Last year, San Diego, Calif.-based Reality Shares introduced a unique twist on a dividend play with itsDivs ETF ( DIVY ). A growing field of alternative ETFs invest in such areas as currencies, commodities, real estate and private equity, and employ such strategies as tapping mergers and acquisitions, asset arbitrage, inflation/deflation, leverage, and market neutral as well as multistrategies. Some alternative ETFs also offer exposure to areas like hedge funds or private equity that would otherwise be open only to professional investors or individuals with deep pockets.