The ballooning exchange traded fund industry is threatening to take a bite out of separately managed accounts, having already eaten the lunch of the mutual fund sector.
Since the start of 2021 mutual funds have suffered outflows of more than $1tn in the US even as flashy upstart ETFs have pulled in $2tn, according to figures from Morningstar. ETFs have also gained market share in Europe and Asia, albeit at a slower pace. This has prompted a flurry of mutual fund-to-ETF conversions as asset managers have pivoted towards the ascendant fund structure.
Now some in the ETF industry are turning their gaze towards SMAs, hitherto another fast-growing segment of the $120tn global asset management industry.