Prescient Investment Management has officially launched the Prescient Balanced Feeder AMETF (PBLNCD) on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) on November 1, 2025. This launch marks a significant expansion in South Africa's investment landscape, representing Prescient’s third actively managed exchange-traded fund (AMETF) listing.

The new fund is designed to provide investors with accessible exposure to the Prescient Balanced Fund, which is a sophisticated multi-asset portfolio. This portfolio aims to achieve capital growth through diversified investments across various asset classes, including equities, bonds, property, and money market instruments. Importantly, the PBLNCD fund is fully compliant with Regulation 28 of South Africa’s Pension Funds Act, making it a suitable option for pension funds and individual investors seeking regulated products.

While the fund primarily focuses on investments within domestic South African markets, it also offers the flexibility to include offshore assets. This dual exposure provides investors with a blend of local and international opportunities, catering to those who desire a balanced geographical diversification within their portfolios. Rupert Hare, Head of Multi-Asset at Prescient, emphasized the fund's benefit, stating that it enables investors and pension funds to "gain diversified exposure to local and global markets while benefiting from the liquidity of the JSE."

The introduction of the PBLNCD further underscores the growing trend of AMETFs on the JSE. According to the JSE, actively managed ETFs have seen steady growth since regulatory changes in 2022 permitted their listing. With the addition of PBLNCD, the total number of ETFs listed on the JSE now stands at 122, boasting a combined market capitalization of R23.5 billion.

This AMETF offers a distinct advantage over traditional ETFs by pursuing outperformance through active portfolio management, rather than merely tracking an index. It blends the strategic decision-making of active management with the transparency, flexibility, and liquidity inherent in listed products. For retail investors, PBLNCD provides a cost-efficient and accessible avenue to professional active management within a tradable instrument. The fund's balanced strategy—spanning equities, fixed income, property, and offshore assets—offers a single-vehicle solution for investors prioritizing both growth and diversification under strict regulatory compliance.

The listing of the Prescient Balanced Feeder AMETF highlights the JSE’s commitment to supporting financial innovation and demonstrates the evolving landscape of South Africa’s ETF market. As the AMETF segment continues to gain traction, products like PBLNCD are crucial in shaping hybrid investment solutions that merge active decision-making with transparency and cost efficiency, helping investors navigate increasingly volatile global markets.