At a glance
NXTG charges 0.7% a year, above the 0.09% average of the 6 funds most like it (the most expensive of 7). It has $563.9M in assets, the 7th largest of that group; it paid 1.31% of its price in distributions over the past 12 months, quarterly. Over the past year it returned +38.9% with distributions reinvested (S&P 500: +11.5%), the best of those 7 funds; over three years it returned +34.9% a year. At its worst it fell 29.4% in the 2020 crash (S&P 500: 33.7%) and 33.5% in the 2022 bear market (S&P 500: 24.5%), and was back at its earlier high 4 months and 17 months after the lows. Its ten largest positions make up 17.6% of the fund, out of 101 in all.
The short version
First Trust Indxx NextG ETF (NXTG) is an index fund that tracks the Indxx 5G & NextG Thematic Index. The index holds about 100 global companies tied to 5G, from chipmakers like Intel and Micron to cell tower owners and wireless carriers. Holdings are weighted roughly equally rather than by size, and only about 40% was in US companies as of June 30, 2026. Its 0.70% fee is far above the 0.09% average of its closest broad funds.
Price history
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NXTG +38.9% 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NXTG official prospectus, to Dec 31, 2025 | — | +28.48% | — | +11.43% | +13.24% | +10.50% |
| NXTG price data to Oct 27, 2026 | +41.5% | +38.9% | +34.9% | +16.6% | +15.9% | +12.3% |
- Over the year to Oct 27, 2026, NXTG returned +38.9%, 1st of 7 among similar funds.
- Its 5-year annualized return was +16.6% and its 10-year +15.9%.
- In the 2020 COVID crash it fell 29.4% and regained its old high 3.7 months after the low.
- Its worst full calendar year was 2022 (-24.7%); its best was 2013 (+34.3%).
- The deepest fall in its price history was 33.6% (Jan 3, 2022 to Oct 14, 2022), recovered by Mar 6, 2024.
Show as a table
| Year | Price data | Prospectus (official) |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to date) | +41.5% | — |
| 2025 | +28.5% | +28.48% |
| 2024 | +12.8% | +12.73% |
| 2023 | +28.7% | +28.33% |
| 2022 | -24.7% | -24.19% |
| 2021 | +21.8% | +21.91% |
| 2020 | +27.6% | +27.36% |
| 2019 | +29.6% | +28.67% |
| 2018 | -17.3% | -16.81% |
| 2017 | +28.0% | +29.10% |
| 2016 | +15.5% | +14.71% |
| 2015 | -3.8% | — |
| 2014 | +15.6% | — |
| 2013 | +34.3% | — |
| 2012 | +7.3% | — |
| 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 29.4% over that stretch · deepest drop along the way 29.4%, back to its old high 3.7 months after the low |
| 2022 bear market stocks fell Jan 3, 2022 – Oct 12, 2022 | Lost 33.5% over that stretch · deepest drop along the way 33.5%, back to its old high 16.8 months after the low |
Dividends and income
Show as a table
| Year | Per share | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to date) | $1.4400 | |
| 2025 | $1.6900 | +32.0% |
| 2024 | $1.2800 | -22.4% |
| 2023 | $1.6500 | +33.1% |
| 2022 | $1.2400 | -23.5% |
| 2021 | $1.6200 | +125.0% |
| 2020 | $0.7200 | +71.4% |
| 2019 | $0.4200 | -22.2% |
| 2018 | $0.5400 | -37.2% |
| 2017 | $0.8600 | +68.6% |
| 2016 | $0.5100 | +27.5% |
| 2015 | $0.4000 | 0.0% |
| 2014 | $0.4000 | +42.9% |
| 2013 | $0.2800 | -9.7% |
| 2012 | $0.3100 |
What's inside
As of Jun 30, 2026, the fund held 101 securities; the ten largest made up 17.63% of assets.
| Holding | Weight | |
|---|---|---|
| MIZUHO SECURITIES USA LLC RA | 2.78% | |
| FUJIKURA LTD | 1.90% | |
| UNITED MICROELECTRONICS CORP | 1.79% | |
| INTEL CORP | 1.69% | |
| MICRON TECHNOLOGY INC | 1.68% | |
| ADVANCED MICRO DEVICES INC | 1.66% | |
| ASE TECHNOLOGY HOLDING CO LTD | 1.63% | |
| MARVELL TECHNOLOGY INC | 1.53% | |
| TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY LTD | 1.51% | |
| CIENA CORP | 1.46% | |
| ARISTA NETWORKS INC | 1.45% | |
| RENESAS ELECTRONICS CORP | 1.43% | |
| SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD | 1.41% | |
| KEYSIGHT TECHNOLOGIES INC | 1.40% | |
| INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AG | 1.39% |
By country
United States 40.05%Japan 11.91%Taiwan 11.41%India 6.78%South Korea 4.54%By asset type
Stocks 99.27%RA 2.78%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: +20.58%, +17.98%, -3.94%.
How it works
The fund tries to match the Indxx 5G & NextG Thematic Index, which is owned and run by Indxx, Inc. It normally puts at least 90% of its net assets in the index's stocks. The index looks for companies that have put material resources into 5G. It sorts them into two groups. "5G Infrastructure & Hardware" covers data center and cell tower REITs (real estate investment trusts), equipment and chip makers, network testing firms and phone makers. "Telecommunications Service Providers" covers the carriers that sell 5G access. Stocks must pass size, liquidity, trading and float tests. They can be listed in developed or emerging markets, including as depositary receipts (certificates that let foreign shares trade on another exchange).
