The Australian ETF market hasn’t wasted any time in 2026.
As of mid-May 2026, 24 new ETFs have launched on the ASX and Cboe Australia. Some are variations on existing ideas, offering lower fees or currency-hedged versions of well-known exposures. Others target areas that previously had little or no representation on the Australian market, from humanoid robotics and space technology to dedicated copper and lithium mining portfolios.
Not every new ETF changes the investing landscape. In many cases, fund managers are competing in categories that already have established options. But new launches can still be worth watching. They can open up different parts of the market, put pressure on fees, or offer investors another way to build a portfolio.
Below, we’ve rounded up every ETF launched so far in 2026, along with a few observations about what these launches might tell us about where the ETF market is heading.
Before we dive in
If you’re relatively new to ETFs, here are a few terms that may help:
- ETF (exchange traded fund): A basket of investments that trades on the ASX like a share. Learn more about how ETFs work.
- MER (management expense ratio): The annual fee charged by the fund. Find out how to analyse the management expense ratio.
- Active ETF: A fund manager selects the investments rather than tracking an index. Many of the ETFs launched in 2026, including parts of VanEck’s Core+ range, fall into this category. Discover the differences between active and passive ETFs.
- Hedged ETF: Designed to reduce the impact of currency movements. Check out our guide to currency hedging on global ETFs.
- Thematic ETF: Focuses on a specific industry, trend or idea. Read our deep dive on thematic ETFs.
- AUM (assets under management): The amount invested in the fund.
As always, it’s worth reading a fund’s Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) before investing.
Quick reference: all 24 new ASX ETFs in 2026
| Ticker | Name | Issuer | MER | Category | Listed |
| SLVM | Silver Miners ETF | Global X | 0.65% | Commodities | 29 Jan |
| GTUM | Global Momentum ETF | Betashares | 0.35% | Equities – global | 30 Jan |
| MONY | VanEck Cash Plus Active ETF | VanEck | 0.15% | Cash | 4 Feb |
| ZILR | Ziller Global Fund Active ETF | Ziller | 1.53% | Equities – active global | 23 Feb |
| HGCQ | GCQ Global Equities Hedged Complex ETF | GCQ Funds Management | 1.25% | Equities – active hedged | 2 Mar |
| V500 | Vanguard S&P 500 US Shares Index ETF | Vanguard | 0.07% | Equities – US | 4 Mar |
| V5AH | Vanguard S&P 500 US Shares Index (Hedged) ETF | Vanguard | 0.09% | Equities – US hedged | 4 Mar |
| FIRE | Firetrail Alpha Plus Fund – Complex ETF | Firetrail | 0.90% | Equities – active Australian | 4 Mar |
| VTEK | Vanguard Global Technology Index ETF | Vanguard | 0.22% | Equities – tech | 25 Mar |
| VTKH | Vanguard Global Technology Index (Hedged) ETF | Vanguard | 0.26% | Equities – tech hedged | 25 Mar |
| VIHY | Vanguard International Shares High Yield ETF | Vanguard | 0.30% | Equities – income | 25 Mar |
| HMND | Global X Humanoid Robotics ETF | Global X | 0.57% | Equities – thematic | 30 Mar |
| B1SM | Bell Global Emerging Companies Fund Active ETF | Bell Asset Management | 1.25% | Equities – active global small cap | 30 Mar |
| AVSV | Avantis Global Small Cap Value UCITS ETF | Avantis | 0.49% | Equities – global small cap | 1 Apr |
| BDCI | Muzinich BDC Income Fund | Muzinich & Co | 0.95% | Fixed interest | 1 Apr |
| SPHX | Spheria Australian Smaller Companies Active ETF | Spheria | 1.10% + performance fee | Equities – active Australian small cap | 15 Apr |
| CPPR | ETFS Global Pure Play Copper Miners ETF | ETFS | 0.39% | Commodities | 29 Apr |
| VOLT | ETFS Global Lithium Miners ETF | ETFS | 0.49% | Commodities | 29 Apr |
| VBAL | VanEck Core+ Diversified Balanced Active ETF | VanEck | 0.39% | Diversified/prebuilt | 30 Apr |
| VGRO | VanEck Core+ Diversified Growth Active ETF | VanEck | 0.39% | Diversified/prebuilt | 30 Apr |
| VHGR | VanEck Core+ Diversified High Growth Active ETF | VanEck | 0.39% | Diversified/prebuilt | 30 Apr |
| 31BB | Betashares 2031 Fixed Term Corporate Bond Active ETF | Betashares | 0.22% | Fixed interest | 30 Apr |
| GHRP | Global X S&P World ex Australia GARP (Hedged) ETF | Global X | 0.30% | Equities – global hedged | 12 May |
| RCKT | Betashares Space Industry ETF | Betashares | 0.57% | Equities – thematic | 12 May |
MERs sourced from issuer disclosures as at May 2026. Always verify with the relevant PDS.
