Thematic investing has emerged as a powerful lens through which to view market opportunities, cutting across traditional asset class, sector, or regional boundaries. Whether driven by demographic shifts, technological breakthroughs, or cultural change, these themes are reshaping our economy and, increasingly, investor portfolios.
To support this shift, the US data module in MarketPulse now assigns each thematic fund:
- One of eight high-level Theme tags, and
- One of 26 more granular Sub-Theme tags
These data points help you to quickly identify a fund’s primary narrative—whether it’s nanotechnology, biodiversity, or medical breakthroughs—and understand how it aligns with broader global trends.
Why Thematic Investing Matters?
Thematic funds aim to capture long-term structural changes. Rather than focusing solely on sectors or styles, they look at future-oriented opportunities—from artificial intelligence to aging populations. These strategies seek out companies with direct or indirect exposure to those forces, positioning portfolios for potential long-term capital growth and enhanced diversification.
As of June 2025, U.S.-listed thematic fund assets have grown from $72B in 2018 to $223B—nearly threefold in just six years.
This expanding landscape presents product development questions:
- Which themes are gaining traction?
- How can you compare funds across thematic categories?
- Where are the market and strategy gaps?
- How are fees structured?
MarketPulse gives you a structured view into this fast-evolving space.
MarketPulse U.S. Thematic Classification Framework
Each thematic fund in our database is systematically classified using our two-tier framework:
Explore more, including a Themes table with definitions and additional descriptors.
This classification system enables asset managers to:
- Identify funds aligned with specific investment themes
- Compare thematic exposure across different fund offerings
- Assess concentration and diversification within thematic allocations
- Track performance and fees across thematic categories
- Determine optimal entry points for thematic investments
Use Case: New Entrants, New Strategies
Traditional asset managers sit at the top of the cryptocurrency fund (tagged as Technology/Blockchain) leaderboard. While this may not come as a surprise to many, MarketPulse data also highlights the rise of newer players offering differentiated strategies and underscores investor appetite for alternative approaches within the crypto space.
As the pace of innovation accelerates, MarketPulse gives our clients the ability to track these shifts in near real-time—helping them understand where capital is moving, which strategies are gaining traction, and how they can position themselves in a fast-changing market.
Get started with Thematic Fund Data Points in MarketPulse.
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