iShares Government MM ETF - PRO
2026
Prospectus
BlackRock
ETF Trust
● iShares Government Money Market ETF | GMMF | NYSE
The Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) has
not approved or disapproved these securities or passed upon the adequacy of this
prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
|
| Not FDIC Insured • May Lose Value • No Bank
Guarantee |
BlackRock® is a registered trademark of
BlackRock Fund Advisors and its affiliates.
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iSHARES
GOVERNMENT MONEY MARKET ETF
Ticker:
GMMF Stock Exchange: NYSE
Investment
Objective
The
iShares Government Money Market ETF (the
“Fund”) seeks current income as is consistent with liquidity and stability of
principal.
Fees
and Expenses
The
following table describes the fees and expenses that you will incur if you buy,
hold and sell shares of the Fund. Amounts in the table are rounded to the
nearest basis point, which in some cases may be “0.00.” The investment advisory
agreement between BlackRock ETF Trust
(the “Trust”) and BlackRock Fund Advisors (“BFA”) (the “Investment Advisory
Agreement”) provides that BFA will pay all operating expenses of the Fund,
except: (i) the management fees, (ii) interest expenses,
(iii) taxes, (iv) expenses incurred with respect to the acquisition
and disposition of portfolio securities and the execution of portfolio
transactions, including brokerage commissions, (v) distribution fees or
expenses, and (vi) litigation expenses and any extraordinary
expenses.
You
may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial
intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and Example
below.
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Annual Fund Operating Expenses (ongoing expenses that you pay each year as
a percentage of the value of
your investments) |
Management Fees |
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Distribution and Service (12b‑1) Fees |
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Other Expenses1 |
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Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses |
| 0.20% |
|
None |
|
0.00% |
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0.20% |
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1 |
Amount
rounds to 0.00%. |
Example. This
Example is intended to help you compare the cost of owning shares of the Fund
with the cost of investing in other funds. The Example assumes that you invest
$10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell all of your
shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your
investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses
remain the same.
Although your actual costs may be
higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would
be:
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| 1 Year |
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3 Years |
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5 Years |
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10 Years |
| $20 |
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$64 |
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$113 |
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$255 |
Principal
Investment Strategies
The
Fund invests at least 99.5% of its total assets in cash, U.S. Treasury bills,
notes and other obligations issued or guaranteed as to principal and interest by
the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities, and repurchase
agreements secured by such obligations or cash. The Fund invests in securities
maturing in 397 days or less (with certain exceptions) and the portfolio will
have a dollar-weighted average maturity of 60 days or less and a dollar-weighted
average life of 120 days or less. The Fund may invest in variable and floating
rate instruments, and transact in securities on a when-issued, delayed delivery
or forward commitment basis.
The
Fund invests, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its net assets, plus
the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes, in U.S. Treasury bills,
notes and other obligations issued or guaranteed as to principal and interest by
the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities, and repurchase
agreements secured by such obligations. This policy is a non‑fundamental policy
of the Fund and the Fund will not change the policy without providing
shareholders with at least 60 days’ prior notice of any change in the
policy.
The
Fund’s Board of Trustees (the “Board”) has determined that the Fund qualifies as
a “government
S-1
money
market fund” pursuant to Rule 2a‑7 under the Investment Company Act of
1940, as amended (“Rule 2a‑7”).
The
securities purchased by the Fund are subject to the quality, diversification,
and other requirements of Rule 2a-7, and other rules of the Securities and
Exchange Commission (“SEC”).
Although
the Fund qualifies as a “government money market fund,” it does not seek to
maintain a stable net asset value (“NAV”) per share using the amortized cost
method of valuation. Instead, the Fund calculates its NAV per share based on the
market value of its investments. In addition, unlike a traditional money market
fund, the Fund operates as an exchange traded fund (“ETF”). As an ETF, the
Fund’s shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange LLC (the “NYSE”)
and the market price of the Fund’s shares will generally fluctuate in accordance
with changes in NAV per share as well as the relative supply of, and demand for,
shares on the NYSE.
You
could lose money by investing in the
Fund.
The
Fund is an actively managed ETF that does not seek to replicate the performance
of a specified index.
Summary
of Principal Risks
As with any investment, you could lose
all or part of your investment in the Fund, and the Fund’s performance could
trail that of other investments. Because
the share price and NAV of the Fund will fluctuate, when shares are sold (or
redeemed, in the case of an Authorized Participant), they may be worth more or
less than what was originally paid for them.
An investment in the Fund is not a bank
account and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance
Corporation or any other government agency. The Fund’s sponsor is not required to
reimburse the Fund for losses, and you should not expect that the sponsor will
provide financial support to the Fund at any time, including during periods of
market stress. The Fund is subject to certain risks, including
the principal risks noted below, any of which may adversely affect the Fund’s
NAV, trading price, yield, total return and ability to meet its investment
objective. Unlike many ETFs, the Fund is not an index-based ETF. Certain key
risks are prioritized below (with others following in alphabetical order), but
the relative significance of any risk is difficult to predict and may change
over time. You should review each risk factor carefully.
Interest
Rate Risk. Interest rate risk is the
risk that the value of a debt security may fall when interest rates rise. In
general, the market price of debt securities with longer maturities will go up
or down more in response to changes in interest rates than the market price of
shorter-term securities. Due to fluctuations in interest rates, the market value
of such securities may vary during the period shareholders own shares of the
Fund. Very low or negative interest rates may magnify interest rate risk. During
periods of very low or negative interest rates, the Fund may be unable to
maintain positive returns or pay dividends to Fund shareholders. The Fund may be
subject to a greater risk of rising interest rates during a period of
historically low interest rates. Changing interest rates may have unpredictable
effects on markets, may result in heightened market volatility, and may detract
from the Fund’s ability to achieve its investment
objective.
Treasury Obligations
Risk. Direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury have historically
involved little risk of loss of principal if held to maturity. However, due to
fluctuations in interest rates, the market value of such securities may vary
during the period shareholders own shares of the Fund. In addition,
notwithstanding that U.S. Treasury obligations are backed by the full faith and
credit of the United States, circumstances could arise that could prevent the
timely payment of interest or principal, such as reaching the legislative “debt
ceiling.” Such non‑payment could result in losses to the Fund and substantial
negative consequences for the U.S. economy and the global financial
system.
U.S. Government
Obligations Risk. Certain securities in which the Fund may invest,
including securities issued by certain U.S. Government agencies and U.S.
Government sponsored enterprises, are not guaranteed by the U.S. Government or
supported by the full faith and credit of the United States. In addition,
circumstances could arise that could prevent the timely payment of interest or
principal on U.S. Government obligations, such as reaching the legislative “debt
ceiling.” Such non‑payment could result in losses to the Fund and substantial
negative consequences for the U.S. economy and the global financial
system.
Repurchase Agreements
Risk. If the other party to a repurchase agreement defaults on its
obligation under the agreement, the Fund may suffer delays and incur costs or
lose money in exercising its rights under the agreement. If the seller fails to
repurchase the security and the market value of the security declines, the Fund
may lose money.
S-2
Credit
Risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer of a
debt security (i.e., the borrower) will be unable or unwilling to make timely
payments of interest and principal when due or otherwise honor their
obligations. Changes in an issuer’s credit rating or the market’s perception of
an issuer’s creditworthiness may also affect the value of the Fund’s investment
in that issuer.
Market Risk and
Selection Risk. Market risk is the risk that one or more markets
in which the Fund invests will go down in value, including the possibility that
the markets will go down sharply and unpredictably. The value of a security or
other asset may decline due to changes in general market conditions, economic
trends or events that are not specifically related to the issuer of the security
or other asset, or factors that affect a particular issuer or issuers, exchange,
country, group of countries, region, market, industry, group of industries,
sector or asset class. Local, regional or global events such as war, acts of
terrorism, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issues like
pandemics or epidemics, recessions, or other events could have a significant
impact on the Fund and its investments. Selection risk is the risk that the
securities selected by Fund management will underperform the markets, the
relevant indices or the securities selected by other funds with similar
investment objectives and investment strategies. This means that you may lose
money.
Assets Under
Management (AUM) Risk. From
time to time, an Authorized Participant (as defined below in Authorized
Participant Concentration Risk), a third-party investor, the Fund’s adviser, an
affiliate of the Fund’s adviser, or another fund may invest in the Fund and hold
its investment for a specific period of time to allow the Fund to achieve size
or scale. There can be no assurance that any such entity would not redeem its
investment or that the size of the Fund would be maintained at such levels,
which could negatively impact the Fund.
Authorized
Participant Concentration Risk. An “Authorized Participant” is a
member or participant of a clearing agency registered with the SEC, which has a
written agreement with the Fund or one of its service providers that allows the
Authorized Participant to place orders for the purchase and redemption of
creation units (“Creation Units”). Only an Authorized Participant may engage in
creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. There are a limited
number of institutions that may act as Authorized Participants for the Fund,
including on an agency basis on behalf of other market participants. No
Authorized
Participant
is obligated to engage in creation or redemption transactions. To the extent
that Authorized Participants exit the business or do not place creation or
redemption orders for the Fund and no other Authorized Participant places
orders, Fund shares are more likely to trade at a premium or discount to NAV and
possibly face trading halts or delisting.
Cash Transactions
Risk. The Fund expects to effect all of its creations and
redemptions for cash, rather than in‑kind securities. As a result, the Fund may
have to sell portfolio securities at inopportune times in order to obtain the
cash needed to meet redemption orders. This may cause the Fund to sell a
security and recognize a capital gain or loss that might not have been incurred
if it had made a redemption in‑kind. The use of cash creations and redemptions
may also cause the Fund’s shares to trade in the market at wider bid‑ask spreads
or greater premiums or discounts to the Fund’s
NAV.
Income
Risk. Income risk is the risk that the Fund’s yield will vary as
short-term securities in its portfolio mature and the proceeds are reinvested in
securities with different interest rates.
Large Shareholder and
Large-Scale Redemption Risk. Certain shareholders, including an
Authorized Participant, a third-party investor, the Fund’s adviser or an
affiliate of the Fund’s adviser, a market maker, or another entity, may from
time to time own or manage a substantial amount of Fund shares, or may invest in
the Fund and hold their investment for a limited period of time. There can be no
assurance that any large shareholder or large group of shareholders would not
redeem their investment. Redemptions of a large number of Fund shares could
require the Fund to dispose of assets to meet the redemption requests, which can
accelerate the realization of taxable income and/or capital gains and cause the
Fund to make taxable distributions to its shareholders earlier than the Fund
otherwise would have. In addition, under certain circumstances, non‑redeeming
shareholders may be treated as receiving a disproportionately large taxable
distribution during or with respect to such year. In some circumstances, the
Fund may hold a relatively large proportion of its assets in cash in
anticipation of large redemptions, diluting its investment returns. These large
redemptions may also force the Fund to sell portfolio securities when it might
not otherwise do so, which may negatively impact the Fund’s NAV, increase the
Fund’s brokerage costs and/or have a material effect on the market price of the
Fund shares.
