Feb. 2021 ETF Inflows Second Largest Ever

$4.7 billion a day. That’s how much money investors put to work in U.S.-listed ETFs during the month of February—a blistering pace that summed to $88.7 billion over February’s 19 trading sessions. That $88.7 is the second-largest monthly haul for U.S.-listed ETFs ever, behind only the $91.2 billion record set last November.

Everything from equity to fixed income ETFs picked up assets in February, though investors focused their firepower on U.S. and international stock funds.

U.S. equity ETF inflows for the month totaled $52.4 billion, while international equity ETF inflows equaled $26.3 billion. On a year-to-date basis, international equity ETFs ended February just ahead of their U.S. counterparts, $62.5 billion versus $60.5 billion.

Year-to-date inflows for U.S.-listed ETFs as a whole finished the month at $154.8 billion, more than double the $72.3 billion seen at the end of February 2020.

Investors Unfazed

Stocks continued marching to a record high during February, largely unfazed by a late-month interest rate spike. Beneath the surface, there was a bit of a rotation from growth to value, and from large caps to small caps, but nothing that signified a major trend change.

For the most part, the “everything rally” remained in tact during February. The only exception was bonds. In the year-to-date period through the end of the month, the iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF (TLT) dropped more than 9%.

TLT, the iShares iBoxx USD Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF (LQD) and the SPDR Bloomberg Barclays High Yield Bond ETF (JNK) saw some of the largest outflows of the month.

But even so, fixed income ETFs in aggregate registered net inflows of $5.2 billion in February.

Gold was another interest-rate-sensitive asset that took a hit during the month, falling to an eight-month low. The SPDR Gold Trust (GLD) had monthly redemptions of $3.8 billion.

ETF Barbell

On the inflows side of the ledger, demand continued unabated for low-cost index funds and higher-cost active funds from ARK.

The Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO), the iShares Core S&P 500 ETF (IVV) and the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) took the top three positions on the monthly inflows list.

Meanwhile, the ARK Innovation ETF (ARKK) and the ARK Fintech Innovation ETF (ARKF) took positions Nos. 4 and 10, with inflows of $2.4 billion and $1.7 billion, respectively.

ARK ended the month as the tenth-largest ETF issuer, with assets under management of $51.1 billion.

For a full list of the top inflows and outflows for February and the year-to-date period, see the tables below:

 

 

 

Top Gainers (February 2021)

Ticker	Name	Issuer	Net Flows ($,mm)	AUM ($M)	% of AUM	YTD 2021 Net Flows($,M)
VOO	Vanguard S&P 500 ETF	Vanguard	11,305.22	194,935.23	5.80%	12,930.11
IVV	iShares Core S&P 500 ETF	Blackrock	8,319.16	249,924.16	3.33%	6,009.93
SPY	SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust	State Street Global Advisors	6,862.85	333,390.91	2.06%	-2,634.28
ARKK	ARK Innovation ETF	ARK	2,420.71	23,337.35	10.37%	5,586.31
VTI	Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF	Vanguard	2,211.94	213,694.17	1.04%	5,402.09
BND	Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF	Vanguard	2,010.37	70,437.55	2.85%	4,633.87
XLF	Financial Select Sector SPDR Fund	State Street Global Advisors	1,918.69	35,067.29	5.47%	7,159.06
QQQ	Invesco QQQ Trust	Invesco	1,894.05	149,621.52	1.27%	-1,587.47
IWM	iShares Russell 2000 ETF	Blackrock	1,889.44	67,533.34	2.80%	2,240.36
ARKF	ARK Fintech Innovation ETF	ARK	1,709.10	4,435.72	38.53%	2,375.37

 

Top Gainers (Year-to-Date)

