VanEck (since 2016) <span class="anchor" id="VanEck (2016 to present)">
In March 2016, the firm announced that from May 2016 onwards, it would be using the brand name VanEck and all businesses and investment offerings would be all under the VanEck brand.[7]
In January 2018, VanEck acquired Think ETF Asset Management, a Dutch ETF issuer for an undisclosed sum. It was done to help expand the firm's business in Europe.[5]
In November 2020, VanEck applied for a China retail fund management licence. It had previously set up an office in Shanghai to provide consulting services. The China Securities Regulatory Commission stated in March 2021 that VanEck wasn't among the top firms when it came to AUM but requested for more information. In April 2023, VanEck terminated its application and let go of more than 10 employees who were supposed to be part of its planned China mutual fund team. However it retained a team of few than 10 to seek a private fund business.[8][9]
On March 2, 2021, VanEck launched Vectors Social Sentiment ETF on NYSE Arca under the ticker 'BUZZ'. The funds index composed of stocks that are popular on social media. On its first day of trading it had $280 million of inflows making it one of the 12 best debuts on record. However commentators have stated that its top holdings were large companies such as Twitter and Facebook making it similar to an S&P 500 index that focuses on technology. In addition the constituent members were only rebalanced on a monthly basis so companies such as GameStop, AMC and BlackBerry that had trading frenzies in January that year would not appear. The fund manager could also ignore the index if he saw fit.[10]
VanEck has made multiple attempts to launch VanEck Bitcoin Trust, a spot Bitcoin ETF that is exchange-listed. However, in November 2021, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) rejected the application citing worries over the potential that fraud in the cryptocurrency market will reach regulated exchanges.[5][11] In March 2023, its application was denied for a third time.[12] On January 11, 2024, the SEC approved VanEck VanEck Bitcoin Trust and it started trading on the Chicago Board Options Exchange under the ticker 'HODL'.[13] The SEC approved VanEck's ethereum ETF, the VanEck Ethereum ETF, shortly thereafter and it began trading on July 23, 2024. [14]
In December 2022, VanEck liquidated its Russia ETF products as a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Sanctions had been imposed on Russian companies, meaning they could not be traded as single stocks or within ETFs in the west.[15]
Jan van Eck is currently the firm's chief executive officer and the firm is currently owned by him and his family.[2][5]
