The ETFs that most frequently top NSE volumes and turnover include SBI Nifty 50 ETF (SETFNIF50), Nippon Nifty 50 BeES (NIFTYBEES), Nippon Bank BeES (BANKBEES), Nippon Gold BeES (GOLDBEES), CPSE ETF (CPSEETF) and Motilal Oswal Nasdaq-100 (MON100)—thanks to their large AUM, tight spreads and broad index coverage. You can confirm each day’s leaders on NSE’s ETF Market Watch (CSV download available). (NSE India)
Why this matters
For Indian investors, “top-traded” ETFs offer easy entry/exit, lower impact costs, and better price discovery. This guide explains how to identify them, what drives their liquidity, and how to pick the right product for your portfolio.
Snapshot: Most-traded ETF names you’ll see often
Note: Volumes change daily. Use this as a go-to list of perennial high-liquidity tickers; verify the day’s ranking on NSE or a market terminal.
| Segment | ETF (Ticker) | Why it trades a lot |
|---|---|---|
| Broad market | SBI Nifty 50 ETF (SETFNIF50) | India’s largest equity ETF by AUM; widely used by institutions, PMS/RAs and HNIs. AUM ₹2.02 lakh cr (31 Jul 2025). (SBI Mutual Fund) |
| Broad market | Nippon Nifty 50 BeES (NIFTYBEES) | Oldest, highly tracked Nifty proxy; deep market-maker presence. (Nippon India ETF) |
| Banking | Nippon Bank BeES (BANKBEES) | Sector rotation + F&O linked flows keep turnover high. (Cross-check on Moneycontrol’s “Most Traded ETFs”.) (Moneycontrol) |
| Gold | Nippon Gold BeES (GOLDBEES) | Popular bullion exposure; liquidity buoyed by asset-allocation and price moves. (Nippon India ETF, The Times of India) |
| PSU basket | CPSE ETF (CPSEETF) | Government CPSE theme; often appears among high-liquidity names; very large scheme size. (Nippon India Mutual Fund, Moneycontrol) |
| Global | Motilal Oswal Nasdaq-100 (MON100) | India-domiciled access to US tech; sizable AUM ₹10,016.7 cr (31 Jul 2025). (Motilal Oswal Mutual Funds) |
| Sensex proxy | UTI BSE Sensex ETF | Large AUM ₹50,409 cr (30 Jun 2025) and tight spreads; widely used for allocations. (utimf.com) |
How to verify daily: Go to NSE → Market Data → Exchange Traded Funds (ETF) and use the built-in “Download (.csv)” to see the day’s traded value and volumes. (NSE India)
How to evaluate “top-traded” ETFs (5-point checklist)
- Average Daily Traded Value (ADTV)
Prefer ETFs regularly crossing ₹5–20+ crore/day; check NSE ETF page or your broker terminal. (NSE India) - Bid-Ask Spread & Impact Cost
Narrow spreads (often ≤0.10% in large ETFs) indicate better execution. NSE quotes show live depth and spreads for each symbol (e.g., SETFNIF50, NIFTYBEES). (NSE India) - AUM & Market Maker Support
Higher AUM usually means more market-making and tighter spreads. Examples: SBI Nifty 50 ETF ₹50,409 cr). (SBI Mutual Fund, utimf.com) - Underlying Index Liquidity
Nifty 50/Sensex constituents are liquid; sector ETFs (Bank, IT) and themes (CPSE) can be liquid when the underlying is active. Moneycontrol’s “Most Traded ETFs” page is a quick heat-map. (Moneycontrol) - Tracking Quality
- Tracking Error (TE) = stdev(ETF return − Index return)
- Tracking Difference (TD) = ETF return − Index return (annualised)
Lower TE/TD indicates better replication and execution.
Mini-profiles: the usual leaders
1) SBI Nifty 50 ETF (SETFNIF50) — the liquidity bellwether
- Why it’s big: Institutional flows, low TER, and widespread use for core equity exposure.
- Scale: ₹2,01,813.75 crore AUM (31 Jul 2025). (SBI Mutual Fund)
- Use-case: Core large-cap exposure, transition management, tactical hedging (paired with futures).
2) Nippon Nifty 50 BeES (NIFTYBEES) — the veteran
- Why it trades: Legacy adoption + multiple APs/market makers; typically among the day’s volume leaders. (Nippon India ETF, Moneycontrol)
- Use-case: Core passive Nifty allocation; short-term tactical moves.
3) Nippon Bank BeES (BANKBEES) — sector workhorse
- Why it trades: High beta to banking cycles; alignment with index derivatives activity. Frequently appears in “Most Traded.” (Moneycontrol)
- Use-case: Sector rotation; directional bets on bank earnings and rate cycles.
