According to the acquirer, Trackers are hedge-style "beta" strategies, which act on indexes to capture the beta of a specific hedge fund strategy, and the Trackers team focuses only on those hedge fund strategies whose returns can be statistically replicated using tradable risk factors represented by US-listed ETFs.
The company claims that its trackers facilitate institutional investors with high transparency, daily liquidity and low fees.
Currently, the firm offers two Tracker strategies, with more than $75m in assets under management, which includes Van Eck Long/Short Equity North America Tracker and Van Eck Long/Short Equity Emerging Markets Tracker.
Van Eck Associates principal Jan van Eck said the firm is pleased to add the Hedge Fund Beta Team and its sophisticated methodology to its alternatives group.
"Their innovative approach to tracking hedge fund performance is a great fit with our existing alternative strategies and is an approach we believe has applications for investors looking to build and manage a diversified alternative investment portfolio," Eck added.
Van Eck also offers mutual funds, insurance trust funds, separate accounts and alternative investments, which has been developed for investors seeking innovative choices for portfolio diversification.
