I want a glorious 2026 for my portfolio, and I’ve put in thousands of hours of research in recent years to try to pinpoint some top stocks I want to own for the long-term. That said, in terms of finding opportunities that may work in 2026 and for many years into the future, I think it’s important to continue to remain diversified and look at top exchange traded funds (ETFs) tracking specific trends that should provide upside over the near-, medium- and long-term.
That’s easier said than done, of course, since none of us have a crystal ball handy. That said, I do have a few themes I think will remain in favor in the coming years (and for 2026 specifically) which I’m looking at ramping up exposure to right now.
Here are three ETFs I personally own, and why I think these specific funds could be set up for a – dare I say it glorious – 2026.
Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD)
I have two overarching theses I think are likely to play out in 2026. First, I think interest rates are likely to come down, and probably in a more significant fashion than many investors are pricing in. Secondly, I’m much more bearish about the overall growth rate of many high-flying tech stocks in the AI sector and elsewhere, making the valuation discrepancy between top-quality dividend stocks and growth stocks really stand out.
In that regard, I’m going to be adding to my position in the Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD) over the course of this year. This ETF provides investors with exposure to the Dow Jones U.S. Dividend 100 Index, which tracks companies with more than a decade of consecutive dividend increases. Importantly, this ETF also emphasizes quality matrices such as return on equity, dividend sustainability, and measures each holding’s cash flow to debt ratios.
For investors looking for a fund that provides a yield of 3.7% along with an expense ratio of just 0.06%, this is a top option to consider in this competitive dividend ETF market. In my view, there are few better options to consider right now from a quality and yield perspective, particularly at this rock-bottom fee level.
Vanguard Utilities Index Fund ETF (VPU)
One of the sectors that’s ripped higher in 2025 and is becoming more closely watched by many growth investors right now is the utilities space. Indeed, in order for the U.S. (and global economy for that matter) to handle the kind of energy demand we’re expecting to see, utilities companies are going to need to ramp up their production to meet this demand. Accordingly, I’m expecting some robust pricing power to materialize in a sector that doesn’t typically see much in the way of pricing power (particularly for regulated players) during most time periods.
In my view, the Vanguard Utilities Index Fund ETF (VPU) is among the best option for investors looking to trade this idea.
That’s in part due to the fact that investors in VPU don’t just gain exposure to the largest utility players in the market, but a range of small and mid-cap names as well. With a broad definition of what falls into the utility category, this isn’t just an electricity and natural gas utility ETF. Water, mini-utilities, nuclear, and other independent power producers are included in this fund.
With an expense ratio of 0.09% and a dividend yield of more than 2.5%, there’s a similar value dynamic at play with owning VPU. Over the course of the past two years, this ETF holding has been my most profitable, given the rise we’ve seen in the utilities sector broadly. That said, given the fact that I think the underlying trends driving these stocks higher aren’t going to change anytime soon, this is an ETF I feel comfortable with adding to over the course of 2026.
Vanguard International Growth ETF (VWILX)
Last, but certainly not least on this list of top ETFs to consider buying in 2026, is the Vanguard International Growth ETF (VWILX).
I think international stocks simply haven’t gotten the love the deserve in recent years. And while some investors have caught onto the upside international stocks can provide (and in particular, international growth stocks), the outperformance trend we’ve seen between VWILX and other growth ETFs focused only on U.S. stocks is one I think can continue into 2026 and for years to come.
My basis for this view really boils down to two things. One, I think the valuation discrepancy
And two, I think other global markets will show much higher growth rates than the U.S. in 2026 and for many years. The U.S. market is now so large and mature that, outside of a few small up and coming growth stocks that are needles in the haystack to find, there won’t be the kind of growth rates we’ve seen in the past when one compares this market to other emerging markets around the world with explosive population growth and other key drivers that don’t exist here.
With that in mind, VWILX is a unique option, and one I’ve begun adding to as a way to remain exposed to growth stocks (but less so here in the U.S.). For investors who think along the same lines, I think this ETF is worth considering right now.