$1.886 billion profit puts Nasdaq 100 at centre of Betashares report
3 min read
8:59am on Friday 25th of September, 2026 AEST ~8am, 25th Sept, 26
Betashares’ 2026 annual report shows a sharp split across its thematic ETF range, led by a $1.886 billion accounting profit for the Nasdaq 100 ETF and a $97.7 million loss for its Australian technology fund. The report also flags a 24.89% post-year-end fall in the Space Industry ETF’s NAV and a name change for the energy-transition strategy.
- Nasdaq 100 ETF net assets reached $9.322 billion after a $1.886 billion result
- S&P/ASX Australian Technology ETF recorded a $97.697 million loss
- Space Industry ETF NAV fell 24.89% after 30 June 2026
- Energy Transition Metals ETF renamed Betashares Critical Minerals ETF
- All figures are in Australian dollars unless stated otherwise
Betashares’ diversified ETF stable produced anything but a uniform result in the year to 30 June 2026. The Nasdaq 100 ETF (ASX:NDQ) reported a $1.886 billion profit, largely reflecting gains in its listed investments, while the S&P/ASX Australian Technology ETF (ASX:ATEC) swung to a $97.697 million loss after investment losses overwhelmed dividend income.
Nasdaq 100 drives asset growth
NDQ’s net assets climbed to $9.322 billion from $6.504 billion, with its portfolio of financial assets expanding to $9.433 billion. The fund recorded $1.880 billion in net gains on investments, compared with $916.1 million a year earlier, and paid or accrued $132.3 million in distributions, equivalent to 90.12 cents per unit for the period.
Asset growth was not purely a market-performance story. NDQ received $1.172 billion through unit creations, against $118.1 million in redemptions. Related Betashares funds also held 17.53 million NDQ units at year-end, worth $1.113 billion and representing the equivalent of 11.98% of the fund’s closing units based on the reported holdings and unit count.
Other funds also expanded materially. The Asia Technology Tigers ETF (ASX:ASIA) more than doubled its net assets to $1.567 billion and recorded a $747.5 million profit, while the Global Defence ETF (ASX:ARMR) grew to $221.6 million despite posting a $9.643 million loss. The newer MSCI Emerging Markets Complex ETF (ASX:BEMG) finished its first full reported operating period with $162.3 million in net assets and an $18.378 million profit.
Thematic funds expose the market split
ATEC was the clearest weak spot in the report. Its investment portfolio rose in size to $663.2 million after substantial net creations, but the fund’s listed investments generated a $100.651 million net loss, producing a $97.697 million overall loss compared with a $74.601 million profit in the prior year. The accounts also identify a $4.945 million Level 3 holding after Echo IQ (ASX:EIQ) entered a trading halt on 29 June 2026; the halt was lifted on 1 July.
The post-report figures add a more immediate warning for two smaller thematic exposures. Betashares said the Cloud Computing ETF’s net asset value per unit rose 15.12% after year-end, while the Space Industry ETF’s fell 24.89%. Space Industry, which commenced trading on 8 May 2026, ended the reporting period with $51.6 million in net assets but recorded an $11.222 million loss across its shortened first operating period.
The Energy Transition Metals ETF has also changed identity: it became the Betashares Critical Minerals ETF after the close of ASX trading on 3 August 2026. The report contains no indication that the renaming altered the fund’s financial results. For holders, the more consequential distinction remains between the reported NAV and the price at which ETF units trade on the ASX, which Betashares notes can differ.
Bottom Line?
The headline gains sit alongside sharp thematic reversals, leaving portfolio composition, post-year-end NAV moves and the gap between market price and NAV as the key points to track.
Questions in the middle?
- Will the Space Industry ETF’s 24.89% post-period NAV decline persist once a longer trading history develops?
- Can ATEC recover from its $97.697 million investment loss while continuing to attract net creations?
- How will the Critical Minerals renaming affect investor demand and the fund’s positioning among commodity-themed ETFs?
