Release: Active and Index Investing, August 2026
Active and Index Combined Long-Term Mutual Funds and Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs): August 2026
Washington, DC; September 30, 2026—The combined assets of the nation’s active mutual funds and ETFs increased by $287.29 billion, or 1.5%, to $18.87 trillion in August while the combined assets of the nation’s indexed mutual funds and ETFs increased by $638.22 billion, or 2.9%, to $22.40 trillion in August according to the Investment Company Institute’s official survey of the mutual fund and ETF industry.
Total Net Assets Long-Term Mutual Funds and ETFs*
Billions of dollars
| Active Aug 2026 |
Index Aug 2026 |
Index as a % of Total |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Equity | |||
|
Domestic equity |
8,443.4 | 15,563.5 | 64.8 |
|
World equity |
3,464.5 | 3,549.5 | 50.6 |
| Hybrid | 1,819.0 | 87.9 | 4.6 |
| Bond | 5,144.5 | 3,198.9 | 38.3 |
| Total | 18,871.4 | 22,399.7 | 54.3 |
* Data for funds that invest primarily in other mutual funds were excluded from the series.
Note: Components may not add to the total because of rounding.
Flows of Long-Term Mutual Funds and ETFs*
Millions of dollars
| Active Aug 2026 |
Active Jul 2026 |
Index Aug 2026 |
Index Jul 2026 |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Equity | ||||
|
Domestic equity |
-34,449 | -34,535 | 20,410 | 68,052 |
|
World equity |
-8,632 | -24,467 | 17,059 | 24,934 |
| Hybrid | -5,592 | -3,129 | -480 | -307 |
| Bond | 31,622 | 31,025 | 45,547 | 31,162 |
| Total | -17,052 | -31,106 | 82,536 | 123,842 |
* Data for funds that invest primarily in other mutual funds were excluded from the series.
Note: Components may not add to the total because of rounding.
Highlights: Long-term active funds—equity, hybrid, and bond funds—had a net outflow of $17.05 billion in August versus an outflow of $31.11 billion in July, while long-term index funds had a net inflow of $82.54 billion in August versus an inflow of $123.84 billion in July.
Active funds
Equity funds posted an outflow of $43.08 billion in August, compared with an outflow of $59.00 billion in July. Among equity funds, world equity funds (U.S. funds that invest primarily overseas) posted an outflow of $8.63 billion in August, versus an outflow of $24.47 billion in July. Funds that invest primarily in the United States had an outflow of $34.45 billion in August, versus an outflow of $34.54 billion in July.
Hybrid funds posted an outflow of $5.59 billion in August, compared with an outflow of $3.13 billion in July.
Bond funds had an inflow of $31.62 billion in August, compared with an inflow of $31.03 billion in July.
Index funds
Equity funds posted an inflow of $37.47 billion in August, compared with an inflow of $92.99 billion in July. Among equity funds, world equity funds (U.S. funds that invest primarily overseas) posted an inflow of $17.06 billion in August, versus an inflow of $24.93 billion in July. Funds that invest primarily in the United States had an inflow of $20.41 billion in August, versus an inflow of $68.05 billion in July.
Hybrid funds posted an outflow of $480 million in August, compared with an outflow of $307 million in July.
Bond funds had an inflow of $45.55 billion in August, compared with an inflow of $31.16 billion in July.
Number of Long-Term Mutual Funds and ETFs*
| Active Aug 2026 |
Active Jul 2026 |
Index Aug 2026 |
Index Jul 2026 |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Equity | ||||
|
Domestic equity |
4,334 | 4,287 | 1,371 | 1,363 |
|
World equity |
1,525 | 1,517 | 691 | 689 |
| Hybrid | 689 | 688 | 32 | 32 |
| Bond | 2,358 | 2,347 | 505 | 506 |
| Total | 8,906 | 8,839 | 2,599 | 2,590 |
* Data for funds that invest primarily in other mutual funds were excluded from the series.
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