Undertakings for Collective Investment in Transferable Securities (UCITS)

An investment vehicle that pools individual investors’ money into one professionally managed portfolio of stocks, bonds and/or other securities, including long/short funds and funds that are highly leveraged. UCITS are governed by European Commission regulations and investors must hold an EU passport.

UCITS are quite flexible but must follow certain diversification and leverage rules. For example, the 5/10/40 rule says a UCITS may not invest more than 5% (although that limit can rise to be 10%) of net assets in instruments issued by the same body so long as the total value of the securities is less than 40%.