Record ETF Assets Growth In 2020

2020 ETF inflows topped $507 billion, surpassing the $476.1 billion from 2017.

sumit
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Reviewed by: Sumit Roy
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Edited by: Sumit Roy

It's official: Investors added the largest sum ever to ETFs during 2020. After all was said and done, a whopping $507.4 billion flowed into U.S.-listed ETFs during the year, topping the previous record of $476.1 billion from 2017. Annual inflows for 2020 were also 55% greater than the $326.3 billion registered in 2019. 

Strong performance for asset classes across the board was the fuel that drove investors to plow money into exchange-traded funds at an unprecedented clip. By many measures, investor enthusiasm at the end of 2020 was unlike anything seen in years, and marked a sharp turnaround from the pessimism and despair seen at the start of the coronavirus pandemic in March.

The S&P 500 surged 18.4% on the year, while the Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate Bond Index jumped 7.5%. 

Certain pockets of the market, from software to biotech to alternative energy, easily outperformed the broader benchmarks, delivering eye-popping gains. The Nasdaq-100 Index rallied 48.9% on the year.

Fixed Income Leads For Second Year

Despite the surge in stocks, somehow U.S. fixed income ETFs managed to attract more buying from ETF investors. U.S. fixed income ETFs as a group picked up $186.4 billion of new money during 2020, outpacing the $165.4 billion picked up by U.S. equity ETFs.

It was the second year in a row in which U.S. fixed income ETF flows beat U.S. equity ETFs flows, and reflects investors' growing use of exchange-traded funds for fixed income exposure. 2020 also marked the first time that the Federal Reserve bought corporate bonds, with the central bank initially using ETFs to stabilize the markets during the panic in March.

The Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF (BND), the iShares iBoxx USD Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF (LQD) and the Vanguard Intermediate-Term Corporate Bond ETF (VCIT)  each had inflows of more than $14.7 billion during 2020. 

Vanguard Reigns Supreme 

While U.S. fixed income took the flows crown at the asset class level, it was an equity ETF that topped the flows list for individual ETFs. The Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (VTI) registered inflows of $32.6 billion, pushing its assets under management to more than $200 billion.

The Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO)  and the Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) followed behind, each with inflows of more than $16.7 billion. 

Meanwhile, the Vanguard Total International Stock ETF (VXUS) and the SPDR Gold Trust (GLD) were the most popular international equity ETF and commodity ETF of 2020, respectively, each with inflows of more than $15 billion.

'SPY' Sheds $22 Billion

Though 2020 was an ebullient year, not every ETF attracted inflows. Some high-profile duds included the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY), the iShares MSCI EAFE ETF (EFA)  and the iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (EEM), with outflows of $24.6 billion, $11.8 billion and $4.6 billion, respectively. 

Investors also shunned low-vol funds like the iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF (USMV) and the Invesco S&P 500 Low Volatility ETF (SPLV), both of which found themselves on the top outflows list for the year.

For a full list of 2020's top inflows and outflows, see the tables below:

 

Top Gainers (December 2020)

Ticker Name Issuer Net Flows ($,mm) AUM ($M) % of AUM YTD 2020 Net Flows($,M)
VTI Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF Vanguard 5,424.29 200,920.71 2.70% 32,623.27
IEMG iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF Blackrock 3,598.98 68,609.30 5.25% -563.20
IWM iShares Russell 2000 ETF Blackrock 3,296.57 58,757.37 5.61% 2,748.02
ARKK ARK Innovation ETF ARK 3,253.47 18,048.41 18.03% 9,492.03
ARKG ARK Genomic Revolution ETF ARK 3,192.49 7,885.87 40.48% 5,245.17
BND Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF Vanguard 2,437.14 68,065.47 3.58% 17,217.83
VXUS Vanguard Total International Stock ETF Vanguard 2,203.37 38,568.24 5.71% 16,002.66
BNDX Vanguard Total International Bond ETF Vanguard 1,989.41 37,194.53 5.35% 11,929.66
AGG iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF Blackrock 1,908.76 85,132.94 2.24% 12,475.29
TIP iShares TIPS Bond ETF Blackrock 1,654.90 26,307.94 6.29% 3,770.89

 

Top Gainers (Year-to-Date)

