European ETFs and Third-Party Management Company Solutions

Exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”) have transformed the investment landscape since their European debut in the early 2000s, offering diversification and transparency to investors across the spectrum.  Behind every successful ETF is a skilled fund manager — and behind many of those managers is a trusted partner providing the expertise to navigate complex regulatory and compliance demands.

Fund services professionals bring specialist knowledge of domiciling, structuring and governance — reducing regulatory burdens and facilitating compliance.  The result: fund managers are free to focus on what they do best, including allocation and portfolio management.

ETFs in Europe and Ireland as an ETF domicile

Ireland is the leading domicile for ETFs in Europe, underpinned by strong governance, a thriving asset management ecosystem and a favourable regulatory climate.  According to 2025 data from Irish Funds, 78% of European ETF assets — €1.8 trillion — are domiciled in Ireland.  The dominance is even more pronounced for actively managed ETFs, where Ireland accounts for 96% of European AUM.

Ireland’s regulatory framework actively encourages ETF growth and innovation.  The Central Bank of Ireland is a supportive regulator, providing clear guidance for new and established investment platforms — including active and passive ETFs — as well as emerging innovations such as tokenisation.

Ireland is home to world-class servicing providers across legal, administration, custody, audit and listing functions.

Why ETF managers need a third-party management company

Fund managers looking to establish, launch and operate an ETF in Europe need to have several capabilities before launching their product.

Knowing ETF-specific regulatory requirements is a must, as is having a working knowledge of jurisdictional governance and risk frameworks.

One of the biggest hurdles for non-EU fund managers looking to launch an ETF in Europe is having a fully authorised UCITS management company (“ManCo”) to oversee distribution, operations, risk compliance, fund administration and fund oversight functions.

For those managers without the resources to set up an in-house management company, a third-party ManCo can prove to be an ideal solution.

Maples Fund Management Ireland Limited (“MFM”) is well positioned in this regard due to its strong expertise in navigating the regional UCITS landscape and in supporting non-European managers to successful capital raising across Europe.

About Maples Fund Management and how we can assist with Irish-domiciled ETFs

MFM is a Central Bank of Ireland-authorised third-party UCITS ManCo, providing full regulatory, governance and oversight services to ETF issuers and asset managers.

As the regulated manager of the ETF, MFM can ensure full regulatory and compliance oversight, including with respect to ETF-specific requirements and European regulatory expectations, thereby allowing sponsors to focus on their primary day-to-day tasks, including distribution, allocation and portfolio management, and product innovation.

Investment management and delegation oversight: Within a UCITS ETF structure, MFM can offer issuers:

• Experience across ETF strategies and asset classes;
• Familiarity with ETF trading mechanics, index methodologies and portfolio construction; and
• Oversight frameworks covering delegated portfolio management, model portfolios and index tracking.

Strong regulatory and risk capability: By leveraging the ManCo scale and compliance functions, MFM delivers support from regulatory, risk mitigation and operational efficiency perspective.  ETF sponsors benefit not only from enhanced risk management and streamlined operations, but also from the ability to leverage an existing, fully operational ManCo structure, eliminating the need to establish their own and significantly reducing time-to-market and implementation complexity.

Dedicated client service model: We offer a bespoke, relationship‑led service model, providing ETF sponsors with a dedicated exclusive point of contact or client service team.  This team coordinates across risk, compliance, operation, and distribution oversight functions to deliver a seamless and responsive client experience.

The result is:

• Swift access to market by way of our dedicated onboarding team.
• Clear accountability;
• Proactive regulatory and operational support;
• Support across jurisdictions and time zones;
• Regulatory compliance, filings and reporting; and
• Benefits of the expertise and services offered across the Maples Group, including fiduciary and legal advisory as the fund –and its support needs – develops.

As a privately held company, we can take a thoughtful, long-term approach to developing our product set.

For decades, the Maples Group has leveraged its award-winning expertise and proprietary fund administration technology to guide clients.  We have deep experience providing support to a broad set of investment structures and investment strategies.  Our local teams are backed by an extensive global network of colleagues, which allows us to service clients across time zones and jurisdictions.  Drawing from our history of client excellence, we have the flexibility and creativity to develop client solutions as regulation advances, investment strategies change and funds grow and operational requirements evolve.

For legal and regulatory disclosures please visit: maples.com/legal-notices.