Buy and hold investing does not have to mean buying individual ASX shares.
For many investors, exchange traded funds (ETFs) offer a cleaner, lower-maintenance way to build long-term wealth. With a single trade, you can gain exposure to entire regions, themes, or investment styles.
With that in mind, here are five fantastic ASX ETFs that could be worth buying and holding for years to come.
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Betashares Asia Technology Tigers ETF (ASX: ASIA)
The first ASX ETF that could be a buy is the Betashares Asia Technology Tigers ETF. It is an easy and effective way to access the digital transformation happening across Asia.
This fund includes major regional innovators such as Tencent (SEHK: 700), Alibaba (NYSE: BABA), and Baidu (NASDAQ: BIDU). These companies are deeply embedded in ecommerce, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and digital payments across some of the world's fastest-growing economies.
Rather than relying solely on US tech giants, this fund gives exposure to businesses shaping how hundreds of millions of consumers interact online throughout China and broader Asia. As internet penetration, middle-class wealth, and AI adoption expand across the region, that structural growth story remains compelling.
Betashares Nasdaq 100 ETF (ASX: NDQ)
Another ASX ETF that could be a top buy and hold pick is the Betashares Nasdaq 100 ETF. It provides investors with exposure to the heavyweights of global innovation.
This includes companies such as Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA), Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT), Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL), and Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX). While best known for its technology tilt, the Nasdaq 100 also includes global consumer brands and platform businesses with enormous pricing power.
The common thread is scale. Many of these companies generate massive free cash flow and reinvest aggressively into research, infrastructure, and new products. Over long periods, that reinvestment has translated into earnings growth that outpaces broader markets.
Betashares Global Defence ETF (ASX: ARMR)
The Betashares Global Defence ETF provides investors with exposure to global defence and security spending.
Its holdings include companies such as Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT), Northrop Grumman (NYSE: NOC), and RTX Corporation (NYSE: RTX). As geopolitical tensions rise and governments commit to long-term military and cybersecurity budgets, defence spending has become less cyclical and more structural.
This fund was recently recommended by analysts at Betashares.
VanEck MSCI International Quality ETF (ASX: QUAL)
The VanEck MSCI International Quality ETF is built around the idea of owning a collection of high-quality companies.
The fund screens for businesses with high returns on equity, stable earnings growth, and low financial leverage. Current holdings include Meta Platforms (NASDAQ: META), Eli Lilly (NYSE: LLY), and Visa (NYSE: V).
These are companies that consistently convert revenue into profit and often dominate their industries. Quality investing does not chase hype. It focuses on balance sheets, margins, and durability. Analysts at VanEck recently recommended this fund.
Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF (ASX: VAS)
The Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF may be the most straightforward ETF on this list.
It tracks the broad Australian share market, giving exposure to companies such as BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP), Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA), and CSL Ltd (ASX: CSL).
Owning this ASX ETF means participating in Australia's banking system, resource exports, healthcare innovation, and consumer economy all at once. It also provides access to the relatively attractive dividend yields that the local market is known for.
