They also __legally__ unload a large amount of tax burden by working with APs[1] on special custom ETF redemption orders.<p>For example, an AP will place a redemption order for an equity ETF. Typically, they will either receive cash value of the ETF or a basket of equities that are selected by the Front Office that are part of the underlying index represented by the ETF (the selection for a given <i>standard</i> basket is its own topic of portfolio management). However, in the case of the aforementioned custom orders, Vanguard and the AP will negotiate a special basket of equities to be given in return for the redeemed ETF. Sometimes this basket will just contain a large number of shares of simply one security. It's even possible that <i>both</i> parties make money off of this transaction due to the tax code. This transaction allows Vanguard to unload a large number of securities without paying taxes on them, and allows the AP to obtain these securities a negotiated, cheaper price.<p>Essentially, the transaction could like something like this:<p>->Vanguard has 1,000 shares of CompanyX they want to unload. This company can be found in Index Z.<p>->AP has 1 share of the Vanguard ETF that tracks Index Z. They want to redeem it<p>->AP gives their 1 share of the ETF to Vanguard<p>->Vanguard gives them n shares of CompanyX, at say a 5% discount so that:
.95 * $CompanyXPrice * Shares = 1 share of Index Z value<p>->Vanguard is spared the capital gains tax on these shares. AP gets these shares at a discount. They both (on paper) make or save money.<p>This is legal in the current tax code. The above example is simplified, but it should illustrate the situation (hopefully) well enough.<p>A brief blurb about it here too: <a href="https://www.pennstatelawreview.org/print-issues/articles/the-great-etf-tax-swindle-the-taxation-of-in-kind-redemptions/" rel="nofollow">https://www.pennstatelawreview.org/print-issues/articles/the...</a><p>[1] <a href="https://www.etf.com/etf-education-center/21021-who-are-authorized-participants.html" rel="nofollow">https://www.etf.com/etf-education-center/21021-who-are-autho...</a>