Weekly Channel Summary
The Alternatives channel, encompassing 47 ETFs from 26 issuers, holds a total of $13.43 billion in assets under management. The segment experienced net outflows of $219 million over the past week, though it has attracted significant capital year-to-date. Investors have added $3.76 billion to the channel so far in 2026 and $5.12 billion over the last twelve months.
This Week’s Performance Leaders and Laggards
Volatility-linked strategies showed the widest performance divergence this week, with Vol – Short funds gaining 2.47% while Vol – Long funds fell by 5.41%. Managed Futures also posted a strong weekly return of 2.17%, extending its year-to-date gain to 10.67%. On the other end of the spectrum, the decline in Vol – Long funds deepened their year-to-date losses to nearly 33%.
Absolute Return Performance Snapshot
| Absolute Return | WTD | 1 Month | 3 Month | 6 Month | YTD | 1 Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Managed Futures | 2.17% | 1.25% | -2.49% | 3.85% | 10.67% | 21.05% |
| Multi-Strategy | 0.89% | 1.39% | 1.48% | 4.80% | 7.83% | 14.26% |
| Event Driven | 0.29% | 0.53% | 1.28% | 1.81% | 2.93% | 3.90% |
Volatility Performance Snapshot
| Volatility | WTD | 1 Month | 3 Month | 6 Month | YTD | 1 Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vol – Short | 2.47% | 3.93% | 14.20% | 12.50% | 7.22% | 22.83% |
| Vol – Long | -5.41% | -11.60% | -34.03% | -38.68% | -32.97% | -54.94% |
Top & Bottom 5 ETFs by Weekly Performance
The Opportunistic Trader ETF (WZRD) delivered a staggering 66.39% return, making it the week’s standout performer by a wide margin. Other top funds included the Simplify Multi-QIS Alternative ETF (QIS) and the Simplify Managed Futures Strategy ETF (CTA), which gained 8.17% and 5.10% respectively. Conversely, leveraged volatility products suffered the most, with the 2x Long VIX Futures ETF (UVIX) declining by 9.34%.
| Ticker | Fund Name | WTD Performance |
|---|---|---|
| Top Performers | ||
| WZRD | Opportunistic Trader ETF | 66.39% |
| QIS | Simplify Multi-QIS Alternative ETF | 8.17% |
| CTA | Simplify Managed Futures Strategy ETF | 5.10% |
| SVIX | -1x Short VIX Futures ETF | 4.95% |
| KMLM | KraneShares Mount Lucas Managed Futures Index Strategy ETF | 3.30% |
| Bottom Performers | ||
| UVIX | 2x Long VIX Futures ETF | -9.34% |
| UVXY | ProShares Ultra VIX Short-Term Futures ETF | -7.03% |
| VXX | iPath Series B S&P 500 VIX Short-Term Futures ETN | -4.75% |
| VIXY | ProShares VIX Short-Term Futures ETF | -4.75% |
| NTRL | First Trust Equity Market Neutral ETF | -1.78% |
Analyzing the Weekly Flows
The Alternatives channel saw net outflows of $219 million for the week, driven by significant redemptions from the Managed Futures category. This group shed $238 million, overshadowing modest inflows into other areas. Vol – Long strategies were the primary beneficiaries of new assets, collecting $30 million, while Event Driven funds added a smaller $1 million.
Absolute Return Flows Summary
| Absolute Return | Fund Count | AUM | 5 Day | 30 Day | 90 Day | YTD | 1 Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Event Driven | 8 | $427M | $1M | $2M | -$2M | -$29M | $3M |
| Multi-Strategy | 12 | $2.88B | -$2M | $67M | $399M | $917M | $1,159M |
| Managed Futures | 16 | $7.71B | -$238M | $253M | $834M | $2,719M | $3,665M |
Volatility Flows Summary
| Volatility | Fund Count | AUM | 5 Day | 30 Day | 90 Day | YTD | 1 Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vol – Long | 6 | $1.33B | $30M | $229M | $178M | $322M | $672M |
| Vol – Short | 5 | $1.07B | -$11M | -$44M | -$169M | -$167M | -$382M |
Top & Bottom 5 ETFs by 5-Day Flow
Flows at the fund level were concentrated, with a single ETF accounting for nearly all of the channel’s weekly outflows. The iMGP DBi Managed Futures Strategy ETF (DBMF) experienced redemptions of $214 million. The iPath Series B S&P 500 VIX Short-Term Futures ETN (VXX) also saw significant withdrawals, losing $68 million. On the other side of the ledger, the ProShares VIX Mid-Term Futures ETF (VIXM) led all funds with $63 million in new assets.
| Ticker | Fund Name | 5-Day Flow |
|---|---|---|
| Inflows | ||
| VIXM | ProShares VIX Mid-Term Futures ETF | $63M |
| VIXY | ProShares VIX Short-Term Futures ETF | $17M |
| UVIX | 2x Long VIX Futures ETF | $13M |
| SVXY | ProShares Short VIX Short-Term Futures ETF | $9M |
| WTMF | WisdomTree Managed Futures Strategy Fund | $8M |
| Outflows | ||
| DBMF | iMGP DBi Managed Futures Strategy ETF | -$214M |
| VXX | iPath Series B S&P 500 VIX Short-Term Futures ETN | -$68M |
| KMLM | KraneShares Mount Lucas Managed Futures Index Strategy ETF | -$27M |
| SVIX | -1x Short VIX Futures ETF | -$12M |
| CTA | Simplify Managed Futures Strategy ETF | -$11M |
Issuer League Table Update
iM and Simplify remain the two largest issuers in the Alternatives space, commanding market shares of 29.57% and 16.13%, respectively. This week, ProShares led all issuers in asset gathering, pulling in $89 million in net inflows across its product suite. In contrast, iM faced the largest outflows, shedding $214 million entirely from its single managed futures fund.
Top 5 Issuers by AUM
| Brand | Fund Count | AUM | AUM Market Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| iM | 1 | $3.97B | 29.57% |
| Simplify | 5 | $2.17B | 16.13% |
| New York Life Investments | 2 | $1.28B | 9.52% |
| Franklin | 1 | $1.05B | 7.81% |
| ProShares | 6 | $926M | 6.90% |
Top & Bottom 3 Issuers by 5-Day Flow
| Brand | 5-Day Flow |
|---|---|
| Inflows | |
| ProShares | $89M |
| First Trust | $11M |
| WisdomTree | $8M |
| Outflows | |
| iM | -$214M |
| iPath | -$68M |
| KraneShares | -$27M |
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.
