During 2024, Vanguard’s exchange-traded funds (ETFs) amassed a staggering $304.4 billion in fresh assets, outpacing BlackRock’s iShares, which brought in $292.1 billion, according to data from
For those invested in ETFs, this competition between the two largest providers highlights Vanguard’s low-cost approach, which continues to draw in assets despite having significantly fewer funds compared to its larger rival.
While BlackRock oversees nearly $3.2 trillion spread across 438 ETFs, Vanguard has gathered over $2.9 trillion with just 86 funds, as revealed by data.
The competition is especially intense in the realm of S&P 500 index funds. The Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO) attracted an impressive $116.2 billion in 2024, while BlackRock’s iShares Core S&P 500 ETF (IVV) drew in $86.7 billion, according to
Both funds are closing in on the largest and oldest ETF, State Street’s SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY), which saw a modest $16.5 billion in inflows despite managing $626.3 billion in assets. This shift comes as Vanguard appointed former BlackRock executive Salim Ramji as CEO last July, following Tim Buckley’s retirement announcement in March.
Vanguard’s flagship S&P 500 ETF, VOO, now manages $586.2 billion, nearly on par with BlackRock’s IVV at $588.2 billion, according to
Among its top-performing funds, Vanguard’s Total Stock Market ETF (VTI) accumulated $29.2 billion in 2024, while the Vanguard Growth ETF (VUG) attracted $15.5 billion, as per data.
On the other hand, BlackRock’s most successful products after IVV included its iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF (AGG), which brought in $21 billion, and its international equity fund, the iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF (IEFA), which gained $11.6 billion.
Vanguard’s strong inflows come despite criticism for not joining the debut of spot Bitcoin ETFs earlier this year. However, with Ramji, who helped launch BlackRock’s Bitcoin ETF (IBIT), now at the helm, changes in Vanguard’s cryptocurrency stance could be on the horizon.
Vanguard’s success lies in its focus on U.S. equity products, which have outperformed bond and international offerings. BlackRock’s diverse lineup includes assets in fixed-income and global-equity funds, which have shown mixed performance compared to domestic stock funds.
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