This ASX income ETF is trading on a 7% yield right now

You'd be hard pressed to find a stock that matches this yield…

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Key points

  • Dividend yields on the ASX: Finding an income stock with over 5% yield is challenging in the current ASX landscape due to lower yields in prominent shares.
  • Consider ASX income ETFs: The SPDR S&P Global Dividend ETF (ASX: WDIV) offers a trailing yield of 7.15%, supported by a diverse portfolio of globally-sourced high-yield companies.
  • Yield variability: While WDIV boasts a strong yield, investors should be aware of fluctuations in payouts, which can vary significantly year-to-year.

Looking at the ASX landscape right now, dividend investors would be hard-pressed to find an income stock that is trading on a dividend yield of over 5%. At least, one that isn't showing clear signs of being a dividend trap. That's why those investors might wish to check out an ASX income ETF that has a yield of the magnitude on the table today.

Even a 5% yield wasn't that hard to find until quite recently. The ASX's ascent to a series of new record highs earlier this year was good news for most ASX investors. But rising stock prices mean lower dividend yields if the payouts don't rise in tandem. That they haven't been for most prominent ASX dividend shares.

Shares that investors may have been used to seeing with yields of 4 to 5% in years gone by are now offering noticeably lower yields.

That's true from Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS) to Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES), from Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL) to Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC). And particularly so for Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA), which spent much of 2025 with a very unbank-like yield of below 3%.

But let's check out an ASX income ETF that has far more than that on the table today.

An ASX income ETF with a 7% yield?

That ASX ETF is the SPDR S&P Global Dividend ETF (ASX: WDIV). This fund is a dividend-focused ETF that holds around 100 high-yielding companies sourced from all around the world. These companies are assessed for their dividend stability over the past ten years. Any stocks that have cut their payouts in this period are excluded.

It holds companies from the United States, Canada and Japan, as well as from China, Hong Kong and Europe. Australia is represented as well, although it contributes about 2% to WDIV's overall portfolio.

Some of this income ETF's top positions include CVS Healthcare Corporation, Altria Group, Pfizer and Mitsui Chemicals. The ASX's APA Group (ASX: APA) flies the local flag.

But let's talk dividends. WDIV ETF pays out two dividend distributions annually. Over 2025, investors enjoyed a January dividend distribution worth 30.94 cents per share, as well as the July payment worth $1.26 per share. At the current WDIV unit price of $21.95 (at the time of writing), that annual total of $1.57 per unit gives this ASX income ETF a trailing yield of 7.15%.

Before you rush out to buy this ETF to secure a 7% yield, though, investors should be aware that WDIV's payouts, like most ETFs, do bounce around from year to year.

Yes, investors got a bumper year in 2025. But if this ETF had instead paid out 91.7 cents per share in payouts over 2025, as it did in 2024, its yield would be about 4.18% today.

Even so, this ASX income ETF has a strong history of paying large upfront dividends from a portfolio of stocks that have demonstrated defensiveness when it comes to payouts. That's arguably not something to ignore for income investors in the current environment.

Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen has positions in Altria Group and Wesfarmers. The Motley Fool Australia's parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Pfizer and Wesfarmers. The Motley Fool Australia's parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended CVS Health. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Apa Group and Telstra Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Wesfarmers. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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