How to Use ETFFlowBoard
A guide to reading fund flows and understanding the ETF market.
Reading the Dashboard
Green = Inflows
Green numbers and indicators show positive fund flows — money moving into the ETF. The larger the number, the more capital is flowing in.
Red = Outflows
Red numbers indicate negative fund flows — money leaving the ETF. Large outflows may signal investor concern or profit-taking in that asset class.
Weekly vs. Monthly Flows
Switch between weekly and monthly views to spot short-term momentum vs. longer-term trend shifts in capital allocation.
Using the Screener
The ETF Screener allows you to filter the entire ETF universe by multiple criteria simultaneously:
- Fund Flows — filter by inflow or outflow range
- AUM — find large, established funds or smaller niche ETFs
- Expense Ratio — screen for cost-efficient options
- Category — narrow to a specific asset class or sector
- Yield — identify income-generating ETFs
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an ETF?
An ETF (Exchange-Traded Fund) is a type of investment fund that trades on a stock exchange, similar to individual stocks. ETFs typically track an index, sector, commodity, or other asset, and hold a basket of underlying securities. Because they trade throughout the day at market prices and generally have low expense ratios, ETFs have become one of the most popular investment vehicles globally.
What are fund flows?
Fund flows refer to the net movement of money into or out of an investment fund over a given period. A positive flow (inflow) means investors are putting more money into the fund than they are withdrawing. A negative flow (outflow) means more money is leaving the fund than entering. For ETFs, flows are estimated by tracking changes in Assets Under Management (AUM) relative to price performance.
Why do fund flows matter?
Fund flows are a leading indicator of investor sentiment. When money pours into a sector ETF, it signals growing confidence in that sector. When outflows accelerate, it may indicate institutional selling or a rotation into other areas. Following flow trends alongside price data gives investors a more complete picture of market dynamics than price alone.
What does positive/negative flow mean?
Positive flow (inflow) means net new money entered the ETF — more shares were created than redeemed. This typically reflects investor demand. Negative flow (outflow) means more shares were redeemed than created, suggesting investors are pulling money out. Neither is inherently good or bad; context matters. A large outflow after a strong rally may simply reflect profit-taking.
Which ETFs have the most assets?
The largest ETFs by AUM are typically broad market index funds. As of recent data, the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY), iShares Core S&P 500 ETF (IVV), and Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO) each hold hundreds of billions of dollars in assets. Gold ETFs like GLD and bond ETFs like AGG also rank among the largest. Visit our ETF listings to see current AUM rankings.
What is AUM?
AUM stands for Assets Under Management. For an ETF, AUM is the total market value of all assets held in the fund at a given time. It is calculated by multiplying the number of outstanding shares by the ETF's net asset value (NAV). AUM is a key measure of an ETF's size, liquidity, and market relevance. Larger AUM generally means tighter bid-ask spreads and better liquidity.
How do sector ETFs work?
Sector ETFs track a specific segment of the economy, such as technology, healthcare, energy, financials, or consumer staples. They hold a basket of stocks from companies within that sector. For example, a technology sector ETF might hold shares of major tech companies weighted by market cap. Investors use sector ETFs to gain targeted exposure to a part of the market they believe will outperform, or to hedge against specific sector risk.
What's the difference between an ETF and a mutual fund?
Both ETFs and mutual funds pool investor money to buy a diversified basket of assets. The key differences are: (1) Trading — ETFs trade on exchanges throughout the day at market prices, while mutual funds price once per day at NAV after market close. (2) Cost — ETFs typically have lower expense ratios. (3) Minimums — ETFs can be bought for the price of a single share; mutual funds often require a minimum investment. (4) Tax efficiency — ETFs are generally more tax-efficient due to their creation/redemption mechanism.
How often are flow data updated?
ETFFlowBoard updates flow estimates regularly based on publicly available AUM data from ETF providers. Most major ETFs publish AUM figures daily, so weekly flow estimates are recalculated as new data becomes available. Note that all data shown is estimated and approximated from AUM changes and is intended for informational purposes only. Exact flow figures are only available through official ETF provider disclosures.