Item 9A. Controls and Procedures
Item 9A. Controls and
Procedures.
Disclosure Controls and Procedures
The Trust and the Fund maintain disclosure controls
and procedures that are designed to ensure that material information required to be disclosed in the Trust’s periodic reports filed
or submitted under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time period
specified in the SEC’s rules and forms.
The duly appointed officers of the Sponsor, including
its principal executive officer and principal financial officer, have evaluated the effectiveness of the Trust’s and the Fund’s
disclosure controls and procedures and have concluded that the disclosure controls and procedures of the Trust and the Fund have been
effective as of the end of the period covered by this annual report on Form 10-K.
Management’s Annual Report on Internal Control Over Financial
Reporting
This Report does not include a report of management’s
assessment regarding internal control over financial reporting or an attestation report of the Fund’s registered public accounting
firm due to a transition period established by rules of the SEC for newly public companies.
Management of the Sponsor, on behalf of the Trust
and the Fund are responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting. The Trust and each
Fund’s internal control system is designed to provide reasonable assurance to the Sponsor regarding the preparation and fair presentation
of published financial statements. All internal control systems, no matter how well designed, have inherent limitations. Therefore, even
those system determined to be effective can provide only reasonable assurance with respect to financial statement preparation and presentation.
Management of the Sponsor, including Samuel Masucci
III, Principal Executive Officer of the Sponsor, and John A. Flanagan, Principal Financial Officer of the Sponsor, who perform functions
equivalent to those of a principal executive officer and principal financial officer of the Trust if the Trust had any officers, assessed
the effectiveness of the Trust’s and the Fund’s internal control over financial reporting as of June 30, 2021. In making
this assessment, it used the criteria in the Internal Control – Integrated framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations
of the Treadway Commission in 2013. Based on the assessment, Management believes that, as of June 30, 2021, the internal control over
financial reporting is effective for the Trust and the Fund.
Change in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
There were no changes in the Trust’s or
the Fund’s internal control over financial reporting during the last fiscal quarter that have materially affected, or are reasonably
likely to materially affect, the Trust’s or the Fund’s internal control over financial reporting.
Item 9B. Other Information.
Breakwave has agreed to waive its license and
services fee and the Sponsor has agreed to correspondingly assume the remaining expenses of BDRY so that the Fund's total annual expenses
(excluding brokerage commissions, interest expense, and extraordinary expenses) do not exceed 3.50%
per annum through September 30, 2022.
The foregoing is a summary description of the
Fee Waiver Agreement and the Expense Limitation Agreement, which are filed with this Annual Report on Form 10-K as Exhibits 10.16 and
10.17, respectively, and are incorporated by reference.
Item 9C. Disclosure Regarding Foreign Jurisdictions
that Prevent Inspections.
Not applicable.
54
Part III
Item 10. Directors, Executive Officers and
Corporate Governance.
The Sponsor and its Management
Neither the Trust nor the Fund have executive
officers. Pursuant to the terms of the Trust Agreements for the Fund, the Fund’s affairs are managed by the Sponsor. The business
and affairs of the Sponsor are managed by its chief executive officer, Samuel R. Masucci, III.
The following are individual Principals, as that
term is defined in CFTC Rule 3.1, for the Sponsor: Samuel R. Masucci, III, John A. Flanagan, Matthew J. Bromberg, Reshma A. Tanczos and
Devin L. Ryder. These individuals are principals due to their positions; however, Mr. Masucci is also a principal due to his controlling
stake in ETFMG.
