to a modified capitalization weighting methodology and is reconstituted and re-weighted semi-annually. Modified capitalization weighting seeks to weight constituents primarily based on market capitalization, but subject to caps on the weights of the individual securities. Generally speaking, this approach will limit the amount of concentration in the largest market capitalization companies and increase company-level diversification. The Underlying Index may include large-, mid- or small-capitalization companies. As of January 31, 2020, the Underlying Index had 38 constituents. The Fund's investment objective and Underlying Index may be changed without shareholder approval.

The Underlying Index is sponsored by the Index Provider, which is an organization that is independent of the Fund and Global X Management Company LLC, the investment adviser for the Fund ("Adviser"). The Index Provider determines the relative weightings of the securities in the Underlying Index and publishes information regarding the market value of the Underlying Index.

The Adviser uses a "passive" or indexing approach to try to achieve the Fund's investment objective. Unlike many investment companies, the Fund does not try to outperform the Underlying Index and does not seek temporary defensive positions when markets decline or appear overvalued.

The Fund generally will use a replication strategy. A replication strategy is an indexing strategy that involves investing in the securities of the Underlying Index in approximately the same proportions as in the Underlying Index. However, the Fund may utilize a representative sampling strategy with respect to the Underlying Index when a replication strategy might be detrimental or disadvantageous to shareholders, such as when there are practical difficulties or substantial costs involved in compiling a portfolio of equity securities to replicate the Underlying Index, in instances in which a security in the Underlying Index becomes temporarily illiquid, unavailable or less liquid, or as a result of legal restrictions or limitations (such as tax diversification requirements) that apply to the Fund but not the Underlying Index.

The Adviser expects that, over time, the correlation between the Fund's performance and that of the Underlying Index, before fees and expenses, will exceed 95%. A correlation percentage of 100% would indicate perfect correlation. If the Fund uses a replication strategy, it can be expected to have greater correlation to the Underlying Index than if it uses a representative sampling strategy.

The Fund concentrates its investments (i.e., holds 25% or more of its total assets) in a particular industry or group of industries to approximately the same extent that the Underlying Index is concentrated. As of January 31, 2020, the Underlying Index was concentrated in the entertainment industry and had significant exposure to the communication services sector.

SUMMARY OF PRINCIPAL RISKS

As with any investment, you could lose all or part of your investment in the Fund, and the Fund’s performance could trail that of other investments. There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. The Fund is subject to the principal risks noted below, any of which may adversely affect the Fund’s net asset value (“NAV”), trading price, yield, total return and ability to meet its investment objective, as well as other risks that are described in greater detail in the Additional Information About the Funds section of this Prospectus and in the Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”). The order of the below risk factors does not indicate the significance of any particular risk factor.

Asset Class Risk: Securities and other assets in the Underlying Index or otherwise held in the Fund's portfolio may underperform in comparison to the general securities markets, a particular securities market or other asset classes.


58


Equity Securities Risk: Equity securities are subject to changes in value, and their values may be more volatile than other asset classes, as a result of such factors as a company’s business performance, investor perceptions, stock market trends and general economic conditions.

Associated Risks Related to Investing in Video Game and Esports Companies: Video Game and Esports Companies may have limited product lines, markets, financial resources or personnel. These companies typically face intense competition and potentially rapid product obsolescence. Video Game and Esports Companies may be dependent on one or a small number of product or product franchises for a significant portion of their revenue and profits. They may also be subject to shifting consumer preferences, including preferences with respect to gaming console platforms, and changes in consumer discretionary spending. Video Game and Esports Companies may be adversely impacted by government regulations, and may be subject to additional regulatory oversight with regard to privacy concerns and cybersecurity risk. Recently, Video Game and Esports Companies have faced enhanced regulatory scrutiny, and certain regulators have at times suspended the issuance of licenses for new video games. These companies are also heavily dependent on intellectual property rights and may be adversely affected by loss or impairment of those rights. Video Game and Esports Companies could be negatively impacted by disruptions in service caused by hardware or software failure. Video Game and Esports Companies, especially smaller companies, tend to be more volatile than companies that do not rely heavily on technology. The customers and/or suppliers of Video Game and Esports Companies may be concentrated in a particular country, region or industry. Any adverse event affecting one of these countries, regions or industries could have a negative impact on Video Game and Esports Companies. Through its portfolio companies’ customers and suppliers, the Fund is specifically exposed to Asian Economic Risk and European Economic Risk.

Capitalization Risk: Investing in issuers within the same market capitalization category carries the risk that the category may be out of favor due to current market conditions or investor sentiment.

Large-Capitalization Companies Risk: Large-capitalization companies may trail the returns of the overall stock market. Large-capitalization stocks tend to go through cycles of doing better - or worse - than the stock market in general. These periods have, in the past, lasted for as long as several years.

Mid-Capitalization Companies Risk: Mid-capitalization companies may have greater price volatility, lower trading volume and less liquidity than large-capitalization companies. In addition, mid-capitalization companies may have smaller revenues, narrower product lines, less management depth and experience, smaller shares of their product or service markets, fewer financial resources and less competitive strength than large-capitalization companies.

Small-Capitalization Companies Risk: Compared to mid- and large-capitalization companies, small-capitalization companies may be less stable and more susceptible to adverse developments, and their securities may be more volatile and less liquid.

Concentration Risk: To the extent that the Underlying Index concentrates in investments related to a particular industry or group of industries, the Fund will also concentrate its investments to approximately the same extent. Similarly, if the Underlying Index has significant exposure to one or more sectors, the Fund’s investments will likely have significant exposure to such sectors. In such event, the Fund’s performance will be particularly susceptible to adverse events impacting such industry or sector, which may include, but are not limited to, the following: general economic conditions or cyclical market patterns that could negatively affect supply and demand; competition for resources; adverse labor relations; political or world events; obsolescence of technologies; and increased competition or new product introductions that may affect the profitability or viability of companies in a particular industry or sector. As a result, the value of the Fund’s investments may rise and fall more than the value of shares of a fund that invests in securities of companies in a broader range of industries or sectors.

Risks Related to Investing in the Communication Services Sector: Companies in the communications sector may be affected by industry competition, substantial capital requirements, government regulation, cyclicality of revenues and earnings, obsolescence of communications products and services due to technological advancement, a potential decrease in the discretionary income of targeted individuals and changing consumer tastes and interests.

Risks Related to Investing in the Entertainment Industry: Entertainment companies may be impacted by high costs of research and development of new content and services in an effort to stay relevant in a highly competitive industry, and entertainment products may face a risk of rapid obsolescence. Entertainment companies are subject to risks that include cyclicality of revenues and earnings, changing tastes and topical interests, and decreases in the discretionary income of their targeted consumers. Sales of content through physical formats and traditional content delivery services may be displaced by new content delivery mechanisms, such as streaming technology, and it is possible that such new content delivery mechanisms may themselves become obsolete over time.  The entertainment industry is regulated, and changes to rules regarding advertising and the content produced by entertainment companies can increase overall

59


production and distribution costs. Companies in the entertainment industry have at times faced increased regulatory pressure which has delayed or prohibited the release of entertainment content.

Currency Risk: The Fund may invest in securities denominated in foreign currencies. Because the Fund's NAV is determined in U.S. dollars, the Fund's NAV could decline if currencies of the underlying securities depreciate against the U.S. dollar or if there are delays or limits on repatriation of such currencies. Currency exchange rates can be very volatile and can change quickly and unpredictably. As a result, the Fund's NAV may change quickly and without warning, which could have a significant negative impact on the Fund.

Custody Risk: Less developed markets are more likely to experience problems with the clearing and settling of trades and the holding of securities by local banks, agents and depositories.

Foreign Securities Risk: The Fund may invest, without limit, in foreign securities. The Fund's investments in foreign securities can be riskier than U.S. securities investments. Investments in the securities of foreign issuers (including investments in ADRs and GDRs) are subject to the risks associated with investing in those foreign markets, such as heightened risks of inflation or nationalization. The prices of foreign securities and the prices of U.S. securities have, at times, moved in opposite directions. In addition, securities of foreign issuers may lose value due to political, economic and geographic events affecting a foreign issuer or market. During periods of social, political or economic instability in a country or region, the value of a foreign security traded on U.S. exchanges could be affected by, among other things, increasing price volatility, illiquidity, or the closure of the primary market on which the security (or the security underlying the ADR or GDR) is traded. You may lose money due to political, economic and geographic events affecting a foreign issuer or market.

Geographic Risk: A natural, biological or other disaster could occur in a geographic region in which the Fund invests, which could affect the economy or particular business operations of companies in the specific geographic region, causing an adverse impact on the Fund’s investments in the affected region or in a region economically tied to the affected region. The securities in which the Fund invests and, consequently, the Fund are also subject to specific risks as a result of their business operations, including, but not limited to:

Risk of Investing in China: Investment exposure to China subjects the Fund to risks specific to China. China may be subject to considerable degrees of economic, political and social instability. Concerns about the rising government and household debt levels could impact the stability of the Chinese economy. China is an emerging market and demonstrates significantly higher volatility from time to time in comparison to developed markets. Over the last few decades, the Chinese government has undertaken reform of economic and market practices, including recent reforms to liberalize its capital markets and expand the sphere for private ownership of property in China. However, Chinese markets generally continue to experience inefficiency, volatility and pricing anomalies resulting from governmental influence, a lack of publicly available information and/or political and social instability. Internal social unrest or confrontations with other neighboring countries, including military conflicts in response to such events, may also disrupt economic development in China and result in a greater risk of currency fluctuations, currency convertibility, interest rate fluctuations and higher rates of inflation. China has experienced security concerns, such as terrorism and strained international relations, as well as major health crises. These health crises include, but are not limited to, the rapid and pandemic spread of novel viruses commonly known as SARS, MERS, and COVID-19 (Coronavirus). Such health crises could exacerbate political, social, and economic risks previously mentioned. Additionally, China is alleged to have participated in state-sponsored cyberattacks against foreign companies and foreign governments. Actual and threatened responses to such activity, including purchasing restrictions, sanctions, tariffs or cyberattacks on the Chinese government or Chinese companies, may impact China’s economy and Chinese issuers of securities in which the Fund invests. Incidents involving China’s or the region’s security, including the contagion of infectious viruses or diseases, may cause uncertainty in Chinese markets and may adversely affect the Chinese economy and the Fund’s investments. Export growth continues to be a major driver of China’s rapid economic growth. Elevated trade tensions between China and its trading partners, including the imposition of U.S. tariffs on certain Chinese goods and increased international pressure related to Chinese trade policy and forced technology transfers and intellectual property protections, may have a substantial impact on the Chinese economy. Reduction in spending on Chinese products and services, institution of additional tariffs or other trade barriers (including as a result of heightened trade tensions between China and the U.S. or in response to actual or alleged Chinese cyber activity), or a downturn in any of the economies of China’s key trading partners may have an adverse impact on the Chinese economy. Investments in China may be subject to loss due to expropriation or nationalization of assets and property or the imposition of restrictions on foreign investments and repatriation of capital. China has implemented a number of tax reforms in recent years and may amend or revise its existing tax laws and/or procedures in the future, possibly with retroactive effect. Changes in applicable Chinese tax law could reduce the after-tax profits of the Fund, directly or indirectly, including by reducing the after-tax profits of companies in China in which the Fund invests. Uncertainties in Chinese tax rules could result in unexpected tax liabilities for the Fund.

60



Risk of Investing in Developed Markets: The Fund’s investment in a developed country issuer may subject the Fund to regulatory, political, currency, security, economic and other risks associated with developed countries. Developed countries tend to represent a significant portion of the global economy and have generally experienced slower economic growth than some less developed countries. Certain developed countries have experienced security concerns, such as terrorism and strained international relations. Incidents involving a country’s or region’s security may cause uncertainty in its markets and may adversely affect its economy and the Fund’s investments. In addition, developed countries may be impacted by changes to the economic conditions of certain key trading partners, regulatory burdens, debt burdens and the price or availability of certain commodities.

Risk of Investing in Emerging Markets: Investments in emerging markets may be subject to a greater risk of loss than investments in developed markets. Securities markets of emerging market countries are less liquid, subject to greater price volatility, have smaller market capitalizations, have less government regulation, and are not subject to as extensive and frequent accounting, financial, and other reporting requirements as the securities markets of more developed countries, and there may be greater risk associated with the custody of securities in emerging markets. Emerging markets may be more likely to experience inflation, political turmoil and rapid changes in economic conditions than more developed markets. Certain emerging market countries may have privatized, or have begun the process of privatizing, certain entities and industries. Privatized entities may lose money or be re-nationalized.

Risk of Investing in Japan: The Japanese economy may be subject to considerable degrees of economic, political and social instability, which could have a negative impact on Japanese securities. Since the year 2000, Japan’s economic growth rate has remained relatively low, and it may remain low in the future. In addition, Japan is subject to the risk of natural disasters, such as earthquakes, volcanoes, typhoons and tsunamis, which could negatively affect the Fund. Japan’s relations with its neighbors have at times been strained, and strained relations with its neighbors or trading partners may cause uncertainty in the Japanese markets and adversely affect the overall Japanese economy.

Risk of Investing in South Korea: Investments in South Korean issuers may subject the Fund to legal, regulatory, political, currency, security, and economic risks that are specific to South Korea. In addition, economic and political developments of South Korea’s neighbors, including escalated tensions involving North Korea and any outbreak of hostilities involving North Korea, or even the threat of an outbreak of hostilities, may have a severe adverse effect on the South Korean economy.

Risk of Investing in Taiwan: Investments in Taiwanese issuers involve risks that are specific to Taiwan, including legal, regulatory, political and economic risks. Political and economic developments of Taiwan’s neighbors may have an adverse effect on Taiwan’s economy. Specifically, Taiwan’s geographic proximity and history of political contention with China have resulted in ongoing tensions, which may materially affect the Taiwanese economy and its securities market.

International Closed Market Trading Risk: To the extent that the underlying investments held by the Fund trade on foreign exchanges that may be closed when the securities exchange on which the Fund’s Shares trade is open, there are likely to be deviations between the current price of such an underlying security and the last quoted price for the underlying security (i.e., the Fund’s quote from the closed foreign market). These deviations could result in premiums or discounts to the Fund’s NAV that may be greater than those experienced by other exchange-traded funds ("ETFs").

Issuer Risk: Fund performance depends on the performance of individual companies in which the Fund invests. Changes to the financial condition of any of those companies may cause the value of their securities to decline.

Market Risk: Turbulence in the financial markets and reduced liquidity may negatively affect issuers, which could have an adverse effect on the Fund. If the securities held by the Fund experience poor liquidity, the Fund may be unable to transact at advantageous times or prices, which may decrease the Fund’s returns. In addition, there is a risk that policy changes by the U.S. Government, Federal Reserve, or other government actors, which could include increasing interest rates, could cause increased volatility in financial markets and lead to higher levels of Fund redemptions, which could have a negative impact on the Fund. Furthermore, local, regional or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issue, recessions, or other events could have a significant impact on the Fund and its investments and trading of its shares. The Fund’s NAV could decline over short periods due to short-term market movements and over longer periods during market downturns.

New Fund Risk: The Fund is a new fund, with no operating history, which may result in additional risks for investors in the Fund. There can be no assurance that the Fund will grow to or maintain an economically viable size, in which case the Board of Trustees may determine to liquidate the Fund. While shareholder interests will be the paramount consideration, the timing of any liquidation may not be favorable to certain individual shareholders. New funds are also subject to Large Shareholder Risk.


61


Non-Diversification Risk: The Fund is classified as a “non-diversified” investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940 ("1940 Act"). As a result, the Fund is subject to the risk that it may be more volatile than a diversified fund because the Fund may invest its assets in a smaller number of issuers or may invest a larger proportion of its assets in a single issuer. As a result, the gains and losses on a single investment may have a greater impact on the Fund’s NAV and may make the Fund more volatile than more diversified funds.

Operational Risk: The Fund is exposed to operational risk arising from a number of factors, including but not limited to human error, processing and communication errors, errors of the Fund's service providers, counterparties or other third-parties, failed or inadequate processes and technology or systems failures. Additionally, cyber security failures or breaches of the electronic systems of the Fund, the Adviser, and the Fund's other service providers, market makers, Authorized Participants or the issuers of securities in which the Fund invests have the ability to cause disruptions and negatively impact the Fund's business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses to the Fund and its shareholders. The Fund and the Adviser seek to reduce these operational risks through controls and procedures. However, these measures do not address every possible risk and may be inadequate for those risks that they are intended to address.

Passive Investment Risk: The Fund is not actively managed, and the Adviser does not attempt to take defensive positions in declining markets. Unlike many investment companies, the Fund does not seek to outperform its Underlying Index. Therefore, it would not necessarily buy or sell a security unless that security is added or removed, respectively, from the Underlying Index, even if that security generally is underperforming. Maintaining investments in securities regardless of market conditions or the performance of individual securities could cause the Fund’s return to be lower than if the Fund employed an active strategy.

Index-Related Risk: There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve a high degree of correlation to the Underlying Index and therefore achieve its investment objective. Market disruptions and regulatory restrictions could have an adverse effect on the Fund’s ability to adjust its exposure to the required levels in order to track the Underlying Index. Errors in index data, index computations and/or the construction of the Underlying Index in accordance with its methodology may occur from time to time and may not be identified and corrected by the Index Provider for a period of time or at all, which may have an adverse impact on the Fund and its shareholders.

Management Risk: The Fund will not fully replicate its Underlying Index and may hold securities not included in its Underlying Index. The Adviser’s investment strategy, the implementation of which is subject to a number of constraints, may cause the Fund to underperform the market or its relevant benchmark or adversely affect the ability of the Fund to achieve its investment objective.

Tracking Error Risk: Tracking error may occur because of differences between the instruments held in the Fund's portfolio and those included in the Underlying Index, pricing differences, transaction costs incurred by the Fund, the Fund's holding of uninvested cash, size of the Fund, differences in timing of the accrual of or the valuation of dividends or interest, tax gains or losses, changes to the Underlying Index or the costs to the Fund of complying with various new or existing regulatory requirements. This risk may be heightened during times of increased market volatility or other unusual market conditions. Tracking error also may result because the Fund incurs fees and expenses, while the Underlying Index does not. ETFs that track indices with significant weight in emerging markets issuers may experience higher tracking error than other ETFs that do not track such indices.

Risks Associated with Exchange-Traded Funds: As an ETF, the Fund is subject to the following risks:

Authorized Participants Concentration Risk: The Fund has a limited number of financial institutions that may act as Authorized Participants and engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund, and none of those Authorized Participants is obligated to engage in creation and/or redemption transactions. To the extent that those Authorized Participants exit the business or are unable to process creation and/or redemption orders, Shares may be more likely to trade at a premium or discount to NAV, and possibly face trading halts and/or delisting from an exchange. Authorized Participants Concentration Risk may be heightened because the Fund invests in non-U.S. securities.

Large Shareholder Risk: Redemptions by large shareholders could have a significant negative impact on the Fund. If a large shareholder were to redeem all, or a large portion, of its Shares, there is no guarantee that the Fund will be able to maintain sufficient assets to continue operations in which case the Board of Trustees may determine to liquidate the Fund. In addition, transactions by large shareholders may account for a large percentage of the trading volume on a national securities exchange and may, therefore, have a material upward or downward effect on the market price of the Shares.


62


Listing Standards Risk: Under continuous listing standards adopted by the Fund’s listing exchange, the Fund will be required to confirm on an ongoing basis that the components of the Underlying Index satisfy the applicable listing requirements. In the event that the Underlying Index does not comply with the applicable listing requirements, the Fund would be required to rectify such non-compliance by requesting that the Index Provider modify the Underlying Index, adopting a new underlying index, or obtaining relief from the SEC. Failure to rectify such non-compliance may result in the Fund being delisted by the listing exchange. In addition, the Fund may face the risk of being delisted if the Fund does not meet certain conditions of the listing exchange. Any resulting liquidation of the Fund could cause the Fund to incur elevated transaction costs and could result in negative tax consequences for its shareholders.

Market Trading Risks and Premium/Discount Risks: Shares of the Fund are publicly traded on a national securities exchange, which may subject shareholders to numerous market trading risks. Disruptions to creations and redemptions, the existence of extreme market volatility or potential lack of assets in the Fund or an active trading market for Shares may result in Shares trading at a significant premium or discount to NAV. If a shareholder purchases Shares at a time when the market price is at a premium to the NAV or sells Shares at a time when the market price is at a discount to the NAV, the shareholder may sustain losses.

Trading Halt Risk: An exchange or market may close or issue trading halts on specific securities, or the ability to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments may be restricted, which may result in the Fund being unable to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments. In such circumstances, the Fund may be unable to rebalance its portfolio, may be unable to accurately price its investments and/or may incur substantial trading losses.

Valuation Risk: The sales price the Fund could receive for a security may differ from the Fund’s valuation of the security and may differ from the value used by the Underlying Index, particularly for securities that trade in low value or volatile markets or that are valued using a fair value methodology (such as during trading halts). The value of the securities in the Fund's portfolio may change on days when shareholders will not be able to purchase or sell the Fund's Shares.

PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

The Fund does not have a full calendar year of performance. Once the Fund has completed a full calendar year of operations, a bar chart and table will be included that will provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing the variability of the Fund's returns and comparing the Fund's performance to the Underlying Index. The Fund's performance is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future.

FUND MANAGEMENT

Investment Adviser: Global X Management Company LLC.

Portfolio Managers: The professionals primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund are Chang Kim, CFA; Nam To, CFA; Wayne Xie and Kimberly Chan (“Portfolio Managers”). Kim, To, Xie and Chan have been Portfolio Managers of the Fund since the Fund's inception.

PURCHASE AND SALE OF FUND SHARES
 
Shares of the Fund are listed and traded at market prices on a national securities exchange. Shares may only be purchased and sold on the exchange through a broker-dealer. The price of Shares is based on market price, and because ETF shares trade at market prices rather than at NAV, Shares may trade at a price greater than NAV (a premium) or less than NAV (a discount). Only “Authorized Participants” (as defined in the SAI) who have entered into agreements with the Fund's distributor, SEI Investments Distribution Co. ("Distributor"), may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. The Fund will only issue or redeem Shares that have been aggregated into blocks of 50,000 Shares or multiples thereof ("Creation Units"). The Fund will issue or redeem Creation Units in return for a basket of cash and/or securities that the Fund specifies any day that the national securities exchanges are open for business ("Business Day").
 
TAX INFORMATION
 
The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxable to you as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-advantaged arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account ("IRA"), in which case distributions from such tax-advantaged arrangement may be taxable to you.
 

63


PAYMENTS TO BROKER-DEALERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES
 
The Adviser and its related companies may pay broker-dealers or other financial intermediaries (such as a bank) for the sale of Fund Shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing your broker-dealer, sales persons or other intermediary or its employees or associated persons to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your financial adviser or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.

64


Global X Cybersecurity ETF

Ticker: BUG Exchange: NASDAQ

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE

The Global X Cybersecurity ETF ("Fund") seeks to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the Indxx Cybersecurity Index ("Underlying Index").

FEES AND EXPENSES

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares ("Shares") of the Fund. You will also incur usual and customary brokerage commissions when buying and selling Shares.

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

Management Fees:
0.60%
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees:
None
Other Expenses:1
0.00%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses:
0.60%
 Expense Reimbursement and/or Fee Waiver:2
(0.10)%
 Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement:
0.50%

1    Other Expenses are based on estimated amounts for the current fiscal year.

2    Pursuant to an Expense Limitation Agreement, the Adviser has contractually agreed to reimburse or waive fees and/or limit Fund expenses to the extent necessary to assure that the operating expenses of the Fund (exclusive of taxes, brokerage fees, commissions, and other transaction expenses, interest, and extraordinary expenses (such as litigation and indemnification expenses)) will not exceed 0.50% of the Fund's average daily net assets per year, effective April 1, 2020, until at least April 1, 2021.

Example: The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. This example does not take into account customary brokerage commissions that you pay when purchasing or selling Shares of the Fund in the secondary market. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell all of your Shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:

One Year
Three Years
$51
$182

Portfolio Turnover: The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund's performance. From the Fund's commencement of operations on October 25, 2019 to the end of the most recent fiscal period, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 3.57% of the average value of its portfolio.

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

The Fund invests at least 80% of its total assets in the securities of the Underlying Index and in American Depositary Receipts ("ADRs") and Global Depositary Receipts ("GDRs") based on the securities in the Underlying Index. The Fund will also invest, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its net assets, plus borrowings for investments purposes (if any), in Cybersecurity Companies (as defined below), and in ADRs and GDRs based on such securities. The Fund's 80% investment policies are non-fundamental and require 60 days prior written notice to shareholders before they can be changed.


65


The Underlying Index is designed to provide exposure to exchange-listed companies that are positioned to benefit from increased adoption of cybersecurity technology, including but not limited to companies whose principal business is in the development and management of security protocols preventing intrusion and attacks to systems, networks, applications, computers, and mobile devices (collectively, "Cybersecurity Companies"), as determined by Indxx LLC, the provider of the Underlying Index ("Index Provider").

In constructing the Underlying Index, the Index Provider first identifies FactSet Industries related to cybersecurity. Companies within these FactSet Industries, as of the selection date, are further reviewed by the Index Provider on the basis of revenue related to cybersecurity activities. To be eligible for the Underlying Index as a Cybersecurity Company, a company must generate at least 50% of its revenues from cybersecurity activities, which the Index Provider classifies as the development and management of security protocols preventing intrusion and attacks to systems, networks, applications, computers, and mobile devices.

To be a part of the eligible universe of the Underlying Index, certain minimum market capitalization and liquidity criteria, as defined by the Index Provider, must be met. As of January 31, 2020, companies must have a minimum market capitalization of $200 million and a minimum average daily turnover for the last six months (or for three months, in the case of recent IPOs) greater than or equal to $2 million in order to be eligible for inclusion in the Underlying Index. As of January 31, 2020, companies listed in the following countries were eligible for inclusion in the Underlying Index: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Russia, South Africa, South Korea, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

The Underlying Index is weighted according to a modified capitalization weighting methodology and is reconstituted and re-weighted semi-annually. Modified capitalization weighting seeks to weight constituents primarily based on market capitalization, but subject to caps on the weights of the individual securities. Generally speaking, this approach will limit the amount of concentration in the largest market capitalization companies and thereby increase exposure to other companies. The Underlying Index may include large-, mid- or small-capitalization companies, and components primarily include mid-capitalization companies. As of January 31, 2020, the Underlying Index had 30 constituents. The Fund's investment objective and Underlying Index may be changed without shareholder approval.

The Underlying Index is sponsored by the Index Provider, which is an organization that is independent of the Fund and Global X Management Company LLC, the investment adviser for the Fund ("Adviser"). The Index Provider determines the relative weightings of the securities in the Underlying Index and publishes information regarding the market value of the Underlying Index.

The Adviser uses a "passive" or indexing approach to try to achieve the Fund's investment objective. Unlike many investment companies, the Fund does not try to outperform the Underlying Index and does not seek temporary defensive positions when markets decline or appear overvalued.

The Fund generally will use a replication strategy. A replication strategy is an indexing strategy that involves investing in the securities of the Underlying Index in approximately the same proportions as in the Underlying Index. However, the Fund may utilize a representative sampling strategy with respect to the Underlying Index when a replication strategy might be detrimental or disadvantageous to shareholders, such as when there are practical difficulties or substantial costs involved in compiling a portfolio of equity securities to replicate the Underlying Index, in instances in which a security in the Underlying Index becomes temporarily illiquid, unavailable or less liquid, or as a result of legal restrictions or limitations (such as tax diversification requirements) that apply to the Fund but not the Underlying Index.

The Adviser expects that, over time, the correlation between the Fund's performance and that of the Underlying Index, before fees and expenses, will exceed 95%. A correlation percentage of 100% would indicate perfect correlation. If the Fund uses a replication strategy, it can be expected to have greater correlation to the Underlying Index than if it uses a representative sampling strategy.

The Fund concentrates its investments (i.e., holds 25% or more of its total assets) in a particular industry or group of industries to approximately the same extent that the Underlying Index is concentrated. As of January 31, 2020, the Underlying Index was concentrated in the software industry and had significant exposure to the information technology sector.

SUMMARY OF PRINCIPAL RISKS

As with any investment, you could lose all or part of your investment in the Fund, and the Fund’s performance could trail that of other investments. There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. The Fund is subject to the principal risks noted below, any of which may adversely affect the Fund’s net asset value (“NAV”), trading price, yield, total return and

66


ability to meet its investment objective, as well as other risks that are described in greater detail in the Additional Information About the Funds section of this Prospectus and in the Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”). The order of the below risk factors does not indicate the significance of any particular risk factor.

Asset Class Risk: Securities and other assets in the Underlying Index or otherwise held in the Fund's portfolio may underperform in comparison to the general securities markets, a particular securities market or other asset classes.

Equity Securities Risk: Equity securities are subject to changes in value, and their values may be more volatile than other asset classes, as a result of such factors as a company’s business performance, investor perceptions, stock market trends and general economic conditions.

Associated Risks Related to Investing in Cybersecurity Companies: Cybersecurity Companies may have limited product lines, markets, financial resources or personnel. These companies typically face intense competition and potentially rapid product obsolescence. Cybersecurity Companies may be adversely impacted by government regulations, and may be subject to additional regulatory oversight with regard to privacy concerns and cybersecurity risk. Cybersecurity Companies may also be negatively affected by the decline or fluctuation of subscription renewal rates for their products and services, which may have an adverse effect on profit margins. These companies are also heavily dependent on intellectual property rights and may be adversely affected by loss or impairment of those rights. Cybersecurity Companies, especially smaller companies, tend to be more volatile than companies that do not rely heavily on technology. The customers and/or suppliers of Cybersecurity Companies may be concentrated in a particular country, region or industry. Any adverse event affecting one of these countries, regions or industries could have a negative impact on Cybersecurity Companies. Through its portfolio companies’ customers and suppliers, the Fund is specifically exposed to Asian Economic Risk and European Economic Risk.

Capitalization Risk: Investing in issuers within the same market capitalization category carries the risk that the category may be out of favor due to current market conditions or investor sentiment.

Large-Capitalization Companies Risk: Large-capitalization companies may trail the returns of the overall stock market. Large-capitalization stocks tend to go through cycles of doing better - or worse - than the stock market in general. These periods have, in the past, lasted for as long as several years.

Mid-Capitalization Companies Risk: Mid-capitalization companies may have greater price volatility, lower trading volume and less liquidity than large-capitalization companies. In addition, mid-capitalization companies may have smaller revenues, narrower product lines, less management depth and experience, smaller shares of their product or service markets, fewer financial resources and less competitive strength than large-capitalization companies.

Small-Capitalization Companies Risk: Compared to mid- and large-capitalization companies, small-capitalization companies may be less stable and more susceptible to adverse developments, and their securities may be more volatile and less liquid.

Concentration Risk: To the extent that the Underlying Index concentrates in investments related to a particular industry or group of industries, the Fund will also concentrate its investments to approximately the same extent. Similarly, if the Underlying Index has significant exposure to one or more sectors, the Fund’s investments will likely have significant exposure to such sectors. In such event, the Fund’s performance will be particularly susceptible to adverse events impacting such industry or sector, which may include, but are not limited to, the following: general economic conditions or cyclical market patterns that could negatively affect supply and demand; competition for resources; adverse labor relations; political or world events; obsolescence of technologies; and increased competition or new product introductions that may affect the profitability or viability of companies in a particular industry or sector. As a result, the value of the Fund’s investments may rise and fall more than the value of shares of a fund that invests in securities of companies in a broader range of industries or sectors.

Risks Related to Investing in the Information Technology Sector: Companies in the information technology sector are subject to rapid changes in technology product cycles; rapid product obsolescence; government regulation; and increased competition, both domestically and internationally, including competition from foreign competitors with lower production costs. Information technology companies and companies that rely heavily on technology tend to be more volatile than the overall market and also are heavily dependent on patent and intellectual property rights. In addition, information technology companies may have limited product lines, markets, financial resources or personnel.

Risks Related to Investing in the Software Industry: The software industry can be significantly affected by intense competition, aggressive pricing, technological innovations, and product obsolescence. Companies in the application software industry, in particular, may also be negatively affected by the decline or fluctuation of subscription renewal rates

67


for their products and services, which may have an adverse effect on profit margins. Companies in the systems software industry may be adversely affected by, among other things, actual or perceived security vulnerabilities in their products and services, which may result in individual or class action lawsuits, state or federal enforcement actions and other remediation costs.

Currency Risk: The Fund may invest in securities denominated in foreign currencies. Because the Fund's NAV is determined in U.S. dollars, the Fund's NAV could decline if currencies of the underlying securities depreciate against the U.S. dollar or if there are delays or limits on repatriation of such currencies. Currency exchange rates can be very volatile and can change quickly and unpredictably. As a result, the Fund's NAV may change quickly and without warning, which could have a significant negative impact on the Fund.

Custody Risk: Less developed markets are more likely to experience problems with the clearing and settling of trades and the holding of securities by local banks, agents and depositories.

Foreign Securities Risk: The Fund may invest, without limit, in foreign securities. The Fund's investments in foreign securities can be riskier than U.S. securities investments. Investments in the securities of foreign issuers (including investments in ADRs and GDRs) are subject to the risks associated with investing in those foreign markets, such as heightened risks of inflation or nationalization. The prices of foreign securities and the prices of U.S. securities have, at times, moved in opposite directions. In addition, securities of foreign issuers may lose value due to political, economic and geographic events affecting a foreign issuer or market. During periods of social, political or economic instability in a country or region, the value of a foreign security traded on U.S. exchanges could be affected by, among other things, increasing price volatility, illiquidity, or the closure of the primary market on which the security (or the security underlying the ADR or GDR) is traded. You may lose money due to political, economic and geographic events affecting a foreign issuer or market.

Geographic Risk: A natural, biological or other disaster could occur in a geographic region in which the Fund invests, which could affect the economy or particular business operations of companies in the specific geographic region, causing an adverse impact on the Fund’s investments in the affected region or in a region economically tied to the affected region. The securities in which the Fund invests and, consequently, the Fund are also subject to specific risks as a result of their business operations, including, but not limited to:

Risk of Investing in Developed Markets: The Fund’s investment in a developed country issuer may subject the Fund to regulatory, political, currency, security, economic and other risks associated with developed countries. Developed countries tend to represent a significant portion of the global economy and have generally experienced slower economic growth than some less developed countries. Certain developed countries have experienced security concerns, such as terrorism and strained international relations. Incidents involving a country’s or region’s security may cause uncertainty in its markets and may adversely affect its economy and the Fund’s investments. In addition, developed countries may be impacted by changes to the economic conditions of certain key trading partners, regulatory burdens, debt burdens and the price or availability of certain commodities.

Risk of Investing in the United States: A decrease in imports or exports, changes in trade regulations and/or an economic recession in the U.S. may have a material adverse effect on the U.S. economy.

International Closed Market Trading Risk: To the extent that the underlying investments held by the Fund trade on foreign exchanges that may be closed when the securities exchange on which the Fund’s Shares trade is open, there are likely to be deviations between the current price of such an underlying security and the last quoted price for the underlying security (i.e., the Fund’s quote from the closed foreign market). These deviations could result in premiums or discounts to the Fund’s NAV that may be greater than those experienced by other exchange-traded funds ("ETFs").

Investable Universe of Companies Risk: The investable universe of companies in which the Fund may invest may be limited. If a company no longer meets the Index Provider’s criteria for inclusion in the Underlying Index, the Fund may need to reduce or eliminate its holdings in that company. The reduction or elimination of the Fund’s holdings in the company may have an adverse impact on the liquidity of the Fund’s overall portfolio holdings and on Fund performance.

Issuer Risk: Fund performance depends on the performance of individual companies in which the Fund invests. Changes to the financial condition of any of those companies may cause the value of their securities to decline.

Market Risk: Turbulence in the financial markets and reduced liquidity may negatively affect issuers, which could have an adverse effect on the Fund. If the securities held by the Fund experience poor liquidity, the Fund may be unable to transact at advantageous times or prices, which may decrease the Fund’s returns. In addition, there is a risk that policy changes by the U.S. Government,

68


Federal Reserve, or other government actors, which could include increasing interest rates, could cause increased volatility in financial markets and lead to higher levels of Fund redemptions, which could have a negative impact on the Fund. Furthermore, local, regional or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issue, recessions, or other events could have a significant impact on the Fund and its investments and trading of its shares. The Fund’s NAV could decline over short periods due to short-term market movements and over longer periods during market downturns.

New Fund Risk: The Fund is a new fund, with no operating history, which may result in additional risks for investors in the Fund. There can be no assurance that the Fund will grow to or maintain an economically viable size, in which case the Board of Trustees may determine to liquidate the Fund. While shareholder interests will be the paramount consideration, the timing of any liquidation may not be favorable to certain individual shareholders. New funds are also subject to Large Shareholder Risk.

Non-Diversification Risk: The Fund is classified as a “non-diversified” investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940 ("1940 Act"). As a result, the Fund is subject to the risk that it may be more volatile than a diversified fund because the Fund may invest its assets in a smaller number of issuers or may invest a larger proportion of its assets in a single issuer. As a result, the gains and losses on a single investment may have a greater impact on the Fund’s NAV and may make the Fund more volatile than more diversified funds.

Operational Risk: The Fund is exposed to operational risk arising from a number of factors, including but not limited to human error, processing and communication errors, errors of the Fund's service providers, counterparties or other third-parties, failed or inadequate processes and technology or systems failures. Additionally, cyber security failures or breaches of the electronic systems of the Fund, the Adviser, and the Fund's other service providers, market makers, Authorized Participants or the issuers of securities in which the Fund invests have the ability to cause disruptions and negatively impact the Fund's business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses to the Fund and its shareholders. The Fund and the Adviser seek to reduce these operational risks through controls and procedures. However, these measures do not address every possible risk and may be inadequate for those risks that they are intended to address.

Passive Investment Risk: The Fund is not actively managed, and the Adviser does not attempt to take defensive positions in declining markets. Unlike many investment companies, the Fund does not seek to outperform its Underlying Index. Therefore, it would not necessarily buy or sell a security unless that security is added or removed, respectively, from the Underlying Index, even if that security generally is underperforming. Maintaining investments in securities regardless of market conditions or the performance of individual securities could cause the Fund’s return to be lower than if the Fund employed an active strategy.

Index-Related Risk: There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve a high degree of correlation to the Underlying Index and therefore achieve its investment objective. Market disruptions and regulatory restrictions could have an adverse effect on the Fund’s ability to adjust its exposure to the required levels in order to track the Underlying Index. Errors in index data, index computations and/or the construction of the Underlying Index in accordance with its methodology may occur from time to time and may not be identified and corrected by the Index Provider for a period of time or at all, which may have an adverse impact on the Fund and its shareholders.

Management Risk: The Fund will not fully replicate its Underlying Index and may hold securities not included in its Underlying Index. The Adviser’s investment strategy, the implementation of which is subject to a number of constraints, may cause the Fund to underperform the market or its relevant benchmark or adversely affect the ability of the Fund to achieve its investment objective.

Tracking Error Risk: Tracking error may occur because of differences between the instruments held in the Fund's portfolio and those included in the Underlying Index, pricing differences, transaction costs incurred by the Fund, the Fund's holding of uninvested cash, size of the Fund, differences in timing of the accrual of or the valuation of dividends or interest, tax gains or losses, changes to the Underlying Index or the costs to the Fund of complying with various new or existing regulatory requirements. This risk may be heightened during times of increased market volatility or other unusual market conditions. Tracking error also may result because the Fund incurs fees and expenses, while the Underlying Index does not. ETFs that track indices with significant weight in emerging markets issuers may experience higher tracking error than other ETFs that do not track such indices.

Risks Associated with Exchange-Traded Funds: As an ETF, the Fund is subject to the following risks:

Authorized Participants Concentration Risk: The Fund has a limited number of financial institutions that may act as Authorized Participants and engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund, and none of those Authorized Participants is obligated to engage in creation and/or redemption transactions. To the extent that those Authorized Participants exit the business or are unable to process creation and/or redemption orders, Shares may be more likely to trade at a premium or discount to NAV, and possibly face trading halts and/or delisting from an exchange. Authorized Participants Concentration Risk may be heightened because the Fund invests in non-U.S. securities.

69



Large Shareholder Risk: Redemptions by large shareholders could have a significant negative impact on the Fund. If a large shareholder were to redeem all, or a large portion, of its Shares, there is no guarantee that the Fund will be able to maintain sufficient assets to continue operations in which case the Board of Trustees may determine to liquidate the Fund. In addition, transactions by large shareholders may account for a large percentage of the trading volume on a national securities exchange and may, therefore, have a material upward or downward effect on the market price of the Shares.

Listing Standards Risk: Under continuous listing standards adopted by the Fund’s listing exchange, the Fund will be required to confirm on an ongoing basis that the components of the Underlying Index satisfy the applicable listing requirements. In the event that the Underlying Index does not comply with the applicable listing requirements, the Fund would be required to rectify such non-compliance by requesting that the Index Provider modify the Underlying Index, adopting a new underlying index, or obtaining relief from the SEC. Failure to rectify such non-compliance may result in the Fund being delisted by the listing exchange. In addition, the Fund may face the risk of being delisted if the Fund does not meet certain conditions of the listing exchange. Any resulting liquidation of the Fund could cause the Fund to incur elevated transaction costs and could result in negative tax consequences for its shareholders.

Market Trading Risks and Premium/Discount Risks: Shares of the Fund are publicly traded on a national securities exchange, which may subject shareholders to numerous market trading risks. Disruptions to creations and redemptions, the existence of extreme market volatility or potential lack of assets in the Fund or an active trading market for Shares may result in Shares trading at a significant premium or discount to NAV. If a shareholder purchases Shares at a time when the market price is at a premium to the NAV or sells Shares at a time when the market price is at a discount to the NAV, the shareholder may sustain losses.

Trading Halt Risk: An exchange or market may close or issue trading halts on specific securities, or the ability to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments may be restricted, which may result in the Fund being unable to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments. In such circumstances, the Fund may be unable to rebalance its portfolio, may be unable to accurately price its investments and/or may incur substantial trading losses.

Valuation Risk: The sales price the Fund could receive for a security may differ from the Fund’s valuation of the security and may differ from the value used by the Underlying Index, particularly for securities that trade in low value or volatile markets or that are valued using a fair value methodology (such as during trading halts). The value of the securities in the Fund's portfolio may change on days when shareholders will not be able to purchase or sell the Fund's Shares.

PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

The Fund does not have a full calendar year of performance. Once the Fund has completed a full calendar year of operations, a bar chart and table will be included that will provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing the variability of the Fund's returns and comparing the Fund's performance to the Underlying Index. The Fund's performance is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future.

FUND MANAGEMENT

Investment Adviser: Global X Management Company LLC.

Portfolio Managers: The professionals primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund are Chang Kim, CFA; Nam To, CFA; Wayne Xie and Kimberly Chan (“Portfolio Managers”). Kim, To, Xie and Chan have been Portfolio Managers of the Fund since the Fund's inception.

PURCHASE AND SALE OF FUND SHARES
 
Shares of the Fund are listed and traded at market prices on a national securities exchange. Shares may only be purchased and sold on the exchange through a broker-dealer. The price of Shares is based on market price, and because ETF shares trade at market prices rather than at NAV, Shares may trade at a price greater than NAV (a premium) or less than NAV (a discount). Only “Authorized Participants” (as defined in the SAI) who have entered into agreements with the Fund's distributor, SEI Investments Distribution Co. ("Distributor"), may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. The Fund will only issue or redeem Shares that have been aggregated into blocks of 50,000 Shares or multiples thereof ("Creation Units"). The Fund will issue or redeem Creation Units in return for a basket of cash and/or securities that the Fund specifies any day that the national securities exchanges are open for business ("Business Day").

70


 
TAX INFORMATION
 
The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxable to you as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-advantaged arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account ("IRA"), in which case distributions from such tax-advantaged arrangement may be taxable to you.
 
PAYMENTS TO BROKER-DEALERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES
 
The Adviser and its related companies may pay broker-dealers or other financial intermediaries (such as a bank) for the sale of Fund Shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing your broker-dealer, sales persons or other intermediary or its employees or associated persons to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your financial adviser or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.

71


Global X Millennials Thematic ETF

Ticker: MILN Exchange: NASDAQ

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE

The Global X Millennials Thematic ETF ("Fund") seeks to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the Indxx Millennials Thematic Index ("Underlying Index").

FEES AND EXPENSES

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares ("Shares") of the Fund. You will also incur usual and customary brokerage commissions when buying and selling Shares.

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

Management Fees:
0.50%
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees:
None
Other Expenses:
0.00%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses:
0.50%

Example: The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. This example does not take into account customary brokerage commissions that you pay when purchasing or selling Shares of the Fund in the secondary market. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell all of your Shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:

One Year
Three Years
Five Years
Ten Years
$51
$160
$280
$628

Portfolio Turnover: The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund's performance. For the most recent fiscal period, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 10.44% of the average value of its portfolio.

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

The Fund invests more than 80% of its total assets in the securities of the Underlying Index. The Fund's 80% investment policy is non-fundamental and requires 60 days prior written notice to shareholders before it can be changed. The Fund may lend securities representing up to one-third of the value of the Fund’s total assets (including the value of the collateral received).

The Underlying Index is designed to measure the performance of U.S. listed companies that provide exposure to the millennial generation, (collectively, "Millennial Companies"), as defined by Indxx, LLC, the provider of the Underlying Index ("Index Provider"). The millennial generation refers to the demographic in the U.S. with birth years ranging from 1980 to 2000.

The eligible universe of the Underlying Index includes the most liquid and investable companies in accordance with the standard market capitalization and liquidity criteria associated with developed markets, as defined by the Index Provider. As of January 31, 2020, companies must have a minimum market capitalization of $500 million and a minimum average daily turnover for the last 6 months greater than or equal to $2 million in order to be eligible for inclusion in the Underlying Index. The Underlying Index only includes companies listed in the United States. The Underlying Index is developed using a proprietary, multi-step research process to identify Millennial Companies. First, the Index Provider conducts fundamental research on trends related to the millennial generation, including but not limited to: consumer spending data, consumer behavior, technology and demographics. Based on this analysis, the Index Provider determines key categories that appear to be most reflective of how individuals from the millennial generation spend their time and money (collectively, "Spending Categories"). As of January 31, 2020, the Index

72


Provider has identified the following eight key Spending Categories for millennials: (1) Social and Entertainment, (2) Clothing and Apparel, (3) Travel and Mobility, (4) Food/Restaurants and Consumer Staples, (5) Financial Services and Investments, (6) Housing and Home Goods, (7) Education and Employment, and (8) Health and Fitness. These Spending Categories may change over time, as determined by the Index Provider.

After establishing these Spending Categories, the Index Provider uses a variety of sources - including, but not limited to: industry reports, investment research and financial statements published by companies - to identify companies with significant exposure to these Spending Categories. A company is determined to have significant exposure to the Spending Categories if (i) it derives a significant portion of its revenue from the Spending Categories, or (ii) it has stated its primary business to be in products and services focused on the Spending Categories, as determined by the Index Provider. The companies identified at this stage are then considered for further analysis, which ultimately determines their eligibility for inclusion in the Underlying Index.

In the final step of the selection process, the Index Provider conducts a composite analysis on the remaining companies to identify Millennial Companies within each of the Spending Categories. As part of this process, the Index Provider utilizes the fundamental research it has conducted on trends related to the millennial generation in order to evaluate companies based on quantitative and qualitative criteria that have been identified as being consistent with millennial demographics and consumer preferences. As of January 31, 2020, some examples of the criteria used in the evaluation process include but are not limited to: E-commerce, social and professional networks, digital media streaming services, athletic and outdoor apparel, multi-family apartments, and peer reviews/recommendations. The Index Provider then scores the companies based on these criteria to determine the companies that are most reflective of Millennial Companies within each Spending Category. These criteria will vary by Spending Category and are subject to evaluation by the Index Provider on an annual basis. A minimum of five and a maximum of fifteen companies from each Spending Category are included in the Underlying Index, primarily based on their score in the composite analysis conducted by the Index Provider.

The Underlying Index is weighted according to a modified capitalization weighting methodology and is reconstituted and rebalanced annually. The Underlying Index may include large-, mid- or small-capitalization companies, and components primarily include consumer discretionary, consumer staples, information technology and financial services companies as well as real estate investment trusts ("REITs"). The Fund's investment objective and Underlying Index may be changed without shareholder approval.

The Underlying Index is sponsored by the Index Provider, which is an organization that is independent of the Fund and Global X Management Company LLC, the investment adviser for the Fund ("Adviser"). The Index Provider determines the relative weightings of the securities in the Underlying Index and publishes information regarding the market value of the Underlying Index.

The Adviser uses a "passive" or indexing approach to try to achieve the Fund's investment objective. Unlike many investment companies, the Fund does not try to outperform the Underlying Index and does not seek temporary defensive positions when markets decline or appear overvalued.

The Fund generally will use a replication strategy. A replication strategy is an indexing strategy that involves investing in the securities of the Underlying Index in approximately the same proportions as in the Underlying Index. However, the Fund may utilize a representative sampling strategy with respect to the Underlying Index when a replication strategy might be detrimental or disadvantageous to shareholders, such as when there are practical difficulties or substantial costs involved in compiling a portfolio of equity securities to replicate the Underlying Index, in instances in which a security in the Underlying Index becomes temporarily illiquid, unavailable or less liquid, or as a result of legal restrictions or limitations (such as tax diversification requirements) that apply to the Fund but not the Underlying Index.

The Adviser expects that, over time, the correlation between the Fund's performance and that of the Underlying Index, before fees and expenses, will exceed 95%. A correlation percentage of 100% would indicate perfect correlation. If the Fund uses a replication strategy, it can be expected to have greater correlation to the Underlying Index than if it uses a representative sampling strategy.

The Fund concentrates its investments (i.e., holds 25% or more of its total assets) in a particular industry or group of industries to approximately the same extent that the Underlying Index is concentrated. As of January 31, 2020, the Underlying Index had significant exposure to the consumer discretionary and communication services sectors.

SUMMARY OF PRINCIPAL RISKS

As with any investment, you could lose all or part of your investment in the Fund, and the Fund’s performance could trail that of other investments. There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. The Fund is subject to the principal risks noted below, any of which may adversely affect the Fund’s net asset value (“NAV”), trading price, yield, total return and ability to meet its investment objective, as well as other risks that are described in greater detail in the Additional Information

73


About the Funds section of this Prospectus and in the Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”). The order of the below risk factors does not indicate the significance of any particular risk factor.

Asset Class Risk: Securities and other assets in the Underlying Index or otherwise held in the Fund's portfolio may underperform in comparison to the general securities markets, a particular securities market or other asset classes.

Equity Securities Risk: Equity securities are subject to changes in value, and their values may be more volatile than other asset classes, as a result of such factors as a company’s business performance, investor perceptions, stock market trends and general economic conditions.

Real Estate Stocks and Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) Investment Risk: The Fund may have exposure to companies that invest in real estate, such as REITs, which exposes investors in the Fund to the risks of owning real estate directly, as well as to risks that relate specifically to the way in which real estate companies are organized and operated. Real estate is highly sensitive to general and local economic conditions and developments and characterized by intense competition and periodic overbuilding. Many real estate companies, including REITs, utilize leverage (and some may be highly leveraged), which increases risk and could adversely affect a real estate company's operations and market value in periods of rising interest rates.

Associated Risks Related to Investing in Millennial Companies: The Fund invests in millennial companies, including companies involved in producing or distributing clothing and apparel, food (including restaurants), and consumer staples, as well as companies involved in the provision of social networks and social media, digital media, live events and entertainment, travel and transportation services, financial services and investments, housing and housing services and educational services. Millennial companies may be affected by changes in consumers’ disposable income, consumer preferences, social trends and marketing campaigns. Millennial companies generally face a high degree of competition and potentially rapid product obsolescence. The customers and/or suppliers of millennial companies may be concentrated in a particular country, region or industry. Any adverse event affecting one of these countries, regions or industries could have a negative impact on millennial companies. Through its portfolio companies’ customers and suppliers, the Fund is specifically exposed to Asian Economic Risk and European Economic Risk.

Capitalization Risk: Investing in issuers within the same market capitalization category carries the risk that the category may be out of favor due to current market conditions or investor sentiment.

Large-Capitalization Companies Risk: Large-capitalization companies may trail the returns of the overall stock market. Large-capitalization stocks tend to go through cycles of doing better - or worse - than the stock market in general. These periods have, in the past, lasted for as long as several years.

Mid-Capitalization Companies Risk: Mid-capitalization companies may have greater price volatility, lower trading volume and less liquidity than large-capitalization companies. In addition, mid-capitalization companies may have smaller revenues, narrower product lines, less management depth and experience, smaller shares of their product or service markets, fewer financial resources and less competitive strength than large-capitalization companies.

Concentration Risk: To the extent that the Underlying Index concentrates in investments related to a particular industry or group of industries, the Fund will also concentrate its investments to approximately the same extent. Similarly, if the Underlying Index has significant exposure to one or more sectors, the Fund’s investments will likely have significant exposure to such sectors. In such event, the Fund’s performance will be particularly susceptible to adverse events impacting such industry or sector, which may include, but are not limited to, the following: general economic conditions or cyclical market patterns that could negatively affect supply and demand; competition for resources; adverse labor relations; political or world events; obsolescence of technologies; and increased competition or new product introductions that may affect the profitability or viability of companies in a particular industry or sector. As a result, the value of the Fund’s investments may rise and fall more than the value of shares of a fund that invests in securities of companies in a broader range of industries or sectors.

Risks Related to Investing in the Communication Services Sector: Companies in the communications sector may be affected by industry competition, substantial capital requirements, government regulation, cyclicality of revenues and earnings, obsolescence of communications products and services due to technological advancement, a potential decrease in the discretionary income of targeted individuals and changing consumer tastes and interests.

Risks Related to Investing in the Consumer Discretionary Sector: The consumer discretionary sector may be affected by changes in domestic and international economies, exchange and interest rates, competition, consumers’ disposable income and consumer preferences, social trends and marketing campaigns.


74



Geographic Risk: A natural, biological or other disaster could occur in a geographic region in which the Fund invests, which could affect the economy or particular business operations of companies in the specific geographic region, causing an adverse impact on the Fund’s investments in the affected region or in a region economically tied to the affected region. The securities in which the Fund invests and, consequently, the Fund are also subject to specific risks as a result of their business operations, including, but not limited to:

Risk of Investing in Developed Markets: The Fund’s investment in a developed country issuer may subject the Fund to regulatory, political, currency, security, economic and other risks associated with developed countries. Developed countries tend to represent a significant portion of the global economy and have generally experienced slower economic growth than some less developed countries. Certain developed countries have experienced security concerns, such as terrorism and strained international relations. Incidents involving a country’s or region’s security may cause uncertainty in its markets and may adversely affect its economy and the Fund’s investments. In addition, developed countries may be impacted by changes to the economic conditions of certain key trading partners, regulatory burdens, debt burdens and the price or availability of certain commodities.

Risk of Investing in the United States: A decrease in imports or exports, changes in trade regulations and/or an economic recession in the U.S. may have a material adverse effect on the U.S. economy.

Issuer Risk: Fund performance depends on the performance of individual companies in which the Fund invests. Changes to the financial condition of any of those companies may cause the value of their securities to decline.

Market Risk: Turbulence in the financial markets and reduced liquidity may negatively affect issuers, which could have an adverse effect on the Fund. If the securities held by the Fund experience poor liquidity, the Fund may be unable to transact at advantageous times or prices, which may decrease the Fund’s returns. In addition, there is a risk that policy changes by the U.S. Government, Federal Reserve, or other government actors, which could include increasing interest rates, could cause increased volatility in financial markets and lead to higher levels of Fund redemptions, which could have a negative impact on the Fund. Furthermore, local, regional or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issue, recessions, or other events could have a significant impact on the Fund and its investments and trading of its shares. The Fund’s NAV could decline over short periods due to short-term market movements and over longer periods during market downturns.

Operational Risk: The Fund is exposed to operational risk arising from a number of factors, including but not limited to human error, processing and communication errors, errors of the Fund's service providers, counterparties or other third-parties, failed or inadequate processes and technology or systems failures. Additionally, cyber security failures or breaches of the electronic systems of the Fund, the Adviser, and the Fund's other service providers, market makers, Authorized Participants or the issuers of securities in which the Fund invests have the ability to cause disruptions and negatively impact the Fund's business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses to the Fund and its shareholders. The Fund and the Adviser seek to reduce these operational risks through controls and procedures. However, these measures do not address every possible risk and may be inadequate for those risks that they are intended to address.

Passive Investment Risk: The Fund is not actively managed, and the Adviser does not attempt to take defensive positions in declining markets. Unlike many investment companies, the Fund does not seek to outperform its Underlying Index. Therefore, it would not necessarily buy or sell a security unless that security is added or removed, respectively, from the Underlying Index, even if that security generally is underperforming. Maintaining investments in securities regardless of market conditions or the performance of individual securities could cause the Fund’s return to be lower than if the Fund employed an active strategy.

Index-Related Risk: There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve a high degree of correlation to the Underlying Index and therefore achieve its investment objective. Market disruptions and regulatory restrictions could have an adverse effect on the Fund’s ability to adjust its exposure to the required levels in order to track the Underlying Index. Errors in index data, index computations and/or the construction of the Underlying Index in accordance with its methodology may occur from time to time and may not be identified and corrected by the Index Provider for a period of time or at all, which may have an adverse impact on the Fund and its shareholders.

Management Risk: The Fund will not fully replicate its Underlying Index and may hold securities not included in its Underlying Index. The Adviser’s investment strategy, the implementation of which is subject to a number of constraints, may cause the Fund to underperform the market or its relevant benchmark or adversely affect the ability of the Fund to achieve its investment objective.

Tracking Error Risk: Tracking error may occur because of differences between the instruments held in the Fund's portfolio and those included in the Underlying Index, pricing differences, transaction costs incurred by the Fund, the Fund's holding of uninvested cash, size of the Fund, differences in timing of the accrual of or the valuation of dividends

75


or interest, tax gains or losses, changes to the Underlying Index or the costs to the Fund of complying with various new or existing regulatory requirements. This risk may be heightened during times of increased market volatility or other unusual market conditions. Tracking error also may result because the Fund incurs fees and expenses, while the Underlying Index does not.

Risks Associated with Exchange-Traded Funds: As an ETF, the Fund is subject to the following risks:

Authorized Participants Concentration Risk: The Fund has a limited number of financial institutions that may act as Authorized Participants and engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund, and none of those Authorized Participants is obligated to engage in creation and/or redemption transactions. To the extent that those Authorized Participants exit the business or are unable to process creation and/or redemption orders, Shares may be more likely to trade at a premium or discount to NAV, and possibly face trading halts and/or delisting from an exchange.

Large Shareholder Risk: Redemptions by large shareholders could have a significant negative impact on the Fund. If a large shareholder were to redeem all, or a large portion, of its Shares, there is no guarantee that the Fund will be able to maintain sufficient assets to continue operations in which case the Board of Trustees may determine to liquidate the Fund. In addition, transactions by large shareholders may account for a large percentage of the trading volume on a national securities exchange and may, therefore, have a material upward or downward effect on the market price of the Shares.

Listing Standards Risk: Under continuous listing standards adopted by the Fund’s listing exchange, the Fund will be required to confirm on an ongoing basis that the components of the Underlying Index satisfy the applicable listing requirements. In the event that the Underlying Index does not comply with the applicable listing requirements, the Fund would be required to rectify such non-compliance by requesting that the Index Provider modify the Underlying Index, adopting a new underlying index, or obtaining relief from the SEC. Failure to rectify such non-compliance may result in the Fund being delisted by the listing exchange. In addition, the Fund may face the risk of being delisted if the Fund does not meet certain conditions of the listing exchange. Any resulting liquidation of the Fund could cause the Fund to incur elevated transaction costs and could result in negative tax consequences for its shareholders.

Market Trading Risks and Premium/Discount Risks: Shares of the Fund are publicly traded on a national securities exchange, which may subject shareholders to numerous market trading risks. Disruptions to creations and redemptions, the existence of extreme market volatility or potential lack of assets in the Fund or an active trading market for Shares may result in Shares trading at a significant premium or discount to NAV. If a shareholder purchases Shares at a time when the market price is at a premium to the NAV or sells Shares at a time when the market price is at a discount to the NAV, the shareholder may sustain losses.

Securities Lending Risk: Securities lending involves a risk of loss because the borrower may fail to return the securities in a timely manner or at all. If the Fund is not able to recover the securities loaned, it may sell the collateral and purchase a replacement security in the market. Lending securities entails a risk of loss to the Fund if and to the extent that the market value of the loaned securities increases and the collateral is not increased accordingly. Additionally, the Fund will bear any loss on the investment of cash collateral it receives. These events could also trigger adverse tax consequences for the Fund. As securities on loan may not be voted by the Fund, there is a risk that the Fund may not be able to recall the securities in sufficient time to vote on material proxy matters.

Trading Halt Risk: An exchange or market may close or issue trading halts on specific securities, or the ability to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments may be restricted, which may result in the Fund being unable to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments. In such circumstances, the Fund may be unable to rebalance its portfolio, may be unable to accurately price its investments and/or may incur substantial trading losses.

Valuation Risk: The sales price the Fund could receive for a security may differ from the Fund’s valuation of the security and may differ from the value used by the Underlying Index, particularly for securities that trade in low value or volatile markets or that are valued using a fair value methodology (such as during trading halts). The value of the securities in the Fund's portfolio may change on days when shareholders will not be able to purchase or sell the Fund's Shares.

PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

The bar chart and table that follow show how the Fund performed on a calendar year basis and provide an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund's performance from year to year and by showing the Fund's average annual total returns for the indicated periods compared with the Fund's benchmark index and a broad measure of market

76


performance. The Fund's past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available online at www.globalxetfs.com.

Annual Total Returns (Years Ended December 31)

  CHART-4EDACA852D1056A9A2F.JPG

Best Quarter:
03/31/19
20.17%
Worst Quarter:
12/31/18
-16.46%

Average Annual Total Returns (for the Periods Ended December 31, 2019) 
 
Year Ended December 31, 2019
Since Inception (05/04/2016)
Global X Millennials Thematic ETF:
 
 
·Return before taxes
31.64%
16.83%
·Return after taxes on distributions1
31.50%
16.63%
·Return after taxes on distributions and sale of Fund Shares1
18.82%
13.33%
Indxx Millennials Thematic Index
(Index returns do not reflect deductions for fees, expenses, or taxes)
32.32%
17.33%
S&P 500 Index
(Index returns do not reflect deductions for fees, expenses, or taxes)
31.49%
15.55%

1     After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual U.S. federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Your actual after-tax returns will depend on your specific tax situation and may differ from those shown above. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold Shares of the Fund through tax-advantaged arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts (IRAs).

FUND MANAGEMENT

Investment Adviser: Global X Management Company LLC.


77


Portfolio Managers: The professionals primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund are Chang Kim, CFA; Nam To, CFA; Wayne Xie and Kimberly Chan (“Portfolio Managers”). Mr. Kim has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since the Fund's inception. Mr. To has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since March 1, 2018. Mr. Xie has been Portfolio Manager of the Fund since March 1, 2019. Ms. Chan has been Portfolio Manager of the Fund since June 10, 2019.

PURCHASE AND SALE OF FUND SHARES
 
Shares of the Fund are listed and traded at market prices on a national securities exchange. Shares may only be purchased and sold on the exchange through a broker-dealer. The price of Shares is based on market price, and because ETF shares trade at market prices rather than at NAV, Shares may trade at a price greater than NAV (a premium) or less than NAV (a discount). Only “Authorized Participants” (as defined in the SAI) who have entered into agreements with the Fund's distributor, SEI Investments Distribution Co. ("Distributor"), may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. The Fund will only issue or redeem Shares that have been aggregated into blocks of 50,000 Shares or multiples thereof ("Creation Units"). The Fund will issue or redeem Creation Units in return for a basket of cash and/or securities that the Fund specifies any day that the national securities exchanges are open for business ("Business Day").
 
TAX INFORMATION
 
The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxable to you as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-advantaged arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account ("IRA"), in which case distributions from such tax-advantaged arrangement may be taxable to you.
 
PAYMENTS TO BROKER-DEALERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES
 
The Adviser and its related companies may pay broker-dealers or other financial intermediaries (such as a bank) for the sale of Fund Shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing your broker-dealer, sales persons or other intermediary or its employees or associated persons to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your financial adviser or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.

78


Global X Longevity Thematic ETF

Ticker: LNGR Exchange: NASDAQ

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE

The Global X Longevity Thematic ETF ("Fund") seeks to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the Indxx Global Longevity Thematic Index ("Underlying Index").

FEES AND EXPENSES

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares ("Shares") of the Fund. You will also incur usual and customary brokerage commissions when buying and selling Shares.

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

Management Fees:
0.50%
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees:
None
Other Expenses:
0.00%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses:
0.50%

Example: The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. This example does not take into account customary brokerage commissions that you pay when purchasing or selling Shares of the Fund in the secondary market. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell all of your Shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:

One Year
Three Years
Five Years
Ten Years
$51
$160
$280
$628

Portfolio Turnover: The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund's performance. For the most recent fiscal period, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 14.18% of the average value of its portfolio.

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

The Fund invests more than 80% of its total assets in the securities of the Underlying Index. The Fund's 80% investment policy is non-fundamental and requires 60 days prior written notice to shareholders before it can be changed.

The Underlying Index is designed to provide exposure to exchange-listed companies in developed markets that facilitate the demographic trend of longer average life spans and the aging of the global population, including but not limited to companies involved in biotechnology, medical devices, pharmaceuticals, senior living facilities and specialized health care services (collectively, "Longevity Companies"), as defined by Indxx, LLC, the provider of the Underlying Index ("Index Provider").

The eligible universe of the Underlying Index includes the most liquid and investable companies in accordance with the standard market capitalization and liquidity criteria associated with developed markets, as defined by the Index Provider. As of January 31, 2020, companies must have a minimum market capitalization of $500 million and a minimum average daily turnover for the last 6 months greater than or equal to $2 million in order to be eligible for inclusion in the Underlying Index. The Underlying Index may include components from the following countries: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, and the United States.


79


From the eligible universe, the Index Provider identifies Longevity Companies by applying a proprietary analysis that consists of two primary components: theme identification and company analysis. As of January 31, 2020, the Index Provider has identified the following four themes that are expected to provide the most exposure to Longevity Companies: (1) Health Care Products, (2) Health Care Services, (3) Medical Devices, and (4) Senior Homes (collectively, "Longevity Themes"). In order to be included in the Underlying Index, a company must be identified as having significant exposure to these Longevity Themes, as determined by the Index Provider. Companies are analyzed based on two primary criteria: revenue exposure and primary business operations. A company is deemed to have significant exposure to the Longevity Themes if (i) it derives a significant portion of its revenue from the Longevity Themes, or (ii) it has stated its primary business to be in products and services focused on the Longevity Themes, as determined by the Index Provider. Accordingly, the Fund assets will be concentrated (that is, it will hold 25% or more of its total assets) in companies that provide products and services that facilitate the aging of the global population.
  
The Underlying Index is weighted according to a modified capitalization weighting methodology and is reconstituted and rebalanced annually. The Underlying Index may include large-, mid- or small-capitalization companies, and components primarily include health care, biotechnology and pharmaceuticals companies as well as real estate investment trusts ("REITs"). The Fund's investment objective and Underlying Index may be changed without shareholder approval.

The Underlying Index is sponsored by the Index Provider, which is an organization that is independent of the Fund and Global X Management Company LLC, the investment adviser for the Fund ("Adviser"). The Index Provider determines the relative weightings of the securities in the Underlying Index and publishes information regarding the market value of the Underlying Index.

The Adviser uses a "passive" or indexing approach to try to achieve the Fund's investment objective. Unlike many investment companies, the Fund does not try to outperform the Underlying Index and does not seek temporary defensive positions when markets decline or appear overvalued.

The Fund generally will use a replication strategy. A replication strategy is an indexing strategy that involves investing in the securities of the Underlying Index in approximately the same proportions as in the Underlying Index. However, the Fund may utilize a representative sampling strategy with respect to the Underlying Index when a replication strategy might be detrimental or disadvantageous to shareholders, such as when there are practical difficulties or substantial costs involved in compiling a portfolio of equity securities to replicate the Underlying Index, in instances in which a security in the Underlying Index becomes temporarily illiquid, unavailable or less liquid, or as a result of legal restrictions or limitations (such as tax diversification requirements) that apply to the Fund but not the Underlying Index.

The Adviser expects that, over time, the correlation between the Fund's performance and that of the Underlying Index, before fees and expenses, will exceed 95%. A correlation percentage of 100% would indicate perfect correlation. If the Fund uses a replication strategy, it can be expected to have greater correlation to the Underlying Index than if it uses a representative sampling strategy.

The Fund concentrates its investments (i.e., holds 25% or more of its total assets) in a particular industry or group of industries to approximately the same extent that the Underlying Index is concentrated. As of January 31, 2020, the Underlying Index was concentrated in the biotechnology and health care equipment industries and had significant exposure to the health care sector.

SUMMARY OF PRINCIPAL RISKS

As with any investment, you could lose all or part of your investment in the Fund, and the Fund’s performance could trail that of other investments. There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. The Fund is subject to the principal risks noted below, any of which may adversely affect the Fund’s net asset value (“NAV”), trading price, yield, total return and ability to meet its investment objective, as well as other risks that are described in greater detail in the Additional Information About the Funds section of this Prospectus and in the Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”). The order of the below risk factors does not indicate the significance of any particular risk factor.

Asset Class Risk: Securities and other assets in the Underlying Index or otherwise held in the Fund's portfolio may underperform in comparison to the general securities markets, a particular securities market or other asset classes.

Equity Securities Risk: Equity securities are subject to changes in value, and their values may be more volatile than other asset classes, as a result of such factors as a company’s business performance, investor perceptions, stock market trends and general economic conditions.

Real Estate Stocks and Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) Investment Risk: The Fund may have exposure to companies that invest in real estate, such as REITs, which exposes investors in the Fund to the risks of owning real estate directly, as well as to risks that relate specifically to the way in which real estate companies are organized and operated.

80


Real estate is highly sensitive to general and local economic conditions and developments and characterized by intense competition and periodic overbuilding. Many real estate companies, including REITs, utilize leverage (and some may be highly leveraged), which increases risk and could adversely affect a real estate company's operations and market value in periods of rising interest rates.

Associated Risks Related to Investing in Longevity Companies: The Fund invests in longevity companies, including pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies involved in the research, development, production and/or manufacturing of drugs; suppliers or manufacturers of medical devices; companies operating skilled nursing homes, senior living homes and continuing care communities; and providers of health care services, including home healthcare providers. Longevity companies may be affected by industry competition, dependency on a limited number of products, obsolescence of products, government approvals and regulations, loss or impairment of intellectual property rights and litigation regarding product liability. Longevity companies may be affected by government regulations and government healthcare programs, as well as increases or decreases in the cost of medical products and services and product liability claims. Many longevity companies are heavily dependent on patent protection, and the expiration of a company’s patent may adversely affect that company’s profitability. The customers and/or suppliers of longevity companies may be concentrated in a particular country, region or industry. Any adverse event affecting one of these countries, regions or industries could have a negative impact on longevity companies. Through its portfolio companies’ customers and suppliers, the Fund is specifically exposed to Asian Economic Risk and European Economic Risk.

Capitalization Risk: Investing in issuers within the same market capitalization category carries the risk that the category may be out of favor due to current market conditions or investor sentiment.

Large-Capitalization Companies Risk: Large-capitalization companies may trail the returns of the overall stock market. Large-capitalization stocks tend to go through cycles of doing better - or worse - than the stock market in general. These periods have, in the past, lasted for as long as several years.

Mid-Capitalization Companies Risk: Mid-capitalization companies may have greater price volatility, lower trading volume and less liquidity than large-capitalization companies. In addition, mid-capitalization companies may have smaller revenues, narrower product lines, less management depth and experience, smaller shares of their product or service markets, fewer financial resources and less competitive strength than large-capitalization companies.

Small-Capitalization Companies Risk: Compared to mid- and large-capitalization companies, small-capitalization companies may be less stable and more susceptible to adverse developments, and their securities may be more volatile and less liquid.

Concentration Risk: To the extent that the Underlying Index concentrates in investments related to a particular industry or group of industries, the Fund will also concentrate its investments to approximately the same extent. Similarly, if the Underlying Index has significant exposure to one or more sectors, the Fund’s investments will likely have significant exposure to such sectors. In such event, the Fund’s performance will be particularly susceptible to adverse events impacting such industry or sector, which may include, but are not limited to, the following: general economic conditions or cyclical market patterns that could negatively affect supply and demand; competition for resources; adverse labor relations; political or world events; obsolescence of technologies; and increased competition or new product introductions that may affect the profitability or viability of companies in a particular industry or sector. As a result, the value of the Fund’s investments may rise and fall more than the value of shares of a fund that invests in securities of companies in a broader range of industries or sectors.

Risks Related to Investing in the Biotechnology Industry: Biotechnology companies face intense competition and the potential for rapid product obsolescence. Biotechnology companies may be adversely affected by the loss or impairment of intellectual property rights or changes in government regulations.

Risks Related to Investing in the Health Care Equipment Industry: Companies in the health care equipment industry may be affected by the expiration of patents, litigation based on product liability, industry competition, product obsolescence and regulatory approvals, among other factors.

Risks Related to Investing in the Health Care Sector: The health care sector may be affected by government regulations and government health care programs, increases or decreases in the cost of medical products and services, an increased emphasis on outpatient services, and product liability claims, among other factors. Many health care companies are heavily dependent on patent protection, and the expiration of a company's patent may adversely affect that company's profitability. Health care companies are subject to competitive forces that may result in price discounting and may be thinly capitalized and susceptible to product obsolescence.


81


Currency Risk: The Fund may invest in securities denominated in foreign currencies. Because the Fund's NAV is determined in U.S. dollars, the Fund's NAV could decline if currencies of the underlying securities depreciate against the U.S. dollar or if there are delays or limits on repatriation of such currencies. Currency exchange rates can be very volatile and can change quickly and unpredictably. As a result, the Fund's NAV may change quickly and without warning, which could have a significant negative impact on the Fund.

Foreign Securities Risk: The Fund may invest, without limit, in foreign securities. The Fund's investments in foreign securities can be riskier than U.S. securities investments. Investments in the securities of foreign issuers (including investments in ADRs and GDRs) are subject to the risks associated with investing in those foreign markets, such as heightened risks of inflation or nationalization. The prices of foreign securities and the prices of U.S. securities have, at times, moved in opposite directions. In addition, securities of foreign issuers may lose value due to political, economic and geographic events affecting a foreign issuer or market. During periods of social, political or economic instability in a country or region, the value of a foreign security traded on U.S. exchanges could be affected by, among other things, increasing price volatility, illiquidity, or the closure of the primary market on which the security (or the security underlying the ADR or GDR) is traded. You may lose money due to political, economic and geographic events affecting a foreign issuer or market.

Geographic Risk: A natural, biological or other disaster could occur in a geographic region in which the Fund invests, which could affect the economy or particular business operations of companies in the specific geographic region, causing an adverse impact on the Fund’s investments in the affected region or in a region economically tied to the affected region. The securities in which the Fund invests and, consequently, the Fund are also subject to specific risks as a result of their business operations, including, but not limited to:

Risk of Investing in Developed Markets: The Fund’s investment in a developed country issuer may subject the Fund to regulatory, political, currency, security, economic and other risks associated with developed countries. Developed countries tend to represent a significant portion of the global economy and have generally experienced slower economic growth than some less developed countries. Certain developed countries have experienced security concerns, such as terrorism and strained international relations. Incidents involving a country’s or region’s security may cause uncertainty in its markets and may adversely affect its economy and the Fund’s investments. In addition, developed countries may be impacted by changes to the economic conditions of certain key trading partners, regulatory burdens, debt burdens and the price or availability of certain commodities.

Risk of Investing in the United States: A decrease in imports or exports, changes in trade regulations and/or an economic recession in the U.S. may have a material adverse effect on the U.S. economy.

International Closed Market Trading Risk: To the extent that the underlying investments held by the Fund trade on foreign exchanges that may be closed when the securities exchange on which the Fund’s Shares trade is open, there are likely to be deviations between the current price of such an underlying security and the last quoted price for the underlying security (i.e., the Fund’s quote from the closed foreign market). These deviations could result in premiums or discounts to the Fund’s NAV that may be greater than those experienced by other exchange-traded funds ("ETFs").

Issuer Risk: Fund performance depends on the performance of individual companies in which the Fund invests. Changes to the financial condition of any of those companies may cause the value of their securities to decline.

Market Risk: Turbulence in the financial markets and reduced liquidity may negatively affect issuers, which could have an adverse effect on the Fund. If the securities held by the Fund experience poor liquidity, the Fund may be unable to transact at advantageous times or prices, which may decrease the Fund’s returns. In addition, there is a risk that policy changes by the U.S. Government, Federal Reserve, or other government actors, which could include increasing interest rates, could cause increased volatility in financial markets and lead to higher levels of Fund redemptions, which could have a negative impact on the Fund. Furthermore, local, regional or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issue, recessions, or other events could have a significant impact on the Fund and its investments and trading of its shares. The Fund’s NAV could decline over short periods due to short-term market movements and over longer periods during market downturns.

Operational Risk: The Fund is exposed to operational risk arising from a number of factors, including but not limited to human error, processing and communication errors, errors of the Fund's service providers, counterparties or other third-parties, failed or inadequate processes and technology or systems failures. Additionally, cyber security failures or breaches of the electronic systems of the Fund, the Adviser, and the Fund's other service providers, market makers, Authorized Participants or the issuers of securities in which the Fund invests have the ability to cause disruptions and negatively impact the Fund's business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses to the Fund and its shareholders. The Fund and the Adviser seek to reduce these operational risks through controls and procedures. However, these measures do not address every possible risk and may be inadequate for those risks that they are intended to address.


82


Passive Investment Risk: The Fund is not actively managed, and the Adviser does not attempt to take defensive positions in declining markets. Unlike many investment companies, the Fund does not seek to outperform its Underlying Index. Therefore, it would not necessarily buy or sell a security unless that security is added or removed, respectively, from the Underlying Index, even if that security generally is underperforming. Maintaining investments in securities regardless of market conditions or the performance of individual securities could cause the Fund’s return to be lower than if the Fund employed an active strategy.

Index-Related Risk: There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve a high degree of correlation to the Underlying Index and therefore achieve its investment objective. Market disruptions and regulatory restrictions could have an adverse effect on the Fund’s ability to adjust its exposure to the required levels in order to track the Underlying Index. Errors in index data, index computations and/or the construction of the Underlying Index in accordance with its methodology may occur from time to time and may not be identified and corrected by the Index Provider for a period of time or at all, which may have an adverse impact on the Fund and its shareholders.

Management Risk: The Fund will not fully replicate its Underlying Index and may hold securities not included in its Underlying Index. The Adviser’s investment strategy, the implementation of which is subject to a number of constraints, may cause the Fund to underperform the market or its relevant benchmark or adversely affect the ability of the Fund to achieve its investment objective.

Tracking Error Risk: Tracking error may occur because of differences between the instruments held in the Fund's portfolio and those included in the Underlying Index, pricing differences, transaction costs incurred by the Fund, the Fund's holding of uninvested cash, size of the Fund, differences in timing of the accrual of or the valuation of dividends or interest, tax gains or losses, changes to the Underlying Index or the costs to the Fund of complying with various new or existing regulatory requirements. This risk may be heightened during times of increased market volatility or other unusual market conditions. Tracking error also may result because the Fund incurs fees and expenses, while the Underlying Index does not.

Risks Associated with Exchange-Traded Funds: As an ETF, the Fund is subject to the following risks:

Authorized Participants Concentration Risk: The Fund has a limited number of financial institutions that may act as Authorized Participants and engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund, and none of those Authorized Participants is obligated to engage in creation and/or redemption transactions. To the extent that those Authorized Participants exit the business or are unable to process creation and/or redemption orders, Shares may be more likely to trade at a premium or discount to NAV, and possibly face trading halts and/or delisting from an exchange. Authorized Participants Concentration Risk may be heightened because the Fund invests in non-U.S. securities.

Large Shareholder Risk: Redemptions by large shareholders could have a significant negative impact on the Fund. If a large shareholder were to redeem all, or a large portion, of its Shares, there is no guarantee that the Fund will be able to maintain sufficient assets to continue operations in which case the Board of Trustees may determine to liquidate the Fund. In addition, transactions by large shareholders may account for a large percentage of the trading volume on a national securities exchange and may, therefore, have a material upward or downward effect on the market price of the Shares.

Listing Standards Risk: Under continuous listing standards adopted by the Fund’s listing exchange, the Fund will be required to confirm on an ongoing basis that the components of the Underlying Index satisfy the applicable listing requirements. In the event that the Underlying Index does not comply with the applicable listing requirements, the Fund would be required to rectify such non-compliance by requesting that the Index Provider modify the Underlying Index, adopting a new underlying index, or obtaining relief from the SEC. Failure to rectify such non-compliance may result in the Fund being delisted by the listing exchange. In addition, the Fund may face the risk of being delisted if the Fund does not meet certain conditions of the listing exchange. Any resulting liquidation of the Fund could cause the Fund to incur elevated transaction costs and could result in negative tax consequences for its shareholders.

Market Trading Risks and Premium/Discount Risks: Shares of the Fund are publicly traded on a national securities exchange, which may subject shareholders to numerous market trading risks. Disruptions to creations and redemptions, the existence of extreme market volatility or potential lack of assets in the Fund or an active trading market for Shares may result in Shares trading at a significant premium or discount to NAV. If a shareholder purchases Shares at a time when the market price is at a premium to the NAV or sells Shares at a time when the market price is at a discount to the NAV, the shareholder may sustain losses.


83


Trading Halt Risk: An exchange or market may close or issue trading halts on specific securities, or the ability to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments may be restricted, which may result in the Fund being unable to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments. In such circumstances, the Fund may be unable to rebalance its portfolio, may be unable to accurately price its investments and/or may incur substantial trading losses.

Valuation Risk: The sales price the Fund could receive for a security may differ from the Fund’s valuation of the security and may differ from the value used by the Underlying Index, particularly for securities that trade in low value or volatile markets or that are valued using a fair value methodology (such as during trading halts). The value of the securities in the Fund's portfolio may change on days when shareholders will not be able to purchase or sell the Fund's Shares.

PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

The bar chart and table that follow show how the Fund performed on a calendar year basis and provide an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund's performance from year to year and by showing the Fund's average annual total returns for the indicated periods compared with the Fund's benchmark index and a broad measure of market performance. The Fund's past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available online at www.globalxetfs.com.

Annual Total Returns (Years Ended December 31)

  CHART-A481C107DBA45F9086A.JPG

Best Quarter:
03/31/19
12.66%
Worst Quarter:
12/31/18
-14.41%


84


Average Annual Total Returns (for the Periods Ended December 31, 2019) 
 
Year Ended December 31, 2019
Since Inception (05/09/2016)
Global X Longevity Thematic ETF:
 
 
·Return before taxes
24.98%
13.80%
·Return after taxes on distributions1
24.71%
13.40%
·Return after taxes on distributions and sale of Fund Shares1
14.94%
10.75%
Indxx Global Longevity Thematic Index (net)
(Index returns reflect invested dividends net of withholding taxes, but reflect no deduction for fees, expenses, or other taxes)
25.23%
14.12%
MSCI ACWI Index (net)
(Index returns reflect invested dividends net of withholding taxes, but reflect no deduction for fees, expenses, or other taxes)
26.60%
12.52%

1     After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual U.S. federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Your actual after-tax returns will depend on your specific tax situation and may differ from those shown above. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold Shares of the Fund through tax-advantaged arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts (IRAs).

FUND MANAGEMENT

Investment Adviser: Global X Management Company LLC.

Portfolio Managers: The professionals primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund are Chang Kim, CFA; Nam To, CFA; Wayne Xie and Kimberly Chan (“Portfolio Managers”). Mr. Kim has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since the Fund's inception. Mr. To has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since March 1, 2018. Mr. Xie has been Portfolio Manager of the Fund since March 1, 2019. Ms. Chan has been Portfolio Manager of the Fund since June 10, 2019.

PURCHASE AND SALE OF FUND SHARES
 
Shares of the Fund are listed and traded at market prices on a national securities exchange. Shares may only be purchased and sold on the exchange through a broker-dealer. The price of Shares is based on market price, and because ETF shares trade at market prices rather than at NAV, Shares may trade at a price greater than NAV (a premium) or less than NAV (a discount). Only “Authorized Participants” (as defined in the SAI) who have entered into agreements with the Fund's distributor, SEI Investments Distribution Co. ("Distributor"), may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. The Fund will only issue or redeem Shares that have been aggregated into blocks of 50,000 Shares or multiples thereof ("Creation Units"). The Fund will issue or redeem Creation Units in return for a basket of cash and/or securities that the Fund specifies any day that the national securities exchanges are open for business ("Business Day").
 
TAX INFORMATION
 
The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxable to you as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-advantaged arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account ("IRA"), in which case distributions from such tax-advantaged arrangement may be taxable to you.
 
PAYMENTS TO BROKER-DEALERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES
 
The Adviser and its related companies may pay broker-dealers or other financial intermediaries (such as a bank) for the sale of Fund Shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing your broker-dealer, sales persons or other intermediary or its employees or associated persons to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your financial adviser or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.

85


Global X Health & Wellness Thematic ETF

Ticker: BFIT Exchange: NASDAQ

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE

The Global X Health & Wellness Thematic ETF ("Fund") seeks to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the Indxx Global Health & Wellness Thematic Index ("Underlying Index").

FEES AND EXPENSES

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares ("Shares") of the Fund. You will also incur usual and customary brokerage commissions when buying and selling Shares.

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

Management Fees:
0.50%
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees:
None
Other Expenses:
0.00%
 Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses:
0.50%

Example: The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. This example does not take into account customary brokerage commissions that you pay when purchasing or selling Shares of the Fund in the secondary market. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell all of your Shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:

One Year
Three Years
Five Years
Ten Years
$51
$160
$280
$628

Portfolio Turnover: The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund's performance. For the most recent fiscal period, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 18.05% of the average value of its portfolio.

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

The Fund invests more than 80% of its total assets in the securities of the Underlying Index and in American Depositary Receipts ("ADRs") and Global Depositary Receipts ("GDRs") based on the securities in the Underlying Index. The Fund's 80% investment policy is non-fundamental and requires 60 days prior written notice to shareholders before it can be changed.

The Underlying Index is designed to provide exposure to exchange-listed companies in developed markets that provide products and services that facilitate physical wellness through active and healthy lifestyles, including but not limited to companies involved in fitness equipment, fitness technology, athletic apparel, nutritional supplements, and organic/natural food offerings, (collectively, "Health & Wellness Companies"), as defined by Indxx, LLC, the provider of the Underlying Index ("Index Provider").

The eligible universe of the Underlying Index includes the most liquid and investable companies in accordance with the standard market capitalization and liquidity criteria associated with developed markets, as defined by the Index Provider. As of January 31, 2020, companies must have a minimum market capitalization of $500 million and a minimum average daily turnover for the last 6 months greater than or equal to $2 million in order to be eligible for inclusion in the Underlying Index. The Underlying Index may include components from the following countries: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

86



From the eligible universe, the Index Provider identifies Health & Wellness Companies by applying a proprietary analysis that consists of two primary components: theme identification and company analysis. As of January 31, 2020, the Index Provider has identified the following four themes that are expected to provide the most exposure to Health & Wellness Companies: (1) Healthy Food, Nutrition and Weight Loss, (2) Fitness and Fitness Apparel, (3) Nutritional Supplements and Preventive Health Care, (4) Anti-Aging and Wellness (collectively, "Health & Wellness Themes"). In order to be included in the Underlying Index, a company must be identified as having significant exposure to these Health & Wellness Themes, as determined by the Index Provider. The Index Provider analyzes companies based on two primary criteria: revenue exposure and primary business operations. A company is to have significant exposure to the Health & Wellness Themes if (i) it derives a significant portion of its revenue from the sale of products or services from the Health & Wellness Themes, or (ii) it has stated its primary business to be in products and services focused on the Health & Wellness Themes, as determined by the Index Provider. Accordingly, the Fund assets will be concentrated (that is, it will hold 25% or more of its total assets) in companies that provide products and services that facilitate physical health and wellness.

The Underlying Index is weighted according to a modified capitalization weighting methodology and is reconstituted and rebalanced annually. The Underlying Index may include large-, mid- or small-capitalization companies, and components primarily include consumer discretionary, consumer staples, health care and information technology companies. The Fund's investment objective and Underlying Index may be changed without shareholder approval.

The Underlying Index is sponsored by the Index Provider, which is an organization that is independent of the Fund and Global X Management Company LLC, the investment adviser for the Fund ("Adviser"). The Index Provider determines the relative weightings of the securities in the Underlying Index and publishes information regarding the market value of the Underlying Index.

The Adviser uses a "passive" or indexing approach to try to achieve the Fund's investment objective. Unlike many investment companies, the Fund does not try to outperform the Underlying Index and does not seek temporary defensive positions when markets decline or appear overvalued.

The Fund generally will use a replication strategy. A replication strategy is an indexing strategy that involves investing in the securities of the Underlying Index in approximately the same proportions as in the Underlying Index. However, the Fund may utilize a representative sampling strategy with respect to the Underlying Index when a replication strategy might be detrimental or disadvantageous to shareholders, such as when there are practical difficulties or substantial costs involved in compiling a portfolio of equity securities to replicate the Underlying Index, in instances in which a security in the Underlying Index becomes temporarily illiquid, unavailable or less liquid, or as a result of legal restrictions or limitations (such as tax diversification requirements) that apply to the Fund but not the Underlying Index.

The Adviser expects that, over time, the correlation between the Fund's performance and that of the Underlying Index, before fees and expenses, will exceed 95%. A correlation percentage of 100% would indicate perfect correlation. If the Fund uses a replication strategy, it can be expected to have greater correlation to the Underlying Index than if it uses a representative sampling strategy.

The Fund concentrates its investments (i.e., holds 25% or more of its total assets) in a particular industry or group of industries to approximately the same extent that the Underlying Index is concentrated. As of January 31, 2020, the Underlying Index was concentrated in the textiles, apparel and luxury goods industry and had significant exposure to the consumer discretionary sector.

SUMMARY OF PRINCIPAL RISKS

As with any investment, you could lose all or part of your investment in the Fund, and the Fund’s performance could trail that of other investments. There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. The Fund is subject to the principal risks noted below, any of which may adversely affect the Fund’s net asset value (“NAV”), trading price, yield, total return and ability to meet its investment objective, as well as other risks that are described in greater detail in the Additional Information About the Funds section of this Prospectus and in the Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”). The order of the below risk factors does not indicate the significance of any particular risk factor.

Asset Class Risk: Securities and other assets in the Underlying Index or otherwise held in the Fund's portfolio may underperform in comparison to the general securities markets, a particular securities market or other asset classes.

Equity Securities Risk: Equity securities are subject to changes in value, and their values may be more volatile than other asset classes, as a result of such factors as a company’s business performance, investor perceptions, stock market trends and general economic conditions.


87


Associated Risks Related to Investing in Health & Wellness Companies: The Fund invests in health and wellness companies, including companies that operate gyms and fitness/wellness facilities as well as companies that provide, manufacture or distribute natural/organic foods, sports/fitness equipment, wearable fitness technology, fitness/athletic apparel, nutritional supplements, anti-aging products and dietary services. The risks related to investing in such companies include rapid changes in consumer trends, social trends, marketing campaigns, and consumers’ disposable income. Health & Wellness Companies that manufacture or distribute natural/organic foods may enter the cannabis space which would increase the risk of facing increased regulatory scrutiny in the future. Exposure to cannabis companies could increase the volatility of the stocks. In addition, these companies typically face intense competition domestically and abroad, which could adversely impact the success of these companies. The customers and/or suppliers of health and wellness companies may be concentrated in a particular country, region or industry. Any adverse event affecting one of these countries, regions or industries could have a negative impact on health and wellness companies. Through its portfolio companies’ customers and suppliers, the Fund is specifically exposed to Asian Economic Risk, European Economic Risk and North American Economic Risk.

Capitalization Risk: Investing in issuers within the same market capitalization category carries the risk that the category may be out of favor due to current market conditions or investor sentiment.

Large-Capitalization Companies Risk: Large-capitalization companies may trail the returns of the overall stock market. Large-capitalization stocks tend to go through cycles of doing better - or worse - than the stock market in general. These periods have, in the past, lasted for as long as several years.

Mid-Capitalization Companies Risk: Mid-capitalization companies may have greater price volatility, lower trading volume and less liquidity than large-capitalization companies. In addition, mid-capitalization companies may have smaller revenues, narrower product lines, less management depth and experience, smaller shares of their product or service markets, fewer financial resources and less competitive strength than large-capitalization companies.

Small-Capitalization Companies Risk: Compared to mid- and large-capitalization companies, small-capitalization companies may be less stable and more susceptible to adverse developments, and their securities may be more volatile and less liquid.

Concentration Risk: To the extent that the Underlying Index concentrates in investments related to a particular industry or group of industries, the Fund will also concentrate its investments to approximately the same extent. Similarly, if the Underlying Index has significant exposure to one or more sectors, the Fund’s investments will likely have significant exposure to such sectors. In such event, the Fund’s performance will be particularly susceptible to adverse events impacting such industry or sector, which may include, but are not limited to, the following: general economic conditions or cyclical market patterns that could negatively affect supply and demand; competition for resources; adverse labor relations; political or world events; obsolescence of technologies; and increased competition or new product introductions that may affect the profitability or viability of companies in a particular industry or sector. As a result, the value of the Fund’s investments may rise and fall more than the value of shares of a fund that invests in securities of companies in a broader range of industries or sectors.

Risks Related to Investing in the Consumer Discretionary Sector: The consumer discretionary sector may be affected by changes in domestic and international economies, exchange and interest rates, competition, consumers’ disposable income and consumer preferences, social trends and marketing campaigns.

Risks Related to Investing in the Textiles, Apparel and Luxury Goods Industry: Companies in the textiles, apparel and luxury goods industry face intense competition and are dependent on their ability to maintain brand image. Companies may be subject to changes in consumer preferences, and technologies employed by textiles, apparel and luxury goods companies may become obsolete. Companies in this industry are dependent on consumer spending and, as such, are likely to be sensitive to any downturns in the broader economy. Demand for products may be seasonal, and incorrect assessment of future demand can lead to overproduction of underproduction, which can impact company profitability.

Currency Risk: The Fund may invest in securities denominated in foreign currencies. Because the Fund's NAV is determined in U.S. dollars, the Fund's NAV could decline if currencies of the underlying securities depreciate against the U.S. dollar or if there are delays or limits on repatriation of such currencies. Currency exchange rates can be very volatile and can change quickly and unpredictably. As a result, the Fund's NAV may change quickly and without warning, which could have a significant negative impact on the Fund.

Custody Risk: Less developed markets are more likely to experience problems with the clearing and settling of trades and the holding of securities by local banks, agents and depositories.


88


Foreign Securities Risk: The Fund may invest, without limit, in foreign securities. The Fund's investments in foreign securities can be riskier than U.S. securities investments. Investments in the securities of foreign issuers (including investments in ADRs and GDRs) are subject to the risks associated with investing in those foreign markets, such as heightened risks of inflation or nationalization. The prices of foreign securities and the prices of U.S. securities have, at times, moved in opposite directions. In addition, securities of foreign issuers may lose value due to political, economic and geographic events affecting a foreign issuer or market. During periods of social, political or economic instability in a country or region, the value of a foreign security traded on U.S. exchanges could be affected by, among other things, increasing price volatility, illiquidity, or the closure of the primary market on which the security (or the security underlying the ADR or GDR) is traded. You may lose money due to political, economic and geographic events affecting a foreign issuer or market.

Geographic Risk: A natural, biological or other disaster could occur in a geographic region in which the Fund invests, which could affect the economy or particular business operations of companies in the specific geographic region, causing an adverse impact on the Fund’s investments in the affected region or in a region economically tied to the affected region. The securities in which the Fund invests and, consequently, the Fund are also subject to specific risks as a result of their business operations, including, but not limited to:

Risk of Investing in China: Investment exposure to China subjects the Fund to risks specific to China. China may be subject to considerable degrees of economic, political and social instability. Concerns about the rising government and household debt levels could impact the stability of the Chinese economy. China is an emerging market and demonstrates significantly higher volatility from time to time in comparison to developed markets. Over the last few decades, the Chinese government has undertaken reform of economic and market practices, including recent reforms to liberalize its capital markets and expand the sphere for private ownership of property in China. However, Chinese markets generally continue to experience inefficiency, volatility and pricing anomalies resulting from governmental influence, a lack of publicly available information and/or political and social instability. Internal social unrest or confrontations with other neighboring countries, including military conflicts in response to such events, may also disrupt economic development in China and result in a greater risk of currency fluctuations, currency convertibility, interest rate fluctuations and higher rates of inflation. China has experienced security concerns, such as terrorism and strained international relations, as well as major health crises. These health crises include, but are not limited to, the rapid and pandemic spread of novel viruses commonly known as SARS, MERS, and COVID-19 (Coronavirus). Such health crises could exacerbate political, social, and economic risks previously mentioned. Additionally, China is alleged to have participated in state-sponsored cyberattacks against foreign companies and foreign governments. Actual and threatened responses to such activity, including purchasing restrictions, sanctions, tariffs or cyberattacks on the Chinese government or Chinese companies, may impact China’s economy and Chinese issuers of securities in which the Fund invests. Incidents involving China’s or the region’s security, including the contagion of infectious viruses or diseases, may cause uncertainty in Chinese markets and may adversely affect the Chinese economy and the Fund’s investments. Export growth continues to be a major driver of China’s rapid economic growth. Elevated trade tensions between China and its trading partners, including the imposition of U.S. tariffs on certain Chinese goods and increased international pressure related to Chinese trade policy and forced technology transfers and intellectual property protections, may have a substantial impact on the Chinese economy. Reduction in spending on Chinese products and services, institution of additional tariffs or other trade barriers (including as a result of heightened trade tensions between China and the U.S. or in response to actual or alleged Chinese cyber activity), or a downturn in any of the economies of China’s key trading partners may have an adverse impact on the Chinese economy. Investments in China may be subject to loss due to expropriation or nationalization of assets and property or the imposition of restrictions on foreign investments and repatriation of capital. China has implemented a number of tax reforms in recent years and may amend or revise its existing tax laws and/or procedures in the future, possibly with retroactive effect. Changes in applicable Chinese tax law could reduce the after-tax profits of the Fund, directly or indirectly, including by reducing the after-tax profits of companies in China in which the Fund invests. Uncertainties in Chinese tax rules could result in unexpected tax liabilities for the Fund.

Risk of Investing in Developed Markets: The Fund’s investment in a developed country issuer may subject the Fund to regulatory, political, currency, security, economic and other risks associated with developed countries. Developed countries tend to represent a significant portion of the global economy and have generally experienced slower economic growth than some less developed countries. Certain developed countries have experienced security concerns, such as terrorism and strained international relations. Incidents involving a country’s or region’s security may cause uncertainty in its markets and may adversely affect its economy and the Fund’s investments. In addition, developed countries may be impacted by changes to the economic conditions of certain key trading partners, regulatory burdens, debt burdens and the price or availability of certain commodities.

Risk of Investing in Emerging Markets: The Fund targets Health and Wellness Companies globally and is expected to invest in securities in emerging market countries. Investments in emerging markets may be subject to a greater risk of

89


loss than investments in developed markets. Securities markets of emerging market countries are less liquid, subject to greater price volatility, have smaller market capitalizations, have less government regulation, and are not subject to as extensive and frequent accounting, financial, and other reporting requirements as the securities markets of more developed countries, and there may be greater risk associated with the custody of securities in emerging markets. Emerging markets may be more likely to experience inflation, political turmoil and rapid changes in economic conditions than more developed markets. Certain emerging market countries may have privatized, or have begun the process of privatizing, certain entities and industries. Privatized entities may lose money or be re-nationalized.

Risk of Investing in Japan: The Japanese economy may be subject to considerable degrees of economic, political and social instability, which could have a negative impact on Japanese securities. Since the year 2000, Japan’s economic growth rate has remained relatively low, and it may remain low in the future. In addition, Japan is subject to the risk of natural disasters, such as earthquakes, volcanoes, typhoons and tsunamis, which could negatively affect the Fund. Japan’s relations with its neighbors have at times been strained, and strained relations with its neighbors or trading partners may cause uncertainty in the Japanese markets and adversely affect the overall Japanese economy.

Risk of Investing in Taiwan: Investments in Taiwanese issuers involve risks that are specific to Taiwan, including legal, regulatory, political and economic risks. Political and economic developments of Taiwan’s neighbors may have an adverse effect on Taiwan’s economy. Specifically, Taiwan’s geographic proximity and history of political contention with China have resulted in ongoing tensions, which may materially affect the Taiwanese economy and its securities market.

International Closed Market Trading Risk: To the extent that the underlying investments held by the Fund trade on foreign exchanges that may be closed when the securities exchange on which the Fund’s Shares trade is open, there are likely to be deviations between the current price of such an underlying security and the last quoted price for the underlying security (i.e., the Fund’s quote from the closed foreign market). These deviations could result in premiums or discounts to the Fund’s NAV that may be greater than those experienced by other exchange-traded funds ("ETFs").

Issuer Risk: Fund performance depends on the performance of individual companies in which the Fund invests. Changes to the financial condition of any of those companies may cause the value of their securities to decline.

Market Risk: Turbulence in the financial markets and reduced liquidity may negatively affect issuers, which could have an adverse effect on the Fund. If the securities held by the Fund experience poor liquidity, the Fund may be unable to transact at advantageous times or prices, which may decrease the Fund’s returns. In addition, there is a risk that policy changes by the U.S. Government, Federal Reserve, or other government actors, which could include increasing interest rates, could cause increased volatility in financial markets and lead to higher levels of Fund redemptions, which could have a negative impact on the Fund. Furthermore, local, regional or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issue, recessions, or other events could have a significant impact on the Fund and its investments and trading of its shares. The Fund’s NAV could decline over short periods due to short-term market movements and over longer periods during market downturns.

Operational Risk: The Fund is exposed to operational risk arising from a number of factors, including but not limited to human error, processing and communication errors, errors of the Fund's service providers, counterparties or other third-parties, failed or inadequate processes and technology or systems failures. Additionally, cyber security failures or breaches of the electronic systems of the Fund, the Adviser, and the Fund's other service providers, market makers, Authorized Participants or the issuers of securities in which the Fund invests have the ability to cause disruptions and negatively impact the Fund's business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses to the Fund and its shareholders. The Fund and the Adviser seek to reduce these operational risks through controls and procedures. However, these measures do not address every possible risk and may be inadequate for those risks that they are intended to address.

Passive Investment Risk: The Fund is not actively managed, and the Adviser does not attempt to take defensive positions in declining markets. Unlike many investment companies, the Fund does not seek to outperform its Underlying Index. Therefore, it would not necessarily buy or sell a security unless that security is added or removed, respectively, from the Underlying Index, even if that security generally is underperforming. Maintaining investments in securities regardless of market conditions or the performance of individual securities could cause the Fund’s return to be lower than if the Fund employed an active strategy.

Index-Related Risk: There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve a high degree of correlation to the Underlying Index and therefore achieve its investment objective. Market disruptions and regulatory restrictions could have an adverse effect on the Fund’s ability to adjust its exposure to the required levels in order to track the Underlying Index. Errors in index data, index computations and/or the construction of the Underlying Index in accordance with its methodology may occur from time to time and may not be identified and corrected by the Index Provider for a period of time or at all, which may have an adverse impact on the Fund and its shareholders.


90


Management Risk: The Fund will not fully replicate its Underlying Index and may hold securities not included in its Underlying Index. The Adviser’s investment strategy, the implementation of which is subject to a number of constraints, may cause the Fund to underperform the market or its relevant benchmark or adversely affect the ability of the Fund to achieve its investment objective.

Tracking Error Risk: Tracking error may occur because of differences between the instruments held in the Fund's portfolio and those included in the Underlying Index, pricing differences, transaction costs incurred by the Fund, the Fund's holding of uninvested cash, size of the Fund, differences in timing of the accrual of or the valuation of dividends or interest, tax gains or losses, changes to the Underlying Index or the costs to the Fund of complying with various new or existing regulatory requirements. This risk may be heightened during times of increased market volatility or other unusual market conditions. Tracking error also may result because the Fund incurs fees and expenses, while the Underlying Index does not. ETFs that track indices with significant weight in emerging markets issuers may experience higher tracking error than other ETFs that do not track such indices.

Risks Associated with Exchange-Traded Funds: As an ETF, the Fund is subject to the following risks:

Authorized Participants Concentration Risk: The Fund has a limited number of financial institutions that may act as Authorized Participants and engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund, and none of those Authorized Participants is obligated to engage in creation and/or redemption transactions. To the extent that those Authorized Participants exit the business or are unable to process creation and/or redemption orders, Shares may be more likely to trade at a premium or discount to NAV, and possibly face trading halts and/or delisting from an exchange. Authorized Participants Concentration Risk may be heightened because the Fund invests in non-U.S. securities.

Large Shareholder Risk: Redemptions by large shareholders could have a significant negative impact on the Fund. If a large shareholder were to redeem all, or a large portion, of its Shares, there is no guarantee that the Fund will be able to maintain sufficient assets to continue operations in which case the Board of Trustees may determine to liquidate the Fund. In addition, transactions by large shareholders may account for a large percentage of the trading volume on a national securities exchange and may, therefore, have a material upward or downward effect on the market price of the Shares.

Listing Standards Risk: Under continuous listing standards adopted by the Fund’s listing exchange, the Fund will be required to confirm on an ongoing basis that the components of the Underlying Index satisfy the applicable listing requirements. In the event that the Underlying Index does not comply with the applicable listing requirements, the Fund would be required to rectify such non-compliance by requesting that the Index Provider modify the Underlying Index, adopting a new underlying index, or obtaining relief from the SEC. Failure to rectify such non-compliance may result in the Fund being delisted by the listing exchange. In addition, the Fund may face the risk of being delisted if the Fund does not meet certain conditions of the listing exchange. Any resulting liquidation of the Fund could cause the Fund to incur elevated transaction costs and could result in negative tax consequences for its shareholders.

Market Trading Risks and Premium/Discount Risks: Shares of the Fund are publicly traded on a national securities exchange, which may subject shareholders to numerous market trading risks. Disruptions to creations and redemptions, the existence of extreme market volatility or potential lack of assets in the Fund or an active trading market for Shares may result in Shares trading at a significant premium or discount to NAV. If a shareholder purchases Shares at a time when the market price is at a premium to the NAV or sells Shares at a time when the market price is at a discount to the NAV, the shareholder may sustain losses.

Trading Halt Risk: An exchange or market may close or issue trading halts on specific securities, or the ability to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments may be restricted, which may result in the Fund being unable to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments. In such circumstances, the Fund may be unable to rebalance its portfolio, may be unable to accurately price its investments and/or may incur substantial trading losses.

Valuation Risk: The sales price the Fund could receive for a security may differ from the Fund’s valuation of the security and may differ from the value used by the Underlying Index, particularly for securities that trade in low value or volatile markets or that are valued using a fair value methodology (such as during trading halts). The value of the securities in the Fund's portfolio may change on days when shareholders will not be able to purchase or sell the Fund's Shares.

PERFORMANCE INFORMATION


91


The bar chart and table that follow show how the Fund performed on a calendar year basis and provide an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund's performance from year to year and by showing the Fund's average annual total returns for the indicated periods compared with the Fund's benchmark index and a broad measure of market performance. The Fund's past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available online at www.globalxetfs.com.

Annual Total Returns (Years Ended December 31)

  CHART-05A0FF6CD14E5C1B84C.JPG

Best Quarter:
03/31/19
12.87%
Worst Quarter:
12/31/18
-10.96%


92


Average Annual Total Returns (for the Periods Ended December 31, 2019) 
 
Year Ended December 31, 2019
Since Inception (05/09/2016)
Global X Health & Wellness Thematic ETF:
 
 
·Return before taxes
25.65%
11.81%
·Return after taxes on distributions1
25.47%
11.37%
·Return after taxes on distributions and sale of Fund Shares1
15.30%
9.12%
Indxx Global Health & Wellness Thematic Index (net)
(Index returns reflect invested dividends net of withholding taxes, but reflect no deduction for fees, expenses, or other taxes)
26.13%
12.29%
MSCI ACWI Index (net)
(Index returns reflect invested dividends net of withholding taxes, but reflect no deduction for fees, expenses, or other taxes)
26.60%
12.51%

1     After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual U.S. federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Your actual after-tax returns will depend on your specific tax situation and may differ from those shown above. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold Shares of the Fund through tax-advantaged arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts (IRAs).

FUND MANAGEMENT

Investment Adviser: Global X Management Company LLC.

Portfolio Managers: The professionals primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund are Chang Kim, CFA; Nam To, CFA; Wayne Xie and Kimberly Chan (“Portfolio Managers”). Mr. Kim has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since the Fund's inception. Mr. To has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since March 1, 2018. Mr. Xie has been Portfolio Manager of the Fund since March 1, 2019. Ms. Chan has been Portfolio Manager of the Fund since June 10, 2019.

PURCHASE AND SALE OF FUND SHARES
 
Shares of the Fund are listed and traded at market prices on a national securities exchange. Shares may only be purchased and sold on the exchange through a broker-dealer. The price of Shares is based on market price, and because ETF shares trade at market prices rather than at NAV, Shares may trade at a price greater than NAV (a premium) or less than NAV (a discount). Only “Authorized Participants” (as defined in the SAI) who have entered into agreements with the Fund's distributor, SEI Investments Distribution Co. ("Distributor"), may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. The Fund will only issue or redeem Shares that have been aggregated into blocks of 50,000 Shares or multiples thereof ("Creation Units"). The Fund will issue or redeem Creation Units in return for a basket of cash and/or securities that the Fund specifies any day that the national securities exchanges are open for business ("Business Day").
 
TAX INFORMATION
 
The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxable to you as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-advantaged arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account ("IRA"), in which case distributions from such tax-advantaged arrangement may be taxable to you.
 
PAYMENTS TO BROKER-DEALERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES
 
The Adviser and its related companies may pay broker-dealers or other financial intermediaries (such as a bank) for the sale of Fund Shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing your broker-dealer, sales persons or other intermediary or its employees or associated persons to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your financial adviser or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.

93


Global X Education ETF

Ticker: EDUX Exchange: NASDAQ

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE

The Global X Education ETF ("Fund") seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the Indxx Global Education Thematic Index ("Underlying Index").

FEES AND EXPENSES

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares ("Shares") of the Fund. You will also incur usual and customary brokerage commissions when buying and selling Shares.

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

Management Fees:
0.68%
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees:
None
Other Expenses:1
0.00%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses:
0.68%

1    "Other Expenses" reflect estimated expenses for the Fund's first fiscal year of operations.

Example: The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. This example does not take into account customary brokerage commissions that you pay when purchasing or selling Shares of the Fund in the secondary market. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell all of your Shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:

One Year
Three Years
$69
$218

Portfolio Turnover: The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund's performance. The Fund had not yet commenced investment operations as of the most recent fiscal year end. Thus, no portfolio turnover rate is provided for the Fund.

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

The Fund invests at least 80% of its total assets in the securities of the Underlying Index and in American Depositary Receipts ("ADRs") and Global Depositary Receipts ("GDRs") based on the securities in the Underlying Index. The Fund's 80% investment policy is non-fundamental and requires 60 days prior written notice to shareholders before it can be changed.

The objective of the Underlying Index is to provide exposure to exchange-listed companies globally that provide educational products and services, including companies primarily involved in online learning and educational content/publishing, as well as early childhood education, higher education and professional education, (collectively, "Education Companies"), as defined by Indxx, LLC, the provider of the Underlying Index ("Index Provider").

The eligible universe of the Underlying Index includes among the most liquid and investable companies in accordance with the market capitalization and liquidity criteria associated with developed and emerging markets, as defined by the Index Provider. As of January 31, 2020, companies must have a minimum market capitalization of $200 million and a minimum average daily turnover for the last 6 months greater than or equal to $2 million in order to be eligible for inclusion in the Underlying Index. As of January 31, 2020, components from the following countries were eligible for inclusion in the Underlying Index: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong

94


Kong, Hungary, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Peru, Qatar, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the United States.

From the eligible universe, the Index Provider identifies Education Companies by applying a proprietary analysis that consists of two primary components: theme identification and company analysis. As part of the theme identification process, the Index Provider analyzes industry reports, investment research and consumer data related to the education industry in order to establish the themes that are expected to provide the most exposure to the growth of the education industry. As of January 31, 2020, the Index Provider has identified the following four education themes: (1) Educational Content/Publishing, (2) Online Learning, (3) Early Childhood Education and (4) Higher and Professional Education (collectively, "Education Themes"). In order to be included in the Underlying Index, a company must be identified by the Index Provider as having significant exposure to one or more of these Education Themes, as determined by the Index Provider. In the second step of the process, the Index Provider analyzes companies based on revenue exposure to the Education Themes. A company is identified as having significant exposure to the Education Themes if it derives a significant portion of its revenue from the sale of products or services from one or more of the Education Themes, as determined by the Index Provider. Accordingly, the Fund assets will be concentrated (that is, it will hold 25% or more of its total assets) in companies that provide exposure to Education Themes.

The Underlying Index is weighted according to a modified capitalization weighting methodology and is reconstituted and rebalanced semi-annually. At each semi-annual rebalance, a capping methodology is applied to reduce concentration in individual securities and increase diversification of the Underlying Index. The Underlying Index may include large-, mid- or small-capitalization companies, and components primarily include consumer discretionary and communication services companies. The Fund's investment objective and Underlying Index may be changed without shareholder approval.

The Underlying Index is sponsored by the Index Provider, which is an organization that is independent of the Fund and Global X Management Company LLC, the investment adviser for the Fund ("Adviser"). The Index Provider determines the relative weightings of the securities in the Underlying Index and publishes information regarding the market value of the Underlying Index.

The Adviser uses a "passive" or indexing approach to try to achieve the Fund's investment objective. Unlike many investment companies, the Fund does not try to outperform the Underlying Index and does not seek temporary defensive positions when markets decline or appear overvalued.

The Fund generally will use a replication strategy. A replication strategy is an indexing strategy that involves investing in the securities of the Underlying Index in approximately the same proportions as in the Underlying Index. However, the Fund may utilize a representative sampling strategy with respect to the Underlying Index when a replication strategy might be detrimental or disadvantageous to shareholders, such as when there are practical difficulties or substantial costs involved in compiling a portfolio of equity securities to replicate the Underlying Index, in instances in which a security in the Underlying Index becomes temporarily illiquid, unavailable or less liquid, or as a result of legal restrictions or limitations (such as tax diversification requirements) that apply to the Fund but not the Underlying Index.

The Adviser expects that, over time, the correlation between the Fund's performance and that of the Underlying Index, before fees and expenses, will exceed 95%. A correlation percentage of 100% would indicate perfect correlation. If the Fund uses a replication strategy, it can be expected to have greater correlation to the Underlying Index than if it uses a representative sampling strategy.

The Fund concentrates its investments (i.e., holds 25% or more of its total assets) in a particular industry or group of industries to approximately the same extent that the Underlying Index is concentrated.

SUMMARY OF PRINCIPAL RISKS

As with any investment, you could lose all or part of your investment in the Fund, and the Fund’s performance could trail that of other investments. There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. The Fund is subject to the principal risks noted below, any of which may adversely affect the Fund’s net asset value (“NAV”), trading price, yield, total return and ability to meet its investment objective, as well as other risks that are described in greater detail in the Additional Information About the Funds section of this Prospectus and in the Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”). The order of the below risk factors does not indicate the significance of any particular risk factor.

Asset Class Risk: Securities and other assets in the Underlying Index or otherwise held in the Fund's portfolio may underperform in comparison to the general securities markets, a particular securities market or other asset classes.


95


Equity Securities Risk: Equity securities are subject to changes in value, and their values may be more volatile than other asset classes, as a result of such factors as a company’s business performance, investor perceptions, stock market trends and general economic conditions.

Associated Risks Related to Investing in Education Companies: Education companies may be affected by changes in demographics and changes in consumer demands. Furthermore, government regulations, programs and policies can have a significant impact on the products and services provided by education companies. Some education companies rely heavily on tax breaks and government subsidies, which can be very policy-dependent and may not continue indefinitely in the future. Education companies are also affected by macroeconomic growth and the overall strength of the labor market, which can influence the demand for educational products and services. Some education companies have recently faced increased regulatory scrutiny, and in some cases litigation, due to business practices that were perceived as unfair and misleading to consumers. Ongoing and future legal actions could have a negative impact on education companies. The customers and/or suppliers of education companies may be concentrated in a particular country, region or industry. Any adverse event affecting one of these countries, regions or industries could have a negative impact on education companies.

Capitalization Risk: Investing in issuers within the same market capitalization category carries the risk that the category may be out of favor due to current market conditions or investor sentiment.

Mid-Capitalization Companies Risk: Mid-capitalization companies may have greater price volatility, lower trading volume and less liquidity than large-capitalization companies. In addition, mid-capitalization companies may have smaller revenues, narrower product lines, less management depth and experience, smaller shares of their product or service markets, fewer financial resources and less competitive strength than large-capitalization companies.

Small-Capitalization Companies Risk: Compared to mid- and large-capitalization companies, small-capitalization companies may be less stable and more susceptible to adverse developments, and their securities may be more volatile and less liquid.

Concentration Risk: To the extent that the Underlying Index concentrates in investments related to a particular industry or group of industries, the Fund will also concentrate its investments to approximately the same extent. Similarly, if the Underlying Index has significant exposure to one or more sectors, the Fund’s investments will likely have significant exposure to such sectors. In such event, the Fund’s performance will be particularly susceptible to adverse events impacting such industry or sector, which may include, but are not limited to, the following: general economic conditions or cyclical market patterns that could negatively affect supply and demand; competition for resources; adverse labor relations; political or world events; obsolescence of technologies; and increased competition or new product introductions that may affect the profitability or viability of companies in a particular industry or sector. As a result, the value of the Fund’s investments may rise and fall more than the value of shares of a fund that invests in securities of companies in a broader range of industries or sectors.

