Global defense spending rose 9.4% year-over-year to $2.7 trillion in 2024 — the fastest annual increase since the end of the Cold War. Spending is projected to grow at a 5% annualized rate, reaching $3.6 trillion by 2030.1
Reimagining the Defense Industry
Future-proofing advanced military systems is a top priority for governments, requiring specialized software and hardware—including sensors, AI chips, and high-performance processing and networking solutions.
Differentiated Exposure
Defense tech spans sectors such as industrials, cybersecurity, AI, and drone systems. Unlike civilian markets, defense revenues are driven by strategic military priorities rather than economic cycles.
1Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). (2025, April 28). Unprecedented rise in global military expenditure as European and Middle East spending surges.
Key Information
ETF Summary
ETF Objective
The Global X Defense Tech ETF (SHLD) seeks to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the Global X Defense Tech Index.
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ETF Research
Rearming Europe Boosts Defense Tech
Drones in Defense: Reshaping Modern Warfare and its Economics
Four Defense Technology Companies Transforming National Security
ETF Documents
ETF Summary
The Global X Defense Tech ETF (SHLD) seeks to invest in companies positioned to benefit from the increased adoption and utilization of defense technology (“Defense Tech”). This includes companies that build and manage cybersecurity systems, utilize artificial intelligence and big data, and build advanced military systems and hardware such as robotics, fuel systems, and aircrafts for defense applications.
