# EDGAR Filing Document

**Accession Number:** 0001516212
**File Stem:** 0001193125-25-185937
**Filing Date:** 2025-8
**Character Count:** 1067186
**Document Hash:** fa29214f93ad9b9292eca9486b8f7b1d
**Contains OCR:** False
**Source Format:** 

## Filing Content

## Filing Summary
**0001193125-25-185937.hdr.sgml**: 20260526

**ACCESSION NUMBER**: 0001193125-25-185937

**CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE**: 485APOS

**PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT**: 7

**FILED AS OF DATE**: 20250822

**DATE AS OF CHANGE**: 20251114

**FILER**: 

**COMPANY DATA:**
- **COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:** SSGA Active Trust
- **CENTRAL INDEX KEY:** 0001516212

**ORGANIZATION NAME:**
- **EIN:** 000000000

**FILING VALUES:**
- **FORM TYPE:** 485APOS
- **SEC ACT:** 1940 Act
- **SEC FILE NUMBER:** 811-22542
- **FILM NUMBER:** 251243402

**BUSINESS ADDRESS:**
- **STREET 1:** ONE CONGRESS STREET
- **CITY:** BOSTON
- **STATE:** MA
- **ZIP:** 02114
- **BUSINESS PHONE:** 6176643920

**MAIL ADDRESS:**
- **STREET 1:** ONE CONGRESS STREET
- **CITY:** BOSTON
- **STATE:** MA
- **ZIP:** 02114

**FORMER COMPANY:**
- **FORMER CONFORMED NAME:** SSgA Active Trust
- **DATE OF NAME CHANGE:** 20141208

**FORMER COMPANY:**
- **FORMER CONFORMED NAME:** SSgA Active ETF Trust
- **DATE OF NAME CHANGE:** 20110322
**FILER**: 

**COMPANY DATA:**
- **COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:** SSGA Active Trust
- **CENTRAL INDEX KEY:** 0001516212

**ORGANIZATION NAME:**
- **EIN:** 000000000

**FILING VALUES:**
- **FORM TYPE:** 485APOS
- **SEC ACT:** 1933 Act
- **SEC FILE NUMBER:** 333-173276
- **FILM NUMBER:** 251243401

**BUSINESS ADDRESS:**
- **STREET 1:** ONE CONGRESS STREET
- **CITY:** BOSTON
- **STATE:** MA
- **ZIP:** 02114
- **BUSINESS PHONE:** 6176643920

**MAIL ADDRESS:**
- **STREET 1:** ONE CONGRESS STREET
- **CITY:** BOSTON
- **STATE:** MA
- **ZIP:** 02114

**FORMER COMPANY:**
- **FORMER CONFORMED NAME:** SSgA Active Trust
- **DATE OF NAME CHANGE:** 20141208

**FORMER COMPANY:**
- **FORMER CONFORMED NAME:** SSgA Active ETF Trust
- **DATE OF NAME CHANGE:** 20110322

## Series and Classes Contracts Data

### SPDR(R) SSGA US Sector Rotation ETF (Series ID: S000054091)

| Class ID   | Class Name                          | Ticker Symbol   |
|:---|:---|:---|
| C000170017 | SPDR(R) SSGA US Sector Rotation ETF | XLSR            |

**As filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on August 22, 2025**

**Securities Act File No. 333-173276** <br>**Investment Company Act of 1940 File No. 811-22542**

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**UNITED STATES** <br>**SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION**

**Washington, D.C. 20549**

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**FORM N-1A** <br>**REGISTRATION STATEMENT** 

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ***UNDER*** <br> ***THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933***<br>| **☒**  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **Pre-Effective Amendment No.**<br> **Post-Effective Amendment No. 237**<br>| **☒**  |

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**and/or**

**REGISTRATION STATEMENT** 

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ***UNDER*** <br> ***THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940***<br>| **☒**  |
| **Amendment No. 243** | **☒**  |

---

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**SSGA Active Trust**

**(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)**

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**One Iron Street** <br>**Boston, Massachusetts 02210**

**(Address of Principal Executive Offices)**

**(617) 664-3920** <br>

**(Registrant's Telephone Number)**

**Andrew J. DeLorme, Esq.** <br>**Chief Legal Officer**

**c/o SSGA Funds Management, Inc.** <br>**One Iron Street** <br>**Boston, Massachusetts 02210**

**(Name and Address of Agent for Service)**

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***Copies to:***

**W. John McGuire, Esq.** <br>**Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP** <br>**1111 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW** <br>**Washington, D.C. 20004**

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It is proposed that this filing will become effective:

☐ immediately upon filing pursuant to Rule 485, paragraph (b)

☐ On ________ pursuant to Rule 485, paragraph (b) 

☐ 60 days after filing pursuant to Rule 485, paragraph (a)(1)

☒ on October 31, 2025 pursuant to Rule 485, paragraph (a)(1) 

☐ 75 days after filing pursuant to Rule 485, paragraph (a)(2) 

☐ on _________________ pursuant to Rule 485, paragraph (a)(2)

If appropriate, check the following box:

☐ This post-effective amendment designates a new effective date for a previously filed post-effective amendment.

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**SUBJECT TO COMPLETION. THE INFORMATION IN THIS PROSPECTUS IS NOT COMPLETE AND MAY BE CHANGED. THIS PROSPECTUS IS NOT AN OFFER TO SELL THESE SECURITIES AND IT IS NOT SOLICITING AN OFFER TO BUY THESE SECURITIES IN ANY STATE WHERE THE OFFER OR SALE IS NOT PERMITTED.**

**Prospectus**

[October 31, 2025]

**SSGA Active Trust** 

SPDR SSGA US Sector Rotation ETF (XLSR)

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Principal U.S. Listing Exchange: NYSE Arca, Inc.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved these securities or passed upon the accuracy or adequacy of this Prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense. Shares in the Fund are not guaranteed or insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other agency of the U.S. Government, nor are shares deposits or obligations of any bank. It is possible to lose money by investing in the Fund.

![](g78297ssga_spdr.jpg)

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**Table of Contents**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| [Fund Summary](#xx_cd7c8ac2-6b06-42d8-b6a0-dc73d4ecb2f8_1) |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; [SPDR](#xx_cd7c8ac2-6b06-42d8-b6a0-dc73d4ecb2f8_1)<sup>®</sup>[SSGA US Sector Rotation ETF](#xx_cd7c8ac2-6b06-42d8-b6a0-dc73d4ecb2f8_1) | &nbsp;&nbsp; 4<br>|
| [Additional Strategies Information](#xx_df6f156a-44ec-4a7e-a8b8-230d8100f7a6_1) | &nbsp;&nbsp; 10<br>|
| [Additional Risk Information](#xx_df6f156a-44ec-4a7e-a8b8-230d8100f7a6_2) | &nbsp;&nbsp; 11<br>|
| [Management](#xx_df6f156a-44ec-4a7e-a8b8-230d8100f7a6_10) | &nbsp;&nbsp; 19<br>|
| [Trademark Licenses/Disclaimers](#xx_df6f156a-44ec-4a7e-a8b8-230d8100f7a6_12) | &nbsp;&nbsp; 21<br>|
| [Additional Purchase and Sale Information](#xx_df6f156a-44ec-4a7e-a8b8-230d8100f7a6_12) | &nbsp;&nbsp; 21<br>|
| [Distributions](#xx_df6f156a-44ec-4a7e-a8b8-230d8100f7a6_13) | &nbsp;&nbsp; 22<br>|
| [Portfolio Holdings Disclosure](#xx_df6f156a-44ec-4a7e-a8b8-230d8100f7a6_13) | &nbsp;&nbsp; 22<br>|
| [Additional Tax Information](#xx_df6f156a-44ec-4a7e-a8b8-230d8100f7a6_14) | &nbsp;&nbsp; 23<br>|
| [General Information](#xx_df6f156a-44ec-4a7e-a8b8-230d8100f7a6_17) | &nbsp;&nbsp; 26<br>|
| [Financial Highlights](#xx_df6f156a-44ec-4a7e-a8b8-230d8100f7a6_18) | &nbsp;&nbsp; 27<br>|
| [Where to Learn More About the Fund](#xx_a30bcebf-58ed-4e9f-bce9-aa8316e65342_1) | &nbsp;&nbsp; 28 |

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Fund Summary

**SPDR**<sup>®</sup> **SSGA US Sector Rotation ETF** 

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| |
|:---|
| **Investment Objective** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The SPDR SSGA US Sector Rotation ETF (the "Fund") seeks to provide capital appreciation. |

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**Fees and Expenses of the Fund**

The table below describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund ("Fund Shares"). **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.**

**Annual Fund Operating Expenses** (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment):

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| Management fees | &nbsp;&nbsp; [0.70]% |
| Distribution and service (12b-1) fees |  |
| Other expenses | &nbsp;&nbsp; [0.00]% |
| **Total annual Fund operating expenses** | &nbsp;&nbsp; **[0.70]%** |

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**Example:**

This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in 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 or hold all of your Fund 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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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Year 1** | **Year 3** | **Year 5** | **Year 10** |
| $[ ] | $[ ] | $[ ] | $[ ] |

---

**Portfolio Turnover:**

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund's performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was [ ]% of the average value of its portfolio.

**The Fund's Principal Investment Strategy**

The Fund primarily invests its assets in securities of other exchange-traded funds ("ETFs") and common stocks of individual U.S. companies. In particular, the Fund allocates its assets among (i) ETFs that each focus on common stocks of companies included in an individual sector of the S&P 500<sup>®</sup> Index, as determined by the Global Industry Classification Standard (GICS<sup>®</sup>) (each, an "Equity Sector" and collectively, the "Equity Sectors") (each such ETF, an "Equity Sector ETF") and (ii) common stocks of companies included in the Equity Sectors ("Equity Sector Common Stocks"). As of the date of this Prospectus, the Equity Sectors include: communication services, consumer discretionary, consumer staples, energy, financials, healthcare, industrials, materials, real estate, information technology and utilities. Components of the S&P 500 Index, and the sector classifications as determined by GICS, are subject to change and are not controlled by the Fund or the Adviser.

SSGA Funds Management, Inc. (the "Adviser" or "SSGA FM"), the Fund's investment adviser, allocates the Fund's investment exposures among the Equity Sectors based on a proprietary sector selection model. The sector selection model first incorporates macroeconomic, financial and market data to arrive at a projected return forecast for each Equity Sector. Using these projected return forecasts, the model then allocates the weightings of each Equity Sector to construct a target Equity Sector allocation (the "Target Equity Sector Allocation") that seeks to maximize expected return. The portfolio's final sector allocation is subject to the Adviser's risk and diversification constraints, which limit the amount an Equity Sector may represent in the portfolio. The Adviser may not fully implement the results of the

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sector selection model if it believes the model does not take into account all relevant data, or that a different evaluation or weighting of the data is more appropriate. It is possible the Fund may not have exposure to all Equity Sectors at all times. The Adviser obtains exposure to specific Equity Sectors by allocating assets primarily among the corresponding Equity Sector ETFs and/or Equity Sector Common Stocks based on a proprietary optimization-based portfolio construction process designed to limit the variance between (i) the return of the Fund's investments and (ii) the return of the Target Equity Sector Allocation.

The Adviser typically rebalances the Fund's portfolio on a monthly basis, although rebalancing may occur more frequently depending on market conditions. The Adviser buys and sells securities for the Fund at each rebalancing based on the results of the process described above. As a result of frequent rebalances, the Fund may experience a high turnover rate.

Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus the amount of borrowings for investments purposes) directly or indirectly through the underlying ETFs, in securities of U.S. companies. The Fund may invest in ETFs that pay fees to the Adviser and its affiliates for management, marketing or other services.

**Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund**

As with all investments, there are certain risks of investing in the Fund. Fund Shares will change in value, and you could lose money by investing in the Fund. The Fund's exposure to the risks discussed below may be through the Fund's direct investments or indirect through the Fund's investments in the underlying ETFs. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.

**Market Risk:** The Fund's investments are subject to changes in general economic conditions, general market fluctuations and the risks inherent in investment in securities markets. Investment markets can be volatile and prices of investments can change substantially due to various factors including, but not limited to, economic growth or recession, changes in interest rates, inflation, changes in the actual or perceived creditworthiness of issuers, and general market liquidity. The Fund is subject to the risk that geopolitical events will disrupt securities markets and adversely affect global economies and markets. Local, regional or global events such as war, military conflicts, acts of terrorism, trade policy changes or disputes, the threat or actual imposition of tariffs, natural disasters, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issues, or other events could have a significant impact on the Fund and its investments.

**Equity Investing Risk:** The market prices of equity securities owned by the Fund may go up or down, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably. The value of a security may decline for a number of reasons that may directly relate to the issuer and also may decline due to general industry or market conditions that are not specifically related to a particular company. In addition, equity markets tend to move in cycles, which may cause stock prices to fall over short or extended periods of time.

**Asset Allocation Risk:** The Fund's investment performance depends upon the successful allocation by the Adviser of the Fund's assets among asset classes, geographical regions, industry sectors, and specific issuers and investments. There is no guarantee that the Adviser's allocation techniques and decisions will produce the desired results.

**Modeling Risk:** The Adviser uses quantitative models in an effort to enhance returns and manage risk. Any imperfections, errors or limitations in these models could limit any benefit to the Fund from the use of the models, or could result in incorrect outputs or in investment outcomes different from or opposite to those expected or desired by the Adviser. There can be no assurance that the models will behave as expected in all market conditions. In addition, computer programming used to create quantitative models, or the data on which such models operate, might contain one or more errors.

**Exchange-Traded Funds Risk:** The Fund is subject to substantially the same risks as those associated with the direct ownership of the securities represented by an underlying ETF in which it invests. In addition, the shares of an underlying ETF may trade at a premium or discount to their intrinsic value (*i.e.*, the market value may differ from the net asset value ("NAV") of an ETF's shares) for a number of reasons. For example, supply and demand for shares of an underlying ETF or market disruptions may cause the market price of the underlying ETF to deviate from the value of the underlying ETF's investments, which may be exacerbated in less liquid markets.

**Affiliated ETF Risk:** To the extent the Fund invests in an affiliated underlying ETF, the Fund's investment performance and risks may be directly related to the investment performance and risks of the affiliated ETF. In addition, the Adviser may have an incentive to take into account the effect on an affiliated ETF in which the Fund

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may invest in determining whether, and under what circumstances, to purchase or sell shares in that affiliated ETF. Although the Adviser takes steps to address the conflicts of interest, it is possible that the conflicts could impact the Fund.

**Fluctuation of Net Asset Value, Share Premiums and Discounts Risk:** As with all exchange-traded funds, Fund Shares may be bought and sold in the secondary market at market prices. The trading prices of Fund Shares in the secondary market may differ from the Fund's daily NAV per share and there may be times when the market price of the shares is more than the NAV per share (premium) or less than the NAV per share (discount). This risk is heightened in times of market volatility or periods of steep market declines.

**Communication Services Sector Risk:** Communication services companies are particularly vulnerable to the potential obsolescence of products and services due to technological advancement and the innovation of competitors. Companies in the communication services sector may also be affected by other competitive pressures, such as pricing competition, as well as research and development costs, substantial capital requirements and government regulation. Additionally, fluctuating domestic and international demand, shifting demographics and often unpredictable changes in consumer tastes can drastically affect a communication services company's profitability. While all companies may be susceptible to network security breaches, certain companies in the communication services sector may be particular targets of hacking and potential theft of proprietary or consumer information or disruptions in service, which could have a material adverse effect on their businesses.

**Consumer Discretionary Sector Risk:** The success of consumer product manufacturers and retailers is tied closely to the performance of the overall global economy, interest rates, competition and consumer confidence. Success depends heavily on disposable household income and consumer spending. Also, companies in the consumer discretionary sector may be subject to severe competition, which may have an adverse impact on their respective profitability. Changes in demographics and consumer tastes can also affect the demand for, and success of, consumer products and services in the marketplace.

**Consumer Staples Sector Risk:** Consumer staples companies are subject to government regulation affecting their products which may negatively impact such companies' performance. For instance, government regulations may affect the permissibility of using various food additives and production methods of companies that make food products, which could affect company profitability. Tobacco companies may be adversely affected by the adoption of proposed legislation and/or by litigation. Also, the success of food, beverage, household and personal product companies may be strongly affected by consumer interest, marketing campaigns and other factors affecting supply and demand, including performance of the overall domestic and global economy, interest rates, competition and consumer confidence and spending.

**Energy Sector Risk:** Issuers in energy-related industries can be significantly affected by fluctuations in energy prices and supply and demand of energy fuels. Markets for various energy-related commodities can have significant volatility, and are subject to control or manipulation by large producers or purchasers. Companies in the energy sector may need to make substantial expenditures, and to incur significant amounts of debt, in order to maintain or expand their reserves. Oil and gas exploration and production can be significantly affected by natural disasters as well as changes in exchange rates, interest rates, government regulation, world events and economic conditions. These companies may be at risk for environmental damage claims.

**Financial Sector Risk:** Financial services companies are subject to extensive governmental regulation, which may limit both the amounts and types of loans and other financial commitments they can make, the interest rates and fees they can charge, the scope of their activities, the prices they can charge and the amount of capital they must maintain. Profitability is largely dependent on the availability and cost of capital funds and can fluctuate significantly when interest rates change or due to increased competition. In addition, deterioration of the credit markets generally may cause an adverse impact in a broad range of markets, including U.S. and international credit and interbank money markets generally, thereby affecting a wide range of financial institutions and markets. Certain events in the financial sector may cause an unusually high degree of volatility in the financial markets, both domestic and foreign, and cause certain financial services companies to incur large losses. Securities of financial services companies may experience a dramatic decline in value when such companies experience substantial declines in the valuations of their assets, take action to raise capital (such as the issuance of debt or equity securities), or cease operations. Credit losses resulting from financial difficulties of borrowers and financial losses associated with investment activities can negatively impact the sector. Insurance companies may be subject to severe price competition. Adverse economic, business or political developments could adversely affect financial institutions engaged in mortgage finance or other lending or investing activities directly or indirectly connected to the value of real estate.

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**Healthcare Sector Risk:** Companies in the healthcare sector are subject to extensive government regulation and their profitability can be significantly affected by restrictions on government reimbursement for medical expenses, rising costs of medical products and services, pricing pressure (including price discounting), limited product lines and an increased emphasis on the delivery of healthcare through outpatient services. Companies in the healthcare sector are heavily dependent on obtaining and defending patents, which may be time consuming and costly, and the expiration of patents may also adversely affect the profitability of these companies. Healthcare companies are also subject to extensive litigation based on product liability and similar claims. In addition, their products can become obsolete due to industry innovation, changes in technologies or other market developments. Many new products in the healthcare sector require significant research and development and may be subject to regulatory approvals, all of which may be time consuming and costly with no guarantee that any product will come to market.

**Industrial Sector Risk:** Industrial companies are affected by supply and demand both for their specific product or service and for industrial sector products and services in general. Government regulation, world events, exchange rates and economic conditions, technological developments and liabilities for environmental damage and general civil liabilities will likewise affect the performance of these companies. Aerospace and defense companies, a component of the industrial sector, can be significantly affected by government spending policies because companies involved in this industry rely, to a significant extent, on U.S. and foreign government demand for their products and services. Thus, the financial condition of, and investor interest in, aerospace and defense companies are heavily influenced by governmental defense spending policies which are typically under pressure from efforts to control the U.S. (and other) government budgets. Transportation securities, another component of the industrial sector, are cyclical and have occasional sharp price movements which may result from changes in the economy, fuel prices, labor agreements and insurance costs.

**Large-Capitalization Securities Risk:** Returns on investments in securities of large companies could trail the returns on investments in securities of smaller and mid-sized companies. Larger companies may be unable to respond as quickly as smaller and mid-sized companies to competitive challenges or to changes in business, product, financial, or other market conditions. Larger companies may not be able to maintain growth at the high rates that may be achieved by well-managed smaller and mid-sized companies.

**Management Risk:** The Fund is actively managed. The Adviser's judgments about the attractiveness, relative value, or potential appreciation of a particular sector, security, commodity or investment strategy may prove to be incorrect, and may cause the Fund to incur losses. There can be no assurance that the Adviser's investment techniques and decisions will produce the desired results.

**Materials Sector Risk:** Many materials companies are significantly affected by the level and volatility of commodity prices, exchange rates, import controls, worldwide competition, environmental policies and consumer demand. At times, worldwide production of industrial materials has exceeded demand as a result of over-building or economic downturns, leading to poor investment returns or losses. Other risks may include liabilities for environmental damage and general civil liabilities, depletion of resources, and mandated expenditures for safety and pollution control. The materials sector may also be affected by economic cycles, technical progress, labor relations, and government regulations.

**Portfolio Turnover Risk:** Frequent purchases and sales of portfolio securities may result in higher Fund expenses and may result in more significant distributions of short-term capital gains to investors, which are taxed to individuals as ordinary income.

**Real Estate Sector Risk:** An investment in a real property company may be subject to risks similar to those associated with direct ownership of real estate, including, by way of example, the possibility of declines in the value of real estate, losses from casualty or condemnation, and changes in local and general economic conditions, supply and demand, interest rates, environmental liability, zoning laws, regulatory limitations on rents, property taxes, and operating expenses. Some real property companies have limited diversification because they invest in a limited number of properties, a narrow geographic area, or a single type of property.

**Technology Sector Risk:** Market or economic factors impacting technology companies and companies that rely heavily on technological advances could have a major effect on the value of the Fund's investments. The value of stocks of technology companies and companies that rely heavily on technology is particularly vulnerable to rapid changes in technology product cycles, rapid product obsolescence, government regulation and competition, both domestically and internationally, including competition from foreign competitors with lower production costs. Stocks of technology companies and companies that rely heavily on technology, especially those of smaller, less-seasoned companies, tend to be more volatile than the overall market. Technology companies are heavily dependent on patent and intellectual property rights, the loss or impairment of which may adversely affect

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profitability. Additionally, companies in the technology sector may face dramatic and often unpredictable changes in growth rates and competition for the services of qualified personnel.

**Utilities Sector Risk:** Utility companies are affected by supply and demand, operating costs, government regulation, environmental factors, liabilities for environmental damage and general civil liabilities, and rate caps or rate changes. Although rate changes of a regulated utility usually fluctuate in approximate correlation with financing costs, due to political and regulatory factors rate changes ordinarily occur only following a delay after the changes in financing costs. This factor will tend to favorably affect a regulated utility company's earnings and dividends in times of decreasing costs, but conversely, will tend to adversely affect earnings and dividends when costs are rising. The value of regulated utility equity securities may tend to have an inverse relationship to the movement of interest rates. Certain utility companies have experienced full or partial deregulation in recent years. These utility companies are frequently more similar to industrial companies in that they are subject to greater competition and have been permitted by regulators to diversify outside of their original geographic regions and their traditional lines of business. These opportunities may permit certain utility companies to earn more than their traditional regulated rates of return. Some companies, however, may be forced to defend their core business and may be less profitable. In addition, natural disasters, terrorist attacks, government intervention or other factors may render a utility company's equipment unusable or obsolete and negatively impact profitability.

Among the risks that may affect utility companies are the following: risks of increases in fuel and other operating costs; the high cost of borrowing to finance capital construction during inflationary periods; restrictions on operations and increased costs and delays associated with compliance with environmental and nuclear safety regulations; and the difficulties involved in obtaining natural gas for resale or fuel for generating electricity at reasonable prices. Other risks include those related to the construction and operation of nuclear power plants, the effects of energy conservation and the effects of regulatory changes.

**Fund Performance**

The following bar chart and table provide an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund's performance from year to year and by showing how the Fund's average annual returns for certain time periods compare with the average annual returns of a relevant broad-based securities index. The Fund's past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available by calling 1-866-787-2257 or visiting our website at www.statestreet.com/im.

**Annual Total Returns** (years ended 12/31)

[To be updated in a subsequent draft]

**Average Annual Total Returns** (for periods ended 12/31/24)

The after-tax returns presented in the table below are calculated using highest historical individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Your actual after-tax returns will depend on your specific tax situation and may differ from those shown below. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold Fund Shares through tax-advantaged arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts. The returns after taxes can exceed the returns before taxes due to an assumed tax benefit for a shareholder from realizing a capital loss on a sale of Fund Shares.

[To be updated in a subsequent draft]

**Portfolio Management**

**Investment Adviser**

SSGA FM serves as the investment adviser to the Fund.

**Portfolio Managers**

The professionals primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund are Michael Martel, Jeremiah Holly, Emiliano Rabinovich and Juan Acevedo.

Michael Martel is a Managing Director of the Adviser and Head of Portfolio Management in the Americas for the Investment Solutions Group. He joined the Adviser in 1994.

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Jeremiah Holly, CFA, is a Vice President of the Adviser and a Senior Portfolio Manager in the Investment Solutions Group. He joined the Adviser in 2005.

Emiliano Rabinovich, CFA, is a Managing Director of the Adviser and Co-Head of the Systematic Equity Team in the Americas. He joined the Adviser in 2006.

Juan Acevedo is a Vice President of the Adviser and a Senior Portfolio Manager in the Systematic Equity Team. He joined the Adviser in 2000.

**Purchase and Sale Information**

The Fund will issue (or redeem) Fund Shares to certain institutional investors (typically market makers or other broker-dealers) only in large blocks of Fund Shares known as "Creation Units." Creation Unit transactions are conducted in exchange for the deposit or delivery of a designated portfolio of in-kind securities and/or cash.

Individual Fund Shares may only be purchased and sold on the NYSE Arca, Inc., other national securities exchanges, electronic crossing networks and other alternative trading systems through your broker-dealer at market prices. Because Fund Shares trade at market prices rather than at NAV, Fund Shares may trade at a price greater than NAV (premium) or less than NAV (discount). When buying or selling Fund Shares in the secondary market, you may incur costs attributable to the difference between the highest price a buyer is willing to pay to purchase Fund Shares (bid) and the lowest price a seller is willing to accept for Fund Shares (ask) (the "bid-ask spread"). Recent information regarding the Fund's NAV, market price, premiums and discounts, and bid-ask spreads is available at www.statestreet.com/im.

**Tax Information**

The Fund's distributions are expected to be taxed as ordinary income, qualified dividend income and/or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-advantaged arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or individual retirement account. Any withdrawals made from a tax-advantaged arrangement may be taxable to you.

**Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries**

If you purchase Fund Shares through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Adviser or its affiliates may pay the financial intermediary for certain activities related to the Fund, including 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.

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Additional Strategies Information

**Principal Strategies**

Please see the Fund's "The Fund's Principal Investment Strategy" section under "Fund Summary" above for a discussion of its principal investment strategies. The Fund may invest in various types of securities and engage in various investment techniques which are not the principal focus of the Fund and therefore are not described in this Prospectus. These securities, techniques and practices, together with their risks, are described in the Statement of Additional Information (the "SAI") which you may obtain free of charge by contacting shareholder services (see the back cover of this Prospectus for the address and phone number).

The Board of Trustees (the "Board") of SSGA Active Trust (the "Trust") may change the Fund's investment objective, investment strategy and other policies without shareholder approval, except as otherwise noted in this Prospectus or in the SAI.

**Non-Principal Strategies**

*Temporary Defensive Positions.* In response to actual or perceived adverse market, economic, political, or other conditions, the Fund may (but will not necessarily), without notice, depart from its principal investment strategies by temporarily investing for defensive purposes. Temporary defensive positions may include, but are not limited to, cash, cash equivalents, U.S. government securities, repurchase agreements collateralized by such securities, money market funds, and high-quality debt investments. If the Fund invests for defensive purposes, it may not achieve its investment objective. In addition, the defensive strategy may not work as intended.

*Borrowing Money*. The Fund may borrow money from a bank as permitted by the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended ("1940 Act") or other governing statute, by the Rules thereunder, or by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") or other regulatory agency with authority over the Fund, but only for temporary or emergency purposes.

The 1940 Act presently allows a fund to borrow from any bank (including pledging, mortgaging or hypothecating assets) in an amount up to 33 1/3% of its total assets (not including temporary borrowings not in excess of 5% of its total assets). The Fund may also invest in reverse repurchase agreements or similar financing transactions. Consistent with a rule under the 1940 Act, the Fund may treat such investments as either borrowings or derivatives transactions. To the extent the Fund treats reverse repurchase agreements or similar financing transactions as borrowings, such investments will also be included in the 33 1/3% limit.

*Lending of Securities*. The Fund may lend its portfolio securities in an amount not to exceed 40% of the value of its net assets via a securities lending program through its securities lending agent, State Street Bank and Trust Company ("State Street" or the "Lending Agent"), to brokers, dealers and other financial institutions desiring to borrow securities to complete transactions and for other purposes. A securities lending program allows the Fund to receive a portion of the income generated by lending its securities and investing the respective collateral. The Fund will receive collateral for each loaned security which is at least equal to the market value of that security, marked to market each trading day. To the extent the Fund receives cash collateral, as of the date of this Prospectus, the Adviser expects to invest such cash collateral in the fund managed by the Adviser that invests in: U.S. dollar-denominated, short-term, high quality debt obligations, including the following: a broad range of money market instruments; certificates of deposit and time deposits of U.S. and foreign banks; commercial paper and other high quality obligations of U.S. or foreign companies; asset-backed securities; mortgage-related securities; repurchase agreements; and shares of money market funds. With respect to loans that are collateralized by cash, the borrower may be entitled to receive a fee based on the amount of cash collateral. The Fund is compensated by the difference between the amount earned on the reinvestment of cash collateral and the fee paid to the borrower. In the case of collateral other than cash, the Fund is compensated by a fee paid by the borrower equal to a percentage of the market value of the loaned securities. In the securities lending program, the borrower generally has the right to vote the loaned securities; however, the Fund may call loans to vote proxies if a material issue affecting the Fund's economic interest in the investment is to be voted upon. Security loans may be terminated at any time by the Fund.

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Additional Risk Information

The following section provides information regarding the principal risks identified under "Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund" in the Fund Summary along with additional risk information. The Fund's exposure to the risks discussed below may be through the Fund's direct investments or indirect through the Fund's investments in any underlying ETFs or ETPs.

*Affiliated ETF Risk*. To the extent the Fund invests in an affiliated ETF, the Fund's investment performance and risks may be directly related to the investment performance and risks of the affiliated ETF. In addition, the Adviser may have an incentive to take into account the effect on an affiliated ETF in which the Fund may invest in determining whether, and under what circumstances, to purchase or sell shares in that affiliated ETF. Although the Adviser takes steps to address the conflicts of interest, it is possible that the conflicts could impact the Fund.

*Asset Allocation Risk*. The Fund's investment performance depends upon the successful allocation of the Fund's assets among asset classes, geographical regions, industry sectors, and specific issuers and investments. There is no guarantee that the Fund's allocation techniques and decisions will produce the desired results. It is possible to lose money on an investment in the Fund as a result of these allocation decisions.

*Communication Services Sector Risk.* Communication services companies are particularly vulnerable to the potential obsolescence of products and services due to technological advancement and the innovation of competitors. Companies in the communication services sector may also be affected by other competitive pressures, such as pricing competition, as well as research and development costs, substantial capital requirements and government regulation. Additionally, fluctuating domestic and international demand, shifting demographics and often unpredictable changes in consumer tastes can drastically affect a communication services company's profitability. While all companies may be susceptible to network security breaches, certain companies in the communication services sector may be particular targets of hacking and potential theft of proprietary or consumer information or disruptions in service, which could have a material adverse effect on their businesses.

*Consumer Discretionary Sector Risk*. The success of consumer product manufacturers and retailers is tied closely to the performance of the overall global economy, interest rates, competition and consumer confidence. Success depends heavily on disposable household income and consumer spending. Also, companies in the consumer discretionary sector may be subject to severe competition, which may have an adverse impact on their respective profitability. Changes in demographics and consumer tastes can also affect the demand for, and success of, consumer products and services in the marketplace.

*Consumer Staples Sector Risk*. Consumer staples companies are subject to government regulation affecting their products which may negatively impact such companies' performance. For instance, government regulations may affect the permissibility of using various food additives and production methods of companies that make food products, which could affect company profitability. Tobacco companies may be adversely affected by the adoption of proposed legislation and/or by litigation. Also, the success of food, beverage, household and personal products companies may be strongly affected by consumer interest, marketing campaigns and other factors affecting supply and demand, including performance of the overall domestic and international economy, interest rates, competition and consumer confidence and spending.

*Energy Sector Risk*. Issuers in energy-related industries can be significantly affected by fluctuations in energy prices and supply and demand of energy fuels caused by geopolitical events, energy conservation or use of alternative fuel sources, the success of exploration projects, weather or meteorological events, taxes, increased governmental or environmental regulation, resource depletion, rising interest rates, declines in domestic or foreign production, accidents or catastrophic events, or terrorist threats or attacks, among others. Markets for various energy-related commodities can have significant volatility, and are subject to control or manipulation by large producers or purchasers. Companies in the energy sector may need to make substantial expenditures, and to incur significant amounts of debt, in order to maintain or expand their reserves through exploration of new sources of supply, through the development of existing sources, through acquisitions, or through long-term contracts to acquire reserves. Factors adversely affecting producers, refiners, distributors, or others in the energy sector may affect adversely companies that service or supply those entities, either because demand for those services or products is curtailed, or those services or products come under price pressure.

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*Equity Investing Risk*. The market prices of equity securities owned by the Fund may go up or down, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably. The value of a security may decline for a number of reasons that may directly relate to the issuer, such as management performance, financial leverage, non-compliance with regulatory requirements, and reduced demand for the issuer's goods or services. The values of equity securities also may decline due to general industry or market conditions that are not specifically related to a particular company, such as real or perceived adverse economic conditions, changes in the general outlook for corporate earnings, changes in interest or currency rates, or adverse investor sentiment generally. In addition, equity markets tend to move in cycles, which may cause stock prices to fall over short or extended periods of time.

*Exchange Traded Funds Risk.* As a shareholder of another investment company, the Fund relies on that investment company to achieve its investment objective. If the investment company fails to achieve its objective, the value of the Fund's investment could decline, which could adversely affect the Fund's performance. In addition, the Fund is subject to substantially the same risks as those associated with the direct ownership of the securities or other assets represented by an underlying ETF in which it invests. The Fund may invest in ETFs that are not registered or regulated under the 1940 Act. These instruments typically hold commodities, such as gold or oil, currency or other property that is itself not a security (see also "Investments in Exchange Traded Commodity Trusts" below). Federal securities laws impose limitations on the Fund's ability to invest in other investment companies.

Because ETFs are listed on national stock exchanges and are traded like stocks listed on an exchange, their shares potentially may trade at a discount or premium. Investments in ETFs are also subject to brokerage and other trading costs, which could result in greater expenses to the Fund. In addition, because the value of ETF shares depends on the demand in the market and such value may deviate from the NAV of the ETF, the Adviser may not be able to liquidate the Fund's holdings at the most optimal time, especially times of extreme market stress, which could adversely affect the Fund's performance.

*Financial Sector Risk.* Financial services companies are subject to extensive governmental regulation, which may limit both the amounts and types of loans and other financial commitments they can make, the interest rates and fees they can charge, the scope of their activities, the prices they can charge and the amount of capital they must maintain. Profitability is largely dependent on the availability and cost of capital funds and can fluctuate significantly when interest rates change or due to increased competition. In addition, deterioration of the credit markets generally may cause an adverse impact in a broad range of markets, including U.S. and international credit and interbank money markets generally, thereby affecting a wide range of financial institutions and markets. Certain events in the financial sector may cause an unusually high degree of volatility in the financial markets, both domestic and foreign, and cause certain financial services companies to incur large losses. Securities of financial services companies may experience a dramatic decline in value when such companies experience substantial declines in the valuations of their assets, take action to raise capital (such as the issuance of debt or equity securities), or cease operations. Credit losses resulting from financial difficulties of borrowers and financial losses associated with investment activities can negatively impact the sector. Insurance companies may be subject to severe price competition. Adverse economic, business or political developments could adversely affect financial institutions engaged in mortgage finance or other lending or investing activities directly or indirectly connected to the value of real estate.

*Fluctuation of Net Asset Value, Share Premiums and Discounts Risk*. The NAV of Fund Shares will generally fluctuate with changes in the market value of the Fund's securities holdings. The market prices of Fund Shares will generally fluctuate in accordance with changes in the Fund's NAV and supply and demand of Fund Shares on the Exchange. It cannot be predicted whether Fund Shares will trade below, at or above their NAV. The Fund and its holdings in ETFs are subject to the same market forces. Price differences may be due, in large part, to the fact that supply and demand forces at work in the secondary trading market for Fund Shares will be closely related to, but not identical to, the same forces influencing the prices of the securities trading individually or in the aggregate at any point in time. The market prices of Fund Shares may deviate significantly from the NAV of Fund Shares during periods of market volatility. However, given that Fund Shares can be created and redeemed in Creation Units (unlike shares of many closed-end funds, which frequently trade at appreciable discounts from, and sometimes at premiums to, their NAV), the Adviser believes that large discounts or premiums to the NAV of Fund Shares should not be sustained over long periods. While the creation/redemption feature is designed to make it likely that Fund Shares normally will trade close to the Fund's

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NAV, disruptions to creations and redemptions or market volatility may result in trading prices that differ significantly from the Fund's NAV. If an investor purchases Fund Shares at a time when the market price is at a premium to the NAV of Fund Shares or sells at a time when the market price is at a discount to the NAV of Fund Shares, then the investor may sustain losses.

*Healthcare Sector Risk*. Companies in the healthcare sector are subject to extensive government regulation and their profitability can be significantly affected by restrictions on government reimbursement for medical expenses, rising costs of medical products and services, pricing pressure (including price discounting), limited product lines and an increased emphasis on the delivery of healthcare through outpatient services. Companies in the healthcare sector are heavily dependent on obtaining and defending patents, which may be time consuming and costly, and the expiration of patents may also adversely affect the profitability of these companies. Healthcare companies are also subject to extensive litigation based on product liability and similar claims. In addition, their products can become obsolete due to industry innovation, changes in technologies or other market developments. Many new products in the healthcare sector require significant research and development and may be subject to regulatory approvals, all of which may be time consuming and costly with no guarantee that any product will come to market.

*Industrial Sector Risk*. Industrial companies are affected by supply and demand both for their specific product or service and for industrial sector products and services in general. Government regulation, world events, exchange rates and economic conditions, technological developments and liabilities for environmental damage and general civil liabilities will likewise affect the performance of these companies. Aerospace and defense companies, a component of the industrial sector, can be significantly affected by government spending policies because companies involved in this industry rely, to a significant extent, on U.S. and foreign government demand for their products and services. Thus, the financial condition of, and investor interest in, aerospace and defense companies are heavily influenced by governmental defense spending policies which are typically under pressure from efforts to control the U.S. (and other) government budgets. Transportation securities, another component of the industrial sector, are cyclical and have occasional sharp price movements which may result from changes in the economy, fuel prices, labor agreements and insurance costs.

*Large-Capitalization Securities Risk.* Securities issued by large-capitalization companies may present risks not present in smaller companies. For example, larger companies may be unable to respond as quickly as smaller and mid-sized companies to competitive challenges or to changes in business, product, financial, or other market conditions. Larger companies may not be able to maintain growth at the high rates that may be achieved by well-managed smaller and mid-sized companies, especially during strong economic periods. Returns on investments in securities of large companies could trail the returns on investments in securities of smaller and mid-sized companies.

*Management Risk*. The Fund is actively managed. The Adviser's judgments about the attractiveness, relative value, or potential appreciation of a particular sector, security, commodity or investment strategy may prove to be incorrect, and may cause the Fund to incur losses. There can be no assurance that the Adviser's investment techniques and decisions will produce the desired results.

*Market Risk*. Market prices of investments held by the Fund will go up or down, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably. The Fund's investments are subject to changes in general economic conditions, general market fluctuations and the risks inherent in investment in securities markets. Investment markets can be volatile, and prices of investments can change substantially due to various factors, including, but not limited to, economic growth or recession, changes in interest rates, inflation, changes in actual or perceived creditworthiness of issuers and general market liquidity. Even if general economic conditions do not change, the value of an investment in the Fund could decline if the particular industries, sectors or companies in which the Fund invests do not perform well or are adversely affected by events. Further, legal, political, regulatory and tax changes also may cause fluctuations in markets and securities prices. Local, regional or global events such as war, military conflicts, acts of terrorism, trade policy changes or disputes, the threat or actual imposition of tariffs, natural disasters, public health issues, or other events could have a significant impact on the Fund and its investments. Due to the interconnectedness of economies and financial markets throughout the world, whether or not the Fund invests in securities of issuers located in or with significant exposure to countries experiencing economic and financial difficulties, the value and liquidity of the Fund's investments may be negatively affected. A widespread outbreak of an infectious illness, such as COVID-19, and efforts to contain its spread, may

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result in market volatility, inflation, reduced liquidity of certain instruments, disruption in the trading of certain instruments, and systemic economic weakness. The foregoing could impact the Fund and its investments and result in disruptions to the services provided to the Fund by its service providers.

Additionally, in March 2023, the shutdown of certain financial institutions raised economic concerns over disruption in the U.S. banking system. There can be no certainty that the actions taken by the U.S. government to strengthen public confidence in the U.S. banking system will be effective in mitigating the effects of financial institution failures on the economy and restoring public confidence in the U.S. banking system. <br>

*Materials Sector Risk.* Many materials companies are significantly affected by the level and volatility of commodity prices, exchange rates, import controls, worldwide competition, environmental policies and consumer demand. At times, worldwide production of industrial materials has exceeded demand as a result of over-building or economic downturns, leading to poor investment returns or losses. Other risks may include liabilities for environmental damage and general civil liabilities, depletion of resources, and mandated expenditures for safety and pollution control. The materials sector may also be affected by economic cycles, technical progress, labor relations, and government regulations.

*Modeling Risk*. The Adviser uses quantitative models in an effort to enhance returns and manage risk. Any imperfections, errors or limitations in these models could limit any benefit to the Fund from the use of the models, or could result in incorrect outputs or in investment outcomes different from or opposite to those expected or desired by the Adviser. These models may make simplifying assumptions that limit their effectiveness and may draw from historical data that does not adequately identify or reflect factors necessary to an appropriate or useful output. There can be no assurance that the models will behave as expected in all market conditions. In addition, computer programming used to create quantitative models, or the data on which such models operate, might contain one or more errors. Such errors might never be detected, or might be detected only after the Fund has sustained a loss (or reduced performance) related to such errors.

*Portfolio Turnover Risk*. The Fund may engage in frequent trading of its portfolio securities. Fund turnover generally involves a number of direct and indirect costs and expenses to the Fund, including, for example, brokerage commissions, dealer mark-ups and bid/asked spreads, and transaction costs on the sale of securities and reinvestment in other securities. The costs related to increased portfolio turnover have the effect of reducing the Fund's investment return, and the sale of securities by the Fund may result in the realization of taxable capital gains, including short-term capital gains.

*Real Estate Sector Risk*. There are special risks associated with investment in securities of companies engaged in real property markets, including without limitation real estate investment trusts ("REITs") and real estate operating companies. An investment in a real property company may be subject to risks similar to those associated with direct ownership of real estate, including, by way of example, the possibility of declines in the value of real estate, losses from casualty or condemnation, and changes in local and general economic conditions, supply and demand, interest rates, environmental liability, zoning laws, regulatory limitations on rents, property taxes, and operating expenses. An investment in a real property company is subject to additional risks, such as poor performance by the manager of the real property company, adverse changes in tax laws, difficulties in valuing and disposing of real estate, and the effect of general declines in stock prices. Some real property companies have limited diversification because they invest in a limited number of properties, a narrow geographic area, or a single type of property. Also, the organizational documents of a real property company may contain provisions that make changes in control of the company difficult and time-consuming. As a shareholder in a real property company, the Fund, and indirectly the Fund's shareholders, would bear their ratable shares of the real property company's expenses and would at the same time continue to pay their own fees and expenses.

*Technology Sector Risk*. Market or economic factors impacting technology companies and companies that rely heavily on technological advances could have a major effect on the value of the Fund's investments. The value of stocks of technology companies and companies that rely heavily on technology is particularly vulnerable to rapid changes in technology product cycles, rapid product obsolescence, government regulation and competition, both domestically and internationally, including competition from foreign competitors with lower production costs. Technology companies may have limited product lines, markets, financial resources or personnel. Stocks of technology companies and companies that rely heavily on technology, especially those of smaller, less-seasoned companies, tend to be more volatile than

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the overall market. Technology companies are heavily dependent on patent and intellectual property rights, the loss or impairment of which may adversely affect profitability. Additionally, companies in the technology sector may face dramatic and often unpredictable changes in growth rates and competition for the services of qualified personnel.

*Utilities Sector Risk.* Utility companies are affected by supply and demand, operating costs, government regulation, environmental factors, liabilities for environmental damage and general civil liabilities, and rate caps or rate changes. Although rate changes of a regulated utility usually fluctuate in approximate correlation with financing costs, due to political and regulatory factors, rate changes ordinarily occur only following a delay after the changes in financing costs. This factor will tend to favorably affect a regulated utility company's earnings and dividends in times of decreasing costs, but conversely, will tend to adversely affect earnings and dividends when costs are rising. The value of regulated utility equity securities may tend to have an inverse relationship to the movement of interest rates. Certain utility companies have experienced full or partial deregulation in recent years. These utility companies are frequently more similar to industrial companies in that they are subject to greater competition and have been permitted by regulators to diversify outside of their original geographic regions and their traditional lines of business. These opportunities may permit certain utility companies to earn more than their traditional regulated rates of return. Some companies, however, may be forced to defend their core business and may be less profitable. In addition, natural disasters, terrorist attacks, government intervention or other factors may render a utility company's equipment unusable or obsolete and negatively impact profitability.

Among the risks that may affect utility companies are the following: risks of increases in fuel and other operating costs; the high cost of borrowing to finance capital construction during inflationary periods; restrictions on operations and increased costs and delays associated with compliance with environmental and nuclear safety regulations; and the difficulties involved in obtaining natural gas for resale or fuel for generating electricity at reasonable prices. Other risks include those related to the construction and operation of nuclear power plants, the effects of energy conservation and the effects of regulatory changes.

**Non-Principal Risks**

Each risk discussed below is a non-principal risk of the Fund to the extent it is not identified as a principal risk in the preceding "ADDITIONAL RISK INFORMATION - PRINCIPAL RISKS" section.

*Authorized Participants, Market Makers and Liquidity Providers Concentration Risk.* The Fund has a limited number of financial institutions that may act as Authorized Participants ("APs"), which are responsible for the creation and redemption activity for the Fund. In addition, there may be a limited number of market makers and/or liquidity providers in the marketplace. To the extent either of the following events occur, Fund Shares may trade at a material discount to NAV and possibly face delisting: (i) APs exit the business or otherwise become unable to process creation and/or redemption orders and no other APs step forward to perform these services, or (ii) market makers and/or liquidity providers exit the business or significantly reduce their business activities and no other entities step forward to perform their functions.

*Cash Transaction Risk*. To the extent the Fund sells portfolio securities to meet some or all of a redemption request with cash, the Fund may incur taxable gains or losses that it might not have incurred had it made redemptions entirely in-kind. As a result, the Fund may pay out higher annual capital gain distributions than if the in-kind redemption process was used.

*Conflicts of Interest Risk.* An investment in the Fund may be subject to a number of actual or potential conflicts of interest. For example, the Adviser or its affiliates may provide services to the Fund, such as securities lending agency services, custodial, administrative, bookkeeping, and accounting services, transfer agency and shareholder servicing, securities brokerage services, and other services for which the Fund would compensate the Adviser and/or such affiliates. The Fund may invest in other pooled investment vehicles sponsored, managed, or otherwise affiliated with the Adviser. There is no assurance that the rates at which the Fund pays fees or expenses to the Adviser or its affiliates, or the terms on which it enters into transactions with the Adviser or its affiliates will be the most favorable available in the market generally or as favorable as the rates the Adviser makes available to other clients. Because of its financial interest, the Adviser may have an incentive to enter into transactions or arrangements on behalf of the Fund with itself or its affiliates in circumstances where it might not have done so in the absence of that interest.

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The Adviser and its affiliates serve as investment advisers to other clients and may make investment decisions that may be different from those that will be made by the Adviser on behalf of the Fund. For example, the Adviser may provide asset allocation advice to some clients that may include a recommendation to invest in or redeem from particular issuers while not providing that same recommendation to all clients invested in the same or similar issuers. The Adviser may (subject to applicable law) be simultaneously seeking to purchase (or sell) investments for the Fund and to sell (or purchase) the same investment for accounts, funds, or structured products for which it serves as asset manager, or for other clients or affiliates. The Adviser and its affiliates may invest for clients in various securities that are senior, pari passu or junior to, or have interests different from or adverse to, the securities that are owned by the Fund. The Adviser or its affiliates, in connection with its other business activities, may acquire material non-public confidential information that may restrict the Adviser from purchasing securities or selling securities for itself or its clients (including the Fund) or otherwise using such information for the benefit of its clients or itself.

The foregoing does not purport to be a comprehensive list or complete explanation of all potential conflicts of interests which may affect the Fund. The Fund may encounter circumstances, or enter into transactions, in which conflicts of interest that are not listed or discussed above may arise.

*Costs of Buying and Selling Shares*. Investors buying or selling Fund Shares in the secondary market will pay brokerage commissions or other charges imposed by brokers, as determined by that broker. Brokerage commissions are often a fixed amount and may be a significant proportional cost for investors seeking to buy or sell relatively small amounts of Fund Shares. In addition, secondary market investors will also incur the cost of the difference between the price that an investor is willing to pay for Fund Shares (the "bid" price) and the price at which an investor is willing to sell Fund Shares (the "ask" price). This difference in bid and ask prices is often referred to as the "spread" or "bid/ask spread." The bid/ask spread varies over time for Fund Shares based on trading volume and market liquidity, and is generally lower if Fund Shares have more trading volume and market liquidity and higher if Fund Shares have little trading volume and market liquidity. Further, increased market volatility may cause increased bid/ask spreads. Due to the costs of buying or selling Fund Shares, including bid/ask spreads, frequent trading of Fund Shares may significantly reduce investment results and an investment in Fund Shares may not be advisable for investors who anticipate regularly making small investments.

*Counterparty Risk.* The Fund will be subject to credit risk with respect to the counterparties with which the Fund enters into derivatives contracts and other transactions such as repurchase agreements or reverse repurchase agreements. The Fund's ability to profit from these types of investments and transactions will depend on the willingness and ability of its counterparty to perform its obligations. If a counterparty fails to meet its contractual obligations, the Fund may be unable to terminate or realize any gain on the investment or transaction, resulting in a loss to the Fund. The Fund may experience significant delays in obtaining any recovery in an insolvency, bankruptcy, or other reorganization proceeding involving its counterparty (including recovery of any collateral posted by it) and may obtain only a limited recovery or may obtain no recovery in such circumstances. If the Fund holds collateral posted by its counterparty, it may be delayed or prevented from realizing on the collateral in the event of a bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding relating to the counterparty. Under applicable law or contractual provisions, including if the Fund enters into an investment or transaction with a financial institution and such financial institution (or an affiliate of the financial institution) experiences financial difficulties, then the Fund may in certain situations be prevented or delayed from exercising its rights to terminate the investment or transaction, or to realize on any collateral and may result in the suspension of payment and delivery obligations of the parties under such investment or transactions or in another institution being substituted for that financial institution without the consent of the Fund. Further, the Fund may be subject to "bail-in" risk under applicable law whereby, if required by the financial institution's authority, the financial institution's liabilities could be written down, eliminated or converted into equity or an alternative instrument of ownership. A bail-in of a financial institution may result in a reduction in value of some or all of securities and, if the Fund holds such securities or has entered into a transaction with such a financial security when a bail-in occurs, the Fund may also be similarly impacted.

*Cybersecurity Risk*. With the increased use of technologies such as the Internet and the dependence on computer systems to perform business and operational functions, funds (such as the Fund) and their service providers (including the Adviser) may be prone to operational and information security risks resulting from cyber-attacks and/or technological malfunctions. Furthermore, geopolitical tensions may have increased the scale and sophistication of deliberate cybersecurity attacks, particularly those from nation-states or from entities with nation-state backing. In general, cyber-attacks are deliberate, but unintentional events may have similar effects. Cyber-attacks include, among

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others, stealing or corrupting data maintained online or digitally, preventing legitimate users from accessing information or services on a website, releasing confidential information without authorization, and causing operational disruption. Successful cyber-attacks against, or security breakdowns of, the Fund, the Adviser, a custodian, transfer agent, or other affiliated or third-party service provider may adversely affect the Fund or its shareholders. For instance, cyber-attacks or technical malfunctions may interfere with the processing of shareholder or other transactions, affect the Fund's ability to calculate its NAV, cause the release of private shareholder information or confidential Fund information, impede trading, cause reputational damage, and subject the Fund to regulatory fines, penalties or financial losses, reimbursement or other compensation costs, and additional compliance costs. Cyber-attacks or technical malfunctions may render records of Fund assets and transactions, shareholder ownership of Fund Shares, and other data integral to the functioning of the Fund inaccessible or inaccurate or incomplete. The Fund may also incur substantial costs for cybersecurity risk management in order to prevent cyber incidents in the future. The Fund and its shareholders could be negatively impacted as a result. While the Adviser has established business continuity plans and systems designed to minimize the risk of cyber-attacks through the use of technology, processes and controls, there are inherent limitations in such plans and systems, including the possibility that certain risks have not been identified, given the evolving nature of this threat. The use of artificial intelligence and machine learning could exacerbate these risks or result in cyber security incidents that implicate personal data. The Fund relies on third-party service providers for many of its day-to-day operations, and will be subject to the risk that the protections and protocols implemented by those service providers will be ineffective to protect the Fund from cyber-attack. The Adviser does not control the cybersecurity plans and systems put in place by third-party service providers, and such third-party service providers may have limited indemnification obligations to the Adviser or the Fund. Similar types of cybersecurity risks or technical malfunctions also are present for issuers of securities in which the Fund invests, which could result in material adverse consequences for such issuers, and may cause the Fund's investment in such securities to lose value.

*Derivatives Risk.* A derivative is a financial contract the value of which depends on, or is derived from, the value of an underlying asset, interest rate, or index. Derivative transactions typically involve leverage and may have significant volatility. It is possible that a derivative transaction will result in a loss greater than the principal amount invested, and the Fund may not be able to close out a derivative transaction at a favorable time or price. Risks associated with derivative instruments include potential changes in value in response to interest rate changes or other market developments or as a result of the counterparty's credit quality; the potential for the derivative transaction not to have the effect the Adviser anticipated or a different or less favorable effect than the Adviser anticipated; the failure of the counterparty to the derivative transaction to perform its obligations under the transaction or to settle a trade; possible mispricing or improper valuation of the derivative instrument; imperfect correlation in the value of a derivative with the asset, rate, or index underlying the derivative; the risk that the Fund may be required to post collateral or margin with its counterparty, and will not be able to recover the collateral or margin in the event of the counterparty's insolvency or bankruptcy; the risk that the Fund will experience losses on its derivatives investments and on its other portfolio investments, even when the derivatives investments may be intended in part or entirely to hedge those portfolio investments; the risks specific to the asset underlying the derivative instrument; lack of liquidity for the derivative instrument, including without limitation absence of a secondary trading market; the potential for reduced returns to the Fund due to losses on the transaction and an increase in volatility; the potential for the derivative transaction to have the effect of accelerating the recognition of gain; and legal risks arising from the documentation relating to the derivative transaction.

*Leveraging Risk*. Borrowing transactions, reverse repurchase agreements, certain derivatives transactions, securities lending transactions and other investment transactions such as when-issued, delayed-delivery, or forward commitment transactions may create investment leverage. If the Fund engages in transactions that have a leveraging effect on the Fund's investment portfolio, the value of the Fund will be potentially more volatile and all other risks will tend to be compounded. This is because leverage generally creates investment risk with respect to a larger base of assets than the Fund would otherwise have and so magnifies the effect of any increase or decrease in the value of the Fund's underlying assets. The use of leverage is considered to be a speculative investment practice and may result in losses to the Fund. Certain derivatives have the potential for unlimited loss, regardless of the size of the initial investment. The use of leverage may cause the Fund to liquidate positions when it may not be advantageous to do so to satisfy repayment, interest payment, or margin obligations or to meet asset coverage requirements.

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*Money Market Fund Investment Risk*. An investment in a money market fund is not a deposit of any bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency. Certain money market funds seek to preserve the value of their shares at $1.00 per share, although there can be no assurance that they will do so, and it is possible to lose money by investing in such a money market fund. A major or unexpected change in interest rates or a decline in the credit quality of an issuer or entity providing credit support, an inactive trading market for money market instruments, or adverse market, economic, industry, political, regulatory, geopolitical, and other conditions could cause the share price of such a money market fund to fall below $1.00. It is possible that such a money market fund will issue and redeem shares at $1.00 per share at times when the fair value of the money market fund's portfolio per share is more or less than $1.00. None of State Street Corporation, State Street, SSGA FM or their affiliates ("State Street Entities") guarantee the value of an investment in a money market fund at $1.00 per share. Investors should have no expectation of capital support to a money market fund from State Street Entities. Other money market funds price and transact at a "floating" NAV that will fluctuate along with changes in the market-based value of fund assets. Shares sold utilizing a floating NAV may be worth more or less than their original purchase price. Recent changes in the regulation of money market funds may affect the operations and structures of money market funds. A money market fund may be permitted or required to impose redemption fees during times of market stress.

*Portfolio Turnover Risk*. The Fund may engage in frequent trading of its portfolio securities. Fund turnover generally involves a number of direct and indirect costs and expenses to the Fund, including, for example, brokerage commissions, dealer mark-ups and bid/asked spreads, and transaction costs on the sale of securities and reinvestment in other securities. The costs related to increased portfolio turnover have the effect of reducing the Fund's investment return, and the sale of securities by the Fund may result in the realization of taxable capital gains, including short-term capital gains.

*Regulatory Risk.* Governmental and regulatory actions may have unexpected or adverse consequences on particular markets, strategies, or investments, which may adversely impact the Fund and impair how it is managed. Policy and legislative changes in the United States and in other countries may affect aspects of financial regulation, and may in some instances contribute to decreased liquidity and increased volatility in the financial markets. The impact of these changes on the markets, and the practical implications for market participants, may not be fully known for some time.

*Securities Lending Risk.* The Fund may lend portfolio securities in an amount not to exceed 40% of the value of its net assets. For these purposes, net assets shall exclude the value of all assets received as collateral for the loan. Such loans may be terminated at any time. Any such loans must be continuously secured by collateral maintained on a current basis in an amount at least equal to the market value of the securities loaned by the Fund, marked to market each trading day. The Fund will receive the amount of all dividends, interest and other distributions on the loaned securities; however, the borrower has the right to vote the loaned securities. The Fund will call loans to vote proxies if a material issue affecting the investment is to be voted upon. Efforts to recall such securities promptly may be unsuccessful, especially for foreign securities or thinly traded securities. 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. Should the borrower of the securities fail financially, the Fund may experience delays in recovering the securities or exercising its rights in the collateral. Loans are made only to borrowers that are deemed by the securities lending agent to be of good financial standing. In a loan transaction, the Fund will also bear the risk of any decline in value of securities provided as collateral or acquired with cash collateral. The Fund will attempt to minimize this risk by limiting the investment of cash collateral to high quality instruments of short maturity either directly on behalf of the lending Fund or through one or more joint accounts or funds, which may include those managed by the Adviser. In addition, the Fund will be subject to the risk that any income generated by lending its securities or reinvesting cash collateral is lower than any fees the Fund has agreed to pay a borrower. The Adviser will take into account the tax impact to shareholders of substitute payments for dividends when overseeing the Fund's securities lending activity.

*Trading Issues*. Although Fund Shares are listed for trading on the Exchange and may be listed or traded on U.S. and non-U.S. stock exchanges other than the Exchange, there can be no assurance that an active trading market for the Fund Shares will develop or be maintained. Trading in Fund Shares on the Exchange may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the Exchange, make trading in Fund Shares inadvisable. In addition, trading in Fund Shares on the Exchange is subject to trading halts caused by extraordinary market volatility pursuant to Exchange "circuit breaker" rules. Similar to the shares of operating companies listed on a stock exchange, Fund Shares may be sold short and are therefore subject to the risk of increased volatility in the trading price of the Fund's shares. While the Fund expects that the ability of Authorized Participants to create and redeem Fund Shares at NAV

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should be effective in reducing any such volatility, there is no guarantee that it will eliminate the volatility associated with such short sales. There can be no assurance that the requirements of the Exchange necessary to maintain the listing of the Fund will continue to be met or will remain unchanged or that Fund Shares will trade with any volume, or at all, on any stock exchange.

Management

**Investment Adviser**

SSGA FM serves as the investment adviser to the Fund pursuant to an investment advisory agreement ("Investment Advisory Agreement") between the Trust and the Adviser, and, subject to the oversight of the Board, is responsible for the investment management of the Fund. The Adviser provides an investment management program for the Fund and manages the investment of the Fund's assets. In addition, the Adviser provides administrative, compliance and general management services to the Fund. The Adviser is a wholly-owned subsidiary of State Street Investment Management, which itself is a wholly-owned subsidiary of State Street Corporation. The Adviser is registered with the SEC under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended. The Adviser and certain other affiliates of State Street Corporation make up State Street Investment Management. State Street Investment Management is one of the world's largest institutional money managers and the investment management arm of State Street Corporation. As of June 30, 2025, the Adviser managed approximately $[ ] trillion in assets and State Street Investment Management managed approximately $[ ] trillion in assets. The Adviser's principal business address is One Iron Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02210.

For the services provided to the Fund under the Investment Advisory Agreement, for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2025, the Fund paid the Adviser the annual fees based on a percentage of the Fund's average daily net assets as set forth below. The management fee is reduced by any acquired fund fees and expenses attributable to the Fund's investments in other investment companies (except acquired fund fees and expenses associated with holdings of acquired funds for cash management purposes).

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| SPDR SSGA US Sector Rotation ETF | 0.57<br> %<br>|

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From time to time, the Adviser may waive all or a portion of its management fee. The Adviser pays all expenses of the Fund other than the management fee, acquired funds fees and expenses associated with holdings of acquired funds for cash management purposes, brokerage expenses, taxes, interest, fees and expenses of the Independent Trustees (including any Trustee's counsel fees), litigation expenses and other extraordinary expenses.

A discussion regarding the Board's consideration of the Investment Advisory Agreement is provided in the Fund's Form N-CSR filing with the SEC for the period ended June 30, 2025.

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*Portfolio Managers.* <br>The Adviser manages the Fund using a team of investment professionals. The team approach is used to create an environment that encourages the flow of investment ideas. The portfolio managers within the team work together in a cohesive manner to develop and enhance techniques that drive the investment process for the investment strategy. This approach requires portfolio managers to share a variety of responsibilities, including investment strategy and analysis, while retaining responsibility for the implementation of the strategy within any particular portfolio. The approach also enables the team to draw upon the resources of other groups within State Street Investment Management. The portfolio management team is overseen by State Street Investment Management's internal governance.

The professionals primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund are: Michael Martel, Jeremiah Holly, Emiliano Rabinovich and Juan Acevedo.

Michael Martel is a Managing Director of State Street Investment Management and Head of Portfolio Management in the Americas for State Street Investment Management's Investment Solutions Group (ISG). In this role, he is responsible for the design and management of multi-asset class strategies geared towards meeting the investment objectives of a broad and diverse client base. His work with clients includes aligning assets with long and short-term investment objectives, tactical asset allocation, and employing overlay strategies to enhance return and better manage risks. Prior to this role, Mr. Martel led ISG's Exposure Management Team. He has been working in the investment management field since 1992. Mr. Martel holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from the College of the Holy Cross and Master degrees in both Finance and Business Administration from the Carroll School of Management at Boston College.

Jeremiah Holly, CFA, is a Vice President of State Street Investment Management and a Senior Portfolio Manager in the Investment Solutions Group (ISG). In this role, he is responsible for managing a variety of multi-asset class portfolios, including tactical asset allocation strategies and model portfolio strategies. He is actively involved in the investment research that underpins the team's views across capital markets and also plays a key role in articulating those perspectives and ideas to clients. Before joining ISG, Mr. Holly was a member of the firm's Consultant Relations department supporting asset allocation and fixed income investment strategies. Prior to joining State Street Investment Management in 2005, Mr. Holly worked as a research analyst at Chmura Economics & Analytics, an economic research firm in Richmond, Virginia. Mr. Holly graduated from the University of Richmond with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics. He earned the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation and is a member of both CFA Society Boston, Inc. and CFA Institute. He also serves on the Board of Directors for Tutoring Plus of Cambridge, a nonprofit tutoring and mentoring organization based in Cambridge, MA.

Emiliano Rabinovich, CFA, is a Managing Director of State Street Investment Management and Co-Head of the Systematic Equity Team in the Americas. Within this team, he is the strategy leader for their Tax Aware, Smart Beta and ESG products. Mr. Rabinovich manages a varied mix of portfolios that include both traditional indexing as well as a variety of alternative beta mandates. He also manages local and global strategies and fund structures, which include separately managed accounts, commingled funds, mutual funds and ETFs. Mr. Rabinovich joined State Street Investment Management in Montreal in 2006, where he served as the Head of the Indexing team in Canada. He has been working in the investment management field since 2003. Mr. Rabinovich holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of Buenos Aires and a Master of Arts in Economics from the University of CEMA. He has also earned the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation and is a member of CFA Society Boston, Inc.

Juan Acevedo is a Vice President of State Street Investment Management and a Senior Portfolio Manager in the Systematic Equity Team. He is responsible for managing equity index, smart beta and tax-efficient quantitative strategies for institutional clients and high net worth individuals. Prior to his current role, Mr. Acevedo was a portfolio manager in State Street Investment Management's Implementation Group, where he was responsible for the daily management of active and passive strategies, with an additional focus on mass construction of separately managed accounts. Mr. Acevedo received a Bachelor of Arts in International Business from Providence College. Additionally, he received a Master of Science in Investment Management and a Master of Business Administration with a Finance concentration from the Questrom School of Business at Boston University.

Additional information about the portfolio managers' compensation, other accounts managed by the portfolio managers, and the portfolio managers' ownership of the Fund is available in the SAI.

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*Administrator, Sub-Administrator, Custodian and Transfer Agent.* The Adviser serves as Administrator for the Fund. State Street, part of State Street Corporation, is the Sub-Administrator for the Fund and the Custodian for the Fund's assets, and serves as Transfer Agent to the Fund.

*Lending Agent.* State Street serves as the securities lending agent for the Trust. For its services, the lending agent would typically receive a portion of the net investment income, if any, earned on the collateral for the securities loaned.

*Distributor.* State Street Global Advisors Funds Distributors, LLC serves as the Fund's distributor ("SSGA FD" or the "Distributor") pursuant to the Distribution Agreement between SSGA FD and the Trust. The Distributor will not distribute Fund Shares in less than Creation Units, and it does not maintain a secondary market in Fund Shares. The Distributor may enter into selected dealer agreements with other broker-dealers or other qualified financial institutions for the sale of Creation Units of Fund Shares.

*Additional Information*. The Board oversees generally the operations of the Fund and the Trust. The Trust enters into contractual arrangements with various parties, including, among others, the Fund's investment adviser, custodian, transfer agent, and accountants, who provide services to the Fund. Shareholders are not parties to any such contractual arrangements or intended beneficiaries of those contractual arrangements, and those contractual arrangements are not intended to create in any shareholder any right to enforce them directly against the service providers or to seek any remedy under them directly against the service providers.

This Prospectus provides information concerning the Trust and the Fund that you should consider in determining whether to purchase Fund Shares. Neither this Prospectus nor the related SAI is intended, or should be read, to be or give rise to an agreement or contract between the Trust or the Fund and any investor, or to give rise to any rights in any shareholder or other person other than any rights under federal or state law that may not be waived.

Trademark Licenses/Disclaimers

*SPDR Trademark.* The "SPDR" trademark is used under license from Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC ("S&P"). No Fund offered by the Trust or its affiliates is sponsored, endorsed, sold or marketed by S&P or its affiliates. S&P makes no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of the Fund or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in the Fund particularly. S&P is not responsible for and has not participated in any determination or calculation made with respect to issuance or redemption of Fund Shares. S&P has no obligation or liability in connection with the administration, marketing or trading of the Fund.

WITHOUT LIMITING ANY OF THE FOREGOING, IN NO EVENT SHALL S&P HAVE ANY LIABILITY FOR ANY SPECIAL, PUNITIVE, INDIRECT, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, LOST PROFITS), EVEN IF NOTIFIED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.

Additional Purchase and Sale Information

Fund Shares are listed for secondary trading on the Exchange and individual Fund Shares may only be purchased and sold in the secondary market through a broker-dealer. The secondary markets are closed on weekends and also are generally closed on the following holidays: New Year's Day, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents' Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day (observed), Juneteenth National Independence Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. The Exchange may close early on the business day before certain holidays and on the day after Thanksgiving Day. Exchange holiday schedules are subject to change without notice. If you buy or sell Fund Shares in the secondary market, you will pay the secondary market price for Fund Shares. In addition, you may incur customary brokerage commissions and charges and may pay some or all of the spread between the bid and the offered price in the secondary market on each leg of a round trip (purchase and sale) transaction.

The trading prices of Fund Shares will fluctuate continuously throughout trading hours based on market supply and demand rather than the relevant Fund's NAV, which is calculated at the end of each business day. Fund Shares will trade on the Exchange at prices that may be above (*i.e*., at a premium) or below (*i.e*., at a discount), to varying degrees, the daily NAV of Fund Shares. The trading prices of Fund Shares may deviate significantly from the relevant Fund's NAV during periods of market volatility. Given, however, that Fund Shares can be issued and redeemed daily in Creation Units, the Adviser believes that large discounts and premiums to NAV should not be sustained over long periods.

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The Exchange will disseminate, every fifteen seconds during the regular trading day, an indicative optimized portfolio value ("IOPV") relating to the Fund. The IOPV calculations are estimates of the value of the Fund's NAV per Fund Share. Premiums and discounts between the IOPV and the market price may occur. This should not be viewed as a "real-time" update of the NAV per Fund Share. The IOPV is based on the current market value of the published basket of portfolio securities and/or cash required to be deposited in exchange for a Creation Unit and does not necessarily reflect the precise composition of the Fund's actual portfolio at a particular point in time. Moreover, the IOPV is generally determined by using current market quotations and/or price quotations obtained from broker-dealers and other market intermediaries and valuations based on current market rates. The IOPV may not be calculated in the same manner as the NAV, which (i) is computed only once a day, (ii) unlike the calculation of the IOPV, takes into account Fund expenses, and (iii) may be subject, in accordance with the requirements of the 1940 Act, to fair valuation at different prices than those used in the calculations of the IOPV. The IOPV price is based on quotes and closing prices from the securities' local market converted into U.S. dollars at the current currency rates and may not reflect events that occur subsequent to the local market's close. Therefore, the IOPV may not reflect the best possible valuation of the Fund's current portfolio. Neither the Fund nor the Adviser or any of their affiliates are involved in, or responsible for, the calculation or dissemination of such IOPVs and make no warranty as to their accuracy.

The Portfolio does not impose any restrictions on the frequency of purchases and redemptions; however, the Fund reserve the right to reject or limit purchases at any time as described in the SAI. When considering that no restriction or policy was necessary, the Board evaluated the risks posed by market timing activities, such as whether frequent purchases and redemptions would interfere with the efficient implementation of the Fund's investment strategy, or whether they would cause the Fund to experience increased transaction costs. The Board considered that, unlike traditional mutual funds, Fund Shares are issued and redeemed only in large quantities of shares known as Creation Units, available only from the Fund directly, and that most trading in the Fund occurs on the Exchange at prevailing market prices and does not involve the Fund directly. Given this structure, the Board determined that it is unlikely that (a) market timing would be attempted by the Fund's shareholders or (b) any attempts to market time the Fund by shareholders would result in negative impact to the Fund or its shareholders.

Distributions

*Dividends and Capital Gains.* As a Fund shareholder, you are entitled to your share of the applicable Fund's income and net realized gains on its investments. The Fund pays out substantially all of its net earnings to its shareholders as "distributions."

The Fund may earn dividends from stocks, interest from debt securities and, if participating, securities lending income. These amounts, net of expenses and taxes (if applicable), are passed along to Fund shareholders as "income dividend distributions." The Fund will generally be treated as realizing short-term capital gains or losses whenever it sells or exchanges assets held for one year or less. Net short-term capital gains will generally be treated as ordinary income when distributed to shareholders. The Fund will generally be treated as realizing long-term capital gains or losses whenever it sells or exchanges assets held for more than one year. Net capital gains (the excess of the Fund's net long-term capital gains over its net short-term capital losses) are distributed to shareholders as "capital gain distributions."

Income dividend distributions, if any, for the Fund are generally distributed to shareholders quarterly, but may vary significantly from period to period.

Net capital gains for the Fund are distributed at least annually. Dividends may be declared and paid more frequently or at any other time to comply with the distribution requirements of the Internal Revenue Code.

Distributions in cash may be reinvested automatically in additional whole Fund Shares only if the broker through whom you purchased Fund Shares makes such option available. Distributions which are reinvested will nevertheless be taxable to the same extent as if such distributions had not been reinvested.

Portfolio Holdings Disclosure

The Fund's portfolio holdings disclosure policy is described in the SAI. In addition, the identities and quantities of the securities held by the Fund are disclosed on the Fund's website.

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Additional Tax Information

The following discussion is a summary of some important U.S. federal income tax considerations generally applicable to an investment in the Fund. Your investment in the Fund may have other tax implications. Please consult your tax advisor about federal, state, local, foreign or other tax laws applicable to you. Investors, including non-U.S. investors, may wish to consult the SAI tax section for additional disclosure.

The Fund has elected or will elect to be a regulated investment company and intends to qualify each year to be treated as such. A regulated investment company is generally not subject to tax at the corporate level on income and gains that are distributed to shareholders. However, the Fund's failure to qualify for treatment as a regulated investment company may result in corporate level taxation, and consequently, a reduction in income available for distribution to shareholders.

*Taxes On Distributions.* In general, your distributions (other than exempt-interest dividends) are subject to federal income tax when they are paid, whether you take them in cash or reinvest them in the Fund. The income dividends and short-term capital gains distributions you receive from the Fund will be taxed as either ordinary income or qualified dividend income. Subject to certain limitations, dividends that are reported by the Fund as qualified dividend income are taxable to noncorporate shareholders at reduced rates. Any distributions of the Fund's net capital gains are taxable as long-term capital gain regardless of how long you have owned Fund Shares. Long-term capital gains are generally taxed to noncorporate shareholders at reduced rates. Distributions in excess of the Fund's current and accumulated earnings and profits are treated as a tax-free return of capital to the extent of your basis in the applicable Fund's shares, and, in general, as capital gain thereafter.

In general, dividends may be reported by the Fund as qualified dividend income if they are attributable to qualified dividend income received by the Fund, which, in general, includes dividend income from taxable U.S. corporations and certain foreign corporations (*i.e*., certain foreign corporations incorporated in a possession of the United States or in certain countries with a comprehensive tax treaty with the United States, and certain other foreign corporations if the stock with respect to which the dividend is paid is readily tradable on an established securities market in the United States), 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. A dividend generally will not be treated as qualified dividend income if the dividend is received with respect to any share of stock held by the Fund for fewer than 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, for fewer than 91 days during the 181-day period beginning 90 days before such date. These holding period requirements will also apply to your ownership of Fund Shares. Holding periods may be suspended for these purposes for stock that is hedged.

If you lend your Fund Shares pursuant to securities lending arrangements you may lose the ability to treat Fund dividends (paid while the Fund Shares are held by the borrower) as qualified dividend income. You should consult your financial intermediary or tax advisor to discuss your particular circumstances.

Distributions paid in January, but declared by the Fund in October, November or December of the previous year, payable to shareholders of record in such a month, may be taxable to you in the calendar year in which they were declared. The Fund will inform you of the amount of your ordinary income dividends, qualified dividend income and capital gain distributions shortly after the close of each calendar year.

A distribution will reduce the Fund's NAV per Fund Share and may be taxable to you as ordinary income or capital gain even though, from an investment standpoint, the distribution may constitute a return of capital.

*Original Issue Discount*. Investments by the Fund in zero coupon or other discount securities will result in income to the Fund equal to a portion of the excess face value of the securities over their issue price (the "original issue discount" or "OID") each year that the securities are held, even though the Fund may receive no cash interest payments or may receive cash interest payments that are less than the income recognized for tax purposes. In other circumstances, whether pursuant to the terms of a security or as a result of other factors outside the control of the Fund, the Fund may recognize income without receiving a commensurate amount of cash. The Fund's share of such income is included in determining the amount that the Fund must distribute to maintain its eligibility for treatment as a regulated investment company and to avoid the payment of federal tax, including the nondeductible 4% excise tax. Where such

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income is not matched by a corresponding cash receipt by the Fund, the Fund may be required to borrow money or dispose of securities to enable the Fund to make distributions to its shareholders in order to qualify for treatment as a regulated investment company and eliminate taxes at the Fund level, potentially resulting in additional taxable gain or loss to the Fund.

*Inflation-Indexed Bonds.* Special rules apply if the Fund holds inflation-indexed bonds. Generally, all stated interest on inflation-indexed bonds is taken into income by the Fund under its regular method of accounting for interest income. The amount of any positive inflation adjustment for a taxable year, which results from an increase in the inflation-adjusted principal amount of the bond, is treated as OID. The amount of the Fund's OID in a taxable year with respect to a bond will increase the Fund's taxable income for such year without a corresponding receipt of cash until the bond matures. As a result, the Fund may need to use other sources of cash to satisfy its distribution requirements for such year. The amount of any negative inflation adjustments, which result from a decrease in the inflation-adjusted principal amount of the bond, first reduces the amount of interest (including stated interest, OID, and market discount, if any) otherwise includible in the Fund's income with respect to the bond for the taxable year; any remaining negative adjustments will be either treated as ordinary loss or, in certain circumstances, carried forward to reduce the amount of interest income taken into account with respect to the bond in future taxable years.

*Market Discount.* Any market discount recognized on a market discount bond is taxable as ordinary income. A market discount bond is a bond acquired in the secondary market at a price below redemption value or below adjusted issue price if the bond was issued with original issue discount. Absent an election by the Fund to include the market discount in income as it accrues, the gain on the Fund's disposition of such an obligation will be treated as ordinary income rather than capital gain to the extent of the accrued market discount. Where the income required to be recognized as a result of the market discount rules is not matched by a corresponding cash receipt by the Fund, the Fund may be required to borrow money or dispose of securities to enable the Fund to make distributions to its shareholders in order to qualify for treatment as a regulated investment company and eliminate taxes at the Fund level, potentially resulting in additional taxable gain or loss to the Fund.

*Derivatives and Other Complex Securities.* The Fund may invest in complex securities. These investments may be subject to numerous special and complex rules. These rules could affect whether gains and losses recognized by the Fund are treated as ordinary income or capital gain, accelerate the recognition of income to the Fund and/or defer the Fund's ability to recognize losses. In turn, these rules may affect the amount, timing or character of the income distributed to you by the Fund. You should consult your personal tax advisor regarding the application of these rules.

*Foreign Currency Transactions.* The Fund's transactions in foreign currencies, foreign currency denominated debt obligations and certain foreign currency options, futures contracts and forward contracts (and similar instruments) may give rise to ordinary income or loss to the extent such income or loss results from fluctuations in the value of the foreign currency concerned.

*Foreign Income Taxes.* Investment income received by the Fund from sources within foreign countries may be subject to foreign income taxes withheld at the source. The United States has entered into tax treaties with many foreign countries which may entitle the Fund to a reduced rate of such taxes or exemption from taxes on such income. It is impossible to determine the effective rate of foreign tax for the Fund in advance since the amount of the assets to be invested within various countries is not known. If more than 50% of the total assets of the Fund at the close of its taxable year consist of certain foreign stocks or securities, the Fund may elect to "pass through" to you certain foreign income taxes (including withholding taxes) paid by the Fund. If at least 50% of a Fund's assets consist of stock of other regulated investment companies, the Fund may also make such an election. If the Fund in which you hold Fund Shares makes such an election, you will be considered to have received as an additional dividend your share of such foreign 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 federal income tax. No deduction for such taxes will be permitted to individuals in computing their alternative minimum tax liability. If the Fund does not so elect, the Fund will be entitled to claim a deduction for certain foreign taxes incurred by the Fund. Under certain circumstances, if the Fund receives a refund of foreign taxes paid in respect of a prior year, the value of Fund Shares could be affected or any foreign tax credits or deductions passed through to shareholders in respect of the Fund's foreign taxes for the current year could be reduced.

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*Real Estate Investments.* Non-U.S. persons are generally subject to U.S. tax on a disposition of a "United States real property interest" (a "USRPI"). Gain on such a disposition is generally referred to as "FIRPTA gain." The Internal Revenue Code provides a look-through rule for distributions of so-called FIRPTA gain by the Fund if certain requirements are met. If the look-through rule applies, certain distributions attributable to income received by the Fund, e.g., from U.S. REITs, may be treated as gain from the disposition of a USRPI, causing distributions to be subject to U.S. withholding taxes, and requiring non-U.S. investors to file nonresident U.S. income tax returns. Also, gain may be subject to a 30% branch profits tax in the hands of a foreign stockholder that is treated as a corporation for federal income tax purposes. Under certain circumstances, Fund Shares may qualify as USRPIs, which could result in 15% withholding on certain distributions and gross redemption proceeds paid to certain non-U.S. shareholders.

For tax years beginning before January 1, 2026, a noncorporate taxpayer is generally eligible for a deduction of up to 20% of the taxpayer's "qualified REIT dividends." If the Fund receives dividends (other than capital gain dividends) in respect of U.S. REIT shares, the Fund may report its own dividends as eligible for the 20% deduction, to the extent the Fund's income is derived from such qualified REIT dividends, as reduced by allocable Fund expenses. In order for the Fund's dividends to be eligible for this deduction when received by a noncorporate shareholder, the Fund must meet certain holding period requirements with respect to the U.S. REIT shares on which the Fund received the eligible dividends, and the noncorporate shareholder must meet certain holding period requirements with respect to the Fund Shares.

*Taxes on Exchange-Listed Share Sales.* Any capital gain or loss realized upon a sale of Fund Shares is generally treated as long-term capital gain or loss if Fund Shares have been held for more than one year and as short-term capital gain or loss if Fund Shares have been held for one year or less, except that any capital loss on the sale of Fund 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 the Fund Shares.

*Taxes on Creations and Redemptions of Creation Units.* A person who exchanges securities for Creation Units generally will recognize a gain or loss. The gain or loss will be equal to the difference between the market value of the Creation Units at the time and the exchanger's aggregate basis in the securities surrendered plus any cash paid for the Creation Units. A person who exchanges Creation Units for securities will generally recognize a gain or loss equal to the difference between the exchanger's basis in the Creation Units and the aggregate market value of the securities and the amount of cash received. The Internal Revenue Service (the "IRS"), however, may assert that a loss realized upon an exchange of securities for Creation Units cannot be deducted currently under the rules governing "wash sales," or on the basis that there has been no significant change in economic position. Persons exchanging securities should consult their own tax advisor with respect to whether wash sale rules apply and when a loss might be deductible.

Under current federal tax laws, any capital gain or loss realized upon a redemption (or creation) of Creation Units is generally treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the applicable Fund Shares (or securities surrendered) have been held for more than one year and as a short-term capital gain or loss if the applicable Fund Shares (or securities surrendered) have been held for one year or less.

If you create or redeem Creation Units, you will be sent a confirmation statement showing how many Fund Shares you purchased or sold and at what price.

The Trust on behalf of the Fund has the right to reject an order for Creation Units if the purchaser (or a group of purchasers) would, upon obtaining the Fund Shares so ordered, own 80% or more of the outstanding shares of the applicable Fund and if, pursuant to Section 351 of the Internal Revenue Code, the Fund would have a basis in the securities different from the market value of the securities on the date of deposit. The Trust also has the right to require information necessary to determine beneficial share ownership for purposes of the 80% determination. If the Trust does issue Creation Units to a purchaser (or a group of purchasers) that would, upon obtaining the Fund Shares so ordered, own 80% or more of the outstanding shares of the Fund, the purchaser (or group of purchasers) will not recognize gain or loss upon the exchange of securities for Creation Units.

If a Fund redeems Creation Units in cash, it may bear additional costs and recognize more capital gains than it would if it redeems Creation Units in-kind.

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*Certain Tax-Exempt Investors.* The Fund, if investing in certain limited real estate investments and other publicly traded partnerships, may be required to pass through certain "excess inclusion income" and other income as "unrelated business taxable income" ("UBTI"). Prior to investing in the Fund, tax-exempt investors sensitive to UBTI should consult their tax advisors regarding this issue and IRS pronouncements addressing the treatment of such income in the hands of such investors.

*Investments In Certain Foreign Corporations.* The Fund may invest in foreign entities classified as passive foreign investment companies or "PFICs" or controlled foreign corporations or "CFCs" under the Internal Revenue Code. PFIC and CFC investments are subject to complex rules that may under certain circumstances adversely affect the Fund. Accordingly, investors should consult their own tax advisors and carefully consider the tax consequences of PFIC and CFC investments by the Fund before making an investment in the Fund. Fund dividends attributable to dividends received from PFICs generally will not be treated as qualified dividend income. Additional information pertaining to the potential tax consequences to the Fund, and to the shareholders, from the Fund's potential investment in PFICs and CFCs can be found in the SAI.

*Non-U.S. Investors.* Ordinary income dividends paid by the Fund to shareholders who are non-resident aliens or foreign entities will generally be subject to a 30% U.S. withholding tax (other than distributions reported by the Fund as interest-related dividends and short-term capital gain dividends), unless a lower treaty rate applies or unless such income is effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business. In general, the Fund may report interest-related dividends to the extent of its net income derived from U.S. source interest and the Fund may report short-term capital gain dividends to the extent its net short-term capital gain for the taxable year exceeds its net long-term capital loss. Gains on the sale of Fund Shares and dividends that are, in each case, effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business within the U.S. will generally be subject to U.S. federal net income taxation at regular income tax rates. Non-U.S. shareholders that own, directly or indirectly, more than 5% of the Fund's shares are urged to consult their own tax advisors concerning special tax rules that may apply to their investment.

Unless certain non-U.S. entities that hold Fund Shares comply with IRS requirements that will generally require them to report information regarding U.S. persons investing in, or holding accounts with, such entities, a 30% withholding tax may apply to distributions (other than exempt-interest dividends) payable to such entities. A non-U.S. shareholder may be exempt from the withholding described in this paragraph under an applicable intergovernmental agreement between the U.S. and a foreign government, provided that the shareholder and the applicable foreign government comply with the terms of such agreement.

*Backup Withholding.* The Fund will be required in certain cases to withhold (as "backup withholding") on amounts (including exempt-interest dividends) payable to any shareholder who (1) has provided the Fund either an incorrect tax identification number or no number at all, (2) is subject to backup withholding by the IRS for failure to properly report payments of interest or dividends, (3) has failed to certify to the Fund that such shareholder is not subject to backup withholding, or (4) has not certified that such shareholder is a U.S. person (including a U.S. resident alien). The backup withholding rate is currently 24%. Backup withholding will not be applied to payments that have been subject to the 30% withholding tax on shareholders who are neither citizens nor permanent residents of the United States.

*Other Tax Issues.* The Fund may be subject to tax in certain states where the Fund does business (or is treated as doing business as a result of its investments). Furthermore, in those states which have income tax laws, the tax treatment of the Fund and of Fund shareholders with respect to distributions by the Fund may differ from federal tax treatment.

The foregoing discussion summarizes some of the consequences under current federal income tax law of an investment in the Fund. It is not a substitute for personal tax advice. Consult your personal tax advisor about the potential tax consequences of an investment in the Fund under all applicable tax laws.

General Information

The Trust was organized as a Massachusetts business trust on March 30, 2011. If shareholders of the Fund are required to vote on any matters, shareholders are entitled to one vote for each Fund Share they own. Annual meetings of shareholders will not be held except as required by the 1940 Act and other applicable law. See the SAI for more information concerning the Trust's form of organization.

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**Management and Organization**

The Fund is a separate series of the Trust, which is an open-end registered management investment company.

From time to time, the Fund may advertise yield and total return figures. Yield is a historical measure of dividend income, and total return is a measure of past dividend income (assuming that it has been reinvested) plus capital appreciation. Neither yield nor total return should be used to predict the future performance of the Fund.

Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP serves as counsel to the Trust, including the Fund. [ ] serves as the independent registered public accounting firm and will audit the Fund's financial statements annually.

Financial Highlights

These financial highlight tables are intended to help you understand the Fund's financial performance for the past five fiscal years. Certain information reflects the performance results for a single Fund Share. The total returns in the table represent the rate that an investor would have earned (or lost) on an investment in the Fund (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions). This information has been audited by [ ], the Trust's independent registered public accounting firm, whose report, along with the Fund's financial highlights and financial statements, are included in the Fund's Form N-CSR filing, which is available upon request. Any references to Notes in these financial highlight tables refer to the "Notes to Financial Statements" section of the Fund's financial statements, and the financial information included in these tables should be read in conjunction with the financial statements incorporated by reference in the SAI.

[To be provided by subsequent amendment]

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Where to Learn More About the Fund

This Prospectus does not contain all the information included in the Registration Statement filed with the SEC with respect to Fund Shares. An SAI, Form N-CSR and the annual and semi-annual reports to shareholders, each of which has been or will be filed with the SEC, provide more information about the Fund. The Prospectus and SAI may be supplemented from time to time. In the annual report, you will find a discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund's performance during the Fund's last fiscal year, as applicable. In the Form N-CSR, you will find the Fund's annual and semi-annual financial statements. The SAI is incorporated herein by reference (*i.e.*, it is legally part of this Prospectus). These materials may be obtained without charge, upon request, by writing to the Distributor, State Street Global Advisors Funds Distributors, LLC, One Iron Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02210, by visiting the Fund's website at www.statestreet.com/im or by calling the following number:

**Investor Information: 1-866-787-2257** 

The Registration Statement, including this Prospectus, the SAI, and the exhibits as well as any shareholder reports may be reviewed on the EDGAR Database on the SEC's website (http://www.sec.gov). You may also obtain copies of this and other information, after paying a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following E-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov.

Shareholder inquiries may be directed to the Fund in writing to State Street Global Advisors Funds Distributors, LLC, One Iron Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02210, or by calling the Investor Information number listed above.

**No person has been authorized to give any information or to make any representations other than those contained in this Prospectus in connection with the offer of Fund Shares, and, if given or made, the information or representations must not be relied upon as having been authorized by the Trust or the Fund. Neither the delivery of this Prospectus nor any sale of Fund Shares shall under any circumstance imply that the information contained herein is correct as of any date after the date of this Prospectus.**

**Dealers effecting transactions in Fund Shares, whether or not participating in this distribution, are generally required to deliver a Prospectus. This is in addition to any obligation of dealers to deliver a Prospectus when acting as underwriters.**

ACTSTATPRO

The Trust's Investment Company Act Number is 811-22542.

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**SUBJECT TO COMPLETION. THE INFORMATION IN THIS STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IS NOT COMPLETE AND MAY BE CHANGED. THIS STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IS NOT AN OFFER TO SELL THESE SECURITIES AND IT IS NOT SOLICITING AN OFFER TO BUY THESE SECURITIES IN ANY STATE WHERE THE OFFER OR SALE IS NOT PERMITTED.** <br>

**SSGA ACTIVE TRUST (THE "TRUST")**

**STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION**

[October 31, 2025]

This Statement of Additional Information ("SAI") is not a prospectus. With respect to each of the Trust's series listed below, this SAI should be read in conjunction with the prospectus dated [October 31, 2025] (the "Prospectus"), as may be revised from time to time.

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **FUND** | **TICKER** |
| SPDR<sup>®</sup> Blackstone High Income ETF | HYBL |
| SPDR Blackstone Senior Loan ETF | SRLN |
| SPDR DoubleLine<sup>®</sup> Emerging Markets Fixed Income ETF | EMTL  |
| SPDR DoubleLine Short Duration Total Return Tactical ETF | STOT  |
| SPDR DoubleLine Total Return Tactical ETF | TOTL |
| SPDR Loomis Sayles Opportunistic Bond ETF | OBND |
| SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ETF | MBND |
| SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ESG ETF | MBNE |
| SPDR SSGA Fixed Income Sector Rotation ETF | FISR |
| SPDR SSGA Global Allocation ETF | GAL |
| SPDR SSGA Income Allocation ETF | INKM |
| SPDR SSGA Multi-Asset Real Return ETF | RLY |
| SPDR SSGA Ultra Short Term Bond ETF | ULST |
| SPDR SSGA US Sector Rotation ETF | XLSR |

---

Principal U.S. Listing Exchange for each ETF: NYSE Arca, Inc. (except HYBL, EMTL, STOT, OBND, MBND and MBNE are listed on Cboe BZX Exchange, Inc.)

Capitalized terms used herein that are not defined have the same meaning as in the Prospectus, unless otherwise noted. Copies of the Prospectus, the Trust's Form N-CSR filing and the Funds' (defined herein) Annual Reports to Shareholders dated June 30, 2025 may be obtained without charge by writing to State Street Global Advisors Funds Distributors, LLC, the Funds' principal underwriter (referred to herein as "Distributor" or "Principal Underwriter"), One Iron Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02210, by visiting the Trust's website at https://www.statestreet.com/im or by calling 1-866-787-2257. The Reports of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm, financial highlights and financial statements of the Funds included in the Trust's Form N-CSR filing for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2025 are incorporated by reference into this SAI.

ACTSAI

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**TABLE OF CONTENTS**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| [General Description of the Trust](#xx_d40e4a1e-2a8c-4090-a276-1cce29ec23a2_1) | &nbsp;&nbsp; 3 |
| [Investment Policies](#xx_d40e4a1e-2a8c-4090-a276-1cce29ec23a2_2) | &nbsp;&nbsp; 4 |
| [Special Considerations and Risks](#xx_d40e4a1e-2a8c-4090-a276-1cce29ec23a2_38) | &nbsp;&nbsp; 40 |
| [Investment Restrictions](#xx_d40e4a1e-2a8c-4090-a276-1cce29ec23a2_51) | &nbsp;&nbsp; 53 |
| [Exchange Listing and Trading](#xx_d40e4a1e-2a8c-4090-a276-1cce29ec23a2_53) | &nbsp;&nbsp; 55 |
| [Management of the Trust](#xx_d40e4a1e-2a8c-4090-a276-1cce29ec23a2_54) | &nbsp;&nbsp; 56 |
| [Investment Advisory and Other Services](#xx_d40e4a1e-2a8c-4090-a276-1cce29ec23a2_63) | &nbsp;&nbsp; 65 |
| [Brokerage Transactions](#xx_d40e4a1e-2a8c-4090-a276-1cce29ec23a2_110) | &nbsp;&nbsp; 112 |
| [Book Entry Only System](#xx_d40e4a1e-2a8c-4090-a276-1cce29ec23a2_119) | &nbsp;&nbsp; 121 |
| [Control Persons and Principal Holders of Securities](#xx_d40e4a1e-2a8c-4090-a276-1cce29ec23a2_120) | &nbsp;&nbsp; 122 |
| [Purchase and Redemption of Creation Units](#xx_d40e4a1e-2a8c-4090-a276-1cce29ec23a2_125) | &nbsp;&nbsp; 127 |
| [Determination of Net Asset Value](#xx_d40e4a1e-2a8c-4090-a276-1cce29ec23a2_132) | &nbsp;&nbsp; 134 |
| [Dividends and Distributions](#xx_d40e4a1e-2a8c-4090-a276-1cce29ec23a2_133) | &nbsp;&nbsp; 135 |
| [Taxes](#xx_d40e4a1e-2a8c-4090-a276-1cce29ec23a2_133) | &nbsp;&nbsp; 135 |
| [Capital Stock and Other Securities](#xx_d40e4a1e-2a8c-4090-a276-1cce29ec23a2_143) | &nbsp;&nbsp; 145 |
| [Counsel and Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm](#xx_d40e4a1e-2a8c-4090-a276-1cce29ec23a2_144) | &nbsp;&nbsp; 146 |
| [Local Market Holiday Schedules](#xx_d40e4a1e-2a8c-4090-a276-1cce29ec23a2_144) | &nbsp;&nbsp; 146 |
| [Financial Statements](#xx_d40e4a1e-2a8c-4090-a276-1cce29ec23a2_144) | &nbsp;&nbsp; 146 |
| [Appendices](#xx_228061df-6f3e-4e65-a95f-2362f3b1d92d_1) | &nbsp;&nbsp; A-1 |

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**General Description of the Trust**

The Trust is an open-end management investment company, registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"). The Trust was organized as a Massachusetts business trust on March 30, 2011, and consists of multiple investment series (each, a "Fund" and collectively, the "Funds"). The table below provides the establishment date for each Fund:

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Fund Name** | **Establishment Date** |
| SPDR<sup>®</sup> Blackstone High Income ETF | November 9, 2021 |
| SPDR Blackstone Senior Loan ETF | February 22, 2011 |
| SPDR DoubleLine<sup>®</sup> Emerging Markets Fixed Income ETF | August 26, 2015 |
| SPDR DoubleLine Short Duration Total Return Tactical <br> ETF<br>| August 26, 2015 |
| SPDR DoubleLine Total Return Tactical ETF | May 29, 2014 |
| SPDR Loomis Sayles Opportunistic Bond ETF | February 25, 2021 |
| SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ETF | November 11, 2020 |
| SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ESG ETF | June 24, 2021 |
| SPDR SSGA Fixed Income Sector Rotation ETF | May 26, 2016 |
| SPDR SSGA Global Allocation ETF | February 22, 2011 |
| SPDR SSGA Income Allocation ETF | February 22, 2011 |
| SPDR SSGA Multi-Asset Real Return ETF | February 22, 2011 |
| SPDR SSGA Ultra Short Term Bond ETF | August 1, 2012 |
| SPDR SSGA US Sector Rotation ETF | November 12, 2015 |

---

The offering of each Fund's shares ("Shares") is registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"). SSGA Funds Management, Inc. ("SSGA FM" or the "Adviser") serves as the investment adviser for each Fund and certain Funds are sub-advised by a sub-adviser as further described herein (each, a "Sub-Adviser"). To the extent that a reference in this SAI refers to the "Adviser," such reference should be read to refer to the applicable Sub-Adviser where the context requires. State Street Investment Management, consisting of the Adviser and other investment advisory affiliates of State Street Corporation, is the investment management arm of State Street Corporation.

Each Fund offers and issues Shares at their net asset value (sometimes referred to herein as "NAV") only in aggregations of a specified number of Shares (each, a "Creation Unit"). Each Fund generally offers and issues Shares in exchange for (i) a basket of securities designated by the Fund ("Deposit Securities") together with the deposit of a specified cash payment ("Cash Component") or (ii) a cash payment equal in value to the Deposit Securities ("Deposit Cash") together with the Cash Component. The primary consideration accepted by a Fund (i.e., Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash) is set forth under "Purchase and Redemption of Creation Units" later in this SAI. The Trust reserves the right to permit or require the substitution of a "cash in lieu" amount to be added to the Cash Component to replace any Deposit Security and reserves the right to permit or require the substitution of Deposit Securities in lieu of Deposit Cash (subject to applicable legal requirements). The Shares have been approved for listing and secondary trading on a national securities exchange (the "Exchange"). The Shares will trade on the Exchange at market prices. These prices may differ from the Shares' net asset values. The Shares are also redeemable only in Creation Unit aggregations, and generally in exchange for either (i) portfolio securities and a specified cash payment or (ii) cash (subject to applicable legal requirements).

