New ETF launches surge to all-time high as innovation accelerates across active, AI-driven, income, and thematic strategies

Press Release

LONDON, August 31, 2026 – ETFGI, a leading independent research and consultancy firm covering trends in the global ETFs ecosystem, announced today that the global ETF industry has achieved a historic milestone, with 2,141 new ETFs and ETPs launched worldwide year-to-date through July 2026, the highest number ever recorded for this period.  ETFGI, is a 14 year old leading independent research and consultancy firm renowned for its expertise in subscription research, consulting services, 6 annual ETFGI Global ETFs Insights Summits, and ETF TV on global ETF industry trends.  

After accounting for 353 product closures, the industry recorded a net increase of 1,788 products, surpassing the previous record of 1,587 new launches through July 2025.

The record pace of launches highlights the ETF industry's continued transformation into the world's preferred investment vehicle for investors seeking access to active management, artificial intelligence themes, income strategies, fixed income exposures, and cost-efficient portfolio building tools.

"The ETF industry continues to redefine the future of investing," said Deborah Fuhr, Managing Partner, Founder and Owner of ETFGI. "Crossing more than 2,100 launches in the first seven months of the year demonstrates unprecedented innovation, intensifying competition among issuers, and growing investor demand for ETFs across every region and asset class."

ETF Industry Reaches Unprecedented Scale

At the end of July 2026:

• 17,654 ETFs and ETPs were listed globally
• 34,072 listings traded across exchanges worldwide
• US$23.11 trillion in assets were invested globally
• The industry gathered US$383.6 billion in net inflows during July alone
• Products were offered by 1,025 providers
• ETFs and ETPs were listed on 85 exchanges across 66 countries

United States Leads, Asia-Pacific Surges

The United States led globally with 889 new launches, followed by:

• Asia Pacific (excluding Japan): 540
• Europe: 379
• Canada: 189
• Japan: 52
• Latin America: 50
• Middle East & Africa: 42

Notably, every major region recorded its highest-ever number of ETF launches in 2026.

The industry's rapid expansion has been driven by 400 providers launching products across 37 exchanges globally.

Active ETFs Dominate New Product Development

Among the 2,141 newly launched products:

• 1,212 were Active ETFs
• 607 were Equity ETFs
• 130 were Fixed Income ETFs

The dominance of active ETFs underscores one of the most important structural shifts underway in asset management, as investors increasingly embrace the ETF wrapper for actively managed strategies.

New Entrants and Challenger Brands Drive Competition

While established asset managers remain active, challenger firms have emerged as major innovators.

The leading issuers by number of launches through July 2026 were:

1. Corgi Funds – 187 launches
2. Leverage Shares – 135 launches
3. iShares – 61 launches

The breadth of innovation demonstrates how barriers to entry continue to fall as ETF ecosystems mature around the world.

Five-Year Growth Explosion

The growth trajectory has been remarkable.

New ETF launches globally year-to-date through July increased from:

• 905 in 2022
• 1,060 in 2023
• 1,256 in 2024
• 1,587 in 2025
• 2,141 in 2026

This represents a growth increase of more than 136% over the past five years.

Closures Remain Healthy Despite Record Launches

Although product innovation reached record levels, industry rationalization remained controlled.

Global ETF closures totaled 353 products through July 2026, driven primarily by:

• United States: 186 closures
• Asia Pacific (excluding Japan): 100 closures
• Europe: 27 closures

Importantly, closures declined in most regions compared with the same period in 2025, indicating healthy overall market expansion and improving product sustainability.

Investors Continue to Reward Successful New Launches

Several newly launched ETFs have attracted exceptional asset growth in 2026.

The largest new ETF launches by assets gathered through July include:

                                                                             Source: ETFGI, ETF issuers and exchanges.

The top asset gatherers span a diverse range of categories, including artificial intelligence, money market, equity, active management, dividend, and climate-related strategies.

Innovation Becomes the Industry's New Standard

The record-breaking launch activity demonstrates that the ETF industry is entering a new phase characterized by:

• Accelerating active ETF adoption
• AI and technology-driven investment themes
• Continued migration from mutual funds into ETFs
• Rapid product innovation across global markets
• Increased competition among issuers
• Growing investor demand for precision investment tools

With global ETF assets exceeding US$23 trillion and new product creation at record levels, 2026 is shaping up to be one of the most transformative years in the history of the ETF industry.

