Edgy for Most Innovative Goes to Van Eck

With more than 900 ETFs and ETNs currently on the market, it’s getting tougher and tougher for a company to be truly innovative in this space.  However, in this age of “me too” products, one company took a different path and provided investors with access to new markets.

In 2009, Van Eck Global launched seven new ETFs under the Market Vectors brand.  Each and every one of them marked the first time that US investors could access these new markets and asset classes with the ease of an ETF.  Additionally, the Van Eck ETFs managed to avoid the ETF Deathwatch list that hosts many other niche products.

For their outstanding innovation in bringing access to new markets that are truly in demand, the 2009 Edgy Award for Most Innovative ETF Company goes to Van Eck Global.

Here is a rundown of Van Eck’s 2009 ETF launches and the “firsts” they represent.  The links will take you articles written at the time of the launch:

• Market Vectors Indonesia Index ETF (IDX), launched 1/20/2009, is the first ETF to provide single-country access to Indonesia, the world’s fourth most populous nation.
• Market Vectors Pre-Refunded Municipal Index Fund (PRB), launched 2/3/2009, is the first ETF to provide investors with access to the “pre-refunded” segment of the US municipal securities markets.
• Market Vectors High-Yield Municipal Index ETF (HYD), launched 2/5/2009, is the first ETF to provide access to the high-yield segment of the US municipal securities markets.
• Market Vectors Brazil Small-Cap ETF (BRF), launched 5/14/2009, is the first US listed ETF to address Brazil’s small cap segment, what Van Eck refers to as playing the home field of Brazil.
• Market Vectors Vietnam ETF (VNM), launched 8/14/2009, is the first Vietnam ETF and is also the first single-country “frontier market” ETF.
• Market Vectors Junior Gold Miners ETF (GDXJ), launched 11/11/2009, is the first US listed ETF targeting small and mid-cap gold mining companies, often referred to as “junior gold miners”.
• Market Vectors Poland ETF (PLND), launched 11/25/2009, is the first US listed ETF to focus on the emerging market country of Poland.

Additional information on all of Van Eck’s ETF and ETN products can be found on the Van Eck website.

Disclosure covering writer, editor, publisher, and affiliates: Long BRF and GDXJ. No positions in any of the companies or ETF sponsors mentioned.  No income, revenue, or other compensation (either directly or indirectly) received from, or on behalf of, any of the companies or ETF sponsors mentioned.