what is an open end fund 
an open end fund is a diversified portfolio of pooled investor money that can issue unlimited shares the fund sponsor sells shares directly to investors and redeems them as well these shares are priced daily based on their net asset value nav most mutual and exchange traded funds etfs are open end 1they are also more common than their counterpart closed end funds and are the bulk of the investment options in company sponsored retirement plans such as 401 k plans 2investopedia jessica olah