ck0001683471-20220430

Merk Stagflation ETF

(STGF)

Listed on NYSE Arca, Inc.

PROSPECTUS

May 2, 2022

These securities have not been approved or disapproved by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) or the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”), nor have the SEC or CFTC passed upon the adequacy of this Prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

Merk Stagflation ETF

TABLE OF CONTENTS


Fund Summary			3
Additional Information about the Fund			9
Portfolio Holdings Information			14
Management			15
Investment Adviser			15
Management of the Subsidiary			15
Portfolio Managers			15
How to Buy and Sell Shares			16
Book Entry			16
Frequent Purchases and Redemptions of Shares			16
Determination of NAV			16
Fair Value Pricing			17
Investments by Registered Investment Companies			17
Delivery of Shareholder Documents – Householding			17
Dividends, Distributions, and Taxes			17
Distribution			20
Premium/Discount Information			20
Additional Notices			20
Financial Highlights			21

FUND SUMMARY

Investment Objective

The Merk Stagflation ETF (the “Fund”) seeks to track the performance, before fees and expenses, of the Solactive StagflationTM Index (the “Index”).

Fees and Expenses of the Fund

This table describes 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 table and Example 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 Fee1			0.40%
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees			0.00%
Other Expenses2			0.00%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses2,3			0.05%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses			0.45%

1 Merk Investments LLC, the Fund’s investment adviser (the “Adviser”), has contractually agreed to waive the management fee it receives from the Fund in an amount equal to the management fee paid to the Adviser by the Subsidiary (defined below). The agreement may be terminated by the Adviser at the conclusion of any one-year term or by the Fund’s Board of Trustees at any time, and when the Adviser ceases to serve as such. The Adviser also has contractually agreed, through May 3, 2023, to waive 0.10% of the fee received as Sponsor to the VanEck Merk Gold Trust in connection with the Subsidiary’s investment in the VanEck Merk Gold Trust.

2 Estimated for the current fiscal year.

3 Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses (AFFE) are the indirect costs of investing in other investment companies.

Example

This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your Shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same. The Example does not take into account brokerage commissions that you may pay on your purchases and sales of Shares. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:


1 Year			3 Years
$46			$144

Portfolio Turnover

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in the Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance. Because the Fund is newly organized, portfolio turnover information is not yet available.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund uses a “passive management” (or indexing) approach to seek to track the performance, before fees and expenses, of the Index which, in turn, seeks to track the performance of components that are expected to benefit, either directly or indirectly, from persistent inflation, including in an environment of weak economic growth (stagflation). The Index is owned and maintained by Solactive AG.

Solactive Stagflation Index

The Index is a rules-based index that allocates its exposure to the four funds listed below, each of which represents a stagflation-sensitive asset class.


Asset Class	Asset Allocation Minimum	Asset Allocation Maximum	Index Component
U.S. Treasury Protected Securities	55%	85%	Schwab U.S. TIPS ETF
Real Estate	5%	15%	Vanguard Real Estate ETF
Gold	5%	15%	VanEck Merk Gold Trust
Oil	5%	15%	Invesco DB Oil Fund

Relative weights within the Index change according to a trend-following methodology, which follows a systematic process that is designed to identify price trends in gold, oil and real estate. Weights in the Index are increased or decreased based on whether the respective price trends are upward or downward trending. A strong positive trend in any of the three asset classes will lead to a respective Index weight close to but not greater than 15% of the total asset allocation. A strong negative trend in any of the three asset classes will lead to a respective Index weight close to but not less than 5% of the asset allocation. The remainder of the asset allocation in the Index is balanced with an allocation to U.S. Treasury Protected Securities (“TIPS”), which are securities issued by the U.S. Treasury that are designed to provide inflation protection to investors. The Index is rebalanced whenever a change in price trend in gold, oil or real estate is detected or any of these asset classes has exceeded its minimum or maximum allocation, as described above.

The components of the Index include both exchange-traded investment companies (each, an “ETF” and collectively, “ETFs”) registered pursuant to the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “1940 Act”), similar to the Fund, and exchange-traded vehicles that are not registered investment companies and thus, not afforded all of the investor protections of the 1940 Act (together with ETFs, “ETVs”). Certain of the ETVs in which the Fund may invest may be commodity pools subject to regulation by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, such as the Invesco DB Oil Fund.

Allocation to an ETV allows the Index to indirectly obtain exposure to an underlying asset class such as TIPS and real estate or commodities such as gold or oil without investing in the individual securities that make up the ETV or taking physical delivery of the underlying investments or commodities.

The Fund’s Investment Strategy

The Fund will generally use a “replication” strategy to achieve its investment objective, meaning it generally will invest in all of the components of the Index in approximately the same proportions as in the Index. However, the Fund may use a “representative sampling” strategy, meaning it may invest in a sample of the components in the Index whose risk, return and other characteristics closely resemble the risk, return and other characteristics of the Index as a whole, when the Adviser believes it is in the best interests of the Fund (e.g., when replicating the Index involves practical difficulties or substantial costs, an Index constituent becomes temporarily illiquid, unavailable, or less liquid, or as a result of legal restrictions or limitations that apply to the Fund but not to the Index).

The Fund also may invest in securities or other investments not included in the Index, but which the Adviser believes will help the Fund track the Index. For example, the Fund may invest in securities that are not components of the Index to reflect various corporate actions and other changes to the Index (such as reconstitutions, additions, and deletions).

The Fund will invest, through the Subsidiary (as defined below), in the VanEck Merk Gold Trust (“OUNZ”), a physical gold ETV sponsored by the Adviser. As sponsor of OUNZ, the Adviser is entitled to a Sponsor’s Fee of 0.25% of the net asset value of OUNZ.

The Fund expects to gain exposure to commodities by investing in a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Fund organized under the laws of the Cayman Islands (the “Subsidiary”). The Adviser also serves as the investment adviser to the Subsidiary. The Fund’s investment in the Subsidiary is intended to provide the Fund with indirect exposure to commodities within the limits of current federal income tax laws applicable to investment companies such as the Fund, which limit the ability of investment companies to invest directly in commodities. The Subsidiary has the same investment objective as the Fund, but it may invest in commodities to a greater extent than the Fund. Except as otherwise noted, for purposes of this Prospectus, references to the Fund’s investments include the Fund’s indirect investments through the Subsidiary. Because the Fund intends to elect to be treated as a regulated investment company (“RIC”) under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Internal Revenue Code”), the size of the Fund’s investment in the Subsidiary generally will be limited to 25% of the Fund’s total assets, tested at the end of each fiscal quarter.

To the extent the Index concentrates (i.e., holds more than 25% of its total assets) in the securities of a particular industry or group of related industries, the Fund will concentrate its investments to approximately the same extent as the Index.

The Fund is classified as a “non-diversified” investment company under the 1940 Act.

Principal Investment Risks

The principal risks of investing in the Fund are summarized below. The principal risks are presented in alphabetical order to facilitate finding particular risks and comparing them with those of other funds. Each risk summarized below is considered a “principal risk” of investing in the Fund, regardless of the order in which it appears. As with any investment, there is a risk that you could lose all or a

portion of your investment in the Fund. Some or all of these risks may adversely affect the Fund’s net asset value (“NAV”), trading price, yield, total return and/or ability to meet its objective. The following risks could affect the value of your investment in the Fund:

•Cash Transaction Risk. The Fund expects to effect certain of its creations and redemptions for cash, rather than in-kind securities. The Fund may be required to sell or unwind portfolio investments to obtain the cash needed to distribute redemption proceeds. This may cause the Fund to recognize a capital gain that it might not have recognized if it had made a redemption in kind. As a result, the Fund may pay out higher annual capital gain distributions than if the in-kind redemption process was used. The use of cash creations and redemptions may also cause the Fund’s shares to trade in the market at wider bid-ask spreads or greater premiums or discounts to the Fund’s NAV. Further, effecting purchases and redemptions primarily in cash may cause the Fund to incur certain costs, such as portfolio transaction costs. These costs can decrease the Fund’s NAV if not offset by an authorized participant transaction fee.

•Commodities Risk. Exposure to investments in physical commodities subjects the Fund to greater volatility than investments in traditional securities, such as stocks and bonds. Investing in physical commodities, whether directly or indirectly, is speculative and can be extremely volatile. The commodities markets may fluctuate rapidly based on a variety of factors, including overall market movements; economic events and policies; changes in interest rates or inflation rates; changes in monetary and exchange control programs; war; acts of terrorism; natural disasters; and technological developments. Variables such as disease, drought, floods, weather, trade, embargoes, tariffs and other political events, in particular, may have a larger impact on commodity prices than on traditional securities. The prices of commodities can also fluctuate widely due to supply and demand disruptions in major producing or consuming regions. Because certain commodities may be produced in a limited number of countries and may be controlled by a small number of producers, political, economic and supply-related events in such countries could have a disproportionate impact on the prices of such commodities. These factors may affect the value of the Fund in varying ways, and different factors may cause the value and the volatility of the Fund to move in inconsistent directions at inconsistent rates. The current or “spot” prices of physical commodities may also affect, in a volatile and inconsistent manner, the prices of futures contracts in respect of the relevant commodity.

•Cybersecurity Risk. Cybersecurity incidents may allow an unauthorized party to gain access to Fund assets or proprietary information, or cause the Fund, the Adviser, and/or other service providers (including custodians and financial intermediaries) to suffer data breaches or data corruption. Additionally, cybersecurity failures or breaches of the electronic systems of the Fund, the Adviser, or the Fund’s other service providers, market makers, Authorized Participants (“APs”) or the issuers of securities in which the Fund invests have the ability to cause disruptions and negatively impact the Fund's business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses to the Fund and its shareholders.

