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September 10, 2018 at 10:15 AM
Defiance ETFs launched a new exchange-traded fund designed to provide investors with access to technologies that are “exponentially increasing computing speeds and making it possible to solve increasingly complicated problems.”
The Defiance Quantum ETF (QTUM), which has an expense ratio of 0.65%, offers a liquid and transparent way to invest in organizations developing and applying machine learning and quantum computing technology including hardware companies, software makers and defense and security firms.
Quantum computing accelerates the entire computing process and expands the range of what’s possible in machine learning, artificial intelligence and other applications, according to Defiance ETFs. Google and NASA have reported that a quantum computer they piloted together processes algorithms 100 million times faster than a traditional computer chip.
“Quantum computing may sound like something from the distant future, but leading technology companies, startups and research universities are already developing and implementing these approaches to solve practical problems and build competitive advantages,” Matthew Bielski, founder and CEO of Defiance ETFs, said in a statement. “With QTUM, investors don’t need to wait on the sidelines. We’ve already seen demand from registered investment advisers (RIAs), family offices and ETF strategists interested in gaining targeted exposure to this technology via a liquid, transparent ETF.”
The underlying index for QTUM is the BlueStar Quantum Computing and Machine Learning Index (BQTUM), which is global and diversified with approximately 60 stocks across all market capitalizations. Current country allocations include the United States, Japan, Korea and China. The index is equal weighted, offering investors more targeted exposure, including to smaller companies with higher growth potential.
DWS Launches ESG Money Market Fund In U.S.
DWS Group launched what it says is the first money market fund available in the U.S. to apply environmental, social and governance criteria.
The DWS ESG Liquidity Fund (ESGXX) will invest in high-quality, short-term, U.S. dollar-denominated money market instruments paying a fixed, variable or floating interest rate while also filtering for various ESG factors using DWS’s proprietary software — the ESG Engine.
The DWS ESG Liquidity Fund buys U.S. government debt obligations, money market instruments and other debt obligations that present minimal credit risks.
The security selection process also evaluates a company based on ESG criteria, including level of involvement in controversial sectors and weapons, adherence to corporate governance principles, ESG performance relative to a peer group of companies, and efforts to meet the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.
PeerStreet Expands Real Estate Investing Options with Shorter-Term Notes
PeerStreet, a platform for investing in real-estate backed loans, added a new investment option that has a shorter duration than typical bridge loans: Cash Offer Loans.
For homebuyers, Cash Offer Loans provide a better chance of purchasing their next home by effectively enabling them to make an all-cash offer to homesellers. According to PeerStreet, this helps families “buy the homes they love in the communities they want to live in without having loan contingencies on their purchase.”
PeerStreet has a range of investment options on its platform, which are designed to help investors achieve diversification to fit their particular profile of risk, return and liquidity preferences. Investors can find investments with differing yields based upon such investments’ risk profiles and terms that run from as short as 30 days to 36 months.
Alaia Capital Raises $5.5 Million in Strategic Investment
Alaia Capital, an independent asset management firm focused on the next generation of defined outcome investment solutions, announced a $5.5 million strategic investment led by Centana Growth Partners
The investment will grow Alaia’s operations and broaden its product suite, which is marketed under m+ funds.
