Behind the Renaming and Rejuvenation of the ETF: Guangfa Fund's Index Business's "Craftsmanship" and "Original Aspiration"

Yang and Qicheng awaken insects; all things are full of spring. Entering March, China’s domestic ETF market is growing rapidly and has reached a key turning point. The ETF market continues to develop at a fast pace across the board, with the number of products nearing 1,500. As index investing moves into mainstream personal wealth management, “choosing types of assets” turns into “choosing products.” The massive supply brings not only opportunities, but also the identification challenge of “so much variety that one’s eyes are dazzled” for investors (Data source: Wind, as of 2026.02.28).

On March 26, GF Fund completed the final batch of in-market shorthand name changes for ETFs. By then, all 75 of its ETFs adopted the three-part naming structure of “core elements of the underlying investment target index + ETF + fund manager name,” with the “ETF GF” label fully launched.

After nearly a year of refreshing its “signature brand,” this is not only a response to new regulatory rules, but also GF Fund’s deep thinking about index-based investing: when tools become increasingly homogeneous, what truly differentiated choices do investors need?

Returning to the essence—get the “E” step right with the “tool” choice

In November 2025, the SSE and SZSE issued new ETF naming rules, requiring existing products to be renamed in accordance with the “core elements of the underlying investment target + ETF + fund manager name” structure.

In GF Fund’s view, this is not only a reshaping of industry mechanisms, but also an opportunity to rebuild a good dialogue with investors. “An ETF’s essence is a tool, and a tool’s value lies in being useful and easy to use.” GF Fund believes that making it easy for investors to understand at a glance what “this is,” is the first step to improve decision-making efficiency.

Starting in June 2025 its “official naming” campaign, GF Fund renamed 25 products by the end of the year. On March 26, 2026, GF Fund officially completed the full refresh of its ETFs.

Figure: GF Fund’s latest list of ETFs after renaming

Returning to the origin of tools, based on the “what you see is what you get” philosophy, GF Fund’s logic for renaming ETFs is clear and concise:

On one hand, it does “subtraction” by removing redundant information. The new names remove non-core identifying elements such as “leading,” “fund,” and “index.” For example, “A500 ETF leading” was renamed to “A500 ETF GF,” while “Kechuang 100 ETF enhanced index fund” was simplified to “Kechuang 100 enhanced ETF GF.” All side-branch modifiers are removed, so that the key information of “which index is being tracked” reaches users in the most concise way.

On the other hand, it does “addition” by injecting brand trust. The unified suffix “GF” is not merely brand exposure, but an integrated display of comprehensive capabilities—“creating value with professionalism.” In mature international markets, such as iShares ETF series under BlackRock, the fund manager’s brand serves as a comprehensive endorsement of liquidity, tracking precision, and risk control capabilities. When investors see the two characters “GF,” it means choosing GF Fund’s ETF operation system—from product layout across the full spectrum, to risk control across the full process, to fine control of tracking error—these professional fundamentals ultimately translate into brand credibility investors can trust.

Practice makes perfect—build a rich, handy “toolbox”

If standardized naming is what makes investors “see” GF on a crowded shelf of products, what truly attracts clients to “choose” GF is the set of fine-grained layout behind that shelf—GF Fund’s product system built over many years, designed to align with market logic.

GF Fund currently has 151 index products and 75 ETFs, covering diversified asset classes such as stocks, bonds, and commodities, spanning global markets including China A-shares, Hong Kong, and the U.S. market. With rich categories, GF Fund strives to provide more possibilities for investors’ allocation propositions. And a three-dimensional toolbox constructed based on the logic of industrial evolution is more like a continuously iterated industrial investment map, helping investors grasp the pulse of value transfer along the industrial chain (Data source: Wind, as of 2026.02.28).

Broad-based indices act as the “stabilizing anchor” in an allocation system, aiming to build a full-cycle allocation foundation for investors. GF Fund has deployed 16 ETFs in the broad-based index space, including CSI 1000 ETF GF (560010), A500 ETF GF (563800), ChiNext ETF GF (159952), and STAR 50 ETF GF (588060). These series cover market cap sizes from large, mid, to small, from core leaders to technological innovation—conveniently enabling investors to board China’s industrial development on multiple rails with one stop.

Industry and thematic areas reflect both an all-angle grasp and deep layout at the industry-chain level. For example, HALO investing, which has become popular in global markets this year, points to hard-asset tracks that are not easily overturned by technology and can generate value over the long term. In the A-share market, such assets are widely distributed in energy, infrastructure, real estate, banks, and other pro-cyclical industries. Since 2015, GF Fund has started laying out pro-cyclical sector investments. Related thematic ETF products include 10 such products: Infrastructure ETF GF, Construction Machinery ETF GF, Materials ETF GF, Electric Power ETF GF, Financial & Real Estate ETF GF, and Hong Kong Stock Connect Non-Bank Financials ETF GF, among others—forming a “HALO asset” allocation network that excavates high barriers and low turnover rates.

