At a glance
LEGR charges 0.65% a year, above the 0.21% average of the 6 funds most like it (the most expensive of 7). It has $128.7M in assets, the 7th largest of that group; it paid 1.84% of its price in distributions over the past 12 months, quarterly. Over the past year it returned +12.8% with distributions reinvested (S&P 500: +11.5%), 3rd of those 7 funds; over three years it returned +25.5% a year. At its worst it fell 36.0% in the 2020 crash (S&P 500: 33.7%) and 31.5% in the 2022 bear market (S&P 500: 24.5%), and was back at its earlier high 8 months and 17 months after the lows. Its ten largest positions make up 23.6% of the fund, out of 105 in all.
The short version
First Trust Indxx Innovative Transaction & Process ETF (LEGR) tracks the Indxx Blockchain Index, about 100 global companies that build or use blockchain, a shared digital record-keeping system. It owns stocks such as Intel, AMD and Micron, not cryptocurrency, and its index splits money evenly between blockchain “enablers” and “users.” Its 0.65% annual fee is the highest among the six funds whose holdings overlap most with it, which average 0.21%.
Price history
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LEGR +12.8% 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LEGR official prospectus, to Dec 31, 2025 | — | +30.87% | — | +12.25% | — | +11.26% |
| LEGR price data to Oct 27, 2026 | +11.1% | +12.8% | +25.5% | +10.7% | — | +11.5% |
- Over the year to Oct 27, 2026, LEGR returned +12.8%, 3rd of 7 among similar funds.
- Its 5-year annualized return was +10.7%.
- In the 2020 COVID crash it fell 36% and regained its old high 7.8 months after the low.
- Its worst full calendar year was 2022 (-19.0%); its best was 2025 (+30.9%).
- The deepest fall in its price history was 36.1% (Feb 12, 2020 to Mar 16, 2020), recovered by Nov 9, 2020.
Show as a table
| Year | Price data | Prospectus (official) |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to date) | +11.1% | — |
| 2025 | +30.9% | +30.87% |
| 2024 | +16.2% | +16.22% |
| 2023 | +22.8% | +21.79% |
| 2022 | -19.0% | -18.34% |
| 2021 | +17.9% | +17.82% |
| 2020 | +18.7% | +18.45% |
| 2019 | +28.0% | +27.96% |
| 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 34.1% over that stretch · deepest drop along the way 36%, back to its old high 7.8 months after the low |
| 2022 bear market stocks fell Jan 3, 2022 – Oct 12, 2022 | Lost 29.9% over that stretch · deepest drop along the way 31.5%, back to its old high 16.9 months after the low |
Dividends and income
Show as a table
| Year | Per share | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to date) | $0.9400 | |
| 2025 | $1.1000 | -0.9% |
| 2024 | $1.1100 | +6.7% |
| 2023 | $1.0400 | +15.6% |
| 2022 | $0.9000 | +13.9% |
| 2021 | $0.7900 | +119.4% |
| 2020 | $0.3600 | -45.5% |
| 2019 | $0.6600 |
What's inside
As of Jun 30, 2026, the fund held 105 securities; the ten largest made up 23.57% of assets.
| Holding | Weight | |
|---|---|---|
| INTEL CORP | 3.86% | |
| ADVANCED MICRO DEVICES INC | 3.68% | |
| MICRON TECHNOLOGY INC | 3.56% | |
| INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AG | 2.52% | |
| SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD | 2.13% | |
| TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY LTD | 1.77% | |
| MORGAN STANLEY | 1.69% | |
| MITSUBISHI UFJ FINANCIAL GROUP INC | 1.51% | |
| AMAZON.COM INC | 1.42% | |
| INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORP | 1.42% | |
| NVIDIA CORP | 1.37% | |
| ICICI BANK LTD | 1.35% | |
| NORDEA BANK ABP | 1.31% | |
| MASTERCARD INC | 1.29% | |
| EMIRATES TELECOMMUNICATIONS GROUP COMPANY PJSC | 1.28% |
By country
United States 43.95%Germany 7.85%China 6.58%India 5.45%United Kingdom 4.56%By asset type
Stocks 99.67%RA 0.93%By sector
Sectors of the companies held, for the 41.8% of the fund in companies that have a stock page here; other holdings and cash aren't classified. Source: N-PORT holdings report as of Jun 30, 2026. Cash, money-market funds and derivatives are shown separately from the securities list.What changed recently
- Over the three months to Jun 30, 2026, investors withdrew a net $85K (creations minus redemptions, per the N-PORT report).
- Monthly total returns reported for that quarter: +8.53%, +6.62%, -2.86%.
How it works
LEGR puts at least 90% of its net assets into the stocks in the Indxx Blockchain Index, which is owned and run by Indxx, Inc. A blockchain is a shared digital ledger: a network of computers keeps the same record of who owns what. To build the index, Indxx starts with common stocks, depositary receipts (foreign shares traded in the US) and REITs from developed and emerging markets that meet size, trading and float rules. It then sorts companies into three tiers. Tier 1 is "Active Enablers", which build or sell blockchain products and services. Tier 2 is "Active Users", which use blockchain or have at least one test case. Tier 3 is "Active Explorers", which have only said they are exploring it. Only Tiers 1 and 2 qualify, and the 100 largest by market value make the cut.
Each tier gets half the index, and every company within a tier gets an equal weight. So a giant like Nvidia held only 1.4% as of June 30, 2026. The index is rebalanced twice a year. Indxx can also use its own judgment to drop a stock over governance, accounting or transparency concerns. Turnover was 15%.