Samuel R. Masucci, III . Mr. Masucci
is the founder of ETFMG and has been its Managing Owner since its formation in November 2013. Mr. Masucci was listed as a principal,
as that term is defined in CFTC Rule 3.1, of the Sponsor on September 23, 2014. Mr. Masucci serves as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
of ETFMG with responsibilities for managing all ETF listed products and related service activities. Mr. Masucci became the Chief Executive
Officer of Factor Advisors, LLC, a financial services company, and as the Chairman since March 2013; in this position Mr. Masucci is
the founder of ETFMG and has been its Managing Owner since its formation in November 2013. Mr. Masucci was listed as a principal, as
that term is defined in CFTC Rule 3.1, of the Sponsor on September 23, 2014. Mr. Masucci serves as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
of ETFMG with responsibilities for managing all ETF listed products and related service activities. Mr. Masucci became the Chief Executive
Officer of Factor Advisors, LLC (“Factor Advisors”) in June 2012, a financial services company, and became the Chairman in
March 2013; in this position Mr. Masucci was listed as a principal of Factor Capital Management LLC (“Factor Capital”) on
June 20, 2012 and deregistered as a principal on September 23, 2014. Mr. Masucci became the Chief Executive Officer of GENCAP Ventures,
LLC, a financial services company, in May 2012 and was responsible for managing all ETF issues and related service activities. Gencap
was the parent of Factor Capital and Factor Advisors. ETFMG acquired Gencap in November 2013. Mr. Masucci was out of the job market from
January to May 2012. Mr. Masucci worked as Chief Executive Officer for MacroMarkets LLC, a financial services company, from April 2005
to December 2011, with responsibility for running the day to day operations of an issuer of public securities and a registered broker-dealer.
From April 2005 to December 2011, Mr. Masucci also worked as the Chief Executive Officer, managing partner and Chief Compliance Officer
of Macro Financial LLC, which as its main business was a registered broker-dealer. From July 2001 to April 2005, Mr. Masucci worked as
an owner and manager of The Cobblestone Group. The main business of The Cobblestone Group was fixed income consulting to the investment
banking and commercial banking industries. From March 1999 to June 2001, Mr. Masucci worked in mortgage trading as a Managing Director
for Bear Stearns Inc., a financial institution. Mr. Masucci was out of the job market from December 1998 to February 1999. From June
1996 to November 1998, Mr. Masucci worked at SBC Warburg/UBS, a financial institution, as an Executive Director managing an asset backed
securities group. From January 1992 to June 1996, Mr. Masucci worked in structured products (specifically, structuring mortgage derivatives
and hedge funds), at Merrill Lynch, a financial institution, as a Vice President. From January 1990 to January 1992, Mr. Masucci worked
as a financial consultant for Merrill Lynch, a financial institution, in the private client group in connection with retail investors.
From November 1987 to January 1990, Mr. Masucci worked at MetLife Insurance Company, an insurance company, as a retail salesperson qualified
to sell financial and insurance products to retail clients. From August 1984 to October 1987, Mr. Masucci worked as a manager of jobsites
for Forestdale Inc., which is a residential property developer. Mr. Masucci received his B.S. from Penn State University in Finance in
July 1984.
John A. Flanagan. Mr. Flanagan
serves as the Principal Financial Officer of the Sponsor and the Trust. Mr. Flanagan was listed as a principal, as that term is defined
in CFTC Rule 3.1, of the Sponsor on January 8, 2015. Since June 2014, Mr. Flanagan has served as an Independent Trustee of Absolute Shares
Trust, a multi-series exchange traded fund. Mr. Flanagan has been the President and sole owner of John A. Flanagan CPA, LLC since December
2010. Mr. Flanagan was Chief Financial Officer of MacroMarkets LLC, an exchange traded fund issuer from January 2007 to December 2010.
Matthew J. Bromberg. Mr. Bromberg
serves as the General Counsel of the Sponsor. Mr. Bromberg was listed as a principal of the Sponsor in September 2020. Prior to joining
the Sponsor, from 2019 to 2020, Mr. Bromberg was an investment management partner at the law firm Dorsey & Whitney where
he provided counsel to investment advisers relating to private investment funds, ETFs and mutual funds, as well as to separately managed
account and wrap fee program sponsors. From 2016 to 2019, Mr. Bromberg served as General Counsel of WBI Investments, Inc., a registered
investment adviser and ETF sponsor. During the same period, Mr. Bromberg also served as General Counsel to Millington Securities, Inc.,
a broker-dealer affiliate of WBI Investments, Inc. From 2014 to 2015 Mr. Bromberg was an investment management partner at the law firm
of Reed Smith. From 2014 to 2015 and 2006 to 2013, Mr. Bromberg served as Senior Managing Counsel to the Asset Servicing Division of
BNY Mellon. Mr. Bromberg was in private practice, at the law firm of King & Spalding between 2013 and 2014, where he represented
financial institutions in transactional and regulatory matters with a focus on investment advisers, registered public funds, private
investment funds, banks, and broker-dealers. Mr. Bromberg received his B.A. in English Literature from The State University of New York
at Albany and a J.D. from Brooklyn Law School.
