Amplify ETFs Offer Unique Angles on Income, Thematics

The rise of Amplify ETFs is one of the more interesting stories in the U.S. ETF industry. Although it only launched its first ETF under that brand in 2016, its founder, Christian Magoon, was a well-known figure in the ETF space long before that. He held roles at First Trust and Claymore Securities (later Guggenheim Securities) before going out on his own as a consultant in 2010.

Amplify ETFs have grown to nearly $19 billion in AUM as of 2026. This growth was driven by pioneering first-to-market products like IBUY and the strategic acquisition of the ETFs of ETF Managers Group (ETFMG). This integrated legacy funds like HACK and MJ into Amplify’s portfolio.
Amplify has successfully diversified its offerings into two core pillars: Income-focused ETFs (e.g., DIVO, which manages $6.6 billion) and Thematic ETFs (e.g., SILJ and shipping funds like BWET). This balance allows the firm to capture investor interest during both high-growth periods and volatile, income-seeking market cycles.
With a minority stake from Samsung Asset Management, Amplify leverages international investment expertise to launch unique U.S. products such as the SOFR ETF. This collaborative approach, combined with sub-advisory partnerships such as Capital Wealth Planning, positions the firm as a versatile, independent alternative to the “Big Three” issuers.

When Amplify ETFs rolled out the Amplify Online Retail ETF (IBUY) several years later in 2016, the product was the first to focus exclusively on companies deriving the majority of their revenue from online retail activities. Since then, the firm has consistently rolled out first-of-their-kind ETFs and mostly skimmed along the cutting edge of ETF innovation.

That’s served the firm well in a rocky year characterized by global strife and volatile markets. Magoon notes that Amplify nearly doubled its assets under management last year, going from around $9 billion to $17 billion. He remains optimistic about 2026.

Today, the issuer offers 41 ETFs with combined assets under management of nearly $19 billion.

A Spirit of Partnership

Although Amplify has partnered with other firms in various ways over the years, two major developments have marked milestones for its growth in the past few years: Samsung Asset Management’s acquisition of a 20% stake in the firm and Amplify’s purchase of the ETFs issued by the now-defunct ETF Managers Group.

The former event has resulted in collaboration with Amplify’s Samsung partners, with Amplify bringing to market some products in the U.S. based on strategies Samsung runs in Korea. Amplify also subadvises strategies representing about $1 billion in AUM for Samsung in Korea.

“It’s been good on both sides of the ocean,” Magoon said. “They’re quite innovative over there. They’re doing some unique products in Korea. We’re taking some guidance from them, and we’re giving them feedback on what’s working here in the U.S. It’s been a good partnership.”

He cited the $414.7 million Amplify SOFR ETF (SOFR) as the most successful product to result from the Samsung relationship so far. The fund, which is similar to one Samsung manages in Korea, aims to offer investors performance closely tied to the Secured Overnight Financing Rate. The measure rose to prominence after the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) began to suffer from a series of scandals, only to be discontinued in 2024.

A Key Acquisition

The acquisition of ETF Manager Group’s funds was finalized at the end of January 2024. The transaction was spurred by the dissolution of ETFMG after the firm’s founder resigned amid an SEC investigation, resulting in a $4.4 million payment to settle any charges. The move by Amplify essentially doubled its size, as the deal brought 14 ETFs — many representing white-label relationships — with $3.7 billion in assets into its fold.

Most notably, in that transaction, Amplify acquired the first U.S.-listed marijuana ETF, now known as the Amplify Alternative Harvest ETF (MJ), and the first-ever cybersecurity ETF, now named the Amplify Cybersecurity ETF (HACK). According to Magoon, there is now north of $8 billion invested in the acquired funds.

“We’ve been able to grow those funds. For some of those funds, we’ve changed the index providers, and we think we’ve made some improvements. Some of them weren’t on platforms [and]we’ve been able to get them on platforms,” he noted.

A Focus on Income Solutions

With the acquisition and additional launches, Amplify now has a lineup with more than 40 funds, the greater bulk of which fall under the income or thematic rubrics. The firm’s largest ETF is the actively managed Amplify CWP Enhanced Dividend Income ETF (DIVO), with $6.6 billion in assets under management.

