2 ETFs Robinhood Retail Investors Favor Over Palantir, Alphabet, Meta, and Netflix Shares

Core Insights - January 2023 marked a record high for ETF inflows, with investors contributing approximately $167 billion, bringing total U.S. ETF assets to around $14 trillion, a 31% increase from January 2025 and a 570% increase from 10 years ago [1][2] ETF Popularity - The Vanguard S&P 500 ETF has emerged as the largest ETF globally, holding about $1.5 trillion in assets and attracting $16.3 billion in net inflows in January alone [2][4] - The SPDR S&P 500 Trust ETF, established in 1993, ranks third with approximately $701 billion in assets, following the iShares Core S&P 500 ETF at $754 billion [4] Investment Trends - These large-cap ETFs are gaining popularity over major tech stocks, indicating a shift in investor sentiment towards more stable investments amid rising market volatility [5][9] - The S&P 500 index has demonstrated strong historical performance, with an average annualized return of 11.8% over the past five years and 13.7% over the last decade, reinforcing the appeal of large-cap index ETFs [7][8] Market Conditions - Increased market volatility, as indicated by the VIX Volatility Index rising over 20, has led investors to seek safer investment options, contributing to the growing interest in ETFs [9] - Investors are diversifying their portfolios by including various ETFs, such as the Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF and international ETFs, reflecting a strategy to mitigate risk and seek better growth prospects [11][12]