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PROSPECTUS
 September 1, 2022

VANECK®
BDC Income ETF    BIZD
Emerging Markets High Yield Bond ETF    HYEM®
Fallen Angel High Yield Bond ETF    ANGL®
Green Bond ETF    GRNB®
International High Yield Bond ETF    IHY®
IG Floating Rate ETF    FLTR
J.P. Morgan EM Local Currency Bond ETF    EMLC®
Moody's Analytics BBB Corporate Bond ETF    MBBB
Moody's Analytics IG Corporate Bond ETF    MIG
Mortgage REIT Income ETF    MORT®
Preferred Securities ex Financials ETF    PFXF®
Principal U.S. Listing Exchange for BIZD, HYEM, GRNB, IHY, FLTR, EMLC, MORT, PFXF: NYSE Arca, Inc.
Principal U.S. Listing Exchange for ANGL: The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC.
Principal U.S. Listing Exchange for MBBB, MIG: Cboe BZX Exchange, Inc.
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has not approved or disapproved these securities or passed upon the accuracy or adequacy of this Prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
800.826.2333    vaneck.com


TABLE OF CONTENTS
Summary Information
VanEck BDC Income ETF
VanEck Emerging Markets High Yield Bond ETF
VanEck Fallen Angel High Yield Bond ETF
VanEck Green Bond ETF
VanEck International High Yield Bond ETF
VanEck IG Floating Rate ETF
VanEck J.P. Morgan EM Local Currency Bond ETF
VanEck Moody's Analytics BBB Corporate Bond ETF
VanEck Moody's Analytics IG Corporate Bond ETF
VanEck Mortgage REIT Income ETF
VanEck Preferred Securities ex Financials ETF
          Summary Information About Purchases and Sales of Fund Shares, Taxes
          and Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
Additional Information About the Funds’ Investment Strategies and Risks
Tax Advantaged Product Structure
Portfolio Holdings
Management of the Funds
Portfolio Managers
Shareholder Information
Index Providers
MVIS® US Business Development Companies Index
ICE BofA Diversified High Yield US Emerging Markets Corporate Plus Index
ICE US Fallen Angel High Yield 10% Constrained Index
S&P Green Bond U.S. Dollar Select Index
ICE BofA Global Ex-US Issuers High Yield Constrained Index
MVIS® US Investment Grade Floating Rate Index
J.P. Morgan GBI-EM Global Core Index
MVIS® Moody’s Analytics® US BBB Corporate Bond Index
MVIS® Moody’s Analytics® US Investment Grade Corporate Bond Index
MVIS® US Mortgage REITs Index
          ICE Exchange-Listed Fixed & Adjustable Rate Non-Financial Preferred Securities Index
License Agreements and Disclaimers
Financial Highlights
Premium/Discount Information
General Information






SUMMARY INFORMATION
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
VanEck® BDC Income ETF (the “Fund”) seeks to replicate as closely as possible, before fees and expenses, the price and yield performance of the MVIS® US Business Development Companies Index (the “BDC Index”).
FUND FEES AND EXPENSES
The following tables describe the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund (“Shares”). You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the tables and examples below.
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)
None
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Management Fee 0.40  %
Other Expenses(a)
0.01  %
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses(b)
10.51  %
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses(a)
10.92  %
(a) Van Eck Associates Corporation (the “Adviser”) will pay all expenses of the Fund, except for the fee payment under the investment management agreement, acquired fund fees and expenses, interest expense, offering costs, trading expenses, taxes and extraordinary expenses. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Adviser has agreed to pay the offering costs until at least September 1, 2023.
(b) “Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses” include fees and expenses incurred indirectly by the Fund as a result of investments in other investment companies, including business development companies (“BDCs”). Because acquired fund fees and expenses are not borne directly by the Fund, they will not be reflected in the expense information in the Fund’s financial statements and the information presented in the table will differ from that presented in the Fund’s financial highlights included in the Fund’s reports to shareholders.
EXPENSE EXAMPLE
This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. This example does not take into account brokerage commissions that you pay when purchasing or selling Shares of the Fund.
The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell or hold all of your Shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% annual return and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:
YEAR EXPENSES
1 $1,060 
3 $2,995 
5 $4,707 
10 $8,176 
PORTFOLIO TURNOVER
The Fund will pay transaction costs, such as commissions, when it purchases and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover will cause the Fund to incur additional transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, may affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 29% of the average value of its portfolio.
PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES
The Fund normally invests at least 80% of its total assets in securities that comprise the Fund’s benchmark index. The BDC Index is comprised of BDCs. To be eligible for the BDC Index and qualify as a BDC, a company must be organized under the laws of, and have its principal place of business in, the United States, be registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) and have elected to be regulated as a BDC under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended
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(the “1940 Act”). BDCs are vehicles whose principal business is to invest in, lend capital to or provide services to privately-held U.S. companies or thinly traded U.S. public companies. Small- and medium-capitalization BDCs are eligible for inclusion in the BDC Index. As of June 30, 2022, the BDC Index included 25 securities of companies with a market capitalization range of between approximately $395 million to $8.9 billion and a weighted average market capitalization of $4.0 billion. This 80% investment policy is non-fundamental and may be changed without shareholder approval upon 60 days’ prior written notice to shareholders.
The 1940 Act places limits on the percentage of the total outstanding stock of a BDC that may be owned by the Fund; however, an SEC rule applicable to the Fund permits it to invest in BDCs in excess of this limitation if certain conditions are met.
The Fund, using a “passive” or indexing investment approach, attempts to approximate the investment performance of the BDC Index by investing in a portfolio of securities that generally replicates the BDC Index. Unlike many investment companies that try to “beat” the performance of a benchmark index, the Fund does not try to “beat” the BDC Index and does not take temporary defensive positions that are inconsistent with its investment objective of seeking to replicate the BDC Index.
The Fund will concentrate its investments in a particular industry or group of industries to the extent that the BDC Index concentrates in an industry or group of industries. As of April 30, 2022, the financials sector represented a significant portion of the Fund.
PRINCIPAL RISKS OF INVESTING IN THE FUND
Investors in the Fund should be willing to accept a high degree of volatility in the price of the Fund’s Shares and the possibility of significant losses. An investment in the Fund involves a substantial degree of risk. An investment in the Fund is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. Therefore, you should consider carefully the following risks before investing in the Fund, each of which could significantly and adversely affect the value of an investment in the Fund.
Risk of Investing in BDCs. BDCs generally invest in less mature U.S. private companies or thinly traded U.S. public companies which involve greater risk than well-established publicly-traded companies. While the BDCs that comprise the BDC Index are expected to generate income in the form of dividends, certain BDCs during certain periods of time may not generate such income. The Fund will indirectly bear its proportionate share of any management fees and other operating expenses incurred by the BDCs and of any performance-based or incentive fees payable by the BDCs in which it invests, in addition to the expenses paid by the Fund. A BDC’s incentive fee may be very high, vary from year to year and be payable even if the value of the BDC’s portfolio declines in a given time period. Incentive fees may create an incentive for a BDC’s manager to make investments that are risky or more speculative than would be the case in the absence of such compensation arrangements, and may also encourage the BDC’s manager to use leverage to increase the return on the BDC’s investments. The use of leverage by BDCs magnifies gains and losses on amounts invested and increases the risks associated with investing in BDCs. A BDC may make investments with a larger amount of risk of volatility and loss of principal than other investment options and may also be highly speculative and aggressive.
The 1940 Act imposes certain constraints upon the operations of a BDC. For example, BDCs are required to invest at least 70% of their total assets primarily in securities of U.S. private companies or thinly traded U.S. public companies, cash, cash equivalents, U.S. government securities and high quality debt investments that mature in one year or less. Generally, little public information exists for private and thinly traded companies in which a BDC may invest and there is a risk that investors may not be able to make a fully informed evaluation of a BDC and its portfolio of investments. With respect to investments in debt instruments, there is a risk that the issuers of such instruments may default on their payments or declare bankruptcy. Many debt investments in which a BDC may invest will not be rated by a credit rating agency and will be below investment grade quality. These investments are commonly referred to as “junk bonds” and have predominantly speculative characteristics with respect to an issuer’s capacity to make payments of interest and principal. Although lower grade securities are potentially higher yielding, they are also characterized by high risk. In addition, the secondary market for lower grade securities may be less liquid than that of higher rated securities.
Certain BDCs may also be difficult to value since many of the assets of BDCs do not have readily ascertainable market values. Therefore, such assets are most often recorded at fair value, in good faith, in accordance with valuation procedures adopted by such companies, which may potentially result in material differences between a BDC’s net asset value (“NAV”) per share and its market value.
Additionally, a BDC may only incur indebtedness in amounts such that the BDC’s asset coverage ratio of total assets to total senior securities equals at least 150% after such incurrence. These limitations on asset mix and leverage may affect the way that the BDC raises capital. BDCs compete with other entities for the types of investments they make, and such entities are not necessarily subject to the same investment constraints as BDCs.
To comply with provisions of the 1940 Act and SEC regulations thereunder, the Adviser may be required to vote BDC shares in the same general proportion as shares held by other shareholders of the BDC.
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To qualify and remain eligible for the special tax treatment accorded to regulated investment companies (“RICs”) and their shareholders under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Internal Revenue Code”), the BDCs in which the Fund invests must meet certain source-of-income, asset diversification and annual distribution requirements. If a BDC in which the Fund invests fails to qualify as a regulated investment company, such BDC would be liable for federal, and possibly state, corporate taxes on its taxable income and gains. Such failure by a BDC could substantially reduce the BDC’s net assets and the amount of income available for distribution to the Fund, which would in turn decrease the total return of the Fund in respect of such investment.
Investment Restrictions Risk. The Fund is subject to the conditions set forth in certain provisions of the 1940 Act and SEC regulations thereunder that limit the amount that the Fund and its affiliates, in the aggregate, can invest in the outstanding voting securities of any one BDC. The Fund and its affiliates may not acquire “control” of an unaffiliated BDC, which is presumed once ownership of a BDC’s outstanding voting securities exceeds 25%. This limitation could inhibit the Fund’s ability to purchase one or more BDCs in the BDC Index in the proportions represented in the BDC Index. In these circumstances, the Fund would be required to use sampling techniques, which could increase the risk of tracking error.
Risk of Investing in the Financials Sector. The Fund will be sensitive to, and its performance will depend to a greater extent on, the overall condition of the financials sector. Companies in the financials sector may be subject to extensive government regulation that affects the scope of their activities, the prices they can charge and the amount of capital they must maintain. The profitability of companies in the financials sector may be adversely affected by increases in interest rates, by loan losses, which usually increase in economic downturns, and by credit rating downgrades. In addition, the financials sector is undergoing numerous changes, including continuing consolidations, development of new products and structures and changes to its regulatory framework. Furthermore, some companies in the financials sector perceived as benefitting from government intervention in the past may be subject to future government-imposed restrictions on their businesses or face increased government involvement in their operations. Increased government involvement in the financials sector, including measures such as taking ownership positions in financial institutions, could result in a dilution of the Fund’s investments in financial institutions.
Risk of Investing in Small- and Medium-Capitalization Companies. Small- and medium-capitalization companies may be more volatile and more likely than large-capitalization companies to have narrower product lines, fewer financial resources, less management depth and experience and less competitive strength. In addition, these companies often have greater price volatility, lower trading volume and less liquidity than larger more established companies. Returns on investments in securities of small- and medium-capitalization companies could trail the returns on investments in securities of large-capitalization companies.
Equity Securities Risk. The value of the equity securities held by the Fund may fall due to general market and economic conditions, perceptions regarding the markets in which the issuers of securities held by the Fund participate, or factors relating to specific issuers in which the Fund invests. Equity securities are subordinated to preferred securities and debt in a company’s capital structure with respect to priority in right to a share of corporate income, and therefore will be subject to greater dividend risk than preferred securities or debt instruments. In addition, while broad market measures of equity securities have historically generated higher average returns than fixed income securities, equity securities have generally also experienced significantly more volatility in those returns, although under certain market conditions fixed income securities may have comparable or greater price volatility.
Market Risk. The prices of the securities in the Fund are subject to the risks associated with investing in the securities market, including general economic conditions, sudden and unpredictable drops in value, exchange trading suspensions and closures and public health risks. These risks may be magnified if certain social, political, economic and other conditions and events (such as natural disasters, epidemics and pandemics, terrorism, conflicts and social unrest) adversely interrupt the global economy; in these and other circumstances, such events or developments might affect companies world-wide. An investment in the Fund may lose money.
Operational Risk. The Fund is exposed to operational risk arising from a number of factors, including, but not limited to, human error, processing and communication errors, errors of the Fund’s service providers, counterparties or other third parties, failed or inadequate processes and technology or system failures.
Index Tracking Risk. The Fund’s return may not match the return of the BDC Index for a number of reasons. For example, the Fund incurs a number of operating expenses, including taxes, not applicable to the BDC Index and incurs costs associated with buying and selling securities, especially when rebalancing the Fund’s securities holdings to reflect changes in the composition of the BDC Index or (to the extent the Fund effects creations and redemptions for cash) raising cash to meet redemptions or deploying cash in connection with newly created Creation Units (defined herein), which are not factored into the return of the BDC Index. Transaction costs, including brokerage costs, will decrease the Fund’s NAV to the extent not offset by the transaction fee payable by an Authorized Participant (“AP”). Market disruptions and regulatory restrictions could have an adverse effect on the Fund’s ability to adjust its exposure to the required levels in order to track the BDC Index. Errors in the BDC Index data, the BDC Index computations and/or the construction of the BDC Index in accordance with its methodology may occur from time to time and may not be identified and corrected by the BDC Index provider for a period of time or at all, which may have an adverse impact on the Fund and its shareholders. Shareholders should understand that any gains from the BDC Index provider's errors will be kept by the Fund and its shareholders and any losses or costs resulting from the BDC Index provider's
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errors will be borne by the Fund and its shareholders. When the BDC Index is rebalanced and the Fund in turn rebalances its portfolio to attempt to increase the correlation between the Fund’s portfolio and the BDC Index, any transaction costs and market exposure arising from such portfolio rebalancing will be borne directly by the Fund and its shareholders. Apart from scheduled rebalances, the BDC Index provider or its agents may carry out additional ad hoc rebalances to the BDC Index. Therefore, errors and additional ad hoc rebalances carried out by the BDC Index provider or its agents to the BDC Index may increase the costs to and the tracking error risk of the Fund. The Fund’s performance may also deviate from the return of the BDC Index due to legal restrictions or limitations imposed by the governments of certain countries, certain listing standards of the Fund’s listing exchange (the “Exchange”), a lack of liquidity on stock exchanges in which such securities trade, potential adverse tax consequences or other regulatory reasons (such as diversification requirements). The Fund may value certain of its investments, underlying securities and/or currencies, and/or other assets based on fair value prices. To the extent the Fund calculates its NAV based on fair value prices and the value of the BDC Index is based on securities’ closing prices (i.e., the value of the BDC Index is not based on fair value prices), the Fund’s ability to track the BDC Index may be adversely affected. When markets are volatile, the ability to sell securities at fair value prices may be adversely impacted and may result in additional trading costs and/or increase the index tracking risk. The Fund may also need to rely on borrowings to meet redemptions, which may lead to increased expenses. For tax efficiency purposes, the Fund may sell certain securities, and such sale may cause the Fund to realize a loss and deviate from the performance of the BDC Index. In light of the factors discussed above, the Fund’s return may deviate significantly from the return of the BDC Index. Changes to the composition of the BDC Index in connection with a rebalancing or reconstitution of the BDC Index may cause the Fund to experience increased volatility, during which time the Fund’s index tracking risk may be heightened.
Authorized Participant Concentration Risk. The Fund may have a limited number of financial institutions that act as APs, none of which are obligated to engage in creation and/or redemption transactions. To the extent that those APs exit the business, or are unable to or choose not to process creation and/or redemption orders, and no other AP is able to step forward to create and redeem, there may be a significantly diminished trading market for Shares or Shares may trade like closed-end funds at a greater discount (or premium) to net asset value (“NAV”) and possibly face trading halts and/or de-listing. The AP concentration risk may be heightened in scenarios where APs have limited or diminished access to the capital required to post collateral.
No Guarantee of Active Trading Market. While Shares are listed on the Exchange, there can be no assurance that an active trading market for the Shares will be maintained. Further, secondary markets may be subject to irregular trading activity, wide bid/ask spreads and extended trade settlement periods in times of market stress because market makers and APs may step away from making a market in the Shares and in executing creation and redemption orders, which could cause a material deviation in the Fund’s market price from its NAV.
Trading Issues. Trading in Shares on the Exchange may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the Exchange, make trading in Shares inadvisable. In addition, trading in Shares on the Exchange is subject to trading halts caused by extraordinary market volatility pursuant to the Exchange’s “circuit breaker” rules. There can be no assurance that the requirements of the Exchange necessary to maintain the listing of the Fund will continue to be met or will remain unchanged.
Passive Management Risk. An investment in the Fund involves risks similar to those of investing in any fund invested in equity securities traded on an exchange, such as market fluctuations caused by such factors as economic and political developments, changes in interest rates and perceived trends in security prices. However, because the Fund is not “actively” managed, unless a specific security is removed from the BDC Index, the Fund generally would not sell a security because the security’s issuer was in financial trouble. Additionally, unusual market conditions may cause the BDC Index provider to postpone a scheduled rebalance or reconstitution, which could cause the BDC Index to vary from its normal or expected composition. Therefore, the Fund’s performance could be lower than funds that may actively shift their portfolio assets to take advantage of market opportunities or to lessen the impact of a market decline or a decline in the value of one or more issuers.
Fund Shares Trading, Premium/Discount Risk and Liquidity of Fund Shares. The market price of the Shares may fluctuate in response to the Fund’s NAV, the intraday value of the Fund’s holdings and supply and demand for Shares. The Adviser cannot predict whether Shares will trade above, below, or at their most recent NAV. Disruptions to creations and redemptions, the existence of market volatility or potential lack of an active trading market for Shares (including through a trading halt), as well as other factors, may result in Shares trading at a significant premium or discount to NAV or to the intraday value of the Fund’s holdings. If a shareholder purchases Shares at a time when the market price is at a premium to the NAV or sells Shares at a time when the market price is at a discount to the NAV, the shareholder may pay significantly more or receive significantly less than the underlying value of the Shares that were bought or sold or the shareholder may be unable to sell his or her Shares. The securities held by the Fund may be traded in markets that close at a different time than the Exchange. Liquidity in those securities may be reduced after the applicable closing times. Accordingly, during the time when the Exchange is open but after the applicable market closing, fixing or settlement times, bid/ask spreads on the Exchange and the resulting premium or discount to the Shares’ NAV may widen. Additionally, in stressed market conditions, the market for the Fund’s Shares may become less liquid in response to deteriorating liquidity in the markets for the Fund’s underlying portfolio holdings. There are various methods by which investors can purchase and sell Shares. Investors should consult their financial intermediaries before purchasing or selling Shares of the Fund.
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Issuer-Specific Changes Risk. The value of individual securities or particular types of securities can be more volatile than the market as a whole and can perform differently from the value of the market as a whole, which may have a greater impact if the Fund’s portfolio is concentrated in a country, group of countries, region, market, industry, group of industries, sector or asset class. The value of securities of smaller issuers can be more volatile than that of larger issuers.
Concentration Risk. The Fund’s assets may be concentrated in a particular sector or sectors or industry or group of industries to the extent the BDC Index concentrates in a particular sector or sectors or industry or group of industries. To the extent that the Fund is concentrated in a particular sector or sectors or industry or group of industries, the Fund will be subject to the risk that economic, political or other conditions that have a negative effect on those sectors and/or industries may negatively impact the Fund to a greater extent than if the Fund’s assets were invested in a wider variety of sectors or industries.
PERFORMANCE
The bar chart that follows shows how the Fund performed for the calendar years shown. The table below the bar chart shows the Fund’s average annual returns (before and after taxes). The bar chart and table provide an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by comparing the Fund’s performance from year to year and by showing how the Fund’s average annual returns for the one year, five year, ten year and/or since inception periods, as applicable, compared with the Fund’s benchmark index and a broad measure of market performance. All returns assume reinvestment of dividends and distributions. The Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available online at www.vaneck.com.
Annual Total Returns (%)—Calendar Years
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The year-to-date total annual return as of June 30, 2022 was -10.64%.
Best Quarter: 34.34% 2Q 2020
Worst Quarter: -42.78% 1Q 2020
Average Annual Total Returns for the Periods Ended December 31, 2021
The after-tax returns presented in the table below are calculated using the highest historical individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Your actual after-tax returns will depend on your specific tax situation and may differ from those shown below. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold Shares of the Fund through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.
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Past One Year Past Five Years
Since Inception
(2/11/2013)
VanEck BDC Income ETF
(return before taxes)
39.82% 9.52% 7.48%
VanEck BDC Income ETF
(return after taxes on distributions)
34.04% 5.16% 3.61%
VanEck BDC Income ETF
(return after taxes on distributions and sale of Fund Shares)
23.28% 5.18% 3.82%
MVIS US Business Development Companies Index
(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
37.38% 9.06% 7.50%
S&P 500® Index
(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
28.71% 18.47% 16.01%
See “License Agreements and Disclaimers” for important information.
PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT
Investment Adviser. Van Eck Associates Corporation.
Portfolio Manager. The following individual is primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund’s portfolio:
Name Title with Adviser Date Began Managing the Fund
Peter H. Liao Portfolio Manager February 2013
PURCHASE AND SALE OF FUND SHARES
For important information about the purchase and sale of Fund Shares, tax information, and payments to broker-dealers and other financial intermediaries, please turn to the “Summary Information About Purchases and Sales of Fund Shares, Taxes and Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries” section of this Prospectus.
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SUMMARY INFORMATION
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
VanEck® Emerging Markets High Yield Bond ETF (the “Fund”) seeks to replicate as closely as possible, before fees and expenses, the price and yield performance of ICE BofA Diversified High Yield US Emerging Markets Corporate Plus Index (the “Emerging Markets High Yield Index”).
FUND FEES AND EXPENSES
The following tables describe the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund (“Shares”). You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the tables and examples below.
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)
None
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Management Fee 0.40  %
Other Expenses(a)
0.00  %
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses(a)
0.40  %
(a)Van Eck Associates Corporation (the “Adviser”) will pay all expenses of the Fund, except for the fee payment under the investment management agreement, acquired fund fees and expenses, interest expense, offering costs, trading expenses, taxes and extraordinary expenses. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Adviser has agreed to pay the offering costs until at least September 1, 2023.
EXPENSE EXAMPLE
This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. This example does not take into account brokerage commissions that you pay when purchasing or selling Shares of the Fund.
The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell or hold all of your Shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% annual return and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:
YEAR EXPENSES
1 $41 
3 $128 
5 $224 
10 $505 
PORTFOLIO TURNOVER
The Fund will pay transaction costs, such as commissions, when it purchases and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover will cause the Fund to incur additional transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, may affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 34% of the average value of its portfolio.
PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES
The Fund normally invests at least 80% of its total assets in securities that comprise the Fund’s benchmark index. The Emerging Markets High Yield Index is comprised of U.S. dollar denominated bonds issued by non-sovereign emerging market issuers that have a below investment grade rating and that are issued in the major domestic and Eurobond markets.
In order to qualify for inclusion in the Emerging Markets High Yield Index, an issuer must have risk exposure to countries other than members of the FX Group of Ten, all Western European countries and territories of the United States and Western European countries.
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The FX Group of Ten includes all Euro members, Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom (“UK”) and the United States. As of June 30, 2022, the Emerging Markets High Yield Index included 661 below investment grade bonds of 367 issuers and the weighted average maturity of the Emerging Markets High Yield Index was 5.49 years. As of the same date, approximately 63% of the Emerging Markets High Yield Index was comprised of Rule 144A securities. Such bonds may include quasi-sovereign bonds. The Fund’s 80% investment policy is non-fundamental and may be changed without shareholder approval upon 60 days’ prior written notice to shareholders.
The Fund, using a “passive” or indexing investment approach, attempts to approximate the investment performance of the Emerging Markets High Yield Index. Unlike many investment companies that try to “beat” the performance of a benchmark index, the Fund does not try to “beat” the Emerging Markets High Yield Index and does not take temporary defensive positions that are inconsistent with its investment objective of seeking to replicate the Emerging Markets High Yield Index. Because of the practical difficulties and expense of purchasing all of the securities in the Emerging Markets High Yield Index, the Fund does not purchase all of the securities in the Emerging Markets High Yield Index. Instead, the Adviser utilizes a “sampling” methodology in seeking to achieve the Fund’s objective. As such, the Fund may purchase a subset of the bonds in the Emerging Markets High Yield Index in an effort to hold a portfolio of bonds with generally the same risk and return characteristics of the Emerging Markets High Yield Index.
The Fund may concentrate its investments in a particular industry or group of industries to the extent that the Emerging Markets High Yield Index concentrates in an industry or group of industries. As of April 30, 2022, each of the financials, energy and basic materials sectors represented a significant portion of the Fund.
PRINCIPAL RISKS OF INVESTING IN THE FUND
Investors in the Fund should be willing to accept a high degree of volatility in the price of the Fund’s Shares and the possibility of significant losses. An investment in the Fund involves a substantial degree of risk. An investment in the Fund is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. Therefore, you should consider carefully the following risks before investing in the Fund, each of which could significantly and adversely affect the value of an investment in the Fund.
High Yield Securities Risk. Securities rated below investment grade are commonly referred to as high yield securities or “junk bonds.” High yield securities are often issued by issuers that are restructuring, are smaller or less creditworthy than other issuers, or are more highly indebted than other issuers. High yield securities are subject to greater risk of loss of income and principal than higher rated securities and are considered speculative. The prices of high yield securities are likely to be more sensitive to adverse economic changes or individual issuer developments than higher rated securities. During an economic downturn or substantial period of rising interest rates, high yield security issuers may experience financial stress that would adversely affect their ability to service their principal and interest payment obligations, to meet their projected business goals or to obtain additional financing. In the event of a default, the Fund may incur additional expenses to seek recovery. The secondary market for securities that are high yield securities may be less liquid than the markets for higher quality securities, and high yield securities issued by non-corporate issuers may be less liquid than high yield securities issued by corporate issuers, which, in either instance, may have an adverse effect on the market prices of and the Fund’s ability to arrive at a fair value for certain securities. The illiquidity of the market also could make it difficult for the Fund to sell certain securities in connection with a rebalancing of the Emerging Markets High Yield Index. In addition, periods of economic uncertainty and change may result in an increased volatility of market prices of high yield securities and a corresponding volatility in the Fund’s net asset value (“NAV”).
Special Risk Considerations of Investing in European Issuers. Investments in securities of European issuers involve risks and special considerations not typically associated with investments in the U.S. securities markets. The Economic and Monetary Union ("EMU") of the European Union ("EU") requires member countries to comply with restrictions on inflation rates, deficits, interest rates, debt levels and fiscal and monetary controls, each of which may significantly affect every country in Europe. Decreasing imports or exports, changes in governmental or EU regulations on trade, changes in the exchange rate of the euro, the default or threat of default by an EU member country on its sovereign debt, and/or an economic recession in an EU member country may have a significant adverse effect on the economies of EU member countries and on major trading partners outside Europe. The European financial markets have previously experienced, and may continue to experience, volatility and have been adversely affected, and may in the future be affected, by concerns about economic downturns, credit rating downgrades, rising government debt levels and possible default on or restructuring of government debt in several European countries. These events have adversely affected, and may in the future affect, the value and exchange rate of the euro and may continue to significantly affect the economies of every country in Europe, including EU member countries that do not use the euro and non-EU member countries. In a referendum held on June 23, 2016, voters in the UK voted to leave the EU, creating economic and political uncertainty in its wake. On January 31, 2020, the UK officially withdrew from the EU and the UK entered a transition period which ended on December 31, 2020. On December 30, 2020, the EU and UK signed the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement ("TCA"), an agreement on the terms governing certain aspects of the EU's and the UK's relationship following the end of the transition period. Notwithstanding the TCA, following the transition period, there is likely to be considerable uncertainly as to the UK's post-transition framework.
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Special Risk Considerations of Investing in Asian Issuers. Investments in securities of Asian issuers involve risks and special considerations not typically associated with investment in the U.S. securities markets. Certain Asian economies have experienced over-extension of credit, currency devaluations and restrictions, high unemployment, high inflation, decreased exports and economic recessions. Economic events in any one Asian country can have a significant effect on the entire Asian region as well as on major trading partners outside Asia, and any adverse effect on some or all of the Asian countries and regions in which the Fund invests. The securities markets in some Asian economies are relatively underdeveloped and may subject the Fund to higher action costs or greater uncertainty than investments in more developed securities markets. Such risks may adversely affect the value of the Fund’s investments.
Special Risk Considerations of Investing in Latin American Issuers. Investments in securities of Latin American issuers involve special considerations not typically associated with investments in the U.S. securities markets. The economies of certain Latin American countries have, at times, experienced high interest rates, economic volatility, inflation, currency devaluations and high unemployment rates. In addition, commodities (such as oil, gas and minerals) represent a significant percentage of the region’s exports and many economies in this region are particularly sensitive to fluctuations in commodity prices. Adverse economic events in one country may have a significant adverse effect on other countries of this region.
Most Latin American countries have experienced, at one time or another, severe and persistent levels of inflation, including, in some cases, hyperinflation. This has, in turn, led to high interest rates, extreme measures by governments to keep inflation in check, and a generally debilitating effect on economic growth. Although inflation in many Latin American countries has lessened, there is no guarantee it will remain at lower levels.
The political history of certain Latin American countries has been characterized by political uncertainty, intervention by the military in civilian and economic spheres, and political corruption. Such events could reverse favorable trends toward market and economic reform, privatization, and removal of trade barriers, and could result in significant disruption in securities markets in the region.
The economies of Latin American countries are generally considered emerging markets and can be significantly affected by currency devaluations. Certain Latin American countries may also have managed currencies which are maintained at artificial levels relative to the U.S. dollar rather than at levels determined by the market. This type of system can lead to sudden and large adjustments in the currency which, in turn, can have a disruptive and negative effect on foreign investors. Certain Latin American countries also restrict the free conversion of their currency into foreign currencies, including the U.S. dollar. There is no significant foreign exchange market for many Latin American currencies and it would, as a result, be difficult for the Fund to engage in foreign currency transactions designed to protect the value of the Fund’s interests in securities denominated in such currencies.
Finally, a number of Latin American countries are among the largest debtors of developing countries. There have been moratoria on, and a rescheduling of, repayment with respect to these debts. Such events can restrict the flexibility of these debtor nations in the international markets and result in the imposition of onerous conditions on their economies.
Special Risk Considerations of Investing in Chinese Issuers. Investments in securities of Chinese issuers, including issuers located outside of China that generate significant revenues from China, involve certain risks and considerations not typically associated with investments in the U.S. securities markets. These risks include, among others, (i) more frequent (and potentially widespread) trading suspensions and government interventions with respect to Chinese issuers resulting in lack of liquidity and in price volatility, (ii) currency revaluations and other currency exchange rate fluctuations or blockage, (iii) the nature and extent of intervention by the Chinese government in the Chinese securities markets, whether such intervention will continue and the impact of such intervention or its discontinuation, (iv) the risk of nationalization or expropriation of assets, (v) the risk that the Chinese government may decide not to continue to support economic reform programs, (vi) limitations on the use of brokers, (vii) higher rates of inflation, (viii) greater political, economic and social uncertainty, (ix) market volatility caused by any potential regional or territorial conflicts or natural disasters and (x) the risk of increased trade tariffs, embargoes, sanctions, investment restrictions and other trade limitations. Certain securities are, or may in the future become restricted, and the Fund may be forced to sell such restricted securities and incur a loss as a result. In addition, the economy of China differs, often unfavorably, from the U.S. economy in such respects as structure, general development, government involvement, wealth distribution, rate of inflation, growth rate, interest rates, allocation of resources and capital reinvestment, among others. The Chinese central government has historically exercised substantial control over virtually every sector of the Chinese economy through administrative regulation and/or state ownership and actions of the Chinese central and local government authorities continue to have a substantial effect on economic conditions in China. In addition, previously the Chinese government has from time to time taken actions that influence the prices at which certain goods may be sold, encourage companies to invest or concentrate in particular industries, induce mergers between companies in certain industries and induce private companies to publicly offer their securities to increase or continue the rate of economic growth, control the rate of inflation or otherwise regulate economic expansion. The Chinese government may do so in the future as well, potentially having a significant adverse effect on economic conditions in China.
Special Risk Considerations of Investing in Brazilian Issuers. Investments in securities of Brazilian issuers, including issuers located outside of Brazil that generate significant revenues from Brazil, involve risks and special considerations not typically associated with investments in the U.S. securities markets. The Brazilian economy has been characterized by frequent, and occasionally drastic, interventions by the Brazilian government, including the imposition of wage and price controls, exchange
9


controls, limiting imports, blocking access to bank accounts and other measures. The Brazilian government has often changed monetary, taxation, credit, trade and other policies to influence the core of Brazil’s economy. Actions taken by the Brazilian government concerning the economy may have significant effects on Brazilian companies and on market conditions and prices of Brazilian securities. Brazil’s economy may be subject to sluggish economic growth due to, among other things, weak consumer spending, political turmoil, high rates of inflation and low commodity prices. Brazil suffers from chronic structural public sector deficits. The Brazilian government has privatized certain entities, which have suffered losses due to, among other things, the inability to adjust to a competitive environment.
The market for Brazilian securities is directly influenced by the flow of international capital, and economic and market conditions of certain countries, especially emerging market countries. As a result, adverse economic conditions or developments in other emerging market countries have at times significantly affected the availability of credit in the Brazilian economy and resulted in considerable outflows of funds and declines in the amount of foreign currency invested in Brazil.
Investments in Brazilian securities may be subject to certain restrictions on foreign investment. Brazilian law provides that whenever a serious imbalance in Brazil’s balance of payments exists or is anticipated, the Brazilian government may impose temporary restrictions on the remittance to foreign investors of the proceeds of their investment in Brazil and on the conversion of the Brazilian real into foreign currency.
Brazil has historically experienced high rates of inflation and a high level of debt, each of which may constrain economic growth. Brazil suffers from high levels of corruption, crime and income disparity. The Brazilian economy is also heavily dependent upon commodity prices and international trade. Unanticipated political or social developments may result in sudden and significant investment losses. An increase in prices for commodities, such as petroleum, the depreciation of the Brazilian real and future governmental measures seeking to maintain the value of the Brazilian real in relation to the U.S. dollar, may trigger increases in inflation in Brazil and may slow the rate of growth of the Brazilian economy. Conversely, appreciation of the Brazilian real relative to the U.S. dollar may lead to the deterioration of Brazil’s current account and balance of payments as well as limit the growth of exports.
Risk of Investing in Foreign Securities. Investments in the securities of foreign issuers involve risks beyond those associated with investments in U.S. securities. These additional risks include greater market volatility, the availability of less reliable financial information, higher transactional and custody costs, taxation by foreign governments, decreased market liquidity and political instability. Because certain foreign securities markets may be limited in size, the activity of large traders may have an undue influence on the prices of securities that trade in such markets. The Fund invests in securities of issuers located in countries whose economies are heavily dependent upon trading with key partners. Any reduction in this trading may have an adverse impact on the Fund’s investments.
Risk of Investing in Emerging Market Issuers. Investments in securities of emerging market issuers are exposed to a number of risks that may make these investments volatile in price or difficult to trade. Emerging markets are more likely than developed markets to experience problems with the clearing and settling of trades, as well as the holding of securities by local banks, agents and depositories. Political risks may include unstable governments, nationalization, restrictions on foreign ownership, laws that prevent investors from getting their money out of a country and legal systems that do not protect property rights as well as the laws of the United States. Market risks may include economies that concentrate in only a few industries, securities issues that are held by only a few investors, liquidity issues and limited trading capacity in local exchanges and the possibility that markets or issues may be manipulated by foreign nationals who have inside information. The frequency, availability and quality of financial information about investments in emerging markets varies. The Fund has limited rights and few practical remedies in emerging markets and the ability of U.S. authorities to bring enforcement actions in emerging markets may be limited, and the Fund's passive investment approach does not take account of these risks. All of these factors can make emerging market securities more volatile and potentially less liquid than securities issued in more developed markets.
Foreign Currency Risk. Because all or a portion of the income received by the Fund from its investments and/or the revenues received by the underlying issuer will generally be denominated in foreign currencies, the Fund’s exposure to foreign currencies and changes in the value of foreign currencies versus the U.S. dollar may result in reduced returns for the Fund, and the value of certain foreign currencies may be subject to a high degree of fluctuation. Moreover, the Fund may incur costs in connection with conversions between U.S. dollars and foreign currencies.
Credit Risk. Bonds are subject to credit risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable and/or unwilling to make timely interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt or to otherwise honor its obligations and/or default completely. Bonds are subject to varying degrees of credit risk, depending on the issuer’s financial condition and on the terms of the securities, which may be reflected in credit ratings. There is a possibility that the credit rating of a bond may be downgraded after purchase or the perception of an issuer’s credit worthiness may decline, which may adversely affect the value of the security.
Interest Rate Risk. Debt securities, such as bonds, are subject to interest rate risk. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a bond resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most debt securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most debt securities go
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up. Many factors can cause interest rates to rise, including central bank monetary policy, rising inflation rates and general economic conditions. The prevailing historically low interest rate environment increases the risks associated with rising interest rates, including the potential for periods of volatility and increased redemptions. In addition, debt securities with longer durations tend to be more sensitive to interest rate changes, usually making them more volatile than debt securities with shorter durations. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, as with other serious economic disruptions, governmental authorities and regulators are enacting significant fiscal and monetary policy changes, including providing direct capital infusions into companies, creating new monetary programs and lowering interest rates. These actions present heightened risks to debt instruments, and such risks could increase if these actions are unexpectedly or suddenly reversed or are ineffective in achieving their desired outcomes.
Restricted Securities Risk. Regulation S and Rule 144A securities are restricted securities. Restricted securities are securities that are not registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). They may be less liquid and more difficult to value than other investments because such securities may not be readily marketable. The Fund may not be able to purchase or sell a restricted security promptly or at a reasonable time or price. Although there may be a substantial institutional market for these securities, it is not possible to predict exactly how the market for such securities will develop or whether it will continue to exist. A restricted security that was liquid at the time of purchase may subsequently become illiquid and its value may decline as a result. In addition, transaction costs may be higher for restricted securities than for more liquid securities. The Fund may have to bear the expense of registering restricted securities for resale and the risk of substantial delays in effecting the registration.
Risk of Investing in the Financials Sector. The Fund will be sensitive to, and its performance will depend to a greater extent on, the overall condition of the financials sector. Companies in the financials sector may be subject to extensive government regulation that affects the scope of their activities, the prices they can charge and the amount of capital they must maintain. The profitability of companies in the financials sector may be adversely affected by increases in interest rates, by loan losses, which usually increase in economic downturns, and by credit rating downgrades. In addition, the financials sector is undergoing numerous changes, including continuing consolidations, development of new products and structures and changes to its regulatory framework. Furthermore, some companies in the financials sector perceived as benefitting from government intervention in the past may be subject to future government-imposed restrictions on their businesses or face increased government involvement in their operations. Increased government involvement in the financials sector, including measures such as taking ownership positions in financial institutions, could result in a dilution of the Fund’s investments in financial institutions.
Risk of Investing in the Energy Sector. The Fund will be sensitive to, and its performance will depend to a greater extent on, the overall condition of the energy sector. Companies operating in the energy sector are subject to risks including, but not limited to, economic growth, worldwide demand, political instability in the regions that the companies operate, government regulation stipulating rates charged by utilities, interest rate sensitivity, oil price volatility, energy conservation, environmental policies, depletion of resources, the cost of providing the specific utility services and other factors that they cannot control. Oil prices are subject to significant volatility, which has adversely impacted companies operating in the energy sector. In addition, these companies are at risk of civil liability from accidents resulting in injury, loss of life or property, pollution or other environmental damage claims and risk of loss from terrorism and natural disasters. A downturn in the energy sector of the economy, adverse political, legislative or regulatory developments or other events could have a larger impact on the Fund than on an investment company that does not invest a substantial portion of its assets in the energy sector. At times, the performance of securities of companies in the energy sector may lag the performance of other sectors or the broader market as a whole. The price of oil, natural gas and other fossil fuels may decline and/or experience significant volatility, which could adversely impact companies operating in the energy sector.
Risk of Investing in the Basic Materials Sector. The Fund will be sensitive to, and its performance will depend to a greater extent on, the overall condition of the basic materials sector. Companies engaged in the production and distribution of basic materials may be adversely affected by changes in world events, political and economic conditions, energy conservation, environmental policies, commodity price volatility, changes in exchange rates, imposition of import controls, increased competition, depletion of resources and labor relations.
Market Risk. The prices of the securities in the Fund are subject to the risks associated with investing in the securities market, including general economic conditions, sudden and unpredictable drops in value, exchange trading suspensions and closures and public health risks. These risks may be magnified if certain social, political, economic and other conditions and events (such as natural disasters, epidemics and pandemics, terrorism, conflicts and social unrest) adversely interrupt the global economy; in these and other circumstances, such events or developments might affect companies world-wide. An investment in the Fund may lose money.
Operational Risk. The Fund is exposed to operational risk arising from a number of factors, including, but not limited to, human error, processing and communication errors, errors of the Fund’s service providers, counterparties or other third parties, failed or inadequate processes and technology or system failures.

