When I think about holding an investment for 10 years or longer, I'm not trying to predict next quarter's returns. I'm looking for exposure to lasting competitive advantages, structural growth trends, and portfolios that can adapt as the world changes.
That's why, if I were building a long-term exchange-traded fund (ETF) allocation today, these three VanEck funds would be near the top of my list.
VanEck Morningstar Wide Moat AUD ETF (ASX: MOAT)
When I think about holding an ETF for a decade or more, I keep coming back to the concept of a moat. It's an idea most closely associated with Warren Buffett, who has long argued that the best investments are businesses with durable competitive advantages, bought at sensible prices.
That's essentially what the VanEck Morningstar Wide Moat AUD ETF aims to do.
The ETF invests in US companies that are judged to possess sustainable economic moats, such as strong brands, high switching costs, or network effects. Crucially, it also incorporates a valuation discipline, tilting the portfolio toward fair valued stocks.
For a long-term investor, that combination of quality and price discipline is powerful. It's not about chasing whatever is popular at the time. It's about owning businesses that are built to last and giving them time to compound.
VanEck Video Gaming and Esports ETF (ASX: ESPO)
The VanEck Video Gaming and Esports ETF is the long-term growth play in this group, and I think the numbers back that up.
According to Statista, global gaming revenue is projected to reach US$564 billion in 2026 and grow at a compound annual rate of 6.8% through to 2030, taking the market to more than US$730 billion. The number of gamers worldwide is expected to climb to just over 3 billion users by the end of the decade, which tells me this is not a saturated market, even at its current scale.
What I like about the ESPO ETF is that it gives exposure to the companies building the infrastructure, platforms, and content that sit at the centre of this growth.
This VanEck ETF won't move in a straight line, and I wouldn't expect it to. But over a 10-year horizon, the combination of a growing user base, rising engagement, and expanding monetisation makes interactive entertainment a theme I'm comfortable backing for the long run.
VanEck Global Clean Energy ETF (ASX: CLNE)
Clean energy is a theme that has already had moments of hype, disappointment, and volatility. That's exactly why I think it makes sense to view it through a long-term lens.
Regardless of short-term policy shifts or commodity cycles, the direction of travel is clear. Energy systems are gradually transitioning toward cleaner, more sustainable sources. That transition will require enormous investment across generation, storage, grid infrastructure, and supporting technologies.
The VanEck Global Clean Energy ETF provides diversified exposure to stocks involved across the global clean energy value chain. Some will succeed more than others, but owning the theme through an ETF reduces single-company risk and allows time for the winners to emerge.
For me, the CLNE ETF is a way to participate in a multi-decade transformation without needing to perfectly time the cycle.
Foolish takeaway
Holding an ETF for a decade or more requires confidence in the underlying idea, not just recent performance.
The MOAT ETF gives me durable competitive advantages and valuation discipline. The ESPO ETF gives me exposure to long-term digital entertainment growth. The CLNE ETF gives me a stake in the global energy transition.
Together, they reflect how I like to invest for the long run: a mix of quality, growth, and structural change, with enough diversification to stay invested through whatever the market throws up along the way.
