2021 ETF Report Card: See which funds passed and failed

ETF year-end report cards are in with only a few trading days left in 2021. Below is a breakdown of funds that received As and Fs for specific criteria.
The grading conditions are broken down into five segments: inflows and outflows, performance winners and losers in passive and actively managed ETFs, along with performance leaders and laggers in sector and leveraged ETFs. All data provided is per ETF.com.

Inflows & Outflows

Capital flows are the lifeblood of all ETFs as they determine where investors are placing their money and where they are retracting it. Below are the top and bottom three funds for 2021 regarding inflows and outflows.
A: Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (NYSEARCA:VOO) +$45.31B.
A: Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (NYSEARCA:VTI) +$43.51B.
A: SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (NYSEARCA:SPY) +$30.47B.
F: iShares iBoxx USD Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF (NYSEARCA:LQD) -$14.88B.
F: SPDR Gold Trust (NYSEARCA:GLD) -$10.89B.
F: iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF (BATS:USMV) -$7.96B.

Passive ETF Performers

Passive ETFs track specific indices and aim to replicate the performance of broad market segments by reflecting the same holdings as an index. Passive funds have become a staple for investors looking to track the S&P 500, Nasdaq, Dow Jones, and countless other indices. Below are the top and bottom three 2021 YTD passive ETF performers.
A: Breakwave Dry Bulk Shipping ETF (NYSEARCA:BDRY) +247.6%.
A: First Trust Natural Gas ETF (NYSEARCA:FCG) +105.2%.
A: Invesco Dynamic Energy Exploration & Production ETF (NYSEARCA:PXE) +99.3%.
F: ProShares VIX Short-Term Futures ETF (BATS:VIXY) -70%.
F: Global X Education ETF (NASDAQ:EDUT) -49.9%.
F: KraneShares CSI China Internet ETF (NYSEARCA:KWEB) -49.2%.

Actively Managed ETF Performers

Actively managed ETFs have taken off in 2021, logging record inflows through the year's first eleven months. The management style made widespread by popular asset manager Cathie Wood takes an active approach to investment portfolios, picking and choosing specific securities to fill an ETF at different times. Below are the top and bottom three 2021 YTD actively managed ETF performers.
A: KraneShares Global Carbon Strategy ETF (NYSEARCA:KRBN) +94.1%.
A: Cambria Shareholder Yield ETF (BATS:SYLD) +44.8%.
A: Avantis U.S. Small Cap Value ETF (NYSEARCA:AVUV) +39.1%.
F: ARK Genomic Revolution ETF (BATS:ARKG) -30.9%.
F: AdvisorShares Pure US Cannabis ETF (NYSEARCA:MSOS) -30.5%.
F: Cabot Growth ETF (BATS:CBTG) -25.5%.

Sector ETF Winners and Losers

In 2021, the winning sector has been the energy space +48.5% YTD as crude oil rose from $48/bbl to $76/bbl or a 56.9% increase. On the other end of the spectrum, utilities have lagged all other sectors on the year, returning investors +12.4% YTD. Below is a breakdown of the top three energy ETFs and the bottom three utility ETFs and their YTD performances.
A: First Trust Natural Gas ETF (FCG) +105.2%.
A: Invesco Dynamic Energy Exploration & Production ETF (PXE) +99.3%.
A: Invesco DWA Energy Momentum ETF (NASDAQ:PXI) +81.29%.
F: iShares Emerging Markets Infrastructure ETF (NASDAQ:EMIF) +4.2%.
F: FlexShares STOXX Global Broad Infrastructure Index Fund (NYSEARCA:NFRA) +8.7%.
F: iShares Global Utilities ETF (NYSEARCA:JXI) +8.9%.

Leveraged ETF Leaders and Laggers

Leveraged exchange traded funds provide investors with additional force in bullish and bearish directions to build on an underlying position. Below are the top and bottom three performing leveraged ETFs in 2021.
A: ProShares Ultra QQQ (NYSEARCA:QLD) +208.5%.
A: Direxion Daily Homebuilders & Supplies Bull 3X Shares (NYSEARCA:NAIL) +143.9%.
A: ProShares Ultra Bloomberg Crude Oil (NYSEARCA:UCO) +131.6%.
F: ProShares Ultra VIX Short-Term Futures ETF (BATS:UVXY) -98.6%.
F: Direxion Daily CSI China Internet Index Bull 2X Shares (NYSEARCA:CWEB) -79.4%.
F: Direxion Daily FTSE China Bull 3X Shares (NYSEARCA:YINN) -58.3%.

Conclusion

2021 has been an excellent year for ETFs as they have set records, with 380 new funds launching in 2021, topping 2020's 320 funds.