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Call Risk. The Fund may invest in callable bonds. If interest rates fall, it is possible that issuers of callable securities will “call” (or prepay) their bonds before their maturity date. If a call were exercised by the issuer during or following a period of declining interest rates, the Fund is likely to have to replace such called security with a lower yielding security or securities with greater risks or other less favorable features. If that were to happen, it would decrease the Fund’s net investment income.
Sampling Risk. The Fund’s use of a representative sampling approach will result in its holding a smaller number of securities than are in the Emerging Markets High Yield Index. As a result, an adverse development respecting an issuer of securities held by the Fund could result in a greater decline in NAV than would be the case if the Fund held all of the securities in the Emerging Markets High Yield Index. Conversely, a positive development relating to an issuer of securities in the Emerging Markets High Yield Index that is not held by the Fund could cause the Fund to underperform the Emerging Markets High Yield Index. To the extent the assets in the Fund are smaller, these risks will be greater.
Index Tracking Risk. The Fund’s return may not match the return of the Emerging Markets High Yield Index for a number of reasons. For example, the Fund incurs a number of operating expenses, including taxes, not applicable to the Emerging Markets High Yield Index and incurs costs associated with buying and selling securities, especially when rebalancing the Fund’s securities holdings to reflect changes in the composition of the Emerging Markets High Yield Index or (to the extent the Fund effects creations and redemptions for cash) raising cash to meet redemptions or deploying cash in connection with newly created Creation Units (defined herein), which are not factored into the return of the Emerging Markets High Yield Index. Transaction costs, including brokerage costs, will decrease the Fund’s NAV to the extent not offset by the transaction fee payable by an Authorized Participant (“AP”). Market disruptions and regulatory restrictions could have an adverse effect on the Fund’s ability to adjust its exposure to the required levels in order to track the Emerging Markets High Yield Index. Errors in the Emerging Markets High Yield Index data, the Emerging Markets High Yield Index computations and/or the construction of the Emerging Markets High Yield Index in accordance with its methodology may occur from time to time and may not be identified and corrected by the Emerging Markets High Yield Index provider for a period of time or at all, which may have an adverse impact on the Fund and its shareholders. Shareholders should understand that any gains from the Emerging Markets High Yield Index provider's errors will be kept by the Fund and its shareholders and any losses or costs resulting from the Emerging Markets High Yield Index provider's errors will be borne by the Fund and its shareholders. When the Emerging Markets High Yield Index is rebalanced and the Fund in turn rebalances its portfolio to attempt to increase the correlation between the Fund’s portfolio and the Emerging Markets High Yield Index, any transaction costs and market exposure arising from such portfolio rebalancing will be borne directly by the Fund and its shareholders. Apart from scheduled rebalances, the Emerging Markets High Yield Index provider or its agents may carry out additional ad hoc rebalances to the Emerging Markets High Yield Index. Therefore, errors and additional ad hoc rebalances carried out by the Emerging Markets High Yield Index provider or its agents to the Emerging Markets High Yield Index may increase the costs to and the tracking error risk of the Fund. In addition, the Fund's use of a representative sampling approach may cause the Fund to not be as well correlated with the return of the Emerging Markets High Yield Index as would be the case if the Fund purchased all of the securities in the Emerging Markets High Yield Index, or invested in them in the exact proportions in which they are represented in the Emerging Markets High Yield Index. The Fund’s performance may also deviate from the return of the Emerging Markets High Yield Index due to legal restrictions or limitations imposed by the governments of certain countries, certain listing standards of the Fund’s listing exchange (the “Exchange”), a lack of liquidity on stock exchanges in which such securities trade, potential adverse tax consequences or other regulatory reasons (such as diversification requirements). The Fund may value certain of its investments, underlying securities and/or currencies, and/or other assets based on fair value prices. To the extent the Fund calculates its NAV based on fair value prices and the value of the Emerging Markets High Yield Index is based on securities’ closing prices on local foreign markets (i.e., the value of the Emerging Markets High Yield Index is not based on fair value prices), the Fund’s ability to track the Emerging Markets High Yield Index may be adversely affected. When markets are volatile, the ability to sell securities at fair value prices may be adversely impacted and may result in additional trading costs and/or increase the index tracking risk. The Fund may also need to rely on borrowings to meet redemptions, which may lead to increased expenses. For tax efficiency purposes, the Fund may sell certain securities, and such sale may cause the Fund to realize a loss and deviate from the performance of the Emerging Markets High Yield Index. In light of the factors discussed above, the Fund’s return may deviate significantly from the return of the Emerging Markets High Yield Index. Changes to the composition of the Emerging Markets High Yield Index in connection with a rebalancing or reconstitution of the Emerging Markets High Yield Index may cause the Fund to experience increased volatility, during which time the Fund’s index tracking risk may be heightened.
Authorized Participant Concentration Risk. The Fund may have a limited number of financial institutions that act as APs, none of which are obligated to engage in creation and/or redemption transactions. To the extent that those APs exit the business, or are unable to or choose not to process creation and/or redemption orders, and no other AP is able to step forward to create and redeem, there may be a significantly diminished trading market for Shares or Shares may trade like closed-end funds at a greater discount (or premium) to NAV and possibly face trading halts and/or de-listing. The AP concentration risk may be heightened in scenarios where APs have limited or diminished access to the capital required to post collateral.
No Guarantee of Active Trading Market. While Shares are listed on the Exchange, there can be no assurance that an active trading market for the Shares will be maintained. Further, secondary markets may be subject to irregular trading activity, wide bid/ask spreads and extended trade settlement periods in times of market stress because market makers and APs may step
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away from making a market in the Shares and in executing creation and redemption orders, which could cause a material deviation in the Fund’s market price from its NAV.
Trading Issues. Trading in Shares on the Exchange may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the Exchange, make trading in Shares inadvisable. In addition, trading in Shares on the Exchange is subject to trading halts caused by extraordinary market volatility pursuant to the Exchange’s “circuit breaker” rules. There can be no assurance that the requirements of the Exchange necessary to maintain the listing of the Fund will continue to be met or will remain unchanged.
Passive Management Risk. An investment in the Fund involves risks similar to those of investing in any fund invested in bonds, such as market fluctuations caused by such factors as economic and political developments, changes in interest rates and perceived trends in security prices. However, because the Fund is not “actively” managed, unless a specific security is removed from the Emerging Markets High Yield Index, the Fund generally would not sell a security because the security’s issuer was in financial trouble. Additionally, unusual market conditions may cause the Emerging Markets High Yield Index provider to postpone a scheduled rebalance or reconstitution, which could cause the Emerging Markets High Yield Index to vary from its normal or expected composition. Therefore, the Fund’s performance could be lower than funds that may actively shift their portfolio assets to take advantage of market opportunities or to lessen the impact of a market decline or a decline in the value of one or more issuers.
Fund Shares Trading, Premium/Discount Risk and Liquidity of Fund Shares. The market price of the Shares may fluctuate in response to the Fund’s NAV, the intraday value of the Fund’s holdings and supply and demand for Shares. The Adviser cannot predict whether Shares will trade above, below, or at their most recent NAV. Disruptions to creations and redemptions, the existence of market volatility or potential lack of an active trading market for Shares (including through a trading halt), as well as other factors, may result in Shares trading at a significant premium or discount to NAV or to the intraday value of the Fund’s holdings. If a shareholder purchases Shares at a time when the market price is at a premium to the NAV or sells Shares at a time when the market price is at a discount to the NAV, the shareholder may pay significantly more or receive significantly less than the underlying value of the Shares that were bought or sold or the shareholder may be unable to sell his or her Shares. The securities held by the Fund may be traded in markets that close at a different time than the Exchange. Liquidity in those securities may be reduced after the applicable closing times. Accordingly, during the time when the Exchange is open but after the applicable market closing, fixing or settlement times, bid/ask spreads on the Exchange and the resulting premium or discount to the Shares’ NAV may widen. Additionally, in stressed market conditions, the market for the Fund’s Shares may become less liquid in response to deteriorating liquidity in the markets for the Fund’s underlying portfolio holdings. There are various methods by which investors can purchase and sell Shares. Investors should consult their financial intermediaries before purchasing or selling Shares of the Fund.
Concentration Risk. The Fund’s assets may be concentrated in a particular sector or sectors or industry or group of industries to the extent the Emerging Markets High Yield Index concentrates in a particular sector or sectors or industry or group of industries. To the extent that the Fund is concentrated in a particular sector or sectors or industry or group of industries, the Fund will be subject to the risk that economic, political or other conditions that have a negative effect on those sectors and/or industries may negatively impact the Fund to a greater extent than if the Fund’s assets were invested in a wider variety of sectors or industries.
PERFORMANCE
The bar chart that follows shows how the Fund performed for the calendar years shown. The table below the bar chart shows the Fund’s average annual returns (before and after taxes). The bar chart and table provide an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by comparing the Fund’s performance from year to year and by showing how the Fund’s average annual returns for the one year, five year, ten year and/or since inception periods, as applicable, compared with the Fund’s benchmark index and a broad measure of market performance. Prior to May 13, 2015, the Fund sought to replicate as closely as possible, before fees and expenses, the price and yield performance of an index called the BofA Merrill Lynch Diversified High Yield US Emerging Markets Corporate Plus Index (the “Prior Index”). Therefore, performance information prior to May 13, 2015 reflects the performance of the Fund while seeking to track the Prior Index. All returns assume reinvestment of dividends and distributions. The Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available online at www.vaneck.com.
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Annual Total Returns (%)—Calendar Years
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The year-to-date total annual return as of June 30, 2022 was -17.43%.
Best Quarter: 15.00% 2Q 2020
Worst Quarter: -15.16% 1Q 2020
Average Annual Total Returns for the Periods Ended December 31, 2021
The after-tax returns presented in the table below are calculated using the highest historical individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Your actual after-tax returns will depend on your specific tax situation and may differ from those shown below. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold Shares of the Fund through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.
Past One Year
Past Five Years*
Since Inception
(5/8/2012)*
VanEck Emerging Markets High Yield Bond ETF
(return before taxes)
-0.92% 4.35% 4.94%
VanEck Emerging Markets High Yield Bond ETF
(return after taxes on distributions)
-3.16% 1.87% 2.32%
VanEck Emerging Markets High Yield Bond ETF
(return after taxes on distributions and sale of Fund Shares)
-0.52% 2.24% 2.60%
ICE BofA Diversified High Yield US Emerging Markets Corporate Plus Index*
(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
-1.29% 4.59% 5.48%
Bloomberg US Aggregate Bond Index
(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
-1.54% 3.57% 2.82%
ICE BofA Broad US Market Index1 (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
-1.58% 3.63% 2.87%
*Prior to May 13, 2015, the Fund sought to replicate as closely as possible, before fees and expenses, the price and yield performance of the Prior Index. Therefore, performance information prior to May 13, 2015 reflects the performance of the Fund while seeking to track the Prior Index. Prior to May 13, 2015, index data reflects that of the Prior Index. From May 13, 2015, the index data reflects that of the Emerging Markets High Yield Index.
1 On September 1, 2022, the ICE BofA Broad US Market Index replaced the Bloomberg US Aggregate Bond Index as the Fund's broad-based benchmark index as the Adviser believes it is more representative of broad bond market exposure.
See “License Agreements and Disclaimers” for important information.
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PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT
Investment Adviser. Van Eck Associates Corporation.
Portfolio Manager. The following individual is primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund’s portfolio:
Name Title with Adviser Date Began Managing the Fund
Francis G. Rodilosso Portfolio Manager September 2012
PURCHASE AND SALE OF FUND SHARES
For important information about the purchase and sale of Fund Shares, tax information, and payments to broker-dealers and other financial intermediaries, please turn to the “Summary Information about Purchases and Sales of Fund Shares, Taxes and Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries” section of this Prospectus.
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SUMMARY INFORMATION
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
VanEck® Fallen Angel High Yield Bond ETF (the “Fund”) seeks to replicate as closely as possible, before fees and expenses, the price and yield performance of ICE US Fallen Angel High Yield 10% Constrained Index (the “Fallen Angel Index”).
FUND FEES AND EXPENSES
The following tables describe the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund (“Shares”). You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the tables and examples below.
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)
None
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Management Fee
0.35  %
Other Expenses(a)
0.00  %
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses(a)
0.35  %
(a)Van Eck Associates Corporation (the “Adviser”) will pay all expenses of the Fund, except for the fee payment under the investment management agreement, acquired fund fees and expenses, interest expense, offering costs, trading expenses, taxes and extraordinary expenses. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Adviser has agreed to pay the offering costs until at least September 1, 2023.
EXPENSE EXAMPLE
This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. This example does not take into account brokerage commissions that you pay when purchasing or selling Shares of the Fund.
The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell or hold all of your Shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% annual return and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:
YEAR EXPENSES
1 $36 
3 $113 
5 $197 
10 $443 
PORTFOLIO TURNOVER
The Fund will pay transaction costs, such as commissions, when it purchases and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover will cause the Fund to incur additional transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, may affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 44% of the average value of its portfolio.
PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES
The Fund normally invests at least 80% of its total assets in securities that comprise the Fund’s benchmark index. The Fallen Angel Index is comprised of below investment grade corporate bonds denominated in U.S. dollars that were rated investment grade at the time of issuance. Qualifying securities must be issued in the U.S. domestic market and have a below investment grade rating. Defaulted securities are removed from the Fallen Angel Index at the end of the month in which they default. The Fallen Angel Index is comprised of bonds issued by both U.S. and non-U.S. issuers.
The country of risk of qualifying issuers must be a member of the FX Group of Ten, a Western European nation, or a territory of the United States or a Western European nation. The FX Group of Ten includes all Euro members, Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States. As of June 30, 2022, the Fallen Angel Index included 214 below investment grade bonds of 80 issuers and approximately 11% of the Fallen Angel Index was comprised of
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Rule 144A securities. The Fund’s 80% investment policy is non-fundamental and may be changed without shareholder approval upon 60 days’ prior written notice to shareholders.
The Fund, using a “passive” or indexing investment approach, attempts to approximate the investment performance of the Fallen Angel Index by investing in a portfolio of securities that generally replicates the Fallen Angel Index. Unlike many investment companies that try to “beat” the performance of a benchmark index, the Fund does not try to “beat” the Fallen Angel Index and does not take temporary defensive positions that are inconsistent with its investment objective of seeking to replicate the Fallen Angel Index.
The Fund may become "non-diversified" as defined under the Investment Company Act of 1940 Act, as amended (the “1940 Act”), solely as a result of a change in relative market capitalization or index weighting of one or more constituents of the Fallen Angel Index. This means that the Fund may invest a greater percentage of its assets in a limited number of issuers than would be the case if the Fund were always managed as a diversified management investment company. The Fund intends to be diversified in approximately the same proportion as the Fallen Angel Index. Shareholder approval will not be sought when the Fund crosses from diversified to non-diversified status due solely to a change in the relative market capitalization or index weighting of one or more constituents of the Fallen Angel Index.
The Fund may concentrate its investments in a particular industry or group of industries to the extent that the Fallen Angel Index concentrates in an industry or group of industries. As of April 30, 2022, each of the energy, consumer discretionary, information technology and financials sectors represented a significant portion of the Fund.
PRINCIPAL RISKS OF INVESTING IN THE FUND
Investors in the Fund should be willing to accept a high degree of volatility in the price of the Fund’s Shares and the possibility of significant losses. An investment in the Fund involves a substantial degree of risk. An investment in the Fund is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. Therefore, you should consider carefully the following risks before investing in the Fund, each of which could significantly and adversely affect the value of an investment in the Fund.
High Yield Securities Risk. Securities rated below investment grade are commonly referred to as high yield securities or “junk bonds.” High yield securities are often issued by issuers that are restructuring, are smaller or less creditworthy than other issuers, or are more highly indebted than other issuers. High yield securities are subject to greater risk of loss of income and principal than higher rated securities and are considered speculative. The prices of high yield securities are likely to be more sensitive to adverse economic changes or individual issuer developments than higher rated securities. During an economic downturn or substantial period of rising interest rates, high yield security issuers may experience financial stress that would adversely affect their ability to service their principal and interest payment obligations, to meet their projected business goals or to obtain additional financing. In the event of a default, the Fund may incur additional expenses to seek recovery. The secondary market for securities that are high yield securities may be less liquid than the markets for higher quality securities, and high yield securities issued by non-corporate issuers may be less liquid than high yield securities issued by corporate issuers, which, in either instance, may have an adverse effect on the market prices of and the Fund’s ability to arrive at a fair value for certain securities. The illiquidity of the market also could make it difficult for the Fund to sell certain securities in connection with a rebalancing of the Fallen Angel Index. In addition, periods of economic uncertainty and change may result in an increased volatility of market prices of high yield securities and a corresponding volatility in the Fund’s net asset value (“NAV”).
Risk of Investing in Foreign Securities. Investments in the securities of foreign issuers involve risks beyond those associated with investments in U.S. securities. These additional risks include greater market volatility, the availability of less reliable financial information, higher transactional and custody costs, taxation by foreign governments, decreased market liquidity and political instability. Because certain foreign securities markets may be limited in size, the activity of large traders may have an undue influence on the prices of securities that trade in such markets. The Fund invests in securities of issuers located in countries whose economies are heavily dependent upon trading with key partners. Any reduction in this trading may have an adverse impact on the Fund’s investments.
Foreign Currency Risk. Because all or a portion of the income received by the Fund from its investments and/or the revenues received by the underlying issuer will generally be denominated in foreign currencies, the Fund’s exposure to foreign currencies and changes in the value of foreign currencies versus the U.S. dollar may result in reduced returns for the Fund, and the value of certain foreign currencies may be subject to a high degree of fluctuation. Moreover, the Fund may incur costs in connection with conversions between U.S. dollars and foreign currencies.
Credit Risk. Bonds are subject to credit risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable and/or unwilling to make timely interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt or to otherwise honor its obligations and/or default completely. Bonds are subject to varying degrees of credit risk, depending on the issuer’s financial condition and on the terms of the securities, which may be reflected in credit ratings. There is a possibility that the credit rating of a bond may be downgraded after purchase or the perception of an issuer’s credit worthiness may decline, which may adversely affect the value of the security.
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Interest Rate Risk. Debt securities, such as bonds, are subject to interest rate risk. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a bond resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most debt securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most debt securities go up. Many factors can cause interest rates to rise, including central bank monetary policy, rising inflation rates and general economic conditions. The prevailing historically low interest rate environment increases the risks associated with rising interest rates, including the potential for periods of volatility and increased redemptions. In addition, debt securities with longer durations tend to be more sensitive to interest rate changes, usually making them more volatile than debt securities with shorter durations. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, as with other serious economic disruptions, governmental authorities and regulators are enacting significant fiscal and monetary policy changes, including providing direct capital infusions into companies, creating new monetary programs and lowering interest rates. These actions present heightened risks to debt instruments, and such risks could increase if these actions are unexpectedly or suddenly reversed or are ineffective in achieving their desired outcomes.
Restricted Securities Risk. Regulation S and Rule 144A securities are restricted securities. Restricted securities are securities that are not registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). They may be less liquid and more difficult to value than other investments because such securities may not be readily marketable. The Fund may not be able to purchase or sell a restricted security promptly or at a reasonable time or price. Although there may be a substantial institutional market for these securities, it is not possible to predict exactly how the market for such securities will develop or whether it will continue to exist. A restricted security that was liquid at the time of purchase may subsequently become illiquid and its value may decline as a result. In addition, transaction costs may be higher for restricted securities than for more liquid securities. The Fund may have to bear the expense of registering restricted securities for resale and the risk of substantial delays in effecting the registration.
Market Risk. The prices of the securities in the Fund are subject to the risks associated with investing in the securities market, including general economic conditions, sudden and unpredictable drops in value, exchange trading suspensions and closures and public health risks. These risks may be magnified if certain social, political, economic and other conditions and events (such as natural disasters, epidemics and pandemics, terrorism, conflicts and social unrest) adversely interrupt the global economy; in these and other circumstances, such events or developments might affect companies world-wide. An investment in the Fund may lose money.
Operational Risk. The Fund is exposed to operational risk arising from a number of factors, including, but not limited to, human error, processing and communication errors, errors of the Fund’s service providers, counterparties or other third parties, failed or inadequate processes and technology or system failures.
Call Risk. The Fund may invest in callable bonds. If interest rates fall, it is possible that issuers of callable securities will “call” (or prepay) their bonds before their maturity date. If a call were exercised by the issuer during or following a period of declining interest rates, the Fund is likely to have to replace such call security with a lower yielding security or securities with greater risks or other less favorable features. If that were to happen, it would decrease the Fund’s net investment income.
Energy Sector Risk. Companies operating in the energy sector are subject to risks including, but not limited to, economic growth, worldwide demand, political instability in the regions that the companies operate, government regulation stipulating rates charged by utilities, interest rate sensitivity, oil price volatility, energy conservation, environmental policies, depletion of resources, the cost of providing the specific utility services and other factors that they cannot control. Oil prices are subject to significant volatility, which has adversely impacted companies operating in the energy sector. In addition, these companies are at risk of civil liability from accidents resulting in injury, loss of life or property, pollution or other environmental damage claims and risk of loss from terrorism and natural disasters. A downturn in the energy sector of the economy, adverse political, legislative or regulatory developments or other events could have a larger impact on the Fund than on an investment company that does not invest a substantial portion of its assets in the energy sector. At times, the performance of securities of companies in the energy sector may lag the performance of other sectors or the broader market as a whole. The price of oil, natural gas and other fossil fuels may decline and/or experience significant volatility, which could adversely impact companies operating in the energy sector.
Risk of Investing in the Consumer Discretionary Sector. The Fund will be sensitive to, and its performance will depend to a greater extent on, the overall condition of the consumer discretionary sector. The consumer discretionary sector comprises companies whose businesses are sensitive to economic cycles, such as manufacturers of high-end apparel and automobile and leisure companies. Companies engaged in the consumer discretionary sector are subject to fluctuations in supply and demand. These companies may also be adversely affected by changes in consumer spending as a result of world events, political and economic conditions, commodity price volatility, changes in exchange rates, imposition of import controls, increased competition, depletion of resources and labor relations.
Risk of Investing in the Information Technology Sector. The Fund will be sensitive to, and its performance will depend to a greater extent on, the overall condition of the information technology sector. Information technology companies face intense competition, both domestically and internationally, which may have an adverse effect on profit margins. Information technology companies may have limited product lines, markets, financial resources or personnel. The products of information technology companies may face product obsolescence due to rapid technological developments and frequent new product introduction, unpredictable changes in growth rates and competition for the services of qualified personnel. Companies in the information
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technology sector are heavily dependent on patent protection and the expiration of patents may adversely affect the profitability of these companies.
Risk of Investing in the Financials Sector. The Fund will be sensitive to, and its performance will depend to a greater extent on, the overall condition of the financials sector. Companies in the financials sector may be subject to extensive government regulation that affects the scope of their activities, the prices they can charge and the amount of capital they must maintain. The profitability of companies in the financials sector may be adversely affected by increases in interest rates, by loan losses, which usually increase in economic downturns, and by credit rating downgrades. In addition, the financials sector is undergoing numerous changes, including continuing consolidations, development of new products and structures and changes to its regulatory framework. Furthermore, some companies in the financials sector perceived as benefitting from government intervention in the past may be subject to future government-imposed restrictions on their businesses or face increased government involvement in their operations. Increased government involvement in the financials sector, including measures such as taking ownership positions in financial institutions, could result in a dilution of the Fund’s investments in financial institutions.
Index Tracking Risk. The Fund’s return may not match the return of the Fallen Angel Index for a number of reasons. For example, the Fund incurs a number of operating expenses, including taxes, not applicable to the Fallen Angel Index and incurs costs associated with buying and selling securities, especially when rebalancing the Fund’s securities holdings to reflect changes in the composition of the Fallen Angel Index or (to the extent the Fund effects creations and redemptions for cash) raising cash to meet redemptions or deploying cash in connection with newly created Creation Units (defined herein), which are not factored into the return of the Fallen Angel Index. Transaction costs, including brokerage costs, will decrease the Fund’s NAV to the extent not offset by the transaction fee payable by an Authorized Participant (“AP”). Market disruptions and regulatory restrictions could have an adverse effect on the Fund’s ability to adjust its exposure to the required levels in order to track the Fallen Angel Index. Errors in the Fallen Angel Index data, the Fallen Angel Index computations and/or the construction of the Fallen Angel Index in accordance with its methodology may occur from time to time and may not be identified and corrected by the Fallen Angel Index provider for a period of time or at all, which may have an adverse impact on the Fund and its shareholders. Shareholders should understand that any gains from the Fallen Angel Index provider's errors will be kept by the Fund and its shareholders and any losses or costs resulting from the Fallen Angel Index provider's errors will be borne by the Fund and its shareholders. When the Fallen Angel Index is rebalanced and the Fund in turn rebalances its portfolio to attempt to increase the correlation between the Fund’s portfolio and the Fallen Angel Index, any transaction costs and market exposure arising from such portfolio rebalancing will be borne directly by the Fund and its shareholders. Apart from scheduled rebalances, the Fallen Angel Index provider or its agents may carry out additional ad hoc rebalances to the Fallen Angel Index. Therefore, errors and additional ad hoc rebalances carried out by the Fallen Angel Index provider or its agents to the Fallen Angel Index may increase the costs to and the tracking error risk of the Fund. The Fund’s performance may also deviate from the return of the Fallen Angel Index due to legal restrictions or limitations imposed by the governments of certain countries, certain listing standards of the Fund’s listing exchange (the “Exchange”), a lack of liquidity on stock exchanges in which such securities trade, potential adverse tax consequences or other regulatory reasons (such as diversification requirements). The Fund may value certain of its investments, underlying securities and/or currencies, and/or other assets based on fair value prices. To the extent the Fund calculates its NAV based on fair value prices and the value of the Fallen Angel Index is based on securities’ closing prices on local foreign markets (i.e., the value of the Fallen Angel Index is not based on fair value prices), the Fund’s ability to track the Fallen Angel Index may be adversely affected. When markets are volatile, the ability to sell securities at fair value prices may be adversely impacted and may result in additional trading costs and/or increase the index tracking risk. The Fund may also need to rely on borrowings to meet redemptions, which may lead to increased expenses. For tax efficiency purposes, the Fund may sell certain securities, and such sale may cause the Fund to realize a loss and deviate from the performance of the Fallen Angel Index. In light of the factors discussed above, the Fund’s return may deviate significantly from the return of the Fallen Angel Index. Changes to the composition of the Fallen Angel Index in connection with a rebalancing or reconstitution of the Fallen Angel Index may cause the Fund to experience increased volatility, during which time the Fund’s index tracking risk may be heightened.
Authorized Participant Concentration Risk. The Fund may have a limited number of financial institutions that act as APs, none of which are obligated to engage in creation and/or redemption transactions. To the extent that those APs exit the business, or are unable to or choose not to process creation and/or redemption orders, and no other AP is able to step forward to create and redeem, there may be a significantly diminished trading market for Shares or Shares may trade like closed-end funds at a greater discount (or premium) to NAV and possibly face trading halts and/or de-listing. The AP concentration risk may be heightened in scenarios where APs have limited or diminished access to the capital required to post collateral.
No Guarantee of Active Trading Market. While Shares are listed on the Exchange, there can be no assurance that an active trading market for the Shares will be maintained. Further, secondary markets may be subject to irregular trading activity, wide bid/ask spreads and extended trade settlement periods in times of market stress because market makers and APs may step away from making a market in the Shares and in executing creation and redemption orders, which could cause a material deviation in the Fund’s market price from its NAV.
Trading Issues. Trading in Shares on the Exchange may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the Exchange, make trading in Shares inadvisable. In addition, trading in Shares on the Exchange is subject to trading halts
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caused by extraordinary market volatility pursuant to the Exchange’s “circuit breaker” rules. There can be no assurance that the requirements of the Exchange necessary to maintain the listing of the Fund will continue to be met or will remain unchanged.
Passive Management Risk. An investment in the Fund involves risks similar to those of investing in any fund invested in bonds, such as market fluctuations caused by such factors as economic and political developments, changes in interest rates and perceived trends in security prices. However, because the Fund is not “actively” managed, unless a specific security is removed from the Fallen Angel Index, the Fund generally would not sell a security because the security’s issuer was in financial trouble. Additionally, unusual market conditions may cause the Fallen Angel Index provider to postpone a scheduled rebalance or reconstitution, which could cause the Fallen Angel Index to vary from its normal or expected composition. Therefore, the Fund’s performance could be lower than funds that may actively shift their portfolio assets to take advantage of market opportunities or to lessen the impact of a market decline or a decline in the value of one or more issuers.
Fund Shares Trading, Premium/Discount Risk and Liquidity of Fund Shares. The market price of the Shares may fluctuate in response to the Fund’s NAV, the intraday value of the Fund’s holdings and supply and demand for Shares. The Adviser cannot predict whether Shares will trade above, below, or at their most recent NAV. Disruptions to creations and redemptions, the existence of market volatility or potential lack of an active trading market for Shares (including through a trading halt), as well as other factors, may result in Shares trading at a significant premium or discount to NAV or to the intraday value of the Fund’s holdings. If a shareholder purchases Shares at a time when the market price is at a premium to the NAV or sells Shares at a time when the market price is at a discount to the NAV, the shareholder may pay significantly more or receive significantly less than the underlying value of the Shares that were bought or sold or the shareholder may be unable to sell his or her Shares. The securities held by the Fund may be traded in markets that close at a different time than the Exchange. Liquidity in those securities may be reduced after the applicable closing times. Accordingly, during the time when the Exchange is open but after the applicable market closing, fixing or settlement times, bid/ask spreads on the Exchange and the resulting premium or discount to the Shares’ NAV may widen. Additionally, in stressed market conditions, the market for the Fund’s Shares may become less liquid in response to deteriorating liquidity in the markets for the Fund’s underlying portfolio holdings. There are various methods by which investors can purchase and sell Shares. Investors should consult their financial intermediaries before purchasing or selling Shares of the Fund.
Non-Diversification Risk. The Fund may become classified as non-diversified under the 1940 Act solely as a result of a change in relative market capitalization or index weighting of one or more constituents of the Fallen Angel Index. If the Fund becomes non-diversified, it may invest a greater portion of its assets in securities of a smaller number of individual issuers than a diversified fund. As a result, changes in the market value of a single investment could cause greater fluctuations in share price than would occur in a more diversified fund.
Concentration Risk. The Fund’s assets may be concentrated in a particular sector or sectors or industry or group of industries to the extent the Fallen Angel Index concentrates in a particular sector or sectors or industry or group of industries. To the extent that the Fund is concentrated in a particular sector or sectors or industry or group of industries, the Fund will be subject to the risk that economic, political or other conditions that have a negative effect on those sectors and/or industries may negatively impact the Fund to a greater extent than if the Fund’s assets were invested in a wider variety of sectors or industries.
PERFORMANCE
The bar chart that follows shows how the Fund performed for the calendar years shown. The table below the bar chart shows the Fund’s average annual returns (before and after taxes). The bar chart and table provide an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by comparing the Fund’s performance from year to year and by showing how the Fund’s average annual returns for the one year, five year, ten year and/or since inception periods, as applicable, compared with the Fund’s former benchmark index and a broad measure of market performance. Prior to February 28, 2020, the Fund sought to replicate as closely as possible, before fees and expenses, the price and yield performance of the ICE BofA US Fallen Angel High Yield Index (the "Prior Index"). Therefore, performance information prior to February 28, 2020 reflects the performance of the Fund while seeking to track the Prior Index. As a result, the Fund’s future performance may differ substantially from the performance information shown below. All returns assume reinvestment of dividends and distributions. The Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available online at www.vaneck.com.
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Annual Total Returns (%)—Calendar Years
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The year-to-date total return as of June 30, 2022 was -16.86%.
Best Quarter: 14.02% 2Q 2020
Worst Quarter: -13.14% 1Q 2020
Average Annual Total Returns for the Periods Ended December 31, 2021
The after-tax returns presented in the table below are calculated using the highest historical individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Your actual after-tax returns will depend on your specific tax situation and may differ from those shown below. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold Shares of the Fund through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.
Past One Year Past Five Years
Since Inception (4/10/2012)
VanEck Fallen Angel High Yield Bond ETF
(return before taxes)
7.65% 8.25% 8.75%
VanEck Fallen Angel High Yield Bond ETF
(return after taxes on distributions)
5.76% 5.95% 6.29%
VanEck Fallen Angel High Yield Bond ETF
(return after taxes on distributions and sale of Fund Shares)
4.49% 5.32% 5.72%
ICE US Fallen Angel High Yield 10% Constrained Index*
(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
7.72% 8.67% 9.72%
Bloomberg US Aggregate Bond Index1
(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
-1.54% 3.57% 2.87%
ICE BofA Broad US Market Index1 (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
-1.58% 3.63% 2.93%
* Prior to February 28, 2020, the Fund sought to replicate as closely as possible, before fees and expenses, the price and yield performance of the Prior Index. Therefore, the performance information included in this table reflects the performance of the Fund while seeking to track the Prior Index. Additionally, the index data included in this table reflects that of the Prior Index. From February 28, 2020, the index data will reflect that of the Fallen Angel Index.
1 On September 1, 2022, the ICE BofA Broad US Market Index replaced the Bloomberg US Aggregate Bond Index as the Fund's broad-based benchmark index as the Adviser believes it is more representative of broad bond market exposure.
See “License Agreements and Disclaimers” for important information.
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PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT
Investment Adviser. Van Eck Associates Corporation.
Portfolio Manager. The following individual is primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund’s portfolio:
Name Title with Adviser Date Began Managing the Fund
Francis G. Rodilosso Portfolio Manager April 2012
PURCHASE AND SALE OF FUND SHARES
For important information about the purchase and sale of Fund Shares, tax information, and payments to broker-dealers and other financial intermediaries, please turn to the “Summary Information About Purchases and Sales of Fund Shares, Taxes and Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries” section of this Prospectus.
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SUMMARY INFORMATION
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
VanEck® Green Bond ETF (the “Fund”) seeks to replicate as closely as possible, before fees and expenses, the price and yield performance of the S&P Green Bond U.S. Dollar Select Index (the “Green Bond Index”).
FUND FEES AND EXPENSES
The following tables describe the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund (“Shares”). You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the tables and examples below.
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)
None
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Management Fee 0.20  %
Other Expenses(a)
0.00  %
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses(a)
0.20  %
(a)Van Eck Associates Corporation (the “Adviser”) will pay all expenses of the Fund, except for the fee payment under the investment management agreement, acquired fund fees and expenses, interest expense, offering costs, trading expenses, taxes and extraordinary expenses. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Adviser has agreed to pay the offering costs until at least September 1, 2023.
EXPENSE EXAMPLE
This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. This example does not take into account brokerage commissions that you pay when purchasing or selling Shares of the Fund.
The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell or hold all of your Shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% annual return and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:
YEAR EXPENSES
1 $20 
3 $64 
5 $113 
10 $255 
PORTFOLIO TURNOVER
The Fund will pay transaction costs, such as commissions, when it purchases and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover will cause the Fund to incur additional transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, may affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 19% of the average value of its portfolio.
PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES
The Fund normally invests at least 80% of its total assets in securities that comprise the Fund’s benchmark index. The Green Bond Index is comprised of bonds issued for qualified “green” purposes and seeks to measure the performance of U.S. dollar denominated “green”-labeled bonds issued globally. The Green Bond Index is sponsored by S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC, which is not affiliated with or sponsored by the Fund or the Adviser. “Green” bonds are bonds whose proceeds are used principally for climate change mitigation, climate adaptation or other environmentally beneficial projects, such as, but not limited to, the development of clean, sustainable or renewable energy sources, commercial and industrial energy efficiency, or conservation of natural resources. For a bond to be eligible for inclusion in the Green Bond Index, the issuer of the bond must indicate the bond’s “green” label and the rationale behind it, such as the intended use of proceeds. As an additional filter, the bond must be flagged as “green” by Climate Bonds Initiative (“CBI”), an international not-for-profit working to mobilize the bond market for climate
23


change solutions, to be eligible for inclusion in the Green Bond Index. The Green Bond Index is market value-weighted and includes supranational, corporate, government-related, sovereign and securitized “green” bonds issued throughout the world (including emerging market countries), and may include both investment grade and below investment grade securities (commonly referred to as high yield securities or “junk bonds”). “Securitized green bonds” are securities typically collateralized by a specified pool of assets, such as mortgages, automobile loans or other consumer receivables. All bonds must be rated by at least one credit rating agency, except that up to 10% of the Green Bond Index can be invested in unrated bonds that are issued or guaranteed by a government-sponsored enterprise. The maximum weight of below investment grade bonds (excluding any unrated bonds that are issued or guaranteed by a government-sponsored enterprise) in the Green Bond Index is capped at 20%. No more than 10% of the Green Bond Index can be invested in a single issuer. Qualifying securities must have a maturity of at least 12 months at the time of issuance and at least one month remaining until maturity at each rebalancing date.
As of June 30, 2022, the Green Bond Index consisted of 383 bonds issued by 242 issuers and the weighted average maturity of the Green Bond Index was approximately 7.45 years. As of the same date, approximately 6.65% of the Green Bond Index was comprised of Regulation S securities and 28.49% of the Green Bond Index was comprised of Rule 144A securities. The S&P Green Bond Index is rebalanced monthly. The Fund’s 80% investment policy is non-fundamental and may be changed without shareholder approval upon 60 days’ prior written notice to shareholders.
The Fund, using a “passive” or indexing investment approach, attempts to approximate the investment performance of the Green Bond Index. Unlike many investment companies that try to “beat” the performance of a benchmark index, the Fund does not try to “beat” the Green Bond Index and does not take temporary defensive positions that are inconsistent with its investment objective of seeking to replicate the Green Bond Index. Because of the practical difficulties and expense of purchasing all of the securities in the Green Bond Index, the Fund does not purchase all of the securities in the Green Bond Index. Instead, the Adviser utilizes a “sampling” methodology in seeking to achieve the Fund’s objective. As such, the Fund may purchase a subset of the securities in the Green Bond Index in an effort to hold a portfolio of bonds with generally the same risk and return characteristics of the Green Bond Index.
The Fund may concentrate its investments in a particular industry or group of industries to the extent that the Green Bond Index concentrates in an industry or group of industries. As of April 30, 2022, each of the financials and utilities sectors represented a significant portion of the Fund.
PRINCIPAL RISKS OF INVESTING IN THE FUND
Investors in the Fund should be willing to accept a high degree of volatility in the price of the Fund’s Shares and the possibility of significant losses. An investment in the Fund involves a substantial degree of risk. An investment in the Fund is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. Therefore, you should consider carefully the following risks before investing in the Fund, each of which could significantly and adversely affect the value of an investment in the Fund.
Risk of Investing in “Green” Bonds. Investments in “green” bonds include bonds whose proceeds are used principally for climate mitigation, climate adaptation or other environmentally beneficial projects, such as, but not limited to, the development of clean, sustainable or renewable energy sources, commercial and industrial energy efficiency, or conservation of natural resources. Investing in “green” bonds carries the risk that, under certain market conditions, the Fund may underperform as compared to funds that invest in a broader range of investments. In addition, some “green” investments may be dependent on government tax incentives and subsidies and on political support for certain environmental technologies and companies. Investing primarily in “green” investments may affect the Fund’s exposure to certain sectors or types of investments and will impact the Fund’s relative investment performance depending on whether such sectors or investments are in or out of favor in the market. The “green” sector may also have challenges such as a limited number of issuers, limited liquidity in the market and limited supply of bonds that merit “green” status, each of which may adversely affect the Fund.
Special Risk Considerations of Investing in Asian Issuers. Investments in securities of Asian issuers involve risks and special considerations not typically associated with investments in the U.S. securities markets. Certain Asian economies have experienced over-extension of credit, currency devaluations and restrictions, high unemployment, high inflation, decreased exports and economic recessions. Economic events in any one Asian country can have a significant effect on the entire Asian region as well as on major trading partners outside Asia, and any adverse effect on some or all of the Asian countries and regions in which the Fund invests. The securities markets in some Asian economies are relatively underdeveloped and may subject the Fund to higher action costs or greater uncertainty than investments in more developed securities markets. Such risks may adversely affect the value of the Fund’s investments.
Special Risk Considerations of Investing in Chinese Issuers. Investments in securities of Chinese issuers, including issuers located outside of China that generate significant revenues from China, involve certain risks and considerations not typically associated with investments in the U.S. securities markets. These risks include, among others, (i) more frequent (and potentially widespread) trading suspensions and government interventions with respect to Chinese issuers resulting in lack of liquidity and in price volatility, (ii) currency revaluations and other currency exchange rate fluctuations or blockage, (iii) the nature and extent of intervention by the Chinese government in the Chinese securities markets, whether such intervention will continue and the impact of such intervention or its discontinuation, (iv) the risk of nationalization or expropriation of assets, (v) the risk that the Chinese
24

government may decide not to continue to support economic reform programs, (vi) limitations on the use of brokers, (vii) higher rates of inflation, (viii) greater political, economic and social uncertainty, (ix) market volatility caused by any potential regional or territorial conflicts or natural disasters and (x) the risk of increased trade tariffs, embargoes, sanctions, investment restrictions and other trade limitations. Certain securities are, or may in the future become restricted, and the Fund may be forced to sell such restricted securities and incur a loss as a result. In addition, the economy of China differs, often unfavorably, from the U.S. economy in such respects as structure, general development, government involvement, wealth distribution, rate of inflation, growth rate, interest rates, allocation of resources and capital reinvestment, among others. The Chinese central government has historically exercised substantial control over virtually every sector of the Chinese economy through administrative regulation and/or state ownership and actions of the Chinese central and local government authorities continue to have a substantial effect on economic conditions in China. In addition, previously the Chinese government has from time to time taken actions that influence the prices at which certain goods may be sold, encourage companies to invest or concentrate in particular industries, induce mergers between companies in certain industries and induce private companies to publicly offer their securities to increase or continue the rate of economic growth, control the rate of inflation or otherwise regulate economic expansion. The Chinese government may do so in the future as well, potentially having a significant adverse effect on economic conditions in China.
Special Risk Considerations of Investing in European Issuers. Investments in securities of European issuers involve risks and special considerations not typically associated with investments in the U.S. securities markets. The Economic and Monetary Union (“EMU”) of the European Union (“EU”) requires member countries to comply with restrictions on inflation rates, deficits, interest rates, debt levels and fiscal and monetary controls, each of which may significantly affect every country in Europe. Decreasing imports or exports, changes in governmental or EU regulations on trade, changes in the exchange rate of the euro, the default or threat of default by an EU member country on its sovereign debt, and/or an economic recession in an EU member country may have a significant adverse effect on the economies of other EU countries and on major trading partners outside Europe. The European financial markets have previously experienced, and may continue to experience, volatility and have been adversely affected, and may in the future be affected, by concerns about economic downturns, credit rating downgrades, rising government debt levels and possible default on or restructuring of government debt in several European countries. These events have adversely affected, and may in the future affect, the value and exchange rate of the euro and may continue to significantly affect the economies of every country in Europe, including EU member countries that do not use the euro and non-EU member countries. In a referendum held on June 23, 2016, voters in the United Kingdom (“UK”) voted to leave the EU, creating economic and political uncertainty in its wake. On January 31, 2020, the UK officially withdrew from the EU and the UK entered a transition period which ended on December 31, 2020. On December 30, 2020, the EU and UK signed the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement (“TCA”), an agreement on the terms governing certain aspects of the EU's and the UK's relationship following the end of the transition period. Notwithstanding the TCA, following the transition period, there is likely to be considerable uncertainty as to the UK's post-transition framework.
Risk of Investing in Foreign Securities. Investments in the securities of foreign issuers involve risks beyond those associated with investments in U.S. securities. These additional risks include greater market volatility, the availability of less reliable financial information, higher transactional and custody costs, taxation by foreign governments, decreased market liquidity and political instability. Because certain foreign securities markets may be limited in size, the activity of large traders may have an undue influence on the prices of securities that trade in such markets. The Fund invests in securities of issuers located in countries whose economies are heavily dependent upon trading with key partners. Any reduction in this trading may have an adverse impact on the Fund’s investments.
Risk of Investing in Emerging Market Issuers. Investments in securities of emerging market issuers are exposed to a number of risks that may make these investments volatile in price or difficult to trade. Emerging markets are more likely than developed markets to experience problems with the clearing and settling of trades, as well as the holding of securities by local banks, agents and depositories. Political risks may include unstable governments, nationalization, restrictions on foreign ownership, laws that prevent investors from getting their money out of a country and legal systems that do not protect property rights as well as the laws of the United States. Market risks may include economies that concentrate in only a few industries, securities issues that are held by only a few investors, liquidity issues and limited trading capacity in local exchanges and the possibility that markets or issues may be manipulated by foreign nationals who have inside information. The frequency, availability and quality of financial information about investments in emerging markets varies. The Fund has limited rights and few practical remedies in emerging markets and the ability of U.S. authorities to bring enforcement actions in emerging markets may be limited, and the Fund's passive investment approach does not take account of these risks. All of these factors can make emerging market securities more volatile and potentially less liquid than securities issued in more developed markets.
Foreign Currency Risk. Because all or a portion of the income received by the Fund from its investments and/or the revenues received by the underlying issuer will generally be denominated in foreign currencies, the Fund’s exposure to foreign currencies and changes in the value of foreign currencies versus the U.S. dollar may result in reduced returns for the Fund, and the value of certain foreign currencies may be subject to a high degree of fluctuation. Moreover, the Fund may incur costs in connection with conversions between U.S. dollars and foreign currencies.
Credit Risk. Bonds are subject to credit risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable and/or unwilling to make timely interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt or to otherwise honor its
25


obligations and/or default completely. Bonds are subject to varying degrees of credit risk, depending on the issuer’s financial condition and on the terms of the securities, which may be reflected in credit ratings. There is a possibility that the credit rating of a bond may be downgraded after purchase or the perception of an issuer’s credit worthiness may decline, which may adversely affect the value of the security.
Interest Rate Risk. Debt securities, such as bonds, are subject to interest rate risk. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a bond resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most debt securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most debt securities go up. Many factors can cause interest rates to rise, including central bank monetary policy, rising inflation rates and general economic conditions. The prevailing historically low interest rate environment increases the risks associated with rising interest rates, including the potential for periods of volatility and increased redemptions. In addition, debt securities with longer durations tend to be more sensitive to interest rate changes, usually making them more volatile than debt securities with shorter durations. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, as with other serious economic disruptions, governmental authorities and regulators are enacting significant fiscal and monetary policy changes, including providing direct capital infusions into companies, creating new monetary programs and lowering interest rates. These actions present heightened risks to debt instruments, and such risks could increase if these actions are unexpectedly or suddenly reversed or are ineffective in achieving their desired outcomes.
Floating Rate Risk. The Fund invests in floating-rate securities. A floating-rate security is an instrument in which the interest rate payable on the obligation fluctuates on a periodic basis based upon changes in an interest rate benchmark. As a result, the yield on such a security will generally decline in a falling interest rate environment, causing the Fund to experience a reduction in the income it receives from such securities.
Floating Rate LIBOR Risk. Certain of the floating-rate securities pay interest based on the London Inter-bank Offered Rate ("LIBOR"). Due to the uncertainty regarding the future utilization of LIBOR and the nature of any replacement rate, the potential effect of a transition away from LIBOR on the Fund or the financial instruments in which the Fund invests cannot yet be fully determined. The discontinuation of LIBOR could have adverse impacts on newly issued and existing financial instruments that reference LIBOR. While some instruments may provide for an alternative rate setting methodology in the event LIBOR is no longer available, not all instruments may have such provisions and there is uncertainty regarding the effectiveness of any alternative methodology. In addition, the discontinuation and/or replacement of LIBOR may affect the value, liquidity or return on certain Fund investments and may result in costs incurred in connection with closing out positions and entering into new trades.
High Yield Securities Risk. Securities rated below investment grade are commonly referred to as high yield securities or “junk bonds.” High yield securities are often issued by issuers that are restructuring, are smaller or less creditworthy than other issuers, or are more highly indebted than other issuers. High yield securities are subject to greater risk of loss of income and principal than higher rated securities and are considered speculative. The prices of high yield securities are likely to be more sensitive to adverse economic changes or individual issuer developments than higher rated securities. During an economic downturn or substantial period of rising interest rates, high yield security issuers may experience financial stress that would adversely affect their ability to service their principal and interest payment obligations, to meet their projected business goals or to obtain additional financing. In the event of a default, the Fund may incur additional expenses to seek recovery. The secondary market for securities that are high yield securities may be less liquid than the markets for higher quality securities, and high yield securities issued by non-corporate issuers may be less liquid than high yield securities issued by corporate issuers, which, in either instance, may have an adverse effect on the market prices of and the Fund’s ability to arrive at a fair value for certain securities. The illiquidity of the market also could make it difficult for the Fund to sell certain securities in connection with a rebalancing of the Green Bond Index. In addition, periods of economic uncertainty and change may result in an increased volatility of market prices of high yield securities and a corresponding volatility in the Fund’s net asset value (“NAV”).
Supranational Bond Risk. Investments in supranational bonds are subject to the overall condition of the supranational entities that issue such bonds. Certain securities in which the Fund may invest are obligations issued or backed by supranational entities, such as the European Investment Bank. Obligations of supranational organizations are subject to the risk that the governments on whose support the entity depends for its financial backing or repayment may be unable or unwilling to provide that support. If an issuer of supranational bonds defaults on payments of principal and/or interest, the Fund may have limited recourse against the issuer. A supranational entity’s willingness or ability to repay principal and pay interest in a timely manner may be affected by, among other factors, its cash flow situation, the extent of its reserves, the relative size of the debt service burden to the entity as a whole and the political constraints to which a supranational entity may be subject. During periods of economic uncertainty, the market prices of supranational bonds, and the Fund’s NAV, may be more volatile than prices of corporate bonds, which may result in losses. Obligations of a supranational organization that are denominated in foreign currencies will also be subject to the risks associated with investment in foreign currencies.
Government-Related Bond Risk. Investments in government-related bonds involve special risks not present in corporate bonds. The governmental authority or government-related entity that controls the repayment of the bond may be unable or unwilling to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt or to otherwise honor its obligations. If an issuer of government-related bonds defaults on payments of principal and/or interest, the Fund may have limited recourse against the issuer. A government-related debtor’s willingness or ability to repay principal and pay interest in a timely manner may be affected by, among other factors, its cash flow situation, the extent of its foreign currency reserves, the availability of sufficient
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foreign exchange on the date a payment is due, the relative size of the debt service burden to the economy as a whole, the government-related debtor’s policy toward international lenders, and the political constraints to which a government-related debtor may be subject. During periods of economic uncertainty, the market prices of government-related bonds, and the Fund’s NAV, may be more volatile than prices of corporate bonds, which may result in losses. In the past, certain governments of emerging market countries have declared themselves unable to meet their financial obligations on a timely basis, which has resulted in losses for holders of government-related bonds.
Restricted Securities Risk. Regulation S and Rule 144A securities are restricted securities. Restricted securities are securities that are not registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). They may be less liquid and more difficult to value than other investments because such securities may not be readily marketable. The Fund may not be able to purchase or sell a restricted security promptly or at a reasonable time or price. Although there may be a substantial institutional market for these securities, it is not possible to predict exactly how the market for such securities will develop or whether it will continue to exist. A restricted security that was liquid at the time of purchase may subsequently become illiquid and its value may decline as a result. In addition, transaction costs may be higher for restricted securities than for more liquid securities. The Fund may have to bear the expense of registering restricted securities for resale and the risk of substantial delays in effecting the registration.
Securitized/Asset-Backed Securities Risk. Investments in asset-backed securities, including collateralized mortgage obligations, are subject to the risk of significant credit downgrades, dramatic changes in liquidity, and defaults to a greater extent than many other types of fixed-income investments. During periods of falling interest rates, asset-backed securities may be called or prepaid, which may result in the Fund having to reinvest proceeds in other investments at a lower interest rate. During periods of rising interest rates, the average life of asset-backed securities may extend, which may lock in a below-market interest rate, increase the security’s duration and interest rate sensitivity, and reduce the value of the security. The Fund may invest in asset-backed securities issued or backed by federal agencies or government sponsored enterprises or that are part of a government-sponsored program, which may subject the Fund to the risks noted above. The values of assets or collateral underlying asset-backed securities may decline and, therefore, may not be adequate to cover underlying obligations. Enforcing rights against the underlying assets or collateral may be difficult, and the underlying assets or collateral may be insufficient if the issuer defaults.
Risk of Investing in the Financials Sector. The Fund will be sensitive to, and its performance will depend to a greater extent on, the overall condition of the financials sector. Companies in the financials sector may be subject to extensive government regulation that affects the scope of their activities, the prices they can charge and the amount of capital they must maintain. The profitability of companies in the financials sector may be adversely affected by increases in interest rates, by loan losses, which usually increase in economic downturns, and by credit rating downgrades. In addition, the financials sector is undergoing numerous changes, including continuing consolidations, development of new products and structures and changes to its regulatory framework. Furthermore, some companies in the financials sector perceived as benefitting from government intervention in the past may be subject to future government-imposed restrictions on their businesses or face increased government involvement in their operations. Increased government involvement in the financials sector, including measures such as taking ownership positions in financial institutions, could result in a dilution of the Fund’s investments in financial institutions.
Risk of Investing in the Utilities Sector. The Fund will be sensitive to, and its performance will depend to a greater extent on, the overall condition of the utilities sector. The utilities sector comprises companies that provide basic amenities, such as electricity, water, sewage services, dams, and natural gas to residential, industrial, commercial, and government customers. Companies in the utilities sector may be adversely affected by changes in exchange rates, domestic and international competition, difficulty in raising adequate amounts of capital and governmental limitation on rates charged to customers.
Market Risk. The prices of the securities in the Fund are subject to the risks associated with investing in the securities market, including general economic conditions, sudden and unpredictable drops in value, exchange trading suspensions and closures and public health risks. These risks may be magnified if certain social, political, economic and other conditions and events (such as natural disasters, epidemics and pandemics, terrorism, conflicts and social unrest) adversely interrupt the global economy; in these and other circumstances, such events or developments might affect companies world-wide. An investment in the Fund may lose money.
Operational Risk. The Fund is exposed to operational risk arising from a number of factors, including, but not limited to, human error, processing and communication errors, errors of the Fund’s service providers, counterparties or other third parties, failed or inadequate processes and technology or system failures.
Call Risk. The Fund may invest in callable bonds. If interest rates fall, it is possible that issuers of callable securities will “call” (or prepay) their bonds before their maturity date. If a call were exercised by the issuer during or following a period of declining interest rates, the Fund is likely to have to replace such called security with a lower yielding security or securities with greater risks or other less favorable features. If that were to happen, it would decrease the Fund’s net investment income.

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Sampling Risk. The Fund’s use of a representative sampling approach will result in its holding a smaller number of securities than are in the Green Bond Index. As a result, an adverse development respecting an issuer of securities held by the Fund could result in a greater decline in NAV than would be the case if the Fund held all of the securities in the Green Bond Index. Conversely, a positive development relating to an issuer of securities in the Green Bond Index that is not held by the Fund could cause the Fund to underperform the Green Bond Index. To the extent the assets in the Fund are smaller, these risks will be greater.
Index Tracking Risk. The Fund’s return may not match the return of the Green Bond Index for a number of reasons. For example, the Fund incurs a number of operating expenses, including taxes, not applicable to the Green Bond Index and incurs costs associated with buying and selling securities, especially when rebalancing the Fund’s securities holdings to reflect changes in the composition of the Green Bond Index or (to the extent the Fund effects creations and redemptions for cash) raising cash to meet redemptions or deploying cash in connection with newly created Creation Units (defined herein), which are not factored into the return of the Green Bond Index. Transaction costs, including brokerage costs, will decrease the Fund’s NAV to the extent not offset by the transaction fee payable by an Authorized Participant (“AP”). Market disruptions and regulatory restrictions could have an adverse effect on the Fund’s ability to adjust its exposure to the required levels in order to track the Green Bond Index. Errors in the Green Bond Index data, the Green Bond Index computations and/or the construction of the Green Bond Index in accordance with its methodology may occur from time to time and may not be identified and corrected by the Green Bond Index provider for a period of time or at all, which may have an adverse impact on the Fund and its shareholders. Shareholders should understand that any gains from the Green Bond Index provider's errors will be kept by the Fund and its shareholders and any losses or costs resulting from the Green Bond Index provider's errors will be borne by the Fund and its shareholders. When the Green Bond Index is rebalanced and the Fund in turn rebalances its portfolio to attempt to increase the correlation between the Fund’s portfolio and the Green Bond Index, any transaction costs and market exposure arising from such portfolio rebalancing will be borne directly by the Fund and its shareholders. Apart from scheduled rebalances, the Green Bond Index provider or its agents may carry out additional ad hoc rebalances to the Green Bond Index. Therefore, errors and additional ad hoc rebalances carried out by the Green Bond Index provider or its agents to the Green Bond Index may increase the costs to and the tracking error risk of the Fund. In addition, the Fund's use of a representative sampling approach may cause the Fund to not be as well correlated with the return of the Green Bond Index as would be the case if the Fund purchased all of the securities in the Green Bond Index, or invested in them in the exact proportions in which they are represented in the Green Bond Index. The Fund may value certain of its investments, underlying securities and/or currencies based on fair value prices. The Fund’s performance may also deviate from the return of the Green Bond Index due to legal restrictions or limitations imposed by the governments of certain countries, certain listing standards of the Fund’s listing exchange (the “Exchange”), a lack of liquidity on stock exchanges in which such securities trade, potential adverse tax consequences or other regulatory reasons (such as diversification requirements). To the extent the Fund calculates its NAV based on fair value prices and the value of the Green Bond Index is based on securities’ closing prices on local foreign markets (i.e., the value of the Green Bond Index is not based on fair value prices), the Fund’s ability to track the Green Bond Index may be adversely affected. When markets are volatile, the ability to sell securities at fair value prices may be adversely impacted and may result in additional trading costs and/or increase the index tracking risk. The Fund may also need to rely on borrowings to meet redemptions, which may lead to increased expenses. For tax efficiency purposes, the Fund may sell certain securities, and such sale may cause the Fund to realize a loss and deviate from the performance of the Green Bond Index. The performance of a “green” bond issuer may cause its securities to no longer merit “green” status, and such securities would no longer be eligible for inclusion in the Green Bond Index. This could cause the Fund to temporarily hold securities that are not in the Green Bond Index, which may adversely affect the Fund and its investments and may increase the risk of Green Bond Index tracking error. Additionally, there may also be a limited supply of bonds that merit "green" status, which may increase the risk of index tracking error. In light of the factors discussed above, the Fund’s return may deviate significantly from the return of the Green Bond Index. Changes to the composition of the Green Bond Index in connection with a rebalancing or reconstitution of the Green Bond Index may cause the Fund to experience increased volatility, during which time the Fund’s index tracking risk may be heightened.
Authorized Participant Concentration Risk. The Fund may have a limited number of financial institutions that act as APs, none of which are obligated to engage in creation and/or redemption transactions. To the extent that those APs exit the business, or are unable to or choose not to process creation and/or redemption orders, and no other AP is able to step forward to create and redeem, there may be a significantly diminished trading market for Shares or Shares may trade like closed-end funds at a greater discount (or premium) to NAV and possibly face trading halts and/or de-listing. The AP concentration risk may be heightened in scenarios where APs have limited or diminished access to the capital required to post collateral.
No Guarantee of Active Trading Market. While Shares are listed on the Exchange, there can be no assurance that an active trading market for the Shares will be maintained. Further, secondary markets may be subject to irregular trading activity, wide bid/ask spreads and extended trade settlement periods in times of market stress because market makers and APs may step away from making a market in the Shares and in executing creation and redemption orders, which could cause a material deviation in the Fund’s market price from its NAV.
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Trading Issues. Trading in Shares on the Exchange may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the Exchange, make trading in Shares inadvisable. In addition, trading in Shares on the Exchange is subject to trading halts caused by extraordinary market volatility pursuant to the Exchange’s “circuit breaker” rules. There can be no assurance that the requirements of the Exchange necessary to maintain the listing of the Fund will continue to be met or will remain unchanged.
Passive Management Risk. An investment in the Fund involves risks similar to those of investing in any fund invested in bonds, such as market fluctuations caused by such factors as economic and political developments, changes in interest rates and perceived trends in security prices. However, because the Fund is not “actively” managed, unless a specific security is removed from the Green Bond Index, the Fund generally would not sell a security because the security’s issuer was in financial trouble. Additionally, unusual market conditions may cause the Green Bond Index provider to postpone a scheduled rebalance or reconstitution, which could cause the Green Bond Index to vary from its normal or expected composition. Therefore, the Fund’s performance could be lower than funds that may actively shift their portfolio assets to take advantage of market opportunities or to lessen the impact of a market decline or a decline in the value of one or more issuers.
Fund Shares Trading, Premium/Discount Risk and Liquidity of Fund Shares. The market price of the Shares may fluctuate in response to the Fund’s NAV, the intraday value of the Fund’s holdings and supply and demand for Shares. The Adviser cannot predict whether Shares will trade above, below, or at their most recent NAV. Disruptions to creations and redemptions, the existence of market volatility or potential lack of an active trading market for Shares (including through a trading halt), as well as other factors, may result in Shares trading at a significant premium or discount to NAV or to the intraday value of the Fund’s holdings. If a shareholder purchases Shares at a time when the market price is at a premium to the NAV or sells Shares at a time when the market price is at a discount to the NAV, the shareholder may pay significantly more or receive significantly less than the underlying value of the Shares that were bought or sold or the shareholder may be unable to sell his or her Shares. The securities held by the Fund may be traded in markets that close at a different time than the Exchange. Liquidity in those securities may be reduced after the applicable closing times. Accordingly, during the time when the Exchange is open but after the applicable market closing, fixing or settlement times, bid/ask spreads on the Exchange and the resulting premium or discount to the Shares’ NAV may widen. Additionally, in stressed market conditions, the market for the Fund’s Shares may become less liquid in response to deteriorating liquidity in the markets for the Fund’s underlying portfolio holdings. There are various methods by which investors can purchase and sell Shares. Investors should consult their financial intermediaries before purchasing or selling Shares of the Fund.
Concentration Risk. The Fund’s assets may be concentrated in a particular sector or sectors or industry or group of industries to the extent the Green Bond Index concentrates in a particular sector or sectors or industry or group of industries. To the extent that the Fund is concentrated in a particular sector or sectors or industry or group of industries, the Fund will be subject to the risk that economic, political or other conditions that have a negative effect on those sectors and/or industries may negatively impact the Fund to a greater extent than if the Fund’s assets were invested in a wider variety of sectors or industries.
PERFORMANCE
The bar chart that follows shows how the Fund performed for the calendar year shown. The table below the bar chart shows the Fund’s average annual returns (before and after taxes). The bar chart and table provide an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by comparing the Fund’s performance from year to year and by showing how the Fund’s average annual returns for the one year, five year, ten year and/or since inception periods, as applicable, compared with the Fund’s benchmark index and a broad measure of market performance. Prior to September 1, 2019, the Fund sought to replicate as closely as possible, before fees and expenses, the price and yield performance of the S&P Green Bond Select Index (the “Prior Index”). Therefore, performance information prior to September 1, 2019 reflects the performance of the Fund while seeking to track the Prior Index. All returns assume reinvestment of dividends and distributions. The Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available online at www.vaneck.com.
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Annual Total Returns (%)—Calendar Years
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The year-to-date total return as of June 30, 2022 was -10.82%.
Best Quarter: 5.28% 2Q 2020
Worst Quarter: -3.51% 2Q 2018
Average Annual Total Returns for the Periods Ended December 31, 2021
The after-tax returns presented in the table below are calculated using the highest historical individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Your actual after-tax returns will depend on your specific tax situation and may differ from those shown below. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold Shares of the Fund through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.
Past One Year
Since Inception
(3/2/2017)
VanEck Green Bond ETF
(return before taxes)
-1.82% 3.36%
VanEck Green Bond ETF
(return after taxes on distributions)
-2.66% 2.68%
VanEck Green Bond ETF
(return after taxes on distributions and sale of Fund Shares)
-1.07% 2.30%
S&P Green Bond U.S. Dollar Select Index*
(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
-1.56% 3.96%
Bloomberg US Aggregate Bond Index
(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)

-1.54% 3.65%
ICE BofA Broad US Market Index1 (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
-1.58% 3.70%
* Prior to September 1, 2019, the Fund sought to replicate as closely as possible, before fees and expenses, the price and yield performance of the Prior Index. Therefore, performance information prior to September 1, 2019 reflects the performance of the Fund while seeking to track the Prior Index. Prior to September 1, 2019, index data reflects that of the Prior Index. From September 1, 2019, the index data reflects that of the Green Bond Index.
1 On September 1, 2022, the ICE BofA Broad US Market Index replaced the Bloomberg US Aggregate Bond Index as the Fund's broad-based benchmark index as the Adviser believes it is more representative of broad bond market exposure.
See “License Agreements and Disclaimers” for important information.
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PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT
Investment Adviser. Van Eck Associates Corporation.
Portfolio Manager. The following individual is primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund’s portfolio:
Name Title with Adviser Date Began Managing the Fund
Francis G. Rodilosso Portfolio Manager March 2017
PURCHASE AND SALE OF FUND SHARES
For important information about the purchase and sale of Fund Shares, tax information, and payments to broker-dealers and other financial intermediaries, please turn to the “Summary Information about Purchases and Sales of Fund Shares, Taxes and Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries” section of this Prospectus.
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SUMMARY INFORMATION
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
VanEck® International High Yield Bond ETF (the “Fund”) seeks to replicate as closely as possible, before fees and expenses, the price and yield performance of ICE BofA Global ex-US Issuers High Yield Constrained Index (the “International High Yield Index”).
FUND FEES AND EXPENSES
The following tables describe the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund (“Shares”). You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the tables and examples below.
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)
None
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Management Fee 0.40  %
Other Expenses(a)
0.00  %
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses(a)
0.40  %
(a)Van Eck Associates Corporation (the “Adviser”) will pay all expenses of the Fund, except for the fee payment under the investment management agreement, acquired fund fees and expenses, interest expense, offering costs, trading expenses, taxes and extraordinary expenses. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Adviser has agreed to pay the offering costs until at least September 1, 2023.
EXPENSE EXAMPLE
This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. This example does not take into account brokerage commissions that you pay when purchasing or selling Shares of the Fund.
The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell or hold all of your Shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% annual return and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:
YEAR EXPENSES
1 $41 
3 $128 
5 $224 
10 $505 
PORTFOLIO TURNOVER
The Fund will pay transaction costs, such as commissions, when it purchases and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover will cause the Fund to incur additional transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, may affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 25% of the average value of its portfolio.
PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES
The Fund normally invests at least 80% of its total assets in securities that comprise the Fund’s benchmark index. The International High Yield Index is comprised of below investment grade bonds issued by corporations located throughout the world (which may include emerging market countries) excluding the United States, denominated in euros, U.S. dollars, Canadian dollars or pound sterling and issued in the major domestic or eurobond markets. Qualifying securities must have a below investment grade rating. As of June 30, 2022, the International High Yield Index included 1,764 below investment grade securities of 833 issuers and approximately 37% of the International High Yield Index was comprised of Rule 144A securities. The Fund’s 80% investment policy is non-fundamental and may be changed without shareholder approval upon 60 days’ prior written notice to shareholders.
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The Fund, using a “passive” or indexing investment approach, attempts to approximate the investment performance of the International High Yield Index. Unlike many investment companies that try to “beat” the performance of a benchmark index, the Fund does not try to “beat” the International High Yield Index and does not take temporary defensive positions that are inconsistent with its investment objective of seeking to replicate the International High Yield Index. Because of the practical difficulties and expense of purchasing all of the securities in the International High Yield Index, the Fund does not purchase all of the securities in the International High Yield Index. Instead, the Adviser utilizes a “sampling” methodology in seeking to achieve the Fund’s objective. As such, the Fund may purchase a subset of the bonds in the International High Yield Index in an effort to hold a portfolio of bonds with generally the same risk and return characteristics of the International High Yield Index.
The Fund may concentrate its investments in a particular industry or group of industries to the extent that the International High Yield Index concentrates in an industry or group of industries. As of April 30, 2022, each of the financials, industrials, information technology and energy sectors represented a significant portion of the Fund.
PRINCIPAL RISKS OF INVESTING IN THE FUND
Investors in the Fund should be willing to accept a high degree of volatility in the price of the Fund’s Shares and the possibility of significant losses. An investment in the Fund involves a substantial degree of risk. An investment in the Fund is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. Therefore, you should consider carefully the following risks before investing in the Fund, each of which could significantly and adversely affect the value of an investment in the Fund.
High Yield Securities Risk. Securities rated below investment grade are commonly referred to as high yield securities or “junk bonds.” High yield securities are often issued by issuers that are restructuring, are smaller or less creditworthy than other issuers, or are more highly indebted than other issuers. High yield securities are subject to greater risk of loss of income and principal than higher rated securities and are considered speculative. The prices of high yield securities are likely to be more sensitive to adverse economic changes or individual issuer developments than higher rated securities. During an economic downturn or substantial period of rising interest rates, high yield security issuers may experience financial stress that would adversely affect their ability to service their principal and interest payment obligations, to meet their projected business goals or to obtain additional financing. In the event of a default, the Fund may incur additional expenses to seek recovery. The secondary market for securities that are high yield securities may be less liquid than the markets for higher quality securities, and high yield securities issued by non-corporate issuers may be less liquid than high yield securities issued by corporate issuers, which, in either instance, may have an adverse effect on the market prices of and the Fund’s ability to arrive at a fair value for certain securities. The illiquidity of the market also could make it difficult for the Fund to sell certain securities in connection with a rebalancing of the International High Yield Index. In addition, periods of economic uncertainty and change may result in an increased volatility of market prices of high yield securities and a corresponding volatility in the Fund’s net asset value (“NAV”).
Risk of Investing in Foreign Securities. Investments in the securities of foreign issuers involve risks beyond those associated with investments in U.S. securities. These additional risks include greater market volatility, the availability of less reliable financial information, higher transactional and custody costs, taxation by foreign governments, decreased market liquidity and political instability. Because certain foreign securities markets may be limited in size, the activity of large traders may have an undue influence on the prices of securities that trade in such markets. The Fund invests in securities of issuers located in countries whose economies are heavily dependent upon trading with key partners. Any reduction in this trading may have an adverse impact on the Fund’s investments.
Risk of Investing in Emerging Market Issuers. Investments in securities of emerging market issuers are exposed to a number of risks that may make these investments volatile in price or difficult to trade. Emerging markets are more likely than developed markets to experience problems with the clearing and settling of trades, as well as the holding of securities by local banks, agents and depositories. Political risks may include unstable governments, nationalization, restrictions on foreign ownership, laws that prevent investors from getting their money out of a country and legal systems that do not protect property rights as well as the laws of the United States. Market risks may include economies that concentrate in only a few industries, securities issues that are held by only a few investors, liquidity issues and limited trading capacity in local exchanges and the possibility that markets or issues may be manipulated by foreign nationals who have inside information. The frequency, availability and quality of financial information about investments in emerging markets varies. The Fund has limited rights and few practical remedies in emerging markets and the ability of U.S. authorities to bring enforcement actions in emerging markets may be limited, and the Fund's passive investment approach does not take account of these risks. All of these factors can make emerging market securities more volatile and potentially less liquid than securities issued in more developed markets.
Foreign Currency Risk. Because all or a portion of the income received by the Fund from its investments and/or the revenues received by the underlying issuer will generally be denominated in foreign currencies, the Fund’s exposure to foreign currencies and changes in the value of foreign currencies versus the U.S. dollar may result in reduced returns for the Fund, and the value of certain foreign currencies may be subject to a high degree of fluctuation. Moreover, the Fund may incur costs in connection with conversions between U.S. dollars and foreign currencies.
Special Risk Considerations of Investing in European Issuers. Investments in securities of European issuers involve risks and special considerations not typically associated with investments in the U.S. securities markets. The Economic and Monetary
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Union ("EMU") of the European Union ("EU") requires member countries to comply with restrictions on inflation rates, deficits, interest rates, debt levels and fiscal and monetary controls, each of which may significantly affect every country in Europe. Decreasing imports or exports, changes in governmental or EU regulations on trade, changes in the exchange rate of the euro, the default or threat of default by an EU member country on its sovereign debt, and/or an economic recession in an EU member country may have a significant adverse effect on the economies of EU member countries and on major trading partners outside Europe. The European financial markets have previously experienced, and may continue to experience, volatility and have been adversely affected, and may in the future be affected, by concerns about economic downturns, credit rating downgrades, rising government debt levels and possible default on or restructuring of government debt in several European countries. These events have adversely affected, and may in the future affect, the value and exchange rate of the euro and may continue to significantly affect the economies of every country in Europe, including EU member countries that do not use the euro and non-EU member countries. In a referendum held on June 23, 2016, voters in the UK voted to leave the EU, creating economic and political uncertainty in its wake. On January 31, 2020, the UK officially withdrew from the EU and the UK entered a transition period which ended on December 31, 2020. On December 30, 2020, the EU and UK signed the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement ("TCA"), an agreement on the terms governing certain aspects of the EU's and the UK's relationship following the end of the transition period. Notwithstanding the TCA, following the transition period, there is likely to be considerable uncertainly as to the UK's post-transition framework.
Credit Risk. Bonds are subject to credit risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable and/or unwilling to make timely interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt or to otherwise honor its obligations and/or default completely. Bonds are subject to varying degrees of credit risk, depending on the issuer’s financial condition and on the terms of the securities, which may be reflected in credit ratings. There is a possibility that the credit rating of a bond may be downgraded after purchase or the perception of an issuer’s credit worthiness may decline, which may adversely affect the value of the security.
Interest Rate Risk. Debt securities, such as bonds, are subject to interest rate risk. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a bond resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most debt securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most debt securities go up. Many factors can cause interest rates to rise, including central bank monetary policy, rising inflation rates and general economic conditions. The prevailing historically low interest rate environment increases the risks associated with rising interest rates, including the potential for periods of volatility and increased redemptions. In addition, debt securities with longer durations tend to be more sensitive to interest rate changes, usually making them more volatile than debt securities with shorter durations. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, as with other serious economic disruptions, governmental authorities and regulators are enacting significant fiscal and monetary policy changes, including providing direct capital infusions into companies, creating new monetary programs and lowering interest rates. These actions present heightened risks to debt instruments, and such risks could increase if these actions are unexpectedly or suddenly reversed or are ineffective in achieving their desired outcomes.
Restricted Securities Risk. Regulation S and Rule 144A securities are restricted securities. Restricted securities are securities that are not registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). They may be less liquid and more difficult to value than other investments because such securities may not be readily marketable. The Fund may not be able to purchase or sell a restricted security promptly or at a reasonable time or price. Although there may be a substantial institutional market for these securities, it is not possible to predict exactly how the market for such securities will develop or whether it will continue to exist. A restricted security that was liquid at the time of purchase may subsequently become illiquid and its value may decline as a result. In addition, transaction costs may be higher for restricted securities than for more liquid securities. The Fund may have to bear the expense of registering restricted securities for resale and the risk of substantial delays in effecting the registration.
Risk of Investing in the Financials Sector. The Fund will be sensitive to, and its performance will depend to a greater extent on, the overall condition of the financials sector. Companies in the financials sector may be subject to extensive government regulation that affects the scope of their activities, the prices they can charge and the amount of capital they must maintain. The profitability of companies in the financials sector may be adversely affected by increases in interest rates, by loan losses, which usually increase in economic downturns, and by credit rating downgrades. In addition, the financials sector is undergoing numerous changes, including continuing consolidations, development of new products and structures and changes to its regulatory framework. Furthermore, some companies in the financials sector perceived as benefitting from government intervention in the past may be subject to future government-imposed restrictions on their businesses or face increased government involvement in their operations. Increased government involvement in the financials sector, including measures such as taking ownership positions in financial institutions, could result in a dilution of the Fund’s investments in financial institutions.
Risk of Investing in the Industrials Sector. The Fund will be sensitive to, and its performance will depend to a greater extent on, the overall condition of the industrials sector. The industrials sector comprises companies that produce capital goods used in construction and manufacturing, such as companies that make and sell machinery, equipment and supplies that are used to produce other goods. Companies in the industrials sector may be adversely affected by changes in government regulation, world events and economic conditions. In addition, companies in the industrials sector may be adversely affected by environmental damages, product liability claims and exchange rates.
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Risk of Investing in the Information Technology Sector. The Fund will be sensitive to, and its performance will depend to a greater extent on, the overall condition of the information technology sector. Information technology companies face intense competition, both domestically and internationally, which may have an adverse effect on profit margins. Information technology companies may have limited product lines, markets, financial resources or personnel. The products of information technology companies may face product obsolescence due to rapid technological developments and frequent new product introduction, unpredictable changes in growth rates and competition for the services of qualified personnel. Companies in the information technology sector are heavily dependent on patent protection and the expiration of patents may adversely affect the profitability of these companies.
Energy Sector Risk. Companies operating in the energy sector are subject to risks including, but not limited to, economic growth, worldwide demand, political instability in the regions that the companies operate, government regulation stipulating rates charged by utilities, interest rate sensitivity, oil price volatility, energy conservation, environmental policies, depletion of resources, the cost of providing the specific utility services and other factors that they cannot control. Oil prices are subject to significant volatility, which has adversely impacted companies operating in the energy sector. In addition, these companies are at risk of civil liability from accidents resulting in injury, loss of life or property, pollution or other environmental damage claims and risk of loss from terrorism and natural disasters. A downturn in the energy sector of the economy, adverse political, legislative or regulatory developments or other events could have a larger impact on the Fund than on an investment company that does not invest a substantial portion of its assets in the energy sector. At times, the performance of securities of companies in the energy sector may lag the performance of other sectors or the broader market as a whole. The price of oil, natural gas and other fossil fuels may decline and/or experience significant volatility, which could adversely impact companies operating in the energy sector.
Market Risk. The prices of the securities in the Fund are subject to the risks associated with investing in the securities market, including general economic conditions, sudden and unpredictable drops in value, exchange trading suspensions and closures and public health risks. These risks may be magnified if certain social, political, economic and other conditions and events (such as natural disasters, epidemics and pandemics, terrorism, conflicts and social unrest) adversely interrupt the global economy; in these and other circumstances, such events or developments might affect companies world-wide. An investment in the Fund may lose money.
Operational Risk. The Fund is exposed to operational risk arising from a number of factors, including, but not limited to, human error, processing and communication errors, errors of the Fund’s service providers, counterparties or other third parties, failed or inadequate processes and technology or system failures.
Call Risk. The Fund may invest in callable bonds. If interest rates fall, it is possible that issuers of callable securities will “call” (or prepay) their bonds before their maturity date. If a call were exercised by the issuer during or following a period of declining interest rates, the Fund is likely to have to replace such called security with a lower yielding security or securities with greater risks or other less favorable features. If that were to happen, it would decrease the Fund’s net investment income.
Sampling Risk. The Fund’s use of a representative sampling approach will result in its holding a smaller number of securities than are in the International High Yield Index. As a result, an adverse development respecting an issuer of securities held by the Fund could result in a greater decline in NAV than would be the case if the Fund held all of the securities in the International High Yield Index. Conversely, a positive development relating to an issuer of securities in the International High Yield Index that is not held by the Fund could cause the Fund to underperform the International High Yield Index. To the extent the assets in the Fund are smaller, these risks will be greater.
Index Tracking Risk. The Fund’s return may not match the return of the International High Yield Index for a number of reasons. For example, the Fund incurs a number of operating expenses, including taxes, not applicable to the International High Yield Index and incurs costs associated with buying and selling securities, especially when rebalancing the Fund’s securities holdings to reflect changes in the composition of the International High Yield Index or (to the extent the Fund effects creations and redemptions for cash) raising cash to meet redemptions or deploying cash in connection with newly created Creation Units (defined herein), which are not factored into the return of the International High Yield Index. Transaction costs, including brokerage costs, will decrease the Fund’s NAV to the extent not offset by the transaction fee payable by an Authorized Participant (“AP”). Market disruptions and regulatory restrictions could have an adverse effect on the Fund’s ability to adjust its exposure to the required levels in order to track the International High Yield Index. Errors in the International High Yield Index data, the International High Yield Index computations and/or the construction of the International High Yield Index in accordance with its methodology may occur from time to time and may not be identified and corrected by the International High Yield Index provider for a period of time or at all, which may have an adverse impact on the Fund and its shareholders. Shareholders should understand that any gains from the International High Yield Index provider's errors will be kept by the Fund and its shareholders and any losses or costs resulting from the International High Yield Index provider's errors will be borne by the Fund and its shareholders. When the International High Yield Index is rebalanced and the Fund in turn rebalances its portfolio to attempt to increase the correlation between the Fund’s portfolio and the International High Yield Index, any transaction costs and market exposure arising from such portfolio rebalancing will be borne directly by the Fund and its shareholders. Apart from scheduled rebalances, the International High Yield Index provider or its agents may carry out additional ad hoc rebalances to the International High Yield Index. Therefore, errors and additional ad hoc rebalances carried out by the International High Yield
35