Risks Related to Investing in the Consumer Discretionary Sector: The consumer discretionary sector may be affected by changes in domestic and international economies, exchange and interest rates, competition, consumers’ disposable income and consumer preferences, social trends and marketing campaigns.

Currency Risk: The Fund may invest in securities denominated in foreign currencies. Because the Fund's NAV is determined in U.S. dollars, the Fund's NAV could decline if currencies of the underlying securities depreciate against the U.S. dollar or if there are delays or limits on repatriation of such currencies. Currency exchange rates can be very volatile and can change quickly and unpredictably. As a result, the Fund's NAV may change quickly and without warning, which could have a significant negative impact on the Fund.

Custody Risk: Less developed markets are more likely to experience problems with the clearing and settling of trades and the holding of securities by local banks, agents and depositories.

Foreign Securities Risk: The Fund may invest, without limit, in foreign securities. The Fund's investments in foreign securities can be riskier than U.S. securities investments. Investments in the securities of foreign issuers (including investments in ADRs and GDRs) are subject to the risks associated with investing in those foreign markets, such as heightened risks of inflation or nationalization. The prices of foreign securities and the prices of U.S. securities have, at times, moved in opposite directions. In addition, securities of foreign issuers may lose value due to political, economic and geographic events affecting a foreign issuer or market. During periods of social, political or economic instability in a country or region, the value of a foreign security traded on U.S. exchanges could be affected by, among other things, increasing price volatility, illiquidity, or the closure of the primary market on which the security (or the security underlying the ADR or GDR) is traded. You may lose money due to political, economic and geographic events affecting a foreign issuer or market.

96



Geographic Risk: A natural, biological or other disaster could occur in a geographic region in which the Fund invests, which could affect the economy or particular business operations of companies in the specific geographic region, causing an adverse impact on the Fund’s investments in the affected region or in a region economically tied to the affected region. The securities in which the Fund invests and, consequently, the Fund are also subject to specific risks as a result of their business operations, including, but not limited to:

Risk of Investing in Developed Markets: The Fund’s investment in a developed country issuer may subject the Fund to regulatory, political, currency, security, economic and other risks associated with developed countries. Developed countries tend to represent a significant portion of the global economy and have generally experienced slower economic growth than some less developed countries. Certain developed countries have experienced security concerns, such as terrorism and strained international relations. Incidents involving a country’s or region’s security may cause uncertainty in its markets and may adversely affect its economy and the Fund’s investments. In addition, developed countries may be impacted by changes to the economic conditions of certain key trading partners, regulatory burdens, debt burdens and the price or availability of certain commodities.

Risk of Investing in Emerging Markets: Investments in emerging markets may be subject to a greater risk of loss than investments in developed markets. Securities markets of emerging market countries are less liquid, subject to greater price volatility, have smaller market capitalizations, have less government regulation, and are not subject to as extensive and frequent accounting, financial, and other reporting requirements as the securities markets of more developed countries, and there may be greater risk associated with the custody of securities in emerging markets. Emerging markets may be more likely to experience inflation, political turmoil and rapid changes in economic conditions than more developed markets. Certain emerging market countries may have privatized, or have begun the process of privatizing, certain entities and industries. Privatized entities may lose money or be re-nationalized.

Risk of Investing in Hong Kong: Investments in Hong Kong issuers may subject the Fund to legal, regulatory, political, currency, security, and economic risk specific to Hong Kong. China is Hong Kong’s largest trading partner, both in terms of exports and imports. Any changes in the Chinese economy, trade regulations or currency exchange rates, or a tightening of China’s control over Hong Kong, including in connection with recent protests and unrests, may have an adverse impact on Hong Kong’s economy.

Risk of Investing in the United Kingdom: Investments in United Kingdom issuers may subject the Fund to regulatory, political, currency, security, and economic risks specific to the United Kingdom. The United Kingdom has one of the largest economies in Europe, and the United States and other European countries are substantial trading partners of the United Kingdom. As a result, the United Kingdom’s economy may be impacted by changes to the economic condition of the United States and other European countries. The United Kingdom’s economy, along with certain other European Union economies, experienced a significant economic slowdown during the recent financial crisis; certain United Kingdom financial institutions suffered significant losses, were severely under-capitalized and required government intervention to survive. In a referendum held on June 23, 2016, the United Kingdom resolved to leave the European Union, which departure has become known as “Brexit”. Brexit introduced significant uncertainties and instability in the financial markets as the United Kingdom negotiated its departure from the European Union. The United Kingdom officially stopped being a member of the European Union on January 31, 2020. However, many issues related to Brexit remain unresolved and are the subject of continued negotiations with the European Union, including uncertainty with respect to the nation’s trading relationship with the European Union and its shared border with Ireland, a member of the European Union.

Risk of Investing in the United States: A decrease in imports or exports, changes in trade regulations and/or an economic recession in the U.S. may have a material adverse effect on the U.S. economy.

International Closed Market Trading Risk: To the extent that the underlying investments held by the Fund trade on foreign exchanges that may be closed when the securities exchange on which the Fund’s Shares trade is open, there are likely to be deviations between the current price of such an underlying security and the last quoted price for the underlying security (i.e., the Fund’s quote from the closed foreign market). These deviations could result in premiums or discounts to the Fund’s NAV that may be greater than those experienced by other exchange-traded funds ("ETFs").

Issuer Risk: Fund performance depends on the performance of individual companies in which the Fund invests. Changes to the financial condition of any of those companies may cause the value of their securities to decline.


97


Market Risk: Turbulence in the financial markets and reduced liquidity may negatively affect issuers, which could have an adverse effect on the Fund. If the securities held by the Fund experience poor liquidity, the Fund may be unable to transact at advantageous times or prices, which may decrease the Fund’s returns. In addition, there is a risk that policy changes by the U.S. Government, Federal Reserve, or other government actors, which could include increasing interest rates, could cause increased volatility in financial markets and lead to higher levels of Fund redemptions, which could have a negative impact on the Fund. Furthermore, local, regional or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issue, recessions, or other events could have a significant impact on the Fund and its investments and trading of its shares. The Fund’s NAV could decline over short periods due to short-term market movements and over longer periods during market downturns.

New Fund Risk: The Fund is a new fund, with no operating history, which may result in additional risks for investors in the Fund. There can be no assurance that the Fund will grow to or maintain an economically viable size, in which case the Board of Trustees may determine to liquidate the Fund. While shareholder interests will be the paramount consideration, the timing of any liquidation may not be favorable to certain individual shareholders. New funds are also subject to Large Shareholder Risk.

Non-Diversification Risk: The Fund is classified as a “non-diversified” investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940 ("1940 Act"). As a result, the Fund is subject to the risk that it may be more volatile than a diversified fund because the Fund may invest its assets in a smaller number of issuers or may invest a larger proportion of its assets in a single issuer. As a result, the gains and losses on a single investment may have a greater impact on the Fund’s NAV and may make the Fund more volatile than more diversified funds.

Operational Risk: The Fund is exposed to operational risk arising from a number of factors, including but not limited to human error, processing and communication errors, errors of the Fund's service providers, counterparties or other third-parties, failed or inadequate processes and technology or systems failures. Additionally, cyber security failures or breaches of the electronic systems of the Fund, the Adviser, and the Fund's other service providers, market makers, Authorized Participants or the issuers of securities in which the Fund invests have the ability to cause disruptions and negatively impact the Fund's business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses to the Fund and its shareholders. The Fund and the Adviser seek to reduce these operational risks through controls and procedures. However, these measures do not address every possible risk and may be inadequate for those risks that they are intended to address.

Passive Investment Risk: The Fund is not actively managed, and the Adviser does not attempt to take defensive positions in declining markets. Unlike many investment companies, the Fund does not seek to outperform its Underlying Index. Therefore, it would not necessarily buy or sell a security unless that security is added or removed, respectively, from the Underlying Index, even if that security generally is underperforming. Maintaining investments in securities regardless of market conditions or the performance of individual securities could cause the Fund’s return to be lower than if the Fund employed an active strategy.

Index-Related Risk: There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve a high degree of correlation to the Underlying Index and therefore achieve its investment objective. Market disruptions and regulatory restrictions could have an adverse effect on the Fund’s ability to adjust its exposure to the required levels in order to track the Underlying Index. Errors in index data, index computations and/or the construction of the Underlying Index in accordance with its methodology may occur from time to time and may not be identified and corrected by the Index Provider for a period of time or at all, which may have an adverse impact on the Fund and its shareholders.

Management Risk: The Fund will not fully replicate its Underlying Index and may hold securities not included in its Underlying Index. The Adviser’s investment strategy, the implementation of which is subject to a number of constraints, may cause the Fund to underperform the market or its relevant benchmark or adversely affect the ability of the Fund to achieve its investment objective.

Tracking Error Risk: Tracking error may occur because of differences between the instruments held in the Fund's portfolio and those included in the Underlying Index, pricing differences, transaction costs incurred by the Fund, the Fund's holding of uninvested cash, size of the Fund, differences in timing of the accrual of or the valuation of dividends or interest, tax gains or losses, changes to the Underlying Index or the costs to the Fund of complying with various new or existing regulatory requirements. This risk may be heightened during times of increased market volatility or other unusual market conditions. Tracking error also may result because the Fund incurs fees and expenses, while the Underlying Index does not. ETFs that track indices with significant weight in emerging markets issuers may experience higher tracking error than other ETFs that do not track such indices.

Risks Associated with Exchange-Traded Funds: As an ETF, the Fund is subject to the following risks:

Authorized Participants Concentration Risk: The Fund has a limited number of financial institutions that may act as Authorized Participants and engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund, and none of those Authorized Participants is obligated to engage in creation and/or redemption transactions. To the extent that those

98


Authorized Participants exit the business or are unable to process creation and/or redemption orders, Shares may be more likely to trade at a premium or discount to NAV, and possibly face trading halts and/or delisting from an exchange. Authorized Participants Concentration Risk may be heightened because the Fund invests in non-U.S. securities.

Large Shareholder Risk: Redemptions by large shareholders could have a significant negative impact on the Fund. If a large shareholder were to redeem all, or a large portion, of its Shares, there is no guarantee that the Fund will be able to maintain sufficient assets to continue operations in which case the Board of Trustees may determine to liquidate the Fund. In addition, transactions by large shareholders may account for a large percentage of the trading volume on a national securities exchange and may, therefore, have a material upward or downward effect on the market price of the Shares.

Listing Standards Risk: Under continuous listing standards adopted by the Fund’s listing exchange, the Fund will be required to confirm on an ongoing basis that the components of the Underlying Index satisfy the applicable listing requirements. In the event that the Underlying Index does not comply with the applicable listing requirements, the Fund would be required to rectify such non-compliance by requesting that the Index Provider modify the Underlying Index, adopting a new underlying index, or obtaining relief from the SEC. Failure to rectify such non-compliance may result in the Fund being delisted by the listing exchange. In addition, the Fund may face the risk of being delisted if the Fund does not meet certain conditions of the listing exchange. Any resulting liquidation of the Fund could cause the Fund to incur elevated transaction costs and could result in negative tax consequences for its shareholders.

Market Trading Risks and Premium/Discount Risks: Shares of the Fund are publicly traded on a national securities exchange, which may subject shareholders to numerous market trading risks. Disruptions to creations and redemptions, the existence of extreme market volatility or potential lack of assets in the Fund or an active trading market for Shares may result in Shares trading at a significant premium or discount to NAV. If a shareholder purchases Shares at a time when the market price is at a premium to the NAV or sells Shares at a time when the market price is at a discount to the NAV, the shareholder may sustain losses.

Trading Halt Risk: An exchange or market may close or issue trading halts on specific securities, or the ability to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments may be restricted, which may result in the Fund being unable to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments. In such circumstances, the Fund may be unable to rebalance its portfolio, may be unable to accurately price its investments and/or may incur substantial trading losses.

Valuation Risk: The sales price the Fund could receive for a security may differ from the Fund’s valuation of the security and may differ from the value used by the Underlying Index, particularly for securities that trade in low value or volatile markets or that are valued using a fair value methodology (such as during trading halts). The value of the securities in the Fund's portfolio may change on days when shareholders will not be able to purchase or sell the Fund's Shares.

PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

The Fund has not commenced operations as of the date of this Prospectus. Once the Fund has completed a full calendar year of operations, a bar chart and table will be included that will provide some indication of the risk of investing in the Fund by showing the variability of the Fund's returns and comparing the Fund's performance to the index. The Fund's performance is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future.

FUND MANAGEMENT

Investment Adviser: Global X Management Company LLC.

Portfolio Managers: The professionals primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund are Chang Kim, CFA; Nam To, CFA; Wayne Xie and Kimberly Chan (“Portfolio Managers”).

PURCHASE AND SALE OF FUND SHARES
 
Shares of the Fund are listed and traded at market prices on a national securities exchange. Shares may only be purchased and sold on the exchange through a broker-dealer. The price of Shares is based on market price, and because ETF shares trade at market prices rather than at NAV, Shares may trade at a price greater than NAV (a premium) or less than NAV (a discount). Only “Authorized Participants” (as defined in the SAI) who have entered into agreements with the Fund's distributor, SEI Investments Distribution Co. ("Distributor"), may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. The Fund will only issue or redeem Shares that have been aggregated into blocks of 50,000 Shares or multiples thereof ("Creation Units"). The Fund will issue or

99


redeem Creation Units in return for a basket of cash and/or securities that the Fund specifies any day that the national securities exchanges are open for business ("Business Day").
 
TAX INFORMATION
 
The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxable to you as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-advantaged arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account ("IRA"), in which case distributions from such tax-advantaged arrangement may be taxable to you.
 
PAYMENTS TO BROKER-DEALERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES
 
The Adviser and its related companies may pay broker-dealers or other financial intermediaries (such as a bank) for the sale of Fund Shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing your broker-dealer, sales persons or other intermediary or its employees or associated persons to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your financial adviser or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.

100


Global X Cannabis ETF

Ticker: POTX Exchange: NASDAQ

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE

The Global X Cannabis ETF ("Fund") seeks to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the Cannabis Index ("Underlying Index").

FEES AND EXPENSES

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares ("Shares") of the Fund. You will also incur usual and customary brokerage commissions when buying and selling Shares.

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

Management Fees:
0.50%
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees:
None
Other Expenses:1
0.00%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses:
0.50%

1    "Other Expenses" are based on estimated amounts for the current fiscal year.

Example: The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. This example does not take into account customary brokerage commissions that you pay when purchasing or selling Shares of the Fund in the secondary market. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell all of your Shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:

One Year
Three Years
$51
$160

Portfolio Turnover: The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund's performance. From the Fund's commencement of operations on September 17, 2019 to the end of the most recent fiscal period, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 11.40% of the average value of its portfolio.

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

The Fund invests at least 80% of its total assets in the securities of the Underlying Index and in American Depositary Receipts ("ADRs") and Global Depositary Receipts ("GDRs") based on the securities in the Underlying Index.  The Fund will also invest, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its net assets, plus borrowings for investments purposes (if any), in Cannabis Companies (as defined below), and in ADRs and GDRs based on such securities. The Fund's 80% investment policies are non-fundamental and requires 60 days prior written notice to shareholders before they can be changed. The Fund may lend securities representing up to one-third of the value of the Fund’s total assets (including the value of the collateral received).

The Underlying Index is designed to provide exposure to exchange-listed companies that are active in the cannabis industry (collectively, "Cannabis Companies"), as defined by Solactive AG, the provider of the Underlying Index ("Index Provider"). In order to be eligible for inclusion in the Underlying Index, a company is considered by the Index Provider to be a Cannabis Company if it derives at least 50% of its revenue, operating income, or assets from the cannabis industry. The cannabis industry is composed of the following areas: (i) the legal production, growth and distribution of marijuana, as well as extracts, derivative products or synthetic versions thereof; (ii) the legal production, growth and distribution of hemp, as well as extracts, derivative products or synthetic versions thereof; (iii) financial services (insurance offerings, property leasing, financing, capital markets activity and investments) provided to companies involved in the production, growth and distribution of cannabis; (iv) pharmaceutical

101


applications of cannabis; (v) cannabidiol (better known as CBD) and cannabis oil products, edibles, topicals, drinks and other products; and (vi) products that may be used to consume cannabis.* In addition, companies that the Index Provider expects to derive at least 50% of future revenue, operating income or assets from the cannabis industry based on its review of their primary business operations, capital investments and/or operating expenses, as well as other public statements, are eligible for inclusion in the Underlying Index ("Pre-Revenue Companies"). Pre-Revenue Companies are subject to an aggregate weight cap of 10% at each quarterly rebalance. Additionally, Pre-Revenue Companies do not count towards satisfaction of the Fund's policy to invest, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its net assets, plus borrowings for investments purposes (if any), in Cannabis Companies, and in ADRs and GDRs based on such securities.
  
To be a part of the eligible universe of the Underlying Index, a Cannabis Company must be listed on a regulated stock exchange that requires issuers to maintain compliance with all laws, rules and regulations applicable to their business. As such, the Underlying Index is designed to invest in Cannabis Companies that represent that they operate cannabis-related business activities, or supply products and perform services for companies that grow, produce, distribute, or sell cannabis or products derived from cannabis, in a manner that is legal under all laws, rules and regulations applicable to the company's business. A company must also meet certain minimum market capitalization and liquidity criteria, as defined by the Index Provider. As of January 31, 2020, companies must have a minimum market capitalization of $100 million and a minimum average daily turnover for the last three months greater than or equal to $2 million in order to be eligible for inclusion in the Underlying Index. Companies must retain a minimum market capitalization of $80 million and average daily turnover for the last three months greater than or equal to $1.4 million in order to be eligible to remain in the Underlying Index. As of January 31, 2020, companies listed in the following countries were eligible for inclusion in the Underlying Index: Australia, Canada and the United States.

The Underlying Index is weighted according to a modified capitalization weighting methodology and is reconstituted and re-weighted quarterly. Additionally, on an intra-quarter basis, if the Index Provider determines that a constituent of the Underlying Index does not meet the index requirements with respect to compliance with laws, rules and regulations, the Index Provider may remove such constituent outside of the regular rebalance schedule. Modified capitalization weighting seeks to weight constituents primarily based on market capitalization, but subject to caps on the weights of the individual securities. Generally speaking, this approach will limit the amount of concentration in the largest market capitalization companies and thereby increase exposure to other companies. The Underlying Index may include large-, mid- or small-capitalization companies, and components primarily include mid-capitalization and small-capitalization companies. As of January 31, 2020, the Underlying Index had 25 constituents. The Fund's investment objective and Underlying Index may be changed without shareholder approval.

The Underlying Index is sponsored by the Index Provider, which is an organization that is independent of the Fund and Global X Management Company LLC, the investment adviser for the Fund ("Adviser"). The Index Provider determines the relative weightings of the securities in the Underlying Index and publishes information regarding the market value of the Underlying Index.

The Adviser uses a "passive" or indexing approach to try to achieve the Fund's investment objective. Unlike many investment companies, the Fund does not try to outperform the Underlying Index and does not seek temporary defensive positions when markets decline or appear overvalued. Additionally, the Fund will not invest in companies that, in the opinion of the Adviser, fail to meet any the criteria outlined below (collectively, the "Eligibility Criteria"):

Each company must have securities listed on an exchange that requires compliance with all laws, rules and regulations applicable to their business, which includes U.S. federal laws if the company performs activities in the U.S. or is otherwise subject to U.S. jurisdiction.

Each company may only supply products and/or perform services related to the cannabis industry in a manner that is legal under applicable national and local laws, including U.S. federal, state, and local laws. 

"Legal under applicable national and local laws" refers to being permitted under the applicable (i) controlled substance or (ii) food, drug, and cosmetics, or equivalent laws and regulations under whose jurisdiction the company is subject that govern the cultivation, production or distribution, for medical or non-medical purposes, of cannabis in a particular country. The Adviser reviews publicly available information related to Underlying Index constituents for violations of Eligibility Criteria in connection with each quarterly and intra-quarter reconstitution of the Underlying Index. If, after acquiring a company's securities, the company, in the Adviser's opinion, no longer meets the Eligibility Criteria, or if the Index Provider removes the company from the Underlying Index for failure to comply with laws, rules and regulations applicable to their business, the Fund will promptly sell that position, potentially at a time when it is disadvantageous to do so. As of the date of this Prospectus, Cannabis Companies that grow or distribute marijuana inside the U.S. fail to meet Eligibility Criteria.
___________________________________
* "Hemp" refers to cannabis plants with a delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol ("THC") concentration of not more than 0.3 percent on a dry weight basis, as well as derivatives thereof, whereas "marijuana" refers to all other cannabis plants and derivatives thereof.

102



The Fund generally uses a representative sampling strategy with respect to the Underlying Index. "Representative sampling" is an indexing strategy that involves investing in a representative sample of securities that collectively has an investment profile similar to the Underlying Index in terms of key risk factors, performance attributes and other characteristics. These include country weightings, market capitalization and other financial characteristics of securities. The Fund may or may not hold all of the securities in the Underlying Index, in particular if the Adviser determines that one or more of the securities in the Underlying Index may fail to meet the Eligibility Criteria.

The Adviser expects that, over time, the correlation between the Fund's performance and that of the Underlying Index, before fees and expenses, will exceed 95%. A correlation percentage of 100% would indicate perfect correlation. If the Fund uses a replication strategy, it can be expected to have greater correlation to the Underlying Index than if it uses a representative sampling strategy.

The Fund concentrates its investments (i.e., holds 25% or more of its total assets) in a particular industry or group of industries to approximately the same extent that the Underlying Index is concentrated. As of January 31, 2020, the Underlying Index was concentrated in the pharmaceuticals industry and had significant exposure to the health care sector.

SUMMARY OF PRINCIPAL RISKS

As with any investment, you could lose all or part of your investment in the Fund, and the Fund’s performance could trail that of other investments. There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. The Fund is subject to the principal risks noted below, any of which may adversely affect the Fund’s net asset value (“NAV”), trading price, yield, total return and ability to meet its investment objective, as well as other risks that are described in greater detail in the Additional Information About the Funds section of this Prospectus and in the Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”). The order of the below risk factors does not indicate the significance of any particular risk factor.

Asset Class Risk: Securities and other assets in the Underlying Index or otherwise held in the Fund's portfolio may underperform in comparison to the general securities markets, a particular securities market or other asset classes.

Depositary Receipts Risk: The Fund may invest in depositary receipts, such as ADRs and GDRs.  Depositary receipts may be subject to certain of the risks associated with direct investments in the securities of foreign companies. For additional details on these risks, please see Foreign Securities Risk.  Moreover, depositary receipts may not track the price of the underlying foreign securities on which they are based.  A holder of depositary receipts may also be subject to fees and the credit risk of the financial institution acting as depositary.

Equity Securities Risk: Equity securities are subject to changes in value, and their values may be more volatile than other asset classes, as a result of such factors as a company’s business performance, investor perceptions, stock market trends and general economic conditions.

Associated Risks Related to Investing in Cannabis Companies: The cannabis industry is a very young, fast evolving industry with increased exposure to the risks associated with changes in applicable laws (including increased regulation, other rule changes, and related federal and state enforcement activities), as well as market developments, which may cause businesses to contract or close suddenly and negatively impact the value of securities held by the Fund.

General Legal Considerations: Cannabis Companies are subject to various laws and regulations that may differ at the state/local, federal and international level. These laws and regulations may significantly affect a Cannabis Company’s ability to secure financing and traditional banking services, impact the market for cannabis business sales and services, and set limitations on cannabis use, production, transportation, export and storage. There is a risk that a Cannabis Company currently operating legally may suddenly find itself accused (or found guilty) of illegal activities, including because of changes to applicable law. Cannabis Companies may face litigation, formal or informal complaints, enforcement actions, and inquiries by various federal, state, or local governmental authorities, which could consume considerable amounts of financial and other corporate resources and have a negative impact on sales, revenue, profitability, and growth prospects. Additionally, to the extent that the United States and other countries pass laws that permit individuals to grow cannabis for personal, non-commercial use, the markets may shrink for certain Cannabis Companies in which the Fund invests. Similarly, certain Cannabis Companies may not be able to obtain or maintain the necessary licenses, permits, authorizations, or accreditations, or may only be able to do so at great cost. Failure to comply with or to obtain the necessary licenses, permits, authorizations, or accreditations could result in restrictions on a Cannabis Company’s ability to legally engage in its business activity, which could have a negative impact on the value of the Fund’s investments. Actions taken against certain Cannabis Companies could have an indirect, negative effect on the value of other Cannabis Companies in the cannabis industry, even Cannabis Companies not directly affected by such actions.


103


U.S. Federal Marijuana Regulation: The possession, use and importation of marijuana remains illegal under U.S. federal law. Federal law criminalizing the use of marijuana remains enforceable notwithstanding state laws that legalize its use for medicinal and recreational purposes. This conflict between the regulation of marijuana under federal and state law creates volatility and risk for all Cannabis Companies, and any stepped-up enforcement of marijuana laws by the federal government could adversely affect the value of the Fund’s investments. Pronouncements from the current Administration suggest the Department of Justice (“DOJ”) may exert pressure on states where marijuana use and possession is legal and step up the enforcement of federal marijuana laws and the prosecution of nonviolent federal drug crimes. Currently, the Rohrabacher-Blumenauer amendment to appropriations legislation prohibits the DOJ from using federal funds to prevent states from implementing laws that authorize medical marijuana use, possession, distribution, and cultivation. In the event the Rohrabacher-Blumenauer amendment is not renewed by Congress, the DOJ may begin using federal funds to prevent states from implementing such laws. Since the use of marijuana is illegal under U.S. federal law, institutions may be unwilling to make services available to growers and sellers of marijuana. Any stepped-up enforcement efforts by the U.S. federal government could produce a chilling effect on the industry’s growth and discourage institutions, including banks, from expanding their services to Cannabis Companies, where such services are currently limited, and could potentially curtail the ability of investors to purchase or hold Cannabis Companies. The current federal regulatory stance will limit the number of companies that could otherwise be eligible for inclusion in the Underlying Index, and consequently could limit the range of companies eligible for investment by the Fund. Additionally, U.S. Federal tax law prohibits a taxpayer from claiming a deduction or credit for any amount paid or incurred during the tax year in carrying on any trade or business if that trade or business (or the activities that comprise that trade or business) consists of trafficking in controlled substances (e.g., marijuana (cannabis) for this purpose) where that trafficking is prohibited by either federal law or the state law for the state in which the trade or business is conducted. Consequently, Cannabis Companies may pay higher amounts of taxes than non-Cannabis Companies, which could result in less income to the Fund and, in turn, less for the Fund to distribute to shareholders.

U.S. Regulation of Hemp: Although legislation has recently expanded the permissible industrial use of hemp, such activity remains heavily regulated, and it is possible that future federal and/or state legislation could drastically curtail permissible uses of hemp.  Certain Underlying Index constituents may sell dietary supplements and/or foods containing CBD within the U.S.  The Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018, also known as the “2018 Farm Bill”, altered the legal landscape in the United States with respect to the manufacturing, distribution and sale of hemp and hemp derivatives, including CBD.  As a result of the 2018 Farm Bill, “hemp” (defined as the plant Cannabis sativa L. plant and extracts thereof with a delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol concentration of not more than 0.3% on a dry weight basis), was exempted from the definition of “marijuana” under the U.S. Controlled Substances Act. The 2018 Farm Bill delegates to the Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) responsibility for regulating products containing hemp or derivatives thereof (including CBD) under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (the “FD&C”).  Under the FD&C, if a substance (such as CBD) is an active ingredient in a drug product that has been approved by the FDA, then the substance cannot be sold in dietary supplements or foods without FDA approval, unless the substance was marketed as a dietary supplement or as a conventional food before the drug was approved or before the new drug investigations were authorized.  The FDA has publicly taken the position that CBD cannot be sold in dietary supplements or foods because CBD is an active ingredient in an FDA-approved drug.  However, companies that sell CBD in dietary supplements and foods have taken the position that CBD was marketed as a dietary supplement and/or as a conventional food before the drug was approved or before the new drug investigations were authorized, and because the FDA has not brought enforcement action against such companies, this question of fact has not yet been adjudicated.  In the absence of a conclusive legal determination to the contrary, as of the date of this prospectus, the Advisor has not determined that the sale of dietary supplements and/or foods containing CBD within the U.S. would cause an Underlying Index Constituent to fail to meet the applicable Eligibility Criteria.

U.S. Regulation of Medical Cannabis: Few drug products containing cannabis or cannabis extracts have been approved for use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) or obtained registrations for commercial production from the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), and there is no guarantee that such products will ever be legally produced or sold in the United States. Cannabis Companies in the United States that engage in medical or pharmaceutical research or the production and distribution of controlled substances, such as marijuana, must be registered with the DEA to perform such activities and have the security, control, recordkeeping, reporting and inventory mechanisms required by the DEA to prevent drug loss and diversion. The current regulatory state of medical cannabis in the United States may limit the number of pharmaceutical companies that could otherwise be eligible for inclusion in the Underlying Index, and consequently could limit the range of companies eligible for investment by the Fund.

Non-U.S. Regulation of Cannabis: Laws and regulations related to the possession, use (medical or recreational), sale, transport and cultivation of cannabis vary throughout the world, and legislation in certain countries may restrict or limit the ability of certain companies in which the Fund invests to sell their products. Additionally, even if a company’s operations are legal under current law, such operations may become illegal in the future if the applicable law changes to prohibit cannabis-related activities vital to the company’s business. Any such change would have a significant impact on the cannabis industry and Cannabis Companies in which the Fund may invest. The Fund will only invest in non-U.S. Cannabis Companies if such companies are operating legally in their relevant jurisdiction. In addition, even if Cannabis Companies operate permissibly under local law, importation of their products in other countries, such as the United States, may be prohibited, which could result in a reduced market for their products.

104



Eligibility Criteria Risk: The Fund intends to invest only in those Cannabis Companies that meet the Eligibility Criteria.  To the extent that any securities included in the Underlying Index are unable to meet the Eligibility Criteria, the Fund would not invest in such securities, which would increase the tracking error between the Fund’s performance and the performance of the Underlying Index and may cause the Fund to underperform the Underlying Index.  Moreover, it is possible that the Fund may invest in Cannabis Companies that ultimately fail to meet the Eligibility Criteria, and any change in regulation and/or enforcement of U.S. federal law could cause securities held by the Fund to cease to meet the Eligibility Criteria.  If the Fund were to hold securities of a Cannabis Company that fails to meet the Eligibility Criteria, the value of such security may decrease substantially; additionally, the Fund could be required to rapidly divest itself of such securities. Such divestment would likely contribute to substantial underperformance relative to the Underlying Index, particularly in the event that numerous Fund securities are impacted by changes in U.S. federal law.

Service Provider Risk: Because of legal and reputational concerns associated with the Fund’s investments in Cannabis Companies, Fund service providers may be reluctant to provide, or to continue to provide, services to the Fund. If a service provider were to terminate its relationship with the Fund, the use of an alternate service provider could negatively impact the Fund’s operations. Additionally, the Fund’s service providers may raise concerns with respect to specific securities included in the Underlying Index, and may be unwilling to continue to act as a service provider to the Fund if the Fund invests in such security. If the Fund does not invest in a security included in the Underlying Index as a result of such concerns, the Fund would experience tracking error versus the performance of the Underlying Index and may underperform the Underlying Index.

Legal Liability of the Fund: The breadth of U.S. federal law affecting the cannabis industry is significant. Given the uncertain nature of the regulation of the cannabis industry in the United States, the Fund’s investment in certain entities could, under unique circumstances, raise issues under one or more of those laws, and any investigation or prosecution related to those investments could result in expense and losses to the Fund. The Fund and the Adviser have taken steps to mitigate this risk through the implementation of the Eligibility Criteria, which have been discussed previously, and which are intended to ensure that the Fund is not invested in any Cannabis Company that is operating in contravention of applicable U.S. law. However, the application of the Eligibility Criteria cannot guarantee that a Cannabis Company is not engaged in impermissible activities, which could result in the Fund inadvertently holding such a company for a limited period of time prior to divestment. In addition, the Adviser has obtained a legal opinion on behalf of the Fund indicating that the Fund’s investments in Cannabis Companies that meet the Eligibility Criteria should not cause the Fund to violate federal drug and anti-money laundering laws. However, such legal opinion does not prevent or otherwise estop any governmental agency or the courts from taking a contrary position.

Cannabis Price Fluctuation Risk: The Fund invests in companies engaged in the cannabis industry, which may be susceptible to fluctuations in the price of cannabis. Cannabis prices may be influenced or characterized by unpredictable factors, including, where applicable, high volatility, changes in supply and demand relationships, weather, agriculture, trade, changes in interest rates and monetary and other governmental policies, action and inaction. Securities of companies held by the Fund that are dependent on a single commodity, such as cannabis, may typically exhibit even higher volatility attributable to cannabis prices. In addition, the lack of a futures market in cannabis may impede the ability of Cannabis Companies to hedge their cannabis exposure risks.

Cannabis Price Relationship Risk: The Underlying Index measures the performance of companies involved in the cannabis industry and not the performance of the price of cannabis itself. The securities of companies involved in the cannabis industry may under- or over-perform the price of cannabis over the short-term or the long-term.

Capitalization Risk: Investing in issuers within the same market capitalization category carries the risk that the category may be out of favor due to current market conditions or investor sentiment.

Mid-Capitalization Companies Risk: Mid-capitalization companies may have greater price volatility, lower trading volume and less liquidity than large-capitalization companies. In addition, mid-capitalization companies may have smaller revenues, narrower product lines, less management depth and experience, smaller shares of their product or service markets, fewer financial resources and less competitive strength than large-capitalization companies.

Small-Capitalization Companies Risk: Compared to mid- and large-capitalization companies, small-capitalization companies may be less stable and more susceptible to adverse developments, and their securities may be more volatile and less liquid.

Micro-Capitalization Companies Risk: Stock prices of micro-cap companies are significantly more volatile, and more vulnerable to adverse business and economic developments, than those of larger companies, and their earnings and revenues tend to be less predictable (and some companies may experience significant losses). Microcap stocks may also be thinly traded, making it difficult for the Fund to buy and sell them.

105



Concentration Risk: To the extent that the Underlying Index concentrates in investments related to a particular industry or group of industries, the Fund will also concentrate its investments to approximately the same extent. Similarly, if the Underlying Index has significant exposure to one or more sectors, the Fund’s investments will likely have significant exposure to such sectors. In such event, the Fund’s performance will be particularly susceptible to adverse events impacting such industry or sector, which may include, but are not limited to, the following: general economic conditions or cyclical market patterns that could negatively affect supply and demand; competition for resources; adverse labor relations; political or world events; obsolescence of technologies; and increased competition or new product introductions that may affect the profitability or viability of companies in a particular industry or sector. As a result, the value of the Fund’s investments may rise and fall more than the value of shares of a fund that invests in securities of companies in a broader range of industries or sectors.

Risks Related to Investing in the Health Care Sector: The health care sector may be affected by government regulations and government health care programs, increases or decreases in the cost of medical products and services, an increased emphasis on outpatient services, and product liability claims, among other factors. Many health care companies are heavily dependent on patent protection, and the expiration of a company's patent may adversely affect that company's profitability. Health care companies are subject to competitive forces that may result in price discounting and may be thinly capitalized and susceptible to product obsolescence.

Risks Related to Investing in the Pharmaceuticals Industry: Companies in the pharmaceuticals industry may be affected by industry competition, dependency on a limited number of products, obsolescence of products, government approvals and regulations, loss or impairment of intellectual property rights and litigation regarding product liability.

Currency Risk: The Fund may invest in securities denominated in foreign currencies. Because the Fund's NAV is determined in U.S. dollars, the Fund's NAV could decline if currencies of the underlying securities depreciate against the U.S. dollar or if there are delays or limits on repatriation of such currencies. Currency exchange rates can be very volatile and can change quickly and unpredictably. As a result, the Fund's NAV may change quickly and without warning, which could have a significant negative impact on the Fund.

Custody Risk: Less developed markets are more likely to experience problems with the clearing and settling of trades and the holding of securities by local banks, agents and depositories.

Foreign Securities Risk: The Fund may invest, without limit, in foreign securities. The Fund's investments in foreign securities can be riskier than U.S. securities investments. Investments in the securities of foreign issuers (including investments in ADRs and GDRs) are subject to the risks associated with investing in those foreign markets, such as heightened risks of inflation or nationalization. The prices of foreign securities and the prices of U.S. securities have, at times, moved in opposite directions. In addition, securities of foreign issuers may lose value due to political, economic and geographic events affecting a foreign issuer or market. During periods of social, political or economic instability in a country or region, the value of a foreign security traded on U.S. exchanges could be affected by, among other things, increasing price volatility, illiquidity, or the closure of the primary market on which the security (or the security underlying the ADR or GDR) is traded. You may lose money due to political, economic and geographic events affecting a foreign issuer or market.

Geographic Risk: A natural, biological or other disaster could occur in a geographic region in which the Fund invests, which could affect the economy or particular business operations of companies in the specific geographic region, causing an adverse impact on the Fund’s investments in the affected region or in a region economically tied to the affected region. The securities in which the Fund invests and, consequently, the Fund are also subject to specific risks as a result of their business operations, including, but not limited to:

Risk of Investing in Canada: The Canadian economy is highly dependent on the demand for and price of natural resources. As a result, the Canadian market is relatively concentrated in issuers involved in the production and distribution of natural resources and any changes in these sectors could have an adverse impact on the Canadian economy. The Canadian economy is heavily dependent on relationships with certain key trading partners, including the United States and China. Developments in the United States, including renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (“NAFTA”), ratification of the successor United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (“USMCA”), which is pending legislative approval, and imposition of tariffs by the United States, may have implications for the trade arrangements between the United States and Canada, which could negatively affect the value of securities held by the Fund.

Risk of Investing in Developed Markets: The Fund’s investment in a developed country issuer may subject the Fund to regulatory, political, currency, security, economic and other risks associated with developed countries. Developed countries tend to represent a significant portion of the global economy and have generally experienced slower economic

106


growth than some less developed countries. Certain developed countries have experienced security concerns, such as terrorism and strained international relations. Incidents involving a country’s or region’s security may cause uncertainty in its markets and may adversely affect its economy and the Fund’s investments. In addition, developed countries may be impacted by changes to the economic conditions of certain key trading partners, regulatory burdens, debt burdens and the price or availability of certain commodities.

International Closed Market Trading Risk: To the extent that the underlying investments held by the Fund trade on foreign exchanges that may be closed when the securities exchange on which the Fund’s Shares trade is open, there are likely to be deviations between the current price of such an underlying security and the last quoted price for the underlying security (i.e., the Fund’s quote from the closed foreign market). These deviations could result in premiums or discounts to the Fund’s NAV that may be greater than those experienced by other exchange-traded funds ("ETFs").

Investable Universe of Companies Risk: The investable universe of companies in which the Fund may invest may be limited. If a company no longer meets the Index Provider’s criteria for inclusion in the Underlying Index, the Fund may need to reduce or eliminate its holdings in that company. The reduction or elimination of the Fund’s holdings in the company may have an adverse impact on the liquidity of the Fund’s overall portfolio holdings and on Fund performance.

Issuer Risk: Fund performance depends on the performance of individual companies in which the Fund invests. Changes to the financial condition of any of those companies may cause the value of their securities to decline.

Market Risk: Turbulence in the financial markets and reduced liquidity may negatively affect issuers, which could have an adverse effect on the Fund. If the securities held by the Fund experience poor liquidity, the Fund may be unable to transact at advantageous times or prices, which may decrease the Fund’s returns. In addition, there is a risk that policy changes by the U.S. Government, Federal Reserve, or other government actors, which could include increasing interest rates, could cause increased volatility in financial markets and lead to higher levels of Fund redemptions, which could have a negative impact on the Fund. Furthermore, local, regional or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issue, recessions, or other events could have a significant impact on the Fund and its investments and trading of its shares. The Fund’s NAV could decline over short periods due to short-term market movements and over longer periods during market downturns.

New Fund Risk: The Fund is a new fund, with no operating history, which may result in additional risks for investors in the Fund. There can be no assurance that the Fund will grow to or maintain an economically viable size, in which case the Board of Trustees may determine to liquidate the Fund. While shareholder interests will be the paramount consideration, the timing of any liquidation may not be favorable to certain individual shareholders. New funds are also subject to Large Shareholder Risk.

Non-Diversification Risk: The Fund is classified as a “non-diversified” investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940 ("1940 Act"). As a result, the Fund is subject to the risk that it may be more volatile than a diversified fund because the Fund may invest its assets in a smaller number of issuers or may invest a larger proportion of its assets in a single issuer. As a result, the gains and losses on a single investment may have a greater impact on the Fund’s NAV and may make the Fund more volatile than more diversified funds.

Operational Risk: The Fund is exposed to operational risk arising from a number of factors, including but not limited to human error, processing and communication errors, errors of the Fund's service providers, counterparties or other third-parties, failed or inadequate processes and technology or systems failures. Additionally, cyber security failures or breaches of the electronic systems of the Fund, the Adviser, and the Fund's other service providers, market makers, Authorized Participants or the issuers of securities in which the Fund invests have the ability to cause disruptions and negatively impact the Fund's business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses to the Fund and its shareholders. The Fund and the Adviser seek to reduce these operational risks through controls and procedures. However, these measures do not address every possible risk and may be inadequate for those risks that they are intended to address.

Passive Investment Risk: The Fund is not actively managed, and the Adviser does not attempt to take defensive positions in declining markets. Unlike many investment companies, the Fund does not seek to outperform its Underlying Index. Therefore, it would not necessarily buy or sell a security unless that security is added or removed, respectively, from the Underlying Index, even if that security generally is underperforming. Maintaining investments in securities regardless of market conditions or the performance of individual securities could cause the Fund’s return to be lower than if the Fund employed an active strategy.

Index-Related Risk: There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve a high degree of correlation to the Underlying Index and therefore achieve its investment objective. Market disruptions and regulatory restrictions could have an adverse effect on the Fund’s ability to adjust its exposure to the required levels in order to track the Underlying Index. Errors in index data, index computations and/or the construction of the Underlying Index in accordance with its methodology may occur from time to time and may not be identified and corrected by the Index Provider for a period of time or at all, which may have an adverse impact on the Fund and its shareholders.

107



Management Risk: The Fund will not fully replicate its Underlying Index and may hold securities not included in its Underlying Index. The Adviser’s investment strategy, the implementation of which is subject to a number of constraints, may cause the Fund to underperform the market or its relevant benchmark or adversely affect the ability of the Fund to achieve its investment objective.

Tracking Error Risk: Tracking error may occur because of differences between the instruments held in the Fund's portfolio and those included in the Underlying Index, pricing differences, transaction costs incurred by the Fund, the Fund's holding of uninvested cash, size of the Fund, differences in timing of the accrual of or the valuation of dividends or interest, tax gains or losses, changes to the Underlying Index or the costs to the Fund of complying with various new or existing regulatory requirements. This risk may be heightened during times of increased market volatility or other unusual market conditions. Tracking error also may result because the Fund incurs fees and expenses, while the Underlying Index does not.

Risks Associated with Exchange-Traded Funds: As an ETF, the Fund is subject to the following risks:

Authorized Participants Concentration Risk: The Fund has a limited number of financial institutions that may act as Authorized Participants and engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund, and none of those Authorized Participants is obligated to engage in creation and/or redemption transactions. To the extent that those Authorized Participants exit the business or are unable to process creation and/or redemption orders, Shares may be more likely to trade at a premium or discount to NAV, and possibly face trading halts and/or delisting from an exchange. Authorized Participants Concentration Risk may be heightened because the Fund invests in non-U.S. securities.

Large Shareholder Risk: Redemptions by large shareholders could have a significant negative impact on the Fund. If a large shareholder were to redeem all, or a large portion, of its Shares, there is no guarantee that the Fund will be able to maintain sufficient assets to continue operations in which case the Board of Trustees may determine to liquidate the Fund. In addition, transactions by large shareholders may account for a large percentage of the trading volume on a national securities exchange and may, therefore, have a material upward or downward effect on the market price of the Shares.

Listing Standards Risk: Under continuous listing standards adopted by the Fund’s listing exchange, the Fund will be required to confirm on an ongoing basis that the components of the Underlying Index satisfy the applicable listing requirements. In the event that the Underlying Index does not comply with the applicable listing requirements, the Fund would be required to rectify such non-compliance by requesting that the Index Provider modify the Underlying Index, adopting a new underlying index, or obtaining relief from the SEC. Failure to rectify such non-compliance may result in the Fund being delisted by the listing exchange. In addition, the Fund may face the risk of being delisted if the Fund does not meet certain conditions of the listing exchange. Any resulting liquidation of the Fund could cause the Fund to incur elevated transaction costs and could result in negative tax consequences for its shareholders.

Market Trading Risks and Premium/Discount Risks: Shares of the Fund are publicly traded on a national securities exchange, which may subject shareholders to numerous market trading risks. Disruptions to creations and redemptions, the existence of extreme market volatility or potential lack of assets in the Fund or an active trading market for Shares may result in Shares trading at a significant premium or discount to NAV. If a shareholder purchases Shares at a time when the market price is at a premium to the NAV or sells Shares at a time when the market price is at a discount to the NAV, the shareholder may sustain losses.

Securities Lending Risk: Securities lending involves a risk of loss because the borrower may fail to return the securities in a timely manner or at all. If the Fund is not able to recover the securities loaned, it may sell the collateral and purchase a replacement security in the market. Lending securities entails a risk of loss to the Fund if and to the extent that the market value of the loaned securities increases and the collateral is not increased accordingly. Additionally, the Fund will bear any loss on the investment of cash collateral it receives. These events could also trigger adverse tax consequences for the Fund. As securities on loan may not be voted by the Fund, there is a risk that the Fund may not be able to recall the securities in sufficient time to vote on material proxy matters.

Trading Halt Risk: An exchange or market may close or issue trading halts on specific securities, or the ability to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments may be restricted, which may result in the Fund being unable to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments. In such circumstances, the Fund may be unable to rebalance its portfolio, may be unable to accurately price its investments and/or may incur substantial trading losses.


108


Valuation Risk: The sales price the Fund could receive for a security may differ from the Fund’s valuation of the security and may differ from the value used by the Underlying Index, particularly for securities that trade in low value or volatile markets or that are valued using a fair value methodology (such as during trading halts). The value of the securities in the Fund's portfolio may change on days when shareholders will not be able to purchase or sell the Fund's Shares.

PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

The Fund does not have a full calendar year of performance. Once the Fund has completed a full calendar year of operations, a bar chart and table will be included that will provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing the variability of the Fund's returns and comparing the Fund's performance to the Underlying Index. The Fund's performance is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future.

FUND MANAGEMENT

Investment Adviser: Global X Management Company LLC.

Portfolio Managers: The professionals primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund are Chang Kim, CFA; Nam To, CFA; Wayne Xie and Kimberly Chan (“Portfolio Managers”). Kim, To, Xie and Chan have been Portfolio Managers of the Fund since the Fund's inception.

PURCHASE AND SALE OF FUND SHARES
 
Shares of the Fund are listed and traded at market prices on a national securities exchange. Shares may only be purchased and sold on the exchange through a broker-dealer. The price of Shares is based on market price, and because ETF shares trade at market prices rather than at NAV, Shares may trade at a price greater than NAV (a premium) or less than NAV (a discount). Only “Authorized Participants” (as defined in the SAI) who have entered into agreements with the Fund's distributor, SEI Investments Distribution Co. ("Distributor"), may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. The Fund will only issue or redeem Shares that have been aggregated into blocks of 50,000 Shares or multiples thereof ("Creation Units"). The Fund will issue or redeem Creation Units in return for a basket of cash and/or securities that the Fund specifies any day that the national securities exchanges are open for business ("Business Day").
 
TAX INFORMATION
 
The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxable to you as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-advantaged arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account ("IRA"), in which case distributions from such tax-advantaged arrangement may be taxable to you.
 
PAYMENTS TO BROKER-DEALERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES
 
The Adviser and its related companies may pay broker-dealers or other financial intermediaries (such as a bank) for the sale of Fund Shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing your broker-dealer, sales persons or other intermediary or its employees or associated persons to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your financial adviser or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.

109


Global X U.S. Infrastructure Development ETF

Ticker: PAVE Exchange: Cboe BZX

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE

The Global X U.S. Infrastructure Development ETF ("Fund") seeks to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the Indxx U.S. Infrastructure Development Index ("Underlying Index").

FEES AND EXPENSES

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares ("Shares") of the Fund. You will also incur usual and customary brokerage commissions when buying and selling Shares.

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

Management Fees:
0.47%
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees:
None
Other Expenses:
0.00%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses:
0.47%

Example: The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. This example does not take into account customary brokerage commissions that you pay when purchasing or selling Shares of the Fund in the secondary market. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell all of your Shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:

One Year
Three Years
Five Years
Ten Years
$48
$151
$263
$591

Portfolio Turnover: The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund's performance. For the most recent fiscal period, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 9.18% of the average value of its portfolio.

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

The Fund invests at least 80% of its total assets in the securities of the Underlying Index. The Fund's 80% investment policy is non-fundamental and requires 60 days prior written notice to shareholders before it can be changed. The Fund may lend securities representing up to one-third of the value of the Fund’s total assets (including the value of the collateral received).

The Underlying Index is designed to measure the performance of U.S. listed companies that provide exposure to domestic infrastructure development, including companies involved in construction and engineering; production of infrastructure raw materials, composites and products; industrial transportation; and producers/distributors of heavy construction equipment (collectively, "U.S. Infrastructure Development Companies"), as defined by Indxx, LLC, the provider of the Underlying Index ("Index Provider").

The eligible universe of the Underlying Index includes the most liquid and investable companies in accordance with the standard market capitalization and liquidity criteria associated with developed markets, as defined by the Index Provider. As of January 31, 2020, companies must have a minimum market capitalization of $300 million and a minimum average daily turnover for the last 6 months greater than or equal to $1 million in order to be eligible for inclusion in the Underlying Index. The Underlying Index only includes companies listed in the United States.


110


From the eligible universe, the Index Provider identifies U.S. Infrastructure Development Companies by applying a proprietary analysis that consists of two primary components: theme identification and company analysis. As part of the theme identification process, the Index Provider analyzes industry reports, investment research and spending trends related to infrastructure development in order to establish the themes that are expected to provide the most exposure to increased investment in U.S. infrastructure. As of January 31, 2020, the Index Provider has identified the following four U.S. infrastructure development themes: (1) Construction and Engineering Services, (2) Raw Materials and Composites, (3) Products and Equipment, (4) Industrial Transportation (collectively, "U.S. Infrastructure Development Themes").

In the second step of the process, companies are analyzed based on two primary criteria: revenue exposure and primary business operations. A company is eligible for inclusion in the Underlying Index if (i) it derives a significant portion of its revenue from the U.S. Infrastructure Development Themes, or (ii) it has stated its primary business to be in products and services focused on the U.S. Infrastructure Development Themes, as determined by the Index Provider. Furthermore, only companies that generate greater than 50% of revenues from the United States as of the index selection date, as determined by the Index Provider, are eligible for inclusion in the Underlying Index. Accordingly, the Fund assets will be concentrated (that is, it will hold 25% or more of its total assets) in companies that provide exposure to U.S. infrastructure development.

The Underlying Index is weighted according to a modified capitalization weighting methodology and is reconstituted and rebalanced annually. At the annual rebalance, a capping methodology is applied to reduce concentration in individual securities and increase diversification of the Underlying Index. The Underlying Index may include large-, mid- or small-capitalization companies, and components primarily include industrials and materials companies. The Fund's investment objective and Underlying Index may be changed without shareholder approval.

The Underlying Index is sponsored by the Index Provider, which is an organization that is independent of the Fund and Global X Management Company LLC, the investment adviser for the Fund ("Adviser"). The Index Provider determines the relative weightings of the securities in the Underlying Index and publishes information regarding the market value of the Underlying Index.

The Adviser uses a "passive" or indexing approach to try to achieve the Fund's investment objective. Unlike many investment companies, the Fund does not try to outperform the Underlying Index and does not seek temporary defensive positions when markets decline or appear overvalued.

The Fund generally will use a replication strategy. A replication strategy is an indexing strategy that involves investing in the securities of the Underlying Index in approximately the same proportions as in the Underlying Index. However, the Fund may utilize a representative sampling strategy with respect to the Underlying Index when a replication strategy might be detrimental or disadvantageous to shareholders, such as when there are practical difficulties or substantial costs involved in compiling a portfolio of equity securities to replicate the Underlying Index, in instances in which a security in the Underlying Index becomes temporarily illiquid, unavailable or less liquid, or as a result of legal restrictions or limitations (such as tax diversification requirements) that apply to the Fund but not the Underlying Index.

The Adviser expects that, over time, the correlation between the Fund's performance and that of the Underlying Index, before fees and expenses, will exceed 95%. A correlation percentage of 100% would indicate perfect correlation. If the Fund uses a replication strategy, it can be expected to have greater correlation to the Underlying Index than if it uses a representative sampling strategy.

The Fund concentrates its investments (i.e., holds 25% or more of its total assets) in a particular industry or group of industries to approximately the same extent that the Underlying Index is concentrated. As of January 31, 2020, the Underlying Index had significant exposure to the industrials and materials sectors.

SUMMARY OF PRINCIPAL RISKS

As with any investment, you could lose all or part of your investment in the Fund, and the Fund’s performance could trail that of other investments. There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. The Fund is subject to the principal risks noted below, any of which may adversely affect the Fund’s net asset value (“NAV”), trading price, yield, total return and ability to meet its investment objective, as well as other risks that are described in greater detail in the Additional Information About the Funds section of this Prospectus and in the Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”). The order of the below risk factors does not indicate the significance of any particular risk factor.

Asset Class Risk: Securities and other assets in the Underlying Index or otherwise held in the Fund's portfolio may underperform in comparison to the general securities markets, a particular securities market or other asset classes.


111


Equity Securities Risk: Equity securities are subject to changes in value, and their values may be more volatile than other asset classes, as a result of such factors as a company’s business performance, investor perceptions, stock market trends and general economic conditions.

Associated Risks Related to Investing in Infrastructure Development Companies: The Fund invests in infrastructure development companies, including companies involved in construction, engineering, production of raw materials, production and distribution of heavy construction equipment and industrial transportation.  General risks of infrastructure development companies include the general state of the economy, intense competition, consolidation, domestic and international politics, and excess capacity.  In addition, infrastructure development companies may also be significantly affected by overall capital spending levels (including both private and public sector spending), economic cycles, technical obsolescence, delays in modernization, labor relations and government regulations.  Some infrastructure development companies may rely heavily on local, state or national government contracts, and are therefore subject to higher degrees of political risk and could be negatively impacted by changes in government policies or a deterioration in government balance sheets in the future. The customers and/or suppliers of infrastructure development companies may be concentrated in a particular country, region or industry. Any adverse event affecting one of these countries, regions or industries could have a negative impact on infrastructure development companies. Through its portfolio companies’ customers and suppliers, the Fund is specifically exposed to Asian Economic Risk and North American Economic Risk.

Capitalization Risk: Investing in issuers within the same market capitalization category carries the risk that the category may be out of favor due to current market conditions or investor sentiment.

Large-Capitalization Companies Risk: Large-capitalization companies may trail the returns of the overall stock market. Large-capitalization stocks tend to go through cycles of doing better - or worse - than the stock market in general. These periods have, in the past, lasted for as long as several years.

Mid-Capitalization Companies Risk: Mid-capitalization companies may have greater price volatility, lower trading volume and less liquidity than large-capitalization companies. In addition, mid-capitalization companies may have smaller revenues, narrower product lines, less management depth and experience, smaller shares of their product or service markets, fewer financial resources and less competitive strength than large-capitalization companies.

Small-Capitalization Companies Risk: Compared to mid- and large-capitalization companies, small-capitalization companies may be less stable and more susceptible to adverse developments, and their securities may be more volatile and less liquid.

Concentration Risk: To the extent that the Underlying Index concentrates in investments related to a particular industry or group of industries, the Fund will also concentrate its investments to approximately the same extent. Similarly, if the Underlying Index has significant exposure to one or more sectors, the Fund’s investments will likely have significant exposure to such sectors. In such event, the Fund’s performance will be particularly susceptible to adverse events impacting such industry or sector, which may include, but are not limited to, the following: general economic conditions or cyclical market patterns that could negatively affect supply and demand; competition for resources; adverse labor relations; political or world events; obsolescence of technologies; and increased competition or new product introductions that may affect the profitability or viability of companies in a particular industry or sector. As a result, the value of the Fund’s investments may rise and fall more than the value of shares of a fund that invests in securities of companies in a broader range of industries or sectors.

Risks Related to Investing in the Industrials Sector: Companies in the industrials sector are subject to fluctuations in supply and demand for their specific product or service. The products of manufacturing companies may face product obsolescence due to rapid technological developments. Government regulation, world events and economic conditions affect the performance of companies in the industrials sector. Companies also may be adversely affected by environmental damage and product liability claims. Companies in the Industrial Sector face increased risk from trade agreements between countries that develop these technologies and countries in which customers of these technologies are based. Lack of resolution or potential imposition of trade tariffs may hinder on the companies’ ability to successfully deploy their inventories.

Risks Related to Investing in the Materials Sector: Companies in the materials sector are affected by commodity price volatility, exchange rates, import controls and worldwide competition. At times, worldwide production of industrial materials has exceeded demand, leading to poor investment returns or outright losses. Issuers in the materials sector are at risk of depletion of resources, technological progress, labor relations, governmental regulations and environmental damage and product liability claims.


112


Geographic Risk: A natural, biological or other disaster could occur in a geographic region in which the Fund invests, which could affect the economy or particular business operations of companies in the specific geographic region, causing an adverse impact on the Fund’s investments in the affected region or in a region economically tied to the affected region. The securities in which the Fund invests and, consequently, the Fund are also subject to specific risks as a result of their business operations, including, but not limited to:

Risk of Investing in Developed Markets: The Fund’s investment in a developed country issuer may subject the Fund to regulatory, political, currency, security, economic and other risks associated with developed countries. Developed countries tend to represent a significant portion of the global economy and have generally experienced slower economic growth than some less developed countries. Certain developed countries have experienced security concerns, such as terrorism and strained international relations. Incidents involving a country’s or region’s security may cause uncertainty in its markets and may adversely affect its economy and the Fund’s investments. In addition, developed countries may be impacted by changes to the economic conditions of certain key trading partners, regulatory burdens, debt burdens and the price or availability of certain commodities.

Risk of Investing in the United States: A decrease in imports or exports, changes in trade regulations and/or an economic recession in the U.S. may have a material adverse effect on the U.S. economy.

Issuer Risk: Fund performance depends on the performance of individual companies in which the Fund invests. Changes to the financial condition of any of those companies may cause the value of their securities to decline.

Market Risk: Turbulence in the financial markets and reduced liquidity may negatively affect issuers, which could have an adverse effect on the Fund. If the securities held by the Fund experience poor liquidity, the Fund may be unable to transact at advantageous times or prices, which may decrease the Fund’s returns. In addition, there is a risk that policy changes by the U.S. Government, Federal Reserve, or other government actors, which could include increasing interest rates, could cause increased volatility in financial markets and lead to higher levels of Fund redemptions, which could have a negative impact on the Fund. Furthermore, local, regional or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issue, recessions, or other events could have a significant impact on the Fund and its investments and trading of its shares. The Fund’s NAV could decline over short periods due to short-term market movements and over longer periods during market downturns.

Operational Risk: The Fund is exposed to operational risk arising from a number of factors, including but not limited to human error, processing and communication errors, errors of the Fund's service providers, counterparties or other third-parties, failed or inadequate processes and technology or systems failures. Additionally, cyber security failures or breaches of the electronic systems of the Fund, the Adviser, and the Fund's other service providers, market makers, Authorized Participants or the issuers of securities in which the Fund invests have the ability to cause disruptions and negatively impact the Fund's business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses to the Fund and its shareholders. The Fund and the Adviser seek to reduce these operational risks through controls and procedures. However, these measures do not address every possible risk and may be inadequate for those risks that they are intended to address.

Passive Investment Risk: The Fund is not actively managed, and the Adviser does not attempt to take defensive positions in declining markets. Unlike many investment companies, the Fund does not seek to outperform its Underlying Index. Therefore, it would not necessarily buy or sell a security unless that security is added or removed, respectively, from the Underlying Index, even if that security generally is underperforming. Maintaining investments in securities regardless of market conditions or the performance of individual securities could cause the Fund’s return to be lower than if the Fund employed an active strategy.

Index-Related Risk: There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve a high degree of correlation to the Underlying Index and therefore achieve its investment objective. Market disruptions and regulatory restrictions could have an adverse effect on the Fund’s ability to adjust its exposure to the required levels in order to track the Underlying Index. Errors in index data, index computations and/or the construction of the Underlying Index in accordance with its methodology may occur from time to time and may not be identified and corrected by the Index Provider for a period of time or at all, which may have an adverse impact on the Fund and its shareholders.

Management Risk: The Fund will not fully replicate its Underlying Index and may hold securities not included in its Underlying Index. The Adviser’s investment strategy, the implementation of which is subject to a number of constraints, may cause the Fund to underperform the market or its relevant benchmark or adversely affect the ability of the Fund to achieve its investment objective.

Tracking Error Risk: Tracking error may occur because of differences between the instruments held in the Fund's portfolio and those included in the Underlying Index, pricing differences, transaction costs incurred by the Fund, the Fund's holding of uninvested cash, size of the Fund, differences in timing of the accrual of or the valuation of dividends or interest, tax gains or losses, changes to the Underlying Index or the costs to the Fund of complying with various new

113


or existing regulatory requirements. This risk may be heightened during times of increased market volatility or other unusual market conditions. Tracking error also may result because the Fund incurs fees and expenses, while the Underlying Index does not.

Risks Associated with Exchange-Traded Funds: As an ETF, the Fund is subject to the following risks:

Authorized Participants Concentration Risk: The Fund has a limited number of financial institutions that may act as Authorized Participants and engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund, and none of those Authorized Participants is obligated to engage in creation and/or redemption transactions. To the extent that those Authorized Participants exit the business or are unable to process creation and/or redemption orders, Shares may be more likely to trade at a premium or discount to NAV, and possibly face trading halts and/or delisting from an exchange.

Large Shareholder Risk: Redemptions by large shareholders could have a significant negative impact on the Fund. If a large shareholder were to redeem all, or a large portion, of its Shares, there is no guarantee that the Fund will be able to maintain sufficient assets to continue operations in which case the Board of Trustees may determine to liquidate the Fund. In addition, transactions by large shareholders may account for a large percentage of the trading volume on a national securities exchange and may, therefore, have a material upward or downward effect on the market price of the Shares.

Listing Standards Risk: Under continuous listing standards adopted by the Fund’s listing exchange, the Fund will be required to confirm on an ongoing basis that the components of the Underlying Index satisfy the applicable listing requirements. In the event that the Underlying Index does not comply with the applicable listing requirements, the Fund would be required to rectify such non-compliance by requesting that the Index Provider modify the Underlying Index, adopting a new underlying index, or obtaining relief from the SEC. Failure to rectify such non-compliance may result in the Fund being delisted by the listing exchange. In addition, the Fund may face the risk of being delisted if the Fund does not meet certain conditions of the listing exchange. Any resulting liquidation of the Fund could cause the Fund to incur elevated transaction costs and could result in negative tax consequences for its shareholders.

Market Trading Risks and Premium/Discount Risks: Shares of the Fund are publicly traded on a national securities exchange, which may subject shareholders to numerous market trading risks. Disruptions to creations and redemptions, the existence of extreme market volatility or potential lack of assets in the Fund or an active trading market for Shares may result in Shares trading at a significant premium or discount to NAV. If a shareholder purchases Shares at a time when the market price is at a premium to the NAV or sells Shares at a time when the market price is at a discount to the NAV, the shareholder may sustain losses.

Securities Lending Risk: Securities lending involves a risk of loss because the borrower may fail to return the securities in a timely manner or at all. If the Fund is not able to recover the securities loaned, it may sell the collateral and purchase a replacement security in the market. Lending securities entails a risk of loss to the Fund if and to the extent that the market value of the loaned securities increases and the collateral is not increased accordingly. Additionally, the Fund will bear any loss on the investment of cash collateral it receives. These events could also trigger adverse tax consequences for the Fund. As securities on loan may not be voted by the Fund, there is a risk that the Fund may not be able to recall the securities in sufficient time to vote on material proxy matters.

Trading Halt Risk: An exchange or market may close or issue trading halts on specific securities, or the ability to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments may be restricted, which may result in the Fund being unable to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments. In such circumstances, the Fund may be unable to rebalance its portfolio, may be unable to accurately price its investments and/or may incur substantial trading losses.

Valuation Risk: The sales price the Fund could receive for a security may differ from the Fund’s valuation of the security and may differ from the value used by the Underlying Index, particularly for securities that trade in low value or volatile markets or that are valued using a fair value methodology (such as during trading halts). The value of the securities in the Fund's portfolio may change on days when shareholders will not be able to purchase or sell the Fund's Shares.

PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

The bar chart and table that follow show how the Fund performed on a calendar year basis and provide an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund's performance from year to year and by showing the Fund's average annual total returns for the indicated periods compared with the Fund's benchmark index and a broad measure of market

114


performance. The Fund's past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available online at www.globalxetfs.com.

Annual Total Returns (Years Ended December 31)

  CHART-98F264F6DB6853B585A.JPG

Best Quarter:
03/31/19
16.00%
Worst Quarter:
12/31/18
-20.85%

Average Annual Total Returns (for the Periods Ended December 31, 2019) 
 
Year Ended December 31, 2019
Since Inception (03/06/2017)
Global X U.S. Infrastructure Development ETF:
 
 
·Return before taxes
32.49%
6.91%
·Return after taxes on distributions1
32.27%
6.74%
·Return after taxes on distributions and sale of Fund Shares1
19.38%
5.32%
Indxx U.S. Infrastructure Development Index
(Index returns do not reflect deductions for fees, expenses, or taxes)
33.12%
7.40%
S&P 500 Index
(Index returns do not reflect deductions for fees, expenses, or taxes)
31.49%
13.74%

1     After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual U.S. federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Your actual after-tax returns will depend on your specific tax situation and may differ from those shown above. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold Shares of the Fund through tax-advantaged arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts (IRAs).

FUND MANAGEMENT

Investment Adviser: Global X Management Company LLC.


115


Portfolio Managers: The professionals primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund are Chang Kim, CFA; Nam To, CFA; Wayne Xie and Kimberly Chan (“Portfolio Managers”). Mr. Kim has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since the Fund's inception. Mr. To has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since March 1, 2018. Mr. Xie has been Portfolio Manager of the Fund since March 1, 2019. Ms. Chan has been Portfolio Manager of the Fund since June 10, 2019.

PURCHASE AND SALE OF FUND SHARES
 
Shares of the Fund are listed and traded at market prices on a national securities exchange. Shares may only be purchased and sold on the exchange through a broker-dealer. The price of Shares is based on market price, and because ETF shares trade at market prices rather than at NAV, Shares may trade at a price greater than NAV (a premium) or less than NAV (a discount). Only “Authorized Participants” (as defined in the SAI) who have entered into agreements with the Fund's distributor, SEI Investments Distribution Co. ("Distributor"), may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. The Fund will only issue or redeem Shares that have been aggregated into blocks of 50,000 Shares or multiples thereof ("Creation Units"). The Fund will issue or redeem Creation Units in return for a basket of cash and/or securities that the Fund specifies any day that the national securities exchanges are open for business ("Business Day").
 
TAX INFORMATION
 
The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxable to you as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-advantaged arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account ("IRA"), in which case distributions from such tax-advantaged arrangement may be taxable to you.
 
PAYMENTS TO BROKER-DEALERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES
 
The Adviser and its related companies may pay broker-dealers or other financial intermediaries (such as a bank) for the sale of Fund Shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing your broker-dealer, sales persons or other intermediary or its employees or associated persons to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your financial adviser or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.

116


Global X Conscious Companies ETF

Ticker: KRMA Exchange: NASDAQ

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE

The Global X Conscious Companies ETF ("Fund") seeks to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the Concinnity Conscious Companies Index ("Underlying Index").

FEES AND EXPENSES

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares ("Shares") of the Fund. You will also incur usual and customary brokerage commissions when buying and selling Shares.

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

Management Fees:
0.43%
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees:
None
Other Expenses:
0.00%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses:
0.43%

Example: The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. This example does not take into account customary brokerage commissions that you pay when purchasing or selling Shares of the Fund in the secondary market. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell all of your Shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:

One Year
Three Years
Five Years
Ten Years
$44
$138
$241
$542

Portfolio Turnover: The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund's performance. For the most recent fiscal period, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 34.97% of the average value of its portfolio.

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

The Fund invests at least 80% of its total assets in the securities of the Underlying Index. The Fund's 80% investment policy is non-fundamental and requires 60 days prior written notice to shareholders before it can be changed.

The Underlying Index is designed to provide exposure to companies listed in the U.S. that operate their businesses in a sustainable and responsible manner, as measured by their ability to achieve positive outcomes that are consistent with a multi-stakeholder operating system ("MsOS"), as defined by Concinnity Advisors LP, the provider of the Underlying Index ("Index Provider"). The MsOS is a corporate governance structure that seeks to account for the multiple stakeholders that are critical for the ongoing success of the business, and incorporate the considerations of these stakeholders into the corporate decision-making and problem-solving process. The Index Provider conducts its analysis based on the following five key stakeholder groups: (1) Customers, (2) Employees, (3) Suppliers, (4) Stock and Debt Holders, and (5) Communities in which the companies operate.

The universe of companies eligible for inclusion in the Underlying Index is comprised of companies listed in the United States. with a market capitalization greater than $2 billion. From this initial universe, the Index Provider applies a proprietary, three-step analysis to select companies for the Underlying Index. In the first step, the Index Provider utilizes approximately forty information sources and public rankings to identify and evaluate companies based on their demonstrated ability to achieve positive outcomes across all five stakeholder groups. Positive outcomes vary by stakeholder group, but include metrics that assess areas such as employee productivity, customer loyalty and corporate governance. These information sources are vetted annually by the Index

117


Provider and evaluated based on stakeholder focus, research methodology and third party or in-house analysis of a source's potential as a leading indicator of corporate and/or stock performance. Companies are scored by the Index Provider based on their appearance and performance in these sources and rankings. Of the approximately 1,100 - 1,400 companies that typically make up the eligible universe, approximately 600-700 are generally selected by the Index Provider for further analysis and potential inclusion in the Underlying Index.

In the second step of the research process, the Index Provider uses a composite analysis to apply a deeper evaluation on the remaining companies. The composite analysis is a process that assesses various MsOS criteria by combining ratings data from multiple research entities that specialize in various stakeholder assessment categories. Companies are evaluated through a series of scoring lenses that combine to form a composite score, which is underpinned by several hundred MsOS criteria. Composite analysis MsOS criteria include, but are not limited to: employee engagement, executive integrity, customer relationship quality, labor and human rights, and quality of financial reporting. Various modeling techniques are then used by the Index Provider to combine qualitative and quantitative data into a single score for each company. This score reflects the degree to which a company operates its business using the MsOS approach, as defined by the research process. The approximately 300-350 highest scoring companies ultimately comprise the MsOS investable universe for the purposes of constructing the Underlying Index.

In the final step, the Index Provider applies a screen for consistent achievement to the MsOS investable universe of the approximately 300-350 highest scoring companies. In order to be included in the Underlying Index, a company must have qualified for inclusion in the MsOS investable universe for at least three consecutive years. The Underlying Index is equal-weighted. The Underlying Index may include large- or mid-capitalization companies, and will generally provide exposure to all major sectors. As of January 31, 2020, the Underlying Index had 161 constituents, with no single sector having an allocation greater than 25%. The three largest sectors represented in the Underlying Index as of January 31, 2020, were financials, health care and information technology. The Fund's investment objective and Underlying Index may be changed without shareholder approval.

The Underlying Index is sponsored by the Index Provider, which is an organization that is independent of the Fund and Global X Management Company LLC, the investment adviser for the Fund ("Adviser"). The Index Provider determines the relative weightings of the securities in the Underlying Index and publishes information regarding the market value of the Underlying Index.

The Adviser uses a "passive" or indexing approach to try to achieve the Fund's investment objective. Unlike many investment companies, the Fund does not try to outperform the Underlying Index and does not seek temporary defensive positions when markets decline or appear overvalued.

The Fund generally will use a replication strategy. A replication strategy is an indexing strategy that involves investing in the securities of the Underlying Index in approximately the same proportions as in the Underlying Index. However, the Fund may utilize a representative sampling strategy with respect to the Underlying Index when a replication strategy might be detrimental or disadvantageous to shareholders, such as when there are practical difficulties or substantial costs involved in compiling a portfolio of equity securities to replicate the Underlying Index, in instances in which a security in the Underlying Index becomes temporarily illiquid, unavailable or less liquid, or as a result of legal restrictions or limitations (such as tax diversification requirements) that apply to the Fund but not the Underlying Index.

The Adviser expects that, over time, the correlation between the Fund's performance and that of the Underlying Index, before fees and expenses, will exceed 95%. A correlation percentage of 100% would indicate perfect correlation. If the Fund uses a replication strategy, it can be expected to have greater correlation to the Underlying Index than if it uses a representative sampling strategy.

The Fund concentrates its investments (i.e., holds 25% or more of its total assets) in a particular industry or group of industries to approximately the same extent that the Underlying Index is concentrated. As of January 31, 2020, the Underlying Index was not concentrated in any industry.

SUMMARY OF PRINCIPAL RISKS

As with any investment, you could lose all or part of your investment in the Fund, and the Fund’s performance could trail that of other investments. There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. The Fund is subject to the principal risks noted below, any of which may adversely affect the Fund’s net asset value (“NAV”), trading price, yield, total return and ability to meet its investment objective, as well as other risks that are described in greater detail in the Additional Information About the Funds section of this Prospectus and in the Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”). The order of the below risk factors does not indicate the significance of any particular risk factor.

Asset Class Risk: Securities and other assets in the Underlying Index or otherwise held in the Fund's portfolio may underperform in comparison to the general securities markets, a particular securities market or other asset classes.

118



Equity Securities Risk: Equity securities are subject to changes in value, and their values may be more volatile than other asset classes, as a result of such factors as a company’s business performance, investor perceptions, stock market trends and general economic conditions.

Capitalization Risk: Investing in issuers within the same market capitalization category carries the risk that the category may be out of favor due to current market conditions or investor sentiment.

Large-Capitalization Companies Risk: Large-capitalization companies may trail the returns of the overall stock market. Large-capitalization stocks tend to go through cycles of doing better - or worse - than the stock market in general. These periods have, in the past, lasted for as long as several years.

Concentration Risk: To the extent that the Underlying Index concentrates in investments related to a particular industry or group of industries, the Fund will also concentrate its investments to approximately the same extent. Similarly, if the Underlying Index has significant exposure to one or more sectors, the Fund’s investments will likely have significant exposure to such sectors. In such event, the Fund’s performance will be particularly susceptible to adverse events impacting such industry or sector, which may include, but are not limited to, the following: general economic conditions or cyclical market patterns that could negatively affect supply and demand; competition for resources; adverse labor relations; political or world events; obsolescence of technologies; and increased competition or new product introductions that may affect the profitability or viability of companies in a particular industry or sector. As a result, the value of the Fund’s investments may rise and fall more than the value of shares of a fund that invests in securities of companies in a broader range of industries or sectors.

Geographic Risk: A natural, biological or other disaster could occur in a geographic region in which the Fund invests, which could affect the economy or particular business operations of companies in the specific geographic region, causing an adverse impact on the Fund’s investments in the affected region or in a region economically tied to the affected region. The securities in which the Fund invests and, consequently, the Fund are also subject to specific risks as a result of their business operations, including, but not limited to:

Risk of Investing in Developed Markets: The Fund’s investment in a developed country issuer may subject the Fund to regulatory, political, currency, security, economic and other risks associated with developed countries. Developed countries tend to represent a significant portion of the global economy and have generally experienced slower economic growth than some less developed countries. Certain developed countries have experienced security concerns, such as terrorism and strained international relations. Incidents involving a country’s or region’s security may cause uncertainty in its markets and may adversely affect its economy and the Fund’s investments. In addition, developed countries may be impacted by changes to the economic conditions of certain key trading partners, regulatory burdens, debt burdens and the price or availability of certain commodities.

Risk of Investing in the United States: A decrease in imports or exports, changes in trade regulations and/or an economic recession in the U.S. may have a material adverse effect on the U.S. economy.

Issuer Risk: Fund performance depends on the performance of individual companies in which the Fund invests. Changes to the financial condition of any of those companies may cause the value of their securities to decline.

Market Risk: Turbulence in the financial markets and reduced liquidity may negatively affect issuers, which could have an adverse effect on the Fund. If the securities held by the Fund experience poor liquidity, the Fund may be unable to transact at advantageous times or prices, which may decrease the Fund’s returns. In addition, there is a risk that policy changes by the U.S. Government, Federal Reserve, or other government actors, which could include increasing interest rates, could cause increased volatility in financial markets and lead to higher levels of Fund redemptions, which could have a negative impact on the Fund. Furthermore, local, regional or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issue, recessions, or other events could have a significant impact on the Fund and its investments and trading of its shares. The Fund’s NAV could decline over short periods due to short-term market movements and over longer periods during market downturns.

Operational Risk: The Fund is exposed to operational risk arising from a number of factors, including but not limited to human error, processing and communication errors, errors of the Fund's service providers, counterparties or other third-parties, failed or inadequate processes and technology or systems failures. Additionally, cyber security failures or breaches of the electronic systems of the Fund, the Adviser, and the Fund's other service providers, market makers, Authorized Participants or the issuers of securities in which the Fund invests have the ability to cause disruptions and negatively impact the Fund's business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses to the Fund and its shareholders. The Fund and the Adviser seek to reduce these operational risks through controls and procedures. However, these measures do not address every possible risk and may be inadequate for those risks that they are intended to address.


119


Passive Investment Risk: The Fund is not actively managed, and the Adviser does not attempt to take defensive positions in declining markets. Unlike many investment companies, the Fund does not seek to outperform its Underlying Index. Therefore, it would not necessarily buy or sell a security unless that security is added or removed, respectively, from the Underlying Index, even if that security generally is underperforming. Maintaining investments in securities regardless of market conditions or the performance of individual securities could cause the Fund’s return to be lower than if the Fund employed an active strategy.

Index-Related Risk: There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve a high degree of correlation to the Underlying Index and therefore achieve its investment objective. Market disruptions and regulatory restrictions could have an adverse effect on the Fund’s ability to adjust its exposure to the required levels in order to track the Underlying Index. Errors in index data, index computations and/or the construction of the Underlying Index in accordance with its methodology may occur from time to time and may not be identified and corrected by the Index Provider for a period of time or at all, which may have an adverse impact on the Fund and its shareholders.

Management Risk: The Fund will not fully replicate its Underlying Index and may hold securities not included in its Underlying Index. The Adviser’s investment strategy, the implementation of which is subject to a number of constraints, may cause the Fund to underperform the market or its relevant benchmark or adversely affect the ability of the Fund to achieve its investment objective.

Tracking Error Risk: Tracking error may occur because of differences between the instruments held in the Fund's portfolio and those included in the Underlying Index, pricing differences, transaction costs incurred by the Fund, the Fund's holding of uninvested cash, size of the Fund, differences in timing of the accrual of or the valuation of dividends or interest, tax gains or losses, changes to the Underlying Index or the costs to the Fund of complying with various new or existing regulatory requirements. This risk may be heightened during times of increased market volatility or other unusual market conditions. Tracking error also may result because the Fund incurs fees and expenses, while the Underlying Index does not.

Risks Associated with Exchange-Traded Funds: As an ETF, the Fund is subject to the following risks:

Authorized Participants Concentration Risk: The Fund has a limited number of financial institutions that may act as Authorized Participants and engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund, and none of those Authorized Participants is obligated to engage in creation and/or redemption transactions. To the extent that those Authorized Participants exit the business or are unable to process creation and/or redemption orders, Shares may be more likely to trade at a premium or discount to NAV, and possibly face trading halts and/or delisting from an exchange.

Large Shareholder Risk: Redemptions by large shareholders could have a significant negative impact on the Fund. If a large shareholder were to redeem all, or a large portion, of its Shares, there is no guarantee that the Fund will be able to maintain sufficient assets to continue operations in which case the Board of Trustees may determine to liquidate the Fund. In addition, transactions by large shareholders may account for a large percentage of the trading volume on a national securities exchange and may, therefore, have a material upward or downward effect on the market price of the Shares.

Listing Standards Risk: Under continuous listing standards adopted by the Fund’s listing exchange, the Fund will be required to confirm on an ongoing basis that the components of the Underlying Index satisfy the applicable listing requirements. In the event that the Underlying Index does not comply with the applicable listing requirements, the Fund would be required to rectify such non-compliance by requesting that the Index Provider modify the Underlying Index, adopting a new underlying index, or obtaining relief from the SEC. Failure to rectify such non-compliance may result in the Fund being delisted by the listing exchange. In addition, the Fund may face the risk of being delisted if the Fund does not meet certain conditions of the listing exchange. Any resulting liquidation of the Fund could cause the Fund to incur elevated transaction costs and could result in negative tax consequences for its shareholders.

Market Trading Risks and Premium/Discount Risks: Shares of the Fund are publicly traded on a national securities exchange, which may subject shareholders to numerous market trading risks. Disruptions to creations and redemptions, the existence of extreme market volatility or potential lack of assets in the Fund or an active trading market for Shares may result in Shares trading at a significant premium or discount to NAV. If a shareholder purchases Shares at a time when the market price is at a premium to the NAV or sells Shares at a time when the market price is at a discount to the NAV, the shareholder may sustain losses.


120


Socially Responsible Investment Risk: Certain social responsibility investment criteria limit the types of securities that can be included in the Underlying Index. This could cause the Underlying Index to underperform other benchmark indices, and could cause the Fund to underperform other funds that do not have a social responsibility focus.

Trading Halt Risk: An exchange or market may close or issue trading halts on specific securities, or the ability to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments may be restricted, which may result in the Fund being unable to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments. In such circumstances, the Fund may be unable to rebalance its portfolio, may be unable to accurately price its investments and/or may incur substantial trading losses.

Valuation Risk: The sales price the Fund could receive for a security may differ from the Fund’s valuation of the security and may differ from the value used by the Underlying Index, particularly for securities that trade in low value or volatile markets or that are valued using a fair value methodology (such as during trading halts). The value of the securities in the Fund's portfolio may change on days when shareholders will not be able to purchase or sell the Fund's Shares.
 
PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

The bar chart and table that follow show how the Fund performed on a calendar year basis and provide an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund's performance from year to year and by showing the Fund's average annual total returns for the indicated periods compared with the Fund's benchmark index and a broad measure of market performance. The Fund's past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available online at www.globalxetfs.com.

Annual Total Returns (Years Ended December 31)

  CHART-489858C617AA5A5598F.JPG

Best Quarter:
03/31/19
14.69%
Worst Quarter:
12/31/18
-11.93%


121


Average Annual Total Returns (for the Periods Ended December 31, 2019) 
 
Year Ended December 31, 2019
Since Inception (07/11/2016)
Global X Conscious Companies ETF:
 
 
·Return before taxes
30.33%
15.56%
·Return after taxes on distributions1
29.84%
15.12%
·Return after taxes on distributions and sale of Fund Shares1
18.27%
12.25%
Concinnity Conscious Companies Index
(Index returns do not reflect deductions for fees, expenses, or taxes)
30.92%
16.10%
S&P 500 Index
(Index returns do not reflect deductions for fees, expenses, or taxes)
31.49%
14.91%

1     After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual U.S. federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Your actual after-tax returns will depend on your specific tax situation and may differ from those shown above. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold Shares of the Fund through tax-advantaged arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts (IRAs).

FUND MANAGEMENT

Investment Adviser: Global X Management Company LLC.

Portfolio Managers: The professionals primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund are Chang Kim, CFA; Nam To, CFA; Wayne Xie and Kimberly Chan (“Portfolio Managers”). Mr. Kim has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since the Fund's inception. Mr. To has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since March 1, 2018. Mr. Xie has been Portfolio Manager of the Fund since March 1, 2019. Ms. Chan has been Portfolio Manager of the Fund since June 10, 2019.

PURCHASE AND SALE OF FUND SHARES
 
Shares of the Fund are listed and traded at market prices on a national securities exchange. Shares may only be purchased and sold on the exchange through a broker-dealer. The price of Shares is based on market price, and because ETF shares trade at market prices rather than at NAV, Shares may trade at a price greater than NAV (a premium) or less than NAV (a discount). Only “Authorized Participants” (as defined in the SAI) who have entered into agreements with the Fund's distributor, SEI Investments Distribution Co. ("Distributor"), may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. The Fund will only issue or redeem Shares that have been aggregated into blocks of 50,000 Shares or multiples thereof ("Creation Units"). The Fund will issue or redeem Creation Units in return for a basket of cash and/or securities that the Fund specifies any day that the national securities exchanges are open for business ("Business Day").
 
TAX INFORMATION
 
The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxable to you as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-advantaged arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account ("IRA"), in which case distributions from such tax-advantaged arrangement may be taxable to you.
 
PAYMENTS TO BROKER-DEALERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES
 
The Adviser and its related companies may pay broker-dealers or other financial intermediaries (such as a bank) for the sale of Fund Shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing your broker-dealer, sales persons or other intermediary or its employees or associated persons to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your financial adviser or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.

122


Global X Founder-Run Companies ETF

Ticker: BOSS Exchange: Cboe BZX

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE

The Global X Founder-Run Companies ETF ("Fund") seeks to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the Solactive U.S. Founder-Run Companies Index ("Underlying Index").

FEES AND EXPENSES

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares ("Shares") of the Fund. You will also incur usual and customary brokerage commissions when buying and selling Shares.

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

Management Fees:
0.45%
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees:
None
Other Expenses:
0.00%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses:
0.45%

Example: The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. This example does not take into account customary brokerage commissions that you pay when purchasing or selling Shares of the Fund in the secondary market. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell all of your Shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:

One Year
Three Years
Five Years
Ten Years
$46
$144
$252
$567

Portfolio Turnover: The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund's performance. For the most recent fiscal period, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 33.82% of the average value of its portfolio.

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

The Fund invests at least 80% of its total assets in the securities of the Underlying Index. The Fund's 80% investment policy is non-fundamental and requires 60 days prior written notice to shareholders before it can be changed.

The Underlying Index is designed to provide exposure to U.S. companies in which a founder or co-founder of the company is serving as the Chief Executive Officer of the company (collectively, "Founder-Run Companies"), as defined by Solactive AG, the provider of the Underlying Index ("Index Provider").

The starting universe of companies eligible for inclusion in the Underlying Index is the Solactive U.S. Broad Market Index. From this initial universe, the Index Provider identifies Founder-Run Companies using company-level data and ranks these Founder-Run Companies by market capitalization. Founder-Run Companies are then screened for liquidity to determine eligibility for inclusion in the Underlying Index. As of the respective selection date, new constituents must have a minimum six-month average daily traded value of $5 million to be eligible for inclusion, while existing constituents must have a minimum six-month average daily traded value of $4 million to remain in the Underlying Index. If more than 100 Founder-Run Companies are eligible for inclusion based on the liquidity criteria, the top 100 companies by market capitalization are selected for inclusion in the Underlying Index. If fewer than 100 Founder-Run Companies are eligible for inclusion based on the liquidity criteria, the companies that meet the liquidity criteria will comprise the constituents of the Underlying Index. The Underlying Index also applies a sector

123


capping approach relative to the Solactive U.S. Broad Market Index to ensure that no sector deviates significantly from the sector weights in the Solactive U.S. Broad Market Index. The Underlying Index is equal-weighted and rebalanced annually.

The Underlying Index may include large- or mid-capitalization companies. As of January 31, 2020, the Underlying Index had 98 constituents. The three largest sectors represented in the Underlying Index as of January 31, 2020, were Energy, Consumer Staples and Industrials. The Fund's investment objective and Underlying Index may be changed without shareholder approval.

The Underlying Index is sponsored by the Index Provider, which is an organization that is independent of the Fund and Global X Management Company LLC, the investment adviser for the Fund ("Adviser"). The Index Provider determines the relative weightings of the securities in the Underlying Index and publishes information regarding the market value of the Underlying Index.

The Adviser uses a "passive" or indexing approach to try to achieve the Fund's investment objective. Unlike many investment companies, the Fund does not try to outperform the Underlying Index and does not seek temporary defensive positions when markets decline or appear overvalued.

The Fund generally will use a replication strategy. A replication strategy is an indexing strategy that involves investing in the securities of the Underlying Index in approximately the same proportions as in the Underlying Index. However, the Fund may utilize a representative sampling strategy with respect to the Underlying Index when a replication strategy might be detrimental or disadvantageous to shareholders, such as when there are practical difficulties or substantial costs involved in compiling a portfolio of equity securities to replicate the Underlying Index, in instances in which a security in the Underlying Index becomes temporarily illiquid, unavailable or less liquid, or as a result of legal restrictions or limitations (such as tax diversification requirements) that apply to the Fund but not the Underlying Index.

The Adviser expects that, over time, the correlation between the Fund's performance and that of the Underlying Index, before fees and expenses, will exceed 95%. A correlation percentage of 100% would indicate perfect correlation. If the Fund uses a replication strategy, it can be expected to have greater correlation to the Underlying Index than if it uses a representative sampling strategy.

The Fund concentrates its investments (i.e., holds 25% or more of its total assets) in a particular industry or group of industries to approximately the same extent that the Underlying Index is concentrated. As of January 31, 2020, the Underlying Index had significant exposure to the information technology sector.

SUMMARY OF PRINCIPAL RISKS

As with any investment, you could lose all or part of your investment in the Fund, and the Fund’s performance could trail that of other investments. There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. The Fund is subject to the principal risks noted below, any of which may adversely affect the Fund’s net asset value (“NAV”), trading price, yield, total return and ability to meet its investment objective, as well as other risks that are described in greater detail in the Additional Information About the Funds section of this Prospectus and in the Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”). The order of the below risk factors does not indicate the significance of any particular risk factor.

Asset Class Risk: Securities and other assets in the Underlying Index or otherwise held in the Fund's portfolio may underperform in comparison to the general securities markets, a particular securities market or other asset classes.

Equity Securities Risk: Equity securities are subject to changes in value, and their values may be more volatile than other asset classes, as a result of such factors as a company’s business performance, investor perceptions, stock market trends and general economic conditions.

Capitalization Risk: Investing in issuers within the same market capitalization category carries the risk that the category may be out of favor due to current market conditions or investor sentiment.

Large-Capitalization Companies Risk: Large-capitalization companies may trail the returns of the overall stock market. Large-capitalization stocks tend to go through cycles of doing better - or worse - than the stock market in general. These periods have, in the past, lasted for as long as several years.

Mid-Capitalization Companies Risk: Mid-capitalization companies may have greater price volatility, lower trading volume and less liquidity than large-capitalization companies. In addition, mid-capitalization companies may have smaller revenues, narrower product lines, less management depth and experience, smaller shares of their product or service markets, fewer financial resources and less competitive strength than large-capitalization companies.


124


Concentration Risk: To the extent that the Underlying Index concentrates in investments related to a particular industry or group of industries, the Fund will also concentrate its investments to approximately the same extent. Similarly, if the Underlying Index has significant exposure to one or more sectors, the Fund’s investments will likely have significant exposure to such sectors. In such event, the Fund’s performance will be particularly susceptible to adverse events impacting such industry or sector, which may include, but are not limited to, the following: general economic conditions or cyclical market patterns that could negatively affect supply and demand; competition for resources; adverse labor relations; political or world events; obsolescence of technologies; and increased competition or new product introductions that may affect the profitability or viability of companies in a particular industry or sector. As a result, the value of the Fund’s investments may rise and fall more than the value of shares of a fund that invests in securities of companies in a broader range of industries or sectors.

Risks Related to Investing in the Information Technology Sector: Companies in the information technology sector are subject to rapid changes in technology product cycles; rapid product obsolescence; government regulation; and increased competition, both domestically and internationally, including competition from foreign competitors with lower production costs. Information technology companies and companies that rely heavily on technology tend to be more volatile than the overall market and also are heavily dependent on patent and intellectual property rights. In addition, information technology companies may have limited product lines, markets, financial resources or personnel.

Geographic Risk: A natural, biological or other disaster could occur in a geographic region in which the Fund invests, which could affect the economy or particular business operations of companies in the specific geographic region, causing an adverse impact on the Fund’s investments in the affected region or in a region economically tied to the affected region. The securities in which the Fund invests and, consequently, the Fund are also subject to specific risks as a result of their business operations, including, but not limited to:

Risk of Investing in Developed Markets: The Fund’s investment in a developed country issuer may subject the Fund to regulatory, political, currency, security, economic and other risks associated with developed countries. Developed countries tend to represent a significant portion of the global economy and have generally experienced slower economic growth than some less developed countries. Certain developed countries have experienced security concerns, such as terrorism and strained international relations. Incidents involving a country’s or region’s security may cause uncertainty in its markets and may adversely affect its economy and the Fund’s investments. In addition, developed countries may be impacted by changes to the economic conditions of certain key trading partners, regulatory burdens, debt burdens and the price or availability of certain commodities.

Risk of Investing in the United States: A decrease in imports or exports, changes in trade regulations and/or an economic recession in the U.S. may have a material adverse effect on the U.S. economy.

Issuer Risk: Fund performance depends on the performance of individual companies in which the Fund invests. Changes to the financial condition of any of those companies may cause the value of their securities to decline.

Market Risk: Turbulence in the financial markets and reduced liquidity may negatively affect issuers, which could have an adverse effect on the Fund. If the securities held by the Fund experience poor liquidity, the Fund may be unable to transact at advantageous times or prices, which may decrease the Fund’s returns. In addition, there is a risk that policy changes by the U.S. Government, Federal Reserve, or other government actors, which could include increasing interest rates, could cause increased volatility in financial markets and lead to higher levels of Fund redemptions, which could have a negative impact on the Fund. Furthermore, local, regional or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issue, recessions, or other events could have a significant impact on the Fund and its investments and trading of its shares. The Fund’s NAV could decline over short periods due to short-term market movements and over longer periods during market downturns.

Non-Diversification Risk: The Fund is classified as a “non-diversified” investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940 ("1940 Act"). As a result, the Fund is subject to the risk that it may be more volatile than a diversified fund because the Fund may invest its assets in a smaller number of issuers or may invest a larger proportion of its assets in a single issuer. As a result, the gains and losses on a single investment may have a greater impact on the Fund’s NAV and may make the Fund more volatile than more diversified funds.

Operational Risk: The Fund is exposed to operational risk arising from a number of factors, including but not limited to human error, processing and communication errors, errors of the Fund's service providers, counterparties or other third-parties, failed or inadequate processes and technology or systems failures. Additionally, cyber security failures or breaches of the electronic systems of the Fund, the Adviser, and the Fund's other service providers, market makers, Authorized Participants or the issuers of securities in which the Fund invests have the ability to cause disruptions and negatively impact the Fund's business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses to the Fund and its shareholders. The Fund and the Adviser seek to reduce these operational risks through controls and procedures. However, these measures do not address every possible risk and may be inadequate for those risks that they are intended to address.

125



Passive Investment Risk: The Fund is not actively managed, and the Adviser does not attempt to take defensive positions in declining markets. Unlike many investment companies, the Fund does not seek to outperform its Underlying Index. Therefore, it would not necessarily buy or sell a security unless that security is added or removed, respectively, from the Underlying Index, even if that security generally is underperforming. Maintaining investments in securities regardless of market conditions or the performance of individual securities could cause the Fund’s return to be lower than if the Fund employed an active strategy.

Index-Related Risk: There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve a high degree of correlation to the Underlying Index and therefore achieve its investment objective. Market disruptions and regulatory restrictions could have an adverse effect on the Fund’s ability to adjust its exposure to the required levels in order to track the Underlying Index. Errors in index data, index computations and/or the construction of the Underlying Index in accordance with its methodology may occur from time to time and may not be identified and corrected by the Index Provider for a period of time or at all, which may have an adverse impact on the Fund and its shareholders.

Management Risk: The Fund will not fully replicate its Underlying Index and may hold securities not included in its Underlying Index. The Adviser’s investment strategy, the implementation of which is subject to a number of constraints, may cause the Fund to underperform the market or its relevant benchmark or adversely affect the ability of the Fund to achieve its investment objective.

Tracking Error Risk: Tracking error may occur because of differences between the instruments held in the Fund's portfolio and those included in the Underlying Index, pricing differences, transaction costs incurred by the Fund, the Fund's holding of uninvested cash, size of the Fund, differences in timing of the accrual of or the valuation of dividends or interest, tax gains or losses, changes to the Underlying Index or the costs to the Fund of complying with various new or existing regulatory requirements. This risk may be heightened during times of increased market volatility or other unusual market conditions. Tracking error also may result because the Fund incurs fees and expenses, while the Underlying Index does not.

Risks Associated with Exchange-Traded Funds: As an ETF, the Fund is subject to the following risks:

Authorized Participants Concentration Risk: The Fund has a limited number of financial institutions that may act as Authorized Participants and engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund, and none of those Authorized Participants is obligated to engage in creation and/or redemption transactions. To the extent that those Authorized Participants exit the business or are unable to process creation and/or redemption orders, Shares may be more likely to trade at a premium or discount to NAV, and possibly face trading halts and/or delisting from an exchange.

Large Shareholder Risk: Redemptions by large shareholders could have a significant negative impact on the Fund. If a large shareholder were to redeem all, or a large portion, of its Shares, there is no guarantee that the Fund will be able to maintain sufficient assets to continue operations in which case the Board of Trustees may determine to liquidate the Fund. In addition, transactions by large shareholders may account for a large percentage of the trading volume on a national securities exchange and may, therefore, have a material upward or downward effect on the market price of the Shares.

Listing Standards Risk: Under continuous listing standards adopted by the Fund’s listing exchange, the Fund will be required to confirm on an ongoing basis that the components of the Underlying Index satisfy the applicable listing requirements. In the event that the Underlying Index does not comply with the applicable listing requirements, the Fund would be required to rectify such non-compliance by requesting that the Index Provider modify the Underlying Index, adopting a new underlying index, or obtaining relief from the SEC. Failure to rectify such non-compliance may result in the Fund being delisted by the listing exchange. In addition, the Fund may face the risk of being delisted if the Fund does not meet certain conditions of the listing exchange. Any resulting liquidation of the Fund could cause the Fund to incur elevated transaction costs and could result in negative tax consequences for its shareholders.

Market Trading Risks and Premium/Discount Risks: Shares of the Fund are publicly traded on a national securities exchange, which may subject shareholders to numerous market trading risks. Disruptions to creations and redemptions, the existence of extreme market volatility or potential lack of assets in the Fund or an active trading market for Shares may result in Shares trading at a significant premium or discount to NAV. If a shareholder purchases Shares at a time when the market price is at a premium to the NAV or sells Shares at a time when the market price is at a discount to the NAV, the shareholder may sustain losses.


126


Trading Halt Risk: An exchange or market may close or issue trading halts on specific securities, or the ability to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments may be restricted, which may result in the Fund being unable to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments. In such circumstances, the Fund may be unable to rebalance its portfolio, may be unable to accurately price its investments and/or may incur substantial trading losses.

Valuation Risk: The sales price the Fund could receive for a security may differ from the Fund’s valuation of the security and may differ from the value used by the Underlying Index, particularly for securities that trade in low value or volatile markets or that are valued using a fair value methodology (such as during trading halts). The value of the securities in the Fund's portfolio may change on days when shareholders will not be able to purchase or sell the Fund's Shares.

PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

The bar chart and table that follow show how the Fund performed on a calendar year basis and provide an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund's performance from year to year and by showing the Fund's average annual total returns for the indicated periods compared with the Fund's benchmark index and a broad measure of market performance. The Fund's past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available online at www.globalxetfs.com.

Annual Total Returns (Years Ended December 31)

  CHART-FB7951AD458356E6974.JPG

Best Quarter:
03/31/19
21.18%
Worst Quarter:
12/31/18
-19.18%


127


Average Annual Total Returns (for the Periods Ended December 31, 2019) 
 
Year Ended December 31, 2019
Since Inception (02/13/2017)
Global X Founder-Run Companies ETF:
 
 
·Return before taxes
25.08%
12.62%
·Return after taxes on distributions1
24.90%
12.06%
·Return after taxes on distributions and sale of Fund Shares1
14.94%
9.60%
Solactive U.S. Founder-Run Companies Index
(Index returns do not reflect deductions for fees, expenses, or taxes)
25.73%
13.30%
S&P 500 Index
(Index returns do not reflect deductions for fees, expenses, or taxes)
31.49%
14.30%

1     After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual U.S. federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Your actual after-tax returns will depend on your specific tax situation and may differ from those shown above. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold Shares of the Fund through tax-advantaged arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts (IRAs).

FUND MANAGEMENT

Investment Adviser: Global X Management Company LLC.

Portfolio Managers: The professionals primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund are Chang Kim, CFA; Nam To, CFA; Wayne Xie and Kimberly Chan (“Portfolio Managers”). Mr. Kim has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since the Fund's inception. Mr. To has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since March 1, 2018. Mr. Xie has been Portfolio Manager of the Fund since March 1, 2019. Ms. Chan has been Portfolio Manager of the Fund since June 10, 2019.

PURCHASE AND SALE OF FUND SHARES
 
Shares of the Fund are listed and traded at market prices on a national securities exchange. Shares may only be purchased and sold on the exchange through a broker-dealer. The price of Shares is based on market price, and because ETF shares trade at market prices rather than at NAV, Shares may trade at a price greater than NAV (a premium) or less than NAV (a discount). Only “Authorized Participants” (as defined in the SAI) who have entered into agreements with the Fund's distributor, SEI Investments Distribution Co. ("Distributor"), may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. The Fund will only issue or redeem Shares that have been aggregated into blocks of 50,000 Shares or multiples thereof ("Creation Units"). The Fund will issue or redeem Creation Units in return for a basket of cash and/or securities that the Fund specifies any day that the national securities exchanges are open for business ("Business Day").
 
TAX INFORMATION
 
The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxable to you as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-advantaged arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account ("IRA"), in which case distributions from such tax-advantaged arrangement may be taxable to you.
 
PAYMENTS TO BROKER-DEALERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES
 
The Adviser and its related companies may pay broker-dealers or other financial intermediaries (such as a bank) for the sale of Fund Shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing your broker-dealer, sales persons or other intermediary or its employees or associated persons to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your financial adviser or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.

128


Global X Thematic Growth ETF

Ticker: GXTG Exchange: NASDAQ

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE

The Global X Thematic Growth ETF ("Fund") seeks to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the Solactive Thematic Growth Index ("Underlying Index").

FEES AND EXPENSES

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares ("Shares") of the Fund. You will also incur usual and customary brokerage commissions when buying and selling Shares.

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

Management Fees:
0.50%
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees:
None
Other Expenses:1
0.00%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses:
0.50%

1    "Other Expenses" are based on estimated amounts for the current fiscal year.

Example: The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. This example does not take into account customary brokerage commissions that you pay when purchasing or selling Shares of the Fund in the secondary market. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell all of your Shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:

One Year
Three Years
$51
$160

Portfolio Turnover: The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund's performance. From the Fund's commencement of operations on October 25, 2019 to the end of the most recent fiscal period, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 0% of the average value of its portfolio.

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

The Fund invests at least 80% of its total assets in the securities of the Underlying Index. The Fund's 80% investment policy is non-fundamental and requires 60 days prior written notice to shareholders before it can be changed.

The Underlying Index seeks to provide broad exposure to thematic growth strategies using a portfolio of exchange-traded funds (each, an "Underlying ETF"). The Underlying Index allocates index weights among the Underlying ETFs based on a quantitative methodology developed by Solactive AG, the provider of the Underlying Index ("Index Provider"), which is designed to determine the selection and weighting of the eligible Underlying ETFs. The share prices of the Underlying ETFs are expected to track the performance of equities in developed or emerging markets that provide exposure to structurally disruptive macro-trends.
 
The Underlying Index is constructed from the eligible universe of Underlying ETFs, each of which is issued by Global X Funds® and is determined by the Index Provider to provide exposure to structurally disruptive macro-trends and the underlying investments that stand to benefit from the materialization of those trends ("Global X Thematic Growth ETFs"). Structurally disruptive macro-trends typically eschew traditional sector and geographic classifications, and may stem from advancements in disruptive technology, changing consumer habits and demographics, or changing needs for infrastructure or finite resources. On an annual basis, and subject to certain weighting constraints, the Underlying Index is reconstituted and reweighted to allocate weights to a subset of

129


the eligible Underlying ETFs using a quantitative methodology that ranks each of the eligible Underlying ETFs based on realized sales growth. In order to calculate the realized sales growth for a given Underlying ETF, the Index Provider calculates the realized sales growth of each component security of each eligible Underlying ETF. The realized sales growth of each component security of the Underlying ETF is then used to calculate the aggregate realized sales growth for the Underlying ETF, based on the respective weights of the component securities in the Underlying ETF. Realized sales growth is determined by calculating the difference between a component security's revenue over the previous 12 months from the date of the rebalance and its revenue over the 12 months prior to the previous rebalance date. In addition to the annual reconstitution, the Underlying Index is reweighted on a semi-annual basis pursuant to the methodology detailed above. As of January 31, 2020, the Underlying ETFs eligible for inclusion in the Underlying Index are: Global X Autonomous & Electric Vehicles ETF, Global X Cannabis ETF, Global X Cloud Computing ETF, Global X E-commerce ETF, Global X FinTech ETF, Global X Future Analytics Tech ETF, Global X Genomics & Biotechnology ETF, Global X Health & Wellness Thematic ETF, Global X Internet of Things ETF, Global X Lithium & Battery Tech ETF, Global X Longevity Thematic ETF, Global X Millennials Thematic ETF, Global X Robotics & Artificial Intelligence ETF, Global X Social Media ETF, Global X U.S. Infrastructure Development ETF, and Global X Video Games & Esports ETF. The Underlying ETFs eligible for inclusion are subject to change at each annual reconstitution. Each Underlying ETF has a minimum weight of 7.5% and a maximum weight of 25% at each rebalance. The Fund's investment objective and Underlying Index may be changed without shareholder approval.

The Underlying Index is sponsored by the Index Provider, which is an organization that is independent of the Fund and Global X Management Company LLC, the investment adviser for the Fund ("Adviser"). The Index Provider determines the relative weightings of the securities in the Underlying Index and publishes information regarding the market value of the Underlying Index.

The Adviser uses a "passive" or indexing approach to try to achieve the Fund's investment objective. Unlike many investment companies, the Fund does not try to outperform the Underlying Index and does not seek temporary defensive positions when markets decline or appear overvalued.

The Fund generally will use a replication strategy. A replication strategy is an indexing strategy that involves investing in the securities of the Underlying Index in approximately the same proportions as in the Underlying Index. However, the Fund may utilize a representative sampling strategy with respect to the Underlying Index when a replication strategy might be detrimental or disadvantageous to shareholders, such as when there are practical difficulties or substantial costs involved in compiling a portfolio of equity securities to replicate the Underlying Index, in instances in which a security in the Underlying Index becomes temporarily illiquid, unavailable or less liquid, or as a result of legal restrictions or limitations (such as tax diversification requirements) that apply to the Fund but not the Underlying Index.

The Adviser expects that, over time, the correlation between the Fund's performance and that of the Underlying Index, before fees and expenses, will exceed 95%. A correlation percentage of 100% would indicate perfect correlation. If the Fund uses a replication strategy, it can be expected to have greater correlation to the Underlying Index than if it uses a representative sampling strategy.

The Fund concentrates its investments (i.e., holds 25% or more of its total assets) in a particular industry or group of industries to approximately the same extent that the Underlying Index is concentrated. As of January 31, 2020, the Underlying Index had significant exposure to the communication services and information technology sectors.

SUMMARY OF PRINCIPAL RISKS

As with any investment, you could lose all or part of your investment in the Fund, and the Fund’s performance could trail that of other investments. There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. The Fund is subject to the principal risks noted below, any of which may adversely affect the Fund’s net asset value (“NAV”), trading price, yield, total return and ability to meet its investment objective, as well as other risks that are described in greater detail in the Additional Information About the Funds section of this Prospectus and in the Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”). The order of the below risk factors does not indicate the significance of any particular risk factor.

Asset Class Risk: Securities and other assets in the Underlying Index or otherwise held in the Fund's portfolio may underperform in comparison to the general securities markets, a particular securities market or other asset classes.

Equity Securities Risk: Equity securities are subject to changes in value, and their values may be more volatile than other asset classes, as a result of such factors as a company’s business performance, investor perceptions, stock market trends and general economic conditions.

ETF Investment Risk: The Fund is expected to primarily hold ETFs to gain exposure to certain asset classes. As a result, the Fund will be subject to the same risks as the Underlying ETFs. While the risks of owning shares of an Underlying

130


ETF generally reflect the risks of owning the underlying securities of the index the ETF is designed to track, lack of liquidity in the Underlying ETF can result in its value being more volatile than the underlying portfolio securities. Because the value of an Underlying ETF's shares depends on the demand in the market, the Adviser may not be able to liquidate the Fund’s holdings in those shares at the most optimal time, thereby adversely affecting the Fund’s performance. An Underlying ETF may experience tracking error in relation to the index tracked by the Underlying ETF, which could contribute to tracking error for the Fund. In addition, an Underlying ETF's shares may trade at a premium or discount to NAV. If the Underlying ETF fails to achieve its investment objective, the value of the Fund’s investment may decline, adversely affecting the Fund’s performance.

In addition, investments in the securities of Underlying ETFs may involve duplication of certain expenses. The Fund will pay brokerage commissions in connection with the purchase and sale of shares of the Underlying ETFs, which could result in greater expenses to the Fund. By investing in an Underlying ETF, the Fund becomes a shareholder thereof. As a result, Fund shareholders indirectly bear the Fund’s proportionate share of certain of the fees and expenses indirectly paid by shareholders of the Underlying ETF, in addition to the fees and expenses Fund shareholders indirectly bear in connection with the Fund’s own operations.

Associated Risks Related to Investing in Thematic Growth Companies: Companies focused on business activities in emerging economic themes typically face intense competition and potentially rapid product obsolescence. Thematic companies may have limited product lines, markets, financial resources or personnel. These companies typically engage in significant amounts of spending on research and development, capital expenditures and mergers and acquisitions, and there is no guarantee that the products or services produced by these companies will be successful.

These companies are also frequently dependent on intellectual property rights and may be adversely affected by loss or impairment of those rights. There can be no assurance these companies will be able to successfully protect their intellectual property to prevent the misappropriation of their technology, or that competitors will not develop technology that is substantially similar or superior to such companies’ technology. Such companies may be potential targets for cyberattacks, which can have a materially adverse impact on the performance of these companies. The emergent nature of many economic themes could result in increasing regulatory scrutiny in the future, which may impede the growth of companies that develop and/or focus on such economic themes. Similarly, the collection of data from consumers and other sources is frequently a critical component in emerging economic themes and could face increased scrutiny as regulators consider how the data is collected, stored, safeguarded and used. Finally, these companies may be involved in young, fast evolving industries with increased exposure to the risks associated with changes in applicable laws (including regulation, other rule changes, and related federal and state enforcement activities), as well as market developments, which may cause businesses to contract or close suddenly and negatively impact the value of these companies.

Sales growth and acceleration for a particular economic theme may not continue, and the business models employed by the companies focused on a particular economic theme may not prove to be successful. The customers and/or suppliers of thematic companies may be concentrated in a particular country, region or industry. Any adverse event affecting one of these countries, regions or industries could have a negative impact on thematic companies. These companies may also be more affected by overall capital spending levels, economic cycles and changes in consumer and social trends than companies focused on more established business industries. Such companies, especially smaller companies, tend to be more volatile than companies that do not rely heavily on technology and may experience greater downturns in the case of falling equity markets. Such considerations may lead the value of companies involved in a given economic theme to at times be heavily correlated with the value of companies involved in a different economic theme, which may lead the Fund to experience greater volatility than it would likely experience if a broader investment strategy were employed.

Capitalization Risk: Investing in issuers within the same market capitalization category carries the risk that the category may be out of favor due to current market conditions or investor sentiment.

Large-Capitalization Companies Risk: Large-capitalization companies may trail the returns of the overall stock market. Large-capitalization stocks tend to go through cycles of doing better - or worse - than the stock market in general. These periods have, in the past, lasted for as long as several years.

Mid-Capitalization Companies Risk: Mid-capitalization companies may have greater price volatility, lower trading volume and less liquidity than large-capitalization companies. In addition, mid-capitalization companies may have smaller revenues, narrower product lines, less management depth and experience, smaller shares of their product or service markets, fewer financial resources and less competitive strength than large-capitalization companies.


131


Small-Capitalization Companies Risk: Compared to mid- and large-capitalization companies, small-capitalization companies may be less stable and more susceptible to adverse developments, and their securities may be more volatile and less liquid.

Concentration Risk: To the extent that the Underlying Index concentrates in investments related to a particular industry or group of industries, the Fund will also concentrate its investments to approximately the same extent. Similarly, if the Underlying Index has significant exposure to one or more sectors, the Fund’s investments will likely have significant exposure to such sectors. In such event, the Fund’s performance will be particularly susceptible to adverse events impacting such industry or sector, which may include, but are not limited to, the following: general economic conditions or cyclical market patterns that could negatively affect supply and demand; competition for resources; adverse labor relations; political or world events; obsolescence of technologies; and increased competition or new product introductions that may affect the profitability or viability of companies in a particular industry or sector. As a result, the value of the Fund’s investments may rise and fall more than the value of shares of a fund that invests in securities of companies in a broader range of industries or sectors.

Risks Related to Investing in the Communication Services Sector: Companies in the communications sector may be affected by industry competition, substantial capital requirements, government regulation, cyclicality of revenues and earnings, obsolescence of communications products and services due to technological advancement, a potential decrease in the discretionary income of targeted individuals and changing consumer tastes and interests.

Risks Related to Investing in the Information Technology Sector: Companies in the information technology sector are subject to rapid changes in technology product cycles; rapid product obsolescence; government regulation; and increased competition, both domestically and internationally, including competition from foreign competitors with lower production costs. Information technology companies and companies that rely heavily on technology tend to be more volatile than the overall market and also are heavily dependent on patent and intellectual property rights. In addition, information technology companies may have limited product lines, markets, financial resources or personnel.

Currency Risk: The Fund may invest in securities denominated in foreign currencies. Because the Fund's NAV is determined in U.S. dollars, the Fund's NAV could decline if currencies of the underlying securities depreciate against the U.S. dollar or if there are delays or limits on repatriation of such currencies. Currency exchange rates can be very volatile and can change quickly and unpredictably. As a result, the Fund's NAV may change quickly and without warning, which could have a significant negative impact on the Fund.

Foreign Securities Risk: The Fund may invest, without limit, in foreign securities. The Fund's investments in foreign securities can be riskier than U.S. securities investments. Investments in the securities of foreign issuers (including investments in ADRs and GDRs) are subject to the risks associated with investing in those foreign markets, such as heightened risks of inflation or nationalization. The prices of foreign securities and the prices of U.S. securities have, at times, moved in opposite directions. In addition, securities of foreign issuers may lose value due to political, economic and geographic events affecting a foreign issuer or market. During periods of social, political or economic instability in a country or region, the value of a foreign security traded on U.S. exchanges could be affected by, among other things, increasing price volatility, illiquidity, or the closure of the primary market on which the security (or the security underlying the ADR or GDR) is traded. You may lose money due to political, economic and geographic events affecting a foreign issuer or market.

Geographic Risk: A natural, biological or other disaster could occur in a geographic region in which the Fund invests, which could affect the economy or particular business operations of companies in the specific geographic region, causing an adverse impact on the Fund’s investments in the affected region or in a region economically tied to the affected region. The securities in which the Fund invests and, consequently, the Fund are also subject to specific risks as a result of their business operations, including, but not limited to:

Risk of Investing in China: Investment exposure to China subjects the Fund to risks specific to China. China may be subject to considerable degrees of economic, political and social instability. Concerns about the rising government and household debt levels could impact the stability of the Chinese economy. China is an emerging market and demonstrates significantly higher volatility from time to time in comparison to developed markets. Over the last few decades, the Chinese government has undertaken reform of economic and market practices, including recent reforms to liberalize its capital markets and expand the sphere for private ownership of property in China. However, Chinese markets generally continue to experience inefficiency, volatility and pricing anomalies resulting from governmental influence, a lack of publicly available information and/or political and social instability. Internal social unrest or confrontations with other neighboring countries, including military conflicts in response to such events, may also disrupt economic development in China and result in a greater risk of currency fluctuations, currency convertibility, interest rate fluctuations and higher rates of inflation. China has experienced security concerns, such as terrorism and strained international relations, as well

132


as major health crises. These health crises include, but are not limited to, the rapid and pandemic spread of novel viruses commonly known as SARS, MERS, and COVID-19 (Coronavirus). Such health crises could exacerbate political, social, and economic risks previously mentioned. Additionally, China is alleged to have participated in state-sponsored cyberattacks against foreign companies and foreign governments. Actual and threatened responses to such activity, including purchasing restrictions, sanctions, tariffs or cyberattacks on the Chinese government or Chinese companies, may impact China’s economy and Chinese issuers of securities in which the Fund invests. Incidents involving China’s or the region’s security, including the contagion of infectious viruses or diseases, may cause uncertainty in Chinese markets and may adversely affect the Chinese economy and the Fund’s investments. Export growth continues to be a major driver of China’s rapid economic growth. Elevated trade tensions between China and its trading partners, including the imposition of U.S. tariffs on certain Chinese goods and increased international pressure related to Chinese trade policy and forced technology transfers and intellectual property protections, may have a substantial impact on the Chinese economy. Reduction in spending on Chinese products and services, institution of additional tariffs or other trade barriers (including as a result of heightened trade tensions between China and the U.S. or in response to actual or alleged Chinese cyber activity), or a downturn in any of the economies of China’s key trading partners may have an adverse impact on the Chinese economy. Investments in China may be subject to loss due to expropriation or nationalization of assets and property or the imposition of restrictions on foreign investments and repatriation of capital. China has implemented a number of tax reforms in recent years and may amend or revise its existing tax laws and/or procedures in the future, possibly with retroactive effect. Changes in applicable Chinese tax law could reduce the after-tax profits of the Fund, directly or indirectly, including by reducing the after-tax profits of companies in China in which the Fund invests. Uncertainties in Chinese tax rules could result in unexpected tax liabilities for the Fund.

