First Trust vs Global X: ETF issuers compared | ETF Tracker

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First Trust vs Global X: ETF issuers compared | ETF Tracker

Thematic: First Trust wins, 71% to 60% of funds made money

Every dot is one thematic fund, placed at its 1-year return. Right of the line = made money. The ringed dot is the middle fund.

BOX SCORE · THEMATIC	First Trust	Global X
Funds in the category	15	17
Made money (W–L)	10–4	9–6
Win %	71%	60%
Money made	$5.9B	$737M
Typical return	+7.4%	+12.3%
Launches · 2026	1	2
Assets	$39.5B	$48.0B
Fee per $100	$0.62	$0.56

The biggest thematic funds on each side

First Trust

Fund	Name	Assets	1Y
CIBR	First Trust Nasdaq Cybersecurity ETF	$17.5B	+27.4% ✓
GRID	First Trust NASDAQ Clean Edge Smart Grid Infrastructure Index Fund	$11.1B	+5.5% ✓
EMLP	First Trust North American Energy Infrastructure Fund	$4.3B	+21.2% ✓
SKYY	First Trust Cloud Computing ETF	$3.3B	+10.9% ✓
FTXL	First Trust Nasdaq Semiconductor ETF	$1.1B	+61.5% ✓
ROBT	First Trust Nasdaq Artificial Intelligence and Robotics ETF	$723M	+0.5% ✓

Global X

Fund	Name	Assets	1Y
PAVE	Global X - U.S. Infrastructure Development ETF	$13.9B	+14.3% ✓
AIQ	Global X - Artificial Intelligence & Technology ETF	$9.7B	+12.3% ✓
SHLD	Global X - Defense Tech ETF	$6.6B	−5.5% ✕
URA	Global X - Uranium ETF	$4.7B	−38.6% ✕
MLPX	Global X - MLP & Energy Infrastructure ETF	$3.8B	+33.2% ✓
BOTZ	Global X - Robotics & Artificial Intelligence ETF	$3.0B	−13.3% ✕