ETF flows regain momentum in April amid improved investor confidence
26 MAY, 2026
By Joanna Piwko from RankiaPro Europe
Following a notably subdued March, which saw the lowest levels of inflows in the last two years, the market for Europe-domiciled ETFs experienced a significant recovery during April, Vanguard report indicates. Driven by an improvement in market confidence and a renewed appetite for risk that spurred a strong rebound in global equities, ETFs attracted $42.2 billion in assets.
Equity ETFs: basic strategies lead growth
Equities were the main driver of the month, capturing a total of $32.3 billion in net inflows. Within this asset class, basic equity ETFs were the primary engine, reaching a record volume of $25.9 billion – more than double the inflows registered for this category in March.
When analyzing geographic exposure, investors showed a clear preference for global, developed, and U.S. markets. Specifically, global equity ETFs surpassed the $10 billion mark in a single month for the first time, reaching $12.9 billion in net inflows. Conversely, European and eurozone equity exposures suffered net outflows.
In addition to basic equities, other segments performed well, such as thematic equity ETFs ($3.3 billion) and market access ETFs ($2.3 billion).
Fixed Income: a solid recovery
Fixed income ETFs also showed a strong recovery in April, registering $10 billion in net inflows, a significant rebound from the $1.1 billion recorded in March.
Within this category, government bond ETFs led the demand with $4.6 billion, followed by corporate and aggregate debt. In terms of geographic preferences, investors tilted primarily toward eurozone fixed income assets, which attracted $4.8 billion, ahead of U.S. and global assets.
