Trackinsight survey: ETF allocators move from access to selection as 69.5% review their holdings
19 OCT, 2026
By Joanna Piwko from RankiaPro Europe
Professional investors have stopped asking whether to use ETFs and started asking which ones deserve a place in the portfolio, according to Trackinsight's Global ETF Survey 2026. Drawing on 620 professional investors and allocators, the study finds that 69.5% of professionals are reviewing their existing ETF positions.
The report, produced with Calamos Investments and S&P Dow Jones Indices, uses market data through July 31, 2026, when global ETP assets stood at $21.66 trillion after 1,790 new launches in the first seven months of the year.
| Key finding (professional respondents) | Share |
|---|---|
| Allocate at least a quarter of their portfolio to ETFs | 53.5% |
| Are reviewing existing ETF positions | 69.5% |
| Cite portfolio fit as an important selection factor | 61% |
| Use or are expanding active ETF strategies | 43.6% |
| Report stronger thematic ETF demand over the past year | 75.5% |
| Are not at all supportive of a strategic role for crypto ETFs | 50% |
Portfolio fit, not cost, tops the ETF shortlist
ETF adoption is now deep among professionals: 53.5% allocate at least a quarter of their portfolio to ETFs, 15.8% allocate more than three-quarters and only 6.8% have yet to adopt them. Among those below their desired allocation, 44% point to limited familiarity with newer ETF structures as the main barrier.
When building a shortlist, 61% cite portfolio fit as an important selection factor, ahead of strategy design (50%), cost (45.1%) and liquidity (35.4%). Cost still leads when replacing an ETF already held, cited by 45.5%, ahead of the incumbent's performance (31.8%) and asset allocation changes (27.3%).
Most allocators are reassessing what they hold: 25.3% are actively upgrading their ETF allocations and 44.2% are selectively evaluating opportunities, while only 8.3% are not reviewing them. A better understanding of strategy behavior across market cycles and portfolio construction guidance (both 41.2%) top the list of what would most improve selection.
Research is multi-source, led by independent platforms (52.1%) and ETF issuers (49.8%), and 42.1% already use AI to search for ETF data.
Active, fixed income and income strategies drive the next wave
Active ETFs are judged on results and process before fees. Risk-adjusted returns (53.2%) and track record (42.3%) are the most valuable inputs, followed by issuer operational stability (36.9%) and persistence of excess returns (34.2%). Only 18.9% cite TER, and respondents see both mutual fund conversions and parallel ETF versions as credible routes.
The momentum is visible in the market: active ETFs took 48.3% of 2026 launches and 31.7% of net flows, against 11.2% of ETF assets.
In fixed income, investment-grade corporate (48.7%) and short-duration or money market exposures (46.1%) lead planned investment, followed by government bonds (39.5%) and high yield (35.5%). Two-thirds plan to invest in more than one segment, and fixed income ETFs attracted $460.1 billion of net inflows through July, with active strategies capturing more than a third.
Income is becoming multi-source. Dividend ETFs (71.4%) and fixed income ETFs (51%) remain the most used income tools, with covered-call and option-based ETFs used by 42.9%. Options are also moving beyond yield: among those planning options-based investment, 35.6% seek volatility reduction and 28.8% structured protection, although complexity (28.8%) remains the main barrier.
Alternatives are judged by function. 62.9% of respondents already allocate more than 5% to them, with interest strongest in income-oriented derivatives (48.6%), hedged equity (45.7%) and relative value (42.9%). In convertibles, 47.8% cite limited ETF choice as the biggest challenge.
Themes rebound, crypto divides allocators and retail diligence lags
Thematic demand has reaccelerated: 75.5% report stronger demand over the past year, and 46.1% name AI and robotics as their highest-conviction theme. Capital is broadening around it, as thematic ETFs drew $68.0 billion through July, with Global Infrastructure, Electrification and Global Defense each attracting more than AI & Big Data.
Among European respondents, ESG demand has stabilized, with nearly half reporting no change over the past year. Climate transition (34.6%) is the most cited ESG objective, ahead of broad ESG integration (26.9%), while exclusionary screening is chosen by only 3.8%.
Digital assets remain divisive. Spot Bitcoin and Ether ETFs are the most used route into the asset class (62.9%), yet 50% are not at all supportive of a strategic role for crypto ETFs, against 17.3% who are very supportive. Among hesitant respondents, lack of confidence in the asset class (45.9%) outweighs volatility (37.1%).
The roughly 2,800 self-directed investors surveyed with Stocktwits, mostly in North America, show a shorter-term profile: 52% have a horizon of three years or less. Trackinsight notes that 49.5% have invested in an ETF without fully assessing the product or its risks, although the cohort is not representative of all retail investors.
The full Trackinsight Global ETF Survey 2026 is available free of charge.
