Alternative ETFs ETF Overview

What are alternatives ETFs? Hedge funds, commodities, options strategies, private equity—anything that doesn't fit cleanly into the equity or fixed-income buckets has been termed 'alternative' at one point or another. Perhaps the most defining characteristic for alternative investments was that if you were not a 'qualified investor,' most investors couldn't buy them. Today, however, financial innovation has made many of these complex strategies available to a broader audience through ETFs.

With 49 ETFs traded on the U.S. markets, Alternative ETFs ETFs have total assets under management of $7.24B. The average expense ratio is 1.03%. Alternative ETFs ETFs can be found in the following asset classes:

  • Alternatives

The largest Alternative ETFs ETF is the RPAR Risk Parity ETF RPAR with $1.10B in assets. In the last trailing year, the best-performing Alternative ETFs ETF was PFIX at 38.57%. The most recent ETF launched in the Alternative ETFs space was the Return Stacked Bonds & Managed Futures ETF RSBT on 02/08/23.

Top ETF Performers

TYA Simplify Risk Parity Treasury ETF 11.87%
VIXM ProShares VIX Mid-Term Futures ETF 4.31%
VXZ iPath Series B S&P 500 VIX Mid-Term Futures ETN 3.72%
BTAL AGF US Market Neutral Anti-Beta Fund 3.42%
VXX iPath Series B S&P 500 VIX Short Term Futures ETN 3.40%

Bottom ETF Performers

SVIX VS Trust - -1x Short VIX Futures ETF -10.38%
CTA Simplify Managed Futures Strategy ETF -10.28%
RATE Global X Interest Rate Hedge ETF -9.20%
PFIX Simplify Interest Rate Hedge ETF -9.13%
DBMF iMGP DBi Managed Futures Strategy ETF -8.36%

Top Creations

SVOL Simplify Volatility Premium ETF 19.60
SVIX VS Trust - -1x Short VIX Futures ETF 11.34
DBEH iMGP DBi Hedge Strategy ETF 10.47
DBMF iMGP DBi Managed Futures Strategy ETF 10.08
RSBT Return Stacked Bonds & Managed Futures ETF 6.01

Top Redemptions

SVXY ProShares Short VIX Short-Term Futures ETF -70.81
UVXY ProShares Ultra VIX Short-Term Futures ETF -46.04
QAI IQ Hedge Multi-Strategy Tracker ETF -32.11
ARB AltShares Merger Arbitrage ETF -23.29
MNA IQ Merger Arbitrage ETF -18.91

AUM Winners

RSBT Return Stacked Bonds & Managed Futures ETF 137.02%
SVIX VS Trust - -1x Short VIX Futures ETF 111.83%
SPKY ConvexityShares Daily 1.5x SPIKES Futures ETF 54.37%
DBEH iMGP DBi Hedge Strategy ETF 43.04%
SVXY ProShares Short VIX Short-Term Futures ETF 40.03%

AUM Losers

CPI IQ Real Return ETF -29.17%
PFIX Simplify Interest Rate Hedge ETF -25.41%
ARB AltShares Merger Arbitrage ETF -22.29%
LBAY Leatherback Long/Short Alternative Yield ETF -13.85%
RINF ProShares Inflation Expectations ETF -12.96%

Alternative ETFs University

Daily ETF Watch

Odds & Ends: ETF Launches Sputter

However, a significant number of funds are undergoing material changes.

Daily ETF Watch

Odds & Ends: Alpha Architect Debuts Tail Risk ETF

Plus, more closures are on the horizon.

Features and News

A Managed Futures ETF Shined Through the Gloom in 2022

Checking in with the manager of DBMF, one of last year’s top-performing funds.

Podcasts

IndexIQ's Bruno Sees a Market in Transition

The issuer's CIO sees opportunities in alternatives and beyond-the-headline names in equities.

Daily ETF Watch

Odds & Ends: The 2023 ETF Market Heats Up

After a very slow start, this week was a rush of activity, including 21 launches.

Daily ETF Watch

Tuttle Plans Leveraged Managed Futures ETF

The proposed fund looks to deliver 200% of the daily performance of one of 2022’s top-performing ETFs.

Features and News

Looming Debt Crisis Might Turbocharge VXX

Volatility strategy may be in order as U.S. default worries rise.

Podcasts

Astoria Portfolio Advisors CEO on the Biggest ETF Trends of 2023

John Davi shares why he expects 2023 to be a 'big year' for fixed income.

Features and News

Best Performing ETFs of 2022

Energy ETFs dominated 2022’s top funds.