As of June 30, 2026, the fund held 105 stocks, with no derivatives. Since one test case can qualify a company, many holdings are chipmakers and banks whose main businesses may matter more to their results than blockchain does.
What it really costs
- LEGR charges 0.65% a year, versus an average of 0.21% for the similar funds below (7th of 7, cheapest first).
In a retirement portfolio
It is a narrow theme fund with high costs and heavy foreign exposure, so it fits as a small side position rather than a foundation.
LEGR launched in January 2018, so it has no record from the 2008 crisis. In the 2020 COVID crash it fell 36% between February and March 16, 2020, then recovered by November 9, 2020, about 7.8 months after the low. The 2022 bear market hit harder. It dropped 31.5% from January to October 2022 and didn't recover until March 7, 2024, nearly 17 months after the low. Its worst calendar year was 2022, at -18.34%. A retiree who had to sell shares during that stretch would have locked in real losses. Income is modest: the trailing 12-month yield was 1.84% as of October 27, 2026, paid quarterly. The 0.65% expense ratio is also high for an index fund. Past results don't predict future returns, and any plan should look at the whole portfolio, not one fund.
Who it may suit — and who should look elsewhere
May suit
- Investors who want stock exposure to blockchain adoption through established firms such as Intel, AMD, Micron, Morgan Stanley and Mastercard, rather than owning cryptocurrency.
- People wanting global reach in one theme fund: as of June 30, 2026, about 44% sat in US stocks, with Germany, China and India next.
- Investors who prefer spread-out bets: as of June 30, 2026, the largest of 105 holdings, Intel, was 3.9%, and the top 10 totaled about 24%.
Look elsewhere if
- Cost-conscious investors: 0.65% is the comparison group's highest fee; Vanguard Mega Cap ETF charges 0.07% and roughly matched its three-year return to October 27, 2026.
- Investors wanting pure blockchain or crypto exposure: it holds no cryptocurrency, and half the index goes to “users” that can qualify with one test case.
- Investors who can't tolerate deep drops: it fell 36.1% in early 2020 and 31.5% in 2022, then took nearly 17 months to recover.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LEGR this fund | — | 0.65% | $128.7M | +12.8% | +25.5% |
| XAIX Xtrackers Artificial Intelligence and Big D… | 26% | 0.35% | $173.4M | +31.0% | — |
| IWL iShares Russell Top 200 ETF | 20% | 0.15% | $2.19B | +12.5% | +25.5% |
| MGC Vanguard Mega Cap ETF | 20% | 0.07% | $10.90B | +13.5% | +26.0% |
| SPYX SPDR S&P 500 Fossil Fuel Reserves Free ETF | 19% | 0.2% | $2.74B | +12.6% | +24.8% |
| SPYM SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 ETF | 19% | 0.02% | $153.92B | +11.5% | +22.0% |
| MODL VictoryShares WestEnd U.S. Sector ETF | 19% | 0.46% | $1.02B | +11.9% | +23.8% |
Questions investors ask
Does LEGR hold bitcoin or other cryptocurrency?
No. LEGR owns company stocks, not digital coins. As of June 30, 2026, stocks made up about 99.7% of the fund, and it held no derivatives (contracts whose value comes from other assets). It tracks the Indxx Blockchain Index, which picks companies that build blockchain products (“Active Enablers”) or use them (“Active Users”). A blockchain is a shared digital ledger kept and checked by a network of computers. The fund's value moves with companies like Intel, AMD and Micron rather than with coin prices.
What is LEGR's expense ratio?
LEGR's expense ratio, the yearly fee taken from fund assets, is 0.65%, according to its prospectus filed January 28, 2026. That is the highest among the six funds whose holdings overlap most with LEGR, which average 0.21%. They range from 0.02% for SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 ETF to 0.46% for VictoryShares WestEnd U.S. Sector ETF. Most are broad large-company funds, not blockchain funds, but they show how much less it can cost to own some of the same stocks.
What's the difference between LEGR and XAIX?
They follow different themes. LEGR tracks blockchain companies through the Indxx Blockchain Index, while Xtrackers Artificial Intelligence and Big Data ETF (XAIX) targets AI and big data. They share about 26% of holdings, the most of any fund in LEGR's comparison group. XAIX costs 0.35% a year versus 0.65% for LEGR. Over the year to October 27, 2026, XAIX returned 31% and LEGR 12.8%, though one year says little about the next.
Does LEGR pay dividends?
Yes, LEGR pays dividends quarterly. Over the 12 months to October 27, 2026, it paid about $1.20 per share, a trailing yield of 1.84%. Trailing yield means the past year's payouts divided by the share price. The money comes from dividends paid by its stocks, including big banks and chipmakers in the US, Europe and Asia, so amounts can change from quarter to quarter. Currency swings can also shrink or boost payments from foreign holdings.
How has LEGR performed since launch?
It has gained over time, with sharp swings. Per its prospectus, LEGR returned 11.26% a year from its January 24, 2018 launch through December 31, 2025, and 12.25% a year over the five years to that date. Calendar years ranged from an 18.34% loss in 2022 to a 30.87% gain in 2025. Its price fell 36.1% in early 2020 before recovering by November 9, 2020. Over the three years to October 27, 2026, its 25.5% annual price return roughly matched Vanguard Mega Cap ETF's 26%.