Goldman Sachs Asset Management is cranking up the volume in fixed income. Thursday, the company debuted two new actively managed ETFs, the Goldman Sachs Core Bond ETF (NYSE:GBND) and the Goldman Sachs Corporate Bond ETF (NYSE:GIGL), as investor interest moves toward more active approaches in a volatile rate landscape.
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The Case For Active Fixed Income
In a backdrop of macroeconomic uncertainty and rate whiplash, advisers are reconsidering their bond allocations. Passive techniques, though cost-effective, can miss the responsiveness that’s necessary in today’s bond market. That is where active managers like Goldman Sachs perceive an opportunity.
GBND: A Flexible Core Holding
The Goldman Sachs Core Bond ETF is constructed to be a foundation for diversified portfolios. It provides exposure to investment-grade fixed income asset classes, government bonds, corporates, and securitized debt, through a dual objective of capital appreciation as well as income generation. The ETF has a 0.25% net expense ratio, making it a competitive active peer.
GIGL: Focusing On Corporate Credit
For those looking for more focused corporate bond exposure, the Goldman Sachs Corporate Bond ETF does just that. It is largely invested in investment-grade corporate debt with the room to venture into high-yield when it makes sense. GIGL charges a 0.29% fee, reflecting its active, tactical strategy.
Rising Demand for Active Strategies
This launch comes amid a sea change in investor preferences. According to ETFGI, in May, actively managed fixed-income ETFs pulled in a staggering $82 billion in net inflows, nearly double the $43 billion recorded during the same period in 2024, and a record $17 billion in inflows that month alone. The asset base for active ETFs has grown to approximately $1.39 trillion, marking 62 consecutive months of net inflows.
Why the change? With Fed uncertainty, inflation persistence, and geopolitical noise circulating, investors seek instantaneous flexibility—active managers can adjust credit quality, duration, and sector exposures in real-time. This flexibility enables funds to adjust their exposure by credit quality and duration during periods of heightened volatility.
Giant players are taking notice: Vanguard is reducing bond ETF fees to remain competitive, BlackRock is ramping up active options in Europe and the U.S., and J.P. Morgan has just rolled out a $2 billion high-yield active ETF. Goldman’s new ETFs are backed by powerful tailwinds.
With GBND and GIGL, Goldman is wagering that additional investors crave experienced eyes on the fixed income terrain, not simply a set-it-and-forget-it index.
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