At a glance
MOTO charges 0.68% a year, above the 0.51% average of the 6 funds most like it (the 5th cheapest of 7). It has $9.7M in assets, the 7th largest of that group; it paid 0.94% of its price in distributions over the past 12 months, annual. Over the past year it returned +11.7% with distributions reinvested (S&P 500: +11.5%), 4th of those 7 funds; over three years it returned +20.1% a year. At its worst it fell 38.2% in the 2020 crash (S&P 500: 33.7%) and 35.8% in the 2022 bear market (S&P 500: 24.5%), and was back at its earlier high 3 months and 21 months after the lows. Its ten largest positions make up 45.1% of the fund, out of 38 in all.
The short version
SmartETFs Smart Transportation & Technology ETF (MOTO) offers a hand-picked stake in companies behind safer, cleaner and connected transport, chosen by Guinness Atkinson Asset Management rather than an index. As of June 30, 2026, it held 38 stocks, led by chipmakers such as Taiwan Semiconductor and Infineon, with about 40% in US companies. It had just $9.7 million in assets then, and its 0.68% annual fee is above the 0.51% average of similar funds.
Price history
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MOTO +11.7% 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MOTO official prospectus, to Dec 31, 2025 | — | +27.55% | — | +7.24% | — | +15.19% |
| MOTO price data to Oct 27, 2026 | +11.6% | +11.7% | +20.1% | +6.3% | — | +14.9% |
- Over the year to Oct 27, 2026, MOTO returned +11.7%, 4th of 7 among similar funds.
- Its 5-year annualized return was +6.3%.
- In the 2020 COVID crash it fell 38.2% and regained its old high 2.6 months after the low.
- Its worst full calendar year was 2022 (-27.2%); its best was 2020 (+59.1%).
- The deepest fall in its price history was 38.2% (Feb 12, 2020 to Mar 18, 2020), recovered by Jun 5, 2020.
Show as a table
| Year | Price data | Prospectus (official) |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to date) | +11.6% | — |
| 2025 | +27.4% | +27.55% |
| 2024 | +2.0% | +2.33% |
| 2023 | +27.1% | +26.69% |
| 2022 | -27.2% | -26.77% |
| 2021 | +17.2% | +17.12% |
| 2020 | +59.1% | +59.08% |
| 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 37.2% over that stretch · deepest drop along the way 38.2%, back to its old high 2.6 months after the low |
| 2022 bear market stocks fell Jan 3, 2022 – Oct 12, 2022 | Lost 35.2% over that stretch · deepest drop along the way 35.8%, back to its old high 21.1 months after the low |
Dividends and income
Show as a table
| Year | Per share | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $0.5600 | +24.4% |
| 2024 | $0.4500 | -60.5% |
| 2023 | $1.1400 | +44.3% |
| 2022 | $0.7900 | +203.8% |
| 2021 | $0.2600 | -76.4% |
| 2020 | $1.1000 |
What's inside
As of Jun 30, 2026, the fund held 38 securities; the ten largest made up 45.11% of assets.
| Holding | Weight | |
|---|---|---|
| TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR-SP ADR | 5.96% | |
| INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AG /EUR/ | 5.64% | |
| QUANTA SERVICES INC | 5.48% | |
| AMPHENOL CORP-CL A | 4.72% | |
| ANALOG DEVICES INC | 4.19% | |
| ALPHABET INC-CL C | 3.99% | |
| NVIDIA CORP | 3.91% | |
| EATON CORP PLC | 3.89% | |
| RENESAS ELECTRONICS CORP /JPY/ | 3.86% | |
| SIEMENS AG-REG /EUR/ | 3.47% | |
| NXP SEMICONDUCTORS NV | 3.30% | |
| VOLVO AB-B SHS /SEK/ | 3.29% | |
| TESLA INC | 3.20% | |
| SENSATA TECHNOLOGIES HOLDING | 2.99% | |
| DANA INC | 2.91% |
By country
United States 39.52%Germany 14.32%Ireland 7.06%Taiwan 5.96%South Korea 5.95%By asset type
Stocks 98.22%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: -5.68%, +5.32%, +19.52%.
How it works
MOTO is actively managed rather than index-based: the adviser, Guinness Atkinson, picks the stocks. Normally at least 80% of net assets go to Smart Transportation and Technology companies, as the prospectus defines them. Smart Transportation covers products and services that are safer (vehicles with at least Level 1 autonomy, where technology handles part of the driving), cleaner (hybrids, electric vehicles, batteries, fuel cells), connected (vehicles that communicate with each other or with roadside systems) or offered "as a service" through ride-hailing and sharing apps.
Two minimums apply at all times. At least 15% must be in companies with more than half their revenue, profits or assets tied to Smart Transportation. At least another 15% must be in technology companies whose products are used in transportation. The broader Technology definition, spanning chips, software and internet firms, leaves room for names like Alphabet and Nvidia, both top-10 holdings on June 30, 2026.
Position sizes and trading are the adviser's call. As of June 30, 2026, the fund held 38 stocks, the largest at 5.96% and the top 10 at 45%. Turnover, the share of the portfolio replaced in a year, was a low 8.11%, per the April 29, 2026 prospectus. It used no leverage or derivatives. Some holdings, such as Infineon and Siemens, trade in euros, so currency swings affect returns.
What it really costs
- MOTO charges 0.68% a year, versus an average of 0.51% for the similar funds below (5th of 7, cheapest first).
