The S&P 500 was up about 17% in 2025, but has traded essentially flat so far in 2026, as investors wonder whether a prolonged rally may be about to give way to a major selloff—or whether a potentially overhyped AI market may collapse. For pessimists, one approach may be to focus on more stable stocks, including dividend payers, that can withstand potential upcoming volatility.
Others may opt for a more active bearish bet, banking on the market or some segment therein declining in the near future. Fortunately, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that take a short approach exist to cover a multitude of strategies and market corners. While it doesn't necessarily pay to follow the trends and buy up funds that have recently been popular among investors, it may nonetheless be telling to see which of these firms have experienced high trading volumes in recent periods. Below are three of the most aggressively bearish ETFs that have also been highly traded.