•Equity Market Risk. The equity securities held in the Fund’s portfolio may experience sudden, unpredictable drops in value or long periods of decline in value. This may occur because of factors that affect securities markets generally or factors affecting specific issuers, industries, sectors or companies in which the Fund invests. Common stocks are generally exposed to greater risk than other types of securities, such as preferred stocks and debt obligations, because common stockholders generally have inferior rights to receive payment from issuers.

•ETF Risks. The Fund is an ETF, and, as a result of its structure, it is exposed to the following risks:

◦Authorized Participants, Market Makers, and Liquidity Providers Concentration Risk. The Fund has a limited number of financial institutions that may act as APs. In addition, there may be a limited number of market makers and/or liquidity providers in the marketplace. To the extent either of the following events occur, Shares may trade at a material discount to NAV and possibly face delisting: (i) APs exit the business or otherwise become unable to process creation and/or redemption orders and no other APs step forward to perform these services, or (ii) market makers and/or liquidity providers exit the business or significantly reduce their business activities and no other entities step forward to perform their functions.

◦Costs of Buying or Selling Shares. Due to the costs of buying or selling Shares, including brokerage commissions imposed by brokers and bid/ask spreads, frequent trading of Shares may significantly reduce investment results and an investment in Shares may not be advisable for investors who anticipate regularly making small investments.

◦Trading. Although Shares are listed for trading on the NYSE Arca, Inc. (the “Exchange”) and may be traded on U.S. exchanges other than the Exchange, there can be no assurance that Shares will trade with any volume, or at all, on any stock exchange. In stressed market conditions, the liquidity of Shares may begin to mirror the liquidity of the Fund’s underlying portfolio holdings, which can be significantly less liquid than Shares.

•ETV Risk. The risks of investing in an ETV generally reflect the same risks as owning the underlying securities or other instruments to which the ETV is designed to provide exposure. The shares of certain ETVs may trade at a premium or discount to their intrinsic value (i.e., the market value may differ from the net asset value of an ETV’s shares). For example, supply and demand for shares of an ETV or market disruptions may cause the market price of the ETV to deviate from the value of the ETV’s investments, which may be emphasized in less liquid markets. By investing in an ETV, the Fund indirectly bears the proportionate share of any fees and expenses of the ETV in addition to Fund’s direct fees and expenses. Additionally, trading in an ETV may be halted by the exchange on which it trades.

•Gold Investment Risk. The Fund may be sensitive to changes in the price of gold. Competitive pressures may have a significant effect on the financial condition of companies in such industry. Also, such companies are highly dependent on the price of certain precious metals. These prices may fluctuate substantially over short periods of time, so the Fund’s Share price may be more volatile than other types of investments. The price of gold rises and falls in response to many factors, including: economic cycles; changes in inflation or expectations about inflation in various countries; interest rates; currency fluctuations; metal sales by governments, central banks, or international agencies; investment speculation; resource availability; fluctuations in industrial and commercial supply and demand; government regulation of the metals and materials industries; and government prohibitions or restrictions on the private ownership of certain precious and rare metals.

•Liquidity Risk. Liquidity risk exists when particular investments are difficult to purchase or sell. This can reduce the Fund's returns because the Fund may be unable to transact at advantageous times or prices.

•Market Risk. The trading prices of securities and other instruments fluctuate in response to a variety of factors. These factors include events impacting the entire market or specific market segments, such as political, market and economic developments, as well as events that impact specific issuers. The Fund’s NAV and market price, like security and commodity prices generally, may fluctuate significantly in response to these and other factors. As a result, an investor could lose money over short or long periods of time. U.S. and international markets have experienced significant periods of volatility in recent years due to a number of these factors, including the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and related public health issues, growth concerns in the U.S. and overseas, uncertainties regarding interest rates, trade tensions and the threat of tariffs imposed by the U.S. and other countries. These developments as well as other events could result in further market volatility and negatively affect financial asset prices, the liquidity of certain securities and the normal operations of securities exchanges and other markets. It is unknown how long circumstances related to the pandemic will persist, whether they will reoccur in the future, whether efforts to support the economy and financial markets will be successful, and what additional implications may follow from the pandemic. The impact of these events and other epidemics or pandemics in the future could adversely affect Fund performance.

•Non-Diversification Risk. Because the Fund is “non-diversified,” it may invest a greater percentage of its assets in the securities of a single issuer or a lesser number of issuers than if it was a diversified fund. As a result, the Fund may be more exposed to the risks associated with and developments affecting an individual issuer or a lesser number of issuers than a fund that invests more widely. This may increase the Fund’s volatility and cause the performance of a relatively small number of issuers to have a greater impact on the Fund’s performance.

•Oil Investment Risk. Several factors may affect the price of crude oil and, in turn, the WTI crude oil futures contracts and other assets to which the Fund may have either indirect or direct exposure. These factors include, but are not limited to, significant increases or decreases in the available supply or demand of crude oil, storage costs, technological factors related to new or improved extraction, refining and processing equipment and/or methods, a significant change in the attitude of speculators and investors towards crude oil, large purchases or sales of crude oil by governments or large institutions, other political factors such as new regulations or political discord in oil producing countries, as well as a significant increase or decrease in crude oil hedging activity by crude oil producers. Contemporaneous with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S., crude oil markets experienced shocks to the supply of and demand for crude oil. This led to an oversupply of crude oil, which impacted the price of crude oil and futures contracts on crude oil and caused historic volatility in the market for crude oil and crude oil futures contracts. More recently, in response to Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the United States banned oil and other energy imports from Russia, and the United Kingdom made a commitment to phase out oil imports from Russia by the end of 2022. The extent and duration of the war in Ukraine and the longevity and severity of sanctions remain unknown, but they could have a significant adverse impact on the price and availability of certain commodities throughout the world, including oil.

•Passive Investment Risk. The Fund is not actively managed and the Adviser would not sell shares of an equity security due to current or projected underperformance of a security industry or sector unless that security is removed from the Index or the selling of shares of that security is otherwise required upon a rebalancing of the Index as addressed in the Index methodology.

•Real Estate Companies Risk. Investment in real estate companies exposes the Fund to the risks of owning real estate directly. Real estate is highly sensitive to general and local economic conditions and developments. The U.S. real estate market may experience and has, in the past, experienced a decline in value, with certain regions experiencing significant losses in property values. Many real estate companies utilize leverage (and some may be highly leveraged), which increases investment risk and the risk normally associated with debt financing, and could potentially increase the Fund’s volatility and losses. Exposure to such real estate may adversely affect Fund performance.

•Subsidiary Investment Risk. By investing in the Subsidiary, the Fund is indirectly exposed to the risks associated with the Subsidiary’s investments. The derivatives and other investments held by the Subsidiary are generally similar to those that are permitted to be held by the Fund and are subject to the same risks that apply to similar investments if held directly by the Fund. The Subsidiary is not registered under the 1940 Act, and, unless otherwise noted in this Prospectus, is not subject to all the investor protections of the 1940 Act. Changes in the laws of the United States and/or the Cayman Islands could result in the inability of the Fund and/or the Subsidiary to continue to operate as it does currently and could adversely affect the Fund. For example, the Cayman Islands does not currently impose any income, corporate or capital gains tax or withholding tax on the Subsidiary. If Cayman Islands law changes such that the Subsidiary must pay Cayman Islands taxes, Fund shareholders would likely suffer decreased investment returns.

•Tax Risk. The Fund may gain most of its exposure to the commodities markets through its investment in the Subsidiary, which may invest directly or indirectly in commodity-linked derivative instruments. In order for the Fund to qualify as a RIC under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code, the Fund must, among other requirements, derive at least 90% of its gross income for each taxable year from sources generating “qualifying income” for purposes of the “qualifying income test,” which is described in more detail in the section titled “Federal Income Taxes” in the SAI. The Fund’s investment in the Subsidiary is expected to provide the Fund with exposure to the commodities markets within the limitations of the federal tax requirements of Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code for qualification as a RIC. The “Subpart F” income (defined in Section 951 of the Internal Revenue Code to include passive income, including from commodity-linked derivatives) of the Fund attributable to its investment in the Subsidiary is “qualifying income” to the Fund to the extent that such income is derived with respect to the Fund’s business of investing in stock, securities or currencies. The Fund expects its “Subpart F” income attributable to its investment in the Subsidiary to be derived with respect to the Fund’s business of investing in stock, securities or currencies and accordingly expects its “Subpart F” income attributable to its investment in the Subsidiary to be treated as “qualifying income.” Furthermore, while the applicable rules do not require distributions from the Subsidiary, the Fund intends to cause the Subsidiary to make distributions that would allow the Fund to make timely distributions to its shareholders. The Fund generally will be required to include in its own taxable income the “Subpart F” income of the Subsidiary for a tax year, regardless of whether the Fund receives a distribution of the Subsidiary’s income in that tax year, and this income would nevertheless be subject to the distribution requirement for qualification as a RIC and would be taken into account for purposes of the 4% excise tax. The Adviser will carefully monitor the Fund’s investments in the Subsidiary to ensure that no more than 25% of the Fund’s assets are invested in the Subsidiary to comply with the Fund’s asset diversification test as described in more detail in the SAI.

