The Photonics ETFs Worth Knowing in 2026, Compared

A year ago, investors who wanted photonics exposure had to piece it together from semiconductor and networking funds. In 2026 that changed fast. There are now 7 dedicated photonics ETFs holding a combined $578M, all launched within a few months of each other.

They are not all the same bet. Below is every fund we track, ranked by assets, with live numbers and what makes each one different. This list is for research, not a recommendation to buy or sell anything.

The quick comparison

The average expense ratio across the group is 0.65%. The cheapest is $EUV at 0.35%, and the newest launch is $PHOX, which started trading on August 10, 2026.

Each fund, ranked by assets

1. $LYTE: Roundhill Photonics & Optics ETF

Roundhill · Actively managed · $343M in assets · 0.65% expense ratio · launched August 6, 2026

The Roundhill Photonics & Optics ETF focuses on the optical side of the AI infrastructure build: optical interconnects, lasers and photonic chips that move data with light inside AI data centers. At launch its top holdings included Lumentum, Coherent, Ciena and Fabrinet, plus China-listed optical module makers such as Eoptolink and Zhongji Innolight.

Worth knowing: A concentrated top ten and a large weight in China-listed optical module makers mean LYTE can move very differently from a broad semiconductor fund. Position sizes can change quickly in an actively managed fund.

Full LYTE profile and live price →

2. $FOTO: Tuttle Capital Pure Play Photonics ETF

Tuttle Capital · Actively managed · $139M in assets · 0.75% expense ratio · launched May 29, 2026

The Tuttle Capital Pure Play Photonics ETF targets companies whose business is built around photonics: optical components, lasers, optical networking gear and the manufacturers behind them. Recent holdings have included names such as Lumentum, Coherent, Ciena, IPG Photonics and Fabrinet.

Worth knowing: FOTO gets part of its exposure through total return swaps and holds a meaningful slice of cash and Treasury bills alongside those swaps, so its holdings list looks different from a plain stock basket. Check the issuer's latest holdings file to see how exposure is split between shares and swaps.

Full FOTO profile and live price →

3. $LAZR: Tema Photonics & Optical ETF

Tema · Actively managed · $81M in assets · 0.75% expense ratio · launched June 30, 2026

The Tema Photonics & Optical ETF invests in global photonics and optical technology companies tied to AI data movement, including optical interconnect, semiconductor technology and related equipment and materials. Tema launched it with research input from semiconductor analysis firm SemiAnalysis.

Worth knowing: LAZR has also held a position in privately held AI company Anthropic, which is unusual for an ETF. Private positions are valued differently from listed stocks and can be harder to trade, so read the prospectus on how they are handled.

Full LAZR profile and live price →

4. $LUMA: KraneShares Photonic and Optical ETF

KraneShares · Actively managed · $8M in assets · 1.00% expense ratio · launched July 15, 2026

The KraneShares Photonic and Optical ETF targets public and private companies worldwide that build optical interconnects, transceivers, fiber-optic cable and other light-based infrastructure for AI networking.

Worth knowing: LUMA can hold private companies, IPOs and derivatives, and it carries one of the higher expense ratios in the group. That flexibility cuts both ways, so it is worth reading how the fund values and sizes its private positions.

Full LUMA profile and live price →

5. $EUVX: Corgi Lithography & Semiconductor Photonics 2x Daily ETF

Corgi Funds · 2x daily leveraged · $5M in assets · 0.45% expense ratio · launched June 3, 2026

The Corgi Lithography & Semiconductor Photonics 2x Daily ETF aims for twice the daily move of its lithography and semiconductor photonics strategy.

Worth knowing: Leveraged ETFs reset every day. Over periods longer than a day, returns can differ a lot from 2x the underlying move, especially in choppy markets. These are trading tools, not long-term holdings for most investors.

Full EUVX profile and live price →

6. $EUV: Corgi Lithography & Semiconductor Photonics ETF

Corgi Funds · Actively managed · $1M in assets · 0.35% expense ratio · launched May 6, 2026

The Corgi Lithography & Semiconductor Photonics ETF takes a wider angle on photonics, centered on lithography and chipmaking: the light-based tools that print chips, the equipment makers around them and the foundries that use them. Large positions have included ASML, TSMC, Applied Materials, Lam Research and KLA.

Worth knowing: Because it leans on large semiconductor equipment and foundry names, EUV behaves more like a chip-equipment fund than a pure optical networking fund. That can make it steadier than the pure plays, but it is a different bet.

Full EUV profile and live price →

7. $PHOX: Aura AI Photonics ETF

Aura ETFs · Index (passive) · $1M in assets · 0.60% expense ratio · launched August 10, 2026

The Aura AI Photonics ETF tracks the VettaFi AI Photonics Index, a basket of roughly 25 global companies involved in generating, transmitting and processing data with light for AI computing: lasers, transceivers, photonic integrated circuits and specialty materials such as indium phosphide.

Worth knowing: As an index fund, PHOX follows set rules rather than a manager's calls, which makes it easier to know what you own. It is still a small, non-diversified, single-theme fund, so expect big swings.

Full PHOX profile and live price →

How to choose between them

Start with what you actually want to own. If you want the companies building optical links for AI data centers, look at the funds focused on optical interconnects and transceivers. If you want the light-based tools that make chips, the lithography-focused fund is a different and broader bet.

Then look at how each fund is run. An index fund like $PHOX follows fixed rules. Actively managed funds can change holdings quickly, and some can own private companies or use swaps. Neither is better by default, but you should know which one you are buying.

Finally, compare costs and size. Fees range from 0.35% to 1.00% a year. Bigger funds tend to trade with tighter spreads. You can line up any two funds in our head-to-head comparisons.

Whatever you pick, remember these are all new, concentrated, single-theme funds. Size positions accordingly and read each prospectus.