BetaShares launches Cybersecurity ETF

Alex Vynokur

BetaShares, a leading Australian ETF manager, yesterday announced the launch of the BetaShares Global Cybersecurity ETF (ASX: HACK).

The cybersecurity sector is on a growth trajectory, with global spending increasing at an annual rate of around 8% since 2011, reaching $US82 billion in 2016, and projected to grow to
over US$100 billion by 2019[1].

HACK aims to track the performance of the leading players in the global cybersecurity
segment. This includes global giants such Symantec and Cisco, as well as emerging leaders
such as the VC-backed cybersecurity success story FireEye, which listed on Nasdaq in 2014
and has since become a leading participant in this fast-moving industry.

“The rapid growth in online activity and the rising number of internet-connected devices
across the globe has had an unfortunate consequence in the equally strong growth of
cybercrime,” said Alex Vynokur, Managing Director of BetaShares.

“Cybersecurity is front of mind for governments, businesses and individuals across the world,
with events like the recent census disruption highlighting the extent to which we are all
susceptible to cybercrime and thus dependent on cybersecurity as a risk-mitigation tool.
“Accordingly, the growth of this sector seems assured for the foreseeable future and HACK
provides investors an easy, cost-effective and transparent way to gain diversified exposure to
some of the world’s leading cybersecurity companies.”

HACK is part of the ‘Global Sectors Series’ from BetaShares – a group of ETFs designed to
provide investors with access to some of the world’s most significant companies, across a
broad range of industries.

Five ETFs from this series have already been launched:

• BetaShares Global Energy Companies ETF – Currency Hedged (ASX: FUEL)
• BetaShares Global Gold Miners ETF – Currency Hedged (ASX: MNRS)
• BetaShares Global Banks ETF – Currency Hedged (ASX: BNKS)
• BetaShares Global Healthcare ETF – Currency Hedged (ASX: DRUG)
• BetaShares Global Agriculture ETF – Currency Hedged (ASX: FOOD).

[1] Source: Gartner Research