55
Reshma A. Tanczos. Mrs. Tanczos
serves as the Chief Compliance Officer of the Sponsor and the Trust. Mrs. Tanczos was listed as a principal of the Sponsor on July 27,
2016. Prior to joining the Sponsor, from October 2007 to July 2016, Mrs. Tanczos was a Partner at the law firm Crow & Cushing where
she counseled clients in the financial services and money management industry focusing on SEC, CFTC, NFA and FINRA regulatory compliance.
From September 2006 to September 2007, Mrs. Tanczos clerked for the Honorable Philip L. Paley, Superior Court of New Jersey, Law Division.
Mrs. Tanczos received her B.S. in Economics from The George Washington University in May 2000 and a J.D. from Case Western Reserve University
School of Law in May 2006.
Devin L. Ryder. Ms. Ryder has been
a member of the portfolio management team of the Sponsor since January 2018. Ms. Ryder has been listed as a principal of the Sponsor
since May 22, 2018, associated person, swap associated person and NFA associate member of the Sponsor since June 1, 2018. Ms. Ryder received
a B.S. in Mathematics of Finance and Risk Management from the University of Michigan in 2017.
Commodity Trading Advisor
Breakwave
The Sponsor has also entered into a Licensing
and Services Agreement with Breakwave. Under this agreement, Breakwave has agreed to compose and maintain the BDRY Benchmark Portfolio
and license to the Sponsor the use of the BDRY Benchmark Portfolio.
Breakwave is a limited liability company. The
following individual is the President, sole investment professional and Principal, as that term is defined in CFTC Rule 3.1:
John Kartsonas. John Kartsonas
is the Principal and Managing Partner of Breakwave Advisors LLC., a Commodity Trading Advisory firm based in New York. Mr. Kartsonas
was listed as a principal of the Sponsor on May 17, 2017. He has been a registered associated person and an NFA associate member of Breakwave
since May 17, 2017. From 2017 to the present Mr. Kartsonas has also served as a Director of Seanergy Maritime, an international shipping
company listed in the Nasdaq Capital Market. Prior to that, Mr. Kartsonas was a Senior Portfolio Manager at Carlyle Commodity Management
from October 2012 to January 2017, a commodity-focused investment firm based in New York and part of the Carlyle Group. He was responsible
for the firm’s Shipping and Freight investments. During his tenure, he managed one of the largest freight futures funds globally.
Mr. Kartsonas received his MBA from the Simon School of Business, University of Rochester.
Code of Ethics
The Sponsor has adopted a Code of Business Conduct
and Ethics (the “Code of Ethics”) which applies to all of its officers (including senior financial officers) and employees;
the Sponsor’s Code of Ethics covers all officers and employees that manage the Trust and the Fund. A printed copy of the Code of
Ethics is available to any person free of charge, upon request, by contracting the Sponsor at:
ETF Managers Group Commodity Trust I
c/o ETF Managers Capital LLC
30 Maple Street
Suite 2
Summit, NJ 07901
Item 11. Executive Compensation.
The Fund has no employees, officers or directors
and is managed by the Sponsor. None of the directors or officers of the Sponsor receive compensation from the Fund.
56
The Sponsor receives a management fee from BDRY,
monthly in arrears, in an amount equal to the greater of 0.15% per annum on the daily NAV of BDRY or $125,000. The Sponsor has contractually
agreed to assume BDRY’s expenses (excluding brokerage fees, interest expense, and extraordinary
expenses) in order to cap BDRY’s total annual expenses at 3.50% per annum through September 30, 2022. The management fees paid
to the Sponsor by BDRY amounted to $130,137 and $124,997 for the years ended June 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively.
The Sponsor received a management fee from RISE
prior to its liquidation, monthly in arrears, in an amount equal to the greater of 0.15% per annum of the value of the Fund’s
average daily net assets or $75,000. The Sponsor had contractually agreed to waive the Sponsor Fee and/or assume the Fund’s Other
Expenses (which term excludes brokerage fees, interest expense, and extraordinary expenses) so that the Fund’s Total Annual Fund
Expenses did not exceed 1.00% per annum through the liquidation date. The management fees paid to the Sponsor by RISE amounted to $25,068
and $74,999 for the year ended June 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively.
