ETFs, ETPs Make Record Asset Grab in 2015

"The record level of asset gathering in 2015 shows that more investors are using ETFs/ETPs in more ways due to the market turmoil: Retail is using more ETFs through robo-advisors, institutions are using ETFs as alternatives to futures, and financial advisors are using more ETFs especially in multi-asset portfolios," Fuhr said.

In 2015, equity ETFs/ETPs gathered the largest net inflows with $258 billion, followed by fixed income with $81.5 billion, and commodities with $2.4 billion. In December, equity and fixed income funds drew the largest inflows, while commodity funds gave back $688 million.

Last year, iShares was the largest net asset gatherer, netting $139 billion. Vanguard followed with $85 billion, and DB/x-trackers with $28 billion.

The top three ETF/ETP providers at the end of 2015, out of 276, accounted for 69% of global assets: iShares with $1.1 trillion, a 37.1% market share; Vanguard with $507 billion, a 17% market share; and SPDR with $443 billion, a 14.8% market share.

The report said 28% of ETFs/ETPs tracked the benchmarks of S&P Dow Jones in 2015. Fifteen percent followed MSCI benchmarks, 13% those of FTSE Russell and 10% Barclays benchmarks.