Although option strategy funds are de rigueur in the ETF space these days, with the first such fund rolling out nearly 20 years ago, DIVO stood out for its combination of an actively managed portfolio of dividend stocks and tactical covered call writing. The fund is another example of the careful partnerships Amplify engages in, with Capital Wealth Planning serving as DIVO’s subadvisor. The fund’s income strategy allows it to offer a monthly distribution rate of 4.79%.

But DIVO isn’t the only income fund Amplify offers. Its lineup includes other covered call strategies as well as option income, closed-end fund, and dividend strategies. The options strategies are grouped under the YieldSmart designation. Two of those funds are sister ETFs to DIVO, also managed by Capital Wealth Partners. They include the $1.1 billion Amplify CWP International Enhanced Dividend Income ETF (IDVO), which puts an international twist on DIVO’s approach, and the $617 million Amplify CWP Growth & Income ETF (QDVO), which features a dividend growth strategy.

DIVO, IDVO, and QDVO top the flows into Amplify’s ETFs in 2026, collectively pulling in $1.3 billion in assets year-to-date as of mid-April.

A Category Benefiting From Volatility

In addition to offering income strategies across various ETFs, the firm also offers a range of six crypto funds that use options to generate income tied to specific cryptocurrencies. When Amplify declared the March income distributions on those ETFs, the Amplify Ethereum Max Income Covered Call ETF (EHY) posted an annualized distribution rate of 50.52% while the Amplify Bitcoin Max Income Covered Call ETF (BAGY) came in with a distribution rate of 41%. The other four ETFs in the grouping provided income distributions greater than 27%.

In all, Amplify’s income strategies have pulled in $1.5 billion year-to-date. Magoon believes that’s because of the market volatility caused by election uncertainty and the Iran conflict.

“Midterm election years tend to have the biggest intrayear declines. On average, it’s been 17%. That’s the bad news. The good news is once that’s bottomed, on average, we have high 12-month-forward appreciation on average, around 31%,” he said, noting that the volatility has raised the appeal of the option income strategies.

“More volatility equals more option income. It’s a nice hedge during markets like that. I think it plays to some of our product line strength,” Magoon added.

Thematics a Key Business Driver

While the larger share of Amplify’s assets is invested in its 19 income-focused ETFs, which have combined assets of $9.8 billion, thematic ETFs are also a major part of the firm’s offering, with 18 ETFs representing $8 billion in AUM.

The largest of its thematics is currently the Amplify Junior Silver Miners ETF (SILJ) — with $4.2 billion, it is Amplify’s second-largest ETF after DIVO despite negative flows in 2026. The entire group of 18 thematic ETFs has about $8 billion in assets under management and has pulled in an underwhelming $12 million year-to-date (compared to the income ETFs).

That’s not surprising, given the global uncertainty, as investors are focused more on generating income and hedging risk than on investing in more specialized — and likely volatile — parts of the market.

However, that doesn’t mean Amplify’s thematic funds haven’t stood out this year. Consider the Amplify Breakwave Tanker Shipping ETF (BWET), which is up an astounding 664% year to date. Meanwhile, BWET’s sister fund, the Amplify Breakwave Dry Bulk Shipping ETF (BDRY), is up over 30% during the same time period. Both are unique in their coverage, with the former offering futures-based exposure to crude oil tanker freight rates and the latter to dry bulk shipping rates.

Amplify also has half a dozen funds that offer different angles on core exposures, including the $370 million Amplify BlackSwan Growth & Treasury Core ETF (SWAN), which pairs exposure to the S&P 500 Index with a buffering strategy designed to mitigate downside risk.

A Very Different Kind of ETF Issuer

Amplify’s path is unique in the ETF space and has carved out a small but powerful stronghold for itself. Its focus on thematic and income strategies lends Amplify resilience across different market types, and its commitment to innovation means it doesn’t tend to issue many “me too” products.

As an independent firm, albeit partly backed by a partnership with the powerhouse that is Samsung, those are vital qualities in a space dominated by massive competitors such as BlackRock and Vanguard.

For more news, information, and strategy, visit ETF Trends.

Originally published on ETF Trends

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