ARKX vs XSPC

ARKXCARK Space & Defense Innovation ETF

XSPCDVegaShares SpaceX & Beyond Earth 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.

XSPC Most space funds spread bets across dozens of names. This one is anchored by SpaceX, launched in June 2026 days after that IPO, then widens out to satellite networks and orbital compute. Actively managed and openly concentrated.

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.

XSPC The Fund seeks capital appreciation. It is actively managed and normally invests at least 80% of assets, including investment borrowings, directly or indirectly in equity securities of SpaceX and other Space and AI Ecosystem Companies.

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.

• XSPC Built around SpaceX itself: the fund launched in June 2026, days after SpaceX's IPO, with the stock as its anchor position.businesswire.com
• Active mandate, not an index sleeve: at least 80% of assets sit in SpaceX and other space and AI ecosystem equities, letting the manager move across the orbital stack.
• The 0.75% fee lands right at the median for space funds, matching long-running active peers like ARKX and UFO.
• Coverage runs the whole chain the issuer describes: launch and exploration, satellite connectivity, and the compute and data systems headed for orbit.vegasharesetfs.combusinesswire.com

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.

• XSPC Cheaper routes into the theme exist: UFOX charges 0.30% and ROKT 0.45%, both well under half this fee.
• New and small: a 2026 launch means a short record, and trading has been light next to the category's largest funds, which can widen spreads.
• Capital appreciation is the entire mandate, and the fund has not paid distributions, so income is not part of the package.

Full ARKX profile⁠

Full XSPC profile⁠