S-3
Market Trading
Risk. The Fund faces numerous market trading risks, including the
potential lack of an active market for Fund shares (including through a trading
halt), losses from trading in secondary markets, periods of high volatility, and
disruptions in the process of creating and redeeming Fund shares. Any of these
factors, among others, may lead to the Fund’s shares trading in the secondary
market at a premium or discount to NAV or to the intraday value of the Fund’s
portfolio holdings. If you buy Fund shares at a time when the market price is at
a premium to NAV or sell Fund shares at a time when the market price is at a
discount to NAV, you may pay significantly more or receive significantly less
than the underlying value of the Fund
shares.
Operational and
Technology Risks. The Fund is directly and indirectly susceptible
to operational and technology risks, including those related to human errors,
processing errors, communication errors, systems failures, cybersecurity
incidents, and the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning (“AI”),
which may result in losses for the Fund and its shareholders or may impair the
Fund’s operations. While the Fund’s service providers are required to have
appropriate operational, information security and cybersecurity risk management
policies and procedures, their methods of risk management may differ from those
of the Fund. Operational and technology risks for the issuers in which the Fund
invests could also result in material adverse consequences for such issuers and
may cause the Fund’s investments in such issuers to lose
value.
Risk of Investing in
the United States. Certain changes in the U.S. economy, such as
when the U.S. economy weakens or when its financial markets decline, may have an
adverse effect on the securities to which the Fund has
exposure.
Variable and Floating
Rate Instrument Risk. Variable and floating rate securities
provide for periodic adjustment in the interest rate paid on the securities.
Securities with floating or variable interest rates can be less sensitive to
interest rate changes than securities with fixed interest rates, but may decline
in value if their coupon rates do not reset as high, or as quickly, as
comparable market interest rates, and generally carry lower yields than fixed
securities of the same maturity. These securities will not generally increase in
value if interest rates decline. A decline in interest rates may result in a
reduction in income received from variable and
floating
rate securities held by the Fund and may adversely affect the value of the
Fund’s shares. Benchmark interest rates may not accurately track market interest
rates. Although floating rate securities are less sensitive to interest rate
risk than fixed-rate securities, they are subject to credit risk and default
risk, which could impair their value.
When-Issued and
Delayed Delivery Securities and Forward Commitments Risk.
When-issued and delayed delivery securities and forward commitments involve the
risk that the security the Fund buys will lose value prior to its delivery.
There also is the risk that the security will not be issued or that the other
party to the transaction will not meet its obligation. If this occurs, the Fund
may lose both the investment opportunity for the assets it set aside to pay for
the security and any gain in the security’s price.
Performance
Information
As
of the date of this prospectus (the “Prospectus”), the Fund does not have a full
calendar year of performance information to
report.
Management
Investment Adviser. The Fund’s investment
adviser is BFA.
Purchase
and Sale of Fund Shares
The
Fund is an ETF. Individual shares of the Fund may only be bought and sold in the
secondary market through a broker-dealer. Because ETF shares trade at market
prices rather than at NAV, shares may trade at a price greater than NAV (a
premium) or less than NAV (a discount). An investor may incur costs attributable
to the difference between the highest price a buyer is willing to pay to
purchase shares of the Fund (bid) and the lowest price a seller is willing to
accept for shares of the Fund (ask) when buying or selling shares in the
secondary market (the “bid‑ask spread”).
Tax
Information
The
Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxable to you as ordinary income
or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax‑deferred arrangement
such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account (“IRA”), in which
case, your distributions generally will be taxed when withdrawn.
S-4
Payments
to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If
you purchase shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial
intermediary (such as a bank), BFA or other related companies may pay the
intermediary for marketing activities and presentations, educational training
programs, conferences, the development of technology platforms and reporting
systems or other services related to the sale or promotion of the Fund. These
payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or
other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another
investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s website
for more information.
S-5
More
Information About the Fund
This
Prospectus contains important information about investing in iShares Government
Money Market ETF (the “Fund”), a government money market fund pursuant to Rule
2a‑7 (“Rule 2a‑7”) under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the
“1940 Act”). Please read this Prospectus carefully before you make any
investment decisions. Additional information regarding the Fund is available at
www.blackrock.com.
BlackRock
Fund Advisors (“BFA”) is the investment adviser to the Fund. Shares of the Fund
are listed for trading on the New York
Stock Exchange LLC (the “NYSE”). The market price for a share of the Fund may be
different from the Fund’s most recent net asset value (“NAV”).
Additional
Information on Principal Investment Strategies.
The
Fund seeks current income as is consistent with liquidity and stability of
principal. The Fund’s investment objective is a non‑fundamental policy and may
be changed without shareholder approval.
The
Fund invests at least 99.5% of its total assets in cash, U.S. Treasury bills,
notes and other obligations issued or guaranteed as to principal and interest by
the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities, and repurchase
agreements secured by such obligations or cash. The Fund invests in securities
maturing in 397 days or less (with certain exceptions) and the portfolio will
have a dollar-weighted average maturity of 60 days or less and a dollar-weighted
average life of 120 days or less. The Fund may invest in variable and floating
rate instruments, and transact in securities on a when-issued, delayed delivery
or forward commitment basis.
The
Fund invests, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its net assets, plus
the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes, in U.S. Treasury bills,
notes and other obligations issued or guaranteed as to principal and interest by
the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities, and repurchase
agreements secured by such obligations. This policy is a non‑fundamental policy
of the Fund and the Fund will not change the policy without providing
shareholders with at least 60 days’ prior notice of any change in the policy.
The
Fund’s Board of Trustees (the “Board”) has determined that the Fund will operate
as an exchange-traded fund (“ETF”) pursuant to Rule 6c‑11 under the 1940 Act and
the Fund will also qualify as a “government money market fund” pursuant to Rule
2a‑7.
The
securities purchased by the Fund are subject to the quality, diversification,
and other requirements of Rule 2a-7 under the 1940 Act, and other rules of the
Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”).
Although
the Fund qualifies as a “government money market fund”, it does not seek to
maintain a stable NAV per share using the amortized cost method of valuation.
Instead, the Fund calculates its NAV per share based on the market value of its
investments. In addition, unlike a traditional money market fund, the Fund
operates as an ETF. As an ETF, the Fund’s shares are traded on the NYSE and the
market price of the Fund’s shares will generally fluctuate in accordance with
changes in NAV as well as the relative supply of, and demand for, shares on the
NYSE. You could lose money by investing in the Fund.
The
Fund is an actively managed ETF that does not seek to replicate the performance
of a specified index.
How
the Fund Invests.
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The
Fund maintains a dollar-weighted average maturity of 60 days or less and a
dollar-weighted average life of 120 days or less. The “dollar-weighted
average maturity” of the Fund is the average amount of time until the
organizations that issued the debt securities in the Fund’s portfolio must
pay off the principal amount of the debt. “Dollar-weighted” means the
larger the dollar value of a debt security based on its market value in
the Fund, the more weight it gets in calculating this average. To
calculate the dollar-weighted average maturity, the Fund may treat a
variable or floating rate security as having a maturity equal to the time
remaining to the security’s next interest rate reset date or the period
remaining until the principal amount can be recovered through demand
rather than the security’s actual maturity. “Dollar-weighted average life”
means the dollar-weighted average maturity of the Fund’s portfolio
calculated without reference to the exceptions used for variable or
floating rate securities regarding the use of the interest rate reset
dates in lieu of the security’s actual maturity date.
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Pursuant
to Rule 2a‑7, the Fund is subject to a “general liquidity requirement”
that requires that the Fund hold securities that are sufficiently liquid
to meet reasonably foreseeable shareholder redemptions in light of its
obligations under Section 22(e) of the 1940 Act regarding share
redemptions and any commitments the Fund has made to shareholders. To
comply with this general liquidity requirement, BFA must consider factors
that could affect the Fund’s liquidity needs, including characteristics of
the Fund’s investors and their likely redemptions. Depending upon the
volatility of its cash flows (particularly shareholder redemptions), this
may require the Fund to maintain greater liquidity than would be required
by the daily and weekly minimum liquidity requirements discussed below.
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The
Fund will not acquire any illiquid security (i.e., securities that cannot be sold or
disposed of in the ordinary course of business within seven days at
approximately the value ascribed to them by the Fund) if, immediately
following such purchase, more than 5% of the Fund’s total assets are
invested in illiquid securities. |
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The
Fund will not acquire any security other than a daily liquid asset unless,
immediately following such purchase, at least 25% of its total assets
would be invested in daily liquid assets, and the Fund will not acquire
any security other than a weekly liquid asset unless, immediately
following such purchase, at least 50% of its total assets would be
invested in weekly liquid assets. “Daily liquid assets” include
(i) cash; (ii) direct obligations of the U.S. Government;
(iii) securities that will mature, as determined without reference to
the maturity shortening provisions of Rule 2a-7 regarding interest rate
readjustments, or are subject to a demand feature that is exercisable and
payable within one business day; and (iv) amounts receivable and due
unconditionally within one business day on pending sales of portfolio
securities. “Weekly liquid assets” include (i) cash; (ii) direct
obligations of the U.S. Government; (iii) U.S. Government securities
issued by a person controlled or supervised by and acting as an
instrumentality of the U.S. Government pursuant to authority granted by
the U.S. Congress, that are issued at a discount to the principal amount
to be repaid at maturity without provision for the payment of interest and
have a remaining maturity of 60 days or less; (iv) securities that
will mature, as determined without reference to the maturity shortening
provisions of Rule 2a-7 regarding interest rate readjustments, or are
subject to a demand feature that is exercisable and payable within five
business days; and (v) amounts receivable and due unconditionally
within five business days on pending sales of portfolio securities.
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The
Board has chosen not to subject the Fund to discretionary liquidity fees.
If the Board changes this policy with respect to discretionary liquidity
fees, such change would become effective only after shareholders are
provided with advance notice of the change. |
Investment Process. The Fund invests in
securities maturing within 397 days or less from the date of purchase, with
certain exceptions. For example, certain government securities held by the Fund
may have remaining maturities exceeding 397 days if such securities provide for
adjustments in their interest rates not less frequently than every
397 days.
The
securities purchased by the Fund are also subject to the quality,
diversification, and other requirements of Rule 2a‑7 under the 1940 Act,
and other rules of the SEC. The Fund will purchase only securities that are
“Eligible Securities.” When required under Rule 2a‑7, BFA will determine whether
an instrument presents minimal credit risk pursuant to guidelines approved by
the Board.
