Do ETF actually own stocks?
For example, a stock ETF holds stocks, while a bond ETF holds bonds. One share of the ETF gives buyers ownership of all the stocks or bonds in the fund. For example, if an ETF held 100 stocks, then those who owned the fund would own a stake – a very tiny one – in each of those 100 stocks.
ETFs do not involve actual ownership of securities. Mutual funds own the securities in their basket. Stocks involve physical ownership of the security. ETFs diversify risk by creating a portfolio that can span multiple asset classes, sectors, industries, and security instruments.
ETFs can be a great investment for long-term investors and those with shorter-term time horizons. They can be especially valuable to beginning investors. That's because they won't require the time, effort, and experience needed to research individual stocks.
ETF MARKET SIZE
ETFs represent 12.7% of equity assets in the U.S., 8.5% in Europe, and 4.4% in Asia-Pacific. Market share is smaller in fixed income, where ETFs account for 2.6% of fixed income assets in the U.S., 1.8% in Europe, and 0.4% in Asia-Pacific (Figures 1, 2, and 3).
ETFs are subject to market fluctuation and the risks of their underlying investments. ETFs are subject to management fees and other expenses. Unlike mutual funds, ETF shares are bought and sold at market price, which may be higher or lower than their NAV, and are not individually redeemed from the fund.
ETFs make a great pick for many investors who are starting out as well as for those who simply don't want to do all the legwork required to own individual stocks. Though it's possible to find the big winners among individual stocks, you have strong odds of doing well consistently with ETFs.
A single ETF can contain dozens or hundreds of different stocks, or bonds or almost anything else considered an investable asset. Since ETFs are more diversified, they tend to have a lower risk level than stocks.
Leveraged ETF prices tend to decay over time, and triple leverage will tend to decay at a faster rate than 2x leverage. As a result, they can tend toward zero.
ETFs can be safe investments if used correctly, offering diversification and flexibility. Indexed ETFs, tracking specific indexes like the S&P 500, are generally safe and tend to gain value over time. Leveraged ETFs can be used to amplify returns, but they can be riskier due to increased volatility.
Stock-picking offers an advantage over exchange-traded funds (ETFs) when there is a wide dispersion of returns from the mean. Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) offer advantages over stocks when the return from stocks in the sector has a narrow dispersion around the mean.
How many Americans own ETFs?
How many Americans own ETFs? An estimated 16.1 million, or about 12 percent, of US households held ETFs in 2022.
Fund (ticker symbol) | Assets under management | 10-year average annual returns |
---|---|---|
Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (VTI) | $388.5 billion | 12.1% |
Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) | $258.3 billion | 18.5% |
Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets ETF (VEA) | $131.1 billion | 4.9% |
Vanguard Growth ETF (VUG) | $118.1 billion | 14.9% |
Under the Investment Company Act, private investment funds (e.g. hedge funds) are generally prohibited from acquiring more than 3% of an ETF's shares (the 3% Limit).
Low Liquidity
If an ETF is thinly traded, there can be problems getting out of the investment, depending on the size of your position relative to the average trading volume. The biggest sign of an illiquid investment is large spreads between the bid and the ask.
Liquidation of ETFs is strictly regulated; when an ETF closes, any remaining shareholders will receive a payout based on what they had invested in the ETF. Receiving an ETF payout can be a taxable event.
The Bottom Line
Investors who buy index funds will not lose all of their investment. That's because they're investments buoyed by hundreds or thousands of underlying securities. As such, they're highly diversified, making it almost impossible for them to reach a value of zero.
That's because your investment gives you access to the broad stock market. Meanwhile, if you only invest in S&P 500 ETFs, you won't beat the broad market. Rather, you can expect your portfolio's performance to be in line with that of the broad market. But that's not necessarily a bad thing.
For investors who want to get in on the action, the good news is that investing in a fund that tracks the S&P 500 index is an easily accessible strategy. But experts say it also deserves a word of caution: Past performance is not indicative of future returns.
SPY, VOO and IVV are among the most popular S&P 500 ETFs. These three S&P 500 ETFs are quite similar, but may sometimes diverge in terms of costs or daily returns. Investors generally only need one S&P 500 ETF.
- High-yield savings accounts.
- Money market funds.
- Short-term certificates of deposit.
- Series I savings bonds.
- Treasury bills, notes, bonds and TIPS.
- Corporate bonds.
- Dividend-paying stocks.
- Preferred stocks.
What is the safest ETF to buy?
- Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO -0.84%) ...
- Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF (VYM 0.84%) ...
- Vanguard Real Estate ETF (VNQ 0.48%) ...
- iShares Core S&P Total U.S. Stock Market ETF (ITOT -0.78%) ...
- Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLP 0.98%)
Like any business, even low-cost ETFs need to generate revenue to cover their costs. Like any business, even low-cost ETFs need to generate revenue to cover their costs. Plenty of ETFs fail to garner the assets necessary to cover these costs and, consequently, ETF closures happen regularly.
Visit your My NerdWallet Settings page to see all the writers you're following. RDIV and SPYD have some of the highest yields of any high-dividend ETF. It's possible to live off the income from high-dividend ETFs, but it may take some planning.
In 2023, there were 244 ETF closures with an average age of 5.4 years and average assets under management of only $54 million.
Hold ETFs throughout your working life. Hold ETFs as long as you can, give compound interest time to work for you. Sell ETFs to fund your retirement. Don't sell ETFs during a market crash.