Risk of Investing in Developed Markets: An Underlying ETF’s investment in a developed country issuer may subject the Underlying ETF to regulatory, political, currency, security, economic and other risks associated with developed countries. Developed countries tend to represent a significant portion of the global economy and have generally experienced slower economic growth than some less developed countries. Certain developed countries have experienced security concerns, such as terrorism and strained international relations. Incidents involving a country’s or region’s security may cause uncertainty in its markets and may adversely affect its economy and the Underlying ETF’s investments. In addition, developed countries may be impacted by changes to the economic conditions of certain key trading partners, regulatory burdens, debt burdens and the price or availability of certain commodities.

Risk of Investing in Emerging Markets: Some of the Underlying ETFs in which the Fund invests may have investments in emerging markets. Investments in emerging markets may be subject to a greater risk of loss than investments in developed markets. Securities markets of emerging market countries are less liquid, subject to greater price volatility, have smaller market capitalizations, have less government regulation, and are not subject to as extensive and frequent accounting, financial, and other reporting requirements as the securities markets of more developed countries, and there may be greater risk associated with the custody of securities in emerging markets. Emerging markets may be more likely to experience inflation, political turmoil and rapid changes in economic conditions than more developed markets. Certain emerging market countries may have privatized, or have begun the process of privatizing, certain entities and industries. Privatized entities may lose money or be re-nationalized.

Risk of Investing in South Korea: Investments in South Korean issuers may subject the Fund to legal, regulatory, political, currency, security, and economic risks that are specific to South Korea. In addition, economic and political developments of South Korea’s neighbors, including escalated tensions involving North Korea and any outbreak of hostilities involving North Korea, or even the threat of an outbreak of hostilities, may have a severe adverse effect on the South Korean economy.

Risk of Investing in the United States: Some of the Underlying ETFs in which the Fund invests may have investments in the United States. A decrease in imports or exports, changes in trade regulations and/or an economic recession in the U.S. may have a material adverse effect on the U.S. economy.

Issuer Risk: Fund performance depends on the performance of individual companies in which the Fund invests. Changes to the financial condition of any of those companies may cause the value of their securities to decline.

Market Risk: Turbulence in the financial markets and reduced liquidity may negatively affect issuers, which could have an adverse effect on the Fund. If the securities held by the Fund experience poor liquidity, the Fund may be unable to transact at advantageous times or prices, which may decrease the Fund’s returns. In addition, there is a risk that policy changes by the U.S. Government, Federal Reserve, or other government actors, which could include increasing interest rates, could cause increased volatility in financial markets and lead to higher levels of Fund redemptions, which could have a negative impact on the Fund. Furthermore, local, regional or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issue, recessions, or other events could have a significant impact on the Fund and its investments and trading of its shares. The Fund’s NAV could decline over short periods due to short-term market movements and over longer periods during market downturns.

133



Model Portfolio Risk: The Underlying Index utilizes a proprietary methodology to determine its allocations to the securities in which the Fund invests. Investments selected using a proprietary methodology (i.e., quantitative model) may perform differently from the market as a whole or from their expected performance. There can be no assurance that use of a quantitative model will enable the Fund to achieve positive returns or outperform the market.

New Fund Risk: The Fund is a new fund, with no operating history, which may result in additional risks for investors in the Fund. There can be no assurance that the Fund will grow to or maintain an economically viable size, in which case the Board of Trustees may determine to liquidate the Fund. While shareholder interests will be the paramount consideration, the timing of any liquidation may not be favorable to certain individual shareholders. New funds are also subject to Large Shareholder Risk.

Non-Diversification Risk: The Fund is classified as a “non-diversified” investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940 ("1940 Act"). As a result, the Fund is subject to the risk that it may be more volatile than a diversified fund because the Fund may invest its assets in a smaller number of issuers or may invest a larger proportion of its assets in a single issuer. As a result, the gains and losses on a single investment may have a greater impact on the Fund’s NAV and may make the Fund more volatile than more diversified funds.

Operational Risk: The Fund is exposed to operational risk arising from a number of factors, including but not limited to human error, processing and communication errors, errors of the Fund's service providers, counterparties or other third-parties, failed or inadequate processes and technology or systems failures. Additionally, cyber security failures or breaches of the electronic systems of the Fund, the Adviser, and the Fund's other service providers, market makers, Authorized Participants or the issuers of securities in which the Fund invests have the ability to cause disruptions and negatively impact the Fund's business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses to the Fund and its shareholders. The Fund and the Adviser seek to reduce these operational risks through controls and procedures. However, these measures do not address every possible risk and may be inadequate for those risks that they are intended to address.

Passive Investment Risk: The Fund is not actively managed, and the Adviser does not attempt to take defensive positions in declining markets. Unlike many investment companies, the Fund does not seek to outperform its Underlying Index. Therefore, it would not necessarily buy or sell a security unless that security is added or removed, respectively, from the Underlying Index, even if that security generally is underperforming. Maintaining investments in securities regardless of market conditions or the performance of individual securities could cause the Fund’s return to be lower than if the Fund employed an active strategy.

Index-Related Risk: There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve a high degree of correlation to the Underlying Index and therefore achieve its investment objective. Market disruptions and regulatory restrictions could have an adverse effect on the Fund’s ability to adjust its exposure to the required levels in order to track the Underlying Index. Errors in index data, index computations and/or the construction of the Underlying Index in accordance with its methodology may occur from time to time and may not be identified and corrected by the Index Provider for a period of time or at all, which may have an adverse impact on the Fund and its shareholders.

Management Risk: The Fund will not fully replicate its Underlying Index and may hold securities not included in its Underlying Index. The Adviser’s investment strategy, the implementation of which is subject to a number of constraints, may cause the Fund to underperform the market or its relevant benchmark or adversely affect the ability of the Fund to achieve its investment objective.

Tracking Error Risk: Tracking error may occur because of differences between the instruments held in the Fund's portfolio and those included in the Underlying Index, pricing differences, transaction costs incurred by the Fund, the Fund's holding of uninvested cash, size of the Fund, differences in timing of the accrual of or the valuation of dividends or interest, tax gains or losses, changes to the Underlying Index or the costs to the Fund of complying with various new or existing regulatory requirements. This risk may be heightened during times of increased market volatility or other unusual market conditions. Tracking error also may result because the Fund incurs fees and expenses, while the Underlying Index does not. ETFs that track indices with significant weight in emerging markets issuers may experience higher tracking error than other ETFs that do not track such indices.

Risks Associated with Exchange-Traded Funds: As an ETF, the Fund is subject to the following risks:

Authorized Participants Concentration Risk: The Fund has a limited number of financial institutions that may act as Authorized Participants and engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund, and none of those Authorized Participants is obligated to engage in creation and/or redemption transactions. To the extent that those

134


Authorized Participants exit the business or are unable to process creation and/or redemption orders, Shares may be more likely to trade at a premium or discount to NAV, and possibly face trading halts and/or delisting from an exchange.

Large Shareholder Risk: Redemptions by large shareholders could have a significant negative impact on the Fund. If a large shareholder were to redeem all, or a large portion, of its Shares, there is no guarantee that the Fund will be able to maintain sufficient assets to continue operations in which case the Board of Trustees may determine to liquidate the Fund. In addition, transactions by large shareholders may account for a large percentage of the trading volume on a national securities exchange and may, therefore, have a material upward or downward effect on the market price of the Shares.

Listing Standards Risk: Under continuous listing standards adopted by the Fund’s listing exchange, the Fund will be required to confirm on an ongoing basis that the components of the Underlying Index satisfy the applicable listing requirements. In the event that the Underlying Index does not comply with the applicable listing requirements, the Fund would be required to rectify such non-compliance by requesting that the Index Provider modify the Underlying Index, adopting a new underlying index, or obtaining relief from the SEC. Failure to rectify such non-compliance may result in the Fund being delisted by the listing exchange. In addition, the Fund may face the risk of being delisted if the Fund does not meet certain conditions of the listing exchange. Any resulting liquidation of the Fund could cause the Fund to incur elevated transaction costs and could result in negative tax consequences for its shareholders.

Market Trading Risks and Premium/Discount Risks: Shares of the Fund are publicly traded on a national securities exchange, which may subject shareholders to numerous market trading risks. Disruptions to creations and redemptions, the existence of extreme market volatility or potential lack of assets in the Fund or an active trading market for Shares may result in Shares trading at a significant premium or discount to NAV. If a shareholder purchases Shares at a time when the market price is at a premium to the NAV or sells Shares at a time when the market price is at a discount to the NAV, the shareholder may sustain losses.

Trading Halt Risk: An exchange or market may close or issue trading halts on specific securities, or the ability to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments may be restricted, which may result in the Fund being unable to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments. In such circumstances, the Fund may be unable to rebalance its portfolio, may be unable to accurately price its investments and/or may incur substantial trading losses.

Turnover Risk: The Fund may experience relatively high portfolio turnover, which may result in increased transaction costs and lower Fund performance. 

Valuation Risk: The sales price the Fund could receive for a security may differ from the Fund’s valuation of the security and may differ from the value used by the Underlying Index, particularly for securities that trade in low value or volatile markets or that are valued using a fair value methodology (such as during trading halts). The value of the securities in the Fund's portfolio may change on days when shareholders will not be able to purchase or sell the Fund's Shares.

PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

The Fund does not have a full calendar year of performance. Once the Fund has completed a full calendar year of operations, a bar chart and table will be included that will provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing the variability of the Fund's returns and comparing the Fund's performance to the Underlying Index. The Fund's performance is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future.

FUND MANAGEMENT

Investment Adviser: Global X Management Company LLC.

Portfolio Managers: The professionals primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund are Chang Kim, CFA; Nam To, CFA; Wayne Xie and Kimberly Chan (“Portfolio Managers”). Kim, To, Xie and Chan have been Portfolio Managers of the Fund since the Fund's inception.


135


PURCHASE AND SALE OF FUND SHARES
 
Shares of the Fund are listed and traded at market prices on a national securities exchange. Shares may only be purchased and sold on the exchange through a broker-dealer. The price of Shares is based on market price, and because ETF shares trade at market prices rather than at NAV, Shares may trade at a price greater than NAV (a premium) or less than NAV (a discount). Only “Authorized Participants” (as defined in the SAI) who have entered into agreements with the Fund's distributor, SEI Investments Distribution Co. ("Distributor"), may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. The Fund will only issue or redeem Shares that have been aggregated into blocks of 50,000 Shares or multiples thereof ("Creation Units"). The Fund will issue or redeem Creation Units in return for a basket of cash and/or securities that the Fund specifies any day that the national securities exchanges are open for business ("Business Day").
 
TAX INFORMATION
 
The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxable to you as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-advantaged arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account ("IRA"), in which case distributions from such tax-advantaged arrangement may be taxable to you.
 
PAYMENTS TO BROKER-DEALERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES
 
The Adviser and its related companies may pay broker-dealers or other financial intermediaries (such as a bank) for the sale of Fund Shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing your broker-dealer, sales persons or other intermediary or its employees or associated persons to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your financial adviser or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.

136


ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUNDS
 
This Prospectus contains information about investing in a Fund. Please read this Prospectus carefully before you make any investment decisions. Shares of a Fund are listed for trading on a national securities exchange. The market price for a Share of a Fund may be different from the Fund's most recent NAV. ETFs are funds that trade like other publicly-traded securities. A Fund is designed to track an Underlying Index. Similar to shares of an index mutual fund, each Share of a Fund represents an ownership interest in an underlying portfolio of securities. Unlike shares of a mutual fund, which can be bought and redeemed from the issuing fund by all shareholders at a price based on NAV, Shares of a Fund may be purchased or redeemed directly from the Fund at NAV solely by Authorized Participants and only in Creation Unit increments. Also unlike shares of a mutual fund, Shares of a Fund are listed on a national securities exchange and trade in the secondary market at market prices that change throughout the day. A Fund is designed to be used as part of broader asset allocation strategies. Accordingly, an investment in a Fund should not constitute a complete investment program. An index is a financial calculation, based on a grouping of financial instruments, and is not an investment product, while a Fund is an actual investment portfolio. The performance of a Fund and its Underlying Index may vary for a number of reasons, including transaction costs, non-U.S. currency valuations, asset valuations, corporate actions (such as mergers and spin-offs), timing variances and differences between a Fund’s portfolio and the Underlying Index resulting from the Fund's legal restrictions (such as diversification requirements) that apply to the Fund but not to the Underlying Index.

Each Fund invests at least 80% of its total assets in the securities of the Underlying Index. Each Fund’s 80% investment policy is non-fundamental and requires 60 days prior written notice to shareholders before it can be changed. The Adviser anticipates that, generally, each Fund will hold all of the securities that comprise its Underlying Index in proportion to their weightings in such Underlying Index. However, under various circumstances, it may not be possible or practicable to purchase all of those securities in those weightings. In these circumstances, a Fund may purchase a sample of securities in its Underlying Index. There also may be instances in which the Adviser may choose to underweight or overweight a security in a Fund’s Underlying Index, purchase securities not in the Fund’s Underlying Index that the Adviser believes are appropriate to substitute for certain securities in such Underlying Index or utilize various combinations of other available investment techniques in seeking to replicate as closely as possible, before fees and expenses, the price and yield performance of a Fund’s Underlying Index. Each Fund may sell securities that are represented in its Underlying Index in anticipation of their removal from such Underlying Index or purchase securities not represented in its Index in anticipation of their addition to such Underlying Index. Each Fund’s investment objective and its Underlying Index may be changed without shareholder approval.

An investment in a Fund is not a bank deposit and it is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency, the Adviser or any of its affiliates.

A FURTHER DISCUSSION OF PRINCIPAL RISKS

Each Fund is subject to various risks, including the principal risks noted below, any of which may adversely affect the Fund’s NAV, trading price, yield, total return and ability to meet its investment objective. You could lose all or part of your investment in the Fund, and the Fund could underperform other investments.

Asset Class Risk

The returns from the types of securities and/or assets in which the Fund invests may under-perform returns from the various general securities markets or different asset classes. The assets in the Underlying Index may under-perform investments that track other markets, segments, sectors or assets. Different types of assets tend to go through cycles of out-performance and under-performance in comparison to the general securities markets.

Equity Securities Risk
 
Equity Securities Risk applies to each Fund

The Fund may invest in equity securities, which are subject to changes in value that may be attributable to market perception of a particular issuer, general stock market fluctuations that affect all issuers, or as a result of such factors as a company’s business performance, investor perceptions, stock market trends and general economic conditions. Investments in equity securities may be more volatile than investments in other asset classes.

ETF Investment Risk
 
ETF Investment Risk applies to the Global X Thematic Growth ETF


137


The Fund may hold ETFs to gain exposure to certain asset classes. As a result, the Fund may be subject to the same risks as the Underlying ETFs. While the risks of owning shares of an Underlying ETF generally reflect the risks of owning the underlying securities the ETF is designed to track, lack of liquidity in an Underlying ETF can result in its value being more volatile than the underlying portfolio securities. Because the value of an Underlying ETF's shares depends on the demand in the market, the Adviser may not be able to liquidate the Fund’s holdings in those shares at the most optimal time, thereby adversely affecting the Fund’s performance. An Underlying ETF may experience tracking error in relation to the index tracked by the Underlying ETF, which could contribute to tracking error for the Fund. In addition, an Underlying ETF's shares may trade at a premium or discount to NAV. If an Underlying ETF fails to achieve its investment objective, the value of the Fund’s investment may decline, adversely affecting the Fund’s performance.
In addition, investments in the securities of Underlying ETFs may involve duplication of certain expenses. The Fund will pay brokerage commissions in connection with the purchase and sale of shares of Underlying ETFs, which could result in greater expenses to the Fund. By investing in an Underlying ETF, the Fund becomes a shareholder thereof. As a result, Fund shareholders indirectly bear the Fund’s proportionate share of certain of the fees and expenses indirectly paid by shareholders of the Underlying ETF, in addition to the fees and expenses Fund shareholders indirectly bear in connection with the Fund’s own operations. In addition, certain of the Underlying ETFs may hold common portfolio positions, thereby reducing the diversification benefits of an asset allocation style.
A complete list of each Underlying ETF held by the Fund can be found daily on the Trust’s website. Each investor should review the complete description of the principal risks of each Underlying ETF prior to investing in the Fund.
Real Estate Stocks and Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) Investment Risk

Real Estate Stocks and Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) Investment Risk applies to the Global X Cloud Computing ETF, Global X Millennials Thematic ETF and Global X Longevity Thematic ETF

The Fund invests in companies or underlying funds that invest in real estate, such as REITs, which exposes investors in the Fund to the risks of owning real estate directly, as well as to risks that relate specifically to the way in which real estate companies are organized and operated. Real estate is highly sensitive to general and local economic conditions and developments, and characterized by intense competition and periodic overbuilding. Many real estate companies, including REITs, utilize leverage (and some may be highly leveraged), which increases risk and could adversely affect a real estate company's operations and market value in periods of rising interest rates.

Concentration Risk

Real estate companies may own a limited number of properties and concentrate their investments in a particular geographic region or property type.

Equity REITs Risk

Certain REITs may make direct investments in real estate. These REITs are often referred to as "Equity REITs." Equity REITs invest primarily in real properties and earn rental income from leasing those properties. Equity REITs may also realize gains or losses from the sale of the properties. Equity REITs will be affected by conditions in the real estate rental market and by changes in the value of the properties they own. A decline in rental income may occur because of extended vacancies, limitations on rents, the failure to collect rents, increased competition from other properties or poor management. Equity REITs also can be affected by rising interest rates. Rising interest rates may cause investors to demand a high annual yield from future distributions that, in turn, could decrease the market prices for such REITs. In addition, rising interest rates also increase the costs of obtaining financing for real estate projects. Because many real estate projects are dependent upon receiving financing, this could cause the value of the Equity REITs in which the Fund invests to decline.

Interest Rate Risk

Rising interest rate could result in higher costs of capital for real estate companies, which could negatively affect a real estate company's ability to meet its payment obligations.
 
Leverage Risk


138


Real estate companies may use leverage (and some may be highly leveraged), which increases investment risk and the risks normally associated with debt financing, and could adversely affect a real estate company's operations and market value in periods of rising interest rates. Financing covenants related to a real estate company's leveraging may affect the ability of the real estate company to operate effectively. In addition, real property may be subject to quality of credit extended and defaults by borrowers and tenants. Leveraging may also increase repayment risk.

Liquidity Risk

Investing in real estate companies may involve risks similar to those associated with investing in small-capitalization companies. Real estate company securities may be volatile. There may be less trading in real estate company shares, which means that buy and sell transactions in those shares could have a magnified impact on share price, resulting in abrupt or erratic price fluctuations. In addition, real estate is relatively illiquid and, therefore, a real estate company may have a limited ability to vary or liquidate its investments in properties in response to changes in economic or other conditions.

Operational Risk

Real estate companies are dependent upon management skills and may have limited financial resources. Real estate companies are generally not diversified and may be subject to heavy cash flow dependency, default by borrowers and self-liquidation. In addition, transactions between real estate companies and their affiliates may be subject to conflicts of interest, which may adversely affect a real estate company's shareholders. A real estate company may also have joint ventures in certain of its properties and, consequently, its ability to control decisions relating to such properties may be limited.

Property Risk

Real estate companies may be subject to risks relating to functional obsolescence or reduced desirability of properties; extended vacancies due to economic conditions and tenant bankruptcies; catastrophic events such as earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes and terrorist acts; and casualty or condemnation losses. Real estate income and values also may be greatly affected by demographic trends, such as population shifts, changing tastes and values, or increasing vacancies or declining rents resulting from legal, cultural, technological, global or local developments.

Regulatory Risk

Real estate income and values may be adversely affected by applicable domestic and foreign laws (including tax laws). Government actions, such as tax increases, zoning law changes or environmental regulations also may have a major impact on real estate.

Repayment Risk

The prices of real estate company securities may drop because of the failure of borrowers to repay their loans, poor management, or the inability to obtain financing either on favorable terms or at all. If the properties do not generate sufficient income to meet operating expenses, including, where applicable, debt service, ground lease payments, tenant improvements, third-party leasing commissions and other capital expenditures, the income and ability of the real estate companies to make payments of interest and principal on their loans will be adversely affected.

U.S. Tax Risk

Certain U.S. real estate companies are subject to special U.S. federal tax requirements. A REIT that fails to comply with such tax requirements may be subject to U.S. federal income taxation, which may affect the value of the REIT and the characterization of the REIT's distributions. The U.S. federal tax requirement that a REIT distributes substantially all of its net income to its shareholders may result in the REIT having insufficient capital for future expenditures.

Associated Risks Related to Investing in Artificial Intelligence & Big Data Companies

Associated Risks Related to Investing in Artificial Intelligence & Big Data Companies applies to the Global X Future Analytics Tech ETF


139


Artificial Intelligence & Big Data Companies typically face intense competition and potentially rapid product obsolescence. These companies are also heavily dependent on intellectual property rights and may be adversely affected by loss or impairment of those rights. There can be no assurance these companies will be able to successfully protect their intellectual property to prevent the misappropriation of their technology, or that competitors will not develop technology that is substantially similar or superior to such companies’ technology. Artificial Intelligence & Big Data Companies typically engage in significant amounts of spending on research and development and mergers and acquisitions, and there is no guarantee that the products or services produced by these companies will be successful. Artificial Intelligence & Big Data Companies are potential targets for cyberattacks, which can have a materially adverse impact on the performance of these companies. In addition, artificial intelligence technology could face increasing regulatory scrutiny in the future, which may limit the development of this technology and impede the growth of companies that develop and/or utilize this technology. Similarly, the collection of data from consumers and other sources could face increased scrutiny as regulators consider how the data is collected, stored, safeguarded and used. Artificial Intelligence & Big Data Companies may face regulatory fines and penalties, including potential forced break-ups, that could hinder the ability of the companies to operate on an ongoing basis. The customers and/or suppliers of Artificial Intelligence & Big Data Companies may be concentrated in a particular country, region or industry. Any adverse event affecting one of these countries, regions or industries could have a negative impact on Artificial Intelligence & Big Data Companies. Through its portfolio companies’ customers and suppliers, the Fund is specifically exposed to Asian Economic Risk, European Economic Risk and North American Economic Risk.

Associated Risks Related to Investing in Autonomous and Electric Vehicle Companies

Associated Risks Related to Investing in Autonomous and Electric Vehicle Companies applies to the Global X Autonomous & Electric Vehicles ETF

Autonomous and Electric Vehicle Companies typically face intense competition and potentially rapid product obsolescence. Many of these companies are also heavily dependent on intellectual property rights and may be adversely affected by loss or impairment of those rights. There can be no assurance these companies will be able to successfully protect their intellectual property to prevent the misappropriation of their technology, or that competitors will not develop technology that is substantially similar or superior to such companies’ technology. Autonomous and Electric Vehicle Companies typically engage in significant amounts of spending on research and development, capital expenditures and mergers and acquisitions, and there is no guarantee that the products or services produced by these companies will be successful. In addition, autonomous vehicle technology could face increasing regulatory scrutiny in the future, which may limit the development of this technology and impede the growth of companies that develop and/or utilize this technology. Autonomous vehicle technology companies could be adversely affected by cybersecurity breaches, traffic accidents related to autonomous vehicles, and other issues that could lead to litigation and/or additional regulation. The customers and/or suppliers of Autonomous and Electric Vehicle Companies may be concentrated in a particular country, region or industry. Any adverse event affecting one of these countries, regions or industries could have a negative impact on Autonomous and Electric Vehicle Companies. Through its portfolio companies’ customers and suppliers, the Fund is specifically exposed to Asian Economic Risk, European Economic Risk and North American Economic Risk.

Companies that produce the raw materials that are used in electric vehicles may be concentrated in certain commodities, and therefore be exposed to the price fluctuations of those commodities. In addition, these companies may have operations in emerging and frontier markets, and are therefore subject to higher degrees of economic and political risk associated with these markets. Recently, companies involved in the production and refining of cobalt have been identified as having significant issues in their supply chains, most notably in regard to child labor. Many of the companies identified have taken concrete steps to address these supply chain issues, but additional oversight, regulation and industry-wide coordination will be necessary to ensure that these problems do not persist in the future.

Associated Risks Related to Investing in Cloud Computing Companies

Associated Risks Related to Investing in Cloud Computing Companies applies to the Global X Cloud Computing ETF

Cloud Computing companies may have limited product lines, markets, financial resources or personnel. These companies typically face intense competition and potentially rapid product obsolescence. In addition, many Cloud Computing companies store sensitive consumer information and could be the target of cybersecurity attacks and other types of theft, which could have a negative impact on these companies. As a result, Cloud Computing companies may be adversely impacted by government regulations, and may be subject to additional regulatory oversight with regard to privacy concerns and cybersecurity risk. These companies are also heavily dependent on intellectual property rights and may be adversely affected by loss or impairment of those rights. Cloud Computing companies could be negatively impacted by disruptions in service caused by hardware or software failure, or by interruptions or delays in service by third-party data center hosting facilities and maintenance providers. Cloud Computing companies, especially smaller companies, tend to be more volatile than companies that do not rely heavily on technology. The

140


customers and/or suppliers of Cloud Computing companies may be concentrated in a particular country, region or industry. Any adverse event affecting one of these countries, regions or industries could have a negative impact on Cloud Computing companies. Through its portfolio companies’ customers and suppliers, the Fund is specifically exposed to Asian Economic Risk, European Economic Risk and North American Economic Risk.

Associated Risks Related to Investing in Cybersecurity Companies

Associated Risks Related to Investing in Cybersecurity Companies applies to the Global X Cybersecurity ETF

Cybersecurity Companies may have limited product lines, markets, financial resources or personnel. These companies typically face intense competition and potentially rapid product obsolescence. Cybersecurity Companies may be adversely impacted by government regulations, and may be subject to additional regulatory oversight with regard to privacy concerns and cybersecurity risk. Cybersecurity Companies may also be negatively affected by the decline or fluctuation of subscription renewal rates for their products and services, which may have an adverse effect on profit margins. These companies are also heavily dependent on intellectual property rights and may be adversely affected by loss or impairment of those rights. Cybersecurity Companies, especially smaller companies, tend to be more volatile than companies that do not rely heavily on technology. The customers and/or suppliers of Cybersecurity Companies may be concentrated in a particular country, region or industry. Any adverse event affecting one of these countries, regions or industries could have a negative impact on Cybersecurity Companies. Through its portfolio companies’ customers and suppliers, the Fund is specifically exposed to Asian Economic Risk and European Economic Risk.

Associated Risks Related to Investing in Education Companies

Associated Risks Related to Investing in Education Companies applies to the Global X Education ETF

Education companies may be affected by changes in demographics and changes in consumer demands. Furthermore, government regulations, programs and policies can have a significant impact on the products and services provided by education companies. Some education companies rely heavily on tax breaks and government subsidies, which can be very policy-dependent and may not continue indefinitely in the future. Education companies are also affected by macroeconomic growth and the overall strength of the labor market, which can influence the demand for educational products and services. Some education companies have recently faced increased regulatory scrutiny, and in some cases litigation, due to business practices that were perceived as unfair and misleading to consumers. Ongoing and future legal actions could have a negative impact on education companies. The customers and/or suppliers of education companies may be concentrated in a particular country, region or industry. Any adverse event affecting one of these countries, regions or industries could have a negative impact on education companies.

Associated Risks Related to Investing in FinTech Companies

Associated Risks Related to Investing in FinTech Companies applies to the Global X FinTech ETF

FinTech Companies may be adversely impacted by government regulations, economic conditions and deterioration in credit markets. These companies may have significant exposure to consumers and businesses (especially small businesses) in the form of loans and other financial products or services. FinTech Companies typically face intense competition and potentially rapid product obsolescence. In addition, many FinTech Companies store sensitive consumer information and could be the target of cybersecurity attacks and other types of theft, which could have a negative impact on these companies. Many FinTech Companies currently operate under less regulatory scrutiny than traditional financial services companies and banks, but there is significant risk that regulatory oversight could increase in the future. Higher levels of regulation could increase costs and adversely impact the current business models of some FinTech Companies. These companies could be negatively impacted by disruptions in service caused by hardware or software failure, or by interruptions or delays in service by third-party data center hosting facilities and maintenance providers. FinTech Companies involved in alternative currencies may face slow adoption rates and be subject to higher levels of regulatory scrutiny in the future, which could severely impact the viability of these companies. FinTech Companies, especially smaller companies, tend to be more volatile than companies that do not rely heavily on technology. The customers and/or suppliers of FinTech Companies may be concentrated in a particular country, region or industry. Any adverse event affecting one of these countries, regions or industries could have a negative impact on FinTech Companies. Through its portfolio companies’ customers and suppliers, the Fund is specifically exposed to Asian Economic Risk, European Economic Risk and Latin American Economic Risk.

Associated Risks Related to Investing in Genomics Companies

Associated Risks Related to Investing in Genomics Companies applies to the Global X Genomics & Biotechnology ETF

141



Genomics companies typically face intense competition and potentially rapid product obsolescence. These companies are also heavily dependent on intellectual property rights and may be adversely affected by loss or impairment of those rights. There can be no assurance these companies will be able to successfully protect their intellectual property to prevent the misappropriation of their technology, or that competitors will not develop technology that is substantially similar or superior to such companies’ technology. Genomics companies typically engage in significant amounts of spending on research and development, and there is no guarantee that the products or services produced by these companies will be successful. In addition, the field of genomic science could face increasing regulatory scrutiny in the future, which may limit the development of this technology and impede the growth of companies that develop and/or utilize this technology. The customers and/or suppliers of genomics companies may be concentrated in a particular country, region or industry. Any adverse event affecting one of these countries, regions or industries could have a negative impact on genomics companies. Through its portfolio companies’ customers and suppliers, the Fund is specifically exposed to Asian Economic Risk and European Economic Risk.

Associated Risks Related to Investing in Health & Wellness Companies

Associated Risks Related to Investing in Health & Wellness Companies applies to the Global X Health & Wellness Thematic ETF

The Fund invests in health and wellness companies, including companies that operate gyms and fitness/wellness facilities as well as companies that provide, manufacture or distribute natural/organic foods, sports/fitness equipment, wearable fitness technology, fitness/athletic apparel, nutritional supplements, anti-aging products and dietary services. The risks related to investing in such companies include rapid changes in consumer trends, social trends, marketing campaigns, and consumers’ disposable income. Health & Wellness Companies that manufacture or distribute natural/organic foods may enter the cannabis space which would increase the risk of facing increased regulatory scrutiny in the future. Exposure to cannabis companies could increase the volatility of the stocks. In addition, these companies typically face intense competition domestically and abroad, which could adversely impact the success of these companies. The customers and/or suppliers of health and wellness companies may be concentrated in a particular country, region or industry. Any adverse event affecting one of these countries, regions or industries could have a negative impact on health and wellness companies. Through its portfolio companies’ customers and suppliers, the Fund is specifically exposed to Asian Economic Risk, European Economic Risk and North American Economic Risk.

Associated Risks Related to Investing in Infrastructure Development Companies

Associated Risks Related to Investing in Infrastructure Development Companies applies to the Global X U.S. Infrastructure Development ETF

The Fund invests in infrastructure development companies, including companies involved in construction, engineering, production of raw materials, production and distribution of heavy construction equipment and industrial transportation.  General risks of infrastructure development companies include the general state of the economy, intense competition, consolidation, domestic and international politics, and excess capacity.  In addition, infrastructure development companies may also be significantly affected by overall capital spending levels (including both private and public sector spending), economic cycles, technical obsolescence, delays in modernization, labor relations and government regulations.  Some infrastructure development companies may rely heavily on local, state or national government contracts, and are therefore subject to higher degrees of political risk and could be negatively impacted by changes in government policies or a deterioration in government balance sheets in the future. The customers and/or suppliers of infrastructure development companies may be concentrated in a particular country, region or industry. Any adverse event affecting one of these countries, regions or industries could have a negative impact on infrastructure development companies. Through its portfolio companies’ customers and suppliers, the Fund is specifically exposed to Asian Economic Risk and North American Economic Risk.

Associated Risks Related to Investing in Internet of Things Companies

Associated Risks Related to Investing in Internet of Things Companies applies to the Global X Internet of Things ETF

Internet of Things companies may have limited product lines, markets, financial resources or personnel. These companies typically face intense competition and potentially rapid product obsolescence. In addition, many Internet of Things companies store sensitive consumer information and could be the target of cybersecurity attacks and other types of theft, which could have a negative impact on these companies. As a result, Internet of Things companies may be adversely impacted by government regulations, and may be subject to additional regulatory oversight with regard to privacy concerns and cybersecurity risk. These companies are also heavily dependent on intellectual property rights and may be adversely affected by loss or impairment of those rights. Internet of Things companies could be negatively impacted by disruptions in service caused by hardware or software failure, or by interruptions or delays in service by third-party data center hosting facilities and maintenance providers. Internet of Things companies, especially

142


smaller companies, tend to be more volatile than companies that do not rely heavily on technology. The customers and/or suppliers of Internet of Things companies may be concentrated in a particular country, region or industry. Any adverse event affecting one of these countries, regions or industries could have a negative impact on Internet of Things companies. Through its portfolio companies’ customers and suppliers, the Fund is specifically exposed to Asian Economic Risk and European Economic Risk.

Associated Risks Related to Investing in Longevity Companies

Associated Risks Related to Investing in Longevity Companies applies to the Global X Longevity Thematic ETF

The Fund invests in longevity companies, including pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies involved in the research, development, production and/or manufacturing of drugs; suppliers or manufacturers of medical devices; companies operating skilled nursing homes, senior living homes and continuing care communities; and providers of health care services, including home healthcare providers. Longevity companies may be affected by industry competition, dependency on a limited number of products, obsolescence of products, government approvals and regulations, loss or impairment of intellectual property rights and litigation regarding product liability. Longevity companies may be affected by government regulations and government healthcare programs, as well as increases or decreases in the cost of medical products and services and product liability claims. Many longevity companies are heavily dependent on patent protection, and the expiration of a company’s patent may adversely affect that company’s profitability. The customers and/or suppliers of longevity companies may be concentrated in a particular country, region or industry. Any adverse event affecting one of these countries, regions or industries could have a negative impact on longevity companies. Through its portfolio companies’ customers and suppliers, the Fund is specifically exposed to Asian Economic Risk and European Economic Risk.

Associated Risks Related to Investing in Millennial Companies

Associated Risks Related to Investing in Millennial Companies applies to the Global X Millennials Thematic ETF

The Fund invests in millennial companies, including companies involved in producing or distributing clothing and apparel, food (including restaurants), and consumer staples, as well as companies involved in the provision of social networks and social media, digital media, live events and entertainment, travel and transportation services, financial services and investments, housing and housing services and educational services. Millennial companies may be affected by changes in consumers’ disposable income, consumer preferences, social trends and marketing campaigns. Millennial companies generally face a high degree of competition and potentially rapid product obsolescence. The customers and/or suppliers of millennial companies may be concentrated in a particular country, region or industry. Any adverse event affecting one of these countries, regions or industries could have a negative impact on millennial companies. Through its portfolio companies’ customers and suppliers, the Fund is specifically exposed to Asian Economic Risk and European Economic Risk.

Associated Risks Related to Investing in Robotics & Artificial Intelligence Companies

Associated Risks Related to Investing in Robotics & Artificial Intelligence Companies applies to the Global X Robotics & Artificial Intelligence ETF

Robotics & Artificial Intelligence Companies may have limited product lines, markets, financial resources or personnel. These companies typically face intense competition and potentially rapid product obsolescence. These companies are also heavily dependent on intellectual property rights and may be adversely affected by loss or impairment of those rights. There can be no assurance these companies will be able to successfully protect their intellectual property to prevent the misappropriation of their technology, or that competitors will not develop technology that is substantially similar or superior to such companies’ technology. Robotics & Artificial Intelligence Companies typically engage in significant amounts of spending on research and development, and there is no guarantee that the products or services produced by these companies will be successful. Robotics & Artificial Intelligence Companies are potential targets for cyberattacks, which can have a materially adverse impact on the performance of these companies. Robotics & Artificial Intelligence Companies, especially smaller companies, tend to be more volatile than companies that do not rely heavily on technology. In addition, robotics and artificial intelligence technology could face increasing regulatory scrutiny in the future, which may limit the development of this technology and impede the growth of companies that develop and/or utilize this technology. Similarly, the collection of data from consumers and other sources could face increased scrutiny as regulators consider how the data is collected, stored, safeguarded and used. Robotics & Artificial Intelligence companies face increased risk from trade agreements between countries that develop these technologies and countries in which customers of these technologies are based. Lack of resolution or potential imposition of trade tariffs may hinder on the companies’ ability to successfully deploy their inventories. The customers and/or suppliers of Robotics & Artificial Intelligence Companies may be concentrated in a particular country, region or industry. Any adverse event affecting one of these countries, regions or industries

143


could have a negative impact on Robotics & Artificial Intelligence Companies. Through its portfolio companies’ customers and suppliers, the Fund is specifically exposed to Asian Economic Risk and European Economic Risk.

Associated Risks Related to Investing in Thematic Growth Companies

Associated Risks Related to Investing in Thematic Growth Companies applies to the Global X Thematic Growth ETF

Companies focused on business activities in emerging economic themes typically face intense competition and potentially rapid product obsolescence. Thematic companies may have limited product lines, markets, financial resources or personnel. These companies typically engage in significant amounts of spending on research and development, capital expenditures and mergers and acquisitions, and there is no guarantee that the products or services produced by these companies will be successful.

These companies are also frequently dependent on intellectual property rights and may be adversely affected by loss or impairment of those rights. There can be no assurance these companies will be able to successfully protect their intellectual property to prevent the misappropriation of their technology, or that competitors will not develop technology that is substantially similar or superior to such companies’ technology. Such companies may be potential targets for cyberattacks, which can have a materially adverse impact on the performance of these companies. The emergent nature of many economic themes could result in increasing regulatory scrutiny in the future, which may impede the growth of companies that develop and/or focus on such economic themes. Similarly, the collection of data from consumers and other sources is frequently a critical component in emerging economic themes and could face increased scrutiny as regulators consider how the data is collected, stored, safeguarded and used. Finally, these companies may be involved in young, fast evolving industries with increased exposure to the risks associated with changes in applicable laws (including regulation, other rule changes, and related federal and state enforcement activities), as well as market developments, which may cause businesses to contract or close suddenly and negatively impact the value of these companies.

Sales growth and acceleration for a particular economic theme may not continue, and the business models employed by the companies focused on a particular economic theme may not prove to be successful. The customers and/or suppliers of thematic companies may be concentrated in a particular country, region or industry. Any adverse event affecting one of these countries, regions or industries could have a negative impact on thematic companies. These companies may also be more affected by overall capital spending levels, economic cycles and changes in consumer and social trends than companies focused on more established business industries. Such companies, especially smaller companies, tend to be more volatile than companies that do not rely heavily on technology and may experience greater downturns in the case of falling equity markets. Such considerations may lead the value of companies involved in a given economic theme to at times be heavily correlated with the value of companies involved in a different economic theme, which may lead the Fund to experience greater volatility than it would likely experience if a broader investment strategy were employed.

In addition to all of the risks described above, companies focused on particular economic themes may face more specific risks related to such themes, including, but not limited to the risks described below.

Infrastructure Development

Infrastructure development companies face risks related to the general state of the economy, intense competition, consolidation, domestic and international politics, and excess capacity. Some infrastructure development companies may rely heavily on local, state or national government contracts, and are therefore subject to higher degrees of political risk and could be negatively impacted by changes in government policies or a deterioration in government balance sheets in the future.

Lithium Production and Battery Technology

Companies involved in the manufacturing of lithium-ion batteries are subject to the effects of price fluctuations of traditional and alternative sources of energy, developments in battery and alternative energy technology, the possibility that government subsidies for alternative energy will be eliminated and the possibility that lithium-ion technology is not suitable for widespread adoption. The price of lithium may be affected by changes in inflation rates, interest rates, monetary policy, economic conditions and political stability. The price of lithium may fluctuate substantially over short periods of time, therefore lithium production companies may be more volatile than other types of investments. In addition, lithium production companies may also be significantly affected by import controls, worldwide competition, liability for environmental damage, depletion of resources, and mandated expenditures for safety and pollution control devices.

Health and Wellness


144


Companies focused on health and wellness products face risks associated with rapid changes in consumer trends, social trends, marketing campaigns, and consumers’ disposable income. In addition, these companies typically face intense competition domestically and abroad.

Longevity

Longevity companies may be affected by government regulations and government healthcare programs, as well as increases or decreases in the cost of medical products and services and product liability claims.

Millennial Spending

Companies that benefit from millennial purchasing power may be affected by changes in consumers’ disposable income, consumer preferences, social trends and marketing campaigns.

Internet of Things

Companies focused on the “internet of things” could be negatively impacted by disruptions in service caused by hardware or software failure, or by interruptions or delays in service by third-party data center hosting facilities and maintenance providers.

Social Media

Social media companies may face disruption in service caused by hardware or software failure, interruptions or delays in service by third-party data center hosting facilities and maintenance providers, security breaches involving certain private, sensitive, proprietary and confidential information managed and transmitted by social media companies, and privacy concerns and laws, evolving internet regulation and other foreign or domestic regulations that may limit or otherwise affect the operations of such companies.

Financial Technology (“FinTech”)

FinTech companies may be adversely impacted by deterioration in credit markets, as these companies may have significant exposure to consumers and businesses (particularly small businesses) in the form of loans and other financial products and services. Many FinTech companies currently operate under less regulatory scrutiny than traditional financial services companies and banks, but there is significant risk that regulatory oversight could increase in the future. Higher levels of regulation could increase costs and adversely impact the current business models of some FinTech companies. FinTech companies involved in alternative currencies may face slow adoption rates and be subject to higher levels of regulatory scrutiny in the future, which could severely impact the viability of these companies.

Autonomous and Electric Vehicles

Companies that produce the raw materials that are used in electric vehicles may be concentrated in certain commodities, and therefore be exposed to the price fluctuations of those commodities.

E-commerce

E-commerce companies typically compete aggressively on price, potentially affecting their long run profitability. Due to the online nature of e-commerce companies and their involvement in processing, storing and transmitting large amounts of data, these companies are particularly vulnerable to cyber security risk.

Cloud Computing

Cloud computing companies store sensitive consumer information and could be the target of cybersecurity attacks and other types of theft, which could have a negative impact on these companies. As a result, cloud computing companies may be adversely impacted by government regulations, and may be subject to additional regulatory oversight with regard to privacy concerns and cybersecurity risk.

Cannabis

The cannabis industry is a very young, fast evolving industry with increased exposure to the risks associated with changes in applicable laws (including increased regulation, other rule changes, and related federal and state enforcement activities), as well

145


as market developments, which may cause businesses to contract or close suddenly and negatively impact the value of securities of cannabis companies.

Laws and regulations related to the possession, use, sale, transport and cultivation of cannabis vary throughout the world, and legislation in certain countries may restrict or limit the ability of certain cannabis companies to sell their products. Additionally, even if a company’s operations are legal under current law, such operations may become illegal in the future if the applicable law changes. Within the United States, federal law criminalizing the use of marijuana remains enforceable notwithstanding state laws that legalize its use for medicinal and recreational purposes. This conflict between the regulation of marijuana under U.S. federal and state law creates volatility and risk for cannabis companies,, and any stepped-up enforcement of marijuana laws by the federal government could adversely affect the value of companies in the cannabis industry. Given the uncertain nature of the regulation of the cannabis industry in the United States, investments in cannabis companies could, under unique circumstances, raise issues under one or more of those laws, and any investigation or prosecution related to those investments could result in expense and losses to the investing entity.

Video Games and Esports

Video game and esports companies may be dependent on one or a small number of product or product franchises for a significant portion of their revenue and profits. They may also be subject to shifting consumer preferences, including preferences with respect to gaming console platforms, and changes in consumer discretionary spending. Recently, video game and esports companies have faced enhanced regulatory scrutiny, and certain regulators have at times suspended the issuance of licenses for new video games.

Associated Risks Related to Investing in Video Game and Esports Companies

Associated Risks Related to Investing in Video Game and Esports Companies applies to the Global X Video Games & Esports ETF

Video Game and Esports Companies may have limited product lines, markets, financial resources or personnel. These companies typically face intense competition and potentially rapid product obsolescence. Video Game and Esports Companies may be dependent on one or a small number of product or product franchises for a significant portion of their revenue and profits. They may also be subject to shifting consumer preferences, including preferences with respect to gaming console platforms, and changes in consumer discretionary spending. Video Game and Esports Companies may be adversely impacted by government regulations, and may be subject to additional regulatory oversight with regard to privacy concerns and cybersecurity risk. Recently, Video Game and Esports Companies have faced enhanced regulatory scrutiny, and certain regulators have at times suspended the issuance of licenses for new video games. These companies are also heavily dependent on intellectual property rights and may be adversely affected by loss or impairment of those rights. Video Game and Esports Companies could be negatively impacted by disruptions in service caused by hardware or software failure. Video Game and Esports Companies, especially smaller companies, tend to be more volatile than companies that do not rely heavily on technology. The customers and/or suppliers of Video Game and Esports Companies may be concentrated in a particular country, region or industry. Any adverse event affecting one of these countries, regions or industries could have a negative impact on Video Game and Esports Companies. Through its portfolio companies’ customers and suppliers, the Fund is specifically exposed to Asian Economic Risk and European Economic Risk.

Cannabis Price Fluctuation Risk

Cannabis Price Fluctuation Risk applies to the Global X Cannabis ETF

The Fund invests in companies engaged in the cannabis industry, which may be susceptible to fluctuations in the price of cannabis. Cannabis prices may be influenced or characterized by unpredictable factors, including, where applicable, high volatility, changes in supply and demand relationships, weather, agriculture, trade, changes in interest rates and monetary and other governmental policies, action and inaction. Securities of companies held by the Fund that are dependent on a single commodity, such as cannabis, may typically exhibit even higher volatility attributable to cannabis prices. In addition, the lack of a futures market in cannabis may impede the ability of Cannabis Companies to hedge their cannabis exposure risks.

Capitalization Risk

Investing in issuers within the same market capitalization category carries the risk that the category may be out of favor due to current market conditions or investor sentiment.

Large-Capitalization Companies Risk


146


Large-Capitalization Companies Risk applies to the Global X Robotics & Artificial Intelligence ETF, Global X FinTech ETF, Global X Internet of Things ETF, Global X Cloud Computing ETF, Global X Future Analytics Tech ETF, Global X Autonomous & Electric Vehicles ETF, Global X Genomics & Biotechnology ETF, Global X Video Games & Esports ETF, Global X Cybersecurity ETF, Global X Millennials Thematic ETF, Global X Longevity Thematic ETF, Global X Health & Wellness Thematic ETF, Global X U.S. Infrastructure Development ETF, Global X Conscious Companies ETF, Global X Founder-Run Companies ETF and Global X Thematic Growth ETF

Large-capitalization companies may trail the returns of the overall stock market. Large-capitalization stocks tend to go through cycles of doing better - or worse - than the stock market in general. These periods have, in the past, lasted for as long as several years.

Mid-Capitalization Companies Risk

Mid-Capitalization Companies Risk applies to the Global X Robotics & Artificial Intelligence ETF, Global X FinTech ETF, Global X Internet of Things ETF, Global X Cloud Computing ETF, Global X Future Analytics Tech ETF, Global X Autonomous & Electric Vehicles ETF, Global X Genomics & Biotechnology ETF, Global X Video Games & Esports ETF, Global X Cybersecurity ETF, Global X Millennials Thematic ETF, Global X Longevity Thematic ETF, Global X Health & Wellness Thematic ETF, Global X Education ETF, Global X Cannabis ETF, Global X U.S. Infrastructure Development ETF, Global X Founder-Run Companies ETF and Global X Thematic Growth ETF

Mid-capitalization companies may have greater price volatility, lower trading volume and less liquidity than large-capitalization companies. In addition, mid-capitalization companies may have smaller revenues, narrower product lines, less management depth and experience, smaller shares of their product or service markets, fewer financial resources and less competitive strength than large-capitalization companies.

Small-Capitalization Companies Risk
 
Small-Capitalization Companies Risk applies to the Global X Robotics & Artificial Intelligence ETF, Global X FinTech ETF, Global X Internet of Things ETF, Global X Cloud Computing ETF, Global X Autonomous & Electric Vehicles ETF, Global X Genomics & Biotechnology ETF, Global X Video Games & Esports ETF, Global X Cybersecurity ETF, Global X Longevity Thematic ETF, Global X Health & Wellness Thematic ETF, Global X Education ETF, Global X Cannabis ETF, Global X U.S. Infrastructure Development ETF and Global X Thematic Growth ETF

The Fund may invest a significant percentage of its assets in small-capitalization companies. If it does so, it may be subject to certain risks associated with small-capitalization companies. These companies often have greater price volatility, lower trading volume and less liquidity than larger, more established companies. In addition, these companies are often subject to less analyst coverage and may be in early and less predictable periods of their corporate existences. These companies tend to have smaller revenues, narrower product lines, less management depth and experience, smaller shares of their product or service markets, fewer financial resources and less competitive strength than larger companies.

Micro-Capitalization Companies Risk

Micro-Capitalization Companies Risk applies to the Global X Cannabis ETF

The Fund may invest in micro-capitalization companies. These companies are subject to substantially greater risks of loss and price fluctuations because their earnings and revenues tend to be less predictable (and some companies may experience significant losses), and their share prices tend to be more volatile and their markets less liquid than companies with larger market capitalizations. Micro-capitalization companies may be newly formed or in the early stages of development, with limited product lines, markets or financial resources and may lack management depth. In addition, there may be less public information available about these companies. The shares of micro-capitalization companies tend to trade less frequently than those of larger, more established companies, which can adversely affect the pricing of these securities and the future ability to sell these securities. Also, it may take a long time before the Fund realizes a gain, if any, on an investment in a micro-capitalization company.

Concentration Risk
 
Concentration Risk applies to each Fund


147


In following its methodology, the Underlying Index may be concentrated to a significant degree in securities of issuers a particular industry or group of industries and/or may have significant exposure to one or more sectors. To the extent that the Underlying Index concentrates in the securities of issuers in such an area, the Fund will also concentrate its investments to approximately the same extent. In such event, the Fund’s performance will be particularly susceptible to adverse events impacting such industry or sector, and the Fund will face greater risk than if it were diversified broadly over numerous such areas. Such heightened risks, any of which may adversely affect the companies in which the Fund invests, may include, but are not limited to, the following: general economic conditions or cyclical market patterns that could negatively affect supply and demand; competition for resources; adverse labor relations; political or world events; obsolescence of technologies; and increased competition or new product introductions that may affect the profitability or viability of companies in a particular industry or sector. In addition, at times, such industry, group of industries or sector may be out of favor and underperform other such categories or the market as a whole.

Risks Related to Investing in the Biotechnology Industry

Risks Related to Investing in the Biotechnology Industry applies to the Global X Genomics & Biotechnology ETF and Global X Longevity Thematic ETF

Companies in the biotechnology industry spend heavily on research and development, and their products or services may not prove commercially successful or may become obsolete quickly. The biotechnology industry is subject to a significant amount of governmental regulation, and changes in governmental policies and the need for regulatory approvals may have a material adverse effect on this industry. Companies in the biotechnology industry are subject to risks of new technologies and competitive pressures and are heavily dependent on patents and intellectual property rights. The loss or impairment of these rights may adversely affect the profitability of these companies.

Risks Related to Investing in the Communication Services Sector

Risks Related to Investing in the Communication Services Sector applies to the Global X Video Games & Esports ETF, Global X Millennials Thematic ETF and Global X Thematic Growth ETF

The communication services sector of a country’s economy is often subject to extensive government regulation. The costs of complying with governmental regulations, delays or failure to receive required regulatory approvals, or the enactment of new regulatory requirements may negatively affect the business of communications companies. Government actions around the world, specifically in the area of pre-marketing clearance of products and prices, can be arbitrary and unpredictable. Companies in the communication services sector may encounter distressed cash flows due to the need to commit substantial capital to meet increasing competition, particularly in developing new products and services using new technology. Technological innovations may make the products and services of certain communications companies obsolete.

In the U.S., the communication services sector is characterized by increasing competition and regulation by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission and various state regulatory authorities. Companies in the communication services sector are generally required to obtain franchises or licenses in order to provide services in a given location. Licensing and franchise rights in the communication services sector are limited, which may provide an advantage to certain participants. Limited availability of such rights, high barriers to market entry and regulatory oversight, among other factors, have led to consolidation of companies within the sector, which could lead to further regulation or other negative effects in the future.

Companies in the media and entertainment industries (e.g., companies engaged in television or radio broadcasting, publishing, motion pictures, music by recording artists, casinos, and recreation and amusement businesses) can be significantly affected by several factors, including competition, particularly in formulating products and services using new technologies, cyclicality of revenues and earnings, a potential decrease in the discretionary income of targeted individuals, changing consumer tastes and interests, and the potential increase in state and federal government regulation. Companies in the media and entertainment industries may become obsolete quickly. Advertising spending can be an important revenue source for media and entertainment companies. During economic downturns advertising spending typically decreases and, as a result, media and entertainment companies tend to generate less revenue.

Risks Related to Investing in the Consumer Discretionary Sector

Risks Related to Investing in the Consumer Discretionary Sector applies to the Global X Autonomous & Electric Vehicles ETF, Global X Millennials Thematic ETF, Global X Health & Wellness Thematic ETF and Global X Education ETF


148


The success of consumer product manufacturers and retailers is tied closely to the performance of the overall domestic and international economy, interest rates, competition and consumer confidence. Success depends heavily on disposable household income and consumer spending and may be strongly affected by social trends and marketing campaigns. Changes in demographics and consumer tastes can also affect the demand for, and success of, consumer products and services in the marketplace.

Risks Related to Investing in the Entertainment Industry

Risks Related to Investing in the Entertainment Industry applies to the Global X Video Games & Esports ETF

Entertainment companies may be impacted by high costs of research and development of new content and services in an effort to stay relevant in a highly competitive industry, and entertainment products may face a risk of rapid obsolescence. Entertainment companies are subject to risks that include cyclicality of revenues and earnings, changing tastes and topical interests, and decreases in the discretionary income of their targeted consumers. Sales of content through physical formats and traditional content delivery services may be displaced by new content delivery mechanisms, such as streaming technology, and it is possible that such new content delivery mechanisms may themselves become obsolete over time.  The entertainment industry is regulated, and changes to rules regarding advertising and the content produced by entertainment companies can increase overall production and distribution costs. Companies in the entertainment industry have at times faced increased regulatory pressure which has delayed or prohibited the release of entertainment content.

Risks Related to Investing in the Health Care Equipment Industry

Risks Related to Investing in the Health Care Equipment Industry applies to the Global X Longevity Thematic ETF

Companies in the health care equipment industry may be heavily dependent on patent protection, and the expiration of patents may adversely affect the profitability of these companies. Companies in the health care equipment industry may be subject to extensive litigation based on product liability and similar claims as well as competitive forces that may make it difficult to raise prices and, in fact, may result in price discounting. The profitability of some health care equipment companies may be dependent on a relatively limited number of products. In addition, their products can become obsolete due to industry innovation, changes in technologies or other market developments. Many new products in the health care equipment industry are subject to regulatory approvals, and the process of obtaining such approvals may be long and costly.

Risks Related to Investing in the Health Care Sector

Risks Related to Investing in the Health Care Sector applies to the Global X Genomics & Biotechnology ETF, Global X Longevity Thematic ETF and Global X Cannabis ETF

The profitability of companies in the health care sector may be adversely affected by the following factors, among others: extensive government regulations, restrictions on government reimbursement for medical expenses, rising costs of medical products and services, pricing pressure, an increased emphasis on outpatient services, a limited number of products, industry innovation, changes in technologies and other market developments. A number of issuers in the health care sector have recently merged or otherwise experienced consolidation. The effects of this trend toward consolidation are unknown and may be far-reaching. Many health care companies are heavily dependent on patent protection. The expiration of a company’s patents may adversely affect that company’s profitability. Many health care companies are subject to extensive litigation based on product liability and similar claims. Health care companies are subject to competitive forces that may make it difficult to raise prices and, in fact, may result in price discounting. Many new products in the health care sector may be subject to regulatory approvals. The process of obtaining such approvals may be long and costly, and such efforts ultimately may be unsuccessful. Companies in the health care sector may be thinly capitalized and may be susceptible to product obsolescence. In addition, a number of legislative proposals concerning health care have been considered by the U.S. Congress in recent years. It is unclear what proposals will ultimately be enacted, if any, and what effect they may have on U.S. and non-U.S. companies in the health care sector.

Risks Related to Investing in the Industrials Sector
 
Risks Related to Investing in the Industrials Sector applies to the Global X Robotics & Artificial Intelligence ETF and Global X U.S. Infrastructure Development ETF


149


The stock prices of companies in the industrials sector are affected by supply and demand both for their specific product or service and for industrials sector products in general. The products of manufacturing companies may face product obsolescence due to rapid technological developments and frequent new product introduction. Government regulation, trade disputes, world events and economic conditions affect the performance of companies in the industrials sector. Companies in the industrials sector may be adversely affected by damages from environmental claims and product liability claims.

Risks Related to Investing in the Information Technology Sector

Risks Related to Investing in the Information Technology Sector applies to the Global X Robotics & Artificial Intelligence ETF, Global X FinTech ETF, Global X Internet of Things ETF, Global X Cloud Computing ETF, Global X Future Analytics Tech ETF, Global X Autonomous & Electric Vehicles ETF, Global X Cybersecurity ETF, Global X Founder-Run Companies ETF and Global X Thematic Growth ETF

Market or economic factors impacting information technology companies and companies that rely heavily on technology advances could have a major effect on the value of the Fund’s investments. The value of stocks of information technology companies and companies that rely heavily on technology is particularly vulnerable to rapid changes in technology product cycles, rapid product obsolescence, government regulation and increased competition, both domestically and internationally, including competition from foreign competitors with lower production costs. Information technology companies and companies that rely heavily on technology, especially those of smaller, less-seasoned companies, tend to be more volatile than the overall market. These companies also are heavily dependent on patent and intellectual property rights, the loss or impairment of which may adversely affect profitability. Additionally, companies in the information technology sector may face dramatic and often unpredictable changes in growth rates and competition for the services of qualified personnel. Companies in the information technology sector are facing increased government and regulatory scrutiny and may be subject to adverse government or regulatory action. Companies in the application software industry, in particular, may also be negatively affected by the decline or fluctuation of subscription renewal rates for their products and services, which may have an adverse effect on profit margins. Companies in the systems software industry may be adversely affected by, among other things, actual or perceived security vulnerabilities in their products and services, which may result in individual or class action lawsuits, state or federal enforcement actions and other remediation costs.

Risks Related to Investing in the IT Services Industry

Risks Related to Investing in the IT Services Industry applies to the Global X FinTech ETF

The IT services industry can be significantly affected by competitive pressures, such as technological developments, fixed-rate pricing, and the ability to attract and retain skilled employees, and the success of companies in the industry is subject to continued demand for IT services.

Risks Related to Investing in the Lithium-Ion Battery Industry

Risks Related to Investing in the Lithium-Ion Battery Industry applies to the Global X Autonomous & Electric Vehicles ETF

Securities in the Fund’s portfolio involved in the manufacturing of lithium-ion batteries are subject to the effects of price fluctuations of traditional and alternative sources of energy, supply and demand of alternative energy sources, energy conservation, the success of exploration projects and tax and other government regulations and policies. The lithium-ion battery industry can be significantly affected by obsolescence of existing technology, short product lifecycles, falling prices and profits, competition from new market entrants and general economic conditions. Companies in this industry could be adversely affected by commodity price volatility, imposition of import controls, increased competition, depletion of resources, technological developments and labor relations. If government subsidies and economic incentives for alternative energy are reduced or eliminated, the demand for lithium-ion batteries may decline and cause corresponding declines in the revenues and profits of lithium-ion battery companies. If lithium-ion technology is not suitable for widespread adoption, or sufficient demand for lithium-ion products does not develop or takes long periods of time to develop, the revenues of lithium-ion battery companies may decline.

Risks Related to Investing in the Machinery Industry

Risks Related to Investing in the Machinery Industry applies to the Global X Robotics & Artificial Intelligence ETF


150


The machinery industry is capital-intensive. Working capital and cash flow management can be crucial to a company's success, as investments in research and development and acquisitions may be important to maintain sales and earnings. A long capital investment cycle can add challenges to management decisions regarding the expansion of capacity, which may limit a company’s ability to grow during periods of increasing demand and may result in overcapacity during periods of decreasing demand. The performance of the machine industry may therefore be highly dependent on the business cycle and highly correlated with the performance of the broader equity market. Machine industry companies with large barriers to entry based on proprietary technology may face potentially rapid product obsolescence. Conversely, machine industry companies that produce commodity-like offerings are likely to face thin margins and must maintain expansive distribution and support networks in order to maintain adequate volume.

Risks Related to Investing in the Materials Sector

Risks Related to Investing in the Materials Sector applies to the Global X U.S. Infrastructure Development ETF

Issuers in the materials sector could be adversely affected by commodity price volatility, exchange rates, import controls, increased competition, depletion of resources, technical advances, labor relations, over-production, litigation and government regulations, among other factors. At times, worldwide production of industrial materials has exceeded demand as a result of over-building or economic downturns, leading to poor investment returns or losses. Issuers in the materials sector are at risk for environmental damage and product liability claims and may be adversely affected by depletion of resources, technical progress, labor relations and governmental regulations.

Risks Related to Investing in the Pharmaceuticals Industry

Risks Related to Investing in the Pharmaceuticals Industry applies to the Global X Cannabis ETF

Companies in the pharmaceuticals industry are subject to competitive forces that may make it difficult to raise prices and, in fact, may result in price discounting. The profitability of some companies in the pharmaceuticals industry may be dependent on a relatively limited number of products. In addition, their products can become obsolete due to industry innovation, changes in technologies or other market developments. Many new products in the pharmaceuticals industry are subject to government approvals, regulation and reimbursement rates. The process of obtaining government approvals may be long and costly. Many companies in the pharmaceuticals industry are heavily dependent on patents and intellectual property rights. The loss or impairment of these rights may adversely affect the profitability of these companies. Companies in the pharmaceuticals industry may be subject to extensive litigation based on product liability and similar claims.

Risks Related to Investing in the Semiconductors and Semiconductor Equipment Industry

Risks Related to Investing in the Semiconductors and Semiconductor Equipment Industry applies to the Global X Internet of Things ETF

The semiconductors and semiconductor equipment industry is highly competitive, and certain companies in this industry may be restricted from operating in certain markets due to the sensitive nature of these technologies. Companies in this space generally seek to increase silicon capacity, improve yields, and reduce die size in their product designs which may result in significant increases in worldwide supply and downward pressure on prices. The success of such companies frequently depends on the ability to develop and produce competitive new semiconductor technologies. Companies in this industry frequently undertake substantial research and development expenses in order to remain competitive, and a failure to successfully demonstrate advanced functionality and performance can have a material impact on the company’s business.

Risks Related to Investing in the Software Industry

Risks Related to Investing in the Software Industry applies to the Global X FinTech ETF, Global X Cloud Computing ETF, Global X Future Analytics Tech ETF and Global X Cybersecurity ETF

The software industry can be significantly affected by intense competition, aggressive pricing, technological innovations, and product obsolescence. Companies in the application software industry, in particular, may also be negatively affected by the decline or fluctuation of subscription renewal rates for their products and services, which may have an adverse effect on profit margins. Companies in the systems software industry may be adversely affected by, among other things, actual or perceived security vulnerabilities in their products and services, which may result in individual or class action lawsuits, state or federal enforcement actions and other remediation costs.

151



Risks Related to Investing in the Textiles, Apparel and Luxury Goods Industry

Risks Related to Investing in the Textiles, Apparel and Luxury Goods Industry applies to the Global X Health & Wellness Thematic ETF

Companies in the textiles, apparel and luxury goods industry face intense competition and are dependent on their ability to maintain brand image. Companies may be subject to changes in consumer preferences, and technologies employed by textiles, apparel and luxury goods companies may become obsolete. Companies in this industry are dependent on consumer spending and, as such, are likely to be sensitive to any downturns in the broader economy. Demand for products may be seasonal, and incorrect assessment of future demand can lead to overproduction of underproduction, which can impact company profitability.

Currency Risk

Currency Risk applies to the Global X Robotics & Artificial Intelligence ETF, Global X FinTech ETF, Global X Internet of Things ETF, Global X Cloud Computing ETF, Global X Future Analytics Tech ETF, Global X Autonomous & Electric Vehicles ETF, Global X Genomics & Biotechnology ETF, Global X Video Games & Esports ETF, Global X Cybersecurity ETF, Global X Longevity Thematic ETF, Global X Health & Wellness Thematic ETF, Global X Education ETF, Global X Cannabis ETF and Global X Thematic Growth ETF

Foreign currencies are subject to risks, which include changes in the debt level and trade deficit of the country issuing the foreign currency; inflation rates of the United States and the country issuing the foreign currency; investors’ expectations concerning inflation rates; interest rates of the United States and the country issuing the foreign currency; investors’ expectations concerning interest rates; investment and trading activities of mutual funds, hedge funds and currency funds; and global or regional political, economic or financial events and situations.
 
In addition, a foreign currency in which the Fund invests may not maintain its long-term value in terms of purchasing power in the future. When the price of a foreign currency in which the Fund invests declines, it may have an adverse impact on the Fund.

Foreign exchange rates are influenced by the factors identified above and may also be influenced by: changing supply and demand for a particular currency; monetary policies of governments (including exchange control programs, restrictions on local exchanges or markets and limitations on foreign investment in a country or on investment by residents of a country in other countries); changes in balances of payments and trade; trade restrictions; and currency devaluations and revaluations. Also, governments from time to time intervene in the currency markets, directly and by regulation, in order to influence prices directly. These events and actions are unpredictable. The resulting volatility in the USD/foreign currency exchange rate could materially and adversely affect the performance of the Fund.

Custody Risk

Custody Risk applies to the Global X Internet of Things ETF, Global X Cloud Computing ETF, Global X Future Analytics Tech ETF, Global X Autonomous & Electric Vehicles ETF, Global X Genomics & Biotechnology ETF, Global X Video Games & Esports ETF, Global X Cybersecurity ETF, Global X Health & Wellness Thematic ETF, Global X Education ETF and Global X Cannabis ETF

Custody risk refers to risks in the process of clearing and settling trades and in the holding of securities by local banks, agents and depositories. Low trading volumes and volatile prices in less developed markets make trades harder to complete and settle. Local agents are held only to the standard of care of the local markets. Governments or trade groups may compel local agents to hold securities in designated depositories that are subject to independent evaluation. Generally, the less developed a country’s securities market, the greater the likelihood of custody problems occurring.

Foreign Securities Risk

Foreign Securities Risk applies to the Global X Robotics & Artificial Intelligence ETF, Global X FinTech ETF, Global X Internet of Things ETF, Global X Cloud Computing ETF, Global X Future Analytics Tech ETF, Global X Autonomous & Electric Vehicles ETF, Global X Genomics & Biotechnology ETF, Global X Video Games & Esports ETF, Global X Cybersecurity ETF, Global X Longevity Thematic ETF, Global X Health & Wellness Thematic ETF, Global X Education ETF, Global X Cannabis ETF and Global X Thematic Growth ETF


152


The Fund’s assets may be invested within the equity markets of countries outside of the United States. These markets are subject to special risks associated with foreign investment, including, but not limited to: lower levels of liquidity and market efficiency; greater securities price volatility; exchange rate fluctuations and exchange controls; less availability of public information about issuers; limitations on foreign ownership of securities; imposition of withholding or other taxes; imposition of restrictions on the expatriation of the assets of the Fund; higher transaction and custody costs and delays in settlement procedures; difficulties in enforcing contractual obligations; lower levels of regulation of the securities market; weaker accounting, disclosure and reporting requirements; and legal principles relating to corporate governance and directors’ fiduciary duties and liabilities. Shareholder rights under the laws of some foreign countries may not be as favorable as U.S. laws. Thus, a shareholder may have more difficulty in asserting its rights or enforcing a judgment against a foreign company than a shareholder of a comparable U.S. company. Investment of more than 25% of the Fund’s total assets in securities located in one country or region will subject the Fund to increased country or region risk with respect to that country or region.

Geographic Risk

Geographic Risk applies to each Fund

Geographic risk is the risk that the Fund’s assets may be concentrated in countries located in the same geographic region. This concentration will subject the Fund to risks associated with that particular region, or a region economically tied to that particular region, such as a natural, biological or other disaster. Outbreaks of contagious viruses and diseases may reduce business activity or disrupt market activity, and have the potential to exacerbate market risks in the countries and regions in which they occur. The securities in which the Fund invests and, consequently, the Fund are also subject to specific risks as a result of their business operations, including, but not limited to:

Risk of Investing in Brazil

Risk of Investing in Brazil applies to the Global X FinTech ETF

Investment in Brazilian issuers involves risks that are specific to Brazil, including legal, regulatory, political, currency and economic risks. Specifically, Brazilian issuers are subject to possible regulatory and economic interventions by the Brazilian government, including the imposition of wage and price controls and the limitation of imports. In addition, the market for Brazilian securities is directly influenced by the flow of international capital and economic and market conditions of certain countries, especially other emerging market countries in Central and South America. The Brazilian economy has historically been exposed to high rates of inflation, a high level of debt, and violence, each of which may reduce and/or prevent economic growth. A rising unemployment rate could also have the same effect.

Risk of Investing in Canada

Risk of Investing in Canada applies to the Global X Cannabis ETF

The United States is Canada’s largest trading and investment partner, and the Canadian economy is significantly affected by developments in the U.S. economy and by changes in U.S. trade policy. Since the implementation of NAFTA in 1994 among Canada, the United States and Mexico, total two-way merchandise trade between the United States and Canada has more than doubled. To further this relationship, the three NAFTA countries entered into the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America in March 2005, which has further affected Canada’s dependency on the U.S. economy. Any downturn in U.S. or Mexican economic activity is likely to have an adverse impact on the Canadian economy. The Canadian economy is also dependent upon external trade with other key trading partners, including China and the European Union. Any trade policy changes by the United States, China or the European Union which reduced Canada's ability to trade with such regions could therefore have significant impact on the Canadian economy. Developments in the United States, including renegotiation of NAFTA, ratification of the successor USMCA, which is pending legislative approval, and imposition of tariffs by the United States, may have implications for the trade arrangements among the United States and Canada, which could negatively affect the value of securities held by the Funds. In addition, Canada is a large supplier of natural resources (e.g., oil, natural gas and agricultural products). As a result, the Canadian economy is sensitive to fluctuations in certain commodity prices.

Risk of Investing in China
 
Risk of Investing in China applies to the Global X Future Analytics Tech ETF, Global X Autonomous & Electric Vehicles ETF, Global X Genomics & Biotechnology ETF, Global X Video Games & Esports ETF, Global X Health & Wellness Thematic ETF and Global X Thematic Growth ETF

The Chinese economy is subject to a considerable degree of economic, political and social instability.

153



Political and Social Risk
 
The Chinese government is authoritarian and has periodically used force to suppress civil dissent. Disparities of wealth and the pace of economic liberalization may lead to social turmoil, violence and labor unrest. In addition, China continues to experience disagreements related to integration with Hong Kong and religious and nationalist disputes in Tibet and Xinjiang. There is also a greater risk in China than in many other countries of currency fluctuations, currency nonconvertibility, interest rate fluctuations and higher rates of inflation as a result of internal social unrest or conflicts with other countries. Unanticipated political or social developments may result in sudden and significant investment losses. China’s growing income inequality, rapidly aging population and significant environmental issues also are factors that may affect the Chinese economy. Concerns about the rising government and household debt levels could impact the stability of the Chinese economy.

Heavy Government Control and Regulation
 
The Chinese government has implemented significant economic reforms in order to liberalize trade policy, promote foreign investment in the economy, reduce government control of the economy and develop market mechanisms. There can be no assurance these reforms will continue or that they will be effective. Despite recent reform and privatizations, government control over certain sectors or enterprises and significant regulation of investment and industry is still pervasive, including restrictions on investment in companies or industries deemed to be sensitive to particular national interests, and the Chinese government may restrict foreign ownership of Chinese corporations and/or the repatriation of assets by foreign investors. Limitations or restrictions on foreign ownership of securities may have adverse effects on the liquidity and performance of the Fund and could lead to higher tracking error. Chinese government intervention in the market may have a negative impact on market sentiment, which may in turn affect the performance of the Chinese economy and the Fund’s investments. Chinese markets generally continue to experience inefficiency, volatility and pricing anomalies that may be connected to governmental influence, lack of publicly-available information, and political and social instability.
 
Economic Risk
 
The Chinese economy has grown rapidly in the recent past and there is no assurance that this growth rate will be maintained. In fact, the Chinese economy may experience a significant slowdown as a result of, among other things, a deterioration in global demand for Chinese exports, as well as contraction in spending on domestic goods by Chinese consumers. In addition, China may experience substantial rates of inflation or economic recessions, which would have a negative effect on its economy and securities market. Delays in enterprise restructuring, slow development of well-functioning financial markets and widespread corruption have also hindered performance of the Chinese economy. China continues to receive substantial pressure from trading partners to liberalize official currency exchange rates.

Elevated geopolitical tensions between China and its trading partners, including the imposition of U.S. tariffs on certain Chinese goods, the imposition of trade and non-trade related barriers for certain Chinese companies, and increased international pressure related to Chinese trade policy, forced technology transfers and intellectual property protections, may have a substantial impact on the Chinese economy. Reduction in spending on Chinese products and services, institution of additional tariffs or other trade barriers (including as a result of heightened trade tensions between China and the U.S. or in response to actual or alleged Chinese cyber activity), or a downturn in any of the economies of China’s key trading partners may have an adverse impact on the Chinese economy and the Chinese issuers of securities in which the Fund invests. For example, the U.S. has added certain foreign technology companies to the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security’s “Entity List,” which is a list of companies believed to pose a national security risk to the U.S. Actions like these may have unanticipated and disruptive effects on the Chinese economy. Any such response that targets Chinese financial markets or securities exchanges could interfere with orderly trading, delay settlement or cause market disruptions. Public health crises or major health-related developments may have a substantial impact on the Chinese economy or holdings in the Fund. Outbreaks of contagious viruses and diseases, including the novel viruses commonly known as SARS, MERS, and Covid-19 (Coronavirus), may reduce business activity or disrupt market activity, and have the potential to exacerbate market risks such as volatility in exchange rates or the trading of Chinese securities listed domestically or abroad. Likewise, factories, ports, and critical infrastructure in China may close to limit contagion risk. Foreign investors’ access to domestic markets may also be limited during such health crises, especially if domestic exchanges are closed for an extended period. Market closures could interfere with the orderly trading or settlement mechanisms of Chinese securities listed domestically or abroad. The Chinese economy or holdings in the Fund may also be adversely impacted should health crises create political uncertainty or social unrest. The

154


implications of such health crises is difficult to ascertain but may put strain on China’s supply chains, trading relationships, and international relations.

Expropriation Risk
 
The Chinese government maintains a major role in economic policy making and investing in China involves risk of loss due to expropriation, nationalization, confiscation of assets and property or the imposition of restrictions on foreign investments and on repatriation of capital invested.

Security Risk

China has strained international relations with Taiwan, India, Russia and other neighbors due to territorial disputes, historical animosities, defense concerns and other security concerns. Relations between China’s Han ethnic majority and other ethnic groups in China, including Tibetans and Uighurs, are also strained and have been marked by protests and violence. Additionally, China is alleged to have participated in state-sponsored cyberattacks against foreign companies and foreign governments. Actual and threatened responses to such activity, including purchasing restrictions, sanctions, tariffs or cyberattacks on the Chinese government or Chinese companies, may impact China’s economy and Chinese issuers of securities in which the Fund invests. These situations may cause uncertainty in the Chinese market and may adversely affect the Chinese economy. In addition, conflict on the Korean Peninsula could adversely affect the Chinese economy.

Tax Risk

China has implemented a number of tax reforms in recent years and may amend or revise its existing tax laws and/or procedures in the future, possibly with retroactive effect. Changes in applicable Chinese tax law could reduce the after-tax profits of the Fund, directly or indirectly, including by reducing the after-tax profits of companies in China in which the Fund invests. Uncertainties in Chinese tax rules could result in unexpected tax liabilities for the Fund.

Hong Kong Political Risk
 
Hong Kong reverted to Chinese sovereignty on July 1, 1997 as a Special Administrative Region (SAR) of the People’s Republic of China under the principle of “one country, two systems.” Although China is obligated to maintain the current capitalist economic and social system of Hong Kong through June 30, 2047, the continuation of economic and social freedoms enjoyed in Hong Kong is dependent on the government of China. Since 1997, there have been tensions between the Chinese government and many people in Hong Kong who perceive China as tightening of control over Hong Kong’s semi-autonomous liberal political, economic, legal, and social framework. Recent protests and unrest have increased tensions even further. Due to the interconnected nature of the Hong Kong and Chinese economies, this instability in Hong Kong may cause uncertainty in the Hong Kong and Chinese markets. In addition, the Hong Kong dollar trades at a fixed exchange rate in relation to (or, is “pegged” to) the U.S. dollar, which has contributed to the growth and stability of the Hong Kong economy. However, it is uncertain how long the currency peg will continue or what effect the establishment of an alternative exchange rate system would have on the Hong Kong economy. Because the Fund’s NAV is denominated in U.S. dollars, the establishment of an alternative exchange rate system could result in a decline in the Fund’s NAV.

Risk of Investing in Developed Markets

Risk of Investing in Developed Markets applies to each Fund

Investment in developed country issuers may subject the Fund to regulatory, political, currency, security, and economic risk specific to developed countries. Developed countries generally tend to rely on services sectors (e.g., the financial services sector) as the primary means of economic growth. A prolonged slowdown in, among others, services sectors is likely to have a negative impact on economies of certain developed countries, although economies of individual developed countries can be impacted by slowdowns in other sectors. In the past, certain developed countries have been targets of terrorism, and some geographic areas in which the Fund invests have experienced strained international relations due to territorial disputes, historical animosities, defense concerns and other security concerns. These situations may cause uncertainty in the financial markets in these countries or geographic areas and may adversely affect the performance of the issuers to which the Fund has exposure. Heavy regulation of certain markets, including labor and product markets, may have an adverse effect on certain issuers. Such regulations may negatively affect economic growth or cause prolonged periods of recession. Many developed countries are heavily indebted and face rising healthcare and retirement expenses.

155


In addition, price fluctuations of certain commodities and regulations impacting the import of commodities may negatively affect developed country economies.

Risk of Investing in Emerging Markets
 
Risk of Investing in Emerging Markets applies to the Global X FinTech ETF, Global X Internet of Things ETF, Global X Future Analytics Tech ETF, Global X Autonomous & Electric Vehicles ETF, Global X Video Games & Esports ETF, Global X Health & Wellness Thematic ETF, Global X Education ETF and Global X Thematic Growth ETF

The securities markets of emerging market countries may be less liquid, subject to greater price volatility, have smaller market capitalizations, have less government regulation and not be subject to as extensive and frequent accounting, financial and other reporting requirements as the securities markets of more developed countries, as has historically been the case. Issuers and securities markets in emerging markets are generally not subject to as extensive and frequent accounting, financial and other reporting requirements or as comprehensive government regulations as are issuers and securities markets in the developed markets. In particular, the assets and profits appearing on the financial statements of emerging market issuers may not reflect their financial position or results of operations in the same manner as financial statements for developed market issuers. Substantially less information may be publicly available about emerging market issuers than is available about issuers in developed markets.
 
Emerging markets are generally located in the Asia and Pacific regions, the Middle East, Eastern Europe, Latin America, and Africa. Emerging markets typically are classified as such by lacking one or more of the following characteristics: sustainability of economic development, large and liquid securities markets, openness to foreign ownership, ease of capital inflows and outflows, efficiency of the market’s operational framework, and/or stability of the institutional framework. The Fund’s purchase and sale of portfolio securities in certain emerging market countries may be constrained by limitations relating to daily changes in the prices of listed securities, periodic trading or settlement volume and/or limitations on aggregate holdings of foreign investors. Such limitations may be computed based on the aggregate trading volume by or holdings of the Fund, the Adviser, its affiliates and their respective clients and other service providers. The Fund may not be able to sell securities in circumstances where price, trading or settlement volume limitations have been reached.
 
Foreign investment in the securities markets of certain emerging market countries is restricted or controlled to varying degrees, which may limit investment in such countries or increase the administrative costs of such investments. For example, certain Asian countries require government approval prior to investments by foreign persons or limit investment by foreign persons to only a specified percentage of an issuer's outstanding securities or a specific class of securities which may have less advantageous terms (including price) than securities of the issuer available for purchase by nationals. In addition, certain countries may restrict or prohibit investment opportunities in issuers or industries deemed important to national interests. Such restrictions may affect the market price, liquidity and rights of securities that may be purchased by the Fund. The repatriation of both investment income and capital from certain emerging market countries is subject to restrictions, such as the need for governmental consents. In situations where a country restricts direct investment in securities (which may occur in certain Asian, Latin American and other countries), the Fund may invest in such countries through other investment funds in such countries. Certain emerging market countries may have privatized, or have begun the process of privatizing, certain entities and industries. Privatized entities may lose money or be re-nationalized.

Many emerging market countries have experienced currency devaluations, substantial (and, in some cases, extremely high) rates of inflation, and economic recessions. These circumstances have had a negative effect on the economies and securities markets of those emerging market countries. Economies in emerging market countries generally are dependent upon commodity prices and international trade and, accordingly, have been, and may continue to be, affected adversely by the economies of their trading partners, trade barriers, exchange controls, managed adjustments in relative currency values and other protectionist measures imposed or negotiated by the countries with which they trade. As a result, emerging market countries are particularly vulnerable to downturns of the world economy. The 2008-2009 global financial crisis tightened international credit supplies and weakened the global demand for their exports. As a result, certain of these economies faced significant economic difficulties, which caused some emerging market economies to fall into recession. Recovery from such conditions may be gradual and/or halting as weak economic conditions in developed markets may continue to suppress demand for exports from emerging market countries.

Many emerging market countries are subject to a substantial degree of economic, political and social instability. Governments of some emerging market countries are authoritarian in nature or have been installed or removed as a result of military coups, while governments in other emerging market countries have periodically used force to suppress civil dissent. Disparities of wealth, the pace and success of democratization, and ethnic, religious and racial disaffection, among

156


other factors, have also led to social unrest, violence and/or labor unrest in some emerging market countries. Many emerging market countries have experienced strained international relations due to border disputes, historical animosities or other defense concerns. These situations may cause uncertainty in the markets and may adversely affect the performance of these economies. Unanticipated political or social developments may result in sudden and significant investment losses. Investing in emerging market countries involves greater risk of loss due to expropriation, nationalization, confiscation of assets and property or the imposition of restrictions on foreign investments and on repatriation of capital invested. As an example, in the past some Eastern European governments have expropriated substantial amounts of private property, and many claims of the property owners have never been fully settled. There is no assurance that similar expropriations will not occur in other emerging market countries, including China.

As a result of heightened geopolitical tensions, various countries have imposed economic sanctions, imposed non-trade barriers and renewed existing economic sanctions on specific emerging markets and on issuers within those markets. These non-trade barriers consist of prohibiting certain securities trades, prohibiting certain private transactions in certain sectors and with respect to certain companies, asset freezes, and prohibition of all business, against certain individuals and companies. The United States and other nations or international organizations may impose additional, broader economic sanctions or take other actions that may adversely affect certain emerging markets in the future. These actions, any future sanctions or other actions, or even the threat of further sanctions or other actions, may negatively affect the value and liquidity of the Fund’s investments. For example, the Fund may be prohibited from investing in securities issued by companies subject to such sanctions. In addition, sanctions may require the Fund to freeze its existing investments, prohibiting the Fund from buying, selling or otherwise transacting in these investments. Also, if an affected security is included in the Fund's Underlying Index, the Fund may, where practicable, seek to eliminate its holdings of the affected security by employing or augmenting its representative sampling strategy to seek to track the investment results of the Underlying Index. The use of (or increased use of) a representative sampling strategy may increase the Fund’s tracking error risk. Actions barring some or all transactions with a specific company will likely have a substantial, negative impact on the value of such company’s securities. These sanctions may also lead to changes in the Fund’s Underlying Index. The Fund’s index provider may remove securities from the Underlying Index or implement caps on the securities of certain issuers that have been subject to recent economic sanctions. In such an event, it is expected that the Fund will rebalance its portfolio to bring it in line with its Underlying Index as a result of any such changes, which may result in transaction costs and increased tracking error. The Fund’s investment in emerging market countries may also be subject to withholding or other taxes, which may be significant and may reduce the return to the Fund from an investment in such countries.

Settlement and clearance procedures in emerging market countries are frequently less developed and reliable than those in the United States and may involve the Fund’s delivery of securities before receipt of payment for their sale. In addition, significant delays may occur in certain markets in registering the transfer of securities. Settlement, clearance or registration problems may make it more difficult for the Fund to value its portfolio securities and could cause the Fund to miss attractive investment opportunities, to have a portion of its assets uninvested or to incur losses due to the failure of a counterparty to pay for securities the Fund has delivered or the Fund’s inability to complete its contractual obligations because of theft or other reasons. In addition, local agents and depositories are subject to local standards of care that may not be as rigorous as developed countries. Governments and other groups may also require local agents to hold securities in depositories that are not subject to independent verification. The less developed a country’s securities market, the greater the risk to the Fund.
 
The creditworthiness of the local securities firms used by the Fund in emerging market countries may not be as sound as the creditworthiness of firms used in more developed countries. As a result, the Fund may be subject to a greater risk of loss if a securities firm defaults in the performance of its responsibilities.
 
The Fund’s use of foreign currency management techniques in emerging market countries may be limited. Due to the limited market for these instruments in emerging market countries, all or a significant portion of the Fund's currency exposure in emerging market countries may not be covered by such instruments.
 
Rising interest rates, combined with widening credit spreads, could negatively impact the value of emerging market debt and increase funding costs for foreign issuers. In such a scenario, foreign issuers might not be able to service their debt obligations, the market for emerging market debt could suffer from reduced liquidity, and the Fund could lose money.

Certain issuers in emerging market countries may utilize share blocking schemes. Share blocking refers to a practice, in certain foreign markets, where voting rights related to an issuer's securities are predicated on these securities being blocked from trading at the custodian or sub-custodian level, for a period of time around a shareholder meeting. These restrictions have the effect of barring the purchase and sale of certain voting securities within a specified number of days before and,

157


in certain instances, after a shareholder meeting where a vote of shareholders will be taken. Share blocking may prevent the Fund from buying or selling securities for a period of time. During the time that shares are blocked, trades in such securities will not settle. The blocking period can last up to several weeks. The process for having a blocking restriction lifted can be quite onerous with the particular requirements varying widely by country. In addition, in certain countries, the block cannot be removed. As a result of the ramifications of voting ballots in markets that allow share blocking, the Adviser, on behalf of the Fund, reserves the right to abstain from voting proxies in those markets.

Risk of Investing in Hong Kong

Risk of Investing in Hong Kong applies to the Global X Education ETF

The Fund’s investment in Hong Kong issuers may subject the Fund to legal, regulatory, political, currency, security, and economic risk specific to Hong Kong. China is Hong Kong’s largest trading partner, both in terms of exports and imports. Any changes in the Chinese economy, trade regulations or currency exchange rates may have an adverse impact on Hong Kong’s economy
  
Political and Social Risk

Hong Kong reverted to Chinese sovereignty on July 1, 1997 as a Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China under the principle of “one country, two systems.” Although China is obligated, under the Sino-British Joint Declaration it signed in 1984, to maintain the current capitalist economic and social system of Hong Kong through June 30, 2047, the continuation of economic and social freedoms enjoyed in Hong Kong is dependent on the government of China. Since 1997, there have been tensions between the Chinese government and many people in Hong Kong who perceive China as tightening its control over Hong Kong’s semi-autonomous liberal political, economic, legal, and social framework. Recent protests and unrest have increased tensions even further. Due to the interconnected nature of the Hong Kong and Chinese economies, this instability in Hong Kong may cause uncertainty in the Hong Kong and Chinese markets.
 
Economic Risk

The economy of Hong Kong is closely tied to the economy of China. The Chinese economy has grown rapidly during the past several years and there is no assurance that this growth rate will be maintained. China may experience substantial rates of inflation or economic recessions, causing a negative effect on the economy and securities market. Delays in enterprise restructuring, slow development of well-functioning financial markets and widespread corruption have also hindered performance of the Chinese economy, and China continues to receive substantial pressure from trading partners to liberalize official currency exchange rates.

Risk of Investing in Japan

Risk of Investing in Japan applies to the Global X Robotics & Artificial Intelligence ETF, Global X Video Games & Esports ETF and Global X Health & Wellness Thematic ETF

Japan may be subject to political, economic, nuclear, and labor risks, among others. Any of these risks, individually or in the aggregate, can impact an investment made in Japan.

Economic Risk

The growth of Japan’s economy has recently lagged that of its Asian neighbors and other major developed economies. Since the year 2000, Japan’s economic growth rate has remained relatively low, and it may remain low in the future. The Japanese economy is heavily dependent on international trade and has been adversely affected by trade tariffs, other protectionist measures, competition from emerging economies and the economic conditions of its trading partners. Japan is also heavily dependent on oil and other commodity imports, and higher commodity prices could therefore have a negative impact on the Japanese economy.

Political Risk

Historically, Japan has had unpredictable national politics and may experience frequent political turnover. Future political developments may lead to changes in policy that might adversely affect the Fund’s investments. In addition, China has

158


become an important trading partner with Japan. Japan’s political relationship with China, however, has become strained. Should political tension increase, it could adversely affect the Japanese economy and destabilize the region as a whole.

Large Government and Corporate Debt Risk

The Japanese economy faces several concerns, including a financial system with large levels of nonperforming loans, over-leveraged corporate balance sheets, extensive cross-ownership by major corporations, a changing corporate governance structure, and large government deficits. These issues may cause a slowdown of the Japanese economy.

Currency Risk

The Japanese yen has fluctuated widely at times and any increase in its value may cause a decline in exports that could weaken the Japanese economy. Japan has, in the past, intervened in the currency markets to attempt to maintain or reduce the value of the yen. Japanese intervention in the currency markets could cause the value of the yen to fluctuate sharply and unpredictably and could cause losses to investors.

Nuclear Energy Risk

The nuclear power plant catastrophe in Japan in March 2011 may have long-term effects on the Japanese economy and its nuclear energy industry, the extent of which are currently unknown.

Labor Risk

Japan has an aging workforce and has experienced a significant population decline in recent years. Japan’s labor market appears to be undergoing fundamental structural changes, as a labor market traditionally accustomed to lifetime employment adjusts to meet the need for increased labor mobility, which may adversely affect Japan’s economic competitiveness.

Security Risk

Japan's relations with its neighbors, particularly China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, have at times been strained due to territorial disputes, historical animosities and defense concerns. Most recently, the Japanese government has shown concern over the increased nuclear and military activity by North Korea and China. Strained relations may cause uncertainty in the Japanese markets and adversely affect the overall Japanese economy, particularly in times of crisis.

Risk of Investing in South Korea

Risk of Investing in South Korea applies to the Global X Autonomous & Electric Vehicles ETF, Global X Video Games & Esports ETF and Global X Thematic Growth ETF

Investments in South Korean issuers involve risks that are specific to South Korea, including legal, regulatory, political, currency, security and economic risks. Substantial political tensions exist between North Korea and South Korea. Escalated tensions involving the two nations and the outbreak of hostilities between the two nations, or even the threat of an outbreak of hostilities, could have a severe adverse effect on the South Korean economy. In addition, South Korea’s economic growth potential has recently been on a decline because of a rapidly aging population and structural problems, among other factors. The South Korean economy is heavily reliant on trading exports and disruptions or decreases in trade activity could lead to further declines.

Risk of Investing in Switzerland

Risk of Investing in Switzerland applies to the Global X Robotics & Artificial Intelligence ETF and Global X Internet of Things ETF

Investment in Swiss issuers may subject the Fund to legal, regulatory, political, currency, security, and economic risks specific to Switzerland. Among other things, Switzerland’s economy is heavily dependent on trading relationships with certain key trading partners, including the U.S., U.K., China, France and Germany. Future changes in the price or the demand for Swiss products or services by the U.S., U.K., China, France and Germany or changes in these countries’ economies, trade regulations or currency exchange rates could adversely impact the Swiss economy and the issuers to which the Fund has exposure. Switzerland’s economy relies heavily on the banking sector, and in recent years, Switzerland

159


has responded to increasing pressure from neighboring countries and trading partners to reform its banking secrecy laws. Due to the lack of natural resources, Switzerland is dependent upon imports for raw materials. As a result, any drastic price fluctuations in the price of certain raw materials will likely have a significant impact on the Swiss economy.

Risk of Investing in Taiwan

Risk of Investing in Taiwan applies to the Global X Internet of Things ETF, Global X Video Games & Esports ETF and Global X Health & Wellness Thematic ETF

Investments in Taiwanese issuers may subject the Fund to legal, regulatory, political, currency and economic risks that are specific to Taiwan. Specifically, Taiwan’s geographic proximity and history of political contention with China have resulted in ongoing tensions between the two countries. These tensions may materially affect the Taiwanese economy and its securities market. Taiwan’s economy is export-oriented, so it depends on an open world trade regime and remains vulnerable to fluctuations in the world economy. Rising labor costs and increasing environmental consciousness have led some labor-intensive industries to relocate to countries with cheaper work forces, and continued labor outsourcing may adversely affect the Taiwanese economy.

Risk of Investing in the United Kingdom

Risk of Investing in the United Kingdom applies to the Global X Education ETF

Investment in United Kingdom issuers may subject the Fund to regulatory, political, currency, security, and economic risks specific to the United Kingdom. The United Kingdom’s economy relies heavily on the export of financial services to the U.S. and other European countries. A prolonged slowdown in the financial services sector may have a negative impact on the United Kingdom’s economy. In the past, the United Kingdom has been a target of terrorism. Acts of terrorism in the United Kingdom or against United Kingdom interests may cause uncertainty in the United Kingdom’s financial markets and adversely affect the performance of the issuers to which the Fund has exposure. In a referendum held on June 23, 2016, the United Kingdom resolved to leave the European Union (Brexit). On January 31, 2020, the United Kingdom officially left the European Union, but uncertainties continue to surround negotiations with the European Union regarding their relationship. Brexit has introduced significant uncertainties and instability in the financial markets as the United Kingdom negotiates its exit from the European Union. Several European businesses have already moved part of their operations out of the United Kingdom and continue to prepare for disruption related to Brexit, the consequences of which could be severe for European and United Kingdom businesses. The Fund will face risks associated with the potential uncertainty and consequences that may follow Brexit, including with respect to volatility in exchange rates and interest rates. Brexit could adversely affect European or worldwide political, regulatory, economic or market conditions and could contribute to instability in global political institutions, regulatory agencies and financial markets. Brexit has also led to legal uncertainty and could lead to politically divergent national laws and regulations as a new relationship between the United Kingdom and European Union is defined and the United Kingdom determines which European Union laws to replace or replicate. Any of these effects of Brexit could adversely affect any of the companies to which the Fund has exposure and any other assets that the Fund invests in. The political, economic and legal consequences of Brexit are not yet known. In the short term, financial markets may experience heightened volatility, particularly those in the United Kingdom and Europe, but possibly worldwide. The United Kingdom and Europe may be less stable than it has been in recent years, and investments in the United Kingdom and the European Union may be difficult to value, or subject to greater or more frequent rises and falls in value. In the longer term, there is likely to be a period of significant political, regulatory and commercial uncertainty as the United Kingdom seeks to negotiate the terms of its trading and legal relationship with the European Union and its institutions.

Risk of Investing in the United States

Risk of Investing in the United States applies to the Global X FinTech ETF, Global X Internet of Things ETF, Global X Cloud Computing ETF, Global X Future Analytics Tech ETF, Global X Autonomous & Electric Vehicles ETF, Global X Genomics & Biotechnology ETF, Global X Cybersecurity ETF, Global X Millennials Thematic ETF, Global X Longevity Thematic ETF, Global X Education ETF, Global X U.S. Infrastructure Development ETF, Global X Conscious Companies ETF, Global X Founder-Run Companies ETF and Global X Thematic Growth ETF

A decrease in imports or exports, changes in trade regulations and/or an economic recession in the U.S. may have a material adverse effect on the U.S. economy and the securities listed on U.S. exchanges. Proposed and adopted policy and legislative changes in the U.S. are changing many aspects of financial and other regulation and may have a significant effect on the U.S. markets generally, as well as on the value of certain securities. In addition, a continued rise in the U.S.

160


public debt level or the imposition of U.S. austerity measures may adversely affect U.S. economic growth and the securities to which the Fund has exposure. The U.S. has developed increasingly strained relations with a number of foreign countries. If these relations continue to worsen, it could adversely affect U.S. issuers as well as non-U.S. issuers that rely on the U.S. for trade. The U.S. has also experienced increased internal unrest and discord. If this trend were to continue, it may have an adverse impact on the U.S. economy and the issuers in which the Fund invests.

Geographic Economic Exposure Risk

Because the constituents held by the Fund may have partners, suppliers and/or customers in located in certain geographic regions, and because the geographic regions in which such constituents are located may have trading partners in other geographic regions, the Fund may have indirect economic exposure to such geographic regions, including geographic regions in which the Fund may not directly invest. These geographies may include:

African Economic Risk

The economies of African countries are subject to risks not typically associated with more developed economies, countries or geographic regions. Such heightened risks include, among others, expropriation and/or nationalization of assets, restrictions on and government intervention in international trade, confiscatory taxation, political instability, including authoritarian and/or military involvement in governmental decision making, armed conflict, civil war, and social instability as a result of religious, ethnic and/or socioeconomic unrest.

The securities markets in Africa are underdeveloped and are often considered to be less correlated to global economic cycles than markets located in more developed countries or geographic regions. Securities markets in Africa are subject to greater risks associated with market volatility, lower market capitalization, lower trading volume, illiquidity, inflation, greater price fluctuations, uncertainty regarding the existence of trading markets, governmental control and heavy regulation of labor and industry. Moreover, trading on securities markets may be suspended altogether.

Certain governments in Africa may restrict or control to varying degrees the ability of foreign investors to invest in securities of issuers located or operating in those countries. These restrictions and/or controls may at times limit or prevent foreign investment in securities of issuers located or operating in countries in Africa. Moreover, certain countries in Africa may require governmental approval or special licenses prior to investment by foreign investors; may limit the amount of investment by foreign investors in a particular industry and/or issuer; may limit such foreign investment to a certain class of securities of an issuer that may have less advantageous rights than the classes available for purchase by domestic investors of those countries; and/or may impose additional taxes on foreign investors. These factors, among others, make investing in issuers located or operating in countries in Africa significantly riskier than investing in issuers located or operating in more developed countries.

Asian Economic Risk

Many Asian economies have experienced rapid growth and industrialization in recent years, but there is no assurance that this growth rate will be maintained. Other Asian economies, however, have experienced high inflation, high unemployment, currency devaluations and restrictions, and over-extension of credit. Geopolitical hostility, political instability, as well as economic or environmental events in any one Asian country may have a significant economic effect on the entire Asian region, as well as on major trading partners outside Asia. Any adverse event in the Asian markets may have a significant adverse effect on some or all of the economies of the countries in which the Fund invests. Many Asian countries are subject to political risk, including political instability, corruption and regional conflict with neighboring countries. North Korea and South Korea each have substantial military capabilities, and historical tensions between the two countries present the risk of war. Escalated tensions involving the two countries and any outbreak of hostilities between the two countries, or even the threat of an outbreak of hostilities, could have a severe adverse effect on the entire Asian region. Certain Asian countries have also developed increasingly strained relationships with the U.S., and if these relations were to worsen, they could adversely affect Asian issuers that rely on the U.S. for trade. In addition, many Asian countries are subject to social and labor risks associated with demands for improved political, economic and social conditions.

Australasian Economic Risk

The economies of Australasia, which include Australia and New Zealand, are dependent on exports from the agricultural and mining sectors. This makes Australasian economies susceptible to fluctuations in the commodity markets. Australasian economies are also increasingly dependent on their growing service industries. Because the economies of Australasia are

161


dependent on the economies of Asia, Europe and the United States as key trading partners and investors, reduction in spending by any of these trading partners on Australasian products and services, or negative changes in any of these economies, may cause an adverse impact on some or all of the Australasian economies.

European Economic Risk

The economies of Europe are highly dependent on each other, both as key trading partners and as in many cases as fellow members maintaining the euro. Decreasing European imports, new trade regulations, changes in exchange rates, a recession in Europe, or a slowing of economic growth in this region could have an adverse impact on the securities in which the Fund invests. Reduction in trading activity among European countries may cause an adverse impact on each nation’s individual economies. The Economic and Monetary Union of the European Union (the “EU”) requires compliance with restrictions on inflation rates, deficits, interest rates, debt levels and fiscal and monetary controls, each of which may significantly affect every country in Europe, including those countries that are not members of the EU. Decreasing imports or exports, changes in governmental or EU regulations on trade, changes in the exchange rate of the euro, the default or threat of default by an EU member country or its sovereign debt, and recessions in an EU member country may have a significant adverse effect on the economies of EU member countries and their trading partners. The European financial markets have historically experienced volatility and adverse trends due to concerns about economic downturns or rising government debt levels in several European countries, including, but not limited to, Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, Spain and Ukraine. These events have adversely affected the exchange rate of the euro and may continue to significantly affect European countries.

Latin American Economic Risk

High interest rates, inflation, government defaults and unemployment rates are characteristics of the economies in some Latin American countries. Currency devaluations in any Latin American country can have a significant effect on the entire region. Because commodities such as oil and gas, minerals and metals can represent a significant percentage of the region’s exports, the economies of Latin American countries may be particularly sensitive to fluctuations in commodity prices. As a result, the economies in many Latin American countries could experience significant volatility.

Middle East Economic Risk

Middle Eastern governments have exercised and continue to exercise substantial influence over many aspects of the private sector. Many economies in the Middle East are highly reliant on income from the sale of oil or trade with countries involved in the sale of oil, and their economies are therefore vulnerable to changes in the market for oil and foreign currency values. As global demand for oil fluctuates, many Middle Eastern economies may be significantly impacted. A sustained decrease in commodity prices could have a significant negative impact on all aspects of the economy in the region. Middle Eastern economies may be subject to acts of terrorism, political strife, religious, ethnic or socioeconomic unrest and sudden outbreaks of hostilities with neighboring countries. Certain Middle Eastern countries have strained relations with other Middle Eastern countries due to territorial disputes, historical animosities, international alliances, religious tensions or defense concerns, which may adversely affect the economies of these countries. Certain Middle Eastern countries experience significant unemployment, as well as widespread underemployment. Many Middle Eastern countries have little or no democratic tradition. Many Middle Eastern countries periodically have experienced political, economic and social unrest as protestors have called for widespread reform. Some of these protests have resulted in a governmental regime change, internal conflict or civil war. If further regime changes were to occur, internal conflict were to intensify, or a civil war were to continue in any of these countries, such instability could adversely affect the economies of Middle Eastern countries.

North American Economic Risk

A decrease in imports or exports, changes in trade regulations or an economic recession in any North American country can have a significant economic effect on the entire North American region and on some or all of the North American countries to which the Fund has economic exposure. The U.S. is Canada's and Mexico's largest trading and investment partner. The Canadian and Mexican economies are significantly affected by developments in the U.S. economy. Since the implementation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (“NAFTA”) in 1994 among Canada, the U.S. and Mexico, total merchandise trade among the three countries has increased. However, political developments in the U.S., including the renegotiation of NAFTA and imposition of tariffs by the U.S., may have implications for the trade arrangements among the U.S., Mexico and Canada, which could negatively affect the value of securities held by the Fund. Policy and legislative changes in any of the three countries may have a significant effect on North American economies generally, as well as on the value of certain securities held by the Fund.

162



International Closed Market Trading Risk

International Closed Market Trading Risk applies to the Global X Robotics & Artificial Intelligence ETF, Global X FinTech ETF, Global X Internet of Things ETF, Global X Cloud Computing ETF, Global X Future Analytics Tech ETF, Global X Autonomous & Electric Vehicles ETF, Global X Genomics & Biotechnology ETF, Global X Video Games & Esports ETF, Global X Cybersecurity ETF, Global X Longevity Thematic ETF, Global X Health & Wellness Thematic ETF, Global X Education ETF and Global X Cannabis ETF

To the extent that the underlying investments held by the Fund trade on foreign exchanges that may be closed when the securities exchange on which the Fund’s Shares trade is open, there are likely to be deviations between the current price of such an underlying security and the last quoted price for the underlying security (i.e., the Fund’s quote from the closed foreign market). These deviations could result in premiums or discounts to the Fund’s NAV that may be greater than those experienced by other ETFs.

Investable Universe of Companies Risk

Investable Universe of Companies Risk applies to the Global X Cybersecurity ETF and Global X Cannabis ETF

The investable universe of companies in which the Fund may invest may be limited. If a company no longer meets the Index Provider’s criteria for inclusion in the Underlying Index, the Fund may need to reduce or eliminate its holdings in that company. The reduction or elimination of the Fund’s holdings in the company may have an adverse impact on the liquidity of the Fund’s overall portfolio holdings and on Fund performance.

Issuer Risk

Issuer Risk applies to each Fund

Issuer risk is the risk that any of the individual companies that the Fund invests in may perform badly, causing the value of its securities to decline. Poor performance may be caused by poor management decisions, competitive pressures, changes in technology, disruptions in supply, labor problems or shortages, corporate restructurings, fraudulent disclosures or other factors. Issuers may, in times of distress or on their own discretion, decide to reduce or eliminate dividends, which would also cause their stock prices to decline.

Market Risk
 
Market Risk applies to each Fund

Market risk is the risk that the value of the securities in which the Fund invests may go up or down in response to the prospects of individual issuers and/or general economic conditions. Turbulence in the financial markets and reduced market liquidity may negatively affect issuers, which could have an adverse effect on the Fund. If the securities held by the Fund experience poor liquidity, the Fund may be unable to transact at advantageous times or prices, which may decrease the Fund’s returns. In addition, there is a risk that policy changes by the U.S. Government, Federal Reserve, or other government actors, which could include increasing interest rates, could cause increased volatility in financial markets and lead to higher levels of Fund redemptions, which could have a negative impact on the Fund. Furthermore, local, regional or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issue, recessions, or other events could have a significant impact on the Fund and its investments and trading of its shares. The Fund’s NAV could decline over short periods due to short-term market movements and over longer periods during market downturns.

Model Portfolio Risk

Model Portfolio Risk applies to the Global X Thematic Growth ETF

The Underlying Index utilizes a proprietary methodology to determine its allocations to the securities in which the Fund invests. Investments selected using a proprietary methodology, including quantitative models, may perform differently from the market as a whole or from their expected performance. There can be no assurance that use of a quantitative model will enable the Fund to achieve positive returns or outperform the market.

New Fund Risk

New Fund Risk applies to the Global X Video Games & Esports ETF, Global X Cybersecurity ETF, Global X Education ETF, Global X Cannabis ETF and Global X Thematic Growth ETF

163



The Fund is a new fund, with no operating history, which may result in additional risks for investors in the Fund. There can be no assurance that the Fund will grow to or maintain an economically viable size, in which case the Board of Trustees may determine to liquidate the Fund. While shareholder interests will be the paramount consideration, the timing of any liquidation may not be favorable to certain individual shareholders. From time to time an Authorized Participant, a third-party investor, the Adviser or another affiliate of the Adviser or the Fund may invest in the Fund and hold its investment for a specific period of time in order to facilitate commencement of the Fund’s operations or for the Fund to achieve size or scale. There can be no assurance that any such entity would not redeem its investment or that the size of the Fund would be maintained at such levels which could negatively impact the Fund.

Non-Diversification Risk
 
Non-Diversification Risk applies to the Global X Robotics & Artificial Intelligence ETF, Global X FinTech ETF, Global X Internet of Things ETF, Global X Cloud Computing ETF, Global X Future Analytics Tech ETF, Global X Autonomous & Electric Vehicles ETF, Global X Genomics & Biotechnology ETF, Global X Video Games & Esports ETF, Global X Cybersecurity ETF, Global X Education ETF, Global X Cannabis ETF, Global X Founder-Run Companies ETF and Global X Thematic Growth ETF

The Fund is classified as a “non-diversified” investment company under the 1940 Act. This means that the Fund may invest most of its assets in securities issued by or representing a small number of companies. As a result, the Fund may be more susceptible to the risks associated with these particular companies, or to a single economic, political or regulatory occurrence affecting these companies.

Operational Risk

Operational Risk applies to each Fund

The Fund is exposed to operational risk arising from a number of factors, including but not limited to human error, processing and communication errors, errors of the Fund's service providers, counterparties or other third-parties, failed or inadequate processes and technology or systems failures.

With the increased use of technologies such as the internet to conduct business, the Fund, Authorized Participants, service providers and the relevant listing exchange are susceptible to operational, information security and related “cyber” risks both directly and through their service providers. Similar types of cyber security risks are also present for issuers of securities in which the Fund invests, which could result in material adverse consequences for such issuers and may cause the Fund’s investment in such portfolio companies to lose value. Unlike many other types of risks faced by the Fund, these risks typically are not covered by insurance. In general, cyber incidents can result from deliberate attacks or unintentional events. Cyber incidents include, but are not limited to, gaining unauthorized access to digital systems (e.g., through “hacking” or malicious software coding) for purposes of misappropriating assets or sensitive information, corrupting data, or causing operational disruption. Cyber-attacks may also be carried out in a manner that does not require gaining unauthorized access, such as causing denial-of-service attacks on websites (i.e., efforts to make network services unavailable to intended users). Recently, geopolitical tensions may have increased the scale and sophistication of deliberate attacks, particularly those from nation-states or from entities with nation-state backing. Cyber security failures by or breaches of the systems of the Adviser and the Fund’s distributor and other service providers (including, but not limited to, the Index Provider, fund accountants, custodians, transfer agents and administrators), market makers, Authorized Participants, or the issuers of securities in which the Fund invests, have the ability to cause disruptions and impact business operations, potentially resulting in: financial losses, interference with the Fund’s ability to calculate its NAV, disclosure of confidential trading information, impediments to trading, submission of erroneous trades or erroneous creation or redemption orders, the inability of the Fund or its service providers to transact business, violations of applicable privacy and other laws, regulatory fines, penalties, reputational damage, reimbursement or other compensation costs, or additional compliance costs. In addition, cyber-attacks may render records of Fund assets and transactions, shareholder ownership of Fund Shares, and other data integral to the functioning of the Fund inaccessible or inaccurate or incomplete. Substantial costs may be incurred by the Fund in order to resolve or prevent cyber incidents in the future. While the Fund has established business continuity plans in the event of, and risk management systems to prevent, such cyber-attacks, there are inherent limitations in such plans and systems, including the possibility that certain risks have not been identified and that prevention and remediation efforts will not be successful. Furthermore, the Fund cannot control the cyber security plans and systems put in place by service providers to the Fund, issuers in which the Fund invests, the Index Provider, market makers or Authorized Participants. The Fund and its shareholders could be negatively impacted as a result.

The Fund and the Adviser seek to reduce these operational risks through controls and procedures. However, these measures do not address every possible risk and may be inadequate for those risks that they are intended to address.

164



Passive Investment Risk
 
Passive Investment Risk applies to each Fund

The Fund is not actively managed and may be affected by a general decline in market segments relating to the Underlying Index. The Fund invests in securities included in, or representative of, the Underlying Index regardless of their investment merits. The Adviser does not attempt to take defensive positions in declining markets beyond the mechanics built into the Underlying Index. Unlike many investment companies, the Fund does not seek to outperform its Underlying Index. Therefore, the Fund would not necessarily buy or sell a security unless that security is added or removed, respectively, from the Underlying Index, even if that security generally is underperforming. Maintaining investments in securities regardless of market conditions or the performance of individual securities could cause the Fund’s return to be lower than if the Fund employed an active strategy.

Index-Related Risk

There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve a high degree of correlation to the Underlying Index and therefore achieve its investment objective. Market disruptions and regulatory restrictions could have an adverse effect on the Fund’s ability to adjust its exposure to the required levels in order to track the Underlying Index. Errors in index data, index computations and/or the construction of the Underlying Index in accordance with its methodology may occur from time to time and may not be identified and corrected by the Index Provider for a period of time or at all, which may have an adverse impact on the Fund and its shareholders.

Management Risk
 
The Fund will not fully replicate its Underlying Index and may hold securities not included in its Underlying Index. Therefore, the Fund is subject to management risk. That is, the Adviser’s investment strategy, the implementation of which is subject to a number of constraints, may cause the Fund to underperform the market or its relevant benchmark or adversely affect the ability of the Fund to achieve its investment objective. The ability of the Adviser to successfully implement the Fund’s investment strategies will influence the Fund’s performance significantly.

Tracking Error Risk
 
Tracking error is the divergence of the Fund's performance from that of the Underlying Index. Tracking error may occur because of differences between the securities and other instruments held in the Fund's portfolio and those included in the Underlying Index, pricing differences (including differences between a security's price at the local market close and the Fund's valuation of a security at the time of calculation of the Fund's NAV), transaction costs incurred by the Fund, the Fund's holding of uninvested cash, differences in timing of the accrual of or the valuation of dividends or interest, tax gains or losses, changes to the Underlying Index or the costs to the Fund of complying with various new or existing regulatory requirements. This risk may be heightened during times of increased market volatility or other unusual market conditions. Tracking error also may result because the Fund incurs fees and expenses, while the Underlying Index does not. ETFs that track indices with significant weight in emerging markets issuers may experience higher tracking error than other ETFs that do not track such indices.

Risks Associated with Exchange-Traded Funds

Risks Associated with Exchange-Traded Funds applies to each Fund

As an ETF, the Fund is subject to the following risks:

Authorized Participants Concentration Risk

The Fund has a limited number of financial institutions that may act as Authorized Participants. Only Authorized Participants who have entered into agreements with the Fund's distributor may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund, and none of those Authorized Participants is obligated to engage in creation and/or redemption transactions. To the extent that those Authorized Participants exit the business or are unable to process creation and/or redemption orders, and no other Authorized Participant is able to step forward to create and redeem in either of those cases, Shares may trade like closed-end fund shares at a discount to NAV, and may possibly face trading halts and/or delisting from the Exchange.


165


Large Shareholder Risk

Certain shareholders, including an Authorized Participant, the Adviser or an affiliate of the Adviser, may own a substantial amount of the Fund’s Shares. Additionally, from time to time an Authorized Participant, a third-party investor, the Adviser, or an affiliate of the Adviser may invest in the Fund and hold its investment for a specific period of time in order to facilitate commencement of the Fund’s operations or to allow the Fund to achieve size or scale.  Redemptions by large shareholders could have a significant negative impact on the Fund. If a large shareholder were to redeem all, or a large portion, of its Shares, there is no guarantee that the Fund will be able to maintain sufficient assets to continue operations in which case the Board of Trustees may determine to liquidate the Fund. In addition, transactions by large shareholders may account for a large percentage of the trading volume on the Exchange and may, therefore, have a material upward or downward effect on the market price of the Shares.

Listing Standards Risk

Under continuous listing standards adopted by the Fund’s listing exchange, the Fund will be required to confirm on an ongoing basis that the components of the Underlying Index satisfy the applicable listing requirements. In the event that the Underlying Index does not comply with the applicable listing requirements, the Fund would be required to rectify such non-compliance by requesting that the Index Provider modify the Underlying Index, adopting a new underlying index, or obtaining relief from the SEC. Failure to rectify such non-compliance may result in the Fund being delisted by the listing exchange. In addition, the Fund may face the risk of being delisted if the Fund does not meet certain conditions of the listing exchange. Any resulting liquidation of the Fund could cause the Fund to incur elevated transaction costs and could result in negative tax consequences for its shareholders.

Market Trading Risks and Premium/Discount Risks
 
Absence of Active Market
 
Although Shares of the Fund are or will be listed for trading on a U.S. exchange and may be listed on certain foreign exchanges, there can be no assurance that an active trading market for the Shares will develop or be maintained.

Risks of Secondary Listings
 
The Fund's Shares may be listed or traded on U.S. and non-U.S. exchanges other than the U.S. exchange where the Fund’s primary listing is maintained. There can be no assurance that the Fund’s Shares will continue to trade on any such exchange or in any market or that the Fund's Shares will continue to meet the requirements for listing or trading on any exchange or in any market. The Fund's Shares may be less actively traded in certain markets than others, and investors are subject to the execution and settlement risks and market standards of the market where they or their brokers direct their trades for execution. Certain information available to investors who trade Shares on a U.S. exchange during regular U.S. market hours may not be available to investors who trade in other markets, which may result in secondary market prices in such markets being less efficient.

Secondary Market Trading Risk
 
Shares of the Fund may trade in the secondary market on days when the Fund does not accept orders to purchase or redeem Shares. On such days, Shares may trade in the secondary market with more significant premiums or discounts than might be experienced on days when the Fund accepts purchase and redemption orders.

Secondary market trading in Fund Shares may be halted by a stock exchange because of market conditions or other reasons. In addition, trading in Fund Shares on a stock exchange or in any market may be subject to trading halts caused by extraordinary market volatility pursuant to "circuit breaker" rules on the stock exchange or market. There can be no assurance that the requirements necessary to maintain the listing or trading of Fund Shares will continue to be met or will remain unchanged.
 
Shares of the Fund May Trade at Prices Other Than NAV
 
Shares of the Fund may trade at, above or below NAV. The per share NAV of the Fund will fluctuate with changes in the market value of the Fund’s holdings. The trading prices of Shares will fluctuate in accordance with changes in the Fund's NAV as well as market supply and demand. The trading prices of the Fund's Shares may deviate significantly from NAV during periods of market volatility or when the Fund has relatively few assets or experiences a lower trading volume.

