A new MSCI survey of 450 advisers in the United States and Europe found that 71% plan to increase their use of active exchange-traded funds within two years, while 87% already invest in active ETFs and 62% plan to raise their passive allocation. The ETF Intelligence Survey 2026 points to substitution as much as new money, with 58% saying a new active ETF from a manager they already use would most likely displace an existing mutual fund or a UCITS holding, and half of respondents saying they would switch to an active ETF version of a strategy they already hold. Regulators cleared the path earlier this year when, in March, the SEC granted the last piece of relief letting broker-dealers trade ETF shares of multi-class funds, allowing asset managers to run mutual fund and ETF share classes inside one portfolio. Advisers drew a firmer line on private markets, with 49% saying they would access private or less liquid assets through an ETF but only 16% considering private markets a good fit for the wrapper, citing liquidity mismatch at 62%, valuation transparency at 50% and lack of track record at 44%. MSCI global head of index Jana Haines said passive ETFs remain the foundation of most adviser portfolios but active ETFs are increasingly becoming mainstream, and demand is moving beyond home markets, with 45% expecting to broaden equity allocations and, among them, 39% favoring emerging markets against 24% for developed ones.
MSCI IncMSCI's own survey shows 71% of advisers plan to buy more active ETFs and 45% expect to broaden equity allocations, pointing to rising demand for MSCI's index products.
SEC
SEC Electric Mach Co Ltd