The Sponsor also provides Principal Financial
Officer, Chief Compliance Officer, Regulatory Reporting and Wholesale Support services to BDRY, and prior to its liquidation, RISE. The
fees for each service provided to the BDRY, and prior to its liquidation, RISE, for the year ended June 30, 2021, all of which had been
paid, or accrued, at June 30, 2021, were as follows:
Service
BDRY
Amount
RISE
Amount
Principal Financial
Officer
$ 24,999
$ 13,356
Chief Compliance Officer
24,999
8,356
Regulatory Reporting
24,999
8,356
Wholesale
Support
78,874
1,522
In addition to the above, the Distributor provides
Distribution services to the Fund and to RISE, prior to its liquidation. The fees for Distribution services paid to the Distributor were
$15,707 and $5,116, for BDRY and RISE, respectively, for the year ended June 30, 2021.
Item
12. Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters.
Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners.
The following table sets forth shares as of June 30, 2021, information with respect to each person known to own beneficially more than
5% of the outstanding shares of any series in the Trust:
Series
of the Trust
Name
and Address of Beneficial Owner
Amount
and nature of
Beneficial Ownership
Percent
of Class
BDRY
J.P. Morgan Securities, LLC
270 Park Avenue
New York, NY 10017
341,223 Shares
8.64 %
Security Ownership of Management.
None of the directors or executive officers of
the Sponsor owns any shares of the Fund.
57
Change in Control.
The Sponsor does not know of any arrangements
which may subsequently result in a change in the control of the Trust.
Item 13. Certain Relationships and Related
Transactions, and Director Independence.
Certain Relationships and Related Transactions
See Items 11 and 12.
Neither the Trust nor the Fund entered into any
transaction in excess of $120,000 in which any related person had a direct or indirect material interest and the Trust and the Fund does
not propose to enter into any such transaction.
Director Independence
As an unincorporated entity, the registrant does
not have a Board of Directors.
Item 14. Principal Accountant Fees and Services.
The fees for services accrued and/or billed to
BDRY and to RISE prior to its liquidation by its independent auditors for the year ended June 30, 2021 and 2020 were as follows:
2021
2020
Audit Fees
$ 123,858
$ 124,602
Audit-Related Fees
—
—
Tax Fees
100,960
99,998
All Other Fees
—
—
Total
$ 224,818
$ 224,600
Approval of Independent Registered Public
Accounting Firm Services and Fees
The Sponsor approved all of the services provided
by WithumSmith+Brown, PC to the Funds described above. The Sponsor pre-approves all audit and allowed non-audit services of the Funds’
independent registered public accounting firm, including all engagement fees and terms.
58
Part IV
Item 15. Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules.
1.
See Index to Financial
Statements on page 34.
2.
No financial statement
schedules are filed herewith because (i) such schedules are not required or (ii) the information required has been presented in the
aforementioned financial statements.
3.
Exhibits required to be
filed by Item 601 of Regulation S-K.
59
Exhibit
Index
Listed below are the exhibits which are filed
or furnished as part of this annual report on Form 10-K (according to the number assigned to them in Item 601 of Regulation S-K):
3.1(a)
Amended
and Restated Declaration of Trust and Trust Agreement of the Registrant. (Incorporated by reference to Pre-Effective Amendment No.
2 to Registration Statement No. 333-199190, filed on January 12, 2015.)
3.1(b)
Instrument
Establishing the Fund. (Incorporated by reference to Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to Registration Statement No. 333-218453, filed
on October 6, 2017.)
3.1(c)
Amended
Exhibit C to the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust and Trust Agreement of the Trust. (Incorporated by reference to Pre-Effective
Amendment No. 1 to Registration Statement No. 333-218453, filed on October 6, 2017.)
3.2
Certificate
of Trust of the Registrant. (Incorporated by reference to Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to Registration Statement No. 333-218453,
filed on October 6, 2017.
4.1
Description
of the Trust’s securities. (Incorporated by reference to the Trust’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed on September 30,
2019.)
10.1
Form
of Authorized Participant Agreement. (Incorporated by reference to Pre-Effective Amendment No. 3 to Registration Statement No. 333-199190,
filed on January 28, 2015.)
10.2
Marketing
Agent Agreement. (Incorporated by reference to the Trust’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed on April 12, 2017.)