166


Any of these factors may lead to the Fund's Shares trading at a premium or discount to NAV. While the creation/redemption feature is designed to make it likely that Shares normally will trade close to the Fund’s NAV, market prices are not expected to correlate exactly with the Fund's NAV due to timing reasons as well as market supply and demand factors. In addition, disruptions to creations and redemptions or the existence of extreme market volatility may result in trading prices that differ significantly from NAV. If a shareholder purchases at a time when the market price is at a premium to the NAV or sells at a time when the market price is at a discount to the NAV, the shareholder may sustain losses.
 
Since foreign exchanges may be open on days when the Fund does not price 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 Shares.

Costs of Buying or Selling Fund Shares
 
Buying or selling Fund Shares involves two types of costs that apply to all securities transactions. When buying or selling Shares of the Fund through a broker, you will likely incur a brokerage commission or other charges imposed by brokers as determined by that broker. In addition, you may incur the cost of the "spread" - that is, the difference between what professional investors are willing to pay for Fund Shares (the "bid" price) and the market price at which they are willing to sell Fund Shares (the "ask" price). Because of the costs inherent in buying or selling Fund Shares, frequent trading may detract significantly from investment results and an investment in Fund Shares may not be advisable for investors who anticipate regularly making small investments.

Securities Lending Risk

Securities Lending Risk applies to the Global X Robotics & Artificial Intelligence ETF, Global X FinTech ETF, Global X Internet of Things ETF, Global X Cloud Computing ETF, Global X Future Analytics Tech ETF, Global X Autonomous & Electric Vehicles ETF, Global X Millennials Thematic ETF, Global X Cannabis ETF and Global X U.S. Infrastructure Development ETF

The Fund may engage in lending its portfolio securities. The Fund may lend its portfolio securities to the extent noted under Fund Summaries-Principal Investment Strategies. In connection with such loans, the Fund receives liquid collateral equal to at least 102% of the value of domestic equity securities and ADRs and 105% of the value of the foreign equity securities (other than ADRs) being lent. This collateral is marked-to-market on a daily basis. Although the Fund will receive collateral in connection with all loans of its securities holdings, the Fund would be exposed to a risk of loss should a borrower default on its obligation to return the borrowed securities (e.g., the loaned securities may have appreciated beyond the value of the collateral held by the Fund). In addition, the Fund will bear the risk of loss of any cash collateral that it invests. Also, as securities on loan may not be voted by the Fund, there is a risk that the Fund may not be able to recall the securities in sufficient time to vote on material proxy matters.

Socially Responsible Investment Risk

Socially Responsible Investment Risk applies to the Global X Conscious Companies ETF

Certain social responsibility investment criteria limit the types of securities that can be included in the Underlying Index. In order to comply with its social responsibility investment criteria, the Underlying Index may be required to exclude advantageous investment opportunities or reduce exposure at inappropriate times. This could cause the Underlying Index to underperform other benchmark indices. The Fund’s social responsibility investment criteria could therefore cause it to underperform funds that do not maintain social responsibility investment criteria by limiting the Fund’s exposure to certain types of profitable activity.

Trading Halt Risk
 
Trading Halt Risk applies to each Fund

An exchange or market may close or issue trading halts on specific securities, or the ability to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments may be restricted, which may result in the Fund being unable to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments. In such circumstances, the Fund may be unable to rebalance its portfolio, may be unable to accurately price its investments and/or may incur substantial trading losses.

Turnover Risk

Turnover Risk applies to the Global X Thematic Growth ETF


167


The Fund may experience relatively high portfolio turnover, which may result in increased transaction costs and lower Fund performance.

Valuation Risk
 
Valuation Risk applies to each Fund

The sales price the Fund could receive for a security may differ from the Fund’s valuation of the security and may differ from the value used by the Underlying Index, particularly for securities that trade in low value or volatile markets or that are valued using a fair value methodology (such as during trading halts). Because non-U.S. 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.

A FURTHER DISCUSSION OF OTHER RISKS

Each Fund may also be subject to certain other risks associated with its investments and investment strategies.

Exclusion from the Definition of a Commodity Pool Operator Risk

With respect to the Fund, the Adviser has claimed an exclusion from the definition of “commodity pool operator” (“CPO”) under the Commodity Exchange Act, as amended (“CEA”), and the rules of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) and, therefore, is not subject to CFTC registration or regulation as a CPO. In addition, the Adviser is relying upon a related exclusion from the definition of “commodity trading advisor” (“CTA”) under the CEA and the rules of the CFTC. The terms of the CPO exclusion require the Fund, among other things, to adhere to certain limits on its investments in “commodity interests.” Commodity interests include commodity futures, commodity options and swaps. Because the Adviser and the Fund intend to comply with the terms of the CPO exclusion, the Fund may, in the future, need to adjust its investment strategies, consistent with its investment objective, to limit its investments in these types of instruments. The Fund is not intended as a vehicle for trading in the commodity futures, commodity options or swaps markets. The CFTC has neither reviewed nor approved the Adviser’s reliance on these exclusions, or the Fund, its investment strategies or this Prospectus.

Leverage Risk
 
Under the 1940 Act, the Fund is permitted to borrow from a bank up to 33 1/3% of its net assets for short term or emergency purposes. The Fund may borrow money at fiscal quarter end to maintain the required level of diversification to qualify as a regulated investment company ("RIC") for purposes of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"). As a result, the Fund may be exposed to the risks of leverage, which may be considered a speculative investment technique. Leverage magnifies the potential for gain and loss on amounts invested and therefore increases the risks associated with investing in the Fund. If the value of the Fund's assets increases, then leveraging would cause the Fund's NAV to increase more sharply than it would have had the Fund not leveraged. Conversely, if the value of the Fund's assets decreases, leveraging would cause the Fund's NAV to decline more sharply than it otherwise would have had the Fund not leveraged. The Fund may incur additional expenses in connection with borrowings.

Qualification as a Regulated Investment Company Risk
 
The Fund must meet a number of diversification requirements to qualify as a RIC under Section 851 of the Code and, if qualified, to continue to qualify. If the Fund experiences difficulty in meeting those requirements for any fiscal quarter, it might enter into borrowings in order to increase the portion of the Fund’s total assets represented by cash, cash items, and U.S. government securities shortly thereafter and, as of the close of the following fiscal quarter, to attempt to meet the requirements. However, the Fund may incur additional expenses in connection with any such borrowings, and increased investments by the Fund in cash, cash items, and U.S. government securities (whether the Fund makes such investments from borrowings) are likely to reduce the Fund’s return to investors.
 
Tax Treaty Reclaims Uncertainty

The Fund may accrue for certain tax reclaims eligible under current bilateral double taxation treaties between the United States government and foreign governments.  It is possible that the Fund ultimately may not be able to recover some or all of the outstanding tax reclaims, which may adversely affect the valuation of the Fund.

168



PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS INFORMATION
 
A description of the policies and procedures of Global X Funds® (the "Trust") with respect to the disclosure of the Funds’ portfolio securities is available in the Funds’ combined Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”). The top holdings of each Fund and Fund Fact Sheets providing information regarding each Fund’s top holdings can be found at www.globalxetfs.com and may be requested by calling 1-888-493-8631.

FUND MANAGEMENT
 
Investment Adviser
 
Global X Management Company LLC (the "Adviser") serves as the investment adviser and the administrator for the Funds. Subject to the supervision of the Trust's Board of Trustees, the Adviser is responsible for managing the investment activities of the Funds and the Funds' business affairs and other administrative matters. The Adviser has been a registered investment adviser since 2008. The Adviser is a Delaware limited liability company with its principal offices located at 605 3rd Avenue, 43rd Floor, New York, New York 10158. As of February 28, 2020, the Adviser provided investment advisory services for assets of approximately $11.8 billion.

Pursuant to a Supervision and Administration Agreement and subject to the general supervision of the Board of Trustees, the Adviser provides or causes to be furnished, all supervisory, administrative and other services reasonably necessary for the operation of the Funds and also bears the costs of various third-party services required by the Funds, including audit, certain custody, portfolio accounting, legal, transfer agency and printing costs. The Supervision and Administration Agreement also requires the Adviser to provide investment advisory services to the Funds pursuant to an Investment Advisory Agreement. The Supervision and Administration Agreement for the Global X Thematic Growth ETF provides that the Adviser also bears the costs for acquired fund fees and expenses generated by investments by the Fund in affiliated investment companies.

Each Fund pays the Adviser a fee ("Management Fee") in return for providing investment advisory, supervisory and administrative services under an all-in fee structure. For the fiscal year ended November 30, 2019, the Funds paid a monthly Management Fee to the Adviser at the following annual rates (stated as a percentage of the average daily net assets of each Fund taken separately):

Fund
Management Fee
Global X Robotics & Artificial Intelligence ETF
0.68%
Global X FinTech ETF
0.68%
Global X Internet of Things ETF
0.68%
Global X Cloud Computing ETF
0.68%
Global X Future Analytics Tech ETF
0.68%
Global X Autonomous & Electric Vehicles ETF
0.68%
Global X Genomics & Biotechnology ETF
0.68%
Global X Video Games & Esports ETF
0.50%
Global X Cybersecurity ETF
0.60%
Global X Millennials Thematic ETF
0.68%*
Global X Longevity Thematic ETF
0.68%*
Global X Health & Wellness Thematic ETF
0.68%*
Global X Cannabis ETF
0.50%
Global X U.S. Infrastructure Development ETF
0.47%**
Global X Conscious Companies ETF
0.43%
Global X Founder-Run Companies ETF
0.45%**
Global X Thematic Growth ETF
0.50%

*The Board of Trustees voted to approve lower Management Fees for the Global X Health & Wellness Thematic ETF, Global X Longevity Thematic ETF, and Global X Millennials Thematic ETF of 0.50% effective April 1, 2020. Prior to that, the Global X Health & Wellness Thematic ETF, Global X Longevity Thematic ETF, and Global X Millennials Thematic ETF were each subject to a Management Fee of 0.68%, but each Fund had in place an Expense Limitation Agreement that contractually limited Fund expenses to the extent necessary to assure that the operating expenses of the Fund (exclusive of taxes, brokerage fees, commissions,

169


and other transaction expenses and extraordinary expenses (such as litigation and indemnification expenses)) would not exceed 0.50% of the Fund's average daily net assets per year.

**The Board of Trustees of the Trust voted to approve lower Management Fees for the Global X U.S Infrastructure Development ETF and Global X Founder-Run Companies ETF of 0.47% and 0.45%, respectively, effective April 1, 2019.

The Global X Education ETF was not operational during the fiscal year ended November 30, 2019. The Management Fee for the Global X Education ETF is at an annual rate (stated as a percentage of the average daily net assets of the Fund) of 0.68%.

In addition, each Fund bears other fees and expenses that are not covered by the Supervision and Administration Agreement, which may vary and will affect the total expense ratio of each Fund, such as taxes, brokerage fees, commissions and other transaction expenses, interest and extraordinary expenses (such as litigation and indemnification expenses). The Adviser may earn a profit on the Management Fee paid by each Fund. Also, the Adviser, and not shareholders of the Funds, would benefit from any price decreases in third-party services, including decreases resulting from an increase in net assets.
  
Pursuant to an Expense Limitation Agreement, the Adviser has contractually agreed to reimburse or waive fees and/or limit expenses for the Global X Cybersecurity ETF to the extent necessary to assure that the operating expenses of the Global X Cybersecurity ETF (exclusive of taxes, brokerage fees, commissions, and other transaction expenses, interest, and extraordinary expenses (such as litigation and indemnification expenses)) will not exceed 0.50% of the average daily net assets of the Global X Cybersecurity ETF per year until at least April 1, 2021.

The Adviser or its affiliates may pay compensation, out of profits derived from the Adviser’s Management Fee or other resources and not as an additional charge to the Funds, to certain financial institutions (which may include banks, securities dealers and other industry professionals) for the sale and/or distribution of Fund Shares or the retention and/or servicing of Fund investors and Fund Shares (“revenue sharing”). These payments are in addition to any other fees described in the fee table or elsewhere in the Prospectus or SAI. Examples of “revenue sharing” payments include, but are not limited to, payments to financial institutions for “shelf space” or access to a third party platform or fund offering list or other marketing programs, including, but not limited to, inclusion of the Funds on preferred or recommended sales lists, mutual fund “supermarket” platforms and other formal sales programs; granting the Adviser access to the financial institution’s sales force; granting the Adviser access to the financial institution’s conferences and meetings; assistance in training and educating the financial institution’s personnel; and obtaining other forms of marketing support. The level of revenue sharing payments made to financial institutions may be a fixed fee or based upon one or more of the following factors: gross sales, current assets and/or number of accounts of the Fund attributable to the financial institution, or other factors as agreed to by the Adviser and the financial institution or any combination thereof. The amount of these revenue sharing payments is determined at the discretion of the Adviser from time to time, may be substantial, and may be different for different financial institutions depending upon the services provided by the financial institution. Such payments may provide an incentive for the financial institution to make Shares of the Funds available to its customers and may allow the Funds greater access to the financial institution’s customers.

Approval of Advisory Agreement
 
A discussion regarding the basis for the Board of Trustees' approval of the Supervision and Administration Agreement and the related Investment Advisory Agreement for each Fund (other than the Global X Education ETF) is available in the Funds' Annual Report to Shareholders for the fiscal half-year ended May 31 and/or Annual Report to Shareholders for the fiscal year ended November 30. The Board of Trustees' approval of the Supervision and Administration Agreement and the related Investment Advisory Agreement for the Global X Education ETF mentioned above will be available in the Fund's first Semi-Annual Report or Annual Report to shareholders for the period ended May 31 or November 30, respectively.

Portfolio Management
 
The Portfolio Managers who are currently responsible for the day-to-day management of each Fund's portfolio are Chang Kim, Nam To, Wayne Xie and Kimberly Chan.

Chang Kim: Chang Kim, CFA, joined the Adviser in September 2009.  He currently holds the position of Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer with the Adviser. Mr. Kim received his Bachelor of Arts from Yale University in 2009.

Nam To: Nam To, CFA joined the Adviser in July 2017. Prior to that, Mr. To was a Global Economics Research Analyst at Bunge Limited from 2014 to 2017. Mr. To received his Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and Economics from Cornell University in 2014.


170


Wayne Xie: Wayne Xie joined the Adviser in July 2018 as a Portfolio Management Associate. Previously, Mr. Xie was an Analyst at VanEck Associates on the Equity ETF Investment Management team from 2010 to 2018 and a Portfolio Administrator at VanEck Associates from 2007 to 2010. Mr. Xie received his Bachelor of Science from State University of New York at Buffalo in 2002.

Kimberly Chan: Kimberly Chan joined the Adviser in June 2018 and is a Portfolio Management Associate. Previously, Ms. Chan was a U.S. Associate Trader at Credit Agricole from 2016 to 2018, and an Investment Analyst at MetLife Investments from 2015 to 2016. Ms. Chan received her Bachelor of Science from New York University in 2015.

The SAI provides additional information about the Portfolio Managers’ compensation structure, other accounts managed by the Portfolio Managers, and the Portfolio Managers' ownership of Shares of the Funds.


171


DISTRIBUTOR
 
SEI Investments Distribution Co. ("Distributor") distributes Creation Units for the Funds on an agency basis. The Distributor does not maintain a secondary market in Shares. The Distributor has no role in determining the policies of the Funds or the securities that are purchased or sold by each Fund. The Distributor’s principal address is One Freedom Valley Drive, Oaks, PA 19456. The Distributor is not affiliated with the Adviser.

BUYING AND SELLING FUND SHARES
 
Shares of the Funds trade on a national securities exchange and in the secondary market during the trading day. Shares can be bought and sold throughout the trading day like other shares of publicly-traded securities. There is no minimum investment for purchases made on a national securities exchange. When buying or selling Shares through a broker, you will incur customary brokerage commissions and charges. In addition, you will also incur the cost of the “spread,” which is the difference between what professional investors are willing to pay for Shares (the “bid” price) and the price at which they are willing to sell Shares (the “ask” price). The commission is frequently a fixed amount and may be a significant proportional cost for investors seeking to buy

172


or sell small amounts of Shares. The spread with respect to Shares varies over time based on a Fund’s trading volume and market liquidity and is generally lower if a Fund has significant trading volume and market liquidity and higher if a Fund has little trading volume and market liquidity. Because of the costs of buying and selling Shares, frequent trading may reduce investment return.

Shares of a Fund may be acquired or redeemed directly from the Fund only by Authorized Participants (as defined in the SAI) and only in Creation Units or multiples thereof, as discussed in the "Creations and Redemptions" section in the SAI. Under normal circumstances, the Funds will pay out redemption proceeds to a redeeming Authorized Participant within two days after the Authorized Participant’s redemption request is received, in accordance with the process set forth in the Funds' SAI and in the agreement between the Authorized Participant and the Distributor. However, the Funds reserve the right, including under stressed market conditions, to take up to seven days after the receipt of a redemption request to pay an Authorized Participant, all as permitted by the 1940 Act. The Funds anticipate regularly meeting redemption requests primarily through in-kind redemptions. However, the Funds reserve the right to pay redemption proceeds to an Authorized Participant in cash, consistent with the Trust’s exemptive relief. Cash used for redemptions will be raised from the sale of portfolio assets or may come from existing holdings of cash or cash equivalents.
 
Shares generally trade in the secondary market in amounts less than a Creation Unit. Shares of the Funds trade under the trading symbol listed for each Fund in the Fund Summaries section of the Prospectus.
 
The Funds are listed on a national securities exchange, which is open for trading Monday through Friday and is closed on weekends and the following holidays, as observed: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.
 
Book Entry
 
Shares of the Funds 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 and is recognized as the owner of all Shares for all purposes.
 
Investors owning Shares are beneficial owners as shown on the records of DTC or its participants. DTC serves as the securities depository for all Shares. 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 rights 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.

FREQUENT TRADING
 
Unlike frequent trading of shares of a traditional open-end mutual fund (i.e., not exchange-traded shares), frequent trading of Shares on the secondary market does not disrupt portfolio management, increase a Fund's trading costs, lead to realization of capital gains, or otherwise harm Fund shareholders because these trades do not involve a Fund directly. A few institutional investors are authorized to purchase and redeem the Funds' Shares directly with the Funds. When these trades are effected in-kind (i.e., for securities, and not for cash), they do not cause any of the harmful effects (noted above) that may result from frequent cash trades. Moreover, each Fund imposes transaction fees on in-kind purchases and redemptions of the Fund intended to cover the custodial and other costs incurred by the Fund in effecting in-kind trades. These fees increase if an investor substitutes cash in part or in whole for securities, reflecting the fact that the Fund’s trading costs increase in those circumstances, although transaction fees are subject to certain limits and therefore may not cover all related costs incurred by a Fund. For these reasons, the Board of Trustees has determined that it is not necessary to adopt policies and procedures to detect and deter frequent trading and market-timing in Shares of the Funds.

DISTRIBUTION AND SERVICES PLAN
 
The Board of Trustees of the Trust has adopted a Distribution and Services Plan (“Plan”) pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act. Under the Plan, each Fund is authorized to pay distribution fees in connection with the sale and distribution of its Shares and pay service fees in connection with the provision of ongoing services to shareholders of each class and the maintenance of shareholder accounts in an amount up to 0.25% of its average daily net assets each year.
 
No Rule 12b-1 fees are currently paid by a Fund, and there are no current plans to impose these fees. However, in the event Rule 12b-1 fees are charged in the future, because these fees are paid out of each Fund’s assets on an ongoing basis, these fees will increase the cost of your investment in a Fund. By purchasing Shares subject to distribution fees and service fees, you may pay

173


more over time than you would by purchasing Shares with other types of sales charge arrangements. Long-term shareholders may pay more than the economic equivalent of the maximum front-end sales charge permitted by the rules of FINRA. The net income attributable to Shares will be reduced by the amount of distribution fees and service fees and other expenses of a Fund.

DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS
 
Dividends from net investment income, including any net foreign currency gains, generally are declared and paid at least annually and any net realized capital gains are distributed at least annually. In order to improve tracking error or comply with the distribution requirements of the Code, dividends may be declared and paid more frequently than annually for a Fund.

Dividends and other distributions on Shares are distributed on a pro rata basis to beneficial owners of such Shares. Dividend payments are made through DTC participants to beneficial owners then of record with proceeds received from a Fund. Dividends and security gain distributions are distributed in U.S. dollars and cannot be automatically reinvested in additional Shares.
 
No dividend reinvestment service is provided by the Trust. Broker-dealers may make available the DTC book-entry Dividend Reinvestment Service for use by beneficial owners of a Fund for reinvestment of their dividend distributions. Beneficial owners should contact their broker to determine the availability and costs of the service and the details of participation therein. Brokers may require beneficial owners to adhere to specific procedures and timetables. If this service is available and used, dividend distributions of both income and realized gains will be automatically reinvested in additional whole Shares purchased in the secondary market.

INVESTMENTS BY INVESTMENT COMPANIES

Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act restricts investments by investment companies in the securities of other investment companies, including shares of the Fund. Registered investment companies and unit investment trusts that enter into a participation agreement with the Trust ("Investing Funds") are permitted to invest in certain Global X Funds beyond the limits set forth in Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act subject to certain terms and conditions set forth in an SEC exemptive order issued to the Trust. With respect to the Global X Thematic Growth ETF, which invests in Underlying ETFs, Investing Funds must adhere to the limits set forth in Section 12(d)(1) when investing in the Fund.

TAXES
 
The following is a summary of certain tax considerations that may be relevant to an investor in a Fund. Except where otherwise indicated, the discussion relates to investors who are individual United States citizens or residents and is based on current tax law. You should consult your tax advisor for further information regarding federal, state, local and/or foreign tax consequences relevant to your specific situation.

Distributions. Each Fund receives income and gains on its investments. The income, less expenses incurred in the operation of a Fund, constitutes the Fund's net investment income from which dividends may be paid to you. Each Fund intends to qualify as a RIC under the Code for federal tax purposes and to distribute to shareholders substantially all of its net investment income and net capital gain each year. Except as otherwise noted below, you will generally be subject to federal income tax on a Fund’s distributions to you. For federal income tax purposes, Fund distributions attributable to short-term capital gains and net investment income are taxable to you as ordinary income. Distributions attributable to net capital gains (the excess of net long-term capital gains over net short-term capital losses) of a Fund generally are taxable to you as long-term capital gains. This is true no matter how long you own your Shares or whether you take distributions in cash or additional Shares. The maximum long-term capital gain rate applicable to individuals is 20%.
 
Distributions of “qualifying dividends” will also generally be taxable to you at long-term capital gain rates as long as certain requirements are met. In general, if 95% or more of the gross income of a Fund (other than net capital gain) consists of dividends received from domestic corporations or “qualified” foreign corporations (“qualifying dividends”), then all distributions received by individual shareholders of a Fund will be treated as qualifying dividends. But if less than 95% of the gross income of a Fund (other than net capital gain) consists of qualifying dividends, then distributions received by individual shareholders of a Fund will be qualifying dividends only to the extent they are derived from qualifying dividends earned by such Fund. For the lower rates to apply, you must have owned your Shares for at least 61 days during the 121-day period beginning on the date that is 60 days before such Fund’s ex-dividend date (and such Fund will need to have met a similar holding period requirement with respect to the Shares of the corporation paying the qualifying dividend). The amount of a Fund’s distributions that qualify for this favorable treatment may be reduced as a result of such Fund’s securities lending activities (if any), a high portfolio turnover rate or investments in debt securities or “non-qualified” foreign corporations. In addition, whether distributions received from foreign corporations are

174


qualifying dividends will depend on several factors including the country of residence of the corporation making the distribution. Accordingly, distributions from many of the Funds’ holdings may not be qualifying dividends.
 
A portion of distributions paid to shareholders that are corporations may also qualify for the dividends-received deduction for corporations, subject to certain holding period requirements and debt financing limitations. The amount of the dividends qualifying for this deduction may, however, be reduced as a result of such Fund’s securities lending activities, by a high portfolio turnover rate or by investments in debt securities or foreign corporations.
 
Distributions from a Fund will generally be taxable to you in the year in which they are paid, with one exception. Dividends and distributions declared by a Fund in October, November or December and paid in January of the following year are taxed as though they were paid on December 31.
 
You should note that if you buy Shares of a Fund shortly before it makes a distribution, the distribution will be fully taxable to you even though, as an economic matter, it simply represents a return of a portion of your investment. This adverse tax result is known as “buying into a dividend.”
 
You will be informed of the amount of your ordinary income dividends, qualifying dividend income, and capital gain distributions at the time they are paid, and you will be advised of the tax status for federal income tax purposes shortly after the close of each calendar year. If you have not held Shares for a full year, a Fund may designate and distribute to you, as ordinary income or capital gain, a percentage of income that is not equal to the actual amount of such income earned during the period of your investment in such Fund.
 
A Fund’s investments in partnerships, including in partnerships defined as Qualified Publicly Traded Partnerships for tax purposes, may result in such Fund being subject to state, local or foreign income, franchise or withholding tax liabilities.
 
Qualified REIT Dividends. Under the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, “qualified REIT dividends” (i.e., ordinary REIT dividends other than capital gain dividends and portions of REIT dividends designated as qualified dividend income) are treated as eligible for a 20% deduction by noncorporate taxpayers. This deduction, if allowed in full, equates to a maximum effective tax rate of 29.6% (37% top rate applied to income after 20% deduction). Proposed regulations issued by the IRS, which may be relied upon currently, enable the Fund to pass through the special character of “qualified REIT dividends” to a shareholder, provided both the Fund and the shareholder meet certain holding period requirements with respect to their shares. A noncorporate shareholder receiving such dividends would treat them as eligible for the 20% deduction, provided Fund shares were held by the shareholder for more than 45 days during the 91-day period beginning on the date that is 45 days before the date on which the shares become ex-dividend with respect to such dividend). The amount of a RIC’s dividends eligible for the 20% deduction for a taxable year is limited to the excess of the RIC’s qualified REIT dividends for the taxable year over allocable expenses.

Excise Tax Distribution Requirements. Under the Code, a nondeductible excise tax of 4% is imposed on the excess of a RIC’s “required distribution” for the calendar year ending within the RIC’s taxable year over the “distributed amount” for such calendar year. The term “required distribution” means the sum of (a) 98% of ordinary income (generally net investment income) for the calendar year, (b) 98.2% of capital gain (both long-term and short-term) for the one-year period ending on October 31 (or December 31, if a Fund so elects), and (c) the sum of any untaxed, undistributed net investment income and net capital gains of the RIC for prior periods. The term “distributed amount” generally means the sum of (a) amounts actually distributed by a Fund from its current year’s ordinary income and capital gain net income and (b) any amount on which a Fund pays income tax for the taxable year ending in the calendar year. Although each Fund intends to distribute its net investment income and net capital gains so as to avoid excise tax liability, a Fund may determine that it is in the interest of shareholders to distribute a lesser amount. The Funds intend to declare and pay these amounts in December (or in January, which must be treated by you as received in December) to avoid these excise taxes but can give no assurances that their distributions will be sufficient to eliminate all such taxes.

Foreign Currencies. Under the Code, gains or losses attributable to fluctuations in exchange rates which occur between the time a Fund accrues interest or other receivables or accrues expenses or other liabilities denominated in a foreign currency, and the time such Fund actually collects such receivables or pays such liabilities, are treated as ordinary income or ordinary loss. Similarly, gains or losses from the disposition of foreign currencies, from the disposition of debt securities denominated in a foreign currency, or from the disposition of a forward foreign currency contract which are attributable to fluctuations in the value of the foreign currency between the date of acquisition of the asset and the date of disposition also are treated as ordinary income or loss. These gains or losses, referred to under the Code as “section 988” gains or losses, increase or decrease the amount of a Fund’s investment company taxable income available to be distributed to its shareholders as ordinary income, rather than increasing or decreasing the amount of such Fund’s net capital gain.


175


Foreign Taxes. Each Fund will be subject to foreign withholding taxes with respect to certain payments received from sources in foreign countries. If at the close of the taxable year more than 50% in value of a Fund’s assets consists of stock in foreign corporations, such Fund will be eligible to make an election to treat a proportionate amount of those taxes as constituting a distribution to each shareholder, which would allow you either (subject to certain limitations) (1) to credit that proportionate amount of taxes against your U.S. Federal income tax liability as a foreign tax credit or (2) to take that amount as an itemized deduction. If a Fund is not eligible or chooses not to make this election, it will be entitled to deduct such taxes in computing the amounts it is required to distribute.

Sales and Exchanges. The sale of Shares is a taxable event on which a gain or loss is recognized. The amount of gain or loss is based on the difference between your tax basis in Shares and the amount you receive for them upon disposition. Generally, you will recognize long-term capital gain or loss if you have held your Shares for over one year at the time you sell or exchange them. Gains and losses on Shares held for one year or less will generally constitute short-term capital gains, except that a loss on Shares held six months or less will be re-characterized as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any long-term capital gain distributions that you have received on the Shares. A loss realized on a sale or exchange of Shares may be disallowed under the so-called “wash sale” rules to the extent the Shares disposed of are replaced with other Shares of that same Fund within a period of 61 days beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after the Shares are disposed of, such as pursuant to a dividend reinvestment in Shares of a Fund. If disallowed, the loss will be reflected in an adjustment to the basis of the Shares acquired.

Taxes on Purchase and Redemption of Creation Units. An Authorized Participant who exchanges securities for Creation Units generally will recognize a gain or a loss. The gain or loss will be equal to the difference between the market value of the Creation Units at the time of purchase (plus any cash received by the Authorized Participant as part of the issue) and the Authorized Participant’s aggregate basis in the securities surrendered (plus any cash paid by the Authorized Participant as part of the issue). An Authorized Participant who exchanges Creation Units for securities generally will recognize a gain or loss equal to the difference between the Authorized Participant’s basis in the Creation Units (plus any cash paid by the Authorized Participant as part of the redemption) and the aggregate market value of the securities received (plus any cash received by the Authorized Participant as part of the redemption). The Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”), however, may assert that a loss realized upon an exchange of securities for Creation Units cannot be deducted currently under the rules governing “wash sales,” or on the basis that there has been no significant change in economic position. Persons exchanging securities should consult their own tax advisor with respect to whether the wash sale rules apply and when a loss might be deductible.

IRAs and Other Tax-Qualified Plans. The one major exception to the preceding tax principles is that distributions on, and sales, exchanges and redemptions of, Shares held in an IRA or other tax-qualified plan are not currently taxable but may be taxable when funds are withdrawn from the tax qualified plan, unless the Shares were purchased with borrowed funds.

Medicare Tax. An additional 3.8% Medicare tax is imposed on certain net investment income (including ordinary dividends and capital gain distributions received from a Fund and net gains from redemptions or other taxable dispositions of Fund Shares) of U.S. individuals, estates and trusts to the extent that such person’s “modified adjusted gross income” (in the case of an individual) or “adjusted gross income” (in the case of an estate or trust) exceeds a threshold amount. This Medicare tax, if applicable, is reported by you on, and paid with, your federal income tax return.

Backup Withholding. Each Fund will be required in certain cases to withhold and remit to the U.S. Treasury backup withholding at the applicable rate on dividends and gross sales proceeds paid to any shareholder (i) who has either provided an incorrect tax identification number or no number at all, (ii) who is subject to backup withholding by the IRS, or (iii) who has failed to certify to a Fund, when required to do so, that he or she is not subject to backup withholding or is an “exempt recipient.”

Cost Basis Reporting. Federal law requires that shareholders' cost basis, gain/loss, and holding period be reported to the IRS and to shareholders on the Consolidated Form 1099s when “covered” securities are sold. Covered securities are any RIC and/or dividend reinvestment plan shares acquired on or after January 1, 2012.

For those securities defined as "covered" under current IRS cost basis tax reporting regulations, accurate cost basis and tax lot information must be maintained for tax reporting purposes. This information is not required for Shares that are not "covered." The Funds and their service providers do not provide tax advice. You should consult independent sources, which may include a tax professional, with respect to any decisions you may make with respect to choosing a tax lot identification method. Shareholders should contact their financial intermediaries with respect to reporting of cost basis and available elections for their accounts.

State and Local Taxes. You may also be subject to state and local taxes on income and gain attributable to your ownership of Shares. You should consult your tax advisor regarding the tax status of distributions in your state and locality.


176


U.S. Tax Treatment of Foreign Shareholders. A non-U.S. shareholder generally will not be subject to U.S. withholding tax on gain from the redemption of Shares or on capital gain dividends (i.e., dividends attributable to long-term capital gains of a Fund) unless, in the case of a shareholder who is a non-resident alien individual, the shareholder is present in the United States for 183 days or more during the taxable year and certain other conditions are met. Non-U.S. shareholders generally will be subject to U.S. withholding tax at a rate of 30% (or a lower treaty rate, if applicable) on distributions by a Fund of net investment income, other ordinary income, and the excess, if any, of net short-term capital gain over net long-term capital loss for the year, unless the distributions are effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business of the shareholder. Exemptions from U.S. withholding tax are provided for certain capital gain dividends paid by a Fund from net long-term capital gains, if any, interest-related dividends paid by the Fund from its qualified net interest income from U.S. sources and short-term capital gain dividends, if such amounts are reported by the Fund. Non-U.S. shareholders are subject to special U.S. tax certification requirements to avoid backup withholding and claim any treaty benefits. Non-U.S. shareholders should consult their tax advisors regarding the U.S. and foreign tax consequences of investing in a Fund.

Other Reporting and Withholding Requirements. Under the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (“FATCA”), a 30% withholding tax is imposed on income dividends paid by a Fund to certain foreign entities, referred to as foreign financial institutions or nonfinancial foreign entities, that fail to comply (or be deemed compliant) with extensive reporting and withholding requirements designed to inform the U.S. Department of the Treasury of U.S.-owned foreign investment accounts. After December 31, 2018, FATCA withholding also would have applied to certain capital gain distributions, return of capital distributions and the proceeds arising from the sale of Fund Shares; however, based on proposed regulations issued by the IRS, which may be relied upon currently, such withholding is no longer required unless final regulations provide otherwise (which is not expected). Information about a shareholder in a Fund may be disclosed to the IRS, non-U.S. taxing authorities or other parties as necessary to comply with FATCA. Withholding also may be required if a foreign entity that is a shareholder of a Fund fails to provide the appropriate certifications or other documentation concerning its status under FATCA.

Consult Your Tax Professional. Your investment in a Fund could have additional tax consequences. You should consult your tax professional for information regarding all tax consequences applicable to your investments in a Fund. More tax information relating to the Funds is also provided in the SAI. This short summary is not intended as a substitute for careful tax planning.

DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE

Each Fund calculates its NAV as of the regularly scheduled close of business of the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) (normally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time) on each day that the NYSE is open for business, based on prices at the time of closing, provided that any assets or liabilities denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar shall be translated into U.S. dollars at the prevailing market rates on the date of valuation as quoted by one or more major banks or dealers that make a two-way market in such currencies (or a data service provider based on quotations received from such banks or dealers). The NAV of each Fund is calculated by dividing the value of the net assets of such Fund (i.e., the value of its total assets less total liabilities) by the total number of outstanding Shares, generally rounded to the nearest cent. The price of Fund Shares is based on market price, and because ETF shares trade at market prices rather than NAV, Shares may trade at a price greater than NAV (a premium) or less than NAV (a discount).
 
In calculating a Fund’s NAV, the Fund’s investments are generally valued using market valuations. A market valuation generally means a valuation (i) obtained from an exchange or a major market maker (or dealer), (ii) based on a price quotation or other equivalent indication of value supplied by an exchange, a pricing service, or a major market maker (or dealer), or (iii) based on amortized cost, provided the amortized cost is approximately the value on current sale of the security. In the case of shares of funds that are not traded on an exchange, a market valuation means such fund’s published NAV per share. A Fund may use various pricing services or discontinue the use of any pricing service.

In the event that current market valuations are not readily available or such valuations do not reflect current market values, the affected investments will be valued using fair value pricing pursuant to the pricing policy and procedures approved by the Board of Trustees. A price obtained from a pricing service based on such pricing service's valuation matrix may be used to fair value a security. The frequency with which a Fund’s investments are valued using fair value pricing is primarily a function of the types of securities and other assets in which the Fund invests pursuant to its investment objective, strategies and limitations.

Investments that may be valued using fair value pricing include, but are not limited to: (i) an unlisted security related to corporate actions; (ii) a restricted security (i.e., one that may not be publicly sold without registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”)); (iii) a security whose trading has been suspended or which has been de-listed from its primary trading exchange; (iv) a security that is thinly traded; (v) a security in default or bankruptcy proceedings for which there is no current market quotation; (vi) a security affected by currency controls or restrictions; and (vii) a security affected by a significant event (i.e., an event that occurs after the close of the markets on which the security is traded but before the time as of which the

177


Fund’s NAV is computed and that may materially affect the value of the Fund’s investments). Examples of events that may be “significant events” are government actions, natural disasters, armed conflict, acts of terrorism, and significant market fluctuations.

Valuing a Fund’s investments using fair value pricing will result in using prices for those investments that may differ from current market valuations. Use of fair value prices and certain current market valuations could result in a difference between the prices used to calculate a Fund’s NAV and the prices used by the Fund’s Underlying Index, which, in turn, could result in a difference between the Fund’s performance and the performance of the Fund’s Underlying Index.
 
Because foreign markets may be open on different days than the days during which a shareholder may purchase Shares, the value of a Fund’s investments may change on days when shareholders are not able to purchase Shares. Additionally, due to varying holiday schedules, redemption requests made on certain dates may result in a settlement period exceeding seven calendar days. A list of the holiday schedules of the foreign exchanges of each Fund’s Underlying Index, as well as the dates on which a settlement period would exceed seven calendar days in 2020 and 2021, is contained in the SAI.

The value of assets denominated in foreign currencies is converted into U.S. dollars using exchange rates deemed appropriate by the Adviser. Any use of a different rate from the rates used by each Index Provider may adversely affect a Fund’s ability to track its Underlying Index.

The right of redemption may be suspended or the date of payment postponed with respect to a Fund (1) for any period during which the NYSE or listing exchange is closed (other than customary weekend and holiday closings), (2) for any period during which trading on the NYSE or listing exchange is suspended or restricted, (3) for any period during which an emergency exists as a result of which disposal of the Fund’s portfolio securities or determination of its NAV is not reasonably practicable, or (4) in such other circumstances as the SEC permits.

PREMIUM/DISCOUNT INFORMATION
 
Information regarding how often the Shares of each Fund traded on the national securities exchanges at a price above (i.e., at a premium to) or below (i.e., at a discount to) the NAV of the Fund during the past four calendar quarters can be found at www.globalxetfs.com.

TOTAL RETURN INFORMATION
 
Each Fund (other than the Global X Education ETF) had commenced operations as of the most recent fiscal year end.

The tables that follow present information about the total returns of each operational Fund's Underlying Index and the total returns of each such Fund. The information presented for each Fund is as of its fiscal year ended November 30, 2019.
 
“Annualized Total Returns” or "Cumulative Total Returns" represent the total change in value of an investment over the periods indicated.
 
Each Fund’s per share NAV is the value of one share of the Fund as calculated in accordance with the standard formula for valuing mutual fund Shares. The NAV return is based on the NAV of each Fund and the market return is based on the market prices of the Fund. The price used to calculate market prices is determined by using the midpoint between the bid and the ask on the primary stock exchange on which Shares of the Fund are listed for trading, as of the time that the Fund’s NAV is calculated. Market and NAV returns assume that dividends and capital gain distributions have been reinvested in the Fund at market prices and NAV, respectively.
 
An index is a statistical composite that tracks a specified financial market or sector. Unlike a Fund, an Underlying Index does not actually hold a portfolio of securities and therefore does not incur the expenses incurred by the Fund. These expenses negatively impact the performance of a Fund. Also, market returns do not include brokerage commissions that may be payable on secondary market transactions. If brokerage commissions were included, market returns would be lower. The returns shown in the tables below do not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or the redemption or sale of Fund Shares. The investment return and principal value of Shares of a Fund will vary with changes in market conditions. Shares of a Fund may be worth more or less than their original cost when they are redeemed or sold in the market. A Fund’s past performance is no guarantee of future results.


178


Annualized Total Returns
Inception to 11/30/19 
 
NAV
MARKET
UNDERLYING INDEX
Global X Robotics & Artificial Intelligence ETF1
12.88%
12.93%
13.00%
Global X FinTech ETF2
24.58%
24.63%
25.41%
Global X Internet of Things ETF3
15.04%
15.20%
15.40%
Global X Cloud Computing ETF4
N/A
N/A
N/A
Global X Future Analytics Tech ETF5
10.41%
10.29%
10.77%
Global X Autonomous & Electric Vehicles ETF6
-1.37%
-1.37%
-1.42%
Global X Genomics & Biotechnology ETF7
N/A
N/A
N/A
Global X Video Games & Esports ETF8
N/A
N/A
N/A
Global X Cybersecurity ETF9
N/A
N/A
N/A
Global X Millennials Thematic ETF10
16.75%
16.67%
17.25%
Global X Longevity Thematic ETF11
13.91%
14.82%
14.24%
Global X Health & Wellness Thematic ETF12
11.21%
11.58%
11.70%
Global X Cannabis ETF13
N/A
N/A
N/A
Global X U.S. Infrastructure Development ETF14
6.27%
6.30%
6.78%
Global X Conscious Companies ETF15
14.99%
15.17%
15.54%
Global X Founder-Run Companies ETF16
13.12%
13.06%
13.83%
Global X Thematic Growth ETF17
N/A
N/A
N/A
1    For the period since inception on 09/12/16 to 11/30/19
2    For the period since inception on 09/12/16 to 11/30/19
3    For the period since inception on 09/12/16 to 11/30/19
4    For the period since inception on 04/12/19 to 11/30/19
5    For the period since inception on 05/11/18 to 11/30/19
6    For the period since inception on 04/13/18 to 11/30/19
7    For the period since inception on 04/05/19 to 11/30/19
8    For the period since inception on 10/25/19 to 11/30/19
9    For the period since inception on 10/25/19 to 11/30/19
10    For the period since inception on 05/04/16 to 11/30/19
11    For the period since inception on 05/09/16 to 11/30/19
12    For the period since inception on 05/09/16 to 11/30/19
13    For the period since inception on 09/17/19 to 11/30/19
14    For the period since inception on 03/06/17 to 11/30/19
15    For the period since inception on 07/11/16 to 11/30/19
16    For the period since inception on 02/13/17 to 11/30/19
17    For the period since inception on 10/25/19 to 11/30/19


179


Cumulative Total Returns
Inception to 11/30/19 
 
NAV
MARKET
UNDERLYING INDEX
Global X Robotics & Artificial Intelligence ETF1
47.66%
47.87%
48.15%
Global X FinTech ETF2
102.79%
103.05%
107.13%
Global X Internet of Things ETF3
56.96%
57.65%
58.53%
Global X Cloud Computing ETF4
6.18%
6.53%
6.52%
Global X Future Analytics Tech ETF5
16.64%
16.44%
17.22%
Global X Autonomous & Electric Vehicles ETF6
-2.22%
-2.22%
-2.31%
Global X Genomics & Biotechnology ETF7
2.16%
4.40%
2.63%
Global X Video Games & Esports ETF8
4.94%
5.40%
4.96%
Global X Cybersecurity ETF9
12.25%
15.07%
12.27%
Global X Millennials Thematic ETF10
73.87%
73.49%
76.59%
Global X Longevity Thematic ETF11
58.96%
63.56%
60.69%
Global X Health & Wellness Thematic ETF12
45.96%
47.69%
48.29%
Global X Cannabis ETF13
-37.28%
-38.40%
-37.85%
Global X U.S. Infrastructure Development ETF14
18.10%
18.17%
19.67%
Global X Conscious Companies ETF15
60.50%
61.33%
63.17%
Global X Founder-Run Companies ETF16
41.14%
40.94%
43.61%
Global X Thematic Growth ETF17
5.03%
6.24%
5.01%
1    For the period since inception on 09/12/16 to 11/30/19
2    For the period since inception on 09/12/16 to 11/30/19
3    For the period since inception on 09/12/16 to 11/30/19
4    For the period since inception on 04/12/19 to 11/30/19
5    For the period since inception on 05/11/18 to 11/30/19
6    For the period since inception on 04/13/18 to 11/30/19
7    For the period since inception on 04/05/19 to 11/30/19
8    For the period since inception on 10/25/19 to 11/30/19
9    For the period since inception on 10/25/19 to 11/30/19
10    For the period since inception on 05/04/16 to 11/30/19
11    For the period since inception on 05/09/16 to 11/30/19
12    For the period since inception on 05/09/16 to 11/30/19
13    For the period since inception on 09/17/19 to 11/30/19
14    For the period since inception on 03/06/17 to 11/30/19
15    For the period since inception on 07/11/16 to 11/30/19
16    For the period since inception on 02/13/17 to 11/30/19
17    For the period since inception on 10/25/19 to 11/30/19


180


INFORMATION REGARDING THE INDICES AND THE INDEX PROVIDERS

Indxx Global Robotics & Artificial Intelligence Thematic Index

The Indxx Global Robotics & Artificial Intelligence Thematic Index is designed to provide exposure to exchange-listed companies in developed markets that are involved in the development of robotics and/or artificial intelligence, including companies involved in developing industrial robots and production systems, automated inventory management, unmanned vehicles, voice/image/text recognition, and medical robots or robotic instruments (collectively, "Robotics & Artificial Intelligence Companies"), as defined by Indxx, LLC, the provider of the Indxx Global Robotics & Artificial Intelligence Thematic Index.

The eligible universe of the Indxx Global Robotics & Artificial Intelligence Thematic Index includes among the most liquid and investable companies in accordance with the standard market capitalization and liquidity criteria associated with developed markets, as defined by Indxx, LLC. As of January 31, 2020, companies must have a minimum market capitalization of $300 million and a minimum average daily turnover for the last 6 months greater than or equal to $2 million in order to be eligible for inclusion in the Indxx Global Robotics & Artificial Intelligence Thematic Index. As of January 31, 2020, components from the following countries were eligible for inclusion in the Indxx Global Robotics & Artificial Intelligence Thematic Index: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, the United Kingdom and the United States.

From the eligible universe, Indxx, LLC identifies Robotics & Artificial Intelligence Companies by applying a proprietary analysis that consists of two primary components: theme identification and company analysis. As part of the theme identification process, Indxx, LLC analyzes industry reports, investment research and consumer data related to the robotics and artificial intelligence industry in order to establish the themes that are expected to provide the most exposure to the growth of the robotics and artificial intelligence industry. As of January 31, 2020, Indxx, LLC has identified the following four robotics and artificial intelligence themes: (1) Industrial Robotics and Automation, (2) Unmanned Vehicles and Drones, (3) Artificial Intelligence and (4) Non-Industrial Robotics (collectively, "Robotics & Artificial Intelligence Themes"). In order to be included in the Indxx Global Robotics & Artificial Intelligence Thematic Index, a company must be identified as having significant exposure to these Robotics & Artificial Intelligence Themes, as determined by Indxx, LLC. In the second step of the process, companies are analyzed based on two primary criteria: revenue exposure and primary business operations. A company is deemed to have significant exposure to the Robotics & Artificial Intelligence Themes if (i), it derives a significant portion of its revenue from the Robotics & Artificial Intelligence Themes, (ii), it has stated its primary business to be in products and services focused on the Robotics & Artificial Intelligence Themes, as determined by Indxx, LLC.

The Indxx Global Robotics & Artificial Intelligence Thematic Index is weighted according to a modified capitalization weighting methodology and is reconstituted and rebalanced annually. At the annual rebalance, a capping methodology is applied to reduce concentration in individual securities and increase diversification of the Indxx Global Robotics & Artificial Intelligence Thematic Index. The Indxx Global Robotics & Artificial Intelligence Thematic Index may include large-, mid- or small-capitalization companies, and components primarily include industrials and information technology companies.

Indxx Global Fintech Thematic Index

The Indxx Global Fintech Thematic Index is designed to provide exposure to exchange-listed companies in developed markets that provide financial technology products and services, including companies involved in mobile payments, peer-to-peer (P2P) and marketplace lending, financial analytics software and alternative currencies (collectively, "FinTech Companies"), as defined by Indxx, LLC, the provider of the Indxx Global Fintech Thematic Index.

The eligible universe of the Indxx Global Fintech Thematic Index includes among the most liquid and investable companies in accordance with the standard market capitalization and liquidity criteria associated with developed markets, as defined by the Indxx, LLC. As of January 31, 2020, companies must have a minimum market capitalization of $300 million and a minimum average daily turnover for the last 6 months greater than or equal to $2 million in order to be eligible for inclusion in the Indxx Global Fintech Thematic Index. As of January 31, 2020, components from the following countries were eligible for inclusion in the Indxx Global Fintech Thematic Index: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, the United Kingdom and the United States.

From the eligible universe, Indxx, LLC identifies FinTech Companies by applying a proprietary analysis that consists of two primary components: theme identification and company analysis. As part of the theme identification process, Indxx, LLC analyzes industry reports, investment research and consumer data related to the fintech industry in order to establish the themes that are expected to provide the most exposure to the growth of the fintech industry. As of January 31, 2020, Indxx, LLC has identified

181


the following six fintech themes: (1) Mobile Payments, (2) P2P and Marketplace Lending, (3) Enterprise Solutions, (4) Blockchain and Alternative Currencies, (5) Crowdfunding, and (6) Personal Finance Software and Automated Wealth Management/Trading (collectively, "FinTech Themes"). In order to be included in the Indxx Global Fintech Thematic Index, a company must be identified as having significant exposure to these FinTech Themes, as determined by Indxx, LLC. In the second step of the process, companies are analyzed based on two primary criteria: revenue exposure and primary business operations. A company is deemed to have significant exposure to the FinTech Themes if (i), it derives a significant portion of its revenue from the FinTech Themes and (ii), it has stated its primary business to be in products and services focused on the FinTech Themes, in each case as determined by Indxx, LLC.

The Indxx Global Fintech Thematic Index is weighted according to a modified capitalization weighting methodology and is reconstituted and rebalanced annually. At the annual rebalance, a capping methodology is applied to reduce concentration in individual securities and increase diversification of the Indxx Global Fintech Thematic Index. The Indxx Global Fintech Thematic Index may include large-, mid- or small-capitalization companies, and components primarily include financial and information technology companies.

Indxx Global Internet of Things Thematic Index

The Indxx Global Internet of Things Thematic Index is designed to provide exposure to exchange-listed companies in developed markets that facilitate the Internet of Things industry, including companies involved in wearable technology, home automation, connected automotive technology, sensors, networking infrastructure/software, smart metering and energy control devices (collectively, "Internet of Things Companies"), as defined by Indxx, LLC, the provider of the Indxx Global Internet of Things Thematic Index. The Internet of Things refers to the network of physical objects (such as electronic devices, wearables, connected vehicles, infrastructure, equipment, smart home appliances, buildings) that are connected to the internet. Such objects often utilize embedded semiconductors, sensors, and software to collect, analyze, receive, and transfer data via networks enabled by technologies such as WiFi, 4G and 5G telecommunications infrastructure, and fiber optics.

The eligible universe of the Indxx Global Internet of Things Thematic Index includes among the most liquid and investable companies in accordance with the standard market capitalization and liquidity criteria associated with developed markets, as defined by Indxx, LLC. As of January 31, 2020, companies must have a minimum market capitalization of $300 million and a minimum average daily turnover for the last 6 months greater than or equal to $2 million in order to be eligible for inclusion in the Indxx Global Internet of Things Thematic Index. As of January 31, 2020, components from the following countries were eligible for inclusion in the Indxx Global Internet of Things Thematic Index: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, the United Kingdom and the United States.

From the eligible universe, Indxx, LLC identifies Internet of Things Companies by applying a proprietary analysis that consists of two primary components: theme identification and company analysis. As part of the theme identification process, Indxx, LLC analyzes industry reports, investment research and consumer data related to the Internet of Things industry in order to establish the themes that are expected to provide the most exposure to the growth of the Internet of Things industry. As of January 31, 2020, Indxx, LLC has identified the following four Internet of Things themes: (1) Consumer Internet of Things Technology, (2) Equipment, Vehicle, and Infrastructure/Building Technology, (3) Semiconductors and Sensors and (4) Networking Infrastructure/Software (collectively, "Internet of Things Themes"). In order to be included in the Indxx Global Internet of Things Thematic Index, a company must be identified as having significant exposure to these Internet of Things Themes, as determined by Indxx, LLC. In the second step of the process, companies are analyzed based on two primary criteria: revenue exposure and primary business operations. A company is deemed to have significant exposure to the Internet of Things Themes if (i), it derives a significant portion of its revenue from the Internet of Things Themes, (ii), it has stated its primary business to be in products and services focused on the Internet of Things Themes, as determined by Indxx, LLC. In addition, companies with more diversified revenue streams may also be included in the Indxx Global Internet of Things Thematic Index if they meet the following criteria: (1) identified as being critical to the IoT ecosystem due to scale in certain IoT technologies and services, (2) have a distinct business unit(s) focused on IoT products and services and (3) have a core competency that is expected to benefit from increased adoption of IoT, as determined by Indxx, LLC. Companies that meet these criteria are eligible for inclusion in the Indxx Global Internet of Things Thematic Index with a weighting cap of 2%.

The Indxx Global Internet of Things Thematic Index is weighted according to a modified capitalization weighting methodology and is reconstituted and rebalanced annually. At the annual rebalance, a capping methodology is applied to reduce concentration in individual securities and increase diversification of the Indxx Global Internet of Things Thematic Index. The Indxx Global Internet of Things Thematic Index may include large-, mid- or small-capitalization companies, and components primarily include industrials and information technology companies.


182


Indxx Global Cloud Computing Index

The Indxx Global Cloud Computing Index is designed to provide exposure to exchange-listed companies that are positioned to benefit from the increased adoption of cloud computing technology, including but not limited to companies whose principal business is in offering computing Software-as-a-Service ("SaaS"), Platform-as-a-Service ("PaaS"), Infrastructure-as-a-Service ("IaaS"), managed server storage space and data center real estate investment trusts ("REITs"), and/or cloud and edge computing infrastructure and hardware (collectively, "Cloud Computing Companies"), as defined by Indxx LLC, the provider of the Indxx Global Cloud Computing Index.

In constructing the Indxx Global Cloud Computing Index, Indxx LLC first identifies FactSet Industries related to cloud computing. Companies within these Industries, as of the selection date, are further reviewed by Indxx LLC on the basis of revenue related to cloud computing activities. To be eligible for the Indxx Global Cloud Computing Index, a company is considered by Indxx LLC to be a Cloud Computing Company if the company generates at least 50% of its revenues from cloud computing activities, as determined by Indxx LLC. Indxx LLC classifies Cloud Computing Companies as those companies that (i) license and deliver software over the internet on a subscription basis (SaaS), (ii) provide a platform for creating software applications which are delivered over the internet (PaaS), (iii) provide virtualized computing infrastructure over the internet (IaaS), (iv) own and manage facilities customers use to store data and servers, including data center REITs, and/or (v) manufacture or distribute infrastructure and/or hardware components used in cloud and edge computing activities, as determined by Indxx LLC. In addition, companies that generate at least $500 million of revenue from providing public cloud infrastructure (but less than 50% of their overall revenues), are eligible for inclusion in the Indxx Global Cloud Computing Index. These companies are subject to an individual weight cap of 2% and an aggregate weight cap of 10% at each semi-annual rebalance.

To be a part of the eligible universe of the Indxx Global Cloud Computing Index, certain minimum market capitalization and liquidity criteria, as defined by Indxx LLC, must be met. As of January 31, 2020, companies must have a minimum market capitalization of $200 million and a minimum average daily turnover for the last 6 months greater than or equal to $2 million in order to be eligible for inclusion in the Indxx Global Cloud Computing Index. As of January 31, 2020, companies listed in the following countries were eligible for inclusion in the Indxx Global Cloud Computing Index: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Russia, South Africa, South Korea, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

The Indxx Global Cloud Computing Index is weighted according to a modified capitalization weighting methodology and is reconstituted and re-weighted semi-annually. Modified capitalization weighting seeks to weight constituents primarily based on market capitalization, but subject to caps on the weights of the individual securities. Generally speaking, this approach will limit the amount of concentration in the largest market capitalization companies and increase company-level diversification. The Indxx Global Cloud Computing Index may include large-, mid- or small-capitalization companies, and components primarily include information technology companies. As of January 31, 2020, the Indxx Global Cloud Computing Index had 36 constituents.

Indxx Artificial Intelligence and Big Data Index

The Indxx Artificial Intelligence and Big Data Index is designed to provide exposure to exchange-listed companies that are positioned to benefit from the further development and utilization of artificial intelligence technology in their products and services, as well as to companies that provide hardware which facilitates the use of artificial intelligence for the analysis of big data (collectively, "Artificial Intelligence & Big Data Companies"), as defined by Indxx, LLC, the provider of the Indxx Artificial Intelligence and Big Data Index.

The eligible universe of the Indxx Artificial Intelligence and Big Data Index includes exchange-listed companies that meet minimum market capitalization and liquidity criteria, as defined by Indxx, LLC. As of January 31, 2020, companies must have a minimum market capitalization of $500 million and a minimum average daily turnover for the last 6 months greater than or equal to $2 million in order to be eligible for inclusion in the Indxx Artificial Intelligence and Big Data Index. As of January 31, 2020, companies listed or incorporated in the following countries were eligible for inclusion in the Indxx Artificial Intelligence and Big Data Index: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, and the United States. In addition, ADRs and GDRs of companies incorporated or with primary listing in China are eligible for inclusion.

From the eligible universe, Indxx, LLC identifies Artificial Intelligence & Big Data Companies by applying a proprietary analysis that seeks to identify companies that can be classified in the following categories:

183



Artificial Intelligence Developers

Artificial Intelligence Applied to Products and Services - Companies that have developed internal artificial intelligence capabilities (organically or through acquisition) and are applying artificial intelligence technology directly in their products and services. Artificial intelligence applications include but are not limited to language/ image processing and recognition, automated communications, threat detection, recommendation generation, and other predictive analytics.

Artificial Intelligence-as-a-Service ("AIaaS") for Big Data Applications - Companies that provide artificial intelligence capabilities to their customers as a service. Companies in this segment typically offer cloud-based platforms that allow their customers to apply artificial intelligence techniques to big data without the need for a direct investment in their own artificial intelligence-related infrastructure or capabilities.

Artificial Intelligence and Big Data Analytics Hardware

Artificial Intelligence Hardware - Companies that produce semiconductors, memory storage and other hardware that is utilized for artificial intelligence applications. This currently includes, but is not limited to, companies that produce graphics processing units (GPUs), application-specific integrated circuit ("ASIC") chips, field-programmable gate array ("FPGA") chips, and all-flash array storage.

Quantum Computing - Companies that are developing quantum computing technology.  While currently in the process of being commercialized, quantum computing is expected to have significant potential for artificial intelligence and big data applications.

In order to be included in the Indxx Artificial Intelligence and Big Data Index, a company must be classified in the categories described above, as determined by Indxx, LLC. This classification is based on a composite analysis of public filings, products and services, official company statements and other information regarding direct involvement in the artificial intelligence and big data categories as described above. Eligible companies are then ranked by Indxx, LLC using a research framework that assesses a company's exposure to these categories. Companies must receive a minimum score within a given category to be selected in the Indxx Artificial Intelligence and Big Data Index, as determined by Indxx, LLC.

The Indxx Artificial Intelligence and Big Data Index is weighted according to a modified capitalization weighting methodology and is reconstituted annually with a semi-annual re-weighting. The Indxx Artificial Intelligence and Big Data Index may include large-, mid- or small-capitalization companies, and components primarily include information technology companies.

Solactive Autonomous & Electric Vehicles Index

The Solactive Autonomous & Electric Vehicles Index is designed to provide exposure to exchange-listed companies that are involved in the development of electric vehicles and/or autonomous vehicles, including companies that produce electric/hybrid vehicles, electric/hybrid vehicle components and materials, autonomous driving technology, and network connected services for transportation, (collectively, "Autonomous and Electric Vehicle Companies"), as defined by Solactive AG, the provider of the Solactive Autonomous & Electric Vehicles Index.

The eligible universe of the Solactive Autonomous & Electric Vehicles Index includes among the most liquid and investable companies in accordance with the market capitalization and liquidity criteria associated with the eligible markets, as defined by Solactive AG. As of January 31, 2020, companies must have a minimum market capitalization of $500 million and a minimum average daily turnover for the last 6 months greater than or equal to $2 million in order to be eligible for inclusion in the Solactive Autonomous & Electric Vehicles Index. As of January 31, 2020, companies from the following countries were eligible for inclusion in the Solactive Autonomous & Electric Vehicles Index: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, South Korea, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

From the eligible universe, Solactive AG identifies Autonomous and Electric Vehicle Companies by applying a proprietary natural language processing algorithm process that seeks to identify companies with exposure to the following categories:

Electric Vehicles ("EV") - companies that produce electric/hybrid vehicles, including cars, trucks, motorcycles/scooters, buses, and electric rail.


184


Electric Vehicle Components ("EVC") - companies that produce electric/hybrid vehicle components, including electric drivetrains, lithium-ion and other types of electric batteries, and fuel cells. In addition, companies that produce the chemicals and raw materials (including but not limited to lithium and cobalt) that comprise these electric/hybrid vehicle components are eligible for inclusion.

Autonomous Vehicle Technology ("AVT") - companies that build autonomous vehicles and/or develop hardware and software that facilitates the development of autonomous vehicles, including sensors, mapping technology, artificial intelligence, advanced driver assistance systems, ride-share platforms, and network-connected services for transportation.

In order to be included in the Solactive Autonomous & Electric Vehicles Index, a company must be identified as having exposure to these categories based on the ranking it receives from the natural language processing algorithm ("Segment Score"), as determined by Solactive AG. Within each category listed above, companies are ranked by Solactive AG according to their respective Segment Score. Solactive AG then reviews the companies to ensure relevance to one or more of the categories above based on the business operations of the company. The Solactive Autonomous & Electric Vehicles Index is comprised of the highest ranking 15 companies in the EV segment, the highest ranking 30 companies in the EVC segment, and the highest ranking 30 companies in the AVT segment, as determined by Solactive AG and subject to certain buffer rules intended to reduce turnover.

The Solactive Autonomous & Electric Vehicles Index is weighted according to a modified capitalization weighting methodology and is reconstituted semi-annually. At the semi-annual reconstitution, a capping methodology is applied to reduce concentration in individual securities and increase diversification of the Solactive Autonomous & Electric Vehicles Index. The Solactive Autonomous & Electric Vehicles Index may include large-, mid- or small-capitalization companies, and components primarily include industrials, information technology, materials, and consumer discretionary companies.

Solactive Genomics Index

The Solactive Genomics Index is designed to provide exposure to exchange-listed companies that are positioned to benefit from further advances in the field of genomic science and biotechnology, as well as applications thereof (collectively, "Genomics & Biotechnology Companies"), as defined by Solactive AG, the provider of the Solactive Genomics Index. In order to be eligible for inclusion in the Solactive Genomics Index, a company is considered by Solactive AG to be a Genomics & Biotechnology Company if it derives at least 50% of its revenue, operating income, or assets from genomics and/or biotechnology, as determined by Solactive AG. These companies include those involved in the following business activities, as determined by Solactive AG: (i) gene editing, (ii) genomic sequencing, (iii) development and testing of genetic medicine/therapies, (iv) computational genomics and genetic diagnostics, and/or (v) biotechnology.

In constructing the Solactive Genomics Index, Solactive AG first establishes the eligible universe by utilizing FactSet sector classifications: only companies classified by FactSet as healthcare companies are eligible for the Solactive Genomics Index. Solactive AG then applies a proprietary natural language processing algorithm to the eligible universe, which seeks to identify and rank companies with direct exposure to the genomics industry based on filings, disclosures and other public information (e.g. regulatory filings, earnings transcripts, etc.). The highest ranking companies identified by the natural language processing algorithm, as of the selection date, are further reviewed by Solactive AG to confirm they derive at least 50% of their revenues, operating income, or assets from the following business activities:

i.
Gene Editing: Companies that develop technology for the insertion, deletion, or replacement of DNA at a specific site in the genome of an organism.
ii.
Genomic Sequencing: Companies that are engaged in the process of determining the complete DNA sequence of an organism's genome.
iii.
Genetic Medicine/Therapies: Companies that seek to detect, cure or treat diseases by identifying and/or modifying an organism's gene expression or functioning.
iv.
Computational Genomics and Genetic Diagnostics: Companies that use computational and statistical analysis to decipher biological insights from genome sequences and related data.
v.
Biotechnology: Companies that combine biologic processes and technology to develop products and services.

The eligible universe of the Solactive Genomics Index includes exchange-listed companies that meet minimum market capitalization and liquidity criteria, as defined by Solactive AG. As of January 31, 2020, companies must have a minimum market capitalization of $200 million and a minimum average daily turnover for the last 6 months greater than or equal to $2 million in order to be eligible for inclusion in the Solactive Genomics Index. As of January 31, 2020, companies listed in the following countries were eligible for inclusion in the Solactive Genomics Index: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

185



The Solactive Genomics Index is weighted according to a modified capitalization weighting methodology and is reconstituted and re-weighted semi-annually. The Solactive Genomics Index may include large-, mid- or small-capitalization companies, and components primarily include healthcare companies. As of January 31, 2020, the Solactive Genomics Index had 36 constituents.

Solactive Video Games & Esports Index

The Solactive Video Games & Esports Index is designed to provide exposure to exchange-listed companies that are positioned to benefit from increased consumption related to video games and esports, including companies whose principal business is in video game development/publishing, video game and esports content distribution and streaming, operating/owning esports leagues/teams, and producing video game/esports hardware (collectively, "Video Games & Esports Companies"), as defined by Solactive AG, the provider of the Solactive Video Games & Esports Index.

In constructing the Solactive Video Games & Esports Index, Solactive AG first applies a proprietary natural language processing algorithm to the eligible universe, which screens filings, disclosures and other public information (e.g., regulatory filings, earnings transcripts, etc.) for keywords that describe the index theme, to identify and rank companies with direct exposure to the video games and esports industry. Companies identified by the natural language processing algorithm, as of the selection date, are further reviewed by Solactive AG on the basis of revenue related to video games and esports activities. To be eligible for the Solactive Video Games & Esports Index, a company is considered by Solactive AG to be a Video Games & Esports Company if the company generates at least 50% of its revenues from video games and esports activities, as determined by Solactive AG. Video Games & Esports Companies are those companies that (i) develop and/or publish video games, (ii) facilitate the streaming or distribution of video gaming and/or esports content, (iii) operate and/or own competitive esports leagues and/or competitive esports teams, and/or (iv) produce hardware used in video games and/or esports, including augmented and virtual reality.

To be a part of the eligible universe of the Solactive Video Games & Esports Index, certain minimum market capitalization and liquidity criteria, as defined by Solactive AG, must be met. As of January 31, 2020, companies must have a minimum market capitalization of $200 million and a minimum average daily turnover for the last 6 months greater than or equal to $2 million in order to be eligible for inclusion in the Solactive Video Games & Esports Index. As of January 31, 2020, companies listed in the following countries were eligible for inclusion in the Solactive Video Games & Esports Index: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, United Kingdom, United States.

The Solactive Video Games & Esports Index is weighted according to a modified capitalization weighting methodology and is reconstituted and re-weighted semi-annually. Modified capitalization weighting seeks to weight constituents primarily based on market capitalization, but subject to caps on the weights of the individual securities. Generally speaking, this approach will limit the amount of concentration in the largest market capitalization companies and increase company-level diversification. The Solactive Video Games & Esports Index may include large-, mid- or small-capitalization companies. As of January 31, 2020, the Solactive Video Games & Esports Index had 38 constituents.

Global X Cybersecurity ETF

The Global X Cybersecurity ETF is designed to provide exposure to exchange-listed companies that are positioned to benefit from increased adoption of cybersecurity technology, including but not limited to companies whose principal business is in the development and management of security protocols preventing intrusion and attacks to systems, networks, applications, computers, and mobile devices (collectively, "Cybersecurity Companies"), as determined by Indxx LLC, the provider of the Global X Cybersecurity ETF.

In constructing the Global X Cybersecurity ETF, Indxx LLC first identifies FactSet Industries related to cybersecurity. Companies within these FactSet Industries, as of the selection date, are further reviewed by Indxx LLC on the basis of revenue related to cybersecurity activities. To be eligible for the Global X Cybersecurity ETF as a Cybersecurity Company, a company must generate at least 50% of its revenues from cybersecurity activities, which Indxx LLC classifies as the development and management of security protocols preventing intrusion and attacks to systems, networks, applications, computers, and mobile devices.

To be a part of the eligible universe of the Global X Cybersecurity ETF, certain minimum market capitalization and liquidity criteria, as defined by Indxx LLC, must be met. As of January 31, 2020, companies must have a minimum market capitalization of $200 million and a minimum average daily turnover for the last six months (or for three months, in the case of recent IPOs) greater than or equal to $2 million in order to be eligible for inclusion in the Global X Cybersecurity ETF. As of January 31, 2020, companies listed in the following countries were eligible for inclusion in the Global X Cybersecurity ETF: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong

186


Kong, Hungary, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Russia, South Africa, South Korea, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

The Global X Cybersecurity ETF is weighted according to a modified capitalization weighting methodology and is reconstituted and re-weighted semi-annually. Modified capitalization weighting seeks to weight constituents primarily based on market capitalization, but subject to caps on the weights of the individual securities. Generally speaking, this approach will limit the amount of concentration in the largest market capitalization companies and thereby increase exposure to other companies. The Global X Cybersecurity ETF may include large-, mid- or small-capitalization companies, and components primarily include mid-capitalization companies. As of January 31, 2020, the Global X Cybersecurity ETF had 30 constituents.

Indxx Millennials Thematic Index

The objective of the Indxx Millennials Thematic Index is to track the performance of U.S. listed companies that provide exposure to the millennial generation, (collectively, "Millennial Companies"), as defined by Indxx, LLC, the provider of the Indxx Millennials Thematic Index. The millennial generation refers to the demographic in the U.S. with birth years ranging from 1980 to 2000.

The eligible universe of the Indxx Millennials Thematic Index includes the most liquid and investable companies in accordance with the standard market capitalization and liquidity criteria associated with developed markets, as defined by Indxx, LLC. As of January 31, 2020, companies must have a minimum market capitalization of $500 million and a minimum average daily turnover for the last 6 months greater than or equal to $2 million in order to be eligible for inclusion in the Indxx Millennials Thematic Index. The Indxx Millennials Thematic Index only includes companies listed in the United States. The Indxx Millennials Thematic Index is developed using a proprietary, multi-step research process to identify Millennial Companies. First, Indxx, LLC conducts fundamental research on trends related to the millennial generation, including but not limited to: consumer spending data, consumer behavior, technology and demographics. Based on this analysis, Indxx, LLC determines key categories that appear to be most reflective of how individuals from the millennial generation spend their time and money (collectively, "Spending Categories"). As of January 31, 2020, Indxx, LLC has identified the following eight key Spending Categories for millennials: (1) Social and Entertainment, (2) Clothing and Apparel, (3) Travel and Mobility, (4) Food/Restaurants and Consumer Staples, (5) Financial Services and Investments, (6) Housing and Home Goods, (7) Education and Employment, and (8) Health and Fitness. These Spending Categories may change over time, as determined by Indxx, LLC.

After establishing these Spending Categories, Indxx, LLC uses a variety of sources - including, but not limited to: industry reports, investment research and financial statements published by companies - to identify companies with significant exposure to these Spending Categories. A company is determined to have significant exposure to the Spending Categories if (i) it derives a significant portion of its revenue from the Spending Categories, or (ii) it has stated its primary business to be in products and services focused on the Spending Categories, as determined by Indxx, LLC The companies identified at this stage are then considered for further analysis, which ultimately determines their eligibility for inclusion in the Indxx Millennials Thematic Index.

In the final step of the selection process, Indxx, LLC conducts a composite analysis on the remaining companies to identify Millennial Companies within each of the Spending Categories. As part of this process, Indxx, LLC utilizes the fundamental research it has conducted on trends related to the millennial generation in order to evaluate companies based on quantitative and qualitative criteria that have been identified as being consistent with millennial demographics and consumer preferences. As of January 31, 2020, some examples of the criteria used in the evaluation process include but are not limited to: E-commerce, social and professional networks, digital media streaming services, athletic and outdoor apparel, multi-family apartments, and peer reviews/recommendations. A company identified as having significant exposure to a criteria will receive additional points as part of the composite scoring process. A company is determined to have significant exposure to a criteria based on its revenue exposure to that particular criteria (relative to the other companies in its Spending Category) or based on its primary stated area of business (relative to other companies in its Spending Category). Indxx, LLC then scores the companies based on these criteria to determine the companies that are most reflective of Millennial Companies within each Spending Category. These criteria will vary by Spending Category and are subject to evaluation by Indxx, LLC on an annual basis. A minimum of five and a maximum of fifteen companies from each Spending Category are included in the Indxx Millennials Thematic Index, primarily based on their score in the composite analysis conducted by Indxx, LLC.

The Indxx Millennials Thematic Index is weighted according to a modified capitalization weighting methodology and is reconstituted and rebalanced annually. The Indxx Millennials Thematic Index may include large-, mid- or small-capitalization companies, and components primarily include consumer discretionary, consumer staples, information technology and financial services companies as well as real estate investment trusts ("REITs").

Indxx Global Longevity Thematic Index

187



The Indxx Global Longevity Thematic Index is designed to provide exposure to exchange-listed companies in developed markets that facilitate the demographic trend of longer average life spans and the aging of the global population, including but not limited to companies involved in biotechnology, medical devices, pharmaceuticals, senior living facilities and specialized health care services (collectively, "Longevity Companies"), as defined by Indxx, LLC, the provider of the Indxx Global Longevity Thematic Index.

The eligible universe of the Indxx Global Longevity Thematic Index includes the most liquid and investable companies in accordance with the standard market capitalization and liquidity criteria associated with developed markets, as defined by Indxx, LLC. As of January 31, 2020, companies must have a minimum market capitalization of $500 million and a minimum average daily turnover for the last 6 months greater than or equal to $2 million in order to be eligible for inclusion in the Indxx Global Longevity Thematic Index. The Indxx Global Longevity Thematic Index may include components from the following countries: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, South Korea, the United Kingdom and the United States.

From the eligible universe, Indxx, LLC identifies Longevity Companies by applying a proprietary analysis that consists of two primary components: theme identification and company analysis. As of January 31, 2020, Indxx, LLC has identified the following four themes that are expected to provide the most exposure to Longevity Companies: (1) Health Care Products, (2) Health Care Services, (3) Medical Devices, and (4) Senior Homes (collectively, "Longevity Themes"). In order to be included in the Indxx Global Longevity Thematic Index, a company must be identified as having significant exposure to these Longevity Themes, as determined by Indxx, LLC. Companies are analyzed based on two primary criteria: revenue exposure and primary business operations. A company is deemed to have significant exposure to the Longevity Themes if (i) it derives a significant portion of its revenue from the Longevity Themes, or (ii) it has stated its primary business to be in products and services focused on the Longevity Themes, as determined by Indxx, LLC.

The Indxx Global Longevity Thematic Index is weighted according to a modified capitalization weighting methodology and is reconstituted and rebalanced annually. The Indxx Global Longevity Thematic Index may include large-, mid- or small-capitalization companies, and components primarily include health care, biotechnology and pharmaceuticals companies as well as real estate investment trusts ("REITs").

Indxx Global Health & Wellness Thematic Index

The objective of the Indxx Global Health & Wellness Thematic Index is to provide exposure to exchange-listed companies in developed markets that provide products and services that facilitate physical wellness through active and healthy lifestyles, including but not limited to companies involved in fitness equipment, fitness technology, athletic apparel, nutritional supplements, and organic/natural food offerings, (collectively, "Health & Wellness Companies"), as defined by Indxx, LLC, the provider of the Indxx Global Health & Wellness Thematic Index.

The eligible universe of the Indxx Global Health & Wellness Thematic Index includes the most liquid and investable companies in accordance with the standard market capitalization and liquidity criteria associated with developed markets, as defined by Indxx, LLC. As of January 31, 2020, companies must have a minimum market capitalization of $500 million and a minimum average daily turnover for the last 6 months greater than or equal to $2 million in order to be eligible for inclusion in the Indxx Global Health & Wellness Thematic Index. The Indxx Global Health & Wellness Thematic Index may include components from the following countries: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

From the eligible universe, Indxx, LLC identifies Health & Wellness Companies by applying a proprietary analysis that consists of two primary components: theme identification and company analysis. As of January 31, 2020, Indxx, LLC has identified the following four themes that are expected to provide the most exposure to Health & Wellness Companies: (1) Healthy Food, Nutrition and Weight Loss, (2) Fitness and Fitness Apparel, (3) Nutritional Supplements and Preventive Health Care, (4) Anti-Aging and Wellness (collectively, "Health & Wellness Themes"). In order to be included in the Indxx Global Health & Wellness Thematic Index, a company must be identified as having significant exposure to these Health & Wellness Themes, as determined by Indxx, LLC. Indxx, LLC analyzes companies based on two primary criteria: revenue exposure and primary business operations. A company is to have significant exposure to the Health & Wellness Themes if (i) it derives a significant portion of its revenue from the sale of products or services from the Health & Wellness Themes, or (ii) it has stated its primary business to be in products and services focused on the Health & Wellness Themes, as determined by Indxx, LLC.


188


The Indxx Global Health & Wellness Thematic Index is weighted according to a modified capitalization weighting methodology and is reconstituted and rebalanced annually. The Indxx Global Health & Wellness Thematic Index may include large-, mid- or small-capitalization companies, and components primarily include consumer discretionary, consumer staples, health care and information technology companies.

Indxx Global Education Thematic Index

The objective of the Indxx Global Education Thematic Index is to provide exposure to exchange-listed companies globally that provide educational products and services, including companies involved in online learning and educational content/publishing, as well as early childhood education, higher education and professional education, (collectively, "Education Companies"), as defined by Indxx, LLC, the provider of the Indxx Global Education Thematic Index.

The eligible universe of the Indxx Global Education Thematic Index includes among the most liquid and investable companies in accordance with the market capitalization and liquidity criteria associated with developed and emerging markets, as defined by Indxx, LLC. As of January 31, 2020, companies must have a minimum market capitalization of $200 million and a minimum average daily turnover for the last 6 months greater than or equal to $2 million in order to be eligible for inclusion in the Indxx Global Education Thematic Index. As of January 31, 2020, components from the following countries were eligible for inclusion in the Indxx Global Education Thematic Index: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Peru, Qatar, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the United States.

From the eligible universe, Indxx, LLC identifies Education Companies by applying a proprietary analysis that consists of two primary components: theme identification and company analysis. As part of the theme identification process, Indxx, LLC analyzes industry reports, investment research and consumer data related to the education industry in order to establish the themes that are expected to provide the most exposure to the growth of the education industry. As of January 31, 2020, Indxx, LLC has identified the following four education themes: (1) Educational Content/Publishing, (2) Online Learning, (3) Early Childhood Education and (4) Higher and Professional Education (collectively, "Education Themes"). In order to be included in the Indxx Global Education Thematic Index, a company must be identified by Indxx, LLC as having significant exposure to one or more of these Education Themes, as determined by Indxx, LLC. In the second step of the process, Indxx, LLC analyzes companies based revenue exposure to the Education Themes. A company is identified as having significant exposure to the Education Themes if it derives a significant portion of its revenue from the sale of products or services from one or more of the Education Themes, as determined by Indxx, LLC.

The Indxx Global Education Thematic Index is weighted according to a modified capitalization weighting methodology and is reconstituted and rebalanced semi-annually. At each semi-annual rebalance, a capping methodology is applied to reduce concentration in individual securities and increase diversification. The Indxx Global Education Thematic Index may include large-, mid- or small-capitalization companies, and components primarily include consumer discretionary and communication services companies.

Cannabis Index

The Cannabis Index is designed to provide exposure to exchange-listed companies that are active in the cannabis industry (collectively, "Cannabis Companies"), as defined by Solactive AG, the provider of the Cannabis Index. In order to be eligible for inclusion in the Cannabis Index, a company is considered by Solactive AG to be a Cannabis Company if it derives at least 50% of its revenue, operating income, or assets from the cannabis industry. The cannabis industry is composed of the following areas: (i) the legal production, growth and distribution of marijuana, as well as extracts, derivative products or synthetic versions thereof; (ii) the legal production, growth and distribution of hemp, as well as extracts, derivative products or synthetic versions thereof; (iii) financial services (insurance offerings, property leasing, financing, capital markets activity and investments) provided to companies involved in the production, growth and distribution of cannabis; (iv) pharmaceutical applications of cannabis; (v) cannabidiol (better known as CBD) and cannabis oil products, edibles, topicals, drinks and other products; and (vi) products that may be used to consume cannabis.* In addition, companies that Solactive AG expects to derive at least 50% of future revenue, operating income or assets from the cannabis industry based on its review of their primary business operations, capital investments and/or operating expenses, as well as other public statements, are eligible for inclusion in the Cannabis Index ("Pre-Revenue Companies"). Pre-Revenue Companies are subject to an aggregate weight cap of 10% at each quarterly rebalance. Additionally, Pre-Revenue Companies do not count towards satisfaction of the Fund's policy to invest, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its net assets, plus borrowings for investments purposes (if any), in Cannabis Companies, and in ADRs and GDRs based on such securities.

189


  
To be a part of the eligible universe of the Cannabis Index, a Cannabis Company must be listed on a regulated stock exchange that requires issuers to maintain compliance with all laws, rules and regulations applicable to their business. As such, the Cannabis Index is designed to invest in Cannabis Companies that represent that they operate cannabis-related business activities, or supply products and perform services for companies that grow, produce, distribute, or sell cannabis or products derived from cannabis, in a manner that is legal under all laws, rules and regulations applicable to the company's business. A company must also meet certain minimum market capitalization and liquidity criteria, as defined by Solactive AG. As of January 31, 2020, companies must have a minimum market capitalization of $100 million and a minimum average daily turnover for the last three months greater than or equal to $2 million in order to be eligible for inclusion in the Cannabis Index. Companies must retain a minimum market capitalization of $80 million and average daily turnover for the last three months greater than or equal to $1.4 million in order to be eligible to remain in the Cannabis Index. As of January 31, 2020, companies listed in the following countries were eligible for inclusion in the Cannabis Index: Australia, Canada and the United States.

The Cannabis Index is weighted according to a modified capitalization weighting methodology and is reconstituted and re-weighted quarterly. Additionally, on an intra-quarter basis, if Solactive AG determines that a constituent of the Cannabis Index does not meet the index requirements with respect to compliance with laws, rules and regulations, Solactive AG may remove such constituent outside of the regular rebalance schedule. Modified capitalization weighting seeks to weight constituents primarily based on market capitalization, but subject to caps on the weights of the individual securities. Generally speaking, this approach will limit the amount of concentration in the largest market capitalization companies and thereby increase exposure to other companies. The Cannabis Index may include large-, mid- or small-capitalization companies, and components primarily include mid-capitalization and small-capitalization companies. As of January 31, 2020, the Cannabis Index had 25 constituents.

Indxx U.S. Infrastructure Development Index

The Indxx U.S. Infrastructure Development Index is designed to measure the performance of U.S. listed companies that provide exposure to domestic infrastructure development, including companies involved in construction and engineering, production of infrastructure raw materials, composites and products; industrial transportation; and producers/distributors of heavy construction equipment (collectively, "U.S. Infrastructure Development Companies"), as defined by Indxx, LLC, the provider of the Indxx U.S. Infrastructure Development Index.

The eligible universe of the Indxx U.S. Infrastructure Development Index includes the most liquid and investable companies in accordance with the standard market capitalization and liquidity criteria associated with developed markets, as defined by Indxx, LLC. As of January 31, 2020, companies must have a minimum market capitalization of $300 million and a minimum average daily turnover for the last 6 months greater than or equal to $1 million in order to be eligible for inclusion in the Index. The Indxx U.S. Infrastructure Development Index only includes companies listed in the United States.

From the eligible universe, Indxx, LLC identifies U.S. Infrastructure Development Companies by applying a proprietary analysis that consists of two primary components: theme identification and company analysis. As part of the theme identification process, Indxx, LLC analyzes industry reports, investment research and spending trends related to infrastructure development in order to establish the themes that are expected to provide the most exposure to increased investment in U.S. infrastructure. As of January 31, 2020, Indxx, LLC has identified the following four U.S. infrastructure development themes: (1) Construction and Engineering Services, (2) Raw Materials and Composites, (3) Products and Equipment, and (4) Industrial Transportation (collectively, "U.S. Infrastructure Development Themes").

In the second step of the process, companies are analyzed based on two primary criteria: revenue exposure and primary business operations. A company is eligible for inclusion in the Indxx U.S. Infrastructure Development Index if (i) it derives a significant portion of its revenue from the U.S. Infrastructure Development Themes, or (ii) it has stated its primary business to be in products and services focused on the U.S. Infrastructure Development Themes, as determined by Indxx, LLC. Furthermore, only companies that generate greater than 50% of revenues from the U.S. as of the index selection date, as determined by Indxx, LLC, are eligible for inclusion in the Indxx U.S. Infrastructure Development Index.

The Indxx U.S. Infrastructure Development Index is weighted according to a modified capitalization weighting methodology and is reconstituted and rebalanced annually. At the annual rebalance, a capping methodology is applied to reduce concentration in individual securities and increase diversification of the Indxx U.S. Infrastructure Development Index. The Indxx U.S. Infrastructure Development Index may include large-, mid- or small-capitalization companies, and components primarily include industrials and materials companies.

Concinnity Conscious Companies Index

190



The Concinnity Conscious Companies Index is designed to provide exposure to companies listed in the U.S. that operate their businesses in a sustainable and responsible manner, as measured by their ability to achieve positive outcomes that are consistent with a multi-stakeholder operating system ("MsOS"), as defined by Concinnity Advisors LP ("Concinnity"), the provider of the Concinnity Conscious Companies Index. The MsOS is a corporate governance structure that seeks to account for the multiple stakeholders that are critical for the ongoing success of the business, and incorporate the considerations of these stakeholders into the corporate decision-making and problem-solving process. Concinnity conducts its analysis based on the following five key stakeholder groups: (1) Customers, (2) Employees, (3) Suppliers, (4) Stock and Debt Holders, and (5) Communities in which the companies operate.

The universe of companies eligible for inclusion in the Concinnity Conscious Companies Index is comprised of companies listed in the U.S. with a market capitalization greater than $2 billion. From this initial universe, Concinnity applies a proprietary, three-step analysis to select companies for the Concinnity Conscious Companies Index. In the first step, Concinnity utilizes approximately forty information sources and public rankings to identify and evaluate companies based on their demonstrated ability to achieve positive outcomes across all five stakeholder groups. Positive outcomes vary by stakeholder group, but include metrics that assess areas such as employee productivity, customer loyalty and corporate governance. These information sources are vetted annually by Concinnity and evaluated based on stakeholder focus, research methodology and third party or in-house analysis of a source's potential as a leading indicator of corporate and/or stock performance. Companies are scored by Concinnity based on their appearance and performance in these sources and rankings. Of the approximately 1,100 - 1,400 companies that typically make up the eligible universe, approximately 600-700 are generally selected by Concinnity for further analysis and potential inclusion in the Concinnity Conscious Companies Index.

In the second step of the research process, Concinnity uses a composite analysis to apply a deeper evaluation on the remaining companies. The composite analysis is a process that assesses various MsOS criteria by combining ratings data from multiple research entities that specialize in various stakeholder assessment categories. Companies are evaluated through a series of scoring lenses that combine to form a composite score, which is underpinned by several hundred MsOS criteria. Composite analysis MsOS criteria include, but are not limited to: employee engagement, executive integrity, customer relationship quality, labor and human rights, and quality of financial reporting. Various modeling techniques are then used by Concinnity to combine qualitative and quantitative data into a single score for each company. This score reflects the degree to which a company operates its business using the MsOS approach, as defined by the research process. The approximately 300-350 highest scoring companies ultimately comprise the MsOS investable universe for the purposes of constructing the Concinnity Conscious Companies Index.

In the final step, Concinnity applies a screen for consistent achievement to the MsOS investable universe of the approximately 300-350 highest scoring companies. In order to be included in the Concinnity Conscious Companies Index, a company must have qualified for inclusion in the MsOS investable universe for at least three consecutive years. The Concinnity Conscious Companies Index is equal-weighted. The Concinnity Conscious Companies Index may include large- or mid-capitalization companies, and will generally provide exposure to all major sectors. As of January 31, 2020, the Concinnity Conscious Companies Index had 161 constituents, with no single sector having an allocation greater than 25%. The three largest sectors represented in the Concinnity Conscious Companies Index as of January 31, 2020, were financials, health care and information technology.

Solactive U.S. Founder-Run Companies Index

The Solactive U.S. Founder-Run Companies Index is designed to provide exposure to U.S. companies in which a founder or co-founder of the company is serving as the Chief Executive Officer of the company (collectively, "Founder-Run Companies"). The starting universe of companies eligible for inclusion is the Solactive U.S. Broad Market Index. From this initial universe, Founder-Run Companies are identified using company-level data, and are then ranked by market capitalization. Founder-Run Companies are then screened for liquidity to determine eligibility for inclusion in the Solactive U.S. Founder-Run Companies Index. As of the respective selection date, new constituents must have a minimum six-month average daily traded value of $5 million to be eligible for inclusion, while existing constituents must have a minimum six-month average daily traded value of $4 million to remain in the Solactive U.S. Founder-Run Companies Index. If more than 100 Founder-Run Companies are eligible for inclusion based on the liquidity criteria, the top 100 companies by market capitalization are selected for inclusion. If fewer than 100 Founder-Run Companies are eligible for inclusion based on the liquidity criteria, the companies that meet the liquidity criteria will comprise the constituents of the Solactive U.S. Founder-Run Companies Index. The Solactive U.S. Founder-Run Companies Index is equal-weighted and rebalanced annually.

Solactive Thematic Growth Index

The Solactive Thematic Growth Index seeks to provide broad exposure to thematic growth strategies using a portfolio of exchange-traded funds (each, an "Underlying ETF"). The Solactive Thematic Growth Index allocates index weights among the Underlying

191


ETFs based on a quantitative methodology developed by Solactive AG, the provider of the Solactive Thematic Growth Index, which is designed to determine the selection and weighting of the eligible Underlying ETFs. The share prices of the Underlying ETFs are expected to track the performance of equities in developed or emerging markets that provide exposure to structurally disruptive macro-trends.
 
The Solactive Thematic Growth Index is constructed from the eligible universe of Underlying ETFs, each of which is issued by Global X Funds® and is determined by Solactive AG to provide exposure to structurally disruptive macro-trends and the underlying investments that stand to benefit from the materialization of those trends ("Global X Thematic Growth ETFs"). Structurally disruptive macro-trends typically eschew traditional sector and geographic classifications, and may stem from advancements in disruptive technology, changing consumer habits and demographics, or changing needs for infrastructure or finite resources. On an annual basis, and subject to certain weighting constraints, the Solactive Thematic Growth Index is reconstituted and reweighted to allocate weights to a subset of the eligible Underlying ETFs using a quantitative methodology that ranks each of the eligible Underlying ETFs based on realized sales growth. In order to calculate the realized sales growth for a given Underlying ETF, Solactive AG calculates the realized sales growth of each component security of each eligible Underlying ETF. The realized sales growth of each component security of the Underlying ETF is then used to calculate the aggregate realized sales growth for the Underlying ETF, based on the respective weights of the component securities in the Underlying ETF. Realized sales growth is determined by calculating the difference between a component security's revenue over the previous 12 months from the date of the rebalance and its revenue over the 12 months prior to the previous rebalance date. In addition to the annual reconstitution, the Solactive Thematic Growth Index is reweighted on a semi-annual basis pursuant to the methodology detailed above. As of January 31, 2020, the Underlying ETFs eligible for inclusion in the Solactive Thematic Growth Index are: Global X Autonomous & Electric Vehicles ETF, Global X Cannabis ETF, Global X Cloud Computing ETF, Global X E-commerce ETF, Global X FinTech ETF, Global X Future Analytics Tech ETF, Global X Genomics & Biotechnology ETF, Global X Health & Wellness Thematic ETF, Global X Internet of Things ETF, Global X Lithium & Battery Tech ETF, Global X Longevity Thematic ETF, Global X Millennials Thematic ETF, Global X Robotics & Artificial Intelligence ETF, Global X Social Media ETF, Global X U.S. Infrastructure Development ETF, and Global X Video Games & Esports ETF. Each Underlying ETF has a minimum weight of 7.5% and a maximum weight of 25% at each rebalance.

Disclaimers

The Index Providers are independent of the Fund and Global X Management Company LLC, the investment adviser for the Fund ("Adviser"). The Index Provider determines the relative weightings of the constituents of the Underlying Index and publishes information regarding the market value of the Underlying Index.

Solactive AG ("Solactive") is a leading company in the structuring and indexing business for institutional clients. Solactive runs the Solactive index platform. Solactive indices are used by issuers worldwide as underlying indices for financial products. Solactive does not sponsor, endorse or promote any Fund and is not in any way connected to it and does not accept any liability in relation to their issue, operation and trading.

Concinnity has a background in corporate consulting with a focus on causal path modeling comprised of stakeholder indices, as well as significant experience in quantitative analysis and portfolio management. Concinnity has developed a proprietary, blended qualitative and quantitative framework for identifying companies guided by an MsOS and has been conducting this analysis for nearly a decade. Concinnity makes no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the shareholders of this Fund or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in this Fund particularly or the ability of any data supplied by Concinnity to track general stock market performance.

The Funds are not sponsored, promoted, sold or supported in any other manner by Solactive AG or Concinnity, nor does Solactive AG or Concinnity offer any express or implicit guarantee or assurance either with regard to the results of using the index and/or index trade mark or the index price at any time or in any other respect. The relevant indexes are calculated and published by Solactive AG and/or Concinnity. Solactive AG and/or Concinnity uses its best efforts to ensure that the relevant indexes are calculated correctly. Irrespective of its obligations towards the issuer, Solactive AG and/or Concinnity have no obligations to point out errors in the index to third parties including but not limited to investors and/or financial intermediaries of the Funds. Neither publication of the index by Solactive AG or Concinnity nor the licensing of the index or index trade mark by Concinnity and/or Solactive AG for the purpose of use in connection with the Funds constitutes a recommendation by Solactive AG or Concinnity to invest capital in said Funds nor does it in any way represent an assurance or opinion of Solactive AG or Concinnity with regard to any investment in the Funds.

Indxx is a service mark of Indxx LLC ("Indxx") and has been licensed for use for certain purposes by the Adviser. The Funds are not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by Indxx. Indxx makes no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of the Funds or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in the Funds particularly.

192


Indxx has no obligation to take the needs of the Adviser or the shareholders of the Funds into consideration in determining, composing or calculating the Underlying Indices. Indxx is not responsible for and has not participated in the determination of the timing, amount or pricing of the Fund Shares to be issued or in the determination or calculation of the equation by which the Fund Shares are to be converted into cash. Indxx has no obligation or liability in connection with the administration, marketing or trading of the Funds.

OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS
 
SEI Investments Global Funds Services is the sub-administrator for each Fund.
 
Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. is the custodian and transfer agent for each Fund.
 
Stradley Ronon Stevens & Young, LLP serves as counsel for the Trust and the Trust's Independent Trustees.
 
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP serves as the Funds' independent registered public accounting firm and has audited the financial statements for the Funds for the fiscal years ended November 30, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The Trust enters into contractual arrangements with various parties, including among others, the Funds’ Adviser, sub-adviser(s) (if applicable), custodian, and transfer agent who provide services to the Funds. Shareholders are not parties to any such contractual arrangements and are not intended beneficiaries of those contractual arrangements, and those contractual arrangements are not intended to create in any shareholder any right to enforce them against the service providers or to seek any remedy under them against the service providers, either directly or on behalf of the Trust.

This Prospectus provides information concerning the Funds that investors should consider in determining whether to purchase Fund Shares. Neither this Prospectus nor the SAI is intended, or should be read, to be or give rise to an agreement or contract between the Trust or the Funds and any investor, or to give rise to any rights in any shareholder or other person other than any rights under federal or state law that may not be waived.

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
 
Each Fund (other than the Global X Education ETF) had commenced operations and has financial highlights for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2019.

The financial highlights tables are intended to help investors understand each Fund's financial performance since the Fund's inception. Certain information reflects financial results for a single Share of each Fund. The total returns in the tables represent the rate that an investor would have earned (or lost) on an investment in each Fund, assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions. PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP served as the Funds' independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending November 30, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019. The most recent report appears in the Funds' November 30, 2019 annual reports to shareholders, which is available without charge upon request.






193


 
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
 

Selected Per Share Data & Ratios
For a Share Outstanding Throughout the Period
 
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period ($)
Net Investment Income
(Loss) ($)*
Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Investments ($)
Total from Operations
 ($)
Distribution from Net Investment Income ($)
Distribution from Capital Gains ($)
Distribution from Capital Gains ($)
Total from Distributions ($)
Net Asset Value, End of Period ($)
Total Return (%)**
Net Assets End of Period
($)(000)
Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets (%)
Ratio of Net Investment Income (Loss) to Average Net Assets (%)
Portfolio Turnover (%)††
Global X Robotics & Artificial Intelligence ETF
2019
19.70
0.19
1.93
2.12
(0.39)
(0.39)
21.43
11.16
1,479,984
0.68
0.98
10.97
2018
23.96
0.19
(4.45)
(4.26)
***
19.70
(17.77)
1,726,274
0.70
0.83
28.50
2017
14.87
0.01
9.09
9.10
(0.01)
(0.01)
23.96
61.22
1,412,589
0.69
0.05
15.29
2016(1)
14.84
0.02
0.01
0.03
14.87
0.20
2,974
0.68†
0.62†
Global X FinTech ETF
2019
24.55
(0.08)
6.06
5.98
(0.04)
(0.04)
30.49
24.42
413,152
0.68
(0.29)
16.40
2018
21.79
(0.08)
2.86
2.78
(0.02)
(0.02)
24.55
12.79
327,734
0.68
(0.29)
20.58
2017
14.91
(0.03)
6.91
6.88
21.79
46.14
50,106
0.68
(0.13)
11.65
2016(1)
15.08
(0.01)
(0.16)
(0.17)
14.91
(1.13)
1,491
0.68†
(0.20)†
Global X Internet of Things ETF
2019
18.04
0.20
4.93
5.13
(0.28)
(0.28)
22.89
29.01
131,627
0.68
1.04
11.71
2018
20.12
0.17
(2.03)
(1.86)
(0.11)
(0.11)
(0.22)
18.04
(9.33)
82,983
0.69
0.88
16.69
2017
15.52
0.16
4.49
4.65
(0.05)
(0.05)
20.12
30.04
85,521
0.70
0.85
24.90
2016(1)
15.04
0.09
0.39
0.48
15.52
3.19
3,881
0.68†
2.75†
0.39
Global X Cloud Computing ETF
2019(2)
15.06
(0.04)
0.97
0.93
15.99
6.18
472,386
0.68†
(0.44)†
12.52
Global X Future Analytics Tech ETF
2019
14.24
0.10
3.13
3.23
(0.12)
(0.12)
17.35
22.87
44,245
0.68
0.61
16.34
2018(3)
15.00
0.05
(0.81)
(0.76)
14.24
(5.07)
42,001
0.68†
0.54†
7.93

(1)    The Fund commenced operations on September 12, 2016.
(2)    The Fund commenced operations on April 12, 2019.
(3)    The Fund commenced operations on May 11, 2018.
*    Per share data calculated using average shares method.
**    Total Return is for the period indicated and has not been annualized. The return shown does not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or the redemption of Fund shares.
***    Amount is less than 0.005.
    Annualized.
††     Portfolio turnover rate is for the period indicated and periods of less than one year have not been annualized. Excludes effect of in-kind transfers.

Amounts designated as "—" are either $0 or have been rounded to $0.



194


 
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
 

Selected Per Share Data & Ratios
For a Share Outstanding Throughout the Period
 
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period ($)
Net Investment Income
(Loss) ($)*
Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Investments ($)
Total from Operations
 ($)
Distribution from Net Investment Income ($)
Distribution from Capital Gains ($)
Total from Distributions ($)
Net Asset Value, End of Period ($)
Total Return (%)**
Net Assets End of Period
($)(000)
Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets (%)
Ratio of Net Investment Income (Loss) to Average Net Assets (%)
Portfolio Turnover (%)††
Global X Autonomous & Electric Vehicles ETF
2019
13.26
0.22
1.11
1.33
(0.44)
(0.44)
14.15
10.61
14,855
0.68
1.67
31.26
2018(1)
15.00
0.11
(1.85)
(1.74)
13.26
(11.60)
15,248
0.68†
1.21†
23.57
Global X Genomics & Biotechnology ETF
2019(2)
15.28
(0.05)
0.38
0.33
15.61
2.16
18,734
0.68†
(0.59)†
23.12
Global X Video Games & Esports ETF
2019(3)
14.99
0.74
0.74
15.73
4.94
1,573
0.50†
(0.45)†
0.27
Global X Cybersecurity ETF
2019(3)
15.27
1.87
1.87
17.14
12.25
1,714
0.50†^
(0.16)†
3.57

(1)    The Fund commenced operations on April 13, 2018.
(2)    The Fund commenced operations on April 5, 2019.
(3)    The Fund commenced operations on October 25, 2019.
*    Per share data calculated using average shares method.
**    Total Return is for the period indicated and has not been annualized. The return shown does not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or the redemption of Fund shares.
    Annualized.
††     Portfolio turnover rate is for the period indicated and periods of less than one year have not been annualized. Excludes effect of in-kind transfers.
^    The ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets includes the effect of a waiver. If these offsets were excluded, the ratio would have been 0.60%.

Amounts designated as "—" are either $0 or have been rounded to $0.



195


 
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
 

Selected Per Share Data & Ratios
For a Share Outstanding Throughout the Period
 
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period ($)
Net Investment Income
(Loss) ($)*
Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Investments ($)
Total from Operations
 ($)
Distribution from Net Investment Income ($)
Distribution from Capital Gains ($)
Total from Distributions ($)
Net Asset Value, End of Period ($)
Total Return (%)**
Net Assets End of Period
($)(000)
Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets (%)
Ratio of Net Investment Income (Loss) to Average Net Assets (%)
Portfolio Turnover (%)††
Global X Millennials Thematic ETF
2019
21.57
0.10
3.99
4.09
(0.10)
(0.01)
(0.11)
25.55
19.07
75,383
0.50^
0.42
10.44
2018
19.11
0.09
2.54
2.63
(0.05)
(0.12)
(0.17)
21.57
13.87
31,279
0.50^
0.40
10.94
2017
15.58
0.07
3.51
3.58
(0.05)
(0.05)
19.11
23.05
11,467
0.54^
0.40
20.97
2016(1)
14.95
0.05
0.58
0.63
15.58
4.21
3,896
0.68†
0.59†
Global X Longevity Thematic ETF
2019
20.67
0.13
2.99
3.12
(0.18)
(0.06)
(0.24)
23.55
15.38
23,548
0.50^
0.62
14.18
2018
19.60
0.13
1.14
1.27
(0.09)
(0.11)
(0.20)
20.67
6.55
15,503
0.50^
0.63
14.39
2017
15.17
0.08
4.51
4.59
(0.09)
(0.07)
(0.16)
19.60
30.58
7,841
0.52^
0.44
10.20
2016(2)
15.32
0.07
(0.22)
(0.15)
15.17
(0.98)
1,517
0.68†
0.78†
2.76
Global X Health & Wellness Thematic ETF
2019
18.59
0.14
2.60
2.74
(0.16)
(0.16)
21.17
14.89
20,115
0.50^
0.74
18.05
2018
16.75
0.14
2.18
2.32
(0.15)
(0.33)
(0.48)
18.59
14.16
10,222
0.50^
0.77
20.93
2017
14.72
0.17
1.94
2.11
(0.08)
(0.08)
16.75
14.38
2,512
0.54^
1.08
16.73
2016(2)
15.13
0.07
(0.48)
(0.41)
14.72
(2.71)
1,472
0.68†
0.82†
Global X Cannabis ETF
2019(3)
24.41
0.22
(9.32)
(9.10)
15.31
(37.28)
4,594
0.50†
6.19†
11.40

(1)    The Fund commenced operations on May 4, 2016.
(2)    The Fund commenced operations on May 9, 2016.
(3)    The Fund commenced operations on September 17, 2019.
*    Per share data calculated using average shares method.
**    Total Return is for the period indicated and has not been annualized. The return shown does not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or the redemption of Fund shares.
    Annualized.
††     Portfolio turnover rate is for the period indicated and periods of less than one year have not been annualized. Excludes effect of in-kind transfers.
^    The ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets includes the effect of a waiver. If these offsets were excluded, the ratio would have been 0.68%.

Amounts designated as "—" are either $0 or have been rounded to $0.


196


 
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
 

Selected Per Share Data & Ratios
For a Share Outstanding Throughout the Period
 
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period ($)
Net Investment Income
(Loss) ($)*
Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Investments ($)
Total from Operations
 ($)
Distribution from Net Investment Income ($)
Distribution from Capital Gains ($)
Total from Distributions ($)
Net Asset Value, End of Period ($)
Total Return (%)**
Net Assets End of Period
($)(000)
Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets (%)
Ratio of Net Investment Income (Loss) to Average Net Assets (%)
Portfolio Turnover (%)††
Global X U.S. Infrastructure Development ETF
2019
15.57
0.13
1.90
2.03
(0.17)
(0.17)
17.43
13.28
183,065
0.47‡
0.81
9.18
2018
16.16
0.14
(0.68)
(0.54)
(0.05)
(0.05)
15.57
(3.36)
140,914
0.47‡
0.77
6.76
2017(1)
14.98
0.10
1.08
1.18
16.16
7.88
20,203
0.47†‡
0.91†
Global X Conscious Companies ETF
2019
20.55
0.37
2.68
3.05
(0.50)
(0.50)
23.10
15.35
85,459
0.43
1.73
34.97
2018
19.23
0.33
1.22
1.55
(0.23)
(0.23)
20.55
8.16
56,504
0.43
1.65
36.35
2017
15.79
0.26
3.33
3.59
(0.15)
(0.15)
19.23
22.95
48,065
0.43
1.50
41.77
2016(2)
15.09
0.15
0.55
0.70
15.79
4.64
33,163
0.43†
2.57†
37.35
Global X Founder-Run Companies ETF
2019
18.63
0.05
2.12
2.17
(0.07)
(0.23)
(0.30)
20.50
12.05
4,100
0.52
0.29
33.82
2018
17.41
0.04
1.45
1.49
(0.04)
(0.23)
(0.27)
18.63
8.67
4,657
0.65
0.13
25.22
2017(3)
15.02
0.04
2.35
2.39
17.41
15.91
3,483
0.65†
0.33†
21.61
Global X Thematic Growth ETF
2019(4)
25.23
1.27
1.27
26.50
5.03
2,650
(0.15)† ^
0.15†

(1)    The Fund commenced operations on March 6, 2017.
(2)    The Fund commenced operations on July 11, 2016.
(3)    The Fund commenced operations on February 13, 2017.
(4)    The Fund commenced operations on October 25, 2019.
*    Per share data calculated using average shares method.
**
Total Return is for the period indicated and has not been annualized. The return shown does not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or the redemption of Fund shares.
†    Annualized.
††        Portfolio turnover rate is for the period indicated and has not been annualized. Excludes effect in-kind transfers.
‡        Effective April 1, 2019, the Fund’s fees were permanently lowered to 0.47%. Prior to April 1, 2019, the ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets included the effect of a waiver. If these offsets were excluded, the ratio would have been 0.50%, 0.58% and 0.58%, for the years ended November 30, 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively.
^    The ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets includes the effect of a waiver and reimbursement of acquired fund fees. If these offsets and acquired fund fees were excluded, the ratio would have been 0.50%.

Amounts designated as "—" are either $0 or have been rounded to $0.



197


OTHER INFORMATION
 
The Funds are not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by any national securities exchange. No national securities exchange makes any representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of Shares or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in the Funds particularly or the ability of the Funds to achieve their objectives. No national securities exchange has any obligation or liability in connection with the administration, marketing or trading of the Funds.
 
For purposes of the 1940 Act, shares that are issued by a registered investment company and purchases of such shares by investment companies and companies relying on Sections 3(c)(1) or 3(c)(7) of the 1940 Act are subject to the restrictions set forth in Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act, except as permitted by an exemptive order that permits registered investment companies to invest in shares beyond the limits in Section 12(d)(1)(A), subject to certain terms and conditions.
 
The Trust has obtained an SEC order permitting registered investment companies to invest in Shares, as described above. One such condition stated in the order is that investment companies relying on the order must enter into a written agreement with the Trust.
 
The method by which Creation Units are created and traded may raise certain issues under applicable securities laws. Because new Creation Units are issued and sold by the Funds on an ongoing basis, a “distribution,” as such term is used in the Securities Act, may occur at any point. 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 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 Units after placing an order with the Distributor, breaks them down into constituent Shares, and sells such Shares directly to customers, or if it chooses to couple the creation of a supply of new Shares with an active selling effort involving solicitation of secondary market demand for Shares. A determination of whether one is an underwriter for purposes of the Securities Act must take into account all the facts and circumstances pertaining to the activities of the broker-dealer or its client in the particular case, and the examples mentioned above should not be considered a complete description of all the activities that could lead to a categorization as an underwriter.
 
Broker-dealers who are not “underwriters” but are participating in a distribution (as contrasted with ordinary secondary trading transactions), and thus dealing with Shares that are part of an “unsold allotment” within the meaning of Section 4(3)(C) of the Securities Act, would be unable to take advantage of the prospectus delivery exemption provided by Section 4(3) of the Securities Act. 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. As a result, broker-dealer firms should note that dealers who are not underwriters but are participating in a distribution (as contrasted with ordinary secondary market transactions) and thus dealing with the Shares that are part of an overallotment within the meaning of Section 4(3)(A) of the Securities Act would be unable to take advantage of the prospectus delivery exemption provided by Section 4(3) of the Securities Act. Firms that incur a prospectus delivery obligation with respect to Shares are reminded that, under Rule 153 of the Securities Act, a prospectus delivery obligation under Section 5(b)(2) of the Securities Act owed to an exchange member in connection with a sale on Cboe BZX or NASDAQ is satisfied by the fact that the prospectus is available at Cboe BZX or NASDAQ upon request. The prospectus delivery mechanism provided in Rule 153 is only available with respect to transactions on an exchange.






198


For more information visit our website at
 
www.globalxetfs.com

or call 1-888-493-8631

 
Investment Adviser and Administrator
Global X Management Company LLC
605 3rd Avenue, 43rd Floor
New York, NY 10158
 
Distributor
SEI Investments Distribution Co.
One Freedom Valley Drive
Oaks, PA 19456
 
Custodian and Transfer Agent
Brown Brothers Harriman & Co.
50 Post Office Square
Boston, MA 02110
Sub-Administrator
SEI Investments Global Funds Services
One Freedom Valley Drive
Oaks, PA 19456
 
Legal Counsel to the Global X Funds® and Independent Trustees
Stradley Ronon Stevens & Young, LLP
2000 K Street, N.W., Suite 700
Washington, DC 20006


Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
Two Commerce Square, Suite 1800
2001 Market Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103


199


A Statement of Additional Information dated April 1, 2020, which contains more details about the Funds, is incorporated by reference in its entirety into this Prospectus, which means that it is legally part of this Prospectus.
 
Additional information about each Fund that has commenced operations and its investments is available in its annual and semi-annual reports to shareholders. The annual report explains the market conditions and investment strategies affecting each Fund’s performance during its last fiscal year.
 
You can ask questions or obtain a free copy of each such Fund’s semi-annual and annual report or the Statement of Additional Information by calling 1-888-493-8631. Free copies of a Fund’s semi-annual and annual report and the Statement of Additional Information are available from our website at www.globalxetfs.com.
 
Information about each Fund, including its semi-annual and annual reports and the Statement of Additional Information, has been filed with the SEC. It can be reviewed and copied on the EDGAR database on the SEC’s internet site (http://www.sec.gov). You can also request copies of these materials, upon payment of a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the SEC’s e-mail address (publicinfo@sec.gov).
 
PROSPECTUS
 
Distributor
 
SEI Investments Distribution Co.
 
One Freedom Valley Drive
 
Oaks, PA 19456
 
April 1, 2020
 
Investment Company Act File No.: 811-22209




























200


GLOBALXLOGOB01.JPG

Statement of Additional Information
 
Dated April 1, 2020

 
This Statement of Additional Information ("SAI") is not a prospectus. It should be read in conjunction with the current Prospectus (each a "Prospectus" and, collectively, the "Prospectuses") for the following Funds ("Funds") of Global X Funds ("Trust") as such Prospectus may be revised or supplemented from time to time:
 
Global X MLP ETF (MLPA)
Global X Autonomous & Electric Vehicles ETF (DRIV)
Global X MLP & Energy Infrastructure ETF (MLPX)
Global X Genomics & Biotechnology ETF (GNOM)
Global X U.S. Preferred ETF (PFFD)
Global X Video Games & Esports ETF (HERO)
Global X SuperDividend Alternatives ETF (ALTY)
Global X Cybersecurity ETF (BUG)
Global X S&P 500® Quality Dividend ETF (QDIV)
Global X Millennials Thematic ETF (MILN)
Global X TargetIncomeTM 5 ETF (TFIV)
Global X Longevity Thematic ETF (LNGR)
Global X TargetIncomeTM Plus 2 ETF (TFLT)
Global X Health & Wellness Thematic ETF (BFIT)
Global X Adaptive U.S. Factor ETF (AUSF)
Global X Education ETF (EDUX)*
Global X Robotics & Artificial Intelligence ETF (BOTZ)
Global X Cannabis ETF (POTX)
Global X FinTech ETF (FINX)
Global X U.S. Infrastructure Development ETF (PAVE)
Global X Internet of Things ETF (SNSR)
Global X Conscious Companies ETF (KRMA)
Global X Cloud Computing ETF (CLOU)
Global X Founder-Run Companies ETF (BOSS)
Global X Future Analytics Tech ETF (AIQ)
Global X Thematic Growth ETF (GXTG)
*Not open for investment

The Funds' Prospectuses is dated April 1, 2020. Capitalized terms used herein that are not defined have the same meaning as in the Prospectus, unless otherwise noted. The financial statements and notes contained in the Annual Report of the Trust are incorporated by reference into and are deemed to be part of this SAI. A copy of the Prospectus and Annual Report may be obtained without charge by writing to SEI Investments Global Funds Services, One Freedom Valley Drive, Oaks, PA 19456, calling 1-888-493-8631 or visiting www.globalxetfs.com. The Global X MLP ETF, Global X MLP & Energy Infrastructure ETF, Global X U.S. Preferred ETF, Global X S&P 500® Quality Dividend ETF and Global X Adaptive U.S. Factor ETF are listed on NYSE Arca Inc. ("NYSE Arca"). The Global X SuperDividend® Alternatives ETF, Global X Robotics & Artificial Intelligence ETF, Global X FinTech ETF, Global X Internet of Things ETF, Global X Cloud Computing ETF, Global X Future Analytics Tech ETF, Global X Autonomous & Electric Vehicles ETF, Global X Genomics & Biotechnology ETF, Global X Video Games & Esports ETF, Global X Cybersecurity ETF, Global X Millennials Thematic ETF, Global X Longevity Thematic ETF, Global X Health & Wellness Thematic ETF, Global X Education ETF, Global X Cannabis ETF, Global X Conscious Companies ETF and Global X Thematic Growth ETF are listed on The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC ("NASDAQ"). The Global X TargetIncome™ 5 ETF, Global X TargetIncome™ Plus 2 ETF, Global X U.S. Infrastructure Development ETF and Global X Founder-Run Companies ETF are listed on Cboe BZX Exchange, Inc. ("Cboe BZX"). The NYSE Arca, NASDAQ, and Cboe BZX are respectively referred to herein as the "Exchange".




TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE TRUST AND FUNDS
1
ADDITIONAL INVESTMENT INFORMATION
2
   EXCHANGE LISTING AND TRADING
2
   INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE, STRATEGIES AND RISKS
3
   PORTFOLIO TURNOVER
19
   INFORMATION REGARDING THE INDICES AND THE INDEX PROVIDERS
20
   INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS
35
   CURRENT 1940 ACT LIMITATIONS
36
   CONTINUOUS OFFERING
36
   PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS
36
MANAGEMENT OF THE TRUST
37
   BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS
37
   STANDING BOARD COMMITTEES
42
   TRUSTEE AND OFFICER OWNERSHIP OF FUND SHARES
42
   TRUSTEE OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES OF THE ADVISER AND RELATED COMPANIES
43
   TRUSTEE COMPENSATION
43
   CODE OF ETHICS
44
   INVESTMENT ADVISER
44
   PORTFOLIO MANAGERS
46
   BROKERAGE TRANSACTIONS
48
   PROXY VOTING
49
   SUB-ADMINISTRATOR
50
   DISTRIBUTOR
50
   CUSTODIAN AND TRANSFER AGENT
50
   DESCRIPTION OF SHARES
52
   BOOK-ENTRY ONLY SYSTEM
54
PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION OF CREATION UNITS
55
   CREATION UNIT AGGREGATIONS
55
   PURCHASE AND ISSUANCE OF CREATION UNIT AGGREGATIONS
55
   REDEMPTION OF CREATION UNITS
58
TAXES
61
TAXES FOR THE GLOBAL X MLP ETF
61
   TAXES FOR EACH FUND OTHER THAN THE GLOBAL X MLP ETF
62
   FUND TAXATION
63
   DISTRIBUTIONS
64
   EXCESS INCLUSION INCOME
64
   TAXES APPLICABLE TO ALL FUNDS
64
   SECTION 351 AND 362
64
   FOREIGN TAXES
64
   TAXATION OF FUND DISTRIBUTIONS
64
   TAXATION OF INCOME FROM CERTAIN FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS AND PFICS
65
   SALES OF SHARES
69
  COST BASIS REPORTING
69
   REPORTING
70
   BACK-UP WITHHOLDING
70
   OTHER TAXES
70
   TAXATION OF NON-U.S. SHAREHOLDERS
70
   NET ASSET VALUE
70
   DISTRIBUTION AND SERVICE PLAN
71
DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS
71
   GENERAL POLICIES
71

i


   DIVIDEND REINVESTMENT SERVICE
71
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
71
OTHER INFORMATION
71
   CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL HOLDERS OF SECURITIES
71
   INDEPENDENT TRUSTEE COUNSEL
77
   INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
77
   SECURITIES LENDING AGENT
77
   TAX SERVICES
77
   ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
77
 


ii


GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE TRUST AND FUNDS
 
As of March 1, 2020, the Trust consisted of 83 portfolios, 72 of which were operational. The Trust was formed as a Delaware Statutory Trust on March 6, 2008 and is authorized to have multiple series or portfolios. The Trust is an open-end management investment company, registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended ("1940 Act"). The offering of the Trust's shares is registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended ("Securities Act"). Each Fund other than the Global X Millennials Thematic ETF, Global X Longevity Thematic ETF, Global X Health & Wellness ETF, Global X SuperDividend® Alternatives ETF, Global X Conscious Companies ETF and Global X U.S. Infrastructure Development ETF is "non-diversified" and as such, each Fund's investments are not required to meet certain diversification requirements under the 1940 Act. This SAI relates only to the following Funds:

Global X MLP ETF (MLPA)
Global X MLP & Energy Infrastructure ETF (MLPX)
Global X U.S. Preferred ETF (PFFD)
Global X SuperDividend Alternatives ETF (ALTY)
Global X S&P 500® Quality Dividend ETF (QDIV)
Global X TargetIncomeTM 5 ETF (TFIV)
Global X TargetIncomeTM Plus 2 ETF (TFLT)
Global X Adaptive U.S. Factor ETF (AUSF)
Global X Robotics & Artificial Intelligence ETF (BOTZ)
Global X FinTech ETF (FINX)
Global X Internet of Things ETF (SNSR)
Global X Cloud Computing ETF (CLOU)
Global X Future Analytics Tech ETF (AIQ)
Global X Autonomous & Electric Vehicles ETF (DRIV)
Global X Genomics & Biotechnology ETF (GNOM)
Global X Video Games & Esports ETF (HERO)
Global X Cybersecurity ETF (BUG)
Global X Millennials Thematic ETF (MILN)
Global X Longevity Thematic ETF (LNGR)
Global X Health & Wellness Thematic ETF (BFIT)
Global X Education ETF (EDUX)
Global X Cannabis ETF (POTX)
Global X U.S. Infrastructure Development ETF (PAVE)
Global X Conscious Companies ETF (KRMA)
Global X Founder-Run Companies ETF (BOSS)
Global X Thematic Growth ETF (GXTG)
 
The following operational Funds changed names within the past five years:

The Global X FinTech ETF in 2017 (formerly known as the Global X FinTech Thematic ETF)
The Global X Internet of Things ETF in 2017 (formerly known as the Global X Internet of Things Thematic ETF)
The Global X Robotics & Artificial Intelligence ETF in 2017 (formerly known as the Global X Robotics & Artificial Intelligence Thematic ETF)

The investment objective of each Fund is to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of a specified benchmark index ("Underlying Index"). A Fund's investment objective and Underlying Index may be changed without shareholder approval. Shareholders will be given 60 days prior notice of any change of a Fund's investment objective. If Global X Management Company LLC, the Funds' investment adviser ("GXMC" or the "Adviser") changes the Underlying Index, the name of the Fund may be changed as well. Each Fund is managed by the Adviser.
 
The Funds offer and issue shares at net asset value per share ("NAV") only in aggregations of a specified number of shares (each, a "Creation Unit" or a "Creation Unit Aggregation"), generally in exchange for a basket of securities included in each Fund's Underlying Index ("Deposit Securities"), together with the deposit of a specified cash payment ("Cash Component"). The shares of the Funds ("Shares") are, or will be, listed and expected to be traded on NYSE Arca, NASDAQ, or Cboe BZX.
 
Shares trade in the secondary market and elsewhere at market prices that may be at, above or below NAV. Shares are redeemable only in Creation Unit Aggregations and, generally, in exchange for portfolio securities and a Cash Component. The number of Shares per Creation Unit of each Fund are as follows:

1


 
Fund
Number of Shares per
Creation Unit
Global X MLP ETF
50,000
Global X MLP & Energy Infrastructure ETF
50,000
Global X U.S. Preferred ETF
50,000
Global X SuperDividend Alternatives ETF
50,000
Global X S&P 500® Quality Dividend ETF
50,000
Global X TargetIncomeTM 5 ETF
50,000
Global X TargetIncomeTM Plus 2 ETF
50,000
Global X Adaptive U.S. Factor ETF
50,000
Global X Robotics & Artificial Intelligence ETF
50,000
Global X FinTech ETF
50,000
Global X Internet of Things ETF
50,000
Global X Cloud Computing ETF
50,000
Global X Future Analytics Tech ETF
50,000
Global X Autonomous & Electric Vehicles ETF
50,000
Global X Genomics & Biotechnology ETF
50,000
Global X Video Games & Esports ETF
50,000
Global X Cybersecurity ETF
50,000
Global X Millennials Thematic ETF
50,000
Global X Longevity Thematic ETF
50,000
Global X Health & Wellness Thematic ETF
50,000
Global X Education ETF
50,000
Global X Cannabis ETF
50,000
Global X U.S. Infrastructure Development ETF
50,000
Global X Conscious Companies ETF
50,000
Global X Founder-Run Companies ETF
50,000
Global X Thematic Growth ETF
50,000

The Trust reserves the right to offer a "cash" option for creations and redemptions of Shares. Shares may be issued in advance of receipt of Deposit Securities subject to various conditions, including a requirement to maintain on deposit with the Trust cash equal to 110% of the market value of the missing Deposit Securities. The required amount of deposit may be changed by the Adviser from time to time. See the "Purchase and Redemption of Creation Units" section of this SAI for further discussion. In each instance of such cash creations or redemptions, transaction fees may be imposed that will be in addition to the transaction fees associated with in-kind creations or redemptions. In all cases, such conditions and fees will be limited in accordance with the requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") applicable to management investment companies offering redeemable securities.

ADDITIONAL INVESTMENT INFORMATION

EXCHANGE LISTING AND TRADING
 
A discussion of exchange listing and trading matters associated with an investment in each Fund is contained in the respective Prospectus. The discussion below supplements, and should be read in conjunction with, that section of such Prospectus.
 
Shares of each Fund are listed for trading on the Exchange and trade throughout the day on the Exchange and other secondary markets. There can be no assurance that each Fund will continue to meet the listing requirements of the exchange on which it is listed. The Exchange may, but is not required to, remove the Shares of a Fund from its listing if (1) following the initial twelve-month period beginning upon the commencement of trading of the Fund, there are fewer than fifty (50) record and/or beneficial holders of the Fund for thirty (30) or more consecutive trading days, (2) the value of the Underlying Index on which the Fund is based is no longer calculated or available, (3) the "indicative optimized portfolio value" ("IOPV" or "IIV") of the Fund is no longer calculated or available, or (4) any other event shall occur or condition exist that, in the opinion of the Exchange, makes further dealings on the Exchange inadvisable. The Exchange will remove the Shares of a Fund from listing and trading upon termination of the Fund.

As in the case of other publicly-traded securities, brokers' commissions on transactions will be based on negotiated commission rates at customary levels.
 

2


In order to provide additional information regarding the indicative value of Shares of each Fund, the Exchange or a designated IOPV provider disseminates every fifteen seconds, through the facilities of the Consolidated Tape Association, an updated IOPV for each Fund as calculated by an information provider or a market data vendor. The Trust is not involved in or responsible for any aspect of the calculation or dissemination of the IOPVs and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the IOPVs.
 
An IOPV has a securities value component and a cash component. The securities values included in an IOPV are the values of the Deposit Securities for the applicable Fund. The IOPV is generally determined by using both current market quotations and/or price quotations obtained from broker-dealers that may trade in the portfolio securities held by a Fund. The quotations of certain Fund holdings may not be updated during U.S. trading hours if such holdings do not trade in the United States. While the IOPV reflects the current market value of the Deposit Securities required to be deposited in connection with the purchase of a Creation Unit Aggregation, it does not necessarily reflect the precise composition of the current portfolio of securities held by the applicable Fund at a particular point in time, because the current portfolio of the Fund may include securities that are not a part of the Deposit Securities. Furthermore, the IOPV does not capture certain items such as tax liability accruals, which may occur for Fund investments in certain foreign jurisdictions. Therefore, each Fund's IOPV disseminated during the Exchange's trading hours should not be viewed as a real time update of the Fund's NAV, which is calculated only once a day.
 
In addition to the securities component described in the preceding paragraph, the IOPV for each Fund includes a cash component consisting of estimated accrued dividends and other income, less expenses. If applicable, each IOPV also reflects changes in currency exchange rates between the U.S. Dollar and the applicable foreign currency. 
 
The Trust reserves the right to adjust the share prices of the Funds 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 applicable Fund.

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE, STRATEGIES AND RISKS
 
Each Fund seeks to achieve its objective by investing primarily in securities issued by companies that comprise the relevant Underlying Index and through transactions that provide substantially similar exposure to securities in the Underlying Index. Each Fund operates as an index fund and will not be actively managed. Adverse performance of a security in a Fund's portfolio will ordinarily not result in the elimination of the security from the Fund's portfolio. Each Fund invests at least 80% of its total assets in the securities of its Underlying Index and, if applicable, in American Depositary Receipts ("ADRs") and Global Depositary Receipts ("GDRs") (collectively "Depositary Receipts") based on the securities in its Underlying Index. Each Fund may also invest up to 20% of its assets in certain futures, options and swap contracts, cash and cash equivalents, as well as in stocks not included in its Underlying Index but which the Adviser believes will help the Fund track its Underlying Index.

All Funds (other than the Global X U.S. Preferred ETF, Global X TargetIncomeTM 5 ETF and Global X TargetIncomeTM Plus 2 ETF) use a replication strategy. A replication strategy is an indexing strategy that involves investing in the securities of the Underlying Index in approximately the same proportions as in the Underlying Index. However, each Fund may utilize a representative sampling strategy with respect to its Underlying Index when a replication strategy might be detrimental to its shareholders, such as when there are practical difficulties or substantial costs involved in compiling a portfolio of securities to follow its Underlying Index, or, in certain instances, when securities in the Underlying Index become temporarily illiquid, unavailable or less liquid, or due to legal restrictions (such as diversification requirements that apply to the Funds but not the Underlying Index). Each of the Global X U.S. Preferred ETF, Global X TargetIncomeTM 5 ETF and Global X TargetIncomeTM Plus 2 ETF will use a representative sampling strategy with respect to its Underlying Index. "Representative sampling" is an indexing strategy that involves investing in a representative sample of securities that collectively has an investment profile similar to the Underlying Index in terms of key risk factors, performance attributes and other characteristics. Under a representative sampling strategy, a Fund may or may not hold all of the securities in the Underlying Index. If a Fund uses a replication strategy, it can be expected to have greater correlation to the Underlying Index than if it uses a representative sampling strategy.
 
Each Fund has adopted a non-fundamental investment policy in accordance with the representations contained in the Trust's exemptive relief from the SEC to operate as an exchange-traded fund 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 securities of the Fund's Underlying Index and in Depositary Receipts based on securities in the Underlying Index. A Fund also may have adopted an additional non-fundamental policy to invest at least 80% of its total assets in securities as disclosed in its Prospectus. Each Fund has also adopted a policy to provide its shareholders with at least 60 days prior written notice of a change to its investment objective. If, subsequent to an investment, the 80% requirement is no longer met, a Fund's future investments will be made in a manner that will bring the Fund into compliance with this policy. 


3


The following supplements the information contained in the Prospectus concerning the investment objectives and policies of the Funds.
 
CYBER SECURITY RISK. With the increased use of technologies such as the Internet to conduct business, each Fund is susceptible to operational, information security and related risks. In general, cyber incidents can result from deliberate attacks or unintentional events. Cyber attacks include, but are not limited to, gaining unauthorized access to digital systems (e.g., through “hacking” or malicious software coding) for purposes of misappropriating assets or sensitive information, corrupting data, or causing operational disruption. Cyber attacks may also be carried out in a manner that does not require gaining unauthorized access, such as causing denial-of-service attacks on websites (i.e., efforts to make network services unavailable to intended users). Cyber security failures or breaches suffered by a Fund’s adviser, distributor and other service providers (including, but not limited to, index providers, fund accountants, custodians, transfer agents and administrators), market makers, Authorized Participants (as defined below) and the issuers of securities in which the Funds invest have the ability to cause disruptions and impact business operations potentially resulting in financial losses, interference with a Fund’s ability to calculate its NAV, impediments to trading, the inability of Fund shareholders to transact business, violations of applicable privacy and other laws, regulatory fines, penalties, reputational damage, reimbursement or other compensation costs, or additional compliance costs. In addition, substantial costs may be incurred in order to prevent any cyber incidents in the future. While the Funds have established business continuity plans in the event of, and risk management systems to prevent, such cyber attacks, there are inherent limitations in such plans and systems, including the possibility that certain risks have not been identified. Furthermore, the Funds cannot control the cyber security plans and systems put in place by service providers to the Funds and issuers in which the Funds invest, market makers or Authorized Participants. The Funds and their shareholders could be negatively impacted as a result of any cyber incidents impacting such parties.

DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS. Each Fund will normally invest at least 80% of its total assets in the securities of its Underlying Index and in Depositary Receipts based on the securities in its Underlying Index. ADRs are receipts that are traded in the United States evidencing ownership of the underlying foreign securities and are denominated in U.S. dollars. GDRs are receipts issued by a non-U.S. financial institution evidencing ownership of underlying foreign or U.S. securities and usually are denominated in foreign currencies. GDRs may not be denominated in the same currency as the securities they represent. Generally, GDRs are designed for use in the foreign securities markets.

To the extent each Fund invests in ADRs, such ADRs will be listed on a national securities exchange. To the extent each Fund invests in GDRs, such GDRs will be listed on a foreign exchange. The Funds will not invest in any unlisted Depositary Receipt or any Depositary Receipt for which pricing information is not readily available. Generally, all Depositary Receipts must be sponsored. The Funds, however, may invest in unsponsored Depositary Receipts under certain limited circumstances. A non-sponsored depository may not provide the same shareholder information that a sponsored depositary is required to provide under its contractual arrangement with the issuer. Therefore, there may be less information available regarding such issuers and there may not be a correlation between such information and the market value of the Depositary Receipts.

NON-DIVERSIFICATION RISK. Non-diversification risk is the risk that a non-diversified fund may be more susceptible to adverse financial, economic or other developments affecting any single issuer, and more susceptible to greater losses because of these developments. Each Fund (except the Global X Millennials Thematic ETF, Global X Longevity Thematic ETF, Global X Health & Wellness ETF, Global X SuperDividend® Alternatives ETF, Global X Conscious Companies ETF and Global X U.S. Infrastructure Development ETF) is classified as “non-diversified” for purposes of the 1940 Act. A “non-diversified” classification means that a Fund is not limited by the 1940 Act with regard to the percentage of its assets that may be invested in the securities of a single issuer. The securities of a particular issuer may dominate the Underlying Index of a Fund and, consequently, a Fund’s investment portfolio. Each Fund may also concentrate its investments in a particular industry or group of industries, as noted in the description of the Fund. The securities of issuers in particular industries may dominate the Underlying Index of such a Fund and, consequently, the Fund’s investment portfolio. This may adversely affect its performance or subject the Fund’s Shares to greater price volatility than that experienced by less concentrated investment companies.
 
Each Fund intends to maintain the required level of diversification and otherwise conduct its operations so as to qualify as a “regulated investment company” for purposes of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), and to relieve the Fund of any liability for federal income tax to the extent that its earnings are distributed to shareholders. Compliance with the diversification requirements of the Code may limit the investment flexibility of certain Funds and may make it less likely that such a Fund will meet its investment objective.

SHORT-TERM INSTRUMENTS AND TEMPORARY INVESTMENTS. To the extent consistent with its investment policies, each Fund may invest in short-term instruments, including money market instruments, on an ongoing basis to provide liquidity or for other reasons. Money market instruments are generally short-term investments that may include but are not limited to: (i) shares of money market funds; (ii) obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities

4


(including government-sponsored enterprises ("GSE")); (iii) negotiable certificates of deposit ("CDs"), bankers' acceptances, fixed time deposits, bank notes and other obligations of U.S. and foreign banks (including foreign branches) and similar institutions; (iv) commercial paper rated at the date of purchase "Prime-1" by Moody's Investors Service, Inc. ("Moody's"), "A-1" by Standard & Poor's Rating Service ("S&P") or, if unrated, of comparable quality as determined by the Adviser; (v) non-convertible corporate debt securities (e.g., bonds and debentures) with remaining maturities at the date of purchase of not more than 397 days and that satisfy the rating requirements set forth in Rule 2a-7 under the 1940 Act; (vi) repurchase agreements; and (vii) short-term U.S. dollar-denominated obligations of foreign banks (including U.S. branches) that, in the opinion of the Adviser, are of comparable quality to obligations of U.S. banks which may be purchased by a Fund. Any of these instruments may be purchased on a current or a forward-settled basis.

Pursuant to amendments adopted by the SEC in July 2014, money market fund regulations require money market funds that do not meet the definitions of a retail money market fund or government money market fund to transact at a floating NAV per share (similar to all other non-money market mutual funds), instead of at a $1 stable share price, as well as permit (or, in certain circumstances, require) money market funds to impose liquidity fees and redemption gates for use in times of market stress. Any impact on the trading and value of money market instruments as a result of these money market fund regulations may negatively affect a Fund's yield and return potential.

Time deposits are non-negotiable deposits maintained in banking institutions for specified periods of time at stated interest rates. Bankers' acceptances are time drafts drawn on commercial banks by borrowers, usually in connection with international transactions. Commercial paper represents short-term unsecured promissory notes issued in bearer form by banks or bank holding companies, corporations and finance companies. Certificates of deposit are negotiable certificates issued against funds deposited in a commercial bank for a definite period of time and earning a specified return. Bankers' acceptances are negotiable drafts or bills of exchange, normally drawn by an importer or exporter to pay for specific merchandise, which are "accepted" by a bank, meaning, in effect, that the bank unconditionally agrees to pay the face value of the instrument on maturity. Fixed time deposits are bank obligations payable at a stated maturity date and bearing interest at a fixed rate. Fixed time deposits may be withdrawn on demand by the investor but may be subject to early withdrawal penalties that vary depending upon market conditions and the remaining maturity of the obligation. There are no contractual restrictions on the right to transfer a beneficial interest in a fixed time deposit to a third party. Bank notes generally rank junior to deposit liabilities of banks and pari passu with other senior, unsecured obligations of the bank. Bank notes are classified as "other borrowings" on a bank's balance sheet, while deposit notes and certificates of deposit are classified as deposits. Bank notes are not insured by the FDIC or any other insurer.
 
Each Fund may invest a portion of its assets in the obligations of foreign banks and foreign branches of domestic banks. Such obligations include Eurodollar Certificates of Deposit ("ECDs"), which are U.S. dollar-denominated certificates of deposit issued by offices of foreign and domestic banks located outside the United States; Eurodollar Time Deposits ("ETDs"), which are U.S. dollar-denominated deposits in a foreign branch of a U.S. bank or a foreign bank; Canadian Time Deposits ("CTDs"), which are essentially the same as ETDs except they are issued by Canadian offices of major Canadian banks; Schedule Bs, which are obligations issued by Canadian branches of foreign or domestic banks; Yankee Certificates of Deposit ("Yankee CDs"), which are U.S. dollar-denominated certificates of deposit issued by a U.S. branch of a foreign bank and held in the United States; and Yankee Bankers' Acceptances ("Yankee BAs"), which are U.S. dollar-denominated bankers' acceptances issued by a U.S. branch of a foreign bank and held in the United States.
 
Commercial paper purchased by the Funds may include asset-backed commercial paper. Asset-backed commercial paper is issued by a special purpose entity that is organized to issue the commercial paper and to purchase trade receivables or other financial assets. The credit quality of asset-backed commercial paper depends primarily on the quality of these assets and the level of any additional credit support.

EQUITY SWAPS, TOTAL RATE OF RETURN SWAPS, AND CURRENCY SWAPS. Each Fund may invest up to 20% of its total assets in swap contracts.
 
A swap is an agreement involving the exchange by a Fund with another party of their respective commitments to pay or receive payments at specified dates based upon or calculated by reference to changes in specified prices or rates (e.g., interest rates in the case of interest rate swaps) based on a specified amount (the "notional" amount). Some swaps currently are, and more in the future will be, exchange-traded and centrally cleared. Examples of swap agreements include, but are not limited to, equity, index or other total return swaps and foreign currency swaps.

Each Fund may enter into equity swap contracts to invest in a market without owning or taking physical custody of securities in circumstances in which direct investment is restricted for legal reasons or is otherwise impracticable. These instruments provide a great deal of flexibility. For example, a counterparty may agree to pay a Fund the amount, if any, by which the notional amount of the equity swap contract would have increased in value had it been invested in particular stocks (or an index of stocks), plus

5


the dividends that would have been received on those stocks. In these cases, a Fund may agree to pay to the counterparty the amount, if any, by which that notional amount would have decreased in value had it been invested in the stocks. Therefore, the return to a Fund on any equity swap contract should be the gain or loss on the notional amount plus dividends on the stocks less the interest paid by the Fund on the notional amount. In other cases, the counterparty and the Fund may each agree to pay the other the difference between the relative investment performances that would have been achieved if the notional amount of the equity swap contract had been invested in different stocks (or indices of stocks).

Total rate of return swaps are contracts that obligate a party to pay or receive interest in exchange for the payment by the other party of the total return generated by a security, a basket of securities, an index or an index component. The Funds also may enter into currency swaps, which involve the exchange of the rights of the Funds and another party to make or receive payments in specific currencies. Currency swaps involve the exchange of rights of the Funds and another party to make or receive payments in specific currencies.
 
Some swaps transactions are entered into on a net basis, i.e., the two payment streams are netted out, with a Fund receiving or paying, as the case may be, only the net amount of the two payments. A Fund will enter into equity swaps only on a net basis. Payments may be made at the conclusion of an equity swap contract or periodically during its term. Equity swaps do not involve the delivery of securities or other underlying assets. Accordingly, the risk of loss with respect to equity swaps is limited to the net amount of payments that such Fund is contractually obligated to make. If the other party to an equity swap, or any other swap entered into on a net basis, defaults, a Fund's risk of loss consists of the net amount of payments that such Fund is contractually entitled to receive, if any. In contrast, other swaps transactions may involve the payment of the gross amount owed. For example, currency swaps usually involve the delivery of the entire principal amount of one designated currency in exchange for the other designated currency. Therefore, the entire principal value of a currency swap is subject to the risk that the other party to the swap will default on its contractual delivery obligations. To the extent that the amount payable by a Fund under a swap is covered by segregated cash or liquid assets, the Funds and the Adviser believe that transactions do not constitute senior securities under the 1940 Act and, accordingly, will not treat them as being subject to the Funds' borrowing restrictions.

Swaps that are centrally-cleared are subject to the creditworthiness of the clearing organizations involved in the transaction. For example, a Fund could lose margin payments it has deposited with the clearing organization as well as the net amount of gains not yet paid by the clearing organization if it breaches its agreement with the Fund or becomes insolvent or goes into bankruptcy. In the event of bankruptcy of the clearing organization, the Fund may be entitled to the net amount of gains the Fund is entitled to receive plus the return of margin owed to it only in proportion to the amount received by the clearing organization's other customers, potentially resulting in losses to the Fund.
 
To the extent a swap is not centrally cleared, the use of swaps also involves the risk that a loss may be sustained as a result of the insolvency or bankruptcy of the counterparty or the failure of the counterparty to make required payments or otherwise comply with the terms of the agreement.
 
A Fund will not enter into any swap transactions unless the unsecured commercial paper, senior debt or claims-paying ability of the other party is rated either A, or A-1 or better by S&P or Fitch Ratings ("Fitch"); or A or Prime-1 or better by Moody's, or has received a comparable rating from another organization that is recognized as a nationally recognized statistical rating organization ("NRSRO") or, if unrated by such rating organization, is determined to be of comparable quality by the Adviser. If a counterparty's creditworthiness declines, the value of the swap might decline, potentially resulting in losses to a Fund. Changing conditions in a particular market area, whether or not directly related to the referenced assets that underlie the swap agreement, may have an adverse impact on the creditworthiness of the counterparty. For example, the counterparty may have experienced losses as a result of its exposure to a sector of the market that adversely affect its creditworthiness. If there is a default by the other party to such a transaction, a Fund will have contractual remedies pursuant to the agreements related to the transaction. Such contractual remedies, however, may be subject to bankruptcy and insolvency laws that may affect such Fund's rights as a creditor (e.g., the Fund may not receive the net amount of payments that it contractually is entitled to receive). The swap market has grown substantially in recent years with a large number of banks and investment banking firms acting both as principals and as agents utilizing standardized swap documentation. As a result, the swap market has become relatively liquid in comparison with markets for other similar instruments which are traded in the interbank market.
 
The use of equity, total rate of return and currency swaps is a highly specialized activity which involves investment techniques and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions.
 
In connection with a Fund's position in a swaps contract, the Fund will segregate liquid assets or will otherwise cover its position in accordance with applicable SEC requirements.


6


FOREIGN CURRENCY TRANSACTIONS. To the extent consistent with its investment policies, each Fund may invest in forward foreign currency exchange contracts and foreign currency futures contracts. No Fund, however, expects to engage in currency transactions for speculative purposes or for the purpose of hedging against declines in the value of a Fund's assets that are denominated in a foreign currency. A Fund may enter into forward foreign currency exchange contracts and foreign currency futures contracts to facilitate local settlements or to protect against currency exposure in connection with its distributions to shareholders.
 
Foreign currency exchange contracts involve an obligation to purchase or sell a specified currency on a future date at a price set at the time of the contract. Forward currency contracts do not eliminate fluctuations in the values of portfolio securities but rather allow a Fund to establish a rate of exchange for a future point in time. Foreign currency futures contracts involve an obligation to deliver or acquire the specified amount of a specific currency, at a specified price and at a specified future time. Such futures contracts may be settled on a net cash payment basis rather than by the sale and delivery of the underlying currency. A Fund may incur costs in connection with forward foreign currency exchange and futures contracts and conversions of foreign currencies and U.S. dollars.

Liquid assets equal to the amount of a Fund's assets that could be required to consummate forward contracts will be segregated except to the extent the contracts are otherwise "covered." The segregated assets will be valued at market or fair value. If the market or fair value of such assets declines, additional liquid assets will be segregated daily so that the value of the segregated assets will equal the amount of such commitments by the Fund. A forward contract to sell a foreign currency is "covered" if a Fund owns the currency (or securities denominated in the currency) underlying the contract, or holds a forward contract (or call option) permitting the Fund to buy the same currency at a price that is (i) no higher than the Fund's price to sell the currency or (ii) greater than the Fund's price to sell the currency provided the Fund segregates liquid assets in the amount of the difference. A forward contract to buy a foreign currency is "covered" if a Fund holds a forward contract (or call option) permitting the Fund to sell the same currency at a price that is (i) as high as or higher than the Fund's price to buy the currency or (ii) lower than the Fund's price to buy the currency, provided the Fund segregates liquid assets in the amount of the difference.
 
FOREIGN INVESTMENTS – GENERAL. To the extent consistent with its investment policies, each Fund may invest in foreign securities. Investment in foreign securities involves special risks. These include market risk, interest rate risk and the risks of investing in securities of foreign issuers and of companies whose securities are principally traded outside the United States on foreign exchanges or foreign over-the-counter markets and in investments denominated in foreign currencies. Market risk involves the possibility that stock prices will decline over short or even extended periods. The stock markets tend to be cyclical, with periods of generally rising prices and periods of generally declining prices. These cycles will affect the value of a Fund to the extent that it invests in foreign stocks. In addition, the performance of investments in securities denominated in a foreign currency will depend on the strength of the foreign currency against the U.S. dollar and the interest rate environment in the country issuing the currency. Absent other events which could otherwise affect the value of a foreign security (such as a change in the political climate or an issuer's credit quality), appreciation in the value of the foreign currency generally can be expected to increase the value of a foreign currency-denominated security in terms of U.S. dollars. A rise in foreign interest rates or decline in the value of the foreign currency relative to the U.S. dollar generally can be expected to depress the value of a foreign currency-denominated security.

There are other risks and costs involved in investing in foreign securities, which are in addition to the usual risks inherent in domestic investments. Investment in foreign securities involves higher costs than investment in U.S. securities, including higher transaction and custody costs as well as the imposition of additional taxes by foreign governments. Foreign investments also involve risks associated with the level of currency exchange rates, less complete financial information about the issuers, less market liquidity, more market volatility and political instability. Future political and economic developments, the possible imposition of withholding taxes on dividend income, the possible seizure or nationalization of foreign holdings, the possible establishment of exchange controls, or the adoption of other governmental restrictions might adversely affect an investment in foreign securities. Additionally, foreign banks and foreign branches of domestic banks are subject to less stringent reserve requirements, and to different accounting, auditing and recordkeeping requirements. Also, the legal remedies for investors may be more limited than the remedies available in the U.S.
 
Although a Fund may invest in securities denominated in foreign currencies, its portfolio securities and other assets are valued in U.S. dollars. Currency exchange rates may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time causing, together with other factors, a Fund's NAV to fluctuate as well. Currency exchange rates can be affected unpredictably by the intervention or the failure to intervene by U.S. or foreign governments or central banks, or by currency controls or political developments in the U.S. or abroad. To the extent that a Fund's total assets, adjusted to reflect a Fund's net position after giving effect to currency transactions, are denominated in the currencies of foreign countries, a Fund will be more susceptible to the risk of adverse economic and political developments within those countries.
 

7


Issuers of foreign securities may also suffer from social, political and economic instability. Such instability can lead to illiquidity or price volatility in foreign securities traded on affected markets. Foreign issuers may be subject to the risk that during certain periods the liquidity of securities of a particular issuer or industry, or all the securities within a particular region, will be adversely affected by economic, market or political events, or adverse investor perceptions, which may cause temporary or permanent devaluation of the relevant securities. In addition, if a market for a foreign security closes as a result of such instability, it may be more difficult to obtain accurate independently sourced prices for securities traded on these markets and may be difficult to value the affected foreign securities for extended periods of time.
 
A Fund also is subject to the possible imposition of exchange control regulations or freezes on the convertibility of currency. In addition, through the use of forward currency exchange contracts with other instruments, any net currency positions of the Funds may expose them to risks independent of their securities positions.
 
A Fund will be subject to foreign withholding taxes with respect to certain dividends or interest received from sources in foreign countries, and capital gains on securities of certain foreign countries may be subject to taxation. To the extent such taxes are not offset by credits or deductions allowed to investors under U.S. federal income tax law, they may reduce the net return to shareholders.
 
The costs attributable to investing abroad usually are higher than investments in domestic securities for several reasons, such as the higher cost of investment research, higher costs of custody of foreign securities, higher commissions paid on comparable transactions on foreign markets and additional costs arising from delays in settlements of transactions involving foreign securities.
Foreign markets also have different clearance and settlement procedures, and in certain markets there have been times when settlements have been unable to keep pace with the volume of securities transactions, making it difficult to conduct such transactions. Such delays in settlement could result in temporary periods when a portion of the assets of a Fund remain un-invested and no return is earned on such assets. The inability of a Fund to make intended security purchases or sales due to settlement problems could result either in losses to a Fund due to subsequent declines in value of the portfolio securities or, if a Fund has entered into a contract to sell the securities, could result in possible liability to the purchaser.
 
FOREIGN INVESTMENTS – EMERGING MARKETS. Countries with emerging markets are generally located in the Asia and Pacific regions, the Middle East, Eastern Europe, Central America, South America, and Africa. To the extent permitted by their investment policies, the Funds may invest their assets in countries with emerging economies or securities markets.

The securities markets of emerging countries are less liquid and subject to greater price volatility, and have a smaller market capitalization, than the securities markets of more developed countries. In certain countries, there may be fewer publicly traded securities and the market may be dominated by a few issues or sectors. Issuers and securities markets in such countries are not subject to as extensive and frequent accounting, financial and other reporting requirements or as comprehensive government regulations as are issuers and securities markets in the U.S. In particular, the assets and profits appearing on the financial statements of emerging country issuers may not reflect their financial position or results of operations in the same manner as financial statements for U.S. issuers. Substantially less information may be publicly available about emerging country issuers than is available about issuers in the United States.
 
Emerging country securities markets are typically marked by a high concentration of market capitalization and trading volume in a small number of issuers representing a limited number of industries, as well as a high concentration of ownership of such securities by a limited number of investors. The markets for securities in certain emerging countries are in the earliest stages of their development. Even the markets for relatively widely traded securities in emerging countries may not be able to absorb, without price disruptions, a significant increase in trading volume or trades of a size customarily undertaken by institutional investors in the securities markets of developed countries. The limited size of many of these securities markets can cause prices to be erratic for reasons apart from factors that affect the soundness and competitiveness of the securities issuers. For example, prices may be unduly influenced by traders who control large positions in these markets. Additionally, market making and arbitrage activities are generally less extensive in such markets, which may contribute to increased volatility and reduced liquidity of such markets. The limited liquidity of emerging country securities may also affect a Fund’s ability to accurately value its portfolio securities or to acquire or dispose of securities at the price and time it wishes to do so or in order to meet redemption requests.
 
Certain emerging market countries may have antiquated legal systems, which may adversely impact the Funds. For example, while the potential liability of a shareholder in a U.S. corporation with respect to acts of the corporation is generally limited to the amount of the shareholder’s investment, the notion of limited liability is less clear in certain emerging market countries. Similarly, the rights of investors in emerging market companies may be more limited than those of shareholders in U.S. corporations.

Transaction costs, including brokerage commissions or dealer mark-ups, in emerging countries may be higher than in developed securities markets. In addition, existing laws and regulations are often inconsistently applied. As legal systems in emerging countries

8


develop, foreign investors may be adversely affected by new or amended laws and regulations. In circumstances where adequate laws exist, it may not be possible to obtain swift and equitable enforcement of the law.
 
Certain emerging market countries may restrict or control foreign investments in their securities markets. These restrictions may limit a Fund’s investment in certain emerging countries and may increase the expenses of such Fund. Certain emerging countries require governmental approval prior to investments by foreign persons or limit investment by foreign persons to only a specified percentage of an issuer’s outstanding securities or a specific class of securities which may have less advantageous terms (including price) than securities of the company available for purchase by nationals. In addition, the repatriation of both investment income and capital from emerging countries may be subject to restrictions which require governmental consents or prohibit repatriation entirely for a period of time. Even where there is no outright restriction on repatriation of capital, the mechanics of repatriation may affect certain aspects of the operation of a Fund. A Fund may be required to establish special custodial or other arrangements before investing in certain emerging countries.
 
Certain issuers in emerging market countries may utilize share blocking schemes. Share blocking refers to a practice, in certain foreign markets, where voting rights related to an issuer’s securities are predicated on these securities being blocked from trading at the custodian or sub-custodian level, for a period of time around a shareholder meeting. These restrictions have the effect of barring the purchase and sale of certain voting securities within a specified number of days before, and in certain instances, after a shareholder meeting where a vote of shareholders will be taken. Share blocking may prevent a Fund from buying or selling securities for a period of time. During the time that shares are blocked, trades in such securities will not settle. The blocking period can last up to several weeks. The process for having a blocking restriction lifted can be quite onerous with the particular requirements varying widely by country. In addition, in certain countries, the block cannot be removed. As a result of the ramifications of voting ballots in markets that allow share blocking, the Adviser, on behalf of a Fund, reserves the right to abstain from voting proxies in those markets.
 
Emerging countries may be subject to a substantially greater degree of economic, political and social instability and disruption than more developed countries. This instability may result from, among other things, the following: (i) authoritarian governments or military involvement in political and economic decision making, including changes or attempted changes in governments through extra-constitutional means; (ii) popular unrest associated with demands for improved political, economic or social conditions; (iii) internal insurgencies; (iv) hostile relations with neighboring countries; (v) ethnic, religious and racial disaffection or conflict; (vi) the absence of developed legal structures governing foreign private investments and private property; (vii) the small current size of the markets for such securities and the currently low or nonexistent volume of trading, which result in a lack of liquidity and in greater price volatility; (viii) certain national policies which may restrict a Fund’s investment opportunities, including restrictions on investment in issuers or industries deemed sensitive to national interest; (ix) foreign taxation; (x) the absence, in some cases, of a capital market structure or market-oriented economy; and (xi) the possibility that economic developments may be slowed or reversed by unanticipated political or social events in such countries. Such economic, political and social instability could disrupt the principal financial markets in which a Fund may invest and adversely affect the value of the Fund’s assets. A Fund’s investments can also be adversely affected by any increase in taxes or by political, economic or diplomatic developments.
 
The economies of emerging countries may suffer from unfavorable growth of gross domestic product, rates of inflation, capital reinvestment, resources, self-sufficiency and balance of payments. Many emerging countries have experienced in the past, and continue to experience, high rates of inflation. In certain countries inflation has at times accelerated rapidly to hyperinflationary levels, creating a negative interest rate environment and sharply eroding the value of outstanding financial assets in those countries. Other emerging countries, on the other hand, have experienced deflationary pressures and are in economic recessions. In addition, many emerging countries are also highly dependent on international trade and exports, including exports of oil and other commodities to sustain their economic growth. As a result, emerging countries are particularly vulnerable to downturns of the world economy.

A portion of a Fund’s investments may be in Russian securities and instruments. As a result of recent events, the United States and the Economic and Monetary Union of the European Union, along with the regulatory bodies of a number of countries, including Japan, Australia, Norway, Switzerland and Canada, have imposed economic sanctions and renewed existing economic sanctions, which consist of prohibiting certain securities trades, prohibiting certain private transactions in the energy sector, asset freezes, and prohibition of all business, against certain Russian individuals and Russian corporate entities. The United States and other nations or international organizations may impose additional, broader economic sanctions or take other actions that may adversely affect Russian-related issuers in the future. These sanctions, any future sanctions or other actions, or even the threat of further sanctions or other actions, may negatively affect the value and liquidity of a Fund’s investments. For example, a Fund may be prohibited from investing in securities issued by companies subject to such sanctions. In addition, the sanctions may require a Fund to freeze its existing investments in Russian companies, prohibiting the Fund from buying, selling or otherwise transacting in these investments. Russia may undertake countermeasures or retaliatory actions, which may further impair the value and liquidity

9


of a Fund’s portfolio and potentially disrupt its operations. Also, if an affected security is included in a Fund's Underlying Index, the Fund may, where practicable, seek to eliminate its holdings of the affected security by employing or augmenting its representative sampling strategy to seek to track the investment results of its Underlying Index. The use of (or increased use of) a representative sampling strategy may increase a Fund’s tracking error risk. These sanctions may also lead to changes in a Fund’s Underlying Index. A Fund’s index provider may remove securities from the Underlying Index or implement caps on the securities of certain issuers that have been subject to recent economic sanctions. In such an event, it is expected that a Fund will rebalance its portfolio to bring it in line with its Underlying Index as a result of any such changes, which may result in transaction costs and increased tracking error.
For these or other reasons, a Fund could seek to suspend redemptions of Creation Units, including in the event that an emergency exists in which it is not reasonably practicable for the Fund to dispose of its securities or to determine its net asset value. A Fund could also, among other things, limit or suspend creations of Creation Units. During the period that creations or redemptions are affected, Shares could trade at a significant premium or discount to their net asset value. In the case of a period during which creations are suspended, a Fund could experience substantial redemptions, which may cause the Fund to experience increased transaction costs and make greater taxable distributions to shareholders of a Fund. A Fund could liquidate all or a portion of its assets, which may be at unfavorable prices. A Fund may also change its investment objective by, for example, seeking to track an alternative index.

Investments in Chinese A-Shares may pose additional risks relative to the risks of investing in emerging markets securities generally. A-Shares are issued by companies incorporated in mainland China and are traded in Renminbi (“RMB”) on the Shanghai Stock Exchange and Shenzhen Stock Exchange. Historically, direct participation in the A-Shares market has been limited to mainland Chinese investors. Recently, foreign investors have been able to invest in the mainland Chinese securities markets through certain market-access programs. Among other programs, foreign investors may invest in A-Shares listed and traded on the Shanghai Stock Exchange and Shenzhen Stock Exchange through the Shanghai - Hong Kong and Shenzhen - Hong Kong Stock Connect programs (“Stock Connect Programs”), which launched in 2014 and 2016, respectively. These Stock Connect Programs are novel, and Chinese regulators may alter or eliminate these programs at any time. The Stock Connect Programs are securities trading and clearing programs between either the Shanghai Stock Exchange (“SSE”) or Shenzhen Stock Exchange (“SZSE”) and The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (“SEHK”), China Securities Depository and Clearing Corporation Limited and Hong Kong Securities Clearing Company Limited. The Stock Connect Programs are designed to permit mutual stock market access between mainland China and Hong Kong by allowing investors to trade and settle shares on each market via their local exchanges. Trading through the Stock Connect Programs is subject to a daily quota (“Daily Quota”), which limits the maximum daily net purchases on any particular day by Hong Kong investors (and foreign investors trading through Hong Kong) trading mainland Chinese listed securities and mainland Chinese investors trading Hong Kong listed securities trading through the relevant Stock Connect Program. Accordingly, direct investments in A-Shares will be limited by the Daily Quota that limits total purchases through the Stock Connect Programs. The Daily Quota is utilized by all non-mainland Chinese investors on a first-come-first-serve basis. As such, buy orders for A-Shares would be rejected once the Daily Quota is exceeded (although the investors would be permitted to sell A-Shares regardless of the Daily Quota balance). The Daily Quota may restrict a Fund’s ability to invest in A-Shares through the Stock Connect Programs on a timely basis, which could affect the Funds’ ability to effectively pursue its investment strategy. The Daily Quota is also subject to change.
  
In addition, investments made through Stock Connect are subject to trading, clearance and settlement procedures that are still relatively untested in mainland China, which could pose risks to a Fund. Moreover, A-Shares purchased through a Stock Connect Program generally may not be sold, purchased or otherwise transferred other than through the Stock Connect Program in accordance with applicable rules. A primary feature of the Stock Connect Programs is the application of the home market’s laws and rules applicable to investors in A-Shares (i.e. mainland China). Therefore, a Fund’s investments in A-Shares via the Stock Connect Programs are subject to Chinese securities regulations and listing rules, among other restrictions. While A-Shares must be designated as eligible to be traded under a Stock Connect Program (such eligible A-Shares listed on the SSE, the “SSE Securities,” and such eligible A-Shares listed on the SZSE, the “SZSE Securities”), those A-Shares may also lose such designation, and if this occurs, such A-Shares may be sold but could no longer be purchased through the applicable Stock Connect Program. In addition, the Stock Connect Programs will only operate on days when both the Chinese and Hong Kong markets are open for trading and when banking services are available in both markets on the corresponding settlement days. Therefore, an investment in A-Shares through the Stock Connect Programs may subject a Fund to the risk of price fluctuations on days when the Chinese markets are open, but the SEHK is not. Each of the SEHK, SSE and SZSE reserves the right to suspend trading under the Stock Connect Programs under certain circumstances. Where such a suspension of trading is effected, a Fund’s ability to access A-Shares through the Stock Connect Programs will be adversely affected.
 
A Fund’s investments in A-Shares though the Stock Connect Program are held by its custodian in accounts in Central Clearing and Settlement System (“CCASS”) maintained by the Hong Kong Securities Clearing Company Limited (“HKSCC”), which in turn holds the A-Shares, as the nominee holder, through an omnibus securities account in its name registered with the CSDCC.

10


The precise nature and rights of a Fund as the beneficial owner of the SSE Securities or SZSE Securities through HKSCC as nominee is not well defined under Chinese law. There is a lack of a clear definition of, and distinction between, legal ownership and beneficial ownership under Chinese law and there have been few cases involving a nominee account structure in Chinese courts. The exact nature and methods of enforcement of the rights and interests of a Fund under Chinese law is also uncertain, and there is a possibility that the SSE Securities or SZSE Securities may not be regarded as held for the beneficial ownership of a Fund in the event of a credit event with respect to HKSCC, the Fund’s custodian, or other market participants.
  
Notwithstanding the fact that HKSCC does not claim proprietary interests in the SSE Securities or SZSE Securities held in its omnibus stock account in the CSDCC, the CSDCC as the share registrar for SSE- or SZSE-listed companies will still treat HKSCC as one of the shareholders when it handles corporate actions in respect of such SSE Securities or SZSE Securities. HKSCC monitors the corporate actions affecting SSE Securities and SZSE Securities and keeps participants of CCASS informed of all such corporate actions that require CCASS participants to take steps in order to participate in them. A Fund will therefore depend on HKSCC for both settlement and notification and implementation of corporate actions.

Other market access programs, each of which may present different risks, may also be used to provide non-Chinese investors with exposure to A-Shares. To the extent that the Funds do not utilize such other market access programs, any disruptions to the Stock Connect Program would be more likely to impact the Funds’ ability to access exposure to A-Shares.

FUTURES CONTRACTS AND OPTIONS ON FUTURES CONTRACTS. To the extent consistent with its investment policies, each Fund may invest up to 20% of its total assets (minus any percent of Fund assets invested in other derivatives) in U.S. or foreign futures contracts and may purchase and sell call and put options on futures contracts. These futures contracts and options will be used to simulate full investment in the respective Underlying Index, to facilitate trading or to reduce transaction costs. A Fund will only enter into futures contracts and options on futures contracts that are traded on a U.S. or foreign exchange. A Fund will not use futures or options for speculative purposes. In connection with a Fund's position in a futures contract or related option, the Fund will segregate liquid assets or will otherwise cover its position in accordance with applicable SEC requirements.

Futures Contracts. Each Fund may enter into certain equity, index and currency futures transactions, as well as other futures transactions that become available in the markets. By using such futures contracts, the Funds may obtain exposure to certain equities, indexes and currencies without actually investing in such instruments. Index futures may be based on broad indices, such as the S&P 500 Index, or narrower indices. A futures contract on foreign currency creates a binding obligation on one party to deliver, and a corresponding obligation on another party to accept delivery of, a stated quantity of foreign currency for an amount fixed in U.S. dollars. Foreign currency futures may be used by a Fund to help the Fund track the price and yield performance of its Underlying Index.
 
Some futures contracts are traded on organized exchanges regulated by the SEC or Commodity Futures Trading Commission ("CFTC"), and transactions on them are cleared through a clearing corporation, which guarantees the performance of the parties to the contract. If regulated by the CFTC, such exchanges may be designated contract markets or swap execution facilities.
 
A Fund may also engage in transactions in foreign stock index futures, which may be traded on foreign exchanges. Participation in foreign futures and foreign options transactions involves the execution and clearing of trades on or subject to the rules of a foreign board of trade. Neither the National Futures Association ("NFA") nor any domestic exchange regulates activities of any such organization, even if it is formally linked to a domestic market. Moreover, foreign laws and regulations and transactions executed under such laws and regulations may not be afforded certain of the protective measures provided domestically. In addition, the price of foreign futures or foreign options contracts may be affected by any variance in the foreign exchange rate between the time an order is placed and the time it is liquidated, offset or exercised.

Unlike purchases or sales of portfolio securities, no price is paid or received by a Fund upon the purchase or sale of a futures contract. Initially, a Fund will be required to deposit with the broker or in a segregated account with a custodian or sub-custodian an amount of liquid assets, known as initial margin, based on the value of the contract. The nature of initial margin in futures transactions is different from that of margin in security transactions in that futures contract margin does not involve the borrowing of funds by the customer to finance the transactions. Rather, the initial margin is in the nature of a performance bond or good faith deposit on the contract, which is returned to the Fund upon termination of the futures contract assuming all contractual obligations have been satisfied. Subsequent payments, called variation margin, to and from the broker, will be made on a daily basis as the price of the underlying instruments fluctuates making the long and short positions in the futures contract more or less valuable, a process known as "marking-to-market." For example, when a Fund has purchased a futures contract and the price of the contract has risen in response to a rise in the underlying instruments, that position will have increased in value and the Fund will be entitled to receive from the broker a variation margin payment equal to that increase in value. Conversely, where a Fund has purchased a futures contract and the price of the future contract has declined in response to a decrease in the underlying instruments, the position would be less valuable, and the Fund would be required to make a variation margin payment to the broker. Prior to expiration of

11


the futures contract, the Adviser may elect to close the position by taking an opposite position, subject to the availability of a secondary market, which will operate to terminate the Fund's position in the futures contract. A final determination of variation margin is then made, additional cash is required to be paid by or released to the Fund, and the Fund realizes a loss or gain.

There are several risks in connection with the use of futures by a Fund. One risk arises because of the imperfect correlation between movements in the price of the futures and movements in the price of the instruments which are the subject of the hedge. The price of the future may move more than or less than the price of the instruments being hedged. If the price of the futures moves less than the price of the instruments which are the subject of the hedge, the hedge will not be fully effective but, if the price of the instruments being hedged has moved in an unfavorable direction, the Fund would be in a better position than if it had not hedged at all. If the price of the instruments being hedged has moved in a favorable direction, this advantage will be partially offset by the loss on the futures. If the price of the futures moves more than the price of the hedged instruments, the Fund involved will experience either a loss or gain on the futures which will not be completely offset by movements in the price of the instruments that are the subject of the hedge. To compensate for the imperfect correlation of movements in the price of instruments being hedged and movements in the price of futures contracts, a Fund may buy or sell futures contracts in a greater dollar amount than the dollar amount of instruments being hedged if the volatility over a particular time period of the prices of such instruments has been greater than the volatility over such time period of the futures, or if otherwise deemed to be appropriate by the Adviser. Conversely, a Fund may buy or sell fewer futures contracts if the volatility over a particular time period of the prices of the instruments being hedged is less than the volatility over such time period of the futures contract being used, or if otherwise deemed to be appropriate by the Adviser.
 
In addition to the possibility that there may be an imperfect correlation, or no correlation at all, between movements in futures and the instruments being hedged, the price of futures may not correlate perfectly with movement in the cash market due to certain market distortions. Rather than meeting additional margin deposit requirements, investors may close futures contracts through off-setting transactions, which could distort the normal relationship between the cash and futures markets. Second, with respect to financial futures contracts, the liquidity of the futures market depends on participants entering into off-setting transactions rather than making or taking delivery. To the extent participants decide to make or take delivery, liquidity in the futures market could be reduced, thus producing distortions. Third, from the point of view of speculators, the deposit requirements in the futures market are less onerous than margin requirements in the securities market. Therefore, increased participation by speculators in the futures market may also cause temporary price distortions. Due to the possibility of price distortion in the futures market, and because of the imperfect correlation between the movements in the cash market and movements in the price of futures, a correct forecast of general market trends or interest rate movements by the Adviser may still not result in a successful hedging transaction over a short time frame.
 
In general, positions in futures may be closed out only on an exchange, board of trade or other trading facility that provides a secondary market for such futures. Although each Fund intends to purchase or sell futures only on trading facilities where there appear to be active secondary markets, there is no assurance that a liquid secondary market on any trading facility will exist for any particular contract or at any particular time. In such an event, it may not be possible to close a futures contract position, and in the event of adverse price movements, a Fund would continue to be required to make daily cash payments of variation margin. However, in the event futures contracts have been used to hedge portfolio securities, such securities may not be sold until the futures contract can be terminated. In such circumstances, an increase in the price of the securities, if any, may partially or completely offset losses on the futures contract. However, as described above, there is no guarantee that the price of the securities will in fact correlate with the price movements in the futures contract and thus provide an offset on a futures contract.

Further, it should be noted that the liquidity of a secondary market in a futures contract may be adversely affected by "daily price fluctuation limits" established by commodity exchanges, which limit the amount of fluctuation in a futures contract price during a single trading day. Once the daily limit has been reached in the contract, no trades may be entered into at a price beyond the limit, thus preventing the liquidation of open futures positions. The trading of futures contracts is also subject to the risk of trading halts, suspensions, exchange or clearing house equipment failures, government intervention, insolvency of a brokerage firm or clearing house or other disruptions of normal trading activity, which could at times make it difficult or impossible to liquidate existing positions or to recover excess variation margin payments.

Successful use of futures by a Fund is subject to the Adviser's ability to predict correctly movements in the direction of the market. In addition, in such situations, if a Fund has insufficient cash, it may have to sell securities to meet daily variation margin requirements. Such sales of securities may be, but will not necessarily be, at increased prices which reflect the rising market. A Fund may have to sell securities at a time when it may be disadvantageous to do so.

Options on Futures Contracts. Each Fund may purchase and write options on the futures contracts described above. A futures option gives the holder, in return for the premium paid, the right to receive and execute a long futures contract (if the option is a call) or a short futures contract (if the option is a put) at a specified price at any time during the period of the option. Like the

12


buyer or seller of a futures contract, the holder, or writer, of an option has the right to terminate its position prior to the scheduled expiration of the option by selling, or purchasing an option of the same series, at which time the person entering into the closing transaction will realize a gain or loss. Each Fund will be required to deposit initial margin and variation margin with respect to put and call options on futures contracts written by it pursuant to brokers' requirements similar to those described above. Net option premiums received will be included as initial margin deposits.
 
Investments in futures options involve some of the same considerations that are involved in connection with investments in futures contracts (for example, the existence of a liquid secondary market). In addition, the purchase or sale of an option also entails the risk that changes in the value of the underlying futures contract will not correspond to changes in the value of the option purchased. Depending on the pricing of the option compared to either the futures contract upon which it is based, or upon the price of the securities being hedged, an option may or may not be less risky than ownership of the futures contract or such securities. In general, the market prices of options can be expected to be more volatile than the market prices on the underlying futures contract. Compared to the purchase or sale of futures contracts, however, the purchase of call or put options on futures contracts may frequently involve less potential risk to a Fund because the maximum amount at risk is the premium paid for the options (plus transaction costs). The writing of an option on a futures contract involves risks similar to those risks relating to the purchase or sale of futures contracts.
   
CFTC REGULATION. The Trust, on behalf of each Fund, has claimed an exclusion from the definition of commodity pool operator ("CPO") under the Commodity Exchange Act ("CEA"), and the Adviser has claimed an exemption from registration as a commodity trading advisor ("CTA") under the CEA. Therefore, each Fund and the Adviser are not subject to registration as a CPO or CTA. Under this CPO exclusion, a Fund may only use a de minimis amount of commodity interests (such as futures contracts, options on futures contracts and swaps) other than for bona fide hedging purposes (as defined by the CFTC). A "de minimis" amount is defined as an amount such that the aggregate initial margin and premiums required to establish these positions (after taking into account unrealized profits and unrealized losses on any such positions and excluding the amount by which options are "in-the-money" at the time of purchase) may not exceed 5% of a Fund's net asset value or, alternatively, the aggregate net notional value of those positions, determined at the time the most recent position was established, may not exceed 100% of a Fund's net asset value (after taking into account unrealized profits and unrealized losses on any such positions). The Funds and the Adviser currently are engaged only in a de minimis amount of such transactions, and therefore, neither the Funds nor the Adviser are currently subject to the registration and most regulatory requirements applicable to CPOs and CTAs, respectively. There can be no certainty that the Funds or the Adviser will continue to qualify under the applicable exclusion or exemption, as each Fund's investments may change over time. If a Fund or the Adviser is subject to CFTC registration, it may incur additional costs or be subject to additional regulatory requirements.
 
GOVERNMENT INTERVENTION IN FINANCIAL MARKETS. The value of a Fund's holdings is generally subject to the risk of future local, national, or global economic disturbances based on unknown weaknesses in the markets in which the Fund invests. In the event of such a disturbance, issuers of securities held by the Fund may experience significant declines in the value of their assets and even cease operations or may receive government assistance accompanied by increased restrictions on their business operations or other government intervention. Governments or their agencies may acquire distressed assets from financial institutions and acquire ownership interests in those institutions. The implications of government ownership and disposition of these assets are unclear, and such a program may have positive or negative effects on the liquidity, valuation and performance of a Fund's portfolio holdings.

Past instability during the 2008-2009 financial downturn led the U.S. Government, other governments and financial and prudential regulators to take a number of unprecedented actions designed to support certain financial institutions and segments of the financial markets that experienced extreme volatility, and in some cases a lack of liquidity. It is not certain that the U.S. Government will intervene in response to a future market disturbance and the effect of any such future intervention cannot be predicted. It is difficult for issuers to prepare for the impact of future financial downturns, although companies can seek to identify and manage future uncertainties through risk management programs.

ILLIQUID OR RESTRICTED SECURITIES. To the extent consistent with its investment policies, each Fund may invest up to 15% of its net assets in securities that are illiquid (calculated at the time of investment). The Funds will comply with Rule 22e-4 under the 1940 Act in managing illiquid investments. A Fund may purchase commercial paper issued pursuant to Section 4(2) of the Securities Act, as well as securities that are not registered under the Securities Act but can be sold to “qualified institutional buyers” in accordance with Rule 144A under the Securities Act. These securities will not be considered illiquid so long as the Adviser determines, under guidelines approved by the Trust’s Board of Trustees, that an adequate trading market exists. This practice could increase the level of illiquidity during any period that qualified institutional buyers become uninterested in purchasing these securities.
 
INVESTMENT COMPANIES. Investments by a Fund in other investment companies, including exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”), will be subject to the limitations of the 1940 Act, except as permitted by SEC regulation or order. A Fund may rely on

13


SEC orders that permit it to invest in certain ETFs beyond the limits contained in the 1940 Act, subject to certain terms and conditions. Generally, these terms and conditions require the Board of Trustees to find that the management or advisory fee charged and the Fund’s advisory contract are based on services provided that are in addition to, rather than duplicative of, services provided under the advisory contracts of any ETF in which the Fund may invest. Certain investment companies whose securities are purchased by a Fund may not be obligated to redeem such securities in an amount exceeding 1% of the investment company’s total outstanding securities during any period of less than 30 days. Therefore, such securities that exceed this amount may be illiquid.
 
Because the value of other investment company or ETF shares depends on the NAV or the demand in the market, respectively, the Adviser may not be able to liquidate the Fund’s holdings in those shares at the most optimal time, adversely affecting the Fund’s performance. If required by the 1940 Act, each Fund expects to vote the shares of other investment companies that are held by it in the same proportion as the vote of all other holders of such securities. In addition, closed-end investment company and ETF shares potentially may trade at a discount or a premium and are subject to brokerage and other trading costs, which could result in greater expenses to the Fund.
 
POOLED INVESTMENT VEHICLES. The Funds may invest in the securities of pooled vehicles that are not investment companies and, thus, not required to comply with the provisions of the 1940 Act. As a shareholder of such pooled vehicles, the Funds will not have all of the investor protections afforded by the 1940 Act. Such pooled vehicles may, however, be required to comply with the provisions of other federal securities laws, such as the Securities Act. These pooled vehicles typically hold currency or commodities, such as gold or oil, or other property that is itself not a security. If a Fund invests in, and thus, is a shareholder of, a pooled vehicle, the Fund's shareholders will indirectly bear the Fund's proportionate share of the fees and expenses paid by the pooled vehicle, including any applicable management fees, in addition to both the management fees payable directly by the Fund to the Adviser and the other expenses that the Fund bears directly in connection with its own operations.  In addition, a Fund's investment in pooled investment vehicles may be considered illiquid and subject to the Fund's restrictions on illiquid investments.

STRUCTURED PRODUCTS. The Funds may invest in structured products, including exchange traded notes ("ETNs") and equity-linked instruments. These types of structured products are senior, unsecured unsubordinated debt securities issued by an underwriting bank that are designed to provide returns that are linked to a particular benchmark less investor fees. Structured products have a maturity date and, generally, are backed only by the creditworthiness of the issuer. As a result, the value of an structured product may be influenced by time to maturity, volatility and lack of liquidity in the underlying market (e.g., the commodities market), changes in the applicable interest rates, and changes in the issuer's credit rating and economic, legal, political or geographic events that affect the referenced market. Structured products also may be subject to credit risk. The value of an ETN may also be subject to the level of supply and demand for the ETN.

LEVERAGE. Under the 1940 Act, a Fund is permitted to borrow from a bank up to 33 1/3% of its net assets for short-term or emergency purposes. Each Fund may borrow money at fiscal quarter end to maintain the required level of diversification to qualify as a RIC for purposes of the Code. As a result, a Fund may be exposed to the risks of leverage, which may be considered a speculative investment technique. Leverage magnifies the potential for gain and loss on amounts invested and therefore increases the risks associated with investing in the Funds. If the value of a Fund's assets increases, then leveraging would cause the Fund's NAV to increase more sharply than it would have had the Fund not been leveraged. Conversely, if the value of a Fund's assets decreases, leveraging would cause the Fund's NAV to decline more sharply than it otherwise would have had the Fund not been leveraged. The Funds may incur additional expenses in connection with borrowings.
 
MLP RISK. Investments in securities of MLPs involve risks that differ from an investment in common stock. Holders of units of MLPs have more limited control rights and limited rights to vote on matters affecting the MLP as compared to holders of stock of a corporation. For example, MLP unit holders may not elect the general partner or the directors of the general partner and the MLP unit holders have limited ability to remove an MLP's general partner. An MLP is controlled by its general partner, which generally has conflicts of interest and limited fiduciary duties to the MLP, which may permit the general partner to favor its own interests over the MLP's. A Fund investing in MLPs will derive the cash flow associated from that investment from investments in equity securities of MLPs. The amount of cash that each Fund investing in MLPs will have available to pay or distribute to shareholders depends entirely on the ability of the MLPs that each such Fund owns to make distributions to their partners and the tax character of those distributions. Neither the Funds investing in MLPs nor the Adviser has control over the actions of underlying MLPs. The amount of cash that each individual MLP can distribute to its partners will depend on the amount of cash it generates from operations, which will vary from quarter to quarter depending on factors affecting the energy infrastructure market generally and on factors affecting the particular business lines of the MLP. Available cash will also depend on the MLPs' level of operating costs (including incentive distributions to the general partner), level of capital expenditures, debt service requirements, acquisition costs (if any), fluctuations in working capital needs, and other factors. The benefit derived from an investment in an MLP is also dependent on the MLP being treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes, which generally do not pay U.S. federal income tax at the partnership level, subject to the application of the partnership audit rules. A change in current tax law, or a

14


change in the underlying business mix of a given MLP, could result in an MLP that previously elected to be taxed as a partnership being treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes, which would result in such MLP being required to pay U.S. federal income tax on its taxable income. The classification of an MLP as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes would have the effect of reducing the amount of cash available for distribution by the MLP. Thus, to the extent that any of the MLPs to which the Fund has exposure are treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes, it could result in a reduction in the value of the Fund’s investment and lower the Fund’s income. The Fund may also invest in MLPs that elect to be taxed as corporations, which taxes would have the effect of reducing the amount of cash available for distribution by the MLP.

Certain MLPs depend upon their parent or sponsor entities for a majority of their revenues. If their parent or sponsor entities fail to make such payments or satisfy their obligations, the revenues and cash flows of such MLPs and ability of such MLPs to make distributions to unit holders, such as a Fund, would be adversely affected.
 
MLPs are subject to various federal, state and local environmental laws and health and safety laws as well as laws and regulations specific to their particular activities. These laws and regulations address: health and safety standards for the operation of facilities, transportation systems and the handling of materials; air and water pollution requirements and standards; solid waste disposal requirements; land reclamation requirements; and requirements relating to the handling and disposition of hazardous materials. MLPs are subject to the costs of compliance with such laws applicable to them, and changes in such laws and regulations may adversely affect their results of operations.

MLPs are subject to numerous business related risks, including: deterioration of business fundamentals reducing profitability due to development of alternative energy sources, among other things, consumer sentiment, changing demographics in the markets served, unexpectedly prolonged and precipitous changes in commodity prices and increased competition that reduces the MLP's market share; the lack of growth of markets requiring growth through acquisitions; disruptions in transportation systems; the dependence of certain MLPs upon unrelated third parties; availability of capital for expansion and construction of needed facilities; a significant decrease in production due to depressed commodity prices or otherwise; the inability of MLPs to successfully integrate recent or future acquisitions; and the general level of the economy.
 
NEW FUND RISKS. Certain of the Funds are new funds, with no operating history, which may result in additional risks for investors in the Funds. There can be no assurance that these Funds will grow to or maintain an economically viable size, in which case the Board of Trustees may determine to liquidate the Funds. While shareholder interests will be the paramount consideration, the timing of any liquidation may not be favorable to certain individual shareholders.
  
OPTIONS. To the extent consistent with its investment policies, each Fund may invest up to 20% of its net assets (minus any percent of the Fund assets invested in other derivatives) in put options and buy call options and write covered call and secured put options that the Adviser believes will help the Fund to track its Underlying Index. Such options may relate to particular securities, foreign and domestic stock indices, financial instruments, foreign currencies or the yield differential between two securities ("yield curve options") and may or may not be listed on a domestic or foreign securities exchange or issued by the Options Clearing Corporation. A call option for a particular security or currency gives the purchaser of the option the right to buy, and a writer the obligation to sell, the underlying security at the stated exercise price prior to the expiration of the option, regardless of the market price of the security or currency. The premium paid to the writer is in consideration for undertaking the obligation under the option contract. A put option for a particular security or currency gives the purchaser the right to sell the security or currency at the stated exercise price prior to the expiration date of the option, regardless of the market price of the security or currency. In contrast to an option on a particular security, an option on an index provides the holder with the right to make or receive a cash settlement upon exercise of the option. The amount of this settlement will be equal to the difference between the closing price of the index at the time of exercise and the exercise price of the option expressed in dollars, times a specified multiple.
 
Options trading is a highly specialized activity, which entails risk greater than ordinary investment risk. Options on particular securities may be more volatile than the underlying instruments and, therefore, on a percentage basis, an investment in options may be subject to greater fluctuation than an investment in the underlying instruments themselves.
 
The Funds will write call options only if they are "covered." In the case of a call option on a security or currency, the option is "covered" if the Fund owns the security or currency underlying the call or has an absolute and immediate right to acquire that security without additional cash consideration (or, if additional cash consideration is required, liquid assets in such amount are segregated) upon conversion or exchange of other securities held by it. For a call option on an index, the option is covered if the Fund maintains with its custodian a portfolio of securities substantially replicating the index, or liquid assets equal to the contract value. A call option also is covered if the Fund holds a call on the same security, currency or index as the call written where the exercise price of the call held is (i) equal to or less than the exercise price of the call written, or (ii) greater than the exercise price of the call written provided the Fund segregates liquid assets in the amount of the difference.


15


All put options written by a Fund would be covered, which means that such Fund will segregate cash or liquid assets with a value at least equal to the exercise price of the put option or will use the other methods described in the next sentence. A put option also is covered if the Fund holds a put option on the same security or currency as the option written where the exercise price of the option held is (i) equal to or higher than the exercise price of the option written, or (ii) less than the exercise price of the option written provided the Fund segregates liquid assets in the amount of the difference.
 
With respect to yield curve options, a call (or put) option is covered if a Fund holds another call (or put) option on the spread between the same two securities and segregates liquid assets sufficient to cover the Fund's net liability under the two options. Therefore, the Fund's liability for such a covered option generally is limited to the difference between the amount of the Fund's liability under the option written by the Fund less the value of the option held by the Fund. Yield curve options also may be covered in such other manner as may be in accordance with the requirements of the counterparty with which the option is traded and applicable laws and regulations.
 
A Fund's obligation to sell subject to a covered call option written by it, or to purchase a security or currency subject to a secured put option written by it, may be terminated prior to the expiration date of the option by the Fund's execution of a closing purchase transaction, which is effected by purchasing on an exchange an option of the same series (i.e., same underlying security or currency, exercise price and expiration date) as the option previously written. Such a purchase does not result in the ownership of an option. A closing purchase transaction will ordinarily be effected to realize a profit on an outstanding option, to prevent an underlying instrument from being called, to permit the sale of the underlying security or currency or to permit the writing of a new option containing different terms on such underlying security. The cost of such a liquidation purchase plus transaction costs may be greater than the premium received upon the original option, in which event the Fund will have incurred a loss in the transaction. There is no assurance that a liquid secondary market will exist for any particular option. An option writer, unable to effect a closing purchase transaction, will not be able to sell the underlying security or currency (in the case of a covered call option) or liquidate the segregated assets (in the case of a secured put option) until the option expires or the optioned security or currency is delivered upon exercise with the result that the writer in such circumstances will be subject to the risk of market decline or appreciation in the instrument during such period.
 
When a Fund purchases an option, the premium paid by it is recorded as an asset of the Fund. When a Fund writes an option, an amount equal to the net premium (the premium less the commission) received by the Fund is included in the liability section of the Fund's statement of assets and liabilities as a deferred credit. The amount of this asset or deferred credit will be subsequently marked-to-market to reflect the current value of the option purchased or written. The current value of the traded option is the last sale price or, in the absence of a sale, the current bid price. If an option purchased by a Fund expires unexercised, the Fund realizes a loss equal to the premium paid. If a Fund enters into a closing sale transaction on an option purchased by it, the Fund will realize a gain if the premium received by the Fund on the closing transaction is more than the premium paid to purchase the option, or a loss if it is less. If an option written by a Fund expires on the stipulated expiration date or if a Fund enters into a closing purchase transaction, it will realize a gain (or loss if the cost of a closing purchase transaction exceeds the net premium received when the option is sold) and the deferred credit related to such option will be eliminated. If an option written by a Fund is exercised, the proceeds of the sale will be increased by the net premium originally received and the Fund will realize a gain or loss.
 
There are several risks associated with transactions in certain options. For example, there are significant differences between the securities, currency and options markets that could result in an imperfect correlation between these markets, causing a given transaction not to achieve its objectives. In addition, a liquid secondary market for particular options, whether traded over-the-counter or on an exchange, may be absent for reasons which include the following: there may be insufficient trading interest in certain options; restrictions may be imposed by an exchange on opening transactions or closing transactions or both; trading halts, suspensions or other restrictions may be imposed with respect to particular classes or series of options or underlying securities or currencies; unusual or unforeseen circumstances may interrupt normal operations on an exchange; the facilities of an exchange or the Options Clearing Corporation may not at all times be adequate to handle current trading volume; or one or more exchanges could, for economic or other reasons, decide or be compelled at some future date to discontinue the trading of options (or a particular class or series of options), in which event the secondary market on that exchange (or in that class or series of options) would cease to exist, although outstanding options that had been issued by the Options Clearing Corporation as a result of trades on that exchange would continue to be exercisable in accordance with their terms.
 
REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS. To the extent consistent with its investment policies, each Fund may agree to purchase portfolio securities from financial institutions subject to the seller's agreement to repurchase them at a mutually agreed upon date and price ("repurchase agreements"). Each Fund may invest in repurchase agreements, provided that a Fund may not invest more than 15% of its net assets in illiquid securities or other illiquid assets (calculated at the time of investment), including repurchase agreements maturing in more than seven days. Repurchase agreements are considered to be loans under the 1940 Act. Although the securities subject to a repurchase agreement may bear maturities exceeding one year, settlement for the repurchase agreement will never be more than one year after the Fund's acquisition of the securities and normally will be within a shorter period of time. Securities

16


subject to repurchase agreements normally are held either by the Trust's custodian or sub-custodian, or in the Federal Reserve/Treasury Book-Entry System. The seller under a repurchase agreement will be required to maintain the value of the securities subject to the agreement in an amount exceeding the repurchase price (including accrued interest). Default by the seller would, however, expose a Fund to possible loss because of adverse market action or delay in connection with the disposition of the underlying obligations. In the event of a bankruptcy or other default of a seller of a repurchase agreement, a Fund could experience both delays in liquidating the underlying security and losses, including: (a) possible decline in the value of the underlying security during the period while the Fund seeks to enforce its rights thereto; (b) possible subnormal levels of income and lack of access to income during this period; and (c) expenses of enforcing its rights.
 
REVERSE REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS. To the extent consistent with its investment policies, each Fund may borrow funds by selling portfolio securities to financial institutions such as banks and broker-dealers and agreeing to repurchase them at a mutually specified date and price ("reverse repurchase agreements"). The Funds may use the proceeds of reverse repurchase agreements to purchase other securities either maturing, or under an agreement to resell, on a date simultaneous with or prior to the expiration of the reverse repurchase agreement. Reverse repurchase agreements are considered to be borrowings under the 1940 Act. Reverse repurchase agreements involve the risk that the market value of the securities sold by a Fund may decline below the repurchase price. The Funds will pay interest on amounts obtained pursuant to a reverse repurchase agreement. While reverse repurchase agreements are outstanding, the applicable Fund will segregate liquid assets in an amount at least equal to the market value of the securities, plus accrued interest, subject to the agreement.
 
SECURITIES LENDING. Collateral for loans of portfolio securities made by a Fund may consist of cash, cash equivalents, securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government or its agencies or irrevocable bank letters of credit (or any combination thereof). The borrower of securities will be required to maintain the market value of the collateral at not less than the market value of the loaned securities, and such value will be monitored on a daily basis. When a Fund lends its securities, it continues to receive payments equal to the dividends and interest paid on the securities loaned and simultaneously may earn interest on the investment of the cash collateral. Investing the collateral subjects it to market depreciation or appreciation, and each Fund is responsible for any loss that may result from its investment in borrowed collateral. A Fund will have the right to terminate a loan at any time and recall the loaned securities within the normal and customary settlement time for securities transactions. Although voting rights, or rights to consent, attendant to securities on loan pass to the borrower, such loans may be called so that the securities may be voted by a Fund if a material event affecting the investment is to occur. As with other extensions of credit there are risks of delay in recovering, or even loss of rights in, the collateral should the borrower of the securities fail financially.

TRACKING VARIANCE. As discussed in the Prospectus, the Funds are subject to the risk of tracking variance (also referred to as tracking error risk). Tracking variance may result from share purchases and redemptions, transaction costs, expenses and other factors. Share purchases and redemptions may necessitate the purchase and sale of securities by a Fund and the resulting transaction costs which may be substantial because of the number and the characteristics of the securities held. In addition, transaction costs are incurred because sales of securities received in connection with spin-offs and other corporate reorganizations are made to conform each Fund's holdings to its investment objective. Tracking variance also may occur due to factors such as the size of a Fund, the maintenance of a cash reserve pending investment or to meet expected redemptions, changes made in the Fund's designated index or the manner in which the index is calculated or because the indexing and investment approach of the Adviser does not produce the intended goal of the Fund. Tracking variance is monitored by the Adviser at least quarterly. In the event the performance of a Fund is not comparable to the performance of its designated index, the Board of Trustees will evaluate the reasons for the deviation and the availability of corrective measures.
 
WARRANTS. To the extent consistent with its investment policies, a Fund may purchase warrants and similar rights, which are privileges issued by corporations enabling the owners to subscribe to and purchase a specified number of shares of the corporation at a specified price during a specified period of time. The prices of warrants do not necessarily correlate with the prices of the underlying shares. The purchase of warrants involves the risk that the applicable Fund could lose the purchase value of a warrant if the right to subscribe to additional shares is not exercised prior to the warrant's expiration. Also, the purchase of warrants involves the risk that the effective price paid for the warrant added to the subscription price of the related security may exceed the value of the subscribed security's market price such as when there is no movement in the level of the underlying security.

CORPORATE DEBT SECURITIES. A Fund may invest in investment grade corporate debt securities of any rating or maturity. Investment grade corporate bonds are those rated BBB or better by S&P® or Baa or better by Moody's. Securities rated BBB by S&P® are considered investment grade, but Moody's considers securities rated Baa to have speculative characteristics. See Appendix B for a description of corporate bond ratings. A Fund may also invest in unrated securities.

Corporate debt securities are fixed-income securities issued by businesses to finance their operations, although corporate debt instruments may also include bank loans to companies. Notes, bonds, debentures and commercial paper are the most common

17


types of corporate debt securities, with the primary difference being their maturities and secured or un-secured status. Commercial paper has the shortest term and is usually unsecured.

The broad category of corporate debt securities includes debt issued by domestic or foreign companies of all kinds, including those with small-, mid- and large-capitalizations. Corporate debt may be rated investment-grade or below investment-grade and may carry variable or floating rates of interest.

Because of the wide range of types, and maturities, of corporate debt securities, as well as the range of creditworthiness of its issuers, corporate debt securities have widely varying potentials for return and risk profiles. For example, commercial paper issued by a large established domestic corporation that is rated investment-grade may have a modest return on principal but carries relatively limited risk. On the other hand, a long-term corporate note issued by a small foreign corporation from an emerging market country that has not been rated may have the potential for relatively large returns on principal but carries a relatively high degree of risk.

Corporate debt securities carry both credit risk and interest rate risk. Credit risk is the risk that a Fund could lose money if the issuer of a corporate debt security is unable to pay interest or repay principal when it is due. Some corporate debt securities that are rated below investment-grade are generally considered speculative because they present a greater risk of loss, including default, than higher quality debt securities. The credit risk of a particular issuer's debt security may vary based on its priority for repayment. For example, higher ranking (senior) debt securities have a higher priority than lower ranking (subordinated) securities. This means that the issuer might not make payments on subordinated securities while continuing to make payments on senior securities. In addition, in the event of bankruptcy, holders of higher-ranking senior securities may receive amounts otherwise payable to the holders of more junior securities. Interest rate risk is the risk that the value of certain corporate debt securities will tend to fall when interest rates rise. In general, corporate debt securities with longer terms tend to fall more in value when interest rates rise than corporate debt securities with shorter terms.

JUNK BONDS. A Fund may invest in lower-rated debt securities, including securities in the lowest credit rating category, of any maturity, otherwise known as "junk bonds."

Junk bonds generally offer a higher current yield than that available for higher-grade issues. However, lower-rated securities involve higher risks, in that they are especially subject to adverse changes in general economic conditions and in the industries in which the issuers are engaged, to changes in the financial condition of the issuers and to price fluctuations in response to changes in interest rates. During periods of economic downturn or rising interest rates, highly leveraged issuers may experience financial stress that could adversely affect their ability to make payments of interest and principal and increase the possibility of default. In the past, the prices of many lower-rated debt securities declined substantially, reflecting an expectation that many issuers of such securities might experience financial difficulties. As a result, the yields on lower-rated debt securities rose dramatically, but such higher yields did not reflect the value of the income stream that holders of such securities expected, but rather, the risk that holders of such securities could lose a substantial portion of their value as a result of the issuers' financial restructuring or default. There can be no assurance that such declines will not recur.

The market for lower-rated debt issues generally is thinner and less active than that for higher quality securities, which may limit the Fund's ability to sell such securities at fair value in response to changes in the economy or financial markets. Adverse publicity and investor perceptions, whether based on fundamental analysis, may also decrease the values and liquidity of lower-rated securities, especially in a thinly traded market. Changes by recognized rating services in their rating of a fixed-income security may affect the value of these investments. The Fund will not necessarily dispose of a security when its rating is reduced below its rating at the time of purchase. However, the Adviser will monitor the investment to determine whether continued investment in the security will assist in meeting the Fund's investment objective.

U.S. GOVERNMENT SECURITIES. A Fund may invest in securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government or its agencies or instrumentalities in pursuit of its investment objective, in order to deposit such securities as initial or variation margin, as "cover" for the investment techniques it employs, as part of a cash reserve or for liquidity purposes. U.S. government securities, such as Treasury bills, notes and bonds and mortgage-backed securities guaranteed by the Government National Mortgage Association ("Ginnie Mae"), are supported by the full faith and credit of the United States; others are supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury; others are supported by the discretionary authority of the U.S. government to purchase an agency's obligations; and still others are supported only by the credit of the issuing agency, instrumentality, or enterprise.

Although U.S. government-sponsored enterprises, such as the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation ("Freddie Mac®") and the Federal National Mortgage Association ("Fannie Mae®") may be chartered or sponsored by Congress, they are not funded by Congressional appropriations, and their securities are not issued by the U.S. Treasury nor supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government. The maximum potential liability of the issuers of some U.S. government securities held by a Fund may

18


greatly exceed their current resources, including any legal right to support from the U.S. Treasury. It is possible that issuers of U.S. government securities will not have the funds to meet their payment obligations in the future. There is no assurance that the U.S. government would provide financial support to its agencies and instrumentalities in the future if not required to do so, even though the U.S. government has provided financial support to certain U.S. government-sponsored enterprises in the past during periods of extremity. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have been operating under conservatorship, with the Federal Housing Finance Administration ("FHFA") acting as their conservator, since September 2008. The entities are dependent upon the continued support of the U.S. Treasury and FHFA in order to continue their business operations. These factors, among others, could affect the future status and role of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and the value of their securities and the securities which they guarantee. Additionally, the U.S. government and its agencies and instrumentalities do not guarantee the market values of their securities, which may fluctuate.

U.S. government agencies and instrumentalities that issue or guarantee securities include the FHFA, Fannie Mae, the Farmers Home Administration, the Export-Import Bank of the United States, the Small Business Administration, Ginnie Mae, the General Services Administration, the Central Bank for Cooperatives, the Federal Home Loan Banks, Freddie Mac, the Farm Credit Banks, the Maritime Administration, the Tennessee Valley Authority, the Resolution Funding Corporation and the Student Loan Marketing Association ("Sallie Mae®").

RECENT MARKET CONDITIONS. Although each Fund seeks to track its Underlying Index, the performance of the Underlying Indices and the Funds is subject to general market conditions.

Heading into Q4 2018, market participants largely expected a hawkish Federal Reserve to continue its rising rate cycle. However, prompted by sluggish growth and amidst contemporaneous urging by the U.S. government’s executive branch, the Federal Reserve cut rates three times in 2019. The consequences were felt throughout the course of the year and across financial markets. This loosening of monetary policy comes after four rate increases in 2018. The Federal Reserve also restarted asset purchases in September of 2019. During Q1 2020, in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, the Federal Reserve shifted to a more dovish interest rate policy. Further interest rate cuts are likely to be on the table during 2020. At this point, it is difficult to predict the impact of these stimulative actions and any future rate movements on various markets.

Outside of the U.S., low growth and inflation prompted more easing from central banks in 2019. The European Central Bank began injecting €20 billion a month into the economy after halting asset purchases at the end of 2018, while the Bank of Japan signaled they were open to further interest rate cuts in the future, and China's slowing economic growth prompted the People's Bank of China's first loan rate cut in three years. These actions suppressed yields on fixed income assets globally and increased bond returns. It is possible that current monetary easing may reduce available tools for central banks to support future growth, particularly if the global economy were to fall into a recession.

Consumer spending in 2019 proved resilient, bolstered by strong employment figures, low interest rates, and falling oil prices, but business investment remained muted by trade uncertainties, notwithstanding low interest rates and increasing margin pressures that would typically drive investment into areas that can reduce long-run costs and/or increase productivity.

An outbreak of an infectious respiratory illness caused by a novel coronavirus known as COVID-19 was first detected in China in December 2019 and has subsequently been detected globally. This coronavirus has resulted in travel restrictions, closed some international borders, enhanced health screenings at ports of entry and elsewhere, disruption of and delays in healthcare service preparation and delivery, prolonged quarantines, cancellations, supply chain disruptions, and lower consumer demand, as well as general concern and uncertainty. It is possible that public health crises caused by the COVID-19 outbreak may exacerbate other pre-existing political, social and economic risks in certain countries or globally. The duration of the COVID-19 outbreak and its effects cannot be determined with certainty as of the date hereof.

It is impossible to predict the effects of these or similar events in the future on the Funds, though it is possible that these or similar events could have a significant adverse impact on the NAV and/or risk profile of a Fund.

PORTFOLIO TURNOVER

For the fiscal year ended November 30, 2019, the portfolio turnover rate for each of the following Funds varied from such Fund's portfolio turnover rate for the fiscal years ended November 30, 2018 and 2017 due to the application of each Fund's respective index methodology:

 
2017
2018
2019
Global X MLP ETF
35.11%
30.35%
55.65%
Global X MLP & Energy Infrastructure ETF
40.42%
25.68%
36.57%
Global X U.S. Preferred ETF
3.82%
42.90%
32.93%
Global X SuperDividend Alternatives ETF
34.84%
18.32%
18.16%
Global X S&P 500® Quality Dividend ETF
N/A
1.18%
49.18%
Global X TargetIncomeTM 5 ETF
N/A
16.00%
63.30%
Global X TargetIncomeTM Plus 2 ETF
N/A
11.11%
31.54%
Global X Adaptive U.S. Factor ETF
N/A
28.89%
112.43%
Global X Robotics & Artificial Intelligence ETF
15.29%
28.50%
10.97%
Global X FinTech ETF
11.65%
20.58%
16.40%

19


Global X Internet of Things ETF
24.90%
16.69%
11.71%
Global X Cloud Computing ETF
N/A
N/A
12.52%
Global X Future Analytics Tech ETF
N/A
7.93%
16.34%
Global X Autonomous & Electric Vehicles ETF
N/A
23.57%
31.26%
Global X Genomics & Biotechnology ETF
N/A
N/A
23.12%
Global X Video Games & Esports ETF
N/A
N/A
0.27%
Global X Cybersecurity ETF
N/A
N/A
3.57%
Global X Millennials Thematic ETF
20.97%
10.94%
10.44%
Global X Longevity Thematic ETF
10.20%
14.39%
14.18%
Global X Health & Wellness Thematic ETF
16.73%
20.93%
18.05%
Global X Education ETF
N/A
N/A
N/A
Global X Cannabis ETF
N/A
N/A
11.40%
Global X U.S. Infrastructure Development ETF
N/A
6.76%
9.18%
Global X Conscious Companies ETF
41.77%
36.35%
34.97%
Global X Founder-Run Companies ETF
21.61%
25.22%
33.82%
Global X Thematic Growth ETF
N/A
N/A
0.00%

INFORMATION REGARDING THE INDICES AND THE INDEX PROVIDERS
 
Solactive MLP Infrastructure Index
 
The Solactive MLP Infrastructure Index is intended to give investors a means of tracking the performance of the United States energy infrastructure master limited partnership ("MLP") asset class. As of January 31, 2020, the Underlying Index was comprised of 20 MLPs engaged in the transportation, storage, and processing of natural resources. The Underlying Index is comprised of MLPs that meet certain criteria relating to size and liquidity, as determined by Solactive AG. The index is maintained by Solactive AG.

Solactive MLP & Energy Infrastructure Index
 
The Solactive MLP & Energy Infrastructure Index is intended to give investors a means of tracking the performance of midstream energy infrastructure MLPs corporations. Midstream energy infrastructure MLPs and corporations principally own and operate assets used in energy logistics, including, but not limited to, pipelines, storage facilities and other assets used in transporting, storing, gathering, and processing natural gas, natural gas liquids, crude oil or refined products. The index limits its exposure to partnerships in order to comply with applicable tax diversification rules. Securities must be publicly traded in the United States. As of January 31, 2020, the index was comprised of 31 securities. The index is composed of securities that meet certain criteria relating to size and liquidity, as determined by Solactive AG. The index is maintained by Solactive AG.

ICE BofAML Diversified Core U.S. Preferred Securities Index

The ICE BofAML Diversified Core U.S. Preferred Securities Index is designed to track the broad-based performance of the U.S. preferred securities market. The ICE BofAML Diversified Core U.S. Preferred Securities Index includes different categories of preferred stock, such as floating, variable and fixed-rate preferreds, cumulative and non-cumulative preferreds, and trust preferreds. Qualifying preferred securities must be listed on a U.S. exchange, denominated in U.S. dollars, and have a minimum amount outstanding of $50 million. Qualifying preferred securities must meet minimum price, liquidity, maturity and other requirements as determined by ICE Data Indices, LLC.
  
Constituents in the ICE BofAML Diversified Core U.S. Preferred Securities Index are capitalization-weighted based on their current amount outstanding times the market price plus accrued interest. A weighting cap of 10% is applied at the issuer level in order to limit the aggregate weight of a single issuer to 10% at each rebalance. The ICE BofAML Diversified Core U.S. Preferred Securities Index is rebalanced quarterly.

Indxx SuperDividend® Alternatives Index

The Indxx SuperDividend® Alternatives Index is comprised of securities that rank among the highest dividend yielding securities in each eligible category of alternative income investments, at the time of index reconstitution, as defined by the Index Provider. Alternative income investments that are eligible for inclusion in the Underlying Index fall into one of four classes: Master Limited Partnerships ("MLPs") and Infrastructure, Real Estate, Institutional Managers, and Fixed Income and Derivative Strategies. The MLPs and Infrastructure category primarily consists of units of MLPs and shares of infrastructure companies. The Real Estate

20


category provides exposure to global real estate investment trusts ("REITs"), and gains this exposure through the Global X SuperDividend® REIT ETF. The Institutional Managers category primarily consists of shares of business development companies ("BDCs") and listed private equity. The Fixed Income and Derivative Strategies category includes exposure to emerging market debt, mortgage and asset backed securities, and option-writing primarily through the purchase of publicly traded Closed End Funds ("CEFs"). Each of the Underlying Index components are selected from a universe of securities that are publicly traded in the U.S. The Underlying Index assigns weights to each of the four categories in a method that seeks to equalize the volatility contribution of each category, which assigns less weight to higher volatility categories and more weight to lower volatility categories. The Underlying Index is reconstituted annually, but may rebalance quarterly if any one category deviates more than 3% from its target weight.

S&P 500® Quality High Dividend Index

The S&P 500® Quality High Dividend Index is designed to provide exposure to U.S. equity securities included in the S&P 500® Index that exhibit high quality and dividend yield characteristics, as determined by Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC, the provider of the the S&P 500® Quality High Dividend Index. All constituents of the S&P 500® Quality High Dividend Index are members of the S&P 500® Index and follow the eligibility criteria for that index. From this starting universe, eligible constituents are screened to include only securities that rank within the top 200 of the S&P 500® Index universe by both quality score and dividend yield. The S&P 500® Quality High Dividend Index is equal weighted and is reconstituted and rebalanced semi-annually. At each semi-annual rebalance, a sector capping methodology is applied to reduce sector concentration and increase diversification of the S&P 500® Quality High Dividend Index. As of January 31, 2020, the S&P 500® Quality High Dividend Index had 70 constituents.

Wilshire TargetIncomeTM 5% Plus Index

The Wilshire TargetIncomeTM 5% Plus Index seeks to provide broad exposure to income-producing asset classes using a portfolio of exchange-traded funds (each, an "Underlying ETF"), with the goal, but not the guarantee, of providing exposure that may be sufficient to support an annualized yield of five percent (5.0%) for the Fund, net of fees. The Wilshire TargetIncomeTM 5% Plus Index targets an annualized yield that is somewhat higher than 5% ("5% Plus"), which is intended to provide a fund with the ability to achieve such a 5% target, net of fund fees. The Wilshire TargetIncomeTM 5% Plus Index allocates index weights among the Underlying ETFs based on a methodology developed by Wilshire Associates, the provider of the Wilshire TargetIncomeTM 5% Plus Index, which is designed to achieve the target income objective while also utilizing an optimization approach that seeks to minimize the overall risk of the portfolio. The share prices of the Underlying ETFs are expected to track the performance of equities or bonds in developed or emerging markets, senior loans, preferred securities, REITs, MLPs and energy infrastructure equities, U.S. Treasury bonds, and TIPS. The Underlying ETFs which invest in bonds may have exposure to investment grade and non-investment grade bonds.

The Wilshire TargetIncomeTM 5% Plus Index is constructed from the eligible income-producing asset classes, each of which is represented by an Underlying ETF that provides exposure to the given asset class. On a quarterly basis, and subject to certain weighting constraints, the Wilshire TargetIncomeTM 5% Plus Index is rebalanced to allocate weights to a subset of the eligible Underlying ETFs using a quantitative optimization approach that is described in more detail below. The Wilshire TargetIncomeTM 5% Plus Index has a target yield of 5% Plus, which is expected to be generated by the income from the allocation to the Underlying ETFs.

Optimization is the quantitative process of selecting a specific portfolio allocation from the set of all potential portfolio allocations, based on a defined objective and subject to certain constraints. Given that the objective of the Wilshire TargetIncomeTM 5% Plus Index is to achieve the stated income target while seeking to minimize overall portfolio risk, the primary optimization inputs for the Wilshire TargetIncomeTM 5% Plus Index are the yield, volatility, and correlation characteristics of the Underlying ETFs. The primary optimization constraints are the maximum weights of the Underlying ETFs as described in more detail below. Based on these inputs and constraints, the optimization process quantitatively determines the allocation to the Underlying ETFs at each quarterly rebalance.

As of January 31, 2020, the Underlying ETFs eligible for inclusion in the Wilshire TargetIncomeTM 5% Plus Index are: Global X SuperDividend® ETF, Global X SuperDividend® U.S. ETF, iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF, VanEck Vectors® J.P. Morgan EM Local Currency Bond ETF, iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF, Xtrackers USD High Yield Corporate Bond ETF, SPDR Blackstone / GSO Senior Loan ETF, Schwab U.S. TIPS ETF, Global X MLP & Energy Infrastructure ETF, Global X U.S. Preferred ETF, and Schwab U.S. REIT ETF. Each Underlying ETF has a minimum weight of 0% and a maximum weight of 20% at each quarterly rebalance.

Wilshire TargetIncomeTM 10-Year Treasury +2% Plus Index

21



The Wilshire TargetIncomeTM 10-Year Treasury +2% Plus Index seeks to provide broad exposure to income-producing asset classes using a portfolio of exchange-traded funds (each, an "Underlying ETF"), with the goal, but not the guarantee, of providing exposure that may be sufficient to support an annualized yield of the US 10-Year Treasury yield plus two percent (2.0%) for the Fund, net of fees. The Wilshire TargetIncomeTM 10-Year Treasury +2% Plus Index targets an annualized yield that is somewhat higher than the US 10-Year Treasury yield plus 2% ("US 10-Year Treasury +2% Plus"), which is intended to provide a fund with the ability to achieve the US 10-Year Treasury yield plus 2% target, net of fund fees. The Wilshire TargetIncomeTM 10-Year Treasury +2% Plus Index allocates index weights among the Underlying ETFs based on a methodology developed by Wilshire Associates, the provider of the Wilshire TargetIncomeTM 10-Year Treasury +2% Plus Index, which is designed to achieve the target income objective while also utilizing an optimization approach that seeks to minimize the overall risk of the portfolio. The share prices of the Underlying ETFs are expected to track the performance of equities or bonds in developed or emerging markets, senior loans, preferred securities, REITs, MLPs and energy infrastructure equities, U.S. Treasury bonds, and TIPS. The Underlying ETFs which invest in bonds may have exposure to investment grade and non-investment grade bonds.

The Wilshire TargetIncomeTM 10-Year Treasury +2% Plus Index is constructed from the eligible income-producing asset classes, each of which is represented by an Underlying ETF that provides exposure to the given asset class. On a quarterly basis, and subject to certain weighting constraints, the Wilshire TargetIncomeTM 10-Year Treasury +2% Plus Index is rebalanced to allocate weights to a subset of the eligible Underlying ETFs using a quantitative optimization approach that is described in more detail below. The Wilshire TargetIncomeTM 10-Year Treasury +2% Plus Index has a target yield of US 10-Year Treasury +2% Plus, which is expected to be generated by the income from the allocation to the Underlying ETFs.

Optimization is the quantitative process of selecting a specific portfolio allocation from the set of all potential portfolio allocations, based on a defined objective and subject to certain constraints. Given that the objective of the Wilshire TargetIncomeTM 10-Year Treasury +2% Plus Index is to achieve the stated income target while seeking to minimize overall portfolio risk, the primary optimization inputs for the Wilshire TargetIncomeTM 10-Year Treasury +2% Plus Index are the yield, volatility, and correlation characteristics of the Underlying ETFs. The primary optimization constraints are the maximum weights of the Underlying ETFs as described in more detail below. Based on these inputs and constraints, the optimization process quantitatively determines the allocation to the Underlying ETFs at each quarterly rebalance.

As of January 31, 2020, the Underlying ETFs eligible for inclusion in the Wilshire TargetIncomeTM 10-Year Treasury +2% Plus Index are: Global X SuperDividend® ETF, Global X SuperDividend® U.S. ETF, iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF, VanEck Vectors® J.P. Morgan EM Local Currency Bond ETF, iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF, Xtrackers USD High Yield Corporate Bond ETF, SPDR Blackstone / GSO Senior Loan ETF, Schwab U.S. TIPS ETF, Global X MLP & Energy Infrastructure ETF, Global X U.S. Preferred ETF, and Schwab U.S. REIT ETF. Each Underlying ETF has a minimum weight of 0% and a maximum weight of 20% at each quarterly rebalance.

Adaptive Wealth Strategies U.S. Factor Index

The Adaptive Wealth Strategies U.S. Factor Index is owned and was developed by Carroll Financial. The Index is calculated and maintained by Solactive AG. The Adaptive Wealth Strategies U.S. Factor Index is designed to dynamically allocate across three sub-indices that provide exposure to U.S. equities that exhibit characteristics of one of three primary factors: value, momentum and low volatility. Each factor is represented by a sub-index that is derived from the Solactive U.S. Large & Mid Cap Index, which is designed to measure the 1,000 largest companies, by free float market capitalization, that are exchange-listed in the United States:

Solactive U.S. Large & Mid Cap Value 100 Index TR – This index is designed to measure the performance of the 100 stocks in the Solactive U.S. Large & Mid Cap Index that exhibit the greatest exposure to the value factor.

Solactive U.S. Large & Mid Cap Momentum 100 Index TR – This index is designed to measure the performance of the 100 stocks in the Solactive U.S. Large & Mid Cap Index that exhibit the highest degree of relative performance.

Solactive U.S. Large & Mid Cap Minimum Downside Volatility 100 Index TR – This index is designed to measure the performance of the 100 stocks in the Solactive U.S. Large & Mid Cap Index that exhibit the lowest degree of downside volatility.

The Adaptive Wealth Strategies U.S. Factor Index is rebalanced quarterly. At each rebalance, the Adaptive Wealth Strategies U.S. Factor Index allocates weight to the three sub-indices based on the relative performance of each sub-index since the last rebalance of the Adaptive Wealth Strategies U.S. Factor Index. The Adaptive Wealth Strategies U.S. Factor Index is designed to always be

22


fully allocated to at least two of the three sub-indices described above. As of January 31, 2020, the Adaptive Wealth Strategies U.S. Factor Index had 262 constituents.

Indxx Global Robotics & Artificial Intelligence Thematic Index

The Indxx Global Robotics & Artificial Intelligence Thematic Index is designed to provide exposure to exchange-listed companies in developed markets that are involved in the development of robotics and/or artificial intelligence, including companies involved in developing industrial robots and production systems, automated inventory management, unmanned vehicles, voice/image/text recognition, and medical robots or robotic instruments (collectively, "Robotics & Artificial Intelligence Companies"), as defined by Indxx, LLC, the provider of the Indxx Global Robotics & Artificial Intelligence Thematic Index.

The eligible universe of the Indxx Global Robotics & Artificial Intelligence Thematic Index includes among the most liquid and investable companies in accordance with the standard market capitalization and liquidity criteria associated with developed markets, as defined by Indxx, LLC. As of January 31, 2020, companies must have a minimum market capitalization of $300 million and a minimum average daily turnover for the last 6 months greater than or equal to $2 million in order to be eligible for inclusion in the Indxx Global Robotics & Artificial Intelligence Thematic Index. As of January 31, 2020, components from the following countries were eligible for inclusion in the Indxx Global Robotics & Artificial Intelligence Thematic Index: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, the United Kingdom and the United States.

From the eligible universe, Indxx, LLC identifies Robotics & Artificial Intelligence Companies by applying a proprietary analysis that consists of two primary components: theme identification and company analysis. As part of the theme identification process, Indxx, LLC analyzes industry reports, investment research and consumer data related to the robotics and artificial intelligence industry in order to establish the themes that are expected to provide the most exposure to the growth of the robotics and artificial intelligence industry. As of January 31, 2020, Indxx, LLC has identified the following four robotics and artificial intelligence themes: (1) Industrial Robotics and Automation, (2) Unmanned Vehicles and Drones, (3) Artificial Intelligence and (4) Non-Industrial Robotics (collectively, "Robotics & Artificial Intelligence Themes"). In order to be included in the Indxx Global Robotics & Artificial Intelligence Thematic Index, a company must be identified as having significant exposure to these Robotics & Artificial Intelligence Themes, as determined by Indxx, LLC. In the second step of the process, companies are analyzed based on two primary criteria: revenue exposure and primary business operations. A company is deemed to have significant exposure to the Robotics & Artificial Intelligence Themes if (i), it derives a significant portion of its revenue from the Robotics & Artificial Intelligence Themes, (ii), it has stated its primary business to be in products and services focused on the Robotics & Artificial Intelligence Themes, as determined by Indxx, LLC.

The Indxx Global Robotics & Artificial Intelligence Thematic Index is weighted according to a modified capitalization weighting methodology and is reconstituted and rebalanced annually. At the annual rebalance, a capping methodology is applied to reduce concentration in individual securities and increase diversification of the Indxx Global Robotics & Artificial Intelligence Thematic Index. The Indxx Global Robotics & Artificial Intelligence Thematic Index may include large-, mid- or small-capitalization companies, and components primarily include industrials and information technology companies.

Indxx Global Fintech Thematic Index

The Indxx Global Fintech Thematic Index is designed to provide exposure to exchange-listed companies in developed markets that provide financial technology products and services, including companies involved in mobile payments, peer-to-peer (P2P) and marketplace lending, financial analytics software and alternative currencies (collectively, "FinTech Companies"), as defined by Indxx, LLC, the provider of the Indxx Global Fintech Thematic Index.

The eligible universe of the Indxx Global Fintech Thematic Index includes among the most liquid and investable companies in accordance with the standard market capitalization and liquidity criteria associated with developed markets, as defined by the Indxx, LLC. As of January 31, 2020, companies must have a minimum market capitalization of $300 million and a minimum average daily turnover for the last 6 months greater than or equal to $2 million in order to be eligible for inclusion in the Indxx Global Fintech Thematic Index. As of January 31, 2020, components from the following countries were eligible for inclusion in the Indxx Global Fintech Thematic Index: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, the United Kingdom and the United States.

From the eligible universe, Indxx, LLC identifies FinTech Companies by applying a proprietary analysis that consists of two primary components: theme identification and company analysis. As part of the theme identification process, Indxx, LLC analyzes industry reports, investment research and consumer data related to the fintech industry in order to establish the themes that are

23


expected to provide the most exposure to the growth of the fintech industry. As of January 31, 2020, Indxx, LLC has identified the following six fintech themes: (1) Mobile Payments, (2) P2P and Marketplace Lending, (3) Enterprise Solutions, (4) Blockchain and Alternative Currencies, (5) Crowdfunding, and (6) Personal Finance Software and Automated Wealth Management/Trading (collectively, "FinTech Themes"). In order to be included in the Indxx Global Fintech Thematic Index, a company must be identified as having significant exposure to these FinTech Themes, as determined by Indxx, LLC. In the second step of the process, companies are analyzed based on two primary criteria: revenue exposure and primary business operations. A company is deemed to have significant exposure to the FinTech Themes if (i), it derives a significant portion of its revenue from the FinTech Themes, and (ii), it has stated its primary business to be in products and services focused on the FinTech Themes, as determined by Indxx, LLC.

The Indxx Global Fintech Thematic Index is weighted according to a modified capitalization weighting methodology and is reconstituted and rebalanced annually. At the annual rebalance, a capping methodology is applied to reduce concentration in individual securities and increase diversification of the Indxx Global Fintech Thematic Index. The Indxx Global Fintech Thematic Index may include large-, mid- or small-capitalization companies, and components primarily include financial and information technology companies.

Indxx Global Internet of Things Thematic Index

The Indxx Global Internet of Things Thematic Index is designed to provide exposure to exchange-listed companies in developed markets that facilitate the Internet of Things industry, including companies involved in wearable technology, home automation, connected automotive technology, sensors, networking infrastructure/software, smart metering and energy control devices (collectively, "Internet of Things Companies"), as defined by Indxx, LLC, the provider of the Indxx Global Internet of Things Thematic Index. The Internet of Things refers to the network of physical objects (such as electronic devices, wearables, connected vehicles, infrastructure, equipment, smart home appliances, buildings) that are connected to the internet. Such objects often utilize embedded semiconductors, sensors, and software to collect, analyze, receive, and transfer data via networks enabled by technologies such as WiFi, 4G and 5G telecommunications infrastructure, and fiber optics.

The eligible universe of the Indxx Global Internet of Things Thematic Index includes among the most liquid and investable companies in accordance with the standard market capitalization and liquidity criteria associated with developed markets, as defined by Indxx, LLC. As of January 31, 2020, companies must have a minimum market capitalization of $300 million and a minimum average daily turnover for the last 6 months greater than or equal to $2 million in order to be eligible for inclusion in the Indxx Global Internet of Things Thematic Index. As of January 31, 2020, components from the following countries were eligible for inclusion in the Indxx Global Internet of Things Thematic Index: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, the United Kingdom and the United States.

From the eligible universe, Indxx, LLC identifies Internet of Things Companies by applying a proprietary analysis that consists of two primary components: theme identification and company analysis. As part of the theme identification process, Indxx, LLC analyzes industry reports, investment research and consumer data related to the Internet of Things industry in order to establish the themes that are expected to provide the most exposure to the growth of the Internet of Things industry. As of January 31, 2020, Indxx, LLC has identified the following four Internet of Things themes: (1) Consumer Internet of Things Technology, (2) Equipment, Vehicle, and Infrastructure/Building Technology, (3) Semiconductors and Sensors and (4) Networking Infrastructure/Software (collectively, "Internet of Things Themes"). In order to be included in the Indxx Global Internet of Things Thematic Index, a company must be identified as having significant exposure to these Internet of Things Themes, as determined by Indxx, LLC. In the second step of the process, companies are analyzed based on two primary criteria: revenue exposure and primary business operations. A company is deemed to have significant exposure to the Internet of Things Themes if (i), it derives a significant portion of its revenue from the Internet of Things Themes, (ii), it has stated its primary business to be in products and services focused on the Internet of Things Themes, as determined by Indxx, LLC. In addition, companies with more diversified revenue streams may also be included in the Indxx Global Internet of Things Thematic Index if they meet the following criteria: (1) identified as being critical to the IoT ecosystem due to scale in certain IoT technologies and services, (2) have a distinct business unit(s) focused on IoT products and services and (3) have a core competency that is expected to benefit from increased adoption of IoT, as determined by Indxx, LLC. Companies that meet these criteria are eligible for inclusion in the Indxx Global Internet of Things Thematic Index with a weighting cap of 2%.

The Indxx Global Internet of Things Thematic Index is weighted according to a modified capitalization weighting methodology and is reconstituted and rebalanced annually. At the annual rebalance, a capping methodology is applied to reduce concentration in individual securities and increase diversification of the Indxx Global Internet of Things Thematic Index. The Indxx Global Internet of Things Thematic Index may include large-, mid- or small-capitalization companies, and components primarily include industrials and information technology companies.


24


Indxx Global Cloud Computing Index

The Indxx Global Cloud Computing Index is designed to provide exposure to exchange-listed companies that are positioned to benefit from the increased adoption of cloud computing technology, including but not limited to companies whose principal business is in offering computing Software-as-a-Service ("SaaS"), Platform-as-a-Service ("PaaS"), Infrastructure-as-a-Service ("IaaS"), managed server storage space and data center real estate investment trusts ("REITs"), and/or cloud and edge computing infrastructure and hardware (collectively, "Cloud Computing Companies"), as defined by Indxx LLC, the provider of the Indxx Global Cloud Computing Index.

In constructing the Indxx Global Cloud Computing Index, Indxx LLC first identifies FactSet Industries related to cloud computing. Companies within these Industries, as of the selection date, are further reviewed by Indxx LLC on the basis of revenue related to cloud computing activities. To be eligible for the Indxx Global Cloud Computing Index, a company is considered by Indxx LLC to be a Cloud Computing Company if the company generates at least 50% of its revenues from cloud computing activities, as determined by Indxx LLC. Indxx LLC classifies Cloud Computing Companies as those companies that (i) license and deliver software over the internet on a subscription basis (SaaS), (ii) provide a platform for creating software applications which are delivered over the internet (PaaS), (iii) provide virtualized computing infrastructure over the internet (IaaS), (iv) own and manage facilities customers use to store data and servers, including data center REITs, and/or (v) manufacture or distribute infrastructure and/or hardware components used in cloud and edge computing activities, as determined by Indxx LLC. In addition, companies that generate at least $500 million of revenue from providing public cloud infrastructure (but less than 50% of their overall revenues), are eligible for inclusion in the Indxx Global Cloud Computing Index. These companies are subject to an individual weight cap of 2% and an aggregate weight cap of 10% at each semi-annual rebalance.

To be a part of the eligible universe of the Indxx Global Cloud Computing Index, certain minimum market capitalization and liquidity criteria, as defined by Indxx LLC, must be met. As of January 31, 2020, companies must have a minimum market capitalization of $200 million and a minimum average daily turnover for the last 6 months greater than or equal to $2 million in order to be eligible for inclusion in the Indxx Global Cloud Computing Index. As of January 31, 2020, companies listed in the following countries were eligible for inclusion in the Indxx Global Cloud Computing Index: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Russia, South Africa, South Korea, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

The Indxx Global Cloud Computing Index is weighted according to a modified capitalization weighting methodology and is reconstituted and re-weighted semi-annually. Modified capitalization weighting seeks to weight constituents primarily based on market capitalization, but subject to caps on the weights of the individual securities. Generally speaking, this approach will limit the amount of concentration in the largest market capitalization companies and increase company-level diversification. The Indxx Global Cloud Computing Index may include large-, mid- or small-capitalization companies, and components primarily include information technology companies. As of January 31, 2020, the Indxx Global Cloud Computing Index had 36 constituents.

Indxx Artificial Intelligence and Big Data Index

The Indxx Artificial Intelligence and Big Data Index is designed to provide exposure to exchange-listed companies that are positioned to benefit from the further development and utilization of artificial intelligence technology in their products and services, as well as to companies that provide hardware which facilitates the use of artificial intelligence for the analysis of big data (collectively, "Artificial Intelligence & Big Data Companies"), as defined by Indxx, LLC, the provider of the Indxx Artificial Intelligence and Big Data Index.

The eligible universe of the Indxx Artificial Intelligence and Big Data Index includes exchange-listed companies that meet minimum market capitalization and liquidity criteria, as defined by Indxx, LLC. As of January 31, 2020, companies must have a minimum market capitalization of $500 million and a minimum average daily turnover for the last 6 months greater than or equal to $2 million in order to be eligible for inclusion in the Indxx Artificial Intelligence and Big Data Index. As of January 31, 2020, companies listed or incorporated in the following countries were eligible for inclusion in the Indxx Artificial Intelligence and Big Data Index: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, and the United States. In addition, ADRs and GDRs of companies incorporated or with primary listing in China are eligible for inclusion.

From the eligible universe, Indxx, LLC identifies Artificial Intelligence & Big Data Companies by applying a proprietary analysis that seeks to identify companies that can be classified in the following categories:

25



Artificial Intelligence Developers

Artificial Intelligence Applied to Products and Services - Companies that have developed internal artificial intelligence capabilities (organically or through acquisition) and are applying artificial intelligence technology directly in their products and services. Artificial intelligence applications include but are not limited to language/ image processing and recognition, automated communications, threat detection, recommendation generation, and other predictive analytics.

Artificial Intelligence-as-a-Service ("AIaaS") for Big Data Applications - Companies that provide artificial intelligence capabilities to their customers as a service. Companies in this segment typically offer cloud-based platforms that allow their customers to apply artificial intelligence techniques to big data without the need for a direct investment in their own artificial intelligence-related infrastructure or capabilities.

Artificial Intelligence and Big Data Analytics Hardware

Artificial Intelligence Hardware - Companies that produce semiconductors, memory storage and other hardware that is utilized for artificial intelligence applications. This currently includes, but is not limited to, companies that produce graphics processing units (GPUs), application-specific integrated circuit ("ASIC") chips, field-programmable gate array ("FPGA") chips, and all-flash array storage.

Quantum Computing - Companies that are developing quantum computing technology.  While currently in the process of being commercialized, quantum computing is expected to have significant potential for artificial intelligence and big data applications.

In order to be included in the Indxx Artificial Intelligence and Big Data Index, a company must be classified in the categories described above, as determined by Indxx, LLC. This classification is based on a composite analysis of public filings, products and services, official company statements and other information regarding direct involvement in the artificial intelligence and big data categories as described above. Eligible companies are then ranked by Indxx, LLC using a research framework that assesses a company's exposure to these categories. Companies must receive a minimum score within a given category to be selected in the Indxx Artificial Intelligence and Big Data Index, as determined by Indxx, LLC.

The Indxx Artificial Intelligence and Big Data Index is weighted according to a modified capitalization weighting methodology and is reconstituted annually with a semi-annual re-weighting. The Indxx Artificial Intelligence and Big Data Index may include large-, mid- or small-capitalization companies, and components primarily include information technology companies.

Solactive Autonomous & Electric Vehicles Index

The Solactive Autonomous & Electric Vehicles Index is designed to provide exposure to exchange-listed companies that are involved in the development of electric vehicles and/or autonomous vehicles, including companies that produce electric/hybrid vehicles, electric/hybrid vehicle components and materials, autonomous driving technology, and network connected services for transportation, (collectively, "Autonomous and Electric Vehicle Companies"), as defined by Solactive AG, the provider of the Solactive Autonomous & Electric Vehicles Index.

The eligible universe of the Solactive Autonomous & Electric Vehicles Index includes among the most liquid and investable companies in accordance with the market capitalization and liquidity criteria associated with the eligible markets, as defined by Solactive AG. As of January 31, 2020, companies must have a minimum market capitalization of $500 million and a minimum average daily turnover for the last 6 months greater than or equal to $2 million in order to be eligible for inclusion in the Solactive Autonomous & Electric Vehicles Index. As of January 31, 2020, companies from the following countries were eligible for inclusion in the Solactive Autonomous & Electric Vehicles Index: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, South Korea, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

From the eligible universe, Solactive AG identifies Autonomous and Electric Vehicle Companies by applying a proprietary natural language processing algorithm process that seeks to identify companies with exposure to the following categories:

Electric Vehicles ("EV") - companies that produce electric/hybrid vehicles, including cars, trucks, motorcycles/scooters, buses, and electric rail.


26


Electric Vehicle Components ("EVC") - companies that produce electric/hybrid vehicle components, including electric drivetrains, lithium-ion and other types of electric batteries, and fuel cells. In addition, companies that produce the chemicals and raw materials (including but not limited to lithium and cobalt) that comprise these electric/hybrid vehicle components are eligible for inclusion.

Autonomous Vehicle Technology ("AVT") - companies that build autonomous vehicles and/or develop hardware and software that facilitates the development of autonomous vehicles, including sensors, mapping technology, artificial intelligence, advanced driver assistance systems, ride-share platforms, and network-connected services for transportation.

In order to be included in the Solactive Autonomous & Electric Vehicles Index, a company must be identified as having exposure to these categories based on the ranking it receives from the natural language processing algorithm ("Segment Score"), as determined by Solactive AG. Within each category listed above, companies are ranked by Solactive AG according to their respective Segment Score. Solactive AG then reviews the companies to ensure relevance to one or more of the categories above based on the business operations of the company. The Solactive Autonomous & Electric Vehicles Index is comprised of the highest ranking 15 companies in the EV segment, the highest ranking 30 companies in the EVC segment, and the highest ranking 30 companies in the AVT segment, as determined by Solactive AG and subject to certain buffer rules intended to reduce turnover.

The Solactive Autonomous & Electric Vehicles Index is weighted according to a modified capitalization weighting methodology and is reconstituted semi-annually. At the semi-annual reconstitution, a capping methodology is applied to reduce concentration in individual securities and increase diversification of the Solactive Autonomous & Electric Vehicles Index. The Solactive Autonomous & Electric Vehicles Index may include large-, mid- or small-capitalization companies, and components primarily include industrials, information technology, materials, and consumer discretionary companies.

Solactive Genomics Index

The Solactive Genomics Index is designed to provide exposure to exchange-listed companies that are positioned to benefit from further advances in the field of genomic science and biotechnology, as well as applications thereof (collectively, "Genomics & Biotechnology Companies"), as defined by Solactive AG, the provider of the Solactive Genomics Index ("Index Provider"). In order to be eligible for inclusion in the Solactive Genomics Index, a company is considered by the Index Provider to be a Genomics & Biotechnology Company if it derives at least 50% of its revenue, operating income, or assets from genomics and/or biotechnology, as determined by Solactive AG. These companies include those involved in the following business activities, as determined by Solactive AG: (i) gene editing, (ii) genomic sequencing, (iii) development and testing of genetic medicine/therapies, (iv) computational genomics and genetic diagnostics, and/or (v) biotechnology.

In constructing the Solactive Genomics Index, Solactive AG first establishes the eligible universe by utilizing FactSet sector classifications: only companies classified by FactSet as healthcare companies are eligible for the Solactive Genomics Index. Solactive AG then applies a proprietary natural language processing algorithm to the eligible universe, which seeks to identify and rank companies with direct exposure to the genomics industry based on filings, disclosures and other public information (e.g. regulatory filings, earnings transcripts, etc.). The highest ranking companies identified by the natural language processing algorithm, as of the selection date, are further reviewed by Solactive AG to confirm they derive at least 50% of their revenues, operating income, or assets from the following business activities:

i.
Gene Editing: Companies that develop technology for the insertion, deletion, or replacement of DNA at a specific site in the genome of an organism.
ii.
Genomic Sequencing: Companies that are engaged in the process of determining the complete DNA sequence of an organism's genome.
iii.
Genetic Medicine/Therapies: Companies that seek to detect, cure or treat diseases by identifying and/or modifying an organism's gene expression or functioning.
iv.
Computational Genomics and Genetic Diagnostics: Companies that use computational and statistical analysis to decipher biological insights from genome sequences and related data.
v.
Biotechnology: Companies that combine biologic processes and technology to develop products and services.

The eligible universe of the Solactive Genomics Index includes exchange-listed companies that meet minimum market capitalization and liquidity criteria, as defined by Solactive AG. As of January 31, 2020, companies must have a minimum market capitalization of $200 million and a minimum average daily turnover for the last 6 months greater than or equal to $2 million in order to be eligible for inclusion in the Solactive Genomics Index. As of January 31, 2020, companies listed in the following countries were eligible for inclusion in the Solactive Genomics Index: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

27



The Solactive Genomics Index is weighted according to a modified capitalization weighting methodology and is reconstituted and re-weighted semi-annually. The Solactive Genomics Index may include large-, mid- or small-capitalization companies, and components primarily include healthcare companies. As of January 31, 2020, the Solactive Genomics Index had 36 constituents.

