ETF Spotlight: The first US Psychedelics ETF begins trading

ETF: Defiance Next Gen Altered Experience ETF (NYSE:PSY)

Launched last week, $PSY is an ETF that holds 20 companies in the production, distribution, or services related to psychedelics, medical cannabis, and ketamine for health treatments.

• ETF launch date: May 28, 2021
• Top 3 Holdings: Charlottes Web Holdings Inc (TSE:CWEB), Aurora Cannabis (NASDAQ:ACB), Cronos Group (TSE:CRON)

Other fund facts:

• ~$750m average market cap among the 20 companies on the list.
• Nearly 75% of the companies are higher-risk smaller cap companies (<$300m market cap)
• Nearly 50% of the companies aren’t making any revenue — i.e. products are still being developed and could be years away from seeing any sales.

What to expect? Lots of volatility. Both the psychedelics and cannabis industry are risky but $PSY is even riskier — holding smaller and lesser-known cannabis stocks (focus on CBD products).

• FDA approval for psychedelic-based depression treatment in the US is years away.
• None of the 7 psychedelic stocks in the ETF have a commercialized product.

Here’s what you need to know about investing in Psychedelic stocks.

Also: In Jan, a similar product was launched in Canada, the Horizons Psychedelics Stock Index ETF (NEO:PSYK). Unlike $PSY, the Canadian ETF only invests in psychedelics stocks.