485APOS 1 v407139_485apos.htm 485APOS

 

AS FILED WITH THE U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION ON APRIL 13, 2015.
File Nos. 333-180870 and 811-22698

U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

FORM N-1A

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

 

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
x
  Pre-Effective Amendment No. ¨
  Post-Effective Amendment No. 92 x

and/or

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

  THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940 x
  Amendment No. 96 x

 

KRANESHARES TRUST

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

 

1350 Avenue of the Americas, 2nd Floor

New York, New York 10019

(Address of Principal Executive Offices, Zip Code)

 

(646) 479-5031

(Registrant’s Telephone Number, including Area Code)

 

Jonathan Krane

Krane Funds Advisors, LLC

1350 Avenue of the Americas, 2nd Floor

New York, New York 10019

(Name and Address of Agent for Service)

 

Copy to:

Stacy L. Fuller

K&L Gates LLP

1601 K Street NW

Washington, D.C. 20006-1600

 

It is proposed that this filing will become effective (check appropriate box):

 

¨ Immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b) of Rule 485

¨    On (date) pursuant to paragraph (b) of Rule 485

¨    60 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(1) of Rule 485

¨    On (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(1) of Rule 485

x   75 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(2) of Rule 485

¨    On (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(2) of Rule 485 

 

 
 

 

SUBJECT TO COMPLETION

 

THE INFORMATION IN THIS PROSPECTUS IS NOT COMPLETE AND MAY BE CHANGED. WE MAY NOT SELL THESE SECURITIES UNTIL THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT FILED WITH THE U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION IS EFFECTIVE. THIS PROSPECTUS IS NOT AN OFFER TO SELL THESE SECURITIES AND IS NOT SOLICITING AN OFFER TO BUY THESE SECURITIES IN ANY JURISDICTION WHERE THE OFFER OR SALE IS NOT PERMITTED.

 

Preliminary Prospectus April 13, 2015

 

KraneShares Trust

 

Prospectus

 

[    ], 2015

 

KraneShares NYSE Bloomberg China Clean Energy ETF- ([Ticker])

 

Fund shares are not individually redeemable. Fund shares will be listed on [NYSE Arca, Inc.]

 

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commissions has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the accuracy or adequacy of this Prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

 
 

 

KraneShares Trust

Table of Contents

 

Fund Summary  
KraneShares NYSE Bloomberg China Clean Energy ETF 1
Additional Information About the Fund 8
Additional Investment Objective, Principal Strategies and Principal Risks  
Management 23
Investment Manager 23
Investment Sub-Adviser 24
Portfolio Managers 24
Shareholder Information 25
Calculating NAV 25
Buying and Selling Shares of the Fund 26
Share Trading Prices 26
Active Investors and Market Timing 26
Investments by Registered Investment Companies 26
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries 26
Distribution Plan 27
Dividends and Distributions 27
Additional Tax Information 27
Other Information 30
Index Provider Information 31
Disclaimers 31
Additional Information 33

 

 
 

 

KraneShares NYSE Bloomberg China Clean Energy ETF

 

Investment Objective

The KraneShares NYSE Bloomberg China Clean Energy ETF (the “Fund”) seeks to provide investment results that, before fees and expenses, correspond to the price and yield performance of a specific foreign equity securities benchmark. The Fund’s current benchmark is the NYSE Bloomberg China Clean Energy Index (the “Underlying Index”).

 

Fees and Expenses of the Fund

The following table describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund. The table below does not include the brokerage commissions that you may pay when purchasing or selling shares of the Fund.

Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) None
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)  
Management Fees [     ]%
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees* [0.00]%
[Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses**] [[    ]%]
Other Expenses** [    ]%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses [    ]%

 

[* Pursuant to a Distribution Plan, the Fund may bear a Rule 12b-1 fee not to exceed 0.25% per year of the Fund’s average daily net assets. However, no such fee is currently paid by the Fund, and the Board of Trustees has not currently approved the commencement of any payments under the Distribution Plan. ]

 

** Based on estimated amounts for the current fiscal year.

 

Example

This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds.

 

The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell all of your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same. The Example does not reflect any brokerage commissions that you may pay on purchases and sales of Fund shares. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your cost would be:

 

1 Year 3 Years
$[   ] $[   ]

 

Portfolio Turnover

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance. Because the Fund has not commenced investment operations as of the date of this Prospectus, it does not have portfolio turnover to report.

 

1
 

 

Principal Investment Strategies of the Fund

 

Under normal circumstances, the Fund will invest at least 80% of its assets in the securities included in the Underlying Index and depositary receipts, including American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”), representing such securities.

 

The Underlying Index is a modified, free-float adjusted market capitalization weighted index that is designed to track the equity market performance of companies that are engaged in the clean energy business in the People’s Republic of China (“China” or “PRC”). The weighting of issuers in the Underlying Index is based on their free-float market capitalization as modified by their exposure to the clean energy trade, as determined by the Index Provider. As of [March 11], 2015, the Underlying Index included approximately [75] securities of companies with a market capitalization range of US$[142] million to US$[24] billion and an average market capitalization of US$[2.3] billion.

 

China A Shares are included in the Underlying Index. A Shares are equity securities issued by companies incorporated in mainland China and are traded in renminbi (“RMB”) on the Shenzhen or Shanghai Stock Exchange. Subject to minor exceptions, under current regulations, A Shares can only be purchased by foreign investors that have obtained a license and quota from the Chinese regulators or through the Shanghai-Hong Kong and Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connect programs. The Fund expects principally to obtain exposure to the China A Share components of the Underlying Index by investing through the Stock Connect programs and by investing in B Shares of companies whose A Shares are in the Underlying Index.

 

The Fund employs a “passive management” — or indexing — investment approach and seeks to track the performance of the Underlying Index. To track the performance of the Underlying Index, the Fund intends to employ a sampling strategy, which means that the Fund will typically invest in a portfolio of securities that collectively has an investment profile similar to the Underlying Index. Index Management Solutions, LLC (“Sub-Adviser”) selects the representative sample of securities for the Fund, subject to oversight by Krane Funds Advisors, LLC (“Krane”).

 

The Fund may invest a portion of its assets in instruments that are not included and do not provide exposure to the components in the Underlying Index, but that the Sub-Adviser believes will help the Fund track the Underlying Index. These investments include equity securities and depositary receipts of issuers whose securities are not components of the Underlying Index, derivative instruments (including swaps, futures and options contracts), and cash or cash equivalents (including money market funds). The Fund may also invest in other investment companies, including exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”).

 

To the extent the Underlying Index is concentrated in a particular industry, the Fund is expected to be concentrated in that industry. As of March 11, 2015, the Underlying Index was concentrated in the industrial sector and had significant exposure to the information technology and utilities sectors. The New York Stock Exchange, Inc. and Bloomberg Finance LP co-publish the Underlying Index.

 

2
 

 

Principal Risks

 

As with all ETFs, a shareholder of the Fund is subject to the risk that his or her investment could lose money. The Fund may not achieve its investment objective and an investment in the Fund is not by itself a complete or balanced investment program. An investment in the Fund is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. In addition to these risks, the Fund is subject to a number of additional risks that may affect the value of its shares, including:

 

A Shares Risk. The ability of the Fund to achieve its investment objective is dependent, in part, on the continuous availability of A Shares through the Shanghai-Hong Kong and Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connect programs. If such access is lost or becomes inadequate, it may have a material adverse effect on the ability of the Fund to achieve its investment objective.

 

[If the Fund is unable to obtain sufficient exposure to the performance of the Underlying Index due to the limited availability of A Shares, the Fund could seek exposure to the component securities of the Underlying Index by investing in depositary receipts, H shares or B shares of the component securities. The Fund may also use derivatives or invest in ETFs that provide comparable exposures. If necessary, the Fund may suspend the sale of shares in Creation Units until Krane and the Sub-Adviser determine that the requisite exposure to the component securities of the Underlying Index is obtainable. During the period that creations are suspended, Fund shares may trade at a significant premium or discount to net asset value (the “NAV”). Alternatively, the Fund may change its investment objective and track another index of Chinese-related stocks. In extreme circumstances beyond the control of the Fund, the Fund may incur significant losses due to limited investment capabilities, illiquidity of the Chinese securities markets, or delay or disruption in execution or settlement of trades.]

 

A Shares may be subject to more frequent and/or extended trading halts than other exchange-traded securities.

 

China Risk. The Fund’s investments are concentrated in China, and therefore the Fund is susceptible to adverse market, political, regulatory, and geographic events affecting China. The Chinese economy is generally considered an emerging market and can be significantly affected by economic and political conditions in China and surrounding Asian countries. In addition, the Chinese economy is export-driven and highly reliant on trade. A downturn in the economies of China’s primary trading partners could slow or eliminate the growth of the Chinese economy and adversely impact the Fund’s investments. The Chinese government strictly regulates the payment of foreign currency denominated obligations and sets monetary policy. The Chinese government may introduce new laws and regulations that could have an adverse effect on the Fund. Although China has begun the process of privatizing certain sectors of its economy, privatized entities may lose money and/or be re-nationalized.

 

A small number of issuers may represent a large portion of the entire Chinese market. The Chinese securities markets are characterized by relatively frequent trading halts and low trading volume, resulting in substantially less liquidity and greater price volatility.

 

Currency, Capital Controls and Currency Conversion Risk. Capital controls outside the control of the Fund may impact the ability of the Fund to buy, sell or otherwise transfer securities or currency, adversely affect the trading market and price for shares of the Fund, cause the Fund to decline in value, and limit the Fund’s ability to pay redemptions. The RMB is not presently freely convertible and is subject to the approval of Chinese authorities. Economic conditions and political events may lead to foreign government intervention and the imposition of additional or renewed capital controls. Because the Fund’s NAV is determined on the basis of U.S. dollars, the Fund may lose value if the RMB depreciates against the U.S. dollar, even if the local currency value of the Fund’s holdings goes up.

 

3
 

 

The Fund may also be subject to delays in converting or transferring U.S. dollars to purchase Chinese securities. This may hinder the Fund’s performance, including because any delay could result in the Fund missing an investment opportunity, purchasing securities at a higher price than originally intended, or incurring cash drag.

 

Clean Energy Risk. Investments in issuers engaged in the clean energy market may be volatile, including due changes in economic conditions and government policy. Clean energy companies may be highly dependent upon government subsidies, contracts with government entities, and the successful development of new and proprietary technologies. In addition, seasonal weather conditions, fluctuations in supply of and demand for clean energy products, and international political events may cause fluctuations in the performance of clean energy companies and the prices of their securities.

 

Depositary Receipt Risk. The Fund may hold the securities of foreign companies in the form of depositary receipts, including ADRs. The underlying securities of the depositary receipts in the Fund’s portfolio are subject to fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates that may affect the value of the Fund’s portfolio. In addition, the value of the securities underlying the depositary receipts may change materially when the U.S. markets are not open for trading. Investments in the underlying foreign securities also involve political and economic risks distinct from those associated with investing in the securities of U.S. issuers.

 

Derivatives Risk, Including the Risk of Investments in Swaps, Options and Futures. The use of derivatives may entail risks that are different from, and greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in an underlying asset because a small investment in a derivative can result in a large impact on the Fund. In addition, derivatives can be illiquid and imperfectly correlate with the underlying asset, resulting in unexpected returns that could materially adversely affect the Fund. Certain derivatives (such as swaps) are bi-lateral agreements that expose the Fund to counterparty risk, which is the risk of loss in the event that the Fund’s counterparty to the agreement fails to perform under it. Many derivatives are subject to segregation requirements, pursuant to which the Fund must segregate the market or notional value of the derivatives and which could impede the portfolio management of the Fund.

 

Emerging Markets Risk. The Fund’s investments in emerging markets are subject to greater risk of loss than investments in developed markets. This is due to, among other things, greater market volatility, greater risk of asset seizures and capital controls, lower trading volume, political and economic instability, greater risk of market shutdown and more governmental limitations on foreign investments than typically found in developed markets.

 

Equity Securities Risk. An investment in the Fund involves risks similar to those of investing in any fund holding equity securities, such as market fluctuations, changes in interest rates and perceived trends in stock prices. Equity securities are subject to volatile changes in value.

 

ETF Cash Transactions Risk. Like other ETFs, the Fund sells and redeems its shares only in large blocks called Creation Units and only to “Authorized Participants.” Unlike many other ETFs, however, the Fund expects to effect its creations and redemptions for cash, rather than in-kind securities. Thus, an investment in the Fund may be less tax-efficient than an investment in other ETFs as the Fund may recognize a capital gain that it could avoid by making redemptions in kind. As a result, the Fund may pay out higher annual capital gains distributions than ETFs that redeem in-kind. Further, paying redemption proceeds in cash rather than through in-kind delivery of portfolio securities may require the Fund to dispose of or sell portfolio investments to obtain the cash needed to distribute redemption proceeds at an inopportune time.

 

Foreign Securities Risk. Investments in securities of non-U.S. issuers involve certain risks that may not be present with investments in securities of U.S. issuers, such as risk of loss due to foreign currency fluctuations or to political or economic instability. There may be less information publicly available about non-U.S issuers. Non-U.S. issuers may also be subject to different accounting, auditing, financial reporting and investor protection standards than U.S. issuers.

 

4
 

 

Income from securities of non-U.S. issuers, including, in the case of Chinese issuers, gain on the sale of such securities, may be subject to foreign taxes. Even if the Fund qualifies to pass these taxes through to shareholders, your ability to claim a credit for such taxes may be limited, particularly in the case of taxes on capital gains.

 

Industry Concentration Risk. To the extent that the Fund’s investments are concentrated in a particular industry (because the Underlying Index is concentrated in such industry), the Fund will be susceptible to loss due to adverse occurrences affecting that industry. Based on the current composition of the Underlying Index, it is expected that the Fund’s assets will be concentrated in the industrial sector and have significant exposure to the information technology and utilities sectors and that the Fund will be subject to the risk that economic, political or other conditions that have a negative effect on these sectors may adversely affect the Fund to a greater extent than if the Fund’s assets were invested in a wider variety of industries.

 

Industrials Sector Risk. The industrials sector may be affected by changes in the supply and demand for products and services, product obsolescence, claims for environmental damage or product liability and general economic conditions, among other factors.

 

Investment in Investment Companies Risk. To the extent the Fund invests in other investment companies, including ETFs, the Fund will indirectly be exposed to the risks of investments by such funds. Moreover, the Fund will incur its pro rata share of the expenses of the underlying funds’ expenses. The Fund may invest in other funds, including ETFs, sponsored by Krane. Krane may be subject to conflicts of interest in allocating Fund assets to other funds to the extent that Krane is paid a management fee both by the Fund and the fund in which the Fund invests.

 

Large-Capitalization Risk. Returns on investments in securities of large companies could trail the returns on investments in securities of small- and mid-sized companies.

 

Management Risk. Because the Fund is not expected to fully replicate the Underlying Index and may hold less than the total number of securities in the Underlying Index, the Fund is subject to management risk. This is the risk that the representative sampling process may not produce the intended results.

 

Market Risk. The values of securities in the Underlying Index could decline generally or could underperform other investments. In addition, there is a risk that policy changes by the U.S. Government and/or Federal Reserve, such as increasing interest rates, could cause increased volatility in global financial markets and higher levels of Fund redemptions, which could have a negative impact on the Fund.

 

Small and Mid-Capitalization Risk. Investing in the securities of small and medium capitalization companies involves greater risk and the possibility of greater price volatility than investing in larger capitalization companies and more established companies. Since small and medium-sized companies may have limited operating histories, product lines and financial resources, the securities of these companies may lack sufficient market liquidity and can be sensitive to expected changes in interest rates, borrowing costs and earnings.

 

Passive Investment Risk. The Fund is not actively managed and therefore may not sell a security due to current or projected underperformance of a security, industry or sector. The Fund’s use of a representative sampling approach will result in it holding a smaller number of securities than are in the Underlying Index. As a result, an adverse development to an issuer of securities that the Fund holds could result in a greater decline in NAV than would be the case if the Fund held more of the securities in the Underlying Index.

 

5
 

 

Secondary Market Trading Risk. Investors buying or selling shares in the secondary market will normally pay brokerage commissions, which are often a fixed amount and may be a significant proportional cost for investors buying or selling relatively small amounts of shares. Secondary market trading in Fund shares may be halted by [NYSE Arca, Inc.] (the “Exchange”) because of market conditions or other reasons. If a trading halt occurs, a shareholder may temporarily be unable to purchase or sell shares of the Fund. In addition, although the Fund’s shares are listed on the Exchange, there can be no assurance that an active trading market for shares will develop or be maintained.

 

Shanghai-Hong Kong and Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connect Programs Risk. The Shanghai-Hong Kong and Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connect programs are subject to daily and aggregate quota limitations, and an investor cannot purchase and sell the same security on the same trading day, which may restrict the Fund’s ability to invest in A Shares through the program and to enter into or exit trades on a timely basis. The Shanghai or Shenzhen market may be open at a time when the Shanghai-Hong Kong Stock Connect or Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connect program is not active, with the result that prices of A Shares may fluctuate at times when the Fund is unable to add to or exit its positions. Because the Shanghai-Hong Kong and Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connect programs are new, the actual effect on the market for trading A Shares with the introduction of large numbers of foreign investors is unknown. Further, regulations or restrictions, such as limitations on redemptions or suspension of trading, may adversely impact the program. There is no guarantee that the Shanghai, Shenzhen and Hong Kong Stock Exchanges will continue to support these programs in the future.

 

Shares of the Fund May Trade at Prices Other Than NAV. Although it is expected that the market price of the shares of the Fund will approximate the Fund’s NAV, there may be times when the market price of the shares is more than the NAV intra-day (premium) or less than the NAV intra-day (discount). This risk is heightened in times of market volatility or periods of steep market declines.

 

Tracking Error Risk. The Fund’s return may not match or achieve a high degree of correlation with the return of the Underlying Index. The Fund may not be able to invest in certain components of the Underlying Index due to legal restrictions imposed by foreign governments or other regulatory reasons. In addition, securities included in the Underlying Index may be suspended from trading. To the extent the Fund calculates its NAV based on fair value prices and the value of the Underlying Index is based on securities’ closing prices on local foreign markets, the Fund’s ability to track the Underlying Index may be adversely affected. Changes in currency exchange rates or delays in converting currencies may also cause tracking error.

 

Performance Information

The Fund is new, and therefore has no performance history. Once the Fund has completed a full calendar year of operations, a bar chart and table will be included that will provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing the variability of the Fund’s return based on net assets and comparing the variability of the Fund’s return to a broad measure of market performance. Once available, the Fund’s current performance information will be available at www.kraneshares.com. Past performance does not necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform in the future.

 

Management

Investment Manager and Sub-Adviser

Krane Funds Advisors, LLC serves as the investment manager to the Fund and is responsible for making investment decisions for the Fund’s assets and continuously reviewing, supervising and administering the Fund’s investment program. Index Management Solutions, LLC serves as the investment sub-adviser to the Fund and is responsible for trading portfolio securities on behalf of the Fund.

 

6
 

 

Portfolio Managers

Justin V. Lowry and Sean P. Reichert have been the Portfolio Managers of the Fund since its inception.

 

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

Shares may be purchased and redeemed from the Fund only in “Creation Units” of 50,000 shares, or multiples thereof. As a practical matter, only institutions and large investors, such as market makers or other large broker-dealers, purchase or redeem Creation Units. Most investors will buy and sell shares of the Fund on the Exchange. Individual shares can be bought and sold throughout the trading day like other publicly traded securities through a broker-dealer on the Exchange. These transactions do not involve the Fund. The price of an individual Fund share is based on market prices, which may be different from its NAV. As a result, the Fund’s shares may trade at a price greater than the NAV (at a premium) or less than the NAV (at a discount). Most investors will incur customary brokerage commissions and charges when buying or selling shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer.

 

Tax Information

Fund distributions are generally taxable as ordinary income or capital gains (or a combination of both), unless your investment is in an IRA or other tax-advantaged retirement account.

 

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

If you purchase Fund shares through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your sales person to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your sales person or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.

 

7
 

 

Additional Information About the Fund

 

Investment Objective. The KraneShares NYSE Bloomberg China Clean Energy ETF seeks to provide investment results that, before fees and expenses, correspond to the price and yield performance of a specific foreign equity securities benchmark. The Fund’s current benchmark is the NYSE Bloomberg China Clean Energy Index (the “Underlying Index”). The Fund’s investment objective is non-fundamental. As a result, it may be changed without shareholder approval upon 60 days’ prior written notice to shareholders.

 

Principal Investment Strategies. Under normal market conditions, the Fund will invest at least 80% of its total assets in the securities included in the Underlying Index and depositary receipts, including American depositary receipts, representing such components.

 

The Fund employs a “passive management” —or indexing— investment approach and seeks to track the performance of the Underlying Index. To track the performance of the Underlying Index, the Fund intends to employ a sampling strategy, which means that the Fund will typically invest in a portfolio of securities that collectively has an investment profile similar to the Underlying Index. The Fund’s securities are expected to have, in the aggregate, investment characteristics (based on factors such as market capitalization and industry weightings), fundamental characteristics (such as return variability and yield) and liquidity measures similar to those of the Underlying Index. There may, however, be instances in which the Fund may choose to underweight or overweight a security in the Underlying Index, purchase securities not included in the Underlying Index that it believes are appropriate to substitute for certain securities in the Underlying Index, or utilize various combinations of other available investment techniques to seek to track as closely as possible, before fees and expenses, the price and yield performance of the Underlying Index. The Fund may sell securities that are represented in the Underlying Index in anticipation of their removal from the Underlying Index or purchase securities not represented in the Underlying Index in anticipation of their addition to the Underlying Index.

 

China A Shares are included in the Underlying Index. A Shares are equity securities issued by companies incorporated in mainland China and are traded in renminbi (“RMB”) on the Shenzhen or Shanghai Stock Exchange. Subject to minor exceptions, under current regulations, A Shares can only be purchased by foreign investors that have obtained a license and quota from the Chinese regulators or through the Shanghai-Hong Kong Stock and Shenzhen-Hong Kong Connect programs. The Fund expects principally to obtain exposure to the China A Share components of the Underlying Index by investing through the Shanghai-Hong Kong and Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connect programs and by investing in B Shares of companies whose A Shares are in the Underlying Index. The Fund may also invest in swaps, futures contracts and other types of derivative instruments that have economic characteristics that are substantially identical to the economic characteristics of A Shares, including swaps on the A Shares portion of the Underlying Index.

 

The Fund may invest a portion of its assets in instruments that are not included in and do not provide exposure to the Underlying Index, but which the Sub-Adviser believes will help the Fund track the Underlying Index. These investments include equity securities and depositary receipts of issuers whose securities are not components of the Underlying Index, derivative instruments (including swaps, futures and options contracts), investment company securities, and cash or cash equivalents (including money market funds). The Fund may also invest in other investment companies, including ETFs.

 

To the extent the Underlying Index is concentrated in a particular industry, the Fund is expected to be concentrated in that industry.

 

Each of the policies described in this Prospectus, including the Fund’s investment objective and 80% policy is a non-fundamental policy that may be changed by the Board of Trustees of the Trust without shareholder approval upon 60 days prior written notice to shareholders. Certain fundamental policies of the Fund are set forth in the Fund’s SAI.

 

8
 

 

Underlying Index. The New York Stock Exchange, Inc. and Bloomberg Finance LP (together, the “Index Provider”) co-publish the Underlying Index.

 

The Underlying Index is a modified, free-float adjusted market capitalization weighted index that is designed to track the equity market performance of companies that are engaged in the clean energy business in the People’s Republic of China. The weighting of issuers in the Underlying Index is modified based on their exposure to the clean energy trade, as determined by the Index Provider’s proprietary clean energy exposure ratings system. Free-float market capitalization is calculated by multiplying a security’s price by the number of shares available in the market, rather than the total number of shares outstanding. As of [March 11], 2015, the Underlying Index included approximately [75] securities of companies with a market capitalization range of US$[142] million to US$[24] billion and an average market capitalization of US$[2.3] billion. These amounts are subject to change.

 

The Underlying Index was launched on [   ] with a base date of [   ], and a base value of [   ]. As of [   ], the Underlying Index was concentrated in the industrial sector and had significant exposure to the information technology and utilities sectors. Additional information about the Underlying Index is available on the Index Provider’s website, [http://about.bnef.com/equity-indexes/].

 

Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund. The following section provides additional information regarding certain of the principal risks of investing in the Fund. An investment in the Fund involves a risk of a total loss. There is no guarantee that the Fund will meet its investment objective.

 

A Shares Market Risk. The ability of the Fund to achieve its investment objective is dependent, in part, on the continuous availability of A Shares through the Shanghai-Hong Kong and Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connect programs. The Fund may also seek to gain exposure to the A Shares market by investing in securities not included in the Underlying Index, futures contracts, swaps and other derivative instruments, and other pooled investment vehicles, including foreign and/or affiliated funds, that provide exposure to the A Shares market, which present additional investment risks.

 

The Chinese government has in the past taken actions that benefitted holders of A Shares. As A Shares become more available to foreign investors, such as the Fund, the Chinese government may be less likely to take action that would benefit holders of A Shares. If the Fund is unable to obtain sufficient exposure to the performance of the Underlying Index due to the limited availability of A Shares through the Shanghai-Hong Kong and Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connect programs or other investments that provide exposure to the performance of A Shares, the Fund could, among other actions, limit or suspend creations until Krane determines that the requisite exposure to the Underlying Index is obtainable. During the period that creations are limited or suspended, the Fund could trade at a significant premium or discount to the NAV and could experience substantial redemptions. Alternatively, the Fund could change its investment objective by, for example, seeking to track an alternative index that does not include A Shares as component securities, or decide to liquidate the Fund.

 

Because restrictions continue to exist and capital therefore cannot flow freely into the A Share market, it is possible that, in the event of a market disruption, the liquidity of the A Share market and trading prices of A Shares could be more severely affected than the liquidity and trading prices of markets where securities are freely tradable and capital therefore flows more freely. The Fund cannot predict the nature or duration of such a market disruption or the impact that it may have on the A Share market and the short-term and long-term prospects of its investments in the A Share market.

 

9
 

 

Absence of Active Market. Although shares of the Fund are listed for trading on a stock exchange, there can be no assurance that an active trading market for such shares will develop or be maintained.

 

China Risk. The Fund’s investments are concentrated in China, and therefore the Fund is susceptible to adverse market, political, regulatory, and geographic events affecting China. The Chinese economy is generally considered an emerging market and can be significantly affected by economic and political conditions in China and surrounding Asian countries. Although the Chinese economy has expanded at a fast pace in the past, this may not be true in the future. In addition, the Chinese economy is export-driven and highly reliant on trade. A downturn in the economies of China’s primary trading partners could slow or eliminate the growth of the Chinese economy and adversely impact the Fund’s investments. The Chinese government strictly regulates the payment of foreign currency denominated obligations and sets monetary policy. The Chinese government may introduce new laws and regulations that could have an adverse effect on the Fund. Although China has begun the process of privatizing certain sectors of its economy, privatized entities may lose money and/or be re-nationalized.

 

A small number of issuers may represent a large portion of the entire Chinese market. The Chinese securities markets are characterized by relatively frequent trading halts and low trading volume, resulting in substantially less liquidity and greater price volatility.

 

The Chinese government limits foreign investment in the securities of certain Chinese issuers entirely. China may also impose higher local tax rates on transactions involving certain companies. These restrictions or limitations may have adverse effects on the liquidity and performance of the Fund holdings as compared to the performance of the Underlying Index. This may increase the risk of tracking error and, at the worst, the Fund may not be able to achieve its investment objective.

 

From time to time, certain of the companies in which the Fund expects to invest may operate in, or have dealings with, countries subject to sanctions or embargoes imposed by the U.S. Government and the United Nations and/or countries identified by the U.S. Government as state sponsors of terrorism. A company may suffer damage to its reputation if it is identified as a company which operates in, or has dealings with, countries subject to sanctions or embargoes imposed by the U.S. Government and the United Nations and/or countries identified by the U.S. Government as state sponsors of terrorism. As an investor in such companies, the Fund will be indirectly subject to those risks.

 

Currency, Capital Controls and Currency Conversion Risk. Capital controls outside the control of the Fund may impact the ability of the Fund to buy, sell or otherwise transfer securities or currency, adversely affect the trading market and price for shares of the Fund, cause the Fund to decline in value, and limit the Fund’s ability to pay redemptions. The RMB is not presently freely convertible and is subject to the approval of Chinese authorities. Economic conditions and political events may lead to foreign government intervention and the imposition of additional or renewed capital controls. Because the Fund’s NAV is determined on the basis of U.S. dollars, the Fund may lose value if the RMB depreciates against the U.S. dollar, even if the local currency value of the Fund’s holdings goes up.

 

The Fund may also be subject to delays in converting or transferring U.S. dollars to purchase Chinese securities. This may hinder the Fund’s performance, including because any delay could result in the Fund missing an investment opportunity, purchasing securities at a higher price than originally intended, or incurring cash drag.

 

10
 

 

Available Disclosure About Chinese Issuers. Disclosure and regulatory standards in emerging market countries, such as China, are in many respects less stringent than U.S. standards. There is substantially less publicly available information about Chinese issuers than there is about U.S. issuers. Therefore, disclosure of certain material information may not be made, and less information may be available to the Fund and other investors than would be the case if the Fund’s investments were restricted to securities of U.S. issuers. Chinese issuers are subject to accounting, auditing and financial standards and requirements that differ, in some cases significantly, from those applicable to U.S. issuers. In particular, the assets and profits appearing on the financial statements of a Chinese issuer may not reflect its financial position or results of operations in the way they would be reflected had such financial statements been prepared in accordance with U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles.

 

Chinese Corporate and Securities Law. The Fund’s rights with respect to its investments in Chinese securities, if any, generally will not be governed by U.S. law, and instead will generally be governed by Chinese law. China operates under a civil law system, in which court precedent is not binding. Because there is no binding precedent to interpret existing statutes, there is uncertainty regarding the implementation of existing law.

 

Legal principles relating to corporate affairs and the validity of corporate procedures, directors’ fiduciary duties and liabilities and stockholders’ rights often differ from those that may apply in the United States and other countries. Chinese laws providing protection to investors, such as laws regarding the fiduciary duties of officers and directors, are undeveloped and will not provide investors, such as the Fund, with protection in all situations where protection would be provided by comparable law in the United States. China lacks a national set of laws that address all issues that may arise with regard to a foreign investor such as the Fund. It may therefore be difficult for the Fund to enforce its rights as an investor under Chinese corporate and securities laws, and it may be difficult or impossible for the Fund to obtain a judgment in court. Moreover, as Chinese corporate and securities laws continue to develop, these developments may adversely affect foreign investors, such as the Fund.

 

China’s legal system is based on statutes enacted by various state bodies with economic matters such as foreign investment, company organization and governance, taxation and trade. These laws are relatively recent with published court opinions based on these being limited, which makes the interpretation and enforcement of these laws and regulations uncertain. In addition, laws pertaining to bankruptcy proceedings are generally less developed and may be different than such laws in the United States, which may lead to unpredictable results.

 

The regulations which apply to investments by foreign investors, including the repatriation of capital, are relatively new. The application and interpretation of such regulations are therefore relatively untested. In addition, PRC authorities have broad discretion under such investment regulations and there is little precedent or certainty evidencing how such discretion will be exercised now or in the future.

 

Chinese Securities Markets. The securities markets in China have a limited operating history and are not as developed as those in the United States. These markets, historically, have had greater volatility than markets in the United States and some other countries. In addition, there is less regulation and monitoring of Chinese securities markets and the activities of investors, brokers and other participants than in the United States. Accordingly, issuers of securities in China generally are not subject to the same degree of regulation as are U.S. issuers with respect to such matters as insider trading rules, tender offer regulation, stockholder proxy requirements and the requirements mandating timely disclosure of information. Stock markets in China are in the process of change and further development. This may lead to trading volatility, difficulty in the settlement and recording of transactions and difficulty in interpreting and applying the relevant regulations.

 

11
 

 

Foreign Currency Considerations. The Fund’s assets will be invested primarily in the securities of issuers in China and the income received by the Fund will be primarily in RMB. Meanwhile, the Fund will compute and expects to distribute its income in U.S. dollars, and the computation of income will be made on the date that the income is earned by the Fund at the foreign exchange rate in effect on that date. Any gain or loss attributable to fluctuations in exchange rates between the time the Fund accrues income or gain and the time the Fund converts such income or gain from RMB to the dollar will generally be treated as ordinary income or loss. Therefore, if the value of the RMB increases relative to the U.S. dollar between the accrual of income and the time at which the Fund converts the RMB to U.S. dollars, the Fund will recognize ordinary income when the RMB is converted. In such circumstances, if the Fund has insufficient cash in U.S. dollars to meet distribution requirements under the Internal Revenue Code, the Fund may be required to liquidate certain positions in order to make distributions. The liquidation of investments, if required, may also have an adverse impact on the Fund’s performance

 

Furthermore, the Fund may incur costs in connection with conversions between U.S. dollars and RMB. Foreign exchange dealers realize a profit based on the difference between the prices at which they are buying and selling various currencies. Thus, a dealer normally will offer to sell a foreign currency to the Fund at one rate, while offering a lesser rate of exchange should the Fund desire immediately to resell that currency to the dealer. The Fund will conduct its foreign currency exchange transactions either on a spot (i.e., cash) basis at the spot rate prevailing in the foreign currency exchange market, or through entering into forward or futures contracts to purchase or sell foreign currencies.

 

RMB can be categorized into CNY (onshore RMB) and “CNH” (offshore RMB), traded outside the PRC. CNY and CNH are traded at different exchange rates and their exchange rates may not move in the same direction. Although there has been a growing amount of RMB held offshore, CNH cannot be freely remitted into the PRC and is subject to certain restrictions, and vice versa. The Fund may be adversely affected by the exchange rates between CNY and CNH.

 

The use of currency transactions could result in the Fund’s incurring losses as a result of the imposition of exchange controls, exchange rate regulation, suspension of settlements or the inability to deliver or receive a specified currency. The Fund may be subject to delays in converting or transferring U.S. dollars to RMB for the purpose of purchasing Chinese securities. This may hinder the Fund’s performance, including because any delay could result in the Fund missing an investment opportunity, purchasing securities at a higher price than originally intended, or incurring cash drag.

 

Foreign Exchange Control. The Chinese government heavily regulates the domestic exchange of foreign currencies within China. Chinese law requires that all domestic transactions must be settled in RMB, places significant restrictions on the remittance of foreign currency and strictly regulates currency exchange from RMB. Under SAFE regulations, Chinese corporations may only purchase foreign currencies through government approved banks. In general, Chinese companies must receive approval from or register with the Chinese government before investing in certain capital account items, including direct investments and loans, and must thereafter maintain separate foreign exchange accounts for the capital items. Foreign investors may only exchange foreign currencies at specially authorized banks after complying with documentation requirements. These restrictions may adversely affect the Fund and its investments. The international community has requested that China ease its restrictions on currency exchange, but it is unclear whether the Chinese government will change its policy.

 

The RMB is currently not a freely convertible currency as it is subject to foreign exchange control, fiscal policies and repatriation restrictions imposed by the Chinese government. Such control of currency conversion and movements in the RMB exchange rates may adversely affect the operations and financial results of companies in the PRC. In addition, if such control policies change in the future, the Fund may be adversely affected.

 

12
 

 

Since 2005, the exchange rate of the RMB is no longer strictly pegged to the U.S. dollar. The RMB has now moved to a managed floating exchange rate based on market supply and demand with reference to a basket of foreign currencies. The daily trading price of the RMB against other major currencies in the inter-bank foreign exchange market would be allowed to float within a narrow band around the central parity published by the People’s Bank of China. As the exchange rates may be based on market forces, the exchange rates for RMB against other currencies, including the U.S. dollar, are susceptible to movements based on external factors. The possibility that the appreciation of RMB will be accelerated cannot be excluded. On the other hand, there can be no assurance that the RMB will not be subject to devaluation. Any devaluation of the RMB could adversely affect the value of the Fund’s investments.

 

The PRC government imposes restrictions on the remittance of RMB out of and into China. The Fund will be required to remit RMB from Hong Kong to the PRC to settle the purchase of Chinese securities by the Fund from time to time. In the event such remittance is disrupted, the Fund could be adversely affected and, among other matters, will not be able to fully replicate the Underlying Index by investing in the relevant securities and this may increase the tracking error of the Fund. Any delay in repatriation of RMB out of China may result in delay in payment of redemption proceeds to the redeeming investors. The Chinese government’s policies on exchange control and repatriation restrictions are subject to change, and the Fund’s performance may be adversely affected.

 

Hong Kong Policy. As part of Hong Kong’s transition from British to Chinese sovereignty in 1997, China agreed to allow Hong Kong to maintain a high degree of autonomy with regard to its political, legal and economic systems for a period of at least 50 years. China controls matters that relate to defense and foreign affairs. Under the agreement, China does not tax Hong Kong, does not limit the exchange of the Hong Kong dollar for foreign currencies and does not place restrictions on free trade in Hong Kong. However, there is no guarantee that China will continue to honor the agreement, and China may change its policies regarding Hong Kong at any time. Any such change could adversely affect market conditions and the performance of the Chinese economy and, thus, the value of securities in the Fund’s portfolio.

 

Inflation. Economic growth in China has also historically been accompanied by periods of high inflation. Beginning in 2004, the Chinese government commenced the implementation of various measures to control inflation, which included the tightening of the money supply, the raising of interest rates and more stringent control over certain industries. If these measures are not successful, and if inflation were to steadily increase, the performance of the Chinese economy and the Fund’s investments could be negatively impacted.

 

Investment and Repatriation Restrictions. Investments by the Fund in certain securities are subject to pre-approval by Chinese government officials and there may be limitations on the quantity that the Fund may purchase or limits on the classes of securities in which the Fund may invest.

 

Repatriations by foreign investors may be limited by Chinese government officials. These rules and regulations may change. Further, such changes to the PRC rules and regulations may be applied retroactively. Any restrictions on repatriation of the Fund’s portfolio investments may have an adverse effect on the Fund’s ability to meet redemption requests.

 

The Chinese government limits foreign investment in the securities of certain Chinese issuers entirely. These restrictions or limitations may have adverse effects on the liquidity and performance of the Fund holdings as compared to the performance of the Underlying Index. This may increase the risk of tracking error and, at the worst, the Fund may not be able to achieve its investment objective.

 

13
 

 

Loss of Favorable U.S. Tax Treatment Risk. The Fund intends to distribute annually all or substantially all of its investment company taxable income and net capital gain. However, if the Fund cannot repatriate funds associated with its investments on Chinese securities on a timely basis, it may be unable to satisfy the distribution requirements required to qualify for the favorable tax treatment otherwise generally afforded to regulated investment companies (“RICs”) under the Internal Revenue Code. If the Fund fails to qualify for any taxable year as a RIC, the Fund would be treated as a corporation subject to U.S. federal income tax, thereby subjecting any income earned by the Fund to tax at the corporate level currently at a 35% U.S. federal tax rate and, when such income is distributed, to a further tax at the stockholder level to the extent of the Fund’s current or accumulated earnings and profits. In addition, the Fund would not be eligible for a deduction for dividends paid to shareholders.

 

To the extent the Fund does not distribute to shareholders all of its investment company taxable income and net capital gain in a given year, it will be required to pay U.S. federal income tax on the retained income and gains, thereby reducing the Fund’s return. The Fund may elect to treat its net capital gain as having been distributed to shareholders. In that case, shareholders of record on the last day of the Fund’s taxable year will be required to include their attributable share of the retained gain in income for the year as a long-term capital gain despite not actually receiving the dividend, and will be entitled to a tax credit or refund for the tax deemed paid on their behalf by the Fund as well as an increase in the basis of their shares to reflect the difference between their attributable share of the gain and the related credit or refund.

 

Nationalization and Expropriation Risk. After the formation of the Chinese socialist state in 1949, the Chinese government renounced various debt obligations and nationalized private assets without providing any form of compensation. There can be no assurance that the Chinese government will not take similar actions in the future. Accordingly, an investment in the Fund involves a risk of a total loss.

 

Political and Economic Risk. The economy of China, which has been in a state of transition from a planned economy to a more market oriented economy, differs from the economies of most developed countries in many respects, including the level of government involvement, its state of development, its growth rate, control of foreign exchange, and allocation of resources. Although the majority of productive assets in China are still owned by the PRC government at various levels, in recent years, the PRC government has implemented economic reform measures emphasizing utilization of market forces in the development of the economy of China and a high level of management autonomy. The economy of China has experienced significant growth in the past 30 years, but growth has been uneven both geographically and among various sectors of the economy. Economic growth has also been accompanied by periods of high inflation. The PRC government has implemented various measures from time to time to control inflation and restrain the rate of economic growth.

 

For more than 30 years, the PRC government has carried out economic reforms to achieve decentralization and utilization of market forces to develop the economy of the PRC. These reforms have resulted in significant economic growth and social progress. There can, however, be no assurance that the PRC government will continue to pursue such economic policies or, if it does, that those policies will continue to be successful or will not otherwise have a negative effect on the Fund. Any such adjustment and modification of those economic policies may have an adverse impact on the securities market in the PRC as well as the underlying securities of the Underlying Index. Further, the PRC government may from time to time adopt corrective measures to control the growth of the PRC economy which may also have an adverse impact on the capital growth and performance of the Fund.

 

Political changes, social instability and adverse diplomatic developments in the PRC could result in the imposition of additional government restrictions including expropriation of assets, confiscatory taxes or nationalization of some or all of the property held by the underlying issuers of the Chinese securities in the Underlying Index. The laws, regulations, including the investment regulations allowing foreign investors to invest in Chinese securities, government policies and political and economic climate may change with little or no advance notice. Any such change could adversely affect market conditions and the performance of the Chinese economy and, thus, the value of securities in the Fund’s portfolio.

 

14
 

 

The Chinese government continues to be an active participant in many economic sectors through ownership positions and regulation. The allocation of resources in China is subject to a high level of government control. The Chinese government strictly regulates the payment of foreign currency denominated obligations and sets monetary policy. Through its policies, the government may provide preferential treatment to particular industries or companies. The policies set by the government could have a substantial effect on the Chinese economy and the Fund’s investments.

 

The Chinese economy is export-driven and highly reliant on trade. The performance of the Chinese economy may differ favorably or unfavorably from the U.S. economy in such respects as growth of gross domestic product, rate of inflation, currency depreciation, capital reinvestment, resource self-sufficiency and balance of payments position. Adverse changes to the economic conditions of its primary trading partners, such as the United States, Japan and South Korea, would adversely impact the Chinese economy and the Fund’s investments.

 

Moreover, the slowdown in other significant economies of the world, such as the United States, the European Union and certain Asian countries, may adversely affect economic growth in China. An economic downturn in China would adversely impact the Fund’s investments.

 

Tax Risk. Although the Fund is expected to be temporarily exempt from the capital gains PRC WHT on trading in A Shares, there is no indication as to how long the temporary exemption will remain in effect. Accordingly, the Fund may be subject to such taxes in the future. If Krane expects such WHT on trading in A Shares to be re-imposed, Krane reserves the right to establish a reserve for such tax. If the Fund establishes such a reserve but is not ultimately subject to the tax, shareholders who redeemed or sold their shares while the reserve was in place will effectively bear the tax and may not benefit from the later release, if any, of the reserve. Conversely, if the Fund does not establish such a reserve but ultimately is subject to the tax, shareholders who redeemed or sold their shares prior to the tax being withheld, reserved or paid will have effectively avoided the tax, even if they benefited from the trading that precipitated the Fund’s payment of it.