Solactive Video Games & Esports Index

The Solactive Video Games & Esports Index is designed to provide exposure to exchange-listed companies that are positioned to benefit from increased consumption related to video games and esports, including companies whose principal business is in video game development/publishing, video game and esports content distribution and streaming, operating/owning esports leagues/teams, and producing video game/esports hardware (collectively, "Video Games & Esports Companies"), as defined by Solactive AG, the provider of the Solactive Video Games & Esports Index.

In constructing the Solactive Video Games & Esports Index, Solactive AG first applies a proprietary natural language processing algorithm to the eligible universe, which screens filings, disclosures and other public information (e.g., regulatory filings, earnings transcripts, etc.) for keywords that describe the index theme, to identify and rank companies with direct exposure to the video games and esports industry. Companies identified by the natural language processing algorithm, as of the selection date, are further reviewed by Solactive AG on the basis of revenue related to video games and esports activities. To be eligible for the Solactive Video Games & Esports Index, a company is considered by Solactive AG to be a Video Games & Esports Company if the company generates at least 50% of its revenues from video games and esports activities, as determined by Solactive AG. Video Games & Esports Companies are those companies that (i) develop and/or publish video games, (ii) facilitate the streaming or distribution of video gaming and/or esports content, (iii) operate and/or own competitive esports leagues and/or competitive esports teams, and/or (iv) produce hardware used in video games and/or esports, including augmented and virtual reality.

To be a part of the eligible universe of the Solactive Video Games & Esports Index, certain minimum market capitalization and liquidity criteria, as defined by Solactive AG, must be met. As of January 31, 2020, companies must have a minimum market capitalization of $200 million and a minimum average daily turnover for the last 6 months greater than or equal to $2 million in order to be eligible for inclusion in the Solactive Video Games & Esports Index. As of January 31, 2020, companies listed in the following countries were eligible for inclusion in the Solactive Video Games & Esports Index: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, United Kingdom, United States.

The Solactive Video Games & Esports Index is weighted according to a modified capitalization weighting methodology and is reconstituted and re-weighted semi-annually. Modified capitalization weighting seeks to weight constituents primarily based on market capitalization, but subject to caps on the weights of the individual securities. Generally speaking, this approach will limit the amount of concentration in the largest market capitalization companies and increase company-level diversification. The Solactive Video Games & Esports Index may include large-, mid- or small-capitalization companies. As of January 31, 2020, the Solactive Video Games & Esports Index had 38 constituents.

Global X Cybersecurity ETF

The Global X Cybersecurity ETF is designed to provide exposure to exchange-listed companies that are positioned to benefit from increased adoption of cybersecurity technology, including but not limited to companies whose principal business is in the development and management of security protocols preventing intrusion and attacks to systems, networks, applications, computers, and mobile devices (collectively, "Cybersecurity Companies"), as determined by Indxx LLC, the provider of the Global X Cybersecurity ETF.

In constructing the Global X Cybersecurity ETF, Indxx LLC first identifies FactSet Industries related to cybersecurity. Companies within these FactSet Industries, as of the selection date, are further reviewed by Indxx LLC on the basis of revenue related to cybersecurity activities. To be eligible for the Global X Cybersecurity ETF as a Cybersecurity Company, a company must generate at least 50% of its revenues from cybersecurity activities, which Indxx LLC classifies as the development and management of security protocols preventing intrusion and attacks to systems, networks, applications, computers, and mobile devices.

To be a part of the eligible universe of the Global X Cybersecurity ETF, certain minimum market capitalization and liquidity criteria, as defined by Indxx LLC, must be met. As of January 31, 2020, companies must have a minimum market capitalization of $200 million and a minimum average daily turnover for the last six months (or for three months, in the case of recent IPOs) greater than or equal to $2 million in order to be eligible for inclusion in the Global X Cybersecurity ETF. As of January 31, 2020, companies listed in the following countries were eligible for inclusion in the Global X Cybersecurity ETF: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong

28


Kong, Hungary, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Russia, South Africa, South Korea, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

The Global X Cybersecurity ETF is weighted according to a modified capitalization weighting methodology and is reconstituted and re-weighted semi-annually. Modified capitalization weighting seeks to weight constituents primarily based on market capitalization, but subject to caps on the weights of the individual securities. Generally speaking, this approach will limit the amount of concentration in the largest market capitalization companies and thereby increase exposure to other companies. The Global X Cybersecurity ETF may include large-, mid- or small-capitalization companies, and components primarily include mid-capitalization companies. As of January 31, 2020, the Global X Cybersecurity ETF had 30 constituents.

Indxx Millennials Thematic Index

The objective of the Indxx Millennials Thematic Index is to track the performance of U.S. listed companies that provide exposure to the millennial generation, (collectively, "Millennial Companies"), as defined by Indxx, LLC, the provider of the Indxx Millennials Thematic Index. The millennial generation refers to the demographic in the U.S. with birth years ranging from 1980 to 2000.

The eligible universe of the Indxx Millennials Thematic Index includes the most liquid and investable companies in accordance with the standard market capitalization and liquidity criteria associated with developed markets, as defined by Indxx, LLC. As of January 31, 2020, companies must have a minimum market capitalization of $500 million and a minimum average daily turnover for the last 6 months greater than or equal to $2 million in order to be eligible for inclusion in the Indxx Millennials Thematic Index. The Indxx Millennials Thematic Index only includes companies listed in the United States. The Indxx Millennials Thematic Index is developed using a proprietary, multi-step research process to identify Millennial Companies. First, Indxx, LLC conducts fundamental research on trends related to the millennial generation, including but not limited to: consumer spending data, consumer behavior, technology and demographics. Based on this analysis, Indxx, LLC determines key categories that appear to be most reflective of how individuals from the millennial generation spend their time and money (collectively, "Spending Categories"). As of January 31, 2020, Indxx, LLC has identified the following eight key Spending Categories for millennials: (1) Social and Entertainment, (2) Clothing and Apparel, (3) Travel and Mobility, (4) Food/Restaurants and Consumer Staples, (5) Financial Services and Investments, (6) Housing and Home Goods, (7) Education and Employment, and (8) Health and Fitness. These Spending Categories may change over time, as determined by Indxx, LLC.

After establishing these Spending Categories, Indxx, LLC uses a variety of sources - including, but not limited to: industry reports, investment research and financial statements published by companies - to identify companies with significant exposure to these Spending Categories. A company is determined to have significant exposure to the Spending Categories if (i) it derives a significant portion of its revenue from the Spending Categories, or (ii) it has stated its primary business to be in products and services focused on the Spending Categories, as determined by Indxx, LLC The companies identified at this stage are then considered for further analysis, which ultimately determines their eligibility for inclusion in the Indxx Millennials Thematic Index.

In the final step of the selection process, Indxx, LLC conducts a composite analysis on the remaining companies to identify Millennial Companies within each of the Spending Categories. As part of this process, Indxx, LLC utilizes the fundamental research it has conducted on trends related to the millennial generation in order to evaluate companies based on quantitative and qualitative criteria that have been identified as being consistent with millennial demographics and consumer preferences. As of January 31, 2020, some examples of the criteria used in the evaluation process include but are not limited to: E-commerce, social and professional networks, digital media streaming services, athletic and outdoor apparel, multi-family apartments, and peer reviews/recommendations. A company identified as having significant exposure to a criteria will receive additional points as part of the composite scoring process. A company is determined to have significant exposure to a criteria based on its revenue exposure to that particular criteria (relative to the other companies in its Spending Category) or based on its primary stated area of business (relative to other companies in its Spending Category). Indxx, LLC then scores the companies based on these criteria to determine the companies that are most reflective of Millennial Companies within each Spending Category. These criteria will vary by Spending Category and are subject to evaluation by Indxx, LLC on an annual basis. A minimum of five and a maximum of fifteen companies from each Spending Category are included in the Indxx Millennials Thematic Index, primarily based on their score in the composite analysis conducted by Indxx, LLC.

The Indxx Millennials Thematic Index is weighted according to a modified capitalization weighting methodology and is reconstituted and rebalanced annually. The Indxx Millennials Thematic Index may include large-, mid- or small-capitalization companies, and components primarily include consumer discretionary, consumer staples, information technology and financial services companies as well as real estate investment trusts ("REITs").

Indxx Global Longevity Thematic Index

29



The Indxx Global Longevity Thematic Index is designed to provide exposure to exchange-listed companies in developed markets that facilitate the demographic trend of longer average life spans and the aging of the global population, including but not limited to companies involved in biotechnology, medical devices, pharmaceuticals, senior living facilities and specialized health care services (collectively, "Longevity Companies"), as defined by Indxx, LLC, the provider of the Indxx Global Longevity Thematic Index.

The eligible universe of the Indxx Global Longevity Thematic Index includes the most liquid and investable companies in accordance with the standard market capitalization and liquidity criteria associated with developed markets, as defined by Indxx, LLC. As of January 31, 2020, companies must have a minimum market capitalization of $500 million and a minimum average daily turnover for the last 6 months greater than or equal to $2 million in order to be eligible for inclusion in the Indxx Global Longevity Thematic Index. The Indxx Global Longevity Thematic Index may include components from the following countries: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, South Korea, the United Kingdom and the United States.

From the eligible universe, Indxx, LLC identifies Longevity Companies by applying a proprietary analysis that consists of two primary components: theme identification and company analysis. As of January 31, 2020, Indxx, LLC has identified the following four themes that are expected to provide the most exposure to Longevity Companies: (1) Health Care Products, (2) Health Care Services, (3) Medical Devices, and (4) Senior Homes (collectively, "Longevity Themes"). In order to be included in the Indxx Global Longevity Thematic Index, a company must be identified as having significant exposure to these Longevity Themes, as determined by Indxx, LLC. Companies are analyzed based on two primary criteria: revenue exposure and primary business operations. A company is deemed to have significant exposure to the Longevity Themes if (i) it derives a significant portion of its revenue from the Longevity Themes, or (ii) it has stated its primary business to be in products and services focused on the Longevity Themes, as determined by Indxx, LLC.

The Indxx Global Longevity Thematic Index is weighted according to a modified capitalization weighting methodology and is reconstituted and rebalanced annually. The Indxx Global Longevity Thematic Index may include large-, mid- or small-capitalization companies, and components primarily include health care, biotechnology and pharmaceuticals companies as well as real estate investment trusts ("REITs").

Indxx Global Health & Wellness Thematic Index

The objective of the Indxx Global Health & Wellness Thematic Index is to provide exposure to exchange-listed companies in developed markets that provide products and services that facilitate physical wellness through active and healthy lifestyles, including but not limited to companies involved in fitness equipment, fitness technology, athletic apparel, nutritional supplements, and organic/natural food offerings, (collectively, "Health & Wellness Companies"), as defined by Indxx, LLC, the provider of the Indxx Global Health & Wellness Thematic Index.

The eligible universe of the Indxx Global Health & Wellness Thematic Index includes the most liquid and investable companies in accordance with the standard market capitalization and liquidity criteria associated with developed markets, as defined by Indxx, LLC. As of January 31, 2020, companies must have a minimum market capitalization of $500 million and a minimum average daily turnover for the last 6 months greater than or equal to $2 million in order to be eligible for inclusion in the Indxx Global Health & Wellness Thematic Index. The Indxx Global Health & Wellness Thematic Index may include components from the following countries: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

From the eligible universe, Indxx, LLC identifies Health & Wellness Companies by applying a proprietary analysis that consists of two primary components: theme identification and company analysis. As of January 31, 2020, Indxx, LLC has identified the following four themes that are expected to provide the most exposure to Health & Wellness Companies: (1) Healthy Food, Nutrition and Weight Loss, (2) Fitness and Fitness Apparel, (3) Nutritional Supplements and Preventive Health Care, (4) Anti-Aging and Wellness (collectively, "Health & Wellness Themes"). In order to be included in the Indxx Global Health & Wellness Thematic Index, a company must be identified as having significant exposure to these Health & Wellness Themes, as determined by Indxx, LLC. Indxx, LLC analyzes companies based on two primary criteria: revenue exposure and primary business operations. A company is to have significant exposure to the Health & Wellness Themes if (i) it derives a significant portion of its revenue from the sale of products or services from the Health & Wellness Themes, or (ii) it has stated its primary business to be in products and services focused on the Health & Wellness Themes, as determined by Indxx, LLC.


30


The Indxx Global Health & Wellness Thematic Index is weighted according to a modified capitalization weighting methodology and is reconstituted and rebalanced annually. The Indxx Global Health & Wellness Thematic Index may include large-, mid- or small-capitalization companies, and components primarily include consumer discretionary, consumer staples, health care and information technology companies.

Indxx Global Education Thematic Index

The objective of the Indxx Global Education Thematic Index is to provide exposure to exchange-listed companies globally that provide educational products and services, including companies involved in online learning and educational content/publishing, as well as early childhood education, higher education and professional education, (collectively, "Education Companies"), as defined by Indxx, LLC, the provider of the Indxx Global Education Thematic Index.

The eligible universe of the Indxx Global Education Thematic Index includes among the most liquid and investable companies in accordance with the market capitalization and liquidity criteria associated with developed and emerging markets, as defined by Indxx, LLC. As of January 31, 2020, companies must have a minimum market capitalization of $200 million and a minimum average daily turnover for the last 6 months greater than or equal to $2 million in order to be eligible for inclusion in the Indxx Global Education Thematic Index. As of January 31, 2020, components from the following countries were eligible for inclusion in the Indxx Global Education Thematic Index: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Peru, Qatar, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the United States.

From the eligible universe, Indxx, LLC identifies Education Companies by applying a proprietary analysis that consists of two primary components: theme identification and company analysis. As part of the theme identification process, Indxx, LLC analyzes industry reports, investment research and consumer data related to the education industry in order to establish the themes that are expected to provide the most exposure to the growth of the education industry. As of January 31, 2020, Indxx, LLC has identified the following four education themes: (1) Educational Content/Publishing, (2) Online Learning, (3) Early Childhood Education and (4) Higher and Professional Education (collectively, "Education Themes"). In order to be included in the Indxx Global Education Thematic Index, a company must be identified by Indxx, LLC as having significant exposure to one or more of these Education Themes, as determined by Indxx, LLC. In the second step of the process, Indxx, LLC analyzes companies based revenue exposure to the Education Themes. A company is identified as having significant exposure to the Education Themes if it derives a significant portion of its revenue from the sale of products or services from one or more of the Education Themes, as determined by Indxx, LLC.

The Indxx Global Education Thematic Index is weighted according to a modified capitalization weighting methodology and is reconstituted and rebalanced semi-annually. At each semi-annual rebalance, a capping methodology is applied to reduce concentration in individual securities and increase diversification. The Indxx Global Education Thematic Index may include large-, mid- or small-capitalization companies, and components primarily include consumer discretionary and communication services companies.

Cannabis Index

The Cannabis Index is designed to provide exposure to exchange-listed companies that are active in the cannabis industry (collectively, "Cannabis Companies"), as defined by Solactive AG, the provider of the Cannabis Index. In order to be eligible for inclusion in the Cannabis Index, a company is considered by Solactive AG to be a Cannabis Company if it derives at least 50% of its revenue, operating income, or assets from the cannabis industry. The cannabis industry is composed of the following areas: (i) the legal production, growth and distribution of marijuana, as well as extracts, derivative products or synthetic versions thereof; (ii) the legal production, growth and distribution of hemp, as well as extracts, derivative products or synthetic versions thereof; (iii) financial services (insurance offerings, property leasing, financing, capital markets activity and investments) provided to companies involved in the production, growth and distribution of cannabis; (iv) pharmaceutical applications of cannabis; (v) cannabidiol (better known as CBD) and cannabis oil products, edibles, topicals, drinks and other products; and (vi) products that may be used to consume cannabis.* In addition, companies that Solactive AG expects to derive at least 50% of future revenue, operating income or assets from the cannabis industry based on its review of their primary business operations, capital investments and/or operating expenses, as well as other public statements, are eligible for inclusion in the Cannabis Index ("Pre-Revenue Companies"). Pre-Revenue Companies are subject to an aggregate weight cap of 10% at each quarterly rebalance. Additionally, Pre-Revenue Companies do not count towards satisfaction of the Fund's policy to invest, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its net assets, plus borrowings for investments purposes (if any), in Cannabis Companies, and in ADRs and GDRs based on such securities.

31


  
To be a part of the eligible universe of the Cannabis Index, a Cannabis Company must be listed on a regulated stock exchange that requires issuers to maintain compliance with all laws, rules and regulations applicable to their business. As such, the Cannabis Index is designed to invest in Cannabis Companies that represent that they operate cannabis-related business activities, or supply products and perform services for companies that grow, produce, distribute, or sell cannabis or products derived from cannabis, in a manner that is legal under all laws, rules and regulations applicable to the company's business. A company must also meet certain minimum market capitalization and liquidity criteria, as defined by Solactive AG. As of January 31, 2020, companies must have a minimum market capitalization of $100 million and a minimum average daily turnover for the last three months greater than or equal to $2 million in order to be eligible for inclusion in the Cannabis Index. Companies must retain a minimum market capitalization of $80 million and average daily turnover for the last three months greater than or equal to $1.4 million in order to be eligible to remain in the Cannabis Index. As of January 31, 2020, companies listed in the following countries were eligible for inclusion in the Cannabis Index: Australia, Canada and the United States.

The Cannabis Index is weighted according to a modified capitalization weighting methodology and is reconstituted and re-weighted quarterly. Additionally, on an intra-quarter basis, if Solactive AG determines that a constituent of the Cannabis Index does not meet the index requirements with respect to compliance with laws, rules and regulations, Solactive AG may remove such constituent outside of the regular rebalance schedule. Modified capitalization weighting seeks to weight constituents primarily based on market capitalization, but subject to caps on the weights of the individual securities. Generally speaking, this approach will limit the amount of concentration in the largest market capitalization companies and thereby increase exposure to other companies. The Cannabis Index may include large-, mid- or small-capitalization companies, and components primarily include mid-capitalization and small-capitalization companies. As of January 31, 2020, the Cannabis Index had 25 constituents.

Indxx U.S. Infrastructure Development Index

The Indxx U.S. Infrastructure Development Index is designed to measure the performance of U.S. listed companies that provide exposure to domestic infrastructure development, including companies involved in construction and engineering, production of infrastructure raw materials, composites and products; industrial transportation; and producers/distributors of heavy construction equipment (collectively, "U.S. Infrastructure Development Companies"), as defined by Indxx, LLC, the provider of the Indxx U.S. Infrastructure Development Index.

The eligible universe of the Indxx U.S. Infrastructure Development Index includes the most liquid and investable companies in accordance with the standard market capitalization and liquidity criteria associated with developed markets, as defined by Indxx, LLC. As of January 31, 2020, companies must have a minimum market capitalization of $300 million and a minimum average daily turnover for the last 6 months greater than or equal to $1 million in order to be eligible for inclusion in the Index. The Indxx U.S. Infrastructure Development Index only includes companies listed in the United States.

From the eligible universe, Indxx, LLC identifies U.S. Infrastructure Development Companies by applying a proprietary analysis that consists of two primary components: theme identification and company analysis. As part of the theme identification process, Indxx, LLC analyzes industry reports, investment research and spending trends related to infrastructure development in order to establish the themes that are expected to provide the most exposure to increased investment in U.S. infrastructure. As of January 31, 2020, Indxx, LLC has identified the following four U.S. infrastructure development themes: (1) Construction and Engineering Services, (2) Raw Materials and Composites, (3) Products and Equipment, and (4) Industrial Transportation (collectively, "U.S. Infrastructure Development Themes").

In the second step of the process, companies are analyzed based on two primary criteria: revenue exposure and primary business operations. A company is eligible for inclusion in the Indxx U.S. Infrastructure Development Index if (i) it derives a significant portion of its revenue from the U.S. Infrastructure Development Themes, or (ii) it has stated its primary business to be in products and services focused on the U.S. Infrastructure Development Themes, as determined by Indxx, LLC. Furthermore, only companies that generate greater than 50% of revenues from the U.S. as of the index selection date, as determined by Indxx, LLC, are eligible for inclusion in the Indxx U.S. Infrastructure Development Index.

The Indxx U.S. Infrastructure Development Index is weighted according to a modified capitalization weighting methodology and is reconstituted and rebalanced annually. At the annual rebalance, a capping methodology is applied to reduce concentration in individual securities and increase diversification of the Indxx U.S. Infrastructure Development Index. The Indxx U.S. Infrastructure Development Index may include large-, mid- or small-capitalization companies, and components primarily include industrials and materials companies.

Concinnity Conscious Companies Index

32



The Concinnity Conscious Companies Index is designed to provide exposure to companies listed in the U.S. that operate their businesses in a sustainable and responsible manner, as measured by their ability to achieve positive outcomes that are consistent with a multi-stakeholder operating system ("MsOS"), as defined by Concinnity Advisors LP ("Concinnity"), the provider of the Concinnity Conscious Companies Index. The MsOS is a corporate governance structure that seeks to account for the multiple stakeholders that are critical for the ongoing success of the business, and incorporate the considerations of these stakeholders into the corporate decision-making and problem-solving process. Concinnity conducts its analysis based on the following five key stakeholder groups: (1) Customers, (2) Employees, (3) Suppliers, (4) Stock and Debt Holders, and (5) Communities in which the companies operate.

The universe of companies eligible for inclusion in the Concinnity Conscious Companies Index is comprised of companies listed in the U.S. with a market capitalization greater than $2 billion. From this initial universe, Concinnity applies a proprietary, three-step analysis to select companies for the Concinnity Conscious Companies Index. In the first step, Concinnity utilizes approximately forty information sources and public rankings to identify and evaluate companies based on their demonstrated ability to achieve positive outcomes across all five stakeholder groups. Positive outcomes vary by stakeholder group, but include metrics that assess areas such as employee productivity, customer loyalty and corporate governance. These information sources are vetted annually by Concinnity and evaluated based on stakeholder focus, research methodology and third party or in-house analysis of a source's potential as a leading indicator of corporate and/or stock performance. Companies are scored by Concinnity based on their appearance and performance in these sources and rankings. Of the approximately 1,100 - 1,400 companies that typically make up the eligible universe, approximately 600-700 are generally selected by Concinnity for further analysis and potential inclusion in the Concinnity Conscious Companies Index.

In the second step of the research process, Concinnity uses a composite analysis to apply a deeper evaluation on the remaining companies. The composite analysis is a process that assesses various MsOS criteria by combining ratings data from multiple research entities that specialize in various stakeholder assessment categories. Companies are evaluated through a series of scoring lenses that combine to form a composite score, which is underpinned by several hundred MsOS criteria. Composite analysis MsOS criteria include, but are not limited to: employee engagement, executive integrity, customer relationship quality, labor and human rights, and quality of financial reporting. Various modeling techniques are then used by Concinnity to combine qualitative and quantitative data into a single score for each company. This score reflects the degree to which a company operates its business using the MsOS approach, as defined by the research process. The approximately 300-350 highest scoring companies ultimately comprise the MsOS investable universe for the purposes of constructing the Concinnity Conscious Companies Index.

In the final step, Concinnity applies a screen for consistent achievement to the MsOS investable universe of the approximately 300-350 highest scoring companies. In order to be included in the Concinnity Conscious Companies Index, a company must have qualified for inclusion in the MsOS investable universe for at least three consecutive years. The Concinnity Conscious Companies Index is equal-weighted. The Concinnity Conscious Companies Index may include large- or mid-capitalization companies, and will generally provide exposure to all major sectors. As of January 31, 2020, the Concinnity Conscious Companies Index had 161 constituents, with no single sector having an allocation greater than 25%. The three largest sectors represented in the Concinnity Conscious Companies Index as of January 31, 2020, were financials, health care and information technology.

Solactive U.S. Founder-Run Companies Index

The Solactive U.S. Founder-Run Companies Index is designed to provide exposure to U.S. companies in which a founder or co-founder of the company is serving as the Chief Executive Officer of the company (collectively, "Founder-Run Companies"). The starting universe of companies eligible for inclusion is the Solactive U.S. Broad Market Index. From this initial universe, Founder-Run Companies are identified using company-level data, and are then ranked by market capitalization. Founder-Run Companies are then screened for liquidity to determine eligibility for inclusion in the Solactive U.S. Founder-Run Companies Index. As of the respective selection date, new constituents must have a minimum six-month average daily traded value of $5 million to be eligible for inclusion, while existing constituents must have a minimum six-month average daily traded value of $4 million to remain in the Solactive U.S. Founder-Run Companies Index. If more than 100 Founder-Run Companies are eligible for inclusion based on the liquidity criteria, the top 100 companies by market capitalization are selected for inclusion. If fewer than 100 Founder-Run Companies are eligible for inclusion based on the liquidity criteria, the companies that meet the liquidity criteria will comprise the constituents of the Solactive U.S. Founder-Run Companies Index. The Solactive U.S. Founder-Run Companies Index is equal-weighted and rebalanced annually.

Solactive Thematic Growth Index

The Solactive Thematic Growth Index seeks to provide broad exposure to thematic growth strategies using a portfolio of exchange-traded funds (each, an "Underlying ETF"). The Solactive Thematic Growth Index allocates index weights among the Underlying

33


ETFs based on a quantitative methodology developed by Solactive AG, the provider of the Solactive Thematic Growth Index, which is designed to determine the selection and weighting of the eligible Underlying ETFs. The share prices of the Underlying ETFs are expected to track the performance of equities in developed or emerging markets that provide exposure to structurally disruptive macro-trends.
 
The Solactive Thematic Growth Index is constructed from the eligible universe of Underlying ETFs, each of which is issued by Global X Funds® and is determined by Solactive AG to provide exposure to structurally disruptive macro-trends and the underlying investments that stand to benefit from the materialization of those trends ("Global X Thematic Growth ETFs"). Structurally disruptive macro-trends typically eschew traditional sector and geographic classifications, and may stem from advancements in disruptive technology, changing consumer habits and demographics, or changing needs for infrastructure or finite resources. On an annual basis, and subject to certain weighting constraints, the Solactive Thematic Growth Index is reconstituted and reweighted to allocate weights to a subset of the eligible Underlying ETFs using a quantitative methodology that ranks each of the eligible Underlying ETFs based on realized sales growth. In order to calculate the realized sales growth for a given Underlying ETF, Solactive AG calculates the realized sales growth of each component security of each eligible Underlying ETF. The realized sales growth of each component security of the Underlying ETF is then used to calculate the aggregate realized sales growth for the Underlying ETF, based on the respective weights of the component securities in the Underlying ETF. Realized sales growth is determined by calculating the difference between a component security's revenue over the previous 12 months from the date of the rebalance and its revenue over the 12 months prior to the previous rebalance date. In addition to the annual reconstitution, the Solactive Thematic Growth Index is reweighted on a semi-annual basis pursuant to the methodology detailed above. As of January 31, 2020, the Underlying ETFs eligible for inclusion in the Solactive Thematic Growth Index are: Global X Autonomous & Electric Vehicles ETF, Global X Cannabis ETF, Global X Cloud Computing ETF, Global X E-commerce ETF, Global X FinTech ETF, Global X Future Analytics Tech ETF, Global X Genomics & Biotechnology ETF, Global X Health & Wellness Thematic ETF, Global X Internet of Things ETF, Global X Lithium & Battery Tech ETF, Global X Longevity Thematic ETF, Global X Millennials Thematic ETF, Global X Robotics & Artificial Intelligence ETF, Global X Social Media ETF, Global X U.S. Infrastructure Development ETF, and Global X Video Games & Esports ETF. Each Underlying ETF has a minimum weight of 7.5% and a maximum weight of 25% at each rebalance.

Disclaimers

The Index Providers are independent of the Fund and Global X Management Company LLC, the investment adviser for the Fund ("Adviser"). The Index Providers determine the relative weightings of the constituents of each relevant Underlying Index and publish information regarding the market value of such Underlying Index.

Solactive AG ("Solactive") is a leading company in the structuring and indexing business for institutional clients. Solactive runs the Solactive index platform. Solactive indices are used by issuers worldwide as underlying indices for financial products. Solactive does not sponsor, endorse or promote any Fund and is not in any way connected to it and does not accept any liability in relation to their issue, operation and trading.

Concinnity has a background in corporate consulting with a focus on causal path modeling comprised of stakeholder indices, as well as significant experience in quantitative analysis and portfolio management. Concinnity has developed a proprietary, blended qualitative and quantitative framework for identifying companies guided by an MsOS and has been conducting this analysis for nearly a decade. Concinnity makes no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the shareholders of this Fund or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in this Fund particularly or the ability of any data supplied by Concinnity to track general stock market performance.

The Funds are not sponsored, promoted, sold or supported in any other manner by Solactive AG or Concinnity, nor does Solactive AG or Concinnity offer any express or implicit guarantee or assurance either with regard to the results of using the index and/or index trade mark or the index price at any time or in any other respect. The relevant indexes are calculated and published by Solactive AG and/or Concinnity. Solactive AG and/or Concinnity uses its best efforts to ensure that the relevant indexes are calculated correctly. Irrespective of its obligations towards the issuer, Solactive AG and/or Concinnity have no obligations to point out errors in the index to third parties including but not limited to investors and/or financial intermediaries of the Funds. Neither publication of the index by Solactive AG or Concinnity nor the licensing of the index or index trade mark by Concinnity and/or Solactive AG for the purpose of use in connection with the Funds constitutes a recommendation by Solactive AG or Concinnity to invest capital in said Funds nor does it in any way represent an assurance or opinion of Solactive AG or Concinnity with regard to any investment in the Funds.

Indxx is a service mark of Indxx, LLC ("Indxx") and has been licensed for use for certain purposes by the Adviser. The Funds are not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by Indxx. Indxx makes no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of the Funds or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in the Funds particularly.

34


Indxx has no obligation to take the needs of the Adviser or the shareholders of the Funds into consideration in determining, composing or calculating the Underlying Indices. Indxx is not responsible for and has not participated in the determination of the timing, amount or pricing of the Fund Shares to be issued or in the determination or calculation of the equation by which the Fund Shares are to be converted into cash. Indxx has no obligation or liability in connection with the administration, marketing or trading of the Funds.

ICE BofAML Diversified Core U.S. Preferred Securities IndexSM/® is a service mark of ICE Data, LP or its affiliates (ICE Data) and has been licensed for use by Global X Management Company LLC (the Issuer) in connection with Global X U.S. Preferred ETF (the ETP Securities). Neither the Issuer nor the ETP Securities are sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by ICE Data. ICE Data makes no representations or warranties regarding the Issuer or the ETP Securities or the ability of the ICE BofAML Diversified Core U.S. Preferred Securities IndexSM/® to track general stock market performance.

ICE DATA MAKES NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, AND HEREBY EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE WITH RESPECT TO THE ICE BOFAML DIVERSIFIED CORE U.S. PREFERRED SECURITIES INDEXSM/® OR ANY DATA INCLUDED THEREIN. IN NO EVENT SHALL ICE DATA HAVE ANY LIABILITY FOR ANY SPECIAL, PUNITIVE, INDIRECT, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING LOST PROFITS), EVEN IF NOTIFIED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.

Standard & Poor's® and S&P® are registered trademarks of Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC ("S&P") and have been licensed for use by the Adviser. The Global X S&P 500® Quality Dividend ETF ("ETF") is not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by Standard & Poor's and its affiliates ("S&P"). S&P makes no representation, condition or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of the ETF or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in the ETF particularly or the ability of the S&P 500® Quality High Dividend Index (the "Index") to track the performance of certain financial markets and/or sections thereof and/or of groups of assets or asset classes. S&P's only relationship to the Adviser is the licensing of certain trademarks and trade names and of the index which is determined, composed and calculated by S&P without regard to the Adviser or the ETF. S&P has no obligation to take the needs of Global X Management Company, LLC or the owners of the ETF into consideration in determining, composing or calculating the index. S&P is not responsible for and has not participated in the determination of the prices and amount of the ETF or the timing of the issuance or sale of the ETF or in the determination or calculation of the equation by which the ETF units are to be converted into cash. S&P has no obligation or liability in connection with the administration, marketing, or trading of the ETF.

Neither S&P, its affiliates nor third party licensors, guarantees the accuracy and/or the completeness of the index or any data included therein and S&P, its affiliates and their third party licensors, shall have no liability for any errors, omissions, or interruptions therein. S&P, its affiliates and third party licensors make no warranty, condition or representation, express or implied, as to the results to be obtained by to Adviser, owners of the ETF, or any other person or entity from the use of the index or any data included therein. S&P makes no express or implied warranties, representations or conditions, and expressly disclaims all warranties or conditions of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose or use and any other express or implied warranty or condition with respect to the index or any data included therein. Without limiting any of the foregoing, in no event shall S&P, its affiliates or their third party licensors, have any liability for any special, punitive, indirect, or consequential damages (including lost profits) resulting from the use of the index or any data included therein, even if notified of the possibility of such damages.

The Global X Adaptive U.S. Factor ETF and its common shares are not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by Carroll Financial. Carroll Financial makes no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the shareholders of the Global X Adaptive U.S. Factor ETF or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in the Global X Adaptive U.S. Factor ETF particularly or the ability of any data supplied by Carroll Financial, to track general stock market performance. Carroll Financial's only relationship to the Adviser is the licensing of certain trademarks and trade names of Adaptive Wealth Strategies and of the data supplied by Carroll Financial related to the Adaptive Wealth Strategies U.S. Factor Index, which is determined, composed and calculated by Solactive AG without regard to this Global X Adaptive U.S. Factor ETF or its common shares. Carroll Financial has no obligation to take the needs of the Adviser or the shareholders of the Global X Adaptive U.S. Factor ETF into consideration in determining, composing or calculating the data supplied by Carroll Financial. Carroll Financial is not responsible for and has not participated in the determination of the prices of the common shares of the Global X Adaptive U.S. Factor ETF or the timing of the issuance or sale of such common shares. Carroll Financial has no obligation or liability in connection with the administration, marketing or trading of the Global X Adaptive U.S. Factor ETF or its common shares.

INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS
 
Each Fund is subject to the investment policies enumerated in this section, which may be changed with respect to a particular Fund only by a vote of the holders of a majority of such Fund's outstanding Shares.
 
The Funds:

1.
May not issue any senior security, except as permitted under the 1940 Act, and as interpreted or modified by regulatory authority having jurisdiction, from time to time;

2.
May not borrow money, except as permitted under the 1940 Act, and as interpreted or modified by regulatory authority having jurisdiction, from time to time;

3.
May not act as an underwriter of securities within the meaning of the Securities Act, except as permitted under the Securities Act, and as interpreted or modified by regulatory authority having jurisdiction, from time to time. Among other things, to the extent that a Fund may be deemed to be an underwriter within the meaning of the Securities Act, this would permit the Fund to act as an underwriter of securities in connection with the purchase and sale of its portfolio securities in the ordinary course of pursuing its investment objective, investment policies and investment program;

4.
May not purchase or sell real estate or any interests therein, except as permitted under the 1940 Act, and as interpreted or modified by regulatory authority having jurisdiction, from time to time. Notwithstanding this limitation, a Fund may, among other things: (i) acquire or lease office space for its own use; (ii) invest in securities of issuers that invest in real estate or interests therein; (iii) invest in mortgage-related securities and other securities that are secured by real estate or interests therein; or (iv) hold and sell real estate acquired by the Fund as a result of the ownership of securities;

5.
May not purchase physical commodities or contracts relating to physical commodities, except as permitted under the 1940 Act, and as interpreted or modified by regulatory authority having jurisdiction, from time to time;

6.
May not make loans, except as permitted under the 1940 Act, and as interpreted or modified by regulatory authority having jurisdiction, from time to time; and


35


7.
May not "concentrate" its investments in a particular industry or group of industries: (I) except that the Fund will concentrate to approximately the same extent that its Underlying Index concentrates in the securities of such particular industry or group of industries; and (II) except as permitted under the 1940 Act, and as interpreted or modified by regulatory authority having jurisdiction from time to time, provided that, without limiting the generality of the foregoing: (a) this limitation will not apply to a Fund's investments in: (i) securities of other investment companies; (ii) securities issued or guaranteed as to principal and/or interest by the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities; (iii) repurchase agreements (collateralized by the instruments described in clause (ii)) or (iv) securities of state or municipal governments and their political subdivisions are not considered to be issued by members of any industry; (b) wholly owned finance companies will be considered to be in the industries of their parents if their activities are primarily related to the financing activities of the parents; and (c) utilities will be divided according to their services, for example, gas, gas transmission, electric and gas, electric and telephone will each be considered a separate industry.

Notwithstanding these fundamental investment restrictions, each Fund may purchase securities of other investment companies to the full extent permitted under Section 12 or any other provision of the 1940 Act (or any successor provision thereto) or under any regulation or order of the SEC.

If a percentage limitation is satisfied at the time of investment, a later increase or decrease in such percentage resulting from a change in the value of a Fund's investments will not constitute a violation of such limitation, except that any borrowing by the Fund that exceeds the fundamental investment limitations stated above must be reduced to meet such limitations within the period required by the 1940 Act (currently three days). In addition, if a Fund's holdings of illiquid securities exceed 15% of net assets because of changes in the value of the Fund's investments, the Fund will act in accordance with Rule 22e-4 under the 1940 Act and will take action to reduce its holdings of illiquid securities within a time frame deemed to be in the best interest of the Fund. Otherwise, a Fund may continue to hold a security even though it causes the Fund to exceed a percentage limitation because of fluctuation in the value of the Fund's assets.
 
Any investment restriction which involves a maximum percentage (other than the restriction set forth above in investment restriction No. 2) will not be considered violated unless an excess over the percentage occurs immediately after, and is caused by, an acquisition or encumbrance of securities or assets of a Fund. The 1940 Act requires that if the asset coverage for borrowings at any time falls below the limits under the 1940 Act described in investment restriction No. 2, a Fund will, within three days thereafter (not including Sundays and holidays), reduce the amount of its borrowings to an extent that the net asset coverage of such borrowings shall conform to such limits.

CURRENT 1940 ACT LIMITATIONS
 
BORROWING. Investment companies generally may not borrow money, except that an investment company may borrow money in an amount not exceeding 33 1/3% of its total assets (including the amount borrowed) less liabilities (other than borrowings).

UNDERWRITING. Investment companies generally may not act as an underwriter of another issuer's securities, except to the extent that an investment company may be deemed to be an underwriter within the meaning of the Securities Act in connection with the purchase or sale of portfolio securities.
 
REAL ESTATE. Investment companies generally may not purchase or sell real estate unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments (but investment companies may purchase or sell securities or other instruments backed by real estate or of issuers engaged in real estate activities).

LOANS. Investment companies generally may not lend any security or make any other loan if, as a result, more than 33 1/3% of its total assets would be lent to other parties, but 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.

PHYSICAL COMMODITIES. Investment companies generally may not purchase or sell physical commodities unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments (but investment companies may purchase or sell options, futures contracts or other derivative instruments, and invest in securities or other instruments backed by physical commodities).
 
CONCENTRATION. For purposes of calculating concentration percentages, investment companies investing in (a) affiliated investment companies are required to look through to the holdings of the affiliated investment companies and include the holdings in calculations of concentration percentages, and (ii) unaffiliated investment companies are required to include the holdings of the unaffiliated investment companies to the extent that they are concentrated in calculations of concentration percentages. In addition, revenue bonds are characterized by the industry in which the revenue is used.

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 Funds on an ongoing basis, at any point a "distribution," as such term is used in the Securities Act, may occur. Broker-dealers and other persons are cautioned that some activities on their part may, depending on the circumstances, result in their being deemed participants in a distribution in a manner which could render them statutory underwriters and subject them to the prospectus delivery requirement and liability provisions of the Securities Act.
 
For example, a broker-dealer firm or its client may be deemed a statutory underwriter if it takes Creation Unit Aggregations after placing an order with the Distributor, breaks them down into constituent shares, and sells such shares directly to customers, or if it chooses to couple the creation of a supply of new shares with an active selling effort involving solicitation of secondary market demand for shares. A determination of whether one is an underwriter for purposes of the Securities Act must take into account all the facts and circumstances pertaining to the activities of the broker-dealer or its client in the particular case, and the examples mentioned above should not be considered a complete description of all the activities that could lead to a categorization as an underwriter. Broker-dealer firms should also note that dealers who are not "underwriters" but are effecting transactions in shares, whether or not participating in the distribution of shares, generally are required to deliver a prospectus. This is because the prospectus delivery exemption in Section 4(3) of the Securities Act is not available in respect of such transactions as a result of Section 24(d) of the 1940 Act. Firms that incur a prospectus delivery obligation with respect to shares of the Funds are reminded that, pursuant to Rule 153 under the Securities Act, a prospectus delivery obligation under Section 5(b)(2) of the Securities Act owed to an exchange member in connection with a sale on the Exchange is satisfied by the fact that the prospectus is available at the Exchange upon request. The prospectus delivery mechanism provided in Rule 153 is only available with respect to transactions on an exchange.

PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS
 
Policy on Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings
 

36


The Board of Trustees of the Trust has adopted a policy on disclosure of portfolio holdings, which it believes is in the best interests of the Funds' shareholders. The policy is designed to: (i) protect the confidentiality of the Funds' non-public portfolio holdings information, (ii) prevent the selective disclosure of such information, and (iii) ensure compliance by the Adviser and the Funds with the federal securities laws, including the 1940 Act and the rules promulgated thereunder and general principles of fiduciary duty. The Funds' portfolio holdings, or information derived from the Funds' portfolio holdings, may, in the Adviser's discretion, be made available to third parties if (i) such disclosure has been included in a Fund's public filings with the SEC or is disclosed on the Fund's publicly accessible Website; (ii) such disclosure is determined by the Chief Compliance Officer ("CCO") to be in the best interests of Fund shareholders and consistent with applicable law, (iii) such disclosure is made equally available to anyone requesting it; and (iv) the Adviser determines that the disclosure does not present the risk of such information being used to trade against the Funds.
 
Each business day, portfolio holdings information will be provided to the Transfer Agent or other agent for dissemination through the facilities of the National Securities Clearing Corporation ("NSCC") and/or other fee based subscription services to NSCC members and/or subscribers to those other fee based subscription services, including Authorized Participants (defined below), and to entities that publish and/or analyze such information in connection with the process of purchasing or redeeming Creation Units or trading Shares of the Funds in the secondary market. Information with respect to each Fund's portfolio holdings is also disseminated daily on the Fund's Website.

The Distributor may also make available portfolio holdings information to other institutional market participants and entities that provide information services. This information typically reflects each Fund's anticipated holdings on the following business day. "Authorized Participants" are generally large institutional investors that have been authorized by the Distributor to purchase and redeem large blocks of Shares (known as Creation Units) pursuant to legal requirements, including the exemptive order granted by the SEC, pursuant to which the Funds offer and redeem Shares ("Global X Order"). Other than portfolio holdings information made available in connection with the creation/redemption process, as discussed above, portfolio holdings information that is not filed with the SEC or posted on the publicly available Website may be provided to third parties only in limited circumstances, as described above.
 
Disclosure to providers of auditing, custody, proxy voting and other similar services for the Funds, as well as rating and ranking organizations, will generally be permitted; however, information may be disclosed to other third parties (including, without limitation, individuals, institutional investors, and Authorized Participants that sell Shares of a Fund) only upon approval by the CCO. The recipients who may receive non-public portfolio holdings information are as follows: the Adviser and its affiliates, the Funds' independent registered public accounting firm, the Distributor, administrator and custodian, the Funds' legal counsel, the Funds' financial printer and the Funds' proxy voting service. These entities are obligated to keep such information confidential. Third-party providers of custodial or accounting services to a Fund may release non-public portfolio holdings information of a Fund only with the permission of the CCO.
 
Portfolio holdings will be disclosed through required filings with the SEC. Each Fund files its portfolio holdings with the SEC for each fiscal quarter on Form N-CSR (with respect to each annual period and semiannual period) and Form N-Q (with respect to the first and third quarters of the Fund's fiscal year). Shareholders may obtain a Fund's Forms N-CSR and N-Q filings on the SEC's Website at sec.gov. In addition, the Funds' Forms N-CSR and N-Q filings may be reviewed and copied at the SEC's public reference room in Washington, DC. You may call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for information about the SEC's Website or the operation of the public reference room.
 
Under the policy on disclosure of portfolio holdings, the Board of Trustees is to receive information, on a quarterly basis, regarding any other disclosures of non-public portfolio holdings information that were permitted during the preceding quarter.

MANAGEMENT OF THE TRUST

BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS
 
The business and affairs of the Trust are overseen by the Board of Trustees ("Board"). Subject to the provisions of the Trust's Declaration of Trust and By-Laws and Delaware law, the Board has all powers necessary and convenient to carry out this general oversight responsibility, including the power to elect and remove the Trust's officers. The focus of the Board's oversight of the business and affairs of the Trust (and each of the Funds, as well as other funds) is to protect the interests of the shareholders in the Funds and other relevant funds.
 
The Board appoints and oversees the Trust's officers and service providers. The Adviser is responsible for the day-to-day management and operations of the Trust and each of the funds, including the Funds, based on each fund's investment objective, strategies, policies, and restrictions and agreements entered into by the Trust and/or the Adviser on behalf of the Trust. In carrying

37


out its general oversight responsibility, the Board regularly interacts with and receives reports from the senior personnel of the Trust's service providers (including, in particular, the Adviser) and the Trust's CCO. The Board is assisted by the Trust's independent registered public accounting firm (which reports directly to the Trust's Audit Committee), independent counsel to the Independent Trustees (as defined below), counsel to the Trust and the Adviser, and other experts selected and approved by the Board.

BOARD STRUCTURE AND RELATED MATTERS. Board members who are not "interested persons" of the Trust, as defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act ("Independent Trustees"), constitute 75 percent of the Board. Mr. Luis Berruga is the sole Board member who is an "interested person" of the Trust ("Interested Trustee"). Mr. Berruga is an Interested Trustee due to his affiliation with the Adviser. The Board believes that having an interested person on the Board facilitates the ability of the Independent Trustees to fully understand (i) the Adviser's commitment to providing and/or arranging for the provision of quality services to the Funds and (ii) corporate and financial matters of the Adviser that may be of importance in the Board's decision-making process.
 
Mr. Luis Berruga, an Interested Trustee, serves as Chairman of the Board until June 30, 2020. The Chairman helps to facilitate communication among the Trustees as well as communication between the Trustees and management of the Trust. The Chairman may assume such other duties and perform such activities as the Board may, from time to time, determine should be handled by the Chairman. Mr. Charles A. Baker serves as lead Independent Trustee. In his role as lead Independent Trustee, Mr. Baker, among other things: (i) presides over Board meetings in the absence of the Chairman of the Board; (ii) presides over executive sessions of the Independent Trustees; (iii) along with the Chairman of the Board, oversees the development of agendas for Board meetings; (iv) facilitates communication between the Independent Trustees and management, and among the Independent Trustees; and (v) has such other responsibilities as the Board or Independent Trustees determine from time to time. The Trust has determined its leadership structure is appropriate given the specific characteristics and circumstances of the Trust. The Trust made this determination in consideration of, among other factors, the fact that the Independent Trustees constitute three-quarters of the Board, the fact that the chairperson of each Committee of the Board is an Independent Trustee, the length of service of each of the Independent Trustees on the Board, the asset size and nature of the funds, the number of funds overseen by the Board, the arrangements for the conduct of the funds' operations, the number of Trustees, and the Board's responsibilities.

The Trustees discharge their responsibilities collectively as a Board, as well as through Board committees, each of which operates pursuant to a charter that delineates the specific responsibilities of that committee. The Board has established two standing committees: an Audit Committee and a Nominating and Governance Committee. Currently, each of the Independent Trustees serves on each of these committees, which are comprised solely of Independent Trustees.
 
The Board periodically evaluates its structure and composition as well as various aspects of its operations. On an annual basis, the Board conducts a self-evaluation process that, among other things, considers (i) whether the Board and its committees are functioning effectively, (ii) given the size and composition of the Board and each of its committees, whether the Trustees are able to effectively oversee the number of funds in the complex and (iii) whether the mix of skills, perspectives, qualifications, attributes, education, and relevant experience of the Trustees helps to enhance the Board's effectiveness.
 
There are no specific required qualifications for Board membership. The Board believes that the different skills, perspectives, qualifications, attributes, education, and relevant experience of each of the Trustees provide the Board with a variety of complementary skills. Please note that (i) none of the Trustees is an "expert" within the meaning of the federal securities laws and (ii) the Board is not responsible for the day to day operations of the Trust and the Funds.
 
The Board of Trustees met four (4) times during the fiscal period ended November 30, 2019. The Board may hold special meetings, as needed, either in person or by telephone, to address matters arising between regular meetings.
 
The Trustees are identified in the table below, which provides information as to their principal business occupations held during the last five years and certain other information. Each Trustee serves until his or her death, resignation or removal and replacement. As of March 1, 2020, each of the Trustees oversaw 83 funds (72 of which were operational). The address for all Trustees and officers is c/o Global X Funds®, 605 3rd Avenue, 43rd Floor, New York, New York 10158.
 

38


Independent Trustees

Name
(Year of Birth)
Position(s) Held
with Funds
Principal Occupation(s) During the Past 5 Years
Number of
Portfolios in Fund
Complex Overseen
by Trustees
Other Directorships Held by Trustees during the
Past 5 Years
Charles A. Baker
(1953)
Trustee (since 07/2018)
Chief Executive Officer of Investment Innovations LLC (investment consulting) (since 2013); Managing Director of NYSE Euronext (2003 to 2012)
83 (72 of which are operational)
Trustee of OSI ETF Trust (since 2016)
Susan M. Ciccarone (1973)
Trustee (since 9/30/2019)
Partner, Further Global Capital Management (private equity) (since 2017); formerly Chief Operating Officer (2014-2016) and Chief Financial Officer (2012-2016), Emerging Global Advisors, LLC (ETF issuer)
83 (72 of which are operational)
Chairman, Payment Alliance International, Inc. (since 2019); Director, Casa Holdco LP, parent of Celink (since 2018)
Clifford J. Weber
(1963)
Trustee (since 07/2018)
Owner, Financial Products Consulting Group LLC (consulting services to financial institutions) (since 2015); Formerly, Executive Vice President of Global Index and Exchange-Traded Products, NYSE Market, Inc., a subsidiary of Intercontinental Exchange (ETF/ETP listing exchange) (2013-2015)
83 (72 of which are operational)
Chairman (since 2017) and Trustee (since 2015) of Clough Funds Trust; Chairman and Trustee of Clayton Street Trust (since 2016); Chairman and Trustee of Janus Detroit Street Trust (since 2016); Chairman and Trustee of Elevation ETF Trust (2016-2018); Trustee of Clough Global Equity Fund (since 2017); Trustee of Clough Global Dividend and Income Fund (since 2017); and Trustee of Clough Global Opportunities Fund (since 2017)




39


Interested Trustee/Officers

Name
(Year of Birth)
Position(s) Held
 with Funds
Principal Occupation(s)
During the Past 5 Years
Number of
Portfolios in Fund
Complex Overseen
by Trustees
Other Directorships
Held by Trustees During the Past
5 Years
Luis Berruga
(1977)
Trustee (since 07/2018); President (since 2018)
Chief Executive Officer, GXMC (since 07/2018), Chief Financial Officer (since 2/2014) and Chief Operating Officer (9/2015 - 7/2018); Investment Banker, Jefferies (2012-2014)
83 (72 of which are operational)
None
Chang Kim
(1984)
Chief Operating Officer; Treasurer, Principal Accounting Officer; and Chief Financial Officer (since 7/2018)
Chief Operating Officer, GXMC (since 7/2018), Head of Portfolio Management & Portfolio Administration (1/2017-7/2018); and Portfolio Manager (since 9/2009)
n/a
n/a
John Belanger
(1982)
Secretary (since 3/2020)
Head of Product Management, GXMC (since 1/2020); Consultant to GXMC (9/2018 - 12/2019); Chief Operating Officer, REX Shares, LLC (2014-2018)
n/a
n/a
Eric Griffith1 
(1969)
Assistant Secretary (since 2/2020)
Counsel, SEI Investments (since 10/2019); Vice President and Assistant General Counsel, JPMorgan Chase & Co. (2012-2018)
n/a
n/a
Joe Costello
(1974)
Chief Compliance Officer (since 9/2016)
Chief Compliance Officer, FlexShares Funds (2011-2015); Vice President, Northern Trust Investments (2003 - 2015)
n/a
n/a

40


Name
(Year of Birth)
Position(s) Held
 with Funds
Principal Occupation(s)
During the Past 5 Years
Number of
Portfolios in Fund
Complex Overseen
by Trustees
Other Directorships
Held by Trustees During the Past
5 Years
Eric Kleinschmidt1
(1968)
Assistant Treasurer (since 2016)
Director, Fund Accounting, SEI Investments Global Funds Services (2004 to present)
n/a
n/a

1    These officers of the Trust also serve as officers of one or more funds for which SEI Investments Company or an affiliate acts as investment manager, administrator or distributor.

In addition to the information set forth in the table above, each Trustee possesses other relevant skills, perspectives, qualifications, attributes, education, and relevant experience. The following provides additional information about certain qualifications and experience of each of the Trustees and the reason why he or she was selected to serve as Trustee.

Charles A. Baker: Mr. Baker has extensive knowledge of and experience in the financial services industry, including previously serving as Managing Director of NYSE Euronext. Additionally, Mr. Baker has experience serving as an independent director for an ETF trust.
 
Luis Berruga: Mr. Berruga has extensive knowledge of and experience in the financial services industry, including serving as President and Chief Operating Officer of the Adviser. Mr. Berruga received his MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.
 
Susan M. Ciccarone: Ms. Ciccarone has extensive knowledge of and experience in the financial services and investment management industries. She is currently a partner of Further Global Capital Management, a private equity firm, and previously served as Chief Operating and Chief Financial Officer of an adviser to ETFs. Ms. Ciccarone received her MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

Clifford J. Weber: Mr. Weber has experience previously serving as a senior executive of stock exchanges with responsibilities including ETF and exchange-traded product issues, experience with the structure and operations of ETFs, experience with secondary market transactions involving ETFs, and experience serving as a mutual fund independent director.

RISK MANAGEMENT OVERSIGHT. The Funds are subject to a variety of risks, including (but not limited to) investment risk, financial risk, legal, regulatory and compliance risk, and operational risk. Consistent with its responsibility for general oversight of the business and affairs of the Trust and the Funds, the Board oversees the Adviser's day-to-day management of the risks to which the Trust and the Funds are subject. The Board has charged the Adviser with (i) identifying possible events and circumstances that could have demonstrable, adverse effects on the business and affairs of the Trust and the Funds; (ii) implementing of processes and controls to lessen the possibility that such events or circumstances occur or mitigate the effects of such events or circumstances if they do occur; and (iii) creating and maintaining a system designed to continuously evaluate business and market conditions to facilitate the processes described in (i) and (ii) above. The Adviser seeks to address the day-to-day risk management of the Trust and the Funds by relying on the Trust's compliance policies and procedures (i.e., the Trust's compliance program) as well as the compliance programs of the Trust's various service providers, internal control mechanisms and other risk oversight mechanisms as well as the assistance of the Trust's sub-administrator. The Adviser also separately considers potential risks that may impact the individual Funds.
 
As noted above, on behalf of the Trust, the Board has adopted, and periodically reviews, various compliance policies and procedures that are designed to address certain risks to the Trust and the Funds. In addition, under the general oversight of the Board, the Adviser and the Trust's other service providers have adopted a variety of processes, policies, procedures and controls designed to address particular risks to which the Trust and the Funds are subject. Different processes, policies, procedures and controls are employed with respect to different types of risks. Further, the Adviser oversees and regularly monitors the investments, operations, and compliance of the Funds' investments with various regulatory and other requirements.
 
Because the day-to-day operations of the Funds are carried out by the Adviser, the risk exposure of the Trust and the Funds are mitigated but not eliminated by the processes overseen by the Board. In addition to the risk management processes, policies, procedures, and controls implemented by the Adviser, the Board seeks to oversee the risk management structure of the Trust and

41


the Funds directly and through its committees (as described below). In this regard, the Board has requested that the Adviser, the CCO for the Trust and the Adviser, the independent auditors for the Trust, and counsel to the Trust and Adviser provide the Board with periodic reports regarding issues that should be focused on by the Board members. In large part, the Board oversees the Adviser's management of the Trust's risk management structure through the Board's review of regular reports, presentations and other information from officers of the Trust and other persons. Senior officers of the Trust, including the Trust's CCO, regularly report to the Board on a range of matters, including those relating to risk management. In this regard, the Board periodically receives reports regarding the Trust's service providers, either directly or through the CCO. On at least a quarterly basis, the Independent Trustees meet with the CCO to discuss matters relating to the Trust's compliance program and, in accordance with Rule 38a-1 under the 1940 Act, the Board receives at least annually a written report from the CCO regarding the effectiveness of the Trust's compliance program. In connection with the CCO's annual Rule 38a-1 compliance report to the Board, the Independent Trustees meet with the CCO in executive session to discuss the Trust's compliance program.
 
Further, the Board regularly receives reports from the Adviser with respect to the Funds' investments and securities trading and, as necessary, any fair valuation determinations made by the Adviser with respect to certain investments held by the Funds. Senior officers of the Trust and Adviser routinely report regularly to the Board on valuation matters, internal controls, accounting and financial reporting policies and practices.  In addition, the Audit Committee receives information on the Funds' internal controls and financial reporting from the Trust's independent registered public accounting firm.
 
The Board recognizes that not all risks that may affect the Funds can be identified nor can processes and controls be developed to eliminate or mitigate their occurrence or effects of certain risks. Some risks are simply beyond the reasonable control of the Funds, their management and service providers. Although the risk management process, policies and procedures of the Funds, their management and service providers are designed to be effective, there is no guarantee that they will eliminate or mitigate all such risks. Moreover, it may be necessary to bear certain risks to achieve each Fund's investment objective.

STANDING BOARD COMMITTEES
 
The Board of Trustees currently has two standing committees: an Audit Committee and a Nominating and Governance Committee. Currently, each Independent Trustee serves on each of these committees.

AUDIT COMMITTEE. The purposes of the Audit Committee are to assist the Board in (1) its oversight of the Trust's accounting and financial reporting principles and policies and related controls and procedures maintained by or on behalf of the Trust; (2) its oversight of the Trust's financial statements and the independent audit thereof; (3) selecting, evaluating and, where deemed appropriate, replacing the independent registered public accounting firm (or nominating the independent registered public accounting firm to be proposed for shareholder approval in any proxy statement); and (4) evaluating the independence of the independent registered public accounting firm. During the fiscal period ended November 30, 2019, the Audit Committee held three (3) meetings.

NOMINATING AND GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE. The purposes of the Nominating and Governance Committee are, among other things, to assist the Board in (1) its assessment of the adequacy of the Board's adherence to industry corporate governance best practices; (2) periodic evaluation of the operation of the Trust and meetings with management of the Trust concerning the Trust's operations and the application of policies and procedures to the Funds; (3) review, consideration and recommendation to the full Board regarding Independent Trustee compensation; (4) identification and evaluation of potential candidates to fill a vacancy on the Board; and (5) selection from among potential candidates of a nominee to be presented to the full Board for its consideration. The Nominating and Governance Committee will not consider shareholders' nominees. During the fiscal period ended November 30, 2019, the Nominating and Governance Committee held three (3) meetings.

TRUSTEE AND OFFICER OWNERSHIP OF FUND SHARES
 
To the best of the Trust's knowledge, as of the date of this SAI, the Trustees and officers of the Trust, as a group, owned less than 1% of the Shares of each Fund.
 
Securities Ownership
 
Listed below for each Trustee is a dollar range of securities beneficially owned in a Fund together with the aggregate dollar range of equity securities in all registered investment companies overseen by each Trustee that are in the same family of investment companies as the Trust, as of December 31, 2019.


42


Name of Trustee
Fund
Dollar Range of Equity Securities In Fund
Aggregate Dollar Range of Equity Securities in All Funds Overseen by Trustee in Family of Investment Companies
Independent Trustees
 
 
 
Charles A. Baker
None
None
None
Susan M. Ciccarone
None
None
None
Clifford J. Weber
None
None
None
Interested Trustee
 
 
 
Luis Berruga
 
 
over $100,000
 
Global X MLP ETF
over $100,000
 
 
Global X U.S. Preferred ETF
over $100,000
 
 
Global X MLP & Energy Infrastructure ETF
$10,001-$50,000
 
 
Global X TargetIncome™ Plus 2 ETF
$10,001-$50,000
 
 
Global X Cannabis ETF
$10,001-$50,000
 
 
Global X TargetIncome™ 5 ETF
$10,001-$50,000
 
 
Global X SuperDividend® Alternatives ETF
$1-$10,000
 
 
Global X Thematic Growth ETF
$10,001-$50,000
 
 
Global X Cybersecurity ETF
$1-$10,000
 
 
Global X Video Games & Esports ETF
$1-$10,000
 
 
Global X Future Analytics Tech ETF
$1-$10,000
 
 
Global X Robotics & Artificial Intelligence ETF
$1-$10,000
 
 
Global X Genomics & Biotechnology ETF
$1-$10,000
 
 
Global X Autonomous & Electric Vehicles ETF
$1-$10,000
 
 
Global X Cloud Computing ETF
$1-$10,000
 

TRUSTEE OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES OF THE ADVISER AND RELATED COMPANIES

As of December 31, 2019, no Independent Trustee (or any of his or her immediate family members) owned beneficially or of record securities of any Trust investment adviser, its principal underwriter, or any person directly or indirectly, controlling, controlled by or under common control with any Trust investment adviser or principal underwriter.
Name of
Independent Trustee
Name of Owners
and Relationship
to Trustee
Company
Title of Class
Value of Securities
Percent of Class
Charles A. Baker
None
None
None
None
None
Susan M. Ciccarone
None
None
None
None
None
Clifford J. Weber
None
None
None
None
None

No Independent Trustee or immediate family member has during the two most recently completed calendar years had: (i) any material interest, direct or indirect, in any transaction or series of similar transactions, in which the amount involved exceeds $120,000; or (ii) any direct or indirect relationship of any nature, in which the amount involved exceeds $120,000, with:

the Funds;

an officer of the Trust;

an investment company, or person that would be an investment company but for the exclusions provided by Sections 3(c)(1) and 3(c)(7) of the 1940 Act, having the same investment adviser or principal underwriter as the Funds or having an investment adviser or principal underwriter that directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with the Adviser or principal underwriter of the Funds;

an officer or an investment company, or a person that would be an investment company but for the exclusions provided by Sections 3(c)(1) and 3(c)(7) of the 1940 Act, having the same investment adviser or principal underwriter as the Funds or having an investment adviser or principal underwriter that directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with the Adviser or principal underwriter of the Funds;

the Adviser or principal underwriter of the Funds;

an officer of the Adviser or principal underwriter of the Funds;

a person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the Adviser or principal underwriter of the Funds; or

an officer of a person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the Adviser or principal underwriter of the Funds.

 
The Interested Trustee is not compensated by the Trust. Rather, he is compensated by the Adviser. Independent Trustee fees are paid from the unitary fee paid to the Adviser by the Funds. All of the Independent Trustees are reimbursed for their travel expenses and other reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with attending Board meetings (these other expenses are subject to Board review to ensure that they are not excessive). The Trust does not accrue pension or retirement benefits as part of the Fund's expenses, and Trustees are not entitled to benefits upon retirement from the Board. The Trust's officers receive no compensation directly from the Trust.
 
The following sets forth the fees paid to each Trustee for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2019.

43


Name of
Independent Trustee
 
Aggregate Compensation from the Funds
 
Pension or Retirement Benefits Accrued as Part of Funds Expenses
 
Total Compensation from Trust
Charles A. Baker
 
$34,722
 
$0
 
$100,000
Sanjay Ram Bharwani(1)
 
$28,935
 
$0
 
$83,333
Susan M. Ciccarone (2)
 
$5,787
 
$0
 
$16,667
Clifford J. Weber
 
$34,722
 
$0
 
$100,000

(1)    Resigned as a Trustee as of September 30, 2019

(2)    Ms. Ciccarone became a Trustee on September 30, 2019.

CODE OF ETHICS
 
The Trust, the Adviser, and the Distributor each have adopted a code of ethics, as required by applicable law, which is designed to prevent affiliated persons of the Trust, the Adviser, and the Distributor from engaging in deceptive, manipulative or fraudulent activities in connection with securities held or to be acquired by the Funds (which may also be held by persons subject to a code of ethics). There can be no assurance that the codes of ethics will be effective in preventing such activities. The codes of ethics permit personnel subject to them to invest in securities, including securities that may be held or purchased by the Funds. The codes of ethics are on file with the SEC and are available to the public.

INVESTMENT ADVISER

The Adviser, Global X Management Company LLC, serves as investment manager to the Funds pursuant to an Investment Advisory Agreement between the Trust and the Adviser. It is registered as an investment adviser with the SEC and is located at 605 3rd Avenue, 43rd Floor, New York, New York 10158. The Adviser was organized in Delaware on March 28, 2008 as a limited liability company. On July 2, 2018, the Adviser consummated a transaction pursuant to which the Adviser became an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Mirae Asset Global Investments Co., Ltd. ("Mirae"). In this manner, the Adviser is ultimately controlled by Mirae, which is a leading financial services company in Korea and is the headquarters for the Mirae Asset Global Investments Group.
 
Pursuant to Supervision and Administration Agreements between the Trust and the Adviser, the Adviser oversees the operation of the Funds, provides or causes to be furnished the advisory, supervisory, administrative, distribution, transfer agency, custody and all other services necessary for the Funds to operate, and exercises day-to-day oversight over the Funds' service providers. Under the Supervision and Administration Agreement, the Adviser also bears all the fees and expenses incurred in connection with its obligations under the Supervision and Administration Agreement, including, but not limited to, the costs of various third-party services required by the Funds, including audit, certain custody, portfolio accounting, legal, transfer agency and printing costs, except those fees and expenses specifically assumed by the Trust on behalf of each Fund. The Supervision and Administration Agreement for the Global X Thematic Growth ETF provides that the Adviser also bears the costs for acquired fund fees and expenses generated by investments by the Fund in affiliated investment companies.
 
Under the Investment Advisory Agreement between the Trust and the Adviser, the Adviser is responsible for the management of the investment portfolio of each Fund. The ability of the Adviser to successfully implement each Fund's investment strategies will influence such Fund's performance significantly.

Each Fund pays the Adviser a fee ("Management Fee") for the advisory, supervisory, administrative and other services it requires under an all-in fee structure. Each Fund pays (or will pay, for Funds that have not yet commenced operations) a monthly Management Fee to the Adviser at the annual rates set forth in the table below (stated as a percentage of each Fund's respective average daily net assets).
 
Fund
Management Fee
Global X MLP ETF
0.45%
Global X MLP & Energy Infrastructure ETF
0.45%
Global X U.S. Preferred ETF
0.23%
Global X SuperDividend Alternatives ETF
0.75%

44


Global X S&P 500® Quality Dividend ETF
0.20%
Global X TargetIncomeTM 5 ETF
0.39%
Global X TargetIncomeTM Plus 2 ETF
0.39%
Global X Adaptive U.S. Factor ETF
0.27%
Global X Robotics & Artificial Intelligence ETF
0.68%
Global X FinTech ETF
0.68%
Global X Internet of Things ETF
0.68%
Global X Cloud Computing ETF
0.68%
Global X Future Analytics Tech ETF
0.68%
Global X Autonomous & Electric Vehicles ETF
0.68%
Global X Genomics & Biotechnology ETF
0.68%
Global X Video Games & Esports ETF
0.50%
Global X Cybersecurity ETF
0.60%
Global X Millennials Thematic ETF
0.50%
Global X Longevity Thematic ETF
0.50%
Global X Health & Wellness Thematic ETF
0.50%
Global X Education ETF
0.68%
Global X Cannabis ETF
0.50%
Global X U.S. Infrastructure Development ETF
0.47%
Global X Conscious Companies ETF
0.43%
Global X Founder-Run Companies ETF
0.45%
Global X Thematic Growth ETF
0.50%
 
In addition, each Fund bears other fees and expenses that are not covered by the Supervision and Administration Agreement, which may vary and will affect the total expense ratio of each Fund, such as taxes, brokerage fees, commissions and other transaction expenses, interest and extraordinary expenses (such as litigation and indemnification expenses). The Adviser may earn a profit on the Management Fee paid by each Fund. Also, the Adviser, and not shareholders of the Funds, would benefit from any price decreases in third-party services, including decreases resulting from an increase in net assets.
  
Pursuant to an Expense Limitation Agreement, the Adviser has contractually agreed to reimburse or waive fees and/or limit expenses for the Global X U.S. Preferred ETF to the extent necessary to assure that the operating expenses of the Global X U.S. Preferred ETF (exclusive of taxes, brokerage fees, commissions, and other transaction expenses, and extraordinary expenses (such as litigation and indemnification expenses)) will not exceed 0.23% of the average daily net assets of the Global X U.S. Preferred ETF per year until at least April 1, 2021.

Pursuant to an Expense Limitation Agreement, the Adviser has contractually agreed to reimburse or waive fees and/or limit expenses for the Global X Cybersecurity ETF to the extent necessary to assure that the operating expenses of the Global X Cybersecurity ETF (exclusive of taxes, brokerage fees, commissions, and other transaction expenses, interest, and extraordinary expenses (such as litigation and indemnification expenses)) will not exceed 0.50% of the average daily net assets of the Global X Cybersecurity ETF per year until at least April 1, 2021.

The Adviser and its affiliates deal, trade and invest for their own accounts in the types of securities in which a Fund also may invest. The Adviser does not use inside information in making investment decisions on behalf of the Funds.

Each of the Supervision and Administration Agreement and the related Investment Advisory Agreement remains in effect for two (2) years from its effective date and thereafter continues in effect for as long as its continuance is specifically approved at least annually, by (i) the Board of Trustees of the Trust, or by the vote of a majority (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the outstanding Shares of the Fund, and (ii) by the vote of a majority of the Trustees of the Trust who are not parties to the Investment Advisory Agreement or interested persons of the Adviser, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval. Each of the Supervision and Administration Agreement and the related Investment Advisory Agreement provides that it may be terminated at any time without the payment of any penalty, by the Board of Trustees of the Trust or by vote of a majority of the Funds' shareholders, on 60 calendar days written notice to the Adviser, and by the Adviser on the same notice to the Trust and that it shall be automatically terminated if it is assigned.


45


Each of the Supervision and Administration Agreement and the related Investment Advisory Agreement provides that the Adviser shall not be liable to each Fund or its shareholders for anything other than willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of its obligations or duties. The Investment Advisory Agreement also provides that the Adviser may engage in other businesses, devote time and attention to any other business whether of a similar or dissimilar nature, and render investment advisory services to others.

The Management Fees paid by each operational Fund to the Adviser and the aggregated amount of Management Fees reimbursed or waived by the Adviser (net of expenses reimbursed to the Adviser under the applicable Expense Limitation Agreement) for the fiscal years ended November 30, 2017, 2018, and 2019 are set forth in the chart below.
 
Management Fees Paid for the Fiscal Year Ended
Reimbursements or Waivers for the Fiscal Year Ended
 
 
 
Fund
November 30, 2017
November 30, 2018
November 30, 2019
November 30, 2017
November 30, 2018
November 30, 2019
Date of
Commencement
of Investment Operations
Global X MLP ETF
2,472,703
3,923,147
4,052,635
04/18/2012
Global X MLP & Energy Infrastructure ETF
1,118,331
2,056,310
3,271,799
08/06/2013
Global X U.S. Preferred ETF
4,730
188,352
755,984
09/11/2017
Global X SuperDividend Alternatives ETF
67,244
105,037
167,135
07/13/2015
Global X S&P 500® Quality Dividend ETF
3,301
20,438
(1,485)
07/13/2018
Global X TargetIncomeTM 5 ETF
3,213
6,406
07/27/2018
Global X TargetIncomeTM Plus 2 ETF
3,216
10,725
07/27/2018
Global X Adaptive U.S. Factor ETF
45,660
397,375
08/24/2018
Global X Robotics & Artificial Intelligence ETF
1,948,208
14,715,200
10,169,478
09/12/2016
Global X FinTech ETF
70,051
1,409,051
2,463,232
09/12/2016
Global X Internet of Things ETF
280,104
681,691
593,023
09/12/2016
Global X Cloud Computing ETF
1,662,622
04/12/2019
Global X Future Analytics Tech ETF
183,674
265,060
05/11/2018
Global X Autonomous & Electric Vehicles ETF
127,641
88,559
04/13/2018
Global X Genomics & Biotechnology ETF
39,954
04/05/2019
Global X Video Games & Esports ETF
698
10/25/2019
Global X Cybersecurity ETF
891
(149)
10/25/2019
Global X Millennials Thematic ETF
42,415
155,127
357,182
(8,858)
(41,063)
(94,548)
05/04/2016
Global X Longevity Thematic ETF
27,136
88,197
122,997
(6,251)
(23,346)
(32,558)
05/09/2016
Global X Health & Wellness Thematic ETF
13,449
43,952
115,466
(2,692)
(11,634)
(30,564)
05/09/2016
Global X Cannabis ETF
2,989
09/17/2019
Global X U.S. Infrastructure Development ETF
45,444
541,764
671,574
(8,619)
(102,748)
(44,734)
03/06/2017
Global X Conscious Companies ETF
166,491
231,705
275,020
07/11/2016
Global X Founder-Run Companies ETF
13,351
25,810
22,093
02/13/2017
Global X Thematic Growth ETF
1,174
(1,525)
10/25/2019

PORTFOLIO MANAGERS
 
The portfolio managers Chang Kim, Nam To, Wayne Xie and Kimberly Chan are employees of the Adviser.
 
Portfolio Manager's Compensation
 
The Adviser believes that its compensation program is competitively positioned to attract and retain high-caliber investment professionals. Portfolio managers receive a salary and are eligible to receive an annual bonus. A portfolio manager's salary compensation is designed to be competitive with the marketplace and reflect the portfolio manager's relative experience and contribution to the Funds. Base salary compensation is reviewed and adjusted annually to reflect increases in the cost of living and market rates. The annual incentive bonus opportunity provides cash bonuses based upon (a) individual performance in the

46


functional aspects of the portfolio manager role, (b) achievement of strategic goals related to process and technology improvement, and (c) overall company performance.  Portfolio manager compensation is not tied to the performance of the individual funds themselves.  Senior members of the portfolio management team may have stock options of the Adviser.
 
Other Accounts Managed by Portfolio Managers
 
It is anticipated that a portfolio manager will be responsible for multiple investment accounts, including other investment companies registered under the 1940 Act. As a general matter, certain conflicts of interest may arise in connection with a portfolio manager's management of a Fund's investments, on the one hand, and the investments of other accounts for which the portfolio manager is responsible, on the other. For example, it is possible that the various accounts managed could have different investment strategies that, at times, might conflict with one another to the possible detriment of a Fund. Alternatively, to the extent that the same investment opportunities might be desirable for more than one account, possible conflicts could arise in determining how to allocate them. Other potential conflicts might include conflicts created by specific portfolio manager compensation arrangements and conflicts relating to selection of brokers or dealers to execute a Fund's trades. The Adviser has structured a portfolio manager's compensation in a manner, and the Funds and the Adviser have adopted policies, procedures and a code of ethics, reasonably designed to safeguard the Funds from being negatively affected as a result of any such conflicts that may arise.

The Portfolio Managers were responsible for the management of the following accounts as of November 30, 2019, unless otherwise stated:
 
 
Other Accounts Managed

Accounts With Respect To Which The Advisory Fee Is Based On The
Performance of The Account
Name of
Portfolio Manager
Category of Account
Number of Accounts in Category
Total Assets in Accounts in Category
Number of Accounts in Category
Total Assets in Accounts in Category
Chang Kim
Registered investment companies
73
$11,726,208,567
0
$0.00
 
Other pooled investment vehicles
0
$0.00
0
$0.00
 
Other accounts
0
$0.00
0
$0.00
 
 
 
 
 
 
Nam To
Registered investment companies
72
$11,359,788,361
0
$0.00
 
Other pooled investment vehicles
0
$0.00
0
$0.00
 
Other accounts
0
$0.00
0
$0.00
 
 
 
 
 
 
Wayne Xie
Registered investment companies
72
$11,359,788,361
0
$0.00
 
Other pooled investment vehicles
0
$0.00
0
$0.00
 
Other accounts
0
$0.00
0
$0.00
 
 
 
 
 
 
Kimberly Chan
Registered investment companies
72
$11,359,788,361
0
$0.00

47


 
Other pooled investment vehicles
0
$0.00
0
$0.00
 
Other accounts
0
$0.00
0
$0.00

Although the Funds in the Trust that are managed by Kim, To, Xie and Chan may have different investment strategies, each has an investment objective of seeking to replicate, before fees and expenses, its respective underlying index. The Adviser does not believe that management of the various accounts presents a material conflict of interest for Kim, To, Xie and Chan or the Adviser.

Disclosure of Securities Ownership
 
Listed below for each Portfolio Manager is a dollar range of securities beneficially owned in a Fund as of November 30, 2019, unless otherwise stated:
 
Name of
Portfolio Manager
Fund
Dollar Range of Equity
Securities In Fund
Chang Kim
Global X TargetIncome™ Plus 2 ETF
$1-$10,000
 
 
 
Nam To
None
None
 
 
 
Wayne Xie
None
None
 
 
 
Kimberly Chan
None
None

BROKERAGE TRANSACTIONS
 
The policy of the Trust regarding purchases and sales of securities is that primary consideration will be given to obtaining the most favorable prices and efficient executions of transactions. Consistent with this policy, when securities transactions are effected on a stock exchange, the Trust's policy is to pay commissions that are considered fair and reasonable without necessarily determining that the lowest possible commissions are paid in all circumstances. In seeking to determine the reasonableness of brokerage commissions paid in any transaction, the Adviser relies upon its experience and knowledge regarding commissions generally charged by various brokers and in various jurisdictions. The Adviser effects transactions for the Funds with those brokers and dealers that the Adviser believes provide the most favorable prices and are capable of providing the most efficient and best execution of trades. The primary consideration of the Adviser is to seek prompt execution of orders at the most favorable net price. The sale of Shares by a broker-dealer is not a factor in the selection of broker-dealers. The Adviser and its affiliates do not currently participate in any soft dollar transactions, although the Adviser relies on Section 28(e) of the 1934 Act in effecting or executing transactions for the Funds. Accordingly, in selecting broker-dealers to execute a particular transaction, the Adviser may consider the brokerage and research services (as those terms are defined in Section 28(e) of the 1934 Act) provided to the Funds and/or other accounts over which the Adviser or its affiliates exercise investment discretion. The Adviser may cause the Funds to pay a broker-dealer that furnishes brokerage and research services a higher commission than that which might be charged by another broker-dealer for effecting the same transaction, provided that the Adviser determines in good faith that such commission is reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and research services provided by such broker-dealer, viewed in terms of either the particular transaction or the overall responsibilities of the Adviser to the Funds. Such brokerage and research services might consist of reports and statistics on specific companies or industries or broad overviews of the securities markets and the economy. Shareholders of the Funds should understand that the services provided by such brokers may be useful to the Adviser in connection with its services to other clients.
 
The Adviser assumes general supervision over placing orders on behalf of the Funds for the purchase or sale of portfolio securities. If purchases or sales of portfolio securities by the Funds are considered at or about the same time, transactions in such securities are allocated among the Funds in a manner deemed equitable to the Funds by the Adviser. Bundling or bunching transactions for the Funds is intended to result in better prices for portfolio securities and lower brokerage commissions, which should be beneficial to the Funds.
 
The aggregate brokerage commissions paid by each Fund during the fiscal periods ended November 30, 2017, 2018, and 2019 are set forth in the chart below.
 

48


 
Brokerage Commission Paid for
the Fiscal Period Ended

 
Fund
November 30, 2017
November 30, 2018
November 30, 2019
Date of Commencement of
Investment Operations
Global X MLP ETF
112,424
267,698
338,494
04/18/2012
Global X MLP & Energy Infrastructure ETF
64,012
74,939
227,061
08/06/2013
Global X U.S. Preferred ETF
431
19,347
61,174
09/11/2017
Global X SuperDividend Alternatives ETF
4,413
2,622
2,949
07/13/2015
Global X S&P 500® Quality Dividend ETF
15
1,319
07/13/2018
Global X TargetIncomeTM 5 ETF
257
720
07/27/2018
Global X TargetIncomeTM Plus 2 ETF
217
518
07/27/2018
Global X Adaptive U.S. Factor ETF
9,770
122,876
08/24/2018
Global X Robotics & Artificial Intelligence ETF
54,062
696,956
163,428
09/12/2016
Global X FinTech ETF
1,150
39,729
49,401
09/12/2016
Global X Internet of Things ETF
9,498
16,632
10,035
09/12/2016
Global X Cloud Computing ETF
24,518
04/12/2019
Global X Future Analytics Tech ETF
2,405
3,287
05/11/2018
Global X Autonomous & Electric Vehicles ETF
6,438
3,998
04/13/2018
Global X Genomics & Biotechnology ETF
1,960
04/05/2019
Global X Video Games & Esports ETF
111
10/25/2019
Global X Cybersecurity ETF
68
10/25/2019
Global X Millennials Thematic ETF
878
1,748
2,429
05/04/2016
Global X Longevity Thematic ETF
367
1,926
2,422
05/09/2016
Global X Health & Wellness Thematic ETF
298
1,737
3,167
05/09/2016
Global X Cannabis ETF
397
09/17/2019
Global X U.S. Infrastructure Development ETF
9
3,993
5,556
03/06/2017
Global X Conscious Companies ETF
5,272
5,468
9,094
07/11/2016
Global X Founder-Run Companies ETF
517
442
564
02/13/2017
Global X Thematic Growth ETF
10/25/2019

PROXY VOTING
 
The Funds have delegated proxy voting responsibilities to the Adviser, subject to the Board of Trustees' oversight. In delegating proxy responsibilities, the Board of Trustees has directed that proxies be voted consistent with each Fund's and its shareholders' best interests and in compliance with all applicable proxy voting rules and regulations. The Adviser has adopted proxy voting policies and guidelines for this purpose ("Proxy Voting Policies") and the Adviser has engaged a third party proxy solicitation firm, Glass Lewis & Co. ("Glass Lewis"), an independent third party proxy service that is responsible for the actual voting of all proxies in a timely manner, while the CCO is responsible for monitoring the effectiveness of the Proxy Voting Policies. The Proxy Voting Policies have been adopted by the Trust as the policies and procedures that the Adviser will use when voting proxies on behalf of the Funds.

In addition to the general Proxy Voting Policies, the Adviser has adopted the ESG (Environmental, Social & Governance) voting policy addendum for the Global X Conscious Companies ETF.
 
I. General Guidelines
 
Except in instances where the Adviser has provided Glass Lewis with different direction, Glass Lewis has agreed to vote proxies in accordance with recommendations developed by Glass Lewis and overseen by the Advisor. The Glass Lewis guidelines address a wide variety of individual topics, including, among other matters, shareholder voting rights, anti-takeover defenses, board structures, the election of directors, executive and director compensation, reorganizations, mergers, and various shareholder proposals. The Glass Lewis guidelines encourage the maximization of return for shareholders through identifying and avoiding

49


financial, audit and corporate governance risks. Detailed information on Glass Lewis’s proxy voting guidelines are available under “Proxy Paper GuidelinesTM” from Glass Lewis at www.glasslewis.com/guidelines.

The Proxy Voting Policies are designed to ensure that all issues brought to shareholders are analyzed in light of the Adviser's fiduciary responsibilities. The Proxy Voting Policies address the Adviser's oversight of Glass Lewis, as well as when securities on loan are recalled to participate in proxy votes. Additionally, the Proxy Voting Policies address material conflicts of interest that may arise between the interests of the Funds and the interests of the Adviser. In situations in which there is a conflict of interest between the interests of the Adviser or its affiliates and the interests of the Fund’s shareholders, the Adviser will take necessary actions to resolve the conflict and to protect the interests of shareholders.
 
II. Oversight of Third Party Solicitation Firm

The Advisor has reviewed the principles and procedures employed by Glass Lewis in making recommendations on voting proxies on each issue presented, and has satisfied itself that Glass Lewis’s recommendations are (i) based upon an appropriate level of diligence and research, and (ii) designed to further the interests of shareholders, and not serve other unrelated or improper interests. The Advisor shall review its determinations as to Glass Lewis at least annually.

III. Record of Proxy Voting
 
Information on how the Funds voted proxies relating to portfolio securities during the most recent 12 month period ended November 30 is available (1) without charge, upon request, by calling 1-888-843-7824 and (2) on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov.

SUB-ADMINISTRATOR
 
SEI Investments Global Funds Services ("SEIGFS"), located at One Freedom Valley Drive, Oaks, PA 19456, serves as sub-administrator to the Funds. As sub-administrator, SEIGFS provides the Funds with all required general administrative services, including, without limitation, office space, equipment, and personnel; clerical and general back office services; bookkeeping, internal accounting and secretarial services; the calculation of NAV; and the coordination or preparation and filing of all reports, registration statements, proxy statements and all other materials required to be filed or furnished by the Funds under federal and state securities laws. As compensation for these services, SEIGFS receives certain out-of-pocket costs, transaction fees and asset-based fees which are accrued daily and paid monthly by the Adviser from its fees.

DISTRIBUTOR
 
The Trust has entered into a Distribution Agreement under which SEI Investments Distribution Co. ("SIDCO"), with principal offices at One Freedom Valley Drive, Oaks, PA 19456, serves as the Funds' underwriter and distributor of Creation Units. The distributor has no obligation to sell any specific quantity of Shares of the Funds. SIDCO bears the following costs and expenses relating to the distribution of Shares: (i) the costs of processing and maintaining records of creations of Creation Units; (ii) all costs of maintaining the records required of a registered broker/dealer; (iii) the expenses of maintaining its registration or qualification as a dealer or broker under federal or state laws; (iv) filing fees; and (v) all other expenses incurred in connection with the distribution services as contemplated in the Distribution Agreement. No compensation is payable by the Trust to SIDCO for such distribution services. The Distribution Agreement provides that the Trust will indemnify SIDCO against certain liabilities relating to untrue statements or omissions of material fact except those resulting from the reliance on information furnished to the Trust by SIDCO, or those resulting from the willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence of SIDCO, or SIDCO's reckless disregard of its duties and obligations under the Distribution Agreement. SIDCO, its affiliates and officers have no role in determining the investment policies or which securities are to be purchased or sold by the Trust or the Funds. The Distributor is not affiliated with the Trust, the Adviser or any stock exchange.

Additionally, the Adviser or its affiliates may, from time to time, and from its own resources, pay, defray or absorb costs relating to distribution, including payments out of its own resources to SIDCO or to otherwise promote the sale of shares.

CUSTODIAN AND TRANSFER AGENT
 
Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. ("BBH") located at 50 Post Office Square, Boston, MA 02110, serves as custodian of the Funds' assets ("Custodian"). As Custodian, BBH has agreed to (1) make receipts and disbursements of money on behalf of each Fund, (2) collect and receive all income and other payments and distributions on account of each Fund's portfolio investments, (3) respond to correspondence from shareholders, security brokers and others relating to its duties; and (4) make periodic reports to the Funds concerning the Funds' operations. BBH does not exercise any supervisory function over the purchase and sale of securities. As compensation for these services, the Custodian receives certain out-of-pocket costs, transaction fees and asset-based fees which are accrued daily and paid monthly by the Adviser from its fees.

As transfer agent, BBH has agreed to (1) issue and redeem Shares of each Fund, (2) make dividend and other distributions to shareholders of each Fund, (3) respond to correspondence by shareholders and others relating to its duties; (4) maintain shareholder accounts, and (5) make periodic reports to the Funds. As compensation for these services, BBH receives certain out-of-pocket costs, transaction fees and asset-based fees which are accrued daily and paid monthly by the Adviser from its fees.


50


SECURITIES LENDING AGENT
The Board of Trustees has approved each Fund's participation in a securities lending program. Under the securities lending program, BBH serves as the Funds' securities lending agent ("Securities Lending Agent").
For the fiscal year ended November 30, 2019, the total income earned by the Funds as well as the fees and/or compensation paid by the Funds (in dollars) pursuant to a securities lending agreement between the Trust, with respect to the Funds, and the Securities Lending Agent were as follows:
 
Global X Autonomous & Electric Vehicles ETF
Global X Cannabis ETF
Global X Cloud Computing ETF
Global X FinTech ETF
Global X Future Analytics Tech ETF
Global X Internet of Things ETF
Gross income earned by the Fund from securities lending activities
$26,858.66
$46,051.84
$1,596.93
$203,603.68
$59,457.98
$176,769.43
Fees and/or compensation paid by the Fund for securities lending activities and related services
$3,491.63
$5,986.74
$207.60
$26,468.48
$7,729.54
$22,980.03
Fees paid to Securities Lending Agent from revenue split
$3,491.63
$5,986.74
$207.60
$26,468.48
$7,729.54
$22,980.03
Fees paid for any cash collateral management service (including fees deducted from a pooled cash collateral reinvestment vehicle) not included in a revenue split
Administrative fees not included in a revenue split
Indemnification fees not included in a revenue split
Rebate (paid to borrower)
$1,499.25
$32.64
$7,603.65
$137,914.53
$1,478.91
$32,393.32
Other fees not included above
Aggregate fees/compensation paid by the Fund for securities lending activities
$3,491.63
$5,986.74
$207.60
$26,468.48
$7,729.54
$22,980.03
Net income from securities lending activities
$23,367.03
$40,065.10
$1,389.34
$177,135.19
$51,728.45
$153,789.41


51



 
Global X Millennials Thematic ETF
Global X MLP & Energy Infrastructure ETF
Global X Robotics & Artificial Intelligence ETF
Global X SuperDividend Alternatives ETF
Global X U.S. Infrastructure Development ETF
Global X U.S. Preferred ETF
Gross income earned by the Fund from securities lending activities
$9,749.58
$147,238.96
$7,491,951.83
$52,608.74
$6,802.81
$12,919.72
Fees and/or compensation paid by the Fund for securities lending activities and related services
$1,267.45
$19,141.07
$973,953.73
$6,839.13
$884.36
$1,679.56
Fees paid to Securities Lending Agent from revenue split
$1,267.45
$19,141.07
$973,953.73
$6,839.13
$884.36
$1,679.56
Fees paid for any cash collateral management service (including fees deducted from a pooled cash collateral reinvestment vehicle) not included in a revenue split
Administrative fees not included in a revenue split
Indemnification fees not included in a revenue split
Rebate (paid to borrower)
$549.52
$189,653.80
$441,928.89
$380.26
$12,375.11
Other fees not included above
Aggregate fees/compensation paid by the Fund for securities lending activities
$1,267.45
$19,141.07
$973,953.73
$6,839.13
$884.36
$1,679.56
Net income from securities lending activities
$8,482.13
$128,097.90
$6,517,998.01
$45,769.60
$5,918.44
$11,240.15

For the fiscal year ended November 30, 2019, each Securities Lending Agent provided the following services to the Funds in connection with their securities lending activities: (i) entering into loans subject to guidelines or restrictions provided by the Funds; (ii) establishing and maintaining collateral accounts; (iii) monitoring daily the value of the loaned securities and collateral; (iv) seeking additional collateral as necessary from borrowers, and returning collateral to borrowers; (v) receiving and holding collateral from borrowers, and facilitating the investment and reinvestment of cash collateral; (vi) negotiating loan terms; (vii) selecting securities to be loaned subject to guidelines or restrictions provided by the Funds; (viii) recordkeeping and account servicing; (ix) monitoring dividend and proxy activity relating to loaned securities; and (x) arranging for return of loaned securities to the Funds at loan termination.

DESCRIPTION OF SHARES
 
The Declaration of Trust of the Trust ("Declaration") permits the Trust's Board to issue an unlimited number of full and fractional shares of beneficial interest of one or more separate series representing interests in one or more investment portfolios. The Trustees or Trust may create additional series and each series may be divided into classes.
 
Under the terms of the Declaration, each Share of each Fund represents a proportionate interest in the particular Fund with each other share of its class in the same Fund and is entitled to such dividends and distributions out of the income belonging to the Fund as are authorized by the Trustees and declared by the Trust. Upon any liquidation of a Fund, shareholders of each class of a Fund are entitled to share pro rata in the net assets belonging to that class available for distribution. Shares do not have any preemptive or conversion rights. The right of redemption is described in the Prospectus. In addition, pursuant to the terms of the 1940 Act, the right of a shareholder to redeem Shares and the date of payment by a Fund may be suspended for more than seven days (i) for any period during which the New York Stock Exchange is closed, other than the customary weekends or holidays, or trading in the markets the Fund normally utilizes is closed or is restricted as determined by the SEC, (ii) during any emergency, as determined by the SEC, as a result of which it is not reasonably practicable for such Fund to dispose of instruments owned by it or fairly to determine the value of its net assets, or (iii) for such other period as the SEC may by order permit for the protection of the shareholders of such Fund. The Trust also may suspend or postpone the recording of the transfer of its shares upon the occurrence of any of the foregoing conditions. In addition, Shares of each Fund are redeemable at the unilateral option of the Trust. The Declaration permits the Board to alter the number of Shares constituting a Creation Unit or to specify that shares of beneficial interest of the Trust may be individually redeemable. Shares when issued as described in the Prospectus are validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable. In the interests of economy and convenience, certificates representing Shares of the Funds are not issued.
 
Following the creation of the initial Creation Unit Aggregation(s) of a Fund and immediately prior to the commencement of trading in such Fund's Shares, a holder of Shares may be a "control person" of the Fund, as defined in the 1940 Act. A Fund cannot predict the length of time for which one or more shareholders may remain a control person of the Fund.
 
The proceeds received by each Fund for each issue or sale of its Shares, and all net investment income, realized and unrealized gain and proceeds thereof, subject only to the rights of creditors of that Fund, will be specifically allocated to and constitute the underlying assets of that Fund. The underlying assets of each Fund will be segregated on the books of account, and will be charged with the liabilities in respect to that Fund and with a share of the general liabilities of the Trust. Expenses with respect to the Funds normally are allocated in proportion to the NAV of the respective Fund, except where allocations of direct expenses can otherwise be fairly made.
 
Shareholders are entitled to one vote for each full Share held and proportionate fractional votes for fractional shares held. The funds of the Trust entitled to vote on a matter will vote in the aggregate and not by fund, except as required by law or when the matter to be voted on affects only the interests of shareholders of a particular fund or class.

Rule 18f-2 under the 1940 Act provides that any matter required by the provisions of the 1940 Act or applicable state law, or otherwise, to be submitted to the holders of the outstanding voting securities of an investment company (such as the Trust) shall not be deemed to have been effectively acted upon unless approved by the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of each investment portfolio affected by such matter. Rule 18f-2 further provides that an investment portfolio shall be deemed to be affected by a matter unless the interests of each investment portfolio in the matter are substantially identical or the matter does not affect any interest of the investment portfolio. Under Rule 18f-2, the approval of an Investment Advisory Agreement, a distribution plan subject to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act or any change in the fundamental investment policy would be effectively acted upon with respect to an investment portfolio only if approved by a majority of the outstanding shares of such investment portfolio. However, Rule 18f-2 also provides that the ratification of the appointment of independent accountants, the approval of principal underwriting contracts and the election of Trustees are exempt from the separate voting requirements stated above.
 
The Trust is not required to hold annual meetings of shareholders and does not intend to hold such meetings. In the event that a meeting of shareholders is held, each share of the Trust will be entitled, as determined by the Trustees without the vote or consent of shareholders, to one vote for each share represented by such shares on all matters presented to shareholders, including the election of Trustees (this method of voting being referred to as "dollar-based voting"). However, to the extent required by the 1940 Act or otherwise determined by the Trustees, series and classes of the Trust will vote separately from each other. Shareholders of the Trust do not have cumulative voting rights in the election of Trustees and, accordingly, the holders of more than 50% of the aggregate voting power of the Trust may elect all of the Trustees, irrespective of the vote of the other shareholders. Meetings of shareholders of the Trust, or any series or class thereof, may be called by the Trustees, the President or Secretary of the Trust or upon the written request of holders of at least a majority of the shares entitled to vote at such meeting. The shareholders of the Trust will have voting rights only with respect to the limited number of matters specified in the Declaration and such other matters as the Trustees may determine or may be required by law.

52



The Declaration authorizes the Trustees, without shareholder approval (except as stated in the next paragraph), to cause the Trust, or any series thereof, to merge or consolidate with any corporation, association, trust or other organization or sell or exchange all or substantially all of the property belonging to the Trust, or any series thereof. In addition, the Trustees, without shareholder approval, may adopt a "master-feeder" structure by investing substantially all of the assets of a series of the Trust in the securities of another open-end investment company or pooled portfolio.
 
The Declaration also authorizes the Trustees, in connection with the termination or other reorganization of the Trust or any series or class by way of merger, consolidation, the sale of all or substantially all of the assets, or otherwise, to classify the shareholders of any class into one or more separate groups and to provide for the different treatment of shares held by the different groups, provided that such termination or reorganization is approved by a majority of the outstanding voting securities (as defined in the 1940 Act) of each group of shareholders that are so classified.
 
The Declaration permits the Trustees to amend the Declaration without a shareholder vote. However, shareholders of the Trust have the right to vote on any amendment: (i) that would adversely affect the voting rights of shareholders specified in the Declaration; (ii) that is required by law to be approved by shareholders; (iii) to the amendment section of the Declaration; or (iv) that the Trustees determine to submit to shareholders.
 
The Declaration permits the termination of the Trust or of any series or class of the Trust: (i) by a majority of the affected shareholders at a meeting of shareholders of the Trust, series or class; or (ii) by a majority of the Trustees without shareholder approval if the Trustees determine that such action is in the best interest of the Trust or its shareholders. The factors and events that the Trustees may take into account in making such determination include: (i) the inability of the Trust or any series or class to maintain its assets at an appropriate size; (ii) changes in laws or regulations governing the Trust, or any series or class thereof, or affecting assets of the type in which it invests; or (iii) economic developments or trends having a significant adverse impact on their business or operations.
 
In the event of a termination of the Trust or a 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 circumstance, the Trust may make redemptions in-kind, for cash, or for a combination of cash or securities.
 
The Declaration provides that the Trustees will not be liable to any person other than the Trust or a shareholder and that a Trustee will not be liable for any act as a Trustee. Additionally, subject to applicable federal law, no person who is or who has been a Trustee or officer of the Trust shall be liable to the Trust or to any shareholder for money damages, except for liability resulting from (a) actual receipt of an improper benefit or profit in money, property or services or (b) active and deliberate dishonesty established by a final judgment and which is material to the cause of action. However, nothing in the Declaration protects a Trustee against any liability to which he or she would otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his or her office. The Declaration provides for indemnification of Trustees and officers of the Trust unless the indemnitee is liable to the Trust or any shareholder by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of such person's office.
 
The Declaration provides that each shareholder, by virtue of becoming such, will be held to have expressly assented and agreed to the terms of the Declaration.
 
The Declaration provides that a shareholder of the Trust may bring a derivative action on behalf of the Trust only if the following conditions are met: (i) the shareholder was a shareholder at the time of the action complained of; (ii) the shareholder was a shareholder at the time demand is made; (iii) the shareholder must make demand to the Trustees before commencing a derivative action on behalf of the Trust; (iv) any shareholders that hold at least 10% of the outstanding shares of the Trust (or 10% of the outstanding shares of the series or class to which such action relates) must join in the request for the Trustees to commence such action; and (v) the Trustees must be afforded a reasonable amount of time to consider such shareholder request and to investigate the basis of such claim. The Declaration also provides that no person, other than the Trustees, who is not a shareholder of a particular series or class shall be entitled to bring any derivative action, suit or other proceeding on behalf of or with respect to such series or class. The Trustees will be entitled to retain counsel or other advisers in considering the merits of the request and will require an undertaking by the shareholders making such request to reimburse the Trust for the expense of any such advisers in the event that the Trustees determine not to bring such action.
 
The term "majority of the outstanding shares" of either the Trust or a particular fund or investment portfolio means, with respect to the approval of an Investment Advisory Agreement, a distribution plan or a change in the fundamental investment policy, the vote of the lesser of (i) 67% or more of the shares of the Trust or such fund or portfolio present at a meeting, if the holders of more

53


than 50% of the outstanding shares of the Trust or such fund or portfolio are present or represented by proxy, or (ii) more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the Trust or such fund or portfolio.

BOOK-ENTRY ONLY SYSTEM
 
The following information supplements and should be read in conjunction with the "Shareholder Information" section in the Prospectus. The Depository Trust Company ("DTC") acts as Securities Depository for the shares of the Trust. Shares of each 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 whom (and/or their representatives) own DTC. More specifically, DTC is a subsidiary of the Depository Trust and Clearing Corporation ("DTCC"), which is owned by its member firms, including international broker/dealers, correspondent and clearing banks, mutual fund companies and investment banks. 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. The laws of some jurisdictions may require that certain purchasers of securities take physical delivery of such securities in definitive form. Such laws may impair the ability of certain investors to acquire beneficial interests in shares.

Beneficial Owners of shares are not entitled to have shares registered in their names, will not receive or be entitled to receive physical delivery of certificates in definitive form and are not considered the registered holder thereof. Accordingly, each Beneficial Owner must rely on the procedures of DTC, the DTC Participant and any Indirect Participant through which such Beneficial Owner holds its interests, to exercise any rights of a holder of shares. The Trust understands that under existing industry practice, in the event the Trust requests any action of holders of shares, or a Beneficial Owner desires to take any action that DTC, as the record owner of all outstanding shares, is entitled to take, DTC would authorize the DTC Participants to take such action and that the DTC Participants would authorize the Indirect Participants and Beneficial Owners acting through such DTC Participants to take such action and would otherwise act upon the instructions of Beneficial Owners owning through them. As described above, the Trust recognizes DTC or its nominee as the owner of all shares for all purposes.
 
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 share holdings of each DTC Participant. The Trust shall inquire of each such DTC Participant as to the number of Beneficial Owners holding shares of the Funds, directly or indirectly, through such DTC Participant. The Trust shall provide each such DTC Participant with copies of such notice, statement or other communication, in such form, number and at such place as such DTC Participant may reasonably request, in order that such notice, statement or communication may be transmitted by such DTC Participant, directly or indirectly, to such Beneficial Owners. In addition, the Trust shall pay to each such DTC Participant a fair and reasonable amount as reimbursement for the expenses attendant to such transmittal, all subject to applicable statutory and regulatory requirements.
 
Share distributions shall be made to DTC or its nominee, Cede & Co., as the registered holder of all shares of the Trust. DTC or its nominee, upon receipt of any such distributions, shall credit immediately DTC Participants' accounts with payments in amounts proportionate to their respective beneficial interests in shares 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

54


or registered in a "street name," and will be the responsibility of such DTC Participants. The Trust has no responsibility or liability for any aspects 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 determine to discontinue providing 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 either to find a replacement for DTC to perform its functions at a comparable cost or, if such a replacement is unavailable, to issue and deliver printed certificates representing ownership of shares, unless the Trust makes other arrangements with respect thereto satisfactory to the Exchange on which shares are listed.

PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION OF CREATION UNITS

CREATION UNIT AGGREGATIONS
 
The Trust issues and sells Shares of each Fund only in Creation Unit Aggregations. The Board reserves the right to declare a split or a consolidation in the number of shares outstanding of any fund of the Trust, and to make a corresponding change in the number of shares constituting a Creation Unit, in the event that the per share price in the secondary market rises (or declines) to an amount that falls outside the range deemed desirable by the Board.

PURCHASE AND ISSUANCE OF CREATION UNIT AGGREGATIONS
 
General. The Trust issues and sells Shares of each Fund only in Creation Units on a continuous basis through the Distributor, without a sales load, at the Fund's NAV next determined after receipt, on any Business Day (as defined herein), of an order in proper form.
 
A "Business Day" with respect to each Fund is any day on which the NYSE is open for business. As of the date of this SAI, the NYSE observes the following holidays: New Year's Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents' Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.
 
Portfolio Deposit. The consideration for purchase of a Creation Unit of Shares of a Fund generally consists of the in-kind deposit of a designated portfolio of securities (the "Deposit Securities") constituting an optimized representation of the Fund's Underlying Index and an amount of cash in U.S. dollars computed as described below (the "Cash Component"). Together, the Deposit Securities and the Cash Component constitute the "Portfolio Deposit," which represents the minimum initial and subsequent investment amount for a Creation Unit of such Fund. The Cash Component is an amount equal to the Balancing Amount (as defined below). The "Balancing Amount" is an amount equal to the difference between (x) the net asset value (per Creation Unit) of a Fund and (y) the "Deposit Amount" which is the market value (per Creation Unit) of the Deposit Securities. The Balancing Amount serves the function of compensating for any differences between the net asset value per Creation Unit and the Deposit Amount. If the Balancing Amount is a positive number (i.e., the net asset value per Creation Unit is more than the Deposit Amount), the Authorized Participant will deliver the Balancing Amount. If the Balancing Amount is a negative number (i.e., the net asset value per Creation Unit is less than the Deposit Amount), the Authorized Participant will receive the Balancing Amount. Payment of any stamp duty or other similar fees and expenses payable upon transfer of beneficial ownership of the Deposit Securities shall be the sole responsibility of the Authorized Participant that purchased the Creation Unit. The Authorized Participant must ensure that all Deposit Securities properly denote change in beneficial ownership.
 
The Adviser makes available through the NSCC on each Business Day, prior to the opening of business on the relevant Exchange (currently 9:30 a.m., Eastern Time), the list of the names and the required number of shares of each Deposit Security to be included in the current Portfolio Deposit (based on information at the end of the previous Business Day) for each Fund. Such Portfolio Securities are applicable, subject to any adjustments as described below, to purchases of Creation Units of a given Fund until such time as the next-announced Deposit Securities composition is made available.
 
The identity and number of shares of the Deposit Securities required for a Portfolio Deposit for each Fund changes pursuant to changes in the composition of the Fund's portfolio and as rebalancing adjustments and corporate action events are reflected from time to time by the Adviser with a view to the investment objective of the Fund. The composition of the Deposit Securities may also change in response to adjustments to the weighting or composition of the securities constituting the Underlying Index.
 
In addition, the Trust reserves the right to permit or require the substitution of an amount of cash (that is a "cash in lieu" amount) to be added to the Cash Component to replace any Deposit Security which may not be available in sufficient quantity for delivery or that may not be eligible for transfer through the systems of DTC or the clearing process or for other similar reasons. The Trust also reserves the right to permit or require a cash in lieu amount where the delivery of Deposit Securities by the Authorized Participant would be restricted under the securities laws or where delivery of Deposit Securities to the Authorized Participant would result in the disposition of Deposit Securities by the Authorized Participant becoming restricted under the securities laws, and in certain other situations. The adjustments described above will reflect changes, known to the Adviser on the date of announcement to be in effect by the time of delivery of the Portfolio Deposit, in the composition of the Underlying Index, or resulting from stock splits and other corporate actions.
 
In addition to the list of names and numbers of securities constituting the current Deposit Securities of a Portfolio Deposit, on each Business Day, the Cash Component effective through and including the previous Business Day, per outstanding Creation Unit of each Fund, will be made available.
 
Role of the Authorized Participant. Creation Units of shares may be purchased only by or through a DTC Participant that has entered into an Authorized Participant Agreement with the Distributor. Such Authorized Participant will agree pursuant to the

55


terms of such Authorized Participant Agreement on behalf of itself or any investor on whose behalf it will act, as the case may be, to certain conditions, including that such Authorized Participant will make available in advance of each purchase of Creation Units an amount of cash sufficient to pay the Cash Component, once the NAV of a Creation Unit is next determined after receipt of the purchase order in proper form, together with the transaction fee described below. The Authorized Participant may require the investor to enter into an agreement with such Authorized Participant with respect to certain matters, including payment of the Cash Component. Investors who are not Authorized Participants must make appropriate arrangements with an Authorized Participant. Investors should be aware that their particular broker may not be a DTC Participant or may not have executed an Authorized Participant Agreement, and that therefore orders to purchase Creation Units may have to be placed by the investor's broker through an Authorized Participant. As a result, purchase orders placed through an Authorized Participant may result in additional charges to such investor. The Trust does not expect to enter into an Authorized Participant Agreement with more than a small number of DTC Participants that have international capabilities. A list of the current Authorized Participants may be obtained from the Distributor.
 
Purchase Order. To initiate an order for a Creation Unit of shares of a Fund, the Authorized Participant must submit to the Distributor an irrevocable order to purchase Shares of a Fund. With respect to a Fund, the Distributor will notify the Adviser and the Custodian of such order. The Custodian will then provide such information to the appropriate local sub-custodian(s). The Custodian shall cause the appropriate local sub-custodian(s) of a Fund to maintain an account into which the Authorized Participant shall deliver, on behalf of itself or the party on whose behalf it is acting, the securities included in the designated Portfolio Deposit (or the cash value of all or a part of such securities, in the case of a permitted or required cash purchase or cash in lieu amount), with any appropriate adjustments as advised by the Trust. Deposit Securities must be delivered to an account maintained at the applicable local sub-custodian. Those placing orders to purchase Creation Units through an Authorized Participant should allow sufficient time to permit proper submission of the purchase order to the Distributor by the cut-off time (as described below) on such Business Day.

The Authorized Participant must also make available on or before the contractual settlement date, by means satisfactory to the Trust, immediately available or same day funds in U.S. dollars estimated by the Trust to be sufficient to pay the Cash Component next determined after acceptance of the purchase order, together with the applicable purchase transaction fee. Any excess funds will be returned following settlement of the issue of the Creation Unit. Those placing orders should ascertain the applicable deadline for cash transfers by contacting the operations department of the broker or depositary institution effectuating the transfer of the Cash Component. This deadline is likely to be significantly earlier than the closing time of the regular trading session on the Exchange.
 
Investors should be aware that an Authorized Participant may require orders for purchases of shares placed with it to be in the particular form required by the individual Authorized Participant.
 
Timing of Submission of Purchase Orders. An Authorized Participant must submit an irrevocable purchase order no later than the earlier of (i) 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time or (ii) the closing time of the trading session on the relevant Fund's Exchange, on any Business Day in order to receive that Business Day's NAV.
 
Acceptance of Purchase Order. Subject to the conditions that (i) an irrevocable purchase order has been submitted by the Authorized Participant (either on its own or another investor's behalf) and (ii) arrangements satisfactory to the Trust are in place for payment of the Cash Component and any other cash amounts which may be due, the Trust will accept the order, subject to its right (and the right of the Distributor and the Adviser) to reject any order until acceptance.

Once the Trust has accepted an order, upon next determination of the NAV of the shares, the Trust will confirm the issuance of a Creation Unit of a Fund, against receipt of payment, at such NAV. The Distributor will then transmit a confirmation of acceptance to the Authorized Participant that placed the order.
 
The Trust reserves the absolute right to reject or revoke acceptance of a purchase order transmitted to it by the Distributor in respect of any Fund if (a) the order is not in proper form; (b) the investor(s), upon obtaining the shares ordered, would own 80% or more of the currently outstanding shares of any Fund; (c) the Deposit Securities delivered do not conform to the identify and number of shares disseminated through the facilities of the NSCC for that date by the Adviser, as described above; (d) acceptance of the Deposit Securities would have certain adverse tax consequences to a Fund; (e) the acceptance of the Portfolio Deposit would, in the opinion of counsel, be unlawful; (f) the acceptance of the Portfolio Deposit would otherwise, in the discretion of the Trust or the Adviser, have an adverse effect on the Trust or the rights of beneficial owners; or (g) in the event that circumstances outside the control of the Trust, the Distributor and the Adviser make it for all practical purposes impossible to process purchase orders. Examples of such circumstances include acts of God; public service or utility problems resulting in telephone, telecopy or computer failures; fires, floods or extreme weather conditions; market conditions or activities causing trading halts; systems failures involving computer or other informational systems affecting the Trust, the Distributor, DTC, NSCC, the Adviser, the Custodian, a sub-

56


custodian or any other participant in the creation process; and similar extraordinary events. The Trust shall notify a prospective purchaser and/or the Authorized Participant acting on behalf of such person of its rejection of the order of such person. The Trust, the Custodian, any sub-custodian and the Distributor are under no duty, however, to give notification of any defects or irregularities in the delivery of Portfolio Deposits nor shall either of them incur any liability for the failure to give any such notification.
 
Issuance of a Creation Unit. Except as provided herein, a Creation Unit of shares of a Fund will not be issued until the transfer of good title to the Trust of the Deposit Securities and the payment of the Cash Component have been completed. When the applicable local sub-custodian(s) have confirmed to the Custodian that the required securities included in the Portfolio Deposit (or the cash value thereof) have been delivered to the account of the applicable local sub-custodian or sub-custodians, the Distributor and the Adviser shall be notified of such delivery, and the Trust will issue and cause the delivery of the Creation Unit. Creation Units typically are issued on a "T+2 basis" (that is, two Business Days after trade date). However, as discussed in Appendix A, a Fund reserves the right to settle Creation Unit transactions on a basis other than T+2 in order to accommodate foreign market holiday schedules, to account for different treatment among foreign and U.S. markets of dividend record dates and ex-dividend dates (that is the last day the holder of a security can sell the security and still receive dividends payable on the security), and in certain other circumstances.

To the extent contemplated by an Authorized Participant's agreement with the Distributor, the Trust will issue Creation Units to such Authorized Participant notwithstanding the fact that the corresponding Portfolio Deposits have not been received in part or in whole, in reliance on the undertaking of the Authorized Participant to deliver the missing Deposit Securities as soon as possible, which undertaking shall be secured by such Authorized Participant's delivery and maintenance of collateral having a value equal to 110%, which the Adviser may change from time to time, of the value of the missing Deposit Securities in accordance with the Trust's then-effective procedures. Such collateral must be delivered no later than 2:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on the contractual settlement date. The only collateral that is acceptable to the Trust is cash in U.S. Dollars or an irrevocable letter of credit in form, and drawn on a bank, that is satisfactory to the Trust. The cash collateral posted by the Authorized Participant may be invested at the risk of the Authorized Participant, and income, if any, on invested cash collateral will be paid to that Authorized Participant. Information concerning the Trust's current procedures for collateralization of missing Deposit Securities is available from the Distributor. The Authorized Participant Agreement will permit the Trust to buy the missing Deposit Securities at any time and will subject the Authorized Participant to liability for any shortfall between the cost to the Trust of purchasing such securities and the cash collateral or the amount that may be drawn under any letter of credit.

In certain cases, Authorized Participants will create and redeem Creation Units on the same trade date. In these instances, the Trust reserves the right to settle these transactions on a net basis. All questions as to the number of 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.
 
Cash Purchase Method. When cash purchases of Creation Units are available or specified for a Fund, they will be effected in essentially the same manner as in-kind purchases thereof. In addition, the Trust may in its discretion make Creation Units of any of the other funds available for purchase and redemption in U.S. dollars. In the case of a cash purchase, the investor must pay the cash equivalent of the Deposit Securities it would otherwise be required to provide through an in-kind purchase, plus the same Cash Component required to be paid by an in-kind purchaser. In addition, to offset the Trust's brokerage and other transaction costs associated with using the cash to purchase the requisite Deposit Securities, the investor will be required to pay a fixed purchase transaction fee, plus an additional variable charge for cash purchases, which is expressed as a percentage of the value of the Deposit Securities. The transaction fees for in-kind and cash purchases of Creation Units are described below.

Purchase Transaction Fee. A standard creation transaction fee is imposed to offset the transfer, processing and other transaction costs associated with the issuance of Creation Units. The standard creation transaction fee is charged on each Creation Unit created by an Authorized Participant on the day of the transaction. The standard creation transaction fee is generally fixed at the amount shown in the table regardless of the number of Creation Units being purchased, but may be reduced by each Fund if transfer and processing expenses associated with the creation are anticipated to be lower than the stated fee. In the case of cash creations or where a Fund permits or requires an Authorized Participant to substitute cash in lieu of depositing a portion of the Deposit Securities, the Authorized Participant may be assessed an additional variable charge to compensate the Funds for the costs associated with purchasing the applicable securities. As a result, in order to seek to replicate the in-kind creation order process, the Funds expect to purchase, in the secondary market or to otherwise gain exposure to, the portfolio securities that could have been delivered as a result of an in-kind creation order pursuant to local law or market convention, or for other reasons ("Market Purchases"). In such cases where a Fund makes Market Purchases, the Authorized Participant will reimburse the Fund for, among other things, any difference between the market value at the which the securities and/or financial instruments were purchased by the Fund and the cash in lieu amount (which amount, at the Adviser's discretion, may be capped), applicable registration fees, brokerage commissions and certain taxes. The Adviser may adjust the transaction fee to the extent the composition of the creation securities changes or cash in lieu is added to the Cash Component to protect ongoing shareholders. Authorized Participants are also responsible for the

57


costs of transferring the Deposit Securities to the Funds. Investors who use the services of a broker or other financial intermediary to acquire Fund shares may be charged a fee for such services. The following table sets forth each Fund's standard creation transaction fees. The fees may be waived for a Fund until it reaches a certain asset size.
 
Fund
Standard Fee for
In-Kind and
Cash Purchases
Global X MLP ETF
$250
Global X MLP & Energy Infrastructure ETF
$250
Global X U.S. Preferred ETF
$650
Global X SuperDividend Alternatives ETF
$300
Global X S&P 500® Quality Dividend ETF
$500
Global X TargetIncomeTM 5 ETF
$250
Global X TargetIncomeTM Plus 2 ETF
$250
Global X Adaptive U.S. Factor ETF
$700
Global X Robotics & Artificial Intelligence ETF
$600
Global X FinTech ETF
$400
Global X Internet of Things ETF
$600
Global X Cloud Computing ETF
$250
Global X Future Analytics Tech ETF
$600
Global X Autonomous & Electric Vehicles ETF
$750
Global X Genomics & Biotechnology ETF
$250
Global X Video Games & Esports ETF
$600
Global X Cybersecurity ETF
$250
Global X Millennials Thematic ETF
$300
Global X Longevity Thematic ETF
$1,000
Global X Health & Wellness Thematic ETF
$1,000
Global X Education ETF
$500
Global X Cannabis ETF
$250
Global X U.S. Infrastructure Development ETF
$400
Global X Conscious Companies ETF
$750
Global X Founder-Run Companies ETF
$400
Global X Thematic Growth ETF
$250

REDEMPTION OF CREATION UNITS
 
Shares of a Fund may be redeemed only in Creation Units at its NAV next determined after receipt of a redemption request in proper form by the Distributor. The Trust will not redeem shares in amounts less than Creation Units. Beneficial owners also may sell Shares in the secondary market, but must accumulate enough Shares to constitute a Creation Unit in order to have such Shares redeemed by the Trust. There can be no assurance, however, that there will be sufficient liquidity in the public trading market at any time to permit assembly of a Creation Unit. Investors should expect to incur brokerage and other costs in connection with assembling a sufficient number of Shares to constitute a redeemable Creation Unit.
 