If the Fund did not qualify as a RIC for any taxable year and certain relief provisions were not available, the Fund’s taxable income would be subject to tax at the Fund level and to a further tax at the shareholder level when such income is distributed. In such event, in order to re-qualify for taxation as a RIC, the Fund might be required to recognize unrealized gains, pay substantial taxes and interest and make certain distributions. This would cause investors to incur higher tax liabilities than they otherwise would have incurred and would have a negative impact on Fund returns. In such event, the Fund’s Board of Trustees may determine to reorganize or close the Fund or materially change the Fund’s investment objective and strategies. In the event that the Fund fails to qualify as a RIC, the Fund will promptly notify shareholders of the implications of that failure.

•Tracking Error Risk. As with all index funds, the performance of the Fund and its Index may differ from each other for a variety of reasons. For example, the Fund incurs operating expenses and portfolio transaction costs not incurred by the Index. In addition, the Fund may not be fully invested in the securities of the Index at all times or may hold securities not included in the Index.

Performance

The Fund is new and therefore does not have a performance history for a full calendar year. In the future, performance information for the Fund will be presented in this section. Updated performance information is available on the Fund’s website at www.merkfunds.com.

Management


Investment Adviser:			Merk Investments LLC
Portfolio Managers:			Axel Merk, President and Chief Investment Officer of the Adviser, Daniel Lucas, CFA, Managing Director - Quantitative Research & Trading of the Adviser, and Nicholas Reece, CFA, Vice President - Macro Research & Investment Strategy of the Adviser, and each a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser, have been portfolio managers of the Fund since its inception in May 2022

Purchase and Sale of Shares

The Fund issues and redeems Shares at NAV only in large blocks known as “Creation Units,” which only APs (typically, broker-dealers) may purchase or redeem. The Fund generally issues and redeems Creation Units in exchange for a portfolio of securities and/or a designated amount of U.S. cash.

Shares are listed on the Exchange, and individual Shares may only be bought and sold in the secondary market through a broker or dealer at market prices, rather than NAV. Because Shares trade at market prices rather than NAV, Shares may trade at a price greater than NAV (premium) or less than NAV (discount).

An investor may incur costs attributable to the difference between the highest price a buyer is willing to pay to purchase Shares (the “bid” price) and the lowest price a seller is willing to accept for Shares (the “ask” price) when buying or selling Shares in the secondary market. The difference in the bid and ask prices is referred to as the “bid-ask spread.”

Recent information regarding the Fund’s NAV, market price, how often Shares traded on the Exchange at a premium or discount, and bid-ask spreads can be found on the Fund’s website at www.merkfunds.com.

Tax Information

The Fund’s distributions are generally taxable as ordinary income, qualified dividend income, or capital gains (or a combination), unless your investment is in an individual retirement account (“IRA”) or other tax-advantaged account. Distributions on investments made through tax-deferred arrangements may be taxed later upon withdrawal of assets from those accounts.

Financial Intermediary Compensation

If you purchase Shares through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank) (an “Intermediary”), the Adviser or its affiliates may pay Intermediaries for certain activities related to the Fund, including participation in activities that are designed to make Intermediaries more knowledgeable about exchange-traded products, including the Fund, or for other activities, such as marketing, educational training or other initiatives related to the sale or promotion of Shares. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the Intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Any such arrangements do not result in increased Fund expenses. Ask your salesperson or visit the Intermediary’s website for more information.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUND

Investment Objective

The Fund’s investment objective has been adopted as a non-fundamental investment policy and may be changed without shareholder approval upon written notice to shareholders.

Principal Investment Strategy

TIPS are marketable securities whose principal is adjusted based on changes in the Consumer Price Index. With inflation (an increase in the CPI), the principal increases, and with deflation (a decrease in the CPI), the principal decreases. The relationship between TIPS and the CPI affects both the principal amount paid when a TIPS instrument matures and the amount of interest that a TIPS instrument pays semi-annually. When a TIPS instrument matures, the principal paid is the greater of the CPI-adjusted principal or the original principal. TIPS pay interest at a fixed rate. However, because the fixed rate is applied to the CPI-adjusted principal, interest payments can vary in amount from one period to the next. If inflation occurs, the interest payment increases. In the event of deflation, the interest payment decreases. The Fund may purchase TIPS of any maturity.

Principal Investment Risks

An investment in the Fund entails risks. The Fund could lose money, or its performance could trail that of other investment alternatives. The following provides additional information about the Fund’s principal risks. It is important that investors closely review and understand these risks before making an investment in the Fund. Just as in the Fund’s summary section, the principal risks are presented in alphabetical order to facilitate finding particular risks and comparing them with those of other funds. Each risk summarized below is considered a “principal risk” of investing in the Fund, regardless of the order in which it appears.

•Cash Transaction Risk. The Fund expects to effect certain of its creations and redemptions for cash, rather than in-kind securities. The Fund may be required to sell or unwind portfolio investments to obtain the cash needed to distribute redemption proceeds. This may cause the Fund to recognize a capital gain that it might not have recognized if it had made a redemption in-kind. As a result, the Fund may pay out higher annual capital gain distributions than if the in-kind redemption process was used. The use of cash creations and redemptions may also cause the Fund’s shares to trade in the market at wider bid-ask spreads or greater premiums or discounts to the Fund’s NAV. As a practical matter, only institutions and large investors, such as market makers or other large broker dealers, create or redeem shares directly through the Fund. Most investors will buy and sell shares of the Fund on an exchange through a broker-dealer. Furthermore, the Fund may not be able to execute cash transactions for creation and redemption purposes at the same price used to determine the Fund’s NAV. To the extent that the maximum additional charge for creation or redemption transactions is insufficient to cover the execution shortfall, the Fund’s performance could be negatively impacted.

•Commodities Risk. Exposure to investments in physical commodities subjects the Fund to greater volatility than investments in traditional securities, such as stocks and bonds. Investing in physical commodities, whether directly or indirectly, is speculative and can be extremely volatile. Volatility in the commodities markets may be caused by changes in overall market movements; economic events and policies; war; acts of terrorism; natural disasters; and technological developments. The current or “spot” prices of physical commodities may also affect, in a volatile and inconsistent manner, the prices of futures contracts in respect of the relevant commodity. Certain commodities are used primarily in one industry, and fluctuations in levels of activity in one industry may have a disproportionate effect on global demand for a particular commodity. Moreover, recent growth in industrial production and gross domestic product has made some developing nations oversized users of commodities and has increased the extent to which certain commodities prices are influenced by those markets. Certain of the ETVs in which the Fund may invest are expected to be commodity pools that provide exposure to physical commodities such as precious metals or non-physical commodities, such as oil futures contracts.

•Cybersecurity Risk. With the increased use of technologies such as the Internet and the dependence on computer systems to perform business and operational functions, funds (such as the Fund) and their service providers may be prone to operational and information security risks resulting from cyber-attacks and/or technological malfunctions. In general, cyber-attacks are deliberate, but unintentional events may have similar effects. Cyber-attacks include, among others, stealing or corrupting data maintained online or digitally, preventing legitimate users from accessing information or services on a website, releasing confidential information without authorization, and causing operational disruption. Cybersecurity incidents may allow an unauthorized party to gain access to Fund assets or proprietary information, or cause the Fund, the Adviser, and/or other service providers (including custodians and financial intermediaries) to suffer data breaches or data corruption. Additionally, cybersecurity failures or breaches of the electronic systems of the Fund, the Adviser, or the Fund’s other service providers, market makers, APs or the issuers of securities in which the Fund invests have the ability to cause disruptions and negatively impact the Fund’s business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses to the Fund and its shareholders. For instance, cyber-attacks or technical malfunctions may interfere with the processing of shareholder or other transactions, affect the Fund’s ability to calculate its NAV, cause the release of private shareholder information or confidential Fund information, impede trading, cause reputational damage, and subject the Fund to regulatory fines, penalties or financial losses, reimbursement or other compensation costs, and additional compliance costs. Cyber-attacks or technical malfunctions may render records of Fund assets and transactions, shareholder ownership of Fund

Shares, and other data integral to the functioning of the Fund inaccessible or inaccurate or incomplete. The Fund may also incur substantial costs for cybersecurity risk management in order to prevent cyber incidents in the future. The Fund and its shareholders could be negatively impacted as a result.

•Equity Market Risk. Common stocks are susceptible to general stock market fluctuations and to volatile increases and decreases in value as market confidence in and perceptions of their issuers change. These investor perceptions are based on various and unpredictable factors including: expectations regarding government, economic, monetary and fiscal policies; inflation and interest rates; economic expansion or contraction; and global or regional political, economic and banking crises. If you held common stock, or common stock equivalents, of any given issuer, you would generally be exposed to greater risk than if you held preferred stocks and debt obligations of the issuer because common stockholders, or holders of equivalent interests, generally have inferior rights to receive payments from issuers in comparison with the rights of preferred stockholders, bondholders, and other creditors of such issuers.