Ticker	Name	Issuer	Net Flows ($,mm)	AUM ($M)	% of AUM	February 2021 Net Flows($,M)
VOO	Vanguard S&P 500 ETF	Vanguard	12,930.11	194,935.23	6.63%	11,305.22
XLF	Financial Select Sector SPDR Fund	State Street Global Advisors	7,159.06	35,067.29	20.42%	1,918.69
IVV	iShares Core S&P 500 ETF	Blackrock	6,009.93	249,924.16	2.40%	8,319.16
ARKK	ARK Innovation ETF	ARK	5,586.31	23,337.35	23.94%	2,420.71
VTI	Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF	Vanguard	5,402.09	213,694.17	2.53%	2,211.94
BND	Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF	Vanguard	4,633.87	70,437.55	6.58%	2,010.37
IUSB	iShares Core Total USD Bond Market ETF	Blackrock	4,445.34	10,203.56	43.57%	785.84
EFV	iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF	Blackrock	3,957.20	11,826.46	33.46%	684.15
IEMG	iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF	Blackrock	3,952.14	77,777.99	5.08%	797.09
ARKG	ARK Genomic Revolution ETF	ARK	3,400.83	10,551.54	32.23%	984.62

 

Biggest Losers (February 2021)

Ticker	Name	Issuer	Net Flows ($,mm)	AUM ($M)	% of AUM	YTD 2021 Net Flows($,M)
LQD	iShares iBoxx USD Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF	Blackrock	-5,332.06	44,888.08	-11.88%	-7,712.44
GLD	SPDR Gold Trust	State Street Global Advisors	-3,831.38	62,551.13	-6.13%	-4,435.29
JNK	SPDR Bloomberg Barclays High Yield Bond ETF	State Street Global Advisors	-2,029.98	9,814.97	-20.68%	-2,703.12
TLT	iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF	Blackrock	-1,887.45	13,759.80	-13.72%	-3,103.54
SDY	SPDR S&P Dividend ETF	State Street Global Advisors	-1,801.38	17,403.72	-10.35%	-744.55
USMV	iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF	Blackrock	-1,559.30	28,442.10	-5.48%	-4,348.13
XLP	Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR Fund	State Street Global Advisors	-1,483.10	10,351.63	-14.33%	-2,384.35
PFF	iShares Preferred and Income Securities ETF	Blackrock	-1,241.26	17,496.48	-7.09%	-1,344.93
XLV	Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund	State Street Global Advisors	-1,098.60	24,242.61	-4.53%	-1,491.64
QUAL	iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF	Blackrock	-1,052.92	19,263.98	-5.47%	-2,508.10

 

Biggest Losers (Year-to-Date)

Ticker	Name	Issuer	Net Flows ($,mm)	AUM ($M)	% of AUM	February 2021 Net Flows($,M)
LQD	iShares iBoxx USD Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF	Blackrock	-7,712.44	44,888.08	-17.18%	-5,332.06
GLD	SPDR Gold Trust	State Street Global Advisors	-4,435.29	62,551.13	-7.09%	-3,831.38
USMV	iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF	Blackrock	-4,348.13	28,442.10	-15.29%	-1,559.30
HYG	iShares iBoxx USD High Yield Corporate Bond ETF	Blackrock	-3,693.92	22,056.02	-16.75%	513.29
TLT	iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF	Blackrock	-3,103.54	13,759.80	-22.56%	-1,887.45
JNK	SPDR Bloomberg Barclays High Yield Bond ETF	State Street Global Advisors	-2,703.12	9,814.97	-27.54%	-2,029.98
SPY	SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust	State Street Global Advisors	-2,634.28	333,390.91	-0.79%	6,862.85
QUAL	iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF	Blackrock	-2,508.10	19,263.98	-13.02%	-1,052.92
XLP	Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR Fund	State Street Global Advisors	-2,384.35	10,351.63	-23.03%	-1,483.10
IWF	iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF	Blackrock	-2,054.75	61,708.27	-3.33%	-966.99

 

Asset Classes (February 2021)

