Active ETFs Hit Record $2.49 Trillion by May

Actively managed exchange-traded funds held $2.49 trillion at the end of May, a record that surpassed the prior month’s high of $2.33 trillion, ETFGI reported. Year-to-date inflows totaled $411.75 billion, compared with $220.53 billion through May 2025, and May was the 74th consecutive month of positive net inflows.

Assets rose from $1.93 trillion at the end of 2025 to $2.49 trillion, a 28.8% increase year-to-date. During May, active ETFs attracted $100.08 billion in net new money, the largest monthly inflow on record.

Flows were spread across asset classes. Equity-focused active ETFs drew $60.97 billion in May and have taken in $242.18 billion year-to-date, versus $124.28 billion at the same point last year. Fixed income active ETFs added $26.12 billion in May and $136.73 billion year-to-date, up from $82.09 billion through May 2025.

Deborah Fuhr, managing partner and founder of ETFGI, noted the S&P 500 rose 5.26% in May and is up 11.27% year-to-date. Developed markets outside the U.S. gained 5.2% in May, according to the report.

The active ETF sector now includes 5,295 funds listed on 49 exchanges across 39 countries. Among 717 providers, three firms held roughly 30.4% of total active ETF assets: Dimensional Fund Advisors with $296.82 billion (11.9% market share), JPMorgan Asset Management with $291.38 billion (11.7%), and iShares with $168.64 billion.

Single-fund flows were concentrated in May. The Roundhill Memory ETF (DRAM) attracted $8.12 billion in net new assets, the largest inflow to a single active ETF for the month. The top 20 active ETFs by net new assets collected $37.89 billion in May.

Active ETFs are funds in which managers make ongoing security selections rather than passively tracking an index. ETFGI compiled these figures for its May 2026 Active ETF industry landscape report.