Best Robotics ETFs to Buy in 2026: BOTZ, ROBO, ARKQ and ROBT Compared
Robots are no longer just welding car frames behind factory fences. Artificial intelligence is moving into the physical world, powering autonomous vehicles, warehouse automation, surgical robots, smart factories, drones, and increasingly sophisticated humanoid machines.
For investors, that raises a simple question: What are the best robotics ETFs to buy in 2026?
Instead of trying to guess which individual robotics company will become the next big winner, investors can use a robotics ETF to own a basket of companies tied to automation, artificial intelligence, industrial robotics, autonomous technology, and physical AI.
✓ Best robotics ETFs listed in the U.S.
✓ BOTZ vs. ROBO comparison
✓ ARKQ for autonomous technology exposure
✓ ROBT for broader AI and robotics diversification
✓ Expense ratios and portfolio structure
✓ Humanoid robotics and physical AI opportunities
✓ Key risks investors should know before buying
Why Robotics ETFs Are Getting More Attention
The robotics investment story has changed dramatically. A decade ago, most investors associated robots with industrial automation. Today, robotics sits at the intersection of several of Wall Street's biggest investment themes:
- Artificial intelligence
- Semiconductors
- Humanoid robots
- Autonomous vehicles
- Smart manufacturing
- Warehouse automation
- Medical robotics
- Defense and drones
- U.S. manufacturing reshoring
Global X estimates that the global robotics market was worth roughly $108 billion in 2025 and could approach $416 billion by 2035. The company also points to cheaper AI computing, labor shortages, aging populations, reshoring, and advances in humanoid robotics as potential long-term growth drivers.
That combination is why robotics is increasingly being viewed as part of the broader physical AI investment theme. Instead of AI simply generating text, images, or software, physical AI allows machines to perceive their environment, make decisions, and perform real-world tasks.
Best Robotics ETFs to Watch in 2026
Among U.S.-listed funds, four ETFs stand out for investors who want exposure to robotics, automation, AI, and autonomous technologies:
| ETF | Ticker | Primary Focus | Expense Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Global X Robotics & Artificial Intelligence ETF | BOTZ | Robotics, AI, industrial automation | 0.68% |
| ROBO Global Robotics & Automation Index ETF | ROBO | Global robotics and automation | 0.95% |
| ARK Autonomous Technology & Robotics ETF | ARKQ | Autonomous technology and disruptive innovation | Actively managed |
| First Trust Nasdaq Artificial Intelligence & Robotics ETF | ROBT | AI and robotics companies | 0.65% |
ETF holdings, fees, assets, and weightings can change over time. Always verify current fund data before investing.
1. BOTZ: A Popular Robotics and AI ETF
For many U.S. investors searching for a dedicated robotics ETF, Global X Robotics & Artificial Intelligence ETF (BOTZ) is one of the first names that comes up.
BOTZ is designed to invest in companies that may benefit from greater adoption of robotics and artificial intelligence, including industrial automation, non-industrial robots, and autonomous vehicles.
As of September 2, 2026, BOTZ had approximately $3.35 billion in net assets, held 61 securities, and charged a 0.68% expense ratio.
BOTZ Top Holdings
Its largest positions included:
- Keyence
- NVIDIA
- ABB
- Fanuc
- Intuitive Surgical
- SMC
- Shenzhen Inovance Technology
- Daifuku
- Alphabet
NVIDIA accounted for roughly 10% of the portfolio in early September 2026, while industrial automation leaders such as Keyence, ABB, and Fanuc also carried major weightings.
• Strong exposure to established robotics leaders
• Significant NVIDIA exposure
• Industrial automation plus AI
• Global portfolio
• More concentrated than some competing robotics ETFs
BOTZ may make the most sense for investors who believe the robotics boom will be driven not only by flashy humanoid robots but also by the less visible infrastructure behind automation: machine vision, industrial control systems, semiconductors, factory robots, and medical robotics.
2. ROBO: Broader Robotics Diversification
The ROBO Global Robotics & Automation Index ETF (ROBO) takes a broader approach. It invests in companies involved in robotics, automation, and AI technologies that enable intelligent systems to sense, process, and act.
As of September 2, 2026, ROBO held 79 stocks, managed approximately $2.0 billion, and charged a 0.95% expense ratio.
The biggest difference between BOTZ and ROBO is portfolio construction. BOTZ generally allows its largest positions to become significantly larger, while ROBO spreads capital across a broader set of companies.
Why investors might choose ROBO
• Less dependent on a few mega-cap names
• Exposure to companies across the robotics value chain
• Long operating history since 2013
• Suitable for investors who want the theme rather than one specific winner
The trade-off is cost. ROBO's 0.95% annual expense ratio is substantially higher than what investors pay for broad-market ETFs such as an S&P 500 index fund.
