What is smart beta and how do First Trust ETFs use it?

Smart beta ETFs use alternative weighting or selection methodologies instead of traditional market-cap weighting to target specific investment factors or outcomes. First Trust's smart beta ETFs may weight stocks by fundamentals like revenue or dividends, screen for quality metrics, or use multi-factor scoring systems. The goal is to capture specific return drivers or reduce concentrated risk while maintaining the transparency and liquidity benefits of the ETF structure.

Are First Trust ETFs more expensive than index ETFs?

First Trust ETFs generally have higher expense ratios than basic market-cap-weighted index ETFs because their strategies involve more complex screening, weighting, and rebalancing. However, they are typically cheaper than traditional actively managed funds. Investors should evaluate whether the specific strategy and potential for differentiated returns justify the incremental cost compared to simpler, cheaper index alternatives.

What types of investors use First Trust ETFs?

First Trust ETFs appeal to investors and financial advisors seeking more targeted exposure than basic index funds provide. They are popular with advisors building customized portfolios who want specific factor tilts, thematic exposure, or alternative weighting methodologies. Income-focused investors also use First Trust's dividend and covered call ETFs. The firm's products tend to attract investors who are comfortable paying somewhat higher fees for a more refined investment approach.

First Trust ETFs

367 ETFs · AUM: $291.79B

First Trust Advisors is known for its smart beta and thematic ETF strategies that go beyond traditional market-cap-weighted indexing. The firm offers a wide range of ETFs built on proprietary index methodologies designed to capture specific investment factors, themes, or market segments. First Trust's approach often incorporates fundamental screening, sector rotation, or unique weighting schemes to differentiate its products from plain-vanilla index funds, appealing to investors who want more targeted or actively designed exposure.

Among First Trust's most popular ETFs, FDN focuses on internet commerce and services companies, providing concentrated exposure to digital economy leaders. FTEC offers broad technology sector exposure at a competitive expense ratio. FV uses a multi-factor approach to select U.S. large-cap value stocks, combining value screening with quality and momentum factors. First Trust's lineup also includes a substantial range of fixed income, dividend, and sector-specific ETFs that use active or enhanced index strategies.

