VANECK ETF TRUST (ESPO): Hedge Fund Ownership & Smart Money Signals (Q4 2025)

VANECK ETF TRUST (ESPO)

90 + Investors. Track Smart Money conviction in ESPO. See who's accumulating, reducing, or initiating positions.

Smart Money Signals — ESPO

Based on 90 hedge funds · latest filing: 2025 Q4 · updated quarterly

📉

Selling streak — 1 quarter in a row

last 6Q

For 1 consecutive quarter, more hedge funds reduced or closed their ESPO positions than added to them. Sustained institutional selling is a meaningful warning sign — these are professionals with deep research teams collectively deciding to exit.

🏔️

At the ownership peak (97% of max)

97% of all-time peak

90 hedge funds hold ESPO right now — the highest count in 3.0 years. When ownership is this concentrated, any bad news can trigger a chain reaction: one big fund sells, others follow. This is a classic 'crowded trade' — high popularity doesn't equal safety.

🚀

Fast accumulation — +22% more funds vs a year ago

fund count last 6Q

+16 new funds entered over the past year (+22% YoY). That's a rapid rush of institutional money. Fast accumulation often signals a major thesis — but it also means the stock could fall quickly if that thesis breaks.

🟡

Slight buying edge — 51% buying

45 buying44 selling

Last quarter: 45 funds bought or added vs 44 that reduced or exited. It's nearly a 50/50 split — some institutions are convinced, others are taking profits. This mixed picture is normal near price highs.

⚠️

Fewer new buyers each quarter (-10 vs last Q)

new funds entering per quarter

Funds opening this position for the first time: 6 → 8 → 24 → 14. Each quarter fewer new institutions are entering. This usually means most funds that wanted in are already in — the stock is well-known but the pool of potential new buyers is shrinking.

🔒

57% of holders stayed for 2+ years

■ 57% conviction (2yr+) ■ 28% medium ■ 16% new

51 out of 90 hedge funds have held ESPO for over 2 years without selling. Long-term investors are generally harder to shake out during market stress, creating a stable ownership base that limits the risk of sudden capitulation.

📈

Growing discovery — still being found

22 → 6 → 8 → 24 → 14 new funds/Q

New funds entering each quarter: 6 → 8 → 24 → 14. A growing number of institutions are discovering ESPO each quarter. The narrative is still spreading — leaving room for ongoing capital accumulation.

🏛️

Deep conviction — 66% of holders stayed 2+ years

■ 66% veterans ■ 8% 1-2yr ■ 27% new

Of 90 current holders: 59 (66%) have held for over 2 years without selling. These are not momentum buyers — they have lived through drawdowns and stayed. A large veteran base acts as a stabilizing force during selloffs.

🏆

Elite ownership — 52% AUM from top-100 funds

52% from top-100 AUM funds

13 of 90 holders are among the 100 largest funds by AUM, controlling 52% of total institutional value in ESPO. When the biggest players dominate the cap table, it signifies deep institutional support — since mega-funds deploy the most rigorous due diligence and capital.

3.8

out of 10

Low Exit Risk

Exit risk score 3.8/10 — low institutional crowding. Ownership is below peak levels, holder base is relatively sticky, and buying momentum is positive.

Methodology note: these Smart Money cards use consecutive 13F disclosure snapshots, not trade-by-trade execution data. "Buying", "selling", "new holders", and "trimmed" refer to quarter-over-quarter changes in reported holders, aggregate shares, or disclosed position values between filings. They are useful for ownership regime analysis and crowding, but they do not imply exact trade timing on the filing date.

Metric	All 13F Filers (2025 Q4)	Prior (2025 Q3)	Change
Funds Holding	90	94	-4.26%
13F Shares	1M	1M	-12.86%
Total Value	$108M	$143M	-24.96%
New Positions	14	25	-11
Increased Positions	31	26	+5
Closed Positions	17	3	+14
Reduced Positions	27	18	+9
Total Calls	0	1	-100.0%
Total Puts	0	0	-
PUT/CALL Ratio	0.0	0.0	Bullish

Metric

All 13F Filers (2025 Q4)

Prior (2025 Q3)

Change

Funds Holding

-4.26%

13F Shares

-12.86%

Total Value

$108M

$143M

-24.96%

New Positions

-11

Increased Positions

Closed Positions

+14

Reduced Positions

Total Calls

-100.0%

Total Puts

PUT/CALL Ratio

0.0

Bullish

Institutional Holders (2026 Q1)

90 + investors

Explore institutional interest and hedge fund ownership dynamics. Analyze portfolio weights, new positions, and conviction trends in ESPO. Verified SEC 13F-HR filings.

