ARKX vs UFOX

ARKXCARK Space & Defense Innovation ETF

UFOXADefiance Space and Connective Tech ETF

In short

ARKX ARK's only space fund, and one of the rare ones in its niche run by stock pickers instead of an index. Roughly 40 global names spanning rockets, the technology that makes them work, and the companies that quietly cash in.

UFOX A space theme without the space-theme price tag. UFOX tracks a rules-based index of roughly 60 satellite and connectivity companies for 0.30%, a little over half what the typical global thematic fund charges.

Stated mandate

ARKX The fund seeks long-term capital growth by actively investing mainly in domestic and foreign equity securities of companies involved in space and defense innovation, including aerospace, enabling technologies, and aerospace beneficiaries.

UFOX The fund seeks to track, before fees and expenses, the total return of the BlueStar® Space and Connective Technologies Index. It uses passive indexing and generally invests in the index constituents.

Why people hold it

• ARKX Actively managed rather than index-tracked: ARK's team hand-picks roughly 40 names instead of buying whatever screens as 'space'.ark-funds.com
• The mandate reaches past rocket builders to enabling technologies and aerospace beneficiaries, companies that profit from orbit without ever leaving the ground.
• Global by charter, holding both US and foreign shares, so the theme isn't capped at American launch providers and defense primes.
• Running since 2021 and actively traded at a decent size, which puts it in the upper half of the space-fund group on the practical stuff.

• UFOX Charges 0.30% a year, against a 0.56% median for its global thematic peers. Niche themes usually cost more, not less.
• Fully rules-based. It tracks the BlueStar Space and Connective Technologies Index, so what lands in the portfolio follows a published methodology, not a manager's hunch.defianceetfs.com
• About 60 holdings across a global and US mandate, so the theme is spread over satellite and connectivity businesses rather than three or four pure plays.
• Listed since 2019, mid-sized, moderately traded and paying quarterly. On the whole, one of the stronger profiles in its global thematic group.

Worth knowing

• ARKX The 0.75% fee sits right at the median for space funds and above index-based rivals such as ROKT (0.45%) and ORBX (0.50%).
• Roughly 40 holdings plus a human making the calls means single positions and ARK's stock-picking judgment both carry real weight here.
• The stated goal is long-term capital growth, not income; the fund has not been making regular distributions.

• UFOX One theme, roughly 60 stocks. Space and connectivity names tend to move together, so the ride is bumpier than a broad market fund.
• Wide tent. "Space and connective technologies" stretches from satellites to connectivity infrastructure, so check the holdings list to see what you actually own.defianceetfs.com
• Cheap for a theme fund, not cheap outright. Broader global peers such as KLMT (0.10%) and IQSZ (0.19%) sit well below it on fees.

Full ARKX profile⁠

Full UFOX profile⁠