ETF Securities Australia has reached $1 billion in assets under management, driven, the firm says, by investors seeking easy, transparent and low-cost access to a range of asset classes.

Kris Walesby, CEO of ETF Securities Australia.

Kris Walesby, CEO of ETF Securities Australia, commented, “It is significant that each year Australian investors become more confident and comfortable using ETFs to build their portfolios in a simple and low-cost way.

“ETFs are now a core portfolio allocation for many investors and this will only continue as the range of products becomes more diverse and Australian investors recognise the opportunities that exist around the world to benefit from sectors that offer healthy and reliable returns.”

ETF Securities is credited with creating the world’s first gold exchange-traded commodity.

ETFS Physical Gold (GOLD AU)—which tracks the spot price of gold in US dollars by physically holding the precious metal—comprises more than half the provider’s AUM, with almost $600 million attributed to the product. The firm notes that recent demand for GOLD has been strong as investors increasingly worry about rising global interest rates and geopolitical risk.

The ETP has a management expense ratio (MER) of 0.40%.

ETFS ROBO Global Robotics and Automation ETF (ROBO AU) which now has roughly $80m in AUM. The fund has an MER of 0.69% and tracks the ROBO Global Robotics and Automation Index.