The index picks the 100 largest qualifying companies by market value. A stock already in the index can stay as long as it ranks in the top 120. Hardware gets 80% of the weight and carriers get 20%. Within each group, stocks start out with equal weights, and companies worth less than $2 billion get half a weight. As a result, no single stock dominates. The top 10 made up 17.63% of the fund as of June 30, 2026, led by Fujikura, United Microelectronics and Intel at roughly 1.7% to 1.9% each.
Indxx can use its own judgment to add, drop or delay a stock. Changes to its rules take effect at the next reconstitution. Portfolio turnover was 18%, and the fund held no derivatives as of June 30, 2026.
What it really costs
- NXTG charges 0.7% a year, versus an average of 0.09% for the similar funds below (7th of 7, cheapest first).
In a retirement portfolio
It is a narrow, global bet on 5G chips, gear and carriers that has fallen more than a third in a downturn, so it fits best as a small slice beside broad holdings.
NXTG adds exposure to the chips, networking gear, towers and carriers behind 5G, with only about 40% in US stocks as of June 30, 2026. The cost of that is a bumpy ride. The fund fell 29.4% in the 2020 COVID crash and got back to its old high in about four months. In the 2022 bear market it dropped 33.5% and needed about 17 months, until March 6, 2024, to recover. Its official 2022 return was -24.19%. Anyone who had to sell shares or draw income in late 2022 would have locked in deep losses. The fund launched in 2011, so it has no 2008 record. Income is modest: the trailing yield was 1.31% as of October 27, 2026, paid quarterly. The 0.70% fee is high next to broad index funds. Past results don't predict future ones, 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 targeted bet on 5G chips, network equipment and wireless carriers, held as a small slice next to a broad core fund.
- Those comfortable with heavy exposure to Asia, as Japan, Taiwan, India and South Korea together held about a third of assets as of June 30, 2026.
- People who want money spread across about 100 roughly equal-weighted stocks, so a few giant companies don't dominate the theme.
Look elsewhere if
- Cost-focused investors: the 0.70% expense ratio is many times the 0.02% charged by SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 ETF (SPYM).
- Retirees who need steady income, since the trailing yield was just 1.31% as of October 27, 2026.
- Anyone who may need to sell in a downturn: the fund fell 33.5% in 2022 and took about 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NXTG this fund | — | 0.7% | $563.9M | +38.9% | +34.9% |
| SPYM SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 ETF | 12% | 0.02% | $153.92B | +11.5% | +22.0% |
| VT Vanguard Total World Stock ETF | 10% | 0.06% | $97.88B | +12.5% | +22.2% |
| SPYV SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 Value ETF | 9% | 0.04% | $35.30B | +16.8% | +17.8% |
| IVE iShares S&P 500 Value ETF | 9% | 0.18% | $47.74B | +16.7% | +17.7% |
| IWD iShares Russell 1000 Value ETF | 8% | 0.19% | $79.74B | +28.8% | +22.2% |
| VYM Vanguard High Dividend Yield Index ETF | 7% | 0.06% | $99.19B | +19.1% | +21.2% |
Questions investors ask
What does NXTG invest in?
NXTG holds about 100 companies tied to 5G networks, picked by the Indxx 5G & NextG Thematic Index. Hardware makes up 80% of the index: chipmakers, equipment makers, testing firms, phone makers, and data center and cell tower REITs. Wireless carriers make up the other 20%. As of June 30, 2026, large holdings included Fujikura, United Microelectronics, Intel, Micron and AMD. About 40% was in US companies, and Japan and Taiwan held roughly 12% and 11%.
How has NXTG performed over the long term?
NXTG returned an average of 13.24% a year over the 10 years to December 31, 2025, according to its prospectus. Over five years it returned 11.43% a year, and it gained 28.48% in 2025. The ride has been uneven: it lost 16.81% in 2018 and 24.19% in 2022. Based on price, it was up 41.5% in 2026 through October 27, which is only part of a year. Past returns don't predict future results.
Does NXTG pay dividends?
Yes. NXTG pays dividends quarterly, but the amounts are small. Over the 12 months to October 27, 2026, it paid $1.98 per share, a trailing yield of 1.31%. The fund owns growth-oriented chip and equipment stocks along with some carriers and REITs, so dividends are not its main purpose. Investors who want regular income from their holdings may find the yield too low to cover much spending.
NXTG vs SPYM: what's the difference?
SPYM is a broad, low-cost US fund. NXTG is a pricier global bet on one theme. SPYM's expense ratio is 0.02%, while NXTG's is 0.70%. SPYM weights large US companies by size. NXTG weights about 100 global 5G-related stocks roughly equally. The two share only about 12% of holdings. NXTG's price return was 38.9% over the year to October 27, 2026, against 12.4% for SPYM through October 30. NXTG had about $564 million in net assets as of June 30, 2026, against about $154 billion for SPYM.
Is NXTG too risky for a retirement portfolio?
NXTG is risky enough that it usually works only as a small satellite position, not a core holding. It dropped 33.5% during the 2022 bear market and took about 17 months to recover. In the 2020 COVID crash it fell 29.4%. Its one-year beta was 1.16 as of October 27, 2026, which means it tended to move more than the overall market. Its 0.70% fee also adds up over decades. How it fits depends on the rest of a portfolio.