Got $100? 1 Artificial Intelligence (AI) Memory ETF to Buy Hand Over Fist

Memory stock prices have soared this year amid a shortage driven by artificial intelligence (AI). If you're looking for an easy way to invest in these stocks, a recently launched exchange-traded fund (ETF), the Roundhill Memory ETF (NYSEMKT: DRAM), holds the biggest names.

The ETF trades for about $72 as of June 17, so $100 is enough for more than 1.25 shares if your broker offers fractional trading. Here are more details to help you decide if this ETF is right for your portfolio.

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How the Roundhill Memory ETF works

The Roundhill Memory ETF is an actively managed fund that launched on April 2, 2026, in the middle of the memory bottleneck. It holds 15 stocks. Here are the top five and their respective weights as of June 16:

Data source: Roundhill (2026).

Since this is an actively managed ETF, it's more expensive than most index funds. The expense ratio is 0.65%, meaning you pay about $65 per year for every $10,000 invested. This is a reasonable amount compared to other thematic ETFs, but it's worth knowing about if you're trying to keep fees to a minimum.

Pros and cons

One criticism of the Roundhill Memory ETF is its expense ratio, especially given its small number of holdings. However, several of its holdings are memory companies that are difficult for U.S. investors to buy, including SK Hynix, Samsung, and Kioxia. Since these companies aren't listed on major U.S. exchanges, the Roundhill Memory ETF is a straightforward way to invest in them.

This ETF is also strictly memory exposure, unlike broader semiconductor ETFs. If you already have big names like Nvidia or Advanced Micro Devices in your portfolio, you can use this ETF to invest in the memory market without concentration risk in other semiconductor companies.

Because of the artificial intelligence (AI) memory bottleneck, memory companies have reported significant sales increases, and the Roundhill Memory ETF has skyrocketed. Since it launched on April 2, it's up 156%.

Keep in mind that the memory market has traditionally been cyclical, leading to boom-and-bust periods. That said, AI is driving unprecedented demand, and the top three memory companies (Micron, SK Hynix, and Samsung) have all sold out of their high-bandwidth memory (HBM) production capacity for 2026.

$100 is a great initial investment

While memory stocks have delivered fantastic returns this year, they've also been volatile. A $100 investment in the Roundhill Memory ETF lets you get exposure to the market leaders without putting too much capital on the line.

This is a smart way to invest in companies and ETFs you like that also experience frequent price swings. You get a position started, then add to it periodically throughout dips and rips.

Lyle Daly has positions in Nvidia. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Advanced Micro Devices, Micron Technology, and Nvidia. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.