ETFGI, a London-based ETF industry consultant, has reported that assets invested in smart beta ETFs/ETPs listed globally reached a new record high of $560 billion at the end of February 2017, up from $534bn at the end of the previous month.

Net inflows into equity smart beta ETFs/ETPs for the first two months of 2017 amounted to $19.1bn.

Record levels of assets were also reached for smart beta equity ETFs/ETPs listed in the US ($499bn), Europe ($39bn), Canada, (13bn) and Asia Pacific ex-Japan ($5bn).

In February, smart beta equity ETFs/ETPs saw net inflows of $8.8bn, bringing year-to-date net inflows to $19.1bn.

iShares gathered the largest smart beta ETF/ETP net inflows in February with $2.5bn, followed by Vanguard with $2.3bn and Charles Schwab with $788 million. Products tracking S&P Dow Jones smart beta indices gathered the largest net ETF/ETP inflows in February with $2.3bn, followed by CRSP with $2bn and NYSE with $859m net inflows.

At the end of February 2017, there were 1,212 smart beta equity ETFs/ETPs, with 2,059 listings from 151 providers, listed on 38 exchanges in 32 countries. The $560bn invested in smart beta equity ETFs/ETPs compares to the $2.3 trillion invested in traditional market-cap weighted equity ETFs/ETPs listed globally.

Smart beta equity ETF/ETP assets have increased by 33% over the past year, and have recorded a 5-year compound annual growth rate of 31%.