Thematic ETF flows surge in a 2020-style boom led by SpaceX and hard-tech trades

Industry
โดย Yahoo Finance·Read original
Summary · why it matters

Flows into thematic ETFs are accelerating in a way that resembles the 2020 boom, but this time the surge is led by hard-tech themes like space, nuclear power, quantum computing, robotics, and crypto infrastructure rather than stay-at-home stocks and profitless tech. Strategas ETF Research notes that the environment and leadership are different, yet flows are picking up at a pace akin to 2020. The spark has been SpaceX, whose stock is up nearly 30% since its IPO, and eleven levered SpaceX ETFs that began trading this week saw more than $1 billion in combined volume on their first day, a record start for levered single-stock ETFs. Since the SpaceX IPO, several thematic ETF groups have posted gains, with nuclear and uranium funds up 3% to 6%, crypto infrastructure funds up 2% to 4%, defense and aerospace funds up 2% to 4%, robotics and AI funds up 1% to 3%, quantum computing funds up about 1%, and grid and infrastructure funds flat to up 1%. Strategas counts nearly 400 thematic ETFs with almost $300 billion in assets, but warns that the average three-year drawdown across the universe was 32% and more than 60% posted weak risk-adjusted returns, trailing the S&P 500 over three years.

Impact on stocks 1

Space Economy · 1 stocks

Theme Impact 1

Related news

Quantum Computing Inc. Signs Three-Year Framework Agreement With Hamad Bin Khalifa University

Quantum Computing Inc. has signed a three-year Framework Agreement with Hamad Bin Khalifa University in Qatar, under which QCi will provide cloud-based access to its Dirac-3 system along with an installation in Qatar to support the country's quantum ecosystem and regional leadership. The agreement supports QCi's Entropy Quantum Computing approach, which uses quantum entropy and decoherence as computational resources rather than relying on costly error correction and highly controlled environments. The Dirac-3 platform is a third-generation, rack-mountable system designed to solve complex, real-world optimization problems at room temperature. Among peers, IonQ had progressed through three rounds of tape-outs for its first semiconductor quantum chip and received 256-qubit prototypes by the second quarter of 2026, while Rigetti's 36-qubit Cepheus system uses four 9-qubit chiplets and its Cepheus-1-108Q uses 12 interconnected 9-qubit chiplets and became generally available in April 2026. Over the past year, QCi's shares have plunged 52.4% compared with the industry's 10.9% decline, and the stock trades at a forward 12-month price-to-sales of 40.24X versus the industry's average of 4.20X.
Zacks Investment Research·19hRead more →

Quantum Computing Inc. to Debut Integrated Quantum Security Platform at ECOC 2026

Quantum Computing Inc. announced it will showcase, for the first time, an integrated quantum security platform combining encryption and authentication in a single solution at the ECOC Exhibition 2026, held September 21–23 at FYCMA in Málaga, Spain. At Booth #1436, the company will demonstrate live quantum communication solutions using time-frequency and polarization-based approaches, pairing quantum key distribution with hardware-based Quantum Identity Authentication. The platform combines high-dimensional quantum key distribution, direct entanglement verification, Quantum Identity Authentication, and integrated key management in a telecom-compatible architecture, and is based on QCi's patented invention recognized with the 44th Edison Patent Award, presented to Dr. Yuping Huang and Dr. Lac Nguyen. QCi will also present at the ECOC Product Focus Theatre on Wednesday, September 23, from 14:50 to 15:10, in a session titled "The Quantum Secure Solution: Quantum-authenticated communications for broad applications in security," delivered by Massimo Di Blasio, Director, Product Line Management/Business Development. Chief Technology Officer Yong Meng Sua said the demonstrations give the telecom industry a firsthand look at how quantum technologies can strengthen the security of tomorrow's communications.
PR Newswire·20hRead more →
3impact 4

IBM Wins $1 Billion Quantum Foundry Award, Adds CUBE AI Governance Deal

International Business Machines said its subsidiary Anderon won a US$1b federal award to build a U.S. quantum chip foundry, alongside a further US$1b IBM commitment to the project. The planned facility is described as the first stand-alone quantum wafer foundry in the U.S., focused on quantum chip manufacturing under CHIPS Act funding. IBM also announced a partnership with regulatory intelligence provider CUBE to integrate real time global AI rule monitoring into watsonx.governance. The Anderon quantum foundry award and CUBE tie up together represent a US$2b quantum and governance push by the company.
Simply Wall St·1dRead more →