“Eligible
Securities” include (1) securities with a remaining maturity of 397
calendar days or less (with certain exceptions) that BFA determines present
minimal credit risks to the fund after considering certain factors;
(2) securities issued by other registered investment companies that are
money market funds; or (3) securities issued or guaranteed as to principal
or interest by the U.S. Government or any of its agencies or instrumentalities.
An
investment in the Fund is not a bank deposit and it is not insured or guaranteed
by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency, BFA
or any of its affiliates.
Principal
Investments.
The
section below describes the particular types of securities in which the Fund
principally invests. The Fund may, from time to time, make other types of
investments and pursue other investment strategies in support of its overall
investment goal. These supplemental investment strategies are described in the
Statement of Additional Information (the “SAI”).
Repurchase Agreements. The Fund may enter
into repurchase agreements. Repurchase agreements are similar in certain
respects to collateralized loans, but are structured as a purchase of securities
by the Fund, subject to the
2
seller’s
agreement to repurchase the securities at a mutually agreed upon date and price.
Under a repurchase agreement, the seller is required to furnish collateral at
least equal in value or market price to the amount of the seller’s repurchase
obligation. Collateral for the Fund’s repurchase agreements may include cash and
obligations issued by the U.S. Government or its agencies or instrumentalities.
The
Fund may transfer uninvested cash balances into a single joint account at the
Fund’s custodian bank, the daily aggregate balance of which will be invested in
one or more repurchase agreements.
U.S. Government Obligations. The Fund may
purchase obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government or its
agencies, authorities, instrumentalities and sponsored enterprises, and related
custodial receipts.
U.S. Treasury Obligations. The Fund may
invest in direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury. The Fund may also invest in
Treasury receipts where the principal and interest components are traded
separately under the Separate Trading of Registered Interest and Principal of
Securities (“STRIPS”) program.
Variable and Floating Rate
Instruments. The Fund may purchase variable or floating rate notes,
which are instruments that provide for adjustments in the interest rate on
certain reset dates or whenever a specified interest rate index changes,
respectively.
When-Issued, Delayed Delivery and Forward Commitment
Transactions. The Fund may transact in securities on a when-issued,
delayed delivery or forward commitment basis. The Fund expects that commitments
to purchase securities on a when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment
basis will not exceed 25% of the value of its total assets absent unusual market
conditions. The Fund does not intend to purchase securities on a when-issued,
delayed delivery or forward commitment basis for speculative purposes but only
in furtherance of its investment objective. The Fund does not receive income
from securities purchased on a when-issued, delayed delivery or forward
commitment basis prior to delivery of such securities.
Other
Strategies
In
addition to the principal investments/strategies discussed above, the Fund may
also invest or engage in the following investments/strategies:
Illiquid Investments. The Fund will not
invest more than 5% of the value of its respective total assets in illiquid
securities that it cannot sell in the ordinary course within seven days at
approximately current value.
Investment Company Securities. The Fund
may invest in securities issued by other open‑end or closed‑end investment
companies, including affiliated investment companies, as permitted by the 1940
Act. A pro rata portion of the other
investment companies’ expenses may be borne by the Fund’s shareholders. These
investments may include, as consistent with the Fund’s investment objective and
policies, certain variable rate demand securities issued by closed‑end funds,
which invest primarily in portfolios of taxable or tax‑exempt securities.
Securities Lending. The Fund may lend its
securities with a value of up to one‑third of its total assets (including the
value of the collateral for the loan) to qualified brokers, dealers, banks and
other financial institutions for the purpose of realizing additional net
investment income through the receipt of interest on the loan.
How
the Fund Trades
The
Fund’s NAV per share will be quoted to the sixth decimal place (e.g.,
$100.000000) in connection with transactions in Creation Units, and is expected
to fluctuate from time to time. The Fund’s share price will be calculated to
less decimal places in connection with transactions on the NYSE, and is expected
to fluctuate from time to time and may be different from the Fund’s NAV per
share.
A
Further Discussion of Principal Risks
The
Fund is subject to various risks, including the principal risks noted below, any
of which may adversely affect the Fund’s NAV, trading price, yield, total return
and ability to meet its investment objective. You could lose all or part of your
investment in the Fund, and the Fund could underperform other investments. Because the share price and NAV of the Fund will
fluctuate, when shares are sold (or redeemed, in the case of an Authorized Participant),
3
they may be worth more or less than what was
originally paid for them. An investment in the Fund is not a bank account
and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or
any other government agency. The Fund’s sponsor is not required to reimburse the
Fund for losses, and you should not expect that the sponsor will provide
financial support to the Fund at any time, including during periods of market
stress. The order of the below risk factors does not indicate the significance
of any particular risk factor. The Fund discloses its portfolio holdings daily
at www.blackrock.com.
Assets Under Management (AUM) Risk. From time
to time, an Authorized Participant, a third-party investor, the Fund’s adviser,
an affiliate of the Fund’s adviser, or another fund may invest in the Fund and
hold its investment for a specific period of time to allow the Fund to achieve
size or scale. There can be no assurance that any such entity would not redeem
its investment or that the size of the Fund would be maintained at such levels,
which could negatively impact the Fund.
Authorized Participant Concentration Risk. Only an Authorized Participant may engage in
creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. There are a limited
number of institutions that may act as Authorized Participants for the Fund,
including on an agency basis on behalf of other market participants. No
Authorized Participant is obligated to engage in creation or redemption
transactions. To the extent that Authorized Participants exit the business or do
not place creation or redemption orders for the Fund and no other Authorized
Participant places orders, Fund shares are more likely to trade at a premium or
discount to NAV and possibly face trading halts or delisting. Authorized
Participant concentration risk may be heightened for the Fund because it may
invest in securities issued by non‑U.S. issuers or instruments with lower
trading volume. Such assets often entail greater settlement and operational
complexity and higher capital costs for Authorized Participants, which may limit
the number of Authorized Participants that engage with the Fund.
Cash Transactions Risk. Unlike most other ETFs,
the Fund expects to effect all of its creations and redemptions for cash, rather
than in‑kind securities. Paying redemption proceeds in cash rather than through
in‑kind delivery of portfolio securities may require the Fund to dispose of or
sell portfolio securities or other assets at an inopportune time to obtain the
cash needed to meet redemption orders. This may cause the Fund to sell a
security and recognize a capital gain or loss that might not have been incurred
if it had made a redemption in‑kind. As a result, the Fund may pay out higher or
lower annual capital gains distributions than ETFs that redeem in‑kind. The use
of cash creations and redemptions may also cause the Fund’s shares to trade in
the market at greater bid‑ask spreads or greater premiums or discounts to the
Fund’s NAV.
Credit Risk. Credit risk refers to the
possibility that the issuer of a debt security (i.e., the borrower) will be
unable or unwilling to make timely payments of interest and principal when due
or otherwise honor their obligations. Changes in an issuer’s credit rating or
the market’s perception of an issuer’s creditworthiness may also affect the
value of the Fund’s investment in that issuer. The degree of credit risk depends
on both the financial condition of the issuer and the terms of the obligation.
Income Risk. The Fund’s yield will vary as
the short-term securities in its portfolio mature and the proceeds are
reinvested in securities with different interest rates.
Interest Rate Risk. Interest rate risk is
the risk that the value of a debt security may fall when interest rates rise. In
general, the market price of debt securities with longer maturities will go up
or down more in response to changes in interest rates than the market price of
shorter-term securities. Due to fluctuations in interest rates, the market value
of such securities may vary during the period shareholders own shares of the
Fund. Very low or negative interest rates may magnify interest rate risk. During
periods of very low or negative interest rates, the Fund may be unable to
maintain positive returns or pay dividends to Fund shareholders. The Fund may be
subject to a greater risk of rising interest rates during a period of
historically low interest rates. Changing interest rates may have unpredictable
effects on markets, may result in heightened market volatility and may detract
from the Fund’s ability to achieve its investment objective.
Large Shareholder and Large-Scale Redemption
Risk. Certain shareholders,
including an Authorized Participant, a third-party investor, the Fund’s adviser
or an affiliate of the Fund’s adviser, a market maker, or another entity, may
from time to time own or manage a substantial amount of Fund shares or may
invest in the Fund and hold their investment for a limited period of time. These
shareholders may also pledge or loan Fund shares (to secure financing or
otherwise), which may result in the shares becoming concentrated in another
party. There can be no assurance that any large shareholder or large group of
shareholders would not redeem their investment or that the size of the
4
Fund
would be maintained. Redemptions of a large number of Fund shares by these
shareholders may adversely affect the Fund’s liquidity and net assets. These
redemptions may force the Fund to sell portfolio securities when it might not
otherwise do so, which may negatively impact the Fund’s NAV, have a material
effect on the market price of the Fund’s shares and, increase the Fund’s
brokerage costs and/or accelerate the realization of taxable income and/or
gains, and cause the Fund to make taxable distributions to its shareholders
earlier than the Fund otherwise would have. In addition, under certain
circumstances, non‑redeeming shareholders may be treated as receiving a
disproportionately large taxable distribution during or with respect to such tax
year. The Fund also may be required to sell its more liquid Fund investments to
meet a large redemption, in which case the Fund’s remaining assets may be less
liquid, more volatile, and more difficult to price.
To
the extent these large shareholders transact in shares on the secondary market,
such transactions may account for a large percentage of the trading volume for
the shares of the Fund and may, therefore, have a material upward or downward
effect on the market price of the Fund’s shares. In addition, large purchases of
Fund shares may adversely affect the Fund’s performance to the extent that the
Fund is delayed in investing new cash and is required to maintain a larger cash
position than it ordinarily would, diluting its investment returns.
Market Risk and Selection Risk. Market risk is
the risk that one or more markets in which the Fund invests will go down in
value, including the possibility that the markets will go down sharply and
unpredictably. The value of a security or other asset may decline due to changes
in general market conditions, economic trends or events that are not
specifically related to the issuer of the security or other asset, or factors
that affect a particular issuer or issuers, exchange, country, group of
countries, region, market, industry, group of industries, sector or asset class.
Local, regional or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, the spread of
infectious illness or other public health issues like pandemics or epidemics,
recessions, or other events could have a significant impact on the Fund and its
investments. Selection risk is the risk that the securities selected by Fund
management will underperform the markets, the relevant indices or the securities
selected by other funds with similar investment objectives and investment
strategies. This means you may lose money.
Market Trading Risk. The Fund faces numerous
market trading risks, any of which may lead to its shares trading in the
secondary market at a premium or discount to NAV or to the intraday value of the
Fund’s portfolio holdings. If you buy Fund shares at a time when the market
price is at a premium to NAV or sell Fund shares at a time when the market price
is at a discount to the NAV, you may pay significantly more or receive
significantly less than the underlying value of the Fund shares.