Beginning in the first quarter of 2020, financial markets in the United States and around the world experienced extreme and in many cases unprecedented volatility and severe losses due to the global pandemic caused by COVID‑19, a novel coronavirus. The pandemic has resulted in a wide range of social and economic disruptions, including closed borders, voluntary or compelled quarantines of large populations, stressed healthcare systems, reduced or prohibited domestic or international travel, supply chain disruptions, and so-called “stay-at-home” orders throughout much of the United States and many other countries. The fall-out from these disruptions has included the rapid closure of businesses deemed “non-essential” by federal, state, or local governments and rapidly increasing unemployment, as well as greatly reduced liquidity for certain instruments at times. Some sectors of the economy and individual issuers have experienced particularly large losses. Such disruptions may continue for an extended period of time or reoccur in the future to a similar or greater extent. In response, the U.S. government and the Federal Reserve have taken extraordinary actions to support the domestic economy and financial markets, resulting in very low interest rates and in some cases negative yields. It is unknown how long circumstances related to the pandemic will persist, whether they will reoccur in the future, whether efforts to support the economy and financial markets will be successful, and what additional implications may follow from the pandemic. The impact of these events and other epidemics or pandemics in the future could adversely affect Fund performance.

•ETF Risks. The Fund is an ETF, and, as a result of its structure, it is exposed to the following risks:

◦Costs of Buying or Selling Shares. Investors buying or selling Shares in the secondary market will pay brokerage commissions or other charges imposed by brokers, as determined by that broker. Brokerage commissions are often a fixed amount and may be a significant proportional cost for investors seeking to buy or sell relatively small amounts of Shares. In addition, secondary market investors will also incur the cost of the difference between the price at which an investor is willing to buy Shares (the “bid” price) and the price at which an investor is willing to sell Shares (the “ask” price). This difference in bid and ask prices is often referred to as the “spread” or “bid/ask spread.” The bid/ask spread varies over time for Shares based on trading volume and market liquidity, and is generally lower if Shares have more trading volume and market liquidity and higher if Shares have little trading volume and market liquidity. Further, a relatively small investor base in the Fund, asset swings in the Fund and/or increased market volatility may cause increased bid/ask spreads. Due to the costs of buying or selling Shares, including bid/ask spreads, frequent trading of Shares may significantly reduce investment results and an investment in Shares may not be advisable for investors who anticipate regularly making small investments.

◦Shares May Trade at Prices Other Than NAV. As with all ETFs, Shares may be bought and sold in the secondary market at market prices. Although it is expected that the market price of Shares will approximate the Fund’s NAV, there may be times when the market price of Shares is more than the NAV intra-day (premium) or less than the NAV intra-day (discount) due to supply and demand of Shares or during periods of market volatility. This risk is heightened in times of market volatility or periods of steep market declines and periods when there is limited trading activity for Shares in the secondary market, in which case such premiums or discounts may be significant. The market price of Shares during the trading day, like the price of any exchange-traded security, includes a “bid/ask” spread charged by the exchange specialist, market makers or other participants that trade Shares. In times of severe market disruption, the bid/ask spread can increase significantly. At those times, Shares are most likely to be traded at a discount to NAV, and the discount is likely to be greatest when the price of Shares is falling fastest, which may be the time that you most want to sell your Shares. The Adviser believes that, under normal market conditions, large market price discounts or premiums to NAV will not be sustained because of arbitrage opportunities.

◦Trading. Although Shares are listed for trading on the Exchange and may be listed or traded on U.S. and non-U.S. stock exchanges other than the Exchange, there can be no assurance that an active trading market for such Shares will develop or be maintained. Trading in Shares 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 Exchange “circuit breaker” rules, which temporarily halt trading on the Exchange when a decline in the S&P 500 Index during a single day reaches certain thresholds (e.g., 7%, 13%, and 20%). Additional rules applicable to the Exchange may halt trading in Shares when extraordinary volatility causes sudden, significant swings in the market price of Shares. There can be no assurance that Shares will trade with any volume, or at all, on any stock exchange. In stressed market conditions, the liquidity of Shares may begin to mirror the liquidity of the Fund’s underlying portfolio holdings, which can be significantly less liquid than Shares.

•ETV Risk. The Fund may invest in other ETVs, including ETFs and exchange-traded vehicles that are not registered investment companies. In addition to the risks associated with the underlying assets held by an ETF, investments in other ETFs are subject to the following additional risks: (1) the ETF’s shares may trade at a price above or below its NAV; (2) an active trading market for the ETF’s shares may not develop or be maintained; (3) the listing exchange may halt trading of an ETF’s shares or delist the ETF if deemed appropriate by the exchange’s officials; (4) a passively managed ETF may not accurately track the performance of the reference asset; and (5) a passively managed ETF would not necessarily sell a security because the issuer of the security was in financial trouble unless the security is removed from the index the ETF seeks to track. Investment in ETFs may involve duplication of management fees and certain other expenses, as the Fund indirectly bears its proportionate share of any expenses paid by the ETFs in which it invests.

The risks of investing in exchange-traded vehicles not registered under the 1940 Act, which may include commodity pools, generally reflect the risks of owning the ETV’s underlying investments or commodities. Additionally, ETVs are subject to the risk that a lack of liquidity in the shares of the ETV can cause the value of an ETV’s shares to be more volatile than the underlying investments or commodities. An ETV that invests in physical gold or silver may be, or may become, subject to regulatory trading limits that could adversely affect the value of its shares and could affect its ability to pursue its investment objective. Additionally, ETVs not registered under the 1940 Act are not subject to the regulatory scheme and investor protections of the 1940 Act. In the event such an ETV that is held by the Fund defaults on its obligations to its shareholders, including the Fund, shareholders will not have a claim on the ETV’s holdings. In addition, income derived from certain ETVs that provide exposure to commodities is generally not qualifying income for purposes of the Fund’s RIC diversification tests under the Internal Revenue Code and may adversely affect the Fund’s qualification as a RIC.

•Gold Risk. The Fund may be sensitive to changes in the price of gold. Competitive pressures may have a significant effect on the financial condition of companies in such industry. Also, such companies are highly dependent on the price of certain precious metals. These prices may fluctuate substantially over short periods of time, so the Fund’s Share price may be more volatile than other types of investments. The prices of precious metals rise and fall in response to many factors, including: economic cycles; changes in inflation or expectations about inflation in various countries; interest rates; currency fluctuations; metal sales by governments, central banks, or international agencies; investment speculation; resource availability; fluctuations in industrial and commercial supply and demand; government regulation of the metals and materials industries; and government prohibitions or restrictions on the private ownership of certain precious and rare metals.

In times of stable economic growth, traditional equity and debt investments could offer greater appreciation potential, and the value of precious metals may be adversely affected, which could in turn affect the Fund’s returns. The production and sale of precious metals by governments, central banks, or other large holders can be affected by various economic, financial, social, and political factors, which may be unpredictable and may have a significant impact on the supply and prices of precious metals. Economic and political conditions in those countries that are the largest producers of precious metals may have a direct effect on the production and marketing of such metals and on sales of central bank holdings. Some precious metals mining operation companies may hedge their exposure to falls in precious metals prices by selling forward future production, which may result in lower returns during periods when the price of precious metals increases. The precious metals industry can be significantly affected by events relating to international political developments, the success of exploration projects, commodity prices, and tax and government regulations. If a natural disaster or other event with a significant economic impact occurs in a region where the companies in which the Fund invests operate, such disaster or event could negatively affect the profitability of such companies and, in turn, the Fund’s investment in them.

•Inflation-Indexed Securities Risk. The principal amount of an inflation-indexed security typically increases with inflation and decreases with deflation, as measured by a specified index. It is possible that, in a period of declining inflation rates, the Fund could receive at maturity less than the initial principal amount of an inflation-indexed security. Although the holders of U.S. TIPS receive no less than the par value of the security at maturity, if the Fund purchases U.S. TIPS in the secondary market whose principal values have previously been adjusted upward and there is a period of subsequent declining inflation rates, the Fund may receive at maturity less than it invested. Depending on the changes in inflation rates during the period the Fund holds an inflation-indexed security, the Fund may earn less on the security than on a conventional bond. The principal amounts of inflation-indexed

securities are typically only adjusted periodically, and changes in the values of the securities may only approximately reflect changes in inflation rates and may occur substantially after the changes in inflation rates in question occur.

•Liquidity Risk. Liquidity risk exists when particular investments are difficult to purchase or sell. To the extent the Fund invests in illiquid securities or securities that become less liquid, such investments may have a negative effect on the returns of the Fund because the Fund may be unable to sell the illiquid securities at an advantageous time or price. To the extent that the Fund’s principal investment strategies involve investing in securities with substantial market and/or credit risk, the Fund will tend to have the greatest exposure to liquidity risk. Liquid investments may become illiquid after purchase by the Fund, particularly during periods of market turmoil. Illiquid investments may be harder to value, especially in changing markets, and if the Fund is forced to sell these investments to meet redemption requests or for other cash needs, the Fund may suffer a loss. There can be no assurance that a security that is deemed to be liquid when purchased will continue to be liquid for as long as it is held by the Fund.

•Market Risk. The trading prices of securities and other instruments fluctuate in response to a variety of factors. These factors include events impacting the entire market or specific market segments, such as political, market and economic developments, as well as events that impact specific issuers. The Fund’s NAV and market price, like security and commodity prices generally, may fluctuate significantly in response to these and other factors. As a result, an investor could lose money over short or long periods of time. U.S. and international markets have experienced significant periods of volatility in recent years due to a number of economic, political and global macro factors, including public health issues, growth concerns in the U.S. and overseas, uncertainties regarding interest rates, trade tensions and the threat of tariffs imposed by the U.S. and other countries. These developments as well as other events could result in further market volatility and negatively affect financial asset prices, the liquidity of certain securities and the normal operations of securities exchanges and other markets, which could have an adverse effect on the Fund.