 

Clean Energy Risk. Investments in issuers engaged in the clean energy market may be volatile, including due changes in economic conditions and government policy. Many clean energy companies are involved in the development and commercialization of new technologies, which may be subject to delays resulting from budget constraints and technological difficulties. Clean energy companies may be highly dependent upon government subsidies and contracts with government entities, and may be negatively affected if such subsidies or contracts are unavailable. Clean energy companies may depend on the successful development of new and proprietary technologies. In addition, seasonal weather conditions, fluctuations in supply of, and demand for, clean energy products, and international political events may cause fluctuations in the performance of clean energy companies and the prices of their securities.

 

Commodity Regulatory Risk. Krane, on behalf of the Fund, will file with the National Futures Association (“NFA”), a notice claiming an exclusion from the definition of the term “commodity pool operator” under CFTC Regulation 4.5 with respect to the Fund’s operation. To comply with Regulation 4.5, Krane and the Sub-Adviser will be required to limit the Fund’s investments in certain derivatives, which could adversely impact their ability to manage the Fund’s portfolio and achieve the Fund’s investment objective.

 

15
 

 

Counterparty Risk. Because many derivatives, including swaps and structured notes, are an obligation of the counterparty, the Fund may suffer losses potentially equal to, or greater than, the full value of the derivative if the counterparty fails to perform its obligations under the derivative agreement as a result of bankruptcy or otherwise. Any loss would result in a reduction in the NAV of the Fund and will likely impair the Fund’s ability to achieve its investment objective. The counterparty risk associated with the Fund’s investments may be greater than other funds because there are only a limited number of counterparties that are willing and able to enter into certain derivatives, such as swaps on certain securities. In fact, because there may be so few potential counterparties the Fund, subject to applicable law, may enter into swap transactions with as few as one counterparty at any time.

 

Depositary Receipts Risk. The Fund may invest in depositary receipts. Depositary receipts include ADRs. ADRs are U.S. dollar-denominated receipts representing shares of foreign-based corporations. ADRs are issued by U.S. banks or trust companies, and entitle the holder to all dividends and capital gains that are paid out on the underlying foreign shares. Investment in ADRs may be less liquid than the underlying shares in their primary trading market. Depositary receipts may be sponsored or unsponsored. Sponsored depositary receipts are established jointly by a depositary and the underlying issuer, whereas unsponsored depositary receipts may be established by a depositary without participation by the underlying issuer. Holders of an unsponsored depositary receipt generally bear all the costs associated with establishing the unsponsored depositary receipt. In addition, the issuers of the securities underlying unsponsored depositary receipts are not obligated to disclose material information in the United States and, therefore, there may be less information available regarding such issuers and there may not be a correlation between such information and the market value of the depositary receipts.

 

Depositary receipts may be unregistered and unlisted. The Fund’s investments may also include ADRs that are not purchased in the public markets and are restricted securities that can be offered and sold only to “qualified institutional buyers” under Rule 144A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. Krane will determine the liquidity of such investments pursuant to guidelines established by the Fund’s Board of Trustees. If a particular investment in such ADRs is deemed illiquid, that investment will be included within the Fund’s limitation on investment in illiquid securities. Moreover, if adverse market conditions were to develop during the period between the Fund’s decision to sell these types of ADRs and the point at which the Fund is permitted or able to sell such security, the Fund might obtain a price less favorable than the price that prevailed when it decided to sell.

 

Derivatives Risk. Derivatives are financial instruments, such as swaps, futures, structured notes, and options, whose values are based on the value of one or more indicators, such as a security, asset, currency, interest rate, or index. Derivatives involve risks different from, and possibly greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in securities and other more traditional investments. For example, derivatives involve the risk of mispricing or improper valuation and the risk that changes in the value of a derivative may not correlate perfectly with the underlying indicator. Derivative transactions can create investment leverage, may be highly volatile and the Fund could lose more than the amount it invests. Many derivative transactions are entered into “over-the-counter” (not on an exchange or contract market); as a result, the value of such a derivative transaction will depend on the ability and the willingness of the Fund’s counterparty to perform its obligations under the transaction. If a counterparty were to default on its obligations, the Fund’s contractual remedies against such counterparty may be subject to bankruptcy and insolvency laws, which could affect the Fund’s rights as a creditor (e.g., the Fund may not receive the net amount of payments that it is contractually entitled to receive). A liquid secondary market may not always exist for the Fund’s derivative positions at any time. If a derivative transaction is centrally cleared, it will be subject to the rules of the clearing exchange and subject to risks associated with the exchange.

 

Investments in swaps linked to the performance of A Shares are subject to general risks associated with A Shares and the regulatory system. It is not possible to predict the future development of the Chinese regulatory system and the CSRC may even impose restrictions that may adversely affect the ability of potential counterparties to enter into swaps linked to the performance of A Shares. These risks are compounded since there are only a limited number of firms and counterparties that are able to obtain A Share quota.

 

16
 

 

Emerging Markets Risk. The Fund invests a significant portion of its assets in securities and instruments that are traded in developing or emerging markets or that provide exposure to such securities or markets. These investments can involve additional risks relating to political, economic, or regulatory conditions not associated with investments in U.S. securities and instruments. For example, developing and emerging markets may be subject to (i) greater market volatility, (ii) lower trading volume and liquidity, (iii) greater social, political and economic uncertainty, (iv) governmental controls on foreign investments and limitations on repatriation of invested capital, (v) lower disclosure, corporate governance, auditing and financial reporting standards, (vi) fewer protections of property rights, (vii) restrictions on the transfer of securities or currency, and (viii) settlement and trading practices that differ from U.S. markets. Each of these factors may impact the ability of the Fund to buy, sell or otherwise transfer securities, adversely affect the trading market and price for Fund shares, and cause the Fund to decline in value.

 

Equity Securities Risk. The Fund invests in equity securities, which are subject to volatile changes in value that may be attributable to market perception of a particular issuer or to general stock market fluctuations that affect all issuers. Investments in equity securities may be more volatile than investments in other asset classes.

 

ETF Cash Transactions Risk. Like other ETFs, the Fund sells and redeems its shares only in large blocks called Creation Units and only to Authorized Participants. Unlike most other ETFs, however, the Fund expects generally to effect its creations and redemptions for cash, rather than in-kind securities. Other ETFs generally are able to make in-kind redemptions and avoid realizing gains in connection with redemption requests. Effecting redemptions for cash may cause the Fund to sell portfolio securities in order to obtain the cash needed to distribute redemption proceeds. Such dispositions may occur at an inopportune time resulting in potential losses to the Fund and involve transaction costs. If the Fund recognizes gain on these sales, this generally will cause the Fund to recognize gain it might not otherwise have recognized if it were to distribute portfolio securities in-kind or to recognize such gain sooner than would otherwise have been required. The Fund generally intends to distribute these gains to shareholders to avoid being taxed on this gain at the Fund level and otherwise comply with the special tax rules that apply to it. This strategy may cause shareholders to be subject to tax on gains they would not otherwise be subject to, or at an earlier date than, if they had made an investment in another ETF.

 

In addition, cash transactions may have to be carried out over several days if the securities market in which the Fund is trading is relatively illiquid and may involve considerable brokerage fees and taxes. These brokerage fees and taxes, which will be higher than if the Fund sold and redeemed its shares principally in-kind, will generally be passed on to purchasers and redeemers of Creation Units in the form of creation and redemption transaction fees. However, the Fund has capped the total fees that may be charged in connection with the redemption of Creation Units at 2% of the value of the Creation Units redeemed. To the extent transaction and other costs associated with a redemption exceed that cap, those transaction costs will be borne by the Fund’s remaining shareholders. These factors may result in wider spreads between the bid and the offered prices of the Fund’s shares than for other ETFs.

 

Foreign Securities Risk. Investment in foreign securities may involve higher costs than investment in U.S. securities, including higher transaction and custody costs as well as the imposition of additional taxes by foreign governments. Foreign investments may also involve risks associated with the level of currency exchange rates, less complete financial information about the issuers, less market liquidity, more market volatility and political instability. Future political and economic developments, the possible imposition of withholding taxes on dividend income, the possible seizure or nationalization of foreign holdings, the possible establishment of exchange controls or freezes on the convertibility of currency, or the adoption of other governmental restrictions might adversely affect an investment in foreign securities. Additionally, foreign issuers may be subject to less stringent regulation, and to different accounting, auditing and recordkeeping requirements.

 

17
 

 

Income from securities of non-U.S. issuers, including gain on the sale of such securities, may be subject to foreign taxes. Even if the Fund qualifies to pass these taxes through to shareholders, your ability to claim a credit for such taxes may be limited, particularly in the case of taxes on capital gains.

 

From time to time, certain of the issuers of securities purchased by the Fund may operate in, or have dealings with, countries subject to sanctions or embargoes imposed by the U.S. Government and the United Nations and/or countries identified by the U.S. Government as state sponsors of terrorism. A company may suffer damage to its reputation if it is identified as a company which operates in, or has dealings with, countries subject to sanctions or embargoes imposed by the U.S. Government and the United Nations and/or countries identified by the U.S. Government as state sponsors of terrorism. As an investor in such companies, the Fund will be indirectly subject to those risks.

 

Futures Risk. Additional risks associated with the use of futures contracts include the following: (i) an imperfect correlation between movements in prices of futures contracts and movements in the value of the instrument it is designed to simulate; and (ii) the possibility of an illiquid secondary market for a futures contract and the resulting inability to close a position prior to its maturity date. The use of futures contracts may also create leverage.

 

Industry Concentration Risk. To the extent that the Fund’s investments are concentrated in a particular industry because the Underlying Index is concentrated in such industry, the Fund will be susceptible to loss due to adverse occurrences affecting that industry to a greater extent than if the Fund’s assets were invested in a wider variety of sectors or industries.

 

Industrials Sector Risk. The industrials sector includes companies engaged in the manufacture and distribution of capital goods, such as those used in defense, construction and engineering, companies that manufacture and distribute electrical equipment and industrial machinery and those that provide commercial and transportation services and supplies. Companies in the industrials sector may be adversely affected by changes in government regulation, world events and economic conditions. In addition, companies in the industrials sector may be adversely affected by environmental damages, product liability claims and exchange rates. The success of these companies is affected by supply and demand both for their specific product or service and for industrial sector products in general. The products of manufacturing companies may face product obsolescence due to rapid technological developments and frequent new product introduction. In addition, the industrials sector may also be adversely affected by changes or trends in commodity prices, which may be unpredictable.

 

Information Technology Sector Risk. Information technology companies face intense competition, both domestically and internationally, which may have an adverse effect on profit margins. Like other technology companies, information technology companies may have limited product lines, markets, financial resources or personnel. The products of information technology companies may face obsolescence due to rapid technological developments, frequent new product introduction, unpredictable changes in growth rates and competition for the services of qualified personnel. Companies in the information technology sector are heavily dependent on patent and intellectual property rights. The loss or impairment of these rights may adversely affect the profitability of these companies.

 

18
 

 

Utilities Sector Risk. Companies in the utilities industry may have difficulty obtaining an adequate return on invested capital, raising capital, and financing large construction programs during periods of inflation or unsettled capital markets; face restrictions on operations and increased cost and delays attributable to environmental considerations and regulation; find that existing plants, equipment or products have been rendered obsolete by technological innovations; and be subject to increased costs because of the scarcity of certain fuels or the effects of man-made disasters. Deregulation is subjecting utility companies to greater competition and may adversely affect profitability. As deregulation allows utility companies to diversify outside of their original geographic regions and their traditional lines of business, utility companies may engage in riskier ventures. Government regulators monitor and control utility operations, revenues and costs, and therefore may limit utility profits. Regulatory authorities may also restrict utility companies’ access to new markets, thereby diminishing these companies’ long-term prospects. Energy conservation and changes in climate policy may have a significant adverse impact on the revenues and expenses of utility companies.

 

Investment in Investment Companies Risk. The Fund may purchase shares of investment companies, such as ETFs, unit investment trusts, closed-end investment companies and foreign investment companies to gain exposure to particular component securities of the Underlying Index or when such investments present a more cost efficient alternative to investing directly in securities. When the Fund invests in an investment company, in addition to directly bearing the expenses associated with its own operations, it will bear a pro rata portion of the investment company’s expenses. For example, an investor in the Fund may receive taxable gains as a result of an underlying fund’s portfolio transactions in addition to the taxable gains attributable to the Fund’s transactions in shares of the underlying fund. Further, in part because of these additional expenses, the performance of an investment company may differ from the performance the Fund would achieve if it invested directly in the underlying investments of the investment company. In addition, while the risks of owning shares of an investment company generally reflect the risks of owning the underlying investments of the investment company, the Fund may be subject to additional or different risks than if the Fund had invested directly in the underlying investments. For example, shares of an ETF are traded at market prices, which may vary from the NAV of its underlying investments. Also, the lack of liquidity in an ETF can contribute to the increased volatility of its value in comparison to the value of the underlying portfolio securities. To the extent that the Fund invests in investment companies or other pooled investment vehicles that are not registered pursuant to the 1940 Act, it will not enjoy the protections of the 1940 Act. The Fund may invest in other investment companies, including ETFs, sponsored and advised by Krane. Krane may be subject to conflicts of interest in allocating Fund assets to the extent that Krane is paid a management fee both by the Fund and the fund in which the Fund invests.

 

Large Capitalization Company Risk. Investments in large capitalization companies may go in and out of favor based on market and economic conditions and may underperform other market segments. Some large capitalization companies may be unable to respond quickly to new competitive challenges or to attain the high growth rate of successful smaller companies, especially during extended periods of economic expansion. As such, returns on investments in stocks of large capitalization companies could trail the returns on investments in stocks of small and mid capitalization companies.

 

Leveraging Risk. The Fund’s investment in derivative instruments provide leveraged exposure. The Fund’s investment in these instruments generally requires a small investment relative to the amount of investment exposure assumed. As a result, such investments may give rise to losses that exceed the amount invested in those instruments. The use of derivatives and other similar financial instruments may at times be an integral part of the Fund’s investment strategy and may expose the Fund to potentially dramatic losses (or gains) in the value of a derivative or other financial instrument and, thus, in the value the Fund’s portfolio. The cost of investing in such instruments generally increases as interest rates increase, which will lower the Fund’s return.

 

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Liquidity Risk. Foreign securities, swap agreements and other derivatives, including index futures, structured notes and options, may be subject to liquidity risk, which exists when a particular derivative is difficult to purchase or sell. If a derivative transaction is particularly large or if the relevant market is illiquid, it may not be possible to initiate a transaction or liquidate a position at an advantageous time or price, which may result in significant losses to the Fund. In addition, a derivative transaction may be subject to the Fund’s limitation on investments in illiquid securities. Derivatives and, in particular, swap agreements, may be subject to pricing risk, which exists when a particular derivative becomes extraordinarily expensive (or inexpensive) relative to historical prices or the prices of corresponding cash market instruments. It is possible that developments in the derivatives market, including ongoing or potential government regulation, could adversely affect the Fund’s ability to enter into new derivatives agreements, terminate existing derivative agreements, or to realize amounts to be received under such instruments.

 

Management Risk. Because the Fund is not expected to fully replicate the Underlying Index and may hold less than the total number of securities in the Underlying Index, the Fund is subject to management risk. This is the risk that the representative sampling process may not produce the intended results.

 

Market Risk. An investment in the Fund involves risks similar to those of investing in any fund of equity securities. The values of securities in the Underlying Index could decline generally or could underperform other investments. Market fluctuations could be caused by such factors as economic and political developments, changes in interest rates and perceived trends in stock prices. The values of equity securities could decline generally or could underperform other investments. Different types of equity securities tend to go through cycles of outperformance and under-performance in comparison to the general securities markets. In addition, securities may decline in value due to factors affecting a specific issuer, market or securities markets generally. An investment in the Fund may lose money.

 

Turbulence in the financial markets and reduced liquidity in equity, credit and fixed-income markets may negatively affect issuers worldwide, which could have an adverse effect on the Fund. Following the financial crisis that began in 2007, the Federal Reserve has attempted to stabilize the U.S. economy and support the U.S. economic recovery by keeping the federal funds rate at or near zero percent. As the Federal Reserve raises the federal funds rate, there is a risk that interest rates will rise, which may make investments in emerging markets less attractive. These policy changes may expose markets to heightened volatility and may reduce liquidity for certain Fund investments, causing the value of the Fund’s investments and share price to decline. To the extent that the Fund experiences high redemptions because of these governmental policy changes, the Fund may experience increased portfolio turnover, which will increase the costs that the Fund incurs and will lower the Fund’s performance.

 

Small and Mid Capitalization Company Risk. Investments in small and mid capitalization companies may entail greater risks, and their securities’ prices may fluctuate more and have a higher degree of volatility than those of larger, more established companies. Securities of small and mid capitalization companies may be traded in lower volume and be less liquid. The general market may not favor the small or mid sized companies in which the Fund invests, and as a result the Fund could underperform the general market. Small and mid sized companies may have more limited product lines, markets and financial resources that make them more susceptible to economic and market setbacks. Additionally, information about these companies may not be readily available. The smaller the company, the greater effect these risks may have on the company’s operations and performance, which could have a significant impact on the price of the security. These factors could adversely affect the Fund’s ability to sell such securities at a desirable time and price.

 

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Passive Investment Risk. The Fund is not actively managed. Therefore, unless a specific security is removed from the Underlying Index, the Fund generally would not sell a security because the security’s issuer was in financial trouble. If a specific security is removed from the Underlying Index, the Fund may be forced to sell such security at an inopportune time or for a price other than the security’s current market value. It is anticipated that the value of Fund shares will decline, more or less, in correspondence with any decline in value of the Underlying Index. The Underlying Index may not contain the appropriate mix of securities for any particular economic cycle, and the timing of movements from one type of security to another in seeking to replicate the Underlying Index could have a negative effect on the Fund. Unlike an actively managed fund, the Fund does not use techniques or defensive strategies designed to lessen the effects of market volatility or to reduce the impact of periods of market decline. This means that, based on market and economic conditions, the Fund’s performance could be lower than other types of registered investment companies that may actively shift their portfolio assets to take advantage of market opportunities or to lessen the impact of a market decline. The Fund’s use of a representative sampling approach will result in the Fund holding a smaller number of securities than are in the Underlying Index. As a result, an adverse development to an issuer of securities that the Fund holds could result in a greater decline in NAV than would be the case if the Fund held more of the securities in the Underlying Index.

 

Secondary Market Trading Risk. Investors buying or selling shares in the secondary market will normally pay brokerage commissions, which are often a fixed amount and may be a significant proportional cost for investors buying or selling relatively small amounts of shares. In addition, secondary market investors will incur the cost of the difference between the price that an investor is willing to pay for shares (the bid price) and the price at which an investor is willing to sell shares (the ask price). This difference in bid and ask prices is often referred to as the “spread” or “bid/ask spread.” The bid/ask spread varies over time for shares based on trading volume and market liquidity, and is generally lower if the Fund’s shares have more trading volume and market liquidity and higher if the Fund’s shares have little trading volume and market liquidity. Increased market volatility may cause increased bid/ask spreads.

 

Shanghai-Hong Kong and Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connect Programs Risk. The Shanghai-Hong Kong and Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connect programs are subject to quota limitations, and an investor cannot purchase and sell the same security on the same trading day, which may restrict the Fund’s ability to invest in A Shares through the Shanghai-Hong Kong or Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connect program and to enter into or exit trades on a timely basis. The Shanghai or Shenzhen market may be open at a time when the Shanghai-Hong Kong or Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connect program is not active, with the result that prices of A Shares may fluctuate at times when the Fund is unable to add to or exit its position. Only certain A Shares are eligible to be accessed through the Shanghai-Hong Kong and Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connect programs. Such securities may lose their eligibility at any time, in which case they could be sold but could no longer be purchased through the Shanghai-Hong Kong or Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connect program. Because the Shanghai-Hong Kong and Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connect programs are new, the actual effect on the market for trading A Shares with the introduction of large numbers of foreign investors is unknown. In addition, there is no assurance that the necessary systems required to operate the Shanghai-Hong Kong and Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connect programs will function properly or will continue to be adapted to changes and developments in both markets. In the event that the relevant systems do not function properly, trading through the Shanghai-Hong Kong and/or Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connect programs could be disrupted. The Shanghai-Hong Kong and Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connect programs are subject to regulations promulgated by regulatory authorities for both exchanges and further regulations or restrictions, such as limitations on redemptions or suspension of trading, may adversely impact the Shanghai-Hong Kong and/or Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connect program, if the authorities believe it necessary to assure orderly markets or for other reasons. There is no guarantee that the Shanghai, Shenzhen and Hong Kong Stock Exchanges will continue to support the programs in the future. Investments in A Shares may not be covered by the securities investor protection programs of either exchange and, without the protection of such programs, will be subject to the risk of default by the broker. Because of the way in which A Shares are held in the Shanghai-Hong Kong and Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connect programs, the Fund may not be able to exercise the rights of a shareholder and may be limited in its ability to pursue claims against the issuer of a security, and may suffer losses in the event the depository of the Shanghai or Shenzhen Stock Exchange becomes insolvent. Because all trades through the Shanghai-Hong Kong and Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connect programs must be settled in RMB, investors must have timely access to a reliable supply of offshore RMB, which cannot be guaranteed.

 

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Shares of the Fund May Trade at Prices Other Than NAV. The NAV of the Fund’s shares will generally fluctuate with changes in the market value of the Fund’s securities holdings. The market prices of shares will generally fluctuate in accordance with changes in the Fund’s NAV and supply and demand of shares on the secondary market. It cannot be predicted whether Fund shares will trade below, at or above their NAV. Price differences may be due, in part, to the fact that supply and demand forces at work in the secondary trading market for shares will be closely related to, but not identical to, the same forces influencing the prices of the securities of the Underlying Index trading individually. The market prices of Fund shares may deviate significantly from the NAV of the shares during periods of market volatility. However, given that shares can be created and redeemed in Creation Units (unlike shares of many closed-end funds, which frequently trade at appreciable discounts from, and sometimes at premiums to, their NAV), Krane believes that large discounts or premiums to the NAV of Fund shares should not be sustained. Disruptions to creations and redemptions may result in trading prices that differ significantly from the Fund’s NAV. Investors purchasing and selling Fund shares in the secondary market may not experience investment results consistent with those experienced by those creating and redeeming directly with the Fund.

 

Although Fund shares are listed for trading on the Exchange, there can be no assurance that an active trading market for such shares will develop or be maintained. Trading in Fund shares may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the Exchange, make trading in shares inadvisable. In addition, trading in shares is subject to trading halts caused by extraordinary market volatility pursuant to Exchange “circuit breaker” rules. There can be no assurance that the requirements of the Exchange necessary to maintain the listing of any Fund will continue to be met or will remain unchanged or that the shares will trade with any volume, or at all.

 

Swaps Risk. To the extent the Fund invests in swaps, it will be subject to the risk that the number of counterparties able to enter into swaps to provide exposure to a desired security may be limited. Because swaps are an obligation of the counterparty rather than a direct investment, the Fund may suffer losses potentially equal to, or greater than, the full value of the swap if the counterparty fails or otherwise is unable to perform its obligations under the swap as a result of bankruptcy or otherwise. Furthermore, swaps are of limited duration and there is no guarantee that swaps entered into with a counterparty will continue indefinitely. Accordingly, the duration of a swap depends on, among other things, the ability of the Fund to renew the expiration period of the relevant swap at agreed upon terms. Many derivatives are subject to segregation requirements, pursuant to which the Fund must segregate the market or notional value of the derivatives and which could impede the portfolio management of the Fund.

 

Tax Risk. In order to qualify for the favorable tax treatment generally available to regulated investment companies, the Fund must satisfy certain income and asset diversification requirements each year. If the Fund were to fail to qualify as a regulated investment company, it would be taxed in the same manner as an ordinary corporation, and distributions to its shareholders would not be deductible by the Fund in computing its taxable income.

 

Capital controls and currency controls may affect the Fund’s ability to meet the applicable distribution requirements. If the Fund fails to satisfy a separate distribution requirement, it will be subject to a Fund-level excise tax. These Fund-level taxes will apply in addition to taxes payable at the shareholder level on distributions.

 

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Tracking Error Risk. Tracking error refers to the risk that the Fund’s performance may not match or correlate to that of its Underlying Index, either on a daily or aggregate basis. There are a number of factors that may contribute to the Fund’s tracking error, such as Fund expenses, imperfect correlation between the Fund’s investments and those of the Underlying Index, including, due to the use of representative sampling, and asset valuation differences, tax considerations and liquidity constraints. In addition, securities included in the Underlying Index may be suspended from trading. To the extent the Fund calculates its NAV based on fair value prices and the value of the Underlying Index is based on securities’ closing prices on local foreign markets, the Fund’s ability to track the Underlying Index may be adversely affected. Mathematical compounding may prevent the Fund from correlating with the monthly, quarterly, annual or other period performance of its benchmark. Tracking error may cause the Fund’s performance to be less than expected. In addition, the Fund may not invest in certain securities and other instruments included in the Underlying Index, or invest in them in the exact proportions they represent of its Underlying Index, including due to legal restrictions or limitations or a lack of liquidity on stock exchanges in which such securities trade. Moreover, the Fund may be delayed in purchasing or selling securities and other instruments included in the Underlying Index. Any issues the Fund encounters with regard to currency convertibility (including the cost of borrowing funds, if any) and repatriation may also increase the Fund’s tracking error.

 

Valuation Risk. Financial information about the Fund’s portfolio holdings may be less reliable than information about securities of U.S. issuers, which may make it difficult to obtain a current price for the non-U.S. securities held by the Fund. In certain circumstances, independent market quotations for such securities may not be readily available and securities may be fair valued. The value established for a security through fair valuation may be different from what would be produced if the security had been valued using market quotations. Fund securities that are valued using techniques other than market quotations, including “fair valued” securities, may be subject to greater fluctuations in their value from one day to the next. Because securities in which the Fund invests may trade on days when the Fund does not price its shares, the value of the securities in the Fund’s portfolio may change on days when shareholders will not be able to purchase or sell the Fund’s shares.

 

Portfolio Holdings Information

A description of the Fund’s policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of Fund portfolio securities is available in the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”). The top holdings of the Fund can be found on the Fund’s website at www.kraneshares.com.

 

Management

 

Investment Manager

Krane is a registered investment adviser located at 1350 Avenue of the Americas, 2nd Floor, New York, New York 10019 and serves as investment manager of the Fund. Krane has served as the investment manager of the Fund since its inception.

 

Krane is responsible for making investment decisions for the Fund’s assets, continuously reviewing, supervising and administering the Fund’s investment program, the general management and administration of the Trust, and oversight of the Sub-Adviser. Krane is also responsible for arranging transfer agency, custody, fund administration and accounting, and other non-distribution related services necessary for the Fund to operate. Krane administers the Fund’s business affairs, provides office facilities and equipment and certain clerical, bookkeeping and administrative services, and permits its officers and employees to serve as officers or Trustees of the Trust. The Board of Trustees of the Trust oversees Krane and establishes policies that Krane must follow in its day-to-day management activities. Pursuant to an investment advisory agreement between the Trust and Krane, the Fund pays Krane a fee, which is calculated daily and paid monthly, at an annual rate of [   ]%.

 

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[Krane bears all of its own costs associated with providing these advisory services. As part of its agreement with the Trust, Krane has contractually agreed to pay all operating expenses of the Fund, including the cost of index licensing fees, transfer agency, custody, fund administration, legal, audit and other services, except interest expense, taxes, Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses, if any, brokerage commissions, derivative counterparty fees, and other expenses connected with execution of portfolio transactions, expenses of the Independent Trustees (including any Trustees’ counsel fees), extraordinary expenses, distribution fees and expenses paid by the Trust under any distribution plan adopted pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act, if any, and the advisory fee payable to Krane.]

 

A discussion regarding the basis for the Board’s approval of the Fund’s investment advisory agreement will be available in the Fund’s first Annual or Semi-Annual Report to Shareholders following the Fund’s commencement of operations.

 

Krane has received “manager of managers” exemptive relief from the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) that permits Krane, subject to the approval of the Board of Trustees, to appoint an unaffiliated sub-adviser or to change the terms of an advisory agreement with an unaffiliated sub-adviser for the Fund without first obtaining shareholder approval. The exemptive order permits the Fund to add or to change unaffiliated sub-advisers or to change the fees paid to such parties from time to time without the expense and delays associated with obtaining shareholder approval of the change. Any increase in the aggregate advisory fee paid by the Fund remains subject to shareholder approval. Under this order, Krane has ultimate responsibility (subject to oversight by the Board of Trustees) to oversee the sub-advisers and recommend their hiring, termination, and replacement. The order permits the Fund to disclose sub-advisers’ fees only in the aggregate in its registration statement. The Fund will notify shareholders of any change in the identity of a sub-adviser or the addition of a sub-adviser to the Fund.

 

Investment Sub-Adviser

Index Management Solutions, LLC serves as the sub-adviser to the Fund. The Sub-Adviser is a wholly-owned subsidiary of VTL Associates, LLC and is located at One Commerce Square, 2005 Market Street, Suite 2020, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103. The Sub-Adviser is responsible for selecting the representative sample of securities for the Fund and trading portfolio securities on behalf of the Fund, including selecting broker-dealers to execute purchase and sale transactions as instructed by Krane or in connection with any rebalancing or reconstitution of the Underlying Index, subject to the supervision of Krane. For the services it provides to the Fund, Krane pays the Sub-Adviser a fee, which is calculated daily and paid monthly, at an annual rate of [ ].

 

A discussion regarding the basis for the Board’s approval of the Fund’s investment advisory agreement with the Sub-Adviser will be available in the Fund’s first Annual or Semi-Annual Report to Shareholders following the Fund’s commencement of operations.

 

Portfolio Managers

 

Justin V. Lowry is a portfolio manager with the Sub-Adviser. Mr. Lowry has been with the Sub-Adviser since its founding in 2009 and has six years of experience in the investment management industry, currently managing and trading over $2 billion in total assets. Mr. Lowry has also worked to create and develop customized indexes that have been developed into exchange-traded products. Mr. Lowry graduated with a B.S. in Business Management from St. Joseph’s University.

 

Sean P. Reichert is a portfolio manager with the Sub-Adviser. Mr. Reichert has been with the Sub-Adviser since its founding in 2009. Prior to joining the Sub-Adviser, Mr. Reichert worked as an investment consultant for VTL Associates, the parent company of the Sub-Adviser, where he focused on creating asset allocation models for institutional investors. He also worked in the Public Finance department at Janney Montgomery Scott, a regional investment bank. Mr. Reichert graduated with a B.S. in Economics with a concentration in Finance from The Wharton School of The University of Pennsylvania. He is currently a Level II Chartered Financial Analyst (“CFA”) candidate.

 

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Additional information about the Portfolio Managers’ compensation, other accounts managed by the Portfolio Managers, and the Portfolio Managers’ ownership of securities in the Fund is available in the SAI. 

 

Shareholder Information

 

Calculating NAV

The Fund calculates its NAV by:

 

·Taking the current market value of its total assets
·Subtracting any liabilities and withholdings (if any) for applicable capital gains
·Dividing that amount by the total number of shares owned by the shareholders

 

The Fund calculates NAV as of the regularly scheduled close of normal trading on each day that the Exchange is open for business (a “Business Day”) (normally, 4:00 p.m., Eastern time). Any assets or liabilities denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar are converted into U.S. dollars at the current market rates on the date of valuation as quoted by one or more sources.

 

The values of the Fund’s portfolio securities are based on the securities’ closing prices on their local principal markets, where available. In the absence of a last reported sales price, or if no sales were reported, and for other assets for which market quotes are not readily available, values may be based on quotes obtained from a quotation reporting system, established market makers or by an outside independent pricing service. Fixed income securities are normally valued on the basis of quotes from brokers or dealers, established market makers or an outside independent pricing service using data reflecting the earlier closing of the principal markets for those securities.

 

If reliable market valuations are not readily available or are not deemed to reflect current market values, the security will be fair valued by Krane in accordance with the Trust’s valuation policies and procedures approved by the Board of Trustees. Securities that may be valued using “fair value” pricing may include, but are not limited to, securities for which there are no current market quotations or whose issuer is in default or bankruptcy, securities subject to corporate actions (such as mergers or reorganizations), securities subject to non-U.S. investment limits or currency controls, and securities affected by “significant events” occurring after the close of the market on which the securities principally trade. An example of a significant event is an event occurring after the close of the market in which a security trades but before the Fund’s next NAV calculation time that may materially affect the value of the Fund’s investment (e.g., government action, natural disaster, or significant market fluctuation). The Fund may fair value certain of the foreign securities held by the Fund each day the Fund calculates its NAV.

 

Fair value pricing involves subjective judgments and it is possible that a fair value determination for a security is materially different than the value that could be realized upon the sale of the security or that another fund that uses market quotations or its own fair value procedures to price the same securities. In addition, fair value pricing could result in a difference between the prices used to calculate the Fund’s NAV and the prices used by the Underlying Index. This may adversely affect the Fund’s ability to track the Underlying Index. With respect to securities traded in foreign markets, the value of the Fund’s portfolio securities may change on days when you will not be able to purchase or sell your shares.

 

Trading in securities on many foreign exchanges is normally completed before the close of business on each Business Day. In addition, securities trading in a particular country or countries may not take place on each Business Day or may take place on days that are not Business Days. Changes in valuations on certain securities may occur at times or on days on which the Fund’s NAV is not calculated and on which the Fund does not effect sales, redemptions and exchanges of its shares.

 

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Buying and Selling Fund Shares

Shares of the Fund may be purchased or redeemed directly from the Fund only in Creation Units or multiples thereof. Only a broker-dealer (“Authorized Participant”) that enters into an Authorized Participant Agreement with the Fund’s distributor, SEI Investments Distribution Co. (the “Distributor”), may engage in creation and redemption transactions directly with the Fund. Purchases and redemptions directly with the Fund must follow the Fund’s procedures, and are subject to transaction fees, which are described in the SAI.

 

Once created, shares are listed on the Exchange and trade in the secondary market. When you buy or sell the Fund’s shares in the secondary market, you will pay or receive the market price. Shares can be bought and sold throughout the trading day like other publicly traded securities. Most investors will buy and sell shares through a broker and, thus, will incur customary brokerage commissions and charges when buying or selling shares.

 

The secondary markets are closed on weekends and also are generally closed on the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day (observed), Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans’ Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day.

 

Share Trading Prices

The trading prices of the Fund’s shares listed on the Exchange may differ from the Fund’s daily NAV and can be affected by market forces of supply and demand, economic conditions and other factors. The Exchange intends to disseminate the approximate value of the portfolio underlying a share of the Fund every fifteen seconds. This approximate value should not be viewed as a “real-time” update of the NAV of the Fund because the approximate value may not be calculated in the same manner as the NAV, which is computed once a day. The Fund is not involved in, or responsible for, the calculation or dissemination of such values and makes no warranty as to their accuracy.

 

Active Investors and Market Timing

[The Trust’s Board of Trustees has determined not to adopt policies and procedures designed to prevent or monitor for frequent purchases and redemptions of the Fund’s shares because the Fund sells and redeems its shares at NAV only in Creation Units pursuant to the terms of an Authorized Participant Agreement between the Authorized Participant and the Distributor, and such direct trading between the Fund and Authorized Participants is critical to ensuring that the Fund’s shares trade at or close to NAV. Further, the vast majority of trading in Fund shares occurs on the secondary market, which does not involve the Fund directly and therefore does not cause the Fund to experience many of the harmful effects of market timing, such as dilution and disruption of portfolio management. In addition, the Fund imposes a transaction fee on Creation Unit transactions, which is designed to offset transfer and other transaction costs incurred by the Fund in connection with the issuance and redemption of Creation Units and may employ fair valuation pricing to minimize potential dilution from market timing that the Board noted is possible because Creation Unit transactions for Fund shares are generally effected in cash. The Fund reserves the right to reject any purchase order at any time and reserves the right to impose restrictions on disruptive, excessive, or short-term trading.]

 

Investments by Registered Investment Companies

Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act restricts investments by investment companies in the securities of other investment companies, including shares of the Fund. Registered investment companies are permitted to invest in the Fund beyond the limits set forth in Section 12(d)(1) subject to certain terms and conditions set forth in an SEC exemptive order issued to the Trust, including that such investment companies enter into an agreement with the Fund.

 

Payments to Broker-Dealers and other Financial Intermediaries

If you purchase shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), Krane, the Sub-Adviser or an affiliate of either may pay the intermediary for marketing activities or other services related to the sale or promotion of the Fund. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.

 

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Distribution Plan

[The Fund has adopted a Distribution Plan (the “Plan”) that allows the Fund to pay distribution fees to the Distributor and other firms that provide distribution services (“Service Providers”). If a Service Provider provides distribution services, the Fund will pay distribution fees to the Distributor at an annual rate not to exceed 0.25% of average daily net assets, pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act. The Distributor will, in turn, pay the Service Provider out of its fees.]

 

[The Board of Trustees has determined that no payments pursuant to the Plan will be made for at least the first twelve months of operation. Thereafter, 12b-1 fees may only be imposed after approval by the Board of Trustees. Any forgone 12b-1 fees during the next 12 months will not be recoverable during any subsequent period. Because any distribution fees would be paid out of the Fund’s assets on an on-going basis, if payments are made in the future, the distribution fees will increase the cost of your investment and may cost you more than paying other types of sales charges.]

 

Dividends and Distributions

The Fund pays out dividends to shareholders at least annually. The Fund distributes its net capital gains, if any, to shareholders annually. The Fund may make distributions on a more frequent basis. The Fund reserves the right to declare special distributions if, in its reasonable discretion, such action is necessary or advisable to preserve the status of the Fund as a regulated investment company under the Internal Revenue Code, to avoid imposition of income or excise taxes on undistributed income.

 

Additional Tax Information

 

The following is a summary of some important tax issues that affect the Fund and its shareholders. The summary is based on current tax laws, which may be changed by legislative, judicial or administrative action. You should not consider this summary to be a detailed explanation of the tax treatment of the Fund, or the tax consequences of an investment in the Fund. More information about taxes is located in the SAI. You are urged to consult your tax adviser regarding specific questions as to federal, state and local income taxes.

 

Tax Status of the Fund

The Fund is treated as a separate entity for federal tax purposes, and intends to qualify for the special tax treatment afforded to regulated investment companies. As long as the Fund qualifies for treatment as a regulated investment company, it pays no federal income tax on the earnings it distributes to shareholders.

 

Tax Status of Distributions

The Fund will, at least annually, distribute substantially all of its net investment taxable income and net capital gains income.

 

The income dividends you receive from the Fund will be taxed as either ordinary income or qualified dividend income. For non-corporate shareholders, dividends that are reported as qualified dividend income are generally taxable at reduced maximum tax rates to the extent that the Fund receives qualified dividend income and subject to certain limitations.

 

Distributions of the Fund’s short-term capital gains are generally taxable as ordinary income. Any distributions of net capital gain (the excess of the Fund’s net long-term capital gains over its net short-term capital losses) are taxable as long-term capital gains regardless of how long you have owned your shares. Long-term capital gains are taxable at reduced maximum tax rates.

 

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The Fund may invest in complex securities. These investments may be subject to numerous special and complex rules. These rules could affect whether gains and losses recognized by the Fund are treated as ordinary income or capital gain, accelerate the recognition of income to the Fund and/or defer the Fund’s ability to recognize losses. In turn, these rules may affect the amount, timing or character of distributions you receive from the Fund.

 

Dividends and distributions are generally taxable to you whether you receive them in cash or in additional shares. Corporate shareholders may be entitled to a dividends-received deduction for the portion of dividends they receive that is attributable to dividends received by the Fund from U.S. corporations, subject to certain limitations.

 

Distributions paid in January but declared by the Fund in October, November or December of the previous year may be taxable to you in the previous year. Your broker will inform you of the amount of your ordinary income dividends, qualified dividend income, and capital gains distributions shortly after the close of each calendar year.

 

If you lend your Fund shares pursuant to securities lending arrangements, you may lose the ability to treat the Fund’s dividends (paid while the shares are held by the borrower) as qualified dividend income. Consult your financial intermediary or tax adviser.

 

Some foreign governments levy withholding taxes against dividend and interest income. Although in some countries a portion of these withholding taxes is recoverable, the non-recovered portion will reduce the income received from the securities in the Fund. If more than 50% of the total assets of the Fund at the close of a year consist of non-U.S. stocks or securities, then the Fund may elect, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, to treat certain non-U.S. income taxes (including withholding taxes) paid by the Fund as paid by its shareholders. The Fund will provide you with the information necessary to reflect foreign taxes paid on your income tax return if it makes this election.

 

If you hold your shares in a tax-qualified retirement account, you generally will not be subject to federal taxation on income received with respect to the shares (including Fund dividends and distributions, and any gain on the sale of shares), until you begin receiving payments from your retirement account. You should consult your tax adviser regarding the tax rules that apply to your retirement account.

 

Tax Status of Share Transactions

Any capital gain or loss upon a sale of the Fund’s shares is generally treated as a long-term gain or loss if the shares have been held for more than one year and as a short-term gain or loss if held for one year or less. Any capital loss on the sale of the Fund’s shares held for six months or less is treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent that any capital gain distributions were paid with respect to such shares.

 

Medicare Contribution Tax

U.S. individuals with income exceeding $200,000 ($250,000 if married and filing jointly) are subject to a 3.8% Medicare contribution tax on all or a portion of their “net investment income,” including interest, dividends, and certain capital gains (including capital gains realized on the sale or exchange of shares of the Fund). This 3.8% tax also applies to all or a portion of the undistributed net investment income of certain shareholders that are estates and trusts.

 

Back-Up Withholding

The Fund will be required in certain cases to withhold at applicable withholding rates and remit to the United States Treasury the amount withheld on amounts payable to any shareholder who (1) has provided the Fund either an incorrect tax identification number or no number at all, (2) is subject to back-up withholding by the Internal Revenue Service for failure to properly report payments of interest or dividends, (3) has failed to certify to the Fund that such shareholder is not subject to back-up withholding, or (4) has not certified that such shareholder is a U.S. person (including a U.S. resident alien).

 

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Non-U.S. Investors

If you are not a citizen or permanent resident of the United States or if you are a non-U.S. entity, the Fund’s ordinary income dividends (which include distributions of net short-term capital gains) will generally be subject to a 30% U.S. withholding tax, unless a lower treaty rate applies, provided that withholding tax will generally not apply to any gain or income realized by a non-U.S. shareholder in respect of any distributions of long-term capital gains or upon the sale or other disposition of shares of the Fund. You also may potentially be subject to U.S. estate taxes.

 

A 30% withholding tax will generally be imposed on dividends paid by the Fund and redemption proceeds and certain capital gain dividends paid by the Fund after December 31, 2016, to (i) foreign financial institutions including non-U.S. investment funds unless they agree to collect and disclose to the Internal Revenue Service, or the tax authorities in their home jurisdictions, information regarding their direct and indirect U.S. account holders and (ii) certain other foreign entities, unless they certify certain information regarding their direct and indirect U.S. owners. A non-U.S. shareholder may be exempt from the withholding described in this paragraph under an intergovernmental agreement between the U.S. and a foreign government, provided that the shareholder and the applicable foreign government comply with the terms of such agreement.

 

State Tax Considerations

In addition to federal taxes, distributions by the Fund and ownership of the Fund’s shares may be subject to state and local taxes. You should consult your tax adviser regarding how state and local tax laws affect your investment in the Fund’s shares.

 

Chinese Tax Disclosure

Although China’s enactment of the Enterprise Income Tax Law, effective January 1, 2008, provided a 10% withholding tax upon non-residents with respect to capital gains, significant uncertainties remain. Such uncertainties may result in capital gains imposed upon the Fund relative to companies headquartered, managed or listed in China. While the application and enforcement of this law with respect to the Fund remains subject to clarification, to the extent that such taxes are imposed on any capital gains of the Fund relative to companies headquartered, managed or listed in China, the Fund’s NAV or returns may be adversely impacted. Moreover, even if the Fund qualifies and elects to pass through foreign taxes to its shareholders, as described above, your ability to claim a credit for such taxes may be limited. See the SAI for further information.