	Net Flows ($, mm)	AUM ($, mm)	% of AUM
U.S. Equity	52,437.88	3,278,345.73	1.60%
International Equity	26,272.53	1,167,686.57	2.25%
U.S. Fixed Income	5,172.74	968,729.70	0.53%
International Fixed Income	3,135.93	128,088.09	2.45%
Commodities	-2,232.46	140,145.27	-1.59%
Currency	21.00	2,020.71	1.04%
Leveraged	2,371.06	50,413.56	4.70%
Inverse	540.89	12,112.58	4.47%
Asset Allocation	258.89	14,006.25	1.85%
Alternatives	708.03	6,532.11	10.84%
Total:	88,686.49	5,768,080.58	1.54%

 

Asset Classes (Year-to-Date)

	Net Flows ($, mm)	AUM ($, mm)	% of AUM
U.S. Equity	60,491.89	3,278,345.73	1.85%
International Equity	62,549.04	1,167,686.57	5.36%
U.S. Fixed Income	20,751.87	968,729.70	2.14%
International Fixed Income	7,314.51	128,088.09	5.71%
Commodities	-1,394.11	140,145.27	-0.99%
Currency	104.31	2,020.71	5.16%
Leveraged	1,305.84	50,413.56	2.59%
Inverse	1,921.49	12,112.58	15.86%
Asset Allocation	630.75	14,006.25	4.50%
Alternatives	1,146.04	6,532.11	17.54%
Total:	154,821.63	5,768,080.58	2.68%

 

