ETF issuer VistaShares set its sights on the space, defense, and robotics industries with the launch of a trio of thematic ETFs that it says will harness the significant growth in those industries.
The VistaShares Space Supercycle ETF (Ticker: GALX), the VistaShares Defense Supercycle ETF (Ticker: AMMO) and the VistaShares Robotics Supercycle ETF (Ticker: RTOO) are actively managed and join a lineup of ETFs that includes the VistaShares Artificial Intelligence Supercycle ETF (Ticker: AIS) and the VistaShares Electrification Supercycle ETF (Ticker: POW).
"We've always believed the biggest opportunities come from long-term shifts that reshape entire industries,” said Jon McNeill, co-founder of VistaShares and DVx Ventures, and former president of Tesla, in a statement.
The VistaShares fund family recently passed the $2 billion AUM mark, the ETF supplier said, in the statement.
The Space Supercycle ETF has MACOM Technology Solutions Holdings Inc. as its top holding, followed by Rocket Lab Corp. and MDA Space Ltd, while the Defense Supercycle ETF has LIG Defense&Aerospace Co Ltd., Rheinmetall AG, and Mildef Group AB as its top holdings. The biggest holdings for the Robotics Supercycle ETF are Yaskawa Electric Corp., Nabtesco Corp., and Harmonic Drive Systems Inc.
Space is seen as offering massive opportunity over the coming years; McKinsey projects that the so-called space economy will be worth $1.8 trillion by 2035, up from $630 billion in 2023.
Set against this backdrop, there has been a slew of space-related ETF launches in recent months, fueled by the SpaceX mega-IPO, as well as the success of NASA’s Artemis II mission. Earlier this month, for example, ETF provider WisdomTree launched its Space Economy Fund (Ticker: WSPC), which has SpaceX as its top holding, followed by launch and space infrastructure companies Rocket Lab Corp. and Firefly Aerospace Inc.
Last month, Themes ETFs also launched two leveraged ETFs tied to the performance of SpaceX’s stock. In May, asset manager VanEck unveiled the VanEck Space ETF (Ticker: WARP), which tracks the MarketVector Space Index (MVWARP).
On the defense side, global military spending reached almost $2.9 trillion in 2025, an increase of 2.9% in real terms compared to the prior year, according to data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. The U.S. aerospace and defense market is set to grow from $463.06 billion in 2026 to $610.15 billion in 2031, according to data from Mordor Intelligence.
The global robotics market is also booming. In 2025 Morgan Stanley estimated that there could be nearly 1 billion humanoid robots by 2050. China is expected to have 302.3 million humanoid robots in use by that time, followed by the U.S. at 77.7 million, up from Morgan Stanley’s prior forecast of 63 million. By 2050, the global humanoids market could surpass $5 trillion, according to Morgan Stanley.
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