Harbor names Altis, which Simplify said had concluded its services, to run Harbor Managed Futures ETF, ticker ETF:HCTA
The Oct. 15 filing seeks effectiveness on Dec. 29, 2026, though the registration can still be amended, and the shares cannot be sold until it is effective.
Key takeaways
Harbor ETF Trust on Thursday, Oct. 15, named Altis Partners (Jersey) Limited to run the proposed fund ETF:HCTA. Simplify said on Aug. 31 that the firm had concluded its services as futures adviser to Simplify Managed Futures Strategy ETF, ticker ETF:CTA.
ETF:CTA has $1.35 billion in assets and charges 0.75%.
A trading advisory agreement dated Jan. 8, 2026, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, describes Altis as organized under the laws of Jersey, in the Channel Islands, not New Jersey. The same agreement says it is regulated as a commodity trading advisor by the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission and the National Futures Association.
Managed futures is a strategy that takes long or short positions in futures contracts. A short position gains if the price falls.
The Harbor filing says Altis would run an actively managed systematic version of that strategy. It would take long and short positions in commodity, bond and short-term interest-rate futures, within and outside the United States, combining trend-following and non-trend signals.
The document is a registration, not a launch
Thursday's document is a preliminary prospectus. It names NYSE Arca as the listing exchange. Harbor Capital Advisors would be the adviser, and Altis would be the subadviser. The fund would seek long-term total return.
The filing seeks effectiveness 75 days after Oct. 15, which would be Dec. 29, 2026. A filing at this stage can still be amended.
The prospectus says the information is incomplete, and the shares cannot be sold until the registration statement is effective. The fund has not commenced operations.
Simplify said the services had concluded
On Aug. 31, Simplify supplemented the prospectuses for ETF:CTA and a second fund.
"Effective immediately, Altis Partners (Jersey) Limited has concluded its services to the Funds as the Futures Adviser."
The supplements say references to the firm should be disregarded in the prospectus, the summary prospectus and the statement of additional information.
A separate supplement that day said Altis had concluded its services as commodity futures adviser to a third Simplify fund, and gave the same instruction.
The prospectus that named Altis said ETF:CTA invests, under normal market conditions, in equity, U.S. Treasury, commodity and foreign-exchange futures. Harbor's filing describes a shorter list: commodity, bond and short-term interest-rate futures.
Listed Harbor funds are unchanged
This filing does not change Harbor's funds already listed.
Harbor Alpha Layering ETF, ticker ETF:HOLD, pairs a passive S&P 500 position with a trend-following managed-futures sleeve. It has $4.1 million in assets and charges 0.70%.
Harbor Commodity All-Weather Strategy ETF, ticker ETF:HGER, is a long commodity portfolio. It has $4.94 billion in assets and charges 0.68%.
Harbor has not set a fee
The management fee and the total annual operating expenses are blank in the fee table.
ETF:CTA charges 0.75%. First Trust Managed Futures Strategy Fund, ticker ETF:FMF, charges 0.98%.
Simplify DBi CTA Managed Futures Index ETF, ticker ETF:SDMF, lists a 0.20% management fee and acquired fund fees of 0.15% in its Feb. 4, 2026 summary prospectus, for total annual operating expenses of 0.35%.
Frequently asked questions
Has Harbor Managed Futures ETF launched?
No, the fund has not commenced operations, and shares cannot be sold until the registration is effective.
When could the registration become effective?
The Oct. 15 filing seeks effectiveness on Dec. 29, 2026, though it can still be amended.
Did Altis stop advising Simplify's managed-futures fund?
Simplify said on Aug. 31 that Altis had concluded its services as futures adviser to Simplify Managed Futures Strategy ETF.
What fee would the Harbor fund charge?
Harbor has not set a fee, and the management fee and total annual operating expenses are blank.