February 2021 ETF Issuer League Table

Issuer	Net Flows ($,M)	AUM ($,M)	% of AUM	YTD 2021 Net Flows($,M)
Blackrock	16,066.62	2,099,290.74	0.77%	21,130.56
Vanguard	31,687.16	1,601,105.18	1.98%	57,807.91
State Street Global Advisors	5,019.87	874,941.45	0.57%	8,509.96
Invesco	5,511.52	306,257.27	1.80%	6,809.06
Charles Schwab	2,909.80	212,688.80	1.37%	6,297.19
First Trust	1,832.73	117,575.19	1.56%	4,316.79
VanEck	148.59	53,547.32	0.28%	1,274.41
JPMorgan Chase	2,858.07	53,006.70	5.39%	6,748.31
ProShares	2,600.82	51,377.34	5.06%	3,281.77
ARK	8,288.23	51,134.51	16.21%	16,561.35
WisdomTree	101.38	40,734.57	0.25%	497.27
Mirae Asset	2,896.17	27,510.64	10.53%	6,166.29
PIMCO	-121.20	26,109.91	-0.46%	375.30
Fidelity	568.05	25,149.12	2.26%	958.67
Goldman Sachs	20.72	22,555.72	0.09%	185.79
Deutsche Bank	431.17	21,496.92	2.01%	754.38
Direxion	779.53	21,229.99	3.67%	675.65
Northern Trust	661.81	15,862.05	4.17%	817.23
Franklin Templeton	212.15	9,001.46	2.36%	287.04
CICC	1,029.13	8,537.31	12.05%	1,656.02
SS&C	147.45	8,265.86	1.78%	186.08
ETFMG	474.70	7,055.84	6.73%	807.52
Aberdeen Standard Investments	120.08	6,902.88	1.74%	322.80
Exchange Traded Concepts	408.99	6,643.42	6.16%	767.90
Victory Capital	197.40	6,116.53	3.23%	288.19
Pacer Advisors	101.65	5,919.03	1.72%	14.46
US Commodity Funds	-371.96	4,975.97	-7.48%	-1,027.23
Amplify Investments	724.43	4,570.15	15.85%	1,087.04
American Century Investments	349.41	4,561.19	7.66%	493.54
John Hancock	-798.42	4,505.05	-17.72%	-797.49
Innovator	137.03	4,467.51	3.07%	363.51
Janus Henderson	54.68	4,188.15	1.31%	264.21
New York Life	8.11	4,116.26	0.20%	203.88
Principal	41.31	4,081.03	1.01%	84.41
US Global Investors	304.27	3,903.65	7.79%	377.02
The Hartford	-55.14	3,777.13	-1.46%	32.23
Barclays Capital Inc.	584.90	3,413.98	17.13%	838.83
Nuveen Securities	105.14	3,336.36	3.15%	604.24
BMO	44.42	2,597.11	1.71%	83.22
AdvisorShares	583.52	2,263.42	25.78%	1,035.65
Toroso Investments	154.41	1,901.62	8.12%	390.95
O’Shares Investments	50.91	1,576.41	3.23%	79.21
Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC	59.29	1,420.75	4.17%	155.78
GraniteShares	77.38	1,419.25	5.45%	121.59
Vident	0.01	1,410.42	0.00%	-2.30
Prudential	52.09	1,386.90	3.76%	36.70
Defiance ETFs	113.75	1,294.00	8.79%	263.75
Davis Advisers	19.32	1,216.75	1.59%	42.29
Aptus Capital Advisors	21.80	1,091.57	2.00%	99.47
UBS	-11.24	972.08	-1.16%	-25.10
Renaissance Capital	58.73	947.38	6.20%	172.65
Cambria	26.16	936.72	2.79%	55.20
Virtus Investment Partners	22.75	894.81	2.54%	9.28
EMPIRICAL FINANCE LLC	28.72	854.24	3.36%	158.96
Dimensional Holdings	220.99	822.25	26.88%	417.01
Inspire	20.74	788.09	2.63%	22.57
Credit Suisse Group AG	59.37	760.12	7.81%	80.28
Transamerica Funds	-2.00	756.09	-0.26%	-23.23
Main Management	25.15	713.26	3.53%	27.00
BNY Mellon	87.65	646.89	13.55%	135.01
Roundhill Investments	179.03	616.86	29.02%	285.49
The Motley Fool	23.27	600.59	3.87%	43.41
Nationwide	43.74	574.99	7.61%	77.86
Merk	28.98	450.87	6.43%	36.08
Tortoise	33.45	435.10	7.69%	-8.62
Timothy Plan	4.52	408.52	1.11%	3.19
Teucrium	32.33	382.72	8.45%	37.38
Al Marketing LLC	-6.73	369.65	-1.82%	-8.57
SRN Advisors	40.87	367.33	11.13%	58.60
TrimTabs	-9.10	361.02	-2.52%	-10.76
Sprott, Inc.	4.59	347.98	1.32%	18.18
Liquid Strategies	23.87	338.25	7.06%	47.67
Strategy Shares	30.92	319.44	9.68%	107.02
