ETF Industry Trends​

Since the start of September 2025, the ETF industry reflects a dynamic blend of enduring investor priorities and emerging themes reshaping the landscape. U.S. ETF assets have reached $12.5 trillion, with year-to-date net inflows of $784 billion, already outpacing the $593 billion gathered during the same time span in 2024.

Thematic ETFs took center stage in the U.S. ETF market over the past few years, but 2024 was a stark reminder that not all themes have staying power. As investors recalibrated amid interest rate uncertainty, macroeconomic resets, and headline fatigue, some of the buzziest ideas of the past cycle saw significant outflows. Meanwhile, a more selective class of strategies emerged as winners, revealing an important shift in how U.S. investors are approaching thematic exposure.

With interest rates at their highest levels in over a decade, inflation reshaping market behavior, and equity volatility shaking traditional asset allocation models, asset managers are rediscovering bonds, and the ETF wrapper is proving to be a powerful tool for delivering them. There’s finally room to get creative again. Duration, credit quality, curve positioning, and risk hedging are back in play.

ETF issuers are shattering records. According to the Tidal ETF Industry KPI Report March 3, 2025, issuers are raking in an estimated $17.4 billion in expense ratio revenue over the past year, a testament to the explosive growth in rising AUM and the boom in Active and Derivative ETFs. Read More:

What does it mean now that active ETFs have crossed the $1 trillion mark? Discover how this milestone is reshaping the ETF landscape, and why Tidal is at the forefront of the movement.

The year 2024 has been nothing short of extraordinary, particularly for the Exchange-Traded Fund (ETF) industry. This year has shattered records across the board, from new listings to net inflows and total assets under management. Read on to know more:

Confidence in active management is growing. Allocators are shifting focus to actively managed ETFs, with allocations on the rise. Discover why active management is making waves, particularly in ETFs, and what this means for the future of ETF investing.