The appetite among investors for exchange-traded funds continues unabated with 2025 being another strong year for launches, with stats showing there were more than 1000 new funds by the end of November.
This week’s launches sees BlackRock claim a new first as its iShares Total USD Fixed Income Market ETF (BTOT) made its debut, an index-based fund designed to provide broad exposure to the US taxable bond market in a single vehicle.
“Bond markets have evolved dramatically over the years, and investors need tools that keep pace with this change,” says Steve Laipply, Global Co-Head of iShares Fixed Income ETFs.
The ETF seeks to track the Bloomberg US Total Fixed Income Market Index, which includes a wider range of fixed income sectors than traditional benchmarks. In addition to investment-grade government and corporate bonds, the index incorporates areas such as bank loans, inflation-linked securities, floating-rate notes, and other segments historically excluded from core bond indices.
For those investors wanting to invest in crypto, but diversify from Bitcoin, The 21Shares XRP ETF (TOXR) is a new US-listed fund designed to provide regulated exposure to XRP, a digital asset often used in cross-border payment infrastructure. TOXR aims to track the spot performance of XRP via the CME CF XRP-Dollar Reference Rate, allowing investors to gain exposure to the cryptocurrency’s price movements without needing to buy or hold XRP directly themselves.
TOXR is not registered under the US Investment Company Act of 1940 and thus does not carry the same regulatory protections as many traditional ETFs; its underlying asset can be highly volatile and may not be suitable for all investors.
Other launches this week include the Simplify US Equity PLUS Managed Futures Strategy ETF (CTAP), that aims for long-term capital appreciation by combining two distinct exposures within a single product. It provides 100% exposure to large-cap US equities, obtained through a passive, market cap–weighted allocation via a liquid ETF, alongside 100% exposure to a systematic managed futures strategy developed by Altis Partners and designed to invest across global commodities and interest rates and to offer diversification through long/short positioning.
Meanwhile, Cohen & Steers has launched two new actively managed ETFs.
The Cohen & Steers Infrastructure Opportunities Active ETF (CSIO) aims to provide exposure to a high-conviction, benchmark-unconstrained portfolio of infrastructure companies, with a focus on long-term secular trends such as rising power demand and other growth drivers within the sector. The Cohen & Steers Short Duration Preferred and Income Active ETF (CSSD) is designed to generate tax-efficient income and total returns through investments in short-duration, investment-grade preferred securities, positioning it as an alternative to traditional short-term fixed income.
Adding to investors’ choice are the Goldman Sachs Technology Opportunities ETF, BNY Mellon Enhanced Dividend and Income ETF, and three new funds from Motley Fool.
Wealthspire’s Ground Control is also expanding in London, adding a business manager focused on music and global touring
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