ETFs have overtaken mutual funds as the passively managed vehicle of choice for investors in Switzerland and France, according to a Research in Finance survey.
The European Fund Selector Survey, interviewing 900 retail, institutional third-party fund buyers and distributors, found that 56% of investors surveyed in Switzerland allocate to passive ETFs versus 44% in Switzerland.
The trend was mirrored in France, with 52% of investors surveyed allocating to passive ETFs, while 48% allocated to index-tracking mutual funds.
Germany and Italy are soon to see allocations tip toward passive ETFs, with 48% and 45% allocations to the wrapper, respectively.
Passive ETFs' popularity in these regions has been aligned with “one major domestic asset manager” sitting behind them, Mark McFee, editorial and insights director at Research in Finance, told ETF Stream.
“[This has helped to] boost awareness and uptake of the wrapper: Amundi and BNP Paribas in France, DWS in Germany, and UBS in Switzerland,” he said.
Trailing behind with a smaller percentage of passive ETF allocations were Benelux (35%), the Nordics (34%) and the UK (33%).
There has been a spike in European fund managers planning to enter ETFs over the next two years, with a Blackwater survey finding found 92% of European mutual fund managers are planning to expand into ETFs.
Mutual funds have seen two consecutive years of outflows, with ETFs booking €119.7bn inflows between the beginning of 2023 and 1 December while mutual funds suffered €61.1bn outflows, according to data from Refintiv.
ETFs have seen increased popularity in France through their growing inclusion in life insurance contracts.
