VanEck is one of the 10 largest ETF issuers in the US and has around $46bn (£33.2bn, €37.6bn) of assets under management (AUM).
The acquisition of ETF issuer Think forms part of VanEck’s strategy, which has, in recent years, been focused on Europe. It already has offices in Frankfurt, Germany, and Pfäffikon, Switzerland, and its Ucits-ETFs are available in a number of other European countries.
Think currently has AUM of €1.5bn. The company’s portfolio includes 14 ETFs that cover equities as well as corporate and government bonds. The ETFs are listed at the Euronext stock exchange in Amsterdam and in Brussels, and are registered with the financial supervisory authorities in both the Netherlands (AFM) and Belgium (FSMA).
Migration to Europe
Jan van Eck, chief executive of VanEck, said: “ETFs have seen significant uptake from the investment community in Europe over the past several years, and there are events on the horizon that appear likely to spur an even greater migration of assets to the ETF structure in European markets.
“As this unfolds, we are very excited to bring the Think team and their innovative product offerings into the VanEck fold. We are pleased to add Think’s ETF offerings, together with its knowledge and experience, as we continue to build on our efforts in Europe.”
ETF advantages
Martijn Rozemuller, one of the two managing directors of Think, added: “In the Netherlands, as elsewhere in Europe, private and institutional investors are becoming increasingly aware of the advantages that ETFs offer.
“The next few years look to be especially transformative and may spur ever greater investor interest in the ETF category. Working with an established global ETF leader like VanEck is very exciting for us, and we are eager to add our thoughts, products, and ideas to VanEck’s efforts to grow its European reach.”
Gijs Koning, Think’s other managing director, said: “Think is a powerful ETF platform that has built a strong brand and asset base in the Netherlands. We look forward to what our joint efforts with VanEck will mean for investors in our home market and across Europe.”