Index provider or its agents to the International High Yield Index may increase the costs to and the tracking error risk of the Fund. In addition, the Fund's use of a representative sampling approach may cause the Fund to not be as well correlated with the return of the International High Yield Index as would be the case if the Fund purchased all of the securities in the International High Yield Index, or invested in them in the exact proportions in which they are represented in the International High Yield Index. The Fund’s performance may also deviate from the return of the International High Yield Index due to legal restrictions or limitations imposed by the governments of certain countries, certain listing standards of the Fund’s listing exchange (the “Exchange”), a lack of liquidity on stock exchanges in which such securities trade, potential adverse tax consequences or other regulatory reasons (such as diversification requirements). The Fund may value certain of its investments, underlying securities and/or currencies, and/or other assets based on fair value prices. To the extent the Fund calculates its NAV based on fair value prices and the value of the International High Yield Index is based on securities’ closing prices on local foreign markets (i.e., the value of the International High Yield Index is not based on fair value prices), the Fund’s ability to track the International High Yield Index may be adversely affected. When markets are volatile, the ability to sell securities at fair value prices may be adversely impacted and may result in additional trading costs and/or increase the index tracking risk. The Fund may also need to rely on borrowings to meet redemptions, which may lead to increased expenses. For tax efficiency purposes, the Fund may sell certain securities, and such sale may cause the Fund to realize a loss and deviate from the performance of the International High Yield Index. In light of the factors discussed above, the Fund’s return may deviate significantly from the return of the International High Yield Index. Changes to the composition of the International High Yield Index in connection with a rebalancing or reconstitution of the International High Yield Index may cause the Fund to experience increased volatility, during which time the Fund’s index tracking risk may be heightened.
Authorized Participant Concentration Risk. The Fund may have a limited number of financial institutions that act as APs, none of which are obligated to engage in creation and/or redemption transactions. To the extent that those APs exit the business, or are unable to or choose not to process creation and/or redemption orders, and no other AP is able to step forward to create and redeem, there may be a significantly diminished trading market for Shares or Shares may trade like closed-end funds at a greater discount (or premium) to NAV and possibly face trading halts and/or de-listing. The AP concentration risk may be heightened in scenarios where APs have limited or diminished access to the capital required to post collateral.
No Guarantee of Active Trading Market. While Shares are listed on the Exchange, there can be no assurance that an active trading market for the Shares will be maintained. Further, secondary markets may be subject to irregular trading activity, wide bid/ask spreads and extended trade settlement periods in times of market stress because market makers and APs may step away from making a market in the Shares and in executing creation and redemption orders, which could cause a material deviation in the Fund’s market price from its NAV.
Trading Issues. Trading in Shares on the Exchange may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the Exchange, make trading in Shares inadvisable. In addition, trading in Shares on the Exchange is subject to trading halts caused by extraordinary market volatility pursuant to the Exchange’s “circuit breaker” rules. There can be no assurance that the requirements of the Exchange necessary to maintain the listing of the Fund will continue to be met or will remain unchanged.
Passive Management Risk. An investment in the Fund involves risks similar to those of investing in any fund invested in bonds, such as market fluctuations caused by such factors as economic and political developments, changes in interest rates and perceived trends in security prices. However, because the Fund is not “actively” managed, unless a specific security is removed from the International High Yield Index, the Fund generally would not sell a security because the security’s issuer was in financial trouble. Additionally, unusual market conditions may cause the International High Yield Index provider to postpone a scheduled rebalance or reconstitution, which could cause the International High Yield Index to vary from its normal or expected composition. Therefore, the Fund’s performance could be lower than funds that may actively shift their portfolio assets to take advantage of market opportunities or to lessen the impact of a market decline or a decline in the value of one or more issuers.
Fund Shares Trading, Premium/Discount Risk and Liquidity of Fund Shares. The market price of the Shares may fluctuate in response to the Fund’s NAV, the intraday value of the Fund’s holdings and supply and demand for Shares. The Adviser cannot predict whether Shares will trade above, below, or at their most recent NAV. Disruptions to creations and redemptions, the existence of market volatility or potential lack of an active trading market for Shares (including through a trading halt), as well as other factors, may result in Shares trading at a significant premium or discount to NAV or to the intraday value of the Fund’s holdings. If a shareholder purchases Shares at a time when the market price is at a premium to the NAV or sells Shares at a time when the market price is at a discount to the NAV, the shareholder may pay significantly more or receive significantly less than the underlying value of the Shares that were bought or sold or the shareholder may be unable to sell his or her Shares. The securities held by the Fund may be traded in markets that close at a different time than the Exchange. Liquidity in those securities may be reduced after the applicable closing times. Accordingly, during the time when the Exchange is open but after the applicable market closing, fixing or settlement times, bid/ask spreads on the Exchange and the resulting premium or discount to the Shares’ NAV may widen. Additionally, in stressed market conditions, the market for the Fund’s Shares may become less liquid in response to deteriorating liquidity in the markets for the Fund’s underlying portfolio holdings. There are various methods by which investors can purchase and sell Shares. Investors should consult their financial intermediaries before purchasing or selling Shares of the Fund.
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Concentration Risk. The Fund’s assets may be concentrated in a particular sector or sectors or industry or group of industries to the extent the International High Yield Index concentrates in a particular sector or sectors or industry or group of industries. To the extent that the Fund is concentrated in a particular sector or sectors or industry or group of industries, the Fund will be subject to the risk that economic, political or other conditions that have a negative effect on those sectors and/or industries may negatively impact the Fund to a greater extent than if the Fund’s assets were invested in a wider variety of sectors or industries.
PERFORMANCE
The bar chart that follows shows how the Fund performed for the calendar years shown. The table below the bar chart shows the Fund’s average annual returns (before and after taxes). The bar chart and table provide an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by comparing the Fund’s performance from year to year and by showing how the Fund’s average annual returns for the one year, five year, ten year and/or since inception periods, as applicable, compared with the Fund’s benchmark index and a broad measure of market performance. All returns assume reinvestment of dividends and distributions. The Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available online at www.vaneck.com.
Annual Total Returns (%)—Calendar Years
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The year-to-date total return as of June 30, 2022 was -18.62%.
Best Quarter: 13.19% 2Q 2020
Worst Quarter: -14.44% 1Q 2020
Average Annual Total Returns for the Periods Ended December 31, 2021
The after-tax returns presented in the table below are calculated using the highest historical individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Your actual after-tax returns will depend on your specific tax situation and may differ from those shown below. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold Shares of the Fund through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.
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Past One Year Past Five Years
Since Inception (4/2/2012)
VanEck International High Yield Bond ETF
(return before taxes)
-2.78% 4.85% 4.82%
VanEck International High Yield Bond ETF
(return after taxes on distributions)
-4.59% 3.06% 2.86%
VanEck International High Yield Bond ETF
(return after taxes on distributions and sale of Fund Shares)
-1.62% 2.96% 2.84%
ICE BofA Global ex-US Issuers High Yield Constrained Index
(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
-2.78% 5.39% 5.50%
Bloomberg US Aggregate Bond Index
(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
-1.54% 3.57% 2.93%
ICE BofA Broad US Market Index1 (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
-1.58% 3.63% 2.99%
1 On September 1, 2022, the ICE BofA Broad US Market Index replaced the Bloomberg US Aggregate Bond Index as the Fund's broad-based benchmark index as the Adviser believes it is more representative of broad bond market exposure.
See “License Agreements and Disclaimers” for important information.
PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT
Investment Adviser. Van Eck Associates Corporation.
Portfolio Manager. The following individual is primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund’s portfolio:
Name Title with Adviser Date Began Managing the Fund
Francis G. Rodilosso Portfolio Manager April 2012
PURCHASE AND SALE OF FUND SHARES
For important information about the purchase and sale of Fund Shares, tax information, and payments to broker-dealers and other financial intermediaries, please turn to the “Summary Information about Purchases and Sales of Fund Shares, Taxes and Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries” section of this Prospectus.
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SUMMARY INFORMATION
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
VanEck® IG Floating Rate ETF1 (the “Fund”) seeks to replicate as closely as possible, before fees and expenses, the price and yield performance of the MVIS® US Investment Grade Floating Rate Index (the “Floating Rate Index”).
FUND FEES AND EXPENSES
The following tables describe the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund (“Shares”). You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the tables and examples below.
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)
None
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Management Fee 0.14  %
Other Expenses(a)
0.00  %
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses(a)
0.14  %
(a)Van Eck Associates Corporation (the “Adviser”) will pay all expenses of the Fund, except for the fee payment under the investment management agreement, acquired fund fees and expenses, interest expense, offering costs, trading expenses, taxes and extraordinary expenses. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Adviser has agreed to pay the offering costs until at least September 1, 2023.
EXPENSE EXAMPLE
This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. This example does not take into account brokerage commissions that you pay when purchasing or selling Shares of the Fund.
The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell or hold all of your Shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% annual return and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:
YEAR EXPENSES
1 $14 
3 $45 
5 $79 
10 $179 
PORTFOLIO TURNOVER
The Fund will pay transaction costs, such as commissions, when it purchases and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover will cause the Fund to incur additional transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, may affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 78% of the average value of its portfolio.
PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES
The Fund normally invests at least 80% of its total assets in securities that comprise the Fund’s benchmark index. The Floating Rate Index is comprised of U.S. dollar-denominated floating rate notes issued by corporate entities or similar commercial entities that are public reporting companies in the United States and rated investment grade.



________________________________________
1 Prior to September 1, 2022, the Fund's name was VanEck® Investment Grade Floating Rate ETF.
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The Fund may invest a significant portion of its assets in Rule 144A securities. As of June 30, 2022, the Floating Rate Index included 230 notes of 92 issuers and approximately 23.3% of the Floating Rate Index was comprised of Rule 144A securities. The Fund’s 80% investment policy is non-fundamental and may be changed without shareholder approval upon 60 days’ prior written notice to shareholders.
The Fund, using a “passive” or indexing investment approach, attempts to approximate the investment performance of the Floating Rate Index. Unlike many investment companies that try to “beat” the performance of a benchmark index, the Fund does not try to “beat” the Floating Rate Index and does not take temporary defensive positions that are inconsistent with its investment objective of seeking to replicate the Floating Rate Index. Because of the practical difficulties and expense of purchasing all of the securities in the Floating Rate Index, the Fund does not purchase all of the securities in the Floating Rate Index. Instead, the Adviser utilizes a “sampling” methodology in seeking to achieve the Fund’s objective. As such, the Fund may purchase a subset of the bonds in the Floating Rate Index in an effort to hold a portfolio of bonds with generally the same risk and return characteristics of the Floating Rate Index.
The Fund is classified as a non-diversified fund and, therefore, may invest a greater percentage of its assets in a particular issuer. The Fund may concentrate its investments in a particular industry or group of industries to the extent that the Floating Rate Index concentrates in an industry or group of industries. As of April 30, 2022, the financials sector represented a significant portion of the Fund.
PRINCIPAL RISKS OF INVESTING IN THE FUND
Investors in the Fund should be willing to accept a high degree of volatility in the price of the Fund’s Shares and the possibility of significant losses. An investment in the Fund involves a substantial degree of risk. An investment in the Fund is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. Therefore, you should consider carefully the following risks before investing in the Fund, each of which could significantly and adversely affect the value of an investment in the Fund.
Risk of Investing in Foreign Securities. Investments in the securities of foreign issuers involve risks beyond those associated with investments in U.S. securities. These additional risks include greater market volatility, the availability of less reliable financial information, higher transactional and custody costs, taxation by foreign governments, decreased market liquidity and political instability. Because certain foreign securities markets may be limited in size, the activity of large traders may have an undue influence on the prices of securities that trade in such markets. The Fund invests in securities of issuers located in countries whose economies are heavily dependent upon trading with key partners. Any reduction in this trading may have an adverse impact on the Fund’s investments.
Foreign Currency Risk. Because all or a portion of the income received by the Fund from its investments and/or the revenues received by the underlying issuer will generally be denominated in foreign currencies, the Fund’s exposure to foreign currencies and changes in the value of foreign currencies versus the U.S. dollar may result in reduced returns for the Fund, and the value of certain foreign currencies may be subject to a high degree of fluctuation. Moreover, the Fund may incur costs in connection with conversions between U.S. dollars and foreign currencies.
Credit Risk. Bonds are subject to credit risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable and/or unwilling to make timely interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt or to otherwise honor its obligations and/or default completely. Bonds are subject to varying degrees of credit risk, depending on the issuer’s financial condition and on the terms of the securities, which may be reflected in credit ratings. There is a possibility that the credit rating of a bond may be downgraded after purchase or the perception of an issuer’s credit worthiness may decline, which may adversely affect the value of the security.
Interest Rate Risk. Debt securities, such as bonds, are subject to interest rate risk. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a bond resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most debt securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most debt securities go up. Many factors can cause interest rates to rise, including central bank monetary policy, rising inflation rates and general economic conditions. The prevailing historically low interest rate environment increases the risks associated with rising interest rates, including the potential for periods of volatility and increased redemptions. In addition, debt securities with longer durations tend to be more sensitive to interest rate changes, usually making them more volatile than debt securities with shorter durations. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, as with other serious economic disruptions, governmental authorities and regulators are enacting significant fiscal and monetary policy changes, including providing direct capital infusions into companies, creating new monetary programs and lowering interest rates. These actions present heightened risks to debt instruments, and such risks could increase if these actions are unexpectedly or suddenly reversed or are ineffective in achieving their desired outcomes.
Floating Rate Risk. The Fund invests in floating-rate securities. A floating-rate security is an instrument in which the interest rate payable on the obligation fluctuates on a periodic basis based upon changes in an interest rate benchmark. As a result, the yield on such a security will generally decline in a falling interest rate environment, causing the Fund to experience a reduction in the income it receives from such securities.
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Floating Rate LIBOR Risk. Certain of the floating-rate securities pay interest based on the London Inter-bank Offered Rate ("LIBOR"). Due to the uncertainty regarding the future utilization of LIBOR and the nature of any replacement rate, the potential effect of a transition away from LIBOR on the Fund or the financial instruments in which the Fund invests cannot yet be fully determined. The discontinuation of LIBOR could have adverse impacts on newly issued and existing financial instruments that reference LIBOR. While some instruments may provide for an alternative rate setting methodology in the event LIBOR is no longer available, not all instruments may have such provisions and there is uncertainty regarding the effectiveness of any alternative methodology. In addition, the discontinuation and/or replacement of LIBOR may affect the value, liquidity or return on certain Fund investments and may result in costs incurred in connection with closing out positions and entering into new trades.
Restricted Securities Risk. Regulation S and Rule 144A securities are restricted securities. Restricted securities are securities that are not registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). They may be less liquid and more difficult to value than other investments because such securities may not be readily marketable. The Fund may not be able to purchase or sell a restricted security promptly or at a reasonable time or price. Although there may be a substantial institutional market for these securities, it is not possible to predict exactly how the market for such securities will develop or whether it will continue to exist. A restricted security that was liquid at the time of purchase may subsequently become illiquid and its value may decline as a result. In addition, transaction costs may be higher for restricted securities than for more liquid securities. The Fund may have to bear the expense of registering restricted securities for resale and the risk of substantial delays in effecting the registration.
Risk of Investing in the Financials Sector. The Fund will be sensitive to, and its performance will depend to a greater extent on, the overall condition of the financials sector. Companies in the financials sector may be subject to extensive government regulation that affects the scope of their activities, the prices they can charge and the amount of capital they must maintain. The profitability of companies in the financials sector may be adversely affected by increases in interest rates, by loan losses, which usually increase in economic downturns, and by credit rating downgrades. In addition, the financials sector is undergoing numerous changes, including continuing consolidations, development of new products and structures and changes to its regulatory framework. Furthermore, some companies in the financials sector perceived as benefitting from government intervention in the past may be subject to future government-imposed restrictions on their businesses or face increased government involvement in their operations. Increased government involvement in the financials sector, including measures such as taking ownership positions in financial institutions, could result in a dilution of the Fund’s investments in financial institutions.
Market Risk. The prices of the securities in the Fund are subject to the risks associated with investing in the securities market, including general economic conditions, sudden and unpredictable drops in value, exchange trading suspensions and closures and public health risks. These risks may be magnified if certain social, political, economic and other conditions and events (such as natural disasters, epidemics and pandemics, terrorism, conflicts and social unrest) adversely interrupt the global economy; in these and other circumstances, such events or developments might affect companies world-wide. An investment in the Fund may lose money.
Operational Risk. The Fund is exposed to operational risk arising from a number of factors, including, but not limited to, human error, processing and communication errors, errors of the Fund’s service providers, counterparties or other third parties, failed or inadequate processes and technology or system failures.
Sampling Risk. The Fund’s use of a representative sampling approach will result in its holding a smaller number of securities than are in the Floating Rate Index. As a result, an adverse development respecting an issuer of securities held by the Fund could result in a greater decline in net asset value (“NAV”) than would be the case if the Fund held all of the securities in the Floating Rate Index. Conversely, a positive development relating to an issuer of securities in the Floating Rate Index that is not held by the Fund could cause the Fund to underperform the Floating Rate Index. To the extent the assets in the Fund are smaller, these risks will be greater.
Index Tracking Risk. The Fund’s return may not match the return of the Floating Rate Index for a number of reasons. For example, the Fund incurs a number of operating expenses, including taxes, not applicable to the Floating Rate Index and incurs costs associated with buying and selling securities, especially when rebalancing the Fund’s securities holdings to reflect changes in the composition of the Floating Rate Index or (to the extent the Fund effects creations and redemptions for cash) raising cash to meet redemptions or deploying cash in connection with newly created Creation Units (defined herein), which are not factored into the return of the Floating Rate Index. Transaction costs, including brokerage costs, will decrease the Fund’s NAV to the extent not offset by the transaction fee payable by an Authorized Participant (“AP”). Market disruptions and regulatory restrictions could have an adverse effect on the Fund’s ability to adjust its exposure to the required levels in order to track the Floating Rate Index. Errors in the Floating Rate Index data, the Floating Rate Index computations and/or the construction of the Floating Rate Index in accordance with its methodology may occur from time to time and may not be identified and corrected by the Floating Rate Index provider for a period of time or at all, which may have an adverse impact on the Fund and its shareholders. Shareholders should understand that any gains from the Floating Rate Index provider's errors will be kept by the Fund and its shareholders and any losses or costs resulting from the Floating Rate Index provider's errors will be borne by the Fund and its shareholders. When the Floating Rate Index is rebalanced and the Fund in turn rebalances its portfolio to attempt to increase the correlation between the Fund’s portfolio and the Floating Rate Index, any transaction costs and market exposure arising from such portfolio rebalancing
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will be borne directly by the Fund and its shareholders. Apart from scheduled rebalances, the Floating Rate Index provider or its agents may carry out additional ad hoc rebalances to the Floating Rate Index. Therefore, errors and additional ad hoc rebalances carried out by the Floating Rate Index provider or its agents to the Floating Rate Index may increase the costs to and the tracking error risk of the Fund. In addition, the Fund's use of a representative sampling approach may cause the Fund to not be as well correlated with the return of the Floating Rate Index as would be the case if the Fund purchased all of the securities in the Floating Rate Index, or invested in them in the exact proportions in which they are represented in the Floating Rate Index. The Fund’s performance may also deviate from the return of the Floating Rate Index due to legal restrictions or limitations imposed by the governments of certain countries, certain listing standards of the Fund’s listing exchange (the “Exchange”), a lack of liquidity on stock exchanges in which such securities trade, potential adverse tax consequences or other regulatory reasons (such as diversification requirements). The Fund may value certain of its investments, underlying securities and/or currencies, based on fair value prices. To the extent the Fund calculates its NAV based on fair value prices and the value of the Floating Rate Index is based on securities’ closing prices (i.e., the value of the Floating Rate Index is not based on fair value prices), the Fund’s ability to track the Floating Rate Index may be adversely affected. When markets are volatile, the ability to sell securities at fair value prices may be adversely impacted and may result in additional trading costs and/or increase the index tracking risk. The Fund may also need to rely on borrowings to meet redemptions, which may lead to increased expenses. For tax efficiency purposes, the Fund may sell certain securities, and such sale may cause the Fund to realize a loss and deviate from the performance of the Floating Rate Index. In light of the factors discussed above, the Fund’s return may deviate significantly from the return of the Floating Rate Index. Changes to the composition of the Floating Rate Index in connection with a rebalancing or reconstitution of the Floating Rate Index may cause the Fund to experience increased volatility, during which time the Fund’s index tracking risk may be heightened.
Authorized Participant Concentration Risk. The Fund may have a limited number of financial institutions that act as APs, none of which are obligated to engage in creation and/or redemption transactions. To the extent that those APs exit the business, or are unable to or choose not to process creation and/or redemption orders, and no other AP is able to step forward to create and redeem, there may be a significantly diminished trading market for Shares or Shares may trade like closed-end funds at a greater discount (or premium) to NAV and possibly face trading halts and/or de-listing. The AP concentration risk may be heightened in scenarios where APs have limited or diminished access to the capital required to post collateral.
No Guarantee of Active Trading Market. While Shares are listed on the Exchange, there can be no assurance that an active trading market for the Shares will be maintained. Further, secondary markets may be subject to irregular trading activity, wide bid/ask spreads and extended trade settlement periods in times of market stress because market makers and APs may step away from making a market in the Shares and in executing creation and redemption orders, which could cause a material deviation in the Fund’s market price from its NAV.
Trading Issues. Trading in Shares on the Exchange may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the Exchange, make trading in Shares inadvisable. In addition, trading in Shares on the Exchange is subject to trading halts caused by extraordinary market volatility pursuant to the Exchange’s “circuit breaker” rules. There can be no assurance that the requirements of the Exchange necessary to maintain the listing of the Fund will continue to be met or will remain unchanged.
Passive Management Risk. An investment in the Fund involves risks similar to those of investing in any fund invested in bonds, such as market fluctuations caused by such factors as economic and political developments, changes in interest rates and perceived trends in security prices. However, because the Fund is not “actively” managed, unless a specific security is removed from the Floating Rate Index, the Fund generally would not sell a security because the security’s issuer was in financial trouble. Additionally, unusual market conditions may cause the Floating Rate Index provider to postpone a scheduled rebalance or reconstitution, which could cause the Floating Rate Index to vary from its normal or expected composition. Therefore, the Fund’s performance could be lower than funds that may actively shift their portfolio assets to take advantage of market opportunities or to lessen the impact of a market decline or a decline in the value of one or more issuers.
Fund Shares Trading, Premium/Discount Risk and Liquidity of Fund Shares. The market price of the Shares may fluctuate in response to the Fund’s NAV, the intraday value of the Fund’s holdings and supply and demand for Shares. The Adviser cannot predict whether Shares will trade above, below, or at their most recent NAV. Disruptions to creations and redemptions, the existence of market volatility or potential lack of an active trading market for Shares (including through a trading halt), as well as other factors, may result in Shares trading at a significant premium or discount to NAV or to the intraday value of the Fund’s holdings. If a shareholder purchases Shares at a time when the market price is at a premium to the NAV or sells Shares at a time when the market price is at a discount to the NAV, the shareholder may pay significantly more or receive significantly less than the underlying value of the Shares that were bought or sold or the shareholder may be unable to sell his or her Shares. The securities held by the Fund may be traded in markets that close at a different time than the Exchange. Liquidity in those securities may be reduced after the applicable closing times. Accordingly, during the time when the Exchange is open but after the applicable market closing, fixing or settlement times, bid/ask spreads on the Exchange and the resulting premium or discount to the Shares’ NAV may widen. Additionally, in stressed market conditions, the market for the Fund’s Shares may become less liquid in response to deteriorating liquidity in the markets for the Fund’s underlying portfolio holdings. There are various methods by which investors can purchase and sell Shares. Investors should consult their financial intermediaries before purchasing or selling Shares of the Fund.
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Non-Diversified Risk. The Fund is classified as a “non-diversified” fund under the 1940 Act. Therefore, the Fund may invest a relatively high percentage of its assets in a smaller number of issuers or may invest a larger proportion of its assets in a single issuer. Moreover, the gains and losses on a single investment may have a greater impact on the Fund’s NAV and may make the Fund more volatile than more diversified funds.
Concentration Risk. The Fund’s assets may be concentrated in a particular sector or sectors or industry or group of industries to the extent the Floating Rate Index concentrates in a particular sector or sectors or industry or group of industries. To the extent that the Fund is concentrated in a particular sector or sectors or industry or group of industries, the Fund will be subject to the risk that economic, political or other conditions that have a negative effect on those sectors and/or industries may negatively impact the Fund to a greater extent than if the Fund’s assets were invested in a wider variety of sectors or industries.
PERFORMANCE
The bar chart that follows shows how the Fund performed for the calendar years shown. The table below the bar chart shows the Fund’s average annual returns (before and after taxes). The bar chart and table provide an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by comparing the Fund’s performance from year to year and by showing how the Fund’s average annual returns for the one year, five year, ten year and/or since inception periods, as applicable, compared with the Fund’s benchmark index and a broad measure of market performance. All returns assume reinvestment of dividends and distributions. The Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available online at www.vaneck.com.
Annual Total Returns (%)—Calendar Years
ck0001137360-20220430_g7.jpg
The year-to-date total return as of June 30, 2022 was -1.71%.
Best Quarter: 5.58% 2Q 2020
Worst Quarter: -5.13% 1Q 2020
Average Annual Total Returns for the Periods Ended December 31, 2021
The after-tax returns presented in the table below are calculated using the highest historical individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Your actual after-tax returns will depend on your specific tax situation and may differ from those shown below. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold Shares of the Fund through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.
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Past One Year Past Five Years Past
Ten Years
VanEck IG Floating Rate ETF
(return before taxes)
0.66% 2.20% 2.15%
VanEck IG Floating Rate ETF
(return after taxes on distributions)
0.38% 1.39% 1.57%
VanEck IG Floating Rate ETF
(return after taxes on distributions and sale of Fund Shares)
0.39% 1.34% 1.41%
MVIS US Investment Grade Floating Rate Index
(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
0.72% 2.40% 2.45%
Bloomberg US Aggregate Bond Index
(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
-1.54% 3.57% 2.90%
ICE BofA Broad US Market Index1 (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
-1.58% 3.63% 2.97%
1 On September 1, 2022, the ICE BofA Broad US Market Index replaced the Bloomberg US Aggregate Bond Index as the Fund's broad-based benchmark index as the Adviser believes it is more representative of broad bond market exposure.
See “License Agreements and Disclaimers” for important information.
PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT
Investment Adviser. Van Eck Associates Corporation.
Portfolio Manager. The following individual is primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund’s portfolio:
Name Title with Adviser Date Began Managing the Fund
Francis G. Rodilosso Portfolio Manager September 2012
PURCHASE AND SALE OF FUND SHARES
For important information about the purchase and sale of Fund Shares, tax information, and payments to broker-dealers and other financial intermediaries, please turn to the “Summary Information about Purchases and Sales of Fund Shares, Taxes and Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries” section of this Prospectus.
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SUMMARY INFORMATION
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
VanEck® J.P. Morgan EM Local Currency Bond ETF (the “Fund”) seeks to replicate as closely as possible, before fees and expenses, the price and yield performance of the J.P. Morgan GBI-EM Global Core Index (the “Emerging Markets Global Core Index”).
FUND FEES AND EXPENSES
The following tables describe the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund (“Shares”). You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the tables and examples below.
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)
None
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Management Fee 0.27  %
Other Expenses
0.05  %
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses(a)
0.32  %
Fee Waivers and Expense Reimbursement(a)
-0.02  %
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers and Expense Reimbursement(a)
0.30  %
(a)Van Eck Associates Corporation (the “Adviser”) has agreed to waive fees and/or pay Fund expenses to the extent necessary to prevent the operating expenses of the Fund (excluding acquired fund fees and expenses, interest expense, trading expenses, taxes and extraordinary expenses) from exceeding 0.30% of the Fund’s average daily net assets per year until at least September 1, 2023. During such time, the expense limitation is expected to continue until the Fund’s Board of Trustees acts to discontinue all or a portion of such expense limitation.
EXPENSE EXAMPLE
This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. This example does not take into account brokerage commissions that you pay when purchasing or selling Shares of the Fund.
The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell or hold all of your Shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% annual return and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (except that the example incorporates the fee waivers and/or expense reimbursement arrangement for only the first year). Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:
YEAR EXPENSES
1 $31 
3 $101 
5 $178 
10 $404 
PORTFOLIO TURNOVER
The Fund will pay transaction costs, such as commissions, when it purchases and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover will cause the Fund to incur additional transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, may affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 33% of the average value of its portfolio.
PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES
The Fund normally invests at least 80% of its total assets in securities that comprise the Fund’s benchmark index. The Emerging Markets Global Core Index is comprised of bonds issued by emerging market governments and denominated in the local currency of the issuer. As of June 30, 2022, the Emerging Markets Global Core Index included 299 bonds of 20 sovereign issuers. This
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80% investment policy is non-fundamental and may be changed without shareholder approval upon 60 days’ prior written notice to shareholders.
The Fund, using a “passive” or indexing investment approach, attempts to approximate the investment performance of the Emerging Markets Global Core Index. Unlike many investment companies that try to “beat” the performance of a benchmark index, the Fund does not try to “beat” the Emerging Markets Global Core Index and does not take temporary defensive positions that are inconsistent with its investment objective of seeking to replicate the Emerging Markets Global Core Index. Because of the practical difficulties and expense of purchasing all of the securities in the Emerging Markets Global Core Index, the Fund does not purchase all of the securities in the Emerging Markets Global Core Index. Instead, the Adviser utilizes a “sampling” methodology in seeking to achieve the Fund’s objective. As such, the Fund may purchase a subset of the bonds in the Emerging Markets Global Core Index in an effort to hold a portfolio of bonds with generally the same risk and return characteristics of the Emerging Markets Global Core Index.
The Fund is classified as a non-diversified fund and, therefore, may invest a greater percentage of its assets in a particular issuer. The Fund may concentrate its investments in a particular industry or group of industries to the extent that the Emerging Markets Global Core Index concentrates in an industry or group of industries. As of April 30, 2022, the government sector represented a significant portion of the Fund.
PRINCIPAL RISKS OF INVESTING IN THE FUND
Investors in the Fund should be willing to accept a high degree of volatility in the price of the Fund’s Shares and the possibility of significant losses. An investment in the Fund involves a substantial degree of risk. An investment in the Fund is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. Therefore, you should consider carefully the following risks before investing in the Fund, each of which could significantly and adversely affect the value of an investment in the Fund.
Risk of Investing in Foreign Securities. Investments in the securities of foreign issuers involve risks beyond those associated with investments in U.S. securities. These additional risks include greater market volatility, the availability of less reliable financial information, higher transactional and custody costs, taxation by foreign governments, decreased market liquidity and political instability. Because certain foreign securities markets may be limited in size, the activity of large traders may have an undue influence on the prices of securities that trade in such markets. The Fund invests in securities of issuers located in countries whose economies are heavily dependent upon trading with key partners. Any reduction in this trading may have an adverse impact on the Fund’s investments.
Risk of Investing in Emerging Market Issuers. Investments in securities of emerging market issuers are exposed to a number of risks that may make these investments volatile in price or difficult to trade. Emerging markets are more likely than developed markets to experience problems with the clearing and settling of trades, as well as the holding of securities by local banks, agents and depositories. Political risks may include unstable governments, nationalization, restrictions on foreign ownership, laws that prevent investors from getting their money out of a country and legal systems that do not protect property rights as well as the laws of the United States. Market risks may include economies that concentrate in only a few industries, securities issues that are held by only a few investors, liquidity issues and limited trading capacity in local exchanges and the possibility that markets or issues may be manipulated by foreign nationals who have inside information. The frequency, availability and quality of financial information about investments in emerging markets varies. The Fund has limited rights and few practical remedies in emerging markets and the ability of U.S. authorities to bring enforcement actions in emerging markets may be limited, and the Fund's passive investment approach does not take account of these risks. All of these factors can make emerging market securities more volatile and potentially less liquid than securities issued in more developed markets.
Foreign Currency Risk. Because all or a portion of the income received by the Fund from its investments and/or the revenues received by the underlying issuer will generally be denominated in foreign currencies, the Fund’s exposure to foreign currencies and changes in the value of foreign currencies versus the U.S. dollar may result in reduced returns for the Fund, and the value of certain foreign currencies may be subject to a high degree of fluctuation. Moreover, the Fund may incur costs in connection with conversions between U.S. dollars and foreign currencies.
Special Risk Considerations of Investing in European Issuers. Investments in securities of European issuers involve risks and special considerations not typically associated with investments in the U.S. securities markets. The Economic and Monetary Union ("EMU") of the European Union ("EU") requires member countries to comply with restrictions on inflation rates, deficits, interest rates, debt levels and fiscal and monetary controls, each of which may significantly affect every country in Europe. Decreasing imports or exports, changes in governmental or EU regulations on trade, changes in the exchange rate of the euro, the default or threat of default by an EU member country on its sovereign debt, and/or an economic recession in an EU member country may have a significant adverse effect on the economies of EU member countries and on major trading partners outside Europe. The European financial markets have previously experienced, and may continue to experience, volatility and have been adversely affected, and may in the future be affected, by concerns about economic downturns, credit rating downgrades, rising government debt levels and possible default on or restructuring of government debt in several European countries. These events have adversely affected, and may in the future affect, the value and exchange rate of the euro and may continue to significantly affect the economies of every country in Europe, including EU member countries that do not use the euro and non-EU member
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countries. In a referendum held on June 23, 2016, voters in the UK voted to leave the EU, creating economic and political uncertainty in its wake. On January 31, 2020, the UK officially withdrew from the EU and the UK entered a transition period which ended on December 31, 2020. On December 30, 2020, the EU and UK signed the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement ("TCA"), an agreement on the terms governing certain aspects of the EU's and the UK's relationship following the end of the transition period. Notwithstanding the TCA, following the transition period, there is likely to be considerable uncertainly as to the UK's post-transition framework.
Special Risk Considerations of Investing in Asian Issuers. Investments in securities of Asian issuers involve risks and special considerations not typically associated with investment in the U.S. securities markets. Certain Asian economies have experienced over-extension of credit, currency devaluations and restrictions, high unemployment, high inflation, decreased exports and economic recessions. Economic events in any one Asian country can have a significant effect on the entire Asian region as well as on major trading partners outside Asia, and any adverse effect on some or all of the Asian countries and regions in which the Fund invests. The securities markets in some Asian economies are relatively underdeveloped and may subject the Fund to higher action costs or greater uncertainty than investments in more developed securities markets. Such risks may adversely affect the value of the Fund’s investments.
Special Risk Considerations of Investing in Latin American Issuers. Investments in securities of Latin American issuers involve special considerations not typically associated with investments in the U.S. securities markets. The economies of certain Latin American countries have, at times, experienced high interest rates, economic volatility, inflation, currency devaluations and high unemployment rates. In addition, commodities (such as oil, gas and minerals) represent a significant percentage of the region’s exports and many economies in this region are particularly sensitive to fluctuations in commodity prices. Adverse economic events in one country may have a significant adverse effect on other countries of this region.
Most Latin American countries have experienced, at one time or another, severe and persistent levels of inflation, including, in some cases, hyperinflation. This has, in turn, led to high interest rates, extreme measures by governments to keep inflation in check, and a generally debilitating effect on economic growth. Although inflation in many Latin American countries has lessened, there is no guarantee it will remain at lower levels.
The political history of certain Latin American countries has been characterized by political uncertainty, intervention by the military in civilian and economic spheres, and political corruption. Such events could reverse favorable trends toward market and economic reform, privatization, and removal of trade barriers, and could result in significant disruption in securities markets in the region.
The economies of Latin American countries are generally considered emerging markets and can be significantly affected by currency devaluations. Certain Latin American countries may also have managed currencies which are maintained at artificial levels relative to the U.S. dollar rather than at levels determined by the market. This type of system can lead to sudden and large adjustments in the currency which, in turn, can have a disruptive and negative effect on foreign investors. Certain Latin American countries also restrict the free conversion of their currency into foreign currencies, including the U.S. dollar. There is no significant foreign exchange market for many Latin American currencies and it would, as a result, be difficult for the Fund to engage in foreign currency transactions designed to protect the value of the Fund’s interests in securities denominated in such currencies.
Finally, a number of Latin American countries are among the largest debtors of developing countries. There have been moratoria on, and a rescheduling of, repayment with respect to these debts. Such events can restrict the flexibility of these debtor nations in the international markets and result in the imposition of onerous conditions on their economies.
Special Risk Considerations of Investing in Chinese Issuers. Investments in securities of Chinese issuers, including issuers located outside of China that generate significant revenues from China, involve risks and special considerations not typically associated with investments in the U.S. securities markets. These risks include, among others, (i) more frequent (and potentially widespread) trading suspensions and government interventions with respect to Chinese issuers resulting in lack of liquidity and in price volatility, (ii) currency revaluations and other currency exchange rate fluctuations or blockage, (iii) the nature and extent of intervention by the Chinese government in the Chinese securities markets, whether such intervention will continue and the impact of such intervention or its discontinuation, (iv) the risk of nationalization or expropriation of assets, (v) the risk that the Chinese government may decide not to continue to support economic reform programs, (vi) limitations on the use of brokers, (vii) higher rates of inflation, (viii) greater political, economic and social uncertainty, (ix) market volatility caused by any potential regional or territorial conflicts or natural disasters and (x) the risk of increased trade tariffs, embargoes, sanctions, investment restrictions and other trade limitations. Certain securities are, or may in the future become restricted, and the Fund may be forced to sell such restricted securities and incur a loss as a result. In addition, the economy of China differs, often unfavorably, from the U.S. economy in such respects as structure, general development, government involvement, wealth distribution, rate of inflation, growth rate, interest rates, allocation of resources and capital reinvestment, among others. The Chinese central government has historically exercised substantial control over virtually every sector of the Chinese economy through administrative regulation and/or state ownership and actions of the Chinese central and local government authorities continue to have a substantial effect on economic conditions in China. In addition, previously the Chinese government has from time to time taken actions that influence the prices at which certain goods may be sold, encourage companies to invest or concentrate in particular industries, induce
47


mergers between companies in certain industries and induce private companies to publicly offer their securities to increase or continue the rate of economic growth, control the rate of inflation or otherwise regulate economic expansion. The Chinese government may do so in the future as well, potentially having a significant adverse effect on economic conditions in China.
Special Risk Considerations of Investing in African Issuers. Investments in securities of African issuers, including issuers outside of Africa that generate significant revenues from Africa, involve risks and special considerations not typically associated with investments in the U.S. securities markets. Such heightened risks include, among others, expropriation and/or nationalization of assets, restrictions on and government intervention in international trade, confiscatory taxation, political instability, including authoritarian and/or military involvement in governmental decision making, armed conflict, terrorism, infectious disease outbreak, strained international relations related to border disputes, the impact on the economy as a result of civil war, and social instability as a result of religious, ethnic and/or socioeconomic unrest and, in certain countries, genocidal warfare. Unanticipated political or social developments may result in sudden and significant investment losses. Additionally, Africa is located in a part of the world that has historically been prone to natural disasters, such as droughts, and is economically sensitive to environmental events.
The securities markets in Africa are underdeveloped and are often considered to be less correlated to global economic cycles than those markets located in more developed countries or geographic regions. A subset of African emerging market countries are considered to be “frontier markets.” Frontier market countries generally have smaller economies and less developed capital markets than traditional emerging markets, and, as a result, the risks of investing in emerging market countries are magnified in frontier market countries. As a result, securities markets in Africa are subject to greater risks associated with market volatility, lower market capitalization, lower trading volume, illiquidity, inflation, greater price fluctuations, uncertainty regarding the existence of trading markets, governmental control and heavy regulation of labor and industry. There may also be a high concentration of trading volume in a small number of issuers, investors and financial intermediaries representing a limited number of sectors or industries. Moreover, trading on securities markets may be suspended altogether.
Certain economies in African countries depend to a significant degree upon exports of primary commodities such as agricultural products, gold, silver, copper, diamonds and oil. These economies therefore are vulnerable to changes in commodity prices, which in turn may be affected by a variety of factors.
Certain governments in Africa may restrict or control to varying degrees the ability of foreign investors to invest in securities of issuers located or operating in those countries. These restrictions and/or controls may at times limit or prevent foreign investment in securities of issuers located or operating in countries in Africa. Moreover, certain countries in Africa may require governmental approval or special licenses prior to investments by foreign investors and may limit the amount of investments by foreign investors in a particular industry and/or issuer and may limit such foreign investment to a certain class of securities of an issuer that may have less advantageous rights than the classes available for purchase by domiciliaries of those countries and/or impose additional taxes on foreign investors. These factors, among others, make investing in issuers located or operating in countries in Africa significantly riskier than investing in issuers located or operating in more developed countries, and any one of them could cause a decline in the value of the Fund’s Shares.
There may be a risk of loss due to the imposition of restrictions on repatriation of capital invested. In addition, certain African countries have currencies pegged to the U.S. dollar. If such currency pegs are abandoned, such abandonment could cause sudden and significant currency adjustments, which could impact the Fund’s investment returns in those countries. There may be limitations or delays in the convertibility or repatriation of certain African currencies, which would adversely affect the U.S. dollar value and/or liquidity of the Fund’s investments denominated in such African currencies, may impair the Fund’s ability to achieve its investment objective and/or may impede the Fund’s ability to satisfy redemption requests in a timely manner. For these or other reasons, the Fund could seek to suspend redemptions of Creation Units (defined herein), including in the event that an emergency exists in which it is not reasonably practicable for the Fund to dispose of its securities or to determine its net asset value (“NAV”). The Fund could also, among other things, limit or suspend creations of Creation Units. During the period that creations or redemptions are affected, the Fund’s shares could trade at a significant premium or discount to their NAV. In the case of a period during which creations are suspended, the Fund could experience substantial redemptions, which may exacerbate the discount to NAV at which the Fund’s shares trade, cause the Fund to experience increased transaction costs, and cause the Fund to make greater taxable distributions to shareholders of the Fund. When the Fund holds illiquid investments, its portfolio may be harder to value.
Credit Risk. Bonds are subject to credit risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable and/or unwilling to make timely interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt or to otherwise honor its obligations and/or default completely. Bonds are subject to varying degrees of credit risk, depending on the issuer’s financial condition and on the terms of the securities, which may be reflected in credit ratings. There is a possibility that the credit rating of a bond may be downgraded after purchase or the perception of an issuer’s credit worthiness may decline, which may adversely affect the value of the security.
Interest Rate Risk. Debt securities, such as bonds, are subject to interest rate risk. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a bond resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most debt securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most debt securities
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go up. Many factors can cause interest rates to rise, including central bank monetary policy, rising inflation rates and general economic conditions. The prevailing historically low interest rate environment increases the risks associated with rising interest rates, including the potential for periods of volatility and increased redemptions. In addition, debt securities with longer durations tend to be more sensitive to interest rate changes, usually making them more volatile than debt securities with shorter durations. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, as with other serious economic disruptions, governmental authorities and regulators are enacting significant fiscal and monetary policy changes, including providing direct capital infusions into companies, creating new monetary programs and lowering interest rates. These actions present heightened risks to debt instruments, and such risks could increase if these actions are unexpectedly or suddenly reversed or are ineffective in achieving their desired outcomes.
High Yield Securities Risk. Securities rated below investment grade are commonly referred to as high yield securities or "junk bonds." High yield securities are often issued by issuers that are restructuring, are smaller or less creditworthy than other issuers, or are more highly indebted than other issuers. High yield securities are subject to greater risk of loss of income and principal than higher rated securities and are considered speculative. The prices of high yield securities are likely to be more sensitive to adverse economic changes or individual issuer developments than higher rated securities. During an economic downturn or substantial period of rising interest rates, high yield security issuers may experience financial stress that would adversely affect their ability to service their principal and interest payment obligations, to meet their projected business goals or to obtain additional financing. In the event of a default, the Fund may incur additional expenses to seek recovery. The secondary market for securities that are high yield securities may be less liquid than the markets for higher quality securities, and high yield securities issued by non-corporate issuers may be less liquid than high yield securities issued by corporate issuers, which, in either instance, may have an adverse effect on the market prices of and the Fund’s ability to arrive at a fair value for certain securities. The illiquidity of the market also could make it difficult for the Fund to sell certain securities in connection with a rebalancing of the Emerging Markets Global Core Index. In addition, periods of economic uncertainty and change may result in an increased volatility of market prices of high yield securities and a corresponding volatility in the Fund’s net asset value (“NAV”).
Sovereign Bond Risk. Investments in sovereign bonds involves special risks not present in corporate bonds. The governmental authority that controls the repayment of the bonds may be unable or unwilling to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its bonds or to otherwise honor its obligations. If an issuer of sovereign bonds defaults on payments of principal and/or interest, the Fund may have limited recourse against the issuer. During periods of economic uncertainty, the market prices of sovereign bonds, and the Fund’s NAV, may be more volatile than prices of corporate bonds, which may result in losses. In the past, certain governments of emerging market countries have declared themselves unable to meet their financial obligations on a timely basis, which has resulted in losses for holders of sovereign bonds.
Risk of Cash Transactions. Unlike other exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”), the Fund expects to effect its creations and redemptions at least partially for cash, rather than wholly for in-kind securities. Therefore, it may be required to sell portfolio securities, and subsequently incur brokerage costs and/or recognize gains or losses on such sales that the Fund might not have recognized if it were to distribute portfolio securities in kind. As such, investments in Shares may be less tax-efficient than an investment in a conventional ETF.
Market Risk. The prices of the securities in the Fund are subject to the risks associated with investing in the securities market, including general economic conditions, sudden and unpredictable drops in value, exchange trading suspensions and closures and public health risks. These risks may be magnified if certain social, political, economic and other conditions and events (such as natural disasters, epidemics and pandemics, terrorism, conflicts and social unrest) adversely interrupt the global economy; in these and other circumstances, such events or developments might affect companies world-wide. An investment in the Fund may lose money.
Operational Risk. The Fund is exposed to operational risk arising from a number of factors, including, but not limited to, human error, processing and communication errors, errors of the Fund’s service providers, counterparties or other third parties, failed or inadequate processes and technology or system failures.
Sampling Risk. The Fund’s use of a representative sampling approach will result in its holding a smaller number of securities than are in the Emerging Markets Global Core Index. As a result, an adverse development respecting an issuer of securities held by the Fund could result in a greater decline in NAV than would be the case if the Fund held all of the securities in the Emerging Markets Global Core Index. Conversely, a positive development relating to an issuer of securities in the Emerging Markets Global Core Index that is not held by the Fund could cause the Fund to underperform the Emerging Markets Global Core Index. To the extent the assets in the Fund are smaller, these risks will be greater.
Index Tracking Risk. The Fund’s return may not match the return of the Emerging Markets Global Core Index for a number of reasons. For example, the Fund incurs a number of operating expenses, including taxes, not applicable to the Emerging Markets Global Core Index and incurs costs associated with buying and selling securities, especially when rebalancing the Fund’s securities holdings to reflect changes in the composition of the Emerging Markets Global Core Index or (to the extent the Fund effects creations and redemptions for cash) raising cash to meet redemptions or deploying cash in connection with newly created Creation Units (defined herein), which are not factored into the return of the Emerging Markets Global Core Index. Transaction costs, including brokerage costs, will decrease the Fund’s NAV to the extent not offset by the transaction fee
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payable by an Authorized Participant (“AP”). Market disruptions and regulatory restrictions could have an adverse effect on the Fund’s ability to adjust its exposure to the required levels in order to track the Emerging Markets Global Core Index. Errors in the Emerging Markets Global Core Index data, the Emerging Markets Global Core Index computations and/or the construction of the Emerging Markets Global Core Index in accordance with its methodology may occur from time to time and may not be identified and corrected by the Emerging Markets Global Core Index provider for a period of time or at all, which may have an adverse impact on the Fund and its shareholders. Shareholders should understand that any gains from the Emerging Markets Global Core Index provider's errors will be kept by the Fund and its shareholders and any losses or costs resulting from the Emerging Markets Global Core Index provider's errors will be borne by the Fund and its shareholders. When the Emerging Markets Global Core Index is rebalanced and the Fund in turn rebalances its portfolio to attempt to increase the correlation between the Fund’s portfolio and the Emerging Markets Global Core Index, any transaction costs and market exposure arising from such portfolio rebalancing will be borne directly by the Fund and its shareholders. The Fund may not be fully invested at times either as a result of cash flows into the Fund or reserves of cash held by the Fund to meet redemptions or pay expenses. Apart from scheduled rebalances, the Emerging Markets Global Core Index provider or its agents may carry out additional ad hoc rebalances to the Emerging Markets Global Core Index. Therefore, errors and additional ad hoc rebalances carried out by the Emerging Markets Global Core Index provider or its agents to the Emerging Markets Global Core Index may increase the costs to and the tracking error risk of the Fund. In addition, the Fund's use of a representative sampling approach may cause the Fund to not be as well correlated with the return of the Emerging Markets Global Core Index as would be the case if the Fund purchased all of the securities in the Emerging Markets Global Core Index, or invested in them in the exact proportions in which they are represented in the Emerging Markets Global Core Index. The Fund’s performance may also deviate from the return of the Emerging Markets Global Core Index due to legal restrictions or limitations imposed by the governments of certain countries, certain listing standards of the Fund’s listing exchange (the “Exchange”), a lack of liquidity on stock exchanges in which such securities trade, potential adverse tax consequences or other regulatory reasons (such as diversification requirements). The Fund may value certain of its investments, underlying securities and/or currencies, and/or other assets based on fair value prices. To the extent the Fund calculates its NAV based on fair value prices and the value of the Emerging Markets Global Core Index is based on securities’ closing prices on local foreign markets (i.e., the value of the Emerging Markets Global Core Index is not based on fair value prices), the Fund’s ability to track the Emerging Markets Global Core Index may be adversely affected. When markets are volatile, the ability to sell securities at fair value prices may be adversely impacted and may result in additional trading costs and/or increase the index tracking risk. The Fund may also need to rely on borrowings to meet redemptions, which may lead to increased expenses. For tax efficiency purposes, the Fund may sell certain securities, and such sale may cause the Fund to realize a loss and deviate from the performance of the Emerging Markets Global Core Index. In light of the factors discussed above, the Fund’s return may deviate significantly from the return of the Emerging Markets Global Core Index. Changes to the composition of the Emerging Markets Global Core Index in connection with a rebalancing or reconstitution of the Emerging Markets Global Core Index may cause the Fund to experience increased volatility, during which time the Fund’s index tracking risk may be heightened.
Authorized Participant Concentration Risk. The Fund may have a limited number of financial institutions that act as APs, none of which are obligated to engage in creation and/or redemption transactions. To the extent that those APs exit the business, or are unable to or choose not to process creation and/or redemption orders, and no other AP is able to step forward to create and redeem, there may be a significantly diminished trading market for Shares or Shares may trade like closed-end funds at a greater discount (or premium) to NAV and possibly face trading halts and/or de-listing. The AP concentration risk may be heightened in scenarios where APs have limited or diminished access to the capital required to post collateral.
No Guarantee of Active Trading Market. While Shares are listed on the Exchange, there can be no assurance that an active trading market for the Shares will be maintained. Further, secondary markets may be subject to irregular trading activity, wide bid/ask spreads and extended trade settlement periods in times of market stress because market makers and APs may step away from making a market in the Shares and in executing creation and redemption orders, which could cause a material deviation in the Fund’s market price from its NAV.
Trading Issues. Trading in Shares on the Exchange may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the Exchange, make trading in Shares inadvisable. In addition, trading in Shares on the Exchange is subject to trading halts caused by extraordinary market volatility pursuant to the Exchange’s “circuit breaker” rules. There can be no assurance that the requirements of the Exchange necessary to maintain the listing of the Fund will continue to be met or will remain unchanged.
Passive Management Risk. An investment in the Fund involves risks similar to those of investing in any fund invested in bonds, such as market fluctuations caused by such factors as economic and political developments, changes in interest rates and perceived trends in security prices. However, because the Fund is not “actively” managed, unless a specific security is removed from the Emerging Markets Global Core Index, the Fund generally would not sell a security because the security’s issuer was in financial trouble. Additionally, unusual market conditions may cause the Emerging Markets Global Core Index provider to postpone a scheduled rebalance or reconstitution, which could cause the Emerging Markets Global Core Index to vary from its normal or expected composition. Therefore, the Fund’s performance could be lower than funds that may actively shift their portfolio assets to take advantage of market opportunities or to lessen the impact of a market decline or a decline in the value of one or more issuers.
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Fund Shares Trading, Premium/Discount Risk and Liquidity of Fund Shares. The market price of the Shares may fluctuate in response to the Fund’s NAV, the intraday value of the Fund’s holdings and supply and demand for Shares. The Adviser cannot predict whether Shares will trade above, below, or at their most recent NAV. Disruptions to creations and redemptions, the existence of market volatility or potential lack of an active trading market for Shares (including through a trading halt), as well as other factors, may result in Shares trading at a significant premium or discount to NAV or to the intraday value of the Fund’s holdings. If a shareholder purchases Shares at a time when the market price is at a premium to the NAV or sells Shares at a time when the market price is at a discount to the NAV, the shareholder may pay significantly more or receive significantly less than the underlying value of the Shares that were bought or sold or the shareholder may be unable to sell his or her Shares. The securities held by the Fund may be traded in markets that close at a different time than the Exchange. Liquidity in those securities may be reduced after the applicable closing times. Accordingly, during the time when the Exchange is open but after the applicable market closing, fixing or settlement times, bid/ask spreads on the Exchange and the resulting premium or discount to the Shares’ NAV may widen. Additionally, in stressed market conditions, the market for the Fund’s Shares may become less liquid in response to deteriorating liquidity in the markets for the Fund’s underlying portfolio holdings. There are various methods by which investors can purchase and sell Shares. Investors should consult their financial intermediaries before purchasing or selling Shares of the Fund.
Issuer-Specific Changes Risk. The value of individual securities or particular types of securities can be more volatile than the market as a whole and can perform differently from the value of the market as a whole, which may have a greater impact if the Fund’s portfolio is concentrated in a country, group of countries, region, market, industry, group of industries, sector or asset class. The value of securities of smaller issuers can be more volatile than that of larger issuers.
Non-Diversified Risk. The Fund is classified as a “non-diversified” fund under the 1940 Act. Therefore, the Fund may invest a relatively high percentage of its assets in a smaller number of issuers or may invest a larger proportion of its assets in a single issuer. Moreover, the gains and losses on a single investment may have a greater impact on the Fund’s NAV and may make the Fund more volatile than more diversified funds.
Concentration Risk. The Fund’s assets may be concentrated in a particular sector or sectors or industry or group of industries to the extent the Emerging Markets Global Core Index concentrates in a particular sector or sectors or industry or group of industries. To the extent that the Fund is concentrated in a particular sector or sectors or industry or group of industries, the Fund will be subject to the risk that economic, political or other conditions that have a negative effect on those sectors and/or industries may negatively impact the Fund to a greater extent than if the Fund’s assets were invested in a wider variety of sectors or industries.
PERFORMANCE
The bar chart that follows shows how the Fund performed for the calendar years shown. The table below the bar chart shows the Fund’s average annual returns (before and after taxes). The bar chart and table provide an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by comparing the Fund’s performance from year to year and by showing how the Fund’s average annual returns for the one year, five year, ten year and/or since inception periods, as applicable, compared with the Fund’s benchmark index and a broad measure of market performance. All returns assume reinvestment of dividends and distributions. The Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available online at www.vaneck.com.



















