U.S. ETF boom eyes 1,470 launches – Are crypto funds falling behind?

The number of new products being introduced in the U.S. ETF market is growing at an unprecedented rate. 900 new ETFs have already debuted in 2026, according to The Kobeissi Letter, setting the market up for its most successful year to date.

Roughly 1,470 ETFs could be launched by the end of 2026 if the current launch rate holds, which would be a significant increase over the previous record of about 1,050 new ETFs set in 2025. 

What are leveraged ETFs and derivatives telling us?

Leveraged ETFs are one aspect of this boom that stands out in particular. Roughly one-third of all new ETF launches in 2026 are leveraged products, which comprise about 300 of the ETFs that have been introduced thus far.

Compared to prior years, the growth is remarkable. This is because, in 2025, there were about 200 leveraged ETFs introduced, compared to less than 50 in 2024. 

When derivatives are considered, the overall trend becomes even more important. Needless to say, the new-product boom is not just about making conventional passive funds that hold stocks or bonds directly. In fact, more than half of all ETFs introduced in 2026 to date use derivatives.

2026 ETF recap

However, the record number of launches does not necessarily indicate that the 2026 ETF market was strong. According to SoSo Value data, there were roughly $8.76 billion in total outflows from Bitcoin [BTC] ETFs in 2026 compared to $3.93 billion in inflows.