---
title: "Asset subtypes"
description: "Asset subtypes are the abbreviations Fincanva uses for the specific kind of instrument within an asset type — ETF, ETN, ETC, CEF, ETD, ETMF, and more."
canonical_url: "https://fincanva.com/glossary/asset-subtypes"
last_updated: "2026-09-24"
md_url: "https://fincanva.com/glossary/asset-subtypes.md"
---

# Asset subtypes

Asset subtypes are the abbreviations Fincanva uses to label the specific kind of [instrument](/glossary/instrument) within a broader [asset type](/glossary/asset-type) — the **Asset subtype** field in a [screener](/glossary/screener)'s [universe facets](/glossary/universe-facets). For exchange-traded products they read ETF, ETN, ETC, CEF, ETD, and ETMF; for stocks they read Common, Common (secondary), Preferred, and Unit. Each is a narrower class inside the asset type, so filtering on a subtype keeps only instruments of that exact kind.

**Also seen as:** security type

## What each asset-subtype abbreviation means

Each abbreviation names a specific instrument structure inside the ETP (exchange-traded product) family:

| Abbreviation | Full name | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| ETF | Exchange-Traded Fund | A fund holding a basket of assets that trades on an exchange like a share. |
| ETN | Exchange-Traded Note | An unsecured debt note whose return tracks an index — you carry the issuer's credit risk, not a basket. |
| ETC | Exchange-Traded Commodity | An exchange-traded security that tracks a commodity or commodity index. |
| CEF | Closed-End Fund | A fund with a fixed share count that trades on an exchange, often at a premium or discount to its net asset value. |
| ETD | Exchange-Traded Derivative | A derivative contract standardised and traded on an exchange. |
| ETMF | Exchange-Traded Managed Fund | An actively managed fund in an exchange-traded wrapper. |

The stock subtypes are plain English — Common and Preferred shares, a Common (secondary) listing, and Unit — so they aren't abbreviated. Note that **ETP** itself is not a subtype but the parent asset type these six sit under, and **ADR** and **OTC** are separate universe facets (the Country and Exchange fields), not asset subtypes.

## How does Fincanva handle it?

- Asset subtype is a universe facet: it narrows a screener to instruments of that exact kind before any metric filter runs.
- The subtypes offered depend on the asset type — stocks expose Common / Common (secondary) / Preferred / Unit; ETPs expose ETF / ETN / ETC / CEF / ETD / ETMF.
- The same subtype also appears as a column in a screener's results, labelled **Asset subtype**.

## What does it look like in practice?

Three instruments can track the same gold price yet be different subtypes. A gold **ETF** holds the metal (or gold-linked assets) in a fund and trades as shares. A gold **ETN** is a bank's debt note promising the index's return — if the issuer fails, the note can too, regardless of where gold is trading. A gold **ETC** is an exchange-traded security backed by the commodity itself. Filtering **Asset subtype = ETF** keeps the first and drops the other two.

Fincanva is for education and illustration only. It is not personalised financial advice, and past or simulated results do not predict future ones. [Read the Terms Addendum](https://fincanva.com/terms/addendum#section-3)