Pictet Asset Management is doubling down on its U.S. presence with a new core equity ETF offering.
The Pictet AI Enhanced US Equity ETF (PQUS) began trading on the NYSE Arca on February 26. PQUS arrives as the domestic counterpart to the Pictet AI Enhanced International Equity ETF (PQNT).
Both funds are managed by Pictet’s Quantitative Investments team, utilizing the same proprietary machine-learning models that have historically been reserved for the firm’s institutional clients.
“PQUS brings Pictet’s AI enhanced strategy to U.S. equities, giving investors a unique, quantitative approach to navigating U.S. markets,” Roxanna Islam, head of sector & industry research at VettaFi, said.
PQUS seeks “active alpha” with a low tracking error relative to major U.S. equity benchmarks. Rather than placing a speculative bet on a single sector, PQUS uses AI to identify “hidden drivers” and complex patterns across the large-cap landscape — data points that human analysts may overlook during rapid market shifts, according to a statement from the firm.
A common criticism of quantitative strategies is their “black box” nature, but Pictet is positioning these funds as a transparent, integrated framework. According to David Wright, head of quantitative investments at Pictet, the goal is to deliver compounding outperformance with lower drawdown risk than traditional active management.
“PQUS and PQNT enable investors to build AI-enhanced exposure across both U.S. and international developed markets,” Wright said in a statement, noting that the strategy seeks consistent returns without the opacity often associated with quant strategies.
Expanding the Pictet "Megatrend" ETF Ecosystem
The launch of PQUS follows Pictet’s initial U.S. entry in October 2025, which saw the introduction of the Pictet Cleaner Planet ETF (PCLN), the Pictet AI & Automation ETF (PBOT), and PQNT. While those funds target specific thematic megatrends, PQUS offers a broader, AI-optimized core holding for investors looking for differentiated U.S. large-cap exposure.
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