At a glance
BNGE charges 0.7% a year, above the 0.54% average of the 8 funds most like it (the most expensive of 9). It has $4.6M in assets, the 7th largest of that group; it paid 0.38% of its price in distributions over the past 12 months, semiannual. Over the past year it returned −20.8% with distributions reinvested (S&P 500: +11.5%), 7th of those 9 funds; over three years it returned +17.2% a year. Its ten largest positions make up 47.4% of the fund, out of 46 in all.
The short version
First Trust S-Network Streaming and Gaming ETF (BNGE) tracks the S-Network Streaming & Gaming Index, a basket of global streaming, video game and online betting stocks such as Take-Two Interactive, Tencent and DraftKings. As of June 30, 2026, it held 46 stocks, with about half of its assets outside the US, and had just $4.6 million in assets. Its 0.70% annual fee, or expense ratio, is higher than all eight similar funds we compared, which average 0.54%.
Price history
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BNGE -20.8% over the year to Oct 27, 2026, total return with distributions reinvested.
How it has behaved
| YTD | 1 yr | 3 yr | 5 yr | 10 yr | Since start | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BNGE official prospectus, to Dec 31, 2026 | — | +34.87% | — | +12.18% | — | — |
| BNGE price data to Oct 27, 2026 | -16.2% | -20.8% | +17.2% | — | — | +6.5% |
- Over the year to Oct 27, 2026, BNGE returned -20.8%, 7th of 9 among similar funds.
- Its worst full calendar year was 2024 (+19.2%); its best was 2023 (+37.2%).
- The deepest fall in its price history was 40.6% (Feb 9, 2022 to Oct 14, 2022), recovered by Jul 12, 2024.
Show as a table
| Year | Price data | Prospectus (official) |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to date) | -16.2% | — |
| 2025 | +35.2% | +34.87% |
| 2024 | +19.2% | +19.22% |
| 2023 | +37.2% | +37.37% |
| 2008 financial crisis stocks fell Oct 9, 2007 – Mar 9, 2009 | Before this security existed |
|---|---|
| 2020 COVID crash stocks fell Feb 19, 2020 – Mar 23, 2020 | Before this security existed |
| 2022 bear market stocks fell Jan 3, 2022 – Oct 12, 2022 | Before this security existed |
Dividends and income
Show as a table
| Year | Per share | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to date) | $0.0600 | |
| 2025 | $0.3300 | +10900.0% |
| 2024 | $0.0030 | -98.4% |
| 2023 | $0.1900 |
What's inside
As of Jun 30, 2026, the fund held 46 securities; the ten largest made up 47.4% of assets.
| Holding | Weight | |
|---|---|---|
| ARISTOCRAT LEISURE LTD | 5.68% | |
| TAKE-TWO INTERACTIVE SOFTWARE INC | 5.66% | |
| NETEASE INC | 5.13% | |
| ROKU INC | 4.80% | |
| ELECTRONIC ARTS INC | 4.55% | |
| ROBLOX CORP | 4.42% | |
| WARNER BROS. DISCOVERY INC | 4.34% | |
| WALT DISNEY COMPANY (THE) | 4.32% | |
| SONY GROUP CORP | 4.26% | |
| SPOTIFY TECHNOLOGY SA | 4.23% | |
| KUAISHOU TECHNOLOGY | 4.03% | |
| FLUTTER ENTERTAINMENT PLC | 3.89% | |
| TENCENT HOLDINGS LTD | 3.75% | |
| NINTENDO COMPANY LTD | 3.55% | |
| DRAFTKINGS INC | 3.21% |
By country
United States 47.2%Cayman Islands 16.33%Japan 12.88%Australia 6.1%Luxembourg 4.7%By asset type
Stocks 99.78%RA 1.31%What changed recently
- Over the three months to Jun 30, 2026, investors added a net $0.00 (creations minus redemptions, per the N-PORT report).
- Monthly total returns reported for that quarter: +2.01%, -0.48%, -0.43%.
How it works
BNGE tries to match the S-Network Streaming & Gaming Index, before fees, and keeps at least 80% of its net assets in the index's stocks. VettaFi LLC runs the index. To qualify, a company must be listed on a major exchange and pass size and trading tests. It must also work mainly in one of three areas: content streaming (video, music and user-created platforms), e-sports (game makers and online competitions) or iGaming (online betting). A company that earns more than 20% of its revenue from these areas, reported separately, can also qualify.
Each quarter, the index picks the top 15 stocks in each segment by market value and trading activity. It then weights them by float-adjusted market value, which counts only shares the public can trade. No stock can be above 4.5% or below 0.5%. Prices move between rebalances, so weights drift: as of June 30, 2026, Aristocrat Leisure and Take-Two Interactive were each about 5.7%. The fund follows index changes shortly after they are announced. Portfolio turnover, the share of holdings replaced in a year, was 27%.
The fund is non-diversified, which means it can put more money in fewer companies. Foreigners can't own some Chinese companies directly. To reach them, the fund invests in shell companies outside China that control them through contracts, a structure called a variable interest entity (VIE). Shareholders hold a claim on those contracts, not the Chinese business itself.
What it really costs
- BNGE charges 0.7% a year, versus an average of 0.54% for the similar funds below (9th of 9, cheapest first).