WBI	-12.25	306.78	-3.99%	-22.15
Tuttle Tactical Management, LLC	47.78	294.30	16.23%	138.38
Howard Capital Management	8.27	294.29	2.81%	7.92
Redwood Investment Management	-4.67	289.02	-1.62%	-136.65
ClearShares LLC	2.49	277.48	0.90%	2.49
Distillate Capital	6.43	275.85	2.33%	51.26
Regents Park Funds	-2.73	271.44	-1.01%	12.62
OBP Capital LLC	86.82	254.28	34.14%	112.95
Swedish Export Credit	17.30	250.27	6.91%	-14.32
EntrepreneurShares, LLC	7.21	197.01	3.66%	4.30
T. Rowe Price Group, Inc.	18.36	195.23	9.40%	42.85
Intangible Capital	0.01	178.04	0.00%	0.01
Simplify Asset Management Inc.	42.50	169.47	25.08%	57.66
Donald L. Hagan LLC	16.72	160.76	10.40%	20.42
Core Alternative Capital	2.81	156.45	1.80%	16.84
ProcureAM	52.36	142.59	36.72%	91.55
AGF	0.97	136.88	0.71%	2.86
Arrow Funds	0.00	108.95	0.00%	0.00
Little Harbor Advisors	12.07	106.00	11.39%	48.03
Gadsden	2.59	105.18	2.47%	5.46
TrueMark Investments	16.80	101.77	16.51%	31.41
Cboe Vest Financial LLC	4.76	93.56	5.08%	4.76
Exponential ETFs	5.20	88.68	5.87%	1.48
RBS Securities	84.54	84.26	100.33%	87.04
Wahed Invest LLC	5.28	81.58	6.47%	14.02
CornerCap Investment Counsel, Inc.	11.24	80.42	13.97%	16.51
Syntax Advisors	0.00	67.74	0.00%	-0.30
Pettee Investors	3.50	59.66	5.87%	15.54
Pacific Life	0.00	57.26	0.00%	0.00
Metaurus Advisors	0.01	54.95	0.02%	0.52
Natixis	1.57	53.78	2.92%	2.45
Emles Advisors LLC	-14.84	52.88	-28.07%	-14.29
Esoterica	11.47	52.45	21.86%	31.64
Advisors Asset Management	1.90	51.16	3.71%	4.67
iM Global Partner	-1.94	49.76	-3.91%	-8.21
Toews Corp.	-1.28	46.22	-2.76%	-2.62
Highland Capital Management	-4.86	45.40	-10.71%	-8.18
Change Finance	7.27	44.10	16.49%	10.18
MCCM Group LLC	25.54	44.09	57.93%	46.75
Premise Capital	-5.38	43.73	-12.31%	-6.89
Impact Shares	2.94	42.55	6.90%	6.51
Beyond Investing	2.67	41.27	6.48%	4.43
Infusive Asset Management	1.71	41.13	4.17%	1.71
Absolute Investment Advisers LLC	1.91	40.24	4.76%	2.55
ProFunds	2.73	34.35	7.96%	28.55
ETF Series Solutions	0.00	25.37	0.00%	1.21
AlphaMark Advisors	-1.41	24.81	-5.69%	-1.41
Truist	2.02	23.60	8.55%	3.32
Swan Global Investments	12.17	22.23	54.75%	20.61
Guinness Atkinson Asset Management	4.78	20.92	22.87%	12.07
Neil Azous Revocable Trust	0.00	19.82	0.00%	0.00
The Leuthold Group LLC	0.00	13.61	0.00%	0.70
Changebridge Capital LLC	2.19	12.93	16.93%	6.21
Counterpoint Mutual Funds LLC	0.00	11.96	0.00%	-0.60
Rayliant Investment Research	2.78	11.01	25.29%	8.17
Inverdale Capital Management LLC	7.07	11.00	64.28%	7.07
Point Bridge Capital	0.00	10.56	0.00%	0.00
GAMCO Investors, Inc.	5.06	10.36	48.83%	5.06
Alternative Access Funds LLC	0.00	10.02	0.00%	0.00
EquBot	1.72	9.75	17.65%	3.34
Water Island Capital Partners LP	0.00	6.36	-0.02%	0.00
2nd Vote Value Investments, Inc	0.00	5.59	0.00%	0.00
Ridgeline Research LLC	2.14	5.10	41.98%	2.14
New Age Alpha Advisors LLC	1.31	4.03	32.48%	2.57
Global Beta Advisors	0.00	3.72	0.00%	-4.09
Grace Partners of Dupage LP	0.00	3.10	0.00%	0.00
Whitford Asset Management	0.00	2.88	0.00%	0.00
Gotham Asset Management Holdings	0.00	2.55	0.00%	0.51
Reflection Asset Management, LLC	0.00	2.37	0.01%	0.00
Wilshire Associates, Inc.	0.00	1.80	0.00%	0.00
Humankind USA LLC	0.00	0.00	0.00%	0.00
Eaton Vance Corp.	0.00	0.00	0.00%	0.00

 

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.