Weekly Channel Summary
As of January 30, 2026, the Thematic ETF channel manages $337 billion in total assets across 406 ETFs from 101 unique brands. The past week saw robust activity with $4.29 billion in net inflows, contributing to a strong Year-to-Date (YTD) flow total of $16.58 billion. Over the trailing 12 months, the channel has attracted a staggering $64.44 billion in net new money, reflecting sustained investor conviction in long-term structural themes despite shifting performance leadership.
This Week’s Performance Leaders and Laggards
Energy and Infrastructure themes dominated the leaderboard this week, led by Midstream & MLPs (+2.80%) and Infrastructure (+2.12%). Conversely, the FinTech category was the primary laggard, falling 2.90% on the week, though it maintains a strong YTD return of 7.08%. The Natural Resources category continues its exceptional run, ending the week up 1.89% and pushing its 1-year performance to a dominant 72.49%.
Category Performance Snapshot
| Category | WTD | 1 Month | 3 Month | 6 Month | YTD | 1 Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Midstream & MLPs | 2.80% | 7.99% | 11.72% | 8.12% | 7.84% | 7.27% |
| Infrastructure | 2.12% | 7.13% | 6.33% | 15.18% | 7.97% | 29.03% |
| Natural Resources | 1.89% | 17.93% | 23.77% | 49.09% | 18.47% | 72.49% |
| Sustainability | 1.38% | 9.37% | 6.56% | 30.14% | 10.64% | 52.45% |
| Disruptive Tech | 0.02% | 0.93% | -4.83% | 8.14% | 1.97% | 18.03% |
| Multi-Sector | -0.15% | 2.78% | -0.19% | 11.47% | 4.03% | 21.32% |
| Alternative Equity | -1.53% | -0.23% | 1.59% | -5.91% | -0.17% | -4.75% |
| Evolving Consumer | -1.75% | -1.44% | -4.55% | 5.33% | -1.14% | 13.82% |
| Health Innovation | -1.90% | 1.92% | 10.39% | 28.58% | 2.96% | 23.11% |
| FinTech | -2.90% | 4.73% | -16.84% | 7.77% | 7.08% | 22.57% |
Top & Bottom 5 ETFs by Weekly Performance
The Global X Copper Miners ETF (COPX) led the channel this week with a stellar 10.11% return. At the other end of the spectrum, Cannabis-related funds faced heavy selling pressure, with the Roundhill Cannabis ETF (WEED) and AdvisorShares Pure US Cannabis ETF (MSOS) declining 16.13% and 15.03% respectively.
| Ticker | Fund Name | WTD Performance |
|---|---|---|
| Top Performers | ||
| COPX | Global X Copper Miners ETF | 10.11% |
| COPA | Themes Copper Miners ETF | 9.09% |
| COPP | Sprott Copper Miners ETF | 8.71% |
| URNJ | Sprott Junior Uranium Miners ETF | 7.90% |
| ICOP | iShares Copper and Metals Mining ETF | 7.60% |
| Bottom Performers | ||
| WEED | Roundhill Cannabis ETF | -16.13% |
| MSOS | AdvisorShares Pure US Cannabis ETF | -15.03% |
| CNBS | Amplify Seymour Cannabis ETF | -13.95% |
| MJ | Amplify Alternative Harvest ETF | -11.46% |
| YOLO | AdvisorShares Pure Cannabis ETF | -9.11% |
Analyzing the Weekly Flows
The channel saw net inflows of $4.29 billion this week. Natural Resources was the big winner, attracting $1.75 billion in net new money, followed closely by Infrastructure with $1.34 billion. On the flip side, Thematic Multi-Sector experienced the largest category exit, losing $931 million, primarily driven by continued outflows in high-profile innovation funds.
Category Flows Summary
| Category | Fund Count | AUM | 5 Day Flow | YTD Flow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Natural Resources | 56 | $59.7B | $1,754M | $5,910M |
| Infrastructure | 42 | $47.2B | $1,337M | $2,617M |
| Precious Metals | 15 | $66.8B | $1,261M | $2,451M |
| Disruptive Tech | 62 | $57.2B | $1,006M | $2,017M |
| Industrial Revolution | 36 | $20.5B | $314M | $2,482M |
| Sustainability | 27 | $7.6B | $89M | $291M |
| Midstream & MLPs | 17 | $23.0B | $32M | $67M |
| Alternative Equity | 9 | $2.4B | -$5M | $34M |
| Health Innovation | 23 | $2.4B | -$52M | $89M |
| Evolving Consumer | 46 | $15.8B | -$122M | -$19M |
| FinTech | 26 | $5.5B | -$419M | $168M |
| Multi-Sector | 43 | $28.4B | -$931M | $412M |
Top & Bottom 5 ETFs by 5-Day Flow
The Global X U.S. Infrastructure Development ETF (PAVE) led all ETFs with $821 million in net inflows this week, signaling massive re-allocation into physical infrastructure themes. Outflows were heavily concentrated in innovation strategies, with the ARK Innovation ETF (ARKK) and ARK Blockchain & Fintech Innovation ETF (ARKF) losing $1.03 billion and $410 million respectively.
| Ticker | Fund Name | 5-Day Flow |
|---|---|---|
| Inflows | ||
| PAVE | Global X U.S. Infrastructure Development ETF | $821M |
| GDX | VanEck Gold Miners ETF | $588M |
| AIQ | Global X Artificial Intelligence & Technology ETF | $586M |
| COPX | Global X Copper Miners ETF | $570M |
| URA | Global X Uranium ETF | $269M |
| Outflows | ||
| ARKK | ARK Innovation ETF | -$1,029M |
| ARKF | ARK Blockchain & Fintech Innovation ETF | -$410M |
| XME | SPDR S&P Metals & Mining ETF | -$237M |
| ARKX | ARK Space & Defense Innovation ETF | -$227M |
| PNQI | Invesco NASDAQ Internet ETF | -$60M |
Issuer League Table Update
Global X and VanEck continue to hold the top spots in the thematic market share rankings, accounting for nearly 36.4% of total channel AUM. Global X was the dominant asset gatherer this week, pulling in $3.10 billion in weekly inflows. In contrast, ARK saw the largest net outflows among major issuers, losing $1.70 billion as investors rotated away from its core innovation strategies.
Top 5 Issuers by AUM
| Brand | Fund Count | AUM | AUM Market Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Global X | 36 | $65.86B | 19.56% |
| VanEck | 18 | $56.62B | 16.82% |
| iShares | 33 | $52.06B | 15.46% |
| First Trust | 30 | $42.87B | 12.73% |
| SPDR | 15 | $16.07B | 4.77% |
Top & Bottom 3 Issuers by 5-Day Flow
| Brand | 5-Day Flow |
|---|---|
| Inflows | |
| Global X | $3,099M |
| VanEck | $1,210M |
| iShares | $623M |
| Outflows | |
| ARK | -$1,700M |
| SPDR | -$199M |
| ALPS | -$86M |
For a deeper dive into these trends, access our FREE, in-depth Thematic ETF reports in the right side panel of this page.
Disclosures
This material is for informational purposes only and should not be considered investment advice. All investments, including ETFs, involve risk, including the possible loss of principal. Investors should consider their investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses carefully before investing.
This analysis was developed by the team at ETF Action. We leverage advanced AI tools to assist in the drafting and refinement of our content, based on our expert prompts, direction, and final review.
