Focus on Core Technologies and Strategic Emerging Industries: New Batch of 15 Hard Tech Thematic Funds Approved Collectively

● Staff Reporter Zhan Xiuli

On March 17, the China Securities Regulatory Commission announced that a new batch of hard technology-themed funds has been approved, with 15 products approved on the same day. These include passive funds tracking the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Artificial Intelligence Index and active funds based on the China Strategic Emerging Industries Index, focusing on core technology and the growth of strategic emerging industries.

Currently, all 15 approved products are in the preparation stage for issuance. It is expected that fundraising will begin gradually in the near future. After the funds are raised, they will follow regulations to complete registration, listing, and trading procedures, steadily advancing operational implementation.

Supporting Investors in Deploying in the Hard Tech Sector

2026 marks the beginning of the 14th Five-Year Plan. The government work report proposed developing new quality productivity according to local conditions. It also emphasized deepening comprehensive reforms in capital market investment and financing, and improving the long-term capital entry mechanisms. CSRC Chairman Wu Qing stated at the Fourth Session of the 14th National People’s Congress that rules should be more inclusive and adaptable, with a focus on supporting excellence and science, accelerating the integration of technological innovation and industrial development.

To thoroughly implement national strategic deployment and regulatory requirements, the CSRC recently approved a new batch of hard technology-themed funds, totaling 15 products approved on the same day.

These include passive funds tracking the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Artificial Intelligence Index and active funds based on the China Strategic Emerging Industries Index, focusing on core technology and the growth of strategic emerging industries.

The concentrated approval of these products demonstrates regulatory support for the capital market serving strategic emerging industries, aiding high-level technological independence and strength, and cultivating new quality productivity. It injects long-term capital into technological innovation; meanwhile, it further enriches the financial investment tools for the tech sector, providing investors with high-quality options to deploy in the hard tech track and share industry growth dividends.

Adopting a “Passive + Active” Investment Model

The approved products track two core indices, with clear sampling rules and investment directions, strictly aligned with industrial layout requirements.

For the China Securities Innovation and Entrepreneurship Artificial Intelligence Index, 50 listed companies involved in providing foundational resources, technology, and application support for AI from the STAR Market and ChiNext are selected as index samples. This accurately reflects the overall performance of AI-themed listed companies in these boards, focusing on core assets across the AI industry chain.

For the China Strategic Emerging Industries Composite Index, companies from nine fields—such as new-generation information technology, high-end equipment manufacturing, new materials, biotech, new energy vehicles, renewable energy, energy conservation and environmental protection, digital creative industries, and high-tech services—are selected to comprehensively reflect the overall performance of companies in China’s strategic emerging industries.

The 15 approved products adopt a “passive + active” combination, with clear roles and complementary advantages, fully meeting different investor needs: seven are passive index funds focusing on tracking the China Securities Innovation and Entrepreneurship Artificial Intelligence Index, including ETFs, index funds, and ETF-linked funds, offering trading convenience, low fees, high transparency, and minimal tracking error. They are suitable for quick on-exchange trading or off-exchange deployment, helping investors easily grasp AI sector trends.

The remaining eight are actively managed funds, using the China Strategic Emerging Industries Index as an investment anchor. Relying on professional research and management teams, they select high-quality targets within the nine strategic industries, flexibly adjust holdings, and seek to identify leading companies with growth potential, aiming for returns surpassing the index. These are suitable for long-term value growth and investors who prefer active management.

Both types of products focus on national strategic emerging industries, precisely aligning with the goal of high-level technological independence and strength. They effectively guide long-term social capital into the hard tech and frontier industries. On one hand, they help break through key technological bottlenecks and accelerate the transformation of scientific achievements, promoting industrial upgrading; on the other hand, they improve the tech financial ecosystem in capital markets, providing professional and standardized investment channels for investors, fostering a positive cycle of industry development and wealth growth, and supporting the cultivation of new quality productivity.

Fundraising Expected to Commence Soon

Currently, all 15 approved products are in the full preparation stage for issuance. Fundraising is expected to start gradually in the near future. After completion, they will follow regulations to handle registration, listing, and trading, steadily advancing operational deployment.

Industry insiders say that the concentrated approval of these products is a concrete practice of the capital market serving the real economy and supporting technological innovation. It is also an important measure to optimize the supply of tech investment tools and improve wealth management systems. Moving forward, as these products are launched, they will attract more capital to deploy in the hard tech and strategic emerging industries, strengthen resource allocation in capital markets, help tech startups grow stronger, and promote high-quality development of China’s tech industry. Meanwhile, investors will better share the dividends of strategic emerging industries and AI development.

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