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NEW YORK, OCTOBER 5, 2026 — VettaFi, a differentiated index provider with modern distribution solutions and a subsidiary of TMX Group, announced today the acquisition of The SPADE® Defense Index.
Brian Coco, Chief Product Officer at VettaFi, stated, "The acquisition of The SPADE® Defense Index aligns with our mission to offer asset managers and investors specialized, institutional-grade exposure to critical, long-term trends. Defense and security capabilities remain top-of-mind globally, and integrating this benchmark strengthens our expansive indexing platform."
As the oldest defense index in the market at 21 years old, The SPADE® Defense Index serves as the underlying benchmark for the Invesco Aerospace & Defense ETF (Ticker: PPA), providing targeted exposure to U.S.-listed companies involved in defense, aerospace, national security, and space operations.
The Investment Case: Navigating Global Defense Priorities
Global defense spending is experiencing a structural shift, creating a compelling case for targeted equity allocations in defense technologies and aerospace:
Rising Geopolitical Pressure: Global military expenditures and defense modernization budgets continue to climb as nations prioritize strategic readiness, autonomous systems, and advanced defense infrastructure.
Proven Vehicle & Asset Scale: The SPADE® Defense Index is tracked by the widely followed Invesco Aerospace & Defense ETF (PPA), offering investors an established, high-liquidity vehicle to capture growth across major defense and aerospace contractors.
Broad Industry Exposure: The index methodology captures key market innovators spanning aerospace hardware, military electronics, space systems, and defense technology enablers.
Differentiated Positioning in Defense Benchmarking
The SPADE® Defense Index offers a systematically constructed, pure-play approach to the aerospace and defense sector “industry”. By tracking companies actively engaged in national defense and security supply chains, the index provides investors with clean, transparent exposure to end-user defense spending and ongoing defense technology upgrades.
Expanding Index Scale and Capabilities
This acquisition further demonstrates VettaFi's commitment to expanding its world-class indexing platform and offering innovative benchmark capabilities. With the addition of The SPADE® Defense Index, VettaFi’s global aerospace and defense franchise expands to over $11 billion in AUI, reinforcing a key pillar of its specialized index suite and research insights. VettaFi continues to build on its robust portfolio of global benchmarks, factor strategies, and thematic index solutions—complemented by modern, data-driven distribution services.
About VettaFi
VettaFi is a differentiated index provider, helping asset managers across the globe build and grow their product suites. With an industry-leading index platform, it partners with issuers to develop innovative investment solutions and bring them to market. Beyond that, its modern distribution solutions help clients scale products and achieve success.
For more information, please visit www.vettafi.com.
VettaFi LLC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of TMX Group Limited (TMX Group). For more information about TMX Group, please visit www.tmx.com.
NEW YORK, OCTOBER 5, 2026 — VettaFi, a differentiated index provider with modern distribution solutions and a subsidiary of TMX Group, announced today the acquisition of The SPADE® Defense Index.
Brian Coco, Chief Product Officer at VettaFi, stated, "The acquisition of The SPADE® Defense Index aligns with our mission to offer asset managers and investors specialized, institutional-grade exposure to critical, long-term trends. Defense and security capabilities remain top-of-mind globally, and integrating this benchmark strengthens our expansive indexing platform."
As the oldest defense index in the market at 21 years old, The SPADE® Defense Index serves as the underlying benchmark for the Invesco Aerospace & Defense ETF (Ticker: PPA), providing targeted exposure to U.S.-listed companies involved in defense, aerospace, national security, and space operations.
The Investment Case: Navigating Global Defense Priorities
Global defense spending is experiencing a structural shift, creating a compelling case for targeted equity allocations in defense technologies and aerospace:
Rising Geopolitical Pressure: Global military expenditures and defense modernization budgets continue to climb as nations prioritize strategic readiness, autonomous systems, and advanced defense infrastructure.
Proven Vehicle & Asset Scale: The SPADE® Defense Index is tracked by the widely followed Invesco Aerospace & Defense ETF (PPA), offering investors an established, high-liquidity vehicle to capture growth across major defense and aerospace contractors.
Broad Industry Exposure: The index methodology captures key market innovators spanning aerospace hardware, military electronics, space systems, and defense technology enablers.
Differentiated Positioning in Defense Benchmarking
The SPADE® Defense Index offers a systematically constructed, pure-play approach to the aerospace and defense sector “industry”. By tracking companies actively engaged in national defense and security supply chains, the index provides investors with clean, transparent exposure to end-user defense spending and ongoing defense technology upgrades.
Expanding Index Scale and Capabilities
This acquisition further demonstrates VettaFi's commitment to expanding its world-class indexing platform and offering innovative benchmark capabilities. With the addition of The SPADE® Defense Index, VettaFi’s global aerospace and defense franchise expands to over $11 billion in AUI, reinforcing a key pillar of its specialized index suite and research insights. VettaFi continues to build on its robust portfolio of global benchmarks, factor strategies, and thematic index solutions—complemented by modern, data-driven distribution services.
About VettaFi
VettaFi is a differentiated index provider, helping asset managers across the globe build and grow their product suites. With an industry-leading index platform, it partners with issuers to develop innovative investment solutions and bring them to market. Beyond that, its modern distribution solutions help clients scale products and achieve success.
For more information, please visit www.vettafi.com.
VettaFi LLC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of TMX Group Limited (TMX Group). For more information about TMX Group, please visit www.tmx.com.
