Understanding Total Return SwapUnderstanding Total Return Swap (TRS) Horizons ETFs believes that investors should pay as little as possible for market returns. A total return swap (TRS) is an innovative approach to delivering Canadian market returns in a cheaper and more tax-efficient manner.
A TRS is commonly used by large institutional investors. It is simply an agreement between investors and a large financial institution (the “counterparty”) whereby the investors exchange (or “swap”) their capital, which is held as cash in a custodial account, for the total return delivered by another asset such as a stock market index.
Key Benefits of a TRS for an ETF
• Lower Fees: The TRS structure reduces the trading expenses that are associated with traditional funds that replicate an index by purchasing all the individual underlying stocks of a portfolio • Improved Tracking: Since the counterparty is obligated to deliver exact index returns, a TRS structure can greatly reduce the potential for tracking error • Tax Efficient: The TRS used in the Horizons ETFs allows the value of dividends to be reflected directly in the net asset value (NAV) rather than paid out separately as a taxable distribution
How a TRS Works
The following example outlines how a $100 investment in the Horizons S&P/TSX 60TM Index ETF would be invested to gain exposure to its underlying index.
A Low Risk Structure
Canadian index ETFs that use a TRS structure do have counterparty risk that generally does not exist with a traditional physical replication fund, however this risk is managed to stay low.
• The counterparties on a the TRS are typically the largest financial institutions in Canada • The posted collateral for the swap is cash and held on account with the ETF’s custodians • Units of the ETF can be redeemed at any time with no impairment to the net asset value of the ETF
Counterparty Risk
Counterparty risk only exists if the ETF is in a positive mark-to-market position relative to the notional value of the TRS, and this positive marked-to-market value cannot, in accordance with National Instrument 81-102 governing Canadian mutual funds, exceed 10% of the ETF’s net asset value.
The likelihood of an ETF counterparty, which is a large Schedule 1 Bank, facing financial impairment during a rising Canadian stock market is in our view quite remote considering the prevalence of these institutions in the Canadian stock market.
The table below outlines market conditions in which counterparty risk, if any, would exist and the options available to the ETF to reduce the risk:
The counterparty to the TRS is required to maintain a minimum credit rating equivalent to the following for each applicable rating service: DBRS rating of A, Fitch rating of A, Moody’s rating of A2, and/or an S&P rating of A.
To learn more, please visit www.HorizonsETFs.com
Horizons ETFs is a member of Mirae Asset Global Investments. Commissions, trailing commissions, management fees and expenses all may be associated with an investment in exchange traded products managed by Horizons ETFs Management (Canada) Inc. (the “Horizons Exchange Traded Products”). The Horizons Exchange Traded Products are not guaranteed, their values change frequently and past performance may not be repeated. The prospectus contains important detailed information about the Horizons Exchange Traded Products. Please read the prospectus before investing.
“Standard & Poor’s®” and “S&P®” are registered trademarks of Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC (“S&P”) and “TSX®” is a registered trademark of the TSX Inc. (“TSX”). These marks have been licensed for use by Horizons ETFs Management (Canada) Inc. The ETF is not sponsored, endorsed, sold, or promoted by the S&P, TSX or their affiliated companies and none of these parties make any representation, warranty or condition regarding the advisability of buying, selling or holding units/shares of the ETF. Complete trademark and service-mark information is available at www.HorizonsETFs.com/pub/en/Trademark.aspx.
Please find below Hashdex monthly crypto market update and performance attribution for Hashdex Crypto-Index ETPs for October 2024.
With October often showing strong seasonality for crypto assets, this month’s results reflect a promising trend for Bitcoin, although gains were more limited across Altcoins. As outlined in our latest CIO note, “Beyond Trump and Harris: Five Congressional Races That May Impact Crypto’s Future”, several upcoming US congressional races could shape the regulatory landscape for crypto, with potential implications for institutional adoption and future price action. Bipartisan support for the asset class is expected to grow, depending on the results of key races.
We will share some updates during the week, if you need any inputs on US elections, feel free to reach out to us.
Hashdex Crypto Index ETPs: performances (USD) as of end of October 24
• Beta Index ETP– Nasdaq Crypto Index ETP (HASH or HDX1) (largest Crypto Index ETP in Europe): October +7.1%, YTD +45%, 12M +89%.
• Smart-Beta Index ETP – Crypto Momentum Index ETP(HAMO or HDXM): October -0.5%, YTD +1.2%, 12M +71%.
Market Update – October 24
October, commonly known as ”Uptober” for its seasonally strong performance for Bitcoin, continued this trend in 2024. The month began with a volatile period, as the Nasdaq Crypto Index (NCI) initially gave back gains from September. All NCI constituents declined in the first ten days, with the exception of Uniswap, which announced plans for its own layer-two network on Ethereum.