 

Chinese Tax Considerations

 

Although the Fund is expected to be temporarily exempt from the capital gains PRC WHT on trading in A Shares, there is no indication as to how long the temporary exemption will remain in effect. Accordingly, the Fund may be subject to such taxes in the future. If Krane expects such WHT on trading in A Shares to be re-imposed, Krane reserves the right to establish a reserve for such tax. If the Fund establishes such a reserve but is not ultimately subject to the tax, shareholders who redeemed or sold their shares while the reserve was in place will effectively bear the tax and may not benefit from the later release, if any, of the reserve. Conversely, if the Fund does not establish such a reserve but ultimately is subject to the tax, shareholders who redeemed or sold their shares prior to the tax being withheld, reserved or paid will have effectively avoided the tax, even if they benefited from the trading that precipitated the Fund’s payment of it.

 

Even if the Fund qualifies and elects to pass through foreign taxes to its shareholders, as described above, your ability to claim a credit for such taxes may be limited. See the SAI for further information.

 

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Taxes on Creations and Redemptions of Creation Units

A person who purchases a Creation Unit by exchanging securities in-kind generally will recognize a gain or loss equal to the difference between (i) the sum of the market value of the Creation Units at the time of the exchange and any net amount of cash received by the Authorized Participant in the exchange and (ii) the sum of the purchaser’s aggregate basis in the securities surrendered and any net amount of cash paid for the Creation Units. A person who redeems Creation Units and receives securities in-kind from the Fund will generally recognize a gain or loss equal to the difference between the redeemer’s basis in the Creation Units, and the aggregate market value of the securities received and any net cash received. The Internal Revenue Service, however, may assert that a loss realized upon an in-kind exchange of securities for Creation Units or an exchange of Creation Units for securities cannot be deducted currently under the rules governing “wash sales,” or on the basis that there has been no significant change in economic position. Persons effecting in-kind creations or redemptions should consult their own tax adviser with respect to these matters.

 

The Fund has the right to reject an order for Creation Units if the purchaser (or a group of purchasers) would, upon obtaining the shares so ordered, own 80% or more of the outstanding shares of the Fund and if, pursuant to section 351 of the Internal Revenue Code, the Fund would have a basis in the deposit securities different from the market value of such securities on the date of deposit. The Fund also has the right to require information necessary to determine beneficial share ownership for purposes of the 80% determinations.

 

Other Information

 

Premium/Discount Information

Information showing the number of days the market price of the Fund’s shares was greater than the Fund’s NAV per share (i.e., at a premium) and the number of days it was less than the Fund’s NAV per share (i.e., at a discount) for various time periods is available by visiting the Fund’s website at www.kraneshares.com.

 

Continuous Offering

The method by which Creation Units of Fund shares are created and traded may raise certain issues under applicable securities laws. Because new Creation Units of shares are issued and sold by the Fund on an ongoing basis, a “distribution,” as such term is used in the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), may occur at any point. Broker-dealers and other persons are cautioned that some activities on their part may, depending on the circumstances, result in their being deemed participants in a distribution in a manner which could render them statutory underwriters and subject them to the prospectus delivery requirement and liability provisions of the Securities Act.

 

For example, a broker-dealer firm or its client may be deemed a statutory underwriter if it takes Creation Units after placing an order with the Distributor, breaks them down into constituent shares and sells the shares directly to customers or if it chooses to couple the creation of a supply of new shares with an active selling effort involving solicitation of secondary market demand for shares. A determination of whether one is an underwriter for purposes of the Securities Act must take into account all the facts and circumstances pertaining to the activities of the broker-dealer or its client in the particular case, and the examples mentioned above should not be considered a complete description of all the activities that could lead to a characterization as an underwriter.

 

Broker-dealer firms should also note that dealers who are not “underwriters” but are effecting transactions in shares, whether or not participating in the distribution of shares, are generally required to deliver a prospectus. This is because the prospectus delivery exemption in Section 4(3) of the Securities Act is not available in respect of such transactions as a result of Section 24(d) of the 1940 Act. As a result, broker-dealer firms should note that dealers who are not “underwriters” but are participating in a distribution (as contrasted with engaging in ordinary secondary market transactions) and thus dealing with the shares that are part of an overallotment within the meaning of Section 4(3)(C) of the Securities Act, will be unable to take advantage of the prospectus delivery exemption provided by Section 4(3) of the Securities Act. For delivery of prospectuses to exchange members, the prospectus delivery mechanism of Rule 153 under the Securities Act is only available with respect to transactions on a national exchange.

 

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Dealers effecting transactions in the Fund’s shares, whether or not participating in this distribution, are generally required to deliver a Prospectus. This is in addition to any obligation of dealers to deliver a Prospectus when acting as underwriters.

 

Householding

To reduce expenses, we mail only one copy of the Prospectus or summary prospectus and each annual and semi-annual report to those addresses shared by two or more accounts. If you wish to receive individual copies of these documents, please call the Trust at 1.855.857.2638 between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Eastern time on days the Fund is open for business or contact your financial institution. We will begin sending you individual copies thirty days after receiving your request.

 

More Information

For more information on how to buy and sell shares of the Fund, call 1.855.857.2638 or visit www.kraneshares.com.

 

Index Provider Information

 

The New York Stock Exchange, Inc. and Bloomberg Finance LP, (collectively, the “Index Provider”), are not affiliated with the Trust, Krane, the Sub-Adviser, the Administrator, the Distributor or any of their respective affiliates. Krane has entered into a license agreement with the Index Provider to use the Underlying Index. Krane sublicenses rights in the Underlying Index to the Trust at no charge.

 

Disclaimers

 

Index Provider Disclaimer

 

[Index Provider disclaimer to come.]

 

NYSE Arca Disclaimer

Shares of the Fund are not sponsored, endorsed or promoted by NYSE Arca, Inc. NYSE Arca makes no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of the shares of the Fund or any member of the public regarding the ability of the Fund to track the total return performance of the Underlying Index or the ability of the Underlying Index to track stock market performance. NYSE Arca is not responsible for, nor has it participated in, the determination of the compilation or the calculation of the Underlying Index, nor in the determination of the timing of, prices of, or quantities of shares of the Fund to be issued, nor in the determination or calculation of the equation by which the shares are redeemable. NYSE Arca has no obligation or liability to owners of the shares of the Fund in connection with the administration, marketing or trading of the shares of the Fund.

 

NYSE Arca does not guarantee the accuracy and/or the completeness of the Underlying Index or any data included therein. NYSE Arca makes no warranty, express or implied, as to results to be obtained by the Trust on behalf of the Fund as licensee, licensee’s customers and counterparties, owners of the shares of the Fund, or any other person or entity from the use of the subject index or any data included therein in connection with the rights licensed as described herein or for any other use. NYSE Arca makes no express or implied warranties and hereby expressly disclaims all warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose with respect to the Underlying Index or any data included therein. Without limiting any of the foregoing, in no event shall NYSE Arca have any liability for any direct, indirect, special, punitive, consequential or any other damages (including lost profits) even if notified of the possibility of such damages.

 

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Krane Disclaimer

Krane does not guarantee the accuracy or the completeness of the Underlying Index or any data included therein and Krane shall have no liability for any errors, omissions or interruptions therein.

 

Krane makes no warranty, express or implied, to the owners of shares of the Fund or to any other person or entity, as to results to be obtained by the Fund from the use of the Underlying Index or any data included therein. Krane makes no express or implied warranties and expressly disclaims all warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose or use with respect to the Underlying Index or any data included therein. Without limiting any of the foregoing, in no event shall Krane have any liability for any special, punitive, direct, indirect or consequential damages (including lost profits), even if notified of the possibility of such damages.

 

Financial Highlights

 

No financial highlights are available for the Fund because it had not commenced operations prior to the date of this Prospectus.

 

More information about the Index Provider is located in the SAI.

 

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Additional Information

 

Additional and more detailed information about the Fund is included in the SAI dated [ ], 2015. The SAI has been filed with the SEC and is incorporated by reference into this Prospectus and, therefore, legally forms a part of this Prospectus. The SEC maintains the EDGAR database on its website (“http://www.sec.gov”) that contains the SAI, material incorporated by reference, and other information regarding registrants that file electronically with the SEC. You may also review and copy documents at the SEC Public Reference room in Washington, D.C. (for information on the operation of the Public Reference Room, call 202.551.8090). You may request documents from the SEC by mail, upon payment of a duplication fee, by writing to: U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Public Reference Section, Washington, D.C. 20549-1520 or by emailing the SEC at the following address: publicinfo@sec.gov.

 

You may obtain a copy of the SAI or the Annual or Semi-Annual Reports or make inquiries, without charge by calling 1.855.857.2638, visiting www.kraneshares.com, or writing the Trust at 1350 Avenue of the Americas, 2nd Floor, New York, New York 10019. Additional information about the Fund’s investments will be available in the Annual and Semi-Annual Reports. Also, in the Fund’s Annual Report, you will find a discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund’s performance during its last fiscal year.

 

No one has been authorized to give any information or to make any representations not contained in this Prospectus or in the Fund’s SAI in connection with the offering of Fund shares. Do not rely on any such information or representations as having been authorized by the Fund, Krane or the Sub-Adviser. This Prospectus does not constitute an offering by the Fund in any jurisdiction where such an offering is not lawful.

 

 

The Trust’s Investment Company Act file number is 811-22698.

 

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KraneShares Trust

 

STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

[     ], 2015

 

KRANESHARES NYSE BLOOMBERG CHINA CLEAN ENERGY ETF - ([TICKER])

 

Fund shares will be listed on [NYSE Arca, Inc.]

 

This Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) relates to the KraneShares NYSE Bloomberg China Clean Energy ETF (the “Fund”), a separate series of the KraneShares Trust (the “Trust”). This SAI is not a prospectus and should be read in conjunction with the current prospectus for the Fund, dated [      ], 2015, as it may be revised from time to time (the “Prospectus”). Capitalized terms used herein that are not defined have the same meaning as in the Prospectus, unless otherwise noted. A copy of the Prospectus may be obtained, without charge, by calling 1.855.857.2638, visiting www.kraneshares.com, or writing to the Trust at 1350 Avenue of the Americas, 2nd Floor, New York, New York 10019.

 

SUBJECT TO COMPLETION

 

THE INFORMATION HEREIN IS NOT COMPLETE AND MAY BE CHANGED. WE MAY NOT SELL THESE SECURITIES UNTIL THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION IS EFFECTIVE. THIS SAI IS NOT AN OFFER TO SELL THESE SECURITIES AND IS NOT SOLICITING AN OFFER TO BUY THESE SECURITIES IN ANY JURISDICTION IN WHICH THE OFFER OR SALE IS NOT PERMITTED.

 

 
 

 

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE TRUST AND THE FUND 1
   
INVESTMENT POLICIES, TECHNIQUES AND RISK FACTORS 1
   
DESCRIPTION OF THE FUND’S UNDERLYING INDEX 23
   
INVESTMENT LIMITATIONS 23
   
CONTINUOUS OFFERING 24
   
MANAGEMENT OF THE TRUST 25
   
INVESTMENT MANAGER 30
   
SUB-ADVISER 31
   
PORTFOLIO MANAGERS 32
   
CODES OF ETHICS 33
   
PROXY VOTING POLICY 33
   
ADMINISTRATOR 33
   
CUSTODIAN AND TRANSFER AGENT 34
   
DISTRIBUTOR AND DISTRIBUTION ARRANGEMENTS 34
   
control persons AND PRINCIPAL HOLDERS OF SECURITIES 36
   
EXCHANGE LISTING AND TRADING 36
   
BOOK ENTRY ONLY SYSTEM 36
   
BROKERAGE TRANSACTIONS 37
   
CREATION AND REDEMPTION OF CREATION UNITS 39
   
tAXES 48
   
DETERMINATION OF NAV 56
   
DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS 57
   
OTHER INFORMATION 57
   
COUNSEL 59
   
INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM 59
   
APPENDIX A – Corporate bond ratings A-1
   
APPENDIX b – KRANE PROXY VOTING POLICy b-1

 

 
 

 

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE TRUST AND THE FUND

 

The Trust was organized as a Delaware statutory trust on February 3, 2012 and is permitted to offer multiple, separate series (i.e., funds). As of the date of this SAI, the Trust offers [eight] separate funds, including the Fund and other funds not offered in this SAI. The Trust is an open-end management investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), and the Fund is a diversified series of the Trust. The offering of the Trust’s shares is registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). All payments received by the Trust for shares of any fund belong to that fund. Each fund will have its own assets and liabilities.

 

Krane Funds Advisors, LLC (“Krane”) serves as the investment manager to the Fund and is responsible for continuously reviewing, supervising and administering the Fund’s investment program. Index Management Solutions, LLC (“Sub-Adviser”) serves as the investment sub-adviser to the Fund and is responsible for selecting the representative sample of securities for the Fund at its discretion, subject to the investment strategy and restrictions of the Fund and oversight by Krane and the Board of Trustees. SEI Investments Distribution Co. serves as the distributor (the “Distributor”) of the shares of the Fund.

 

Shares of the Fund will be listed on [NYSE Arca, Inc.] (the “Exchange”), a national securities exchange and trade throughout the day on the Exchange and other secondary markets at market prices that may be below, at or about the net asset value (“NAV”) per share. As in the case of other publicly traded securities, brokers’ commissions on transactions in the Fund’s shares will be based on negotiated commission rates at customary levels.

 

The Fund issues and redeems shares at NAV only in large blocks of shares (each, a “Creation Unit”). Currently, Creation Units generally consist of 50,000 shares, though this may change from time to time. Creation Units are not expected to consist of less than 25,000 shares. Shares are redeemable only in Creation Units and, generally, in exchange for cash or a basket of securities and a specified cash payment. Generally, only institutions or large investors purchase or redeem Creation Units.

 

The Trust generally expects that creations and redemptions of Creation Units for the Fund will be for cash. If an in-kind option for creations and redemptions is available, Creation Units may be issued in advance of the receipt of a basket of securities subject to various conditions, including a requirement to maintain a cash deposit with the Trust that equals a percentage of the market value of the missing securities specified by the Fund. In cash transactions or for the cash portion of a creation or redemption of Creation Units, transaction fees may be imposed that will be higher than the transaction fees associated with traditional in-kind creations or redemptions. In all cases, such fees will be limited in accordance with U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) requirements applicable to management investment companies offering redeemable securities. Please see the “Creation and Redemption of Creation Units” section in this SAI for more detailed information.

 

The Trust also reserves the right to adjust the prices of shares in the future to maintain convenient trading ranges for investors. Any adjustments would be accomplished through stock splits or reverse stock splits, which would have no effect on the net assets of the Fund.

 

INVESTMENT POLICIES, TECHNIQUES AND RISK FACTORS

 

General

The Fund is a passively managed exchange traded fund (“ETF”) that seeks to provide investment results that, before fees and expenses, correspond to the price and yield performance of a specific foreign equity securities benchmark. The Fund will not be actively managed, and the adverse performance of a security in the Fund’s portfolio ordinarily will not result in the elimination of the security from the Fund’s portfolio.

 

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The Fund’s investment objective is non-fundamental and may be changed without a shareholder vote upon 60 days’ notice. Additional information about the Fund’s investment objective and principal investment strategies is contained in the Prospectus. Additional information about the Underlying Index is included below under the heading “Description of the Fund’s Underlying Index.”

 

The investment techniques discussed below and in the Fund’s Prospectus may, consistent with the Fund’s investment objective and investment limitations, be used by the Fund if, in the opinion of Krane or the Sub-Adviser, they will be advantageous to the Fund. The Fund is free to reduce or eliminate its activity with respect to any of the investment techniques discussed below without changing the Fund’s fundamental investment policies and without prior notice to shareholders. However, to the extent any such change represents a material change to the Fund’s principal investment strategies, the Fund will supplement or amend the Prospectus to attempt to notify shareholders of the change. There is no assurance that any of the Fund’s strategies or any other strategies and methods of investment available to the Fund will result in the achievement of the Fund’s objective.

 

The Fund’s current benchmark is the NYSE Bloomberg China Clean Energy Index (the “Underlying Index”). Under normal circumstances, the Fund will invest at least 80% of its assets in the securities included in the Underlying Index and depositary receipts, including American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”), representing such securities. The securities selected are expected to have, in the aggregate, investment characteristics (based on factors such as market capitalization and industry weightings), fundamental characteristics (such as return variability and yield) and liquidity measures similar to those of the Underlying Index.

 

The Fund expects to obtain exposure to the A Share components of the Underlying Index by investing through the Shanghai-Hong Kong and Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connect programs.

 

Investment Policies, Techniques and Risk Factors – The Fund’s investment policies, techniques and risk factors described below supplement those appearing in the Prospectus:

 

Bank Deposits and Obligations

The Fund may invest in deposits and other obligations of U.S. and non-U.S. banks and financial institutions. Deposits and obligations of banks and financial institutions include certificates of deposit, time deposits, and bankers’ acceptances. Certificates of deposit and time deposits represent an institution’s obligation to repay funds deposited with it that earn a specified interest rate. Certificates of deposit are negotiable certificates, while time deposits are non-negotiable deposits. A banker’s acceptance is a time draft drawn on and accepted by a bank that becomes a primary and unconditional liability of the bank upon acceptance. Investments in obligations of non-U.S. banks and financial institutions may involve risks that are different from investments in obligations of U.S. banks. These risks include future unfavorable political and economic developments, seizure or nationalization of foreign deposits, currency controls, interest limitations or other governmental restrictions that might affect the payment of principal or interest on the securities held in the Fund.

 

Commercial Paper

The Fund may invest in commercial paper. Commercial paper is an unsecured short-term promissory note with a fixed maturity of no more than 270 days issued by corporations, generally to finance short-term business needs. The commercial paper purchased by the Fund generally will be rated in the upper two short-term ratings by at least two NRSROs (Moody’s Investors Service, Inc., Standard & Poor’s Financial Services, LLC, and Fitch, Inc., each an “NRSRO”) or, if unrated, deemed to be of equivalent quality by Krane. If a security satisfies the rating requirement upon initial purchase and is subsequently downgraded, the Fund is not required to dispose of the security. In the event of such an occurrence, Krane will determine what action, including potential sale, is in the best interest of the Fund. The Fund also may purchase unrated commercial paper provided that such paper is determined to be of comparable quality by Krane. Commercial paper issues in which the Fund may invest include securities issued by corporations without registration under the Securities Act in reliance on the exemption from such registration afforded by Section 3(a)(3) thereof, and commercial paper issued in reliance on the so-called “private placement” exemption from registration, which is afforded by Section 4(2) of the Securities Act (“Section 4(2) paper”). Section 4(2) paper is restricted as to disposition under the federal securities laws in that any resale must similarly be made in an exempt transaction. Section 4(2) paper is normally resold to other institutional investors through or with the assistance of investment dealers who make a market in Section 4(2) paper, thus providing liquidity.

 

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Equity Securities

The Fund may invest in equity securities. Equity securities represent ownership interests in a company or partnership and consist of common stocks, preferred stocks, warrants to acquire common stock and securities convertible into common stock. Investments in equity securities in general are subject to market risks that may cause their prices to fluctuate over time. Fluctuations in the value of equity securities in which the Fund invests will cause the NAV of the Fund to fluctuate. Global stock markets, including the U.S. stock market, tend to be cyclical, with periods when stock prices generally rise and periods when stock prices generally decline. The Fund may purchase equity securities traded on exchanges or the over-the-counter (“OTC”) market. The Fund may invest in the types of equity securities described in more detail below.

 

Common Stock. Common stock represents an equity or ownership interest in an issuer. In the event an issuer is liquidated or declares bankruptcy, the claims of owners of bonds and preferred stock take precedence over the claims of those who own common stock.

 

Preferred Stock. Preferred stock represents an equity or ownership interest in an issuer that pays dividends at a specified rate and that has precedence over common stock in the payment of dividends. In the event an issuer is liquidated or declares bankruptcy, the claims of owners of bonds take precedence over the claims of those who own preferred and common stock.

 

Convertible Securities. Convertible securities are bonds, debentures, notes, preferred stocks or other securities that may be converted or exchanged (by the holder or by the issuer) into shares of the underlying common stock (or cash or securities of equivalent value) at a stated exchange ratio. A convertible security may also be called for redemption or conversion by the issuer after a particular date and under certain circumstances (including a specified price) established upon issue. If a convertible security held by the Fund is called for redemption or conversion, the Fund could be required to tender it for redemption, convert it into the underlying common stock, or sell it to a third party.

 

Convertible securities generally sell at a price above their “conversion value,” which is the current market value of the stock to be received upon conversion. The difference between this conversion value and the price of convertible securities will vary over time depending on changes in the value of the underlying common stocks and interest rates. When the underlying common stocks decline in value, convertible securities tend not to decline to the same extent because of the interest or dividend payments and the repayment of principal at maturity for certain types of convertible securities. However, securities that are convertible other than at the option of the holder generally do not limit the potential for loss to the same extent as securities convertible at the option of the holder. When the underlying common stocks rise in value, the value of convertible securities may also be expected to increase. At the same time, however, the difference between the market value of convertible securities and their conversion value will narrow, which means that the value of convertible securities will generally not increase to the same extent as the value of the underlying common stocks. Because convertible securities may also be interest-rate sensitive, their value may increase as interest rates fall and decrease as interest rates rise. Convertible securities are also subject to credit risk, and are often lower-quality securities.

 

Small and Medium Capitalization Issuers. Investing in equity securities of small and medium capitalization companies often involves greater risk than is customarily associated with investments in larger capitalization companies. This increased risk may be due to the greater business risks of smaller size, limited markets and financial resources, narrow product lines and frequent lack of depth of management. The securities of smaller companies are often traded in the OTC market and even if listed on a national securities exchange may not be traded in volumes typical for that exchange. Consequently, the securities of smaller companies are less likely to be liquid, may have limited market stability, and may be subject to more abrupt or erratic market movements than securities of larger, more established growth companies or the market averages in general.

 

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Warrants. Warrants are instruments that entitle the holder to buy an equity security at a specific price for a specific period of time. Changes in the value of a warrant do not necessarily correspond to changes in the value of its underlying security. The price of a warrant may be more volatile than the price of its underlying security, and a warrant may offer greater potential for capital appreciation as well as capital loss. Warrants do not entitle a holder to dividends or voting rights with respect to the underlying security and do not represent any rights in the assets of the issuing company. A warrant ceases to have value if it is not exercised prior to its expiration date. These factors can make warrants more speculative than other types of investments.

 

Rights. A right is a privilege granted to existing shareholders of a corporation to subscribe to shares of a new issue of common stock before it is issued. Rights normally have a short life of usually two to four weeks, are freely transferable and entitle the holder to buy the new common stock at a lower price than the public offering price. An investment in rights may entail greater risks than certain other types of investments. Generally, rights do not carry the right to receive dividends or exercise voting rights with respect to the underlying securities, and they do not represent any rights in the assets of the issuer. In addition, their value does not necessarily change with the value of the underlying securities, and they cease to have value if they are not exercised on or before their expiration date. Investing in rights increases the potential profit or loss to be realized from the investment as compared with investing the same amount in the underlying securities.

 

Foreign Securities

The Fund primarily invests its assets in non-U.S. securities and instruments, or in instruments that provide exposure to such securities and instruments. Investments in non-U.S. securities involve certain risks that may not be present with investments in U.S. securities. For example, investments in non-U.S. securities may be subject to risk of loss due to foreign currency fluctuations or to political or economic instability. There may be less information publicly available about non-U.S. issuers. Non-U.S. issuers may be subject to different accounting, auditing, financial reporting and investor protection standards than U.S. issuers. Investments in non-U.S. securities may be subject to withholding or other taxes and may be subject to additional trading, settlement, custodial, and operational risks (including restrictions on the transfers of securities). With respect to certain countries, there is the possibility of government intervention and expropriation or nationalization of assets. Because legal systems differ, there is also the possibility that it will be difficult to obtain or enforce legal judgments in certain countries.

 

Non-U.S. stock markets may not be as developed or efficient as, and may be more volatile than, those in the U.S. While volumes traded on non-U.S. stock markets generally have been growing, such markets usually have substantially less volume. Therefore, the Fund’s investments in non-U.S. equity securities may be less liquid and subject to more rapid and erratic price movements than comparable securities trading in the U.S. For example, non-U.S. equity securities may trade at price/earnings multiples higher than comparable U.S. securities and such levels may not be sustainable. There may be less government supervision and regulation of foreign stock exchanges, brokers, banks and listed companies abroad. Moreover, settlement practices for transactions in foreign markets may differ from those in U.S. markets. Such differences may include delays beyond periods customary in the U.S. and practices, such as delivery of securities prior to receipt of payment, that increase the likelihood of a failed settlement, which can result in losses to the Fund. Foreign exchanges may be open on days when the Fund does not price its shares, thus, the value of the securities in the Fund’s portfolio may change on days when shareholders will not be able to purchase or sell Fund shares. Conversely, Fund shares may trade on days when foreign exchanges are closed. Each of these factors can make investments in the Fund more volatile and potentially less liquid than other types of investments. In addition, the Fund may change its creation or redemption procedures without notice in connection with restrictions on the transfer of securities. For more information on creation and redemption procedures, see “Creation and Redemption of Creation Units” herein.

 

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Foreign brokerage commissions, custodial expenses and other fees are also generally higher than for securities traded in the U.S. This may cause the Fund to incur higher portfolio transaction costs than domestic equity funds. Fluctuations in exchange rates may also affect the earning power and asset value of the foreign entity issuing a security, even one denominated in U.S. dollars. Dividend and interest payments may be repatriated based on the exchange rate at the time of disbursement, and restrictions on capital flows may be imposed.

 

Economic conditions, such as volatile currency exchange rates and interest rates, political events and other conditions may, without prior warning, lead to government intervention and the imposition of “capital controls.” Countries use these controls to restrict volatile movements of capital entering (inflows) and exiting (outflows) their country to respond to certain economic conditions. Such controls are mainly applied to short-term capital transactions to counter speculative flows that threaten to undermine the stability of the exchange rate and deplete foreign exchange reserves. Capital controls include the prohibition of, or restrictions on, the ability to transfer currency, securities or other assets. Levies may be placed on profits repatriated by foreign entities (such as the Fund). Capital controls may impact the ability of the Fund to create and redeem Creation Units, adversely affect the trading market for shares of the Fund, and cause shares of the Fund to trade at prices materially different from NAV. There can be no assurance that a country in which the Fund invests will not impose a form of capital control to the possible detriment of the Fund and its shareholders. The Fund may also be subject to delays in converting or transferring U.S. dollars to foreign currencies for the purpose of purchasing foreign securities. This may hinder the Fund’s performance, since any delay could result in the Fund missing an investment opportunity, purchasing securities at a higher price than originally intended, or incurring cash drag.

 

Depositary Receipts. The Fund’s investment in stocks may also be in the form of depositary receipts or other securities convertible into securities of foreign issuers. Depositary receipts may not necessarily be denominated in the same currency as the underlying securities into which they may be converted. ADRs are receipts typically issued by an American bank or trust company that evidence ownership of underlying securities issued by a foreign corporation. Depositary receipts will not necessarily be denominated in the same currency as their underlying securities. ADRs are issued by U.S. banks or trust companies, and entitle the holder to all dividends and capital gains that are paid out on the underlying foreign shares. Investment in ADRs may be less liquid than the underlying shares in their primary trading market. Depositary receipts may be sponsored or unsponsored. Sponsored depositary receipts are established jointly by a depositary and the underlying issuer, whereas unsponsored depositary receipts may be established by a depositary without participation by the underlying issuer. Holders of an unsponsored depositary receipt generally bear all the costs associated with establishing the unsponsored depositary receipt. In addition, the issuers of the securities underlying unsponsored depositary receipts are not obligated to disclose material information in the United States and, therefore, there may be less information available regarding such issuers and there may not be a correlation between such information and the market value of the depositary receipts.

 

Depositary receipts may be unregistered and unlisted. The Fund’s investments may also include ADRs that are not purchased in the public markets and are restricted securities that can be offered and sold only to “qualified institutional buyers” under Rule 144A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. Krane will determine the liquidity of such investments pursuant to guidelines established by the Fund’s Board of Trustees. If a particular investment in such ADRs is deemed illiquid, that investment will be included within the Fund’s limitation on investment in illiquid securities. Moreover, if adverse market conditions were to develop during the period between the Fund’s decision to sell these types of ADRs and the point at which the Fund is permitted or able to sell such security, the Fund might obtain a price less favorable than the price that prevailed when it decided to sell.

 

5
 

 

Geographic Concentration. Funds that are less diversified across countries or geographic regions are generally riskier than more geographically diversified funds. The Fund, because it focuses on a single country or a specific region (China), it is more exposed to that country’s or region’s economic cycles, currency exchange rates, stock market valuations and political risks, among others, compared with a more geographically diversified fund. The economies and financial markets of certain regions, such as Asia, can be interdependent and may be adversely affected by the same events.

 

Emerging Markets Securities. Investing in securities listed and traded in emerging markets may be subject to additional risks associated with emerging market economies. Such risks may include: (i) greater market volatility; (ii) lower trading volume; (iii) greater social, political and economic uncertainty; (iv) governmental controls on foreign investments and limitations on repatriation of invested capital; (v) the risk that companies may be held to lower disclosure, corporate governance, auditing and financial reporting standards than companies in more developed markets; and (vi) the risk that there may be less protection of property rights than in other countries. Emerging markets are generally less liquid and less efficient than developed securities markets.

 

The Chinese Securities Markets. Currently, there are two stock exchanges in mainland China, the Shanghai and Shenzhen Stock Exchanges. The Shanghai and Shenzhen Stock Exchanges are supervised by the China Securities Regulatory Commission (“CSRC”) and are highly automated with trading and settlement executed electronically. The Shanghai and Shenzhen Stock Exchanges are substantially smaller, less liquid and more volatile than the major securities markets in the United States. Securities of Chinese companies also trade on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, which commenced trading on April 2, 1986.

 

The Shanghai Stock Exchange commenced trading on December 19, 1990, and the Shenzhen Stock Exchange commenced trading on July 3, 1991. The Shanghai and Shenzhen Stock Exchanges divide listed shares into two classes: A-shares and B-shares. Companies whose shares are traded on the Shanghai and Shenzhen Stock Exchanges that are incorporated in mainland China may issue both A-shares and B-shares. As of [ ], 2015, [ ] companies issued A-shares and [ ] companies issued B- shares. In China, the A-shares and B-shares of an issuer trade on one exchange. A-shares and B-shares may both be listed on either the Shanghai or Shenzhen Stock Exchange. Both classes represent an ownership interest comparable to a share of common stock and all shares are entitled to substantially the same rights and benefits associated with ownership. A-shares are traded on the Shanghai and Shenzhen Stock Exchanges in Chinese currency. Repatriations of gains and income on A-shares may require the approval of China’s State Administration of Foreign Exchange (“SAFE”) and principal invested pursuant to the A-share quota may be subject to repatriation restrictions. B-shares are traded on the Shenzhen and Shanghai Stock Exchanges in Hong Kong dollars and U.S. dollars, respectively.

 

Foreign investors had historically been unable to participate in the A-share market. However, in late 2002, Investment Regulations promulgated by the CSRC came into effect, which were replaced by the updated Investment Regulations (i.e., “Measures for the Administration of the Securities Investments of Qualified Foreign Institutional Investors in the PRC”), which came into effect on September 1, 2006, that provided a legal framework for certain Qualified Foreign Institutional Investors (“QFIIs”) to invest in A-shares on the Shanghai and Shenzhen Stock Exchanges and certain other securities historically not eligible for investment by non-Chinese investors, through quotas granted by SAFE to those QFIIs which have been approved by the CSRC. B-shares were originally intended to be available only to foreign investors or foreign institutions. However, since February 2001, B-shares have been available to domestic individual investors who trade through legal foreign currency accounts. The RQFII program was instituted in December 2011 and is substantially similar to the QFII program, but provides for greater flexibility in repatriating assets, as discussed below. In November 2014, the PRC government launched the Shanghai-Hong Kong Stock Connect program and on [ ], 2015, the PRC government launched the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connect program, each of which allows investors with brokerage accounts in Hong Kong to invest in a limited number of A-shares.

 

6
 

 

The economy of China, which has been in a state of transition from a planned economy to a more market oriented economy, differs from the economies of most developed countries in many respects, including the level of government involvement, its state of development, its growth rate, control of foreign exchange, and allocation of resources.

 

Although the majority of productive assets in China are still owned by the PRC government at various levels, in recent years, the PRC government has implemented economic reform measures emphasizing utilization of market forces in the development of the economy of China and a high level of management autonomy. The economy of China has experienced significant growth in the past 20 years, but growth has been uneven both geographically and among various sectors of the economy. Economic growth has often been accompanied by periods of high inflation in China. The PRC government has implemented various measures from time to time to control inflation and restrain the rate of economic growth.

 

For more than 20 years, the PRC government has carried out economic reforms to achieve decentralization and utilization of market forces to develop the economy of the PRC. These reforms have resulted in significant economic growth and social progress. There can, however, be no assurance that the PRC government will continue to pursue such economic policies or, if it does, that those policies will continue to be successful. Any such adjustment and modification of those economic policies may have an adverse impact on the securities market in the PRC, the portfolio securities of the Fund or the Fund itself. Further, the PRC government may from time to time adopt corrective measures to control the growth of the PRC economy which may also have an adverse impact on the capital growth and performance of the Fund. Political changes, social instability and adverse diplomatic developments in the PRC could result in the imposition of additional government restrictions including expropriation of assets, confiscatory taxes or nationalization of some or all of the property held by the underlying issuers of the Fund’s portfolio securities.

 

The regulatory and legal framework for capital markets in the PRC may not be as well developed as those of developed countries. PRC laws and regulations affecting securities markets are relatively new and evolving, and enforcement of these regulations involve significant uncertainties. No assurance can be given that changes in such laws and regulations, their interpretation or their enforcement will not have a material adverse effect on their business operations.

 

China A-Shares. Although the Fund expects to obtain exposure to the A-share components of the Underlying Index by investing through the Shanghai-Hong Kong and Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connect programs and in investment companies, including ETFs advised by Krane and sub- advised by a licensed RQFII, that invest in A-shares directly, the Fund may, in the future, invest in A-shares through an RQFII or QFII license from the China Securities Regulatory Commission (“CSRC”) and an A-shares quota from China’s State Administration of Foreign Exchange (“SAFE”).

 

Because restrictions continue to exist and capital therefore cannot flow freely into and out of the A-share market, it is possible that in the event of a market disruption, the liquidity of the A-share market and trading prices of A-shares could be more severely affected than the liquidity and trading prices of markets where securities are freely tradable and capital therefore flows more freely. The Fund cannot predict the nature or duration of such a market disruption or the impact that it may have on the A-share market and the short-term and long-term prospects of its investments in the A-share market. In the event that the Fund invests in A-shares directly, the Fund may incur significant losses, or may not be able fully to implement or pursue its investment objectives or strategies, due to investment restrictions on RQFIIs and QFIIs, illiquidity of the Chinese securities markets, or delay or disruption in execution or settlement of trades.

 

The Chinese government has in the past taken actions that benefitted holders of A-shares. As A-shares become more available to foreign investors, such as the Fund, the Chinese government may be less likely to take action that would benefit holders of A-shares. In addition, there is no guarantee that the Fund will have sufficient access to invest in A-shares.

 

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The regulations which apply to investments by RQFIIs and QFIIs, including the repatriation of capital, are relatively new. The application and interpretation of such regulations are therefore relatively untested. In addition, there is little precedent or certainty evidencing how such discretion may be exercised now or in the future; and even if there were precedent, it may provide little guidance as PRC authorities would likely continue to have broad discretion.

 

If the Fund obtains a QFII or RQFII license, Krane and/or a Chinese sub-adviser will be required to transfer the entire investment principal for its A-share quota into a local sub-custodian account within such time period as specified by SAFE (up to six months). Following this, investment capital will be subject to an initial lock-up period (currently three months if the Fund is deemed to be an “open end fund” under Chinese regulations), during which the assets may not be repatriated to the United States, even if they are never invested in A-shares. Following that time, investment principal and earnings may generally only be repatriated with the approval of SAFE, although up to $50 million may be repatriated each week without SAFE approval if the Fund is deemed to be an “open end fund” under Chinese regulations. These limitations on repatriation of the Fund’s assets, if the Fund becomes subject to them, may adversely affect the Fund’s ability to meet redemption requests and/or may cause the Fund to borrow money in order to meet its obligations. These limitations may also prevent the Fund from making certain distributions to shareholders.

 

Repatriations by RQFIIs are currently permitted daily and are not subject to repatriation restrictions or prior regulatory approval. However, there is no assurance that PRC rules and regulations will not change or that repatriation restrictions will not be imposed in the future. Further, such changes to the PRC rules and regulations may be applied retroactively. Any restrictions on repatriation of the Fund’s portfolio investments could have an adverse effect on the Fund’s ability to meet redemption requests.

 

If the Fund invests in A-shares directly through a QFII or RQFII license, it would be required to select a PRC sub-custodian for its investments in A-shares, which is a mainland commercial bank qualified as a custodian for QFIIs (“PRC custodian”). Given that the securities in an A-shares trading account would be maintained in the joint names of a Chinese sub-adviser and the Fund, the Fund’s assets may not be as well protected as they would be if it were possible for them to be registered and held solely in the name of the Fund. In particular, there is a risk that creditors of such a sub-adviser may assert that the securities are owned by the sub-adviser and not the Fund, and that a court would uphold such an assertion, in which case creditors of the sub-adviser could seize assets of the Fund. There would also be a risk that regulatory actions taken against such a sub-adviser might affect the Fund.

 

The Chinese government limits foreign investment in the securities of certain Chinese issuers and prohibits certain investments entirely. For example, investments in Chinese government bonds, convertible bonds, corporate bonds, warrants and open- and closed-end investment companies, are subject to governmental pre-approval limitations on the quantity that the Fund may purchase or limits on the classes of securities in which the Fund may invest. No single underlying foreign investor investing through a QFII may hold more than 10% of the total outstanding shares in one listed company and all foreign investors investing through QFIIs (e.g., the Fund) may not hold, in aggregate, more than 20% of the total outstanding shares in one listed company. Such limits may not apply where foreign investors make strategic investment in listed companies in accordance with the Measures for the Administration of Strategic Investments in Listed Companies by Foreign Investors. Any restrictions or limitations could have adverse effects on the liquidity and performance of the Fund holdings, which would increase the risk of tracking error and, at the worst, result in the Fund not being able to achieve its investment objective.

 

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Regulations adopted by the CSRC and SAFE specify that all A-shares purchased or sold through a QFII or RQFII license must be executed through one of three specified brokers per exchange. Currently, only one PRC broker is typically used per exchange in the PRC. Should the Fund’s ability to use the relevant PRC broker be affected for any reason, it could disrupt the operations of the Fund, causing a premium or discount in the trading price of the Fund’s shares relative to NAV. The Fund may also incur losses due to the acts or omissions of the PRC broker in the execution of any transaction or the transfer of funds or securities. In addition, limiting transactions to one PRC broker may result in higher brokerage commissions paid by the Fund.

 

If the Fund purchases A-shares through a QFII or RQFII license, the Fund, per Chinese regulations, would be required to maintain its securities and cash accounts in the PRC in the joint names of the Fund and the QFII or RQFII holder. Although the accounts cannot be used for any purpose other than maintaining the Fund’s assets, such assets may not be as well protected as they would be if they were registered and held solely in the name of the Fund. In particular, there is a risk that creditors of the QFII or RQFII holder may seek to assert ownership in the event of such entity’s bankruptcy or the like. Adverse actions taken against the QFII or RQFII holder may also adversely impact the accounts.

 

If the Fund purchases A-shares through a QFII or RQFII license, cash deposited in the cash account of the Fund with the PRC custodian would not normally be, in fact, segregated for the benefit of the Fund, but will likely be deemed a general debt of the PRC custodian owing to the Fund as depositor. Such cash accordingly would be commingled with the cash of other clients of the PRC custodian. In the event of such custodian’s bankruptcy or the like, it is unlikely that the Fund would have proprietary rights to the cash it deposited. Instead, the Fund would likely become an unsecured creditor, ranking pari passu with all other unsecured creditors of the custodian. The Fund may face delays in recovering the cash and may be unable to recover it at all.

 

Per a circular (Caishui [2014] 79), the Fund is expected to be temporarily exempt from the capital gains PRC WHT on trading in A-shares. There is no indication as to how long the temporary exemption will remain in effect. Accordingly, the Fund may be subject to such taxes in the future. If Krane expects such WHT on trading in A-shares to be re-imposed, Krane reserves the right to establish a reserve for such tax. If the Fund establishes such a reserve but is not ultimately subject to the tax, shareholders who redeemed or sold their shares while the reserve was in place will effectively bear the tax and may not benefit from the later release, if any, of the reserve. Conversely, if the Fund does not establish such a reserve but ultimately is subject to the tax, shareholders who redeemed or sold their shares prior to the tax being withheld, reserved or paid will have effectively avoided the tax, even if they benefited from the trading that precipitated the Fund’s payment of it.

 

The PRC WHT on dividends and interest, if any, is normally withheld by the Fund’s custodian bank. To the extent such WHT was not withheld by the Fund’s custodian bank, however, Krane would generally need to make relevant provision for the tax on dividends from A-shares and any relevant interest.

 

When the QFIIs and RQFIIs transfer A-shares and B shares, PRC Stamp Duty is currently imposed on the seller but not on the purchaser, at a rate of 0.1% on the transacted value. In addition, under the current PRC BT Law, which came into effect on 1 January 2009, taxpayer would be subject to PRC BT at a rate of 5% in respect of capital gains derived from the trading of A-shares. However, Caishui [2005] 155 grants BT exemption to QFIIs in respect of their gains derived from the trading of PRC securities (including A-Shares) The new BT Law, which came into effect on 1 January 2009, has not changed this exemption treatment at the time of this Prospectus. However, it is not clear whether a similar exemption would be extended to RQFIIs. Dividend income or profit distributions on equity investment derived from China are not included in the taxable scope of BT.

 

Urban maintenance and construction tax (currently at the rate ranging from 1% to 7%), educational surcharges (currently at the rate of 3%) and local educational surcharges (currently at the rate of 2%) are imposed based on the BT liabilities.

 

9
 

 

Investments in swaps and other derivatives may be subject to special U.S. federal income tax rules that could adversely affect the character, timing and amount of income earned by the Fund (e.g., by causing amounts that would be capital gain to be taxed as ordinary income or to be taken into income earlier than would otherwise be necessary). Also, the Fund may be required to periodically adjust its positions in its swaps and derivatives to comply with certain regulatory requirements which may further cause these investments to be less efficient than a direct investment in the securities themselves. For example, swaps in which the Fund may invest may need to be reset on a regular basis in order to maintain compliance with the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), which may increase the likelihood that the Fund will generate short-term capital gains. In addition, because the application of these special rules may be uncertain, it is possible that the manner in which they are applied by the Fund may be determined to be incorrect. In that event, the Fund may be found to have failed to maintain its qualification as a RIC or to be subject to additional U.S. tax liability. Moreover, the Fund may make investments, both directly and through swaps or other derivative positions, in companies classified as passive foreign investment companies for U.S. federal income tax purposes (“PFICs”). Investments in PFICs are subject to special tax rules which may result in adverse tax consequences to the Fund and its shareholders.

