The Plumbing Behind the ETF Ecosystem
Jul 27, 2026Behind every ETF trade is a market structure that most investors never see. In this episode, special guest Roy Dimitrov takes hosts Hilly Cutler and Zayla Saunders into the engine room to explain what market makers really do, bust some of the biggest myths around ETF trading, and unpack why active ETFs may be the industry’s next big growth story.
Zayla Saunders is Vice President of ETF Online Distribution at BMO Global Asset Management (BMO GAM) and Hilly Cutler is Director of Portfolio Consulting and Senior Portfolio Consultant at BMO GAM. They are joined by Roy Dimitriv, Vice President, ETF Sales and Trading at BMO GAM. This episode was recorded live on Monday, July 27, 2026.
ETFs mentioned:
- BMO Gold Bullion ETF (Ticker: ZGLD)
- BMO Broad Commodity ETF (Ticker: ZCOM)
- BMO S&P/TSX Capped Composite Index ETF (Ticker: ZCN)
- BMO MSCI Emerging Markets Index ETF (Ticker: ZEM)
- BMO Asset Allocation ETFs
Sources:
Morningstar Direct, BMO Global Asset Management as at July 24, 2026
S&P 500 Earnings Season Update, Factset Insight, July 24, 2026
NAV: Net Asset Value
AUM: Assets Under Management
EAFE: Developed markets in Europe, Australasia, and the Far East.
Emerging markets: Major economies and many smaller countries such as China, India, Brazil, South Korea, Taiwan, and South Africa.
Liquidity: The degree to which an asset or security can be quickly bought or sold in the market without affecting the asset’s price. Cash is considered to be the most liquid asset, while things like fine art or rare books would be relatively illiquid.
Disclaimers:
Please visit for full disclaimers
This podcast is for information purposes. The viewpoints expressed by the speakers represent their assessment of the markets at the time of publication. Those views are subject to change without notice at any time. The information contained herein is not, and should not be construed as, investment, tax or legal advice to any party. Investments should be evaluated relative to the individual’s investment objectives and professional advice should be obtained with respect to any circumstance.
Any statement that necessarily depends on future events may be a forward-looking statement. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of performance. They involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Although such statements are based on assumptions that are believed to be reasonable, there can be no assurance that actual results will not differ materially from expectations. Investors are cautioned not to rely unduly on any forward-looking statements. In connection with any forward-looking statements, investors should carefully consider the areas of risk described in the most recent prospectus.
The BMO Broad Commodity ETF is an exchange-traded alternative mutual fund within the meaning of NI 81-102. As an alternative mutual fund, the BMO ETF has the ability to invest in asset classes and use investment strategies that are not permitted for conventional mutual funds, including the ability to invest in other alternative mutual funds, employ leverage and borrow cash to use for investment purposes and increased ability to invest in commodities. While these strategies will be used in accordance with the BMO ETF’s investment objective and strategies, during certain market conditions, they may accelerate the pace at which an investor’s investment decreases in value.
The BMO ETF referred to herein is not sponsored, endorsed, or promoted by MSCI Inc. (MSCI) and MSCI bears no liability with respect to the relevant BMO ETF or any index on which such BMO ETF is based. The relevant BMO ETF’s prospectus contains a more detailed description of the limited relationship MSCI has with BMO Asset Management Inc. and any related BMO ETFs.
The S&P 500 Index is a product of S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC or its affiliates (SPDJI), and has been licensed for use by BMO Asset Management Inc. S&P®, S&P 500®, US 500, The 500, iBoxx®, iTraxx® and CDX® are trademarks of S&P Global, Inc. or its affiliates (S&P) and Dow Jones® is a registered trademark of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC (Dow Jones), and these trademarks have been licensed for use by SPDJI and sublicensed for certain purposes by BMO Asset Management Inc. The relevant BMO ETF is not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by SPDJI, Dow Jones, S&P, their respective affiliates, and none of such parties make any representation regarding the advisability of investing in such product(s) nor do they have any liability for any errors, omissions, or interruptions of the Index.
This communication may contain links to other sites that BMO Global Asset Management (BMO GAM) does not own or operate. Any content from or links to a third-party website are not reviewed or endorsed by BMO GAM. Investors use any external websites or third-party content at their own risk. Accordingly, BMO GAM disclaims any responsibility for them.
Commissions, management fees and expenses all may be associated with investments in exchange-traded funds. Please read the ETF Facts or prospectus of the BMO ETFs before investing. Exchange-traded funds are not guaranteed, their values change frequently and past performance may not be repeated.
For a summary of the risks of an investment in the BMO ETFs, please see the specific risks set out in the BMO ETF’s prospectus. BMO ETFs trade like stocks, fluctuate in market value and may trade at a discount to their net asset value, which may increase the risk of loss. Distributions are not guaranteed and are subject to change and/or elimination.
BMO ETFs are managed by BMO Asset Management Inc., an investment fund manager, a portfolio manager, and a separate legal entity from Bank of Montreal.
BMO Global Asset Management is a brand name under which BMO Asset Management Inc. and BMO Investments Inc. operate.
“BMO (M-bar roundel symbol)” is a registered trademark of Bank of Montreal, used under licence.