Mutual fund flips to ETFs hit a record in 2024

New exchange-traded funds riding buzzy investment themes are helping fuel record industry growth this year. Yet, it’s also shaping up to be a banner era for money managers revamping their tried-and-tested mutual funds into the tax-efficient product.

This year has seen a record number of mutual fund-to-ETF switches, according to data compiled by Morningstar Direct. As demand for the easy-to-trade ETF structure gains traction on Wall Street, 55 made the conversion — more than triple from 2021. Majority of the products that converted were fixed-income in nature, particularly from Stone Ridge’s LifeX suite. Other issuers include Morgan Stanley, TCW Group Inc. and BlackRock Inc. 

And that tally is only expected to grow. Bank of America Corp. strategists foresee about 400 mutual funds with over $325 billion in total assets that are ripe for ETF conversions, with $3 billion of that amount anticipated to occur in 2025.

For years, it’s been somewhat of a zero-sum game between the two products as investors pass over more staid mutual funds in favor of ETFs. But the flows paint a clear picture. 

Investors have been yanking cash out of mutual funds in eight of the past nine years, data compiled by Bloomberg Intelligence show. Meanwhile, ETFs have posted record inflows for that period.

“Several fund providers needed to see proof of concept before they initiated their own conversions,” said Ryan Jackson, senior manager research analyst for Morningstar Research Services. “In many cases, the benefits of the ETF structure do more good than harm for investors.”

ETFs are a win-win for both investors and issuers, BofA strategists wrote in a note. Ever since they were created some 30 years ago, investors have saved over $250 billion simply by choosing ETFs thanks to their lower cost and higher liquidity, their calculations show. 

It’s been a banner year for ETFs in the US with assets hitting nearly $11 trillion and inflows peaking at $1 trillion. There have also been more than 650 fund launches — a record too. With regulators potentially approving the creation of more ETF share classes as well as alternative investments, the runway for growth remains long.

Still, there will always be a place for mutual funds in portfolios, according to Mohit Bajaj, director of ETFs at WallachBeth Capital. There are currently more than 7,000 mutual funds with $28 trillion in assets, according to BofA.

“Many fund managers do not want to give their ‘secret sauce’ out to the broader community and not divulge holdings on a daily basis,” Bajaj said.