Media Release
Global X celebrates five years of SEMI as AI opportunity broadens
3 September 2026
- SEMI is Australia’s best performing ETF over five years, with investors seeing an average annual return of 33% over five years.
- The ETF returned 108.4% over the year to 31 August.
- SEMI launched in 2021 as Australia’s first semiconductor ETF, before ChatGPT marked the AI inflection point, and is now the country’s largest semiconductor ETF.
Global X ETFs Australia is celebrating five years of its Global X Semiconductor ETF (ASX: SEMI), marking half a decade since it identified semiconductors as a critical investment theme for the next generation of technology.
SEMI has delivered an average annualised return of 33% per annum over a five-year period, making it the best performing ETF in Australia over 5 years.1
SEMI began trading on the ASX on 31 August 2021, more than a year before ChatGPT brought artificial intelligence into mainstream conversation. The fund reflected an early view that semiconductors, not any single AI application, would be the constraint that determined how the technology developed.
Since then, Global X has continued to expand its range of AI-related thematic ETFs as the opportunity has evolved, from the mega-cap technology companies that dominated markets in 2020 to the semiconductors, critical minerals, power and infrastructure needed to build the AI economy today.
“Over five years ago we leveraged our global research to identify semiconductors as an important thematic and SEMI was born. That conviction has played out, with AI moving from an emerging technology to a fundamental driver of global investment,” said Billy Leung, Senior Investment Strategist at Global X ETFs Australia.
“What has changed since August 2021 is the breadth of the investment opportunity. AI is no longer just about the companies building the applications. It is about the entire ecosystem required to make AI possible,” he said.
Six years of AI innovation
Global X Australia’s AI investment journey began with the Global X FANG+ ETF (FANG) in February 2020, providing exposure to the technology giants shaping global markets, including Facebook (now Meta), Amazon, Apple, Netflix and Google (now Alphabet).
SEMI followed in August 2021, targeting the semiconductor companies at the heart of the digital economy.
As the technology matured, Global X broadened its suite of ETFs:
- GMTL - Rare earths and critical metals, launched October 2022
- WIRE - Copper miners, launched November 2022
- ATOM - Uranium and nuclear energy, launched December 2022
- GXAI - Artificial intelligence, launched April 2024
- AINF - Artificial intelligence infrastructure, launched April 2025
The progression reflects how the AI investment opportunity has changed, from the technology platforms of 2020 to the physical infrastructure required to power AI at scale.
“The arrival of ChatGPT in 2022 made AI tangible for millions of people. For investors, it also highlighted how much infrastructure would be required behind the scenes,” Mr Leung said.
“AI needs chips. Chips need critical minerals and manufacturing capacity. Data centres need enormous amounts of power, copper and physical infrastructure. The investment opportunity has broadened dramatically.”
Global X expects the AI ecosystem to continue evolving and will continue looking for opportunities to bring emerging themes to Australian investors.
“Innovation is part of our DNA. We were early to FANG, early to semiconductors and early to the broader infrastructure supporting AI,” Leung said.
“We will no doubt be looking back in another five years and marvelling at the incredible impact that AI has had on capital markets across the globe.”
Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. The performance data shown is past performance only in Australian dollar terms. Returns for periods greater than one year are annualised. Fund inception date is 27 August 2021. Fund returns are calculated on the Net Asset Value (NAV) of the Fund and include any fund distributions. Fund returns are net of management fees and indirect costs and do not include any fees or spreads incurred when buying/selling on an exchange. Refer to the product disclosure statement for a complete list of fees and costs.
Considerations for investing in Global X ETFs
As with all investments, an investment in any Global X fund mentioned herein has risks - see the PDS for more information. These funds may expose investors to currency risk, gearing risk, sector risk, concentration risk, and/or market risk. Different investment strategies carry different risks, depending on the assets that make up the strategy. The value of your investment may fall, you may receive back less than your original investment.
1 As at 31 August 2026
For All Media Queries
Please contact James Mitchell, Global X ETFs | +61 413 619 034 | james.mitchell@globalxetfs.com.au
About Global X ETFs Australia
Global X ETFs Australia is a leading ETF provider with a growing range of cost-effective and innovation-led products which are built to help Australian investors achieve their investment outcomes by providing access to a successful pool of ETFs across thematics, income, commodities, digital assets and more. Global X Australia’s nuanced understanding of the local market is backed by international resources and expertise to deliver a beyond ordinary experience for all stakeholders.
About Global X ETFs
Global X ETFs was founded in 2008. For more than a decade, our mission has been empowering investors with unexplored and intelligent solutions. Our product lineup features over 500 ETF strategies worldwide and over US$170 billion in assets under management.1 While we are distinguished for our Thematic Growth, Income, and International Access ETFs, we also offer Core, Commodity, and Alpha funds to suit a wide range of investment objectives.
Global X is a member of Mirae Asset Financial Group, a global leader in financial services, with more than US$800 billion in assets under management worldwide2. Mirae Asset has an extensive global ETF platform ranging across the US, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Europe, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam with over US$208 billion in assets under management.3
1. Assets under management as at June 2026, Global X
2. Assets under management as at July 2026, Mirae Asset Financial Group
3. Assets under management as at July 2026, Mirae Asset Global Investments
Disclaimer
Issued by Global X Management (AUS) Limited (‘Global X’) (AFSL 466778, ACN 150 433 828). Global X Physical Gold (GOLD), Silver (ETPMAG), Platinum (ETPMPT), Palladium (ETPMPD) and Precious Metals Basket (ETPMPM) are issued by Global X Metal Securities Australia Limited, a corporate authorised representative (CAR No: 001274650) under Global X. This is general information only and not personal advice. This communication doesn't consider your personal circumstances or needs. Investors should consider whether these products are appropriate for them, obtain financial advice and read the product disclosure statement (PDS), prospectus (as applicable) and target market determination (TMD) before making investment decisions. All PDSs, prospectuses and TMDs are available on our website: www.globalxetfs.com.au. Investment in any products are subject to risks, including possible delays in repayment and loss of income and principal invested. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. This content may not be reproduced, distributed or published by any recipient for any purpose. Global X nor any of its affiliates make any warranty as to the accuracy of any data used or displayed in this communication or to the performance of any product.