Absence of an Active Primary Market. Although
Fund shares are listed for trading on one or more stock exchanges, there can be
no assurance that an active primary trading market for Fund shares will develop
or be maintained by market makers or Authorized Participants.
Secondary Listing Risks. The Fund’s shares may
be listed or traded on U.S. and non‑U.S. stock exchanges other than the U.S.
stock exchange where the Fund’s primary listing is maintained. Fund shares also
may be available to non‑U.S. investors through funds or structured investment
vehicles similar to depositary receipts. There can be no assurance that the
Fund’s shares will continue to trade on any such stock exchange or in any market
or that the Fund’s shares will continue to meet the requirements for exchange
listing or market trading. The Fund’s shares may be less actively traded in
certain markets than in others, and investors are subject to the execution and
settlement risks and market standards of the market where they or their broker
direct their trades for execution. Certain information that is available to
investors who trade Fund shares on a U.S. stock exchange during regular U.S.
market hours may not be available to investors who trade in other markets, which
may result in secondary market prices in such markets being less efficient.
Secondary Market Trading Risk. Shares of the
Fund may trade in the secondary market at times when the Fund does not accept
orders to create or redeem shares. At such times, shares may trade in the
secondary market with more significant premiums or discounts to NAV than might
be experienced at times when the Fund accepts creation and redemption orders.
Securities held by the Fund may be traded in markets that close at a different
time than an exchange on which Fund shares are traded. Liquidity in those
securities may be reduced after the applicable closing time. As a result, during
the time when the exchange is open but after the applicable market closing,
fixing or settlement time, there may be wider bid/ask spreads on the exchange
and a greater premium or discount to NAV.
In
stressed market conditions, the market for the Fund’s shares may become less
liquid in response to deteriorating liquidity in the markets for the Fund’s
portfolio holdings, and an investor may be unable to sell their Fund shares.
5
Secondary
market trading in Fund shares may be halted by a stock exchange because of
market conditions or for other reasons. In times of extraordinary market
volatility, Fund shares may be subject to trading halts pursuant to “circuit
breaker” rules of a stock exchange or market. If there is a trading halt or
unanticipated closure of an exchange or market, an investor may be unable to
purchase or sell Fund shares. In addition, if trading in certain securities or
financial instruments is restricted, this may disrupt the Fund’s
creation/redemption process, affect the price at which Fund shares trade in the
secondary market, and result in the Fund being unable to trade certain
securities or financial instruments. In such circumstances, the Fund may be
unable to rebalance its portfolio or accurately price its portfolio holdings and
may incur substantial trading losses.
Shares
of the Fund, similar to shares of other issuers listed on a stock exchange, may
be sold short and are therefore subject to the risk of increased volatility and
price decreases associated with being sold short. In addition, trading activity
in derivative products based on the Fund may lead to increased trading volume
and volatility in the secondary market for the shares of the Fund.
Fund Shares May Trade at Prices Other Than
NAV. Shares of the Fund trade on stock exchanges at prices at, above or
below the Fund’s most recent NAV. The Fund’s NAV is calculated at the end of
each business day and fluctuates with changes in the market value of the Fund’s
portfolio holdings. The trading price of the Fund’s shares fluctuates throughout
trading hours based on both market supply of and demand for Fund shares and the
underlying value of the Fund’s portfolio holdings or NAV. As a result, the
trading prices of the Fund’s shares may deviate significantly from NAV during
times of market volatility, significant redemption requests, or other unusual
market conditions
However,
because Fund shares can be created and redeemed in Creation Units at NAV, BFA
believes that large discounts or premiums to the Fund’s NAV are not likely to be
sustained over the long term (unlike shares of many closed‑end funds, which
frequently trade at appreciable discounts from, and sometimes at premiums to,
their NAVs). While the creation/redemption feature is designed to make it more
likely that the Fund’s shares normally will trade on stock exchanges at prices
close to the Fund’s next calculated NAV, exchange prices are not expected to
correlate exactly with the Fund’s NAV due to timing reasons, supply and demand
imbalances and other factors. In addition, disruptions to creations and
redemptions, including disruptions at market makers, Authorized Participants, or
other market participants, and during periods of significant market volatility,
may result in trading prices for shares of the Fund that differ significantly
from its NAV. Authorized Participants may be less willing to create or redeem
the Fund’s shares if there is a lack of an active market for such shares or the
Fund’s underlying investments, which may contribute to the Fund’s shares trading
at a premium or discount to NAV.
Costs of Buying or Selling Fund Shares. Buying
or selling Fund shares on an exchange involves two types of costs that apply to
all securities transactions. When buying or selling Fund shares through a
broker, you will likely incur a brokerage commission and other charges. In
addition, you may incur the cost of the “spread,” which is the difference
between what investors are willing to pay for Fund shares (the “bid” price) and
the price at which they are willing to sell Fund shares (the “ask” price). The
spread varies over time for Fund shares based on trading volume and market
liquidity. It is generally narrower if the Fund has more trading volume and
market liquidity and wider if the Fund has less trading volume and market
liquidity. Increased market volatility also may cause wider spreads. In
addition, there may be regulatory and other charges that are incurred as a
result of trading activity. Because of the costs inherent in buying or selling
Fund shares, frequent trading may detract significantly from investment results,
and an investment in Fund shares may not be advisable for investors who
anticipate regularly making small investments through a brokerage account.
Operational and Technology Risks. The Fund and
the entities with which it interacts directly or indirectly are susceptible to
operational and technology risks, including those related to human errors,
processing errors, communication errors, systems failures, cybersecurity
incidents, and the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning (“AI”),
which may result in losses for the Fund and its shareholders or impair the
Fund’s operations. These entities include, but are not limited to, the Fund’s
adviser, administrator, distributor, other service providers (e.g., index and
benchmark providers, accountants, custodians, and transfer agents), financial
intermediaries, counterparties, market makers, Authorized Participants, listing
exchanges, other financial market operators, and governmental authorities, as
applicable. Operational and technology risks for the issuers in which the Fund
invests could also result in material adverse consequences for such issuers and
may cause the Fund’s investments in such issuers to lose value. The Fund may
incur substantial costs in order to mitigate operational and technology risks.
Cybersecurity
incidents can result from deliberate attacks or unintentional events against an
issuer in which the Fund invests, the Fund or any of its service providers. They
include, but are not limited to, gaining unauthorized access to
6
systems,
misappropriating assets or sensitive information, corrupting or destroying data,
and causing operational disruption. Geopolitical tension may increase the scale
and sophistication of deliberate attacks, particularly those from nation states
or from entities with nation state backing. Cybersecurity incidents may result
in any of the following: financial losses; interference with the Fund’s ability
to calculate its NAV; disclosure of confidential information; impediments to
trading; submission of erroneous trades by the Fund or erroneous subscription or
redemption orders; the inability of the Fund or its service providers to
transact business; violations of applicable privacy and other laws; regulatory
fines; penalties; reputational damage; reimbursement or other compensation
costs; and other legal and compliance expenses. Furthermore, cybersecurity
incidents may render records of the Fund, including records relating to its
assets and transactions, shareholder ownership of Fund shares, and other data
integral to the Fund’s functioning, inaccessible, inaccurate or incomplete.
Power outages, natural disasters, equipment malfunctions and processing errors
that threaten information and technology systems relied upon by the Fund or its
service providers, as well as market events that occur at a pace that overloads
these systems, may also disrupt business operations or impact critical data. In
addition, the risks of increased use of AI technologies, such as machine
learning, include data risk, transparency risk, and operational risk. The AI
technologies, which are generally highly reliant on the collection and analysis
of large amounts of data, may incorporate biased or inaccurate data, and it is
not possible or practicable to incorporate all relevant data into such
technologies. The output or results of any such AI technologies may therefore be
incomplete, erroneous, distorted or misleading. Further, AI tools may lack
transparency as to how data is utilized and how outputs are generated. AI
technologies may also allow the unintended introduction of vulnerabilities into
infrastructures and applications. The Fund and its shareholders could be
negatively impacted as a result of these risks associated with AI technologies.
AI technologies and their current and potential future applications, and the
regulatory frameworks within which they operate, continue to quickly evolve, and
it is impossible to anticipate the full scope of future AI capabilities or rules
and the associated risks to the Fund.
While
the Fund’s service providers are required to have appropriate operational,
information security and cybersecurity risk management policies and procedures,
their methods of risk management may differ from those of the Fund in the
setting of priorities, the personnel and resources available or the
effectiveness of relevant controls. The Fund and its adviser seek to reduce
these risks through controls, procedures and oversight, including establishing
business continuity plans and risk management systems. However, there are
inherent limitations in such plans and systems, including the possibility that
certain risks that may affect the Fund have not been identified or may emerge in
the future; that such plans and systems may not completely eliminate the
occurrence or mitigate the effects of operational or information security
disruptions or failures or of cybersecurity incidents; or that prevention and
remediation efforts will not be successful or that incidents will go undetected.
The Fund cannot control the systems, information security or other cybersecurity
of the issuers in which it invests or its service providers, counterparties, and
other third parties whose activities affect the Fund.
Lastly,
the regulatory climate governing cybersecurity and data protection is developing
quickly and may vary considerably across jurisdictions. Regulators continue to
develop new rules and standards related to cybersecurity and data protection.
Compliance with evolving regulations can be demanding and costly, requiring
substantial resources to monitor and implement required changes.
Repurchase Agreements Risk. If the other
party to a repurchase agreement defaults on its obligation under the agreement,
the Fund may suffer delays and incur costs or lose money in exercising its
rights under the agreement. If the seller fails to repurchase the security and
the market value of the security declines, the Fund may lose money.
Risk of Investing in the United States. A decrease in imports or exports, changes in
trade regulations, inflation and/or an economic recession in the United States
may have a material adverse effect on the U.S. economy and the securities listed
on U.S. exchanges. Proposed and adopted policy and legislative changes in the
United States are changing many aspects of financial, commercial, public health,
environmental, and other regulation and may have a significant effect on U.S.
markets generally, as well as on the value of certain securities. Governmental
agencies project that the United States will continue to maintain elevated
public debt levels for the foreseeable future. Although elevated debt levels do
not necessarily indicate or cause economic problems, elevated public debt
service costs may constrain future economic growth.
The
United States has developed increasingly strained relations with a number of
foreign countries. If relations with certain countries deteriorate, it could
adversely affect U.S. issuers as well as non‑U.S. issuers that rely on the
United States for trade. The United States has also experienced increased
internal political discord, as well as significant challenges in managing and
containing the outbreak of COVID‑19. If these trends were to continue, it may
have an adverse impact on the U.S. economy and the issuers in which the Fund
invests.
7
Treasury Obligations Risk. Direct
obligations of the U.S. Treasury have historically involved little risk of loss
of principal if held to maturity. However, due to fluctuations in interest
rates, the market value of such securities may vary during the period
shareholders own shares of the Fund. In addition, notwithstanding that U.S.
