State Street Global Advisors is owned by State Street Corporation, a publicly traded financial services company, and in 2025 the division was rebranded as State Street Investment Management.
The business is best known for inventing the modern exchange traded fund with the launch of the S&P 500 SPDR in 1993, and it remains one of the largest ETF managers in the world.
Founded in Boston in 1978, the asset management arm grew from a small in-house investment desk into a global manager overseeing trillions of dollars for institutions and individual investors alike.
So how did a division of an old Boston bank end up inventing the ETF and managing trillions of dollars worldwide, and who actually controls it today?
This article looks at State Street Global Advisors ownership structure, its leadership, its founding story, its rebrand, how much it manages, its SPDR ETF business, and how to contact the firm.
So let us get started.
Table of Contents
Who Owns State Street Global Advisors
State Street Global Advisors is not an independent company, it is the asset management division wholly owned by State Street Corporation, a publicly traded bank holding company.
Visit the official State Street Global Advisors website to see the full range of ETFs, mutual funds and institutional strategies the business offers.
In 2025 the division was renamed State Street Investment Management to better reflect its full range of active and index strategies beyond its original Global Advisors branding.
Because its parent, State Street Corporation, is publicly traded, ownership ultimately flows through to institutional and individual shareholders rather than any single private owner.
| Company Overview | Details |
| Company name | State Street Investment Management, formerly State Street Global Advisors |
| Ownership | Wholly owned division of a public parent |
| Parent company | State Street Corporation (NYSE: STT) |
| Founded | 1978 |
| President and CEO | Yie-Hsin Hung |
| Parent CEO | Ronald P. O’Hanley |
| Headquarters | Boston, Massachusetts |
| Ownership type | Private division of a public parent |
| Assets under management | Over 5 trillion dollars, 2026 |
Is State Street Global Advisors Publicly Traded or Privately Owned
State Street Global Advisors does not trade separately on any stock exchange, since it operates as a division rather than a standalone public company.
Its parent, State Street Corporation, is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker STT and has been public for decades.
Investors who want exposure to the business behind State Street Global Advisors can only do so indirectly, by buying shares of the parent State Street Corporation.
No single investor or founding family controls State Street Corporation, and ownership is spread across large institutional shareholders and individual investors.
Who Are the Largest Shareholders of State Street Corporation
The Vanguard Group is the largest shareholder of State Street Corporation, holding roughly 13.2 percent of outstanding shares.
BlackRock Institutional Trust Company holds the next largest position at around 5.3 percent, followed closely by State Street’s own investment management arm holding roughly 4.8 percent through the funds it manages.
Fidelity Management and Research and Harris Associates also rank among the largest remaining institutional holders of the company.
This pattern, where a company’s own asset management division owns a meaningful slice of its parent’s stock through client funds, is common among large diversified financial firms.
Readers interested in a similarly structured but privately held asset manager can read our guide on who owns Dimensional Fund Advisors.
Who Is the CEO of State Street Global Advisors
Yie-Hsin Hung serves as President and CEO of State Street Investment Management, the division formerly known as State Street Global Advisors, a role she has held since 2022.
Hung reports up to Ronald P. O’Hanley, who serves as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the parent company, State Street Corporation.
Neither executive personally controls the business, their role is to run daily operations and long term strategy on behalf of State Street Corporation’s shareholders.
Hung has spoken publicly about leading the investment management business through its 2025 rebrand while keeping continuity with its decades long track record.
Who Founded State Street Global Advisors
State Street Global Advisors was established in 1978 in Boston as the investment management arm of State Street Bank, itself a much older institution dating back to the 18th century.
The division launched with a domestic index fund, an international index fund and a short term investment fund, growing to roughly 53 billion dollars in assets by 1989.
According to Wikipedia, the business was reorganized as a separate entity from State Street Bank in 1990, giving it more room to expand internationally through the 1990s.
Its most famous innovation came in 1993, when it launched the first exchange traded fund in the United States, the S&P 500 SPDR, which remains one of the most heavily traded securities in the world.
How Has State Street Global Advisors Ownership Changed Over Time
State Street Global Advisors has remained under the ownership of State Street Corporation since its creation, growing mainly through organic expansion and product innovation rather than ownership changes.
Notable growth moves included expanding to London by 1994 and reaching 15 international office locations by 1999, along with the 2011 acquisition of Bank of Ireland Asset Management.
