Exchange-traded funds and exchange-traded products received record net inflows of $107 billion from the start of 2013 through to the end of May this year - a 31 per cent rise compared to the $82 billion in net flows for the same period last year, according to UK-based research and consultancy firm, ETFGI.

These inflows have helped to push assets invested globally in ETFs and ETPs to a new all-time high of $2.14 trillion, according to preliminary figures from ETFGI’s Global ETF and ETP industry insights report for May 2013. There are now 4,849 ETFs and ETPs, with 9,875 listings and assets of $2.14 trillion, from 211 providers listed on 56 exchanges. ETF and ETP assets have increased by 9.6 per cent from $1.95 trillion to $2.14 trillion.

ETFs and ETPs in May received $24.3 billion in net inflows. Equity ETFs and ETPs gathered the largest net inflows with $25 billion, followed by fixed income ETFs and ETPs with $3.1 billion, while commodity ETFs and ETPs experienced net outflows with $6.7 billion.

Equity ETFs and ETPs saw net inflows of $25 billion in May with US/North American equity exposures gathering $16 billion, the largest net inflows, followed by developed Asia-Pacific equity with $8.9 billion, and global equity with $2.1 billion of net inflows, while products offering emerging market equity exposure experienced the largest net outflows of $4.3 billion.

Fixed income ETFs and ETPs gathered net inflows of $3.1 billion in May and were composed of $2.2 billion of net inflows into corporate bond products, followed by government bonds with $1.6 billion, while inflation-linked ETFs/ETPs experienced the largest net outflows, amounting to $839 million.

Commodity ETFs and ETPs saw net outflows of $6.7 billion. Precious metals ETFs/ETPs experienced the majority of these outflows with $6.3 billion in net outflows, of which $6.0 billion left products tracking gold.

In May, Vanguard, Daiwa and SPDR ETFs received the largest net new assets, with $4.5 billion, $4.4 billion and $4.4 billion in net inflows respectively, followed by Wisdom Tree with $3.1 billion in net inflows. 

“Net inflows into ETFs providing exposure to Japan during May elevated Daiwa and Wisdom Tree into the top 4 firms out of 211 ranked by net inflows” said Deborah Fuhr, managing partner at ETFGI.

iShares remains the largest ETF and ETP provider with assets of $820 billion, reflecting a 38.4 per cent market share, but ranked fifth in terms of net inflows in May with $2.4 billion. SPDR is the second largest provider with $365 billion and a 17.1 per cent market share, followed by Vanguard with $290 billion and a 13.6 per cent market share. PowerShares is in fourth place with $74 billion and a 3.5 per cent market share, followed by db x-trackers/db ETCs with $69 billion. The top five ETF and ETP providers, out of 211, account for 76 per cent of global ETF and ETP assets.

Meanwhile, S&P Dow Jones has the largest amount of ETF and ETP assets tracking its benchmarks with $573 billion, reflecting a 26.9 per cent market share; MSCI is second with $340 billion and a 16 per cent market share, followed by Barclays with $194 billion and a 9.1 per cent market share.