When it comes to building long-term wealth, few things are as powerful as reliable dividends paid by high-quality businesses.
While share prices will always move around, companies with strong earnings and a commitment to returning cash to shareholders can provide investors with peace of mind through all market cycles.
If I were building a portfolio designed to last decades, these are three ASX dividend shares I would be comfortable buying and holding forever.
APA Group (ASX: APA)
APA is one of the most dependable income stocks on the Australian share market. As a leading owner and operator of energy infrastructure, it generates stable, regulated cash flows that are largely insulated from economic ups and downs.
Its portfolio spans gas pipelines, electricity transmission assets, and power generation, with long-term contracts that provide excellent visibility over future earnings. This stability has allowed APA to steadily grow its distributions over time, making it a favourite among income-focused investors.
In fact, it has gone almost two decades with consecutive annual dividend increases.
Overall, I like this ASX dividend share due to its predictability, inflation-linked revenues, and a business model that supports consistent payouts year after year.
Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS)
In recent years, Telstra has quietly re-established itself as a core ASX dividend share for investors. As Australia's largest telecommunications provider, it benefits from essential infrastructure, a dominant mobile network, and recurring revenue from its millions of customers.
Ongoing investment in 5G, network reliability, and cost efficiency has strengthened Telstra's earnings base, helping underpin its dividend outlook. Importantly, connectivity demand continues to grow, even during weaker economic periods, which supports Telstra's defensive characteristics.
For investors seeking income with lower volatility, Telstra could be the one to choose.
Universal Store Holdings Ltd (ASX: UNI)
Finally, Universal Store might look different to traditional ASX dividend shares, but it earns its place here through growth-supported income. The youth fashion retailer has built a scalable store network, strong private-label penetration, and disciplined cost control, even in challenging retail conditions.
Unlike many retailers, Universal Store continues to generate solid free cash flow despite the tough consumer backdrop and has been able to return a meaningful portion of earnings to shareholders.
And with the company having a significant store rollout and private label opportunity, its future looks very bright. As a result, I think this is an ASX dividend share worth buying and holding for the long term.