Ticker Name Issuer Net Flows ($,mm) AUM ($M) % of AUM December 2020 Net Flows($,M)
VTI Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF Vanguard 32,623.27 200,920.71 16.24% 5,424.29
VOO Vanguard S&P 500 ETF Vanguard 21,431.58 176,967.89 12.11% -5,135.00
BND Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF Vanguard 17,217.83 68,065.47 25.30% 2,437.14
QQQ Invesco QQQ Trust Invesco 16,733.95 151,436.31 11.05% 312.92
VXUS Vanguard Total International Stock ETF Vanguard 16,002.66 38,568.24 41.49% 2,203.37
GLD SPDR Gold Trust State Street 15,129.71 71,026.84 21.30% -1,385.31
LQD iShares iBoxx USD Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF Blackrock 15,020.10 55,074.49 27.27% -3,177.06
VCIT Vanguard Intermediate-Term Corporate Bond ETF Vanguard 14,790.27 42,470.51 34.82% 938.78
AGG iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF Blackrock 12,475.29 85,132.94 14.65% 1,908.76
BNDX Vanguard Total International Bond ETF Vanguard 11,929.66 37,194.53 32.07% 1,989.41

 

Biggest Losers (December 2020)

Ticker Name Issuer Net Flows ($,mm) AUM ($M) % of AUM YTD 2020 Net Flows($,M)
VOO Vanguard S&P 500 ETF Vanguard -5,135.00 176,967.89 -2.90% 21,431.58
SPY SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust State Street -4,298.34 326,894.62 -1.31% -24,580.85
IVV iShares Core S&P 500 ETF Blackrock -3,778.41 237,299.61 -1.59% 6,350.44
QUAL iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF Blackrock -3,467.86 21,481.15 -16.14% 2,191.34
LQD iShares iBoxx USD Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF Blackrock -3,177.06 55,074.49 -5.77% 15,020.10
HYG iShares iBoxx USD High Yield Corporate Bond ETF Blackrock -1,845.05 25,719.29 -7.17% 5,794.13
DIA SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF Trust State Street -1,815.97 24,089.56 -7.54% -109.75
IEF iShares 7-10 Year Treasury Bond ETF Blackrock -1,448.43 14,833.75 -9.76% -4,466.61
GLD SPDR Gold Trust State Street -1,385.31 71,026.84 -1.95% 15,129.71
BBEU JPMorgan BetaBuilders Europe ETF JPMorgan Chase -1,110.98 3,407.90 -32.60% -456.78

 

Biggest Losers (Year-to-Date)

Ticker Name Issuer Net Flows ($,mm) AUM ($M) % of AUM December 2020 Net Flows($,M)
SPY SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust State Street -24,580.85 326,894.62 -7.52% -4,298.34
EFA iShares MSCI EAFE ETF Blackrock -11,839.15 53,053.45 -22.32% 171.84
EEM iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF Blackrock -4,624.09 28,254.31 -16.37% 293.03
USMV iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF Blackrock -4,495.34 33,111.17 -13.58% -738.05
IEF iShares 7-10 Year Treasury Bond ETF Blackrock -4,466.61 14,833.75 -30.11% -1,448.43
IJH iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF Blackrock -4,295.26 53,682.06 -8.00% 86.11
FLOT iShares Floating Rate Bond ETF Blackrock -4,283.26 5,376.60 -79.66% -162.29
IWF iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF Blackrock -3,224.78 64,299.95 -5.02% -287.14
SHV iShares Short Treasury Bond ETF Blackrock -2,942.29 17,832.01 -16.50% -1,077.43
SPLV Invesco S&P 500 Low Volatility ETF Invesco -2,911.14 8,118.26 -35.86% -471.73

 

Asset Classes (December 2020)

  Net Flows ($, mm) AUM ($, mm) % of AUM
U.S. Equity 13,462.65 3,085,507.44 0.44%
International Equity 29,955.00 1,062,379.37 2.82%
U.S. Fixed Income 14,412.20 968,811.08 1.49%
International Fixed Income 4,752.31 123,724.66 3.84%
Commodities -789.86 143,985.38 -0.55%
Currency 57.13 1,918.11 2.98%
Leveraged -1,151.08 45,314.10 -2.54%
Inverse 39.43 10,880.72 0.36%
Asset Allocation 313.27 13,265.64 2.36%
Alternatives 151.33 5,291.75 2.86%
Total: 61,202.38 5,461,078.25 1.12%

 

Asset Classes (Year-to-Date)

  Net Flows ($, mm) AUM ($, mm) % of AUM
U.S. Equity 165,377.22 3,085,507.44 5.36%
International Equity 72,407.92 1,062,379.37 6.82%
U.S. Fixed Income 186,387.38 968,811.08 19.24%
International Fixed Income 25,515.58 123,724.66 20.62%
Commodities 40,016.74 143,985.38 27.79%
Currency 562.29 1,918.11 29.31%
Leveraged 394.29 45,314.10 0.87%
Inverse 13,510.84 10,880.72 124.17%
Asset Allocation 2,911.88 13,265.64 21.95%
Alternatives 359.55 5,291.75 6.79%
Total: 507,443.68 5,461,078.25 9.29%

 

