AXA IM launches Metaverse fund strengthening its thematic fund offering
- 12 April 2022
- AXA Investment Managers (AXA IM) launches the AXA WF Metaverse fund that aims to invest in companies which play a part in the convergence of the digital and physical world.
- This new fund is managed by Pauline Llandric, alongside AXA IM’s wider global thematics team, and will complement its thematic fund range, particularly its existing Robotech and Digital Economy strategies.
- The strategy is ESG-integrated and has been categorised as Article 81 according to the EU Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR).
AXA Investment Managers (AXA IM) today announces the launch of the AXA WF Metaverse fund that aims to invest in companies which play a part in the convergence of the digital and physical world. Making up part of AXA IM’s thematic equity fund range2 , it will invest in rising Metaverse growth opportunities in a rapidly evolving economy.
The global strategy will be an actively managed, multi-cap equity fund investing in long-term growth opportunities presented by the Metaverse in both developed and emerging markets, leveraging AXA IM’s longstanding expertise in managing strategies based on disruptive technologies.
The strategy will invest across four key sub themes to provide exposure to long-term trends which allow diversification to suit changing market conditions, as outlined below:
- Gaming – Largely recognised as the first building block of the Metaverse and provides an immersive way to explore endless worlds, create personalised experiences and have simultaneous interactions with a large number of players.
- Socialising – The Metaverse is enabled by platforms providing content creation, ongoing maintenance of live experiences, user interface and social interactions.
- Working – The world of industry is expected to be a large part of the Metaverse market, as increasingly sophisticated capabilities enable specialists to design and simulate powerful 3D real-time simulations, or ‘digital twins’. For office workers, the Metaverse also brings exciting opportunities for a more collaborative and immersive working environment.
- Enabling – Enablers will be key to determine the pace of development for Metaverse and emcompass sectors such as semiconductors, technological infrastructure, cybersecurity and payment.
Commenting on the launch, Pauline Llandric, lead manager of the AXA WF Metaverse fund, said: “We are at the early stages of a long-term trend which is growing rapidly and believe there is a broad range of global companies and opportunities in this space. Revolutionary, cutting edge advances in technology have changed how we live, socialise, work and do business. The Metaverse is the confluence of the virtual and physical worlds, where more technology is layered on to everyday life associated with the evolution of the internet connecting people, places and things.”
The current Metaverse universe is made up of around 250 stocks and AXA IM will select the best 40-60 names deemed most relevant as a result of its fundamental research and stock selection process.
The fund will be managed by Pauline Llandric, alongside co-managers Tom Riley and Jeremy Gleeson who run AXA IM’s Robotech and Digital Economy strategies, respectively.
The strategy is ESG-integrated and will apply ESG Standards. It is classified as Article 8 compliant according to the EU Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR).
Mark Hargraves, Global Head of AXA IM Equity, added: “We believe AXA IM is one of the first active thematic Metaverse investors and this fund launch builds on our established history in long-term thematic investment. The Metaverse is an expanding and tangible investment opportunity, driven by real companies with the potential to deliver strong year-on-year growth over the next decade. With a global customer base, we expect to see an increasing number of companies emerging from new sectors – such as healthcare and financials – as capabilities increase to bolster the promising investment opportunities in this space.”
The fund is or will be registered and available to investors in the United Kingdom, France, Belgium, Denmark, Spain, Finland, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Austria and Portugal.
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Biography
Pauline Llandric
Pauline is Lead Portfolio manager for the Metaverse strategy and is a Portfolio Manager on several Technology related funds/mandates. Previously, Pauline was a Senior Investment Research Analyst in the Investment Analytics team, focusing on portfolio engineering, investment research and risk analysis at AXA IM. Pauline started her investment career in September 2008 as a quantitative analyst at AXA IM.
She graduated with an Industrial Engineering Degree from INP Toulouse in 2007 and a master’s degree in Finance from Paris-Dauphine University in 2008. Pauline is a CFA charterholder.
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The value of investments may fall as well as rise and you may not get back the full amount invested.
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Emerging Market Risks: emerging markets or less developed countries may face more political, economic or structural challenges than developed countries. As a result, investments in such countries may cause greater fluctuations in the Fund's value than investments in more developed countries.
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[AXA WF Metaverse is a sub-fund of AXA World Funds. AXA WORLD FUNDS ‘s registered office is 49, avenue J.F Kennedy L-1885 Luxembourg. The Company is registered under the number B. 63.116 at the “Registre de Commerce et des Sociétés” The Company is a Luxembourg SICAV UCITS IV approved by the CSSF and managed by AXA Funds Management, a société anonyme organized under the laws of Luxembourg with the Luxembourg Register Number B 32 223RC, and whose registered office is located at 49, Avenue J.F. Kennedy L-1885 Luxembourg.
The product categorization is provided based on the basis of the European Directive (EU) 2019/2088 on sustainability-related disclosures in the financial services sector (“SFDR Regulation”). The attention of each recipient is drawn to the fact that, as of today the SFDR related regulatory technical standards (“RTS”) have not been finalized and remain subject to the approval and formal adoption by the European Commission and the European Parliament and Council. Furthermore there may be further guidance in relation to the interpretation of the SFDR Regulation. We are monitoring regulatory developments closely, and the product categorization shall be re-assessed and may evolve when the RTS and/or further guidance is published.
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Risk Warning
The value of investments, and the income from them, can fall as well as rise and investors may not get back the amount originally invested.