 

China B-Shares. The Fund may also invest in shares of companies incorporated in mainland China that are traded in the mainland B-share markets. Unlike prices in the A-share market, the prices of B-shares are quoted in foreign currencies. The B-share market commenced operations in April 1991 and was originally opened exclusively for foreign investors. In 2001, the B-share market opened to Chinese domestic individual investors as well. However, Chinese domestic individual investors must trade with legal foreign currency accounts. The China B-share market is composed of the Shanghai Stock Exchange (which settles in U.S. dollars) and the Shenzhen Stock Exchange (which settles in Hong Kong dollars). The China B-share market is generally smaller, less liquid and has a smaller issuer base than the China A-share market. As of [ ], 2015 the China B-share market had approximately [ ] issuers and a market capitalization significantly lower than the A-share market. The issuers that compose the B-share market include a broad range of companies, including companies with large, medium and small capitalizations.

 

China H-Shares. The Fund may invest in shares of companies incorporated in mainland China and listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. H-shares are traded in Hong Kong dollars on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. H-shares are issued by companies incorporated in mainland China, and must meet Hong Kong's listing and disclosure requirements in order to be listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. H-shares may be traded by foreigners and are often the vehicle for extending a Chinese company's privatization to foreign investors.

 

China N-Shares. The Fund may invest in shares of companies with business operations in mainland China and listed on an American stock exchange, such as NYSE, NASDAQ or the American Stock Exchange. N-shares are traded in U.S. dollars. N-Shares are issued by companies incorporated anywhere, but many are registered in Bermuda, the Cayman Islands, the British Virgin Islands, or the United States.

 

P Chip Companies. The Fund may invest in shares of companies with controlling Chinese shareholders that are incorporated outside mainland China and listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. These businesses are run by the private sector. P Chip shares are traded in Hong Kong dollars on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. P Chip companies often have a majority of their business operations in mainland China. P Chip shares may also be traded by foreigners.

 

Red Chip Companies. The Fund may invest in shares of companies with controlling Chinese shareholders that are incorporated outside mainland China and listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. These businesses are controlled, either directly or indirectly, by the central, provincial or municipal governments of the PRC. Red Chip shares are traded in Hong Kong dollars on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. Red Chip companies often have a majority of their business operations in mainland China. Red Chip shares may also be traded by foreigners.

 

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S Chip Companies. The Fund may invest in shares of companies with business operations in mainland China and listed on the Singapore Exchange. S Chip shares are issued by companies incorporated anywhere, but many are registered in Singapore, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, or Bermuda.

 

China-Related Companies. The Fund may invest in shares of China-related companies listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, the Singapore Stock Exchange or other exchanges. A "China-related" company is a company that (i) is organized in, or for which the principal securities trading market is in, China or (ii) derives or that is expected to derive 50% or more of its annual revenues primarily from either goods produced, sales made or services performed in China.

 

Disclosure of Interests and Short Swing Profit Rule. The Fund may be subject to shareholder disclosure of interest regulations promulgated by the CSRC. These regulations currently require the Fund to make certain public disclosures when the Fund and parties acting in concert with the Fund acquire 5% or more of the issued securities of a listed company. If the reporting requirement is triggered, the Fund will be required to report information which includes, but is not limited to: (a) information about the Fund and the type and extent of its holdings in the company; (b) a statement of the Fund’s purposes for the investment and whether the Fund intends to increase its holdings over the following 12-month period; (c) a statement of the Fund’s historical investments in the company over the previous six months; (d) the time of, and other information relating to, the transaction that triggered the Fund’s holding in the listed company reaching the 5% reporting threshold; and (e) other information that may be required by the CSRC or the stock exchange. Additional information may be required if the Fund and its concerted parties constitute the largest shareholder or actual controlling shareholder of the listed company. The report must be made to the CSRC, the stock exchange, the invested company, and the CSRC local representative office where the listed company is located. The Fund would also be required to make a public announcement through a media outlet designated by the CSRC. The public announcement must contain the same content as the official report.

 

The relevant PRC regulations presumptively treat all affiliated investors and investors under common control as parties acting in concert. As such, under a conservative interpretation of these regulations, the Fund may be deemed as a “concerted party” of other funds managed by Krane, the Sub-Adviser or their affiliates and therefore may be subject to the risk that the Fund’s holdings may be required to be reported in the aggregate with the holdings of such other funds should the aggregate holdings trigger the reporting threshold under the PRC law.

 

If the 5% shareholding threshold is triggered by the Fund and parties acting in concert with the Fund, the Fund would be required to file its report within three days of the date the threshold is reached. During the time limit for filing the report, a trading freeze applies and the Fund would not be permitted to make subsequent trades in the invested company’s securities. Any such trading freeze may impair the ability of the Fund to achieve its investment objective and undermine the Fund’s performance, if the Fund would otherwise make trades during that period but is prevented from doing so by the regulation.

 

Once the Fund and parties acting in concert reach the 5% trading threshold as to any listed company, any subsequent incremental increase or decrease of 5% or more will trigger a further reporting requirement and an additional three-day trading freeze, and also an additional freeze on trading within two days of the Fund’s report and announcement of the incremental change. These trading freezes may undermine the Fund’s performance as described above. Also, Shanghai Stock Exchange requirements currently require the Fund and parties acting in concert, once they have reach the 5% threshold, to disclose whenever their shareholding drops below this threshold (even as a result of trading which is less than the 5% incremental change that would trigger a reporting requirement under the relevant CSRC regulation). CSRC regulations also contain additional disclosure (and tender offer) requirements that apply when an investor and parties acting in concert reach thresholds of 20% and greater than 30% shareholding in a company.

 

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Subject to the interpretation of PRC courts and PRC regulators, the operation of the PRC short swing profit rule may be applicable to the trading of the Fund with the result that where the holdings of the Fund exceed 5% of the total issued shares of a listed company, the Fund may not reduce its holdings in the company within six months of the last purchase of shares of the company. If the Fund’s holdings are aggregated with other investors deemed as acting as concert parties of the Fund, the Fund will be subject to these restrictions even though it may not have caused or benefited by the activity. If the Fund violates the rule, it may be required by the listed company to return any profits realized from such trading to the listed company. In addition, the rule limits the ability of the Fund to repurchase securities of the listed company within six months of such sale. Moreover, under PRC civil procedures, the Fund’s assets may be frozen to the extent of the claims made by the company in question. These risks may greatly impair the performance of the Fund.

 

Derivatives

The Fund may use derivative instruments as part of its investment strategies. Generally, derivatives are financial contracts the value of which depends upon, or is derived from, the value of an underlying asset, reference rate or index, and may relate to bonds, interest rates, currencies, commodities, and related indexes. Examples of derivative instruments include forward currency contracts, currency and interest rate swaps, currency options, futures contracts, including index futures, options on futures contracts, structured notes, and swap contracts. The Fund’s use of derivative instruments will be collateralized by investments in short term, high-quality U.S. money market securities.

 

With respect to certain kinds of derivative transactions entered into by the Fund that involve obligations to make future payments to third parties, including, but not limited to, futures contracts, forward contracts, swap contracts, the purchase of securities on a when-issued or delayed delivery basis, or reverse repurchase agreements, under applicable federal securities laws, rules, and interpretations thereof, the Fund must “set aside” (referred to sometimes as “asset segregation”) liquid assets, or engage in other measures to “cover” open positions with respect to such transactions. For example, with respect to forward foreign currency exchange contracts and futures contracts that are not contractually required to “cash-settle,” the Fund must cover its open positions by setting aside liquid assets equal to the contracts’ full, notional value, except that deliverable forward contracts for currencies that are liquid will be treated as the equivalent of “cash-settled” contracts. As such, the Fund may set aside liquid assets in an amount equal to the Fund’s daily marked-to-market (net) obligation (i.e., the Fund’s daily net liability if any) rather than the full notional amount under such deliverable forward foreign currency exchange contracts. With respect to forward foreign currency exchange contracts and futures contracts that are contractually required to “cash-settle,” the Fund may set aside liquid assets in an amount equal to the Fund’s daily marked-to-market (net) obligation rather than the notional value. The Fund reserves the right to modify its asset segregation policies in the future consistent with applicable law. The Fund’s use of derivatives may be limited by the requirements of the Internal Revenue Code for qualification as a regulated investment company for U.S. federal tax purposes.

 

Swap Contracts. The Fund may enter into swap contracts, including interest rate swaps and currency swaps. A typical interest rate swap involves the exchange of a floating interest rate payment for a fixed interest payment. A typical foreign currency swap involves the exchange of cash flows based on the notional differences among two or more currencies. Swap contracts may be used to hedge or achieve exposure to, for example, currencies, interest rates, and money market securities without actually purchasing such currencies or securities. The Fund may also use swap contracts to invest in a market without owning or taking physical custody of the underlying securities in circumstances in which direct investment is restricted for legal reasons or is otherwise impracticable. Swap contracts will tend to shift the Fund’s investment exposure from one type of investment to another or from one payment stream to another. Depending on their structure, swap contracts may increase or decrease the Fund’s exposure to long- or short-term interest rates (in the United States or abroad), foreign currencies, corporate borrowing rates, or other factors, and may increase or decrease the overall volatility of the Fund’s investments and its share price.

 

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Futures, Options and Options on Futures Contracts. The Fund may enter into U.S. or foreign futures contracts and options and options on futures contracts. When the Fund purchases a futures contract, it agrees to purchase a specified underlying instrument at a specified future date. When the Fund sells a futures contract, it agrees to sell the underlying instrument at a specified future date. The price at which the purchase and sale will take place is fixed when the Fund enters into the contract. Futures can be held until their delivery dates, or can be closed out before then if a liquid secondary market is available. To the extent the Fund uses futures and options, it will do so only in accordance with Rule 4.5 of the CEA. Krane will file a notice of eligibility for exclusion from the definition of the term “commodity pool operator” in accordance with Rule 4.5 so that it is not subject to registration or regulation as a commodity pool operator under the CEA.

 

The risk of loss in trading futures contracts or uncovered call options in some strategies (e.g., selling uncovered stock index futures contracts) is potentially unlimited. The Fund does not plan to use futures and options contracts in this way. The risk of a futures position may still be large as traditionally measured due to the low margin deposits required. In many cases, a relatively small price movement in a futures contract may result in immediate and substantial loss or gain to the investor relative to the size of a required margin deposit. The Fund, however, intends to utilize futures and options contracts in a manner designed to limit their risk exposure to levels comparable to direct investment in stocks.

 

Utilization of futures and options on futures by the Fund involves the risk of imperfect or even negative correlation to the Underlying Index if the index underlying the futures contract differs from the Underlying Index. There is also the risk of loss by the Fund of margin deposits in the event of bankruptcy of a broker with whom the Fund has an open position in the futures contract or option. The purchase of put or call options will be based upon predictions by the Fund as to anticipated trends, which predictions could prove to be incorrect.

 

The potential for loss related to the purchase of an option on a futures contract is limited to the premium paid for the option plus transaction costs. Because the value of the option is fixed at the point of sale, there are no daily cash payments by the purchaser to reflect changes in the value of the underlying contract; however, the value of the option changes daily and that change would be reflected in the NAV of the Fund. The potential for loss related to writing options is unlimited.

 

Although the Fund intends to enter into futures contracts only if there is an active market for such contracts, there is no assurance that an active market will exist for the contracts at any particular time.

 

Structured Notes and Securities. The Fund may invest in structured instruments, including, without limitation, participation notes, certificates and warrants and other types of notes on which the amount of principal repayment and interest payments are based on the movement of one or more specified factors, such as the movement of a particular stock or stock index. Structured instruments may be derived from or based on a single security or securities, an index, a commodity, debt issuance or a foreign currency (a “reference”), and their interest rate or principal may be determined by an unrelated indicator. Structured securities may be positively or negatively indexed, so that appreciation of the reference may produce an increase or a decrease in the value of the structured security at maturity, or in the interest rate of the structured security. Structured securities may entail a greater degree of risk than other types of securities because the Fund bears the risk of the reference in addition to the risk that the counterparty to the structured security will be unable or unwilling to fulfill its obligations under the structured security to the Fund when due. The Fund bears the risk of loss of the amount expected to be received in connection with a structured security in the event of the default or bankruptcy of the counterparty to the structured security. Structured securities may also be more volatile, less liquid, and more difficult to accurately price than less complex securities or more traditional debt securities.

 

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Investments in Other Investment Companies

The Fund may invest in the securities of other investment companies to the extent that such an investment would be consistent with the requirements of Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act, or any rule, regulation or order of the SEC or interpretation thereof. Generally, the Fund may invest in the securities of another investment company (the “acquired company”) provided that the Fund, immediately after such purchase or acquisition, does not own in the aggregate: (i) more than 3% of the total outstanding voting stock of the acquired company; (ii) securities issued by the acquired company having an aggregate value in excess of 5% of the value of the total assets of the Fund; or (iii) securities issued by the acquired company and all other investment companies (other than Treasury stock of the Fund) having an aggregate value in excess of 10% of the value of the total assets of the Fund. In addition, Section 12(d)(1) prohibits another investment company from selling its shares to the Fund if, after the sale (i) the Fund owns more than 3% of the other investment company’s voting stock or (ii) the Fund and other investment companies, and companies controlled by them, own more than 10% of the voting stock of such other investment company. The foregoing limits may not apply to the Fund’s investments in an investment company that is part of the same group of investment companies as the Fund.

 

If the Fund invests in, and thus, is a shareholder of, another investment company, the Fund’s shareholders will indirectly bear the Fund’s proportionate share of the fees and expenses paid by such other investment company, including advisory fees, in addition to both the management fees payable directly by the Fund to the Fund’s own investment adviser and the other expenses that the Fund bears directly in connection with the Fund’s own operations. Krane may be subject to conflicts of interest in allocating Fund assets to other funds sponsored by Krane to the extent it is paid a management fee both by the Fund and by the underlying fund.

 

Consistent with the restrictions discussed above, the Fund may invest in several different types of investment companies from time to time, including mutual funds, ETFs, closed-end funds, foreign investment companies and business development companies (“BDCs”), when Krane and/or the Sub-Adviser believe such an investment is in the best interests of the Fund and its shareholders. For example, the Fund may elect to invest in another investment company when such an investment presents a more efficient investment option than buying securities individually. The Fund also may invest in investment companies that are included as components of an index, such as BDCs, to seek to track the performance of that index. BDCs generally focus on investing in, and providing managerial assistance to, small, developing, financially troubled, private companies or other companies that may have value that can be realized over time and with management assistance. Similar to an operating company, a BDC’s total annual operating expense ratio typically reflects all of the operating expenses incurred by the BDC, and is generally greater than the total annual operating expense ratio of a mutual fund that does not bear the same types of operating expenses. However, as a shareholder of the BDC, the Fund does not directly pay for a portion of all of the operating expenses of the BDC, just as a shareholder of a computer manufacturer does not directly pay for the cost of labor associated with producing such computers. As a result, the fees and expenses of the Fund if it invests will be effectively overstated by an amount equal to the “Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses.” Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses are not included as an operating expense of the Fund in the Fund’s financial statements, which more accurately reflect the Fund’s actual operating expenses.

 

Investment companies may include index-based investments, such as ETFs that hold substantially all of their assets in securities representing a specific index. The main risk of investing in index-based investments is the same as investing in a portfolio of equity securities comprising the index. The market prices of index-based investments will fluctuate in accordance with both changes in the market value of their underlying portfolio securities and due to supply and demand for the instruments on the exchanges on which they are traded (which may result in their trading at a discount or premium to their NAVs). Index-based investments may not replicate exactly the performance of their specific index because of transaction costs and because of the temporary unavailability of certain component securities of the index, or strategy used to track the index.

 

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Tracking Error

The Fund may experience tracking error. A number of factors may contribute to the Fund’s tracking error. For example, the following factors may affect the ability of the Fund to achieve correlation with the performance of the Underlying Index: (1) Fund expenses, including brokerage (which may be increased by high portfolio turnover); (2) fluctuations in currency exchange rates; (3) the Fund holding less than all of the securities in the Underlying Index and/or securities not included in the Underlying Index; (4) an imperfect correlation between the performance of instruments held by the Fund, such as swaps, futures contracts and options, and the performance of the underlying securities in the market; (5) bid-ask spreads (the effect of which may be increased by portfolio turnover); (6) the Fund holding instruments traded in a market that has become illiquid or disrupted; (7) Fund share prices being rounded to the nearest cent; (8) changes to the Underlying Index that are not disseminated in advance; (9) the need to conform the Fund’s portfolio holdings to comply with investment restrictions or policies or regulatory or tax law requirements; (10) the time difference between the close of the foreign market on which foreign securities are traded and the time the Fund prices its shares; or (11) early or unanticipated closings of the markets on which the holdings of the Fund trade, resulting in the inability of the Fund to execute intended portfolio transactions. To the extent the Fund engages in fair value pricing, the day-to-day correlation of the Fund’s performance may tend to vary from the closing performance of the Underlying Index.

 

Borrowing

Although the Fund does not intend to borrow money, the Fund may do so to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act. Borrowing for investment purposes is a form of leverage. Leveraging investments, by purchasing securities with borrowed money, is a speculative technique that increases investment risk, but also increases investment opportunity. Because substantially all of the Fund’s assets will fluctuate in value, whereas the interest obligations on borrowings may be fixed, the NAV of the Fund will increase more when the Fund’s portfolio assets increase in value and decrease more when the Fund’s portfolio assets decrease in value than would otherwise be the case. Moreover, interest costs on borrowings may fluctuate with changing market rates of interest and may partially offset or exceed the returns on the borrowed funds. The Fund also may be required to maintain minimum average balances in connection with a borrowing or to pay a commitment or other fee to maintain a line of credit, which would further increase the cost of borrowing. Under adverse conditions, the Fund might have to sell portfolio securities to meet interest or principal payments at a time when investment considerations would not favor such sales. Generally, the Fund would use this form of leverage during periods when Krane believes that the Fund’s investment objective would be furthered.

 

The Fund also may borrow money to facilitate management of the Fund’s portfolio by enabling the Fund to meet redemption requests when the liquidation of portfolio instruments would be inconvenient or disadvantageous. Such borrowing is not for investment purposes and will be repaid by the Fund promptly. As required by the 1940 Act, the Fund must maintain continuous asset coverage (total assets, including assets acquired with borrowed funds, less liabilities exclusive of borrowings) of 300% of all amounts borrowed. If, at any time, the value of the Fund’s assets should fail to meet this 300% coverage test, the Fund, within three days (not including Sundays and holidays), will reduce the amount of the Fund’s borrowings to the extent necessary to meet this 300% coverage requirement. Maintenance of this percentage limitation may result in the sale of portfolio securities at a time when investment considerations otherwise indicate that it would be disadvantageous to do so.

 

In addition to the foregoing, the Fund is authorized to borrow money as a temporary measure for extraordinary or emergency purposes to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act. Borrowings for extraordinary or emergency purposes are not subject to the foregoing 300% asset coverage requirement. While the Fund does not anticipate doing so, the Fund is authorized to pledge (i.e., transfer a security interest in) portfolio securities in an amount up to one-third of the value of the Fund’s total assets in connection with any borrowing.

 

Currency Transactions

The Fund may enter into foreign currency forward and foreign currency futures contracts.

 

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Forward Foreign Currency Contracts. A forward foreign currency exchange contract (“forward contract”) involves an obligation to purchase or sell a specific currency at a future date, which may be any fixed number of days from the date of the contract agreed upon by the parties, at a price set at the time of the contract. These contracts are principally traded in the interbank market conducted directly between currency traders (usually large commercial banks) and their customers. A forward contract generally has no margin deposit requirement, and no commissions are charged at any stage for trades.

 

A non-deliverable forward contract is a forward contract where there is no physical settlement of two currencies at maturity. Non-deliverable forward contracts are contracts between parties in which one party agrees to make a payment to the other party (the “Counterparty”) based on the change in market value or level of a specified currency. In return, the Counterparty agrees to make payment to the first party based on the return of a different specified currency. Non-deliverable forward contracts will usually be done on a net basis, with the Fund receiving or paying only the net amount of the two payments. The net amount of the excess, if any, of the Fund’s obligations over its entitlements with respect to each non-deliverable forward contract is accrued on a daily basis and an amount of cash or highly liquid securities having an aggregate value at least equal to the accrued excess is maintained in an account at the Trust’s custodian bank. The risk of loss with respect to non-deliverable forward contracts generally is limited to the net amount of payments that the Fund is contractually obligated to make or receive. To the extent the Fund uses forward foreign currency contracts, it will do so only in accordance with Rule 4.5 of the Commodity Exchange Act (the “CEA”).

 

Foreign Currency Futures Contracts. A foreign currency futures contract is a contract involving an obligation to deliver or acquire the specified amount of a specific currency, at a specified price and at a specified future time. Futures contracts may be settled on a net cash payment basis rather than by the sale and delivery of the underlying currency.

 

Currency exchange transactions involve a significant degree of risk and the markets in which currency exchange transactions are effected are highly volatile, specialized and technical. Significant changes, including changes in liquidity and prices, can occur in such markets within very short periods of time, often within minutes. Currency exchange trading risks include, but are not limited to, exchange rate risk, maturity gap, interest rate risk, and potential interference by foreign governments through regulation of local exchange markets, foreign investment or particular transactions in foreign currency. If the Fund utilizes foreign currency transactions at an inappropriate time, such transactions may not serve their intended purpose of improving the correlation of the Fund’s return with the performance of the Underlying Index and may lower the Fund’s return. The Fund could experience losses if the value of any currency forwards and futures positions is poorly correlated with its other investments or if it could not close out its positions because of an illiquid market. Such contracts are subject to the risk that the counterparty will default on its obligations. In addition, the Fund will incur transaction costs, including trading commissions, in connection with certain foreign currency transactions.

 

Non-U.S. Government Securities

The Fund may invest in short-term securities issued or guaranteed by non-U.S. governments, agencies and instrumentalities. The Fund also may purchase intermediate and long-term obligations issued or guaranteed by non-U.S. governments, agencies and instrumentalities. Non-U.S. government securities include direct obligations, as well as obligations guaranteed by a foreign government including state, territory or local governments.

 

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Sovereign and Quasi-Sovereign Debt Obligations. The Fund may invest in sovereign and quasi-sovereign debt obligations. Sovereign and quasi-sovereign debt obligations include instruments that are issued or guaranteed by a foreign government or one of its agencies, authorities, instrumentalities or political subdivisions, supra-national organizations, and state-owned enterprises. Investments in sovereign and quasi-sovereign debt obligations involve special risks not present in corporate debt obligations. The issuer of the sovereign or quasi-sovereign debt or the governmental authorities that control the repayment of the debt may be unable or unwilling to repay principal or interest when due, and the Fund may have limited recourse in the event of a default. During periods of economic uncertainty, the market prices of sovereign and quasi-sovereign debt, and the Fund's net asset value, may be more volatile than prices of U.S. debt obligations. In the past, certain non-U.S. markets have encountered difficulties in servicing their debt obligations, withheld payments of principal and interest and declared moratoria on the payment of principal and interest on their sovereign debts.

 

A sovereign or quasi-sovereign debtor's willingness or ability to repay principal and pay interest in a timely manner may be affected by, among other factors, its cash flow situation, the extent of its foreign currency reserves, the availability of sufficient foreign exchange, the relative size of the debt service burden, the sovereign debtor's policy toward principal international lenders and local political constraints. Sovereign and quasi-sovereign debtors may also be dependent on expected disbursements from foreign governments, multilateral agencies and other entities to reduce principal and interest arrearages on their debt. The failure of a sovereign or quasi-sovereign debtor to implement economic reforms, achieve specified levels of economic performance or repay principal or interest when due may result in the cancellation of third-party commitments to lend funds to the sovereign or quasi-sovereign debtor, which may further impair such debtor's ability or willingness to service its debts.

 

Real Estate Investment Trusts

The Fund may invest in the securities of real estate investment trusts (“REITs”) to the extent allowed by law. Risks associated with investments in securities of REITs include decline in the value of real estate, risks related to general and local economic conditions, overbuilding and increased competition, increases in property taxes and operating expenses, changes in zoning laws, casualty or condemnation losses, variations in rental income, changes in neighborhood values, the appeal of properties to tenants, and increases in interest rates. In addition, equity REITs may be affected by changes in the values of the underlying property owned by the trusts, while mortgage REITs may be affected by the quality of credit extended. REITs are dependent upon management skills, may not be diversified and are subject to the risks of financing projects. REITs are also subject to heavy cash-flow dependency, defaults by borrowers, self-liquidation and the possibility of failing to qualify for tax-free pass-through of income and net gains under the Code and to maintain exemption from the 1940 Act. If an issuer of debt securities collateralized by real estate defaults, it is conceivable that the REITs could end up holding the underlying real estate. Because REITs have ongoing fees and expenses, which may include management, operating and administration expenses, REIT shareholders, including the Fund, will indirectly bear a proportionate share of those expenses in addition to the expenses of the Fund. However, such expenses are not considered to be Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses and, therefore, are not reflected as such in the Fund's fee table.

 

Repurchase Agreements

The Fund may enter into repurchase agreements with counterparties that are deemed to present acceptable credit risks. A repurchase agreement is a transaction in which the Fund purchases securities or other obligations from a bank or securities dealer (or its affiliate) and simultaneously commits to resell them to a counterparty at an agreed-upon date or upon demand and at a price reflecting a market rate of interest unrelated to the coupon rate or maturity of the purchased obligations. The Fund maintains custody of the underlying obligations prior to their repurchase, either through its regular custodian or through a special “triparty” custodian or sub-custodian that maintains separate accounts for both the Fund and its counterparty. Thus, the obligation of the counterparty to pay the repurchase price on the date agreed to or upon demand is, in effect, secured by such obligations.

 

Repurchase agreements carry certain risks not associated with direct investments in securities, including a possible decline in the market value of the underlying obligations. If their value becomes less than the repurchase price, plus any agreed-upon additional amount, the counterparty must provide additional collateral so that at all times the collateral is at least equal to the repurchase price plus any agreed-upon additional amount. The difference between the total amount to be received upon repurchase of the obligations and the price that was paid by the Fund upon acquisition is accrued as interest and included in its net investment income. Repurchase agreements involving obligations other than U.S. government securities (such as commercial paper and corporate bonds) may be subject to special risks and may not have the benefit of certain protections in the event of the counterparty’s insolvency. If the seller or guarantor becomes insolvent, the Fund may suffer delays, costs and possible losses in connection with the disposition of collateral.

 

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Fixed Income Securities

The Fund may invest in fixed income securities. The market value of the fixed income securities in which the Fund invests will change in response to interest rate changes and other factors. During periods of falling interest rates, the values of outstanding fixed income securities generally rise. Conversely, during periods of rising interest rates, the values of such securities generally decline. Moreover, while securities with longer maturities tend to produce higher yields, the prices of longer maturity securities are also subject to greater market fluctuations as a result of changes in interest rates. Changes by recognized agencies in the rating of any fixed income security and in the ability of an issuer to make payments of interest and principal may affect the value of these investments. Changes in the value of these securities will not necessarily affect cash income derived from these securities but will affect the Fund's NAV. Additional information regarding fixed income securities is described below:

 

Duration. Duration is a measure of the expected change in value of a fixed income security for a given change in interest rates. For example, if interest rates changed by one percent, the value of a security having an effective duration of two years generally would vary by two percent. Duration takes the length of the time intervals between the present time and time that the interest and principal payments are scheduled, or in the case of a callable bond, expected to be received, and weighs them by the present values of the cash to be received at each future point in time.

 

Variable and Floating Rate Securities. Variable and floating rate instruments involve certain obligations that may carry variable or floating rates of interest, and may involve a conditional or unconditional demand feature. Such instruments bear interest at rates which are not fixed, but which vary with changes in specified market rates or indices. The interest rates on these securities may be reset daily, weekly, quarterly, or some other reset period, and may have a set floor or ceiling on interest rate changes. There is a risk that the current interest rate on such obligations may not accurately reflect existing market interest rates. A demand instrument with a demand notice exceeding seven days may be considered illiquid if there is no secondary market for such security.

 

Debt Securities. The Fund may invest in debt securities. A debt security is a security consisting of a certificate or other evidence of a debt (secured or unsecured) on which the issuing company or governmental body promises to pay the holder thereof a fixed, variable, or floating rate of interest for a specified length of time, and to repay the debt on the specified maturity date. Some debt securities, such as zero coupon bonds, do not make regular interest payments but are issued at a discount to their principal or maturity value. Debt securities include a variety of fixed income obligations, including, but not limited to, corporate bonds, government securities, municipal securities, convertible securities, mortgage-backed securities, and asset-backed securities. Debt securities include investment-grade securities, non-investment-grade securities, and unrated securities. Debt securities are subject to a variety of risks, such as interest rate risk, income risk, call/prepayment risk, inflation risk, credit risk, and (in the case of foreign securities) country risk and currency risk.

 

Corporate Debt Securities. The Fund may invest in corporate debt securities. The Fund may invest in all grades of corporate debt securities including below investment grade as discussed below. See Appendix A for a description of corporate bond ratings. The Fund may also invest in unrated securities.

 

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Corporate debt securities are typically fixed-income securities issued by businesses to finance their operations, but may also include bank loans to companies. Notes, bonds, debentures and commercial paper are the most common types of corporate debt securities. The primary differences between the different types of corporate debt securities are their maturities and secured or un-secured status. Commercial paper has the shortest term and is usually unsecured. The broad category of corporate debt securities includes debt issued by domestic or foreign companies of all kinds, including those with small-, mid- and large-capitalizations. Corporate debt may be rated investment-grade or below investment-grade and may carry variable or floating rates of interest.

 

Because of the wide range of types, and maturities, of corporate debt securities, as well as the range of creditworthiness of its issuers, corporate debt securities have widely varying potentials for return and risk profiles. For example, commercial paper issued by a large established domestic corporation that is rated investment-grade may have a modest return on principal, but carries relatively limited risk. On the other hand, a long-term corporate note issued by a small foreign corporation from an emerging market country that has not been rated may have the potential for relatively large returns on principal, but carries a relatively high degree of risk.

 

Corporate debt securities carry both credit risk and interest rate risk. Credit risk is the risk that the Fund could lose money if the issuer of a corporate debt security does not pay interest or principal when it is due. Some corporate debt securities that are rated below investment-grade are considered inherently speculative because they present a greater risk of loss, including default, than higher quality debt securities. The credit risk of a particular issuer's debt security may vary based on its priority for repayment. For example, higher ranking (senior) debt securities have a higher priority than lower ranking (subordinated) securities. This means that the issuer might not make payments on subordinated securities while continuing to make payments on senior securities. In addition, in the event of bankruptcy, holders of higher-ranking senior securities may receive amounts otherwise payable to the holders of more junior securities. Interest rate risk is the risk that the value of certain corporate debt securities will tend to fall when interest rates rise. In general, corporate debt securities with longer terms tend to fall more in value when interest rates rise than corporate debt securities with shorter terms.

 

Debt Securities Issued by the World Bank for Reconstruction and Development (“World Bank”). The Fund may invest in debt securities issued by the World Bank. Debt securities issued by the World Bank may include high quality global bonds backed by 185 member governments, including the United States, Japan, Germany, France and the United Kingdom, as well as in bonds in “non-core” currencies, including emerging markets and European accession countries, structured notes, and discount notes represented by certificates, in bearer form only, or in un-certified form (Book Entry Discount Notes) with maturities of 360 days or less at a discount, and in the case of Discount Notes, in certified form only and on an interest bearing basis in the U.S. and Eurodollar markets.

 

U.S. Government Securities

The Fund may invest in U.S. government securities. Securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government or its agencies or instrumentalities include U.S. Treasury securities, which are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury and which differ only in their interest rates, maturities, and times of issuance. U.S. Treasury bills have initial maturities of one-year or less; U.S. Treasury notes have initial maturities of one to ten years; and U.S. Treasury bonds generally have initial maturities of greater than ten years. Certain U.S. government securities are issued or guaranteed by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. government including, but not limited to, obligations of U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities such as Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, the government National Mortgage Association (“Ginnie Mae”), the Small Business Administration, the Federal Farm Credit Administration, the Federal Home Loan Banks, Banks for Cooperatives (including the Central Bank for Cooperatives), the Federal Land Banks, the Federal Intermediate Credit Banks, the Tennessee Valley Authority, the Export-Import Bank of the United States, the Commodity Credit Corporation, the Federal Financing Bank, the National Credit Union Administration and the Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation.

 

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Some obligations issued or guaranteed by U.S. government agencies and instrumentalities, including, for example, Ginnie Mae pass-through certificates, are supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury. Other obligations issued by or guaranteed by federal agencies, such as those securities issued by Fannie Mae, are supported by the discretionary authority of the U.S. government to purchase certain obligations of the federal agency, while other obligations issued by or guaranteed by federal agencies, such as those of the Federal Home Loan Banks, are supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury, while the U.S. government provides financial support to such U.S. government-sponsored federal agencies, no assurance can be given that the U.S. government will always do so, since the U.S. government is not so obligated by law. U.S. Treasury notes and bonds typically pay coupon interest semi-annually and repay the principal at maturity.

 

On September 7, 2008, the U.S. Treasury announced a federal takeover of Fannie Mae, and Freddie Mac, placing the two federal instrumentalities in conservatorship by their new regulator, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (“FHFA”). Under the takeover, the U.S. Treasury agreed to acquire $1 billion of senior preferred stock of each instrumentality and obtained warrants for the purchase of common stock of each instrumentality (the “Senior Preferred Stock Purchase Agreement” or “Agreement”). Under the Agreement, the U.S. Treasury pledged to provide up to $200 billion per instrumentality as needed, including the contribution of cash capital to the instrumentalities in the event their liabilities exceed their assets. This was intended to ensure that the instrumentalities maintain a positive net worth and meet their financial obligations, preventing mandatory triggering of receivership. On December 24, 2009, the U.S. Treasury announced that it was amending the Agreement to allow the $200 billion cap on the U.S. Treasury’s funding commitment to increase as necessary to accommodate any cumulative reduction in net worth until 2012. The FHFA, in its capacity as conservator, has the power to transfer or sell any asset or liability of Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac. The FHFA has indicated it has no current intention to do this; however, should it do so a holder of a Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac mortgage-backed security would have to rely on another party for satisfaction of the guaranty obligations and would be exposed to the credit risk of that party. Certain rights provided to holders of mortgage-backed securities issued by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac under their operative documents may not be enforceable against FHFA, or enforcement may be delayed during the course of the conservatorship or any future receivership. For example, the operative documents may provide that upon the occurrence of an event of default by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, holders of a requisite percentage of the mortgage-backed security may replace the entity as trustee. However, under the Federal Housing Finance Regulatory Reform Act of 2008, holders may not enforce this right if the event of default arises solely because a conservator or receiver has been appointed.

 

[U.S. Treasury Obligations. U.S. Treasury obligations consist of bills, notes and bonds issued by the U.S. Treasury and separately traded interest and principal component parts of such obligations that are transferable through the federal book-entry system known as Separately Traded Registered Interest and Principal Securities (“STRIPS”) and Treasury Receipts (“TRs”).]

 

[Receipts. Interests in separately traded interest and principal component parts of U.S. government obligations that are issued by banks or brokerage firms and are created by depositing U.S. government obligations into a special account at a custodian bank. The custodian holds the interest and principal payments for the benefit of the registered owners of the certificates or receipts. The custodian arranges for the issuance of the certificates or receipts evidencing ownership and maintains the register. TRs and STRIPS are interests in accounts sponsored by the U.S. Treasury. Receipts are sold as zero coupon securities.]

 

[U.S. Government Zero Coupon Securities. STRIPS and receipts are sold as zero coupon securities, that is, fixed income securities that have been stripped of their unmatured interest coupons. Zero coupon securities are sold at a (usually substantial) discount and redeemed at face value at their maturity date without interim cash payments of interest or principal. The amount of this discount is accreted over the life of the security, and the accretion constitutes the income earned on the security for both accounting and tax purposes. Because of these features, the market prices of zero coupon securities are generally more volatile than the market prices of securities that have similar maturity but that pay interest periodically. Zero coupon securities are likely to respond to a greater degree to interest rate changes than are non-zero coupon securities with similar maturity and credit qualities.]

 

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[U.S. Government Agencies. Some obligations issued or guaranteed by agencies of the U.S. government are supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury, others are supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury, while still others are supported only by the credit of the instrumentality. Guarantees of principal by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. government may be a guarantee of payment at the maturity of the obligation so that in the event of a default prior to maturity there might not be a market and thus no means of realizing on the obligation prior to maturity. Guarantees as to the timely payment of principal and interest do not extend to the value or yield of these securities nor to the value of the Fund’s shares.]

 

Illiquid Securities

The Fund may invest up to an aggregate amount of 15% of its net assets in illiquid securities. If the percentage of the Fund’s net assets invested in illiquid securities exceeds 15% due to market activity, the Fund will take appropriate measures to reduce its holdings of illiquid securities as soon as reasonably practicable. Appropriate measures may not include the liquidation of an illiquid investment where the Fund would be disadvantaged by such disposition. The term “illiquid securities” for this purpose means securities that cannot be disposed of within seven days in the ordinary course of business at approximately the amount at which the Fund has valued the securities. Illiquid securities include securities subject to contractual or other restrictions on resale and other instruments that lack readily available markets. The inability of the Fund to readily dispose of illiquid or not readily marketable investments or at a reasonable price could impair the Fund’s ability to raise cash for redemptions or other purposes. In addition, the sale of illiquid securities also may require more time and may result in higher dealer discounts and other selling expenses than does the sale of securities that are not illiquid. Illiquid securities also may be more difficult to value due to the unavailability of reliable market quotations for such securities, and investment in illiquid securities may have an adverse impact on the Fund’s NAV. The liquidity of securities purchased by the Fund which are eligible for resale pursuant to Rule 144A will be monitored by Krane on an ongoing basis. In the event that such a security is deemed to be no longer liquid, the Fund’s holdings will be reviewed to determine what action, if any, is required to ensure that the retention of such security does not result in the Fund having more than 15% of its assets invested in illiquid or not readily marketable securities.

 

Portfolio Turnover

In general, Krane manages the Fund without regard to restrictions on portfolio turnover. The Fund’s investment strategies may, however, produce relatively high portfolio turnover rates from time to time. To the extent the Fund invests in derivative instruments, the instruments generally will have short-term maturities and, thus, be excluded from the calculation of portfolio turnover. The value of portfolio securities received or delivered as a result of in-kind creations or redemptions of the Fund’s shares also is excluded from the calculation of the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate. As a result, the Fund’s reported portfolio turnover may be low despite relatively high portfolio activity which would, in turn, produce correspondingly greater expenses for the Fund, including brokerage commissions or dealer mark-ups and other transaction costs on the sale of securities and reinvestments in other securities. Generally, the higher the rate of portfolio turnover of a fund, the higher these transaction costs borne by the fund and its long-term shareholders. Such sales may result in the realization of taxable capital gains (including short-term capital gains which are generally taxed to shareholders at ordinary income tax rates) for certain taxable shareholders.

 

“Portfolio Turnover Rate” is defined under the rules of the SEC as the lesser of the value of the securities purchased or of the securities sold, excluding all securities whose maturities at the time of acquisition were one-year or less, divided by the average monthly value of such securities owned during the year. Based on this definition, instruments with a remaining maturity of less than one-year are excluded from the calculation of the portfolio turnover rate. Instruments excluded from the calculation of portfolio turnover generally would include the futures contracts and option contracts in which the Fund invests because such contracts generally have a remaining maturity of less than one-year.

 

21
 

 

Reverse Repurchase Agreements

The Fund may enter into reverse repurchase agreements, which involve the sale of securities held by the Fund subject to its agreement to repurchase the securities at an agreed-upon date or upon demand and at a price reflecting a market rate of interest. Reverse repurchase agreements are subject to the Fund’s limitation on borrowings and may be entered into only with banks or securities dealers or their affiliates. While a reverse repurchase agreement is outstanding, the Fund will maintain the segregation, either on its records or with the Trust’s custodian, of cash or other liquid securities, marked to market daily, in an amount at least equal to its obligations under the reverse repurchase agreement.

 

Reverse repurchase agreements involve the risk that the buyer of the securities sold by the Fund might be unable to deliver them when the Fund seeks to repurchase. If the buyer of securities under a reverse repurchase agreement files for bankruptcy or becomes insolvent, the buyer or trustee or receiver may receive an extension of time to determine whether to enforce the Fund’s obligation to repurchase the securities, and the Fund’s use of the proceeds of the reverse repurchase agreement may effectively be restricted pending such decision.

 

Securities Lending

The Fund may lend portfolio securities to certain creditworthy borrowers. In a securities lending arrangement, the borrowers provide collateral that is maintained in an amount at least equal to the current market value of the securities loaned. No securities loan shall be made on behalf of the Fund if, as a result, the aggregate value of all securities loans of the Fund exceeds one-third of the value of the Fund’s total assets (including the value of the collateral received). The Fund may terminate a loan at any time and obtain the return of the securities loaned. The Fund receives the value of any interest or cash or non-cash distributions paid on the loaned securities.

 

With respect to loans that are collateralized by cash, the borrower will be entitled to receive a fee based on the amount of cash collateral. The Fund is compensated by the difference between the amount earned on the reinvestment of cash collateral and the fee paid to the borrower. In the case of collateral other than cash, the Fund is compensated by a fee paid by the borrower equal to a percentage of the market value of the loaned securities. Any cash collateral may be reinvested in certain short-term instruments either directly on behalf of the Fund or through one or more joint accounts or money market funds; such reinvestments are subject to investment risk. Krane may receive compensation for these investments.

 

Securities lending involves exposure to certain risks, including operational risk (i.e., the risk of losses resulting from problems in the settlement and accounting process), “gap” risk (i.e., the risk of a mismatch between the return on cash collateral reinvestments and the fees the Fund has agreed to pay a borrower), and credit, legal, counterparty and market risk. If a securities lending counterparty were to default, the Fund would be subject to the risk of a possible delay in receiving collateral or in recovering the loaned securities, or to a possible loss of rights in the collateral. In the event a borrower does not return the Fund’s securities as agreed, the Fund may experience losses if the proceeds received from liquidating the collateral do not at least equal the value of the loaned security at the time the collateral is liquidated, plus the transaction costs incurred in purchasing replacement securities. This event could trigger adverse tax consequences for the Fund. Substitute payments for dividends received by the Fund for securities loaned out by the Fund will not be considered qualified dividend income. The Fund may take the tax effects of this difference into account in its securities lending program.

 

The Fund pays a portion of the interest or fees earned from securities lending to a borrower as described above and to a securities lending agent who administers the lending program in accordance with guidelines approved by the Trust’s Board.

 

22
 

 

Cyber-Security Risk

The Fund, and its service providers, may be prone to operational and information security risks resulting from cyber-attacks. Cyber-attacks include, among other behaviors, stealing or corrupting data maintained online or digitally, denial of service attacks on websites, the unauthorized release of confidential information or various other forms of cyber security breaches. Cyber-attacks affecting the Fund or its advisors, custodian, transfer agent, intermediaries and other third-party service providers may adversely impact the Fund. For instance, cyber-attacks may interfere with the processing of shareholder transactions, impact the Fund’s ability to calculate its NAV, cause the release of private shareholder information or confidential business information, impede trading, subject the Fund to regulatory fines or financial losses and/or cause reputational damage. The Fund may also incur additional costs for cyber security risk management purposes. While the Fund’s service providers have established business continuity plans, there are inherent limitations in such plans and systems including the possibility that certain risks have not been identified. Furthermore, the Fund cannot control the cyber security plans and systems put in place by its service providers or any other third parties whose operations may affect the Fund or its shareholders. Similar types of cyber security risks are also present for issues or securities in which the Fund may invest, which could result in material adverse consequences for such issuers and may cause the Fund’s investment in such companies to lose value.