Mid-month, the sentiment shifted, with a sharp rally that drove Bitcoin close to its all-time high by the 29th. The NCI ultimately closed the month up 7.1%, significantly outpacing traditional markets as both the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 declined slightly. This rally coincided with a sharp increase in former president Donald Trump’s odds in election betting markets, generating additional optimism around Bitcoin.
While Bitcoin posted a robust 10.6% gain, Altcoins generally underperformed. The notable positive exception among altcoins was Solana, which rose 9.0%. In contrast, Ripple declined 18.6% due to ongoing SEC litigation, and Polygon’s MATIC dropped over 20% as it migrated to a new token model (POL).
Nasdaq Crypto Index (NCI) relative to other asset class in October 24
Source: Hashdex, as of 30/10/24.
In comparison with traditional assets, the NCI’s 7.1% gain far outpaced the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100, both of which posted slight declines. This performance underscores the potential for crypto assets to provide upside during periods of broader market uncertainty. The majority of this outperformance was driven by Bitcoin’s strength, underscoring its role as a cornerstone of the crypto asset class and its growing appeal as a macroeconomic hedge.
Performance attribution:
Nasdaq Crypto Index (NCI)
The NCI recorded positive returns for most of its primary constituents, with Bitcoin (+10.6%) leading the gains. Solana (SOL) also contributed positively, rising 9.0%. However, Ripple (XRP) and Polygon’s MATIC weighed on the index, with losses of 18.6% and over 20%, respectively. Ripple’s decline was largely attributed to ongoing legal issues with the SEC, while MATIC’s transition to the POL token created additional downward pressure.
Source: Hashdex, as of 31/10/24.
Crypto Momentum Factor Index
The Crypto Momentum Factor Index showed a slight monthly decline of 0.5% in October, reflecting the underperformance of altcoins in general. Although Tron (TRX) remained relatively stable, other altcoins in the index faced headwinds, leading to a small monthly loss for the index.
Source: Hashdex, as of 31/10/24.
Correlation (3m) to traditional asset classes
Source: Hashdex, as of 31/10/24. NCI for Nasdaq Crypto Index.
Goldman Sachs Global Green Bond UCITSETF EUR (Dist) (GSGR ETF) med ISIN IE000SYQFJV2strävar efter att spåra Solactive Global Green Bond Select-index. Solactive Global Green Bond Select-index följer gröna obligationer. Alla löptider ingår. Betyg: Investment Grade.
Den börshandlade fondens TER (total cost ratio) uppgår till 0,22 % p.a. Goldman Sachs Global Green Bond UCITSETF EUR (Dist) är den enda ETF som följer Solactive Global Green Bond Select-indexet. ETFen replikerar det underliggande indexets prestanda genom fullständig replikering (köper alla indexbeståndsdelar). Ränteintäkterna (kuponger) i ETFen delas ut till investerarna (halvårsvis).
Denna ETF lanserades den 13 februari 2024 och har sin hemvist i Irland.
Mål
Goldman Sachs Global Green Bond UCITSETF är en passivt förvaltad, hållbar global obligationsfond som uteslutande investerar i gröna obligationer enligt bedömningen av Goldman Sachs Asset Managements investeringsteam för gröna obligationer.
Crypto markets faced a volatile week as key macroeconomic events approached, with the upcoming US presidential election and anticipated Fed rate decision fueling uncertainty in risk assets. Bitcoin (BTC) rose 1.7%, ether (ETH) declined 1%, Solana (SOL) fell 8.2%, and the Nasdaq Crypto IndexTM (NCITM) was down 0.5%.
Microsoft to consider bitcoin investment starting December
According to a new SEC filing, Microsoft is considering the possibility of investing in Bitcoin as a hedge strategy against inflation despite opposition from its Board of Directors. This move, by one of the world’s largest companies, would mark a significant step in institutional adoption for Bitcoin.
MicroStrategy discloses plans to buy $42B of BTC
The firm announced bold plans to raise $42 billion over the next three years to acquire more bitcoin. This new wave of capital will be split equally, with $21 billion from equity issuance and $21 billion from debt offerings, in a project called the ”21/21” plan. This move, led by founder Michael Saylor, underscores bitcoin’s potential as a valuable hedge against inflation and highlights its appeal as a strategic investment option.
UBS launches its first tokenized fund on Ethereum
UBS Asset Management has launched its first tokenized fund, the USD Money Market Investment Fund Token (uMINT), a money market fund built on the Ethereum blockchain, available through authorized partners. The launch supports the growing demand for tokenized financial assets and leverages distributed technology to enhance fund issuance and distribution, as well as UBS’s broader strategy to expand its tokenization services.