Treasury obligations are backed by the full faith and credit of the United
States, circumstances could arise that could prevent the timely payment of
interest or principal, such as reaching the legislative “debt ceiling.” Such
non‑payment could result in losses to the Fund and substantial negative
consequences for the U.S. economy and the global financial system.
U.S. Government Obligations Risk. Not all
U.S. Government securities are backed by the full faith and credit of the United
States. Obligations of certain agencies, authorities, instrumentalities and
sponsored enterprises of the U.S. Government are backed by the full faith and
credit of the United States (e.g., the Government National Mortgage
Association); other obligations are backed by the right of the issuer to borrow
from the U.S. Treasury (e.g., the Federal Home Loan Banks) and others are
supported by the discretionary authority of the U.S. Government to purchase an
agency’s obligations. Still others are backed only by the credit of the agency,
authority, instrumentality or sponsored enterprise issuing the obligation. No
assurance can be given that the U.S. Government would provide financial support
to any of these entities if it is not obligated to do so by law. In addition,
circumstances could arise that could prevent the timely payment of interest or
principal on U.S. Government obligations, such as reaching the legislative “debt
ceiling.” Such non‑payment could result in losses to the Fund and substantial
negative consequences for the U.S. economy and the global financial system.
Variable and Floating Rate Instrument
Risk. Variable and floating rate securities provide for periodic
adjustment in the interest rate paid on the securities. Securities with floating
or variable interest rates can be less sensitive to interest rate changes than
securities with fixed interest rates, but may decline in value if their coupon
rates do not reset as high, or as quickly, as comparable market interest rates,
and generally carry lower yields than fixed securities of the same maturity.
These securities will not generally increase in value if interest rates decline.
A decline in interest rates may result in a reduction in income received from
variable and floating rate securities held by the Fund and may adversely affect
the value of the Fund’s shares. Benchmark interest rates may not accurately
track market interest rates. Although floating rate securities are less
sensitive to interest rate risk than fixed-rate securities, they are subject to
credit risk and default risk, which could impair their value.
When-Issued and Delayed Delivery Securities and
Forward Commitments Risk. When-issued and delayed delivery
securities and forward commitments involve the risk that the security the Fund
buys will lose value prior to its delivery. There also is the risk that the
security will not be issued or that the other party to the transaction will not
meet its obligation. If this occurs, the Fund may lose both the investment
opportunity for the assets it set aside to pay for the security and any gain in
the security’s price.
A
Further Discussion of Other Risks
The
Fund may also be subject to certain other non‑principal risks associated with
its investments and investment strategies.
Expense Risk. Fund expenses are subject to a variety of
factors, including fluctuations in the Fund’s net assets. Accordingly, actual
expenses may be greater or less than those indicated. For example, to the extent
that the Fund’s net assets decrease due to market declines or redemptions, the
Fund’s expenses will increase as a percentage of Fund net assets. During periods
of high market volatility, these increases in the Fund’s expense ratio could be
significant.
Illiquid Investments Risk. The Fund’s
liquid investments may become illiquid after purchase by the Fund, particularly
during periods of market turmoil. There can be no assurance that a security or
instrument that is deemed to be liquid when purchased will continue to be liquid
for as long as it is held by the Fund. The Fund’s illiquid investments may
reduce the returns of the Fund because it may be difficult to sell the illiquid
investments at an advantageous time or price. The Fund may be unable to pay
redemption proceeds within the time period stated in this prospectus because of
unusual market conditions, an unusually high volume of redemption requests, or
other reasons.
Investment in Other Investment Companies
Risk. As with other investments, investments in other investment
companies, including ETFs, are subject to market and selection risk. In
addition, if the Fund acquires shares of investment companies, including ones
affiliated with the Fund, shareholders bear both their proportionate share of
expenses in the Fund (including management and advisory fees) and, indirectly,
the expenses of the investment
8
companies
(to the extent not offset by BFA through waivers). To the extent the Fund is
held by an affiliated fund, the ability of the Fund itself to hold other
investment companies may be limited.
Ownership Limitations Risk. If certain
aggregate and/or fund-level ownership thresholds are reached through
transactions undertaken by BFA, its affiliates or the Fund, or as a result of
third-party transactions or actions by an issuer or regulator, the ability of
BFA and its affiliates on behalf of clients (including the Fund) to purchase or
dispose of investments, exercise rights or undertake business transactions may
be restricted by law, regulation or rule or otherwise impaired. The capacity of
the Fund to invest in certain securities or other assets may be affected by the
relevant threshold limits, and such limitations may have adverse effects on the
liquidity and performance of the Fund’s portfolio holdings.
For
example, ownership limits may apply to securities whose issuers operate in
certain regulated industries or in certain international markets. Such limits
also may apply where the investing entity (such as the Fund) is subject to
corporate or regulatory ownership restrictions or invests in certain futures or
other derivative transactions. In certain circumstances, aggregate and/or
fund-level amounts invested or voted by BFA and its affiliates for client funds
and accounts managed by BFA (including the Fund) may not exceed the relevant
limits without the grant of a license or other regulatory or corporate approval,
order, consent, relief or non-disapproval. However, there is no guarantee that
permission will be granted, or that, once granted, it will not be modified or
revoked at a later date with minimal or no notice. In other cases, exceeding
such thresholds may cause BFA and its affiliates, the Fund or other client
accounts to suffer disadvantages or business restrictions.
Ownership
limitations are highly complex. It is possible that, despite BFA’s intent to
either comply with or be granted permission to exceed ownership limitations, it
may inadvertently breach a limit or violate the corporate or regulatory
approval, order, consent, relief or non-disapproval that was obtained.
Reliance on Advisor Risk. The Fund is dependent upon services and
resources provided by BFA, and therefore BFA’s parent, BlackRock, Inc. BFA is
not required to devote its full time to the business of the Fund and there is no
guarantee or requirement that any investment professional or other employee of
BFA will allocate a substantial portion of his or her time to the Fund. The loss
of, or changes in, BFA’s personnel could have a negative effect on the
performance or the continued operation of the Fund.
Securities Lending Risk. The Fund may
engage in securities lending. Securities lending involves the risk that the Fund
may lose money because the borrower of the loaned securities fails to return the
securities in a timely manner or at all. The Fund could also lose money in the
event of a decline in the value of collateral provided for loaned securities or
a decline in the value of any investments made with cash collateral. These
events could also trigger adverse tax consequences for the Fund.
Valuation Risk. The price that the Fund
could receive upon the sale (or other disposition) of a security or other asset
may differ from the Fund’s valuation of the security or other asset,
particularly for securities or other assets that trade in low volume or volatile
markets or that are valued using a fair value methodology. In addition, the
value of the securities or other assets in the Fund’s portfolio may change on
days or during time periods when investors are not able to purchase or sell Fund
shares.
Authorized
Participants that create or redeem Fund shares on days when the Fund is holding
fair-valued securities or other assets may receive fewer or more shares, or
lower or higher redemption proceeds, than they would have received had the
securities or other assets not been fair valued or been valued using a different
methodology. The ability to value investments may be impacted by technological
issues or errors by pricing services or other third-party service providers.
Portfolio
Holdings Information
A
description of the Trust’s policies and procedures with respect to the
disclosure of the Fund’s portfolio securities is available in the Fund’s
Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”). The Fund discloses its portfolio
holdings daily at www.blackrock.com. Fund fact sheets providing information
regarding the Fund’s top holdings are posted on www.blackrock.com when available
and may be requested by calling 1‑800‑474‑2737.
9
Management
Investment Adviser. As investment adviser, BFA
has overall responsibility for the general management and administration of the
Fund. BFA provides an investment program for the Fund and manages the investment
of the Fund’s assets. In managing the Fund, BFA may draw upon the research and
expertise of its asset management affiliates with respect to certain portfolio
securities. In seeking to achieve the Fund’s investment objective, BFA uses
teams of portfolio managers, investment strategists and other investment
specialists. This team approach brings together many disciplines and leverages
BFA’s extensive resources.
Pursuant
to the Investment Advisory Agreement between BFA and the Trust (entered into on
behalf of the Fund), BFA is responsible for substantially all expenses of the
Fund, except the management fees, interest expenses, taxes, expenses incurred
with respect to the acquisition and disposition of portfolio securities and the
execution of portfolio transactions, including brokerage commissions,
distribution fees or expenses, litigation expenses and any extraordinary
expenses (as determined by a majority of the Trustees who are not “interested
persons” of the Trust).
For
its investment advisory services to the Fund, BFA is paid a management fee by
the Fund, based on a percentage of the Fund’s average daily net assets, at an
annual rate of 0.20%.
BFA
may voluntarily agree to waive a portion of its fees and/or reimburse operating
expenses to enable the Fund to maintain minimum levels of daily net investment
income. BFA may discontinue this voluntary waiver and/or reimbursement at any
time without notice.
A
discussion regarding the basis for the approval by the Board of the Investment
Advisory Agreement with BFA is available in the Fund’s reports filed on Form
N-CSR for the fiscal period ending April 30, 2025.
For
the period of February 4, 2025 (commencement of operations of the Fund) to
October 31, 2025, BFA received a management fee, net of management fee waivers,
at the annual rate of 0.20% of the Fund’s average daily net assets.
BFA
is located at 400 Howard Street, San Francisco, CA 94105. It is an indirect
majority-owned subsidiary of BlackRock, Inc. (“BlackRock”). As of December 31,
2025, BFA and its affiliates provided investment advisory services for assets of
approximately $14.0 trillion. BFA and its affiliates trade and invest for their
own accounts in the actual securities and types of securities in which the Fund
may also invest, which may affect the price of such securities.
From
time to time, a manager, analyst, or other employee of BlackRock or its
affiliates may express views regarding a particular asset class, company,
security, industry, or market sector. The views expressed by any such person are
the views of only that individual as of the time expressed and do not
necessarily represent the views of BlackRock or any other person within the
BlackRock organization. Any such views are subject to change at any time based
upon market or other conditions and BlackRock disclaims any responsibility to
update such views. These views may not be relied on as investment advice and,
because investment decisions for the Fund are based on numerous factors, may not
be relied on as an indication of trading intent on behalf of the Fund.
Administrator, Custodian and Transfer Agent.
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. is the administrator, custodian, and transfer agent
for the Fund.
Conflicts of Interest. The investment
activities of BFA and its affiliates (including BlackRock and its subsidiaries
(collectively, the “Affiliates”)), and their respective directors, officers or
employees, in managing their own accounts and other accounts, may present
conflicts of interest that could disadvantage the Fund and its shareholders.
