Investors looking for a "first-to-market" strategy may appreciate both the volume and the breadth of exchange-traded funds (ETFs) launching at all times. With more than 1,100 new ETFs hitting the market in 2025, last year gave investors ample opportunity to get in early on upstart funds to maximize growth potential over time. 2026 appears to show now signs of slowing, as investors funnel hundreds of billions of dollars per month into exchange-traded products.
Of course, untested new ETFs also present some risks, including liquidity concerns, a lack of proven track record, and, in many cases, fund managers with whom investors may not be familiar. The funds below all have unique strategies that may appeal to some investors, but it's important to keep these caveats in mind before exploring any brand new ETF. On the other hand, those comfortable with the risk may see a sizable reward for their bet.
A Strategy Combining Meme Stock Exposure With Weekly Distributions
The meme stock trend continues, with a growing number of ETFs focused on companies that have gone viral in this way. The Tuttle Capital Meme Stock Income Blast ETF (BATS: MEMY) is the latest fund to explore this corner of the market, aiming to provide both income and exposure to the highly speculative meme stock class.
MEMY invests at least 80% of assets in meme stocks, identifying potential targets via social media and retail investor forums and then selecting based on short interest, options trade history, and unusual price movement. The fund prefers stocks with elevated implied volatility, with the idea being that these can be more successfully employed in options strategies to generate income.
The fund targets a portfolio of between 15 and 30 U.S.-listed stocks from across sectors and market capitalizations and also uses a put credit spread strategy to make weekly distributions to shareholders.
Due to the high volatility of meme stocks, the regular income can be a strong buffer for those concerned about risks associated with pure exposure to the companies themselves.
For its complex strategy and active management, MEMY charges an expense ratio of 0.99%. Like other brand new ETFs, it has extremely low assets under management (AUM).
One Fund Combining Exposure to Large-Cap U.S. Stocks and Bitcoin With Added Income Incentive
The IncomeSTKd 1X US Stocks & 1X Bitcoin Premium ETF (BATS: ISSB) is another option for investors seeking weekly distributions, although its strategy is broader than MEMY's. ISSB invests in futures and other derivatives of large-cap stocks from the S&P 500 and Bitcoin ETF options and makes total return its priority. It also sets as a goal tax efficiency using unique options strategies.
ISSB also builds income via option premium strategies, benefiting from market volatility. This makes the fund complex and multi-layered.
In this way, ISSB attempts to appeal to investors seeking supplementary income, those looking for unique and indirect Bitcoin exposure, and those bullish on the large-cap corner of the U.S. market.
For this especially broad and complicated approach, investors should expect to pay a premium, and this actively managed fund has an expense ratio of 1.14%.
Downside Protection With an Income Bonus
The fund on this list with the lowest expense ratio (0.79%) and the highest AUM (nearly $14 million) is the TrueShares Equity Hedge ETF (BATS: ONEH). ONEH may appeal to investors anticipating broader downturns in the market, as it invests in both put and call options on the S&P 500. This gives the fund the opportunity to see gains under a variety of market decline scenarios as well as positive equity return situations.
ONEH also has an income component, but this fund achieves those goals through a combination of income-producing securities including U.S. Treasuries, government and corporate bonds, collateralized loan obligations (CLOs), preferred stock, and more. ONEH's distributions have not yet begun, given the short time since the fund launched, but are intended to be paid out at least annually.
Like the funds above, ONEH utilizes a complex strategy that may not appeal to all investors.
Still, at its heart, the fund is designed to provide core equity exposure, but with a built-in downside hedge to protect in the case of market declines. It also includes a reallocation function that helps to support upside recoveries when they occur as well.
To be sure, despite being less expensive than the funds above and sporting a larger AUM, ONEH remains a specialized fund that is costlier than many other more straightforward ETFs, and its asset base is still substantially lower than many alternatives. Investors should keep in mind that ONEH remains a risky play for these reasons.
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The article "3 Unique ETFs Launched in 2026 to Vary Your Investment Strategy" first appeared on MarketBeat.
