29 New Funds Launch, Led by Bond Ladders and Tactical Single-Stock Plays

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Year-to-Date Landscape (as of 8/22/2025)

  • Total Launches vs. Closures: The ETF market has seen 644 launches and 116 closures year-to-date.
  • Active vs. Passive: Actively managed funds represent 557 of the total launches, compared to 87 for passive funds. A significant portion of the “active” launches fall into non-traditional categories, particularly leveraged and synthetic income strategies tied to single stocks.
  • Asset Class Focus: Fixed Income ETFs have attracted the most assets among new launches, accumulating $22.93B. Non-Traditional and Equity ETFs follow with $11.44B and $14.01B respectively.
  • Leading Issuers by Launch Count: The most prolific issuers so far this year have been Leverage Shares (27), Defiance (27), and iShares (23).

New ETFs Launched: Week of August 18 – August 22

This week saw 29 new ETF launches. Activity was dominated by two distinct themes: a suite of maturing-ladder bond ETFs from Northern Trust and another wave of single-stock leveraged and income funds. Other launches included thematic AI, sector-specific, and covered call strategies.

Traditional

  • JHAI: Janus Henderson Global Artificial Intelligence ETF (Thematic – Disruptive Tech)
  • JHLN: John Hancock Global Senior Loan ETF (Taxable – High Yield)
  • MUNA: Northern Trust 2030 Tax-Exempt Distributing Ladder ETF (Specialty – Maturing Ladder)
  • MUNB: Northern Trust 2035 Tax-Exempt Distributing Ladder ETF (Specialty – Maturing Ladder)
  • MUNC: Northern Trust 2045 Tax-Exempt Distributing Ladder ETF (Specialty – Maturing Ladder)
  • MUND: Northern Trust 2055 Tax-Exempt Distributing Ladder ETF (Specialty – Maturing Ladder)
  • SGRT: SMART Earnings Growth 30 ETF (U.S. Large Cap – Growth)
  • STRN: SMART Trend 25 ETF (U.S. Large Cap – Growth)
  • TAXI: Northern Trust Intermediate Tax-Exempt Bond ETF (Municipal – Intermediate)
  • TAXS: Northern Trust Short-Term Tax-Exempt Bond ETF (Municipal – Short)
  • TAXT: Northern Trust Tax-Exempt Bond ETF (Municipal – Long)
  • TIPA: Northern Trust 2030 Inflation-Linked Distributing Ladder ETF (Specialty – Maturing Ladder)
  • TIPB: Northern Trust 2035 Inflation-Linked Distributing Ladder ETF (Specialty – Maturing Ladder)
  • TIPC: Northern Trust 2045 Inflation-Linked Distributing Ladder ETF (Specialty – Maturing Ladder)
  • TIPD: Northern Trust 2055 Inflation-Linked Distributing Ladder ETF (Specialty – Maturing Ladder)
  • TRUD: VanEck Consumer Discretionary TruSector ETF (Sector – Consumer Discretionary)
  • TRUT: VanEck Technology TruSector ETF (Sector – Information Technology)

Non-Traditional

  • JOYT: JPMorgan Equity and Options Total Return ETF (Synthetic Income – Equity)
  • SLJY: Amplify SILJ Covered Call ETF (Synthetic Income – Equity)
  • SLTY: YieldMax Ultra Short Option Income Strategy ETF (Synthetic Income – Equity)

Single-Stock

  • AMDU: Defiance Leveraged Long + Income AMD ETF (Synthetic Income – Single Stock)
  • BAIG: Leverage Shares 2X Long BBAI Daily ETF (Leverage | Inverse – Single Stock)
  • GLGG: Leverage Shares 2X Long GLXY Daily ETF (Leverage | Inverse – Single Stock)
  • HIMY: Defiance Leveraged Long Income HIMS ETF (Leverage | Inverse – Single Stock)
  • HOOI: Defiance Leveraged Long Income HOOD ETF (Leverage | Inverse – Single Stock)
  • LRCU: Tradr 2X Long LRCX Daily ETF (Leverage | Inverse – Single Stock)
  • MDBX: Tradr 2X Long MDB Daily ETF (Leverage | Inverse – Single Stock)
  • PLT: Defiance Leveraged Long Income PLTR ETF (Unclassified)
  • SMCC: Defiance Leveraged Long + Income SMCI ETF (Synthetic Income – Single Stock)