BFA
and its Affiliates are involved worldwide with a broad spectrum of financial
services and asset management activities and in the ordinary course of business
may engage in activities in which their interests or the interests of other
clients may conflict with those of the Fund. BFA and its Affiliates act, or may
act, as an investor, research provider, investment manager, commodity pool
operator, commodity trading advisor, financier, underwriter, adviser, trader,
lender, index provider, agent and/or principal. BFA and its Affiliates may have
other direct and indirect interests in securities, currencies, commodities,
derivatives and other assets in which the Fund may directly or indirectly
invest.
BFA
and its Affiliates may engage in proprietary trading and advise accounts and
other funds that have investment objectives similar to those of the Fund and/or
that engage in and compete for transactions in the same or similar types of
securities, currencies and other assets as are held by the Fund. This may
include transactions in securities issued
10
by
other open‑end and closed‑end investment companies, including investment
companies that are affiliated with the Fund and BFA, to the extent permitted
under the 1940 Act. The trading activities of BFA and its Affiliates are carried
out without reference to positions held directly or indirectly by the Fund.
These activities may result in BFA or an Affiliate having positions in assets
that are senior or junior to, or that have interests different from or adverse
to, the assets held by the Fund.
The
Fund may invest in securities issued by, or engage in other transactions with,
entities with which an Affiliate has significant debt or equity investments or
other interests. The Fund may also invest in issuances (such as debt offerings
or structured notes) for which an Affiliate is compensated for providing
advisory, cash management or other services. The Fund also may invest in
securities of, or engage in other transactions with, entities for which an
Affiliate provides or may provide research coverage or other analysis.
An
Affiliate may have business relationships with, and receive compensation from,
distributors, consultants or others who recommend the Fund or who engage in
transactions with or for the Fund.
Neither
BFA nor any Affiliate is under any obligation to share any investment
opportunity, idea or strategy with the Fund. As a result, an Affiliate may
compete with the Fund for appropriate investment opportunities. The results of
the Fund’s investment activities, therefore, may differ from those of an
Affiliate and of other accounts managed by an Affiliate. It is possible that the
Fund could sustain losses during periods in which one or more Affiliates and
other accounts achieve profits on their trading for proprietary or other
accounts. The opposite result is also possible.
In
addition, the Fund may enter into transactions in which BFA or an Affiliate or
their directors, officers, employees or clients have an adverse interest. The
Fund may be adversely impacted by the effects of transactions undertaken by BFA
or an Affiliate or their directors, officers, employees or clients.
From
time to time, BFA or its advisory clients (including other funds and accounts)
may, subject to compliance with applicable law, purchase and hold shares of the
Fund. The price, availability, liquidity, and (in some cases) expense ratio of
the Fund may be impacted by purchases and sales of the Fund by BFA or its
advisory clients.
The
Fund’s activities may be limited because of regulatory restrictions applicable
to BFA or an Affiliate or their policies designed to comply with such
restrictions.
Under
a securities lending program approved by the Board, the Fund has retained
BlackRock Institutional Trust Company, N.A., an Affiliate of BFA, to serve as
its securities lending agent to the extent that it participates in the
securities lending program. For these services, the securities lending agent
will receive a fee from the participating Fund based on the returns earned on
the Fund’s lending activities, including the investment of the cash received as
collateral for the loaned securities. In addition, one or more Affiliates may be
among the entities to which the Fund may lend its portfolio securities under the
securities lending program.
Under
an ETF Services Agreement, the Fund has retained BlackRock Investments, LLC (the
“Distributor” or “BRIL”), an Affiliate of BFA, to perform certain order
processing, Authorized Participant communications, and related services in
connection with the issuance and redemption of Creation Units (“ETF Services”).
BRIL has engaged Citibank, N.A. (“Citibank”) as a subcontractor to provide
certain ETF Services. BRIL retains a portion of the standard transaction fee
received from Authorized Participants on each creation or redemption order from
the Authorized Participant for the ETF Services provided. BlackRock collaborated
with, and received payment from, Citibank on the design and development of the
ETF Services platform. Citibank has, and may, from time to time, develop
additional relationships with BlackRock or funds managed by BFA and its
Affiliates.
BFA
and its Affiliates may benefit from a fund using a BlackRock index by creating
increasing acceptance in the marketplace for such indexes. BFA and its
Affiliates are not obligated to license an index to a fund, and no fund is under
an obligation to use a BlackRock index. The terms of a fund’s index licensing
agreement with BFA or its Affiliates may not be as favorable as the terms
offered to other licensees.
The
activities of BFA and its Affiliates and their respective directors, officers or
employees, may give rise to other conflicts of interest that could disadvantage
the Fund and its shareholders. BFA has adopted policies and procedures designed
to address these potential conflicts of interest. Please see the SAI for further
information.
11
Shareholder
Information
Additional shareholder information, including how to
buy and sell shares of the Fund, is available free of charge by calling
toll-free: 1‑800‑474‑2737 or visiting our website at www.blackrock.com.
Buying and Selling Shares. Shares of the Fund
may be acquired or redeemed directly from the Fund only in Creation Units or
multiples thereof, as discussed in the Creations and Redemptions section of this
Prospectus. Only an Authorized Participant (as defined in the Creations and
Redemptions section below) may engage in creation or redemption transactions
directly with the Fund. Once created, shares of the Fund generally trade in the
secondary market in amounts less than a Creation Unit.
Shares
of the Fund are listed on a national securities exchange for trading during the
trading day. Shares can be bought and sold throughout the trading day like
shares of other publicly-traded companies. The Trust does not impose any minimum
investment for shares of the Fund purchased on an exchange or otherwise in the
secondary market. The Fund’s shares trade under the ticker symbol “GMMF”.
Buying
or selling Fund shares on an exchange or other secondary market involves two
types of costs that may apply to all securities transactions. When buying or
selling shares of the Fund through a broker, you may incur a brokerage
commission and other charges. The commission is frequently a fixed amount and
may be a significant proportional cost for investors seeking to buy or sell
small amounts of shares. In addition, you may incur the cost of the “spread,”
that is, any difference between the bid price and the ask price. The spread
varies over time for shares of the Fund based on the Fund’s trading volume and
market liquidity, and is generally lower if the Fund has high trading volume and
market liquidity, and higher if the Fund has little trading volume and market
liquidity (which is often the case for funds that are newly launched or small in
size). The Fund’s spread may also be impacted by the liquidity or illiquidity of
the underlying securities held by the Fund, particularly for newly launched or
smaller funds or in instances of significant volatility of the underlying
securities.
The
Fund does not impose restrictions on the frequency of purchases and redemptions
of Fund shares directly with the Fund. The Board determined not to adopt
policies and procedures designed to prevent or monitor for frequent purchases
and redemptions of Fund shares because the Fund generally sells and redeems its
shares directly through transactions that are for a specified amount of cash,
with a deadline for placing such transactions no later than the close of the
primary markets for the Fund’s portfolio securities. However, the Fund has taken
certain measures (e.g., reserving the right to reject purchases of Creation
Units under certain circumstances) to minimize the potential consequences of
frequent cash purchases and redemptions by Authorized Participants, such as
disruption of portfolio management, dilution to the Fund, and/or increased
transaction costs. Further, the vast majority of trading in Fund shares occurs
on the secondary market, which does not involve the Fund directly, and such
trading is unlikely to cause many of the harmful effects of frequent cash
purchases or redemptions of Fund shares.
The
national securities exchange on which the Fund’s shares are listed is open for
trading Monday through Friday and is closed on weekends and the following
holidays (or the days on which they are observed): New Year’s Day, Martin Luther
King, Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth,
Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. The Fund’s
listing exchange is the NYSE.
Book Entry. Shares of the Fund are held in
book-entry form, which means that no stock certificates are issued. The
Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) or its nominee is the record owner of, and
holds legal title to, all outstanding shares of the Fund.
Investors
owning shares of the Fund are beneficial owners as shown on the records of DTC
or its participants. DTC serves as the securities depository for shares of the
Fund. DTC participants include securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust
companies, clearing corporations and other institutions that directly or
indirectly maintain a custodial relationship with DTC. As a beneficial owner of
shares, you are not entitled to receive physical delivery of stock certificates
or to have shares registered in your name, and you are not considered a
registered owner of shares. Therefore, to exercise any right as an owner of
shares, you must rely upon the procedures of DTC and its participants. These
procedures are the same as those that apply to any other securities that you
hold in book-entry or “street name” form.
Share Prices. The trading prices of the Fund’s
shares in the secondary market generally differ from the Fund’s daily NAV and
are affected by market forces such as the supply of and demand for ETF shares
and shares of underlying
12
securities
held by the Fund, economic conditions and other factors. The Fund will calculate
the NAV to the sixth decimal place (e.g., $100.000000) for transactions with
Authorized Participants. However, the Fund’s share price will be calculated to
less decimal places in connection with transactions on the NYSE.
Determination of Net Asset Value. The NAV of
the Fund normally is determined once daily Monday through Friday, generally as
of the close of regular trading hours of the NYSE (normally 4:00 p.m., Eastern
time) on each day that the NYSE is open for trading, based on prices at the time
of closing. The NAV of the Fund is calculated by dividing the value of the net
assets of the Fund (i.e., the value of its total assets less total liabilities)
by the total number of outstanding shares of the Fund, generally rounded to the
nearest sixth decimal place (e.g., $100.000000).
The
value of the securities and other assets and liabilities held by the Fund is
determined pursuant to BFA’s valuation policies and procedures. BFA has been
designated by the Board as the valuation designee for the Fund pursuant to Rule
2a‑5 under the 1940 Act.
Shares
of underlying open‑end funds (including money market funds) are valued at net
asset value. Shares of underlying exchange-traded closed‑end funds or other ETFs
are valued at their most recent closing price.
The
Fund values fixed-income portfolio securities using bid prices provided by
dealers or prices (including evaluated prices) supplied by the Fund’s approved
independent third-party pricing services, each in accordance with BFA’s
valuation policies and procedures. Pricing services may use valuation models
that utilize certain inputs and assumptions to derive values. Pricing services
generally value fixed-income securities assuming orderly transactions of an
institutional round lot size, but the Fund may hold or transact in such
securities in smaller odd lot sizes. Odd lots of securities in certain asset
classes may trade at lower prices than institutional round lots, and the value
ultimately realized when the securities are sold could differ from the prices
used by the Fund. The amortized cost method of valuation may be used with
respect to debt obligations with 60 days or less remaining to maturity unless
BFA determines in good faith that such method does not represent fair value.
Generally,
trading in non‑U.S. securities is substantially completed each day at various
times prior to the close of regular trading hours of the NYSE. The values of
such securities used in computing the NAV of the Fund are determined as of such
times. U.S. government securities, money market instruments and certain fixed
income securities are generally priced as of close of regular trading hours on
the NYSE.