 

DESCRIPTION OF THE FUND’S UNDERLYING INDEX

 

The New York Stock Exchange, Inc. and Bloomberg Finance LP (together, the “Index Provider”) co-publish the Underlying Index.

 

The Underlying Index is a modified, free-float adjusted market capitalization weighted index that is designed to track the equity market performance of companies that are engaged in the clean energy business in the People’s Republic of China (“China” or “PRC”). The weighting of issuers in the Underlying Index is modified based on their exposure to the clean energy trade, as determined by the Index Provider’s proprietary clean energy exposure ratings system. Free-float market capitalization is calculated by multiplying a security’s price by the number of shares available in the market, rather than the total number of shares outstanding. As of [March 11], 2015, the Underlying Index included approximately [75] securities of companies with a market capitalization range of US$[142] million to US$[24] billion and an average market capitalization of US$[2.3] billion. These amounts are subject to change.

 

The Underlying Index was launched on [ ] with a base date of [ ], and a base value of [ ]. As of [ ], the Underlying Index was concentrated in the industrial sector and had significant exposure to the information technology and utilities sectors. Additional information about the Underlying Index is available on the Index Provider’s website, [http://about.bnef.com/equity-indexes/].

 

INVESTMENT LIMITATIONS

 

Unless otherwise noted, whenever a fundamental or non-fundamental investment policy or limitation states that a maximum percentage of the Fund’s assets that may be invested in any security or other asset, or sets forth a policy regarding quality standards, such standard or percentage limitation will be determined immediately after and as a result of the Fund’s acquisition of such security or other asset. Accordingly, other than with respect to the Fund’s limitations on borrowings, any subsequent change in values, net assets, or other circumstances will not be considered when determining whether the investment complies with the Fund’s investment policies and limitations.

 

Fundamental Policies

The investment limitations below are fundamental policies of the Fund, and cannot be changed without the consent of the holders of a majority of the Fund’s outstanding shares. The term “majority of the outstanding shares” means the vote of (i) 67% or more of the Fund’s shares present at a meeting, if more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the Fund are present or represented by proxy, or (ii) more than 50% of the Fund’s outstanding shares, whichever is less.

 

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The Fund may not:

 

1.Issue senior securities, except as permitted under the 1940 Act.

 

2.Borrow money, except as permitted under the 1940 Act.

 

3.Act as an underwriter of another issuer’s securities, except to the extent that the Fund may be considered an underwriter within the meaning of the Securities Act in the disposition of portfolio securities.

 

4.Purchase the securities of any issuer (other than securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, or any non-U.S. government, or their respective agencies or instrumentalities) if, as a result, more than 25% of the Fund’s total assets would be invested in the securities of companies whose principal business activities are in the same industry, except that the Fund will invest more than 25% of its total assets in securities of the same industry to approximately the same extent that the Underlying Index concentrates in the securities of a particular industry or group of industries.

 

5.Purchase or sell real estate unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments (but this shall not prevent the Fund from investing in securities or other instruments backed by real estate, real estate investment trusts or securities of companies engaged in the real estate business).

 

6.Purchase or sell physical commodities unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments (but this shall not prevent the Fund from purchasing or selling options and futures contracts or from investing in issuers engaged in the commodities business or securities or other instruments backed by physical commodities).

 

7.Lend any security or make any other loan except as permitted under the 1940 Act. This means that no more than 33 1/3% of the Fund’s total assets would be lent to other parties. This limitation does not apply to purchases of debt securities or to repurchase agreements, or to acquisitions of loans, loan participations or other forms of debt instruments permissible under the Fund’s investment policies.

 

CONTINUOUS OFFERING

 

The method by which Creation Units of shares are created and traded may raise certain issues under applicable securities laws. Because new Creation Units of shares are issued and sold by the Fund on an ongoing basis, at any point a “distribution,” as such term is used in the Securities Act, may occur. Broker-dealers and other persons are cautioned that some activities on their part may, depending on the circumstances, result in their being deemed participants in a distribution in a manner which could render them statutory underwriters and subject them to the prospectus delivery requirement and liability provisions of the Securities Act.

 

For example, a broker-dealer firm or its client may be deemed a statutory underwriter if it takes Creation Units after placing an order with the Fund’s Distributor, breaks them down into constituent shares, and sells such shares directly to customers, or if it chooses to couple the creation of a supply of new shares with an active selling effort involving solicitation of secondary market demand for shares. A determination of whether one is an underwriter for purposes of the Securities Act must take into account all the facts and circumstances pertaining to the activities of the broker-dealer or its client in the particular case, and the examples mentioned above should not be considered a complete description of all the activities that could lead to a categorization as an underwriter.

 

24
 

 

Broker-dealer firms should also note that dealers who are not “underwriters” but are effecting transactions in shares, whether or not participating in the distribution of shares, generally are required to deliver a prospectus. This is because the prospectus delivery exemption in Section 4(3) of the Securities Act is not available in respect of such transactions as a result of Section 24(d) of the 1940 Act. Firms that incur a prospectus delivery obligation with respect to shares of the Fund are reminded that, pursuant to Rule 153 under the Securities Act, a prospectus delivery obligation under Section 5(b)(2) of the Securities Act owed to an exchange member in connection with the sale on the Exchange is satisfied by the fact that the prospectus is available at the Exchange upon request. The prospectus delivery mechanism provided in Rule 153 is only available with respect to transactions on an exchange.

 

MANAGEMENT OF THE TRUST

 

Board Responsibilities

The Board of Trustees is responsible for overseeing the management and affairs of the Fund and the Trust. The Board has considered and approved contracts, as described herein, under which certain companies provide essential management and administrative services to the Trust. Like most ETFs, the day-to-day business of the Trust, including the day-to-day management of risk, is performed by third-party service providers, such as Krane, the Sub-Adviser, Distributor and Administrator (as defined below). The Board is responsible for overseeing the Trust’s service providers and, thus, has oversight responsibility with respect to the risk management performed by those service providers. Risk management seeks to identify and eliminate or mitigate the potential effects of risks, i.e., events or circumstances that could have material adverse effects on the business, operations, shareholder services, investment performance or reputation of the Trust or the Fund. Under the overall supervision of the Board and the Audit Committee (discussed in more detail below), the service providers to the Fund employ a variety of processes, procedures and controls to identify risks relevant to the operations of the Trust and the Fund to lessen the probability of their occurrence and/or to mitigate the effects of such events or circumstances if they do occur. Each service provider is responsible for one or more discrete aspects of the Trust’s business (e.g., Krane is responsible for the management of the Fund’s portfolio investments) and, consequently, for managing the risks associated with that activity.

 

The Board’s role in risk management oversight begins before the inception of a fund, at which time the fund’s adviser presents the Board with information concerning the investment objectives, strategies and risks of the fund. Additionally, the fund’s adviser provides the Board with an overview of, among other things, its investment philosophy, brokerage practices and compliance infrastructure. Thereafter, the Board oversees the risk management of the fund’s operations, in part by requesting periodic reports from and otherwise communicating with various personnel of the fund and its service providers, including the Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer and the fund’s independent accountants. The Board and, with respect to identified risks that relate to its scope of expertise, the Audit Committee oversee efforts by management and service providers to manage risks to which the fund may be exposed.

 

The Board is responsible for overseeing the nature, extent and quality of the services provided to the Fund by Krane and the Sub-Adviser and receives information about those services at its regular meetings. In addition, on at least an annual basis after the first two years from the Fund’s inception, in connection with its consideration of whether to renew the advisory agreements with Krane and the Sub-Adviser, the Board would meet with Krane and the Sub-Adviser to review such services. Among other things, the Board regularly considers Krane and the Sub-Adviser’s adherence to the Fund’s investment restrictions and compliance with various policies and procedures of the Fund and with applicable securities regulations. The Board also reviews information about the Fund’s performance and investments.

 

25
 

 

The Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer meets regularly with the Board to review and discuss compliance and other issues. At least annually, the Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer provides the Board with a report reviewing the adequacy and effectiveness of the Trust’s policies and procedures and those of its service providers, including Krane and the Sub-Adviser. The report addresses the operation of the policies and procedures of the Trust and each service provider since the date of the last report; material changes to the policies and procedures since the date of the last report; any recommendations for material changes to the policies and procedures; and material compliance matters since the date of the last report.

 

The Board receives reports from the Trust’s service providers regarding operational risks, portfolio valuation and other matters. Annually, an independent registered public accounting firm reviews with the Audit Committee its audit of the Trust’s financial statements, focusing on major areas of risk encountered by the Trust and noting any significant deficiencies or material weaknesses in the Trust’s internal controls.

 

The Board recognizes that not all risks that may affect the Fund can be identified, that it may not be practical or cost-effective to eliminate or mitigate certain risks, that it may be necessary to bear certain risks (such as investment-related risks) to achieve the Fund’s goals, and that the processes, procedures and controls employed to address certain risks may be limited in their effectiveness. Moreover, despite the periodic reports the Board receives and the Board’s discussions with the service providers to the Fund, it may not be made aware of all of the relevant information of a particular risk. Most of the Trust’s investment management and business affairs are carried out by or through each fund’s advisers and other service providers, each of which has an independent interest in risk management but whose policies and methods by which one or more risk management functions are carried out may differ from the Trust’s and each other’s in the setting of priorities, the resources available or the effectiveness of relevant controls. As a result of the foregoing and other factors, the Board’s risk management oversight is subject to substantial limitations.

 

Members of the Board and Officers of the Trust

Set forth below are the names, birth years, position with the Trust, term of office, and the principal occupations for a minimum of the last five years, number of portfolios overseen by, and other directorships of each of the persons currently serving as members of the Board and as Executive Officers of the Trust. Also included below is the term of office for each of the Executive Officers of the Trust. The members of the Board serve as Trustees for the life of the Trust or until retirement, removal, or their office is terminated pursuant to the Trust’s Declaration of Trust.

 

The Chairman of the Board, Jonathan Krane, is an interested person of the Trust as that term is defined in the 1940 Act. No single independent Trustee serves as a lead independent Trustee. The Trust has determined its leadership structure is appropriate given the specific characteristics the Trust and its operations. The Trust made this determination in consideration of, among other things, the fact that the Trustees who are not interested persons of the Trust (i.e., “independent Trustees”) constitute at least fifty percent (50%) of the Board, the fact that the Audit Committee is composed of the independent Trustees, and the number of funds (and classes of shares) overseen by the Board. The Board also believes that its leadership structure facilitates the orderly and efficient flow of information to the independent Trustees from Fund management.

 

26
 

 

Name, Address 
and Year of Birth of
Trustee/Officer
Position(s)
Held with 
the Trust,
Term of Office
and Length of
Time Served
Principal Occupation(s) 
During Past 5 Years

 

Number of
Portfolios in
Fund
Complex
Overseen 
by Trustee/
Officer

Other
Directorships
Held
Interested Trustee

Jonathan Krane*

1350 Avenue of the Americas, 2nd Floor

New York, NY 10019

 

(1968)

Trustee and Chairman of the Board, No set term; served since 2012 Principal of Krane Capital LLC from June 2009 to present.  Chief Executive Officer of Krane Funds Advisors, LLC from May 2011 to present.  Chief Executive Officer of Harvest Krane LLC from June 2012 to February 2014.  Chief Executive Officer of Emma Entertainment from March 2004 to May 2009. [8] None
Independent Trustees

Robb T. Doub

1350 Avenue of the Americas, 2nd Floor

New York, NY 10019

(1968)

Trustee, No set term; served since 2013 General Partner of New Markets Venture Partners from January 2003 to present. [8] None

John Ferguson

1350 Avenue of the Americas, 2nd Floor

New York, NY 10019

 

(1966)

Trustee, No set term; served since 2012

Chief Operating Officer of Kang Global Investors LP from May 2014 to present. President of Alden Global Capital, LLC (hedge fund adviser) from April 2012 to April 2014 (formerly, Chief Operating Officer from November 2011 to April 2012). Senior Managing Director and Chief Operating Officer of K2 Advisors, L.L.C. from April 2005 to October 2011.

 

[8] None

Matthew Stroyman

1350 Avenue of the Americas, 2nd Floor

New York, NY 10019

 

(1968)

Trustee, No set term; served since 2012 Co-Founder, President and Chief Operating Officer of Arcturus (real estate asset and investment management services firm) from September 2007 to present. [8] None

 

27
 

 

Name, Address 
and Year of Birth of
Trustee/Officer
Position(s)
Held with 
the Trust,
Term of Office
and Length of
Time Served
Principal Occupation(s) 
During Past 5 Years

 

Number of
Portfolios in
Fund
Complex
Overseen 
by Trustee/
Officer

Other
Directorships
Held
Officers

Jonathan Krane

1350 Avenue of the Americas, 2nd Floor

New York, NY 10019

 

(1968)

Principal Executive Officer and Principal Financial Officer, No set term; served since 2012 Principal of Krane Capital LLC from June 2009 to present.   Chief Executive Officer of Krane Funds Advisors, LLC from May 2011 to present.  Chief Executive Officer of Harvest Krane LLC from June 2012 to February 2014.  Chief Executive Officer of Emma Entertainment from March 2004 to May 2009. [8] None

Jennifer Tarleton (formerly Krane)

1350 Avenue of the Americas, 2nd Floor

New York, NY 10019

 

(1966)

Vice President and Secretary, No set term; served since 2012 Principal of Krane Capital LLC from June 2009 to present.  Vice President of Krane Funds Advisors, LLC from May 2011 to present.  Sole Practitioner of Jennifer Krane, Esq. from March 2001 to June 2009. [8] None

Dianne Mattioli

1350 Avenue of the Americas, 2nd Floor

New York, NY 10019

 

(1956)

Chief Compliance Officer, No set term; served since December 2014 Principal/President of Regulatory Compliance Solutions Inc. since February 2013; Outsourced CCO for HedgeMark, a Bank of New York affiliate from June 2013 to September 2014; CCO of EIM Management (USA) Inc. from March 2006 to May 2013. [8] None

Peter Rodriguez
SEI Investments Company One Freedom Valley Drive Oaks, PA 19456

(1962)

Assistant
Treasurer, No set term; served since 2013
Director, Fund Accounting of SEI Investments Global Funds Services from 2011 to present, 1997 to 2005.  Director, Mutual Fund Trading of SEI Private Trust Company from 2009 to 2011.   Director, Asset Data Services of Global Wealth Services from 2006 to 2009; Director, Portfolio Accounting of SEI Investments Global Fund Services from 2005 to 2006. [8] None
             

*Mr. Krane is an “interested” person of the Trust, as that term is defined in the 1940 Act, by virtue of his ownership and controlling interest in Krane.

 

28
 

 

Board Standing Committees

The Board has established the following standing committees:

 

Audit Committee. Each independent trustee is a member of the Trust’s Audit Committee (the “Audit Committee”). The principal responsibilities of the Audit Committee are the appointment, compensation and oversight of the Trust’s independent auditors, including the resolution of disagreements regarding financial reporting between Trust management and such independent auditors. The Audit Committee’s responsibilities include, without limitation, to (i) oversee the accounting and financial reporting processes of the Trust and its internal control over financial reporting and, as the Committee deems appropriate, inquire into the internal control over financial reporting of certain third-party service providers; (ii) oversee the quality and integrity of the Fund’s financial statements and the independent audits thereof; (iii) oversee, or, as appropriate, assist Board oversight of, the Trust’s compliance with legal and regulatory requirements that relate to the Trust’s accounting and financial reporting, internal control over financial reporting and independent audits; (iv) approve prior to appointment the engagement of the Trust’s independent auditors and, in connection therewith, review and evaluate the qualifications, independence and performance of the Trust’s independent auditors; and (v) act as a liaison between the Trust’s independent auditors and the full Board. The Board of the Trust has adopted a written charter for the Audit Committee. The independent trustees’ independent legal counsel assists the Audit Committee in connection with these duties. During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2015, the Audit Committee held [ ] meetings.

 

Nominating Committee. Each independent trustee is also a member of the Trust’s Nominating Committee. The principal responsibilities of the Nominating Committee are to (i) oversee Fund governance matters and (ii) identify individuals qualified to serve as independent trustees of the Trust and to recommend its nominees for consideration by the full Board. While the Nominating Committee is solely responsible for the selection and nomination of the Trust’s independent trustees, it may consider nominations for the office of Trustee made by Trust stockholders as it deems appropriate. The Nominating Committee considers nominees recommended by shareholders if such nominees are submitted in accordance with Rule 14a-8 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “1934 Act”), in conjunction with a shareholder meeting to consider the election of Trustees. Trust stockholders who wish to recommend a nominee should send nominations to the Secretary of the Trust that include biographical information and set forth the qualifications of the proposed nominee. During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2015, the Nominating Committee held [ ] meetings.

 

Individual Trustee Qualifications

The Trust has concluded that each of the Trustees should serve on the Board because of his or her ability to review and understand information about the Trust and the Fund provided by management, to identify and request other information he or she may deem relevant to the performance of the Trustees’ duties, to question management and other service providers regarding material factors bearing on the management and administration of the Fund, and to exercise his or her business judgment in a manner that serves the best interests of the Fund’s shareholders. The Trust has concluded that each of the Trustees should serve as a Trustee based on his or her own experience, qualifications, attributes and skills as described below.

 

The Trust has concluded that Mr. Krane should serve as Trustee because of his knowledge of, and the executive positions he holds in, the financial services industry. Specifically, Mr. Krane currently serves as Chief Executive Officer of four separate firms within the financial services industry, including Krane, an investment adviser affiliated with Krane, a financial consulting firm affiliated with Krane, and a distribution company also affiliated with Krane. As Chief Executive Officer of these companies, and in particular as Chief Executive Officer of Krane, Mr. Krane contributes expertise and institutional knowledge relating to the structure of the “Krane” organization and the way that the “Krane” business operates. Mr. Krane also served as Chief Executive Officer of the China division of a multinational company, where he gained valuable experience in managing a business and critical knowledge of business and investment opportunities in China. In addition, he has served on the boards of different corporations and, in doing so, has first-hand knowledge of the fiduciary duties and responsibilities bestowed upon trustees and directors. Mr. Krane’s experience as serving as Chief Executive Officer for multiple businesses in the financial services industry, his familiarity with the “Krane” complex, and his experience in serving on the boards of various companies qualify him to serve as a Trustee of the Trust.

 

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The Trust has concluded that Mr. Doub should serve as Trustee because of the experience he has gained working in the financial services industry over the years. In particular, Mr. Doub has extensive experience in managing venture capital funds, including sourcing, analyzing, performing due diligence, closing, managing investment and reporting to limited partners, and is general partner of a venture capital firm that invests in and actively assists education, information technology and business services companies. He regularly works with portfolio companies on budgeting, financial reporting, fund raising, acquisition and joint venture strategy, executive recruiting, exit strategy, market strategy, cash management strategy, and product development. Prior to that, Mr. Doub served as an investment analyst at a large mutual fund company, where he gained experience and knowledge regarding the mutual fund industry. Mr. Doub serves as director or conflict advisory board member on a number of different boards, including boards of hedge funds. Mr. Doub’s experience in the financial services and mutual fund industries, his day-to-day management of venture capital funds, and his leadership positions in a venture capital firm and on various company boards qualify him to serve as a Trustee of the Trust.

 

The Trust has concluded that Mr. Ferguson should serve as Trustee because of the experience he has gained working in the financial services and legal industries over the years. In particular, Mr. Ferguson has extensive experience in managing global investment adviser firms, including the management, creation and success of hedge funds. Prior to that, Mr. Ferguson served as a corporate securities and tax attorney assisting and counseling clients with the organization and creation of both domestic and offshore funds. In addition, Mr. Ferguson has served as an officer for two registered investment companies and, in doing so, has gained experience and knowledge regarding the mutual fund industry. Mr. Ferguson’s experience in the financial services, mutual fund and legal industries and his day-to-day work in managing successful investment advisory firms, qualify him to serve as a Trustee of the Trust.

 

The Trust has concluded that Mr. Stroyman should serve as Trustee because of the experience he has gained working in the financial services and real estate industries. Working as an investment banker early in his career, Mr. Stroyman developed a strong base of knowledge regarding corporate finance, structuring, public and private securities, and company valuations. Through his work in the real estate industry and relationships with large investment management firms, Mr. Stroyman has gained an understanding of sophisticated financial products. He has advised institutional clients including pension funds, endowments and other qualified investors in asset management, risk assessment, and repositioning and disposition of underperforming assets. The knowledge Mr. Stroyman has gained over the years working in the financial services and real estate industries and his value and understanding of fiduciary duties and responsibilities qualify him to serve as Trustee of the Trust.

 

Fund Shares Owned by Board Members

The Fund is new and, therefore, as of the date of this SAI none of the Trustees beneficially owned shares of the Fund. “Beneficial ownership” is determined in accordance with Rule 16a-1(a)(2) under the 1934 Act.

 

Board Compensation

[The Board has unanimously voted to forego the receipt of compensation for providing services to the Trust. Therefore, the Trustees did not receive compensation for serving on the Board for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2015 [and it is not anticipated that the Trustees will receive compensation for serving on the Board for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2016.]]

 

INVESTMENT MANAGER

 

Krane Funds Advisors, LLC, or Krane, serves as investment manager to the Fund pursuant to an Investment Advisory Agreement between the Trust and Krane (the “Advisory Agreement”). Krane is a Delaware limited liability company registered as an investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the “Advisers Act”). Krane’s offices are located at 1350 Avenue of the Americas, 2nd Floor, New York, New York 10019.

 

30
 

 

Under the Advisory Agreement, Krane has overall responsibility for the general management and administration of the Fund. Krane provides a continuous investment program for the Fund. Krane also arranges for sub-advisory, transfer agency, custody, fund administration and all other non-distribution-related services necessary for the Fund to operate. The Fund pays Krane a fee equal to [ ]% of the Fund’s net assets. Krane has agreed to pay all expenses of the Fund, except interest expense, taxes, Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses, if any, brokerage commissions and derivative counterparty fees and other expenses connected with execution of portfolio transactions, expenses of the Independent Trustees (including any Trustees’ counsel fees), extraordinary expenses, distribution fees and expenses paid by the Trust under any distribution plan adopted pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act, if any, and the advisory fee payable to Krane.

 

The Advisory Agreement with respect to the Fund continues in effect for two years from its effective date, and thereafter is subject to annual approval by (i) the Board of Trustees of the Trust or (ii) the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Fund, provided that in either event such continuance also is approved by a vote of a majority of the Trustees of the Trust who are not interested persons (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Fund, by a vote cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval. If the shareholders of the Fund fail to approve the Advisory Agreement, Krane may continue to serve in the manner and to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act and rules and regulations thereunder.

 

The Advisory Agreement with respect to the Fund is terminable without any penalty, by vote of the Board of Trustees of the Trust or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Fund, or by Krane, in each case on not less than sixty (60) days’ prior written notice to the other party; provided that a shorter notice period shall be permitted for the Fund in the event its shares are no longer listed on a national securities exchange or in such other circumstances where the Fund waives such notice period. The Advisory Agreement will terminate automatically and immediately in the event of its “assignment” (as defined in the 1940 Act).

 

Krane has received “manager of managers” exemptive relief from the SEC that permits Krane, subject to the approval of the Board of Trustees, to appoint an unaffiliated sub-adviser or to change the terms of an advisory agreement with an unaffiliated sub-adviser for the Fund without first obtaining shareholder approval. The exemptive order permits the Fund to add or to change unaffiliated sub-advisers or to change the fees paid to such parties from time to time without the expense and delays associated with obtaining shareholder approval of the change. Any increase in the aggregate advisory fee paid by the Fund remains subject to shareholder approval. Under this order, Krane has ultimate responsibility (subject to oversight by the Board of Trustees) to oversee the sub-advisers and recommend their hiring, termination, and replacement. The order permits the Fund to disclose sub-advisers’ fees only in the aggregate in its registration statement. The Fund will notify shareholders of any change in the identity of a sub-adviser or the addition of a sub-adviser to the Fund.

 

SUB-ADVISER

 

Krane has retained Index Management Solutions, LLC, located at One Commerce Square, 2005 Market Street, Suite 2020, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103, to serve as sub-adviser to the Fund. The Sub-Adviser was established in 2009 and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of VTL Associates, LLC. Pursuant to a Sub-Advisory Agreement dated December 12, 2012 (the “Sub-Advisory Agreement”), the Sub-Adviser is responsible for selecting the representative sample of securities and trading portfolio securities on behalf of the Fund, including selecting broker-dealers to execute purchase and sale transactions as instructed by Krane or in connection with any rebalancing or reconstitution of the Underlying Index, subject to the supervision of the Adviser. Pursuant to the Sub-Advisory Agreement, Krane pays the Sub-Adviser a fee, which is calculated daily and paid monthly, at an annual rate of [ ].

 

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The Sub-Advisory Agreement with respect to the Fund continues in effect for two years from its effective date, and thereafter is subject to annual approval by (i) the Board of Trustees of the Trust or (ii) the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Fund, provided that in either event such continuance is also approved by a vote of a majority of the Trustees of the Trust who are not interested persons (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Fund, by a vote cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval.

 

The Sub-Advisory Agreement with respect to the Fund is terminable without any penalty, by vote of the Board of Trustees of the Trust or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Fund, or by Krane or the Trust at any time, and without the payment of penalty, in each case on sixty (60) days’ prior written notice to the Sub-Adviser. The Sub-Adviser may terminate the Sub-Advisory Agreement at any time, without the payment of penalty, on sixty (60) days’ prior written notice to Krane. The Sub-Advisory Agreement will terminate automatically and immediately in the event of its “assignment” (as defined in the 1940 Act) or upon termination of the Advisory Agreement.

 

PORTFOLIO MANAGERS

 

Justin V. Lowry and Sean P. Reichert are responsible for trading the Fund’s portfolio securities.

 

Mr. Lowry is a Portfolio Manager with the Sub-Adviser. Mr. Lowry has been with the Sub-Adviser since its founding in 2009 and has six years of experience in the investment management industry, currently managing and trading over $2 billion in total assets. Mr. Lowry has also worked to create and develop customized indexes that have been developed into exchange-traded products. Mr. Lowry graduated with a B.S. in Business Management from St. Joseph’s University.

 

Mr. Reichert is a Portfolio Manager with the Sub-Adviser. Mr. Reichert has been with the Sub-Adviser since its founding in 2009. Prior to joining the Sub-Adviser, Mr. Reichert worked as an investment consultant for VTL Associates, the parent company of IMS, where he focused on creating asset allocation models for institutional investors. He also worked in the Public Finance department at Janney Montgomery Scott, a regional investment bank. Mr. Reichert graduated with a B.S. in Economics with a concentration in Finance from The Wharton School of The University of Pennsylvania. He is currently a Level II Chartered Financial Analyst (“CFA”) candidate.

 

Portfolio Manager Fund Ownership. The Fund is required to show the dollar range of the portfolio managers’ “beneficial ownership” of shares of the Fund as of the end of the most recently completed fiscal year. Dollar amount ranges disclosed are established by the SEC. As of the date of this SAI, the portfolio managers did not beneficially own shares of the Fund because the Fund is new.

 

Other Accounts. The portfolio managers are responsible for the day-to-day management of certain other accounts, as follows:

 

Name Registered
Investment Companies*
Other Pooled
Investment Vehicles*
Other Accounts*
Number
of
Accounts
Total Assets
($ millions)
Number
of
Accounts
Total Assets 
($ millions)
Number of
Accounts
Total Assets
($ millions)
Justin Lowry [19] $[1,225] [3] $[609,842] [  ] $[  ]
Sean Reichert [19] $[1,225] [3] $[609,842] [  ] $[  ]

 

* Information provided is as of [March 20], 2015.

 

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Portfolio Manager Compensation. The Portfolio Managers receive a fixed base salary and incentive awards based on profitability, growth in assets, and long-term investment performance. Key staff members of the Sub-Adviser are eligible to participate in a deferred compensation plan due to their high level of accountability and upon demonstrating a successful long-term performance track record. The value of the award increases during a vesting period based upon the profitability of the firm. Voluntary contributions may be made to a defined contribution plan.

 

Description of Material Conflicts of Interest. The Portfolio Managers’ management of “other accounts” may give rise to potential conflicts of interest in connection with their management of the Fund’s investments, on the one hand, and the investments of the other accounts, on the other. The other accounts may have the same investment objective as the Fund. Therefore, a potential conflict of interest may arise as a result of the identical investment objectives, whereby the portfolio managers could favor one account over another. Another potential conflict could include the portfolio managers’ knowledge of the size, timing and possible market impact of Fund trades, whereby the portfolio managers could use this information to the advantage of other accounts, including personal trading, and to the disadvantage of the Fund. However, the Sub-Adviser has established policies and procedures to ensure that the purchase and sale of securities among all accounts it manages are fairly and equitably allocated and the Sub-Adviser monitors and limits personal trading in accordance with its Code of Ethics, as described below.

 

CODES OF ETHICS

 

The Trust, Krane and the Sub-Adviser have each adopted a Code of Ethics pursuant to Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act. The Codes of Ethics apply to the personal investing activities of trustees, directors, officers and certain employees (“access persons”). Rule 17j-1 and the Codes of Ethics are designed to prevent unlawful practices in connection with the purchase or sale of securities by access persons. Under the Codes of Ethics, access persons are permitted to engage in personal securities transactions, but are required to report their personal securities transactions for monitoring purposes. In addition, certain access persons are required to obtain approval before investing in private placements and are prohibited from investing in initial public offerings. Each Code of Ethics is on file with the SEC and is available to the public.

 

PROXY VOTING POLICY

 

The Trust has adopted as its proxy voting policies for the Fund the proxy voting guidelines of Krane, a summary of which are set forth in Appendix B to this SAI. The Trust has delegated to Krane the authority and responsibility for voting proxies on the portfolio securities held by the Fund.

 

The Trust is required to disclose annually the Fund’s complete proxy voting record on Form N-PX covering the period from July 1 of one year through June 30 of the next and to file Form N-PX with the SEC no later than August 31 of each year. When available, the current Form N-PX for the Fund may be obtained at no charge upon request by calling 1.855.857.2638 or through the Trust’s website at www.kraneshares.com, when available, the Fund’s Form N-PX will also be available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

 

ADMINISTRATOR

 

SEI Investments Global Funds Services (the “Administrator”) serves as administrator for the Fund. SEI Investments Management Corporation (“SIMC”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of SEI Investments Company (“SEI Investments”), is the owner of all beneficial interest in the Administrator. The principal address of the Administrator is One Freedom Valley Drive, Oaks, Pennsylvania 19456. Under an Administration Agreement with the Trust dated December 18, 2012, as amended (the “Administration Agreement”), the Administrator provides necessary administrative and accounting services for the maintenance and operations of the Trust and the Fund. In addition, the Administrator makes available the office space, equipment, personnel and facilities required to provide such services.

 

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For its services under the Administration Agreement, the Administrator is entitled to a fee, based on assets under management, subject to a minimum fee. The Administrator may be reimbursed by the Fund for its out-of-pocket expenses. The Advisory Agreement provides that Krane will pay certain operating expenses of the Trust, including the fees due to the Administrator under the Administration Agreement.

 

CUSTODIAN AND TRANSFER AGENT

 

Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. (“BBH”) serves as custodian and transfer agent for the Trust.  The principal address of BBH is 50 Post Office Square, Boston, Massachusetts 02110.  Under the Custodian and Transfer Agent Agreement with the Trust dated December 12, 2012, BBH, in its capacity as custodian, maintains in separate accounts cash, securities and other assets of the Fund, keeps all necessary accounts and records, and provides other services. BBH is required, upon the order of the Trust, to deliver securities held by it, in its capacity as custodian, and to make payments for securities purchased by the Trust for the Fund.

 

BBH further acts as a transfer agent for the Trust’s authorized and issued shares of beneficial interest, and as dividend disbursing agent of the Trust, under the Custodian and Transfer Agent Agreement.  The Advisory Agreement provides that Krane will pay certain operating expenses of the Trust, including the fees due to BBH under the Custodian and Transfer Agent Agreement.

 

DISTRIBUTOR AND DISTRIBUTION ARRANGEMENTS

 

SEI Investments Distribution Co., a wholly-owned subsidiary of SEI Investments, and an affiliate of the Administrator, serves as Distributor for the Trust. The principal address of the Distributor is One Freedom Valley Drive, Oaks, Pennsylvania 19456. The Distributor has entered into a Distribution Agreement with the Trust dated December 18, 2012, as amended (the “Distribution Agreement”) pursuant to which it distributes shares of the Fund. The Distribution Agreement will continue for two years from its effective date and is renewable annually. Shares are continuously offered for sale by the Fund through the Distributor only in Creation Units, as described in the Fund’s Prospectus and below in the “Creation and Redemption of Creation Units” section. Shares in less than Creation Units are not distributed by the Distributor. The Distributor is a broker-dealer registered under the 1934 Act and a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”). The Distributor is not affiliated with Krane, the Sub-Adviser or any national securities exchange.

 

The Distribution Agreement provides that it may be terminated at any time, without the payment of any penalty: (i) by a vote of a majority of the Independent Trustees; (ii) by a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Fund; or (iii) on at least thirty (30) days’ prior written notice to the other party. The Distribution Agreement will terminate automatically in the event of its assignment (as defined in the 1940 Act).

 

The Distributor also may enter into agreements with securities dealers (“Soliciting Dealers”) who will solicit purchases of Creation Units of shares. Such Soliciting Dealers also may be Authorized Participants (as defined below) or DTC Participants (as defined below).

 

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Distribution Plan. The Fund has adopted a Distribution Plan applicable to the Fund’s shares. Under the Distribution Plan, the Distributor, or designated Service Providers, may receive up to 0.25% of the Fund’s assets attributable to shares as compensation for distribution services pursuant to Rule 12b-1 of the 1940 Act. Distribution services may include: (i) services in connection with distribution assistance, or (ii) payments to financial institutions and other financial intermediaries, such as broker-dealers, mutual fund “supermarkets” and the Distributor’s affiliates and subsidiaries, as compensation for services or reimbursement of expenses incurred in connection with distribution assistance. The Distributor may, at its discretion, retain a portion of such payments to compensate itself for distribution services and distribution related expenses such as the costs of preparation, printing, mailing or otherwise disseminating sales literature, advertising, and prospectuses (other than those furnished to current shareholders of the Fund), promotional and incentive programs, and such other marketing expenses that the Distributor may incur. The plan is a compensation plan, which means that the Distributor is compensated regardless of its expenses, as opposed to a reimbursement plan which reimburses only for expenses incurred.

 

[No distribution fees are currently charged to the Fund; there are no plans to impose these fees, and no such fees will be charged prior to the conclusion of one year from the date of the Fund’s Prospectus. The Plan was adopted in order to permit the implementation of the Fund’s method of distribution. In the event that 12b-1 fees are charged in the future, because the Fund pays these fees out of assets on an ongoing basis, over time these fees may cost you more than other types of sales charges and will increase the cost of your investment in the Fund.]

 

The Plan will remain in effect for a period of one year and is renewable from year to year with respect to the Fund, so long as its continuance is approved at least annually (1) by the vote of a majority of the Trustees and (2) by a vote of the majority of those Independent Trustees who have no direct or indirect financial interest in the Plan (“Rule 12b-1 Trustees”), cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval. The Plan may not be amended to increase materially the amount of fees paid by the Fund unless such amendment is approved by a 1940 Act majority vote of the outstanding shares and by the Fund’s Trustees in the manner described above. The Plan is terminable with respect to the Fund at any time by a vote of a majority of the Rule 12b-1 Trustees or by a 1940 Act majority vote of the outstanding shares.

 

Intermediary Compensation. Krane or its affiliates, out of their own resources and not out of the Fund’s assets (i.e., without additional cost to the Fund or its shareholders), may pay certain broker dealers, banks and other financial intermediaries (“Intermediaries”), to the extent permitted by applicable law, for certain activities related to the Fund, including marketing and education support and the sale of the Fund’s shares. These arrangements are sometimes referred to as “revenue sharing” arrangements. Revenue sharing arrangements are not financed by the Fund and, thus, do not result in increased Fund expenses. They are not reflected in the fees and expenses listed in the fees and expenses sections of the Prospectus and they do not change the price paid by investors for the purchase of the Fund’s shares or the amount received by a shareholder as proceeds from the redemption of shares of the Fund.

 

Such compensation may be paid to Intermediaries that provide services to the Fund, including marketing and education support (such as through conferences, webinars and printed communications). Such compensation may also be paid to Intermediaries for inclusion of the Fund on a sales list, including a preferred or select sales list, in other sales programs. Krane periodically assesses the advisability of continuing to make these payments.

 

Payments to an Intermediary may be significant to the Intermediary, and amounts that Intermediaries pay to your adviser, broker or other investment professional, if any, may also be significant to such adviser, broker or investment professional. Because an Intermediary may make decisions about what investment options it will make available or recommend, and what services to provide in connection with various products, based on payments it receives or is eligible to receive, such payments create conflicts of interest between the Intermediary and its clients. For example, these financial incentives may cause the Intermediary to recommend the Fund over other investments. The same conflict of interest exists with respect to your financial adviser, broker or investment professionals if he or she receives similar payments from his or her Intermediary firm.

 

Intermediary information is current only as of the date of this SAI. Please contact your adviser, broker or other investment professional for more information regarding any payments his or her Intermediary firm may receive. Any payments made by Krane or its affiliates to an Intermediary may create an incentive for the Intermediary to encourage customers to buy shares of the Fund.

 

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CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL HOLDERS OF SECURITIES

 

The Fund has not yet commenced operations and, therefore, there were no Beneficial Owners, as that term is defined below, as of the date of this SAI, except for Krane, which will own the initial shares issued by the Fund and can thus approve any matter requiring shareholder approval. Once the Fund commences operations, Krane’s ownership is expected to be minimal.

 

EXCHANGE LISTING AND TRADING

 

A discussion of exchange listing and trading matters associated with an investment in the Fund is contained in the Prospectus. The discussion below supplements, and should be read in conjunction with, such sections of the Prospectus.

 

The shares of the Fund are listed and traded on the Exchange at prices that may differ from the Fund’s NAV. There can be no assurance that the Exchange requirements necessary to maintain the listing of the shares of the Fund will continue to be met. The Exchange may, but is not required to, remove the shares of the Fund from listing if: (i) following the initial 12-month period beginning at the commencement of trading of the Fund, there are fewer than fifty (50) Beneficial Owners (as that term is defined below) of the shares of the Fund for thirty (30) or more consecutive trading days; (ii) the value of the Underlying Index is no longer calculated or available; or (iii) such other event shall occur or condition exist that, in the opinion of the Exchange, makes further dealings on the Exchange inadvisable. The Exchange will remove the shares of the Fund from listing and trading upon termination of the Fund.

 

As in the case of other stocks traded on the Exchange, broker’s commissions on purchases or sales of shares in market transactions will be based on negotiated commission rates at customary levels.

 

The Trust reserves the right to adjust the price levels of shares in the future to help maintain convenient trading ranges for investors. Any adjustments would be accomplished through stock splits or reverse stock splits, which would have no effect on the net assets of the Fund.

 

BOOK ENTRY ONLY SYSTEM

 

The information below supplements and should be read in conjunction with the section in the Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information.”

 

The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) acts as securities depository for the Fund’s shares. Shares of the Fund are represented by securities registered in the name of the DTC or its nominee, Cede & Co., and deposited with, or on behalf of, the DTC.

 

The DTC, a limited-purpose trust company, was created to hold securities of its participants (“DTC Participants”) and to facilitate the clearance and settlement of securities transactions among the DTC Participants in such securities through electronic book-entry changes in accounts of the DTC Participants, thereby eliminating the need for physical movement of securities’ certificates. DTC Participants include securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and certain other organizations, some of whom (and/or their representatives) own the DTC. More specifically, the DTC is owned by a number of its DTC Participants and by the NYSE and FINRA. Access to the DTC system is also available to others such as banks, brokers, dealers and trust companies that clear through or maintain a custodial relationship with a DTC Participant, either directly or indirectly (the “Indirect Participants”).

 

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Beneficial ownership of shares is limited to DTC Participants, Indirect Participants and persons holding interests through DTC Participants and Indirect Participants. Ownership of beneficial interests in shares (owners of such beneficial interests are referred to herein as “Beneficial Owners”) is shown on, and the transfer of ownership is effected only through, records maintained by the DTC (with respect to DTC Participants) and on the records of DTC Participants (with respect to Indirect Participants and Beneficial Owners that are not DTC Participants). Beneficial Owners will receive from or through the DTC Participant a written confirmation relating to their purchase of shares. The laws of some jurisdictions may require that certain purchasers of securities take physical delivery of such securities in definitive form. Such laws may impair the ability of certain investors to acquire beneficial interests in shares.

 

Conveyance of all notices, statements and other communications to Beneficial Owners is effected as follows. Pursuant to the Depositary Agreement between the Trust and the DTC, the DTC is required to make available to the Trust upon request and for a fee to be charged to the Trust a listing of the shares of the Fund held by each DTC Participant. The Trust shall inquire of each such DTC Participant as to the number of Beneficial Owners holding shares, directly or indirectly, through such DTC Participant. The Trust shall provide each such DTC Participant with copies of such notice, statement or other communication, in such form, number and at such place as such DTC Participant may reasonably request, in order that such notice, statement or communication may be transmitted by such DTC Participant, directly or indirectly, to such Beneficial Owners. In addition, the Trust shall pay to each such DTC Participant a fair and reasonable amount as reimbursement for the expenses attendant to such transmittal, all subject to applicable statutory and regulatory requirements.

 

Share distributions shall be made to the DTC or its nominee, Cede & Co., as the registered holder of all shares. The DTC or its nominee, upon receipt of any such distributions, shall credit immediately DTC Participants’ accounts with payments in amounts proportionate to their respective beneficial interests in shares of the Fund as shown on the records of the DTC or its nominee. Payments by DTC Participants to Indirect Participants and Beneficial Owners of shares held through such DTC Participants will be governed by standing instructions and customary practices, as is now the case with securities held for the accounts of customers in bearer form or registered in a “street name,” and will be the responsibility of such DTC Participants.

 

The Trust has no responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to or notices to Beneficial Owners, or payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests in such shares, or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to such beneficial ownership interests, or for any other aspect of the relationship between the DTC and DTC Participants or the relationship between such DTC Participants and the Indirect Participants and Beneficial Owners owning through such DTC Participants.

 

The DTC may decide to discontinue providing its service with respect to shares at any time by giving reasonable notice to the Trust and discharging its responsibilities with respect thereto under applicable law. Under such circumstances, the Trust shall take action to find a replacement for the DTC to perform its functions at a comparable cost.

 

BROKERAGE TRANSACTIONS

 

The Sub-Adviser assumes general supervision over placing orders on behalf of the Fund for the purchase and sale of portfolio securities. Chinese regulations and market practice may limit the amount of brokers that are available to execute portfolio transactions for the Fund’s investments in A-shares. Where multiple brokers are available to execute portfolio transactions, in selecting the brokers or dealers for any transaction in portfolio securities, the Sub-Adviser’s policy is to make such selection based on factors deemed relevant, including but not limited to, the breadth of the market in the security; the price of the security; the reasonableness of the commission or mark-up or mark-down, if any; execution capability; settlement capability; back office efficiency; and the financial condition of the broker or dealer, both for the specific transaction and on a continuing basis. The overall reasonableness of brokerage commissions paid is evaluated by the Sub-Adviser based upon its knowledge of available information as to the general level of commissions paid by other institutional investors for comparable services. Brokers may also be selected because of their ability to handle special or difficult executions, such as may be involved in large block trades, less liquid securities, broad distributions, or other circumstances. The Sub-Adviser does not consider the provision or value of research, products or services a broker or dealer may provide, if any, as a factor in the selection of a broker or dealer or the determination of the reasonableness of commissions paid in connection with portfolio transactions. The Trust has adopted policies and procedures that prohibit the consideration of sales of the Fund’s shares as a factor in the selection of a broker or a dealer to execute its portfolio transactions.

