U.S.-listed exchange traded funds pulled in $171.4 billion during April, driving total ETF assets under management to $14.7 trillion, according to recent data from FactSet.
Key Takeaways:
- U.S. ETF assets reached $14.7 trillion in April, up 10.5% from March.
- Equity funds drew $133 billion in April; fixed income fell to $31.3 billion.
- 93 new ETFs launched in April with 74 actively managed; 89 funds closed YTD.
The monthly haul brought year-to-date ETF inflows to $643.9 billion, FactSet data shows. The April total represented a 10.5% jump from the $13.3 trillion in assets reported at the end of March.
See more: April Showers Bring a Deluge of ETF Inflows
Equity ETFs dominated the flows, capturing 77.5% of net new assets at $133 billion. Fixed income products attracted 18% of monthly inflows at $31.3 billion, the lowest level since July, per the report.
Alternative ETFs saw a bump in April, gathering $4.6 billion in net new money. Currency and asset allocation funds brought in $2.6 billion and $907 million, respectively. Commodity ETFs lost $845.5 million, driven by outflows from crude oil and precious metals products.
Sector flows reflected a risk-on environment. Technology, financials, materials, and communication services sectors all posted positive inflows. Money moved out of consumer staples, energy, and utilities.
New ETF Inflows Drive Innovation
The ETF launch pipeline stayed active with 93 new products. Of those, 74 were actively managed, representing roughly 80% of the new offerings. Equity launches accounted for 42 products, most focused on size and style factors. The alternative space added 21 ETFs, including structured note products wrapped in the ETF format.
Nicholas Wealth introduced the Nicholas Bitcoin and Treasuries AfterDark ETF (NGHT), which switches daily between bitcoin and U.S. Treasuries based on equity trading hours. The fund aims to capture bitcoin’s overnight risk and return profile.
On the flip side, 89 ETFs have closed year-to-date. The average lifespan of delisted funds was just over two years, with the shortest run lasting 51 days, according to FactSet. Most quick closures involved leveraged or inverse single-stock ETFs.
“While the number of ETF launches has climbed higher the last few years, some ETFs will have a short life,” said Todd Rosenbluth, head of research at VettaFi. “As the industry becomes more crowded it is important for asset managers to have a distribution plan to help educate investors about a new ETF and how it can fit into a broader portfolio.”
The data suggests issuers move quickly when products fail to attract assets.
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