Weekly Channel Summary
The Alternatives channel, comprising 50 ETFs from 28 issuers, currently holds $14.01 billion in total assets under management. The category registered a net inflow of $77 million for the week, contributing to a robust year-to-date intake of over $4.1 billion. Over the past year, investors have allocated more than $5.0 billion in new capital to these strategies.
This Week’s Performance Leaders and Laggards
A significant performance divergence emerged between volatility strategies this week, as Short Volatility funds gained 1.87% on average. In stark contrast, Long Volatility funds were the worst-performing group, declining by 4.33%. Meanwhile, Managed Futures strategies continued their positive run with a 1.00% weekly gain, bolstering their impressive year-to-date return of 12.40%.
Absolute Return Performance Snapshot
| Absolute Return | WTD | 1 Month | 3 Month | 6 Month | YTD | 1 Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Managed Futures | 1.00% | 4.70% | 0.48% | 3.11% | 12.40% | 20.85% |
| Multi-Strategy | 0.68% | 1.66% | 1.23% | 4.15% | 8.15% | 13.91% |
| Event Driven | 0.16% | 0.15% | 0.99% | 1.34% | 2.69% | 3.87% |
Volatility Performance Snapshot
| Volatility | WTD | 1 Month | 3 Month | 6 Month | YTD | 1 Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vol – Short | 1.87% | 8.86% | 11.73% | 18.79% | 11.87% | 23.22% |
| Vol – Long | -4.33% | -19.21% | -28.84% | -44.42% | -38.83% | -54.42% |
Top & Bottom 5 ETFs by Weekly Performance
The Simplify Multi-QIS Alternative ETF (QIS) delivered a standout return, surging 7.47% to lead all funds in the channel. Other strong performers included the Volatility Premium Plus ETF (ZVOL) and the Simplify Managed Futures Strategy ETF (CTA), which gained 3.35% and 3.33% respectively. At the other end of the spectrum, the Opportunistic Trader ETF (WZRD) was the largest decliner, falling 8.27% for the week.
| Ticker | Fund Name | WTD Performance |
|---|---|---|
| Top Performers | ||
| QIS | Simplify Multi-QIS Alternative ETF | 7.47% |
| ZVOL | Volatility Premium Plus ETF | 3.35% |
| CTA | Simplify Managed Futures Strategy ETF | 3.33% |
| SVIX | -1x Short VIX Futures ETF | 3.09% |
| FAAR | First Trust Alternative Absolute Return Strategy ETF | 2.67% |
| Bottom Performers | ||
| WZRD | Opportunistic Trader ETF | -8.27% |
| UVIX | 2x Long VIX Futures ETF | -7.37% |
| UVXY | ProShares Ultra VIX Short-Term Futures ETF | -4.99% |
| VIXY | ProShares VIX Short-Term Futures ETF | -3.74% |
| VXX | iPath Series B S&P 500 VIX Short-Term Futures ETN | -3.49% |
Analyzing the Weekly Flows
The Alternatives channel attracted a net $77 million in new assets this week, reflecting continued investor interest. Managed Futures strategies were the primary drivers of this activity, gathering $51 million and building on a year-to-date inflow of over $2.8 billion. Conversely, Short Volatility funds experienced the largest redemptions, with investors pulling a net $33 million from the category.
Absolute Return Flows Summary
| Absolute Return | Fund Count | AUM | 5 Day | 30 Day | 90 Day | YTD | 1 Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Managed Futures | 17 | $8.09B | $51M | -$63M | $496M | $2,869M | $3,643M |
| Multi-Strategy | 14 | $3.00B | $24M | $85M | $421M | $978M | $1,227M |
| Event Driven | 8 | $429M | $4M | $6M | $2M | -$24M | -$1M |
Volatility Flows Summary
| Volatility | Fund Count | AUM | 5 Day | 30 Day | 90 Day | YTD | 1 Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vol – Long | 6 | $1.44B | $32M | $323M | $86M | $536M | $558M |
| Vol – Short | 5 | $1.06B | -$33M | -$36M | -$144M | -$215M | -$398M |
Top & Bottom 5 ETFs by 5-Day Flow
The iMGP DBi Managed Futures Strategy ETF (DBMF) was the clear favorite among investors, attracting a substantial $84 million in net inflows. This single fund’s intake notably surpassed the entire channel’s net flow for the week. On the other side of the ledger, the Simplify Managed Futures Strategy ETF (CTA) saw the largest outflow at $53 million, followed by the -1x Short VIX Futures ETF (SVIX), which shed $22 million.
| Ticker | Fund Name | 5-Day Flow |
|---|---|---|
| Inflows | ||
| DBMF | iMGP DBi Managed Futures Strategy ETF | $84M |
| VXX | iPath Series B S&P 500 VIX Short-Term Futures ETN | $19M |
| UVXY | ProShares Ultra VIX Short-Term Futures ETF | $18M |
| BTA | Beacon Tactical Alternatives Risk ETF | $15M |
| KMLM | KraneShares Mount Lucas Managed Futures Index Strategy ETF | $12M |
| Outflows | ||
| CTA | Simplify Managed Futures Strategy ETF | -$53M |
| SVIX | -1x Short VIX Futures ETF | -$22M |
| SVOL | Simplify Volatility Premium ETF | -$11M |
| UVIX | 2x Long VIX Futures ETF | -$9M |
| QAI | NYLIM Hedge Multi-Strategy Tracker ETF | -$5M |
Issuer League Table Update
iM and Simplify remain the dominant issuers in the Alternatives space, commanding a combined market share of over 45%. Driven entirely by its flagship managed futures fund, iM led all issuers with $84 million in weekly net inflows. Conversely, Simplify experienced the largest net redemptions for the week, with outflows totaling $64 million across its suite of funds.
Top 5 Issuers by AUM
| Brand | Fund Count | AUM | AUM Market Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| iM | 1 | $4.12B | 29.43% |
| Simplify | 5 | $2.22B | 15.86% |
| NYLIM | 2 | $1.26B | 9.01% |
| Franklin | 1 | $1.07B | 7.60% |
| ProShares | 6 | $976M | 6.97% |
Top & Bottom 3 Issuers by 5-Day Flow
| Brand | 5-Day Flow |
|---|---|
| Inflows | |
| iM | $84M |
| iPath | $21M |
| ProShares | $20M |
| Outflows | |
| Simplify | -$64M |
| Volatility Shares | -$31M |
| NYLIM | -$2M |
For a deeper dive into these trends, access our FREE, in-depth Alternative ETF reports in the right side panel of this page.
Disclosures
This material is for informational purposes only and should not be considered investment advice. All investments, including ETFs, involve risk, including the possible loss of principal. Investors should consider their investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses carefully before investing.
This analysis was developed by the team at ETF Action. We leverage advanced AI tools to assist in the drafting and refinement of our content, based on our expert prompts, direction, and final review.
