ETF assets surpass hedge fund AUM for first time in Q2

Assets invested in exchange traded funds (ETFs) around the world surpassed those invested in hedge funds for the first time in Q2 2015, according to research firm ETFGI.

At the end of Q2, ETFs had $2.971trn assets invested in some 5,823 products globally, surpassing total assets in hedge funds, which reached a record high of $2.969tn, according to Hedge Fund Research. Though global ETF assets have fallen slightly from their peak of $3.02trn reached in May, the comparison marks a significant milestone in the development of the products. In the first half of 2015, inflows into ETFs also by far outstripped the sales of hedge funds, as they saw $152.3bn of inflows versus $39.7bn going into hedge funds. ETFs at 15: How will investor demand drive innov...