ProShares

About

ProShares has established itself as a prominent and innovative force within the exchange-traded fund (ETF) industry since its inception in 2006. As a division of ProFunds Group, the company has carved out a distinct niche by specializing in alternative strategies that provide investors with tools to manage risk and enhance returns. With a substantial lineup of over 140 ETFs and assets under management exceeding $70 billion, ProShares is a leader in several key investment categories. The firm is particularly renowned for its geared (leveraged and inverse) ETFs, which allow sophisticated investors to target magnified daily returns or hedge against market downturns. Beyond these tactical products, ProShares has expanded its offerings to include strategic, buy-and-hold strategies such as dividend growth funds, interest rate-hedged bond ETFs, and thematic funds targeting emerging trends like the metaverse. The company's history is rooted in innovation, building upon the legacy of its parent company, ProFunds Group, which was founded in 1997 by Michael Sapir and Louis Mayberg. ProShares was launched to bring sophisticated mutual fund strategies into the more accessible and transparent ETF wrapper. This move proved highly successful, quickly positioning the firm at the forefront of the ETF revolution. A landmark achievement for ProShares came in October 2021 with the launch of BITO, the first-ever U.S. ETF linked to bitcoin futures. This launch was a pivotal moment for the cryptocurrency market, providing mainstream investors with a regulated and straightforward way to gain exposure to bitcoin returns through a traditional brokerage account. Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, ProShares continues to develop novel products designed to meet the evolving needs of the modern investor, solidifying its reputation as a pioneer in the financial products landscape.