With respect to each Fund the Adviser makes available through the NSCC prior to the opening of business on the Exchange (currently 9:30 a.m., Eastern Time) on each Business Day, the identity and number of shares that will be applicable (subject to possible amendment or correction) to redemption requests received in proper form (as defined below) on that day ("Portfolio Securities"). Portfolio Securities received on redemption may not be identical to Deposit Securities that are applicable to creation of Creation Units. Unless cash redemptions are available or specified for a Fund, the redemption proceeds for a Creation Unit generally consist of Portfolio Securities on the Business Day of the request for redemption, plus cash in an amount equal to the difference between the NAV of the shares being redeemed, as next determined after a receipt of a request in proper form, and the value of the Portfolio Securities, less the redemption transaction fee described below. The redemption transaction fee described below is deducted from such redemption proceeds.
 

58


A fixed redemption transaction fee payable to the custodian is imposed on each redemption transaction. Redemptions of Creation Units for cash are required to pay an additional variable charge to compensate the relevant Fund for brokerage and market impact expenses relating to disposing of portfolio securities. The redemption transaction fee for redemptions in-kind and for cash and the additional variable charge for cash redemptions (when cash redemptions are available or specified) are listed in the table below. Investors will also bear the costs of transferring the Portfolio Deposit from the Trust to their account or on their order. Investors who use the services of a broker or other such intermediary may be charged a fee for such services.

Fund
Standard Fee for
In-Kind and
Cash Redemptions
Maximum Additional
Variable Charge for
Cash Redemptions*
Global X MLP ETF
$250
2%
Global X MLP & Energy Infrastructure ETF
$250
2%
Global X U.S. Preferred ETF
$650
2%
Global X SuperDividend Alternatives ETF
$300
2%
Global X S&P 500® Quality Dividend ETF
$500
2%
Global X TargetIncomeTM 5 ETF
$250
2%
Global X TargetIncomeTM Plus 2 ETF
$250
2%
Global X Adaptive U.S. Factor ETF
$700
2%
Global X Robotics & Artificial Intelligence ETF
$600
2%
Global X FinTech ETF
$400
2%
Global X Internet of Things ETF
$600
2%
Global X Cloud Computing ETF
$250
2%
Global X Future Analytics Tech ETF
$600
2%
Global X Autonomous & Electric Vehicles ETF
$750
2%
Global X Genomics & Biotechnology ETF
$250
2%
Global X Video Games & Esports ETF
$600
2%
Global X Cybersecurity ETF
$250
2%
Global X Millennials Thematic ETF
$300
2%
Global X Longevity Thematic ETF
$1,000
2%
Global X Health & Wellness Thematic ETF
$1,000
2%
Global X Education ETF
$500
2%
Global X Cannabis ETF
$250
2%
Global X U.S. Infrastructure Development ETF
$400
2%
Global X Conscious Companies ETF
$750
2%
Global X Founder-Run Companies ETF
$400
2%
Global X Thematic Growth ETF
$250
2%
 
*    As a percentage of the net asset value per Creation Unit, inclusive of the standard redemption transaction fee.
 
Redemption requests in respect of Creation Units must be submitted to the distributor by or through an Authorized Participant. Investors other than Authorized Participants are responsible for making arrangements for a redemption request through an Authorized Participant. An Authorized Participant must submit an irrevocable redemption request no later than the earlier of (i) 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time or (ii) the closing time of the trading session on the relevant Fund's Exchange, on any Business Day in order to receive that Business Day's NAV.

The distributor will provide a list of current Authorized Participants upon request. The Authorized Participant must transmit the request for redemption, in the form required by the Trust, to the distributor in accordance with procedures set forth in the Authorized Participant Agreement. Investors should be aware that their particular broker may not have executed an Authorized Participant Agreement, and that, therefore, requests to redeem Creation Units may have to be placed by the investor's broker through an Authorized Participant who has executed an Authorized Participant Agreement. At any given time there will be only a limited number of broker-dealers that have executed an Authorized Participant Agreement. Investors making a redemption request should be aware that such request must be in the form specified by such Authorized Participant. Investors making a request to redeem Creation Units should allow sufficient time to permit proper submission of the request by an Authorized Participant and transfer

59


of the shares to the Trust's Transfer Agent; such investors should allow for the additional time that may be required to effect redemptions through their banks, brokers or other financial intermediaries if such intermediaries are not Authorized Participants.
 
Orders to redeem Creation Unit Aggregations of Funds based on foreign indexes must be delivered through an Authorized Participant that has executed an Authorized Participant Agreement. Investors other than Authorized Participants are responsible for making arrangements for a redemption request to be made through an Authorized Participant. An order to redeem Creation Unit Aggregations of a Fund is deemed received by the Trust on the Business Day if: (i) such order is received by the Fund's distributor not later than the closing time of the applicable Exchange on the applicable Business Day; (ii) such order is accompanied or followed by the requisite number of Shares of the Fund specified in such order, which delivery must be made through DTC to the Fund's custodian no later than 10:00 a.m., Eastern Time, on the next Business Day following the day the order was transmitted; and (iii) all other procedures set forth in the Authorized Participant Agreement are properly followed. Deliveries of Fund securities to redeeming investors generally will be made within two Business Days. Due to the schedule of holidays in certain countries, however, the delivery of in-kind redemption proceeds for a Fund may take longer than two Business Days after the day on which the redemption request is received in proper form. In such cases, the local market settlement procedures will not commence until the end of the local holiday periods as described in Appendix A.
 
A redemption request is considered to be in "proper form" if (i) an Authorized Participant has transferred or caused to be transferred to the Trust's Transfer Agent the Creation Unit of Shares being redeemed through the book-entry system of DTC so as to be effective by the relevant Exchange closing time on any Business Day and (ii) a request in form satisfactory to the Trust is received by the distributor from the Authorized Participant on behalf of itself or another redeeming investor within the time periods specified above. If the Transfer Agent does not receive the investor's shares through DTC's facilities by 10:00 a.m., Eastern Time, on the Business Day next following the day that the redemption request is received, the redemption request shall be rejected. Investors should be aware that the deadline for such transfers of Shares through the DTC system may be significantly earlier than the close of business on the relevant Exchange. Those making redemption requests should ascertain the deadline applicable to transfers of shares through the DTC system by contacting the operations department of the broker or depositary institution effecting the transfer of the shares.
 
Upon receiving a redemption request, the Distributor shall notify the Trust and the Trust's Transfer Agent of such redemption request. The tender of an investor's Shares for redemption and the distribution of the cash redemption payment in respect of Creation Units redeemed will be effected through DTC and the relevant Authorized Participant to the beneficial owner thereof as recorded on the book-entry system of DTC or the DTC Participant through which such investor holds, as the case may be, or by such other means specified by the Authorized Participant submitting the redemption request.
 
In connection with taking delivery of shares of Portfolio Securities upon redemption of shares of a Fund, a redeeming Beneficial Owner, or Authorized Participant acting on behalf of such Beneficial Owner, must maintain appropriate security arrangements with a qualified broker-dealer, bank or other custody providers in each jurisdiction in which any of the Portfolio Securities are customarily traded, to which account such Portfolio Securities will be delivered.

Deliveries of redemption proceeds by a Fund generally will be made within two Business Days (that is "T+2"). However, as discussed in Appendix A, the Fund reserves the right to settle redemption transactions and deliver redemption proceeds on a basis other than T+2 to accommodate foreign market holiday schedules, to account for different treatment among foreign and U.S. markets of dividend record dates and dividend ex-dates (that is, the last date the holder of a security can sell the security and still receive dividends payable on the security sold), and in certain other circumstances. For each country relating to a Fund, Appendix A hereto identifies the instances where more than seven days would be needed to deliver redemption proceeds. Pursuant to an order of the SEC, in respect of a Fund, the Trust will make delivery of in-kind redemption proceeds within the number of days stated in Appendix A to be the maximum number of days necessary to deliver redemption proceeds.

If neither the redeeming Beneficial Owner nor the Authorized Participant acting on behalf of such redeeming Beneficial Owner has appropriate arrangements to take delivery of the portfolio securities in the applicable jurisdiction and it is not possible to make other such arrangements, or if it is not possible to effect deliveries of the Portfolio Securities in such jurisdiction, the Trust may in its discretion redeem such shares in cash (i.e., U.S. dollars or non U.S. currency), and the redeeming Beneficial Owner will be required to receive its redemption proceeds in cash. In addition, an investor may request a redemption in cash that the Trust may, in its sole discretion, permit. In either case, the investor will receive a cash payment equal to the net asset value of its Shares based on the NAV of shares of the relevant Fund next determined after the redemption request is received in proper form (minus a redemption transaction fee and additional variable charge for cash redemptions specified above, to offset the Trust's brokerage and other transaction costs associated with the disposition of Portfolio Securities). The Trust may also, in its sole discretion, upon request of a shareholder, provide such redeemer a portfolio of securities that differ from the exact composition of the Portfolio Securities but does not differ in NAV. Redemptions of shares for Deposit Securities will be subject to compliance with applicable U.S. federal and state securities laws and each Fund (whether or not it otherwise permits cash redemptions) reserves the right to

60


redeem Creation Units for cash to the extent that the Fund could not lawfully deliver specific Deposit Securities upon redemptions or could not do so without first registering the Deposit Securities under such laws.
 
In the event that cash redemptions are permitted or requested by the Trust, 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 (within seven calendar days thereafter, except for the instances listed in Appendix A hereto where more than seven calendar days would be needed).

To the extent contemplated by an Authorized Participant's agreement with the Distributor, in the event the Authorized Participant that has submitted a redemption request in proper form is unable to transfer all or part of the Creation Units to be redeemed to the Trust, at or prior to 10:00 a.m., Eastern Time, on the Business Day after the date of submission of such redemption request, the Distributor will nonetheless accept the redemption request in reliance on the undertaking by the Authorized Participant to deliver the missing shares as soon as possible. Such undertaking shall be secured by the Authorized Participant's delivery and maintenance of collateral consisting of cash having a value equal to 110%, which the Adviser may change from time to time, of the value of the missing shares in accordance with the Trust's then-effective procedures. The only collateral that is acceptable to the Trust is cash in U.S. dollars or an irrevocable letter of credit in form, and drawn on a bank, that is satisfactory to the Trust. The Trust's current procedures for collateralization of missing shares require, among other things, that any cash collateral shall be held by the Trust's custodian, and that the fees of the custodian and any sub-custodians in respect of the delivery, maintenance and redelivery of the cash collateral shall be payable by the Authorized Participant. The cash collateral posted by the Authorized Participant may be invested at the risk of the Authorized Participant, and income, if any, on invested cash collateral will be paid to that Authorized Participant. The Authorized Participant Agreement permits the Trust to purchase the missing shares or acquire the portfolio securities and the Cash Component underlying such shares at any time and subjects the Authorized Participant to liability for any shortfall between the cost to the Trust of purchasing such shares, Portfolio Securities or Cash Component and the cash collateral or the amount that may be drawn under any letter of credit.
 
Because the portfolio securities of a Fund may trade on the relevant Exchange(s) on days that the Exchange is closed or are otherwise not Business Days for such Fund, shareholders may not be able to redeem their shares of such Fund, or to purchase or sell shares of such Fund on the Exchange, on days when the NAV of such Fund could be significantly affected by events in the relevant foreign markets.

The right of redemption may be suspended or the date of payment postponed with respect to any Fund (1) for any period during which the Exchange is closed (other than customary weekend and holiday closings); (2) for any period during which trading on the Exchange is suspended or restricted; (3) for any period during which an emergency exists as a result of which disposal of the shares of the Fund'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.

TAXES
 
TAXES FOR THE GLOBAL X MLP ETF

Set forth below is a discussion of certain U.S. federal income tax considerations affecting the Fund and the purchase, ownership and disposition of Shares. It is based upon the Code, the regulations promulgated thereunder, judicial authorities, and administrative rulings and practices as in effect as of the date of this SAI, all of which are subject to change, including the following information which also supplements and should be read in conjunction with the section in the Prospectus entitled "Dividends, Distributions and Taxes."
 
The following is a summary of the material U.S. federal income tax considerations applicable to an investment in Shares of the Fund. The summary is based on the laws in effect on the date of this SAI and existing judicial and administrative interpretations thereof, all of which are subject to change, possibly with retroactive effect. In addition, this summary assumes that the Fund shareholder holds Fund Shares as capital assets within the meaning of the Code, and does not hold Fund Shares in connection with a trade or business. This summary does not address all potential U.S. federal income tax considerations possibly applicable to an investment in Fund Shares, to Fund shareholders holding Fund Shares through a partnership (or other pass-through entity) or to Fund shareholders subject to special tax rules. Prospective Fund shareholders are urged to consult their own tax advisers with respect to the specific federal, state, local and foreign tax consequences of investing in Fund Shares.
 
The Fund is taxed as a regular corporation for federal income tax purposes and as such is obligated to pay federal and applicable state, local, and foreign corporate taxes on its taxable income. This differs from most investment companies, which elect to be treated as regulated investment companies under the Code in order to avoid paying entity level income taxes. Under current law, the Fund is not eligible to elect treatment as a regulated investment company due to its investments in MLPs invested in energy assets. As a result, the Fund will be obligated to pay federal and state taxes on its taxable income, as opposed to most other investment companies, which are not so obligated.

As discussed below, the Fund expects that a portion of the distributions it receives from MLPs may be treated as a tax-deferred return of capital, thus reducing the Fund's current tax liability. However, the amount of taxes currently paid by the Fund will vary depending on the amount of income and gains derived from investments and/or sales of MLP interests, such taxes will reduce your return from an investment in the Fund.
 
The Fund invests its assets primarily in MLPs, which generally are treated as partnerships for federal income tax purposes. As a partner in the MLPs, the Fund must report its allocable share of the MLPs' taxable income in computing its taxable income, regardless of the extent (if any) to which the MLPs make distributions. Based upon the Adviser's review of the historic results of the types of MLPs in which the Fund invests, the Adviser expects that the cash flow received by the Fund with respect to its MLP investments will generally exceed the taxable income allocated to the Fund (and this excess generally will not be currently taxable to the Fund but, rather, will result in a reduction of the Fund's adjusted tax basis in each MLP as described in the following paragraph). This is the result of a variety of factors, including significant non-cash deductions, such as accelerated depreciation. There is no assurance that the Adviser's expectation regarding the tax character of MLP distributions will be realized. If this expectation is not realized, there may be greater tax expense borne by the Fund and less cash available to distribute to you or to pay to expenses.
 
The Fund will also be subject to U.S. federal income tax (and possibly state, local, or foreign taxes) at the corporate tax rate on any gain recognized by the Fund on any sale of equity securities of an MLP. Cash distributions from an MLP to the Fund that exceed the Fund's allocable share of such MLP's net taxable income will reduce the Fund's adjusted tax basis in the equity securities of the MLP. These reductions in the Fund's adjusted tax basis in the MLP equity securities will increase the amount of any taxable gain (or decrease the amount of any tax loss) recognized by the Fund on a subsequent sale of the securities.
 
The Funds will accrue deferred income taxes for any future tax liability associated with (i) that portion of MLP distributions considered to be a tax-deferred return of capital as well as (ii) capital appreciation of its investments. Upon the sale of MLP security, the Fund may be liable for previously deferred taxes. The Fund will rely to some extent on information provided by the MLPs in which it invests, which is not necessarily timely, to estimate deferred tax liability for purposes of financial statement reporting and determining NAV. From time to time, the Adviser will modify the estimates or assumptions regarding the Fund's deferred tax liability as new information becomes available. The Fund will generally compute deferred income taxes based on the federal income tax rate applicable to corporations and an assumed rate attributable to state taxes.
 
Distributions reinvested in additional Shares of the Fund through the means of the dividend reinvestment service (see above) will nevertheless be taxable dividends to shareholders acquiring such additional Shares.


61


Distributions by the Fund will be treated as dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes to the extent paid from the Fund's current or accumulated earnings and profits (as determined under U.S. federal income tax principles). Such dividends may be eligible for treatment as qualified dividend income if certain holding period requirements are satisfied. Dividends paid by the Fund to a Non-U.S. Shareholder (defined below) generally will be subject to withholding tax at a 30% rate or a reduced rate specified by an applicable income tax treaty. If an income tax treaty applies to a Non-U.S. Shareholder, the Non-U.S. Shareholder will be required to provide an IRS Form W-8BEN certifying its entitlement to benefits under the treaty in order to obtain a reduced rate of withholding tax.

TAXES FOR EACH FUND OTHER THAN THE GLOBAL X MLP ETF
 
The following summarizes certain additional tax considerations generally affecting the Funds and their shareholders that are not described in the Prospectus. No attempt is made to present a detailed explanation of the tax treatment of the Funds or their shareholders, and the discussions here and in the Prospectus are not intended as a substitute for careful tax planning. Potential investors should consult their tax advisers with specific reference to their own tax situations.

The discussions of the federal tax consequences in the Prospectus and this SAI are based on the Code and the regulations, rulings and decisions under it, as in effect on the date of this SAI. Future legislative or administrative changes or court decisions may significantly change the statements included herein, and any such changes or decisions may have a retroactive effect with respect to the transactions contemplated herein. This discussion does not address all aspects of U.S. federal income taxation that may be relevant to shareholders in light of their particular circumstances or to shareholders subject to special treatment under U.S. federal income tax laws (e.g., certain financial institutions, insurance companies, dealers in stock or securities, tax-exempt organizations, persons who have entered into hedging transactions with respect to shares of a Fund, persons who borrow in order to acquire shares, and certain foreign taxpayers). Furthermore, this discussion does not reflect possible application of the alternative minimum

62


tax ("AMT"). Under 2017 legislation commonly known as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, corporations are no longer subject to the AMT for taxable years of the corporation beginning after December 31, 2017. Unless otherwise noted, this discussion (under "Taxes") assumes shares of each Fund (including the Global X MLP ETF) are held by U.S. shareholders and that such shares are held as capital assets. No representation is made as to the tax consequences of the operation of any Fund.

U.S. SHAREHOLDER
 
A U.S. shareholder is a beneficial owner of shares of a Fund that is for U.S. federal income tax purposes:
 
a citizen or individual resident of the United States (including certain former citizens and former long-term residents);
 
a domestic corporation or other entity treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes, created or organized in or under the laws of the United States or any state thereof or the District of Columbia;
 
an estate, the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of its source; or
 
a trust if a court within the United States is able to exercise primary supervision over its administration and one or more U.S. persons have the authority to control all of its substantial decisions or the trust has made a valid election in effect under applicable Treasury Regulations to be treated as a U.S. person.

A "Non-U.S. shareholder" is a beneficial owner of shares of a Fund that is an individual, corporation, trust or estate and is not a U.S. shareholder. If a partnership (including any entity treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes) holds shares of a Fund, the tax treatment of a partner in the partnership generally depends upon the status of the partner and the activities of the partnership. A prospective shareholder who is a partner of a partnership holding shares should consult its tax advisors with respect to the purchase, ownership and disposition of its shares.

FUND TAXATION

Each Fund is treated as a separate corporation for federal income tax purposes. Losses in one Fund do not offset gains in another Fund and the requirements (other than certain organizational requirements) for qualifying for regulated investment company status as described below are determined at the Fund level rather than the Trust level.

Each Fund has elected and intends to qualify as a regulated investment company ("regulated investment company" or "RIC") under Subchapter M of Subtitle A, Chapter 1, of the Code. As a regulated investment company, each Fund generally will be exempt from federal income tax on its net investment income and realized capital gains that it distributes to shareholders, provided that it distributes an amount equal to at least the sum of 90% of its tax-exempt income and 90% of its investment company taxable income (net investment income and the excess of net short-term capital gain over net long-term capital loss), if any, for the year (the "Distribution Requirement") and satisfies certain other requirements of the Code that are described below. Each Fund intends to make sufficient distributions or deemed distributions each year to avoid liability for corporate income tax. If a Fund were to fail to make sufficient distributions, it could be liable for corporate income tax and for excise tax in respect of the shortfall or, if the shortfall is large enough, such Fund could be disqualified as a regulated investment company.

In addition to satisfaction of the Distribution Requirement, a Fund must derive with respect to a taxable year at least 90% of its gross income from dividends, interest, certain payments with respect to securities loans and gains from the sale or other disposition of stock or securities or foreign currencies, or from other income derived with respect to its business of investing in such stock, securities, or currencies or net income derived from an interest in a qualified publicly traded partnership (the "Income Requirement"). A "qualified publicly traded partnership" ("QPTP") is generally defined as a publicly traded partnership under Section 7704 of the Code, which is generally a partnership the interests in which are "traded on an established securities market" or are "readily tradable on a secondary market (or the substantial equivalent thereof)". However, for these purposes, a QPTP does not include a publicly traded partnership if 90% or more of its income is as described above.

Also, at the close of each quarter of its taxable year, at least 50% of the value of a Fund's assets must consist of cash and cash items, U.S. government securities, securities of other regulated investment companies and securities of other issuers (as to which the Fund does not hold more than 5% of the value of its total assets in securities of such issuer and as to which the Fund does not hold more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities (including securities of a QPTP of such issuer), and no more than 25% of the value of the Fund's total assets may be invested in the securities of (i) any one issuer (other than U.S. government securities and securities of other regulated investment companies), (ii) two or more issuers which such Fund controls and which are engaged in the same or similar trades or businesses or (iii) one or more QPTPs (the "Asset Diversification Requirement"). Each Fund intends to comply with these requirements.

63



If a RIC fails this asset-diversification test, such RIC, in addition to other cure provisions previously permitted, has a 6-month period to correct any failure without incurring a penalty if such failure is "de minimis," meaning that the failure does not exceed the lesser of 1% of the RIC's assets, or $10 million.

If for any taxable year a Fund does not qualify as a RIC, all of its taxable income will be subject to tax at the corporate income tax rate without any deduction for distributions to shareholders. In such event, the shareholders would recognize dividend income on distributions to the extent of such Fund's current and accumulated earnings and profits. Failure to qualify as a regulated investment company would thus have a negative impact on the Fund's income and performance. Subject to savings provisions for certain failures to satisfy the Income Requirement or Asset Diversification Requirement, which, in general, are limited to those due to reasonable cause and not willful neglect, it is possible that the Fund will not qualify as a regulated investment company in any given tax year. Even if such savings provisions apply, the Fund may be subject to a monetary sanction of $50,000 or more.

The Code imposes a nondeductible 4% excise tax on regulated investment companies that fail to currently distribute an amount equal to specified percentages of their ordinary taxable income and capital gain net income (excess of capital gains over capital losses). Each Fund intends to make sufficient distributions or deemed distributions of its ordinary taxable income and capital gain net income each calendar year to avoid liability for this excise tax.

Each Fund intends to distribute annually to its shareholders all or substantially all of its investment company taxable income, and any net realized long-term capital gains in excess of net realized short-term capital losses (including any capital loss carryovers). However, if a Fund retains for investment an amount equal to all or a portion of its net long-term capital gains in excess of its net short-term capital losses (including any capital loss carryovers), it will be subject to a corporate tax on the amount retained. In that event, a Fund may designate such retained amounts as undistributed capital gains in a notice to its shareholders who (a) will be required to include in income for U.S. federal income tax purposes, as long-term capital gains, their proportionate shares of the undistributed amount, (b) will be entitled to credit their proportionate shares of the tax paid by the Fund on the undistributed amount against their U.S. federal income tax liabilities, if any, and to claim refunds to the extent their credits exceed their liabilities, if any, and (c) will be entitled to increase their tax basis, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, in their shares by an amount equal to the difference between the amount of undistributed capital gains included in the shareholder's income and the tax deemed paid by the shareholder. Organizations or persons not subject to U.S. federal income tax on such capital gains will be entitled to a refund of their pro rata share of such taxes paid by such Fund upon filing appropriate returns or claims for refund with the Internal Revenue Service ("IRS").

Investors considering buying shares just prior to a dividend or capital gain distribution should be aware that, although the price of shares just purchased at that time may reflect the amount of the forthcoming distribution, such dividend or distribution may nevertheless be taxable to them. If a Fund is the holder of record of any stock on the record date for any dividends payable with respect to such stock, such dividends will be included in such Fund's gross income not as of the date received but as of the later of (a) the date such stock became ex-dividend with respect to such dividends (that is, the date on which a buyer of the stock would not be entitled to receive the declared, but unpaid, dividends) or (b) the date such Fund acquired such stock. Accordingly, to satisfy its income distribution requirements, a Fund may be required to pay dividends based on anticipated earnings, and shareholders may receive dividends in an earlier year than would otherwise be the case.

For investors that hold their Fund Shares in a taxable account, a high portfolio turnover rate may result in higher taxes. This is because a Fund with a high turnover rate is likely to accelerate the recognition of capital gains and more of such gains are likely to be taxable as short-term rather than long-term capital gains in contrast to a comparable fund with a low turnover rate. Any such higher taxes would reduce the Fund’s after-tax performance.

A RIC is permitted to carry forward net capital losses to offset capital gains realized in later years, and the losses carried forward retain their original character as either long-term or short-term losses.

DISTRIBUTIONS

Distributions by a Fund of its net short-term capital gains will be taxable as ordinary income. Distributions of net realized long-term capital gains, if any, that a Fund designates as capital gains dividends are taxable as long-term capital gains, whether paid in cash or in shares and regardless of how long a shareholder has held shares of such Fund. All other dividends of a Fund (including dividends from short-term capital gains) from its current and accumulated earnings and profits ("regular dividends") are generally subject to tax as ordinary income except as described below for qualified dividends.

EXCESS INCLUSION INCOME

Certain types of income received by a Fund from REITs, real estate mortgage investment conduits ("REMICs"), taxable mortgage pools ("TMPs") or other investments may cause a Fund to designate some or all of its distributions as "excess inclusion income." Such excess inclusion income may (1) constitute taxable income, as "unrelated business taxable income" ("UBTI") for Fund shareholders who would otherwise be tax-exempt, such as individual retirement accounts, 401(k) accounts, Keogh plans, pension plans and certain charitable entities; (2) as UBTI, cause a charitable remainder trust to be subject to a 100% excise tax on its UBTI; (3) not be offset against net operating losses for tax purposes; (4) not be eligible for reduced U.S. withholding for non-U.S. shareholders even from tax treaty countries; and (5) cause a Fund to be subject to tax if certain "disqualified organizations" as defined by the Code are Fund shareholders.

TAXES APPLICABLE TO ALL FUNDS

SECTIONS 351 AND 362

The Trust on behalf of each Fund has the right to reject an order for a purchase of Shares of a Fund if the purchaser (or group of purchasers) would, upon obtaining the Shares so ordered, own 80% or more of the outstanding Shares of the Fund and if, pursuant to Sections 351 and 362 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. If a Fund's basis in such securities on the date of deposit was less than market value on such date, such Fund, upon disposition of the securities, would recognize more taxable gain or less taxable loss than if its basis in the securities had been equal to market value. It is not anticipated that the Trust will exercise the right of rejection except in a case where the Trust determines that accepting the order could result in material adverse tax consequences to a Fund or its shareholders. The Trust also has the right to require information necessary to determine deemed and beneficial share ownership for purposes of the 80% determination.

FOREIGN TAXES

It is expected that certain income of the Funds will be subject to foreign withholding taxes and other taxes imposed by countries in which the Funds invest. If a Fund is liable for foreign income taxes, including such withholding taxes and more than 50% of the value of a Fund's total assets at the close of the taxable year consists of stock or securities of foreign corporations, such Fund may file an election with the IRS to "pass through" to the Fund's shareholders the amount of foreign income taxes paid by the Fund. The Funds expect to be able to make this election, though no assurance can be given that they will be able to do so. Pursuant to this election, a shareholder (a) will include in gross income (in addition to taxable dividends actually received) the shareholder's pro rata share of the foreign income taxes paid by a Fund; (b) will treat the shareholder's pro rata share of such foreign income taxes as having been paid by the shareholder; and (c) may, subject to certain limitations, be entitled either to deduct the shareholder's pro rata share of such foreign income taxes in computing the shareholder's taxable income or to use it as a foreign tax credit against U.S. income taxes. Shortly after any year for which a Fund makes such a pass-through election, the Fund will report to its shareholders, in writing, the amount per Share of such foreign tax that must be included in each shareholder's gross income and the amount which will be available for deduction or credit.

If a Fund does not make the election, any foreign taxes paid or accrued will represent an expense to such Fund, which will reduce its net investment income. Absent this election, shareholders will not be able to claim either a credit or deduction for their pro rata shares of such taxes paid by the Fund, nor will shareholders be required to treat their pro rata shares of such taxes as amounts distributed to them.

The rules governing foreign tax credits are complex and, therefore, shareholders should consult their own tax advisors regarding the availability of foreign tax credits in their particular circumstances.

TAXATION OF FUND DISTRIBUTIONS

Distributions. Distributions by a Fund of its net short-term capital gains will be taxable as ordinary income. Distributions of net realized long-term capital gains, if any, that a Fund designates as capital gains dividends are taxable as long-term capital gains, whether paid in cash or in shares and regardless of how long a shareholder has held shares of such Fund. All other dividends of a Fund (including dividends from short-term capital gains) from its current and accumulated earnings and profits ("regular dividends") are generally subject to tax as ordinary income except as described below for qualified dividends.

Return of Capital. Distributions in excess of a Fund's current and accumulated earnings and profits will, as to each shareholder, be treated as a tax-free return of capital to the extent of a shareholder's basis in his shares of such Fund, and as a capital gain thereafter (if the shareholder holds his Shares of such Fund as capital assets). Shareholders receiving dividends or distributions in the form of additional Shares should be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as receiving a distribution in an amount equal to the amount of money that the shareholders receiving cash dividends or distributions will receive, and should have a cost basis in the Shares received equal to such amount. Dividends paid by a Fund that are attributable to dividends received by a Fund from domestic corporations may qualify for the federal dividends-received deduction for corporations.

Qualified Dividend Income. Distributions by a Fund of investment company taxable income (excluding any short-term capital gains) whether received in cash or shares will be taxable either as ordinary income or as qualified dividend income, eligible for the reduced maximum rate to individuals of 20% to the extent the Fund receives qualified dividend income on the securities it holds and the Fund designates the distribution as qualified dividend income. Qualified dividend income is, in general, dividend income from taxable domestic corporations and certain foreign corporations (e.g., foreign corporations incorporated in a possession of the United States or in certain countries with a comprehensive tax treaty with the United States, or the stock of which is readily tradable on an established securities market in the United States). A dividend will not be treated as qualified dividend income to the extent that (i) the shareholder has not held the shares on which the dividend was paid for more than 60 days during the 121-day period that begins on the date that is 60 days before the date on which the shares become ex dividend with respect to such dividend (and the Fund also satisfies those holding period requirements with respect to the securities it holds that paid the dividends distributed to the shareholder), (ii) the shareholder is under an obligation (whether pursuant to a short sale or otherwise) to make related payments with respect to substantially similar or related property, or (iii) the shareholder elects to treat such dividend as investment income under section 163(d)(4)(B) of the Code.

Qualified REIT Dividends and Income from QPTPs. Under the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, "qualified REIT dividends" (i.e., ordinary REIT dividends other than capital gain dividends and portions of REIT dividends designated as qualified dividend income) are treated as eligible for a 20% deduction by noncorporate taxpayers. This deduction, if allowed in full, equates to a maximum effective tax rate of 29.6% (37% top rate applied to income after 20% deduction). Proposed regulations issued by the IRS, which may be relied upon currently, enable the Fund to pass through the special character of "qualified REIT dividends" to a shareholder, provided both the Fund and the shareholder meet certain holding period requirements with respect to their shares. A noncorporate

64


shareholder receiving such dividends would treat them as eligible for the 20% deduction, provided Fund shares were held by the shareholder for more than 45 days during the 91-day period beginning on the date that is 45 days before the date on which the shares become ex-dividend with respect to such dividend). The amount of a RIC's dividends eligible for the 20% deduction for a taxable year is limited to the excess of the RIC's qualified REIT dividends for the taxable year over allocable expenses. The proposed regulations do not permit conduit treatment of income from QPTPs (income from MLPs) for purposes of the 20% deduction by noncorporate taxpayers. The IRS continues to study whether such treatment for RICs is appropriate in the context of publicly traded partnerships.

Corporate Dividends-Received Deduction. A Fund's dividends that are paid to its corporate shareholders and are attributable to qualifying dividends it received from U.S. domestic corporations may be eligible, in the hands of such shareholders, for the corporate dividends-received deduction, subject to certain holding period requirements and debt financing limitations.

Medicare Tax. Certain U.S. shareholders, including individuals and estates and trusts, are subject to an additional 3.8% Medicare tax on all or a portion of their "net investment income," which includes dividends from a Fund and net gains from the disposition of shares of a Fund. U.S. shareholders are urged to consult their own tax advisors regarding the implications of the additional Medicare tax resulting from an investment in a Fund.

TAXATION OF INCOME FROM CERTAIN FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS AND PFICS

The tax principles applicable to transactions in financial instruments and futures contracts and options that may be engaged in by a Fund including the effect of fluctuations in the value of foreign currencies, and investments in passive foreign investment companies, are complex and, in some cases, uncertain. Such transactions and investments may cause a Fund to recognize taxable income prior to the receipt of cash, thereby requiring such Fund to liquidate other positions, or to borrow money, so as to make sufficient distributions to shareholders to avoid corporate-level tax. Moreover, some or all of the taxable income recognized may be ordinary income or short-term capital gain, so that the distributions may be taxable to shareholders as ordinary income.

Options, Futures, Forward Contracts, Swap Agreements, Hedges, Straddles and Other Transactions. In general, option premiums received by a Fund are not immediately included in the income of the Fund. Instead, the premiums are recognized (i) when the option contract expires, (ii) the option is exercised by the holder, or (iii) the Fund transfers or otherwise terminates the option (e.g., through a closing transaction). If a call option written by a Fund is exercised and the Fund sells or delivers the underlying stock, the Fund generally will recognize capital gain or loss equal to (a) sum of the strike price and the option premium received by the Fund minus (b) a Fund's basis in the stock. Such gain or loss generally will be short-term or long-term depending upon the holding period of the underlying stock. If securities are purchased by a Fund pursuant to the exercise of a put option written by it, the Fund generally will subtract the premium received for purposes of computing its cost basis in the securities purchased. The gain or loss that may arise in respect of any termination of a Fund's obligation under an option other than through the exercise of the option will be short-term gain or loss, depending on whether the premium income received by the Fund is greater or less than the amount paid by the Fund (if any) in terminating the transaction. Thus, for example, if an option written by a Fund expires unexercised, the Fund generally will recognize short-term gain equal to the premium received.

Certain covered call writing activities of a Fund may trigger the U.S. federal income tax straddle rules of section 1092 of the Code, requiring that losses be deferred and holding periods be tolled on offsetting positions in options and stocks deemed to constitute substantially similar or related property. Options on single stocks that are not "deep in the money" may constitute qualified covered calls, which generally are not subject to the straddle rules; the holding period on stock underlying qualified covered calls that are "in the money" although not "deep in the money" will be suspended during the period that such calls are outstanding. Thus, the straddle rules and the rules governing qualified covered calls could cause gains that would otherwise constitute long-term capital gains to be treated as short-term capital gains, and distributions that would otherwise constitute "qualified dividend income" or qualify for the dividends-received deduction to fail to satisfy the holding period requirements and therefore to be taxed as ordinary income or fail to qualify for the 50% dividends-received deduction, as the case may be.

The tax treatment of certain futures contracts entered into by a Fund as well as listed non-equity options written or purchased by a Fund on U.S. exchanges (including options on futures contracts, equity indices and debt securities) will be governed by Section 1256 of the Code ("Section 1256 Contracts"). Gains or losses on Section 1256 Contracts generally are considered 60% long-term and 40% short-term capital gains or losses ("60/40"), although certain foreign currency gains and losses from such contracts may be treated as ordinary in character. Also, Section 1256 Contracts held by a Fund at the end of each taxable year (and, for purposes of the 4% excise tax, on certain other dates as prescribed under the Code) are "marked to market" with the result that unrealized gains or losses are treated as though they were realized and the resulting gain or loss is treated as ordinary or 60/40 gain or loss, as applicable.


65


In addition to the special rules described above in respect of futures and options transactions, a Fund's transactions in other derivative instruments (e.g., forward contracts and swap agreements) as well as any of its other hedging, short sale or similar transactions, may be subject to one or more special tax rules (e.g., notional principal contract, straddle, constructive sale, wash sale and short sale rules). These rules may affect whether gains and losses recognized by a Fund are treated as ordinary or capital or as short-term or long-term, accelerate the recognition of income or gains to the Fund, defer losses to the Fund, and cause adjustments in the holding periods of the Fund's securities. These rules could therefore affect the amount, timing and/or character of distributions to shareholders. Because these and other tax rules applicable to these types of transactions are in some cases uncertain under current law, an adverse determination or future guidance by the IRS with respect to these rules (which determination or guidance may be retroactive) may affect whether a Fund has made sufficient distributions, and otherwise satisfied the relevant requirements, to maintain its qualification as a RIC and avoid Fund-level tax. Each Fund will monitor its transactions, will make appropriate tax elections and will make appropriate entries in its books and records in order to mitigate the effect of these rules.

Certain of a Fund's investments in derivative instruments and foreign currency-denominated instruments, and any of a Fund's transactions in foreign currencies and hedging activities, are likely to produce a difference between a Fund's book income and the sum of its taxable income and net tax-exempt income (if any). If there is a difference between a Fund's book income and the sum of its taxable income and net tax-exempt income (if any), the Fund may be required to distribute amounts in excess of its book income or a portion of Fund distributions may be treated as a return of capital to shareholders. If a Fund's book income exceeds the sum of its taxable income (including realized capital gains) and net tax-exempt income (if any), the distribution (if any) of such excess generally will be treated as (i) a dividend to the extent of the Fund's remaining earnings and profits (including earnings and profits arising from tax-exempt income), (ii) thereafter, as a return of capital to the extent of the recipient's basis in the shares, and (iii) thereafter, as gain from the sale or exchange of a capital asset. If a Fund's book income is less than the sum of its taxable income and net tax-exempt income (if any), the Fund could be required to make distributions exceeding book income to qualify as a RIC that is accorded special tax treatment.

Commodities. Gains from the disposition of commodities, including precious metals, will neither be considered qualifying income for purposes of satisfying the Income Requirement nor qualifying assets for purposes of satisfying the Asset Diversification Requirement. Also, the IRS has issued a revenue ruling which holds that income derived from commodity-linked swaps is not qualifying income for purposes of the Income Requirement. In a subsequent revenue ruling, as well as in a number of follow-on private letter rulings (upon which only the fund that received the private letter ruling may rely), the IRS provides that income from certain alternative investments which create commodity exposure, such as certain commodity-linked or structured notes or a corporate subsidiary that invests in commodities, may be considered qualifying income under the Code. In September 2016, the IRS announced that it will no longer issue private letter rulings on questions relating to the treatment of a corporation as a RIC that require a determination of whether a financial instrument or position, such as a commodity-linked or structured note, is a security under section 2(a)(36) of the 1940 Act. (A financial instrument or position that constitutes a security under section 2(a)(36) of the 1940 Act generates qualifying income for a corporation taxed as a regulated investment company). This caused the IRS to revoke rulings that required such a determination, some of which were revoked retroactively and others of which were revoked prospectively, as of a date agreed upon with the IRS. Accordingly, a Fund may decide to invest in certain commodity-linked notes only to the extent it obtains an opinion of counsel confirming that income from such investments should be qualifying income. In addition, a RIC may gain exposure to commodities through investment in a QPTP, such as an exchange-traded fund or ETF that is classified as a partnership and which invests in commodities. Accordingly, the extent to which a Fund invests in commodities or commodity-linked derivatives may be limited by the Income Requirement and the Asset Diversification Requirement, which the fund must continue to satisfy to maintain its status as a regulated investment company. A Fund also may be limited in its ability to sell its investments in commodities, commodity-linked derivatives, and certain ETFs or be forced to sell other investments to generate income due to the Income Requirement. If a Fund does not appropriately limit such investments or if such investments (or the income earned on such investments) were to be recharacterized for U.S. tax purposes, the Fund could fail to qualify as a RIC. In lieu of potential disqualification, a Fund is permitted to pay a tax for certain failures to satisfy the Asset Diversification Test or Income Requirement, which, in general, are limited to those due to reasonable cause and not willful neglect.

Original Issue Discount, Pay-In-Kind Securities, Market Discount and Commodity-Linked Notes. Some debt obligations with a fixed maturity date of more than one year from the date of issuance (and zero-coupon debt obligations with a fixed maturity date of more than one year from the date of issuance) that may be acquired by a Fund may be treated as debt obligations that are issued originally at a discount. Generally, the amount of the original issue discount ("OID") is treated as interest income and is included in a Fund's taxable income (and required to be distributed by the Fund) over the term of the debt obligation, even though payment of that amount is not received until a later time, upon partial or full repayment or disposition of the debt security.

Some debt obligations (with a fixed maturity date of more than one year from the date of issuance) that may be acquired by a Fund in the secondary market may be treated as having "market discount." Very generally, market discount is the excess of the stated redemption price of a debt obligation (or in the case of an obligations issued with OID, its "revised issue price") over the purchase price of such obligation. Generally, any gain recognized on the disposition of, and any partial payment of principal on, a debt

66


obligation having market discount is treated as ordinary income to the extent the gain, or principal payment, does not exceed the "accrued market discount" on such debt obligation. Alternatively, a Fund may elect to accrue market discount currently, in which case the Fund will be required to include the accrued market discount in the Fund's income (as ordinary income) and thus distribute it over the term of the debt security, even though payment of that amount is not received until a later time, upon partial or full repayment or disposition of the debt security. The rate at which the market discount accrues, and thus is included in a Fund's income, will depend upon which of the permitted accrual methods the Fund elects. In the case of higher-risk securities, the amount of market discount may be unclear. See "Higher-Risk Securities."

Some debt obligations (with a fixed maturity date of one year or less from the date of issuance) that may be acquired by a Fund may be treated as having "acquisition discount" (very generally, the excess of the stated redemption price over the purchase price), or OID in the case of certain types of debt obligations. A Fund will be required to include the acquisition discount, or OID, in income (as ordinary income) over the term of the debt obligation, even though payment of that amount is not received until a later time, upon partial or full repayment or disposition of the debt security. A Fund may make one or more of the elections applicable to debt obligations having acquisition discount, or OID, which could affect the character and timing of recognition of income.

In addition, payment-in-kind securities will, and commodity-linked notes may, give rise to income that is required to be distributed and is taxable even though the Fund holding the security receives no interest payment in cash on the security during the year.

If a Fund holds the foregoing kinds of securities, it may be required to pay out as an income distribution each year an amount that is greater than the total amount of cash interest the Fund actually received. Such distributions may be made from the cash assets of a Fund or by liquidation of portfolio securities, if necessary (including when it is not advantageous to do so). A Fund may realize gains or losses from such liquidations. In the event a Fund realizes net capital gains from such transactions, its shareholders may receive a larger capital gain distribution than they would in the absence of such transactions.

Higher-Risk Securities. To the extent such investments are permissible for a Fund, a Fund may invest in debt obligations that are in the lowest rating categories or are unrated, including debt obligations of issuers not currently paying interest or who are in default. Investments in debt obligations that are at risk of or in default present special tax issues for a Fund. Tax rules are not entirely clear about issues such as when a Fund may cease to accrue interest, OID or market discount, when and to what extent deductions may be taken for bad debts or worthless securities and how payments received on obligations in default should be allocated between principal and income. In limited circumstances, it may also not be clear whether a Fund should recognize market discount on a debt obligation, and if so, what amount of market discount the Fund should recognize. These and other related issues will be addressed by a Fund when, as and if it invests in such securities, in order to seek to ensure that it distributes sufficient income to preserve its status as a RIC and does not become subject to U.S. federal income or excise tax.
 
Issuer Deductibility of Interest. A portion of the interest paid or accrued on certain high yield discount obligations owned by a Fund may not be deductible to (and thus, may affect the cash flow of) the issuer. If a portion of the interest paid or accrued on certain high yield discount obligations is not deductible, that portion will be treated as a dividend for purposes of the corporate dividends-received deduction. In such cases, if the issuer of the high yield discount obligations is a domestic corporation, dividend payments by a Fund may be eligible for the dividends-received deduction to the extent of the deemed dividend portion of such accrued interest.
 
Interest paid on debt obligations owned by a Fund, if any, that are considered for U.S. tax purposes to be payable in the equity of the issuer or a related party will not be deductible to the issuer, possibly affecting the cash flow of the issuer.

Securities Lending. While securities are loaned out by a Fund, the Fund generally will receive from the borrower amounts equal to any dividends or interest paid on the borrowed securities. For federal income tax purposes, payments made “in lieu of” dividends are not considered dividend income. These distributions will neither qualify for the reduced rate of federal income taxation for individuals on qualified dividends income, if otherwise available, nor the 50% dividends-received deduction for corporations. Also, any foreign tax withheld on payments made “in lieu of” dividends or interest may not qualify for the passthrough of foreign tax credits to shareholders.

Tax-Exempt Shareholders. A tax-exempt shareholder could recognize UBTI by virtue of its investment in a Fund if Shares in the Fund constitute debt-financed property in the hands of the tax-exempt shareholder within the meaning of section 514(b) of the Code. Furthermore, a tax-exempt shareholder may recognize UBTI if a Fund recognizes "excess inclusion income" derived from direct or indirect investments in residual interests in REMICs or equity interests in TMPs if the amount of such income recognized by the Fund exceeds the Fund's investment company taxable income (after taking into account deductions for dividends paid by the Fund).
 

67


In addition, special tax consequences apply to charitable remainder trusts ("CRTs") that invest in RICs that invest directly or indirectly in residual interests in REMICs or equity interests in TMPs. Under legislation enacted in December 2006, a CRT (as defined in Section 664 of the Code) that realizes any UBTI for a taxable year must pay an excise tax annually of an amount equal to such UBTI. Under IRS guidance issued in October 2006, a CRT will not recognize UBTI solely as a result of investing in a regulated investment company that recognizes "excess inclusion income." Rather, if at any time during any taxable year a CRT (or one of certain other tax-exempt shareholders, such as the United States, a state or political subdivision, or an agency or instrumentality thereof, and certain energy cooperatives) is a record holder of a share in the regulated investment company that recognizes "excess inclusion income," then the RIC will be subject to a tax on that portion of its "excess inclusion income" for the taxable year that is allocable to such shareholders, at the corporate income tax rate. The extent to which this IRS guidance remains applicable in light of the December 2006 legislation is unclear. To the extent permitted under the 1940 Act, a Fund may elect to specially allocate any such tax to the applicable CRT, or other shareholder, and thus reduce such shareholder's distributions for the year by the amount of the tax that relates to such shareholder's interest in the Fund. Each Fund has not yet determined whether such an election will be made. CRTs and other tax-exempt investors are urged to consult their tax advisers concerning the consequences of investing in a Fund.

Passive Foreign Investment Companies. A passive foreign investment company ("PFIC") is any foreign corporation: (i) 75% or more of the gross income of which for the taxable year is passive income, or (ii) the average percentage of the assets of which (generally by value, but by adjusted tax basis in certain cases) that produce or are held for the production of passive income is at least 50%. Generally, passive income for this purpose means dividends, interest (including income equivalent to interest), royalties, rents, annuities, the excess of gains over losses from certain property transactions and commodities transactions, and foreign currency gains. Passive income for this purpose does not include rents and royalties received by the foreign corporation from an active business and certain income received from related persons. Equity investments by a Fund in certain PFICs could potentially subject the Fund to a U.S. federal income tax or other charge (including interest charges) on the distributions received from the PFIC or on proceeds received from the disposition of shares in the PFIC. This tax cannot be eliminated by making distributions to Fund shareholders. However, a Fund may elect to avoid the imposition of that tax. For example, if a Fund is in a position to and elects to treat a PFIC as a "qualified electing fund" (i.e., make a "QEF election"), the Fund will be required to include its share of the PFIC's income and net capital gains annually, regardless of whether it receives any distribution from the PFIC. Alternatively, a Fund may make an election to mark the gains (and to a limited extent losses) in its PFIC holdings "to the market" as though it had sold and repurchased its holdings in those PFICs on the last day of the Fund's taxable year. Such gains and losses are treated as ordinary income and loss. The QEF and mark-to-market elections may accelerate the recognition of income (without the receipt of cash) and increase the amount required to be distributed by a Fund to avoid taxation. Making either of these elections therefore may require a Fund to liquidate other investments (including when it is not advantageous to do so) to meet its distribution requirement, which also may accelerate the recognition of gain and affect the Fund's total return. Dividends paid by PFICs will not be eligible to be treated as "qualified dividend income."

Because it is not always possible to identify a foreign corporation as a PFIC, a Fund may be liable for corporate-level tax on any ultimate gain or distributions on the shares if such Fund fails to make an election to recognize income annually during the period of its ownership of the shares.

Foreign Currency Transactions. A Fund's transactions in foreign currencies, foreign currency-denominated debt obligations and certain foreign currency options, futures contracts and forward contracts (and similar instruments) may give rise to ordinary income or loss to the extent such income or loss results from fluctuations in the value of the foreign currency concerned. Any such net gains could require a larger dividend toward the end of the calendar year. Any such net losses will generally reduce and potentially require the re-characterization of prior ordinary income distributions. Such ordinary income treatment may accelerate a Fund's distributions to shareholders and increase the distributions taxed to shareholders as ordinary income. Any net ordinary losses so created cannot be carried forward by a Fund to offset income or gains earned in subsequent taxable years.

Investments in partnerships and QPTPs. For purposes of the Income Requirement, income derived by a Fund from a partnership that is not a QPTP 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 such Fund. While the rules are not entirely clear with respect to a Fund investing in a partnership outside a master feeder structure, for purposes of testing whether a Fund satisfies the Asset Diversification Requirement, the Fund generally is treated as owning a pro rata share of the underlying assets of a partnership. In contrast, different rules apply to a partnership that is a QPTP. All of the net income derived by a Fund from an interest in a QPTP will be treated as qualifying income but the Fund may not invest more than 25% of its total assets in one or more QPTPs. However, there can be no assurance that a partnership classified as a QPTP in one year will qualify as a QPTP in the next year. Any such failure to annually qualify as a QPTP might, in turn, cause a Fund to fail to qualify as a regulated investment company. Although, in general, the passive loss rules of the Code do not apply to RICs, such rules do apply to a Fund with respect to items attributable to an interest in a QPTP. Fund investments in partnerships, including in QPTPs, may result in the fund being subject to state, local or foreign income, franchise, or withholding tax liabilities.

68



If an MLP is treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes (whether or not a QPTP), all or portion of the dividends received by a Fund from the MLP likely will be treated as a return of capital for U.S. federal income tax purposes because of accelerated deductions available with respect to the activities of such MLPs. Further, because of these accelerated deductions, on the disposition of interests in such an MLP, a Fund likely will realize taxable income in excess of economic gain with respect to those MLP interests (or if the Fund does not dispose of the MLP, the Fund could realize taxable income in excess of cash flow with respect to the MLP in a later period), and the Fund must take such income into account in determining whether the Fund has satisfied its Distribution Requirement. A Fund may have to borrow or liquidate securities to satisfy its Distribution Requirement and to meet its redemption requests, even though investment considerations might otherwise make it undesirable for the Fund to sell securities or borrow money at such time. In addition, any gain recognized, either upon the sale of a fund's MLP interest or sale by the MLP of property held by it, including in excess of economic gain thereon, treated as so-called "recapture income," will be treated as ordinary income. Therefore, to the extent a Fund invests in MLPs, fund shareholders might receive greater amounts of distributions from the fund taxable as ordinary income than they otherwise would in the absence of such MLP investments.

Although MLPs are generally expected to be treated as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes, some MLPs may be treated as PFICs or "regular" corporations for U.S. federal income tax purposes. The treatment of particular MLPs for U.S. federal income tax purposes will affect the extent to which a Fund can invest in MLPs and will impact the amount, character, and timing of income recognized by the Fund.

SALES OF SHARES
 
Sales, exchanges and redemptions (including redemptions in-kind) of Fund Shares are taxable transactions for federal and state income tax purposes. A redemption of Shares by a Fund will be treated as a sale. An Authorized Participant who exchanges securities for Creation Units generally will recognize a gain or a loss. The gain or loss will be equal to the difference between the market value of the Creation Units at the time of purchase (plus any cash received by the Authorized Participant as part of the issue) and the Authorized Participant's aggregate basis in the securities surrendered (plus any cash paid by the Authorized Participant as part of the issue). An Authorized Participant who exchanges Creation Units for securities generally will recognize a gain or loss equal to the difference between the Authorized Participant's basis in the Creation Units (plus any cash paid by the Authorized Participant as part of the redemption) and the aggregate market value of the securities received (plus any cash received by the Authorized Participant as part of the redemption). The IRS, however, may assert that a loss realized upon an exchange of securities for Creation Units cannot be deducted currently under the rules governing "wash sales," or on the basis that there has been no significant change in economic position. Persons exchanging securities should consult their own tax advisor with respect to whether the wash sale rules apply and when a loss might be deductible.

Under current federal tax laws, any capital gain or loss realized upon redemption of Creation Units is generally treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the Shares have been held for more than one year and as a short-term capital gain or loss if the Shares have been held for one year or less.

If a Fund redeems Creation Units in cash, it may recognize more capital gains than it will if it redeems Creation Units in-kind.

Any loss realized on a sale or exchange will be disallowed to the extent the shares disposed of are replaced, including replacement through the reinvesting of dividends and capital gains distributions in a Fund, within a 61-day period beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after the disposition of the shares. In such a case, the basis of the shares acquired will be increased to reflect the disallowed loss. Any loss realized by a shareholder on the sale of the Fund Shares held by the shareholder for six months or less will be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any distributions or deemed distributions of long-term capital gains received by the shareholder with respect to such Shares.

COST BASIS REPORTING

Federal law requires that mutual fund companies or intermediaries report their shareholders' cost basis, gain/loss, and holding period to the IRS on the shareholders' Consolidated Form 1099s when "covered" securities are sold. Covered securities are any RIC and/or dividend reinvestment plan shares acquired on or after January 1, 2012.

Each Fund or intermediaries (broker) will choose or has chosen a standing (default) tax lot identification method for all shareholders. A tax lot identification method is the way the broker will determine which specific shares are deemed to be sold when there are multiple purchases on different dates at differing net asset values, and the entire position is not sold at one time. A broker's standing tax lot identification method is the method covered Shares will be reported on your Consolidated Form 1099 if you do not select a specific tax lot identification method. You may choose a method different than the standing method and will be able to do so at the time of your purchase or upon the sale of covered Shares. Please refer to the appropriate IRS regulations or consult your tax advisor with regard to your personal circumstances. Shareholders will be notified as to which default tax lot identification method their broker will use.

For those securities defined as "covered" under current IRS cost basis tax reporting regulations, a Fund is responsible for maintaining accurate cost basis and tax lot information for tax reporting purposes. A broker is not responsible for the reliability or accuracy of the information for those securities that are not "covered." A Fund and its service providers do not provide tax advice. You should

69


consult independent sources, which may include a tax professional, with respect to any decisions you may make with respect to choosing a tax lot identification method.

REPORTING
 
If a shareholder recognizes a loss with respect to a Fund's Shares of $2 million or more for an individual shareholder or $10 million or more for a corporate shareholder, the shareholder may be required to file with the IRS a disclosure statement on Form 8886. Direct shareholders of portfolio securities are in many cases exempted from this reporting requirement, but under current guidance, shareholders of a RIC are not exempted. 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. Under recently enacted legislation, certain tax-exempt entities and their managers may be subject to excise tax if they are parties to certain reportable transactions.

The foregoing discussion is a summary only and is not intended as a substitute for careful tax planning. Purchasers of Shares should consult their own tax advisers as to the tax consequences of investing in such shares, including under state, local and foreign tax laws. Finally, the foregoing discussion is based on applicable provisions of the Code, regulations, judicial authority and administrative interpretations in effect on the date of this SAI. Changes in applicable authority could materially affect the conclusions discussed above, and such changes often occur.

BACKUP WITHHOLDING
 
Withholding is required on dividends and gross sales proceeds paid to any shareholder who: (1) has failed to provide a correct taxpayer identification number; (2) is subject to backup withholding by the IRS; (3) has failed to certify to a Fund that such shareholder is not subject to backup withholding; or (4) has not certified that such shareholder is a U.S. person (including a U.S. resident alien)." When withholding is required, the amount will be 24% of any distributions or proceeds paid.

OTHER TAXES
 
Dividends, distributions and redemption proceeds may also be subject to additional state, local and foreign taxes depending on each shareholder's particular situation.

TAXATION OF NON-U.S. SHAREHOLDERS

Dividends paid to non-U.S. shareholders are generally subject to withholding tax at a 30% rate or a reduced rate specified by an applicable income tax treaty to the extent derived from investment income and short-term capital gains. In order to obtain a reduced rate of withholding, a non-U.S. shareholder will be required to provide an IRS Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E certifying its entitlement to benefits under a treaty. The withholding tax does not apply to regular dividends paid to a non-U.S. shareholder who provides a Form W-8ECI, certifying that the dividends are effectively connected with the non-U.S. shareholder's conduct of a trade or business within the United States. Instead, the effectively connected dividends will be subject to regular U.S. income tax as if the non-U.S. shareholder were a U.S. shareholder. A non-U.S. corporation receiving effectively connected dividends may also be subject to additional "branch profits tax" imposed at a rate of 30% (or lower treaty rate). A non-U.S. shareholder who fails to provide an IRS Form W-8BEN or other applicable form may be subject to backup withholding at the appropriate rate.

In general, capital gain dividends reported shareholders as paid from its net long-term capital gains, other than long-term capital gains realized on disposition of U.S. real property interests (see the discussion below), are not subject to U.S. withholding tax unless you are a nonresident alien individual present in the U.S. for a period or periods aggregating 183 days or more during the calendar year. Generally, dividends reported to shareholders as interest-related dividends paid from the Fund's qualified net interest income from U.S. sources and short-term capital gain dividends reported to shareholders as paid from its net short-term capital gains, other than short-term capital gains realized on disposition of U.S. real property interests (see the discussion below), are not subject to U.S. withholding tax unless you were a nonresident alien individual present in the U.S. for a period or periods aggregating 183 days or more during the calendar year. The Fund reserves the right to not report interest-related dividends or short-term capital gain dividends. Additionally, the Fund's reporting of interest-related dividends or short-term capital gain dividends may not be passed through to shareholders by intermediaries who have assumed tax reporting responsibilities for this income in managed or omnibus accounts due to systems limitations or operational constraints.

For foreign shareholders of a Fund, a distribution attributable to such Fund's sale of a REIT or other U.S. real property holding company will be treated as real property gain subject to withholding tax at the corporate income tax rate if 50% or more of the value of such Fund's assets are invested in REITs and other U.S. real property holding corporations and if the foreign shareholder has held more than 5% of a class of stock at any time during the one-year period ending on the date of the distribution. A distribution from a Fund will be treated as attributable to a U.S. real property interest only if such distribution is attributable to a distribution received by such Fund from a REIT. Restrictions apply regarding wash sales and substitute payment transactions. Because each Fund expects to invest less than 50% of its assets at all times, directly or indirectly, in U.S. real property interests, each Fund expects that neither gain on the sale or redemption of Fund shares nor Fund dividends and distributions would be subject to FIRPTA reporting and tax withholding.

Under the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act ("FATCA"), a 30% withholding tax is imposed on income dividends paid by the Fund to certain foreign entities, referred to as foreign financial institutions or nonfinancial foreign entities, that fail to comply (or be deemed compliant) with extensive reporting and withholding requirements designed to inform the U.S. department of the Treasury of U.S.-owned foreign investment accounts. After December 31, 2018, FATCA withholding also would have been applied to certain capital gain distributions, return of capital distributions and the proceeds arising from the sale of Fund Shares, however based on proposed regulations issued by the IRS, which may be relied upon currently, such withholding is no longer required unless final regulations provide otherwise (which is not expected). Information about a shareholder in a Fund may be disclosed to the IRS, non-U.S. taxing authorities or other parties as necessary to comply with FATCA. Withholding also may be required if a foreign entity that is a shareholder of a Fund fails to provide the appropriate certifications or other documentation concerning its status under FATCA.

Each prospective shareholder is urged to consult its tax adviser regarding the applicability of FATCA and any other reporting requirements with respect to the prospective shareholder's own situation, including investments through an intermediary.

NET ASSET VALUE
 
The NAV for each Fund is calculated by deducting all of the Fund's liabilities (including accrued expenses) from the total value of its assets (including the securities held by the Fund plus any cash or other assets, including interest and dividends accrued but not yet received) and dividing the result by the number of shares outstanding, and generally rounded to the nearest cent, although each Fund reserves the right to calculate its NAV to more than two decimal places. The NAV for each Fund will generally be determined by SEIGFS once daily Monday through Friday generally as of the regularly scheduled close of business of the Exchange (normally 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time) on each day that the Exchange is open for trading, based on prices at the time of closing, provided that (a) any assets or liabilities denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar shall be translated into U.S. dollars at the prevailing market rates on the date of valuation as quoted by one or more major banks or dealers that makes a two-way market in such currencies (or a data service provider based on quotations received from such banks or dealers); and (b) U.S. fixed-

70


income assets may be valued as of the announced closing time for trading in fixed-income instruments on any day that the Bond Market Association announces an early closing time.
 
In calculating a Fund's NAV, the Fund's investments are generally valued using market valuations. In the event that current market valuations are not readily available or such valuations do not reflect current market values, the affected investments will be valued using fair value pricing pursuant to the pricing policy and procedures approved by the Board. A market valuation generally means a valuation (i) obtained from an exchange or a major market maker (or dealer), (ii) based on a price quotation or other equivalent indication of value supplied by an exchange, a pricing service, or a major market maker (or dealer) or (iii) based on amortized cost. In the case of shares of funds that are not traded on an exchange, a market valuation means such fund's published NAV per share. SEIGFS may use various pricing services or discontinue the use of any pricing service.

In the event that current market valuations are not readily available or such valuations do not reflect current market values, the affected investments will be valued using fair value pricing pursuant to the pricing policy and procedures approved by a Fund's Board of Trustees. A price obtained from a pricing service based on such pricing service's valuation matrix may be used to fair value a security. The frequency with which a Fund's investments are valued using fair value pricing is primarily a function of the types of securities and other assets in which the Fund invests pursuant to its investment objective, strategies and limitations.
Investments that may be valued using fair value pricing include, but are not limited to: (i) an unlisted security related to corporate actions; (ii) a restricted security (i.e., one that may not be publicly sold without registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act")); (iii) a security whose trading has been suspended or which has been de-listed from its primary trading exchange; (iv) a security that is thinly traded; (v) a security in default or bankruptcy proceedings for which there is no current market quotation; (vi) a security affected by currency controls or restrictions; and (vii) a security affected by a significant event (i.e., an event that occurs after the close of the markets on which the security is traded but before the time as of which the Fund's NAV is computed and that may materially affect the value of the Fund's investments). Examples of events that may be "significant events" are government actions, natural disasters, armed conflict, acts of terrorism, and significant market fluctuations.
Valuing a Fund's investments using fair value pricing will result in using prices for those investments that may differ from current market valuations. Use of fair value prices and certain current market valuations could result in a difference between the prices used to calculate a Fund's net asset value and the prices used by the Fund's Underlying Index, which, in turn, could result in a difference between the Fund's performance and the performance of the Fund's Underlying Index.

The value of assets denominated in foreign currencies is converted into U.S. dollars using exchange rates deemed appropriate by the Adviser as investment adviser. Any use of fair value prices, current market valuations or exchange rates different from the prices and rates used by the Index Providers may adversely affect a Fund's ability to track its Underlying Index.

DISTRIBUTION AND SERVICE PLAN
The Board of Trustees of the Trust has adopted a distribution and services plan ("Plan") pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act. Under the Plan, each Fund is authorized to pay distribution fees in connection with the sale and distribution of its Shares and pay service fees in connection with the provision of ongoing services to shareholders of each class and the maintenance of shareholder accounts in an amount up to 0.25% of its average daily net assets each year.
No Rule 12b-1 fees are currently paid by the Funds, and there are no current plans to impose these fees. However, in the event Rule 12b-1 fees are charged in the future, because these fees are paid out of each Fund's assets on an ongoing basis, these fees will increase the cost of your investment in the Funds. By purchasing Shares subject to distribution fees and service fees, you may pay more over time than you would by purchasing Shares with other types of sales charge arrangements. Long-term shareholders may pay more than the economic equivalent of the maximum front-end sales charge permitted by the rules of FINRA. The net income attributable to Shares will be reduced by the amount of distribution fees and service fees and other expenses.
DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS

GENERAL POLICIES
 
Dividends from net investment income, including any net foreign currency gains, are declared and paid at least annually and any net realized securities gains are distributed at least annually. To improve tracking error or comply with the distribution requirements of the Code, dividends may be declared and paid more frequently than annually for certain funds. Dividends and securities gains distributions are distributed in U.S. dollars and cannot be automatically reinvested in additional Shares of the Funds. 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 each Fund as a RIC or to avoid imposition of income or excise taxes on undistributed income.
 
Dividends and other distributions of shares are distributed on a pro rata basis to Beneficial Owners of such shares. Dividend payments are made through DTC Participants and Indirect Participants to Beneficial Owners then of record with proceeds received from the Funds.

DIVIDEND REINVESTMENT SERVICE
 
No dividend reinvestment service is provided by the Trust. Broker-dealers may make available the DTC book-entry Dividend Reinvestment Service for use by Beneficial Owners of the Funds for reinvestment of their dividend distributions. Beneficial Owners should contact their broker to determine the availability and costs of the service and the details of participation therein. Brokers may require Beneficial Owners to adhere to specific procedures and timetables. If this service is available and used, dividend distributions of both income and realized gains will be automatically reinvested in additional whole shares of the same Fund purchased in the secondary market.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
 
Audited financial statements and financial highlights for the Trust as of November 30, 2019, including the notes thereto, and the reports of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, are incorporated herein by reference from the Trust's November 30, 2019 Annual Report to shareholders. The Annual Report is delivered with this SAI to shareholders requesting this SAI.

OTHER INFORMATION

CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL HOLDERS OF SECURITIES
Although the Trust does not have information concerning the beneficial ownership of shares held in the names of Authorized Participants, as of February 28, 2020, the following persons owned, of record or beneficially, 5% or more of the following Funds.

Global X MLP ETF
Name and Address of Beneficial Owner
Percentage of Outstanding Shares of Fund Owned
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.
101 Montgomery Street, San Francisco, CA 94104
21.57%
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC
1 Harborside Financial Center, Plaza II, Jersey City, NJ 07311
13.29%
National Financial Services Corporation
200 Liberty Street, New York, NY 10281
10.50%
UBS Financial Services Inc.
1000 Harbor Boulevard, Weehawken, NJ 07086-6790
10.05%
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated
One Bryant Park, New York, NY 10036
7.77%
Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC
1 North Jefferson Ave, St. Louis, MO 63103
7.65%
Pershing LLC
One Pershing Plaza, Jersey City, NJ 07399
6.64%
TD Ameritrade Clearing, Inc.
200 S 108th Ave, Omaha, NE 68154
5.26%


Global X MLP & Energy Infrastructure ETF
Name and Address of Beneficial Owner
Percentage of Outstanding Shares of Fund Owned
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.
101 Montgomery Street, San Francisco, CA 94104
16.33%
National Financial Services Corporation
200 Liberty Street, New York, NY 10281
14.45%
Northern Trust Company (The)
50 South LaSalle Street, Level A, Chicago, IL 60675
14.16%
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC
1 Harborside Financial Center, Plaza II, Jersey City, NJ 07311
12.79%
Pershing LLC
One Pershing Plaza, Jersey City, NJ 07399
8.52%


Global X U.S. Preferred ETF
Name and Address of Beneficial Owner
Percentage of Outstanding Shares of Fund Owned
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.
101 Montgomery Street, San Francisco, CA 94104
48.05%
National Financial Services Corporation
200 Liberty Street, New York, NY 10281
12.72%
TD Ameritrade Clearing, Inc.
200 S 108th Ave, Omaha, NE 68154
10.98%
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated
One Bryant Park, New York, NY 10036
8.32%


Global X SuperDividend Alternatives ETF
Name and Address of Beneficial Owner
Percentage of Outstanding Shares of Fund Owned
TD Ameritrade Clearing, Inc.
200 S 108th Ave, Omaha, NE 68154
13.26%
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated
One Bryant Park, New York, NY 10036
13.08%
LPL Financial Corporation
LPL Financial, 4707 Executive Dr., San Diego, CA 92121-3091
12.14%
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.
101 Montgomery Street, San Francisco, CA 94104
11.81%
National Financial Services Corporation
200 Liberty Street, New York, NY 10281
11.55%
Pershing LLC
One Pershing Plaza, Jersey City, NJ 07399
9.52%


Global X S&P 500® Quality Dividend ETF
Name and Address of Beneficial Owner
Percentage of Outstanding Shares of Fund Owned
National Financial Services Corporation
200 Liberty Street, New York, NY 10281
15.33%
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.
101 Montgomery Street, San Francisco, CA 94104
13.80%
Citibank, N.A.
3800 Citigroup Center, Tampa, FL 33610-9122
11.27%
TD Ameritrade Clearing, Inc.
200 S 108th Ave, Omaha, NE 68154
10.13%
UBS Financial Services Inc.
1000 Harbor Boulevard, Weehawken, NJ 07086-6790
6.71%
LPL Financial Corporation
LPL Financial, 4707 Executive Dr., San Diego, CA 92121-3091
5.42%
Pershing LLC
One Pershing Plaza, Jersey City, NJ 07399
5.28%


Global X TargetIncomeTM 5 ETF
Name and Address of Beneficial Owner
Percentage of Outstanding Shares of Fund Owned
Citibank, N.A.
3800 Citigroup Center, Tampa, FL 33610-9122
61.48%
Pershing LLC
One Pershing Plaza, Jersey City, NJ 07399
15.71%
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Inc.
1 Bryant Park, New York, NY 10036
8.01%



71


Global X TargetIncomeTM Plus 2 ETF
Name and Address of Beneficial Owner
Percentage of Outstanding Shares of Fund Owned
Citibank, N.A.
3800 Citigroup Center, Tampa, FL 33610-9122
94.96%


Global X Adaptive U.S. Factor ETF
Name and Address of Beneficial Owner
Percentage of Outstanding Shares of Fund Owned
Pershing LLC
One Pershing Plaza, Jersey City, NJ 07399
72.01%
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.
101 Montgomery Street, San Francisco, CA 94104
15.18%
TD Ameritrade Clearing, Inc.
200 S 108th Ave, Omaha, NE 68154
6.68%


Global X Robotics & Artificial Intelligence ETF
Name and Address of Beneficial Owner
Percentage of Outstanding Shares of Fund Owned
JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association
14201 Dallas Parkway, Chase International Plaza, Dallas, TX 75254-2916
10.40%
National Financial Services Corporation
200 Liberty Street, New York, NY 10281
9.91%
Citibank, N.A.
3800 Citigroup Center, Tampa, FL 33610-9122
9.56%
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.
101 Montgomery Street, San Francisco, CA 94104
7.99%
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC
1 Harborside Financial Center, Plaza II, Jersey City, NJ 07311
6.27%
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated
One Bryant Park, New York, NY 10036
5.84%


Global X FinTech ETF
Name and Address of Beneficial Owner
Percentage of Outstanding Shares of Fund Owned
Citibank, N.A.
3800 Citigroup Center, Tampa, FL 33610-9122
13.37%
National Financial Services Corporation
200 Liberty Street, New York, NY 10281
11.35%
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.
101 Montgomery Street, San Francisco, CA 94104
10.69%
UBS Financial Services Inc.
1000 Harbor Boulevard, Weehawken, NJ 07086-6790
7.21%
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated
One Bryant Park, New York, NY 10036
6.84%
TD Ameritrade Clearing, Inc.
200 S 108th Ave, Omaha, NE 68154
6.71%
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC
1 Harborside Financial Center, Plaza II, Jersey City, NJ 07311
5.19%

72




Global X Internet of Things ETF
Name and Address of Beneficial Owner
Percentage of Outstanding Shares of Fund Owned
National Financial Services Corporation
200 Liberty Street, New York, NY 10281
14.27%
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.
101 Montgomery Street, San Francisco, CA 94104
10.33%
TD Ameritrade Clearing, Inc.
200 S 108th Ave, Omaha, NE 68154
9.78%
Citibank, N.A.
3800 Citigroup Center, Tampa, FL 33610-9122
9.36%
PNC Bank, N.A.
8800 Tinicum Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA 19153-3198
7.81%
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated
One Bryant Park, New York, NY 10036
5.03%


Global X Cloud Computing ETF
Name and Address of Beneficial Owner
Percentage of Outstanding Shares of Fund Owned
Citibank, N.A.
3800 Citigroup Center, Tampa, FL 33610-9122
46.73%
Mirae Asset Securities (USA) Inc.
810 Seventh Avenue , 37th Floor, New York, NY 10019
23.39%
The Bank of New York Mellon
One Wall Street, 5th Floor, New York, NY 10286-0001
6.50%


Global X Future Analytics Tech ETF
Name and Address of Beneficial Owner
Percentage of Outstanding Shares of Fund Owned
Citibank, N.A.
3800 Citigroup Center, Tampa, FL 33610-9122
27.24%
State Street Bank & Trust Company
1776 Heritage Drive, North Quincy, MA 02171
14.09%
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.
101 Montgomery Street, San Francisco, CA 94104
11.96%
National Financial Services Corporation
200 Liberty Street, New York, NY 10281
8.71%
JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association
14201 Dallas Parkway, Chase International Plaza, Dallas, TX 75254-2916
5.91%
TD Ameritrade Clearing, Inc.
200 S 108th Ave, Omaha, NE 68154
5.65%



73


Global X Autonomous & Electric Vehicles ETF
Name and Address of Beneficial Owner
Percentage of Outstanding Shares of Fund Owned
Citibank, N.A.
3800 Citigroup Center, Tampa, FL 33610-9122
17.50%
National Financial Services Corporation
200 Liberty Street, New York, NY 10281
15.48%
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.
101 Montgomery Street, San Francisco, CA 94104
13.31%
TD Ameritrade Clearing, Inc.
200 S 108th Ave, Omaha, NE 68154
9.85%


Global X Genomics & Biotechnology ETF
Name and Address of Beneficial Owner
Percentage of Outstanding Shares of Fund Owned
Citigroup Global Markets Inc./Correspondent Clearing
580 Crosspoint Parkway, Getzville, NY 14068
55.56%
JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association
14201 Dallas Parkway, Chase International Plaza, Dallas, TX 75254-2916
16.98%
National Financial Services Corporation
200 Liberty Street, New York, NY 10281
6.10%


Global X Video Games & Esports ETF
Name and Address of Beneficial Owner
Percentage of Outstanding Shares of Fund Owned
JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association
14201 Dallas Parkway, Chase International Plaza, Dallas, TX 75254-2916
84.71%
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Inc.
1 Bryant Park, New York, NY 10036
7.85%


Global X Cybersecurity ETF
Name and Address of Beneficial Owner
Percentage of Outstanding Shares of Fund Owned
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.
101 Montgomery Street, San Francisco, CA 94104
34.56%
National Financial Services Corporation
200 Liberty Street, New York, NY 10281
23.18%
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Inc.
1 Bryant Park, New York, NY 10036
8.72%
TD Ameritrade Clearing, Inc.
200 S 108th Ave, Omaha, NE 68154
7.50%



74


Global X Millennials Thematic ETF
Name and Address of Beneficial Owner
Percentage of Outstanding Shares of Fund Owned
Citibank, N.A.
3800 Citigroup Center, Tampa, FL 33610-9122
24.86%
Apex Clearing Corporation
1155 Long Island Ave, Edgewood, NY 11717
20.88%
National Financial Services Corporation
200 Liberty Street, New York, NY 10281
9.43%
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.
101 Montgomery Street, San Francisco, CA 94104
9.07%
TD Ameritrade Clearing, Inc.
200 S 108th Ave, Omaha, NE 68154
6.56%


Global X Longevity Thematic ETF
Name and Address of Beneficial Owner
Percentage of Outstanding Shares of Fund Owned
The Bank of New York Mellon
One Wall Street, 5th Floor, New York, NY 10286-0001
23.53%
Citibank, N.A.
3800 Citigroup Center, Tampa, FL 33610-9122
15.80%
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.
101 Montgomery Street, San Francisco, CA 94104
9.86%
National Financial Services Corporation
200 Liberty Street, New York, NY 10281
8.27%
Brown Brothers Harriman & Co.
525 Washington Blvd., Jersey City, NJ 07310
5.85%
Pershing LLC
One Pershing Plaza, Jersey City, NJ 07399
5.14%
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated
One Bryant Park, New York, NY 10036
5.06%


Global X Health & Wellness Thematic ETF
Name and Address of Beneficial Owner
Percentage of Outstanding Shares of Fund Owned
Citibank, N.A.
3800 Citigroup Center, Tampa, FL 33610-9122
29.79%
The Bank of New York Mellon
One Wall Street, 5th Floor, New York, NY 10286-0001
21.20%
Goldman, Sachs & Co. LLC
180 Maiden Lane, New York, NY 10038
10.09%
Pershing LLC
One Pershing Plaza, Jersey City, NJ 07399
6.30%
JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association
14201 Dallas Parkway, Chase International Plaza, Dallas, TX 75254-2916
6.00%



75


Global X Cannabis ETF
Name and Address of Beneficial Owner
Percentage of Outstanding Shares of Fund Owned
National Financial Services Corporation
200 Liberty Street, New York, NY 10281
28.87%
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.
101 Montgomery Street, San Francisco, CA 94104
23.66%
TD Ameritrade Clearing, Inc.
200 S 108th Ave, Omaha, NE 68154
13.52%
E*Trade Securities LLC
1271 Avenue of the Americas, 14th Floor, New York, NY 10020
5.33%


Global X U.S. Infrastructure Development ETF
Name and Address of Beneficial Owner
Percentage of Outstanding Shares of Fund Owned
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.
101 Montgomery Street, San Francisco, CA 94104
17.13%
National Financial Services Corporation
200 Liberty Street, New York, NY 10281
9.96%
Brown Brothers Harriman & Co.
525 Washington Blvd., Jersey City, NJ 07310
8.29%
Baird (Robert W.) & Co., Incorporated
777 East Wisconsin Avenue, First Wisconsin Center, Milwaukee, WI 53202
7.04%
Citibank, N.A.
3800 Citigroup Center, Tampa, FL 33610-9122
6.20%
JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association
14201 Dallas Parkway, Chase International Plaza, Dallas, TX 75254-2916
5.46%
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC
1 Harborside Financial Center, Plaza II, Jersey City, NJ 07311
5.22%


Global X Conscious Companies ETF
Name and Address of Beneficial Owner
Percentage of Outstanding Shares of Fund Owned
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC
1 Harborside Financial Center, Plaza II, Jersey City, NJ 07311
56.92%
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated
One Bryant Park, New York, NY 10036
10.92%
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.
101 Montgomery Street, San Francisco, CA 94104
8.13%
National Financial Services Corporation
200 Liberty Street, New York, NY 10281
5.62%



76


Global X Founder-Run Companies ETF
Name and Address of Beneficial Owner
Percentage of Outstanding Shares of Fund Owned
National Financial Services Corporation
200 Liberty Street, New York, NY 10281
55.81%
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.
101 Montgomery Street, San Francisco, CA 94104
10.69%
Goldman, Sachs & Co. LLC
180 Maiden Lane, New York, NY 10038
9.52%
Pershing LLC
One Pershing Plaza, Jersey City, NJ 07399
6.16%


Global X Thematic Growth ETF
Name and Address of Beneficial Owner
Percentage of Outstanding Shares of Fund Owned
TD Ameritrade Clearing, Inc.
200 S 108th Ave, Omaha, NE 68154
37.29%
Goldman, Sachs & Co. LLC
180 Maiden Lane, New York, NY 10038
36.24%
J.P. Morgan Securities LLC/JPMC                                                              
383 Madison Ave, New York, NY 10179
13.65%
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.
101 Montgomery Street, San Francisco, CA 94104
5.68%


INDEPENDENT TRUSTEE COUNSEL
 
Stradley Ronon Stevens & Young, LLP, with offices at 2000 K Street N.W. Suite 700, Washington, DC 20006, is Fund Counsel and Counsel to the Independent Trustees of the Trust.

INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
 
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP serves as the Funds' independent registered public accounting firm.

SECURITIES LENDING AGENT
 
BBH serves as the securities lending agent for the Trust and each of its series, including the Funds.

TAX SERVICES
 
Cohen Fund Audit Services, Ltd. ("Cohen") prepares federal 1120 and state tax returns for the Global X MLP ETF. In addition, among other things, Cohen calculated the estimated tax provisions for financial statement purposes for the Funds' fiscal period ended November 30, 2019.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
 
The Prospectus and this SAI do not contain all the information included in the registration statement filed with the SEC under the Securities Act with respect to the securities offered by the Trust's Prospectus. Certain portions of the registration statement have been omitted from the Prospectus and this SAI pursuant to the rules and regulations of the SEC. The registration statement, including the exhibits filed therewith, may be examined at the office of the SEC in Washington, D.C.

Statements contained in the Prospectus or in this SAI as to the contents of any contract or other documents referred to are not necessarily complete, and in each instance reference is made to the copy of such contract or other document filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which the Prospectus and this SAI form a part, each such statement being qualified in all respects by such reference.

77


APPENDIX A
 
The Funds generally intend to effect deliveries of Creation Units and portfolio securities on a basis of "T" plus two business days. The Funds may effect deliveries of Creation Units and portfolio securities on a basis other than T plus two 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 two 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 in certain circumstances.
 
The holidays applicable to a 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 a 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 information set forth herein at some time in the future.

The dates of the Regular Holidays in calendar year 2020 are:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Australia:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
8-Jun
 
31-Dec
 
 
 
 
 
 
27-Jan
 
24-Dec
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
10-Apr
 
25-Dec
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
13-Apr
 
28-Dec
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Austria:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
1-Jun
 
31-Dec
 
 
 
 
 
 
10-Apr
 
26-Oct
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
13-Apr
 
24-Dec
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-May
 
25-Dec
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Bangladesh:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
17-Mar
 
6-May
 
26-May
 
30-Aug
 
 
 
 
26-Mar
 
21-May
 
1-Jul
 
26-Oct
 
 
 
 
9-Apr
 
24-May
 
2-Aug
 
16-Dec
 
 
 
 
14-Apr
 
25-May
 
11-Aug
 
31-Dec
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Belgium:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
25-Dec
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
10-Apr
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
13-Apr
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-May
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Bermuda:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

78


1-Jan
30-Jul
 
25-Dec
 
 
 
 
 
 
10-Apr
 
31-Jul
 
28-Dec
 
 
 
 
 
 
25-May
 
7-Sep
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
15-Jun
 
11-Nov
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Brazil:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
21-Apr
 
7-Sep
 
24-Dec
 
 
 
 
24-Feb
 
1-May
 
12-Oct
 
25-Dec
 
 
 
 
25-Feb
 
11-Jun
 
2-Nov
 
31-Dec
 
 
 
 
10-Apr
 
9-Jul
 
20-Nov
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Canada:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
1-Jul
 
25-Dec
 
 
 
 
 
 
17-Feb
 
3-Aug
 
28-Dec
 
 
 
 
 
 
10-Apr
 
7-Sep
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
18-May
 
12-Oct
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Chile:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
29-Jun
 
8-Dec
 
 
 
 
 
 
10-Apr
 
16-Jul
 
25-Dec
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-May
 
18-Sep
 
31-Dec
 
 
 
 
 
 
21-May
 
12-Oct
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
China:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
28-Jan
 
6-Apr
 
5-May
 
28-Jun
 
5-Oct
19-Jan
 
29-Jan
 
26-Apr
 
9-May
 
27-Sep
 
6-Oct
24-Jan
 
30-Jan
 
1-May
 
25-Jun
 
1-Oct
 
7-Oct
27-Jan
 
31-Jan
 
4-May
 
26-Jun
 
2-Oct
 
8-Oct
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Colombia:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
10-Apr
 
22-Jun
 
17-Aug
 
8-Dec
 
 
6-Jan
 
1-May
 
29-Jun
 
12-Oct
 
25-Dec
 
 
23-Mar
 
25-May
 
20-Jul
 
2-Nov
 
 
 
 
9-Apr
 
15-Jun
 
7-Aug
 
16-Nov
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Czech Republic:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
8-May
 
17-Nov
 
 
 
 
 
 
10-Apr
 
6-Jul
 
24-Dec
 
 
 
 
 
 
13-Apr
 
28-Sep
 
25-Dec
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-May
 
28-Oct
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Denmark:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
8-May
 
5-Jun
 
 
 
 
 
 
10-Apr
 
21-May
 
24-Dec
 
 
 
 
 
 
13-Apr
 
22-May
 
25-Dec
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-May
 
1-Jun
 
31-Dec
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

79


Egypt:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
24-May
 
30-Jul
 
6-Oct
 
 
 
 
7-Jan
 
25-May
 
31-Jul
 
29-Oct
 
 
 
 
19-Apr
 
1-Jul
 
1-Aug
 
 
 
 
 
 
20-Apr
 
23-Jul
 
20-Aug
 
 
 
 
 
 
The Egyptian market is closed every Friday
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Estonia:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
1-May
 
20-Aug
 
 
 
 
 
 
24-Feb
 
21-May
 
24-Dec
 
 
 
 
 
 
10-Apr
 
23-Jun
 
25-Dec
 
 
 
 
 
 
13-Apr
 
24-Jun
 
31-Dec
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Finland:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
1-May
 
25-Dec
 
 
 
 
 
 
6-Jan
 
21-May
 
31-Dec
 
 
 
 
 
 
10-Apr
 
19-Jun
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
13-Apr
 
24-Dec
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
France:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
25-Dec
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
10-Apr
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
13-Apr
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-May
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Germany:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
1-Jun
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
10-Apr
 
24-Dec
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
13-Apr
 
25-Dec
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-May
 
31-Dec
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Greece:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
10-Apr
 
1-May
 
25-Dec
 
 
 
 
6-Jan
 
13-Apr
 
1-Jun
 
 
 
 
 
 
2-Mar
 
17-Apr
 
28-Oct
 
 
 
 
 
 
25-Mar
 
20-Apr
 
24-Dec
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Hong Kong:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
13-Apr
 
1-Jul
 
25-Dec
 
 
 
 
27-Jan
 
30-Apr
 
1-Oct
 
 
 
 
 
 
28-Jan
 
1-May
 
2-Oct
 
 
 
 
 
 
10-Apr
 
25-Jun
 
26-Oct
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Indonesia:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
7-May
 
26-May
 
17-Aug
 
25-Dec
 
 
25-Mar
 
21-May
 
27-May
 
20-Aug
 
 
 
 
10-Apr
 
22-May
 
1-Jun
 
29-Oct
 
 
 
 

80


1-May
 
25-May
 
31-Jul
 
24-Dec
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Ireland:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
4-May
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
10-Apr
 
1-Jun
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
13-Apr
 
25-Dec
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-May
 
31-Dec
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Israel:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2-Mar
 
14-Apr
 
28-May
 
27-Sep
 
 
 
 
10-Mar
 
15-Apr
 
29-May
 
28-Sep
 
 
 
 
8-Apr
 
28-Apr
 
30-Jul
 
 
 
 
 
 
9-Apr
 
29-Apr
 
20-Sep
 
 
 
 
 
 
The Israeli market is closed every Friday.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Isle of Man:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
No holidays listed.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Italy:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
24-Dec
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
10-Apr
 
25-Dec
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
13-Apr
 
31-Dec
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-May
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Japan:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
11-Feb
 
4-May
 
24-Jul
 
3-Nov
 
 
2-Jan
 
24-Feb
 
5-May
 
10-Aug
 
23-Nov
 
 
3-Jan
 
20-Mar
 
6-May
 
21-Sep
 
31-Dec
 
 
13-Jan
 
29-Apr
 
23-Jul
 
22-Sep
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Jordan:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
26-May
 
3-Aug
 
25-Dec
 
 
 
 
1-May
 
27-May
 
4-Aug
 
 
 
 
 
 
24-May
 
31-Jul
 
20-Aug
 
 
 
 
 
 
25-May
 
2-Aug
 
29-Oct
 
 
 
 
 
 
The Jordanian market is closed every Friday.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Kenya:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
25-May
 
20-Oct
 
 
 
 
 
 
10-Apr
 
1-Jun
 
12-Dec
 
 
 
 
 
 
13-Apr
 
31-Jul
 
25-Dec
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-May
 
10-Oct
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Kuwait:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
22-Mar
 
30-Jul
 
1-Nov
 
 
 
 
2-Jan
 
24-May
 
2-Aug
 
 
 
 
 
 
25-Feb
 
25-May
 
3-Aug
 
 
 
 
 
 

81


26-Feb
 
26-May
 
20-Aug
 
 
 
 
 
 
The Kuwati market is closed every Friday.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Malaysia:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
25-May
 
16-Sep
 
 
 
 
 
 
27-Jan
 
31-Jul
 
29-Oct
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-May
 
20-Aug
 
25-Dec
 
 
 
 
 
 
7-May
 
31-Aug
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Mexico:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
10-Apr
 
16-Nov
 
 
 
 
 
 
3-Feb
 
1-May
 
25-Dec
 
 
 
 
 
 
16-Mar
 
16-Sep
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
9-Apr
 
2-Nov
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Morocco:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
14-Aug
 
18-Nov
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-May
 
21-Aug
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
30-Jul
 
29-Oct
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
31-Jul
 
6-Nov
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Netherlands:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
25-Dec
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
10-Apr
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
13-Apr
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-May
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
New Zealand:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
13-Apr
 
25-Dec
 
 
 
 
 
 
2-Jan
 
27-Apr
 
28-Dec
 
 
 
 
 
 
6-Feb
 
1-Jun
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
10-Apr
 
26-Oct
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Nigeria:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
25-May
 
29-Oct
 
 
 
 
 
 
10-Apr
 
12-Jun
 
25-Dec
 
 
 
 
 
 
13-Apr
 
31-Jul
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-May
 
1-Oct
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Norway:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
13-Apr
 
1-Jun
 
 
 
 
 
 
8-Apr
 
1-May
 
24-Dec
 
 
 
 
 
 
9-Apr
 
17-May
 
25-Dec
 
 
 
 
 
 
10-Apr
 
21-May
 
31-Dec
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Oman:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
24-May
 
30-Jul
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

82


25-May
 
31-Jul
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
26-May
 
19-Aug
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
23-Jul
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The Omani market is closed every Friday.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Pakistan:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
5-Feb
26-May
 
14-Aug
 
 
 
 
 
 
23-Mar
 
27-May
 
28-Aug
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-May
 
31-Jul
 
29-Oct
 
 
 
 
 
 
25-May
 
2-Aug
 
25-Dec
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Peru:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
29-Jun
 
8-Dec
 
 
 
 
 
 
9-Apr
 
28-Jul
 
25-Dec
 
 
 
 
 
 
10-Apr
 
29-Jul
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-May
 
8-Oct
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Philippines:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
12-Jun
 
24-Dec
 
 
 
 
 
 
9-Apr
 
21-Aug
 
25-Dec
 
 
 
 
 
 
10-Apr
 
31-Aug
 
30-Dec
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-May
 
2-Nov
 
31-Dec
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Poland:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
11-Jun
 
31-Dec
 
 
 
 
 
 
6-Jan
 
11-Nov
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
13-Apr
 
24-Dec
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-May
 
25-Dec
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Portugal:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
25-Dec
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
10-Apr
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
13-Apr
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-May
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Qatar:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
26-May
 
18-Dec
 
 
 
 
 
 
11-Feb
 
30-Jul
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
24-May
 
31-Jul
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
25-May
 
1-Aug
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The Qatari market is closed every Friday.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Romania:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
20-Apr
 
30-Nov
 
 
 
 
 
 
2-Jan
 
1-May
 
1-Dec
 
 
 
 
 
 
24-Jan
 
1-Jun
 
25-Dec
 
 
 
 
 
 
17-Apr
 
8-Jun
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

83


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Russia:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
9-Mar
 
4-Nov
 
 
 
 
 
 
2-Jan
 
1-May
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
7-Jan
 
11-May
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
24-Feb
 
12-Jun
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Saudi Arabia:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
24-May
 
28-May
 
4-Aug
 
 
 
 
 
 
25-May
 
30-Jul
 
5-Aug
 
 
 
 
 
 
26-May
 
2-Aug
 
23-Sep
 
 
 
 
 
 
27-May
 
3-Aug
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The Saudi Arabian market is closed every Friday.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Singapore:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
1-May
 
10-Aug
 
 
 
 
 
 
24-Jan
 
7-May
 
25-Dec
 
 
 
 
 
 
27-Jan
 
25-May
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
10-Apr
 
31-Jul
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
South Africa:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
1-May
 
16-Dec
 
 
 
 
 
 
10-Apr
 
16-Jun
 
25-Dec
 
 
 
 
 
 
13-Apr
 
10-Aug
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
27-Apr
 
24-Sep
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
South Korea:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
30-Apr
 
1-Oct
 
31-Dec
 
 
 
 
24-Jan
 
1-May
 
2-Oct
 
 
 
 
 
 
27-Jan
 
5-May
 
9-Oct
 
 
 
 
 
 
15-Apr
 
30-Sep
 
25-Dec
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Spain:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
24-Dec
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
10-Apr
 
25-Dec
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
13-Apr
 
31-Dec
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-May
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Sweden:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
13-Apr
 
21-May
 
25-Dec
 
 
 
 
6-Jan
 
30-Apr
 
19-Jun
 
31-Dec
 
 
 
 
9-Apr
 
1-May
 
30-Oct
 
 
 
 
 
 
10-Apr
 
20-May
 
24-Dec
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Switzerland:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
1-May
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2-Jan
 
21-May
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

84


10-Apr
 
1-Jun
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
13-Apr
 
25-Dec
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Taiwan:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
24-Jan
 
28-Feb
 
25-Jun
 
9-Oct
 
 
21-Jan
 
27-Jan
 
2-Apr
 
26-Jun
 
 
 
 
22-Jan
 
28-Jan
 
3-Apr
 
1-Oct
 
 
 
 
23-Jan
 
29-Jan
 
1-May
 
2-Oct
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Thailand:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
14-Apr
 
6-May
 
12-Aug
 
10-Dec
 
 
10-Feb
 
15-Apr
 
3-Jun
 
13-Oct
 
31-Dec
 
 
6-Apr
 
1-May
 
6-Jul
 
23-Oct
 
 
 
 
13-Apr
 
4-May
 
28-Jul
 
7-Dec
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Turkey:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
25-May
 
3-Aug
 
29-Oct
 
 
 
 
23-Apr
 
15-Jul
 
30-Aug
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-May
 
30-Jul
 
20-Oct
 
 
 
 
 
 
19-May
 
31-Jul
 
28-Oct
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
United Arab Emirates:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
31-Jul
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
24-May
 
2-Aug
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
25-May
 
2-Dec
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
26-May
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The United Arab Emirates market is closed every Friday.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
United Kingdom
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
25-May
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
10-Apr
 
31-Aug
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
13-Apr
 
25-Dec
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
8-May
 
28-Dec
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Vietnam:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
28-Jan
 
1-May
 
 
 
 
 
 
23-Jan
 
29-Jan
 
2-Sep
 
 
 
 
 
 
24-Jan
 
2-Apr
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
27-Jan
 
30-Apr
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

85


Redemption: The longest redemption cycle for a Fund is a function of the longest redemption cycle among the countries whose stocks compromise the Fund.

In the calendar year 2020, the dates of regular holidays affecting the following securities markets present the worst-case redemption cycle for a Fund as follows:

China
 
 
Redemption Request Date
Redemption Settlement Date
Settlement Period
1/22/2020
2/3/2020
12
1/23/2020
2/4/2020
12
1/24/2020
2/5/2020
12
1/27/2020
2/5/2020
9
1/28/2020
2/5/2020
8
9/29/2020
10/9/2020
10
9/30/2020
10/12/2020
12
10/1/2020
10/13/2020
12
10/2/2020
10/13/2020
11
10/5/2020
10/13/2020
8

Indonesia
 
 
Redemption Request Date
Redemption Settlement Date
Settlement Period
5/19/2020
5/28/2020
9
5/20/2020
5/29/2020
9
5/21/2020
6/2/2020
12
5/22/2020
6/2/2020
11

Israel
 
 
Redemption Request Date
Redemption Settlement Date
Settlement Period
4/7/2020
4/16/2020
9
4/8/2020
4/20/2020
12
4/9/2020
4/20/2020
11

Japan
 
 
Redemption Request Date
Redemption Settlement Date
Settlement Period
4/29/2020
5/7/2020
8

Jordan
 
 
Redemption Request Date
Redemption Settlement Date
Settlement Period
5/22/2020
6/1/2020
10
7/31/2020
8/10/2020
10


86


Norway
 
 
Redemption Request Date
Redemption Settlement Date
Settlement Period
4/6/2020
4/14/2020
8
4/7/2020
4/15/2020
8
4/8/2020
4/16/2020
8

Oman
 
 
Redemption Request Date
Redemption Settlement Date
Settlement Period
5/22/2020
6/1/2020
10

Qatar
 
 
Redemption Request Date
Redemption Settlement Date
Settlement Period
2/10/2020
2/18/2020
8
5/22/2020
6/1/2020
10

Saudi Arabia
 
 
Redemption Request Date
Redemption Settlement Date
Settlement Period
5/21/2020
6/1/2020
11
5/22/2020
6/1/2020
10
7/29/2020
8/6/2020
8
7/30/2020
8/10/2020
11
7/31/2020
8/10/2020
10

Taiwan
 
 
Redemption Request Date
Redemption Settlement Date
Settlement Period
1/16/2020
1/30/2020
14
1/17/2020
1/31/2020
14
1/21/2020
2/3/2020
13
1/22/2020
2/3/2020
12
1/23/2020
2/3/2020
11
1/24/2020
2/3/2020
10

Thailand
 
 
Redemption Request Date
Redemption Settlement Date
Settlement Period
4/8/2020
4/16/2020
8
4/9/2020
4/17/2020
8

Vietnam
 
 
Redemption Request Date
Redemption Settlement Date
Settlement Period
1/21/2020
1/30/2020
9
1/22/2020
1/31/2020
9
1/23/2020
2/3/2020
11
1/24/2020
2/3/2020
10


87


The dates of the Regular Holidays for the first quarter in calendar year 2021 are:

Australia:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
26-Jan
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Austria:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Bangladesh:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
17-Mar
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Belgium:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Bermuda:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Brazil:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
25-Jan
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
15-Feb
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
16-Feb
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Canada:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
15-Feb
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Chile:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
China:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
16-Feb
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
11-Feb
 
17-Feb
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
12-Feb
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
15-Feb
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Colombia:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
11-Jan
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
22-Mar
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Czech Republic:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Denmark:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

88


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Egypt:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
7-Jan
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
25-Jan
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The Egyptian market is closed every Friday
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Estonia:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
24-Feb
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Finland:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
6-Jan
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
France:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Germany:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Greece:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
6-Jan
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
15-Mar
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
25-Mar
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Hong Kong:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
12-Feb
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
15-Feb
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Indonesia:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
12-Feb
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
11-Mar
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Ireland:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Israel:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The Israeli market is closed every Friday.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Italy:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Japan:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

89


1-Jan
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
11-Jan
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
11-Feb
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Jordan:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The Jordani market is closed every Friday.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Kenya:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Kuwait:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
25-Feb
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
11-Mar
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The Kuwaiti market is closed every Friday.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Malaysia:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
28-Jan
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Feb
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
12-Feb
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Mexico:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Feb
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
15-Mar
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Morocco:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
11-Jan
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Netherlands:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
New Zealand:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
4-Jan
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
8-Feb
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Nigeria:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Norway:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Oman:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
11-Mar
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

90


The Omani market is closed every Friday.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Pakistan:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
5-Feb
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
23-Mar
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Peru:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Philippines:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Poland:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
6-Jan
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Portugal:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Qatar:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
9-Feb
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
7-Mar
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The Qatari market is closed every Friday.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Romania:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Russia:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
8-Mar
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
7-Jan
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
8-Jan
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
23-Feb
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Saudi Arabia:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The Saudi Arabian market is closed every Friday.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Singapore:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
12-Feb
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
South Africa:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
22-Mar
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
South Korea:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

91


11-Feb
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
12-Feb
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Mar
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Spain:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Sweden:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
6-Jan
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Switzerland:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Taiwan:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
16-Feb
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
11-Feb
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
12-Feb
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
15-Feb
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Thailand:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
26-Feb
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Turkey:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
United Arab Emirates:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The United Arab Emirates market is closed every Friday.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
United Kingdom:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Vietnam:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1-Jan
 
16-Feb
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
11-Feb
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
12-Feb
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
15-Feb
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 



92


Redemption: The longest redemption cycle for a Fund is a function of the longest redemption cycle among the countries whose stocks compromise the Fund.

In Q1 of the calendar year 2021, the dates of regular holidays affecting the following securities markets present the worst-case redemption cycle for a Fund as follows:

China
 
 
Redemption Request Date
Redemption Settlement Date
Settlement Period
2/9/2021
2/18/2021
9
2/10/2021
2/19/2021
9
2/11/2021
2/22/2021
11
2/12/2021
2/22/2021
10

Taiwan
 
 
Redemption Request Date
Redemption Settlement Date
Settlement Period
2/9/2021
2/17/2021
8
2/10/2021
2/18/2021
8
2/11/2021
2/19/2021
8

Vietnam
 
 
Redemption Request Date
Redemption Settlement Date
Settlement Period
2/9/2021
2/17/2021
8
2/10/2021
2/18/2021
8
2/11/2021
2/19/2021
8


93


Appendix B

Description of Corporate Bond Ratings

Following are expanded explanations of the ratings shown in the Prospectus and this SAI.

Moody's Investors Service - Global Long-Term Ratings

Ratings assigned on Moody's global long-term rating scale are forward-looking opinions of the relative credit risks of financial obligations issued by non-financial corporates, financial institutions, structured finance vehicles, project finance vehicles, and public sector entities. Long-term ratings are assigned to issuers or obligations with an original maturity of one year or more and reflect both on the likelihood of a default on contractually promised payments and the expected financial loss suffered in the event of default. Such ratings have been published by Moody's Investors Service, Inc. and Moody's Analytics Inc.

Aaa: Obligations rated Aaa are judged to be of the highest quality, subject to the lowest level of credit risk.

Aa: Obligations rated Aa are judged to be of high quality and are subject to very low credit risk.

A: Obligations rated A are judged to be upper-medium grade and are subject to low credit risk.

Baa: Obligations rated Baa are judged to be medium-grade and subject to moderate credit risk and as such may possess certain speculative characteristics.

Ba: Obligations rated Ba are judged to be speculative and are subject to substantial credit risk.

B: Obligations rated B are considered speculative and are subject to high credit risk.

Caa: Obligations rated Caa are judged to be speculative of poor standing and are subject to very high credit risk.

Ca: Obligations rated Ca are highly speculative and are likely in, or very near, default, with some prospect of recovery of principal and interest.

C: Obligations rated C are the lowest rated and are typically in default, with little prospect for recovery of principal or interest.

Note: Moody's appends numerical modifiers 1, 2, and 3 to each generic rating classification from Aa through Caa. The modifier 1 indicates that the obligation ranks in the higher end of its generic rating category; the modifier 2 indicates a mid-range ranking; and the modifier 3 indicates a ranking in the lower end of that generic rating category. Additionally, a "(hyb)" indicator is appended to all ratings of hybrid securities issued by banks, insurers, finance companies, and securities firms.*

* By their terms, hybrid securities allow for the omission of scheduled dividends, interest, or principal payments, which can potentially result in impairment if such an omission occurs. Hybrid securities may also be subject to contractually allowable write-downs of principal that could result in impairment. Together with the hybrid indicator, the long-term obligation rating assigned to a hybrid security is an expression of the relative credit risk associated with that security.

Moody's Investors Service - National Scale Long-Term Ratings

Moody's long-term National Scale Ratings (NSRs) are opinions of the relative creditworthiness of issuers and financial obligations within a particular country. NSRs are not designed to be compared among countries; rather, they address relative credit risk within a given country. Moody's assigns national scale ratings in certain local capital markets in which investors have found the global rating scale provides inadequate differentiation among credits or is inconsistent with a rating scale already in common use in the country. In each specific country, the last two characters of the rating indicate the country in which the issuer is located (e.g., Aaa.br for Brazil).

Aaa.n: Issuers or issues rated Aaa.n demonstrate the strongest creditworthiness relative to other domestic issuers.
Aa.n: Issuers or issues rated Aa.n demonstrate very strong creditworthiness relative to other domestic issuers.

A.n: Issuers or issues rated A.n present above-average creditworthiness relative to other domestic issuers.

Baa.n: Issuers or issues rated Baa.n represent average creditworthiness relative to other domestic issuers.

94


Ba.n: Issuers or issues rated Ba.n demonstrate below-average creditworthiness relative to other domestic issuers.

B.n: Issuers or issues rated B.n demonstrate weak creditworthiness relative to other domestic issuers.

Caa.n: Issuers or issues rated Caa.n demonstrate very weak creditworthiness relative to other domestic issuers.

Ca.n: Issuers or issues rated Ca.n demonstrate extremely weak creditworthiness relative to other domestic issuers.

C.n: Issuers or issues rated C.n demonstrate the weakest creditworthiness relative to other domestic issuers.

Note: Moody's appends numerical modifiers 1, 2, and 3 to each generic rating classification from Aa through Caa. The modifier 1 indicates that the obligation ranks in the higher end of its generic rating category; the modifier 2 indicates a mid-range ranking; and the modifier 3 indicates a ranking in the lower end of that generic rating category. National scale long-term ratings of D.ar and E.ar may also be applied to Argentine obligations.

Standard and Poor's - Long-Term Issue Credit Ratings*

Issue credit ratings are based, in varying degrees, on Standard & Poor's analysis of the following considerations:

Likelihood of payment—capacity and willingness of the obligor to meet its financial commitment on an obligation in accordance with the terms of the obligation;

Nature and provisions of the obligation, and the promise S&P imputes.

Protection afforded by, and relative position of, the financial obligation in the event of a bankruptcy, reorganization, or other arrangement under the laws of bankruptcy and other laws affecting creditors' rights.

Issue ratings are an assessment of default risk, but may incorporate an assessment of relative seniority or ultimate recovery in the event of default. Junior obligations are typically rated lower than senior obligations, to reflect the lower priority in bankruptcy, as noted above. (Such differentiation may apply when an entity has both senior and subordinated obligations, secured and unsecured obligations, or operating company and holding company obligations.)

AAA: An obligation rated 'AAA' has the highest rating assigned by Standard & Poor's. The obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is extremely strong.

AA: An obligation rated 'AA' differs from the highest-rated obligations only to a small degree. The obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is very strong.

A: An obligation rated 'A' is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher-rated categories. However, the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is still strong.

BBB: An obligation rated 'BBB' exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity of the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

BB; B; CCC; CC; and C: Obligations rated 'BB', 'B', 'CCC', 'CC', and 'C' are regarded as having significant speculative characteristics. 'BB' indicates the least degree of speculation and 'C' the highest. While such obligations will likely have some quality and protective characteristics, these may be outweighed by large uncertainties or major exposures to adverse conditions.

BB: An obligation rated 'BB' is less vulnerable to nonpayment than other speculative issues. However, it faces major ongoing uncertainties or exposure to adverse business, financial, or economic conditions which could lead to the obligor's inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

B: An obligation rated 'B' is more vulnerable to nonpayment than obligations rated 'BB', but the obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation. Adverse business, financial, or economic conditions will likely impair the obligor's capacity or willingness to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.


95


CCC: An obligation rated 'CCC' is currently vulnerable to nonpayment, and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation. In the event of adverse business, financial, or economic conditions, the obligor is not likely to have the capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

CC: An obligation rated 'CC' is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment. The 'CC' rating is used when a default has not yet occurred, but Standard & Poor's expects default to be a virtual certainty, regardless of the anticipated time to default.

C: An obligation rated 'C' is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment, and the obligation is expected to have lower relative seniority or lower ultimate recovery compared to obligations that are rated higher.

D: An obligation rated 'D' is in default or in breach of an imputed promise. For non-hybrid capital instruments, the 'D' rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on the date due, unless S&P Global Ratings believes that such payments will be made within five business days in the absence of a stated grace period or within the earlier of the stated grace period or 30 calendar days. The 'D' rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of similar action and where default on an obligation is a virtual certainty, for example due to automatic stay provisions. A rating on an obligation is lowered to 'D' if it is subject to a distressed exchange offer.

*The ratings from 'AA' to 'CCC' may be modified by the addition of a plus (+) or minus (-) sign to show relative standing within the major rating categories.

Dominion Bond Rating Service - Long Term Obligation Ratings:

The DBRS® long-term rating scale provides an opinion on the risk of default. That is, the risk that an issuer will fail to satisfy its financial obligations in accordance with the terms under which an obligations has been issued. Ratings are based on quantitative and qualitative considerations relevant to the issuer, and the relative ranking of claims. All rating categories other than AAA and D also contain subcategories "(high)" and "(low)". The absence of either a "(high)" or "(low)" designation indicates the rating is in the middle of the category.

AAA: Highest credit quality. The capacity for the payment of financial obligations is exceptionally high and unlikely to be adversely affected by future events.

AA: Superior credit quality. The capacity for the payment of financial obligations is considered high. Credit quality differs from AAA only to a small degree. Unlikely to be significantly vulnerable to future events.

A: Good credit quality. The capacity for the payment of financial obligations is substantial, but of lesser credit quality than AA. May be vulnerable to future events, but qualifying negative factors are considered manageable.

BBB: Adequate credit quality. The capacity for the payment of financial obligations is considered acceptable. May be vulnerable to future events.

BB: Speculative, non investment-grade credit quality. The capacity for the payment of financial obligations is uncertain. Vulnerable to future events.

B: Highly speculative credit quality. There is a high level of uncertainty as to the capacity to meet financial obligations.

CCC, CC, C: Very highly speculative credit quality. In danger of defaulting on financial obligations. There is little difference between these three categories, although CC and C ratings are normally applied to obligations that are seen as highly likely to default, or subordinated to obligations rated in the CCC to B range. Obligations in respect of which default has not technically taken place but is considered inevitable may be rated in the C category.

D: When the issuer has filed under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or winding up statute or there is a failure to satisfy an obligation after the exhaustion of grace periods, a downgrade to D may occur. DBRS may also use SD (Selective Default) in cases where only some securities are impacted, such as the case of a "distressed exchange."



Moody's Investors Service - Short Term Obligation Ratings


96


The Municipal Investment Grade (MIG) scale is used to rate US municipal bond anticipation notes of up to three years maturity. Municipal notes rated on the MIG scale may be secured by either pledged revenues or proceeds of a take-out financing received prior to note maturity. MIG ratings expire at the maturity of the obligation, and the issuer's long-term rating is only one consideration in assigning the MIG rating. MIG ratings are divided into three levels—MIG 1 through MIG 3—while speculative grade short-term obligations are designated SG.

MIG 1: This designation denotes superior credit quality. Excellent protection is afforded by established cash flows, highly reliable liquidity support, or demonstrated broad-based access to the market for refinancing.

MIG 2: This designation denotes strong credit quality. Margins of protection are ample, although not as large as in the preceding group.

MIG 3: This designation denotes acceptable credit quality. Liquidity and cash-flow protection may be narrow, and market access for refinancing is likely to be less well-established.

SG: This designation denotes speculative-grade credit quality. Debt instruments in this category may lack sufficient margins of protection.

Standard and Poor's - Municipal Short-Term Note Ratings

A Standard & Poor's U.S. municipal note rating reflects Standard & Poor's opinion about the liquidity factors and market access risks unique to the notes. Notes due in three years or less will likely receive a note rating. Notes with an original maturity of more than three years will most likely receive a long-term debt rating. In determining which type of rating, if any, to assign, Standard & Poor's analysis will review the following considerations:

Amortization schedule—the larger the final maturity relative to other maturities, the more likely it will be treated as a note; and

Source of payment—the more dependent the issue is on the market for its refinancing, the more likely it will be treated as a note.

SP-1: Strong capacity to pay principal and interest. An issue determined to possess a very strong capacity to pay debt service is given a plus (+) designation.

SP-2: Satisfactory capacity to pay principal and interest, with some vulnerability to adverse financial and economic changes over the term of the notes.

SP-3: Speculative capacity to pay principal and interest.

Moody's Investors Service - Global Short Term Rating Scale

Ratings assigned on Moody's global short-term rating scale are forward-looking opinions of the relative credit risks of financial obligations issued by non-financial corporates, financial institutions, structured finance vehicles, project finance vehicles, and public sector entities. Short-term ratings are assigned to obligations with an original maturity of thirteen months or less and reflect the likelihood of a default on contractually promised payments and the expected financial loss suffered in the event of default.

P-1: Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-1 have a superior ability to repay short-term debt obligations.

P-2: Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-2 have a strong ability to repay short-term debt obligations.

P-3: Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-3 have an acceptable ability to repay short-term obligations.

NP: Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Not Prime do not fall within any of the Prime rating categories.




Standard and Poor's -Short-Term Issue Credit Ratings


97


A-1: A short-term obligation rated 'A-1' is rated in the highest category by Standard & Poor's. The obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is strong. Within this category, certain obligations are designated with a plus sign (+). This indicates that the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitment on these obligations is extremely strong.

A-2: A short-term obligation rated 'A-2' is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher rating categories. However, the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is satisfactory.

A-3: A short-term obligation rated 'A-3' exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity of the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

B: A short-term obligation rated 'B' is regarded as vulnerable and has significant speculative characteristics. The obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitments; however, it faces major ongoing uncertainties which could lead to the obligor's inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitments.

C: A short-term obligation rated 'C' is currently vulnerable to nonpayment and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

D: A short-term obligation rated 'D' is in payment default. The 'D' rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on the date due, unless Standard & Poor's believes that such payments will be made within any stated grace period. However, any stated grace period longer than five business days will be treated as five business days. The 'D' rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of a similar action if payment on an obligation are jeopardized.

Standard & Poor's assigns "dual" ratings to all debt issues that have a put option or demand feature as part of their structure. The first rating addresses the likelihood of repayment of principal and interest as due, and the second rating addresses only the demand feature. The long-term rating symbols are used for bonds to denote the long-term maturity and the short-term rating symbols for the put option (for example, 'AAA/A-1+'). With U.S. municipal short-term demand debt, note rating symbols are used with the short-term issue credit rating symbols (for example, 'SP-1+/A-1+').

Dominion Bond Rating Service -Commercial Paper and Short-Term Debt Ratings

The DBRS® short-term debt rating scale provides an opinion on the risk that an issuer will not meet its short-term financial obligations in a timely manner. Ratings are based on quantitative and qualitative considerations relevant to the issuer and the relative ranking of claims. The R-1 and R-2 rating categories are further denoted by the subcategories "(high)", "(middle)", and "(low)".

R-1 (high): Highest credit quality. The capacity for the payment of short-term financial obligations as they fall due is exceptionally high. Unlikely to be adversely affected by future events.

R-1 (middle): Superior credit quality. The capacity for the payment of short-term financial obligations as they fall due is very high. Differs from R-1 (high) by a relatively modest degree. Unlikely to be significantly vulnerable to future events.

R-1 (low): Good credit quality. The capacity for the payment of short-term financial obligations as they fall due is substantial. Overall strength is not as favourable as higher rating categories. May be vulnerable to future events, but qualifying negative factors are considered manageable.

R-2 (high): Upper end of adequate credit quality. The capacity for the payment of short-term financial obligations as they fall due is acceptable. May be vulnerable to future events.

R-2 (middle): Adequate credit quality. The capacity for the payment of short-term financial obligations as they fall due is acceptable. May be vulnerable to future events or may be exposed to other factors that could reduce credit quality.

R-2 (low): Lower end of adequate credit quality. The capacity for the payment of short-term financial obligations as they fall due is acceptable. May be vulnerable to future events. A number of challenges are present that could affect the issuer's ability to meet such obligations.

R-3: Lowest end of adequate credit quality. There is a capacity for the payment of short-term financial obligations as they fall due. May be vulnerable to future events and the certainty of meeting such obligations could be impacted by a variety of

98


developments.

R-4: Speculative credit quality. The capacity for the payment of short-term financial obligations as they fall due is uncertain.

R-5: Highly speculative credit quality. There is a high level of uncertainty as to the capacity to meet short-term financial obligations as they fall due.

D: When the issuer has filed under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or winding up statute or there is a failure to satisfy an obligation after the exhaustion of grace periods, a downgrade to D may occur. DBRS may also use SD (Selective Default) in cases where only some securities are impacted, such as the case of a "distressed exchange."

