Investors have upped their interest in actively managed bond ETFs, pouring record capital into them in January as some paid up in hopes of stronger returns.

Vanguard Group (VOO), one of the world's largest ETF issuers, announced it is reducing fees on 168 mutual funds and ETF-related share classes, potentially saving investors over $350 million this year.

Malvern-based Vanguard is pricing active funds cheaper as it competes with Schwab, Fidelity, and other mass-market money managers.

Even if they don’t cut fees, active managers need to determine whether prices are still fair and that their funds offer something that can’t be replaced with passive.

The Pennsylvania-based fund giant stands to gain ground against rivals such as BlackRock while earning more goodwill from retail investors.

Vanguard Group Inc.’s biggest salvo yet in its campaign to cut fees for the investing masses presents industry rivals with a painful choice. Follow suit and lose potentially hundreds of millions in revenue — or hold the line and risk losing badly needed market share.