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Annual Total Returns (%)—Calendar Years
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The year-to-date total return as of June 30, 2022 was -12.73%.
Best Quarter: 10.73  % 1Q 2016
Worst Quarter: -14.44  % 1Q 2020
Average Annual Total Returns for the Periods Ended December 31, 2021
The after-tax returns presented in the table below are calculated using the highest historical individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Your actual after-tax returns will depend on your specific tax situation and may differ from those shown below. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold Shares of the Fund through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.
Past One Year Past Five Years Past Ten Years
VanEck J.P. Morgan EM Local Currency Bond ETF
(return before taxes)
-9.33% 1.55% 0.03%
VanEck J.P. Morgan EM Local Currency Bond ETF
(return after taxes on distributions)
-10.21% 0.49% -1.04%
VanEck J.P. Morgan EM Local Currency Bond ETF
(return after taxes on distributions and sale of Fund Shares)
-5.45% 0.80% -0.37%
J.P. Morgan GBI-EM Global Core Index
(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
-9.23% 2.00% 0.61%
Bloomberg US Aggregate Bond Index
(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
-1.54% 3.57% 2.90%
ICE BofA Broad US Market Index1 (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
-1.58% 3.63% 2.97%
1 On September 1, 2022, the ICE BofA Broad US Market Index replaced the Bloomberg US Aggregate Bond Index as the Fund's broad-based benchmark index as the Adviser believes it is more representative of broad bond market exposure.
See “License Agreements and Disclaimers” for important information.
PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT
Investment Adviser. Van Eck Associates Corporation
Portfolio Manager. The following individual is primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund’s portfolio:
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Name Title with Adviser Date Began Managing the Fund
Francis G. Rodilosso Portfolio Manager September 2012
PURCHASE AND SALE OF FUND SHARES
For important information about the purchase and sale of Fund Shares, tax information, and payments to broker-dealers and other financial intermediaries, please turn to the “Summary Information about Purchases and Sales of Fund Shares, Taxes and Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries” section of this Prospectus.
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SUMMARY INFORMATION
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
VanEck® Moody’s Analytics® BBB Corporate Bond ETF (the “Fund”) seeks to track, as closely as possible, before fees and expenses, the price and yield performance of the MVIS® Moody’s Analytics® US BBB Corporate Bond Index (the “BBB Index”).
FUND FEES AND EXPENSES
The following tables describe the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund (“Shares”). You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the tables and examples below.
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)
None
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Management Fee 0.25%
Other Expenses(a)
0.00%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses(a)
0.25%
(a)Van Eck Associates Corporation (the "Adviser") will pay all expenses of the Fund, except for the fee payment under the investment management agreement, acquired fund fees and expenses, interest expense, offering costs, trading expenses, taxes and extraordinary expenses. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Adviser has agreed to pay the offering costs until at least September 1, 2023.
EXPENSE EXAMPLE
This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. This example does not take into account brokerage commissions that you pay when purchasing or selling Shares of the Fund.
The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell or hold all of your Shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% annual return and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:
YEAR EXPENSES
1 $26 
3 $80 
5 $141 
10 $318 
PORTFOLIO TURNOVER
The Fund will pay transaction costs, such as commissions, when it purchases and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover will cause the Fund to incur additional transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, may affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 48% of the average value of its portfolio.
PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES
The Fund normally invests at least 80% of its total assets in securities that comprise the Fund’s benchmark index. The BBB Index is comprised of U.S. dollar-denominated corporate bonds issued in the U.S. domestic market that have a BBB rating based on the bond’s composite rating, which is an average of ratings from various rating agencies. Bonds no longer rated BBB, including non-investment grade bonds, are removed from the BBB Index at the end of the month in which they are upgraded or downgraded in connection with the BBB Index’s next scheduled rebalance. The BBB Index is comprised of bonds issued by both U.S. and non-U.S. issuers that the BBB Index provider determines to have an attractive valuation based on proprietary credit risk metrics developed by Moody’s Analytics, Inc. (“Moody’s Analytics”). Further, bonds that the BBB Index provider determines to have the highest probability of being downgraded to non-investment grade, based on proprietary credit risk metrics developed by Moody’s Analytics, are excluded from the BBB Index.
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As of June 30, 2022, the BBB Index included 339 notes of 89 issuers and approximately 28.6% of the BBB Index was comprised of Rule 144A securities. These amounts are subject to change. The Fund’s 80% investment policy is non-fundamental and may be changed without shareholder approval upon 60 days’ prior written notice to shareholders. The Fund, using a “passive” or indexing investment approach, attempts to approximate the investment performance of the BBB Index. Unlike many investment companies that try to “beat” the performance of a benchmark index, the Fund does not try to “beat” the BBB Index and does not take temporary defensive positions that are inconsistent with its investment objective of seeking to track the BBB Index. Because of the practical difficulties and expense of purchasing all of the securities in the BBB Index, the Fund does not purchase all of the securities in the BBB Index. Instead, the Adviser utilizes a “sampling” methodology in seeking to achieve the Fund’s objective. As such, the Fund may purchase a subset of the bonds in the BBB Index in an effort to hold a portfolio of bonds with generally the same risk and return characteristics of the BBB Index.
The Fund is classified as a non-diversified fund and, therefore, may invest a greater percentage of its assets in a particular issuer. The Fund may concentrate its investments in a particular industry or group of industries to the extent that the BBB Index concentrates in an industry or group of industries. As of April 30, 2022, each of the financials, information technology and consumer discretionary sectors represented a significant portion of the Fund.
PRINCIPAL RISKS OF INVESTING IN THE FUND
Investors in the Fund should be willing to accept a high degree of volatility in the price of the Fund’s Shares and the possibility of significant losses. An investment in the Fund involves a substantial degree of risk. An investment in the Fund is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. Therefore, you should consider carefully the following risks before investing in the Fund, each of which could significantly and adversely affect the value of an investment in the Fund.
Special Risk Considerations of Investing in European Issuers. Investments in securities of European issuers involve risks and special considerations not typically associated with investments in the U.S. securities markets. The Economic and Monetary Union (“EMU”) of the European Union (“EU”) requires member countries to comply with restrictions on inflation rates, deficits, interest rates, debt levels and fiscal and monetary controls, each of which may significantly affect every country in Europe. Decreasing imports or exports, changes in governmental or EU regulations on trade, changes in the exchange rate of the euro, the default or threat of default by an EU member country on its sovereign debt, and/or an economic recession in an EU member country may have a significant adverse effect on the economies of EU member countries and on major trading partners outside Europe. The European financial markets have previously experienced, and may continue to experience, volatility and have been adversely affected, and may in the future be affected, by concerns about economic downturns, credit rating downgrades, rising government debt levels and possible default on or restructuring of government debt in several European countries. These events have adversely affected, and may in the future affect, the value and exchange rate of the euro and may continue to significantly affect the economies of every country in Europe, including EU member countries that do not use the euro and non-EU member countries. In a referendum held on June 23, 2016, voters in the United Kingdom ("UK") voted to leave the EU, creating economic and political uncertainty in its wake. On January 31, 2020, the UK officially withdrew from the EU and the UK entered a transition period which ended on December 31, 2020. On December 30, 2020, the EU and UK signed the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement ("TCA"), an agreement on the terms governing certain aspects of the EU's and the UK's relationship following the end of the transition period. Notwithstanding the TCA, following the transition period, there is likely to be considerable uncertainly as to the UK's post-transition framework.
Risk of Investing in Foreign Securities. Investments in the securities of foreign issuers involve risks beyond those associated with investments in U.S. securities. These additional risks include greater market volatility, the availability of less reliable financial information, higher transactional and custody costs, taxation by foreign governments, decreased market liquidity and political instability. Because certain foreign securities markets may be limited in size, the activity of large traders may have an undue influence on the prices of securities that trade in such markets. The Fund invests in securities of issuers located in countries whose economies are heavily dependent upon trading with key partners. Any reduction in this trading may have an adverse impact on the Fund’s investments.
BBB-Rated Bond Risk. BBB-rated bonds are typically subject to greater risk of downgrade than other investment grade bonds. The risk of downgrade to below-investment grade will be heighted during an economic downturn or substantial period of rising interest rates. Any downgrade of such bonds would relegate such bonds from the investment grade universe to the high yield (or “junk” bond) universe, which could negatively affect their value.
Credit Risk. Bonds, are subject to credit risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable and/or unwilling to make timely interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt or to otherwise honor its obligations and/or default completely. Bonds are subject to varying degrees of credit risk, depending on the issuer’s financial condition and on the terms of the securities, which may be reflected in credit ratings. There is a possibility that the credit rating of a bond may be downgraded after purchase or the perception of an issuer’s credit worthiness may decline, which may adversely affect the value of the security.
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Interest Rate Risk. Debt securities, such as bonds, are subject to interest rate risk. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a bond resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most debt securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most debt securities go up. Many factors can cause interest rates to rise, including central bank monetary policy, rising inflation rates and general economic conditions. The prevailing historically low interest rate environment increases the risks associated with rising interest rates, including the potential for periods of volatility and increased redemptions. In addition, debt securities with longer durations tend to be more sensitive to interest rate changes, usually making them more volatile than debt securities with shorter durations. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, as with other serious economic disruptions, governmental authorities and regulators are enacting significant fiscal and monetary policy changes, including providing direct capital infusions into companies, creating new monetary programs and lowering interest rates. These actions present heightened risks to debt instruments, and such risks could increase if these actions are unexpectedly or suddenly reversed or are ineffective in achieving their desired outcomes.
Liquidity Risk. Reduced liquidity in the bond markets can result from a number of events, such as limited trading activity, reductions in bond inventory, market volatility, and rapid or unexpected changes in interest rates. Less liquid markets could lead to greater price volatility and limit the Fund’s ability to sell a holding at a suitable price.
Restricted Securities Risk. Rule 144A securities are restricted securities. Restricted securities are securities that are not registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). They may be less liquid and more difficult to value than other investments because such securities may not be readily marketable. The Fund may not be able to purchase or sell a restricted security promptly or at a reasonable time or price. Although there may be a substantial institutional market for these securities, it is not possible to predict exactly how the market for such securities will develop or whether it will continue to exist. A restricted security that was liquid at the time of purchase may subsequently become illiquid and its value may decline as a result. In addition, transaction costs may be higher for restricted securities than for more liquid securities. The Fund may have to bear the expense of registering restricted securities for resale and the risk of substantial delays in effecting the registration.
Risk of Investing in the Financials Sector. The Fund will be sensitive to, and its performance will depend to a greater extent on, the overall condition of the financials sector. Companies in the financials sector may be subject to extensive government regulation that affects the scope of their activities, the prices they can charge and the amount of capital they must maintain. The profitability of companies in the financials sector may be adversely affected by increases in interest rates, by loan losses, which usually increase in economic downturns, and by credit rating downgrades. In addition, the financials sector is undergoing numerous changes, including continuing consolidations, development of new products and structures and changes to its regulatory framework. Furthermore, some companies in the financials sector perceived as benefitting from government intervention in the past may be subject to future government-imposed restrictions on their businesses or face increased government involvement in their operations. Increased government involvement in the financials sector, including measures such as taking ownership positions in financial institutions, could result in a dilution of the Fund’s investments in financial institutions.
Risk of Investing in the Information Technology Sector. The Fund will be sensitive to, and its performance will depend to a greater extent on, the overall condition of the information technology sector. Information technology companies face intense competition, both domestically and internationally, which may have an adverse effect on profit margins. Information technology companies may have limited product lines, markets, financial resources or personnel. The products of information technology companies may face product obsolescence due to rapid technological developments and frequent new product introduction, unpredictable changes in growth rates and competition for the services of qualified personnel. Companies in the information technology sector are heavily dependent on patent protection and the expiration of patents may adversely affect the profitability of these companies.
Risk of Investing in the Consumer Discretionary Sector. The Fund will be sensitive to, and its performance will depend to a greater extent on, the overall condition of the consumer discretionary sector. The consumer discretionary sector comprises companies whose businesses are sensitive to economic cycles, such as manufacturers of high-end apparel and automobile and leisure companies. Companies engaged in the consumer discretionary sector are subject to fluctuations in supply and demand. These companies may also be adversely affected by changes in consumer spending as a result of world events, political and economic conditions, commodity price volatility, changes in exchange rates, imposition of import controls, increased competition, depletion of resources and labor relations.
Market Risk. The prices of the securities in the Fund are subject to the risks associated with investing in the securities market, including general economic conditions, sudden and unpredictable drops in value, exchange trading suspensions and closures and public health risks. These risks may be magnified if certain social, political, economic and other conditions and events (such as natural disasters, epidemics and pandemics, terrorism, conflicts and social unrest) adversely interrupt the global economy; in these and other circumstances, such events or developments might affect companies world-wide. An investment in the Fund may lose money.
Operational Risk. The Fund is exposed to operational risk arising from a number of factors, including, but not limited to, human error, processing and communication errors, errors of the Fund’s service providers, counterparties or other third parties, failed or inadequate processes and technology or system failures.
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Call Risk. The Fund may invest in callable bonds. If interest rates fall, it is possible that issuers of callable securities will “call” (or prepay) their bonds before their maturity date. If a call were exercised by the issuer during or following a period of declining interest rates, the Fund is likely to have to replace such called security with a lower yielding security or securities with greater risks or other less favorable features. If that were to happen, it would decrease the Fund’s net investment income.
Sampling Risk. The Fund’s use of a representative sampling approach will result in its holding a smaller number of securities than are in the BBB Index. As a result, an adverse development respecting an issuer of securities held by the Fund could result in a greater decline in NAV than would be the case if the Fund held all of the securities in the BBB Index. Conversely, a positive development relating to an issuer of securities in the BBB Index that is not held by the Fund could cause the Fund to underperform the BBB Index. To the extent the assets in the Fund are smaller, these risks will be greater.
Index Tracking Risk. The Fund’s return may not match the return of the BBB Index for a number of reasons. For example, the Fund incurs a number of operating expenses, including taxes, not applicable to the BBB Index and incurs costs associated with buying and selling securities, especially when rebalancing the Fund’s securities holdings to reflect changes in the composition of the BBB Index or (to the extent the Fund effects creations and redemptions for cash) raising cash to meet redemptions or deploying cash in connection with newly created Creation Units (defined herein), which are not factored into the return of the BBB Index. Transaction costs, including brokerage costs, will decrease the Fund’s NAV to the extent not offset by the transaction fee payable by an Authorized Participant (“AP”). Market disruptions and regulatory restrictions could have an adverse effect on the Fund’s ability to adjust its exposure to the required levels in order to track the BBB Index. Errors in the BBB Index data, the BBB Index computations and/or the construction of the BBB Index in accordance with its methodology may occur from time to time and may not be identified and corrected by the BBB Index Provider for a period of time or at all, which may have an adverse impact on the Fund and its shareholders. Shareholders should understand that any gains from the BBB Index provider's errors will be kept by the Fund and its shareholders and any losses or costs resulting from the BBB Index provider's errors will be borne by the Fund and its shareholders. When the BBB Index is rebalanced and the Fund in turn rebalances its portfolio to attempt to increase the correlation between the Fund’s portfolio and the BBB Index, any transaction costs and market exposure arising from such portfolio rebalancing will be borne directly by the Fund and its shareholders. Apart from scheduled rebalances, the BBB Index provider or its agents may carry out additional ad hoc rebalances to the BBB Index. Therefore, errors and additional ad hoc rebalances carried out by the BBB Index provider or its agents to the BBB Index may increase the costs to and the tracking error risk of the Fund. In addition, the Fund's use of a representative sampling approach may cause the Fund to not be as closely correlated with the return of the BBB Index as would be the case if the Fund purchased all of the securities in the BBB Index, or invested in them in the exact proportions in which they are represented in the BBB Index. The Fund may value certain of its investments, underlying securities and/or currencies based on fair value prices. The Fund’s performance may also deviate from the return of the BBB Index due to legal restrictions or limitations imposed by the governments of certain countries, certain listing standards of the Fund’s listing exchange (the “Exchange”), a lack of liquidity on stock exchanges in which such securities trade, potential adverse tax consequences or other regulatory reasons (such as diversification requirements). To the extent the Fund calculates its NAV based on fair value prices and the value of the BBB Index is based on securities’ closing prices (i.e., the value of the BBB Index is not based on fair value prices), the Fund’s ability to track the BBB Index may be adversely affected. When markets are volatile, the ability to sell securities at fair value prices may be adversely impacted and may result in additional trading costs and/or increase the index tracking risk. The Fund may also need to rely on borrowings to meet redemptions, which may lead to increased expenses. For tax efficiency purposes, the Fund may sell certain securities, and such sale may cause the Fund to realize a loss and deviate from the performance of the BBB Index. In light of the factors discussed above, the Fund’s return may deviate significantly from the return of the BBB Index. Changes to the composition of the BBB Index in connection with a rebalancing or reconstitution of the BBB Index may cause the Fund to experience increased volatility, during which time the Fund’s index tracking risk may be heightened.
Authorized Participant Concentration Risk. The Fund may have a limited number of financial institutions that act as APs, none of which are obligated to engage in creation and/or redemption transactions. To the extent that those APs exit the business, or are unable to or choose not to process creation and/or redemption orders, and no other AP is able to step forward to create and redeem, there may be a significantly diminished trading market for Shares or Shares may trade like closed-end funds at a greater discount (or premium) to NAV and possibly face trading halts and/or de-listing. The AP concentration risk may be heightened in scenarios where APs have limited or diminished access to the capital required to post collateral.
No Guarantee of Active Trading Market. While Shares are listed on the Exchange, there can be no assurance that an active trading market for the Shares will be maintained. Further, secondary markets may be subject to irregular trading activity, wide bid/ask spreads and extended trade settlement periods in times of market stress because market makers and APs may step away from making a market in the Shares and in executing creation and redemption orders, which could cause a material deviation in the Fund’s market price from its NAV.
Trading Issues. Trading in Shares on the Exchange may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the Exchange, make trading in Shares inadvisable. In addition, trading in Shares on the Exchange is subject to trading halts caused by extraordinary market volatility pursuant to the Exchanges “circuit breaker” rules. There can be no assurance that the requirements of the Exchange necessary to maintain the listing of the Fund will continue to be met or will remain unchanged.
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Passive Management Risk. An investment in the Fund involves risks similar to those of investing in any fund invested in bonds, such as market fluctuations caused by such factors as economic and political developments, changes in interest rates and perceived trends in security prices. However, because the Fund is not “actively” managed, unless a specific security is removed from the BBB Index, the Fund generally would not sell a security because the security’s issuer was in financial trouble. Additionally, unusual market conditions may cause the BBB Index provider to postpone a scheduled rebalance or reconstitution, which could cause the BBB Index to vary from its normal or expected composition. Therefore, the Fund’s performance could be lower than funds that may actively shift their portfolio assets to take advantage of market opportunities or to lessen the impact of a market decline or a decline in the value of one or more issuers.
Data Risk. The BBB Index provider relies heavily on credit risk metrics and other data provided by Moody's Analytics (“Data”). Data is used by the BBB Index provider to construct the BBB Index. If the Data proves to be incorrect or incomplete, any decisions made in reliance thereon may expose the Fund to potential risks.
Fund Shares Trading, Premium/Discount Risk and Liquidity of Fund Shares. The market price of the Shares may fluctuate in response to the Fund’s NAV, the intraday value of the Fund’s holdings and supply and demand for Shares. The Adviser cannot predict whether Shares will trade above, below, or at their most recent NAV. Disruptions to creations and redemptions, the existence of market volatility or potential lack of an active trading market for Shares (including through a trading halt), as well as other factors, may result in Shares trading at a significant premium or discount to NAV or to the intraday value of the Fund’s holdings. If a shareholder purchases Shares at a time when the market price is at a premium to the NAV or sells Shares at a time when the market price is at a discount to the NAV, the shareholder may pay significantly more or receive significantly less than the underlying value of the Shares that were bought or sold or the shareholder may be unable to sell his or her Shares. The securities held by the Fund may be traded in markets that close at a different time than the Exchange. Liquidity in those securities may be reduced after the applicable closing times. Accordingly, during the time when the Exchange is open but after the applicable market closing, fixing or settlement times, bid/ask spreads on the Exchange and the resulting premium or discount to the Shares’ NAV may widen. Additionally, in stressed market conditions, the market for the Fund’s Shares may become less liquid in response to deteriorating liquidity in the markets for the Fund’s underlying portfolio holdings. There are various methods by which investors can purchase and sell Shares. Investors should consult their financial intermediaries before purchasing or selling Shares of the Fund.
Non-Diversified Risk. The Fund is classified as a “non-diversified” fund under the 1940 Act. Therefore, the Fund may invest a relatively high percentage of its assets in a smaller number of issuers or may invest a larger proportion of its assets in a single issuer. Moreover, the gains and losses on a single investment may have a greater impact on the Fund's NAV and may make the Fund more volatile than more diversified funds.
Concentration Risk. The Fund’s assets may be concentrated in a particular sector or sectors or industry or group of industries to the extent the BBB Index concentrates in a particular sector or sectors or industry or group of industries. To the extent that the Fund is concentrated in a particular sector or sectors or industry or group of industries, the Fund will be subject to the risk that economic, political or other conditions that have a negative effect on those sectors and/or industries may negatively impact the Fund to a greater extent than if the Fund’s assets were invested in a wider variety of sectors or industries.
PERFORMANCE
The bar chart that follows shows how the Fund performed for the calendar years shown. The table below the bar chart shows the Fund’s average annual returns (before and after taxes). The bar chart and table provide an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by comparing the Fund’s performance from year to year and by showing how the Fund’s average annual returns for the one year, five year, ten year and/or since inception periods, as applicable, compared with the Fund’s benchmark index and a broad measure of market performance. All returns assume reinvestment of dividends and distributions. The Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available online at www.vaneck.com.
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Annual Total Returns (%)—Calendar Year
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The year-to-date total return as of June 30, 2022 was -14.81%.
Best Quarter: 3.44% 2Q 2021
Worst Quarter: -2.57% 1Q 2021
Average Annual Total Returns for the Periods Ended December 31, 2021
The after-tax returns presented in the table below are calculated using the highest historical individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Your actual after-tax returns will depend on your specific tax situation and may differ from those shown below. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold Shares of the Fund through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.
Past One Year
Since Inception
(12/01/2020)
Moody’s Analytical BBB Corporate Bond ETF
(return before taxes)
0.58% 1.60%
Moody’s Analytical BBB Corporate Bond ETF
(return after taxes on distributions)
-0.42% 0.66%
Moody’s Analytical BBB Corporate Bond ETF
(return after taxes on distributions and sale of Fund Shares)
0.34% 0.83%
MVIS Moody’s Analytics US BBB Corporate Bond Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) 0.50% 1.84%
Bloomberg US Aggregate Bond Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
-1.54% -0.97%
ICE BofA Broad US Market Index1 (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
-1.58% -0.97%
1 On September 1, 2022, the ICE BofA Broad US Market Index replaced the Bloomberg US Aggregate Bond Index as the Fund's broad-based benchmark index as the Adviser believes it is more representative of broad bond market exposure.
See “License Agreements and Disclaimers” for important information.
PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT
Investment Adviser. Van Eck Associates Corporation.
Portfolio Manager. The following individual is primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund’s portfolio:
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Name Title with Adviser Date Began Managing the Fund
Francis G. Rodilosso Portfolio Manager December 2020
PURCHASE AND SALE OF FUND SHARES
For important information about the purchase and sale of Fund Shares, tax information and payments to broker-dealers and other financial intermediaries, please turn to the “Summary Information About Purchases and Sales of Fund Shares, Taxes and Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries” section of this Prospectus.
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SUMMARY INFORMATION
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
VanEck® Moody’s Analytics® IG Corporate Bond ETF (the “Fund”) seeks to track, as closely as possible, before fees and expenses, the price and yield performance of the MVIS® Moody’s Analytics® US Investment Grade Corporate Bond Index (the “US IG Index”).
FUND FEES AND EXPENSES
The following tables describe the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund (“Shares”). You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the tables and examples below.
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)
None
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Management Fee 0.20%
Other Expenses(a)
0.00%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses(a)
0.20%
(a)Van Eck Associates Corporation (the “Adviser”) will pay all expenses of the Fund, except for the fee payment under the investment management agreement, acquired fund fees and expenses, interest expense, offering costs, trading expenses, taxes and extraordinary expenses. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Adviser has agreed to pay the offering costs until at least September 1, 2023.
EXPENSE EXAMPLE
This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. This example does not take into account brokerage commissions that you pay when purchasing or selling Shares of the Fund.
The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell or hold all of your Shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% annual return and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:
YEAR EXPENSES
1 $20 
3 $64 
5 $113 
10 $255 
PORTFOLIO TURNOVER
The Fund will pay transaction costs, such as commissions, when it purchases and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover will cause the Fund to incur additional transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, may affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 53% of the average value of its portfolio.
PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES
The Fund normally invests at least 80% of its total assets in securities that comprise the Fund's benchmark index. The US IG Index is comprised of U.S. dollar-denominated corporate bonds issued in the U.S. domestic market that have an investment grade rating based on the bond’s composite rating, which is an average of ratings from various rating agencies. Bonds that fall below investment grade are removed from the US IG Index at the end of the month in which they are downgraded in connection with the US IG Index's next scheduled rebalance.
The US IG Index is comprised of bonds issued by both U.S. and non-U.S. issuers that the US IG Index provider determines to have an attractive valuation based on proprietary credit risk metrics developed by Moody's Analytics, Inc. (“Moody's Analytics”).
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Further, bonds that the US IG Index provider determines to have the highest probability of being downgraded to non-investment grade, based on proprietary credit risk metrics developed by Moody's Analytics, are excluded from the US IG Index.
As of June 30, 2022 the US IG Index included 439 notes of 114 issuers and approximately 27.7% of the US IG Index was comprised of Rule 144A securities. These amounts are subject to change.
The Fund’s 80% investment policy is non-fundamental and may be changed without shareholder approval upon 60 days’ prior written notice to shareholders.
The Fund, using a “passive” or indexing investment approach, attempts to approximate the investment performance of the US IG Index. Unlike many investment companies that try to “beat” the performance of a benchmark index, the Fund does not try to “beat” the US IG Index and does not take temporary defensive positions that are inconsistent with its investment objective of seeking to track the US IG Index. Because of the practical difficulties and expense of purchasing all of the securities in the US IG Index, the Fund does not purchase all of the securities in the US IG Index. Instead, the Adviser utilizes a “sampling” methodology in seeking to achieve the Fund’s objective. As such, the Fund may purchase a subset of the bonds in the US IG Index in an effort to hold a portfolio of bonds with generally the same risk and return characteristics of the US IG Index.
The Fund is classified as a non-diversified fund and, therefore, may invest a greater percentage of its assets in a particular issuer. The Fund may concentrate its investments in a particular industry or group of industries to the extent that the US IG Index concentrates in an industry or group of industries. As of April 30, 2022 each of the financials, information technology, consumer staples and energy sectors represented a significant portion of the Fund.
PRINCIPAL RISKS OF INVESTING IN THE FUND
Investors in the Fund should be willing to accept a high degree of volatility in the price of the Fund’s Shares and the possibility of significant losses. An investment in the Fund involves a substantial degree of risk. An investment in the Fund is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. Therefore, you should consider carefully the following risks before investing in the Fund, each of which could significantly and adversely affect the value of an investment in the Fund.
Special Risk Considerations of Investing in European Issuers. Investments in securities of European issuers involve risks and special considerations not typically associated with investments in the U.S. securities markets. The Economic and Monetary Union (“EMU”) of the European Union (“EU”) requires member countries to comply with restrictions on inflation rates, deficits, interest rates, debt levels and fiscal and monetary controls, each of which may significantly affect every country in Europe. Decreasing imports or exports, changes in governmental or EU regulations on trade, changes in the exchange rate of the euro, the default or threat of default by an EU member country on its sovereign debt, and/or an economic recession in an EU member country may have a significant adverse effect on the economies of EU member countries and on major trading partners outside Europe. The European financial markets have previously experienced, and may continue to experience, volatility and have been adversely affected, and may in the future be affected, by concerns about economic downturns, credit rating downgrades, rising government debt levels and possible default on or restructuring of government debt in several European countries. These events have adversely affected, and may in the future affect, the value and exchange rate of the euro and may continue to significantly affect the economies of every country in Europe, including EU member countries that do not use the euro and non-EU member countries. In a referendum held on June 23, 2016, voters in the United Kingdom ("UK") voted to leave the EU, creating economic and political uncertainty in its wake. On January 31, 2020, the UK officially withdrew from the EU and the UK entered a transition period which ended on December 31, 2020. On December 30, 2020, the EU and UK signed the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement ("TCA"), an agreement on the terms governing certain aspects of the EU's and the UK's relationship following the end of the transition period. Notwithstanding the TCA, following the transition period, there is likely to be considerable uncertainly as to the UK's post-transition framework.
Risk of Investing in Foreign Securities. Investments in the securities of foreign issuers involve risks beyond those associated with investments in U.S. securities. These additional risks include greater market volatility, the availability of less reliable financial information, higher transactional and custody costs, taxation by foreign governments, decreased market liquidity and political instability. Because certain foreign securities markets may be limited in size, the activity of large traders may have an undue influence on the prices of securities that trade in such markets. The Fund invests in securities of issuers located in countries whose economies are heavily dependent upon trading with key partners. Any reduction in this trading may have an adverse impact on the Fund’s investments.
Credit Risk. Bonds, are subject to credit risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable and/or unwilling to make timely interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt or to otherwise honor its obligations and/or default completely. Bonds are subject to varying degrees of credit risk, depending on the issuer’s financial condition and on the terms of the securities, which may be reflected in credit ratings. There is a possibility that the credit rating of a bond may be downgraded after purchase or the perception of an issuer’s credit worthiness may decline, which may adversely affect the value of the security.
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Interest Rate Risk. Debt securities, such as bonds, are subject to interest rate risk. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a bond resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most debt securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most debt securities go up. Many factors can cause interest rates to rise, including central bank monetary policy, rising inflation rates and general economic conditions. The prevailing historically low interest rate environment increases the risks associated with rising interest rates, including the potential for periods of volatility and increased redemptions. In addition, debt securities with longer durations tend to be more sensitive to interest rate changes, usually making them more volatile than debt securities with shorter durations. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, as with other serious economic disruptions, governmental authorities and regulators are enacting significant fiscal and monetary policy changes, including providing direct capital infusions into companies, creating new monetary programs and lowering interest rates. These actions present heightened risks to debt instruments, and such risks could increase if these actions are unexpectedly or suddenly reversed or are ineffective in achieving their desired outcomes.
Liquidity Risk. Reduced liquidity in the bond markets can result from a number of events, such as limited trading activity, reductions in bond inventory, market volatility, and rapid or unexpected changes in interest rates. Less liquid markets could lead to greater price volatility and limit the Fund’s ability to sell a holding at a suitable price.
Restricted Securities Risk. Rule 144A securities are restricted securities. Restricted securities are securities that are not registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). They may be less liquid and more difficult to value than other investments because such securities may not be readily marketable. The Fund may not be able to purchase or sell a restricted security promptly or at a reasonable time or price. Although there may be a substantial institutional market for these securities, it is not possible to predict exactly how the market for such securities will develop or whether it will continue to exist. A restricted security that was liquid at the time of purchase may subsequently become illiquid and its value may decline as a result. In addition, transaction costs may be higher for restricted securities than for more liquid securities. The Fund may have to bear the expense of registering restricted securities for resale and the risk of substantial delays in effecting the registration.
Risk of Investing in the Financials Sector. The Fund will be sensitive to, and its performance will depend to a greater extent on, the overall condition of the financials sector. Companies in the financials sector may be subject to extensive government regulation that affects the scope of their activities, the prices they can charge and the amount of capital they must maintain. The profitability of companies in the financials sector may be adversely affected by increases in interest rates, by loan losses, which usually increase in economic downturns, and by credit rating downgrades. In addition, the financials sector is undergoing numerous changes, including continuing consolidations, development of new products and structures and changes to its regulatory framework. Furthermore, some companies in the financials sector perceived as benefitting from government intervention in the past may be subject to future government-imposed restrictions on their businesses or face increased government involvement in their operations. Increased government involvement in the financials sector, including measures such as taking ownership positions in financial institutions, could result in a dilution of the Fund’s investments in financial institutions.
Risk of Investing in the Information Technology Sector. The Fund will be sensitive to, and its performance will depend to a greater extent on, the overall condition of the information technology sector. Information technology companies face intense competition, both domestically and internationally, which may have an adverse effect on profit margins. Information technology companies may have limited product lines, markets, financial resources or personnel. The products of information technology companies may face product obsolescence due to rapid technological developments and frequent new product introduction, unpredictable changes in growth rates and competition for the services of qualified personnel. Companies in the information technology sector are heavily dependent on patent protection and the expiration of patents may adversely affect the profitability of these companies.
Risk of Investing in the Consumer Staples Sector. The Fund will be sensitive to, and its performance will depend to a greater extent on, the overall condition of the consumer staples sector. The consumer staples sector comprises companies whose businesses are less sensitive to economic cycles, such as manufacturers and distributors of food and beverages and producers of non-durable household goods and personal products. Companies in the consumer staples sector may be adversely affected by changes in the worldwide economy, consumer spending, competition, demographics and consumer preferences, exploration and production spending. Companies in this sector are also affected by changes in government regulation, world events and economic conditions.
Risk of Investing in the Energy Sector. The Fund will be sensitive to, and its performance will depend to a greater extent on, the overall condition of the energy sector. Companies operating in the energy sector are subject to risks including, but not limited to, economic growth, worldwide demand, political instability in the regions that the companies operate, government regulation stipulating rates charged by utilities, interest rate sensitivity, oil price volatility, energy conservation, environmental policies, depletion of resources, the cost of providing the specific utility services and other factors that they cannot control. Oil prices are subject to significant volatility, which has adversely impacted companies operating in the energy sector. In addition, these companies are at risk of civil liability from accidents resulting in injury, loss of life or property, pollution or other environmental damage claims and risk of loss from terrorism and natural disasters. A downturn in the energy sector of the economy, adverse political, legislative or regulatory developments or other events could have a larger impact on the Fund than on an investment company that does not invest a substantial portion of its assets in the energy sector. At times, the performance of securities of
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companies in the energy sector may lag the performance of other sectors or the broader market as a whole. The price of oil, natural gas and other fossil fuels may decline and/or experience significant volatility, which could adversely impact companies operating in the energy sector.
Market Risk. The prices of the securities in the Fund are subject to the risks associated with investing in the securities market, including general economic conditions, sudden and unpredictable drops in value, exchange trading suspensions and closures and public health risks. These risks may be magnified if certain social, political, economic and other conditions and events (such as natural disasters, epidemics and pandemics, terrorism, conflicts and social unrest) adversely interrupt the global economy; in these and other circumstances, such events or developments might affect companies world-wide. An investment in the Fund may lose money.
Operational Risk. The Fund is exposed to operational risk arising from a number of factors, including, but not limited to, human error, processing and communication errors, errors of the Fund’s service providers, counterparties or other third parties, failed or inadequate processes and technology or system failures.
Call Risk. The Fund may invest in callable bonds. If interest rates fall, it is possible that issuers of callable securities will “call” (or prepay) their bonds before their maturity date. If a call were exercised by the issuer during or following a period of declining interest rates, the Fund is likely to have to replace such called security with a lower yielding security or securities with greater risks or other less favorable features. If that were to happen, it would decrease the Fund’s net investment income.
Sampling Risk. The Fund’s use of a representative sampling approach will result in its holding a smaller number of securities than are in the US IG Index. As a result, an adverse development respecting an issuer of securities held by the Fund could result in a greater decline in NAV than would be the case if the Fund held all of the securities in the US IG Index. Conversely, a positive development relating to an issuer of securities in the US IG Index that is not held by the Fund could cause the Fund to underperform the US IG Index. To the extent the assets in the Fund are smaller, these risks will be greater.
Index Tracking Risk. The Fund’s return may not match the return of the US IG Index for a number of reasons. For example, the Fund incurs a number of operating expenses, including taxes, not applicable to the US IG Index and incurs costs associated with buying and selling securities, especially when rebalancing the Fund’s securities holdings to reflect changes in the composition of the US IG Index or (to the extent the Fund effects creations and redemptions for cash) raising cash to meet redemptions or deploying cash in connection with newly created Creation Units (defined herein), which are not factored into the return of the US IG Index. Transaction costs, including brokerage costs, will decrease the Fund’s NAV to the extent not offset by the transaction fee payable by an Authorized Participant (“AP”). Market disruptions and regulatory restrictions could have an adverse effect on the Fund’s ability to adjust its exposure to the required levels in order to track the US IG Index. Errors in the US IG Index data, the US IG Index computations and/or the construction of the US IG Index in accordance with its methodology may occur from time to time and may not be identified and corrected by the US IG Index provider for a period of time or at all, which may have an adverse impact on the Fund and its shareholders. Shareholders should understand that any gains from the US IG Index provider's errors will be kept by the Fund and its shareholders and any losses or costs resulting from the US IG Index provider's errors will be borne by the Fund and its shareholders. When the US IG Index is rebalanced and the Fund in turn rebalances its portfolio to attempt to increase the correlation between the Fund’s portfolio and the US IG Index, any transaction costs and market exposure arising from such portfolio rebalancing will be borne directly by the Fund and its shareholders. Apart from scheduled rebalances, the US IG Index provider or its agents may carry out additional ad hoc rebalances to the US IG Index. Therefore, errors and additional ad hoc rebalances carried out by the US IG Index provider or its agents to the US IG Index may increase the costs to and the tracking error risk of the Fund. In addition, the Fund's use of a representative sampling approach may cause the Fund to not be as well correlated with the return of the US IG Index as would be the case if the Fund purchased all of the securities in the US IG Index, or invested in them in the exact proportions in which they are represented in the US IG Index. The Fund may value certain of its investments, underlying securities and/or currencies, and/or underlying currencies based on fair value prices. The Fund’s performance may also deviate from the return of the US IG Index due to legal restrictions or limitations imposed by the governments of certain countries, certain listing standards of the Fund’s listing exchange (the “Exchange”), a lack of liquidity on stock exchanges in which such securities trade, potential adverse tax consequences or other regulatory reasons (such as diversification requirements). To the extent the Fund calculates its NAV based on fair value prices and the value of the US IG Index is based on securities’ closing prices (i.e., the value of the US IG Index is not based on fair value prices), the Fund’s ability to track the US IG Index may be adversely affected. When markets are volatile, the ability to sell securities at fair value prices may be adversely impacted and may result in additional trading costs and/or increase the index tracking risk. The Fund may also need to rely on borrowings to meet redemptions, which may lead to increased expenses. For tax efficiency purposes, the Fund may sell certain securities, and such sale may cause the Fund to realize a loss and deviate from the performance of the US IG Index. In light of the factors discussed above, the Fund’s return may deviate significantly from the return of the US IG Index. Changes to the composition of the US IG Index in connection with a rebalancing or reconstitution of the US IG Index may cause the Fund to experience increased volatility, during which time the Fund’s index tracking risk may be heightened.
Authorized Participant Concentration Risk. The Fund may have a limited number of financial institutions that act as APs, none of which are obligated to engage in creation and/or redemption transactions. To the extent that those APs exit the business, or are unable to or choose not to process creation and/or redemption orders, and no other AP is able to step forward
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to create and redeem, there may be a significantly diminished trading market for Shares or Shares may trade like closed-end funds at a greater discount (or premium) to NAV and possibly face trading halts and/or de-listing. The AP concentration risk may be heightened in scenarios where APs have limited or diminished access to the capital required to post collateral.
No Guarantee of Active Trading Market. While Shares are listed on the Exchange, there can be no assurance that an active trading market for the Shares will be maintained. Further, secondary markets may be subject to irregular trading activity, wide bid/ask spreads and extended trade settlement periods in times of market stress because market makers and APs may step away from making a market in the Shares and in executing creation and redemption orders, which could cause a material deviation in the Fund’s market price from its NAV.
Trading Issues. Trading in Shares on the Exchange may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the Exchange, make trading in Shares inadvisable. In addition, trading in Shares on the Exchange is subject to trading halts caused by extraordinary market volatility pursuant to the Exchanges “circuit breaker” rules. There can be no assurance that the requirements of the Exchange necessary to maintain the listing of the Fund will continue to be met or will remain unchanged.
Passive Management Risk. An investment in the Fund involves risks similar to those of investing in any fund invested in bonds, such as market fluctuations caused by such factors as economic and political developments, changes in interest rates and perceived trends in security prices. However, because the Fund is not “actively” managed, unless a specific security is removed from the US IG Index, the Fund generally would not sell a security because the security’s issuer was in financial trouble. Additionally, unusual market conditions may cause the US IG Index provider to postpone a scheduled rebalance or reconstitution, which could cause the US IG Index to vary from its normal or expected composition. Therefore, the Fund’s performance could be lower than funds that may actively shift their portfolio assets to take advantage of market opportunities or to lessen the impact of a market decline or a decline in the value of one or more issuers.
Data Risk. The US IG Index provider relies heavily on credit risk metrics and other data provided by Moody's Analytics (“Data”). Data is used by the US IG Index provider to construct the US IG Index. If the Data proves to be incorrect or incomplete, any decisions made in reliance thereon may expose the Fund to potential risks.
Fund Shares Trading, Premium/Discount Risk and Liquidity of Fund Shares. The market price of the Shares may fluctuate in response to the Fund’s NAV, the intraday value of the Fund’s holdings and supply and demand for Shares. The Adviser cannot predict whether Shares will trade above, below, or at their most recent NAV. Disruptions to creations and redemptions, the existence of market volatility or potential lack of an active trading market for Shares (including through a trading halt), as well as other factors, may result in Shares trading at a significant premium or discount to NAV or to the intraday value of the Fund’s holdings. If a shareholder purchases Shares at a time when the market price is at a premium to the NAV or sells Shares at a time when the market price is at a discount to the NAV, the shareholder may pay significantly more or receive significantly less than the underlying value of the Shares that were bought or sold or the shareholder may be unable to sell his or her Shares. The securities held by the Fund may be traded in markets that close at a different time than the Exchange. Liquidity in those securities may be reduced after the applicable closing times. Accordingly, during the time when the Exchange is open but after the applicable market closing, fixing or settlement times, bid/ask spreads on the Exchange and the resulting premium or discount to the Shares’ NAV may widen. Additionally, in stressed market conditions, the market for the Fund’s Shares may become less liquid in response to deteriorating liquidity in the markets for the Fund’s underlying portfolio holdings. There are various methods by which investors can purchase and sell Shares. Investors should consult their financial intermediaries before purchasing or selling Shares of the Fund.
Non-Diversified Risk. The Fund is classified as a “non-diversified” fund under the 1940 Act. Therefore, the Fund may invest a relatively high percentage of its assets in a smaller number of issuers or may invest a larger proportion of its assets in a single issuer. Moreover, the gains and losses on a single investment may have a greater impact on the Fund's NAV and may make the Fund more volatile than more diversified funds.
Concentration Risk. The Fund’s assets may be concentrated in a particular sector or sectors or industry or group of industries to the extent the US IG Index concentrates in a particular sector or sectors or industry or group of industries. To the extent that the Fund is concentrated in a particular sector or sectors or industry or group of industries, the Fund will be subject to the risk that economic, political or other conditions that have a negative effect on those sectors and/or industries may negatively impact the Fund to a greater extent than if the Fund’s assets were invested in a wider variety of sectors or industries.
PERFORMANCE
The bar chart that follows shows how the Fund performed for the calendar years shown. The table below the bar chart shows the Fund’s average annual returns (before and after taxes). The bar chart and table provide an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by comparing the Fund’s performance from year to year and by showing how the Fund’s average annual returns for the one year, five year, ten year and/or since inception periods, as applicable, compared with the Fund’s benchmark index and a broad measure of market performance. All returns assume reinvestment of dividends and distributions. The Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available online at www.vaneck.com.

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Annual Total Returns (%)—Calendar Year
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The year-to-date total return as of June 30, 2022 was -13.83%.
Best Quarter: 3.30% 2Q 2021
Worst Quarter: -2.90% 1Q 2021
Average Annual Total Returns for the Periods Ended December 31, 2021
The after-tax returns presented in the table below are calculated using the highest historical individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Your actual after-tax returns will depend on your specific tax situation and may differ from those shown below. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold Shares of the Fund through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.
Past One Year
Since Inception
(12/01/2020)
Moody’s Analytical IG Corporate Bond ETF
(return before taxes)
0.21% 1.05%
Moody’s Analytical IG Corporate Bond ETF
(return after taxes on distributions)
-0.73% 0.17%
Moody’s Analytical IG Corporate Bond ETF
(return after taxes on distributions and sale of Fund Shares)
0.12% 0.43%
MVIS Moody’s Analytics US Investment Grade Corporate Bond Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) 0.03% 1.19%
Bloomberg US Aggregate Bond Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) -1.54% -0.97%
ICE BofA Broad US Market Index1 (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
-1.58% -0.97%
1 On September 1, 2022, the ICE BofA Broad US Market Index replaced the Bloomberg US Aggregate Bond Index as the Fund's broad-based benchmark index as the Adviser believes it is more representative of broad bond market exposure.
See “License Agreements and Disclaimers” for important information.
PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT
Investment Adviser. Van Eck Associates Corporation.
Portfolio Manager. The following individual is primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund’s portfolio:
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Name Title with Adviser Date Began Managing the Fund
Francis G. Rodilosso Portfolio Manager December 2020
PURCHASE AND SALE OF FUND SHARES
For important information about the purchase and sale of Fund Shares, tax information and payments to broker-dealers and other financial intermediaries, please turn to the “Summary Information About Purchases and Sales of Fund Shares, Taxes and Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries” section of this Prospectus.
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SUMMARY INFORMATION
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
VanEck® Mortgage REIT Income ETF (the “Fund”) seeks to replicate as closely as possible, before fees and expenses, the price and yield performance of the MVIS® US Mortgage REITs Index (the “Mortgage REITs Index”).
FUND FEES AND EXPENSES
The following tables describe the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund (“Shares”). You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the tables and examples below.
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)
None
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Management Fee 0.40  %
Other Expenses(a)
0.01  %
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses(a)
0.41  %
(a)Van Eck Associates Corporation (the “Adviser”) will pay all expenses of the Fund, except for the fee payment under the investment management agreement, acquired fund fees and expenses, interest expense, offering costs, trading expenses, taxes and extraordinary expenses. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Adviser has agreed to pay the offering costs until at least September 1, 2023.
EXPENSE EXAMPLE
This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. This example does not take into account brokerage commissions that you pay when purchasing or selling Shares of the Fund.
The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell or hold all of your Shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% annual return and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:
YEAR EXPENSES
1 $42 
3 $132 
5 $230 
10 $518 
PORTFOLIO TURNOVER
The Fund will pay transaction costs, such as commissions, when it purchases and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover will cause the Fund to incur additional transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, may affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 12% of the average value of its portfolio.
PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES
The Fund normally invests at least 80% of its total assets in securities that comprise the Fund’s benchmark index. The Mortgage REIT Index is comprised of publicly traded U.S. real estate investment trusts (“REITs”) that derive at least 50% of their revenues from (or, where applicable, have at least 50% of their assets related to) mortgage-related activity.
A mortgage REIT makes loans to developers and owners of properties and invests primarily in mortgages and similar real estate interests, and includes companies or trusts that are primarily engaged in the purchasing or servicing of commercial or residential mortgage loans or mortgage-related securities. The Mortgage REITs Index may include small-, medium- and large-capitalization companies. As of June 30, 2022, the Mortgage REITs Index included 26 securities of companies with a market capitalization range of between approximately $484 million and $9.3 billion and a weighted average market capitalization of $3.5 billion.The
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Fund’s 80% investment policy is non-fundamental and may be changed without shareholder approval upon 60 days’ prior written notice to shareholders.
The Fund, using a “passive” or indexing investment approach, attempts to approximate the investment performance of the Mortgage REITs Index by investing in a portfolio of securities that generally replicates the Mortgage REITs Index. Unlike many investment companies that try to “beat” the performance of a benchmark index, the Fund does not try to “beat” the Mortgage REITs Index and does not take temporary defensive positions that are inconsistent with its investment objective of seeking to replicate the Mortgage REITs Index.
The Fund is classified as a non-diversified fund and, therefore, may invest a greater percentage of its assets in a particular issuer. The Fund may concentrate its investments in a particular industry or group of industries to the extent that the Mortgage REITs Index concentrates in an industry or group of industries. As of April 30, 2022, the financials sector represented a significant portion of the Fund.
PRINCIPAL RISKS OF INVESTING IN THE FUND
Investors in the Fund should be willing to accept a high degree of volatility in the price of the Fund’s Shares and the possibility of significant losses. An investment in the Fund involves a substantial degree of risk. An investment in the Fund is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. Therefore, you should consider carefully the following risks before investing in the Fund, each of which could significantly and adversely affect the value of an investment in the Fund.
Risk of Investing in Mortgage REITs. Mortgage REITs are exposed to the risks specific to the real estate market as well as the risks that relate specifically to the way in which mortgage REITs are organized and operated. Mortgage REITs receive principal and interest payments from the owners of the mortgaged properties. Accordingly, mortgage REITs are subject to the credit risk of the borrowers. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the borrower will be unable and/or unwilling to make timely interest payments and/or repay the principal on the loan to a mortgage REIT when due. To the extent that a mortgage REIT invests in mortgage-backed securities offered by private issuers, such as commercial banks, savings and loan institutions, private mortgage insurance companies, mortgage bankers and other secondary market issuers, the mortgage REIT may be subject to additional risks. Timely payment of interest and principal of non-governmental issuers may be supported by various forms of private insurance or guarantees, including individual loan, title, pool and hazard insurance purchased by the issuer. However, there can be no assurance that the private insurers can or will meet their obligations under such policies. Unexpected high rates of default on the mortgages held by a mortgage pool may adversely affect the value of a mortgage-backed security and could result in losses to a mortgage REIT. The risk of such defaults is generally higher in the case of mortgage pools that include subprime mortgages. To the extent that a mortgage REIT’s portfolio is exposed to lower-rated, unsecured or subordinated instruments, the risk of loss may increase, which may have a negative impact on the Fund. Mortgage REITs also are subject to the risk that the value of mortgaged properties may be less than the amounts owed on the properties. If a mortgage REIT is required to foreclose on a borrower, the amount recovered in connection with the foreclosure may be less than the amount owed to the mortgage REIT.
Mortgage REITs are subject to significant interest rate risk. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a mortgage REIT’s investment in fixed rate obligations resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the value of a mortgage REIT’s investment in fixed rate obligations goes down.
Mortgage REITs typically use leverage and many are highly leveraged, which exposes them to leverage risk and the risks generally associated with debt financing. Leverage risk refers to the risk that leverage created from borrowing may impair a mortgage REIT’s liquidity, cause it to liquidate positions at an unfavorable time and increase the volatility of the values of securities issued by the mortgage REIT. The use of leverage may not be advantageous to a mortgage REIT. The success of using leverage is dependent on whether the return earned on the investments made using the proceeds of leverage exceed the cost of using leverage. To the extent that a mortgage REIT incurs significant leverage, it may incur substantial losses if its borrowing costs increase. Borrowing costs may increase for any of the following reasons: short-term interest rates increase; the market value of a mortgage REIT’s assets decrease; interest rate volatility increases; or the availability of financing in the market decreases. During periods of adverse market conditions, downturns in the economy or deterioration in the conditions of the REIT’s mortgage-related assets, the use of leverage may cause a mortgage REIT to lose more money that would have been the case if leverage was not used.
Mortgage REITs are subject to prepayment risk, which is the risk that borrowers may prepay their mortgage loans at faster than expected rates. Prepayment rates generally increase when interest rates fall and decrease when interest rates rise. These faster than expected payments may adversely affect a mortgage REIT’s profitability because the mortgage REIT may be forced to replace investments that have been redeemed or repaid early with other investments having a lower yield. Additionally, rising interest rates rise may cause the duration of a mortgage REIT’s investments to be longer than anticipated and increase such investments’ interest rate sensitivity.
REITs are subject to special U.S. federal tax requirements. A REIT’s failure to comply with these requirements may negatively affect its performance.
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Mortgage REITs may be dependent upon the management skills and may have limited financial resources. Mortgage REITs are generally not diversified and may be subject to heavy cash flow dependency, default by borrowers and self-liquidation. In addition, transactions between mortgage REITs and their affiliates may be subject to conflicts of interest which may adversely affect a mortgage REIT’s shareholders.
Equity Securities Risk. The value of the equity securities held by the Fund may fall due to general market and economic conditions, perceptions regarding the markets in which the issuers of securities held by the Fund participate, or factors relating to specific issuers in which the Fund invests. Equity securities are subordinated to preferred securities and debt in a company’s capital structure with respect to priority in right to a share of corporate income, and therefore will be subject to greater dividend risk than preferred securities or debt instruments. In addition, while broad market measures of equity securities have historically generated higher average returns than fixed income securities, equity securities have generally also experienced significantly more volatility in those returns, although under certain market conditions fixed income securities may have comparable or greater price volatility.
Risk of Investing in the Financials Sector. The Fund will be sensitive to, and its performance will depend to a greater extent on, the overall condition of the financials sector. Companies in the financials sector may be subject to extensive government regulation that affects the scope of their activities, the prices they can charge and the amount of capital they must maintain. The profitability of companies in the financials sector may be adversely affected by increases in interest rates, by loan losses, which usually increase in economic downturns, and by credit rating downgrades. In addition, the financials sector is undergoing numerous changes, including continuing consolidations, development of new products and structures and changes to its regulatory framework. Furthermore, some companies in the financials sector perceived as benefitting from government intervention in the past may be subject to future government-imposed restrictions on their businesses or face increased government involvement in their operations. Increased government involvement in the financials sector, including measures such as taking ownership positions in financial institutions, could result in a dilution of the Fund’s investments in financial institutions.
Risk of Investing in Small- and Medium-Capitalization Companies. Small- and medium-capitalization companies may be more volatile and more likely than large-capitalization companies to have narrower product lines, fewer financial resources, less management depth and experience and less competitive strength. In addition, these companies often have greater price volatility, lower trading volume and less liquidity than larger more established companies. Returns on investments in securities of small- and medium-capitalization companies could trail the returns on investments in securities of large-capitalization companies.
Market Risk. The prices of the securities in the Fund are subject to the risks associated with investing in the securities market, including general economic conditions, sudden and unpredictable drops in value, exchange trading suspensions and closures and public health risks. These risks may be magnified if certain social, political, economic and other conditions and events (such as natural disasters, epidemics and pandemics, terrorism, conflicts and social unrest) adversely interrupt the global economy; in these and other circumstances, such events or developments might affect companies world-wide. An investment in the Fund may lose money.
Operational Risk. The Fund is exposed to operational risk arising from a number of factors, including, but not limited to, human error, processing and communication errors, errors of the Fund’s service providers, counterparties or other third parties, failed or inadequate processes and technology or system failures.
Index Tracking Risk. The Fund’s return may not match the return of the Mortgage REITs Index for a number of reasons. For example, the Fund incurs a number of operating expenses, including taxes, not applicable to the Mortgage REITs Index and incurs costs associated with buying and selling securities, especially when rebalancing the Fund’s securities holdings to reflect changes in the composition of the Mortgage REITs Index or (to the extent the Fund effects creations and redemptions for cash) raising cash to meet redemptions or deploying cash in connection with newly created Creation Units (defined herein), which are not factored into the return of the Mortgage REITs Index. Transaction costs, including brokerage costs, will decrease the Fund’s NAV to the extent not offset by the transaction fee payable by an Authorized Participant (“AP”). Market disruptions and regulatory restrictions could have an adverse effect on the Fund’s ability to adjust its exposure to the required levels in order to track the Mortgage REITs Index. Errors in the Mortgage REITs Index data, the Mortgage REITs Index computations and/or the construction of the Mortgage REITs Index in accordance with its methodology may occur from time to time and may not be identified and corrected by the Mortgage REITs Index provider for a period of time or at all, which may have an adverse impact on the Fund and its shareholders. Shareholders should understand that any gains from the Mortgage REITs Index provider's errors will be kept by the Fund and its shareholders and any losses or costs resulting from the Mortgage REITs Index provider's errors will be borne by the Fund and its shareholders. When the Mortgage REITs Index is rebalanced and the Fund in turn rebalances its portfolio to attempt to increase the correlation between the Fund’s portfolio and the Mortgage REITs Index, any transaction costs and market exposure arising from such portfolio rebalancing will be borne directly by the Fund and its shareholders. Apart from scheduled rebalances, the Mortgage REITs Index provider or its agents may carry out additional ad hoc rebalances to the Mortgage REITs Index. Therefore, errors and additional ad hoc rebalances carried out by the Mortgage REITs Index provider or its agents to the Mortgage REITs Index may increase the costs to and the tracking error risk of the Fund. In addition, the Fund may not be able to invest in certain securities included in the Mortgage REITs Index, or invest in them in the exact proportions they represent of the Mortgage REITs Index, due to certain listing standards of the Fund's listing
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exchange (the "Exchange") or legal restrictions or limitations (such as diversification requirements). The Fund may value certain of its investments, underlying securities and/or currencies, and/or other assets based on fair value prices. To the extent the Fund calculates its NAV based on fair value prices and the value of the Mortgage REITs Index is based on securities’ closing prices (i.e., the value of the Mortgage REITs Index is not based on fair value prices), the Fund’s ability to track the Mortgage REITs Index may be adversely affected. When markets are volatile, the ability to sell securities at fair value prices may be adversely impacted and may result in additional trading costs and/or increase the index tracking risk. The Fund may also need to rely on borrowings to meet redemptions, which may lead to increased expenses. For tax efficiency purposes, the Fund may sell certain securities, and such sale may cause the Fund to realize a loss and deviate from the performance of the Mortgage REITs Index. In light of the factors discussed above, the Fund’s return may deviate significantly from the return of the Mortgage REITs Index. Changes to the composition of the Mortgage REITs Index in connection with a rebalancing or reconstitution of the Mortgage REITs Index may cause the Fund to experience increased volatility, during which time the Fund’s index tracking risk may be heightened.
Authorized Participant Concentration Risk. The Fund may have a limited number of financial institutions that act as APs, none of which are obligated to engage in creation and/or redemption transactions. To the extent that those APs exit the business, or are unable to or choose not to process creation and/or redemption orders, and no other AP is able to step forward to create and redeem, there may be a significantly diminished trading market for Shares or Shares may trade like closed-end funds at a greater discount (or premium) to NAV and possibly face trading halts and/or de-listing. The AP concentration risk may be heightened in scenarios where APs have limited or diminished access to the capital required to post collateral.
No Guarantee of Active Trading Market. While Shares are listed on the Exchange, there can be no assurance that an active trading market for the Shares will be maintained. Further, secondary markets may be subject to irregular trading activity, wide bid/ask spreads and extended trade settlement periods in times of market stress because market makers and APs may step away from making a market in the Shares and in executing creation and redemption orders, which could cause a material deviation in the Fund’s market price from its NAV.
Trading Issues. Trading in Shares on the Exchange may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the Exchange, make trading in Shares inadvisable. In addition, trading in Shares on the Exchange is subject to trading halts caused by extraordinary market volatility pursuant to the Exchange’s “circuit breaker” rules. There can be no assurance that the requirements of the Exchange necessary to maintain the listing of the Fund will continue to be met or will remain unchanged.
Passive Management Risk. An investment in the Fund involves risks similar to those of investing in any fund invested in equity securities traded on an exchange, such as market fluctuations caused by such factors as economic and political developments, changes in interest rates and perceived trends in security prices. However, because the Fund is not “actively” managed, unless a specific security is removed from the Mortgage REITs Index, the Fund generally would not sell a security because the security’s issuer was in financial trouble. Additionally, unusual market conditions may cause the Mortgage REITs Index provider to postpone a scheduled rebalance or reconstitution, which could cause the Mortgage REITs Index to vary from its normal or expected composition. Therefore, the Fund’s performance could be lower than funds that may actively shift their portfolio assets to take advantage of market opportunities or to lessen the impact of a market decline or a decline in the value of one or more issuers.
Fund Shares Trading, Premium/Discount Risk and Liquidity of Fund Shares. The market price of the Shares may fluctuate in response to the Fund’s NAV, the intraday value of the Fund’s holdings and supply and demand for Shares. The Adviser cannot predict whether Shares will trade above, below, or at their most recent NAV. Disruptions to creations and redemptions, the existence of market volatility or potential lack of an active trading market for Shares (including through a trading halt), as well as other factors, may result in Shares trading at a significant premium or discount to NAV or to the intraday value of the Fund’s holdings. If a shareholder purchases Shares at a time when the market price is at a premium to the NAV or sells Shares at a time when the market price is at a discount to the NAV, the shareholder may pay significantly more or receive significantly less than the underlying value of the Shares that were bought or sold or the shareholder may be unable to sell his or her Shares. The securities held by the Fund may be traded in markets that close at a different time than the Exchange. Liquidity in those securities may be reduced after the applicable closing times. Accordingly, during the time when the Exchange is open but after the applicable market closing, fixing or settlement times, bid/ask spreads on the Exchange and the resulting premium or discount to the Shares’ NAV may widen. Additionally, in stressed market conditions, the market for the Fund’s Shares may become less liquid in response to deteriorating liquidity in the markets for the Fund’s underlying portfolio holdings. There are various methods by which investors can purchase and sell Shares. Investors should consult their financial intermediaries before purchasing or selling Shares of the Fund.
Issuer-Specific Changes Risk. The value of individual securities or particular types of securities can be more volatile than the market as a whole and can perform differently from the value of the market as a whole, which may have a greater impact if the Fund’s portfolio is concentrated in a country, group of countries, region, market, industry, group of industries, sector or asset class. The value of securities of smaller issuers can be more volatile than that of larger issuers.
Non-Diversified Risk. The Fund is classified as a “non-diversified” fund under the 1940 Act. Therefore, the Fund may invest a relatively high percentage of its assets in a smaller number of issuers or may invest a larger proportion of its assets in a single issuer. Moreover, the gains and losses on a single investment may have a greater impact on the Fund’s NAV and may make the
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Fund more volatile than more diversified funds. The Fund may be particularly vulnerable to this risk because the Mortgage REITs Index it seeks to replicate is comprised of securities of a very limited number of companies.
Concentration Risk. The Fund’s assets may be concentrated in a particular sector or sectors or industry or group of industries to the extent the Mortgage REITs Index concentrates in a particular sector or sectors or industry or group of industries. To the extent that the Fund is concentrated in a particular sector or sectors or industry or group of industries, the Fund will be subject to the risk that economic, political or other conditions that have a negative effect on those sectors and/or industries may negatively impact the Fund to a greater extent than if the Fund’s assets were invested in a wider variety of sectors or industries.
PERFORMANCE
The bar chart that follows shows how the Fund performed for the calendar years shown. The table below the bar chart shows the Fund’s average annual returns (before and after taxes). The bar chart and table provide an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by comparing the Fund’s performance from year to year and by showing how the Fund’s average annual returns for the one year, five year, ten year and/or since inception periods, as applicable, compared with the Fund’s benchmark index and a broad measure of market performance. All returns assume reinvestment of dividends and distributions. The Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available online at www.vaneck.com.
Annual Total Returns (%)—Calendar Years
ck0001137360-20220430_g11.jpg
The year-to-date total return as of June 30, 2022 was -20.02%.
Best Quarter: 40.06% 2Q 2020
Worst Quarter: -57.25% 1Q 2020
Average Annual Total Returns for the Periods Ended December 31, 2021
The after-tax returns presented in the table below are calculated using the highest historical individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Your actual after-tax returns will depend on your specific tax situation and may differ from those shown below. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold Shares of the Fund through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.
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Past One Year Past Five Years Past Ten Years
VanEck Mortgage REIT Income ETF
(return before taxes)
18.61% 4.89% 7.42%
VanEck Mortgage REIT Income ETF
(return after taxes on distributions)
16.30% 2.24% 4.00%
VanEck Mortgage REIT Income ETF
(return after taxes on distributions and sale of Fund Shares)
11.33% 2.73% 4.31%
MVIS US Mortgage REITs Index
(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
16.54% 4.73% 7.53%
S&P 500 Index Total Return
(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
28.71% 18.47% 16.55%
See “License Agreements and Disclaimers” for important information.
PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT
Investment Adviser. Van Eck Associates Corporation.
Portfolio Manager. The following individual is primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund’s portfolio:
Name Title with Adviser Date Began Managing the Fund
Peter H. Liao Portfolio Manager August 2011
PURCHASE AND SALE OF FUND SHARES
For important information about the purchase and sale of Fund Shares, tax information, and payments to broker-dealers and other financial intermediaries, please turn to the “Summary Information about Purchases and Sales of Fund Shares, Taxes and Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries” section of this Prospectus.

