62 US-based Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) launched since the start of 2020 have already raised at least $100m, according to data from New York-based CFRA Research. The growth in their popularity is not limited to North America; over the same period, Europe has hosted a similar number of  equally successful debuts and the Asia-Pacific 13,. “People believe they understand what they are getting with an ETF that is index-based and transparent. Investors are responding quickly to new products and not treating them like a mutual fund or a fine wine needing to age well,” explains CFRA’s Todd Rosenbluth. “You can also look at how that index has performed historically as a guide.” The sheer volume of narrowly focused, thematic ETFs currently being launched that typically come with a ‘story’ that can makes them easier to sell is also a factor in their popularity, he believes. “You don’t need to see a three-year track record when the time to invest in [for example] telemedicine might be better today than it will be in three years.”