Net inflows into actively managed ETFs and ETPs (hereafter ETFs) listed globally amounted to $24.9 billion in 2017, up substantially on the $11.6bn recorded in 2016, according to ETF industry consultants ETFGI.

Net inflows into actively managed ETFs and ETPs were 154.3% higher than those recorded in 2016. (file image)

The strong net inflows represented the vast majority of assets under management (AUM) growth for the active ETF industry in 2017 with total assets rising $27.4bn (57.3%), from $47.8bn at the end of 2016, to reach a new high of $75.2bn at the end of December.

Upwards-trending markets contributed $2.5bn to total asset growth.

A majority (61.8%) of the total net inflows for the year can be attributed to the top 20 actively managed ETFs by net new assets, which collectively gathered $14.5bn during 2017.

Investors tended to favour fixed income active ETFs with a net total of $16.4bn flowing into the category over the year. The PIMCO Enhanced Short Maturity Strategy Fund (MINT US) was the most popular actively managed ETF for 2017, accumulating net inflows of $2.4bn.

Equity ETF/ETPs gathered $7.2bn during the year.

The end of 2017 also represented another milestone for the actively managed ETF industry, with December marking three years of consecutive monthly net inflows into active ETFs/ETPs listed globally; a total of $1.2bn was gathered during the month.

Equity ETFs/ETPs listed globally saw net inflows of $876 million in December, while fixed income ETFs and ETPs gathered net inflows of $126.0m.