Money goes where it's treated best. That simple truth is a big reason why more and more money (trillions, in fact) flows into a powerful, low-cost tool that's quietly transformed investing. Exchange-traded funds let you invest in everything from the stock market to gold like never before. This biweekly podcast will demystify them-and hopefully delight you in the process.
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The ETF industry had a record year in 2025. Somehow, 2026 is shaping up to be even bigger. More than $1 trillion has already poured into ETFs, launches continue at a breakneck pace and trading volume is on track for another record - putting the industry within reach of an unprecedented back-to-back "Triple Crown." But the boom isn't just about more money and more funds. Some of the most…
ETFs are already famous for their tax efficiency, but a growing corner of the market is pushing those benefits further than ever. What if you could sell a massive stock position without paying taxes on it - at least not yet? Welcome the 351 conversions - custom built funds that allow investors to swap concentrated stock positions into diversified portfolios without paying gains taxes. On this…
The ETF market is on pace for a record year - not just in the number of launches but also for the range of issuers entering the market. With competition intensifying, there's no shortage of noteworthy funds to keep an eye on. In this week's ETFs to Watch episode, Eric Balchunas and Joel Weber are joined by Bloomberg news cross-asset reporter Isabelle Lee to break down the standout launches at the…
The confluence of single-stock ETFs and leverage has reached a fever pitch this year. Products tied to companies like SpaceX, Micron and SK Hynix are proliferating, attracting billions of dollars from traders - and raising concerns they're beginning to influence the very stocks they're meant to track. In some markets - we're looking at you, South Korea - regulators have even stepped in to pause…
Tokenization has been a Wall Street buzzword, only now it's becoming real. Beginning this summer, the Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation - a little-known utility at the center of the US financial system that processed securities quadrillion in transactions - will begin creating blockchain-based "digital twins" of stocks, bonds and ETFs. The goal isn't to replace traditional investments, but…
The new Trump Accounts are designed to give millions of American children a head start in the stock market. Besides the kids who are eligible for $1,000 in free money, there's another surprise winner: the State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 ETF (SPYM). Thanks to its rock-bottom 0.02% fee, the fund has become the default investment for the new accounts - a designation that could funnel tens of…
The ETF wrapper has become investing's Swiss Army knife, packaging everything from stocks and bonds to gold and Bitcoin - and now, perhaps, even prediction markets. As issuers race to push the boundaries of what's possible, regulators at the Securities and Exchange Commission are rewriting their playbook in real time. On this episode of Trillions, Eric Balchunas and Joel Weber sit down with Brian…
SpaceX's record IPO quickly turned into a feeding frenzy in the ETF industry. Within days, about a dozen leveraged funds tied to the company - many of them almost identical - launched at the same time, setting off a battle for assets, attention and trading volume. The frenzy is reminiscent of the rush to launch spot Bitcoin ETFs. And obviously there are many other noteworthy new ETF launches. On…
In the asset management industry, there are two undisputed heavyweights: BlackRock and Vanguard. They rival each other in almost every category, but this month Vanguard overtook BlackRock as the largest US ETF issuer - a title BlackRock had held for two decades. Despite their dominance, the two firms have very different reputations, cultures and approaches. On this episode of Trillions , Eric…
Earlier this year, investors got hammered by the "SaaSpocalypse." The rise of AI sparked fears that software companies would need fewer workers, sell fewer licenses and spend heavily on technology with uncertain payoffs. Yet just a few months later, one little-known ETF - with only $2.5 million in assets - is quietly suggesting that software's death may have been slightly exaggerated. On this…
