ETF Daily Fund Inflow Report

Date: August 13, 2025

Headline: Equity and Tech ETFs Attract Billions as Bitcoin and Gold Gain Momentum

Market Overview
Today’s fund flows reflect a risk-on bias, with substantial inflows into broad equity, technology, and alternative asset ETFs. The top 10 list features four S&P 500-focused ETFs, two tech-heavy options, and notable allocations to gold and Bitcoin, suggesting a blend of core equity demand and speculative positioning. While bond ETFs like SGOV and VCSH also attracted capital, their presence appears secondary to equity and alternative inflows. The absence of macroeconomic announcements or earnings season suggests investors may be rebalancing portfolios ahead of seasonal volatility or reacting to sector-specific momentum.

ETF Highlights
The SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY), with $662.45B in assets, remained the day’s largest inflow recipient, likely as a proxy for broad market exposure. Its 10.03% YTD gain aligns with continued confidence in large-cap equities, though its dominance may also reflect its status as a liquidity benchmark. Similarly, the Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) drew $1.41B, reinforcing tech’s role as a growth engine. QQQ’s 13.52% YTD outperformance, coupled with $369.83B in AUM, underscores its appeal amid AI-driven sector rotation.

Vanguard and iShares S&P 500 peers—VOO, IVV, and VTI—also attracted inflows, though their roles as low-cost alternatives to SPY may have limited their share of the day’s flows. VTI’s $351.36M inflow, despite a 9.61% YTD return, highlights demand for total stock market diversification.

Alternative assets saw striking activity: SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) and iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF (IBIT) ranked fifth and sixth, respectively. GLD’s $500.12M inflow, paired with a 27.70% YTD surge, may signal hedging against macroeconomic uncertainty, while IBIT’s $359.98M draw—despite $88.99B in AUM—reflects Bitcoin’s growing institutional acceptance, particularly after its 31.65% YTD rally.

Short-term fixed income also drew capital, with SGOV and VCSH securing inflows. SGOV’s 0.19% YTD gain, though modest, likely appeals to investors seeking liquidity and minimal rate risk, while VCSH’s 2.13% return may attract those balancing duration in a potentially volatile rate environment.

Notable Trends
The juxtaposition of tech and gold inflows highlights a duality in investor sentiment: growth-oriented positioning in high-flying equities versus a flight to tangible assets. IBIT’s inclusion in the top 10, despite its relatively nascent AUM, underscores crypto’s evolving role in diversified portfolios. Meanwhile, the absence of long-duration bonds or sector-specific ETFs in the rankings suggests caution about overexposure to rate-sensitive assets or niche plays.

Conclusion
Today’s flows point to a market prioritizing core equity exposure, particularly in growth sectors, while selectively allocating to alternatives. The strong performance of tech and Bitcoin ETFs may indicate a search for compounding returns in a low-yield environment, while gold’s inflow hints at residual macro concerns. Collectively, the data suggests investors are layering into established growth themes but remain cognizant of tail risks, balancing innovation with hedging mechanisms.