About ETFGI

ETFGI, is a 14 year old leading independent research and consultancy firm covering trends in the global ETFs and ETPs ecosystem. ETFGI provides subscription research, data analytics, consulting, and custom research services to asset managers, exchanges, index providers, regulators, and other ETF industry participants around the world.   

For information about ETFGI's subscription research, consulting services, 6 annual ETFGI Global ETFs Insights Summits, and ETF TV on global ETF industry trends contact:

Deborah Fuhr
Managing Partner, Founder and Owner, ETFGI
📧 deborah.fuhr@etfgi.com

Media Contact

ETFGI Research & Communications
📧 contact@etfgi.com
🌐 www.etfgi.com

Register to join us at the 7th Annual ETFGI Global ETFs Insights Summit – Asia Pacific on 9 September in Hong Kong and 10 September virtually for two days of insights, networking, and discussions exploring the opportunities and developments shaping the ETF industry across Asia Pacific.

View full the agenda and register now!

The summit is designed as an educational event for financial advisors and institutional investors across the Asia Pacific ETF industry, which now includes over 5,200 ETFs with over 5,480 listings, managing US$2.71 trillion in assets, offered by 305 providers across 24 exchanges in 17 countries.

Industry leaders from issuers, regulators, investors, exchanges, and trading firms will share insights on the selection, use and trading of ETFs, including active, virtual assets, market structure, regulations, novel ETFs, tokenisation, prediction markets and technological advancements shaping ETF innovation and usage. Discussions will also highlight the opportunities and challenges facing retail investors, financial advisors and institutional investors as ETF usage continues to expand across diverse markets and jurisdictions.

🎟️Spaces are limited, Register now to join us to meet, network with and hear from industry leaders across the region.

🗓️DAY 1 AGENDA – Hong Kong | Wednesday, 9 September 2026
From 9:00AM  (*Please note that all times listed are HKT) 
at Centricity – Concentric, 2/F, Landmark Chater House, 8 Connaught Rd Central, Central, Hong Kong

• 9.00AM - 9:45AM Registration & Networking Coffee
• 9.45AM - 9:55AM Welcome Remarks by Deborah Fuhr, Managing Partner & Founder, ETFGI
• 9:55AM - 10.30AM Trends in the Global ETF Industry - ETFGI Research
• 10.30AM - 11AM Fireside Chat - Regulatory Update
• 11AM - 11.45AM Next Frontier for ETF Connect: Custom Index Design is Unlocking Opportunities
• 11.45AM - 12.25PM China's ETF Market 
• 12.25PM - 1.30PM Networking Lunch Break
• 1.30PM - 1.50PM India Opportunity – Local Growth, Global Interest 
• 1.50PM - 2.30PM The Rise of Active ETFs in Asia Pacific: Opportunities, Innovation and Growth
• 2.30PM - 2.50PM The Rise of Thematic ETFs in Asia Pacific
• 2.50PM - 3.20PM Networking Coffee Break
• 3.20PM - 4PM How Investors Are Using ETFs in Asia Pacific 
• 4PM - 4.40PM Understanding ETF Liquidity and Best Trading Practices
• 4.40PM - 5.20PM Outlook for the Asset Management and ETF Industry Outlook
• 5.20PM - 5.25PM Closing Remarks by Deborah Fuhr, Managing Partner & Founder, ETFGI

Join Women in ETFs APAC for an insightful discussion on the trends, developments, and opportunities shaping the ETF market in Asia.

• 6PM - 7PM The Evolving ETF Landscape: 2026 Review and 2027 Outlook
• 7PM - 9PM Networking Drinks & Canapés

REGISTER: Click here to register for this event

DAY 2 AGENDA – Virtual Sessions On Our Event Platform | Thursday, 10 September 2026

Day 2 will feature a series of virtual sessions exploring ETF markets and key industry developments in countries throughout the Asia Pacific region.
From 10.45 AM (*Please note that the time listed is HKT) 

• 10.45 AM Welcome Remarks by Margareta Hricova, Managing Director, ETFGI  
• Australia’s ETF Market: Evolution & Outlook 
• China’s ETF Market: Evolution & Outlook
• India’s ETF Market: Evolution & Outlook 
• Indonesia’s ETF Market: Evolution & Outlook
• Pakistan’s ETF Market: Evolution & Outlook
• Japan’s ETF Market: Evolution & Outlook
• Kazakhstan's ETF Market: Evolution & Outlook 
• Malaysia’s ETF Market: Evolution & Outlook
• New Zealand’s ETF Market: Evolution & Outlook
• Singapore’s ETF Market: Evolution & Outlook 
• South Korea’s ETF Market: Evolution & Outlook 
• Fireside Chat with Taipei Exchange
• Fireside Chat with Taiwan Stock Exchange & Taiwan Index Plus
• Taiwan’s ETF Market: Evolution & Outlook
• Thailand’s ETF Market: Evolution & Outlook 
• Vietnam's ETF Market: Evolution & Outlook
• Closing Remarks by Margareta Hricova, Managing Director, ETFGI