Shares may be issued in advance of receipt of Deposit Securities subject to various conditions including a requirement to maintain on deposit with the Trust cash at least equal to a specified percentage of the market value of the missing Deposit Securities as set forth in the Participant Agreement (as defined below). See "Purchase and Redemption of Creation Units." The Trust may impose a transaction fee for each creation or redemption. In all cases, such fees will be limited in

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accordance with the requirements of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") applicable to management investment companies offering redeemable securities. In addition to the fixed creation or redemption transaction fee, an additional transaction fee of up to three times the fixed creation or redemption transaction fee and/or an additional variable charge may apply.

**Investment Policies**

Each Fund may directly, or indirectly through investment in an exchange-traded product ("ETP"), invest in any of the instruments or engage in any of the investment practices described below if such investment or activity is consistent with the Fund's investment objective and permitted by the Fund's stated investment policies.

Each Fund may invest in the following types of investments, consistent with its investment strategies and objective. Please see a Fund's Prospectus for additional information regarding its principal investment strategies.

**DIVERSIFICATION STATUS**

Each Fund (except the SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ESG ETF and SPDR SSGA Ultra Short Term Bond ETF) is classified as a "diversified" investment company under the 1940 Act. Under the 1940 Act, a diversified investment company, as to 75% of its total assets, may not purchase securities of any issuer (other than securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agents or instrumentalities or securities of other investment companies) if, as a result, more than 5% of its total assets would be invested in the securities of such issuer, or more than 10% of the issuer's outstanding voting securities would be held by the investment company.

The SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ESG ETF and SPDR SSGA Ultra Short Term Bond ETF are each classified as a non-diversified investment company under the 1940 Act. A "non-diversified" classification means that a Fund is not limited by the 1940 Act with regard to the percentage of its assets that may be invested in the securities of a single issuer. This means that a Fund may invest a greater portion of its assets in the securities of a single issuer than a diversified fund. This may have an adverse effect on a Fund's performance or subject a Fund's Shares to greater price volatility than more diversified investment companies.

Each Fund intends to maintain a level of diversification and otherwise conduct their operations so as to enable each Fund to qualify for treatment as a "regulated investment company" for purposes of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended ("Internal Revenue Code"), and to relieve each Fund of any liability for federal income tax to the extent that its earnings are distributed to shareholders. Compliance with the diversification requirements of the Internal Revenue Code may limit the investment flexibility of the Funds and may make it less likely that the Funds will meet their investment objectives.

**ASSET-BACKED AND MORTGAGE-BACKED SECURITIES**

Mortgage-backed securities, including collateralized mortgage obligations ("CMOs") and certain stripped mortgage-backed securities, represent a participation in, or are secured by, mortgage loans. Asset-backed securities are structured like mortgage-backed securities, but instead of mortgage loans or interests in mortgage loans, the underlying assets may include such items as motor vehicle installment sales or installment loan contracts, leases of various types of real and personal property and receivables from credit card agreements. The cash flow generated by the underlying assets is applied to make required payments on the securities and to pay related administrative expenses. The amount of residual cash flow resulting from a particular issue of asset-backed or mortgage-backed securities depends on, among other things, the characteristics of the underlying assets, the coupon rates on the securities, prevailing interest rates, the amount of administrative expenses and the actual prepayment experience on the underlying assets. Each Fund may invest in any such instruments or variations as may be developed, to the extent consistent with its investment objective and policies and applicable regulatory requirements. In general, the collateral supporting asset-backed securities is of a shorter maturity than mortgage loans and is likely to experience substantial prepayments.

Mortgage-backed securities have yield and maturity characteristics corresponding to the underlying assets. Unlike traditional debt securities, which may pay a fixed rate of interest until maturity, when the entire principal amount comes due, payments on certain mortgage-backed securities include both interest and a partial repayment of principal. Besides the scheduled repayment of principal, repayments of principal may result from the voluntary prepayment, refinancing or foreclosure of the underlying mortgage loans. If property owners make unscheduled prepayments of their mortgage loans, these prepayments will result in early payment of the applicable mortgage-backed securities. In that event, a Fund may be unable to invest the proceeds from the early payment of the mortgage-backed securities in an investment that

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provides as high a yield as the mortgage-backed securities. Consequently, early payment associated with mortgage-backed securities may cause these securities to experience significantly greater price and yield volatility than that experienced by traditional fixed-income securities. The occurrence of mortgage prepayments is affected by factors including the level of interest rates, general economic conditions, the location and age of the mortgage and other social and demographic conditions. During periods of falling interest rates, the rate of mortgage prepayments tends to increase, thereby tending to decrease the life of mortgage-backed securities. During periods of rising interest rates, the rate of mortgage prepayments usually decreases, thereby tending to increase the life of mortgage-backed securities. If the life of a mortgage-backed security is inaccurately predicted, a Fund may not be able to realize the rate of return it expected.

Adjustable rate mortgage securities ("ARMs"), like traditional mortgage-backed securities, are interests in pools of mortgage loans that provide investors with payments consisting of both principal and interest as mortgage loans in the underlying mortgage pool are paid off by the borrowers. Unlike fixed-rate mortgage-backed securities, ARMs are collateralized by or represent interests in mortgage loans with variable rates of interest. These interest rates are reset at periodic intervals, usually by reference to an interest rate index or market interest rate. Although the rate adjustment feature may act as a buffer to reduce sharp changes in the value of adjustable rate securities, these securities are still subject to changes in value based on, among other things, changes in market interest rates or changes in the issuer's creditworthiness. Because the interest rates are reset only periodically, changes in the interest rate on ARMs may lag changes in prevailing market interest rates. Also, some ARMs (or the underlying mortgages) are subject to caps or floors that limit the maximum change in the interest rate during a specified period or over the life of the security. As a result, changes in the interest rate on an ARM may not fully reflect changes in prevailing market interest rates during certain periods.

A Fund may also invest in hybrid ARMs, whose underlying mortgages combine fixed-rate and adjustable rate features.

Mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities are less effective than other types of securities as a means of locking in attractive long-term interest rates. One reason is the need to reinvest prepayments of principal; another is the possibility of significant unscheduled prepayments resulting from declines in interest rates. These prepayments would have to be reinvested at lower rates. The automatic interest rate adjustment feature of mortgages underlying ARMs likewise reduces the ability to lock-in attractive rates. As a result, mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities may have less potential for capital appreciation during periods of declining interest rates than other securities of comparable maturities, although they may have a similar risk of decline in market value during periods of rising interest rates. Prepayments may also significantly shorten the effective maturities of these securities, especially during periods of declining interest rates. Conversely, during periods of rising interest rates, a reduction in prepayments may increase the effective maturities of these securities, subjecting them to a greater risk of decline in market value in response to rising interest rates than traditional debt securities, and, therefore, potentially increasing the volatility of the Fund.

At times, some mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities will have higher than market interest rates and therefore will be purchased at a premium above their par value. Prepayments may cause losses on securities purchased at a premium.

CMOs may be issued by a U.S. government agency or instrumentality or by a private issuer. Although payment of the principal of, and interest on, the underlying collateral securing privately issued CMOs may be guaranteed by the U.S. government or its agencies or instrumentalities, these CMOs represent obligations solely of the private issuer and are not insured or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities or any other person or entity.

Prepayments could cause early retirement of CMOs. CMOs are designed to reduce the risk of prepayment for certain investors by issuing multiple classes of securities, each having different maturities, interest rates and payment schedules, and with the principal and interest on the underlying mortgages allocated among the several classes in various ways. Payment of interest or principal on some classes or series of CMOs may be subject to contingencies or some classes or series may bear some or all of the risk of default on the underlying mortgages. CMOs of different classes or series are generally retired in sequence as the underlying mortgage loans in the mortgage pool are repaid. If enough mortgages are repaid ahead of schedule, the classes or series of a CMO with the earliest maturities generally will be retired prior to their maturities. Thus, the early retirement of particular classes or series of a CMO would have the same effect as the prepayment of mortgages underlying other mortgage-backed securities. Conversely, slower than anticipated prepayments can extend the effective maturities of CMOs, subjecting them to a greater risk of decline in market value in response to rising interest rates than traditional debt securities, and, therefore, potentially increasing their volatility.

Prepayments could result in losses on stripped mortgage-backed securities. Stripped mortgage-backed securities are usually structured with two classes that receive different portions of the interest and principal distributions on a pool of mortgage loans. The yield to maturity on an interest only or "IO" class of stripped mortgage-backed securities is extremely

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sensitive not only to changes in prevailing interest rates but also to the rate of principal payments (including prepayments) on the underlying assets. A rapid rate of principal prepayments may have a measurable adverse effect on a Fund's yield to maturity to the extent it invests in IOs. If the assets underlying the IO experience greater than anticipated prepayments of principal, the Fund may fail to recoup fully its initial investment in these securities. Principal only or "POs" tend to increase in value if prepayments are greater than anticipated and decline if prepayments are slower than anticipated. The secondary market for stripped mortgage-backed securities may be more volatile and less liquid than that for other mortgage-backed securities, potentially limiting the Fund's ability to buy or sell those securities at any particular time.

Subprime mortgage loans, which typically are made to less creditworthy borrowers, have a higher risk of default than conventional mortgage loans. Therefore, mortgage-backed securities backed by subprime mortgage loans may suffer significantly greater declines in value due to defaults or the increased risk of default.

The risks associated with other asset-backed securities (including in particular the risks of issuer default and of early prepayment) are generally similar to those described above for CMOs. In addition, because asset-backed securities generally do not have the benefit of a security interest in the underlying assets that is comparable to a mortgage, asset-backed securities present certain additional risks that are not present with mortgage-backed securities. The ability of an issuer of asset-backed securities to enforce its security interest in the underlying assets may be limited. For example, revolving credit receivables are generally unsecured and the debtors on such receivables are entitled to the protection of a number of state and federal consumer credit laws, many of which give debtors the right to set-off certain amounts owed, thereby reducing the balance due. Automobile receivables generally are secured, but by automobiles, rather than by real property.

Asset-backed securities may be collateralized by the fees earned by service providers. The values of asset-backed securities may be substantially dependent on the servicing of the underlying asset and are therefore subject to risks associated with the negligence or malfeasance by their servicers and to the credit risk of their servicers. In certain circumstances, the mishandling of related documentation may also affect the rights of the security holders in and to the underlying collateral. The insolvency of entities that generate receivables or that utilize the assets may result in added costs and delays in addition to losses associated with a decline in the value of the underlying assets.

Federal, state and local government officials and representatives as well as certain private parties have proposed actions to assist homeowners who own or occupy property subject to mortgages. Certain of those proposals involve actions that would affect the mortgages that underlie or relate to certain mortgage-related securities, including securities or other instruments which a Fund may hold or in which it may invest. Some of those proposals include, among other things, lowering or forgiving principal balances; forbearing, lowering or eliminating interest payments; or utilizing eminent domain powers to seize mortgages, potentially for below market compensation. The prospective or actual implementation of one or more of these proposals may significantly and adversely affect the value and liquidity of securities held by a Fund and could cause the Fund's net asset value to decline, potentially significantly. Tremendous uncertainty remains in the market concerning the resolution of these issues; the range of proposals and the potential implications of any implemented solution is impossible to predict.

A Fund may invest in any level of the capital structure of an issuer of mortgage-backed or asset-backed securities, including the equity or "first loss" tranche. See "COLLATERALIZED DEBT OBLIGATIONS."

Consistent with a Fund's investment objective and policies, the Adviser or Sub-Adviser may also cause a Fund to invest in other types of mortgage- and asset-backed securities offered currently or in the future, including certain yet-to-be-developed types of mortgage- and asset-backed securities which may be created as the market evolves.

**BANK LOANS**

Bank loans include floating rate loans and institutionally traded floating rate debt obligations issued by asset-backed pools and other issues, and interests therein. Bank loan interests may be acquired from U.S. or foreign commercial banks, insurance companies, finance companies or other financial institutions that have made loans or are members of a lending syndicate or from other holders of loan interests. Bank loans typically pay interest at rates which are re-determined periodically on the basis of a floating base lending rate (such as the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR)) plus a premium. Bank loans are typically of below investment grade quality. Bank loans generally (but not always) hold the most senior position in the capital structure of a borrower and are often secured with collateral.

Each Fund may, and the SPDR DoubleLine Total Return Tactical ETF intends to, invest in both secured and unsecured bank loans. Holders' claims under unsecured loans are subordinated to claims of creditors holding secured indebtedness and possibly other classes of creditors holding unsecured debt. Unsecured loans have a greater risk of default than

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secured loans, particularly during periods of deteriorating economic conditions. Also, since they do not afford the lender recourse to collateral, unsecured loans are subject to greater risk of nonpayment in the event of default than secured loans. Many such loans are relatively illiquid and may be difficult to value.

Some bank loans are subject to the risk that a court, pursuant to fraudulent conveyance or other similar laws, could subordinate the bank loans to presently existing or future indebtedness of the borrower or take other action detrimental to the holders of the bank loans, including, in certain circumstances, invalidating such bank loans or causing interest previously paid to be refunded to the borrower. If interest were required to be refunded, it could negatively affect a Fund's performance.

Indebtedness of companies whose creditworthiness is poor involves substantially greater risks and may be highly speculative. Some companies may never pay off their indebtedness or pay only a small fraction of the amount owed. Consequently, when investing in indebtedness of companies with poor credit, a Fund bears a substantial risk of losing the entire amount invested.

Investments in bank loans through a direct assignment of the financial institution's interest with respect to the bank loan may involve additional risks. For example, if a secured bank loan is foreclosed, a Fund could become part owner of any collateral, and would bear the costs and liabilities associated with owning and disposing of the collateral. In addition, it is conceivable that under emerging legal theories of lender liability, a Fund could be held liable as a co-lender. When a Fund is a purchaser of an assignment, it succeeds to all the rights and obligations under the loan agreement of the assigning lender and becomes a lender under the loan agreement with the same rights and obligations as the assigning lender.

Bank loans may be structured to include both term loans, which are generally fully funded at the time of investment, and revolving credit facilities, which would require a Fund to make additional investments in the bank loans as required under the terms of the credit facility at the borrower's demand.

A financial institution's employment as agent bank may be terminated in the event that it fails to observe a requisite standard of care or becomes insolvent. A successor agent bank would generally be appointed to replace the terminated agent bank, and assets held by the agent bank under the loan agreement would remain available to the holders of such indebtedness. However, if assets held by the agent bank for the benefit of a Fund were determined to be subject to the claims of the agent bank's general creditors, the Fund may incur certain costs and delays in realizing payments on a bank loan or loan participation and could suffer a loss of principal and/or interest.

The SPDR DoubleLine Emerging Markets Fixed Income ETF and SPDR DoubleLine Short Duration Total Return Tactical ETF each may invest up to 20% of its portfolio in junior bank loans, although the SPDR DoubleLine Emerging Market Fixed Income ETF's investments in structured securities and junior bank loans in the aggregate may not exceed 20% of its assets. Due to their lower place in the borrower's capital structure, junior bank loans involve a higher degree of overall risk than senior bank loans of the same borrower.

**BONDS**

A bond is an interest-bearing security issued by a company, governmental unit or, in some cases, a non-U.S. entity. The issuer of a bond has a contractual obligation to pay interest at a stated rate on specific dates and to repay principal (the bond's face value) periodically or on a specified maturity date; provided, however, a zero coupon bond pays no interest to its holder during its life. The value of a zero coupon bond to a Fund consists of the difference between such bond's face value at the time of maturity and the price for which it was acquired, which may be an amount significantly less than its face value (sometimes referred to as a "deep discount" price).

An issuer may have the right to redeem or "call" a bond before maturity, in which case the investor may have to reinvest the proceeds at lower market rates. Most bonds bear interest income at a "coupon" rate that is fixed for the life of the bond. The value of a fixed rate bond usually rises when market interest rates fall, and falls when market interest rates rise. Accordingly, a fixed rate bond's yield (income as a percent of the bond's current value) may differ from its coupon rate as its value rises or falls. Fixed rate bonds generally are also subject to inflation risk, which is the risk that the value of the bond or income from the bond will be worth less in the future as inflation decreases the value of money. This could mean that, as inflation increases, the "real" value of the assets of a Fund holding fixed rate bonds can decline, as can the value of the Fund's distributions. Other types of bonds bear income at an interest rate that is adjusted periodically. Because of their adjustable interest rates, the value of "floating-rate" or "variable-rate" bonds fluctuates much less in response to market interest rate movements than the value of fixed rate bonds. A Fund may treat some of these bonds as having a shorter maturity for purposes of calculating the weighted average maturity of its investment portfolio. Bonds may be senior

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or subordinated obligations. Senior obligations generally have the first claim on a corporation's earnings and assets and, in the event of liquidation, are paid before subordinated obligations. Bonds may be unsecured (backed only by the issuer's general creditworthiness) or secured (also backed by specified collateral).

In addition, each Fund may invest in corporate bonds. The investment return of corporate bonds reflects interest on the bond and changes in the market value of the bond. The market value of a corporate bond may be affected by the credit rating of the corporation, the corporation's performance and perceptions of the corporation in the market place. There is a risk that the issuers of the securities may not be able to meet their obligations on interest or principal payments at the time called for by such a security.

**COLLATERALIZED DEBT OBLIGATIONS**

Collateralized debt obligations ("CDOs") are a type of asset-backed security and include, among other things, collateralized bond obligations ("CBOs"), collateralized loan obligations ("CLOs") and other similarly structured securities. A CBO is a trust which is backed by a diversified pool of high risk, below investment grade fixed income securities. A CLO is a trust typically collateralized by a pool of loans, which may include, among others, domestic and foreign senior secured loans, senior unsecured loans and subordinate corporate loans, including loans that may be rated below investment grade or equivalent unrated loans.

The cash flows from the CDO trust are generally split into two or more portions, called tranches, varying in risk and yield. Senior tranches are paid from the cash flows from the underlying assets before the junior tranches and equity or "first loss" tranches. Losses are first borne by the equity tranches, next by the junior tranches, and finally by the senior tranches. Senior tranches pay the lowest interest rates but are generally safer investments than more junior tranches because, should there be any default, senior tranches are typically paid first. The most junior tranches, such as equity tranches, would attract the highest interest rates but suffer the highest risk should the holder of an underlying loan default. If some loans default and the cash collected by the CDO is insufficient to pay all of its investors, those in the lowest, most junior tranches suffer losses first. Since it is partially protected from defaults, a senior tranche from a CDO trust typically has higher ratings and lower yields than the underlying securities, and can be rated investment grade. Despite the protection from the equity tranche, more senior CDO tranches can experience substantial losses due to actual defaults, increased sensitivity to defaults due to collateral default and disappearance of protecting tranches, market anticipation of defaults and aversion to CDO securities as a class.

The risks of an investment in a CDO depend largely on the quality and type of the collateral and the tranche of the CDO in which a Fund invests. Normally, CBOs, CLOs and other CDOs are privately offered and sold, and thus are not registered under the securities laws. As a result, investments in CDOs may be characterized by a Fund as illiquid investments; however, an active dealer market, or other relevant measures of liquidity, may exist for CDOs allowing a CDO potentially to be deemed liquid by the Adviser or Sub-Adviser under liquidity policies approved by the Board of Trustees of the Trust (the "Board"). In addition to the risks associated with debt instruments (e.g., interest rate risk and credit risk), CDOs carry additional risks including, but not limited to: (i) the possibility that distributions from collateral securities will not be adequate to make interest or other payments; (ii) the quality of the collateral may decline in value or default; (iii) the possibility that a Fund may invest in CDOs that are subordinate to other classes; and (iv) the complex structure of the security may not be fully understood at the time of investment and may produce disputes with the issuer or unexpected investment results.

**COLLATERALIZED LOAN OBLIGATIONS (CLOs)** 

Each Fund may invest in CLOs. A CLO is a financing company (generally called a Special Purpose Vehicle or "SPV"), created to reapportion the risk and return characteristics of a pool of assets. While the assets underlying CLOs are typically Senior Loans, the assets may also include (i) unsecured loans, (ii) other debt securities that are rated below investment grade, (iii) debt tranches of other CLOs and (iv) equity securities incidental to investments in Senior Loans. When investing in CLOs, a Fund will not invest in equity tranches, which are the lowest tranche. However, a Fund may invest in lower debt tranches of CLOs, which typically experience a lower recovery, greater risk of loss or deferral or non-payment of interest than more senior debt tranches of the CLO. In addition, a Fund intends to invest in CLOs consisting primarily of individual Senior Loans of borrowers and not repackaged CLO obligations from other high risk pools. The underlying Senior Loans purchased by CLOs are generally performing at the time of purchase but may become non-performing, distressed or defaulted. CLOs with underlying assets of non-performing, distressed or defaulted loans are not contemplated to comprise a significant portion of a Fund's investments in CLOs. The key feature of the CLO structure is the prioritization of the cash flows from a pool of debt securities among the several classes of the CLO. The SPV is a

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company founded solely for the purpose of securitizing payment claims arising out of this diversified asset pool. On this basis, marketable securities are issued by the SPV which, due to the diversification of the underlying risk, generally represent a lower level of risk than the original assets. The redemption of the securities issued by the SPV typically takes place at maturity out of the cash flow generated by the collected claims.

Holders of CLOs bear risks of the underlying investments, index or reference obligation and are subject to counterparty risk.

A Fund may have the right to receive payments only from the CLOs, and generally does not have direct rights against the issuer or the entity that sold the assets to be securitized. While certain CLOs enable the investor to acquire interests in a pool of securities without the brokerage and other expenses associated with directly holding the same securities, investors in CLOs generally pay their share of the CLO's administrative and other expenses. Although it is difficult to predict whether the prices of indices and securities underlying a CLO will rise or fall, these prices (and, therefore, the prices of CLOs) will be influenced by the same types of political and economic events that affect issuers of securities and capital markets generally. If the issuer of a CLO uses shorter term financing to purchase longer term securities, the issuer may be forced to sell its securities at below market prices if it experiences difficulty in obtaining short-term financing, which may adversely affect the value of the CLOs owned by a Fund.

Certain CLOs may be thinly traded or have a limited trading market. CLOs are typically privately offered and sold. As a result, investments in CLOs may be characterized by a Fund as illiquid investments. In addition to the general risks associated with debt securities discussed herein, CLOs carry additional risks, including, but not limited to: (i) the possibility that distributions from collateral securities will not be adequate to make interest or other payments; (ii) the quality of the collateral may decline in value or default; (iii) the possibility that the investments in CLOs are subordinate to other classes or tranches thereof; and (iv) the complex structure of the security may not be fully understood at the time of investment and may produce disputes with the issuer or unexpected investment results.

**COLLATERALIZED MORTGAGE OBLIGATIONS (CMOs) AND MULTICLASS PASS-THROUGH SECURITIES** 

CMOs are debt obligations collateralized by mortgage loans or mortgage pass-through securities. CMOs may be collateralized by Government National Mortgage Association ("Ginnie Mae"), Federal National Mortgage Association ("Fannie Mae"), or Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation ("Freddie Mac") certificates, but also may be collateralized by whole loans or private mortgage pass-through securities (such collateral is collectively hereinafter referred to as "Mortgage Assets"). Mortgage Assets may be collateralized by commercial or residential uses. Multiclass pass-through securities are equity interests in a trust composed of Mortgage Assets. Payments of principal of and interest on the Mortgage Assets, and any reinvestment income thereon, may require a Fund to pay debt service on the CMOs or make scheduled distributions on the multiclass pass-through securities. CMOs may be issued by federal agencies, or by private originators of, or investors in, mortgage loans, including savings and loan associations, mortgage banks, commercial banks, investment banks and special purpose subsidiaries of the foregoing. The issuer of a series of mortgage pass-through securities may elect to be treated as a Real Estate Mortgage Investment Conduit ("REMIC"). REMICs include governmental and/or private entities that issue a fixed pool of mortgages secured by an interest in real property. REMICs are similar to CMOs in that they issue multiple classes of securities, but unlike CMOs, which are required to be structured as debt securities, REMICs may be structured as indirect ownership interests in the underlying assets of the REMICs themselves. Although CMOs and REMICs differ in certain respects, characteristics of CMOs described below apply in most cases to REMICs, as well.

In a CMO, a series of bonds or certificates is issued in multiple classes. Each class of CMOs, often referred to as a tranche, is issued at a specific fixed or floating coupon rate and has a stated maturity or final distribution date. Principal prepayments on the Mortgage Assets may cause the CMOs to be retired substantially earlier than their stated maturities or final distribution dates. Interest is paid or accrues on all classes of the CMOs on a monthly, quarterly or semiannual basis. Certain CMOs may have variable or floating interest rates and others may be stripped mortgage securities. For more information on stripped mortgage securities, see "STRIPPED MORTGAGE SECURITIES."

The principal of and interest on the Mortgage Assets may be allocated among the several classes of a CMO series in a number of different ways. Generally, the purpose of the allocation of the cash flow of a CMO to the various classes is to obtain a more predictable cash flow to certain of the individual tranches than exists with the underlying collateral of the CMO. As a general rule, the more predictable the cash flow is on a CMO tranche, the lower the anticipated yield will be on that tranche at the time of issuance relative to prevailing market yields on other mortgage-backed securities. As part of the process of creating more predictable cash flows on most of the tranches in a series of CMOs, one or more tranches generally must be created that absorb most of the volatility in the cash flows on the underlying mortgage loans. The yields

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on these tranches are generally higher than prevailing market yields on mortgage-backed securities with similar maturities. As a result of the uncertainty of the cash flows of these tranches, the market prices of and yield on these tranches generally are more volatile. See "COLLATERALIZED DEBT OBLIGATIONS" for a discussion on investments in structured products with multiple tranches.

**CMO RESIDUALS** 

CMO residuals are mortgage securities issued by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. government or by private originators of, or investors in, mortgage loans, including savings and loan associations, homebuilders, mortgage banks, commercial banks, investment banks and special purpose entities of the foregoing. The cash flow generated by the mortgage assets underlying a series of a CMO is applied first to make required payments of principal and interest on the securities or certificates issued by the CMO and second to pay the related administrative expenses and any management fee of the issuer. The residual in a CMO structure generally represents the interest in any excess cash flow remaining after making the foregoing payments. Each payment of such excess cash flow to a holder of the related CMO residual represents income and/or a return of capital. The amount of residual cash flow resulting from a CMO will depend on, among other things, the characteristics of the mortgage assets, the coupon rate of each class of CMO, prevailing interest rates, the amount of administrative expenses and the pre-payment experience on the mortgage assets. In particular, the yield to maturity on CMO residuals is extremely sensitive to pre-payments on the related underlying mortgage assets. In addition, if a series of a CMO includes a class that bears interest at an adjustable rate, the yield to maturity on the related CMO residual will also be extremely sensitive to changes in the level of the index upon which interest rate adjustments are based. As described below with respect to stripped mortgage-backed securities, in certain circumstances a Fund may fail to recoup fully its initial investment in a CMO residual. CMO residuals are generally purchased and sold by institutional investors through several investment banking firms acting as brokers or dealers. In addition, CMO residuals may, or pursuant to an exemption therefrom, may not have been registered under the Securities Act. CMO residuals, whether or not registered under the Securities Act, may be subject to certain restrictions on transferability, and may be deemed "illiquid."

**COMMERCIAL PAPER**

Commercial paper consists of short-term, promissory notes issued by banks, corporations and other entities to finance short-term credit needs. These securities generally are discounted but sometimes may be interest bearing.

**COMMON STOCK**

Risks inherent in investing in equity securities include the risk that the financial condition of issuers may become impaired or that the general condition of the stock market may deteriorate (either of which may cause a decrease in the value of a Fund's portfolio securities and therefore a decrease in the value of Shares of the Fund). Common stock is susceptible to general stock market fluctuation and to volatile increases and decreases in value as market confidence and perceptions change. These investor perceptions are based on various and unpredictable factors, including expectations regarding government, economic, monetary and fiscal policies; inflation and interest rates; economic expansion or contraction; and global or regional political, economic or banking crises.

Holders of common stock incur more risk than holders of preferred stock and debt obligations because common stockholders, as owners of the issuer, have generally inferior rights to receive payments from the issuer in comparison with the rights of creditors of, or holders of debt obligations or preferred stock issued by, the issuer. Further, unlike debt securities which typically have a stated principal amount payable at maturity (whose value, however, will be subject to market fluctuations prior thereto), or preferred stock which typically has a liquidation preference and which may have stated optional or mandatory redemption provisions, common stock has neither a fixed principal amount nor a maturity. Common stock values are subject to market fluctuations as long as the common stock remains outstanding.

It also is possible that an issuer of bonds held by a Fund could enter into a bankruptcy or restructuring process whereby such issuer's bonds are converted to equity securities.

**CONCENTRATION**

The Funds do not intend to concentrate their investments in any particular industry. The Funds (except the SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ETF and SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ESG ETF) look to the Global Industry Classification Standard Level 3 (Industries) in making industry determinations. The SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ETF and SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ESG ETF look to Nuveen Asset Management LLC's ("Nuveen Asset Management") proprietary set of

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industry groups for making industry determinations based on classifications developed by third party providers. The Trust's general policy is to exclude securities of the U.S. government and its agencies or instrumentalities, and tax-exempt securities of state, territory, possession or municipal governments and their authorities, agencies, instrumentalities or political subdivisions (except to the extent that the income from a municipal bond is derived principally from the assets and revenues of non-governmental users) when measuring industry concentration.

**CONVERTIBLE SECURITIES**

Convertible securities are bonds, debentures, notes, preferred stock or other securities that may be converted or exchanged (by the holder or by the issuer) into shares of the underlying common stock (or cash or securities of equivalent value) at a stated exchange ratio. A convertible security may also be called for redemption or conversion by the issuer after a particular date and under certain circumstances (including a specified price) established upon issue. If a convertible security held by a Fund is called for redemption or conversion, the Fund could be required to tender it for redemption, convert it into the underlying common stock, or sell it to a third party.

Convertible securities generally have less potential for gain or loss than common stock. Convertible securities generally provide yields higher than the underlying common stock, but generally lower than comparable non-convertible securities. Because of this higher yield, convertible securities generally sell at a price above their "conversion value," which is the current market value of the stock to be received upon conversion. The difference between this conversion value and the price of convertible securities will vary over time depending on changes in the value of the underlying common stock and interest rates. When the underlying common stock declines in value, convertible securities will tend not to decline to the same extent because of the interest or dividend payments and the repayment of principal at maturity for certain types of convertible securities. However, securities that are convertible other than at the option of the holder generally do not limit the potential for loss to the same extent as securities convertible at the option of the holder. When the underlying common stock rises in value, the value of convertible securities may also be expected to increase. At the same time, however, the difference between the market value of convertible securities and their conversion value will narrow, which means that the value of convertible securities will generally not increase to the same extent as the value of the underlying common stock. Because convertible securities may also be interest-rate sensitive, their value may increase as interest rates fall and decrease as interest rates rise. Convertible securities are also subject to credit risk, and are often lower-quality securities.

The SPDR Blackstone High Income ETF, SPDR DoubleLine Emerging Markets Fixed Income ETF, SPDR DoubleLine Short Duration Total Return Tactical ETF, SPDR DoubleLine Total Return Tactical ETF and SPDR Loomis Sayles Opportunistic Bond ETF may invest in contingent convertible bonds ("CoCo bonds"), which also are known as enhanced capital notes. CoCo bonds are hybrid debt securities that are intended to either convert into equity at a predetermined share price or have their principal written down or written off upon the occurrence of certain triggering events generally linked to regulatory capital thresholds or regulatory actions calling into question the issuing banking institution's continued viability as a going concern. CoCo Bonds are subject to the risks associated with bonds and equities and to the risks specific to convertible securities in general. In addition, CoCo Bonds are inherently risky because of the difficulty of predicting triggering events that would require the debt to convert to equity. Since CoCo Bonds are typically issued in the form of subordinated debt instruments in order to provide the appropriate regulatory capital, in the event of liquidation, dissolution or winding-up of an issuer prior to a conversion, the rights and claims of the holders of the CoCo Bonds against the issuer in respect of or arising under the terms of the CoCo Bonds will generally rank junior to the claims of all holders of unsubordinated obligations of the issuer. Also, the value of CoCo Bonds will be influenced by many factors, including: the creditworthiness of the issuer and/or fluctuations in the issuer's capital ratios; the supply and demand for the CoCo Bonds; general market conditions and available liquidity; and economic, financial and political events that affect the issuer, the market it operates in or the financial markets in general. CoCo Bonds are a new form of instrument and the market and regulatory environment for these instruments is still evolving. As a result, it is uncertain how the overall market for CoCo Bonds would react to a trigger event or coupon suspension applicable to one issuer.

**COVENANT-LITE LOANS** 

The SPDR Blackstone High Income ETF, SPDR Blackstone Senior Loan ETF and SPDR Loomis Sayles Opportunistic Bond ETF may invest in loans that do not have certain maintenance covenants related to financial ratios, which are often referred to as "covenant-lite" loans. Currently, approximately 80% of outstanding senior secured loans in the market are covenant-lite loans, and therefore such loans are widely held by loan market participants, including the Fund. Other important collateral protections will continue to exist in most loan credit agreements with respect to covenant-lite loans,

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including (i) limitations on restricted payments, (ii) limitations on investments, (iii) limitations on additional debt and liens, and (iv) limitations on asset sales. While the Sub-Adviser will seek loans that provide attractive credit protection, the Fund is not limited in the amount of loans it may hold that are covenant-lite.

**CREDIT-LINKED NOTES**

The SPDR DoubleLine Emerging Markets Fixed Income ETF may invest in credit-linked notes, which is a type of structured note. The difference between a credit default swap and a credit-linked note is that the seller of a credit-linked note receives the principal payment from the buyer at the time the contract is originated. Through the purchase of a credit-linked note, the buyer assumes the risk of the reference asset and funds this exposure through the purchase of the note. The buyer takes on the exposure to the seller to the full amount of the funding it has provided. The seller has hedged its risk on the reference asset without acquiring any additional credit exposure. The Fund has the right to receive periodic interest payments from the issuer of the credit-linked note at an agreed-upon interest rate and a return of principal at the maturity date.

Credit-linked notes are subject to the credit risk of the corporate credits referenced by the note. If one of the underlying corporate credits defaults, the Fund may receive the security that has defaulted, and the Fund's principal investment would be reduced by the difference between the original face value of the reference security and the current value of the defaulted security. Credit-linked notes are typically privately negotiated transactions between two or more parties. The Fund bears the risk that the issuer of the credit-linked note will default or become bankrupt. The Fund bears the risk of loss of its principal investment, and the periodic interest payments expected to be received for the duration of its investment in the credit-linked note.

**EQUITY SECURITIES**

Each Fund may invest in equity securities. Equity securities are securities that represent an ownership interest (or the right to acquire such an interest) in a company and include common and preferred stock. Common stocks represent an equity or ownership interest in an issuer. Preferred stock represents an equity or ownership interest in an issuer that pays dividends at a specified rate and that has priority over common stock in the payment of dividends. In the event an issuer is liquidated or declares bankruptcy, the claims of owners of bonds take priority over holders of preferred stock, whose claims take priority over the claims of those who own common stock.

While offering greater potential for long-term growth, equity securities generally are more volatile and riskier than some other forms of investment, although under certain market conditions various fixed-income investments have comparable or greater price volatility. Therefore, the value of an investment in a Fund may at times decrease instead of increase. A Fund's investments may include securities traded over-the-counter as well as those traded on a securities exchange. Some securities, particularly over-the-counter securities, may be more difficult to sell under some market conditions.

**EXCHANGE-TRADED PRODUCTS**

ETPs include exchange-traded funds ("ETFs") registered under the 1940 Act and exchange-traded products registered under the Securities Act, including exchange-traded commodity trusts; and exchange-traded notes ("ETNs"). ETPs that are not registered under the 1940 Act (i.e., ETPs registered under the Securities Act) do not afford investors, including the Funds, the investor protections available under the 1940 Act. The Adviser may receive management or other fees from the ETPs ("Affiliated ETPs") in which the Funds may invest, as well as a management fee for managing the Funds. It is possible that a conflict of interest among the Funds and Affiliated ETPs could affect how the Adviser fulfills its fiduciary duties to the Funds and the Affiliated ETPs. Because the amount of the investment management fees to be retained by the Adviser may differ depending upon the Affiliated ETPs in which a Fund invests, there is a conflict of interest for the Adviser in selecting the Affiliated ETP. In addition, the Adviser may have an incentive to take into account the effect on an Affiliated ETP in which a Fund may invest in determining whether, and under what circumstances, to purchase or sell shares in that Affiliated ETP. Although the Adviser takes steps to address the conflicts of interest, it is possible that the conflicts could impact the Funds.

Each Fund may invest in new ETPs or ETPs that have not yet established a deep trading market at the time of investment. Shares of such ETPs may experience limited trading volume and less liquidity, in which case the "spread" (the difference between bid price and ask price) may be higher.

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**EXCHANGE-TRADED FUNDS** 

Each Fund may invest in other ETFs (including ETFs managed by the Adviser). ETFs may be structured as investment companies that are registered under the 1940 Act, typically as open-end funds or unit investment trusts. These ETFs are generally based on specific domestic and foreign market securities indices. An "index-based ETF" seeks to provide investment results that match the performance of an index by holding in its portfolio either the contents of the index or a representative sample of the securities in the index. An "actively-managed ETF" invests in securities based on an adviser's investment strategy. An "enhanced ETF" seeks to provide investment results that match a positive or negative multiple of the performance of an underlying index. In seeking to provide such results, an ETF and, in particular, an enhanced ETF, may engage in short sales of securities included in the underlying index and may invest in derivatives instruments, such as equity index swaps, futures contracts, and options on securities, futures contracts, and stock indices. Alternatively, ETFs may be structured as grantor trusts or other forms of pooled investment vehicles that are not registered or regulated under the 1940 Act. These ETFs typically hold commodities, precious metals, currency or other non-securities investments. ETFs, like mutual funds, have expenses associated with their operation, such as advisory and custody fees. When a Fund invests in an ETF, in addition to directly bearing expenses associated with its own operations, including the brokerage costs associated with the purchase and sale of shares of the ETF, the Fund will bear a pro rata portion of the ETF's expenses. In addition, it may be more costly to own an ETF than to directly own the securities or other investments held by the ETF because of ETF expenses. The risks of owning shares of an ETF generally reflect the risks of owning the underlying securities or other investments held by the ETF, although lack of liquidity in the market for the shares of an ETF could result in the ETF's value being more volatile than the underlying securities or other investments.

**EXCHANGE-TRADED NOTES (ETNs)**

ETNs are debt obligations of investment banks which are traded on exchanges and the returns of which are linked to the performance of market indexes. In addition to trading ETNs on exchanges, investors may redeem ETNs directly with the issuer on a weekly basis, typically in a minimum amount of 50,000 units, or hold the ETNs until maturity. ETNs may be riskier than ordinary debt securities and may have no principal protection. A Fund's investment in an ETN may be influenced by many unpredictable factors, including highly volatile commodities prices, changes in supply and demand relationships, weather, agriculture, trade, changes in interest rates, and monetary and other governmental policies, action and inaction. Investing in ETNs is not equivalent to investing directly in index components or the relevant index itself. Because ETNs are debt securities, they possess credit risk; if the issuer has financial difficulties or goes bankrupt, the investor may not receive the return it was promised.

**FOREIGN CURRENCY TRANSACTIONS**

Each Fund may conduct foreign currency transactions on a spot (i.e., cash) or forward basis (i.e., by entering into forward contracts to purchase or sell foreign currencies). Although foreign exchange dealers generally do not charge a fee for such conversions, they do realize a profit based on the difference between the prices at which they are buying and selling various currencies. Thus, a dealer may offer to sell a foreign currency at one rate, while offering a lesser rate of exchange should the counterparty desire to resell that currency to the dealer. Forward contracts are customized transactions that generally require a specific amount of a currency to be delivered at a specific exchange rate on a specific date or range of dates in the future, although the Funds may also enter into non-deliverable currency forward contracts ("NDFs") that contractually require the netting of the parties' liabilities. Forwards, including NDFs, can have substantial price volatility. While foreign currency transactions on a spot and forward basis are exempt from the definition of "swap" under the Commodity Exchange Act ("CEA"), NDFs are not, and, thus, are subject to the jurisdiction of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission ("CFTC"). Forward contracts are generally traded in an interbank market directly between currency traders (usually large commercial banks) and their customers. The parties to a forward contract may agree to offset or terminate the contract before its maturity, or may hold the contract to maturity and complete the contemplated currency exchange. In the event that the parties to a forward contract agree to offset or terminate the contract before its maturity, the contract is no longer exempt from the definition of "swap" under the CEA and shall be treated as a swap. At the discretion of the Adviser, the Funds may enter into forward currency exchange contracts for hedging purposes to help reduce the risks and volatility caused by changes in foreign currency exchange rates, or to gain exposure to certain currencies. When used for hedging purposes, they tend to limit any potential gain that may be realized if the value of a Fund's foreign holdings increases because of currency fluctuations.

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**FOREIGN SECURITIES**

Investments in foreign securities involve special risks and considerations. As foreign companies are not generally subject to uniform accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards, practices and requirements comparable to those applicable to domestic companies, there may be less publicly available information about a foreign company than about a domestic company. For example, foreign markets have different clearance and settlement procedures. Delays in settlement could result in temporary periods when assets of a Fund are uninvested. The inability of a Fund to make intended security purchases due to settlement problems could cause it to miss certain investment opportunities. They may also entail certain other risks, such as the possibility of one or more of the following: imposition of dividend or interest withholding or confiscatory taxes, higher brokerage costs, thinner trading markets, currency blockages or transfer restrictions, expropriation, nationalization, military coups or other adverse political or economic developments; less government supervision and regulation of securities exchanges, brokers and listed companies; and the difficulty of enforcing obligations in other countries. Purchases of foreign securities are usually made in foreign currencies and, as a result, a Fund may incur currency conversion costs and may be affected favorably or unfavorably by changes in the value of foreign currencies against the U.S. dollar. Further, it may be more difficult for a Fund's agents to keep currently informed about corporate actions which may affect the prices of portfolio securities. Communications between the United States and foreign countries may be less reliable than within the United States, thus increasing the risk of delayed settlements of portfolio transactions or loss of certificates for portfolio securities. Certain markets may require payment for securities before delivery. A Fund's ability and decisions to purchase and sell portfolio securities may be affected by laws or regulations relating to the convertibility of currencies and repatriation of assets.

A number of current significant political, demographic and economic developments may affect investments in foreign securities and in securities of companies with operations overseas. Such developments include dramatic political changes in government and economic policies in several Eastern European countries and the republics composing the former Soviet Union, as well as the unification of the European Economic Community. The course of any one or more of these events and the effect on trade barriers, competition and markets for consumer goods and services are uncertain. Similar considerations are of concern with respect to developing countries. For example, the possibility of revolution and the dependence on foreign economic assistance may be greater in these countries than in developed countries. Management seeks to mitigate the risks associated with these considerations through diversification and active professional management.

**FUTURES CONTRACTS, FORWARDS, OPTIONS AND SWAP AGREEMENTS**

Each Fund may invest in derivatives, including forward contracts, exchange-traded futures on indices, exchange-traded futures on Treasuries or Eurodollars, U.S. exchange-traded or OTC put and call options contracts and exchange-traded or OTC swap transactions (including interest rate swaps, total return swaps, excess return swaps, and credit default swaps).

<u>Futures and Options on Futures:</u> Futures contracts generally provide for the future sale by one party and purchase by another party of a specified commodity or security at a specified future time and at a specified price. Index futures contracts are settled daily with a payment by one party to the other of a cash amount based on the difference between the level of the index specified in the contract from one day to the next. A futures contract on an index is an agreement pursuant to which two parties agree to take or make delivery of an amount of cash equal to the difference between the value of the index at the close of the last trading day of the contract and the price at which the index contract originally was written. Although the value of an index might be a function of the value of certain specified securities, physical delivery of these securities is not always made. A public market exists in futures contracts covering a number of indexes, as well as financial instruments, including, without limitation: U.S. Treasury bonds; U.S. Treasury notes; GNMA Certificates; three-month U.S. Treasury bills; 90-day commercial paper; bank certificates of deposit; Eurodollar certificates of deposit; the Australian Dollar; the Canadian Dollar; the British Pound; the Japanese Yen; the Swiss Franc; the Mexican Peso; and certain multinational currencies, such as the Euro. It is expected that other futures contracts will be developed and traded in the future. Futures contracts are standardized as to maturity date and underlying instrument and are traded on futures exchanges.

The Funds may purchase and write (sell) call and put options on futures. Options on futures give the holder the right, in return for the premium paid, to assume a long position (call) or short position (put) in a futures contract at a specified exercise price upon expiration of, or at any time during the period of, the option. Upon exercise of a call option, the holder acquires a long position in the futures contract and the writer is assigned the opposite short position. In the case of a put option, the opposite is true.

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A Fund is required to make a good faith margin deposit in cash or U.S. government securities (or other eligible collateral) with a broker or custodian to initiate and maintain open positions in futures contracts. A margin deposit is intended to assure completion of the contract (delivery or acceptance of the underlying commodity or payment of the cash settlement amount) if it is not terminated prior to the specified delivery date. Brokers may establish deposit requirements which are higher than the exchange minimums. Futures contracts are customarily purchased and sold on margin deposits which may range upward from less than 5% of the value of the contract being traded.

After a futures contract position is opened, the value of the contract is marked to market daily. If the futures contract price changes to the extent that the margin on deposit does not satisfy price changes, additional payments will be required. Conversely, change in the contract value may reduce the required margin, resulting in a repayment of excess margin to the contract holder. Variation margin payments are made to and from the futures broker for as long as the contract remains open. In such case, a Fund would expect to earn interest income on its margin deposits. Although some futures contracts call for making or taking delivery of the underlying commodity, generally these obligations are closed out prior to delivery by offsetting purchases or sales of matching futures contracts (involving the same exchange, underlying commodity, security or index and delivery month). If an offsetting purchase price is less than the original sale price, a Fund realizes a capital gain, or if it is more, a Fund realizes a capital loss. Conversely, if an offsetting sale price is more than the original purchase price, a Fund realizes a capital gain, or if it is less, the Fund realizes a capital loss. The transaction costs also must be included in these calculations.

<u>Options:</u> A Fund may purchase and sell put and call options. Such options may relate to particular securities and may or may not be listed on a national securities exchange and issued by the Options Clearing Corporation. Options trading is a highly specialized activity that entails greater than ordinary investment risk. Options on particular securities may be more volatile than the underlying securities, and therefore, on a percentage basis, an investment in options may be subject to greater fluctuation than an investment in the underlying securities themselves.

<u>Short Sales</u> <u>"</u><u>Against the Box</u><u>"</u><u>:</u> The Funds may engage in short sales "against the box." In a short sale against the box, a Fund agrees to sell at a future date a security that it either contemporaneously owns or has the right to acquire at no extra cost. If the price of the security has declined at the time a Fund is required to deliver the security, the Fund will benefit from the difference in the price. If the price of the security has increased, the Fund will be required to pay the difference.

<u>Forwards</u>: A forward contract is an obligation to purchase or sell a specific security, currency or other instrument for an agreed price at a future date that is individually negotiated and privately traded by traders and their customers. Unlike contracts traded on an exchange (such as futures contracts), forward contracts trade OTC and are not guaranteed by an exchange or clearinghouse and are subject to the creditworthiness of the counterparty of the trade. Forward contracts are highly leveraged and highly volatile, and a relatively small price movement in a forward contract may result in substantial losses to a Fund. Depending on the asset underlying the forward contract, forward transactions can be influenced by, among other things, changing supply and demand relationships, government commercial and trade programs and policies, national and international political and economic events, weather and climate conditions, insects and plant disease, purchases and sales by foreign countries and changing interest rates.

<u>Swap Transactions:</u> Each Fund may enter into swap transactions, including interest rate swap, credit default swap, NDF, and total return swap transactions. Swap transactions are contracts between parties in which one party agrees to make periodic payments to the other party based on the change in market value or level of a specified rate, index or asset. In return, the other party agrees to make payments to the first party based on the return of a different specified rate, index or asset. Swap transactions will usually be done on a net basis, i.e., where the two parties make net payments with a Fund receiving or paying, as the case may be, only the net amount of the two payments. The net amount of the excess, if any, of a Fund's obligations over its entitlements with respect to each swap is accrued on a daily basis and an amount of cash or equivalents having an aggregate value at least equal to the accrued excess is maintained by the Fund. Swaps may be used in conjunction with other instruments to offset interest rate, currency or other underlying risks. For example, interest rate swaps may be offset with "caps," "floors" or "collars." A "cap" is essentially a call option which places a limit on the amount of floating rate interest that must be paid on a certain principal amount. A "floor" is essentially a put option which places a limit on the minimum amount that would be paid on a certain principal amount. A "collar" is essentially a combination of a long cap and a short floor where the limits are set at different levels.

The use of swap transactions by a Fund entails certain risks, which may be different from, or possibly greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in the securities and other investments that are the referenced asset for the swap agreement. Swaps are highly specialized instruments that require investment techniques, risk analyses, and tax planning different from those associated with stocks, bonds, and other traditional investments. The use of a swap requires an understanding not only of the referenced asset, reference rate, or index, but also of the swap itself, without the benefit of

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observing the performance of the swap under all the possible market conditions. Because some swap transactions have a leverage component, adverse changes in the value or level of the underlying asset, reference rate, or index can result in a loss substantially greater than the amount invested in the swap itself. Certain swaps have the potential for unlimited loss, regardless of the size of the initial investment.

Bilateral OTC transactions differ from exchange-traded or cleared derivatives transactions in several respects. Bilateral OTC transactions are transacted directly with dealers and not with a clearing corporation. Without the availability of a clearing corporation, bilateral OTC transaction pricing is normally done by reference to information from market makers and/or available index data, which information is carefully monitored by the Adviser and verified in appropriate cases. As bilateral OTC transactions are entered into directly with a dealer, there is a risk of nonperformance by the dealer as a result of its insolvency or otherwise. Under regulations adopted by the CFTC and federal banking regulators ("Margin Rules"), a Fund is required to post collateral (known as variation margin) to cover the mark-to-market exposure in respect of its uncleared swaps. The Margin Rules also mandate that collateral in the form of initial margin be posted to cover potential future exposure attributable to uncleared swap transactions. In the event a Fund is required to post collateral in the form of initial margin or variation margin in respect of its uncleared swap transactions, all such collateral will be posted with a third party custodian pursuant to a triparty custody agreement between the Fund, its dealer counterparty and an unaffiliated custodian.

The requirement to execute certain OTC derivatives contracts on exchanges or electronic trading platforms called swap execution facilities ("SEFs") may offer certain advantages over traditional bilateral OTC trading, such as ease of execution, price transparency, increased liquidity and/or favorable pricing. However, SEF trading may make it more difficult and costly for a Fund to enter into highly tailored or customized transactions and may result in additional costs and risks. Market participants such as the Funds that execute derivatives contracts through a SEF, whether directly or through a broker intermediary, are required to submit to the jurisdiction of the SEF and comply with SEF and CFTC rules and regulations which impose, among other things disclosure and recordkeeping obligations. In addition, a Fund will generally incur SEF or broker intermediary fees when it trades on a SEF. A Fund may also be required to indemnify the SEF or broker intermediary for any losses or costs that may result from the Fund's transactions on the SEF.

<u>Total Return Swaps:</u> A Fund may enter into total return swap transactions for investment purposes. Total return swaps are transactions in which one party agrees to make periodic payments based on the change in market value of the underlying assets, which may include a specified security, basket of securities or security indexes during the specified period, in return for periodic payments based on a fixed or variable interest rate of the total return from other underlying assets. Total return swaps may be used to obtain exposure to a security or market without owning or taking physical custody of such security or market, including in cases in which there may be disadvantages associated with direct ownership of a particular security. In a typical total return equity swap, payments made by a Fund or the counterparty are based on the total return of a particular reference asset or assets (such as an equity security, a combination of such securities, or an index). That is, one party agrees to pay another party the return on a stock, basket of stocks, or stock index in return for a specified interest rate. By entering into an equity index swap, for example, the index receiver can gain exposure to stocks making up the index of securities without actually purchasing those stocks. Total return swaps involve not only the risk associated with the investment in the underlying securities, but also the risk of the counterparty not fulfilling its obligations under the agreement.

<u>Credit Default Swaps:</u> A Fund may enter into credit default swap transactions for investment purposes. A credit default swap transaction may have as reference obligations one or more securities that are not currently held by the Fund. A Fund may be either the protection buyer or protection seller in the transaction. Credit default swaps may also be structured based on the debt of a basket of issuers, rather than a single issuer, and may be customized with respect to the default event that triggers purchase or other factors. As a protection seller, a Fund would generally receive an upfront payment or a fixed rate of income throughout the term of the swap, which typically is between six months and three years, provided that there is no credit event. If a credit event occurs, generally the protection seller must pay the protection buyer the full face amount of the reference obligations that may have little or no value. If a Fund were a protection buyer and no credit event occurred during the term of the swap, the Fund would recover nothing if the swap were held through its termination date. However, if a credit event occurred, the protection buyer may elect to receive the full notional value of the swap in exchange for an equal face amount of the reference obligation that may have little or no value. Where a Fund is the protection buyer, credit default swaps involve the risk that the seller may fail to satisfy its payment obligations to the Fund in the event of a default. The purchase of credit default swaps involves costs, which will reduce a Fund's return.

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<u>Currency Swaps:</u> A Fund may enter into currency swap transactions for investment purposes. Currency swaps are similar to interest rate swaps, except that they involve multiple currencies. A Fund may enter into a currency swap when it has exposure to one currency and desires exposure to a different currency. Typically, the interest rates that determine the currency swap payments are fixed, although occasionally one or both parties may pay a floating rate of interest. Unlike an interest rate swap, however, the principal amounts are exchanged at the beginning of the contract and returned at the end of the contract. In addition to paying and receiving amounts at the beginning and end of the transaction, both sides will have to pay in full on a periodic basis based upon the currency they have borrowed. Change in foreign exchange rates and changes in interest rates, as described above, may negatively affect currency swaps.

<u>Interest Rate Swaps:</u> A Fund may enter into an interest rate swap in an effort to protect against declines in the value of fixed income securities held by the Fund. In such an instance, the Fund may agree to pay a fixed rate (multiplied by a notional amount) while a counterparty agrees to pay a floating rate (multiplied by the same notional amount). If interest rates rise, resulting in a diminution in the value of the Fund's portfolio, the Fund would receive payments under the swap that would offset, in whole or in part, such diminution in value.

<u>Interest Rate Caps, Floors and Collars</u>: A Fund may use interest rate caps, floors and collars. Interest rate caps, floors and collars are similar to interest rate swap contracts because the payment obligations are measured by changes in interest rates as applied to a notional amount and because they are generally individually negotiated with a specific counterparty. The purchase of an interest rate cap entitles the purchaser, to the extent that a specific index exceeds a specified interest rate, to receive payments of interest on a notional principal amount from the party selling the interest rate cap. The purchase of an interest rate floor entitles the purchaser, to the extent that a specified index falls below specified interest rates, to receive payments of interest on a notional principal amount from the party selling the interest rate floor. The purchase of an interest rate collar entitles the purchaser, to the extent that a specified index exceeds or falls below a specified interest rate, to receive payments of interest on a notional principal amount from the party selling the interest rate collar.

<u>Options on Swaps:</u> An option on a swap agreement, or a "swaption," is a contract that gives a counterparty the right (but not the obligation) to enter into a new swap agreement or to shorten, extend, cancel or otherwise modify an existing swap agreement, at some designated future time on specified terms. In return, the purchaser pays a "premium" to the seller of the contract. The seller of the contract receives the premium and bears the risk of unfavorable changes on the underlying swap. A Fund may write (sell) and purchase put and call swaptions. A Fund may also enter into swaptions on either an asset-based or liability-based basis, depending on whether the Fund is hedging its assets or its liabilities. A Fund may write (sell) and purchase put and call swaptions to the same extent it may make use of standard options on securities or other instruments. A Fund may enter into these transactions primarily to preserve a return or spread on a particular investment or portion of its holdings, as a duration management technique, to protect against an increase in the price of securities the Fund anticipates purchasing at a later date, or for any other purposes, such as for speculation to increase returns. Swaptions are generally subject to the same risks involved in a Fund's use of options.

Depending on the terms of the particular option agreement, a Fund will generally incur a greater degree of risk when it writes a swaption than it will incur when it purchases a swaption. When a Fund purchases a swaption, it risks losing only the amount of the premium it has paid should it decide to let the option expire unexercised. However, when a Fund writes a swaption, upon exercise of the option the Fund will become obligated according to the terms of the underlying agreement.

<u>Contracts for Differences</u>: Contracts for differences are swap arrangements in which a Fund may agree with a counterparty that its return (or loss) will be based on the relative performance of two different groups or "baskets" of securities. For example, as to one of the baskets, a Fund's return is based on theoretical long futures positions in the securities comprising that basket, and as to the other basket, the Fund's return is based on theoretical short futures positions in the securities comprising that other basket. The notional sizes of the baskets will not necessarily be the same, which can give rise to investment leverage. A Fund may also use actual long and short futures positions to achieve the market exposure(s) as contracts for differences. A Fund may enter into swaps and contracts for differences for investment return, hedging, risk management and for investment leverage.

<u>Government Regulation:</u> The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the "Dodd-Frank Act") that was signed into law on July 21, 2010 created a new statutory framework that comprehensively regulated the over-the-counter ("OTC") derivatives markets for the first time. Prior to the Dodd-Frank Act, the OTC derivatives markets were traditionally traded on a bilateral basis (so-called "bilateral OTC transactions"). Under the Dodd-Frank Act, certain OTC derivatives transactions are now required to be centrally cleared and traded on SEFs.

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On October 28, 2020, the SEC adopted Rule 18f-4 (the "Derivatives Rule") under the 1940 Act which replaced prior SEC and staff guidance with an updated, comprehensive framework for registered funds' use of derivatives. The Derivatives Rule permits a Fund to enter into derivatives transactions and certain other transactions notwithstanding the restrictions on the issuance of "senior securities" under Section 18 of the 1940 Act. The Derivatives Rule requires the Funds to trade derivatives and certain other instruments that create future payment or delivery obligations subject to a value-at-risk ("VaR") leverage limit, develop and implement a derivatives risk management program and new testing requirements, and comply with new requirements related to board and SEC reporting. These requirements apply unless a Fund qualifies as a "limited derivatives user," as defined in the Derivatives Rule. To the extent a Fund uses derivatives, complying with the Derivatives Rule may increase the cost of a Fund's investments and cost of doing business, which could adversely affect investors. Other new regulations could adversely affect the value, availability and performance of certain derivative instruments, may make them more costly, and may limit or restrict their use by the Funds.

<u>Regulation Under the Commodity Exchange Act:</u> Each Fund intends to use commodity interests, such as futures, swaps and options on futures in accordance with Rule 4.5 of the CEA. An exclusion from the definition of the term "commodity pool operator" has been claimed with respect to each series of the Trust in accordance with Rule 4.5 such that registration or regulation as a commodity pool operator under the CEA is not necessary.

<u>Restrictions on Trading in Commodity Interests:</u> Each Fund reserves the right to engage in transactions involving futures, options thereon and swaps to the extent allowed by the CFTC regulations in effect from time to time and in accordance with a Fund's policies.

Certain additional risk factors related to derivatives are discussed below:

<u>Derivatives Risk:</u> Under recently adopted rules by the CFTC, transactions in some types of interest rate swaps and index credit default swaps on North American and European indices are required to be cleared. In addition, the CFTC may promulgate additional regulations that require clearing of other classes of swaps. In a cleared derivatives transaction (which includes futures, options on futures, and cleared swaps transactions), a Fund's counterparty is a clearing house (such as CME, ICE Clear Credit or LCH.Clearnet), rather than a bank or broker. Since each Fund is not a member of a clearing house and only members of a clearing house can participate directly in the clearing house, a Fund holds cleared derivatives through accounts at clearing members, who are futures commission merchants that are members of the clearing houses and who have the appropriate regulatory approvals to engage in cleared derivatives transactions. A Fund makes and receives payments owed under cleared derivatives transactions (including margin payments) through its accounts at clearing members. Clearing members guarantee performance of their clients' obligations to the clearing house. In contrast to bilateral OTC transactions, clearing members generally can require termination of existing cleared derivatives transactions at any time and increases in margin above the margin that it required at the beginning of a transaction. Clearing houses also have broad rights to increase margin requirements for existing transactions and to terminate transactions in accordance with their rules. Any such increase or termination could interfere with the ability of a Fund to pursue its investment strategy. Also, a Fund is subject to execution risk if it enters into a derivatives transaction that is required to be cleared (or that the Advisor expects to be cleared), and no clearing member is willing or able to clear the transaction on the Fund's behalf. While the documentation in place between a Fund and its clearing members generally provides that the clearing members will accept for clearing all transactions submitted for clearing that are within credit limits specified by the clearing members in advance, the Fund could be subject to this execution risk if the Fund submits for clearing transactions that exceed such credit limits, if the clearing house does not accept the transactions for clearing, or if the clearing members do not comply with their agreement to clear such transactions. In that case, the transaction might have to be terminated, and the Fund could lose some or all of the benefit of any increase in the value of the transaction after the time of the transaction. In addition, new regulations could, among other things, restrict a Fund's ability to engage in, or increase the cost to the Fund of, derivatives transactions, for example, by making some types of derivatives no longer available to the Fund or increasing margin or capital requirements. If a Fund is not able to enter into a particular derivatives transaction, the Fund's investment performance and risk profile could be adversely affected as a result.

<u>Counterparty Risk:</u> Counterparty risk with respect to OTC derivatives may be affected by new regulations promulgated by the CFTC and SEC affecting the derivatives market. As described under "Derivatives Risk" above, all futures and options on futures and some swap transactions are required to be cleared, and a party to a cleared derivatives transaction is subject to the credit risk of the clearing house and the clearing member through which it holds its cleared derivatives position, rather than the credit risk of its original counterparty to the derivative

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transaction. Clearing members are required to segregate all funds received from customers with respect to cleared derivatives transactions from the clearing member's proprietary assets. However, all funds and other property received by a clearing broker from its customers are generally held by the clearing broker on a commingled basis in an omnibus account, and the clearing broker may also invest those funds in certain instruments permitted under the applicable regulations. Also, the clearing member transfers to the clearing house the amount of margin required by the clearing house for cleared derivatives transactions, which amounts are generally held in the relevant omnibus account at the clearing house for all customers of the clearing member.

For commodities futures positions, the clearing house may use all of the collateral held in the clearing member's omnibus account to meet a loss in that account, without regard to which customer in fact supplied that collateral. Accordingly, in addition to bearing the credit risk of its clearing member, each customer to a futures transaction also bears "fellow customer" risk from other customers of the clearing member. However, with respect to cleared swaps positions, recent regulations promulgated by the CFTC require that the clearing member notify the clearing house of the amount of initial margin provided by the clearing member to the clearing house that is attributable to each customer. Because margin in respect of cleared swaps must be earmarked for specific clearing member customers, the clearing house may not use the collateral of one customer to cover the obligations of another customer. However, if the clearing member does not provide accurate reporting, a Fund is subject to the risk that a clearing house will use the Fund's assets held in an omnibus account at the clearing house to satisfy payment obligations of a defaulting customer of the clearing member to the clearing house. In addition, clearing members may generally choose to provide to the clearing house the net amount of variation margin required for cleared swaps for all of its customers in the aggregate, rather than the gross amount for each customer.

**FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS**

A Fund may take advantage of opportunities in the area of options and futures contracts, options on futures contracts, warrants, swaps and any other investments which are not presently contemplated for use by the Fund or which are not currently available but which may be developed, to the extent such opportunities are both consistent with the Fund's investment objective and legally permissible for the Fund. Before entering into such transactions or making any such investment, a Fund will provide appropriate disclosure.

**GOVERNMENT MORTGAGE PASS-THROUGH SECURITIES**

Each Fund may invest in mortgage pass-through securities representing participation interests in pools of residential mortgage loans purchased from individual lenders by an agency, instrumentality or sponsored corporation of the United States government ("Federal Agency") or originated by private lenders and guaranteed, to the extent provided in such securities, by a Federal Agency. Such securities, which are ownership interests in the underlying mortgage loans, differ from conventional debt securities, which provide for periodic payment of interest in fixed amounts (usually semiannually) and principal payments at payments (not necessarily in fixed amounts) that are a pass-through of the monthly interest and principal payments (including any prepayments) made by the individual borrowers on the pooled mortgage loans, net of any fees paid to the guarantor of such securities and the servicer of the underlying mortgage loans.

The government mortgage pass-through securities in which the Fund may invest include those issued or guaranteed by Ginnie Mae, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Ginnie Mae certificates are direct obligations of the U.S. government and, as such, are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. Fannie Mae is a federally chartered, privately owned corporation and Freddie Mac is a corporate instrumentality of the United States. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac certificates are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States but the issuing agency or instrumentality has the right to borrow, to meet its obligations, from an existing line of credit with the U.S. Treasury. The U.S. Treasury has no legal obligation to provide such line of credit and may choose not to do so.

Certificates for these types of mortgage-backed securities evidence an interest in a specific pool of mortgages. These certificates are, in most cases, modified pass-through instruments, wherein the issuing agency guarantees the payment of principal and interest on mortgages underlying the certificates, whether or not such amounts are collected by the issuer on the underlying mortgages.

The Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 ("HERA") authorized the Secretary of the Treasury to support Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the Federal Home Loan Banks ("FHLBs") (collectively, the "GSEs") by purchasing obligations and other securities from those government-sponsored enterprises. HERA gave the Secretary of the Treasury broad authority to determine the conditions and amounts of such purchases.

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On September 6, 2008, the Federal Housing Finance Agency ("FHFA") placed Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac into conservatorship. As the conservator, FHFA succeeded to all rights, titles, powers and privileges of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and of any stockholder, officer or director of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac with respect to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and the assets of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. FHFA selected a new chief executive officer and chairman of the board of directors for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

In September 2008, the U.S. Treasury announced a federal takeover of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, placing the two federal instrumentalities in conservatorship. Under the terms of the takeover, the U.S. Treasury agreed to acquire $1 billion of senior preferred stock of each instrumentality and obtained warrants for the purchase of common stock of each instrumentality. Under these Senior Preferred Stock Purchase Agreements ("SPAs"), the U.S. Treasury has pledged to provide a limited amount of capital per instrumentality as needed, including the contribution of cash capital to the instrumentalities in the event their liabilities exceed their assets. In May 2009, the U.S. Treasury increased its maximum commitment to each instrumentality under the SPAs from $100 billion to $200 billion per instrumentality. In December 2009, the U.S. Treasury amended the SPAs to provide Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac with some additional flexibility to meet the requirement to reduce their mortgage portfolios. Also in December 2009, the U.S. Treasury further amended the SPAs to allow the cap on the U.S. Treasury's funding commitment to increase as necessary to accommodate any cumulative reduction in Fannie Mae's and Freddie Mac's net worth through the end of 2012. On August 17, 2012, the U.S. Treasury announced that it was again amending the SPAs to terminate the requirement that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac each pay a 10% dividend annually on all amounts received under the funding commitment. Instead, the companies were required to transfer to the U.S. Treasury on a quarterly basis all profits earned during a quarter that exceeded a capital reserve amount. The capital reserve amount was $3 billion in 2013, and decreased by $600 million in each subsequent year through 2017. On December 21, 2017, the U.S. Treasury announced amendments to the SPAs to reinstate the $3 billion capital reserve amount. On September 30, 2019, the U.S. Treasury announced amendments to the SPAs permitting Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to maintain capital reserves of $25 billion and $20 billion, respectively. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are the subject of several continuing class action lawsuits and investigations by federal regulators over certain accounting, disclosure or corporate governance matters, which (along with any resulting financial restatements) may adversely affect the guaranteeing entities. Importantly, the future of the entities is in serious question as the U.S. government reportedly is considering multiple options, ranging from nationalization, privatization, consolidation, or abolishment of the entities.

Under the Federal Housing Finance Regulatory Reform Act of 2008 (the "Reform Act"), which was included as part of Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008, FHFA, as conservator or receiver, has the power to repudiate any contract entered into by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac prior to FHFA's appointment as conservator or receiver, as applicable, if FHFA determines, in its sole discretion, that performance of the contract is burdensome and that repudiation of the contract promotes the orderly administration of Fannie Mae's or Freddie Mac's affairs. The Reform Act requires FHFA to exercise its right to repudiate any contract within a reasonable period of time after its appointment as conservator or receiver.

FHFA, in its capacity as conservator, has indicated that it has no intention to repudiate the guaranty obligations of Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac because FHFA views repudiation as incompatible with the goals of the conservatorship. However, in the event that FHFA, as conservator or if it is later appointed as receiver for Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, were to repudiate any such guaranty obligation, the conservatorship or receivership estate, as applicable, would be liable for actual direct compensatory damages in accordance with the provisions of the Reform Act. Any such liability could be satisfied only to the extent of Fannie Mae's or Freddie Mac's available assets. The future financial performance of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac is heavily dependent on the performance of the U.S. housing market.

In the event of repudiation, the payments of interest to holders of Fannie Mae, or Freddie Mac mortgage-backed securities would be reduced if payments on the mortgage loans represented in the mortgage loan groups related to such mortgage-backed securities are not made by the borrowers or advanced by the servicer. Any actual direct compensatory damages for repudiating these guaranty obligations may not be sufficient to offset any shortfalls experienced by such mortgage-backed security holders.

Further, in its capacity as conservator or receiver, FHFA has the right to transfer or sell any asset or liability of Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac without any approval, assignment or consent. Although FHFA has stated that it has no present intention to do so, if FHFA, as conservator or receiver, were to transfer any such guaranty obligation to another party, holders of Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac mortgage-backed securities would have to rely on that party for satisfaction of the guaranty obligation and would be exposed to the credit risk of that party.

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In addition, certain rights provided to holders of mortgage-backed securities issued by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac under the operative documents related to such securities may not be enforced against FHFA, or enforcement of such rights may be delayed, during the conservatorship or any future receivership. The operative documents for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac mortgage-backed securities may provide (or with respect to securities issued prior to the date of the appointment of the conservator may have provided) that upon the occurrence of an event of default on the part of Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, in its capacity as guarantor, which includes the appointment of a conservator or receiver, holders of such mortgage-backed securities have the right to replace Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac as trustee if the requisite percentage of mortgage-backed security holders consent. The Reform Act prevents mortgage-backed security holders from enforcing such rights if the event of default arises solely because a conservator or receiver has been appointed. The Reform Act also provides that no person may exercise any right or power to terminate, accelerate or declare an event of default under certain contracts to which Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac is a party, or obtain possession of or exercise control over any property of Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, or affect any contractual rights of Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, without the approval of FHFA, as conservator or receiver, for a period of 45 or 90 days following the appointment of FHFA as conservator or receiver, respectively.

**HIGH YIELD SECURITIES**

Investment in high yield securities (commonly known as "junk" bonds) generally provides greater income and increased opportunity for capital appreciation than investments in higher quality securities, but they also typically entail greater price volatility and credit risk. These high yield securities are regarded as predominantly speculative with respect to the issuer's continuing ability to meet principal and interest payments. Analysis of the creditworthiness of issuers of debt securities that are high yield may be more complex than for issuers of higher quality debt securities. In addition, high yield securities are often issued by smaller, less creditworthy companies or by highly leveraged (indebted) firms, but can also be issued by governments. Such issuers are generally less able than more financially stable issuers to make scheduled payments of interest and principal. The risks posed by securities issued under such circumstances are substantial.

Investing in high yield debt securities involves risks that are greater than the risks of investing in higher quality debt securities. These risks include: (i) changes in credit status, including weaker overall credit conditions of issuers and risks of default; (ii) industry, market and economic risk; and (iii) greater price variability and credit risks of certain high yield securities such as zero coupon and payment-in-kind securities. While these risks provide the opportunity for maximizing return over time, they may result in greater volatility of the value of a Fund than a fund that invests in higher-rated securities.

Furthermore, the value of high yield securities may be more susceptible to real or perceived adverse economic, company or industry conditions than is the case for higher quality securities. The market values of certain of these lower-rated and unrated debt securities tend to reflect individual issuer developments to a greater extent than do higher-rated securities which react primarily to fluctuations in the general level of interest rates, and tend to be more sensitive to economic conditions than are higher-rated securities. Adverse market, credit or economic conditions could make it difficult at certain times to sell certain high yield securities held by a Fund.

The secondary market on which high yield securities are traded may be less liquid than the market for higher grade securities. Less liquidity in the secondary trading market could adversely affect the price at which a Fund could sell a high yield security, and could adversely affect the daily net asset value per share of a Fund. When secondary markets for high yield securities are less liquid than the market for higher grade securities, it may be more difficult to value the securities because there is less reliable, objective data available.

The use of credit ratings as a principal method of selecting high yield securities can involve certain risks. For example, credit ratings evaluate the safety of principal and interest payments, not the market value risk of high yield securities. Also, credit rating agencies may fail to change credit ratings in a timely fashion to reflect events since the security was last rated.

**HYBRID INSTRUMENTS**

The SPDR Blackstone High Income ETF, SPDR DoubleLine Emerging Markets Fixed Income ETF and SPDR Loomis Sayles Opportunistic Bond ETF may acquire hybrid instruments. A hybrid instrument is a type of derivative that combines a traditional stock or bond with an option or forward contract. Generally, the principal amount, amount payable upon maturity or redemption or interest rate of a hybrid is tied (positively or negatively) to the price of some currency or securities index, another interest rate or some other economic factor (each a "benchmark"). The interest rate or (unlike most fixed-income securities) the principal amount payable at maturity of a hybrid security may be increased or

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decreased, depending on changes in the value of the benchmark. An example of a hybrid could be a bond issued by an oil company that pays a small base level of interest with additional interest that accrues in correlation to the extent to which oil prices exceed a certain predetermined level. Such a hybrid instrument would be economically similar to a combination of a bond and a call option on oil.

Hybrids can be used as an efficient means of pursuing a variety of investment goals, including currency hedging, duration management and increased total return. Hybrids may not bear interest or pay dividends. The value of a hybrid or its interest rate may be a multiple of a benchmark and, as a result, may be leveraged and move (up or down) more steeply and rapidly than the benchmark. These benchmarks may be sensitive to economic and political events, such as currency devaluations, which cannot be readily foreseen by the purchaser of a hybrid. Under certain conditions, the redemption value of a hybrid could be zero. Thus, an investment in a hybrid may entail significant market risks that are not associated with a similar investment in a traditional, U.S. dollar-denominated bond that has a fixed principal amount and pays a fixed rate or floating rate of interest. The purchase of hybrids also exposes a Fund to the credit/counterparty risk of the issuer of the hybrids. These risks may cause significant fluctuations in the NAV of a Fund.

Certain hybrid instruments may provide exposure to the commodities markets. These are derivative instruments with one or more commodity-linked components that have payment features similar to commodity futures contracts, commodity options or similar instruments. Commodity-linked hybrid instruments may be either equity or debt securities, leveraged or unleveraged, and are considered hybrid instruments because they have both security and commodity-like characteristics. A portion of the value of these instruments may be derived from the value of a commodity, futures contract, index or other economic variable and therefore are subject to many of the same risks as investments in those underlying securities, instruments or commodities.

Certain issuers of structured products such as hybrid instruments may be deemed to be investment companies as defined in the 1940 Act. As a result, a Fund's investments in these products may be subject to limits applicable to investments in investment companies and may be subject to restrictions contained in the 1940 Act.

**ILLIQUID INVESTMENTS**

Each Fund may invest in illiquid investments. A Fund may not acquire any illiquid investment if, immediately after the acquisition, the Fund would have invested more than 15% of its net assets in illiquid investments. An illiquid investment means any investment that a Fund reasonably expects cannot be sold or disposed of in current market conditions in seven calendar days or less without the sale or disposition significantly changing the market value of the investment. If illiquid investments exceed 15% of a Fund's net assets, certain remedial actions will be taken as required by Rule 22e-4 under the 1940 Act and the Funds' policies and procedures.

**INFLATION-PROTECTED OBLIGATIONS**

Each Fund may invest in inflation-protected public obligations, commonly known as "TIPS," of the U.S. Treasury, as well as TIPS of major governments and emerging market countries, excluding the United States. TIPS are a type of security issued by a government that are designed to provide inflation protection to investors. TIPS are income-generating instruments whose interest and principal payments are adjusted for inflation—a sustained increase in prices that erodes the purchasing power of money. The inflation adjustment, which is typically applied monthly to the principal of the bond, follows a designated inflation index, such as the Consumer Price Index. A fixed coupon rate is applied to the inflation-adjusted principal so that as inflation rises or falls, both the principal value and the interest payments will increase or decrease. This can provide investors with a hedge against inflation, as it helps preserve the purchasing power of an investment. Because of this inflation adjustment feature, inflation-protected bonds typically have lower yields than conventional fixed-rate bonds.

**INVERSE FLOATERS**

An inverse floater is a type of instrument that bears a floating or variable interest rate that moves in the opposite direction to interest rates generally or the interest rate on another security or index. Changes in interest rates generally, or the interest rate of the other security or index, inversely affect the interest rate paid on the inverse floater, with the result that the inverse floater's price will be considerably more volatile than that of a fixed-rate bond. Brokers typically create inverse floaters by depositing an income-producing instrument, which may be a mortgage-backed security, in a trust. The trust in turn issues a variable rate security and inverse floaters. The returns on the inverse floaters may be leveraged, increasing substantially their volatility and interest rate sensitivity. The rate at which interest is paid by the trust on an inverse floater may vary by a magnitude that exceeds the magnitude of the change in a reference rate of interest (typically a short term

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interest rate), and the market prices of inverse floaters may as a result be highly sensitive to changes in interest rates and in prepayment rates on the underlying securities, and may decrease significantly when interest rates increase or prepayment rates change. The interest rate for the variable rate security is typically determined by an index or an auction process, while the inverse floater holder receives the balance of the income from the underlying income-producing instrument less an auction fee.

**INVESTMENT COMPANIES**

Each Fund may invest in the securities of other investment companies, including affiliated funds, money market funds and closed-end funds, subject to applicable limitations under Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act. Pursuant to Section 12(d)(1), a Fund may invest in the securities of another investment company (the "acquired company") provided that the Fund, immediately after such purchase or acquisition, does not own in the aggregate: (i) more than 3% of the total outstanding voting stock of the acquired company; (ii) securities issued by the acquired company having an aggregate value in excess of 5% of the value of the total assets of the Fund; (iii) securities issued by the acquired company and all other investment companies (other than Treasury stock of the Fund) having an aggregate value in excess of 10% of the value of the total assets of the Fund; or (iv) in the case of investment in a closed-end fund, more than 10% of the total outstanding voting stock of the acquired company. A fund may also invest in the securities of other investment companies if such securities are the only investment securities held by the fund, such as through a master-feeder arrangement. To the extent allowed by law, regulation, and/or a Fund's investment restrictions, a Fund may invest its assets in securities of investment companies, including affiliated funds and/or money market funds, in excess of the limits discussed above.

To the extent a Fund invests in and, thus, is a shareholder of, another investment company, the Fund's shareholders will indirectly bear the Fund's proportionate share of the fees and expenses paid by such other investment company, including advisory fees, in addition to both the management fees payable directly by the Fund to the Fund's own investment adviser and the other expenses that the Fund bears directly in connection with the Fund's own operations.

**INVESTMENTS IN VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITY STRUCTURES**

Each Fund may gain investment exposure to certain Chinese companies through variable interest entity ("VIE") structures. Such investments are subject to the investment risks associated with the Chinese-based company. The VIE structure enables foreign investors, such as the Funds, to obtain investment exposure to a Chinese company in situations in which the Chinese government has limited or prohibited non-Chinese ownership of such company. The VIE structure does not involve direct equity ownership in a China-based company, but rather involves claims to the China-based company's profits and control of the assets that belong to the China-based company through contractual arrangements. The contractual arrangements in place with the China-based company provide limited ability to exercise control over the China-based company and the China-based company's actions may negatively impact the value of an investment through a VIE structure. Control may also be jeopardized if a natural person who holds an equity interest in the China-based company breaches the terms of the contractual arrangements or is subject to legal proceedings, or if any physical instruments such as chops and seals are used without authorization.

Intervention by the Chinese government with respect to the VIE structure could significantly affect the Chinese operating company's performance and thus, the value of a Fund's investment through a VIE structure, as well as the enforceability of the contractual arrangements of the VIE structure. In the event of such an occurrence, a Fund, as a foreign investor, may have little or no legal recourse. If the Chinese government were to determine that the contractual arrangements establishing the VIE structure did not comply with Chinese law or regulations, the Chinese operating company could be subject to penalties, revocation of its business and operating license, or forfeiture of ownership interests. In addition to the risk of government intervention, investments through a VIE structure are subject to the risk that the China-based company (or its officers, directors, or Chinese equity owners) may breach the contractual arrangements, or Chinese law changes in a way that adversely affects the enforceability of the arrangements, or the contracts are otherwise not enforceable under Chinese law, in which case a Fund may suffer significant losses on its investments through a VIE structure with little or no recourse available.

**LENDING PORTFOLIO SECURITIES**

Each Fund (except the SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ETF and SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ESG ETF) may lend portfolio securities to certain creditworthy borrowers in U.S. and non-U.S. markets in an amount not to exceed 40% of the value of its net assets. The borrowers provide collateral that is marked to market daily in an amount at least equal to the current market value of the securities loaned. A Fund may terminate a loan at any time and obtain the securities loaned. A

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Fund receives the value of any interest or cash or non-cash distributions paid on the loaned securities. A Fund cannot vote proxies for securities on loan, but may recall loans to vote proxies if a material issue affecting the Fund's economic interest in the investment is to be voted upon. Efforts to recall such securities promptly may be unsuccessful, especially for foreign securities or thinly traded securities. Distributions received on loaned securities in lieu of dividend payments (i.e., substitute payments) would not be considered qualified dividend income.

With respect to loans that are collateralized by cash, the borrower may be entitled to receive a fee based on the amount of cash collateral. A Fund is compensated by the difference between the amount earned on the reinvestment of cash collateral and the fee paid to the borrower. In the case of collateral other than cash, a Fund is compensated by a fee paid by the borrower equal to a percentage of the market value of the loaned securities. Any cash collateral may be reinvested in certain high quality short-term instruments either directly on behalf of the lending Fund or through one or more joint accounts or funds, which may include those managed by the Adviser. A Fund could lose money due to a decline in the value of collateral provided for loaned securities or any investments made with cash collateral. Certain non-cash collateral or investments made with cash collateral may have a greater risk of loss than other non-cash collateral or investments.

A Fund may pay a portion of the interest or fees earned from securities lending to a borrower as described above, and to one or more securities lending agents approved by the Board who administer the lending program for the Funds in accordance with guidelines approved by the Board. In such capacity, the lending agent provides the following services to the Funds in connection with the Funds' securities lending activities: (i) locating borrowers among an approved list of prospective borrowers; (ii) causing the delivery of loaned securities from a Fund to borrowers; (iii) monitoring the value of loaned securities, the value of collateral received, and other lending parameters; (iv) seeking additional collateral, as necessary, from borrowers; (v) receiving and holding collateral from borrowers, and facilitating the investment and reinvestment of all or substantially all cash collateral in an investment vehicle designated by the Funds; (vi) returning collateral to borrowers; (vii) facilitating substitute dividend, interest, and other distribution payments to the Funds from borrowers; (viii) negotiating the terms of each loan of securities, including but not limited to the amount of any loan premium, and monitoring the terms of securities loan agreements with prospective borrowers for consistency with the requirements of the Funds' Securities Lending Authorization Agreement; (ix) selecting securities, including amounts (percentages), to be loaned; (x) recordkeeping and accounting servicing; and (xi) arranging for return of loaned securities to the Fund in accordance with the terms of the Securities Lending Authorization Agreement. State Street Bank and Trust Company ("State Street"), an affiliate of the Trust, has been approved by the Board to serve as securities lending agent for the Funds and the Trust has entered into an agreement with State Street for such services. Among other matters, the Trust has agreed to indemnify State Street for certain liabilities. State Street has received an order of exemption from the SEC under Sections 17(a) and 12(d)(1) under the 1940 Act to serve as the lending agent for affiliated investment companies such as the Trust and to invest the cash collateral received from loan transactions to be invested in an affiliated cash collateral fund.

Securities lending involves exposure to certain risks, including operational risk (i.e., the risk of losses resulting from problems in the settlement and accounting process especially so in certain international markets such as Taiwan), "gap" risk (i.e., the risk of a mismatch between the return on cash collateral reinvestments and the fees a Fund has agreed to pay a borrower), risk of loss of collateral, credit, legal, counterparty and market risk. If a securities lending counterparty were to default, a Fund would be subject to the risk of a possible delay in receiving collateral or in recovering the loaned securities, or to a possible loss of rights in the collateral. In the event a borrower does not return a Fund's securities as agreed, the Fund may experience losses if the proceeds received from liquidating the collateral do not at least equal the value of the loaned security at the time the collateral is liquidated, plus the transaction costs incurred in purchasing replacement securities. Although State Street has agreed to provide a Fund with indemnification in the event of a borrower default, a Fund is still exposed to the risk of losses in the event a borrower does not return a Fund's securities as agreed. For example, delays in recovery of lent securities may cause a Fund to lose the opportunity to sell the securities at a desirable price.

**LEVERAGING**

While the Funds do not anticipate doing so, a Fund may borrow money in an amount greater than 5% of the value of the Fund's total assets. However, under normal circumstances, a Fund will not borrow money from a bank in an amount greater than 33 <sup>1</sup>∕3% of the value of the Fund's total assets. Borrowing for investment purposes is one form of leverage. Leveraging investments, by purchasing securities with borrowed money, is a speculative technique that increases investment risk, but also increases investment opportunity. Because substantially all of a Fund's assets will fluctuate in value, whereas the interest obligations on borrowings may be fixed, the NAV of a Fund will increase more when such

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Fund's portfolio assets increase in value and decrease more when the Fund's portfolio assets decrease in value than would otherwise be the case. Moreover, interest costs on borrowings may fluctuate with changing market rates of interest and may partially offset or exceed the returns on the borrowed funds.

**MORTGAGE DOLLAR ROLLS**

A mortgage dollar roll is a transaction in which a fund sells mortgage-related securities for immediate settlement and simultaneously purchases the same type of securities for forward settlement at a discount. While a fund begins accruing interest on the newly purchased securities from the purchase or trade date, it is able to invest the proceeds from the sale of its previously owned securities, which will be used to pay for the new securities. The use of mortgage dollar rolls is a speculative technique involving leverage, and can have an economic effect similar to borrowing money for investment purposes.

**MORTGAGE PASS-THROUGH SECURITIES**

Each Fund may invest in U.S. agency mortgage pass-through securities. The term "U.S. agency mortgage pass-through security" refers to a category of pass-through securities backed by pools of mortgages and issued by one of several U.S. government-sponsored enterprises: Ginnie Mae, Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac. In the basic mortgage pass-through structure, mortgages with similar issuer, term and coupon characteristics are collected and aggregated into a "pool" consisting of multiple mortgage loans. The pool is assigned a CUSIP number and undivided interests in the pool are traded and sold as pass-through securities. The holder of the security is entitled to a pro rata share of principal and interest payments (including unscheduled prepayments) from the pool of mortgage loans.

An investment in a specific pool of pass-through securities requires an analysis of the specific prepayment risk of mortgages within the covered pool (since mortgagors typically have the option to prepay their loans). The level of prepayments on a pool of mortgage securities is difficult to predict and can impact the subsequent cash flows and value of the mortgage pool. In addition, when trading specific mortgage pools, precise execution, delivery and settlement arrangements must be negotiated for each transaction. These factors combine to make trading in mortgage pools somewhat cumbersome.

For the foregoing and other reasons, the Funds may seek to obtain exposure to U.S. agency mortgage pass-through securities through the use of "to-be-announced" or "TBA transactions." "TBA" refers to a commonly used mechanism for the forward settlement of U.S. agency mortgage pass-through securities, and not to a separate type of mortgage-backed security. Transactions in mortgage pass-through securities may occur through the use of TBA transactions. TBA transactions generally are conducted in accordance with widely-accepted guidelines which establish commonly observed terms and conditions for execution, settlement and delivery. In a TBA transaction, the buyer and seller decide on general trade parameters, such as agency, settlement date, par amount, and price. The actual pools delivered generally are determined two days prior to settlement date. A Fund may use TBA transactions in several ways. For example, a Fund may enter into TBA agreements and "roll over" such agreements prior to the settlement date stipulated in such agreements. This type of TBA transaction is sometimes known as a "TBA roll." In a TBA roll, a Fund generally will sell the obligation to purchase the pools stipulated in the TBA agreement prior to the stipulated settlement date and will enter into a new TBA agreement for future delivery of pools of mortgage pass-through securities. In addition, a Fund may enter into TBA agreements and settle such transactions on the stipulated settlement date by accepting actual receipt or delivery of the pools of mortgage pass-through securities stipulated in the TBA agreement.

Default by or bankruptcy of a counterparty to a TBA transaction would expose a Fund to possible loss because of adverse market action, expenses or delays in connection with the purchase or sale of the pools of mortgage pass-through securities specified in the TBA transaction. To minimize this risk, a Fund will enter into TBA transactions only with established counterparties (such as major broker-dealers) and the Adviser will monitor the creditworthiness of such counterparties. In addition, a Fund may accept assignments of TBA transactions from Authorized Participants (as defined below) from time to time. A Fund's use of TBA rolls may cause such Fund to experience higher portfolio turnover, higher transaction costs and to pay higher capital gain distributions to shareholders (which may be taxable) than other funds.

The Funds intend to invest cash pending settlement of any TBA transactions in money market instruments, repurchase agreements, commercial paper (including asset-backed commercial paper) or other high-quality, liquid short-term instruments, which may include money market funds affiliated with the Adviser.

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**MUNICIPAL SECURITIES**

<u>General:</u> Municipal securities are securities issued by states, municipalities and other political subdivisions, agencies, authorities and instrumentalities of states and multi-state agencies or authorities. Shareholders should note that, although interest paid on municipal securities is generally exempt from regular federal income tax, each Fund (except for the SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ETF and SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ESG ETF) does not anticipate holding municipal securities in sufficient quantities to enable such Fund to qualify to pay exempt-interest dividends. As a result, distributions by a Fund (except for the SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ETF and SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ESG ETF) to shareholders are expected to be treated for federal income tax purposes as ordinary dividends without regard to the character in the hands of the Fund of any interest that it receives on municipal securities.

Municipal securities share the attributes of debt/fixed income securities in general, but are generally issued by states, municipalities and other political subdivisions, agencies, authorities and instrumentalities of states and multi-state agencies or authorities. The municipal securities which a Fund may purchase include general obligation bonds and limited obligation bonds (or revenue bonds), including industrial development bonds issued pursuant to former federal tax law. General obligation bonds are obligations involving the credit of an issuer possessing taxing power and are payable from such issuer's general revenues and not from any particular source. Limited obligation bonds are payable only from the revenues derived from a particular facility or class of facilities or, in some cases, from the proceeds of a special excise or other specific revenue source. Tax-exempt industrial development bonds generally are also revenue bonds and thus are not payable from the issuer's general revenues. The credit and quality of industrial development bonds are usually related to the credit of the corporate user of the facilities. Payment of interest on and repayment of principal of such bonds is the responsibility of the corporate user (and/or any guarantor).

Some longer-term municipal securities give the investor the right to "put" or sell the security at par (face value) within a specified number of days following the investor's request—usually one to seven days. This demand feature enhances a security's liquidity by shortening its effective maturity and enables it to trade at a price equal to or very close to par. If a demand feature terminates prior to being exercised, a Fund would hold the longer-term security, which could experience substantially more volatility.

The market for municipal bonds may be less liquid than for taxable bonds. This means that it may be harder to buy and sell municipal securities, especially on short notice, than non-municipal securities. There may also be less information available on the financial condition of issuers of municipal securities than for public corporations. This means that it may be harder to buy and sell municipal securities, especially on short notice, and municipal securities may be more difficult for a Fund to value accurately than securities of public corporations. If a Fund invests in municipal securities, the Fund's portfolio may have greater exposure to liquidity risk than a fund that only invests in non-municipal securities. In addition, the municipal securities market is generally characterized as a buy and hold investment strategy. As a result, the accessibility of municipal securities in the market is generally greater closer to the original date of issue of the securities and lessens as the securities move further away from such issuance date.

Municipal securities are subject to credit and market risk. Generally, prices of higher quality issues tend to fluctuate more with changes in market interest rates than prices of lower quality issues and prices of longer maturity issues tend to fluctuate more than prices of shorter maturity issues.

Prices and yields on municipal securities are dependent on a variety of factors, including general money-market conditions, the financial condition of the issuer, general conditions of the municipal security market, the size of a particular offering, the maturity of the obligation and the rating of the issue. A number of these factors, including the ratings of particular issues, are subject to change from time to time. Information about the financial condition of an issuer of municipal securities may not be as extensive as that which is made available by corporations whose securities are publicly traded. As a result, municipal securities may be more difficult to value than securities of public corporations.

Obligations of issuers of municipal securities are subject to the provisions of bankruptcy, insolvency and other laws affecting the rights and remedies of creditors. Congress or state legislatures may seek to extend the time for payment of principal or interest, or both, or to impose other constraints upon enforcement of such obligations. In addition, municipal securities are subject to the risk that their tax treatment could be changed by Congress or state legislatures, thereby affecting the value of outstanding municipal securities. There is also the possibility that as a result of litigation or other conditions, the power or ability of issuers to meet their obligations for the payment of interest and principal on their municipal securities may be materially affected or their obligations may be found to be invalid or unenforceable. Such

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litigation or conditions may from time to time have the effect of introducing uncertainties in the market for municipal securities or certain segments thereof, or of materially affecting the credit risk with respect to particular bonds. Adverse economic, business, legal or political developments might affect all or a substantial portion of a Fund's municipal securities in the same manner.

<u>Municipal Leases and Certificates of Participation:</u> Also included within the general category of municipal securities are municipal leases, certificates of participation in such lease obligations or installment purchase contract obligations (hereinafter collectively called "Municipal Lease Obligations") of municipal authorities or entities. Although a Municipal Lease Obligation does not constitute a general obligation of the municipality for which the municipality's taxing power is pledged, a Municipal Lease Obligation is ordinarily backed by the municipality's covenant to budget for, appropriate and make the payments due under the Municipal Lease Obligation. However, certain Municipal Lease Obligations contain "non-appropriation" clauses which provide that the municipality has no obligation to make lease or installment purchase payments in future years unless money is appropriated for such purpose on a yearly basis. In the case of a "non-appropriation" lease, a Fund's ability to recover under the lease in the event of non-appropriation or default will be limited solely to the repossession of the leased property, without recourse to the general credit of the lessee, and disposition or releasing of the property might prove difficult.

<u>Municipal Insurance:</u> A municipal security may be covered by insurance that guarantees the bond's scheduled payment of interest and repayment of principal. This type of insurance may be obtained by either (i) the issuer at the time the bond is issued (primary market insurance), or (ii) another party after the bond has been issued (secondary market insurance).

Both primary and secondary market insurance guarantee timely and scheduled repayment of all principal and payment of all interest on a municipal security in the event of default by the issuer, and cover a municipal security to its maturity, enhancing its credit quality and value.

Municipal security insurance does not insure against market fluctuations or fluctuations in a Fund's share price. In addition, a municipal security insurance policy will not cover: (i) repayment of a municipal security before maturity (redemption), (ii) prepayment or payment of an acceleration premium (except for a mandatory sinking fund redemption) or any other provision of a bond indenture that advances the maturity of the bond, or (iii) nonpayment of principal or interest caused by negligence or bankruptcy of the paying agent. A mandatory sinking fund redemption may be a provision of a municipal security issue whereby part of the municipal security issue may be retired before maturity.

Because a significant portion of the municipal securities issued and outstanding is insured by a small number of insurance companies, an event involving one or more of these insurance companies could have a significant adverse effect on the value of the securities insured by that insurance company and on the municipal markets as a whole.

<u>Municipal Market Disruption Risk:</u> The value of municipal securities may be affected by uncertainties in the municipal market related to legislation or litigation involving the taxation of municipal securities or the rights of municipal securities holders in the event of a bankruptcy. Proposals to restrict or eliminate the federal income tax exemption for interest on municipal securities are introduced before Congress from time to time. Proposals also may be introduced before state legislatures that would affect the state tax treatment of a municipal fund's distributions. If such proposals were enacted, the availability of municipal securities and the value of any municipal securities held by a Fund would be affected. Municipal bankruptcies are relatively rare, and certain provisions of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code governing such bankruptcies are unclear and remain untested. Further, the application of state law to municipal issuers could produce varying results among the states or among municipal securities issuers within a state. These legal uncertainties could affect the municipal securities market generally, certain specific segments of the market, or the relative credit quality of particular securities. Any of these effects could have a significant impact on the prices of some or all of the municipal securities held by a Fund.

**CONSIDERATIONS REGARDING INVESTMENT IN MUNICIPAL SECURITIES ISSUED BY PUERTO RICO**

The SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ETF and SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ESG ETF may each invest in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ("Puerto Rico") municipal bonds and, therefore, may be impacted by political, economic, or regulatory developments that affect issuers in Puerto Rico and their ability to pay principal and interest on their obligations. Puerto Rico, the fourth largest of the Caribbean islands, is located approximately 1,000 miles southeast of Miami, Florida. Puerto Rico's constitutional status is that of a territory of the United States, and, pursuant to the territorial clause of the U.S. Constitution, the ultimate source of power over Puerto Rico is the U.S. Congress. Residents of Puerto Rico are citizens of the United States but do not vote in national elections.

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Protracted economic decline and population losses have directly impacted Puerto Rico's tax base and operating budget. Puerto Rico's operating budget became structurally unbalanced during the 2008 recession and, as a result, the government began relying on deficit financing for annual operations. This borrowing led to a tremendous debt burden, which is very high in comparison to that of most states. Further, Puerto Rico issues debt under many different securities, but many of the security pledges are ultimately dependent on the island's general fund, creating interdependency between credits.

In 2014, Puerto Rico's then-Governor declared that Puerto Rico's "debt is not payable" and Puerto Rico would no longer borrow to address annual budget deficits. Puerto Rico experienced its first debt default in 2015. On June 30, 2016, the Puerto Rico Oversight, Management and Economic Stability Act ("PROMESA") was signed into law, aimed at helping Puerto Rico restructure its debt. Among other things, PROMESA established the Financial and Oversight Management Board ("FOMB") to oversee Puerto Rico's financial operations and provide a legal framework for debt restructuring. As required by PROMESA, Puerto Rico must submit fiscal plans to the FOMB. The fiscal plans are required to provide estimates of revenues and expenditures, ensure funding for essential public services, provide adequate funding pensions, eliminate any structural deficits, provide for a sustainable debt burden, and improve fiscal governance, accountability and internal controls. The fiscal plans must also include a debt sustainability analysis and provide for capital investments necessary to promote economic growth. In addition, PROMESA legislation implemented a legal framework providing a court-supervised debt restructuring process that enables Puerto Rico to adjust its debt and pension obligations. PROMESA establishes two alternate procedures for debt restructuring. The Title III restructuring process incorporates by reference parts of the federal bankruptcy code for municipal entities and is a court-supervised debt-adjustment mechanism similar to the U.S. bankruptcy code's chapter 9. The Title VI framework creates a streamlined process to achieve debt restructuring through negotiated modifications of debt with the consent of a supermajority of creditors. If a supermajority of each pool of creditors approves a debt modification, the terms of the approved restructuring will apply to all other creditors within the pool.

