Active ETFs have officially outnumbered their passive counterparts in the U.S. for the first time, with 2,069 listed funds as of mid-June. While passive ETFs still hold the lion’s share of assets under management, investor interest is clearly shifting—active strategies have attracted nearly 40% of total ETF inflows this year.
Many investors are turning to active ETFs for more agile, hands-on approaches in navigating today’s unpredictable markets, particularly in fixed income and equity sectors. The SEC is also weighing changes that would allow mutual funds to launch ETF share classes, a move that could dramatically expand access to active strategies and boost tax efficiency.
However, this flexibility may come at a cost for asset managers, as ETFs typically can't turn away new investors like closed mutual funds can, potentially limiting a manager's control over fund size and strategy execution.
Finsum: With U.S. ETF assets reaching $11 trillion in May, these structural shifts could fuel continued growth and reshape the way investors access actively managed portfolios.