Goldman Sachs Asset Management is making a major push into the fast-growing buffer ETF market with a roughly $2 billion deal to acquire Innovator Capital Management. The acquisition will add about $28 billion in assets and 159 defined outcome ETFs, positioning Goldman among the industry’s largest active ETF providers once approvals are complete. 

Buffer ETFs, which use options to deliver preset downside protection and capped upside, continue to gain traction as investors seek greater predictability amid market uncertainty. 

Goldman has already expanded its presence with its own large-cap buffer strategies, seeing strong advisor demand for controlled-risk equity exposure. Industry projections point to defined outcome ETFs more than quadrupling by 2030, underscoring the category’s accelerating adoption. 

Finsum: This deal could provide innovator a global distribution platform and expanded reach, marking a pivotal moment in the evolution and mainstreaming of buffer ETFs.