Singapore’s Straits Times Index has quietly delivered steady returns for patient investors, and a specific ETF has been the most direct way to own all 30 of those blue-chip shares in a single trade.
Current Price: 2.8800 SGD ·
1-Year Performance: 28.38% ·
YTD Performance: 4.41% ·
Ticker: G3B.SI ·
Tracks: Straits Times Index
Quick snapshot
- Ticker G3B.SI tracks Straits Times Index (POEMS)
- Listed on SGX Mainboard on 25 February 2009 (Dividends.sg)
- Annual dividend in 2025 was S$0.1795, up 14% from S$0.1574 in 2024 (Growbeansprout)
- Exact date of rebranding from Nikko AM to Amova in official filings
- Current AUM and expense ratio figures from primary sources
- Top 10 holdings with precise weightings from recent prospectus
- Listed on SGX: 25 February 2009
- Dividend ex-date 2026-01-02, pay date 2026-01-15, amount S$0.0932
- Next expected ex-date: 1 July 2026 (projected)
- Semi-annual dividend cycle suggests July payout window
- Portfolio remains concentrated in Singapore financials and telecoms
- Performance tracks STI closely before fees
| Label | Value |
|---|---|
| Ticker Symbol | G3B.SI |
| Exchange | SGX |
| Current Price | 2.8800 SGD |
| Benchmark | Straits Times Index |
| 1Y Return | 28.38% |
What happened to Nikko AM STI ETF?
The fund formerly known as the Nikko AM Singapore STI ETF now appears under the Amova brand in several financial data providers. Morningstar lists it as “Amova Singapore STI ETF SGD Dist,” suggesting an issuer rebranding that took place at some point prior to the fund’s most recent reporting period. This change matters because investors who search by the old Nikko AM name may initially have trouble locating current data under the new issuer designation.
Rebranding details
Multiple sources including Morningstar now reference the fund under the Amova branding. The original Nikko AM Singapore STI ETF launched in February 2009 and operated under that name for over 15 years. The rebranding to Amova appears to reflect a corporate restructuring within the asset management group rather than a change in the fund’s investment objective or strategy. Investors holding units through CDP accounts or via Singapore brokerages should find their holdings unchanged—the ticker G3B.SI remains active on the SGX Mainboard.
Impact on investors
For existing unitholders, the rebranding has been largely administrative. The fund continues to track the Straits Times Index with the same semi-annual dividend schedule and SGD-denominated payouts. The key action for investors is to update any watchlists or portfolio tracking tools to reference the current Amova-branded name to ensure they pull accurate performance and dividend data going forward.
What is Nikko AM Singapore STI ETF?
The Nikko AM Singapore STI ETF (now Amova Singapore STI ETF) is a passive exchange-traded fund listed on the SGX Mainboard that aims to replicate the price and yield performance of the Straits Times Index before expenses. It offers Singapore investors a single, tradeable vehicle for broad exposure to the 30 largest companies listed on the Singapore Exchange.
Overview and ticker
G3B.SI trades on the SGX Mainboard and has been operational since 25 February 2009, making it one of the longer-running index ETFs available to retail investors in Singapore. The fund is denominated in SGD and settles like a standard equity trade through CDP. Its objective, as stated on POEMS, is to replicate STI performance before fees—a straightforward passive replication strategy.
Investment objective
The investment objective is to provide returns that correspond closely to the performance of the Straits Times Index, which comprises 30 blue-chip Singapore stocks weighted by market capitalisation. The STI itself is dominated by financials (banks and insurance), real estate investment trusts, and large telecommunications names. This means G3B.SI unitholders essentially own a slice of Singapore’s corporate establishment.
What does Nikko AM STI ETF invest in?
The fund holds all or a representative sample of the securities that make up the Straits Times Index. Because the STI is a capped index (no single stock exceeds a defined weight cap), the ETF’s portfolio tends to concentrate heavily in a handful of sector leaders—primarily the three local banks, Singtel, and the major REITs.
