The U.S. government's latest cash infusion into nuclear fuel supply chains is already ricocheting through ETF markets, and nowhere more dramatically than Defiance Daily Target 2X Long OKLO ETF (NASDAQ:OKLL), which has surged 72% in the first three trading sessions of 2026. For ETF investors, that's music to the ears.

The rally follows a $2.7 billion funding package from the Department of Energy, aimed squarely at rebuilding America's uranium enrichment ecosystem. The focus: scaling low-enriched uranium (LEU) and high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) production to reduce reliance on Russian fuel and support next-generation reactors.

For nuclear-themed ETFs, this is meaningful support.

OKLL Takes Center Stage

OKLL, which offers concentrated exposure to the emerging advanced nuclear and SMR ecosystem, has become the market's purest ETF expression of the "nuclear renaissance" trade. Its explosive start to 2026 reflects investor conviction that fuel security is a catalyst.

The DOE's task orders awarded to Centrus Energy Corp's (NYSE:LEU) American Centrifuge, Orano Federal Services, and General Matter directly address HALEU shortages that have slowed commercialization timelines for advanced reactors. That's critical for companies tied to AI-era power demand, and by extension, ETFs built around that thesis.

Broader Nuclear ETF Spillover

The momentum isn't confined to OKLL. Uranium and nuclear infrastructure ETFs have also benefited as investors position for a longer-cycle reindustrialization trade.

Sprott Uranium Miners ETF (NYSE:URNM) has gained traction as "American-made" fuel policies lift domestic mining economics. The fund gained about 12% in the first few trading days of 2026.

The Bigger Picture

The Trump administration's renewed emphasis on nuclear as a baseload backbone for AI-driven data centers is rewriting how investors view the sector— not as a speculative energy bet, but as critical infrastructure.

For ETF investors, nuclear is no longer a niche theme hiding in the footnotes.

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