BOTZ vs. ROBO: Which Robotics ETF Is Better?
This is one of the most common questions investors ask when researching robotics ETFs.
| Category | BOTZ | ROBO |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.68% | 0.95% |
| Holdings | 61 | 79 |
| Portfolio Style | More concentrated | More diversified |
| AI Exposure | Strong | Broad |
| Best Fit | Investors wanting established robotics leaders | Investors wanting broader robotics diversification |
Neither ETF is automatically better.
BOTZ may be more attractive if you want significant exposure to companies such as NVIDIA, Keyence, ABB, Fanuc, and Intuitive Surgical.
ROBO may be more attractive if you prefer to spread your investment across a larger number of robotics and automation companies.
3. ARKQ: Robotics With a Disruptive Technology Twist
The ARK Autonomous Technology & Robotics ETF (ARKQ) is different from BOTZ and ROBO because it is actively managed.
ARKQ seeks long-term capital growth by investing primarily in companies connected to autonomous technology and robotics. Its investment universe can include autonomous mobility, intelligent devices, advanced batteries, artificial intelligence, automation, manufacturing, and other disruptive technologies.
That means ARKQ is not a pure industrial robotics fund. It is better viewed as a broader bet on the future of machines becoming smarter and more autonomous.
• Autonomous vehicles
• Drones
• AI-powered machines
• Advanced batteries
• Space and next-generation mobility
• Robotics
• Disruptive manufacturing technologies
Because it is actively managed, ARKQ can change its portfolio more aggressively than index-based robotics ETFs. That can be an advantage when technology evolves quickly, but it also means investors are relying more heavily on the fund manager's decisions.
4. ROBT: AI and Robotics in One ETF
The First Trust Nasdaq Artificial Intelligence and Robotics ETF (ROBT) tracks an index designed around companies involved in artificial intelligence and robotics.
As of September 2026, ROBT charged a 0.65% expense ratio, had approximately $775 million in net assets, and owned more than 100 stocks.
Unlike BOTZ, which has major weightings in a relatively small group of established robotics companies, ROBT distributes its exposure across many more holdings.
Its portfolio has recently included companies such as UiPath, Workday, Salesforce, AutoStore, Tempus AI, and other businesses connected to automation and AI.
• Robotics plus software AI exposure
• A relatively diversified portfolio
• Less concentration in a handful of giant companies
• Exposure across multiple parts of the AI ecosystem
What About Humanoid Robot ETFs?
Humanoid robots may become one of the most exciting investment stories of the next decade. Companies are racing to build general-purpose robots that can walk, manipulate objects, learn tasks, and eventually work alongside humans.
But investors should understand an important distinction: most U.S.-listed robotics ETFs are not pure humanoid robot ETFs.
Instead, they tend to invest across the broader ecosystem needed to make humanoid robots possible. That may include:
- AI chips
- Machine vision
- Industrial automation
- Sensors
- Motion control
- Robotics software
- Autonomous systems
- Precision manufacturing
This broader approach may actually reduce single-company risk. Nobody knows today which humanoid platform will dominate a decade from now, but many companies supplying the picks and shovels of robotics could benefit regardless of which manufacturer wins.
Why NVIDIA Matters to the Robotics Story
One reason robotics investing has become closely connected to AI investing is NVIDIA.
Robots increasingly require massive computing power for computer vision, simulation, inference, planning, and real-time decision making. That creates demand for GPUs and specialized computing platforms.
BOTZ, for example, had approximately 10% of its portfolio invested in NVIDIA as of September 2, 2026.
This also illustrates why investors should always check ETF holdings before buying. A fund marketed as a robotics ETF may behave partly like a semiconductor ETF, industrial automation ETF, or AI ETF depending on how its portfolio is constructed.
Robotics and the Return of American Manufacturing
Another reason robotics could remain a major investment theme in the United States is reshoring.
As manufacturers move more production closer to the U.S., automation can help offset higher domestic labor costs. Factories equipped with robotics, machine vision, AI systems, and autonomous material-handling equipment may produce more goods with fewer workers.
That creates an investment thesis that extends far beyond humanoid robots.
Robotics may benefit from several structural trends at the same time:
- Labor shortages
- Higher wages
- Manufacturing reshoring
- Supply-chain security
- AI adoption
- Warehouse automation
- Aging populations
These are among the long-term catalysts cited by Global X in its robotics investment outlook.
Are Robotics ETFs Better Than Buying Individual Robotics Stocks?
Buying an individual robotics stock can potentially produce larger returns if you pick the right winner. It can also create much larger losses if the company fails to commercialize its technology, burns through cash, loses market share, or disappoints investors.