367 ETFs found

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Symbol▼	Fund Name▼	Category	Type	AUM▲	Expense Ratio▼	Price▼	YTD▼
RFEU	First Trust RiverFront Dynamic Europe ETF	Cash & Others	Active Real Estate Europe	$100K	0.83%	$76.15	—
ACYB	FT Vest Laddered Autocallable Buffer & Resilient Income ETF	—	—	$200K	0.75%	$20.06	—
RJMG	FT Raymond James Multicap Growth Equity ETF	Cash & Others	Real Estate Growth Long-Term Bond	$400K	0.85%	$27.59	—
FBZ	First Trust Brazil AlphaDEX Fund	Cash & Others	Technology	$600K	0.80%	$11.52	—
BFAP	FT Vest Bitcoin Strategy Floor15 ETF - April	—	Bitcoin	$805K	0.90%	$16.21	-9.97%
BFJA	FT Vest Bitcoin Strategy Floor15 ETF - January	—	Bitcoin	$940K	0.90%	$18.91	—
SLVY	First Trust Exchange -Traded Fund - FT Vest Silver Strategy & Target Income ETF	—	—	$943K	0.85%	$19.48	—
QQBF	FT Vest Nasdaq-100 Quarterly 15 Buffer ETF	—	—	$1.0M	0.90%	$20.35	—
IDVY	First Trust International Rising Dividend Achievers ETF	Financial Services	Dividend Value International Technology	$1.3M	0.60%	$25.47	—
XVAD	FT Vest AMD & Target Income ETF	—	—	$1.4M	0.85%	$26.57	—
FCFY	First Trust S&P 500 Diversified Free Cash Flow ETF	Technology	Dividend S&P 500	$1.5M	0.60%	$30.45	+10.58%
XVNV	First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund IV - FT Vest NVDA & Target Income ETF	—	—	$1.5M	0.85%	$29.34	—
XVAP	First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund IV - FT Vest APPL & Target Income ETF	—	—	$1.6M	0.85%	$31.85	—
XVPT	FT Vest PLTR & Target Income ETF	—	—	$1.6M	0.85%	$31.74	—
XVSP	First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund IV - FT Vest SPCX & Target Income ETF	—	—	$1.6M	0.85%	$34.12	—
FSPC	First Trust Bloomberg Space Economy ETF	—	—	$1.7M	0.65%	$17.75	—
FKO	First Trust South Korea AlphaDEX Fund	Industrials	Real Estate Technology	$2.0M	0.80%	—	—
FGSI	FT Vest Growth Strength & Target Income ETF	Technology	Income S&P 500 Growth	$2.0M	0.85%	$20.49	+1.32%
ESBG	First Trust Enhanced Stocks, Bonds & Gold ETF	—	Active Gold Treasury Long-Term Bond	$2.0M	0.95%	$20.52	-2.83%
FVI	First Trust Total US Market AlphaDEX ETF	Financial Services	—	$2.1M	—	$8.00	—
XVGL	FT Vest GOOG & Target Income ETF	—	—	$2.2M	0.85%	$28.20	—
XVAZ	FT Vest AMZN & Target Income ETF	—	—	$2.2M	0.85%	$30.00	—
PMTL	FIRST TRUST INDXX QUALITY PRECIOUS METALS MINERS ETF	—	—	$2.2M	0.65%	$22.95	—
XVMT	FT Vest META & Target Income ETF	—	—	$2.3M	0.85%	$28.75	—
BFXU	First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund VIII - FT Vest Laddered U.S. Equity Uncapped Accelerator ETF	—	—	$2.4M	0.10%	$24.21	—
XVMS	FT Vest MSFT & Target Income ETF	—	—	$2.4M	0.85%	$31.58	—
BFOC	FT Vest Bitcoin Strategy Floor15 ETF - October	—	Bitcoin	$2.5M	0.90%	$17.08	-6.52%
EMOT	First Trust S&P 500 Economic Moat ETF	Technology	S&P 500	$2.6M	0.60%	$26.82	+12.71%
FAUS	First Trust Australia AlphaDEX Fund	Industrials	Real Estate Technology	$2.7M	0.80%	—	—
WCMG	First Trust WCM Global Equity ETF	—	—	$3.0M	0.85%	$20.54	—
FCAN	First Trust Canada AlphaDEX Fund	Industrials	Real Estate Technology	$3.1M	0.80%	—	—
SQBA	First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund VIII - FT Vest U.S. Equity Quarterly 15 Buffer ETF	—	—	$3.1M	0.85%	$30.91	—
MDEV	First Trust Indxx Medical Devices ETF	Healthcare	Medical Devices	$3.2M	0.70%	$21.63	+3.30%
BFEW	First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund VIII - FT Vest Laddered U.S. Equity Equal Weight Buffer ETF	—	—	$3.2M	0.10%	$21.84	—
XVTS	First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund IV - FT Vest TSLA & Target Income ETF	—	—	$3.2M	0.85%	$33.60	—
FHK	First Trust Hong Kong AlphaDEX Fund	Financial Services	Real Estate Technology	$3.4M	0.80%	—	—
DGLO	First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund VI - First Trust RBA Deglobalization ETF	—	—	$3.5M	0.70%	$23.33	+14.43%
BFJL	FT Vest Bitcoin Strategy Floor15 ETF - July	—	Bitcoin	$3.8M	0.90%	$19.12	+6.56%
DWPP	First Trust Dorsey Wright People's Portfolio ETF	Financial Services	Equal Weight Large Cap Technology Inverse	$4.0M	0.60%	$26.74	—
DGJL	First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund VIII - FT Vest U.S. Equity Buffer & Digital Return ETF - July	—	—	$4.6M	0.85%	$30.59	—
FPXE	First Trust IPOX Europe Equity Opportunities ETF	Healthcare	Europe	$4.7M	0.70%	$31.12	+0.01%
BNGE	First Trust S-Network Streaming & Gaming ETF	Communication Services	Gaming	$4.7M	0.70%	$31.83	-15.46%
DGJA	FT Vest U.S. Equity Buffer & Digital Return ETF - January	—	Buffer S&P 500	$4.8M	0.85%	$32.35	—
DGOC	First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund VIII - FT Vest U.S. Equity Buffer & Digital Return ETF - October	—	—	$5.0M	0.85%	$33.21	+6.45%
ISHP	First Trust S-Network E-Commerce ETF	Consumer Cyclical	Internet Technology	$5.2M	0.60%	$35.34	-9.87%
HSMV	First Trust Horizon Managed Volatility Small/Mid ETF	Real Estate	Mid Cap VIX	$5.3M	0.80%	$35.48	+0.80%
UXJL	First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund VIII - FT Vest U.S. Equity Uncapped Accelerator ETF - July	—	—	$5.6M	0.85%	$37.22	+13.97%
FTIF	First Trust Bloomberg Inflation Sensitive Equity ETF	Energy	Dividend	$5.8M	0.60%	$29.56	+29.87%
DGAP	First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund VIII - FT Vest U.S. Equity Buffer & Digital Return ETF - April	—	—	$7.8M	0.85%	$31.25	—
ARVR	First Trust Indxx Metaverse ETF	—	Metaverse	$8.5M	0.70%	$57.20	+18.36%

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First Trust ETFs

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