U.S. ETF assets under management reached a record $13 trillion in October. Last month’s inflows are the highest for the year at $169.5 billion and 20% higher than the September inflow results. That brings the year-to-date inflows total to $1.11 trillion. October launches also set a record with 137 new ETFs.
U.S. listed ETF flows (in millions) as of October 31, 2025
ETF inflows for October totaled a record $169.5 billion, an increase of 20% from the prior month.
Equity funds accounted for 61% of total flows, reaching another year-to-date high of $102.8 billion from $88 billion in September.
Fixed income inflows rose 29% to $51.8 billion from $40 billion in September.
Currency inflows increased 44% to $6.9 billion,
Asset allocation inflows rose 84% to $1.6 billion.
Inflows to commodities decreased 47% to $5.9 billion, down from $11.3 billion in September.
Inflows to alternatives also slowed, declining 41% to $308 million from $524 million in September.
On the sector front, Health Care, Utilities, and Technology gained the most inflows in October. Meanwhile, Energy, Consumer Staples, and Communication Services experienced the most outflows.
October saw a record month of 137 ETF launches, up 19% from September, boosting the year-to-date total to 918 (already 25% more than the 736 launches in all of 2024).
The majority of October launches were equity ETFs with 95 funds (69%).
Fixed income added 17 funds, or 12% of October launches.
Currency had 15 launches, more than twice as many as in September. All 15 provide exposure to cryptocurrency, similar to last month.
Actively managed funds (116) comprised the majority of launches at 85%. This includes 15 mutual fund conversions.
Among the launch highlights:
F/m Emerald Special Situations ETF (SPIT) actively invests in equity securities of companies undergoing special situations.
Goldman Sachs MSCI World Private Equity Return Tracker ETF (GTPE) seeks to emulate private equity by tracking an index comprised of long and short positions in publicly listed stocks.
Roundhill Meme Stock ETF (MEME) is an actively managed fund that relies on online engagement activity and implied volatility in selecting stocks. The ETF has a similar strategy to the index-tracking Roundhill MEME ETF that closed December 2023.
Gold prices reached a significant milestone October 8, surpassing $4,000 and largely maintaining that level throughout the month before closing strong at $4,002.81.
Gold ETF inflows reached the highest point of the year in September at $10.2 billion, but that pivoted in October with only $5.98 billion in new assets being added (a 42% month-over-month decrease). On a year-over-year basis, however, the October inflows are 124% higher than the $2.7 billion in October 2024.
Total assets under management at the end of October for gold ETFs were $238.5 billion and year-to-date flows amounted to $41 billion, substantially higher than 2024’s full-year figure of $1.6 billion.
Gold is widely perceived as a safe-haven asset, with demand typically rising during periods of economic and political instability. However, gold investments can be volatile, and fluctuations in price may adversely affect ETF share prices.
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