EVENT DETAILS:
📅 Wednesday, Sept 9th in Hong Kong from 9am HKT
📍Centricity – Concentric, 2/F, Landmark Chater House, 8 Connaught Rd Central, Central, Hong Kong
⏰ Full day event

📅Thursday, Sept 10th - Virtual sessions from 10.45am HKT

🆓 Free for CFA members, buy‑side investors, and advisors
📚 CPD credits available
🔗Limited tickets are available: Register now

Register to join one or more of our upcoming ETFGI Global ETFs Insights Summits in 2026:

• 7th Annual - Asia Pacific, September 9th in Hong Kong and September 10th virtual. Register now. 
• 7th Annual - United States, September 29th in New York City. Early bird expires on August 28th - Register now.
• 7th Annual - Middle East & GCC, October 20th in Dubai. Early bird expires on September 11th - Register now.
• 7th Annual - Europe & Africa, November 19th in London and November 20th virtual. Early bird expires on October 9th - Register now.
• 8th Annual - Canada, December 8th in Toronto at Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (BLG)'s office. Early bird expires on October 27th - Register now.

Upcoming ETFGI Global ETFs Insights Summits in 2027:

• 8th Annual - Latin America, day 1 in Mexico City and day 2 virtual. Register your interest.

ETFGI is a leading independent research and consultancy firm with 14 years of experience, recognized for its expertise in subscription research, consulting services, 6 annual regional in person ETFGI Global ETFs Insights Summit events that cover all ETFs listed global on 81 exchanges in 63 countries, and ETF TV, covering global ETF industry trends. Interested in subscribing to ETFGI’s research email: contact@etfgi.com

ETF TV (www.ETFtv.net) is an on-demand program that highlights newly launched exchange-traded funds, products, and notes, while exploring the most pressing topics shaping the ETF landscape. Each episode brings together leading voices from across the industry—including issuers, investors, benchmark providers, and traders—to discuss the trends and developments influencing the use and management of exchange-traded products.

Every show features insightful interviews with key market participants, offering expert perspectives on the issues that matter most to the ETF community. ETF TV also offers the opportunity to create sponsored episodes, allowing partners to collaborate with us in producing custom content tailored to their brand and messaging.

If you’re interested in sponsoring or speaking at one of our upcoming ETFGI Global ETFs Insights Summits, subscribing to any of ETFGI’s annual research services (www.ETFGI.com), sponsoring an episode of ETF TV (www.ETFtv.net), exploring our consulting offerings, or if you have any questions, please reach out to us at  deborah.fuhr@etfgi.com and margareta.hricova@etfgi.com.

Contact: 
Deborah Fuhr 
Managing Partner, Founder 
ETFGI 
Mobile: +44 777 5823 111 
Email: deborah.fuhr@etfgi.com 
Web: www.etfgi.com 

Connect on:
Deborah Fuhr Twitter | LinkedIn 
ETFGI Twitter | LinkedIn | Website
ETFs Network LinkedIn
ETF TV Twitter | LinkedIn | Website
Women in ETFs, Board member and founder  
Women in ETFs Twitter | LinkedIn | Website

Disclaimer: 

This press release is published by, and remains the copyright of, ETFGI LLP ("ETFGI") or its licensors. The information and data in this press release is for information purposes only. ETFGI makes no warranties or representations regarding the accuracy or completeness of the information contained on this press release.

ETFGI does not offer investment advice or make recommendations regarding investments and nothing in the press release shall be deemed to constitute financial or investment advice in any way and shall not constitute a regulated activity for the purposes of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000. Further, nothing in this press release shall constitute or be deemed to constitute an invitation or inducement to any person to engage in investment activity. Should you undertake any such activity based on information contained in this press release, you do so entirely at your own risk and ETFGI shall have no liability whatsoever for any loss, damage, costs or expenses incurred or suffered by you as a result.

ETFGI LLP is a limited liability partnership registered in England and Wales with registered number OC372221. Our registered office is at 7th Floor, York House, 23 Kingsway, London WC2B 6UJ, United Kingdom.