In the first quarter of 2022, Puerto Rico's central government exited bankruptcy and executed a debt exchange, impacting the majority of outstanding bonded debt. Puerto Rico's bankruptcy court approved a consensually negotiated debt adjustment plan in January, followed by a debt exchange, which became effective in March 2022. The bankruptcy, which took nearly five years to complete, represents the largest ever municipal restructuring. The plan reduced Puerto Rico's direct debt obligations to $7.4 billion from $34.3 billion. Annual debt service (inclusive of Puerto Rico Sales Tax Financing Corporation (COFINA) sales tax bonds) was reduced to $1.15 billion from $4.2 billion. General Obligation ("GO") and Public Building Authority (PBA) bondholders received a consideration package of a proportional share of $7.4 billion in new General Obligations bonds, $7 billion in cash, and a proportional share of a new, taxable Contingent Value Instrument (CVI), which allows creditors to benefit from an annual payment if sales tax collection out-perform a benchmark schedule. The plan also consolidated debt issued under various security pledges into a single GO bond. As of April 2025, Puerto Rico's government does not have a credit rating. While Puerto Rico's major debt restructuring has concluded, there are several debt restructurings still pending, including the Puerto Rico Industrial Development Company and Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA), that each bring unique complexities. PROMESA requires FOMB to certify completion of four consecutive years of adopting balanced budgets and expenditures not exceeding revenues during those years, in accordance with modified accounting standards. No fiscal year has yet met this standard and 2024 may be the first qualifying year. Although the FOMB Board was expected to be in place through 2028 until all debt restructurings are complete and certain requirements authorizing PROMESA legislation are met, in August 2025, President Trump terminated the majority of the board members, including the chairman, creating uncertainty regarding its future.

Puerto Rico's economy, historically dominated by government and manufacturing employment, experienced a 17% decrease in its real GNP between 2006 and 2017. Puerto Rico's real GNP is expected to have a period of near-zero growth between 2024 and 2026, but then experience a brief growth rebound in 2027 and 2028. Economic struggles, high unemployment, weak job growth and natural disasters have contributed to historic outmigration of Puerto Rican residents. At its peak, Puerto Rico had a population of more than 3.8 million. Between 2010 and 2020, the population declined 11.8%. Furthermore, it is estimated that the country experienced a 2% decline in population from April 2020 to July 2022.

Catastrophic physical damage caused by hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017, a series of earthquakes in 2020, and hurricane Fiona in 2022, coupled with the effects of COVID-19, resulted in a dramatic decline in the tourism industry, which makes up a substantial portion of the Puerto Rico's economy.

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As of June 2025, Puerto Rico's unemployment rate stood at 5.5%, the lowest since 1947. The labor force participation rate has improved, at 41% in 2024, up from a historical average closer to 40%. Additionally, Puerto Rico's population has not dropped as steeply as initially forecasted, and is projected to be flat through 2029. Income levels in Puerto Rico are still about half of those in the United States, and over 40% of the Puerto Rican population lives below the poverty line. Nearly half of residents rely on Medicaid for healthcare. The challenge of sustaining economic growth is considerable given current wealth levels and demographic trends.

**OTHER SHORT-TERM INSTRUMENTS**

Each Fund may invest in short-term instruments, including money market instruments, (including money market funds advised by the Adviser), cash and cash equivalents, on an ongoing basis to provide liquidity or for other reasons. Money market instruments are generally short-term investments that may include but are not limited to: (i) shares of money market funds (including those advised by the Adviser); (ii) obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities (including government-sponsored enterprises); (iii) negotiable certificates of deposit ("CDs"), bankers' acceptances, fixed time deposits and other obligations of U.S. and foreign banks (including foreign branches) and similar institutions; (iv) commercial paper rated at the date of purchase "Prime-1" by Moody's Investors Service ("Moody's") or "A-1" by S&P Global Ratings ("S&P"), or if unrated, of comparable quality as determined by the Adviser; (v) non-convertible corporate debt securities (e.g., bonds and debentures) with remaining maturities at the date of purchase of not more than 397 days and that present minimal credit risk; and (vi) short-term U.S. dollar-denominated obligations of foreign banks (including U.S. branches) that, in the opinion of the Adviser, are of comparable quality to obligations of U.S. banks which may be purchased by a Fund. Any of these instruments may be purchased on a current or a forward-settled basis. Time deposits are non-negotiable deposits maintained in banking institutions for specified periods of time at stated interest rates. Bankers' acceptances are time drafts drawn on commercial banks by borrowers, usually in connection with international transactions. Money market instruments also include shares of money market funds. The SEC and other government agencies continue to review the regulation of money market funds. The SEC has adopted changes to the rules that govern money market funds over the years, most recently in July 2023. Legislative developments may also affect money market funds. These changes and developments may affect the investment strategies, performance, yield, operating expenses and continued viability of a money market fund.

**PERPETUAL BONDS**

Perpetual bonds offer a fixed return with no maturity date. Because they never mature, perpetual bonds can be more volatile than other types of bonds that have a maturity date and may have heightened sensitivity to changes in interest rates. An issuer of perpetual bonds is responsible for coupon payments in perpetuity but does not have to redeem the securities. Perpetual bonds may be callable after a set period of time. It is possible that one or more perpetual bonds in which a Fund invests will be characterized as equity rather than debt for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Where such perpetual bonds are issued by non-U.S. issuers, they may be treated in turn as equity securities of a "passive foreign investment company."

**PREFERRED SECURITIES**

Preferred securities pay fixed or adjustable rate interest or dividends to investors, and are generally senior to common stock, but may be subordinated to bonds and other debt instruments in a company's capital structure and therefore may be subject to greater credit risk than those debt instruments. There is no assurance that interest payments, dividends or distributions on the preferred securities in which a Fund invests will be declared or otherwise made payable. In the case of preferred stock, in order to be payable, distributions on preferred securities must be declared by the issuer's board of directors. The market value of preferred securities may be affected by favorable and unfavorable changes impacting companies in the utilities and financial services sectors, which are prominent issuers of preferred securities, and by actual and anticipated changes in tax laws.

Because the claim on an issuer's earnings represented by preferred securities may become onerous when interest rates fall below the rate payable on such securities, the issuer may redeem the securities. Thus, in declining interest rate environments in particular, a Fund's holdings of higher rate-paying fixed rate preferred securities may be reduced and the Fund would be unable to acquire securities paying comparable rates with the redemption proceeds.

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**PRIVATE MORTGAGE PASS-THROUGH SECURITIES** 

Private mortgage pass-through securities are structured similarly to the Ginnie Mae, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac mortgage pass-through securities and are issued by United States and foreign private issuers such as originators of and investors in mortgage loans, including savings and loan associations, mortgage banks, commercial banks, investment banks and special purpose subsidiaries of the foregoing. These securities usually are backed by a pool of conventional fixed rate or adjustable rate mortgage loans. Since private mortgage pass- through securities typically are not guaranteed by an entity having the credit status of Ginnie Mae, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, such securities generally are structured with one or more types of credit enhancement.

Mortgage Assets often consist of a pool of assets representing the obligations of a number of different parties. There are usually fewer properties in a pool of assets backing commercial mortgage-backed securities than in a pool of assets backing residential mortgage-backed securities hence they may be more sensitive to the performance of fewer Mortgage Assets. To lessen the effect of failures by obligors on underlying assets to make payments, those securities may contain elements of credit support, which fall into two categories: (i) liquidity protection and (ii) protection against losses resulting from ultimate default by an obligor on the underlying assets. Liquidity protection refers to the provision of advances, generally by the entity administering the pool of assets, to ensure that the receipt of payments on the underlying pool occurs in a timely fashion. Protection against losses resulting from default ensures ultimate payment of the obligations on at least a portion of the assets in the pool. This protection may be provided through guarantees, insurance policies or letters of credit obtained by the issuer or sponsor from third parties, through various means of structuring the transaction or through a combination of such approaches. The degree of credit support provided for each issue is generally based on historical information respecting the level of credit risk associated with the underlying assets. Delinquencies or losses in excess of those anticipated could adversely affect the return on an investment in a security.

**PRIVATE PLACEMENTS AND RESTRICTED SECURITIES**

Each Fund may invest in securities that are purchased in private placements and, accordingly, are subject to restrictions on resale as a matter of contract or under federal securities laws. While such private placements may offer attractive opportunities for investment not otherwise available on the open market, the securities so purchased are often "restricted securities," i.e., securities which cannot be sold to the public without registration under the Securities Act or the availability of an exemption from registration (such as Rules 144 or 144A), or which are not readily marketable because they are subject to other legal or contractual delays in or restrictions on resale. Generally speaking, restricted securities may be sold only to qualified institutional buyers, or in a privately negotiated transaction to a limited number of purchasers, or in limited quantities after they have been held for a specified period of time and other conditions are met pursuant to an exemption from registration, or in a public offering for which a registration statement is in effect under the Securities Act.

Because there may be relatively few potential purchasers for such investments, especially under adverse market or economic conditions or in the event of adverse changes in the financial condition of the issuer, a Fund could find it more difficult to sell such securities when the Adviser believes it advisable to do so or may be able to sell such securities only at prices lower than if such securities were more widely held. Market quotations for such securities are generally less readily available than for publicly traded securities. The absence of a trading market can make it difficult to ascertain a market value for such securities for purposes of computing a Fund's net asset value, and the judgment of the Adviser may at times play a greater role in valuing these securities than in the case of publicly traded securities. Disposing of such securities, which may be illiquid investments, can involve time-consuming negotiation and legal expenses, and it may be difficult or impossible for a Fund to sell them promptly at an acceptable price. A Fund may have to bear the extra expense of registering such securities for resale and the risk of substantial delay in effecting such registration.

A Fund may be deemed to be an "underwriter" for purposes of the Securities Act when selling restricted securities to the public, and in such event the Fund may be liable to purchasers of such securities if the registration statement prepared by the issuer, or the prospectus forming a part of it, is materially inaccurate or misleading.

**QUALIFIED PUBLICLY TRADED PARTNERSHIPS**

Regulated investment companies ("RICs") are subject to favorable tax treatment under the Internal Revenue Code. To qualify as a RIC, each Fund must derive at least 90% of its gross income for each taxable year from sources generating "qualifying income." Income derived from direct and certain indirect investments in commodities is not qualifying income. Thus, income from certain commodities-related investments may cause a Fund not to qualify as a RIC. Each Fund may invest up to 25%, except for the SPDR DoubleLine Short Duration Total Return Tactical ETF, which may invest up to 20%, of its total assets in one or more ETPs that are qualified publicly traded partnerships ("QPTPs") and whose principal

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activities are the buying and selling of commodities or options, futures, or forwards with respect to commodities. Income from QPTPs is generally qualifying income. A QPTP is an entity that is treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes, subject to certain requirements. If such an ETP fails to qualify as a QPTP, the income generated from a Fund's investment in the ETP may not be qualifying income. A Fund will only invest in such an ETP if it intends to qualify as a QPTP, but there is no guarantee that each such ETP will be successful in qualifying as a QPTP. In addition, there is little regulatory guidance concerning the application of the rules governing qualification as a QPTP, and it is possible that future guidance may adversely affect the qualification of such ETPs as QPTPs. If a Fund fails to qualify as a RIC, the Fund itself will be subject to tax, which will reduce returns to the Fund's shareholders. Such a failure will also alter the treatment of distributions to the Fund's shareholders.

**RATINGS**

An investment grade rating means the security or issuer is rated investment grade by Moody's, S&P, Fitch Ratings, Inc. ("Fitch"), Morningstar DBRS, or another credit rating agency designated as a nationally recognized statistical rating organization by the SEC, or is unrated but considered to be of equivalent quality by the Adviser.

Subsequent to purchase by a Fund, a rated security may cease to be rated or its investment grade rating may be reduced below an investment grade rating. Bonds rated lower than Baa3 by Moody's or BBB- by S&P or Fitch are below investment grade quality and are obligations of issuers that are considered predominantly speculative with respect to the issuer's capacity to pay interest and repay principal according to the terms of the obligation and, therefore, carry greater investment risk, including the possibility of issuer default and bankruptcy and increased market price volatility. Such securities ("lower rated securities") are commonly referred to as "junk" bonds and are subject to a substantial degree of credit risk. Lower rated securities are often issued by smaller, less creditworthy companies or by highly leveraged (indebted) firms, which are generally less able than more financially stable firms to make scheduled payments of interest and principal. The risks posed by securities issued under such circumstances are substantial. Bonds rated below investment-grade tend to be less marketable than higher-quality bonds because the market for them is less broad. The market for unrated bonds is even narrower. See "HIGH YIELD SECURITIES" above for more information relating to the risks associated with investing in lower rated securities, or Appendix A for more information on the ratings of debt instruments.

**REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUSTS ("REITs")**

REITs pool investors' funds for investment primarily in income producing real estate or real estate loans or interests. A REIT is not taxed on income distributed to shareholders if it complies with several requirements relating to its organization, ownership, assets, and income and a requirement that it distribute to its shareholders at least 90% of its taxable income (other than net capital gains) for each taxable year. REITs can generally be classified as Equity REITs, Mortgage REITs and Hybrid REITs. Equity REITs, which invest the majority of their assets directly in real property, derive their income primarily from rents. Equity REITs can also realize capital gains by selling properties that have appreciated in value. Mortgage REITs, which invest the majority of their assets in real estate mortgages, derive their income primarily from interest payments. Hybrid REITs combine the characteristics of both Equity REITs and Mortgage REITs. The Funds will not invest in real estate directly, but only in securities issued by real estate companies. However, the Funds may be subject to risks similar to those associated with the direct ownership of real estate (in addition to securities markets risks) to the extent they invest in the securities of companies in the real estate industry. These include declines in the value of real estate, risks related to general and local economic conditions, dependency on management skill, heavy cash flow dependency, possible lack of availability of mortgage funds, overbuilding, extended vacancies of properties, increased competition, increases in property taxes and operating expenses, changes in zoning laws, losses due to costs resulting from the clean-up of environmental problems, liability to third parties for damages resulting from environmental problems, casualty or condemnation losses, limitations on rents, changes in neighborhood values, the appeal of properties to tenants and changes in interest rates. Investments in REITs may subject Fund shareholders to duplicate management and administrative fees.

In addition to these risks, Equity REITs may be affected by changes in the value of the underlying property owned by the trusts, while Mortgage REITs may be affected by the quality of any credit extended. Further, Equity and Mortgage REITs are dependent upon management skills and generally may not be diversified. Equity and Mortgage REITs are also subject to heavy cash flow dependency, defaults by borrowers and self-liquidation. In addition, Equity and Mortgage REITs could possibly fail to qualify for the beneficial tax treatment available to REITs under the Internal Revenue Code, or to maintain

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their exemptions from registration under the 1940 Act. The above factors may also adversely affect a borrower's or a lessee's ability to meet its obligations to the REIT. In the event of a default by a borrower or lessee, the REIT may experience delays in enforcing its rights as a mortgagee or lessor and may incur substantial costs associated with protecting investments.

**REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS** 

Each Fund may invest in repurchase agreements with commercial banks, brokers or dealers to generate income from its excess cash balances and to invest securities lending cash collateral. A repurchase agreement is an agreement under which a Fund acquires a financial instrument (e.g., a security issued by the U.S. government or an agency thereof, a banker's acceptance or a certificate of deposit) from a seller, subject to resale to the seller at an agreed upon price and date (normally, the next Business Day—as defined below). A repurchase agreement may be considered a loan collateralized by securities. The resale price reflects an agreed upon interest rate effective for the period the instrument is held by a Fund and is unrelated to the interest rate on the underlying instrument.

In these repurchase agreement transactions, the securities acquired by a Fund (including accrued interest earned thereon) must have a total value in excess of the value of the repurchase agreement and are held by the Custodian until repurchased. No more than an aggregate of 15% of a Fund's net assets will be invested in illiquid investments, including repurchase agreements having maturities longer than seven days and securities subject to legal or contractual restrictions on resale, or for which there are no readily available market quotations.

The use of repurchase agreements involves certain risks. For example, if the other party to the agreement defaults on its obligation to repurchase the underlying security at a time when the value of the security has declined, a Fund may incur a loss upon disposition of the security. If the other party to the agreement becomes insolvent and subject to liquidation or reorganization under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code or other laws, a court may determine that the underlying security is collateral for a loan by a Fund not within the control of the Fund and, therefore, the Fund may not be able to substantiate its interest in the underlying security and may be deemed an unsecured creditor of the other party to the agreement.

**REVERSE REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS**

Each Fund may enter into reverse repurchase agreements, which involve the sale of securities with an agreement to repurchase the securities at an agreed-upon price, date and interest payment and have the characteristics of borrowing. The securities purchased with the funds obtained from the agreement and securities collateralizing the agreement will have maturity dates no later than the repayment date. Generally the effect of such transactions is that a Fund can recover all or most of the cash invested in the portfolio securities involved during the term of the reverse repurchase agreement, while in many cases a Fund is able to keep some of the interest income associated with those securities. Such transactions are only advantageous if a Fund has an opportunity to earn a greater rate of interest on the cash derived from these transactions than the interest cost of obtaining the same amount of cash. Opportunities to realize earnings from the use of the proceeds equal to or greater than the interest required to be paid may not always be available and a Fund intends to use the reverse repurchase technique only when the Adviser believes it will be advantageous to the Fund. The use of reverse repurchase agreements may exaggerate any interim increase or decrease in the value of a Fund's assets. A Fund may enter into reverse repurchase agreements if it either meets the relevant asset coverage requirements of Section 18 of the 1940 Act for senior securities representing indebtedness, or elects to treat such arrangements as derivatives transactions under the Derivatives Rule. Each Fund does not expect to engage, under normal circumstances, in reverse repurchase agreements with respect to more than 33 <sup>1</sup>∕3%, or in the case of the SPDR DoubleLine Emerging Markets Fixed Income ETF, SPDR DoubleLine Short Duration Total Return Tactical ETF, SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ETF and SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ESG ETF, more than 10%, of their respective total assets.

**SENIOR LOANS**

The SPDR SSGA Fixed Income Sector Rotation ETF and SPDR SSGA Income Allocation ETF, through investments in an underlying exchange-traded product (the "Underlying Fund") may, and SPDR Loomis Sayles Opportunistic Bond ETF, SPDR Blackstone High Income ETF and SPDR Blackstone Senior Loan ETF through direct investments will, receive exposure to senior loans. Senior loans consist generally of obligations of companies and other entities (collectively, "borrowers") incurred for the purpose of reorganizing the assets and liabilities of a borrower; acquiring another company; taking over control of a company (leveraged buyout); temporary refinancing; or financing internal growth or other general business purposes. Senior Loans are often obligations of borrowers who have incurred a significant percentage of debt compared to their total assets and thus are highly leveraged. The Underlying Fund, SPDR Loomis Sayles Opportunistic

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Bond ETF, SPDR Blackstone High Income ETF and SPDR Blackstone Senior Loan ETF do not treat the banks originating or acting as agents for the lenders, or granting or acting as intermediary in participation interests, in loans held by the Underlying Fund, SPDR Loomis Sayles Opportunistic Bond ETF, SPDR Blackstone High Income ETF or SPDR Blackstone Senior Loan ETF as the issuers of such loans.

Senior Loans may be acquired by direct investment as a lender at the inception of the loan or by assignment of a portion of a loan previously made to a different lender or by purchase of a participation interest. If a Fund makes a direct investment in a Senior Loan as one of the lenders, it generally acquires the loan at or below par. This means the Underlying Fund, SPDR Loomis Sayles Opportunistic Bond ETF, SPDR Blackstone High Income ETF or SPDR Blackstone Senior Loan ETF receives a return at or above the full interest rate for the loan. If the Underlying Fund, SPDR Loomis Sayles Opportunistic Bond ETF, SPDR Blackstone High Income ETF or SPDR Blackstone Senior Loan ETF acquires its interest in Senior Loans in the secondary market or acquires a participation interest, the loans may be purchased or sold above, at, or below par, which can result in a yield that is below, equal to, or above the stated interest rate of the loan. At times, the Underlying Fund, SPDR Loomis Sayles Opportunistic Bond ETF, SPDR Blackstone High Income ETF or SPDR Blackstone Senior Loan ETF may be able to invest in Senior Loans only through assignments or participations.

When the Underlying Fund, SPDR Loomis Sayles Opportunistic Bond ETF, SPDR Blackstone High Income ETF or SPDR Blackstone Senior Loan ETF is a purchaser of an assignment, it succeeds to all the rights and obligations under the loan agreement of the assigning lender and becomes a lender under the loan agreement with the same rights and obligations as the assigning lender. These rights include the ability to vote along with the other lenders on such matters as enforcing the terms of the loan agreement (e.g., declaring defaults, initiating collection actions, etc.). Taking such actions typically requires at least a vote of the lenders holding a majority of the investment in the loan and may require a vote by lenders holding two-thirds or more of the investment in the loan. Because the Underlying Fund, SPDR Loomis Sayles Opportunistic Bond ETF, SPDR Blackstone High Income ETF or SPDR Blackstone Senior Loan ETF usually does not hold a majority of the investment in any loan, it will not be able by itself to control decisions that require a vote by the lenders.

The Underlying Fund, SPDR Loomis Sayles Opportunistic Bond ETF, SPDR Blackstone High Income ETF and SPDR Blackstone Senior Loan ETF may, but will not typically, invest in Senior Loans through participations. A participation interest represents a fractional interest in a loan held by the lender selling the Underlying Fund, SPDR Loomis Sayles Opportunistic Bond ETF, SPDR Blackstone High Income ETF or SPDR Blackstone Senior Loan ETF the participation interest. In the case of participations, the Underlying Fund, SPDR Loomis Sayles Opportunistic Bond ETF, SPDR Blackstone High Income ETF or SPDR Blackstone Senior Loan ETF will not have any direct contractual relationship with the borrower, the Underlying Fund's, SPDR Loomis Sayles Opportunistic Bond ETF's, SPDR Blackstone High Income ETF's or SPDR Blackstone Senior Loan ETF's rights to consent to modifications of the loan are limited and it is dependent upon the participating lender to enforce the Underlying Fund's, SPDR Loomis Sayles Opportunistic Bond ETF's, SPDR Blackstone High Income ETF's or SPDR Blackstone Senior Loan ETF's rights upon a default. The Underlying Fund or SPDR Blackstone Senior Loan ETF will have the right to receive payments of principal, interest, and any fees to which it is entitled only from the lender selling the participation and only upon receipt by the lender of the payments from the borrower. The Underlying Fund or SPDR Blackstone Senior Loan ETF will only purchase participations from lenders with credit ratings of Baa3 or higher by Moody's or BBB- or higher by S&P or Fitch, or a comparable rating by another nationally recognized rating agency.

The Underlying Fund, SPDR Loomis Sayles Opportunistic Bond ETF, SPDR Blackstone High Income ETF or SPDR Blackstone Senior Loan ETF may be affected by the credit of both the agent and the lender from whom the Underlying Fund, SPDR Loomis Sayles Opportunistic Bond ETF, SPDR Blackstone High Income ETF or SPDR Blackstone Senior Loan ETF acquires a participation interest. These credit risks may include delay in receiving payments of principal and interest paid by the borrower to the agent or by the agent to the lender or offsets against payments received from the borrower. In the event of the borrower's bankruptcy, the borrower's obligation to repay the loan may be subject to defenses that the borrower can assert as a result of improper conduct by the agent.

Historically, the amount of public information available about a specific Senior Loan has been less extensive than if the loan were registered or exchange-traded.

The loans in which the Underlying Fund, SPDR Loomis Sayles Opportunistic Bond ETF, SPDR Blackstone High Income ETF or SPDR Blackstone Senior Loan ETF will invest will, in most instances, be Senior Loans, which are secured and senior to other indebtedness of the borrower. Each Senior Loan will generally be secured by collateral such as accounts receivable, inventory, equipment, real estate, intangible assets such as trademarks, copyrights and patents, and securities of subsidiaries or affiliates. The value of the collateral generally will be determined by reference to financial statements of

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the borrower, by an independent appraisal, by obtaining the market value of such collateral, in the case of cash or securities if readily ascertainable, or by other customary valuation techniques considered appropriate by the Adviser. The value of collateral may decline after the Underlying Fund's, SPDR Loomis Sayles Opportunistic Bond ETF's, SPDR Blackstone High Income ETF's or SPDR Blackstone Senior Loan ETF's investment, and collateral may be difficult to sell in the event of default. Consequently, the Underlying Fund, SPDR Loomis Sayles Opportunistic Bond ETF's, SPDR Blackstone High Income ETF's or SPDR Blackstone Senior Loan ETF may not receive all the payments to which it is entitled. By virtue of their senior position and collateral, Senior Loans typically provide lenders with the first right to cash flows or proceeds from the sale of a borrower's collateral if the borrower becomes insolvent (subject to the limitations of bankruptcy law, which may provide higher priority to certain claims such as employee salaries, employee pensions, and taxes). This means Senior Loans are generally repaid before unsecured bank loans, corporate bonds, subordinated debt, trade creditors, and preferred or common stockholders. To the extent that the Underlying Fund, SPDR Loomis Sayles Opportunistic Bond ETF, SPDR Blackstone High Income ETF or SPDR Blackstone Senior Loan ETF invests in unsecured loans, if the borrower defaults on such loan, there is no specific collateral on which the lender can foreclose. If the borrower defaults on a subordinated loan, the collateral may not be sufficient to cover both the senior and subordinated loans.

Senior Loans will usually require, in addition to scheduled payments of interest and principal, the prepayment of the Senior Loan from free cash flow, as further described below. The degree to which borrowers prepay Senior Loans, whether as a contractual requirement or at their election, may be affected by general business conditions, the financial condition of the borrower and competitive conditions among loan investors, among others. As such, prepayments cannot be predicted with accuracy. Certain market conditions, including those where default rates are falling, among others, may lead to increased prepayment frequency and loan renegotiations. These renegotiations are often on terms more favorable to borrowers. Upon a prepayment, either in part or in full, the actual outstanding debt on which the Underlying Fund, SPDR Loomis Sayles Opportunistic Bond ETF, SPDR Blackstone High Income ETF or SPDR Blackstone Senior Loan ETF derives interest income will be reduced. However, the Underlying Fund, SPDR Loomis Sayles Opportunistic Bond ETF, SPDR Blackstone High Income ETF or SPDR Blackstone Senior Loan ETF may receive a prepayment penalty fee assessed against the prepaying borrower.

Senior Loans typically pay interest at least quarterly at rates which equal a fixed percentage spread over a base rate. For example, if the base rate were 0.3% and the borrower was paying a fixed spread of 2.50%, the total interest rate paid by the borrower would be 2.80%. Additionally, many Senior Loans also have a minimum base rate, or floor, which will be used if the actual base rate is below this minimum base rate. This measure is designed to ensure lenders receive a minimum interest rate in periods of low interest rates. By illustration, if the base rate were 0.3% and the borrower was paying a fixed spread of 2.50%, the total interest rate paid by the borrower would be 2.80%. However, if the same Senior Loan had a floor of 1.50%, then 1.50% would be used as the base rate notwithstanding that the base rate was currently at 0.3%, thereby making the interest rate paid the borrower 4.00% (1.50% floor base rate plus 2.50% fixed spread). During periods when the base rate is greater than the floor, the floor would have no impact on the interest rate paid by the borrower. Not all Senior Loans have floors and this feature may not persist in future issuances of Senior Loans.

Although a base rate can change every day, loan agreements for Senior Loans typically allow the borrower the ability to choose how often the base rate for its loan will reset. A single loan may have multiple reset periods at the same time, with each reset period applicable to a designated portion of the loan. Such reset periods can range from one day to one year, with most borrowers choosing monthly or quarterly reset periods. During periods of rising interest rates, borrowers will tend to choose longer reset periods, and during periods of declining interest rates, borrowers will tend to choose shorter reset periods.

Senior Loans generally are arranged through private negotiations between a borrower and several financial institutions represented by an agent who is usually one of the originating lenders. In larger transactions, it is common to have several agents; however, generally only one such agent has primary responsibility for ongoing administration of a Senior Loan. Agents are typically paid fees by the borrower for their services.

The administrative agent is primarily responsible for negotiating the loan agreement which establishes the terms and conditions of the Senior Loan and the rights of the borrower and the lenders. The collateral agent is responsible for monitoring collateral and for exercising remedies available to the lenders such as foreclosure upon collateral. Any applicable Sub-Adviser or its affiliates may from time to time borrow from financial institutions that act as agents for loans.

Loan agreements may provide for the termination of the agent's agency status in the event that it fails to act as required under the relevant loan or collateral agreement, becomes insolvent, enters Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation ("FDIC") receivership or, if not FDIC insured, enters into bankruptcy. Should such an agent, lender or assignor with respect

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to an assignment interpositioned between the Underlying Fund, SPDR Loomis Sayles Opportunistic Bond ETF, SPDR Blackstone High Income ETF or SPDR Blackstone Senior Loan ETF and the borrower become insolvent or enter FDIC receivership or bankruptcy, any interest in the Senior Loan of such person and any loan payment held by such person for the benefit of the Underlying Fund, SPDR Loomis Sayles Opportunistic Bond ETF, SPDR Blackstone High Income ETF or SPDR Blackstone Senior Loan ETF should not be included in such person's or entity's bankruptcy estate. If, however, any such amount were included in such person's or entity's bankruptcy estate, the Underlying Fund, SPDR Loomis Sayles Opportunistic Bond ETF, SPDR Blackstone High Income ETF or SPDR Blackstone Senior Loan ETF would incur certain costs and delays in realizing payment or could suffer a loss of principal or interest. In this event, SPDR Loomis Sayles Opportunistic Bond ETF, SPDR Blackstone High Income ETF, SPDR Blackstone Senior Loan ETF or the Underlying Fund and, therefore, the applicable Fund could experience a decrease in the NAV.

Most borrowers pay their debts from cash flow generated by their businesses. If a borrower's cash flow is insufficient to pay its debts, it may attempt to restructure its debts rather than sell collateral. Borrowers may try to restructure their debts by filing for protection under the federal bankruptcy laws or negotiating a work-out. If a borrower becomes involved in a bankruptcy proceeding, access to collateral may be limited by bankruptcy and other laws. Such action by a court could be based, for example, on a "fraudulent conveyance" claim to the effect that the borrower did not receive fair consideration for granting the security interest in the loan collateral to the Underlying Fund, SPDR Loomis Sayles Opportunistic Bond ETF, SPDR Blackstone High Income ETF or SPDR Blackstone Senior Loan ETF. If a court decides that access to collateral is limited or void, the Underlying Fund, SPDR Loomis Sayles Opportunistic Bond ETF, SPDR Blackstone High Income ETF or SPDR Blackstone Senior Loan ETF may not recover the full amount of principal and interest that is due.

A borrower must comply with certain restrictive covenants contained in the loan agreement. In addition to requiring the scheduled payment of principal and interest, these covenants may include restrictions on the payment of dividends and other distributions to the borrower's shareholders, provisions requiring compliance with specific financial ratios, and limits on total indebtedness. The agreement may also require the prepayment of the loans from excess cash flow. A breach of a covenant that is not waived by the agent (or lenders directly) is normally an event of default, which provides the agent and lenders the right to call for repayment of the outstanding loan. The typical practice of an agent or a loan investor in relying exclusively or primarily on reports from the borrower to monitor the borrower's compliance with covenants may involve a risk of fraud by the borrower.

In the process of buying, selling and holding Senior Loans, the Underlying Fund, SPDR Loomis Sayles Opportunistic Bond ETF, SPDR Blackstone High Income ETF or SPDR Blackstone Senior Loan ETF may receive and/or pay certain fees. These fees are in addition to interest payments received and may include facility fees, commitment fees, commissions and prepayment penalty fees. When the Underlying Fund, SPDR Loomis Sayles Opportunistic Bond ETF, SPDR Blackstone High Income ETF or SPDR Blackstone Senior Loan ETF buys or sells a Senior Loan it may pay an assignment fee. On an ongoing basis, the Underlying Fund, SPDR Loomis Sayles Opportunistic Bond ETF, SPDR Blackstone High Income ETF or SPDR Blackstone Senior Loan ETF may receive a commitment fee based on the undrawn portion of the underlying line of credit portion of a Senior Loan. In certain circumstances, the Underlying Fund, SPDR Loomis Sayles Opportunistic Bond ETF, SPDR Blackstone High Income ETF or SPDR Blackstone Senior Loan ETF may receive a prepayment penalty fee upon prepayment of a Senior Loan. Other fees received by the Underlying Fund, SPDR Loomis Sayles Opportunistic Bond ETF, SPDR Blackstone High Income ETF or SPDR Blackstone Senior Loan ETF may include covenant waiver fees, covenant modification fees or other consent or amendment fees.

Notwithstanding its intention in certain situations to not receive material, non-public information with respect to its management of investments in Senior Loans, the Adviser and/or applicable Sub-Adviser may from time to time come into possession of material, non-public information about the issuers of loans that may be held in the Underlying Fund's, SPDR Loomis Sayles Opportunistic Bond ETF's, SPDR Blackstone High Income ETF's or SPDR Blackstone Senior Loan ETF's portfolio. Possession of such information may in some instances occur despite the Adviser's and/or applicable Sub-Adviser's efforts to avoid such possession, but in other instances the Adviser and/or applicable Sub-Adviser may choose to receive such information (for example, in connection with participation in a creditors' committee with respect to a financially distressed issuer). The Adviser's and/or applicable Sub-Adviser's ability to trade in these Senior Loans for the account of the Underlying Fund, SPDR Loomis Sayles Opportunistic Bond ETF, SPDR Blackstone High Income ETF or SPDR Blackstone Senior Loan ETF could potentially be limited by its possession of such information. Such limitations on the Adviser's and/or applicable Sub-Adviser's ability to trade could have an adverse effect on the Underlying Fund, SPDR Loomis Sayles Opportunistic Bond ETF, SPDR Blackstone High Income ETF or SPDR Blackstone Senior Loan ETF by, for example, preventing the Underlying Fund, SPDR Loomis Sayles Opportunistic Bond ETF, SPDR Blackstone High Income ETF or SPDR Blackstone Senior Loan ETF from selling a Senior Loan that is experiencing a material decline in value. In some instances, these trading restrictions could continue in effect for a substantial period of time.

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An increase in demand for Senior Loans may benefit the Underlying Fund, SPDR Loomis Sayles Opportunistic Bond ETF, SPDR Blackstone High Income ETF or SPDR Blackstone Senior Loan ETF by providing increased liquidity for such loans and higher sales prices, but it may also adversely affect the rate of interest payable on such loans acquired by the Underlying Fund, SPDR Loomis Sayles Opportunistic Bond ETF, SPDR Blackstone High Income ETF or SPDR Blackstone Senior Loan ETF and the rights provided to the Underlying Fund, SPDR Loomis Sayles Opportunistic Bond ETF, SPDR Blackstone High Income ETF or SPDR Blackstone Senior Loan ETF under the terms of the applicable loan agreement, and may increase the price of loans that the Underlying Fund, SPDR Loomis Sayles Opportunistic Bond ETF, SPDR Blackstone High Income ETF or SPDR Blackstone Senior Loan ETF wishes to purchase in the secondary market. A decrease in the demand for Senior Loans may adversely affect the price of loans in the Underlying Fund's, SPDR Loomis Sayles Opportunistic Bond ETF's, SPDR Blackstone High Income ETF's or SPDR Blackstone Senior Loan ETF's portfolio, which could cause SPDR Loomis Sayles Opportunistic Bond ETF's, SPDR Blackstone High Income ETF 's, SPDR Blackstone Senior Loan ETF's or the Underlying Fund's and, therefore, the applicable Fund's net asset value to decline. The size of the loan market and number of participants may vary over time.

The Underlying Fund, SPDR Loomis Sayles Opportunistic Bond ETF, SPDR Blackstone High Income ETF or SPDR Blackstone Senior Loan ETF may acquire interests in Senior Loans which are designed to provide temporary or "bridge" financing to a borrower pending the sale of identified assets or the arrangement of longer-term loans or the issuance and sale of debt obligations. The Underlying Fund, SPDR Loomis Sayles Opportunistic Bond ETF, SPDR Blackstone High Income ETF or SPDR Blackstone Senior Loan ETF may also invest in Senior Loans of borrowers that have obtained bridge loans from other parties. A borrower's use of bridge loans involves a risk that the borrower may be unable to locate permanent financing to replace the bridge loan, which may impair the borrower's perceived creditworthiness. Bridge loans may have less liquidity than other Senior Loans that were issued to fund corporate purposes on a longer term basis.

Although not anticipated in the normal course, the Underlying Fund, SPDR Loomis Sayles Opportunistic Bond ETF, SPDR Blackstone High Income ETF or SPDR Blackstone Senior Loan ETF may occasionally acquire warrants and other equity securities as part of a unit combining a Senior Loan and equity securities of a borrower or its affiliates. The acquisition of such equity securities will only be incidental to the Underlying Fund's, SPDR Loomis Sayles Opportunistic Bond ETF's, SPDR Blackstone High Income ETF's or SPDR Blackstone Senior Loan ETF's purchase of a Senior Loan. The Underlying Fund, SPDR Loomis Sayles Opportunistic Bond ETF, SPDR Blackstone High Income ETF or SPDR Blackstone Senior Loan ETF may also acquire equity securities or credit securities (including non-dollar denominated equity or credit securities) issued in exchange for a Senior Loan or issued in connection with the debt restructuring or reorganization of a Borrower, or if such acquisition, in the judgment of the Adviser may enhance the value of a Senior Loan or would otherwise be consistent with the Underlying Fund's, SPDR Loomis Sayles Opportunistic Bond ETF, SPDR Blackstone High Income ETF's or SPDR Blackstone Senior Loan ETF's investment policies. Such warrants and equity securities will typically have limited value and there is no assurance that such securities will ever obtain value.

Other loans. The Underlying Fund, SPDR Loomis Sayles Opportunistic Bond ETF, SPDR Blackstone High Income ETF or SPDR Blackstone Senior Loan ETF may invest in secured loans that are not first lien and loans that are unsecured. These loans have the same characteristics as Senior Loans except that such loans are not first in priority of repayment and/or are not secured by collateral. Accordingly, the risks associated with these loans are higher than the risks for loans with first priority over the collateral. Because these loans are lower in priority and/or unsecured, they are subject to the additional risk that the cash flow of the borrower may be insufficient to meet scheduled payments after giving effect to the secured obligations of the borrower. In the event of default on such a loan, the first priority lien holder has first claim to the underlying collateral of the loan. It is possible that no value would remain for the holders of secured loans that are not first lien and loans that are unsecured and therefore result in a loss of investment to the Underlying Fund, SPDR Loomis Sayles Opportunistic Bond ETF, SPDR Blackstone High Income ETF or SPDR Blackstone Senior Loan ETF.

Secured loans that are not first lien and loans that are unsecured generally have greater price volatility than Senior Loans and may be less liquid. There is also a possibility that originators will not be able to sell participations in these loans, which would create greater credit risk exposure for the holders of such loans. Secured loans that are not first lien and loans that are unsecured share the same risks as other below investment grade instruments.

**SOVEREIGN DEBT OBLIGATIONS**

Sovereign debt obligations are issued or guaranteed by foreign governments or their agencies. Sovereign debt may be in the form of conventional securities or other types of debt instruments such as loans or loan participations. Governmental entities responsible for repayment of the debt may be unable or unwilling to repay principal and pay interest when due,

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and may require renegotiation or reschedule of debt payments. In addition, prospects for repayment of principal and payment of interest may depend on political as well as economic factors. Although some sovereign debt, such as Brady Bonds, is collateralized by U.S. Government securities, repayment of principal and payment of interest is not guaranteed by the U.S. Government.

**STRIPPED MORTGAGE SECURITIES**

Stripped mortgage securities may be issued by Federal Agencies, or by private originators of, or investors in, mortgage loans, including savings and loan associations, mortgage banks, commercial banks, investment banks and special purpose subsidiaries of the foregoing. Stripped mortgage securities not issued by Federal Agencies will be treated by a Fund as illiquid investments so long as the staff of the SEC maintains its position that such securities are illiquid. Stripped mortgage securities issued by Federal Agencies generally will be treated by a Fund as liquid securities under procedures adopted by the Fund and approved by the Fund's Board.

Stripped mortgage securities usually are structured with two classes that receive different proportions of the interest and principal distribution of a pool of mortgage assets. A common type of stripped mortgage security will have one class receiving some of the interest and most of the principal from the mortgage assets, while the other class will receive most of the interest and the remainder of the principal. In the most extreme case, one class will receive all of the interest (the interest-only or IO class), while the other class will receive all of the principal (the principal-only or PO class). PO classes generate income through the accretion of the deep discount at which such securities are purchased, and, while PO classes do not receive periodic payments of interest, they receive monthly payments associated with scheduled amortization and principal prepayment from the mortgage assets underlying the PO class. The yield to maturity on a PO or an IO class security is extremely sensitive to the rate of principal payments (including prepayments) on the related underlying mortgage assets. A slower than expected rate of principal payments may have an adverse effect on a PO class security's yield to maturity. If the underlying mortgage assets experience slower than anticipated principal repayment, a Fund may fail to fully recoup its initial investment in these securities. Conversely, a rapid rate of principal payments may have a material adverse effect on an IO class security's yield to maturity. If the underlying mortgage assets experience greater than anticipated prepayments or principal, a Fund may fail to fully recoup its initial investment in these securities.

A Fund may purchase stripped mortgage securities for income, or for hedging purposes to protect the Fund against interest rate fluctuations. For example, since an IO class will tend to increase in value as interest rates rise, it may be utilized to hedge against a decrease in value of other fixed-income securities in a rising interest rate environment.

**STRUCTURED INVESTMENTS**

Each Fund may invest in structured investments. A structured investment is a security having a return tied to an underlying index or other security or asset class. Structured investments generally are individually negotiated agreements and may be traded over-the-counter. Structured investments are organized and operated to restructure the investment characteristics of the underlying security. This restructuring involves the deposit with or purchase by an entity, such as a corporation or trust, on specified instruments (such as commercial bank loans) and the issuance by that entity or one or more classes of securities ("structured securities") backed by, or representing interests in, the underlying instruments. The cash flow on the underlying instruments may be apportioned among the newly issued structured securities to create securities with different investment characteristics, such as varying maturities, payment priorities and interest rate provisions, and the extent of such payments made with respect to structured securities is dependent on the extent of the cash flow on the underlying instruments. Because structured securities typically involve no credit enhancement, their credit risk generally will be equivalent to that of the underlying instruments. Investments in structured securities are generally of a class of structured securities that is either subordinated or unsubordinated to the right of payment of another class. Subordinated structured securities typically have higher yields and present greater risks than unsubordinated structured securities. Structured securities are typically sold in private placement transactions, and there currently is no active trading market for structured securities. Investments in government and government-related and restructured debt instruments are subject to special risks, including the inability or unwillingness to repay principal and interest, requests to reschedule or restructure outstanding debt and requests to extend additional loan amounts. The SPDR DoubleLine Emerging Markets Fixed Income ETF may invest up to 20% of its assets in structured securities; although the SPDR DoubleLine Emerging Markets Fixed Income ETF's investments in structured securities and junior bank loans in the aggregate may not exceed 20% of its assets.

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**TAX EXEMPT COMMERCIAL PAPER**

The SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ETF and SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ESG ETF may invest in tax exempt commercial paper. Tax exempt commercial paper is a short-term obligation with a stated maturity of 365 days or less. It is typically issued to finance seasonal working capital needs or as short-term financing in anticipation of longer term financing. Each instrument may be backed only by the credit of the issuer or may be backed by some form of credit enhancement, typically in the form of a guarantee by a commercial bank. Commercial paper backed by guarantees of foreign banks may involve additional risk due to the difficulty of obtaining and enforcing judgments against such banks and the generally less restrictive regulations to which such banks are subject.

**U.S. GOVERNMENT OBLIGATIONS**

U.S. Government obligations are a type of bond. U.S. Government obligations include securities issued or guaranteed as to principal and interest by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities.

One type of U.S. Government obligation, U.S. Treasury obligations, are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury and differ only in their interest rates, maturities, and times of issuance. U.S. Treasury bills have initial maturities of one-year or less; U.S. Treasury notes have initial maturities of one to ten years; and U.S. Treasury bonds generally have initial maturities of greater than ten years.

Other U.S. Government obligations are issued or guaranteed by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. Government including, but not limited to, Fannie Mae, Ginnie Mae, the Small Business Administration, the Federal Farm Credit Administration, Freddie Mac, the Federal Home Loan Banks ("FHLB"), Banks for Cooperatives (including the Central Bank for Cooperatives), the Federal Land Banks, the Federal Intermediate Credit Banks, the Tennessee Valley Authority, the Export-Import Bank of the United States, the Commodity Credit Corporation, the Federal Financing Bank, the Student Loan Marketing Association, the National Credit Union Administration and the Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation (Farmer Mac). Some obligations issued or guaranteed by U.S. Government agencies and instrumentalities, including, for example, Ginnie Mae pass-through certificates, are supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury. Other obligations issued by or guaranteed by federal agencies, such as those securities issued by Fannie Mae, are supported by the discretionary authority of the U.S. Government to purchase certain obligations of the federal agency, while other obligations issued by or guaranteed by federal agencies, such as those of the Federal Home Loan Banks, are supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury. While the U.S. Government provides financial support to such U.S. Government-sponsored federal agencies, no assurance can be given that the U.S. Government will always do so, since the U.S. Government is not so obligated by law.

In September 2008, the U.S. Treasury announced a federal takeover of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, placing the two federal instrumentalities in conservatorship. Under the terms of the takeover, the U.S. Treasury agreed to acquire $1 billion of senior preferred stock of each instrumentality and obtained warrants for the purchase of common stock of each instrumentality. Under these Senior Preferred Stock Purchase Agreements ("SPAs"), the U.S. Treasury has pledged to provide a limited amount of capital per instrumentality as needed, including the contribution of cash capital to the instrumentalities in the event their liabilities exceed their assets. In May 2009, the U.S. Treasury increased its maximum commitment to each instrumentality under the SPAs from $100 billion to $200 billion per instrumentality. In December 2009, the U.S. Treasury amended the SPAs to provide Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac with some additional flexibility to meet the requirement to reduce their mortgage portfolios. Also in December 2009, the U.S. Treasury further amended the SPAs to allow the cap on the U.S. Treasury's funding commitment to increase as necessary to accommodate any cumulative reduction in Fannie Mae's and Freddie Mac's net worth through the end of 2012. On August 17, 2012, the U.S. Treasury announced that it was again amending the SPAs to terminate the requirement that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac each pay a 10% dividend annually on all amounts received under the funding commitment. Instead, they were required to transfer to the U.S. Treasury on a quarterly basis all profits earned during a quarter that exceeded a capital reserve amount of $3 billion. On September 30, 2019, the U.S. Treasury announced amendments to the SPAs permitting Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to maintain capital reserves of $25 billion and $20 billion, respectively. It is believed that the amendment puts Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in a better position to service their debt because the companies no longer have to borrow from the U.S. Treasury to make fixed dividend payments.

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are the subject of several continuing class action lawsuits and investigations by federal regulators over certain accounting, disclosure or corporate governance matters, which (along with any resulting financial restatements) may adversely affect the guaranteeing entities. Importantly, the future of the entities is in serious question as the U.S. government reportedly is considering multiple options, ranging from nationalization, privatization, consolidation, or abolishment of the entities.

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**U.S. REGISTERED SECURITIES OF FOREIGN ISSUERS**

Each Fund may purchase exchange-traded common stocks and exchange-traded preferred securities of foreign corporations, as well as U.S. registered, dollar-denominated bonds of foreign corporations, governments, agencies and supra-national entities. Investing in U.S. registered, dollar-denominated, securities issued by non-U.S. issuers involves some risks and considerations not typically associated with investing in U.S. companies. These include differences in accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards, the possibility of expropriation or confiscatory taxation, adverse changes in investment or exchange control regulations, political instability which could affect U.S. investments in foreign countries, and potential restrictions of the flow of international capital. Foreign companies may be subject to less governmental regulation than U.S. issuers. Moreover, individual foreign economies may differ favorably or unfavorably from the U.S. economy in such respects as growth of gross domestic product, rate of inflation, capital reinvestment, resource self- sufficiency and balance of payment positions.

A Fund's investments in common stock of foreign corporations may also be in the form of American Depositary Receipts ("ADRs"), Global Depositary Receipts ("GDRs") and European Depositary Receipts ("EDRs") (collectively "Depositary Receipts"). Depositary Receipts are receipts, typically issued by a bank or trust company, which evidence ownership of underlying securities issued by a foreign corporation. For ADRs, the depository is typically a U.S. financial institution and the underlying securities are issued by a foreign issuer. For other Depositary Receipts, the depository may be a foreign or a U.S. entity, and the underlying securities may have a foreign or a U.S. issuer. Depositary Receipts will not necessarily be denominated in the same currency as their underlying securities. Generally, ADRs, in registered form, are designed for use in the U.S. securities markets, and EDRs, in bearer form, are designated for use in European securities markets. GDRs are tradable both in the United States and in Europe and are designed for use throughout the world. The SPDR DoubleLine Emerging Markets Fixed Income ETF, SPDR DoubleLine Short Duration Total Return Tactical ETF and SPDR DoubleLine Total Return Tactical ETF each may invest in sponsored or unsponsored ADRs; however, not more than 10% of the net assets of each of the SPDR DoubleLine Emerging Markets Fixed Income ETF, SPDR DoubleLine Short Duration Total Return Tactical ETF and SPDR DoubleLine Total Return Tactical ETF will be invested in unsponsored ADRs. The issuers of unsponsored ADRs are not obligated to disclose material information in the United States, and, therefore, there may be less information available regarding such issuers and there may not be a correlation between such information and the market value of the ADRs.

**VARIABLE AND FLOATING RATE SECURITIES**

Variable rate securities are instruments issued or guaranteed by entities such as (1) U.S. Government, or an agency or instrumentality thereof, (2) states, municipalities and other political subdivisions, agencies, authorities and instrumentalities or states and multi-state agencies or authorities, (3) corporations, (4) financial institutions, (5) insurance companies or (6) trusts that have a rate of interest subject to adjustment at regular intervals but less frequently than annually. A variable rate security provides for the automatic establishment of a new interest rate on set dates. Variable rate obligations whose interest is readjusted no less frequently than annually will be deemed to have a maturity equal to the period remaining until the next readjustment of the interest rate. A Fund may also purchase floating rate securities. A floating rate security provides for the automatic adjustment of its interest rate whenever a specified interest rate changes. Interest rates on these securities are ordinarily tied to, and are a percentage of, a widely recognized interest rate, such as the yield on 90-day U.S. Treasury bills or the prime rate of a specified bank. These rates may change as often as twice daily. Generally, changes in interest rates will have a smaller effect on the market value of variable and fixed rate floating rate securities than on the market value of comparable fixed rate fixed income obligations. Thus, investing in variable and fixed rate floating rate securities generally allows less opportunity for capital appreciation and depreciation than investing in comparable fixed rate fixed income securities.

**VARIABLE RATE DEMAND OBLIGATIONS**

Variable rate demand obligations ("VRDOs") are short-term tax-exempt fixed income instruments whose yield is reset on a periodic basis. VRDO securities tend to be issued with long maturities of up to 30 or 40 years; however, they are considered short-term instruments because they include a put feature which coincides with the periodic yield reset. For example, a VRDO whose yield resets weekly will have a put feature that is exercisable upon seven days' notice. VRDOs are put back to a bank or other entity that serves as a liquidity provider, who then tries to resell the VRDOs or, if unable to resell, holds them in its own inventory. VRDOs are generally supported by either a Letter of Credit or a Stand-by Bond Purchase Agreement to provide credit enhancement.

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**WHEN-ISSUED SECURITIES**

Each Fund may purchase securities on a when-issued basis. Delivery of and payment for these securities may take place as long as a month or more after the date of the purchase commitment. The value of these securities is subject to market fluctuation during this period, and no income accrues to a Fund until settlement takes place. When entering into a when-issued transaction, a Fund will rely on the other party to consummate the transaction; if the other party fails to do so, a Fund may be disadvantaged.

Securities purchased on a when-issued basis and held by a Fund are subject to changes in market value based upon actual or perceived changes in the level of interest rates. Generally, the value of such securities will fluctuate inversely to changes in interest rates — i.e., they will appreciate in value when interest rates decline and decrease in value when interest rates rise. Therefore, if a Fund purchases securities on a "when-issued" basis, there may be a greater possibility of fluctuation in the Fund's NAV.

**Special Considerations and Risks**

A discussion of the risks associated with an investment in each Fund is contained in the Prospectus. The discussion below supplements, and should be read in conjunction with, the Prospectus.

**GENERAL**

Investment in a Fund should be made with an understanding that the value of a Fund's portfolio securities may fluctuate in accordance with changes in the financial condition of the issuers of the portfolio securities, the value of securities generally and other factors.

An investment in a Fund should also be made with an understanding of the risks inherent in an investment in securities, including the risk that the financial condition of issuers may become impaired or that the general condition of the securities markets may deteriorate (either of which may cause a decrease in the value of the portfolio securities and thus in the value of Shares). Securities are susceptible to general market fluctuations and to volatile increases and decreases in value as market confidence in and perceptions of their issuers change. These investor perceptions are based on various and unpredictable factors including expectations regarding government, economic, monetary and fiscal policies, inflation and interest rates, economic expansion or contraction, and global or regional political, economic and banking crises. Securities of issuers traded on exchanges may be suspended on certain exchanges by the issuers themselves, by an exchange or by government authorities. The likelihood of such suspensions may be higher for securities of issuers in emerging or less-developed market countries than in countries with more developed markets. Trading suspensions may be applied from time to time to the securities of individual issuers for reasons specific to that issuer, or may be applied broadly by exchanges or governmental authorities in response to market events. Suspensions may last for significant periods of time, during which trading in the securities and instruments that reference the securities, such as participatory notes (or "P-notes") or other derivative instruments, may be halted.

The principal trading market for some securities may be in the over-the-counter market. The existence of a liquid trading market for certain securities may depend on whether dealers will make a market in such securities. There can be no assurance that a market will be made or maintained or that any such market will be or remain liquid. The price at which securities may be sold and the value of a Fund's Shares will be adversely affected if trading markets for a Fund's portfolio securities are limited or absent or if bid/ask spreads are wide.

**CHINA A SHARES RISK** 

Certain Funds may be subject to risks associated with investments in A Shares of Chinese issuers ("China A Shares" or "A Shares"). Subject to minor exceptions, under current regulations in the People's Republic of China (the "PRC"), foreign investors, such as the Funds, can invest in A Shares only (i) through certain foreign institutional investors that have obtained a license from the Chinese regulators and (ii) through the Hong Kong-Shanghai Stock Connect or Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connect programs (the "Stock Connect program" as further described below).

<u>QFI Investment Risk:</u> Investment companies, such as the Funds, are not currently within the types of entities that are eligible for a Renminbi Qualified Foreign Institutional Investor ("RQFII") or Qualified Foreign Institutional Investor ("QFII") license. Effective May 2020, the RQFII and QFII regimes were combined, with a unified set of rules applicable to all RQFIIs and QFIIs by the Chinese regulators (collectively referred to as "Qualified Foreign Investor" or "QFI"). Rather, a Fund may utilize the Adviser's QFI license granted under QFI regulations to invest in A Shares.

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It is also possible that the Adviser's QFI status could be suspended or revoked. Pursuant to PRC and QFI regulations, the State Administration of Foreign Exchange ("SAFE") and the China Securities Regulatory Commission ("CSRC") are vested with the power to impose regulatory sanctions if the Adviser, in its capacity as QFI, or the PRC Custodian (as that term is defined below) violates any provision of the QFI regulations. Any such violations could result in the revocation of the Adviser's QFI license or other regulatory sanctions and may adversely affect the ability of a Fund to invest directly in A Shares. The Adviser is also subject to regulation by certain Hong Kong regulatory authorities, including the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission. Regulatory matters arising from such regulation could also adversely affect the Adviser's QFI license and ability to provide advisory services, generally.

There can be no assurance that the Adviser will continue to maintain its QFI status. In the event the Adviser is unable to maintain its QFI status, it may be necessary for the Fund to limit or suspend creations of Creation Units. In such event it is possible that the trading price of the Fund's Shares on its Exchange will be at a significant premium to the NAV. In extreme circumstances, a Fund may incur significant loss due to limited investment capabilities, or may not be able fully to implement or pursue its investment objectives or strategies, due to QFI investment restrictions, illiquidity of the PRC securities markets, and delay or disruption in execution of trades or in settlement of trades.

The current QFI regulations also include rules on investment restrictions applicable to each Fund, which may adversely affect a Fund's liquidity and performance. In addition, because transaction sizes for QFIs are relatively large, the corresponding heightened risk of exposure to decreased market liquidity and significant price volatility could lead to possible adverse effects on the timing and pricing of acquisition or disposal of securities.

The regulations which regulate investments by QFIs in the PRC and the repatriation of capital from QFI investments are relatively new. The application and interpretation of such investment regulations are therefore relatively untested and there is no certainty as to how they will be applied as the PRC authorities and regulators have been given wide discretion in such investment regulations and there is no precedent or certainty as to how such discretion may be exercised now or in the future. Existing QFI regulations may change over time and new QFI regulations may be promulgated in the future and no assurance can be given that any such changes will not adversely affect a Fund or its ability to achieve its investment objective.

<u>PRC Broker and PRC Custodian Risk:</u> The Adviser will have appointed PRC Brokers to execute transactions for certain Funds in the PRC markets. In its selection of a PRC Broker(s), the Adviser will consider factors such as the competitiveness of commission rates, size of the relevant orders and execution standards. Should, for any reason, a Fund's ability to use one or more of the relevant PRC Brokers be affected, this could disrupt the operations of the Fund, causing a premium or a discount to the trading price of the Fund's Shares.

According to the QFI regulations and market practice, the securities and cash accounts for a Fund in the PRC are to be maintained by a custodian in the PRC subject to local Chinese laws and regulations (the "PRC Custodian") in the name of "the QFI holder—the Fund." In the event a Fund invests in A Shares through the QFI license granted to the Adviser, the securities and cash accounts for those Funds in the PRC will be maintained by a PRC Custodian. The PRC Custodian maintains each Fund's RMB deposit accounts and oversees the Fund's investments in A Shares in the PRC to ensure its compliance with the rules and regulations of the CSRC and the People's Bank of China ("PBOC"). A Shares that are traded on the Shanghai Stock Exchange ("SSE") or Shenzhen Stock Exchange ("SZSE") are dealt and held in book-entry form through the China Securities Depository and Clearing Corporation Limited ("CSDCC"). A Shares purchased by the Adviser, in its capacity as a QFI, on behalf of a Fund, may be received by the CSDCC and credited to a securities trading account maintained by the PRC Custodian in the joint names of the Fund and Adviser as the QFI.

Under the investment regulations that permit QFIs to invest in A Shares, the PRC Custodian is required to deposit a minimum amount in the form of a clearing reserve fund, the percentage amount to be determined from time to time by the CSDCC Shanghai and Shenzhen branches, with the CSDCC. The minimum clearing reserve ratio is determined by the CSDCC Shanghai and Shenzhen branches from time to time and will be deposited by the PRC Custodian into its minimum clearing reserve fund. In times of rising PRC securities values, the inability to invest the assets of a Fund retained in the clearing reserve fund may have a negative impact on the performance of the Fund and, conversely, in times of falling PRC security values, the retained assets may cause a Fund to perform better than might otherwise have been the case.

The assets held or credited in a Fund's securities trading account(s) maintained with the CSDCC are segregated and independent from the proprietary assets of the PRC Custodian. The account to which cash is held or credited is required to be maintained separately and independently by the PRC Custodian from its own proprietary accounts or accounts of other customers. However, under PRC law, in the event of bankruptcy or liquidation of the PRC Custodian, cash deposited

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in a Fund's cash account(s) maintained with the PRC Custodian will not be segregated but will be treated as a debt owing from the PRC Custodian to such Fund as a depositor. Under such circumstances, a Fund will not have any proprietary rights to the cash deposited in such cash account(s), and such Fund will become an unsecured creditor, ranking pari passu with all other unsecured creditors, of the PRC Custodian.

There is a risk that a Fund may suffer losses from the default, bankruptcy or disqualification of the PRC Broker(s) or PRC Custodian. In such event, the Fund may be adversely affected in the execution of any transaction or face difficulty and/or encounter delays in recovering its assets, or may not be able to recover it in full or at all. A Fund may also incur losses due to the acts or omissions of the PRC Brokers and/or the PRC Custodian in the execution or settlement of any transaction or in the transfer of any funds or securities. Subject to the applicable laws and regulations in the PRC, the Adviser will make arrangements to ensure that the PRC Brokers and PRC Custodian have appropriate procedures to properly safe-keep each Fund's assets.

<u>Repatriation Risk:</u> SAFE regulates and monitors the repatriation of funds out of the PRC by QFIs. QFIs are currently permitted to make repatriations (up to net redemptions) daily and are not subject to repatriation restrictions or prior approval from the SAFE, although authenticity and compliance reviews will be conducted by the PRC Custodian (as that term is defined above). There is no assurance, however, that PRC and QFI rules and regulations will not change or that repatriation restrictions will not be imposed in the future. Further, such changes to the PRC and QFI rules and regulations may take effect retroactively.

Any restrictions on repatriation of a Fund's invested capital and net profits may impact such Fund's operations, including its ability to meet redemption requests. Furthermore, as the PRC Custodian's review on authenticity and compliance is conducted on each repatriation, the repatriation may be delayed or even rejected by the PRC Custodian in case of non-compliance with the QFI regulations. In such cases, it is expected that redemption proceeds will be paid as soon as practicable and after the completion of the repatriation of the funds concerned. It should be noted that the actual time required for the completion of the relevant repatriation will be beyond the control of the Adviser.

If a Fund becomes subject to repatriation restrictions, it may be difficult for such Fund to satisfy redemption requests in a timely manner. To manage its ability to satisfy redemption requests under such circumstances, it may be necessary for a Fund to maintain higher than normal cash balances, which may cause the Fund to dispose of certain investments at an inopportune time and forego investment opportunities that may have been beneficial to the Fund, adversely affecting the Fund's performance and its ability to achieve its investment objective.

**Investing through the Stock Connect Program**

A Fund may invest in eligible securities listed and traded on the SSE or SZSE through the Stock Connect program, a securities trading and clearing program developed by The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited ("SEHK"), SSE and SZSE, Hong Kong Securities Clearing Company Limited ("HKSCC") and CSDCC Limited for the establishment of mutual market access between the SEHK, SSE and SZSE. Among other restrictions, investors in securities obtained via the Stock Connect program are generally subject to Chinese securities regulations and SSE or SZSE rules. Securities obtained via the Stock Connect program generally may only be sold, purchased or otherwise transferred through the Stock Connect program in accordance with applicable rules. The Stock Connect program is recently-established and further developments are likely. There can be no assurance as to whether or how such developments may restrict or affect a Fund's investments or returns. In addition, the application and interpretation of the laws and regulations of Hong Kong and the PRC, and the rules, policies or guidelines published or applied by relevant regulators and exchanges in respect of the Stock Connect program, are uncertain, and they may have a detrimental effect on a Fund's investments and returns. A summary of the risks associated with a Fund's investment through the Stock Connect program is set forth below.

<u>Eligible Securities Risk:</u> As of the date of this SAI, a Fund may invest through the Stock Connect program in shares listed on the SSE that are (a) constituent stocks of the SSE 180 Index; (b) constituent stocks of the SSE 380 Index; (c) A Shares listed on the SSE that are not constituent stocks of the SSE 180 Index or the SSE 380 Index, but which have corresponding H Shares accepted for listing and trading on the SEHK, provided that: (i) they are not traded on the SSE in currencies other than RMB; and (ii) they are not included in the risk alert board. A Fund may invest through the Stock Connect program in shares listed on the SZSE that are: (a) constituent stocks of the Shenzhen Stock Exchange Component Index, which have a market capitalization of not less than RMB 6 billion, (b) constituent stocks of the SZSE Small/Mid Cap Innovation Index, which have a market capitalization of not less than RMB 6 billion , and (c) all the SZSE-listed A Shares which have corresponding H Shares listed on the SEHK, except the following: (i) SZSE-listed shares

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which are not traded in RMB; and (ii) SZSE-listed shares which are under risk alert. The securities eligible to be traded by a Fund through the Stock Connect program are subject to change and any such change may adversely affect the Adviser's ability to effectively pursue a Fund's investment strategy.

<u>Ownership of A Shares Risk:</u> A Shares acquired by Hong Kong and foreign investors, including each Fund, through the Stock Connect program are held by HKSCC as the "nominee holder" of such A Shares. A nominee holder is the person who holds securities on behalf of an underlying investor, or "beneficial owner," who is entitled to the rights and benefits of the SSE or SZSE securities acquired through the Stock Connect program. Applicable PRC rules, regulations and other administration measures and provisions generally provide for the concept of a "nominee holder" and recognize the concept of a "beneficial owner" of securities and the Stock Connect program rules expressly recognize the rights of a beneficial owner (in this case, a Fund). Separately, under applicable Central Clearing and Settlement System ("CCASS") rules all proprietary interests in respect of A Shares held by HKSCC as nominee holder belong to the relevant CCASS participants or their clients (as the case may be). However, the precise nature and rights of an investor as the beneficial owner of A Shares acquired through the Stock Connect program and held by HKSCC as nominee holder is not well defined under PRC law and it is not yet clear that such rights can be successfully enforced.

<u>Quota Limitations Risk:</u> Although a Fund's investments through the Stock Connect program, if any, are not subject to individual investment quotas, daily investment quotas apply to all participants in the Stock Connect program. Trading through the Stock Connect program is subject to daily quotas ("Daily Quotas"). The Daily Quotas differ for Hong Kong and foreign investors (including the Funds) trading into Mainland China ("Northbound Trading") and PRC investors trading into Hong Kong ("Southbound Trading"). The Daily Quotas are applicable to trading activity transacted through the Stock Connect program and are monitored by the SEHK. The Daily Quota limits the maximum net buy value of cross-border trades via Northbound Trading through the Stock Connect program each day, and is set at RMB 52 billion as of the date of this SAI. The Daily Quotas may change throughout the trading day and consequently affect a Fund's ability to trade through the Stock Connect program at any given time during a trading day.

In particular, once the remaining balance of the Daily Quota applicable to Northbound Trading drops to zero or such Daily Quota is exceeded, new buy orders will be rejected (though investors will be allowed to sell their A Shares regardless of the quota balance). Therefore, quota limitations may restrict or limit a Fund's ability to invest in A Shares through the Stock Connect program on a timely basis or at all on any given day.

<u>Restriction on Day Trading Risk:</u> Day (turnaround) trading is not permitted through the Stock Connect program. Investors buying A Shares on day T can only sell the shares on and after day T+1 subject to any Stock Connect program rules.

<u>Order Priority Risk:</u> Where a PRC Broker provides Stock Connect program trading services to its clients, proprietary trades of the PRC Broker or its affiliates may be submitted independently and without the traders having information on the status of orders received from clients. There is no guarantee that PRC brokers will observe client order priority (as applicable under relevant laws and regulations). A Fund may be especially vulnerable to this risk during times Northbound Trading through the Stock Connect program appears to be approaching a Daily Quota limit.

<u>Limited Off-Exchange Trading and Transfers Risk:</u> "Non-trade" transfers (i.e., off-exchange trading and transfers) are permitted in only limited circumstances, such as post-trade allocation of A Shares to different funds/sub-funds by fund managers or correction of trade errors.

<u>Additional Clearing, Settlement and Custody Risk:</u> HKSCC and CSDCC will establish the clearing links between the SEHK and the SSE or SZSE and each will become a participant of each other to facilitate clearing and settlement of cross-border trades. For cross-border trades initiated in a market, the clearing house of that market will on one hand clear and settle with its own clearing participants, and on the other hand undertake to fulfill the clearing and settlement obligations of its clearing participants with the counterparty clearing house. Trading via the Stock Connect program is subject to trading, clearance and settlement procedures that are relatively untested in China, which could pose risks to a Fund.

There are risks involved in dealing with the custodians or PRC brokers who hold a Fund's investments or settle a Fund's trades. It is possible that, in the event of the insolvency or bankruptcy of a custodian or PRC broker, a Fund would be delayed or prevented from recovering its assets from the custodian or PRC broker, or its estate, and may have only a general unsecured claim against the custodian or PRC broker for those assets. As discussed above, a Fund's rights and interests in A Shares will be exercised through HKSCC exercising its rights as the nominee holder of the A Shares.

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<u>Risk of CCASS Default and CSDCC Default Risk:</u> Investors should note that A Shares held with PRC brokers or custodians in accounts with CCASS may be vulnerable in the event of a default, bankruptcy or liquidation of CCASS. In such case, there is a risk that a Fund may be deemed to not have proprietary rights to the assets deposited in the account with CCASS, and/or such Fund may become an unsecured creditor, ranking pari passu with all other unsecured creditors, of CCASS.

In the event of any settlement default by HKSCC, and a failure by HKSCC to designate securities or sufficient securities in an amount equal to the default such that there is a shortfall of securities to settle any A Shares trades, CSDCC will deduct the amount of that shortfall from HKSCC's RMB common stock omnibus account with CSDCC, such that a Fund may share in any such shortfall.

CSDCC has established a risk management framework and measures that are approved and supervised by the CSRC. Should the remote event of CSDCC's default occur and CSDCC be declared as a defaulter, HKSCC has stated that it will in good faith, seek recovery of the outstanding A Shares and monies from CSDCC through available legal channels or through CSDCC's liquidation process, if applicable. HKSCC will in turn distribute the A Shares and/or monies recovered to clearing participants on a pro-rata basis as prescribed by the relevant CSDCC authorities. In that event, the applicable Fund may suffer delay in the recovery process or may not be able to fully recover their losses from CSDCC.

<u>Participation in Corporate Actions and Shareholders' Meetings Risk:</u> Following existing market practice in the PRC, investors engaged in the trading of A Shares through Northbound Trading will not be able to attend meetings by proxy or in person of the SSE or SZSE listed companies in which it may hold shares, nor will a Fund be able to exercise voting rights of the invested companies in the same manner as provided for in the U.S. and other developed markets.

In addition, any corporate action in respect of A Shares will be announced by the relevant issuer through the SSE or SZSE website and certain officially appointed newspapers. SSE or SZSE listed issuers publish corporate documents in Chinese only, and English translations will not be available, which may adversely affect the information available to a Fund.

<u>Additional Operational Risk:</u> The Stock Connect program is premised on the functioning of the operational systems of the relevant market participants. Market participants are able to participate in the Stock Connect program subject to meeting certain information technology capability, risk management and other requirements as may be specified by the relevant exchange and/or clearing house.

Further, the "connectivity" in the Stock Connect program requires routing of orders across the border of Hong Kong and the PRC. This requires the development of new information technology systems on the part of the SEHK and Exchange Participants (i.e., China Stock Connect System). There is no assurance that the systems of the SEHK and market participants will function properly or will continue to be adapted to changes and developments in both markets. In the event that the relevant systems fail to function properly, trading in A Shares through the Stock Connect program could be disrupted. A Fund's ability to access the A Shares market through the Stock Connect program may be adversely affected.

<u>Differences in Trading Day Risk:</u> The Stock Connect program will only operate on days when both the PRC and Hong Kong markets are open for trading and when banks in both markets are open on the corresponding settlement days. So it is possible that there are occasions when it is a normal trading day for the PRC market but investors, including the Funds, cannot carry out any A Shares trading. A Fund may be subject to a risk of price fluctuations in A Shares during the time when the Stock Connect program is not trading as a result.

**General PRC-Related Risks**

<u>Economic, Political and Social Risks of the PRC:</u> The economy of China, which has been in a state of transition from a planned economy to a more market oriented economy, differs from the economies of most developed countries in many respects, including the level of government involvement, its state of development, its growth rate, control of foreign exchange, protection of intellectual property rights and allocation of resources.

Although the majority of productive assets in China are still owned by the PRC government at various levels, in recent years, the PRC government has implemented economic reform measures emphasizing utilization of market forces in the development of the economy of China and a high level of management autonomy. The economy of China has experienced significant growth in the past several decades, but growth has been uneven both geographically and among various sectors of the economy, and no assurance can be given that such growth will continue. Economic growth has also been accompanied by periods of high inflation. The PRC government has implemented various measures from time to time to control inflation and restrain the rate of economic growth.

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There can, however, be no assurance that the PRC government will continue to pursue such economic policies or, if it does, that those policies will continue to be successful. Any such adjustment and modification of those economic policies may have an adverse impact on the securities markets in the PRC as well as the portfolio securities of a Fund. Further, the PRC government may from time to time adopt corrective measures to control the growth of the PRC economy, which may also have an adverse impact on the capital growth and performance of a Fund. Political changes, social instability and adverse diplomatic developments in the PRC could result in the imposition of additional government restrictions, including expropriation of assets, confiscatory taxes, limits on repatriation, or nationalization of some or all of the property held by the underlying issuers of a Fund's portfolio securities.

<u>PRC Laws and Regulations Risk:</u> The regulatory and legal framework for capital markets and joint stock companies in the PRC may not be as well developed as those of developed countries. PRC laws and regulations affecting securities markets are relatively new and evolving, and because of the limited volume of published cases and judicial interpretation and their non-binding nature, interpretation and enforcement of these regulations involve significant uncertainties. In addition, as the PRC legal system develops, no assurance can be given that changes in such laws and regulations or new laws, regulations or practices relating specifically to the QFI regime and transactions in other Chinese securities will be promulgated, or that their interpretation or enforcement will not have a material adverse effect on a Fund's portfolio securities.

In addition, the effect of future developments in the PRC legal system is unpredictable, such as changes to the existing regulatory environment and government scrutiny in certain areas, uncertain interpretation and implementation of existing laws or enforcement thereof, or the preemption of local regulations by national laws. For instance, China has tightened regulatory requirements with respect to privacy, data protection and information security, and has promulgated new regulations and policy to regulate certain industries in the past year, which may in turn impact the business operation of the underlying issuers of a Fund's portfolio securities. The rapid evolving legal system of China may have a material adverse effect on a Fund's portfolio securities.

<u>Political Tension Risk:</u> Recently there have been heightened tensions in international economic relations and rising political tensions. In particular, political tensions between the United States and China have escalated due to a series of trade, international treaty, tax, and sanctions actions taken by the United States against China, among other things, imposition of tariffs on a substantial quantity of Chinese imports; the imposition of sanctions on an expanded number of Chinese companies for their support of China's military industrial complex or alleged human rights violations; enhanced reviews by CFIUS of foreign direct investments in the United States by Chinese companies; the detention by US Customs and Border Protection of products made in Xinjiang involving alleged human rights violations; and the enhancement of extensive export controls on the semiconductor industry, as well as countersanctions or countermeasures from the PRC government that have been triggered or expected to be triggered. Rising political tensions could reduce levels of trade and investments and other economic activities between the two major economies, and any escalation thereof may have a negative impact on the general, economic, political, and social conditions in China and, in turn, adversely impact a Fund's portfolio securities.

<u>Restricted Markets Risk:</u> A Fund's investments in A Shares may be subject to limitations or restrictions on foreign ownership or holdings imposed by PRC laws and regulations. The capacity of a Fund to make investments in A Shares will be affected by the relevant threshold limits and the activities of all underlying foreign investors. Such legal and regulatory restrictions or limitations may have adverse effects on the liquidity and performance of a Fund's portfolio holdings. This may affect a Fund's capacity to make investments in A Shares. It is also difficult in practice to monitor the investments of underlying foreign investors, since an investor may make investments through different permitted channels under PRC laws.

<u>A Shares Market Suspension Risk:</u> A Shares may only be purchased from, or sold to, a Fund from time to time where the relevant A Shares may be sold or purchased on the SSE or the SZSE, as appropriate. Securities exchanges in the PRC typically have the right to suspend or limit trading in any security traded on the relevant exchange. In particular, trading band limits are imposed by the stock exchanges, whereby trading in any A Shares on the relevant stock exchange may be suspended if the trading price of the security fluctuates beyond the trading band limit. Such a suspension would make any dealing with the existing positions impossible and may impair the liquidity of such positions and potentially expose the Fund to losses.

Given that the A Shares market is considered volatile and unstable (with the risk of suspension of a particular stock or government intervention), the creation and redemption of Creation Units may also be disrupted. Such suspensions may be widespread and, on some occasions, have affected a majority of listed issuers in China. A participating dealer may not be able to create Creation Units of a Fund if A Shares are not available or not available in sufficient amounts.

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<u>A Shares Tax Risk:</u> While overseas investors currently are exempt from paying capital gains or value added taxes on income and gains from investments in A Shares, these PRC tax rules could be changed, which could result in unexpected tax liabilities for a Fund. A Fund's investments in securities, including A Shares, issued by PRC companies may cause the Fund to become subject to withholding and other taxes imposed by the PRC.

If a Fund were considered to be a tax resident of the PRC, it would be subject to PRC corporate income tax at the rate of 25% on its worldwide taxable income. If a Fund were considered to be a non-resident enterprise with a "permanent establishment" in the PRC, it would be subject to PRC corporate income tax of 25% on the profits attributable to the permanent establishment. The Adviser intends to operate each applicable Fund in a manner that will prevent it from being treated as a tax resident of the PRC and from having a permanent establishment in the PRC. It is possible, however, that the PRC could disagree with that conclusion or that changes in PRC tax law could affect the PRC corporate income tax status of a Fund.

The PRC generally imposes withholding income tax at a rate of 10% on dividends, premiums, interest and capital gains originating in the PRC and paid to a company that is not a resident of the PRC for tax purposes and that has no permanent establishment in China. The withholding is in general made by the relevant PRC tax company making such payments. The State Administration of Taxation has confirmed the application to a QFI of the withholding income tax on dividends, premiums and interest. In the event the relevant PRC tax resident company fails to withhold the relevant PRC withholding income tax or otherwise fails to pay the relevant withholding income tax to the PRC tax authorities, the appropriate PRC tax authorities may, in their sole discretion, impose tax obligations on a Fund.

The Ministry of Finance of the PRC, the State Administration of Taxation of the PRC and the CSRC (collectively, the "PRC Authorities") issued the "Notice on Temporary Exemption of Corporate Income Tax on Capital Gains Derived from the Transfer of PRC Equity Investment Assets such as PRC Domestic Stocks by QFII and RQFII" Caishui [2014] No. 79 ("Notice 79") on October 31, 2014. Notice 79 states that QFIIs and RQFIIs (without an establishment or place of business in the PRC or having an establishment or place in the PRC but the income so derived in the PRC is not effectively connected with such establishment or place) will be temporarily exempt from corporate income tax on gains derived from the trading of PRC equity investments including A Shares effective from November 17, 2014. In addition, the PRC Authorities issued the "Notice on Taxation Relating to the Pilot Program of Shanghai-Hong Kong Stock Connect (Caishui [2014] No.81)" ("Notice 81") on October 31, 2014 and "Notice on Taxation Relating to the Pilot Program of Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connect (Caishui [2016] No. 127)" ("Notice 127") on November 5, 2016. Notice 81 and Notice 127 state that the capital gain from disposal of A Shares by foreign investors enterprises via the Stock Connect program will be temporarily exempt from withholding income tax. Notice 81 and Notice 127 also state that the dividends derived from A Shares by foreign investors enterprises is subject to 10% withholding income tax.

There is no indication of how long the temporary exemption will remain in effect and a Fund may be subject to such withholding income tax in the future. If, in the future, China begins applying tax rules regarding the taxation of income from A Shares investment to QFIs or investments through the Stock Connect program and/or begins collecting capital gains taxes on such investments, a Fund could be subject to withholding income tax liability if the Fund determines that such liability cannot be reduced or eliminated by applicable tax treaties. The PRC tax authorities may in the future issue further guidance in this regard and with potential retrospective effect. The negative impact of any such tax liability on a Fund's return could be substantial.

In light of the uncertainty as to how gains or income that may be derived from a Fund's investments in the PRC will be taxed, each Fund reserves the right to provide for withholding tax on such gains or income and withhold tax for the account of the Fund.

Any tax provision, if made, will be reflected in the net asset value of a Fund at the time the provision is used to satisfy tax liabilities. If the actual applicable tax levied by the PRC tax authorities is greater than that provided for by the applicable Fund so that there is a shortfall in the tax provision amount, the net asset value of that Fund may suffer, as such Fund will have to bear additional tax liabilities. In this case, then existing and new investors in that Fund will be disadvantaged. If the actual applicable tax levied by the PRC tax authorities is less than that provided for by a Fund so that there is an excess in the tax provision amount, investors who redeemed Shares before the PRC tax authorities' ruling, decision or guidance may have been disadvantaged, as they would have borne any loss from a Fund's overprovision. In this case, the then existing and new investors in a Fund may benefit if the difference between the tax provision and the actual taxation liability can be returned to the account of a Fund as assets thereof. Any excess in the tax provision amount shall be treated as property of a Fund, and investors who previously transferred or redeemed their Shares will not be entitled or have any right to claim any part of the amount representing the excess.

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Stamp duty under the PRC laws generally applies to the execution and receipt of taxable documents, which include contracts for the sale of A Shares traded on PRC stock exchanges. In the case of such contracts, the stamp duty is currently imposed on the seller but not on the purchaser, at the rate of 0.05%. The sale or other transfer by the Adviser of A Shares will accordingly be subject to PRC Stamp Duty, but the Adviser will not be subject to PRC Stamp Duty when it acquires A Shares.

QFIs may also potentially be subject to PRC value added tax at the rate of 6% on capital gains derived from trading of A Shares and interest income (if any). Existing guidance provides a temporary value added tax exemption for QFIs in respect of their gains derived from the trading of PRC securities. Since there is no indication of how long the temporary exemption will remain in effect, a Fund may be subject to such value added tax in the future. In addition, urban maintenance and construction tax (currently at rates ranging from 1% to 7%), educational surcharge (currently at the rate of 3%) and local educational surcharge (currently at the rate of 2%) (collectively the "surtaxes") are imposed based on value added tax liabilities, so if the Adviser or a Fund were liable for value added tax it would also be required to pay the applicable surtaxes.

The PRC rules for taxation of QFIs and the Stock Connect program are evolving and certain of the tax regulations to be issued by the PRC State Administration of Taxation and/or PRC Ministry of Finance to clarify the subject matter may apply retrospectively, even if such rules are adverse to a Fund and its investors. The applicability of reduced treaty rates of withholding in the case of a QFI acting for a foreign investor, such as a Fund, is also uncertain. The imposition of such taxes, particularly on a retrospective basis, could have a material adverse effect on a Fund's returns. Before further guidance is issued and is well established in the administrative practice of the PRC tax authorities, the practices of the PRC tax authorities that collect PRC taxes relevant to a Fund may differ from, or be applied in a manner inconsistent with, the practices with respect to the analogous investments described herein or any further guidance that may be issued. The value of a Fund's investment in the PRC and the amount of its income and gains could be adversely affected by an increase in tax rates or change in the taxation basis.

The above information is only a general summary of the potential PRC tax consequences that may be imposed on a Fund and its investors either directly or indirectly and should not be taken as a definitive, authoritative or comprehensive statement of the relevant matter. Investors should seek their own tax advice on their tax position with regard to their investment in a Fund.

As described below under "Taxes—Taxation of Fund Investments," an applicable Fund may elect, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, to treat PRC taxes (including withholding taxes) paid by such Fund as paid by its shareholders. Even if a Fund is qualified to make that election and does so, however, your ability to claim a credit for certain PRC taxes may be limited under general U.S. tax principles and may not extend to taxes that are reserved but not paid.

Should the Chinese government impose restrictions on a Fund's ability to repatriate funds associated with direct investments in A Shares, such Fund may be unable to satisfy distribution requirements applicable to RICs under the Internal Revenue Code, and that Fund may therefore be subject to Fund-level U.S. federal taxes. In the event such restrictions are imposed, a Fund may borrow funds to the extent necessary to distribute to shareholders income sufficient to maintain its status as a RIC.

The PRC government has implemented a number of tax reform policies in recent years. The current tax laws and regulations may be revised or amended in the future. Any revision or amendment in tax laws and regulations may affect the after-taxation profit of PRC companies and foreign investors in such companies, such as the Funds.

<u>Government Intervention and Restriction Risk:</u> Governments and regulators may intervene in the financial markets, such as by the imposition of trading restrictions, a ban on "naked" short selling or the suspension of short selling for certain stocks. This may affect the operation and market making activities related to a Fund, and may have an unpredictable impact on a Fund. Furthermore, such market interventions may have a negative impact on the market sentiment which may in turn affect the performance of the Fund.

<u>RMB Exchange Controls and Restrictions Risk:</u> It should be noted that the RMB is currently not a freely convertible currency, as it is subject to foreign exchange control policies and repatriation restrictions imposed by the PRC government. There is no assurance that there will always be RMB available in sufficient amounts for a Fund to remain fully invested. Since 1994, the conversion of RMB into U.S. dollars has been based on rates set by the PBOC, which are set daily based on the previous day's PRC interbank foreign exchange market rate. On July 21, 2005, the PRC government introduced a managed floating exchange rate system to allow the value of RMB to fluctuate within a regulated band based on market supply and demand and by reference to a basket of currencies. In addition, a market maker system was introduced to the interbank spot foreign exchange market. In July 2008, China announced that its exchange rate regime was further

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transformed into a managed floating mechanism based on market supply and demand. Given the domestic and overseas economic developments, the PBOC decided to further improve the RMB exchange rate regime in June 2010 to enhance the flexibility of the RMB exchange rate. In March 2014, the PBOC decided to take a further step to increase the flexibility of the RMB exchange rate by expanding the daily trading band from +/-1% to +/-2% and may seek to do so again in the future.

However it should be noted that the PRC government's policies on exchange control and repatriation restrictions are subject to change, and any such change may adversely impact a Fund. There can be no assurance that the RMB exchange rate will not fluctuate widely against the U.S. dollar or any other foreign currency in the future. Foreign exchange transactions under the capital account, including principal payments in respect of foreign currency-denominated obligations, currently continue to be subject to significant foreign exchange controls and require the approval of the SAFE. On the other hand, the existing PRC foreign exchange regulations have significantly reduced government foreign exchange controls for transactions under the current account, including trade and service related foreign exchange transactions and payment of dividends. Nevertheless, the Adviser cannot predict whether the PRC government will continue its existing foreign exchange policy or when the PRC government will allow free conversion of the RMB to foreign currencies.

<u>RMB Trading and Settlement Risk:</u> The trading and settlement of RMB-denominated securities are recent developments in Hong Kong and there is no assurance that problems will not be encountered with the systems or that other logistical problems will not arise.

<u>QFI Late Settlement Risk:</u> A Fund will be required to remit RMB from Hong Kong to the PRC to settle the purchase of A Shares by that Fund from time to time.

<u>Future Movements in RMB Exchange Rates Risk:</u> The exchange rate of RMB ceased to be pegged to U.S. dollars on July 21, 2005, resulting in a more flexible RMB exchange rate system. China Foreign Exchange Trading System, authorized by the PBOC, promulgates the central parity rate of RMB against U.S. dollars, Euro, Yen, pound sterling and Hong Kong dollar at 9:15 a.m. on each business day, which will be the daily central parity rate for transactions on the Inter-bank Spot Foreign Exchange Market and OTC transactions of banks. The exchange rate of RMB against the above-mentioned currencies fluctuates within a range above or below such central parity rate. As the exchange rates are based primarily on market forces, the exchange rates for RMB against other currencies, including U.S. dollars and Hong Kong dollars, are susceptible to movements based on external factors. There can be no assurance that such exchange rates will not fluctuate widely against U.S. dollars, Hong Kong dollars or any other foreign currency in the future. From 1994 to July 2005, the exchange rate for RMB against U.S. dollar and the Hong Kong dollar was relatively stable. Since July 2005, the appreciation of RMB has begun to accelerate. Although the PRC government has constantly reiterated its intention to maintain the stability of RMB, it may introduce measures (such as a reduction in the rate of export tax refund) to address the concerns of the PRC's trading partners. Therefore, the possibility that the appreciation of RMB will be further accelerated cannot be excluded. On the other hand, there can be no assurance that RMB will not be subject to devaluation.

<u>Offshore RMB (</u><u>"</u><u>CNH</u><u>"</u><u>) Market Risk:</u> The onshore RMB ("CNY") is the only official currency of the PRC and is used in all financial transactions between individuals, state and corporations in the PRC. Hong Kong is the first jurisdiction to allow accumulation of RMB deposits outside the PRC. Since June 2010, the CNH is traded officially, regulated jointly by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority and the PBOC. While both CNY and CNH represent RMB, they are traded in different and separated markets. The two RMB markets operate independently where the flow between them is highly restricted. Though the CNH is a proxy of the CNY, they do not necessarily have the same exchange rate and their movement may not be in the same direction. This is because these currencies act in separate jurisdictions, which leads to separate supply and demand conditions for each, and therefore separate but related currency markets.

The current size of RMB-denominated financial assets outside the PRC is limited. In addition, participating authorized institutions are also required by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority to maintain a total amount of RMB (in the form of cash and its settlement account balance with a Renminbi clearing bank) of no less than 25% of their RMB deposits, which further limits the availability of RMB that participating authorized institutions can utilize for conversion services for their customers. RMB business participating banks do not have direct RMB liquidity support from the PBOC. Only the Renminbi clearing bank has access to onshore liquidity support from the PBOC (subject to annual and quarterly quotas imposed by the PBOC) to square open positions of participating banks for limited types of transactions, including open positions resulting from conversion services for corporations relating to cross-border trade settlement. The Renminbi clearing bank is not obliged to square for participating banks any open positions resulting from other foreign exchange transactions or conversion services and the participating banks will need to source RMB from the offshore market to square such open

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positions. Although it is expected that the offshore RMB market will continue to grow in depth and size, its growth is subject to many constraints as a result of PRC laws and regulations on foreign exchange. There is no assurance that new PRC regulations will not be promulgated or the relevant settlement agreements between Hong Kong banks and the PBOC will not be terminated or amended in the future which will have the effect of restricting availability of RMB offshore.

<u>Disclosure of Interests and Short Swing Profit Rule:</u> A Fund may be subject to shareholder disclosure of interest regulations promulgated by the CSRC. To the extent they are applicable, these regulations currently would require a Fund to make certain public disclosures when the Fund and parties acting in concert with that Fund acquire 5% or more of the issued securities of a listed company (which include A Shares of the listed company). Additional information may be required if a Fund and its concerted parties constitute the largest shareholder or actual controlling shareholder of the listed company. The report must be made to the CSRC, the stock exchange, the invested company, and the CSRC local representative office where the listed company is located. The Fund would also be required to make a public announcement through a media outlet designated by the CSRC. The public announcement must contain the same content as the official report.

If the 5% shareholding threshold is triggered by a Fund and parties acting in concert with that Fund, such Fund would be required to file its report within three days of the date the threshold is reached. During the time limit for filing the report, a trading freeze applies and the Fund would not be permitted to make subsequent trades in the invested company's securities. Any such trading freeze may undermine a Fund's performance, if the Fund would otherwise make trades during that period but is prevented from doing so by the regulations.

The relevant PRC regulations presumptively treat all affiliated investors and investors under common control as parties acting in concert. As such, under a conservative interpretation of these regulations, a Fund may be deemed as a "concerted party" of other funds managed by the Adviser or its affiliates and therefore may be subject to the risk that the Fund's holdings may be required to be reported in the aggregate with the holdings of such other funds should the aggregate holdings trigger the reporting threshold under the PRC law.

Once a Fund and parties acting in concert reach the 5% trading threshold as to any listed company, any subsequent incremental increase or decrease of 5% or more will trigger a further reporting requirement and an additional three-day trading freeze, and also an additional freeze on trading within three days of the Fund's report and announcement of the incremental change. These trading freezes may undermine a Fund's performance as described above. Also, SSE requirements currently require a Fund and parties acting in concert, once they have reached the 5% threshold, to disclose whenever their shareholding drops below this threshold (even as a result of trading which is less than the 5% incremental change that would trigger a reporting requirement under the relevant CSRC regulation).

CSRC regulations also contain additional disclosure (and tender offer) requirements that apply when an investor and parties acting in concert reach certain thresholds in excess of 10%. Subject to the interpretation of PRC courts and PRC regulators, the operation of the PRC short swing profit rule may be applicable to the trading of a Fund with the result that where the holdings of the Fund (possibly with the holdings of other investors deemed as concert parties of such Fund) exceed 5% of the total issued shares of a listed company, the Fund may not reduce its holdings in the company within six months of the last purchase of shares of the company. If a Fund violates the rule, it may be required by the listed company to return any profits realized from such trading to the listed company. In addition, the rule limits the ability of the Fund to repurchase securities of the listed company within six months of such sale. Moreover, under PRC civil procedures, a Fund's assets may be frozen to the extent of the claims made by the company in question. These risks may greatly impair the performance of the applicable Fund.

**CONFLICTS OF INTEREST RISK**

An investment in a Fund may be subject to a number of actual or potential conflicts of interest. For example, the Adviser or its affiliates may provide services to a Fund, such as securities lending agency services, custodial, administrative, bookkeeping, and accounting services, transfer agency and shareholder servicing, securities brokerage services, and other services for which the Fund would compensate the Adviser and/or such affiliates. A Fund may invest in other pooled investment vehicles sponsored, managed, or otherwise affiliated with the Adviser. There is no assurance that the rates at which a Fund pays fees or expenses to the Adviser or its affiliates, or the terms on which it enters into transactions with the Adviser or its affiliates, will be the most favorable available in the market generally or as favorable as the rates the Adviser makes available to other clients. Because of its financial interest, the Adviser may have an incentive to enter into transactions or arrangements on behalf of a Fund with itself or its affiliates in circumstances where it might not have done so in the absence of that interest.

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**CONTINUOUS OFFERING** 

The method by which Creation Units of Shares are created and traded may raise certain issues under applicable securities laws. Because new Creation Units of Shares are issued and sold by the Trust on an ongoing basis, at any point a "distribution," as such term is used in the Securities Act, may occur. 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 which could render them statutory underwriters and subject them to the prospectus delivery and liability provisions of the Securities Act.

For example, a broker-dealer firm or its client may be deemed a statutory underwriter if it takes Creation Units after placing an order with the Distributor, breaks them down into constituent Shares, and sells such Shares directly to customers, or if it chooses to couple the creation of a supply of new Shares with an active selling effort involving solicitation of secondary market demand for Shares. A determination of whether one is an underwriter for purposes of the Securities Act must take into account all the facts and circumstances pertaining to the activities of the broker-dealer or its client in the particular case, and the examples mentioned above should not be considered a complete description of all the activities that could lead to a categorization as an underwriter.

Broker-dealer firms should also note that dealers who are not "underwriters" but are effecting transactions in Shares, whether or not participating in the distribution of Shares, are generally required to deliver a prospectus. This is because the prospectus delivery exemption in Section 4(a)(3) of the Securities Act is not available in respect of such transactions as a result of Section 24(d) of the 1940 Act. Firms that incur a prospectus-delivery obligation with respect to Shares of a Fund are reminded that under Securities Act Rule 153, a prospectus-delivery obligation under Section 5(b)(2) of the Securities Act owed to an exchange member in connection with a sale on the Exchange is satisfied by the fact that a Fund's Prospectus is available at the Exchange upon request. The prospectus delivery mechanism provided in Rule 153 is only available with respect to transactions on an exchange.

SSGA FM or its affiliates (the "Selling Shareholder") may purchase Creation Units through a broker-dealer to "seed" (in whole or in part) Funds as they are launched, or may purchase shares from broker-dealers or other investors that have previously provided "seed" for a Fund when they were launched or otherwise in secondary market transactions, and because the Selling Shareholder may be deemed an affiliate of such Funds, the Shares are being registered to permit the resale of these shares from time to time after purchase. The Funds will not receive any of the proceeds from the resale by the Selling Shareholders of these Shares.

The Selling Shareholder intends to sell all or a portion of the Shares owned by it and offered hereby from time to time directly or through one or more broker-dealers, and may also hedge such positions. The Shares may be sold on any national securities exchange on which the Shares may be listed or quoted at the time of sale, in the over-the-counter market or in transactions other than on these exchanges or systems at fixed prices, at prevailing market prices at the time of the sale, at varying prices determined at the time of sale, or at negotiated prices. These sales may be effected in transactions, which may involve cross or block transactions.

The Selling Shareholder may also loan or pledge Shares to broker-dealers that in turn may sell such Shares, to the extent permitted by applicable law. The Selling Shareholder may also enter into options or other transactions with broker-dealers or other financial institutions or the creation of one or more derivative securities which require the delivery to such broker-dealer or other financial institution of Shares, which Shares such broker-dealer or other financial institution may resell.

The Selling Shareholder and any broker-dealer or agents participating in the distribution of Shares may be deemed to be "underwriters" within the meaning of Section 2(a)(11) of the Securities Act in connection with such sales. In such event, any commissions paid to any such broker-dealer or agent and any profit on the resale of the Shares purchased by them may be deemed to be underwriting commissions or discounts under the Securities Act. The Selling Shareholder who may be deemed an "underwriter" within the meaning of Section 2(a)(11) of the Securities Act will be subject to the applicable prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act.

**COUNTERPARTY RISK**

Counterparty risk with respect to derivatives has been and may continue to be affected by new rules and regulations affecting the derivatives market. Some derivatives transactions are required to be centrally cleared, and a party to a cleared derivatives transaction is subject to the credit risk of the clearing house and the clearing member through which it holds its cleared position, rather than the credit risk of its original counterparty to the derivatives transaction. Credit risk of

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market participants with respect to derivatives that are centrally cleared is concentrated in a few clearing houses, and it is not clear how an insolvency proceeding of a clearing house would be conducted, what effect the insolvency proceeding would have on any recovery by a Fund, and what impact an insolvency of a clearing house would have on the financial system more generally.

**FUTURES AND OPTIONS TRANSACTIONS** 

There can be no assurance that a liquid secondary market will exist for any particular futures contract or option at any specific time. Thus, it may not be possible to close a futures or options position. In the event of adverse price movements, a Fund would continue to be required to make daily cash payments to maintain its required margin. In such situations, if a Fund has insufficient cash, it may have to sell portfolio securities to meet daily margin requirements at a time when it may be disadvantageous to do so. In addition, a Fund may be required to make delivery of the instruments underlying futures contracts it has sold.

Each Fund will minimize the risk that it will be unable to close out a futures or options contract by only entering into futures and options for which there appears to be a liquid secondary market.

The risk of loss in trading futures contracts or uncovered call options in some strategies (e.g., selling uncovered index futures contracts) is potentially unlimited. The risk of a futures position may still be large as traditionally measured due to the low margin deposits required. In many cases, a relatively small price movement in a futures contract may result in immediate and substantial loss or gain to the investor relative to the size of a required margin deposit. A Fund, however, may utilize futures and options contracts in a manner designed to limit its risk exposure to that which is comparable to what it would have incurred through direct investment in securities.

Utilization of futures transactions by a Fund involves the risk of loss by the Fund of margin deposits in the event of bankruptcy of a broker with whom the Fund has an open position in the futures contract or option.

Certain financial futures exchanges limit the amount of fluctuation permitted in futures contract prices during a single trading day. The "daily price fluctuation limit" or "daily limit" establishes the maximum amount that the price of a futures contract may vary either up or down from the previous day's settlement price at the end of a trading session. Once the daily limit has been reached in a particular type of contract, generally no trades may be made on that day at a price beyond that limit. The daily limit governs only price movement during a particular trading day and therefore does not limit potential losses, because the limit may prevent the liquidation of unfavorable positions. Futures contract prices have occasionally moved to the daily limit for several consecutive trading days with little or no trading, thereby preventing prompt liquidation of futures positions and subjecting some futures traders to substantial losses.

