Financial advisers are pivoting toward active exchange-traded funds (ETFs) to navigate the complexities of the 2026 market, with 71% of surveyed professionals planning to increase their holdings within two years. According to MSCI’s ETF Intelligence Survey 2026, which polled 450 advisers across the United States and Europe, the primary driver is the need for flexible, managed strategies that can outperform traditional passive benchmarks. Currently, 87% of these advisers already hold active ETFs, signaling that the 'passive-only' era is giving way to a more nuanced, hybrid approach to portfolio construction.
The surge in interest comes as 62% of respondents confirmed they are not just maintaining, but actively raising their current exposure levels. This trend is particularly relevant for the US market, where the SEC’s evolving stance on actively managed products has opened doors for fund managers to adjust positions in real-time. For investors, this means advisers are looking for vehicles that can pivot during geopolitical shifts or sudden market drawdowns, rather than remaining tethered to a static index.
From a crypto intelligence perspective, this shift toward active management is likely to spill over into the digital asset space. As spot Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs become staples of institutional portfolios in 2026, the demand for 'Active Crypto ETFs'—which may use hedging, staking, or multi-token rotation—is expected to rise. Advisers are increasingly viewing these managed crypto products as a way to capture upside while mitigating the inherent volatility of the 2026 crypto landscape.
Market participants should watch for a new wave of filings for actively managed thematic ETFs that blend traditional equities with digital asset exposure. As advisers move more capital into these vehicles, liquidity in the underlying assets is expected to deepen. However, the higher fee structures often associated with active management will remain a point of scrutiny for cost-conscious retail investors moving through the remainder of 2026.