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SUMMARY INFORMATION
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
VanEck® Preferred Securities ex Financials ETF (the “Fund”) seeks to replicate as closely as possible, before fees and expenses, the price and yield performance of the ICE Exchange-Listed Fixed & Adjustable Rate Non-Financial Preferred Securities Index (the “Preferred Securities Index”).
FUND FEES AND EXPENSES
The following tables describe the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund (“Shares”). You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the tables and examples below.
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)
None
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Management Fee 0.40  %
Other Expenses(a)
0.00  %
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses(a)
0.40  %
(a)Van Eck Associates Corporation (the “Adviser”) will pay all expenses of the Fund, except for the fee payment under the investment management agreement, acquired fund fees and expenses, interest expense, offering costs, trading expenses, taxes and extraordinary expenses. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Adviser has agreed to pay the offering costs until at least September 1, 2023.
EXPENSE EXAMPLE
This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. This example does not take into account brokerage commissions that you pay when purchasing or selling Shares of the Fund.
The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell or hold all of your Shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% annual return and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:
YEAR EXPENSES
1 $41 
3 $128 
5 $224 
10 $505 
PORTFOLIO TURNOVER
The Fund will pay transaction costs, such as commissions, when it purchases and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover will cause the Fund to incur additional transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, may affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was approximately 37% of the average value of its portfolio.
PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES
The Fund normally invests at least 80% of its total assets in securities that comprise the Fund’s benchmark index. The Preferred Securities Index is comprised of U.S. exchange-listed hybrid debt, preferred stock and convertible preferred stock issued by non-financial corporations (collectively, "Preferred Securities"). Hybrid debt securities are securities that have characteristics of both equity securities and debt securities. Hybrid securities usually pay interest or dividends and, in the event of an issuer's bankruptcy or default, holders of hybrid securities typically have claims that are senior to holders of the issuer's equity securities but subordinate to holders of the issuer's debt securities.
Preferred Securities generally pay fixed or variable rate distributions to preferred shareholders and such shareholders have preference over common shareholders in the payment of distributions and in the event of a liquidation of the issuer’s assets, but
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are junior to most other forms of debt, including senior and subordinated debt. Preferred Securities may be subject to redemption or call provisions and may include those issued by small- and medium-capitalization companies. As of June 30, 2022, the Preferred Securities Index included 127 U.S.-listed securities of 68 issuers. The Fund’s 80% investment policy is non-fundamental and may be changed without shareholder approval upon 60 days’ prior written notice to shareholders. The Preferred Securities Index is reconstituted and rebalanced monthly.
The Fund, using a “passive” or indexing investment approach, attempts to approximate the investment performance of the Preferred Securities Index by investing in a portfolio of securities that generally replicates the Preferred Securities Index. Unlike many investment companies that try to “beat” the performance of a benchmark index, the Fund does not try to “beat” the Preferred Securities Index and does not seek temporary defensive positions that are inconsistent with its investment objective of seeking to replicate the Preferred Securities Index.
The Fund is classified as a non-diversified fund under the Investment Company Act of 1940 Act, as amended (the “1940 Act”) and, therefore, may invest a greater percentage of its assets in a particular issuer. The Fund may concentrate its investments in a particular industry or group of industries to the extent that the Preferred Securities Index concentrates in an industry or group of industries. As of April 30, 2022, each of the utilities, real estate and information technology sectors represented a significant portion of the Fund.
PRINCIPAL RISKS OF INVESTING IN THE FUND
Investors in the Fund should be willing to accept a high degree of volatility in the price of the Fund’s Shares and the possibility of significant losses. An investment in the Fund involves a substantial degree of risk. An investment in the Fund is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. Therefore, you should consider carefully the following risks before investing in the Fund, each of which could significantly and adversely affect the value of an investment in the Fund.
Preferred Securities Risk. Preferred Securities are essentially contractual obligations that entail rights to distributions declared by the issuer’s board of directors but may permit the issuer to defer or suspend distributions for a certain period of time. If the Fund owns a Preferred Security whose issuer has deferred or suspended distributions, the Fund may be required to account for the distribution that has been deferred or suspended for tax purposes, even though it may not have received this income in cash. Further, Preferred Securities may lose substantial value if distributions are deferred, suspended or not declared. Preferred Securities may also permit the issuer to convert Preferred Securities into the issuer’s common stock. Preferred Securities that are convertible to common stock may decline in value if the common stock into which Preferred Securities may be converted declines in value. Preferred Securities are subject to greater credit risk than traditional fixed income securities because the rights of holders of Preferred Securities are subordinated to the rights of the bond and debt holders of an issuer.
Convertible Securities Risk. Convertible securities are subject to risks associated with both fixed income securities and common stocks. Depending on the convertible security’s conversion value, the price of a convertible security will be influenced by interest rates (i.e., its price generally will increase when interest rates fall and decrease when interest rates rise) or will tend to fluctuate directly with the price of the equity security into which the security can be converted.
Hybrid Securities Risk. Hybrid securities are typically subordinated to an issuer's senior debt instruments; therefore, they are subject to greater credit risk than those senior debt instruments. Many hybrid securities are subject to provisions permitting their issuers to skip or defer distributions under specified circumstances. Hybrid securities may have limited or no voting rights and may have substantially lower overall liquidity than many other securities.
Risk of Investing in Foreign Securities. Investments in the securities of foreign issuers involve risks beyond those associated with investments in U.S. securities. These additional risks include greater market volatility, the availability of less reliable financial information, higher transactional and custody costs, taxation by foreign governments, decreased market liquidity and political instability. Because certain foreign securities markets may be limited in size, the activity of large traders may have an undue influence on the prices of securities that trade in such markets. The Fund invests in securities of issuers located in countries whose economies are heavily dependent upon trading with key partners. Any reduction in this trading may have an adverse impact on the Fund’s investments.
Credit Risk. Preferred Securities are subject to certain risks associated with fixed income securities, including credit risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable and/or unwilling to make timely distributions of dividends and/or default completely on securities. Preferred Securities are subject to varying degrees of credit risk, depending on the issuer’s financial condition and on the terms of the securities, which may be reflected in credit ratings. There is a possibility that the credit rating of a Preferred Security may be downgraded after purchase or the perception of an issuer’s credit worthiness may decline, which may adversely affect the value of the security.
Interest Rate Risk. Debt securities, such as bonds, are subject to interest rate risk. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a bond resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most debt securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most debt securities go up. Many factors can cause interest rates to rise, including central bank monetary policy, rising inflation rates and general economic conditions. The prevailing historically low interest rate environment increases the risks associated with rising interest
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rates, including the potential for periods of volatility and increased redemptions. In addition, debt securities with longer durations tend to be more sensitive to interest rate changes, usually making them more volatile than debt securities with shorter durations. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, as with other serious economic disruptions, governmental authorities and regulators are enacting significant fiscal and monetary policy changes, including providing direct capital infusions into companies, creating new monetary programs and lowering interest rates. These actions present heightened risks to debt instruments, and such risks could increase if these actions are unexpectedly or suddenly reversed or are ineffective in achieving their desired outcomes.
Floating Rate Risk. The Fund invests in floating-rate securities. A floating-rate security is an instrument in which the interest rate payable on the obligation fluctuates on a periodic basis based upon changes in an interest rate benchmark. As a result, the yield on such a security will generally decline in a falling interest rate environment, causing the Fund to experience a reduction in the income it receives from such securities.
Floating Rate LIBOR Risk. Certain of the floating-rate securities pay interest based on the London Inter-bank Offered Rate ("LIBOR"). Due to the uncertainty regarding the future utilization of LIBOR and the nature of any replacement rate, the potential effect of a transition away from LIBOR on the Fund or the financial instruments in which the Fund invests cannot yet be fully determined. The discontinuation of LIBOR could have adverse impacts on newly issued and existing financial instruments that reference LIBOR. While some instruments may provide for an alternative rate setting methodology in the event LIBOR is no longer available, not all instruments may have such provisions and there is uncertainty regarding the effectiveness of any alternative methodology. In addition, the discontinuation and/or replacement of LIBOR may affect the value, liquidity or return on certain Fund investments and may result in costs incurred in connection with closing out positions and entering into new trades.
Risk of Subordinated Obligations. Payments under some Preferred Securities may be structurally subordinated to all existing and future liabilities and obligations of each of the respective subsidiaries and associated companies of an issuer of Preferred Securities. Claims of creditors of such subsidiaries and associated companies will have priority as to the assets of such subsidiaries and associated companies over the issuer and its creditors, including the Fund, who seek to enforce the terms of Preferred Securities. Certain Preferred Securities do not contain any restrictions on the ability of the subsidiaries of the issuers to incur additional unsecured indebtedness.
Risk of Investing in REITs. Investing in REITs exposes investors to the risks of owning real estate directly, as well as to risks that relate specifically to the way in which REITs are organized and operated. REITs generally invest directly in real estate, in mortgages or in some combination of the two. Operating REITs requires specialized management skills and the Fund indirectly bears management expenses along with the direct expenses of the Fund. Individual REITs may own a limited number of properties and may concentrate in a particular region or property type. REITs may also be subject to heavy cash flow dependency, default by borrowers or tenants and self-liquidation. REITs also must satisfy specific requirements of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Internal Revenue Code”), in order to qualify for tax-free pass-through income. The failure of a company to qualify as a REIT could have adverse consequences for the Fund, including significantly reducing the return to the Fund on its investment in such company. In addition, REITs, like exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”), have expenses, including management and administration fees, that are paid by their shareholders. As a result, shareholders will absorb their proportionate share of duplicate levels of fees when the Fund invests in REITs.
Risk of Investing in Small- and Medium-Capitalization Companies. Small- and medium-capitalization companies may be more volatile and more likely than large-capitalization companies to have narrower product lines, fewer financial resources, less management depth and experience and less competitive strength. In addition, these companies often have greater price volatility, lower trading volume and less liquidity than larger more established companies. Returns on investments in securities of small- and medium-capitalization companies could trail the returns on investments in securities of large-capitalization companies.
Risk of Investing in the Utilities Sector. The Fund will be sensitive to, and its performance will depend to a greater extent on, the overall condition of the utilities sector. The utilities sector comprises companies that provide basic amenities, such as electricity, water, sewage services, dams, and natural gas to residential, industrial, commercial, and government customers. Companies in the utilities sector may be adversely affected by changes in exchange rates, domestic and international competition, difficulty in raising adequate amounts of capital and governmental limitation on rates charged to customers.
Risk of Investing in the Real Estate Sector. Companies in the real estate sector include companies that invest in real estate, such as REITs and real estate management and development companies. The Fund will be sensitive to changes in, and its performance will depend to a greater extent on, the overall condition of the real estate sector. Companies that invest in real estate are subject to the risks of owning real estate directly as well as to risks that relate specifically to the way that such companies operate, including management risk (such companies are dependent upon the management skills of a few key individuals and may have limited financial resources). Adverse economic, business or political developments affecting real estate could have a major effect on the values of the Fund’s investments. Investing in real estate is subject to such risks as decreases in real estate values, overbuilding, increased competition and other risks related to local or general economic conditions, increases in operating costs and property taxes, changes in zoning laws, casualty or condemnation losses, possible environmental liabilities, regulatory limitations on rent, possible lack of availability of mortgage financing, market saturation, fluctuations in rental income and the value of underlying properties and extended vacancies of properties. Certain real estate securities have a relatively small market capitalization, which may tend to increase the volatility of the market price of these securities. Real estate securities have limited
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diversification and are, therefore, subject to risks inherent in operating and financing a limited number of projects. Real estate securities are also subject to heavy cash flow dependency and defaults by borrowers or tenants.
Risk of Investing in the Information Technology Sector. The Fund will be sensitive to, and its performance will depend to a greater extent on, the overall condition of the information technology sector. Information technology companies face intense competition, both domestically and internationally, which may have an adverse effect on profit margins. Information technology companies may have limited product lines, markets, financial resources or personnel. The products of information technology companies may face product obsolescence due to rapid technological developments and frequent new product introduction, unpredictable changes in growth rates and competition for the services of qualified personnel. Companies in the information technology sector are heavily dependent on patent protection and the expiration of patents may adversely affect the profitability of these companies.
Market Risk. The prices of the securities in the Fund are subject to the risks associated with investing in the securities market, including general economic conditions, sudden and unpredictable drops in value, exchange trading suspensions and closures and public health risks. These risks may be magnified if certain social, political, economic and other conditions and events (such as natural disasters, epidemics and pandemics, terrorism, conflicts and social unrest) adversely interrupt the global economy; in these and other circumstances, such events or developments might affect companies world-wide. An investment in the Fund may lose money.
Operational Risk. The Fund is exposed to operational risk arising from a number of factors, including, but not limited to, human error, processing and communication errors, errors of the Fund’s service providers, counterparties or other third parties, failed or inadequate processes and technology or system failures.
Call Risk. The Fund may invest in callable Preferred Securities. If interest rates fall, it is possible that issuers of callable Preferred Securities will “call” (or prepay) their securities before their maturity date. If a call were exercised by the issuer during or following a period of declining interest rates, the Fund is likely to have to replace such called Preferred Security with a lower yielding security or securities with greater risks or other less favorable features. If that were to happen, it would decrease the Fund’s net investment income.
Index Tracking Risk. The Fund’s return may not match the return of the Preferred Securities Index for a number of reasons. For example, the Fund incurs a number of operating expenses, including taxes, not applicable to the Preferred Securities Index and incurs costs associated with buying and selling securities, especially when rebalancing the Fund’s securities holdings to reflect changes in the composition of the Preferred Securities Index, or (to the extent the Fund effects creations and redemptions for cash) raising cash to meet redemptions or deploying cash in connection with newly created Creation Units, which are not factored into the return of the Preferred Securities Index. Transaction costs, including brokerage costs, will decrease the Fund’s NAV to the extent not offset by the transaction fee payable by an Authorized Participant (“AP”). Market disruptions and regulatory restrictions could have an adverse effect on the Fund’s ability to adjust its exposure to the required levels in order to track the Preferred Securities Index. Errors in the Preferred Securities Index data, the Preferred Securities Index computations and/or the construction of the Preferred Securities Index in accordance with its methodology may occur from time to time and may not be identified and corrected by the Preferred Securities Index provider for a period of time or at all, which may have an adverse impact on the Fund and its shareholders. Shareholders should understand that any gains from the Preferred Securities Index provider's errors will be kept by the Fund and its shareholders and any losses or costs resulting from the Preferred Securities Index provider's errors will be borne by the Fund and its shareholders. When the Preferred Securities Index is rebalanced and the Fund in turn rebalances its portfolio to attempt to increase the correlation between the Fund’s portfolio and the Preferred Securities Index, any transaction costs and market exposure arising from such portfolio rebalancing will be borne directly by the Fund and its shareholders. Apart from scheduled rebalances, the Preferred Securities Index provider or its agents may carry out additional ad hoc rebalances to the Preferred Securities Index. Therefore, errors and additional ad hoc rebalances carried out by the Preferred Securities Index provider or its agents to the Preferred Securities Index may increase the costs to and the tracking error risk of the Fund. The Fund may not be fully invested at times, either as a result of cash flows into the Fund (if the Fund effects creations and redemptions for cash) or reserves of cash held by the Fund to pay expenses or meet redemptions. In addition, the Fund may not be able to invest in certain securities included in the Preferred Securities Index, or invest in them in the exact proportions in which they are represented in the Preferred Securities Index. The Fund’s performance may also deviate from the return of the Preferred Securities Index due to legal restrictions or limitations imposed by the governments of certain countries, certain listing standards of the Fund’s listing exchange (the “Exchange”), a lack of liquidity on stock exchanges in which such securities trade, potential adverse tax consequences or other regulatory reasons (such as diversification requirements). The Fund may value certain of its investments, underlying securities and/or other assets based on fair value prices. To the extent the Fund calculates its NAV based on fair value prices and the value of the Preferred Securities Index is based on securities’ closing prices (i.e., the value of the Preferred Securities Index is not based on fair value prices), the Fund’s ability to track the Preferred Securities Index may be adversely affected. When markets are volatile, the ability to sell securities at fair value prices may be adversely impacted and may result in additional trading costs and/or increase the index tracking risk. The Fund may also need to rely on borrowings to meet redemptions, which may lead to increased expenses. For tax efficiency purposes, the Fund may sell certain securities, and such sale may cause the Fund to realize a loss and deviate from the performance of the Preferred Securities Index. In light of the factors discussed above, the
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Fund’s return may deviate significantly from the return of the Preferred Securities Index. Changes to the composition of the Preferred Securities Index in connection with a rebalancing or reconstitution of the Preferred Securities Index may cause the Fund to experience increased volatility, during which time the Fund’s index tracking risk may be heightened.
Authorized Participant Concentration Risk. The Fund may have a limited number of financial institutions that act as APs, none of which are obligated to engage in creation and/or redemption transactions. To the extent that those APs exit the business, or are unable to or choose not to process creation and/or redemption orders, and no other AP is able to step forward to create and redeem, there may be a significantly diminished trading market for Shares or Shares may trade like closed-end funds at a greater discount (or premium) to NAV and possibly face trading halts and/or de-listing. The AP concentration risk may be heightened in scenarios where APs have limited or diminished access to the capital required to post collateral.
No Guarantee of Active Trading Market. While Shares are listed on the Exchange, there can be no assurance that an active trading market for the Shares will be maintained. Further, secondary markets may be subject to irregular trading activity, wide bid/ask spreads and extended trade settlement periods in times of market stress because market makers and APs may step away from making a market in the Shares and in executing creation and redemption orders, which could cause a material deviation in the Fund’s market price from its NAV.
Trading Issues. Trading in Shares on the Exchange may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the Exchange, make trading in Shares inadvisable. In addition, trading in Shares on the Exchange is subject to trading halts caused by extraordinary market volatility pursuant to the Exchange’s “circuit breaker” rules. There can be no assurance that the requirements of the Exchange necessary to maintain the listing of the Fund will continue to be met or will remain unchanged.
Passive Management Risk. An investment in the Fund involves risks similar to those of investing in any fund invested in equity securities traded on an exchange, such as market fluctuations caused by such factors as economic and political developments, changes in interest rates and perceived trends in security prices. However, because the Fund is not “actively” managed, unless a specific security is removed from the Preferred Securities Index, the Fund generally would not sell a security because the security’s issuer was in financial trouble. Additionally, unusual market conditions may cause the Preferred Securities Index provider to postpone a scheduled rebalance or reconstitution, which could cause the Preferred Securities Index to vary from its normal or expected composition. Therefore, the Fund’s performance could be lower than funds that may actively shift their portfolio assets to take advantage of market opportunities or to lessen the impact of a market decline or a decline in the value of one or more issuers.
Fund Shares Trading, Premium/Discount Risk and Liquidity of Fund Shares. The market price of the Shares may fluctuate in response to the Fund’s NAV, the intraday value of the Fund’s holdings and supply and demand for Shares. The Adviser cannot predict whether Shares will trade above, below, or at their most recent NAV. Disruptions to creations and redemptions, the existence of market volatility or potential lack of an active trading market for Shares (including through a trading halt), as well as other factors, may result in Shares trading at a significant premium or discount to NAV or to the intraday value of the Fund’s holdings. If a shareholder purchases Shares at a time when the market price is at a premium to the NAV or sells Shares at a time when the market price is at a discount to the NAV, the shareholder may pay significantly more or receive significantly less than the underlying value of the Shares that were bought or sold or the shareholder may be unable to sell his or her Shares. The securities held by the Fund may be traded in markets that close at a different time than the Exchange. Liquidity in those securities may be reduced after the applicable closing times. Accordingly, during the time when the Exchange is open but after the applicable market closing, fixing or settlement times, bid/ask spreads on the Exchange and the resulting premium or discount to the Shares’ NAV may widen. Additionally, in stressed market conditions, the market for the Fund’s Shares may become less liquid in response to deteriorating liquidity in the markets for the Fund’s underlying portfolio holdings. There are various methods by which investors can purchase and sell Shares. Investors should consult their financial intermediaries before purchasing or selling Shares of the Fund.
Non-Diversified Risk. The Fund is classified as a “non-diversified” fund under the 1940 Act. Therefore, the Fund may invest a relatively high percentage of its assets in a smaller number of issuers or may invest a larger proportion of its assets in a single issuer. Moreover, the gains and losses on a single investment may have a greater impact on the Fund’s NAV and may make the Fund more volatile than more diversified funds.
Concentration Risk. The Fund’s assets may be concentrated in a particular sector or sectors or industry or group of industries to the extent the Preferred Securities Index concentrates in a particular sector or sectors or industry or group of industries. To the extent that the Fund is concentrated in a particular sector or sectors or industry or group of industries, the Fund will be subject to the risk that economic, political or other conditions that have a negative effect on those sectors and/or industries may negatively impact the Fund to a greater extent than if the Fund’s assets were invested in a wider variety of sectors or industries.
PERFORMANCE
The bar chart that follows shows how the Fund performed for the calendar years shown. The table below the bar chart shows the Fund’s average annual returns (before and after taxes). The bar chart and table provide an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by comparing the Fund’s performance from year to year and by showing how the Fund’s average annual returns for the one year, five year, ten year and/or since inception periods, as applicable, compared with the Fund’s benchmark index and
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a broad measure of market performance. Prior to June 1, 2021, the Fund sought to replicate as closely as possible, before fees and expenses, the price and yield performance of the Wells Fargo® Hybrid and Preferred Securities ex Financials Index (the “Prior Index”). Therefore, performance information prior to June 1, 2021 reflects the performance of the Fund tracking the Prior Index. All returns assume reinvestment of dividends and distributions. All returns assume reinvestment of dividends and distributions. The Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available online at www.vaneck.com.
Annual Total Returns (%)—Calendar Years
ck0001137360-20220430_g12.jpg
The year-to-date total return as of June 30, 2022 was -15.47%.
Best Quarter: 12.66% 2Q 2020
Worst Quarter: -17.88% 1Q 2020
Average Annual Total Returns for the Periods Ended December 31, 2021
The after-tax returns presented in the table below are calculated using the highest historical individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Your actual after-tax returns will depend on your specific tax situation and may differ from those shown below. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold Shares of the Fund through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.
Past One Year Past Five Years
Since Inception (7/16/2012)
VanEck Preferred Securities ex Financials ETF
(return before taxes)
12.21% 8.57% 6.82%
VanEck Preferred Securities ex Financials ETF
(return after taxes on distributions)
10.03% 6.27% 4.53%
VanEck Preferred Securities ex Financials ETF
(return after taxes on distributions and sale of Fund Shares)
7.41% 5.67% 4.30%
ICE Exchange-Listed Fixed & Adjustable Rate Non-Financial Preferred Securities Index
(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)*
11.98% 8.54% 6.89%
S&P 500® Index
(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
28.71% 18.47% 16.52%
*Prior to June 1, 2021, the Fund sought to replicate as closely as possible, before fees and expenses, the price and yield performance of the Prior Index. Therefore, performance information prior to June 1, 2021 reflects the performance of the Fund seeking to replicate the Prior Index. Prior to June 1, 2021, index data reflects that of the Prior Index. From June 1, 2021, the index data will reflect that of the ICE Exchange-Listed Fixed & Adjustable Rate Non-Financial Preferred Securities Index.
See “License Agreements and Disclaimers” for important information.
PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT
Investment Adviser. Van Eck Associates Corporation.
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Portfolio Manager. The following individual is primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund’s portfolio:
Name Title with Adviser Date Began Managing the Fund
Peter H. Liao Portfolio Manager July 2012
PURCHASE AND SALE OF FUND SHARES
For important information about the purchase and sale of Fund Shares, tax information, and payments to broker-dealers and other financial intermediaries, please turn to the “Summary Information about Purchases and Sales of Fund Shares, Taxes and Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries” section of this Prospectus.
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PURCHASE AND SALE OF FUND SHARES
Individual Shares of a Fund may only be purchased and sold in secondary market transactions through a broker or dealer at a market price. Shares of the Funds are listed on the Exchange, and because Shares trade at market prices rather than NAV, Shares of the Funds may trade at a price greater than NAV (i.e., a "premium") or less than NAV (i.e., a "discount").
An investor may incur costs attributable to the difference between the highest price a buyer is willing to pay to purchase Shares of a Fund (bid) and the lowest price a seller is willing to accept for Shares (ask) when buying or selling Shares in the secondary market (the “bid/ask spread”).
Recent information, including information about each Fund’s NAV, market price, premiums and discounts, and bid/ask spreads, is included on the Fund’s website at www.vaneck.com.
TAX INFORMATION
Each Fund’s distributions are taxable and will generally be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains.
PAYMENTS TO BROKER-DEALERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES
The Adviser and its related companies may pay broker-dealers or other financial intermediaries (such as a bank) for the sale of the Fund Shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing your broker-dealer or other intermediary or its employees or associated persons to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your financial adviser or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.
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PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES
Each Fund, except for VanEck BDC Income ETF, VanEck Fallen Angel High Yield Bond ETF, VanEck Mortgage REIT Income ETF and VanEck Preferred Securities ex Financials ETF, uses a sampling approach in seeking to achieve its investment objective. Sampling means that the Adviser uses quantitative analysis to select a representative sample of securities that the Adviser believes collectively have an investment profile similar to each Fund’s Index. The Adviser seeks to select securities that will have, in the aggregate, investment characteristics (based on factors such as market capitalization and industry weightings), fundamental characteristics (such as return variability, duration, maturity or credit ratings and yield) and liquidity measures similar to those of a Fund’s Index. The quantity of holdings in a Fund will be based on a number of factors, including asset size of such Fund. The Adviser generally expects a Fund to hold less than the total number of securities in its Index, but reserves the right to hold as many securities as it believes necessary to achieve the Fund’s investment objective. In addition, from time to time, securities are added to or removed from the applicable Index. Each Fund may sell securities that are represented in its Index, or purchase securities that are not yet represented in its Index, in anticipation of their removal from or addition to such Index. Further, the Adviser may choose to underweight or overweight securities, purchase or sell securities not in an Index, or utilize various combinations of other available investment techniques, in seeking to track a Fund’s Index.
The Adviser anticipates that, generally, VanEck BDC Income ETF, VanEck Fallen Angel High Yield Bond ETF, VanEck Mortgage REIT Income ETF and VanEck Preferred Securities ex Financials ETF will hold or gain exposure to all of the securities that comprise each Fund’s respective Index in proportion to their weightings in such Index. However, under various circumstances, it may not be possible or practicable to purchase all of those securities in those weightings. In these circumstances, VanEck BDC Income ETF, VanEck Fallen Angel High Yield Bond ETF, VanEck Mortgage REIT Income ETF and VanEck Preferred Securities ex Financials ETF may purchase a sample of securities in its Index. There also may be instances in which the Adviser may choose to underweight or overweight a security in a Fund’s Index, purchase securities not in the Fund’s Index that the Adviser believes are appropriate to substitute for certain securities in such Index or utilize various combinations of other available investment techniques in seeking to replicate as closely as possible, before fees and expenses, the price and yield performance of the Fund’s Index. VanEck BDC Income ETF, VanEck Fallen Angel High Yield Bond ETF, VanEck Mortgage REIT Income ETF and VanEck Preferred Securities ex Financials ETF may sell securities that are represented in their Index in anticipation of their removal from the respective Index or purchase securities not represented in their Index in anticipation of their addition to the respective Index. VanEck BDC Income ETF, VanEck Fallen Angel High Yield Bond ETF, VanEck Mortgage REIT Income ETF and VanEck Preferred Securities ex Financials ETF may also, in order to comply with the tax diversification requirements of the Internal Revenue Code, temporarily invest in securities not included in its Index that are expected to be highly correlated with the securities included in its Index.
FUNDAMENTAL AND NON-FUNDAMENTAL POLICIES
Each Fund’s investment objective and each of its other investment policies are non-fundamental policies that may be changed by the Board of Trustees of the Trust (the "Board of Trustees") without shareholder approval, except as noted in this Prospectus or the Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) under the section entitled “Investment Policies and Restrictions—Investment Restrictions.”
RISKS OF INVESTING IN THE FUNDS
The following section provides additional information regarding the principal risks identified under “Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund” in each Fund’s “Summary Information” section followed by additional risk information. The risks listed below are applicable to each Fund unless otherwise noted.
Investors in a Fund should be willing to accept a high degree of volatility in the price of the Fund’s Shares and the possibility of significant losses. An investment in a Fund involves a substantial degree of risk. An investment in a Fund is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. Therefore, you should consider carefully the following risks before investing in a Fund, each of which could significantly and adversely affect the value of an investment in a Fund.
BBB-Rated Bond Risk. (VanEck Moody’s Analytics BBB Corporate Bond ETF only.) BBB-rated bonds are typically subject to greater risk of downgrade than other investment grade bonds. The risk of downgrade to below-investment grade will be heightened during an economic downturn or substantial period of rising interest rates. Any downgrade of such bonds would relegate such bonds from the investment grade universe to the high yield (or “junk” bond) universe, which could negatively affect their value.
Credit Risk. (All Funds except VanEck BDC Income ETF and VanEck Mortgage REIT Income ETF.) Debt securities, such as bonds, and Preferred Securities are subject to credit risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable and/or unwilling to make timely interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt or to otherwise honor its obligations and/or default completely on securities. Debt securities and Preferred Securities are subject to varying degrees of credit risk, depending on the issuer’s financial condition and on the terms of the securities, which may be reflected in credit ratings. There is a possibility that the credit rating of a debt security or a Preferred Security may be downgraded after purchase or the perception of an issuer’s credit worthiness may decline, which may adversely affect the value of the security. Lower credit quality may also affect liquidity and make it difficult for a Fund to sell the security.
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Interest Rate Risk. (All Funds except VanEck BDC Income ETF and VanEck Mortgage REIT Income ETF.) Debt securities, such as bonds and Preferred Securities are subject to interest rate risk. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most debt securities and certain Preferred Securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most debt securities go up. Many factors can cause interest rates to rise, including central bank monetary policy, rising inflation rates and general economic conditions. The prevailing historically low interest rate environment increases the risk associated with rising interest rates, including the potential for periods of volatility and increased redemptions.
In addition, debt securities with longer durations tend to be more sensitive to interest rate changes, usually making them more volatile than debt securities, such as bonds, with shorter durations. To the extent the Fund invests a substantial portion of its assets in debt securities with longer-term maturities, rising interest rates may cause the value of the Fund’s investments to decline significantly.
In addition, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, as with other serious economic disruptions, governmental authorities and regulators are enacting significant fiscal and monetary policy changes, including providing direct capital infusions into companies, creating new monetary programs and lowering interest rates. These actions present heightened risks to debt instruments, and such risks could be even further heightened if these actions are unexpectedly or suddenly reversed or are ineffective in achieving their desired outcomes.
High Yield Securities Risk. (VanEck Emerging Markets High Yield Bond ETF, VanEck Fallen Angel High Yield Bond ETF, VanEck Green Bond ETF, VanEck International High Yield Bond ETF and VanEck J.P. Morgan EM Local Currency Bond ETF only.) Securities rated below investment grade are commonly referred to as high yield securities or “junk bonds.” High yield securities are often issued by issuers that are restructuring, are smaller or less creditworthy than other issuers, or are more highly indebted than other issuers. High yield securities are subject to greater risk of loss of income and principal than higher rated securities and are considered speculative. The prices of high yield securities are likely to be more sensitive to adverse economic changes or individual issuer developments than higher rated securities. During an economic downturn or substantial period of rising interest rates, high yield security issuers may experience financial stress that would adversely affect their ability to service their principal and interest payment obligations, to meet their projected business goals or to obtain additional financing. In the event of a default, a Fund may incur additional expenses to seek recovery. The secondary market for securities that are high yield securities may be less liquid than the markets for higher quality securities, and high yield securities issued by non-corporate issuers may be less liquid than high yield securities issued by corporate issuers, which, in either instance, may have an adverse effect on the market prices of and a Fund’s ability to arrive at a fair value for certain securities. The illiquidity of the market also could make it difficult for a Fund to sell certain securities in connection with a rebalancing of its Index. In addition, periods of economic uncertainty and change may result in an increased volatility of market prices of high yield securities and a corresponding volatility in the Fund’s NAV.
Hybrid Securities Risk. (VanEck Preferred Securities ex Financials ETF only.) Hybrid securities are typically subordinated to an issuer's senior debt instruments; therefore, they are subject to greater credit risk than those senior debt instruments. Many hybrid securities are subject to provisions permitting their issuers to skip or defer distributions under specified circumstances. Hybrid securities may have limited or no voting rights and may have substantially lower overall liquidity than many other securities.
Liquidity Risk. (VanEck Moody’s Analytics BBB Corporate Bond ETF and VanEck Moody's Analytics IG Corporate Bond ETF.) Reduced liquidity in the bond markets can result from a number of events, such as limited trading activity, reductions in bond inventory, market volatility, and rapid or unexpected changes in interest rates. Less liquid markets could lead to greater price volatility and limit the Fund’s ability to sell a holding at a suitable price.
Restricted Securities Risk. (VanEck Emerging Markets High Yield Bond ETF, VanEck Fallen Angel High Yield Bond ETF, VanEck Green Bond ETF, VanEck International High Yield Bond ETF, VanEck IG Floating Rate ETF, VanEck Moody’s Analytics BBB Corporate Bond ETF and VanEck Moody's IG Corporate Bond ETF.) Regulation S securities and Rule 144A securities are restricted securities. Restricted securities are securities that are not registered under the Securities Act. They may be less liquid and more difficult to value than other investments because such securities may not be readily marketable. A Fund may not be able to purchase or sell a restricted security promptly or at a reasonable time or price. Although there may be a substantial institutional market for these securities, it is not possible to predict exactly how the market for such securities will develop or whether it will continue to exist. A restricted security that was liquid at the time of purchase may subsequently become illiquid and its value may decline as a result. Restricted securities that are deemed illiquid will count towards a Fund’s limitation on illiquid securities. In addition, transaction costs may be higher for restricted securities than for more liquid securities. A Fund may have to bear the expense of registering restricted securities for resale and the risk of substantial delays in effecting the registration.
Floating Rate Risk. (VanEck Green Bond ETF, VanEck IG Floating Rate ETF and VanEck Preferred Securities Ex Financials ETF only.) The Fund invests in floating-rate securities. A floating-rate security is an instrument in which the interest rate payable on the obligation fluctuates on a periodic basis based upon changes in an interest rate benchmark. As a result, the yield on such a security will generally decline in a falling interest rate environment, causing the Fund to experience a reduction in the income it receives from such securities.
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Floating Rate LIBOR Risk. (VanEck Green Bond ETF, VanEck IG Floating Rate ETF and VanEck Preferred Securities Ex Financials ETF only.) Certain of the floating-rate securities pay interest based on the London Inter-bank Offered Rate ("LIBOR"). Due to the uncertainty regarding the future utilization of LIBOR and the nature of any replacement rate, the potential effect of a transition away from LIBOR on the Fund or the financial instruments in which the Fund invests cannot yet be fully determined. The discontinuation of LIBOR could have adverse impacts on newly issued and existing financial instruments that reference LIBOR. While some instruments may provide for an alternative rate setting methodology in the event LIBOR is no longer available, not all instruments may have such provisions and there is uncertainty regarding the effectiveness of any alternative methodology. In addition, the discontinuation and/or replacement of LIBOR may affect the value, liquidity or return on certain Fund investments and may result in costs incurred in connection with closing out positions and entering into new trades.
Risk of Investing in Mortgage REITs. (VanEck Mortgage REIT Income ETF only.) Mortgage real estate investment trusts (“REITs”) are exposed to the risks specific to the real estate market as well as the risks that relate specifically to the way in which mortgage REITs are organized and operated. Mortgage REITs receive principal and interest payments from the owners of the mortgaged properties. Accordingly, mortgage REITs are exposed to the credit risk of the borrowers. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the borrower will be unable and/or unwilling to make timely interest payments and/or repay the principal on the loan to the mortgage REIT when they are due. Mortgage REITs are also subject to risks of delinquency and foreclosure and risks of loss. In the event of any default of a mortgage loan, the mortgage REIT bears the risk of loss of principal to the extent of any deficiency between the value of the collateral and the principal and accrued interest of the loan.
A mortgage REIT may invest in mortgage-backed securities issued or guaranteed by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac or the Federal Home Loan Banks, which are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. Because these securities are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, there is a risk that the U.S. Government will not provide financial support to these agencies if it is not obligated to do so. The maximum potential liability of such entities may greatly exceed their current resources, and it is possible that they will not be able to meet their obligations in the future. Concerns about Freddie Mac’s and Fannie Mae’s solvency during the volatility and disruption that impacted the capital and credit markets during late 2008 and into 2009 led to Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae being placed under the conservatorship of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (“FHFA”) and receiving a capital infusion from the U.S. Treasury. The value of the mortgage-backed securities issued or guaranteed by Freddie Mac or Fannie Mae held by a mortgage REIT may be affected by future actions taken by the FHFA, the U.S. Treasury or the U.S. Government with respect to these entities and market perceptions. In addition, the financials sector is undergoing numerous changes, including continuing consolidations, development of new products and structures and changes to its regulatory framework. Furthermore, increased government involvement in the financials sector, including measures such as mortgage loan modification and refinance programs, could affect the value of a mortgage REIT’s investments. The Dodd Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the “Dodd-Frank Act”) imposes significant regulatory restrictions on the origination of residential mortgage loans and will impact the formation of new issuances of mortgage-backed securities. While the full impact of the Dodd-Frank Act and the role of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau cannot be assessed until all implementing regulations are released, the Dodd-Frank Act’s extensive requirements may have a significant effect on the financial markets, and may affect the availability or terms of financing or terms of mortgage-backed securities, both of which may have an adverse effect on the value of a mortgage REIT’s investments. Recent developments in the credit markets may cause companies operating in the financials sector to incur large losses, experience declines in the value of their assets and even cease operations.
To the extent that a mortgage REIT invests in mortgage-backed securities offered by private issuers, such as commercial banks, savings and loan institutions, private mortgage insurance companies, mortgage bankers and other secondary market issuers, the mortgage REIT may be subject to additional risks. Timely payment of interest and principal of non-governmental issuers may be supported by various forms of private insurance or guarantees, including individual loan, title, pool and hazard insurance purchased by the issuer. However, there can be no assurance that the private insurers can or will meet their obligations under such policies. Unexpected high rates of default on the mortgages held by a mortgage pool may adversely affect the value of a mortgage-backed security and could result in losses to a mortgage REIT. The risk of such defaults is generally higher in the case of mortgage pools that include subprime mortgages. To the extent that a mortgage REIT’s portfolio is exposed to lower-rated, unsecured or subordinated instruments, the risk of loss may increase, which may have a negative impact on the Fund. Mortgage REITs also are subject to the risk that the value of mortgaged properties may be less than the amounts owed on the properties. If a mortgage REIT is required to foreclose on a borrower, the amount recovered in connection with the foreclosure may be less than the amount owed to the mortgage REIT.
Mortgage REITs are subject to significant interest rate risk. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a mortgage REIT’s investment in fixed rate obligations resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the value of a mortgage REIT’s investment in fixed rate obligations goes down. In addition, rising interest rates generally reduce the demand for consumer credit, including mortgage loans, due to the higher cost of borrowing. This could cause the value of a mortgage REIT’s investments to decline. A mortgage REIT’s investment in adjustable rate obligations may react differently to interest rate changes than an investment in fixed rate obligations. As interest rates on adjustable rate mortgage loans are reset periodically, yields on a REIT’s investment in such loans will gradually align themselves to reflect changes in market interest rates, causing the value of such investments to fluctuate less dramatically in response to interest rate fluctuations than would investments in fixed rate obligations.
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Mortgage REITs typically use leverage and many are highly leveraged, which exposes them to leverage risk and the risks generally associated with debt financing. Leverage risk refers to the risk that leverage created from borrowing may impair a mortgage REIT’s liquidity, cause it to liquidate positions at an unfavorable time, reduce dividends paid by the mortgage REIT and increase the volatility of the values of securities issued by the mortgage REIT. The use of leverage may not be advantageous to a mortgage REIT. The success of using leverage is dependent on whether the return earned on the investments made using the proceeds of leverage exceed the cost of using leverage. To the extent that a mortgage REIT incurs significant leverage, it may incur substantial losses if its borrowing costs increase. Borrowing costs may increase for any of the following reasons: short-term interest rates increase; the market value of a mortgage REIT’s assets decreases; interest rate volatility increases; or the availability of financing in the market decreases. During periods of adverse market conditions, downturns in the economy or deterioration in the conditions of the REIT’s mortgage-related assets the use of leverage may cause a mortgage REIT to lose more money than would have been the case if leverage was not used. To the extent that a mortgage REIT uses significant leverage, it may incur substantial losses if its borrowing costs increase.
Mortgage REITs are subject to prepayment risk, which is the risk that borrowers may prepay their mortgage loans at faster than expected rates. Prepayment rates generally increase when interest rates fall and decrease when interest rates rise. These faster than expected payments may adversely affect a mortgage REIT’s profitability. Prepayments can also occur when borrowers default on their mortgages and the mortgages are prepaid from the proceeds of a foreclosure sale of the property, or when borrowers sell the property and use the sale proceeds to prepay the mortgage as part of a physical relocation. Prepayment rates may be affected by conditions in the housing and financial markets, increasing defaults on residential mortgage loans, general economic conditions and the relative interest rates on loans.
REITs are subject to special U.S. federal tax requirements. Unlike corporations, REITs do not have to pay income taxes if they meet certain requirements set forth in the Internal Revenue Code. To qualify, a REIT must distribute at least 90% of its taxable income to its shareholders and receive at least 75% of that income from rents, mortgages and sales of property. A REIT’s failure to comply with these requirements may subject it to U.S. federal income taxation. This may adversely affect the REIT’s performance as well as the Fund’s performance.
Mortgage REITs may be dependent upon the management skills of a few individuals and may have limited financial resources. The managers of mortgage REITs may employ hedging strategies designed to mitigate certain risks, including interest rate risk. Poorly designed strategies or improperly executed transactions could significantly increase the mortgage REIT’s risk and lead to material losses. Mortgage REITs are generally not diversified and may be subject to heavy cash flow dependency, default by borrowers and self-liquidation. In addition, transactions between mortgage REITs and their affiliates may be subject to conflicts of interest which may adversely affect a mortgage REIT’s shareholders.
Risk of Investing in REITs. (VanEck Preferred Securities ex Financials ETF only.) Investing in REITs exposes investors to the risks of owning real estate directly, as well as to risks that relate specifically to the way in which REITs are organized and operated. REITs generally invest directly in real estate, in mortgages or in some combination of the two. Operating REITs requires specialized management skills and the Fund indirectly bears management expenses along with the direct expenses of the Fund. Individual REITs may own a limited number of properties and may concentrate in a particular region or property type. REITs may also be subject to heavy cash flow dependency, default by borrowers or tenants and self-liquidation. REITs typically use leverage to acquire assets, which increases the risk of investing in REITs and can cause the values of the Fund’s investments in REITs to be more volatile and to decline if interest rates increase. REITs also must satisfy specific requirements of the Internal Revenue Code in order to qualify for tax-free pass-through income. The failure of a company to qualify as a REIT could have adverse consequences for the Fund, including significantly reducing the return to the Fund on its investment in such company. In addition, REITs, like mutual funds, have expenses, including management and administration fees, that are paid by their shareholders. As a result, shareholders will absorb their proportionate share of duplicate levels of fees when the Fund invests in REITs.
Section 199A allows a deduction of up to 20% on taxable ordinary dividends from REITs and certain other types of business income for non-corporate taxpayers through 2025. Treasury regulations permit a regulated investment company to pass through to its shareholders qualified REIT dividends eligible for the 20% deduction. VanEck Mortgage REIT Income ETF and VanEck Preferred Securities ex Financials ETF expect that some portion of their distributions may be taxable ordinary dividends from REITs.
Risk of Investing in the Real Estate Sector. (VanEck Preferred Securities Ex Financials ETF only.) Companies in the real estate sector include companies that invest in real estate, such as REITs and real estate management and development companies. A Fund will be sensitive to changes in, and its performance will depend to a greater extent on, the overall condition of the real estate sector. Companies that invest in real estate are subject to the risks of owning real estate directly as well as to risks that relate specifically to the way that such companies operate, including management risk (such companies are dependent upon the management skills of a few key individuals and may have limited financial resources). Adverse economic, business or political developments affecting real estate could have a major effect on the values of a Fund’s investments. Investing in real estate is subject to such risks as decreases in real estate values, overbuilding, increased competition and other risks related to local or general economic conditions, increases in operating costs and property taxes, changes in zoning laws, casualty or condemnation losses, possible environmental liabilities, regulatory limitations on rent, possible lack of availability of mortgage financing, market
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saturation, fluctuations in rental income and the value of underlying properties and extended vacancies of properties. Certain real estate securities have a relatively small market capitalization, which may tend to increase the volatility of the market price of these securities. Real estate securities have limited diversification and are, therefore, subject to risks inherent in operating and financing a limited number of projects. Real estate securities are also subject to heavy cash flow dependency and defaults by borrowers or tenants.
Risk of Subordinated Obligations. (VanEck Preferred Securities ex Financials ETF only.) Payments under some bonds may be structurally subordinated to all existing and future liabilities and obligations of each of the respective subsidiaries and associated companies of an issuer of the bond. Claims of creditors of such subsidiaries and associated companies will have priority as to the assets of such subsidiaries and associated companies over the issuer and its creditors, including the Fund, who seek to enforce the terms of the bond. Certain bonds do not contain any restrictions on the ability of the subsidiaries of the issuers to incur additional unsecured indebtedness.
Risk of Investing in “Green” Bonds. (VanEck Green Bond ETF only.) Investments in “green” bonds includes bonds whose proceeds are used principally for climate mitigation, climate adaptation or other environmentally beneficial projects, such as, but not limited to, the development of clean, sustainable or renewal energy sources, commercial and industrial energy efficiency, or conservation of natural resources. Investing in “green” bonds carries the risk that, under certain market conditions, the Fund may underperform as compared to funds that invest in a broader range of investments. In addition, some “green” investments may be dependent on government tax incentives and subsidies and on political support for certain environmental technologies and companies. Investing primarily in “green” investments may affect the Fund’s exposure to certain sectors or types of investments and will impact the Fund’s relative investment performance depending on whether such sectors or investments are in or out of favor in the market. The “green” sector may also have challenges such as a limited number of issuers and limited liquidity in the market. Additionally, there may also be a limited supply of bonds that merit “green” status, which may adversely affect the Fund.
Supranational Bond Risk. (VanEck Green Bond ETF only.) To the extent that the Fund invests in supranational bonds, the Fund will be sensitive to changes in, and its performance will depend to a greater extent on, the overall condition of the supranational entities that issue such bonds. Certain securities in which the Fund may invest are obligations issued or backed by supranational entities, such as the European Investment Bank. Obligations of supranational organizations are subject to the risk that the governments on whose support the entity depends for its financial backing or repayment may be unable or unwilling to provide that support. If an issuer of supranational bonds defaults on payments of principal and/or interest, the Fund may have limited recourse against the issuer. A supranational entity’s willingness or ability to repay principal and pay interest in a timely manner may be affected by, among other factors, its cash flow situation, the extent of its reserves, the relative size of the debt service burden to the entity as a whole and the political constraints to which a supranational entity may be subject. During periods of economic uncertainty, the market prices of supranational bonds, and the Fund’s NAV, may be more volatile than prices of corporate bonds, which may result in losses. Obligations of a supranational organization that are denominated in foreign currencies will also be subject to the risks associated with investment in foreign currencies.
Government-Related Bond Risk. (VanEck Green Bond ETF only.) Investments in government-related bonds involve special risks not present in corporate bonds. The governmental authority or government-related entity that controls the repayment of the bond may be unable or unwilling to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt or to otherwise honor its obligations. If an issuer of government-related bonds defaults on payments of principal and/or interest, the Fund may have limited recourse against the issuer. A government-related debtor’s willingness or ability to repay principal and pay interest in a timely manner may be affected by, among other factors, its cash flow situation, the extent of its foreign currency reserves, the availability of sufficient foreign exchange on the date a payment is due, the relative size of the debt service burden to the economy as a whole, the government-related debtor’s policy toward international lenders, and the political constraints to which a government-related debtor may be subject. During periods of economic uncertainty, the market prices of government-related bonds, and the Fund’s NAV, may be more volatile than prices of corporate bonds, which may result in losses. In the past, certain governments of emerging market countries have declared themselves unable to meet their financial obligations on a timely basis, which has resulted in losses for holders of government-related bonds.
Sovereign Bond Risk. (VanEck J.P. Morgan EM Local Currency Bond ETF only.) Investment in sovereign bonds involves special risks not present in corporate bonds. The governmental authority that controls the repayment of the bond may be unable or unwilling to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt or to otherwise honor its obligations. If an issuer of sovereign bonds defaults on payments of principal and/or interest, the Fund may have limited recourse against the issuer. During periods of economic uncertainty, the market prices of sovereign bonds, and the Fund’s NAV, may be more volatile than prices of corporate bonds, which may result in losses. In the past, certain governments of emerging market countries have declared themselves unable to meet their financial obligations on a timely basis, which has resulted in losses for holders of sovereign bonds.
Securitized/Asset-Backed Securities Risk. (VanEck Green Bond ETF only.) Investments in asset-backed securities, including collateralized mortgage obligations, are subject to the risk of significant credit downgrades, dramatic changes in liquidity, and defaults to a greater extent than many other types of fixed-income investments. During periods of falling interest rates, asset-backed securities may be called or prepaid, which may result in the Fund having to reinvest proceeds in other investments at a lower interest rate. During periods of rising interest rates, the average life of asset-backed securities may extend, which may lock
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in a below-market interest rate, increase the security’s duration and interest rate sensitivity, and reduce the value of the security. The Fund may invest in asset-backed securities issued or backed by federal agencies or government sponsored enterprises or that are part of a government-sponsored program, which may subject the Fund to the risks noted above. The values of assets or collateral underlying asset-backed securities may decline and, therefore, may not be adequate to cover underlying obligations. Enforcing rights against the underlying assets or collateral may be difficult, and the underlying assets or collateral may be insufficient if the issuer defaults.
Sampling Risk. (All Funds except VanEck BDC Income ETF, VanEck Fallen Angel High Yield Bond ETF, VanEck Mortgage REIT Income ETF and VanEck Preferred Securities ex Financials ETF.) A Fund’s use of a representative sampling approach will result in its holding a smaller number of securities than are in its respective Index. As a result, an adverse development respecting an issuer of securities held by a Fund could result in a greater decline in NAV than would be the case if the Fund held all of the securities in its Index. Conversely, a positive development relating to an issuer of securities in an Index that is not held by the Fund could cause the Fund to underperform its respective Index. To the extent the assets in a Fund are smaller, these risks will be greater.
Call Risk. (VanEck Emerging Markets High Yield Bond ETF, VanEck Fallen Angel High Yield Bond ETF, VanEck Green Bond ETF, VanEck International High Yield Bond ETF, VanEck Moody's Analytics BBB Corporate Bond ETF, VanEck Moody's Analytics IG Corporate Bond ETF and VanEck Preferred Securities ex Financials ETF only.) A Fund may invest in callable securities. If interest rates fall, it is possible that issuers of callable securities will “call” (or prepay) their securities before their maturity date. If a call were exercised by the issuer during or following a period of declining interest rates, a Fund is likely to have to replace such called security with a lower yielding security or securities with greater risks or other less favorable features. If that were to happen, it would decrease a Fund’s net investment income. A Fund also may fail to recover additional amounts (i.e., premiums) paid for securities with higher interest rates, resulting in an unexpected capital loss.
Market Risk. The prices of the securities in the Funds are subject to the risks associated with investing in the securities market, including general economic conditions, sudden and unpredictable drops in value, exchange trading suspensions and closures and public health risks. These risks may be magnified if certain social, political, economic and other conditions and events (such as natural disasters, epidemics and pandemics, terrorism, conflicts and social unrest) adversely interrupt the global economy; in these and other circumstances, such events or developments might affect companies world-wide. Overall securities values could decline generally or could underperform other investments. An investment in the Funds may lose money.
Operational Risk. Each Fund is exposed to operational risk arising from a number of factors, including but not limited to, human error, processing and communication errors, errors of the Fund’s service providers, counterparties or other third-parties, failed or inadequate processes and technology or system failures.
Risk of Investing in Foreign Securities. (All Funds except VanEck BDC Income ETF and VanEck Mortgage REIT Income ETF only.) Investments in the securities of foreign issuers involve risks beyond those associated with investments in U.S. securities. These additional risks include greater market volatility, the availability of less reliable financial information, higher transactional and custody costs, taxation by foreign governments, decreased market liquidity and political instability. Because certain foreign securities markets may be limited in size, the activity of large traders may have an undue influence on the prices of securities that trade in such markets. Certain foreign markets that have historically been considered relatively stable may become volatile in response to changed conditions or new developments. Increased interconnectivity of world economies and financial markets increases the possibility that adverse developments and conditions in one country or region will affect the stability of economies and financial markets in other countries or regions. The Fund invests in securities of issuers located in countries whose economies are heavily dependent upon trading with key partners. Any reduction in this trading may have an adverse impact on the Fund’s investments. Because certain Funds may invest in securities denominated in foreign currencies and some of the income received by each Fund may be in foreign currency, changes in currency exchange rates may negatively impact the Fund's return. The risks of investing in emerging market countries are greater than risks associated with investments in foreign developed countries.
Foreign issuers are often subject to less stringent requirements regarding accounting, auditing, financial reporting and record keeping than are U.S. issuers, and therefore, not all material information may be available or reliable. Securities exchanges or foreign governments may adopt rules or regulations that may negatively impact a Fund’s ability to invest in foreign securities or may prevent the Fund from repatriating its investments. In addition, each Fund may not receive shareholder communications or be permitted to vote the securities that it holds, as the issuers may be under no legal obligation to distribute shareholder communications.
Certain foreign markets may rely heavily on particular industries or foreign capital and are more vulnerable to diplomatic developments, the imposition of economic sanctions against a particular country or countries, organizations, entities and/or individuals, changes in international trade patterns, trade barriers, and other protectionist or retaliatory measures. The United States and other nations or international organizations may impose economic sanctions or take other actions that may adversely affect issuers of specific countries. Economic sanctions could, among other things, effectively restrict or eliminate each Fund’s ability to purchase or sell securities or groups of securities for a substantial period of time, and may make each Fund’s investments in such securities harder to value. These sanctions, any future sanctions or other actions, or even the threat of future sanctions or other actions, may negatively affect the value and liquidity of a Fund.
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Also, certain issuers located in foreign countries in which a Fund invests may operate in, or have dealings with, countries subject to sanctions and/or embargoes imposed by the U.S. Government and the United Nations and/or countries identified by the U.S. Government as state sponsors of terrorism. As a result, an issuer may sustain damage to its reputation if it is identified as an issuer which operates in, or has dealings with, such countries. Each Fund, as an investor in such issuers, will be indirectly subject to those risks.
Risk of Investing in Emerging Market Issuers. (VanEck Emerging Markets High Yield Bond ETF, VanEck Green Bond ETF, VanEck International High Yield Bond ETF and VanEck J.P. Morgan EM Local Currency Bond ETF only.) Investment in securities of emerging market issuers involves risks not typically associated with investments in securities of issuers in more developed countries that may negatively affect the value of your investment in a Fund. Such heightened risks may include, among others, expropriation and/or nationalization of assets, restrictions on and government intervention in international trade, confiscatory taxation, political instability, including authoritarian and/or military involvement in governmental decision making, armed conflict, the impact on the economy as a result of civil war, crime (including drug violence) and social instability as a result of religious, ethnic and/or socioeconomic unrest. Issuers in certain emerging market countries are subject to less stringent requirements regarding accounting, auditing, financial reporting and record keeping than are issuers in more developed markets, and therefore, all material information may not be available or reliable. Emerging markets are also more likely than developed markets to experience problems with the clearing and settling of trades, as well as the holding of securities by local banks, agents and depositories. Low trading volumes and volatile prices in less developed markets may make trades harder to complete and settle, and governments or trade groups may compel local agents to hold securities in designated depositories that may not be subject to independent evaluation. Local agents are held only to the standards of care of their local markets. In general, the less developed a country’s securities markets are, the greater the likelihood of custody problems. Additionally, each of the factors described below could have a negative impact on a Fund’s performance and increase the volatility of the Fund. The Adviser may be limited in its ability to assess an Index Provider’s due diligence process over Index data prior to its use in Index computation, construction and/or rebalancing. Additionally, each of the factors described below could have a negative impact on a Fund’s performance and increase the volatility of the Fund.
Securities Markets. Securities markets in emerging market countries are underdeveloped and are often considered to be less correlated to global economic cycles than those markets located in more developed countries. Securities markets in emerging market countries are subject to greater risks associated with market volatility, lower market capitalization, lower trading volume, illiquidity, inflation, greater price fluctuations, uncertainty regarding the existence of trading markets, governmental control and heavy regulation of labor and industry. These factors, coupled with restrictions on foreign investment and other factors, limit the supply of securities available for investment by a Fund. This will affect the rate at which a Fund is able to invest in emerging market countries, the purchase and sale prices for such securities and the timing of purchases and sales. Emerging markets can experience high rates of inflation, deflation and currency devaluation. The prices of certain securities listed on securities markets in emerging market countries have been subject to sharp fluctuations and sudden declines, and no assurance can be given as to the future performance of listed securities in general. Volatility of prices may be greater than in more developed securities markets. Moreover, securities markets in emerging market countries may be closed for extended periods of time or trading on securities markets may be suspended altogether due to political or civil unrest. Market volatility may also be heightened by the actions of a small number of investors. Brokerage firms in emerging market countries may be fewer in number and less established than brokerage firms in more developed markets. Since a Fund may need to effect securities transactions through these brokerage firms, the Fund is subject to the risk that these brokerage firms will not be able to fulfill their obligations to the Fund. This risk is magnified to the extent a Fund effects securities transactions through a single brokerage firm or a small number of brokerage firms. In addition, the infrastructure for the safe custody of securities and for purchasing and selling securities, settling trades, collecting dividends, initiating corporate actions, and following corporate activity is not as well developed in emerging market countries as is the case in certain more developed markets.
Political and Economic Risk. Certain emerging market countries have historically been subject to political instability and their prospects are tied to the continuation of economic and political liberalization in the region. Instability may result from factors such as government or military intervention in decision making, terrorism, civil unrest, extremism or hostilities between neighboring countries. Any of these factors, including an outbreak of hostilities could negatively impact a Fund’s returns. Limited political and democratic freedoms in emerging market countries might cause significant social unrest. These factors may have a significant adverse effect on an emerging market country’s economy.
Many emerging market countries may be heavily dependent upon international trade and, consequently, may continue to be negatively affected by trade barriers, exchange controls, managed adjustments in relative currency values and other protectionist measures imposed or negotiated by the countries with which it trades. They also have been, and may continue to be, adversely affected by economic conditions in the countries with which they trade.
In addition, commodities (such as oil, gas and minerals) represent a significant percentage of certain emerging market countries’ exports and these economies are particularly sensitive to fluctuations in commodity prices. Adverse economic events in one country may have a significant adverse effect on other countries of this region. In addition, most emerging market countries have experienced, at one time or another, severe and persistent levels of inflation, including, in some cases,
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hyperinflation. This has, in turn, led to high interest rates, extreme measures by governments to keep inflation in check, and a generally debilitating effect on economic growth. Although inflation in many countries has lessened, there is no guarantee it will remain at lower levels. The political history of certain emerging market countries has been characterized by political uncertainty, intervention by the military in civilian and economic spheres, and political corruption. Such events could reverse favorable trends toward market and economic reform, privatization, and removal of trade barriers, and result in significant disruption in securities markets in the region.
Also, from time to time, certain issuers located in emerging market countries in which a Fund invests may operate in, or have dealings with, countries subject to sanctions and/or embargoes imposed by the U.S. Government and the United Nations and/or countries identified by the U.S. Government as state sponsors of terrorism. As a result, an issuer may sustain damage to its reputation if it is identified as an issuer which operates in, or has dealings with, such countries. Each Fund, as an investor in such issuers, will be indirectly subject to those risks.
A portion of the Fund’s investments may be in Russian securities and instruments. Investment in securities of Russian issuers involves risks not typically associated with investments in securities of issuers in more developed countries that may negatively affect the value of your investment in the Fund. Such heightened risks include, among others, expropriation and/or nationalization of assets, restrictions on and government intervention in international trade, confiscatory or punitive taxation, regional conflict, political instability, including authoritarian and/or military involvement in governmental decision making, armed conflict, the imposition of economic sanctions by other nations, the impact on the economy as a result of civil war, and social instability as a result of religious, ethnic and/or socioeconomic unrest. As a result of certain events, the United States and the European Union have in the past imposed and may in the future impose, sanctions on certain Russian entities and individuals and certain sectors of Russia’s economy, which may result in, among other things, the devaluation of Russian currency, a downgrade in the country’s credit rating, and/or a decline in the value and liquidity of Russian securities, property or interests. The United States and other nations or international organizations may impose additional economic sanctions or take other actions that may adversely affect Russian-related issuers, including companies in various sectors of the Russian economy, including, but not limited to, the financials, energy, metals and mining, engineering, and defense and defense-related materials sectors. These sanctions, any future sanctions or other actions, or even the threat of further sanctions or other actions, may negatively affect the value and liquidity of the Fund’s portfolio. For example, the Fund may be prohibited from investing in securities issued by companies subject to such sanctions. In addition, the sanctions may require the Fund to freeze its existing investments in Russian companies, prohibiting the Fund from buying, selling or otherwise transacting in these investments. Russia has undertaken and may undertake additional countermeasures or retaliatory actions which may further impair the value and liquidity of the Fund’s portfolio and potentially disrupt its operations. Such events or any future events may have an adverse impact on the economies and debts of other emerging markets as well.
The economies of one or more countries in which a Fund may invest may be in various states of transition from a planned economy to a more market oriented economy. The economies of such countries differ from the economies of most developed countries in many respects, including levels of government involvement, states of development, growth rates, control of foreign exchange and allocation of resources. Economic growth in these economies may be uneven both geographically and among various sectors of their economies and may also be accompanied by periods of high inflation. Political changes, social instability and adverse diplomatic developments in these countries could result in the imposition of additional government restrictions including expropriation of assets, confiscatory taxes or nationalization of some or all of the property held by the underlying issuers of securities included in a Fund’s Index. There is no guarantee that the governments of these countries will not revert back to some form of planned or non-market oriented economy, and such governments continue to be active participants in many economic sectors through ownership positions and regulation. The allocation of resources in such countries is subject to a high level of government control. Such countries’ governments may strictly regulate the payment of foreign currency denominated obligations and set monetary policy. Through their policies, these governments may provide preferential treatment to particular industries or companies. The policies set by the government of one of these countries could have a substantial effect on that country’s economy.
Investment and Repatriation Restrictions. The government in an emerging market country may restrict or control to varying degrees the ability of foreign investors to invest in securities of issuers located or operating in such emerging market countries. These restrictions and/or controls may at times limit or prevent foreign investment in securities of issuers located or operating in emerging market countries and may inhibit a Fund’s ability to track its Index. In addition, a Fund may not be able to buy or sell securities or receive full value for such securities. Moreover, certain emerging market countries may require governmental approval or special licenses prior to investments by foreign investors and may limit the amount of investments by foreign investors in a particular industry and/or issuer; may limit such foreign investment to a certain class of securities of an issuer that may have less advantageous rights than the classes available for purchase by domiciliaries of such emerging market countries; and/or may impose additional taxes on foreign investors. A delay in obtaining a required government approval or a license would delay investments in those emerging market countries, and, as a result, a Fund may not be able to invest in certain securities while approval is pending. The government of certain emerging market countries may also withdraw or decline to renew a license that enables a Fund to invest in such country. These factors make investing in issuers
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located or operating in emerging market countries significantly riskier than investing in issuers located or operating in more developed countries, and any one of them could cause a decline in the value of a Fund’s Shares.
Additionally, investments in issuers located in certain emerging market countries may be subject to a greater degree of risk associated with governmental approval in connection with the repatriation of investment income, capital or the proceeds of sales of securities by foreign investors. Moreover, there is the risk that if the balance of payments in an emerging market country declines, the government of such country may impose temporary restrictions on foreign capital remittances. Consequently, a Fund could be adversely affected by delays in, or a refusal to grant, required governmental approval for repatriation of capital, as well as by the application to the Fund of any restrictions on investments. Furthermore, investments in emerging market countries may require a Fund to adopt special procedures, seek local government approvals or take other actions, each of which may involve additional costs to the Fund.
Available Disclosure About Emerging Market Issuers. Issuers located or operating in emerging market countries are not subject to the same rules and regulations as issuers located or operating in more developed countries. Therefore, there may be less financial and other information publicly available with regard to issuers located or operating in emerging market countries and such issuers are not subject to the uniform accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards applicable to issuers located or operating in more developed countries.
Foreign Currency Considerations. A Fund’s assets that are invested in fixed income securities of issuers in emerging market countries will generally be denominated in foreign currencies, and the proceeds received by the Fund from these investments will be principally in foreign currencies. The value of an emerging market country’s currency may be subject to a high degree of fluctuation. This fluctuation may be due to changes in interest rates, the effects of monetary policies issued by the United States, foreign governments, central banks or supranational entities, the imposition of currency controls or other national or global political or economic developments. The economies of certain emerging market countries can be significantly affected by currency devaluations. Certain emerging market countries may also have managed currencies which are maintained at artificial levels relative to the U.S. dollar rather than at levels determined by the market. This type of system can lead to sudden and large adjustments in the currency which, in turn, can have a disruptive and negative effect on foreign investors.
A Fund’s exposure to an emerging market country’s currency and changes in value of such foreign currencies versus the U.S. dollar may reduce the Fund’s investment performance and the value of your investment in the Fund. Meanwhile, a Fund will compute and expects to distribute its income in U.S. dollars, and the computation of income will be made on the date that the income is earned by the Fund at the foreign exchange rate in effect on that date. Therefore, if the value of the respective emerging market country’s currency falls relative to the U.S. dollar between the earning of the income and the time at which a Fund converts the relevant emerging market country’s currency to U.S. dollars, the Fund may be required to liquidate certain positions in order to make distributions if the Fund has insufficient cash in U.S. dollars to meet distribution requirements under the Internal Revenue Code. The liquidation of investments, if required, could be at disadvantageous prices or otherwise have an adverse impact on a Fund’s performance.
Certain emerging market countries also restrict the free conversion of their currency into foreign currencies, including the U.S. dollar. There is no significant foreign exchange market for many such currencies and it would, as a result, be difficult for a Fund to engage in foreign currency transactions designed to protect the value of the Fund’s interests in securities denominated in such currencies. Furthermore, if permitted, a Fund may incur costs in connection with conversions between U.S. dollars and an emerging market country’s currency. Foreign exchange dealers realize a profit based on the difference between the prices at which they are buying and selling various currencies. Thus, a dealer normally will offer to sell a foreign currency to a Fund at one rate, while offering a lesser rate of exchange should the Fund desire immediately to resell that currency to the dealer. A Fund will conduct its foreign currency exchange transactions either on a spot (i.e., cash) basis at the spot rate prevailing in the foreign currency exchange market, or through entering into forward, futures or options contracts to purchase or sell foreign currencies.
Operational and Settlement Risk. In addition to having less developed securities markets, emerging market countries have less developed custody and settlement practices than certain developed countries. Rules adopted under the 1940 Act permit a Fund to maintain its foreign securities and cash in the custody of certain eligible non-U.S. banks and securities depositories. Banks in emerging market countries that are eligible foreign sub-custodians may be recently organized or otherwise lack extensive operating experience. In addition, in certain emerging market countries there may be legal restrictions or limitations on the ability of a Fund to recover assets held in custody by a foreign sub-custodian in the event of the bankruptcy of the sub-custodian. Because settlement systems in emerging market countries may be less organized than in other developed markets, there may be a risk that settlement may be delayed and that cash or securities of a Fund may be in jeopardy because of failures of or defects in the systems. Under the laws in many emerging market countries, a Fund may be required to release local shares before receiving cash payment or may be required to make cash payment prior to receiving local shares, creating a risk that the Fund may surrender cash or securities without ever receiving securities or cash from the other party. Settlement systems in emerging market countries also have a higher risk of failed trades and back to back settlements may not be possible.
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A Fund may not be able to convert a foreign currency to U.S. dollars in time for the settlement of redemption requests. In the event of a redemption request from an AP, a Fund will be required to deliver U.S. dollars to the AP on the settlement date. In the event that a Fund is not able to convert the foreign currency to U.S. dollars in time for settlement, which may occur as a result of the delays described above, the Fund may be required to liquidate certain investments and/or borrow money in order to fund such redemption. The liquidation of investments, if required, could be at disadvantageous prices or otherwise have an adverse impact on a Fund’s performance (e.g., by causing the Fund to overweight foreign currency denominated holdings and underweight other holdings which were sold to fund redemptions). In addition, a Fund will incur interest expense on any borrowings and the borrowings will cause the Fund to be leveraged, which may magnify gains and losses on its investments.
Certain issuers in emerging market countries may utilize share blocking schemes. Share blocking refers to a practice, in certain foreign markets, where voting rights related to an issuer’s securities are predicated on these securities being blocked from trading at the custodian or sub-custodian level for a period of time around a shareholder meeting. These restrictions have the effect of barring the purchase and sale of certain voting securities within a specified number of days before and, in certain instances, after a shareholder meeting where a vote of shareholders will be taken. Share blocking may prevent a Fund from buying or selling securities for a period of time. During the time that shares are blocked, trades in such securities will not settle. The blocking period can last up to several weeks. The process for having a blocking restriction lifted can be quite onerous with the particular requirements varying widely by country. In addition, in certain countries, the block cannot be removed. As a result of the ramifications of voting ballots in markets that allow share blocking, the Adviser, on behalf of a Fund, reserves the right to abstain from voting proxies in those markets.
Corporate and Securities Laws. Securities laws in emerging market countries are relatively new and unsettled and, consequently, there is a risk of rapid and unpredictable change in laws regarding foreign investment, securities regulation, title to securities and rights of bondholders. Accordingly, foreign investors may be adversely affected by new or amended laws and regulations. In addition, the systems of corporate governance to which emerging market issuers are subject may be less advanced than those systems to which issuers located in more developed countries are subject, and therefore, bondholders of issuers located in emerging market countries may not receive many of the protections available to bondholders of issuers located in more developed countries. In circumstances where adequate laws and bondholder rights exist, it may not be possible to obtain swift and equitable enforcement of the law. In addition, the enforcement of systems of taxation at federal, regional and local levels in emerging market countries may be inconsistent and subject to sudden change. A Fund has limited rights and few practical remedies in emerging markets and the ability of U.S. authorities to bring enforcement actions in emerging markets may be limited.
Foreign Currency Risk. (VanEck Emerging Markets High Yield Bond ETF, VanEck Fallen Angel High Yield Bond ETF, VanEck Green Bond ETF, VanEck International High Yield Bond ETF, VanEck IG Floating Rate ETF, and VanEck J.P. Morgan EM Local Currency Bond ETF only.) Because all or a portion of the income received by the Fund from its investments and/or the revenues received by the underlying issuers will generally be denominated in foreign currencies, the Fund’s exposure to foreign currencies and changes in the value of foreign currencies versus the U.S. dollar may result in reduced returns for the Fund, and the value of certain foreign currencies may be subject to a high degree of fluctuation. Moreover, a Fund may incur costs in connection with conversions between U.S. dollars and foreign currencies.
Several factors may affect the price of euros and the British pound sterling, including the debt level and trade deficit of the EMU and the UK, inflation and interest rates of the EMU and the UK and investors’ expectations concerning inflation and interest rates and global or regional political, economic or financial events and situations. The European financial markets have experienced, and may continue to experience, volatility and have been adversely affected by concerns about economic downturns, credit rating downgrades, rising government debt levels and possible default on or restructuring of government debt in several European countries. These events have adversely affected, and may in the future affect, the value and exchange rate of the euro and may continue to significantly affect the economies of every country in Europe, including EU member countries that do not use the euro and non-EU member countries. In a referendum held on June 23, 2016, voters in the United Kingdom (“UK”) voted to leave the EU, creating economic and political uncertainty in its wake. On January 31, 2020, the UK officially withdrew from the EU and the UK entered a transition period which ended on December 31, 2020. On December 30, 2020, the EU and UK signed the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement ("TCA"), an agreement on the terms governing certain aspects of the EU's and the UK's relationship following the end of the transition period. Notwithstanding the TCA, following the transition period, there is likely to be considerable uncertainty as to the UK's post-transition framework. Significant uncertainty exists regarding the effects such withdrawal will have on the euro, European economies and the global markets. In addition, one or more countries may abandon the euro and the impact of these actions, especially if conducted in a disorderly manner, may have significant and far-reaching consequences on the euro.
The value of certain emerging market countries’ currencies may be subject to a high degree of fluctuation. This fluctuation may be due to changes in interest rates, investors’ expectations concerning inflation and interest rates, the emerging market country’s debt levels and trade deficit, the effects of monetary policies issued by the United States, foreign governments, central banks or supranational entities, the imposition of currency controls or other national or global political or economic developments. For example, certain emerging market countries have experienced economic challenges and liquidity issues with respect to their currency. The economies of certain emerging market countries can be significantly affected by currency devaluations. Certain
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emerging market countries may also have managed currencies which are maintained at artificial levels relative to the U.S. dollar rather than at levels determined by the market. This type of system could lead to sudden and large adjustments in the currency, which in turn, may have a negative effect on a Fund and its investments.
Special Risk Considerations of Investing in African Issuers. (VanEck J.P. Morgan EM Local Currency Bond ETF only.) Investments in securities of African issuers, including issuers located outside of Africa that generate significant revenues from Africa, involve risks and special considerations not typically associated with investments in the U.S. securities markets. Such heightened risks include, among others, expropriation and/or nationalization of assets, restrictions on and government intervention in international trade, confiscatory taxation, political instability, including authoritarian and/or military involvement in governmental decision making, armed conflict, terrorism, infectious disease outbreaks, strained international relations related to border disputes, the impact on the economy as a result of civil war, and social instability as a result of religious, ethnic and/or socioeconomic unrest and, in certain countries, genocidal warfare. Unanticipated political or social developments may result in sudden and significant investment losses. Additionally, Africa is located in a part of the world that has historically been prone to natural disasters, such as droughts, and is economically sensitive to environmental events.
The securities markets in Africa are underdeveloped and are often considered to be less correlated to global economic cycles than those markets located in more developed countries or geographic regions. A subset of African emerging market countries are considered to be “frontier markets.” Frontier market countries generally have smaller economies and less developed capital markets than traditional emerging markets, and, as a result, the risks of investing in emerging market countries are magnified in frontier market countries. In addition, there may be no single centralized securities exchange on which securities are traded. As a result, securities markets in Africa are subject to greater risks associated with market volatility, lower market capitalization, lower trading volume, illiquidity, inflation, greater price fluctuations, uncertainty regarding the existence of trading markets, governmental control and heavy regulation of labor and industry. Additionally, certain countries in Africa generally have less developed capital markets than traditional emerging market countries and, consequently, the risks of investing in foreign securities are magnified in such countries. There may also be a high concentration of trading volume in a small number of issuers, investors and financial intermediaries representing a limited number of sectors or industries. Brokers may be fewer in number and less well capitalized than brokers in more developed regions. Moreover, trading on securities markets may be suspended altogether.
Certain economies in African countries depend to a significant degree upon exports of primary commodities such as agricultural products, gold, silver, copper, diamonds and oil. These economies therefore are vulnerable to changes in commodity prices, which in turn may be affected by a variety of factors. Additionally, certain issuers in which the Fund invests may operate in, or have dealings with, countries subject to sanctions and/or embargoes imposed by the U.S. government and the United Nations. As a result, an issuer may sustain damage to its reputation if it is identified as an issuer which operates in, or had dealings with, such countries. The Fund, as an investor in such issuers, will be indirectly subject to those risks.
Certain governments in Africa may restrict or control to varying degrees the ability of foreign investors to invest in securities of issuers located or operating in those countries. These restrictions and/or controls may at times limit or prevent foreign investment in securities of issuers located or operating in countries in Africa. For example, there may be prohibitions or substantial restrictions on foreign investing in the capital markets of certain countries in Africa or in certain sectors or industries of such countries. Moreover, certain countries in Africa may require governmental approval or special licenses prior to investments by foreign investors and may limit the amount of investments by foreign investors in a particular industry and/or issuer and may limit such foreign investment to a certain class of securities of an issuer that may have less advantageous rights than the classes available for purchase by domiciliaries of those countries and/or impose additional taxes on foreign investors. A delay in obtaining a government approval or a license would delay investments in a particular country, and, as a result, the Fund may not be able to invest in certain securities while approval is pending. The government of a particular country may also withdraw or decline to renew a license that enables the Fund to invest in such country. Securities laws in many countries in Africa are relatively new and unsettled and, consequently, there is a risk of rapid and unpredictable change in laws regarding foreign investment, securities regulation, title to securities and shareholder rights. Shareholders of issuers located in African countries may not receive many of the protections available to shareholders of issuers located in more developed countries. Even in circumstances where adequate laws and shareholder rights exist, it may not be possible to obtain swift and equitable enforcement of the law.
The governments of certain countries in Africa may exercise substantial influence over many aspects of the private sector and may own or control many companies. Future government actions could have a significant effect on the economic conditions in such countries, which could have a negative impact on private sector companies. There is also the possibility of diplomatic developments that could adversely affect investments in certain countries in Africa. Some countries in Africa may be affected by a greater degree of public corruption and crime.
Some investors have suffered losses due to the inability of the newly privatized entities to adjust quickly to a competitive environment or to changing regulatory and legal standards. Additionally, certain African countries, such as South Africa, are characterized by a two-tiered economy, with one rivaling developed countries and the other exhibiting many characteristics of developing countries. This accounts for an uneven distribution of wealth and income and high rates of unemployment. Although economic reforms have been enacted to promote growth and foreign investments, there can be no assurance that these programs will achieve the desired results.
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Investing in certain African countries involves risks of less uniformity in accounting and reporting requirements, less reliable securities valuation, and greater risk associated with custody of securities than investing in developed countries. Less information may be available about companies in which the Fund invests because many African companies are not subject to uniform accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards, or to other regulatory practices and requirements required of U.S. companies. These factors, among others, make investing in issuers located or operating in countries in Africa significantly riskier than investing in issuers located or operating in more developed countries, and any one of them could cause a decline in the value of the Fund’s Shares.
There may be a risk of loss due to the imposition of restrictions on repatriation of capital invested. In addition, certain African countries have currencies pegged to the U.S. dollar. If such currency pegs are abandoned, such abandonment could cause sudden and significant currency adjustments, which could impact the Fund’s investment returns in those countries. There may be limitations or delays in the convertibility or repatriation of certain African currencies, which would adversely affect the U.S. dollar value and/or liquidity of the Fund’s investments denominated in such African currencies, may impair the Fund’s ability to achieve its investment objective and/or may impede the Fund’s ability to satisfy redemption requests in a timely manner. For these or other reasons, the Fund could seek to suspend redemptions of Creation Units, including in the event that an emergency exists in which it is not reasonably practicable for the Fund to dispose of its securities or to determine its NAV. The Fund could also, among other things, limit or suspend creations of Creation Units. During the period that creations or redemptions are affected, the Fund’s shares could trade at a significant premium or discount to their NAV. In the case of a period during which creations are suspended, the Fund could experience substantial redemptions, which may exacerbate the discount to NAV at which the Fund’s shares trade, cause the Fund to experience increased transaction costs, and cause the Fund to make greater taxable distributions to shareholders of the Fund. When the Fund holds illiquid investments, its portfolio may be harder to value. Political and social unrest in certain regions of Africa may negatively affect the value of an investment in the Fund.
Special Risk Considerations of Investing in Asian Issuers. (VanEck Emerging Markets High Yield Bond ETF, VanEck Green Bond ETF and VanEck J.P. Morgan EM Local Currency Bond ETF only.) Investments in securities of Asian issuers involve risks and special considerations not typically associated with investments in the U.S. securities markets. Certain Asian economies have experienced over-extension of credit, currency devaluations and restrictions, high unemployment, high inflation, decreased exports and economic recessions. Economic events in any one Asian country can have a significant effect on the entire Asian region as well as on major trading partners outside Asia, and any adverse effect on some or all of the Asian countries and regions in which the Fund invests. The securities markets in some Asian economies are relatively underdeveloped and may subject the Fund to higher action costs or greater uncertainty than investments in more developed securities markets. Such risks may adversely affect the value of the Fund’s investments.
Governments of many Asian countries have implemented significant economic reforms in order to liberalize trade policy, promote foreign investment in their economies, reduce government control of the economy and develop market mechanisms. There can be no assurance these reforms will continue or that they will be effective. Despite recent reform and privatizations, significant regulation of investment and industry is still pervasive in many Asian countries and may restrict foreign ownership of domestic corporations and repatriation of assets, which may adversely affect the Fund’s investments. Governments in some Asian countries are authoritarian in nature, have been installed or removed as a result of military coups or have periodically used force to suppress civil dissent. Disparities of wealth, the pace and success of democratization, and ethnic, religious and racial disaffection have led to social turmoil, violence and labor unrest in some countries. Unanticipated or sudden political or social developments may result in sudden and significant investment losses. Investing in certain Asian countries involves risk of loss due to expropriation, nationalization, or confiscation of assets and property or the imposition of restrictions on foreign investments and on repatriation of capital invested. In addition, several countries in Asia may be impacted by the occurrence of global events such as war, terrorism, environmental disasters, natural disasters or events, country instability, and infectious disease epidemics and pandemics.
Special Risk Considerations of Investing in Brazilian Issuers. (VanEck Emerging Markets High Yield Bond ETF only.) Investments in securities of Brazilian issuers, including issuers located outside of Brazil that generate significant revenues from Brazil, involve risks and special considerations not typically associated with investments in the U.S. securities markets. Such risks include, among others, a high level of price volatility in the Brazilian equity and currency markets, chronic structural public sector deficits, a rising unemployment rate and disparities of wealth. The Brazilian economy has been characterized by frequent, and occasionally drastic, interventions by the Brazilian government, including the imposition of wage and price controls, exchange controls, limiting imports, blocking access to bank accounts and other measures. The Brazilian government has often changed monetary, taxation, credit, trade and other policies to influence the core of Brazil’s economy. Additionally, Brazilian accounting, auditing and financial standards and requirements differ from those in the United States, and this may affect the tax consequences with respect to and valuation of investments in the Fund.
Actions taken by the Brazilian government concerning the economy may have significant effects on Brazilian companies and on market conditions and prices of Brazilian securities. Brazil’s economy may be subject to sluggish economic growth due to, among other things, weak consumer spending, political turmoil, high rates of inflation and low commodity prices. Brazil suffers from chronic structural public sector deficits. Additionally, the process of privatizing certain entities by the Brazilian government may cause privatized entities to suffer losses due to, among other things, the inability to adjust to a competitive environment.
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The market for Brazilian securities is directly influenced by the flow of international capital, and economic and market conditions of certain countries, especially emerging market countries. As a result, adverse economic conditions or developments in other emerging market countries have at times significantly affected the availability of credit in the Brazilian economy and resulted in considerable outflows of funds and declines in the amount of foreign currency invested in Brazil. In addition, currency devaluations and economic or political developments in any Central and South American country could have a significant adverse effect on the entire region, including Brazil.
Investments in Brazilian securities may be subject to certain restrictions on foreign investment. Brazilian law provides that whenever a serious imbalance in Brazil’s balance of payments exists or is anticipated, the Brazilian government may impose temporary restrictions on the remittance to foreign investors of the proceeds of their investment in Brazil and on the conversion of the Brazilian real into foreign currency. The likelihood of such restrictions may be affected by the extent of Brazil’s foreign currency revenues, the size of Brazil’s debt service burden relative to the economy as a whole, and political constraints to which Brazil may be subject. Brazilian investment and repatriation controls could also affect the Fund’s ability to operate and to qualify for the favorable tax treatment afforded to regulated investment companies for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
Brazil has historically experienced high rates of inflation and a high level of debt, each of which may constrain economic growth. Brazil suffers from high levels of corruption, crime and income disparity. The Brazilian economy and Brazilian companies may also be adversely affected by significant public health concerns and associated declines in tourism.
The Brazilian economy is heavily dependent upon commodity prices and international trade. The Brazilian securities markets are smaller, less liquid and more volatile than U.S. securities markets and the market for Brazilian securities is influenced by economic and market conditions of certain countries, especially emerging market countries in Central and South America. Unanticipated political or social developments may result in sudden and significant investment losses. An increase in prices for commodities, such as petroleum, the depreciation of the Brazilian real and future governmental measures seeking to maintain the value of the Brazilian real in relation to the U.S. dollar, may trigger increases in inflation in Brazil and may slow the rate of growth of the Brazilian economy. Conversely, appreciation of the Brazilian real relative to the U.S. dollar may lead to the deterioration of Brazil’s current account and balance of payments as well as limit the growth of exports. Because the Fund’s assets will be invested primarily in equity securities of Brazilian issuers, the income received by the Fund will be principally in Brazilian real. The Fund’s exposure to the Brazilian real and changes in value of the Brazilian real versus the U.S. dollar may result in reduced returns for the Fund. Moreover, the Fund may incur costs in connection with conversions between U.S. dollars and Brazilian real.
Special Risk Considerations of Investing in Chinese Issuers. (VanEck Emerging Markets High Yield Bond ETF, VanEck Green Bond ETF and VanEck J.P. Morgan EM Local Currency Bond ETF only.) Investments in securities of Chinese issuers, including issuers outside of China involve certain risks and considerations not typically associated with investments in the U.S. securities markets. These risks include, among others, (i) more frequent (and potentially widespread) trading suspensions and government interventions with respect to Chinese issuers resulting in a lack of liquidity and in price volatility, (ii) currency revaluations and other currency exchange rate fluctuations or blockage, (iii) the nature and extent of intervention by the Chinese government in the Chinese securities markets, whether such intervention will continue and the impact of such intervention or its discontinuation, (iv) the risk of nationalization or expropriation of assets, (v) the risk that the Chinese government may decide not to continue to support economic reform programs, (vi) limitations on the use of brokers, (vii) higher rates of inflation, (viii) greater political, economic and social uncertainty, (ix) market volatility caused by any potential regional or territorial conflicts or natural disasters and (x) the risk of increased trade tariffs, embargoes, sanctions, investment restrictions and other trade limitations. In addition, the economy of China differs, often unfavorably, from the U.S. economy in such respects as structure, general development, government involvement, wealth distribution, rate of inflation, growth rate, interest rates, allocation of resources and capital reinvestment, among others. The Chinese central government has historically exercised substantial control over virtually every sector of the Chinese economy through administrative regulation and/or state ownership and actions of the Chinese central and local government authorities continue to have a substantial effect on economic conditions in China. Certain securities are, or may in the future become restricted, and the Fund may be forced to sell such restricted securities and incur a loss as a result. In addition, previously the Chinese government has from time to time taken actions that influence the prices at which certain goods may be sold, encourage companies to invest or concentrate in particular industries, induce mergers between companies in certain industries and induce private companies to publicly offer their securities to increase or continue the rate of economic growth, control the rate of inflation or otherwise regulate economic expansion. The Chinese government may do so in the future as well, potentially having a significant adverse effect on economic conditions in China.
Special Risk Considerations of Investing in European Issuers. (VanEck Emerging Markets High Yield Bond ETF, VanEck Green Bond ETF, VanEck International High Yield Bond ETF, VanEck J.P. Morgan EM Local Currency Bond ETF, VanEck Moody’s Analytics BBB Corporate Bond ETF and VanEck Moody's Analytics IG Corporate Bond ETF only.) Investments in securities of European issuers involve risks and special considerations not typically associated with investments in the U.S. securities markets. The EMU of the EU requires member countries to comply with restrictions on inflation rates, deficits, interest rates, debt levels and fiscal and monetary controls, each of which may significantly affect every country in Europe. Decreasing imports or exports, changes in governmental or EU regulations on trade, changes in the exchange rate of the euro, the default or threat of default by an EU member country on its sovereign debt, and/or an economic recession in an EU member country may have a significant adverse effect on the economies of EU member countries and on major trading partners outside Europe. If any
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member country exits the EMU, the departing country would face the risks of currency devaluation and its trading partners and banks and others around the world that hold the departing country’s debt would face the risk of significant losses. The European financial markets have previously experienced, and may continue to experience, volatility and have been adversely affected, and may in the future be affected, by concerns about economic downturns, credit rating downgrades, rising government debt levels and possible default on or restructuring of government debt in several European countries. These events have adversely affected, and may in the future affect, the value and exchange rate of the euro and may continue to significantly affect the economies of every country in Europe, including EU member countries that do not use the euro and non-EU member countries. In a referendum held on June 23, 2016, voters in the UK voted to leave the EU, creating economic and political uncertainty in its wake. On January 31, 2020, the UK officially withdrew from the EU and the UK entered a transition period which ended on December 31, 2020. On December 30, 2020, the EU and UK signed the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement ("TCA"), an agreement on the terms governing certain aspects of the EU’s and the UK’s relationship following the end of the transition period. Notwithstanding the TCA, following the transition period, there is likely to be considerable uncertainty as to the UK’s post-transition framework.
Responses to the financial problems by European governments, central banks and others, including austerity measures and reforms, may not work, may result in social unrest and may limit future growth and economic recovery or have other unintended consequences. The governments of EU countries may be subject to change and such countries may experience social and political unrest. Unanticipated or sudden political or social developments may result in sudden and significant investment losses. The occurrence of terrorist incidents, outbreaks of war or ongoing regional armed conflict throughout Europe also could impact financial markets.
Further defaults or restructurings by governments and other entities of their debt could have additional adverse effects on economies, financial markets and asset valuations around the world. In addition, one or more countries may abandon the euro and/or withdraw from the EU. The impact of these actions, especially if they occur in a disorderly fashion, is not clear but could be significant and far-reaching.
Special Risk Considerations of Investing in Latin American Issuers. (VanEck Emerging Markets High Yield Bond ETF and VanEck J.P. Morgan EM Local Currency Bond ETF only.) Investments in securities of Latin American issuers involve special considerations not typically associated with investments in securities of issuers located in the United States. The economies of certain Latin American countries have, at times, experienced high interest rates, economic volatility, inflation, currency devaluations and high unemployment rates. In addition, commodities (such as oil, gas and minerals) represent a significant percentage of the region’s exports and many economies in this region are particularly sensitive to fluctuations in commodity prices. Adverse economic events in one country may have a significant adverse effect on other countries of this region.
Most Latin American countries have experienced, at one time or another, severe and persistent levels of inflation, including, in some cases, hyperinflation. This has, in turn, led to high interest rates, extreme measures by governments to keep inflation in check, and a generally debilitating effect on economic growth. Although inflation in many Latin American countries has lessened, there is no guarantee it will remain at lower levels.
The political history of certain Latin American countries has been characterized by political uncertainty, intervention by the military in civilian and economic spheres, and political corruption. Such events could reverse favorable trends toward market and economic reform, privatization, and removal of trade barriers, and could result in significant disruption in securities markets in the region.
The economies of Latin American countries are generally considered emerging markets and can be significantly affected by currency devaluations. Certain Latin American countries may also have managed currencies which are maintained at artificial levels relative to the U.S. dollar rather than at levels determined by the market. This type of system can lead to sudden and large adjustments in the currency which, in turn, can have a disruptive and negative effect on foreign investors. Certain Latin American countries also restrict the free conversion of their currency into foreign currencies, including the U.S. dollar. There is no significant foreign exchange market for many Latin American currencies and it would, as a result, be difficult for the Fund to engage in foreign currency transactions designed to protect the value of the Fund’s interests in securities denominated in such currencies.
Finally, a number of Latin American countries are among the largest debtors of developing countries. There have been moratoria on, and a rescheduling of, repayment with respect to these debts. Such events can restrict the flexibility of these debtor nations in the international markets and result in the imposition of onerous conditions on their economies.
Risk of Investing in BDCs. (VanEck BDC Income ETF only.) BDCs generally invest in less mature U.S. private companies or thinly traded U.S. public companies which involve greater risk than well-established publicly-traded companies. While the BDCs that comprise the BDC Index are expected to generate income in the form of dividends, certain BDCs during certain periods of time may not generate such income. The Fund will indirectly bear its proportionate share of any management fees and other operating expenses incurred by the BDCs and of any performance-based or incentive fees payable by the BDCs in which it invests, in addition to the expenses paid by the Fund. A BDC’s incentive fee may be very high, vary from year to year and be payable even if the value of the BDC’s portfolio declines in a given time period. Incentive fees may create an incentive for a BDC’s manager to make investments that are risky or more speculative than would be the case in the absence of such compensation arrangements, and may also encourage the BDC’s manager to use leverage to increase the return on the BDC’s investments. Any
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incentive fee payable by a BDC that relates to its net investment income may be computed and paid on income that may include interest that has been accrued but not yet received. If a portfolio company defaults on a loan that is structured to provide accrued interest income, it is possible that accrued interest income previously included in the calculation of the incentive fee will become uncollectible. A BDC’s manager may not be obligated to reimburse the BDC’s shareholder for any part of the incentive fee it received that was based on accrued interest income that was never received as a result of a subsequent default, and such circumstances would result in the BDC’s shareholders (including the Fund) paying an incentive fee on income that was never received by the BDC. Such incentive fees may also create an incentive for a BDC’s manager to make investments in securities with deferred interest features. The use of leverage by BDCs magnifies gains and losses on amounts invested and increases the risks associated with investing in BDCs. A BDC may make investments with a larger amount of risk of volatility and loss of principal than other investment options and may also be highly speculative and aggressive.
The 1940 Act imposes certain constraints upon the operations of a BDC. For example, BDCs are required to invest at least 70% of their total assets primarily in securities of U.S. private companies or thinly traded U.S. public companies, cash, cash equivalents, U.S. government securities and high quality debt investments that mature in one year or less. Generally, little public information exists for private and thinly traded companies and there is a risk that investors and the Index Provider (as defined herein) may not be able to make a fully informed evaluation of a BDC and its portfolio of investments. With respect to investments in debt instruments, there is a risk that the issuers of such instruments may default on their payments or declare bankruptcy. Additionally, a BDC may only incur indebtedness in amounts such that the BDC’s asset coverage ratio of total assets to total senior securities equals at least 150% after such incurrence. These limitations on asset mix and leverage may affect the way that the BDC raises capital. BDCs compete with other entities for the types of investments they make, and such entities are not necessarily subject to the same investment constraints as BDCs.
Investments made by BDCs are generally subject to legal and other restrictions on resale and are otherwise less liquid than publicly-traded securities. The illiquidity of these investments may make it difficult to sell such investments if the need arises, and if there is a need for a BDC in which the Fund invests to liquidate its portfolio quickly, it may realize a loss on its investments. BDCs may have relatively concentrated investment portfolios, consisting of a relatively small number of holdings. A consequence of this limited number of investments is that the aggregate returns realized may be disproportionately impacted by the poor performance of a small number of investments, or even a single investment, particularly if a company experiences the need to write down the value of an investment. Since BDCs rely on access to short-term money markets, longer-term capital markets and the bank markets as significant sources of liquidity, if BDCs are not able to access capital at competitive rates, their ability to implement certain financial strategies will be negatively impacted. Market disruptions, including a downturn in capital markets in general or a downgrade of the credit rating of a BDC held by the Fund, may increase the cost of borrowing to that BDC and adversely impact its returns. Credit downgrades may also result in requirements on a BDC to provide additional support in the form of letters of credit or cash or other collateral to various counterparties.
Certain BDCs may be difficult to value. Since many of the assets of BDCs do not have readily ascertainable market values, such assets are most often recorded at fair value, in good faith, in accordance with valuation procedures adopted by such companies. A fair value determination requires that judgment be applied to the specific facts and circumstances. Due to the absence of a readily ascertainable market value, and because of the inherent uncertainty of fair valuation, the fair value assigned to a BDC’s investments may differ significantly from the values that would be reflected if the assets were traded in an established market, potentially resulting in material differences between a BDC’s NAV per share and its market value.
Many BDCs invest in mezzanine and other debt securities of privately held companies, including senior secured loans. Mezzanine investments typically are structured as subordinated loans (with or without warrants) that carry a fixed rate of interest. Many debt investments in which a BDC may invest will not be rated by a credit rating agency and will be below investment grade quality. These investments are commonly referred to as “junk bonds” and have predominantly speculative characteristics with respect to an issuer’s capacity to make payments of interest and principal. Although lower grade securities are potentially higher yielding, they are also characterized by high risk. In addition, the secondary market for lower grade securities may be less liquid than that of higher rated securities. Issuers of lower rated securities have a currently identifiable vulnerability to default or may currently be in default. Lower-rated securities may react more strongly to real or perceived adverse economic and competitive industry conditions than higher grade securities. If the issuer of lower-rated securities defaults, a BDC may incur additional expenses to seek recovery.
Risk of Investing in Small- and Medium-Capitalization Companies. (VanEck BDC Income ETF, VanEck Mortgage REIT Income ETF and VanEck Preferred Securities ex Financials ETF only.) Each Fund may invest in small- and medium-capitalization companies and, therefore will be subject to certain risks associated with small- and medium- capitalization companies. These companies are often subject to less analyst coverage and may be in early and less predictable periods of their corporate existences, with little or no record of profitability. In addition, these companies often have greater price volatility, lower trading volume and less liquidity than larger more established companies. These companies tend to have smaller revenues, narrower product lines, less management depth and experience, smaller shares of their product or service markets, fewer financial resources and less competitive strength than large-capitalization companies. Returns on investments in securities of small- and medium-capitalization companies could trail the returns on investments in securities of larger companies.
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Risk of Investing in the Basic Materials Sector. (VanEck Emerging Markets High Yield Bond ETF only.) The Fund will be sensitive to, and its performance will depend to a greater extent on, the overall condition of the basic materials sector. Companies engaged in the production and distribution of basic materials may be adversely affected by changes in world events, political and economic conditions, energy conservation, environmental policies, commodity price volatility, changes in exchange rates, imposition of import controls, increased competition, depletion of resources and labor relations.
Risk of Investing in the Consumer Discretionary Sector. (VanEck Fallen Angel High Yield Bond ETF and VanEck Moody's Analytics BBB Corporate Bond ET only.) The Fund will be sensitive to, and its performance will depend to a greater extent on, the overall condition of the consumer discretionary sector. The consumer discretionary sector comprises companies whose businesses are sensitive to economic cycles, such as manufacturers of high-end apparel and automobile and leisure companies. Companies in the consumer discretionary sector are subject to fluctuations in supply and demand. These companies may also be adversely affected by changes in consumer spending as a result of world events, political and economic conditions, commodity price volatility, changes in exchange rates, imposition of import controls, increased competition, depletion of resources and labor relations.
Risk of Investing in the Consumer Staples Sector. ( VanEck Moody's Analytics IG Corporate Bond ETF only.) The Fund will be sensitive to, and its performance will depend to a greater extent on, the overall condition of the consumer staples sector. The consumer staples sector comprises companies whose businesses are less sensitive to economic cycles, such as manufacturers and distributors of food and beverages and producers of non-durable household goods and personal products. Companies in the consumer staples sector may be adversely affected by changes in the worldwide economy consumer spending, competition, demographics and consumer preferences, exploration and production spending. Companies in this sector are also affected by changes in government regulation, world events and economic conditions.
Risk of Investing in the Energy Sector. (VanEck Emerging Markets High Yield Bond ETF, VanEck Fallen Angel High Yield Bond ETF, VanEck International High Yield Bond ETF and VanEck Moody's Analytics IG Corporate Bond ETF only.) The Fund will be sensitive to changes in, and its performance will depend to a greater extent on, the overall condition of the energy sector. Companies operating in the energy sector are subject to risks including, but not limited to, economic growth, worldwide demand, political instability in the regions that the companies operate, government regulation stipulating rates charged by utilities, interest rate sensitivity, oil price volatility, energy conservation, environmental policies, depletion of resources, and the cost of providing the specific utility services and other factors that they cannot control. Oil prices are subject to significant volatility, which has adversely impacted companies operating in the energy sector. In addition, these companies are at risk of civil liability from accidents resulting in injury, loss of life or property, pollution or other environmental damage claims and risk of loss from terrorism and natural disasters.
The energy sector is cyclical and is highly dependent on commodity prices; prices and supplies of energy may fluctuate significantly over short and long periods of time due to, among other things, national and international political changes, Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (“OPEC”) policies, changes in relationships among OPEC members and between OPEC and oil-importing nations, the regulatory environment, taxation policies, and the economy of the key energy-consuming countries. Commodity prices have recently been subject to increased volatility and declines, which may negatively affect companies in which the Fund invests.
Companies in the energy sector may be adversely affected by terrorism, natural disasters or other catastrophes. Companies in the energy sector are at risk of civil liability from accidents resulting in injury, loss of life or property, pollution or other environmental damage claims and risk of loss from terrorism and natural disasters. Disruptions in the oil industry or shifts in fuel consumption may significantly impact companies in this sector. Significant oil and gas deposits are located in emerging markets countries where corruption and security may raise significant risks, in addition to the other risks of investing in emerging markets.
Companies in the energy sector may also be adversely affected by changes in exchange rates, tax treatment, government regulation and intervention, negative perception, efforts at energy conservation and world events in the regions in which the companies operate (e.g., expropriation, nationalization, confiscation of assets and property or the imposition of restrictions on foreign investments and repatriation of capital, military coups, social unrest, violence or labor unrest). Because a significant portion of revenues of companies in this sector is derived from a relatively small number of customers that are largely comprised of governmental entities and utilities, governmental budget constraints may have a significant impact on the stock prices of companies in this sector. The energy sector is highly regulated. Entities operating in the energy sector are subject to significant regulation of nearly every aspect of their operations by federal, state and local governmental agencies. Such regulation can change rapidly or over time in both scope and intensity. Stricter laws, regulations or enforcement policies could be enacted in the future which would likely increase compliance costs and may materially adversely affect the financial performance of companies in the energy sector.
A downturn in the energy sector of the economy, adverse political, legislative or regulatory developments or other events could have a larger impact on the Fund than on an investment company that does not invest a substantial portion of its assets in the energy sector. At times, the performance of securities of companies in the energy sector may lag the performance of other sectors or the broader market as a whole. The price of oil, natural gas and other fossil fuels may decline and/or experience significant volatility, which could adversely impact companies operating in the energy sector.
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Risk of Investing in the Financials Sector. (All Funds except VanEck J.P. Morgan EM Local Currency Bond ETF and VanEck Preferred Securities ex Financials ETF.) The Fund will be sensitive to, and its performance will depend to a greater extent on, the overall condition of the financials sector. Companies in the financials sector may be subject to extensive government regulation that affects the scope of their activities, the prices they can charge and the amount of capital they must maintain. The profitability of companies in the financials sector may be adversely affected by increases in interest rates, by loan losses, which usually increase in economic downturns, and by credit downgrades. In addition, the financials sector is undergoing numerous changes, including continuing consolidations, development of new products and structures and changes to its regulatory framework. Furthermore, some companies in the financials sector perceived as benefitting from government intervention in the past may be subject to future government- imposed restrictions on their businesses or face increased government involvement in their operations. Increased government involvement in the financials sector, including measures such as taking ownership positions in financial institutions, could result in a dilution of the Fund’s investments in financial institutions.
Risk of Investing in the Information Technology Sector. (VanEck Fallen Angel High Yield Bond ETF, VanEck International High Yield Bond ETF, VanEck Moody's Analytics BBB Corporate Bond ETF, VanEck Moody's Analytics IG Corporate Bond ETF and VanEck Preferred Securities ex Financials ETF only.) The Fund will be sensitive to, and its performance will depend to a greater extent on, the overall condition of the information technology sector. Information technology companies face intense competition, both domestically and internationally, which may have an adverse effect on profit margins. Information technology companies may have limited product lines, markets, financial resources or personnel. The products of information technology companies may face product obsolescence due to rapid technological developments and frequent new product introduction, unpredictable changes in growth rates and competition for the services of qualified personnel. Companies in the information technology sector are heavily dependent on patent protection and the expiration of patents may adversely affect the profitability of these companies.
Risk of Investing in the Industrials Sector. (VanEck International High Yield Bond ETF only.) The Fund will be sensitive to, and its performance will depend to a greater extent on, the overall condition of the industrials sector. The industrials sector comprises companies that produce capital goods used in construction and manufacturing, such as companies that make and sell machinery, equipment and supplies that are used to produce other goods. Companies in the industrials sector may be adversely affected by changes in government regulation, world events and economic conditions. In addition, companies in the industrials sector may be adversely affected by environmental damages, product liability claims and exchange rates. The stock prices of companies in the industrials sector are affected by supply and demand both for their specific product or service and for industrial sector products in general. The products of manufacturing companies may face product obsolescence due to rapid technological developments and frequent new product introduction. In addition, the industrials sector may also be adversely affected by changes or trends in commodity prices, which may be influenced or characterized by unpredictable factors.
Risk of Investing in the Utilities Sector. (VanEck Green Bond ETF and VanEck Preferred Securities ex Financials ETF only.) The Fund will be sensitive to, and its performance will depend to a greater extent on, the overall condition of the utilities sector. The utilities sector comprises companies that provide basic amenities, such as electricity, water, sewage services, dams, and natural gas to residential, industrial, commercial, and government customers. Issuers in the utilities sector are subject to a variety of factors that may adversely affect their business or operations, including high interest costs in connection with capital construction and improvement programs, difficulty in raising capital in adequate amounts on reasonable terms in periods of high inflation and unsettled capital markets, and the effects of effects of economic slowdowns and surplus capacity. Companies in the utilities sector are subject to extensive regulation, including governmental regulation of rates charged to customers, and may face difficulty in obtaining regulatory approval of new technologies. The effects of a U.S. national energy policy and lengthy delays and greatly increased costs and other problems associated with the design, construction, licensing, regulation and operation of nuclear facilities for electric generation, including, among other considerations, the problems associated with the use of radioactive materials and the disposal of radioactive wastes, may adversely affect companies in the utilities sector. Certain companies in the utilities sector may be inexperienced and may suffer potential losses resulting from a developing deregulatory environment. Technological innovations may render existing plants, equipment or products obsolete. Companies in the utilities sector may face increased competition from other providers of utility services. The potential impact of terrorist activities on companies in the utilities sector and its customers and the impact of natural or man-made disasters may adversely affect the utilities sector. Issuers in the utilities sector also may be subject to regulation by various governmental authorities and may be affected by the imposition of special tariffs and changes in tax laws, regulatory policies and accounting standards.
Equity Securities Risk. (VanEck BDC Income ETF and VanEck Mortgage REIT Income ETF only.) The value of the equity securities held by a Fund may fall due to general market and economic conditions, perceptions regarding the markets in which the issuers of securities held by the Fund participate, or factors relating to specific issuers in which the Fund invests. For example, an adverse event, such as an unfavorable earnings report, may result in a decline in the value of equity securities of an issuer held by the Fund; the price of the equity securities of an issuer may be particularly sensitive to general movements in the securities markets; or a drop in the securities markets may depress the price of most or all of the equities securities held by the Fund. In addition, the equity securities of an issuer in a Fund’s portfolio may decline in price if the issuer fails to make anticipated dividend payments. Equity securities are subordinated to preferred securities and debt in a company’s capital structure with respect to priority in right to a share of corporate income, and therefore will be subject to greater dividend risk than preferred securities or
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debt instruments. In addition, while broad market measures of equity securities have historically generated higher average returns than fixed income securities, equity securities have generally also experienced significantly more volatility in those returns, although under certain market conditions fixed income securities may have comparable or greater price volatility. A change in the financial condition, market perception or the credit rating of an issuer of securities included in a Fund’s Index may cause the value of its securities to decline.
Issuer-Specific Changes Risk. (VanEck BDC Income ETF, VanEck J.P. Morgan EM Local Currency Bond ETF and VanEck Mortgage REIT Income ETF only.) The value of individual securities or particular types of securities in a Fund’s portfolio can be more volatile than the market as a whole and can perform differently from the value of the market as a whole, which may have a greater impact if the Fund’s portfolio is concentrated in a country, group of countries, region, market, industry, group of industries, sector or asset class. The value of securities of smaller issuers can be more volatile than that of larger issuers. A change in the financial condition, market perception or credit rating of an issuer of securities included in a Fund’s Index may cause the value of its securities to decline.
Risk of Investment Restrictions. (VanEck BDC Income ETF only.) The Fund is subject to certain provisions of the 1940 Act that limit the amount that the Fund and its affiliates, in the aggregate, can invest in the outstanding voting securities of any one BDC. However, an SEC rule applicable to the Fund permits it to invest in BDCs in excess of this limitation if certain conditions are met. The Fund and its affiliates may not acquire “control” of an unaffiliated BDC, which is presumed once ownership of a BDC’s outstanding voting securities exceeds 25%. This limitation could inhibit the Fund’s ability to purchase one or more BDCs in the BDC Index in the proportions represented in the BDC Index. In these circumstances, the Fund would be required to use sampling techniques, which could increase the risk of tracking error.
Preferred Securities Risk. (VanEck Preferred Securities ex Financials ETF only.) Preferred Securities are essentially contractual obligations that entail rights to distributions declared by the issuer’s board of directors but may permit the issuer to defer or suspend distributions for a certain period of time. Preferred Securities, which generally pay fixed or adjustable rate dividends or interest to investors, have preference over common stock in the payment of dividends or interest and the liquidation of a company’s assets, which means that a company typically must pay dividends or interest on its Preferred Securities before paying any dividends on its common stock. On the other hand, preferred securities are junior to the company’s debt, including both senior and subordinated debt. Because of their subordinated position in the capital structure of an issuer, the ability to defer dividend or interest payments for extended periods of time without triggering an event of default for the issuer, and certain other features, Preferred Securities are often treated as equity-like instruments by both issuers and investors, as their quality and value are heavily dependent on the profitability and cash flows of the issuer rather than on any legal claims to specific assets.
If the Fund owns a Preferred Security whose issuer has deferred or suspended distributions, the Fund may be required to account for the distribution that has been deferred or suspended for tax purposes, even though it may not have received this income in cash. Further, Preferred Securities may lose substantial value if distributions are deferred, suspended or not declared. Preferred Securities may also permit the issuer to convert Preferred Securities into the issuer’s common stock. Preferred Securities that are convertible into common stock may decline in value if the common stock to which Preferred Securities may be converted declines in value. Preferred Securities may be less liquid than such securities as common stocks and do not convey the same rights as common stock to the holder of Preferred Securities, such as voting rights (except in certain situations relating to distributions of preferred dividends). Preferred Securities are subject to greater credit risk than traditional fixed income securities because the rights of holders of Preferred Securities are subordinated to the rights of the bond and debtholders of an issuer. If an issuer of Preferred Securities encounters financial difficulties, the issuer’s board of directors may not declare a distribution and the value of Preferred Securities may decline as a result. The board of directors of an issuer of Preferred Securities may not declare distributions even if such payments have come due.
Convertible Securities Risk. (VanEck Preferred Securities ex Financials ETF only.) Convertible securities are subject to risks associated with both fixed income securities and common stocks. Depending on the convertible security’s conversion value, the price of a convertible security will be influenced by interest rates (i.e., its price generally will increase when interest rates fall and decrease when interest rates rise) or will tend to fluctuate directly with the price of the equity security into which the security can be converted. Convertible securities are usually subordinated to comparable nonconvertible securities. Moreover, many convertible securities have credit ratings that are below investment grade and are subject to the same risks as lower-rated debt securities. Convertible securities generally do not participate directly in any dividend increases or decreases of the underlying securities, although the market prices of convertible securities may be affected by any dividend changes or other changes in the underlying securities.
Index Tracking Risk. Each Fund’s return may not match the return of its Index for a number of reasons. For example, a Fund incurs a number of operating expenses, including taxes, not applicable to its Index and incurs costs associated with buying and selling securities, especially when rebalancing the Fund’s securities holdings to reflect changes in the composition of its Index and (to the extent creations and redemptions are effected in cash) raising cash to meet redemptions or deploying cash in connection with newly created Creation Units (defined herein), which are not factored into the return of its Index. Transaction costs, including brokerage costs, will decrease the Fund’s NAV to the extent not offset by the transaction fee payable by an AP. Market disruptions and regulatory restrictions could have an adverse effect on the Fund’s ability to adjust its exposure to the required
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levels in order to track its Index. Unusual market conditions may cause the Fund's Index Provider to postpone a scheduled rebalance, which could cause the Index to vary from its normal or expected composition. There is no assurance that the Fund’s Index Provider (defined herein) or any agents that may act on its behalf will compile the Fund’s Index accurately, or that the Index will be determined, composed or calculated accurately. Errors in respect of the quality, accuracy and completeness of the data used to compile the Index may occur from time to time and may not be identified and corrected by the Index Provider for a period of time or at all, particularly where the indices are less commonly used as benchmarks by funds or managers. Therefore, gains, losses or costs associated with errors of the Index Provider or its agents will generally be borne by the Fund and its shareholders. For example, during a period where the Fund’s Index contains incorrect constituents, the Fund would have market exposure to such constituents and would be underexposed to the Index’s other constituents. Such errors may negatively or positively impact the Fund and its shareholders. Any gains due to the Index Provider’s or others’ errors will be kept by the Fund and its shareholders and any losses resulting from the Index Provider’s or others’ errors will be borne by the Fund and its shareholders. When a Fund’s Index is rebalanced and the Fund in turn rebalances its portfolio to attempt to increase the correlation between the Fund’s portfolio and its respective Index, any transaction costs and market exposure arising from such portfolio rebalancing will be borne directly by the applicable Fund and its shareholders. In addition, each Fund’s (except for VanEck BDC Income ETF, VanEck Fallen Angel High Yield Bond ETF, VanEck Mortgage REIT Income ETF and VanEck Preferred Securities ex Financials ETF) use of a representative sampling approach may cause the Fund’s returns to not be as closely correlated with the return of its Index as would be the case if the Fund purchased all of the securities in its Index. Each Fund may not be fully invested at times either as a result of cash flows into the Fund (to the extent creations and redemptions are effected in cash) or reserves of cash held by the Fund to pay expenses and (to the extent creations and redemptions are effected in cash) meet redemptions. In addition, a Fund may not be able to invest in certain securities included in its Index, or invest in them in the exact proportions in which they are represented in its Index, due to legal restrictions or limitations imposed by the governments of certain countries, certain Exchange listing standards, a lack of liquidity in markets in which securities trade, potential adverse tax consequences or other regulatory reasons (such as diversification requirements). A lack of liquidity may be due to various events, including markets events, economic conditions or investor perceptions. Illiquid securities may be difficult to value and their value may be lower than the market price of comparable liquid securities, which would negatively affect the Fund's performance. Moreover, a Fund may be delayed in purchasing or selling securities included in its Index. When markets are volatile, the ability to sell securities at fair value prices may be adversely impacted and may result in additional trading costs and/or increase the index tracking risk. Certain Funds may encounter issues with regard to currency convertibility (including the cost of borrowing funds, if any) or repatriation, which may also increase index tracking risk. Certain Funds may also need to rely on borrowings to meet redemptions, which may lead to increased expenses. For tax efficiency purposes, a Fund may sell certain securities, and such sale may cause the Fund to realize a loss and deviate from the performance of its Index. With respect to VanEck Green Bond ETF, the performance of a “green” bond issuer may cause its securities to no longer merit “green” status, and such securities would no longer be eligible for inclusion in the Index. This could cause the Fund to temporarily hold securities that are not in the Index, which may adversely affect the Fund and its investments and may increase the risk of Index tracking error. Additionally, there may also be a limited supply of bonds that merit “green” status, which may increase the risk of index tracking error.
Certain Funds may accept cash in connection with a purchase of Creation Units or effect its redemptions in cash rather than in-kind and, as a result, the Fund’s ability to match the return of its Index will be affected.
Certain Funds may fair value certain of the foreign securities and/or underlying currencies or other assets it holds, except those securities primarily traded on exchanges that close at the same time the Fund calculates its NAV. To the extent a Fund calculates its NAV based on fair value prices and the value of its Index is based on securities’ closing prices on local foreign markets (i.e., the value of its Index is not based on fair value prices) or if the Fund otherwise calculates its NAV based on prices that differ from those used in calculating its Index, the Fund’s ability to track its Index may be adversely affected. The need to comply with the tax diversification and other requirements of the Internal Revenue Code may also impact the Fund’s ability to replicate the performance of its Index. In addition, if a Fund utilizes depositary receipts not included in its respective Index and other derivative instruments, its return may not correlate as well with the return of its Index as would be the case if the Fund purchased all the securities in its Index directly. Actions taken in response to proposed corporate actions could result in increased tracking error. VanEck Emerging Markets High Yield Bond ETF, VanEck International High Yield Bond ETF and VanEck J.P. Morgan EM Local Currency Bond ETF may also need to rely on borrowings to meet redemptions, which may lead to increased expenses. In light of the factors discussed above, each Fund’s return may deviate significantly from the return of its Index.
Apart from scheduled rebalances, the Index Provider or its agents may carry out additional ad hoc rebalances to the Index in order, for example, to correct an error in the selection of index constituents. When the Index is rebalanced and the Fund in turn rebalances its portfolio to attempt to increase the correlation between the Fund’s portfolio and the Index, any transaction costs and market exposure arising from such portfolio rebalancing will be borne directly by the Fund and its shareholders. Therefore, errors and additional ad hoc rebalances carried out by the Index Provider to the Index may increase the costs to and the tracking error risk of the Fund. Index tracking risk may be heightened during times of increased market volatility or other unusual market conditions. Changes to the composition of a Fund’s Index in connection with a rebalancing or reconstitution of the Index may cause the Fund to experience increased volatility, during which time the Fund’s index tracking risk may be heightened.
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Risk of Cash Transactions. Unlike other ETFs, VanEck J.P. Morgan EM Local Currency Bond ETF effects its creations and redemptions at least partially for cash, rather than wholly for in-kind securities. Because the Fund currently intends to effect all or a portion of redemptions for cash, rather than in-kind distributions, it may be required to sell portfolio securities in order to obtain the cash needed to distribute redemption proceeds, which involves transaction costs that the Fund may not have incurred had it effected redemptions entirely in-kind. These costs may include brokerage costs or taxable losses or gains, which may be imposed on the Fund and decrease the Fund’s NAV to the extent such costs are not offset by a transaction fee payable by an Authorized Participant (“AP”). If the Fund recognizes a gain on these sales, this generally will cause the Fund to recognize a gain it might not otherwise have recognized if it was to distribute portfolio securities in-kind, or to recognize such gain sooner than would otherwise be required. As a result, an investment in the Fund may be less tax-efficient than an investment in a more conventional ETF. Other ETFs generally are able to make in-kind redemptions and avoid realizing gains in connection with transactions designed to raise cash to meet redemption requests. The Fund generally intends to distribute these gains to shareholders to avoid being taxed on these gains at the Fund level and otherwise comply with the special tax rules that apply to them. This strategy may cause shareholders to be subject to tax on gains they would not otherwise be subject to, or at an earlier date than, if they had made an investment in a different ETF. Additionally, transactions may have to be carried out over several days if the securities market is relatively illiquid and may involve considerable transaction fees and taxes.
Passive Management Risk. Unlike many investment companies, the Funds are not “actively” managed. Therefore, unless a specific security is removed from a Fund’s respective Index, a Fund generally would not sell a security because the security’s issuer is in financial trouble. If a specific security is removed from a Fund’s respective Index, a Fund may be forced to sell such security at an inopportune time or for prices other than at current market values. An investment in a Fund involves risks similar to those of investing in any Fund that invests in bonds or equity securities traded on an exchange, such as market fluctuations caused by such factors as economic and political developments, changes in interest rates and perceived trends in security prices. A Fund’s respective Index may not contain the appropriate or a diversified mix of securities for any particular economic cycle. The timing of changes in the securities of a Fund’s portfolio in seeking to replicate its Index could have a negative effect on the Fund. Unlike with an actively managed fund, the Adviser does not use techniques or defensive strategies designed to lessen the effects of market volatility or to reduce the impact of periods of market decline. Additionally, unusual market conditions may cause a Fund’s Index Provider to postpone a scheduled rebalance or reconstitution, which could cause a Fund’s Index to vary from its normal or expected composition. This means that, based on market and economic conditions, a Fund’s performance could be lower than funds that may actively shift their portfolio assets to take advantage of market opportunities or to lessen the impact of a market decline or a decline in the value of one or more issuers.
Data Risk. Each of the BBB Index and US IG Index providers rely heavily on credit risk metrics and other data provided by Moody's Analytics (“Data”). Data is used by BBB Index and US IG Index providers to construct the BBB Index and the US IG Index. If the Data proves to be incorrect or incomplete, any decisions made in reliance thereon may expose the Fund to potential risks.
Authorized Participant (“AP”) Concentration Risk. A Fund may have a limited number of financial institutions that act as APs, none of which are obligated to engage in creation and/or redemption transactions. To the extent that those APs exit the business, or are unable to or choose not to process creation and/or redemption orders, and no other AP is able to step forward to create and redeem, there may be a significantly diminished trading market for Shares or Shares may trade like closed-end funds at a greater discount (or premium) to NAV and possibly face trading halts and/or de-listing. The AP concentration risk may be heightened in scenarios where APs have limited or diminished access to the capital required to post collateral.
No Guarantee of Active Trading Market. While Shares are listed on the Exchange, there can be no assurance that an active trading market for the Shares will be maintained. Further, secondary markets may be subject to irregular trading activity, wide bid/ask spreads and extended trade settlement periods in times of market stress because market makers and APs may step away from making a market in the Shares and in executing creation and redemption orders, which could cause a material deviation in a Fund’s market price from its NAV. Van Eck Securities Corporation, the distributor of the Shares (the “Distributor”), does not maintain a secondary market in the Shares. Investors purchasing and selling Shares in the secondary market may not experience investment results consistent with those experienced by those APs creating and redeeming directly with a Fund.
Decisions by market makers or APs to reduce their role or “step away” from these activities in times of market stress could inhibit the effectiveness of the arbitrage process in maintaining the relationship between the underlying value of a Fund’s portfolio securities and the Fund’s market price. This reduced effectiveness could result in Fund Shares trading at a price which differs materially from NAV and also in greater than normal intraday bid/ask spreads for Fund Shares.
Trading Issues. Trading in Shares on the Exchange may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the Exchange, make trading in Shares inadvisable. In addition, trading in Shares on an Exchange is subject to trading halts caused by extraordinary market volatility pursuant to the Exchange's “circuit breaker” rules. If a trading halt or unanticipated early close of an Exchange occurs, a shareholder may be unable to purchase or sell Shares of a Fund. There can be no assurance that the requirements of an Exchange necessary to maintain the listing of a Fund will continue to be met or will remain unchanged.

