At a glance
BOTZ charges 0.68% a year, above the 0.66% average of the 6 funds most like it (the 5th cheapest of 7). It has $3.44B in assets, the largest of that group; it paid 0.54% of its price in distributions over the past 12 months, semiannual. Over the past year it returned −11.9% with distributions reinvested (S&P 500: +11.5%), the weakest of those 7 funds; over three years it returned +14.8% a year. At its worst it fell 33.6% in the 2020 crash (S&P 500: 33.7%) and 50.0% in the 2022 bear market (S&P 500: 24.5%), and was back at its earlier high 2 months and 35 months after the lows. Its ten largest positions make up 60.1% of the fund, out of 67 in all.
The short version
Global X Robotics & Artificial Intelligence ETF (BOTZ) is an index fund that tracks the Indxx Global Robotics & Artificial Intelligence Thematic Index. As of August 31, 2026, that meant 67 robotics, automation and AI stocks from developed markets and China. It leans heavily on Japanese industrial firms such as Keyence and Fanuc, alongside Nvidia. Its 0.68% expense ratio is well below the 0.95% charged by ROBO, its closest robotics rival.
Price history
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BOTZ -11.9% 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BOTZ official prospectus, to Dec 31, 2025 | — | +13.71% | — | +2.11% | — | +10.54% |
| BOTZ price data to Oct 27, 2026 | -7.5% | -11.9% | +14.8% | -1.5% | +8.8% | +8.9% |
- Over the year to Oct 27, 2026, BOTZ returned -11.9%, 7th of 7 among similar funds.
- Its 5-year annualized return was -1.5% and its 10-year +8.8%.
- In the 2020 COVID crash it fell 33.6% and regained its old high 2.3 months after the low.
- Its worst full calendar year was 2022 (-42.7%); its best was 2017 (+58.0%).
- The deepest fall in its price history was 55.5% (Nov 8, 2021 to Oct 14, 2022), recovered by Feb 25, 2026.
Show as a table
| Year | Price data | Prospectus (official) |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to date) | -7.5% | — |
| 2025 | +14.2% | +13.71% |
| 2024 | +12.3% | +12.53% |
| 2023 | +39.0% | +38.62% |
| 2022 | -42.7% | -42.49% |
| 2021 | +8.7% | +8.83% |
| 2020 | +51.9% | +50.68% |
| 2019 | +31.8% | +31.67% |
| 2018 | -28.4% | -27.79% |
| 2017 | +58.0% | +58.54% |
| 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 | Lost 32.1% over that stretch · deepest drop along the way 33.6%, back to its old high 2.3 months after the low |
| 2022 bear market stocks fell Jan 3, 2022 – Oct 12, 2022 | Lost 50% over that stretch · deepest drop along the way 50%, back to its old high 35.3 months after the low |
Dividends and income
Show as a table
| Year | Per share | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to date) | $0.0200 | |
| 2025 | $0.2400 | +500.0% |
| 2024 | $0.0400 | -25.9% |
| 2023 | $0.0540 | +8.0% |
| 2022 | $0.0500 | -16.7% |
| 2021 | $0.0600 | 0.0% |
| 2020 | $0.0600 | -66.7% |
| 2019 | $0.1800 | -25.0% |
| 2018 | $0.2400 | +11900.0% |
| 2017 | $0.0020 |
What's inside
As of Aug 31, 2026, the fund held 67 securities; the ten largest made up 60.06% of assets.
| Holding | Weight | |
|---|---|---|
| KEYENCE CORPORATION | 10.78% | |
| NVIDIA CORPORATION | 9.64% | |
| ABB Ltd | 9.19% | |
| FANUC CORPORATION | 7.65% | |
| INTUITIVE SURGICAL, INC. | 6.07% | |
| SMC CORPORATION | 4.56% | |
| Shenzhen Inovance Technology Co., Ltd | 4.07% | |
| DAIFUKU CO., LTD. | 3.10% | |
| RoboTechnik Intelligent Technology Co Ltd | 2.73% | |
| COGNEX CORPORATION | 2.27% | |
| ALPHABET INC. | 2.26% | |
| AURORA INNOVATION, INC. | 2.07% | |
| OMRON Corporation | 1.93% | |
| UIPATH, INC. | 1.93% | |
| TESLA, INC. | 1.82% |
By country
United States 39.12%Japan 30.13%China 10.19%Switzerland 9.9%Hong Kong 6.03%By asset type
Stocks 99.78%RA 2.86%What changed recently
- Over the three months to Aug 31, 2026, investors added a net $219.4M (creations minus redemptions, per the N-PORT report).
- Monthly total returns reported for that quarter: +1.18%, -5.59%, -5.88%.
How it works
BOTZ is an index fund run by Global X Management Company. It aims to match the Indxx Global Robotics & Artificial Intelligence Thematic Index before fees, and it keeps at least 80% of its assets in the index's stocks. Indxx is an independent index provider. It starts with easy-to-trade stocks from developed markets and China. As of January 31, 2026, a company needed a market value of at least $300 million and average daily trading of at least $2 million.
Indxx then sorts companies into five themes: industrial robotics and automation, unmanned vehicles and drones, non-industrial robotics, humanoid technology, and artificial intelligence. A company qualifies if it earns at least 50% of its revenue from these areas or says they are its main business. The index can also hold up to 10 "diversified" companies that earn less from the theme but are major players, plus companies that don't have revenue yet.
