Currency Translation
Assets and liabilities, including investment securities, denominated in currencies other than U.S. dollars are translated into U.S. dollars at the exchange rates supplied by one or more pricing vendors on the valuation date. Purchases and sales of investment securities and income and expenses are translated into U.S. dollars at the exchange rates on the dates of such transactions.
The effects of changes in exchange rates on investment securities are included with the net realized gain or loss and net unrealized appreciation or depreciation on investments in each Fund’s statement of operations. The realized gain or loss and unrealized appreciation or depreciation resulting from all other transactions denominated in currencies other than U.S. dollars are disclosed separately.
3. Management and Other Agreements
Management
The ARK Genomic Revolution ETF, ARK Autonomous Technology & Robotics ETF, ARK Innovation ETF, ARK Next Generation Internet ETF, ARK Fintech Innovation ETF, and ARK Space Exploration & Innovation ETF, each pay the Adviser a fee calculated daily and payable monthly at an annual rate (stated as a percentage of the average daily net assets of the Fund) of 0.75% (“Management Fee”) in return for providing investment management and supervisory services under a comprehensive unitary structure. The 3D Printing ETF pays the Adviser a Management Fee of 0.65% in return for providing investment management and supervisory services under a comprehensive unitary structure. The ARK Israel Innovative Technology ETF pays the Adviser a Management Fee of 0.48% in return for providing investment management and supervisory services under a comprehensive unitary structure. Subject to the oversight of the Board, the Adviser provides investment management services to each Fund and provides, or causes to be furnished, all supervisory and other services reasonably necessary for the operation of each Fund and also bears the costs of various third-party services required by the Funds, including administration, certain custody, audit, legal, transfer agency, and printing costs. In addition to the Management Fee, each Fund bears other fees and expenses, such as taxes and governmental fees, brokerage fees, commissions and other transaction expenses, certain foreign custodial fees and expenses, costs of borrowing money, including interest expenses, and extraordinary expenses (such as litigation and indemnification expenses).
The Adviser has agreed to reduce their Management Fee for the ARK Space Exploration & Innovation ETF as a result of investing in The 3D Printing ETF. As such, the Management Fees in the Statement of Operations have been reduced by $52,456.
Administrator, Custodian, Transfer Agent and Accounting Agent
The Bank of New York Mellon is the administrator for the Funds, the custodian of the Funds’ assets and also provides transfer agency, fund accounting and various administrative services to the Funds (in each capacity, “Administrator,” “Custodian,” “Transfer Agent” or “Accounting Agent”). The Bank of New York Mellon is a subsidiary of The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation, a financial holding company.
Distribution
Foreside Fund Services, LLC serves as the Funds’ distributor (“Distributor”). The Trust has adopted a distribution and service plan (“Rule 12b-1 Plan”) pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act. Under the Rule 12b-1 Plan, each Fund is authorized to pay distribution fees in connection with the sale and distribution of its shares and pay service fees in connection with the provision of ongoing services to shareholders. To date, the Rule 12b-1 Plan has not been implemented for the Funds and there is no current intention to implement the Rule 12b-1 Plan.
Board of Trustees
Effective January 1, 2022, each Independent Trustee receives an annual retainer fee of $230,000 for services provided as a Trustee of the Trust, plus out-of-pocket expenses related to attendance at Board and Committee Meetings. The Chairs of the Board and of the Audit Committee each also receive an additional annual retainer fee of $60,000 and $20,000, respectively, for their service as such.
4. Creation and Redemption Transactions
As of January 31, 2023, there were an unlimited number of shares of beneficial interest without par value authorized by the Trust. Individual shares of a Fund may only be purchased and sold at market prices on a national securities exchange through a broker-dealer. Such transactions may be subject to customary commission rates imposed by the broker-dealer, and market prices for a Fund’s shares may be at, above or below its net asset value (“NAV”) depending on the premium or discount at which the Fund’s shares trade.
Each Fund issues and redeems shares at its NAV only in a large specified number of shares each called a “Creation Unit,” or multiples thereof, and only with “authorized participants” who have entered into contractual arrangements with the Distributor. A Creation Unit consists of