Defiance ETFs, LLC (“Defiance ETFs”) has launched the Defiance Memory & Photonics ETF, tracking the Solactive Memory and Photonics Index. The ETF provides investors with targeted exposure to companies operating across the global memory and photonics ecosystem, including businesses involved in data storage drives, memory semiconductors, and optoelectronic components.
The continued development of artificial intelligence is placing growing demands on the physical infrastructure required to store, transfer, and process increasingly large volumes of data. Memory semiconductors play a central role in enabling high-speed data access and storage, while photonic technologies support the rapid movement of information across increasingly complex computing systems. As AI infrastructure continues to develop, these technologies represent important components of the hardware architecture underpinning advanced computing applications.
The Solactive Memory and Photonics Index captures companies with business activities in the photonics and memory industry, including data storage drives and memory semiconductors. Eligible companies are drawn from the Solactive GBS Global Markets All Cap USD Index and must be listed on one of seven defined exchanges across global markets. Companies must also meet minimum trading volume requirements and fall within one of the index’s memory or photonics categories as defined by industry classification. Eligible securities are ranked by free-float market capitalization, with the 20 largest selected for inclusion, or all eligible securities if fewer than 20 qualify. Constituents are equally weighted. The index is reviewed and rebalanced quarterly.
The ETF was listed on 27 August 2026 on Nasdaq under the ticker PRAM.
Timo Pfeiffer, Chief Markets Officer at Solactive, commented: “The continued expansion of AI infrastructure is increasing the importance of the technologies that enable growing volumes of data to be stored, processed, and transferred efficiently. The Solactive Memory and Photonics Index provides a rules-based framework for capturing companies active across these critical areas of the computing ecosystem. We are pleased to continue our collaboration with Defiance ETFs and to support the launch of an ETF that brings this theme to investors.”
“AI does not run on compute alone. Every model has to store data and move data, and memory and photonics are the technologies that do that work,” said Sylvia Jablonski, Chief Investment Officer of Defiance ETFs. “Memory feeds the accelerators and photonics connects them, and we believe demand across both layers compounds as AI workloads scale. Investors have been able to buy each theme on its own, but not together. We are excited to change that with PRAM: one ticker for both sides of the AI data layer.”
