At a glance
ROBT charges 0.65% a year, above the 0.5% average of the 3 funds most like it (the most expensive of 4). It has $729.9M in assets, the 2nd largest of that group; it paid 0.02% of its price in distributions over the past 12 months, annual. Over the past year it returned +3.6% with distributions reinvested (S&P 500: +11.5%), the weakest of those 4 funds; over three years it returned +17.3% a year. At its worst it fell 36.8% in the 2020 crash (S&P 500: 33.7%) and 40.2% in the 2022 bear market (S&P 500: 24.5%), and was back at its earlier high 3 months and 36 months after the lows. Its ten largest positions make up 19.3% of the fund, out of 116 in all.
The short version
First Trust Nasdaq Artificial Intelligence & Robotics ETF (ROBT) is an index fund that tracks the Nasdaq CTA Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Index, a global basket of AI and robotics companies. It gives each company in a group an equal weight, so its top 10 holdings made up only about 19% of assets as of June 30, 2026. Its 0.65% expense ratio is the highest among the similar funds compared here.
Price history
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ROBT +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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ROBT official prospectus, to Dec 31, 2025 | — | +15.16% | — | +0.95% | — | +7.57% |
| ROBT price data to Oct 27, 2026 | +13.0% | +3.6% | +17.3% | +1.7% | — | +8.3% |
- Over the year to Oct 27, 2026, ROBT returned +3.6%, 4th of 4 among similar funds.
- Its 5-year annualized return was +1.7%.
- In the 2020 COVID crash it fell 36.8% and regained its old high 2.7 months after the low.
- Its worst full calendar year was 2022 (-34.9%); its best was 2020 (+46.2%).
- The deepest fall in its price history was 44.5% (Feb 12, 2021 to Oct 14, 2022), recovered by Jun 1, 2026.
Show as a table
| Year | Price data | Prospectus (official) |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to date) | +13.1% | — |
| 2025 | +15.2% | +15.16% |
| 2024 | -0.4% | -0.41% |
| 2023 | +27.8% | +27.08% |
| 2022 | -34.9% | -34.56% |
| 2021 | +9.9% | +9.95% |
| 2020 | +46.2% | +46.07% |
| 2019 | +34.3% | +33.78% |
| 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 35.8% over that stretch · deepest drop along the way 36.8%, back to its old high 2.7 months after the low |
| 2022 bear market stocks fell Jan 3, 2022 – Oct 12, 2022 | Lost 40.2% over that stretch · deepest drop along the way 40.2%, back to its old high 35.8 months after the low |
Dividends and income
Show as a table
| Year | Per share | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to date) | $0.0100 | |
| 2024 | $0.3000 | +172.7% |
| 2023 | $0.1100 | -15.4% |
| 2022 | $0.1300 | +333.3% |
| 2021 | $0.0300 | -66.7% |
| 2020 | $0.0900 | -37.1% |
| 2019 | $0.1430 |
What's inside
As of Jun 30, 2026, the fund held 116 securities; the ten largest made up 19.32% of assets.
| Holding | Weight | |
|---|---|---|
| BOFA SECURITIES, INC. RA | 4.74% | |
| PALO ALTO NETWORKS INC | 1.81% | |
| TEMPUS AI INC | 1.72% | |
| CCC INTELLIGENT SOLUTIONS HOLDINGS INC | 1.64% | |
| ILLUMINA INC | 1.61% | |
| OCEANEERING INTERNATIONAL INC | 1.59% | |
| UPSTART HOLDINGS INC | 1.57% | |
| GENTEX CORP | 1.56% | |
| DYNATRACE INC | 1.54% | |
| SENTINELONE INC | 1.53% | |
| RECURSION PHARMACEUTICALS INC | 1.53% | |
| SIEMENS AG | 1.53% | |
| CLOUDFLARE INC | 1.52% | |
| UBTECH ROBOTICS CORP LTD | 1.50% | |
| CADENCE DESIGN SYSTEMS INC | 1.50% |
By country
United States 70.42%Japan 8.95%Cayman Islands 3.52%South Korea 3.3%France 2.58%By asset type
Stocks 99.58%RA 5.45%What changed recently
- Over the three months to Jun 30, 2026, investors withdrew a net $14.2M (creations minus redemptions, per the N-PORT report).
- Monthly total returns reported for that quarter: +11.81%, +12.99%, -3.66%.
How it works
ROBT is an index fund, meaning it copies a set list of stocks rather than relying on a manager's picks. It normally puts at least 90% of its assets in the stocks of the Nasdaq CTA Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Index. Nasdaq and the Consumer Technology Association (CTA) wrote the index rules together. CTA sorts eligible companies into three groups: Engagers, which build AI or robotics products and systems; Enablers, which make the building blocks, such as semiconductors and autonomous systems; and Enhancers, which offer AI-related services outside their core business.
