A new player may have tossed its name into the iShares auction. The Daily Telegraph reports that mutually-owned fund giant Vanguard just bid $5 billion for the Barclays ETF unit, with the advisement of William Blair & Company. The WSJ also previously named Vanguard as a possible iShares bidder.

The bid appears to top the $4.4. billion bid previously submitted by CVC Capital's new Blue Sparkle limited partnership (see MFWire, 4/9/2009). Other reported bidders so far include Apax, Bain Capital, BC Partners, BlackRock and Hellman & Friedman (see MFWire, 5/11/2009, 5/15/2009 and 5/18/2009).

Such a deal would make Vanguard the largest ETF manager and place it ahead of ETF giant State Street Global Advisors. 

Stay ahead of the news ... Sign up for our email alerts now
CLICK HERE