In today’s long narrative of the energy revolution, GF Fund has also built a closed-loop product system of “generation-transmission-storage-use.” From generation-side power ETFs such as Power ETF GF (159611) and Photovoltaic leader ETF GF (560980), to the grid equipment ETF GF (159320) at the transmission and distribution end, to the energy storage segment with Energy Storage Battery ETF GF (159305), and finally terminal applications with Battery ETF GF (159755) and Automobile ETF GF (159512)… The scattered ETF chessboard is transformed into an investment tool that allows investors to dynamically allocate along the value chain. Investors can pursue opportunities for excess returns by extracting value from differences in the cycle across industry segments.

Such a systematic layout helps investors, when they are bullish on a specific industry trend, to better match the right, handy tool to the segment of the industry chain that is most favored.

The differentiated portfolio of the dividend strategy provides more diversified tools for investors seeking relatively steady returns. The “Dividend Toolbox” composed of Hong Kong Stock Connect Dividend ETF GF (520900), High Dividend ETF GF (159207), Central SOE Dividend ETF GF (560700), Dividend ETF GF (159589), and Free Cash Flow ETF GF (159229) helps investors capture high-dividend assets in the A+H markets, further enriching defensive allocation options.

Whether index tools can handle ever-changing market “winds and hotspots” and shifting demand depends primarily on how fund managers anticipate industrial development trends—and, more importantly, on their ability to translate research judgments into investable tools. GF Fund’s “playing back into a headwind” in cross-border areas can be seen clearly.

From 2022 to 2023, the Hong Kong market remained sluggish. GF Fund went against the tide and laid out several characteristic products. It was an early mover with Hong Kong Innovative Drug ETF GF (513120), tracking the CSI Hong Kong Innovation Drugs Index; it has now grown into a billion-level product in the innovative drugs track. Hong Kong Stock Connect Non-Bank Financials ETF GF (513750) is one of the rare ETFs in the market with an insurance allocation proportion close to 70%, and to this day it remains a representative tool in its niche track that combines both scale and liquidity advantages (Data source: Wind, as of 2026.02.28).

From “solid backstop” broad-based strategies, to “fine-grained layout” industry themes, to “setting sail against the trend” cross-border investing, GF Fund is building a diversified allocation system. It aims to meet investors’ needs for long-term, steady allocation, and also provides flexible tools for phased style rotation.

Broad learning with selective extraction; deep accumulation with eventual fruition. Behind the diversified allocation toolbox is the implementation of GF Fund’s “multi-asset, multi-market, multi-strategy” three-dimensional layout philosophy. Currently, GF Fund’s total ETF scale exceeds RMB 280 billion, with 10 ETFs each exceeding RMB 10 billion. Among them, cross-border ETF scale exceeds RMB 120 billion, and there are 5 cross-border ETFs at the RMB 10-billion level. The number ranks among the industry leaders (Data source: Wind, as of 2026.02.28).

Beyond the tool—build an index ecosystem with warmth

Beyond the products, services are a value upgrade that empowers investors. When ETF development enters a highly transparent, tool-based era, a clear and diversified toolbox is only the supply base. More importantly, it’s about how to cultivate investors’ product understanding and allocation capabilities—helping them build risk-adaptive, structurally reasonable investment portfolios amid market volatility. This is a key link in moving from tool supply to solution provision.

Based on this understanding of investment needs, GF Fund provides differentiated services tailored to the needs of different types of investors. It integrates products, services, and investors into linked action, striving to build an index service ecosystem of “mutual promotion and coordinated coexistence.”

For seasoned professional investors, in addition to covering index investment tools across its full lineup, GF Fund’s index research and investment team provides professional roadshow services. These include trading strategy services such as Beta-type large-asset rotation and Alpha-type quantitative model enhancements, as well as outputs like research insights—aiming to deeply match their needs for refined allocation.

For a broader base of individual investors, GF Fund treats index education as basic infrastructure, committed to providing more practical and vivid knowledge communication. Its “Index Playbook” index-education section uses formats such as animations, comic strips, and work notebooks, aiming to break complex index knowledge into clear, easy-to-understand, scenario-based content. Through online and offline coordinated outputs, research and investment professionals share market views via live streams to help investors resolve doubts; offline organizes special lectures and elective courses to help younger groups unlock index-based investing skills.

In the realm of digital services, the “Kapok Flower Index” mini program reflects another service approach—“empowering investment advisors and serving investors.” “Kapok Flower” is designed around the full-chain needs of investment advisors: pre-investment, during-investment, and post-investment. A heatmap of fund flows supports pre-investment decision-making. A strategy library (including style rotation, industry rotation, grid strategies, etc.) supports during-investment execution. Systematic post-investment companion content such as daily market guides, weekly index reports, and index education materials provides ongoing support. GF Fund believes that only when investment advisors can serve clients more efficiently and professionally, can the value of “GF Index” truly reach the endpoint—forming a virtuous ecosystem of “fund company—investment advisor—investor” collaboration.