A robotics ETF spreads that risk across multiple companies.
| Individual Robotics Stocks | Robotics ETFs |
|---|---|
| Higher company-specific risk | Diversified across multiple companies |
| Potential for outsized gains | More balanced exposure |
| Requires deeper company research | Easier way to invest in the theme |
| No annual fund fee | Expense ratio applies |
For investors who strongly believe in robotics but do not want to predict the single winning company, an ETF can be a practical middle ground.
The Biggest Risks of Robotics ETFs
Robotics may have an exciting future, but thematic ETFs can be volatile. Investors should pay close attention to several risks.
1. Valuation risk
AI and robotics companies can trade at high valuations when investor enthusiasm is strong.
2. Technology risk
Not every robotics platform or business model will succeed.
3. Interest-rate sensitivity
High-growth technology stocks can struggle when interest rates remain elevated.
4. Theme concentration
Robotics ETFs are not substitutes for a diversified total-market portfolio.
5. International exposure
Many robotics leaders are based in Japan, Europe, and other markets, creating currency and geopolitical risks.
6. Expectations may run ahead of reality
Humanoid robot commercialization could take longer than investors expect.
How Much of a Portfolio Should Be in Robotics ETFs?
For most long-term investors, robotics ETFs may make more sense as a satellite position rather than the foundation of a portfolio.
A core portfolio might still be built around diversified funds tracking the S&P 500, the total U.S. stock market, or a global equity index. A robotics ETF can then be added as a smaller allocation for investors who want additional exposure to the theme.
This approach can provide upside if robotics becomes a major economic force without making an investor's entire retirement portfolio dependent on one technology trend.
Which Robotics ETF Is Best for Different Investors?
BOTZ may deserve a closer look.
If you want broader diversification across robotics companies:
ROBO may be more attractive.
If you want autonomous vehicles, drones, batteries, and disruptive technology alongside robotics:
ARKQ may fit that approach.
If you want a mix of AI software and robotics exposure:
ROBT may be worth comparing.
Are Robotics ETFs a Good Long-Term Investment?
The bullish case for robotics is straightforward. AI is becoming smarter, computing is becoming more powerful, sensors are getting cheaper, and companies have strong economic incentives to automate repetitive work.
If those trends continue, robots could become increasingly common in factories, warehouses, hospitals, transportation networks, restaurants, logistics centers, and eventually homes.
But a growing industry does not automatically guarantee strong investment returns. The price you pay still matters. Competition matters. Profit margins matter. And some companies benefiting from the robotics revolution may not even look like traditional robot manufacturers.
That is why understanding the holdings inside each ETF is more important than simply buying whichever fund has "robotics" in its name.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best robotics ETF?
There is no single best robotics ETF for every investor. BOTZ offers concentrated exposure to major robotics and AI companies, ROBO offers broader diversification, ARKQ focuses on autonomous and disruptive technology, and ROBT combines AI and robotics exposure.
What ETF has NVIDIA and robotics stocks?
BOTZ is one example. NVIDIA represented roughly 10% of BOTZ's assets in early September 2026, alongside robotics and automation companies such as Keyence, ABB, Fanuc, and Intuitive Surgical.
Is BOTZ better than ROBO?
BOTZ has a lower expense ratio and a more concentrated portfolio, while ROBO spreads its assets across more companies. The better choice depends on whether an investor prefers concentration or diversification.
Is there a humanoid robotics ETF?
Most U.S.-listed robotics ETFs currently provide broader exposure to robotics, automation, AI, autonomous technology, and the components needed to build advanced robots rather than investing exclusively in humanoid robot manufacturers.
Are robotics ETFs risky?
Yes. Robotics ETFs are thematic investments and can experience greater volatility than broadly diversified stock-market funds. Their performance can also be influenced by technology valuations, interest rates, capital spending, and investor enthusiasm toward AI.
Final Thoughts: Robotics Could Be the Next Chapter of the AI Boom
The first phase of the AI investment boom centered largely on software, cloud infrastructure, and semiconductors. The next phase may increasingly involve machines that use that intelligence in the real world.
That is the core opportunity behind robotics ETFs.
From industrial automation and self-driving systems to surgical robots and humanoid machines, robotics could become one of the defining technology trends of the next decade.
For investors who do not want to bet everything on one robotics company, funds such as BOTZ, ROBO, ARKQ, and ROBT offer different ways to participate.
The key is to look beneath the ticker symbol. Compare holdings, expense ratios, concentration, AI exposure, and the role each ETF would play in your overall portfolio.
The robotics revolution may be real. But successful investing will still depend on diversification, valuation discipline, and patience.