What’s standing out in this year’s ETF launches?
A few themes jump out when you look across this year’s ETF launches.
For starters, fund managers still seem confident that investors want simpler ways to build portfolios. VanEck’s new Core+ range joins a growing list of diversified ETFs designed to provide broad exposure through a single investment.
Resources are another clear trend. Investors can now access dedicated ETFs focused on lithium, copper and silver miners instead of relying on broader mining funds.
Artificial intelligence remains a popular investment theme, although the focus appears to be narrowing. Instead of broad AI exposure, some issuers are targeting specific applications such as humanoid robotics.
Then there’s Vanguard. The investment giant launched five ETFs in March alone, expanding its Australian offering across US shares, technology and income-focused strategies.
The top ETFs that stand out
Most of this year’s launches fit into categories that already exist on the Australian market. This is often because fund managers see demand for lower fees, different portfolio construction approaches, or features such as currency hedging.
A handful, however, bring something genuinely different.
RCKT: Australia’s first space ETF
The Betashares Space Industry ETF gives investors exposure to companies involved in satellite infrastructure, launch services and other space-related technologies.
Not long ago, a dedicated space ETF might have sounded like something from a sci-fi movie. Today, it’s another example of how specialised ETF investing has become.
Whether commercial space becomes a major long-term investment theme remains to be seen. But for investors interested in the sector, RCKT offers a way to gain exposure without trying to identify individual winners.
HMND: A pure play on humanoid robotics
Artificial intelligence has dominated investing conversations for years, but HMND takes a slightly different approach. Rather than focusing on software developers or chipmakers, the Global X Humanoid Robotics ETF targets businesses involved in developing humanoid robots and related technologies.
It’s a highly specific theme, which means investors should expect a higher level of concentration and potentially more volatility. For those who believe robotics could play a bigger role in the global economy over time, it’s one of the more distinctive launches of the year.
31BB: A different type of bond ETF
Most bond ETFs continuously replace maturing bonds and effectively operate indefinitely.
31BB takes a different path. The fund has a target maturity date in 2031, giving investors greater certainty around timing than a traditional bond ETF. That structure may appeal to investors working towards a specific goal or planning for a known future expense.
VTKH: Something new for technology investors
Australian investors already have plenty of technology ETFs to choose from. But what makes VTKH stand out is its combination of global technology exposure and currency hedging.
When Australians invest in overseas companies, returns are affected by two things: the performance of the underlying investments and movements in the Australian dollar. Even if a global technology portfolio rises in value, a strengthening Aussie dollar can reduce those gains once they’re converted back into local currency. The opposite can also happen when the Australian dollar falls.
For investors who want exposure to global technology companies without having their returns influenced as heavily by currency swings, VTKH fills a significant gap within Vanguard’s low-cost ecosystem. It gives investors another way to access global technology exposure while reducing foreign exchange risk.
Vanguard’s biggest expansion in years
If one ETF issuer has been particularly busy this year, it’s Vanguard. The fund manager launched five ETFs in March:
- V500
- V5AH
- VTEK
- VTKH
- VIHY
The headline-grabber was V500. With a management fee of just 0.07% per year, it immediately became one of the cheapest ETFs available to Australian investors.
It’s worth noting that Australian investors have had access to low-cost US share market exposure through ETFs such as IVV for many years. What makes V500 notable is Vanguard’s entry into this part of the market with a highly competitive fee.
That difference might seem small on paper. But fees compound just like investment returns do. That’s why competition on costs tends to matter over the long term.