When
market quotations are not readily available or are believed by BFA to be
unreliable, BFA will fair value the Fund’s investments in accordance with its
policies and procedures. BFA may conclude that a market quotation is not readily
available or is unreliable if a security or other asset or liability does not
have a price source due to its lack of trading or other reasons, if a market
quotation differs significantly from recent price quotations or otherwise no
longer appears to reflect fair value, where the security or other asset or
liability is thinly traded, when there is a significant event subsequent to the
most recent market quotation, or if the trading market on which a security is
listed is suspended or closed and no appropriate alternative trading market is
available. A “significant event” is deemed to occur if BFA determines, in its
reasonable business judgment prior to or at the time of pricing the Fund’s
assets or liabilities, that the event is likely to cause a material change to
the last exchange closing price or closing market price of one or more assets
held by, or liabilities of, the Fund.
Fair
value represents a good faith approximation of the value of an asset or
liability. The fair value of an asset or liability held by the Fund is the
amount the Fund might reasonably expect to receive from the current sale of that
asset or the cost to extinguish that liability in an arm’s‑length transaction.
Valuing the Fund’s investments using fair value pricing will result in prices
that may differ from current market valuations and that may not be the prices at
which those investments could have been sold during the period in which the
particular fair values were used.
Dividends
and Distributions
General Policies. Dividends from net
investment income, if any, generally are declared and paid monthly by the Fund.
Distributions of net realized securities gains, if any, generally are declared
and paid once a year, but the Trust may make distributions on a more frequent
basis for the Fund. The Trust reserves the right to declare special
distributions if, in its reasonable discretion, such action is necessary or
advisable to preserve its status as a regulated investment company (“RIC”) or to
avoid imposition of income or excise taxes on undistributed income or realized
gains.
13
Dividends
and other distributions on shares of the Fund are distributed on a pro rata basis to beneficial owners of such
shares. Dividend payments are made through DTC participants and indirect
participants to beneficial owners then of record with proceeds received from the
Fund.
Dividend Reinvestment Service. No dividend
reinvestment service is provided by the Trust. Broker-dealers may make available
the DTC book-entry Dividend Reinvestment Service for use by beneficial owners of
the Fund for reinvestment of their dividend distributions. Beneficial owners
should contact their broker to determine the availability and costs of the
service and the details of participation therein. Brokers may require beneficial
owners to adhere to specific procedures and timetables. If this service is
available and used, dividend distributions of both income and realized gains
will be automatically reinvested in additional whole shares of the Fund
purchased in the secondary market.
Avoid “Buying a Dividend.” At the time you
purchase Shares of the Fund, the Fund’s NAV may reflect undistributed income,
undistributed capital gains, or net unrealized appreciation in value of
portfolio securities held by the Fund. For taxable investors, a subsequent
distribution to you of such amounts, although constituting a return of your
investment, would be taxable. Buying Shares in the Fund just before it declares
an income dividend or capital gains distribution is sometimes known as “buying a
dividend.”
Note on Tax
Information. The following sections summarize some of the
consequences under current U.S. federal tax law of an investment in the Fund. It
is not a substitute for personal tax advice. You may also be subject to state
and local taxation on Fund distributions and sales of shares. Certain states and
localities may exempt from tax distributions attributable to interest from U.S.
federal government obligations. Consult your personal tax advisor about the
potential tax consequences of an investment in shares of the Fund under all
applicable tax laws.
Taxes. As with any investment, you should
consider how your investment in shares of the Fund will be taxed. The tax
information in this Prospectus is provided as general information, based on
current law. You should consult your own tax professional about the tax
consequences of an investment in shares of the Fund.
Unless
your investment in Fund shares is made through a tax‑exempt entity or
tax‑deferred retirement account, such as an IRA, in which case your
distributions generally will be taxable when withdrawn, you need to be aware of
the possible tax consequences when the Fund makes distributions or you sell Fund
shares.
Taxes on Distributions. Distributions from the
Fund’s investment company taxable income (other than qualified dividend income),
including distributions of income from securities lending and distributions out
of the Fund’s net short-term capital gains, if any, are taxable to you as
ordinary income. Distributions by the Fund of net long-term capital gains, if
any, in excess of net short-term capital losses (capital gain dividends) are
taxable to you as long-term capital gains, regardless of how long you have held
the Fund’s shares. Distributions by the Fund that qualify as qualified dividend
income are taxable to you at long-term capital gain rates, subject to the
holding period requirements applicable to both you and the Fund, as set forth
below. Long-term capital gains and qualified dividend income are generally
eligible for taxation at a maximum rate of 15% or 20% for non‑corporate
shareholders, depending on whether their income exceeds certain threshold
amounts. In addition, a 3.8% U.S. federal Medicare contribution tax is imposed
on “net investment income,” including, but not limited to, interest, dividends,
and net gain, of U.S. individuals with income exceeding $200,000 (or $250,000 if
married and filing jointly) and of estates and trusts.
Dividends
will be qualified dividend income to you if they are attributable to qualified
dividend income received by the Fund. Generally, qualified dividend income
includes dividend income from taxable U.S. corporations and qualified non-U.S.
corporations, provided that the Fund satisfies certain holding period
requirements in respect of the stock of such corporations and has not hedged its
position in the stock in certain ways. Substitute dividends received by the Fund
with respect to dividends paid on securities lent out will not be qualified
dividend income. For this purpose, a qualified non-U.S. corporation means any
non-U.S. corporation that is eligible for benefits under a comprehensive income
tax treaty with the U.S., which includes an exchange of information program, or
if the stock with respect to which the dividend was paid is readily tradable on
an established U.S. securities market. The term excludes a corporation that is a
passive foreign investment company.
For
a dividend to be treated as qualified dividend income, the dividend must be
received with respect to a share of stock held without being hedged by the Fund,
and with respect to a share of the Fund held without being hedged by you, for
61 days during the 121-day period beginning at the date which is 60 days
before the date on which such share becomes ex-dividend with respect to such
dividend or, in the case of certain preferred stock, 91 days during the
181-day period beginning 90 days before such date.
14
Fund
distributions, to the extent attributable to dividends from U.S. corporations,
will be eligible for the dividends received deduction for Fund shareholders that
are corporations, subject to certain hedging and holding requirements.
In
general, your distributions are subject to U.S. federal income tax for the year
when they are paid. Certain distributions paid in January, however, may be
treated as paid on December 31 of the prior year.
If
the Fund’s distributions exceed current and accumulated earnings and profits,
all or a portion of the distributions made in the taxable year may be
recharacterized as a return of capital to shareholders. Distributions in excess
of the Fund’s minimum distribution requirements, but not in excess of the Fund’s
current and accumulated earnings and profits, will be taxable to shareholders
and will not constitute nontaxable returns of capital. A return of capital
distribution generally will not be taxable but will reduce the shareholder’s
cost basis and result in a higher capital gain or lower capital loss when those
shares on which the distribution was received are sold. Once a shareholder’s
cost basis is reduced to zero, further distributions will be treated as capital
gain, if the shareholder holds shares of the Fund as capital assets.
Dividends,
interest and capital gains earned by the Fund with respect to securities issued
by non‑U.S. issuers may give rise to withholding, capital gains and other taxes
imposed by non‑U.S. countries. Tax conventions between certain countries and the
U.S. may reduce or eliminate such taxes. If more than 50% of the total assets of
the Fund at the close of a year consists of non‑U.S. stocks or securities
(generally, for this purpose, depositary receipts, no matter where traded, of
non‑U.S. companies are treated as “non‑U.S.”), generally the Fund may “pass
through” to you certain non‑U.S. income taxes (including withholding taxes) paid
by the Fund. This means that you would be considered to have received as an
additional dividend your share of such non‑U.S. taxes, but you may be entitled
to either a corresponding tax deduction in calculating your taxable income, or,
subject to certain limitations, a credit in calculating your U.S. federal income
tax.
For
purposes of foreign tax credits for U.S. shareholders of the Fund, foreign
capital gains taxes may not produce associated foreign source income, limiting
the availability of such credits for U.S. persons.
If
you are neither a resident nor a citizen of the United States or if you are a
non‑U.S. entity (other than a pass-through entity to the extent owned by U.S.
persons), the Fund’s ordinary income dividends (which include distributions of
net short-term capital gains) will generally be subject to a 30% U.S.
withholding tax, unless a lower treaty rate applies, provided that withholding
tax will generally not apply to distributions properly reported by the Fund as
capital gain dividends, interest-related dividends or short-term capital gain
dividends or upon the sale or other disposition of shares of the Fund.
If
you are a resident or a citizen of the U.S., by law, backup withholding at a 24%
rate will apply to your distributions and proceeds if you have not provided a
taxpayer identification number or social security number and made other required
certifications.
Taxes on Sales of Shares. Currently, any
capital gain or loss realized upon a sale of Fund shares is generally treated as
a long-term gain or loss if the shares have been held for more than one year.
Any capital gain or loss realized upon a sale of Fund shares held for one year
or less is generally treated as short-term gain or loss, except that any capital
loss on the sale of shares held for six months or less is treated as long-term
capital loss to the extent that capital gain dividends were paid with respect to
such shares. Any such capital gains, including from sales of Fund shares or from
capital gain dividends, are included in “net investment income” for purposes of
the 3.8% U.S. federal Medicare contribution tax mentioned above.
A
shareholder in a money market fund such as the Fund may elect to adopt a
simplified, aggregate accounting method under which gains and losses can be
netted based on computation periods rather than reported separately. Capital
gains and losses determined under the simplified, aggregate accounting method
are treated as short-term capital gains and losses. Because Shares are available
for sale on the Listing Exchange, a shareholder selling Shares on the Listed
Exchange may realize gains and losses generally due to differences between the
market price at which Shares are acquired and the market price at which Shares
are sold. Such realized gains and losses generally would be accounted for
separately unless the shareholder adopted the simplified, aggregate accounting
method. Additionally, unless the shareholder adopts the simplified, aggregate
accounting method, any losses realized by the shareholder may be disallowed
under “wash sale” rules if the shareholder acquires shares in the same Fund
within a period of 61 days beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after
such secondary market sale. Shareholders are urged to consult their tax
advisors.
15
A
broker that effects a sale of applicable securities for a customer is generally
required by law to report to the customer and the IRS on Form 1099-B “cost
basis” information with respect to securities acquired on or after
January 1, 2012, and sold after that date. “Cost basis” is used to
determine whether a sale of the securities results in a gain or loss to the
investor. However, cost basis reporting is not required with respect to a sale
of shares in a money market fund, such as the Fund. As a result, we urge a
prospective shareholder to ask the broker through which it intends to purchase
shares in the Fund what tax reporting information, if any, the shareholder will
receive from the broker to assist the shareholder in properly reporting on its
tax returns any gain or loss from the sale of shares in the Fund.
