Behind the Ticker: ASD, SPCU & Defiance ETFs
Defiance ETFs' CEO Sylvia Jablonski joins Behind the Ticker to discuss the firm's groundbreaking Autism Impact ETF, a first-of-its-kind fund that donates 100% of net profits to autism causes, alongside the 2X leveraged SpaceX ETF launched mid-month. From personal mission to disruptive space plays, this episode unpacks how Defiance is turning high-conviction thematic investing into both market opportunity and meaningful impact.
Sylvia Jablonski, CEO of Defiance ETFs, returned to Behind the Ticker to talk with host Brad Roth of Thor Funds about how dramatically her firm has grown, from a small shop founded in 2018 to a $13 billion AUM operation running over 80 ETFs. Defiance has built its identity around being first to market on disruptive themes, and the pace is relentless. They’re essentially launching new products every week, with one recent 2X leveraged ETF crossing $100 million in just days. It gives you a sense of how quickly retail investors are responding when Defiance spots a trend.
The most emotionally resonant part of the conversation centered on their new Defiance Autism Impact ETF (ASD), which launched early June as the first of its kind. The fund was born out of Defiance founder Matt Bielski's personal experience raising a child on the autism spectrum, and the product reflects everything he and his wife learned navigating therapies, diagnostics, and care costs. What really sets it apart is the business model: Defiance is donating 100% of net advisory profits to autism causes for the first two years, and at least 50% going forward. The fund covers the full autism care ecosystem, from behavioral health and education platforms to diagnostics and biotech, and Jablonski made a compelling case that we're still in the early innings of this space scientifically.
The conversation (recorded pre-SpaceX IPO) also got into SpaceX, where Defiance was gearing up for its since launched SPCU, a 2X leveraged long SpaceX ETF timed around the largest IPO in history. Defiance already has a deep bench of space-related products, and Jablonski's argument is that space isn't just a celebrity-driven theme but a core infrastructure for AI, quantum computing, and global connectivity. Between their thematic baskets, single-name leveraged plays, and defense-adjacent funds, Defiance has positioned itself as one of the most complete suites of space economy exposure in the ETF market.
To learn more about Defiance ETFs, visit their website.
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