Define your strategy. Design your index. Launch with confidence.
ETF Connect has created a growing southbound opportunity and with it, a more competitive landscape for issuers.1 How the underlying index reflects an investment theme and which index provider stands behind it are factors that influence how a product is perceived and competes for investor attention. MSCI offers a range of southbound-eligible indexes for immediate licensing and works with issuers who need a tailored solution around their strategy, both backed by the rigorous governance, data and methodology that have underpinned our indexes since 1969.
A track record of scope and depth
$21 trillion
AUM benchmarked to MSCI indexes2
$2 trillion
Assets in indexed equity ETFs linked to MSCI's global equity indexes3
810+
Funds with custom index links4
$1 trillion
Equity ETF and non-ETF AUM linked to MSCI Custom Indexes5
Featured indexes
A selection of southbound-eligible indexes built around the structural themes shaping investor demand. Each available to license as is or customize further.
MSCI China USA Robotics & AI 65/35 Index
Designed to capture companies associated with AI, robotics and automation adoption, drawn from the MSCI Hong Kong Listed Southbound IMI Index and MSCI USA Index.
MSCI China USA Biotech 65/35 Index
Designed to capture biotechnology companies, drawn from the MSCI Hong Kong Listed Southbound IMI Index and MSCI USA IMI Index.
MSCI Asia Pacific Health Care 65/35 Index
Designed to capture health care sector performance across Asia Pacific, drawn from the MSCI Hong Kong Listed Southbound Index and MSCI AC Asia Pacific Index.
MSCI China ASEAN Economic Linkage Select Index
Designed to capture companies with high economic linkage between China, Hong Kong and ASEAN, drawn from the MSCI Hong Kong Listed Southbound Index and MSCI AC ASEAN Index.
MSCI AC Asia Pacific Select High Dividend Index
Designed to capture high dividend-yielding companies across Asia Pacific with constituent and sector weight constraints, drawn from select MSCI Asia Pacific market indexes.
MSCI HK China Connect Select Index
Designed to capture leading HKEX-listed securities by full market capitalization, drawn from the MSCI China Index and MSCI Hong Kong Index.
Why issuers choose MSCI
Apply index construction depth, cross-border composite capability and transparent, replicable methodology to your southbound product design, whether licensing an existing eligible index or tailored to your investment strategy.
Global coverage, local depth
Access cross-border thematic combinations within a single eligible structure. Our 65/35 composite framework combines HKEX-listed securities with targeted overseas exposure, built to maintain the >60% stock in Stock Connect Southbound eligible constituents at every rebalance.
Accelerate time to market
Move from investment thesis to live index with speed. Powered by Foxberry’s index construction technology, rapid simulation and iteration is designed to reduce time to launch without sacrificing methodology rigor.
Built around your strategy
Translate your investment view into a rules-based index underpinned by Global Industry Classification Standard (GICS®), the classification standard co-developed by MSCI and used by institutional investors globally.6
Supported by a global index provider
Launch with an index provider Mainland investors are familiar with. The inclusion of China A-shares in the MSCI Emerging Markets Index in 2018 established recognition among Mainland institutions that has deepened through years of benchmark adoption across fund management.
See how custom indexes are built
Turn your investment vision into action
Whether you're aligning with mandates or launching investable products, MSCI Custom Indexes are designed to provide the flexibility to build indexes aligned with your investment strategy and requirements.
Frequently asked questions
Getting smart about thematic allocations
Use thematic exposure and correlation analysis to identify themes that complement core allocations and manage portfolio risk.
Thematic indexes explained
Understand how MSCI models investment themes and constructs rule-based thematic indexes.
Interested in learning more about ETF Connect Index Series?
Custom indexes
Design indexes across asset classes based on your unique vision, drawing on deep research-based insights and decades of index expertise so you can customize without compromise.
Thematic indexes
Identify long-term trends that can potentially transform global economies, driven innovation and redefine business models.
China thematic indexes
Access indexes built to track the structural trends driving China's economic transformation, covering disruptive technology, future mobility, smart cities and more.
1 HKEX Stock Connect 2025 Review (Charltons, Mar 2026)
2 As of December 31, 2025. AUM includes equity and multi-asset class funds and excludes feeder funds and funds of funds. Where an MSCI index is only a portion of a multi-asset class (MAC) or other hybrid or blended benchmark, AUM reflects the Morningstar data which allocates all AUM to the primary benchmark used in the MAC/hybrid/blended benchmark (which may undercount or overcount AUM linked to the MSCI portion depending on its weight in the benchmark.
3 Data as of June 30, 2025.
4 Source: Refinitiv and MSCI internal data. Data as of June 30, 2025.
5 Source: Refinitiv and MSCI internal data. Data as of June 30, 2025.
6 GICS is the global industry classification standard jointly developed by MSCI and S&P Dow Jones Indices.
7 HKEX. "ETFs in Stock Connect: New Issuer Criteria, New Opportunities." HKEX Insight, July 17, 2024. https://www.hkexgroup.com/Media-Centre/Insight/Insight/2024/HKEX-Insight/ETFs-in-Stock-Connect-New-Issuer-Criteria-New-Opportunities?sc_lang=en.
8 HKEX. "ETFs in Stock Connect: New Issuer Criteria, New Opportunities." HKEX Insight, July 17, 2024. https://www.hkexgroup.com/Media-Centre/Insight/Insight/2024/HKEX-Insight/ETFs-in-Stock-Connect-New-Issuer-Criteria-New-Opportunities?sc_lang=en.