Press Release
Universal Investment Group appoints BNY as Servicing Partner for Irish ETF platform
Date:
28. May 2026
Frankfurt
- BNY appointed as core fund administration, depositary and ETF servicing partner
- Irish ICAV platform offers asset managers a scalable, ManCo led gateway to Europe’s growing ETF market
- Irish ICAV platform offers asset managers a scalable, ManCo led gateway to Europe’s growing ETF market
Universal Investment Group (UI Group), Europe’s leading independent fund services platform and Super ManCo, today announced the appointment of BNY (NYSE: BNY), a global financial services company, as its strategic servicing partner for its Irish ICAV-based ETF platform. The appointment marks a key milestone as the business gets ready to host the first products on its platform to meet growing client demand.
Under the partnership, BNY will provide fund administration, depositary services, and ETF-specific operational support, enabling a full-service solution for the growing number of asset managers seeking to launch ETFs in Europe. Universal Investment will steer and manage the overall platform, offering comprehensive ManCo services and Capital Markets functionality for ETFs from a single source, supported by a specialised partner network with deep ETF expertise, scalable infrastructure and high quality administration.
In 2025, the European ETF market recorded its strongest year on record, reaching over EUR 2.7 trillion, equivalent to 41% growth*, with further growth anticipated in 2026, particularly in the active ETF space. These appointments support the advancement of several secured ETF mandates – including active – currently in preparation. Initial launches are expected later this year, reflecting appetite for ETFs in Europe, as asset managers seek faster, more scalable routes to market as they diversify their portfolios across a range of strategies.
By combining its long-standing UCITS expertise with a carefully selected network of specialised partners, UI Group enables asset managers to reduce operational complexity and accelerate time to market. The platform is designed to support a broad range of strategies, including active, quantitative, ESG, and rule based approaches, with Ireland serving as the primary domicile through its well established ICAV structure.
Ronan Doyle, Chief Product Officer at Universal Investment, says: “For nearly 60 years Universal Investment has helped our clients grow and unlock scale as markets evolve. We are seeing very strong demand from clients seeking to access the active ETF space, and are excited to work with BNY to support our expansion in this strategically important area.”
Ben Slavin, Global Head of ETFs at BNY says: “Europe’s active ETF market is at an inflection point and we’re excited to work with Universal Investment as they look to capitalize on that opportunity. BNY’s servicing model gives asset managers the scale and infrastructure they need to launch efficiently and grow with confidence.”
Under the partnership, BNY will provide fund administration, depositary services, and ETF-specific operational support, enabling a full-service solution for the growing number of asset managers seeking to launch ETFs in Europe. Universal Investment will steer and manage the overall platform, offering comprehensive ManCo services and Capital Markets functionality for ETFs from a single source, supported by a specialised partner network with deep ETF expertise, scalable infrastructure and high quality administration.
In 2025, the European ETF market recorded its strongest year on record, reaching over EUR 2.7 trillion, equivalent to 41% growth*, with further growth anticipated in 2026, particularly in the active ETF space. These appointments support the advancement of several secured ETF mandates – including active – currently in preparation. Initial launches are expected later this year, reflecting appetite for ETFs in Europe, as asset managers seek faster, more scalable routes to market as they diversify their portfolios across a range of strategies.
By combining its long-standing UCITS expertise with a carefully selected network of specialised partners, UI Group enables asset managers to reduce operational complexity and accelerate time to market. The platform is designed to support a broad range of strategies, including active, quantitative, ESG, and rule based approaches, with Ireland serving as the primary domicile through its well established ICAV structure.
Ronan Doyle, Chief Product Officer at Universal Investment, says: “For nearly 60 years Universal Investment has helped our clients grow and unlock scale as markets evolve. We are seeing very strong demand from clients seeking to access the active ETF space, and are excited to work with BNY to support our expansion in this strategically important area.”
Ben Slavin, Global Head of ETFs at BNY says: “Europe’s active ETF market is at an inflection point and we’re excited to work with Universal Investment as they look to capitalize on that opportunity. BNY’s servicing model gives asset managers the scale and infrastructure they need to launch efficiently and grow with confidence.”
¹ Source: EY, “Europe ETF market surges to €2.7tn in 2025”, February 2026. Available at: https://www.ey.com/en_ie/newsroom/2026/02/europe-etf-market-surges-to-2-7trn-2025 (accessed April 2026).
Media contact