COVID-19 has resulted in a pandemic and major disruption to economies and markets around the world, including the United States. The pandemic has resulted in a wide range of social and economic disruptions, including closed borders, voluntary or compelled quarantines of large populations, stressed healthcare systems, reduced or prohibited domestic or international travel, supply chain disruptions, and so-called “stay-at-home” orders throughout much of the United States and many other countries. Financial markets have experienced extreme volatility and severe losses, and trading in many instruments has been disrupted. Some sectors of the economy and individual issuers have experienced particularly large losses. Such disruptions may continue for an extended period of time or reoccur in the future to a similar or greater extent. Liquidity for many instruments has been greatly reduced for periods of time. In response to these disruptions, the U.S. government and the Federal Reserve have taken extraordinary actions to support the domestic economy and financial markets, resulting in very low interest rates and in some cases negative yields. It is unknown how long circumstances related to the pandemic will persist, whether they will reoccur in the future, whether efforts to support the economy and financial markets will be successful, and what additional implications may follow from the pandemic. The impact of these events and other epidemics or pandemics in the future could adversely affect Fund performance.

•New Fund Risk. The Fund is a recently organized investment company with no operating history. As a result, prospective investors have no track record or history on which to base their investment decision. Moreover, investors will not be able to evaluate the Fund against one or more comparable funds on the basis of relative performance until the Fund has established a track record.

•Oil Investment Risk. Several factors may affect the price of crude oil and, in turn, the WTI crude oil futures contracts and other assets, if any, to which the Fund may be exposed, including, but not limited to:

◦Significant increases or decreases in the available supply of crude oil due to natural or technological factors. Natural factors would include depletion of known cost-effective sources for crude oil or the impact of severe weather on the ability to produce or distribute crude oil. Technological factors would include increases in availability created by new or improved extraction, refining and processing equipment and methods or decreases caused by failure or unavailability of major refining and processing equipment (for example, shutting down or constructing oil refineries).

◦A significant change in the attitude of speculators and investors towards crude oil. Should the speculative community take a negative or positive view towards crude oil, it could cause a change in world prices of crude oil, which could have a corresponding positive or negative impact on the price of the Fund’s shares.

◦Large purchases or sales of crude oil by the official sector. Governments and large institutions have large commodities holdings or may establish major commodities positions. For example, nations with centralized or nationalized oil production and organizations such as the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries control large physical quantities of crude oil. If

one or more of these institutions decides to buy or sell crude oil in amounts large enough to cause a change in world prices, the price of the Fund’s shares will be affected.

◦Political factors such as imposition of regulations or entry into trade treaties, as well as political disruptions caused by societal breakdown, insurrection and/or war may greatly influence crude oil supply and prices. For example, in response to Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the United States recently banned oil and other energy imports from Russia, and the United Kingdom made a commitment to phase out oil imports from Russia by the end of 2022.

◦A significant increase or decrease in crude oil hedging activity by crude oil producers. Should there be an increase or decrease in the level of hedge activity of crude oil producing companies, countries and/or organizations, it could cause a change in world prices of crude oil, causing the price of the Fund’s shares to be affected.

•Real Estate Companies Risk. Investment in real estate companies exposes the Fund to the risks of owning real estate directly. These include risks related to general, regional and local economic conditions; fluctuations in interest rates and property tax rates; shifts in zoning laws, environmental regulations and other governmental action such as the exercise of eminent domain; increased operating expenses; lack of availability of mortgage funds or other limits to accessing the credit or capital markets; losses due to natural disasters; overbuilding; losses due to casualty or condemnation; changes in property values and rental rates; and other factors. Real estate is highly sensitive to general and local economic conditions and developments. The U.S. real estate market may, in the future, experience and has, in the past, experienced a decline in value, with certain regions experiencing significant losses in property values. Many real estate companies utilize leverage (and some may be highly leveraged), which increases investment risk and the risk normally associated with debt financing, and could potentially increase the Fund’s volatility and losses. Exposure to such real estate may adversely affect Fund performance.

•Tax Risk. The Fund may gain most of its exposure to the commodities markets through its investment in the Subsidiary, which may invest directly or indirectly in commodity-linked derivative instruments. In order for the Fund to qualify as a RIC under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code, the Fund must, among other requirements, derive at least 90% of its gross income for each taxable year from sources generating “qualifying income” for purposes of the “qualifying income test,” which is described in more detail in the section titled “Federal Income Taxes” in the SAI. The Fund’s investment in the Subsidiary is expected to provide the Fund with exposure to the commodities markets within the limitations of the federal tax requirements of Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code for qualification as a RIC. The “Subpart F” income (defined in Section 951 of the Internal Revenue Code to include passive income, including from commodity-linked derivatives) of the Fund attributable to its investment in the Subsidiary is “qualifying income” to the Fund to the extent that such income is derived with respect to the Fund’s business of investing in stock, securities or currencies. The Fund expects its “Subpart F” income attributable to its investment in the Subsidiary to be derived with respect to the Fund’s business of investing in stock, securities or currencies and accordingly expects its “Subpart F” income attributable to its investment in the Subsidiary to be treated as “qualifying income.” The Fund generally will be required to include in its own taxable income the “Subpart F” income of the Subsidiary for a tax year, regardless of whether the Fund receives a distribution of the Subsidiary’s income in that tax year, and this income would nevertheless be subject to the distribution requirement for qualification as a RIC and would be taken into account for purposes of the 4% excise tax. The Adviser will carefully monitor the Fund’s investments in the Subsidiary to ensure that no more than 25% of the Fund’s assets are invested in the Subsidiary to comply with the Fund’s asset diversification test as described in more detail in the SAI.

To the extent the Fund invests in commodities and certain commodity-linked derivative instruments directly, the Fund will seek to restrict its income from such instruments that do not generate qualifying income to a maximum of 10% of their gross income (when combined with its other investments that produce non-qualifying income) to comply with the qualifying income test necessary for the Fund to qualify as a RIC under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code. However, the Fund may generate more non-qualifying income than anticipated, may not be able to generate qualifying income in a particular taxable year at levels sufficient to meet the qualifying income test, or may not be able to accurately predict the non-qualifying income from these investments. The extent to which the Fund directly or indirectly invests in commodities or commodity-linked derivatives may be

limited by the qualifying income and asset diversification tests, which the Fund must continue to satisfy to maintain its status as a RIC.

•U.S. Treasury Obligations Risk. U.S. Treasury obligations, including U.S. TIPS, may differ from other fixed income securities in their interest rates, maturities, times of issuance and other characteristics. Similar to other issuers, changes to the financial condition or credit rating of the U.S. government may cause the value of the Fund’s U.S. Treasury obligations to decline. The total public debt of the United States as a percentage of gross domestic product has grown rapidly since the beginning of the 2008 financial downturn and is expected to rise even further as the U.S. government implements crisis-fighting efforts in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. Although high debt levels do not necessarily indicate or cause economic problems, they may create certain systemic risks if sound debt management practices are not implemented. A high national debt level may increase market pressures to meet government funding needs, which may drive debt cost higher and cause a country to sell additional debt, thereby increasing refinancing risk. A high national debt also raises concerns that a government will not be able to make principal or interest payments when they are due. In the worst case, unsustainable debt levels can cause a decline in the value of the dollar (which may lead to inflation), and can prevent the U.S. government from implementing effective counter-cyclical fiscal policy in economic downturns. U.S. Treasury securities are currently given the top rating by all major ratings agencies except Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services, which rates them AA+, one grade below their top rating. Since downgrading U.S. Treasury securities from AAA to AA+ in 2011, Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has affirmed its rating. A downgrade of the ratings of U.S. government debt obligations, such as U.S. Treasury obligations, which are often used as a benchmark for other borrowing arrangements, could result in higher interest rates for individual and corporate borrowers, cause disruptions in the international bond markets and have a substantial negative effect on the U.S. economy. A downgrade of U.S. Treasury securities from another ratings agency or a further downgrade below AA+ rating by Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services may cause the value of the Fund’s U.S. Treasury obligations to decline.

In response to the outbreak of COVID-19, 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 considerably. These actions present heightened risks to fixed-income and 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. In light of these actions and current conditions, interest rates and bond yields in the United States and many other countries are at or near historic lows, and in some cases, such rates and yields are negative, magnifying interest rate risk and diminishing yield and performance. The current environment has also caused volatility and illiquidity in the markets. In particular, in March 2020, the COVID-19 crisis triggered a short period of heavy investor demand for trading in U.S. Treasury obligations, leading to reduced liquidity in the Treasuries market during that period.

With respect to TIPS, interest payments are unpredictable and will fluctuate as the principal and corresponding interest payments are adjusted for inflation. There can be no assurance that the CPI will accurately measure the real rate of inflation in the prices of goods and services. TIPS are also subject to credit risk and duration risk. Credit risk is the risk that an issuer will not make timely payments of principal and interest. Duration risk is the risk that holding long duration and long maturity investments will magnify certain other risks, including interest rate risk and credit risk.

•Whipsaw Markets Risk. The Fund may be subject to the forces of “whipsaw” markets (as opposed to choppy or stable markets), in which significant price movements develop but then repeatedly reverse. “Whipsaw” describes a situation where a security’s price is moving in one direction but then quickly pivots to move in the opposite direction. There are two types of whipsaw patterns. The first involves an upward movement in a price, which is then followed by a drastic downward move causing the price to fall relative to its original position. The second type occurs when a share price drops in value for a short time and then suddenly surges upward to a positive gain relative to the original position. Such market conditions could cause substantial losses to the Fund.

PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS INFORMATION

Information about the Fund’s daily portfolio holdings is available at www.merkfunds.com. A complete description of the Fund’s policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the Fund’s portfolio holdings is available in the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”).

MANAGEMENT

Investment Adviser

Merk Investments LLC, serves as the investment adviser and has overall responsibility for the general management and administration of the Fund. The Adviser also arranges for transfer agency, custody, fund administration, and all other non-distribution related services necessary for the Fund to operate. The Adviser is a Delaware limited liability company and is located at 1150 Chestnut Street, Menlo Park, California 94025. For the services it provides to the Fund, the Fund pays the Adviser a unified management fee, which is calculated daily and paid monthly, at an annual rate of 0.40% of the Fund’s average daily net assets.

Under the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Adviser has agreed to pay all expenses of the Fund except for the fee paid to the Adviser pursuant to the Investment Advisory Agreement, interest charges on any borrowings, taxes, brokerage commissions and other expenses incurred in placing orders for the purchase and sale of securities and other investment instruments, acquired fund fees and expenses, accrued deferred tax liability, extraordinary expenses, and distribution fees and expenses paid by the Listed Funds Trust (“Trust”) under any distribution plan adopted pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act (the “Excluded Expenses”).

The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive the management fee it receives from the Fund in an amount equal to the management fee paid to the Adviser by the Subsidiary. The agreement may be terminated by the Adviser at the conclusion of any one-year term or by the Fund’s Board of Trustees at any time, and when the Adviser ceases to serve as such. The Adviser also has contractually agreed, through May 3, 2023, to waive 0.10% of the fee it receives as Sponsor to the VanEck Merk Gold Trust in connection with the Subsidiary’s investment in the VanEck Merk Gold Trust.

The basis for the Trust’s Board of Trustees’ (the “Board”) approval of the Fund’s Investment Advisory Agreement will be available in the Fund’s first Annual or Semi-Annual Report to Shareholders.

Management of the Subsidiary

The Adviser also serves as the investment adviser and has overall responsibility for the general management and administration of the Subsidiary, pursuant to a separate investment advisory agreement between the Adviser and the Subsidiary. Under the agreement, the Adviser provides the Subsidiary with the same type of management, under essentially the same terms, as it provides the Fund, including that the Adviser has agreed to pay all expenses of the Subsidiary except for the management fee paid to the Adviser pursuant to its investment management agreement with the Subsidiary, interest charges on any borrowings, taxes, brokerage commissions and other expenses incurred in placing orders for the purchase and sale of securities and other investment instruments, acquired fund fees and expenses, accrued deferred tax liability, and extraordinary expenses. The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive the management fee it receives from the Fund in an amount equal to the management fee paid to the Adviser by the Subsidiary. The Subsidiary has also entered into separate contracts for the provision of custody, transfer agency, and accounting services with the same service providers that provide those services to the Fund.

Portfolio Managers

Axel Merk, Daniel Lucas, and Nicholas Reece are jointly and primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund’s portfolio.

Mr. Merk is the President and Chief Investment Officer of the Adviser, which he founded in Switzerland in 1994 and relocated to California in 2001. Mr. Merk holds a B.A. in Economics and a M.Sc. in Computer Science from Brown University.

Mr. Lucas is Managing Director - Quantitative Research & Trading of the Adviser. He focuses on quantitative research and systematic investment strategies, and oversees the development of data and trading systems. Prior to joining the Adviser in 2013, Mr. Lucas was a Quantitative Analyst at Kellner Capital and an M&A Associate at Network Corporate Finance. He also worked at Deutsche Bank’s FX & Commodities Options Trading desk in Frankfurt, Germany, trading a variety of currencies and precious metals derivatives. Mr. Lucas holds a M.Sc. in Financial Engineering (MFE) from the Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley as well as a Master’s degree from the University of Stuttgart, where he studied finance, economics and management. He is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) charterholder.

Mr. Reece is Vice President - Macro Research & Investment Strategy of the Adviser. He is a member of the Portfolio Management Group and focuses on macroeconomic research, regularly publishing reports on the market and economy. Prior to joining the Adviser in 2012, he gained experience working on capital markets deals with Paul Hastings in Hong Kong, and with Atlantis Investment Management. Mr. Reece holds a B.A. in Economics from Trinity College and is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) charterholder.

The Fund’s SAI provides additional information about the Portfolio Managers’ compensation structure, other accounts that the Portfolio Managers manage and the Portfolio Managers’ ownership of Shares.

Other Service Providers

Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”). The Distributor has no role in determining the policies of the Fund or the securities that are purchased or sold by the Fund and is not affiliated with the Adviser or any of its affiliates.

U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, doing business as U.S. Bank Global Fund Services, located at 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202, serves as the administrator, transfer agent and index receipt agent for the Fund.

U.S. Bank National Association, located at 1555 N. Rivercenter Drive, Suite 302, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53212, serves as the custodian for the Fund.

Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, located at 1111 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20004, serves as legal counsel to the Trust.

BBD, LLP, located at 1835 Market Street, 3rd Floor, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103, serves as the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm. The independent registered public accounting firm is responsible for auditing the annual financial statements of the Fund.

HOW TO BUY AND SELL SHARES

The Fund issues and redeems Shares only in Creation Units at the NAV per share next determined after receipt of an order from an AP. Only APs may acquire Shares directly from the Fund, and only APs may tender their Shares for redemption directly to the Fund, at NAV. APs must be a member or participant of a clearing agency registered with the SEC and must execute a Participant Agreement that has been agreed to by the Distributor, and that has been accepted by the Fund’s transfer agent, with respect to purchases and redemptions of Creation Units. Once created, Shares trade in the secondary market in quantities less than a Creation Unit.

Most investors buy and sell Shares in secondary market transactions through brokers. Individual Shares are listed for trading on the secondary market on the Exchange and can be bought and sold throughout the trading day like other publicly traded securities.

When buying or selling Shares through a broker, you will incur customary brokerage commissions and charges, and you may pay some or all of the spread between the bid and the offer price in the secondary market on each leg of a round trip (purchase and sale) transaction. In addition, because secondary market transactions occur at market prices, you may pay more than NAV when you buy Shares, and receive less than NAV when you sell those Shares.

Book Entry

Shares are held in book-entry form, which means that no stock certificates are issued. The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) or its nominee is the record owner of all outstanding Shares.

Investors owning Shares are beneficial owners as shown on the records of DTC or its participants. DTC serves as the securities depository for all Shares. DTC’s participants include securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and other institutions that directly or indirectly maintain a custodial relationship with DTC. As a beneficial owner of Shares, you are not entitled to receive physical delivery of stock certificates or to have Shares registered in your name, and you are not considered a registered owner of Shares. Therefore, to exercise any right as an owner of Shares, you must rely upon the procedures of DTC and its participants. These procedures are the same as those that apply to any other securities that you hold in book entry or “street name” through your brokerage account.

Frequent Purchases and Redemptions of Shares

The Fund imposes no restrictions on the frequency of purchases and redemptions of Shares. In determining not to approve a written, established policy, the Board evaluated the risks of market timing activities by Fund shareholders. Purchases and redemptions by APs, who are the only parties that may purchase or redeem Shares directly with the Fund, are an essential part of the ETF process and help keep Share trading prices in line with NAV. As such, the Fund accommodates frequent purchases and redemptions by APs. However, frequent purchases and redemptions for cash may increase tracking error and portfolio transaction costs and may lead to the realization of capital gains. To minimize these potential consequences of frequent purchases and redemptions, the Fund employs fair value pricing and may impose transaction fees on purchases and redemptions of Creation Units to cover the custodial and other costs incurred by the Fund in effecting trades. In addition, the Fund and the Adviser reserve the right to reject any purchase order at their discretion.

Determination of Net Asset Value

The Fund’s NAV is calculated as of the scheduled close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”), generally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time, each day the NYSE is open for business. The NAV is calculated by dividing the Fund’s net assets by its Shares outstanding.

In calculating its NAV, the Fund generally values its assets on the basis of market quotations, last sale prices, or estimates of value furnished by a pricing service or brokers who make markets in such instruments. The values of non-U.S. dollar denominated securities are converted to U.S. dollars using foreign currency exchange rates generally determined as of 4:00 p.m., Eastern time (NYSE close).

If such information is not available for a security held by the Fund or is determined to be unreliable, the security will be valued at fair value estimates under guidelines established by the Board (as described below).

Applicable federal tax requirements generally limit the degree to which the Fund may invest in the Subsidiary to an amount not exceeding 25% of its total assets. The Subsidiary prices its portfolio investments pursuant to the same pricing and valuation methodologies and procedures employed by the Fund. The Subsidiary offers to redeem all or a portion of its shares at the current NAV per share every day the Fund is open for business. The value of shares of the Subsidiary will fluctuate with the value of the Subsidiary’s portfolio investments.

Fair Value Pricing

The Board has adopted procedures and methodologies to fair value Fund securities whose market prices are not “readily available” or are deemed to be unreliable. For example, such circumstances may arise when: (i) a security has been de-listed or has had its trading halted or suspended; (ii) a security’s primary pricing source is unable or unwilling to provide a price; (iii) a security’s primary trading market is closed during regular market hours; or (iv) a security’s value is materially affected by events occurring after the close of the security’s primary trading market. Generally, when fair valuing a security, the Fund will take into account all reasonably available information that may be relevant to a particular valuation including, but not limited to, fundamental analytical data regarding the issuer, information relating to the issuer’s business, recent trades or offers of the security, general and/or specific market conditions and the specific facts giving rise to the need to fair value the security. Fair value determinations are made in good faith and in accordance with the fair value methodologies included in the Board-adopted valuation procedures. Due to the subjective and variable nature of fair value pricing, there can be no assurance that the Adviser will be able to obtain the fair value assigned to the security upon the sale of such security.