**RISKS OF SWAP AGREEMENTS** 

Swap agreements are subject to the risk that the swap counterparty will default on its obligations. If such a default occurs, a Fund will have contractual remedies pursuant to the agreements related to the transaction, but such remedies may be subject to bankruptcy and insolvency laws which could affect the Fund's rights as a creditor.

The use of interest-rate and index swaps is a highly specialized activity that involves investment techniques and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio security transactions. The use of a swap requires an understanding not only of the referenced asset, reference rate, or index, but also of the swap itself, without the benefit of observing the performance of the swap under all possible market conditions. These transactions generally do not involve the delivery of securities or other underlying assets or principal.

The absence of a regulated execution facility or contract market and lack of liquidity for swap transactions has led, in some instances, to difficulties in trading and valuation, especially in the event of market disruptions. Under recently adopted rules and regulations, transactions in some types of swaps are required to be centrally cleared. In a cleared derivatives transaction, a Fund's counterparty to the transaction is a central derivatives clearing organization, or clearing house, rather than a bank or broker. Because the Funds are not members of a clearing house, and only members of a clearing house can participate directly in the clearing house, each Fund holds cleared derivatives through accounts at clearing members. In cleared derivatives transactions, a Fund will make payments (including margin payments) to and receive payments from a clearing house through its accounts at clearing members. Clearing members guarantee performance of their clients' obligations to the clearing house. Centrally cleared derivative arrangements may be less favorable to a Fund than bilateral (non-cleared) arrangements. For example, a Fund may be required to provide greater amounts of margin for cleared derivatives transactions than for bilateral derivatives transactions. Also, in contrast to bilateral derivatives transactions, in some cases following a period of notice to a Fund, a clearing member generally can

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require termination of existing cleared derivatives transactions at any time or an increase in margin requirements above the margin that the clearing member required at the beginning of a transaction. Clearing houses also have broad rights to increase margin requirements for existing transactions or to terminate transactions at any time in accordance with their rules. A Fund is subject to risk if it enters into a derivatives transaction that is required to be cleared (or which SSGA FM expects to be cleared), and no clearing member is willing or able to clear the transaction on the Fund's behalf. In that case, the transaction might have to be terminated, and the Fund could lose some or all of the benefit of the transaction, including loss of an increase in the value of the transaction and loss of hedging protection. In addition, the documentation governing the relationship between a Fund and clearing members is drafted by the clearing members and generally is less favorable to the Fund than typical bilateral derivatives documentation.

These clearing rules and other new rules and regulations could, among other things, restrict a Fund's ability to engage in, or increase the cost to the Fund of, derivatives transactions, for example, by making some types of derivatives no longer available to the Fund, increasing margin or capital requirements, or otherwise limiting liquidity or increasing transaction costs. These regulations, as applicable to swaps, are relatively new and evolving, so their potential impact on a Fund and the financial system are not yet known.

Because they are two party contracts that may be subject to contractual restrictions on transferability and termination and because they may have terms of greater than seven days, swap agreements may be considered to be illiquid and subject to a Fund's limitation on investments in illiquid investments. To the extent that a swap is not liquid, it may not be possible to initiate a transaction or liquidate a position at an advantageous time or price, which may result in significant losses. Like most other investments, swap agreements are subject to the risk that the market value of the instrument will change in a way detrimental to a Fund's interest.

If a Fund uses a swap as a hedge against, or as a substitute for, a portfolio investment, the Fund will be exposed to the risk that the swap will have or will develop imperfect or no correlation with the portfolio investment. This could cause substantial losses for the Fund. While hedging strategies involving swap instruments can reduce the risk of loss, they can also reduce the opportunity for gain or even result in losses by offsetting favorable price movements in other Fund investments. Many swaps are complex and often valued subjectively.

**EUROPE – RECENT EVENTS** 

A number of countries in Europe, including Greece, Spain, Italy, and Portugal, have substantial government debt levels. The concern over these debt levels has led to volatility in the European financial markets, which has adversely affected the exchange rate of the euro and may continue to significantly affect every country in Europe. For some countries, the ability to repay sovereign debt is in question, and default is possible, which could affect their ability to borrow in the future. Several countries have agreed to multi-year bailout loans from the European Central Bank, the IMF, and other institutions. A default or debt restructuring by any European country can adversely impact holders of that country's debt and can affect exposures to other European Union ("EU") countries and their financial companies as well. These financial difficulties may continue, worsen or spread within or outside Europe. Responses to the financial problems by European governments, central banks and others, including austerity measures and reforms, may not work, may result in social unrest and may limit future growth and economic recovery or have other unintended consequences.

Uncertainties regarding the viability of the EU have impacted and may continue to impact markets in the United States and around the world. On January 31, 2020, the United Kingdom ("UK") formally withdrew from the EU (commonly known as "Brexit"). An agreement between the UK and the EU governing their future trade relationship became effective January 1, 2021, but that agreement does not include an agreement on financial services, and it is unlikely that such agreement will be concluded. Moreover, the UK government has started a program of financial services law reform with the ultimate aim of repealing many EU financial services laws that were assimilated into UK law from January 1, 2021, and replacing them with legislation or rules made by the UK government or financial services regulators. Accordingly, uncertainty remains in certain areas as to the future relationship between the UK and the EU. Brexit has already had a significant impact on the UK, Europe, and global economies, and could continue to result in volatility and illiquidity, legal, political, economic and regulatory uncertainties and lower economic growth for these economies that could in turn have an adverse effect on the value of a Fund's investments. Any further exits from the EU, or the possibility of such exits, or the abandonment of the euro, may cause additional market disruption globally and introduce new legal and regulatory uncertainties.

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**MARKET TURBULENCE RESULTING FROM INFECTIOUS ILLNESS**

A widespread outbreak of an infectious illness, such as COVID-19, may lead to governments and businesses world-wide taking aggressive measures, including closing borders, restricting international and domestic travel, and the imposition of prolonged quarantines of large populations. As occurred in the wake of COVID-19, the spread of such an illness may result in the disruption of and delays in the delivery of healthcare services and processes, the cancellation of organized events and educational institutions, the disruption of production and supply chains, a decline in consumer demand for certain goods and services, and general concern and uncertainty, all of which may contribute to increased volatility in global markets. COVID-19, and other epidemics and pandemics that may arise in the future, could adversely affect the economies of many nations, the global economy, individual companies, sectors and industries, and capital markets in ways that cannot be foreseen at the present time. In addition, the impact of infectious diseases in developing or emerging market countries may be greater due to limited health care resources. Political, economic and social stresses caused by infectious illness also may exacerbate other pre-existing political, social and economic risks in certain countries. The duration of such an illness and its effects cannot be determined at this time, but the effects could be present for an extended period of time.

**RUSSIA SANCTIONS RISK**

Sanctions threatened or imposed by a number of jurisdictions, including the United States, the European Union and the United Kingdom, and other intergovernmental actions that have been or may be undertaken in the future, against Russia, Russian entities or Russian individuals, may result in the devaluation of Russian currency, a downgrade in the country's credit rating, an immediate freeze of Russian assets, a decline in the value and liquidity of Russian securities, property or interests, and/or other adverse consequences to the Russian economy or a Fund. The scope and scale of sanctions in place at a particular time may be expanded or otherwise modified in a way that have negative effects on a Fund. Sanctions, or the threat of new or modified sanctions, could impair the ability of a Fund to buy, sell, hold, receive, deliver or otherwise transact in certain affected securities or other investment instruments. Sanctions could also result in Russia taking counter measures or other actions in response, which may further impair the value and liquidity of Russian securities. These sanctions, and the resulting disruption of the Russian economy, may cause volatility in other regional and global markets and may negatively impact the performance of various sectors and industries, as well as companies in other countries, which could have a negative effect on the performance of a Fund, even if a Fund does not have direct exposure to securities of Russian issuers. As a collective result of the imposition of sanctions, Russian government countermeasures and the impact that they have had on the trading markets for Russian securities, certain Funds have used, and may in the future use, fair valuation procedures approved by the Fund's Board to value certain Russian securities, which could result in such securities being deemed to have a zero value.

A reduction in liquidity of certain Fund holdings as a result of sanctions and related actions may cause a Fund to experience increased premiums or discounts to its NAV and/or wider bid-ask spreads. Additionally, if it becomes impracticable or unlawful for a Fund to hold securities subject to, or otherwise affected by, sanctions, or if deemed appropriate by the Fund's investment adviser, the Fund may prohibit in-kind deposits of the affected securities in connection with creation transactions and instead require a cash deposit, which may also increase the Fund's transaction costs.

**TAX RISKS**

As with any investment, you should consider how your investment in Shares of a Fund will be taxed. The tax information in the Prospectus and this SAI is provided as general information. You should consult your own tax professional about the tax consequences of an investment in Shares of a Fund.

Unless your investment in Shares is made through a tax-exempt entity or tax-advantaged retirement account, such as an individual retirement account, you need to be aware of the possible tax consequences when a Fund makes distributions or you sell Shares.

**Investment Restrictions**

The Trust has adopted the following investment restrictions as fundamental policies with respect to each Fund. These restrictions cannot be changed with respect to a Fund without the approval of the holders of a majority of the Fund's outstanding voting securities. For purposes of the 1940 Act, a majority of the outstanding voting securities of a Fund means the vote, at an annual or a special meeting of the security holders of the Trust, of the lesser of (1) 67% or more of

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the voting securities of the Fund present at such meeting, if the holders of more than 50% of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund are present or represented by proxy, or (2) more than 50% of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund. Except with the approval of a majority of the outstanding voting securities, a Fund may not:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1. (Except SPDR SSGA Ultra Short Term Bond ETF and SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ESG ETF) Purchase securities of an issuer that would cause the Fund to fail to satisfy the diversification requirement for a diversified management company under the 1940 Act, the rules or regulations thereunder or any exemption therefrom, as such statute, rules or regulations may be amended or interpreted from time to time;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2. Concentrate investments in a particular industry or group of industries, as concentration is defined under the 1940 Act, the Rules and regulations thereunder or any exemption therefrom, as such statute, rules or regulations may be amended or interpreted from time to time;<sup>(1)</sup>

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3. Make loans to another person except as permitted by the 1940 Act or other governing statute, by the Rules thereunder, or by the SEC or other regulatory agency with authority over the Funds;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4. Issue senior securities or borrow money except as permitted by the 1940 Act or other governing statute, by the Rules thereunder, or by the SEC or other regulatory agency with authority over the Funds;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5. Invest directly in real estate unless the real estate is acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments. This restriction shall not preclude a Fund from investing in companies that deal in real estate or in instruments that are backed or secured by real estate;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;6. Act as an underwriter of another issuer's securities, except to the extent the Fund may be deemed to be an underwriter within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933 in connection with the Fund's purchase and sale of portfolio securities;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;7. Invest in commodities except as permitted by the 1940 Act or other governing statute, by the Rules thereunder, or by the SEC or other regulatory agency with authority over the Funds; or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;8. With respect to SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ETF and SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ESG ETF, invest, under normal circumstances, less than 80% of its assets, plus the amount of borrowings for investment purposes, in investments the income of which is exempt from federal income tax.

In addition to the investment restrictions adopted as fundamental policies as set forth above, each Fund observes the following restrictions, which may be changed by the Board without a shareholder vote. A Fund will not:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1. Invest in the securities of a company for the purpose of exercising management or control, provided that the Trust may vote the investment securities owned by the Fund in accordance with its views;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2. With respect to the SPDR SSGA Fixed Income Sector Rotation ETF, under normal circumstances, invest less than 80% of its net assets (plus the amount of borrowings for investment purposes) directly, or indirectly through investments in underlying ETFs, in fixed income securities. Prior to any change in this 80% investment policy, the Fund will provide shareholders with 60 days' written notice;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3. With respect to the SPDR SSGA US Sector Rotation ETF, under normal circumstances, invest less than 80% of its net assets (plus the amount of borrowings for investment purposes) directly, or indirectly through investments in underlying ETFs, in securities of U.S. companies. Prior to any change in this 80% investment policy, the Fund will provide shareholders with 60 days' written notice;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4. With respect to the SPDR SSGA Ultra Short Term Bond ETF, under normal circumstances, invest less than 80% of its net assets (plus the amount of borrowings for investment purposes) in debt securities. Prior to any change in this 80% investment policy, the Fund will provide shareholders with 60 days' written notice;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5. With respect to the SPDR Blackstone Senior Loan ETF, under normal circumstances, invest less than 80% of its net assets (plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes) in senior loans. For purposes of this 80% test, "senior loans" are first lien senior secured floating rate bank loans. Prior to any change this 80% investment policy, the Fund will provide shareholders with 60 days' written notice;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

<sup>(1)</sup>

The SEC Staff considers concentration to involve more than 25% of a fund's assets to be invested in an industry or group of industries.

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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;6. With respect to the SPDR DoubleLine Emerging Markets Fixed Income ETF, under normal circumstances, invest less than 80% of its net assets (plus the amount of borrowings for investment purposes) in emerging market fixed income instruments or in derivatives or other instruments that provide investment exposure to emerging market fixed income instruments. Prior to any change in this 80% investment policy, the Fund will provide shareholders with 60 days' written notice;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;7. With respect to the SPDR DoubleLine Short Duration Total Return Tactical ETF, under normal circumstances, invest less than 80% of its net assets (plus the amount of borrowings for investment purposes) in fixed-income securities. Prior to any change in this 80% investment policy, the Fund will provide shareholders with 60 days' written notice; or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;8. With respect to the SPDR Loomis Sayles Opportunistic Bond ETF, under normal circumstances, less than 80% of its assets, plus the amount of borrowings for investment purposes, directly, or indirectly through investments in underlying ETFs, in debt securities. Prior to any change in the Fund's 80% investment policy, the Fund will provide shareholders with 60 days' written notice.

If a percentage limitation is adhered to at the time of investment or contract, a later increase or decrease in percentage resulting from any change in value or total or net assets will not result in a violation of such restriction, except that the percentage limitations with respect to the borrowing of money will be observed continuously. With respect to the limitation on borrowing, in the event that a subsequent change in net assets or other circumstances cause a Fund to exceed its limitation, the Fund will take steps to bring the aggregate amount of borrowing back within the limitations within three days thereafter (not including Sundays and holidays).

The 1940 Act currently permits each Fund to loan up to 33 1/3% of its total assets. With respect to borrowing, the 1940 Act presently allows each Fund to: (1) borrow from any bank (including pledging, mortgaging or hypothecating assets) in an amount up to 33 1/3% of its total assets, (2) borrow money for temporary purposes in an amount not exceeding 5% of the value of each Fund's total assets at the time of the loan, and (3) enter into reverse repurchase agreements. However, under normal circumstances any borrowings by a Fund will not exceed 10% of a Fund's total assets. The 1940 Act generally prohibits funds from issuing senior securities, although it does not treat certain transactions as senior securities, such as certain borrowings, with appropriate asset coverage. With respect to investments in commodities, the 1940 Act presently permits each Fund to invest in commodities in accordance with investment policies contained in its prospectus and SAI. Any such investment shall also comply with the CEA and the rules and regulations thereunder. The 1940 Act does not directly restrict an investment company's ability to invest in real estate, but does require that every investment company have the fundamental investment policy governing such investments. A Fund will not purchase or sell real estate, except that the Fund may invest in companies that deal in real estate (including REITs) or in instruments that are backed or secured by real estate.

**Exchange Listing and Trading**

A discussion of exchange listing and trading matters associated with an investment in a Fund is contained in the Prospectus under "PURCHASE AND SALE INFORMATION" and "ADDITIONAL PURCHASE AND SALE INFORMATION." The discussion below supplements, and should be read in conjunction with, such sections of the Prospectus.

The Shares of each Fund are approved for listing and trading on the Exchange, subject to notice of issuance. Shares trade on the Exchange at prices that may differ to some degree from their net asset value. There can be no assurance that the requirements of the Exchange necessary to maintain the listing of Shares of a Fund will continue to be met.

The Exchange may consider the suspension of trading in, and may initiate delisting proceedings of, the Shares of a Fund under any of the following circumstances: (i) if the Exchange becomes aware that the Fund is no longer eligible to operate in reliance on Rule 6c-11 under the 1940 Act; (ii) if the Fund no longer complies with the applicable listing requirements set forth in the Exchange's rules; (iii) if, following the initial twelve-month period after commencement of trading on the Exchange of the Fund, there are fewer than 50 beneficial holders of the Fund; or (iv) if such other event shall occur or condition exists which, in the opinion of the Exchange, makes further dealings on the Exchange inadvisable. The Exchange will remove the Shares from listing and trading upon termination of a Fund.

The Trust reserves the right to adjust the Share price of a Fund in the future to maintain convenient trading ranges for investors. Any adjustments would be accomplished through stock splits or reverse stock splits, which would have no effect on the net assets of the Fund or an investor's equity interest in the Fund.

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As in the case of other publicly traded securities, brokers' commissions on transactions will be based on negotiated commission rates at customary levels.

The base and trading currencies of each Fund is the U.S. dollar. The base currency is the currency in which a Fund's net asset value per Share is calculated and the trading currency is the currency in which Shares of a Fund are listed and traded on the Exchange.

**Management of the Trust**

The following information supplements and should be read in conjunction with the section in the Prospectus entitled "MANAGEMENT."

**BOARD RESPONSIBILITIES**

The management and affairs of the Trust and its series, including the Funds described in this SAI, are overseen by the Trustees. The Board has approved contracts, as described in this SAI, under which certain companies provide essential management services to the Trust.

Like most mutual funds, the day-to-day business of the Trust, including the management of risk, is performed by third party service providers, such as the Adviser, Sub-Advisers, Distributor, Administrator, and Sub-Administrator. The Trustees are responsible for overseeing the Trust's service providers and, thus, have oversight responsibility with respect to risk management performed by those service providers. Risk management seeks to identify and address risks, *i.e*., events or circumstances that could have material adverse effects on the business, operations, shareholder services, investment performance or reputation of the Funds. The Funds and their service providers employ a variety of processes, procedures and controls to identify various of those possible events or circumstances, to lessen the probability of their occurrence and/or to mitigate the effects of such events or circumstances if they do occur. Each service provider is responsible for one or more discrete aspects of the Trust's business (*e.g.*, a Sub-Adviser is responsible for the day-to-day management of a Fund's portfolio investments) and, consequently, for managing the risks associated with that business. The Board has emphasized to the Funds' service providers the importance of maintaining vigorous risk management.

The Trustees' role in risk oversight begins before the inception of a Fund, at which time the Fund's Adviser and, if applicable, Sub-Adviser presents the Board with information concerning the investment objectives, strategies and risks of the Fund, as well as proposed investment limitations for the Fund. Additionally, the Fund's Adviser and Sub-Adviser provide the Board with an overview of, among other things, their investment philosophies, brokerage practices and compliance infrastructures. Thereafter, the Board continues its oversight function as various personnel, including the Trust's Chief Compliance Officer, as well as personnel of the Adviser and other service providers, such as the Fund's independent accountants, make periodic reports to the Audit Committee or to the Board with respect to various aspects of risk management. The Board and the Audit Committee oversee efforts by management and service providers to manage risks to which a Fund may be exposed.

The Board is responsible for overseeing the nature, extent and quality of the services provided to the Funds by the Adviser and Sub-Adviser and receives information about those services at its regular meetings. In addition, on an annual basis, in connection with its consideration of whether to renew the Investment Advisory Agreement and Sub-Advisory Agreement with the Adviser and Sub-Adviser, respectively, the Board meets with the Adviser and Sub-Adviser to review such services. Among other things, the Board regularly considers the Adviser's and Sub-Adviser's adherence to each Fund's investment restrictions and compliance with various Fund policies and procedures and with applicable securities regulations. The Board also reviews information about each Fund's investments.

The Trust's Chief Compliance Officer reports regularly to the Board to review and discuss compliance issues. At least annually, the Trust's Chief Compliance Officer provides the Board with a report reviewing the adequacy and effectiveness of the Trust's policies and procedures and those of its service providers, including the Adviser and any Sub-Adviser. The report addresses the operation of the policies and procedures of the Trust and each service provider since the date of the last report; any material changes to the policies and procedures since the date of the last report; any recommendations for material changes to the policies and procedures; and any material compliance matters since the date of the last report.

The Board receives reports from the Funds' service providers regarding operational risks and risks related to the valuation and liquidity of portfolio securities. Regular reports are made to the Board concerning investments for which market quotations are not readily available. Annually, the independent registered public accounting firm reviews with the Audit Committee its audit of each Fund's financial statements, focusing on major areas of risk encountered by the Fund and

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noting any significant deficiencies or material weaknesses in the Fund's internal controls. Additionally, in connection with its oversight function, the Board oversees Fund management's implementation of disclosure controls and procedures, which are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Trust in its periodic reports with the SEC are recorded, processed, summarized, and reported within the required time periods. The Board also oversees the Trust's internal controls over financial reporting, which comprise policies and procedures designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of the Trust's financial reporting and the preparation of the Trust's financial statements.

From their review of these reports and discussions with the Adviser and Sub-Adviser, the Chief Compliance Officer, the independent registered public accounting firm and other service providers, the Board and the Audit Committee learn in detail about the material risks of the Funds, thereby facilitating a dialogue about how management and service providers identify and mitigate those risks.

The Board recognizes that not all risks that may affect a Fund can be identified and/or quantified, that it may not be practical or cost-effective to eliminate or mitigate certain risks, that it may be necessary to bear certain risks (such as investment-related risks) to achieve a Fund's goals, and that the processes, procedures and controls employed to address certain risks may be limited in their effectiveness. Moreover, reports received by the Trustees as to risk management matters are typically summaries of the relevant information. Most of the Funds' investment management and business affairs are carried out by or through a Fund's Adviser, Sub-Adviser and other service providers, each of which has an independent interest in risk management but whose policies and the methods by which one or more risk management functions are carried out may differ from the Funds' and each other's in the setting of priorities, the resources available or the effectiveness of relevant controls. As a result of the foregoing and other factors, the Board's ability to monitor and manage risk, as a practical matter, is subject to limitations.

**TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS**

There are eight members of the Board of Trustees, seven of whom are not interested persons of the Trust, as that term is defined in the 1940 Act ("Independent Trustees"). Carl Verboncoeur, an Independent Trustee, serves as Chairman of the Board. The Board has determined its leadership structure is appropriate given the specific characteristics and circumstances of the Trust. The Board made this determination in consideration of, among other things, the fact that the Independent Trustees constitute a super-majority (87.5%) of the Board, the fact that the chairperson of each Committee of the Board is an Independent Trustee, the amount of assets under management in the Trust, and the number of funds overseen by the Board. The Board also believes that its leadership structure facilitates the orderly and efficient flow of information to the Independent Trustees from fund management.

The Board of Trustees has two standing committees: the Audit Committee and Trustee Committee. The Audit Committee and Trustee Committee are each chaired by an Independent Trustee and composed of all of the Independent Trustees.

Set forth below are the names, year of birth, position with the Trust, length of term of office, and the principal occupations during the last five years and other directorships held of each of the persons currently serving as a Trustee or Officer of the Trust.

**TRUSTEES** 

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| | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name, Address**<br> **and Year of Birth**<br>| **Position(s)**<br> **With**<br> **Funds**<br>| **Term of**<br> **Office and**<br> **Length of**<br> **Time Served**<br>| **Principal** <br> **Occupation(s)**<br> **During Past** <br> **Five Years**<br>| **Number of**<br> **Portfolios**<br> **in Fund**<br> **Complex**<br> **Overseen**<br> **by Trustee†**<br>| **Other**<br> **Directorships**<br> **Held by** <br> **Trustee**<br> **During Past** <br> **Five Years**<br>|
| **INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES** | **INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES** | **INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES** | **INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES** | **INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES** | **INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES** |
| DWIGHT D. CHURCHILL<br> c/o SSGA Active Trust<br> One Iron Street<br> Boston, MA 02210<br> 1953<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; Independent <br> Trustee, <br> Chairman; <br> Trustee <br> Committee, <br> Chairman<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; Term: <br> Unlimited <br> Served: <br> since March <br> 2011<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; Self-employed <br> consultant since 2010.<br>| [144] | &nbsp;&nbsp; Affiliated Managers <br> Group, Inc. (Director) <br> (2010 - present).<br>|
| CARL G. VERBONCOEUR<br> c/o SSGA Active Trust<br> One Iron Street<br> Boston, MA 02210<br> 1952<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; Independent <br> Trustee<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; Term: <br> Unlimited <br> Served: <br> since March <br> 2011<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; Self-employed <br> consultant since 2009.<br>| [144] | None. |

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| | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name, Address**<br> **and Year of Birth**<br>| **Position(s)**<br> **With**<br> **Funds**<br>| **Term of**<br> **Office and**<br> **Length of**<br> **Time Served**<br>| **Principal** <br> **Occupation(s)**<br> **During Past** <br> **Five Years**<br>| **Number of**<br> **Portfolios**<br> **in Fund**<br> **Complex**<br> **Overseen**<br> **by Trustee†**<br>| **Other**<br> **Directorships**<br> **Held by** <br> **Trustee**<br> **During Past** <br> **Five Years**<br>|
| CLARE S. RICHER<br> c/o SSGA Active Trust<br> One Iron Street<br> Boston, MA 02210<br> 1958<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; Independent <br> Trustee<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; Term: <br> Unlimited <br> Served: <br> since July <br> 2018<br>| Retired. | [144] | &nbsp;&nbsp; Principal Financial <br> Group (Director and <br> Financial Committee <br> Chair) (2020 – present); <br> Bain Capital Specialty <br> Finance (Director) (2019 <br> – present); Bain Capital <br> Private Credit (Director) <br> (2022 – present); <br> University of Notre <br> Dame (Trustee) (2015 – <br> present).<br>|
| SANDRA G. SPONEM<br> c/o SSGA Active Trust<br> One Iron Street<br> Boston, MA 02210<br> 1958<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; Independent <br> Trustee, Audit <br> Committee <br> Chair<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; Term: <br> Unlimited <br> Served: <br> since July <br> 2018<br>| Retired. | [144] | &nbsp;&nbsp; Rydex Series Funds (52 <br> portfolios), Rydex <br> Dynamic Funds (8 <br> portfolios) and Rydex <br> Variable Trust (49 <br> portfolios) (Trustee) <br> (2016 – present); <br> Guggenheim Strategy <br> Funds Trust (3 <br> portfolios), Guggenheim <br> Funds Trust (18 <br> portfolios), Guggenheim <br> Taxable Municipal Bond <br> & Investment Grade <br> Debt Trust, Guggenheim <br> Strategic Opportunities <br> Fund, Guggenheim <br> Variable Funds Trust (14 <br> portfolios), and <br> Transparent Value Trust <br> (5 portfolios) (Trustee) <br> (2019-present); <br> Guggenheim Active <br> Allocation Fund <br> (Trustee) <br> (2021-present); <br> Fiduciary/Claymore <br> Energy Infrastructure <br> Fund (Trustee) <br> (2019-2022); <br> Guggenheim Enhanced <br> Equity Income Fund and <br> Guggenheim Credit <br> Allocation Fund <br> (Trustee) (2019-2021); <br> and Guggenheim <br> Energy & Income Fund <br> (Trustee) (2015 - 2023).<br>|
| CAROLYN M. CLANCY<br> c/o SSGA Active Trust <br> One Iron Street<br> Boston, MA 02210<br> 1960<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; Independent <br> Trustee<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; Term <br> Unlimited <br> Served: <br> since <br> October <br> 2022<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; Retired. Executive Vice <br> President, Head of <br> Strategy, Analytics and <br> Market Readiness, <br> Fidelity Investments <br> (April 2020 – June <br> 2021); Executive Vice <br> President, Head of <br> Broker Dealer Business, <br> Fidelity Investments <br> (July 2017 – March <br> 2020).<br>| [144] | &nbsp;&nbsp; Assumption University <br> (Trustee) (2011 – 2021) <br> and (2022 – present); <br> Big Sister Association of <br> Greater Boston <br> (Director) (2016 – 2023).<br>|
| KRISTI L. ROWSELL<br> c/o SSGA Active Trust <br> One Iron Street<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; Independent <br> Trustee<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; Term <br> Unlimited <br> Served:<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; Partner and President, <br> Harris Associates (2010 <br> – 2021).<br>| [144] | &nbsp;&nbsp; Harris Oakmark ETF <br> Trust (1 portfolio) <br> (Trustee) 2024-present); <br>|

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| | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name, Address**<br> **and Year of Birth**<br>| **Position(s)**<br> **With**<br> **Funds**<br>| **Term of**<br> **Office and**<br> **Length of**<br> **Time Served**<br>| **Principal** <br> **Occupation(s)**<br> **During Past** <br> **Five Years**<br>| **Number of**<br> **Portfolios**<br> **in Fund**<br> **Complex**<br> **Overseen**<br> **by Trustee†**<br>| **Other**<br> **Directorships**<br> **Held by** <br> **Trustee**<br> **During Past** <br> **Five Years**<br>|
| Boston, MA 02210<br> 1966<br>|  | &nbsp;&nbsp; since <br> October <br> 2022<br>|  |  | &nbsp;&nbsp; Harris Associates <br> Investment Trust (8 <br> portfolios) (Trustee) <br> (2010 – present); Board <br> of Governors, <br> Investment Company <br> Institute (Member) (2018 <br> – present); Habitat for <br> Humanity Chicago <br> (Director) (2015 – <br> present).<br>|
| JAMES E. ROSS\*<br> c/o SSGA Active Trust<br> One Iron Street<br> Boston, MA 02210<br> 1965<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; Independent <br> Trustee<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; Term: <br> Unlimited <br> Served: <br> since March <br> 2011<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; President, Winnisquam <br> Capital LLC (December <br> 2022 – present); <br> Non-Executive <br> Chairman, Fusion <br> Acquisition Corp II <br> (February 2020 – <br> present); Non-Executive <br> Chairman, Fusion <br> Acquisition Corp. (June <br> 2020 – September <br> 2021); Retired Chairman <br> and Director, SSGA <br> Funds Management, Inc. <br> (2005 – March 2020); <br> Retired Executive Vice <br> President, State Street <br> Investment Management <br> (2012 – March 2020); <br> Retired Chief Executive <br> Officer and Manager, <br> State Street Global <br> Advisors Funds <br> Distributors, LLC (May <br> 2017 – March 2020).<br>| [155] | &nbsp;&nbsp; Investment Managers <br> Series Trust (50 <br> Portfolios) (2022 – <br> present); The Select <br> Sector SPDR Trust (11 <br> portfolios) (2005 – <br> present); SSGA SPDR <br> ETFs Europe I plc <br> (Director) (2016 – 2020); <br> SSGA SPDR ETFs <br> Europe II plc (Director) <br> (2016 – 2020); State <br> Street Navigator <br> Securities Lending Trust <br> (2016 – 2020); SSGA <br> Funds (2014 – 2020); <br> State Street Institutional <br> Investment Trust (2007 <br> –2020); State Street <br> Master Funds (2007 <br> –2020).<br>|

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| | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name, Address**<br> **and Year of Birth**<br>| **Position(s)**<br> **With**<br> **Funds**<br>| **Term of**<br> **Office and**<br> **Length of**<br> **Time Served**<br>| **Principal** <br> **Occupation(s)**<br> **During Past** <br> **Five Years**<br>| **Number of**<br> **Portfolios**<br> **in Fund**<br> **Complex**<br> **Overseen**<br> **by Trustee†**<br>| **Other**<br> **Directorships**<br> **Held by** <br> **Trustee**<br> **During Past** <br> **Five Years**<br>|
| **INTERESTED TRUSTEE** | **INTERESTED TRUSTEE** | **INTERESTED TRUSTEE** | **INTERESTED TRUSTEE** | **INTERESTED TRUSTEE** | **INTERESTED TRUSTEE** |
| JEANNE LAPORTA\*\*<br> c/o SSGA Active Trust<br> One Iron Street<br> Boston, MA 02210<br> 1965<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; Interested <br> Trustee<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; Term <br> Unlimited <br> Served: <br> since <br> November <br> 2024<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; Chair and Director, <br> SSGA Funds <br> Management, Inc. <br> (October 2024 – <br> Present); Senior <br> Managing Director, State <br> Street Investment <br> Management (August <br> 2024 – Present); Chief <br> Administrative Officer at <br> ClearAlpha <br> Technologies LP <br> (FinTech startup) <br> (January 2021 – August <br> 2024); Senior Managing <br> Director at State Street <br> Investment Management <br> (July 2016 – 2021); <br> Manager of State Street <br> Global Advisors Funds <br> Distributors, LLC (May <br> 2017 – 2021); Director <br> of SSGA Funds <br> Management, Inc. <br> (March 2020 - 2021); <br> President of State Street <br> Institutional Funds and <br> State Street Variable <br> Insurance Series Funds, <br> Inc. (April 2014 – March <br> 2020).<br>| [ ] | &nbsp;&nbsp; Interested Trustee, <br> Select Sector SPDR <br> Trust (November <br> 2024-present). <br> Interested Trustee/<br> Director of Elfun <br> Diversified Fund, Elfun <br> Government Money <br> Market Fund, Elfun <br> Income Fund, Elfun <br> International Equity <br> Fund, Elfun Tax-Exempt <br> Income Fund, Elfun <br> Trusts, State Street <br> Navigator Securities <br> Lending Trust, SSGA <br> Funds, State Street <br> Variable Insurance <br> Series Funds, Inc., State <br> Street Master Funds, <br> and State Street <br> Institutional Investment <br> Trust (January 2025 – <br> present). <br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br> Interested Trustee, Elfun <br> Government Money <br> Market Fund, Elfun <br> Tax-Exempt Income <br> Fund, Elfun Income <br> Fund, Elfun Diversified <br> Fund, Elfun International <br> Equity Fund, and Elfun <br> Trusts (2016 – 2021).<br>|

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†

For the purpose of determining the number of portfolios overseen by the Trustees, "Fund Complex" comprises registered investment companies for which SSGA Funds Management, Inc. serves as investment adviser, which includes series of SSGA Active Trust, SPDR Series Trust and SPDR Index Shares Funds.

\*

Mr. Ross previously served as an Interested Trustee from November 2005 to December 2009 and from April 2010 to May 2024. He became an Independent Trustee on May 16, 2024.

\*\*

Ms. LaPorta is an Interested Trustee because of her positions with the Adviser.

**OFFICERS** 

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name, Address**<br> **and Year of Birth**<br>| **Position(s)**<br> **With Funds**<br>| **Term of**<br> **Office and**<br> **Length of**<br> **Time Served**<br>| **Principal Occupation(s)**<br> **During Past Five Years**<br>|
| ANN M. CARPENTER<br> SSGA Funds Management, Inc.<br> One Iron Street<br> Boston, MA 02210<br> 1966<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; President and <br> Principal Executive <br> Officer; Deputy <br> Treasurer<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; Term: Unlimited <br> Served: since <br> May 2023 (with <br> respect to <br> President and <br> Principal <br> Executive <br> Officer); <br> Term: Unlimited <br> Served: since <br> February 2016 <br> (with respect to <br> Deputy <br> Treasurer)<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; Chief Operating Officer, SSGA Funds Management, Inc. <br> (April 2005 - present)\*; Managing Director, State Street <br> Investment Management (April 2005 - present).\*<br>|

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name, Address**<br> **and Year of Birth**<br>| **Position(s)**<br> **With Funds**<br>| **Term of**<br> **Office and**<br> **Length of**<br> **Time Served**<br>| **Principal Occupation(s)**<br> **During Past Five Years**<br>|
| BRUCE S. ROSENBERG<br> SSGA Funds Management, Inc.<br> One Iron Street<br> Boston, MA 02210<br> 1961<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; Treasurer and <br> Principal Financial <br> Officer<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; Term: Unlimited <br> Served: since <br> February 2016<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; Managing Director, State Street Investment <br> Management and SSGA Funds Management, Inc. (July <br> 2015 - present).<br>|
| CHAD C. HALLETT<br> SSGA Funds Management, Inc.<br> One Iron Street<br> Boston, MA 02210<br> 1969<br>| Deputy Treasurer | &nbsp;&nbsp; Term: Unlimited <br> Served: since <br> February 2016<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; Vice President, State Street Investment Management <br> and SSGA Funds Management, Inc. (November 2014 - <br> present).<br>|
| ANDREW J. DELORME<br> SSGA Funds Management, Inc.<br> One Iron Street<br> Boston, MA 02210<br> 1975<br>| Chief Legal Officer | &nbsp;&nbsp; Term: Unlimited <br> Served: since <br> February 2024<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; Managing Director and Managing Counsel, State Street <br> Investment Management (March 2023 - present); <br> Counsel, K&L Gates (February 2021 - March 2023); <br> Vice President and Senior Counsel, State Street <br> Investment Management (August 2014 - February <br> 2021).<br>|
| DAVID URMAN<br> SSGA Funds Management, Inc.<br> One Iron Street<br> Boston, MA 02210<br> 1985<br>| Secretary | &nbsp;&nbsp; Term: Unlimited <br> Served: since <br> August 2019<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; Vice President and Senior Counsel, State Street <br> Investment Management (April 2019 - present).<br>|
| DAVID BARR<br> SSGA Funds Management, Inc.<br> One Iron Street<br> Boston, MA 02210<br> 1974<br>| Assistant Secretary | &nbsp;&nbsp; Term: Unlimited <br> Served: since <br> November 2020<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; Vice President and Senior Counsel, State Street <br> Investment Management (October 2019 - present).<br>|
| E. GERARD MAIORANA, JR.<br> SSGA Funds Management, Inc.<br> One Iron Street<br> Boston, MA 02210<br> 1971<br>| Assistant Secretary | &nbsp;&nbsp; Term: Unlimited <br> Served: since <br> May 2023<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; Assistant Vice President, State Street Investment <br> Management (July 2014 - present).<br>|
| DARLENE ANDERSON-VASQUEZ<br> SSGA Funds Management, Inc.<br> One Iron Street<br> Boston, MA 02210<br> 1968<br>| Deputy Treasurer | &nbsp;&nbsp; Term: Unlimited <br> Served: since <br> November 2016<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; Managing Director, State Street Investment <br> Management and SSGA Funds Management, Inc. (May <br> 2016 - present).<br>|
| ARTHUR A. JENSEN<br> SSGA Funds Management, Inc.<br> 1600 Summer Street<br> Stamford, CT 06905<br> 1966<br>| Deputy Treasurer | &nbsp;&nbsp; Term: Unlimited <br> Served: since <br> August 2017<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; Vice President, State Street Investment Management <br> and SSGA Funds Management, Inc. (July 2016 - <br> present).<br>|
| DAVID LANCASTER<br> SSGA Funds Management, Inc.<br> One Iron Street<br> Boston, MA 02210<br> 1971<br>| Assistant Treasurer | &nbsp;&nbsp; Term: Unlimited <br> Served: since <br> November 2020<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; Vice President, State Street Investment Management <br> and SSGA Funds Management, Inc. (July 2017 - <br> present).\*<br>|
| JOHN BETTENCOURT<br> SSGA Funds Management, Inc. <br> One Iron Street<br> Boston, MA 02210<br> 1976<br>| Assistant Treasurer | &nbsp;&nbsp; Term: Unlimited <br> Served: since <br> May 2022<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; Vice President, State Street Investment Management <br> and SSGA Funds Management Inc. (March 2020 – <br> present).<br>|
| VEDRAN VUKOVIC<br> SSGA Funds Management, Inc. <br> One Iron Street<br> Boston, MA 02210<br> 1985<br>| Assistant Treasurer | &nbsp;&nbsp; Term: Unlimited <br> Served: since <br> February 2024<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; Vice President, State Street Investment Management <br> (2023 – present); Assistant Vice President, Brown <br> Brothers Harriman & Co. (2011 – 2023).<br>|

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name, Address**<br> **and Year of Birth**<br>| **Position(s)**<br> **With Funds**<br>| **Term of**<br> **Office and**<br> **Length of**<br> **Time Served**<br>| **Principal Occupation(s)**<br> **During Past Five Years**<br>|
| BRIAN HARRIS<br> SSGA Funds Management, Inc.<br> One Iron Street<br> Boston, MA 02210<br> 1973<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; Chief Compliance <br> Officer; Anti-Money <br> Laundering Officer; <br> Code of Ethics <br> Compliance Officer<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; Term: Unlimited <br> Served: since <br> November 2013<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; Managing Director, State Street Investment <br> Management and SSGA Funds Management, Inc. (June <br> 2013 - present); Chief Compliance Officer, SSGA Funds <br> Management, Inc. (June 2023 – Present).\*<br>|

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\*

Served in various capacities and/or with various affiliated entities during the noted time period.

**INDIVIDUAL TRUSTEE QUALIFICATIONS**

The Board has concluded that each of the Trustees should serve on the Board because of his or her ability to review and understand information about the Funds provided to him or her by management, to identify and request other information he or she may deem relevant to the performance of his or her duties, to question management and other service providers regarding material factors bearing on the management and administration of the Funds, and to exercise his or her business judgment in a manner that serves the best interests of each Fund's shareholders. The Board has concluded that each of the Trustees should serve as a Trustee based on his or her own experience, qualifications, attributes and skills as described below.

The Board has concluded that Mr. Churchill should serve as Trustee because of the experience he gained serving as the Head of the Fixed Income Division of one of the nation's leading mutual fund companies and provider of financial services, his knowledge of the financial services industry and the experience he has gained serving as Trustee of SPDR Index Shares Funds and SPDR Series Trust since April 2010.

The Board has concluded that Mr. Verboncoeur should serve as Trustee because of the experience he gained serving as the Chief Executive Officer of a large financial services and investment management company, his knowledge of the financial services industry and his experience serving on the boards of other investment companies, including SPDR Index Shares Funds and SPDR Series Trust since April 2010.

The Board has concluded that Ms. Richer should serve as Trustee because of the experience she gained serving as the Chief Financial Officer of a large financial services and investment management company, her knowledge of the financial services industry and her experience serving on the board of a major educational institution. Ms. Richer was appointed to serve as Trustee of the Trust in July 2018 and elected to serve as Trustee of the Trust in October 2022.

The Board has concluded that Ms. Sponem should serve as Trustee because of the experience she gained serving as the Chief Financial Officer of a large financial services company, her knowledge of the financial services industry and her experience serving on the boards of other investment companies. Ms. Sponem was appointed to serve as Trustee of the Trust in July 2018 and elected to serve as Trustee of the Trust in October 2022.

The Board has concluded that Ms. Clancy should serve as Trustee because of the experience she gained serving as an Executive Vice President of a large financial services company, her knowledge of the financial services industry and her experience serving on the boards of a major educational institution and a charitable foundation. Ms. Clancy was elected to serve as Trustee of the Trust in October 2022.

The Board has concluded that Ms. Rowsell should serve as Trustee because of the experience she gained serving as the President and Chief Financial Officer of a large financial services company, her knowledge of the financial services industry and her experience serving on the boards of a financial services company, a leading association representing regulated investment funds and a charitable foundation. Ms. Clancy was elected to serve as Trustee of the Trust in October 2022.

The Board has concluded that Mr. Ross should serve as Trustee because of the experience he has gained in his various roles with the Adviser, his knowledge of the financial services industry, and the experience he has gained serving as Trustee of SPDR Index Shares Funds and SPDR Series Trust since 2005 (Mr. Ross did not serve as Trustee of SPDR Index Shares Funds or SPDR Series Trust from December 2009 until April 2010).

The Board has concluded that Ms. LaPorta should serve as Trustee because of the experience she has gained in her various roles with the Adviser and her knowledge of the financial services industry. Ms. LaPorta was appointed to serve as Trustee of the Trust in November 2024.

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In its periodic assessment of the effectiveness of the Board, the Board considers the complementary individual skills and experience of the individual Trustees primarily in the broader context of the Board's overall composition so that the Board, as a body, possesses the appropriate (and appropriately diverse) skills and experience to oversee the business of the Funds.

**REMUNERATION OF THE TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS**

The Trust, SPDR Series Trust and SPDR Index Shares Funds (together with the Trust, the "Trusts") pay, in the aggregate, each Trustee (other than Ms. LaPorta) an annual fee of $300,000 plus $15,000 per in-person meeting attended and $2,500 for each telephonic or video conference meeting attended. The Chairman of the Board receives an additional annual fee of $115,000 and the Chairman of the Audit Committee receives an additional annual fee of $40,000. The Trusts also reimburse each Trustee (other than Ms. LaPorta) for travel and other out-of-pocket expenses incurred by him/her in connection with attending such meetings and in connection with attending industry seminars and meetings. Trustee fees are allocated between the Trusts and each of their respective series in such a manner as deemed equitable, taking into consideration the relative net assets of the series. During the fiscal year ended June 30, 2025, no officer of the Trust received compensation in excess of $60,000 from the Trust. Additionally, no Trustee or officer of the Trust is entitled to any pension or retirement benefits from the Trust.

The table below shows the compensation that the Trustees received during the Funds' fiscal year ended June 30, 2025.

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| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **Name of**<br> **Trustee**<br>| **Aggregate**<br> **Compensation**<br> **from the Trust**<sup>(1)</sup> <br>| **Pension or**<br> **Retirement**<br> **Benefits**<br> **Accrued**<br> **as Part**<br> **of Trust**<br> **Expenses**<br>| **Estimated**<br> **Annual**<br> **Benefits**<br> **Upon**<br> **Retirement**<br>| **Total**<br> **Compensation**<br> **from the**<br> **Trust and**<br> **Fund Complex**<br> **Paid to**<br> **Trustees**<sup>(1)</sup> <br>|
| *Independent Trustees:* | *Independent Trustees:* | *Independent Trustees:* | *Independent Trustees:* | *Independent Trustees:* |
| Dwight D. Churchill | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[ ] | &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;N/A | &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;N/A | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[ ] |
| Carl G. Verboncoeur | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[ ] | &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;N/A | &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;N/A | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[ ] |
| Clare S. Richer | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[ ] | &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;N/A | &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;N/A | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[ ] |
| Sandra G. Sponem | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[ ] | &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;N/A | &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;N/A | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[ ] |
| Carolyn M. Clancy | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[ ] | &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;N/A | &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;N/A | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[ ] |
| Kristi L. Rowsell | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[ ] | &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;N/A | &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;N/A | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[ ] |
| James E. Ross | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[ ] | &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;N/A | &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;N/A | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[ ] |
| *Interested Trustee:* | *Interested Trustee:* | *Interested Trustee:* | *Interested Trustee:* | *Interested Trustee:* |
| Jeanne LaPorta<sup>(2)</sup> | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[ ] | &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;N/A | &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;N/A | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[ ] |

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<sup>(1)</sup>

The Fund Complex includes SPDR Series Trust, SSGA Active Trust and SPDR Index Shares Funds.

<sup>(2)</sup>

Not compensated by the Trust due to Ms. LaPorta's positions with the Adviser. Ms. LaPorta was appointed to serve as an Interested Trustee on November 7, 2024.

**STANDING COMMITTEES** 

<u>Audit Committee:</u> The Board has an Audit Committee consisting of all the Independent Trustees. Ms. Sponem serves as Chair. The Audit Committee meets with the Trust's independent auditors to review and approve the scope and results of their professional services; to review the procedures for evaluating the adequacy of the Trust's accounting controls; to consider the range of audit fees; and to make recommendations to the Board regarding the engagement of the Trust's independent auditors. The Audit Committee met [four ()] times during the fiscal year ended June 30, 2025.

<u>Trustee Committee:</u> The Board has established a Trustee Committee consisting of all the Independent Trustees. Mr. Churchill serves as Chairman. The responsibilities of the Trustee Committee are to: 1) nominate Independent Trustees; 2) review on a periodic basis the governance structures and procedures of the Funds; 3) review proposed resolutions and conflicts of interest that may arise in the business of the Funds and may have an impact on the investors of the Funds; 4) select any independent counsel of the independent trustees as well as make determinations as to that counsel's independence; 5) review matters that are referred to the Committee by the Chief Legal Officer or other counsel to the

------

Trust; and 6) provide general oversight of the Funds on behalf of the investors of the Funds. The Trustee Committee does not have specific procedures in place with respect to the consideration of nominees recommended by security holders, but may consider such nominees in the event that one is recommended. The Trustee Committee met [four ()] times during the fiscal year ended June 30, 2025.

**OWNERSHIP OF FUND SHARES** 

As of December 31, 2024, neither the Independent Trustees nor their immediate family members owned beneficially or of record any securities in the Adviser, Sub-Advisers, Principal Underwriter or any person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the Adviser, Sub-Advisers or Principal Underwriter.

The following table shows, as of December 31, 2024, the amount of equity securities beneficially owned by the Trustees in the Trust.

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name of Trustee** | **Fund** | **Dollar Range of Equity**<br> **Securities in the Trust**<br>| **Aggregate Dollar Range of Equity**<br> **Securities in All**<br> **Funds Overseen**<br> **by Trustee in Family of**<br> **Investment Companies(1)**<br>|
| *Independent Trustees:* | *Independent Trustees:* |  |  |
| Dwight D. Churchill | SPDR Blackstone Senior Loan ETF | Over $100,000 | Over $100,000 |
| Carl G. Verboncoeur |  |  | $50001-$100000 |
| Clare S. Richer | SPDR DoubleLine Total Return Tactical ETF | $50001 - $100000 | Over $100,000 |
| Sandra G. Sponem | SPDR Blackstone Senior Loan ETF | $50001 - $100000 | Over $100,000 |
| Carolyn M. Clancy | SPDR Blackstone High Income ETF | $10001 - $50000 | Over $100,000 |
|  | SPDR Blackstone Senior Loan ETF | $10001 - $50000 |  |
| Kristi L. Rowsell | SPDR DoubleLine Total Return Tactical ETF | $50001 - $100000 | Over $100,000 |
| James E. Ross |  |  | Over $100,000 |
| *Interested Trustee:* |  |  |  |
| Jeanne LaPorta |  |  |  |

---

(1) The family of investment companies includes series of SSGA Active Trust, SPDR Series Trust and SPDR Index Shares Funds.

**CODES OF ETHICS**

The Trust, the Adviser (which includes applicable reporting personnel of the Distributor) and the Sub-Advisers each have adopted a Code of Ethics pursuant to Rule 17j-1 of the 1940 Act, which is designed to prevent affiliated persons of the Trust, the Adviser, the Sub-Advisers and the Distributor from engaging in deceptive, manipulative or fraudulent activities in connection with securities held or to be acquired by the Funds (which may also be held by persons subject to the Codes of Ethics). Each Code of Ethics permits personnel, subject to that Code of Ethics, to invest in securities for their personal investment accounts, subject to certain limitations, including securities that may be purchased or held by the Funds.

There can be no assurance that the Codes of Ethics will be effective in preventing such activities. Each Code of Ethics, filed as exhibits to this registration statement, may be examined at the office of the SEC in Washington, D.C. or on the Internet at the SEC's website at https://www.sec.gov.

**PROXY VOTING POLICIES** 

The Board has delegated the responsibility to vote proxies on securities held by the Funds to the Adviser for each Fund, other than SPDR Blackstone High Income ETF and SPDR Blackstone Senior Loan ETF (the "Blackstone ETFs"), which are sub-advised by Blackstone Liquid Credit Strategies LLC, the SPDR DoubleLine Emerging Markets Fixed Income ETF, SPDR DoubleLine Short Duration Total Return Tactical ETF and SPDR DoubleLine Total Return Tactical ETF (the "DoubleLine ETFs"), which are sub-advised by DoubleLine Capital LP ("DoubleLine"), SPDR Loomis Sayles Opportunistic Bond ETF, which is sub-advised by Loomis Sayles & Company, L.P. ("Loomis Sayles"), and the SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ETF and SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ESG ETF (the "Nuveen ETFs"), which are sub-advised by Nuveen Asset Management ("Nuveen"). The Board has delegated the responsibility to vote proxies of Blackstone ETFs, the DoubleLine ETFs, Nuveen ETFs and SPDR Loomis Sayles Opportunistic Bond ETF to Blackstone Liquid Credit Strategies LLC, DoubleLine, Nuveen and Loomis Sayles, respectively. The Trust's, Adviser's and Sub-Advisers' proxy voting policies are attached at the end of this SAI. Information regarding how a Fund voted proxies relating to its portfolio securities during the most recent twelve-month period ended June 30 is available: (1) without charge by calling 1-866-787-2257; (2) on the Funds' website at https://www.statestreet.com/im; and (3) on the SEC's website at https://www.sec.gov.

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**PROXY VOTING POLICIES—Nuveen ETFs**

The Nuveen ETFs invest their assets primarily in municipal bonds and cash management securities, which typically do not issue proxies. On rare occasions a Fund may acquire, directly or through a special purpose vehicle, securities of a municipal bond issuer whose bonds the Fund already owns when such bonds have deteriorated or are expected shortly to deteriorate significantly in credit quality. The purpose of acquiring additional securities generally will be to seek to maximize the value of the existing holdings, prevent the credit deterioration or facilitate the liquidation or other workout of the distressed issuer's credit problem. In the course of these activities, Nuveen Asset Management may pursue the Fund's interests in a variety of ways, which may entail negotiating and executing consents, agreements and other arrangements, and/or otherwise influencing the management of the issuer. Nuveen Asset Management does not consider such activities proxy voting for purposes of Rule 206(4)-6 under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended.

In the rare event that a municipal issuer were to issue a proxy or that a Fund were to receive a proxy issued by a security, Nuveen Asset Management would vote in accordance with its proxy voting policies and procedures and guidelines. Nuveen Asset Management's proxy voting team would oversee the administration of the voting, and coordinate with State Street Global Advisors with respect to reporting and other matters.

**DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS POLICY** 

The Trust has adopted a policy regarding the disclosure of information about the Trust's portfolio holdings. The Board must approve all material amendments to this policy. The Funds' portfolio holdings are publicly disseminated each day a Fund is open for business through financial reporting and news services including publicly accessible Internet web sites. In addition, a basket composition file, which includes the security names and share quantities to deliver in exchange for Shares, together with estimates and actual cash components, is publicly disseminated daily prior to the opening of the Exchange via the National Securities Clearing Corporation ("NSCC"). The basket represents one Creation Unit of a Fund. Neither the Trust, the Adviser, the Sub-Advisers nor State Street will disseminate non-public information concerning the Trust, except information may be made available prior to its public availability: (i) to a party for a legitimate business purpose related to the day-to-day operations of the Funds, including (a) a service provider, (b) the stock exchanges upon which a Fund is listed, (c) the NSCC, (d) the Depository Trust Company, and (e) financial data/research companies such as Morningstar, Bloomberg L.P., and Reuters, or (ii) to any other party for a legitimate business or regulatory purpose, upon waiver or exception, with the consent of an applicable Trust officer.

**Investment Advisory and Other Services**

**THE INVESTMENT ADVISER**

SSGA FM acts as investment adviser to the Trust and, subject to the oversight of the Board, is responsible for the investment management of each Fund. As of June 30, 2025, the Adviser managed approximately $[ ] trillion in assets. The Adviser's principal address is One Iron Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02210. The Adviser, a Massachusetts corporation, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of State Street Global Advisors, Inc., which itself is a wholly-owned subsidiary of State Street Corporation, a publicly held financial holding company. State Street Investment Management, consisting of the Adviser and other investment advisory affiliates of State Street Corporation, is the investment management arm of State Street Corporation.

The Adviser serves as investment adviser to each Fund pursuant to an investment advisory agreement ("Investment Advisory Agreement") between the Trust and the Adviser. The Investment Advisory Agreement, with respect to each Fund, continues in effect for two years from its effective date, and thereafter is subject to annual approval by (1) the Board or (2) vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Fund, provided that in either event such continuance also is approved by a majority of the Board who are not interested persons (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Trust by a vote cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval. The Investment Advisory Agreement with respect to each Fund is terminable without penalty, on 60 days' notice, by the Board or by a vote of the holders of a majority (as defined in the 1940 Act) of a Fund's outstanding voting securities. The Investment Advisory Agreement is also terminable upon 90 days' notice by the Adviser and will terminate automatically in the event of its assignment (as defined in the 1940 Act).

Under the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Adviser, subject to the oversight of the Board and in conformity with the stated investment policies of each Fund, manages the investment of each Fund's assets. The Adviser is responsible for placing purchase and sale orders and providing continuous supervision of the investment portfolio of each Fund.

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Pursuant to the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Adviser is not liable for certain liabilities, including certain liabilities arising under the federal securities laws, unless such loss or liability results from (a) willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence in the performance of its duties; (b) the reckless disregard of its obligations and duties; or (c) a loss resulting from a breach of fiduciary duty with respect to the receipt of compensation for services.

Under the Advisory Agreement, the Adviser performs certain oversight and supervisory functions with respect to Blackstone Liquid Credit Strategies LLC as sub-adviser to the Blackstone ETFs, DoubleLine as sub-adviser to the DoubleLine ETFs, Loomis Sayles as sub-adviser to SPDR Loomis Sayles Opportunistic Bond ETF, and Nuveen as sub-adviser to the Nuveen ETFs, including: (i) conduct periodic analysis and review of the performance by Blackstone Liquid Credit Strategies LLC, DoubleLine, Loomis Sayles and Nuveen of their obligations to their respective Funds and provide periodic reports to the Board regarding such performance; (ii) review any changes to Blackstone Liquid Credit Strategies LLC, DoubleLine, Loomis Sayles and Nuveen ownership, management, or personnel responsible for performing their obligations to their respective Funds and make appropriate reports to the Board; (iii) perform periodic due diligence meetings with representatives of Blackstone Liquid Credit Strategies LLC, DoubleLine, Loomis Sayles and Nuveen; and (iv) assist the Board and management of the Trust, as applicable, concerning the initial approval, continued retention or replacement of Blackstone Liquid Credit Strategies LLC, DoubleLine, Loomis Sayles and Nuveen as sub-advisers to their respective Funds.

A discussion regarding the basis for the Board's approval of the Investment Advisory Agreement regarding each Fund is available in the Trust's Form N-CSR filing with the SEC for the period ended June 30, 2025.

For the services provided to the Funds under the Investment Advisory Agreement, each Fund pays the Adviser monthly fees based on a percentage of each Fund's average daily net assets as set forth in each Fund's Prospectus. With respect to each Fund, the management fee is reduced by any acquired fund fees and expenses attributable to the Funds' investments in other investment companies (except acquired fund fees and expenses associated with holdings of acquired funds for cash management purposes). The Adviser pays all expenses of each Fund other than the management fee, acquired fund fees and expenses associated with holdings of acquired funds for cash management purposes, brokerage expenses, taxes, interest, fees and expenses of the Independent Trustees (including any Trustee's counsel fees), litigation expenses and other extraordinary expenses. The Adviser may, from time to time, waive all or a portion of its fee. The Adviser has agreed to pay all costs associated with the organization of the Trust and each Fund. For the past three fiscal years ended June 30, the Funds paid the following amounts to the Adviser:

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Fund** | **2025** | **2024** | **2023** |
| SPDR Blackstone High Income ETF<sup>(1)</sup> | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $911236 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $823714 |
| SPDR Blackstone Senior Loan ETF<sup>(2)</sup> | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $35911436 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $43690236 |
| SPDR DoubleLine Emerging Markets Fixed Income ETF<sup>(3)</sup> | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $526833 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $471259 |
| SPDR DoubleLine Short Duration Total Return Tactical ETF<sup>(4)</sup> | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $669707 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $573619 |
| SPDR DoubleLine Total Return Tactical ETF<sup>(5)</sup> | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $16685752 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $13532233 |
| SPDR Loomis Sayles Opportunistic Bond ETF<sup>(6)</sup> | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $182659 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $166896 |
| SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ESG ETF | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $165396 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $151146 |
| SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ETF | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $186192 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $159950 |
| SPDR SSGA Fixed Income Sector Rotation ETF | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $702489 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $509254 |
| SPDR SSGA Global Allocation ETF | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $346186 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $247697 |
| SPDR SSGA Income Allocation ETF | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $131349 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $69462 |
| SPDR SSGA Multi-Asset Real Return ETF | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $684361 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $547405 |
| SPDR SSGA Ultra Short Term Bond ETF | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $1184885 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $856882 |
| SPDR SSGA US Sector Rotation ETF | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $2376030 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $1326079 |

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<sup>(1)</sup>

For the fiscal years ended June 30, 2025, June 30, 2024 and June 30, 2023, the Adviser reimbursed the Fund in the amount of $[ ], $27,215 and $2,834, respectively.

<sup>(2)</sup>

For the fiscal years ended June 30, 2025, June 30, 2024 and June 30, 2023, the Adviser reimbursed the Fund in the amounts of $[ ], $0 and $18,732, respectively.

<sup>(3)</sup>

For the fiscal years ended June 30, 2025, June 30, 2024 and June 30, 2023, the Adviser reimbursed the Fund in the amounts of $[ ], $0 and $0, respectively.

<sup>(4)</sup>

For the fiscal years ended June 30, 2025, June 30, 2024 and June 30, 2023, the Adviser reimbursed the Fund in the amounts of $[ ], $0 and $0, respectively.

<sup>(5)</sup>

For the fiscal years ended June 30, 2025, June 30, 2024 and June 30, 2023, the Adviser reimbursed the Fund in the amounts of $[ ], $0 and $0, respectively.

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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

<sup>(6)</sup>

For the fiscal years ended June 30, 2025, June 30, 2024 and June 30, 2023, the Adviser reimbursed the Fund in the amount of $[ ], $0 and $0, respectively.

**INVESTMENT SUB-ADVISER—Blackstone ETFs**

Pursuant to the Advisory Agreement between the Funds and the Adviser, the Adviser is authorized to engage one or more sub-advisers for the performance of any of the services contemplated to be rendered by the Adviser. The Adviser has retained Blackstone Liquid Credit Strategies LLC to be responsible for the day-to-day management of the Blackstone ETFs' investments, subject to supervision of the Adviser and oversight by the Board while the Adviser will provide administrative, compliance and general management services to the Blackstone ETFs. Blackstone Liquid Credit Strategies LLC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Blackstone Alternative Credit Advisors LP (collectively with its affiliates "Blackstone Credit & Insurance"). Blackstone Credit & Insurance is registered with the SEC as an investment adviser and is part of the credit-focused platform of Blackstone Inc. (collectively with its affiliates, "Blackstone"). Blackstone is a leading global manager of private capital and provider of financial advisory services. It is one of the largest independent managers of private capital in the world, with assets under management of approximately $[ ] trillion as of June 30, 2025. As of June 30, 2025, Blackstone Credit & Insurance's asset management operations, which includes Blackstone Credit & Insurance and its affiliates in the insurance-focused business of Blackstone, had aggregate assets under management of approximately $[ ] billion across multiple strategies within the leveraged finance marketplace, including Senior Loans, high yield bonds, investment grade corporate credit, distressed and mezzanine debt. Blackstone Liquid Credit Strategies LLC's principal business address is 345 Park Avenue, 31st Floor, New York, New York 10154.

A discussion regarding the basis for the Board's approval of the continuation of the Sub-Advisory Agreement is available in the Trust's Form N-CSR filing with the SEC for the period ended June 30, 2025.

In accordance with the Sub-Advisory Agreement between the Adviser and Blackstone Liquid Credit Strategies LLC, the Adviser will pay Blackstone Liquid Credit Strategies LLC an annual investment sub-advisory fee equal to a portion of average daily net assets of each Blackstone ETF. For the past three fiscal years ended June 30, the Adviser paid the following amounts to the Blackstone Liquid Credit Strategies LLC for its services:

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Fund** | **2025** | **2024** | **2023** |
| SPDR Blackstone High Income ETF | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[ ] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $401729 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $344172 |
| SPDR Blackstone Senior Loan ETF | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[ ] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $16557805 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $20444005 |

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**INVESTMENT SUB-ADVISER—DoubleLine ETFs**

Pursuant to the Advisory Agreement between the DoubleLine ETFs and the Adviser, the Adviser is authorized to engage one or more sub-advisers for the performance of any of the services contemplated to be rendered by the Adviser. The Adviser has retained DoubleLine as sub-adviser, to be responsible for the day-to-day management of the DoubleLine ETFs' investments, subject to oversight of the Adviser and the Board while the Adviser provides administrative, compliance and general management services to the DoubleLine ETFs. DoubleLine Capital LP is located at 2002 N. Tampa Street, Suite 200, Tampa, Florida 33602. DoubleLine is a Delaware limited partnership, the general partner of which is DoubleLine Capital GP LLC, an entity that is wholly owned by Jeffrey E. Gundlach, a portfolio manager of the SPDR DoubleLine Short Duration Total Return Tactical ETF and SPDR DoubleLine Total Return Tactical ETF. As of June 30, 2025, DoubleLine had approximately $[ ] billion in assets under management.

A discussion regarding the basis for the Board's approval of the continuation of the Sub-Advisory Agreement is available in the Trust's Form N-CSR filing with the SEC for the period ended June 30, 2025.

In accordance with the Sub-Advisory Agreement between the Adviser and DoubleLine, the Adviser will pay DoubleLine an annual investment sub-advisory fee equal to a portion of average daily net assets of each DoubleLine ETF. For the past three fiscal years ended June 30, the Adviser paid the following amounts to DoubleLine for its services:

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Fund** | **2025** | **2024** | **2023** |
| SPDR DoubleLine Emerging Markets Fixed Income ETF | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[ ] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $184434 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $189730 |
| SPDR DoubleLine Short Duration Total Return Tactical ETF | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[ ] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $243899 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $232553 |
| SPDR DoubleLine Total Return Tactical ETF | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[ ] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $7910460 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $6349155 |

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**INVESTMENT SUB-ADVISER – SPDR Loomis Sayles Opportunistic Bond ETF**

Pursuant to the Investment Advisory Agreement between the Trust and the Adviser, the Adviser is authorized to engage one or more sub-advisers for the performance of any of the services contemplated to be rendered by the Adviser. The Adviser has retained Loomis Sayles as sub-adviser, to be responsible for the day to day management of the Fund's investments, subject to supervision of the Adviser and oversight by the Board. The Adviser provides administrative, compliance and general management services to the Fund. Loomis Sayles offers advisory and investment management services to a broad range of mutual fund clients and has extensive experience in managing municipal securities. As of June 30, 2025, Loomis Sayles managed approximately $[ ] billion in assets. Loomis Sayles's principal business address is One Financial Center, Boston, Massachusetts 02111.

Loomis Sayles is a Delaware limited partnership. Loomis Sayles' sole general partner, Loomis, Sayles & Company, Inc. is directly owned by Natixis Investment Managers, LLC ("Natixis LLC"). Natixis LLC is a direct subsidiary of Natixis Investment Managers, an international asset management group based in Paris, France, that is in turn owned by Natixis, a French investment banking and financial services firm. Natixis is wholly-owned by Groupe BPCE, France's second largest banking group. Groupe BPCE is owned by banks comprising two autonomous and complementary retail banking networks consisting of the Caisses d'Epargne regional savings banks and the Banques Populaires regional cooperative banks. The registered address of Natixis is 30, avenue Pierre Mendès France, 75013 Paris, France. The registered address of Groupe BPCE is 50, avenue Pierre Mendès France, 75013 Paris, France.

A discussion regarding the basis for the Board's approval of the continuation of the Sub-Advisory Agreement is available in the Trust's Form N-CSR filing with the SEC for the period ended June 30, 2025.

In accordance with the Sub-Advisory Agreement between the Adviser and Loomis Sayles, the Adviser will pay Loomis Sayles an annual investment sub-advisory fee equal to a portion of average daily net assets of the Fund. For the past three fiscal years ended June 30, the Adviser paid the following amounts to Loomis Sayles for its services:

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Fund** | **2025** | **2024** | **2023** |
| SPDR Loomis Sayles Opportunistic Bond ETF | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[ ] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $51918 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $55651 |

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**INVESTMENT SUB-ADVISER—Nuveen ETFs**

Pursuant to the Investment Advisory Agreement between the Trust and the Adviser, the Adviser is authorized to engage one or more sub-advisers for the performance of any of the services contemplated to be rendered by the Adviser. The Adviser has retained Nuveen Asset Management as sub-adviser, to be responsible for the day-to-day management of the Nuveen ETFs' investments, subject to supervision of the Adviser and oversight by the Board. The Adviser provides administrative, compliance and general management services to the Nuveen ETFs. Nuveen Asset Management offers advisory and investment management services to a broad range of mutual fund clients and has extensive experience in managing municipal securities. As of June 30, 2025, Nuveen Asset Management managed approximately $[ ] billion in assets. Nuveen Asset Management's principal business address is 333 West Wacker Drive, Chicago, Illinois 60606. Nuveen Asset Management is a subsidiary of Nuveen Fund Advisors, LLC, which is a subsidiary of Nuveen, LLC ("Nuveen").

Nuveen is the asset management division of Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America ("TIAA"). TIAA is a leading financial services provider that provides a wide range of financial solutions, including investing, advice and education, and retirement services. TIAA was originally founded in 1918 by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.

A discussion regarding the basis for the Board's approval of the Sub-Advisory Agreement is available in the Trust's Form N-CSR filing with the SEC for the period ended June 30, 2025.

In accordance with the Sub-Advisory Agreement between the Adviser and Nuveen Asset Management, the Adviser pays Nuveen Asset Management an annual investment sub-advisory fee equal to a portion of the average daily net assets of each Nuveen ETF. For the past three fiscal years ended June 30, the Adviser paid the following amount to the Nuveen for its services:

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Fund** | **2025** | **2024** | **2023** |
| SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ESG ETF <sup>(1)</sup> | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[ ] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $57870 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $52293 |
| SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ETF | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[ ] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $43846 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $29436 |

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**PORTFOLIO MANAGERS**

The Adviser manages the Funds, Blackstone Liquid Credit Strategies LLC manages the Blackstone ETFs, DoubleLine manages the DoubleLine ETFs, Loomis manages the SPDR Loomis Sayles Opportunistic Bond ETF and Nuveen Asset Management manages the Nuveen ETFs, using a team of investment professionals. The professionals primarily responsible for the day-to-day portfolio management of each Fund are:

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Portfolio Management Team** | **Fund** |
| Daniel T. McMullen, Adam Dwinells, Bonnie Brookshaw <br> and Paul Harrison<br>| SPDR Blackstone High Income ETF |
| Daniel T. McMullen, Bonnie Brookshaw and Glenn <br> Champion<br>| SPDR Blackstone Senior Loan ETF |
| Luz Padilla, Mark Christensen and Su Fei Koo | SPDR DoubleLine Emerging Markets Fixed Income ETF |
| Jeffrey Gundlach and Jeffrey Sherman  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; SPDR DoubleLine Short Duration Total Return Tactical ETF<br> SPDR DoubleLine Total Return Tactical ETF<br>|
| Kevin Kearns, Andrea DiCenso and Tom Stolberg | SPDR Loomis Sayles Opportunistic Bond ETF |
| Timothy T. Ryan and Joel H. Levy | SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ETF |
| Timothy T. Ryan and Joel H. Levy | SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ESG ETF |
| Michael Martel, Jeremiah Holly and Leo Law  | SPDR SSGA Fixed Income Sector Rotation ETF |
| Michael Martel and Jeremiah Holly | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; SPDR SSGA Global Allocation ETF<br> SPDR SSGA Income Allocation ETF<br>|
| Tyhesha Harrington and Michael Narkiewicz | SPDR SSGA Multi-Asset Real Return ETF |
| James Palmieri and John Mele | SPDR SSGA Ultra Short Term Bond ETF |
| Michael Martel, Jeremiah Holly, Emiliano Rabinovich and <br> Juan Acevedo<br>| SPDR SSGA US Sector Rotation ETF |

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<u>All ETFs (except Blackstone ETFs, Doubleline ETFs, SPDR Loomis Sayles Opportunistic Bond ETF and Nuveen ETFs):</u> The following table lists the number and types of accounts managed by each of the key professionals involved in the day-to-day portfolio management for each Fund and assets under management in those accounts. The portfolio managers, who are also members of the Funds' Investment Committee, are primarily responsible for the day-to-day portfolio management of the Funds. The other members of the Funds' Investment Committee have oversight responsibilities for the investments made by the Funds.

**Other Accounts Managed as of June 30, 2025** 

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| | | | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Portfolio Manager** | **Registered**<br> **Investment**<br> **Company**<br> **Accounts**<br>| **Assets**<br> **Managed**<br> **(billions)**<br>| **Other Pooled**<br> **Investment**<br> **Vehicle** <br> **Accounts**<br>| **Assets**<br> **Managed**<br> **(billions)**<br>| **Other**<br> **Accounts**<br>| **Assets**<br> **Managed**<br> **(billions)**<br>| **Total**<br> **Assets**<br> **Managed**<br> **(billions)**<br>|
| Tyhesha Harrington | &nbsp;&nbsp; [] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] | &nbsp;&nbsp; [] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] | &nbsp;&nbsp; []<br> \*<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; $[]<br> \*<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] |
| Jeremiah Holly | &nbsp;&nbsp; [] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] | &nbsp;&nbsp; [] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] | &nbsp;&nbsp; []<br> \*<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; $[]<br> \*<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] |
| Leo Law | &nbsp;&nbsp; [] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] | &nbsp;&nbsp; [] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] | &nbsp;&nbsp; []<br> \*<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; $[]<br> \*<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] |
| Michael Martel | &nbsp;&nbsp; [] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] | &nbsp;&nbsp; [] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] | &nbsp;&nbsp; []<br> \*<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; $[]<br> \*<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] |
| Michael Narkiewicz | &nbsp;&nbsp; [] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] | &nbsp;&nbsp; [] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] | &nbsp;&nbsp; []<br> \*<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; $[]<br> \*<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] |
| John Mele | &nbsp;&nbsp; [] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] | &nbsp;&nbsp; [] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] | &nbsp;&nbsp; []<br> \*<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; $[]<br> \*<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] |
| James Palmieri | &nbsp;&nbsp; [] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] | &nbsp;&nbsp; [] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] | &nbsp;&nbsp; []<br> \*<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; $[]<br> \*<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] |
| Juan Acevedo | &nbsp;&nbsp; [] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] | &nbsp;&nbsp; [] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] | &nbsp;&nbsp; []<br> \*<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; $[]<br> \*<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] |
| Emiliano Rabinovich | &nbsp;&nbsp; [] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] | &nbsp;&nbsp; [] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] | &nbsp;&nbsp; []<br> \*<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; $[]<br> \*<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] |

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<sup>\*</sup>

Includes 3 accounts (totaling $257.46 million in assets under management) with performance-based fees.

<sup>\*\*</sup>

Includes 3 accounts (totaling $3.46 billion in assets under management) with performance-based fees.

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None of the portfolio managers listed above beneficially owned Shares as of June 30, 2025, except as noted in the table below:

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Portfolio Manager** | **Fund** | **Dollar Range of Trust Shares Beneficially**<br> **Owned**<br>|
| Jeremiah Holly | SPDR SSGA Fixed Income Sector Rotation ETF | $[10,001 - $50,000] |
|  | SPDR SSGA Global Allocation ETF | $[50,001 - $100,000] |
|  | SPDR SSGA Income Allocation ETF | $[50,001 - $100,000] |
|  | SPDR SSGA US Sector Rotation ETF | $[100,001 - $500,000] |
| Michael Martel | SPDR SSGA Fixed Income Sector Rotation ETF | $[1 - $10,000] |
|  | SPDR SSGA Income Allocation ETF | $[1 - $10,000] |
|  | SPDR SSGA US Sector Rotation ETF | $[10,001 - $50,000] |

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<u>Conflicts of Interest.</u> A portfolio manager that has responsibility for managing more than one account may be subject to potential conflicts of interest because he or she is responsible for other accounts in addition to the Funds. Those conflicts could include preferential treatment of one account over others in terms of: (a) the portfolio manager's execution of different investment strategies for various accounts; or (b) the allocation of resources or of investment opportunities.

Portfolio managers may manage numerous accounts for multiple clients. These accounts may include registered investment companies, other types of pooled accounts (e.g., collective investment funds), and separate accounts (i.e., accounts managed on behalf of individuals or public or private institutions). Portfolio managers make investment decisions for each account based on the investment objectives and policies and other relevant investment considerations applicable to that portfolio. A potential conflict of interest may arise as a result of a portfolio manager's responsibility for multiple accounts with similar investment guidelines. Under these circumstances, a potential investment may be suitable for more than one of the portfolio manager's accounts, but the quantity of the investment available for purchase is less than the aggregate amount the accounts would ideally allocate to the opportunity. Similar conflicts may arise when multiple accounts seek to dispose of the same investment. The portfolio managers may also manage accounts whose objectives and policies differ from that of the Funds. These differences may be such that under certain circumstances, trading activity appropriate for one account managed by the portfolio manager may have adverse consequences for another account managed by the portfolio manager. For example, an account may sell a significant position in a security, which could cause the market price of that security to decrease, while a Fund maintained its position in that security.

A potential conflict may arise when the portfolio managers are responsible for accounts that have different advisory fees—the difference in fees could create an incentive for the portfolio manager to favor one account over another, for example, in terms of access to investment opportunities. This conflict may be heightened if an account is subject to a performance-based fee, as applicable. Another potential conflict may arise when the portfolio manager has a personal investment in one or more accounts that participate in transactions with other accounts. His or her personal investment(s) may create an incentive for the portfolio manager to favor one account over another. The Adviser has adopted policies and procedures reasonably designed to address these potential material conflicts. For instance, portfolio managers are normally responsible for all accounts within a certain investment discipline and do not, absent special circumstances, differentiate among the various accounts when allocating resources. Additionally, the Adviser and its advisory affiliates have processes and procedures for allocating investment opportunities among portfolios that are designed to provide a fair and equitable allocation. With respect to conflicts arising from personal investments, all employees, including portfolio managers, must comply with personal trading controls established by each of the Adviser's and Trust's Code of Ethics.

<u>Compensation.</u> State Street Investment Management's culture is complemented and reinforced by a total rewards strategy that is based on a pay for performance philosophy which seeks to offer a competitive pay mix of base salary, benefits, cash incentives and deferred compensation.

Salary is based on a number of factors, including external benchmarking data and market trends, and performance both at the business and individual level. State Street Investment Management's Global Human Resources department regularly participates in compensation surveys in order to provide State Street Investment Management with market-based compensation information that helps support individual pay decisions.

Additionally, subject to State Street and State Street Investment Management business results, an incentive pool is allocated to State Street Investment Management to reward its employees. The size of the incentive pool for most business units is based on the firm's overall profitability and other factors, including performance against risk-related

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goals. For most State Street Investment Management investment teams, State Street Investment Management recognizes and rewards performance by linking annual incentive decisions for investment teams to the firm's or business unit's profitability and business unit investment performance over a multi-year period.

Incentive pool funding for most active investment teams is driven in part by the post-tax investment performance of fund(s) managed by the team versus the return levels of the benchmark index(es) of the fund(s) on a one-, three- and, in some cases, five-year basis. For most active investment teams, a material portion of incentive compensation for senior staff is deferred over a four-year period into the State Street Investment Management Long-Term Incentive ("State Street Investment Management LTI") program. For these teams, the State Street Investment Management LTI program indexes the performance of these deferred awards against the post-tax investment performance of fund(s) managed by the team. This is intended to align our investment team's compensation with client interests, both through annual incentive compensation awards and through the long-term value of deferred awards in the State Street Investment Management LTI program.

For the index equity investment team, incentive pool funding is driven in part by the post-tax 1 and 3-year tracking error of the funds managed by the team against the benchmark indexes of the funds.

The discretionary allocation of the incentive pool to the business units within State Street Investment Management is influenced by market-based compensation data, as well as the overall performance of each business unit. Individual compensation decisions are made by the employee's manager, in conjunction with the senior management of the employee's business unit. These decisions are based on the overall performance of the employee and, as mentioned above, on the performance of the firm and business unit. Depending on the job level, a portion of the annual incentive may be awarded in deferred compensation, which may include cash and/or Deferred Stock Awards (State Street stock), which typically vest over a four-year period. This helps to retain staff and further aligns State Street Investment Management employees' interests with State Street Investment Management clients' and shareholders' long-term interests.

State Street Investment Management recognizes and rewards outstanding performance by:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Promoting employee ownership to connect employees directly to the company's success.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Using rewards to reinforce mission, vision, values and business strategy.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Seeking to recognize and preserve the firm's unique culture and team orientation.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Providing all employees the opportunity to share in the success of State Street Investment Management.

**Blackstone ETFs**

The following table lists the number and types of accounts managed by each of the key professionals involved in the day-to-day portfolio management for each Fund and assets under management in those accounts as of June 30, 2025. None of the accounts noted in the table below are subject to performance-based fees. The Portfolio Managers, who are also members of the Sub-Adviser's Investment Committee, are primarily responsible for the day-to-day portfolio management of the Fund. The other members of the Sub-Adviser's Investment Committee have oversight responsibilities for the investments made by the respective Fund.

**Other Accounts Managed as of June 30, 2025** 

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| | | | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Portfolio Manager** | **Registered**<br> **Investment**<br> **Company**<br> **Accounts** <br>| **Assets**<br> **Managed**<br> **(billions)\***<br>| **Other**<br> **Pooled**<br> **Investment**<br> **Vehicle**<br> **Accounts**<br>| **Assets**<br> **Managed**<br> **(billions)\***<br>| **Other**<br> **Accounts**<br>| **Assets**<br> **Managed**<br> **(billions)\***<br>| **Total**<br> **Assets**<br> **Managed**<br> **(billions)**<br>|
| Bonnie Brookshaw | &nbsp;&nbsp; [] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] | &nbsp;&nbsp; [] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] | &nbsp;&nbsp; [] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] |
| Adam Dwinells | &nbsp;&nbsp; [] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] | &nbsp;&nbsp; [] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] | &nbsp;&nbsp; [] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] |
| Paul Harrison | &nbsp;&nbsp; [] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] | &nbsp;&nbsp; [] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] | &nbsp;&nbsp; [] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] |
| Gordon McKemie | &nbsp;&nbsp; [] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] | &nbsp;&nbsp; [] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] | &nbsp;&nbsp; [] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] |
| Daniel T. McMullen | &nbsp;&nbsp; [] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] | &nbsp;&nbsp; [] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] | &nbsp;&nbsp; [] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] |
| Glenn Champion | &nbsp;&nbsp; [] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] | &nbsp;&nbsp; [] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] | &nbsp;&nbsp; [] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] |

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\*

There are no performance-based fees associated with these accounts.

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None of the portfolio managers listed above beneficially owned Shares as of June 30, 2025, except as noted in the table below:

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Portfolio Manager** | **Fund** | **Dollar Range of Trust** <br> **Shares Beneficially Owned**<br>|
| Adam Dwinells | SPDR Blackstone High Income ETF | $[100,001 - $500,000] |
| Daniel T. McMullen | SPDR Blackstone High Income ETF | $[50,001 - $100,000] |
|  | SPDR Blackstone Senior Loan ETF | $[50,001 - $100,000] |

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<u>Compensation:</u> The Sub-Adviser's financial arrangements with its portfolio managers, its competitive compensation and its career path emphasis at all levels reflect the value senior management places on key resources. Compensation may include a variety of components and may vary from year to year based on a number of factors. The principal components of compensation include a base salary and a discretionary bonus.

<u>Base Compensation:</u> Generally, portfolio managers receive base compensation and employee benefits based on their individual seniority and/or their position with the firm.

<u>Discretionary Compensation:</u> In addition to base compensation, portfolio managers may receive discretionary compensation. Discretionary compensation is based on individual seniority, contributions to the Sub-Adviser and performance of the client assets that the portfolio manager has primary responsibility for. The discretionary compensation is not based on a precise formula, benchmark or other metric.

These compensation guidelines are structured to closely align the interests of employees with those of the Sub-Adviser and its clients.

<u>Blackstone Credit Potential Conflicts of Interest:</u>

The purchase of Shares in SPDR Blackstone High Income ETF and SPDR Blackstone Senior Loan ETF (for purposes of this section only, collectively referred to as the "Fund") involves a number of significant risks that should be considered before making any investment. The Fund and shareholders will be subject to a number of actual and potential conflicts of interest involving Blackstone and Blackstone Credit & Insurance (together, the "Firm"). In addition, as a consequence of Blackstone holding a controlling interest in Blackstone Credit & Insurance and Blackstone's status as a public company, the officers, directors, members, managers and employees of Blackstone Credit & Insurance will take into account certain additional considerations and other factors in connection with the management of the business and affairs of the Fund that would not necessarily be taken into account if Blackstone were not a public company. The following discussion enumerates certain, but not all, potential conflicts of interest that should be carefully evaluated before making an investment in the Fund, but is not intended to be an exclusive list of all such conflicts. The Firm and its personnel may in the future engage in further activities that may result in additional conflicts of interest not addressed below. Any references to the Firm, Blackstone Credit & Insurance, Blackstone or Blackstone Liquid Credit Strategies LLC in this section will be deemed to include their respective affiliates, partners, members, shareholders, officers, directors and employees, except that portfolio companies of managed clients shall only be included to the extent the context shall require and references to Blackstone Credit & Insurance affiliates shall only be to affiliates operating as a part of Blackstone's credit focused business group.

For purposes of this discussion and ease of reference, the following terms shall have the meanings as set forth below:

"**Other Blackstone Credit Clients**" means, collectively, the investment funds, client accounts (including managed accounts) and proprietary accounts and/or other similar arrangements (including such arrangements in which the Fund or one or more Other Blackstone Credit & Insurance Clients own interests) that Blackstone Credit & Insurance may establish, advise or sub-advise from time to time and to which Blackstone Credit & Insurance provides investment management or sub-advisory services (other than the Fund and any such funds and accounts in which the Fund has an interest), in each case including any alternative investment vehicles and additional capital vehicles relating thereto and any vehicles established by Blackstone Credit & Insurance to exercise its side-by-side or other general partner investment rights as set forth in their respective governing documents; provided, that for the avoidance of doubt, "Other Blackstone Credit & Insurance Clients" shall not include Blackstone Credit & Insurance in its role as principal of any account, including any accounts for which Blackstone Credit & Insurance or an affiliate thereof acts as an advisor.

"**Blackstone Clients**" means, collectively, the investment funds, client accounts (including managed accounts) and proprietary accounts and/or other similar arrangements (including such arrangements in which the Fund or one or more Blackstone Clients own interests) that Blackstone may establish, advise or sub-advise from time to time and to which Blackstone provides investment management or sub-advisory services (other than the Fund, any such funds and accounts

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in which the Fund has an interest and Other Blackstone Credit & Insurance Clients), in each case including any alternative investment vehicles and additional capital vehicles relating thereto and any vehicles established by Blackstone to exercise its side-by- side or other general partner investment rights as set forth in their respective governing documents; provided that, for the avoidance of doubt, "Blackstone Clients" shall not include Blackstone in its role as principal of any account, including any accounts for which Blackstone or an affiliate thereof acts as an advisor.

"**Other Clients**" means, collectively, Other Blackstone Credit & Insurance Clients and Blackstone Clients.

***The Firm's Policies and Procedures.*** The Firm has implemented policies and procedures to address conflicts that arise as a result of its various activities, as well as regulatory and other legal considerations. Because the Firm has many different asset management and advisory businesses, including private equity, a credit business, a hedge fund business, a capital markets group, a life sciences business and a real estate advisory business, it is subject to a number of actual and potential conflicts of interest, greater regulatory oversight and more legal and contractual restrictions than that to which it would otherwise be subject if it had just one line of business. In addressing these conflicts and regulatory, legal and contractual requirements across its various businesses and to protect against the inappropriate sharing and/or use of information between the Fund and the other business units or segments at the Firm, the Firm has implemented certain policies and procedures (*e.g.*, information wall policy) regarding the sharing of information that may reduce the positive synergies that the Fund expects to utilize for purposes of identifying and managing attractive investments. For example, the Firm will from time to time come into possession of material non-public information with respect to companies in which Other Clients may be considering making an investment or companies that are clients of the Firm. As a consequence, that information, which could be of benefit to the Fund, might become restricted to those other respective businesses and otherwise be unavailable to the Fund. It is also possible that the Fund could be restricted from trading despite the fact that the Fund did not receive such information. There can be no assurance, however, that any such policies and/or procedures will be effective in accomplishing their stated purpose and/or that they will not otherwise adversely affect the ability of the Fund to effectively achieve its investment objective by unduly limiting the investment flexibility of the Fund and/or the flow of otherwise appropriate information between Blackstone Credit & Insurance and other business units at the Firm. Personnel of the Firm may be unable, for example, to assist with the activities of the Fund as a result of these walls. There can be no assurance that additional restrictions will not be imposed that would further limit the ability of the Firm to share information internally. In addition, to the extent that the Firm is in possession of material non-public information or is otherwise restricted from trading in certain securities, the Fund and Blackstone Credit & Insurance may also be deemed to be in possession of such information or otherwise restricted. Additionally, the terms of confidentiality or other agreements with or related to companies in which any Other Client has or has considered making an investment or which is otherwise a client of the Firm will from time to time restrict or otherwise limit the ability of the Fund and/or its obligors and their affiliates to make investments in or otherwise engage in businesses or activities competitive with such companies. The Firm may enter into one or more strategic relationships in certain regions or with respect to certain types of investments that, although intended to provide greater opportunities for the Fund, may require the Fund to share such opportunities or otherwise limit the amount of an opportunity the Fund can otherwise take.

***Broad and Wide-Ranging Activities.*** The Firm engages in a broad spectrum of activities. In the ordinary course of its business activities, the Firm will engage in activities where the interests of certain divisions of the Firm or the interests of its clients will conflict with the interests of shareholders in the Fund. Other present and future activities of the Firm will give rise to additional conflicts of interest. In the event that a conflict of interest arises, Blackstone Credit & Insurance will attempt to resolve such conflict in a fair and equitable manner, subject to the limitations of the 1940 Act and the Board's oversight. Shareholders should be aware that conflicts will not necessarily be resolved in favor of the Fund's interests. Investors should be aware that conflicts will not necessarily be resolved in favor of the Fund's interests. In addition, Blackstone Credit & Insurance may in certain situations choose to obtain the consent of the Board with respect to any specific conflict of interest, including with respect to the approvals required under the 1940 Act and the Advisers Act. The Fund may enter into joint transactions or cross-trades with clients or affiliates of Blackstone Credit & Insurance to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act, the Advisers Act. Subject to the limitations of the 1940 Act, the Fund may invest in loans or other securities, the proceeds of which may refinance or otherwise repay debt or securities of companies whose debt is owned by other funds managed by Blackstone Credit & Insurance.

***Allocation of Personnel.*** Blackstone Credit & Insurance and its members, officers and employees will devote as much of their time and attention to the activities of the Fund as they deem necessary to conduct its business affairs in an appropriate manner. By the terms of the investment advisory agreement, the Firm is not restricted from forming additional investment funds, from entering into other investment advisory relationships or from engaging in other business activities, even though such activities may be in competition with the Fund and/or may involve substantial time and resources of Blackstone Credit & Insurance. Firm personnel, including members of the investment committee, will work on other

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projects, serve on other committees (including boards of directors) and source potential investments for and otherwise assist the investment programs of Other Clients and their portfolio companies, including other investment programs to be developed in the future. Certain members of Blackstone Credit & Insurance's investment team are also members of Other Clients' investment teams and will continue to serve in those roles (which could be their primary responsibility) and as a result, not all of their business time will be devoted to Blackstone or the Fund. Certain non-investment professionals are not dedicated solely to the Fund and are permitted to perform work for Other Clients which is expected to detract from the time such persons devote to the Fund. These activities could be viewed as creating a conflict of interest in that the time and effort of the members of Blackstone Credit & Insurance and its officers and employees will not be devoted exclusively to the business of the Fund, but will be allocated between the business of the Fund and the management of the monies of such Other Clients of Blackstone Credit & Insurance. Time spent on these other initiatives diverts attention from the activities of the Fund, which could negatively impact shareholders. Furthermore, Blackstone Credit & Insurance and Blackstone Credit & Insurance personnel derive financial benefit from these other activities, including fees and performance- based compensation. Firm personnel outside of Blackstone Credit & Insurance may share in the fees and performance-based compensation from the Fund; similarly, Blackstone Credit & Insurance personnel may share in the fees and performance-based compensation generated by Other Clients. These and other factors create conflicts of interest in the allocation of time by Firm personnel. Blackstone Credit & Insurance's determination of the amount of time necessary to conduct the Fund's activities will be conclusive.

***Outside Activities of Principals and Other Personnel and their Related Parties****.* Certain of the principals and employees of Blackstone Credit & Insurance will, in certain circumstances, be subject to a variety of conflicts of interest relating to their responsibilities to the Fund, Other Clients and their respective portfolio companies, and their outside personal or business activities, including as members of investment or advisory committees or boards of directors of or advisors to investment funds, corporations, foundations or other organizations. Such positions create a conflict if such other entities have interests that are adverse to those of the Fund, including if such other entities compete with the Fund for investment opportunities or other resources. The other managed accounts and/or investment funds in which such individuals may become involved may have investment objectives that overlap with the Fund. Although such principals and employees will seek to limit any such conflicts in a manner that is in accordance with their fiduciary duties to the Fund, there can be no assurance that conflicts of interest between the interests of the Fund and Other Clients will be resolved favorably for the Fund. Furthermore, certain principals and employees of Blackstone Credit & Insurance may have a greater financial interest in the performance of such other funds or accounts than the performance of the Fund. Such involvement may create conflicts of interest in making investments on behalf of the Fund and such other funds and accounts. Also, Blackstone personnel, Firm employees, including employees of Blackstone Credit & Insurance, are generally permitted to invest in alternative investment funds, private equity funds, real estate funds, hedge funds and other investment vehicles, as well as engage in other personal trading activities relating to companies, assets, securities or instruments (subject to the Firm's Code of Ethics requirements), some of which will involve conflicts of interests. Such personal securities transactions will, in certain circumstances, relate to securities or instruments which can be expected to also be held or acquired by Other Clients, the Fund, or otherwise relate to the obligors in which the Fund has or acquires a different principal investment (including, for example, with respect to seniority), which is expected to give rise to conflicts of interest related to misaligned interests between the Fund and such persons, it being understood that where Blackstone personnel make investments in alternative investment funds and other investment vehicles with the intent to source investments for the Fund or Other Clients, there is a greater likelihood that the Fund or such Other Clients will invest in companies in which Blackstone personnel hold an indirect interest. There could be situations in which such alternative investment funds invest in the same portfolio companies as the Fund and there could be situations in which such alternative investment funds purchase securities from, or sell securities to, the Fund if permitted under the Investment Company Act and other applicable law. There can be no assurance that conflicts of interest arising out of such activities will be resolved in favor of the Fund. Shareholders will not receive any benefit from any such investments, and the financial incentives of Firm personnel in such other investments could be greater than their financial incentives in relation to the Fund and are not expected to receive notice should the Fund make investments in which such persons hold indirect interests.

Additionally, certain employees and other professionals of the Firm may have family members or relatives employed by advisers and service providers (or their affiliates) or otherwise actively involved in industries and sectors in which the Fund invests, and/or have business, financial, personal or other relationships with companies in such industries and sectors (including the advisors and service providers described above) or other industries, which gives rise to potential or actual conflicts of interest. For example, such family members or relatives might be employees, officers, directors, personnel or owners of companies or assets that are actual or potential investments of the Fund or other counterparties of the Fund and its obligors and/or assets, or service providers of the Fund. Moreover, in certain instances, the Fund or its obligors

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can be expected to issue loans to or acquire securities from, or otherwise transact with, companies that are owned by such family members or relatives or in respect of which such family members or relatives have other involvement. These relationships also may influence Blackstone, and/or Blackstone Credit & Insurance in deciding whether to select or recommend certain service providers to perform services for the Fund or obligors (the cost of which will generally be borne directly or indirectly by the Fund or such obligors, as applicable) and to incentivize Blackstone to engage such service provider over a third party. The fees for services provided by such service providers may or may not be at the same rate charged by other third parties and the Firm undertakes no obligations to select service providers who may have lower rates. The Firm undertakes no minimum amount of benchmarking. To the extent the Firm does engage in benchmarking, it cannot be assured that such benchmarking will be accurate, comparable, or relate specifically to the assets or services to which such rates or terms relate. Whether or not the Firm has a relationship or receives financial or other benefit from recommending a particular service provider, there can be no assurance that no other service provider is more qualified to provide the applicable services or could provide such services at lesser cost. Notwithstanding the foregoing, investment transactions relating to the Fund that require the use of a service provider will generally be allocated to service providers on the basis of best execution, the evaluation of which includes, among other considerations, such service provider's provision of certain investment-related services and research that Blackstone Credit & Insurance believes to be of benefit to the Fund. To the extent that the Firm determines appropriate, conflict mitigation strategies can be expected to be put in place with respect to a particular circumstance, such as internal information barriers or recusal, disclosure or other steps determined appropriate by the Firm.

***Secondments and Internships.*** Certain personnel of the Firm and its affiliates, including consultants, will, in certain circumstances, be seconded to one or more portfolio companies, vendors, service providers and vendors or shareholders or other investors of the Fund and Other Clients to provide finance, accounting, operational support, technology, data management (including artificial intelligence) and other similar services, including the sourcing of investments for the Fund or other parties. The salaries, benefits, overhead and other similar expenses for such personnel during the secondment could be borne by the Firm and its affiliates or the organization for which the personnel are working or both. In addition, personnel of portfolio companies, vendors and service providers (including law firms and accounting firms) and shareholders or other investors of the Fund and Other Clients will, in certain circumstances, be seconded to, serve internships at, receive trainings from or otherwise provide consulting services to, the Firm, the Fund and its obligors, and Other Clients and its portfolio companies. While often the Fund, Other Clients and their obligors or portfolio companies (as applicable) are the beneficiaries of these types of arrangements, the Firm is from time to time a beneficiary of these arrangements as well, including in circumstances where the vendor, personnel or service provider or otherwise also provides services to the Fund, Other Clients, their obligors or portfolio companies (as applicable) or the Firm in the ordinary course. The Firm, the Fund, Other Clients or their obligors or respective portfolio companies (as applicable) could receive benefits from these arrangements at no cost, or alternatively could pay all or a portion of the fees, compensation or other expenses in respect of these arrangements. The management fee will not be reduced as a result of these arrangements or any fees, expense reimbursements or other costs related thereto and the Fund may not receive any benefit as a result of these arrangements. The personnel described above may provide services in respect of multiple matters, including in respect of matters related to Blackstone, Blackstone Credit & Insurance, the Fund, Other Clients, portfolio companies, each of their respective affiliates and related parties, and Blackstone will endeavor in good faith to allocate the costs of these arrangements, if any, to Blackstone, Blackstone Credit & Insurance, the Fund, Other Clients, portfolio companies and other parties based on time spent by the personnel or another methodology Blackstone, Blackstone Credit & Insurance deems appropriate in a particular circumstance.

***Other Benefits.*** Blackstone Credit & Insurance and its personnel and related parties will receive intangible and other benefits, discounts and perquisites arising or resulting from their activities on behalf of the Fund, the value of which will not reduce the management fees or incentive fees or otherwise be shared with the Fund, its or portfolio companies. For example, airline travel or hotel stays incurred as Fund expenses, as set forth in the investment advisory agreement ("Fund Expenses"), may result in "miles" or "points" or credit in loyalty or status programs, and certain purchases made by credit card will result in "credit card points", "cash back" or rebates in addition to such loyalty or status program miles or points. Such benefits and/or amounts will, whether or not de minimis or difficult to value, inure exclusively to the benefit of Blackstone Credit & Insurance, its affiliates or their personnel (and not the Fund and/or portfolio companies) even though the cost of the underlying service is borne as Fund Expenses or by its portfolio companies. (See also "- Service Providers, Vendors and Other Counterparties Generally" herein.) Similarly, Blackstone Credit & Insurance, its affiliates and their personnel and related persons also receive discounts on products and services provided by portfolio companies and/or customers or suppliers of such portfolio companies. Such other benefits or fees may give rise to conflicts of interest in

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connection with the Fund's investment activities, and while Blackstone Credit & Insurance will seek to resolve any such conflicts in a fair and equitable manner, there is no assurance that any such conflicts will be resolved in favor of the Fund. (See also "—Obligor/Portfolio Company Service Providers and Vendors" and "—Obligor/ Portfolio Company Relationships Generally" below.)