FILTER:All New Added To Reduced No Change | Overweight >5% | SHOW: Active managers + show index funds

Top 19 institutional holders of ESPO — 2025 Q4 · Source: SEC Form 13F
#	Investor	% of Portfolio	Shares	Mkt Value
1	INTERNATIONAL ASSETS INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT, LLC	0.06%	9,914	$902K
2	Murphy & Mullick Capital Management Corp	0.01%	100	$9K
3	RFG Advisory, LLC	0.01%	3,326	$301K
4	Kestra Advisory Services, LLC	0.00%	5,986	$542K
5	Private Advisor Group, LLC	0.00%	4,158	$376K
6	Janney Montgomery Scott LLC	0.00%	7,453	—
7	IFP Advisors, Inc	0.00%	637	$58K
8	SIGNATUREFD, LLC	0.00%	660	$60K
9	Cambridge Investment Research Advisors, Inc.	0.00%	3,454	—
10	Activest Wealth Management	0.00%	50	$5K
11	COMMONWEALTH EQUITY SERVICES, LLC	0.00%	5,937	$537K
12	Nemes Rush Group LLC	0.00%	61	$6K
13	Golden State Wealth Management, LLC	0.00%	40	$4K
14	PRIVATE TRUST CO NA	0.00%	42	$4K
15	Tradewinds Capital Management, LLC	0.00%	9	—
16	Farther Finance Advisors, LLC	0.00%	113	$10K
17	AdvisorNet Financial, Inc	0.00%	21	$2K
18	FIFTH THIRD BANCORP	0.00%	68	$6K
19	CoreCap Advisors, LLC	0.00%	2	—

Investor	Ownership History	% of Portfolio	Prev %	Rank	Conviction	Avg Buy Price	13F Score™ 3Y / 7Y	Sell Timing	Shares	Mkt Value	Change	Change %	Source	Quarter	Filed

Frequently Asked Questions — VANECK ETF TRUST (ESPO)

What does the Smart Money Trend signal show for ESPO?

Selling streak — 1 quarter in a row: For 1 consecutive quarter, more hedge funds reduced or closed their ESPO positions than added to them. Sustained institutional selling is a meaningful warning sign — these are professionals with deep research teams collectively deciding to exit.

What is the institutional breadth score for ESPO?

Slight buying edge — 51% buying: Last quarter: 45 funds bought or added vs 44 that reduced or exited. It's nearly a 50/50 split — some institutions are convinced, others are taking profits. This mixed picture is normal near price highs.

What is the fund quality score for ESPO holders?

Elite ownership — 52% AUM from top-100 funds: 13 of 90 holders are among the 100 largest funds by AUM, controlling 52% of total institutional value in ESPO. When the biggest players dominate the cap table, it signifies deep institutional support — since mega-funds deploy the most rigorous due diligence and capital.

How long have hedge funds held ESPO?

57% of holders stayed for 2+ years: 51 out of 90 hedge funds have held ESPO for over 2 years without selling. Long-term investors are generally harder to shake out during market stress, creating a stable ownership base that limits the risk of sudden capitulation.

Where does this institutional ownership data come from?

All holdings data is sourced from SEC Form 13F filings, which institutional investment managers with over $100 million in assets are required to submit quarterly. Data is parsed directly from SEC EDGAR.

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VANECK ETF TRUST (ESPO)

Smart Money Signals — ESPO

Selling streak — 1 quarter in a row

At the ownership peak (97% of max)

Fast accumulation — +22% more funds vs a year ago

Slight buying edge — 51% buying

Fewer new buyers each quarter (-10 vs last Q)

57% of holders stayed for 2+ years

Growing discovery — still being found

Deep conviction — 66% of holders stayed 2+ years

Elite ownership — 52% AUM from top-100 funds

Hedge Fund Ownership: ESPO

Market Analysis: ESPO

Analyst Price Targets

Analyst Recommendations

Stock Performance

Company Profile: ESPO

Hedge Fund Positioning: ESPO

Statistics: ESPO

Valuation Measures Data as of: --

Financial Highlights

Institutional Holders (2026 Q1)

Frequently Asked Questions — VANECK ETF TRUST (ESPO)

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