7 Best-Performing ETFs of 2026

The S&P 500 hasn’t delivered much to investors so far in 2026, but the best-performing exchange-traded funds of 2026 are a rare exception.

Though the market has managed to rebound recently on optimism that the war in Iran may be moving toward a resolution, disruption to energy markets remains and has raised new inflation concerns. However, some of the ETFs on this list are actually ways to profit from this trend.

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In other words, not all investments are struggling this year. Taking a tactical approach with some of these top-performing ETFs could provide a way to find upward momentum, even if the stock market as a whole hits a snag again soon.

The following list of the best-performing ETFs of 2026 is limited to funds of $100 million or more in assets and excludes leveraged funds. Year-to-date returns are through April 15:

Franklin FTSE Brazil ETF (FLBR)

Expenses: 0.19% YTD returns: +35.9%

Brazil, which is among the world’s largest exporters of agricultural products, has been a winner lately based on global inflation trends and trade disruptions. FLBR is a simple way to play the region, with 68 different stocks led by miner Vale SA (VALE) and financial giant Itaú Unibanco Holding SA (ITUB). There is obviously risk whenever you put all your cash into a single emerging market, but the returns are hard to match compared with the flat performance of domestic stocks so far in 2026.

State Street SPDR S&P Telecom ETF (XTL)

Expenses: 0.35% YTD returns: +37.7%

An equal-weight telecom fund, XTL takes all 40 large-cap stocks that make up this sector in the S&P 500 and aims to allocate the same amount of cash to each position — regularly rebalancing to keep them in check. This is a departure from value-weighted funds that put more emphasis on the largest companies, and an approach that has really paid off as smaller holdings like Iridium Communications Inc. (IRDM) and Ciena Corp. (CIEN) have roughly doubled this year. With a focus on artificial intelligence and the digital economy, the telecom sector is decidedly in favor, and XTL is one of the leading ways to capitalize on this trend.

VanEck Oil Services ETF (OIH)

Expenses: 0.35% YTD returns: +41.6%

With the rise in oil prices due to the war in Iran and disruptions to global supplies, it’s not surprising that many energy stocks are having quite a run. The largest companies have entrenched operations and are impacted by long-term trends as a result, but OIH is focused on service providers that can take on work quickly and boost production fast for more agile oil and gas firms. That includes Halliburton Co. (HAL) and Baker Hughes Co. (BKR), among others. Note: There are similar but smaller ETFs, including the Invesco Oil & Gas Services ETF (PXJ), that have comparable performance, but OIH offers both significant assets and strong returns.

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Invesco Semiconductors ETF (PSI)

Expenses: 0.56% YTD returns: +44.5%

A focused list of 30 stocks in the chipmaking industry, PSI is another investment theme cashing in thanks to all the attention on artificial intelligence. Top holdings include investor favorite Nvidia Corp. (NVDA), as well as other leaders KLA Corp. (KLAC), Broadcom Inc. (AVGO) and Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (AMD). As with oil services, there are other thematic ETFs that play this trend, including the First Trust Nasdaq Semiconductor ETF (FTXL), but PSI is one of the leading funds representative of this space.

iShares MSCI South Korea ETF (EWY)

Expenses: 0.59% YTD returns: +49.1%

South Korea’s main stock index just notched its highest level in more than three years to start 2026, and recent momentum from March lows has lifted the index back to levels seen before the U.S. entered the war in Iran. Though a regional ETF, performance is driven by global leaders including Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (OTC: SSNLF) and Hyundai Motor Co. (OTC: HYMTF). A strong retail investor base in the nation, coupled with continued foreign investor interest, has resulted in tremendous year-to-date returns. And with 2025 ushering in a measure of stability after a brief period of martial law at the end of 2024, optimism about the country continues to fuel gains for this Korea ETF and peers like the Franklin FTSE South Korea ETF (FLKR).

United States Gasoline Fund LP (UGA)

Expenses: 1.02% YTD returns: +59.9%

You’d have to live under a rock not to hear all the chatter about soaring gasoline prices in 2026 and the impact of fuel costs on the American economy. UGA is the simplest way to play that trend, via an ETF that directly tracks gasoline prices through short-term futures contracts listed on the NYMEX. Obviously, commodity investing in futures markets comes with a level of risk that is very different from the stock market, but it’s hard to argue with the returns of this fund in 2026. And with the war in Iran making it hard to imagine cheap gas anytime soon, UGA remains a popular bet with many investors.

United States Oil Fund LP (USO)

Expenses: 0.70% YTD returns: +77.2%

Of course, if you are watching gasoline prices, then you also know crude oil has been on a tear as well. USO has a similar format to the prior fund, as it is linked to futures markets for this key energy commodity — specifically, West Texas Intermediate crude. The popularity of this approach has led to other similar commodity-backed funds like the United States Brent Oil Fund LP (BNO), which is tied to a European oil benchmark, but USO remains the go-to way for many investors to profit from the surge in oil prices in 2026.

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7 Best-Performing ETFs of 2026 originally appeared on usnews.com

Update 04/17/26: This story was previously published at an earlier date and has been updated with new information.