I rarely know what I’m doing next week, but I can tell you exactly where I’ll be in six months. On March 16, 2026, you will find me at the Exchange conference. I’ll be there with many of my ETF-minded industry and advisor colleagues, and I hope you’ll be there too.
Exchange is consistently the best and most exhilarating three days of my business year. I’d love to tell you why, and I’ll use some photos from the 2025 event to show you what I mean.
ETF Education Supported by Industry Expertise
The Sunday before Exchange officially kicks off was no day of relaxation or watching the NCAA tournament for me. Instead, I helped launch the ETF Study Hall, a two-hour educational event designed for financial advisors. It’s a great way to get up to speed on the latest trends in the ETF industry. We bring in some of the smartest people in the analytical community to offer due diligence tips and more. Pictured below are three of last year’s speakers: Elisabeth Kashner of FactSet, Todd Sohn of Strategas Asset Management, and James Seyffart of Bloomberg Intelligence.
Speaking of smart people, I also had the pleasure of participating in Nate Geraci’s ETF Prime podcast, which was recorded live in front of an audience at Exchange. I was joined by my TMX VettaFi colleague Cinthia Murphy Bloomberg Intelligence’s Eric Balchunas. We discussed the key trends at the conference and what we were excited about for 2025. As you can see, I was the only one who didn’t think to bring sunglasses.
Innovative Asset Managers Share Insights & Foster Fun
I also had the pleasure of hosting several on-stage educational sessions. On Monday, Anna Paglia of State Street Investment Management and I discussed market volatility and the need for portfolio diversification. She and her team had just launched the SPDR Bridgewater All Weather ETF (ALLW ). This multi-asset fund is a great example of the exciting new strategies advisors can learn about at the conference.
On Tuesday, I moderated a discussion with experts from two of the most innovative fixed income ETF providers: Alex Morris of F/M Investments and Tony Kelly of BondBloxx. They shared their insights on interest rates, the credit market outlook, and more. Morris even challenged me to a pop-a-shot contest on stage. I accepted and, unfortunately, lost to him shortly after the session ended. While I did not watch basketball during the conference, I did play it.
To wrap up my moderating appearances, Dave Abner of Northern Trust and I pontificated on what the ETF industry would look like in five years. While I don’t recall all of his wisdom, we did agree on a more crowded market supported by significantly more assets. I wish I could remember what I said that made him laugh!
A Chance to Connect in Person
Exchange is also a fantastic opportunity to connect with attendees off-stage — not just for me, but advisors looking to build relationships with partners. For example, Capital Group had just celebrated its three-year anniversary in the ETF market, and Katie Greifeld of Bloomberg News and I spent time talking about their success with Scott Davis at a reception.
Meanwhile, the exhibit hall has always been a wonderful place to connect with ETF providers. The photos below show me with representatives from T. Rowe Price and Vanguard, who were among the 55 industry partners.
During Exchange, I witnessed strong traffic at these booths and kiosks during lunch and session breaks. The benefits of being in person and not on screen was evident.
Registration for Exchange 2026 is now open. Some of our speakers have been announced and more are forthcoming. Take advantage of our early-bird pricing for advisors, gatekeepers, and others in the ETF industry. March 2026 is just around the corner, and I hope to see you there!
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