99



PART C
OTHER INFORMATION

Item 28.
(a)
(1)
 
(2)
 
(3)
 
(4)
 
(5)
 
(6)
 
(7)
 
(8)
 
(9)
 
(10)
 
(11)
 
(12)
 
(13)
 
(14)
 
(15)
 
(16)
 
(17)
 
(18)
 
(19)
 
(20)
 
(21)
 
(22)
 
(23)
 
(24)
 
(25)
 
(26)
 
(27)
 
(28)
 
(29)
 
(30)
 
(31)
 
(32)
 
(33)
 
(34)
 
(35)
 
(36)
(b)
(1)

100


 
(2)
(c)
 
Instruments Defining Rights of Security Holders, reference is made to: Article III, V, VI and VIII of the Declaration of Trust; Article III and VIII of the By-Laws; and Part B Statement of Additional Information - Item 22.
(d)
(1)
 
(2)
 
(3)
 
(4)
 
(5)
 
(6)
 
(7)
 
(8)
 
(9)
 
(10)
(e)
(1)
 
(2)
 
(3)
 
(4)
 
(5)
 
(6)
 
(7)
(f)
 
Not Applicable.
(g)
(1)
 
(2)
 
(3)
 
(4)
 
(5)
 
(6)
 
(7)
 
(8)
 
(9)
 
(10)
 
(11)
 
(12)
 
(13)
 
(14)
 
(15)
 
(16)
 
(17)
 
(18)
 
(19)
 
(20)
 
(21)

1


 
(22)
 
(23)
 
(24)
 
(25)
 
(26)
 
(27)
 
(28)
 
(29)
 
(30)
 
(31)
 
(32)
 
(33)
 
(34)
 
(35)
 
(36)
 
(37)
(h)
(1)
 
(2)
 
(3)
 
(4)
 
(5)
 
(6)
 
(7)
 
(8)
 
(9)
 
(10)
 
(11)
 
(12)
 
(13)
 
(14)
 
(15)
 
(16)
 
(17)
 
(18)
 
(19)
 
(20)
 
(21)
 
(22)

 
(23)
 
(24)
 
(25)
 
(26)

2


 
(27)
 
(28)
 
(29)
 
(30)
 
(31)
 
(32)
 
(33)
 
(34)
 
(35)
 
(36)
 
(37)
 
(38)
 
(39)
 
(40)
 
(41)
 
(42)
 
(43)
 
(44)
 
(45)
 
(46)
 
(47)
 
(48)
 
(49)
 
(50)
 
(51)
 
(52)
 
(53)
 
(54)
 
(55)
 
(56)
 
(57)
 
(58)
 
(59)
 
(60)
 
(61)
 
(62)
 
(63)
 
(64)
 
(65)

3


 
(66)
 
(67)
 
(68)
 
(69)
 
(70)
 
(71)
 
(72)
 
(73)
 
(74)
 
(75)
 
(76)
 
(77)
 
(78)
 
(79)
 
(80)
 
(81)
 
(82)
 
(83)
 
(84)
 
(85)
 
(86)
 
(87)
 
(88)
 
(89)
 
(90)
(i)
(1)
 
(2)
(j)
(1)
(k)
 
Not applicable
(l)
 
(m)
(1)
 
(2)
 
(3)
 
(4)
 
(5)
 
(6)
 
(7)
 
(8)
 
(9)
 
(10)
 
(11)
 
(12)
 
(13)

4


 
(14)
 
(15)
 
(16)
 
(17)
 
(18)
 
(19)
 
(20)
 
(21)
 
(22)
 
(23)
 
(24)
 
(25)
 
(26)
 
(27)
 
(28)
 
(29)
 
(30)
 
(31)
 
(32)
(n)
 
Not applicable.
(o)
 
Not applicable.
(p)
(1)
 
(2)
 
(3)
 
(4)

** Filed herein

1/ Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s initial Registration Statement, SEC File No. 333-151713, filed June 17, 2008.

2/ Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Pre-effective Amendment #1, SEC File No. 333-151713, filed August 15, 2008.

3/ Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Pre-effective Amendment #2, SEC File No. 333-151713, filed October 27, 2008.

4/ Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-effective Amendment #2, SEC File No. 333-151713, filed January 20, 2009.

5/ Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-effective Amendment #4, SEC File No. 333-151713, filed November 16, 2009.

6/ Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-effective Amendment #7, SEC File No. 333-151713, filed February 26, 2010.

7/ Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-effective Amendment #9, SEC File No. 333-151713, filed April 16, 2010.

8/ Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-effective Amendment #11, SEC File No. 333-151713, filed June 16, 2010.

9/ Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-effective Amendment #15, SEC File No. 333-151713, filed October 27, 2010.

5



10/ Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-effective Amendment #20, SEC File No. 333-151713, filed January 10, 2011.

11/ Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-effective Amendment #31, SEC File No. 333-151713, filed May 3, 2011.

12/ Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-effective Amendment #32, SEC File No. 333-151713, filed May 11, 2011.

13/ Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-effective Amendment #41, SEC File No. 333-151713, filed September 20, 2011.

14/ Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-effective Amendment #52, SEC File No. 333-151713, filed November 22, 2011.

15/ Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-effective Amendment #59, SEC File No. 333-151713, filed February 3, 2012.

18/ Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-effective Amendment #68, SEC File No. 333-151713, filed April 25, 2012.

19/ Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-effective Amendment #71, SEC File No. 333-151713, filed May 29, 2012.

20/ Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-effective Amendment #80, SEC File No. 333-151713, filed September 5, 2012.

21/ Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-effective Amendment #93, SEC File No. 333-151713, filed November 26, 2012.

22/ Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-effective Amendment #122, SEC File No. 333-151713, filed July 30, 2013.

24/ Incorporated by reference from the Registrant's Post-effective Amendment # 128, SEC File No. 333-151713, filed October 29, 2013.

25/ Incorporated by reference from the Registrant's Post-effective Amendment # 133, SEC File No. 333-151713, filed February 5, 2014.

26/ Incorporated by reference from the Registrant's Post-effective Amendment # 135, SEC File No. 333-151713, filed February 25, 2014.

27/Incorporated by reference from the Registrant's Post-effective Amendment # 167, SEC File No. 333-151713, filed September 17, 2014.

28/Incorporated by reference from the Registrant's Post-effective Amendment # 173, SEC File No. 333-151713, filed September 29, 2014.

29/Incorporated by reference from the Registrant's Post-effective Amendment # 211, SEC File No. 333-151713, filed February 26, 2015.

30/Incorporated by reference from the Registrant's Post-effective Amendment # 218, SEC File No. 333-151713, filed March 11, 2015.

31/Incorporated by reference from the Registrant's Post-effective Amendment # 220, SEC File No. 333-151713, filed March 19, 2015.

32/Incorporated by reference from the Registrant's Post-effective Amendment # 243, SEC File No. 333-151713, filed May 21, 2015.

6



33/Incorporated by reference from the Registrant's Post-effective Amendment # 269, SEC File No. 333-151713, filed September 9, 2015.

34/Incorporated by reference from the Registrant's Post-effective Amendment # 331, SEC File No. 333-151713, filed March 24, 2016.

35/Incorporated by reference from the Registrant's Post-effective Amendment # 346, SEC File No. 333-151713, filed May 6, 2016.

36/Incorporated by reference from the Registrant's Post-effective Amendment # 392, SEC File No. 333-151713, filed October 25, 2016.

37/Incorporated by reference from the Registrant's Post-effective Amendment # 424, SEC File No. 333-151713, filed March 1, 2017.

38/Incorporated by reference from the Registrant's Post-effective Amendment # 481, SEC File No. 333-151713, filed October 2, 2017.

39/Incorporated by reference from the Registrant's Post-effective Amendment # 498, SEC File No. 333-151713, filed February 27, 2018.

40/Incorporated by reference from the Registrant's Post-effective Amendment # 521, SEC File No. 333-151713, filed June 8, 2018.

41/Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-effective Amendment # 524, SEC File No. 333-151713, filed June 22, 2018.

42/ Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-effective Amendment # 525, SEC File No. 333-151713, filed July 3, 2018.

43/ Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-effective Amendment # 550, SEC File No. 333-151713, filed October 19, 2018.

44/ Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-effective Amendment # 564, SEC File No. 333-151713, filed February 25, 2019.

45/ Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-effective Amendment #568, SEC File No. 333-151713, filed March 19, 2019.

46/ Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-effective Amendment #571, SEC File No. 333-151713, filed March 25, 2019.

47/ Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-effective Amendment #573, SEC File No. 333-151713, filed April 2, 2019.

48/ Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-effective Amendment #582, SEC File No. 333-151713, filed September 3, 2019.

49/ Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-effective Amendment #587, SEC File No. 333-151713, filed September 25, 2019.

50/ Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-effective Amendment #588, SEC File No. 333-151713, filed October 9, 2019.

51/ Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-effective Amendment #591, SEC File No. 333-151713, filed February 24, 2020.

52/ Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-effective Amendment #592, SEC File No. 333-151713, filed March 6, 2020.

7



Item 29. Persons Controlled by or Under Common Control with the Fund
None.

Item 30. Indemnification
Section 3 of Article VII of the Registrant’s Declaration of Trust filed as Exhibit (a)(2) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement provides that, subject to the exceptions and limitations contained in the By-Laws, each Trustee or officer of the Registrant (“Covered Person”) shall be indemnified by the Registrant to the fullest extent permitted by law against liability and against all expenses reasonably incurred or paid by him in connection with the defense of any proceeding in which he or she becomes involved as a party or otherwise by virtue of being or having been a Trustee or officer of the Trust and against amounts paid or incurred by him or her in the settlement thereof; and that expenses in connection with the defense of any proceeding of the character described above shall be advanced by the Trust to the Covered Person from time to time prior to final disposition of such proceeding to the fullest extent permitted by law. No indemnification shall be provided hereunder to a Covered Person who shall have been adjudicated by a court or body before which the proceeding was brought (i) to be liable to the Registrant 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 (ii) not to have acted in good faith in the reasonable belief that his action was in the best interest of the Registrant.

The Registrant’s financial obligations arising from the indemnification provided herein or in the By-Laws may be insured by policies maintained by the Registrant, shall be severable, shall not be exclusive of or affect any other rights to which any Covered Person may now or hereafter be entitled, shall continue as to a person who has ceased to be a Covered Person as to acts or omissions as a Covered Person and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors and administrators of such a person. Nothing contained herein shall affect any rights to indemnification to which Registrant’s personnel, other than Covered Persons, and other persons may be entitled by contract or otherwise under law.

Expenses in connection with the defense of any proceeding of the character described in paragraph (a) of Section 3 may be advanced by the Registrant (or its series) from time to time prior to final disposition of the proceeding upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of such Covered Person that such amount will be paid over by him to the Registrant (or series) if it is ultimately determined that he is not entitled to indemnification under Section 3; provided, however, that either (i) such Covered Person shall have provided appropriate security for such undertaking, (ii) the Registrant 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 Registrant nor parties to the matter, or independent legal counsel in a written opinion, shall have determined, based upon a review of readily available facts (as opposed to a trial-type inquiry or full investigation), that there is reason to believe that such Covered Person will be found entitled to indemnification under Section 3.

Section 2 of Article VII of the Registrant’s By-Laws filed as Exhibit (b) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement further provides that, with respect to indemnification of the Trustees and officers, the Registrant shall, subject to certain exceptions and limitations, indemnify its Trustees and officers to the fullest extent consistent with state law and the 1940 Act. Without limitation of the foregoing, the Registrant shall indemnify each person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any proceedings, by reason of alleged acts or omissions within the scope of his or her service as a Trustee or officer of the Registrant, against judgments, fines, penalties, settlements and reasonable expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually incurred by him or her in connection with such proceeding to the maximum extent consistent with state law and the 1940 Act. The Registrant may, to the fullest extent consistent with law, indemnify each person who is serving or has served at the request of the Registrant as a director, officer, partner, trustee, employee, agent or fiduciary of another domestic or foreign corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, other enterprise or employee benefit plan (“Other Position”) and who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any proceeding by reason of alleged acts or omissions while acting within the scope of his or her service in such Other Position, against judgments, fines, settlements and reasonable expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually incurred by him or her in connection with such proceeding to the maximum extent consistent with state law and the 1940 Act. The indemnification and other rights provided by Article VII shall continue as to a person who has ceased to be a Trustee or officer of the Registrant. In no event will any revision, amendment or change to the By-Laws affect in any manner the rights of any Trustee or officer of the Trust to receive indemnification by the Trust against all liabilities and expenses reasonably incurred or paid by the Trustee or officer in connection with any proceeding in which the Trustee or officer becomes involved as a party or otherwise by virtue of being or having been a Trustee or officer of the Trust (including any amount paid or incurred by the Trustee or officer in the settlement of such proceeding) with respect to any act or omission of such Trustee or officer that occurred or is alleged to have occurred prior to the time such revision, amendment or change to the By-Laws is made.

Insofar as indemnification for liability arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to Trustees, officers and controlling persons of Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the 1940 Act, and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by Registrant of

8


expenses incurred or paid by a trustee, officer or controlling person of Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such trustee, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the 1940 Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

Section 7 of Article III of the Registrant’s Declaration of Trust, filed as Exhibit (a)(2) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement, also provides for the indemnification of shareholders of the Registrant. Section 7 states as follows:

If any Shareholder or former Shareholder of any Series shall be held to be personally liable solely by reason of a claim or demand relating to such Person being or having been a Shareholder, and not because of such Person’s acts or omissions, the Shareholder or former Shareholder (or such Person’s heirs, executors, administrators, or other legal representatives or in the case of a corporation or other entity, its corporate or other general successor) shall be entitled to be held harmless from and indemnified against all loss and expense arising from such claim or demand, but only out of the assets held with respect to the particular Series of Shares of which such Person is or was a Shareholder and from or in relation to which such liability arose. The Trust, on behalf of the applicable Series, may, at its option, assume the defense of any such claim made against such Shareholder. Neither the Trust nor the applicable Series shall be responsible for satisfying any obligation arising from such a claim that has been settled by the Shareholder without the prior written notice to, and consent of, the Trust.

Item 31. Business and Other Connections of the Investment Adviser
Global X Management Company LLC serves as investment adviser to the Fund and provides investment supervisory services. Information as to the officers and directors of Global X Management Company LLC is included in its Form ADV last filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC File No. 801-69093) and is incorporated herein by reference.

Set forth below is a list of officers and directors of Global X Management Company LLC, together with information as to any other business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature engaged in by such officers and directors during the past two years.

Name and Position
 
Principal Business(es) During the Last Two Fiscal Years
Luis Berruga, President & CEO
 
President, GXMC (since 1/2018); Chief Financial Officer, GXMC (since 9/2015); Chief Operating Officer, GXMC (2/2014 - 7/2018)
Joseph Costello, Chief Compliance Officer
 
Chief Compliance Officer, GXMC (since 9/2016)
Chang Kim, Chief Operating Officer, Treasurer, Principal Accounting Officer, and Chief Financial Officer
 
Chief Operating Officer, GXMC (since 7/2018); Head of Portfolio Management & Portfolio Administration (1/2017-7/2018); and Portfolio Manager (since 9/2009)
 
 
 

Item 32. Principal Underwriters
(a)
Furnish the name of each investment company (other than the Registrant) for which each principal underwriter currently distributing the securities of the Registrant also acts as a principal underwriter, distributor or investment adviser.

Registrant's distributor, SEI Investments Distribution Co. (the "Distributor"), acts as distributor for:

SEI Daily Income Trust
July 15, 1982
SEI Tax Exempt Trust
December 3, 1982
SEI Institutional Managed Trust
January 22, 1987
SEI Institutional International Trust
August 30, 1988
The Advisors’ Inner Circle Fund
November 14, 1991
The Advisors’ Inner Circle Fund II
January 28, 1993
Bishop Street Funds
January 27, 1995

9


SEI Asset Allocation Trust
April 1, 1996
SEI Institutional Investments Trust
June 14, 1996
City National Rochdale Funds (f/k/a CNI Charter Funds)
April 1, 1999
Causeway Capital Management Trust
September 20, 2001
ProShares Trust
November 14, 2005
Community Capital Trust (f/k/a Community Reinvestment Act Qualified Investment Fund)
January 8, 2007
SEI Offshore Advanced Strategy Series SPC
July 31, 2007
SEI Structured Credit Fund, LP
July 31, 2007
Global X Funds
October 24, 2008
ProShares Trust II
November 17, 2008
SEI Special Situations Fund
July 1, 2009
Exchange Traded Concepts Trust (f/k/a FaithShares Trust)
August 7, 2009
Schwab Strategic Trust
October 12, 2009
RiverPark Funds Trust
September 8, 2010
Adviser Managed Trust
December 10, 2010
New Covenant Funds
March 23, 2012
Cambria ETF Trust
August 30, 2012
Highland Funds I (f/k/a Pyxis Funds I)
September 25, 2012
KraneShares Trust
December 18, 2012
SEI Insurance Products Trust
September 10, 2013
The KP Funds
September 19, 2013
The Advisors’ Inner Circle Fund III
February 12, 2014
SEI Catholic Values Trust
March 24, 2015
SEI Hedge Fund SPC
June 26, 2015
SEI Energy Debt Fund
June 30, 2015
Gallery Trust
January 8, 2016
Schroder Series Trust
February 10, 2017
Schroder Global Series Trust
February 10, 2017
City National Rochdale Select Strategies Fund
March 1, 2017
Metaurus Equity Component Trust
October 2, 2017
Causeway ETMF Trust
December 28, 2017
Impact Shares Trust
March 1, 2018
City National Rochdale Strategic Credit Fund
May 16, 2018
Symmetry Panoramic Trust
July 23, 2018
Frost Family of Funds
May 31, 2019

The Distributor provides numerous financial services to investment managers, pension plan sponsors, and bank trust departments. These services include portfolio evaluation, performance measurement and consulting services ("Funds Evaluation") and automated execution, clearing and settlement of securities transactions ("MarketLink").
    
(b)
Furnish the Information required by the following table with respect to each director, officer or partner of each principal underwriter named in the answer to Item 20 of Part B. Unless otherwise noted, the business address of each director or officer is Oaks, PA 19456.
Name
Position and Office
with Underwrite
Positions and Offices
with Registrant
William M. Doran
Director 
--
Paul F. Klauder
Director 
--
Wayne M. Withrow
Director 
--
Kevin P. Barr
Director, President, & Chief Executive Officer
--

10


Maxine J. Chou
Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operations Officer & Treasurer
--
Jennifer Campisi
Chief Compliance Officer, Anti-Money Laundering Officer & Assistant Secretary
--
John C. Munch
General Counsel & Secretary
--
Mark J. Held
Senior Vice President
--
John P. Coary
Vice President & Assistant Secretary
--
Lori L. White
Vice President & Assistant Secretary
--
Judith A. Rager
Vice President
--
Jason McGhin
Vice President
--
Gary Michael Reese
Vice President
--
Robert M. Silvestri
Vice President
--

Item 33. Location of Accounts and Records
All accounts, books, and other documents required to be maintained by Section 31(a) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules promulgated thereunder are maintained at the offices of the: (a) Registrant; (b) Investment Adviser; (c) Principal Underwriter; (d) Administrator/Transfer Agent and (e) Custodian. The address of each is as follows:

(a)
Registrant
Global X Funds
605 3rd Avenue, 43rd Fl
New York, NY 10158
(b)
Investment Adviser
Global X Management Company LLC
605 3rd Avenue, 43rd Fl
New York, NY 10158
(c)
Principal Underwriter
SEI Investments Distribution Co.
One Freedom Valley Drive
Oaks, PA 19456
(d)
Sub-Administrator
SEI Investments Global Funds Services
One Freedom Valley Drive
Oaks, PA 19456
(e)
Custodian and Transfer Agent
Brown Brothers Harriman & Co.
50 Post Office Square
Boston, MA 02110

Item 34. Management Services

Not Applicable.

Item 35. Undertakings

Not Applicable.



11




Exhibit List

(h)(47) Form of Sub-Administration Agreement

(h)(89) Expense Limitation Agreement for Global X Cybersecurity ETF.

(h)(90) Expense Limitation Agreement for Global X U.S. Preferred ETF.

(i)(1)      Opinion and Consent of Stradley Ronon Stevens & Young, LLP.

(i)(2)      Opinion of Fox Rothschild LLP.

(j)(1)      Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP.








12


SIGNATURES
 
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, the Registrant certifies that it meets all the requirements for the effectiveness of this Registration Statement under Rule 485(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and has duly caused this Post-Effective Amendment No. 596 to the Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, duly authorized, in the City of New York, and State of New York, on this 23rd day of March, 2020.
 
Global X Funds
 
By: /s/ Luis Berruga
      Luis Berruga
 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities and on the date indicated.

Name
 
Title
 
Date
 
 
 
 
 
/s/ Luis Berruga
 
Trustee, President
 
March 23, 2020
Luis Berruga
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
/s/ Chang Kim
 
Treasurer
 
March 23, 2020
Chang Kim
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
*
 
 Trustee
 
 
Charles A. Baker
 
 
 
March 23, 2020
 
 
 
 
 
*
 
 Trustee
 
 
Susan M. Ciccarone
 
 
 
March 23, 2020
 
 
 
 
 
*
 
Trustee
 
 
Clifford J. Weber
 
 
 
March 23, 2020
 
 
 
 
 
*/s/ Luis Berruga
 
 
 
 
Attorney-In-Fact, pursuant to power of attorney
 
 
 



13

SUB-ADMINISTRATION AGREEMENT
THIS SUB-ADMINISTRATION AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) is made as of the [ ] day of November, 2008 (the “Effective Date”), by and between Global X Management Company LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “GXMC”) and SEI Investments Global Funds Services, a statutory trust formed under the laws of the State of Delaware (the “Sub-Administrator”).
WHEREAS, the Global X Funds (the “Trust”) is an open-end management investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), consisting of the series (each a “Fund” and collectively, the “Funds”) set forth in Schedule I (Funds), as such Schedule I may be amended from time to time, attached hereto; and
WHEREAS, GXMC serves as investment adviser and administrator to the Trust, and in such capacity has been authorized to engage third parties to provide certain services to the Trust and the Funds;
WHEREAS, GXMC desires that the Sub-Administrator assist GXMC in its capacity as administrator in regard to certain administrative, accounting and compliance services listed on Schedule II (Services) attached hereto with respect to the Trust and the Funds, and
WHEREAS, the Sub-Administrator is willing to provide such services on the terms and conditions set forth herein;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual covenants contained herein, GXMC and the Sub-Administrator hereby agree as follows:
SECTION 1
DEFINITIONS
1.01
1940 Act” shall have the meaning given to such term in the preamble of this Agreement.
1.02
Adviser” means GXMC, acting in its capacity as such, or any other Person acting as the Funds’ “investment adviser” within the meaning of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940.
1.03
Authorized Participant” means an individual or institution that has entered into an Authorized Participant Agreement with the Funds’ distributor that is authorized to purchase and redeem Creation Units of a Fund.
1.04
Board” means any board of directors, board of trustees, board of managers, managing members, general partners or other Persons having similar responsibilities to any of the foregoing.
1.05
Confidential Information” shall have the meaning given to such term in Section 11.01 of this Agreement.
1.06
Conversion” means the processes and activities required to transfer the books and records of the Trust from the Trust, import the Trust’s data and files into the Sub-Administrator’s system and such other processes and activities identified as the responsibility of the Sub-Administrator in accordance with the Conversion Plan.
1.07
Conversion Plan” shall have the meaning given to such term in Section 2.05 of this Agreement.
1.08
Creation Unit” means an aggregation of a specified number of Fund shares that is purchased and/or redeemed by an Authorized Participant as described in the Fund’s Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information and in accordance with any terms and procedures set forth in the Distributor’s AP Handbook and/or related procedures.
1.09
Disclosing Party” shall have the meaning given to such term in Section 11.01 of this Agreement.
1.10
Fund” shall have the meaning given to such term in the preamble to this Agreement and shall mean an exchange traded fund issued and offered by the Trust that is an investment company legally classified as an open-end company or unit investment trust.

1.11
Initial Term” shall have the meaning given to such term in Section 9.01 of this Agreement.
1.12
Interested Party” or “Interested Parties” means the Sub-Administrator, its subsidiaries and its affiliates and each of their respective officers, directors, employees, agents, delegates and associates.
1.13
Investments” shall mean such cash, securities and all other assets and property of whatsoever nature now owned or subsequently acquired by or for the account of the Trust.
1.14
Live Date” means the date on which the Trust is converted onto the Sub-Administrator’s system and the Sub-Administrator begins calculating the Trust’s official net asset values (“NAV”).
1.15
Organizational Documents” means, as applicable, the articles of incorporation, declaration of trust, certificate of formation, memorandum of association, partnership agreement, bylaws or other similar documentation setting forth the respective rights and obligations of directors, managers and Authorized Participants in the Trust.
1.16
Person” shall mean any natural person, partnership, estate, association, custodian, nominee, limited liability company, corporation, trust or other legal entity.
1.17
Receiving Party” shall have the meaning given to such term in Section 11.01 of this Agreement.
1.18
Renewal Term” shall have the meaning given to such term in Section 9.01 of this Agreement.
1.19    “Services” shall have the meaning given to such term in Section 2.01 of this Agreement.
1.20
Unless the context otherwise requires and except as otherwise specified in this Agreement, the term the “Trust” shall include, as applicable, a sponsor, general partner, trustee or other Person having similar status or performing similar functions, as the case may be, acting on behalf of the Trust.
1.21
Trust Data” shall have the meaning given to such term in Section 2.04 of this Agreement.
1.22
Trust Materials” means any prospectus, registration statement, statement of additional information, proxy solicitation and tender offer materials, annual or other periodic report of the Trust or any advertising, marketing, shareholder communication, or promotional material generated by the Trust or its Adviser from time to time, as appropriate, including all amendments or supplements thereto.
SECTION 2
APPOINTMENT AND CONTROL
2.01
Services. GXMC hereby appoints the Sub-Administrator to provide certain administrative, accounting and compliance services with respect to the Trust, including the services set forth in Schedule II (Services), which may be amended from time to time in writing by the parties (“Services”). The Sub-Administrator accepts such appointment and agrees to furnish such Services. In performing its duties under this Agreement, the Sub-Administrator will act in all material respects in accordance with the Organizational Documents and Trust Materials as they may be amended (to the extent that copies of such documents are delivered to the Sub-Administrator).
2.02
Authority. Each of the activities engaged in under the provisions of this Agreement by the Sub-Administrator shall be subject to the overall direction and control of GXMC or any Person authorized to act on GXMC’s behalf; provided, however, that the Sub-Administrator shall have the general authority to do all acts deemed in the Sub-Administrator’s good faith belief to be necessary and proper to perform its obligations under this Agreement. In performing its duties hereunder, the Sub-Administrator shall observe and generally comply with the Trust Materials, all applicable resolutions and/or directives of the Board of which it has notice, and applicable laws which may from time to time apply to the Services rendered by the Sub-Administrator. The Sub-Administrator (i) shall not have or be required to have any authority to supervise the investment or reinvestment of the Creation Units, underlying securities or other properties which comprise the assets of the Trust and (ii) shall not provide any investment advisory services to the Trust, and shall have no liability related to the foregoing.
2.03
Third Parties; Affiliates. The Sub-Administrator may delegate to, or sub‑contract with, third parties or affiliates administrative or other functions it deems necessary to perform its obligations under this Agreement; provided, however, all fees and expenses incurred in any delegation or sub-contract shall be paid by the Sub-Administrator and the Sub-Administrator shall remain responsible to GXMC for the acts and omissions of such other entities as if such acts or omissions were the acts or omissions of the Sub-Administrator. GXMC acknowledges that during the term of this Agreement, the services to be performed by the Sub-Administrator may be completed by one or more of the Sub-Administrator’s affiliates or third parties located in or outside of the United States of America.
2.04
Trust Data. GXMC shall be solely responsible for the accuracy, completeness, and timeliness of all data and other information provided to the Sub-Administrator pursuant to this Agreement (including, without limitation, (i) prices, (ii) sufficient transaction supporting documentation, (iii) detailed accounting methodologies with respect to the Trust’s Investments as approved by the Trust’s auditors, (iv) the terms of any agreement between the Trust and an investor or Authorized Participant regarding any special fee or specific fee arrangement or access to portfolio information that may impact or affect the Services, and (v) trade and settlement information from prime brokers and custodians) (collectively, “Data”). All Data shall be provided to the Sub-Administrator on a timely basis and in a format and medium reasonably requested by the Sub-Administrator from time to time. GXMC shall have an ongoing obligation to promptly update all Data so that such information remains complete and accurate. All Data shall be prepared and maintained in accordance with applicable law, Trust Materials and generally acceptable accounting principles. The Sub-Administrator shall be entitled to rely on all the Data and shall have no liability for any loss, damage or expense incurred by the Trust or any other Person to the extent that such loss, damage or expense arises out of or is related to the Data that is not timely, current, complete and accurate.
2.05
Conversion Plan. Promptly following the Effective Date, the parties shall mutually agree upon a written project plan (“Conversion Plan”) that sets forth the respective roles and responsibilities of each of the parties in connection with the Conversion of the Trust onto the Sub-Administrator’s system.
SECTION 3
REPRESENTATIONS, WARRANTIES AND COVENANTS OF THE ADMINISTRATOR
3.01
GXMC represents and warrants that:
3.01.01.
it has full power, right and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby; the execution and delivery of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby have been duly and validly approved by all requisite actions on its part, and no other proceedings on its part are necessary to approve this Agreement or to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby; this Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by it; this Agreement constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation, enforceable against it in accordance with its terms.
3.01.02.
it is not a party to any, and there are no, pending or threatened legal, administrative, arbitral or other proceedings, claims, actions or governmental or regulatory investigations or inquiries (collectively, “Actions”) of any nature against it or its properties or assets which could, individually or in the aggregate, have a material effect upon its business or financial condition. There is no injunction, order, judgment, decree, or regulatory restriction imposed specifically upon it or any of its properties or assets.
3.01.03.
it is not in default under any statutory obligations whatsoever (including the payment of any tax) which materially and adversely affects, or is likely to materially and adversely affect, its business or financial condition.
3.01.04.
it has obtained, on behalf of the Trust, all consents and given all notices (regulatory or otherwise), made all required regulatory filings and is in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations.
3.01.05.
it has secured, on behalf of the Trust, a custodian and principal underwriter and will provide additional information regarding such service providers upon request.
3.01.06.
it has not hired any prior sub-administrator to provide services on behalf of the Trust and the Trust has not hired any administrator other than the Administrator.
3.02
GXMC covenants and agrees that:
3.02.01.
it will furnish the Sub-Administrator from time to time with complete copies, authenticated or certified, of each of the following:
(a)
Copies of the following documents:
(1)
Copies of the Trust’s current Organizational Documents and of any amendments thereto, certified by the proper official of the state in which such document has been filed; and
(2)
Copies of resolutions of the Board covering the approval of this Agreement, authorization of a specified officer of the Trust to execute and deliver this Agreement and authorization for specified officers of the Trust to instruct the Sub-Administrator.
(b)
A list of all the officers of the Trust, together with specimen signatures of those officers who are authorized to instruct the Sub-Administrator in all matters.
(c)
Copies of all Trust Materials, including the current prospectus and statement of additional information for the Trust.
(d)
A list of all issuers the Trust is restricted from purchasing.
(e)
A list of all issuers and or indices that any Fund in the Trust will invest in and/or track.
(f)
A list of all affiliated persons (as such term is defined in the 1940 Act) of the Trust that are broker-dealers.
(g)
The identity of the Trust’s auditors along with contact information.
(h)
The expense budget for each Fund for the current fiscal year.
(i)
A list of contact persons (primary, backup and secondary backup) of the Trust’s Adviser and, if applicable, sub-adviser, who can be reached until 6:30 p.m. ET with respect to valuation matters.
(j)
Copies of all the Trust Data reasonably requested by the Sub-Administrator or necessary for the Sub-Administrator to perform its obligations pursuant to this Agreement.
GXMC shall promptly provide the Sub-Administrator with written notice of any updates of or changes to any of the foregoing documents or information, including an updated written copy of such document or information. Until the Sub-Administrator receives such updated information or document, the Sub-Administrator shall have no obligation to implement or rely upon such updated information or document.
3.02.02.
it shall timely perform or oversee the performance of all obligations identified in this Agreement, including, without limitation, providing the Sub-Administrator with all the Data and Organizational Documents reasonably requested by the Sub-Administrator;
3.02.03.
it will promptly notify the Sub-Administrator of any matter which could materially affect the Sub-Administrator’s performance of its duties and obligations under this Agreement, including any amendment to the documents referenced in Section 3.02.01 above;
3.02.04.
it will comply in all material respects with all applicable requirements of and will use best efforts to ensure the Trust complies in all material respects with all applicable requirements of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, the Securities Act of 1933, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the 1940 Act, and any laws, rules and regulations of governmental authorities having jurisdiction;
3.02.05.
it shall be solely responsible for the Trust’s compliance with applicable investment policies, Trust Materials, and any laws and regulations governing the manner in which the Trust’s assets may be invested, and shall be solely responsible for any losses attributable to non-compliance with Trust Materials, and applicable policies, laws and regulations governing the Trust, its activities or its own duties, actions or omissions;
3.02.06.
it shall promptly review the PLF file and confirm that it is complete and accurate within the timeline agreed with the Sub-Administrator; and
3.02.07.
it will promptly notify the Sub-Administrator of updates to its representations and warranties hereunder.
SECTION 4
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE SUB-ADMINISTRATOR
4.01
The Sub-Administrator represents and warrants that:
4.01.01.
it has full power, right and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby; the execution and delivery of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby have been duly and validly approved by all requisite action on its part, and no other proceedings on its part are necessary to approve this Agreement or to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby; this Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by it; this Agreement constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation, enforceable against it in accordance with its terms.
4.01.02.
it is not a party to any, and there are no, pending or threatened Actions of any nature against it or its properties or assets which could, individually or in the aggregate, have a material effect upon its business or financial condition. There is no injunction, order, judgment, decree, or regulatory restriction imposed specifically upon it or any of its properties or assets.
4.01.03.
it is not in default under any statutory obligations whatsoever (including the payment of any tax) which materially and adversely affects, or is likely to materially and adversely affect, its business or financial condition.
SECTION 5
LIMITATION OF LIABILITY AND INDEMNIFICATION
5.01
THE DUTIES OF THE SUB-ADMINISTRATOR SHALL BE CONFINED TO THOSE EXPRESSLY SET FORTH IN THIS AGREEMENT, AND NO IMPLIED DUTIES ARE ASSUMED BY OR MAY BE ASSERTED AGAINST THE SUB-ADMINISTRATOR. EXCEPT TO THE EXTENT ARISING OUT OF THE ADMINISTRATOR’S FRAUD OR CRIMINAL MISCONDUCT WHEN PROVIDING THE SERVICES, THE ADMINISTRATOR’S LIABILITY TO THE FUND FOR DIRECT DAMAGES WILL BE LIMITED TO MONETARY DAMAGES NOT TO EXCEED THE AMOUNT OF FEES PAID HEREUNDER DURING THE THREE MONTHS IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING THE EVENT GIVING RISE TO THE FIRST SUCH CLAIM TO OCCUR. For the avoidance of doubt, the Sub-Administrator shall not be responsible for any breach in the performance of its obligations under this Agreement due to (i) the failure or delay of GXMC to perform its obligations under this Agreement or (ii) the Sub-Administrator’s reliance on the Data. Each party shall have the duty to mitigate its damages for which another party may become responsible. As used in this Section 5, the term “Sub-Administrator” shall include the officers, directors, employees, affiliates and agents of the Sub-Administrator as well as that entity itself. NOTWITHSTANDING ANY OTHER PROVISION OF THIS AGREEMENT TO THE CONTRARY, IN NO EVENT SHALL THE SUB-ADMINISTRATOR BE LIABLE FOR ANY INCIDENTAL, INDIRECT, SPECIAL, PUNITIVE, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR OTHER NON-DIRECT DAMAGES OF ANY KIND WHETHER SUCH LIABILITY IS PREDICATED ON CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR ANY OTHER THEORY AND REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THE FUND IS ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF ANY SUCH DAMAGES.
5.02
NOTWITHSTANDING ANY OTHER PROVISION OF THIS AGREEMENT TO THE CONTRARY, IN NO EVENT SHALL A PARTY TO THIS AGREEMENT BE LIABLE TO ANOTHER PARTY OR A THIRD PARTY FOR LOST PROFITS OR REVENUES OR FOR ANY INCIDENTAL, INDIRECT, SPECIAL, PUNITIVE, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR OTHER NON-DIRECT DAMAGES OF ANY KIND WHETHER SUCH LIABILITY IS PREDICATED ON CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR ANY OTHER THEORY AND REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THE OTHER PARTY IS ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF ANY SUCH DAMAGES.
5.03
The Sub-Administrator may, from time to time, provide to GXMC services and products (“Special Third Party Services”) from external third party sources that are telecommunication carriers, Pricing Sources, data feed providers or other similar service providers (“Special Third Party Vendors”). GXMC acknowledges and agrees that the Special Third Party Services are confidential and proprietary trade secrets of the Special Third Party Vendors. Accordingly, GXMC shall honor requests by the Sub-Administrator and the Special Third Party Vendors to protect their proprietary rights in their data, information and property including requests that GXMC place copyright notices or other proprietary legends on printed matter, print outs, tapes, disks, film or any other medium of dissemination. GXMC further acknowledges and agrees that all Special Third Party Services are provided on an “AS IS WITH ALL FAULTS” basis solely for GXMC’s internal use in connection with the receipt of the Services. GXMC may use Special Third Party Services as normally required on view-only screens and hard copy statements, reports and other documents necessary to support such the Trust’s investors, however GXMC shall not distribute any Special Third Party Services to other third parties. THE SPECIAL THIRD PARTY VENDORS AND THE SUB-ADMINISTRATOR MAKE NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AS TO MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR USE, OR ANY OTHER MATTER WITH RESPECT TO ANY OF THE SPECIAL THIRD PARTY SERVICES. NEITHER THE SUB-ADMINISTRATOR NOR THE SPECIAL THIRD PARTY VENDORS SHALL BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES SUFFERED BY THE ADMINISTRATOR IN THE USE OF ANY OF THE SPECIAL THIRD PARTY SERVICES, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, LIABILITY FOR ANY INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR SIMILAR DAMAGES.
5.04
GXMC shall indemnify and hold harmless the Sub-Administrator from and against and the Sub-Administrator shall have no liability in connection with any and all actions, suits and claims, whether groundless or otherwise, and from and against any and all losses, damages, costs, charges, reasonable counsel fees and disbursements, payments, expenses and liabilities (including reasonable investigation expenses) arising directly or indirectly out of: (i) any act or omission of the Sub-Administrator in carrying out its duties hereunder or as a result of the Sub-Administrator’s reliance upon any instructions, notice or instrument that the Sub-Administrator believes is genuine and signed or presented by an authorized Person; provided that this indemnification shall not apply if any such loss, damage or expense is caused by or arises from the Sub-Administrator’s bad faith, willful malfeasance or fraud in the performance of the Services; (ii) any breach by GXMC of any representation, warranty or agreement contained in this Agreement; (ii) any act or omission of GXMC, prior to the Effective Date, a Special Third Party Vendor, GXMC’s other service providers (such as custodians, prime brokers, transfer agents and sub-advisers); (iii) any pricing error caused by the failure of GXMC to provide a trade ticket or for incorrect information included in any trade ticket; or (iv) any act or omission of the Sub-Administrator as a result of the Sub-Administrator’s compliance with any applicable regulations.
5.05
The Sub-Administrator may apply to GXMC or, upon notice to GXMC, to the Trust or any Person acting on the Trust’s behalf at any time for instructions and may consult counsel for the Trust or GXMC or with accountants, counsel and other experts with respect to any matter arising in connection with the Sub-Administrator’s duties hereunder, and the Sub-Administrator shall not be liable or accountable for any action taken or omitted by it in good faith in accordance with such instruction or with the advice of counsel, accountants or other experts. The Sub-Administrator shall not be liable for actions taken pursuant to any document which it reasonably believes to be genuine and to have been signed by the proper Person or Persons. The Sub-Administrator shall not be held to have notice of any change of authority of any officer, employee or agent of the Trust until receipt of written notice thereof. To the extent that the Sub-Administrator consults with GXMC or the Trust’s counsel pursuant to this provision, any such expense shall be paid by GXMC.
5.06
The Sub-Administrator shall have no liability for its reliance on the Data or the performance or omissions of unaffiliated third parties such as, by way of example and not limitation, transfer agents, sub-transfer agents, custodians, prime brokers, placement agents, third party marketers, asset data service providers, Advisers (including, without limitation, the sponsor) or sub-advisers, current or former third party service providers, Pricing Sources (as defined herein), software providers, printers, postal or delivery services, telecommunications providers and processing and settlement services. The Sub-Administrator may rely on and shall have no duty to investigate or confirm the accuracy or adequacy of any information provided by any of the foregoing third parties.
5.07
The Sub-Administrator shall have no obligations with respect to any laws relating to the distribution, purchase or sale of Creation Units or underlying securities.
5.08
The indemnification rights hereunder shall include the right to reasonable advances of defense expenses in the event of any pending or threatened litigation or Action with respect to which indemnification hereunder may ultimately be merited. If in any case GXMC is asked to indemnify or hold the Sub-Administrator harmless, the Sub-Administrator shall promptly advise GXMC of the pertinent facts concerning the situation in question, and the Sub-Administrator will use all reasonable care to identify and notify GXMC promptly concerning any situation which presents or appears likely to present the probability of such a claim for indemnification, but failure to do so shall not affect the rights hereunder.
5.09
GXMC shall be entitled to participate at its own expense or, if it so elects, to assume the defense of any suit brought to enforce any claims subject to this indemnity provision. If GXMC elects to assume the defense of any such claim, the defense shall be conducted by counsel chosen by GXMC and satisfactory to the Sub-Administrator, whose approval shall not be unreasonably withheld. In the event that GXMC elects to assume the defense of any suit and retain counsel, the Sub-Administrator shall bear the fees and expenses of any additional counsel retained by it. If GXMC does not elect to assume the defense of a suit, it will reimburse the Sub-Administrator for the fees and expenses of any counsel retained by the Sub-Administrator. None of the parties hereto shall settle or compromise any action, suit, proceeding or claim if such settlement or compromise provides for an admission of liability on the part of the indemnified party without such indemnified party's written consent.
5.10
The provisions of this Section 5 shall survive the termination of this Agreement.
SECTION 6
VALUATION
Pursuant to Schedule II to this Agreement, the Sub-Administrator will calculate each Fund’s NAV. The Sub-Administrator is entitled to rely on the price and value information (hereinafter “Valuation Information”) provided by brokers and custodians, investment advisers (including, without limitation, the sponsor) to an underlying fund in which the Trust invests, if applicable, or any third-party pricing services selected by the Sub-Administrator, or GXMC (collectively hereinafter referred to as the “Pricing Sources”) in order to calculate the Trust’s aggregate NAV (and the value of Authorized Participants’ capital accounts based upon such valuation). The Sub-Administrator shall have no obligation to obtain Valuation Information from any sources other than the Pricing Sources. In the event that a Pricing Source does not provide a timely value for an underlying fund, the Sub-Administrator shall have no liability and shall be indemnified by GXMC in connection with such action. The Sub-Administrator shall have no liability or responsibility for the accuracy of the Valuation Information provided by a Pricing Source or the delegate of a Pricing Source. GXMC shall not use Valuation Information for any purpose other than in connection with the Services and in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement.
SECTION 7
ALLOCATION OF CHARGES AND EXPENSES
7.01
The Sub-Administrator. The Sub-Administrator shall furnish at its own expense the personnel necessary to perform its obligations under this Agreement.
7.02
Portfolio Expenses. GXMC assumes and shall pay or cause to be paid all expenses of the Trust (including any Fund) not otherwise allocated in this Agreement, including, without limitation, (i) expenses of all audits by Trust’s independent public accountants; (ii) expenses of the Trust’s transfer agent, registrar, dividend disbursing agent, securities lending agent, and shareholder recordkeeping services; (iii) expenses of the Trust’s custodial services, including any recordkeeping services provided by the custodian; (iv) expenses of obtaining quotations for calculating the value of each Fund’s net assets; (v) expenses of obtaining Portfolio Activity Reports for each Fund; (vi) expenses of maintaining the Trust’s tax records; (vii) costs and/or fees; including legal fees, incident to meetings of the Trust’s shareholders, the preparation, printing and distribution of Fund product descriptions (unless such expenses are paid for pursuant to Rule 12b-1 distribution plan or related agreement), notices and proxy statements and reports of the Trust to its shareholders, the filing of reports with regulatory bodies, the maintenance of the Trust’s existence and qualification to do business, and the expenses of issuing, redeeming, registering and qualifying for sale, shares with federal and state securities authorities; (viii) the Trust’s ordinary legal fees, including the legal fees that arise in the ordinary course of business for a Delaware business trust registered as an open-end management investment company or fees that arise in the ordinary course of business in connection with listing shares of any Fund on a securities exchange; (ix) costs of printing certificates (if any) representing shares of the Trust; (x) the pro rata portion of the Trust’s fidelity bond required by Section 17(g) of the 1940 Act, or other insurance premiums; and (xi) association membership dues; GXMC shall reimburse the Sub-Administrator for its reasonable out-of-pocket expenses, including all reasonable charges for SAS 70 audit charges, printing, financial reporting software/typesetting fees, copying, postage, telephone, fax charges and custom programming or system modifications required to provide reports or services requested by GXMC incurred by the Sub-Administrator in the performance of its duties.
SECTION 8
COMPENSATION
GXMC shall pay to the Sub-Administrator compensation for the services performed and the facilities and personnel provided by the Sub-Administrator pursuant to this Agreement, the fees set forth in the written fee schedule annexed hereto as Schedule III (Fees) and incorporated herein. GXMC shall have no right of set-off. The fees set forth herein are determined based on the investment strategy of the Trust as of the Effective Date. Any change to the investment strategy to the Trust may give rise to an adjustment to the fees set forth in this Agreement. In the event of a change in the investment strategy of the Trust, the parties shall negotiate any adjustment to the fees payable hereunder in good faith. GXMC shall pay the Sub-Administrator’s fees monthly in U.S. Dollars, unless otherwise agreed to by the parties. The Sub-Administrator is hereby authorized to, and may, at its option, automatically debit its fees due from GXMC account(s) for which it is an authorized party. GXMC shall pay the foregoing fees despite the existence of any dispute among the parties. If this Agreement becomes effective subsequent to the first day of any calendar month or terminates before the last day of any calendar month, the Sub-Administrator’s compensation for that part of the month in which this Agreement is in effect shall be prorated in a manner consistent with the calculation of the fees as set forth in Schedule III (Fees). GXMC agrees to pay interest on all amounts past due in an amount equal to the lesser of the maximum amount permitted by applicable law or one and one-half percent (1 ½ % ) times the amount past due multiplied by the number of whole or partial months from the date on which such amount was first due up to and including the day on which payment is received by the Sub-Administrator.
SECTION 9
DURATION AND TERMINATION
9.01
Term and Renewal. This Agreement shall become effective as of the Effective Date and shall remain in effect for a period of three years from and after the Live Date (the “Initial Term”), and thereafter shall automatically renew for successive one year terms (each such period, a “Renewal Term”) unless terminated by any party giving written notice of non-renewal at least one hundred eighty (180) days prior to the last day of the then current term to each other party hereto.
9.02
Termination for Cause.
9.02.01.
This Agreement may be terminated by any party giving prior notice in writing to the other parties if at anytime the other party or parties have been first (i) notified in writing that such party shall have materially failed to perform its duties and obligations under this Agreement (such notice shall be of the specific asserted material breach) (“Breach Notice”) and (ii) the party receiving the Breach Notice shall not have remedied the noticed failure within sixty (60) days after receipt of the Breach Notice requiring it to be remedied.
9.02.02.
This Agreement may be terminated by any party giving one hundred eighty (180) days prior notice in writing to the other parties prior to the “liquidation” of the Trust. For purposes of this paragraph, the term “liquidation” shall mean a transaction in which all the assets of the Trust are sold or otherwise disposed of and proceeds there from are distributed in cash or in kind to the Authorized Participants in complete liquidation of the interests of such Authorized Participants in the Trust. A termination pursuant to this Section 9.02.02 shall be effective as of the date of such liquidation. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the right to terminate set forth in this Section 9.02.02 shall not relieve GXMC of its obligation to pay the fees set forth on Schedule III (Fees) for the remainder of the given one hundred eighty (180) day period set forth in this Section 9.02.02, which amount shall be payable prior to the effective date of such liquidation. In the case of a liquidation of a Fund, the Sub-Administrator agrees to negotiate in good faith a separate agreement pursuant to which the Sub-Administrator shall perform certain agreed upon administrative services, consistent with the services provided under this Agreement, that are necessary or appropriate for the winding up of such Fund’s affairs notwithstanding the termination of this Agreement with respect to such Fund.
9.02.03.
If the Sub-Administrator is unable to successfully convert the Trust or any Fund to its operational environment within a reasonable period of time following the Effective Date (or such later date on which an additional Fund is added to this Agreement) due to untimely, inaccurate or incomplete the Trust Data, the Sub-Administrator shall have the right to terminate this Agreement, in its entirety or solely with respect to such Fund, upon written notice and such termination shall be effective upon the date set forth in such notice.
9.03
Effect of Termination.
9.03.01.
The termination of this Agreement shall be without prejudice to any rights that may have accrued hereunder to any party hereto prior to such termination.
9.03.02.
After termination of this Agreement and upon payment of all accrued fees, reimbursable expenses and other moneys owed to the Sub-Administrator, the Sub-Administrator shall deliver to GXMC, or as GXMC shall direct, all books of account, records, registers, correspondence, documents and assets relating to the affairs of or belonging to the Trust in the possession of or under the control of the Sub-Administrator or any of its agents or delegates.
9.03.03.
In the event any and all accrued fees, reasonable reimbursable expenses and other moneys owed to the Sub-Administrator hereunder remain unpaid in whole or in part for more than thirty days past due, the Sub-Administrator, without further notice, may take any and all actions it deems necessary to collect such amounts due, and any and all of its collection expenses, reasonable costs and fees shall be paid by GXMC, including, without limitation, administrative costs, reasonable attorneys fees, court costs, collection agencies or agents and interest.
9.03.04.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event this Agreement is terminated and for any reason the Sub-Administrator, with the written consent of GXMC, in fact continues to perform any one or more of the services contemplated by this Agreement, the pertinent provisions of this Agreement, including without limitation, the provisions dealing with payment of fees and indemnification shall continue in full force and effect. The Sub-Administrator shall be entitled to collect from GXMC, in addition to the compensation described in Schedule III (Fees), the amount of all of the Sub-Administrator’s expenses in connection with the Sub-Administrator’s activities following such termination, including without limitation, the delivery to GXMC and/or its designees of the Trust's property, records, instruments and documents.
SECTION 10
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
10.01
Non-Exclusive. The services of the Sub-Administrator rendered to GXMC are not deemed to be exclusive. The Sub-Administrator is free to render such services to others. The Sub-Administrator shall not be deemed to be affected by notice of, or to be under any duty to disclose to GXMC or Person acting on GXMC’s behalf, information which has come into its possession or the possession of an Interested Party in the course of or in connection with providing administrative or other services to any other person or in any manner whatsoever other than in the course of carrying out its duties pursuant to this Agreement.
10.02
Rights of Interested Parties. Subject to applicable law, nothing herein contained shall prevent:
10.02.01.
an Interested Party from buying, holding, disposing of or otherwise dealing in any shares or Creation Units for its own account or the account of any of its customers or from receiving remuneration in connection therewith, with the same rights which it would have had if the Sub-Administrator were not a party to this Agreement; provided, however, that the prices quoted by the Sub-Administrator are no more favorable to the Interested Party than to a similarly situated investor in or redeeming holder of shares or Creation Units;
10.02.02.
an Interested Party from buying, holding, disposing of or otherwise dealing in any securities or other investments for its own account or for the account of any of its customers and receiving remuneration in connection therewith, notwithstanding that the same or similar securities or other investments may be held by or for the account of the Trust;
10.02.03.
an Interested Party from receiving any commission or other remuneration which it may negotiate in connection with any sale or purchase of shares or Creation Units or Investments effected by it for the account of the Trust; provided, however, that the amount of such commission or other remuneration is negotiated at arm’s length; and
10.02.04.
an Interested Party from contracting or entering into any financial, banking or other transaction with the Trust or from being interested in any such contract or transaction; provided, however, that the terms of such transaction are negotiated at arm's length.
SECTION 11
CONFIDENTIALITY
11.01
Confidential Information. The Sub-Administrator and GXMC (in such capacity, the “Receiving Party”) acknowledge and agree to maintain the confidentiality of Confidential Information (as hereinafter defined) provided by the Sub-Administrator and GXMC (in such capacity, the “Disclosing Party”) in connection with this Agreement. The Receiving Party shall not disclose or disseminate the Disclosing Party’s Confidential Information to any Person other than those employees, agents, contractors, subcontractors and licensees of the Receiving Party, or with respect to the Sub-Administrator as a Receiving Party, to those employees, agents, contractors, subcontractors and licensees of any agent or affiliate, who have a need to know it in order to assist the Receiving Party in performing its obligations, or to permit the Receiving Party to exercise its rights under this Agreement. In addition, the Receiving Party (a) shall take all reasonable steps to prevent unauthorized access to the Disclosing Party’s Confidential Information, and (b) shall not use the Disclosing Party’s Confidential Information, or authorize other Persons to use the Disclosing Party’s Confidential Information, for any purposes other than in connection with performing its obligations or exercising its rights hereunder. As used herein, “reasonable steps” means steps that a party takes to protect its own, similarly confidential or proprietary information of a similar nature, which steps shall in no event be less than a reasonable standard of care.
The term “Confidential Information,” as used herein, shall mean all business strategies, plans and procedures, proprietary information, methodologies, data and trade secrets, and other confidential information and materials (including, without limitation, any non-public personal information as defined in Regulation S-P) of the Disclosing Party, its affiliates, their respective clients or suppliers, or other Persons with whom they do business, that may be obtained by the Receiving Party from any source or that may be developed as a result of this Agreement.
11.02
Exclusions. The provisions of this Section 11 respecting Confidential Information shall not apply to the extent, but only to the extent, that such Confidential Information: (a) is already known to the Receiving Party free of any restriction at the time it is obtained from the Disclosing Party; (b) is subsequently learned from an independent third party free of any restriction and without breach of this Agreement; (c) is or becomes publicly available through no wrongful act of the Receiving Party or any third party; (d) is independently developed by or for the Receiving Party without reference to or use of any Confidential Information of the Disclosing Party; or (e) is required to be disclosed pursuant to an applicable law, rule, regulation, government requirement or court order, or the rules of any stock exchange (provided, however, that the Receiving Party shall advise the Disclosing Party of such required disclosure promptly upon learning thereof in order to afford the Disclosing Party a reasonable opportunity to contest, limit and/or assist the Receiving Party in crafting such disclosure).
11.03
Permitted Disclosure. The Receiving Party shall advise its employees, agents, contractors, subcontractors and licensees, and shall require its affiliates to advise their employees, agents, contractors, subcontractors and licensees, of the Receiving Party’s obligations of confidentiality and non-use under this Section 11, and shall be responsible for ensuring compliance by its and its affiliates’ employees, agents, contractors, subcontractors and licensees with such obligations. In addition, the Receiving Party shall require all Persons that are provided access to the Disclosing Party’s Confidential Information, other than the Receiving Party’s accountants and legal counsel, to execute confidentiality or non-disclosure agreements containing provisions substantially similar to those set forth in this Section 11. The Receiving Party shall promptly notify the Disclosing Party in writing upon learning of any unauthorized disclosure or use of the Disclosing Party’s Confidential Information by such Persons.
11.04
Effect of Termination. Upon the Disclosing Party’s written request following the termination of this Agreement, the Receiving Party promptly shall return to the Disclosing Party, or destroy, all Confidential Information of the Disclosing Party provided under or in connection with this Agreement, including all copies, portions and summaries thereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, (a) the Receiving Party may retain one copy of each item of the Disclosing Party’s Confidential Information for purposes of identifying and establishing its rights and obligations under this Agreement, for archival or audit purposes and/or to the extent required by applicable law, and (b) the Sub-Administrator shall have no obligation to return or destroy Confidential Information of the Trust that resides in save tapes of Sub-Administrator; provided, however, that in either case all such Confidential Information retained by the Receiving Party shall remain subject to the provisions of Section 11 for so long as it is so retained. If requested by the Disclosing Party, the Receiving Party shall certify in writing its compliance with the provisions of this paragraph.
SECTION 12
MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS
12.01
Internet Access. Data and information may be made electronically accessible to the Trust, GXMC, the Adviser and/or sub-adviser(s) and its investors or Authorized Participants through Internet access to one or more web sites provided by the Sub-Administrator (“Web Access”). As between the Trust, GXMC and Sub-Administrator, the Sub-Administrator shall own all right, title and interest to such Web Access, including, without limitation, all content, software, interfaces, documentation, data, trade secrets, design concepts, “look and feel” attributes, enhancements, improvements, ideas and inventions and all intellectual property rights inherent in any of the foregoing or appurtenant thereto including all patent rights, copyrights, trademarks, know-how and trade secrets (collectively, the “Proprietary Information”). Each of the Trust and GXMC recognizes that the Proprietary Information is of substantial value to the Sub-Administrator and shall not use or disclose the Proprietary Information except as specifically authorized in writing by the Sub-Administrator. Use of the Web Access by each of the Trust and GXMC or their agents or investors will be subject to any additional terms of use set forth on the web site. All Web Access and the information (including text, graphics and functionality) on the web sites related to such Web Access is presented “As Is” and “As Available” without express or implied warranties including, but not limited to, implied warranties of non-infringement, merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. The Sub-Administrator neither warrants that the Web Access will be uninterrupted or error free, nor guarantees the accessibility, reliability, performance, timeliness, sequence, or completeness of information provided on the Web Access.
12.02
Independent Contractor. In making, and performing under, this Agreement, the Sub-Administrator shall be deemed to be acting as an independent contractor of GXMC and neither the Sub-Administrator nor its employees shall be deemed an agent, affiliate, legal representative, joint venture or partner of GXMC. No party is authorized to bind any other party to any obligation, affirmation or commitment with respect to any other Person.
12.03
Assignment; Binding Effect. This Agreement may not be assigned by either party without the prior written consent of the other party; provided, however, that either party may assign, delegate or transfer, by operation of law or otherwise, all or any portion of its rights under this Agreement to an affiliate, provided that such affiliate agrees in advance and in writing to be bound by the terms, conditions and provisions of this Agreement. Subject to the foregoing, all of the terms, conditions and provisions of this Agreement shall be binding upon and shall inure to the benefit of each party’s successors and permitted assigns. Any assignment, delegation, or transfer in violation of this provision shall be void and without legal effect.
12.04
Agreement for Sole Benefit of the Sub-Administrator and GXMC. This Agreement is for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Sub-Administrator and GXMC and will not be deemed to be for the direct or indirect benefit of the clients or customers of the Sub-Administrator or GXMC. The clients or customers of the Sub-Administrator or GXMC will not be deemed to be third party beneficiaries of this Agreement nor to have any other contractual relationship with the Sub-Administrator by reason of this Agreement and each party hereto agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the other party from any claims of its clients or customers against the other party including any attendant expenses and attorneys’ fees, based on this Agreement or the services provided hereunder.
12.05
Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania without giving effect to any conflict of laws or choice of laws rules or principles thereof. To the extent that the applicable laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, or any of the provisions of this Agreement, conflict with the applicable provisions of the 1940 Act, the Securities Act of 1933 or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the latter shall control.
12.06
Equitable Relief. Each party agrees that any other party’s violation of the provisions of Section 11 (Confidentiality) may cause immediate and irreparable harm to the other party for which money damages may not constitute an adequate remedy at law. Therefore, the parties agree that, in the event either party breaches or threatens to breach said provision or covenant, the other party shall have the right to seek, in any court of competent jurisdiction, an injunction to restrain said breach or threatened breach, without posting any bond or other security.
12.07
Dispute Resolution. Whenever either party desires to institute legal proceedings against the other concerning this Agreement, it shall provide written notice to that effect to such other party. The party providing such notice shall refrain from instituting said legal proceedings for a period of thirty days following the date of provision of such notice. During such period, the parties shall attempt in good faith to amicably resolve their dispute by negotiation among their executive officers. This Section 12.07 shall not prohibit either party from seeking, at any time, equitable relief as permitted under Section 12.06.
12.08
Notice. All notices provided for or permitted under this Agreement (except for correspondence between the parties related to operations in the ordinary course) shall be deemed effective upon receipt, and shall be in writing and (a) delivered personally, (b) sent by commercial overnight courier with written verification of receipt, or (c) sent by certified or registered U.S. mail, postage prepaid and return receipt requested, to the party to be notified, at the address for such party set forth below, or at such other address of such party specified in the opening paragraph of this Agreement. Notices to the Sub-Administrator shall be sent to the attention of: General Counsel, SEI Investments Global Trusts Services, One Freedom Valley Drive, Oaks, Pennsylvania 19456, with a copy, given in the manner prescribed above, to the Trust’s current relationship manager. Notices to the Trust and GXMC shall be sent to the persons specified in Schedule IV (Notice Instruction Form).
12.09
Entire Agreement; Amendments. This Agreement sets forth the entire understanding of the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof. This Agreement supersedes all prior or contemporaneous representations, discussions, negotiations, letters, proposals, agreements and understandings between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof, whether written or oral. This Agreement may be amended, modified or supplemented only by a written instrument duly executed by an authorized representative of each of the parties.
12.10
Severability. Any provision of this Agreement that is determined to be invalid or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall be ineffective to the extent of such invalidity or unenforceability in such jurisdiction, without rendering invalid or unenforceable the remaining provisions of this Agreement or affecting the validity or enforceability of such provision in any other jurisdiction. If a court of competent jurisdiction declares any provision of this Agreement to be invalid or unenforceable, the parties agree that the court making such determination shall have the power to reduce the scope, duration, or area of the provision, to delete specific words or phrases, or to replace the provision with a provision that is valid and enforceable and that comes closest to expressing the original intention of the parties, and this Agreement shall be enforceable as so modified.
12.11
Waiver. Any term or provision of this Agreement may be waived at any time by the party entitled to the benefit thereof by written instrument executed by such party. No failure of either party hereto to exercise any power or right granted hereunder, or to insist upon strict compliance with any obligation hereunder, and no custom or practice of the parties with regard to the terms of performance hereof, will constitute a waiver of the rights of such party to demand full and exact compliance with the terms of this Agreement.
12.12
Anti-Money Laundering Laws. In connection with performing the Services set forth herein, the Sub-Administrator may provide information that GXMC may rely upon in connection with the Trust’s compliance with applicable laws, policies and regulations aimed at the prevention and detection of money laundering and/or terrorism activities (hereinafter, the “Regulations”). GXMC and the Sub-Administrator agree that GXMC shall be responsible for its compliance with all such Regulations. It shall be a condition precedent to providing Services to GXMC under this Agreement and the Sub-Administrator shall have no liability for non-performance of its obligations under this Agreement unless it is satisfied, in its absolute discretion, that it has sufficient and appropriate information and material to discharge its obligations under the Regulations, and that the performance of such obligations will not violate any Regulations applicable to it. Without in any way limiting the foregoing, GXMC acknowledges that the Sub-Administrator is authorized to return an Authorized Participant’s Investment in any Fund and take any action necessary to restrict repayment of redemption proceeds to the extent necessary to comply with its obligations pursuant to the Regulations.
12.13
Force Majeure. No breach of any obligation of a party to this Agreement (other than obligations to pay amounts owed) will constitute an event of default or breach to the extent it arises out of a cause, existing or future, that is beyond the control and without negligence of the party otherwise chargeable with breach or default, including without limitation: work action or strike; lockout or other labor dispute; flood; war; riot; theft; act of terrorism, earthquake or natural disaster. Either party desiring to rely upon any of the foregoing as an excuse for default or breach will, when the cause arises, give to the other party prompt notice of the facts which constitute such cause; and, when the cause ceases to exist, give prompt notice thereof to the other party.
12.14
Equipment Failures. In the event of equipment failures beyond the Sub-Administrator’s control, the Sub-Administrator shall take reasonable and prompt steps to minimize service interruptions but shall have no liability with respect thereto. The Sub-Administrator shall develop and maintain a plan for recovery from equipment failures which may include contractual arrangements with appropriate parties making reasonable provision for emergency use of electronic data processing equipment to the extent appropriate equipment is available.
12.15
Non-Solicitation. During the term of this Agreement and for a period of one year thereafter, GXMC shall not solicit, make an offer of employment to, or enter into a consulting relationship with, any person who was an employee of the Sub-Administrator during the term of this Agreement. If GXMC breaches this provision, GXMC shall pay to the Sub-Administrator liquidated damages equal to 100% of the most recent twelve month salary of the Sub-Administrator’s former employee together with all legal fees reasonably incurred by the Sub-Administrator in enforcing this provision. The foregoing restriction on solicitation does not apply to unsolicited applications for jobs, responses to public advertisements or candidates submitted by recruiting firms, provided that such firms have not been contacted to circumvent the spirit and intention of this Section 12.15.
12.16
Headings. All Section headings contained in this Agreement are for convenience of reference only, do not form a part of this Agreement and will not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement.
12.17
Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, all of which shall constitute one and the same instrument. Each such counterpart shall be deemed an original, and it shall not be necessary in making proof of this Agreement to produce or account for more than one such counterpart. This Agreement shall be deemed executed by both parties when any one or more counterparts hereof or thereof, individually or taken together, bears the original facsimile or scanned signatures of each of the parties.
12.18
Publicity. Except to the extent required by applicable Law, neither the Sub-Administrator nor GXMC shall issue or initiate any press release arising out of or in connection with this Agreement or the Services rendered hereunder; provided, however, that if no special prominence is given or particular reference made to GXMC over other clients, nothing herein shall prevent the Sub-Administrator from (i) placing GXMC on the Sub-Administrator’s client list(s) (and sharing such list(s) with current or potential clients of the Sub-Administrator); (ii) using GXMC as reference; or (iii) otherwise orally disclosing that GXMC is a client of the Sub-Administrator at presentations, conferences or other similar meetings. If the Sub-Administrator desires to engage in any type of publicity other than as set forth in subsections (i) through (iii) above or if GXMC desires to engage in any type of publicity, the party desiring to engage in such publicity shall obtain the prior written consent of the other party hereto, such consent not to be unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned.
[The remainder of this page has intentionally been left blank.]


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed and delivered this Agreement as of the Effective Date.

SEI INVESTMENTS GLOBAL FUNDS SERVICES

By:
Name:
Title:
GLOBAL X MANAGEMENT COMPANY LLC

By:
Name:
Title:
 
 








SCHEDULE I
Funds
Global X [   ] Colombia ETF
Global X [ ] Peru ETF
Global X [   ] Egypt ETF
Global X [   ] Philippines ETF
Global X [   ] Argentina ETF
Global X FTSE Nordic 30 ETF


SCHEDULE II
Services
1)
Maintain the Trust’s accounting books and records;
2)
Obtain underlying security valuations from appropriate sources consistent with the Sub-Administrator’s pricing and valuation policies, and calculate net asset value of each Fund in accordance with the valuation procedures and policies adopted from time to time by the Sub-Administrator and oversee the publication of the daily net asset value of each Fund;
3)
Receive PLF files from Adviser and, subject to final approval of such file by Adviser, send PLF files to custodian in appropriate format;
4)
Compute yields, total return, expense ratios, portfolio turnover rate and average dollar-weighted portfolio maturity, as appropriate;
5)
Track and validate income and expense accruals, analyze and modify expense accrual changes periodically, and process expense disbursements to vendors and service providers;
6)
Perform cash processing such as recording paid-in capital activity, perform necessary reconciliations with the transfer agent and the custodian, and provide cash availability data to the adviser, if requested;
7)
Calculate required ordinary income and capital gains distributions, coordinate estimated cash payments, and perform necessary reconciliations with the transfer agent;
8)    Provide standardized performance reporting data to the Trust and its Adviser;
9)    Provide performance, financial and expense information for registration statements and proxies;
10)
Communicate net asset value, yield, total return or other financial data to appropriate third party reporting agencies, and assist in resolution of errors reported by such third party agencies;
11)
Update accounting system to reflect rate changes, as received from a Fund's Adviser, sub-adviser or respective designee, on variable interest rate instruments;
12)
Accrue and arrange for payment of the expenses of each Fund according to instructions received from the Trust's treasurer or other authorized representative (including officers of the Trust’s Adviser);
13)
Determine the outstanding receivables and payables for all (1) security trades, (2) portfolio share transactions and (3) income and expense accounts in accordance with the budgets provided by the Trust or its Adviser;
14)
Prepare the Trust’s financial statements for review by fund management and independent auditors, manage annual and semi-annual report preparation process, prepare Forms N-SAR, N-Q, N-CSR and 24f-2, provide fund performance data for annual report, coordinate printing and delivery of annual and semi-annual reports to shareholders, and file Forms N-SAR, N-Q, N-CSR and 24f-2 and annual/semi-annual reports via EDGAR;
15)
Monitor each Fund’s compliance with the requirements of Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code with respect to status as a regulated investment company;
16)
Prepare and file federal and state tax returns for the Trust other than those required to be prepared and filed by the Trust’s transfer agent or custodian;
17)    Provide data for year-end 1099’s and supplemental tax letters;
18)
Provide such fund accounting and financial reports in connection with quarterly meetings of the Board as the Board may reasonably request;
19)
Manage the Trust’s proxy solicitation process, including evaluating proxy distribution channels, coordinating with outside service provider to distribute proxies, track shareholder responses and tabulate voting results, and managing the proxy solicitation vendor if necessary;
20)    Provide individuals to serve as ministerial officers of the Trust, as requested;
21)    Provide principal accounting officer for purposes of Sarbanes-Oxley (if requested);
22)
Coordinate with the Trust’s counsel on filing of the Trust’s registration statements and proxy statements, and coordinate printing and delivery of the Trust’s prospectuses and proxy statements;
23)
Provide consultation to the Trust on regulatory matters relating to the operation of the Trust as requested and coordinate with the Trust’s legal counsel regarding such matters;
24)
Assist legal counsel to the Trust in the development of policies and procedures relating to the operation of the Trust;
25)
Act as liaison to legal counsel to the Trust and, where applicable, to legal counsel to the Trust’s independent trustees;
26)
Coordinate with the Trust counsel in the preparation, review and execution of contracts between the Trust and third parties, such as the Trust’s Adviser, transfer agent, and custodian, and record-keepers or shareholder service providers;
27)
Assist the Trust in handling and responding to routine regulatory examinations with respect to records retained or services provided by the Sub-Administrator, and coordinate with the Trust’s legal counsel in responding to any non-routine regulatory matters with respect to such matters;
28)
Provide consulting with respect to the ongoing design, development and operation of the Trust, including new Funds and/or load structures and financing, as well as changes to investment objectives and polices for existing Funds;
29)
Manage the preparation for and conducting of Board meetings by (i) coordinating Board book production and distribution process, (ii) subject to review and approval by the Trust and its counsel, preparing meeting agendas, (iii) preparing the relevant sections of the Board materials required to be prepared by the Sub-Administrator, (iv) assisting to gather and coordinate special materials related to annual contract renewals and approval of rule 12b-1 for and as directed by the trustees or the Trust counsel, (v) attending Board meetings, and (vi) performing such other Board meeting functions as shall be agreed by the parties in writing (in this regard, the Trust shall provide the Sub-Administrator with notice of regular meetings at least six (6) weeks before such meeting and as soon as practicable before any special meeting of the Board);
30)
Cooperate with, and take all reasonable actions in the performance of its duties under this Agreement to ensure that all necessary information is made available to the Trust's independent public accountants in connection with the preparation of any audit or report requested by the Trust, including the provision of a conference room at the Sub-Administrator’s location if necessary (in this regard, the Trust’s independent auditors shall provide the Sub-Administrator with reasonable notice of any such audit so that (i) the audit will be completed in a timely fashion and (ii) the Sub-Administrator will be able to promptly respond to such information requests without undue disruption of its business); and
31)
On a T+2 post-trade basis and based on the information available to the Sub-Administrator, periodically monitor the Funds for compliance with applicable limitations as set forth in the Trust's or any Fund’s then current Prospectus or Statement of Additional Information (this provision shall not relieve the Trust’s Adviser and sub-advisers, if any, of their primary day-to-day responsibility for assuring such compliance, including on a pre-trade basis).
32)
To the extent required by law for an entity providing the services contemplated by this Agreement, establish procedures pursuant to federal laws and regulations as necessary that designed to monitor for and prevent the use of the Funds for money laundering or other illegal purposes and make appropriate reports to the Trust’s Board concerning the foregoing;
33)
Provide sub-certifications to the Trust in connection with the certification requirements of the Sarbanes Oxley Act of 2002 with respect to the services provided by the Sub-Administrator;
34)    Additional Reports and Services.
Upon reasonable notice and as mutually agreed upon, the Sub-Administrator may provide additional reports upon the request of the Trust or its Adviser, which may result in additional charges, the amount of which shall be agreed upon between the parties prior to the provision of such report.
Upon reasonable notice and as mutually agreed upon, the Sub-Administrator may provide such additional services with respect to a Fund, which may result in an additional charge, the amount of which shall be agreed upon between the parties prior to the provision of such service.
***


SCHEDULE III
Fees
Administration and Accounting Fee:

The following fees are due and payable monthly to Sub-Administrator pursuant to Section 8 of the Agreement. GXMC will be charged the greater of the Asset Based Fee or the Annual Minimum Fee, in each case calculated in the manner set forth below.
Asset Based Fees: (calculated and assessed monthly in arrears based on the aggregate net assets of the Trust):
the Trust Assets
Basis Points
First $2 billion in aggregate net assets
15
Next $2 billion in aggregate net assets
12
Aggregate net assets in excess of $4 billion
10

Annual Minimum Fee (calculated and paid on a monthly basis):

 
Annual Minimum Fee
Year 1 (includes up to 2 new Funds for a total of 2 funds)
$135,000
Year 2 (includes up to 4 new Funds for a total of 6 funds)
$275,000
Year 3 (includes up to 6 new Funds for a total of 12 funds)
$375,000

Minimum Fee commences upon Live Date of each Fund.

Each Fund launched in addition to the incremental Funds as set forth on the table above will be subject to an additional annual minimum of $80,000.





Out of Pocket Expenses:

All reasonable out of pocket expenses (i.e., blue sky fees, fulfilment charges, pricing service fees, postage, registration fees, facsimile and telephone charges) incurred by the Sub-Administrator on behalf of the Trust will be billed to GXMC quarterly in arrears.
Change of Terms:
This schedule is based upon regulatory requirements and the Trust’s requirements as set forth in its Trust Materials as of the Effective Date. Any material change to any of the foregoing, including but not limited to, a material change in the Trust’s assets or the investment objective of a Fund will constitute a material change to this Agreement. If such a change occurs, the Sub-Administrator agrees to review the change with representatives of the Trust and GXMC and provide information concerning the feasibility of implementing any additional or enhanced services and associated costs resulting from such change. The parties shall then in good faith agree to mutually agreeable terms applicable to such additional or enhanced service.
GXMC acknowledges and agrees that Sub-Administrator reserves the right to impose a five percent (5%) per annum surcharge per Fund in the event such Fund has not implemented by the first anniversary of this Agreement an automated trade ticket process with Sub-Administrator to facilitate the orderly and timely processing of transactions, valuations and reconciliations.
SCHEDULE IV
Notice Instruction Form

TO WHOM NOTICES SHOULD BE SENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 12.08 OF THE AGREEMENT:


Name of Party or Parties:             Global X Management Company LLC

Name of Contact:            Mr. Bruno del Ama

Address:
220 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10001

Telephone No.:        646-691-6583

Facsimile No.:        646-514-5968

Email Address:        bdelama@globalfunds.com






SEI 94378v5    1


EXPENSE LIMITATION AGREEMENT

AGREEMENT, was first entered into on the September 16, 2019, between Global X Funds (“Trust”), on behalf of the Global X Cybersecurity ETF (“Fund”) and Global X Management Company LLC (“Adviser”).

WHEREAS, the Adviser has advised the Board of Trustees of the Trust that, because of competitive fee pressures, it desires to limit the Fund’s total annual fund operating expenses to 0.50% of the Fund’s average daily net assets per year; and

WHEREAS, the Board of Trustees has considered the Adviser’s request and agrees that limiting the Fund’s expenses, as provided for in this Agreement, is in the best interest of the Fund and its shareholders.

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

1.With respect to the Fund, for the period commencing as of the date of this Agreement through at least April 1, 2021, the Adviser has contractually agreed to waive any fees payable to Adviser and/or reimburse expenses for the Fund in an amount sufficient to keep the total annual operating expenses (exclusive of taxes, brokerage fees, commissions, and other transaction expenses, interest and extraordinary expenses (such as litigation and indemnification expenses)) to 0.50% of the Fund’s average daily net assets per year (“Maximum Permitted Rate”).

2.The Adviser understands and intends that the Fund will rely on this Agreement in preparing and filing its registration statements on Form N-1A and in accruing the expenses of the Fund for purposes of calculating net asset value (and otherwise) and expressly permits the Fund to do so.

3.This Agreement shall be governed by applicable federal laws, rules and regulations and the laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to the conflicts of law provisions thereof; provided, however, that nothing herein shall be construed as being inconsistent with the Investment Company Act of 1940 (“1940 Act”), the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (“Advisers Act”) or other applicable federal law. Where the effect of a requirement of the 1940 Act, Advisers Act or other applicable federal law reflected in any provision of this Agreement is altered by a new or changed rule, regulation or order of the SEC, whether of special or general application, such provision shall be deemed to incorporate the effect of such rule, regulation or order. Any amendment to this Agreement shall be in writing signed by the parties hereto.

4.The term of this Agreement ends on April 1, 2021. This Agreement may be extended from year-to-year subject to approval by the Board of Trustees of the Trust, including a majority of the Trustees of the Trust who are not “interested persons” of the Trust within the meaning of Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this instrument to be executed by their officers designated below as of November 15, 2019.





GLOBAL X FUNDS
GLOBAL X MANAGEMENT COMPANY LLC
 
 
 
 
By:  /s/ Chang Kim
Name: Chang Kim
Title: Treasurer
By: /s/ Chang Kim
Name: Chang Kim
Title: COO





EXPENSE LIMITATION AGREEMENT

AGREEMENT, was first entered into on the 1st day of April, 2020, between Global X Funds (“Trust”), on behalf of the Global X U.S. Preferred ETF (“Fund”) and Global X Management Company LLC (“Adviser”).

WHEREAS, the Adviser has advised the Board of Trustees of the Trust that, because of competitive fee pressures, it desires to limit the Fund’s total annual fund operating expenses to 0.23% of the Fund’s average daily net assets per year; and

WHEREAS, the Board of Trustees has considered the Adviser’s request and agrees that limiting the Fund’s expenses, as provided for in this Agreement, is in the best interest of the Fund and its shareholders.

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

1.With respect to the Fund, for the period commencing as of the date of this Agreement through at least April 1, 2021, the Adviser has contractually agreed to waive any fees payable to Adviser and/or reimburse expenses for the Fund in an amount sufficient to keep the total annual operating expenses (exclusive of taxes, brokerage fees, commissions and other transaction expenses, and extraordinary expenses (such as litigation and indemnification expenses)) to 0.23% of the Fund’s average daily net assets per year (“Maximum Permitted Rate”).

2.The Adviser understands and intends that the Fund will rely on this Agreement in preparing and filing its registration statements on Form N-1A and in accruing the expenses of the Fund for purposes of calculating net asset value (and otherwise) and expressly permits the Fund to do so.

3.This Agreement shall be governed by applicable federal laws, rules and regulations and the laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to the conflicts of law provisions thereof; provided, however, that nothing herein shall be construed as being inconsistent with the Investment Company Act of 1940 (“1940 Act”), the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (“Advisers Act”) or other applicable federal law. Where the effect of a requirement of the 1940 Act, Advisers Act or other applicable federal law reflected in any provision of this Agreement is altered by a new or changed rule, regulation or order of the SEC, whether of special or general application, such provision shall be deemed to incorporate the effect of such rule, regulation or order. Any amendment to this Agreement shall be in writing signed by the parties hereto.

4.The term of this Agreement ends on April 1, 2021. This Agreement may be extended from year-to-year subject to approval by the Board of Trustees of the Trust, including a majority of the Trustees of the Trust who are not “interested persons” of the Trust within the meaning of Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act.

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

GLOBAL X FUNDS    GLOBAL X MANAGEMENT COMPANY LLC
By: /s/ Chang Kim
By: /s/ Chang Kim
Name: Chang Kim
Name: Chang Kim
Title: Treasurer                 Title: COO








Law Office

Stradley Ronon Stevens & Young, LLP

2000 K Street, NW, Suite 700
Washington, DC 20006
(202) 822-9611

March 23, 2020
Global X Funds
605 3rd Avenue, 43rd Floor
New York, New York 10158

ATTN: John Belanger
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have acted as counsel to Global X Funds, a Delaware statutory trust (the “Trust”), and registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”), as an open-end, series management investment company.
This opinion is given in connection with the filing by the Trust of Post-Effective Amendment No. 596 (the “Post-Effective Amendment”) to the Trust’s registration statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 333-151713 and 811-22209) (the “Registration Statement”), under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). The Post-Effective Amendment is to be filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) on or about March 23, 2020.
This opinion letter is being delivered at your request in accordance with the requirements of paragraph 29 of Schedule A of the Securities Act and Item 28(i) of Form N-1A under the Securities Act and the Investment Company Act.
For purposes of this opinion letter, we have assumed the accuracy and completeness of each document submitted to us, the genuineness of all signatures on original documents, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, the conformity to original documents of all documents submitted to us as facsimile, electronic, certified, conformed, or photostatic copies thereof, and the due execution and delivery of all documents where due execution and delivery are prerequisites to the effectiveness thereof. We have further assumed the legal capacity of natural persons, that persons identified to us as officers of the Trust are actually serving in such capacity, and that the representations of officers of the Trust are correct as to matters of fact. We have also assumed compliance by the applicants with each of the conditions contained in the exemptive order applicable to the Trust issued by the Commission under the Investment Company Act permitting the Trust to operate as an exchange-traded fund (the “Exemptive Order”). We have not independently verified any of these assumptions.
Additionally, we have assumed the following for purposes of this opinion:
 
 
a)
The Trust will remain a valid and existing Delaware statutory trust under the laws of the State of Delaware.
 
 
b)
The provisions of the Trust Agreement and the Bylaws relating to the issuance of the shares of the Trust will not be modified or eliminated.
 
 
c)
The resolutions will not be modified or withdrawn and will be in full force and effect on the date of each issuance of the shares of the Trust.
 
 
d)
The shares will be issued in accordance with the Trust Agreement, the Bylaws and the resolutions.
 
 
e)
The registration of an indefinite number of the shares will remain effective.
 
 
f)
The Exemptive Order will remain effective on the date of each issuance of the shares.
 
 
g)
Each of the shares will be sold for the consideration described in the then current summary prospectus, statutory prospectus and statement of additional information of the series of the Trust, and the consideration received by the Trust, in each event, will be at least equal to the net asset value per share of such shares.
The opinions expressed in this opinion letter are based on the facts in existence and the laws in effect on the date hereof and are limited to the laws of the State of Delaware and the provisions of the Investment Company Act that are applicable to equity securities issued by registered open-end investment companies. We are not opining on, and we assume no responsibility for, the applicability to or effect on any of the matters covered herein of any other laws.
Based upon and subject to the foregoing, it is our opinion that (1) the shares to be issued pursuant to the Post-Effective Amendment, when issued and paid for by the purchasers upon the terms described in the Post-Effective Amendment and the Prospectus, will be validly issued, and (2) purchasers of the shares will have no obligation to make further payments for their purchase of the shares or contributions to the Trust or its creditors solely by reason of their ownership of the shares.
This opinion is rendered solely in connection with the filing of the Post-Effective Amendment and supersedes any previous opinions of this firm in connection with the issuance of the shares. We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion with the Commission in connection with the Post-Effective Amendment. In giving this consent, we do not thereby admit that we are experts with respect to any part of the Registration Statement or Prospectus within the meaning of the term “expert” as used in Section 11 of the Securities Act or the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder by the Commission, nor do we admit that we are within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.

Very truly yours,

/s/ Stradley Ronon Stevens & Young, LLP


1
4364815v.2


Fox Rothschild, LLP
2000 Market Street, 20th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19103
OPINION ON LEGAL STATUS OF CANNABIS COMPANIES
HELD BY THE GLOBAL X CANNABIS ETF
March 11, 2020
INTRODUCTION
Global X Management Company LLC (the “Advisor”), acts as investment advisor to the Global X Cannabis ETF (the “Fund”) and has retained Fox Rothschild, LLP for the purposes of rendering this opinion, which shall serve to update the opinion issued on August 27, 2019, for the benefit of the Fund and its shareholders and, in particular, has asked us whether the Fund and its shareholders will violate laws of the United States and corresponding state laws with respect to the Fund’s investment in Cannabis Companies, as defined below. Based upon our analysis, the applicable federal laws are the Controlled Substances Act, 21 U.S.C. § 801, et seq. (the “CSA”), the Money Laundering Control Act, 18 U.S.C. § 1956 (the “MCA”), and in the Drug Paraphernalia law contained in the CSA; 21 U.S.C. §863 (the “DPL”). As described more fully below, our opinion is that the Fund and its shareholders will not violate any of these federal laws and, as a result, will similarly not violate any state cannabis laws with respect to the Fund’s investments in companies that participate in the cannabis industry. This opinion is being provided for inclusion with the Fund’s Registration Statement filed on Form N-1A (the “Registration Statement”). Based upon the foregoing, and subject to the assumptions, qualifications and limitations set forth herein and as of the date of this opinion, neither the Fund nor its shareholders’ investment into the Fund violate the federal Controlled Substances Act, the Money Laundering Control Act or the Drug Paraphernalia law.
Our opinion herein is expressed solely with respect to the CSA, MCA and DPL and is based on these laws as in effect on the date hereof and not the law of any other jurisdiction. Our opinion expressed below is based upon the CSA, MCA and DPL and relies upon the law now in effect, and in all respects is subject to and may be limited by future legislation or case law. The opinion expressed herein represents our reasonable professional judgment as to the matters of law addressed herein, based upon the facts presented or assumed, and is not a guarantee that a court or regulatory authority will reach any particular result.
In connection with this opinion, we have examined and relied upon the originals, or copies certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of such records, documents, certificates and other instruments as in our judgment are necessary or appropriate to enable us to render the opinion expressed below. As to certain factual matters, we have relied upon certificates of the officers of the Advisor and have not sought to independently verify such matters. For the purposes of this opinion, the Advisor supplied us with a list of companies, including those contemplated for investment by the Fund as of the date of this opinion (such list, the “Contemplated Fund Holdings”). This opinion assumes that the Fund will only invest in certain companies in accordance with the Fund’s publicly disclosed investment guidelines.
We have examined certain publicly available information regarding the Contemplated Fund Holdings as of the date of this opinion. First, we have examined the various business relationships/interests of the Contemplated Fund Holdings to determine if their businesses violate the CSA, MCA or DPL by assessing if they are engaged in the growth, cultivation and/or sale of cannabis in the United States. In this regard, we have solely reviewed publicly available filings available through the Securities and Exchange Commission, SEDAR (which tracks companies listed on Canadian exchanges) and the Australian Securities Exchange. Second, we examined whether any of the Contemplated Fund Holdings were subject to any actions/proceedings for violating the CSA, MCA and DPL solely by reviewing information publicly available through Bloomberg Law Docket. The following opinion solely relies upon the review of the information available in the public resources noted above in this paragraph. We have not reviewed the Contemplated Fund Holdings with respect to their compliance with the laws of any country except as noted above in this paragraph.
This opinion letter is limited to the matters stated herein, and no opinion is implied or may be inferred beyond the matters expressly stated. This opinion letter is given as of the date hereof, and we expressly disclaim any obligation to update or supplement our opinion contained herein to reflect any facts or circumstances that may hereafter come to our attention or any changes in laws that may hereafter occur.
We express no opinion as to the law of any other jurisdiction that may be applicable to the subject matter hereof. We are not rendering any opinion as to compliance with any federal, state, or local law, rule or regulation relating to securities, or to the sale or issuance thereof.
FACTUAL BACKGROUND FOR OPINION
Description of the Global X Cannabis ETF’s principal investment strategy
The Fund’s principal investment strategy as presently stated in the Registration Statement or as otherwise represented to us by the Advisor is as follows:
The Global X Cannabis ETF (“Fund”) seeks to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the Cannabis Index (“Underlying Index”). The Underlying Index is designed to provide exposure to exchange-listed companies that are active in the cannabis industry (collectively, “Cannabis Companies”), as defined by Solactive AG, the provider of the Underlying Index (“Index Provider”).
In order to be eligible for inclusion in the Underlying Index, a company is considered by the Index Provider to be a Cannabis Company if it derives at least 50% of its revenue, operating income, or assets from the cannabis industry. The cannabis industry is composed of the following areas: (i) the legal production, growth and distribution of marijuana, as well as extracts, derivative products or synthetic versions thereof; (ii) the legal production, growth and distribution of hemp, as well as extracts, derivative products or synthetic versions thereof; (iii) financial services (insurance offerings, property leasing, financing, capital markets activity and investments) provided to companies involved in the production, growth and distribution of cannabis; (iv) pharmaceutical applications of cannabis; (v) cannabidiol (better known as CBD) and cannabis oil products, edibles, topicals, drinks and other products; and (vi) products that may be used to consume cannabis. In addition, companies that the Index Provider expects to derive at least 50% of future revenue, operating income or assets from the cannabis industry based on its review of their primary business operations, capital investments and/or operating expenses, as well as other public statements, are eligible for inclusion in the Underlying Index (“Pre-Revenue Companies”). Pre-Revenue Companies are subject to an aggregate weight cap of 10% at each quarterly rebalance. To be a part of the eligible universe of the Underlying Index, a Cannabis Company must be listed on a regulated stock exchange that requires issuers to maintain compliance with all laws, rules and regulations applicable to their business. As such, the Underlying Index is designed to invest in Cannabis Companies that represent that they operate cannabis-related business activities, or supply products and perform services for companies that grow, produce, distribute, or sell cannabis or products derived from cannabis, in a manner that is legal under all laws, rules and regulations applicable to the company’s business. A company must also meet certain minimum market capitalization and liquidity criteria, as defined by the Index Provider.
The Fund invests at least 80% of its total assets in the securities of the Underlying Index. The Fund will also invest, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its net assets, plus borrowings for investments purposes (if any), in Cannabis Companies, and in ADRs and GDRs based on such securities; provided, however, that for the avoidance of doubt, Pre-Revenue Companies shall not count towards satisfaction of such Cannabis Companies 80% investment policy.
The Fund will not invest in companies that, in the opinion of the Adviser, fail to meet any the criteria outlined below (collectively, the “Eligibility Criteria”):

o
Each company must have securities listed on an exchange that requires compliance with all laws, rules and regulations applicable to their business, which includes U.S. federal laws if the company performs activities in the U.S. or is otherwise subject to U.S. jurisdiction. For the avoidance of doubt, as of the date of this opinion, the Canadian Securities Exchange has not been deemed by the Adviser to require compliance with all laws, rules and regulations applicable to the business of companies listed on such exchange.

o
Each company may only supply products and/or perform services related to the cannabis industry in a manner that is legal under applicable national and local laws, including U.S. federal, state, and local laws.  For the avoidance of doubt, companies may supply products and perform services in the U.S. to end companies (including end companies that grow, produce, distribute, or sell cannabis or products derived from cannabis in a manner that is legal under state and local law but not under U.S. federal law) so long as the provision of such products and services by the company are legal under applicable federal, state and local law.

“Legal under applicable national and local laws” refers to being permitted under the applicable (i) controlled substance or (ii) food, drug, and cosmetics, or equivalent laws and regulations under whose jurisdiction the company is subject that govern the cultivation, production or distribution, for medical or non-medical purposes, of cannabis in a particular country. The Adviser reviews publicly available information related to Underlying Index constituents for violations of Eligibility Criteria in connection with each quarterly and intra-quarter reconstitution of the Underlying Index. If, after acquiring a company’s securities, the company, in the Adviser’s opinion, no longer meets the Eligibility Criteria, or if the Index Provider removes the company from the Underlying Index for failure to comply with laws, rules and regulations applicable to their business, the Fund will promptly sell that position, potentially at a time when it is disadvantageous to do so. As of the date of this opinion, Cannabis Companies that grow or distribute marijuana inside the U.S. fail to meet Eligibility Criteria. As of the date of this opinion, Cannabis Companies may, however, include companies that have a business interest in the legal hemp-based pharmaceutical and consumer wellness & product markets within the United States without failing to meet Eligibility Criteria.
Detailed information on exchange traded securities utilized by the Fund
The Fund will invest in companies that list their securities on exchanges that require compliance with all laws, rules and regulations applicable to their business, including U.S. federal laws. The current exchanges identified by the Fund that meet these requirements are the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”), NYSE American (“NYSE American”), Nasdaq Stock Market (“Nasdaq”), TSX Exchange (“TSX”), TSX Venture Exchange (“TSX Venture”) and the Australian Securities Exchange (“ASX”). The Canadian Securities Exchange (“CSE”) does not meet these requirements as it lists securities for companies that grow, produce, distribute, or sell cannabis or products derived from cannabis in a manner that is legal under U.S. state law but not under U.S. federal law.
The NYSE, NYSE American, and NASDAQ are national securities exchanges that are registered with the SEC under Section 6 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Before a company’s securities can trade on a U.S. exchange, the company must register that class of securities with the SEC under Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act.
The TSX, TSX Venture and ASX require compliance with all U.S. federal laws. In addition, these exchanges have provided specific guidance related to the cannabis industry enforcing compliance with U.S. federal laws.
Further information on each of these exchanges are as follows:
NYSE AND NYSE AMERICAN
The NYSE is a worldwide market that lists about 80% of U.S. securities. The NYSE acquired the American Stock Exchange in 2008 now known as NYSE-MKT. The NYSE Market is open to listing companies involved in the cannabis industry who are involved in biotech (e.g., 22nd Century Group: XXII; AbbVie – ABBV); investment in the industry outside of United States (e.g., Canopy Growth Corp.: CGC; Compass Diversified Holdings: CODI; ETFMG Alternative Harvest: MJ); the agricultural sector (e.g., Level Brands, Inc.: NYSE: LEVB; Scott’s Miracle Grow Co.: SMG); and the real estate sector (e.g., Industrial Properties, Inc.: IIPR). United States based companies that “touch the plant” (i.e., those that grow or distribute cannabis) are not eligible to list at this time. Canadian, Australian and other non-U.S. companies whose cannabis related activities are legal in their home jurisdiction are eligible to list if they meet the exchange’s listing requirements, such as number of shareholders, earnings and stock price. The NYSE governs listing requirements and continued listing requirements. Listing issuers must comply with its agreements with the NYSE and SEC requirements in all material respect.
Further, NYSE Regulation (“NYSER”) is responsible for monitoring activities on the NYSE’s equities, options, and bonds markets – i.e., the New York Stock Exchange LLC (equities and bonds), NYSE Arca, Inc. (equities and options), NYSE American LLC (equities and options) and NYSE National, Inc. (equities) (collectively, the “NYSE Exchanges”) – and for addressing non-compliance with the NYSE Exchanges’ rules and federal securities laws. NYSER enforces both the NYSE Exchanges’ and their members' compliance with NYSE Exchange rules and applicable federal securities requirements. It also monitors and enforces listed companies’ compliance with applicable listing standards of the NYSE Exchanges. By performing these duties, NYSER supports the NYSE Exchanges’ efforts to promote just and equitable principles of trade, encourage free and open markets, and protect investors and the public interest. Many of these regulatory functions are performed directly by NYSER; others are performed by FINRA or other self-regulatory organizations pursuant to a regulatory services agreement, national market system plans, or other arrangements.
NASDAQ
The Nasdaq Stock Market requires the companies listing on its exchange to comply with U.S. federal laws. The following paragraph below is from its website under FAQ:
In determining whether to initially list a company or continue a company's listing when it changes its business activities, Nasdaq does not make subjective or value judgements about the business the company operates. However, Nasdaq cannot initially list or continue the listing of a company whose current or planned activities are in violation of U.S. federal law or the law in a jurisdiction where the company operates. In assessing the legality of a company's activity, Nasdaq largely relies on the risk factors and other disclosures made in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, although Nasdaq may also request additional information from the company where necessary.
TSX
The TSX is the 12th largest exchange in the world by market capitalization. On October 16, 2017, the TSX issued Staff Notice 2017-0009 (the “Staff Notice”) regarding listed companies engaged in the marijuana business, whether directly or indirectly, in the United States. The Staff Notice states the general requirements that the business of applicants or listed issuers “will be conducted (i) with integrity and in the best interests of the issuer’s security holders and the investing public, and (ii) in compliance with the rules and regulations of TSX and all regulatory bodies having jurisdiction.” Due to the significant number of inquiries received regarding entities engaging in activities related to the cultivation, distribution or possession of marijuana in the U.S. (“Subject Entities”), TSX issued the Staff Notice to provide clarity regarding the application of the requirements to applicants and listed issuers in the marijuana sector. The Staff Notice notes that although a number of U.S. states have legalized the cultivation, distribution or possession of marijuana subject to various conditions, marijuana remains a Schedule I drug under the CSA. More specifically, it is illegal under U.S. federal law to cultivate, distribute or possess marijuana, and that financial transactions involving proceeds generated by, or intended to promote, marijuana-related business activities in the U.S. may form the basis for prosecution under applicable U.S. federal money-laundering legislation.
According to the Staff Notice, companies listed on the TSX with ongoing business activities that violate U.S. federal law regarding marijuana do not comply with the requirements of the TSX. These business activities may include, among other things, (i) direct or indirect ownership of, or investment in Subject Entities, (ii) commercial interest or arrangements with Subject Entities that are similar in substance to ownership of, or investment in Subject Entities, (iii) providing services or products that are specifically designed for, or targeted at, Subject Entities, or (iv) commercial interests or arrangements with entities engaging in the business activities described in (iii).
The Staff Notice states as part of TSX’s standard continued listing review of listed issuers, TSX selects issuers for in depth reviews based on their continuous disclosure records. As required by the TSX manual, each listed issuer is required to disclose material information regarding its business and affairs. As part of its continued listing review of listed issuers in the marijuana sector, TSX contacted listed issuers at the end of 2017 for a more comprehensive review of their marijuana-related activities (if any) in the U.S. If a listed company engages in activities that are contrary to TSX requirements, the TSX has the discretion to initiate delisting review of that company. In short, if a TSX-listed company grows or distributes marijuana in the U.S., invests in another business that grows or distributes marijuana in the U.S., or provides services or products for businesses that grow or distribute marijuana in the U.S., the company faces the prospect of being delisted from the TSX.
TSX Venture
This exchange mostly contains small-cap Canadian stocks. TSX Venture provided a Notice to Issuers bulletin dated October 16, 2017 (the “Bulletin”) that specifically addressed business activities related to marijuana in the United States. The Bulletin clarified its requirements to list and to continue listing on its exchange. The Bulletin states the general requirements “that (i) the business of applicants or listed issuers will be conducted with integrity and in the best interests of the issuer’s security holders, and (ii) applicants or listed issuers will comply with all laws, rules and regulations applicable to their business or undertaking.” These requirements apply to all applicants and listed issuers. Due to the “significant number of inquiries received regarding entities engaging in activities related to the cultivation, distribution or possession of marijuana in the United States” (“Subject Entities”), TSX Venture issued the Bulletin to provide clarity regarding the application of the requirements to applicants and listed issuers in the marijuana sector. The Bulletin notes that, although a number of U.S. states have legalized the cultivation, distribution, or possession of marijuana to various degrees and subject to various conditions, marijuana remains a Schedule I drug under the CSA and cannabis financial transactions under the MCA.
According to the Bulletin, companies listed on TSX Venture with ongoing business activities that violate United States federal law regarding marijuana do not comply with the requirements of TSX Venture. These business activities may include, among other things:
(i) direct or indirect ownership of, or investment in, Subject Entities; (ii) commercial interests or arrangements with Subject Entities that are similar in substance to ownership of, or investment in, Subject Entities; (iii) providing services or products that are specifically designed for, or targeted at, Subject Entities; or (iv) commercial interests or arrangements with entities engaging in the business activities described in (iii).
The Bulletin states that, as part of TSX Venture’s standard continued listing review of listed issuers, TSX Venture selects issuers for in depth reviews based on their continuous disclosure records. As required by the TSX Venture manual, each listed issuer is required to disclose material information regarding its business and affairs. As part of its continued listing review of listed issuers in the marijuana sector, TSX Venture contacted listed issuers at the end of 2017 for a more comprehensive review of their marijuana-related activities (if any) in the United States. If a listed company engages in activities that are contrary to TSX Venture’s requirements, TSX Venture has the discretion to initiate a delisting review of that company.
ASX
The ASX is Australia's primary securities exchange. In October 2017, ASX provided additional clarification to its listing requirements specific to cannabis companies as follows:
ASX also notes that the legal status of medical cannabis businesses in the US presently is subject to uncertainty under US federal law. An applicant seeking to list a US medical cannabis business will need to satisfy ASX that its business can be lawfully carried on in the US (under both Federal and State law) before ASX will admit it to the official list.  
LEGAL ANALYSIS
Beyond the limits of investing in companies listed on exchanges described above, we analyzed the potential criminal exposure to the Fund and its shareholders solely under the CSA, MCA and DPL in connection with the Fund’s proposed investment in the Contemplated Fund Holdings. The legal landscape in the cannabis industry is rapidly changing, and enforcement priorities for prosecutors, investigators, and regulators are difficult (if not impossible) to predict, may be influenced by political considerations (and thus a moving target), and may lack consistent application, all of which are beyond the scope of this opinion.
That said, based on our review of the case law and other authorities, we note the following:
Federal prosecutors have considerable discretion to pursue potential cannabis-related offenses under U.S. criminal laws. To date, the matters filed by prosecutors have been focused on growers, producers, and distributors within the U.S. that have violated federal law and/or the state and local laws where they are located.

We have reviewed examples of U.S. exchange listed companies that have invested or are investing in Canadian Cannabis Companies and, to date, we have not found public records showing corresponding action by the U.S. Department of Justice (the “DOJ”). Indeed, in August 2018, Constellation Brands, Inc., a New York-based Fortune 500 company that is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange, invested CAD$5 billion (US$4 billion) into Canopy Growth Corporation, a Canadian producer and exporter of cannabis. Canopy is listed on the TSX and, as of May 2018, it became listed on the NYSE.

We have reviewed two open-end investment companies registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”) with principal investment strategies of investing in Cannabis Companies. First, the ETFMG Alternative Harvest ETF, which is publicly traded on NYSE Arca, Inc., has as its principal investment strategy to invest in “exchange-listed common stock (or corresponding American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”) or Global Depositary Receipts (“GDRs”)) of companies across the globe, including U.S. companies, that (i) are engaged in the legal cultivation of cannabis, including hemp, or the legal production, marketing or distribution of cannabis, including hemp, products for medical or non-medical purposes (“Marijuana Companies”); (ii) engage in the lawful creation, marketing or distribution of prescription drugs that utilize cannabinoids as an active ingredient (“Pharmaceutical Companies”); (iii) trade tobacco or produce tobacco products, such as cigarettes, cigars or electronic cigarettes; (iv) produce cigarette and cigar components, such as cigarette paper and filters; or (v) engage in the creation, production and distribution of fertilizers, plant foods, pesticides or growing equipment to be used in the cultivation of cannabis or tobacco.” Second, the American Growth Fund Series Two has as its principal investment strategy to invest in a “portfolio which is made up primarily of common stocks involved, in at least some way, in the legal cannabis business.”

In addition, we have reviewed examples of other investment companies registered under the 1940 Act with investments in Cannabis Companies. For example, the Vanguard Developed Markets Index Fund held, at the very least, each of the following Cannabis Companies as of June 30, 2019: Aphria, Inc., Aurora Cannabis Inc., Canopy Growth Corp and Cronos Group Inc.

Notwithstanding the above, there could be a risk of criminal exposure for aiding and abetting liability under the CSA and/or conspiracy to violate the CSA (including the DPL contained within the CSA). The CSA generally proscribes the manufacture and/or production of controlled substances, such as cannabis. Liability here would be determined based on whether (i) the CSA applies to conduct occurring entirely in another country such as Canada and Australia, and (ii) whether investment in the Contemplated Fund Holdings would constitute an underlying violation of law, particularly where the proposed investment criteria proscribes investment in companies that manufacture and/or produce cannabis and the proposed investments contemplate the purchase of securities on secondary markets in, for example, Canada and Australia. We have not found case law or other guidance suggesting that an extension of enforcement of the CSA in the manner outlined above as to any of the Contemplated Fund Holdings.
Our opinion focuses on the CSA, MCA and DPL and, based on the current status of state laws regarding marijuana as of the date of this opinion, it is our view that the CSA, MCA and DPL are more stringent. Therefore, it is our opinion that, if the Fund complies with the CSA, MCA and DPL, then in addition to not violating the CSA, MCA and DPL, the Fund will not be aiding and abetting the violation of or conspiring to violate these federal laws and will meet state law standards because the Fund will not be investing in companies engaged in the cultivation, distribution or possession of marijuana in the U.S.
I.    FEDERAL LAW
A.    Executing Federal Laws
Congress gives federal agencies significant authority in executing federal laws, including the Drug Enforcement Agency (“DEA”), the law enforcement arm of the federal government primarily responsible for enforcing the CSA. Further, federal prosecutors have wide latitude in determining when, who, how and even whether to prosecute for alleged violations of federal criminal law. In the federal criminal legal system, “the decision whether or not to prosecute, and what charge to file or bring before a grand jury, generally rests entirely in [the prosecutor’s] discretion.” “This broad discretion ... is particularly ill-suited to judicial review.” That discretion extends to, for example, the decision to prosecute a matter, the selection of charges, whether to enter into a plea agreement, and participation in sentencing.
With respect to business organizations, such as the Fund, the United States Justice Manual provides the following guidelines to prosecutors to promote the reasoned exercise of discretion:
The nature and seriousness of the offense, including the risk of harm to the public, and applicable policies and priorities, if any, governing the prosecution of business organizations for particular categories of crime;

The pervasiveness of wrongdoing within the business organization, including the complicity in, or the condoning of, the wrongdoing by management;

The business organization’s history of similar misconduct, including prior criminal, civil, and regulatory enforcement actions against it;

The business organization’s identification of individuals responsible for the misconduct and production of misconduct information;
The existence, effectiveness, and enforcement of the business organization's pre-existing compliance program;
The business organization’s timely and voluntary disclosure of wrongdoing;
The business organization’s remedial actions, including any efforts to implement an effective corporate compliance program or to improve an existing one, to replace responsible management, to discipline or terminate wrongdoers, to pay restitution, and to discipline wrongdoers;
Collateral consequences, including whether there is disproportionate harm to shareholders, pension holders, employees, and others not proven personally culpable, as well as impact on the public arising from the prosecution;
The adequacy of remedies such as civil or regulatory enforcement actions; and
The adequacy of the prosecution of individuals responsible for the business organization's malfeasance.
B.    DOJ Position on Enforcement of Federal Marijuana Laws
During the Obama administration, Deputy Attorney General David Ogden and Deputy Attorney General James Cole released several memoranda that addressed federal enforcement priorities regarding the CSA. These memoranda were intended to adapt the federal government’s position on marijuana as states legalized the drug for medical purposes.
Most notably, in 2013, Deputy Attorney General Cole released a memorandum (the “Cole Memo”) that reiterated the DOJ’s commitment to enforcing the CSA, but that directed law enforcement and prosecutors only to focus on conduct that implicated the following:
Preventing the distribution of marijuana to minors;
Preventing revenue from the sale of marijuana from going to criminal enterprises, gangs, and cartels;
Preventing the diversion of marijuana from states where it is legal under state law in some form to other states;
Preventing state-authorized marijuana activity from being used as a cover or pretext for the trafficking of other illegal drugs or other illegal activity;
Preventing violence and the use of firearms in the cultivation and distribution of marijuana;
Preventing drugged driving and the exacerbation of other adverse public health consequences associated with marijuana use;
Preventing the growing of marijuana on public lands and the attendant public safety and environmental dangers posed by marijuana production on public lands; and
Preventing marijuana possession or use on federal property.
The Cole Memo further conditioned this guidance on the existence of a state regulatory scheme that provides “robust controls and procedures [which are] effective in practice,” in which case “enforcement of state laws by state and local law enforcement and regulatory bodies should remain the primary means of addressing marijuana-related activity.” Taken together, the Cole Memo and other related memoranda provided that the federal government would give some leeway to states’ control over medical marijuana use and production for medical purposes. Importantly, though, the Cole Memo did not have the force of law and could not be used as a defense in a federal criminal proceeding, but rather it only reflected a policy subject to change at any time.
In January 2018, Attorney General Jeff Sessions issued a new memorandum (the “Sessions Memo”) repealing the policy statements in the Cole Memo: “Given the Department’s well-established general principles, previous nationwide guidance specific to marijuana enforcement is unnecessary and is rescinded, effective immediately.” The Sessions Memo reinforces the inherent prosecutorial discretion to pursue penalties for marijuana cultivation, distribution, and possession under the CSA and MCA for financial transactions.
The Sessions Memo provides that the federal government may pursue action against violations of federal law related to marijuana. To the extent that they have done so, it appears that federal prosecutors have primarily focused on growers and producers within the states, rather than investors.
Moreover, there are multiple U.S. exchange-listed companies that either are investing in Canadian Cannabis Companies, or are Canadian Cannabis Companies themselves, such as Tilray Inc., a cannabis research, cultivation, processing, and distribution firm traded on NASDAQ. Similarly, we have not identified any public reports concerning any DOJ action with respect to Constellation Brands, Inc., a New York-based Fortune 500 company that is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange. Constellation invested CAD$5 billion (US$4 billion) into Canopy Growth Corporation, a Canadian producer and exporter of cannabis. Canopy is listed on the TSX and, as of May 2018, it became listed on the NYSE.
Further, the SEC appears to have scrutinized the registration statements and other disclosure documents made by Cannabis Companies. For instance, the SEC requested changes to Tilray’s public disclosure documents, including increased disclosures regarding the company’s capital structure and risks associated with operating in the cannabis industry, such as compliance with U.S. laws and potential market volatility.
Finally, we have found nothing in the publicly available resources noted above that suggests that any of the Contemplated Fund Holdings being considered for investment are engaged in any cannabis touching business in the U.S. Moreover, we have found no publicly reported civil, criminal or regulatory proceedings against any of the Contemplated Fund Holdings for a violation of the CSA, MCA and/or DPL. This opinion is only based upon and limited to that publicly available information available from the SEC, SEDAR, the ASX and Bloomberg Law Docket.
Based on our review of the Registration Statement and Contemplated Fund Holdings, in our opinion the Fund will not violate the CSA, will not aid and abet a violation of the CSA, and, thus, will not have conspired to violate the CSA, or be subject to DOJ marijuana enforcement based on its investment in the Contemplated Fund Holdings.
II.    THE CSA
Under Section 841(a) of the CSA, it is unlawful for a person to knowingly or intentionally “manufacture, distribute, or dispense, or possess with intent to manufacture, distribute, or dispense, a controlled substance . . . .” The statute defines “manufacture” as the production, preparation, propagation, compounding, or processing of a drug or other substance, either directly or indirectly or by extraction, and includes any packaging or repackaging of such substance, except as complying with applicable state law. In addition, Section 846 of the CSA prohibits conspiring to commit substantive offenses under the Act, and provides that any individual who attempts or conspires to commit a violation of the CSA will be subject to the same penalties as the underlying offense.
Based purely on the plain language of the Fund’s Registration Statement and the proposed investments, including our analysis of their businesses as derived from the publicly available resources noted above, none of these businesses appear to be involved in the growth, manufacture, processing or sale of cannabis in the U.S. According to the Registration Statement, the Fund is also not preparing or otherwise seeking to distribute marijuana itself in the U.S. Instead, the Registration Statement reflects that the proposed investment activity would only include purchasing securities—on the secondary market on an exchange that requires compliance with national and local laws, including U.S. federal law—of companies that are legally operating and supporting the cannabis industry in other countries, such as Canada and Australia, not in the U.S.
Based on the foregoing and as also noted in Section I above, it is our opinion that the Fund will not have direct liability under Section 841(a) or Section 846 of the CSA, will not aid and abet a violation of Section 841(a) of the CSA or conspire to violate the CSA under Section 846 of the CSA because it will not be investing in any business that is in the business of growing, manufacturing, processing or selling marijuana in the U.S.
III.    THE DPL
Pursuant to the Drug Paraphernalia law contained in the CSA, 21 U.S.C. § 863, it is unlawful to sell, import/export, or to transport “drug paraphernalia.” The DPL defines “drug paraphernalia as “any equipment, product, or material of any kind which is primarily intended or designed for use in manufacturing, compounding, converting, concealing, producing, processing, preparing, injecting, ingesting, inhaling, or otherwise introducing into the human body a controlled substance…” 21 U.S.C. § 863(d). The critical inquiry in determining whether a product will meet the drug paraphernalia definition is for what the product is “primarily intended.” The United States Supreme Court has held that whether products are “primarily intended” to be drug paraphernalia must be analyzed as an objective standard and that the phrase “refers generally to an item's likely use.” Posters 'N' Things, Ltd. v. United States, 511 U.S. 513, 521 (1994). A more recent federal appellate court decision clarified that items that have a variety of legal uses, which are not specifically designed and manufactured to make and consume controlled substances, are not necessarily considered drug paraphernalia under the DPL without strong evidence indicating otherwise. See United States v. Romans, 823 F.3d 299, 318 (5th Cir. 2016) (in holding that a hydroponic system did not meet the definition of “drug paraphernalia” the court reasoned that it was not “clearly and directly related to the production, distribution, or consumption of drugs.”). As a result, entities that manufacture products that have legal uses other than primarily for the consumption of controlled substances should not violate the DPL. Based upon the information reviewed as of the date of this opinion, the Contemplated Fund Holdings are not selling products that are primarily intended for the use of a controlled substance.
Based on the foregoing, it is our opinion that the Fund will not violate Section 863 of the CSA, will not be liable for aiding and abetting a violation of Section 863 of the CSA or be liable for conspiring to violate Section 863 of the CSA because the Fund will not invest in any company whose business is “primarily intended or designed for use in manufacturing, compounding, converting, concealing, producing, processing, preparing, injecting, ingesting, inhaling, or otherwise introducing into the human body a controlled substance.”
IV.    COMPLYING WITH FEDERAL MONEY LAUNDERING LAWS
In addition to complying with the CSA, the Fund must also comply with federal money laundering laws. Section 1956 of the MCA provides in pertinent part:
[W]hoever, knowing that the property involved in a financial transaction represents the proceeds of some form of unlawful activity, conducts or attempts to conduct such a financial transaction which in fact involves the proceeds of specified unlawful activity- with the intent to promote the carrying on of specified unlawful activity. . .
The MCA further provides:
Whoever transports, transmits, or transfers, or attempts to transport, transmit, or transfer a monetary instrument or funds from a place in the United States to or through a place outside the United States or to a place in the United States from or through a place outside the United States--with the intent to promote the carrying on of specified unlawful activity. . .
Many exchanges do not have listing requirements that include compliance with U.S. federal laws. The CSE began operations in 2003 to provide a modern and efficient alternative for companies looking to access the Canadian public capital markets. The CSE listing requirements are less strict and many U.S. marijuana companies that comply with their respective state laws have used this platform to gain public access. By way of example, MedMen Enterprises (“MedMen”) is publicly traded on the CSE and is a U.S.-based marijuana company that owns and operates licensed cannabis facilities (including cultivation, manufacturing and retail) in California, Illinois, Nevada, New York, Arizona, and Florida. According to the Registration Statement, the Fund will not invest in companies listed on the CSE and will not invest in a company that engages in the cultivation, production or distribution of marijuana in the U.S. unless and until such time as the cultivation, production or distribution of such marijuana or products become legal under U.S. federal law. Moreover, because the Fund only invests in exchanges that require compliance with applicable U.S. federal laws, the Fund would not have reason to believe that the purchase and sale of securities of Contemplated Fund Holdings would represent the proceeds of unlawful activity.
Based on the foregoing, in our opinion the Fund’s investment activity will not constitute an offense under Section 1961(1) (i.e., obtaining proceeds from an unlawful activities) or constitute aiding and abetting an offense under the MCA because the Fund’s investments are in exchange-listed companies that require compliance with U.S. federal laws in addition to the laws of their respective jurisdictions.
V.    NO CONSPIRACY TO VIOLATE THE MCA
Under the MCA, whoever “conspires to commit any offense defined in [section 1956] or section 1957 shall be subject to the same penalties as those prescribed for the offense the commission of which was the object of the conspiracy.” 18 U.S.C. § 1956(h). A conspiracy to violate the MCA requires that the actor’s objective must be to conduct a financial transaction involving the proceeds of a specified unlawful activity. See United States v. Garcia, 587 F.3d 509, 515 (2d Cir. 2009). There cannot be a conspiracy to violate the MCA if there is not an underlying unlawful activity.
Based on the foregoing, in our opinion the Fund’s investment activity will not constitute a conspiracy to violate the MCA because the Fund’s investments are in exchange-listed companies that require compliance with U.S. federal laws in addition to the laws of their respective jurisdictions.
We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Fund’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A, including any amendments and supplements thereto. In giving such consent, we do not hereby admit that we are within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act, or the rules and regulations of the SEC thereunder.
Very truly yours,
Fox Rothschild, LLP /s
Fox Rothschild, LLP

Active\100773007.v1-7/31/19
Active\100786373.v1-7/31/19

GLOBALXCONSE_IMAGE1A01.JPG




CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM


We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration Statement on Form N-1A of Global X Funds of our reports dated January 27, 2020, relating to the financial statements and financial highlights, which appear in Global X MLP ETF, Global X MLP & Energy Infrastructure ETF, Global X U.S. Preferred ETF, Global X SuperDividend® Alternatives ETF, Global X S&P 500® Quality Dividend ETF, Global X TargetIncome™ 5 ETF, Global X TargetIncome™ Plus 2 ETF, Global X Adaptive U.S. Factor ETF, Global X Robotics & Artificial Intelligence ETF, Global X FinTech ETF, Global X Internet of Things ETF, Global X Cloud Computing ETF, Global X Future Analytics Tech ETF, Global X Autonomous & Electric Vehicles ETF, Global X Genomics & Biotechnology ETF, Global X Video Games & Esports ETF, Global X Cybersecurity ETF, Global X Millennials Thematic ETF, Global X Longevity Thematic ETF, Global X Health & Wellness Thematic ETF, Global X Cannabis ETF, Global X U.S. Infrastructure Development ETF, Global X Conscious Companies ETF, Global X Founder-Run Companies ETF and Global X Thematic Growth ETF Annual Reports on Form N-CSR for the year ended November 30, 2019. We also consent to the references to us under the headings "Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm", "Financial Statements", "Financial Highlights" and “Other Service Providers” in such Registration Statement.


/s/PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
March 23, 2020
 




1