The funds posted nearly $8.5 billion in outflows during the fourth quarter.
Investors funneled $375 billion into ETFs in 2016, says BlackRock.
Corporate bonds also did well in the latest weekly fund flow data.
2016 saw largest-ever net withdrawals from actively managed stock mutual funds.
A popular Credit Suisse ETN used to bet on oil prices creates major problems for investors.
Lipper data shows investors showering the most money on U.S.-based stock ETFs ever during the latest week.
Bank-loan funds that aim to pay investors more when interest rates increase are having their best fundraising streak in more than two years.
Meanwhile, ETFs continue to see inflows.
The fund company said the pace was faster than its record-setting 2015 haul.
The fund firm showed resilience in a punishing asset management market.