ETFGI Report on ETFs and ETPs in Europe – August 2026

According to ETFGI, net inflows since the start of the year reached 381.41 billion dollars by the end of August 2026, equivalent to 96.1 per cent of the total recorded for the whole of 2025.

The European ETF industry closed August 2026 with a record $3,970 billion in assets under management, up from $3,800 billion at the end of July. This is according to the monthly report by ETFGI, an independent research and consultancy firm specialising in the global ETF sector, focusing on the European landscape. The sector is thus just 0.75 percentage points away from the 4,000 billion mark. In terms of flows, year-to-date figures have reached a new high: $381.41 billion in net inflows, 58.3 per cent higher than the previous record of $240.99 billion recorded in the same period of 2025.

Assets under management up 23.1% year-to-date

Assets invested in ETFs listed in Europe rose from $3,220 billion at the end of 2025 to $3,970 billion at the end of August 2026, representing a 23.1% increase year-to-date. In August alone, the sector attracted $57.83 billion in net inflows. This marks the 47th consecutive month of positive net inflows, a result that ETFGI attributes to the growing popularity of these instruments amongst institutional investors, asset managers, financial advisers and retail investors.

At the end of August, the European ETF market comprised 3,973 products, 16,481 listings, 171 issuers and a presence on 32 stock exchanges across 26 countries.

2026 inflows close to the 2025 total

The $381.41 billion raised in the first eight months of 2026 already equates to 96.1 per cent of the $396.84 billion raised throughout 2025, a year which had set a record for the sector. With four months still to go, ETFGI indicates that the European ETF industry is on track to close 2026 with a new annual record for net inflows.

The market outlook according to ETFGI

Deborah Fuhr, Managing Partner, Founder and Owner of ETFGI, outlined the performance of global equity markets in August, highlighting widespread strength in both developed and emerging markets. The S&P 500 gained 2.72 per cent over the month, bringing its year-to-date performance to 13.14 per cent. Developed markets outside the US fared better, rising by 3.01 per cent in August and 18.07 per cent year-to-date, driven primarily by South Korea and Norway. Emerging markets also posted solid results: up 3.53 per cent for the month and 13.26 per cent year-to-date, with Taiwan and Greece among the top-performing emerging markets in terms of monthly returns.

ETF providers: the top three account for over 60 per cent of the market

iShares remains the leading ETF issuer in Europe by assets under management, with $1,550 billion and a market share of 39.1 per cent. Amundi ETF follows in second place with $493.69 billion and a 12.4 per cent share, whilst Xtrackers is third with $406.32 billion and 10.2 per cent of the market. Out of a total of 171 issuers, the top three together account for 61.8 per cent of the total assets of the European ETF industry. The remaining 168 issuers each hold a share of less than 8 per cent.

Net flows by asset class

In August, net inflows were recorded across all major ETF categories:

Equity ETFs: $38.45 billion raised during the month, bringing the year-to-date total to $261.68 billion – a record figure and up 60.4 per cent compared with the $163.15 billion recorded in the same period of 2025.

Bond ETFs: $7.73 billion in August, bringing the year-to-date total to $73.02 billion – 65.7 per cent higher than the $44.07 billion recorded at the end of August 2025.

Commodity ETFs: $7.50 billion for the month, totalling $12.66 billion year-to-date, exceeding the $10.47 billion recorded in the same period of the previous year.

Active ETFs: $3.88 billion in August, bringing the year-to-date total to $34.82 billion, up 64.2 per cent on the $21.21 billion recorded at the end of August 2025.

Equity ETFs remained the category of choice for European investors in August.

The most popular products

The top 20 ETFs by net inflows attracted a total of $18.56 billion in August. The largest net inflow was recorded by the Vanguard FTSE All-World UCITS ETF (VWRD LN), with $3.58 billion.

Among ETPs, the top 10 products by net inflows totalled $6.66 billion for the month. The largest individual inflow was recorded by the iShares Physical Gold ETC (SGLN LN), at $2.26 billion.

Methodology note

ETFGI defines ETFs as open-ended index funds, characterised by daily portfolio transparency and listed on a stock exchange, with a mechanism for the creation and redemption of units. ETPs, on the other hand, include instruments with trading mechanisms similar to those of ETFs, but which do not adopt a mutual fund structure — such as grantor trusts, partnerships, notes and certificates of deposit — with different tax and regulatory implications for investors. Unless otherwise stated, all figures are expressed in US dollars.

Conclusions

At the end of August 2026, assets under management in European ETFs reached $3,970 billion, with net inflows since the start of the year totalling $381.41 billion: both figures are record highs according to ETFGI.