EQ ADVISORS TRUST AMENDMENT NO. 4 TO THE INVESTMENT SUB-ADVISORY AGREEMENT

Exhibit (d)(21)(v)

EQ ADVISORS TRUST

AMENDMENT NO. 4 TO THE

INVESTMENT SUB-ADVISORY AGREEMENT

AMENDMENT NO. 4 effective as of March 21, 2022 (“Amendment No. 4”) to the Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement dated as of July 16, 2020, as amended, (“Agreement”) between Equitable Investment Management Group, LLC, a limited liability company organized under the laws of the State of Delaware (“EIM” or “Adviser”) and AXA Investment Managers US Inc., a corporation organized in the State of Delaware (“AXA IM” or “Sub-Adviser”).

WHEREAS, the name of 1290 VT SmartBeta Equity Portfolio changed to 1290 VT SmartBeta Equity ESG Portfolio effective March 21, 2022;

NOW, THEREFORE, EIM and AXA IM agree to modify the Agreement to reflect the new name of the Portfolio as follows:

1. Appendix A. Appendix A to the Agreement is hereby replaced in its entirety by Appendix A attached hereto.

2. Ratification. Except as modified and amended hereby, the Agreement is ratified and confirmed in full force and effect in accordance with its terms.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed and delivered this Amendment No. 4 as of the date first set forth above.

EQUITABLE INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT GROUP, LLC						AXA INVESTMENT MANAGERS US INC.
By:		/s/ Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx Director, Executive Vice President and Chief Investment Officer				By:		/s/ Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxx Name: Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxx Title: COO

APPENDIX A

AMENDMENT NO. 4

TO

INVESTMENT SUB-ADVISORY AGREEMENT

The Adviser shall pay the Sub-Adviser monthly compensation computed daily at an annual rate equal to the following:

Related Portfolios		Annual Sub-Advisory Fee Rate**
High Yield Portfolios, which shall consist of the following Portfolios and Other Fund(s) ^ or Sub-Adviser Allocated Portion(s) identified directly below: 1290 VT High Yield Bond Portfolio* EQ/Core Plus Bond Portfolio* 1290 High Yield Bond Fund, a series of 1290 Funds		0.39% of the High Yield Portfolios’ average daily net assets up to and including $50 million; 0.37% of the High Yield Portfolios’ average daily net assets in excess of $50 million and up to and including $250 million; 0.35% of the High Yield Portfolios’ average daily net assets in excess of $250 million and up to and including $500 million; and 0.33% of the High Yield Portfolios’ average daily net assets in excess of $500 million
SmartBeta Portfolios, which shall consist of the following Portfolio and Other Fund(s) or Allocated Portion(s) ^^: 1290 VT SmartBeta Equity ESG Portfolio 1290 SmartBeta Equity Fund, a series of 1290 Funds		0.150% of the SmartBeta Portfolios’ average daily net assets up to and including $100 million; 0.140% of the SmartBeta Portfolios’ average daily net assets in excess of $100 million and up to and including $250 million; 0.120% of the SmartBeta Portfolios’ average daily net assets in excess of $250 million. Once the SmartBeta Portfolios’ average daily net assets exceed $500 million, a 0.120% sub-advisory fee will apply to all asset levels.
EQ/AXA Investment Managers Moderate Allocation Portfolio		0.26% of the Portfolio’s average daily net assets up to and including $50 million; 0.24% of the Portfolio’s average daily net assets in excess of $50 million and up to and including $150 million; 0.22% of the Portfolio’s average daily net assets in excess of $150 million and up to and including $300 million; and 0.20% of the Portfolio’s average daily net assets in excess of $300 million

^ Other Funds or Allocated Portions are other registered investment companies (or series or portions thereof) that are advised by the Adviser and sub-advised by the Sub-Adviser, which are classified as “High Yield Portfolios.”

^^ Other Funds or Allocated Portions are other registered investment companies (or series or portions thereof) that are advised by the Adviser and sub-advised by the Sub-Adviser, which are classified as “SmartBeta Portfolios.”

* Fee to be paid with respect to this Portfolio shall be based only on the portion of the Portfolio’s average daily net assets advised by the Sub-Adviser, which may be referred to as the “Sub-Adviser Allocation Portion.”

** The daily sub-advisory fee for the Portfolio/Sub-Adviser Allocation Portion is calculated by multiplying the aggregate net assets of the Portfolio/Sub-Adviser Allocation Portion at the close of the immediately preceding business day by the Annual Sub-Advisory Fee Rate calculated as set forth above and then dividing the result by the number of days in the year. The daily sub-advisory fee applicable to each Portfolio/Sub-Adviser Allocation Portion is the portion of the daily sub-advisory fee for the Portfolio/Sub-Adviser Allocation Portion that is equal to the Portfolio’s/Sub-Adviser Allocation Portion’s net assets relative to the aggregate net assets of the Portfolio/Sub-Adviser Allocation Portfolio, including the Portfolio/Sub-Adviser Allocation Portion, used in the fee calculation for that day.