An exchange-traded fund (ETF) is a type of investment fund that holds a collection of assets, such as stocks or bonds, and is traded on stock exchanges like individual stocks. It allows investors to buy and sell a diversified group of investments easily and efficiently, often at a lower cost. ETFs provide a simple way to gain exposure to a broad market or specific sectors without having to buy each asset separately.
authorized participantfinancial
An authorized participant is a large broker-dealer or market professional authorized by an exchange-traded fund to create and redeem ETF shares by exchanging baskets of the underlying securities. They act like a bridge between the ETF and its underlying market, helping keep the ETF’s trading price close to the value of its holdings and supplying liquidity. For investors, healthy authorized-participant activity reduces price distortion and makes it easier to buy or sell ETF shares without large costs.
transfer agencyfinancial
A transfer agency is the service or department that keeps official records of who owns a company’s or fund’s shares and handles changes in ownership, transfers, share issuance, dividend payments and investor communications. Think of it as the ledger-keeper and post office for stock ownership: accurate, timely record-keeping and handling of transactions matters to investors because it ensures they receive dividends, can buy or sell shares, and have their voting and ownership rights recognized without delay or error.
fund accountingfinancial
Fund accounting is the bookkeeping system used to track money, assets and transactions for an investment fund (like a mutual fund or ETF) so each investor’s ownership and the fund’s value are kept separate and transparent. Think of it as keeping separate labeled jars for different savings goals: it ensures the fund’s reported net asset value, performance and fees are accurate and compliant, which investors rely on to make fair comparisons and decisions.
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New capability extends Northern Trust’s fund servicing model to support asset managers launching and operating U.S. ETFs
CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Northern Trust (Nasdaq: NTRS) today announced the launch of its U.S. exchange-traded fund (ETF) servicing platform, beginning with its appointment by Harding Loevner to provide ETF servicing solutions for its first U.S. ETF, the International Developed Markets Select Equity ETF (NYSE: LOEV).
“ETFs continue to benefit from powerful structural tailwinds that are driving broader investor adoption and sustained industry growth, and our clients are increasingly looking for a single, strategic partner to deliver services across both mutual funds and ETFs as those worlds converge,” said Ryan Burns, Head of Global Fund Services, Americas at Northern Trust Asset Servicing. “This new capability is a natural extension of the full suite of asset servicing solutions Northern Trust provides to asset managers and positions us to help clients advance their evolving product strategies.”
Northern Trust has served Harding Loevner for more than 15 years, providing custody and fund administration across their fund complexes globally. This mandate represents an expansion of that relationship, with Northern Trust supporting Harding Loevner’s entry into the ETF market through an integrated asset servicing solution across custody, fund accounting, fund administration and transfer agency, alongside technology-enabled ETF-specific services such as basket creation, order taking, and authorized participant servicing.
“We are delighted that Harding Loevner has selected Northern Trust to support the launch of LOEV,” said Phil Nanof, Head of ETF Services, Americas at Northern Trust Asset Servicing. “This appointment represents an important milestone and reflects the strong alignment between Harding Loevner’s investment expertise and Northern Trust’s long-standing fund servicing capabilities and innovative ETF solutions. We built our U.S. ETF servicing platform with the evolving needs of asset managers in mind, combining operational excellence, scalable technology, and a client-centric service model designed to help clients succeed in a rapidly growing and increasingly sophisticated ETF marketplace.”
“Launching our first U.S. ETF is an important milestone for Harding Loevner and reflects our commitment to giving clients more ways to access our investment capabilities,” said Aaron Bellish, CEO of Harding Loevner. “Northern Trust has been a trusted partner to our firm for many years, and we're pleased to extend that relationship as we bring LOEV to market. As we expand the ways we serve our clients and Northern Trust broadens its fund servicing capabilities, we’re excited to build on our long-standing partnership.”
Northern Trust provides a complete suite of asset servicing solutions for global investment managers including fund administration, global custody, investment operations outsourcing and data solutions – supporting a range of complex investment strategies across the full spectrum of asset classes.
About Northern Trust
Northern Trust Corporation (Nasdaq: NTRS) is a leading provider of wealth management, asset servicing, asset management and banking services to corporations, institutions, affluent families and individuals. Founded in Chicago in 1889, Northern Trust has a global presence with offices in 24 U.S. states and Washington, D.C., and across 22 locations in Canada, Europe, the Middle East and the Asia-Pacific region. As of June 30, 2026, Northern Trust had assets under custody/administration of US$20.0 trillion, and assets under management of US$2.0 trillion. For more than 135 years, Northern Trust has earned distinction as an industry leader for exceptional service, financial expertise, integrity and innovation. Visit us on northerntrust.com. Follow us on Instagram @northerntrustcompany or Northern Trust on LinkedIn.
Northern Trust Corporation, Head Office: 50 South La Salle Street, Chicago, Illinois 60603 U.S.A., incorporated with limited liability in the U.S. Global legal and regulatory information can be found at https://www.northerntrust.com/terms-and-conditions.
