Europe’s first thematic ETF focusing exclusively on digital infrastructure and connectivity lists in Italy

• Digital Infrastructure and Connectivity UCITS ETF (ticker: DIGI) has listed on Borsa Italia
• Our Technology ETF provides exposure to companies at the forefront of the digital infrastructure revolution which allow for 5G and Cloud to continue growing exponentially 
• Global internet traffic is expected to grow 370% by 2022 as the number of users, the number of devices per user, and the amount of data per device all increase
• DIGI tracks the performance of the Tematica BITA Digital Infrastructure and Connectivity Index (TBDIGI) which has returned 40.87% over the last 12 months (to 30 September 2020) 
• Digital Infrastructure and Connectivity UCITS ETF is a partnership between Quikro, Tematica Research and HANetf; it will be the 11th ETF on the HANetf platform since it launched its first ETF in October 2018 
• DIGI will be the 6th Thematic ETF making HANetf one of the leading providers of Thematic ETFs in Europe

21 October 2020, London

A first-to-market thematic ETF focusing on digital infrastructure and connectivity[1] sponsored by Quikro will launch across Europe via the HANetf platform. The Digital Infrastructure andConnectivity UCITS ETF (DIGI) has listed on Borsa Italia today.  

This revolutionary Technology ETF captures companies that are positioned to benefit most from the explosive growth of the digital infrastructure virtuous circle of expanding users, data, applications, and bandwidth. Global internet traffic is expected to grow 370% by 2022 according to Cisco Systems as the number of users, the number of devices per user, and the amount of data per device all increase[2]. This is underpinned by massive transformations in economic, cultural and social needs as people increasingly digitise how they live, work, study, transact and communicate. 

The Digital Infrastructure and Connectivity UCITS ETF (DIGI) focuses on six key sub-themes which follow the journey of data as it travels from storage to end-user:

• Data centres
• Digital connectivity
• Data networks
• Digital transmission
• Digital processing
• Digital services and intellectual property

The Technology ETF has been developed by Quikro, an investor in the financial services industry, which sponsors the launch and development of innovative exchange-traded funds (ETFs), and HANetf. Working with Tematica Research LLC, they have developed a new and unique index for the ETF.

The Digital Infrastructure and Connectivity UCITS ETF (DIGI) will follow a new index called Tematica BITA Digital Infrastructure and Connectivity Index (TBDIGI), which comprises over 80 global equities who are at the forefront of the digital infrastructure revolution.   Companies in the index include InterDigital (IDCC), Fastly (FSLY), Skyworks (SWKS) and Equinix (EQIX).  The performance of the Tematica BITA Digital Infrastructure and Connectivity Index (TBDIGI) returned 40.87% over the last 12 months (Source: BITA, as of 30.09.2020).  Past performance is no guarantee of future performance.

While other investment strategies may focus on the build-out of single digital segments such as 5G or cloud or telemedicine, the Digital Infrastructure and Connectivity UCITS ETF (DIGI) seeks to capture the explosive growth in data traffic across all digital segments as next-generation connective technologies roll out, resulting in ever-increasing demand for better digital infrastructure and connectivity solutions.

Omar ElKheshen, CEO of Quikro said: “The roll-out of 5G, Cloud, IoT, VR, and other disruptive technologies, in addition to permanent lifestyle changes linked to Covid-19, will continue to accelerate the trend towards further digitisation and virtual communication.  With that arises a growing and insatiable need for digital infrastructure to support everyday digital activities and the immense amount of data flowing behind them.  This is a huge opportunity for investors and our new ETF, the Digital Infrastructure and Connectivity UCITS ETF (DIGI), will provide an opportunity to potentially capitalize on this.”

Christopher Versace, Chief Investment Officer of Tematica Research LLC said: “With almost five billion people connected to the internet today, the demand for continuous access to digital information and communication is growing exponentially. By 2022, new and existing applications are expected to drive mobile data traffic alone to 930 exabytes per year, an 11,300% increase over 2012, which equates to all the movies ever made crossing global mobile networks every 5 minutes. 5G and other disruptive broadband-enabling technologies will foster new rich data applications such as semi-autonomous and autonomous vehicles that will ultimately drive network congestion and require further infrastructure investment buildout.  This in turn will fuel development of new applications and data, otherwise known as the virtuous digital circle. The Tematica BITA Digital Infrastructure and Connectivity Index was designed to capture this long-term trend.”

Nik Bienkowski, Co-CEO of HANetf said: “The Digital Infrastructure and Connectivity UCITS ETF focuses on some of the most exciting and transformational themes in the world today and allows investors to invest in this long term megatrend of exponential growth in traffic using digital infrastructure.  We are delighted to have worked with Quikro and Tematica on the development of this exciting new ETF.  This is another ‘first’ to join the list of innovative market leading ETFs on our platform. DIGI will be a great addition to our burgeoning Thematic ETF offering and reinforce the value add HANetf is bringing to end investors.”

The Digital Infrastructure and Connectivity UCITS ETF (DIGI) has a TER of 69 basis points.   

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About Quikro

Quikro is an investor in the financial services industry. Its purpose is to sponsor the launch and development of innovative exchange-traded funds (ETFs).

Quikro’s ETFs aim to outperform the broader market by employing novel alpha-seeking investment strategies structured around long-term defensible tailwinds whether economic, demographic, social or otherwise.

Quikro does not sponsor any ETFs unless they are unique and follow an investment thesis not easily accessible through other ETF providers.

Quikro is mindful of the importance of sustainable, responsible investment and believes that underlying entities that take Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance (ESG) represent better long-term investments for its ETFs.

Tematica

Tematica Research, LLC provides independent Registered Investment Advisors (RIA’s), financial institutions and self-directed investors with equity research, economic insights, and investment ideas based upon its proprietary thematic perspective of the world and financial markets. Thematic Investing focuses on identifying sustainable market shifts that come about due to shifting economics, demographics, psychographics, technologies, mixed with regulatory mandates and other forces.

The thematic discipline utilized by Tematica across its research and economic commentary, as well as its index and portfolio construction efforts, is the culmination of the more than 20 years Chief Investment Officer Chris Versace spent analysing industries and companies in a variety of roles as an equity analyst, portfolio manager, investment banker and strategic consultant serving both individual as well as institutional investors.