Global ETF Assets Break Record, Reach $12.3 Trillion
The global ETF industry achieved a new record last month, hitting $12.3 trillion in assets as the bull market brought in new cash and pushed markets higher.
Global ETFs brought in $116.3 billion over the course of last month, making year to date net inflows $253 billion, according to data from U.K. research firm ETFGI. The inflows, along with the S&P 500 index rising 5.34% over February, caused assets in ETFs globally to swell past the previous record set in January of $11.7 trillion.
U.S. assets in ETFs broke their previous record last month, hitting $8.5 trillion and beating the previous record set in January of $8.19 trillion.
The ETF industry is pulling in assets as investors seek to take advantage of rising equity markets fueled by large tech companies such as Nvidia Inc. and Meta Corp., which are gaining thanks to soaring demand for artificial intelligence chips and services. The S&P 500 index broke 5,000 for the first time in February, building on last year's 27% gain.
"Substantial inflows can be attributed to the top 20 ETFs by net new assets," the ETFGI statement read, adding that those funds brought in $63.6 billion last month.
Global ETFs Assets Rise
A global bull market helped push assets higher, according to Deboarh Fuhr, managing partner and founder of U.K.-based ETFGI. Emerging markets also gained: China was up 8.4%, and Peru gained 7%, the report said. Overall, emerging markets rose 1.9% in February.
Yet the ETFs that saw the most inflows over the month were U.S. listed products. The $415 billion Vanguard S&P 500 (VOO) topped the list of ETFs that gained the most assets last month, bringing in $6 billion and $16 billion year to date. The Vanguard Information Technology ETF (VGT) and iShares Core S&P 500 ETF (IVV) followed, bringing in $5.7 billion and $5.2 billion, respectively.
The launch of the novel spot bitcoin ETFs also continued to bring in fresh assets to the industry. The $10 billion iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) had nearly $5 billion in inflows just in February, according to ETFGI data.
Fuhr is a member of etf.com's editorial advisory board.
Contact Lucy Brewster at lucy.brewster@etf.com.
