ETF Securities' Assets Under Management Reaches Record A$23.8bn (US$20bn), with its Gold Exchange Traded Products the largest in Europe

Sydney 9th July - ETF Securities' (ETFS) assets under management (AuM) reached a record A$23.8bn (US$20bn) as of 17th June 2010 - this is up 70% since July 2009 when its AuM stood at A$14bn (US$12bn)¹. ETFS' holdings in Europe for its gold Exchange Traded Products ("ETPs") have now surpassed a record A$11.9bn (US$10bn)². This dwarfs the largest equity and fixed ETPs in Europe.

Over the past 12 months, ETFS has expanded its product offering: it now offers Currency ETCs and a multi-bank, 3rd generation ETF platform, in addition to its 150+ Commodity ETCs. In the past 12 months, ETFS has also listed products on both the New York Stock Exchange and the Tokyo Stock Exchange.

Commenting, Hector McNeil, Managing Partner at ETF Securities Marketing LLP, said:

Today ETF Securities has total holdings of A$23.8bn (US$20bn), compared to A$7bn (US$6bn) at the end of 2008 and A$14bn (US$12bn) 12 months ago. This growth is phenomenal given this has been an incredibly testing and volatile time for the financial industry. In the wake of the credit crisis, we've noted that investors are realising the value of ETPs, in terms of cost efficiency and transparency.

Australian investors' demand for 'hard assets', particularly precious metals, continues to grow as they look to reduce their exposure to counterparty and currency depreciation risks. Demand for ETFS Physical Gold (GOLD) has been particularly strong since the Euro crisis began.

As the leading independent issuer of ETPs globally, ETF Securities is proud to currently have the largest ETP of any asset class in Europe. Most ETP issuers are owned by single banks; ETF Securities' unique independence and the transparency of its products have resonated well with investors since the financial crisis of September 2008."

The management of ETF Securities created the world's first commodity ETP in 2003 - Gold Bullion Securities in Australia and then in London soon after. Globally, ETF Securities' gold holdings now stand at A$11.7bn (US$10bn); this is more than the Bank of England's gold holdings. Only 17 of the world's central banks hold more gold than ETF Securities³.




Notes to Editors:

1. ETF Securities' use of the term exchange traded products (ETPs) incorporates all types of exchange-traded funds (ETFs), exchange-traded commodities (ETCs) and exchange traded notes (ETNs).



2. ETF Securities has three exchange-traded platforms: Commodity ETCs, Currency ETCs and Equity ETFs:
   
   



3. ETF Securities‘ physically backed gold products meet the "Gold Standard" set out by The London Bullion Market Association (LBMA) . For more information and a guide to the Gold ETF and ETC markets, please click here

For further information please contact:

Nigel Phelan
ETF Securities Marketing LLP
+61 (0) 417 060 030
Nigel.phelan@etfsecurities.com

Or
Helen Burden
ETF Securities Marketing LLP
+44(0) 207 448 4336
Helen.burden@etfsecurities.com


About ETF Securities

ETF Securities is a provider of Exchange Traded Commodities and Currencies (ETCs) and 3rd generation Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs). The management of ETF Securities pioneered the development of ETCs, with the world's first listing of an ETC, Gold Bullion Securities in Australia and London in 2003 and then the world's first entire ETC platform which was listed on the London Stock Exchange in September 2006.

ETF Securities now offers more than 200 Exchange Traded Products (ETPs) with A$23.8bn (US$20bn) in assets as of 17/6/10.

The ETFs provide investors with a wide variety of investment strategies, with ETPs offering resource equities, physical, long, forward, leveraged and short exposure to all commodity sectors. ETPs are simple to access as they are traded in five currencies (EUR, USD, GBP, AUD and JPY) and listed on nine major exchanges globally including the London Stock Exchange, the New York Stock Exchange, the Tokyo Stock Exchange, NYSE-Euronext Paris, NYSE-Euronext Amsterdam, Deutsche Börse, Borsa Italiana, the Australian Securities Exchange and the Irish Stock Exchange.

To learn more about ETF Securities go to: www.etfsecurities.com

Regulatory Info

This press release has been issue by ETF Securities Limited, which is regulated by the Jersey Financial Services Commission, for journalists in Australia only. ETFS Metal Securities Australia Limited is a wholly owned subsidiary of ETF Securities Limited.

This press release appears as a matter of record only and does not constitute an offer to sell or an invitation to purchase any securities.

NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IN, INTO OR FROM THE UNITED STATES