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Fund Shares Trading, Premium/Discount Risk and Liquidity of Fund Shares. Disruptions to creations and redemptions, the existence of market volatility or potential lack of an active trading market for Shares (including through a trading halt), as well as other factors, may result in Shares trading at a significant premium or discount to NAV or to the intraday value of a Fund’s holdings. The NAV of the Shares will fluctuate with changes in the market value of a Fund’s securities holdings. The market price of Shares may fluctuate, in some cases materially, in accordance with changes in NAV and the intraday value of a Fund’s holdings, as well as supply and demand on the Exchange. The Adviser cannot predict whether Shares will trade below, at or above their NAV. Given the fact that Shares can be created and redeemed by APs in Creation Units (defined herein), the Adviser believes that large discounts or premiums to the NAV of Shares should not be sustained in the long-term. While the creation/redemption feature is designed to make it likely that Shares normally will trade close to the value of a Fund’s holdings, market prices are not expected to correlate exactly to the Fund’s NAV due to timing reasons, supply and demand imbalances and other factors. The price differences may be due, in large part, to the fact that supply and demand forces at work in the secondary trading market for Shares may be closely related to, but not necessarily identical to, the same forces influencing the prices of the securities of a Fund’s portfolio of investments trading individually or in the aggregate at any point in time. If a shareholder purchases Shares at a time when the market price is at a premium to the NAV or sells Shares at a time when the market price is at a discount to the NAV, the shareholder may pay significantly more or receive significantly less than the underlying value of the Shares that were bought or sold or the shareholder may be unable to sell his or her Shares. Any of these factors, discussed above and further below, may lead to the Shares trading at a premium or discount to a Fund’s NAV. In addition, because certain of a Fund’s underlying securities trade on exchanges that are closed when the Exchange (i.e., the exchange that Shares of the Fund trade on) is open, there are likely to be deviations between the expected value of an underlying security and the closing security’s price (i.e., the last quote from its closed foreign market) resulting in premiums or discounts to NAV that may be greater than those experienced by other ETFs. In addition, the securities held by a Fund may be traded in markets that close at a different time than the Exchange. Liquidity in those securities may be reduced after the applicable closing times. Accordingly, during the time when the Exchange is open but after the applicable market closing, fixing or settlement times, bid/ask spreads and the resulting premium or discount to the Shares’ NAV may widen. Additionally, in stressed market conditions, the market for the Fund’s Shares may become less liquid in response to deteriorating liquidity in the markets for the Fund’s underlying portfolio holdings. There are various methods by which investors can purchase and sell Shares. Investors should consult their financial intermediaries before purchasing or selling Shares of the Fund.
When you buy or sell Shares of a Fund through a broker, you will likely incur a brokerage commission or other charges imposed by brokers. In addition, the market price of Shares, like the price of any exchange-traded security, includes a bid/ask spread charged by the market makers or other participants that trade the particular security. The spread of a Fund’s Shares varies over time based on the Fund’s trading volume and market liquidity and may increase if the Fund’s trading volume, the spread of the Fund’s underlying securities, or market liquidity decrease. In times of severe market disruption, including when trading of a Fund’s holdings may be halted, the bid/ask spread may increase significantly. This means that Shares may trade at a discount to the Fund’s NAV, and the discount is likely to be greatest during significant market volatility.
Non-Diversified Risk. Each Fund is a separate investment portfolio of the VanEck ETF Trust (the "Trust"), which is an open-end investment company registered under the 1940 Act. Each Fund, except for VanEck BDC Income ETF, VanEck Emerging Markets High Yield Bond ETF, VanEck Fallen Angel High Yield Bond ETF, VanEck Green Bond ETF and VanEck International High Yield Bond ETF, is classified as a “non-diversified” fund under the 1940 Act. Moreover, each Fund is subject to the risk that it will be more volatile than a diversified fund because the Fund may invest its assets in a smaller number of issuers or may invest a larger proportion of its assets in a single issuer. Moreover, the gains and losses on a single investment may have a greater impact on a Fund’s NAV and may make the Fund more volatile than more diversified funds. VanEck J.P. Morgan EM Local Currency Bond ETF and VanEck Mortgage REIT Income ETF may be particularly vulnerable to this risk because the Index is comprised of securities of a limited number of companies.
Non-Diversification Risk. The VanEck Fallen Angel High Yield Bond ETF may become classified as non-diversified under the 1940 Act solely as a result of a change in relative market capitalization or index weighting of one or more constituents of the Fallen Angel Index. If the Fund becomes non-diversified, it may invest a greater portion of its assets in securities of a smaller number of individual issuers than a diversified fund. As a result, changes in the market value of a single investment could cause greater fluctuations in share price than would occur in a more diversified fund.
Concentration Risk. Each Fund’s assets may be concentrated in a particular sector or sectors or industry or group of industries to the extent that its respective Index concentrates in a particular sector or sectors or industry or group of industries. The securities of many or all of the companies in the same sector or industry may decline in value due to developments adversely affecting such sector or industry. By concentrating its assets in a particular sector or sectors or industry or group of industries, a Fund is subject to the risk that economic, political or other conditions that have a negative effect on those sectors and/or industries may negatively impact the Fund to a greater extent than if the Fund’s assets were invested in a wider variety of sectors or industries.
ADDITIONAL NON-PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES
Each Fund may invest in securities not included in its respective Index, money market instruments, including repurchase agreements or other funds which invest exclusively in money market instruments, convertible securities, structured notes (notes on
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which the amount of principal repayment and interest payments are based on the movement of one or more specified factors, such as the movement of a particular stock or stock index and/or certain derivatives, which the Adviser believes will help a Fund track its Index. VanEck Green Bond ETF will not use derivatives for purposes of meeting the requirement that the Fund invest at least 80% of its total assets in securities that comprise the Fund’s benchmark index. Convertible securities and depositary receipts not included in a Fund’s Index may be used by certain Funds in seeking performance that corresponds to its respective Index, and in managing cash flows, and may count towards compliance with a Fund’s 80% policy. Certain Funds may also utilize participation notes to seek performance that corresponds to their Index. Each Fund may also invest, to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act and SEC regulations thereunder in other affiliated and unaffiliated funds, such as open-end or closed-end management investment companies, including other ETFs.
BORROWING MONEY
Each Fund may borrow money from a bank up to a limit of one-third of the market value of its assets. Each Fund has entered into a credit facility to borrow money for temporary, emergency or other purposes, including the funding of shareholder redemption requests, trade settlements and as necessary to distribute to shareholders any income required to maintain the Fund’s status as a regulated investment company. To the extent that a Fund borrows money, it may be leveraged; at such times, the Fund will appreciate or depreciate in value more rapidly than its Index. Leverage generally has the effect of increasing the amount of loss or gain a Fund might realize, and may increase volatility in the value of a Fund’s investments.
LENDING PORTFOLIO SECURITIES
Each Fund may lend its portfolio securities to brokers, dealers and other financial institutions desiring to borrow securities to complete transactions and for other purposes. In connection with such loans, a Fund receives cash, U.S. government securities and stand-by letters of credit not issued by the Fund’s bank lending agent equal to at least 102% of the value of the portfolio securities being loaned. This collateral is marked-to-market on a daily basis. Although a Fund will receive collateral in connection with all loans of its securities holdings, the Fund would be exposed to a risk of loss should a borrower fail to return the borrowed securities (e.g., the Fund would have to buy replacement securities and the loaned securities may have appreciated beyond the value of the collateral held by the Fund) or become insolvent. A Fund may pay fees to the party arranging the loan of securities. In addition, a Fund will bear the risk that it may lose money because the borrower of the loaned securities fails to return the securities in a timely manner or at all. Each Fund could also lose money in the event of a decline in the value of any cash collateral or in the value of investments made with the cash collateral. These events could trigger adverse tax consequences for the Funds. Substitute payments for dividends received by a Fund for securities loaned out by a Fund will not be considered qualified dividend income.
ADDITIONAL NON-PRINCIPAL RISKS
Risk of Investing in Derivatives. Derivatives are financial instruments whose values are based on the value of one or more reference assets or indicators, such as a security, currency, interest rate, or index. The Funds’ use of derivatives involves risks different from, and possibly greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in securities and other more traditional investments. Moreover, although the value of a derivative is based on an underlying asset or indicator, a derivative typically does not carry the same rights as would be the case if a Fund invested directly in the underlying securities, currencies or other assets.
Derivatives are subject to a number of risks, such as potential changes in value in response to market developments or, in the case of “over-the-counter” derivatives, as a result of a counterparty’s credit quality and the risk that a derivative transaction may not have the effect the Adviser anticipated. Derivatives also involve the risk of mispricing or improper valuation and the risk that changes in the value of a derivative may not achieve the desired correlation with the underlying asset or indicator. Derivative transactions can create investment leverage and may be highly volatile, and a Fund could lose more than the amount it invests. The use of derivatives may increase the amount and affect the timing and character of taxes payable by shareholders of a Fund.
Many derivative transactions are entered into “over-the-counter” without a central clearinghouse; as a result, the value of such a derivative transaction will depend on, among other factors, the ability and the willingness of a Fund’s counterparty to perform its obligations under the transaction. If a counterparty were to default on its obligations, a Fund’s contractual remedies against such counterparty may be subject to bankruptcy and insolvency laws, which could affect the Fund’s rights as a creditor (e.g., the Fund may not receive the net amount of payments that it is contractually entitled to receive). A liquid secondary market may not always exist for a Fund’s derivative positions at any time, and the Fund may not be able to initiate or liquidate a swap position at an advantageous time or price, which may result in significant losses.
In October 2020, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") adopted a final rule related to the use of derivatives, short sales, reverse repurchase agreements and certain other transactions by registered investment companies (the “derivatives rule”). The derivatives rule requires funds to trade derivatives and other transactions that create future fund payment or delivery obligations subject to a value-at-risk (“VaR”) leverage limit, and certain derivatives risk management program and reporting requirements. Generally, these requirements apply unless a fund qualifies as a “limited derivatives user,” as defined in the final rule. Under the rule, when a fund trades reverse repurchase agreements or similar financing transactions, including certain tender option bonds, it needs to aggregate the amount of indebtedness associated with the reverse repurchase agreements or similar financing transactions with the aggregate amount of any other senior securities representing indebtedness when calculating the fund’s asset coverage ratio or treat all such transactions as derivatives transactions. Reverse repurchase agreements or similar
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financing transactions aggregated with other indebtedness do not need to be included in the calculation of whether a fund is a limited derivatives user, but for funds subject to the VaR testing, reverse repurchase agreements and similar financing transactions must be included for purposes of such testing whether treated as derivatives transactions or not. The SEC also provided guidance in connection with the rule regarding use of securities lending collateral that may limit a fund's securities lending activities. In addition, under the derivatives rule, a Fund is permitted to invest in a security on a when-issued or forward-settling basis, or with a non-standard settlement cycle, and the transaction will be deemed not to involve a senior security under the 1940 Act, provided that (i) the Fund intends to physically settle the transaction and (ii) the transaction will settle within 35 days of its trade date (the “Delayed-Settlement Securities Provision”). A Fund may otherwise engage in such transactions that do not meet the conditions of the Delayed-Settlement Securities Provision so long as the Fund treats any such transaction as a “derivatives transaction” for purposes of compliance with the derivatives rule. Furthermore, under the derivatives rule, a Fund will be permitted to enter into an unfunded commitment agreement, and such unfunded commitment agreement will not be subject to the asset coverage requirements under the 1940 Act, if the Fund reasonably believes, at the time it enters into such agreement, that it will have sufficient cash and cash equivalents to meet its obligations with respect to all such agreements as they come due.
Risk of Investing in Chinese Bonds. (VanEck J.P. Morgan EM Local Currency Bond ETF only.) The Fund may invest in Renminbi (“RMB”)-denominated bonds issued in the People’s Republic of China (“PRC”) by Chinese credit, government and quasi-governmental issuers (“RMB Bonds”). RMB Bonds are available on the China interbank bond market (“CIBM”) to eligible foreign investors through the CIBM Direct Access Program and through the “Mutual Bond Market Access between Mainland China and Hong Kong” (“Bond Connect”) program. The Fund’s investments in bonds through either program will be subject to a number of additional risks and restrictions that may affect the Fund’s investments and returns.
The Bond Connect program and the CIBM Direct Access Program are relatively new. Laws, rules, regulations, policies, notices, circulars or guidelines relating to the programs as published or applied by the relevant authorities of the PRC are untested and are subject to change from time to time. There can be no assurance that the Bond Connect program and/or the CIBM Direct Access Program will not be restricted, suspended or abolished.
Under the prevailing PRC regulations, eligible foreign investors who wish to participate in the Bond Connect program may do so through an offshore custody agent, registration agent or other third parties (as the case may be), who would be responsible for making the relevant filings and account opening with the relevant authorities. The Fund is therefore subject to the risk of default or errors on the part of such agents.
Under the prevailing PRC regulations, eligible foreign institutional investors who wish to invest directly in CIBM through the CIBM Direct Access Program may do so through an onshore settlement agent, who would be responsible for making the relevant filings and account opening with the relevant authorities. The Fund is therefore subject to the risk of default or errors on the part of such agent.
Trading through the Bond Connect program is performed through newly developed trading platforms and operational systems. There is no assurance that such systems will function properly (in particular, under extreme market conditions) or will continue to be adapted to changes and developments in the market. In addition, where the Fund invests in the CIBM through the Bond Connect program, it may be subject to risks of delays inherent in the order placing and/or settlement.
Investing in RMB Bonds involves additional risks, including, but not limited to, the fact that the economy of China differs, often unfavorably, from the U.S. economy, including, among other things, in terms of currency revaluation, structure, general development, government involvement, wealth distribution, rate of inflation, growth rate, allocation of resources and capital reinvestment.
The RMB is currently not a freely convertible currency. The Chinese government places strict regulation on the RMB and sets the value of the RMB to levels dependent on the value of the U.S. dollar. The Chinese government’s imposition of restrictions on the repatriation of RMB out of mainland China may limit the depth of the offshore RMB market and reduce the liquidity of the Fund’s investments.
Zero-Coupon and Payment-in-Kind Securities Risk. (VanEck Emerging Markets High Yield Bond ETF, VanEck Fallen Angel High Yield Bond ETF, VanEck Green Bond ETF and VanEck International High Yield Bond ETF only.) Zero-coupon securities are securities that are sold at a discount to par value and on which interest payments are not made during the life of the security. Upon maturity, the holder is entitled to receive the par value of the security. Payment-in-kind securities are securities that have interest payable by delivery of additional securities. Upon maturity, the holder is entitled to receive the aggregate par value of the securities. The market prices of zero-coupon and payment-in-kind securities are generally more volatile than the market prices of interest bearing securities and are likely to respond to a greater degree to changes in interest rates than interest bearing securities having similar maturities and credit quality. A Fund accrues income with respect to zero-coupon and payment-in-kind securities prior to the receipt of cash payments. Even though periodic interest payments in cash are not made on such securities, tax rules require the Fund to distribute accrued income, which may require the Fund to liquidate securities at unfavorable prices or borrow money in order to make these distributions. Additionally, if the issuer of such securities defaults, the Fund may obtain no return at all on its investment.
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Shareholder Risk. Certain shareholders, including other funds advised by the Adviser, may from time to time own a substantial amount of a Fund’s Shares. In addition, a third party investor, the Adviser or an affiliate of the Adviser, an AP, a market maker, or another entity may invest in a Fund and hold its investment for a limited period of time. There can be no assurance that any large shareholder would not redeem its investment. Redemptions by shareholders could have a negative impact on a Fund. In addition, transactions by large shareholders may account for a large percentage of the trading volume on the Exchange and may, therefore, have a material effect on the market price of the Shares.
Leverage Risk. To the extent that a Fund borrows money or utilizes certain derivatives, it may be leveraged. Leveraging generally exaggerates the effect on NAV of any increase or decrease in the market value of a Fund’s portfolio securities. The Funds are required to comply with the derivatives rule when they engage in transactions that create future Fund payment or delivery obligations.
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Unlike many conventional mutual funds which are only bought and sold at closing NAVs, the Shares of each Fund have been designed to be tradable in a secondary market on an intra-day basis and to be created and redeemed principally in-kind, except for VanEck J.P. Morgan EM Local Currency Bond ETF whose Shares are redeemed at least partially for cash, in Creation Units at each day’s market close. These in-kind arrangements are designed to mitigate the adverse effects on a Fund’s portfolio that could arise from frequent cash purchase and redemption transactions that affect the NAV of the Fund. Moreover, in contrast to conventional mutual funds, where frequent redemptions can have an adverse tax impact on taxable shareholders because of the need to sell portfolio securities which, in turn, may generate taxable gain, the in-kind redemption mechanism of each Fund, to the extent used, generally is not expected to lead to a tax event for shareholders whose Shares are not being redeemed.
A description of each Fund’s policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the Fund’s portfolio securities is available in the Funds’ SAI.
MANAGEMENT OF THE FUNDS
Board of Trustees. The Board of Trustees of the Trust has responsibility for the general oversight of the management of the Funds, including general supervision of the Adviser and other service providers, but is not involved in the day-to-day management of the Trust. A list of the Trustees and the Trust officers, and their present positions and principal occupations, is provided in the Funds’ SAI.
Investment Adviser. Under the terms of an investment management agreement between the Trust and Van Eck Associates Corporation with respect to the Funds (the “Investment Management Agreement”), Van Eck Associates Corporation serves as the adviser to each Fund and, subject to the supervision of the Board of Trustees, is responsible for the day-to-day investment management of each Fund. As of July 31, 2022, the Adviser managed approximately $70.83 billion in assets. The Adviser has been an investment adviser since 1955 and also acts as adviser or sub-adviser to mutual funds, other ETFs, other pooled investment vehicles and separate accounts. The Adviser’s principal business address is 666 Third Avenue, 9th Floor, New York, New York 10017. A discussion regarding the Board of Trustees’ approval of the Investment Management Agreement with respect to each Fund will be available in the Trust’s semi-annual report for the period ended October 31, 2022.
For the services provided to VanEck J.P. Morgan EM Local Currency Bond ETF under the Investment Management Agreement, VanEck J.P. Morgan EM Local Currency Bond ETF pays the Adviser monthly fees based on a percentage of its average daily net assets at the annual rate of 0.27%. From time to time, the Adviser may waive all or a portion of its fee. Until at least September 1, 2023, the Adviser has agreed to waive fees and/or pay Fund expenses to the extent necessary to prevent the operating expenses of VanEck J.P. Morgan EM Local Currency Bond ETF (excluding acquired fund fees and expenses, interest expense, trading expenses, taxes and extraordinary expenses) from exceeding 0.30% of its average daily net assets per year.
VanEck J.P. Morgan EM Local Currency Bond ETF is responsible for all of its expenses, including the investment advisory fees, costs of transfer agency, custody, legal, audit and other services, interest, taxes, any distribution fees or expenses, offering fees or expenses and extraordinary expenses.
Pursuant to the Investment Management Agreement, the Adviser is responsible for all expenses of the Funds, except VanEck J.P. Morgan EM Local Currency Bond ETF, including the costs of transfer agency, custody, fund administration, legal, audit and other services, except for the fee payment under the Investment Management Agreement, acquired fund fees and expenses, interest expense, offering costs, trading expenses, taxes and extraordinary expenses. For its services to each Fund, each Fund has agreed to pay the Adviser an annual unitary management fee equal to 0.40% (with respect to VanEck BDC Income ETF, VanEck Emerging Markets High Yield Bond ETF, VanEck International High Yield Bond ETF, VanEck Mortgage REIT Income ETF and VanEck Preferred Securities ex Financials ETF), 0.35% (with respect to VanEck Fallen Angel High Yield Bond ETF), 0.25% (with respect to VanEck Moody's Analytics BBB Corporate Bond ETF), 0.20% (with respect to VanEck Green Bond ETF and VanEck Moody's Analytics IG Corporate Bond ETF), and 0.14% (with respect to VanEck IG Floating Rate ETF) of its average daily net assets. Offering costs excluded from the annual unitary management fee are: (a) legal fees pertaining to a Fund’s Shares offered for sale; (b) SEC and state registration fees; and (c) initial fees paid for Shares of a Fund to be listed on an exchange. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Adviser has agreed to pay all such offering costs until at least September 1, 2023 with respect to each Fund.

