##  [# ETF Week: Burst Of Launches, More Closures](/sections/daily-etf-watch/etf-week-burst-launches-more-closures) 

 

# ETF Week: Burst Of Launches, More Closures

 

 

Plus, a clutch of interesting filings.



 

 

 

 

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[By ETF.com Staff](/contributors/etfcom-staff)

 May 18, 2018

 Edited by: ETF.com Staff

 

 

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Midweek saw a burst of new launches covering unique areas of the market, while the wave of closures for 2018 continued to build with a new trio of shutdowns announced. Below is a roundup of the key events in the ETF space during the week of May 14:

**Launches**

- New issuer Salt Financial rolled out a [high-beta ETF](https://www.etf.com/sections/daily-etf-watch/newcomer-debuts-unique-high-beta-etf) designed to offer an alternative to traditional leveraged funds
- REX Shares launched an [actively managed blockchain fund](https://www.etf.com/sections/daily-etf-watch/active-blockchain-etf-launches) managed by cryptocurrency expert Brian Kelly
- Pacer Financial debuted the first portion of a [family of ETFs](https://www.etf.com/sections/daily-etf-watch/real-estate-etf-suite-debuts) targeting different slices of the REIT space
- Virtus unveiled a [preferred stock fund](https://www.etf.com/sections/daily-etf-watch/preferred-stock-etf-offers-new-twist) that incorporates features like an options overlay and leverage
- Global X added to its lineup of thematic technology ETFs with [a fund targeting the intersection of artificial intelligence and big data](https://www.etf.com/sections/daily-etf-watch/new-etf-targets-ai-big-data)
- First Trust introduced [another ETF implementing Dorsey Wright’s relative strength methodology](https://www.etf.com/sections/daily-etf-watch/dorsey-wright-etf-launches)

**Closures**

- The [Active Alts Contrarian ETF (SQZZ)](https://www.etf.com/sqzz) will see [its last day of trading May 25](https://www.etf.com/sections/daily-etf-watch/short-squeeze-etf-close)
- Deutsche announced the closure of a [trio of currency-hedged ETFs](https://www.etf.com/sections/daily-etf-watch/deutsche-closing-3-funds) set for May 31

**Filings**

- IndexIQ files for a [preferred stock fund](https://www.etf.com/sections/daily-etf-watch/smart-beta-preferred-stock-etf-filed) with a smart-beta twist.

*Contact Heather Bell at <hbell@etf.com>*



 

 

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 Related Topics  [Smart-Beta](http://www.etf.com/topics/smart-beta) 

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