BlackRock has a new fund for investors who think the future involves a lot more robot arms. The firm launched the iShares Future Robotics and Related Technologies Active ETF on October 21, 2026, under the ticker RBTX.
It is BlackRock’s first actively managed ETF built specifically around robotics.
What RBTX actually holds, and who picks it
The fund targets companies across the robotics value chain. That covers firms that develop robots, supply their components, service the machines and help businesses put automation to work.
BlackRock frames the thesis around the growing overlap between artificial intelligence and the physical economy. Manufacturing and logistics are the sectors it highlights most.
Two portfolio managers run the fund: Tony Kim and Reid Menge. Both sit on BlackRock’s Fundamental Equities Technology Team. That group oversees more than $50 billion in AI and technology investment strategies.
Instead of passively mirroring an index, the managers choose which stocks go in and how much weight each gets. RBTX is measured against a benchmark, the MSCI ACWI Net index.
The expense ratio is 0.65%, meaning an investor pays $6.50 a year for every $1,000 held. Shortly after its debut, the fund reported initial net assets of approximately $10 million.
The BAI blueprint
RBTX did not appear out of nowhere. It follows a playbook BlackRock has already tested with considerable success.
In October 2024, the firm launched the iShares A.I. Innovation and Tech Active ETF, ticker BAI. Since then, BAI has gathered more than $14 billion in assets.
BlackRock’s active ETF lineup held approximately $200 billion in assets as of the end of September 2026. That figure nearly doubled from the year before.
What this means for investors and the ETF market
The most obvious takeaway is that BlackRock sees AI exposure splitting into narrower lanes. Early AI funds mostly bundled chipmakers, cloud providers and software companies together. RBTX carves out the physical side of the trend as its own investable theme.
The active structure is the more interesting bet. Robotics is a sprawling category. It spans component suppliers, industrial equipment makers, logistics operators and software firms. A manager who can separate durable businesses from hype has a clearer role here than in a mature, well-mapped sector.
The MSCI ACWI Net benchmark gives investors a clear comparison point. If RBTX trails that index after fees, the 0.65% expense ratio will be harder to defend.
Starting at approximately $10 million, RBTX has a long way to go before it resembles BAI. Asset growth over the coming months will offer a rough read on whether investors view robotics as a distinct opportunity or simply a subset of the AI trade they already own.
Kim and Menge already run strategies inside a team overseeing more than $50 billion. RBTX adds a new mandate where stock selection, not index construction, will determine how the fund is judged.
Risks are the usual suspects for thematic investing. Robotics adoption depends on corporate spending cycles in manufacturing and logistics, which can slow when the economy cools. Investors buying in should treat RBTX as a targeted bet, not a substitute for broad diversification.
Disclosure: This article was edited by Diego Almada Lopez. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.