VictoryShares ESG Core Plus Bond ETF (UBND) is an actively managed exchange-traded fund that seeks high current income without undue risk to principal by investing primarily in investment-grade corporate debt, U.S. government securities, mortgage-backed securities, asset-backed securities, sovereign debt, and municipal bonds with a dollar-weighted average portfolio maturity between three and 10 years; the fund normally invests at least 80% of its net assets in debt securities and similar instruments that exhibit positive environmental, social, and governance (ESG) characteristics, utilizing a proprietary ESG scoring methodology combined with fundamental bottom-up credit analysis, and may allocate up to 20% to below-investment-grade high-yield bonds as well as engage in relative value trading. Issued by Victory Capital Holdings, Inc. under the VictoryShares brand and managed by Victory Capital Management Inc. in collaboration with USAA Investments, UBND targets institutional, intermediary, and individual investors seeking diversified core-plus intermediate-term fixed income exposure with an ESG overlay across multiple sectors including corporates (24.63%), asset-backed securities (27.24%), sovereigns (23.2%), and mortgage-backed securities (16.32%). Launched on October 4, 2021, and headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, the ETF operates globally through its underlying securities while listing on the NASDAQ exchange with an expense ratio of 0.40%.
In April 2023, the fund underwent a significant rebranding from VictoryShares ESG Core Plus Bond ETF to its current name, VictoryShares Core Plus Intermediate Bond ETF, while retaining its core investment strategy and ESG integration to reflect an evolved focus on yield-driven, actively managed bond selection. Victory Capital, the ETF's issuer, has pursued aggressive expansion of its VictoryShares ETF platform, launching multiple new active fixed income and equity strategies such as the VictoryShares WestEnd Economic Cycle Bond ETF (BMDL) and VictoryShares WestEnd Global Equity ETF (GLOW) in June 2024, followed by three additional ETFs including the VictoryShares Pioneer Asset-Based Income ETF (ABI) in June 2025, growing the platform to over 26 funds and more than $14 billion in assets under management as of May 2025. Furthermore, Victory Capital announced and closed a strategic partnership with Amundi in April 2025, enhancing its global distribution and operational capabilities amid record 2024 financial results.