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MANAGEMENT OF THE FUNDS
Manager of Managers Structure. With respect to VanEck BDC Income ETF, VanEck Emerging Markets High Yield Bond ETF, VanEck Fallen Angel High Yield Bond ETF, VanEck Green Bond ETF, VanEck International High Yield Bond ETF, VanEck Moody's Analytics BBB Corporate Bond ETF and VanEck Moody's Analytics IG Corporate Bond ETF, the Adviser and the Trust may rely on an exemptive order (the “Order”) from the SEC that permits the Adviser to enter into investment sub-advisory agreements with unaffiliated sub-advisers without obtaining shareholder approval. The Adviser, subject to the review and approval of the Board of Trustees, may select one or more sub-advisers for the Fund and supervise, monitor and evaluate the performance of each sub-adviser.
The Order also permits the Adviser, subject to the approval of the Board of Trustees, to replace sub-advisers and amend investment sub-advisory agreements, including applicable fee arrangements, without shareholder approval whenever the Adviser and the Board of Trustees believe such action will benefit the Funds and their shareholders. The Adviser thus would have the responsibility (subject to the oversight of the Board of Trustees) to recommend the hiring and replacement of sub-advisers as well as the discretion to terminate any sub-adviser and reallocate a Fund’s assets for management among any other sub-adviser(s) and itself. This means that the Adviser would be able to reduce the sub-advisory fees and retain a larger portion of the management fee, or increase the sub-advisory fees and retain a smaller portion of the management fee. The Adviser would compensate each sub-adviser out of its management fee.
Administrator, Custodian and Transfer Agent. Van Eck Associates Corporation is the administrator for the Funds (the “Administrator”), and State Street Bank and Trust Company is the custodian of the Funds’ assets and provides transfer agency and fund accounting services to the Funds. The Administrator is responsible for certain clerical, recordkeeping and/or bookkeeping services which are required to be provided pursuant to the Investment Management Agreement.
Distributor. Van Eck Securities Corporation is the distributor of the Shares (the "Distributor"). The Distributor will not distribute Shares in less than a specified number of Shares, each called a "Creation Unit," and does not maintain a secondary market in the Shares. The Shares are traded in the secondary market.
The portfolio manager who is currently responsible for the day-to-day management of each of the VanEck Emerging Markets High Yield Bond ETF’s, VanEck Fallen Angel High Yield Bond ETF’s, VanEck Green Bond ETF’s, VanEck International High Yield Bond ETF’s, VanEck IG Floating Rate ETF’s, VanEck J.P. Morgan EM Local Currency Bond ETF’s, VanEck Moody's Analytics BBB Corporate Bond ETF's and VanEck Moody's Analytics IG Corporate Bond ETF's portfolios is Francis G. Rodilosso. The portfolio manager who is currently responsible for the day-to-day management of each of the VanEck BDC Income ETF’s, VanEck Mortgage REIT Income ETF’s and VanEck Preferred Securities ex Financials ETF’s portfolios is Peter H. Liao.
Mr. Rodilosso has been employed by the Adviser as a portfolio manager since March 2012. Mr. Rodilosso graduated from Princeton University in 1990 with a Bachelor of Arts and from the Wharton School of Business in 1993 with a Masters of Business Administration.
Mr. Liao has been employed by the Adviser as an analyst since the summer of 2004 and has been a portfolio manager since 2006. Mr. Liao graduated from New York University in 2004 with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Mathematics.
Each of Messrs. Liao and Rodilosso serve as a portfolio manager of other funds of the Trust. Messrs. Liao and Rodilosso also serve as portfolio managers for certain other investment companies and pooled investment vehicles advised by the Adviser. See the Funds’ SAI for additional information about the portfolio managers’ compensation, other accounts managed by the portfolio managers and their respective ownership of Shares of each Fund.

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DETERMINATION OF NAV
The NAV per Share for each Fund is computed by dividing the value of the net assets of the Fund (i.e., the value of its total assets less total liabilities) by the total number of Shares outstanding. Expenses and fees, including the management fee, are accrued daily and taken into account for purposes of determining NAV. The NAV of each Fund is determined each business day as of the close of trading (ordinarily 4:00 p.m., Eastern time) on the New York Stock Exchange.
The values of each Fund’s portfolio securities are based on the securities’ closing prices on the markets on which the securities trade, when available. Due to the time differences between the United States and certain countries in which certain Funds invest, securities on these exchanges may not trade at times when Shares of the Fund will trade. In the absence of a last reported sales price, or if no sales were reported, and for other assets for which market quotes are not readily available, values may be based on quotes obtained from a quotation reporting system, established market makers or by an outside independent pricing service. Debt instruments with remaining maturities of more than 60 days are valued at the evaluated mean price provided by an outside independent pricing service. If an outside independent pricing service is unable to provide a valuation, the instrument is valued at the mean of the highest bid and the lowest asked quotes obtained from one or more brokers or dealers selected by the Adviser. Prices obtained by an outside independent pricing service may use information provided by market makers or estimates of market values obtained from yield data related to investments or securities with similar characteristics and may use a computerized grid matrix of securities and its evaluations in determining what it believes is the fair value of the portfolio securities. Short-term debt instruments having a maturity of 60 days or less are valued at amortized cost. Any assets or liabilities denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar are converted into U.S. dollars at the current market rates on the date of valuation as quoted by one or more sources. If a market quotation for a security or other asset is not readily available or the Adviser believes it does not otherwise accurately reflect the market value of the security or asset at the time a Fund calculates its NAV, the security or asset will be fair valued by the Adviser in accordance with the Trust’s valuation policies and procedures approved by the Board of Trustees. Each Fund may also use fair value pricing in a variety of circumstances, including but not limited to, situations when the value of a security in the Fund’s portfolio has been materially affected by events occurring after the close of the market on which the security is principally traded (such as a corporate action or other news that may materially affect the price of a security) or trading in a security has been suspended or halted. In addition, each Fund that holds foreign equity securities currently expects that it will fair value certain of the foreign equity securities held by the Fund, if any, each day the Fund calculates its NAV, except those securities principally traded on exchanges that close at the same time the Fund calculates its NAV.
Accordingly, a Fund’s NAV may reflect certain portfolio securities’ fair values rather than their market prices at the time the exchanges on which they principally trade close. Fair value pricing involves subjective judgments and it is possible that a fair value determination for a security or other asset is materially different than the value that could be realized upon the sale of such security or asset. In addition, fair value pricing could result in a difference between the prices used to calculate a Fund’s NAV and the prices used by such Fund’s respective Index. This may adversely affect a Fund’s ability to track its Index. With respect to securities that are principally traded on foreign exchanges, the value of a Fund’s portfolio securities may change on days when you will not be able to purchase or sell your Shares.
INTRADAY VALUE
The trading prices of the Funds’ Shares in the secondary market generally differ from the Funds’ daily NAV and are affected by market forces such as the supply of and demand for Fund Shares and underlying securities held by each Fund, economic conditions and other factors. Information regarding the intraday value of the Funds’ Shares (“IIV”) may be disseminated throughout each trading day by an Exchange or by market data vendors or other information providers. The IIV is based on the current market value of the securities and/or cash required to be deposited in exchange for a Creation Unit. The IIV does not necessarily reflect the precise composition of the current portfolio of securities held by each Fund at a particular point in time or the best possible valuation of the current portfolio. Therefore, the IIV should not be viewed as a “real-time” update of the Funds’ NAV, which is computed only once a day. The IIV is generally determined by using current market quotations and/or price quotations obtained from broker-dealers and other market intermediaries that may trade in the portfolio securities held by each Fund and valuations based on current market rates. The quotations and/or valuations of certain Fund holdings may not be updated during U.S. trading hours if such holdings do not trade in the United States. Each Fund is not involved in, or responsible for, the calculation or dissemination of the IIV and makes no warranty as to its accuracy.
RULE 144A AND OTHER UNREGISTERED SECURITIES
An AP (i.e., a person eligible to place orders with the Distributor to create or redeem Creation Units of a Fund) that is not a “qualified institutional buyer,” as such term is defined under Rule 144A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), will not be able to receive, as part of a redemption, restricted securities eligible for resale under Rule 144A or other unregistered securities.
BUYING AND SELLING EXCHANGE-TRADED SHARES
The Shares of the Funds are listed on an Exchange. If you buy or sell Shares in the secondary market, you will incur customary brokerage commissions and charges and may pay some or all of the “spread,” which is any difference between the bid price and the ask price. The spread varies over time for a Fund’s Shares based on the Fund’s trading volume and market liquidity, and is generally lower if the Funds have high trading volume and market liquidity, and generally higher if the Funds have little trading volume and market liquidity (which is often the case for funds that are newly launched or small in size). In times of severe market
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disruption or low trading volume in a Fund’s Shares, this spread can increase significantly. It is anticipated that the Shares will trade in the secondary market at prices that may differ to varying degrees from the NAV of the Shares. During periods of disruptions to creations and redemptions or the existence of extreme market volatility, the market prices of Shares are more likely to differ significantly from the Shares’ NAV.
The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) serves as securities depository for the Shares. (The Shares may be held only in book-entry form; stock certificates will not be issued.) DTC, or its nominee, is the record or registered owner of all outstanding Shares. Beneficial ownership of Shares will be shown on the records of DTC or its participants (described below). Beneficial owners of Shares are not entitled to have Shares registered in their names, will not receive or be entitled to receive physical delivery of certificates in definitive form and are not considered the registered holder thereof. Accordingly, to exercise any rights of a holder of Shares, each beneficial owner must rely on the procedures of: (i) DTC; (ii) “DTC Participants,” i.e., securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and certain other organizations, some of whom (and/or their representatives) own DTC; and (iii) “Indirect Participants,” i.e., brokers, dealers, banks and trust companies that clear through or maintain a custodial relationship with a DTC Participant, either directly or indirectly, through which such beneficial owner holds its interests. The Trust understands that under existing industry practice, in the event the Trust requests any action of holders of Shares, or a beneficial owner desires to take any action that DTC, as the record owner of all outstanding Shares, is entitled to take, DTC would authorize the DTC Participants to take such action and that the DTC Participants would authorize the Indirect Participants and beneficial owners acting through such DTC Participants to take such action and would otherwise act upon the instructions of beneficial owners owning through them. As described above, the Trust recognizes DTC or its nominee as the owner of all Shares for all purposes. For more information, see the section entitled “Book Entry Only System” in the Funds’ SAI.
Each Exchange is open for trading Monday through Friday and is closed on weekends and the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth National Independence Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. Because non-U.S. exchanges may be open on days when a Fund does not price its Shares, the value of the securities in the Fund’s portfolio may change on days when shareholders will not be able to purchase or sell a Fund’s Shares.
The right of redemption by an AP may be suspended or the date of payment postponed (1) for any period during which an Exchange is closed (other than customary weekend and holiday closings); (2) for any period during which trading on an Exchange is suspended or restricted; (3) for any period during which an emergency exists as a result of which disposal of the Shares of a Fund or determination of its NAV is not reasonably practicable; or (4) in such other circumstance as is permitted by the SEC.
Market Timing and Related Matters. The Funds impose no restrictions on the frequency of purchases and redemptions. Frequent purchases and redemptions of Fund Shares may attempt to take advantage of a potential arbitrage opportunity presented by a lag between a change in the value of a Fund’s portfolio securities after the close of the primary markets for a Fund’s portfolio securities and the reflection of that change in a Fund’s NAV (“market timing”). The Board of Trustees considered the nature of each Fund (i.e., a fund whose Shares are expected to trade intraday), that the Adviser monitors the trading activity of APs for patterns of abusive trading, that the Funds reserve the right to reject orders that may be disruptive to the management of or otherwise not in the Funds’ best interests, and that each Fund may fair value certain of its securities. Given this structure, the Board of Trustees determined that it is not necessary to impose restrictions on the frequency of purchases and redemptions for the Funds at the present time.
DISTRIBUTIONS
Net Investment Income and Capital Gains. As a shareholder of a Fund, you are entitled to your share of such Fund’s distributions of net investment income and net realized capital gains on its investments. Each Fund pays out substantially all of its net earnings to its shareholders as “distributions.”
Each Fund typically earns income dividends from stocks and/or interest from debt securities. These amounts, net of expenses, are typically passed along to Fund shareholders as dividends from net investment income. Each Fund generally realizes capital gains or losses whenever it sells securities. Net capital gains are distributed to shareholders as “capital gain distributions.” Distributions from a Fund’s net investment income, including any net short-term capital gains, if any, are taxable to you as ordinary income. Any long-term capital gains distributions you receive from a Fund are taxable as long-term capital gains.
Net investment income, if any, is typically distributed to shareholders at least monthly by each Fund (quarterly with respect to VanEck BDC Income ETF and VanEck Mortgage REIT Income ETF) while net realized capital gains, if any, are typically distributed to shareholders at least annually. Dividends may be declared and paid more frequently to improve index tracking or to comply with the distribution requirements of the Internal Revenue Code. In addition, in situations where a Fund acquires investment securities after the beginning of a dividend period, the Funds may elect to distribute at least annually amounts representing the full dividend yield net of expenses on the underlying investment securities, as if the Funds owned the underlying investment securities for the entire dividend period. If a Fund so elects, some portion of each distribution may result in a return of capital, which, for tax purposes, is treated as a return on your investment in Shares. You will be notified regarding the portion of the distribution which represents a return of capital.
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Distributions in cash may be reinvested automatically in additional Shares of your Fund only if the broker through which you purchased Shares makes such option available.
TAX INFORMATION
As with any investment, you should consider how your Fund investment will be taxed. The tax information in this Prospectus is provided as general information. You should consult your own tax professional about the tax consequences of an investment in the Funds, including the possible application of foreign, state and local taxes. Unless your investment in a Fund is through a tax-exempt entity or tax-deferred retirement account, such as a 401(k) plan, you need to be aware of the possible tax consequences when: (i) a Fund makes distributions; (ii) you sell Shares in the secondary market or (iii) you create or redeem Creation Units.
Taxes on Distributions. As noted above, each Fund expects to distribute net investment income, if any, monthly (quarterly with respect to VanEck BDC Income ETF and VanEck Mortgage REIT Income ETF), and any net realized long-term or short-term capital gains, if any, annually. Each Fund may also pay a special distribution at any time to comply with U.S. federal tax requirements.
Distributions from a Fund’s net investment income, including any net short-term gains, if any, are taxable to you as ordinary income. In general, your distributions are subject to U.S. federal income tax when they are paid, whether you take them in cash or reinvest them in a Fund. Whether distributions of capital gains represent long-term or short-term capital gains is determined by how long a Fund owned the investments that generated them, rather than how long you have owned your Shares. Distributions of net short-term capital gain in excess of net long-term capital losses, if any, are generally taxable as ordinary income. Distributions of net long-term capital gains in excess of net short-term capital losses, if any, that are properly reported as capital gain dividends are generally taxable as long-term capital gains. Long-term capital gains of a non-corporate shareholder are generally taxable at a maximum rate of 15% or 20%, depending on whether the shareholder’s income exceeds certain threshold amounts (but the 25% capital gain tax rate will remain applicable to 25% rate gain distributions received by VanEck Mortgage REIT Income ETF).
The Funds, except for VanEck BDC Income ETF, VanEck Moody’s Analytics BBB Corporate Bond ETF, VanEck Moody’s Analytics IG Corporate Bond ETF, VanEck Mortgage REIT Income ETF and VanEck Preferred Securities ex Financials ETF, do not expect that any of their distributions will be qualified dividends eligible for lower tax rates or for the corporate dividends received deduction. In the event that VanEck BDC Income ETF, VanEck Mortgage REIT Income ETF and VanEck Preferred Securities ex Financials ETF receive such a dividend and report the distribution of such dividend as a qualified dividend, the dividend may be taxed at maximum capital gains rates of 15% or 20%, provided holding period and other requirements are met at both the shareholder and the Fund level. There can be no assurance that any significant portion of the VanEck BDC Income ETF’s, VanEck Mortgage REIT Income ETF or VanEck Preferred Securities ex Financials ETF’s distributions will be eligible for qualified dividend treatment.
Distributions in excess of a Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits are treated as a tax-free return of your investment to the extent of your basis in the Shares, and generally as capital gain thereafter. A return of capital, which for tax purposes is treated as a return of your investment, reduces your basis in Shares, thus reducing any loss or increasing any gain on a subsequent taxable disposition of Shares. A distribution will reduce a Fund’s NAV per Share and may be taxable to you as ordinary income or capital gain even though, from an economic standpoint, the distribution may constitute a return of capital.
Dividends, interest and gains from non-U.S. investments of the Funds may give rise to withholding and other taxes imposed by foreign countries. Tax conventions between certain countries and the United States may, in some cases, reduce or eliminate such taxes.
If more than 50% of a Fund’s total assets at the end of its taxable year consist of foreign securities, the Fund may elect to “pass through” to its investors certain foreign income taxes paid by the Fund, with the result that each investor will (i) include in gross income, even though not actually received, the investor’s pro rata share of the Fund’s foreign income taxes, and (ii) either deduct (in calculating U.S. taxable income) or credit (in calculating U.S. federal income), subject to certain holding period and other limitations, the investor’s pro rata share of the Fund’s foreign income taxes. It is expected that more than 50% of each Fund’s assets will consist of foreign securities, except for VanEck BDC Income ETF, VanEck Mortgage REIT Income ETF, VanEck Fallen Angel High Yield Bond ETF, VanEck IG Floating Rate ETF and VanEck Preferred Securities ex Financials ETF.
Backup Withholding. A Fund may be required to withhold a percentage of your distributions and proceeds if you have not provided a taxpayer identification number or social security number or otherwise established a basis for exemption from backup withholding. The backup withholding rate for individuals is currently 24%. This is not an additional tax and may be refunded, or credited against your U.S. federal income tax liability, provided certain required information is furnished to the IRS.
Taxes on the Sale or Cash Redemption of Exchange Listed Shares. Currently, any capital gain or loss realized upon a sale of Shares is generally treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the Shares have been held for more than one year and as a short-term capital gain or loss if held for one year or less. However, any capital loss on a sale of Shares held for six months or less is treated as long-term capital loss to the extent that capital gain dividends were paid with respect to such Shares. The ability to deduct capital losses may be limited. To the extent that a Fund’s shareholder’s Shares are redeemed for cash, this is normally treated as a sale for tax purposes.
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Taxes on Creations and Redemptions of Creation Units. A person who exchanges securities for Creation Units generally will recognize a gain or loss. The gain or loss will be equal to the difference between the market value of the Creation Units at the time of exchange and the sum of the exchanger’s aggregate basis in the securities surrendered and the amount of any cash paid for such Creation Units. A person who exchanges Creation Units for securities will generally recognize a gain or loss equal to the difference between the exchanger’s basis in the Creation Units and the sum of the aggregate market value of the securities received. The IRS, however, may assert that a loss realized upon an exchange of primarily securities for Creation Units cannot be deducted currently under the rules governing “wash sales,” or on the basis that there has been no significant change in economic position. Persons exchanging securities for Creation Units or redeeming Creation Units should consult their own tax adviser with respect to whether wash sale rules apply and when a loss might be deductible and the tax treatment of any creation or redemption transaction.
Under current U.S. federal income tax laws, any capital gain or loss realized upon a redemption (or creation) of Creation Units held as capital assets is generally treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the Shares (or securities surrendered) have been held for more than one year and as a short-term capital gain or loss if the Shares (or securities surrendered) have been held for one year or less.
If you create or redeem Creation Units, you will be sent a confirmation statement showing how many Shares you created or sold and at what price.
Medicare Tax. An additional 3.8% Medicare tax is imposed on certain net investment income (including ordinary dividends and capital gain distributions received from a Fund and net gains from redemptions or other taxable dispositions of Fund Shares) of U.S. individuals, estates and trusts to the extent that such person’s “modified adjusted gross income” (in the case of an individual) or “adjusted gross income” (in the case of an estate or trust) exceeds certain threshold amounts.
Non-U.S. Shareholders. Dividends paid by a Fund to non-U.S. shareholders are generally subject to withholding tax at a 30% rate or a reduced rate specified by an applicable income tax treaty to the extent derived from investment income and short-term capital gains. Dividends paid by a Fund from long-term capital gains are generally not subject to such withholding tax. Properly-reported dividends are generally exempt from U.S. federal withholding tax where they (i) are paid in respect of a Fund’s “qualified net interest income” (generally, a Fund’s U.S. source interest income, other than certain contingent interest and interest from obligations of a corporation or partnership in which a Fund is at least a 10% shareholder, reduced by expenses that are allocable to such income); or (ii) are paid in respect of a Fund’s “qualified short-term capital gains” (generally, the excess of a Fund’s net short-term capital gain over a Fund’s long-term capital loss for such taxable year). However, depending on its circumstances, a Fund may report all, some or none of its potentially eligible dividends as such qualified net interest income or as qualified short-term capital gains and/or treat such dividends, in whole or in part, as ineligible for this exemption from withholding.
Any capital gain realized by a non-U.S. shareholder upon a sale of Shares of a Fund will generally not be subject to U.S. federal income or withholding tax unless (i) the gain is effectively connected with the shareholder’s trade or business in the United States, or in the case of a shareholder who is a nonresident alien individual, the shareholder is present in the United States for 183 days or more during the taxable year and certain other conditions are met or (ii) the Fund is or has been a U.S. real property holding corporation, as defined below, at any time within the five-year period preceding the date of disposition of the Fund’s Shares or, if shorter, within the period during which the non-U.S. shareholder has held the Shares. Generally, a corporation is a U.S. real property holding corporation if the fair market value of its U.S. real property interests, as defined in the Internal Revenue Code and applicable regulations, equals or exceeds 50% of the aggregate fair market value of its worldwide real property interests and its other assets used or held for use in a trade or business. A Fund may be, or may prior to a non-U.S. shareholder’s disposition of Shares become, a U.S. real property holding corporation. If a Fund is or becomes a U.S. real property holding corporation, so long as the Fund’s Shares are regularly traded on an established securities market, only a non-U.S. shareholder who holds or held (at any time during the shorter of the five-year period preceding the date of disposition or the holder’s holding period) more than 5% (directly or indirectly as determined under applicable attribution rules of the Internal Revenue Code) of the Fund’s Shares will be subject to United States federal income tax on the disposition of Shares.
As part of the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (“FATCA”), a Fund may be required to withhold 30% tax on certain types of U.S. sourced income (e.g., dividends, interest, and other types of passive income) paid to (i) foreign financial institutions (“FFIs”), including non-U.S. investment funds, unless they agree to collect and disclose to the IRS information regarding their direct and indirect U.S. account holders and (ii) certain nonfinancial foreign entities (“NFFEs”), unless they certify certain information regarding their direct and indirect U.S. owners. To avoid possible withholding, FFIs will need to enter into agreements with the IRS which state that they will provide the IRS information, including the names, account numbers and balances, addresses and taxpayer identification numbers of U.S. account holders and comply with due diligence procedures with respect to the identification of U.S. accounts as well as agree to withhold tax on certain types of withholdable payments made to non-compliant foreign financial institutions or to applicable foreign account holders who fail to provide the required information to the IRS, or similar account information and required documentation to a local revenue authority, should an applicable intergovernmental agreement be implemented. NFFEs will need to provide certain information regarding each substantial U.S. owner or certifications of no substantial U.S. ownership, unless certain exceptions apply, or agree to provide certain information to the IRS.
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A Fund may be subject to the FATCA withholding obligation, and also will be required to perform due diligence reviews to classify foreign entity investors for FATCA purposes. Investors are required to agree to provide information necessary to allow a Fund to comply with the FATCA rules. If a Fund is required to withhold amounts from payments pursuant to FATCA, investors will receive distributions that are reduced by such withholding amounts.
Non-U.S. shareholders are advised to consult their tax advisors with respect to the particular tax consequences to them of an investment in the Funds, including the possible applicability of the U.S. estate tax.
The foregoing discussion summarizes some of the consequences under current U.S. federal income tax law of an investment in a Fund. It is not a substitute for personal tax advice. Consult your own tax advisor about the potential tax consequences of an investment in a Fund under all applicable tax laws. Changes in applicable tax authority could materially affect the conclusions discussed above and could adversely affect the Funds, and such changes often occur.
The Emerging Markets Global Core Index is published by JPMorgan Securities Inc. (“J.P. Morgan”). The BBB Index, BDC Index, Floating Rate Index, Mortgage REITs Index and US IG Index are published by MarketVector Indexes GmbH (“MarketVector Indexes”), which is an indirectly wholly owned subsidiary of the Adviser. The Emerging Markets High Yield Index, Fallen Angel Index, International High Yield Index and Preferred Securities Index are published by ICE Data Indices, LLC (“ICE Data”) and its affiliates. The Green Bond Index is published by S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC ("S&P Dow Jones"). J.P. Morgan, MarketVector Indexes, ICE Data and S&P Dow Jones are referred to herein as the “Index Providers.” The Index Providers do not sponsor, endorse, or promote the Funds and bear no liability with respect to the Funds or any security.
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The BDC Index is a rules based, modified capitalization weighted, float adjusted index intended to give investors a means of tracking the overall performance of BDCs. To be eligible for the BDC Index and qualify as a BDC, a company must be organized under the laws of, and have its principal place of business in, the United States, be registered with the SEC and have elected to be regulated as a BDC under the 1940 Act.
To be eligible for addition to the BDC Index, stocks must have a market capitalization of greater than $150 million as of the end of the month prior to the month in which a rebalancing date occurs. Stocks must have a three-month average daily trading volume value of at least $1 million at a review and also at the previous two reviews to be eligible for the BDC Index and issuers of such stocks must have traded at least 250,000 shares each month over the last six months at a review and also at the previous two reviews.
The BDC Index is calculated and maintained by Solactive AG on behalf of MarketVector Indexes.
The BDC Index is reconstituted and rebalanced quarterly. MarketVector Indexes may delay or change a scheduled rebalancing or reconstitution of the BDC Index or the implementation of certain rules at its sole discretion.
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The Emerging Markets High Yield Index is comprised of U.S. dollar denominated bonds issued by non-sovereign emerging market issuers that have a below investment grade rating (in accordance with ICE Data’s methodology) and that are issued in the major domestic and Eurobond markets. In order to qualify for inclusion in the Emerging Markets High Yield Index, an issuer must have risk exposure to countries other than members of the FX Group of Ten, all Western European countries and territories of the United States and Western European countries. The FX Group of Ten includes all Euro members, Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States.
The Emerging Markets High Yield Index includes corporate and quasi-government bonds of qualifying countries, but excludes sovereign and supranational bonds.
The Emerging Markets High Yield Index constituents are capitalization-weighted based on their current amount outstanding times the market price plus accrued interest, subject to a 10% country of risk cap and a 3% issuer cap.
The Emerging Markets High Yield Index is rebalanced on the last calendar day of each month. ICE Data may delay or change a scheduled rebalancing or reconstitution of the Emerging Markets High Yield Index or the implementation of certain rules at its sole discretion.