- The fee includes a 0.53% waiver from the adviser, which may end.
- Using the prospectus's standard example, $10,000 invested would cost about $69 in the first year and $1,316 over 10 years (assuming a 5% annual return).
| Cost of $10,000 (SEC example) | 1 yr | 3 yrs | 5 yrs | 10 yrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MOTO | $69 | $218 | $503 | $1,316 |
In a retirement portfolio
It bets on one theme, swings more than the broad market and is very small, so it fits a modest slice of a portfolio rather than its center.
MOTO adds a concentrated bet on vehicle technology and chipmakers, with sharp swings. Its one-year beta was 1.64 as of October 27, 2026, meaning it tended to move about 1.6 times as much as the market. Launched in 2019, it missed the 2008 crisis. In the 2020 COVID crash it fell 38.2%, then regained its peak by June 5, 2020, about 2.6 months after the low. The 2022 bear market was harder: a 35.8% drop, and about 21 months from the October 2022 low to recovery in July 2024. Its worst calendar year, 2022, lost 26.77%. Drawing cash from it in such a year would lock in losses.
Income is minor: a 0.94% yield as of October 27, 2026, paid once a year. Its 0.68% fee tops the 0.51% peer average. Past results don't predict future ones; a plan should weigh the whole portfolio, not one fund.
Who it may suit — and who should look elsewhere
May suit
- Investors wanting a small, actively managed stake in vehicle autonomy, electrification and connectivity, plus chipmakers such as Taiwan Semiconductor and Infineon.
- Those comfortable with heavy foreign exposure: US companies made up only 39.52% of assets as of June 30, 2026, with Germany next at 14.32%.
- Long-term holders who can ride out drops like 2022's 35.8% fall, which took about 21 months from the low to recover.
Look elsewhere if
- Income seekers: the trailing yield was 0.94% as of October 27, 2026, and distributions arrive only once a year.
- Those focused on cost or fund size: a 0.68% annual fee versus a 0.51% peer average, and $9.7 million in assets on June 30, 2026.
- Retirees who may need cash in downturns: it fell 38.2% in early 2020 and lost 26.77% in calendar 2022.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MOTO this fund | — | 0.68% | $9.7M | +11.7% | +20.1% |
| CARZ First Trust S-Network Future Vehicles & Tec… | 20% | 0.7% | $53.3M | +29.7% | +30.7% |
| GRID First Trust Nasdaq Clean Edge Smart GRID In… | 17% | 0.56% | $12.08B | +6.7% | +26.4% |
| SUPP TCW Transform Supply Chain ETF | 17% | 0.75% | $11.9M | +3.0% | +17.8% |
| SOXX iShares Semiconductor ETF | 17% | 0.35% | $47.82B | +48.5% | +44.1% |
| SOXQ Invesco PHLX Semiconductor ETF | 16% | 0.19% | $3.00B | +60.9% | +53.6% |
| IQM Franklin Intelligent Machines ETF | 16% | 0.5% | $117.6M | +5.2% | +33.4% |
Questions investors ask
Is MOTO a good ETF for retirement?
It works better as a small, higher-risk add-on than as a core retirement holding. MOTO bets on one theme and has swung harder than the market. Its one-year beta, a gauge of how much it moves with the market, was 1.64 as of October 27, 2026. It fell 35.8% in the 2022 bear market and took about 21 months from the low to recover. Income is slim: a 0.94% trailing yield on that date, paid once a year. Its stated objective is long-term growth, not income.
What stocks are in the MOTO ETF?
Its largest positions are chipmakers and industrial and technology firms; carmakers play a smaller role. As of June 30, 2026, MOTO's 38 stocks were led by Taiwan Semiconductor (5.96%), Infineon Technologies (5.64%), Quanta Services (5.48%), Amphenol (4.72%) and Analog Devices (4.19%). Tesla was 3.20%. The top 10 made up 45.11% of assets. By country, the US was 39.52%, Germany 14.32% and Ireland 7.06%, with Taiwan, South Korea and Japan close behind.
How has MOTO ETF performed?
MOTO returned an average of 15.19% a year from its November 2019 launch through December 31, 2025, per its prospectus, but with big swings. Over the five years to that date, it returned 7.24% a year. By calendar year, results ranged from a 59.08% gain in 2020 to a 26.77% loss in 2022. Gains of 26.69% in 2023, 2.33% in 2024 and 27.55% in 2025 followed. On a price basis, it was up 11.6% year to date through October 27, 2026.
What's the difference between MOTO and CARZ?
The biggest differences are size, holdings and past returns, not cost. CARZ, the First Trust S-Network Future Vehicles & Technology ETF, charges 0.70% a year versus MOTO's 0.68%. But CARZ held $53.3 million in net assets to MOTO's $9.7 million as of June 30, 2026. The two share only about 20% of their holdings. Through October 27, 2026, CARZ returned 29.7% over one year and 30.7% a year over three years. MOTO returned 11.7% and 20.1%.
What is the MOTO ETF expense ratio?
MOTO's expense ratio, the yearly fee taken from fund assets, is 0.68%, per its prospectus filed April 29, 2026. That is above the 0.51% average of similar funds. The prospectus also lists a 0.53% fee waiver. The SEC's standard example assumes $10,000 invested and a 5% yearly return. Total costs come to $69 after one year, $218 after three, $503 after five and $1,316 after ten. The later figures rise faster than a flat 0.68% would produce, which suggests costs could climb if the waiver ends.