Macquarie Asset Management has launched the Macquarie Core Australian Bond Active ETF (ASX: MQFI), which provides cost-efficient access to an actively managed portfolio of predominantly Australian bonds (AUD), designed to provide regular income, offer diversification for broader portfolio defence, and the potential for consistent alpha.
It has a management fee of 0.09% p.a., alongside a performance fee that applies only when the fund outperforms its benchmark*, aligning investor outcomes with fund performance and building on the approach adopted across Macquarie’s Core Equity Active ETF range.
The launch comes as the Macquarie Subordinated Debt Active ETF (ASX: MQSD) surpassed $A1 billion in funds under management, reaching the milestone in around 19 months since its launch in February 2025.
Brett Lewthwaite, CIO of Global Fixed Income, Macquarie Asset Management said: “MQFI gives investors access to an actively managed portfolio of Australian bonds in a single ASX trade, combining diversification, regular income and the potential for consistent excess returns above the benchmark.
“Investors have often faced a trade-off between the low fees of passive fixed income and the potential for outperformance of active management. MQFI removes that trade-off, with a fee structure that seeks to align the outcomes of the fund with the success of the investor. It’s a natural extension of our Core Equity Active ETF range and reflects the strong investor appetite we’re seeing for genuinely active ETF investment solutions.”
Blair Hannon, Head of ETFs at Macquarie Asset Management said: “MQFI is an important milestone for our ETF platform, expanding our active ETF range to 10 funds across equities and fixed income in just three years. We’re focused on bringing innovative active ETFs to market that meet investors’ evolving needs. By continuing to listen to investors and understanding how their preferences are changing, we can ensure our ETF offering remains well positioned for the future. As the Australian ETF market continues to grow, Macquarie’s ETF suite is designed to help a broad range of investors achieve their investment objectives. MQFI further strengthens our ETF offering, providing investors with another building block to help construct diversified portfolios.
“The rapid growth of MQSD to more than $A1 billion in funds under management reflects investor confidence in both our fixed income capabilities and our approach to delivering innovative investment solutions to a wider range of investors.”
