Hands-on fund managers drive ETF growth
Active ETFs at least 2 years old draw most assets under management
'Diversification is key': ETFs expert makes the case for active investing
BlackRock U.S. head of equity ETFs Jay Jacobs explains why more investors should activate active investing and analyzes market performance as stocks slip to kick off December on 'The Claman Countdown.'
The exchange-traded fund industry is having a record year, with assets already hitting over $1 trillion, and active managers are driving a big part of that growth.
"Third-quarter activity confirmed what we’ve seen building over the past several years: Active ETFs continue to drive innovation and flows," wrote Dan Aronson, managing director, ETF client product specialist group, in Janus Henderson’s "ETF Pulse" through the third quarter.
Active managers can be part of the decision-making regarding which stocks to include using the convenience of an ETF.
Active ETFs account for 80% of year-to-date launches, with assets under management growing 38% compared to 6% for passive ETFs, he noted. New launches are balanced between fixed income and equities.
Janus Henderson reports strong activity among active ETFs (Janus Henderson Investors )
However, not all funds are created equal. Average assets under management are around $120 million for funds between two and three years old, compared to just $40 million for newer funds.
A snapshot of active ETF fund flows and assets under management. (Janus Henderson )
Still, BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager, sees plenty of ETF growth ahead in 2026.
BILLIONAIRE JOINS MICHAEL DELL IN BACKING TRUMP SAVINGS ACCOUNTS
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BLK | BLACKROCK INC. | 1,065.00 | -3.14 | -0.29% |
Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
Top Active ETFs: VettaFi
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JEPI | JP MORGAN ETF TRUST EQUITY PREMIUM INC ETF USD | 57.24 | -0.28 | -0.49% |
| DFAC | DIMENSIONAL ETF TRUST US CORE EQUITY 2 ETF | 39.14 | -0.29 | -0.74% |
| JPST | JPMORGAN ULTRA-SHORT INCOME ETF - USD DIS | 50.67 | -0.00 | -0.00% |
GOLDMAN SACHS TALKS SMALL CAP STOCKS
"We’re optimistic, but people need to be nimble. I think this is where active management can provide a ton of value to navigate where we are seeing the markets up, but we are also seeing a lot more dispersion across stocks," Jay Jacobs, BlackRock U.S. head of equity ETFs, told FOX Business’ Liz Claman. "There are some bigger winners and some bigger losers. Being able to play the stock markets the right way can really help drive investor returns in 2026."