I absolutely love exchange-traded funds (ETFs), and I use them almost exclusively in my own investment portfolio. This week, I am going to provide you with a quick reference guide to help you instantly learn the ins and outs of several key ETF providers. If you have an IRA of any kind or a regular taxable trading account, you have access to ETFs, and you should definitely take advantage of that access.

The following ETF providers are responsible for the diverse universe of offerings that have emerged since ETFs originated in 1993. As you'll see, no two ETF providers are the same. To see a full list of the ETF distributors, please reference the table below.

One of the most popular ETF providers is iShares. This company offers more than 130 niche-oriented, exchange-traded funds. And, iShares also is the largest ETF provider in the world. The iShares ETFs are managed by Barclays Global Fund Advisors and collectively are designed to replicate the performance of more than 130 different indexes in sectors that range from health care to energy.

Similar to iShares, PowerShares has become a forerunner among ETF providers. Each ETF focuses on a particular investment style, currency, specialty, industry, commodity or broad market. PowerShares provides investment advisors with asset management tools and market exposure through the replication of enhanced indexes.

The 58 ETFs currently in the ProShares fund family are somewhat unique in that they allow you to execute sophisticated strategies, such as shorting or magnifying your exposure to major indexes. ProShares is the first company to offer short and leveraged funds. This innovation is important, since investors previously could not trade short or leveraged in most retirement accounts.

State Street Global Advisors, possibly the world's largest institutional asset manager, launched the first ETF, the S&P 500 SPDR (SPY), in 1993. SPY was created to represent the price and yield performance, before fees and taxes, of the S&P 500 Index. This company is the true pioneer in the industry, and it paved the way for other ETF providers to enter the business.
The fast-growing universe of ETFs offers a wealth of opportunities to investors. An old saying on Wall Street is, "There's always a bull market somewhere." ETFs make it easy for you to profit from bull markets, no matter where they are. Market sectors often deliver performance that is well beyond that of the overall market. Wisely selected ETFs have the potential to reward smart investors with big returns, while buy-and-hold mutual fund investors languish in subpar performance.

I want you investing for success, and that's just what ETFs can help you to achieve.
Here's to those ETF providers who're providing for the common defense of your wealth!