BOTZ vs XT

Key Takeaways

• BOTZ offers targeted exposure to robotics and AI with 62 holdings, heavy in industrials (45%) and information technology (35%), while XT provides broader exponential tech diversification across 199 holdings spanning seven themes including healthcare (22%).
• Top BOTZ holdings like Keyence Corp. (9.4%), ABB Ltd. (8.8%), and NVDA (8.4%) emphasize automation leaders; XT's leaders such as Texas Instruments (TXN, 5.0%) and NVDA (4.2%) balance semiconductors and software.
• BOTZ carries a higher expense ratio of 0.68% versus XT's 0.46%, reflecting its narrower thematic focus versus XT's multi-sector approach.
• BOTZ exhibits higher concentration risk with top 10 holdings at ~58%, compared to XT's ~35%, influencing volatility profiles in AI-driven markets.
• Both passive thematic ETFs track proprietary indices with global reach, but BOTZ leans toward developed market industrials while XT includes more emerging market and healthcare innovators.
• Recent capital flows favor robotics/AI amid physical AI trends, positioning BOTZ for momentum but XT for resilient diversification.

Introduction

Comparing BOTZ and XT highlights key choices in thematic investing amid surging interest in artificial intelligence (AI) and disruptive technologies. BOTZ delivers precise exposure to robotics and AI adoption, capitalizing on industrial automation and autonomous systems. XT, meanwhile, casts a wider net across exponential technologies like advanced computing, biotech, and next-gen energy, targeting companies creating or leveraging rapid innovation. These ETFs appeal to investors eyeing long-term growth in AI infrastructure and applications, yet diverge in focus—BOTZ for pure-play robotics depth, XT for balanced multi-theme breadth. In today's environment of AI compute demand and sector rotation toward innovation, this ETF comparison reveals trade-offs in risk, diversification, and positioning.

Global X Robotics & Artificial Intelligence ETF (BOTZ) Overview

The Global X Robotics & Artificial Intelligence ETF (BOTZ) is a passive thematic ETF issued by Global X that tracks the Indxx Global Robotics & Artificial Intelligence Thematic Index. It invests in companies poised to benefit from robotics and AI growth, including industrial automation, non-industrial robots, and autonomous vehicles. With 62 holdings, BOTZ maintains a non-diversified structure emphasizing global leaders.

Top holdings as of May 2026 include Keyence Corp. (9.42%), ABB Ltd. (8.83%), Fanuc Corp. (8.49%), NVDA (8.37%), and Intuitive Surgical Inc. (ISRG, 5.91%). Sector allocations feature industrials at 44.8%, information technology at 34.5%, healthcare at 9.6%, and communication services at 4.5% (as of April 2026). The expense ratio is 0.68%, with semi-annual distributions and approximately $3.79 billion in assets under management (AUM). BOTZ rebalances to mirror its index, offering concentrated exposure without leverage.

iShares Exponential Technologies ETF (XT) Overview

The iShares Exponential Technologies ETF (XT), issued by BlackRock, passively tracks the Morningstar Exponential Technologies Index, focusing on developed and emerging market companies creating or using exponential technologies across seven themes: AI, robotics, energy innovation, healthcare, fintech, cybersecurity, and transportation. Holding 199 stocks, it promotes diversification.

Top holdings as of May 2026: Texas Instruments Inc. (TXN, 5.00%), NVDA (4.19%), Analog Devices Inc. (ADI, 4.01%), Tesla Inc. (TSLA, 3.82%), and Microsoft Corp. (MSFT, 3.56%). Sectors break down to information technology (44.4%), healthcare (22.3%), industrials (9.5%), and consumer discretionary (8.2%). XT's expense ratio is 0.46%, with semi-annual distributions and roughly $3.98 billion AUM. It employs systematic fair value pricing for foreign assets, maintaining a diversified profile.

Industry and Thematic Backdrop

The robotics and AI sectors are experiencing robust growth, driven by physical AI integration, declining compute costs, and labor shortages boosting automation demand. Projections indicate U.S. robot shipments hitting record highs in 2026, with humanoid robotics and industrial applications accelerating amid capital inflows into thematic ETFs exceeding billions year-to-date. Macro catalysts include surging data center investments, energy transitions supporting AI infrastructure, and regulatory tailwinds for innovation in healthcare and transportation.

Sector risks encompass supply chain disruptions in semiconductors, geopolitical tensions affecting global supply (e.g., Taiwan), and elevated valuations vulnerable to interest rate shifts. Capital flows favor robotics amid "physical AI" momentum, while broader exponential tech benefits from diversified earnings across biotech and fintech. Both BOTZ and XT navigate this dynamic environment, with AI enablers like semiconductors underpinning performance.

Performance and Positioning Comparison

In recent months through mid-2026, BOTZ has edged ahead year-to-date with approximately 14.4% returns versus XT's 13.4%, fueled by momentum in top holdings like NVDA and industrial robotics firms amid AI hardware surges. BOTZ's concentrated industrials tilt amplified gains during semiconductor rallies and automation cycles, but introduced higher volatility tied to Japan-exposed names.

XT demonstrated steadier positioning, cushioned by healthcare innovators like Eli Lilly (LLY) and broad tech exposure, exhibiting lower beta amid sector rotations. Over recent market cycles, XT's diversification mitigated downturns better, while BOTZ outperformed in AI-fueled upswings linked to earnings from automation leaders. Relative volatility favors XT for stability, with both sensitive to interest rates and geopolitical factors impacting global tech supply chains.

AI Screener

Tickeron’s AI Screener is an AI-powered stock and ETF discovery tool that helps traders and investors filter the market based on technical patterns, fundamentals, trends, volatility, and AI-driven signals. Users can scan thousands of stocks and ETFs using customizable filters such as industry, market capitalization (market cap), technical indicators, price patterns, and performance metrics. The screener identifies trade ideas, trending stocks, breakout candidates, and market opportunities more efficiently than manual screening, empowering data-driven decisions across asset classes like thematic ETFs.

Tickeron AI Verdict

Tickeron’s AI currently favors XT due to its superior diversification across 199 holdings, lower expense ratio (0.46% vs. 0.68%), and balanced sector exposure mitigating concentration risks in BOTZ's robotics focus. XT's broader exponential themes align with sustained momentum in multi-sector innovation, offering consistent trend capture and reduced volatility amid varying macro conditions. While BOTZ holds edge in pure AI/robotics surges, XT's structural efficiency and resilience position it probabilistically stronger for current environments.

Disclaimer

The information on this webpage is provided for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as investment advice, a recommendation to purchase or sell any security, or an offer or solicitation related to investments. It does not consider your personal financial situation, goals, or risk profile, and all investing carries inherent risks, including the possibility of losing your entire investment. For more details, please review our full disclaimer.

Disclaimers and Limitations