 

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When one or more broker-dealers is believed capable of providing the best combination of price and execution, the Sub-Adviser is not required to select a broker-dealer based on the lowest commission rate available for a particular transaction. In such cases, the Sub-Adviser may pay a higher commission than otherwise obtainable from other brokers in return for brokerage research services provided to the Sub-Adviser consistent with Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”). Section 28(e) provides that the Sub-Adviser may cause the Fund to pay a broker-dealer a commission for effecting a transaction in excess of the amount of commission another broker or dealer would have charged as long as the Sub-Adviser makes a good faith determination that the amount of commission is reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and research services provided by the broker-dealer. To the extent the Sub-Adviser obtains brokerage and research services that it otherwise would acquire at its own expense, the Sub-Adviser may have incentive to place a greater volume of transactions or pay higher commissions than would otherwise be the case.

 

The Sub-Adviser will only obtain brokerage and research services from broker-dealers in arrangements that are consistent with Section 28(e) of the Exchange Act. The types of products and services that the Sub-Adviser may obtain from broker-dealers through such arrangements will include research reports and other information on the economy, industries, sectors, groups of securities, individual companies, statistical information, political developments, technical market action, pricing and appraisal services, credit analysis, risk measurement analysis, performance and other analysis. The Sub-Adviser may use products and services provided by brokers in servicing all of its client accounts and not all such products and services may necessarily be used in connection with the account that paid commissions to the broker-dealer providing such products and services. Any advisory or other fees paid to the Sub-Adviser are not reduced as a result of the receipt of brokerage and research services.

 

In some cases, a Sub-Adviser may receive a product or service from a broker that has both a “research” and a “non-research” use. When this occurs, the Sub-Adviser will make a good faith allocation between the research and non-research uses of the product or service. The percentage of the service that is used for research purposes may be paid for with brokerage commissions, while the Sub-Adviser will use its own funds to pay for the percentage of the service that is used for non-research purposes. In making this good faith allocation, the Sub-Adviser faces a potential conflict of interest, but the Sub-Adviser believes that its allocation procedures are reasonably designed to appropriately allocate the anticipated use of such products and services to research and non-research uses.

 

The Trust has adopted policies and procedures that prohibit the consideration of sales of the Fund’s shares as a factor in the selection of a broker or a dealer to execute its portfolio transactions.

 

Brokerage Commissions

The Fund is new and therefore has not paid any brokerage commissions.

 

Affiliated Brokers

The Fund is new and therefore has not paid any commissions to any affiliated brokers.

 

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Regular Broker-Dealers

The Fund is new and did not acquire securities from its regular brokers or dealers (as defined in the 1940 Act) or their parents.

 

Portfolio Turnover

Portfolio turnover may vary from year to year, as well as within a year, and generally relates to changes in the Underlying Index. High turnover rates are likely to result in comparatively greater brokerage expenses. The overall reasonableness of brokerage commissions is evaluated by Krane and the Sub-Adviser based upon their knowledge of available information as to the general level of commissions paid by the other institutional investors for comparable services. The Fund is new and therefore does not have a portfolio turnover rate.

 

CREATION AND REDEMPTION OF CREATION UNITS

 

General

The Trust issues and sells shares of the Fund only in Creation Units on a continuous basis through the Distributor, without a sales load, at the NAV next determined after receipt, on any Business Day (as defined below), of an order in proper form. Currently, the number of shares of the Fund that constitute a Creation Unit is 50,000. The Board reserves the right to declare a split or a consolidation in the number of shares outstanding of the Fund, and to make a corresponding change in the number of shares constituting a Creation Unit, in the event that the per share price in the secondary market rises (or declines) to an amount that falls outside the range deemed desirable by the Board. Shares of the Fund will only be issued against full payment, as described more fully in the Prospectus and this SAI.

 

Krane or the Sub-Adviser will convert subscriptions into the relevant foreign currency prior to investment at the applicable exchange rate and subject to the applicable spread. Krane or the Sub-Adviser will also sell the investments denominated in foreign currencies and convert such proceeds into U.S. Dollars at the applicable exchange rate and subject to the applicable spread. Those purchasing (or redeeming) Creation Units of the Fund bear the risk of any changes in the exchange rate between U.S. dollars and the foreign currencies between the time they place their order and the time that the Fund is able to convert any cash (shares) received into foreign currencies (U.S. Dollars).

 

A “Business Day” with respect to the Fund is any day on which the Exchange is open for business. As of the date of this SAI, the Exchange observes the following holidays, as observed: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

 

Fund Deposit

Due to various legal and operational constraints in China, the principal consideration for the purchase of a Creation Unit is expected to be cash. To the extent the Fund permits in-kind consideration for the purchase of a Creation Unit of the Fund, the consideration for purchase of Creation Units of the Fund generally consists of an in-kind deposit of a designated portfolio of securities (including any portion of such securities for which cash may be substituted (“Deposit Cash”)) (“Deposit Securities”) and the Cash Component computed as described below. Together, the Deposit Securities and the Cash Component constitute the “Fund Deposit,” which, when combined with the Fund’s portfolio securities, is designed to generate performance that has a collective investment profile similar to that of the Underlying Index. The Fund Deposit represents the minimum initial and subsequent investment amount for a Creation Unit of the Fund.

 

The “Cash Component” is an amount equal to the difference between the NAV of the shares (per Creation Unit) and the “Deposit Amount,” which is an amount equal to the market value of the Deposit Securities, and serves to compensate for any differences between the NAV per Creation Unit and the Deposit Amount. Payment of any stamp duty or other similar fees and expenses payable upon transfer of beneficial ownership of the Deposit Securities are the sole responsibility of the Authorized Participant purchasing the Creation Unit.

 

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The Custodian makes available through the NSCC on each Business Day, prior to the opening of business on the Exchange, the list of names and the required number of shares of each Deposit Security and the estimated amount of the Cash Component to be included in the current Fund Deposit (based on information as of the end of the previous Business Day for the Fund). Such Fund Deposit is applicable, subject to any adjustments as described below, in order to effect purchases of Creation Units of the Fund until such time as the next-announced Fund Deposit is made available.

 

The identity and number of shares of the Deposit Securities change pursuant to changes in the composition of the Fund’s portfolio and as rebalancing adjustments and corporate action events are reflected from time to time by Krane and the Sub-Adviser with a view to the investment objective of the Fund. The composition of the Deposit Securities may also change in response to adjustments to the weighting or composition of the component securities constituting the Underlying Index.

 

The Trust reserves the right to permit or require the substitution of an amount of cash (i.e., a “cash in lieu” amount) to replace any Deposit Security, which shall be added to the Deposit Cash, if applicable, and the Cash Component in the following situations: (i) to the extent there is Deposit Cash, as described herein; (ii) if, on a given Business Day, the Fund announces before the open of trading that all purchases, all redemptions or all purchases and redemptions on that day will be made entirely in cash; (iii) if, upon receiving a purchase order from an Authorized Participant, the Fund determines to require the purchase to be made entirely in cash; (iv) on a given Business Day, the Fund requires all Authorized Participants purchasing shares on that day to deposit cash in lieu of some or all of the Deposit Securities solely because: (a) such instruments are not eligible for transfer through either the NSCC or DTC systems; or (b) such instruments are not eligible for trading due to local trading restrictions, local restrictions on securities transfers or other similar circumstances; or (v) if the Fund permits an Authorized Participant to deposit cash in lieu of some or all of the Deposit Securities solely because: (a) such instruments are not available in sufficient quantity; or (b) such instruments are not eligible for trading by an Authorized Participant or the investor on whose behalf the Authorized Participant is acting (together with (v)(a), “custom orders”).

 

The Trust also reserves the right to include or remove Deposit Securities from the basket for one or more of the following reasons: (i) in the case of bonds, for minor differences when it is impossible to break up bonds beyond certain minimum sizes needed for transfer and settlement; (ii) for minor differences when rounding is necessary to eliminate fractional shares or lots that are not tradeable round lots; (iii) TBA Transactions, short positions and other positions that cannot be transferred in kind, including instruments that can be transferred in kind only with the consent of the original counterparty, will be excluded from the Deposit Securities and the Fund Securities; (iv) to the extent the Fund determines, on a given Business Day, to use a representative sampling of the Fund’s portfolio; or (v) for temporary periods, to effect changes in the Fund’s portfolio as a result of the rebalancing of the Underlying Index.

 

Cash Purchase Method

Cash purchases of Creation Units will be effected in essentially the same manner as in-kind purchases thereof. In the case of a partial or full cash purchase, the Authorized Participant must pay the cash equivalent of the Deposit Securities it would otherwise be required to provide through an in-kind purchase, plus the same Cash Component required to be paid by an in-kind purchaser.

 

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Role of the Authorized Participant 

Creation Units may be purchased only by or through a DTC Participant that has entered into an Authorized Participant Agreement with the Distributor (an “Authorized Participant”). Such Authorized Participant will agree, pursuant to the terms of such Authorized Participant Agreement and on behalf of itself or any investor on whose behalf it will act, to certain conditions, including that such Authorized Participant will make available in advance of each purchase of shares an amount of cash sufficient to pay the Cash Component, once the NAV of a Creation Unit is next determined after receipt of the purchase order in proper form, together with the transaction fee described below. The Authorized Participant may require the investor to enter into an agreement with such Authorized Participant with respect to certain matters, including payment of the Cash Component. Investors who are not Authorized Participants must make appropriate arrangements with an Authorized Participant. Investors should be aware that their particular broker may not be a DTC Participant or may not have executed an Authorized Participant Agreement and that orders to purchase Creation Units may have to be placed by the investor’s broker through an Authorized Participant. As a result, purchase orders placed through an Authorized Participant may result in additional charges to such investor. The Trust does not expect to enter into an Authorized Participant Agreement with more than a small number of DTC Participants. A list of current Authorized Participants may be obtained from the Distributor.

 

Purchase Orders

To initiate an order for a Creation Unit, an Authorized Participant must submit to the Distributor an irrevocable order to purchase shares of the Fund generally no later than [5:00 p.m.], Eastern Time on any Business Day to receive the next Business Day’s NAV. On days when the Exchange closes earlier than normal, the Fund may require orders for Creation Units to be placed earlier in the day. The Distributor will notify Krane and the Custodian of such order. The Custodian will then provide such information to any appropriate sub-custodian. Procedures and requirements governing the delivery of the Fund Deposit are set forth in the procedures handbook for Authorized Participants and may change from time to time. Those placing orders to purchase Creation Units through an Authorized Participant should allow sufficient time to permit proper submission of the purchase order to the Distributor by the Cutoff Time (as defined below) on such Business Day.

 

The Authorized Participant must also make available on or before the contractual settlement date, by means satisfactory to the Fund, immediately available or same day funds estimated by the Fund to be sufficient to pay the Cash Component next determined after acceptance of the purchase order, together with the applicable Deposit Cash and creation transaction fees. Any excess funds will be returned following settlement of the issue of the Creation Unit. Those placing orders should ascertain the deadline for cash transfers by contacting the operations department of the broker or depositary institution effectuating the transfer of the cash. This deadline is likely to be significantly earlier than the Cutoff Time of the Fund.

 

The Authorized Participant is responsible for any and all expenses and costs incurred by the Fund, including any applicable cash amounts, in connection with any purchase order.

 

Investors, other than Authorized Participants, are responsible for making arrangements for a creation request to be made through an Authorized Participant. The Distributor will provide a list of current Authorized Participants upon request. Investors should be aware that an Authorized Participant may require orders for purchases of shares placed with it to be in the particular form required by the individual Authorized Participant.

 

Timing of Submission of Purchase Orders

An Authorized Participant must submit an irrevocable order to purchase shares of the Fund before [5:00 p.m.] Eastern Time on any Business Day in order to receive the next Business Day’s NAV. Creation Orders must be transmitted by an Authorized Participant by telephone or other transmission method acceptable to the Distributor pursuant to procedures set forth in the Authorized Participant Agreement, as described below. Economic or market disruptions or changes, or telephone or other communication failure, may impede the ability to reach the Distributor or an Authorized Participant. Orders to create shares of the Fund that are submitted on the Business Day immediately preceding a holiday or a day (other than a weekend) when the equity markets in the PRC or Hong Kong are closed may not be accepted. The Fund’s deadline specified above for the submission of purchase orders is referred to as the Fund’s “Cutoff Time.” The Distributor, in its discretion, may permit the submission of such orders and requests by or through an Authorized Participant at any time (including on days on which the Exchange is not open for business) via communication through the facilities of the Distributor’s proprietary website maintained for this purpose. Purchase orders and redemption requests, if accepted by the Trust, will be processed based on the NAV next determined after such acceptance in accordance with the Trust’s standard Cutoff Times as provided in the Authorized Participant Agreement and disclosed in this SAI.

 

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Acceptance of Orders for Creation Units

Subject to the conditions that (i) an irrevocable purchase order has been submitted by the Authorized Participant (either on its own or another investor’s behalf) and (ii) arrangements satisfactory to the Fund are in place for payment of the Cash Component and any other cash amounts which may be due, the Fund will accept the order, subject to the Fund’s right (and the right of the Distributor and Krane) to reject any order until acceptance.

 

Once the Fund has accepted an order, upon the next determination of the NAV of the shares, the Fund will confirm the issuance of a Creation Unit, against receipt of payment, at such NAV. The Distributor will then transmit a confirmation of acceptance to the Authorized Participant that placed the order.

 

The Fund reserves the absolute right to reject or revoke a creation order transmitted to it by the Distributor if (i) the order is not in proper form; (ii) the investor(s), upon obtaining the shares ordered, would own 80% or more of the currently outstanding shares of the Fund; (iii) the Deposit Securities delivered do not conform to the identity and number of shares specified, as described above; (iv) acceptance of the Deposit Securities would have certain adverse tax consequences to the Fund; (v) acceptance of the Fund Deposit would, in the opinion of counsel, be unlawful; (vi) acceptance of the Fund Deposit would, in the discretion of the Fund or Krane, have an adverse effect on the Fund or the rights of Beneficial Owners; or (vii) circumstances outside the control of the Fund, the Distributor and Krane make it impracticable to process purchase orders. The Distributor shall notify a prospective purchaser of a Creation Unit and/or the Authorized Participant acting on behalf of such purchaser of its rejection of such order. The Fund, the Custodian, the sub-custodian and the Distributor are under no duty, however, to give notification of any defects or irregularities in the delivery of Portfolio Deposits nor shall any of them incur any liability for failure to give such notification.

 

Issuance of a Creation Unit

Except as provided herein, a Creation Unit will not be issued until the transfer of good title to the Fund of the Deposit Securities and the payment of the Cash Component have been completed. When the sub-custodian has confirmed to the Custodian that the securities included in the Fund Deposit (or the cash value thereof) have been delivered to the account of the Custodian or relevant sub-custodian(s), the Distributor and Krane shall be notified of such delivery and the Fund will issue and cause the delivery of the Creation Unit. Creation Units typically are issued on a “T+3 basis” (i.e., three Business Days after trade date). However, as discussed in the Regular Holidays section, the Fund reserves the right to settle Creation Unit transactions on a basis other than T+3 in order to accommodate non-U.S. market holiday schedules, to account for different treatment among non-U.S. and U.S. markets of dividend record dates and ex-dividend dates (i.e., the last day the holder of a security can sell the security and still receive dividends payable on the security) and in certain other circumstances.

 

To the extent contemplated by an Authorized Participant’s agreement with the Distributor, the Fund will issue Creation Units to such Authorized Participant, notwithstanding the fact that the corresponding Deposit Securities have not been received in part or in whole, in reliance on the undertaking of the Authorized Participant to deliver the missing Deposit Securities as soon as possible, which undertaking shall be secured by such Authorized Participant’s delivery and maintenance of collateral, which may have a value of up to 115%, which percentage the Trust may change at any time, in its sole discretion, of the value of the missing Deposit Securities in accordance with the Fund’s then-effective procedures. The only collateral that is acceptable to the Fund is cash in U.S. dollars. Such cash collateral must be delivered no later than [2:00 p.m.], Eastern Time on the contractual settlement date. The cash collateral posted by the Authorized Participant may be invested at the risk of the Authorized Participant, and income, if any, on invested cash collateral will be paid to that Authorized Participant. Information concerning the Fund’s current procedures for collateralization of missing Deposit Securities is available from the Distributor. The Authorized Participant Agreement will permit the Fund to buy the missing Deposit Securities at any time and will subject the Authorized Participant to liability for any shortfall between the cost to the Fund of purchasing such securities and the cash collateral.

 

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In certain cases, Authorized Participants may create and redeem Creation Units on the same trade date and in these instances, the Fund reserves the right to settle these transactions on a net basis or require a representation from the Authorized Participants that the creation and redemption transactions are for separate Beneficial Owners. All questions as to the number of shares of each security in the Deposit Securities and the validity, form, eligibility and acceptance for deposit of any securities to be delivered shall be determined by the Fund and the Fund’s determination shall be final and binding.

 

Costs Associated with Creation Transactions

A standard creation transaction fee is imposed to offset the transfer and other transaction costs associated with the issuance of Creation Units. The standard creation transaction fee is charged to the Authorized Participant on the day such Authorized Participant creates a Creation Unit, and is the same, regardless of the number of Creation Units purchased by the Authorized Participant on the applicable Business Day.

 

If a purchase consists of a cash portion, the Authorized Participant may also be required to cover certain brokerage, tax, foreign exchange, execution, market impact and other costs and expenses related to the execution of trades resulting from the cash portion of such transaction, as further described in the Brokerage Transactions section of this SAI. The Authorized Participants may also be required to pay an additional charge to cover costs related to the creation transaction. Authorized Participants will also bear the costs of transferring the Deposit Securities to the Fund. Investors who use the services of a broker or other financial intermediary may be charged a fee for such services.

 

The Fund’s standard creation transaction fee is [ ], and a variable fee, which is used to compensate the Fund for any differential between the actual expenses incurred by the Fund in investing in the Fund Deposit and the standard creation transaction fee. The Fund may adjust the fee from time to time based on actual experience.

 

Redemption of Creation Units

Shares of the Fund may be redeemed by Authorized Participants only in Creation Units at their NAV next determined after receipt of a redemption request in proper form by the Distributor and only on a Business Day. The Fund will not redeem shares in amounts less than Creation Units. There can be no assurance, however, that there will be sufficient liquidity in the secondary market at any time to permit assembly of a Creation Unit. Investors should expect to incur brokerage and other costs in connection with assembling a sufficient number of shares to constitute a Creation Unit that could be redeemed by an Authorized Participant. Beneficial Owners also may sell shares in the secondary market.

 

Redemptions are effected principally for cash. To the extent the Fund permits in-kind redemptions, the Custodian will make available through the NSCC, prior to the opening of business on the Exchange on each Business Day, the designated portfolio of securities (including any portion of such securities for which cash may be substituted) that will be applicable (subject to possible amendment or correction) to redemption requests received in proper form (as defined below) on that day (“Fund Securities”), and an amount of cash (the “Cash Amount,” as described below). Such Fund Securities and the corresponding Cash Amount (each subject to possible amendment or correction) are applicable in order to effect redemptions of Creation Units of the Fund until such time as the next announced composition of the Fund Securities and Cash Amount is made available. Fund Securities received on redemption may not be identical to Deposit Securities that are applicable to creations of Creation Units.

 

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If the redemption proceeds for a Creation Unit consist of Fund Securities, plus the Cash Amount, such proceeds will be an amount equal to the difference between the NAV of the shares being redeemed, as next determined after the receipt of a redemption request in proper form, and the value of Fund Securities, less a redemption transaction fee (as described below).

 

The Trust may substitute a “cash in lieu” amount to replace a Fund Security, which shall be added to the Cash Amount, in the following situations: (i) to the extent there is a Cash Amount, as described herein; (ii) if, on a given Business Day, the Fund announces before the open of trading that all purchases, all redemptions or all purchases and redemptions on that day will be made entirely in cash; (iii) if, upon receiving a redemption order from an Authorized Participant, the Fund determines to require the redemption be made entirely in cash; (iv) on a given Business Day, the Fund requires all Authorized Participants redeeming shares on that day to receive cash in lieu of some or all of the Fund Securities solely because: (a) such instruments are not eligible for transfer through either the NSCC or DTC systems; or (b) such instruments are not eligible for trading due to local trading restrictions, local restrictions on securities transfers or other similar circumstances; or (v) if the Fund permits an Authorized Participant to receive cash in lieu of some or all of the Fund Securities solely because such instruments are not eligible for trading by an Authorized Participant or the investor on whose behalf the Authorized Participant is acting; or (iii) a shareholder would be subject to unfavorable income tax treatment if the holder receives redemption proceeds in kind.

 

The amount of cash paid out in such cases will be equivalent to the value of the substituted security listed as a Fund Security. In the event that the Fund Securities have a value greater than the NAV of the shares, a compensating cash payment equal to the difference is required to be made by or through an Authorized Participant by the redeeming shareholder. The Fund expects generally to redeem shares for cash.

 

Cash Redemption Method

Cash redemptions of Creation Units will be effected in essentially the same manner as in-kind redemptions thereof. In the case of partial or full cash redemption, the Authorized Participant receives the cash equivalent of the Fund Securities it would otherwise receive through an in-kind redemption, plus the same Cash Amount to be paid to an in-kind redeemer.

 

Costs Associated with Redemption Transactions

A redemption transaction fee is imposed to offset transfer and other transaction costs that may be incurred by the Fund. The standard redemption transaction fee is charged to the Authorized Participant on the day such Authorized Participant redeems a Creation Unit, and is the same regardless of the number of Creation Units redeemed by an Authorized Participant on the applicable Business Day. The redeeming investor may be assessed an additional variable charge on the cash in lieu portion of its redemption proceeds, up to a maximum additional variable charge as set forth below. The standard redemption transaction fee and the additional variable charge for cash in lieu redemptions are set forth below. Authorized Participants will also bear the costs of transferring the Fund Securities from the Fund to their account on their order. Investors who use the services of a broker or other financial intermediary may be charged a fee for such services.

 

The Fund’s standard redemption transaction fee is [ ], and a variable fee of up to 2%, which is used to compensate the Fund for any differential between the actual expenses incurred by the Fund in selling the Fund Deposit and the standard redemption transaction fee. The Fund may adjust the fee from time to time based on actual experience.

 

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Placement of Redemption Orders

Redemption requests for Creation Units of the Fund must be submitted to the Distributor by or through an Authorized Participant. An Authorized Participant must submit an irrevocable request to redeem shares of the Fund in kind, if available, generally before [4:00 p.m.], Eastern Time on any Business Day in order to receive that day’s NAV. An Authorized Participant must submit an irrevocable request to redeem shares of the Fund for cash before [5:00 p.m.] Eastern Time on any Business Day in order to receive the next Business Day’s NAV. Orders to redeem shares of the Fund that are submitted on the Business Day immediately preceding a holiday or day (other than a weekend) when the markets in the relevant non-U.S. market are closed may not be accepted. Investors other than Authorized Participants are responsible for making arrangements for a redemption request to be made through an Authorized Participant. The Distributor will provide a list of current Authorized Participants upon request.

 

The Authorized Participant must transmit the request for redemption in the form required by the Fund to the Distributor in accordance with procedures set forth in the Authorized Participant Agreement. Investors should be aware that their particular broker may not have executed an Authorized Participant Agreement. In such cases, requests to redeem Creation Units may have to be placed by the investor’s broker through an Authorized Participant who has executed an Authorized Participant Agreement. At any time, only a limited number of broker-dealers will have an Authorized Participant Agreement in effect. Investors making a redemption request should be aware that such request must be in the form specified by such Authorized Participant. Investors making a request to redeem Creation Units should allow sufficient time to permit proper submission of the request by an Authorized Participant and transfer of the shares to the Fund’s Transfer Agent; such investors should allow for the additional time that may be required to effect redemptions through their banks, brokers or other financial intermediaries if such intermediaries are not Authorized Participants.

 

A redemption request is considered to be in “proper form” if: (i) an Authorized Participant has transferred or caused to be transferred to the Fund’s transfer agent the Creation Unit being redeemed through the book-entry system of DTC so as to be effective by the Exchange closing time on any Business Day; (ii) a request in a form satisfactory to the Fund is received by the Distributor from the Authorized Participant on behalf of itself or another redeeming investor within the time periods specified above; and (iii) all other procedures set forth in the Authorized Participant Agreement are properly followed. If the transfer agent does not receive the investor’s shares through DTC’s facilities by 10:00 a.m., Eastern Time on the Business Day next following the day that the redemption request is received, the redemption request shall be rejected. Investors should be aware that the deadline for such transfers of shares through the DTC system may be significantly earlier than the close of business on the Exchange. Those making redemption requests should ascertain the deadline applicable to transfers of shares through the DTC system by contacting the operations department of the broker or depositary institution effecting the transfer of the shares.

 

Upon receiving a redemption request, the Distributor shall notify the Fund and the Fund’s transfer agent of such redemption request. The tender of an investor’s shares for redemption and the distribution of the securities and/or cash included in the redemption payment made in respect of Creation Units redeemed will be made through DTC and the relevant Authorized Participant to the Beneficial Owner thereof as recorded on the book-entry system of DTC or the DTC Participant through which such investor holds, as the case may be, or by such other means specified by the Authorized Participant submitting the redemption request.

 

A redeeming Beneficial Owner or Authorized Participant acting on behalf of such Beneficial Owner must maintain appropriate security arrangements with a qualified broker-dealer, bank or other custody providers in each jurisdiction in which any of the portfolio securities are customarily traded, to which account such portfolio securities will be delivered.

 

Deliveries of redemption proceeds by the Fund generally will be made within three Business Days (i.e., “T+3”). However, as discussed in the Regular Holidays section, the Fund reserves the right to settle redemption transactions and deliver redemption proceeds on another basis to accommodate non-U.S. market holiday schedules, to account for different treatment among non-U.S. and U.S. markets of dividend record dates and dividend ex-dates (i.e., the last date the holder of a security can sell the security and still receive dividends payable on the security sold) and in certain other circumstances. The Regular Holidays section hereto identifies the instances, if any, where more than seven days would be needed to deliver redemption proceeds. Pursuant to an order of the SEC, the Trust will make delivery of redemption proceeds within the number of days stated in the Regular Holidays section to be the maximum number of days necessary to deliver redemption proceeds.

 

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If neither the redeeming Beneficial Owner nor the Authorized Participant acting on behalf of such redeeming Beneficial Owner has appropriate arrangements to take delivery of Fund Securities in the applicable non-U.S. jurisdiction and it is not possible to make other such arrangements, or if it is not possible to effect deliveries of Fund Securities in such jurisdiction, the Trust may in its discretion exercise its option to redeem such shares in cash, and the redeeming Beneficial Owner will be required to receive its redemption proceeds in cash. As noted above, the Fund expects to redeem Creation Units for cash regularly. In such case, the investor will receive a cash payment equal to the NAV of its shares based on the NAV of the Fund next determined after the redemption request is received in proper form (minus a redemption transaction fee and additional charges specified above to offset the Trust’s brokerage and other transaction costs associated with the disposition of Fund Securities). Redemptions of shares for Fund Securities will be subject to compliance with applicable U.S. federal and state securities laws and the Fund (whether or not it otherwise permits cash redemptions) reserves the right to redeem Creation Units for cash to the extent that the Fund cannot lawfully deliver specific Fund Securities upon redemptions or cannot do so without first registering the Fund Securities under such laws.

 

In the event that cash redemptions are permitted or required by the Trust, proceeds will be paid to the Authorized Participant redeeming shares as soon as practicable after the date of redemption (within seven calendar days thereafter).

 

Because the portfolio securities of the Fund may trade on exchange(s) on days that the Exchange is closed or are otherwise not Business Days for the Fund, shareholders may not be able to redeem their shares of the Fund, or purchase or sell shares of the Fund on the Exchange on days when the NAV of the Fund could be significantly affected by events in the relevant non-U.S. markets.

 

The right of redemption may be suspended or the date of payment postponed with respect to the Fund (i) for any period during which the Exchange is closed (other than customary weekend and holiday closings), (ii) for any period during which trading on the Exchange is suspended or restricted, (iii) for any period during which an emergency exists as a result of which disposal of the shares of the Fund’s portfolio securities or determination of its NAV is not reasonably practicable; or (iv) in such other circumstance as is permitted by the SEC.

 

Taxation on Creation and Redemptions of Creation Units

An Authorized Participant generally will recognize either gain or loss upon the exchange of Deposit Securities for Creation Units. This gain or loss will generally equal the difference between (i) the sum of the market value of the Creation Units at the time of the exchange and any net amount of cash received by the Authorized Participant in the exchange and (ii) the sum of the Authorized Participant’s aggregate basis in the Deposit Securities exchanged therefor and any net amount of cash paid for the Creation Units. However, the U.S. Internal Revenue Service may apply the wash sales rules to determine that any loss realized upon the exchange of Deposit Securities for Creation Units is not currently deductible. Authorized Participants should consult their own tax advisers.

 

Current U.S. federal tax laws dictate that capital gain or loss realized from the redemption of Creation Units will generally create long-term capital gain or loss if the Authorized Participant holds the Creation Units for more than one year, or short-term capital gain or loss otherwise, if the Creation Units are held as capital assets.

 

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Regular Holidays

For every occurrence of one or more intervening holidays in the applicable non-U.S. market that are not holidays observed in the U.S. equity market, the redemption settlement cycle will be extended by the number of such intervening holidays. In addition to holidays, other unforeseeable closings in a non-U.S. market due to emergencies may also prevent the Trust from delivering securities within normal settlement period. The securities delivery cycles currently practicable for transferring portfolio securities to redeeming investors, coupled with non-U.S. market holiday schedules, will require a delivery process longer than seven calendar days, in certain circumstances, but in no event longer than fourteen calendar days. The holidays applicable to the Fund during such periods are listed below, as are instances where more than seven days will be needed to deliver redemption proceeds. Although certain holidays may occur on different dates in subsequent years, the number of days required to deliver redemption proceeds in any given year is not expected to exceed the maximum number of days listed below for the Fund. The proclamation of new holidays, the treatment by market participants of certain days as “informal holidays” (e.g., days on which no or limited securities transactions occur, as a result of substantially shortened trading hours), the elimination of existing holidays, or changes in local securities delivery practices, could affect the information set forth herein at some time in the future.

 

In calendar year 2015, the dates of regular holidays affecting the relevant securities markets in which the Fund invests are as follows (please note these holiday schedules are subject to potential changes in the relevant securities markets):

 

China

January 1 February 23 September 27 October 7
January 2 February 24 October 1 December 25
February 18 April 6 October 2  
February 19 May 1 October 5  
February 20 June 20 October 6  
       

Hong Kong

January 1 April 6 September 28 December 26
February 19 May 1 October 1  
February 20 May 25 October 21  
April 3 July 1 December 25  

 

In the calendar year 2016, the dates of regular holidays affecting the relevant securities markets in which the Fund invests are as follows (please note these holiday schedules are subject to potential changes in the relevant securities markets):

 

China

January 1 February 16 June 9 October 7
January 18 April 4 July 4 October 10
February 8 May 2 September 5 November 11
February 9 May 3 September 15 November 24
February 10 May 4 October 3 December 26
February 11 May 5 October 4  
February 12 May 6 October 5  
February 15 May 30 October 6  

 

Hong Kong

January 1 March 25 June 9 December 26
February 8 March 28 July 9 December 27
February 9 April 4 September 16  
February 10 May 2 October 10  

 

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The longest redemption cycle for the Fund is a function of the longest redemption cycle among the countries whose stocks comprise the Fund. In calendar years 2015 and 2016, the dates of regular holidays affecting the following securities markets present the worst case redemption cycles for the Fund as set forth below. This information is based on the information regarding regular holidays, which may be out of date. Changes in the regular holidays may lead to longer redemption cycles than are set forth below.

 

    Beginning of Settlement
Period
  End of Settlement
Period
  Number of Days in
Settlement Period
 
China     02/13/15     02/25/15     12  
      02/16/15     02/26/15     10  
      02/17/15     02/27/15     10  
      09/28/15     10/08/15     10  
      09/29/15     10/09/15     10  
      09/30/15     10/12/15     12  
      02/03/16 02/17/16 14
      02/04/16 02/18/16 14
      02/05/16 02/19/16 14
      04/27/16 05/09/16 12
      04/28/16 05/10/16 12
      04/29/16 05/11/16 12
      09/28/16 10/11/16 13
      09/29/16 10/12/16 13
      09/30/16 10/13/16 13

 

TAXES

 

The following discussion of certain U.S. federal income tax consequences of investing in the Fund is based on the Code, U.S. Treasury regulations, and other applicable authority, all as in effect as of the date of the filing of this SAI. These authorities are subject to change by legislative or administrative action, possibly with retroactive effect. The following discussion is only a summary of some of the important U.S. federal income tax considerations generally applicable to investments in the Fund. There may be other tax considerations applicable to particular shareholders. Shareholders should consult their own tax advisers regarding their particular situation and the possible application of foreign, state, and local tax laws.

 

Qualification as a RIC

The Fund intends to elect to be treated and qualify each year as a RIC under Subchapter M of the Code. In order to qualify for the special tax treatment accorded RICs and their shareholders, the Fund must, among other things:

 

(a) derive at least 90% of its gross income each year from (i) dividends, interest, payments with respect to securities loans, gains from the sale or other disposition of stock or securities or foreign currencies, or other income (including but not limited to gains from options, futures or forward contracts) derived with respect to its business of investing in such stock, securities or currencies, and (ii) net income derived from interests in “qualified publicly traded partnerships” (as defined below);

 

(b) diversify its holdings so that, at the end of each quarter of its taxable year, (i) at least 50% of the market value of the Fund’s total assets consists of cash and cash items, U.S. government securities, securities of other RICs and other securities, with investments in such other securities limited with respect to any one issuer to an amount not greater than 5% of the value of the Fund’s total assets and not greater than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer, and (ii) not more than 25% of the value of the Fund’s total assets is invested in (1) the securities (other than those of the U.S. government or other RICs) of any one issuer or two or more issuers that are controlled by the Fund and that are engaged in the same, similar or related trades or businesses or (2) the securities of one or more qualified publicly traded partnerships; and

 

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(c) distribute with respect to each taxable year at least the sum of 90% of its investment company taxable income (as that term is defined in the Code without regard to the deduction for dividends paid – generally taxable ordinary income and the excess, if any, of net short-term capital gains over net long-term capital losses) and 90% of its net tax-exempt interest income.

 

In general, for purposes of the 90% of gross income requirement described in (a) above, income derived from a partnership will be treated as qualifying income only to the extent such income is attributable to items of income of the partnership that would be qualifying income if realized directly by the Fund. However, 100% of the net income derived from an interest in a “qualified publicly traded partnership” (generally, a partnership (i) interests in which are traded on an established securities market or are readily tradable on a secondary market or the substantial equivalent thereof, (ii) that derives at least 90% of its income from the passive income sources specified in Code section 7704(d), and (iii) that derives less than 90% of its income from the qualifying income described in (a)(i) of the prior paragraph) will be treated as qualifying income. In addition, although in general the passive loss rules of the Code do not apply to RICs, such rules do apply to a RIC with respect to items attributable to an interest in a qualified publicly traded partnership.

 

The U.S. Treasury Department has authority to issue regulations that would exclude foreign currency gains from the 90% test described in (a) above if such gains are not directly related to a fund’s business of investing in stock or securities. Accordingly, regulations may be issued in the future that could treat some or all of the Fund’s non-U.S. currency gains as non-qualifying income, thereby potentially jeopardizing the Fund’s status as a RIC for all years to which the regulations are applicable.

 

Taxation of the Fund

If the Fund qualifies as a RIC, the Fund will not be subject to federal income tax on income and gains that are distributed in a timely manner to its shareholders in the form of dividends.

 

If the Fund fails to satisfy the qualifying income test in any taxable year, the Fund may be eligible for relief provisions if the failures are due to reasonable cause and not willful neglect and if a penalty tax is paid with respect to each failure to satisfy the applicable requirements. If these relief provisions are not available to the Fund for any year in which it fails to qualify as a RIC, all of its taxable income will be subject to tax at regular corporate rates without any deduction for distributions to shareholders, and its distributions (including capital gains distributions) generally will be taxable as ordinary income dividends to its shareholders, subject to the dividends received deduction for corporate shareholders and lower tax rates on qualified dividend income for individual shareholders. In addition, the Fund could be required to recognize unrealized gains, pay substantial taxes and interest and make substantial distributions before requalifying as a RIC that is accorded special tax treatment.

 

The Fund intends to distribute at least annually to its shareholders substantially all of its taxable income and its net capital gains. Taxable income that is retained by the Fund will be subject to tax at regular corporate rates. If the Fund retains any net capital gain, that gain will be subject to tax at corporate rates, but the Fund may designate the retained amount as undistributed capital gains in a notice to its shareholders who (i) will be required to include in income for federal income tax purposes, as long-term capital gain, their shares of such undistributed amount, and (ii) will be entitled to credit their proportionate shares of the tax paid by the Fund on such undistributed amount against their federal income tax liabilities, if any, and to claim refunds on a properly filed U.S. tax return to the extent the credit exceeds such liabilities. For federal income tax purposes, the tax basis of shares owned by a shareholder of the Fund will be increased by an amount equal to the difference between the amount of undistributed capital gains included in the shareholder’s gross income and the tax deemed paid by the shareholder under clause (ii) of the preceding sentence.

 

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Deferral of Late Year Losses

The Fund may elect to treat part or all of any “qualified late year loss” as if it had been incurred in the succeeding taxable year in determining the Fund’s taxable income, net capital gain, net short-term capital gain, and earnings and profits. The effect of this election is to treat any such “qualified late year loss” as if it had been incurred in the succeeding taxable year in characterizing the Fund’s distributions for any calendar year. A “qualified late year loss” generally includes net capital loss, net long-term capital loss, or net short-term capital loss incurred after October 31 of the current taxable year (commonly referred to as “post-October losses”) and certain other late-year losses.

 

Capital Loss Carryovers

If the Fund has a “net capital loss” (that is, capital losses in excess of capital gains), the excess (if any) of the Fund’s net short-term capital losses over its net long-term capital gains is treated as a short-term capital loss arising on the first day of the Fund’s next taxable year, and the excess (if any) of the Fund’s net long-term capital losses over its net short-term capital gains is treated as a long-term capital loss arising on the first day of the Fund’s next taxable year. The carryover of capital losses may be limited under the general loss limitation rules if the Fund experiences an ownership change as defined in the Code.

 

If the Fund fails to distribute in a calendar year an amount at least equal to the sum of 98% of its ordinary income for such year and 98.2% of its capital gain net income for the one-year period ending October 31 of such year, plus any retained amount from the prior year, the Fund will be subject to a nondeductible 4% excise tax on the undistributed amount. For these purposes, the Fund will be treated as having distributed any amount on which it has been subject to corporate income tax for the taxable year ending within the calendar year. A dividend paid to shareholders in January of a year generally is deemed to have been paid by the Fund on December 31 of the preceding year if the dividend was declared and payable to shareholders of record on a date in October, November, or December of that preceding year. The Fund intends to declare and pay dividends and distributions in the amounts and at the times necessary to avoid the application of the 4% excise tax, although there can be no assurance that it will be able to do so.

 

Fund Distributions

Distributions are taxable whether shareholders receive them in cash or reinvest them in additional shares. Moreover, distributions of the Fund’s shares are generally subject to federal income tax as described herein to the extent they do not exceed the Fund’s realized income and gains, even though such dividends and distributions may economically represent a return of a particular shareholder’s investment. Such distributions are likely to occur in respect of shares purchased at a time when the Fund’s NAV reflects gains that are either unrealized, or realized but not distributed. Such realized gains may be required to be distributed even when the Fund’s NAV also reflects unrealized losses.

 

Distributions by the Fund of investment income are generally taxable as ordinary income. Taxes on distributions of capital gains are determined by how long the Fund owned the investments that generated those gains, rather than how long a shareholder has owned his or her Fund shares. Distributions of net capital gains from the sale of investments that the Fund owned for more than one year and that are properly designated by the Fund as capital gain dividends (“Capital Gain Dividends”) will be taxable as long-term capital gains. Distributions from capital gains are generally made after applying any available capital loss carryovers. Preferential long-term capital gain rates apply to individuals – in general, to 15%, or 20% for individuals with taxable income exceeding certain thresholds. Distributions of gains from the sale of investments that the Fund owned for one year or less will be taxable as ordinary income. Qualified dividend income is, in general, dividend income from taxable domestic corporations and certain foreign corporations (i.e., foreign corporations incorporated in a possession of the United States or in certain countries with a comprehensive tax treaty with the United States, which includes China (but not Hong Kong which is treated as a separate jurisdiction), or the stock of which is readily tradable on an established securities market in the United States). In order for some portion of the dividends received by the Fund’s shareholders to be qualified dividend income, the Fund must meet holding period and other requirements with respect to the dividend paying stocks in its portfolio, and the shareholder must meet holding period and other requirements with respect to the Fund’s shares.

 

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Given the Fund’s investment objective, it is not expected that Fund distributions will be eligible for qualified dividend income treatment or the dividends received deduction on Fund distributions attributable to dividends.

 

For U.S. individuals with income exceeding $200,000 ($250,000 if married and filing jointly), a 3.8% Medicare contribution tax will apply on “net investment income,” including interest, dividends, and capital gains, but generally includes taxable distributions received from the Fund.

 

If the Fund makes distributions to a shareholder in excess of the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits in any taxable year, the excess distribution will be treated as a return of capital to the extent of the shareholder’s tax basis in its shares, and thereafter as capital gain. A return of capital is not taxable, but reduces a shareholder’s tax basis in its shares, thus reducing any loss or increasing any gain on a subsequent taxable disposition by the shareholder of its shares.

 

Investors considering buying shares just prior to a dividend or capital gain distribution should be aware that, although the price of shares purchased at that time may reflect the amount of the forthcoming distribution, such dividend or distribution may nevertheless be taxable to them. If the Fund is the holder of record of any security on the record date for any dividends payable with respect to such security, such dividends will be included in the Fund’s gross income not as of the date received but as of the later of (a) the date such security became ex-dividend with respect to such dividends (i.e., the date on which a buyer of the security would not be entitled to receive the declared, but unpaid, dividends); or (b) the date the Fund acquired such security. Accordingly, in order to satisfy its income distribution requirements, the Fund may be required to pay dividends based on anticipated earnings, and shareholders may receive dividends in an earlier year than would otherwise be the case.

 

Sale or Exchange of Shares

A sale or exchange of shares in the Fund may give rise to a gain or loss. In general, any gain or loss realized upon a taxable disposition of shares will be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for more than 12 months. Otherwise, the gain or loss on the taxable disposition of shares will be treated as short-term capital gain or loss. However, any loss realized upon a taxable disposition of shares held for six months or less will be treated as long-term, rather than short-term, to the extent of any long-term capital gain distributions received (or deemed received) by the shareholder with respect to the shares. All or a portion of any loss realized upon a taxable disposition of shares will be disallowed if other substantially identical shares of the Fund are purchased within 30 days before or after the disposition. In such a case, the basis of the newly purchased shares will be adjusted to reflect the disallowed loss.

 

As noted above, for U.S. individuals with income exceeding $200,000 ($250,000 if married and filing jointly), a 3.8% Medicare contribution tax will apply on “net investment income,” including interest, dividends, and capital gains, which generally includes taxable distributions received from the Fund and taxable gains on the disposition of shares of the Fund.

 

Backup Withholding

The Fund (or financial intermediaries, such as brokers, through which a shareholder holds Fund shares) generally is required to withhold and to remit to the U.S. Treasury a percentage of the taxable distributions and sale or redemption proceeds paid to any shareholder who fails to properly furnish a correct taxpayer identification number, who has under-reported dividend or interest income, or who fails to certify that he, she or it is not subject to such withholding.

