Capital at risk. The value of investments and the income from them can fall as well as rise and are not guaranteed. Investors may not get back the amount originally invested.
Financial Intermediaries
On this website, Financial Intermediaries are investors that qualify as both a Professional Client and a Qualified Investor.
In summary, a person who can both be classified as a professional client under the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive II (2014/65/EU, “MiFID”) and a qualified investor in accordance with the Prospectus Regulation ((EU) 2017/1129) will generally need to meet one or more of the following requirements:
(1) An entity required to be authorised or regulated to operate in the financial markets. The following list includes all authorised entities carrying out the characteristic activities of the entities mentioned, whether authorised by an EEA State or a third country and whether or not authorised by reference to a directive:
(a) a credit institution;
(b) an investment firm;
(c) any other authorised or regulated financial institution;
(d) an insurance company;
(e) a collective investment scheme or the management company of such a scheme;
(f) a pension fund or the management company of a pension fund;
(g) a commodity or commodity derivatives dealer;
(h) a local;
(i) any other institutional investor;
(2) a large undertaking that meets two of the following size requirements on a company basis: (i) a balance sheet total of EUR 20,000,000; (ii) an annual net turnover of EUR 40,000,000; (iii) own funds of EUR 2,000,000;
(3) a national or regional government, a public body that manages public debt, a central bank, an international or supranational institution (such as the World Bank, the IMF, the ECB, the EIB) or another similar international organization;
(4) a natural person resident in an EEA State that permits the authorisation of natural persons as qualified investors, who expressly asks to be treated as a professional client and a qualified investor and who meets at least two of the following criteria: (i) he/she has carried out transactions on securities markets at an average frequency of, at least, 10 per quarter over the previous four quarters before the application, (ii) the size of his/her financial instrument portfolio, defined as including cash deposits and financial instruments exceeds EUR 500.000, (iii) he/she works or has worked for at least one year in the financial sector in a professional position which requires knowledge of securities investment.
Please note that the above summary is provided for information purposes only. If you are uncertain as to whether you can both be classified as a professional client under the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive and classed as a qualified investor under the Prospectus Directive then you should seek independent advice.
Terms and conditions
Please read this page before proceeding, as it explains certain restrictions imposed by law on the distribution of this information and the countries in which our funds are authorised for sale. It is your responsibility to be aware of and to observe all applicable laws and regulations of any relevant jurisdiction.
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The offshore funds described in the following pages are administered and managed by companies within the BlackRock Group and can be marketed in certain jurisdictions only. It is your responsibility to be aware of the applicable laws and regulations of your country of residence. Further information is available in the Prospectus or other constitutional document for each fund.
This does not constitute an offer or solicitation to sell shares in any of the funds referred to on this site, by anyone in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or distribution would be unlawful or in which the person making such offer or solicitation is not qualified to do so or to anyone to whom it is unlawful to make such offer or solicitation.
Specifically, the funds described are not available for distribution to or investment by US investors. The units/shares will not be registered under the US Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act") and, except in a transaction which does not violate the Securities Act or any other applicable US securities laws (including without limitation any applicable law of any of the States of the USA) may not be directly or indirectly offered or sold in the USA or any of its territories or possessions or areas subject to its jurisdiction or to or for the benefit of a US Person.
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Risk Warnings
Capital at risk. The value of investments and the income from them can fall as well as rise and are not guaranteed. Investors may not get back the amount originally invested.
Past performance is not a reliable indicator of current or future results and should not be the sole factor of consideration when selecting a product or strategy.
Changes in the rates of exchange between currencies may cause the value of investments to diminish or increase. Fluctuation may be particularly marked in the case of a higher volatility fund and the value of an investment may fall suddenly and substantially. Levels and basis of taxation may change from time to time.
BlackRock has not considered the suitability of this investment against your individual needs and risk tolerance. The data displayed provides summary information. Investment should be made on the basis of the relevant Prospectus which is available from the manager.
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Investors should read the offering documents for further details including the risk factors before making an investment.
Please note that while some of the BlackRock funds are "ring-fenced", others form part of a single company and are not. For BlackRock funds that do not have segregated liability status, in the event of a single BlackRock fund being unable to meet liabilities attributable to that BlackRock fund out of the assets attributable to it, the excess may be met out of the assets attributable to the other BlackRock funds within the same company. We refer you to the prospectus or other relevant terms and conditions of each BlackRock fund for further information in this regard.
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Understand how ETFs can offer low-cost, tax-efficient market access.
Capital at risk. The value of investments and the income from them can fall as well as rise and are not guaranteed. Investors may not get back the amount originally invested.
Deepen your ETF expertise through comprehensive, use case-driven education designed to support more informed and effective portfolio decisions.
Our guide provides institutional investors with an in-depth understanding of ETFs, their history, and use cases across equity, bond, sustainable ETFs, commodity and cryptocurrency ETPs.
