Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are on a roll. Ever more popular among retail and institutional investors – thanks to their liquidity, low cost and ever-growing variety, they have become a go-to product for implementation of asset allocation and broad market views. Leveraged and inverse ETFs, factor-based (or smart beta) ETFs, and actively managed ETFs illustrate the spirit of creativity product providers put into their offerings. And while Asian markets remain behind North America and Europe, they are quickly catching up, with Japan and Korea at the lead, Taiwan and Hong Kong making significant strides, and Australia an apparent hotbed of product innovation.

The Asset Triple A ETF Awards 2016 highlight achievements of ETF providers, but also brokers, market makers, participating dealers, index providers and custodians, all essential for the proper functioning of the ETF ecosystem. Through Leadership Awards The Asset honours achievements of exceptional individuals who have made a difference not only in their company, but contributed to the development of industry or sector in their market.

The laureate this year is Julian Liu Tsung-Sheng, president and CEO of Yuanta Funds. In his current role since 2012, and earlier as president and CEO at Polaris International Securities Investment Trust (subsequently acquired by Yuanta), Liu has built Yuanta Funds into the most active and most innovative provider of ETFs in Taiwan. His lobbying efforts and thought leadership helped shape Taiwan's booming and rapidly diversifying the ETF sector.

The award for the Best ETF Provider in Asia goes to Deutsche Asset Management. The company lists the largest number of ETFs in Asia, focussing its business in Hong Kong and Singapore. Its philosophy is to bring global exposures to the region, while offering China exposures to investors around the world. Deutsche AM is the largest provider of RQFII-based ETFs in the US and Europe, while pioneering new ways to access China in the region and globally.

BetaShares is named the Best ETF Provider in Australia. The subsidiary of Mirae Asset recorded second largest AUM growth among ETF providers down under in 2015. It launched six new products during the award period, including two managed funds. Its offering includes very popular cash and currency ETFs as well as smart beta, leveraged and inverse equity ETFs.

VanEck wins the Highly Commended distinction in the category of Best ETF Provider in Australia. The company's Market Vectors ETFs has shown a remarkable growth in 2015, almost tripling their AUM during the award period. It launched four new products in Australia, including its flagship Gold Miners ETF as well as China and US equity exposures.

BMO Global Asset Management wins the award for the Best ETF Provider in Hong Kong. Focussing on the territory as its Asian beachhead, the Canadian company has been very active, launching four new ETFs here during the award period, in addition to three launched in 2014. The new ETFs add to the diversity of products on offer, bringing unique exposures to European equities, Asian real estate and Asian bonds, while hedging them to the US dollar for the benefit of local investors.

Enhanced Investment Products, the company behind XIE Shares, wins the Highly Commended distinction in the category of Best ETF Provider in Hong Kong. After focussing initially on country-specific products, the local boutique ETF provider expanded in 2015 to the smart beta and China-exposure space, bringing to the market GARY ETF, which marries growth and dividend yield, as well as Chimerica ETF, investing in Chinese companies listed in the US.

The award for the Best ETF Provider in Malaysia goes to AmInvest. The company's bond fund, which in itself dwarfs the rest of the ETF market, has experienced a staggering pace of growth after remaining stagnant in previous years. Its ability to attract international investors allowed AmInvest to almost double the AUM of the fund during the award period, now commanding nearly 80% of the market.

i-VCAP wins the award for the Best ETF Provider in Malaysia - Shariah-compliant ETFs. The country's second largest ETF provider by AUM, but the leader in terms of the number of products, and the sponsor of Malaysia's largest equity ETF has added two innovative products to its Shariah-compliant offering.

The award for Best ETF Provider in Taiwan goes to Yuanta Funds. Sponsor of the biggest number of ETFs in Taiwan and of those most actively trading, Yuanta has been blazing new trails, issuing first leveraged and inverse products in 2014 and following up with first futures-based commodity ETFs in 2015.

