ETFs Reshaped Global Investing; BNY Mellon’s Zero-Fee ETF

Exchange-traded funds expanded to roughly 14,000 products and $19.1 trillion in assets by the end of 2025, according to a report from BNY Investments. The report tracks ETF growth and product launches worldwide.

BNY Investments noted there were 2,487 ETFs globally in 2010. Over the past decade global ETF assets rose from about $3.4 trillion to $19.1 trillion, reflecting steady inflows and new fund launches across regions.

ETFs trade on exchanges and provide intraday liquidity and transparent holdings. The report cites tax efficiency compared with some mutual funds, generally lower transaction costs and use in tactical portfolio adjustments as factors behind investor uptake. ETFs now cover passive index exposure, active strategies and thematic approaches across many asset classes.

The BNY Mellon US Large Cap Core Equity ETF (BKLC) launched April 7, 2020. The fund seeks to replicate the Solactive GBS United States 500 Index TR, which weights constituents by free-float market capitalization and targets the 500 largest U.S. companies. BKLC charges no management fee.

BKLC’s net asset value rose 31.12% for the 12 months ending April 30, 2026. The fund passed $500 million in assets in 2022, the first BNY ETF to reach that level, and its assets grew to $5.3 billion by May 5, 2026.

The report includes a timeline tracing ETF developments since their U.S. debut in 1993 as passive index vehicles. It documents the spread of ETF structures into broader strategies and markets and continued product launches.

Market participants point to the ETF structure’s flexibility and lower costs as reasons for use by both retail and institutional investors. The growth in product variety and assets reflects ongoing demand for exchange-traded investment vehicles.