In a retirement portfolio
It is a narrow, non-diversified bet on streaming, gaming and online betting stocks that fell 40.6% in 2022, which suits a small side position rather than a core one.
BNGE launched on January 25, 2022, so it has no record from the 2008 crisis or the 2020 COVID crash, and it started trading after the stock market's January 2022 peak. It still fell hard: its deepest drop was 40.6%, from February 9 to October 14, 2022. It did not recover until July 12, 2024, about 21 months after the low. Its three full calendar years were all gains, with 19.2% in 2024 the weakest. But it was down 16.2% for 2026 through October 27. Taking cash out during a slump like that would have meant locking in steep losses.
Income is minimal: the yield was 0.38% over the 12 months to October 27, 2026, paid twice a year. Its 0.70% annual fee (expense ratio) is above the 0.54% average of similar funds. Past results don't predict the future, and a plan should look at the whole portfolio, not one fund.
Who it may suit — and who should look elsewhere
May suit
- Investors wanting a small, targeted stake in video games, streaming and online betting, from Take-Two and Roblox to Spotify and DraftKings, beside broad core funds.
- Those seeking global reach in one fund: about half its assets were outside the US as of June 30, 2026, including Sony, Nintendo and Tencent.
- Long-term holders who can sit through steep falls, like the 40.6% drop in 2022 that took until July 2024 to recover.
Look elsewhere if
- Cost-conscious investors: its 0.70% fee tops all eight similar funds we compared, including ESPO at 0.56% and NERD and HERO at 0.50%.
- Income seekers: the yield over the 12 months to October 27, 2026, was just 0.38%, paid only twice a year.
- Those wary of tiny funds or China risk: assets were $4.6 million on June 30, 2026, and some Chinese stocks are held via shell companies.
Close alternatives
Matched by holdings overlap from the latest N-PORT reports.
| Fund | Overlap | Cost | Net assets | 1 yr | 3 yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BNGE this fund | — | 0.7% | $4.6M | -20.8% | +17.2% |
| ODDS Pacer BlueStar Digital Entertainment ETF | 42% | 0.62% | $4.0M | -25.8% | +12.7% |
| ESPO VanEck Video Gaming and eSports ETF | 41% | 0.56% | $238.8M | -14.1% | +27.0% |
| GAMR Amplify Video Game Leaders ETF | 29% | 0.59% | $39.0M | -4.8% | +24.8% |
| NERD Roundhill Video Games ETF | 29% | 0.5% | $14.1M | -15.9% | +20.7% |
| GGME Invesco Next Gen Media and Gaming ETF | 28% | 0.61% | $44.0M | -2.7% | +26.7% |
| RSPC Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight Communication … | 27% | 0.4% | $55.8M | -13.1% | +12.1% |
| OND ProShares On-Demand ETF | 26% | 0.58% | $2.6M | -28.8% | +17.4% |
Questions investors ask
What does BNGE invest in?
BNGE invests in companies tied to streaming, video games and esports, and online betting, following the S-Network Streaming & Gaming Index. As of June 30, 2026, it held 46 stocks. The largest were Aristocrat Leisure (5.7%), Take-Two Interactive (5.7%), NetEase (5.1%), Roku (4.8%) and Electronic Arts (4.5%), and the top 10 made up 47.4% of assets. By country, the US was 47.2% and Japan was 12.9%. Companies registered in the Cayman Islands, including Tencent and NetEase, made up 16.3%.
What is BNGE's expense ratio?
BNGE's expense ratio, the annual fee taken out of fund assets, is 0.70%, according to its prospectus filed July 29, 2026. That is more than all eight similar funds we compared, which average 0.54%. For example, VanEck Video Gaming and eSports ETF (ESPO) charges 0.56%, and Pacer BlueStar Digital Entertainment ETF (ODDS) charges 0.62%. Roundhill Video Games ETF (NERD) and Global X Video Games & Esports ETF (HERO) charge 0.50% each. A higher fee reduces returns every year the fund is held.
BNGE vs ESPO: what's the difference?
The biggest differences are breadth, cost and size. ESPO, the VanEck Video Gaming and eSports ETF, centers on gaming and esports, while BNGE also holds streaming and online betting stocks. About 41% of their holdings overlap. ESPO charges 0.56% versus BNGE's 0.70%. On June 30, 2026, ESPO had about $238.8 million in assets, against BNGE's $4.6 million. ESPO also did better through October 27, 2026: down 14.1% over one year versus 20.8% for BNGE, and up 27% a year over three years versus 17.2%.
Does BNGE pay dividends?
Yes, but very little. BNGE pays distributions twice a year. Over the 12 months through October 27, 2026, it paid about $0.12 per share, a yield of 0.38%. The fund aims to track its index's price and yield, not to generate income. With a yield that low, nearly all of its return depends on changes in the share price. It is not designed as an income fund.
How has BNGE performed since it launched?
Its returns have swung widely. According to its prospectus, BNGE returned 37.37% in 2023, 19.22% in 2024 and 34.87% in 2025. Its strongest quarter gained 26.52% (ended June 30, 2025), and its weakest lost 19.09% (ended March 31, 2026). Based on share price, it was down 16.2% for 2026 through October 27 and down 20.8% over one year. From its January 2022 launch to that date, it averaged about 6.5% a year, held back by a 40.6% drop in 2022. Past results don't predict future returns.