> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.xft.finance/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.xft.finance/bitnet/clearing-and-settlement/etfs.md).

# ETFs

<table><thead><tr><th valign="top">Market participant</th><th valign="top">Economic incentive</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td valign="top">Buyer/seller of ETF shares</td><td valign="top">Buys ETF shares at a lower price and sells at a higher price later. </td></tr><tr><td valign="top">Trading venue</td><td valign="top">Earns revenue from transaction fees paid by market participants trading on their platform. Listing exchange also earns listing fees paid by ETF issuers. </td></tr><tr><td valign="top">Broker</td><td valign="top">Earns commissions by fulfilling client buy/sell orders through finding matches in the secondary market.</td></tr><tr><td valign="top">Market maker</td><td valign="top">Profits from spreads of their bid/ask quotes. Arbitrages between an ETF’s intrinsic value and its market price.</td></tr><tr><td valign="top">Lead market maker (LMM)</td><td valign="top">Profits from spreads of their bid/ask quotes. Arbitrages between an ETF’s intrinsic value and its market price. Receives economic incentives from the exchange, such as lower transaction fees and higher rebates.</td></tr><tr><td valign="top">Electronic market maker (EMM)</td><td valign="top">Captures arbitrage opportunities by using high-frequency trading algorithm.</td></tr><tr><td valign="top">Institutional sales and trading desk</td><td valign="top">Earns commissions by providing market making services to institutional clients for their large transactions.</td></tr><tr><td valign="top">Derivative trading desk</td><td valign="top">Maintains risk neutral of their total portfolio by trading a wide range of financial instruments, such as ETFs, swaps, and index futures. </td></tr><tr><td valign="top">Short seller of ETF shares</td><td valign="top">Profits from falling ETF share prices. Borrows ETF shares, sells them now, and buys back later at a lower price to return shares to the lender to make profits. </td></tr><tr><td valign="top"> Create-to-lend desk</td><td valign="top">Driven by clients’ demand of borrowing ETF shares. Profits from lending fees.</td></tr><tr><td valign="top"> Authorized participant (AP)</td><td valign="top">Acts as an agent for market makers and other liquidity providers to create/redeem ETF shares and earn commissions. Some APs also earn revenue through market making activities.</td></tr><tr><td valign="top"><p> ETF issuer</p><p> </p></td><td valign="top">Earns fees as a percentage of fund net assets.</td></tr></tbody></table>
