M&A Mania Hits ETF Industry: Who’s Next?

In August, a flurry of ETF-related deals were announced and expected to close by early 2027.Goldman Sachs is buying NEOS Investments. T. Rowe Price plans to add F/M Investments. Victory Capital is acquiring First Eagle. The merger mania is worthy of discussion among exchange-traded fund pundits. Thankfully I got to speak on this topic last week on ETF Prime with Nate Geraci, president of NovaDius Wealth Management. Watch the discussion below and freely start at the 14-minute mark.Key Takeaways: The ETF industry has begun to consolidate, but there remain potential acquisition targets. Amplify and BondBloxx are two examples. Franklin Templeton has a legacy of growing through deals and could be on the hunt for a new partner. Crypto asset managers could appeal to a larger firm or to one another as the industry remains crowded. Geraci kicked us off by highlighting what’s behind this merger trend. Large asset managers need differentiated products. Meanwhile, nimble, specialized issuers require the vast distribution power of established financial giants. Geraci prompted me to offer up ETF providers that could be in the next wave of deal making. I obliged.High-Growth TargetsIn my opinion, a few companies are prime targets for larger firms looking to instantly scale their product lineups: Amplify ETFs: Known for thematic hits and high-demand option income vehicles like $8 billion (DIVO A-), Amplify has a proven record of product innovation. The firm is doing its own tuck-in deal for Fairlead’s technical ETF. Amplify’s lineup could be highly attractive to larger asset managers. The Amplify Cybersecurity ETF (HACK B+) manages $3.2 billion, supporting the firm’s $21 billion base. BondBloxx: Following the F/M Investments acquisition, BondBloxx stands out as a clear target. BondBloxx’s specialized fixed income offerings and veteran ETF leadership bring instant authority to any buyer lacking deep fixed income capabilities. The BondBloxx Bloomberg Six Month Target Duration US Treasury ETF (XHLF ) manages $2.0 billion and is the largest in the firm’s $8.2 billion lineup. GraniteShares & Simplify ETFs: With market appetite shifting toward alternatives and leveraged products, Geraci argued Simplify and GraniteShares could be in focus. They offer differentiated, higher-fee products that help create scale when paired with a larger firm. The GraniteShares 2X Long NVDA Daily ETF (NVDL B+) and the Simplify Managed Futures ETF (CTA ) have already been well-received by investors. Each firm manages more than $10 billion. Potential AcquirersOn the buying side, a few asset managers stood out to me. I noted that these firms might not be focused on the candidates listed above: Franklin Templeton: Building on prior acquisitions like Legg Mason and Putnam, Franklin continuously seeks to broaden its presence in the ETF space. They have successfully added products through deals. For example, the Putnam Focused Large Cap Value ETF (PVAL A) has $14 billion. JPMorgan: I argued to Nate that Goldman Sachs’ recent aggressive moves — acquiring Innovator ETFs and NEOS Investments — has likely caught the eyes of its peer JPMorgan. The asset manager has had a great run gathering assets in its own active ETFs like the $45 billion JPMorgan Equity Premium Income ETF (JEPI A). However, inorganic expansion could help the firm retain its active ETF leadership. Crypto Issuer ConsolidationBeyond traditional equity and fixed income, the crypto ETF landscape is ripe for structural changes, according to Geraci: Inorganic Market Entry: Traditional asset managers without native crypto expertise may find it simpler to buy an established issuer like Bitwise Asset Management. Geraci added that such a deal could instantly secure established infrastructure and specialized talent. The Bitwise Bitcoin ETF Trust (BITB ) has $2.9 billion. Boutique Consolidation: I replied that larger issuers like iShares and Fidelity actually dominate digital asset inflows. As boutique crypto firms adjust staffing and fight for market share, boutique-to-boutique consolidation could allow smaller players to pool resources, achieve scale, and survive. It will be fun to see if any of these firms join the ETF merger mania or just keep the status quo. Thanks for listening to ETF Prime. For more news, information, and analysis, visit the Equity ETF Content Hub.