Alliance Bernstein, the money-management firm known for its early focus on the promising nature of emerging markets as an investment destination, filed papers with the Securities and Exchange Commission that would allow it to join the roster of other financial companies seeking to offer active ETFs.

The filing provides broad outlines of plans to offer actively managed equity and fixed-income funds that use quantitative strategies to select securities. The company is casting a wide net, suggesting it could ultimately roll out a broad array of funds that would focus on U.S. and international companies.

The filing makes Alliance, known also for its focus on high-net-worth individuals, the latest high-profiie financial company to throw its hat into the growing realm of actively managed ETFs. Other companies that have made exemptive relief filings with the SEC outlining plans for actively managed ETFs include Goldman Sachs, Legg Mason and J.P. Morgan.

Exemptive relief grants ETF firms exception to sections of the Investment Act of 1940 and are just the first step in the path to launching ETFs. It often takes at least six to 12 months from the date of the initial filing for a company’s first ETF to hit the market.