The actively managed exchange traded fund (ETF) race is on, and it couldn’t be more heated at this point.

Whenever there is more than one provider gearing up to launch a new product into the marketplace, the competition to be first can be fierce. That’s often because investors are excited, and the new ETFs benefit from the pent-up demand.

Murray Coleman for Index Universe reports that while PowerShares was rumored to be in line to launch the first actively managed ETF, a few days later the rumor mill churned out another name: Bear Stearns. 

Bear Stearns’ launch date is March 18th, but Coleman says PowerShares President Bruce Bond shouldn’t be counted out just yet.

Anything could happen, and the fact of the matter is, we won’t know who’s first until trading actually begins.