***Senior Advisors, Industry Experts and Operating Partners.*** Blackstone Credit & Insurance may engage and retain strategic advisers, consultants, senior advisors, executive advisers, industry experts, operating partners, deal sourcers, consultants and other similar professionals (which may include former employees of Blackstone and/or Blackstone Credit & Insurance, as well as current employees of Blackstone's and/or Blackstone Credit & Insurance's portfolio companies) ("Senior and Other Advisors") who are not employees or affiliates of Blackstone Credit & Insurance, including through joint ventures, investment platforms, other entities or similar arrangements, and who will, from time to time, receive payments from, or allocations of a profits interest with respect to, portfolio companies (as well as from Blackstone Credit & Insurance or the Fund). In particular, in some cases, consultants, including those with a "Senior Advisor" title, have been and will be engaged with the responsibility to source, diligence and recommend transactions to Blackstone Credit & Insurance or to undertake a build-up strategy to acquire and develop assets and businesses in a particular sector or involving a particular strategy, potentially on a full-time and/or exclusive basis and notwithstanding any overlap with the responsibilities of Blackstone Credit & Insurance under the investment advisory agreement, the compensation to such consultants may be borne fully by the Fund and/or portfolio companies (with no reduction to the management fee payable by the Fund) and not Blackstone Credit & Insurance. In such circumstances, such payments from, or allocations of a profits interest with respect to, portfolio companies and/or the Fund may, subject to applicable law, be treated as Fund Expenses and will not, even if they have the effect of reducing any retainers or minimum amounts otherwise payable by Blackstone Credit & Insurance, be deemed paid to or received by Blackstone Credit & Insurance, and such amounts will not reduce the management fees or incentive fees payable.

To the extent permitted by applicable law and/or any applicable SEC-granted exemptive or no-action relief, these Senior and Other Advisors often have the right or may be offered the ability to (i) co-invest alongside the Fund, including in the specific investments in which they are involved (and for which they may be entitled to receive performance-related incentive fees, which will reduce the Fund's returns), (ii) otherwise participate in equity plans for management of any such portfolio company or (iii) invest directly in the Fund or in a vehicle controlled by the Fund subject to reduced or waived management fees and/or incentive fees, including after the termination of their engagement by or other status with the Firm. Such co-investment and/or participation generally will result in the Fund being allocated a smaller share of the applicable investment. Such co-investment and/or participation may vary by transaction and such participation may, depending on its structure, reduce the Fund's returns. Additionally, and notwithstanding the foregoing, these Senior and Other Advisors, as well as other Blackstone Clients, may be (or have the preferred right to be) investors in Blackstone Credit & Insurance's portfolio companies (which, in some cases, may involve agreements to pay performance fees or allocate profits interests to such persons in connection with the Fund's investment therein, which will reduce the Fund's returns) and/or Other Clients. Such Senior and Other Advisors, as well as other Blackstone Clients, may also, subject to applicable law, have rights to co-invest with the Fund on a side-by-side basis, which rights are generally offered on a no-fee/no-carried interest basis and generally result in the Fund being allocated a smaller share of an investment than would otherwise be the case in the absence of such side-by-side participation. Senior and Other Advisors' benefits described in this paragraph will, in certain circumstances, continue after termination of status as a Senior and Other Advisor.

The time, dedication and scope of work of, and the nature of the relationship with each of the Senior and Other Advisors vary considerably. In certain cases, they may advise Blackstone on transactions, provide Blackstone with industry-specific insights and feedback on investment themes, assist in transaction due diligence or make introductions to and provide reference checks on management teams. In other cases, they take on more extensive roles (and may be exclusive service providers to Blackstone) and serve as executives or directors on the boards of portfolio companies or contribute to the identification and origination of new investment opportunities. The Fund may rely on these Senior and Other Advisors to recommend Blackstone as a preferred investment partner, identify investments, source opportunities, and otherwise carry out its investment program, but there is no assurance that these advisers will continue to be involved with the Fund for any length of time. In certain instances, Blackstone has formal arrangements with these Senior and Other Advisors (which may or may not be terminable upon notice by any party), and in other cases the relationships are more informal. They are either compensated (including pursuant to retainers and expense reimbursement, and, in any event, pursuant to negotiated arrangements) by Blackstone, the Fund, and/or portfolio companies or otherwise uncompensated unless and until an engagement with a portfolio company develops. In certain cases, they have certain attributes of Blackstone "employees" (*e.g.,* they can be expected to have dedicated offices at Blackstone, receive administrative support from Blackstone personnel, participate in general meetings and events for Blackstone personnel, work on Blackstone matters

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as their primary or sole business activity, service Blackstone exclusively, have Blackstone -related e-mail addresses and/or business cards and participate in certain benefit arrangements typically reserved for Blackstone employees, etc.) even though they are not considered Blackstone employees, affiliates or personnel for purposes of the investment advisory agreement between the Fund and Blackstone. Some Senior and Other Advisors may provide services only for the Fund and its obligors, while others may have other clients. Under many of these arrangements, there can be no assurance that the amount of compensation paid in a particular period of time will be proportional to the amount of hours worked or the amount or tangible work product generated by the Senior and Other Advisors during such time. Senior and Other Advisors could have conflicts of interest between their services for the Fund and its obligors, on the one hand, and themselves or other clients, on the other hand, and Blackstone is limited in its ability to monitor and mitigate these conflicts. Blackstone expects, where applicable, to allocate the costs of such Senior and Other Advisors to the Fund and/or applicable portfolio companies, and to the extent any such costs are allocated to the Fund, they would be treated as Fund Expenses. Payments or allocations to Senior and Other Advisors will not be reduced by the management fee, and can be expected to increase the overall costs and expenses borne indirectly by investors in the Fund. There can be no assurance that any of the Senior and Other Advisors, to the extent engaged, will continue to serve in such roles and/or continue their arrangements with Blackstone, the Fund and/or any portfolio companies for the duration of the relevant investments.

As an example of the foregoing, in certain investments through joint ventures, investment platforms, other entities or similar arrangements, the Fund will from time to time enter into an arrangement with one or more individuals (who may be former personnel of the Firm or current or former personnel of portfolio companies of the Fund or Other Clients, may have experience or capability in sourcing or managing investments, and may form a management team) to undertake a build-up strategy to acquire and develop assets and businesses in a particular sector or involving a particular strategy. The services provided by such individuals or relevant portfolio company, as the case may be, could include the following with respect to investments: origination or sourcing, due diligence, evaluation, negotiation, servicing, development, management (including turnaround) and disposition. The individuals or relevant portfolio company could be compensated with a salary and equity incentive plan, including a portion of profits derived from the Fund or a portfolio company or asset of the Fund, or other long-term incentive plans. Compensation could also be based on assets under management, a waterfall similar to a carried interest, respectively, or other similar metric. The Fund could initially bear the cost of overhead (including rent, utilities, benefits, salary or retainers for the individuals or their affiliated entities) and the sourcing, diligence and analysis of investments, as well as the compensation for the individuals and entity undertaking the build-up strategy. Such expenses could be borne directly by the Fund as Fund Expenses (or broken deal expenses, if applicable) or indirectly through expenditures by a portfolio company. None of the fees, costs or expenses described above will reduce the management fee.

In addition, Blackstone Credit & Insurance will, in certain circumstances, engage third parties as Senior and Other Advisors (or in another similar capacity) in order to advise it with respect to existing investments, specific investment opportunities, and economic and industry trends. Such Senior and Other Advisors may receive reimbursement of reasonable related expenses by portfolio companies or the Fund and may have the opportunity to invest in a portion of the equity and/or debt available to the Fund for investment that would otherwise be taken by Blackstone Credit & Insurance and its affiliates. If such Senior and Other Advisors generate investment opportunities on the Fund's behalf, such Senior and Other Advisors may receive special additional fees or allocations comparable to those received by a third party in an arm's length transaction and such additional fees or allocations would be borne fully by the Fund and/or portfolio companies (with no reduction to the management fee payable by the Fund) and not Blackstone Credit & Insurance.

***Multiple Firm Business Lines****.* The Firm has multiple business lines, including the Blackstone Capital Markets Group, which, subject to applicable law, Blackstone, Blackstone Credit & Insurance, the Fund, Other Clients, portfolio companies of the Fund and Other Clients and third parties will, in certain circumstances, engage for debt and equity financings and to provide other investment banking, brokerage, investment advisory or other services. As a result of these activities, the Firm is subject to a number of actual and potential conflicts of interest, greater regulatory oversight and more legal and contractual restrictions than if it had one line of business. For example, the Firm may come into possession of information that limits the Fund's ability to engage in potential transactions. Similarly, other Firm businesses and their personnel may be prohibited by law or contract from sharing information with Blackstone Credit & Insurance that would be relevant to monitoring the Fund's investments and other activities. Additionally, Blackstone, Blackstone Credit & Insurance or Other Clients can be expected to enter into covenants that restrict or otherwise limit the ability of the Fund or its obligors and their affiliates to make investments in, or otherwise engage in, certain businesses or activities. For example, Other Clients could have granted exclusivity to a joint venture partner that limits the Fund and Other Clients from owning assets within a certain distance of any of the joint venture's assets, or Blackstone, Blackstone Credit & Insurance or an Other Client could have entered into a non- compete in connection with a sale or other transaction. These types of restrictions may

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negatively impact the ability of the Fund to implement its investment program. (See also "—Other Blackstone and Blackstone Credit & Insurance Clients; Allocation of Investment Opportunities"). Finally, Blackstone and Blackstone Credit & Insurance personnel who are members of the investment team or investment committee may be excluded from participating in certain investment decisions due to conflicts involving other Firm businesses or for other reasons, including other business activities in which case the Fund will not benefit from their experience. Shareholders will not receive a benefit from any fees earned by the Firm or their personnel from these other businesses.

Blackstone is under no obligation to decline any engagements or investments in order to make an investment opportunity available to the Fund. The Firm has long-term relationships with a significant number of corporations and their senior management. In determining whether to invest in a particular transaction on behalf of the Fund, Blackstone Credit & Insurance will consider those relationships and may decline to participate in a transaction as a result of one or more of such relationships (*e.g.,* investments in a competitor of a client or other person with whom Blackstone has a relationship). The Fund may be forced to sell or hold existing investments as a result of investment banking relationships or other relationships that the Firm may have or transactions or investments the Firm may make or have made. (See "—Other Blackstone and Blackstone Credit & Insurance Clients; Allocation of Investment Opportunities" and "—Obligor/Portfolio Company Relationships Generally.") Subject to the 1940 Act, the Fund may also co-invest with clients of the Firm in particular investment opportunities, and the relationship with such clients could influence the decisions made by Blackstone Credit & Insurance with respect to such investments. There can be no assurance that all potentially suitable investment opportunities that come to the attention of the Firm will be made available to the Fund.

Finally, Blackstone and other Blackstone Clients could acquire shares in the Fund in the secondary market. Blackstone and other Blackstone Clients would generally have greater information than counterparties in such transactions, and the existence of such business could produce conflicts, including in the valuation of the Fund's Investments.

***Minority Investments in Asset Management Firms.*** Blackstone and Other Clients, including Blackstone Strategic Capital Holdings ("BSCH") and its related parties, regularly make minority investments in alternative asset management firms that are not affiliated with Blackstone, the Fund, Other Clients and their respective portfolio companies, and which may from time to time engage in similar investment transactions, including with respect to purchase and sale of investments, with these asset management firms and their sponsored funds and portfolio companies. Typically, the Blackstone related party with an interest in the asset management firm would be entitled to receive a share of carried interest/performance based incentive compensation and net fee income or revenue share generated by the various products, vehicles, funds and accounts managed by that third party asset management firm that are included in the transaction or activities of the third party asset management firm, or a subset of such activities such as transactions with a Blackstone related party. In addition, while such minority investments are generally structured so that Blackstone does not "control" such third party asset management firms, Blackstone may nonetheless be afforded certain governance rights in relation to such investments (typically in the nature of "protective" rights, negative control rights or anti-dilution arrangements, as well as certain reporting and consultation rights) that afford Blackstone the ability to influence the firm. Although Blackstone and Other Clients, including BSCH, do not intend to control such third party asset management firms, there can be no assurance that all third parties will similarly conclude that such investments are non- control investments or that, due to the provisions of the governing documents of such third party asset management firms or the interpretation of applicable law or regulations, investments by Blackstone and Other Clients, including BSCH, will not be deemed to have control elements for certain contractual, regulatory or other purposes. While such third party asset managers may not be affiliated with the Fund within the meaning of the 1940 Act, Blackstone may, under certain circumstances, be in a position to influence the management and operations of such asset managers and the existence of its economic/revenue sharing interest therein may give rise to conflicts of interest. Participation rights in a third party asset management firm (or other similar business), negotiated governance arrangements and/or the interpretation of applicable law or regulations could expose the investments of the Fund to claims by third parties in connection with such investments (as indirect owners of such asset management firms or similar businesses) that may have an adverse financial or reputational impact on the performance of the Fund. The Fund, its affiliates and their respective obligors and portfolio companies may from time to time engage in transactions with, and buy and sell investments from, any such third party asset managers and their sponsored funds, and such transactions and other commercial arrangements between such third party asset managers and the Fund and its obligors are not subject to approval by the Board. There can be no assurance that the terms of these transactions between parties related to Blackstone, on the one hand, and the Fund and its obligors, on the other hand, will be at arm's length or that Blackstone will not receive a benefit from such transactions, which can be expected to incentivize Blackstone to cause these transactions to occur. Such conflicts related to investments in and arrangements with other asset management firms will not necessarily be resolved in favor of the Fund.

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Shareholders will not be entitled to receive notice or disclosure of the terms or occurrence of either the investments in alternative asset management firms or transactions therewith and will not receive any benefit from such transactions. These conflicts related to investments in and arrangements with other asset management firms, will not necessarily be resolved in favor of the Fund.

***Blackstone Policies and Procedures; Information Walls.*** Blackstone has implemented policies and procedures to address conflicts that arise as a result of its various activities, as well as regulatory and other legal considerations. Some of these policies and procedures, such as Blackstone's information wall policy, implemented by Blackstone to mitigate potential conflicts of interest and address certain regulatory requirements and contractual restrictions, will reduce the synergies and collaboration across Blackstone's various businesses that the Fund expects to draw on for purposes of identifying, pursuing and managing attractive investment opportunities. Because Blackstone has many different asset management and advisory businesses, including private equity, growth equity, a credit business, a hedge fund business, a capital markets group, a life sciences business and a real estate advisory business, it is subject to a number of actual and potential conflicts of interest, greater regulatory oversight and more legal and contractual restrictions than that to which it would otherwise be subject if it had just one line of business. In addressing these conflicts and regulatory, legal and contractual requirements across its various businesses and to protect against the inappropriate sharing and/or use of information between the Fund and the other business units at Blackstone, Blackstone has implemented certain policies and procedures (*e.g.*, Blackstone's information wall policy) regarding the sharing of information that have the potential to reduce the positive synergies and collaborations that the Fund could otherwise expect to utilize for purposes of identifying and managing attractive investments. For example, Blackstone will from time to time come into possession of material non-public information with respect to companies in which Other Clients may be considering making an investment or companies that are clients of Blackstone. As a consequence, that information, which could be of benefit to the Fund, might become restricted to those other respective businesses and otherwise be unavailable to the Fund. There can be no assurance, however, that any such policies and/or procedures will be effective in accomplishing their stated purpose and/ or that they will not otherwise adversely affect the ability of the Fund to effectively achieve its investment objective by unduly limiting the investment flexibility of the Fund and/or the flow of otherwise appropriate information between Blackstone Credit & Insurance and other business units at Blackstone. For example, in some instances, personnel of Blackstone would be unable to assist with the activities of the Fund as a result of these walls. There can be no assurance that additional restrictions will not be imposed that would further limit the ability of Blackstone to share information internally. In addition, due to these restrictions, the Fund may not be able to initiate a transaction that it otherwise might have initiated and may not be able to purchase or sell an investment that it otherwise might have purchased or sold, which could negatively affect its operations.

In addition, to the extent that Blackstone is in possession of material non-public information or is otherwise restricted from making certain investments, the Fund would also be deemed to be in possession of such information or otherwise restricted. Additionally, the terms of confidentiality or other agreements with or related to companies in which any Blackstone fund has or has considered making an investment or which is otherwise a client of Blackstone will from time to time restrict or otherwise limit the ability of the Fund and/or its obligors and their affiliates to make investments in or otherwise engage in businesses or activities competitive with such companies. Blackstone has in the past entered into, and reserves the right to enter into in the future, one or more strategic relationships in certain regions or with respect to certain types of investments that, although intended to provide greater opportunities for the Fund, require the Fund to share such opportunities or otherwise limit the amount of an opportunity the Fund can otherwise take.

***Data.*** The Firm receives, generates and/or obtains various kinds of data and information from the Fund, Other Clients and their obligors or portfolio companies (as applicable), including but not limited to data and information relating to business operations, financial information results, trends, budgets, energy usage, plans, ESG and related metrics, commercial and transactional information, customer and user data, employee and contractor data, supplier and cost data, and other related data and information, some of which is sometimes referred to as alternative data or "big data." The Firm can be expected to anticipate macroeconomic and other trends, and otherwise develop investment themes or identify specific investment, trading or business opportunities, as a result of its access to (and rights regarding, including use, ownership, distribution and derived works rights over) this data and information from the Fund, Other Clients and their obligors or portfolio companies (as applicable). The Firm has entered and will continue to enter into information sharing and use, measurements and other arrangements, with the Fund, Other Clients and their obligors or portfolio companies (as applicable), related parties and service providers. Although the Firm believes that these activities improve the Firm's investment management and other business activities on behalf of the Fund and Other Clients, information obtained from the Fund and its obligors also provides material benefits to Blackstone, Blackstone Credit & Insurance or Other Clients without compensation or other benefit accruing to the Fund or shareholders. For example, information obtained from a

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portfolio company in which the Fund holds an interest can be expected to enable the Firm to better understand a particular industry and execute trading and investment strategies in reliance on that understanding for Blackstone, Blackstone Credit & Insurance and Other Clients that do not own an interest in the portfolio company, typically without compensation or benefit to the Fund or its obligors. Further, data is expected to be aggregated across the Fund, Other Clients and their respective obligors/portfolio companies and, in connection therewith, Blackstone would serve as the repository for such data, including with ownership and use rights therein.

Furthermore, except for contractual obligations to third parties to maintain confidentiality of certain information or otherwise limit the scope and purpose of its use or distribution, and regulatory limitations on the use of material nonpublic information, the Firm is generally free to use and distribute data and information from the Fund's activities to assist in the pursuit of the Firm's various other activities, including but not limited to trading activities or other uses for the benefit of the Firm and/or an Other Client. Any confidentiality obligations in the operative documents do not limit the Firm's ability to do so. For example, the Firm's ability to trade in securities of an issuer relating to a specific industry may, subject to applicable law, be enhanced by information of a portfolio company in the same or related industry. Such trading or other business activities can be expected to provide a material benefit to the Firm without compensation or other benefit to the Fund or shareholders.

The sharing and use of "big data" and other information presents potential conflicts of interest and shareholders acknowledge and agree that any benefits received by the Firm or its personnel (including fees, costs and expenses) will not reduce the management fees or incentive fees payable to Blackstone or otherwise be shared with the Fund or shareholders. As a result, Blackstone has an incentive to pursue investments that have data and information that can be utilized in a manner that benefits the Firm or Other Clients.

***Data Services.*** Blackstone or an affiliate of Blackstone formed in the future will provide data services to portfolio companies and will provide such services directly to the Fund and Other Clients (collectively, "Data Holders"). Such services may include assistance with obtaining, analyzing, curating, processing, packaging, distributing, organizing, mapping, holding, transforming, enhancing, marketing and selling such data (among other related data management and consulting services) for monetization through licensing or sale arrangements with third parties and, subject to applicable law and the limitations in the investment advisory agreement and any other applicable contractual limitations, with the Fund, Other Clients, portfolio companies and other Blackstone affiliates and associated entities (including funds in which Blackstone and Other Clients make investments, and portfolio companies thereof). Where Blackstone believes appropriate, data from one Data Holder may be aggregated or pooled with data from other Data Holders. Any revenues arising from such aggregated or pooled data sets would be allocated between applicable Data Holders on a fair and reasonable basis as determined by Blackstone Credit & Insurance in its sole discretion, with Blackstone Credit & Insurance able to make corrective allocations should it determine subsequently that such corrections were necessary or advisable. Blackstone is expected to receive compensation for such data management services, which may include a percentage of the revenues generated through any licensing or sale arrangements with respect to the relevant data, as well as fees, royalties and cost and expense reimbursement (including start-up costs and allocable overhead associated with personnel working on relevant matters (including salaries, benefits and other similar expenses)). Such compensation will not offset or reduce the management fee or any other fees or expenses borne by the Fund or shareholders. Additionally, Blackstone is expected to share and distribute the products from such Data Management Services within Blackstone or its affiliates (including Other Clients or their portfolio companies) at no charge and, in such cases, the Data Holders may not receive any financial or other benefit from having provided such data to Blackstone. The potential receipt of such compensation by Blackstone may create incentives for the Firm to cause the Fund to invest in portfolio companies with a significant amount of data that it might not otherwise have invested in or on terms less favorable than it otherwise would have sought to obtain.

***Blackstone and Blackstone Credit & Insurance Strategic Relationships.*** Blackstone and Blackstone Credit & Insurance have entered, and it can be expected that Blackstone and Blackstone Credit & Insurance in the future will enter, into both (i) strategic relationships with investors (and/ or one or more of their affiliates) that involve an overall relationship with Blackstone or Blackstone Credit & Insurance (which will afford such investor special rights and benefits) that could (but is not required to) incorporate one or more strategies (including, but not limited to, a different sector and/or geographical focus within the same or a different Blackstone business unit) in addition to the Fund's strategy and (ii) arrangements that involve an agreement or understanding to make a subscription to the Fund and one or more Other Clients (which can include a subscription already made recently to another Other Client) (any such overall relationship and/or multi-fund arrangement in the foregoing (i) and (ii), a "Strategic Relationships"), with terms and conditions applicable solely to such investor and its investment in multiple Blackstone or Blackstone Credit & Insurance strategies that would not apply to any other investor's investment in the Fund. A Strategic Relationship often involves an investor

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agreeing to make a capital commitment to or investment in (as applicable) multiple Blackstone or Blackstone Credit & Insurance funds, one of which may include the Fund. Shareholders will not receive a copy of any agreement memorializing such a Strategic Relationship program (even if in the form of a side letter) and will be unable to elect in the "most-favored-nations" election process (if any) any rights or benefits afforded through a Strategic Relationship. Specific examples of such additional rights and benefits include, among others, specialized reporting, discounts or reductions on and/or reimbursements or rebates of management fees or carried interest, secondment of personnel from the investor to Blackstone or Blackstone Credit & Insurance (or vice versa), rights to participate in the investment review and evaluation process, as well as priority rights or targeted amounts for co-investments alongside Blackstone Credit & Insurance or Blackstone vehicles (including, without limitation, preferential or favorable allocation of co-investment and preferential terms and conditions related to co-investment or other participation in Blackstone or Blackstone Credit & Insurance funds (including in respect of any carried interest and/or management fees to be charged with respect thereto, as well as any additional discounts, reductions, reimbursements or rebates with respect thereto or other penalties that may result if certain target co-investment allocations or other conditions under such arrangements are not achieved)). The co-investment that is part of a Strategic Relationship may include co-investment in investments made by the Fund. Blackstone, including its personnel (including Blackstone Credit & Insurance personnel), reserve the right to receive compensation from Strategic Relationships, and may be incentivized to allocate investment opportunities away from the Fund to, or source investment opportunities for, Strategic Relationships. Strategic Relationships may therefore result in fewer co- investment opportunities (or reduced or no allocations) being made available to shareholders, subject to the 1940 Act.

***Buying and Selling Investments or Assets from Certain Related Parties****.* The Fund and its obligors may purchase investments or assets from or sell investments or assets to shareholders, other obligors of the Fund, portfolio companies of Other Clients or their respective related parties. Purchases and sales of investments or assets between the Fund or its obligors, on the one hand, and shareholders, other obligors of the Fund, portfolio companies of Other Clients or their respective related parties, on the other hand, are not, unless required by applicable law, subject to the approval of the Board or any shareholder. These transactions involve conflicts of interest, as the Firm may receive fees and other benefits, directly or indirectly, from or otherwise have interests in both parties to the transaction, including different financial incentives Blackstone may have with respect to the parties to the transaction. For example, there can be no assurance that any investment or asset sold by the Fund to a shareholder, other obligors of the Fund, portfolio company of Other Clients or any of their respective related parties will not be valued or allocated a sale price that is lower than might otherwise have been the case if such asset were sold to a third party rather than to a shareholder, portfolio company of Other Clients or any of their respective related parties. The Firm will not be required to solicit third party bids or obtain a third party valuation prior to causing the Fund or any of its obligors to purchase or sell any asset or investment from or to a shareholder, other obligors of the Fund, portfolio company of Other Clients or any of their respective related parties as provided above.

***Other Firm Businesses, Activities and Relationships.*** As part of its regular business, Blackstone provides a broad range of investment banking, advisory and other services. In addition, from time to time, the Firm will provide services in the future beyond those currently provided. Shareholders will not receive any benefit from any fees relating to such services.

In the regular course of its capital markets, investment banking, real estate advisory and other businesses, Blackstone represents potential purchasers, sellers and other involved parties, including corporations, financial buyers, management, shareholders and institutions, with respect to transactions that could give rise to other transactions that are suitable for the Fund. In such a case, a Blackstone advisory client would typically require Blackstone to act exclusively on its behalf. Such advisory client requests may preclude all Blackstone-affiliated clients, including the Fund, from participating in related transactions that would otherwise be suitable. Blackstone will be under no obligation to decline any such engagements in order to make an investment opportunity available to the Fund. In connection with its capital markets, investment banking, advisory, real estate and other businesses, Blackstone comes into possession of information that limits its ability to engage in potential transactions. The Fund's activities are expected to be constrained as a result of the inability of Blackstone personnel to use such information. For example, employees of Blackstone, from time to time, are prohibited by law or contract from sharing information with members of the Fund's investment team. Additionally, there are expected to be circumstances in which one or more individuals associated with Blackstone affiliates (including clients) will be precluded from providing services related to the Fund's activities because of certain confidential information available to those individuals or to other parts of Blackstone (*e.g.,* trading may be restricted). Where Blackstone affiliates are engaged

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to find buyers or financing sources for potential sellers of assets, the seller may permit the Fund to act as a participant in such transactions (as a buyer or financing partner), which would raise certain conflicts of interest inherent in such a situation (including as to the negotiation of the purchase price).

The Fund may invest in securities of the same issuers as Other Clients, other investment vehicles, accounts and clients of the Firm and Blackstone Credit & Insurance. To the extent that the Fund holds interests that are different (or more senior or junior) than those held by such Other Clients, Blackstone Credit & Insurance may be presented with decisions involving circumstances where the interests of such Other Clients are in conflict with those of the Fund. Furthermore, it is possible the Fund's interest may be subordinated or otherwise adversely affected by virtue of such Other Clients' involvement and actions relating to its investment.

In addition, the 1940 Act may limit the Fund's ability to undertake certain transactions with its affiliates that are registered under the 1940 Act or regulated as business development companies under the 1940 Act. As a result of these restrictions, the Fund may be prohibited from executing "joint" transactions with such affiliates, which could include investments in the same portfolio company (whether at the same or different times). These limitations may limit the scope of investment opportunities that would otherwise be available to the Fund.

In addition, other present and future activities of the Firm and its affiliates (including Blackstone Credit & Insurance) will from time to time give rise to additional conflicts of interest relating to the Firm and its investment activities. In the event that any such conflict of interest arises, Blackstone Credit & Insurance will attempt to resolve such conflicts in a fair and equitable manner. Investors should be aware that, subject to applicable law, conflicts will not necessarily be resolved in favor of the Fund's interests.

***Transactions with Clients of Blackstone Insurance Solutions.*** Blackstone Insurance Solutions ("BIS") is the business segment of BXCI that provides investment advisory services to insurers (including insurance companies that are owned, directly or indirectly, by Blackstone or Other Clients, in whole or in part). Actual or potential conflicts of interest may arise with respect to the relationship of the Fund and its obligors with the funds, vehicles or accounts BIS advises or sub-advises, including accounts where an insurer participates in investments directly and there is no separate vehicle controlled by Blackstone (collectively, "BIS Clients"). BIS Clients have invested and are expected to continue investing in Other Clients and the Fund. BIS Clients may have investment objectives that overlap with those of the Fund or its obligors, and such BIS Clients may invest, as permitted by applicable law, alongside the Fund or such obligors in certain investments, which will reduce the investment opportunities otherwise available to the Fund or such obligors. BIS Clients will also participate in transactions related to the Fund and/or its obligors (*e.g.,* as originators, co-originators, counterparties or otherwise). Other transactions in which BIS Clients will participate include, without limitation, investments in debt or other securities issued by portfolio companies or other forms of financing to portfolio companies (including special purpose vehicles established by the Fund or such portfolio companies). When investing alongside the Fund or its obligors or in other transactions related to the Fund or its obligors, BIS Clients may or may not invest or divest at the same time or on the same terms as the Fund or the applicable obligors. BIS Clients may also from time to time acquire investments and obligors directly or indirectly from the Fund, as permitted by applicable law. In circumstances where Blackstone Credit & Insurance determines in good faith that the conflict of interest is mitigated in whole or in part through various measures that Blackstone or Blackstone Credit & Insurance implements, Blackstone Credit & Insurance may determine to proceed with the applicable transaction (subject to oversight by the Board and the applicable law to which the Fund is subject). In order to seek to mitigate any potential conflicts of interest with respect to such transactions (or other transactions involving BIS Clients), Blackstone may, in its discretion, involve independent members of the board of a portfolio company or a third-party stakeholder in the transaction to negotiate price and terms on behalf of the BIS Clients or otherwise cause the BIS Clients to "follow the vote" thereof, and/or cause an independent client representative or other third party to approve the investment or otherwise represent the interests of one or more of the parties to the transaction. In addition, Blackstone or Blackstone Credit & Insurance may limit the percentage interest of the BIS Clients participating in such transaction, or obtain appropriate price quotes or other benchmarks, or, alternatively, a third-party price opinion or other document to support the reasonableness of the price and terms of the transaction. BIS will also from time to time require the applicable BIS Clients participating in a transaction to consent thereto (including in circumstances where Blackstone Credit & Insurance does not seek the consent of the Board). There can be no assurance that any such measures or other measures that may be implemented by Blackstone will be effective at mitigating any actual or potential conflicts of interest.

***Allocation of Portfolios.*** The Firm will, in certain circumstances, have an opportunity to acquire a portfolio or pool of assets, securities and instruments that it determines should be divided and allocated among the Fund and Other Clients. Such allocations generally would be based on the Firm's assessment of the expected returns and risk profile of each of

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the assets. For example, some of the assets in a pool may have a return profile appropriate for the Fund, while others may have a return profile not appropriate for the Fund but appropriate for Other Clients. Also, a pool may contain both debt and equity instruments that the Firm determines should be allocated to different funds. In all of these situations, the combined purchase price paid to a seller would be allocated among the multiple assets, securities and instruments in the pool and therefore, subject to applicable law, among the Fund and Other Clients acquiring any of the assets, securities and instruments. Similarly, there will likely be circumstances in which the Fund and Other Clients will sell assets in a single or related transactions to a buyer. In some cases, a counterparty will require an allocation of value in the purchase or sale contract, though the Firm could determine such allocation of value is not accurate and should not be relied upon. The Firm will generally rely upon internal analysis to determine the ultimate allocation of value, though it could also obtain third party valuation reports. Regardless of the methodology for allocating value, the Firm will have conflicting duties to the Fund and Other Clients when they buy or sell assets together in a portfolio, including as a result of different financial incentives the Firm has with respect to different vehicles, most clearly when the fees and compensation, including performance-based compensation, earned from the different vehicles differ. There can be no assurance that an investment will not be valued or allocated a purchase price that is higher or lower than it might otherwise have been allocated if such investment were acquired or sold independently rather than as a component of a portfolio shared with Other Clients.

***Other Affiliate Transactions and Investments in Different Levels of Capital Structure****.* From time to time, the Fund and the Other Clients can be expected to make investments at different levels of an issuer's capital structure or otherwise in different classes of an issuer's securities or loans, subject to the limitations of the 1940 Act. Such investments may inherently give rise to conflicts of interest or perceived conflicts of interest between or among the various classes of securities or loans that may be held by such entities. To the extent the Fund holds securities or loans that are different (including with respect to their relative seniority) than those held by an Other Client, Blackstone Credit & Insurance and its affiliates may be presented with decisions when the interests of the funds are in conflict. For example, conflicts could arise where the Fund lends funds to a portfolio company while an Other Client invests in equity securities of such portfolio company. In this circumstance, for example, if such portfolio company were to go into bankruptcy, become insolvent or otherwise be unable to meet its payment obligations or comply with its debt covenants, conflicts of interest could arise between the holders of different types of securities or loans as to what actions the portfolio company should take. In addition, purchases or sales of securities or loans for the account of the Fund (particularly marketable securities) will be bunched or aggregated with orders for Other Clients, including other funds. It is frequently not possible to receive the same price or execution on the entire volume of securities sold, and the various prices will, in certain circumstances, be averaged, which may be disadvantageous to the Fund. Further conflicts could arise after the Fund and Other Clients have made their respective initial investments. For example, if additional financing is necessary as a result of financial or other difficulties, it may not be in the best interests of the Fund to provide such additional financing. If the Other Clients were to lose their respective investments as a result of such difficulties, the ability of Blackstone Credit & Insurance to recommend actions in the best interests of the Fund might be impaired. Blackstone Credit & Insurance may in its discretion take steps to reduce the potential for adversity between the Fund and the Other Clients, including causing the Fund and/or such Other Clients to take certain actions that, in the absence of such conflict, it would not take. Such conflicts will be more difficult if the Fund and Other Clients hold significant or controlling interests in competing or different tranches of a portfolio company's capital structure. Equity holders and debt holders have different (and often competing) motives, incentives, liquidity goals and other interests with respect to a portfolio company. In addition, there may be circumstances where Blackstone Credit & Insurance agrees to implement certain procedures to ameliorate conflicts of interest that may involve a forbearance of rights relating to the Fund or Other Clients, such as where Blackstone Credit & Insurance may cause the Fund or Other Clients to decline to exercise certain control- and/ or foreclosure-related rights with respect to a portfolio company.

Further, the Fund is prohibited under the 1940 Act from participating in certain transactions with certain of its affiliates (including portfolio companies of Other Clients) without the prior approval of a majority of the independent members of the Board and, in some cases, the SEC. Any person that owns, directly or indirectly, 5% or more of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund will be an affiliate of the Fund for purposes of the 1940 Act and generally the Fund will be prohibited from buying or selling any securities from or to such affiliate, absent the prior approval of the Board. However, the Fund may under certain circumstances purchase any such affiliate's loans or securities in the secondary market, which could create a conflict for Blackstone Credit & Insurance between the Fund's interests and the interests of such affiliate, in that the ability of Blackstone Credit & Insurance to recommend actions in the Fund's best interest may be limited. The 1940 Act also prohibits certain "joint" transactions with certain affiliates, which could include investments in the same portfolio company (whether at the same or closely related times), without prior approval of the Board and, in some cases, the SEC.

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In addition, conflicts may arise in determining the amount of an investment, if any, to be allocated among potential investors and the respective terms thereof. There can be no assurance that any conflict will be resolved in favor of the Fund, and, subject to applicable law, a decision by Blackstone Credit & Insurance to take any particular action could have the effect of benefiting an Other Client and/or Blackstone Credit & Insurance and therefore may not have been in the best interests of, and may be adverse to, the Fund. There can be no assurance that the return on the Fund's investment will be equivalent to or better than the returns obtained by the Other Clients participating in the same or similar transactions. Shareholders will not receive any benefit from fees paid to any affiliate of Blackstone Credit & Insurance in respect of any Other Client's investment in a portfolio company , to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act.

***Related Financing Counterparties.*** The Fund can be expected to invest in companies or other entities in which Other Clients make an investment in a different part of the capital structure (and vice versa) subject to the requirements of the 1940 Act. Blackstone Credit & Insurance requests in the ordinary course proposals from lenders and other sources to provide financing to the Fund and its obligors. Blackstone Credit & Insurance takes into account various facts and circumstances it deems relevant in selecting financing sources, including whether a potential lender has expressed an interest in evaluating debt financing opportunities, whether a potential lender has a history of participating in debt financing opportunities generally and with the Firm in particular, the size of the potential lender's loan amount, the timing of the relevant cash requirement, the availability of other sources of financing, the creditworthiness of the lender, whether the potential lender has demonstrated a long-term or continuing commitment to the success of Blackstone, Blackstone Credit & Insurance and their funds, and such other factors that Blackstone and Blackstone Credit & Insurance deem relevant under the circumstances. The cost of debt alone is not determinative.

The Firm could have incentives to cause the Fund and its obligors to accept less favorable financing terms from a shareholder, Other Clients, their portfolio companies, Blackstone, and other parties with material relationships with the Firm than it would from a third party. If the Fund or a portfolio company occupies a more senior position in the capital structure than a shareholder, Other Client, their portfolio companies and other parties with material relationships with Blackstone, Blackstone could have an incentive to cause the Fund or portfolio company to offer more favorable financing terms to such parties. In the case of a related party financing between the Fund or its obligors, on the one hand, and Blackstone or Other Clients' portfolio companies, on the other hand, to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act, Blackstone Credit & Insurance could, but is not obligated to, rely on a third party agent to confirm the terms offered by the counterparty are consistent with market terms, or Blackstone Credit & Insurance could instead rely on its own internal analysis, which Blackstone Credit & Insurance believes is often superior to third party analysis given the Firm's scale in the market. If however any of the Firm, the Fund, an Other Client or any of their obligors or portfolio companies (as applicable) delegates to a third party, such as another member of a financing syndicate or a joint venture partner, the negotiation of the terms of the financing, the transaction will be assumed to be conducted on an arms-length basis, even though the participation of the Firm related vehicle impacts the market terms. For example, in the case of a loan extended to the Fund or a portfolio company by a financing syndicate in which an Other Client has agreed to participate on terms negotiated by a third party participant in the syndicate, it may have been necessary to offer better terms to the financing provider to fully subscribe the syndicate if the Other Client had not participated. It is also possible that the frequent participation of Other Clients in such syndicates could dampen interest among other potential financing providers, thereby lowering demand to participate in the syndicate and increasing the financing costs to the Fund. Blackstone Credit & Insurance does not believe either of these effects is significant, but no assurance can be given to shareholders that these effects will not be significant in any circumstance. Unless required by applicable law, Blackstone Credit & Insurance will not seek any consent or approvals from shareholders or the Board in the case of any of these conflicts.

The Firm could cause actions adverse to the Fund to be taken for the benefit of Other Clients that have made an investment more senior in the capital structure of a portfolio company than the Fund (*e.g.,* provide financing to a portfolio company, the equity of which is owned by the Fund) and, vice versa, actions will, in certain circumstances, be taken for the benefit of the Fund and its obligors that are adverse to Other Clients. The Firm could seek to implement procedures to mitigate conflicts of interest in these situations such as (i) a forbearance of rights, including some or all non-economic rights, by the Fund or relevant Other Client (or their respective obligors or portfolio companies, as the case may be) by, for example, agreeing to follow the vote of a third party in the same tranche of the capital structure, or otherwise deciding to recuse itself with respect to both normal course ongoing matters (such as consent rights with respect to loan modifications in intercreditor agreements) and also decisions on defaults, foreclosures, workouts, restructurings and other similar matters, (ii) causing the Fund or relevant Other Client (or their respective obligors or portfolio companies, as the case may be) to hold only a non-controlling interest in any such portfolio company, (iii) retaining a third party loan servicer, administrative agent or other agent to make decisions on behalf of the Fund or relevant Other Client (or their respective obligors or portfolio companies, as the case may be), or (iv) create groups of personnel within the Firm separated by

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information barriers (which can be expected to be temporary and limited purpose in nature), each of which would advise one of the clients that has a conflicting position with other clients. As an example, to the extent an Other Client holds an interest in a loan or security that is different (including with respect to relative seniority) than those held by the Fund or its obligors, the Firm may decline to exercise, or delegate to a third party, certain control, foreclosure and other similar governance rights of the Other Client. In these cases, the Firm would generally act on behalf of one of its clients, though the other client would generally retain certain control rights, such as the right to consent to certain actions taken by the trustee or administrative or other agent of the investment, including a release, waiver, forgiveness or reduction of any claim for principal or interest; extension of maturity date or due date of any payment of any principal or interest; release or substitution of any material collateral; release, waiver, termination or modification of any material provision of any guaranty or indemnity; subordination of any lien; and release, waiver or permission with respect to any covenants. The efficacy of following the vote of third-party creditors will be limited in circumstances where the Fund or Other Client acquires all or substantially all of a relevant instrument, tranche or class of securities.

In connection with negotiating loans and bank financings in respect of Blackstone Credit & Insurance-sponsored transactions, Blackstone Credit & Insurance will generally obtain the right to participate (for its own account or an Other Client) in a portion of the financings with respect to such Blackstone Credit & Insurance-sponsored transactions on the same terms negotiated by third parties with the Firm or other terms Blackstone Credit & Insurance determines to be consistent with the market. Although the Firm could rely on third parties to verify market terms, the Firm may nonetheless have influence on such third parties. No assurance can be given that negotiating with a third party, or verification of market terms by a third party, will ensure that the Fund and its obligors receive market terms.

In addition, it is anticipated that in a bankruptcy proceeding the Fund's interests will likely be subordinated or otherwise adverse to the interests of Other Clients with ownership positions that are more senior to those of the Fund. For example, an Other Client that has provided debt financing to an investment of the Fund may take actions for its benefit, particularly if the Fund's Investment is in financial distress, which adversely impact the value of the Fund's subordinated interests.

Although Other Clients can be expected to provide financing to the Fund and its obligors subject to the requirements of the 1940 Act, there can be no assurance that any Other Client will indeed provide any such financing with respect to any particular Investment. Participation by Other Clients in some but not all financings of the Fund and its obligors may adversely impact the ability of the Fund and its obligors to obtain financing from third parties when Other Clients do not participate, as it may serve as a negative signal to market participants.

Any financing provided by a shareholder or an affiliate to the Fund or a portfolio company is not a capital contribution to the Fund.

The respective investment programs of the Fund and the Other Clients may or may not be substantially similar. Blackstone Credit & Insurance and/or Blackstone may give advice to, and recommend securities for, Other Clients that may differ from advice given to, or securities recommended or bought for, the Fund, even though their investment objectives may be the same as or similar to those of the Fund. While Blackstone Credit & Insurance will seek to manage potential conflicts of interest in a fair and equitable manner, the portfolio strategies employed by Blackstone Credit & Insurance and Blackstone in managing their respective Other Clients are likely to conflict from time to time with the transactions and strategies employed by Blackstone Liquid Credit Strategies LLC in managing the Fund and may affect the prices and availability of the securities and instruments in which the Fund invests. Conversely, participation in specific investment opportunities may be appropriate, at times, for both the Fund and Other Clients. In any event, it is the policy of Blackstone Credit & Insurance to allocate investment opportunities and sale opportunities on a basis deemed by Blackstone Credit & Insurance, in its sole discretion, to be fair and equitable over time.

***Conflicting Fiduciary Duties to Debt Funds.*** Other Clients include funds and accounts that make investments in senior secured loans, distressed debt, subordinated debt, high-yield securities, commercial mortgage-backed securities and other debt instruments. As discussed above, it is expected that these Other Clients or investors therein will be offered the opportunity, subject to applicable law, to provide financing with respect to investments made by the Fund and its obligors. The Firm owes a fiduciary duty and/or other obligations to these Other Clients as well as to the Fund and will encounter conflicts in the exercise of these duties and/or obligations. For example, if an Other Client purchases high-yield securities or other debt instruments of a portfolio company of the Fund, or otherwise occupies a senior (or other different) position in the capital structure of an investment relative to the Fund, the Firm will encounter conflicts in providing advice to the Fund and to these Other Clients with regard to appropriate terms of such high-yield securities or other instruments, the enforcement of covenants, the terms of recapitalizations and the resolution of workouts or bankruptcies, among other matters. For example, in a bankruptcy proceeding, in circumstances where the Fund holds an equity investment in a portfolio company, the holders of such portfolio company's debt instruments (which may include one or more Other

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Clients) may take actions for their benefit (particularly in circumstances where such portfolio company faces financial difficulties or distress) that subordinate or adversely impact the value of the Fund's investment in such portfolio company. More commonly, the Fund could hold an investment that is senior in the capital structure, such as a debt instrument, to an Other Client. Although measures described above in "Related Financing Counterparties" above can mitigate these conflicts, they cannot completely eliminate them. These conflicts related to fiduciary duties to such Other Clients will not necessarily be resolved in favor of the Fund.

Similarly, certain Other Clients can be expected to invest in securities of publicly traded companies that are actual or potential investments of the Fund or its obligors. The trading activities of those vehicles may differ from or be inconsistent with activities that are undertaken for the account of the Fund or its obligors in any such securities or related securities. In addition, the Fund may not pursue an investment in a portfolio company otherwise within the investment strategy of the Fund as a result of such trading activities by Other Clients.

***Other Blackstone and Blackstone Credit & Insurance Clients; Allocation of Investment Opportunities.*** Certain inherent conflicts of interest arise from the fact that Blackstone Credit & Insurance and Blackstone provide investment management, advisory and sub- advisory services to the Fund and Other Clients.

The respective investment programs of the Fund and the Other Clients may or may not be substantially similar. Blackstone Credit & Insurance and/or Blackstone may give advice to, and recommend securities for, Other Clients that may differ from advice given to, or securities recommended or bought for, the Fund, even though their investment objectives may be the same as or similar to those of the Fund. While Blackstone Credit & Insurance will seek to manage potential conflicts of interest in a fair and equitable manner, the portfolio strategies employed by Blackstone Credit & Insurance and Blackstone in managing their respective Other Clients are likely to conflict from time to time with the transactions and strategies employed by Blackstone Credit & Insurance in managing the Fund and may affect the prices and availability of the securities and instruments in which the Fund invests. In addition, certain investment opportunities that fall within the Fund's investment objectives or strategy may be allocated in whole or in part (a) to Blackstone or Blackstone Credit & Insurance itself, such as strategic investments made by Blackstone or Blackstone Credit & Insurance itself (whether in financial institutions or otherwise), or (b) to Other Clients, such as Other Clients that have investment objectives or guidelines similar to or overlapping, in whole or in part, with the Fund to some extent, or pursue similar returns as the Fund but have a different investment strategy or objective.

***<u>Allocation Methodology Considerations</u>*** 

Blackstone Credit & Insurance will share any investment and sale opportunities with such Other Clients and the Fund in accordance with the Advisers Act, and Firm-wide allocation policies, which generally provide for sharing pro rata based on targeted acquisition size or targeted sale size.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, Blackstone Credit & Insurance may also consider the following factors in making any allocation determinations (which determinations shall be on a basis that Blackstone Credit & Insurance believes in good faith to be fair and reasonable), and such factors may result in a different allocation of investment and/or sale opportunities:

(i) the risk-return and target return profile of the proposed investment relative to the Fund's and the Other Clients' current risk profiles;

(ii) the Fund's and/or the Other Clients' investment strategies, mandates, guidelines, restrictions, terms, objectives, parameters, limitations and other contractual provisions, (including whether such objectives are considered solely in light of the specific investment under consideration or in the context of the respective portfolios' overall holdings), other contractual provisions (including Other Clients with minimum allocation provisions), focus (including investment focus on a classification attributable to an investment, such as maturity), parameters and investor preferences of the Fund and the Other Clients (including, without limitation, with respect to Other Clients that expect to invest in or alongside other funds or across asset classes based on expected return (such as certain managed accounts or other investment vehicles (whether now in existence or which may be established in the future)) with similar investment strategies and objectives);

(iii) diversification and concentration considerations in the Fund's or the Other Clients' portfolios (including the potential for the proposed investment to create an industry, sector, geography, region, location, market or issuer imbalance in the Fund's and Other Clients' portfolios, as applicable) and taking into account any existing non-pro rata investment positions in the portfolio of the Fund and Other Clients;

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(iv) liquidity considerations of the Fund and the relevant Other Clients, (including warehouse vehicles or arrangements (such as CLO warehouses and Blackstone-controlled or third party warehouse arrangements) established for the benefit of current Other Clients or potential future Other Clients), including during a ramp-up (which includes the period prior to or after the initial closing of an Other Client during which its manager is deploying funds already invested or committed (or that its manager anticipates will be invested or committed) and can continue for a period during an Other Client's fundraising and/or acceptance of future subscriptions as deemed appropriate by the Firm, including to protect against zero or de minimis allocations or in anticipation of future subscriptions) or wind-down of one or more of the Fund or such Other Clients, proximity to the end of the Fund's or Other Clients' specified term or investment period, any redemption/withdrawal requests, anticipated future contributions and available cash;

(v) legal, tax, accounting, political, national security and other considerations or consequences;

(vi) regulatory or contractual provisions, obligations, terms, considerations, restrictions or consequences relating to the Fund of Other Clients (including, without limitation, requirements under the 1940 Act and any related rules, orders, guidance or other authority applicable to the Fund or Other Blackstone Credit & Insurance Clients);

(vii) avoiding a de minimis or odd lot allocation;

(viii) availability and degree of leverage and any requirements or other terms of the investment, or of any existing leverage facilities;

(ix) the Fund's or Other Clients' investment focus on a classification attributable to an investment or issuer of an investment, including, without limitation, investment strategy, geography, location, industry or business sector;

(x) the nature and extent of involvement in the transaction on the part of the respective teams of investment professionals dedicated to the Fund or such Other Clients;

(xi) the management of any actual or potential conflict of interest;

(xii) with respect to investments that are made available to Blackstone Credit & Insurance by counterparties pursuant to negotiated trading platforms (*e.g.,* ISDA contracts), the absence of such relationships which may not be available to the Fund and all Other Clients;

(xiii) co-investment arrangements;

(xiv) available capital of the Fund and the Other Clients;

(xv) sourcing of the investment;

(xvi) the specific nature (including size, type, amount, liquidity, holding period, anticipated maturity and minimum investment criteria) of the investment;

(xvii) expected investment return;

(xviii) expected cash characteristics (such as cash-on-cash yield, distribution rates or volatility of cash flows);

(xix) capital expenditure required as part of the investment;

(xx) portfolio diversification and concentration concerns (including, but not limited to, whether a particular fund already has its desired exposure to the investment, sector, industry, geographic region or markets in question);

(xxi) relation to existing investments in a fund, if applicable (*e.g.,* "follow on" to existing investment, joint venture or other partner to existing investment, or same security as existing investment);

(xxii) timing expected to be necessary to execute an investment;

(xxiii) whether Blackstone Credit & Insurance believes that allocating investment opportunities to an investor will help establish, recognize, strengthen and/or cultivate relationships that may provide indirectly longer-term benefits (including strategic, sourcing or similar benefits) to the Fund, Other Clients and/or Blackstone; and

(xxiv) any other considerations deemed relevant by Blackstone Credit & Insurance in good faith.

Blackstone Credit & Insurance shall not have any obligation to present any investment opportunity (or portion of any investment opportunity) to the Fund if Blackstone Credit & Insurance determines in good faith that such opportunity (or portion thereof) should not be presented to the Fund for any one or a combination of the reasons specified above, or if Blackstone Credit & Insurance is otherwise restricted from presenting such investment opportunity to the Fund.

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Moreover, with respect to Blackstone Credit & Insurance's ability to allocate investment opportunities, including where such opportunities are within the common objectives and guidelines of the Fund and one or more Other Clients (which allocations are to be made on a basis that Blackstone Credit & Insurance believes in good faith to be fair and reasonable), Blackstone Credit & Insurance and Blackstone have established general guidelines and policies, which it may update from time to time, for determining how such allocations are to be made, which, among other things, set forth principles regarding what constitutes "debt" or "debt-like" investments, criteria for defining "control-oriented equity" or "infrastructure" investments, guidance regarding allocation for certain types of investments (*e.g.,* distressed energy) and other matters. In addition, certain Other Clients may receive certain priority or other allocation rights with respect to certain investments, subject to various conditions set forth in such Other Clients' respective governing agreements. The application of those guidelines and conditions may result in the Fund or Other Clients not participating (and/or not participating to the same extent) in certain investment opportunities in which they would have otherwise participated had the related allocations been determined without regard to such guidelines and conditions and based only on the circumstances of those particular investments. Additionally, investment opportunities sourced by Blackstone Credit & Insurance will be allocated in accordance with Blackstone's and Blackstone Credit & Insurance's allocation policies, which may provide that investment opportunities will be allocated in whole or in part to other business units of the Firm on a basis that Blackstone and Blackstone Credit & Insurance believe in good faith to be fair and reasonable, based on various factors, including the involvement of the respective teams from Blackstone Credit & Insurance and such other business units. It should also be noted that investment opportunities sourced by business units of the Firm other than Blackstone Credit & Insurance will be allocated in accordance with such business units' allocation policies, which will result in such investment opportunities being allocated, in whole or in part, away from Blackstone Credit & Insurance, the Fund and Other Blackstone Credit & Insurance Clients.

When Blackstone Credit & Insurance determines not to pursue some or all of an investment opportunity for the Fund that would otherwise be within the Fund's objectives and strategies, and Blackstone or Blackstone Credit & Insurance provides the opportunity or offers the opportunity to Other Clients, Blackstone or Blackstone Credit & Insurance, including their personnel (including Blackstone Credit & Insurance personnel), can be expected to receive compensation from the Other Clients, whether or not in respect of a particular investment, including an allocation of carried interest or referral fees, and any such compensation could be greater than amounts paid by the Fund to Blackstone Credit & Insurance. As a result, Blackstone Credit & Insurance (including Blackstone Credit & Insurance personnel who receive such compensation) could be incentivized to allocate investment opportunities away from the Fund to or source investment opportunities for Other Clients. In addition, in some cases Blackstone or Blackstone Credit & Insurance can be expected to earn greater fees when Other Clients participate alongside or instead of the Fund in an Investment.

Blackstone Credit & Insurance makes good faith determinations for allocation decisions based on expectations that will, in certain circumstances, prove inaccurate. Information unavailable to Blackstone Credit & Insurance, or circumstances not foreseen by Blackstone Credit & Insurance at the time of allocation, may cause an investment opportunity to yield a different return than expected. Conversely, an investment that Blackstone Credit & Insurance expects to be consistent with the Fund's objectives will, in certain circumstances, fail to achieve them.

Blackstone Credit & Insurance may, but will be under no obligation to, provide co-investment opportunities relating to investments made by the Fund to shareholders, Other Clients, and investors of such Other Clients, subject to the 1940 Act. Such co- investment opportunities may be offered to such parties in Blackstone Credit & Insurance's discretion. From time to time, Blackstone Credit & Insurance may form one or more funds or accounts to co-invest in transactions with the Fund (or transactions alongside any of the Fund and one or more Other Clients). Furthermore, for the avoidance of doubt, to the extent that the Fund has received its target amount in respect of an investment opportunity, any remaining portion of such investment opportunity initially allocated to the Fund may be allocated to Other Clients or to co-investors in Blackstone Credit & Insurance's discretion.

Orders may be combined for the Fund and all other participating Other Clients, and if any order is not filled at the same price, they may be allocated on an average price basis. Similarly, if an order on behalf of more than one account cannot be fully executed under prevailing market conditions, securities may be allocated among the different accounts on a basis that Blackstone Credit & Insurance or its affiliates consider equitable.

There may be circumstances, including in the case where there is a seller who is seeking to dispose of a pool or combination of assets, properties, securities or instruments, where the Fund and Other Clients participate, subject to applicable law, in a single or related transactions with a particular seller where certain of such assets, properties, securities or instruments are specifically allocated (in whole or in part) to any of the Fund and such Other Clients. The allocation of such specific items generally would be based on Blackstone Credit & Insurance's determination of, among

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other things, the expected returns for such items, and in any such case the combined purchase price paid to a seller would be allocated among the multiple assets, properties, securities or instruments based on a determination by the seller, by a third-party valuation firm and/or by Blackstone Credit & Insurance and its affiliates. Additionally, it can be expected that the Firm will, from time to time, enter into arrangements or strategic relationships with third parties, including other asset managers, financial firms or other businesses or companies, that, among other things, provide for referral, sourcing or sharing of investment opportunities. Blackstone or Blackstone Credit & Insurance may, in certain circumstances, pay management fees and performance- based compensation in connection with such arrangements. Blackstone or Blackstone Credit & Insurance may also provide for or receive reimbursement of certain expenses incurred or received in connection with these arrangements, including diligence expenses and general overhead, administrative, deal sourcing and related corporate expenses. The amount of such reimbursements may relate to allocations of co-investment opportunities and increase if certain co-investment allocations are not made. While it is possible that the Fund will, along with the Firm itself, benefit from the existence of those arrangements and/or relationships, it is also possible that investment opportunities that would otherwise be presented to or made by the Fund would instead be referred (in whole or in part) to such third party, or, as indicated above, to other third parties, either as a contractual obligation or otherwise, resulting in fewer opportunities (or reduced allocations) being made available to the Fund and/or shareholders. This means that co-investment opportunities that are sourced by the Fund may be allocated to investors that are not shareholders. For example, a firm with which the Firm has entered into a strategic relationship may be afforded with "first-call" rights on a particular category of investment opportunities, although there is not expected to be substantial overlap in the investment strategies and/or objectives between the Fund and any such firm.

***Certain Investments Inside the Fund's Strategy that are not Pursued by the Fund.*** Under certain circumstances, Blackstone or Blackstone Credit & Insurance can be expected to determine not to pursue some or all of an investment opportunity within the Fund's strategy, including without limitation, as a result of business, reputational or other reasons applicable to the Fund, Other Clients, their respective obligors or portfolio companies or Blackstone. In addition, Blackstone Credit & Insurance will, in certain circumstances, determine that the Fund should not pursue some or all of an investment opportunity, including, by way of example and without limitation, because the Fund has already invested sufficient capital in the investment, sector, industry, geographic region or markets in question, as determined by Blackstone Credit & Insurance in its sole discretion, or the investment is not appropriate for the Fund for other reasons as determined by Blackstone Credit & Insurance in its sole discretion. In any such case Blackstone or Blackstone Credit & Insurance could, thereafter, offer such opportunity to other parties, including Other Clients or portfolio companies or shareholders of the Fund or Other Clients, joint venture partners, related parties or third parties. Any such Other Clients may be advised by a different Blackstone or Blackstone Credit & Insurance business group with a different investment committee, which could determine an investment opportunity to be more attractive than Blackstone Credit & Insurance believes to be the case. In any event, there can be no assurance that Blackstone Credit & Insurance's assessment will prove correct or that the performance of any investments actually pursued by the Fund will be comparable to any investment opportunities that are not pursued by the Fund. Blackstone and Blackstone Credit & Insurance, including their personnel, may receive compensation from any such party that makes the investment, including an allocation of carried interest or referral fees, and any such compensation could be greater than amounts paid by the Fund to Blackstone Credit & Insurance. In some cases, Blackstone or Blackstone Credit & Insurance earns greater fees when Other Clients participate alongside or instead of the Fund in an Investment.

***Cross Transactions.*** Situations may arise where certain assets held by the Fund may be transferred to Other Clients and vice versa. Such transactions will be conducted in accordance with, and subject to, Blackstone Credit & Insurance's contractual obligations to the Fund and applicable law, including the 1940 Act and in accordance with the practices.

***Fund Co-Investment Opportunities.*** As a registered investment company under the 1940 Act, the Fund is subject to certain limitations relating to co-investments and joint transactions with affiliates, which likely will in certain circumstances limit the Fund's ability to make investments or enter into other transactions alongside the Other Clients. There can be no assurance that such regulatory restrictions will not adversely affect the Fund's ability to capitalize on attractive investment opportunities. However, subject to the 1940 Act, the Fund may co-invest with Other Clients (including co-investment or other vehicles in which the Firm or its personnel invest and that co-invest with such Other Clients) in investments that are suitable for the Fund and one or more of such Other Clients. Even if the Fund and any such Other Clients and/or co- investment or other vehicles invest in the same securities, conflicts of interest may still arise.

***Investments in Portfolio Companies Alongside Other Clients.*** From time to time, the Fund will co-invest with Other Clients (including co-investment or other vehicles in which the Firm or its personnel invest and that co-invest with such Other Clients) in investments that are suitable for both the Fund and such Other Clients, as permitted by applicable law. Even if the Fund and any such Other Clients invest in the same securities or loans, conflicts of interest may still arise. For

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example, it is possible that as a result of legal, tax, regulatory, accounting or other considerations, the terms of such investment (and divestment thereof) (including with respect to price and timing) for the Fund and such other funds and vehicles may not be the same. Additionally, the Fund and such Other Clients and/or vehicles will generally have different investment periods and/or investment objectives (including return profiles) and Blackstone Credit & Insurance, as a result, may have conflicting goals with respect to the price and timing of disposition opportunities. Such Other Clients may also have certain governance rights for legal, regulatory or other reasons that the Fund will not have. As such, subject to applicable law, the Fund and/or such Other Clients may dispose of any such shared investment at different times and on different terms.

***Debt Financings and Investments in connection with Acquisitions and Dispositions/Refinancings.*** The Fund may from time to time, make investments that involve financing as part of a third party purchaser's bid for, or acquisition of, a portfolio entity or the underlying assets thereof owned by one or more Other Clients. This generally would include the circumstance where the Fund is making commitments to provide financing at or prior to the time such third party purchaser commits to purchase such investments or assets from one or more Other Clients. The Fund may also make investments and provide debt financing with respect to obligors in which Other Clients and/or affiliates hold or propose to acquire an interest, including when such investments or debt financing would result in the repayment of (or otherwise provide liquidity with respect to) an Other Client's existing investment. While the terms and conditions of any such arrangements will generally be at arm's length and negotiated on a case by case basis, the involvement of the Fund and/or such Other Clients or affiliates may affect the terms of such transactions or arrangements and/or may otherwise influence Blackstone's decisions with respect to the management of the Fund and/or such Other Clients or the relevant portfolio company, as applicable, which may give rise to potential or actual conflicts of interest and which could adversely impact the Fund.

***Firm Involvement in Financing of Third Party Dispositions by the Fund***. The Fund may from time to time to dispose of all or a portion of an investment by way of accepting a third-party purchaser's bid where the Firm or one or more Other Clients is providing financing as part of such bid or acquisition of the investment or underlying assets thereof. This generally would include the circumstance where the Firm or one or more Other Clients is making commitments to provide financing at or prior to the time such third-party purchaser commits to purchase such investments or assets from the Fund. Such involvement of the Firm or one or more Other Clients as such a provider of debt financing in connection with the potential acquisition of portfolio investments by third parties from the Fund may give rise to potential or actual conflicts of interest.

***Material, Non-Public Information.*** Blackstone Credit & Insurance will come into possession of confidential information with respect to an Issuer and other actual or prospective portfolio companies. Blackstone Credit & Insurance can be restricted from buying, originating or selling securities, loans, or derivatives on behalf of the Fund until such time as the information becomes public or is no longer deemed material such that it would preclude the Fund from participating in an investment. Disclosure of such information to Blackstone Credit & Insurance's personnel responsible for the affairs of the Fund will be on a need-to-know basis only, and the Fund may not be free to act upon any such information. Therefore, the Fund may not have access to confidential information in the possession of Blackstone Credit & Insurance that might be relevant to an investment decision to be made for the Fund. In addition, Blackstone Credit & Insurance, in an effort to avoid buying or selling restrictions on behalf of the Fund or Other Clients, can choose to forego an opportunity to receive (or elect not to receive) information that other market participants or counterparties, including those with the same positions in the issuer as the Fund, are eligible to receive or have received, even if possession of such information would otherwise be advantageous to the Fund.

***Break-up and other Similar Fees****.* Break-up or topping fees with respect to the Fund's investments can be paid to Blackstone Credit & Insurance. Alternatively, the Fund could receive the break-up or topping fees directly. Break-up or topping fees paid to Blackstone Credit & Insurance or the Fund in connection with a transaction could be allocated, or not, to Other Clients or co- investment vehicles that invest (or are expected to invest) alongside the Fund, as determined by Blackstone Credit & Insurance to be appropriate in the circumstances. Generally, Blackstone Credit & Insurance would not allocate break-up or topping fees with respect to a potential investment to the Fund, an Other Client or co-investment vehicle unless such person would also share in broken deal expenses related to the potential investment. In the case of fees for services as a director of a portfolio company, the management fee will not be reduced to the extent any Firm personnel continues to serve as a director after the Fund has exited (or is in the process of exiting) the applicable portfolio company and/or following the termination of such employee's employment with the Firm. For the avoidance of doubt, although the financial advisory and restructuring business of Blackstone has been spun out, to the extent any investment banking fees, consulting (including management consulting) fees, syndication fees, capital markets syndication and advisory fees (including underwriting fees), origination fees, servicing fees, healthcare consulting / brokerage fees, fees

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relating to group purchasing, financial advisory fees and similar fees for arranging acquisitions and other major financial restructurings, loan servicing and/or other types of insurance fees, operations fees, financing fees, fees for asset services, title insurance fees, data management and services fees or payments and other similar fees and annual retainers (whether in cash or in kind) are received by Blackstone, such fees will not be required to be shared with the Fund or shareholders and will not reduce the management fee payable by the Fund.

***Broken Deal Expenses****.* Any expenses that may be incurred by the Fund for actual investments as described herein may also be incurred by the Fund with respect to broken deals (*i.e.,* investments that are not consummated). Unless required by law or regulation, Blackstone Credit & Insurance is not required to and in most circumstances will not seek reimbursement of broken deal expenses (*i.e.*, expenses incurred in pursuit of an investment that is not consummated) from third parties, including counterparties to the potential transaction or potential co-investors. Examples of such broken deal expenses include, but are not limited to, reverse termination fees, extraordinary expenses such as litigation costs and judgments, meals, travel and entertainment expenses incurred, deposits or down payments which are forfeited in connection with unconsumed transactions, costs of negotiating co-investment documentation, the costs from onboarding investment entities with a financial institution, and legal, accounting, tax, printing and publishing expenses, and legal, accounting, tax, printing expenses, other due diligence and pursuit costs and expenses and broken deal expenses associated with services provided by portfolio companies. Any such broken deal expenses could, in the sole discretion of Blackstone Credit & Insurance, be allocated solely to the Fund and not to Other Clients or co-investment vehicles that could have made the investment, even when the Other Client or co-investment vehicle commonly invests alongside the Fund in its investments or the Firm or Other Clients in their investments. In such cases, the Fund's shares of expenses would increase. In the event broken deal expenses are allocated to an Other Client or a co-investment vehicle, Blackstone Credit & Insurance will, in certain circumstances, advance such fees and expenses without charging interest until paid by the Other Client or co-investment vehicle, as applicable.

***Other Firm Business Activities.*** The Firm, Other Clients, their obligors/portfolio companies, and personnel and related parties of the foregoing will receive fees and compensation, including performance-based and other incentive fees, for products and services provided to the Fund and its obligors, such as fees for asset management (including, without limitation, management fees and carried interest/incentive arrangements), development and property management; portfolio operations support (such as those provided by Blackstone's Portfolio Operations Group; arranging, underwriting(including without limitation, evaluation regarding value creation opportunities and ESG risk mitigation); syndication or refinancing of a loan or investment(or other additional fees, including acquisition fees, loan modification or restructuring fees); servicing, loan servicing; special servicing; administrative services; advisory services on purchase or sale of an asset or company; advisory services; investment banking and capital markets services; treasury and valuation services; placement agent services; fund administration; internal legal and tax planning services; information technology products and services; insurance procurement; brokerage solutions and risk management services; data extraction and management products and services; fees for monitoring and oversight of loans or title insurance provided to portfolio companies or third parties; and other products and services (including but not limited to restructuring, consulting, monitoring, commitment, syndication, origination, organization and financing, and divestment services). For example, the Firm or Other Client may, directly or indirectly through a portfolio entity, from time to time acquire loans or other assets and/or Other Clients, and may receive syndication or other fees in connection therewith. Such parties will also provide products and services for fees to the Firm, Other Clients and their obligors/portfolio companies, and their personnel and related parties, as applicable, as well as third parties. Further, such parties could provide products and services for fees to the Fund, Other Clients and their obligors/portfolio companies in circumstances where third-party service providers are concurrently providing similar services to the Fund, Other Clients and their obligors/portfolio companies. Through its Innovations group, Blackstone incubates (or otherwise invests in) businesses that can be expected to provide goods and services to the Fund (subject to the requirements of the 1940 Act and applicable guidance) and Other Clients and their obligors/portfolio companies, as well as other Firm-related parties and third parties. By contracting for a product or service from a business related to the Firm, the Fund and its obligors would provide not only current income to the business and its stakeholders, but could also create significant enterprise value in them, which would not be shared with the Fund or shareholders and could benefit the Firm directly and indirectly. Also, the Firm, Other Clients and their obligors/portfolio companies, and their personnel and related parties may receive compensation or other benefits, such as through additional ownership interests or otherwise, directly related to the consumption of products and services by the Fund and its obligors. The Fund and its obligors will incur expense in negotiating for any such fees and services, which will be treated as Fund Expenses. In addition, the Firm may receive fees associated with capital invested by co-investors relating to investments in which the Fund participates or otherwise, in connection with a joint venture in which the Fund participates (subject to the 1940 Act) or otherwise with respect to assets or other interests retained by a seller or other

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commercial counterparty with respect to which the Firm performs services. Finally, the Firm and its personnel and related parties may also receive compensation in connection with origination activities, referrals and other related activities of such business incubated by the Blackstone Innovations group, and unconsummated transactions.

Blackstone Credit & Insurance, Other Clients and their portfolio companies, and their affiliates, personnel and related parties could continue to receive fees, including performance-based or incentive fees, for the services described in the preceding paragraphs with respect to investments sold by the Fund or a portfolio company to a third party buyer after the sale is consummated. Such post-disposition involvement will give rise to potential or actual conflicts of interest, particularly in the sale process. Moreover, Blackstone Credit & Insurance, Other Clients and their portfolio companies, and their affiliates, personnel and related parties may acquire a stake in the relevant asset as part of the overall service relationship, at the time of the sale or thereafter.

Blackstone Credit & Insurance does not have any obligation to ensure that fees for products and services contracted by the Fund or its obligors are at market rates unless the counterparty is considered an affiliate of the Firm and given the breadth of the Firm's investments and activities Blackstone Credit & Insurance may not be aware of every commercial arrangement between the Fund and its obligors, on the one hand, and the Firm, Other Clients and their obligors/portfolio companies, and personnel and related parties of the foregoing, on the other hand.

Except as set forth above, the Fund and shareholders will not receive the benefit (*e.g.,* through a reduction to the management fee or otherwise) of any fees or other compensation or benefit received by Blackstone Credit & Insurance, its affiliates or their personnel and related parties. (See also "—Service Providers, Vendors and Other Counterparties Generally" and "—Other Firm Business Activities.")

***Securities and Lending Activities.*** Blackstone, its affiliates and their related parties and personnel will from time to time participate in underwriting or lending syndicates with respect to current or potential portfolio companies, or may otherwise act as arrangers of financing, including with respect to the public offering and/or private placement of debt or equity securities issued by, or loan proceeds borrowed by the Fund and its obligors, or otherwise in arranging financing (including loans) for such obligors or advise on such transactions. Such underwritings, financings or engagements may be on a firm commitment basis or may be on an uncommitted "best efforts" basis, and the underwriting or financing parties are under no duty to provide any commitment unless specifically set forth in the relevant contract. Blackstone can also be expected to provide, either alone or alongside third parties performing similar services, placement, financial advisory or other similar services to purchasers or sellers of securities (including in connection with primary offerings, secondary transactions and/ or transactions involving special purpose acquisition companies), including loans or instruments issued by portfolio companies. There may also be circumstances in which the Fund commits to purchase any portion of such issuance from the portfolio company that a Blackstone broker-dealer intends to syndicate to third parties. As a result thereof, subject to the limitations of the 1940 Act, Blackstone may receive commissions or other compensation, thereby creating a potential conflict of interest. This could include, by way of example, fees and/or commissions for equity syndications to co- investment vehicles. In certain cases, subject to the limitations of the 1940 Act, a Blackstone broker-dealer will, from time to time, act as the managing underwriter, or a member of the underwriting syndicate or broker for the Fund or its obligors, or as dealer, broker or advisor to a counterparty to the Fund or a portfolio company, and purchase securities from or sell securities to the Fund, Other Clients or obligors/portfolio companies of the Fund or Other Clients or advise on such transactions. Blackstone will also from time to time, on behalf of the Fund or other parties to a transaction involving the Fund or its obligors, effect transactions, including transactions in the secondary markets that result in commissions or other compensation paid to Blackstone by the Fund or its obligors or the counterparty to the transaction, thereby creating a potential conflict of interest. This could include, by way of example, fees and/or commissions for equity syndications to co-investment vehicles. Subject to applicable law, Blackstone will from time to time receive underwriting fees, discounts, placement commissions, loan modification or restructuring fees, servicing fees, capital markets fees, advisory fees (including capital markets advisory fees), lending arrangement fees, asset/property management fees, insurance (including title insurance) fees and consulting fees, monitoring fees, commitment fees, syndication fees, origination fees, organizational fees, operational fees, loan servicing fees, and financing and divestment fees (or, in each case, rebates in lieu of any such fees, whether in the form of purchase price discounts or otherwise, even in cases where Blackstone, an Other Client or its portfolio companies are purchasing debt) or other compensation with respect to the foregoing activities, which are not required to be shared with the Fund. In addition, the management fee with respect to the Fund generally will not be reduced by such amounts. Therefore, Blackstone will from time to time have a potential conflict of interest regarding the Fund and the other parties to those transactions to the extent it receives commissions, discounts or other compensation from such other parties. The Board, in its sole discretion, will approve any transactions, subject to the limitations of the 1940 Act, in which a Blackstone broker-dealer acts as an underwriter, as broker for the Fund, or as

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dealer, broker or advisor, on the other side of a transaction with the Fund only where the Board believes that such transactions are appropriate for the Fund and, by investing in Shares, a shareholder consents to all such transactions, along with the other transactions involving conflicts of interest described herein, to the fullest extent permitted by law.

Sales of loans or securities for the account of the Fund and its portfolio companies will from time to time be bunched or aggregated with orders for other accounts of the Firm including Other Clients. It could be impossible, as determined by Blackstone Credit & Insurance in its sole discretion, to receive the same price or execution on the entire volume of securities sold, and the various prices will, in certain circumstances, therefore be averaged which may be disadvantageous to the Fund.

When Blackstone serves as underwriter with respect to securities of the Fund or its obligors, the Fund and such obligors could from time to time be subject to a "lock-up" period following the offering under applicable regulations during which time the Fund or portfolio company would be unable to sell any securities subject to the "lock-up." This may prejudice the ability of the Fund and its obligors to dispose of such securities at an opportune time. In addition, Blackstone Capital Markets may serve as underwriter in connection with the sale of securities by the Fund or its obligors. Conflicts may arise because such engagement would result in Blackstone Capital Markets receiving selling commissions or other compensation in connection with such sale. (See also "—Obligor/Portfolio Company Relationships Generally" below.)

Blackstone and Blackstone Credit & Insurance employees are generally permitted to invest in alternative investment funds, real estate funds, hedge funds or other investment vehicles, including potential competitors of the Fund. The Fund will not receive any benefit from any such investments.

***PJT Partners Inc.*** On October 1, 2015, Blackstone spun off its financial and strategic advisory services, restructuring and reorganization advisory services, and its Park Hill fund placement businesses and combined these businesses with PJT Partners Inc. ("PJT"), an independent financial advisory firm founded by Paul J. Taubman. While the combined business operates independently from Blackstone and is not an affiliate thereof, it is expected that there will be substantial overlapping ownership between Blackstone and PJT for a considerable period of time going forward. Therefore, conflicts of interest will arise in connection with transactions between or involving the Fund and its obligors, on the one hand, and PJT, on the other. The pre-existing relationship between Blackstone and its former personnel involved in financial and strategic advisory services at PJT, the overlapping ownership and co-investment and other continuing arrangements between PJT and Blackstone may influence Blackstone Credit & Insurance to select or recommend PJT to perform services for the Fund or its obligors, the cost of which will generally be borne directly or indirectly by the Fund. Given that PJT is no longer an affiliate of Blackstone, Blackstone Credit & Insurance and its affiliates will be free to cause the Fund and portfolio companies to transact with PJT generally without restriction under the applicable governing documents, notwithstanding the relationship between Blackstone and PJT.

***Obligor/Portfolio Company Relationships Generally.*** The Fund's obligors are expected to be counterparties to or participants in agreements, transactions or other arrangements with portfolio companies of Other Clients or other Blackstone affiliates for the provision of goods and services, purchase and sale of assets and other matters. Although the Firm may determine that such agreements, transactions or other arrangements are consistent with the requirements of such Other Clients' offering and/or governing agreements, such agreements, transactions or other arrangements may not have otherwise been entered into but for the affiliation with Blackstone Credit & Insurance and/or Blackstone. These agreements, transactions or other agreements involve fees, commissions, servicing payments and/or discounts to Blackstone Credit & Insurance, any Blackstone affiliate (including personnel) or a portfolio company, none of which reduce the management fee payable by the Fund). For example, the Firm may cause, or offer the opportunity to, portfolio companies to enter into agreements regarding benefits management, purchase of title and/or other insurance policies (which may be pooled across portfolio companies and discounted due to scale) and other operational, administrative or management related matters from a third party or a Firm affiliate, and other similar operational initiatives that may result in commissions or similar payments, including related to a portion of the savings achieved by the portfolio company. Such agreements, transactions or other arrangements may be entered into without the consent or direct involvement of the Fund and/or such Other Client or the consent of the Board and/or shareholders of the Fund or such Other Client (including, without limitation, in the case of minority and/or non-controlling investments by the Fund in such portfolio companies or the sale of assets from one portfolio company to another) and/or such Other Client. In any such case, the Fund may not be involved in the negotiation process, and there can be no assurance that the terms of any such agreement, transaction or other arrangement will be as favorable to the Fund as otherwise would be the case if the counterparty were not related to the Firm.

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In addition, it is possible that certain portfolio companies of Other Clients or companies in which Other Clients have an interest will compete with the Fund for one or more investment opportunities and/or engage in activities that may have adverse consequences on the Fund and/or its obligors. As an example of the latter, the laws and regulations of certain jurisdictions (*e.g.,* bankruptcy, environmental, consumer protection and/or labor laws) may not recognize the segregation of assets and liabilities as between separate entities and may permit recourse against the assets of not just the entity that has incurred the liabilities, but also the other entities that are under common control with, or part of the same economic group as, such entity. In such circumstances, the assets of the Fund and/or its obligors may be used to satisfy the obligations or liabilities of one or more Other Clients, their portfolio companies and/or affiliates.

In addition, Blackstone and affiliates of Blackstone may also establish other investment products, vehicles and platforms focusing on specific asset classes or industry sectors that fall within the Fund's investment strategy, which may compete with the Fund for investment opportunities (it being understood that such arrangements may give rise to conflicts of interest that may not necessarily be resolved in favor of the Fund).

Certain portfolio companies may have established or invested in, or may in the future establish or invest in, vehicles that are managed exclusively by the portfolio company (and not the Fund or the Firm or any of its affiliates) and that invest in asset classes or industry sectors (such as cyber security) that fall within the Fund's investment strategy. Such vehicles, which may not be considered affiliates of the Firm and would not be subject to the Firm's policies and procedures, may compete with the Fund for investment opportunities. Portfolio companies and affiliates of the Firm may also establish other investment products, vehicles and platforms focusing on specific asset classes or industry sectors (such as reinsurance) that may compete with the Fund for investment opportunities (it being understood that such arrangements may give rise to conflicts of interest that may not necessarily be resolved in favor of the Fund). In addition, the Fund may hold non-controlling interests in certain portfolio companies and, as a result, such portfolio companies could engage in activities outside of the Fund's control that may have adverse consequences on the Fund and/or its other obligors.

Blackstone has also entered into certain investment management arrangements whereby it provides investment management services for compensation to insurance companies including (i) FGL Holdings which was formerly known as Fidelity & Guaranty Life Insurance Company and was acquired by Fidelity National Financial Inc., and certain of its affiliates ("FGL"), (ii) Everlake Life Insurance Company and certain of its affiliates ("Everlake") and (iii) certain subsidiaries of Corebridge Financial, Inc. ("Corebridge"),and (iv) certain subsidiaries of Resolution Life Group Holdings Ltd. ("Resolution Life"). As of the date of this Memorandum, Everlake is a portfolio entity of Other Blackstone Clients which involve investments across a variety of asset classes (including investments that may otherwise be appropriate for the Fund) and Blackstone has acquired a 9.9% equity interest in the parent company of Corebridge. As a result, in addition to the compensation Blackstone receives for providing investment management services to insurance companies in which Blackstone or an Other Blackstone Client owns an interest, in certain instances Blackstone receives additional compensation in its capacity as an indirect owner of such insurance companies and/or Other Blackstone Clients. In the future Blackstone will likely enter into similar arrangements with other portfolio companies of the Fund, Other Blackstone Clients or other insurance companies. Such arrangements may reduce the allocations of investments to the Fund, and Blackstone may be incentivized to allocate investments away from the Fund to the counterparties to such investment management arrangements or other vehicles/ accounts to the extent the economic arrangements related thereto are more favorable to Blackstone relative to the terms of the Fund.

Further, obligors with respect to which the Fund may elect members of the board of directors or a managing member could, as a result, subject the Fund and/or such directors or managing member to fiduciary obligations to make decisions that they believe to be in the best interests of any such portfolio company. Although in most cases the interests of the Fund and any such portfolio company will be aligned, this may not always be the case. This may create conflicts of interest between the relevant director's or managing member's obligations to any such portfolio company and its stakeholders, on the one hand, and the interests of the Fund, on the other hand. Although Blackstone Credit & Insurance will generally seek to minimize the impact of any such conflicts, there can be no assurance they will be resolved favorably for the Fund.

***Obligor/Portfolio Company Service Providers and Vendors****.* Subject to applicable law, the Fund, Other Clients, obligors/portfolio companies of each of the foregoing and Blackstone Credit & Insurance can be expected to engage obligors/portfolio companies of the Fund and Other Clients to provide some or all of the following services: (a) corporate support services (including, without limitation, accounts payable, accounts receivable, accounting/audit (including valuation support services), account management, insurance, procurement, placement, brokerage, consulting, cash management, corporate secretarial services, domiciliation, data management, directorship services, finance/budget, human resources, information technology/systems support, internal compliance, know-your-client reviews and refreshes,

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judicial processes, legal, environmental due diligence support (e.g., review of property condition reports), operational coordination (*i.e.,* coordination with JV partners, property managers), risk management, reporting, such as tax reporting, debt reporting or other), tax and treasury, tax analysis and compliance (*e.g.,* CIT and VAT compliance), transfer pricing and internal risk control, treasury and valuation services); (b) loan services (including, without limitation, monitoring, restructuring and work-out of performing, sub-performing and nonperforming loans, administrative services, and cash management); (c) management services (*i.e.,* management by a portfolio company, Blackstone affiliate or third party (*e.g.,* a third-party manager) of operational services); (d) operational services (*i.e.,* general management of day-to-day operations); (e) risk management (tax and treasury); (f) insurance procurement, placement, brokerage and consulting services; and (g) other services. Similarly, Blackstone Credit & Insurance, Other Clients and their portfolio companies can be expected to engage obligors of the Fund to provide some or all of these services. Some of the services performed by portfolio company service providers could also be performed by Blackstone Credit & Insurance from time to time and vice versa. Fees paid by the Fund or its obligors to the other portfolio company service providers do not reduce the management fee payable by the Fund and are not otherwise shared with the Fund. Portfolio company service providers described in this section are generally owned and controlled by one or more Other Clients. In certain instances, a similar company could be owned and controlled by Blackstone directly.

Obligors/portfolio companies of the Fund and Other Clients some of which can be expected to provide services to the Fund and its obligors include, without limitation, the following, and may include additional obligors that may be formed or acquired in the future:

**BTIG, LLC ("BTIG").** BTIG is a global financial services firm in which certain Blackstone entities own a strategic minority investment. BTIG provides institutional trading, investment banking, research and related brokerage services and may provide goods and services for the Fund or its obligors.

**Optiv.** Optiv Security, Inc. is a portfolio company held by certain Blackstone private equity funds that provides a full slate of information security services and solutions and may provide goods and services for the Fund and its obligors.

**PSAV.** PSAV, Inc. is a portfolio company held by certain Blackstone private equity funds that provides outsourced audiovisual services and event production and may provide goods and services for the Fund and its obligors.

**Refinitiv.** On October 1, 2018, a consortium led by Blackstone announced that private equity funds managed by Blackstone had completed an acquisition of Thomson Reuters' Financial & Risk business ("Refinitiv"). On January 29, 2021, Refinitiv was sold to London Stock Exchange Group ("LSEG"), with certain Other Clients receiving a minority stake in LSEG. Refinitiv provides goods and perform services for the Fund, its obligors Other Clients and Blackstone.

**Kryalos Investments S.r.l. ("Kryalos").** Blackstone through one or more Other Clients has made a minority investment in Kryalos, an operating partner in certain real estate investments made by Other Clients. Kryalos may perform services for the Fund and its portfolio companies.

**Peridot Financial Services ("Peridot") and Global Supply Chain Finance ("GSCF").** Blackstone through one or more of its funds has made majority investments into Peridot and GSCF, which provide supply chain financing and accounts receivable services globally.

**RE Tech Advisors ("RE Tech").** RE Tech is a portfolio company of certain Other Clients that is an energy audit/consulting firm that identifies and implements energy efficiency programs, calculates return on investment and tracks performance post-completion. RE Tech is expected to perform services for the Fund, its obligors/ portfolio companies and Other Clients and Blackstone.

**Therma Holdings.** Therma Holdings LLC is a portfolio company held by certain Blackstone private equity funds that provides carbon reduction and energy management services and may provide goods and services for the Fund and its obligors/portfolio companies.

**Revantage.** Revantage is a portfolio entity of certain Blackstone Clients that provides corporate support services, including, without limitation, accounting, legal, tax, treasury, information technology and human resources and operational services and management services. Revantage is expected to perform services for the Fund, Other Clients and Blackstone.

The Fund and its obligors will compensate one or more of these service providers and vendors owned by the Fund or Other Clients, including through incentive based compensation payable to their management teams and other related parties. The incentive based compensation paid with respect to a portfolio company or asset of the Fund or Other Clients will vary from the incentive based compensation paid with respect to other portfolio companies and assets of the Fund

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and Other Clients; as a result the management team or other related parties can be expected to have greater incentives with respect to certain assets and portfolio companies relative to others, and the performance of certain assets and portfolio companies may provide incentives to retain management that also service other assets and portfolio companies. Some of these service providers and vendors owned or controlled by the Fund or Other Clients will charge the Fund and its obligors for goods and services at rates generally consistent with those available in the market for similar goods and services. The discussion regarding the determination of market rates under "Firm Affiliated Service Providers" herein applies equally in respect of the fees and expenses of the portfolio company service providers, if charged at rates generally consistent with those available in the market. Other service providers and vendors owned and/or controlled by the Fund or Other Clients pass through expenses on a cost reimbursement, no-profit, revenue, purchase and sale price, capital spend or break-even basis (even if third party customers or clients are charged on a different basis), in which case the service provider allocates costs and expenses directly associated with work performed for the benefit of the Fund and its obligors to them, along with any related tax costs and an allocation of the service provider's overhead, including any of the following: salaries, wages, benefits and travel expenses; marketing and advertising fees and expenses; legal, accounting and other professional fees and disbursements; office space (including, without limitation, rent and refurbishment costs and office space) and equipment; insurance premiums; technology expenditures, including hardware and software costs; costs to engage recruitment firms to hire employees; diligence expenses; one-time costs, including costs related to building-out and winding-down a portfolio company; costs that are of a limited duration or non-recurring (such as start-up or technology build-up costs, one-time technology and systems implementation costs, employee on- boarding and severance payments, and readiness of initial public offering and other infrastructure costs); taxes and/or liabilities determined by Blackstone based on applicable marginal tax rates; and other operating and capital expenditures. Any of the foregoing costs (including in prior periods, such as where any such costs are amortized over an extended period), although allocated in a particular period, will, in certain circumstances, relate to activities occurring outside the period, and further will, in certain circumstances, be of a general and administrative nature that is not specifically related to particular services, and therefore the Fund could pay more than its pro rata portion of fees for services. The allocation of overhead among the entities and assets to which services are provided can be expected to be based on any of a number of different methodologies, including, without limitation, "cost" basis as described above, "time- allocation" basis, "per unit" basis, "per square footage" basis or "fixed percentage" basis, and the particular methodology used to allocate such overhead among the entities and assets to which services are provided are expected to vary depending on the types of services provided and the applicable asset class involved, and could, in certain circumstances, change from one period to another. There can be no assurance that a different manner of allocation would result in the Fund and its obligors bearing less or more costs and expenses. In certain instances, particularly where such service providers and vendors are located in Europe or Asia, such service providers and vendors will charge the Fund and its portfolio companies for goods and services at cost plus a percentage of cost for transfer pricing or other tax, legal, regulatory, accounting or other reasons. The Firm is not expected to perform or obtain benchmarking analysis or third- party verification of expenses with respect to services provided on a cost reimbursement, no profit or break even basis. There can be no assurances that amounts charged by portfolio company service providers that are not controlled by the Fund or Other Clients will be consistent with market rates or that any benchmarking, verification or other analysis will be performed with respect to such charges. In addition, while it is expected that the Fund or Other Clients will engage in long-term or recurring contracts with the obligor service providers, Blackstone Credit & Insurance may not seek to benchmark or otherwise renegotiate the original fee arrangement for a significant period of time. If benchmarking is performed, the related expenses will be borne by the Fund, Other Clients and their respective obligors/portfolio companies and will not reduce the management fee. A portfolio company service provider will, in certain circumstances, subcontract certain of its responsibilities to other portfolio companies. In such circumstances, the relevant subcontractor could invoice the portfolio company for fees (or in the case of a cost reimbursement arrangement, for allocable costs and expenses) in respect of the services provided by the subcontractor. The portfolio company, if charging on a cost reimbursement, no-profit or break-even basis, would in turn allocate those costs and expenses as it allocates other fees and expenses as described above. Similarly, Other Clients, their portfolio companies and Blackstone Credit & Insurance can be expected to engage portfolio companies of the Fund to provide services, and these portfolio companies will generally charge for services in the same manner described above, but the Fund and its obligors generally will not be reimbursed for any costs (such as start-up costs) relating to such portfolio companies incurred prior to such engagement. Some of the services performed by these service providers could also be performed by Blackstone Credit & Insurance from time to time and vice versa. Fees paid by the Fund or its obligors to these service providers do not the offset or reduce the management fee payable to Blackstone Credit & Insurance.

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The Firm has a practice of not entering into any arrangements with advisors, vendors or service providers that provide lower rates or discounts to the Firm itself compared to those it enters into on behalf of the Fund and its obligors for the same services. However, legal fees for unconsummated transactions are often charged at a discounted rate, such that if the Fund and its obligors consummate a higher percentage of transactions with a particular law firm than the Firm, the Fund, Other Clients and their obligors/portfolio companies, shareholders could indirectly pay a higher net effective rate for the services of that law firm than the Firm, the Fund or Other Clients or their obligors/portfolio companies. Also, advisors, vendors and service providers often charge different rates or have different arrangements for different types of services. For example, advisors, vendors and service providers often charge fees based on the complexity of the matter as well as the expertise and time required to handle it. Therefore, to the extent the types of services used by the Fund and its obligors are different from those used by the Firm, Other Clients and their portfolio companies, and their affiliates and personnel, the Fund and its obligors can be expected to pay different amounts or rates than those paid by such other persons. Similarly, the Firm, the Fund, the Other Clients and their obligors/portfolio companies and affiliates can be expected to enter into agreements or other arrangements with vendors and other similar counterparties (whether such counterparties are affiliated or unaffiliated with the Firm) from time to time whereby such counterparty will, in certain circumstances, charge lower rates (or no fee) or provide discounts or rebates for such counterparty's products or services depending on the volume of transactions in the aggregate or other factors.

Subject to applicable law, the Fund, Other Clients and their obligors/portfolio companies are expected to enter into joint ventures with third parties to which the service providers and vendors described above will, in certain circumstances, provide services. In some of these cases, the third party joint venture partner may negotiate to not pay its pro rata share of fees, costs and expenses to be allocated as described above, in which case the Fund, Other Clients and their obligors/ portfolio companies that also use the services of the portfolio company service provider will, directly or indirectly, pay the difference, or the portfolio company service provider will bear a loss equal to the difference.

The Firm may, from time to time, encourage service providers to funds and investments to use, generally at market rates and/or on arm's length terms, the Firm-affiliated (and/or on the basis of best execution, if applicable), service providers in connection with the business of the Fund, obligors/portfolio companies, and unaffiliated entities. This practice provides an indirect benefit to the Firm in the form of added business for the Firm-affiliated service providers.

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Certain obligors/portfolio companies that provide services to the Fund, Other Clients and/or obligors/portfolio companies or assets of the Fund and/or Other Clients may be transferred between and among the Fund and/or Other Clients (where the Fund may be a seller or a buyer in any such transfer) for minimal or no consideration (based on a third party valuation confirming the same). Such transfers may give rise to actual or potential conflicts of interest for Blackstone Credit & Insurance.

***Firm Affiliated Service Providers****.* Certain of the Fund's, the Firm's and/or obligor/portfolio companies' advisers and other service providers, or their affiliates (including accountants, administrators, lenders, bankers, brokers, attorneys, consultants, and investment or commercial banking firms) also provide goods or services to, or have business, personal, financial or other relationships with, the Firm, its affiliates and portfolio companies. Such advisers and service providers (or their affiliates) may be investors in the Fund, affiliates of the Firm, sources of investment opportunities, co-investors, commercial counterparties and/or portfolio companies in which the Firm and/or the Fund has an investment. Accordingly, payments to such entities may indirectly benefit the Fund and/or its affiliates, including the Firm and Other Clients. In addition to the service providers (including obligor/portfolio company service providers) and vendors described above, the Fund and its obligors/portfolio companies will engage in transactions with one or more businesses that are owned or controlled by the Firm directly, not through one of its funds, including the businesses described below. These businesses will, in certain circumstances, also enter into transactions with other counterparties of the Fund and its obligors/portfolio companies, as well as service providers and vendors. The Firm could benefit from these transactions and activities through current income and creation of enterprise value in these businesses. No fees charged by these service providers and vendors will reduce the management fees payable to Blackstone Credit & Insurance. Furthermore, the Firm, the Other Clients and their portfolio companies and their affiliates and related parties will use the services of these Firm affiliates, including at different rates. Although the Firm believes the services provided by its affiliates are equal or better than those of third parties, the Firm directly benefits from the engagement of these affiliates, and there is therefore an inherent conflict of interest such as those described above.

Because the Firm has many different businesses, including the Blackstone Capital Markets Group, which Blackstone investment teams and portfolio companies may engage to provide underwriting and capital market advisory services, it is subject to a number of actual and potential conflicts of interest, greater regulatory oversight and more legal and contractual restrictions than that to which it would be subject if it had just one line of business. To the extent Blackstone determines appropriate, conflict mitigation strategies may be put in place with respect to a particular circumstance, such as internal information barriers or recusal, disclosure or other steps determined appropriate by Blackstone Credit & Insurance. Service providers affiliated with the Firm, which are generally expected to receive competitive market rate fees (as determined by Blackstone Credit & Insurance or its affiliates) with respect to certain Investments, include:

**Aquicore.** Aquicore is a cloud-based platform that tracks, analyzes and predicts key metrics in real estate with a focus on the reduction of energy consumption. Blackstone holds a minority investment in Aquicore.

**Equity Healthcare LLC ("Equity Healthcare")**. Equity Healthcare is a Blackstone affiliate that negotiates with providers of standard administrative services for health benefit plans and other related services for cost discounts, quality of service monitoring, data services and clinical consulting. Because of the combined purchasing power of its client participants, which include unaffiliated third parties, Equity Healthcare is able to negotiate pricing terms that are believed to be more favorable than those that the portfolio companies could obtain for themselves on an individual basis. The fees received by Equity Healthcare in connection with such services provided to investments will not reduce the management fee payable by the Fund.

**Lexington National Land Services ("LNLS")**. Blackstone wholly owns a leading national title agency, LNLS, a title agent company. LNLS may act as an agent for one or more underwriters in issuing title policies and/or providing support services in connection with investments by the Fund, Other Clients and third parties, including, from time to time, Blackstone's borrowers. LNLS focuses on transactions in rate-regulated U.S. states where the cost of title insurance is non-negotiable. LNLS will not perform services in nonregulated U.S. states for the Fund and Other Clients unless (i) in the context of a portfolio transaction that includes assets in rate- regulated U.S. states, (ii) as part of a syndicate of title insurance companies where the rate is negotiated by other insurers or their agents, (iii) when a third party is paying all or a material portion of the premium or (iv) when providing only support services to the underwriter and not negotiating the title policy or issuing it to the insured. LNLS earns fees, which would have otherwise been paid to third parties, by providing title agency services and facilitating the placement of title insurance with underwriters. Blackstone receives distributions from LNLS in connection with investments by the Fund based on its equity interest in LNLS. In each case, there will be no related

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reduction in management fees. As a result, while Blackstone believes that venture will provide services at or better than those provided by third parties (even in jurisdictions where insurance rates are regulated), there is an inherent conflict of interest that would incentivize Blackstone to engage LNLS over a third party.

**Refinitiv**. See "—Obligor/Portfolio Company Service Providers and Vendors."

In addition, Blackstone has acquired a 9.9% equity interest in the parent company of American International Group Inc.'s life and retirement business. As a result, in addition to the compensation Blackstone receives for providing investment management services to insurance companies in which Blackstone or an Other Blackstone Client owns an interest, in certain instances Blackstone receives additional compensation in its capacity as an indirect owner of such insurance companies and/or Other Blackstone Clients. Such arrangements may reduce the allocations of investments to the Fund, and Blackstone may be incentivized to allocate investments away from the Fund to the counterparties to such investment management arrangements or other vehicles/accounts to the extent the economic arrangements related thereto are more favorable to Blackstone relative to the terms of the Fund.

The Fund could participate alongside the Firm in the acquisition of a service provider. The Firm is expected to establish a valuation methodology in relation to any such sale or acquisition by the Fund of a service provider. In addition, before entering into any such transaction with respect to any such service provider, it is anticipated that the Firm will obtain any consents that may be required under the Advisers Act or other applicable laws or regulations.

Certain Blackstone-affiliated service providers and their respective personnel will receive a management promote, an incentive fee and other performance-based compensation in respect of investments, sales or other transaction volume. Furthermore, Blackstone-affiliated service providers may charge costs and expenses based on allocable overhead associated with personnel working on relevant matters (including salaries, benefits and other similar expenses).