Index composition
The Straits Times Index currently holds 30 constituents. Morningstar notes that the portfolio is “highly concentrated, though generally reflective of the opportunity set available to peers in the Singapore equity category.” The index methodology caps individual weightings to prevent excessive concentration in any single stock, but the broader sector concentration remains significant since financials and telecoms dominate by market weight.
Holdings breakdown
While an exhaustive top-10 list is not available from a single verified source in the current research, the STI’s known major constituents typically include DBS Group, OCBC, UOB, Singtel, CapitaLand Integrated Commercial Trust, and Keppel. The fund is managed by a Singapore-based team with global passive management experience, according to Morningstar’s profile. Notably, Growbeansprout points out that about half of STI companies’ revenue is generated outside Singapore, giving the index an unexpected regional earnings exposure despite being a local listing.
How often does Nikko AM STI ETF pay dividends?
The fund pays dividends semi-annually, typically with ex-dates falling around early January and early July each year. The most recent confirmed payout was on 29 April 2026, with an ex-date of 2 January 2026 and a dividend amount of S$0.0932 per unit.
Dividend frequency
Dividends are paid twice yearly, matching the ex-dates in January and July. Growbeansprout confirms the fund follows a semi-annual distribution schedule, with payout dates typically falling a few weeks after each ex-date. The trailing twelve-month dividend yield currently stands at approximately 3.7%.
Payout dates
Verified dividend dates from 2024 through early 2026 show a consistent January and July cycle:
| Ex-Date | Pay Date | Amount (SGD) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 July 2024 | – | 0.0806 |
| 2 January 2025 | – | 0.0878 |
| 1 July 2025 | – | 0.0917 |
| 2 January 2026 | 15 January 2026 | 0.0932 |
| 1 July 2026 (projected) | – | – |
The full-year 2025 dividend totaled S$0.1795 per share, representing a 14% increase from S$0.1574 in 2024. Morningstar’s portfolio data shows a dividend yield of 4.67% on a longer-term basis. For income-focused investors, the consistent growth in per-share distributions since 2020—when the dividend was SGD 0.0606—illustrates a meaningful recovery trend.
Is an STI ETF a good investment?
Whether G3B.SI makes sense depends on what role it plays in your portfolio. Over the past year, the fund has returned 28.38%—a strong figure driven partly by STI blue-chip resilience and partly by SGD currency dynamics. But the short-term technical picture and the index’s structural concentration deserve scrutiny before you commit capital.
Performance metrics
The headline performance figures are solid: 28.38% over one year, 4.41% year-to-date in 2026, and 0.74% over the past month. The trailing twelve-month dividend yield of 3.7% sits comfortably within the historical range of 3-4% the STI has typically delivered.
The fund gained 28.38% over the past year, but the technical picture is mixed: short-term moving averages signal “Sell” while the 100-day and 200-day averages signal “Buy” — suggesting the recent move may have pulled the price ahead of the fundamentals.
Pros and cons
Upsides
- Broad STI exposure in a single trade on SGX
- Dividend yield of 3.7% TTM with consistent semi-annual payouts
- 14% dividend growth from 2024 to 2025
- Low to moderate likelihood of principal loss, per Dividends.sg
- Simple, transparent passive replication strategy
Downsides
- Highly concentrated in financials and telecoms
- Singapore-only market exposure limits diversification
- Rebranding may confuse existing and new investors
- Short-term technical signals suggest near-term overbought conditions
- Exact AUM and expense ratio unavailable from primary sources
Morningstar’s analyst note describes the portfolio as “highly concentrated” while acknowledging it reflects the Singapore equity opportunity set. Dividends.sg notes that investors “expect low to moderate likelihood of loss of principal investment amount, with generally smaller potential returns.” The implication is that this fund is better suited for income-oriented or core holdings than for aggressive growth strategies.
The July 2026 dividend ex-date will be the next major data point. A continued payout increase would reinforce the fund’s income credentials, while any disruption could signal underlying STI earnings pressure.
