According to data released today by ETFGI, the ETF industry in Europe started 2026 with unprecedented growth, reaching a new all-time high in terms of assets under management and setting a record for inflows in January.
Deborah Fuhr, managing partner and founder of ETFGI
European ETFs: new record of $3.4 trillion in January. Monthly inflows of $58.67 billion, the best start to the year ever
At the end of January, the total assets of ETFs listed in Europe reached $3.4 trillion, surpassing the previous record of $3.22 trillion set in December 2025. Asset growth stood at +5.5% in the first thirty days of the year.
The most significant figure concerns capital flows. In January, $58.67 billion in new net inflows flowed into the sector, the highest figure ever recorded in a single January. The previous record for the first month of the year was set in 2025, when $32.93 billion was raised. These figures extend the positive streak of net inflows for the European ETF industry to 40 consecutive months.
In terms of stock market performance, which contributes to asset growth, Deborah Fuhr, managing partner and founder of ETFGI, commented: “The S&P 500 rose 1.45% in January. Developed markets excluding the United States gained 6.15%, with Korea (+26.73%) and Luxembourg (+18.64%) recording the strongest increases. Emerging markets rose 5.50%, led by Peru (+26.23%) and Colombia (+23.24%).”
Market snapshot
At the end of January, there were 3,586 ETF products listed in Europe, for a total of 14,921 listings on 30 stock exchanges in 25 countries. There were 146 active issuers.
Market leadership remains firmly in the hands of iShares, which controls 40.2% of the market with $1.37 trillion in assets. Amundi ETF follows with $421.90 billion (12.4% share) and Xtrackers with $350.25 billion (10.3%). The top three operators, out of a total of 146, account for almost two-thirds of the market (62.9%).
Equities in the spotlight, bonds performing well
From the point of view of inflows by asset class, January showed a clear preference for risk. Equity ETFs attracted $41.36 billion, a sharp increase from $23.60 billion in the same month of 2025. Bond ETFs also performed well, with inflows of $13.09 billion, up sharply from $4.81 billion in January 2025.
On the commodities front, however, there was an outflow of $648.30 million, a reversal of the $2.42 billion inflow recorded in January of the previous year.
Finally, it is worth noting the growth in the active component. Active ETFs raised $4.24 billion during the month, more than double the $1.60 billion recorded in January 2025, confirming a structural growth trend for this type of product in Europe.
ETFGI is a leading independent research and consultancy firm covering trends in the global ETF/ETP ecosystem, based in London, England. Deborah Fuhr, Managing Partner, Founder, ETFGI website www.etfgi.com.
Source: ETFGI European ETFs and ETPs Industry Landscape Insights Report.Subscribe to Our Newsletter