In connection with such relationships, Blackstone Credit & Insurance and, if required by applicable law, the Board, will make determinations of competitive market rates based on its consideration of a number of factors, which are generally expected to include Blackstone Credit & Insurance's experience with non-affiliated service providers, benchmarking data and other methodologies determined by Blackstone Credit & Insurance to be appropriate under the circumstances (*i.e.,* rates that fall within a range that Blackstone Credit & Insurance has determined is reflective of rates in the applicable market and certain similar markets, though not necessarily equal to or lower than the median rate of comparable firms). In respect of benchmarking, while Blackstone Credit & Insurance often obtains benchmarking data regarding the rates charged or quoted by third parties for services similar to those provided by Blackstone Credit & Insurance affiliates in the applicable market or certain similar markets, relevant comparisons may not be available for a number of reasons, including, without limitation, as a result of a lack of a substantial market of providers or users of such services or the confidential or bespoke nature of such services (*e.g.,* different assets may receive different services). In addition, benchmarking data is based on general market and broad industry overviews, rather than determined on an asset by asset basis. As a result, benchmarking data does not take into account specific characteristics of individual assets then invested in by the Fund (such as location or size), or the particular characteristics of services provided. Further, it could be difficult to identify comparable third-party service providers that provide services of a similar scope and scale as the Firm-affiliated service providers that are the subject of the benchmarking analysis. For these reasons, such market comparisons may not result in precise market terms for comparable services. Expenses to obtain benchmarking data will be borne by the Fund, Other Clients and their respective obligors/portfolio companies and will not reduce the management fee. To the extent the Fund or Other Clients engage in a long-term or recurring contract with a Blackstone-affiliated service provider, Blackstone Credit & Insurance may not seek to benchmark or otherwise renegotiate the original fee arrangement for a significant period of time. Finally, in certain circumstances Blackstone Credit & Insurance can be expected to determine that third party benchmarking is unnecessary, either because the price for a particular good or service is mandated by law (*e.g.,* title insurance in rate regulated states) or because in Blackstone Credit & Insurance's view no comparable service provider offering such good or service (or an insufficient number of comparable service providers for a reasonable comparison) exists or because Blackstone Credit & Insurance has access to adequate market data to make the determination without reference to third party benchmarking. For example, certain portfolio companies may enter into an employer health program arrangement or similar arrangements with Equity Healthcare, a Blackstone affiliate that negotiates with providers of standard administrative services and insurance carriers for health benefit plans and other related services for cost discounts, quality of service monitoring, data services and clinical consulting. Because of the combined purchasing power of its client participants, Equity Healthcare is able to negotiate pricing terms from providers that are believed to be more favorable than the companies could obtain for themselves on an individual basis. The payments made to Blackstone in connection with Equity Healthcare, group purchasing, insurance and benefits management will not reduce the management fee payable to Blackstone Credit & Insurance.

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Advisers and service providers, or their affiliates, often charge different rates, including below-market or no fee, or have different arrangements for different types of services. With respect to service providers, for example, the fee for a given type of work may vary depending on the complexity of the matter as well as the expertise required and demands placed on the service provider. Therefore, to the extent the types of services used by the Fund and/or portfolio companies differ from those used by the Firm and its affiliates (including personnel), Blackstone Credit & Insurance and/or Blackstone or their respective affiliates (including personnel) may pay different amounts or rates than those paid by the Fund and/or portfolio companies. However, Blackstone Credit & Insurance and its affiliates have a longstanding practice of not entering into any arrangements with advisers or service providers that could provide for lower rates or discounts than those available to the Fund, Other Clients and/or portfolio companies for the same services. Furthermore, advisers and service providers may provide services exclusively to the Firm and its affiliates, including the Fund, Other Clients and their obligors/portfolio companies, although such advisers and service providers would not be considered employees of Blackstone or Blackstone Credit & Insurance. Similarly, Blackstone, Blackstone Credit & Insurance, each of their respective affiliates, the Fund, the Other Clients and/or their obligors/portfolio companies, may enter into agreements or other arrangements with vendors and other similar counterparties (whether such counterparties are affiliated or unaffiliated with the Firm) from time to time whereby such counterparty may charge lower rates (or no fee) and/or provide discounts or rebates for such counterparty's products and/or services depending on certain factors, including volume of transactions entered into with such counterparty by the Firm, its affiliates, the Fund, the Other Clients and their obligors/portfolio companies in the aggregate.

In addition, investment banks or other financial institutions, as well as Blackstone employees, may also be investors in the Fund. These institutions and employees are a potential source of information and ideas that could benefit the Fund. Blackstone has procedures in place reasonably designed to prevent the inappropriate use of such information by the Fund.

***Transactions with Portfolio Companies.*** The Firm and obligors/portfolio companies of the Fund and Other Clients operate in multiple industries and provide products and services to or otherwise contract with the Fund and its obligors, among others. In the alternative, the Firm may form a joint venture with such a company to implement such referral arrangement. For example, such arrangements may include the establishment of a joint venture or other business arrangement between the Firm, on the one hand, and a portfolio company of the Fund, portfolio company of an Other Client or third party, on the other hand, pursuant to which the joint venture or business provides services (including, without limitation, corporate support services, loan management services, management services, operational services, ongoing account services (e.g., interacting and coordinating with banks generally and with regard to their know your client requirements), risk management services, data management services, consulting services, brokerage services, insurance procurement, placement, brokerage, sustainability and clean energy and consulting services, and other services) to obligors of the Fund (and portfolio companies of Other Clients) that are referred to the joint venture or business by the Firm. The Firm, the Fund and Other Clients and their respective obligors/portfolio companies and personnel and related parties of the foregoing can be expected to make referrals or introductions to obligors/portfolio companies of the Fund or Other Clients in an effort, in part, to increase the customer base of such companies or businesses (and therefore the value of the investment held by the Fund or Other Client, which would also benefit the Firm financially through its participation in such joint venture or business) or because such referrals or introductions will, in certain circumstances, result in financial benefits, such as cash payments, additional equity ownership, participation in revenue share and/or milestones benefitting the referring or introducing party that are tied or related to participation by the obligors/portfolio companies of the Fund and/or of Other Clients, accruing to the party making the introduction. Such joint venture or business could use data obtained from such portfolio entities (see "—Data" herein). Furthermore, such introductions or referrals may involve the transfer of certain personnel or employees among the Firm and obligors of the Fund and Other Clients, which may result in a termination fee or similar payments being due and payable from one such entity to another. The Fund and shareholders will not share in any fees, economics, equity or other benefits accruing to the Firm, Other Clients and their portfolio companies as a result of the introduction of the Fund and its obligors. Moreover, payments made to the Firm in connection with such arrangements will not reduce the management fee payable to Blackstone Credit & Insurance. There may, however, be instances in which the applicable arrangements provide that the Fund or its obligors share in some or all of any resulting financial incentives (including, in some cases, cash payments, additional equity ownership, participation in revenue share and/or milestones) based on structures and allocation methodologies determined in the sole discretion of the Firm. Conversely, where the Fund or one of its obligors is the referring or introducing party, rather than receiving all of the financial incentives (including, in some cases, cash payments, additional equity ownership, participation in revenue share and/or milestones) for similar types of referrals and/or introductions, such financial incentives (including, in some cases, equity ownership) may be similarly shared with the participating Other Clients or their respective portfolio companies.

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The Firm is also permitted to enter into commercial relationships with third party companies, including those in which the Fund considered making an investment (but ultimately chose not to pursue). For example, the Firm may enter into an introducer engagement with such company, pursuant to which the Firm introduces the company to unaffiliated third parties (which may include current and former portfolio companies and portfolio companies of Other Clients and/or their respective employees) in exchange for a fee from, or equity interest in, such company. Even though the Firm may benefit financially from this commercial relationship, the Firm will be under no obligation to reimburse the Fund for Broken Deal Expenses incurred in connection with its consideration of the prospective investment and such arrangements will not be subject to the management fee payable to Blackstone Credit & Insurance and otherwise described herein.

Additionally, the Firm or an affiliate thereof will from time to time hold equity or other investments in companies or businesses that provide services to or otherwise contract with portfolio companies. Blackstone and Blackstone Credit & Insurance have in the past entered (and can be expected in the future to enter) into relationships with companies in the information technology, corporate services and related industries whereby Blackstone acquires an equity or similar interest in such company. In connection with such relationships, Blackstone and/or Blackstone Credit & Insurance may also make referrals and/or introductions to portfolio companies (which may result in financial incentives (including additional equity ownership) and/or milestones benefitting Blackstone and/or Blackstone Credit & Insurance that are tied or related to participation by portfolio companies). Such joint venture or business could use data obtained from obligors of the Fund and/or portfolio companies of Other Clients. These arrangements may be entered into without the consent or direct involvement of the Fund. The Fund and shareholders will not share in any fees or economics accruing to Blackstone and/or Blackstone Credit & Insurance as a result of these relationships and/or participation by portfolio companies.

With respect to transactions or agreements with portfolio companies (including, for the avoidance of doubt, long-term incentive plans), at times if officers unrelated to the Firm have not yet been appointed to represent a portfolio company, the Firm may negotiate and execute agreements between the Firm and/or the Fund on the one hand, and the portfolio company or its affiliates, on the other hand, without arm's length representation of the portfolio company, which could entail a conflict of interest in relation to efforts to enter into terms that are arm's length. Among the measures the Firm can be expected to use to mitigate such conflicts are to involve outside counsel to review and advise on such agreements and provide insights into commercially reasonable terms, or establish separate groups with information barriers within the Firm to advise on each side of the negotiation.

***Related Party Leasing****.* Subject to applicable law, the Fund and its obligors will, in certain circumstances, lease property to or from Blackstone, Other Clients and their portfolio companies and affiliates and other related parties. The leases are generally expected to, but may not always, be at market rates. Blackstone may confirm market rates by reference to other leases it is aware of in the market, which Blackstone expects to be generally indicative of the market given the scale of Blackstone's real estate business and with regard to other decisions related to such assets and investments. Blackstone can be expected to, but may not always, nonetheless have conflicts of interest in making these determinations, and with regard to other decisions related to such assets and investments. There can be no assurance that the Fund and its obligors will lease to or from any such related parties on terms as favorable to the Fund and its obligors as would apply if the counterparties were unrelated.

***Cross-Guarantees and Cross-Collateralization****.* While Blackstone Credit & Insurance generally seeks to use reasonable efforts to avoid cross-guarantees and other similar arrangements, a counterparty, lender or other participant in any transaction to be pursued by the Fund (other than alternative investment vehicles) and/or the Other Clients may require or prefer facing only one fund entity or group of entities, which may result in any of the Fund, such Other Clients, the portfolio companies, such Other Clients' portfolio companies and/or other vehicles being jointly and severally liable for such applicable obligation (subject to any limitations set forth in the applicable partnership agreements or other governing documents thereof), which in each case may result in the Fund, such Other Clients, such portfolio companies, and/or vehicles entering into a back-to- back or other similar reimbursement agreement, subject to applicable law. In such situation, better financing terms may be available through a cross-collateralized arrangement, but it is not expected that any of the Fund or such Other Clients or vehicles would be compensated (or provide compensation to the other) for being primarily liable vis-à -vis such third party counterparty. Also, it is expected that cross-collateralization will generally occur at portfolio companies rather than the Fund for obligations that are not recourse to the Fund except in limited circumstances such as "bad boy" events. Any cross-collateralization arrangements with Other Clients could result in the Fund losing its interests in otherwise performing investments due to poorly performing or non-performing investments of Other Clients in the collateral pool or such persons otherwise defaulting on their obligations under the terms of such arrangements.

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Similarly, a lender could require that it face only one portfolio company of the Fund and Other Clients, even though multiple obligors of the Fund and Other Clients benefit from the lending, which will typically result in (i) the portfolio company facing the lender being solely liable with respect to the entire obligation, and therefore being required to contribute amounts in respect of the shortfall attributable to other portfolio companies, and (ii) obligors of the Fund and Other Clients being jointly and severally liable for the full amount of the obligation, liable on a cross-collateralized basis or liable for an equity cushion (which cushion amount may vary depending upon the type of financing or refinancing (*e.g.,* cushions for refinancings may be smaller)). The obligor/portfolio companies of the Fund and Other Clients benefiting from a financing may enter into a back-to-back or other similar reimbursement agreements to ensure no obligor/portfolio company bears more than its pro rata portion of the debt and related obligations. It is not expected that the obligors/ portfolio companies would be compensated (or provide compensation to other portfolio companies) for being primarily liable, or jointly liable, for other portfolio companies pro rata share of any financing.

***Diverse Shareholder Group.*** Shareholders are expected to be based in a wide variety of jurisdictions and take a wide variety of forms. Shareholders may have conflicting investment, tax and other interests with respect to their investments in the Fund and with respect to the interests of investors in other investment vehicles managed or advised by Blackstone Credit & Insurance that may participate in the same investments as the Fund, and investor personnel may have incentives or conflicts with respect to their investments in the Fund or Other Clients, including matters Blackstone Credit & Insurance is not aware of, such as interests in Blackstone. The conflicting interests of individual shareholders with respect to other shareholders and relative to investors in other investment vehicles would generally relate to or arise from, among other things, the nature of investments made by the Fund and such other partnerships, the structuring or the acquisition of investments, financing, tax profile and timing of disposition of investments. As a consequence, conflicts of interest will, in certain circumstances, arise in connection with the decisions made by Blackstone Credit & Insurance, including with respect to the nature or structuring of investments that can be expected to be more beneficial for one investor than for another investor, especially with respect to investors' individual tax situations. In addition, the Fund can be expected to make investments that will, in certain circumstances, have a negative impact on related investments made by shareholders in separate transactions, such as credit investments that, by consequence of the exercise of remedies related to rush investments, adversely impact equity-like investments in respect to those same issuers. In selecting and structuring investments appropriate for the Fund, Blackstone Credit & Insurance will consider the investment and tax objectives of the Fund and shareholders (and those of investors in other investment vehicles managed or advised by Blackstone Credit & Insurance) as a whole, not the investment, tax or other objectives of any shareholder individually.

In addition, certain shareholders also could be investors in Other Clients, including supplemental capital vehicles and co- investment vehicles that may invest alongside the Fund in one or more investments, consistent with applicable law. Shareholders also may include affiliates of the Firm, such as Other Clients, affiliates of obligors/portfolio companies of the Fund or Other Clients, charities, foundations or other entities or programs associated with Firm personnel and/or current or former Firm employees, the Firm's senior advisors and/or operating partners and any affiliates, funds or persons can be expected to also invest in the Fund through the vehicles established in connection with the Firm's side-by- side co-investment rights, subject to applicable law, in each case, without being subject to management fees, and shareholders will not be afforded the benefits of such arrangements. Some of the foregoing Firm related parties are sponsors of feeder vehicles that could invest in the Fund as shareholders. The Firm related sponsors of feeder vehicles generally charge their investors additional fees, including performance based fees, which could provide the Firm current income and increase the value of its ownership position in them. The Firm will therefore have incentives to refer potential investors to these feeder vehicles. All of these Firm related shareholders will have equivalent rights to vote and withhold consents as nonrelated shareholders. Nonetheless, the Firm may have the ability to influence, directly or indirectly, these Firm related shareholders. It is also possible that the Fund or its obligors will, in certain circumstances, be a counterparty (such counterparties dealt with on an arm's-length basis) or participant in agreements, transactions or other arrangements with a shareholder or an affiliate of a shareholder (which may occur in connection with such shareholder or its affiliates making an investment in the Fund or Other Clients), including with respect to one or more investments (or types of investments). Such transactions may include agreements to pay performance fees to operating partners, a management team and other related persons in connection with the Fund's investment therein, which will reduce the Fund's returns. Such shareholders described in the previous sentences can be expected to therefore have different information about the Firm and the Fund than shareholders not similarly positioned. In addition, conflicts of interest will, in certain circumstances, arise in dealing with any such shareholders, and Blackstone Credit & Insurance and its affiliates may be motivated to enter into agreements, transactions or arrangements with shareholders or their affiliates in order to secure capital commitments from investors in Other Clients and may otherwise be motivated by factors other than the interests of the Fund. Similar information disparity may occur as a result of shareholders monitoring their investments in vehicles such as the Fund differently. For example, certain shareholders can be expected to periodically request from Blackstone Credit

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& Insurance information regarding the Fund, its investments and/or obligors that is not otherwise set forth in (or has yet to be set forth) in the reporting and other information required to be delivered to all shareholders. In such circumstances, Blackstone Credit & Insurance may provide such information to such shareholders, subject to applicable law and regulations. Unless required by applicable law, Blackstone Credit & Insurance will not be obligated to affirmatively provide such information to all shareholders (although Blackstone Credit & Insurance will generally provide the same information upon request and treat shareholders equally in that regard). As a result, certain shareholders may have more information about the Fund than other shareholders, and, unless required by applicable law, Blackstone Credit & Insurance will have no duty to ensure all shareholders seek, obtain or process the same information regarding the Fund, its investments and/or obligors. Therefore, certain shareholders can be expected to be able to take actions on the basis of such information which, in the absence of such information, other shareholders do not take. Furthermore, at certain times the Firm will, in certain circumstances, be restricted from disclosing to shareholders material non-public information regarding any assets in which the Fund invests, particularly those investments in which an Other Client or portfolio company that is publicly registered co-invests with the Fund. In addition, investment banks or other financial institutions, as well as Firm personnel, can be expected to also be shareholders. These institutions and personnel are a potential source of information and ideas that could benefit the Fund, and can be expected to receive information about the Fund and its obligors in their capacity as a service provider or vendor to the Fund and its obligors.

***Possible Future Activities.*** The Firm and its affiliates may expand the range of services that it provides over time. Except as provided herein, the Firm and its affiliates will not be restricted in the scope of its business or in the performance of any such services (whether now offered or undertaken in the future) even if such activities could give rise to conflicts of interest, and whether or not such conflicts are described herein. The Firm and its affiliates have, and will continue to develop, relationships with a significant number of companies, financial sponsors and their senior managers, including relationships with clients who may hold or may have held investments similar to those intended to be made by the Fund. These clients may themselves represent appropriate investment opportunities for the Fund or may compete with the Fund for investment opportunities.

***Restrictions Arising under the Securities Laws.*** The Firm's activities and the activities of Other Clients (including the holding of securities positions or having one of its employees on the board of directors of a portfolio company) could result in securities law restrictions on transactions in securities held by the Fund, affect the prices of such securities or the ability of such entities to purchase, retain or dispose of such investments, or otherwise create conflicts of interest, any of which could have an adverse impact on the performance of the Fund and thus the return to shareholders.

The 1940 Act may limit the Fund's ability to undertake certain transactions with or alongside its affiliates that are registered under the 1940 Act. As a result of these restrictions, the Fund may be prohibited from executing "joint" transactions with the Fund's 1940 Act registered affiliates, which could include investments in the same portfolio company (whether at the same or different times) or buying investments from, or selling them to, Other Clients. These limitations may limit the scope of investment opportunities that would otherwise be available to the Fund.

***Shareholders' Outside Activities****.* A shareholder shall be entitled to and can be expected to have business interests and engage in activities in addition to those relating to the Fund, including business interests and activities in direct competition with the Fund and its obligors, and may engage in transactions with, and provide services to, the Fund or its obligors (which may include providing leverage or other financing to the Fund or its obligors as determined by Blackstone Credit & Insurance in its sole discretion). None of the Fund, any shareholder or any other person shall have any rights by virtue of the Fund's operative documents in any business ventures of any shareholder. Shareholders, and in certain cases Blackstone Credit & Insurance, will have conflicting loyalties in these situations.

***Technological and Scientific Innovations.*** Recent technological and scientific innovations have disrupted numerous established industries and those with incumbent power in them. As technological and scientific innovation continues to advance rapidly, it could impact one or more of the Fund's strategies. Moreover, given the pace of innovation in recent years, the impact on a particular Investment may not have been foreseeable at the time the Fund made such Investment and may adversely impact the Fund and/or its obligors/portfolio companies. Furthermore, Blackstone Credit & Insurance could base investment decisions on views about the direction or degree of innovation that prove inaccurate and lead to losses.

***Additional Potential Conflicts of Interest.*** The officers, directors, members, managers, employees and personnel of Blackstone Credit & Insurance can be expected to trade in securities and make personal investments for their own accounts, subject to restrictions and reporting requirements as may be required by law or the Firm's policies, or otherwise determined from time to time by Blackstone Credit & Insurance. In addition, certain Other Clients may be subject to the 1940 Act or other regulations that, due to the role of the Firm, could restrict the ability of the Fund to buy investments

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from, to sell investments to or to invest in the same securities as, such Other Clients. Such regulations may have the effect of limiting the investment opportunities available to the Fund. Such personal securities transactions and investments will, in certain circumstances, result in conflicts of interest, including to the extent they relate to (i) a company in which the Fund holds or acquires an investment (either directly through a privately negotiated investment or indirectly through the purchase of securities or other traded instruments related thereto) and (ii) entities that have interests which are adverse to those of the Fund or pursue similar investment opportunities as the Fund. In addition, as a consequence of Blackstone's status as a public company, the officers, directors, members, managers and personnel of Blackstone Credit & Insurance can be expected to take into account certain considerations and other factors in connection with the management of the business and affairs of the Fund and its affiliates that would not necessarily be taken into account if Blackstone were not a public company. The directors of Blackstone have fiduciary duties to shareholders of the public company that may conflict with their duties to the Fund. Finally, although the Firm believes its positive reputation in the marketplace provides benefit to the Fund and Other Clients, Blackstone Credit & Insurance could decline to undertake investment activity or transact with a counterparty on behalf of the Fund for reputational reasons, and this decision could result in the Fund foregoing a profit or suffering a loss.

**DoubleLine ETFs (the "Funds")**

The following table lists the number and types of accounts managed by each of the key professionals involved in the day-to-day portfolio management for each Fund and assets under management in those accounts. The total number of accounts and assets have been allocated to each respective manager. Therefore, some accounts and assets have been counted twice.

**Other Accounts Managed as of June 30, 2025** 

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| | | | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Portfolio Manager** | **Registered**<br> **Investment**<br> **Company**<br> **Accounts\***<br>| **Assets**<br> **Managed**<br> **(billions)**<br>| **Other**<br> **Pooled**<br> **Investment**<br> **Vehicle**<br> **Accounts\*\***<br>| **Assets**<br> **Managed**<br> **(billions)**<br>| **Other**<br> **Accounts\*\*\***<br>| **Assets**<br> **Managed**<br> **(billions)**<br>| **Total**<br> **Assets**<br> **Managed**<br> **(billions)**<br>|
| Mark Christensen | &nbsp;&nbsp; [] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] | &nbsp;&nbsp; [] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] | &nbsp;&nbsp; [] <br><sup>(1)</sup><br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] <br><sup>(1)</sup><br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] |
| Jeffrey Gundlach | &nbsp;&nbsp; [] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] | &nbsp;&nbsp; [] <br><sup>(2)</sup><br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] <br><sup>(2)</sup><br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; [] <br><sup>(3)</sup><br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] <br><sup>(3)</sup><br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] |
| Su Fei Koo | &nbsp;&nbsp; [] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] | &nbsp;&nbsp; [] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] | &nbsp;&nbsp; [] <br><sup>(1)</sup><br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] <br><sup>(1)</sup><br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] |
| Luz Padilla | &nbsp;&nbsp; [] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] | &nbsp;&nbsp; [] <br><sup>(4)</sup><br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] <br><sup>(4)</sup><br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; [] <br><sup>(1)</sup><br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] <br><sup>(1)</sup><br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] |
| Jeffrey Sherman | &nbsp;&nbsp; [] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] | &nbsp;&nbsp; [] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] | &nbsp;&nbsp; [] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] |

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\*

"Registered Investment Companies" include only those funds for which a portfolio manager is listed in the prospectus.

\*\*

"Pooled Investment Vehicle" indicates private accounts and undertakings for collective investments in transferable securities.

\*\*\*

"Other" indicates DoubleLine's view of the portfolio manager primarily responsible to manage those accounts.

<sup>(1)</sup>

Includes 1 account (totaling $[] million in assets under management) with performance-based fees.

<sup>(2)</sup>

Includes 2 accounts (totaling $[] million in assets under management) with performance-based fees.

<sup>(3)</sup>

Includes 3 accounts (totaling $[] billion in assets under management) with performance-based fees.

<sup>(4)</sup>

Includes 1 account (totaling $[] million in assets under management) with performance-based fees.

The portfolio managers listed above did not beneficially own any interests of any Fund as of June 30, 2025.

<u>Compensation:</u>

The overall objective of the compensation program for the portfolio managers employed by the Sub-Adviser is for the Sub-Adviser to attract competent and expert investment professionals and to retain them over the long-term. Compensation is comprised of several components which, in the aggregate, are designed to achieve these objectives and to reward the Sub-Adviser's portfolio managers for their contribution to the success of the clients and the Sub-Adviser. The Sub-Adviser Portfolio managers are compensated through a combination of base salary, discretionary bonus and, in some cases, equity participation in the Sub-Adviser.

*Salary.* Salary is agreed to with managers at time of employment and is reviewed from time to time. It does not change significantly and often does not constitute a significant part of portfolio managers' compensation.

*Discretionary Bonus/Guaranteed Minimums.* Portfolio managers receive discretionary bonuses. However, in some cases, pursuant to contractual arrangements, some portfolio managers may be entitled to a mandatory minimum bonus if the sum of their salary and profit sharing does not reach certain levels.

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*Equity Incentives.* Some portfolio managers participate in equity incentives based on overall firm performance of the Sub-Adviser, through direct ownership interests in the Sub-Adviser. These ownership interests or participation interests provide eligible portfolio managers the opportunity to participate in the financial performance of the Sub-Adviser. Participation is generally determined in the discretion of the Sub-Adviser, taking into account factors relevant to the portfolio manager's contribution to the success of the Sub-Adviser.

*Other Plans and Compensation Vehicles.* Portfolio managers may elect to participate in the Sub-Adviser's 401(k) plan, to which they may contribute a portion of their pre- and post-tax compensation to the plan for investment on a tax-deferred basis. The Sub-Adviser may also choose, from time to time, to offer certain other compensation plans and vehicles, such as a deferred compensation plan, to portfolio managers.

*Summary.* As described above, an investment professional's total compensation is determined through a subjective process that evaluates numerous quantitative and qualitative factors, including the contribution made to the overall investment process. Not all factors apply to each employee and there is no particular weighting or formula for considering certain factors. Among the factors considered are: relative investment performance of portfolios (although there are no specific benchmarks or periods of time used in measuring performance); complexity of investment strategies; participation in the investment team's dialogue; contribution to business results and overall business strategy; success of marketing/business development efforts and client servicing; seniority/length of service with the firm; management and supervisory responsibilities; and fulfillment of the Sub-Adviser's leadership criteria.

<u>Potential Conflicts of Interest:</u>

The Sub-Adviser seeks to identify potential conflicts of interest resulting from a portfolio manager's management of both the Funds and other accounts, and has adopted policies and procedures designed to address such potential conflicts.

From time to time, potential and actual conflicts of interest may arise between a portfolio manager's management of the investments of a Fund, on the one hand, and the management of other accounts, on the other. Potential and actual conflicts of interest also may result because of the Sub-Adviser's other business activities. Other accounts managed by a portfolio manager might have similar investment objectives or strategies as a Fund or otherwise hold, purchase, or sell securities that are eligible to be held, purchased or sold by a Fund. The other accounts might also have different investment objectives or strategies than a Fund.

<u>Knowledge and Timing of Fund Trades.</u> A potential conflict of interest may arise as a result of the portfolio manager's management of the Funds. Because of their positions with the Funds, the portfolio managers know the size, timing and possible market impact of each Fund's trades. It is theoretically possible that a portfolio manager could use this information to the advantage of other accounts under management, and also theoretically possible that actions could be taken (or not taken) to the detriment of a Fund.

<u>Investment Opportunities.</u> A potential conflict of interest may arise as a result of the portfolio manager's management of a number of accounts with varying investment guidelines. Often, an investment opportunity may be suitable for both the Funds and other accounts managed by the portfolio manager, but securities may not be available in sufficient quantities for both a Fund and the other accounts to participate fully. Similarly, there may be limited opportunity to sell an investment held by a Fund and another account. The Sub-Adviser has adopted policies and procedures reasonably designed to allocate investment opportunities on a fair and equitable basis over time.

Under the Sub-Adviser's allocation procedures, investment opportunities are allocated among various investment strategies based on individual account investment guidelines, the Sub-Adviser's investment outlook, cash availability and a series of other factors. The Sub-Adviser has also adopted additional internal practices to complement the general trade allocation policy that are designed to address potential conflicts of interest due to the side-by-side management of the Funds and certain pooled investment vehicles, including investment opportunity allocation issues.

Conflicts potentially limiting a Fund's investment opportunities may also arise when a Fund and other clients of the Sub-Adviser invest in, or even conduct research relating to, different parts of an issuer's capital structure, such as when a Fund owns senior debt obligations of an issuer and other clients own junior tranches of the same issuer. In such circumstances, decisions over whether to trigger an event of default, over the terms of any workout, or how to exit an investment may result in conflicts of interest. In order to minimize such conflicts, a portfolio manager may avoid certain investment opportunities that would potentially give rise to conflicts with other clients of the Sub-Adviser or result in the Sub-Adviser receiving material, non-public information, or the Sub-Adviser may enact internal procedures designed to minimize such conflicts, which could have the effect of limiting a Fund's investment opportunities. Additionally, if the Sub-Adviser acquires material non-public confidential information in connection with its business activities for other clients, a portfolio

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manager or other investment personnel may be restricted from purchasing securities or selling certain securities for a Fund or other clients. When making investment decisions where a conflict of interest may arise, the Sub-Adviser will endeavor to act in a fair and equitable manner between a Fund and other clients; however, in certain instances the resolution of the conflict may result in the Sub-Adviser acting on behalf of another client in a manner that may not be in the best interest, or may be opposed to the best interest, of a Fund.

Investors in a Fund may also be advisory clients of the Sub-Adviser or a Fund may invest in a product managed or sponsored or otherwise affiliated with the Sub-Adviser. Accordingly, the Sub-Adviser may in the course of its business provide advice to advisory clients whose interests may conflict with those of a Fund, may render advice to a Fund that provides a direct or indirect benefit to the Sub-Adviser or an affiliate of the Sub-Adviser or may manage or advise a product in which a Fund is invested in such a way that would not be beneficial to a Fund. The Sub-Adviser could also, for example, make decisions with respect to a structured product managed or sponsored by the Sub-Adviser in a manner that could have adverse effects on investors in the product, including, potentially, a Fund.

<u>Broad and Wide-Ranging Activities.</u> The portfolio managers, the Sub-Adviser and its affiliates engage in a broad spectrum of activities. In the ordinary course of their business activities, the portfolio managers, the Sub-Adviser and its affiliates may engage in activities where the interests of certain divisions of the Sub-Adviser and its affiliates or the interests of their clients may conflict with the interests of the shareholders of a Fund.

<u>Possible Future Activities.</u> The Sub-Adviser and its affiliates may expand the range of services that it provides over time. Except as provided herein, the Sub-Adviser and its affiliates will not be restricted in the scope of its business or in the performance of any such services (whether now offered or undertaken in the future) even if such activities could give rise to conflicts of interest, and whether or not such conflicts are described herein. The Sub-Adviser and its affiliates have, and will continue to develop, relationships with a significant number of companies, financial sponsors and their senior managers, including relationships with clients who may hold or may have held investments similar to those intended to be made by a Fund. These clients may themselves represent appropriate investment opportunities for a Fund or may compete with a Fund for investment opportunities.

<u>Performance Fees and Personal Investments.</u> A portfolio manager may advise certain accounts with respect to which the advisory fee is based entirely or partially on performance or in respect of which the portfolio manager may have made a significant personal investment. Such circumstances may create a conflict of interest for the portfolio manager in that the portfolio manager may have an incentive to allocate the investment opportunities that he or she believes might be the most profitable to such other accounts instead of allocating them to a Fund. The Sub-Adviser has adopted policies and procedures reasonably designed to allocate investment opportunities between a Fund and performance fee based accounts on a fair and equitable basis over time.

**Loomis Sayles**

The following table lists the number and types of accounts managed by each of the key professionals involved in the day-to-day portfolio management for the Fund and assets under management in those accounts as of June 30, 2025. The total number of accounts and assets have been allocated to each respective manager. Therefore, some accounts and assets have been counted twice.

**Other Accounts Managed as of June 30, 2025** 

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| | | | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Portfolio Manager** | **Registered**<br> **Investment**<br> **Company**<br> **Accounts**<br>| **Assets**<br> **Managed**<br> **(billions)**<br>| **Other**<br> **Pooled**<br> **Investment**<br> **Vehicle**<br> **Accounts**<br>| **Assets**<br> **Managed**<br> **(billions)**<br>| **Other**<br> **Accounts**<br>| **Assets**<br> **Managed**<br> **(billions)**<br>| **Total**<br> **Assets**<br> **Managed**<br> **(billions)**<br>|
| Andrea DiCenso | &nbsp;&nbsp; [] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] | &nbsp;&nbsp; [] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] | &nbsp;&nbsp; []<br> \*<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; $[]<br> \*<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] |
| Kevin Kearns | &nbsp;&nbsp; [] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] | &nbsp;&nbsp; [] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] | &nbsp;&nbsp; [] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] |
| Tom Stolberg | &nbsp;&nbsp; [] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] | &nbsp;&nbsp; [] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] | &nbsp;&nbsp; []<br> \*<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; $[]<br> \*<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] |

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\*

Includes 3 accounts (totaling $830.80 million in assets under management) with performance-based fees.

The portfolio managers listed above did not beneficially own any interests of any Fund as of June 30, 2025.

*Conflicts of Interest*. Conflicts of interest may arise in the allocation of investment opportunities and the allocation of aggregated orders among the Fund and other accounts managed by the portfolio managers. A portfolio manager potentially could give favorable treatment to some accounts for a variety of reasons, including favoring larger accounts, accounts that pay higher fees, accounts that pay performance- based fees, accounts of affiliated companies and accounts

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in which the portfolio manager has an interest. In addition, due to differences in the investment strategies or restrictions among the Fund and a portfolio manager's other accounts, the portfolio manager may take action with respect to another account that differs from the action taken with respect to the Fund. Although such favorable treatment could lead to more favorable investment opportunities or allocations for some accounts and may appear to create additional conflicts of interest for the portfolio manager in the allocation of management time and resources, Loomis Sayles strives to ensure that portfolio managers endeavor to exercise their discretion in a manner that is equitable to all interested persons. Furthermore, Loomis Sayles makes investment decisions for all accounts (including institutional accounts, mutual funds, hedge funds and affiliated accounts) based on each account's investment objective, investment guidelines and restrictions, the availability of other comparable investment opportunities and Loomis Sayles' desire to treat all accounts fairly and equitably over time. Loomis Sayles maintains trade aggregation and allocation policies and procedures to mitigate the effects of these potential conflicts as well as other types of conflicts of interest. However, there is no guarantee that such procedures will detect each and every situation where a conflict arises or that Loomis Sayles will treat all accounts identically. Conflicts of interest also arise to the extent a portfolio manager short sells a stock or otherwise takes a short position in one client account but holds that stock long in other accounts, including the Fund, or sells a stock for some accounts while buying the stock for others, and through the use of "soft dollar arrangements," which are discussed in Loomis Sayles' Brokerage Allocation Policies and Procedures and Loomis Sayles' Trade Aggregation and Allocation Policies and Procedures.

*Compensation*. Loomis Sayles believes that portfolio manager compensation should be driven primarily by the delivery of consistent and superior long-term performance for its clients. Although portfolio manager compensation is not directly tied to assets under management, a portfolio manager's base salary and/or bonus potential may reflect the amount of assets for which the manager is responsible relative to other portfolio managers. The annual bonus is incentive-based and generally represents a significant multiple of base salary. The bonus is based on three factors: investment performance, profit growth of the firm, and personal conduct. Investment performance is the primary component of the annual bonus and generally represents at least 60% of the total for fixed-income managers. The other factors are used to determine the remainder of the annual incentive bonus, subject to the discretion of the Chief Investment Officer ("CIO") and senior management. The CIO and senior management evaluate these other factors annually.

The investment performance component of the annual incentive bonus depends primarily on investment performance against benchmark and/or against peers within similar disciplines. The score is based upon the product's institutional composite performance; however, adjustments may be made if there is significant dispersion among the returns of the composite and accounts not included in the composite. For most products, the product investment score compares the product's rolling three year performance over the past nine quarters (a five year view) against both a benchmark and a peer group established by the CIO. The scoring rewards both the aggregate excess performance of the product against a benchmark and the product's relative rank within a peer group. In addition, for fixed income products, the performance score rewards for the consistency of that outperformance and is enhanced if over the past five years it has kept its rolling three-year performance ahead of its benchmark. Portfolio managers working on several product teams receive a final score based on the relative revenue weight of each product.

Portfolio managers may also participate in the three segments of the long-term incentive program. The amount of the awards for each segment are dependent upon role, industry experience, team and firm profitability, and/or investment performance.

General. The core elements of the Loomis Sayles compensation plan include a base salary, an annual incentive bonus, and, for senior investor and leadership roles, a long-term incentive bonus. The base salary is a fixed amount based on a combination of factors, including industry experience, firm experience, job performance and market considerations. The annual incentive bonus and long term incentive bonus is driven by a variety of factors depending upon the specific role. Factors include investment performance, individual performance, team and firm profitability, role, and industry experience. Both the annual and long term bonus have a deferral component. Loomis Sayles has developed and implemented three long-term incentive plan segments to attract and retain investment talent.

For the senior-most investment roles, a Long Term Incentive Plan provides annual grants relative to the role, and includes a post retirement payment feature to incentivize effective succession management. Participation is contingent upon signing an award agreement, which includes a non-compete covenant. The second and third Long Term Incentive Plans are constructed to create mid- term alignment for key positions, including a two year deferral feature. The second plan is role based, and the third is team based which is more specifically dependent upon team profitability and/or investment performance.

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In addition, Loomis Sayles also offers a profit sharing plan for all employees and a defined benefit plan for employees who joined the firm prior to May 3, 2003. The profit sharing contribution to the retirement plan of each employee is based on a percentage of base salary (up to a maximum amount). The defined benefit plan is based on years of service and base compensation (up to a maximum amount).

**Nuveen Asset Management**

The following table lists the number and types of accounts managed by each of the key professionals involved in the day-to-day portfolio management for each Fund and assets under management in those accounts. The total number of accounts and assets have been allocated to each respective manager. Therefore, some accounts and assets have been counted twice.

**Other Accounts Managed as of June 30, 2025** 

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| | | | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Portfolio Manager** | **Registered**<br> **Investment**<br> **Company**<br> **Accounts**<br>| **Assets**<br> **Managed**<br> **(billions)\***<br>| **Other**<br> **Pooled**<br> **Investment**<br> **Vehicle**<br> **Accounts**<br>| **Assets**<br> **Managed**<br> **(billions)\***<br>| **Other**<br> **Accounts**<br>| **Assets**<br> **Managed**<br> **(billions)\***<br>| **Total**<br> **Assets**<br> **Managed**<br> **(billions)**<br>|
| Timothy T. Ryan | &nbsp;&nbsp; [] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] | &nbsp;&nbsp; [] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] | &nbsp;&nbsp; [] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] |
| Joel H. Levy | &nbsp;&nbsp; [] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] | &nbsp;&nbsp; [] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] | &nbsp;&nbsp; [] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] |
| David J. Blair | &nbsp;&nbsp; [] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] | &nbsp;&nbsp; [] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] | &nbsp;&nbsp; [] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] |

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\*

There are no performance-based fees associated with these accounts.

The portfolio managers listed above did not beneficially own any interests of any Fund as of June 30, 2025.

<u>Compensation:</u> Portfolio managers are compensated through a combination of base salary and variable components consisting of (i) a cash bonus; (ii) a long-term performance award; and (iii) participation in a profits interest plan.

Base salary. A portfolio manager's base salary is determined based upon an analysis of the portfolio manager's general performance, experience and market levels of base pay for such position.

Cash bonus. A portfolio manager is eligible to receive an annual cash bonus that is based on three variables: risk-adjusted investment performance relative to benchmark generally measured over the most recent one, three and five year periods (unless the portfolio manager's tenure is shorter), ranking versus Morningstar peer funds generally measured over the most recent one, three and five year periods (unless the portfolio manager's tenure is shorter), and management and peer reviews.

Long-term performance award. A portfolio manager is eligible to receive a long-term performance award that vests after three years. The amount of the award when granted is based on the same factors used in determining the cash bonus. The value of the award at the completion of the three-year vesting period is adjusted based on the risk-adjusted investment performance of fund(s) managed by the portfolio manager during the vesting period and the performance of the TIAA organization as a whole.

Profits interest plan. Portfolio managers are eligible to receive profits interests in Nuveen Asset Management (and certain affiliates), which vest over time and entitle their holders to a percentage of the firms' annual profits. Profits interests are allocated to each portfolio manager based on such person's overall contribution to the firms.

<u>Material Conflicts of Interest:</u> Actual or apparent conflicts of interest may arise when a portfolio manager has day-to-day management responsibilities with respect to more than one account. More specifically, portfolio managers who manage multiple accounts are presented a number of potential conflicts, including, among others, those discussed below.

The management of multiple accounts may result in a portfolio manager devoting unequal time and attention to the management of each account. Nuveen Asset Management seeks to manage such competing interests for the time and attention of portfolio managers by having portfolio managers focus on a particular investment discipline.

If a portfolio manager identifies a limited investment opportunity which may be suitable for more than one account, an account may not be able to take full advantage of that opportunity due to an allocation of filled purchase or sale orders across all eligible accounts. To deal with these situations, Nuveen Asset Management has adopted procedures for allocating limited opportunities across multiple accounts.

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With respect to many of its clients' accounts, Nuveen Asset Management determines which broker to use to execute transaction orders, consistent with its duty to seek best execution of the transaction. However, with respect to certain other accounts, Nuveen Asset Management may be limited by the client with respect to the selection of brokers or may be instructed to direct trades through a particular broker. In these cases, Nuveen Asset Management may place separate, non-simultaneous, transactions for a Fund and other accounts which may temporarily affect the market price of the security or the execution of the transaction, or both, to the detriment of the Fund or the other accounts.

Some clients are subject to different regulations. As a consequence of this difference in regulatory requirements, some clients may not be permitted to engage in all the investment techniques or transactions or to engage in these transactions to the same extent as the other accounts managed by the portfolio manager. Finally, the appearance of a conflict of interest may arise where Nuveen Asset Management has an incentive, such as a performance-based management fee, which relates to the management of some accounts, with respect to which a portfolio manager has day-to-day management responsibilities.

Nuveen Asset Management has adopted certain compliance procedures which are designed to address these types of conflicts common among investment managers. However, there is no guarantee that such procedures will detect each and every situation in which a conflict arises.

**THE ADMINISTRATOR, SUB-ADMINISTRATOR, CUSTODIAN AND TRANSFER AGENT**

<u>Administrator:</u> SSGA FM serves as the administrator to each series of the Trust, pursuant to an Administration Agreement dated June 1, 2015 (the "SSGA FM Administration Agreement"). Pursuant to the SSGA FM Administration Agreement, SSGA FM is obligated to continuously provide business management services to the Trust and its series and will generally, subject to the general oversight of the Trustees and except as otherwise provided in the SSGA FM Administration Agreement, manage all of the business and affairs of the Trust.

<u>Sub-Administrator, Custodian and Transfer Agent:</u> State Street serves as the sub-administrator to each series of the Trust, pursuant to a Sub-Administration Agreement dated June 1, 2015 (the "Sub-Administration Agreement"). Under the Sub-Administration Agreement, State Street is obligated to provide certain administrative services to the Trust and its series. State Street is a wholly-owned subsidiary of State Street Corporation, a publicly held financial holding company, and is affiliated with the Adviser. State Street's mailing address is One Congress Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02114.

State Street also serves as Custodian for the Trust's series pursuant to a custodian agreement ("Custodian Agreement"). As Custodian, State Street holds Fund assets, calculates the net asset value of the Shares and calculates net income and realized capital gains or losses. State Street and the Trust will comply with the self-custodian provisions of Rule 17f-2 under the 1940 Act.

State Street also serves as Transfer Agent for each series of the Trust pursuant to a transfer agency agreement ("Transfer Agency Agreement").

<u>Compensation:</u> As compensation for its services provided under the SSGA Administration Agreement, SSGA FM shall receive fees for the services, calculated based on the average aggregate net assets of the Trust which are accrued daily and paid monthly out of its management fee.

As compensation for its services under the Sub-Administration Agreement, Custodian Agreement and Transfer Agency Agreement, State Street shall receive an annual fixed fee per Fund. In addition, State Street shall receive global safekeeping and transaction fees, which are calculated on a per-country basis, in-kind creation (purchase) and redemption transaction fees (as described below) and revenue on certain cash balances. State Street may be reimbursed by the series of the Trust for its out-of-pocket expenses. The Investment Advisory Agreement provides that the Adviser will pay certain operating expenses of the Trust, including the fees due to State Street under the Custodian Agreement and the Transfer Agency Agreement.

<u>Additional Sub-Administration Services:</u> Also under the Sub-Administration Agreement, State Street receives: (i) an annual per Fund fee for certain services required in the preparation (including preparing a schedule of quarterly portfolio investments) and filing of Form N-PORT and Form N-CEN with the SEC ("N-PORT Related Services"); (ii) an annual per Fund fee for services regarding certain liquidity analytics ("Liquidity Risk Measurement Services") under the Sub-Administration Agreement; and (iii) an annual per Fund fee for certain services related to the preparation of tailored shareholder reports ("Tailored Shareholder Report Services"). N-PORT Related Services, Liquidity Risk Measurement Services, and Tailored Shareholder Report Services fees are paid by the Adviser from its management fee.

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**SECURITIES LENDING ACTIVITIES**

The Trust's Board has approved each Fund's (except the SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ETF and SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ESG ETF) participation in a securities lending program. Under the securities lending program, each Fund has retained State Street to serve as the securities lending agent.

For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2025, certain Funds earned income by participating in the securities lending program. That income, as well as the fees and/or compensation paid by such Funds (in dollars) pursuant to the Master Amended and Restated Securities Lending Authorization Agreement among SPDR Series Trust, SPDR Index Shares Funds and the Trust, each on behalf of its respective series, and State Street (the "Securities Lending Authorization Agreement") were as follows:

[To be updated in a subsequent draft]

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| | | | | | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **Gross**<br> **income**<br> **earned by**<br> **the Fund**<br> **from**<br> **securities**<br> **lending**<br> **activities** | ***Fees and/or compensation paid by the Funds for securities lending activities and***<br> ***related services*** | ***Fees and/or compensation paid by the Funds for securities lending activities and***<br> ***related services*** | ***Fees and/or compensation paid by the Funds for securities lending activities and***<br> ***related services*** | ***Fees and/or compensation paid by the Funds for securities lending activities and***<br> ***related services*** | ***Fees and/or compensation paid by the Funds for securities lending activities and***<br> ***related services*** | ***Fees and/or compensation paid by the Funds for securities lending activities and***<br> ***related services*** | **Aggregate**<br> **fees**<br> **and/or**<br> **compensation**<br> **paid by**<br> **the Fund**<br> **for**<br> **securities**<br> **lending**<br> **activities**<br> **and related**<br> **services** | **Net income**<br> **from**<br> **securities**<br> **lending**<br> **activities** |
|  | **Gross**<br> **income**<br> **earned by**<br> **the Fund**<br> **from**<br> **securities**<br> **lending**<br> **activities** | **Fees**<br> **paid**<br> **to State**<br> **Street**<br> **from a**<br> **revenue**<br> **split**<br>| **Fees**<br> **paid for**<br> **any cash**<br> **collateral**<br> **management**<br> **service**<br> **(including**<br> **fees**<br> **deducted**<br> **from a**<br> **pooled cash**<br> **collateral**<br> **reinvestment**<br> **vehicle)**<br> **that are not**<br> **included in a**<br> **revenue split**<br>| **Admini-**<br> **strative**<br> **fees not**<br> **included**<br> **in a**<br> **revenue**<br> **split**<br>| **Indemnifi-**<br> **cation**<br> **fees**<br> **not**<br> **included in**<br> **a revenue**<br> **split**<br>| **Rebate**<br> **(paid to**<br> **borrower)**<br>| **Other**<br> **fees**<br> **not**<br> **included**<br> **in a**<br> **revenue**<br> **split**<br>| **Aggregate**<br> **fees**<br> **and/or**<br> **compensation**<br> **paid by**<br> **the Fund**<br> **for**<br> **securities**<br> **lending**<br> **activities**<br> **and related**<br> **services** | **Net income**<br> **from**<br> **securities**<br> **lending**<br> **activities** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; SPDR <br> Blackstone <br> High Income <br> ETF<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; SPDR <br> Blackstone <br> Senior Loan <br> ETF<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; SPDR <br> DoubleLine <br> Emerging <br> Markets Fixed <br> Income ETF<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; SPDR <br> DoubleLine <br> Short Duration <br> Total Return <br> Tactical ETF<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; SPDR <br> DoubleLine <br> Total Return <br> Tactical ETF<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; SPDR Loomis <br> Sayles <br> Opportunistic <br> Bond ETF<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; SPDR Nuveen <br> Municipal <br> Bond ESG <br> ETF<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; SPDR SSGA <br> Fixed Income <br> Sector <br> Rotation ETF<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; $1880412 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $61192 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $1363903 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $1425095 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $455317 |

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| | | | | | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **Gross**<br> **income**<br> **earned by**<br> **the Fund**<br> **from**<br> **securities**<br> **lending**<br> **activities** | ***Fees and/or compensation paid by the Funds for securities lending activities*** <br> ***and***<br> ***related services*** | ***Fees and/or compensation paid by the Funds for securities lending activities*** <br> ***and***<br> ***related services*** | ***Fees and/or compensation paid by the Funds for securities lending activities*** <br> ***and***<br> ***related services*** | ***Fees and/or compensation paid by the Funds for securities lending activities*** <br> ***and***<br> ***related services*** | ***Fees and/or compensation paid by the Funds for securities lending activities*** <br> ***and***<br> ***related services*** | ***Fees and/or compensation paid by the Funds for securities lending activities*** <br> ***and***<br> ***related services*** | **Aggregate**<br> **fees**<br> **and/or**<br> **compensation**<br> **paid by**<br> **the Fund**<br> **for**<br> **securities**<br> **lending**<br> **activities**<br> **and related**<br> **services** | **Net income**<br> **from**<br> **securities**<br> **lending**<br> **activities** |
|  | **Gross**<br> **income**<br> **earned by**<br> **the Fund**<br> **from**<br> **securities**<br> **lending**<br> **activities** | **Fees**<br> **paid**<br> **to State**<br> **Street**<br> **from a**<br> **revenue**<br> **split**<br>| **Fees**<br> **paid for**<br> **any cash**<br> **collateral**<br> **management**<br> **service**<br> **(including**<br> **fees**<br> **deducted**<br> **from a**<br> **pooled cash**<br> **collateral**<br> **reinvestment**<br> **vehicle)**<br> **that are not**<br> **included in a**<br> **revenue split**<br>| **Admini-**<br> **strative**<br> **fees not**<br> **included**<br> **in a**<br> **revenue**<br> **split**<br>| **Indemnifi-**<br> **cation**<br> **fees**<br> **not**<br> **included in**<br> **a revenue**<br> **split**<br>| **Rebate**<br> **(paid to**<br> **borrower)**<br>| **Other**<br> **fees**<br> **not**<br> **included**<br> **in a**<br> **revenue**<br> **split**<br>| **Aggregate**<br> **fees**<br> **and/or**<br> **compensation**<br> **paid by**<br> **the Fund**<br> **for**<br> **securities**<br> **lending**<br> **activities**<br> **and related**<br> **services** | **Net income**<br> **from**<br> **securities**<br> **lending**<br> **activities** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; SPDR SSGA <br> Global <br> Allocation <br> ETF<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; $2743183 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $37794 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $2412878 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $2450672 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $292511 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; SPDR SSGA <br> Income <br> Allocation <br> ETF<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; $806674 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $20595 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $633594 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $654189 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $152485 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; SPDR SSGA <br> Multi-Asset <br> Real Return <br> ETF<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; $1763543 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $30381 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $1499030 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $1529411 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $234132 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; SPDR SSGA <br> Ultra Short <br> Term Bond <br> ETF<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; SPDR SSGA US <br> Sector <br> Rotation ETF<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; $5812341 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $38843 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $5473104 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $5511947 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $300395 |

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For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2025, State Street, acting as agent of the Funds, provided the following services to the Funds in connection with the Funds' securities lending activities: (i) locating borrowers among an approved list of prospective borrowers; (ii) causing the delivery of loaned securities from a Fund to borrowers; (iii) monitoring the value of loaned securities, the value of collateral received, and other lending parameters; (iv) seeking additional collateral, as necessary, from borrowers; (v) receiving and holding collateral from borrowers, and facilitating the investment and reinvestment of all or substantially all cash collateral in an investment vehicle designated by the Funds; (vi) returning collateral to borrowers; (vii) facilitating substitute dividend, interest, and other distribution payments to the Funds from borrowers; (viii) negotiating the terms of each loan of securities, including but not limited to the amount of any loan premium, and monitoring the terms of securities loan agreements with prospective borrowers for consistency with the requirements of the Funds' Securities Lending Authorization Agreement; (ix) selecting securities, including amounts (percentages), to be loaned; (x) recordkeeping and accounting services; and (xi) arranging for return of loaned securities to a Fund in accordance with the terms of the Securities Lending Authorization Agreement.

**THE DISTRIBUTOR**

State Street Global Advisors Funds Distributors, LLC serves as the principal underwriter and Distributor of Shares. Its principal address is One Iron Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02210. Investor information can be obtained by calling 1-866-787-2257. The Distributor has entered into a distribution agreement ("Distribution Agreement") with the Trust pursuant to which it distributes Shares of each Fund. The Distribution Agreement will continue for two years from its effective date and is renewable annually thereafter. Shares will be continuously offered for sale by the Trust through the Distributor only in Creation Units, as described in the Prospectus and below under "PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION OF CREATION UNITS." Shares in less than Creation Units are not distributed by the Distributor. The Distributor will deliver the Prospectus to persons purchasing Creation Units and will maintain records of both orders placed with it and confirmations of acceptance furnished by it. The Distributor is a broker-dealer registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act") and a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority ("FINRA"). The Distributor

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has no role in determining the investment policies of the Trust or which securities are to be purchased or sold by the Trust. An affiliate of the Distributor may assist Authorized Participants (as defined below) in assembling shares to purchase Creation Units or upon redemption, for which it may receive commissions or other fees from such Authorized Participants. An affiliate of the Distributor also receives compensation from State Street for providing on-line creation and redemption functionality to Authorized Participants through its Fund Connect application.

The Adviser or Distributor, or an affiliate of the Adviser or Distributor, may directly or indirectly make cash payments to certain broker-dealers for participating in activities that are designed to make registered representatives and other professionals more knowledgeable about exchange-traded products, including the SPDR funds, or for other activities, such as participation in marketing activities and presentations, educational training programs, conferences, the development of technology platforms and reporting systems.

In addition, as of the date of this SAI, the Adviser and/or Distributor had arrangements whereby they may make payments, other than for the educational programs and marketing activities described above, to Pershing LLC ("Pershing"), RBC Capital Markets, LLC ("RBC"), LPL Financial, LLC ("LPL"), and Morgan Stanley Wealth Management, LLC. These amounts, which may be significant, are paid by the Adviser and/or Distributor from their own resources and not from Fund assets. Pursuant to these arrangements, Pershing, RBC and LPL have agreed to offer certain SPDR funds to their customers and not to charge certain of their customers any commissions when those customers purchase or sell shares of certain SPDR funds. Payments to a broker-dealer or intermediary may create potential conflicts of interest between the broker dealer or intermediary and its clients.

In addition, the Adviser or Distributor, or an affiliate of the Adviser or Distributor, may reimburse expenses or make payments from their own assets to other persons in consideration of services, provision of data, or other activities that they believe may benefit the SPDR business or facilitate investment in SPDR funds.

The Distribution Agreement provides that it may be terminated at any time, without the payment of any penalty, as to a Fund: (i) by vote of a majority of the Independent Trustees or (ii) by vote of a majority (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund, on at least 60 days' written notice to the Distributor. The Distribution Agreement is also terminable upon 60 days' notice by the Distributor and will terminate automatically in the event of its assignment (as defined in the 1940 Act).

The continuation of the Distribution Agreement and any other related agreements is subject to annual approval of the Board, including by a majority of the Independent Trustees, as described above.

The Distributor may also enter into agreements with securities dealers ("Soliciting Dealers") who will solicit purchases of Creation Unit aggregations of Shares. Such Soliciting Dealers may also be Participating Parties (as defined in the "Book Entry Only System" section below) and/or DTC Participants (as defined below).

Pursuant to the Distribution Agreement, the Trust has agreed to indemnify the Distributor, and may indemnify Soliciting Dealers and Authorized Participants (as described below) entering into agreements with the Distributor, for certain liabilities, including certain liabilities arising under the federal securities laws, unless such loss or liability results from willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence in the performance of its duties or the reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under the Distribution Agreement or other agreement, as applicable.

**Brokerage Transactions**

All portfolio transactions are placed on behalf of the Funds by the Adviser. Purchases and sales of securities on a securities exchange are affected through brokers who charge a commission for their services. Ordinarily commissions are not charged on over-the-counter orders (e.g., fixed income securities) because the Funds pay a spread which is included in the cost of the security and represents the difference between the dealer's quoted price at which it is willing to sell the security and the dealer's quoted price at which it is willing to buy the security. When a Fund executes an over-the-counter order with an electronic communications network or an alternative trading system, a commission is charged by such electronic communications networks and alternative trading systems as they execute such orders on an agency basis. Securities may be purchased from underwriters at prices that include underwriting fees.

In placing a portfolio transaction, the Adviser seeks to achieve best execution. The Adviser's duty to seek best execution requires the Adviser to take reasonable steps to obtain for the client as favorable an overall result as possible for Fund portfolio transactions under the circumstances, taking into account various factors that are relevant to the particular transaction.

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The Adviser refers to and selects from the list of approved trading counterparties maintained by the Adviser's Credit Risk Management team. In selecting a trading counterparty for a particular trade, the Adviser seeks to weigh relevant factors including, but not limited to the following:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Prompt and reliable execution;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•The competitiveness of commission rates and spreads, if applicable;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•The financial strength, stability and/or reputation of the trading counterparty;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•The willingness and ability of the executing trading counterparty to execute transactions (and commit capital) of size in liquid and illiquid markets without disrupting the market for the security;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Local laws, regulations or restrictions;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•The ability of the trading counterparty to maintain confidentiality;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•The availability and capability of execution venues, including electronic communications networks for trading and execution management systems made available to Adviser;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Market share;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Liquidity;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Price;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Execution related costs;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•History of execution of orders;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Likelihood of execution and settlement;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Order size and nature;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Clearance and settlement capabilities, especially in high volatility market environments;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Availability of lendable securities;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Sophistication of the trading counterparty's trading capabilities and infrastructure/facilities;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•The operational efficiency with which transactions are processed and cleared, taking into account the order size and complexity;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Speed and responsiveness to the Adviser;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Access to secondary markets;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Counterparty exposure; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Depending upon the circumstances, the Adviser may take other relevant factors into account if the Adviser believes that these are important in taking all sufficient steps to obtain the best possible result for execution of the order.

In selecting a trading counterparty, the price of the transaction and costs related to the execution of the transaction typically merit a high relative importance, depending on the circumstances. The Adviser does not necessarily select a trading counterparty based upon price and costs but may take other relevant factors into account if it believes that these are important in taking reasonable steps to obtain the best possible result for a Fund under the circumstances. Consequently, the Adviser may cause a client to pay a trading counterparty more than another trading counterparty might have charged for the same transaction in recognition of the value and quality of the brokerage services provided. The following matters may influence the relative importance that the Adviser places upon the relevant factors:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(i) The nature and characteristics of the order or transaction. For example, size of order, market impact of order, limits, or other instructions relating to the order;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(ii) The characteristics of the financial instrument(s) or other assets which are the subject of that order. For example, whether the order pertains to an equity, fixed income, derivative or convertible instrument;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(iii) The characteristics of the execution venues to which that order can be directed, if relevant. For example, availability and capabilities of electronic trading systems;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(iv) Whether the transaction is a 'delivery versus payment' or 'over-the-counter' transaction. The creditworthiness of the trading counterparty, the amount of existing exposure to a trading counterparty and trading counterparty settlement capabilities may be given a higher relative importance in the case of 'over-the-counter' transactions; and/or

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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(v) Any other circumstances that the Adviser believes are relevant at the time.

The process by which trading counterparties are selected to effect transactions is designed to exclude consideration of the sales efforts conducted by broker-dealers in relation to the Funds.

The Adviser does not currently use the Funds' assets in connection with third-party soft dollar arrangements. While the Adviser does not currently use "soft" or commission dollars paid by the Funds for the purchase of third-party research, the Adviser reserves the right to do so in the future.

<u>Blackstone Liquid Credit Strategies LLC:</u> Blackstone Liquid Credit Strategies LLC is responsible for decisions to buy and sell securities for each Fund, the selection of brokers and dealers to effect the transactions and the negotiation of prices and any brokerage commissions. With respect to fixed income instruments and other types of securities, each Fund may (i) purchase securities in the over-the-counter market from an underwriter or dealer serving as market maker for the securities, in which case the price includes a fixed amount of compensation to the underwriter or dealer, and (ii) purchase and sell listed securities on an exchange, which are effected through brokers who charge a commission for their services. Affiliates of Blackstone Liquid Credit Strategies LLC may participate in the primary and secondary market for fixed income instruments. Because of certain limitations imposed by the 1940 Act, this may restrict a Fund's ability to acquire some fixed income instruments. Blackstone Liquid Credit Strategies LLC does not believe that this will have a material effect on a Fund's ability to acquire fixed income instruments consistent with its investment policies. Sales to dealers are effected at bid prices.

Payments of commissions to brokers who are affiliated persons of the Funds (or affiliated persons of such persons) will be made in accordance with Rule 17e-1 under the 1940 Act.

Commissions paid on such transactions would be commensurate with the rate of commissions paid on similar transactions to brokers that are not so affiliated.

Blackstone Liquid Credit Strategies LLC is responsible for placing portfolio transactions and will do so in a manner deemed fair and reasonable to each Fund and not according to any formula. The primary consideration in all portfolio transactions is best execution of orders, which the SEC generally describes as a duty to seek to execute securities transactions so that a client's total costs or proceeds in each transaction are the most favorable under the circumstances. In selecting broker-dealers and in negotiating prices and any brokerage commissions on such transactions, Blackstone Liquid Credit Strategies LLC considers the full range and quality of broker services, including expertise and ability to perform execution services; ability to execute transactions in the markets at competitive prices without disrupting the market for a particular security; range of services provided and products offered (e.g., securities lending, margin lending, capital introduction, start-up services, reporting, research, valuation); quality and timeliness of market information provided; ability of broker to maintain confidentiality; relationship management/sales coverage; credit worthiness and financial responsibility; operational expertise; ability to maintain confidentiality; trading volumes; fees; and commission rate or spread involved. There may be instances when, in the judgment of Blackstone Liquid Credit Strategies LLC, more than one firm can offer comparable execution services.

A commission paid to such brokers may be higher than that which another qualified broker would have charged for effecting the same transaction, provided that Blackstone Liquid Credit Strategies LLC determine in good faith that such commission is reasonable in terms either of the transaction or the overall responsibility of Blackstone Liquid Credit Strategies LLC to a Fund and its other clients and that the total commissions paid by a Fund will be reasonable in relation to the benefits to the Fund over the long-term. The advisory fees that each Fund pays to Blackstone Liquid Credit Strategies LLC will not be reduced as a consequence of Blackstone Liquid Credit Strategies LLC's receipt of brokerage and research services. To the extent that portfolio transactions are used to obtain such services, the brokerage commissions paid by such Fund will exceed those that might otherwise be paid by an amount that cannot be presently determined. Such services generally would be useful and of value to Blackstone Liquid Credit Strategies LLC in serving one or more of its other clients and, conversely, such services obtained by the placement of brokerage business of other clients generally would be useful to Blackstone Liquid Credit Strategies LLC in carrying out its obligations to a Fund. While such services are not expected to reduce the expenses of Blackstone Liquid Credit Strategies LLC, Blackstone Liquid Credit Strategies LLC would, through use of the services, avoid the additional expenses that would be incurred if it should attempt to develop comparable information through its own staff. Commission rates for brokerage transactions on foreign stock exchanges are generally fixed.

One or more of the other accounts that Blackstone Liquid Credit Strategies LLC manages may own from time to time some of the same investments as a Fund. Investment decisions for each Fund are made independently from those of such other investment companies or accounts; however, from time to time, the same investment decision may be made for

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more than one company or account. When two or more companies or accounts seek to purchase or sell the same securities, the securities actually purchased or sold will be allocated among the companies and accounts on a good faith equitable basis, usually on a pro rata basis, by Blackstone Liquid Credit Strategies LLC in its discretion in accordance with the accounts' various investment objectives. Such allocations are based upon the written procedures of Blackstone Liquid Credit Strategies LLC. In some cases, this system may adversely affect the price or size of the position obtainable for a Fund. In other cases, however, the ability of a Fund to participate in volume transactions may produce better execution for the Fund. It is the opinion of Blackstone Liquid Credit Strategies LLC that this advantage, when combined with the other benefits available due to Blackstone Liquid Credit Strategies LLC's organization, outweighs any disadvantages that may exist from exposure to simultaneous transactions.

Portfolio turnover rate is not considered a limiting factor in the execution of investment decisions for the Funds. Because it is difficult to predict accurately portfolio turnover rates, actual turnover may be higher or lower than expected. Higher portfolio turnover results in increased Fund costs, including brokerage commissions, dealer mark-ups and other transaction costs on the sale of securities and on the reinvestment in other securities.

<u>DoubleLine:</u> The Sub-Adviser is responsible for the placement of each Fund's portfolio transactions and, with respect thereto, the negotiation of prices, brokerage commissions, if any, and mark-ups and mark-downs or spreads on principal transactions. The Sub-Adviser may also purchase securities on behalf of a Fund in underwritten offerings at fixed prices that include discounts to underwriters and/or concessions to dealers.

In placing a portfolio transaction, the Sub-Adviser seeks to achieve best execution. This means that, in selecting broker-dealers to execute portfolio transactions for the Funds, the Sub-Adviser seeks to select broker-dealers that will execute securities transactions in a manner such that the total cost or proceeds of each transaction is the most favorable under the circumstances. This does not mean, however, that portfolio transactions are always executed at the lowest available commission or spread, and the Sub-Adviser may effect transactions that cause a Fund to pay a commission or spread in excess of a commission or spread that another broker-dealer would have charged if the Sub-Adviser determines that, notwithstanding such commission or spread, such transaction is in such Fund's best interest. In making this determination, the Sub-Adviser may take a variety of factors into consideration, including, without limitation, (i) execution quality in light of order size, difficulty of execution and other relevant factors; (ii) associated expenses and costs; (iii) the quality, reliability, responsiveness and value of the provided services, (iv) the operational compatibility between the broker-dealer and the Sub-Adviser; (v) the broker-dealer's safety and soundness; and (vi) the provision of research and brokerage products and services. The provision of research and brokerage products and services is not typically considered in respect of transactions by a Fund when trading fixed income securities.

From time to time, the Sub-Adviser receives unsolicited research from various brokers, which may or may not be counterparties to trades placed on behalf of clients. While the Sub-Adviser may review and consider certain of the research received, the provision of unsolicited research does not factor into the Sub-Adviser's broker selection process with respect to trading fixed-income securities. Research services include items such as reports on industries and companies, economic analyses, review of business conditions and portfolio strategy and various trading and quotation services. Such services also include advice from broker-dealers as to the value of securities, availability of securities, availability of buyers, and availability of sellers. These services also include recommendations as to purchase and sale of individual securities and timing of transactions.

Investment decisions for each Fund and for the other investment advisory clients of the Sub-Adviser are made with a view to achieving their respective investment objectives. Investment decisions are the product of many factors in addition to basic suitability for the particular client involved (including the Funds). Some securities considered for investment by a Fund also may be appropriate for other clients served by the Sub-Adviser. Thus, a particular security may be bought or sold for certain clients even though it could have been bought or sold for other clients at the same time, including accounts in which the Sub-Adviser, its officers or employees may have a financial interest. If a purchase or sale of securities consistent with the investment policies of a Fund and one or more of these clients served by the Sub-Adviser is considered at or about the same time, transactions in such securities will be allocated among such Fund and other clients pursuant to the Sub-Adviser's trade allocation policy that is designed to ensure that all accounts, including the Fund, are treated fairly and equitably over time.

As permitted by Section 28(e) of the Exchange Act , the Sub-Adviser may, on behalf of a client, pay a broker or dealer that provides "brokerage and research services" (as defined in the Exchange Act) to the Sub-Adviser an amount of commission for effecting a portfolio investment transaction in excess of the amount of commission that another broker or dealer would have charged for effecting that transaction, if the Sub-Adviser determines in good faith that such amount of commission was reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and research services provided by such broker or

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dealer, viewed in terms of either that particular transaction or the Sub-Adviser's overall responsibilities to the client and to other client accounts over which the Sub-Adviser exercises investment discretion. Such research services include proprietary research created internally by a broker or by a third-party provider (and made available to the Sub-Adviser by a broker) such as, for example, individual stock information and research, industry and sector analysis, trend analysis and forecasting, discussions with individual stock analysts, and meetings arranged with various sources of information regarding particular issuers, industries, governmental policies, specific information about local markets and applicable regulations, economic trends, and other matters. In addition, a broker may accumulate credits for the Sub-Adviser's account and use them to purchase brokerage and research services at the Sub-Adviser's discretion and based on the Sub-Adviser's determination of the relative benefits of the various services available for purchase. These arrangements are commonly known as "commission sharing arrangements." Accordingly, the Sub-Adviser's clients may be deemed to be paying for research and these other services with "soft" or commission dollars. Research furnished by brokers or dealers or pursuant to credits accumulated at brokers or dealers through commission sharing arrangements may be used in servicing any or all of the Sub-Adviser's clients and may be used for client accounts other than those that pay commissions to the broker or dealer providing the research. The Sub-Adviser also may receive soft dollar credits based on certain "riskless" principal securities transactions with brokerage firms. With respect to certain products and services used for both research/brokerage and non-research/brokerage purposes, the Sub-Adviser generally allocates the costs of such products and services between their research/brokerage and non-research/brokerage uses, and generally uses soft dollars to pay only for the portion allocated to research/brokerage uses. Examples of products and services used for non-research/brokerage purposes (and not paid for with soft dollars) include equipment and exchange data (e.g., quotes, volume). Some of these services may be of value to the Sub-Adviser and its affiliates in advising various of their clients (including the Funds), although not all of these services are necessarily useful and of value in managing the Funds. The sub-advisory fee paid by each Fund is not reduced because the Sub-Adviser or its affiliates receive these services even though the Sub-Adviser might otherwise be required to purchase some of these services for cash. The Sub-Adviser's authority to cause a Fund to pay any such greater commissions is also subject to such policies as the Trustees may adopt from time to time.

The Sub-Adviser's relationships with brokerage firms that provide soft dollar services to the Sub-Adviser (including brokerage firms that participate in commission sharing arrangements) may influence the Sub-Adviser's judgment and create conflicts of interest, both in allocating brokerage business between firms that provide soft dollar services and firms that do not, and in allocating the costs of mixed-use products between their research and non-research uses. When the Sub-Adviser uses client brokerage commissions to obtain research or other products or services, the Sub-Adviser receives a benefit because it does not have to produce or pay for such research, products, or services. As such, the Sub-Adviser has an incentive to select or recommend a broker-dealer based on the Sub-Adviser's interest in receiving the research or other products or services, rather than on the Sub-Adviser's clients' interest in receiving most favorable execution. Client trades executed through these brokers or any other brokerage firm may not be at the lowest price otherwise available. The Sub-Adviser maintains policies and procedures designed to address such conflicts of interest.

In an effort to achieve efficiencies in execution and reduce trading costs, the Sub-Adviser and its affiliates may, but will not necessarily, aggregate securities transactions on behalf of a number of accounts, including accounts of the Funds, at the same time. In addition, the Sub-Adviser may execute securities transactions alongside or interspersed between aggregated orders when the Sub-Adviser believes that such execution will not interfere with its ability to execute in a manner believed to be most favorable to its clients as a whole. The Sub-Adviser may exclude trades for accounts that direct brokerage or that are managed in part for tax considerations from aggregate orders.

When executing aggregate orders, trades will be allocated among accounts using procedures that the Sub-Adviser considers to be reasonably designed to be non-preferential and fair and equitable over time. This may include making the allocation on a random or *pro rata* basis or based on such considerations as diversification requirements, duration, investment objectives, client contractual or regulatory investment guidelines and restrictions, existing or targeted account weightings in particular securities or sectors, lot size, account size, cash availability, amount of existing holdings (or substitutes) of the security in the accounts, investment time horizons and directed brokerage instructions, if applicable.

The Sub-Adviser shares allocations of public offerings and other desirable but limited opportunities to buy or sell securities in a manner that the Sub-Adviser considers reasonably designed to be non-preferential and fair and equitable over time, such that no account or group of accounts receives consistently favorable or unfavorable treatment. Generally, such allocations will be made after taking into account cash availability and need, suitability, investment objectives and

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guidelines and other factors deemed appropriate in making investment allocation decisions for each client. Shares obtained in initial public offerings will be allocated using these criteria unless the number of shares made available to the Adviser is *de minimis*, in which case the shares will be allocated among the eligible accounts based on the Sub-Adviser's assessment of the circumstances.

In addition, and particularly with respect to fixed-income securities, if a small amount of an investment is allocated to the Sub-Adviser, the Sub-Adviser may allocate it disproportionately, taking into consideration lot size, existing or targeted account weightings in particular securities and/or sectors, account size, diversification requirements and investment objectives/restrictions.

<u>Loomis Sayles</u>: Fixed-income securities are generally purchased from the issuer or a primary market maker acting as principal on a net basis with no brokerage commission paid by the client. Such securities may also be purchased from underwriters at prices which include underwriting fees. In placing orders for the purchase and sale of options, futures, options on futures, and underlying securities upon exercise of options, Loomis Sayles selects only brokers that it believes are financially responsible, will provide efficient and effective services in executing, clearing and settling an order and will charge commission rates that, when combined with the quality of the foregoing services, will produce the best price and execution for the transaction. This does not necessarily mean that the lowest available brokerage commission, if any, will be paid. However, the commissions charged are believed to be competitive with generally prevailing rates. Loomis Sayles will use its best efforts to obtain information as to the general level of commission rates being charged by the brokerage community from time to time and will evaluate the overall reasonableness of brokerage commissions, if any, paid on transactions by reference to such data. In making such evaluation, factors affecting liquidity and execution of the order, as well as the amount of the capital commitment by the broker in connection with the order are taken into account. Loomis Sayles may place orders for the Fund which, combined with orders for its' other clients, may impact the price of the relevant security. This could cause the Fund to obtain a worse price on the transaction than would otherwise be the case if the orders were placed in smaller amounts or spread out over a longer period of time.

Subject to the overriding objective of obtaining the best possible execution of orders, Loomis Sayles may allocate brokerage transactions to affiliated brokers. Any such transactions will comply with Rule 17e-1 under the 1940 Act. In order for the affiliated broker to effect portfolio transactions for the Fund, the commissions, fees or other remuneration received by the affiliated broker must be reasonable and fair compared to the commissions, fees and other remuneration paid to other brokers in connection with comparable transactions involving similar securities being purchased or sold on a securities exchange during a comparable period. Furthermore, the Fund's Board of Trustees, including a majority of the Independent Trustees, has adopted procedures that are reasonably designed to provide that any commissions, fees or other remuneration paid to an affiliated broker are consistent with the foregoing standard.

Transactions on stock, option, and futures exchanges involve the payment of negotiated brokerage commissions. In the case of securities traded in the OTC market, there is generally no stated commission but the price usually includes an undisclosed commission or mark-up.

Generally, Loomis Sayles seeks to obtain quality executions at favorable security prices and at competitive commission rates, where applicable, through brokers and dealers who, in Loomis Sayles' opinion, can provide the best overall net results for its clients. Transactions in equity securities are frequently executed through a primary market maker but may also be executed on an Electronic Communication Network (ECN), Alternative Trading System (ATS), or other execution systems that in Loomis Sayles' opinion can provide the best overall net results for its clients.

*Commissions and Other Factors in Broker or Dealer Selection*. Loomis Sayles uses its best efforts to obtain information as to the general level of commission rates being charged by the brokerage community, from time to time, and to evaluate the overall reasonableness of brokerage commissions paid on client portfolio transactions by reference to such data. In making this evaluation, all factors affecting liquidity and execution of the order, as well as the amount of the capital commitment by the broker or dealer, are taken into account. Other relevant factors may include, without limitation: (a) the execution capabilities of the brokers and/or dealers, (b) research and other products or services (as described in the section "Soft Dollars" below) provided by such brokers and/or dealers which are expected to enhance Loomis Sayles' general portfolio management capabilities, (c) the size of the transaction, (d) the difficulty of execution, (e) the operations facilities of the brokers and/or dealers involved, (f) the risk in positioning a block of securities, (g) fair dealing and (h) the quality of the overall brokerage and research services provided by the broker- dealer.

*Soft Dollars*. Brokerage trading activity is an essential factor in accessing Wall Street and third-party firm research. First and foremost, Loomis Sayles recognizes that it has a fiduciary duty to seek best execution of its clients' transactions. In regard to equity trading commissions paid to trading counterparts, Loomis Sayles is unbundled across all its dealers, with

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execution and research commission splits being consistent across dealers. This enables Loomis Sayles' trading desk to route orders to dealers solely based on achieving best execution. Research products or services may be paid for with Loomis Sayles' own assets or may, in connection with transactions in equity securities effected for client accounts for which Loomis Sayles exercises investment discretion, be paid for with client commissions (i.e. "soft dollars").

For purposes of this soft dollars discussion, the term "commission" includes commissions paid to brokers in connection with transactions effected on an agency basis. Loomis Sayles does not generate soft dollars on fixed-income transactions.

Loomis Sayles will only acquire research and brokerage products and services with soft dollars if they qualify as eligible products and services under the safe harbor of Section 28(e) of the Exchange Act. Eligible research services and products that may be acquired by Loomis Sayles are those products and services that provide advice, analysis or reports that will aid Loomis Sayles in carrying out its investment decision- making responsibilities. Eligible research must reflect the expression of reasoning or knowledge (having inherently intangible and non-physical attributes) and may include the following research items: traditional research reports; discussions with research analysts and corporate executives; seminars or conferences; financial and economic publications that are not targeted to a wide public audience; software that provides analysis of securities portfolios; market research including pre-trade and post-trade analytics; and market data.

If Loomis Sayles receives a particular product or service that both aids it in carrying out its investment decision-making responsibilities (i.e., a "research use") and provides non-research related uses, Loomis Sayles will make a good faith determination as to the allocation of the cost of such "mixed-use item" between the research and non-research uses, and will only use soft dollars to pay for the portion of the cost relating to its research use. As of the date of this SAI, there are no mixed-use services being provided to Loomis Sayles.

In connection with Loomis Sayles' use of soft dollars, a Fund may pay a broker-dealer an amount of commission for effecting a transaction for the Fund in excess of the amount of commission another broker-dealer would have charged for effecting that transaction if Loomis Sayles determines in good faith that the amount of commission is reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and research products or services provided by the broker-dealer, viewed in terms of either the particular transaction or Loomis Sayles' overall responsibilities with respect to the accounts as to which Loomis Sayles exercises investment discretion.

Loomis Sayles may use soft dollars to acquire brokerage or research products and services that have potential application to all client accounts, including the Fund. The soft dollars generated by Loomis Sayles' clients that are used to purchase research services with a Fund's commissions are not necessarily for the exclusive benefit of the particular Fund, but rather for the benefit of the funds/clients in the same product (e.g., Large Cap Growth). The soft dollar commissions of an account in one product are not used for the benefit of a product managed by a different investment team. Furthermore given the fact that soft dollars are generated from the trading in client/fund portfolios, those clients/funds that have cash flows will generally generate more soft dollars than clients/funds that do not have cash flows. However, the clients/funds with cash flows will not generate more soft dollars than the amount budgeted for the client/fund in a given year. Finally, while some clients do not generate soft dollar commissions, such as wrap/model program clients, clients with directed brokerage or zero commission arrangements (which may limit or prevent Loomis Sayles from using such clients' commissions to pay for research and research services), and certain fixed income accounts, they may still benefit from the research provided to Loomis Sayles in connection with other transactions placed for other clients. As a result, certain clients may have more of their commissions directed for research and research services than others.

Loomis Sayles' use of soft dollars to acquire brokerage and research products and services benefits Loomis Sayles by allowing it to obtain such products and services without having to purchase them with its own assets. Loomis Sayles believes that its use of soft dollars also benefits the Fund as described above. However, conflicts may arise between the Fund's interest in paying the lowest commission rates available and Loomis Sayles' interest in receiving brokerage and research products and services from particular brokers and dealers without having to purchase such products and services with Loomis Sayles' own assets.

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*Client Commission Arrangements*. Loomis Sayles has entered into client commission arrangements ("CCAs") (also known as commission sharing arrangements) with some of its key broker-dealer relationships. In a CCA, subject to best execution, Loomis Sayles will allocate a higher portion of its clients' equity trading with broker-dealers who have agreed to unbundle their commission rates in order to enable Loomis Sayles to separately negotiate rates for execution and research and research services. The execution rates Loomis Sayles has negotiated with such firms vary depending on the type of orders Loomis Sayles executes with the CCAs.

Pursuant to the CCAs Loomis Sayles has with these broker-dealers, each firm will pool the research commissions accumulated during a calendar quarter and then, at the direction of Loomis Sayles, pay various broker-dealers and third-party services from this pool for the research and research services such firms have provided to Loomis Sayles.

These CCAs are deemed to be soft dollar arrangements and Loomis Sayles and each CCA intends to comply with the applicable requirements of Section 28(e) of the Exchange Act, as well as the Commission Guidance Regarding Client Commission Practices under Section 28(e) in the SEC Release No. 34-54165 dated July 18, 2006.

The CCAs enable Loomis Sayles to strengthen its relationships with its key broker-dealers, and limit the broker-dealers with whom it trades to those with whom it has FIX Connectivity, while still maintaining the research relationships with broker-dealers that provide Loomis Sayles with research and research services. In addition, the ability to unbundle the execution and research components of commissions enables Loomis Sayles to provide greater transparency to its clients in their commission reports.

In addition to trading with the CCA broker-dealers discussed above, Loomis Sayles continues to trade with full service broker-dealers and ECNs, ATSs and other electronic systems.

As a result of guidance from the UK Financial Conduct Authority, Loomis Sayles pays broker-dealers a "Corporate Access" arrangement fee in hard dollars in connection with the Corporate Access meetings attended by investment team members who manage equity accounts of clients organized in the United Kingdom.

*Aggregation of Orders*. When Loomis Sayles believes it is desirable, appropriate and feasible to purchase or sell the same security for a number of client accounts at the same time, Loomis Sayles may (but is not obligated to) aggregate its clients' orders ("Aggregated Orders"), including orders on behalf of affiliated clients and hedge funds, in a way that seeks to obtain more favorable executions, in terms of the price at which the security is purchased or sold, the cost of the execution of the orders, and the efficiency of the processing of the transactions. Subject to certain exceptions, all client accounts participating in an Aggregated Order, including affiliated clients and hedge funds, will participate at the average price at which the Aggregated Order was executed and will bear a pro rata portion of the execution cost of the Aggregated Order. When an Aggregated Order cannot be completely filled on the day it is placed in the market for execution, the portion of the Aggregated Order that is filled on any particular day may be allocated to each account participating in the Aggregated Order on a pro rata basis relative to the number of securities that were intended to be traded for each account participating in that Aggregated Order, and such accounts may participate at the average price at which such partially-filled Aggregated Order was executed and will bear a pro rata portion of the execution cost of the partially-filled Aggregated Order for such day.

Notwithstanding the above, a portfolio manager or an appropriate designee thereof and/or a trader may allocate shares/bonds purchased or sold in a manner that is other than pro rata, when a pro rata allocation would be impractical or would lead to an inefficient or undesirable result. Examples of such instances include, but are not limited to, when the portfolio manager, appointed designee thereof and/or trader determine(s) that it would be appropriate to round off odd-lots or a small number of shares/bonds received by an account pursuant to a pro rata allocation, or when the portfolio manager and/or trader determine(s) that it would be appropriate, given the limited number of shares/bonds actually purchased or sold, to fill one or more account(s) completely due the account's weighting in the security relative to the portfolio manager's target weighting for the security/sector, or when the portfolio manager is seeking to invest the cash of a new client account or a significant cash add from an existing client account.

Although Loomis Sayles believes that the ability to aggregate orders for client accounts will in general benefit its clients as a whole over time, in any particular instance, such aggregation may result in a less favorable price or execution for any particular client than might have been obtained if a particular transaction had been effected on an unaggregated basis. With respect to client accounts that have provided Loomis Sayles with directions to use specific brokers or dealers to execute some or all of their trades, compliance with such directions may in some instances result in such a directed brokerage account not participating in an Aggregated Order. As a result, the directed brokerage account may receive a less favorable price or execution, or incur higher execution costs, in particular transactions, than if the directed brokerage account had participated in an Aggregated Order with other client accounts.

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<u>Nuveen:</u> Nuveen Asset Management is responsible for decisions to buy and sell securities for the SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ETF and SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ESG ETF the negotiation of the prices to be paid or received for principal (i.e., non-agency) trades, and the allocation of its transactions among various dealer firms. Portfolio securities will normally be purchased directly from an underwriter in a new issue offering or in the over-the-counter secondary market from the principal dealers in such securities, unless it appears that a better price or execution may be obtained elsewhere. Portfolio securities will not be purchased from Nuveen Asset Management, its managed accounts, or its affiliates except in compliance with the 1940 Act.

Nuveen Asset Management expects that substantially all portfolio transactions will be effected on a principal (as opposed to an agency) basis and, accordingly, do not expect to pay significant amounts of brokerage commissions. Brokerage commissions will not be allocated based on the sale of a Fund's shares. Purchases from underwriters will include a commission or concession paid by the issuer to the underwriter, and purchases from dealers will include the spread between the bid and asked price. It is the policy of Nuveen Asset Management to seek the best execution under the circumstances of each trade. Nuveen Asset Management evaluates price as the primary consideration, with the financial condition, reputation and responsiveness of the dealer, among other non-economic factors, considered secondarily in determining best execution. While the primary goal is to secure the best execution that may be obtainable, it may be Nuveen Asset Management's practice to select dealers that, in addition, furnish research information (primarily credit analyses of issuers and general economic reports), statistical information and other services to Nuveen Asset Management. It is not possible to place a dollar value on such information, statistics and other services received from dealers. Since it is only supplementary to Nuveen Asset Management's own research efforts, the receipt of research information is not expected to reduce significantly Nuveen Asset Management's expenses. For certain secondary market transactions where the execution capability of two brokers is judged to be of substantially similar quality, Nuveen Asset Management will use its own business judgement in accordance with applicable policies, procedures and regulation when selecting one of them. Nuveen Asset Management may manage other investment companies and investment accounts for other clients that have investment objectives similar to the Fund. Subject to applicable laws and regulations, Nuveen Asset Management seeks to allocate portfolio transactions equitably whenever concurrent decisions are made to purchase or sell securities by a Fund and another advisory account. In making such allocations the main factors to be considered will be, but may not be limited to, the respective investment objectives, the relative size of the portfolio holdings of the same or comparable securities, the availability of cash for investment or need to raise cash, and the size of investment commitments generally held. While this procedure could have a detrimental effect on the price or amount of the securities (or, in the case of dispositions, the demand for securities) available to a Fund from time to time, Nuveen Asset Management believes that the benefits available will outweigh any disadvantage that may arise from exposure to simultaneous transactions.

The table below shows the aggregate dollar amount of brokerage commissions paid by the Funds for the past three fiscal years ended June 30. Brokerage commissions paid by a Fund may be substantially different from year to year for multiple reasons, including market volatility, the demand for a particular Fund, or increases or decreases in trading volume.

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Fund** | **2025** | **2024** | **2023** |
| SPDR Blackstone High Income ETF | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $1867 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $1125 |
| SPDR Blackstone Senior Loan ETF | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $10905 |
| SPDR DoubleLine Emerging Markets Fixed Income ETF | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 |
| SPDR DoubleLine Short Duration Total Return Tactical ETF | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 |
| SPDR DoubleLine Total Return Tactical ETF | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $52848 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $154 |
| SPDR Loomis Sayles Opportunistic Bond ETF | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $2504 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $5911 |
| SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ESG ETF | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 |
| SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ETF | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 |
| SPDR SSGA Fixed Income Sector Rotation ETF | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $147765 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $102336 |
| SPDR SSGA Global Allocation ETF | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $141821 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $190336 |
| SPDR SSGA Income Allocation ETF | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $28829 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $45404 |
| SPDR SSGA Multi-Asset Real Return ETF | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $55683 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $118374 |
| SPDR SSGA Ultra Short Term Bond ETF | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $2401 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $2253 |
| SPDR SSGA US Sector Rotation ETF | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $155497 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $101491 |

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Securities of "Regular Broker-Dealers": The Trust is required to identify any securities of its "regular brokers and dealers" (as such term is defined in the 1940 Act) which it may hold at the close of its most recent fiscal year. "Regular brokers or dealers" of the Trust are the ten brokers or dealers that, during the most recent fiscal year: (i) received the greatest dollar amounts of brokerage commissions from the Trust's portfolio transactions; (ii) engaged as principal in the largest dollar amounts of portfolio transactions of the Trust; or (iii) sold the largest dollar amounts of the Trust's shares.

The Trust's holdings in Securities of Regular Broker-Dealers as of June 30, 2025:

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| [] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] |
| [] | &nbsp;&nbsp; $[] |

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<u>Portfolio Turnover:</u> Portfolio turnover may vary from year to year, as well as within a year. High turnover rates are likely to result in comparatively greater brokerage expenses or transaction costs. The overall reasonableness of brokerage commissions and transaction costs is evaluated by the Adviser based upon its knowledge of available information as to the general level of commissions and transaction costs paid by other institutional investors for comparable services. The SPDR DoubleLine Short Duration Total Return Tactical ETF experienced a significant variation in its portfolio turnover rate for the fiscal year ended 2024 when compared with 2023. The portfolio turnover rate for fiscal year ended 2024 was unusually high due, in part, to DoubleLine's increased trading of US Treasury securities in an effort to target specific duration and yield curve positioning levels.

**Book Entry Only System**

The following information supplements and should be read in conjunction with the section in the Prospectus entitled "ADDITIONAL PURCHASE AND SALE INFORMATION."

The Depository Trust Company ("DTC") acts as securities depositary for the Shares. Shares of each Fund are represented by securities registered in the name of DTC or its nominee, Cede & Co., and deposited with, or on behalf of, DTC. Except in the limited circumstance provided below, certificates will not be issued for Shares.

DTC, a limited-purpose trust company, was created to hold securities of its participants (the "DTC Participants") and to facilitate the clearance and settlement of securities transactions among the DTC Participants in such securities through electronic book-entry changes in accounts of the DTC Participants, thereby eliminating the need for physical movement of securities certificates. DTC Participants include securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and certain other organizations, some of whom (and/or their representatives) own DTC. More specifically, DTC is owned by a number of its DTC Participants and by the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE") and FINRA. Access to the DTC system is also available to others such as banks, brokers, dealers and trust companies that clear through or maintain a custodial relationship with a DTC Participant, either directly or indirectly (the "Indirect Participants").

Beneficial ownership of Shares is limited to DTC Participants, Indirect Participants and persons holding interests through DTC Participants and Indirect Participants. Ownership of beneficial interests in Shares (owners of such beneficial interests are referred to herein as "Beneficial Owners") is shown on, and the transfer of ownership is effected only through, records maintained by DTC (with respect to DTC Participants) and on the records of DTC Participants (with respect to Indirect Participants and Beneficial Owners that are not DTC Participants). Beneficial Owners will receive from or through the DTC Participant a written confirmation relating to their purchase of Shares.

**Conveyance of all notices, statements and other communications to Beneficial Owners is effected as follows.** Pursuant to the Depositary Agreement between the Trust and DTC, DTC is required to make available to the Trust upon request and for a fee to be charged to the Trust a listing of the Shares of each Fund held by each DTC Participant. The Trust, either directly or through a third party service, shall inquire of each such DTC Participant as to the number of Beneficial Owners holding Shares, directly or indirectly, through such DTC Participant. The Trust, either directly or through a third party service, shall provide each such DTC Participant with copies of such notice, statement or other communication, in such form, number and at such place as such DTC Participant may reasonably request, in order that such notice, statement or communication may be transmitted by such DTC Participant, directly or indirectly, to such Beneficial Owners. In addition, the Trust shall pay to each such DTC Participant and/or third party service a fair and reasonable amount as reimbursement for the expenses attendant to such transmittal, all subject to applicable statutory and regulatory requirements.

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Share distributions shall be made to DTC or its nominee, Cede & Co., as the registered holder of all Shares. DTC or its nominee, upon receipt of any such distributions, shall credit immediately DTC Participants' accounts with payments in amounts proportionate to their respective beneficial interests in Shares of a Fund as shown on the records of DTC or its nominee. Payments by DTC Participants to Indirect Participants and Beneficial Owners of Shares held through such DTC Participants will be governed by standing instructions and customary practices, as is now the case with securities held for the accounts of customers in bearer form or registered in a "street name," and will be the responsibility of such DTC Participants.

The Trust has no responsibility or liability for any aspects of the records relating to or notices to Beneficial Owners, or payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests in such Shares, or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to such beneficial ownership interests or for any other aspect of the relationship between DTC and the DTC Participants or the relationship between such DTC Participants and the Indirect Participants and Beneficial Owners owning through such DTC Participants.

DTC may determine to discontinue providing its service with respect to Shares at any time by giving reasonable notice to the Trust and discharging its responsibilities with respect thereto under applicable law. Under such circumstances, the Trust shall take action either to find a replacement for DTC to perform its functions at a comparable cost or, if such a replacement is unavailable, to issue and deliver printed certificates representing ownership of Shares, unless the Trust makes other arrangements with respect thereto satisfactory to the Exchange.

**Control Persons and Principal Holders of Securities**

Although the Funds do not have information concerning their beneficial ownership held in the names of DTC Participants, as of October [ ], 2025, the names, addresses and percentage ownership of each DTC Participant that owned of record 5% or more of the outstanding Shares of the Funds were as follows:

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Fund** | **Name and Address** | **% Ownership** |
| SPDR BLACKSTONE HIGH INCOME ETF | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.<br> 211 Main St.<br> San Francisco, CA 94105-1905<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; [ ]% |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; National Financial Services LLC<br> 499 Washington Blvd.<br> Jersey City, NJ 07310<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; [ ]% |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; LPL Financial LLC<br> 4707 Executive Drive<br> San Diego, CA 92121<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; [ ]% |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; UBS Financial Services Inc.<br> 1000 Harbor Boulevard<br> Weehawken, NJ 07086<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; [ ]% |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Pershing LLC<br> One Pershing Plaza<br> Jersey City, NJ 07399<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; [ ]% |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Raymond James & Associates, Inc.<br> 880 Carillon Parkway<br> St. Petersburg, FL 33716<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; [ ]% |
| SPDR BLACKSTONE SENIOR LOAN ETF | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.<br> 211 Main St.<br> San Francisco, CA 94105-1905<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; [ ]% |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The Northern Trust Company<br> 50 S. LaSalle St.<br> Chicago, IL 60603<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; [ ]% |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; State Street Bank & Trust Company<br> 1776 Heritage Drive<br> North Quincy, MA 02169<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; [ ]% |

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Fund** | **Name and Address** | **% Ownership** |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Inc.<br> One Bryant Park<br> New York, NY 10036<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; [ ]% |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; National Financial Services LLC<br> 499 Washington Blvd.<br> Jersey City, NJ 07310<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; [ ]% |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; JPMorgan Chase Bank, NA<br> 1111 Polaris Parkway,<br> Columbus, OH 43240<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; [ ]% |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC<br> 522 5th Avenue<br> New York, NY 10036<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; [ ]% |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The Bank of New York Mellon<br> 240 Greenwich Street, 13 Floor. E.<br> New York, NY 10286<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; [ ]% |
| SPDR DOUBLELINE EMERGING MARKETS FIXED INCOME ETF | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.<br> 211 Main St.<br> San Francisco, CA 94105-1905<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; [ ]% |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Pershing LLC<br> One Pershing Plaza<br> Jersey City, NJ 07399<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; [ ]% |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; National Financial Services LLC<br> 499 Washington Blvd<br> Jersey City, NJ 07310<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; [ ]% |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; RBC Capital Markets, LLC<br> 510 Marquette Ave S.<br> Minneapolis, MN 55418<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; [ ]% |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; SPDR DOUBLELINE SHORT DURATION TOTAL RETURN TACTICAL <br> ETF<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.<br> 211 Main St.<br> San Francisco, CA 94105-1905<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; [ ]% |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; LPL Financial LLC<br> 4707 Executive Drive<br> San Diego, CA 92121<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; [ ]% |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; National Financial Services LLC<br> 499 Washington Blvd<br> Jersey City, NJ 07310<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; [ ]% |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Goldman, Sachs & Co. LLC<br> 200 West Street<br> New York, NY 10282<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; [ ]% |
| SPDR DOUBLELINE TOTAL RETURN TACTICAL ETF | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.<br> 211 Main St.<br> San Francisco, CA 94105-1905<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; [ ]% |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; National Financial Services LLC<br> 499 Washington Blvd<br> Jersey City, NJ 07310<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; [ ]% |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC<br> 522 5th Avenue<br> New York, NY 10036<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; [ ]% |

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Fund** | **Name and Address** | **% Ownership** |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Pershing LLC<br> One Pershing Plaza<br> Jersey City, NJ 07399<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; [ ]% |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; LPL Financial LLC<br> 4707 Executive Drive<br> San Diego, CA 92121<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; [ ]% |
| SPDR LOOMIS SAYLES OPPORTUNISTIC BOND ETF | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.<br> 211 Main St.<br> San Francisco, CA 94105-1905<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; [ ]% |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; National Financial Services LLC<br> 499 Washington Blvd<br> Jersey City, NJ 07310<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; [ ]% |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Jane Street Capital, LLC<br> 250 Vesey Street, 6th Floor<br> New York, NY 10281<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; [ ]% |
| SPDR NUVEEN MUNICIPAL BOND ETF | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Citibank, N.A.<br> 390 Greenwich Street, 3rd Floor<br> New York, NY 10013<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; [ ]% |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.<br> 211 Main St.<br> San Francisco, CA 94105-1905<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; [ ]% |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; National Financial Services LLC<br> 499 Washington Blvd.<br> Jersey City, NJ 07310<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; [ ]% |
| SPDR NUVEEN MUNICIPAL BOND ESG ETF | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; BOFA Securities, Inc. /Safekeeping<br> One Bryant Park<br> New York, NY 10036<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; [ ]% |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; BOFA Securities, Inc.,<br> One Bryant Park<br> New York, NY 10036<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; [ ]% |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.<br> 211 Main St.<br> San Francisco, CA 94105-1905<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; [ ]% |
| SPDR SSGA FIXED INCOME SECTOR ROTATION ETF | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; National Financial Services LLC<br> 499 Washington Blvd.<br> Jersey City, NJ 07310<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; [ ]% |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; LPL Financial LLC<br> 4707 Executive Drive<br> San Diego, CA 92121<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; [ ]% |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.<br> 211 Main St.<br> San Francisco, CA 94105-1905<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; [ ]% |
| SPDR SSGA GLOBAL ALLOCATION ETF | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.<br> 211 Main St.<br> San Francisco, CA 94105-1905<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; [ ]% |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; National Financial Services LLC<br> 499 Washington Blvd.<br> Jersey City, NJ 07310<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; [ ]% |

---

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Fund** | **Name and Address** | **% Ownership** |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Raymond James & Associates, Inc.<br> 880 Carillon Parkway<br> St. Petersburg, FL 33716<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; [ ]% |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Inc.<br> One Bryant Park<br> New York, NY 10036<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; [ ]% |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; LPL Financial LLC<br> 4707 Executive Drive<br> San Diego, CA 92121<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; [ ]% |
| SPDR SSGA INCOME ALLOCATION ETF | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Fiduciary SSB<br> 1776 Heritage Dr.<br> North Quincy, MA 02169<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; [ ]% |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.<br> 211 Main St.<br> San Francisco, CA 94105-1905<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; [ ]% |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC<br> 522 5th Avenue<br> New York, NY 10036<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; [ ]% |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Pershing LLC<br> One Pershing Plaza<br> Jersey City, NJ 07399<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; [ ]% |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; LPL Financial LLC<br> 4707 Executive Drive<br> San Diego, CA 92121<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; [ ]% |
| SPDR SSGA MULTI-ASSET REAL RETURN ETF | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.<br> 211 Main St.<br> San Francisco, CA 94105-1905<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; [ ]% |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; National Financial Services LLC<br> 499 Washington Blvd.<br> Jersey City, NJ 07310<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; [ ]% |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Pershing LLC<br> One Pershing Plaza<br> Jersey City, NJ 07399<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; [ ]% |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; D. A. Davidson & Co.<br> 8 Third Street North<br> Great Falls, MT 59401<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; [ ]% |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Inc.<br> One Bryant Park<br> New York, NY 10036<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; [ ]% |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; LPL Financial LLC<br> 4707 Executive Drive<br> San Diego, CA 92121<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; [ ]% |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC<br> 1 North Jefferson Avenue<br> St. Louis, MO 63103<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; [ ]% |
| SPDR SSGA ULTRA SHORT TERM BOND ETF | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.<br> 211 Main St.<br> San Francisco, CA 94105-1905<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; [ ]% |

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Fund** | **Name and Address** | **% Ownership** |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; LPL Financial LLC<br> 4707 Executive Drive<br> San Diego, CA 92121<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; [ ]% |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; National Financial Services LLC<br> 499 Washington Blvd<br> Jersey City, NJ 07310<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; [ ]% |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC<br> 522 5th Avenue<br> New York, NY 10036<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; [ ]% |
| SPDR SSGA US SECTOR ROTATION ETF | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; LPL Financial LLC<br> 4707 Executive Drive<br> San Diego, CA 92121<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; [ ]% |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; National Financial Services LLC<br> 499 Washington Blvd<br> Jersey City, NJ 07310<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; [ ]% |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.<br> 211 Main St.<br> San Francisco, CA 94105-1905<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; [ ]% |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Pershing LLC<br> One Pershing Plaza<br> Jersey City, NJ 07399<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; [ ]% |

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An Authorized Participant (as defined below) may hold of record more than 25% of the outstanding Shares of a Fund. From time to time, Authorized Participants may be a beneficial and/or legal owner of a Fund, may be affiliated with an index provider, may be deemed to have control of the applicable Fund and/or may be able to affect the outcome of matters presented for a vote of the shareholders of the Fund. Authorized Participants may execute an irrevocable proxy granting the Distributor or another affiliate of State Street (the "Agent") power to vote or abstain from voting such Authorized Participant's beneficially or legally owned Shares of a Fund. In such cases, the Agent shall mirror vote (or abstain from voting) such Shares in the same proportion as all other beneficial owners of the Fund.