Ultimately, it forms a virtuous cycle that drives the index ecosystem of “products—investors—services.” With diversified services empowering investors, investor participation continues to rise. Product liquidity is further strengthened, which in turn attracts more market resources to gather—allowing the value of index investing to be transmitted and amplified.

Craftsmanship accumulates—“GF” is the one selected for the “Index”

With sails high and stars in motion day and night, there is always a spring mountain to look forward to.

At a new starting point with a scale of RMB 5 trillion, an index-investing ecosystem centered on ETFs will continue to anchor the main line of high-quality development. It will shoulder important missions such as helping residents manage wealth and facilitating long-term capital to enter the market, injecting durable vitality into building a new ecosystem of “long money for long-term investment” in the capital market and serving the transformation and upgrading of the real economy.

When the industry enters a high-level competitive landscape focused on professional strength and service depth, how to help investors use the right tools becomes a new question. GF Fund seeks to break through single-product supply. From standardized naming that helps people “find the right product,” to a three-dimensional layout that supports “assembling the full set of assets,” and then to ecosystem services that help “invest in the right strategy,” it builds an “index service matrix” that empowers the full investment process, aiming to provide a more transparent, efficient, and high-quality brand paradigm for upgrading the investor experience.

Behind all this is the company’s original intention to put investors’ interests first—driven by continuous deepening of its index business. Its team’s main index fund managers have average years of experience exceeding 10 years. Relying on a mature quantitative system, algorithmic trading, and the use of derivatives, they continuously improve tracking precision and actively operate to enhance excess returns. With deep research-driven judgment on macro trends and industry directions through active investment research, they continuously empower the full process of index research, product operation, and quantitative investing—dedicated to forging passive investment tools that are more sharp and efficient for investors.

These long-term accumulations of “internal strength” ultimately converge into brand value that investors can “see and feel.”

The number of client holders of the “ETF GF” series products has reached 1.04 million. The accumulation of trust bears witness to the evolution of long-term value partners in the index investing arena (Data source: GF Fund’s 2025 semi-annual report, and announcements of newly established fund contracts taking effect).

In the future, when everything returns to a simple and clear starting point of recognition, the professional figures who dare to embrace change and stand for value innovation will ultimately win market recognition. Investors will also gain simpler, easier-to-use investment tools—“Index Selects GF, and the E step is done right.”

Risk warning: The above funds invest in the securities market. Sales expenses are as follows: when investors subscribe for or redeem fund units, the subscription and redemption agent brokers may charge a commission not exceeding 0.50%. In-market trading fees shall be based on what securities firms actually charge. For details, please refer to legal documents such as the fund prospectus and the fund contract.

Before investing in the above funds, investors must fully understand the product characteristics of the above funds and bear all kinds of risks that may arise in fund investing. The above funds are exchange-traded open-ended index funds. Specific risks include: the risk that the underlying index declines; the risk that the underlying index’s returns deviate from the average returns of the stock market it represents; the risk of volatility in the underlying index; the risk that constituent stocks have relatively large weightings; the risk that the return of the fund’s investment portfolio deviates from the return of the underlying index; the risk that tracking error control does not meet the agreed target; the risk that the underlying index changes; the risk that the index compiling institution stops providing services; the risk of premium/discount to the net asset value at which fund units trade in the secondary market; the risk of errors in reference IOPV decision-making and IOPV calculation; the risk of suspension of trading of constituent stocks; delisting risk; the risk that investors’ subscriptions fail; the risk that investors’ redemptions fail; the risk of realizing redemption consideration for fund units; arbitrage risk; the risk of errors in the subscription and redemption list; the risk of errors in the identifier settings of the subscription and redemption list; the risk of substitution methods using cash in lieu of creations and redemptions; the risk of agent buy/sell trading in subscription and redemption; the risk that after fund income distribution the fund unit net value falls below par value; the risk of services provided by third-party institutions; the risk of how to respond when constituent indexes face delisting due to negative events; the risk of participating in the securities lending business via transfer and lending, etc. In addition, this fund also faces specific risks of investing in specific instruments (including stock index futures, asset-backed securities, depository receipts, stock options, and treasury bond futures, etc.).

The above funds are issued and managed by GF Fund Management Co., Ltd. Distribution institutions do not assume responsibility for investment and settlement/payment for the products. Before investment, please read carefully legal documents such as the fund contract and the fund prospectus for the above funds, and fully understand the details and risk characteristics of the above funds. The risks and returns of the above funds are higher than those of hybrid funds, bond funds, and money market funds. The specific risk rating results are subject to the ratings provided by the fund manager and sales institutions. Please choose products that match your risk tolerance and investment objectives. Funds have risk; investment is subject to caution.