December 2020 ETF Issuer League Table

Issuer Net Flows ($,M) AUM ($,M) % of AUM YTD 2020 Net Flows($,M)
Blackrock 11,664.71 2,021,101.37 0.58% 121,293.85
Vanguard 25,181.46 1,504,109.92 1.67% 199,917.58
State Street Global Advisors -3,530.24 841,150.01 -0.42% 35,083.09
Invesco 4,429.18 294,440.09 1.50% 20,017.43
Charles Schwab 3,070.21 198,390.09 1.55% 15,703.60
First Trust 2,007.23 110,469.37 1.82% 12,867.84
VanEck 2,016.00 53,705.88 3.75% 5,014.42
ProShares -750.62 46,921.79 -1.60% 14,352.92
JPMorgan Chase 888.00 44,981.63 1.97% 12,090.72
WisdomTree 579.62 38,435.95 1.51% -1,227.85
ARK 8,455.53 35,121.95 24.07% 20,446.42
PIMCO 319.28 25,872.75 1.23% 3,502.41
Fidelity 704.74 23,606.93 2.99% 4,045.44
Mirae Asset 1,697.52 20,857.71 8.14% 6,599.60
Deutsche Bank 448.65 20,235.17 2.22% 2,740.80
Direxion -32.64 18,710.10 -0.17% 5,197.46
Goldman Sachs 354.21 17,567.82 2.02% 2,161.88
Northern Trust -139.08 14,349.03 -0.97% -1,721.97
Franklin Templeton 83.91 8,739.22 0.96% 2,664.76
SS&C 269.19 7,356.76 3.66% -1,157.91
Aberdeen Standard Investments 71.97 6,383.15 1.13% 2,057.19
CICC -145.00 6,180.53 -2.35% 1,985.52
Pacer Advisors 84.38 5,757.13 1.47% 76.73
Victory Capital -9.68 5,588.99 -0.17% -8.86
ETFMG 394.58 5,578.19 7.07% 1,054.36
Exchange Traded Concepts 262.47 5,516.29 4.76% 2,092.33
John Hancock 9.04 5,006.53 0.18% -205.38
US Commodity Funds -261.25 4,822.58 -5.42% 4,696.49
Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. -251.54 4,397.39 -5.72% -194.37
Innovator 116.75 3,994.39 2.92% 1,418.56
Principal 2.91 3,987.19 0.07% 277.25
Janus Henderson 174.76 3,928.48 4.45% 2,402.92
New York Life 160.58 3,864.62 4.16% 365.41
American Century Investments 265.86 3,815.39 6.97% 2,039.49
The Hartford 36.98 3,716.01 1.00% -327.17
Amplify Investments 370.83 3,129.33 11.85% 1,642.74
US Global Investors 199.99 3,046.57 6.56% 2,302.86
Nuveen Securities 152.69 2,621.00 5.83% 1,271.33
Barclays Capital Inc. 2.27 2,321.38 0.10% -414.62
BMO 0.00 1,982.76 0.00% 647.62
Toroso Investments 107.40 1,536.79 6.99% 901.56
O’Shares Investments 98.73 1,469.35 6.72% 476.37
Prudential 105.14 1,344.54 7.82% 451.83
Vident -12.11 1,343.33 -0.90% -296.35
GraniteShares -13.77 1,329.17 -1.04% 435.22
Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC 217.71 1,269.50 17.15% 530.54
Davis Advisers 9.43 1,079.91 0.87% 165.09
AdvisorShares 111.48 1,053.64 10.58% 382.85
Defiance ETFs 165.57 1,000.49 16.55% 667.21
Aptus Capital Advisors 44.48 980.41 4.54% 487.63
UBS -18.89 900.28 -2.10% -2,138.06
Cambria -24.14 840.74 -2.87% 207.04
Virtus Investment Partners 58.38 833.94 7.00% -3.56
Renaissance Capital 268.62 782.32 34.34% 608.36
Transamerica Funds -4.48 752.69 -0.60% -63.63
Inspire 1.36 687.77 0.20% 154.31
Credit Suisse Group AG 35.12 670.67 5.24% -1,497.01
EMPIRICAL FINANCE LLC 10.62 655.06 1.62% 133.70
Main Management 6.87 649.06 1.06% 6.94
The Motley Fool 32.36 550.30 5.88% 132.79
Nationwide 19.87 497.61 3.99% 80.31
BNY Mellon 65.14 496.81 13.11% 213.72
Merk 14.01 441.00 3.18% 198.71
Redwood Investment Management 133.23 407.26 32.71% 255.21
Tortoise 15.89 397.35 4.00% -1.49
Timothy Plan 6.88 388.33 1.77% 97.51
Sprott, Inc. 7.38 386.61 1.91% 60.45
Al Marketing LLC -2.68 376.34 -0.71% -53.35
TrimTabs 161.13 364.09 44.26% 197.15