The awards for the Best ETF Market Maker and Best ETF Broker go to Commerzbank. A very active official provider of ETF liquidity in Hong Kong, and Singapore, but also active in Australia, Japan, Korea and Taiwan, is very well-regarded in the industry and a vital partner in the Asian ETF ecosystem. Able to provide around-the-clock liquidity, Commerzbank has the largest product offering in Asia.

Yuanta Securities wins the awards for the Best Participating Dealer, Best ETF Market Maker and Best ETF Broker in Taiwan. The company covers all 43 ETFs in Taiwan as participating dealers and accounts for approximately quarter of the turnover in creation and redemption of fund units. It is the largest ETF market maker by secondary market turnover in Taiwan, covering more than 90% of funds and far outpacing its competitors. In Taiwan's highly-fragmented brokerage landscape, Yuanta Securities also commands the largest market share as an ETF broker, leading the industry in number of clients and active accounts. The turnover it generates from ETFs as proportion of total market turnover surpasses the industry average.

SinoPac wins the Highly Commended distinction in the Category of Best ETF Market Maker in Taiwan. The company has become a significant contributor to liquidity of ETFs in Taiwan, diligently participating in all IPOs since May 2015, making market for virtually all products on the market and significantly growing its profits during the award period.

DBS Vickers Securities is named the Best ETF Broker in Singapore. Under the tagline "making investing simple", DBS Vickers has been actively promoting ETFs to its clients, achieving a 50% growth in client trades in ETFs in 2015.

The award for the Best ETF Exchange in Asia goes to Tokyo Stock Exchange. Edging out competition in terms of the number of listed products and the trading turnover, has benefited not only from Bank of Japan's investments in ETFs, but also from the growing popularity of leveraged and inverse ETFs, which now account for an overwhelming majority of trades.

The award for the Best Index Provider for ETFs goes to S&P Dow Jones. While the field is crowded and each of the main provider has its strengths, S&P Dow Jones stood out for the number and variety of ETFs launched in the region based on its indices. From gold and oil futures and exotic ETFs launched in Taiwan, to inverse VIX ETN in Japan, to 14 new products in New Zealand and 39 in Korea, S&P Dow Jones played an essential role in developing the ETF offering in the region.

China Securities Index Co is named the Best Index Provider for ETFs in China. Almost three quarters of ETFs listed in China are based on the company's indices and twelve new ones were launched during the award period. CSI indices are well known also outside China, with more than 50 ETFs based on them listed in APAC.

Hang Seng Indexes is named the Best Index Provider for ETFs in Hong Kong. While a household name in the territory, Hang Seng faces tough competition in the ETF space. Nevertheless, although only a small number of ETFs listed in Hong Kong is linked to its indices, they include the flagship Tracker Fund of Hong Kong and account for a definite majority of market share by AUM.

The award for the Best ETF Custodian goes to Citi. It provides custody and fund administration to more than 80 ETFs in five markets across Asia. During the award period, Citi won six new ETF custody mandates in Hong Kong, while helping the territory's regulators to bring in the first leveraged and inverse ETFs to market.

The Asset highlights four newly-launched ETFs recognizing the spirit of innovation in their respective markets. SPDR SSGA Gender Diversity Index ETF, launched by State Street Global Advisors in the US, is unique for blending investing with social activism. A portion of revenue from this fund will support educational programmes for young women.

VanEck Vectors Morningstar Wide MOAT ETF, launched in Australia, applies the concept of economic "moat", popularized by Warren Buffet, to identify undervalued US stocks in a favourable competitive position in their industry.

XIE Shares FTSE Chimerica ETF, launched by Enhanced Investment Products in Hong Kong, allows investors interested in China to invest directly into shares of Chinese companies listed in the US that are not included in most China indices, notably behemoths like Alibaba, Baidu, Ctrip and others.

MyETF Thomson Reuters Asia Pacific ex-Japan Islamic Agribusiness ETF, launched by i-VCAP Management in Malaysia, is the first of its kind in Asia. A unique Shariah-compliant ETF provides exposure to the agricultural sector through investing in companies listed on ten exchanges in the region.

 

To view the full list of winners, please click here.