As of October [ ], 2025, to the knowledge of the Trust, the following persons held of record or beneficially through one or more accounts 25% or more of the outstanding shares of a Fund.

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Fund** | **Name and Address** | **% Ownership** |
| SPDR BLACKSTONE HIGH INCOME ETF | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.<br> 211 Main St.<br> San Francisco, CA 94105-1905<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; [ ]% |
| SPDR DOUBLELINE EMERGING MARKETS FIXED INCOME ETF | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.<br> 211 Main St.<br> San Francisco, CA 94105-1905<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; [ ]% |
| SPDR DOUBLELINE SHORT DURATION TOTAL RETURN TACTICAL ETF | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.<br> 211 Main St.<br> San Francisco, CA 94105-1905<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; [ ]% |
| SPDR DOUBLELINE TOTAL RETURN TACTICAL ETF | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.<br> 211 Main St.<br> San Francisco, CA 94105-1905<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; [ ]% |
| SPDR LOOMIS SAYLES OPPORTUNISTIC BOND ETF | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.<br> 211 Main St.<br> San Francisco, CA 94105-1905<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; [ ]% |
| SPDR NUVEEN MUNICIPAL BOND ETF | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Citibank, N.A.<br> 390 Greenwich Street, 3rd Floor<br> New York, NY 10013<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; [ ]% |

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Fund** | **Name and Address** | **% Ownership** |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.<br> 211 Main St.<br> San Francisco, CA 94105-1905<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; [ ]% |
| SPDR NUVEEN MUNICIPAL BOND ESG ETF | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; BOFA Securities, Inc. /Safekeeping<br> One Bryant Park<br> New York, NY 10036<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; [ ]% |
| SPDR SSGA FIXED INCOME SECTOR ROTATION ETF | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; National Financial Services LLC<br> 499 Washington Blvd<br> Jersey City, NJ 07310<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; [ ]% |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; LPL Financial LLC<br> 4707 Executive Drive<br> San Diego, CA 92121<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; [ ]% |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.<br> 211 Main St.<br> San Francisco, CA 94105-1905<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; [ ]% |
| SPDR SSGA GLOBAL ALLOCATION ETF | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.<br> 211 Main St.<br> San Francisco, CA 94105-1905<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; [ ]% |
| SPDR SSGA INCOME ALLOCATION ETF | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Fiduciary SSB<br> 1776 Heritage Dr.<br> North Quincy, MA 02169<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; [ ]% |
| SPDR SSGA MULTI-ASSET REAL RETURN ETF | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.<br> 211 Main St.<br> San Francisco, CA 94105-1905<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; [ ]% |
| SPDR SSGA ULTRA SHORT TERM BOND ETF | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.<br> 211 Main St.<br> San Francisco, CA 94105-1905<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; [ ]% |
| SPDR SSGA US SECTOR ROTATION ETF | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; LPL Financial LLC<br> 4707 Executive Drive<br> San Diego, CA 92121<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; [ ]% |

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The Trustees and Officers of the Trust, as a group, own less than 1% of the Trust's voting securities as of the date of this SAI.

**Purchase and Redemption of Creation Units**

Each Fund issues and redeems its Shares on a continuous basis, at net asset value, only in a large specified number of Shares called a "Creation Unit." The value of each Fund is determined once each business day, normally as of the Closing Time, except weekends and the following holidays: New Year's Day, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents' Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day (observed), Juneteenth National Independence Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. The net asset value of a Fund is determined once each business day, normally as of the Closing Time. The Creation Unit size for each Fund may change. Authorized Participants (as defined below) will be notified of such change. The principal consideration for creations and redemptions for each Fund is set forth in the table below:

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **FUND** | **CREATION\*** | **REDEMPTION\*** |
| SPDR Blackstone High Income ETF | &nbsp;&nbsp; Cash | &nbsp;&nbsp; Cash<br>|
| SPDR Blackstone Senior Loan ETF | &nbsp;&nbsp; Cash | &nbsp;&nbsp; Cash<br>|
| SPDR DoubleLine Emerging Markets Fixed Income ETF | &nbsp;&nbsp; Cash | &nbsp;&nbsp; Cash<br>|
| SPDR DoubleLine Short Duration Total Return Tactical ETF | &nbsp;&nbsp; Cash | &nbsp;&nbsp; Cash<br>|
| SPDR DoubleLine Total Return Tactical ETF | &nbsp;&nbsp; Cash | &nbsp;&nbsp; Cash |

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **FUND** | **CREATION\*** | **REDEMPTION\*** |
| SPDR Loomis Sayles Opportunistic Bond ETF | &nbsp;&nbsp; Cash | &nbsp;&nbsp; Cash |
| SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ETF | &nbsp;&nbsp; Cash | &nbsp;&nbsp; In-Kind |
| SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ESG ETF | &nbsp;&nbsp; Cash | &nbsp;&nbsp; In-Kind |
| SPDR SSGA Fixed Income Sector Rotation ETF | &nbsp;&nbsp; In-Kind | &nbsp;&nbsp; In-Kind |
| SPDR SSGA Global Allocation ETF | &nbsp;&nbsp; In-Kind | &nbsp;&nbsp; In-Kind |
| SPDR SSGA Income Allocation ETF | &nbsp;&nbsp; In-Kind | &nbsp;&nbsp; In-Kind |
| SPDR SSGA Multi-Asset Real Return ETF | &nbsp;&nbsp; In-Kind | &nbsp;&nbsp; In-Kind |
| SPDR SSGA Ultra Short Term Bond ETF | &nbsp;&nbsp; Cash | &nbsp;&nbsp; Cash |
| SPDR SSGA US Sector Rotation ETF | &nbsp;&nbsp; In-Kind | &nbsp;&nbsp; In-Kind |

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\*

May be revised at any time without notice.

**PURCHASE (CREATION)**

The Trust issues and sells Shares of each Fund only in Creation Units on a continuous basis through the Principal Underwriter, without a sales load (but subject to transaction fees), at their NAV per share next determined after receipt of an order, on any Business Day (as defined below), in proper form pursuant to the terms of the Authorized Participant Agreement ("Participant Agreement"). A "Business Day" with respect to a Fund is, generally, any day on which the NYSE is open for business.

**FUND DEPOSIT**

The consideration for purchase of a Creation Unit of a Fund generally consists of either (i) the Deposit Securities and the Cash Component (defined below), computed as described below; or (ii) the cash value of the Deposit Securities and "Cash Component," computed as described below. When accepting purchases of Creation Units for cash, a Fund may incur additional costs associated with the acquisition of Deposit Securities that would otherwise be provided by an in-kind purchaser.

Together, the Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable, and the Cash Component constitute the "Fund Deposit," which represents the minimum initial and subsequent investment amount for a Creation Unit of any Fund. The "Cash Component", which may include a Dividend Equivalent Payment, is an amount equal to the difference between the net asset value of the Shares (per Creation Unit) and the market value of the Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable. The "Dividend Equivalent Payment" enables the Fund to make a complete distribution of dividends on the day preceding the next dividend payment date, and is an amount equal, on a per Creation Unit basis, to the dividends on all the portfolio securities of the Fund ("Dividend Securities") with ex-dividend dates within the accumulation period for such distribution (the "Accumulation Period"), net of expenses and liabilities for such period, as if all of the Dividend Securities had been held by the Fund for the entire Accumulation Period. The Accumulation Period begins on the ex-dividend date for each Fund and ends on the day preceding the next ex-dividend date. If the Cash Component is a positive number (i.e., the net asset value per Creation Unit exceeds the market value of the Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable), the Cash Component shall be such positive amount. If the Cash Component is a negative number (i.e., the net asset value per Creation Unit is less than the market value of the Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable), the Cash Component shall be such negative amount and the creator will be entitled to receive cash in an amount equal to the Cash Component. The Cash Component serves the function of compensating for any differences between the net asset value per Creation Unit and the market value of the Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable. Computation of the Cash Component excludes any stamp duty or other similar fees and expenses payable upon transfer of beneficial ownership of the Deposit Securities, if applicable, which shall be the sole responsibility of the Authorized Participant (as defined below).

The Custodian, through NSCC, makes available on each Business Day, prior to the opening of business on the Exchange (currently 9:30 a.m., Eastern time), the list of the names and the required number of shares of each Deposit Security or the required amount of Deposit Cash, as applicable, to be included in the current standard Fund Deposit (based on information at the end of the previous Business Day) for a Fund. Such standard Fund Deposit is subject to any applicable adjustments as described below, in order to effect purchases of Creation Units of a Fund until such time as the next-announced composition of the Deposit Securities or the required amount of Deposit Cash, as applicable, is made available.

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The identity and number of shares of the Deposit Securities or the amount of Deposit Cash, as applicable, required for a Fund Deposit for each Fund may be changed from time to time with a view to the investment objective of the Fund. Information regarding the Fund Deposit necessary for the purchase of a Creation Unit is made available to Authorized Participants and other market participants seeking to transact in Creation Unit aggregations.

As noted above, the Trust reserves the right to permit or require the substitution of Deposit Cash to replace any Deposit Security, which shall be added to the Cash Component, including, without limitation, situations where the Deposit Security: (i) may not be available in sufficient quantity for delivery, (ii) may not be eligible for transfer through the systems of DTC for corporate securities and municipal securities; (iii) may not be eligible for trading by an Authorized Participant (as defined below) or the investor for which it is acting; (iv) would be restricted under the securities laws or where the delivery of the Deposit Security to the Authorized Participant would result in the disposition of the Deposit Security by the Authorized Participant becoming restricted under the securities laws, or (v) in certain other situations (collectively, "non-standard orders"). The Trust also reserves the right to: permit or require the substitution of Deposit Securities in lieu of Deposit Cash. The adjustments described above will reflect changes, known to the Adviser on the date of announcement to be in effect by the time of delivery of the Fund Deposit, resulting from certain corporate actions.

**PROCEDURES FOR PURCHASE OF CREATION UNITS**

To be eligible to place orders with the Principal Underwriter, as facilitated via the Transfer Agent, to purchase a Creation Unit of a Fund, an entity must be (i) a "Participating Party", i.e., a broker-dealer or other participant in the clearing process through the Continuous Net Settlement System of the NSCC (the "Clearing Process"), a clearing agency that is registered with the SEC; or (ii) a DTC Participant (see "Book Entry Only System"). In addition, each Participating Party or DTC Participant (each, an "Authorized Participant") must execute a Participant Agreement that has been agreed to by the Principal Underwriter and the Transfer Agent, and that has been accepted by the Trust, with respect to purchases and redemptions of Creation Units. Each Authorized Participant will agree, pursuant to the terms of a Participant Agreement, on behalf of itself or any investor on whose behalf it will act, to certain conditions, including that it will pay to the Trust, an amount of cash sufficient to pay the Cash Component together with the creation transaction fee (described below) and any other applicable fees, taxes and additional variable charge.

All orders to purchase Shares directly from a Fund, including non-standard orders, must be placed for one or more Creation Units and in the manner and by the time set forth in the Participant Agreement and/or the applicable order form. The date on which an order to purchase Creation Units (or an order to redeem Creation Units, as set forth below) is received and accepted is referred to as the "Order Placement Date."

An Authorized Participant may require an investor to make certain representations or enter into agreements with respect to the order (e.g., to provide for payments of cash, when required). Investors should be aware that their particular broker may not have executed a Participant Agreement and that, therefore, orders to purchase Shares directly from a Fund in Creation Units have to be placed by the investor's broker through an Authorized Participant that has executed a Participant Agreement. In such cases there may be additional charges to such investor. At any given time, there may be only a limited number of broker-dealers that have executed a Participant Agreement and only a small number of such Authorized Participants may have international capabilities.

On days when the Exchange or the bond markets close earlier than normal, a Fund may require orders to create Creation Units to be placed earlier in the day. In addition, if a market or markets on which a Fund's investments are primarily traded is closed, the Fund will also generally not accept orders on such day(s). Orders must be transmitted by an Authorized Participant by telephone or other transmission method acceptable to the Distributor pursuant to procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement and in accordance with the applicable order form. Those placing orders through an Authorized Participant should allow sufficient time to permit proper submission of the purchase order by the cut-off time. Economic or market disruptions or changes, or telephone or other communication failure may impede the ability to reach the Distributor or an Authorized Participant.

Fund Deposits must be delivered by an Authorized Participant through the Federal Reserve System (for cash and U.S. government securities), or through DTC (for corporate securities and municipal securities), through a subcustody agent (for foreign securities) and/or through such other arrangements allowed by the Trust or its agents. With respect to foreign Deposit Securities, the Custodian shall cause the subcustodian of a Fund to maintain an account into which the Authorized Participant shall deliver, on behalf of itself or the party on whose behalf it is acting, such Deposit Securities. Foreign Deposit Securities must be delivered to an account maintained at the applicable local subcustodian. The Fund Deposit transfer must be ordered by the Authorized Participant in a timely fashion so as to ensure the delivery of the requisite number of Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable, to the account of a Fund or its agents by no later

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than the Settlement Date. The "Settlement Date" for a Fund is generally the first Business Day ("T+1") after the Order Placement Date. All questions as to the number of Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash to be delivered, as applicable, and the validity, form and eligibility (including time of receipt) for the deposit of any tendered securities or cash, as applicable, will be determined by the Trust, whose determination shall be final and binding. The amount of cash represented by the Cash Component must be transferred directly to the Custodian through the Federal Reserve Bank wire transfer system in a timely manner so as to be received by the Custodian no later than the Settlement Date. If the Cash Component and the Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable, are not received in a timely manner by the Settlement Date, the creation order may be cancelled. Upon written notice to the Distributor, such canceled order may be resubmitted the following Business Day using a Fund Deposit as newly constituted to reflect the then current NAV of the Fund. The delivery of Creation Units so created generally will occur no later than the first Business Day following the day on which the purchase order is deemed received by the Distributor.

The order shall be deemed to be received on the Business Day on which the order is placed provided that the order is placed in proper form prior to the applicable cut-off time and the federal funds in the appropriate amount are deposited by 2:00 p.m. or 3:00 p.m. Eastern time (per applicable instructions), with the Custodian on the Settlement Date. If the order is not placed in proper form as required, or federal funds in the appropriate amount are not received by 2:00 p.m. or 3:00 p.m. Eastern time (per applicable instructions) on the Settlement Date, then the order may be deemed to be rejected and the Authorized Participant shall be liable to the Fund for losses, if any, resulting therefrom. A creation request is considered to be in "proper form" if all procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement, order form and this SAI are properly followed.

Shortened settlement cycles are expected to be available, through which creation transactions can be settled on the trade date in accordance with instructions provided by the Trust and/or Distributor.

**ISSUANCE OF A CREATION UNIT**

Except as provided herein, Creation Units will not be issued until the transfer of good title to the Trust of the Deposit Securities or payment of Deposit Cash, as applicable, and the payment of the Cash Component have been completed. When the subcustodian has confirmed to the Custodian that the required Deposit Securities (or the cash value thereof) have been delivered to the account of the relevant subcustodian or subcustodians, the Principal Underwriter and the Adviser shall be notified of such delivery, and the Trust will issue and cause the delivery of the Creation Units.

In instances where the Trust accepts Deposit Securities for the purchase of a Creation Unit, the Creation Unit may be purchased in advance of receipt by the Trust of all or a portion of the applicable Deposit Securities as described below. In these circumstances, the initial deposit will have a value greater than the net asset value of the Shares on the date the order is placed in proper form since in addition to available Deposit Securities, cash must be deposited in an amount equal to the sum of (i) the Cash Component, plus (ii) an additional amount of cash equal to a percentage of the market value as set forth in the Participant Agreement, of the undelivered Deposit Securities (the "Additional Cash Deposit"), which shall be maintained in a separate non-interest bearing collateral account. An additional amount of cash shall be required to be deposited with the Trust, pending delivery of the missing Deposit Securities to the extent necessary to maintain the Additional Cash Deposit with the Trust in an amount at least equal to the applicable percentage, as set forth in the Participant Agreement, of the daily marked to market value of the missing Deposit Securities. The Trust may use such Additional Cash Deposit to buy the missing Deposit Securities at any time. Authorized Participants will be liable to the Trust for all costs, expenses, dividends, income and taxes associated with missing Deposit Securities, including the costs incurred by the Trust in connection with any such purchases. These costs will be deemed to include the amount by which the actual purchase price of the Deposit Securities exceeds the market value of such Deposit Securities on the day the purchase order was deemed received by the Principal Underwriter plus the brokerage and related transaction costs associated with such purchases. The Trust will return any unused portion of the Additional Cash Deposit once all of the missing Deposit Securities have been properly received by the Custodian or purchased by the Trust and deposited into the Trust. In addition, a transaction fee as set forth below under "Creation Transaction Fees" will be charged in all cases and an additional variable charge may also be applied. The delivery of Creation Units so created generally will occur no later than the Settlement Date.

**ACCEPTANCE OF ORDERS OF CREATION UNITS**

The Trust reserves the right to reject an order for Creation Units transmitted in respect of a Fund at its discretion, including, without limitation, if (a) the order is not in proper form or the Deposit Securities delivered do not consist of the securities that the Custodian specified; (b) the Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable, delivered by the

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Authorized Participant are not as disseminated through the facilities of the NSCC for that date by the Custodian; (c) the investor(s), upon obtaining the Shares ordered, would own 80% or more of the currently outstanding Shares of the Fund; (d) the acceptance of the Fund Deposit would, in the opinion of counsel, be unlawful; (e) the acceptance or receipt of the order for a Creation Unit would, in the opinion of counsel to the Trust, be unlawful; or (f) in the event that circumstances outside the control of the Trust, the Custodian, the Transfer Agent, the Distributor and/or the Adviser make it for all practical purposes not feasible to process orders for Creation Units. Examples of such circumstances include acts of God or public service or utility problems such as fires, floods, extreme weather conditions and power outages resulting in telephone, telecopy and computer failures; market conditions or activities causing trading halts; systems failures involving computer or other information systems affecting the Trust, the Principal Underwriter, the Custodian, the Transfer Agent, DTC, NSCC, Federal Reserve System, or any other participant in the creation process, and other extraordinary events. The Trust or its agents shall communicate to the Authorized Participant its rejection of an order. The Trust, the Transfer Agent, the Custodian and the Principal Underwriter are under no duty, however, to give notification of any defects or irregularities in the delivery of Fund Deposits nor shall either of them incur any liability for the failure to give any such notification. The Trust, the Transfer Agent, the Custodian and the Principal Underwriter shall not be liable for the rejection of any purchase order for Creation Units. Given the importance of the ongoing issuance of Creation Units to maintaining a market price that is at or close to the underlying net asset value of the Fund, the Trust does not intend to suspend acceptance of orders for Creation Units.

All questions as to the number of shares of each security in the Deposit Securities and the validity, form, eligibility and acceptance for deposit of any securities to be delivered shall be determined by the Trust, and the Trust's determination shall be final and binding.

**REDEMPTION**

Shares may be redeemed only in Creation Units at their net asset value next determined after receipt of a redemption request in proper form by a Fund through the Transfer Agent and only on a Business Day. EXCEPT UPON LIQUIDATION OF A FUND, THE TRUST WILL NOT REDEEM SHARES IN AMOUNTS LESS THAN CREATION UNITS. Investors must accumulate enough Shares in the secondary market to constitute a Creation Unit in order to have such Shares redeemed by the Trust. There can be no assurance, however, that there will be sufficient liquidity in the public trading market at any time to permit assembly of a Creation Unit. Investors should expect to incur brokerage and other costs in connection with assembling a sufficient number of Shares to constitute a redeemable Creation Unit.

With respect to each Fund, the Custodian, through the NSCC, makes available prior to the opening of business on the Exchange (currently 9:30 a.m. Eastern time) on each Business Day, the list of the names and share quantities of securities designated by the Fund that will be applicable (subject to possible amendment or correction) to redemption requests received in proper form (as defined below) on that day ("Redemption Securities"). Redemption Securities received on redemption may not be identical to Deposit Securities. The identity and number of shares of the Redemption Securities or the Cash Redemption Amount (defined below) may be changed from time to time with a view to the investment objective of a Fund.

Redemption proceeds for a Creation Unit are paid either in-kind or in cash or a combination thereof, as determined by the Trust. With respect to in-kind redemptions of a Fund, redemption proceeds for a Creation Unit will consist of Redemption Securities plus cash in an amount equal to the difference between the net asset value of the Shares being redeemed, as next determined after a receipt of a request in proper form, and the value of the Redemption Securities (the "Cash Redemption Amount"), less a fixed redemption transaction fee and any applicable additional variable charge as set forth below. In the event that the Redemption Securities have a value greater than the net asset value of the Shares, a compensating cash payment equal to the differential is required to be made by or through an Authorized Participant by the redeeming shareholder. Notwithstanding the foregoing: at the Trust's discretion, an Authorized Participant may receive the corresponding cash value of the securities in lieu of the in-kind securities value representing one or more Redemption Securities.

**PROCEDURES FOR REDEMPTION OF CREATION UNITS**

Redemption proceeds from the Fund will be delivered to the redeeming Authorized Participant. The Fund may deliver redemption proceeds directly to a redeeming Authorized Participant. The "Settlement Date" with respect to a redemption order for a Fund is generally T+1, the second Business Day ("T+2") or the third Business Day ("T+3") after the Order Placement Date. After the Trust has deemed an order for redemption received, the Trust will initiate procedures to transfer the requisite Redemption Securities and the Cash Redemption Amount to the Authorized Participant by the Settlement

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Date. With respect to in-kind redemptions of a Fund, the calculation of the value of the Redemption Securities and the Cash Redemption Amount to be delivered upon redemption will be made by the Custodian according to the procedures set forth under "Determination of Net Asset Value", computed on the Business Day on which a redemption order is deemed received by the Trust. Therefore, if a redemption order in proper form is submitted to the Principal Underwriter by a DTC Participant by the specified time on the Order Placement Date, and the requisite number of Shares of a Fund are delivered to the Custodian prior to 2:00 p.m. or 3:00 p.m. Eastern time (per applicable instructions) on the Settlement Date, then the value of the Redemption Securities and the Cash Redemption Amount to be delivered will be determined by the Custodian on such Order Placement Date. If the requisite number of Shares of the Fund are not delivered by 2:00 p.m. or 3:00 p.m. Eastern time (per applicable instructions) on the Settlement Date, the Fund will not release the underlying securities for delivery unless collateral is posted in such percentage amount of missing Shares as set forth in the Participant Agreement (marked to market daily).

With respect to in-kind redemptions of a Fund, in connection with taking delivery of shares of Redemption Securities upon redemption of Creation Units, an Authorized Participant must maintain appropriate custody arrangements with a qualified broker-dealer, bank or other custody providers in each jurisdiction in which any of the Redemption Securities are customarily traded (or such other arrangements as allowed by the Trust or its agents), to which account such Redemption Securities will be delivered. Deliveries of redemption proceeds generally will be made within T+1, T+2, or T+3. The order form specifies the date at which the delivery of redemption proceeds for a specific Fund is generally expected to occur.

Due to the schedule of holidays in certain countries, however, the delivery of in-kind redemption proceeds may take longer than one, two or three Business Days, as applicable, after the day on which the redemption request is received in proper form. If the Authorized Participant has not made appropriate arrangements to take delivery of the Redemption Securities in the applicable foreign jurisdiction and it is not possible to make other such arrangements, or if it is not possible to effect deliveries of the Redemption Securities in such jurisdiction, the Trust may, in its discretion, exercise its option to redeem such Shares in cash, and the Authorized Participant will be required to receive its redemption proceeds in cash.

If it is not possible to make other such arrangements, or if it is not possible to effect deliveries of the Redemption Securities, the Trust may in its discretion exercise its option to redeem such Shares in cash, and the redeeming investor will be required to receive its redemption proceeds in cash. In addition, an investor may request a redemption in cash that a Fund may, in its sole discretion, permit. In either case, the investor will receive a cash payment equal to the NAV of its Shares based on the NAV of Shares of the relevant Fund next determined after the redemption request is received in proper form (minus a redemption transaction fee and additional charge for requested cash redemptions specified above, to offset the Trust's brokerage and other transaction costs associated with the disposition of Redemption Securities). A Fund may also, in its sole discretion, upon request of a shareholder, provide such redeemer a portfolio of securities that differs from the exact composition of the Redemption Securities but does not differ in net asset value.

An Authorized Participant submitting a redemption request is deemed to represent to the Trust that, as of the close of the Business Day on which the redemption request was submitted, it (or its client) will own (within the meaning of Rule 200 of Regulation SHO) or has arranged to borrow for delivery to the Trust on or prior to the Settlement Date of the redemption request, the requisite number of Shares of the relevant Fund to be redeemed as a Creation Unit. In either case, the Authorized Participant is deemed to acknowledge that: (i) it (or its client) has full legal authority and legal right to tender for redemption the requisite number of Shares of the applicable Fund and to receive the entire proceeds of the redemption; and (ii) if such Shares submitted for redemption have been loaned or pledged to another party or are the subject of a repurchase agreement, securities lending agreement or any other arrangement affecting legal or beneficial ownership of such Shares being tendered, there are no restrictions precluding the tender and delivery of such Shares (including borrowed shares, if any) for redemption, free and clear of liens, on the redemption Settlement Date. The Trust reserves the right to verify these representations at its discretion, but will typically require verification with respect to a redemption request from a Fund in connection with higher levels of redemption activity and/or short interest in the Fund. If the Authorized Participant, upon receipt of a verification request, does not provide sufficient verification of its representations as determined by the Trust, the redemption request will not be considered to have been received in proper form and may be rejected by the Trust.

Redemptions of Shares for Redemption Securities will be subject to compliance with applicable federal and state securities laws and each Fund (whether or not it otherwise permits cash redemptions) reserves the right to redeem Creation Units for cash to the extent that the Trust could not lawfully deliver specific Redemption Securities upon redemptions or could not do so without first registering the Redemption Securities under such laws. An Authorized Participant or an investor for which it is acting subject to a legal restriction with respect to a particular security included in the Redemption Securities applicable to the redemption of Creation Units may be paid an equivalent amount of cash. The

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Authorized Participant may request the redeeming investor of the Shares to complete an order form or to enter into agreements with respect to such matters as compensating cash payment. Further, an Authorized Participant that is not a "qualified institutional buyer," ("QIB") as such term is defined under Rule 144A of the Securities Act, will not be able to receive Redemption Securities that are restricted securities eligible for resale under Rule 144A. An Authorized Participant may be required by the Trust to provide a written confirmation with respect to QIB status in order to receive Redemption Securities.

The right of redemption may be suspended or the date of payment postponed with respect to a Fund (1) for any period during which the Exchange is closed (other than customary weekend and holiday closings); (2) for any period during which trading on the Exchange is suspended or restricted; (3) for any period during which an emergency exists as a result of which disposal of the Shares of the Fund or determination of the NAV of the Shares is not reasonably practicable; or (4) in such other circumstance as is permitted by the SEC.

**REQUIRED EARLY ACCEPTANCE OF ORDERS**

Notwithstanding the foregoing, as described in the Participant Agreement and/or the applicable order form, certain Funds may require orders to be placed prior to the trade date, as described in the Participant Agreement or the applicable order form, in order to receive the trade date's net asset value. The cut-off time to receive the trade date's net asset value will not precede the calculation of the net asset value of a Fund's shares on the prior Business Day. Orders to purchase Shares of such Funds that are submitted on the Business Day immediately preceding a holiday or a day (other than a weekend) that the equity markets in the relevant foreign market are closed may not be accepted. Authorized Participants may be notified that the cut-off time for an order may be earlier on a particular Business Day, as described in the Participant Agreement and the applicable order form.

**CREATION AND REDEMPTION TRANSACTION FEES**

A transaction fee, as set forth in the table below, is imposed for the transfer and other transaction costs associated with the purchase or redemption of Creation Units, as applicable. Authorized Participants will be required to pay a fixed creation transaction fee and/or a fixed redemption transaction fee, as applicable, on a given day regardless of the number of Creation Units created or redeemed on that day. A Fund may adjust the transaction fee from time to time. An additional charge or a variable charge (discussed below) will be applied to certain creation and redemption transactions, including non-standard orders and whole or partial cash purchases or redemptions. With respect to creation orders, Authorized Participants are responsible for the costs of transferring the securities constituting the Deposit Securities to the account of the Trust and with respect to redemption orders, Authorized Participants are responsible for the costs of transferring the Redemption Securities from the Trust to their account or on their order.

Investors who use the services of a broker or other such intermediary may also be charged a fee for such services.

**Creation and Redemption Transaction Fees:** 

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Fund**  | **Transaction**<br> **Fee\*, \*\***<br>| **Maximum** <br> **Transaction**<br> **Fee\*, \*\***<br>|
| SPDR Blackstone High Income ETF | &nbsp;&nbsp; $250 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $1000 |
| SPDR Blackstone Senior Loan ETF | &nbsp;&nbsp; $50 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $200 |
| SPDR DoubleLine Emerging Markets Fixed Income ETF | &nbsp;&nbsp; $500 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $2000 |
| SPDR DoubleLine Short Duration Total Return Tactical ETF | &nbsp;&nbsp; $500 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $2000 |
| SPDR DoubleLine Total Return Tactical ETF | &nbsp;&nbsp; $500 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $2000 |
| SPDR Loomis Sayles Opportunistic Bond ETF | &nbsp;&nbsp; $250 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $1000 |
| SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ETF | &nbsp;&nbsp; $250 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $1000 |
| SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ESG ETF | &nbsp;&nbsp; $250 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $1000 |
| SPDR SSGA Fixed Income Sector Rotation ETF | &nbsp;&nbsp; $100 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $400 |
| SPDR SSGA Global Allocation ETF | &nbsp;&nbsp; $100 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $400 |
| SPDR SSGA Income Allocation ETF | &nbsp;&nbsp; $100 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $400 |
| SPDR SSGA Multi-Asset Real Return ETF | &nbsp;&nbsp; $100 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $400 |
| SPDR SSGA Ultra Short Term Bond ETF | &nbsp;&nbsp; $150 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $600 |
| SPDR SSGA US Sector Rotation ETF | &nbsp;&nbsp; $100 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $400 |

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\*

From time to time, any Fund may waive all or a portion of its applicable transaction fee(s). An additional charge of up to three (3) times the standard transaction fee may be charged to the extent a transaction is outside of the clearing process.

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\*\*

In addition to the transaction fees listed above, the Funds may charge an additional variable fee for creations and redemptions in cash to offset brokerage and impact expenses associated with the cash transaction. The variable transaction fee will be calculated based on historical transaction cost data and the Adviser's view of current market conditions; however, the actual variable fee charged for a given transaction may be lower or higher than the trading expenses incurred by a Fund with respect to that transaction.

**Determination of Net Asset Value**

The following information supplements and should be read in conjunction with the sections in the Prospectus entitled "PURCHASE AND SALE INFORMATION" and "ADDITIONAL PURCHASE AND SALE INFORMATION."

NAV per Share for each Fund is computed 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 Shares outstanding. Expenses and fees, including the management fees, are accrued daily and taken into account for purposes of determining NAV. The NAV of each Fund is calculated by State Street and determined once daily as of the close of the regular trading session on the NYSE (ordinarily 4:00 p.m. Eastern time) on each day that such exchange is open. Creation/redemption order cut-off times may be earlier on any day that the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (or applicable exchange or market on which a Fund's investments are traded) announces an early closing time. Any assets or liabilities denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar are converted into U.S. dollars at market rates on the date of valuation (generally as of 4:00 p.m. London time) as quoted by one or more sources.

In calculating a Fund's net asset value per Share, the Fund's investments are generally valued using market valuations. A market valuation generally means a valuation (i) obtained from an exchange, a pricing service, or a major market maker (or dealer) or (ii) based on a price quotation or other equivalent indication of value supplied by an exchange, a pricing service, or a major market maker (or dealer). Each Fund relies on a third-party service provider for assistance with the daily calculation of the Fund's NAV. The third-party service provider, in turn, relies on other parties for certain pricing data and other inputs used in the calculation of the Fund's NAV. Therefore, each Fund is subject to certain operational risks associated with reliance on its service provider and that service provider's sources of pricing and other data. NAV calculation may be adversely affected by operational risks arising from factors such as errors or failures in systems and technology. Such errors or failures may result in inaccurately calculated NAVs, delays in the calculation of NAVs and/or the inability to calculate NAV over extended time periods. A Fund may be unable to recover any losses associated with such failures. In the case of shares of other funds that are not traded on an exchange, a market valuation means such fund's published net asset value per share. Each Fund may use various pricing services, or discontinue the use of any pricing service. Fixed-income assets are generally valued as of the announced closing time for trading in fixed-income instruments in a particular market or exchange, and generally 4:00 p.m. EST for U.S. fixed-income assets. Fixed-income assets are generally valued at the mean of the bid and ask prices for bank loans and inflation protected securities, and at the bid price for all other fixed-income assets.

Pursuant to Board approved valuation procedures, the Board has designated the Adviser as the valuation designee for each Fund. These procedures address, among other things, (i) determining (a) when market quotations are not readily available or reliable and (b) the methodologies to be used for determining the fair value of investments, and (ii) the use and oversight of third-party pricing services for fair valuation. The Adviser is responsible for periodically reviewing the procedures, and the selected methodologies used, for their continuing appropriateness and accuracy, and making any changes or adjustments to the procedures and methodologies as appropriate.

In the event that current market valuations are not readily available or are deemed unreliable, the Trust's procedures require the Adviser to determine a security's fair value. In determining a fair value, the Adviser may consider, among other things, (i) price comparisons among multiple sources, (ii) a review of corporate actions and news events, and (iii) a review of relevant financial indicators (e.g., movement in interest rates and market indices). In these cases, a Fund's net asset value may reflect certain portfolio securities' fair values rather than their market prices. The fair value of a portfolio instrument is generally the price which a Fund might reasonably expect to receive upon its current sale in an orderly market between market participants. Ascertaining fair value requires a determination of the amount that an arm's-length buyer, under the circumstances, would currently pay for the portfolio instrument. Fair value pricing involves subjective judgments and it is possible that the fair value determination for a security is materially different than the value that could be realized upon the sale of the security.

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**Dividends and Distributions**

The following information supplements and should be read in conjunction with the section in each Prospectus entitled "DISTRIBUTIONS."

**GENERAL POLICIES**

Dividends from net investment income, if any, are generally declared and paid quarterly by each Fund (monthly for SPDR Blackstone High Income ETF, SPDR Blackstone Senior Loan ETF, SPDR DoubleLine Emerging Markets Fixed Income ETF, SPDR DoubleLine Short Duration Total Return Tactical ETF, SPDR Loomis Sayles Opportunistic Bond ETF, SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ETF, SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ESG ETF, the SPDR SSGA Fixed Income Sector Rotation ETF and SPDR SSGA Ultra Short Term Bond ETF), but may vary significantly from period to period. 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 a Fund to comply with the distribution requirements of the Internal Revenue Code, in all events in a manner consistent with the provisions of the 1940 Act.

Dividends and other distributions on Shares are distributed, as described below, 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 Trust.

Management of the Trust reserves the right to declare special dividends if, in its reasonable discretion, such action is necessary or advisable to preserve a Fund's eligibility for treatment as a RIC under the Internal Revenue Code or to avoid imposition of income or excise taxes at the Fund level.

**DIVIDEND REINVESTMENT** 

Broker dealers, at their own discretion, may offer a dividend reinvestment service under which Shares are purchased in the secondary market at current market prices. Investors should consult their broker dealer for further information regarding any dividend reinvestment service offered by such broker dealer.

**Taxes**

The following is a summary of certain federal income tax considerations generally affecting the Funds and their shareholders that supplements the discussion in the Prospectus. No attempt is made to present a comprehensive explanation of the federal, state, local or foreign tax treatment of the Funds or their shareholders, and the discussion here and in the Prospectus is not intended to be a substitute for careful tax planning.

The following general discussion of certain federal income tax consequences is based on the Internal Revenue Code and the regulations issued thereunder as in effect on the date of this SAI. New legislation, as well as administrative changes or court decisions, may significantly change the conclusions expressed herein, and may have a retroactive effect with respect to the transactions contemplated herein.

The following information should be read in conjunction with the section in the Prospectus entitled "ADDITIONAL TAX INFORMATION."

**TAXATION OF THE FUNDS**

Each Fund is treated as a separate corporation for federal income tax purposes. Each Fund therefore is considered to be a separate entity in determining its treatment under the rules for RICs described herein and in the Prospectus. Losses in one series of the Trust do not offset gains in any other series of the Trust, and the requirements (other than certain organizational requirements) for qualifying for treatment as a RIC are determined at the Fund level rather than at the Trust level. Each Fund has elected or will elect and intends to qualify each year to be treated as a separate RIC under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code. As such, each Fund should not be subject to federal income tax on its net investment income and capital gains, if any, to the extent that it timely distributes such income and capital gains to its shareholders. In order to qualify for treatment as a RIC, a Fund must distribute annually to its shareholders at least the sum of 90% of its taxable net investment income (generally including the excess of net short-term capital gains over net long-term capital losses) and 90% of its net tax-exempt interest income, if any (the "Distribution Requirement") and also must meet several additional requirements. Among these requirements are the following: (i) at least 90% of a Fund's gross income each taxable year must be derived from dividends, interest, payments with respect to certain securities loans, gains from the sale or other disposition of stock, securities or foreign currencies, or other income derived with

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respect to its business of investing in such stock, securities or currencies, and net income derived from interests in qualified publicly traded partnerships (the "Qualifying Income Requirement"); and (ii) at the end of each quarter of a Fund's taxable year, its assets must be diversified so that (a) at least 50% of the market value of its total assets must be represented by cash and cash items, U.S. government securities, securities of other RICs and other securities, with such other securities limited, in respect to any one issuer, to an amount not greater in value than 5% of the value of the Fund's total assets and to not more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer, and (b) not more than 25% of the value of its total assets is invested in the securities (other than U.S. government securities or securities of other RICs) of any one issuer, the securities (other than securities of other RICs) of two or more issuers that it controls and that are engaged in the same, similar, or related trades or businesses, or the securities of one or more qualified publicly traded partnerships (the "Diversification Requirement").

If a Fund fails to satisfy the Qualifying Income Requirement or the Diversification Requirement in any taxable year, the Fund may be eligible for relief provisions if the failures are due to reasonable cause and not willful neglect and if a penalty tax is paid with respect to each failure to satisfy the applicable requirements. Additionally, relief is provided for certain de minimis failures of the Diversification Requirement where a Fund corrects the failure within a specified period of time. In order to be eligible for the relief provisions with respect to a failure to meet the Diversification Requirement, a Fund may be required to dispose of certain assets. If these relief provisions were not available to a Fund and it were to fail to qualify for treatment as a RIC for a taxable year, all of its taxable income would be subject to tax at the applicable corporate rate without any deduction for distributions to shareholders, and its distributions (including capital gains distributions) generally would be taxable as ordinary income dividends to its shareholders, subject to the dividends-received deduction for corporate shareholders and the lower tax rates on qualified dividend income received by noncorporate shareholders. To requalify for treatment as a RIC in a subsequent taxable year, a Fund would be required to satisfy the RIC qualification requirements for that year and to distribute any earnings and profits from any year in which the Fund failed to qualify for tax treatment as a RIC. If a Fund failed to qualify as a RIC for a period greater than two taxable years, it would generally be required to pay a Fund-level tax on certain net built-in gains recognized with respect to certain of its assets upon a disposition of such assets within five years of qualifying as a RIC in a subsequent year. The Board reserves the right not to maintain the qualification of a Fund for treatment as a RIC if it determines such course of action to be beneficial to shareholders.

As discussed more fully below, each Fund intends to distribute substantially all of its net investment income and its capital gains for each taxable year. If a Fund meets the Distribution Requirement but retains some or all of its income or gains, it will be subject to federal income tax to the extent any such income or gains are not distributed. A Fund may designate certain amounts retained as undistributed net capital gain in a notice to its shareholders, who (i) will be required to include in income for U.S. federal income tax purposes, as long-term capital gain, their proportionate shares of the undistributed amount so designated, (ii) will be entitled to credit their proportionate shares of the income tax paid by the Fund on that undistributed amount against their federal income tax liabilities and to claim refunds to the extent such credits exceed their liabilities and (iii) will be entitled to increase their tax basis, for federal income tax purposes, in their Shares by an amount equal to the excess of the amount of undistributed net capital gain included in their respective income over their respective income tax credits. If a Fund failed to satisfy the Distribution Requirement for any taxable year, it would be taxed as a regular corporation, with consequences generally similar to those described in the preceding paragraph.

A Fund will be subject to a 4% excise tax on certain undistributed income if it does not distribute to its shareholders in each calendar year an amount at least equal to 98% of its ordinary income for the calendar year plus 98.2% of its capital gain net income for the twelve months ended October 31 of such year, subject to an increase for any shortfall in the prior year's distribution. Each Fund intends to declare and distribute dividends and distributions in the amounts and at the times necessary to avoid the application of this 4% excise tax.

A Fund may elect to treat part or all of any "qualified late year loss" as if it had been incurred in the succeeding taxable year in determining the Fund's taxable income, net capital gain, net short-term capital gain, and earnings and profits. The effect of this election is to treat any such "qualified late year loss" as if it had been incurred in the succeeding taxable year in characterizing Fund distributions for any calendar year. A "qualified late year loss" generally includes net capital loss, net long-term capital loss, or net short-term capital loss incurred after October 31 of the current taxable year (commonly referred to as "post-October losses") and certain other late-year losses.

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Capital losses in excess of capital gains ("net capital losses") are not permitted to be deducted against a RIC's net investment income. Instead, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, potentially subject to certain limitations, each Fund may carry a net capital loss from any taxable year forward indefinitely to offset its capital gains, if any, in years following the year of the loss. To the extent subsequent capital gains are offset by such losses, they will not result in U.S. federal income tax liability to a Fund and may not be distributed as capital gains to its shareholders. Generally, the Funds may not carry forward any losses other than net capital losses.

**TAXATION OF SHAREHOLDERS – DISTRIBUTIONS**

Each Fund intends to distribute annually to its shareholders substantially all of its investment company taxable income (computed without regard to the deduction for dividends paid), its net tax-exempt income, if any, and any net capital gain (net recognized long-term capital gains in excess of net recognized short-term capital losses, taking into account any capital loss carryforwards). Each Fund will report to shareholders annually the amounts of dividends paid from ordinary income, the amount of distributions of net capital gain, the portion of dividends which may qualify for the dividends-received deduction, the portion of dividends which may qualify for treatment as qualified dividend income, and the amount of exempt-interest dividends, if any. Since the SPDR Blackstone High Income ETF, SPDR Blackstone Senior Loan ETF, SPDR DoubleLine Emerging Markets Fixed Income ETF, SPDR DoubleLine Short Duration Total Return Tactical ETF, SPDR DoubleLine Total Return Tactical ETF, SPDR Loomis Sayles Opportunistic Bond ETF, SPDR SSGA Fixed Income Sector Rotation ETF, SPDR SSGA Ultra Short Term Bond ETF, SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ETF and SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ESG ETF primarily hold investments that do not pay dividends, it is not expected that any portion of dividends paid by those Funds will qualify either for the dividends-received deduction for corporations or for the reduced U.S. federal income tax rates available to individual and certain other noncorporate shareholders on qualified dividend income.

Subject to certain limitations, dividends reported by a Fund as qualified dividend income will be taxable to noncorporate shareholders at reduced rates. Dividends may be reported by a Fund as qualified dividend income if they are attributable to qualified dividend income received by the Fund. Qualified dividend income includes, in general, subject to certain holding period requirements and other requirements, dividend income from certain U.S. and foreign corporations. Subject to certain limitations, eligible foreign corporations include those incorporated in possessions of the United States, those incorporated in certain countries with comprehensive tax treaties with the United States and other foreign corporations if the stock with respect to which the dividends are paid is tradable on an established securities market in the United States. A dividend generally will not be treated as qualified dividend income to the extent that (i) the shareholder has not held the stock on which the dividend was paid for more than 60 days during the 121-day period that begins on the date that is 60 days before the date on which the stock becomes ex-dividend with respect to such dividend or, in the case of certain preferred stock, for more than 90 days during the 181-day period beginning 90 days before such date, (ii) the shareholder is under an obligation (whether pursuant to a short sale or otherwise) to make related payments with respect to substantially similar or related property, or (iii) the shareholder elects to treat such dividend as investment income under section 163(d)(4)(B) of the Internal Revenue Code. The holding period requirements described in this paragraph apply to the shareholders' investments in the Funds and to the Funds' investments in the underlying dividend-paying stocks. Dividends treated as received by a Fund from a REIT or another RIC may be treated as qualified dividend income generally only to the extent the dividend distributions are attributable to qualified dividend income received by such REIT or RIC. It is expected that dividends received by a Fund from a REIT and distributed by that Fund to a shareholder generally will be taxable to the shareholder as ordinary income. Additionally, income derived in connection with a Fund's securities lending activities will, in general, not be treated as qualified dividend income. If 95% or more of a Fund's gross income (calculated without taking into account net capital gain derived from sales or other dispositions of stock or securities) consists of qualified dividend income, that Fund may report all distributions of such income as qualified dividend income.

Certain dividends received by a Fund from U.S. corporations (generally, dividends received by a Fund in respect of any share of stock (1) with a tax holding period of at least 46 days during the 91-day period beginning on the date that is 45 days before the date on which the stock becomes ex-dividend as to that dividend and (2) that is held in an unleveraged position) when distributed and appropriately so reported by the Fund may be eligible for the 50% dividends-received deduction generally available to corporations under the Internal Revenue Code. Dividends received by a Fund from REITs will not be eligible for that deduction. In order to qualify for the deduction, corporate shareholders must meet the minimum holding period requirement stated above with respect to their Shares, taking into account any holding period reductions from certain hedging or other transactions or positions that diminish their risk of loss with respect to their Shares, and, if they borrow to acquire or otherwise incur debt attributable to Shares, they may be denied a portion of the dividends-

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received deduction with respect to those Shares. Any corporate shareholder should consult its tax adviser regarding the possibility that its tax basis in its Shares may be reduced, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, by reason of "extraordinary dividends" received with respect to the Shares and, to the extent such basis would be reduced below zero, current recognition of income may be required.

Distributions from a Fund's net short-term capital gains will generally be taxable to shareholders as ordinary income. Distributions from a Fund's net capital gain will be taxable to shareholders at long-term capital gains rates, regardless of how long shareholders have held their Shares. Long-term capital gains are generally taxed to noncorporate shareholders at reduced rates. Certain capital gain dividends attributable to dividends a Fund receives from REITs may be taxable to noncorporate shareholders at a rate other than the reduced rates generally applicable to long-term capital gains.

Each of the SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ETF and SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ESG ETF intend to satisfy certain conditions (including requirements as to the proportion of their assets invested in municipal securities) that will enable them to report distributions from the interest income generated by its investments in municipal securities as exempt-interest dividends. Shareholders receiving exempt-interest dividends will not be subject to regular federal income tax on the amount of such dividends, but exempt-interest dividends may be taken into account in determining shareholders' federal alternative minimum tax liability. Insurance proceeds received by SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ETF and SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ESG ETF under any insurance policies in respect of scheduled interest payments on defaulted municipal securities will generally be excludable from federal gross income. In the case of non-appropriation by a political subdivision, however, there can be no assurance that payments made by the insurer representing interest on non-appropriation lease obligations will be excludable from gross income for federal income tax purposes.

Exempt-interest dividends paid by SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ETF and SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ESG ETF and attributable to interest earned on municipal securities issued by a state or its political subdivisions are generally exempt in the hands of a shareholder from income tax imposed by that state, but exempt-interest dividends attributable to interest on municipal securities issued by another state generally will not be exempt from such income tax.

Distributions by SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ETF and SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ESG ETF of net interest received from certain taxable temporary investments (such as certificates of deposit, commercial paper and obligations of the U.S. Government, its agencies and instrumentalities) and net short-term capital gains realized by the Funds, if any, will be taxable to shareholders as ordinary income. If SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ETF or SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ESG ETF purchases a municipal security at a market discount, any gain realized by the Fund upon sale or redemption of the municipal security will be treated as taxable interest income to the extent of the market discount, and any gain realized in excess of the market discount will be treated as capital gains.

If you lend your Shares in SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ETF and SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ESG ETF pursuant to a securities lending or similar arrangement, you may lose the ability to treat dividends paid by SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ETF or SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ESG ETF, as applicable, while the Shares are held by the borrower as tax-exempt income. Interest on indebtedness incurred by a shareholder to purchase or carry Shares of SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ETF or SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ESG ETF will not be deductible for U.S. federal income tax purposes. If a shareholder receives exempt-interest dividends with respect to any share of the SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ETF or SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ESG ETF and if the share is held by the shareholder for six months or less, then any loss on the sale or exchange of the share may, to the extent of the exempt-interest dividends, be disallowed. In addition, the Internal Revenue Code may require a shareholder in SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ETF or SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ESG ETF that receives exempt-interest dividends to treat as taxable income a portion of certain otherwise non-taxable social security and railroad retirement benefit payments. Furthermore, a portion of any exempt-interest dividend paid by SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ETF or SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ESG ETF that represents income derived from certain revenue or private activity bonds held by SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ETF or SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ESG ETF, as applicable, may not retain its tax-exempt status in the hands of a shareholder who is a "substantial user" of a facility financed by such bonds, or a "related person" thereof. Shareholders should consult their own tax advisers as to whether they are "substantial users" with respect to a facility or "related" to such users within the meaning of the Internal Revenue Code.

Federal tax law imposes an alternative minimum tax with respect to individuals. Interest on certain municipal securities that meet the definition of private activity bonds under the Internal Revenue Code is included as an item of tax preference in determining the amount of a noncorporate taxpayer's alternative minimum taxable income. To the extent that the SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ETF or SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ESG ETF receive income from private activity bonds, a portion of the dividends paid by it, although otherwise exempt from federal income tax, may be taxable to those noncorporate shareholders subject to the alternative minimum tax regime. SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ETF and SPDR

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Nuveen Municipal Bond ESG ETF will annually supply shareholders with a report indicating the percentage of their income attributable to municipal securities required to be included in calculating the federal alternative minimum tax applicable to noncorporate taxpayers. Exempt-interest dividends may also be taxable to corporate shareholders under the alternative minimum tax applicable to corporations.

Although dividends generally will be treated as distributed when paid, any dividend declared by a Fund in October, November or December and payable to shareholders of record in such a month that is paid during the following January will be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as received by shareholders on December 31 of the calendar year in which it was declared.

If a Fund's distributions exceed its earnings and profits, all or a portion of the distributions made in the taxable year may be treated as a return of capital to shareholders. 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 the Shares on which the distribution was received are sold. After a shareholder's basis in the Shares has been reduced to zero, distributions in excess of earnings and profits will be treated as gain from the sale of the shareholder's Shares.

Under Section 163(j) of the Code, a taxpayer's business interest expense is generally deductible to the extent of its business interest income plus certain other amounts. If a Fund earns business interest income, it may report a portion of its dividends as "Section 163(j) interest dividends," which its shareholders may be able to treat as business interest income for purposes of Section 163(j) of the Code. The Fund's "Section 163(j) interest dividend" for a tax year will be limited to the excess of its business interest income over the sum of its business interest expense and other deductions properly allocable to its business interest income. In general, a Fund's shareholders may treat a distribution reported as a Section 163(j) interest dividend as interest income only to the extent the distribution exceeds the sum of the portions of the distribution reported as other types of tax-favored income (which would generally include exempt-interest income). To be eligible to treat a Section 163(j) interest dividend as interest income, a shareholder may need to meet certain holding period requirements in respect of Shares and must not have hedged its position in Shares in certain ways.

Distributions that are reinvested in additional Shares through the means of a dividend reinvestment service, if offered by your broker-dealer, will nevertheless be taxable dividends to the same extent as if such dividends had been received in cash.

A 3.8% Medicare contribution tax generally applies to all or a portion of the net investment income of a shareholder who is an individual and not a nonresident alien for federal income tax purposes and who has adjusted gross income (subject to certain adjustments) that exceeds a threshold amount ($250,000 if married filing jointly or if considered a "surviving spouse" for federal income tax purposes, $125,000 if married filing separately, and $200,000 in other cases). This 3.8% tax also applies to all or a portion of the undistributed net investment income of certain shareholders that are estates and trusts. For these purposes, dividends, interest and certain capital gains (generally including capital gain distributions and capital gains realized on the sale of Shares) are generally taken into account in computing a shareholder's net investment income, but exempt-interest dividends generally are not taken into account.

Distributions of ordinary income and capital gains may also be subject to foreign, state and local taxes depending on a shareholder's circumstances.

**TAXATION OF SHAREHOLDERS – SALE OF SHARES**

In general, a sale of Shares results in capital gain or loss, and for individual shareholders, is taxable at a federal rate dependent upon the length of time the Shares were held. A sale of Shares held for a period of one year or less at the time of such sale will, for tax purposes, generally result in short-term capital gains or losses, and a sale of those held for more than one year will generally result in long-term capital gains or losses. Long-term capital gains are generally taxed to noncorporate shareholders at reduced rates.

Gain or loss on the sale of Shares is measured by the difference between the amount received and the adjusted tax basis of the Shares. Shareholders should keep records of investments made (including Shares acquired through reinvestment of dividends and distributions) so they can compute the tax basis of their Shares. It may not be advantageous from a tax perspective for shareholders to sell or redeem Shares of SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ETF or SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ESG ETF after tax-exempt income has accrued but before the record date for the exempt-interest dividend representing the distribution of such income. Because such accrued tax-exempt income is included in the net asset value

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per share, such a sale or redemption could result in treatment of the portion of the sales or redemption proceeds equal to the accrued tax-exempt interest as taxable gain (to the extent the sale or redemption price exceeds the shareholder's tax basis in the Fund Shares of SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ETF or SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ESG ETF disposed of) rather than tax-exempt interest.

A loss realized on a sale of Shares may be disallowed if substantially identical Shares are acquired (whether through the reinvestment of dividends or otherwise) within a sixty-one (61) day period beginning thirty (30) days before and ending thirty (30) days after the date that the Shares are disposed of. In such a case, the basis of the Shares acquired must be adjusted to reflect the disallowed loss. Any loss upon the sale of Shares held for six (6) months or less will be disallowed to the extent of exempt-interest dividends paid on such Shares, and any amount of the loss that exceeds the amount disallowed will be treated as long-term capital loss to the extent of any amounts treated as distributions to the shareholder of long-term capital gain (including any amounts credited to the shareholder as undistributed capital gains).

**COST BASIS REPORTING**

The cost basis of Shares acquired by purchase will generally be based on the amount paid for the Shares and then may be subsequently adjusted for other applicable transactions as required by the Internal Revenue Code. The difference between the selling price and the cost basis of Shares generally determines the amount of the capital gain or loss realized on the sale or exchange of Shares. Contact the broker through whom you purchased your Shares to obtain information with respect to the available cost basis reporting methods and elections for your account.

**INVESTMENTS IN MASTER LIMITED PARTNERSHIPS**

A Fund's ability to invest in Master Limited Partnerships ("MLPs") and other related entities that are treated as QPTPs for federal income tax purposes is limited by the Fund's intent to qualify as a RIC. In order to qualify as a RIC, a Fund generally may not invest more than 25% of the value of its total assets in securities of QPTPs. Each Fund intends to satisfy the requirements for qualification as a RIC and, as such each Fund must limit its investments in QPTPs accordingly. In certain cases, the status of an investment as an investment in a QPTP is not clear.

When a Fund invests in the equity securities of an MLP or any other entity that is treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes, the Fund will be treated as a partner in the entity for tax purposes. Accordingly, in calculating such Fund's taxable income, it will be required to take into account its allocable share of the income, gains, losses, deductions, and credits recognized by each such entity, regardless of whether the entity distributes cash to a Fund. Distributions from such an entity to a Fund are not generally taxable unless the cash amount (or, in certain cases, the fair market value of marketable securities) distributed to a Fund exceeds a Fund's adjusted tax basis in its interest in the entity. In general, a Fund's allocable share of such an entity's net income will increase a Fund's adjusted tax basis in its interest in the entity, and distributions to a Fund from such an entity and a Fund's allocable share of the entity's net losses will decrease a Fund's adjusted basis in its interest in the entity, but not below zero. A Fund may receive cash distributions from such an entity in excess of the net amount of taxable income the Fund is allocated from its investment in the entity. In other circumstances, the net amount of taxable income the Fund is allocated from its investment in such an entity may exceed cash distributions received from the entity. Thus, a Fund's investments in such an entity may cause the Fund to make distributions to shareholders in excess of its earnings and profits, or such Fund may be required to sell investments, including when not otherwise advantageous to do so, in order for the Fund to satisfy the distribution requirements applicable to RICs.

Depreciation or other cost recovery deductions passed through to a Fund in a given year from the Fund's investment in an MLP or a related entity treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes will generally reduce the Fund's taxable income, but those deductions may be recaptured in a Fund's income in one or more subsequent years upon either (i) the sale of an interest in the MLP or related entity or (ii) in respect of the sale or other disposition by the MLP or related entity, of property held by it. When recognized and distributed, recapture income will generally be taxable to shareholders at the time of the distribution at ordinary income tax rates, even though the shareholders at that time might not have held Shares at the time the deductions were taken by a Fund, and even though those shareholders will not have corresponding economic gain on their Shares at the time of the recapture. In order to distribute recapture income or to fund redemption requests, a Fund may need to liquidate investments, which may lead to additional recapture income.

Noncorporate taxpayers are generally eligible for a deduction of up to 20% of "qualified publicly traded partnership income." A Fund will not be able to claim such a deduction in respect of income allocated to it by any MLPs or other publicly traded partnerships in which it invests, and shareholders will not be able to claim such a deduction in respect of Fund dividends attributable to any such income.

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**TAXATION OF FUND INVESTMENTS**

Dividends and interest received by a Fund on foreign securities may give rise to withholding and other taxes imposed by foreign countries. Tax conventions between certain countries and the United States may reduce or eliminate such taxes. If a Fund meets certain requirements, which include a requirement that more than 50% of the value of the Fund's total assets at the close of its respective taxable year consist of certain foreign securities (generally including foreign government securities), then the Fund should be eligible to file an election with the Internal Revenue Service (the "IRS") that may enable its shareholders, in effect, to receive either the benefit of a foreign tax credit, or a tax deduction, with respect to certain foreign and U.S. possessions income taxes paid by the Fund, subject to certain limitations. If at least 50% of a Fund's total assets at the close of each quarter of a taxable year consists of interests in other RICs (including money market funds and ETFs that are taxable as RICs), the Fund may make the same election and pass through to its shareholders their pro rata shares of qualified foreign taxes paid by those other RICs and passed through to the Fund for that taxable year. Pursuant to this election, a Fund would treat the applicable foreign taxes as dividends paid to its shareholders. Each such shareholder would be required to include a proportionate share of those taxes in gross income as income received from a foreign source and must treat the amount so included as if the shareholder had paid the foreign tax directly. The shareholder may then either deduct the taxes deemed paid by him or her in computing his or her taxable income or, alternatively, use the foregoing information in calculating any foreign tax credit the shareholder may be entitled to use against such shareholder's federal income tax. If a Fund makes this election, the Fund will report annually to its shareholders the respective amounts per share of the Fund's income from sources within, and taxes paid to, foreign countries and U.S. possessions. No deduction for such taxes will be permitted to individuals in computing their alternative minimum tax liability. If a Fund does not make this election, the Fund will be entitled to claim a deduction for certain foreign taxes incurred by the Fund. In certain instances, the Fund might not elect to apply otherwise allowable U.S. federal income tax deductions for those foreign taxes, whether or not credits or deductions for those foreign taxes could be passed through to its shareholders pursuant to the election described above. If the Fund does not elect to apply these deductions, taxable distributions you receive from the Fund may be larger than they would have been if the Fund had taken deductions for such taxes. Under certain circumstances, if a Fund receives a refund of foreign taxes paid in respect of a prior year, the value of Shares could be affected or any foreign tax credits or deductions passed through to shareholders in respect of the Fund's foreign taxes for the current year could be reduced.

Certain of the Funds' investments may be subject to complex provisions of the Internal Revenue Code (including provisions relating to hedging transactions, straddles, integrated transactions, foreign currency contracts, forward foreign currency contracts, and notional principal contracts) that, among other things, may affect the character of gains and losses realized by a Fund (e.g., may affect whether gains or losses are ordinary or capital), accelerate recognition of income to the Fund and defer losses. These rules could therefore affect the character, amount and timing of distributions to shareholders. These provisions also may require a Fund to mark-to-market certain types of positions in its portfolio (i.e., treat them as if they were closed out) which may cause the Fund to recognize income without receiving cash with which to make distributions to its shareholders in amounts necessary to satisfy the RIC distribution requirements for avoiding income and excise taxes. The Funds intend to monitor their transactions, intend to make appropriate tax elections, and intend to make appropriate entries in their books and records in order to mitigate the effect of these rules and preserve the Funds' qualification for treatment as RICs.

Certain investments made by a Fund may be treated as equity in passive foreign investment companies or "PFICs" for federal income tax purposes. In general, a passive foreign investment company is a foreign corporation (i) that receives at least 75% of its annual gross income from passive sources (such as interest, dividends, certain rents and royalties, or capital gains) or (ii) where at least 50% of its assets (computed based on average fair market value) either produce or are held for the production of passive income. If a Fund acquires any equity interest (under Treasury regulations that may be promulgated in the future, generally including not only stock but also an option to acquire stock such as is inherent in a convertible bond) in a PFIC, the Fund could be subject to U.S. federal income tax and nondeductible interest charges on "excess distributions" received from such companies or on gain from the sale of stock in such companies, even if all income or gain actually received by the Fund is timely distributed by the Fund to its shareholders. The Fund would not be able to pass through to its shareholders any credit or deduction for such a tax. A "qualified electing fund" election or a "mark to market" election may be available that would ameliorate these adverse tax consequences, but such elections could require the applicable Fund to recognize taxable income or gain (subject to the distribution requirements applicable to RICs, as described above) without the concurrent receipt of cash. In order to satisfy the distribution requirements and avoid a tax at the Fund level, a Fund may be required to liquidate portfolio securities that it might otherwise have continued to hold, potentially resulting in additional taxable gain or loss to the Fund. Gains from the sale of stock of PFICs may also

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be treated as ordinary income. In order for a Fund to make a qualified electing fund election with respect to a PFIC, the PFIC would have to agree to provide certain tax information to the Fund on an annual basis, which it might not agree to do. The Funds may limit and/or manage their holdings in PFICs to limit their tax liability or maximize their returns from these investments.

If a sufficient portion of the interests in a foreign issuer are held or deemed held by a Fund, independently or together with certain other U.S. persons, that issuer may be treated as a "controlled foreign corporation" (a "CFC") with respect to the Fund, in which case the Fund will be required to take into account each year, as ordinary income, its share of certain portions of that issuer's income, whether or not such amounts are distributed. A Fund may have to dispose of its portfolio securities (potentially resulting in the recognition of taxable gain or loss, and potentially under disadvantageous circumstances) to generate cash, or may have to borrow the cash, to meet its distribution requirements and avoid Fund-level taxes. In addition, some Fund gains on the disposition of interests in such an issuer may be treated as ordinary income. A Fund may limit and/or manage its holdings in issuers that could be treated as CFCs in order to limit its tax liability or maximize its after-tax return from these investments.

The Internal Revenue Code currently treats income and gains from trading in commodities as nonqualifying income under the Qualifying Income Requirement described above. Each Fund intends to obtain any exposure to commodities through investments that are consistent with the Fund's intention to be taxable as a RIC under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code. For example, a Fund may invest up to 25% of its total assets in one or more QPTPs, including QPTPs such as ETPs or MLPs whose principal activities are the buying and selling of commodities or options, futures, or forwards with respect to commodities. Income from QPTPs is generally qualifying income. If an entity intending to qualify as a QPTP fails to qualify as a QPTP, the income generated from a Fund's investment in the entity may not comply with the Qualifying Income Requirement. A Fund will only invest in such an entity if it intends to qualify as a QPTP, but there is no guarantee that any such entity will be successful in qualifying as a QPTP. In addition, there is little regulatory guidance concerning the application of the rules governing qualification as a QPTP, and it is possible that future guidance may adversely affect the qualification of such entities as QPTPs. In order for a Fund to meet the Diversification Requirement, the Fund generally may not acquire an interest in any QPTP (including a QPTP in which the Fund already invests) if more than 25% of the value of a Fund's total assets after the acquisition would be invested in the securities of QPTPs.

Each Fund is required for federal income tax purposes to mark to market and recognize as income for each taxable year its net unrealized gains and losses on certain futures contracts as of the end of the year as well as those actually realized during the year. Gain or loss from futures and options contracts on broad-based indexes required to be marked to market will be 60% long-term and 40% short-term capital gain or loss. Application of this rule may alter the timing and character of distributions to shareholders. A Fund may be required to defer the recognition of losses on futures contracts, options contracts and swaps to the extent of any unrecognized gains on offsetting positions held by the Fund. It is anticipated that certain net gain realized from the closing out of futures or options contracts will be considered gain from the sale of securities and therefore will be qualifying income for purposes of the Qualifying Income Requirement.

Investments by a Fund in zero coupon or other discount securities will result in income to the Fund equal to a portion of the excess face value of the securities over their issue price (the "original issue discount" or "OID") each year that the securities are held, even though the Fund may receive no cash interest payments or may receive cash interest payments that are less than the income recognized for tax purposes. In other circumstances, whether pursuant to the terms of a security or as a result of other factors outside the control of a Fund, the Fund may recognize income without receiving a commensurate amount of cash. Such income is included in determining the amount of income that a Fund must distribute to maintain its eligibility for treatment as a RIC and to avoid the payment of federal income tax, including the nondeductible 4% excise tax described above.

Any market discount recognized on a market discount bond is taxable as ordinary income. A market discount bond is a bond acquired in the secondary market at a price below redemption value or below adjusted issue price if issued with original issue discount. Absent a Fund's election to include the market discount in income as it accrues, gain on the Fund's disposition of such an obligation will be treated as ordinary income rather than capital gain to the extent of the accrued market discount. If the SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ETF or SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ESG ETF purchases a municipal security at a market discount, any gain realized by the SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ETF or SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ESG ETF, as applicable, upon sale or redemption of the municipal security will be treated as taxable interest income to the extent of the market discount, and any gain realized in excess of the market discount will

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be treated as capital gains. Where the income required to be recognized as a result of the OID and/or market discount rules is not matched by a corresponding cash receipt by a Fund, the Fund may be required to borrow money or dispose of securities to enable the Fund to make distributions to its shareholders in order to qualify for treatment as a RIC and eliminate taxes at the Fund level.

Special rules apply to any investments by a Fund in inflation-indexed bonds, such as TIPS. Generally, all stated interest on inflation-indexed bonds is taken into income by a Fund under its regular method of accounting for interest income. The amount of any positive inflation adjustment for a taxable year, which results from an increase in the inflation-adjusted principal amount of the bond, is treated as OID. The amount of a Fund's OID in a taxable year with respect to a bond will increase a Fund's taxable income for such year without a corresponding receipt of cash, until the bond matures. As a result, a Fund may need to use other sources of cash to satisfy its distribution requirements for the applicable year. The amount of any negative inflation adjustments, which result from a decrease in the inflation-adjusted principal amount of the bond, first reduces the amount of interest (including stated interest, OID, and market discount, if any) otherwise includable in the Fund's taxable income with respect to the bond for the taxable year; any remaining negative adjustments will be either treated as ordinary loss or, in certain circumstances, carried forward to reduce the amount of interest income taken into account with respect to the bond in future taxable years.

For tax years beginning after December 31, 2017 and before January 1, 2026, a noncorporate taxpayer is generally eligible for a deduction of up to 20% of the taxpayer's "qualified REIT dividends." If a Fund receives dividends (other than capital gain dividends) in respect of U.S. REIT shares, the Fund may report its own dividends as eligible for the 20% deduction, to the extent the Fund's income is derived from such qualified REIT dividends, as reduced by allocable Fund expenses. In order for a Fund's dividends to be eligible for this deduction when received by a noncorporate shareholder, the Fund must meet certain holding period requirements with respect to the U.S. REIT shares on which the Fund received the eligible dividends, and the noncorporate shareholder must meet certain holding period requirements with respect to the Shares.

**TAX-EXEMPT SHAREHOLDERS**

Certain tax-exempt shareholders, including qualified pension plans, individual retirement accounts, salary deferral arrangements, 401(k) plans, and other tax-exempt entities, generally are exempt from federal income taxation except with respect to their unrelated business taxable income ("UBTI"). Under current law, a Fund generally serves to block UBTI from being realized by its tax-exempt shareholders. However, notwithstanding the foregoing, tax-exempt shareholders could realize UBTI by virtue of their investment in a Fund where, for example, (i) the Fund invests in REITs that hold residual interests in REMICs or (ii) Shares constitute debt-financed property in the hands of the tax-exempt shareholders within the meaning of section 514(b) of the Internal Revenue Code. Charitable remainder trusts are subject to special rules and should consult their tax advisers. There are no restrictions preventing a Fund from holding investments in REITs that hold residual interests in REMICs, and a Fund may do so. The IRS has issued guidance with respect to these issues and prospective shareholders, especially charitable remainder trusts, are strongly encouraged to consult with their tax advisers regarding these issues.

Certain tax-exempt educational institutions will be subject to a 1.4% tax on net investment income. For these purposes, certain dividends and capital gain distributions, and certain gains from the disposition of Shares (among other categories of income), are generally taken into account in computing a shareholder's net investment income.

**FOREIGN SHAREHOLDERS**

Dividends, other than capital gains dividends and exempt-interest dividends, "short-term capital gain dividends" and "interest-related dividends" (described below), paid by a Fund to shareholders who are nonresident aliens or foreign entities will be subject to a 30% United States withholding tax unless a reduced rate of withholding or a withholding exemption is provided under applicable treaty law to the extent derived from investment income and short-term capital gain or unless such income is effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business carried on through a permanent establishment in the United States. Nonresident shareholders are urged to consult their own tax advisers concerning the applicability of the United States withholding tax and the proper withholding form(s) to be submitted to a Fund. A non-U.S. shareholder who fails to provide an appropriate IRS Form W-8 may be subject to backup withholding at the appropriate rate.

Dividends reported by a Fund as (i) interest-related dividends, to the extent such dividends are derived from the Fund's "qualified net interest income," or (ii) short-term capital gain dividends, to the extent such dividends are derived from the Fund's "qualified short-term gain," are generally exempt from this 30% withholding tax. "Qualified net interest income" is a

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Fund's net income derived from U.S.- source interest and original issue discount, subject to certain exceptions and limitations. "Qualified short-term gain" generally means the excess of a Fund's net short-term capital gain for the taxable year over its net long-term capital loss, if any. In the case of Shares held through an intermediary, the intermediary may withhold even if a Fund reports the payment as an interest-related dividend or as a short-term capital gain dividend. Non-U.S. shareholders should contact their intermediaries with respect to the application of these rules to their accounts.

Unless certain non-U.S. entities that hold Shares comply with IRS requirements that will generally require them to report information regarding U.S. persons investing in, or holding accounts with, such entities, a 30% withholding tax may apply to Fund distributions (other than exempt-interest dividends) payable to such entities. A non-U.S. shareholder may be exempt from the withholding described in this paragraph under an applicable intergovernmental agreement between the U.S. and a foreign government, provided that the shareholder and the applicable foreign government comply with the terms of such agreement.

Non-U.S. persons are subject to U.S. tax on disposition of a "United States real property interest" (a "USRPI"). Gain on such a disposition is sometimes referred to as "FIRPTA gain". The Internal Revenue Code provides a look-through rule for distributions of "FIRPTA gain" if certain requirements are met. If the look-through rule applies, certain distributions attributable to income treated as received by a Fund from REITs may be treated as gain from the disposition of a USRPI, causing distributions to be subject to U.S. withholding taxes, and requiring non-U.S. investors to file nonresident U.S. income tax returns. Also, FIRPTA gain may be subject to a 30% branch profits tax in the hands of a non-U.S. shareholder that is treated as a corporation for federal income tax purposes. Under certain circumstances, Shares may qualify as USRPIs, which could result in 15% withholding on certain distributions and gross redemption proceeds paid to certain non-U.S. investors.

**BACKUP WITHHOLDING**

A Fund will be required in certain cases to withhold (as "backup withholding") on amounts (including exempt-interest dividends) payable to any shareholder who (1) has provided the Fund either an incorrect tax identification number or no number at all, (2) is subject to backup withholding by the IRS for failure to properly report payments of interest or dividends, (3) has failed to certify to the Fund that such shareholder is not subject to backup withholding, or (4) has not certified that such shareholder is a U.S. person (including a U.S. resident alien). The backup withholding rate is currently 24%. Backup withholding will not be applied to payments that have been subject to the 30% withholding tax on shareholders who are neither citizens nor permanent residents of the U.S.

**CREATION UNITS**

An Authorized Participant who exchanges securities for Creation Units generally will recognize a gain or a loss. The gain or loss will be equal to the difference between the market value of the Creation Units at the time and the sum of the exchanger's aggregate basis in the securities surrendered plus the amount of cash paid for such Creation Units. A person who redeems Creation Units will generally recognize a gain or loss equal to the difference between the exchanger's basis in the Creation Units and the sum of the aggregate market value of any securities received plus the amount of any cash received for such Creation Units. The IRS, however, may assert that a loss realized upon an exchange of securities for Creation Units cannot be deducted currently under the rules governing "wash sales," or on the basis that there has been no significant change in economic position.

Any gain or loss realized upon a creation of Creation Units will be treated as capital gain or loss if the Authorized Participant holds the securities exchanged therefor as capital assets, and otherwise will be ordinary income or loss. Similarly, any gain or loss realized upon a redemption of Creation Units will be treated as capital gain or loss if the Authorized Participant holds Shares comprising the Creation Units as capital assets, and otherwise will be ordinary income or loss. Any capital gain or loss realized upon the creation of Creation Units will generally be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the securities exchanged for such Creation Units have been held for more than one year, and otherwise will be short-term capital gain or loss. Any capital gain or loss realized upon the redemption of Creation Units will generally be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the Shares comprising the Creation Units have been held for more than one year, and otherwise, will generally be short-term capital gain or loss. Any capital loss realized upon a redemption of Creation Units held for six (6) months or less will be disallowed to the extent of exempt-interest dividends paid with respect to the Creation Units, and to the extent not disallowed will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any amounts treated as distributions to the applicable Authorized Participant of long-term capital gains with respect to the Creation Units (including any amounts credited to the Authorized Participant as undistributed capital gains).

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A Fund has the right to reject an order for Creation Units if the purchaser (or a group of purchasers) would, upon obtaining Shares so ordered, own 80% or more of the outstanding shares of the Fund and if, pursuant to section 351 of the Internal Revenue Code, the Fund would have a basis in any deposit securities different from the market value of such securities on the date of deposit. A Fund also has the right to require information necessary to determine beneficial Share ownership for purposes of the 80% determination. If a Fund does issue Creation Units to a purchaser (or a group of purchasers) that would, upon obtaining the Shares so ordered, own 80% or more of the outstanding shares of the Fund, the purchaser (or a group of purchasers) may not recognize gain or loss upon the exchange of securities for Creation Units.

If a Fund redeems Creation Units in cash, it may bear additional costs and recognize more capital gains than it would if it redeems Creation Units in kind.

Persons purchasing or redeeming Creation Units should consult their own tax advisers with respect to the tax treatment of any creation or redemption transaction.

**CERTAIN POTENTIAL TAX REPORTING REQUIREMENTS**

Under promulgated Treasury regulations, if a shareholder recognizes a loss on disposition of a Fund's shares of $2 million or more for an individual shareholder or $10 million or more for a corporate shareholder (or certain greater amounts over a combination of years), the shareholder must file with the IRS a disclosure statement on IRS Form 8886. Direct shareholders of portfolio securities are in many cases excepted from this reporting requirement, but under current guidance, shareholders of a RIC are not excepted. A shareholder who fails to make the required disclosure to the IRS may be subject to adverse tax consequences, including significant penalties. The fact that a loss is reportable under these regulations does not affect the legal determination of whether the taxpayer's treatment of the loss is proper. Shareholders should consult their tax advisers to determine the applicability of these regulations in light of their individual circumstances.

The foregoing discussion is a summary only and is not intended as a substitute for careful tax planning. Purchasers of Shares should consult their own tax advisers as to the tax consequences of investing in such Shares, including under state, local and other tax laws. Finally, the foregoing discussion is based on applicable provisions of the Internal Revenue Code, regulations, judicial authority and administrative interpretations in effect on the date hereof. Changes in applicable authority could materially affect the conclusions discussed above, and such changes often occur.

**Capital Stock and Other Securities**

Each Fund issues Shares of beneficial interest with no par value per Share. The Board may designate additional funds.

Each Share issued by the Trust has a pro rata interest in the assets of the corresponding series of the Trust. Shares have no preemptive, exchange, subscription or conversion rights and are freely transferable. Each Share is entitled to participate equally in dividends and distributions declared by the Board with respect to each Fund, and in the net distributable assets of each Fund on liquidation.

Each Share has one vote with respect to matters upon which a shareholder vote is required consistent with the requirements of the 1940 Act and the rules promulgated thereunder. Shares of all series of the Trust vote together as a single class except that if the matter being voted on affects only a particular fund it will be voted on only by that fund and if a matter affects a particular fund differently from other funds, that fund will vote separately on such matter. Under Massachusetts law, the Trust is not required to hold an annual meeting of shareholders unless required to do so under the 1940 Act. The policy of the Trust is not to hold an annual meeting of shareholders unless required to do so under the 1940 Act. All Shares of the Trust (regardless of the fund) have noncumulative voting rights for the election of Trustees. Under Massachusetts law, Trustees of the Trust may be removed by vote of the shareholders.

Under Massachusetts law, shareholders of a business trust may, under certain circumstances, be held personally liable as partners for obligations of the Trust. However, the Declaration of Trust contains an express disclaimer of shareholder liability for acts or obligations of the Trust, requires that Trust obligations include such disclaimer, and provides for indemnification and reimbursement of expenses out of the Trust's property for any shareholder held personally liable for the obligations of the Trust. Thus, the risk of a shareholder incurring financial loss on account of shareholder liability is limited to circumstances in which the Trust itself would be unable to meet its obligations. Given the above limitations on shareholder personal liability, and the nature of each Fund's assets and operations, the risk to shareholders of personal liability is believed to be remote.

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Shareholder inquiries may be made by writing to the Trust, c/o the Distributor, State Street Global Advisors Funds Distributors, LLC at One Iron Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02210.

**Counsel and Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm**

Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, located at 1111 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20004, serves as counsel to the Trust. [ ], located at [ ], serves as the independent registered public accounting firm of the Trust. [ ] performs annual audits of the Funds' financial statements and provides other audit, tax and related services.

**Local Market Holiday Schedules**

The Trust generally intends to effect deliveries of the Funds' portfolio securities on T+1, T+2 or T+3. The ability of the Trust to effect in-kind redemptions within one, two or three Business Days, as applicable, of receipt of a redemption request is subject, among other things, to the condition that, within the time period from the date of the request to the date of delivery of the securities, there are no days that are local market holidays on the relevant Business Days. For every occurrence of one or more intervening holidays in the local market that are not holidays observed in the United States, the redemption settlement cycle may be extended by the number of such intervening local holidays. In addition to holidays, other unforeseeable closings in a foreign market due to emergencies may also prevent the Trust from delivering securities within one, two or three Business Days, as applicable.

The securities delivery cycles currently practicable for transferring portfolio securities to redeeming investors, coupled with local market holiday schedules, may require a delivery process longer than the standard settlement period. In certain circumstances during the calendar year, the settlement period may be greater than seven calendar days.

**Financial Statements**

The financial statements and financial highlights of the Funds that were operating during the year ended June 30, 2025, along with the Report of [ ], the Trust's Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm, are included in the Trust's Form N-CSR filing, and are incorporated by reference into this Statement of Additional Information.

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**APPENDIX A**

**Standard & Poor's, a division of S&P Global ("S&P"), Corporate Long-Term Issue Ratings:** 

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| AAA | &nbsp;&nbsp; An obligation rated 'AAA' has the highest rating assigned by S&P Global Ratings. The obligor's <br> capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is extremely strong.<br>|
| AA | &nbsp;&nbsp; An obligation rated 'AA' differs from the highest-rated obligations only to a small degree. The <br> obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is very strong.<br>|
| A | &nbsp;&nbsp; An obligation rated 'A' is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in <br> circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher-rated categories. However, <br> the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is still strong.<br>|
| BBB | &nbsp;&nbsp; An obligation rated 'BBB' exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic <br> conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to weaken the obligor's capacity to meet <br> its financial commitments on the obligation.<br>|
| BB, B, CCC, CC, and C | &nbsp;&nbsp; Obligations rated 'BB', 'B', 'CCC', 'CC', and 'C' are regarded as having significant speculative <br> characteristics. 'BB' indicates the least degree of speculation and 'C' the highest. While such <br> obligations will likely have some quality and protective characteristics, these may be outweighed <br> by large uncertainties or major exposure to adverse conditions.<br>|
| BB | &nbsp;&nbsp; An obligation rated 'BB' is less vulnerable to nonpayment than other speculative issues. <br> However, it faces major ongoing uncertainties or exposure to adverse business, financial, or <br> economic conditions that could lead to the obligor's inadequate capacity to meet its financial <br> commitments on the obligation.<br>|
| B | &nbsp;&nbsp; An obligation rated 'B' is more vulnerable to nonpayment than obligations rated 'BB', but the <br> obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation. Adverse <br> business, financial, or economic conditions will likely impair the obligor's capacity or willingness <br> to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.<br>|
| CCC | &nbsp;&nbsp; An obligation rated 'CCC' is currently vulnerable to nonpayment and is dependent upon <br> favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial <br> commitments on the obligation. In the event of adverse business, financial, or economic <br> conditions, the obligor is not likely to have the capacity to meet its financial commitments on the <br> obligation.<br>|
| CC | &nbsp;&nbsp; An obligation rated 'CC' is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment. The 'CC' rating is used <br> when a default has not yet occurred but S&P Global Ratings expects default to be a virtual <br> certainty, regardless of the anticipated time to default.<br>|
| C | &nbsp;&nbsp; An obligation rated 'C' is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment, and the obligation is <br> expected to have lower relative seniority or lower ultimate recovery compared with obligations <br> that are rated higher.<br>|
| D | &nbsp;&nbsp; An obligation rated 'D' is in default or in breach of an imputed promise. For non-hybrid capital <br> instruments, the 'D' rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on <br> the date due, unless S&P Global Ratings believes that such payments will be made within five <br> business days in the absence of a stated grace period or within the earlier of the stated grace <br> period or 30 calendar days. The 'D' rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy <br> petition or the taking of similar action and where default on an obligation is a virtual certainty, for <br> example due to automatic stay provisions. A rating on an obligation is lowered to 'D' if it is <br> subject to a distressed exchange offer.<br>|

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\*

Ratings from 'AA' to 'CCC' may be modified by the addition of a plus (+) or minus (-) sign to show relative standing within the rating categories.

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**Moody's Investors Service, Inc.'s ("Moody's") Long-Term Obligation Ratings:** 

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| Aaa | Obligations rated Aaa are judged to be of the highest quality, subject to the lowest level of credit risk. |
| Aa | Obligations rated Aa are judged to be of high quality and are subject to very low credit risk. |
| A | Obligations rated A are judged to be upper-medium grade and are subject to low credit risk. |
| Baa | &nbsp;&nbsp; Obligations rated Baa are judged to be medium-grade and subject to moderate credit risk and as such may <br> possess certain speculative characteristics.<br>|
| Ba | Obligations rated Ba are judged to be speculative and are subject to substantial credit risk. |
| B | Obligations rated B are considered speculative and are subject to high credit risk. |
| Caa | Obligations rated Caa are judged to be speculative of poor standing and are subject to very high credit risk. |
| Ca | &nbsp;&nbsp; Obligations rated Ca are highly speculative and are likely in, or very near, default, with some prospect of recovery <br> of principal and interest.<br>|
| C | &nbsp;&nbsp; Obligations rated C are the lowest rated and are typically in default, with little prospect for recovery of principal or <br> interest.<br>|

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Note: Moody's appends numerical modifiers 1, 2, and 3 to each generic rating classification from Aa through Caa. The modifier 1 indicates that the obligation ranks in the higher end of its generic rating category; the modifier 2 indicates a mid-range ranking; and the modifier 3 indicates a ranking in the lower end of that generic rating category. Additionally, a "(hyb)" indicator is appended to all ratings of hybrid securities issued by banks, insurers, finance companies, and securities firms.\*

Note: For more information on long-term ratings assigned to obligations in default, please see the definition "Long-Term Credit Ratings for Defaulted or Impaired Securities" in the Other Definitions section of this publication.

\*

*By their terms, hybrid securities allow for the omission of scheduled dividends, interest, or principal payments, which can potentially result in impairment if such an omission occurs. Hybrid securities may also be subject to contractually allowable write-downs of principal that could result in impairment. Together with the hybrid indicator, the long-term obligation rating assigned to a hybrid security is an expression of the relative credit risk associated with that security.*

**Fitch Ratings Ltd.'s ("Fitch") Corporate Finance Obligations – Long-Term Ratings:**

AAA - 'AAA' National Ratings denote the highest rating assigned by the agency in its National Rating scale for that country. This rating is assigned to issuers or obligations with the lowest expectation of default risk relative to all other issuers or obligations in the same country or monetary union.

AA - 'AA' National Ratings denote expectations of a very low level of default risk relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country or monetary union. The default risk inherent differs only slightly from that of the country's highest rated issuers or obligations.

A - 'A' National Ratings denote expectations of a low level of default risk relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country or monetary union.

BBB - 'BBB' National Ratings denote a moderate level of default risk relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country or monetary union.

BB - 'BB' National Ratings denote an elevated default risk relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country or monetary union.

B - 'B' National Ratings denote a significantly elevated level of default risk relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country or monetary union.

CCC - 'CCC' National Ratings denote a very high level of default risk relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country or monetary union.

CC - 'CC' National Ratings denote the level of default risk is among the highest relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country or monetary union.

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C - A default or default-like process has begun, or the issuer is in standstill, or for a closed funding vehicle, payment capacity is irrevocably impaired. Conditions that are indicative of a 'C' category rating for an issuer include:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;a. the issuer has entered into a grace or cure period following non-payment of a material financial obligation;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;b. the issuer has entered into a temporary negotiated waiver or standstill agreement following a payment default on a material financial obligation;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;c. the formal announcement by the issuer or their agent of a distressed debt exchange; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;d. a closed financing vehicle where payment capacity is irrevocably impaired such that it is not expected to pay interest and/or principal in full during the life of the transaction, but where no payment default is imminent

RD - Restricted default. 'RD' ratings indicate an issuer that, in Fitch's opinion, has experienced an uncured payment default on a bond, loan or other material financial obligation but that has not entered into bankruptcy filings, administration, receivership, liquidation or other formal winding-up procedure and has not otherwise ceased business. This would include:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;a. the selective payment default on a specific class or currency of debt;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;b. the uncured expiry of any applicable grace period, cure period or default forbearance period following a payment default on a bank loan, capital markets security or other material financial obligation;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;c. the extension of multiple waivers or forbearance periods upon a payment default on one or more material financial obligations, either in series or in parallel; or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;d. execution of a distressed debt exchange on one or more material financial obligations.

D - 'D' National Ratings denote an issuer that has entered into bankruptcy filings, administration, receivership, liquidation or other formal winding-up procedure or that has otherwise ceased business.

**S&P's Short-Term Issue Credit Ratings:** 

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| A-1 | &nbsp;&nbsp; A short-term obligation rated 'A-1' is rated in the highest category by S&P Global Ratings. The obligor's capacity to <br> meet its financial commitments on the obligation is strong. Within this category, certain obligations are designated <br> with a plus sign (+). This indicates that the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on these obligations <br> is extremely strong.<br>|
| A-2 | &nbsp;&nbsp; A short-term obligation rated 'A-2' is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in <br> circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher rating categories. However, the obligor's capacity <br> to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is satisfactory.<br>|
| A-3 | &nbsp;&nbsp; A short-term obligation rated 'A-3' exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions <br> or changing circumstances are more likely to weaken an obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the <br> obligation.<br>|
| B | &nbsp;&nbsp; A short-term obligation rated 'B' is regarded as vulnerable and has significant speculative characteristics. The <br> obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitments; however, it faces major ongoing uncertainties <br> that could lead to the obligor's inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitments.<br>|
| C | &nbsp;&nbsp; A short-term obligation rated 'C' is currently vulnerable to nonpayment and is dependent upon favorable business, <br> financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.<br>|
| D | &nbsp;&nbsp; A short-term obligation rated 'D' is in default or in breach of an imputed promise. For non-hybrid capital instruments, <br> the 'D' rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on the date due, unless S&P Global <br> Ratings believes that such payments will be made within any stated grace period. However, any stated grace period <br> longer than five business days will be treated as five business days. The 'D' rating also will be used upon the filing of <br> a bankruptcy petition or the taking of a similar action and where default on an obligation is a virtual certainty, for <br> example due to automatic stay provisions. A rating on an obligation is lowered to 'D' if it is subject to a distressed <br> exchange offer.<br>|

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**Moody's Short-Term Obligation Ratings:**

P-1 Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-1 have a superior ability to repay short-term debt obligations.

P-2 Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-2 have a strong ability to repay short-term debt obligations.

P-3 Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-3 have an acceptable ability to repay short-term obligations.

NP Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Not Prime do not fall within any of the Prime rating categories.

**Fitch's Short-Term Obligation Ratings:**

F1 - Indicates the strongest capacity for timely payment of financial commitments relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country. Under the agency's National Rating scale, this rating is assigned to the lowest default risk relative to others in the same country or monetary union. Where the liquidity profile is particularly strong, a "+" is added to the assigned rating.

F2 - Indicates a good capacity for timely payment of financial commitments relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country or monetary union. However, the margin of safety is not as great as in the case of the higher ratings.

F3 - Indicates an adequate capacity for timely payment of financial commitments relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country or monetary union.

B - Indicates an uncertain capacity for timely payment of financial commitments relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country or monetary union.

C - Indicates a highly uncertain capacity for timely payment of financial commitments relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country or monetary union.

RD - Restricted default. Indicates an entity that has defaulted on one or more of its financial commitments, although it continues to meet other financial obligations. Applicable to entity ratings only.

D - Indicates a broad-based default event for an entity, or the default of a short-term obligation.

Notes:

*The ISO International Country Code is placed in parentheses immediately following the rating letters to indicate the identity of the National market within which the rating applies. For illustrative purposes, (xxx) has been used.*

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**Appendix B**

**<u>SPDR</u>**<sup>®</sup> **<u>Series Trust</u>** <br> **<u>SPDR</u>**<sup>®</sup>  **<u>Index Shares Funds</u>** <br> **<u>SSGA Active Trust</u>** <br> **<u>(each, a</u> <u>"</u><u>Trust</u><u>"</u> <u>or</u> <u>"</u><u>Fund,</u><u>"</u> <u>and, collectively, the</u> <u>"</u><u>Trusts</u><u>"</u> <u>or</u> <u>"</u><u>Funds</u><u>"</u><u>)</u>**

**<u>PROXY VOTING POLICY AND PROCEDURES</u>**

The Board of Trustees of the Trusts has adopted the following policy and procedures with respect to voting proxies relating to portfolio securities held by the Trusts' investment portfolios.

**1.** **Proxy Voting Policy**

The policy of each Trust is to delegate the responsibility for voting proxies relating to portfolio securities held by the Trusts to SSGA Funds Management, Inc., the Trusts' investment adviser (the "Adviser"), subject to the Trustees' continuing oversight.

**2.** **Fiduciary Duty**

The right to vote proxies with respect to portfolio securities held by each Trust is an asset of the Trusts. The Adviser acts as a fiduciary of the Trusts and must vote proxies in a manner consistent with the best interest of the Trusts and its shareholders.

**3.** **Proxy Voting Procedures**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;A. At least annually, the Adviser shall present to the Board of Trustees (the "Board") its policies, procedures and other guidelines for voting proxies ("Policy") and the Policy of any Sub-adviser (defined below) to which proxy voting authority has been delegated (see Section 9 below). In addition, the Adviser shall notify the Board of material changes to its Policy or the Policy of any Sub-adviser promptly and no later than the next regular meeting of the Board after such amendment is implemented.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;B. At least annually, the Adviser shall present to the Board its policy for managing the conflicts of interests that may arise through the Adviser's proxy voting activities. In addition, the Adviser shall report any Policy overrides involving portfolio securities held by the Trusts to the Trustees at the next regular meeting of the Board after such override(s) occur.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;C. At least annually, the Adviser shall inform the Trustees that a record is available for each proxy voted with respect to portfolio securities of each Trust during the year. Also see Section 5 below.

**4.** **Revocation of Authority to Vote**

The delegation by the Trustees of the authority to vote proxies relating to portfolio securities of the Trusts may be revoked by the Trustees, in whole or in part, at any time.

**5.** **Annual Filing of Proxy Voting Record**

The Adviser shall provide the required data for each proxy voted with respect to portfolio securities of a Trust to that respective Trust or its designated service provider in a timely manner and in a format acceptable to be filed in the Trust's annual proxy voting report on Form N-PX for the twelve-month period ended June 30. Form N-PX is required to be filed not later than August 31 of each year.

**6.** **Retention and Oversight of Proxy Advisory Firms**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;A. In considering whether to retain or continue retaining a particular proxy advisory firm, the Adviser will ascertain whether the proxy advisory firm has the capacity and competency to adequately analyze proxy issues, act as proxy voting agent as requested, and implement the Policy. In this regard, the Adviser will consider, at least annually, among other things, the adequacy and quality of the proxy advisory firm's staffing and personnel and the robustness of its policies and procedures regarding its ability to identify and address any conflicts of interest. The Adviser shall, at least annually, report to the Board regarding the results of this review.

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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;B. The Adviser will request quarterly and annual reporting from any proxy advisory firm retained by the Adviser, and hold ad hoc meetings with such proxy advisory firm, in order to determine whether there has been any business changes that might impact the proxy advisory firm's capacity or competency to provide proxy voting advice or services or changes to the proxy advisory firm's conflicts policies or procedures. The Adviser will also take reasonable steps to investigate any material factual error, notified to the Adviser by the proxy advisory firm or identified by the Adviser, made by the proxy advisory firm in providing proxy voting services.

**7.** **Periodic Sampling**

The Adviser will periodically sample proxy votes to review whether they complied with the Policy.

**8.** **Disclosures**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;A. A Trust shall include in its registration statement:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1. A description of this policy and of the policies and procedures used by the Adviser to determine how to vote proxies relating to portfolio securities; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2. A statement disclosing that information regarding how the Trust voted proxies relating to portfolio securities during the most recent twelve-month period ended June 30 is available without charge, upon request, by calling the Trust's toll-free telephone number; or through a specified Internet address; or both; and on the Securities and Exchange Commission's (the "SEC") website.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;B. A Trust shall include in its annual and semi-annual reports to shareholders:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1. A statement disclosing that a description of the policies and procedures used by or on behalf of the Trust to determine how to vote proxies relating to portfolio securities of the Funds is available without charge, upon request, by calling the Trust's toll-free telephone number; through a specified Internet address, if applicable; and on the SEC's website; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2. A statement disclosing that information regarding how the Trust voted proxies relating to portfolio securities during the most recent twelve-month period ended June 30 is available without charge, upon request, by calling the Trust's toll-free telephone number; or through a specified Internet address; or both; and on the SEC's website.

**9.** **Sub-Advisers**

For certain Funds, the Adviser retains investment management firms ("Sub-advisers") to provide day-to-day investment management services to the Trusts pursuant to sub-advisory agreements. It is the policy of the Trusts that the Adviser may delegate proxy voting authority with respect to a Fund to a Sub-adviser. Pursuant to such delegation, a Sub-adviser is authorized to vote proxies on behalf of the applicable Fund or Funds for which it serves as sub-adviser, in accordance with the Sub-adviser's proxy voting policies and procedures.

**10.** **Review of Policy**

The Trustees shall review this policy to determine its continued sufficiency as necessary from time to time.

