Morgan Asset Management's Asia Pacific ETF specialist, Wang Wei, delivered a presentation at a recent financial summit. Wang Wei highlighted that as of April 30, the global ETF industry has grown into a massive market with assets under management reaching $22 trillion, with net inflows continuing to hit new highs (Source: ETDGI, Bloomberg). The world's first ETF was launched in Canada in 1990, followed by the first US ETF in 1993. After the 2008 financial crisis, ETFs entered a period of rapid expansion. The ETF rule introduced by the US SEC in 2019 significantly streamlined the issuance process, further accelerating a wave of product innovation.
Examining the regional landscape, as of April 30, the US ETF market accounts for approximately 71% of the global total, with Europe, the Middle East, and Africa representing about 17%, and the Asia-Pacific region making up around 12%. The total number of global ETFs has now increased to roughly 17,000. Last year, an average of 10 new ETFs were launched globally each day, with the US averaging 4 per day (Source: Bloomberg, Morgan Asset Management). Morgan Asset Management forecasts that global ETF assets will grow to $30 trillion by 2030.
Wang Wei further elaborated by comparing data, noting that as of February 28, 2026, the global market share of ETFs has risen from 13% to 32%. Over the past 15 years, ETFs have consistently maintained net inflows (Source: Morningstar, Morgan Asset Management). This trend indicates that investor recognition of the structural advantages of ETFs—such as high transparency, strong liquidity, and low cost—is continuously increasing.