Actively managed ETFs worldwide hit a new asset record in May, reaching $2.49 trillion, according to ETFGI’s May 2026 Active ETF industry landscape report. Assets topped a prior high set just one month earlier.
Key Takeaways:
- Active ETF assets hit a record $2.49 trillion at the end of May, surpassing a prior high set just one month earlier.
- Year-to-date inflows of $411.75 billion are nearly double the $220.53 billion gathered through May 2025.
- May marked the 74th straight month of positive net inflows into actively managed ETFs globally.
Investor appetite for active ETFs has shown no signs of slowing. These are funds where portfolio managers make investment decisions, rather than simply tracking a market index. Year-to-date inflows hit $411.75 billion, nearly double the $220.53 billion gathered through May 2025, according to ETFGI.
May’s record topped a previous high of $2.33 trillion set in April, per ETFGI. Assets have grown 28.8% year-to-date, up from $1.93 trillion at the end of 2025. Global active ETFs now span 5,295 funds across 49 exchanges in 39 countries.
See more: Active ETF Assets Hit Record $2.33 Trillion in April
During May, actively managed ETFs pulled in $100.08 billion in net inflows. For comparison, inflows through May 2025 totaled $220.53 billion, while the same period in 2024 brought in $124.35 billion, according to ETFGI.Active ETF Inflows Spread Across Asset Classes
Equity-focused active ETFs led the way in May, collecting $60.97 billion. Year-to-date, equity active ETF inflows reached $242.18 billion, compared to $124.28 billion at the same point last year, per ETFGI.
Fixed income active ETFs contributed $26.12 billion in May, per ETFGI. Year-to-date, that total reached $136.73 billion, up from $82.09 billion through May 2025.
Strong market returns during the period may have reinforced the flow trends. According to Deborah Fuhr, managing partner and founder of ETFGI, the S&P 500 rose 5.26% in May and is up 11.27% year-to-date. Developed markets outside the U.S. gained 5.2% during the month.
Among 717 active ETF providers globally, three firms controlled nearly a third of all assets, according to ETFGI. Dimensional Fund Advisors led with $296.82 billion and 11.9% market share. JPMorgan Asset Management ranked second at $291.38 billion and 11.7%, while iShares came in third at $168.64 billion. Together, those three held 30.4% of all global active ETF assets.
One fund topped all others in May. The Roundhill Memory ETF (DRAM) pulled in $8.12 billion in net new assets, more than any other single fund during the month. Collectively, the top 20 active ETFs by net new assets gathered $37.89 billion in May, per ETFGI. It was also the industry’s 74th consecutive month of positive net inflows.
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