Best ETFs to Invest in   

1. Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO)

Sector: Broad Market, Large-Cap 
Expense Ratio: 0.03% 
AUM: $872 billion 
10-Year Total Return: 310% 
Dividend Yield: 1.11%

VOO tracks 500 of the largest US companies and remains the largest ETF by assets under management as of March 2026. At just $3 in annual fees per $10,000 invested, it is one of the lowest-cost ways to capture long-term US market returns. 

The S&P 500 has averaged approximately 10% annually with dividends reinvested over the long term, and VOO delivers that exposure at minimal cost. It is widely considered the strongest single buy-and-hold position available.

European UCITS Equivalent for eToro: iShares Core S&P 500 UCITS ETF (CSPX.L) tracks the identical index with $134.37 billion AUM, a 0.07% expense ratio, and a 0.00% dividend yield as it is an accumulating share class that reinvests income automatically.

2. Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ)

Sector: Growth, Technology-Heavy 
Expense Ratio: 0.20% 
AUM: $395 billion 
10-Year Annualized Return: 19.43% 
Dividend Yield: 0.45%

QQQ tracks the Nasdaq-100, covering the 100 largest non-financial companies listed on the Nasdaq. Its top five holdings as of March 2026 are Nvidia at 9.12%, Apple at 7.77%, Microsoft at 5.71%, Amazon at 4.32%, and Tesla at 4.00%. 

A $10,000 investment made ten years ago would be worth approximately $58,000 today based on the fund's cumulative 10-year return of around 480%. QQQ remains the benchmark growth ETF for investors who believe AI and cloud computing will continue to drive market returns.

European UCITS Equivalent for eToro: iShares NASDAQ 100 UCITS ETF (CNDX.L) tracks the identical Nasdaq-100 index with $21.55 billion AUM, a 0.33% expense ratio, and a 0.00% dividend yield as it is an accumulating share class.

3. Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD)

Sector: Dividend, Value Investing 
Expense Ratio: 0.06% 
AUM: $75.74 billion 
Dividend Yield: 3.82% 
10-Year Dividend Growth Rate: approximately 10% annually

SCHD tracks the Dow Jones U.S. Dividend 100 Index, selecting companies based on dividend growth history and financial strength. Dividend-paying stocks have outperformed non-payers over the long term, with data from 1973 to 2022 showing dividend growers turning $100 into $14,118 versus $843 for non-payers over the same period, though recent years have favoured growth-oriented technology stocks. 

SCHD's 3.82% yield is more than triple the income of a standard S&P 500 fund, making it particularly well suited to investors seeking stability and income alongside long-term growth.

European UCITS Equivalent for eToro: Vanguard FTSE All-World High Dividend Yield UCITS ETF (VGWD.DE) offers a 4.63% dividend yield across 2,186 global stocks with a 0.29% expense ratio and $5.03 billion AUM.

4. Vanguard Information Technology ETF (VGT)

Sector: Technology 

Expense Ratio: 0.09% 

AUM: $111.70 billion

10-Year CAGR: 23.18% 

Dividend Yield: 0.41%

VGT tracks the MSCI US Investable Market IT 25/50 Index across 319 stocks. Its top positions are Nvidia at 18.05%, Apple at 14.33%, and Microsoft at 10.94%. A 10-year CAGR of 23.18% as of February 2026 compares favourably to the broader market over the same period, with consistent outperformance across three-year and ten-year timeframes. 

For investors committed to technology as a long-term holding, VGT is the strongest fund available on a cost-adjusted basis.

European UCITS Equivalent for eToro: iShares S&P 500 Information Technology Sector UCITS ETF (IUIT.L) tracks the S&P 500 Information Technology index covering the same core holdings with a 0.15% expense ratio, $9.85 billion AUM, and a 0.00% dividend yield as it is an accumulating share class.

5. Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (VTI)

Sector: Broad Market, Total US Market
Expense Ratio: 0.03%
AUM: $585.96 billion 
Holdings: 3,450 stocks 
Dividend Yield: 1.10%

VTI goes beyond the S&P 500 by including large, mid, and small-cap US equities in a single fund, tracking the CRSP U.S. Total Stock Market Index. 

It provides the most complete picture of the US equity market available at the same cost as VOO, making it a natural alternative for investors who want broader domestic coverage without paying more.

European UCITS Equivalent for eToro: Vanguard FTSE All-World UCITS ETF (VWRD.L) covers 3,600 stocks across developed and emerging markets globally with a 0.22% expense ratio, $16.67 billion AUM, and a 1.35% dividend yield. It is the most practical single-fund option for European investors seeking maximum diversification.

6. Vanguard Real Estate ETF (VNQ)

Sector: Real Estate, REITs
Expense Ratio: 0.13%
AUM: $37.10 billion
Dividend Yield: 3.82%

VNQ provides diversified exposure to 151 US real estate investment trusts. Its top holdings include Welltower, Prologis, American Tower, and Equinix. REITs are legally required to distribute at least 90% of their taxable income to shareholders annually, making VNQ a reliable source of passive income. 

It also serves as an effective inflation hedge within a diversified portfolio, offering a return driver that is largely independent of the technology and growth positions elsewhere in the list.

European UCITS Equivalent for eToro: iShares Developed Markets Property Yield UCITS ETF (IQQ6.DE) covers REITs and property companies across developed markets with a 4.55% dividend yield, 0.59% expense ratio, and $1.18 billion AUM.

7. iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF (AGG)

Sector: Fixed Income
Expense Ratio: 0.03%
AUM: $141.22 billion 
Dividend Yield: 3.88%

AGG covers the US investment-grade bond market across government, corporate, and mortgage-backed securities. As yields stabilise around 4% in 2026, fixed income is expected to deliver stronger risk-adjusted returns than in recent years. 

AGG is the standard benchmark for reducing equity concentration risk in a portfolio and is particularly valuable as a counterbalance to the growth-heavy positions in the core list.

European UCITS Equivalent for eToro: iShares Core Global Aggregate Bond UCITS ETF (AGGU.L) provides broad investment-grade global bond coverage across 16,193 holdings with a 0.10% expense ratio, $3.83 billion AUM, and a 0.00% dividend yield as it is an accumulating share class.

ETF Investment Pros and Cons

Pros

Diversification: A single ETF provides exposure to hundreds or thousands of securities, significantly reducing individual stock risk. 

Low Cost: UCITS ETFs from Vanguard, iShares, and Invesco carry expense ratios as low as 0.07%, meaning fees have minimal impact on long-term returns. 

Liquidity: ETFs trade like stocks during market hours, providing flexibility that mutual funds cannot match. 

Passive Income: Distributing ETFs such as VGWD.DE and IQQ6.DE generate regular income, while accumulating share classes such as CSPX.L and CNDX.L reinvest dividends automatically for compounding growth. 

Direct Ownership: Purchasing UCITS ETFs on eToro as real assets means you own the underlying fund, unlike CFDs which carry leverage risk and do not confer ownership.

Cons

Slightly Higher Costs: UCITS ETFs carry marginally higher expense ratios than their US-domiciled counterparts, though the difference is small in most cases. 

Capped Upside: A diversified ETF will never match the performance of the single best-performing stock in its universe. 

Index Dependency: Passive funds track benchmarks with no active manager to rotate away from underperforming holdings during a prolonged sector decline. 

Overlap Risk: Adding sector ETFs alongside broad market funds such as CSPX.L and VWRD.L increases weighting in certain areas rather than introducing entirely new positions, which is worth considering when sizing each allocation.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for educational purposes only and should not be considered financial or investment advice. All figures including AUM, expense ratios, dividend yields, and performance data were accurate at the time of writing in March 2026 and are subject to change daily with market conditions.