Passive popular but with Kiwi investors should do more

S&P Dow Jones Indices APAC Head of Index Investment Strategy Sue Lee, speaking at the recent Kernel conferences, said Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) had seen significant growth in other markets over the past five years.

For instance ETF funds under management globally had grown at a 20% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) in the five years to December 2025.

Across the Tasman Australian ETF CAGR growth has been 33%, while in New Zealand it sits at 4%.

"New Zealand is actually at one extreme where passive adoption is very slow"