Vanguard’s technology offerings are also worth noting. VTEK and VTKH expand the firm’s technology lineup, while VIHY gives income-focused investors another way to access international dividend-paying companies.
Taken together, these launches represent one of Vanguard’s largest expansions of its Australian ETF range in recent years.
The rise of all-in-one investing through the diversified ETF
One of the biggest ETF trends of the past decade has been the rise of diversified, all-in-one portfolios. Rather than building a portfolio from multiple ETFs and rebalancing it over time, investors can buy a single fund that provides exposure to a mix of asset classes.
VanEck’s new Core+ range includes a selection of actively managed diversified portfolios designed to serve as complete investment solutions.
One of the distinguishing features of the range is that it combines traditional asset classes such as shares and fixed income with allocations to areas like infrastructure and gold.
Unlike traditional index-tracking diversified ETFs, the Core+ range uses active management. That means portfolio decisions are made by the investment team rather than being determined solely by an index.
Whether investors prefer these newer active approaches or more traditional diversified ETFs will come down to personal preference. The continued flow of launches suggests demand for simple portfolio solutions remains strong.
Critical minerals remain a popular theme
Copper, lithium and silver all received dedicated ETFs this year. The launches include:
- SLVM – Silver miners
- VOLT – Lithium miners
- CPPR – Copper miners
What’s interesting isn’t necessarily the commodities themselves but how precise ETF exposures have become. A decade ago, investors wanting exposure to resources often had to settle for broad mining funds. Today, it’s possible to express a view on a single commodity through a dedicated ETF.
Copper and lithium are perhaps the least surprising additions given ongoing interest in electrification and energy infrastructure. Silver miners are the more unusual entrant, sitting somewhere between industrial demand and precious metals investing.
Active management still has its believers
Passive investing continues to attract the lion’s share of ETF flows, but active management remains alive and well. Several of this year’s launches are actively managed, including:
- SPHX
- B1SM
- FIRE
- ZILR
- HGCQ
These funds generally charge higher fees than index-tracking ETFs, reflecting the additional research and portfolio management involved. Active managers aim to make investment decisions that improve returns or reduce risk compared with simply tracking an index. However, outcomes can vary widely and there’s no guarantee of success.
For investors considering active ETFs, it’s worth looking beyond fees and past performance. Understanding how the manager invests, the process they follow and whether that approach aligns with your goals can provide a more complete picture.
A quick note on fees
One thing becomes obvious when reviewing this year’s launches: ETF fees still vary enormously. At one end sits V500 with a management fee of 0.07%. At the other end are several active funds charging more than 1% annually, with ZILR leading the group at 1.53%.
Higher fees don’t automatically mean a fund is poor value. Some investors may be comfortable paying more for specialist expertise, active management or access to niche markets.
That said, fees are one of the few investing variables we can actually control. They’re always worth paying attention to.
What investors can take away from 2026 so far
Twenty-four ETF launches in five months sounds like a lot, but most fall into a few familiar categories. Some offer cheaper versions of existing strategies. Others provide a different way to access familiar parts of the market. A smaller group introduces genuinely new exposures.
The funds that arguably bring something new to the Australian ETF market include RCKT, HMND, SLVM, VOLT, VTKH and 31BB. For the rest, the differences are often more subtle. A lower fee or a currency hedge can still influence long-term outcomes, even when two ETFs appear similar at first glance.
And while new launches naturally attract attention, the newest ETF isn’t necessarily the right ETF. The more useful question is whether a fund aligns with your goals, investing strategy, investment timeframe, risk tolerance, diversification needs and overall financial plan.
How to research and buy new ETFs on Pearler
Once you’ve identified an ETF worth exploring, Pearler makes it easy to research and invest.
You can:
- Compare ETFs to make an informed decision
- Search by ticker to view fund details and fee information
- Use Automate to build a consistent investing habit
- Hold ASX-listed ETFs directly on your HIN
- Track your investments, savings and super in one place
If a newly listed ETF doesn’t appear immediately, don’t stress. It can take a little time for new products to become available across investment platforms.
General information disclaimer
This article is for general informational purposes only and does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Investing involves risk, including the risk of loss. Rules, products and market conditions can change, so consider seeking advice from a licensed professional and checking relevant official sources before making decisions.