Investments by Registered Investment Companies

Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act restricts investments by registered investment companies in the securities of other investment companies. Registered investment companies are permitted to invest in the Fund beyond the limits set forth in section 12(d)(1), subject to certain terms and conditions, including that such investment companies enter into an agreement with the Fund.

Delivery of Shareholder Documents – Householding

Householding is an option available to certain investors of the Fund. Householding is a method of delivery, based on the preference of the individual investor, in which a single copy of certain shareholder documents can be delivered to investors who share the same address, even if their accounts are registered under different names. Householding for the Fund is available through certain broker-dealers. If you are interested in enrolling in householding and receiving a single copy of prospectuses and other shareholder documents, please contact your broker-dealer. If you are currently enrolled in householding and wish to change your householding status, please contact your broker-dealer.

DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS, AND TAXES

Dividends and Distributions

The Fund expects to pay out dividends, if any, and distribute any net realized capital gains to its shareholders at least annually. The Fund will declare and pay capital gain distributions, if any, in cash. Distributions in cash may be reinvested automatically in additional whole Shares only if the broker through whom you purchased Shares makes such option available. Your broker is responsible for distributing the income and capital gain distributions to you.

Taxes

The following discussion is a summary of some important U.S. federal income tax considerations generally applicable to investments in the Fund. Your investment in the Fund may have other tax implications. Please consult your tax adviser about the tax consequences of an investment in Shares, including the possible application of foreign, state, and local tax laws. This summary does not apply to shares held in an IRA or other tax-qualified plans, which are generally not subject to current tax. Transactions relating to shares held in such accounts may, however, be taxable at some time in the future. This summary is based on current tax laws, which may change.

The Fund intends to elect and to qualify each year for treatment as a RIC. If it meets certain minimum distribution requirements, a RIC is not subject to tax at the fund level on income and gains from investments that are timely distributed to shareholders. However, the Fund’s failure to qualify as a RIC or to meet minimum distribution requirements would result (if certain relief provisions were not available) in fund-level taxation and, consequently, a reduction in income available for distribution to shareholders.

Unless your investment in Shares is made through a tax-exempt entity or tax-advantaged account, such as an IRA plan, you need to be aware of the possible tax consequences when the Fund makes distributions, when you sell your Shares listed on the Exchange, and when you purchase or redeem Creation Units (APs only).

Taxes on Distributions

The Fund intends to distribute, at least annually, substantially all of its net investment income and net capital gains. For federal income tax purposes, distributions of investment income are generally taxable as ordinary income or qualified dividend income. Taxes on

distributions of capital gains (if any) are determined by how long the Fund owned the investments that generated them, rather than how long a shareholder has owned his or her Shares. Sales of assets held by the Fund for more than one year generally result in long-term capital gains and losses, and sales of assets held by the Fund for one year or less generally result in short-term capital gains and losses. Distributions of the Fund’s net capital gain (the excess of net long-term capital gains over net short-term capital losses) that are reported by the Fund as capital gain dividends (“Capital Gain Dividends”) will be taxable as long-term capital gains, which for non-corporate shareholders are subject to tax at reduced rates of up to 20% (lower rates apply to individuals in lower tax brackets). Distributions of short-term capital gain will generally be taxable as ordinary income. Dividends and distributions are generally taxable to you whether you receive them in cash or reinvest them in additional Shares.

Distributions reported by the Fund as “qualified dividend income” are generally taxed to non-corporate shareholders at rates applicable to long-term capital gains, provided holding period and other requirements are met. “Qualified dividend income” generally is income derived from dividends paid by U.S. corporations or certain foreign corporations that are either incorporated in a U.S. possession or eligible for tax benefits under certain U.S. income tax treaties. In addition, dividends that the Fund receives in respect of stock of certain foreign corporations may be qualified dividend income if that stock is readily tradable on an established U.S. securities market. The Fund’s investment strategies will significantly limit its ability to distribute dividends eligible to be treated as qualified dividend income. Corporate shareholders may be entitled to a dividends received deduction for the portion of dividends they receive from the Fund that are attributable to dividends received by the Fund from U.S. corporations, subject to certain limitations. The Fund’s investment strategies will significantly limit its ability to distribute dividends eligible for the dividends received deduction for corporate shareholders.

A RIC that receives business interest income may pass through its net business interest income for purposes of the tax rules applicable to the interest expense limitations under Section 163(j) of the Internal Revenue Code. A RIC’s total “Section 163(j) Interest Dividend” for a tax year is limited to the excess of the RIC’s business interest income over the sum of its business interest expense and its other deductions properly allocable to its business interest income. A RIC may, in its discretion, designate all or a portion of ordinary dividends as Section 163(j) Interest Dividends, which would allow the recipient shareholder to treat the designated portion of such dividends as interest income for purposes of determining such shareholder’s interest expense deduction limitation under Section 163(j). This can potentially increase the amount of a shareholder’s interest expense deductible under Section 163(j). In general, to be eligible to treat a Section 163(j) Interest Dividend as interest income, you must have held your shares in a Series for more than 180 days during the 361-day period beginning on the date that is 180 days before the date on which the share becomes ex-dividend with respect to such dividend. Section 163(j) Interest Dividends, if so designated by a Series, will be reported to your financial intermediary or otherwise in accordance with the requirements specified by the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”).

Shortly after the close of each calendar year, you will be informed of the amount and character of any distributions received from the Fund.

In general, your distributions are subject to federal income tax for the year in which they are paid. Certain distributions paid in January, however, may be treated as paid on December 31 of the prior year. Distributions are generally taxable even if they are paid from income or gains earned by the Fund before your investment (and thus were included in the Shares’ NAV when you purchased your Shares).

You may wish to avoid investing in the Fund shortly before a dividend or other distribution, because such a distribution will generally be taxable even though it may economically represent a return of a portion of your investment.

If you are neither a resident nor a citizen of the United States or if you are a foreign entity, distributions (other than Capital Gain Dividends) paid to you by the Fund will generally be subject to a U.S. withholding tax at the rate of 30%, unless a lower treaty rate applies. Gains from the sale or other disposition of your Shares from non-U.S. shareholders generally are not subject to U.S. taxation, unless you are a nonresident alien individual who is physically present in the U.S. for 183 days or more per year. The Fund may, under certain circumstances, report all or a portion of a dividend as an “interest-related dividend” or a “short-term capital gain dividend,” which would generally be exempt from this 30% U.S. withholding tax, provided certain other requirements are met. Different tax consequences may result if you are a foreign shareholder engaged in a trade or business within the United States or if a tax treaty applies.

Under legislation generally known as “FATCA” (the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act), the Fund is required to withhold 30% of certain ordinary dividends it pays to shareholders that are foreign entities and that fail to meet prescribed information reporting or certification requirements.

The Fund (or a financial intermediary, such as a broker, through which a shareholder owns Shares) generally is required to withhold and remit to the U.S. Treasury a percentage of the taxable distributions and sale proceeds paid to any shareholder who fails to properly furnish a correct taxpayer identification number, who has underreported dividend or interest income, or who fails to certify that the shareholder is not subject to such withholding.

Taxes When Shares are Sold on the Exchange

Any capital gain or loss realized upon a sale of Shares generally is treated as a long-term capital gain or loss if Shares have been held for more than one year and as a short-term capital gain or loss if Shares have been 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 of Capital Gain Dividends paid with respect to such Shares. Any loss realized on a sale will be disallowed to the extent Shares of the Fund are acquired, including through reinvestment of dividends, within a 61-day period beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after the disposition of Shares. The ability to deduct capital losses may be limited.

The cost basis of Shares of the Fund acquired by purchase will generally be based on the amount paid for the Shares and then may be subsequently adjusted for other applicable transactions as required by the Internal Revenue Code. The difference between the selling price and the cost basis of Shares generally determines the amount of the capital gain or loss realized on the sale or exchange of Shares. Contact the broker through whom you purchased your Shares to obtain information with respect to the available cost basis reporting methods and elections for your account.

Taxes on Purchases and Redemptions of Creation Units

An AP having the U.S. dollar as its functional currency for U.S. federal income tax purposes who exchanges securities for Creation Units generally recognizes a gain or a loss. The gain or loss will be equal to the difference between the value of the Creation Units at the time of the exchange and the exchanging AP’s aggregate basis in the securities delivered, plus the amount of any cash paid for the Creation Units. An AP who exchanges Creation Units for securities will generally recognize a gain or loss equal to the difference between the exchanging AP’s basis in the Creation Units and the aggregate U.S. dollar market value of the securities received, plus any cash received for such Creation Units. The IRS may assert, however, that a loss that is realized upon an exchange of securities for Creation Units may not be currently deducted under the rules governing “wash sales” (for an AP who does not mark-to-market its holdings) or on the basis that there has been no significant change in economic position. APs exchanging securities should consult their own tax adviser with respect to whether wash sale rules apply and when a loss might be deductible.

The Fund may include a payment of cash in addition to, or in place of, the delivery of a basket of securities upon the redemption of Creation Units. The Fund may sell portfolio securities to obtain the cash needed to distribute redemption proceeds. This may cause the Fund to recognize investment income and/or capital gains or losses that it might not have recognized if it had completely satisfied the redemption in kind. As a result, the Fund may be less tax efficient if it includes such a cash payment in the proceeds paid upon the redemption of Creation Units.

