This book is dedicated to examining Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) market in the Asia-Pacific region between 2004 and 2017. It offers a broad examination of the attributes and development of the ETF markets. The book presents a new approach to ETF markets modeling that uses innovation diffusion model. In addition, it explores the empirical links between ETFs and Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). The book also compares ETFs and competing investment options. This book should appeal to both academics and practitioners as it includes detailed descriptions of the ETF markets and prepared projections regarding their future development. As the Asia-Pacific region plays a significant role in the global economy, this book should be useful for international readers beyond this area. The Emergence of ETFs in Asia-Pacific begins with an overview of the Asia-Pacific economies, focusing on their importance for the global economy and their features. Next, the book introduces an analytical framework. It explains major features of ETFs (such as their creation, distribution, and trading) and key categories, which facilitates profound understanding of the book merit even for readers with little knowledge about ETFs. The following chapter explores the role of ICTs in economy and society identifying channels of their impact on financial markets. It discusses how ICTs foster dynamic spread of financial innovations (including ETFs) across financial markets. Next, the book examines the ETF market’s development in different countries in the Asia-Pacific region, by analyzing their level of development in terms of turnover. In this part it also provides brief characteristics of all markets, including their structures and categories of ETFs in various countries. Consecutive part of the book is dedicated to reports on the process of ICTs growing penetration across Asia-Pacific countries, showing the changes observed during recent years. It then continues the empirical analysis of the ETF markets in the Asia-Pacific region by attempting to trace the links between the development of ETF markets and ICT penetration during the period 2004-2017. As complementary material, a methodological annex is included showing major analytical techniques used throughout the research.