10.3
Amendment
No. 1 to Marketing Agent Agreement. (Incorporated by reference to Pre-Effective Amendment No. 3 to Registration Statement No. 333-218453,
filed on March 6, 2018.)
10.4
Amendment
No. 2 to Marketing Agent Agreement. (Incorporated by reference to Pre-Effective Amendment No. 3 to Registration Statement No. 333-218453,
filed on March 6, 2018.)
10.5
Licensing
and Services Agreement with respect to BDRY. (Incorporated by reference to Pre-Effective Amendment No. 3 to Registration Statement
No. 333-218453, filed on March 6, 2018.)
10.6
Custody
Agreement. (Incorporated by reference to Pre-Effective Amendment No. 3 to Registration Statement No. 333-199190, filed on January
28, 2015.)
10.7
Amendment
No. 1 to Custody Agreement. (Incorporated by reference to Pre-Effective Amendment No. 3 to Registration Statement No. 333-218453,
filed on March 6, 2018.)
10.8
Fund
Administration Servicing Agreement. (Incorporated by reference to Pre-Effective Amendment No. 3 to Registration Statement No. 333-199190,
filed on January 28, 2015.)
10.9
Amendment
No. 1 to Fund Administration Servicing Agreement. (Incorporated by reference to Pre-Effective Amendment No. 3 to Registration Statement
No. 333-218453, filed on March 6, 2018.)
10.10
Fund
Accounting Servicing Agreement. (Incorporated by reference to Pre-Effective Amendment No. 3 to Registration Statement No. 333-199190,
filed on January 28, 2015.)
10.11
Amendment
No. 1 to Fund Accounting Servicing Agreement. (Incorporated by reference to Pre-Effective Amendment No. 3 to Registration Statement
No. 333-218453, filed on March 6, 2018.)
60
10.12
Transfer
Agent Servicing Agreement. (Incorporated by reference to Pre-Effective Amendment No. 3 to Registration Statement No. 333-199190,
filed on January 28, 2015.)
10.13
Amendment
No. 1 to Transfer Agent Servicing Agreement. (Incorporated by reference to Pre-Effective Amendment No. 3 to Registration Statement
No. 333-218453, filed on March 6, 2018.)
10.14
Fee
Waiver Agreement with respect to BDRY. (Incorporated by reference to the Trust’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed on September
30, 2019.)
10.15
Expense
Limitation Agreement with respect to BDRY. (Incorporated by reference to the Trust’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed on September
30, 2019.)
23.1
Consent of Sullivan & Worcester LLP. (Incorporated by reference to Form S-1 Registration Statement No. 333-254634, filed on March 23, 2021.)
23.2
Consent of WithumSmith & Brown, P.C. (Filed herewith.)
23.3
Consent of Connolly & Company, P.C. as to the Sponsor. (Incorporated by reference to the Trust’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed on April 30, 2021.)
31.1
Certification by the Principal Executive Officer of the Registrant pursuant to Rules 13a-14 and 15d-14 of the Exchange Act. (Filed herewith.)
31.2
Certification by the Principal Financial Officer of the Registrant pursuant to Rules 13a-14 and 15d-14 of the Exchange Act. (Filed herewith.)
32.1
Certification by the Principal Executive Officer of the Registrant pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. (Filed herewith.)
32.2
Certification by the Principal Financial Officer of the Registrant pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. (Filed herewith.)
101.INS
XBRL Instance Document.
101.SCH
XBRL Taxonomy Extension
Schema.
101.CAL
XBRL Taxonomy Extension
Calculation Linkbase.
101.DEF
XBRL Taxonomy Definition
Linkbase.
101.LAB
XBRL Taxonomy Extension
Label Linkbase.
101.PRE
XBRL Taxonomy Extension
Presentation Linkbase.
61
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or
15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned,
thereunto duly authorized.
ETF Managers Group Commodity Trust I
(Registrant)
By:
ETF Managers Capital, LLC
its Sponsor
By:
/s/ Samuel
R. Masucci III
Name:
Samuel R. Masucci III
Principal Executive Officer
By:
/s/ John A.
Flanagan
Name:
John A. Flanagan
Principal Financial Officer
Date: September 10, 2021
62
Text extracted from the filing as submitted to EDGAR. Formatting, tables and exhibits are simplified for reading; the original document is authoritative for anything you rely on.