Legal & General Investment Management acquires ETF platform Canvas

• LGIM, the UK’s largest asset manager with over $1.2trn of AUM, has acquired Canvas, the UCITS ETF platform owned by ETF Securities
• Acquisition includes $2.7bn AUM and 17 products across equity, fixed income and commodities
• The UK and Ireland based platform is listed on multiple stock exchanges and licensed for distribution in 14 countries

Canvas is a platform that has built a diverse range of ETFs working with partners and directly in a UCITS compliant ETF format. It manages investments for a number of ETFs on the platform, while also allowing partners to launch and manage their own ETFs. The platform will remain open architecture for differentiated products and for the large majority of ETFs to be managed and distributed by LGIM.

The acquisition provides LGIM’s clients with access to one of the fastest growing segments in asset management, broadening LGIM’s geographical reach and product range. It will also bolster LGIM’s capabilities and expertise, enabling it to provide more solutions to help clients achieve their investment objectives.

Mark Zinkula, LGIM CEO, said: "As a leader in product innovation, we are constantly exploring ways to deliver new investment solutions for our clients. The ETF market is one of the fastest growing segments in asset management. A number of long-term macro trends, including the increasing use of passive vehicles and the drive to digitalisation, will lead to a growing demand for ETF products. We are well positioned to leverage the scale of our $431bn index business1 to develop ETF solutions that complement our existing range of index funds."

"This is a natural step in our strategy to develop products for a wider audience. The acquisition of Canvas enables us to cater to a growing base of clients across Europe and further grow our market share in both retail and institutional markets. LGIM shares a strong cultural alignment with Canvas and we look forward to working with the team going forward."

A team of Canvas employees with specialist ETF skills will join LGIM as part of the transaction, with both groups working closely together to ensure the successful integration of the business.

As at the end of October 2017, the global ETF and exchange traded product (ETP) market size reached a new record of $4.6trn AUM, with year to date flows of $538bn eclipsing 2016’s full year flow record of $391bn. The US remains the largest region by assets with $3.3trn AUM; however, Europe is growing at a faster pace. Assets invested in ETFs/ETPs listed in Europe reached a new record of $0.8trn, increasing 33.7% in the first 10 months of 2017. 2017 is on track for a record year in net inflows in Europe, with October 2017 marking 37 consecutive months of net inflows and a record level of $95bn in the year to date, up 102% on October 2016.2

The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals.

ETF Securities Group

The ETF Securities Group is one of the world’s leading innovators of Exchange Traded Products (ETPs) and provides specialist investment solutions to investors around the world, enabling them to intelligently build and diversify their portfolios.

Canvas

The European ETF platform of the ETF Securities Group, Canvas is a leading, scalable UCITS ETF platform which has the flexibility to build on in-house capabilities as well as work with other partners to launch new and innovative ETFs. The Canvas product range is registered for distribution in 14 countries: Austria, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, The Netherlands, and the UK.

ETFGI

ETFGI is a leading independent research and consultancy firm on trends in the global ETF/ETP ecosystem, based in London, England. Deborah Fuhr, Managing Partner, co-founder, ETFGI website www.etfgi.com.