At a glance
DTRE charges 0.6% a year, above the 0.49% average of the 8 funds most like it (the 8th cheapest of 9). It has $14.2M in assets, the 9th largest of that group; it paid 4.05% of its price in distributions over the past 12 months, quarterly. Over the past year it returned +3.6% with distributions reinvested (S&P 500: +11.5%), 7th of those 9 funds; over three years it returned +8.5% a year. Its ten largest positions make up 56.3% of the fund, out of 31 in all.
The short version
First Trust Alerian Disruptive Technology Real Estate ETF (DTRE) tracks an Alerian index of around 30 owners of cell towers, data centers and e-commerce warehouses, led by Equinix, Prologis and Digital Realty. Unlike most index funds, it weights holdings by how heavily they trade rather than by company size. It charges 0.60% a year, above the 0.49% average for similar funds, and held just $14.2 million in assets as of June 30, 2026.
Price history
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DTRE +3.6% 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DTRE official prospectus, to Dec 31, 2025 | — | +7.86% | — | +0.77% | +2.35% | +1.99% |
| DTRE price data to Oct 27, 2026 | +6.3% | +3.6% | +8.5% | — | — | +4.7% |
- Over the year to Oct 27, 2026, DTRE returned +3.6%, 7th of 9 among similar funds.
- Its worst full calendar year was 2024 (-9.7%); its best was 2023 (+13.8%).
- The deepest fall in its price history was 20.7% (Sep 16, 2024 to Apr 8, 2025), recovered by Apr 16, 2026.
Show as a table
| Year | Price data | Prospectus (official) |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to date) | +6.3% | — |
| 2025 | +8.3% | +7.86% |
| 2024 | -9.7% | -9.58% |
| 2023 | +13.8% | +13.52% |
| 2022 | — | -25.91% |
| 2021 | — | +26.65% |
| 2020 | — | -8.98% |
| 2019 | — | +21.82% |
| 2018 | — | -5.11% |
| 2017 | — | +10.57% |
| 2016 | — | +4.37% |
| 2008 financial crisis stocks fell Oct 9, 2007 – Mar 9, 2009 | Not in the price data, which starts Oct 4, 2022 |
|---|---|
| 2020 COVID crash stocks fell Feb 19, 2020 – Mar 23, 2020 | Not in the price data, which starts Oct 4, 2022 |
| 2022 bear market stocks fell Jan 3, 2022 – Oct 12, 2022 | Not in the price data, which starts Oct 4, 2022 |
Dividends and income
Show as a table
| Year | Per share | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to date) | $0.7100 | |
| 2025 | $1.3500 | -4.3% |
| 2024 | $1.4100 | +28.2% |
| 2023 | $1.1000 |
What's inside
As of Jun 30, 2026, the fund held 31 securities; the ten largest made up 56.28% of assets.
| Holding | Weight | |
|---|---|---|
| EQUINIX INC | 6.70% | |
| PROLOGIS INC | 6.51% | |
| DIGITAL REALTY TRUST INC | 6.33% | |
| AMERICAN TOWER CORP | 6.03% | |
| CROWN CASTLE INC | 5.80% | |
| AMERICOLD REALTY TRUST INC | 5.44% | |
| SBA COMMUNICATIONS CORP | 5.36% | |
| SEGRO PLC | 5.10% | |
| LINEAGE INC | 4.66% | |
| EASTGROUP PROPERTIES INC | 4.36% | |
| LXP INDUSTRIAL TRUST | 4.23% | |
| FIRST INDUSTRIAL REALTY TRUST INC | 4.21% | |
| STAG INDUSTRIAL INC | 4.17% | |
| TERRENO REALTY CORP | 4.12% | |
| REXFORD INDUSTRIAL REALTY INC | 4.06% |
By country
United States 71.98%United Kingdom 8.5%Singapore 7.02%Japan 6.92%Canada 2.01%By asset type
Stocks 98.85%What changed recently
- Over the three months to Jun 30, 2026, investors withdrew a net $2.1M (creations minus redemptions, per the N-PORT report).
- Monthly total returns reported for that quarter: +9.17%, +1.10%, -2.96%.
How it works
DTRE tries to match, before fees, the Alerian Disruptive Technology Real Estate Index, run by VettaFi. The index draws from real estate stocks, including real estate investment trusts (REITs), in the S-Network Global 5000 and S-Network Global REIT indexes. To qualify, a company must earn at least half its revenue from one of three segments: rapid data transfer (cell towers, fiber-optic networks), distributed data handling (data centers, cloud networks) or e-commerce warehousing (distribution, storage and logistics buildings). Its stock must also meet minimums for size, trading volume and shares available to the public.
Every qualifying company goes in, weighted by its average daily trading value over three months rather than by company size, so heavily traded stocks count for more. No stock may exceed 10%, and stocks above 5% may not total more than 40%. Every quarter the index adds, drops and reweights holdings, and the fund follows shortly after. Portfolio turnover, the share of holdings replaced in a year, was 36%, per the prospectus filed January 28, 2026.
As a “non-diversified” fund, it can concentrate in fewer names. As of June 30, 2026, its top 10 holdings made up 56% of assets. About 72% was in US companies; the rest was mainly in the UK, Singapore and Japan, so currency moves affect returns.
