Inside the First Autism Impact ETF (ASD) & Algorithmic Risk Management with Wayne Panelo

Why It Matters

ASD creates the first liquid, diversified investment vehicle giving investors targeted exposure to an under-served but fast-growing autism care ecosystem while tying capital allocation to potential social impact. The launches underscore Defiance’s rapid product expansion and reflect broader demand for thematic and algorithmic active ETFs in today’s market.

Summary

Defiance ETFs last week launched the Defiance Autism Impact ETF (ASD), the first ETF expressly targeting companies developing therapies, diagnostics, educational tools and assistive technologies for autism and related neurodevelopmental conditions. The index-based fund tracks the Vetify Autism Impact Index and was driven in part by a personal connection at the firm — the founder’s family experience with autism — shaping a thematic basket across biotech, digital health and education segments. The conversation also highlighted Defiance’s rapid growth—now over $13 billion in AUM—and the firm’s other hits, including the Defiance Quantum ETF (QTUM), which has surged this year. The podcast previewed a separate segment on NextGen’s algorithmic long-short ETF (EMPB), signaling growing investor appetite for both purpose-driven and quant-driven active strategies.

Original Description

In this episode of ETF Prime, host Nate Geraci sits down with Sylvia Jablonski, CIO of Defiance ETFs, to discuss their explosive growth, the launch of the groundbreaking Defiance Autism Impact ETF (ASD), and the massive rally behind their Quantum Computing ETF (QTUM).

Plus, longtime market veteran Wayne Panelo, CEO of NextGen EMP, breaks down how he uses a proprietary "foggy ball" algorithm rooted in oceanography to manage downside risk and capture market alpha.

Chapters:

Impact ETFs

00:00 - Intro: Scaling Defiance ETFs to $13 Billion

04:24 - Deep Dive: The Defiance Autism Impact ETF (Ticker: ASD)

09:45 - Philanthropy & ETF Index Construction

11:27 - The Quantum Computing Boom (Ticker: QTUM)

18:28 - Government Funding & Future Tech ETF Launches

Algorithms and your portfolio

23:35 - Long-Short Strategies with NextGen EMP (Ticker: EMP)

27:14 - From Oceanography to Wall Street: Filtering Market Noise

29:53 - The "Foggy Ball" Algorithm: Managing Downside Risk

35:25 - Current Holdings: Semiconductors, Solar, and AI Hardware

38:24 - Active vs. Rules-Based Management

43:42 - How to Apply Risk Management to Your Portfolio

48:46 - Outro & Sneak Peek at Next Week’s Episode

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