Exchange-traded funds saw their asset totals break the US$1 trillion mark at the end of 2009, according to BlackRock Inc.

The firm reported today that global ETF assets hit an all time high of US$1.03 trillion as of December, 31, 2009, up 45.2% from the end of 2008. The global ETF industry had 1,939 funds with 3,775 listings, from 109 providers, listed on 40 exchanges around the world, it noted.

Currently, equity funds make up 81.5% of global assets, 16.2% is in fixed income, and 2.1% commodities.

BlackRock also reported that, over the past decade, the compound annual growth rate for ETF assets globally was 56.3%; it was 58.1% in the United States, 53.1% in Canada, and 90.5% in Europe.

IE