After screens for size, float and trading volume, companies are ranked by CTA's AI Intensity Ratings. These ratings score how deeply each company is involved in AI. The top 30 in each group are chosen, with ties included. Engagers get 60% of the fund's weight, Enablers 25% and Enhancers 15%. Within each group, every company is weighted equally. The index rebalances quarterly and reconstitutes, or reselects its members, twice a year. That helps explain the fund's 52% portfolio turnover.
As of December 31, 2025, the index held 110 stocks worth between $772.62 million and $4.53 trillion each, with heavy exposure to information technology. The fund also owns foreign and emerging-market shares, so currency swings and overseas trading hours affect its value.
What it really costs
- ROBT charges 0.65% a year, versus an average of 0.5% for the similar funds below (4th of 4, cheapest first).
In a retirement portfolio
ROBT is a narrow, volatile theme fund that has fallen more than 40% from a peak, so it fits best as a small add-on to a broad core.
ROBT could add focused exposure to AI and robotics stocks that a broad index fund holds in smaller amounts. The ride has been rough. The fund fell 36.8% in the 2020 COVID crash and recovered in about 2.7 months. The 2022 bear market was harsher: it dropped 40.2% and took about 35.8 months to recover. 2022 was its worst calendar year, at -34.9%. Its deepest decline, 44.5% from February 2021 to October 2022, was not fully recovered until June 1, 2026. It launched in 2018, so it has no 2008 record. Anyone selling shares to cover spending in a year like 2022 would have locked in steep losses. Income is negligible: the yield was 0.02% as of October 27, 2026, paid once a year. Its 0.65% expense ratio tops the 0.50% peer average. 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 wanting AI and robotics exposure weighted equally within each group, so a few giant tech stocks don't dominate the fund.
- Those comfortable with roughly 30% outside the US, including Japan, South Korea and China, as of June 30, 2026.
- Long-term holders who can sit through drops like the 44.5% fall from 2021 to 2022, which took about 43.6 months to recover.
Look elsewhere if
- Cost-focused investors: ROBT's 0.65% expense ratio is above IBOT (0.47%), WTAI (0.45%) and QTEC (0.57%).
- Anyone seeking income: the yield was just 0.02% as of October 27, 2026, paid once a year.
- Retirees who may need to sell in downturns: ROBT lost 40.2% in 2022 and had a one-year beta of 1.71 (much bigger swings than the market).
Close alternatives
Matched by holdings overlap from the latest N-PORT reports.
Net assets from each fund's latest N-PORT or annual report where available. Returns through Oct 27, 2026.Questions investors ask
Is ROBT a good long-term investment?
Its long-term record shows modest gains and big swings. According to its prospectus, ROBT returned 7.57% a year from its February 2018 launch through December 31, 2025, but only 0.95% a year over the five years to that date. It lost 34.56% in 2022. As of October 27, 2026, it ranked last among three similar funds on one- and three-year returns, and its 0.65% expense ratio was the highest of the group.
What's the difference between ROBT and IBOT?
IBOT, the VanEck Robotics ETF, costs less and has returned more over the periods shown. IBOT charges 0.47% a year against ROBT's 0.65%. As of October 27, 2026, IBOT returned 20.5% over one year and 27.1% a year over three years, compared with 3.6% and 17.3% for ROBT. Their holdings overlap by about 22%. ROBT is larger, with about $729.9 million in net assets against roughly $97.9 million for IBOT as of June 30, 2026.
Does ROBT pay dividends?
Yes, but the amount is tiny. ROBT pays once a year. Its trailing 12-month yield was 0.02% as of October 27, 2026, or about $0.01 per share. Many technology and robotics companies put their profits back into the business instead of paying large dividends. This fund is built for price growth, so investors who need regular income from their portfolio would have to get it from other holdings.
What are ROBT's top holdings?
No single stock is large, because the fund spreads its money widely. As of June 30, 2026, its biggest stock positions were Palo Alto Networks (1.8%), Tempus AI (1.7%), CCC Intelligent Solutions (1.6%), Illumina (1.6%) and Oceaneering International (1.6%). It also held a 4.7% repurchase agreement with BofA Securities, a short-term cash-like position. The top 10 made up 19.32% of assets across 116 holdings. About 70% was in US companies, and Japan came next at about 9%.
Is ROBT equal weighted?
Yes, within each of its three groups. The index gives 60% of the fund's weight to Engagers, 25% to Enablers and 15% to Enhancers, and splits each group's share equally among its companies. Weights are reset at each quarterly rebalance, and the stock list is refreshed twice a year. So a small company can carry as much weight as a giant one. As of December 31, 2025, index members ranged from $772.62 million to $4.53 trillion in market value.