What it really costs
- DTRE charges 0.6% a year, versus an average of 0.49% for the similar funds below (8th of 9, cheapest first).
In a retirement portfolio
It concentrates in around 30 tower, data center and warehouse owners and lost 25.91% in 2022, so it fits a small side position better than a core one.
DTRE could add exposure to tower, data center and warehouse owners, plus income: a 4.05% yield over the 12 months to October 27, 2026, paid quarterly. Its 0.60% fee is above the 0.49% average of similar funds. Its prospectus shows yearly results from 2016, so 2008 isn't covered. In 2020 it dropped 28.48% in the first quarter and ended the year down 8.98%, and in 2022 it lost 25.91%, its worst calendar year from 2016 to 2025. Its deepest drop since October 2022 was 20.7%, from September 16, 2024 to April 8, 2025; recovery took about 12 months from that low.
Drawing income in a year like 2022 would have meant taking money out at depressed prices. Its 10-year average annual return was 2.35% through December 31, 2025. Past results don't predict future ones, and any plan needs to weigh the whole portfolio, not one fund.
Who it may suit — and who should look elsewhere
May suit
- Investors seeking a focused stake in cell-tower, data-center and warehouse owners such as Equinix, Prologis and American Tower, rather than a broad real estate fund.
- Income seekers comfortable with stock-like swings, given a 4.05% yield paid quarterly over the 12 months to October 27, 2026.
- Those wanting some global property exposure: about 72% was in US companies as of June 30, 2026, with the UK, Singapore and Japan next.
Look elsewhere if
- Cost-conscious investors: its 0.60% fee was among the highest of nine comparable funds; the broader iShares Cohen & Steers REIT ETF (ICF) charges 0.33%.
- Retirees who may need to draw on savings in a slump: DTRE lost 25.91% in 2022 and 28.48% in the first quarter of 2020.
- Investors wary of tiny funds: DTRE held $14.2 million as of June 30, 2026, smallest of nine comparable funds, after $2.1 million in three-month outflows.
Close alternatives
Matched by holdings overlap from the latest N-PORT reports.
| Fund | Overlap | Cost | Net assets | 1 yr | 3 yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DTRE this fund | — | 0.6% | $14.2M | +3.6% | +8.5% |
| WTRE WisdomTree New Economy Real Estate Fund | 45% | 0.58% | $16.3M | -7.4% | +16.7% |
| DTCR Global X Data Center And Digital Infrastruc… | 32% | 0.5% | $2.14B | +16.5% | — |
| PSR Invesco Active U.S. Real Estate Fund | 31% | 0.35% | $60.4M | +8.6% | +13.1% |
| ICF iShares Cohen & Steers REIT ETF | 30% | 0.33% | $2.10B | +7.6% | +14.2% |
| BYRE Principal Real Estate Active Opportunities … | 30% | 0.6% | $25.6M | +5.8% | +12.8% |
| IDGT iShares U.S. Digital Infrastructure and Rea… | 29% | 0.41% | $502.8M | +26.4% | — |
| FPRO Fidelity Real Estate Investment ETF | 29% | 0.59% | $16.5M | +4.9% | +13.4% |
Questions investors ask
What does DTRE invest in?
DTRE holds real estate companies that own cell towers, data centers and e-commerce warehouses. As of June 30, 2026, it held 31 companies, and the 10 largest made up 56% of assets. The top five were Equinix (6.7%), Prologis (6.5%), Digital Realty (6.3%), American Tower (6.0%) and Crown Castle (5.8%). Americold, SBA Communications, Segro, Lineage and EastGroup Properties rounded out the top 10. About 72% was in US companies, with the UK, Singapore and Japan next.
Does DTRE pay monthly dividends?
No. DTRE pays distributions quarterly. Over the 12 months to October 27, 2026, it paid $1.67 per share, a yield of 4.05%. Its index includes real estate investment trusts (REITs), which generally must pay out most of their taxable income. REIT dividends often don't qualify for the lower tax rate on qualified dividends, so the type of account can matter. Payouts can also rise or fall from one quarter to the next.
What's the difference between DTRE and WTRE?
Cost is nearly identical, but holdings and results differ. WisdomTree New Economy Real Estate Fund (WTRE) charges 0.58% a year versus DTRE's 0.60%, and their portfolios overlap by about 45%. Both are small: WTRE had $16.3 million in assets and DTRE $14.2 million as of June 30, 2026. Over the year to October 27, 2026, DTRE returned 3.6% while WTRE lost 7.4%. Over three years, WTRE averaged 16.7% a year versus DTRE's 8.5%.
What is DTRE's 10-year return?
DTRE averaged 2.35% a year over the 10 years through December 31, 2025, according to its prospectus. Over five years it averaged 0.77% a year, and 1.99% a year since inception. Yearly results swung widely, from a 26.65% gain in 2021 to a 25.91% loss in 2022. Based on share prices, it returned 8.5% a year over the three years to October 27, 2026.
What is DTRE's expense ratio?
DTRE's expense ratio is 0.60% a year, according to its prospectus filed January 28, 2026, and the full amount is the management fee. That is above the 0.49% average for similar funds and among the highest of the nine funds compared. Cheaper funds with overlapping holdings include iShares U.S. Digital Infrastructure and Real Estate ETF (IDGT) at 0.41% and Global X Data Center and Digital Infrastructure ETF (DTCR) at 0.50%.