Stocks are weighted mostly by market value, with limits applied at each twice-yearly rebalance. No single company can be more than 8%, and no diversified company more than 2%. Diversified companies together, and Chinese companies together, are capped at 10%. Weights drift between rebalances, and Keyence made up 10.8% of the fund as of August 31, 2026. The fund can buy China A-shares, which trade on mainland Chinese exchanges. It may also lend out up to one-third of its assets for extra income.
What it really costs
- BOTZ charges 0.68% a year, versus an average of 0.66% for the similar funds below (5th of 7, cheapest first).
- Using the prospectus's standard example, $10,000 invested would cost about $69 in the first year and $847 over 10 years (assuming a 5% annual return).
| Cost of $10,000 (SEC example) | 1 yr | 3 yrs | 5 yrs | 10 yrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BOTZ | $69 | $218 | $379 | $847 |
In a retirement portfolio
BOTZ is a concentrated bet on one theme that has swung much more than the broad market, so it fits better as a small side position than as a foundation.
BOTZ could add exposure to factory automation, surgical robots and AI chips that a US index fund holds only in small amounts. But it is volatile. As of October 27, 2026, its one-year beta was 1.7, meaning it tended to move about 1.7 times as much as the market. It fell 33.6% in the 2020 COVID crash and recovered in about two months. 2022 was much harsher, with a 42.49% loss for the year. Its deepest drop, 55.5% from November 2021 to October 2022, took about 40 months to recover. Anyone who had to sell during that stretch would have locked in large losses. The fund launched in 2016, so it has no 2008 record. Income is small: the yield was 0.54% as of October 27, 2026, paid twice a year. 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 who want a small, global slice of robotics, with about 30% in Japanese firms like Keyence and Fanuc as of August 31, 2026.
- Those comparing robotics funds on cost: BOTZ charges 0.68% a year, versus 0.95% for ROBO Global Robotics & Automation Index ETF.
- Patient holders who can sit through deep drops, like the 55.5% fall from November 2021 that took about 40 months to recover.
Look elsewhere if
- Anyone who needs income: the yield was 0.54% as of October 27, 2026, and the fund pays only twice a year.
- People who may need to sell in a downturn: the fund lost 42.49% in 2022 and had a one-year beta of 1.7.
- Investors who want broad diversification: as of August 31, 2026, the top 10 holdings made up 60% of assets and about 10% was in China.
Close alternatives
Matched by closest holdings overlap from the latest N-PORT reports (no similar fund shares 20% or more of its holdings).
| Fund | Overlap | Cost | Net assets | 1 yr | 3 yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BOTZ this fund | — | 0.68% | $3.44B | -11.9% | +14.8% |
| ROBO ROBO Global Robotics & Automation Index ETF | 25% | 0.95% | $1.99B | +10.3% | +19.7% |
| LSGR Natixis Loomis Sayles Focused Growth ETF | 16% | 0.59% | $839.1M | -2.0% | +23.9% |
| IGPT Invesco AI and Next Gen Software ETF | 16% | 0.58% | $1.11B | +49.3% | +43.8% |
| PGRO Putnam Focused Large Cap Growth ETF | 15% | 0.56% | $212.1M | +3.1% | +24.6% |
| ILDR First Trust Innovation Leaders ETF | 15% | 0.75% | $324.2M | +11.0% | +33.7% |
| FFOG Franklin Focused Growth ETF FOCUSED GROWTH … | 14% | 0.55% | $311.7M | -0.4% | — |
Questions investors ask
Is BOTZ a good long-term investment?
BOTZ has had strong stretches and deep slumps. Its average annual return since its 2016 launch was 10.54% through December 31, 2025. Over the five years to that date, it averaged only 2.11% a year, partly because of a 42.49% loss in 2022. Its one-year price return was -11.9% as of October 27, 2026. It may suit long-term investors who accept big swings and hold it as a small part of a broader portfolio.
What's the difference between BOTZ and ROBO?
Both focus on robotics and automation, but they differ in cost, size and makeup. BOTZ charges 0.68% a year, while ROBO Global Robotics & Automation Index ETF charges 0.95%. BOTZ is also larger, with $3.44 billion in net assets as of August 31, 2026, against $1.99 billion for ROBO as of July 31, 2026. Their holdings overlap only in part. As of October 27, 2026, ROBO's one-year return was 10.3%, compared with -11.9% for BOTZ.
Does BOTZ pay dividends?
Yes, but not much. BOTZ makes distributions twice a year. Its trailing 12-month yield was 0.54% as of October 27, 2026, or about $0.18 per share. Most of its holdings are industrial and technology companies that put their profits back into growth rather than paying large dividends. So the fund is built for price growth, not income, and it is a weak fit for anyone who relies on regular payouts.
What are BOTZ's top holdings?
As of August 31, 2026, the largest holdings were Keyence (10.8%), Nvidia (9.6%), ABB (9.2%), Fanuc (7.7%) and Intuitive Surgical (6.1%). The top 10 made up about 60% of the fund's 67 stocks. By country, 39.1% was in the United States, 30.1% in Japan and 10.2% in China. That makes BOTZ far more international than most US-focused technology funds.
What is the expense ratio of BOTZ?
BOTZ's expense ratio is 0.68% a year, according to its prospectus filed March 27, 2026. That is slightly above the 0.65% average of the similar funds it was compared with, but well below ROBO's 0.95%. The SEC's standard example assumes $10,000 invested and a 5% yearly return. On that basis, costs would total about $69 after one year, $379 after five years and $847 after ten.