3 Real Asset ETFs to Know as Demand for Infrastructure Grows

Real assets are taking on a bigger role in portfolios as the global economy needs more physical infrastructure. SS&C ALPS Advisors offers several ETF strategies designed to capture different parts of the real-assets market. They include the ALPS CoreCommodity Natural Resources ETF (CCNR ), USCF SummerHaven Dynamic Commodity Strategy No K-1 Fund (SDCI A) and the ALPS Active REIT ETF (REIT A-).Key Takeaways Structural trends like AI data center construction, power grid electrification, manufacturing reshoring, and defense spending are driving significant global demand for physical infrastructure, raw materials, and real estate. Investors can target the physical economy using distinct strategies, including equity exposure to resource and infrastructure companies through CCNR, active exposure to commodity futures without K-1 tax forms through SDCI, and actively managed real estate subsectors through REIT. Real assets provide diversification and inflation-sensitive revenues, delivering strong performance year-to-date through late September 2026 — with SDCI gaining 41.40%, CCNR rising 18.57%, and REIT returning 11.56%. The Strategic Case for Real Assets in 2026The economy is undergoing a physical transformation. From AI data center buildouts to power grid upgrades and manufacturing reshoring, physical infrastructure and raw materials are seeing historic demand. That creates a compelling backdrop for real assets. With their ties to the physical economy, they can provide exposure to inflation-sensitive revenues while adding diversification as investors navigate changing prices, supply chains and market conditions.CCNR: Positioning for Growing Demand for Resources and InfrastructureCCNR focuses on companies tied to the natural resources and infrastructure that underpin the economy. The fund invests across areas including power infrastructure, agriculture, base metals and energy services, giving investors exposure to companies positioned for growing demand for essential resources and infrastructure. AI adds another layer to the opportunity. Data centers require enormous amounts of electricity, creating demand for new generation transmission and grid infrastructure, as well as the raw materials needed to build it. The same theme extends to manufacturing and defense. Reshoring and reindustrialization are driving investment in factories, transportation networks and energy systems, while defense spending is adding another source of demand for resources and industrial capacity. CCNR’s recent performance reflects the strength of the resource-equity theme. The fund has returned 18.57% year-to-date and posted a roughly 47% one-year market return through mid-2026. The gains illustrate how resource equities can participate in a broader investment cycle driven by demand for the physical infrastructure of the economy. See More: SBIO ETF Rallies on Clinical Trial Wins & M&A DemandResponding to Shifting Commodity Cycles With SDCICommodity markets can move quickly. That can create a challenge for traditional passive strategies. SDCI takes a more active approach. The strategy selects 14 commodities from a universe of 27 eligible futures. It rebalances monthly based on momentum and other market signals. That gives investors direct exposure to commodity prices rather than the equities of commodity producers. CCNR can benefit from rising commodity demand through corporate earnings and operating leverage. SDCI offers more direct exposure to the underlying commodities themselves. That can make SDCI a potential tactical tool when commodity prices rise or inflation surprises to the upside. The fund also offers a simplified tax structure. Investors receive a standard 1099 rather than a K-1. SDCI has gained 41.40% YTD.REIT: Targeted Real Estate Exposure in a Supply-Constrained MarketReal estate delivers another essential pillar of the physical economy. REIT actively allocates across publicly traded U.S. REITs, spanning technology, residential, healthcare, and industrial property sectors. Active management is critical in today’s real estate environment, as property subsectors diverge dramatically. Construction slowdowns in key markets are restricting new supply, giving existing high-quality property owners strong pricing power. REIT combines attractive income generation with long-term capital appreciation potential, delivering an 11.56% return, year-to-date through September 28, 2026.Position Your Portfolios for the Real Asset ExpansionMore capital is flowing into the physical infrastructure needed to support the next phase of economic growth. For financial advisors looking to deepen their real asset strategy, SS&C ALPS Advisors will host a webcast, Building Resilient Portfolios With Real Assets on October 7, 2026. Whether accessing natural resource equities via CCNR, commodity futures via SDCI, or specialized real estate via REIT, advisors have access to flexible building blocks for client portfolios. For more news, information, and analysis, visit the ETF Building Blocks Content Hub.