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The Fallen Angel Index is comprised of below investment grade corporate bonds denominated in U.S. dollars that were rated investment grade at the time of issuance. Qualifying securities must be issued in the U.S. domestic market and have a below investment grade rating (in accordance with the ICE Data’s methodology). The Fallen Angel Index includes bonds issued by both U.S. and non-U.S. issuers. The country of risk of qualifying issuers must be a member of the FX Group of Ten, a western European nation, or a territory of the U.S. or a Western European nation. The FX Group of Ten includes all Euro members, Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States.
A single issuer may not comprise more than 10% of the Fallen Angel Index. The Fallen Angel Index constituents are capitalization weighted, subject to the issuer cap, based on their current amount outstanding.
The Fallen Angel Index is rebalanced on the last calendar day of the month. ICE Data may delay or change a scheduled rebalancing or reconstitution of the Fallen Angel Index or the implementation of certain rules at its sole discretion.


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The Green Bond Index is designed to provide a broad measure of the performance of the investable, U.S. dollar-denominated “green” bond market. The Green Bond Index is comprised of bonds issued for qualified “green” purposes and seeks to measure the performance of U.S. dollar-denominated “green”- labeled bonds issued globally. For a bond to be eligible for inclusion in the Green Bond Index, the issuer of the bond must indicate the bond’s “green” label and the rationale behind it, such as the intended use of proceeds. As an additional filter, the bond must be flagged as “green” by Climate Bonds Initiative (“CBI”) to be eligible for inclusion in the Green Bond Index. The Green Bond Index includes supranational, corporate, government related, sovereign and securitized “green” bonds issued throughout the world (including emerging market countries), and may include both investment grade and below investment grade securities (commonly referred to as high yield securities or “junk bonds”). The maximum weight of below investment grade bonds (excluding any unrated bonds that are issued or guaranteed by a government-sponsored enterprise) in the Green Bond Index is capped at 20%. No more than 10% of the Green Bond Index can be invested in a single issuer.
Qualifying securities must have (1) a maturity of at least 12 months at the time of issuance to be included, (2) at least one month remaining until maturity at each rebalancing date, and (3) a minimum par amount outstanding of $200 million, to be included in the Green Bond Index. All bonds must be rated by at least one credit rating agency, except that up to 10% of the Green Bond Index can be invested in unrated bonds that are issued or guaranteed by a government-sponsored enterprise.
The Green Bond Index is a market-value weighted index (subject to issuer and credit rating caps). The Green Bond Index includes bonds across sectors, countries and maturities.
The composition of the Green Bond Index is rebalanced monthly. Bonds that have defaulted are removed from the Green Bond Index at the next rebalancing. S&P Dow Jones may delay or change a scheduled rebalancing or reconstitution of the Green Bond Index or the implementation of certain rules at its sole discretion.
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The International High Yield Index tracks the performance of below investment grade debt issued by corporations located throughout the world (which may include emerging market countries) excluding the United States, denominated in euros, U.S. dollars, Canadian dollars or pound sterling and issued in the major domestic or eurobond markets. Qualifying securities must have a below investment grade rating (in accordance with the ICE Data’s methodology).
International High Yield Index constituents are capitalization-weighted, based on their current amount outstanding multiplied by the market price plus accrued interest, provided the total allocation to an individual issuer does not exceed 3%.

The International High Yield Index is rebalanced on the last calendar day of the month. ICE Data may delay or change a scheduled rebalancing or reconstitution of the International High Yield Index or the implementation of certain rules at its sole discretion.
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The Floating Rate Index is designed to track the performance of U.S. investment grade floating rate notes with outstanding issue sizes of greater than or equal to $500 million. The Floating Rate Index is comprised of U.S. dollar-denominated floating rate notes issued by corporate entities or similar commercial entities that are public reporting companies in the United States. Floating Rate Index securities must have an investment grade rating (in accordance with the MarketVector Indexes’ methodology).
To be eligible for inclusion in the Floating Rate Index, investment grade floating rate notes must be issued by issuers that are formed as corporations, limited liability companies and similar types of entities that are engaged in a financial or commercial enterprise. Notes issued by governments, sovereigns, quasi-sovereigns, not-for-profit entities and government backed entities are not eligible.
Securities included in the Floating Rate Index must have a minimum of 0.5 years remaining to maturity.
The Floating Rate Index is calculated and maintained by Solactive AG on behalf of MarketVector Indexes.
The weight of any single constituent is capped at 2.00%. The Floating Rate Index is reconstituted and rebalanced monthly. MarketVector Indexes may delay or change a scheduled rebalancing or reconstitution of the Floating Rate Index or the implementation of certain rules at its sole discretion.
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The Emerging Markets Global Core Index is designed to track the performance of bonds issued by emerging market governments and denominated in the local currency of the issuer. The Emerging Markets Global Core Index is designed to be investible and includes only those countries that are accessible by most of the international investor base. J.P. Morgan selects bonds from emerging market countries that are fixed-rate, domestic currency government bonds with greater than six (6) months to maturity.
Countries eligible for inclusion in the Emerging Markets Global Core Index are countries that either meet the GNI per capita-based Index Income Ceiling ("IIC") criterion or the PPP-based Index PPP Ratio ("IPR") criterion. J.P. Morgan defines the IIC as the GNI per capital level that is adjusted every year by the growth rate of the World GNI per capita, Atlas method (current US$), provided by the World Bank annually. An existing country may be considered for removal from the index if its GNI per capita is above the Index Income Ceiling (IIC) for three consecutive years and the country’s long term foreign currency sovereign credit rating (the available ratings from all three major rating agencies: is A- /A3/A- (inclusive) or above for three consecutive years). The IPR is calculated from the one-year lagged GDP data available in IMF’s World Economic Outlook publication. The EM IPR threshold is an indexed number which tracks the changes to the World IPR. IPR = GDP (current prices, USD) / GDP (current prices, PPP dollars) * 100. IPR criterion states that a country’s IPR should be below the EM threshold for three consecutive years, to be eligible. Changes in country eligibility may warrant the re-categorization of countries into and out of the Emerging Markets Global Core Index.
The Emerging Markets Global Core Index excludes countries with explicit capital controls, but does not factor in regulatory/tax hurdles in assessing eligibility, unless such regulatory or tax hurdles significantly hinder an investor’s ability to replicate the Emerging Markets Global Core Index.
Countries in the Emerging Markets Global Core Index are subject to a maximum weight of 10% and a minimum weight of 1% to 3% depending on the amount of the country’s eligible debt outstanding. The Emerging Markets Global Core Index is rebalanced monthly. J.P. Morgan may delay or change a scheduled rebalancing or reconstitution of the Emerging Markets Global Core Index or the implementation of certain rules at its sole discretion.
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MVIS MOODY'S ANALYTICS US BBB CORPORATE BOND INDEX
The BBB Index is designed to track the performance of U.S. dollar-denominated BBB-rated corporate bonds issued in the U.S. domestic market by U.S. and non-U.S. issuers that MarketVector Indexes determines offer an excess spread over fair value, while excluding bonds exhibiting the highest probability of being downgraded to non-investment grade, based on proprietary credit risk metrics developed and licensed by Moody’s Analytics, Inc. (“Moody’s Analytics”). The BBB Index uses ICE BofA US Corporate Index as its index universe. MarketVector Indexes constructs the BBB Index using a rules-based methodology that involves the following steps:
Step 1: Bonds with a BBB rating, based on the bond’s composite rating, are grouped into categories based on sector and duration.
Step 2: Within each category, MarketVector Indexes ranks each bond by a factor that measures the bond's excess spread over fair value. If a bond is not already included in the BBB Index, it must rank within the highest 10% within its respective category to qualify. If a bond is already included in the BBB Index, it must rank within the highest 40% within its respective category to qualify.
Step 3: Each bond selected in Step 2 is ranked by the probability of its issuer being downgraded to non-investment grade using a downgrade probability factor developed by Moody's Analytics. If the probability of being downgraded is 20% or greater and the bond does not rank within the highest 10% by excess spread over fair value within its category, the bond is excluded from the BBB Index.
Bonds no longer rated BBB, including non-investment grade bonds, are removed from the BBB Index at the end of the month in which they are upgraded or downgraded in connection with the BBB Index’s next scheduled rebalance.
The BBB Index uses a modified market cap weighting. Single issuer exposure is capped at 5% and sector exposure is capped at 25%.
The BBB Index is calculated by ICE Data Indices, LLC or its affiliates (“ICE Data”).  The calculation of the BBB Index makes use of certain methodologies and calculation formulas as described in the Bond Index Methodologies publication accessible at https://indices.theice.com under the Publication - General Methodology.
The BBB Index is reconstituted and rebalanced monthly. MarketVector Indexes may delay or change a scheduled rebalancing or reconstitution of the BBB Index or the implementation of certain rules at its sole discretion.
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MVIS MOODY'S ANALYTICS US INVESTMENT GRADE CORPORATE BOND INDEX
The US IG Index is designed to track the performance of U.S. dollar-denominated investment grade corporate bonds issued in the U.S. domestic market by U.S. and non-U.S. issuers that MarketVector Indexes determines offer an excess spread over fair value, while excluding bonds exhibiting the highest probability of being downgraded to non-investment grade, based on proprietary credit risk metrics developed and licensed by Moody's Analytics, Inc. (“Moody's Analytics”). The US IG Index uses ICE BofA US Corporate Index as its index universe. MarketVector Indexes constructs the US IG Index using a rules-based methodology that involves the following steps:
Step 1: Bonds are grouped into categories based on sector and duration.
Step 2: Within each category, MarketVector Indexes ranks each bond by a factor that measures the bond's excess spread over fair value. If a bond is not already included in the US IG Index, it must rank within the highest 5% within its respective category to qualify. If a bond is already included in the US IG Index, it must rank within the highest 40% within its respective category to qualify.
Step 3: Each bond selected in Step 2 is ranked by the probability of its issuer being downgraded to non-investment grade using a downgrade probability factor developed by Moody's Analytics. If the probability of being downgraded is 20% or greater and the bond does not rank within the highest 5% by excess spread over fair value within its category, the bond is excluded from the US IG Index.
Bonds that fall below investment grade are removed from the US IG Index at the end of the month in which they are downgraded in connection with the US IG Index's next scheduled rebalance.
The US IG Index uses a modified market cap weighting. Single issuer exposure is capped at 3% and sector exposure is capped at 25%.
The US IG Index is calculated by ICE Data Indices, LLC or its affiliates (“ICE Data”).  The calculation of the US IG Index makes use of certain methodologies and calculation formulas as described in the Bond Index Methodologies publication accessible at https://indices.theice.com under the Publication - General Methodology.
The US IG Index is reconstituted and rebalanced monthly. MarketVector Indexes may delay or change a scheduled rebalancing or reconstitution of the US IG Index or the implementation of certain rules at its sole discretion.
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The Mortgage REITs Index is a rules based, modified capitalization weighted, float adjusted index intended to give investors a means of tracking the overall performance of publicly traded U.S. REITs that derive at least 50% of their revenues from mortgage-related activity. Mortgage-related activity includes companies or trusts that are primarily engaged in the purchase or service of commercial or residential mortgage loans or mortgage related securities.
To be initially eligible for addition to the Mortgage REITs Index, (i) companies must generate at least 50% of their revenues from (or, in certain circumstances, have at least 50% of their assets related to) mortgage-related activity (as defined above) and (ii) stocks must have a market capitalization of greater than $150 million as of the end of the month prior to the month in which a rebalancing date occurs. Stocks must have a three month average daily trading volume value of at least $1 million at a review and also at the previous two reviews to be eligible for the Mortgage REITs Index and issuers of such stocks must have traded at least 250,000 shares each month over the last six months at a review and also at the previous two reviews. The Mortgage REITs Index includes stocks of publicly traded U.S. REITs that meet the eligibility requirements described above. Only REITs that are listed and incorporated in the United States will be eligible for inclusion in the Mortgage REITs Index.
The Mortgage REITs Index is calculated and maintained by Solactive AG on behalf of MarketVector Indexes.
The Mortgage REITs Index is reconstituted and rebalanced quarterly. MarketVector Indexes may delay or change a scheduled rebalancing or reconstitution of the Mortgage REITs Index or the implementation of certain rules at its sole discretion.
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The Preferred Securities Index tracks the performance of exchange-listed US dollar denominated hybrid debt, preferred stock and convertible preferred stock publicly issued by non-financial corporations in the US domestic market. It includes both rated and unrated securities, and securities with either a fixed or floating rate coupon or dividend. Qualifying securities must be exchange listed and have either the NASDAQ or NYSE® as their primary exchange in order to be included in the index. In addition, qualifying securities must have at least $250 million face amount outstanding and at least one day remaining to maturity and at least 250,000 average monthly trading volume over the previous six-month period.
The Preferred Securities Index constituents are capitalization-weighted and the index is rebalanced on the last calendar day of the month. ICE Data, as the Preferred Securities Index Administrator, may at any time delay or change a scheduled rebalancing or reconstitution of the Preferred Securities Index or the implementation of certain rules at its sole discretion.
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The Adviser has entered into a licensing agreement with each Index Provider to use each Fund’s respective Index. Each Fund is entitled to use its respective Index pursuant to a sublicensing arrangement with the Adviser.
J.P. Morgan is the marketing name for JPMorgan Chase & Co., and its subsidiaries and affiliates worldwide. J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. is a member of NYSE and SIPC. JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association is a member of FDIC. J.P. Morgan Futures Inc. is a member of the NFA. J.P. Morgan Securities Ltd. and J.P. Morgan plc are authorized by the FSA and members of the LSE. J.P. Morgan Europe Limited is authorized by the FSA. J.P. Morgan Equities Limited is a member of the Johannesburg Securities Exchange and is regulated by the FSB. J.P. Morgan Securities (Asia Pacific) Limited is registered as an investment adviser with the Securities & Futures Commission in Hong Kong and its CE number is AAJ321. J.P. Morgan Securities Singapore Private Limited is a member of Singapore Exchange Securities Trading Limited and is regulated by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (“MAS”). J.P. Morgan Securities Asia Private Limited is regulated by the MAS and the Financial Services Agency in Japan. J.P. Morgan Australia Limited (ABN 52 002 888 011) is a licensed securities dealer.
The Shares of VanEck J.P. Morgan EM Local Currency Bond ETF are not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by J.P. Morgan. J.P. Morgan makes no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of the Shares of VanEck J.P. Morgan EM Local Currency Bond ETF or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally, or in the Shares of VanEck J.P. Morgan EM Local Currency Bond ETF particularly or the Emerging Markets Global Core Index to track general bond market performance. J.P. Morgan’s only relationship to the Adviser is the licensing of the Emerging Markets Global Core Index which is determined, composed and calculated by J.P. Morgan without regard to the Adviser or the Shares of VanEck J.P. Morgan EM Local Currency Bond ETF. J.P. Morgan has no obligation to take the needs of the Adviser or the owners of the Shares of VanEck J.P. Morgan EM Local Currency Bond ETF into consideration in determining, composing or calculating the Emerging Markets Global Core Index. J.P. Morgan is not responsible for and has not participated in the determination of the timing of, prices at, or quantities of the Shares of VanEck J.P. Morgan EM Local Currency Bond ETF to be issued or in the determination or calculation of the equation by which the Shares of VanEck J.P. Morgan EM Local Currency Bond ETF are to be converted into cash. J.P. Morgan has no obligation or liability in connection with the administration, marketing or trading of the Shares of VanEck J.P. Morgan EM Local Currency Bond ETF.
THE EMERGING MARKETS GLOBAL CORE INDEX AND/OR SHARES OF THE VANECK J.P. MORGAN EM LOCAL CURRENCY BOND ETF, IS PROVIDED “AS IS” WITH ANY AND ALL FAULTS. J.P. MORGAN DOES NOT GUARANTEE THE AVAILABILITY, SEQUENCE, TIMELINESS, QUALITY, ACCURACY AND/OR THE COMPLETENESS OF THE EMERGING MARKETS GLOBAL CORE INDEX AND/OR SHARES OF THE VANECK J.P. MORGAN EM LOCAL CURRENCY BOND ETF AND/OR ANY DATA INCLUDED THEREIN, OR OTHERWISE OBTAINED BY THE ADVISER, OWNERS OF THE VANECK J.P. MORGAN EM LOCAL CURRENCY BOND ETF OR BY ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY, FROM ANY USE OF THE EMERGING MARKETS GLOBAL CORE INDEX AND/OR THE SHARES OF THE VANECK J.P. MORGAN EM LOCAL CURRENCY BOND ETF. J.P. MORGAN MAKES NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, AND HEREBY EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OF FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR USE WITH RESPECT TO THE EMERGING MARKETS GLOBAL CORE INDEX OR ANY DATA INCLUDED THEREIN, OR OTHERWISE OBTAINED BY THE ADVISER, OWNERS OF SHARES OF THE VANECK J.P. MORGAN EM LOCAL CURRENCY BOND ETF OR BY ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY, FROM ANY USE OF THE EMERGING MARKETS GLOBAL CORE INDEX AND/OR SHARES OF THE VANECK J.P. MORGAN EM LOCAL CURRENCY BOND ETF. THERE ARE NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES WHICH EXTEND BEYOND THE DESCRIPTION ON THE FACE OF THIS DOCUMENT, IF ANY. ALL WARRANTIES AND REPRESENTATIONS OF ANY KIND WITH REGARD TO THE EMERGING MARKETS GLOBAL CORE INDEX AND/OR SHARES OF THE VANECK J.P. MORGAN LOCAL CURRENCY BOND ETF, ARE DISCLAIMED INCLUDING ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, QUALITY, ACCURACY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND/OR AGAINST INFRINGEMENT AND/OR WARRANTIES AS TO ANY RESULTS TO BE OBTAINED BY AND/OR FROM THE USE OF THE EMERGING MARKETS GLOBAL CORE INDEX.
The indexes may not be copied, used, or distributed without J.P. Morgan’s prior written approval. J.P. Morgan and the J.P. Morgan index names are service mark(s) of J.P. Morgan or its affiliates and have been licensed for use for certain purposes by VanEck. No purchaser, seller or holder of this security, product or fund, or any other person or entity, should use or refer to any J.P. Morgan trade name, trademark or service mark to sponsor, endorse, market or promote this Financial Product or any other financial product without first contacting J.P. Morgan to determine whether J.P. Morgan’s permission is required. Under no circumstances may any person or entity claim any affiliation with J.P. Morgan without the prior written permission of J.P. Morgan. Information has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable but J.P. Morgan does not warrant its completeness or accuracy. Copyright 2022, J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. All rights reserved.
The Adviser has entered into a licensing agreement with MarketVector Indexes to use each of the BBB Index, BDC Index, Floating Rate Index, Mortgage REITs Index and US IG Index (each an "MarketVector Index," and together, the "MarketVector Indexes"). Each of VanEck BDC Income ETF, VanEck IG Floating Rate ETF, VanEck Moody's Analytics BBB Corporate Bond ETF, VanEck Moody's Analytics IG Corporate Bond ETF and VanEck Mortgage REIT Income ETF (each an "MarketVector Index ETF," and together, the "MarketVector Index ETFs") is entitled to use its Index pursuant to a sub-licensing arrangement with the Adviser.

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Shares of the MarketVector Index ETFs are not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by MarketVector Indexes. MarketVector Indexes makes no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of Shares of the MarketVector Index ETFs or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in the Shares of the MarketVector Index ETFs particularly or the ability of the MarketVector Indexes to track the performance of its respective securities market. MarketVector Indexes’ only relationship to the Adviser is the licensing of certain service marks and trade names and of the MarketVector Indexes that are determined, composed and calculated by MarketVector Indexes without regard to the Adviser or the Shares of the MarketVector Index ETFs. MarketVector Indexes has no obligation to take the needs of the Adviser or the owners of Shares of the MarketVector Index ETFs into consideration in determining, composing or calculating the MarketVector Indexes. MarketVector Indexes is not responsible for and has not participated in the determination of the timing of, prices at, or quantities of the Shares of the MarketVector Indexes ETFs to be issued or in the determination or calculation of the equation by which the Shares of the MarketVector Indexes ETFs are to be converted into cash. MarketVector Indexes has no obligation or liability in connection with the administration, marketing or trading of the Shares of the MarketVector Indexes ETFs.
MARKETVECTOR INDEXES DOES NOT GUARANTEE THE ACCURACY AND/OR THE COMPLETENESS OF THE MARKETVECTOR INDEXES OR ANY DATA INCLUDED THEREIN AND MARKETVECTOR INDEXES SHALL HAVE NO LIABILITY FOR ANY ERRORS, OMISSIONS, OR INTERRUPTIONS THEREIN. MARKETVECTOR INDEXES MAKES NO WARRANTY, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AS TO RESULTS TO BE OBTAINED BY THE ADVISER, OWNERS OF SHARES OF THE MARKETVECTOR INDEXES ETFS, OR ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY FROM THE USE OF THE MARKETVECTOR INDEXES OR ANY DATA INCLUDED THEREIN. MARKETVECTOR INDEXES MAKES NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR USE WITH RESPECT TO THE MARKETVECTOR INDEXES OR ANY DATA INCLUDED THEREIN. WITHOUT LIMITING ANY OF THE FOREGOING, IN NO EVENT SHALL MARKETVECTOR INDEXES HAVE ANY LIABILITY FOR ANY SPECIAL, PUNITIVE, INDIRECT, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING LOST PROFITS), EVEN IF NOTIFIED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.
Shares of the MarketVector Indexes ETFs are not sponsored, promoted, sold or supported in any other manner by Solactive AG nor does Solactive AG offer any express or implicit guarantee or assurance either with regard to the results of using the MarketVector Indexes and/or its trade mark or its price at any time or in any other respect. The MarketVector Indexes are calculated and maintained by Solactive AG. Solactive AG uses its best efforts to ensure that the MarketVector Indexes are calculated correctly. Irrespective of its obligations towards MarketVector Indexes, Solactive AG has no obligation to point out errors in the MarketVector Indexes to third parties including but not limited to investors and/or financial intermediaries of the MarketVector Indexes ETFs. Neither publication of the MarketVector Indexes by Solactive AG nor the licensing of the MarketVector Indexes or its trade mark for the purpose of use in connection with the MarketVector Indexes ETFs constitutes a recommendation by Solactive AG to invest capital in the MarketVector Indexes ETFs nor does it in any way represent an assurance or opinion of Solactive AG with regard to any investment in the MarketVector Indexes ETFs. Solactive AG is not responsible for fulfilling the legal requirements concerning the accuracy and completeness of the prospectus of the MarketVector Indexes ETFs.
Source ICE Data Indices, LLC (“ICE Data”), is used with permission. “ICE” is a registered trademark of ICE Data or its affiliates. “BofA”® is a registered trademark of Bank of America Corporation licensed by Bank of America Corporation and its affiliates ("BofA") and may not be used without BofA's prior written approval. These trademarks have been licensed, along with the ICE BofA Diversified High Yield US Emerging Markets Corporate Plus Index, ICE US Fallen Angel High Yield 10% Constrained Index, ICE BofA Global Ex-US Issuers High Yield Constrained Index, ICE Exchange-Listed Fixed & Adjustable Rate Non-Financial Preferred Securities Index (collectively, the “Indices”) for use by Van Eck Associates Corporation (the “Licensee“) in connection with the VanEck Emerging Markets High Yield Bond ETF, VanEck Fallen Angel High Yield Bond ETF, VanEck International High Yield Bond ETF and the VanEck Preferred Securities ex Financials ETF (collectively, the “Products“). Neither the Licensee nor the Products, as applicable, are sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by ICE Data, its affiliates or their third party suppliers (“ICE Data and its Suppliers”). ICE Data and its Suppliers make no representations or warranties regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally, in the Products particularly, the Licensee or the ability of the Indices to track general stock market performance. Past performance of an Index is not an indicator of or a guarantee of future results.
ICE Data’s only relationship to the Licensee is the licensing of certain trademarks and trade names and the Indices or components thereof. The Indices are determined, composed and calculated by ICE Data without regard to the Licensee or the Products or its holders. ICE Data has no obligation to take the needs of the Licensee or the holders of the Products into consideration in determining, composing or calculating the Indices. ICE Data is not responsible for and has not participated in the determination of the timing of, prices of, or quantities of the Products to be issued or in the determination or calculation of the equation by which the Products are to be priced, sold, purchased, or redeemed. Except for certain custom index calculation services, all information provided by ICE Data is general in nature and not tailored to the needs of the Licensee or any other person, entity or group of persons. ICE Data has no obligation or liability in connection with the administration, marketing, or trading of the Products. ICE Data is not an investment advisor. Inclusion of a security within an index is not a recommendation by ICE Data to buy, sell, or hold such security, nor is it considered to be investment advice.
ICE DATA AND ITS SUPPLIERS DISCLAIM ANY AND ALL WARRANTIES AND REPRESENTATIONS, EXPRESS AND/OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING ANY WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR USE, INCLUDING THE INDICES, INDEX DATA AND ANY INFORMATION INCLUDED IN, RELATED TO, OR DERIVED THEREFROM
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(“INDEX DATA”). ICE DATA AND ITS SUPPLIERS SHALL NOT BE SUBJECT TO ANY DAMAGES OR LIABILITY WITH RESPECT TO THE ADEQUACY, ACCURACY, TIMELINESS OR COMPLETENESS OF THE INDICES AND THE INDEX DATA, WHICH ARE PROVIDED ON AN “AS IS” BASIS AND YOUR USE IS AT YOUR OWN RISK.
The S&P Green Bond U.S. Dollar Select Index (the “Green Bond Index”) is a product of S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC or its affiliates (“SPDJI”), and has been licensed for use by the Adviser. Standard & Poor’s® and S&P® are registered trademarks of Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC (“S&P”) and Dow Jones® is a registered trademark of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC (“Dow Jones”). The trademarks have been licensed to SPDJI and have been sublicensed for use for certain purposes by the Adviser. VanEck Green Bond ETF is not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by SPDJI, Dow Jones, S&P, any of their respective affiliates (collectively, “S&P Dow Jones Indices”). S&P Dow Jones Indices does not make any representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of VanEck Green Bond ETF or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in VanEck Green Bond ETF particularly or the ability of the Green Bond Index to track general market performance. S&P Dow Jones Indices’ only relationship to the Adviser with respect to the Green Bond Index is the licensing of the Green Bond Index and certain trademarks, service marks and/or trade names of S&P Dow Jones Indices and/or its licensors. The Green Bond Index is determined, composed and calculated by S&P Dow Jones Indices without regard to the Adviser or VanEck Green Bond ETF. S&P Dow Jones Indices has no obligation to take the needs of the Adviser or the owners of VanEck Green Bond ETF into consideration in determining, composing or calculating the Green Bond Index. S&P Dow Jones Indices is not responsible for and have not participated in the determination of the prices, and amount of VanEck Green Bond ETF or the timing of the issuance or sale of VanEck Green Bond ETF or in the determination or calculation of the equation by which VanEck Green Bond ETF is to be converted into cash, surrendered or redeemed, as the case may be. S&P Dow Jones Indices has no obligation or liability in connection with the administration, marketing or trading of VanEck Green Bond ETF. There is no assurance that investment products based on the Green Bond Index will accurately track index performance or provide positive investment returns. S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC is not an investment advisor. Inclusion of a security within an index is not a recommendation by S&P Dow Jones Indices to buy, sell, or hold such security, nor is it considered to be investment advice.

The S&P Dow Jones Indices does not review materials for accuracy or completeness and will not have any liability with respect thereto. The S&P Dow Jones Indices is not an expert with respect to VanEck’s prospectus or any other offering materials.

S&P DOW JONES INDICES DOES NOT GUARANTEE THE ADEQUACY, ACCURACY, TIMELINESS AND/OR THE COMPLETENESS OF THE GREEN BOND INDEX OR ANY DATA RELATED THERETO OR ANY COMMUNICATION, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, ORAL OR WRITTEN COMMUNICATION (INCLUDING ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS) WITH RESPECT THERETO. S&P DOW JONES INDICES SHALL NOT BE SUBJECT TO ANY DAMAGES OR LIABILITY FOR ANY ERRORS, OMISSIONS, OR DELAYS THEREIN. S&P DOW JONES INDICES MAKES NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR USE OR AS TO RESULTS TO BE OBTAINED BY THE ADVISER, OWNERS OF VANECK GREEN BOND ETF, OR ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY FROM THE USE OF THE GREEN BOND INDEX OR WITH RESPECT TO ANY DATA RELATED THERETO. WITHOUT LIMITING ANY OF THE FOREGOING, IN NO EVENT WHATSOEVER SHALL S&P DOW JONES INDICES BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, PUNITIVE, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, LOSS OF PROFITS, TRADING LOSSES, LOST TIME OR GOODWILL, EVEN IF THEY HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, TORT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR OTHERWISE. S&P DJI HAS NOT PREPARED, REVIEWED AND/OR CERTIFIED ANY PORTION OF, NOR DOES S&P HAVE ANY CONTROL OVER, THE VANECK GREEN BOND ETF REGISTRATION STATEMENT, PROSPECTUS OR OTHER OFFERING MATERIALS. THERE ARE NO THIRD PARTY BENEFICIARIES OF ANY AGREEMENTS OR ARRANGEMENTS BETWEEN S&P DOW JONES INDICES AND THE ADVISER, OTHER THAN THE LICENSORS OF S&P DOW JONES INDICES.
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FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
The financial highlights tables which follow are intended to help you understand the Funds’ financial performance for the past five years or as indicated. Certain information reflects financial results for a single Fund share. The total returns in the table represent the rate that an investor would have earned or lost on an investment in the Fund (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions). This information has been audited by another independent registered public accounting firm for the periods reflected in the financial highlights below, whose report, along with the Funds’ financial statements, are included in the Funds’ annual report, which is available upon request.

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For a share outstanding throughout each year:
BDC Income ETF
Year Ended April 30,
2022 2021 2020 2019 2018
Net asset value, beginning of year $ 16.76  $ 10.75  $ 16.55  $ 16.10  $ 19.17 
Net investment income (a) 1.44  1.43  1.54  1.59  1.52 
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments (0.06) 6.02  (5.86) 0.41  (3.04)
Total from investment operations 1.38  7.45  (4.32) 2.00  (1.52)
Distributions from:
Net investment income (1.38) (1.44) (1.48) (1.55) (1.55)
Return of capital —  —  (b) —  —  — 
Total distributions (1.38) (1.44) (1.48) (1.55) (1.55)
Net asset value, end of year $ 16.76  $ 16.76  $ 10.75  $ 16.55  $ 16.10 
Total return (b) 8.23  % 73.81  % (27.77) % 13.27  % (8.08) %
Ratios to average net assets
Gross expenses (d) 0.41  % 0.46  % 0.48  % 0.47  % 0.49  %
Net expenses (d) 0.41  % 0.41  % 0.41  % 0.41  % 0.41  %
Net expenses excluding interest and taxes (d) 0.40  % 0.40  % 0.40  % 0.40  % 0.40  %
Net investment income 8.34  % 10.57  % 9.95  % 9.73  % 8.85  %
Supplemental data
Net assets, end of year (in millions) $ 625  $ 412  $ 170  $ 207  $ 178 
Portfolio turnover rate (e) 29  % 26  % 22  % 13  % 19  %
(a)Calculated based upon average shares outstanding.
(b)Amount represents less than $0.005 per share.
(c)Returns include adjustments in accordance with U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles. Net asset values and returns for financial reporting purposes may differ from those for shareholder transactions.
(d)Periods after April 30, 2021 reflect a unitary management fee structure.
(e)Portfolio turnover rate excludes in-kind transactions.
128


Emerging Markets High Yield Bond ETF
Year Ended April 30,
2022 2021 2020 2019 2018
Net asset value, beginning of year $ 23.63  $ 20.54  $ 23.34  $ 23.83  $ 24.86 
Net investment income (a) 1.20  1.29  1.42  1.33  1.33 
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments (4.11) 3.06  (2.77) (0.46) (1.01)
Total from investment operations (2.91) 4.35  (1.35) 0.87  0.32 
Distributions from:
Net investment income (1.20) (1.26) (1.45) (1.36) (1.35)
Net asset value, end of year $ 19.52  $ 23.63  $ 20.54  $ 23.34  $ 23.83 
Total return (b) (12.84) % 21.53  % (6.27) % 3.93  % 1.28  %
Ratios to average net assets
Gross expenses (c) 0.40  % 0.45  % 0.47  % 0.46  % 0.45  %
Net expenses (c) 0.40  % 0.40  % 0.40  % 0.40  % 0.40  %
Net investment income 5.39  % 5.58  % 6.19  % 5.81  % 5.43  %
Supplemental data
Net assets, end of year (in millions) $ 1,152  $ 784  $ 308  $ 261  $ 372 
Portfolio turnover rate (d) 34  % 31  % 28  % 27  % 40  %
(a)Calculated based upon average shares outstanding.
(b)Returns include adjustments in accordance with U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles. Net asset values and returns for financial reporting purposes may differ from those for shareholder transactions.
(c)Periods after April 30, 2021 reflect a unitary management fee structure.
(d)Portfolio turnover rate excludes in-kind transactions.
129


For a share outstanding throughout each year:
Fallen Angel High Yield Bond ETF
Year Ended April 30,
2022 2021 2020 2019 2018
Net asset value, beginning of year $ 32.20  $ 26.84  $ 29.00  $ 29.19  $ 29.65 
Net investment income (a) 1.19  1.49  1.54  1.64  1.54 
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments (3.22) 5.35  (2.16) (0.24) (0.40)
Total from investment operations (2.03) 6.84  (0.62) 1.40  1.14 
Distributions from:
Net investment income (1.23) (1.48) (1.54) (1.59) (1.51)
Net realized capital gains —  —  —  —  (0.09)
Total distributions (1.23) (1.48) (1.54) (1.59) (1.60)
Net asset value, end of year $ 28.94  $ 32.20  $ 26.84  $ 29.00  $ 29.19 
Total return (b) (6.63) % 25.95  % (2.38) % 5.04  % 3.86  %
Ratios to average net assets
Gross expenses (c) 0.35  % 0.43  % 0.43  % 0.45  % 0.44  %
Net expenses (c) 0.35  % 0.35  % 0.35  % 0.35  % 0.35  %
Net investment income 3.70  % 4.83  % 5.35  % 5.76  % 5.16  %
Supplemental data
Net assets, end of year (in millions) $ 3,826  $ 4,915  $ 1,683  $ 976  $ 1,223 
Portfolio turnover rate (d) 44  % 27  % 68  % 29  % 20  %
(a)Calculated based upon average shares outstanding.
(b)Returns include adjustments in accordance with U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles. Net asset values and returns for financial reporting purposes may differ from those for shareholder transactions.
(c)Periods after April 30, 2021 reflect a unitary management fee structure.
(d)Portfolio turnover rate excludes in-kind transactions.
130


Green Bond ETF
Year Ended April 30,
2022 2021 2020 2019 2018
Net asset value, beginning of year $ 27.16  $ 26.85  $ 25.87  $ 26.54  $ 25.44 
Net investment income (a) 0.55  0.55  0.58  0.34  0.29 
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments (3.03) 0.28  (b) 1.00  (0.68) 1.16 
Total from investment operations (2.48) 0.83  1.58  (0.34) 1.45 
Distributions from:
Net investment income (0.55) (0.52) (0.50) (0.29) (0.35)
Net realized capital gains —  —  —  —  —  (c)
Return of capital —  —  (0.10) (0.04) — 
Total distributions (0.55) (0.52) (0.60) (0.33) (0.35)
Net asset value, end of year $ 24.13  $ 27.16  $ 26.85  $ 25.87  $ 26.54 
Total return (d) (9.30) % 3.07  % 6.17  % (1.25) % 5.72  %
Ratios to average net assets
Gross expenses (e) 0.20  % 0.65  % 0.83  % 1.02  % 1.56  %
Net expenses (e) 0.20  % 0.20  % 0.23  % 0.33  % 0.40  %
Net investment income 2.07  % 2.01  % 2.17  % 1.32  % 1.10  %
Supplemental data
Net assets, end of year (in millions) $ 95  $ 84  $ 32  $ 26  $ 17 
Portfolio turnover rate (f) 19  % 25  % 83  % 28  % 26  %
(a)Calculated based upon average shares outstanding.
(b)The amount shown does not correspond with the aggregate net gain (loss) on investments for the period due to the timing of sales and repurchase of shares in relation to fluctuating market values of the investments of the Fund.
(c)Amount represents less than $0.005 per share.
(d)Returns include adjustments in accordance with U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles. Net asset values and returns for financial reporting purposes may differ from those for shareholder transactions.
(e)Periods after April 30, 2021 reflect a unitary management fee structure.
(f)Portfolio turnover rate excludes in-kind transactions.
131


For a share outstanding throughout each year:
International High Yield Bond ETF
Year Ended April 30,
2022 2021 2020 2019 2018
Net asset value, beginning of year $ 25.71  $ 22.21  $ 24.54  $ 25.20  $ 24.90 
Net investment income (a) 1.02  1.13  1.26  1.13  1.07 
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments (4.78) 3.54  (2.33) (0.65) 0.39 
Total from investment operations (3.76) 4.67  (1.07) 0.48  1.46 
Distributions from:
Net investment income (1.05) (1.10) (1.17) (1.08) (1.02)
Return of capital —  (0.07) (0.09) (0.06) (0.14)
Total distributions (1.05) (1.17) (1.26) (1.14) (1.16)
Net asset value, end of year $ 20.90  $ 25.71  $ 22.21  $ 24.54  $ 25.20 
Total return (b) (15.07) % 21.30  % (4.67) % 2.08  % 5.91  %
Ratios to average net assets
Gross expenses (c) 0.40  % 0.56  % 0.62  % 0.54  % 0.52  %
Net expenses (c) 0.40  % 0.40  % 0.40  % 0.40  % 0.40  %
Net investment income 4.21  % 4.54  % 5.17  % 4.66  % 4.19  %
Supplemental data
Net assets, end of year (in millions) $ 79  $ 100  $ 89  $ 113  $ 171 
Portfolio turnover rate (d) 25  % 33  % 37  % 32  % 41  %
IG Floating Rate ETF
Year Ended April 30,
2022 2021 2020 2019 2018
Net asset value, beginning of year $ 25.33  $ 24.61  $ 25.25  $ 25.32  $ 25.14 
Net investment income (a) 0.14  0.23  0.68  0.77  0.52 
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments (0.25) 0.76  (0.61) (0.10) 0.13 
Total from investment operations (0.11) 0.99  0.07  0.67  0.65 
Distributions from:
Net investment income (0.15) (0.27) (0.71) (0.74) (0.47)
Net asset value, end of year $ 25.07  $ 25.33  $ 24.61  $ 25.25  $ 25.32 
Total return (b) (0.45) % 4.07  % 0.26  % 2.71  % 2.59  %
Ratios to average net assets
Gross expenses (c) 0.14  % 0.39  % 0.40  % 0.40  % 0.41  %
Net expenses (c) 0.14  % 0.14  % 0.14  % 0.14  % 0.14  %
Net investment income 0.56  % 0.93  % 2.70  % 3.05  % 2.06  %
Supplemental data
Net assets, end of year (in millions) $ 1,135  $ 560  $ 461  $ 542  $ 377 
Portfolio turnover rate (d) 78  % 72  % 40  % 30  % 28  %
(a)Calculated based upon average shares outstanding.
(b)Returns include adjustments in accordance with U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles. Net asset values and returns for financial reporting purposes may differ from those for shareholder transactions.
(c)Periods after April 30, 2021 reflect a unitary management fee structure.
(d)Portfolio turnover rate excludes in-kind transactions.
132


For a share outstanding throughout each year:
J.P. Morgan EM Local Currency Bond ETF (a)
Year Ended April 30,
2022 2021 2020 2019 2018
Net asset value, beginning of year $ 31.14  $ 29.36  $ 33.11  $ 37.56  $ 37.24 
Net investment income (b) 1.47  1.55  2.00  2.14  2.18 
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments (5.84) 1.78  (3.75) (4.45) 0.40 
Total from investment operations (4.37) 3.33  (1.75) (2.31) 2.58 
Distributions from:
Net investment income (0.77) (0.01) (0.48) (1.36) (1.98)
Return of capital (0.67) (1.54) (1.52) (0.78) (0.28)
Total distributions (1.44) (1.55) (2.00) (2.14) (2.26)
Net asset value, end of year $ 25.33  $ 31.14  $ 29.36  $ 33.11  $ 37.56 
Total return (c) (14.56) % 11.40  % (5.79) % (6.05) % 7.05  %
Ratios to average net assets
Gross expenses 0.32  % 0.31  % 0.36  % 0.41  % 0.46  %
Net expenses 0.30  % 0.30  % 0.30  % 0.31  % 0.44  %
Net investment income 5.00  % 4.92  % 6.05  % 6.35  % 5.69  %
Supplemental data
Net assets, end of year (in millions) $ 3,073  $ 3,380  $ 3,339  $ 5,332  $ 5,645 
Portfolio turnover rate (d) 33  % 40  % 39  % 36  % 28  %

(a)On October 26, 2018, the Fund effected a 1 for 2 reverse share split). Per share data has been adjusted to reflect the reverse share split.
(b)Calculated based upon average shares outstanding.
(c)Returns include adjustments in accordance with U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles. Net asset values and returns for financial reporting purposes may differ from those for shareholder transactions.
(d)Portfolio turnover rate excludes in-kind transactions.
Moody’s Analytics BBB
Corporate Bond ETF
  Year Ended
April 30,
2022
Period
Ended
April 30,
2021(a)
Net asset value, beginning of period $ 24.73  $ 25.00 
Net investment income (b) 0.55  0.22 
Net realized and unrealized loss on investments (3.19) (0.30)
Total from investment operations (2.64) (0.08)
Distributions from:
Net investment income (0.57) (0.19)
Net asset value, end of period $ 21.52  $ 24.73 
Total return (c) (10.96) % (0.32) %(d)
Ratios to average net assets    
Expenses 0.25  % 0.25  %(e)
Net investment income 2.26  % 2.14  %(e)
Supplemental data
Net assets, end of period (in millions) $ $ 10 
Portfolio turnover rate (f) 48  % 35  %(d)
(a)For the period December 2, 2020 (commencement of operations) through April 30, 2021.
(b)Calculated based upon average shares outstanding.
(c)Returns include adjustments in accordance with U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles. Net asset values and returns for financial reporting purposes may differ from those for shareholder transactions.
(d)Not Annualized
(e)Annualized
(f)Portfolio turnover rate excludes in-kind transactions.
133


For a share outstanding throughout each period:
Moody’s Analytics IG
Corporate Bond ETF
  Year Ended
April 30,
2022
Period
Ended
April 30,
2021(a)
Net asset value, beginning of period $ 24.58  $ 25.00 
Net investment income (b) 0.52  0.21 
Net realized and unrealized loss on investments (2.96) (0.45)
Total from investment operations (2.44) (0.24)
Distributions from:
Net investment income (0.53) (0.18)
Net asset value, end of period $ 21.61  $ 24.58 
Total return (c) (10.15) % (0.97) %(d)
Ratios to average net assets
Expenses 0.20  % 0.20  %(e)
Net investment income 2.13  % 2.10  %(e)
Supplemental data
Net assets, end of period (in millions) $ 13  $ 15 
Portfolio turnover rate (f) 53  % 28  %(d)
(a)For the period December 2, 2020 (commencement of operations) through April 30, 2021.
(b)Calculated based upon average shares outstanding.
(c)Returns include adjustments in accordance with U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles. Net asset values and returns for financial reporting purposes may differ from those for shareholder transactions.
(d)Not Annualized
(e)Annualized
(f)Portfolio turnover rate excludes in-kind transactions.

Mortgage REIT Income ETF
Year Ended April 30,
2022 2021 2020 2019 2018
Net asset value, beginning of year $ 19.45  $ 11.42  $ 23.63  $ 22.71  $ 24.49 
Net investment income (a) 0.76  0.86  1.45  1.68  1.70 
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments (3.44) 8.49  (11.90) 0.94  (1.59)
Total from investment operations (2.68) 9.35  (10.45) 2.62  0.11 
Distributions from:
Net investment income (0.79) (0.83) (1.45) (1.67) (1.81)
Return of capital (0.75) (0.49) (0.31) (0.03) (0.08)
Total distributions (1.54) (1.32) (1.76) (1.70) (1.89)
Net asset value, end of year $ 15.23  $ 19.45  $ 11.42  $ 23.63  $ 22.71 
Total return (b) (14.74) % 85.71  % (46.63) % 12.00  % 0.32  %
Ratios to average net assets
Gross expenses (c) 0.41  % 0.49  % 0.50  % 0.49  % 0.49  %
Net expenses (c) 0.41  % 0.41  % 0.41  % 0.42  % 0.41  %
Net expenses excluding interest and taxes (c) 0.40  % 0.40  % 0.40  % 0.40  % 0.40  %
Net investment income 4.15  % 5.55  % 6.70  % 7.19  % 7.13  %
Supplemental data
Net assets, end of year (in millions) $ 211  $ 310  $ 119  $ 175  $ 132 
Portfolio turnover rate (d) 12  % 31  % 16  % 35  % 21  %
(a)Calculated based upon average shares outstanding.
(b)Returns include adjustments in accordance with U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles. Net asset values and returns for financial reporting purposes may differ from those for shareholder transactions.
(c)Periods after April 30, 2021 reflect a unitary management fee structure.
(d)Portfolio turnover rate excludes in-kind transactions.
134


For a share outstanding throughout each year:
Preferred Securities ex Financials ETF
Year Ended April 30,
2022 2021 2020 2019 2018
Net asset value, beginning of year $ 20.97  $ 18.23  $ 19.37  $ 19.09  $ 20.12 
Net investment income (a) 1.01  0.98  1.06  1.13  1.10 
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments (1.68) 2.72  (1.12) 0.32  (0.98)
Total from investment operations (0.67) 3.70  (0.06) 1.45  0.12 
Distributions from:
Net investment income (1.13) (0.96) (1.08) (1.17) (1.14)
Return of capital (0.02) —  —  —  (0.01)
Total distributions (1.15) (0.96) (1.08) (1.17) (1.15)
Net asset value, end of year $ 19.15  $ 20.97  $ 18.23  $ 19.37  $ 19.09 
Total return (b) (3.61) % 20.78  % (0.54) % 7.90  % 0.57  %
Ratios to average net assets
Gross expenses (c) 0.40  % 0.43  % 0.44  % 0.46  % 0.45  %
Net expenses (c) 0.40  % 0.40  % 0.41  % 0.41  % 0.41  %
Net expenses excluding interest and taxes (c) 0.40  % 0.40  % 0.40  % 0.40  % 0.40  %
Net investment income 4.79  % 4.97  % 5.41  % 5.92  % 5.57  %
Supplemental data
Net assets, end of year (in millions) $ 1,002  $ 948  $ 689  $ 584  $ 498 
Portfolio turnover rate (d) 37  % 36  % 45  % 31  % 47  %

(a)Calculated based upon average shares outstanding.
(b)Returns include adjustments in accordance with U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles. Net asset values and returns for financial reporting purposes may differ from those for shareholder transactions.
(c)Periods after April 30, 2021 reflect a unitary management fee structure.
(d)Portfolio turnover rate excludes in-kind transactions.
135

Information regarding how often the closing trading price of the Shares of each Fund was above (i.e., at a premium) or below (i.e., at a discount) the NAV of the Fund for the most recently completed calendar year and the most recently completed calendar quarter(s) since that year (or the life of the Fund, if shorter) can be found at www.vaneck.com.
CONTINUOUS OFFERING
The method by which Creation Units are created and traded may raise certain issues under applicable securities laws. Because new Creation Units are issued and sold by the Trust on an ongoing basis, a “distribution,” as such term is used in the Securities Act, may occur at any point. Broker dealers and other persons are cautioned that some activities on their part may, depending on the circumstances, result in their being deemed participants in a distribution in a manner which could render them statutory underwriters and subject them to the prospectus delivery and liability provisions of the Securities Act.
For example, a broker dealer firm or its client may be deemed a statutory underwriter if it takes Creation Units after placing an order with the Distributor, breaks them down into constituent Shares, and sells such Shares directly to customers, or if it chooses to couple the creation of a supply of new Shares with an active selling effort involving solicitation of secondary market demand for Shares. A determination of whether one is an underwriter for purposes of the Securities Act must take into account all the facts and circumstances pertaining to the activities of the broker dealer or its client in the particular case, and the examples mentioned above should not be considered a complete description of all the activities that could lead to a categorization as an underwriter.
Broker dealers who are not “underwriters” but are participating in a distribution (as contrasted to ordinary secondary trading transactions), and thus dealing with Shares that are part of an “unsold allotment” within the meaning of Section 4(a)(3)(C) of the Securities Act, would be unable to take advantage of the prospectus delivery exemption provided by Section 4(a)(3) of the Securities Act. This is because the prospectus delivery exemption in Section 4(a)(3) of the Securities Act is not available in respect of such transactions as a result of Section 24(d) of the 1940 Act. As a result, broker dealer firms should note that dealers who are not underwriters but are participating in a distribution (as contrasted with ordinary secondary market transactions) and thus dealing with the Shares that are part of an overallotment within the meaning of Section 4(a)(3)(A) of the Securities Act would be unable to take advantage of the prospectus delivery exemption provided by Section 4(a)(3) of the Securities Act. Firms that incur a prospectus delivery obligation with respect to Shares are reminded that, under Rule 153 of the Securities Act, a prospectus delivery obligation under Section 5(b)(2) of the Securities Act owed to an exchange member in connection with a sale on the Exchange is satisfied by the fact that the prospectus is available at the Exchange upon request. The prospectus delivery mechanism provided in Rule 153 is only available with respect to transactions on an exchange.
In addition, certain affiliates of the Funds and the Adviser may purchase and resell Fund shares pursuant to this Prospectus.
OTHER INFORMATION
The Trust was organized as a Delaware statutory trust on March 15, 2001. Its Declaration of Trust currently permits the Trust to issue an unlimited number of Shares of beneficial interest. If shareholders are required to vote on any matters, each Share outstanding would be entitled to one vote. Annual meetings of shareholders will not be held except as required by the 1940 Act and other applicable law. See the Funds’ SAI for more information concerning the Trust’s form of organization. Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act restricts investments by investment companies in the securities of other investment companies, including Shares of a Fund (except VanEck BDC Income ETF). Registered investment companies are permitted to invest in the Funds (except VanEck BDC Income ETF) beyond the limits set forth in Section 12(d)(1) subject to certain terms and conditions set forth in SEC regulations, including that such investment companies enter into an agreement with such Fund.
The Prospectus, SAI and any other Fund communication do not create any contractual obligations between the Fund’s shareholders and the Trust, the Fund, the Adviser and/or the Trustees. Further, shareholders are not intended third-party beneficiaries of any contracts entered into by (or on behalf of) any Fund, including contracts with the Adviser or other parties who provide services to the Fund.
Dechert LLP serves as counsel to the Trust, including the Funds. PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP serves as the Trust’s independent registered public accounting firm and will audit the Fund’s financial statements annually.
136

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
This Prospectus does not contain all the information included in the Registration Statement filed with the SEC with respect to the Funds’ Shares. The Funds’ Registration Statement, including this Prospectus, the Funds’ SAI and the exhibits are available on the EDGAR database at the SEC’s website (http://www.sec.gov), and copies may be obtained, after paying a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following email address: [email protected].
The SAI for the Funds, which has been filed with the SEC, provides more information about the Funds. The SAI for the Funds is incorporated herein by reference and is legally part of this Prospectus. Additional information about the Funds’ investments is available in each Fund’s annual and semi-annual reports to shareholders. In each Fund’s annual report, you will find a discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund’s performance during its last fiscal year. The SAI and the Funds’ annual and semi-annual reports may be obtained without charge by writing to the Funds at Van Eck Securities Corporation, the Funds’ Distributor, at 666 Third Avenue, 9th Floor, New York, New York 10017 or by calling the Distributor at the following number: Investor Information: 800.826.2333.
Shareholder inquiries may be directed to the Funds in writing to 666 Third Avenue, 9th Floor, New York, New York 10017 or by calling 800.826.2333.
The Funds’ SAI is available at www.vaneck.com.
(Investment Company Act file no. 811-10325)
137


For more detailed information about the Funds, see the SAI dated September 1, 2022, as may be supplemented from time to time. Additional information about the Funds’ investments is or will be available in each Fund’s annual and semi-annual reports to shareholders. In each Fund’s annual report, you will find a discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund’s performance during its last fiscal year.
Call VanEck at 800.826.2333 to request, free of charge, the annual or semi-annual reports, the SAI, or other information about the Funds or to make shareholder inquiries. You may also obtain the SAI or a Fund’s annual or semi-annual reports by visiting the VanEck website at www.vaneck.com.
Reports and other information about the Funds are available on the EDGAR Database on the SEC’s internet site at http://www.sec.gov. In addition, copies of this information may be obtained, after paying a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following email address: [email protected].
ck0001137360-20220430_g13.jpg
Transfer Agent: State Street Bank and Trust Company
SEC Registration Number: 333-123257
1940 Act Registration Number: 811-10325
800.826.2333
vaneck.com
INCOMEPRO