 

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Federal Tax Treatment of Certain Fund Investments

Transactions of the Fund in options, futures contracts, hedging transactions, forward contracts, swap contracts, straddles and foreign currencies may be subject to various special and complex tax rules, including mark-to-market, constructive sale, straddle, wash sale and short sale rules. These rules could affect whether gains and losses recognized by the Fund are treated as ordinary income or capital gain, accelerate the recognition of income to the Fund and/or defer the Fund’s ability to recognize losses. These rules may in turn affect the amount, timing or character of the income distributed to shareholders by the Fund.

 

The Fund is required, for federal income tax purposes, to mark to market and recognize as income for each taxable year its net unrealized gains and losses as of the end of such year on certain regulated futures contracts, foreign currency contracts and options that qualify as Section 1256 Contracts in addition to the gains and losses actually realized with respect to such contracts during the year. Except as described below under “Certain Foreign Currency Tax Issues,” gain or loss from Section 1256 Contracts that are required to be marked to market annually will generally be 60% long-term and 40% short-term capital gain or loss. Application of this rule may alter the timing and character of distributions to shareholders.

 

Some debt obligations that are acquired by the Fund may be treated as having original issue discount (“OID”). Generally, the Fund will be required to include OID in taxable income over the term of the debt security, even though payment of the OID is not received until a later time, usually when the debt security matures. If the Fund holds such debt instruments, it may be required to pay out as distributions each year an amount that is greater than the total amount of cash interest the Fund actually received. Such distributions may be made from the cash assets of the Fund or by liquidation of portfolio securities, if necessary. The Fund may realize gains or losses from such liquidations. In the event the Fund realizes net gains from such transactions, its shareholders may receive larger distributions than they would have in the absence of such transactions.

 

Any market discount recognized on a bond is taxable as ordinary income. A market discount bond is a bond acquired in the secondary market at a price below redemption value or adjusted issue price if issued with original issue discount. Absent an election by the Fund to include the market discount in income as it accrues, gains on the Fund’s disposition of such an obligation will be treated as ordinary income rather than capital gain to the extent of the accrued market discount.

 

Certain Foreign Currency Tax Issues

The Fund’s gain or loss on foreign currency denominated debt securities and on certain other financial instruments, such as forward currency contracts and currency swaps, that is attributable to fluctuations in exchange rates occurring between the date of acquisition and the date of settlement or disposition of such securities or instruments generally will be treated under Section 988 of the Code as ordinary income or loss. The Fund may elect out of the application of Section 988 of the Code with respect to the tax treatment of each of its foreign currency forward contracts to the extent that (i) such contract is a capital asset in the hands of the Fund and is not part of a straddle transaction and (ii) the Fund makes an election by the close of the day the contract is entered into to treat the gain or loss attributable to such contract as capital gain or loss.

 

The Fund’s forward contracts may qualify as Section 1256 Contracts if the underlying currencies are currencies for which there are futures contracts that are traded on and subject to the rules of a qualified board or exchange. However, a forward currency contract that is a Section 1256 Contract would, absent an election out of Section 988 of the Code as described in the preceding paragraph, be subject to Section 988. Accordingly, although such a forward currency contract would be marked to market annually like other Section 1256 Contracts, the resulting gain or loss would be ordinary. If the Fund were to elect out of Section 988 with respect to forward currency contracts that qualify as Section 1256 Contracts, the tax treatment generally applicable to Section 1256 Contracts would apply to those forward currency contracts: that is, the contracts would be marked to market annually and gains and losses with respect to the contracts would be treated as long-term capital gains or losses to the extent of 60% thereof and short-term capital gains or losses to the extent of 40% thereof. If the Fund were to elect out of Section 988 with respect to any of its forward currency contracts that do not qualify as Section 1256 Contracts, such contracts will not be marked to market annually and the Fund will recognize short-term or long-term capital gain or loss depending on the Fund’s holding period therein. The Fund may elect out of Section 988 with respect to some, all or none of its forward currency contracts.

 

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Finally, regulated futures contracts and non-equity options that qualify as Section 1256 Contracts and are entered into by the Fund with respect to foreign currencies or foreign currency denominated debt instruments will be subject to the tax treatment generally applicable to Section 1256 Contracts unless the Fund elects to have Section 988 apply to determine the character of gains and losses from all such regulated futures contracts and non-equity options held or later acquired by the Fund.

 

Foreign Investments

Income received by the Fund from sources within foreign countries (including, for example, interest on securities of non-U.S. issuers) may be subject to withholding and other taxes imposed by such countries. Tax treaties between such countries and the U.S. may reduce or eliminate such taxes. If as of the end of the Fund’s taxable year more than 50% of the Fund’s assets consist of foreign securities, the Fund is expected to make an election to permit shareholders to claim a credit or deduction on their income tax returns for their pro rata portions of qualified taxes paid by the Fund during that taxable year to foreign countries in respect of foreign securities that the Fund has held for at least the minimum period specified in the Code. In such a case, shareholders will include in gross income from foreign sources their pro rata shares of such taxes. A shareholder’s ability to claim a foreign tax credit or deduction in respect of foreign taxes paid by the Fund may be subject to certain limitations imposed by the Code, which may result in the shareholder not getting a full credit or deduction for the amount of such taxes. Because a foreign tax credit is only available for foreign taxes paid by the Fund, no such credit may be available for a reduction in the Fund's net asset value to reflect a reserve (if any) for Chinese withholding taxes. Shareholders who do not itemize on their federal income tax returns may claim a credit, but not a deduction, for such foreign taxes.

 

Passive Foreign Investment Companies

If the Fund purchases shares in “passive foreign investment companies” (“PFICs”), it may be subject to U.S. federal income tax on a portion of any “excess distribution” or gain from the disposition of such shares even if such income is distributed as a taxable dividend by the Fund to its shareholders. Additional charges in the nature of interest may be imposed on the Fund in respect of deferred taxes arising from such distributions or gains. If the Fund were to invest in a PFIC and elect to treat the PFIC as a “qualified electing fund” under the Internal Revenue Code, in lieu of the foregoing requirements, the Fund would be required to include in income each year a portion of the ordinary earnings and net capital gains of the qualified electing fund, even if not distributed to the Fund, and such amounts would be subject to the 90% and excise tax distribution requirements described above. In order to make this election, the Fund would be required to obtain certain annual information from the PFICs in which it invests, which may be difficult or impossible to obtain. Alternatively, the Fund may make a mark-to-market election that would result in the Fund being treated as if it had sold and repurchased its PFIC stock at the end of each year. In such case, the Fund would report any such gains as ordinary income and would deduct any such losses as ordinary losses to the extent of previously recognized gains. The election must be made separately for each PFIC owned by the Fund and, once made, would be effective for all subsequent taxable years, unless revoked with the consent of the IRS. By making the election, the Fund could potentially ameliorate the adverse tax consequences with respect to its ownership of shares in a PFIC, but in any particular year may be required to recognize income in excess of the distributions it receives from PFICs and its proceeds from dispositions of PFIC stock. The Fund may have to distribute this “phantom” income and gain to satisfy the 90% distribution requirement and to avoid imposition of the 4% excise tax. The Fund will make the appropriate tax elections, if possible, and take any additional steps that are necessary to mitigate the effects of these rules.

 

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Chinese Tax Considerations

Per a circular (Caishui [2014] 79), the Fund is expected to be temporarily exempt from the capital gains PRC WHT on trading in A-shares. There is no indication as to how long the temporary exemption will remain in effect. Accordingly, the Fund may be subject to such taxes in the future. If Krane expects such WHT on trading in A-shares to be re-imposed, Krane reserves the right to establish a reserve for such tax. If the Fund establishes such a reserve but is not ultimately subject to the tax, shareholders who redeemed or sold their shares while the reserve was in place will effectively bear the tax and may not benefit from the later release, if any, of the reserve. Conversely, if the Fund does not establish such a reserve but ultimately is subject to the tax, shareholders who redeemed or sold their shares prior to the tax being withheld, reserved or paid will have effectively avoided the tax, even if they benefited from the trading that precipitated the Fund’s payment of it.

 

The PRC WHT on dividends and interest, if any, is normally withheld by the Fund’s custodian bank. To the extent such WHT was not withheld by the Fund’s custodian bank, however, Krane would generally need to make relevant provision for the tax on dividends from A-shares and any relevant interest.

 

As discussed above under "— Foreign Investments," even if the Fund qualifies and elects to pass through foreign taxes to its shareholders, your ability to claim a credit for such taxes may be limited.

 

Tax-Exempt Shareholders

Under current law, income of a RIC that would be treated as unrelated business taxable income (“UBTI”) if earned directly by a tax-exempt entity generally will not be attributed as UBTI to a tax-exempt entity that is a shareholder in the RIC. Notwithstanding this “blocking” effect, a tax-exempt shareholder could realize UBTI by virtue of its investment in the Fund if shares in the Fund constitute debt-financed property in the hands of the tax-exempt shareholder within the meaning of Code Section 514(b).

 

Non-U.S. Shareholders

In general, dividends other than Capital Gain Dividends paid by the Fund to a shareholder that is not a “U.S. person” within the meaning of the Code (a “foreign person”) are subject to withholding of U.S. federal income tax at a rate of 30% (or lower applicable treaty rate) even if they are funded by income or gains (such as portfolio interest, short-term capital gains, or foreign-source dividend and interest income) that, if paid to a foreign person directly, would not be subject to withholding.

 

A beneficial holder of shares who is a non-U.S. person is not, in general, subject to U.S. federal income tax on gains (and is not allowed a U.S. income tax deduction for losses) realized on a sale of shares of the Fund or on Capital Gain Dividends unless (i) such gain or dividend is effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business carried on by such holder within the United States or (ii) in the case of an individual holder, the holder is present in the United States for a period or periods aggregating 183 days or more during the year of the sale or the receipt of the Capital Gain Dividend and certain other conditions are met.

 

In order for a non-U.S. investor to qualify for an exemption from backup withholding, the foreign investor must comply with special certification and filing requirements. Foreign investors in the Fund should consult their tax advisers in this regard. Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts withheld may be credited against the shareholder’s U.S. federal income tax liability, provided the appropriate information is furnished to the Internal Revenue Service.

 

A beneficial holder of shares who is a non-U.S. person may be subject to the U.S. federal estate tax in addition to the federal income tax consequences referred to above. If a shareholder is eligible for the benefits of a tax treaty, any income or gain effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business will generally be subject to U.S. federal income tax on a net basis only if it is also attributable to a permanent establishment maintained by the shareholder in the United States.

 

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Under the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (“FATCA”), a 30% withholding tax will be imposed on dividends paid by the Fund after June 30, 2014, and on long-term capital gain dividends and redemption proceeds paid after December 31, 2016, to (i) foreign financial institutions including non-U.S. investment funds unless they agree to collect and disclose to the IRS information regarding their direct and indirect U.S. account holders and (ii) certain other foreign entities, unless they certify certain information regarding their direct and indirect U.S. owners. A non-U.S. shareholder resident or doing business in a country that has entered into an intergovernmental agreement with the U.S. to implement a similar reporting regime will be exempt from this withholding tax if the shareholder and the applicable foreign government comply with the terms of such agreement. The Fund will not pay any additional amounts in respect to any amounts withheld.

 

Creation and Redemption of Creation Units

 

An Authorized Participant who exchanges securities for Creation Units generally will recognize a gain or a loss. The gain or loss will be equal to the difference between the market value of the Creation Units at the time and the sum of the exchanger’s aggregate basis in the securities surrendered plus the amount of cash paid for such Creation Units. A person who redeems Creation Units will generally recognize a gain or loss equal to the difference between the exchanger’s basis in the Creation Units and the sum of the aggregate market value of any securities received plus the amount of any cash received for such Creation Units. The Internal Revenue Service, however, may assert that a loss realized upon an exchange of securities for Creation Units cannot be deducted currently under the rules governing “wash sales,” or on the basis that there has been no significant change in economic position. Any capital gain or loss realized upon the creation of Creation Units will generally be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the securities exchanged for such Creation Units have been held for more than one year.

 

Any capital gain or loss realized upon the redemption of Creation Units will generally be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the shares comprising the Creation Units have been held for more than one year. Otherwise, such capital gains or losses will be treated as short-term capital gains or losses.

 

Persons purchasing or redeeming Creation Units should consult their own tax advisers with respect to the tax treatment of any creation or redemption transaction.

 

Section 351

The Trust on behalf of the Fund has the right to reject an order for Creation Units if the purchaser (or group of purchasers) would, upon obtaining the shares so ordered, own 80% or more of the outstanding shares of the Fund and if, pursuant to Section 351 of the Code, the Fund would have a basis in the deposit securities different from the market value of such securities on the date of deposit. The Trust also has the right to require information necessary to determine beneficial share ownership for purposes of the 80% determination.

 

Tax Shelter Reporting Regulations

Under U.S. Treasury regulations, if a shareholder recognizes a loss of $2 million or more for an individual shareholder or $10 million or more for a corporate shareholder, the shareholder must file with the Internal Revenue Service a disclosure statement on Form 8886. Direct shareholders of portfolio securities are in many cases excepted from this reporting requirement, but under current guidance, shareholders of a RIC are not excepted. Future guidance may extend the current exception from this reporting requirement to shareholders of most or all RICs. The fact that a loss is reportable under these regulations does not affect the legal determination of whether the taxpayer’s treatment of the loss is proper. Shareholders should consult their tax advisers to determine the applicability of these regulations in light of their individual circumstances.

 

General Considerations

The federal income tax discussion set forth above is for general information only. Prospective investors should consult their tax advisers regarding the specific federal income tax consequences of purchasing, holding and disposing of shares of the Fund, as well as the effect of state, local and foreign tax law and any proposed tax law changes.

 

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DETERMINATION OF NAV

 

This information supplements and should be read in conjunction with the section in the Prospectus entitled “Calculating NAV.”

 

The NAV per share of the Fund is computed by dividing the value of the net assets of the Fund (i.e., the value of its total assets less total liabilities) by the total number of shares of the Fund outstanding, rounded to the nearest cent. Expenses and fees, including without limitation, the management, administration and distribution fees, are accrued daily and taken into account for purposes of determining NAV. Withholdings for capital gains are also taken into account for purposes of determining NAV. The NAV per share for the Fund is calculated by the Custodian and determined as of the close of the regular trading session on the NYSE (ordinarily 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time) on each day that the Exchange is open.

 

In calculating the Fund’s NAV, the Fund’s investments, including, if applicable, A-shares, generally are valued based on their last quoted current price. Price information on listed securities is taken from the exchange where the security is primarily traded. Securities not listed on an exchange or national securities market, or securities in which there was no last reported sales price, are valued at the most recent bid price. Short-term debt securities with remaining maturities of 60 days or less may be valued on the basis of amortized cost, which approximates fair value. The values of any assets or liabilities denominated in a currency other than the U.S. dollar are converted into U.S. dollars using an exchange rate deemed appropriate by the Fund. The value of a swap contract is equal to the obligation (or rights) under the swap contract, which will generally be equal to the net amounts to be paid or received under the contract based upon the relative values of the positions held by each party to the contract as determined by the applicable independent, third party pricing agent.

 

If reliable market valuations are not readily available or are not deemed to reflect current market values, the security will be fair valued by Krane in accordance with the Trust’s Valuation Policies and Procedures approved by the Board of Trustees. Securities that may be valued using “fair value” pricing may include, but are not limited to, securities for which there are no current market quotations or whose issuer is in default or bankruptcy, securities subject to corporate actions (such as mergers or reorganizations), securities subject to non-U.S. investment limits or currency controls, and securities affected by “significant events” occurring after the close of the market on which the securities principally trade. An example of a significant event is an event occurring after the close of the market in which a security trades but before the Fund’s next NAV calculation time that may materially affect the value of the Fund’s investment (e.g., government action, natural disaster, or significant market fluctuation). Price movements in U.S. markets that are deemed to affect the value of foreign securities, or reflect changes to the value of such securities, also may cause securities to be “fair valued.” When fair-value pricing is employed, the prices of securities used by the Fund to calculate its NAV may differ from quoted or published prices for the same securities.

 

Fund shares are purchased or sold on a national securities exchange at market prices, which may be higher or lower than NAV. No secondary sales will be made to brokers or dealers at a concession by the Distributor or by the Fund. Purchases and sales of shares in the secondary market, which will not involve the Fund, will be subject to customary brokerage commissions and charges. Transactions in Fund shares will be priced at NAV only if you purchase or redeem shares directly from the Fund in Creation Units.

 

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DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS

 

The Fund intends to pay out dividends, if any, at least [semi-annually]. The Fund distributes its net realized capital gains, if any, to investors annually. The Fund may make distributions on a more frequent basis. The Fund may occasionally be required to make supplemental distributions at some other time during the year. Distributions in cash may be reinvested automatically in additional whole shares only if the broker through whom you purchased shares makes such option available. Your broker is responsible for distributing the income and capital gain distributions to you.

 

The Trust reserves the right to declare special distributions if, in its reasonable discretion, such action is necessary or advisable to preserve the status of the Fund as a RIC or to avoid imposition of income or excise taxes on undistributed income.

 

OTHER INFORMATION

 

Portfolio Holdings

The Board has approved portfolio holdings disclosure policies and procedures that govern the timing and circumstances of disclosure to shareholders and third parties of the Fund’s portfolio holdings and the use of material non-public information about the Fund’s holdings. These policies and procedures, as described below, are designed to ensure that disclosure of portfolio holdings is in the best interests of Fund shareholders, and address conflicts of interest between the interests of Fund shareholders and those of Krane, the Sub-Adviser, Distributor, or any affiliated person of the Fund, Krane, the Sub-Adviser or the Distributor. The policies and procedures apply to all officers, employees, and agents of the Fund, including Krane and the Sub-Adviser.

 

The Fund is an ETF, and therefore information about the Fund’s portfolio holdings are made available at www.kraneshares.com on a daily basis in accordance with the provisions of any Order of the SEC applicable to the Fund, regulations of the Exchange, and other applicable SEC regulations, orders and no-action relief. Such information typically reflects all or a portion of the Fund’s anticipated portfolio holdings as of the next Business Day. This information is used in connection with the creation and redemption process and is disseminated on a daily basis through the facilities of the Exchange, the National Securities Clearing Corporation (“NSCC”) and/or other fee-based subscription services to NSCC members and/or subscribers to those other fee-based subscription services, including Authorized Participants, and to entities that publish and/or analyze such information in connection with the process of purchasing or redeeming Creation Units or trading shares of the Fund in the secondary market.

 

The Fund may disclose on the Fund’s website at the start of each Business Day the identities and quantities of the securities and other assets held by the Fund that will form the basis of the Fund’s calculation of its NAV on that Business Day. The portfolio holdings so disclosed will be based on information as of the close of business on the prior Business Day and/or trades that have been completed prior to the opening of business on that Business Day and that are expected to settle on that Business Day.

 

Daily access to information concerning the Fund’s portfolio holdings also is permitted (i) to certain personnel of those service providers that are involved in portfolio management and providing administrative, operational, risk management, or other support to portfolio management, including affiliated broker-dealers and/or Authorized Participants, and (ii) to other personnel of Krane and other service providers, such as the Sub-Adviser, the administrator, the custodian and the fund accountant, who deal directly with, or assist in, functions related to investment management, administration, custody and fund accounting, as may be necessary to conduct business in the ordinary course in a manner consistent with agreements with the Fund and/or the terms of the Fund’s current registration statement.

 

57
 

 

From time to time, information concerning Fund portfolio holdings, other than portfolio holdings information made available in connection with the creation and redemption process, as discussed above, also may be provided to other entities that provide services to the Fund, including, among others, rating or ranking organizations, in the ordinary course of business, no earlier than one business day following the date of the information. Portfolio holdings information made available in connection with the creation and redemption process may be provided to other entities that provide services to the Fund in the ordinary course of business after it has been disseminated to the NSCC.

 

The Fund’s chief compliance officer, or a compliance manager designated by the chief compliance officer, also may grant exceptions to permit additional disclosure of Fund portfolio holdings information at differing times and with different lag times (the period from the date of the information to the date the information is made available), if any, in instances where the Fund has legitimate business purposes for doing so, it is in the best interests of shareholders, and the recipients are subject to a duty of confidentiality, including a duty not to trade on the nonpublic information and are required to execute an agreement to that effect. The Board will be informed of any such disclosures at its next regularly scheduled meeting or as soon as is reasonably practicable thereafter. In no event will the Fund, Krane, the Sub-Adviser, or any other party receive any direct or indirect compensation in connection with the disclosure of information about the Fund’s portfolio holdings.

 

The Board exercises continuing oversight of the disclosure of the Fund’s portfolio holdings by (1) overseeing the implementation and enforcement of the Trust’s the portfolio holdings policies and procedures by the Fund’s chief compliance officer and the Fund, (2) considering reports and recommendations by the chief compliance officer concerning any material compliance matters (as defined in Rule 38a-1 under the 1940 Act and Rule 206(4)-7 under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940) that may arise in connection with any portfolio holdings policies and procedures, and (3) considering whether to approve or ratify any amendment to any of the portfolio holdings policies and procedures. The Board and the Fund reserve the right to amend the policies and procedures in their sole discretion at any time and from time to time without prior notice to shareholders. For purposes of the policies and procedures, the term “portfolio holdings” means the equity and debt securities (e.g., stocks and bonds) held by the Fund and does not mean the cash investments, derivatives, and other investment positions (collectively, other investment positions) held by the Fund, if any, which are not disclosed.

 

In addition to the permitted disclosures described above, the Fund must disclose its complete holdings quarterly within 60 days of the end of each fiscal quarter in the Annual Report and Semi-Annual Report to Fund shareholders and in the quarterly holdings report on Form N-Q. These reports are available, free of charge, on the EDGAR database on the SEC’s web site at www.sec.gov.

 

No person is authorized to disclose the Fund’s portfolio holdings or other investment positions except in accordance with the Trust’s policies and procedures.

 

Voting Rights

Each share of the Fund is entitled to one vote with respect to matters upon which a shareholder vote is required consistent with the requirements of the 1940 Act and the rules promulgated thereunder. Shareholders receive one vote for every full Fund share owned. At such time as the Trust offers multiple funds, each fund will vote separately on matters relating solely to that fund. All shares of the Fund are freely transferable.

 

As a Delaware statutory trust, the Trust is not required to hold annual shareholder meetings unless otherwise required by the 1940 Act. However, a meeting may be called by shareholders owning at least 10% of the outstanding shares of the Trust. If a meeting is requested by shareholders, the Trust will provide appropriate assistance and information to the shareholders who requested the meeting. Shareholder inquiries can be made by contacting the Trust at the number and website address provided under “Shareholder Inquiries” below.

 

58
 

 

Shareholder Inquiries

Shareholders may visit the Trust’s web site at www.kraneshares.com or call 1.855.857.2638 or call to obtain information about account statements, procedures, and other related information.

 

COUNSEL

 

Morgan Lewis and Bockius LLP, 2020 K Street NW, Washington, DC 20006, serves as counsel to the Trust.

 

INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

 

PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, Two Commerce Square, 2001 Market Street, Suite 1700, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103, the Trust’s independent registered public accounting firm, provides audit and tax services and other assurance services with respect to filings with the SEC.

 

59
 

 

APPENDIX A – DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES RATINGS

 

Corporate and Municipal Long-Term Bond Ratings

 

Standard & Poor’s (“S&P”) Corporate and Municipal Long-Term Bond Ratings:

 

The following descriptions of S&P’s long-term corporate and municipal bond ratings have been published by Standard & Poor’s Financial Service LLC.

 

AAA - An obligation rated ‘AAA’ has the highest rating assigned by S&P. The obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is extremely strong.

 

AA - An obligation rated ‘AA’ differs from the highest-rated obligations only to a small degree. The obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is very strong.

 

A - An obligation rated ‘A’ is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher-rated categories. However, the obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is still strong.

 

BBB - An obligation rated ‘BBB’ exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity of the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

 

BB, B, CCC, CC, and C - Obligations rated ‘BB’, ‘B’, ‘CCC’, ‘CC’, and ‘C’ are regarded as having significant speculative characteristics. ‘BB’ indicates the least degree of speculation and ‘C’ the highest. While such obligations will likely have some quality and protective characteristics, these may be outweighed by large uncertainties or major exposures to adverse conditions.

 

BB - An obligation rated ‘BB’ is less vulnerable to nonpayment than other speculative issues. However, it faces major ongoing uncertainties or exposure to adverse business, financial, or economic conditions which could lead to the obligor’s inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

 

B - An obligation rated ‘B’ is more vulnerable to nonpayment than obligations rated ‘BB’, but the obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation. Adverse business, financial, or economic conditions will likely impair the obligor’s capacity or willingness to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

 

CCC - An obligation rated ‘CCC’ is currently vulnerable to nonpayment, and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation. In the event of adverse business, financial, or economic conditions, the obligor is not likely to have the capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

 

CC - An obligation rated ‘CC’ is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment.

 

C - A ‘C’ rating is assigned to obligations that are currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment, obligations that have payment arrearages allowed by the terms of the documents, or obligations of an issuer that is the subject of a bankruptcy petition or similar action which have not experienced a payment default. Among others, the ‘C’ rating may be assigned to subordinated debt, preferred stock or other obligations on which cash payments have been suspended in accordance with the instrument’s terms or when preferred stock is the subject of a distressed exchange offer, whereby some or all of the issue is either repurchased for an amount of cash or replaced by other instruments having a total value that is less than par.

 

A-1
 

 

D - An obligation rated ‘D’ is in payment default. The ‘D’ rating category is used when payments on an obligation, including a regulatory capital instrument, are not made on the date due even if the applicable grace period has not expired, unless Standard & Poor’s believes that such payments will be made during such grace period. The ‘D’ rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of similar action if payments on an obligation are jeopardized. An obligation’s rating is lowered to ‘D’ upon completion of a distressed exchange offer, whereby some or all of the issue is either repurchased for an amount of cash or replaced by other instruments having a total value that is less than par.

 

Plus (+) or Minus (-) - The ratings from ‘AA’ to ‘CCC’ may be modified by the addition of a plus (+) or minus (-) sign to show relative standing within the major rating categories.

 

NR - This indicates that no rating has been requested, that there is insufficient information on which to base a rating, or that Standard & Poor’s does not rate a particular obligation as a matter of policy.

 

Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (“Moody’s”) Long-Term Corporate Bond Ratings:

 

The following descriptions of Moody’s long-term corporate bond ratings have been published by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. and Moody’s Analytics Inc.

 

Aaa - Obligations rated Aaa are judged to be of the highest quality, with minimal credit risk.

 

Aa - Obligations rated Aa are judged to be of high quality and are subject to very low credit risk.

 

A - Obligations rated A are considered upper-medium grade and are subject to low credit risk.

 

Baa - Obligations rated Baa are subject to moderate credit risk. They are considered medium-grade and as such may possess certain speculative characteristics.

 

Ba - Obligations rated Ba are judged to have speculative elements and are subject to substantial credit risk.

 

B - Obligations rated B are considered speculative and are subject to high credit risk.

 

Caa - Obligations rated Caa are judged to be of poor standing and are subject to very high credit risk.

 

Ca - Obligations rated Ca are highly speculative and are likely in, or very near, default, with some prospect of recovery of principal and interest.

 

C - Obligations rated C are the lowest rated class of bonds and are typically in default, with little prospect for recovery of principal or interest.

 

Modifiers: Moody’s appends numerical modifiers 1, 2, and 3 to each generic rating classification from Aa through Caa.

 

The modifier 1 indicates that the obligation ranks in the higher end of its generic rating category; the modifier 2 indicates a mid-range ranking; and the modifier 3 indicates a ranking in the lower end of that generic rating category.

 

Moody’s U.S. Municipal Long-Term Bond Ratings:

 

A-2
 

 

The following descriptions of Moody’s long-term municipal bond ratings have been published by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. and Moody’s Analytics Inc.

 

Aaa - Issuers or issues rated Aaa demonstrate the strongest creditworthiness relative to other U.S. municipal or tax-exempt issuers or issues.

 

Aa - Issuers or issues rated Aa demonstrate very strong creditworthiness relative to other U.S. municipal or tax-exempt issuers or issues.

 

A - Issuers or issues rated A present above-average creditworthiness relative to other U.S. municipal or tax-exempt issuers or issues.

 

Baa - Issuers or issues rated Baa represent average creditworthiness relative to other U.S. municipal or tax- exempt issuers or issues.

 

Ba - Issuers or issues rated Ba demonstrate below-average creditworthiness relative to other U.S. municipal or tax-exempt issuers or issues.

 

B - Issuers or issues rated B demonstrate weak creditworthiness relative to other U.S. municipal or tax- exempt issuers or issues.

 

Caa - Issuers or issues rated Caa demonstrate very weak creditworthiness relative to other U.S. municipal or tax-exempt issuers or issues.

 

Ca - Issuers or issues rated Ca demonstrate extremely weak creditworthiness relative to other U.S. municipal or tax-exempt issuers or issues.

 

C - Issuers or issues rated C demonstrate the weakest creditworthiness relative to other U.S. municipal or tax-exempt issuers or issues.

 

Modifiers: Moody’s appends numerical modifiers 1, 2, and 3 to each generic rating category from Aa through Caa. The modifier 1 indicates that the issuer or obligation ranks in the higher end of its generic rating category; the modifier 2 indicates a mid-range ranking; and the modifier 3 indicates a ranking in the lower end of that generic rating category.

 

Fitch Ratings Ltd. (“Fitch”) Corporate Bond Ratings:

 

The following descriptions of Fitch’s long-term corporate bond ratings have been published by Fitch, Inc. and Fitch Ratings Ltd.

 

AAA - Highest credit quality. ‘AAA’ ratings denote the lowest expectation of credit risk. They are assigned only in cases of exceptionally strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is highly unlikely to be adversely affected by foreseeable events.

 

AA - Very high credit quality. ‘AA’ ratings denote expectations of very low credit risk. They indicate very strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is not significantly vulnerable to foreseeable events.

 

A - High credit quality. ‘A’ ratings denote expectations of low credit risk. The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered strong. This capacity may, nevertheless, be more vulnerable to adverse business or economic conditions than is the case for higher ratings.

 

A-3
 

 

BBB - Good credit quality. ‘BBB’ ratings indicate that expectations of credit risk are currently low. The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered adequate but adverse business or economic conditions are more likely to impair this capacity.

 

BB - Speculative. ‘BB’ ratings indicate an elevated vulnerability to credit risk, particularly in the event of adverse changes in business or economic conditions over time; however, business or financial alternatives may be available to allow financial commitments to be met.

 

B - Highly speculative. ‘B’ ratings indicate that material credit risk is present. For performing obligations, default risk is commensurate with the issuer being rated with an Issuer Default Risk (“IDR”) in the ranges ‘BB’ to ‘C’. For issuers with an IDR below ‘B’, the overall credit risk of this obligation is moderated by the expected level of recoveries should a default occur. For issuers with an IDR above ‘B’, the overall credit risk of this obligation is exacerbated by the expected low level of recoveries should a default occur. For non-performing obligations, the obligation or issuer is in default, or has deferred payment, but the rated obligation is expected to have extremely high recovery rates consistent with a Recovery Rating of ‘RR1’ (outstanding recovery prospects given default).

 

CCC - Substantial credit risk. ‘CCC’ ratings indicate that substantial credit risk is present. For performing obligations, default risk is commensurate with an IDR in the ranges ‘B’ to ‘C’. For issuers with an IDR below ‘CCC’, the overall credit risk of this obligation is moderated by the expected level of recoveries should a default occur. For issuers with an IDR above ‘CCC’, the overall credit risk of this obligation is exacerbated by the expected low level of recoveries should a default occur. For non-performing obligations, the obligation or issuer is in default, or has deferred payment, but the rated obligation is expected to have a superior recovery rate consistent with a Recovery Rating of ‘RR2’ (superior recovery prospects given default).

 

CC - Very high levels of credit risk. ‘CC’ ratings indicate very high levels of credit risk. For performing obligations, default risk is commensurate with an IDR in the ranges ‘B’ to ‘C’. For issuers with an IDR below ‘CC’, the overall credit risk of this obligation is moderated by the expected level of recoveries should a default occur. For issuers with an IDR above ‘CC’, the overall credit risk of this obligation is exacerbated by the expected low level of recoveries should a default occur. For non-performing obligations, the obligation or issuer is in default, or has deferred payment, but the rated obligation is expected to have a good recovery rate consistent with a Recovery Rating of ‘RR3’ (good recovery prospects given default).

 

C - Exceptionally high levels of credit risk. ‘C’ indicates exceptionally high levels of credit risk. For performing obligations, default risk is commensurate with an IDR in the ranges ‘B’ to ‘C’. The overall credit risk of this obligation is exacerbated by the expected low level of recoveries should a default occur. For non-performing obligations, the obligation or issuer is in default, or has deferred payment, and the rated obligation is expected to have an average, below-average or poor recovery rate consistent with a Recovery Rating of ‘RR4’ (average recovery prospects given default), ‘RR5’ (below average recovery prospects given default) or ‘RR6’ (poor recovery prospects given default).

 

Defaulted obligations typically are not assigned ‘D’ ratings, but are instead rated in the ‘B’ to ‘C’ rating categories, depending upon their recovery prospects and other relevant characteristics. This approach better aligns obligations that have comparable overall expected loss but varying vulnerability to default and loss.

 

Plus (+) or Minus (-) The modifiers “+” or “-” may be appended to a rating to denote relative status within major rating categories. Such suffixes are not added to the ‘AAA’ obligation rating category, or to corporate finance obligation ratings in the categories below ‘B’.

 

A-4
 

 

The terms “investment grade” and “speculative grade” have established themselves over time as shorthand to describe the categories ‘AAA’ to ‘BBB’ (investment grade) and ‘BB’ to ‘D’ (speculative grade). The terms “investment grade” and “speculative grade” are market conventions, and do not imply any recommendation or endorsement of a specific security for investment purposes. “Investment grade” categories indicate relatively low to moderate credit risk, while ratings in the “speculative” categories either signal a higher level of credit risk or that a default has already occurred.

 

Fitch’s Municipal Bond Long-Term Ratings:

 

The following descriptions of Fitch’s long-term municipal bond ratings have been published by Fitch, Inc. and Fitch Ratings Ltd.

 

AAA - Highest credit quality. ‘AAA’ ratings denote the lowest expectation of default risk. They are assigned only in cases of exceptionally strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is highly unlikely to be adversely affected by foreseeable events.

 

AA - Very high credit quality. ‘AA’ ratings denote expectations of very low default risk. They indicate very strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is not significantly vulnerable to foreseeable events.

 

A - High credit quality. ‘A’ ratings denote expectations of low default risk. The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered strong. This capacity may, nevertheless, be more vulnerable to adverse business or economic conditions than is the case for higher ratings.

 

BBB - Good credit quality. ‘BBB’ ratings indicate that expectations of credit risk are currently low. The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered adequate but adverse business or economic conditions are more likely to impair this capacity.

 

BB - Speculative. ‘BB’ ratings indicate an elevated vulnerability to default risk, particularly in the event of adverse changes in business or economic conditions over time; however, business or financial alternatives may be available to allow financial commitments to be met.

 

B - Highly speculative. ‘B’ ratings indicate that material default risk is present, but a limited margin of safety remains. Financial commitments are currently being met; however, capacity for continued payment is vulnerable to deterioration in the business and economic environment.

 

CCC - Substantial credit risk. ‘CCC’ ratings indicate that default is a real possibility.

 

CC - Very high levels of credit risk. ‘CC’ ratings indicate default of some kind appears probable.

 

C - Exceptionally high levels of credit risk. ‘C’ ratings indicate default appears imminent or inevitable.

 

D - Default. ‘D’ ratings indicate a default. Default generally is defined as one of the following:

 

• failure to make payment of principal and/or interest under the contractual terms of the rated obligation;

 

• the bankruptcy filings, administration, receivership, liquidation or other winding-up or cessation of the business of an issuer/obligor; or

 

• the coercive exchange of an obligation, where creditors were offered securities with diminished structural or economic terms compared with the existing obligation.

 

A-5
 

 

Structured Finance Defaults – “Imminent” default, categorized under ‘C’, typically refers to the occasion where a payment default has been intimated by the issuer, and is all but inevitable. This may, for example, be where an issuer has missed a scheduled payment, but (as is typical) has a grace period during which it may cure the payment default. Another alternative would be where an issuer has formally announced a coercive debt exchange, but the date of the exchange still lies several days or weeks in the immediate future.

 

Additionally, in structured finance transactions, where analysis indicates that an instrument is irrevocably impaired such that it is not expected to pay interest and/or principal in full in accordance with the terms of the obligation’s documentation during the life of the transaction, but where no payment default in accordance with the terms of the documentation is imminent, the obligation will typically be rated in the ‘C’ category.

 

Structured Finance Writedowns - Where an instrument has experienced an involuntary and, in the agency’s opinion, irreversible “writedown” of principal (i.e. other than through amortization, and resulting in a loss to the investor), a credit rating of ‘D’ will be assigned to the instrument. Where the agency believes the “writedown” may prove to be temporary (and the loss may be “written up” again in future if and when performance improves), then a credit rating of ‘C’ will typically be assigned. Should the “writedown” then later be reversed, the credit rating will be raised to an appropriate level for that instrument. Should the “writedown” later be deemed as irreversible, the credit rating will be lowered to ‘D’.

 

Notes: In the case of structured and project finance, while the ratings do not address the loss severity given default of the rated liability, loss severity assumptions on the underlying assets are nonetheless typically included as part of the analysis. Loss severity assumptions are used to derive pool cash flows available to service the rated liability. In the case of public finance, the ratings also do not address the loss given default of the rated liability, focusing instead on the vulnerability to default of the rated liability.

 

Plus (+) or Minus (-) - The modifiers “+” or “-”may be appended to a rating to denote relative status within major rating categories. Such suffixes are not added to the ‘AAA’ Long-Term Rating category, or to Long-Term Rating categories below ‘B’.

 

Municipal Short-Term Bond Ratings

 

S&P’s Municipal Short-Term Bond Ratings:

 

The following descriptions of S&P’s short-term municipal ratings have been published by Standard & Poor’s Financial Service LLC.

 

SP-1 - Strong capacity to pay principal and interest. An issue determined to possess a very strong capacity to pay debt service is given a plus (+) designation.

 

SP-2 - Satisfactory capacity to pay principal and interest, with some vulnerability to adverse financial and economic changes over the term of the notes.

 

SP-3 - Speculative capacity to pay principal and interest.

 

Moody’s Short-Term Ratings:

 

The following descriptions of Moody’s short-term municipal ratings have been published by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. and Moody’s Analytics Inc.

 

MIG 1 - This designation denotes superior credit quality. Excellent protection is afforded by established cash flows, highly reliable liquidity support, or demonstrated broad-based access to the market for refinancing.

 

A-6
 

 

MIG 2 - This designation denotes strong credit quality. Margins of protection are ample, although not as large as in the preceding group.

 

MIG 3 - This designation denotes acceptable credit quality. Liquidity and cash-flow protection may be narrow, and market access for refinancing is likely to be less well-established.

 

SG - This designation denotes speculative-grade credit quality. Debt instruments in this category may lack sufficient margins of protection.

 

Fitch’s Short-Term Ratings:

 

The following descriptions of Fitch’s short-term ratings have been published by Fitch, Inc. and Fitch Ratings Ltd.

 

F1 - Highest short-term credit quality. Indicates the strongest intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial

commitments; may have an added “+” to denote any exceptionally strong credit feature.

 

F2 - Good short-term credit quality. Good intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments.

 

F3 - Fair short-term credit quality. The intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments is adequate.

 

B - Speculative short-term credit quality. Minimal capacity for timely payment of financial commitments, plus heightened vulnerability to near term adverse changes in financial and economic conditions.

 

C - High short-term default risk. Default is a real possibility.

 

RD - Restricted default. Indicates an entity that has defaulted on one or more of its financial commitments, although it continues to meet other financial obligations. Applicable to entity ratings only.

 

D - Default. Indicates a broad-based default event for an entity, or the default of a specific short-term obligation.

 

Commercial Paper Ratings

 

S&P’s Commercial Paper Ratings:

The following descriptions of S&P’s commercial paper ratings have been published by Standard & Poor’s Financial Service LLC.

 

A-1 - A short-term obligation rated ‘A-1’ is rated in the highest category by Standard & Poor’s. The obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is strong. Within this category, certain obligations are designated with a plus sign (+). This indicates that the obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on these obligations is extremely strong.

 

A-2 - A short-term obligation rated ‘A-2’ is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher rating categories. However, the obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is satisfactory.

 

A-3 - A short-term obligation rated ‘A-3’ exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity of the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

 

A-7
 

 

B - A short-term obligation rated ‘B’ is regarded as having significant speculative characteristics. Ratings of ‘B-1’, ‘B-2’, and ‘B-3’ may be assigned to indicate finer distinctions within the ‘B’ category. The obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation; however, it faces major ongoing uncertainties which could lead to the obligor’s inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

 

B-1 - A short-term obligation rated ‘B-1’ is regarded as having significant speculative characteristics, but the obligor has a relatively stronger capacity to meet its financial commitments over the short-term compared to other speculative-grade obligors.

 

B-2 - A short-term obligation rated ‘B-2’ is regarded as having significant speculative characteristics, and the obligor has an average speculative-grade capacity to meet its financial commitments over the short-term compared to other speculative-grade obligors.

 

B-3 - A short-term obligation rated ‘B-3’ is regarded as having significant speculative characteristics, and the obligor has a relatively weaker capacity to meet its financial commitments over the short-term compared to other speculative-grade obligors.

 

C - A short-term obligation rated ‘C’ is currently vulnerable to nonpayment and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

 

D - A short-term obligation rated ‘D’ is in payment default. The ‘D’ rating category is used when payments on an obligation, including a regulatory capital instrument, are not made on the date due even if the applicable grace period has not expired, unless Standard & Poor’s believes that such payments will be made during such grace period. The ‘D’ rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of a similar action if payments on an obligation are jeopardized.

 

Dual Ratings – S&P assigns “dual” ratings to all debt issues that have a put option or demand feature as part of their structure. The first rating addresses the likelihood of repayment of principal and interest as due, and the second rating addresses only the demand feature. The long-term rating symbols are used for bonds to denote the long-term maturity and the short-term rating symbols for the put option (for example, ‘AAA/A-1+’). With U.S. municipal short-term demand debt, note rating symbols are used with the short-term issue credit rating symbols (for example, ‘SP-1+/A-1+’).

 

Moody’s Commercial Paper Ratings:

 

The following descriptions of Moody’s commercial paper ratings have been published by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. and Moody’s Analytics Inc.

 

P-1 - Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-1 have a superior ability to repay short-term debt obligations.

 

P-2 - Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-2 have a strong ability to repay short-term debt obligations.

 

P-3 - Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-3 have an acceptable ability to repay short-term obligations.

 

NP - Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Not Prime do not fall within any of the Prime rating categories.

 

Note: Canadian issuers rated P-1 or P-2 have their short-term ratings enhanced by the senior-most long-term rating of the issuer, its guarantor or support-provider.

 

Fitch’s Commercial Paper Ratings:

 

A-8
 

 

The following descriptions of Fitch’s commercial paper ratings have been published by Fitch, Inc. and Fitch Ratings Ltd.

 

F1 - Highest short-term credit quality. Indicates the strongest intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments; may have an added “+” to denote any exceptionally strong credit feature.

 

F2 - Good short-term credit quality. Good intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments.

 

F3 - Fair short-term credit quality. The intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments is adequate.