Index ETFs are a type of investment that are designed to track the performance of a specific market index, such as the S&P 500, FTSE 100 or MSCI World Index, while trading on exchanges like a regular stock.
Index mutual funds are pooled investment vehicles managed by professional portfolio managers which are designed to replicate the performance of a specific market index. Mutual funds are bought and sold directly from the fund manager rather than via exchanges.
Active ETFs are investment funds that are managed by professional portfolio managers who actively make decisions about which securities to buy, hold, or sell in order to outperform a specific benchmark or achieve a particular investment objective. They trade on stock exchanges, providing investors with the potential combined benefits of active management and exchange-traded funds.
Active mutual funds are a type of investment fund managed by professional portfolio managers who actively make decisions about which securities to buy, hold, or sell in order to outperform a specific benchmark index or achieve a particular investment objective. They are bought and sold directly with the fund manager.
Discover the key benefits of ETFs and why they can be an effective investment vehicle.
Diversification
ETFs offer broad, efficient market exposure and diversification in a single trade, aiming to help investors manage risk and pursue long-term goals.
Transparency
iShares ETFs disclose their portfolio composition daily, so iShares ETF shareholders know exactly what they own.
Access
ETFs provide access to diverse markets, asset classes and commodities, making it easier and more cost-effective for investors to reach hard-to-access markets.
Flexible
Unlike other types of investments, ETFs can be traded on stock exchanges, allowing investors more control.
Diversification and asset allocation may not fully protect you from market risk.
While risk cannot be eliminated, it can be managed through disciplined portfolio construction and investment strategies. Diversification across asset classes, sectors, and geographies can help reduce exposure to any single source of risk.
Additional approaches - such as active management, hedging techniques, and maintaining appropriate liquidity - can further support resilience. A well-structured portfolio aligned with investment objectives and risk tolerance can be key to navigating changing market conditions.
Diversification and asset allocation may not fully protect you from market risk.
Investing involves risk, and the value of investments can go down as well as up. Investors should consider a range of risk factors when evaluating opportunities:
Tax
Tax treatment depends on individual circumstances and may change over time. Returns may be affected by current or future legislation, and different investment structures can carry tax implications.
Currency
Investments in assets denominated in foreign currencies are subject to exchange rate fluctuations.
Market risks
Market conditions, including economic developments, interest rate changes, geopolitical events, and investor sentiment, can affect asset prices.
ETFs are often subject to misconceptions and commonly repeated inaccuracies. It is important to clearly distinguish what ETFs are and what they are not.
Reality: ETF prices are transparent, but that doesn’t make them more volatile.
The price of an ETF reflects the changing value of its underlying securities and the supply and demand of the ETF in the marketplace. The difference between an ETF and a mutual fund is that the price of a mutual fund, which similarly reflects the value of its underlying securities, is fixed once a day and only after the market closes, while ETF pricing changes throughout market hours in real time. This doesn’t mean that ETFs are more volatile – their price changes are just more visible.
Reality: Risk is driven by the assets you're investing in, not necessarily the vehicle used to access the assets.
Just like a mutual fund, the risk profile of an ETF is tied to its underlying holdings, or the assets it invests in: so a mutual fund and ETF that hold similar stocks or bonds will have similar risk profiles. For example, an international stock ETF or mutual fund may have higher risks than a U.S. investment grade corporate bond ETF. But that risk is not related to whether you choose to hold a mutual fund or an ETF.
On the flip side, an ETF offers greater diversification than an individual stock, which may help reduce risk in a portfolio.
Diversification and asset allocation may not fully protect you from market risk.
Reality: You can use ETFs for a wide range of exposures and outcomes.
ETFs are available across a wide range of exposures and investment strategies. They provide cost-efficient access to targeted markets, such as specific countries or sectors, as well as broad market benchmarks.
Combined with their typically high liquidity and ease of trading, ETFs enable investors to gain exposure to markets and asset classes that might otherwise be difficult or costly to access.
Whether seeking entry into less accessible international markets, establishing core portfolio allocations, or pursuing strategies designed to achieve specific investment outcomes, ETFs can serve as flexible and efficient building blocks within a diversified portfolio.
Reality: iShares ETFs offer a diverse set of solutions for income investing.
Generating income in a low-interest rate environment can be challenging. However, through exposures such as dividend-paying equities or fixed income securities, ETFs provide investors with a broad range of potential income-generating opportunities.
In addition, ETFs typically offer greater diversification than holding individual stocks or bonds, while often delivering this exposure at a lower cost than mutual funds.
Reality: ETFs are versatile investment vehicles appropriate for a wide range of investors.
While ETFs offer the same intraday trading flexibility as individual equities, making them useful tools for short-term tactical positioning, they are equally effective as cost-efficient building blocks for long-term, strategic portfolio construction.