Foreside Surpasses $160 Billion Mark for ETFs Distributed

Already the largest third-party ETF distributor by number of issuers, new milestone in assets under distribution (AUD) underscores company’s role in what’s still a rapidly growing product

PORTLAND, Maine--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Foreside Financial Group, LLC (Foreside), a provider of distribution and compliance solutions to the asset and wealth management industry, today announced that it has surpassed $160 billion in ETF assets distributed on its platform¹. Foreside has been working with ETF clients since 2005, supporting multiple fund and firm launches through a comprehensive compliance and distribution platform.

Foreside is currently the largest third-party distributor of ETFs in the U.S., supporting over 100 issuers and over 550 funds. Foreside’s clients include some of the top ETF managers such as WisdomTree, Direxion and ARK Invest.

“ETFs have seen tremendous growth over the last decade-plus, and what we’re seeing now in the semi/non-transparent active space is yet another innovation that has taken hold quickly and appears to have some staying power,” said David Whitaker, President, Foreside. “We’re proud to have built a reputation over the last 13 years of being a firm’s ‘first call’ when looking into launching a new ETF regardless of structure. This milestone is just a small testament to the mutual trust we share with our clients as well as our unwavering commitment to their success.”

As part of Foreside’s expanding ETF practice, Foreside has also worked with clients on large-scale consulting engagements to assist large, traditional asset managers with their initial foray into the space. Foreside’s professionals advise these firms regarding the regulatory, financial, operational, and distribution requirements for the build and launch of ETFs. Foreside is also the conduit to the capital markets community working with authorized participants on a daily basis on behalf of clients. Foreside remains at the forefront of industry trends and recently worked alongside Guinness Atkinson to convert two of their mutual funds into ETFs.

Foreside was the first third-party distributor for semi-transparent ETFs, partnering with American Century in the launch of their two semi-transparent ETFs in April 2020. Foreside is fully enabled to support all semi-transparent ETF structures within the various semi-transparent models, including Precidian, Fidelity, Blue Tractor and New York Stock Exchange (NYSE).

About Foreside Financial Group

Foreside delivers comprehensive advice and best-in-class technology solutions to clients in the global asset and wealth management industries. Foreside distributes more than $1 trillion* of product through their 17 limited purpose broker-dealers. For 15 years, Foreside’s suite of services and platform-based model have helped automate and simplify compliance and marketing for clients. Foreside works with pooled investment products, investment advisors, broker-dealers, global asset managers and other financial institutions.

By harnessing state-of-the-art technology, Foreside helps firms address and shape today’s regulatory environment, drive operational efficiency and growth, and focus on value-adding work. Foreside is headquartered in Portland, Maine, with numerous regional offices, including New York and Boston. For more information on Foreside’s suite of services, please visit www.foreside.com.

*as of 1/1/2021

¹ Morningstar data®