Taxation of the Subsidiary

There is, at present, no direct taxation in the Cayman Islands and interest, dividends and gains payable to the Subsidiary will be received free of all Cayman Islands taxes. The Subsidiary is registered as an “exempted company” pursuant to the Companies Law (as amended). The Subsidiary has received an undertaking from the Governor in Cabinet of the Cayman Islands to the effect that, for a period of twenty years from the date of the undertaking, no law that thereafter is enacted in the Cayman Islands imposing any tax or duty to be levied on profits, income or on gains or appreciation, or any tax in the nature of estate duty or inheritance tax, will apply to any property comprised in or any income arising under the Subsidiary, or to the shareholders thereof, in respect of any such property or income.

Investments in Complex Securities

The Fund may gain most of its exposure to the commodities markets through its investment in its Subsidiary, which invests directly in commodity-linked derivative instruments. The Fund’s investment in its Subsidiary is expected to provide the Fund with exposure to the commodities markets within the limitations of the federal tax requirements of Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code for qualification as a RIC. The “Subpart F” income (defined in Section 951 of the Internal Revenue Code to include passive income, including from commodity-linked derivatives) of the Fund attributable to its investment in its Subsidiary is “qualifying income” to the Fund to the extent that such income is derived with respect to the Fund’s business of investing in stock, securities or currencies. The Fund expects its “Subpart F” income attributable to its investment in its Subsidiary to be derived with respect to the Fund’s business of investing in stock, securities or currencies and accordingly expects its “Subpart F” income attributable to its investment in its Subsidiary to be treated as “qualifying income.” The Adviser will carefully monitor the Fund’s investments in its Subsidiary to ensure that no more than 25% of the Fund’s assets are invested in its Subsidiary.

Certain of the Fund’s investments, such as investments in commodities and commodity-linked derivatives, when made directly, may not produce qualifying income to the Fund. To the extent the Fund invests directly in commodities and commodity-linked derivatives, the Fund will seek to restrict its income from such instruments that do not generate qualifying income to a maximum of 10% of its gross income (when combined with its other investments that produce non-qualifying income).

If the Fund fails to qualify as a RIC and to avail itself of certain relief provisions, it would be subject to tax at the regular corporate rate without any deduction for distributions to shareholders, and its distributions would generally be taxable as dividends. Please see the SAI for a more detailed discussion, including the availability of certain relief provisions for certain failures by the Fund to qualify as a RIC.

The Fund may invest in REITs. “Qualified REIT dividends” (i.e., ordinary REIT dividends other than capital gain dividends and portions of REIT dividends designated as qualified dividend income eligible for capital gain tax rates) are eligible for a 20% deduction by non-corporate taxpayers. This deduction, if allowed in full, equates to a maximum effective tax rate of 29.6% (37% top rate applied

to income after 20% deduction). Distributions by the Fund to its shareholders that are attributable to qualified REIT dividends received by the Fund and which the Fund properly reports as “section 199A dividends,” are treated as “qualified REIT dividends” in the hands of non-corporate shareholders. A section 199A dividend is treated as a qualified REIT dividend only if the shareholder receiving such dividend holds the dividend-paying RIC shares for at least 46 days of the 91-day period beginning 45 days before the shares become ex-dividend, and is not under an obligation to make related payments with respect to a position in substantially similar or related property. The Fund is permitted to report such part of its dividends as section 199A dividends as are eligible, but is not required to do so.

REITs in which the Fund invests often do not provide complete and final tax information to the Fund until after the time that the Fund issues a tax reporting statement. As a result, the Fund may at times find it necessary to reclassify the amount and character of its distributions to you after it issues your tax reporting statement. When such reclassification is necessary, the Fund (or its administrative agent) will send you a corrected, final Form 1099-DIV to reflect the reclassified information. If you receive a corrected Form 1099-DIV, use the information on this corrected form, and not the information on the previously issued tax reporting statement, in completing your tax returns.

Net Investment Income Tax

U.S. individuals with income exceeding specified thresholds are subject to a 3.8% tax on all or a portion of their “net investment income,” which includes interest, dividends, and certain capital gains (generally including capital gains distributions and capital gains realized on the sale of Shares). This 3.8% tax also applies to all or a portion of the undistributed net investment income of certain shareholders that are estates and trusts.

Foreign Taxes

To the extent the Fund invests in foreign securities, it may be subject to foreign withholding taxes with respect to dividends or interest the Fund received from sources in foreign countries.

The foregoing discussion summarizes some of the possible consequences under current federal tax law of an investment in the Fund. It is not a substitute for personal tax advice. You also may be subject to state and local tax on Fund distributions and sales of Shares. Consult your personal tax adviser about the potential tax consequences of an investment in Shares under all applicable tax laws. For more information, please see the section entitled “Federal Income Taxes” in the SAI.

DISTRIBUTION

Foreside Fund Services, LLC (the “Distributor”) is the principal underwriter and distributor of the Fund’s shares. The Distributor’s principal address is Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, Maine 04101. The Distributor will not distribute shares in less than whole Creation Units, and it does not maintain a secondary market in the shares. The Distributor is a broker-dealer registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”). The Distributor has no role in determining the policies of the Fund or the securities that are purchased or sold by the Fund and is not affiliated with the Adviser or any of its affiliates.

The Board has adopted a Distribution and Service Plan (the “Plan”) pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act. In accordance with the Plan, the Fund is authorized to pay an amount up to 0.25% of its average daily net assets each year for certain distribution-related activities and shareholder services.

No Rule 12b-1 fees are currently paid by the Fund, and there are no plans to impose these fees. However, in the event Rule 12b-1 fees are charged in the future, because the fees are paid out of Fund assets, over time these fees will increase the cost of your investment and may cost you more than certain other types of sales charges.

PREMIUM/DISCOUNT INFORMATION

Information regarding how often Shares traded on the Exchange at a price above (i.e., at a premium) or below (i.e., at a discount) the NAV per share is available on the Fund’s website at www.merkfunds.com.

ADDITIONAL NOTICES

Solactive AG (“Solactive”) is the licensor of Solactive StagflationTM Index (the “Index”). The financial instruments that are based on the Index are not sponsored, endorsed, promoted or sold by Solactive in any way and Solactive makes no express or implied representation, guarantee or assurance with regard to: (a) the advisability in investing in the financial instruments; (b) the quality, accuracy and/or completeness of the Index; and/or (c) the results obtained or to be obtained by any person or entity from the use of the Index. Solactive does not guarantee the accuracy and/or the completeness of the Index and shall not have any liability for any errors or omissions with respect thereto. Notwithstanding Solactive’s obligations to its licensees, Solactive reserves the right to change the methods of calculation or publication with respect to the Index and Solactive shall not be liable for any miscalculation of or any incorrect, delayed or interrupted publication with respect to the Index. Solactive shall not be liable for any damages, including, without limitation, any loss of profits or business, or any special, incidental, punitive, indirect or consequential damages suffered or incurred as a result of the use (or inability to use) of the Index.

Shares are not sponsored, endorsed, or promoted by the Exchange. The Exchange is not responsible for, nor has it participated in the determination of, the timing, prices, or quantities of Shares to be issued, nor in the determination or calculation of the equation by which Shares are redeemable. The Exchange has no obligation or liability to owners of Shares in connection with the administration, marketing, or trading of Shares.

Without limiting any of the foregoing, in no event shall the Exchange have any liability for any lost profits or indirect, punitive, special, or consequential damages even if notified of the possibility thereof.

The Adviser and the Fund make no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of Shares or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in the Fund particularly.

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

Financial information is not available because the Fund had not commenced operations prior to the date of this Prospectus.

Merk Stagflation ETF


Adviser	Merk Investments LLC 1150 Chestnut Street Menlo Park, California 94025	Custodian	U.S. Bank, N.A. 1555 N. Rivercenter Drive, Suite 302 Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53212
Transfer Agent	U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC d/b/a U.S. Bank Global Fund Services 615 East Michigan Street Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202	Administrator	U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC d/b/a U.S. Bank Global Fund Services 615 East Michigan Street Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202
Legal Counsel	Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP 1111 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20004-2541	Distributor	Foreside Fund Services, LLC Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100 Portland, Maine 04101
Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm	BBD, LLP 1835 Market Street, 3rd Floor Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103

Investors may find more information about the Fund in the following documents:

Statement of Additional Information: The Fund’s SAI provides additional details about the investments of the Fund and certain other additional information. The SAI is on file with the SEC and is herein incorporated by reference into this Prospectus. It is legally considered a part of this Prospectus.

Annual/Semi-Annual Reports: Additional information about the Fund’s investments will be available in the Fund’s annual and semi-annual reports to shareholders. In the annual report, when available, you will find a discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund’s performance after the first fiscal year in which the Fund is in operation.

You can obtain free copies of these documents, when available, request other information or make general inquiries about the Fund by contacting the Fund at Merk Investments LLC, c/o U.S. Bank Global Fund Services, P.O. Box 701, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53201-0701 or calling 1-866-271-0093.

Shareholder reports and other information about the Fund are also available:

• Free of charge from the SEC’s EDGAR database on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov; or

• Free of charge from the Fund’s website at www.merkfunds.com; or

• For a fee, by e-mail request to [email protected].

(SEC Investment Company Act File No. 811-23226)