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| Adopted (SPDR Series Trust/SPDR Index Shares Funds): | May 31, 2006  |
| Updated: | August 1, 2007 |
| Amended: | May 29, 2009 |
| Amended: | November 19, 2010 |
| Adopted (SSGA Active Trust)/Amended: | May 25, 2011  |
| Amended: | February 25, 2016 |
| Amended: | August 17, 2023 |

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**Appendix C**

Adviser's Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures

![](g448244img95d22f871.jpg)

**March 2025**

**Global Proxy Voting and Engagement Policy**

State Street Global Advisors is the investment management arm of State Street Corporation, a leading provider of financial services to institutional investors. As an asset manager, State Street Global Advisors votes its clients' proxies where the client has delegated proxy voting authority to it, and State Street Global Advisors votes these proxies and engages with companies in the manner that we believe will most likely protect and promote the long-term economic value of client investments, as described in this document.<sup>1</sup>

When engaging with and voting proxies with respect to the portfolio companies in which we invest our clients' assets, we do so on behalf of and in the best interests of the client accounts we manage and do not seek to change or influence control of any such portfolio companies. The State Street Global Advisors Global Proxy Voting and Engagement Policy (the "Policy") contains certain policies that State Street Global Advisors will only apply in jurisdictions where permitted by local law and regulations. State Street Global Advisors will not apply any policies contained herein in any jurisdictions where State Street Global Advisors believes that implementing or following such policies would be deemed to constitute seeking to change or influence control of a portfolio company.

**Introduction**

At State Street Global Advisors, we take our fiduciary duties as an asset manager very seriously. Our primary fiduciary obligation to our clients is to maximize the long-term value of their investments. State Street Global Advisors focuses on risks and opportunities that may impact long-term value creation for our clients. We rely on the elected representatives of the companies in which we invest — the board of directors — to oversee these firms' strategies. We expect effective independent board oversight of the material risks and opportunities to a firm's business and operations. We believe that appropriate consideration of these risks and opportunities is an essential component of a firm's long-term business strategy, and expect boards to actively oversee the management of this strategy.

**Our Asset Stewardship Program**

State Street Global Advisors' Asset Stewardship Team is responsible for developing and implementing this Policy, the implementation of third-party proxy voting guidelines where applicable, case-by-case voting items, issuer engagement activities, and research and analysis of corporate governance issues and proxy voting items. The Asset Stewardship Team's activities are overseen by our internal governance body, State Street Global Advisors' Global Fiduciary and Conduct Committee ("GFCC"). The GFCC is responsible for reviewing State Street Global Advisors' stewardship strategy, engagement priorities, the Policy, and for monitoring the delivery of voting objectives.

In order to facilitate the execution of our proxy votes, we retain Institutional Shareholder Services Inc. ("ISS"). We utilize ISS to: (1) act as our proxy voting agent (providing State Street Global Advisors with vote execution and administration services), (2) assist in applying the Policy, and (3) provide research and analysis relating to general corporate governance issues and specific proxy items. State Street Global Advisors does not follow the voting recommendations of any policy offered by ISS or any other proxy voting policy provider in implementing the Policy.

All voting decisions and engagement activities for which State Street Global Advisors has been given voting discretion are undertaken in accordance with this Policy, ensuring that the interests of our clients remain the sole consideration when discharging our stewardship responsibilities. Exceptions to this policy include the use of an independent third party to vote on State Street Corporation ("State Street") stock and the stock of other State Street affiliated entities, to mitigate a

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This Policy is applicable to SSGA Funds Management, Inc., State Street Global Advisors Trust Company, and other investment advisory affiliates of State Street Corporation.

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conflict of interest of voting on our parent company or affiliated entities, and other situations where we believe we may be conflicted from voting (for example, stock of a public company for which a State Street director also serves as a director, or due to an outside business interest). In such cases, delegated third parties exercise vote decisions based on their independent voting policy.

We aim to vote at all shareholder meetings where our clients have given us the authority to vote their shares and where it is feasible to do so. However, when we deem appropriate, we may refrain from voting at meetings in cases where:

• Power of attorney documentation is required.

• Voting would have a material impact on our ability to trade the security.

• Voting is not permissible due to sanctions affecting a company or individual.

• Issuer-specific special documentation is required or various market or issuer certifications are required.

• Certain market limitations would prohibit voting (e.g., partial/split voting prohibitions or residency restrictions).

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Unless a client directs otherwise in so-called "share blocking" markets (markets where proxy voters have their securities blocked from trading during the period of the annual meeting).

Additionally, we are unable to vote proxies when certain custodians used by our clients do not offer proxy voting in a jurisdiction or when they charge a meeting-specific fee in excess of the typical custody service agreement.

Voting authority attached to certain securities held by State Street Global Advisors pooled funds may be delegated to an independent third party as required by regulatory or other requirements. Under such arrangements, voting will be conducted by the independent third party pursuant to its proxy voting policy and not pursuant to this Policy.

**The State Street Global Advisors Proxy Voting Choice Program**

In addition to the option of delegating proxy voting authority to State Street Global Advisors pursuant to this Policy, clients may alternatively choose to participate in the State Street Global Advisors Proxy Voting Choice Program (the "Proxy Voting Choice Program"), which empowers clients to direct the proxy voting of shares held by the eligible fund or segregated account they own. Clients that participate in the Proxy Voting Choice Program have the option of selecting a third-party proxy voting guideline from the policies included in the Proxy Voting Choice Program to apply to the vote of the client's pro rata share of the securities held by the eligible fund or segregated account they own. This Policy does not apply to shares voted under the Proxy Voting Choice Program.

**Securities Not Voted Pursuant to the Policy**

Where clients have asked State Street Global Advisors to vote the client's shares on their behalf, including where a pooled fund fiduciary has delegated the responsibility to vote the fund's securities to State Street Global Advisors, State Street Global Advisors votes those securities in a unified manner, consistent with the principles described in this Policy. Exceptions to this unified voting policy are: (1) where State Street Global Advisors has made its Proxy Voting Choice Program available to its separately managed account clients and investors within a fund managed by State Street Global Advisors, in which case a pro rata portion of shares held by the fund or segregated account attributable to clients who choose to participate in the Proxy Voting Choice Program will be voted consistent with the third-party proxy voting guidelines selected by the clients, (2) where a pooled investment vehicle managed by State Street Global Advisors utilizes a third party proxy voting guideline as set forth in that fund's organizational and/or offering documents, and (3) where voting authority with respect to certain securities held by State Street Global Advisors pooled funds may be delegated to an independent third party as required by regulatory or other requirements. With respect to such funds and separately managed accounts utilizing third-party proxy voting guidelines, the terms of the applicable third-party proxy voting guidelines shall apply in place of the Policy described herein and the proxy votes implemented with respect to such a fund or account may differ from and be contrary to the votes implemented for other portfolios managed by State Street Global Advisors pursuant to this Policy.

**Regional Nuances**

When voting and engaging with companies, we may consider market-specific nuances that may be relevant to that company. We expect companies to observe the relevant laws and regulations of their respective markets, as well as country-specific best practice guidelines and corporate governance codes, and to publicly disclose their level of compliance with the applicable provisions and requirements. Except where specified, this Policy applies globally.

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**Our Proxy Voting and Engagement Principles**

State Street Global Advisors' proxy voting and engagement program focuses on three broad principles:

1. **Effective Board Oversight:** We believe that well-governed companies can protect and pursue shareholder interests better and withstand the challenges of an uncertain economic environment. Principally, a board acts on behalf of shareholders by protecting their interests and preserving their rights. In order to carry out their primary responsibilities, directors undertake activities that include setting strategy and providing guidance on strategic matters, selecting the CEO and other senior executives, overseeing executive management, creating a succession plan for the board and management, and providing effective oversight of material risks and opportunities relevant to their business. Further, good corporate governance necessitates the existence of effective internal controls and risk management systems, which should be governed by the board. <br>We view board quality as a measure of director independence, director succession planning, board diversity, evaluations and refreshment, and company governance practices. We believe independent directors are crucial to good corporate governance; they help management establish sound corporate governance policies and practices. We believe a sufficiently independent board is key to effectively monitoring management, maintaining appropriate governance practices, and performing oversight functions necessary to protect shareholder interests. We also believe the right mix of skills, independence, diversity, and qualifications among directors provides boards with the knowledge and experience to manage risks and operating structures that are often complex and industry-specific.

2. **Disclosure:** It is important for shareholders to receive timely and accurate reporting of a company's financial performance and strategy so that they are able to assess both the value and risk of their investment. In addition to information related to strategy and performance, companies should also provide disclosure relating to their approach to corporate governance and shareholder rights. Such information allows investors to determine whether their economic interests have been safeguarded by the board and provides insights into the quality of the board's oversight of management. Ultimately, the board of directors is accountable for the oversight and disclosure of the material risks and opportunities faced by the company.

3. **Shareholder Protection:** State Street Global Advisors believes it is in the best interest of shareholders for companies to have appropriate shareholder rights and accountability mechanisms in place. As a starting place for voting rights, it is necessary for ownership rights to reflect one vote for one share to ensure that economic interests and proxy voting power are aligned. This share structure best supports the shareholders' right to exercise their proxy vote on matters that are important to the protection of their investment, such as share issuances and other dilutive events, authorization of strategic transactions, approval of a shareholder rights plan, and changes to the corporate bylaws or charter, among others. In terms of accountability to shareholders and appropriate checks and balances, we believe there should be annual elections of the full board of directors.

**Application of Principles**

These three principles of effective board oversight, disclosure and shareholder protection apply across all of State Street Global Advisors' proxy voting decisions. When voting at portfolio companies in different markets, State Street Global Advisors may apply the principles in ways that are specific to a given market based on factors such as availability of data, resources, disclosure practices, and size of holdings in our clients' accounts.

**Shareholder Proposals**

When voting our clients' proxies, we may be presented with shareholder proposals at portfolio companies that must be evaluated on a case-by-case basis and in accordance with the principles set forth above. For proposals related to commonly requested disclosure topics, we have developed the criteria found in Appendix A to assess the effectiveness of disclosure on such topics in connection with these types of proposals.

**Engagement**

We conduct engagements with individual issuers to communicate the principles set forth in this Policy and to learn more about companies' strategy, board oversight and disclosure practices. We do not seek to change or influence control of any portfolio company through these engagements. In addition, we encourage issuers to increase the amount of direct communication board members have with shareholders. We believe direct communication with executive board members and independent non- executive directors is critical to helping companies understand shareholder concerns.

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**Section I. Effective Board Oversight**

**Director Independence**

We believe independent directors are crucial to good corporate governance; they help management establish sound corporate governance policies and practices. We have developed criteria for determining director independence, which vary by region and/or local jurisdiction. These criteria generally follow relevant listing standards, local regulatory requirements and/or local market practice standards. Such criteria may include:

• Participation in related-party transactions or other material business relations with the company

• Employment history with the company

• Status as founder or member of the founding family

• Government representative

• Excessive tenure and preponderance of long-tenured directors

• Relations with significant shareholders

• Close family ties with any of the company's advisers, directors or senior employees

• Cross-directorships

• Receipt of non-board related compensation from the issuer, its auditors or advisors

• Company's own classification of a director as non-independent

In some cases, State Street Global Advisors' criteria may be more rigorous than applicable local or listing requirements.

**Majority Independent Board**

We believe a sufficiently independent board is key to effectively monitoring management, maintaining appropriate governance practices, and performing oversight functions necessary to protect shareholder interests.

**Separation of Chair/CEO**

Our primary focus is to ensure there is strong independent leadership of the board, in accordance with the principles discussed above. We generally believe the board is best placed to choose the governance structure that is most appropriate for that company.

**Board Committees**

We believe that board committees are crucial to robust corporate governance and should be composed of a sufficient number of independent directors. We use the same criteria for determining committee independence as we do for determining director independence, which varies by region and/or local jurisdiction. Although we recognize that board structures may vary by jurisdiction, where a board has established an audit committee and/or compensation/remuneration committee, we generally expect the committee to be primarily, and in some cases, fully independent.

**Refreshment and Tenure**

We believe that average board tenure should generally align with the length of the business cycle of the respective industry in which a company operates. In assessing excessive tenure, we consider factors such as the preponderance of long tenured directors, board refreshment practices, classified board structures and the business cycle for the industry in which a company operates.

**Director Time Commitments**

We believe a company's nominating committee is best placed to determine appropriate time commitments for the company's directors. We consider if a company publicly discloses its director time commitment policy (e.g., within corporate governance guidelines, proxy statement, annual report, company website, etc.) and if this policy or associated disclosure outlines the factors that the nominating committee considers to assess director time commitments during the annual policy review process.

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**Board Composition**

We believe effective board oversight of a company's long-term business strategy necessitates a diversity of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives, which may include a range of characteristics such as skills, gender, race, ethnicity, and age. By having a critical mass of diverse perspectives, boards could experience the benefits that may lead to innovative ideas and foster more robust conversations about a company's strategy.

We recognize that many factors may influence board composition, including board size, geographic location, and local regulations, among others. Further, we believe that a robust nominating and governance process is essential to achieving a board composition that is designed to facilitate effective, independent oversight of a company's long-term strategy. We believe nominating committees are best placed to determine the most effective board composition and we encourage companies to ensure that there are sufficient levels of diverse experiences and perspectives represented in the boardroom.

**Board Expertise**

We believe board members should have adequate skills to provide effective oversight of corporate strategy, operations, and risks, including sustainability-related issues.

Boards should also have a regular evaluation process in place to assess the effectiveness of the board and the skills of board members to address issues, such as emerging risks, changes to corporate strategy, and diversification of operations and geographic footprint. We believe nominating committees are best positioned to evaluate the skillset and expertise of both existing and prospective board members. However, we may take such considerations into account in certain circumstances.

**Board Accountability**

**Oversight of Strategy and Risk** <br>We believe that risk management is a key function of the board, which is responsible for setting the overall risk appetite of a company and for providing oversight on the risk management process established by senior executives at a company. We allow boards to have discretion regarding the ways in which they provide oversight in this area. However, we expect companies to disclose how the board provides oversight of its risk management system and risk identification. Boards should also review existing and emerging risks that evolve in tandem with the changing political and economic landscape or as companies diversify or expand their operations into new areas.

As responsible stewards, we believe in the importance of effective risk management and oversight of issues that are material to a company. To effectively manage and assess the risk of our clients' portfolios, we expect our portfolio companies to manage risks and opportunities that are material and industry-specific and that have a demonstrated link to long-term value creation, and to provide high-quality disclosure of this process to shareholders.

When evaluating a board's oversight of risks and opportunities, we assess the following factors, based on disclosures by, and engagements with, portfolio companies:

1. Oversees Long-term Strategy

–Articulates the material risks and opportunities and how those risks and opportunities fit into the firm's long-term business strategy

–Regularly assesses the effectiveness of the company's long-term strategy, and management's execution of this strategy

2. Demonstrates an Effective Oversight Process

–Describes which committee(s) have oversight over specific risks and opportunities, as well as which topics are overseen and/or discussed at the full-board level

–Includes risks and opportunities in board and/or committee agendas, and articulates how often specific topics are discussed at the committee and/or full- board level

–Utilizes KPIs or metrics to assess the effectiveness of risk management processes

–Engages with key stakeholders including employees and investors

3. Ensures Effective Leadership

–Holds management accountable for progress on relevant metrics and targets

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–Integrates necessary skills and perspectives into the board nominating and executive hiring processes, and provides training to directors and executives on topics material to the company's business or operations

–Conducts a periodic effectiveness review

4. Ensures Disclosures of Material Information

–Ensures publication of relevant disclosures, including those regarding material topics

**Compliance with Corporate Governance Principles** <br>Our minimum expectation is that companies will comply with their respective market governance codes and/or stewardship principles. Issuers are encouraged to provide explanations of their level of compliance with their local market code and why their preferred governance structure (if not compliant with the code) serves shareholders' long-term interests.

We will review governance practices at companies in selected indexes for their adherence to market governance codes and/or stewardship principles.

**Proxy Contests** <br>We believe nominating committees that are comprised of independent directors are best placed to assess which individuals are adequately equipped with the skills and expertise to fulfill the duties of board members, and to act as effective fiduciaries.

While our default position is to support the committees' judgement, we consider the following factors when evaluating dissident nominees:

• Strategy presented by dissident nominees versus that of current management, as overseen by the incumbent board

• Effectiveness, quality, and experience of the management slate

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Material governance failures and the level of responsiveness to shareholder concerns and market signals by the incumbent board

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Quality of disclosure and engagement practices to support changes to shareholder rights, capital allocation and/or governance structure

• Company performance and, if applicable, the merit of a recovery plan

• Expertise of board members with respect to company industry and strategy

**Board Oversight of Geopolitical Risk** <br>As stewards of our clients' assets, we are aware of the financial risks associated with geopolitical risk, including risks arising from unexpected conflict between or among nations. We expect portfolio companies that may be impacted by geopolitical risk to:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Manage and mitigate risks related to operating in impacted markets, which may include financial, sanctions-related, regulatory, and/or reputational risks, among others;

• Strengthen board oversight of these efforts; and

• Describe these efforts in public disclosures.

**Compensation and Remuneration** <br>We consider it the board's responsibility to determine the appropriate level of executive compensation. Despite the differences among the possible types of plans and awards, there is a simple underlying philosophy that guides our analysis of executive compensation: we believe that there should be a direct relationship between executive compensation and company performance over the long term.

Shareholders should have the opportunity to assess whether pay structures and levels are aligned with business performance. When assessing remuneration reports, we consider factors such as adequate disclosure of various remuneration elements, absolute and relative pay levels, peer selection and benchmarking, the mix of long-term and short-term incentives, alignment of pay structures with shareholder interests, as well as with corporate strategy and performance.

For example, criteria we may consider include the following:

• Overall quantum relative to company performance

• Vesting periods and length of performance targets

• Mix of performance, time and options-based stock units

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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

• Use of special grants and one-time awards

• Retesting and repricing features

• Disclosure and transparency

**Board Meeting Attendance** <br>We expect directors to attend at least 75 percent of board meetings in the last financial year or provide an appropriate explanation for why they were unable to meet this attendance threshold.

**Section II. Disclosure**

It is important for shareholders to receive timely and accurate reporting of a company's financial performance and strategy so that they are able to assess both the value and risk of their investment. In addition to information related to strategy and performance, companies should provide disclosure relating to their approach to corporate governance and shareholder rights. Such information allows investors to determine whether their financial interests have been protected by the board and provides insights into the board's oversight of management. Ultimately, the board of directors is accountable for the oversight and disclosure of the material risks and opportunities faced by the company.

**Reporting**

**Financial Statements** <br>We believe the disclosure and availability of reliable financial statements in a timely manner is imperative for investment analysis. We expect external auditors to provide assurance of a company's financial condition.

**Sustainability-related Disclosures** <br>We believe in the importance of effective risk management and governance of issues that are material to a company. This may include sustainability-related risks and opportunities where a company has identified such risks and opportunities as material to its business. Such disclosure allows shareholders to effectively assess companies' oversight, strategy, and business practices related to these sustainability issues identified as material.

We look to companies to provide disclosure on sustainability-related risks and opportunities relevant to their businesses in line with applicable local regulatory requirements and any voluntary standards and frameworks adopted by the company.

**Climate-related Disclosures** <br>We believe that managing climate-related risks and opportunities is a key element in maximizing long-term risk-adjusted returns for our clients. As a result, we have a longstanding commitment to enhancing investor-useful disclosure related to this topic.

For companies that have identified climate risk as material to their business, we expect the company to provide disclosure on climate-related risks and opportunities relevant to their businesses in line with applicable local regulatory requirements and any voluntary standards and frameworks adopted by the company.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•We encourage the disclosure of Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions and related targets. However, State Street Global Advisors is not prescriptive in how a company sets its targets. We expect companies that have adopted net zero ambitions to disclose interim climate targets. In each case, if a company chooses not to disclose any climate targets, we expect the company to provide an explanation of how the company measures and monitors progress on managing climate-related risks and opportunities.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•We do not expect any company to set Scope 3 targets. We encourage companies to identify and disclose the most relevant categories of Scope 3 emissions. However, we recognize that Scope 3 emissions estimates have a high degree of uncertainty. Therefore, if a company determines that categories of Scope 3 emissions are impracticable to estimate, we encourage the company to explain the relevant limitations. We also encourage companies to explain any efforts to address Scope 3 emissions, such as engagement with suppliers, customers, or other stakeholders across the value chain, where relevant.

**Say-on-Climate Proposals** <br>While we generally believe in the importance of effective disclosure of climate-related risks a company has deemed material to its business, we do not endorse annual advisory climate votes. Where management chooses to include a Say-on-Climate vote, we assess the company's climate-related disclosure in accordance with the criteria listed in Appendix A.

**Board and Workforce Demographics** <br>We expect disclosure on the composition of both the board and workforce.

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**Section III. Shareholder Protection** 

**Capital**

**Share Capital Structure** <br>The ability to raise capital is critical for companies to carry out strategy, to grow, and to achieve returns above their cost of capital. The approval of capital raising activities is fundamental to a shareholder's ability to monitor the amounts of proceeds and to ensure capital is deployed efficiently. Altering the capital structure of a company is a critical decision for boards. When making such a decision, we believe the company should disclose a comprehensive business rationale that is consistent with corporate strategy and not overly dilutive to its shareholders.

Our approach to share capital structure matters may vary by local market and jurisdiction, due to regional nuances. Such proposals may include:

• Increase in Authorized Common Shares

• Increase in Authorized Preferred Shares

• Unequal Voting Rights

• Share Repurchase Programs

**Dividend Payouts (Japan Only**) <br>For Japanese issuers, we are generally supportive of dividend payouts that constitute 30 percent or more of net income; however we consider whether the payment may damage the company's long-term financial health.

**Reorganization, Mergers and Acquisitions** <br>The reorganization of the structure of a company or mergers often involve proposals relating to reincorporation, restructurings, liquidations, and other major changes to the corporation.

We expect proposals to be in the best interests of shareholders, demonstrated by enhancing share value or improving the effectiveness of the company's operations.

We evaluate mergers and structural reorganizations on a case-by-case basis and expect transactions to maximize shareholder value. Some of the considerations include the following:

• Offer premium

• Strategic rationale

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Board oversight of the process for the recommended transaction, including director and/or management conflicts of interest

• Offers made at a premium and where there are no other higher bidders

• Offers in which the secondary market price is substantially lower than the net asset value

We also consider the following:

• Offers with potentially damaging consequences for minority shareholders because of illiquid stock

• Offers where we believe there is a reasonable prospect for an enhanced bid or other bidders

• The current market price of the security exceeds the bid price at the time of voting

**Related-Party Transactions** <br>Some companies have a controlled ownership structure and complex cross- shareholdings between subsidiaries and parent companies ("related companies"). Such structures may result in the prevalence of related-party transactions between the company and its various stakeholders, such as directors and management, subsidiaries and shareholders. In markets where shareholders are required to approve such transactions, we expect companies to disclose details of the transaction, such as the nature, the value and the purpose of such a transaction. We also believe independent directors should ratify such transactions. Further, we believe companies should describe the level of independent board oversight and the approval process, including details of any independent valuations provided by financial advisors on related-party transactions.

**Cross-Shareholdings (Japan Only)** <br>"Cross-shareholdings" are a long-standing feature of the balance sheets of many Japanese companies, but, in our view, can be detrimental for corporate governance practices and ultimately shareholder returns.

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**Shareholder Rights**

**Proxy Access** <br>In general, we believe that proxy access is a fundamental right and an accountability mechanism for all long-term shareholders. We consider proposals relating to proxy access on a case-by-case basis and consider a balance between providing long-term shareholders accountability while preserving flexibility for management to design a process that is appropriate for the company's circumstances.

**Vote Standards**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•**Annual Elections:** We believe the establishment of annual elections of the board of directors is appropriate. We also consider the overall level of board independence and the independence of the key committees, as well as the existence of a shareholder rights plan.

• **Majority Voting:** We believe a majority vote standard based on votes cast for the election of directors is appropriate.

**Shareholder Meetings**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•**Special Meetings and Written Consent:** We believe the ability for shareholders to call special meetings, as well as act by written consent is appropriate. We believe an appropriate threshold for both calling a special meeting and acting by written consent can be 25% of outstanding shares or less.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•**Notice Period to Convene a General Meeting:** We expect companies to give as much notice as is practicable when calling a general meeting, generally at least 14 days.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•**Virtual/Hybrid Shareholder Meetings:** We believe the right to hold shareholder meetings in a virtual or hybrid format is appropriate with the following best practices:

–Afford virtual attendee shareholders the same rights as would normally be granted to in-person attendee shareholders

–Commit to time-bound renewal (five years or less) of meeting format authorization by shareholders

–Provide a written record of all questions posed during the meeting, and

–Comply with local market laws and regulations relating to virtual and hybrid shareholder meeting practices

In evaluating these proposals we also consider the operating environment of the company, including local regulatory developments and specific market circumstances impacting virtual meeting practices.

**Governance Documents & Miscellaneous Items**

**Article Amendments** <br>We believe amendments to company bylaws that may negatively impact shareholder rights (such as fee-shifting, forum selection, and exclusion service bylaws) should be put to a shareholder vote.

We believe a majority voting standard is generally appropriate.

We generally believe companies should have a fixed board size, or designate a range for the board size.

**Anti-Takeover Issues** <br>Occasionally, companies add anti-takeover provisions that reduce the chances of a potential acquirer to make an offer, or to reduce the likelihood of a successful offer. We generally believe shareholders should have the right to vote on reasonable offers. Our approach to anti-takeover issues may vary by local market and jurisdiction, due to regional nuances.

**Accounting and Audit-Related Issues** <br>Companies should have robust internal audit and internal control systems designed for effective management of any potential and emerging risks to company operations and strategy. The responsibility of setting out an internal audit function lies with the audit committee, which should have independent non-executive directors designated as members.

We believe the disclosure and availability of reliable financial statements in a timely manner is imperative for investment analysis. As a result, board oversight of the internal controls and the independence of the audit process are essential if investors are to rely upon financial statements. It is important for the audit committee to appoint external auditors who are independent from management as we expect auditors to provide assurance of a company's financial condition.

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State Street Global Advisors believes that a company's external auditor is an essential feature of an effective and transparent system of external independent assurance. Shareholders should be given the opportunity to vote on their (re-)appointment at the annual meeting. When appointing external auditors and approving audit fees, we will take into consideration the level of detail in company disclosures.

In circumstances where "other" fees include fees related to initial public offerings, bankruptcy emergence, and spin-offs, and the company makes public disclosure of the amount and nature of those fees which are determined to be an exception to the standard "non-audit fee" category, then such fees may be excluded from the non-audit fees considered in determining the ratio of non-audit to audit/audit-related fees/tax compliance and preparation for purposes of determining whether non-audit fees are excessive.

We believe a company should be able to discharge its auditors in the absence of pending litigation, governmental investigation, charges or fraud or other indication of significant concern. Further, we believe that auditors should attend the annual meeting of shareholders.

**Indemnification and Liability** <br>Generally, we believe directors should be able to limit their liability and/or expand indemnification and liability protection if a director has not acted in bad faith, gross negligence, or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his or her office.

**Section IV. Shareholder Proposals**

We believe that company boards do right by investors and are responsible for overseeing strategy and company management. Towards that end, we generally do not support shareholder proposals that appear to impose changes to business strategy or operations, such as increasing or decreasing investment in certain products or businesses or phasing out a product or business line or if it is not a topic that the company has deemed to be material in their public disclosure documents.

When assessing shareholder proposals, we fundamentally consider whether the adoption of the resolution would promote long-term shareholder value in the context of our core governance principles:

1. Effective board oversight

2. Quality disclosure

3. Shareholder protection

We will consider supporting a shareholder proposal if:

• the request is focused on enhanced disclosure of the company's governance and/or risk oversight

• the adoption of the request would protect our clients' interests as minority shareholders; or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•for common proposal topics for which we have developed assessment criteria, the extent to which the request satisfies the criteria found in Appendix A.

**Section V. Engagement**

As a fiduciary, State Street Global Advisors takes a comprehensive approach to engaging with portfolio companies. Our stewardship prioritization process allows us to proactively identify companies for engagement and voting in order to mitigate risks in our client's portfolios. Through engagement, we aim to build long-term relationships with the issuers in which we invest on behalf of our clients and to address a broad range of topics relating to the promotion of long-term shareholder value creation. We do not seek to change or influence control of any portfolio company through engagement.

**Equity Engagements**

In general, there are three types of engagements that State Street Global Advisors may hold on behalf of equity holders:

1. **Engagements with Portfolio Companies in Connection with a Ballot Item or Other Topic In our Policy:** Engagements held with portfolio companies to discuss a ballot item, event or other established topic found in our Policy. Such engagements generally, but not necessarily, occur during "proxy season." They may be held at the request of State Street Global Advisors or the portfolio company.

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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

2. **Off-Season Engagement at the Request of a Portfolio Company:** From time- to-time, portfolio companies may seek to engage with State Street Global Advisors in the 'off-season' to discuss a particular topic.

3. **Off-Season Proactive Engagement Campaigns:** Each year, State Street Global Advisors will identify thematic engagement campaigns on important topics for which we are seeking more information to potentially inform our future voting positions.

**Fixed Income Engagements**

From time-to-time, certain corporate action election events, reclassifications or other changes to the investment terms of debt holdings may occur or an issuer may seek to engage with State Street Global Advisors to discuss matters pertaining to the debt instruments that State Street Global Advisors holds on behalf of its clients. In such instances, State Street Global Advisors may engage with the issuer to obtain further information about the matter for purposes of its investment decision making. Such engagements are the responsibility of the Fixed Income portfolio management team, but may be supported by State Street Global Advisors' Asset Stewardship Team. All election decisions are the responsibility of the relevant portfolio management team.

In addition, State Street Global Advisors may identify themes for engagement campaigns with issuers on topics that it believes may affect value of its clients' debt investments. State Street Global Advisors may proactively engage with portfolio companies and other issuers on these topics to help inform our views on the subject.

Where such themes align with those relating to equities, such engagements may be carried out jointly on behalf of both equity and fixed income holdings where there is mutual benefit for both asset classes. Such engagements are led by the State Street Global Advisors Asset Stewardship Team, but may also be attended by the relevant portfolio management teams.

**Engaging with Other Investors Soliciting State Street Global Advisors' Votes in Connection with Contested Shareholder Meetings, Vote-No Campaigns, or Shareholder Proposals**

While it may be helpful to speak to other investors that are running proxy contests, putting forth vote-no campaigns, or proposing shareholder proposals at investee companies, we limit such discussions to investors who have filed necessary documentation with regulators and engage in these discussions at our own discretion.

Our primary purpose of engaging with investors is:

1. To gain a better understanding of their position or concerns at investee companies.

2. In proxy contest situations:

–To assess possible director candidates where investors are seeking board representation in proxy contest situations

–To understand the investor's proposed strategy for the company and investment time horizon to assess their alignment with State Street Global Advisors' views and interests as a long-term shareholder

Any information about our vote decisions are available in this document and on our website. All requests for engagement should be sent to GovernanceTeam@ssga.com.

**Section VI. Other Matters**

**Securities on Loan**

As a responsible investor and fiduciary, we recognize the importance of balancing the benefits of voting shares and the incremental lending revenue for the pooled funds that participate in State Street Global Advisors' securities lending program (the "Funds"). Our objective is to recall securities on loan and restrict future lending until after the record date for the respective vote in instances where we believe that a particular vote could have a material impact on the Funds' long-term financial performance and the benefit of voting shares will outweigh the forgone lending income.

Accordingly, we have set systematic recall and lending restriction criteria for shareholder meetings involving situations with the highest potential financial implications (such as proxy contests and strategic transactions including mergers and acquisitions, going dark transactions, change of corporate form, or bankruptcy and liquidation). Generally, these criteria for recall and restriction for lending only apply to certain large cap indices in developed markets.

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State Street Global Advisors monitors the forgone lending revenue associated with each recall to determine if the impact on the Funds' long-term financial performance and the benefit of voting shares will outweigh the forgone lending income.

Although our objective is to systematically recall securities based on the aforementioned criteria, we must receive notice of the vote in sufficient time to recall the shares on or before the record date. When we do not receive timely notice, we may be unable to recall the shares on or before the record date.

**Reporting**

We provide transparency for our stewardship activities through our regular client reports and relevant information reported online. We publish an annual stewardship report that provides details of our stewardship approach, engagement and voting policies, and activities during the year. The annual stewardship report is complemented by quarterly stewardship activity reports as well as the publication of thought leadership on governance and sustainability on our website. Our voting record information is available on Vote View, an interactive platform that provides relevant company details, proposal types, resolution descriptions, and records of our votes cast.

**Appendix A: Assessment Criteria for Common Disclosure Topics**

As outlined above, the pillars of our Asset Stewardship Program rest on effective board oversight, quality disclosure and shareholder protection. We are frequently asked to evaluate proposals on various topics, including requests for enhanced disclosure.

Where a company receives a proposal on a topic that the company has determined is material to its business, we will assess the proposal in accordance with the below criteria that we believe represent quality disclosure on commonly requested disclosure topics. In each case, in assessing the proposal against the applicable criteria, we may review the company's relevant disclosures against industry and market practice (e.g., peer disclosure, relevant frameworks, relevant industry guidance).

**Climate Disclosure Criteria**

For companies that have identified climate-related risks or opportunities as material to their business, we expect the company to provide disclosure on climate-related risks and opportunities relevant to their businesses in line with applicable local regulatory requirements and any voluntary standards and frameworks adopted by the company, as described in the section related to Climate-Related Disclosures above.

Additionally, where a company is among the highest emitters, we consider whether the company discloses:

• Scenario-planning on relevant risk assessment and strategic planning processes;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•The company's plans to achieve stated climate-related targets, if any, including information on timelines and expected emissions reductions; and

• Incorporation of relevant climate considerations in financial planning and/or capital allocation decisions.

**Climate Transition Plan Disclosure Criteria for Companies that have Adopted a Climate Transition Plan**

We do not expect or require companies to adopt net zero ambitions or join relevant industry initiatives. For companies that have adopted a net zero ambition and/or climate transition plan and that receive a related proposal, we assess the proposal against the disclosure criteria set out below. Given that climate related risks present differently across industries, our assessment of the below criteria may vary to account for best practices in specific industries.

**General Climate-related Disclosures**

• Description of approach to identifying and assessing climate-related risks and opportunities

• Disclosure of resilience of the company's strategy taking into consideration a range of climate-related scenarios

• Disclosure of Scope 1, Scope 2, and relevant categories of Scope 3 emissions and any assurance

**Ambition**

• Disclosure of long-term climate ambitions

**Targets**

• Disclosure of short- and/or medium-term interim climate targets

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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Disclosure of alignment of climate targets with relevant jurisdictional commitments, specific temperature pathways, and/or sectoral decarbonization approaches

**Decarbonization Strategy**

• Disclosure of plans and actions to support stated climate targets and ambitions

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Disclosure of emissions management efforts within the company's operations and, as applicable, across the value chain

• Disclosure of carbon offsets utilization, if any

• Disclosure of the role of climate solutions (e.g., carbon capture and storage)

• Disclosure of potential social risks and opportunities related to climate transition plan, if any

**Capital Allocation**

• Disclosure integration of relevant climate considerations in financial planning

• Disclosure of total actual and planned capital deployed toward climate transition plan

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Disclosure of approach to assessing and prioritizing investments toward climate transition plan (e.g. marginal abatement cost curves, internal carbon pricing, if any)

**Climate Policy Engagement**

• Disclosure of position on climate-related topics relevant to the company's decarbonization strategy

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Disclosure of assessment of stated positions on relevant climate-related topics versus those of associations and other relevant policy-influencing entities, such as trade associations, industry bodies, or coalitions, to which the company belongs, and any efforts taken as a result of this review to address potential misalignment.

**Climate Governance**

• Disclosure of the board's role in overseeing climate transition plan

• Disclosure of management's role in overseeing climate transition plan

**Physical Risk**

• Disclosure of assessment of climate-related physical risks

• Disclosure of approach to managing identified climate-related physical risks

**Stakeholder Engagement**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Disclosure of engagement with relevant internal stakeholders related to climate transition plan (e.g., workforce training, cross-functional collaboration)

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Disclosure of engagement with relevant external stakeholders related to climate transition plan (e.g., industry collaboration, customer engagement)

**Methane Disclosure Criteria**

Where a company has determined that methane emissions-related risks or opportunities are material to its business and has received a related shareholder proposal, we will assess the proposal in accordance with the following disclosure criteria:

• Disclosure of methane emissions detection and monitoring efforts

• An explanation of efforts to enhance measurement, reporting, and verification

• A description of the company's strategy to manage methane emissions

• Disclosure of any methane-related metrics and targets utilized

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**Nature-Related Disclosures: Biodiversity, Deforestation and other Land-Use, Water Management, Pollution and Waste**

Where a company has determined that one or more nature-related risks and opportunities are material to its business and has received a related shareholder proposal, we will assess the proposal in accordance with the following disclosure criteria:

• **Governance:** Board oversight of the material nature-related risks and opportunities

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•**Risk Management:** Approach to identifying, assessing, monitoring, and mitigating the material nature-related risks and opportunities

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•**Strategy:** Consideration of material nature-related risks and opportunities in business strategy, resiliency, and planning

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•**Metrics and Targets (when relevant):** Metrics used to assess, monitor, and manage nature-related risks and opportunities

**Human Capital Management Disclosure Criteria**

Where a company has determined that human capital management-related risks or opportunities are material to its business and has received a related shareholder proposal, we will assess the proposal in accordance with the following disclosure criteria:

• **Board Oversight:** Methods outlining how the board oversees human capital- related risks and opportunities;

• **Strategy:** Approaches to human capital management and how these advance the long-term business strategy;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•**Compensation:** Strategies throughout the organization that aim to attract and retain employees, and incentivize contribution to an effective human capital strategy;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•**Voice:** Channels to ensure the concerns and ideas from workers are solicited and acted upon, and how the workforce is engaged and empowered in the organization; and

• **Workforce Demographics:** Role of the board in overseeing workforce demographics efforts

**Diversity Equity and Inclusion Disclosure Criteria**

Where a company has determined that diversity, equity and inclusion-related risks or opportunities are material to its business and has received a related shareholder proposal, we will assess the proposal in accordance with the following disclosure criteria:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•**Board Oversight:** Describe how the board executes its oversight role in risks and opportunities related to diversity, equity and inclusion

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•**Strategy:** Articulate the role that diversity, equity, and inclusion plays in the company's broader human capital management practices and long-term strategy, as well as how the company intends to implement that strategy

• **Metrics:** Provide disclosure on the company's global employee base and board demographics, where permitted

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•**Board Composition:** Articulate the role of diversity of skills, backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives in the board's nominating process

**Pay Equity Disclosure Criteria (United States and United Kingdom Only)**

Where a company has determined that pay equity-related risks or opportunities are material to its business and has received a related shareholder proposal, we will assess the proposal in accordance with the following disclosure criteria:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Disclosure of adjusted pay gaps related to race and gender within the company (disclosure of the unadjusted pay gap is also encouraged, but not expected outside of the United Kingdom market at this time);

• Disclosure of strategy to achieve and maintain pay equity; and

• Disclosure of the role of the board in overseeing pay strategies as well as diversity-related efforts

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**Civil Rights Disclosure Criteria (United States Only)**

Where a company has determined that civil rights-related risks or opportunities are material to its business and has received a related shareholder proposal, we will assess the proposal in accordance with the following disclosure criteria:

• Disclosure of risk related to civil rights, including risks associated with products, practices, and services;

• Disclosure of plans to manage and mitigate these risks; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Disclosure of processes at the board for overseeing such risks (e.g., committee responsible, frequency of discussions, etc.).

**Human Rights Disclosure Criteria**

Where a company has determined that human rights-related risks or opportunities are material to its business and has received a related shareholder proposal, we will assess the proposal in accordance with the following disclosure criteria:

• Human rights-related risks the company considers more relevant;

• Plans to manage and mitigate these risks;

• Board oversight of these risks; and

• Assessment of the effectiveness of the human rights risk management program.

**Political Contributions Disclosure Criteria (United States Only)**

For all companies that receive a shareholder proposal related to political contributions, we will assess the proposal in accordance with the following disclosure criteria:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Disclosure of all contributions, no matter the dollar value, made by the company, its subsidiaries, and/ or affiliated Political Action Committees (PACs) to individual candidates, PACs, and other political organizations at the state and federal levels in the US; and

• Disclosure of the role of the board in oversight of political contributions.

**Lobbying Disclosure Criteria (United States Only)**

For all companies that receive a shareholder proposal related to lobbying disclosure, we will assess the proposal in accordance with the following disclosure criteria:

• Disclosure of membership in United States trade associations (to which payments are above $50,000 per year) and

• Disclosure of the role of the board in overseeing lobbying activities.

**Trade Association Alignment Disclosure Criteria**

For all companies that receive a shareholder proposal related to trade association alignment, we will assess the proposal in accordance with the following disclosure criteria:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Disclosure of the board's role in overseeing the company's participation in the political process, including membership in trade associations or other policy- influencing entities; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Whether the company regularly performs a gap analysis of its stated positions on relevant issues versus those of the trade associations or other policy-influencing organizations of which it is a member, and

• Whether the company disclosed a list of its trade association memberships

Note: We believe that management is best suited to take positions on the matters related to their company and therefore we do not recommend any specific position. Our support of these types of shareholder proposals, if any, solely reflect our support for enhanced disclosure on assessing alignment between stated company positions and the positions of associations and other relevant policy-influencing entities to which the company belongs in line with market expectations and effective risk management.

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**About State Street Global Advisors**

For over four decades, State Street Global Advisors has served the world's governments, institutions, and financial advisors. With a rigorous, risk-aware approach built on research, analysis, and market-tested experience, and as pioneers in index and ETF investing, we are always inventing new ways to invest. As a result, we have become the world's fourth-largest asset manager\* with US $4.72 trillion† under our care.

\*

Pensions & Investments Research Center, as of December 31, 2023.

†

This figure is presented as of December 31, 2024 and includes ETF AUM of $1,577.74 billion USD of which approximately $82.19 billion USD in gold assets with respect to SPDR products for which State Street Global Advisors Funds Distributors, LLC (SSGA FD) acts solely as the marketing agent. SSGA FD and State Street Global Advisors are affiliated. Please note all AUM is unaudited.

ssga.com© 2025 State Street Corporation. <br>All Rights Reserved. <br>ID2658960 <br>Exp. Date: 03/31/2026

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**APPENDIX D**

**[Blackstone Liquid Credit Strategies, LLC Proxy Voting Procedures and Guidelines to be included in the subsequent amendment]**

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**APPENDIX E**

**[DoubleLine Capital, LP Proxy Voting Procedures and Guidelines to be included in the subsequent amendment]**

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**APPENDIX F**

**[Loomis, Sayles & Company, L.P. Proxy Voting Procedures and Guidelines to be included in the subsequent amendment]**

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**APPENDIX G**

**[Nuveen Asset Management, LLC Proxy Voting Procedures and Guidelines to be included in the subsequent amendment]**

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**PART C** <br>**OTHER INFORMATION** 

**Item 28.**

**Exhibits** 

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| (a)(i) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Declaration of Trust of SSGA Active Trust (the "Trust" or the "Registrant"), dated March 30, 2011 (the "Declaration</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000095012311032152/b85790a1exv99w28xay.htm)<br> [<u>of Trust"), is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (a) to the Registrant's initial Registration Statement on Form</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000095012311032152/b85790a1exv99w28xay.htm)<br> [<u>N-1A, as filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") on April 1, 2011.</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000095012311032152/b85790a1exv99w28xay.htm)<br>|
| (a)(ii) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment No. 1, dated December 5, 2014, to the Declaration of Trust is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312515305041/d67424dex99aii.htm)<br> [<u>(a)(ii) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 50 to the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed with the</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312515305041/d67424dex99aii.htm)<br> [<u>SEC on August 27, 2015.</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312515305041/d67424dex99aii.htm)<br>|
| (a)(iii) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment No. 2, dated February 20, 2025, to the Declaration of Trust is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312525035495/d865902dex99aiii.htm)<br> [<u>(a)(iii) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 231 to the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed with</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312525035495/d865902dex99aiii.htm)<br> [<u>the SEC on February 26, 2025.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312525035495/d865902dex99aiii.htm)<br>|
| (b) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Registrant's Amended and Restated By-Laws, dated February 20, 2025, are incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312525035495/d865902dex99b.htm)<br> [<u>(b) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 231 to the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed with the</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312525035495/d865902dex99b.htm)<br> [<u>SEC on February 26, 2025</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312525035495/d865902dex99b.htm).<br>|
| (c) | Not applicable. |
| (d)(i)(1) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Investment Advisory Agreement, dated April 25, 2012, between the Trust and SSGA Funds Management, Inc.</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312513395417/d609171dex99di.htm)<br> [<u>("SSGA FM") (the "Advisory Agreement") is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (d)(i) of Post-Effective</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312513395417/d609171dex99di.htm)<br> [<u>Amendment No. 11 to the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed with the SEC on October 9,</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312513395417/d609171dex99di.htm)<br> [<u>2013.</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312513395417/d609171dex99di.htm)<br>|
| (d)(i)(2) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Exhibit A (Schedule of Series), dated March 5, 2025, to the Advisory Agreement is incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312525045857/d921460dex99di2.htm)<br> [<u>to Exhibit (d)(i)(2) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 232 to the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312525045857/d921460dex99di2.htm)<br> [<u>filed with the SEC on March 5, 2025.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312525045857/d921460dex99di2.htm)<br>|
| (d)(i)(3) | &nbsp;&nbsp; Revised Exhibit A (Schedule of Series) to the Advisory Agreement, reflecting the addition of the SPDR SSGA Short <br> Duration IG Public & Private Credit ETF, SPDR SSGA My2031 Municipal Bond ETF and SPDR SSGA My2035 <br> Corporate Bond ETF, to be filed by subsequent amendment. <br>|
| (d)(ii) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement, dated March 27, 2013, between SSGA FM and Blackstone Liquid Credit</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312513395417/d609171dex99diii.htm)<br> [<u>Strategies, LLC (formerly, GSO/Blackstone Debt Funds Management, LLC) ("Blackstone") is incorporated herein by</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312513395417/d609171dex99diii.htm)<br> [<u>reference to Exhibit (d)(iii) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 11 to the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312513395417/d609171dex99diii.htm)<br> [<u>N-1A, as filed with the SEC on October 9, 2013.</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312513395417/d609171dex99diii.htm)<br>|
| (d)(iii) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement, dated February 23, 2015, between SSGA FM and DoubleLine Capital LP</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312515144325/d914768dex99dvi.htm)<br> [<u>("DoubleLine") is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (d)(vi) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 43 to the</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312515144325/d914768dex99dvi.htm)<br> [<u>Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed with the SEC on April 23, 2015.</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312515144325/d914768dex99dvi.htm)<br>|
| (d)(iv) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement, dated January 26, 2021, between SSGA FM and Nuveen Asset Management,</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312522093206/d307144dex99div.htm)<br> [<u>LLC ("Nuveen Asset Management") is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (d)(iv) of Post-Effective</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312522093206/d307144dex99div.htm)<br> [<u>Amendment No. 198 to the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed with the SEC on April 1, 2022.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312522093206/d307144dex99div.htm)<br>|
| (d)(v) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement, dated September 15, 2021, between SSGA FM and Loomis, Sayles &</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312521282510/d152184dex99dv.htm)<br> [<u>Company, L.P. ("Loomis") is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (d)(v) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 180</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312521282510/d152184dex99dv.htm)<br> [<u>to the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed with the SEC on September 27, 2021.</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312521282510/d152184dex99dv.htm)<br>|
| (d)(vi) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement, dated August 15, 2024, between SSGA FM and Galaxy Digital Capital</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312524215334/d857895dex99dvi.htm)<br> [<u>Management LP ("Galaxy") is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (d)(vi) of Post-Effective Amendment No.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312524215334/d857895dex99dvi.htm)<br> [<u>219 to the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed with the SEC on September 9, 2024.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312524215334/d857895dex99dvi.htm)<br>|
| (d)(vii) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement, dated February 28, 2025, between SSGA FM and Bridgewater Associates, LP</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312525045857/d921460dex99dvii.htm)<br> [<u>("Bridgewater") is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (d)(vii) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 232 to the</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312525045857/d921460dex99dvii.htm)<br> [<u>Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed with the SEC on March 5, 2025.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312525045857/d921460dex99dvii.htm)<br>|
| (e)(i)(1) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amended and Restated Distribution Agreement, dated May 1, 2017, between the Trust and State Street Global</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312517323406/d473399dex99ei1.htm)<br> [<u>Advisors Funds Distributors, LLC ("SSGA FD") (the "Distribution Agreement") is incorporated herein by reference</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312517323406/d473399dex99ei1.htm)<br> [<u>to Exhibit (e)(i)(1) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 137 to the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312517323406/d473399dex99ei1.htm)<br> [<u>filed with the SEC on October 30, 2017.</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312517323406/d473399dex99ei1.htm)<br>|
| (e)(i)(2) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Annex I (Schedule of Series), dated March 5, 2025, to the Distribution Agreement is incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312525045857/d921460dex99ei2.htm)<br> [<u>to Exhibit (e)(i)(2) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 232 to the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312525045857/d921460dex99ei2.htm)<br> [<u>filed with the SEC on March 5, 2025.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312525045857/d921460dex99ei2.htm)<br>|
| (e)(i)(3) | &nbsp;&nbsp; Amended Annex I (Schedule of Series) to the Distribution Agreement, reflecting the addition of the SPDR SSGA <br> Short Duration IG Public & Private Credit ETF, SPDR SSGA My2031 Municipal Bond ETF and SPDR SSGA <br> My2035 Corporate Bond ETF, to be filed by subsequent amendment.<br>|

---

------

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| (e)(ii) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Form of Authorized Participant Agreement is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (e)(ii) of Pre-Effective</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312512004964/d277772dex99eii.htm)<br> [<u>Amendment No. 2 to the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed with the SEC on January 6,</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312512004964/d277772dex99eii.htm)<br> [<u>2012.</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312512004964/d277772dex99eii.htm)<br>|
| (f) | Not applicable. |
| (g)(i)(1) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Custodian Agreement, dated April 18, 2012, between the Trust and State Street Bank and Trust Company (the</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312513395417/d609171dex99gi.htm)<br> [<u>"Custodian Agreement") is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (g)(i) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 11 to</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312513395417/d609171dex99gi.htm)<br> [<u>the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed with the SEC on October 9, 2013.</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312513395417/d609171dex99gi.htm)<br>|
| (g)(i)(2) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment, dated September 30, 2020, to the Custodian Agreement is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312520299195/d12628dex99gi2.htm)<br> [<u>(g)(i)(2) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 163 to the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed with</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312520299195/d12628dex99gi2.htm)<br> [<u>the SEC on November 20, 2020.</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312520299195/d12628dex99gi2.htm)<br>|
| (g)(i)(3) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Appendix A (Schedule of Series), dated March 5, 2025, to the Custodian Agreement is incorporated herein by</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312525045857/d921460dex99gi3.htm)<br> [<u>reference to Exhibit (g)(i)(3) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 232 to the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312525045857/d921460dex99gi3.htm)<br> [<u>N-1A, as filed with the SEC on March 5, 2025.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312525045857/d921460dex99gi3.htm)<br>|
| (g)(i)(4) | &nbsp;&nbsp; Amended Appendix A (Schedule of Series) to the Custodian Agreement, reflecting the addition of the SPDR SSGA <br> Short Duration IG Public & Private Credit ETF, SPDR SSGA My2031 Municipal Bond ETF and SPDR SSGA <br> My2035 Corporate Bond ETF, to be filed by subsequent amendment.<br>|
| (h)(i)(1) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Administration Agreement, dated June 1, 2015, between the Trust and SSGA FM (the "Administration Agreement") is</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312515356477/d33558dex99hi.htm)<br> [<u>incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(i) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 58 to the Registrant's Registration</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312515356477/d33558dex99hi.htm)<br> [<u>Statement on Form N-1A, as filed with the SEC on October 28, 2015.</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312515356477/d33558dex99hi.htm)<br>|
| (h)(i)(2) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Schedule A (Schedule of Series), dated March 5, 2025, to the Administration Agreement is incorporated herein by</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312525045857/d921460dex99hi2.htm)<br> [<u>reference to Exhibit (h)(i)(2) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 232 to the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312525045857/d921460dex99hi2.htm)<br> [<u>N-1A, as filed with the SEC on March 5, 2025.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312525045857/d921460dex99hi2.htm)<br>|
| (h)(i)(3) | &nbsp;&nbsp; Amended Schedule A (Schedule of Series) to the Administration Agreement, reflecting the addition of the SPDR <br> SSGA Short Duration IG Public & Private Credit ETF, SPDR SSGA My2031 Municipal Bond ETF and SPDR SSGA <br> My2035 Corporate Bond ETF, to be filed by subsequent amendment.<br>|
| (h)(ii)(1) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Master Sub-Administration Agreement, dated June 1, 2015, between SSGA FM and State Street Bank and Trust</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312515356477/d33558dex99hii.htm)<br> [<u>Company (the "Sub-Administration Agreement") is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(ii) of Post-</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312515356477/d33558dex99hii.htm)<br> [<u>Effective Amendment No. 58 to the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed with the SEC on</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312515356477/d33558dex99hii.htm)<br> [<u>October 28, 2015.</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312515356477/d33558dex99hii.htm)<br>|
| (h)(ii)(2) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment, dated June 29, 2018, to the Sub-Administration Agreement is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312518310481/d624446dex99hii2.htm)<br> [<u>(h)(ii)(2) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 142 to the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312518310481/d624446dex99hii2.htm)<br> [<u>with the SEC on October 29, 2018.</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312518310481/d624446dex99hii2.htm)<br>|
| (h)(ii)(3) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment, dated August 14, 2019, to the Sub-Administration Agreement is incorporated herein by reference to</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312523219046/d536589dex99hii3.htm)<br> [<u>Exhibit (h)(ii)(3) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 212 to the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312523219046/d536589dex99hii3.htm)<br> [<u>filed with the SEC on August 23, 2023.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312523219046/d536589dex99hii3.htm)<br>|
| (h)(ii)(4) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Schedule A (Schedule of Series), dated March 5, 2025, to the Sub-Administration Agreement is incorporated herein</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312525045857/d921460dex99hii4.htm)<br> [<u>by reference to Exhibit (h)(ii)(4) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 232 to the Registrant's Registration Statement on</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312525045857/d921460dex99hii4.htm)<br> [<u>Form N-1A, as filed with the SEC on March 5, 2025.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312525045857/d921460dex99hii4.htm)<br>|
| (h)(ii)(5) | &nbsp;&nbsp; Amended Schedule A (Schedule of Series) to the Sub-Administration Agreement, reflecting the addition of the SPDR <br> SSGA Short Duration IG Public & Private Credit ETF, SPDR SSGA My2031 Municipal Bond ETF and SPDR SSGA <br> My2035 Corporate Bond ETF, to be filed by subsequent amendment.<br>|
| (h)(iii)(1) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Transfer Agency and Service Agreement, dated April 18, 2012, between the Trust and State Street Bank and Trust</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312513395417/d609171dex99hii.htm)<br> [<u>Company (the "Transfer Agency and Service Agreement") is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(ii) of</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312513395417/d609171dex99hii.htm)<br> [<u>Post-Effective Amendment No. 11 to the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed with the SEC on</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312513395417/d609171dex99hii.htm)<br> [<u>October 9, 2013.</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312513395417/d609171dex99hii.htm)<br>|
| (h)(iii)(2) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Schedule A (Schedule of Series), dated March 5, 2025, to the Transfer Agency and Service Agreement is incorporated</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312525045857/d921460dex99hiii2.htm)<br> [<u>herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(iii)(2) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 232 to the Registrant's Registration</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312525045857/d921460dex99hiii2.htm)<br> [<u>Statement on Form N-1A, as filed with the SEC on March 5, 2025.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312525045857/d921460dex99hiii2.htm)<br>|
| (h)(iii)(3) | &nbsp;&nbsp; Amended Schedule A (Schedule of Series) to the Transfer Agency and Service Agreement, reflecting the addition of <br> the SPDR SSGA Short Duration IG Public & Private Credit ETF, SPDR SSGA My2031 Municipal Bond ETF and <br> SPDR SSGA My2035 Corporate Bond ETF, to be filed by subsequent amendment.<br>|
| (h)(iv)(1) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Master Amended and Restated Securities Lending Authorization Agreement, dated January 6, 2017, between the Trust</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312518261949/d601673dex99hv.htm)<br> [<u>and State Street Bank and Trust Company (the "Securities Lending Authorization Agreement") is incorporated herein</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312518261949/d601673dex99hv.htm)<br> [<u>by reference to Exhibit (h)(v) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 141 to the Registrant's Registration Statement on</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312518261949/d601673dex99hv.htm)<br> [<u>Form N-1A, as filed with the SEC on August 29, 2018.</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312518261949/d601673dex99hv.htm)<br>|
| (h)(iv)(2) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>First Amendment, dated April 12, 2019, to the Securities Lending Authorization Agreement is incorporated herein by</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312519233579/d768098dex99hv2.htm)<br> [<u>reference to Exhibit (h)(v)(2) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 147 to the Registrant's Registration Statement on</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312519233579/d768098dex99hv2.htm)<br> [<u>Form N-1A, as filed with the SEC on August 29, 2019.</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312519233579/d768098dex99hv2.htm)<br>|

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|:---|:---|
| (h)(iv)(3) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Second Amendment, dated September 6, 2019, to the Securities Lending Authorization Agreement is incorporated</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312520234044/d21209dex99hiv3.htm)<br> [<u>herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(iv)(3) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 158 to the Registrant's Registration</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312520234044/d21209dex99hiv3.htm)<br> [<u>Statement on Form N-1A, as filed with the SEC on August 28, 2020.</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312520234044/d21209dex99hiv3.htm)<br>|
| (h)(iv)(4) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Third Amendment, dated October 31, 2019, to the Securities Lending Authorization Agreement is incorporated herein</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312523219046/d536589dex99hiv4.htm)<br> [<u>by reference to Exhibit (h)(iv)(4) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 212 to the Registrant's Registration Statement on</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312523219046/d536589dex99hiv4.htm)<br> [<u>Form N-1A, as filed with the SEC on August 23, 2023.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312523219046/d536589dex99hiv4.htm)<br>|
| (h)(iv)(5) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Fourth Amendment, dated January 1, 2022, to the Securities Lending Authorization Agreement is incorporated herein</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312523219046/d536589dex99hiv5.htm)<br> [<u>by reference to Exhibit (h)(iv)(5) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 212 to the Registrant's Registration Statement on</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312523219046/d536589dex99hiv5.htm)<br> [<u>Form N-1A, as filed with the SEC on August 23, 2023.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312523219046/d536589dex99hiv5.htm)<br>|
| (h)(iv)(6) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Fifth Amendment, dated February 24, 2022, to the Securities Lending Authorization Agreement is incorporated herein</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312523219046/d536589dex99hiv6.htm)<br> [<u>by reference to Exhibit (h)(iv)(6) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 212 to the Registrant's Registration Statement on</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312523219046/d536589dex99hiv6.htm)<br> [<u>Form N-1A, as filed with the SEC on August 23, 2023.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312523219046/d536589dex99hiv6.htm)<br>|
| (h)(iv)(7) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Sixth Amendment, dated September 6, 2023, to the Securities Lending Authorization Agreement is incorporated</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312523264165/d331692dex99hvi7.htm)<br> [<u>herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(iv)(7) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 213 to the Registrant's Registration</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312523264165/d331692dex99hvi7.htm)<br> [<u>Statement on Form N-1A, as filed with the SEC on October 26, 2023.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312523264165/d331692dex99hvi7.htm)<br>|
| (h)(iv)(8) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Seventh Amendment, dated March 28, 2024, to the Securities Lending Authorization Agreement is incorporated</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312524165603/d829332dex99hiv8.htm)<br> [<u>herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(iv)(8) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 214 to the Registrant's Registration</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312524165603/d829332dex99hiv8.htm)<br> [<u>Statement on Form N-1A, as filed with the SEC on June 21, 2024</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312524165603/d829332dex99hiv8.htm).<br>|
| (h)(iv)(9) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Eighth Amendment, dated July 3, 2024, to the Securities Lending Authorization Agreement is incorporated herein by</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312524242949/d896716dex99hiv9.htm)<br> [<u>reference to Exhibit (h)(iv)(9) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 222 to the Registrant's Registration Statement on</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312524242949/d896716dex99hiv9.htm)<br> [<u>Form N-1A, as filed with the SEC on October 24, 2024.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312524242949/d896716dex99hiv9.htm)<br>|
| (h)(iv)(10) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Ninth Amendment, dated January 3, 2025, to the Securities Lending Authorization Agreement is incorporated herein</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312525035273/d929821dex99hiv10.htm)<br> [<u>by reference to Exhibit (h)(iv)(10) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 230 to the Registrant's Registration Statement on</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312525035273/d929821dex99hiv10.htm)<br> [<u>Form N-1A, as filed with the SEC on February 25, 2025.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312525035273/d929821dex99hiv10.htm)<br>|
| (h)(v) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Form of Fund of Funds Investment Agreement is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(v) of Post-Effective</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312522043567/d300796dex99hv.htm)<br> [<u>Amendment No. 194 to the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed with the SEC on February 16,</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312522043567/d300796dex99hv.htm)<br> [<u>2022.</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312522043567/d300796dex99hv.htm)<br>|
| (h)(vi) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Agreement to Provide Firm Bid Quotations and Obligations to Purchase, dated February 25, 2025, between the</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312525045857/d921460dex99hvi.htm)<br> [<u>Registrant and Apollo Global Securities, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(vi) of Post-Effective</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312525045857/d921460dex99hvi.htm)<br> [<u>Amendment No. 232 to the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed with the SEC on March 5,</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312525045857/d921460dex99hvi.htm)<br> [<u>2025.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312525045857/d921460dex99hvi.htm)<br>|
| (i)(i) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Opinion and consent of counsel, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, relating to the SPDR</u><sup>®</sup> <u>SSGA Multi-Asset Real</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312515356477/d33558dex99i.htm)<br> [<u>Return ETF, SPDR SSGA Income Allocation ETF, SPDR SSGA Conservative Global Allocation ETF, SPDR SSGA</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312515356477/d33558dex99i.htm)<br> [<u>Global Allocation ETF, SPDR SSGA Aggressive Global Allocation ETF, SPDR Blackstone/GSO Senior Loan ETF,</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312515356477/d33558dex99i.htm)<br> [<u>SPDR SSGA Ultra Short Term Bond ETF, SPDR MFS Systematic Core Equity ETF, SPDR MFS Systematic Growth</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312515356477/d33558dex99i.htm)<br> [<u>Equity ETF, SPDR MFS Systematic Value Equity ETF, SPDR SSGA Risk Aware ETF, SPDR DoubleLine Total Return</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312515356477/d33558dex99i.htm)<br> [<u>Tactical ETF, and State Street Clarion Global Infrastructure & MLP Portfolio, is incorporated herein by reference to</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312515356477/d33558dex99i.htm)<br> [<u>Exhibit (i) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 58 to the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312515356477/d33558dex99i.htm)<br> [<u>with the SEC on October 28, 2015.</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312515356477/d33558dex99i.htm)<br>|
| (i)(ii) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Opinion and consent of counsel, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, relating to the State Street Disciplined Global Equity</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312516467336/d144002dex99i.htm)<br> [<u>Portfolio, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (i) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 72 to the Registrant's</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312516467336/d144002dex99i.htm)<br> [<u>Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed with the SEC on February 18, 2016.</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312516467336/d144002dex99i.htm)<br>|
| (i)(iii) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Opinion and consent of counsel, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, relating to the SPDR</u><sup>®</sup> <u>DoubleLine</u><sup>®</sup> <u>Short Duration</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312516538747/d168448dex99i.htm)<br> [<u>Total Return Tactical ETF, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (i) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 82 to</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312516538747/d168448dex99i.htm)<br> [<u>the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed with the SEC on April 12, 2016.</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312516538747/d168448dex99i.htm)<br>|
| (i)(iv) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Opinion and consent of counsel, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, relating to the SPDR</u><sup>®</sup> <u>DoubleLine</u><sup>®</sup> <u>Emerging</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312516538751/d180112dex99i.htm)<br> [<u>Markets Fixed Income ETF, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (i) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 83 to</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312516538751/d180112dex99i.htm)<br> [<u>the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed with the SEC on April 12, 2016.</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312516538751/d180112dex99i.htm)<br>|
| (i)(v) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Opinion and consent of counsel, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, relating to the SPDR</u><sup>®</sup> <u>SSGA US Sector Rotation</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312519094746/d730653dex99iv.htm)<br> [<u>ETF and SPDR</u><sup>®</sup> <u>SSGA Fixed Income Sector Rotation ETF, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (i)(v) of</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312519094746/d730653dex99iv.htm)<br> [<u>Post-Effective Amendment No. 145 to the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed with the SEC on</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312519094746/d730653dex99iv.htm)<br> [<u>April 1, 2019.</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312519094746/d730653dex99iv.htm)<br>|
| (i)(vi) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Opinion and consent of counsel, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, relating to the SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ETF,</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312521025693/d62845dex99ivi.htm)<br> [<u>is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (i)(vi) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 167 to the Registrant's</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312521025693/d62845dex99ivi.htm)<br> [<u>Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed with the SEC on February 2, 2021.</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312521025693/d62845dex99ivi.htm)<br>|
| (i)(vii) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Opinion and consent of counsel, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, relating to the SPDR Loomis Sayles Opportunistic</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312521282510/d152184dex99ivii.htm)<br> [<u>Bond ETF, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (i)(vii) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 180 to the</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312521282510/d152184dex99ivii.htm)<br> [<u>Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed with the SEC on September 27, 2021.</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312521282510/d152184dex99ivii.htm)<br>|

---

------

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| (i)(viii) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Opinion and consent of counsel, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, relating to the SPDR Blackstone High Income ETF,</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312522043567/d300796dex99iviii.htm)<br> [<u>is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (i)(viii) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 194 to the Registrant's</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312522043567/d300796dex99iviii.htm)<br> [<u>Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed with the SEC on February 16, 2022.</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312522043567/d300796dex99iviii.htm)<br>|
| (i)(ix) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Opinion and consent of counsel, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, relating to the SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ESG</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312522093206/d307144dex99iix.htm)<br> [<u>ETF, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (i)(ix) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 198 to the Registrant's</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312522093206/d307144dex99iix.htm)<br> [<u>Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed with the SEC on April 1, 2022.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312522093206/d307144dex99iix.htm)<br>|
| (i)(x) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Opinion and consent of counsel, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, relating to the SPDR SSGA US Equity Premium</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312524212321/d806827dex99ix.htm)<br> [<u>Income ETF, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (i)(x) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 218 to the</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312524212321/d806827dex99ix.htm)<br> [<u>Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed with the SEC on September 4, 2024.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312524212321/d806827dex99ix.htm)<br>|
| (i)(xi) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Opinion and consent of counsel, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, relating to the SPDR Galaxy Digital Asset</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312524215334/d857895dex99ixi.htm)<br> [<u>Ecosystem ETF, SPDR Galaxy Transformative Tech Accelerators ETF, and SPDR Galaxy Hedged Digital Asset</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312524215334/d857895dex99ixi.htm)<br> [<u>Ecosystem ETF, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (i)(xi) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 219 to the</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312524215334/d857895dex99ixi.htm)<br> [<u>Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed with the SEC on September 9, 2024.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312524215334/d857895dex99ixi.htm)<br>|
| (i)(xii) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Opinion and consent of counsel, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, relating to the SPDR SSGA My2026 Corporate</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312524223006/d850872dex99ixii.htm)<br> [<u>Bond ETF, SPDR SSGA My2026 Municipal Bond ETF, SPDR SSGA My2027 Corporate Bond ETF, SPDR SSGA</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312524223006/d850872dex99ixii.htm)<br> [<u>My 2027 Municipal Bond ETF, SPDR SSGA My2028 Corporate Bond ETF, SPDR SSGA My2028 Municipal Bond</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312524223006/d850872dex99ixii.htm)<br> [<u>ETF, SPDR SSGA My2029 Corporate Bond ETF, SPDR SSGA My2029 Municipal Bond ETF, SPDR SSGA My2030</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312524223006/d850872dex99ixii.htm)<br> [<u>Corporate Bond ETF, SPDR SSGA My2030 Municipal Bond ETF, SPDR SSGA My2031 Corporate Bond ETF, SPDR</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312524223006/d850872dex99ixii.htm)<br> [<u>SSGA My2032 Corporate Bond ETF, SPDR SSGA My2033 Corporate Bond ETF and SPDR SSGA My2034</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312524223006/d850872dex99ixii.htm)<br> [<u>Corporate Bond ETF, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (i)(xii) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 221 to</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312524223006/d850872dex99ixii.htm)<br> [<u>the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed with the SEC on September 23, 2024.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312524223006/d850872dex99ixii.htm)<br>|
| (i)(xiii) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Opinion and consent of counsel, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, relating to the SPDR SSGA IG Public & Private</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312525035495/d865902dex99ixiii.htm)<br> [<u>Credit ETF, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (i)(xiii) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 231 to the</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312525035495/d865902dex99ixiii.htm)<br> [<u>Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed with the SEC on February 26, 2025.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312525035495/d865902dex99ixiii.htm)<br>|
| (i)(xiv) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Opinion and consent of counsel, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, relating to the SPDR Bridgewater All Weather ETF,</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312525045857/d921460dex99ixiv.htm)<br> [<u>is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (i)(xiv) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 232 to the Registrant's</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312525045857/d921460dex99ixiv.htm)<br> [<u>Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed with the SEC on March 5, 2025.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312525045857/d921460dex99ixiv.htm)<br>|
| (i)(xv) | &nbsp;&nbsp; Opinion and consent of counsel, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, relating to the SPDR SSGA Short Duration IG <br> Public & Private Credit ETF, to be filed by subsequent amendment.<br>|
| (i)(xvi) | &nbsp;&nbsp; Opinion and consent of counsel, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, relating to the SPDR SSGA My2031 Municipal <br> Bond ETF and SPDR SSGA My2035 Corporate Bond ETF, to be filed by subsequent amendment.<br>|
| (j) | Consent of independent registered public accounting firm to be filed by amendment. |
| (k) | Not applicable. |
| (l) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Form of Seed Capital Subscription Agreement is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (l) of Pre-Effective</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312512173320/d338125dex99l.htm)<br> [<u>Amendment No. 4 to the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed with the SEC on April 20, 2012.</u>](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312512173320/d338125dex99l.htm)<br>|
| (m) | Not applicable. |
| (n) | Not applicable. |
| (o) | Not applicable. |
| (p)(i) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Registrant's Code of Ethics, adopted February 22, 2011, and last revised September 23, 2020, is incorporated herein</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312525125926/d431923dex99pi.htm)<br> [<u>by reference to Exhibit (p)(i) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 233 to the Registrant's Registration Statement on</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312525125926/d431923dex99pi.htm)<br> [<u>Form N-1A, as filed with the SEC on May 27, 2025.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312525125926/d431923dex99pi.htm)<br>|
| (p)(ii) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Code of Ethics of SSGA FM, dated March 31, 2025, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (p)(ii) of Post-</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312525125926/d431923dex99pii.htm)<br> [<u>Effective Amendment No. 233 to the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed with the SEC on</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312525125926/d431923dex99pii.htm)<br> [<u>May 27, 2025.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312525125926/d431923dex99pii.htm)<br>|
| (p)(iii) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Code of Ethics of Blackstone, dated January 2024, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (p)(iii) of Post-</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312524242949/d896716dex99piii.htm)<br> [<u>Effective Amendment No. 222 to the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed with the SEC on</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312524242949/d896716dex99piii.htm)<br> [<u>October 24, 2024.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312524242949/d896716dex99piii.htm)<br>|
| (p)(iv) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Code of Ethics of DoubleLine, dated February 15, 2022, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (p)(iv) of Post-</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312524242949/d896716dex99piv.htm)<br> [<u>Effective Amendment No. 222 to the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed with the SEC on</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312524242949/d896716dex99piv.htm)<br> [<u>October 24, 2024.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312524242949/d896716dex99piv.htm)<br>|
| (p)(v) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Code of Ethics of Nuveen Asset Management, dated July 10, 2024, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312524242949/d896716dex99pv.htm)<br> [<u>(p)(v) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 222 to the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed with</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312524242949/d896716dex99pv.htm)<br> [<u>the SEC on October 24, 2024.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312524242949/d896716dex99pv.htm)<br>|
| (p)(vi) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Code of Ethics of Loomis, effective January 14, 2000, and as amended November 30, 2023, is incorporated herein by</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312524242949/d896716dex99pvi.htm)<br> [<u>reference to Exhibit (p)(vi) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 222 to the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312524242949/d896716dex99pvi.htm)<br> [<u>N-1A, as filed with the SEC on October 24, 2024.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312524242949/d896716dex99pvi.htm)<br>|

---

------

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| (p)(vii) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Code of Ethics of Galaxy, dated November 2023, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (p)(vii) of Post-</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312524215334/d857895dex99pvii.htm)<br> [<u>Effective Amendment No. 219 to the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed with the SEC on</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312524215334/d857895dex99pvii.htm)<br> [<u>September 9, 2024.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312524215334/d857895dex99pvii.htm)<br>|
| (p)(viii) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Code of Ethics of Bridgewater, dated October 3, 2024, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (p)(viii) of Post-</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312525045857/d921460dex99pviii.htm)<br> [<u>Effective Amendment No. 232 to the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed with the SEC on</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312525045857/d921460dex99pviii.htm)<br> [<u>March 5, 2025.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312525045857/d921460dex99pviii.htm)<br>|
| (p)(ix) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Code of Ethics for the Independent Trustees is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (p)(viii) of Post-Effective</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312522093206/d307144dex99pvii.htm)<br> [<u>Amendment No. 198 to the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed with the SEC on April 1, 2022.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312522093206/d307144dex99pvii.htm)<br>|
| (q)(i) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Power of Attorney for Mses. Clancy, Richer, Rowsell and Sponem and Messrs. Churchill, Ross, Verboncoeur and</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312523219046/d536589dex99q.htm)<br> [<u>Rosenberg, dated May 18, 2023, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (q) of Post-Effective Amendment No.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312523219046/d536589dex99q.htm)<br> [<u>212 to the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed with the SEC on August 23, 2023.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312523219046/d536589dex99q.htm)<br>|
| (q)(ii) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Power of Attorney, dated November 8, 2024, for Ms. LaPorta is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (q)(ii) of</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312524261064/d824091dex99qii.htm)<br> [<u>Post-Effective Amendment No. 223 to the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed with the SEC on</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312524261064/d824091dex99qii.htm)<br> [<u>November 19, 2024.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1516212/000119312524261064/d824091dex99qii.htm)<br>|

---

**Item 29.**

**Persons Controlled By or Under Common Control With Registrant** 

The Board of Trustees of the Trust is the same as the Boards of Trustees of SPDR Series Trust and SPDR Index Shares Funds. In addition, the officers of the Trust are substantially identical to the officers of SPDR Series Trust and SPDR Index Shares Funds. Additionally, the Trust's investment adviser, SSGA FM, also serves as investment adviser to each series of SPDR Series Trust and SPDR Index Shares Funds. Nonetheless, the Trust takes the position that it is not under common control with other trusts because the power residing in the respective boards and officers arises as the result of an official position with the respective trusts.

Additionally, see the "Control Persons and Principal Holders of Securities" section of the Statement of Additional Information for a list of shareholders who own more than 5% of a specific fund's outstanding shares and such information is incorporated by reference to this Item.

**Item 30.**

**Indemnification** 

Pursuant to Section V.3 of the Registrant's Declaration of Trust, the Trust will indemnify any person who is, or has been, a Trustee, officer, employee or agent of the Trust against all expenses reasonably incurred or paid by him/her in connection with any claim, action, suit or proceeding in which he/she becomes involved as a party or otherwise by virtue of his/her being or having been a Trustee, officer, employee or agent and against amounts paid or incurred by him/her in the settlement thereof, if he/she acted in good faith and in a manner he/she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Trust, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his/her conduct was unlawful. In addition, indemnification is permitted only if it is determined that the actions in question did not render him/her liable by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence in the performance of his/her duties or by reason of reckless disregard of his/her obligations and duties to the Registrant. The Registrant may also advance money for litigation expenses provided that Trustees, officers, employees and/or agents give their undertakings to repay the Registrant unless their conduct is later determined to permit indemnification.

Pursuant to Section V.2 of the Registrant's Declaration of Trust, no Trustee, officer, employee or agent of the Registrant shall be liable for any action or failure to act, except in the case of willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence or reckless disregard of duties to the Registrant. Pursuant to paragraph 9 of the Registrant's Investment Advisory Agreement, the Adviser shall not be liable for any action or failure to act, except in the case of willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence or reckless disregard of duties to the Registrant.

Insofar as indemnification for liability arising under the Securities Act of 1933 (the "Act") may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the provisions of Rule 484 under the Act, or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

The Registrant hereby undertakes that it will apply the indemnification provision of its By-Laws in a manner consistent with Release 11330 of the SEC under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"), so long as the interpretation of Sections 17(h) and 17(i) of such Act remains in effect.

------

The Registrant maintains insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a Trustee, officer, employee or agent of the Registrant, or who is or was serving at the request of the Registrant as a trustee, director, officer, employee or agent of another trust or corporation, against any liability asserted against him/her and incurred by him/her or arising out of his/her position. However, in no event will the Registrant maintain insurance to indemnify any such person for any act for which the Registrant itself is not permitted to indemnify him/her.

**Item 31.**

**Business and Other Connections of Investment Adviser** 

Any other business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature in which each director or principal officer of each investment adviser is or has been, at any time during the last two fiscal years, engaged for his or her own account or in the capacity of director, officer, employee, partner or trustee are as follows:

**SSGA FUNDS MANAGEMENT, INC.:**

SSGA FM serves as the investment adviser for each series of the Trust. SSGA FM is a wholly-owned subsidiary of State Street Global Advisors, Inc., which itself is a wholly-owned subsidiary of State Street Corporation. SSGA FM and other advisory affiliates of State Street Corporation make up State Street Global Advisors ("SSGA"), the investment management arm of State Street Corporation. The principal address of SSGA FM is One Iron Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02210. SSGA FM is an investment adviser registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940.

Below is a list of the directors and principal executive officers of SSGA FM and their principal occupation(s). Unless otherwise noted, the address of each person listed is One Iron Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02210.

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Name** | **Principal Occupation** |
| Jeanne LaPorta | Chairperson, Director and President; Executive Vice President of SSGA |
| Sean Driscoll | Director of SSGA FM; Managing Director of SSGA |
| Apea Amoa | Director of SSGA FM; Chief Financial Officer of SSGA |
| Brian Harris | Chief Compliance Officer of SSGA FM; Managing Director of SSGA |
| Steven Hamm | Treasurer of SSGA FM; Vice President of SSGA |
| Sean O'Malley, Esq. | Chief Legal Officer of SSGA FM; General Counsel of SSGA |
| Ann M. Carpenter | Chief Operating Officer of SSGA FM; Managing Director of SSGA |
| Tim Corbett | Chief Risk Officer of SSGA FM; Senior Vice President/Senior Managing Director of SSGA |
| Christyann Weltens | Derivates Risk Manager; Vice President of SSGA |
| David Ireland | CTA Chief Marketing Officer; Senior Vice President/Senior Managing Director of SSGA |
| David Urman, Esq. | Clerk of SSGA FM; Vice President and Senior Counsel of SSGA |

---

**BLACKSTONE LIQUID CREDIT STRATEGIES LLC:** 

Blackstone Liquid Credit Strategies LLC ("Blackstone") serves as the investment sub-adviser to the Registrant's SPDR Blackstone Senior Loan ETF and SPDR Blackstone High Income ETF. Blackstone is an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Blackstone Inc. (collectively with its affiliates, "Blackstone Inc."). Blackstone Inc. is a leading manager of private capital and provider of financial advisory services. It is one of the largest independent managers of private capital in the world. The principal business address of Blackstone is 345 Park Avenue, 31st Floor, New York, New York 10154. Blackstone is an investment adviser registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940.

Below is a list of the directors and principal executive officers of Blackstone and their principal occupation(s). Unless otherwise noted, the address of each person listed is 345 Park Avenue, 31st Floor, New York, New York 10154.

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Name** | **Position with and Name of Other Company** |
| BLACKSTONE <br> ALTERNATIVE CREDIT <br> ADVISORS LP<br>| MANAGING MEMBER |
| ZABLE, ROBERT, DANIEL | HEAD OF BLACKSTONE CREDIT'S LIQUID CREDIT STRATEGIES UNIT |
| SMITH, DANIEL, HARLAN | CHAIRMAN OF BLACKSTONE CREDIT'S LIQUID CREDIT STRATEGIES UNIT |
| BEENEY, MARISA, JANEL | GENERAL COUNSEL OF BLACKSTONE CREDIT |
| BOUGIAMAS, PANAYIOTA | CHIEF COMPLIANCE OFFICER OF BLACKSTONE LIQUID CREDIT STRATEGIES LLC |

---

------

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Name** | **Position with and Name of Other Company** |
| IANNARONE, THOMAS, <br> LAWRENCE<br>| CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER OF BLACKSTONE LIQUID CREDIT STRATEGIES LLC |
| SCOTT, DONALD, <br> DWIGHT<br>| PRESIDENT OF BLACKSTONE CREDIT |
| VONZUBEN, HEATHER, <br> CAREY<br>| CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER OF BLACKSTONE CREDIT  |
| KRESGE, KEVIN, <br> MICHAEL<br>| HEAD OF FINANCE FOR BLACKSTONE CREDIT |

---

**DOUBLELINE CAPITAL LP:** 

DoubleLine serves as investment sub-adviser to the Registrant's SPDR DoubleLine Total Return Tactical ETF, SPDR DoubleLine Short Duration Total Return Tactical ETF and SPDR DoubleLine Emerging Markets Fixed Income ETF. The principal business address of DoubleLine is 2002 N. Tampa Street, Suite 200, Tampa, Florida 33602. DoubleLine is an investment adviser registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940.

Below is a list of the directors and principal executive officers of DoubleLine and their principal occupation(s). Unless otherwise noted, the address of each person listed is 2002 N. Tampa Street, Suite 200, Tampa, Florida 33602.

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Name** | **Position with and Name of Other Company** |
| GUNDLACH, JEFFREY, <br> EDWARD<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER; CHIEF INVESTMENT OFFICER; DIRECTOR; LIMITED <br> PARTNER;EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBER<br>|
| DOUBLELINE CAPITAL <br> GP LLC<br>| GENERAL PARTNER |
| OAKTREE FUND GP II, <br> L.P.<br>| LIMITED PARTNER |
| CHASE, HENRY, VANN | CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER; LIMITED PARTNER;EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBER |
| LARISCY, EARL, ALLAN | GENERAL COUNSEL; LIMITED PARTNER;EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBER |
| REDELL, RONALD, <br> ROBERT<br>| EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBER; LIMITED PARTNER |
| SANTA ANA III, CRIS | CHIEF RISK OFFICER, EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBER, LIMITED PARTNER |
| VAN EVERY, BARBARA, <br> RUTH<br>| EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBER; CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER; LIMITED PARTNER |
| MOORE, CASEY, LEE | CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER; EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBER; LIMITED PARTNER |
| SHERMAN, JEFFREY, <br> JOHN<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBER; DEPUTY CHIEF INVESTMENT OFFICER; LIMITED <br> PARTNER<br>|
| GUIA, YOUSE, ENRIQUE | CHIEF COMPLIANCE OFFICER; EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBER |
| ELAM, JOAN, LYNEA | &nbsp;&nbsp; CHIEF HUMAN RESOURCES OFFICER; EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBER; LIMITED <br> PARTNER<br>|
| TOWNZEN, PATRICK, <br> AARON<br>| CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER; EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBER; LIMITED PARTNER |

---

**NUVEEN ASSET MANAGEMENT, LLC:** 

Nuveen Asset Management serves as the investment sub-adviser to the Registrant's SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ETF and SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ESG ETF. The principal business address of Nuveen Asset Management is 333 West Wacker Drive, Chicago, Illinois 60606. Nuveen Asset Management is an investment adviser registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940.

Below is a list of the directors and principal executive officers of Nuveen Asset Management and their principal occupation(s). Unless otherwise noted, the address of each person listed is 333 West Wacker Drive, Chicago, Illinois 60606.

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Name** | **Position with and Name of Other Company** |
| William T. Huffman | President |
| Stuart J. Cohen | Managing Director and Head of Legal |
| Travis M. Pauley | Chief Compliance Officer |

---

------

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Name** | **Position with and Name of Other Company** |
| Jon Stevens | Senior Managing Director |
| Megan Sendlak | Controller |
| Saira Malik | Executive Vice President |

---

**LOOMIS, SAYLES & COMPANY, L.P.:**

Loomis serves as the investment sub-adviser to the Registrant's SPDR Loomis Sayles Opportunistic Bond ETF. The principal business address of Loomis is One Financial Center, Boston, Massachusetts 02111. Loomis is an investment adviser registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940.

Below is a list of the directors and principal executive officers of Loomis and their principal occupation(s). Unless otherwise noted, the address of each person listed is One Financial Center, Boston, Massachusetts 02111.

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name and Position with Loomis** | **Name and Principal Business Address of** <br> **Other Company**<br>| **Connection with Other**<br> **Company**<br>|
| Kevin P. Charleston<br> Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, <br> President and Director<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; Loomis Sayles Funds I<br> 888 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02199<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; Trustee, President and Chief Executive <br> Officer<br>|
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp; Loomis Sayles Funds II<br> 888 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02199<br>| Trustee |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp; Natixis Funds Trust I<br> 888 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02199<br>| Trustee |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp; Natixis Funds Trust II<br> 888 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02199<br>| Trustee |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp; Natixis Funds Trust IV<br> 888 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02199<br>| Trustee |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp; Natixis ETF Trust<br> 888 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02199<br>| Trustee |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp; Natixis ETF Trust II<br> 888 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02199<br>| Trustee |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp; Gateway Trust<br> 888 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02199<br>| Trustee |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp; Loomis Sayles Distributors, Inc.<br> One Financial Center, Boston, MA 02111<br>| Director |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp; Loomis Sayles Investments Limited<br> The Economist Plaza, 25 St. James's <br> Street, London, England SW1A 1 HA<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; Representative of Loomis Sayles as a <br> corporate Director<br>|
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp; Loomis Sayles Trust Company, LLC <br> One Financial Center, Boston, MA 02111<br>| Manager and President |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp; Loomis Sayles Investments Asia Pte. Ltd.<br> 10 Collyer Quay #14-06, Ocean Financial <br> Centre, Singapore 049315<br>| Director |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp; Loomis Sayles Operating Services, LLC <br> One Financial Center, Boston, MA 02111 <br> (dissolved 12/20/22)<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; Director, Chairman and President (2020 – <br> 2022)<br>|
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp; NIM-os, LLC<br> One Financial Center, Boston, MA 02111<br>| Manager |
| Matthew J. Eagan<br> Co-Head and Portfolio Manager, Full <br> Discretion, and Director<br>| None. | None. |
| Daniel J. Fuss <br> Vice Chairman and Director<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; Loomis Sayles Funds I<br> 888 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02199<br>| Executive Vice President (2003 - 2021) |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp; Loomis Sayles Funds II<br> 888 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02199<br>| Executive Vice President (2003 - 2021) |

---

------

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name and Position with Loomis** | **Name and Principal Business Address of** <br> **Other Company**<br>| **Connection with Other**<br> **Company**<br>|
| John R. Gidman<br> Chief Operating Officer and Director<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; Loomis Sayles Operating Services, LLC <br> One Financial Center, Boston, MA 02111 <br> (dissolved 12/20/22)<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; Director and Chief Executive Officer <br> (2020 – 2022)<br>|
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp; NIM-os, LLC<br> One Financial Center, Boston, MA 02111<br>| Manager |
| David L. Giunta<br> Director<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; Natixis Investment Managers<br> 888 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02199<br>| President and Chief Executive Officer, US |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp; Natixis Advisors, LLC<br> 888 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02199<br>| President and Chief Executive Officer |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp; Compliance, Risk and Internal Control <br> Committee (formerly known as Natixis <br> Distribution Corporation)<br> 888 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02199<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; Chairman, President and Chief Executive <br> Officer<br>|
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp; Natixis Distribution, LLC<br> 888 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02199<br>| President and Chief Executive Officer |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp; Loomis Sayles Funds I<br> 888 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02199<br>| Trustee and Executive Vice President |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp; Loomis Sayles Funds II<br> 888 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02199<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; Trustee, President and Chief Executive <br> Officer<br>|
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp; Natixis Funds Trust I<br> 888 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02199<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; Trustee, President and Chief Executive <br> Officer<br>|
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp; Natixis Funds Trust II<br> 888 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02199<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; Trustee, President and Chief Executive <br> Officer<br>|
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp; Natixis Funds Trust IV<br> 888 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02199<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; Trustee, President and Chief Executive <br> Officer<br>|
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp; Natixis ETF Trust<br> 888 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02199<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; Trustee, President and Chief Executive <br> Officer<br>|
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp; Natixis ETF Trust II<br> 888 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02199<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; Trustee, President and Chief Executive <br> Officer<br>|
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp; Gateway Trust <br> 888 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02199<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; Trustee, President and Chief Executive <br> Officer<br>|
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp; NIM-os, LLC <br> One Financial Center, Boston, MA 02111<br>| Manager |
| Aziz V. Hamzaogullari<br> Chief Investment Officer of the Growth <br> Equity Strategies, Portfolio Manager and <br> Director<br>| None. | None. |
| Kinji Kato <br> Director<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; Natixis Investment Managers Japan<br> Ark Hills South Tower 8F, 4-5, Roppongi <br> 1-chome, Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-0032 <br> Japan<br>| Honorary Chairman |
| Maurice Leger<br> Head of Global Distribution and Director<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; Loomis Sayles Trust Company, LLC<br> One Financial Center, Boston, MA 02111<br>| Manager |
| Richard G. Raczkowski<br> Co-Head and Portfolio Manager, Relative <br> Return, and Director<br>| None. | None. |
| Rebecca O'Brien Radford <br> General Counsel, Secretary and Director <br> (1/1/23 to present); Deputy General <br> Counsel (2021 – 2023)<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; Loomis Sayles Distributors, Inc. <br> One Financial Center, Boston, MA 02111<br>| Director |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp; Loomis Sayles Investments Limited <br> The Economist Plaza, 25 St. James's <br> Street, London, England SW1A 1 HA<br>| General Counsel and Secretary |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp; Loomis Sayles Trust Company, LLC <br> One Financial Center, Boston, MA 02111<br>| Manager and Secretary |

---

------

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name and Position with Loomis** | **Name and Principal Business Address of** <br> **Other Company**<br>| **Connection with Other**<br> **Company**<br>|
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp; Loomis Sayles Operating Services, LLC <br> One Financial Center, Boston, MA 02111 <br> (dissolved 12/20/22)<br>| Director and Secretary (2020 – 2022) |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp; NIM-os, LLC <br> One Financial Center, Boston, MA 02111<br>| Manager and General Counsel |
| John F. Russell<br> Head of Human Resources and Director<br>| None. | None. |
| Timothy F. Ryan<br> Director<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; Natixis Investment Managers<br> 888 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02199<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; Chief Executive Officer and Head of Asset <br> & Wealth Management<br>|
| Susan L. Sieker<br> Chief Financial Officer and Director<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; Loomis Sayles Investments Limited<br> The Economist Plaza, 25 St. James's <br> Street, London, England SW1A 1 HA<br>| Chief Financial Officer |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp; Loomis Sayles Trust Company, LLC<br> One Financial Center, Boston, MA 02111<br>| Manager and Chief Financial Officer |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp; NIM-os, LLC<br> One Financial Center, Boston, MA 02111<br>| Manager and Chief Financial Officer |
| Elaine M. Stokes<br> Co-Head and Portfolio Manager, Full <br> Discretion, and Director<br>| None. | None. |
| David L. Waldman<br> Deputy Chief Investment Officer (2013 - <br> 2021), Chief Investment Officer (2021 to <br> present) and Director<br>| None. | None. |

---

**GALAXY DIGITAL CAPITAL MANAGEMENT LP:** 

Galaxy serves as the investment sub-adviser to the Registrant's SPDR Galaxy Digital Asset Ecosystem ETF, SPDR Galaxy Transformative Tech Accelerators ETF and SPDR Galaxy Hedged Digital Asset Ecosystem ETF. The principal business address of Galaxy is 300 Vesey Street, 13<sup>th</sup> Floor, New York, New York 10282. Galaxy is an investment adviser registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940.

Below is a list of the directors and principal executive officers of Galaxy and their principal occupation(s). Unless otherwise noted, the address of each person listed is 300 Vesey Street, 13<sup>th</sup> Floor, New York, New York 10282.

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Name** | **Position with and Name of Other Company** |
| GALAXY DIGITAL CAPITAL MANAGEMENT GP LLC | GENERAL PARTNER |
| GALAXY DIGITAL LP | LIMITED PARTNER |
| Siegel, Andrew, Neal | GENERAL COUNSEL AND AUTHORIZED PERSON |
| Kurz, Stephen, Janus | &nbsp;&nbsp; HEAD, ASSET MANAGEMENT DIVISION, AND <br> AUTHORIZED PERSON<br>|
| Ferraro, Christopher | PRESIDENT |
| Paquette, Anthony Philip | CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER |
| Srivastava, Lagan | CHIEF COMPLIANCE OFFICER |

---

**BRIDGEWATER ASSOCIATES, LP:** 

Bridgewater serves as the investment sub-adviser to the Registrant's SPDR Bridgewater All Weather ETF. The principal business address of Bridgewater is One Nyala Farms Road, Westport, Connecticut 06880. Bridgewater is an investment adviser registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940.

Below is a list of the directors and principal executive officers of Bridgewater and their principal occupation(s). Unless otherwise noted, the address of each person listed is One Nyala Farms Road, Westport, Connecticut 06880.

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Name** | **Position with and Name of Other Company** |
| Nir Bar Dea | Chief Executive Officer |

---

------

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Name** | **Position with and Name of Other Company** |
| Greg Jensen | Co-Chief Investment Officer |
| Bob Prince | Co-Chief Investment Officer |
| Karen Karniol-Tambour | Co-Chief Investment Officer |

---

**Item 32.**

**Principal Underwriters** 

(a) SSGA FD, One Iron Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02210, serves as the Trust's principal underwriter and also serves as the principal underwriter for the following investment companies: SPDR Series Trust, SPDR Index Shares Funds, State Street Institutional Investment Trust, SSGA Funds, State Street Institutional Funds, State Street Variable Insurance Series Funds, Inc., Elfun Diversified Fund, Elfun Tax-Exempt Income Fund, Elfun Income Fund, Elfun International Equity Fund, Elfun Government Money Market Fund and Elfun Trusts.

(b) To the best of the Trust's knowledge, the managers and executive officers of SSGA FD are as follows:

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name and Principal** <br> **Business Address\***<br>| **Positions and Offices with Underwriter** | **Positions and Offices** <br> **with the Trust**<br>|
| Jeanne LaPorta | Chairperson and Manager | Interested Trustee |
| Allison Bonds Mazza | President and Manager  | None |
| Editha V. Tenorio | Chief Financial Officer | None |
| Sean O'Malley | Chief Legal Officer | None |
| Mark Trabucco | Chief Compliance Officer and Anti-Money Laundering Officer | None |
| Jessica Cross | Secretary | None |
| Sean Driscoll | Manager | None |
| David Maxham | Manager | None |
| Christine Stokes | Manager | None |
| John Tucker | Manager | None |

---

\*

The principal business address for each of the above managers and executive officers is One Iron Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02210.

(c) Not applicable.

**Item 33.**

**Location of Accounts and Records** 

All accounts, books and other documents required to be maintained by Section 31(a) of the 1940 Act and the Rules thereunder are maintained at the offices of SSGA FM and/or State Street Bank and Trust Company, with offices located at One Iron Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02210 and One Congress Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02114, respectively.

**Item 34.**

**Management Services** 

Not applicable.

**Item 35.**

**Undertakings** 

Not applicable.

------

**SIGNATURES**

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, SSGA Active Trust has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, duly authorized, in the City of Boston and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts on the 22<sup>nd</sup> day of August, 2025.

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
|  | SSGA ACTIVE TRUST |
| By: | /s/ Ann M. Carpenter |
|  | Ann M. Carpenter |
|  | President |

---

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this Amendment to the Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities and on the date indicated:

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Signature** | **Title** | **Date** |
| /s/ Carolyn M. Clancy\* | Trustee | August 22, 2025 |
| Carolyn M. Clancy |  |  |
| /s/ Dwight D. Churchill\* | Trustee | August 22, 2025 |
| Dwight D. Churchill |  |  |
| /s/ Clare S. Richer\* | Trustee | August 22, 2025 |
| Clare S. Richer |  |  |
| /s/ Kristi L. Rowsell\* | Trustee | August 22, 2025 |
| Kristi L. Rowsell |  |  |
| /s/ Sandra G. Sponem\* | Trustee | August 22, 2025 |
| Sandra G. Sponem |  |  |
| /s/ Carl G. Verboncoeur\* | Trustee | August 22, 2025 |
| Carl G. Verboncoeur |  |  |
| /s/ Jeanne LaPorta\* | Trustee | August 22, 2025 |
| Jeanne LaPorta |  |  |
| /s/ James E. Ross\* | Trustee | August 22, 2025 |
| James E. Ross |  |  |
| /s/ Ann M. Carpenter  | President and Principal Executive Officer | August 22, 2025 |
| Ann M. Carpenter |  |  |
| /s/ Bruce S. Rosenberg | &nbsp;&nbsp; Treasurer and Principal Financial Officer (Principal <br> Accounting Officer) | August 22, 2025 |
| Bruce S. Rosenberg | &nbsp;&nbsp; Treasurer and Principal Financial Officer (Principal <br> Accounting Officer) |  |

---

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| \*By: | /s/ Edmund Gerard Maiorana, Jr. |
|  | Edmund Gerard Maiorana, Jr.<br> As Attorney-in-Fact<br> Pursuant to Powers of Attorney<br>|

---

------

## Cover

![LOGO](g847932g0819015040217.jpg)

**Beau Yanoshik** 

Partner

+1.202.373.6133

beau.yanoshik@morganlewis.com

**VIA EDGAR** 

August 22, 2025

Filing Room

U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission

100 F Street, NE

Washington, DC 20549

Re: SSGA Active Trust (File Nos. 333-173276 and 811-22542)

<u>Filing Pursuant to Rule 485(a)</u> 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

On behalf of our client, SSGA Active Trust (the "Trust"), we are filing, pursuant to Rule 485(a) under the Securities Act of 1933, Post-Effective Amendment No. 237 to the Trust's Registration Statement on Form N-1A (Amendment No. 243 to the Trust's Registration Statement on Form N-1A under the Investment Company Act of 1940) (the "Amendment"). The purpose of the Amendment is to reflect revised principal investment strategies and related changes for the Trust's SPDR SSGA US Sector Rotation ETF.

Please contact me at (202) 373-6133 with your questions or comments.

Sincerely,

---

| |
|:---|
| /s/ Beau Yanoshik |
| Beau Yanoshik |

---

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP**<br>1111 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW<br> Washington, DC 20004<br> United States | ![LOGO](g847932g0819020215128.jpg) +1.202.739.3000<br> ![LOGO](g847932g0819015040424.jpg) +1.202.739.3001 |

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Information Classification: Limited Access