FATCA. Separately, a 30% withholding tax is
currently imposed on U.S.-source dividends, interest and other income items paid
to (i) foreign financial institutions, including non‑U.S. investment funds
and (ii) certain other foreign entities. To avoid withholding, foreign
financial institutions will need to (i) enter into agreements with the
Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”) that state that they will provide the IRS
information, including the names, addresses and taxpayer identification numbers
of direct and indirect U.S. account holders, comply with due diligence
procedures with respect to the identification of U.S. accounts, report to the
IRS certain information with respect to U.S. accounts maintained, agree to
withhold tax on certain payments made to non‑compliant foreign financial
institutions or to account holders who fail to provide the required information,
and determine certain other information concerning their account holders, or
(ii) in the event that an applicable intergovernmental agreement and
implementing legislation are adopted, provide local revenue authorities with
similar account holder information. Other foreign entities may need to report
the name, address, and taxpayer identification number of each substantial U.S.
owner or provide certifications of no substantial U.S. ownership unless certain
exceptions apply.
Creations and Redemptions. Prior to trading in
the secondary market, shares of the Fund are “created” at NAV by market makers,
large investors and institutions only in block‑size Creation Units or multiples
thereof. Each “creator” or authorized participant (an “Authorized Participant”)
has entered into an agreement with the Distributor. An Authorized Participant is
a member or participant of a clearing agency registered with the SEC, which has
a written agreement with the Fund or one of its service providers that allows
such member or participant to place orders for the purchase and redemption of
Creation Units.
A
creation transaction, which is subject to acceptance by the Distributor and the
Fund, generally takes place when an Authorized Participant deposits into the
Fund a specified amount of cash in exchange for a specified number of Creation
Units. Similarly, shares can be redeemed only in Creation Units, generally for a
specified amount of cash. Except when aggregated in Creation Units, shares are
not redeemable by the Fund. Creation and redemption baskets may differ and the
Fund may accept “custom baskets.” More information regarding custom baskets is
contained in the Fund’s SAI.
The
prices at which creations and redemptions occur are based on the next
calculation of NAV after a creation or redemption order is received in an
acceptable form under the authorized participant agreement.
Only
an Authorized Participant may create or redeem Creation Units with the Fund.
Authorized Participants may create or redeem Creation Units for their own
accounts or for customers, including, without limitation, affiliates of the
Fund.
In
the event of a system failure or other interruption, including disruptions at
market makers or Authorized Participants, orders to purchase or redeem Creation
Units either may not be executed according to the Fund’s instructions or may not
be executed at all, or the Fund may not be able to place or change orders.
To
the extent the Fund engages in in‑kind transactions, the Fund intends to comply
with the U.S. federal securities laws in accepting securities for deposit and
satisfying redemptions with redemption securities by, among other means,
assuring that any securities accepted for deposit and any securities used to
satisfy redemption requests will be sold in transactions that would be exempt
from registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”).
Further, an Authorized Participant that is not a “qualified institutional
buyer,” as such term is defined in Rule 144A under the 1933 Act, will not be
able to receive restricted securities eligible for resale under Rule 144A.
Creations
and redemptions must be made through a firm that is either a member of the
Continuous Net Settlement System of the National Securities Clearing Corporation
or a DTC participant that has executed an agreement with the Distributor with
respect to creations and redemptions of Creation Units. Information about the
procedures regarding creation and redemption of Creation Units (including the
cut‑off times for receipt of creation and redemption orders) is included in the
Fund’s SAI.
16
Because
new shares may be created and issued on an ongoing basis, at any point during
the life of the Fund a “distribution,” as such term is used in the 1933 Act, may
be occurring. Broker-dealers and other persons are cautioned that some
activities on their part may, depending on the circumstances, result in their
being deemed participants in a distribution in a manner that could render them
statutory underwriters subject to the prospectus delivery and liability
provisions of the 1933 Act. Any determination of whether one is an underwriter
must take into account all the relevant facts and circumstances of each
particular case.
Broker-dealers
should also note that dealers who are not “underwriters” but are participating
in a distribution (as contrasted to ordinary secondary transactions), and thus
dealing with shares that are part of an “unsold allotment” within the meaning of
Section 4(a)(3)(C) of the 1933 Act, would be unable to take advantage of
the prospectus delivery exemption provided by Section 4(a)(3) of the 1933
Act. For delivery of prospectuses to exchange members, the prospectus delivery
mechanism of Rule 153 under the 1933 Act is available only with respect to
transactions on a national securities exchange.
Householding. Householding is an option
available to certain Fund investors. Householding is a method of delivery, based
on the preference of the individual investor, in which a single copy of certain
shareholder documents can be delivered to investors who share the same address,
even if their accounts are registered under different names. Please contact your
broker-dealer if you are interested in enrolling in householding and receiving a
single copy of prospectuses and other shareholder documents, or if you are
currently enrolled in householding and wish to change your householding status.
Distribution
The
Distributor or its agent distributes Creation Units for the Fund on an agency
basis. The Distributor does not maintain a secondary market in shares of the
Fund. The Distributor has no role in determining the policies of the Fund or the
securities that are purchased or sold by the Fund. The Distributor’s principal
address is 50 Hudson Yards, New York, NY 10001.
BFA
or its affiliates make payments to broker-dealers, registered investment
advisers, banks or other intermediaries (together, “intermediaries”) related to
marketing activities and presentations, educational training programs,
conferences, the development of technology platforms and reporting systems, data
provision services, or their making shares of the Fund and certain other
BFA‑advised ETFs available to their customers generally and in certain
investment programs. Such payments, which may be significant to the
intermediary, are not made by the Fund. Rather, such payments are made by BFA or
its affiliates from their own resources, which come directly or indirectly in
part from fees paid by the BFA‑advised ETFs. Payments of this type are sometimes
referred to as revenue-sharing payments. A financial intermediary may make
decisions about which investment options it recommends or makes available, or
the level of services provided, to its customers based on the payments or other
financial incentives it is eligible to receive. Therefore, such payments or
other financial incentives offered or made to an intermediary create conflicts
of interest between the intermediary and its customers and may cause the
intermediary to recommend the Fund or other BFA‑advised ETFs over another
investment. More information regarding these payments is contained in the Fund’s
SAI. Please contact your salesperson or other
investment professional for more information regarding any such payments his or
her firm may receive from BFA or its affiliates.
17
Financial
Highlights
The
financial highlights table is intended to help investors understand the Fund’s
financial performance for the period shown. Certain information reflects
financial results for a single share of the Fund. The total returns in the table
represent the rate of return that an investor would have earned (or lost) on an
investment in the Fund, assuming reinvestment of all dividends and
distributions. The information has been audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP,
whose report along with the Fund’s financial statements, is included in the
Fund’s Annual Financial Statements and Additional Information for the fiscal
period ended October 31, 2025, as filed with the SEC on Form N-CSR,
which are available upon request and at www.blackrock.com.
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
iShares Government Money Market ETF |
|
| (For a
share outstanding throughout the period) |
|
Period
from 02/04/25(a)
to 10/31/25 |
|
|
Net
asset value, beginning of period |
|
$ |
100.00 |
|
|
Net
investment income(b) |
|
|
3.0393 |
|
|
Net
realized and unrealized gain(c) |
|
|
0.0112 |
|
|
Net
increase from investment operations |
|
|
3.0505 |
|
|
Distributions
from net investment income(d) |
|
|
(2.5114 |
) |
|
Net
asset value, end of period |
|
$ |
100.54 |
|
|
Total
Return(e) |
|
|
|
|
|
Based
on net asset value |
|
|
3.09 |
%(f) |
|
Ratios
to Average Net Assets |
|
|
|
|
|
Total
expenses |
|
|
0.20 |
%(g) |
|
Net
investment income |
|
|
4.11 |
%(g) |
|
Supplemental
Data |
|
|
|
|
|
Net
assets, end of period (000) |
|
$ |
80,431 |
|
|
(a) Commencement of
operations.
(b) Based on average
shares outstanding.
(c) The amounts
reported for a share outstanding may not accord with the change in
aggregate gains and losses in securities for the fiscal period due to the
timing of capital share transactions in relation to the fluctuating market
values of the Fund’s underlying securities.
(d) Distributions for
annual periods determined in accordance with U.S. federal income tax
regulations.
(e) Where applicable,
assumes the reinvestment of distributions.
(f) Not
annualized.
(g) Annualized. |
|
18
Disclaimers
Shares
of the Fund are not sponsored, endorsed or promoted by the NYSE. The NYSE makes
no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of the shares
of the Fund or any member of the public regarding the ability of the Fund to
achieve its investment objective. The NYSE is not responsible for, nor has it
participated in, the determination of the Fund’s investments, nor in the
determination of the timing of, prices of, or quantities of shares of the Fund
to be issued, nor in the determination or calculation of the equation by which
the shares are redeemable. The NYSE has no obligation or liability to owners of
shares of the Fund in connection with the administration, marketing or trading
of shares of the Fund.
Without
limiting any of the foregoing, in no event shall the NYSE have any liability for
any direct, indirect, special, punitive, consequential or any other damages
(including lost profits) even if notified of the possibility of such damages.
19
Want
to know more?
www.blackrock.com | 1‑800‑474‑2737
Information
on the Fund’s net asset value, market price, premiums and discounts, and bid‑ask
spreads can be found at www.blackrock.com.
Copies
of the Prospectus, SAI, annual and semi-annual reports, Annual and Semi-Annual
Financial Statements and Additional Information and other information, as
applicable and when available, can be found on our website at www.blackrock.com.
For more information about the Fund, you may request a copy of the SAI. The SAI
provides detailed information about the Fund and is incorporated by reference
into this Prospectus. This means that the SAI, for legal purposes, is a part of
this Prospectus.
The
Fund’s annual and semi-annual reports and Form N‑CSR contain additional
information about the Fund’s investments. In the Fund’s annual report, you will
find a discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that
significantly affected the Fund’s performance during the last fiscal year. In
Form N‑CSR, you will find the Fund’s financial statements.
If
you have any questions about the Trust or shares of the Fund or you wish to
obtain the SAI, annual and semi-annual reports and other information such as
Fund financial statements free of charge, please:
|
|
| |
| Call: |
|
1‑800‑474‑2737 (toll free) |
| Write: |
|
c/o BlackRock Investments, LLC |
|
| |
1 University Square Drive, Princeton, NJ
08540 |
Reports
and other information about the Fund are available on the EDGAR database on the
SEC’s website at www.sec.gov, and copies of this information may be obtained,
after paying a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following e‑mail
address:
[email protected].
No person is authorized to give any information or to
make any representations about the Fund and its shares not contained in this
Prospectus and you should not rely on any other information. Read and keep this
Prospectus for future reference.
Investment
Company Act File No.: 811‑23402
PRO-GMMF-0226