WBI -12.89 319.41 -4.04% -137.43
Teucrium -25.61 313.08 -8.18% 90.17
Liquid Strategies 4.05 290.29 1.40% 156.09
Howard Capital Management 5.51 283.46 1.94% 99.14
Roundhill Investments 49.09 283.17 17.34% 193.06
SRN Advisors 23.34 278.45 8.38% 118.69
ClearShares LLC -5.01 273.68 -1.83% 62.78
Regents Park Funds 14.56 255.51 5.70% 142.90
Swedish Export Credit 12.75 233.83 5.45% -20.31
Strategy Shares 75.28 220.12 34.20% 183.39
Distillate Capital 5.38 207.94 2.59% 116.71
EntrepreneurShares, LLC 2.53 191.69 1.32% 27.02
Intangible Capital 0.03 174.06 0.02% 1.34
T. Rowe Price Group, Inc. 24.79 149.99 16.53% 76.98
Tuttle Tactical Management, LLC 17.23 148.72 11.58% 128.78
AGF -18.33 145.67 -12.58% 53.68
Core Alternative Capital 0.00 138.28 0.00% 25.70
Donald L. Hagan LLC 4.33 137.12 3.16% 113.92
OBP Capital LLC 10.23 126.93 8.06% 53.95
Arrow Funds 0.00 105.91 0.00% -12.50
Simplify Asset Management Inc. 6.56 99.46 6.59% 91.11
Gadsden 4.95 98.19 5.04% 34.42
Cboe Vest Financial LLC 4.75 86.27 5.50% 30.56
Exponential ETFs 0.96 83.77 1.15% 1.31
Wahed Invest LLC 5.81 67.45 8.61% 32.76
Emles Advisors LLC 4.41 66.41 6.64% 48.28
TrueMark Investments 5.88 65.55 8.97% 54.55
Syntax Advisors 1.39 62.29 2.23% -26.12
CornerCap Investment Counsel, Inc. 4.63 59.64 7.76% 54.05
Pacific Life 0.00 57.07 0.00% 0.00
iM Global Partner -9.69 55.09 -17.58% 17.58
Metaurus Advisors 0.46 53.02 0.86% 0.46
Highland Capital Management -3.18 52.88 -6.01% -213.70
Natixis -9.29 49.81 -18.64% -4.38
Premise Capital -2.25 49.35 -4.55% 6.07
Toews Corp. -1.26 48.85 -2.58% 42.35
ProcureAM 8.30 43.12 19.24% 27.51
Advisors Asset Management 1.16 42.87 2.71% -0.21
Pettee Investors 0.83 40.40 2.06% 26.24
Absolute Investment Advisers LLC 1.90 37.41 5.08% 33.65
Beyond Investing 1.71 36.02 4.74% 18.23
Impact Shares 0.74 35.39 2.08% 18.15
Change Finance 2.85 32.79 8.70% 14.81
AlphaMark Advisors 0.00 23.68 0.00% 0.00
ETF Series Solutions 0.58 23.42 2.49% 8.72
Truist 4.55 20.48 22.24% 17.93
Esoterica 2.51 20.18 12.42% 12.90
Neil Azous Revocable Trust 0.67 19.23 3.48% -1.78
Little Harbor Advisors -5.49 17.73 -30.97% 19.22
The Leuthold Group LLC 0.00 12.68 0.00% 11.42
Counterpoint Mutual Funds LLC 0.00 12.62 0.00% 12.90
Alternative Access Funds LLC 0.00 10.00 0.00% 9.98
Point Bridge Capital 0.00 9.59 0.00% -4.78
Guinness Atkinson Asset Management 2.49 8.01 31.06% 3.53
Global Beta Advisors 0.01 7.24 0.17% -0.29
Water Island Capital Partners LP 0.00 6.43 0.00% 3.75
EquBot 0.00 6.18 0.00% 1.56
Inverdale Capital Management LLC 1.97 3.31 59.64% 1.97
Grace Partners of Dupage LP 0.00 3.11 0.00% 0.00
Whitford Asset Management 0.00 2.75 0.00% -1.07
Reflection Asset Management, LLC 0.00 2.29 -0.02% 2.02

 

Disclaimer: All data as of 6 a.m. Eastern time the date the article is published. Data is believed to be accurate; however, transient market data is often subject to subsequent revision and correction by the exchanges.

Sumit Roy is the senior ETF analyst for etf.com, where he's worked for 12 years. Before joining the company, Roy was the managing editor and commodities analyst for Hard Assets Investor. He lives in the San Francisco Bay Area, where he enjoys climbing the city’s steep hills, playing pickleball and snowboarding.