Nikko AM STI ETF specifications
Five key data points give a rounded picture of how the fund operates and what investors should track:
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Ticker | G3B.SI |
| Exchange | SGX Mainboard |
| Listing date | 25 February 2009 |
| Benchmark | Straits Times Index |
| Dividend frequency | Semi-annual |
| Currency | SGD |
| Management | Amova (formerly Nikko AM) Singapore team |
| Current price | 2.8800 SGD |
Dividend and price timeline
Key milestones from the fund’s listing to recent performance establish a clear record of how G3B.SI has delivered for investors over time.
| Period | Event |
|---|---|
| 25 February 2009 | Listed on SGX Mainboard |
| July 2024 | Dividend ex-date: S$0.0806 |
| January 2025 | Dividend ex-date: S$0.0878 |
| July 2025 | Dividend ex-date: S$0.0917 |
| January 2026 | Dividend ex-date: S$0.0932, pay date 15 January 2026 |
| Past 1 year | Share price +28.38% |
| Year to date 2026 | Performance +4.41% |
“The fund’s portfolio is highly concentrated, though generally reflective of the opportunity set available to peers in the Singapore equity Morningstar Category.”
— Morningstar (Analyst, Portfolio Review)
“It is managed by Nikko’s Singapore-based team, which runs a small portion of the firm’s overall passive assets under management.”
— Morningstar (Analyst, Portfolio Review)
“Investors who invest in this product expect low to moderate likelihood of loss of principal investment amount, with generally smaller potential returns.”
— Dividends.sg (Financial Data Provider)
For Singapore investors weighing STI exposure, the choice between G3B.SI and alternatives comes down to simplicity versus cost efficiency: the fund offers one-trade access to all 30 index constituents, but investors seeking a lower-cost option or broader regional exposure may need to look at other structures available on SGX or international platforms.
Related reading: CFA REIT ETF Share Price · Singtel Share Price Forum
tipranks.com, morningstar.com, twelvedata.com, growbeansprout.com, stockevents.app, itiger.com, cbonds.com, investing.com
The Nikko AM STI ETF, trading at 2.88 SGD with 28.38% one-year gains, closely mirrors the Straits Times Index while delivering growing semi-annual dividends post-rebrand.
Frequently asked questions
What is the current share price of Nikko AM STI ETF?
The most recently referenced price is 2.8800 SGD per unit. G3B.SI trades on the SGX Mainboard, and prices update continuously during market hours. Some sources have noted prices around S$5.02–S$5.076 in late April 2026, suggesting there may be multiple pricing references depending on the data feed used.
What is the dividend history of Nikko AM STI ETF?
The fund pays semi-annually. Recent dividends include: S$0.0806 (July 2024), S$0.0878 (January 2025), S$0.0917 (July 2025), and S$0.0932 (January 2026). The 2025 full-year dividend of S$0.1795 was 14% higher than 2024’s S$0.1574.
Is it too late to invest in the Straits Times Index today?
The STI and G3B.SI have delivered 28.38% over the past year, and the long-term earnings growth rate cited by Morningstar stands at 7.19%. Whether that constitutes “too late” depends on your time horizon and entry expectations. The short-term technical signals are mixed, suggesting near-term price volatility, but the dividend yield of 3.7% and consistent semi-annual payouts provide a return component independent of capital appreciation.
What is the performance of Nikko AM STI ETF?
G3B.SI returned 28.38% over the past year, 4.41% year-to-date in 2026, and 0.74% over the past month. The 200-day simple moving average signals “Buy,” while the 10-day and 20-day EMAs signal “Sell,” indicating some short-term overbought tension against a longer-term bullish backdrop.
When is the next dividend payout date for Nikko AM STI ETF?
The next projected ex-date is 1 July 2026, based on the consistent January–July pattern. The actual pay date would typically follow within a few weeks, similar to the 15 January 2026 pay date that followed the 2 January 2026 ex-date.
What are the fees for Nikko AM STI ETF?
The precise expense ratio is not confirmed in available verified sources. The fund’s objective is to replicate STI performance before expenses, and the semi-annual dividend schedule implies management costs are deducted from the fund’s NAV rather than billed separately to investors.
