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VanEck Turns 70: Staying Ahead in a World That Never Stands Still

via Business Wire

From international markets to gold and digital assets, VanEck’s story is built on spotting what’s next, acting with conviction and helping investors get there first.

VanEck celebrates its 70th anniversary today, commemorating a rich history defined by forward-thinking strategies, resilience through market cycles and an enduring commitment to clients.

Amid the post-World War II recovery, in 1955, John C. van Eck founded the firm with a bold idea: U.S. investors should have access to opportunities beyond its borders. He launched one of the first U.S. mutual funds to focus on international opportunities, marking the beginning of a firm shaped by conviction, not convention.

“My father believed that investors deserved more than what the mainstream was offering,” said Jan van Eck, who joined the firm in 1991 and became CEO in 2010. “He built this firm on the idea that the world is constantly changing, and that by understanding those shifts early, you could create real opportunity for clients. That belief still guides us today.”

This mindset came into sharp focus in 1968. Most saw gold as a stable commodity, while VanEck saw signs of inflation, upheaval and a coming inflection point. At a time when gold was pegged to the dollar at $35/oz, VanEck launched the first U.S. fund dedicated to gold equities. A few years later, the U.S. abandoned the gold standard, sending gold up to over $800/oz in the 1970s. Today, gold is over $3,000/oz. More than luck and timing, this exemplified the firm’s focus on identifying impactful trends early and acting with conviction to give investors meaningful access.

Over the years, VanEck has continued to expand its solutions with strategies that reflect a world continually in motion. VanEck brought investors into emerging markets in the 1990s, embraced ETFs early in 2006 and led the ETF issuer space with filing for a bitcoin-linked ETF in 2017. Today, the firm offers a diverse range of vehicles including ETFs, mutual funds, institutional strategies, model portfolios, private funds and UCITS funds. As of June 30, 2025, the firm manages approximately $132.9 billion in assets.

Across these milestones, one constant has been the people of VanEck: analysts, portfolio managers, researchers, and leaders who combined macro awareness with deep sector knowledge, often challenging consensus thinking to serve investors.

"Celebrating our 70th anniversary is not just about honoring our history and longevity, but also about the people who have carried our philosophy forward and continue to do so today,” said Mr. van Eck. “From our early days of hand drawing gold charts to the rise of digital assets, our team has always brought thoughtfulness, discipline and a willingness to adapt. That’s what will carry us into the future.”

For more information about VanEck and its investment offerings, please visit www.vaneck.com.

About VanEck

VanEck has a history of looking beyond the financial markets to identify trends that are likely to create impactful investment opportunities. We were one of the first U.S. asset managers to offer investors access to international markets. This set the tone for the firm’s drive to identify asset classes and trends – including gold investing in 1968, emerging markets in 1993, and exchange traded funds in 2006 – that subsequently shaped the investment management industry.

Today, VanEck offers active and passive strategies with compelling exposures supported by well-designed investment processes. As of June 30, 2025, VanEck managed approximately $132.9 billion in assets, including mutual funds, ETFs and institutional accounts. The firm’s capabilities range from core investment opportunities to more specialized exposures to enhance portfolio diversification. Our actively managed strategies are fueled by in-depth, bottom-up research and security selection from portfolio managers with direct experience in the sectors and regions in which they invest. Investability, liquidity, diversity, and transparency are key to the experienced decision-making around market and index selection underlying VanEck’s passive strategies.

Since our founding in 1955, putting our clients’ interests first, in all market environments, has been at the heart of the firm’s mission.

Disclosures

This is not an offer to buy or sell, or a recommendation to buy or sell any of the securities, financial instruments or digital assets mentioned herein. The information presented does not involve the rendering of personalized investment, financial, legal, tax advice, or any call to action. Certain statements contained herein may constitute projections, forecasts and other forward-looking statements, which do not reflect actual results, are for illustrative purposes only, are valid as of the date of this communication, and are subject to change without notice. Actual future performance of any assets or industries mentioned are unknown. Information provided by third party sources are believed to be reliable and have not been independently verified for accuracy or completeness and cannot be guaranteed. VanEck does not guarantee the accuracy of third party data. The information herein represents the opinion of the speaker(s), but not necessarily those of VanEck or its other employees.

All investing is subject to risk, including the possible loss of the money you invest. As with any investment strategy, there is no guarantee that investment objectives will be met and investors may lose money. Diversification does not ensure a profit or protect against a loss in a declining market. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

© Van Eck Associates Corporation

666 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017

Phone: 800.826.2333

Email: info@vaneck.com

“From our early days of hand drawing gold charts to the rise of digital assets, our team has always brought thoughtfulness, discipline and a willingness to adapt. That’s what will carry us into the future.” - Jan van Eck, CEO of VanEck.

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