4) Nippon Gold BeES (GOLDBEES) — bullion proxy
- Context: Gold allocations have drawn strong investor interest in 2024–25; regional AUM spikes reflect this trend. (The Times of India)
- Use-case: Strategic 5–10% portfolio allocation for diversification and tail-risk hedging.
5) CPSE ETF (CPSEETF) — the PSU basket
- What it tracks: Nifty CPSE Index; widely followed and often liquid. NAV and product details available on AMC site. (Nippon India Mutual Fund)
- Use-case: Thematic exposure to Maharatna/Navratna PSUs; dividend-tilted profile.
6) Motilal Oswal Nasdaq-100 (MON100) — global growth in one line
- Scale: ₹10,016.7 crore AUM (31 Jul 2025). (Motilal Oswal Mutual Funds)
- Use-case: Overseas diversification; USD tech exposure without LRS hassles.
Pro tip (callout):
To minimise slippage, place limit orders near iNAV and avoid illiquid time windows (opening 5–10 minutes, close auction). On NSE symbol pages you can view order-book depth for bigger funds. (NSE India)
Costs & execution: what moves your realised return
- Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) ≈ TER + Tracking Difference ± Premium/Discount + Trading Costs.
- Impact cost rises sharply in thin ETFs; prioritise the names above for tighter execution.
- Rebalancing frequency: Most broad-market indices rebalance semi-annually (Nifty 50), which helps sustain liquidity and tracking discipline. (Investopedia)
Step-by-step: finding today’s top-traded ETFs
- Open NSE → Market Data → Exchange Traded Funds.
- Filter by Category (All / Gold ETF / Nifty 50 ETF).
- Click Download (.csv) to sort by Traded Value or Volume in your sheet.
- Cross-check spreads/market depth on the specific Get Quote page for the symbol (e.g., SETFNIF50, NIFTYBEES). (NSE India)
If you prefer a media dashboard view, Moneycontrol’s “Most Traded ETFs” page shows a rolling list of high-turnover tickers through the day. (Moneycontrol)
Key risks & practical tips
- Premium/Discount to iNAV: In fast markets, prices can deviate temporarily. Use limit orders.
- Sector concentration: BANKBEES/CPSEETF can be cyclical; size positions accordingly.
- Tracking error in global ETFs: Currency moves add variability (e.g., MON100).
- Tax treatment: Equity ETFs are taxed as equity; gold and most debt-style ETFs follow debt taxation rules. Refer to our detailed guide: How are Mutual Funds Taxed? (internal).
FAQs
1) Which ETF is the single most liquid in India?
There isn’t one winner every day, but Nifty 50 proxies (SETFNIF50, NIFTYBEES), BANKBEES, GOLDBEES and CPSEETF routinely feature in daily top-traded lists. Always verify the day’s data on NSE or Moneycontrol. (NSE India, Moneycontrol)
2) Should I prefer the ETF with the largest AUM?
Large AUM helps (tighter spreads, better market-making) but still compare TER, tracking difference and spreads. Example: SBI Nifty 50 ETF’s very large AUM is a liquidity anchor, but execution quality still matters. (SBI Mutual Fund)
3) Is Nifty 50 exposure better via SETFNIF50 or NIFTYBEES?
Both track the same index. Check spread, on-exchange liquidity, TER, and your broker’s basket order convenience. NSE quote pages reveal live spreads; AMC/factsheets disclose TER. (NSE India)
4) Any data point to justify Gold ETF popularity in 2025?
Yes—news flow and regional AUM surges (e.g., Gujarat) mirror gold’s strong run in 2024–25, boosting trading interest in GOLDBEES. (The Times of India)
The Endovia Wealth view
For core equity, use a Nifty 50 ETF (SETFNIF50 / NIFTYBEES). For tactical tilts, consider BANKBEES and CPSEETF. For diversification, keep GOLDBEES at 5–10% and MON100 for global growth exposure, sized to your risk and currency comfort.
You may also like
- What is an Index Fund? (basics & differences vs ETFs)
- Direct vs Regular Mutual Funds (TER & compounding impact)
- How are Mutual Funds Taxed? (equity vs debt categorisation)
Sources & data access
- NSE ETF Market Watch (live volumes, CSV): verification of daily most-traded names. (NSE India)
- SBI Nifty 50 ETF (AUM as of 31 Jul 2025): SBI MF. (SBI Mutual Fund)
- UTI BSE Sensex ETF (AUM as of 30 Jun 2025): UTI MF. (utimf.com)
- Motilal Oswal Nasdaq-100 ETF (AUM as of 31 Jul 2025): MOAMC. (Motilal Oswal Mutual Funds)
Moneycontrol – Most Traded ETFs (screen for high-liquidity tickers). (Moneycontrol)