FILE PHOTO: A screen displays the the company logo for Goldman Sachs on the floor at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., May 7, 2025. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo

Dec 1 (Reuters) - Goldman Sachs said on Monday it will buy active exchange-traded fund sponsor Innovator Capital Management in a cash-and-stock deal worth about $2 billion, as the Wall Street bank seeks to expand in one of the fastest-growing asset management segments.

Active funds have regained lost ground in the last few years as investors favor a more hands-on approach following lower returns from passively managed index products amid tighter monetary policy.

Global assets in actively managed exchange-traded funds have reached $1.6 trillion, rising at a 47% compound annual growth rate since 2020, Goldman Sachs said citing data by Morningstar.

"Active ETFs are dynamic, transformative, and have been one of the fastest-growing segments in today's public investment landscape," said Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon.

J.P. Morgan Asset Management earlier this year rolled out its largest active exchange-traded fund, backed by a $2 billion commitment from an external client.

Innovator Capital Management oversaw $28 billion in assets under supervision across 159 defined outcome ETFs as of September 30, 2025, offering products focused on income, buffer and growth strategies.

The company's Co-founder and CEO Bruce Bond, along with other key executives, will join Goldman Sachs Asset Management. Another 60 employees from Innovator are also expected to join Goldman Sachs Asset Management Third-Party Wealth and ETF teams.

The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter of 2026.

Goldman Sachs Global Banking and Markets, and Oppenheimer & Co acted as the financial advisers to Goldman Sachs and Innovator on the deal, respectively.

(Reporting by Pritam Biswas in Bengaluru; Editing by Leroy Leo)