 

B - Speculative short-term credit quality. Minimal capacity for timely payment of financial commitments, plus heightened vulnerability to near term adverse changes in financial and economic conditions.

 

C - High short-term default risk. Default is a real possibility.

 

RD - Restricted default. Indicates an entity that has defaulted on one or more of its financial commitments, although it continues to meet other financial obligations. Applicable to entity ratings only.

 

D - Default. Indicates a broad-based default event for an entity, or the default of a specific short-term obligation. The modifiers “+” or “-” may be appended to a rating to denote relative status within major rating categories. Such suffixes are not added to the ‘AAA’ Long-term rating category, to categories below ‘CCC’, or to Short-term ratings other than ‘F1’. (The +/- modifiers are only used to denote issues within the CCC category, whereas issuers are only rated CCC without the use of modifiers.)

 

A-9
 

 

APPENDIX B – KRANE PROXY VOTING POLICY

 

Krane Funds Advisors, LLC (“Krane” or the “Adviser”) votes proxies for the securities in the Funds it manages and in clients’ account it manages (if any) using the following guidelines to comply with Rule 206(4)-6 under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the “Advisers Act”).

 

General Guidelines

 

The proxy voting guidelines below summarize the Adviser’s position on various issues of concern to investors and give a general indication of how portfolio securities held in client accounts will be voted on proposals dealing with particular issues. The guidelines are not exhaustive and do not include all potential voting issues. In addition, because proxy voting issues and circumstances of individual companies are so varied, there may be instances when the Adviser may not vote in strict adherence to these guidelines as outlined below. The following guidelines are grouped according to the types of proposals generally presented to shareholders.

 

(i) Board of Directors Issues

 

The Adviser will generally vote for all Board of Directors nominees unless certain actions by the Directors warrant votes to be withheld. These instances include Directors who:

 

·Attend less than 75% of the board and committee meetings unexcused;

 

·Ignore a shareholders’ proposal that is approved by a majority of the votes cast for two (2) consecutive years;

 

·Have failed to act on takeover offers where the majority of the shareholders have tendered their shares;

 

·Are inside directors and sit on the audit, compensation or nomination committees; and

 

·Enacted egregious corporate governance policies.

 

All other items are voted on a case-by-case basis with the exception of the following, which the Adviser will generally oppose:

 

·Proposals to limit the tenure of outside directors;

 

·Proposals to impose mandatory retirement ages for outside directors; and

 

·Proposals requiring directors to own a minimum amount of company stock in order to qualify as director or remain on the board.

 

(ii) Auditors

 

The Adviser will generally vote for proposals to ratify auditors, unless:

 

·An auditor has a financial interest in or association with the company, and is therefore not independent; or

 

·There is reason to believe that the independent auditor has rendered an opinion that is neither accurate nor indicative of the company’s financial position.

 

B-1
 

 

(iii) Executive and Director Compensation

 

The Adviser will generally support executive compensation plans that motivate participants to focus on long-term shareholder value and returns, encourage employee stock ownership, and more closely align employee interests with those of shareholders. The Adviser will also support resolutions regarding directors’ fees. In general, the Adviser will determine votes for the following on a case-by-case basis:

 

·Stock-based incentive plans;

 

·Performance-based stock option proposals;

 

·Stock plans in lieu of cash;

 

·Proposals to ratify or cancel executive severance agreements; and

 

·Management proposals seeking approval to re-price options.

 

The Adviser will generally vote for:

 

·Employee stock purchase plans where the purchase price is at least eighty-five percent (85%) of fair market value, offering period is twenty-seven (27) months or less, and potential voting power dilution is ten percent or less;

 

·Proposals to implement an ESOP or increase authorized shares for existing ESOPs, unless the number of shares allocated to the ESOP is excessive (more than five percent (5%) of outstanding shares);

 

·Proposals to implement a 401(k) savings plan for employees;

 

·Proposals seeking additional disclosure of executive and director pay information, provided that the information is relevant to shareholders’ needs, would not put the company at a disadvantage, and is not unduly burdensome; and

 

·Proposals to expense stock options.

 

The Adviser will generally vote against:

 

·Retirement plans for non-employee directors;

 

·Shareholder proposals seeking to set absolute levels on compensation or otherwise dictate the amount or forms of compensation; and

 

·Shareholder proposals requiring director fees to be paid in stock only.

 

B-2
 

 

(iv) Takeover/Tender Offer Defenses

 

Anti-takeover proposals are analyzed on a case-by-case basis. However, since investors customarily, in our view, suffer a diminution of power as a result of the adoption of such proposals, they are generally opposed by the Adviser unless structured in such a way that they give shareholders the ultimate decision on any proposal or offer. Specifically, the Adviser will under normal circumstances oppose:

 

·Dual class exchange offers and dual class recapitalizations (unequal voting rights);

 

·Proposals to require a supermajority shareholder vote to approve charter and by-law amendments;

 

·Proposals to require a supermajority shareholder vote to approve mergers and other significant business combinations; and

 

·Fair price provisions with shareholder vote requirements greater than a majority of disinterested shares.

 

The Adviser will generally vote in favor of the following issues:

 

·Proposals to adopt anti-greenmail charter by-law amendments or to otherwise restrict a company’s ability to make greenmail payments; and

 

·Proposals to require approval of blank check preferred stock issues for other than general corporate purposes.

 

(v) Capital Structure and Shareholder Rights

 

This category consists of broad issues concerning capital structure and shareholder rights. These types of issues generally call for revisions to the corporate by-laws, which will impact shareholder ownership rights. All items are reviewed and voted on a case-by-case basis; however, the Adviser endeavors to balance the ownership rights of shareholders and their best interests with providing management of each corporation the greatest operational latitude.

 

(vi) Social and Political Responsibility Issues

 

In the case of social and political responsibility issues that in the Adviser’s view do not primarily involve financial considerations, it is not possible to represent fairly the diverse views of the Adviser’s clients. Unless a client has given us other instructions, the Adviser generally votes in accordance with the recommendations of the proxy vendor on these social and political issues, although the Adviser sometimes abstains from voting on these issues.

 

KRANE FUNDS ADVISORS, LLC
Proxy Voting Policy and Procedures
Proxy Voting Policy

 

Krane Funds Advisors, LLC (“Krane” or the “Adviser”) votes proxies for the securities in the Funds it manages and votes proxies for securities held in a client’s account using the following guidelines to comply with Rule 206(4)-6 under the Advisers Act. Specifically, Rule 206(4)-6 requires that the Adviser:

 

·Adopt and implement written policies and procedures reasonably designed to ensure that we vote client securities in the best interest of clients;

 

B-3
 

 

·Disclose to clients how they may obtain information from us about how we voted proxies for their securities; and

 

·Describe our proxy voting policies and procedures to clients and furnish them a copy of our policies and procedures on request.

 

A.Objective

 

Where the Adviser is given responsibility for voting proxies, we must take reasonable steps under the circumstances to ensure that proxies are received and voted in the best interest of our clients, which generally means voting proxies with a view to enhancing the value of the shares of stock held in client accounts.

 

The financial interest of our clients is the primary consideration in determining how proxies should be voted. In the case of social and political responsibility issues that in our view do not primarily involve financial considerations, it is not possible to represent fairly the diverse views of our clients and, thus, unless a client has provided other instructions, the Adviser generally votes in accordance with the recommendations of the proxy vendor (see discussion below) on these issues, although, on occasion the Adviser abstains from voting on these issues.

 

When making proxy-voting decisions, the Adviser generally adheres to its Proxy Voting Guidelines (the “Guidelines”), as revised from time to time by the Adviser. The Guidelines, which have been developed with reference to the positions of the proxy vendor, set forth the Adviser’s positions on recurring issues and criteria for addressing non-recurring issues and incorporates many of proxy vendor’s standard operating policies.

 

B.Accounts for Which the Adviser Has Proxy Voting Responsibility

 

The Adviser generally is responsible for voting proxies with respect to securities selected by the Adviser and held in client accounts. The Adviser’s form of Investment Advisory Agreement provides clients with an alternative as to whether the client or the Adviser will be responsible for proxy voting. However, the Adviser does not vote proxies for securities not selected by the Adviser but that are nevertheless held in a client account or where the Adviser otherwise is not vested with discretionary authority over securities held in a client account.

 

C.Adherence to Client Proxy Voting Policies

 

Although clients do not always have proxy-voting policies, if a client has such a policy and instructs the Adviser to follow it, the Adviser is required to comply with it except in any instance in which doing so would be contrary to the economic interests of the client or otherwise imprudent or unlawful.

 

The Adviser must, to the extent possible, comply with each client’s proxy voting policy. If such policies conflict, the Adviser may vote proxies to reflect each policy in proportion to the respective client’s interest in any pooled account, for example (unless in the particular situation voting in such a manner would be imprudent or otherwise inconsistent with applicable law).

 

B-4
 

 

D.Conflicts

 

From time to time, proxy voting proposals may raise conflicts between the interests of the Adviser’s clients and the interests of the Adviser and its employees. The Adviser must take certain steps designed to ensure, and must be able to demonstrate that those steps resulted in, a decision to vote the proxies that was based on the clients’ best interest and was not the product of the conflict. For example, conflicts of interest may arise when:

 

·proxy votes regarding non-routine matters are solicited by an issuer that has an institutional separate account relationship with the Adviser;

 

·a proponent of a proxy proposal has a business relationship with the Adviser; or

 

·the Adviser has business relationships with participants in proxy contests, corporate directors or director candidates.

 

The Adviser’s Executive Committee is primarily responsible for monitoring and resolving possible material conflicts with respect to proxy voting. Any person with knowledge of a personal conflict of interest relating to a particular matter shall disclose that conflict to the Chief Compliance Officer and may be required to recuse him or herself from the proxy voting process. Issues raising possible conflicts of interest are referred to the Executive Committee for resolution. Application of the Guidelines or voting in accordance with the proxy vendor vote recommendation should, in most cases, adequately address any possible conflicts of interest.

 

E.Special Issues with Voting Foreign Proxies

 

Although the Adviser has arrangements with the proxy vendor, voting proxies with respect to shares of foreign stocks may involve significantly greater effort and corresponding cost due to the variety of regulatory schemes and corporate practices in foreign countries with respect to proxy voting. Logistical problems in voting foreign proxies include the following:

 

·Each country has its own rules and practices regarding shareholder notification, voting restrictions, registration conditions and share blocking.

 

·To vote shares in some countries, the shares may be “blocked” by the custodian or depository (or bearer shares deposited with a specified financial institution) for a specified number of days (usually five or fewer but sometimes longer) before or after the shareholder meeting. When blocked, shares typically may not be traded until the day after the blocking period. The Adviser may refrain from voting shares of foreign stocks subject to blocking restrictions where, in the Adviser’s judgment, the benefit from voting the shares is outweighed by the interest of maintaining client liquidity in the shares. This decision generally is made on a case-by-case basis based on relevant factors, including the length of the blocking period, the significance of the holding, and whether the stock is considered a long-term holding.

 

·Often it is difficult to ascertain the date of a shareholder meeting because certain countries, such as France, do not require companies to publish announcements in any official stock exchange publication.

 

·Time frames between shareholder notification, distribution of proxy materials, book-closure and the actual meeting date may be too short to allow timely action.

 

·Language barriers will generally mean that an English translation of proxy information must be obtained or commissioned before the relevant shareholder meeting.

 

B-5
 

 

·Some companies and/or jurisdictions require that, in order to be eligible to vote, the shares of the beneficial holders be registered in the company’s share registry.

 

·Lack of a “proxy voting service” by custodians in certain countries.

 

Because the cost of voting on a particular proxy proposal could exceed the expected benefit to a client (including an ERISA plan), the Adviser may weigh the costs and benefits of voting on proxy proposals relating to foreign securities and make an informed decision on whether voting a given proxy proposal is prudent.

 

F.Reports

 

Clients may obtain information from the Adviser about how we voted proxies with respect to their securities. If requested, the Adviser provides clients with periodic reports on the Adviser’s proxy voting decisions and actions for securities in their accounts, in such forms or intervals as the clients reasonably request.

 

G.Operational Procedures

 

The Adviser’s Chief Executive Officer is responsible for administering the proxy voting process as set forth in these procedures. The CEO works with the proxy vendor, the proxy voting service, and is responsible for ensuring that meeting notices are reviewed. The CEO will process proxies of a routine nature in accordance with the Adviser’s Proxy Voting Guidelines when the vote recommendation from the proxy vendor and company management are in agreement on how the proposal should be voted. A response or feedback from the CEO will be provided in writing when proposals are not covered by the Guidelines, the proxy vendor recommends a vote contrary to company management, or the Guidelines are unclear on how a proxy should be voted. A response from the CEO is required to be in writing and will be maintained by the Adviser. The CEO is responsible for the actual submission of the proxies in a timely fashion.

 

The CEO may submit a proxy recommendation that is contrary to the Guidelines or the proxy vendor vote recommendation if he determines that it is in the best interest of clients. If the CEO submits voting recommendations that are inconsistent with the Guidelines or the proxy vendor vote recommendations, then the CEO is required to document the rationale for his recommendation. The Executive Committee will review the recommendation in order to determine whether the CEO’s voting rationale appears reasonable and in the best interests of clients. If the Executive Committee does not agree that the CEO’s rationale is reasonable and in the best interests of clients, the Executive Committee will vote the proxy and document the reason(s) for its decision. The Adviser is responsible for maintaining the documentation provided by the CEO and the Executive Committee and assuring that it adequately reflects the basis for any recommendation or vote that is cast in opposition to the Guidelines or proxy vendor vote recommendation.

 

H.Securities Subject to Lending Arrangements

 

For various legal or administrative reasons, the Adviser, customarily and typically does not, and is often unable to vote securities that are, at the time of such vote, on loan pursuant to a client’s securities lending arrangement with the client’s custodian. The Adviser will refrain from voting such securities where the costs to the client and/or administrative inconvenience of retrieving securities then on loan outweighs the benefit of voting, assuming retrieval under such circumstances is even feasible and/or possible. In certain extraordinary situations, the Adviser may seek to have securities then on loan pursuant to such securities lending arrangements retrieved by the clients’ custodians for voting purposes. This decision will generally be made on a case-by-case basis depending on whether, in the Adviser’s judgment, the matter to be voted on has critical significance to the potential value of the securities in question, the relative cost and/or administrative inconvenience of retrieving the securities, the significance of the holding and whether the stock is considered a long-term holding. There can be no guarantee that any such securities can be retrieved for such purpose.

 

B-6
 

 

PART C: OTHER INFORMATION

 

Item 28. Exhibits
   
(a)(1) Certificate of Trust, as filed with the state of Delaware on February 3, 2012, for KraneShares Trust (the “Registrant” or the “Trust”) is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (a)(1) to the Registrant’s initial Registration Statement on Form N-1A as filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) via EDGAR Accession No. 0001193125-12-173444 on April 20, 2012.
   
(a)(2) Registrant’s Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust, effective as of February 3, 2012, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 1 of Registrant’s registration on Form 8-A (File No. 001-36010), as filed with the SEC via EDGAR Accession No. 0001144204-14-071478 on December 1, 2014.
   
(b) Registrant’s By-Laws, as adopted November 8, 2012, are incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (b) of Pre-Effective Amendment No. 2 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 333-180870 and 811-22698), as filed with the SEC via EDGAR Accession No. 0001144204-13-003143 on January 18, 2013.
   
(c) Not applicable.
   
(d)(1) Investment Advisory Agreement dated November 8, 2012 between the Registrant and Krane Funds Advisors, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (d)(1) of Pre-Effective Amendment No. 2 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 333-180870 and 811-22698), as filed with the SEC via EDGAR Accession No. 0001144204-13-003143 on January 18, 2013.
   
(d)(2) Schedule A to the Investment Advisory Agreement dated November 8, 2012 between the Registrant and Krane Funds Advisors, LLC, reflecting the addition of the KraneShares Bosera MSCI China A Share ETF, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (d)(2) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 43 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 333-180870 and 811-22698), as filed with the SEC via EDGAR Accession No. 0001144204-14-022475 on April 14, 2014.
   
(d)(3) Schedule A to the Investment Advisory Agreement dated November 8, 2012 between the Registrant and Krane Funds Advisors, LLC, reflecting the addition of the KraneShares E Fund China Commercial Paper Hedged ETF, KraneShares E Fund China Commercial Paper ETF, and KraneShares FTSE Emerging Markets Plus ETF is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (d)(3) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 50 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 333-180870 and 811-22698), as filed with the SEC via EDGAR Accession No. 0001144204-14-037621 on June 13, 2014.
   
(d)(4) Schedule A to the Investment Advisory Agreement dated November 8, 2012 between the Registrant and Krane Funds Advisors, LLC, reflecting the addition of the KraneShares CSI China Government Bond ETF, KraneShares CSI China Consumer ETF, and KraneShares NYSE Bloomberg China Clean Energy ETF, to be filed by amendment.

 

1
 

 

(d)(5) Investment Advisory Agreement dated June 16, 2014 between the Registrant and Max Funds LLC, relating to the MPS Thomson Reuters Venture Capital Fund (formerly, the Max Thomson Reuters Venture Capital Fund), is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (d)(4) of Post-Effective No. 63 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 333-180870 and 811-22698), as filed with the SEC via EDGAR Accession No. 0001144204-14-046850 on August 4, 2014.
   
(d)(6) Investment Advisory Agreement dated February 26, 2014 between Krane Funds Advisors, LLC, on behalf of the KraneShares Bosera MSCI China A Share ETF, and Bosera Asset Management (International) Co., Ltd. is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (d)(5) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 43 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 333-180870 and 811-22698), as filed with the SEC via EDGAR Accession No. 0001144204-14-022475 on April 14, 2014.
   
(d)(7) Investment Advisory Agreement dated June 9, 2014 between Krane Funds Advisors, LLC, on behalf of the KraneShares E Fund China Commercial Paper Hedged ETF and KraneShares E Fund China Commercial Paper ETF, and E Fund Management (Hong Kong) Co., Limited, is incorporated by reference to Exhibit (d)(7) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 70 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 333-180870 and 811-22698), as filed with the SEC via EDGAR Accession No. 0001144204-14-056322 on September 16, 2014.
   
(d)(8) Sub-Advisory Agreement dated November 6, 2012 between Krane Funds Advisors, LLC and Index Management Solutions, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (d)(6) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 43 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 333-180870 and 811-22698), as filed with the SEC via EDGAR Accession No. 0001144204-14-022475 on April 14, 2014.
   
(d)(9) Schedule A to the Sub-Advisory Agreement dated November 6, 2012 between Krane Funds Advisors, LLC and Index Management Solutions LLC, reflecting the addition of the KraneShares FTSE Emerging Markets Plus ETF, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (d)(9) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 86 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 333-180870 and 811-22698), as filed with the SEC via EDGAR Accession No. 0001144204-15-004982 on January 30, 2015.
   
(d)(10) Schedule A to the Sub-Advisory Agreement dated November 6, 2012 between Krane Funds Advisors, LLC and Index Management Solutions LLC, reflecting the addition of the KraneShares CSI China Consumer ETF and KraneShares NYSE Bloomberg China Clean Energy ETF, to be filed by amendment.
   
(d)(11) Sub-Advisory Agreement between Krane Funds Advisors, LLC, on behalf of the KraneShares CSI China Government Bond ETF, and [Sub-Adviser], to be filed by amendment.
   
(d)(12) Sub-Advisory Agreement dated June 16, 2014 between Max Funds, LLC and Index Management Solutions LLC, relating to the MPS Thomson Reuters Venture Capital Fund (formerly, the Max Thomson Reuters Venture Capital Fund), is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (d)(10) of Post-Effective No. 63 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 333-180870 and 811-22698), as filed with the SEC via EDGAR Accession No. 0001144204-14-046850 on August 4, 2014.

 

2
 

 

(e)(1) Amended and Restated Distribution Agreement dated July 9, 2014 between the Registrant and SEI Investments Distribution Co. is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (e)(1) of Post-Effective No. 63 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 333-180870 and 811-22698), as filed with the SEC via EDGAR Accession No. 0001144204-14-046850 on August 4, 2014.
   
(e)(2) Schedule A to the Amended and Restated Distribution Agreement dated July 9, 2014 between the Registrant and SEI Investments Distribution Co., reflecting the addition of the KraneShares CSI China Government Bond ETF, KraneShares CSI China Consumer ETF, and KraneShares NYSE Bloomberg China Clean Energy ETF, to be filed by amendment.
   
(e)(3) Form of Authorized Participant Agreement is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (e)(2) of Pre-Effective Amendment No. 2 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 333-180870 and 811-22698), as filed with the SEC via EDGAR Accession No. 0001144204-13-003143 on January 18, 2013.
   
(f) Not applicable.
   
(g)(1) Custodian and Transfer Agent Agreement dated December 12, 2012 between the Registrant and Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (g) of Pre-Effective Amendment No. 2 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 333-180870 and 811-22698), as filed with the SEC via EDGAR Accession No. 0001144204-13-003143 on January 18, 2013.
   
(g)(2) Form of Adherence and Amendment Agreement to the Custodian and Transfer Agent Agreement between the Registrant and Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. dated December 12, 2012 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (g)(2) of Post-Effective No. 63 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 333-180870 and 811-22698), as filed with the SEC via EDGAR Accession No. 0001144204-14-046850 on August 4, 2014.
   
 (h)(1) Amended and Restated Administration Agreement dated July 9, 2014 between the Registrant and SEI Global Fund Services is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(1) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 63 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 333-180870 and 811-22698), as filed with the SEC via EDGAR Accession No. 0001144204-14-046850 on August 4, 2014.
   
(h)(2) Schedule I to the Amended and Restated Administration Agreement dated July 9, 2014 between the Registrant and SEI Global Fund Services, reflecting the addition of the KraneShares E Fund China Commercial Paper Hedged ETF, is incorporated by reference to Exhibit (h)(2) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 70 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 333-180870 and 811-22698), as filed with the SEC via EDGAR Accession No. 0001144204-14-056322 on September 16, 2014.
   
(h)(3) Schedule I to the Amended and Restated Administration Agreement dated July 9, 2014 between the Registrant and SEI Global Fund Services, reflecting the addition of the KraneShares FTSE Emerging Markets Plus ETF, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(3) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 86 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 333-180870 and 811-22698), as filed with the SEC via EDGAR Accession No. 0001144204-15-004982 on January 30, 2015.

 

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(h)(4) Schedule I to the Amended and Restated Administration Agreement dated July 9, 2014 between the Registrant and SEI Global Fund Services, reflecting the addition of the KraneShares CSI China Government Bond ETF, KraneShares CSI China Consumer ETF, and KraneShares NYSE Bloomberg China Clean Energy ETF, to be filed by amendment.
   
(h)(5) Compliance Services Agreement dated October 1, 2012 between the Registrant and Cipperman Compliance Services, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(2) of Pre-Effective Amendment No. 2 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 333-180870 and 811-22698), as filed with the SEC via EDGAR Accession No. 0001144204-13-003143 on January 18, 2013.
   
(h)(6) Expense Limitation Agreement dated July 10, 2014 between the Registrant and Krane Funds Advisors, LLC, relating to the KraneShares Bosera MSCI China A Share ETF, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(7) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 60 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 333-180870 and 811-22698), as filed with the SEC via EDGAR Accession No. 0001144204-14-045540 on July 29, 2014.
   
(h)(7) Expense Limitation Agreement dated June 9, 2014 between the Registrant and Max Funds LLC, relating to the MPS Thomson Reuters Venture Capital Fund (formerly, the Max Thomson Reuters Venture Capital Fund), is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(5) of Post-Effective No. 63 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 333-180870 and 811-22698), as filed with the SEC via EDGAR Accession No. 0001144204-14-046850 on August 4, 2014.
   
(h)(8) Form of Expense Limitation Agreement between the Registrant and Krane Funds Advisors, LLC, relating to the KraneShares FTSE Emerging Markets Plus ETF, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(8) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 86 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 333-180870 and 811-22698), as filed with the SEC via EDGAR Accession No. 0001144204-15-004982 on January 30, 2015.
   
(h)(9) Form of Expense Limitation Agreement between the Registrant and Krane Funds Advisors, LLC, relating to the KraneShares E Fund China Commercial Paper Hedged ETF, filed herewith.
   
(h)(10) Licensing Agreement dated June 9, 2014 between Max Funds LLC, Thomson Reuters (Markets) LLC and DSC Quantitative Group, LLC, relating to the Max Thomson Reuters Venture Capital Fund, to be filed by amendment.
   
(i)(1) Opinion and Consent of Counsel, Bingham McCutchen LLP, relating to shares of the KraneShares Dow Jones China Select Dividend ETF, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (i) of Pre-Effective Amendment No. 2 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 333-180870 and 811-22698), as filed with the SEC via EDGAR Accession No. 0001144204-13-003143 on January 18, 2013.
   
(i)(2) Opinion and Consent of Counsel, Bingham McCutchen LLP, relating to shares of the KraneShares CSI China Consumer Discretionary ETF, KraneShares CSI China Consumer Staples ETF, KraneShares CSI China Urbanization ETF, and KraneShares CSI New China ETF (formerly, the KraneShares CSI China Five Year Plan ETF), is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (i)(2) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 6 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 333-180870 and 811-22698), as filed with the SEC via EDGAR Accession No. 0001144204-13-039044 on July 11, 2013.

 

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(i)(3) Opinion and Consent of Counsel, Bingham McCutchen LLP, relating to shares of the KraneShares CSI China Internet ETF, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (i)(3) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 9 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 333-180870 and 811-22698), as filed with the SEC via EDGAR Accession No. 0001144204-13-040525 on July 22, 2013.
   
(i)(4) Opinion and Consent of Counsel, K&L Gates LLP, relating to shares of the KraneShares Bosera MSCI China A Share ETF, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (i)(5) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 20 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 333-180870 and 811-22698), as filed with the SEC via EDGAR Accession No. 0001144204-13-054596 on October 9, 2013.
   
(i)(5) Opinion and Consent of Counsel, K&L Gates LLP, relating to shares of the KraneShares E Fund China Commercial Paper Hedged ETF is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (i)(5) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 50 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 333-180870 and 811-22698), as filed with the SEC via EDGAR Accession No. 0001144204-14-037621 on June 13, 2014.
   
(i)(6) Opinion and Consent of Counsel, Bingham McCutchen LLP, relating to the shares of the MPS Thomson Reuters Venture Capital Fund, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (i)(6) of Post-Effective No. 63 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 333-180870 and 811-22698), as filed with the SEC via EDGAR Accession No. 0001144204-14-046850 on August 4, 2014.
   
(i)(7) Opinion and Consent of Counsel, K&L Gates LLP, relating to shares of the KraneShares E Fund China Commercial Paper ETF, is incorporated by reference to Exhibit (i)(7) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 70 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 333-180870 and 811-22698), as filed with the SEC via EDGAR Accession No. 0001144204-14-056322 on September 16, 2014.
   
(i)(8) Opinion and Consent of Counsel, K&L Gates LLP, relating to shares of the KraneShares FTSE Emerging Markets Plus ETF, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (i)(8) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 86 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 333-180870 and 811-22698), as filed with the SEC via EDGAR Accession No. 0001144204-15-004982 on January 30, 2015.
   
(i)(9) Opinion and Consent of Counsel, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, LLP, relating to shares of the KraneShares CSI China Government Bond ETF and KraneShares CSI China Consumer ETF, to be filed by amendment.
   
(i)(10) Opinion and Consent of Counsel, K&L Gates LLP, relating to shares of the KraneShares NYSE Bloomberg China Clean Energy ETF, to be filed by amendment.
   
(j) Not applicable.
    
(k) Not applicable.
   
(l) Subscription Agreement dated January 2, 2013 between the Registrant and Krane Funds Advisors, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (l) of Pre-Effective Amendment No. 2 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 333-180870 and 811-22698), as filed with the SEC via EDGAR Accession No. 0001144204-13-003143 on January 18, 2013.

 

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(m)(1) Distribution Plan, as adopted November 8, 2012, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (m) of Pre-Effective Amendment No. 2 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 333-180870 and 811-22698), as filed with the SEC via EDGAR Accession No. 0001144204-13-003143 on January 18, 2013.
   
(m)(2) Exhibit A, as revised June 9, 2014, to the Distribution Plan adopted November 8, 2012 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (m)(2) of Post-Effective No. 63 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 333-180870 and 811-22698), as filed with the SEC via EDGAR Accession No. 0001144204-14-046850 on August 4, 2014.
   
(m)(3) Exhibit A to the Distribution Plan adopted November 8, 2012, reflecting the addition of the KraneShares NYSE Bloomberg China Clean Energy ETF, to be filed by amendment.
   
(n) Multiple Class (Rule 18f-3) Plan, relating to Institutional Class and Class A shares of the MPS Thomson Reuters Venture Capital Fund, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (n) of Post-Effective No. 63 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 333-180870 and 811-22698), as filed with the SEC via EDGAR Accession No. 0001144204-14-046850 on August 4, 2014.
   
(o) Not applicable.
   
(p)(1) Code of Ethics of the Registrant is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (p)(1) of Pre-Effective Amendment No. 2 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 333-180870 and 811-22698), as filed with the SEC via EDGAR Accession No. 0001144204-13-003143 on January 18, 2013.
   
(p)(2) Code of Ethics of Krane Funds Advisors, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (p)(2) of Pre-Effective Amendment No. 2 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 333-180870 and 811-22698), as filed with the SEC via EDGAR Accession No. 0001144204-13-003143 on January 18, 2013.
   
(p)(3) Code of Ethics of Max Funds LLC  is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (p)(3) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 43 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 333-180870 and 811-22698), as filed with the SEC via EDGAR Accession No. 0001144204-14-022475 on April 14, 2014.
   
(p)(4) Code of Ethics of Index Management Solutions, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (p)(3) of Pre-Effective Amendment No. 2 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 333-180870 and 811-22698), as filed with the SEC via EDGAR Accession No. 0001144204-13-003143 on January 18, 2013.
   
(p)(5) Code of Ethics of Bosera Asset Management (International) Co., Ltd., sub-adviser to the KraneShares Bosera MSCI China A Share ETF is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (p)(5) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 43 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 333-180870 and 811-22698), as filed with the SEC via EDGAR Accession No. 0001144204-14-022475 on April 14, 2014.

 

6
 

 

(p)(6) Code of Ethics of E Fund Management (Hong Kong) Co., Limited, sub-adviser to the KraneShares E Fund China Commercial Paper Hedged ETF and the KraneShares E Fund China Commercial Paper ETF is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (p)(6) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 50 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 333-180870 and 811-22698), as filed with the SEC via EDGAR Accession No. 0001144204-14-037621 on June 13, 2014.
   
(p)(7) Code of Ethics of [Sub-Adviser], sub-adviser to the KraneShares CSI Government Bond ETF, to be filed by amendment.
   
(q)(1) Power of Attorney dated November 8, 2012 for Matthew Stroyman and John Ferguson is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (q) of Pre-Effective Amendment No. 2 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 333-180870 and 811-22698), as filed with the SEC via EDGAR Accession No. 0001144204-13-003143 on January 18, 2013.
   
(q)(2) Power of Attorney dated July 10, 2013 for Robb T. Doub is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (q)(2) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 6 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File Nos. 333-180870 and 811-22698), as filed with the SEC via EDGAR Accession No. 0001144204-13-039044 on July 11, 2013.

 

Item 29. Persons Controlled by or under Common Control with the Fund

 

Not Applicable.

 

Item 30. Indemnification

 

A Trustee, when acting in such capacity, shall not be personally liable to any Person, other than the Trust or a Shareholder to the extent provided in Article VII of the Registrant’s Declaration of Trust, for any act, omission, or obligation of the Trust, of such Trustee, or of any other Trustee. A Trustee shall be liable to the Trust and to any Shareholder solely for his or her own willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence, or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of the office of Trustee, and shall not be liable for errors of judgment or mistakes of fact or law. The Trustees shall not be responsible or liable in any event for any neglect or wrong-doing of any officer, agent, employee, Investment Adviser, or Principal Underwriter of the Trust, nor shall any Trustee be responsible for the act or omission of any other Trustee. The Trust shall indemnify each Person who is, or has been, a Trustee, officer, employee or agent of the Trust, any Person who is serving or has served at the Trust’s request as a Trustee, officer, trustee, employee or agent of another organization in which the Trust has any interest as a shareholder, creditor or otherwise to the fullest extent permitted by law against liability and against all expenses reasonably incurred or paid by him in connection with any claim, action, suit or proceeding in which he becomes involved as a party or otherwise by virtue of his being or having been such a Trustee, director, officer, employee or agent and against amounts paid or incurred by him in settlement thereof.

 

Subject to applicable federal law, expenses of preparation and presentation of a defense to any claim, action, suit or proceeding subject to a claim for indemnification under Section 1.1 of the Registrant’s Declaration of Trust shall be advanced by the Trust prior to final disposition thereof upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of the recipient to repay such amount if it is ultimately determined that he is not entitled to indemnification under Section 1.1.

 

7
 

 

All persons extending credit to, contracting with or having any claim against the Trust or the Trustees shall look only to the assets of the appropriate Series, or, if the Trustees have yet to establish Series, of the Trust for payment under such credit, contract or claim; and neither the Trustees nor the Shareholders, nor any of the Trust’s officers, employees or agents, whether past, present or future, shall be personally liable therefor.

 

Every note, bond, contract, instrument, certificate or undertaking and every other act or thing whatsoever issued, executed or done by or on behalf of the Trust or Trustees or by any of them in connection with the Trust shall conclusively be deemed to have been executed or done only in or with respect to his or their capacity as Trustee or Trustees, and such Trustee or Trustees shall not be personally liable thereon. At the Trustees’ discretion, any note, bond, contract, instrument, certificate or undertaking made or issued by the Trustees or by any officer or officers may give notice that the Certificate of Trust is on file in the Office of the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware and that a limitation on the liability of each Series exists and such note, bond, contract, instrument, certificate or undertaking may, if the Trustees so determine, recite that the same was executed or made on behalf of the Trust or by a Trustee or Trustees in such capacity and not individually or by an officer or officers in such capacity and not individually and that the obligations of such instrument are not binding upon any of them or the Shareholders individually but are binding only on the assets and property of the Trust or a Series thereof, and may contain such further recital as such Person or Persons may deem appropriate. The omission of any such notice or recital shall in no way operate to bind any Trustees, officers or Shareholders individually.

 

Insofar as indemnification for liability arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer, or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

 

Item 31. Business and other Connections of the Investment Adviser

 

Krane Funds Advisors, LLC

Krane Funds Advisors, LLC (“Krane”) serves as investment adviser for each series of the Trust (with the exception of the MPS Thomson Reuters Venture Capital Fund). The principal address of Krane is 1350 Avenue of the Americas, 2nd Floor, New York, New York 10019. Krane is an investment adviser registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940.

 

Information as to any business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature engaged in by the officers, directors and partners of Krane during the past two years is incorporated by reference to its Form ADV filed with the SEC (SEC File No. 801-77589).

 

Max Funds LLC

Max Funds LLC (“Max Funds”) serves as investment adviser for the MPS Thomson Reuters Venture Capital Fund. The principal address of Max Funds is 1350 Avenue of the Americas, 2nd Floor, New York, New York 10019. Max Funds is an investment adviser registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940.

 

8
 

 

Information as to any business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature engaged in by the officers, directors and partners of Max Funds during the past two years is incorporated by reference to its Form ADV filed with the SEC (SEC File No. 801-79939).

 

Index Management Solutions, LLC

Index Management Solutions, LLC (“IMS”) serves as investment sub-adviser for each series of the Trust (with the exception of the KraneShares CSI China Government Bond ETF, KraneShares Bosera MSCI China A Share ETF, KraneShares E Fund China Commercial Paper Hedged ETF, and KraneShares E Fund China Commercial Paper ETF). The principal address of IMS is One Commerce Square, 2005 Market Street, Suite 2020, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103. IMS is an investment adviser registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940.

 

Information as to any business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature engaged in by the officers, directors and partners of IMS during the past two years is incorporated by reference to its Form ADV filed with the SEC (SEC File No. 801-70930).

 

Bosera Asset Management (International) Co., Ltd.

Bosera Asset Management (International) Co., Ltd. (“Bosera”) serves as investment sub-adviser for the Trust’s KraneShares Bosera MSCI China A Share ETF. The principal address of Bosera is Suite 4109, Jardine House, One Connaught Place, Central, Hong Kong. Bosera is an investment adviser registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940.

 

Information as to any business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature engaged in by the officers, directors and partners of Bosera during the past two years is incorporated by reference to its Form ADV filed with the SEC (SEC File No. 801-78507).

 

9
 

 

E Fund Management (Hong Kong) Co., Limited

E Fund Management (Hong Kong) Co., Limited (“E Fund”) serves as investment sub-adviser for the Trust’s KraneShares E Fund China Commercial Paper Hedged ETF and KraneShares E Fund China Commercial Paper ETF. The principal address of E Fund is Suite 3501-02 35F, Two International Finance Center, 8 Finance Street, Central, Hong Kong. E Fund is an investment adviser registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940.

 

Information as to any business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature engaged in by the officers, directors and partners of E Fund during the past two years is incorporated by reference to its Form ADV filed with the SEC (SEC File No. 801-78973).

 

[KraneShares CSI China Government Bond ETF Sub-Adviser]

[Sub-Adviser] (“______”) serves as investment sub-adviser for the Trust’s KraneShares CSI China Government Bond ETF. The principal address of _______ is _______________. __________ is an investment adviser registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940.

 

Information as to any business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature engaged in by the officers, directors and partners of _____ during the past two years is incorporated by reference to its Form ADV filed with the SEC (SEC File No. 801-______).

 

Additional information as to any other business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature engaged in by each such officer and director is included in the Trust’s Statement of Additional Information.

 

Item 32. Principal Underwriters

 

(a)Registrant's distributor, SEI Investments Distribution Co. (the “Distributor”), acts as distributor for:

 

SEI Daily Income Trust July 15, 1982
SEI Liquid Asset Trust November 29, 1982
SEI Tax Exempt Trust December 3, 1982
SEI Institutional Managed Trust January 22, 1987
SEI Institutional International Trust August 30, 1988
The Advisors' Inner Circle Fund November 14, 1991
The Advisors' Inner Circle Fund II January 28, 1993
Bishop Street Funds January 27, 1995
SEI Asset Allocation Trust April 1, 1996
SEI Institutional Investments Trust June 14, 1996
City National Rochdale Funds (f/k/a CNI Charter Funds) April 1, 1999
Causeway Capital Management Trust September 20, 2001
ProShares Trust November 14, 2005
Community Capital Trust (f/k/a Community Reinvestment Act  
Qualified Investment Fund) January 8, 2007
SEI Alpha Strategy Portfolios, LP June 29, 2007
TD Asset Management USA Funds July 25, 2007
SEI Structured Credit Fund, LP July 31, 2007
Wilshire Mutual Funds, Inc. July 12, 2008
Wilshire Variable Insurance Trust July 12, 2008
Global X Funds October 24, 2008
ProShares Trust II November 17, 2008

 

10
 

 

Exchange Traded Concepts Trust (f/k/a FaithShares Trust) August 7, 2009
Schwab Strategic Trust October 12, 2009
RiverPark Funds September 8, 2010
Adviser Managed Trust Fund December 10, 2010
Huntington Strategy Shares July 26, 2011
New Covenant Funds March 23, 2012
Cambria ETF Trust August 30, 2012
Highland Funds I (f/k/a Pyxis Funds I) September 25, 2012
KraneShares Trust December 18, 2012
LocalShares Investment Trust May 6, 2013
SEI Insurance Products Trust September 10, 2013
KP Funds September 19, 2013
The Advisors’ Inner Circle Fund III February 12, 2014
J.P. Morgan Exchange-Traded Fund Trust February 20, 2014

 

The Distributor provides numerous financial services to investment managers, pension plan sponsors, and bank trust departments. These services include portfolio evaluation, performance measurement and consulting services ("Funds Evaluation") and automated execution, clearing and settlement of securities transactions ("MarketLink").

 

(b)         Furnish the Information required by the following table with respect to each director, officer or partner of each principal underwriter named in the answer to Item 20 of Part B. Unless otherwise noted, the business address of each director or officer is Oaks, PA 19456.

 

    Position and Office   Positions and Offices
Name   with Underwriter   with Registrant
William M. Doran   Director  
Edward D. Loughlin   Director  
Wayne M. Withrow   Director  
Kevin P. Barr   President & Chief Executive Officer  
Maxine J. Chou   Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operations Officer, & Treasurer  
Karen E. LaTourette   Chief Compliance Officer, Anti-Money Laundering Officer & Assistant Secretary  
John C. Munch   General Counsel & Secretary  
Mark J. Held   Senior Vice President  
Lori L. White   Vice President & Assistant Secretary  
John P. Coary   Vice President & Assistant Secretary  
John J. Cronin   Vice President  
Judith A. Hirz   Vice President    
Robert M. Silvestri   Vice President  

 

Item 33. Location of Accounts and Records:

 

Books or other documents required to be maintained by Section 31(a) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, and the rules promulgated thereunder, are maintained as follows:

 

Registrant:

 

c/o Krane Funds Advisors, LLC

1350 Avenue of the Americas, 2nd Floor

New York, New York 10019

 

11
 

 

c/o Max Funds Advisors, LLC

1350 Avenue of the Americas, 2nd Floor

New York, New York 10019

 

Advisers:

Krane Funds Advisors, LLC

1350 Avenue of the Americas, 2nd Floor

New York, New York 10019

 

Max Funds Advisors, LLC

1350 Avenue of the Americas, 2nd Floor

New York, New York 10019

 

Sub-Advisers:

Index Management Solutions, LLC

2005 Market Street, Suite 2020

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103

 

Bosera Asset Management (International) Co., Ltd.

Suite 4109

Jardine House

One Connaught Place

Central, Hong Kong

 

E Fund Management (Hong Kong) Co., Limited

3501-02 35F, Two International Finance Center

8 Finance Street

Central, Hong Kong

 

[Sub-Adviser to the KraneShares CSI China Government Bond ETF]

[Address]

[Address]

 

Administrator:

SEI Investments Global Funds Services

1 Freedom Valley Drive

Oaks, Pennsylvania 19456

 

Distributor:

SEI Investments Distribution Co.

1 Freedom Valley Drive

Oaks, Pennsylvania 19456

 

Item 34.Management Services

 

Not Applicable.

 

12
 

 

Item 35.Undertakings

 

Not Applicable.

 

13
 

 

SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933 (the “Securities Act”) and the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, the Registrant has duly caused this Post-Effective Amendment No. 92 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (File Nos. 333-180870 and 811-22698) to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereto duly authorized, in the City of New York, State of New York on this 13th day of April 2015.

 

  KraneShares Trust  
     
  /s/ Jonathan Krane  
  Jonathan Krane  
  Trustee, Principal Executive Officer and
  Principal Financial Officer

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, this Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacity and on the date indicated.

 

Signature   Title   Date
         
/s/ Jonathan Krane   Trustee, Principal Executive Officer   April 13, 2015
Jonathan Krane   and Principal Financial Officer    
         
/s/ Robb T. Doub*   Trustee   April 13, 2015
Robb T. Doub        
         
/s/ John Ferguson*   Trustee   April 13, 2015
John Ferguson        
         
/s/ Matthew Stroyman*   Trustee   April 13, 2015
Matthew Stroyman        

 

* /s/ Jonathan Krane        
  Jonathan Krane        

 

*Attorney-in-Fact pursuant to powers of attorney dated November 8, 2012 and July 10, 2013.

 

14
 

 

Exhibit Index

 

EX-99.h.9 Form of Expense Limitation Agreement between the Registrant and Krane Funds Advisors, LLC, relating to the KraneShares E Fund China Commercial Paper Hedged ETF.