Merk Launches Asian Currency Fund including Chinese Yuan

Press Release:
Merk Launches Asian Currency Fund including Chinese Yuan

/-- Mutual fund seeks to protect against a declining US dollar relative
to Asian currencies --/

PALO ALTO, Calif. - April 1, 2008 - Merk Investments today announced the
launch of the Merk Asian Currency FundT, a mutual fund that invests in a
basket of Asian currencies. Among others, the Fund may include the
currencies of China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the
Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand.

The Fund, a pure play on Asian currencies, provides retail investors
with a new fundamental investment option to gain exposure to Asian
currencies without the risk of Asian stock markets. The Fund gains
exposure to these currencies by investing in high-quality, short-term
money market instruments of Asian countries or a combination of U.S.
dollar denominated securities and forward currency contracts. To gain
access to a basket of Asian currencies without the Fund, investors must
either determine which currencies they wish to invest in and gain
exposure through buying those currencies directly (many of which may not
be available to U.S. retail investors); invest in Asian stock or bond
funds that introduce stock market, credit and interest risks; or engage
in complex and speculative derivative trading.

"For the first time, investors will have access to investing in a basket
of Asian currencies, including the renminbi (Chinese yuan), with the
ease of investing in a no-load mutual fund," said Axel Merk, president
of Fund manager Merk Investments. "Traditionally investors had to invest
in speculative stocks to gain exposure to Asia. Now, investors may seek
to benefit from a rise of Asian currencies versus the U.S. dollar
without equity risk while mitigating credit and interest risk. Further,
investors may potentially benefit from the current secular bear market."

Currency exposure allocations for the Fund will be determined based on
quantitative and qualitative analysis and they may be adapted as
monetary policies and economic environments evolve. "Merk Investments
has a tradition enabling investors to achieve long-term diversification
through currency investments. In our assessment, given the secular bear
market, there is no safe asset anymore and investors may want to
consider taking a diversified approach to something as mundane as cash,"
concluded Merk. "Merk Investments builds on the leadership established
with its Merk Hard Currency Fund (MERKX). At Merk Investments, we
believe sustainable wealth is built over the long term with superior
insights, clear focus and commitment. We strive to invest with
discipline while adapting to changing environments."

The Fund is offered in Investor Class Shares. Standard accounts require
an initial investment of $2,500. Traditional and Roth IRA accounts;
accounts with systematic investment plans; and qualified retirement,
pension or profit sharing plans require an initial investment of $1,000.
For more information about the Merk Asian Currency Fund, please visit
www.merkfund.com.

*About Merk Investments and the Merk Mutual Funds *

The Merk Asian Currency Fund is managed by Merk Investments, a Palo
Alto, California based SEC-registered investment advisory firm. Merk
Investments is making the Merk Hard Currency Fund (MERKX) and the Merk
Asian Currency Fund available to retail investors to allow them to
diversify their portfolios and through the Funds invest in a basket of
currencies.

Axel Merk, president of Merk Investments, is the Fund Manager for the
Merk Funds. Mr. Merk has extensive experience and expertise in how
global financial imbalances, as evidenced by an enormous trade deficit,
affect the markets. He has published many articles describing complex
economic phenomena in understandable terms and he is a sought after
expert presenter and moderator at conferences. Mr. Merk is a regular
guest on CNBC and frequently quoted in the Wall Street Journal,
Financial Times and other financial publications.

For more information on the Merk Mutual Funds or Merk Investments,
please visit www.merkfund.com .

/As with any mutual fund product, there is no guarantee that the fund
will achieve its goals. Investors should consider the investment
objectives, risks and charges and expenses of the Fund carefully before
investing. This and other information is in the prospectus, a copy of
which may be obtained by visiting the Fund's website at www.merkfund.com
or calling 866-MERK FUND. Please read the prospectus carefully before
you invest. /

/The Fund's principal investment risks include, but are not limited to,
currency exchange rate risk, foreign instrument risk and interest rate
risk. For a more complete discussion of these risks please refer to the
Fund's prospectus. Foreside Fund Services, LLC, distributor. /