The most recent major change was not to ownership but to branding, when State Street rebranded the division from State Street Global Advisors to State Street Investment Management in 2025.
That rebrand accompanied continued strong growth, with the business crossing 5 trillion dollars in assets under management in 2026.
Custody and Banking
Formerly Global Advisors
Exchange Traded Fund Range
Pensions, Endowments and Sovereign Funds
Major State Street Global Advisors Milestones
State Street Bank launches its investment management arm in Boston.
The business is reorganized apart from State Street Bank.
The S&P 500 SPDR debuts as the first US exchange traded fund.
The firm expands its European investment capabilities.
State Street Global Advisors becomes State Street Investment Management.
Assets under management cross 5 trillion dollars.
How Much Does State Street Global Advisors Manage
State Street Investment Management, formerly State Street Global Advisors, crossed 5 trillion dollars in assets under management in 2026, cementing its place among the largest asset managers in the world.
The business ranks as the third largest ETF manager globally, trailing only BlackRock and Vanguard, largely on the strength of its SPDR ETF lineup.
Because it is a division rather than a standalone company, it does not report a separate stock price or market capitalization apart from parent company State Street Corporation.
| Financial Metric | Value |
| Assets under management | Over 5 trillion dollars, 2026 |
| Global ETF ranking | Third largest ETF manager |
| Parent company market cap | Approximately 36.8 billion dollars, State Street Corporation |
| Founded | 1978 |
What Products Does State Street Global Advisors Offer
State Street Global Advisors is best known for its SPDR family of exchange traded funds, including the widely traded SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust.
Beyond ETFs, the business manages index and active mutual funds, institutional separate accounts, and dedicated strategies for pension funds, sovereign wealth funds and endowments.
The firm also runs a large defined contribution and target date fund business used by employer sponsored retirement plans across the United States.
Readers who want to compare SPDR ETFs with a rival ETF and index fund pioneer can see our guide on who owns Charles Schwab.
How Do You Contact State Street Global Advisors
State Street Global Advisors can be reached through its Boston headquarters or through the investor relations contacts listed on its official website.
Individual investors with questions about SPDR ETFs typically contact their brokerage directly, since SPDR shares trade like any other exchange listed security.
Institutional clients and financial professionals can reach the firm through dedicated relationship teams listed on the ssga.com website.
| Support Type | Contact Information |
| Corporate headquarters | One Congress Street, Boston, MA 02114 |
| Individual ETF investors | Contact your brokerage |
| Institutional clients | See relationship contacts on ssga.com |
| Website | ssga.com |
Where Is State Street Global Advisors Headquartered
State Street Global Advisors is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, at One Congress Street, alongside its parent company’s main offices.
The firm also operates major offices in London, Hong Kong, Sydney and other financial centers to support its global institutional client base.
Is State Street Global Advisors a Good Asset Manager
State Street Global Advisors carries strong credibility as the inventor of the modern ETF and a leading manager of low cost index strategies.
Its SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust remains one of the most liquid and heavily traded funds in the world, giving investors confidence in its scale and reliability.
On the downside, some of its actively managed strategies have faced stronger competition from lower cost rivals, pushing more of its growth toward passive index products.
Overall, State Street Global Advisors remains a solid choice for investors seeking low cost, highly liquid index exposure through its well known SPDR lineup.
Frequently Asked Questions About State Street Global Advisors
Who owns State Street Global Advisors
State Street Global Advisors is owned by State Street Corporation, a publicly traded financial services company.
Is State Street Global Advisors now called something else
Yes, the division was rebranded State Street Investment Management in 2025, though the State Street Global Advisors name is still widely used and recognized.
Who is the CEO of State Street Global Advisors
Yie-Hsin Hung has served as President and CEO of the business since 2022.
Did State Street Global Advisors invent the ETF
Yes, the firm launched the S&P 500 SPDR in 1993, widely credited as the first modern exchange traded fund in the United States.
How much does State Street Global Advisors manage
The business crossed 5 trillion dollars in assets under management in 2026.
Is State Street Global Advisors publicly traded
It does not trade separately, but its parent State Street Corporation trades on the NYSE under the ticker STT.
I am Jack Neel, a mechanical engineer, researcher, and writer. I created this website to share my knowledge about different brands and products with you. I research the manufacturers behind the brands and provide you with the information you need to make smart buying decisions.